# Gigs & skills (hybrid progression)

Vision-level design for how characters grow. **Combat** uses **gigs** (swap roles for grouping clarity); **each gig levels on its own track** (**per-gig** progression). **Non-combat** uses **skills** (gathering, crafting, and similar loops). [Epic 2 — Classless progression](../decomposition/epics/epic_02_classless_progression.md) (E2.M1–M4) still describes **skill** XP machinery; **gig** XP/levels are **per gig**—decomposition should be revisited when this split hardens.

## Vocabulary

From here on in game-design docs:

| Term | Means |
|------|--------|
| **Gig** | The **combat role** (combat “class”): what you bring to a fight—kit, tuning band, party expectations. Not used for crafting or gathering. |
| **Skill** | A **non-combat** trained capability only (gather, craft, etc.). Never used to mean the combat gig. |
| **Sub-gig** | A **secondary gig** paired with your **main gig** on one loadout. Used for **limited** cross-gig ability access—see [gigs.md](gigs.md) (**Main gig + sub-gig**)—not for crafting or replacing the main gig’s identity in combat. |

Fiction and UI may still say *job*, *contract*, or *loadout* in dialogue; design vocabulary stays **gig** / **skill** to avoid ambiguity.

## Why hybrid

- **Gigs** give parties a readable answer to “what are you on this run?” without forcing alts. They match **contracts, loadouts, and corporate muscle** as fantasy.
- **Skills** keep the **economy and crafting** surface wide: anyone can work those capabilities over time, and “street doc” can mean high medic **craft skill** + rep, not only an active gig.

## Gigs (combat)

The **gig** artifact—**roles**, **hub swap**, **per-gig progression**, **main + sub-gig**, **party/recruitment** (no LFG UI assumption), **PvP notes**, and **gig-only open questions**—is **[gigs.md](gigs.md)**. This file keeps **vocabulary**, **why hybrid**, and **seams** with **skills**.

## Skills (non-combat, classless)

Everything **outside combat role resolution**—gathering, refining, crafting lines, non-combat tech, etc.—uses **skills**:

- **Any character can train any skill** over time (subject to world gates: discovery, rep, licenses—those expand content, they are not “you picked the wrong gig”).
- **Identity** for “what you do in the economy” is the **skill graph + reputation + gear**, not the gig you ran last night.
- **Long-term:** avoid dead-end grinds; slow or expensive is fine, “wrong choice forever” is not.

### What counts as a skill

A **skill** is a persistent, leveled capability improved primarily by **doing the activity** (chop, refine, assemble, etc.). Supplementary sources (books, training) stay optional. Skills stay **data-defined** (stable IDs, categories, prerequisites).

### Categories (families)

Categories group skills for **UI and balance** (e.g. *Gathering*, *Craft*, *Tech*, *Social*). They are **not** gigs and do not replace them.

### XP, failure, caps, pacing (skills)

- **Server-authoritative** grants with structured sources (node, recipe, mission payout, …).
- **Failure XP** (XP on a **failed attempt** at a skill action—e.g. burnt recipe—not **death penalty**): **per skill / per mechanic**; **open** globally, will depend on how each activity is built and what exploit surface it has.
- **Caps:** **Soft** only—no hard “max level” by default. **Each level needs more XP than the last** (threshold tables or formula; **data-driven** per skill or policy).
- **Runaway mitigation** beyond the curve: diminishing returns, context modifiers, or other knobs if telemetry demands.
- **Gates** (recipes, rep, licenses) should **add** paths, not fake gigs.
- **Pacing/catch-up** (E2.M4) applies across **skills**; **gig** pacing is **per-gig** (same or parallel engine—**open**).

