_2300 AD_ gives a list of Background Skills available to both "Frontier" and "Core" characters. The problem is that these two lists were not updated from _Traveller:2300_! Here are my recommendations for Background Skills available to Frontier and Core world characters:
Frontier Background Skills include all the General Skills, including the newer Hunting and Tracking skills added in the second edition, and the Athletics skill that I added (this includes running, jumping, climbing, skiing, skating, and most other forms of unaided physical endeavor, but does not include Riding or Swimming, which are covered by their own separate skills). It also includes Mining and Local Knowledge, which were added in the _Nyotekundu Sourcebook_ and _Aurore Sourcebook_.
Frontier Background Skills also include the three standard Vehicle Skills common to any background: Ground, Hover, and Sea Vehicles. Core worlders may also put Background Points into any of these skills.
Since life on the Frontier is often in a hostile environment, Combat Rifleman, Melee, and Sidearms may also be taken by Frontiersmen. To this, I also allow to be added such "archaic" weapon skills as Archery (including the use of blowguns, bows, crossbows, and slings), and Thrown Weapons, if the Player desires (not many of them do). Finally (especially if a PC takes the Archery Skill), I might allow the restricted Forward Observing skill to be added to this list, for hitting targets with indirect fire (this is very necessary, with archaic weapons).
Finally, as restricted skills, any character from a space station may select Spin Operations, Zero-G, and/or Thrusters (a more generalized version of the Scooter Pilot skill introduced in the _Nyotekundu Sourcebook_). Anyone from a near weightless gravity Outpost may select from Zero-G and Thrusters, but not Spin Operations. Note that these skills (and Forward Observing) are not generally available to Frontier world characters, but are restricted to ones who meet the above qualifications.
Core Background Skills include the three Vehicle Skills, again (Ground, Hover, and Sea), as well as all the Intellectual Skills, including the newer Robotics. Cortescan Operation (introduced in the _Equipment Guide_) is only available to those who are sensitive to computer-generated inductance fields... To represent this, have the Player roll for a Difficult Task, without any DMs (only a roll of 10 succeeds). If they roll 10, they may take the skill as a Background Skill. If they fail, they may never acquire it (as the PC is a non-sensitive)!
The _Adventurer's Guide_ states that characters from a Core Background may select either Normal or Zero gravity for their Homeworld's gravity type. Obviously, then, Core includes space stations and near weightless gravity worlds, as well. If a character is from a space station, allow them Spin Operations. If from a station or world with near weightless gravity (such as Mars, Mercury, or the Moon), allow Thrusters, Vacc Suit, and Zero-G, as well. As with Frontier Background Skills, these are restricted, and not generally available to characters with Core Backgrounds.
Generally available:
Restricted:
Generally available:
Restricted:
* See the text in the appropriate section, above, for more on how and why these skills are restricted, and who qualifies to take them.