CREDITS

978-1 912743 93-3

2D20 SYSTEM DESIGNER CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER FACTORY MANAGER
NATHAN DOWDELL RITA BIRCH MICHAL E. CROSS MARTIN JONES

STAR TREK ADVENTURES MANAGING DIRECTOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS SENIOR

PROJECT MANAGER CAMERON DICKS STEPHANIE TORO PRODUCTION OPERATIVE
JIM JOHNSON GURUMENDI, MARK DREW COX
HEAD OF PRODUCT WHITTINGTON & CHRIS WEBB
WRITERS SAM WEBB PRODUCTION OPERATIVES
MICHAEL DISMUKE, NATHAN AUDIO AND THOMAS BULL, JOSHUA
DOWDELL, KEITH GARRETT, HEAD OF VIDEO PRODUCER FROUD-SILVERSTONE,
JIM JOHNSON, FRED LOVE, CREATIVE SERVICES STEVE DALDRY LUKE GILL, DAVID HEXTALL,
AARON M. POLLYEA JON WEBB ANTHONY MORRIS, ALEX
& AL SPADER DEVELOPMENT TAYLOR-MORRALL, MILES
CREATIVE COORDINATOR COORDINATOR TURNER & WARRICK VOYZEY
EDITOR KIERAN STREET JASON ENOS
JIM JOHNSON CUSTOMER SERVICE AND
FINANCIAL CONTROLLER DESIGN AND ACCOUNTS MANAGER
GRAPHIC DESIGNER LUC WOOLFENDEN DEVELOPMENT TEAM LLOYD GYAN
MICHAL E. CROSS NATHAN DOWDELL, JONO
LOGISTICS AND GREEN & ETHAN HEYWOOD MARKETING COORDINATOR
LAYOUT PRODUCTION MANAGER SHAUN HOCKING
ROXANNE THOMPSON PETER GROCHULSKI QA TESTERS
SAMANTHA LAYDON, CUSTOMER SUPPORT
ART DIRECTOR ART DIRECTORS NATHAN PERRY & REPRESENTATIVE
JIM JOHNSON KRIS AUBURN, DOMINIC WESTERLAND CHRIS DANN
KATYA THOMAS &
COVER ARTIST ROCIO MARTIN PEREZ SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER WEBSTORE MANAGER
STEPHANIE TORO GAVIN DADY KYLE SHEPARD
GURUMENDI STUDIO COORDINATOR
ROCIO MARTIN PEREZ PROJECT MANAGER BOOKKEEPER
INTERIOR ARTWORK JAMES BARRY VALYA MKRTCHYAN
MODIPHIUS ENTERTAINMENT LEAD 3D DESIGNER
& CBS STUDIOS JONATHAN LA TROBE-LEWIS ASSISTANT FOR VIACOMCBS
PROJECT MANAGERS MARIAN CORDRY &
PROOFREADER SENIOR 3D DESIGNERS MATIAS TIMM & STEPHEN ZELIN
KELLI FITZPATRICK DOMINGO DÍAZ FERMÍN & HARALAMPOS TSAKIRIS
CHRISTOPHER PEACEY WITH THANKS TO
MODIPHIUS OPERATIONS MANAGER GENE RODDENBERRY,
ENTERTAINMENT LTD. 3D DESIGNER BENN GRAYBEATON JOHN VAN CITTERS,
JOANA ABBOTT MARIAN CORDRY, SCOTT
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER PEARSON & THE MANY FANS
CHRIS BIRCH OF THIS GAME

The 2d20 system and Modiphius Logos are copyright Modiphius

Published by Modiphius Entertainment Ltd.
39 Harwood Road, London, SW6 4QP, England.
Printed by Standartų Spaustuvė, UAB, Vilnius, Lithuania.
INFO@MODIPHIUS.COM
WWW.MODIPHIUS.COM
Modiphius Entertainment Product Number:
MUH052340
ISBN: 978-1-912743-93-3
Entertainment Ltd 2021. All 2d20 system text is copyright
Modiphius Entertainment Ltd. Any unauthorised use of
copyrighted material is illegal. Any trademarked names are used
in a fictional manner; no infringement is intended. This is a work
of fiction. Any similarity with actual people and events, past or
present, is purely coincidental and unintentional except for those
people and events described in an historical context.
TM & © 2021 CBS Studios Inc. © 2021 Paramount Pictures
Corp. STAR TREK and related marks and logos are trademarks of
CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Artwork and graphics © and ™ CBS Studios Inc.
All Rights Reserved., except the Modiphius Logo which is
Modiphius Entertainment Ltd.
Permission is granted for individuals to print or copy the contents
of this book for personal use only.
 S TA R T R E K A D V E N T U R E S