## Seams (gigs ↔ skills)

| Topic | Direction |
|--------|-----------|
| **Combat gear** | **Gig-restricted.** Weapons, armor, and other combat-loadout pieces declare which **gig(s)** may equip or fully activate them. After a **hub-only** [gig swap](#gigs-combat), the player **re-banks or re-equips** combat gear for the new gig (automation vs. manual loadout UX **open**). Non-combat tools (pickaxe, scanner, craft bench) stay **skill**-gated, not gig-gated, unless a piece is explicitly hybrid. |
| **Crafting combat gear** | **No gig or gig level requirement.** Who can *build* it depends on **skills** (e.g. gunsmith), recipes, rep, facilities—never on owning a gig or its level. A character can **craft combat gear they cannot equip** (wrong gig, low gig level, etc.): valid for **trade**, **stock**, or **group play**. **Equip/activation** stays **gig-restricted** as above. |
| **Consumables** | **Carry and use** are not gig-gated by default—anyone can pop a stim or patch. **Passive** potency can scale with **gig** match: e.g. a **medic**-tagged bonus applies if **main *or* sub-gig** matches (see [gigs.md](gigs.md)). Others use a **baseline**. **Active** abilities from consumables (if any) follow their own rules—**open**. Other items may have **no** gig hook—data-driven per item. |
| **Rep / story** | **Hybrid.** **Faction / world reputation** stays **character-wide** where it fits (one person, one web of grudges). **Narrative** also includes **gig storylines** and **main-quest-style arcs** tied to a **gig**—mentor paths, employer chains, identity stories that assume you *are* that role for a chapter. State for those arcs is **per gig** (or per gig branch) on the same character; switching gigs does not erase character rep, but **gig plot progress** is its own track. |
| **Alts / multi-gig mastery** | One avatar still reduces **alt** pressure for economy and story. **Maining every gig** is **not** a design problem for now: **gig leveling is intentionally slow**, so fully progressing (or “maxing”) every gig is a **long-term time investment**, not something handed out quickly. Players who put in that time **may** legitimately be strong in every gig on one character. **Revisit** only if pacing, live balance, or PvP show harm. |

## Player-facing readability

- **Combat:** UI shows **main gig**, **sub-gig**, levels/tracks, combat abilities, and **combat gear** the main gig can use (mismatched gear disabled or greyed). Consumable tooltips for **passive** amps can show **baseline vs. boosted** when **main or sub** matches the item’s gig hook.
- **Non-combat / crafting:** **skill** list, XP sources, categories; crafting combat gear does **not** hide recipes behind gigs—only **skill**/recipe gates (optional UI hint if the product is unequippable for your current gig).
- **Story:** journal or quest UI can separate **character / faction** threads from **gig** threads so players see which arc belongs to which gig.
- Use **gig** / **skill** consistently in specs and tools; flavor text can vary.

## Decisions log

| Topic | Direction | Status |
|-------|-----------|--------|
| Vocabulary | **Gig** = combat role; **skill** = non-combat only | Agreed |
| Combat gear | **Gig-restricted** equip/activation; non-combat tools **skill**-gated | Agreed |
| Crafting combat gear | **Skill**/recipe/rep (etc.) only—**not** gig or gig level; craft-for-others OK | Agreed |
| Consumables | Baseline for all; **passive gig amp** from **main or sub** ([gigs.md](gigs.md)) | Agreed |
| Rep / story | Character-wide **rep**; **gig**-scoped **storylines** and **main quests** (per-gig progress on one avatar) | Agreed |
| Multi-gig mastery | **OK for now**; slow gig leveling makes “all gigs” a **time** goal, not a loophole | Agreed (revisit if balance/PvP needs) |
| Combat vs. non-combat | **Gigs** for combat; **skills** for gather/craft/etc. | Agreed |
| Professions (economy) | No separate profession system; economy identity from **skills** + rep | Agreed ([overview](overview.md)) |
| Primary skill XP | Do the activity | Agreed |
| Failure XP | **Open**; decided **per skill / activity** once mechanics exist (not the same as death penalty) | Open |
| Skill caps | **Soft**; **progressively more XP** per level (data-driven curves) | Agreed |
| Gig swap rules | **Hub-only** (city / home base / designated site)—**not** in the field or mid-fight | Agreed |
| Sub-gig | **FFXI-style** slot **agreed**; sub abilities up to **~½ main gig level** (formula TBD); wide build space | Agreed |
| Combat progression | **Per gig**—separate level/XP (and mastery) per gig; no shared combat rank | Agreed |
| Gig XP award | **Main gig only**; **sub-gig** earns no XP—see [gigs.md](gigs.md) | Agreed |
| Epic 2 doc split | Align modules when gig data model is chosen | TBD |

## Next artifacts

- **[gigs.md](gigs.md)** — gig roster, hub UX, recruitment **deferred**; **PvP** gig rules **open indefinite** (overall PvP scope TBD).
- **Abilities** — **gig-locked** vs. **item-locked** vs. **skill-gated**.
- **Items** — **equip:** gig rules; **craft:** **skills** (and recipe/rep), never gig level.
- [hack-bodyguard-missions.md](hack-bodyguard-missions.md) — group **skill** (hack) + **gig** (bodyguard) instances (brainstorm).