Give me your Coda Q's and Feedback (Good and Bad)

[Doug Burke]

Originally posted by Sea Tyger
Okay, so to clarify, the Engineering Expertise applies to any test with the chosen engineering skill (Propulsion Engineering in this case) or with any engineering skill test (propulsion, systems or structural) that uses the chosen specialty (Impulse Systems in this case)?

I was under the impression that it had to be the specific skill and specialty, but I noticed the wording is a little obscure. Let me see if I can get a more official ruling on this...

[Doug Burke]

Originally posted by Sea Tyger
Question for Doug/Don: The D'Deridex is classified as a battleship, but the classification also lists it as a "Heavy Warbird." Does this mean that the D'Deridex receives the "heavy vessel" bonus to beam weapon costs?

Since "Hevay Warbird" is listed not only in quotes but parenthetically, I would say that it is more of a colloquial title (i.e. the Romulans may call it a Heavy Warbird, but it's a Battleship). I would classify it by the non-parnethetical type.

[Greg Smith]

Originally posted by Darth Sarcastic


That's what I figured. Its sort of like the Time Lords using shorter versions of thier full name...cause you don't got a week to say it. Thaydoxexcorontosholgonostobid...or simpy The Doctor...you decide.

Did you have to look that up, or do you know it by heart?

'cos i can type Romanadavoratrelundar without looking it up.

How sad am I?

[Darth Sarcastic]

Originally posted by Greg Smith


Did you have to look that up, or do you know it by heart?

'cos i can type Romanadavoratrelundar without looking it up.

How sad am I?

I can't say Romanadavoratrelundar without throwing up. My technique is simple really...I pulled the name out of thin air. Well bits and pieces of it anyway...I've only caught the first three syllables of The Doctor's true name not all 27. Unless you're about to tell me that I actually got the buggers true full name correctly. If so, what's your source material?

[Greg Smith]

Originally posted by Darth Sarcastic


I can't say Romanadavoratrelundar without throwing up. My technique is simple really...I pulled the name out of thin air. Well bits and pieces of it anyway...I've only caught the first three syllables of The Doctor's true name not all 27. Unless you're about to tell me that I actually got the buggers true full name correctly. If so, what's your source material?

Nope. I thought you knew the Doctor's real name, or had it in some source material. Now I know that you just made it up.

In which episode did he mention it?

[Darth Sarcastic]

Originally posted by Greg Smith


Nope. I thought you knew the Doctor's real name, or had it in some source material. Now I know that you just made it up.

In which episode did he mention it?

I truly don't recall. I do know it was during the Tom Baker years. He runs into a fellow Time Lord who starts spouting out the Doctor's full name and the Doctor stops him and says something like "...well, its just 'The Doctor' now..." There is a book that I've been trying to get my hands on in which he has to go back home to deal with his family, and supposedly they cover all kinds of information..."Lungbarrow" I think was its name.

[Greg Smith]

Could be 'The Armageddon Factor'. I'll see if I can find out more.

But this is the last I'm going to post on this thread before we get our wrists slapped by the moderators.

[Darth Sarcastic]

Originally posted by Greg Smith
Could be 'The Armageddon Factor'. I'll see if I can find out more.

But this is the last I'm going to post on this thread before we get our wrists slapped by the moderators.

Good idea. You could PM or email me with the info or whatever.

[Lancer]

It's about time to bump this thread up, as there are still some open questions here, like e.g. how do you get "back" into your base profession if you chose to advance in two elite professions instead of base + one elite profession.


Now on to something new:

I noticed that some professional abilities seem rather superfluous.
The Diplomat's "Gain Trust" gives a +4 to Negotiate(Mediate) tests, which is the same bonus a skill focus would give, yet as a professional ability it costs 3 picks instead of the 2 for a skill focus edge. And as you don't need it as a prerequisite for any other of the Diplomat's abilities, what use is it?
The Scientist's "Focus" lets you ignore distractions while working on professional skills. The Exceptional Concentration edge OTOH gives the same advantage for all skills, not just professional skills. The only reason ever to invest the picks for Focus would be to gain the Computer Whiz ability that has it as a prerequisite, but in itself it doesn't seem to be any good compared to the (cheaper) edge.
And what's with the Operations Officer's "Professional Edge"? It gives you +5 courage bonus (instead of +3) when using professional skills. That's the same effect the Intrepid ability has and the later is more usefull as it is a prerequisite for the Capable ability. Why then should anyone take "Professional Edge", unless he entered the Operations EP not from the starship officer base profession (which would be a small minority IMO). If these abilities had "professional skills of this profession" in the description instead of the rather general "professional skills" it would make a lot more sense, but that's not how I read it.

Could someone "in the know" comment on this without breaking any NDA?
Maybe I am just missing something here, but if not I'd love to hear a bit about the reasoning behind these abilities.

