L337' and Falsify / Disguise

[toturi]

It doesn't. By the RAW, the main thing profession is used for is to talk yourself up after a mission. It also provides some bonuses for things involving the focuses you do have.

Also, bluff in your example is less for acting like a janitor and more for not acting like a nervous, scared, or guilty trespasser.

Like Bill said, under the Profession skill, it says you can. So by the RAW, why can't you?

[spinningdice]

You can, but then you're limited by what focuses you have. I'd suggest most Hackers take 'IT Technician' as in my experience we get to walk around and fiddle with people's computers, and no-one questions it... Or maybe that's just from working in local Government.

[Morganti]

The thing to know about the RAW, is that it only applies if you have the appropriate Cover Identity, not just anytime you wanna bluff that you are a janitor

~D~

[Mister Andersen]

Which makes utterly no sense.

[Morgenstern]

Profession is not intended to trump and replace Bluff at the drop of a hat.  You need to actually be wearing the appropriate hat in support of your ruse.

Complete improvisational BS = Bluff.
Filling in the blanks of a cover identity = Bluff or matching Profession.

Pretending to be the janitor that works here based solely on my knowledge of cleaning suplies? Sorry. The part about saying "oh shit, I forgot my uniform this evening, and may badge was in that shirt" and making it stick is definitely where Bluff and Profession part ways.

[Mister Andersen]

If you know how to, for example, buttle -- with ranks in Profession (Buttler) -- it should make no difference if you're pretending to be some random buttler or a buttler with a Name as you are in both cases drawing on your buttling experience to sell yourself as a buttler.

Trying to pass yourself off as Alfred Pennyworth OTOH is clearly a case of Bluff, with synergy from Investigate (as you would have researched the heck out of him before making the attempt).

[Antilles]

I think what Morgenstern is saying that if you dress like a butler, and have a piece of paper that says you graduated from the butler school, then yeah, you use Profession when trying to enter the old manor. If you have none of those, and are trying to enter just by saying "yeah, I'm the butler", then it's a Bluff check, no matter how good a butler you are.

[Krensky]

It doesn't. By the RAW, the main thing profession is used for is to talk yourself up after a mission. It also provides some bonuses for things involving the focuses you do have.

Also, bluff in your example is less for acting like a janitor and more for not acting like a nervous, scared, or guilty trespasser.

Actually per pg 146, SP PDF under the profession skill description, the RAW says: Disguises and Cover Identities: When you assume a disguise or cover identity as a member of a profession in which you possess 1 or more ranks, you may use your Profession skill bonus in place of your Bluff/Deception or Falsify/Disguise bonus.

It would seem that if you were disguised as a janitor and you had the Profession (janitor) skill, you COULD use profession in place of Bluff.

This is what I get for replying without pulling the book out, as I seem to have confused a house rule with the book in my memory. Namely that Profession (X) provides synergy to Bluff in those circumstances, but it does not substitute for it. Acting like you belong somewhere is much more involved then simply knowing the job. It will inform your performance, but it does not substitute for it.