Blue Collar questions

[ronfiction]

Howdy folks!

Just had a few questions about some blue collar skills. Mostly about the term 'tool'. There are a few skills that say you can strike with a 'tool' for some effect. I was curious about the term tool in a few ways.

1-There are plenty of things that are obviously tool. Crow bars, screwdrivers, a saw. But then there are 'tools' that are also very clearly usable as weapons. Things like hammers and axes although weapons in some hands are also tools in others. So, just what counts as a 'tool'? Could I use a knife that my character keeps on him for dressing deer and gutting fish for blue collar skills? Or would that not be in 'the spirit' of the role play of this header?

2-Also, in some passages in the rule book they talk about 'tools of your chosen profession' or 'tools for your trade' and the like. Does that mean I have to pick 1 'tool' of my profession and can't use my blue collar skills with other tools? Does that also mean I can not use 'tools' that my character wouldn't normally use? Like on the off chance my Janitor comes across a tire Iron, can he use it even if it's not a mop?

Thanks in advance for fielding my goofy, although still relevant questions.

[Jacob]

1) A knife would not be in the spirit of the Blue Collar header. A hammer or axe would be alright if you were playing a smith or a lumberjack, respectively.

2) In your particular case, I'd say that a tire iron is a perfectly viable tool for a handy man to use. With that in mind, a giant mechanic's wrench might not fit the bill. It depends on whether the character in question could reasonably expect to be very competent with the given tool. Anyone can pick up a wrench and whack someone with it. You have to know how to use a wrench and what to use it on if you want to get special effects out of it.