[RaconteurX]

Originally posted by Sea Tyger
Is [the Engineering Expertise bonus] only, in Karl's case, applied when he makes a Propulsion Engineering (Impulse Systems) test?

Correct. Engineering Expertise only gives its bonus when used for tests of the specific speciality of a specific Engineering group skill, e.g. Propulsion (Impulse Drives) or Structural (Spaceframes) or Systems (Computer). R&D Specialist, however, gives its bonus when used for *any* Construct or Repair test (or the test can be completed in half the base time).

[Calcoran]

Lancer: Could it be because edges and professional abilities can usually stack onto each other? So basically, for the Diplomat, of course you can go with the "skill focus" edge and be content with the better bargain you got. Or you can strive for excellence, and get both the edge <I>and</I> the ability, wich give you a hell of a good bonus to negociate. Same goes for the other examples. Well, that's my take anyway, YMMV .

[Lancer]

Originally posted by Calcoran
Lancer: Could it be because edges and professional abilities can usually stack onto each other? So basically, for the Diplomat, of course you can go with the "skill focus" edge and be content with the better bargain you got. Or you can strive for excellence, and get both the edge <I>and</I> the ability, wich give you a hell of a good bonus to negociate. Same goes for the other examples. Well, that's my take anyway, YMMV .

Nice reasoning for the "Gain Trust", but it doesn't apply to the other two examples: After all, what's the use of having two abilities that let you ignore the same penalty?

And how do you stack abilities that grant +5 for each Courage point (instead of +3)? Do these abilities stack at all?

[Calcoran]

For the courage example, I had the same problem with a science officer who was both curious AND intrepid (or something like that, there is quite a number of edges or abilities that enhance the effectiveness of CPs). Fortunately one of the description of those edges/abilities was formulated so that it was possible to see it as a +2 increase to courage points' bonus. So we just stacked them. This science officer's CPs give him a +7 bonus each time he uses one for a knowledge skill (AFAIR, I don't have his character sheet with me ATM).

As for stacking abilities or edges that let you ignore the same penalty ... well, that's a poser. Anyone wants to have a go at it?

[calguard66]

Simple answer actually... you can take both , stack the benefits, and be REALLY good at whatever it is.

+8 to professional skills when spending courage, etc. (+2 for CP, +3, +3, etc)

As for the ones that simply negate penalties w/o providing a bonus... I can't imagine there are too many, but CODA doesn't seem to be a Min/ Max system... take what sounds good for your PC. Also, haveing the same benefit for an edge as a PA allows you to take it as your free PA if you want.

Originally posted by Lancer
It's about time to bump this thread up, as there are still some open questions here, like e.g. how do you get "back" into your base profession if you chose to advance in two elite professions instead of base + one elite profession.


Now on to something new:

I noticed that some professional abilities seem rather superfluous.
The Diplomat's "Gain Trust" gives a +4 to Negotiate(Mediate) tests, which is the same bonus a skill focus would give, yet as a professional ability it costs 3 picks instead of the 2 for a skill focus edge. And as you don't need it as a prerequisite for any other of the Diplomat's abilities, what use is it?
The Scientist's "Focus" lets you ignore distractions while working on professional skills. The Exceptional Concentration edge OTOH gives the same advantage for all skills, not just professional skills. The only reason ever to invest the picks for Focus would be to gain the Computer Whiz ability that has it as a prerequisite, but in itself it doesn't seem to be any good compared to the (cheaper) edge.
And what's with the Operations Officer's "Professional Edge"? It gives you +5 courage bonus (instead of +3) when using professional skills. That's the same effect the Intrepid ability has and the later is more usefull as it is a prerequisite for the Capable ability. Why then should anyone take "Professional Edge", unless he entered the Operations EP not from the starship officer base profession (which would be a small minority IMO). If these abilities had "professional skills of this profession" in the description instead of the rather general "professional skills" it would make a lot more sense, but that's not how I read it.

Could someone "in the know" comment on this without breaking any NDA?
Maybe I am just missing something here, but if not I'd love to hear a bit about the reasoning behind these abilities.

[Lancer]

Originally posted by calguard66
Simple answer actually... you can take both , stack the benefits, and be REALLY good at whatever it is.

+8 to professional skills when spending courage, etc. (+2 for CP, +3, +3, etc)

IMO that would be +7: +3 for the Courage, +2 benefit from the first ability, +2 from the second ability.

Still, I am sorry to say it, I am not convinced. After all, where in the rules does it say anything about stacking courgae enhancing abilities?
The intention of these abilities could have been:
a) to give you a really high benefit if having both abilities or
b) to apply each ability only to the skills that are professional skills for the profession that grants you access to the ability in question.

What makes you so convinced it isn't (b) ?