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[SafariJohn]

I'd say the biggest problem with aptitudes right now is that almost all the flagship skills are under the Combat aptitude. Additionally, the Combat aptitude has few fleet-wide benefits.

Ideally, I believe, each aptitude would provide some skills that benefit the player's flagship and some that benefit the whole fleet. I think if we approach aptitudes from a slightly different angle we can achieve this goal.

Simply put, I suggest aptitudes change from "focuses", so to speak, to "professions". For example:

Combat -> Mercenary
Leadership -> Naval
Technology -> Corporate
Industry -> Scavenger

Those middle two are pretty weak, I admit, but I know you can imagine both flagship and fleet-wide skills that could go under each of those aptitudes. It's just a shift in perspective.

[Megas]

Still have the problem of getting +1 to Officer Management to level up two guys for one point (that can be fired and new ones hired for respec) vs. more points for your guy only (and ineligible for respec).

Or have player grab all of the must-haves that help everyone (or at least prevent enemy from inflicting unavoidable major debuff in case of EW1) while officers are free to grab all of the pilot-only skills you want but cannot afford.

If cherry picking (and fleet action) is optimal, at least always better than specializing in aptitudes, then all the suggestion will do is guarantee 12 dead levels and relegate the PC to party buffer while officers hog all of the combat glory like they do today.  I want to play the glorious paragon or champion, not the party mule, medic, or mascot.

I like to see two aptitudes...
* Pilot-only (color does not matter like it does not for officers)
* Fleetwide / Campaign QoL

With that, pilot-only can be respec'ed (at a price), so that he does not need to marry a ship.

[SafariJohn]

If it takes 12 dead levels to get all the "optimal" skills then I have serious doubts about your build being optimal anymore. This suggestion would always allow the player to get some fleet skills and some flagship skills even if they focus on one aptitude, which seems ahead of the current system to me.

Oh, and thank you for reminding me, I meant to suggest that number of officers be tied to player level instead of a skill.

[Megas]

If it takes 12 dead levels to get all the "optimal" skills then I have serious doubts about your build being optimal anymore. This suggestion would always allow the player to get some fleet skills and some flagship skills even if they focus on one aptitude, which seems ahead of the current system to me.

Maybe, maybe not.  It just means QoL gets shoved in favor of combat boosts, personal or fleetwide.  I never take Navigation despite wanting it badly due to lack of points.

For example, currently, carrier specialists need max skills in three aptitudes.  Leadership 3 is a given, but if you want to be the best carrier pilot, you need Combat 3 for Helmsmanship 3 alone due to how game-changing it is for carrier flagships (engaged fighters put flux on carrier like shields do, which kills the zero-flux boost... unless you have that perk).  Also, player needs Loadout Design 3 for more OP since carriers are extremely hungry, and great for all.

For everybody, Loadout Design 3 is great for everyone.  In Leadership, Fleet Logistics 3 is great for everyone (less maintenance cost, more CR to outlast cowardly AI), and Fighter Doctrine 3 is great for any fleet with carriers (which I suspect is the vast majority).  That is six for aptitudes.  For Combat, there is some perks at 3 that are great for a variety of builds if not necessarily universal for all builds.  Helmsmanship 3 is non-negotiable on carriers because it is such a game-changer.  Finally, Industry.  If you want to play the exploration game, you need max Surveying and/or Salvaging.  Industry has some gems, but it is the most expendable aptitude.  I completely eschew Industry despite relying mostly on clunkers.

Perhaps the suggestion might help... or maybe make it worse by scattering must-have among all four aptitudes instead of the current distribution of must-haves for everybody in two aptitudes and more for various character builds.

[Gothars]

I'd say the biggest problem with aptitudes right now is that almost all the flagship skills are under the Combat aptitude. Additionally, the Combat aptitude has few fleet-wide benefits.

I don't see that as a problem at all. At the moment aptitudes represent play stiles more than professions. That makes the most sense to me, since it aligns with what the player is actually doing in the game, not with what he is are pretending to be. So, if you want to personally control a terrifying flagship then Combat is the aptitude for you. If you want something else, pick another aptitude.

[Dark.Revenant]

I think the main problem is that maxing out flagship skills takes more skill points than any other style (so many, in fact, that it's actually impossible to get them all) whilst having the narrowest benefit.