(Privateers) Hobby Skill Categories and skills...

[ReaperWolf]

Officially speaking, when assigning Hobby Skill Ranks if a skill is listed as a potential hobby skill, is the category also available?

For example, looking at the Falanar Standard Hobby Skills in the Privateers book page 114, both Hiding and Stalking are listed but the associated category Subterfuge*Stealth is not but on page 38 Bob's Falanar Machka has one rank in both Subterfuge*Stealth Skill Category and Stalking skill.

Regards,

>>ReaperWolf

[arakish]

IMHO only if it is listed as available.  However, even the text of the books says you can spend hobby ranks on the category.  Below is verbatim from the SM Privateers book.

Machka also gets 10 hobby ranks. Bob assigns
Machka’s hobby ranks as follows:

Weapon • 1-H Melee skill category ................ 2
Hazzok (a 1-H melee weapon) skill ............ 1
Weapon • 1-H Energy skill category .............. 1
Blaster pistol skill ......................................... 2
Subterfuge • Stealth skill category ................ 1
Stalking skill ................................................ 1
Technical/Trade • Gunnery skill category .... 1
High-Energy Projector skill .......................... 1

Thus, I don't see why not.  But there are restrictions...

HOBBY RANK RESTRICTIONS
These restrictions apply when using hobby ranks:
• No skill or skill category may be increased by more ranks
than the maximum ranks that normally may be developed
when advancing a level (see Section 21.1).
• The skill or skill rank developed must have a development
point cost of less than 40.

Again, I would say "Yes."

rmfr

[ReaperWolf]

Since the Privateers book backs this up I'll run with it.

Not that 1 rank in a category and a skill will ruin anything.

>>ReaperWolf