Scum & Villainy: Xenos and starting abilities.
Say one player chooses to be a Xeno Mechanic and opts for the Xeno starting ability. Could this player then choose to get Tinker (the Mechanic starting ability) either as their special ability during character creation or as an upgrade during advancement?
My confusion arises from the difference in names (starting/special abilities) and because of a line regarding the Veteran special ability on page 57: “Note that starting abilities cannot be chosen via the
Veteran special ability.”
So, will a xeno that goes for the xeno starting ability ever have the opportunity to get the starting ability for their playbook?
I wouldn’t have a problem with it.
But, by a strict rules-lawyery reading, I don’t think you can, because, when you fill the XP track you choose a special ability (not a starting ability).
[The Veteran ability is for taking from other playbooks. You don’t need it for something that is on your playbook.]
No they cannot. (this comes with caveats)
Starting abilities are very powerful and niche defining. If you’re Chewie, you’re known for being the wookie, not for being the genius mechanic. Right?
BUT. The game is a conversation and the GM section explicitly tells you to try and work with players to outline paths an opportunities. I mean how do you become a genius mechanic?
Do you first need a degree from a Guild college (that’s a clock). Then perhaps some lessons from a storied Hacker (that’s a clock). Then you need to perform fixes on several key components during battle, or make a hack under pressure.
From a mechanical perspective, there’s good reasons not to mix and match at the start. Be a mechanic, and have a cool xeno look but don’t worry about xeno powers.
But if you want to go down the road of both, make it a cool story and work with your players ^_^ Remember long term projects let you shift the fiction of the game. Good luck!