Cross Class Ability

[Mister Andersen]

This has probably been answered before, but if you use the Pointman's Cross-Class Ability to pick up something that references the skills of its original class (such as the Scientist's PhD), can you substitute in the Pointman skill list?

[artent]

I beleive if the ability in question says class skill you use pointman...if it mentions a specific class as in Ph.d you are stuck with the named class.

[Morgenstern]

This has probably been answered before, but if you use the Pointman's Cross-Class Ability to pick up something that references the skills of its original class (such as the Scientist's PhD), can you substitute in the Pointman skill list?

Ph.D is explict- you choose "1 Scientist Class skill", not "one of this class' skills."

[Mister Andersen]

Yeah, I was pretty sure it worked that way. Pity, a Doctorate in Athletics would have been amusing.

What about if the Jack of All Trades campaign quality is in play? Technically, every skill would be a class skill for the Scientist.

[Morgenstern]

Yeah, I was pretty sure it worked that way. Pity, a Doctorate in Athletics would have been amusing.

It is, which is why there are other character options that produce that effect . Dwarves can do it, for example.

What about if the Jack of All Trades campaign quality is in play? Technically, every skill would be a class skill for the Scientist.

That would work.

[afrodave]

So Virtuoso with Suvivalist; then you can PhD Athletics from Virtuoso.

[Sletchman]

What about a gifted pointman? Does his gifted quality allow his "always a class skill" to count as a scientist class skill [which it would be, were he a scientist]??

[Morgenstern]

What about a gifted pointman? Does his gifted quality allow his "always a class skill" to count as a scientist class skill [which it would be, were he a scientist]??

Nope, the Gifted talent make a skill a class skill for you, but it doesn't add that skill to any class skill lists. Same thing happens with the Virtuoso - it makes something a class skill for you, but doesn't alter the class skill list. Check the Advocate's by any means, the pointman's versitility, or many master class' continuity. Those abilities actually edit the class.

Ph.D's wording is very specific - Go to Scientist (or Virtuoso) class skill list. Pick one. Ph.D is very powerful, so it has a couple of locks built into its behavior to ensure that the mechanic of massively increasing your skill rank cap can be used for other skills without the Scientist/Virtuoso always being able to match the other class in it's specialty, and often beat it due to the strong skill feat support.

[Daedalus4096]

The question then becomes whether the Virtuoso's "key skill", as defined by his Field of Expertise ability, is then considered a Virtuoso class skill for the purpose of his PhD ability.  The wording as written in the SP would imply that it does not, but it seems kind of silly to be a Virtuoso in, say, Athletics, but not have your big skill-boosting ability apply to it.