3.8: Science Skills

The Science Skills are as follows:
*Planetology (Used to scan and analyze planetary and stellar objects)
*Technology (Used to utilize pieces of technology and scan vehicles/capital ships)
*Archaeology (Used for archaeological and anthropological research)
*Geology (Used when locating mineral deposits)
*Typhonology (Used to predict and analyze hazardous local solar, ionic, meteorological, seismic and volcanic activity)
====Planetology (PLT)====
This Skill reflects a character’s working knowledge of natural space-borne objects (such as stars, asteroids, comets, etc.) and their ability to identify key features about them. Planetology Checks are required to compile basic information on a space-borne object (such as atmospheric components, bio-diversity, mass, global weather, etc.) when there is no information readily available about it. A character will still gather some data on the target object in the event of a failed Check; see the Technology Skill entry for more details. Planetology Checks have critical potential; in the event of a critical success, the GM may divulge any metadata to the group about the object being scanned that they wish to reveal (such as the specific locations of fault lines, age, etc.). Specializations include specific classes or types of planetoids or stellar objects.
====Technology (TCH)====
This Skill reflects a character’s knowledge of technologies, including their ability to identify, use and provide detailed information on a given technology that they may encounter. Technology Checks are required any time the character must operate a piece of technology (such as a computer) and when attempting to scan objects such as vehicles and capital ships. If using this Skill to scan a target, any damage to the scanning equipment utilized must be subtracted from the DC of the Check. This Skill is typically subject to circumstantial DC adjustments; a character attempting to localize a scan on a certain section of a craft to gather data on it will have less favorable circumstances than they would by performing a general overall scan. A character will still gather some data on the target in the event of a failed Check. Technology Checks have critical potential; in the event of a critical success when attempting to scan a target object, the GM may divulge any metadata to the group about it that they wish to reveal (such as any installed accessories, current HP levels, etc.). Specializations include specific classes or types of craft and particular pieces of technology.
The following chart outlines the specific pieces of information a character does gather on a failed Planetology or Technology Check, based on its degree of failure. Note that "Object" in the chart refers to space-borne objects (such as planets) while "Craft" refers to vehicles and capital ships.
Data Received after Failed Planetology/Technology Check via Degree of Failure
Degree of Failure	Data Received 	Data Received 	Data Received 	Data Received 	Data Received
Degree of Failure	Type (Object or Craft)	Gravity (Object)Size (Craft)	Atmo. Density (Object)Shield Status(Craft)	Temperature (Object)Guns Status (Craft)	Weather (Object)Ordnance Status (Craft)
>30 	No 	No 	No 	No 	No
30 	No 	No 	No 	No 	Yes
29 	No 	No 	No 	Yes 	No
28 	No 	No 	Yes 	No 	No
27 	No 	Yes 	No 	No 	No
26 	Yes 	No 	No 	No 	No
25 	No 	No 	No 	Yes 	Yes
24 	No 	No 	Yes 	No 	Yes
23 	No 	No 	Yes 	Yes 	No
22 	No 	Yes 	No 	No 	Yes
21 	No 	Yes 	No 	Yes 	No
20 	No 	Yes 	Yes 	No 	No
19 	Yes 	No 	No 	No 	Yes
18 	Yes 	No 	No 	Yes 	No
17 	Yes 	No 	Yes 	No 	No
16 	Yes 	Yes 	No 	No 	No
15 	No 	No 	Yes 	Yes 	Yes
14 	No 	Yes 	No 	Yes 	Yes
13 	No 	Yes 	Yes 	No 	Yes
12 	No 	Yes 	Yes 	Yes 	No
11 	Yes 	No 	No 	Yes 	Yes
10 	Yes 	No 	Yes 	No 	Yes
9 	Yes 	No 	Yes 	Yes 	No
8 	Yes 	Yes 	No 	No 	Yes
7 	Yes 	Yes 	No 	Yes 	No
6 	Yes 	Yes 	Yes 	No 	No
5 	No 	Yes 	Yes 	Yes 	Yes
4 	Yes 	No 	Yes 	Yes 	Yes
3 	Yes 	Yes 	No 	Yes 	Yes
2 	Yes 	Yes 	Yes 	No 	Yes
1 	Yes 	Yes 	Yes 	Yes 	No
====Archaeology (ARC)====
This Skill reflects a character's knowledge of topics in archaeology and anthropology, including the identification of ruins and artifacts of various origins. Archaeology Checks are used to identify specific buildings or artifacts, their original function and their overall condition. Conducting a survey of an archaeological site or performing anthropological research generally takes more than one successful Archaeology Check in a row; the greater the number of successful Checks, the more successful the character's efforts. For example, a character may find potsherds with a single successful Check, an artistic curio with two successful Checks, a find of some significance (such as ancient writings) with three Checks, a significant treasure on four successful Checks, and a find of major cultural and historical importance (such as a stone that perfectly translates from Steltek into Ancient Kilrathi) on five successful Checks in a row. This Skill is typically subject to circumstantial DC adjustments; more significant or heavily disguised items will impart unfavorable circumstances on the character. Specializations include particular types of buildings or specific ancient cultures of specific species.
====Geology (GEO)====
This Skill reflects a character’s knowledge of topics in geological disciplines, with particular emphasis on being able to distinguish between different types of fundamental elements and ores and knowledge of the conditions under which they are likely to form. Geology Checks are used on planetary surfaces in order to locate suitable mineral deposits for planetary mining. This Skill is typically subject to circumstantial DC adjustments; a character who is simply out to find ore of any type will likely face favorable circumstances, while those who are looking for specific ores on worlds where it's known that they are very rare will likely face unfavorable circumstances. If a mineral deposit is found while the character is exploring the surface of a world (see Chapter 8.2), the find will automatically increase in size by one-tenth the number of points in their Geology Skill (e.g. the character will find an additional 5.3 cubic meters of Gold in a find if they have a Geology score of 53); alternatively, the same amount of a different mineral may be found at the same time. Specializations include the identification of particular ores.
====Typhonology (TYP)====
This Skill reflects a character’s knowledge of the theoretical and practical uses of atmospheric science, solar weather phenomena and/or seismology, with particular emphasis on the prediction of hazardous phenomena. Typhonology Checks are used to predict impending severe planetary weather, imminent solar flares, novae, ion storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the like. A Typhonology Check may be performed as part of the hourly Check while exploring planetary surfaces (for details, see Chapter 8.2). For every ten points in the degree of success of a Typhonology Check (rounded up), the character gets an extra hour of "lead time" on any impending hazardous event. Additionally, should the character be unable to reach adequate shelter in time, their Typhonology score may be subtracted from the amount of subsequent damage that may be caused by such phenomena. Specializations include prediction techniques for specific types of hazardous phenomena.
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