Investigation Skills for the Cypher System: Science Nerd

In this series of investigation/knowledge skills for the Cypher System, I have previously focused on what one can call procedural skills.  The previous skills (information systems and chatter) had involved general skills (to provide broad usefulness compared to other skill options) related to classes of actions one may take in a roleplaying game.

These procedural skills focused on information collecting rather than a specific knowledge base.  However, some players may want to play characters with an actual knowledge base.  This calls for a skill in a substantive knowledge area.  One possibility is "science nerd".

Investigation Skills for the Cypher System: Information Systems

In this series of posts, I am proposing some general knowledge/investigation skills for Cypher System games.  Previous posts included a justification for the need of more general investigation skills and provided one detailed example:  chatter.  In this post, I will propose a second skill -- information systems.  The goal is to define a skill that is useful in a broad range of contexts (that is, able to compete with skills like perception for player attention) and will help define aspects of a character for purposes of role playing.  

The essence of the information system skill is aptitude at finding information in organized systems ranging from ancient libraries to advanced electronic databases.

Investigation Skills for the Cypher System: Chatter

The response to my post on knowledge/investigation skills in the Cypher System got quite a response.  In that spirit, I will spend a few post elaborating on options for investigation/knowledge skills for Cypher system games (with special attention to The Strange -- since, well, that is what I want to focus on).  Today, I will present an example of a broad investigation skill -- chatter.

Investigative/Exploratory Skills for The Strange and Numenera

Skills are some of the least discussed aspects of character generation in the cypher system.  There is some attention to issues of combat-relevant skills (defense or attack skills) but little discussion of knowledge skills.  With the release of the Cypher System rulebook and the coverage of horror/suspense games within the system, knowledge and investigation skills warrant some additional discussion.

Workshop on Fronts for The Strange Part III -- The Ontovores

Welcome to the last in my series of three fronts I am developing for my home campaign.  In my previous segments, I discussed how I am using the Provost's Council from Holstenwall and the OSR as two opponent groups for my PCs.  The PCs will have some freedom in how they follow leads to confront these groups but evidence of ignored group will start appearing in the world around them.  I want them to have choices -- but choices have consequences.

This post will provide a brief introduction to the third front:  the ontovores.

Buckle Up.   This will be a strange one.

Shoggoth -- Anna (Flikr)

Gencon 2015 Review

I just made it back from Gencon.  It took awhile to recover, to be honest.  I spent a day wondering if I caught the infamous "con crud."  It turned out to just be the half-week spent getting around four hours of sleep a night.  After a day of rest, I could start catching up on for-really-real work and only now can catch up on the great fun of last week.  I wanted to take some time to consider the highlights of my trip.

Polling Results

Based on the poll on the Strange G+ community, I have a better idea of how to target content for future posts on the blog.  The two most popular options were campaign planning examples and adaptations of material from other games/material.

This is probably for the best.  I am about out of mechanics to adapt from other systems -- though I may do more of that occasionally as I run across interesting ideas.

I will write up a plan for future content while I work my way through the crazy pre-Gencon rush of product releases.  I have received all of the following in about the last week:  Cypher System Rulebook, Worlds Numberless and Strange, Dracula Dossier/Dracula Unredacted, the Gencon module (Mastadon), and Southlands (the PF/4E setting based from Kobold Quarterly).  Just before the rush I grabbed some of the recent Strange supplements by Ryan Chaddock Games (Translation Codex and Broken Immersion).  I have a lot of reading to do.

I may even post some reviews.

If you are coming to Gencon, be sure to say hello.  I will be the middle aged, balding, white guy with a beard.  You are probably better off just looking for my badge at the MCG events (I think I will be at all of them).