I'm almost sure this has been asked before, but I can't find it in the forums here. FFGRoss answered this one during the RT playtest, and I need to know if it applies as well to DH characters, or if there were any changes to the rules:

When making a new PC, sometimes the text will read "gain the following skills as Basic skills..." I would take this to mean that the new PC gets these skills to use just like untrained Basic skills (at 1/2 the governing characteristic), BUT I've also been told that this means you get the skill trained (with the 1st level of Skill Mastery, the 1 "pip" for the skill, etc.).

Any help would be welcome, but "official" answers are what I'm looking for here. Also, since this seems like a topic that would be asked of by players a lot, can I get this topic pinned, please?

Thanks,

Arkangel53

When making a new PC, sometimes the text will read "gain the following skills as Basic skills..." I would take this to mean that the new PC gets these skills to use just like untrained Basic skills (at 1/2 the governing characteristic), BUT I've also been told that this means you get the skill trained (with the 1st level of Skill Mastery, the 1 "pip" for the skill, etc.).

There's a very specific meaning for basic skill: A skill that, if you don't have skill training in it, allows you to still roll 1/2 the characteristic for it. If you "gain something as a basic skill", that skill is converted to a basic skill. Amazing, isn't it?

I think the reason for those character to have a +10% to one skill was to show speciality

I also noticed that on the RT characters that were offered up for FB, the first "pip" on their sheets was "basic" showing they had the skill at basic (1/2 characteristic) level. Could this be the "pip" Ross spoke of? If so, he might have been saying that having a skill at basic level (1/2 characteristic) is the first but not necessary level of training in a skill meaning that skill training goes: 1/2 characteristic, full characteristic, +10, +20 and when you get a skill at basic, you can fill in that first pop showing that you have it at basic. Just a thought...