Brainstorming Space-Opera skills

[Mister Andersen]

There need to be space whales.

[Doublebond]

There need to be space whales.

I agree with this man.

[MilitiaJim]

... machine intelligences...

Unborn?

[Morgenstern]

There need to be space whales.

I'm not sure what advantages being a "whale" would confer to a vacuum-dweller (Farthest star really does have vacuum between the worlds rather than Star Wars-esque ether), but if they exist at all and are very large, humans are likely to call them 'whales' no matter what they look like .

Trust me, after a few centuries of skipping about space and colonizing a few worlds that aren't 2/3rd ocean, the romanticizing of space as an "Ocean" will fade a bit from the public's collective subconcious. The most treacherous of seas will seem downright inviting compared to how merciless space is.

[Mister Andersen]

Anyhow, any further thoughts on skills?

[snake]

There need to be space whales.

Space Whales=Bioships. Organic Technology.

Also need lots of methane, sulfur, and carbon dioxide breathers, like the Vorlons or the T'ca or Knnn of CJCherryh tales. Please.

[MilitiaJim]

Also need lots of methane, sulfur, and carbon dioxide breathers, like the Vorlons or the T'ca or Knnn of CJCherryh tales. Please.

One species point flaw:
Non-standard air:  This species cannot survive in human atmosphere, and must wear gear to preserve its life.

Should folks who breathe incompatible air actually be a majority of the folks the PCs deal with, this may not be a real hinderence.

[Mister Andersen]

At the lower tech end, if you know the majority of the campaign is going to be a case of humans are comfortable, aliens are at terminal risk, it sounds similar to fatal falls and some other narrow vulnerability-based drawbacks. Call it [-0.5] for highly dangerous threat with opportunity for heroic recovery (slowed or nauseated and gasping like a fish for 1-3 minutes before collapsing), [-1.0] for instantaneous drowning checks.

[Morgenstern]

Space Whales=Bioships. Organic Technology.

Biotech yes. Streamlined as if it were an aquatic creature, not so much. Humans and their metallurgic tech have reached a point where they can afford to be somewhat fanciful (my collorary to the third observation applies here). The biotech Dabban are a lot further down the interstellar travel tech tree, and will need to stick with slightly more pragmatic designs when overcomming the challenges of temperature regulation, density of their energy supply, and manuevering. It'll be a bit less romantic than 'space whales', but it will probably also serve to highlight their accomplishments in the absence of things we take for granted even today. Their modern (post-inclusion) ships will almost certainly be hybrids, utilizing a biotech hull and life support, but featuring human tech-based drives. So if you are into "cybernetic space whales" we're probably in business. I always liked the 'snail' ships of the Outlanders manga . Modern Dabban are prolific ship-builders. They'll leverage the advantages of a biologic tech base quite successfully.

Also need lots of methane, sulfur, and carbon dioxide breathers, like the Vorlons or the T'ca or Knnn of CJCherryh tales. Please.

The number of core, detailed races is going to be deliberately low. Probably only 3-4 (the star faring races) in the first half, and no more than 8 other sapient races in the second half (at various tech levels upon their inclusion into the Expanse). The star faring races either breath something close enough (Fissal), can adapt their biology to cope (Dabban), or don't breath at all (Sryx, Otocks). While they are (probably) out there, gas-giant dwelling sapience will be a near non-issue. (Adventuring) races requiring exotic atmospheres will be few and far between. They didn't get off their planets by themselves yet, and humans don't have a huge incentive to help them do so unless they have some otherwise impossible to mimic skills and abilites. I can see including the rules to introduce/support such characters as part of a robust species creation kit, but I'll probably limit it to 1 of the fleshed out examples at most.

[Morgenstern]

Hmm. I'm putting with the idea of a Philosophy skill. Yes, Picard has max ranks in it and a feat or two. I kind of want to put it out there that some of our moral quandries are actully pretty firmly resolved in that age. Sid Myer's Alpha Centauri game has as one of it's earliest tech advancements ethical calculus. Its an intriguing concept, and one I find usefu in that the folks of Farthest Star do have some meticulous and widely held standards of what constitutes sapience vs. intelligence. standards that seperate intellcts into categories of 'person' and 'tool' - a very important distinction.

Might just be some sort of freaky Resolve check, but it might be fun to throw around the courage of your convictions and crush a problem by being the better human being.

I'm also amused at the idea of a "scheming check" but that may just be a new use of tactics.

[esoclectica]

On the idea of a Scout class.  Being a lover of Liaden novels, I suggest a First Contact ability of being able to observe and adjust mannerisms to new races/species.  Walking in cold you can catch the clues to effectively engage in greeting rituals from High Tea to Ritual Combat to Greeting Sex.  Remember Ivanova of B5 having mock alien sex to sign a treaty?  Figuring out a way to appropriately interact without going over your own boundaries is not easy.

[heuristo]

Hmm. I'm putting with the idea of a Philosophy skill.

I like it!  I'd like to suggest that ethical/moral reasoning is a skill.  Some of us are just plain *better* at it than others.  At this point I could go all political on ya but won't. 

Also, having philosophy is a nice piece of genre emulation -- plus, it seems potentially really game-able.   

Questions for further thought.  Do you reward successful Philosophy checks, punish failed checks -- or both?  Are there characters somehow "above" questions or morality?  Does this amount to having no skills or feats?  What happens when a player attempts to interject their own philosophical skill or reasoning in the place of their character?

[snake]

Hmm. I'm putting with the idea of a Philosophy skill.

To boldly go or not to boldly go, that is the question.........  Cool  

I'm racking my brain, trying to think of a few space opera related tasks which you could apply the list of skills to.

So far I have:

1) Spacewalking (eg in the film 2010). What skill(s) are used to to get from ship A to ship B using a thruster pack and vacc suit?

2) Ship to ship Communications. What skill helps me break through Sub space interference or jam an enemies messages ?

3) Space Medicine. How does my Doctor PC diagnose a deadly new alien virus ?

4) Which skill is used to detect another ship using ship sensors ?

Over to you.............. 

[MilitiaJim]

1) Spacewalking (eg in the film 2010). What skill(s) are used to to get from ship A to ship B using a thruster pack and vacc suit?

Ride, personal vehicle focus.

2) Ship to ship Communications. What skill helps me break through Sub space interference or jam an enemies messages ?

Survival or Tactics with a gear bonus for your commo and/or ECM suite.

3) Space Medicine. How does my Doctor PC diagnose a deadly new alien virus ?

Medicine, gear bonus for the tricorder, Investigate could play a part based on the 'new' bit.

4) Which skill is used to detect another ship using ship sensors ?

Notice or Investigate with a gear bonus for the ships sensors.  Possible synergy with another skill that involves electronics.

[Sletchman]

4) Which skill is used to detect another ship using ship sensors ?

Notice or Investigate with a gear bonus for the ships sensors.  Possible synergy with another skill that involves electronics.

Could also go with Search here.