Flip belt shenanigans

By Spatulaodoom, in Rogue Trader Rules Questions

I guess I should have asked this before handing it over to a player, but I was wondering on what precisely people figure the flip belt's "+20 to agility based tests" applies to.

Are skills agility based tests? I mean it seems obvious that they should be. Why wouldn't a flip belt help you out with dodge, but what about Pilot Void ship or secruity?

If it says "Agility Based Tests" that means any and all tests that use Agility as its base attribute.

Dodge and Acrobatics realistical. Maybe Contortionist.

RAW, this would also include the following: Concealment, Drive, Pilot, Security, Shadowing, Silent Move and Slight of Hand.

Which I feel is just gaming the system because you can. You need to put a reasonable limit on what a flip belt (or any item) can do for you with wording like that.

But really, any Base Agility Check, Dodge or Acrobatics check you should be safe to use it. Anything other on the skills list is just a bit too far. Unless they come up with creative uses for it.

I could see it bonusing a lot of those, but maybe not the way it intended. Dodge, yes. Acro, sure. Silent Move, certainly, as you aren't walking. Hmm, Contortionist? Well, you don't need to maintain balance, so you might be a bit more "you can bend that way?" Concealment? Only in that it might give you some other options of WHERE to hide, but not how well you will. Shadowing? Maybe in that you will be tailing in a weird, more silent way, but still. Drive? Pilot? Security? No, I don't think so.

A few of those moments where I really appreciate RAI, as opposed to RAW. Otherwise, another good chance to grab your GM's interpretation befpre you stage an entire plan on it, and then he/she says "what? Um, no that's not how this tech actually works. Getting your SHIP through the asteroid belt and minefield won't benefit from you wearing Eldar rainbow suspenders. Humorously, they DO suspend, and 80s Eldar often DID look like an advert for Skittles. ;)