Shadowrun

Shadowrun Play => Rules and such => Topic started by: Senko on <08-10-17/0121:33>

Title: Would knowledge alternative magical traditions be too niche?
Post by: Senko on <08-10-17/0121:33>

I'm playing around with a knowledge skill on alternate magical traditions. Beliefs. Goals, factions, reagents and the like. Basically you know information about other traditions than your own. However I'm concerned it'd be too niche to justify it. Thoughts please?

Title: Re: Would knowledge alternative magical traditions be too niche?
Post by: Mirikon on <08-10-17/0156:45>

Make it a specialization of Knowledge: Magic Background.

Title: Re: Would knowledge alternative magical traditions be too niche?
Post by: Senko on <08-10-17/0532:46>

Ah yes I'd forgotten specialisations thanks.

Title: Re: Would knowledge alternative magical traditions be too niche?
Post by: The Wyrm Ouroboros on <08-11-17/0510:32>

IMO, knowledge skills in Shadowrun are like knowledge skills in HERO system, or any other one that's open-ended the more vague your skill name (KS: Everything!!) the less useful it becomes when you need specifics.  Conversely, a specific skill (KS: Hermiticism) may be totally useless in most circumstances.  A KS: Magic Background skill is going to give you general knowledge, yes, but if your knowledge need is for something specific, you're really going to have to rack up the hits.

Also, be careful with specializations.  A specialization is generally going to be something only one or two steps down the framework; Magic Background might have as appropriate specializations things like Sorcery, Native American Magic, or Unified Magical Theory, but a specialization on 'alternate magical traditions' may not be particularly appropriate - or, considering all the many things you want to be able to know ("Beliefs. Goals, factions, reagents and the like."), might simply not be available as a specialization.

Alas, I'm still working on going through all the adventures &c. and culling out all the stuff, including as complete a list of in-game examples of knowledge skills as I can manage ...

Title: Re: Would knowledge alternative magical traditions be too niche?
Post by: Senko on <08-11-17/2254:06>

I wouldn't mind seeing that list when your done if you don't mind sharing, I've had to jump between books to look knowledge skills up before.

Honestly I tend not use specialisations much and almost never in knowledge skills so I'm not that familiar with their rules. Might be better to just go with alternative traditions knowledge skill then. My usual selection tends to be knowledge magical theory (academic and professional), Knowledge metaplanes (academic), knowledge magical threats (professional), knowledge magical law (professional).

Title: Re: Would knowledge alternative magical traditions be too niche?
Post by: The Wyrm Ouroboros on <08-12-17/0001:25>

Well, when you've spent thousands of karma ... :P  Yeah, not a problem.  Typically I'll only spend karma for a specialization if it's required, or if it's a particular signature skill for the character.

Title: Re: Would knowledge alternative magical traditions be too niche?
Post by: Senko on <08-12-17/0109:35>

With me it's more not enough karma I've always wanted that 7 karma elsewhere another spell or the like.