I'm working on a behind-the-scenes skill monkey character who's intended to be something of an Extropian spymaster: the majority of her skills are interpersonal and networking-based and I've dumped a not-inconsiderable amount of CPs into traits that will expand her reach, like Established Fork and Minion. Where I'm running aground is in what sort of Profession skills she should have. Giving her something like Profession: Spymaster or Profession: Fixer seems like it might end up being too broad - would it be better to break them apart into more specific skills like Appraisal, Distribution, Haggling, Con Schemes, etc?
Of course, this raises a secondary issue that my historically combat-focused characters have never run into: what is the scope of something like Profession: Con Schemes? The actual conning seems like it would be covered by an active social skill, so does it only cover knowledge of con schemes or can you use it for highly-specialized tasks like spoofing clocks for a Post-Fall version of the wire?
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Spymaster Professions
Tue, 2016-01-12 14:47
#1
Superbright
Spymaster Professions
Tue, 2016-01-12 20:35
#2
Trappedinwikipedia
Knowledge skills are just for
Knowledge skills are just for the knowledge of how to do something, not the action of doing it. Pulling a con would most likely involve Impersonation, Deception, and Persuasion. The knowledge skill is there as something to use for ideas on how to pull something off, and as a synergistic skill (can't remember the real name right now) with the active skill used, granting a bonus. There are some fairly niche uses for them, which can be active though.
As they're often not super helpful on their own, I generally take a fairly broad interpretation of them. What exactly your GM plans on doing with the skills is probably something you should ask them.
Wed, 2016-01-13 10:54
#3
Tango
When you say spymaster, do
When you say spymaster, do you mean a humint field operative or a true spymaster that's running a spy network? If it's the latter, well, you don't study to become one. I'd guess most "spymasters" would have background in finance, law or r&d where they worked as a director or such higher echelon staff. Positions like those would attract people with the right skills for running a spy network:
-High intelligence. Duh.
-Deep understanding of organisation structures, economics, bureaucracy, local laws and political climates.
-The ability to read/understand people. Most directors in any given company get coaching in this in order to make company run smoother. Some positions may even require a degree in psychology. As a spymaster, one of your biggest tasks is to find out what makes people tick, and usually you'll have to figure it out without ever meeting the person.
A spymaster would be, on average, a senior bureaucrat. She wouldn't on the field, but instead would be compiling/analyzing information coming from the network. Drawing conclusions from the intel, she would then report to her superiors and receive new orders.
I personally would avoid such a game, since i'd find it too slow and heavy. Maybe there are players who are into hard core spying stuff, i don't know?
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- "Mom's chicken soup, maybe?"
Fri, 2016-01-15 11:00
#4
godmoney
Superbright wrote: what is
I would suggest watching Burn Notice.
edit: and Leverage (meant to put that one in there first).
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