[TML] Mongoose Traveller [SEC=UNOFFICIAL]

[Richard Aiken]

On Nov 13, 2007 11:08 PM,  <david.d.jaques-watson at centrelink.gov.au> wrote:
> That's actually my beef with those systems that have an, ah,
> "overabundance" of skills (like GURPS!). It is possible to get to a point
> where the lack of a specific obscure skill could be a "showstopper".

Very few GURPS skills have no defaults.  A default skill would likely
be low, of course.  But if the PCs were creative about acquiring
positive modifiers (or at least avoiding as many negative modifiers as
they could), they could make most defaults work.

Still, one reason I like Serenity is the broad flexibility of it's
General and Specialty Skills.  A General Skill at d6 - the maximum -
gives you a fairly good chance to get the easier things right and
*some* chance to get even the more difficult things right (or at least
gives you some notion about how to go about gaining enough positive
modifiers to get a better chance).  Of course, those nifty Plot Points
give even unskilled characters a shot at overcoming most*
"showstopper" situations . . . as long as he's been a good roleplayer,
that is.

*I say "most" because there are some [Skilled Only] Skills noted in
the game; you can't re-attach a lost limb without Medical Expertise
[Surgery], for example.

-- 
Richard Aiken

"Never insult anyone by accident."  Robert A. Heinlein