When the mech lore split arrives, here's an idea. Allow the split of mech lore ranks into the other skills, but don't get rid of mech lore itself. Let mech lore be to the related skills (plus a few others) as musical lore is to intruments. So systems that use the new mech skills would also use mech lore as an overall skill augmenting them (and teaching mech). Then tie it into some other skills which are similar in nature: skinning, disarm, lockpicking. Each of those would both use and teach mech lore.

Bascially, mech lore would represent your aptitude for performing tasks like that using hand tools and small operations.

Another idea would be that not everyone uses mech lore in that way. Those who take on careers would use mech lore, but only in conjunction with those things which are pertinent to their career. Could even go further to say it only applies to those who are masters of that career. The other things would still teach mech, we just wouldn't actually use it and gain a boost form it unless it applied as above.

Just some thoughts that were running through my head, maybe they'll spark an idea or two.

~~~Krin
"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati"
"Goblins ... aisle 6, Mycthengelde ... hunt smart, hunt S-Mart!"
"You whine like a mule ... you are still alive!"
"Call me Snake."

>>What's the purpose of Music Lore (I've never had the skill)?

It's a general music skill that covers all instruments (including vocal) and shows your general skill with music in general. It's also Bard-only now that they've done the switch, and called Musical Theory, not Music Lore anymore. Its new name makes it a bit more evident what it's for.

If you take two Bards, both with the exact same amount of skill in that instrument type, but one with twice the amount of musical theory than the other, the one with more theory will perform better with the same instrument, their higher amount of general music training giving them a benefit. Or, at least, that's how it's supposed to work, I'll leave it to the Bards to pipe in whether that's what's actually happening.

I'd like to see mech lore stick around and do the same thing for mech-related tasks (and add those other activities to the list of things related to mech lore ... speaking of which, add First Aid to that list). Your mech lore ranks would help boost your ability in that area as long as your mech was close to or exceeds the skill its trying to help, and such activities would teach mech lore as well.

Although I am glad for the mech split because it makes no sense that fletching arrows all day would make me a better tanner, forger or alchemist as well ... by the same token, it should make me more adept at using tools and my hands in general, giving me a bit of a head start in such fields compared to a newbie who's never picked up a hammer/scraper in their LIFE.

~~~Krin
"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati"
"Goblins ... aisle 6, Mycthengelde ... hunt smart, hunt S-Mart!"
"You whine like a mule ... you are still alive!"
"Call me Snake."