So on pg. 191 of the F&D core book it says " Depending on its nature, a holocron can grant new Force powers, increase the damage of a specific kind of attack (Melee, Ranged Gunnery, Lightsaber, etc.), grant basic or advanced talents, grant of increase a skill, or anything else a Game Master can imagine."

That last line has made me think about a holocron that provides a specialization, from the paragraph on 191 it would seem this would be allowed and narratively this could make sense. The holocron contains the knowledge relevant to that specialization meaning the PC can learn the basics as the benefit for unlocking the holocron (granting the spec), then they would have to spend XP to unlock the talents and skills, but narratively they would be learning them from the holocron.

The problem I see with this could be that a "average" holocron that can be chosen as starting gear provides two skills as career skills, which means getting a specialization would be better giving up to four skills as career skills, my thoughts on this is that it makes sense that each holocron provides different knowledge so differences make sense, but not necessarily to that extent. Then again from a game-play mechanic perspective, that one version is so much better than the other is very odd. A holocron with a spec would save the cost of buying the spec (20+ XP), plus saving up to 100 XP in getting 5 ranks in the new career skills, the starting gear holocron would save up to 50 XP getting 5 ranks in those career skills

What are the community's thoughts on this, does it make sense or not?

The thing to bear in mind is that the holocron that can be chosen as a starting group resource is something of a "watered down" version of a proper holocron, and thus doesn't provide all the same juicy perks.

Think of a starting group holocron as being similar to the holocron Kanan had in his possession at the start of Star Wars Rebels. While it was a handy resource (likely providing Astrogation as one of its two bonus skills), it can't really do a whole lot else beyond qualifying for "right tools for the job" for Astrogation (due to the star charts it contains) and Knowledge (Lore) checks. And that's pretty much it.

The holocrons described in the Equipment chapter are the full-fledged versions, able to do a whole lot more, such as providing multiple boost dice on any Knowledge check, or even counting as skilled assistance with having multiple ranks in every Knowledge skill, or providing instruction on Force powers the PCs might have never heard of or even be aware of.

Granting a spec is pretty big potatoes. Probably too big.

In the back of one of the spec books (I think endless vigil) is a system for allowing a player to use a talent or something they haven't totally paid for, with restrictions and consequences of course.

Perhaps using the Holocron as the "key" to introduce that option to the players might be more appropriate.

I like to have parity for the players in my games.

So, the problem I would see here is that it's unlikely that all PCs would want this one Spec, isn't it?

So some PCs are gonna receive a huge boon, and these others would not.

Maybe it would be better if the Holocron (along with the "standard" two Skills or whatever else) simply allowed the PCs to treat all Specs of one Carrer, as if they are Career Specs?

No new Career Skills. Just; "Hey, you don't have to pay out-of-Career xp for these new Specs anymore!", plus whatever "normal" Boost you want it to have?

You could have a holocron allow for a Specializations from a particular career (likely a FaD career) to be purchased at in-Career costs. For example, a Sith holocron that allows Warrior Specs to be purchased for the in-Career costs so long as the holocron is possessed. It's, at best, worth 60 XP of savings, which is close to the maximum of 50 XP saved from a two-skill holocron.

8 hours ago, Donovan Morningfire said:

The holocrons described in the Equipment chapter are the full-fledged versions, able to do a whole lot more, such as providing multiple boost dice on any Knowledge check, or even counting as skilled assistance with having multiple ranks in every Knowledge skill, or providing instruction on Force powers the PCs might have never heard of or even be aware of.

Good point, I hadn't thought of that.

6 hours ago, Ghostofman said:

In the back of one of the spec books (I think endless vigil) is a system for allowing a player to use a talent or something they haven't totally paid for, with restrictions and consequences of course.

I think that book is Keeping the Peace, and we have used that rule a few times when it makes sense, so I could see using it again.

6 hours ago, emsquared said:

Maybe it would be better if the Holocron (along with the "standard" two Skills or whatever else) simply allowed the PCs to treat all Specs of one Carrer, as if they are Career Specs?

No new Career Skills. Just; "Hey, you don't have to pay out-of-Career xp for these new Specs anymore!", plus whatever "normal" Boost you want it to have?

4 hours ago, HappyDaze said:

You could have a holocron allow for a Specializations from a particular career (likely a FaD career) to be purchased at in-Career costs. For example, a Sith holocron that allows Warrior Specs to be purchased for the in-Career costs so long as the holocron is possessed. It's, at best, worth 60 XP of savings, which is close to the maximum of 50 XP saved from a two-skill holocron.

I like this idea, so far only one player is using a F&D career/specs, but this would make things interesting, at least giving the option to have other players benefit from the discovery of a holocron, while not being too good for that one player.

What our GM has done is have a holocron provide a reduction in cost for buying certain savings. I think we had a holocron that provided training in whatever Form Soresu Defender is, so anyone who wanted to buy Soresu Defender could purchase it at -10XP. Something like that seems useful without being overpowered.