PL AYE R' S G U ID E
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

01.00 STAR TREK DEFINED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

02.00 THE STAR TREK UNIVERSE IN PLAY. . . . . . . . . . . . 18

03.00 STAR TREK ERAS AND PLAY STYLES. . . . . . . . . . . 53

04.00 ENGAGE!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

05.00 CHARACTER ROLES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

06.00 CHARACTER CREATION OPTIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

07.00 ADVANCED OPERATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
 FO REW ORD
THESE ARE THE VOYAGES
IN THE FOUR YEARS SINCE STAR TREK
Adventures was released, the game’s develop-
ment team members have heard the joys and
challenges expressed about the game from players
and gamemasters all over the world. In that span
of time, Modiphius also developed and released
other roleplaying games using the 2d20 System
and found new ways to enhance and diversify the
game system. With a deeper understanding of the
system’s versatility and an awareness of what ques-
tions Star Trek Adventures players and gamemas-
ters were asking, the development team decided to
create the Player’s Guide you now see before you,
along with the companion volume, the Star Trek
Adventures Gamemaster’s Guide.
Whether you are a casual Star Trek fan curious
about the game, a new fan intimidated by the sheer
breadth of episodes and lore available, or a diehard
Trek fan well-versed in the setting and the lore, I
hope you’ll find this guide of value. The first two
chapters offer an introduction to both the game and
the universe of Star Trek, and as such, are intended
mostly for fans new to the franchise and the 2d20
System. The remainder of the guide should prove
useful for experienced players and novices alike,
ii
J IM J O HNSON, PROJE CT M ANAGE R
STAR T RE K ADV E NT URE S
providing detailed advice on eras and styles of play
and a wealth of player-oriented game information
designed to enhance your playing experience. I hope
you enjoy all that is offered within these covers and
find the confidence and inspiration to create a bold
Starfleet officer, a daring Klingon warrior, or any
other kind of character you can imagine portraying
within the Star Trek universe.
I’ve played and gamemastered roleplaying games in
the Star Trek universe for more than three decades
now. Star Trek enabled my groups to create many
of the most powerful collaborative storytelling
experiences I’ve had the fortune to enjoy at the
game table. It is the collective hope of the Star Trek
Adventures creative team that you read this guide
and the Star Trek Adventures core rulebook of your
choice and embrace the setting and the game as we
and so many other gamers have. May you and your
fellow players create countless amazing Star Trek-
esque moments together. As Captain Picard once
said, “The sky’s the limit.”
As always, thank you for your support of Star Trek
Adventures. Live long and prosper!
 SPACE , T H E
FINAL FRON T IE R
“ . . . t o bo ldly go w here n o on e h as g on e b efore.”
A UNIVERSE OF POSSIBILITY
FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS AND ACROSS NINE
television series (and counting), 13 feature films,
and countless other forms of narrative, from novels
to comic books to games, Star Trek has delighted
audiences worldwide with its science fiction
storytelling in a future laced with hope, adventure,
drama, and wonder. From its conception by creator
Gene Roddenberry as “Wagon Train to the Stars”
(a Western series that focused on a recurring cast
YESTERDAY'S ENTERPRISE
As noted in the core rulebooks, the default setting
for Star Trek Adventures is the year 2371 (star-
dates 48000–48999), but that does not mean
other eras of play are unavailable for use. This
game can be used to tell stories in any Star Trek
era, from the earliest days of the Federation in
the 2100s to the 32nd century and beyond.
You and your group may choose to set your
game at the dawn of Earth’s tentative steps
to exploring space in the 2100s; during the
“Five Year Mission” period in the 2200s when
illustrious captains such as Georgiou, Pike, Kirk,
and Kang commanded starships and pushed
the boundaries of known space; during the
2300s where the Empire and Federation forged
peace and navigated the challenges of their
new alliance and the Federation faced a variety
— F ROM STARFLE E T ’S MANDAT E
exploring together) to its current life in no fewer
than five series in active production, Star Trek
stands unique among science-fiction media prop-
erties, presenting a comprehensive and consistent
setting in which virtually every fiction genre and
type of character can find a home. Any type of story
you can imagine telling can fit somewhere within
the expansive Star Trek Galaxy seen on screen.
of threats; or even in the centuries following
the events of Star Trek: Picard and into the far
future depicted in the third season of Star Trek:
Discovery. As Spock once said, “There are
always possibilities.”
Players wishing to play in adventures or cam-
paigns set during various Star Trek
time periods will have no trouble
using the materials presented
in this guide. If an item of
equipment, a technologi-
cal advance, or piece of
information should be
unavailable in a certain
era, you’ll find a note
within the text or in a
sidebar like this one. 
00101
INTRODUCTION 1
 Welcome to the Star Trek Adventures Player’s
Guide, where you, the player of a Star Trek
Adventures character, can learn about the
franchise, the setting, the eras and styles of play
SUPPLEMENT STRUCTURE
THIS PLAYER’S GUIDE PROVIDES ALL THE INFORMA-
tion you’ll need to understand the essentials of the
Star Trek setting and to apply that setting to the
character you want to play in your own Star Trek
Adventures campaign.
Chapter 1: Star Trek Defined provides a primer
on what makes Star Trek unique among science
fiction media properties, including the setting’s
ethos, mythos, expectations, assumptions, and
more. In addition, this chapter discusses what Star
Trek Adventures is and how it directly ties into the
DNA of what makes Star Trek an amazing setting in
which to stage great roleplaying experiences.
Chapter 2: The Star Trek Universe in Play is aimed
at the new or casual fan who might not be familiar
with all the myriad details of the Star Trek universe
2
available to you and your group, and discover a
wealth of information that builds on what’s found in
the game’s core rulebooks.
and how they might apply specifically to a role-
playing game. This chapter provides information
about how the contents of the setting operate, how
beings in the setting live and work, and more, all
presented through the perspective of a Star Trek
Adventures character.
Chapter 3: Star Trek Eras and Play Styles
discusses the various eras of play available in Star
