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If I Have College Education, Can I Get Multiple 1-Point Skills?

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Strill

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« on: <11-28-15/0302:30> »
Chummer has it so that College Education only gives you a discount at even-numbered skill ranks. I was expecting it to let me get a wide range of 1-point skills. Is Chummer right?

Kiirnodel

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« Reply #1 on: <11-28-15/0452:18> »
Well, it depends on your interpretation of the phrase "buy Academic Knowledge skills at half price (round up)" and in particular how you determine when to "round up."

Chummer is handling it by rounding the skills individually, and based on your question you thought it would be done for all of the academic skills as a whole.

I'm not sure which method is "correct," but Chummer's method is probably the safer bet especially for programming. It is a lot easier to have the program go through all of the academic knowledge skills and halve the cost being applied by them, rounding up. Trying to give a discount based on all of the skills overall would involve applying a discount to half of the skills and would be mildly confusing at best if the user isn't paying close attention...

So, to answer your question: Yes, Chummer is applying the effects of the quality in a correct way. You might be able to argue with a GM to allow you to take 10 rank 1 knowledge skills for the price of five, but it isn't explicitly worded that way. Technically by a strict reading of the quality you would look at each skill individually, and halve the costs for it at character creation (rounding up).

Side Note: since the other part of the quality (post character creation) explicitly gives a bonus on skills only of rank 3+, I would also argue that the quality is meant to allow you to take several skills at higher ranks for less cost rather than tons of super low rank skills.

Reaver

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« Reply #2 on: <11-28-15/0521:20> »
On the otherhand....

You can get a lot of rank 2 skills for the price of rank 1....
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Beta

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« Reply #3 on: <11-28-15/0835:53> »
It is interesting that college education is worded differently than some of the similar qualities.  Some of the others say two for one, while college education says half price (rounded up). 

Medicineman

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« Reply #4 on: <11-28-15/1120:39> »
It is interesting that college education is worded differently than some of the similar qualities.  Some of the others say two for one, while college education says half price (rounded up).

No, that's standard Procedure for CGL (as far as I remember) even since fourth Edition 
They word the same Rules differently to not repeat themselves which is a professional writer's habit

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« Reply #5 on: <11-28-15/1227:19> »
Interesting given that-- at least to me-- they don't actually mean the same thing.

Whiskeyjack

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« Reply #6 on: <11-28-15/1322:21> »
They word the same Rules differently to not repeat themselves which is a professional writer's habit

If this is true, it's terrible design philosophy and just leads to confusion.
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SmilinIrish

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« Reply #7 on: <11-30-15/1504:06> »
I agree that it is confusing.  I believe that the intent is to get two ranks for each point you spend.  It isn't possible to spend less than a point, it doesn't make any sense.  The half price rounded up is just unwieldy.  Two ranks for the price of one (in the point buy system anyway, not sure how in Karma gen) is a simple mechanic.  You have 10 points for knowledge skills?  Each point gets two ranks on academic.  Simple.  Half price rounded up gets the same effect essentially, but just hurts the brain.
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Jayde Moon

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« Reply #8 on: <11-30-15/1941:56> »
While Chummer does it the way described above, Hero Lab charges you .5 per, so according to them, you can indeed buy a bunch of skills at 1.  IMO, this is the correct interpretation.
That's just like... your opinion, man.

gradivus

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« Reply #9 on: <12-01-15/1423:13> »
I have no problem with the person buying a bunch of one point knowledge skills- more like real life... I know enough about so many things that I can put my foot in my mouth but not enough about any one thing that I could make money writing a book about it.

Except for maybe what happens behind the scenes in a Mall. Too many years in security not to be an expert on that.
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carolynparr

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« Reply #10 on: <05-23-23/1201:09> »
It is interesting that college education is worded differently than some of the similar qualities.  Some of the others say two for one, while college education says half price (rounded up). Yes, sure! Possession of higher education does not exclude the possibility of developing and acquiring new skills, such as skills related to programming, marketing, design, finance and other areas. I studied civil rights in parallel, used https://studydriver.com/civil-rights/ for this. For example, you can study online courses, attend seminars, or learn new skills on your own to expand your knowledge and skills. This will help you improve your professional capabilities and achieve new career goals.
:o :o :o
« Last Edit: <05-31-23/1007:31> by carolynparr »

carolynparr

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« Reply #11 on: <05-23-23/1224:42> »
Well, it depends on your interpretation of the phrase "buy Academic Knowledge skills at half price (round up)" and in particular how you determine when to "round up."

Chummer is handling it by rounding the skills individually, and based on your question you thought it would be done for all of the academic skills as a whole.

I'm not sure which method is "correct," but Chummer's method is probably the safer bet especially for programming. It is a lot easier to have the program go through all of the academic knowledge skills and halve the cost being applied by them, rounding up. Trying to give a discount based on all of the skills overall would involve applying a discount to half of the skills and would be mildly confusing at best if the user isn't paying close attention...

So, to answer your question: Yes, Chummer is applying the effects of the quality in a correct way. You might be able to argue with a GM to allow you to take 10 rank 1 knowledge skills for the price of five, but it isn't explicitly worded that way. Technically by a strict reading of the quality you would look at each skill individually, and halve the costs for it at character creation (rounding up).

Side Note: since the other part of the quality (post character creation) explicitly gives a bonus on skills only of rank 3+, I would also argue that the quality is meant to allow you to take several skills at higher ranks for less cost rather than tons of super low rank skills.
To be honest, I still do not understand, explain again, is it possible or not?

Beta

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« Reply #12 on: <05-26-23/1726:45> »

To be honest, I still do not understand, explain again, is it possible or not?

Short answer: no.
Longer answer: open to interpretation by your table
Personal comment: Just take you cheap 2 point knowledge skills and have fun with them, you don't need to maximally munchkin 0.5cost skills.