Where did Skill 12 = professional come from?

[nik1979]

As the title asks, where did the skill-12 professional come from? What points, references, factors and ideas that made the general rule that way?

[pawsplay]

At skill 12, you will only succeed at routine tasks (+4) on a critical failure. Further, assuming a base attribute of 11, you need 4 to 8 points spent on a skill to reach level 12, equivalent to higher learning.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by pawsplay

At skill 12, you will only succeed at routine tasks (+4) on a critical failure. Further, assuming a base attribute of 11, you need 4 to 8 points spent on a skill to reach level 12, equivalent to higher learning.

You mean 'fail at routine tasks'.

[pawsplay]

Originally Posted by Icelander

You mean 'fail at routine tasks'.

Why, yes. Yes, I do. :)

[capnq]

Originally Posted by Icelander

You mean 'fail at routine tasks'.

Originally Posted by pawsplay

Why, yes. Yes, I do. :)

Must have failed a Writing roll. ;-)

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by pawsplay

At skill 12, you will only succeed fail at routine tasks (+4) on a critical failure. Further, assuming a base attribute of 11, you need 4 to 8 points spent on a skill to reach level 12, equivalent to higher learning.

This is backed up this side bar:

Originally Posted by Basic Set p.172

Skills used to earn a living tend toward the upper end of this range (12 or 13),

[Anthony]

They needed a benchmark, and 12 sounded good. It's high enough to be not quite trivial for characters in a baseline game to achieve (bear in mind that skill 12 = professional predates 4e by a lot; I think it predates 3e as well) and that a character with that skill won't feel incompetent, but low enough that a character who wants to be an expert can exceed it well enough.

[nik1979]

So am I to assume that this value was arbitrary for game purposes?

I think I remember reading about 12 as the professional skill level in 3e also. Most of the old job tables entries function on the 12 level.

as a follow up question:
Are Job Rolls in B516 considered routine? I remember in 3e they were not, but has that changed in 4e?

[roguebfl]

Originally Posted by nik1979

So am I to assume that this value was arbitrary for game purposes?

I think I remember reading about 12 as the professional skill level in 3e also. Most of the old job tables entries function on the 12 level.

as a follow up question:
Are Job Rolls in B516 considered routine? I remember in 3e they were not, but has that changed in 4e?

it not arbitrary, and unless the job is 'adventuring level stress' then it's routine.

[Polydamas]

Originally Posted by nik1979

So am I to assume that this value was arbitrary for game purposes?

Well, its a skill level which under the GURPS mechanics lets you do things which are reasonable for professionals, and which characters representing ordinary people can achieve. For example, someone with skill 12 can expect to succeed under difficult conditions (no bonuses) and has a decent chance of success with a net penalty to his skill. Its no more or less arbitrary than any other part of GURPS which doesn't correspond to something which can be measured in the real world.