Building a bigger and better skill monkey

[NMI]

So this really is a question that can be posed in any listing except for magic and psionics. There isn't a general, all encompassing listing, so this one will have to do.

So I see all this magic and Psy and Chi power being thrown around, but what about those who like to go into battle with nothing but the tools on their person and the skills to use them? I'm talking about the "Skills Monkey." I want your opinions on how to build the best at doing... well... EVERYTHING. I can't tell you how many times I've been in a group with two mages, an assasin, a Super Psychic and an Ultra Bruiser and had to look at everyone and ask, "You're telling me NONE of you know how to pick a simple LOCK?"

Personally I'd start out with an RCC of Vagabond or Pessant. I know alot of you are going to say that those are OCCs, but they are two of the four or five OCCs that can also be RCCs. After that it all just depends on what direction you want to go and what niche you want to fill.

The Operative Agent in N&S is the best skill monkey there is.

agreed

[Regularguy]

The Operative Agent in N&S is the best skill monkey there is.

Well, the Wandering Free Agent from N&S is at least also in the running as a skill monkey, right?

I mean, if each of 'em takes a Military skill program, and an Espionage skill program, and a couple of Basic skill programs, then you've maybe got an Operative who'll round out his skills with the Helicopter Aviation program (for stuff like Helicopter Mechanics, and Pilot Basic Helicopter, and Pilot Combat Helicopter, and Pilot Airplane, and Navigation, and Weapons Systems), and a Free Agent who'll do likewise with the Advanced Pilot program (ditto). And maybe the Operative also takes the Surveillance Specialist program (for stuff like Electronic Counter-Measures, and Radio: Basic, and Radio: Scramblers, and Surveillance Systems, and TV/Video), while maybe the Free Agent takes the Electronic Communication program (ditto).

Sure, in that scenario the Operative would have some extra Pilot skills and extra WPs, while the Free Agent would have some extra Electronics skills and Communications skills along with some extra Secondary skills. But they'd both make pretty terrific skill monkeys, IMHO: both with six programs, and both able to cannibalize an N&S martial art for bonus skill programs, and both picking up additional Secondary skills at the same rate as they increase in level -- though the Free Agent also picks up several additional languages as Scholastic skills, since that's sort of his thing.

Granted, there are Operative builds a Free Agent can't duplicate -- and there are Free Agent builds an Operative can't duplicate, either. But I'd have a hard time saying that one has a conclusive edge over the other.