Right, I've looked through the relevant forums on here, tried a search and done a search through on the Dumpshock forums and I still can't understand what is and what isn't counted in in the 1.5x skill maximums. The whole thing seems kinda wooly and subject to interpretation.

Is there a definitive answer to this anywhere please? The only thing I know for sure is covered is the Adept Improved Skill power. I've noticed that some Edges say directly they increase the skill rating of the character (like Artisan and Linguist) but not that they are subject to modified skill maximums, some say they add to skill and are subject (Natural Athlete) and some just say they give a dice pool modifier (Perceptive).

Also are things liek Reflex Recorders and Mnemonic Enhancers subject to the modifier skill maximums as well. I'm trying to do up a character but I honestly have no clue what to count and what not to!

The key is whether they add to your skill rating, or whether they add "bonus dice to test x."  So something like reflex recorder counts against the max because it adds to the rating of a skill.  But something like synthacardium doesn't, since it adds a bonus to athletics tests.  The key words to look for are "rating" vs. "bonus."  And be sure to look at the FAQ, because it modifies and clarifies a few things in that regard.

As I said in my example, reflex recorders definitely count against the max.  So does the Improved Ability adept power.  There honestly isn't too much else that directly modifies skill rating though.  Mnemonic enhancers don't count because they add "+1 dice pool bonus," they don't add rating.  Bonus dice have no limit on their stacking, while rating modifications can't exceed 1.5x base skill.

Ahhh, thank you. Finally a simple way of checking. So 'rating' equals no more than 50% of your base skill and 'bonus' means go mad!

Amusingly the character I'm designing now has no bonuses to anything really, but it means I can go back and look at some of the ones I have been thinking of before I got completely confused!

EDIT: Right, Not actually sure I've got this after all. Dice Pool Modifier wouldn't be limited as it's affecting the pool not a skill?

To compare two things that kind of do the same things then; the Linguist quality and level two Menmonic Enhancers. If you have Japanese at 1 then the Linguist edge would do nothing for you as that 'modifies the rating of any language skill' but you would get the two dice from the ME's because they 'add the enhancer's rating as a dice pool modifier'.

With Linguist when you get the skill to 2 would you get a +1 from the Edge and the full +2 at a skill of 4?

Have I got it?

I don't have Companion, so I'm not sure what Linguist does.  All I know is that unless it states that it adds to the rating, then it stacks with no limit.  A bonus to "all tests of type x" or "the x pool" is going to stack with similar bonuses, without having a skill-based cap.

Linguist adds +2 to your language skills.

Yep, I just got Companion.  It says "modifies the ratings," so that means that id does count against the max rating.  If you take Linguist, and then every language skill at 1, you'll be SoL because 1.5 x 1 = 1.5, so even modifying that rating to 2 would exceed the max augmented rating.

Not SoL.  Languages would still cost half price, even in chargen.  Plus, if you later raise a language skill to 2, it would be 2(3).