My group has characters from all the books, and our force sensitive exile recently found a holocron. The GM is allowing it to grant acess to specilizations and force abilities.

Since the force user is practicing with the holocron in a simi public area of the ship (the secondary cargo hold), and one of the non-jedi has been listening intently to the gatekeeper and the other personalities. The question is can he learn the skills as class skills?

Our GM is waviring between yes, yes but they cost 5 points to gain as class skills like those granted by a talent, and no they are only available for the force user. Any insight on the subject would be appreciated.

My gut reaction would be no. Presumably the knowledge in the holocron is intended for a Force user and is delivered in that manner. If Han Solo overheard Yoda's teachings to Luke would he have benefitted?

...then again, I just thought of Theron Shan from SWTOR. For those unaware, he was raised as a Jedi when he was young but he turned out to not be Force sensitive. Some of the skills he learnt, like meditation and concentration exercises, he still uses despite not being a Jedi.

So I suppose actually I would say it depends on the skill and what it is exactly that they're being taught by the holocron.

Interesting question!

Knowledge (Lore) and Lightsaber

One is doing more than just overhearing, he's actively listening. Being raised Imperial, he's curious about the differences in the lore.

There's nothing in the description of the holocron that make it only applicable to Force sensitives. Though Force and Destiny only offers Force sensitive careers.

I would say yes. Giving a non Force sensitive access to the Lightsaber skill is dangerous, but he won't have any of the awesome talents.

Actually, a non-Force sensitive can use some of the cool talents! Parry, for example, isn't a Force talent so can be used by anyone.

Makashi duelist (with 4 Force talents) and shii-cho knight (with only 3 Force talents) are very friendly to those without a connection to the Force.

To answer the OP's question, I agree that there is nothing that says only those with a Force Rating can make use of the extra career skills. It is given as an option for the entire group, so I'd say let them! I'd love to see a non-Force sensitive swinging around a lightsaber!

-EF

Yeah, I'm not seeing any reason why the bonus skills from a Holocron (particularly the version offered as a group resource) would be disallowed for a non-F/S character.

Going by the Beta Updates, most of the possible skill selections could be of use to any character, Force-sensitive or not. Given how all three of these books were meant to be used together if a GM so desires, I can't see disallowing Holocron bonus skills to be utilized by the mundanes in the party to be intended on the designers' part.

Actually, a non-Force sensitive can use some of the cool talents! Parry, for example, isn't a Force talent so can be used by anyone.

Makashi duelist (with 4 Force talents) and shii-cho knight (with only 3 Force talents) are very friendly to those without a connection to the Force.

To answer the OP's question, I agree that there is nothing that says only those with a Force Rating can make use of the extra career skills. It is given as an option for the entire group, so I'd say let them! I'd love to see a non-Force sensitive swinging around a lightsaber!

-EF

Sorry. I actually meant that he wouldn't have any of the talents without purchasing a specialization that utilizes them. Parry doesn't require a lightsaber in the first place; I didn't have any specific talent on my mind when I made my original comment.

I'd say yes, provided that there's a force sensitive to activate the holocron (which in your case there is ).

So, the lightsaber style specializations could be taken by non force sensatives? I thought, if it was your first force specialization, you got a force level? or would that be, only if you started in the appropriate class? I understant Greivous knew several saber styles but never thought to give him any of the specializations. Would still use brawn, but there are alot of nifty abilities in there.

So, the lightsaber style specializations could be taken by non force sensatives? I thought, if it was your first force specialization, you got a force level? or would that be, only if you started in the appropriate class?

Yes, you can take saber specs even if you have no Force Rating, you just won't be able to use any Force talents until you do. If a saber spec (or any spec from F&D) is your first spec, your career will need to be from F&D, and those provide the initial Force Rating of 1.

So, the lightsaber style specializations could be taken by non force sensatives? I thought, if it was your first force specialization, you got a force level? or would that be, only if you started in the appropriate class? I understant Greivous knew several saber styles but never thought to give him any of the specializations. Would still use brawn, but there are alot of nifty abilities in there.

F&D careers provide FR1. F&D specializations do not give any Force Rating.

As Lorne said, anyone can take any specialization, but if you don't have a Force Rating, you can't use any Force talents—including the +1FR talent! This means that you can take any saber spec without a FR, but you will have to use Brawn for all Lightsaber skill rolls since the characteristic-swapping talents are Force talents.

-EF