Which skills are worh raising really high?

[khorboth]

Assuming a fairly high point-value game, which skills do we think are worth investing lots of points in?

Generally speaking, we see diminishing returns after the 12-14 range unless there are frequently large negative modifiers. So, I was trying to figure out what skills might be worth the extra juice to put skills up to 25 or 30 or higher.

Ritual Magic seems like the most obvious choice. If we're using that magic system, many spells have prerequisite count of 10 and getting skill to 20 has real benefits.

Weapon skills can also clearly benefit. In melee, there are options and there's your parry. In ranged combat, there's range.

So, what else is worth having a skill of 25+‽

[naloth]

Any skill the GM will let you use effectively can be worthwhile:

- Some rules allow artificer skills to produce suburb (even magical) items.
- Engineering skills can allow you to improvise all sorts of things
- Science skills can turn you into a Sherlock Homes type.
- 'Face' skills can let you manipulate others
- Stealth skills will let you win without others seeing you
- Superior tactics and strategy can give you overwhelming advantages or let you avoid combat altogether.
- Survival will let you live comfortably where others die.
- Holdout will let you bring weapons (combat advantage) where none are allowed.
- Savior Faire will help you out maneuver others in proper company.
- Gaming skills are a good fall back for resolving disputes without fighting.
- Entertaining, cooking, and cleaning skills help with getting you into places without fighting.

[Fred Brackin]

Youi've left out Skills which get roled in active contests v. npcs. Observation v. Stealth is just one example.

[johndallman]

If you can have DX and/or IQ of 16+, or suitable Talents, it becomes worthwhile taking many skills to 16 because it doesn't cost huge amounts, your rate of critical failures decreases significantly, and your rate of critical successes increases. That applies to any skill where failures can be dangerous, such as Explosives.

Stealth is often rolled as a contest, so getting that quite high has major returns in safety for an infiltrator. Camouflage is similar, as are all the Influence skills (and their Techniques).

Under Action's cinematic rules, Physician can be used at -10 for instant First Aid, which makes skill in the 20s the key ability for medics.

[awesomenessofme1]

I would say spells under normal Magic would also definitely qualify. There are a lot of spells that cost 3+ energy that would be incredibly powerful to have indefinitely.

[khorboth]

Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1

I would say spells under normal Magic would also definitely qualify. There are a lot of spells that cost 3+ energy that would be incredibly powerful to have indefinitely.

Excellent point. And don't forget the time reductions as well.

[WingedKagouti]

If it's not super expensive, Diplomacy is worth getting to 20 for the automatic +2 to any reaction roll.

[khorboth]

Yes, everything that's a contest can be valuable at high levels. This is adjacent to the combat skills. In a high point-value game, we can assume that opponents are also good, so rolling holdout vs search where both are in the mid-20s wouldn't be unreasonable.

Another broad category I missed was touched on with inventions. TL penalties. If there are TL disparities going on, then it can certainly be worth having high skill to overcome that. Computer Operations/TL7 at 25 would let you muddle through at TL10 with the -15 penalty.

What about taking less time? Lockpicking usually takes 1 minute. I don't remember where rules for taking less time are off the top of my head, but it seems like this is the sort of thing where deliberate penalties would come in to play. Same with computer hacking while the bad guys are approaching or tactics or... whatnot.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by khorboth

I don't remember where rules for taking less time are off the top of my head . . .

"Time Spent", p. B346. -9 for skipping 90% of the time.

[Plane]

Thaumatology (and Paths) and Symbols :)