Trek Adventures, as well as a number of styles you
and your players can use to set the feel and tone of
the stories you want to tell together.
Chapter 4: Engage! discusses how to get engaged
in the game even if you are not a veteran Star Trek
fan and provides guidance on how to be an active
and supportive player. It also discusses the tools you
need to develop a character with a distinct persona
and background and provides pointers on how to
form a remarkable crew along with your fellow play-
ers. It also discusses the importance of collaborating
with your gamemaster to build your own unique
contribution to the Star Trek universe.
Chapter 5: Character Roles provides additional
details on each character role presented in the core
rulebooks, and offers advice on which role might
best suit your personality and desired game style.
Chapter 6: Character Creation Options builds
on the character generation options in the core
USING THIS GUIDE
THIS GUIDE FOCUSES ON YOU, THE PLAYER, AND
provides you with a wealth of information about Star
Trek’s eras, styles of play, character role options,
and detailed advice, all designed to help you develop
and play a character that fits into the Star Trek
universe. Whether you are playing a Human, Klingon,
Bajoran, Vulcan, sentient android, self-aware holo-
gram, liberated Borg, or something else, this guide
can help you.
rulebooks and provides new character types, new
character roles (including a wide array of civilian
options), and alternative lifepath options (including
creating child and adolescent characters).
Chapter 7: Advanced Operations provides rules
clarifications and additional information on a variety
of topics, including attributes and disciplines, traits,
focuses, values, Momentum, and equipment. The
chapter also introduces more than 40 new talents to
further differentiate your player character from the
rest of the crew.
With this guide and a Star Trek Adventures core
rulebook of your choice, you can bring unique
characters to life and collaboratively tell dramatic
and engaging stories alongside your fellow players’
characters, in your very own Star Trek episode or
ongoing series.
Now, gather your fellow players, some dice, your
gaming gear, and favorite snacks. It’s time to explore
the final frontier, Star Trek-style. Make it so!
INTRODUCTION 3
 WHERE TO START?
What if you’ve been invited to play this game
but you’ve never watched Star Trek? Perhaps
you’re a casual fan who has viewed a handful
of episodes here and there. Maybe you’re on
the fence about the game and need inspiration.
Perhaps you’re uncertain which handful of epi-
sodes out of the hundreds available might help
answer “Just what is Star Trek?” and “What can
I do in this game?”
STAR TREK
The original series laid the foundation for the
entire franchise and set the tone and style for
more than 50 years of science-fiction story-
telling. Three episodes that show the crew
illustrating the concepts of teamwork and deep
STAR TREK: THE ANIMATED SERIES
The Animated Series continues where the
original series left off, and while the crew
composition changed somewhat, the
THE MOTION PICTURES
While feature budgets and scope require a
refocus of intent, the Star Trek films deliver
spectacle as well as story. Star Trek: The Motion
Picture offers a thoughtful science-fiction prem-
ise with a sweeping scope, while The Wrath of
Khan, The Search for Spock, and The Voyage
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
Moving the franchise into a new era, The Next
Generation built on what came before and
added much detail to the Star Trek universe.
“Encounter at Farpoint” provides a model story
of humanity striving toward the great unknown.
4
Consider watching the following episodes,
which arguably present Star Trek at its best
and exemplify what’s possible for a Star Trek
Adventures episode or campaign. As you
watch, imagine what your character might do
to carry forward the Star Trek ideals and ethos
embodied in these stories.
exploration of character include “A Taste of
Armageddon,” “Balance of Terror,” and “City
on the Edge of Forever.” For a good example of
how to have fun within the setting, check out
“The Trouble with Tribbles.”
storytelling is as strong as ever. Three
standout episodes include “The Time Trap,”
“Yesteryear,” and “The Slaver Weapon.”
Home present a deep, character-driven trilogy
that is alternately action-packed, tragic, and
humorous. It’s worth noting that three of the ten
feature films involve some form of time travel, a
Star Trek storytelling staple.
“The Emissary” and “Sins of the Father” started
significant Klingon world-building that resonates
to the franchise’s present day. “All Good Things”
brings the series to an epic conclusion and tells
a deeply personal story along the way.
STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE
Deep Space Nine took a bold new approach to
Star Trek storytelling – rather than traveling to
the adventure every episode, now the adventure
would come to the station. This meant that issues
and challenges left unresolved at the end of an
STAR TREK: VOYAGER
Voyager shows us that even if you take a crew
far away from the established Star Trek universe
as shown in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, you
can still tell a wealth of stories in the Star Trek
STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE
Enterprise takes us to the beginning, showing
us what exploration was like for Starfleet in its
infancy. The NX-01 breaks new ground episode
after episode, illustrating what a deep-space
STAR TREK: DISCOVERY
Taking the franchise into bold new directions
(and, in the third season, 900+ years into the
setting’s future), Discovery tells some of the most
mature and thoughtful stories of all the series,
STAR TREK: PICARD
The first season of Picard tells a deeply personal
story, something not seen before in the annals of
Star Trek on such a scale or with such focus. With
just 10 episodes to choose from to date, you’d be
episode would often still be present next time.
Be sure to check out the episodes “Emissary,”
“The Visitor,” “Far Beyond the Stars,” and “It’s
Only a Paper Moon” for examples of powerful,
character-driven stories.
tradition. Standout episodes include “Caretaker,”
“Blink of an Eye,” “Year of Hell,” and “Tinker,
Tailor, Doctor, Spy.”
exploration mission might look like. Try to make
time to watch “Carbon Creek,” “Similitude,” the
“Affliction” and “Divergence” storyline, and “In a
Mirror, Darkly.”
and does so consistently. Consider viewing “Such
Sweet Sorrow,” “An Obol for Charon,” “Magic to
Make the Sanest Man Go Mad,” and “New Eden.”
best off watching the whole series. If you need
to pick just two episodes to watch, though, make
them “Remembrance” and “Nepenthe.”
00102
INTRODUCTION 5
6
 CHAPTER 01.00

