Dumb Newbie Question

This may sound very basic to many of you but I've read the section in the manual several times and can't find what I'm looking for. The subject; schematics. What is the little numbers by the components mean? Also, I have the schematics for bullets but says I can't make due to my inexperiance level. How do I know when I reach that level?

 

Putting CP in a tech discipline gives you expertise points in that discipline, as well as access to a new schematic every time. The little numbers on a schematic tells how many expertise points you need to have to use it. The bullets schematic requires expertise in explosives.

You can also get temporary expertise by buying technical manuals at the university. When you have them in your inventory they raise your expertise. They are very heavy though, so I often keep them in a box somewhere. Handy when you don't want to waste CP for a single schematic though.

 

Also note one thing I didn't understand at first:

The little picture in the top left of an ingredient state what KIND of expertise you need. So even if the schematic is classified as an explosion, you may need electrical or chemical experience as well. (just an example)

 

Correct. Didn't think to mention that, since I only had that specific schematic in my mind at the time.