Author Topic: Scrounge Skill  (Read 6858 times)

doulos05

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Scrounge Skill
« on: 28 January 2011, 01:38:36 »
Per wasp1's post in the rules clarification forum, there is no longer a scrounge skill. He then asked how other RPers handled the skill. Unfortunately, the other RPers can't comment on his post in the rules clarification forum. Fortunately, I'm also curious about this so I thought I'd start a thread here asking that very question. In the absence of a "Scrounge" skill, how do you handle scrounging?
I mean, it's not like once you having something in low Earth orbit you can stick a gassy astronaut on the outside after Chili Night and fart it anywhere in the solar system.

wasp

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Re: Scrounge Skill
« Reply #1 on: 28 January 2011, 07:36:28 »
Per wasp1's post in the rules clarification forum, there is no longer a scrounge skill. He then asked how other RPers handled the skill. Unfortunately, the other RPers can't comment on his post in the rules clarification forum. Fortunately, I'm also curious about this so I thought I'd start a thread here asking that very question. In the absence of a "Scrounge" skill, how do you handle scrounging?

Thanks Doulos,  Since I wasn't paying attention, this was where I thought I was originally posting this.  I will blame the new format :-).  Thanks for starting a new thread. 

Like I said I figure protocol for legal sources and streetwise for the more shady sources would work and then maybe some contacts to help too.  I suppose that the trait Charisma will help too. 


Wasp

Ferrit

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Re: Scrounge Skill
« Reply #2 on: 28 January 2011, 08:23:44 »
I think it would depend a lot on how the character is going about it, poking round a junk yard would involve Perception and Technician ("Yeah, that'll do, cut the end off and she'll be sorted"), whereas 'sourcing' a part from the local friendly supply clerk might require Negotiaitions and a little trading or bribery ("So for a crate of whiskey you'll 'accidently' ship us the actuators instead of the Back-of-Beyond Militia? Deal!")

Tempus

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Re: Scrounge Skill
« Reply #3 on: 29 January 2011, 02:45:04 »

Some great example scenarios there Ferrit

I have to say I like having it removed..  otherwise it was a bit like a magical thing, where it tended to be someone saying "I'm going to try and scrounge up xxx" and all they did was make the roll.


Now you need to use a contact, or use streetwise to try and find someone who might become a contact. or dig through junkyards, make bribes, run scams.. etc


lots of other skills factor in then.. and traits


contact traits
streetwise
negotiation
appraisal
perception
acting


 all of those, and more could figure in.


it also makes the player think how their character would go about finding what they want, or 'arranging' to 'aquire' what they need..
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Jackmc

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Re: Scrounge Skill
« Reply #4 on: 05 February 2011, 00:58:35 »
The simple way to handle it is to just put the skill back in, no reason your group should be hobbled by bad game design.

-Jackmc


Xotl

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Re: Scrounge Skill
« Reply #5 on: 06 February 2011, 16:45:15 »
It was a redundant skill, so we had no problem cutting it.  As others have pointed out, it was a) already covered by other skills, and b) a bit too magical in implementation.  Most times Streetwise covered things, but if the players were outright salvaging I asked them for a tech skill, and if they were dealing with a bureaucracy then Protocol covered it.  Sprinkle with negotiation, appraisal, and contacts as necessary for flavour.  I also rewarded people who had black market or quartermaster contact with roll bonuses if they were in the right region.
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http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=1219.0

Paul

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Re: Scrounge Skill
« Reply #6 on: 07 February 2011, 09:35:31 »
The simple way to handle it is to just put the skill back in, no reason your group should be hobbled by bad game design.

Tempus and Xotl are much closer to the intent than you are. It was removed because its function is duplicated by a number of Traits and Skills. Traits and Skills that are more useful when Scrounge is removed. It was an obvious target on a list of things that had to be removed to reduce redundancy.

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Ice_Trey

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Re: Scrounge Skill
« Reply #7 on: 18 February 2011, 03:42:17 »
Tempus and Xotl are much closer to the intent than you are. It was removed because its function is duplicated by a number of Traits and Skills. Traits and Skills that are more useful when Scrounge is removed. It was an obvious target on a list of things that had to be removed to reduce redundancy.

Paul
Agreed.
I always felt that scrounge was a black sheep among skills, and never really understood why it was there.

If anything, it seemed like a "Get PPC easy-button".
A quaint idea if you just want to roll one die in-between missions for a Battletech campaign, but for those of us who actually were playing the RPG as an RPG, it really was redundant, and in some cases, that redundancy was confusing.

Lorcan Nagle

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Re: Scrounge Skill
« Reply #8 on: 18 February 2011, 12:10:47 »
Career/Soldier (think Radar or Klinger in M*A*S*H) or Career/Criminal would also be good options. 
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Jackmc

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Re: Scrounge Skill
« Reply #9 on: 18 February 2011, 17:08:51 »
I always felt that scrounge was a black sheep among skills, and never really understood why it was there.

It ws there for the same reason similar social skills are in most RPG's ie.  Not everyone can role play a face, but with the right skills anyone can "roll play" one.

-Jackmc


Paul

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Re: Scrounge Skill
« Reply #10 on: 18 February 2011, 19:06:26 »
It ws there for the same reason similar social skills are in most RPG's ie.  Not everyone can role play a face, but with the right skills anyone can "roll play" one.

Point being that there was, and is, plenty of other skills and traits that allow someone to rollplay a scrounger.

Paul
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Tempus

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Re: Scrounge Skill
« Reply #11 on: 19 February 2011, 02:39:21 »
Career/Soldier (think Radar or Klinger in M*A*S*H) or Career/Criminal would also be good options.


Good examples..   those guys both ended up with a lot of contacts over time..  and probably good level of negotiation


another prime example  Milo Minderbinder 


I have to agree with the others that it created a pure 'rollplaying' situation.. just roll scrounge and move on.. no need to interact, or haggle or deal.. or use your brain beyond what is needed to shake your hand a few times and open the fingers to let the dice fall.
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