ST AR T R E K
DE FI N E D
01.10 WHAT IS STAR TREK? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

01.20 WHAT IS STAR TREK ADVENTURES? . . . . . . . . . . . 13

S TA R T R E K D E F I N E D 7
 CHAPTER 01.10
W HAT I S
STA R T RE K?
“ And yo u peop le, you ’re all astron au ts
TEN FACTS ABOUT STAR TREK
WHILE STAR TREK HAS BEEN IN THE PUBLIC’S
collective consciousness for more than 50 years and
is one of the most significant popular culture icons
in the world, it has come to mean different things
to different people over the franchise’s life. For that
reason, it’s worth examining ten key points about
the franchise to help establish a baseline when
thinking about adapting Star Trek to a roleplaying
game experience you’ll inhabit with your characters.
Perhaps you have your own perspectives about
what Star Trek is or what it means to you; if so, be
sure to mention them to your group and, together,
develop your own definition of Star Trek for the pur-
poses of your game. There are no “wrong” answers;
there are only possibilities.
1. Star Trek has a
Science Fiction Setting
First and foremost, Star Trek has a science fiction
setting with all the expected tropes and trappings
that make science fiction what it is. Spaceships,
faster than light travel, energy weapons, new worlds
to discover and explore, a wide variety of alien life-
forms to encounter and interact with, all with a firm
basis in known science and scientific principles,
as well as theoretical science. And not only the
“hard” sciences – physics, astronomy, chemistry,
biology and all the xeno- and exo- versions of these,
8 CHAPTER 1.10
on some kin d of star trek.”
— DR. Z E FRAM COCHRANE
certainly – but also the “softer” sciences of archae-
ology, sociology, psychology, and anthropology play
key roles in many Star Trek stories.
Writers involved in Star Trek stories have taken full
advantage of the franchise to examine social issues
of their times, focusing those issues through a
science fiction lens. Holding up a mirror to difficult
and challenging topics and examining them via a
science fiction future is often a way to generate
discussion, and, sometimes, to generate realistic
means to effect change in the present. From its
inception right up to its present offerings, Star Trek
has tackled a wide variety of social and political
topics, including, but not limited to: racism, social
injustice, gender equality, sexual identity, labor
issues, the challenges of reliance upon automation,
Human rights and Human rights violations, war,
violence, religion and faith issues, drugs and
addiction, and terrorism.
The franchise’s handling of each topic may not
always be perfect, and almost never attempts to
present solutions. However, Star Trek shows us that
it’s important to raise the questions and to highlight
the issues, through a science fiction lens, in order to
spark discussion and, perhaps, lead to change for
the betterment of all.
2. Star Trek Presents a
Positive, Hopeful, and
Vibrant Forecast
One of the first things you’ll note about Star Trek
on the television screen is that the colors pop out
at you. The future presented by the franchise is
vibrant, rather than washed out or shaded in grays.
Starfleet uniforms and civilian clothing are colorful,
and Starfleet vessels almost always have bright-
ly-lit interiors and control panels and displays. This
attention to bright colors reflects the overall positive
tone of the franchise, the hope baked into the very
concept of the series.
Starfleet officers live in a post-scarcity society
where all basic needs are met, where all individuals
are free to pursue whatever interests or careers they
care to set their minds to. They explore the universe
not to conquer other peoples or to acquire land or
treasure, but to expand their understanding of them-
selves and the universe in which they live.
Unlike other science fiction properties that might
present a dystopian future or a dark, brooding noir
type of world, or settings in which endless war is a
daily fact of life for that universe’s inhabitants, Star
Trek offers a universe of morality, hope, and joy in
the wonders to be explored. What do you want to
explore within a Star Trek game?
3. Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion are Paramount
From the very first episode, Star Trek presents a
diverse crew representing a wide variety of Human
ethnicities, skin tones, backgrounds, histories, and
identities, along with one half-Human, half-Vulcan
science officer. In addition, the various series present
many representatives from alien species and cultures,
adding to the diversity of a given cast of characters.
Star Trek presents a future where everyone is
welcome, accepted, and considered equal no matter
their species, gender identity, sexual preferences,
faith, body shape, or other unique traits. Differences
among individuals are embraced and celebrated,
and discrimination and exclusion on any basis is
prohibited. This standard of diversity, equity, and
inclusion provides you and your fellow players
with the flexibility to create any character you can
imagine. They’ll find a home in the Star Trek setting.
4. The Characters Build
and Nurture Relationships
Watch any episode of Star Trek and you’ll find
characters working together, playing together, and
exploring together. While there is a certain level of
discipline and distance maintained by some char-
acters, many of the characters on the shows are
friends on- and off-duty – sometimes even family.
It is Human nature to form communities, and the
communities we see episode after episode are often
ones many fans want to tune back into time and time
again. We respond in kind when we see the charac-
ters caring for each other, risking their lives for each
other, or sacrificing their all so that another might live
on. There are so many great relationships to draw
from for inspiration; here are just a few examples: the
dynamic between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy; the loving
father-son relationship of Benjamin and Jake Sisko;
the friendships forged between Burnham and Tilly,
Data and LaForge, and Bashir and O’Brien; and the
nurturing mentorship Saru imparts upon Tilly.
What relationships can your character forge with
the other player characters? What sort of shared
backstories can you create together so that your
characters have a common bond from the very first
game session?
5. The Franchise Focuses
on Character Over Plot
Related to the previous point, Star Trek is arguably
at its best when it focuses on the characters and
how they react and change to the circumstances
placed in their paths. How does Kirk react when he
learns that Edith Keeler must die? What does the
crew of the Enterprise-D feel when they see that
their beloved captain has been assimilated by the
Borg and turned into Locutus?
S TA R T R E K D E F I N E D 9
 Star Trek certainly has its share of stories where the
plot must be solved by creative thinking, scientific
know-how, and a judicious sprinkling of technobab-
ble, but it is arguably the character-driven episodes
that fans remember most vividly, and they are often
the ones that keep us watching season after season.
Work with your fellow players to develop a cast of
characters who are fully rounded, fascinating char-
acters that you’d want to watch in action, session
after session.
6. Characters Live
in a United Federation
of Planets
By the 24th century in Star Trek terms, the United
Federation of Planets has grown to include more
than 150 member worlds and protectorates, a
conglomerate of billions of beings working toward
a common purpose. Allying together for mutual
protection and mutual benefit pays dividends for
the Federation, whose members know that they
are stronger together, rather than separate. There
is safety in numbers, but there is also strength and
solidarity and shared purpose.
10 CHAPTER 1.10
In addition, the Federation is grounded firmly in poli-
cies and practices that portray a grand view of ethics
and morality. The Federation is aware of its strength
and potential for abuse on other worlds, intended or
otherwise, and endeavors to manage these concerns
via law and order and a series of directives and
policies intended to stand the test of time. The Prime
