For meta-gaming reasons, I will swap my navigator for an Explorator (and the present explorator will take my Navis Nobilite post), so I am reading up a bit on the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Cult of Mars (for the RP background) while at the same time familiarising myself with the practical rule aspects of playing a Tech Priest.

But I have am flabbergasted by the quick combination of Tech-Use bonuses a character can recieve on its skill.

- Combi Tool (+10% on Tech-Use)

- Electro graft Use (+10% on Tech-Use whilst connected to a data port)

- MIU (+10% on Tech-Use via MIU links)

- Utility Mechadendrite (+10% on all Tech-Use)

I have probably forgotten a few of them (if there are some other good things I should know, I'd be happy to hear about them). But what I am wondering is which of these stack, and which don't. My gut feeling is that it depends on the situation. I can see the Combi Tool and the Utility Mechadendrite stacking while hurriedely fixing the tracks of a Rhino and the Electro graft use and the MIU seem made to reinforce each other while delving in the memory of an ancient cogitator loom. But what are the practical experiences with this?

Friedrich van Riebeeck

van Riebeeck said:

Most bonuses, I would assume, do stack. However, having everything stack at once generally means that the tech-priest is usinging Tech_use in the best possible circumstances. This is not likely to be the case as often when away from the ship. Also, part opf the reason for the stacking bonuses is that some of the tech out there should impose some pretty monumental penalties on the rolls.

Just be careful that you're not stacking the same bonus twice: for instance, I think that the +10 the Utility Mechadedrite gives you is from the combi-tool which is included in the mechadendrite. Obvisoulsy, having another combi-tool would just be redundant and you wouldn't get the bonus for both.

These things only bring their bonus into play when the situation is right. The combi-tool will only help when you are using it. The Electro-grafts only on tests where you are operating the machinery using your Neo-style data jack ports.

You can't do both: You either using your fancy sci-fi wrench on a piece of machinery, or plugging in with your Elecro-jack. It's either-or, but having both tools will allow you the +10 bonus in more situations than having just the one. (Electro grafts will not help you fix the enginge of the busted car, and the combi-tool will not help you search for hidden files in a cogitator).

Similarly, the MIU is an implant the does much the same thing as the Electro-grafts, but with an extended range of functions (Ie, controlling weapons, etc). The MIU is used instead of the Electro Grafts, not with them.

The utility mechaendrite is basically an implanted combi-tool. It will stack or not stack just as the tool, and as to wheather you can use this together with a regular combi-tool… well, perhaps in some cases having an extra hand is useful? Would you allow a character to use 2 combi-tools for 2x the bonus? If not, I see no reason sticking the other tool on a mechadendrite will help…

Don't forget the Foresight talent that gives another +10% for those situations where you have 10 mins to think about it before you start out.

And you can get another +10% if someone with tech use assists you, given that the problem can have two people working on it.

Getting tech use bonuses is almost too easy…

Darth Smeg said:

I'm going to disagree on not being able to stack combi-tool and an electro-graft when doing something like 'fixing the engine of a busted car" since getting real-time diagnostic information from the elctro-graft could be quite helpful while making adjustments with the combi-tool. So long as the player and GM can come up with a reasonable way that a piece can grant the bonus, it should be allowable. The exception would be for two or more of the same item (like multiple combi-tools).

I see no reason why it would be helpful to have a wrench AND a screwdriver. You really only need one tool, and anything past that is just silly.

I am a good mechanic.