Technology Skill Triads
This and the Technology Skills Specialization are an expansion of the rules given in GURPS Prime Directive published by the Amarillo Design Bureau. Technical skills govern three distinct classes of activity: design, repair, and use. Design includes inventing, redesigning, and reverse engineering. Repair includes troubleshooting, repairing, overhauling, upgrading, installing, and customizing. Use includes operating and maintaining. E.g. To fire a hand phaser, use Beam Weapons (Pistol); to modify it to increase the amount of energy discharged per shot, use Armory (Small Arms); to build a phaser from parts found in an alien planet’s high-energy research lab, use Engineer (Small Arms).
The following technologies have design-repair-use skill triads. After each technology the appropriate skills with the correct specialization (when required) are given. Use the table below and the Technology Skills Specialization table to help you choose appropriate specializations for your technical skills.
| TECHNOLOGY | DESIGN | REPAIR | USE | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auxiliary Systems | ENG (High-Performance Spacecraft) | M (Auxiliary Systems) | Spacer | Life Support, Artificial Gravity, Inertial Dampeners |
| Communications | ENG (Electronics) | ER (Communications) | EO (Communications) | Federation/Starfleet communication codes, Communicators |
| Computers | ENG (Electronics) | ER (Computers) | Computer Operation | |
| Drones/Missiles | ENG (Artillery) | A (Heavy Weapons) | ART (Guided Missiles) | |
| Electronic Warfare | ENG (Electronics) | ER (Electronic Warfare) | EO (Electronic Warfare) | jamming, ECM and ECCM |
| Hull & Superstructure | ENG (High-Performance Spacecraft) | M (High-Performance Spacecraft) | Spacer | |
| Impulse Drive | ENG (FTL Drive) | M (Impulse Drive) | PS (Impulse Drive) | |
| Medical Systems | ENG (Electronics) | ER (Medical) | EO (Medical) | Medical Tricorder with wand |
| PFs & Interceptors | ENG (High-Performance Spacecraft) | M (High-Performance Spacecraft) | Piloting (High-Performance Spacecraft) | |
| Phasers (personal) | ENG (Small Arms) | A (Small Arms) | BW (Pistol or Rifle) | |
| Phasers (shipboard) | ENG (HDE Weapon) | A (Heavy Weapons) | G (Beams) | |
| Photon Torpedoes | ENG (Artillery) | A (Heavy Weapons) | G (Cannon) | |
| Reactors & Power | ENG (1.) | M (1.) | PS (1.) | |
| Scientific | ENG (Electronics) | ER (Scientific) | EO (Scientific) | Tricorders |
| Sensors | ENG (Electronics) | ER (Sensors) | EO (Sensors) | Long-range detection gear used by starships |
| Security | ENG (Electronics) | ER (Security) | EO (Security) | Internal surveillance within a starship, disarming electronic traps, opening electronic locks (often with -2 penalty for unfamiliar equipment), NOTE: There is some overlap with this skill and the Lockpicking and Traps skills. |
| Shields | ENG (Force Shields) | ER (Force Shields) | EO (Force Shields) | Deflector Shields, Structural Integrity Field |
| Shuttlecraft/Fighters | ENG (Aerospace) | M (Aerospace) | Piloting (Aerospace) | |
| Tractor Beam | ENG (HDE Weapon) | ER (Tractor Beam) | EO (Tractor Beam) | Technology based on the manipulation of gravitons: Tractor Beams |
| Matter Transmitter | ENG (Matter Transmitter) | ER (Matter Transmitter) | EO (Matter Transmitter) | Transporters |
| Warp Drive | ENG (FTL Drive) | M (Warp Drive) | PS (Warp Drive) |
1. Choose from Antimatter/Warp Reactors or Fusion/Impulse Reactors.
HDE = Heavy Directed Energy
FTL = Faster Than Light
| A | Armory |
|---|---|
| ART | Artillery |
| BW | Beam Weapons |
| EO | Electronics Operation |
| ER | Electronics Repair |
| ENG | Engineer--correct specialization is listed |
| G | Gunner |
| M | Mechanic |
| PS | Professional Skill |
NOTE: Mechanic (High-Performance Spacecraft) is equivalent to Mechanic (Starships).