Directive – which focuses on the non-interference
with pre-warp cultures – represents the Federation’s
awareness of itself and requires all who serve in
Starfleet to follow the spirit, if not the letter, of that
directive. The moral challenges that arise from it are a
staple of Star Trek drama. Where and how will it play
a role in your games?
7. Starfleet Characters
Blaze the Trail
Starfleet is the uniformed, exploratory organiza-
tion within the Federation, primarily focused on
deep-space exploration and research. Starfleet
vessels and crews also take on other missions
and assignments based on the needs of Starfleet
and the Federation, including, but not limited to,
peacekeeping efforts, disaster relief, defense, and
diplomatic operations. Most Star Trek characters are
Starfleet members, though most series also present
non-Starfleet characters to provide contrast and
alternative viewpoints and storytelling possibilities.
As an organization composed of members from
Federation member worlds, protectorates, and
sponsored individuals from non-Federation worlds,
Starfleet is one of the primary organizations beings
of the Galaxy can join to contribute their talents to
the furtherance of knowledge for all. Is your char-
acter a member of Starfleet? If so, what motivated
your character to join Starfleet over any other
profession or life interest? What talents do they have
to contribute? If they’re not a member of Starfleet,
would they ever consider joining? Why or why not?
8. Star Trek Examines the
Human Condition
Every Star Trek series has at least one character
who is often non-Human and who serves as the
means by which the writers and the audience
explore what it means to be Human. In some cases,
it might be a Human character who was raised
in a non-traditional manner, such as in the case
of Michael Burnham or Seven of Nine. In many
ways, these characters often have the most Human
responses to events and are often the ones musing
on the story’s moral in the episode’s coda.
Commander Spock, Lt. Commander Data, Constable
Odo, the Emergency Medical Hologram, Neelix, Kes,
Dr. Phlox, Commander Saru…these characters bring
a uniquely non-Human perspective to their series.
They reveal to us, Humans here on Earth, answers
to questions and then present the inevitable ques-
tions that arise from those answers. Do you want to
play such a character? What role would they play in
the game?
9. Star Trek Explores the
Wonders of the Universe
In addition to exploring what it means to be Human,
Star Trek, as a science fiction setting, embraces the
exploration of the unknown, via real science, plausible
science, and, when needed, fictitious science that
sounds good for the sake of the story. Virtually every
character in the various series have some education
and background in one or more science disciplines
and can understand and operate most standard tech-
nology (e.g., most beings can operate a shuttlecraft
much as many today might operate an automobile).
Star Trek has inspired generations of scientists,
engineers, and theoreticians. Many technological
devices and concepts that once began as science
fiction concepts on the show have gone on to
become real devices in real life. Just as modern
technology inspires the writers of Star Trek to think
more futuristically, Star Trek sparks innovation
through inspiration. If your character isn’t a dedi-
cated scientist or engineer, what disciplines are they
interested in?
10. Characters Have Some
Fun Along the Way
Star Trek is most often presented as a science fic-
tion drama, where high stakes, danger, and Galaxy-
spanning events are used more frequently than
day-to-day storylines; yet, even with the ever-pres-
ent drama, somehow most of the characters seem
to love their jobs, their fellow crewmates, and the
journey they all share. They even crack smiles and
jokes along the way.
Many Star Trek episodes carry a tone and spirit
firmly planted in the comedy genre, showing that
even while travelling through deep space, working
far from home, facing hundreds of possibly fatal
encounters, it’s Human nature to occasionally get
silly and stumble into comical situations. You might
come out of them unscathed, with perhaps a bit of
replicated egg on your face and a purring tribble
perched atop your head. If it fits into your group’s
game concept, remember to have fun while explor-
ing all your imagination has to offer.
S TA R T R E K D E F I N E D 11
 NON-FEDERATION CHARACTERS AND CAMPAIGNS
Many Star Trek characters and cultures do not
embrace the IDIC philosophy or adhere to the
generally hopeful and utopian point of view
portrayed in most Star Trek stories. Often, these
characters and cultures are presented as antago-
nists for the heroes to battle or overcome, which
in some cases can be problematic.
Not all Cardassians are fascistic torturers, nor are
all Romulans treacherous schemers. As with any
species or culture, there are members across the
many spectrums, from conservative to progres-
sive, fascist to libertarian. Tarring an entire race
or species with the same brush or label is as
unacceptable and intolerable in the Star Trek
universe as it is in real life.
To that end, if you and your group want to
play a campaign of Cardassian soldiers based
SUMMARY
NOW THAT WE’VE ESTABLISHED WHAT STAR TREK
is, or at least built a baseline to spark discussion
at the game table, let’s take that foundation and
CHAPTER 1.10
on a Galor-class warship, run operations as
members of a Romulan Tal Shiar strike team, or
portray a cadre of Ferengi arms dealers working
every side of a given conflict to earn maximum
latinum, there’s nothing stopping you from
doing so. The game’s mechanics don’t change.
What will change are the tone and expectations
of your game in comparison to what is tradi-
tionally seen as a Star Trek story. Putting aside
the tenets of IDIC and the Star Trek ideal of an
egalitarian future for another approach means
your game will have a very different feel from
the intentions of the franchise’s creators and the
game designers.
Whatever you choose to do, ensure your group
comes to consensus on the concept before
beginning play. 
01101
apply it to Star Trek Adventures itself, and define
what makes it the world’s most popular Star Trek
roleplaying game.
 CHAPTER 01.20
WH AT I S
STAR T RE K
ADVE NT URE S ?
“ Ye s, ye s, ye s. Now, wh ere are th e g am es?”
— FAL O W, MAST E R SURCHID OF T HE WADI
TEN ASPECTS OF
STAR TREK ADVENTURES
NOW THAT YOU HAVE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING
of what Star Trek is (if you didn’t already have a
firm grasp of it before reading this guide), you might
be wondering just what is Star Trek Adventures
and why would you want to play it with a group of
friends? What can characters accomplish in this
setting that hasn’t already been portrayed by the
many characters and crews in hundreds of filmed
stories, and hundreds more in print?
Those questions can be answered if you consider
the following ten aspects of Star Trek Adventures.
Discuss them with your group so you can determine
what kind of Star Trek game you want to play, and
with what kinds of characters you want to populate it.
1. Your Ship, Your Crew,
Your Adventures
The Star Trek universe is really, really big. It spans
more than a thousand years of in-setting content
and touches on all four quadrants of our Galaxy (and
sometimes beyond!). While the many characters
we’ve come to know and love over the last 50 years
have told amazing stories and lived amazing fic-
tional lives, there’s always more to discover. You and
your fellow players are each unique individuals, as
is everyone who has ever played the game, written
a Star Trek story, or played some role in the design,
development, or production of any episode, movie,
or printed story.
Your characters will likewise be unique, and the sto-
ries your group tells will be unique as well. Together,
you’ll be developing your own series, set on your
ship or station, in your own corner of the Star Trek
setting. Starfleet always has need of new crews and
new starships; create yours and add your stories to
the ever-expanding Star Trek universe.
2. Rules That Support
Every Era
While many Star Trek Adventures products are
designed to fit the 24th century visual aesthetic,
