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Qualifier Skills

A qualifier is typically a skill in the operation of a piece of equipment, tool or vehicle, where your level of competance isn't as much of a factor, as simply knowing your way around.

Qualifiers have only two possible modifiers: -3 (as in not qualified), or +0 (qualified).

Rationale​

Some items of equipment only require that you know how to use them. Similarly, there are some challenging circumstances that are only problems if you don’t know what to do. For skills in these areas, there is no value in stacking more than one rank on them, because success only depends on having a working knowledge, not on a degree of competency.

Using Qualifier Skills​

Qualifier skills come into play where:

  • an action relies on a tool or on tooling knowledge to perform it.
  • an equiment check is called for

Qualifiers as Aspect Contributors in Actions​

When you see a specification like:

feint(bonus-action, 1fp) imp(sv,Insight) 8+R(Cbt-Tactical)+M(Deceive)+Vcl-Space

and you have a modifier of 3 in Deceive, 2 ranks in Cbt-Tactical, and you have a qualifying rank in Vcl-Space, then the feint action will impose an insight save on your opponent with a challenge of 14.

Why 14? because adding up the terms gets us there:

14 = 
8 (the expression above says so)    +
1 (from spending an fp to 'feint')  +
3 (modifier from Deceive)           +
2 (ranks from Cbt-Tactical)         +
0 (qualifier from Vcl-Space)

You get 0 from Vcl-Space, because you are qualified (you have a rank put in it).

Equipment Checks​

Equipment checks are needed when something happens that forces a check on knowing how to use the tool or toolset. The climbing equipment check is a clear example, where you need to check whether your climbing equipment set-up is going to catch you, upon falling while climbing.

Aegis​

Expereince with operating any kind of self-contained and air-tight suit with breathing aparatus. This might include EVA space suits, hazmat, or underwater systems (SCUBA).

Climbers-Tools​

Experience with climbing kits, harnesses, belay devices, anchor systems, rope work and mechanical aid climbing.

The penalty imposed by being unqualified can be applied:

  • in a climbing check, if the tooling is being used as a mechanical aid.
  • in an equipment check, after failing a climbing check.

The challenge imposed for the climbing check is based on the difficulty of the surface. Whereas equipment checks are normally set at a challenge of 8.

Disguise-Tools​

Qualifies you in working with various disguise kits.

Forensic-Tools​

Qualifies you in the many tools related to forensic investigations, including those for preservation and storage.

Medicine-Tools​

Qualifies you in the use of medical equipment, including first aid kits, scanners and analysers. The Medicine-Tools qualifier is one of the 9 Engineering-Tools qualifiers. You gain automatic qualification in these tools as you gain your first rank in the corresponding engineering skill. The other tools are not called out as qualifier skills, because only people with ranks in those skill will be using them (Medicine-Tools is the only exception).

QTM-Tools​

Qualifies you in the operational procedures of quantum telemessengers and qubrators. Obtaining the channel keys, or changing a qubrator are examples of such procedures.

Scan-Tools​

Qualifies you in the use of equipment for military reconnaissance, scientific surveys and avionics. Such tools rely on broad physical properties, rather than identification of individual items. Geological and astrometric survey equipment are included in this category.

Surveillance-Tools​

Qualifies you in the use of equipment related to surveillance of people or areas. The tools are deployed to follow a person or keep watch over an area. These tools focus less on overall physical properties (see Scan-Tools), rather they focus on the identification of individuals (people, equipment, vehicles, or a given location for movement of the same).

Cbt-Liquidbourne​

Carrying out combat, while immersed in a liquid.

Cbt-Zero-G​

Carrying out combat in zero-G or micro-G conditions.

Vcl-Air​

Experience with piloting aircraft and any vehicle designed for atmospheric flight, and must take into consideration aerodynamics for flight and in many cases, propulsion as well.

Vcl-Ground​

Experience with driving wheeled, track and gav vehicles, being any vehicle driven through mechanical or field traction with the ground.

Vcl-Mech​

Experience primarily with mechanised suits, like powered armour, lifters, and mechanised walker vehicles.

Vcl-Space​

Familiarity and practice with piloting vehicles that do flight in the vacuum of space. This includes the piloting of strikers under their procession engines, but not under ethereal travel (see Vcl-Striker).

Vcl-Striker​

Familiarity and practice with piloting vehicles that do flight under ethereal travel