So has anyone devised, or even considered, the possibility of adding a skill that involves creating, developing, arming and otherwise tinkering with Explosives? Setting demo charges, modifcations of grenades, rigging a vault door to blow, a suicide vest, etc?

Just something my gaming group pondered while we were getting into the new system.

Gathering explosive shouldn't be a problem but to use explosives in a criminal matter would require skuldugery. I would raise difficulty based on imperial presence in that area and underworld knowledge helps to find illegal items like c4 equivalents.

I think Skulduggery for certain applications - Mechanics for others.

Skulduggery might not make sense for a military explosives expert. It might work if he was a "commando", but wouldn't fit for just an ordnance specialist.

Sturn said:

Totally agree.

I think I'd always let Mechanics be used for explosives, but also let Skulduggery be used for explosive applications dealing with dealing with nefarious activities.

GM Chris said:

Ah I see, I think I skimmed right past the second part of your sentence mentioning Mechanics. Sorry. Mechanics to make an explosive, Skulduggery to install it quietly on a landspeeder to go boom when the key is turned.

Sturn said:

I'd use skullduggery more for the "it needs to be placed where it won't be noticed until the boom" kinds of explosives work.

Simply entering a building? Mechanics or even a custom Knowledge Architecture to kow where the weak spot is and rig the explosive.

Rigging the building to blow open on demand once you've spotted the target through the window? Skulduggery so that it's not so noticable.

Likewise, a tripwire trap should be skullduggery - it's about setting it up so normals don't realize they're being got.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys… I mentioned your thoughts to one of my players and he cackled… Frikkin smuggler.