the game rules were written to be era-agnostic,
meaning you can run any era of Star Trek with this
ruleset. You can play games in the 22nd, 23rd, 24th,
or 32nd century, somewhere in between, or even in
an alternate timeline. The core rulebooks provide the
rules you need for playing at any point in time.
S TA R T R E K D E F I N E D 13
 3. Rules as Light or
Complex as Needed
The 2d20 System features a straightforward task
resolution system: when the gamemaster presents
you with a task to attempt and the task’s Difficulty,
you determine your target number and then roll
2d20 and attempt to score enough successes to
beat the Difficulty number. If you learn only that
core concept and can execute it consistently when
attempting tasks and when in combat situations,
you’ll be armed with the single most essential tool
to build many sessions of entertaining gameplay.
From there, you can gradually add in the rules for
managing Momentum and Threat pools; buying
additional dice for task attempts; using values and
Determination; generating assists from characters
and starships for task attempts; and engaging in
social conflict, personal combat, and starship con-
flict. Add additional mechanics as desired, adjusting
the game system to the needs of your ongoing
campaign and the group’s comfort level.
There are as many ways to play Star Trek
Adventures as there are game groups. From
play-by-post games in online forums that are 100%
non-mechanics focused and essentially shared
fiction writing, to detailed combat scenarios using
scratch-built models and painted miniatures moved
around a game table, to something in between,
there’s a way to play the game that will suit almost
any game group.
4. Character Creation Via
a Lifepath
The primary way to create player characters for Star
Trek Adventures is to work through a lifepath step by
step, gradually building the character from childhood
into their career. At each step of the lifepath, your
character gains specific benefits and you are encour-
aged to begin building the story of that particular
character. As you progress through the lifepath, you
add more story elements to your character, along with
additional mechanical benefits. Once you complete
the lifepath, you have a fully-realized character ready
to take their place among the heroes of the franchise.
14 CHAPTER 1.20
Unlike many other roleplaying games, where char-
acters start out with modest abilities and stand
real chances of dying early and often, characters
in this game begin play as highly competent and
capable beings, ready to take on whatever chal-
lenges the universe (or the gamemaster) throws
at them. What path will your character traverse on
their lifepath? How does your character’s journey
on their lifepath intersect or relate to the charac-
ters of your fellow players?
5. A Role for Everyone
Some players have a preferred role to play in role-
playing games, while others are happy to pick a role
that best supports the other players and the needs
of the game. No matter what type of player you are,
or what type of character you want to play, there’s
a place for them in Star Trek Adventures. If you
come up with a character concept that excites you
but doesn’t reflect the traditional idea of a Starfleet
officer (or Klingon warrior), brainstorm with your
gamemaster and fellow players and craft a place for
your character in the game.
6. A Concern for the
Greater Good
One common theme among almost all the main
characters across the various Star Trek series is that
they strive to work together for the benefit of all,
rather than toward their own self-interest. Granted,
there are some notable exceptions, though even
the exceptions are still portrayed as generally good
individuals who often try to make decisions that
benefit someone other than themselves.
Star Trek characters usually have strong moral
compasses and are devoted to concepts such as
duty, honor, personal integrity, truth, and justice.
Character perspectives and sensibilities are defined
in Star Trek Adventures in the form of a character’s
values, which serve as a barometer of their essential
outlook on the universe, and which can be tested
or challenged session after session. A character’s
values can change over the course of a campaign,
reflecting the character’s growth – or regression –
through their life experiences and how they choose
 FINDING REWARD BEYOND THE MECHANICS
Veteran gamers who are accustomed to RPGs
where their characters improve incrementally
over the life of the campaign by defeating foes,
gathering treasure and more powerful weapons
and gear, all the while gaining some form of
experience points, may feel frustrated with this
game’s more modest character advancement
and development systems.
The types of character development portrayed
in the franchise are baked right into the game –
the characters we see in the various series, by
and large, start off as highly competent Starfleet
officers (or Klingon warriors) and do not grow
significantly in “power level” from episode to
episode or season to season. Captain James
Kirk, from the first episode of the original series
to his apparent death in Star Trek: Generations,
is arguably the same character from a game
mechanics standpoint, with perhaps a few minor
shifts in attributes, disciplines, values, talents,
and focuses over his long years of service.
Likewise, Captains Picard, Janeway, and Archer,
to navigate them. What are your character’s most
important values?
7. Collaborative
Problem-Solving
Star Trek characters, by and large, encounter and
solve problems together, working as a team. Each
individual brings their own unique blend of skills
and abilities and applies those talents to whatever
problem they are faced with. All the series present
crew members who have complementary skills who
combine those skills with those of other characters
to devise creative and, often, effective solutions to
the most seemingly-insurmountable challenges.
Star Trek Adventures offers player characters
those same opportunities to work problems
together via the assist mechanics – in which
other characters and the starship herself can
and most of their subordinate officers, change
very little across their respective series if viewed
through a game lens.
However, where these characters do change and
develop is through their relationships with each
other – through their rich inner lives and internal
growth, and how they react to the stories they’re
placed into. They grow by learning something
new about themselves, about their fellow crew
members, and about the universe around them.
Every story these characters experience gives
them something new to consider, some new
facet of humanity to examine and understand. It
is Human nature to explore, to learn, and to grow,
and that, more than anything, is the intended
reward of a collaborative storytelling game.
Consider playing Star Trek Adventures
more for the joy of shared storytelling at the
game table than for the experience of your
character reaching a particular power level or
mechanical achievement. 
01201
assist on task attempts – and through the use of
a shared Momentum pool. In addition, the options
for extended tasks and the Scientific Method (dis-
cussed in the core rulebooks), provide characters
with the means to work together as a team to
research, experiment, and then solve challenges.
8. Opportunity for
Dramatic Events
Decade after decade, series after series, Star Trek
serves up epic, expansive storylines packed with
drama and high stakes. Star Trek Adventures
delivers on this promise for high drama as well.
The game’s story-driven mechanics in the form
of Momentum and Threat allow the gamemaster
and players to alter the circumstances of scenes
and encounters to amplify dramatic gameplay and
present big, Galaxy-defining events.
S TA R T R E K D E F I N E D 15
 In addition, Star Trek Adventures has an advantage
in that the game provides an infinite special effects
budget, no limitation on alien prosthetics, and the
ability to tell stories as large as the universe itself.
The television and movie screens may have a limit
to the scale they can present, but that limitation
dissolves at the game table, where your stories are
limited only by your group’s collective imagination.

