I started this on the Discord channel, but thought I'd get into more detail here. I think Ultimate skill is 1) not used enough, and 2) really badly written.

The talent categories make no sense to me. Why Professional skills are left out of the list (yet we get Mechanical Intuition...) is the most bewildering.

In Science (an approved category for Ultimate Skill (US)) we see two engineering specialties: Computers and Electronics. Why allow picking Computers and Electronics, but not Engineering? Why not allow US: Law or US: Medicine? And US: Pilot just makes sense for some concepts.

Then in the Other Talent category, US forbids Student, Heir to Fortune, and Leadership...but not Artist, Languages, or Performer...none of which have an associated ability or rank shift. Also, Animal Training is allowed as an US, and it grants +1CS to Animal empathy and Animal Communication and Control...so make those UN as well?

Mystic and Mental category is right out, but why not allow Sleight of Hand or Occult Lore?

What I really like about US is the roleplaying potential. How did you become "the world's best {insert thing here}" ? Was it training? you were just born with the Talent? Are you a demi-god? How does one handle having an UN Detective skill?

Is someone with UN Performance skill so good you believe they are whatever they are performing as? Could UN Performance imitate others (ala method acting)? Could US: Performance allow you to be the Pretender?

There are some cool avenues for this. I don't see many write-ups taking advantage of it, and a few players have taken it in my games, but always for combat skills.

I proposed an idea on here a few years ago: US: Language. I can see this going one of two ways. One is you simply know, or quickly pick-up, all languages (sort of like Cypher). An alternative is you have something like US: English. I can see this as a child of Apollo or Bragi. This character's command of the language is UN to the point where everything they write is a best seller, quotes written on napkins are worth millions, and their oration skills are so great it borders on mind control (basically Mesmerism and Hypnosis on anyone that understands their speech). All because of their UN command of the language.

What are your thoughts?

Quote
barna10
I started this on the Discord channel, but thought I'd get into more detail here. I think Ultimate skill is 1) not used enough, and 2) really badly written.

The talent categories make no sense to me. Why Professional skills are left out of the list (yet we get Mechanical Intuition...) is the most bewildering.

In Science (an approved category for Ultimate Skill (US)) we see two engineering specialties: Computers and Electronics. Why allow picking Computers and Electronics, but not Engineering? Why not allow US: Law or US: Medicine? And US: Pilot just makes sense for some concepts.

Then in the Other Talent category, US forbids Student, Heir to Fortune, and Leadership...but not Artist, Languages, or Performer...none of which have an associated ability or rank shift. Also, Animal Training is allowed as an US, and it grants +1CS to Animal empathy and Animal Communication and Control...so make those UN as well?

Mystic and Mental category is right out, but why not allow Sleight of Hand or Occult Lore?

What I really like about US is the roleplaying potential. How did you become "the world's best {insert thing here}" ? Was it training? you were just born with the Talent? Are you a demi-god? How does one handle having an UN Detective skill?

Is someone with UN Performance skill so good you believe they are whatever they are performing as? Could UN Performance imitate others (ala method acting)? Could US: Performance allow you to be the Pretender?

There are some cool avenues for this. I don't see many write-ups taking advantage of it, and a few players have taken it in my games, but always for combat skills.

I proposed an idea on here a few years ago: US: Language. I can see this going one of two ways. One is you simply know, or quickly pick-up, all languages (sort of like Cypher). An alternative is you have something like US: English. I can see this as a child of Apollo or Bragi. This character's command of the language is UN to the point where everything they write is a best seller, quotes written on napkins are worth millions, and their oration skills are so great it borders on mind control (basically Mesmerism and Hypnosis on anyone that understands their speech). All because of their UN command of the language.

What are your thoughts?

I see no reason why Ultimate Skill couldn't be applied to most talents, some talents simply are not subjective to having a rank, such as Mystic Origin or Student.

Additionally, the UPB was developed apart from the core rulesets and many talents were introduced years after the UPB and the Advanced Set first appeared. Revised Basic has an impressive list of updated talents, which were introduced as the game evolved over time.

Additionally, most gods and demons in the Marvel Universe have the Godspeak ability, which allows them to communicate with most sentient beings in their own language or through divine providence, it's just one of the perks of being an all powerful being. By comparison, Cosmic Entities may not share this ability, which only adds to their mysteriousness.

I imagine Ultimate Skill is one of those back up power options when players don't get the ability ranks or initial powers they were after during character creation via random rolls or a limited point buy. In effect, it is like a second chance at surpassing your limits in one particular area.