Animal Handling (Insects) or PS: Beekeeper

Anders · 07-22-2010, 12:55 PM

Which one to use for a beekeeper?

Using PS: Beekeeper feels a little bit like taking the easy way out - and it also opens up the question what it contains that AH (Insects) doesn't. What does PS: Cowboy contain that Animal Handling (bovines) doesn't?

AH (Insects) seems to be very broad, but the description of the skill says to use a broader skill the more stupid the animals... and insects are pretty stupid. They have that kind of needle-point intelligence you find in nature, where they are exceptional in whatever they do and dumb as stumps otherwise.

Not another shrubbery · 07-22-2010, 01:07 PM

Professional skill looks like the better fit to me for a serious treatment of the job. Animal Handler might work for someone like the Red Bee.

lexington · 07-22-2010, 01:15 PM

I'd go with PS: Beekeeper. It should also include what to do with the honeycombs if you want to prepare them for sale and basic maintenance of equipment for the job.

roguebfl · 07-22-2010, 01:15 PM

Well i would start with AH (Insect) can't process honey but PS(Beekeeper) can

fschiff · 07-22-2010, 02:10 PM

If your bees are size of small dogs, (see Glorantha's Uz) then I'd use Animal Handling (Insects), otherwise no.

Kelly Pedersen · 07-22-2010, 02:38 PM

Yeah, I'll chime in with PS: Beekeeper. My family farm does beekeeping as its primary form of agriculture, so I have some degree of experience with it. Offhand, PS: Beekeeper would cover:

Proper methods of raising bees, including methods for keeping them over winter vs. rebuilding the hives each year
Identifying good crops to make good-tasting honey
Maintaining and serving the honey-extracting machinery
Breeding strains of bees for particular traits
Identifying and treating common diseases and parasites
Finding good locations for hives to be set up, and defending those locations from predators

Animal Handling is more for working with and training individual animals, IMO, and you really can't do that with bees. Much as we joked about it. :-)

Voren · 07-22-2010, 03:00 PM

Beekeeper!

Except in Dungeon Fantasy, where some variation of Allies: Swarm of Giant Bees would be the option of choice for venomous, stinging goodness.

07-22-2010, 12:55 PM	#1
Anders Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden	Animal Handling (Insects) or PS: Beekeeper Which one to use for a beekeeper? Using PS: Beekeeper feels a little bit like taking the easy way out - and it also opens up the question what it contains that AH (Insects) doesn't. What does PS: Cowboy contain that Animal Handling (bovines) doesn't? AH (Insects) seems to be very broad, but the description of the skill says to use a broader skill the more stupid the animals... and insects are pretty stupid. They have that kind of needle-point intelligence you find in nature, where they are exceptional in whatever they do and dumb as stumps otherwise. __________________ “When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” Marcus Aurelius Author of Winged Folk. The GURPS Discord. Drop by and say hi!

07-22-2010, 01:07 PM	#2
Not another shrubbery Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Animal Handling (Insects) or PS: Beekeeper Professional skill looks like the better fit to me for a serious treatment of the job. Animal Handler might work for someone like the Red Bee.

07-22-2010, 01:15 PM	#3
lexington Join Date: Jan 2010	Re: Animal Handling (Insects) or PS: Beekeeper I'd go with PS: Beekeeper. It should also include what to do with the honeycombs if you want to prepare them for sale and basic maintenance of equipment for the job.

07-22-2010, 01:15 PM	#4
roguebfl Dog of Lysdexics Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Melbourne FL, Formerly Wellington NZ	Re: Animal Handling (Insects) or PS: Beekeeper Well i would start with AH (Insect) can't process honey but PS(Beekeeper) can __________________ Rogue the Bronze Firelizard Gerald Grenier, Jr. Hail Eris! Rogue's Weyr

07-22-2010, 02:10 PM	#5
fschiff Join Date: Dec 2008	Re: Animal Handling (Insects) or PS: Beekeeper If your bees are size of small dogs, (see Glorantha's Uz) then I'd use Animal Handling (Insects), otherwise no.

07-22-2010, 02:38 PM	#6
Kelly Pedersen Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Saskatoon, SK, Canada	Re: Animal Handling (Insects) or PS: Beekeeper Yeah, I'll chime in with PS: Beekeeper. My family farm does beekeeping as its primary form of agriculture, so I have some degree of experience with it. Offhand, PS: Beekeeper would cover: Proper methods of raising bees, including methods for keeping them over winter vs. rebuilding the hives each year Identifying good crops to make good-tasting honey Maintaining and serving the honey-extracting machinery Breeding strains of bees for particular traits Identifying and treating common diseases and parasites Finding good locations for hives to be set up, and defending those locations from predators Animal Handling is more for working with and training individual animals, IMO, and you really can't do that with bees. Much as we joked about it. :-)

07-22-2010, 03:00 PM	#7
Voren Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ontario, Canada	Re: Animal Handling (Insects) or PS: Beekeeper Beekeeper! Except in Dungeon Fantasy, where some variation of Allies: Swarm of Giant Bees would be the option of choice for venomous, stinging goodness. __________________ GM, to player: "Yes, acid can look like water."

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