Bonuses to skill defaults for reference material

Pursuivant · 11-21-2023, 01:39 PM

Most bonuses from reference materials just offset penalties to skill, however.

The rules for software in GURPS Basic are a good starting point. In some cases, you need reference materials to avoid being penalized (e.g., Law skill for many tasks, unless you're really familiar with case law). In other cases, they offset penalties to perform an obscure task (e.g., a reference library which covers a particular skill, like a cookbook library which gives instructions for cooking weird things like peacocks, turtles or opossums). Rarely, they actually give bonuses to skill, but might just count as better Equipment.

What a reference library does for many tasks is save time. For example, if you're inventing something, access to a patent library will tell you what sort of things have been invented. An academic research library, with access to journals, might tell you what approaches have been tried and didn't work. Functionally, the two might count as Good- or Fine-Quality equipment to make Invention rolls using a particular skill or a bonus for Research as a Complementary Skill

How-to videos effectively give you points for self-study. Assuming the creator's core skill, Teaching skill and PS (Video Production) skills are up to par.

11-21-2023, 01:39 PM	#6
Pursuivant Join Date: Apr 2005	Re: Bonuses to skill defaults for reference material Most bonuses from reference materials just offset penalties to skill, however. The rules for software in GURPS Basic are a good starting point. In some cases, you need reference materials to avoid being penalized (e.g., Law skill for many tasks, unless you're really familiar with case law). In other cases, they offset penalties to perform an obscure task (e.g., a reference library which covers a particular skill, like a cookbook library which gives instructions for cooking weird things like peacocks, turtles or opossums). Rarely, they actually give bonuses to skill, but might just count as better Equipment. What a reference library does for many tasks is save time. For example, if you're inventing something, access to a patent library will tell you what sort of things have been invented. An academic research library, with access to journals, might tell you what approaches have been tried and didn't work. Functionally, the two might count as Good- or Fine-Quality equipment to make Invention rolls using a particular skill or a bonus for Research as a Complementary Skill How-to videos effectively give you points for self-study. Assuming the creator's core skill, Teaching skill and PS (Video Production) skills are up to par.