9. Story-Driven Gameplay
The game mechanics built into the game – notably
Momentum, Threat, and Determination, as well as
the use of values, focuses, and traits – are tools
designed to enable you to create Star Trek-like
story events. You should feel free to use as much
or as little of the provided ruleset as you require to
play your missions and campaigns. Some groups
may choose to use the full range of options at their
disposal, while other groups may opt for fewer rules.

You may play entire sessions of the game where

you don’t roll a single die, perhaps even sessions
where no one at the table rolls dice or attempts a
task, but rather delves deeply into roleplaying their
respective characters and telling a grand story
together. And, you may have sessions that are
entirely task-focused or combat-focused, where
the dice fall hard and heavy and resources are
spent in a whirlwind of activity. All these options
are possible, so long as they serve the story you
are telling together. At the very beginning of the game, you and your
fellow players should discuss what makes for a
positive and safe game experience for each person,
10. A Safe Space in Which and clearly note what you are and are not comfort-
to Explore able exploring within a game context. Just as it is
essential for all Starfleet officers to have and follow
Star Trek expresses the Vulcan term IDIC – Infinite
a common code of behavior and conduct, so too
Diversity in Infinite Combinations – where everyone
should your game group have an agreed-upon set
is welcome, accepted, and considered equal no
of guidelines and safety tools. Player safety tools are
matter their species, gender identity, sexual prefer-
detailed further on page 98.
ences, faith practice, body shape, or other unique
traits. This concept holds true for players just as it
does for player characters. Star Trek Adventures
provides a safe space for gamers, regardless of their
race, faith practice, sexual orientation, gender iden-
tity, or other traits. Just as any character concept
can find a home in the Star Trek setting, any player
should be welcome at the game table.

16 CHAPTER 1.20
 BOLDLY GO
YOU’RE NOW PREPARED WITH A STRONGER UNDER- to learn more about the contents of the Star Trek
standing of the essence of both Star Trek and Star setting and the eras and styles of play you might
Trek Adventures. Review the next two chapters choose for your campaign.

S TA R T R E K D E F I N E D 17
18
 CHAPTER 02.00

TH E ST AR T R E K
U NIVE RSE IN P L A Y
02.10 SOCIETY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

