Tips for avoiding skill bloat; Pro skills

[simply Nathan]

Originally Posted by tbone

This would be nice released as a web page, or downloadable doc; I think a number of GMs would like this simplified approach.

I have my current WIP as a Google Docs file. I'm also pretty sure that at some point I posted these skills and their defaults as their own thread on this forum; there used to be a default between Archery and Spear.

Originally Posted by tbone

I see at least one GURPS skills placed under more than one of the 30 Skills: Hiking, under both Athletics and Exploration. Is that intentional?

Several skills are included in multiple other skills, and this is quite intentional. Another example is that both Knife and Sword include Shortsword, and how different polearms can be one or more of Spear, Sword, or Hafted weapons. Likewise Veterinary is both Beast Lore and Medical, so you simply roll against the higher of the two when relevant.

Originally Posted by tbone

Also, do the categories of Expert Skills, Professional Skills, and all scientific skills go somewhere, or are they left out of the game?

I basically decided to just leave those out of the game, and if someone wanted Attribute-level competence in something off the books I'd only charge a Perk, and for an additional +2 after that would be a second Perk (allowing someone with an attribute of 10 to get a professional level for 2 points regardless of the skill's official difficulty).