02.20 TECHNOLOGY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

02.30 SERVICE PROTOCOLS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY 19
 A WELL-WOVEN TAPESTRY
Over more than 50 years, across nine series
(with more on the way) and thirteen feature
films, Star Trek’s production and creative teams
fashioned a sprawling science fiction setting
that has remained remarkably cohesive. Even if
it occasionally stretches a bit at the seams and
allows in some minor inconsistencies here and
there, the franchise and its contents as a whole
hang together rather well. So much so that, for
the purposes of Star Trek Adventures, there’s
ample consistency in the franchise’s weft and
warp that you and your fellow players should be
able to confidently bring an authentic Star Trek
feel to play in any era and portray characters in
situations that could easily stand alongside the
many heroes and events depicted on screen and
in print.
This chapter provides a brief overview of the
society presented in the Star Trek setting, a
primer on the most important technological
elements of the setting, and a brief discussion
20
on Starfleet’s protocols and its naval heritage.
These sections are intended to provide you with a
baseline understanding from a roleplaying game
perspective so that you, as a player, understand
the basics of the setting in which you’re about to
experience amazing storytelling moments with
your friends.
Note the emphasis on brief – this chapter is not
meant to be, nor can it hope to be, exhaustive.
Millions of words have been devoted to the Star
Trek franchise and setting over the past five
decades. There are hundreds of references that
go into much deeper detail on the above topics
and many others.
This chapter should serve to whet your appetite
and give you enough information about the
setting to use as a player to effectively portray
your bold Starfleet officer or honorable Klingon
warrior, or whatever type of character you choose
to play. Enjoy all that the Galaxy has to offer! 
02001
 CHAPTER 02.10
SOC I E T Y
“ E l y si a i s, in ma ny re spe c t s, a pe rfect society. Bu t with all its
v irt ue s, it is no t ho me . And h om e with all its fau lts...
HOME, SWEET HOME
This section provides an overview of some of the
key societal elements presented in the Star Trek
setting. From IDIC to various cultures, religion to
the economy, you’ll gain a basic understanding of
A FUTURE OF HOPE
AMONG THE MANY SCIENCE FICTION PROPERTIES
and franchises in popular media, Star Trek is unique
in that it presents an image of humanity’s future not
as a post-apocalyptic nightmare or a cynical, dys-
topian cityscape, but rather as a positive, diverse,
and hopeful one. Uniforms and ship corridors carry
bright colors and dynamic designs. Crews made
up of beings from dozens of different species and
cultures work together to explore the mysteries of
the universe, study scientific wonders, and still have
time to explore their own rich inner worlds, to exam-
ine what it means to be alive, to be a component of
a Galaxy staggering in scope and potential.
INFINITE DIVERSITY, INFINITE COMBINATIONS
STANDING NEXT TO THE HOPEFUL VIEW OF THE
future is the Vulcan ethos of Infinite Diversity in
Infinite Combinations, or IDIC. This concept developed
early on in Star Trek’s life and has grown to represent
T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY
is wh ere we p refer to b e.”
— CAPT. JAM E S T. KIRK
what your character knows about daily life within
the Federation, and the larger Star Trek universe
as a whole. 
02101
This hopeful outlook is most evident when Star Trek
is examining very real modern social issues, such
as racism, sexism, and political unrest, or complex
aspects of individual identity, including faith, disabil-
ity, sexuality, and many others. Star Trek invariably
promotes a future where everyone can live the life
they want, unfettered by the 21st century challenges
of bigotry, hate, and selfishness.
The vast majority of characters in the Star Trek set-
ting, especially those from the Federation, embrace
this view and fold it into everything they do, the
choices they make, and the direction they choose to
pursue. Your character most likely shares this view.
What do they see when they look to the stars?
a philosophy baked into virtually every Star Trek story.
It is made clear on screen, time and time again, that
the United Federation of Planets, of which Starfleet is
a key component, holds dear the rights and freedoms
21
 RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY
For all that the Federation is a broadly secular
society, religious and spiritual beliefs are far
from absent. Vulcans are a deeply spiritual
people, with ancient traditions of monastic
contemplation and asceticism, and philoso-
phies that encourage deep self-knowledge and
musings upon the metaphysical. Bajorans, on
the cusp of being a Federation member, have
a rich religious life centered around worship of
the Prophets in their Celestial Temple, and this
organized religion holds much social and politi-
cal influence. While few other Star Trek cultures
have had their faith so prominently shown on
screen, every culture is shaped by the beliefs
and faiths of its people, past and present.
Within humanity, religion often takes on more
individual forms of practice than it may have in
the past, but even atheists and agnostics typi-
cally recognize the cultural impact that religion
has had upon their lives. Many of these faiths
and practices have evolved over the centuries
as spiritual leaders debated the interpretation
of their traditions and texts in the light of new
discoveries and new technologies.
The Federation does not have an official religion
and guarantees freedom of religious expression
so long as one’s religious beliefs are not harmful
to others.
In the Klingon Empire, matters are slightly differ-
ent. Klingons have a deep tradition of spirituality,
and many of their rites and practices are said
to date back to the time of Kahless, though how
much of this is true is unknown. Klingons worship
no gods – they were deemed too troublesome
and slain by Klingon warriors in ages past – but
they have a concept of an afterlife in the form
of Sto-Vo-Kor and its antithesis, Gre’thor, which
are the ultimate fates for the honorable and
dishonorable, respectively. Klingons also maintain
a monastic tradition, with the monks of Boreth
serving as stewards of the traditions of Kahless
the Unforgettable, in addition to other roles.
22 CHAPTER 2.10
RELIGION IN PLAY
Star Trek has typically been a very secular
franchise, sometimes dismissing religion as
superstition and speaking of it as if it were
something that a culture evolves beyond, with
god-like beings (or beings posing as gods)
serving as antagonists in many episodes. Gene
Roddenberry is said to have believed that
contemporary religion would be gone by the
23rd century, with humanity favoring a form of
secular humanism as our guiding philosophy.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine took a more bal-
anced approach, with the Bajoran faith explored
in detail, and Benjamin Sisko having to strike a
balance between being a Starfleet officer and a
religious figure, but the religion in question was
always that of the Bajorans; Human faiths never
factored into it.
Star Trek: Enterprise suggested that a variety of
Human faiths persisted at least into the 22nd
century, with Phlox having studied a range of
Human religions during his time on Earth. The
second season of Star Trek: Discovery deals
with faith in an abstract sense and reveals that
Captain Pike’s upbringing included study of
religion alongside science, rather than in place
of it. In these small ways, Star Trek has grown
to explore belief and faith in ways it didn’t
originally, even if it still shies away from talking
directly about any real Human religion.
These considerations are important in a game
context because religion is a part of people’s
identities and cultures, and that is as much a
part of IDIC as race, sex, gender identity, sexual
orientation, and other factors. Within the game,
you may wish to create a character which you
identify with, and that may include some or all
the aspects of your faith practice, if you have
one. Within an individual game of Star Trek
Adventures, allowing players to see themselves
in their characters can take precedence over
the way Star Trek has traditionally handled the
subject of religion. 
02102
of all beings, even artificial life-forms. Further, the
Federation expressly prohibits unfair discrimination
based on a being’s species, ethnicity, nationality,
spiritual or political beliefs (so long as those beliefs
are not harmful to, or unjustly imposed upon, others),
gender, sexuality, or a range of other factors, such as
disability or neurological variation.
Within the Federation, all people are given the
means and opportunity to pursue their ambitions
and realize their full potential. The differences
between individuals are embraced and celebrated,
CULTURE
THE FEDERATION, AND THE HUNDREDS OF SPECIES,
worlds, and cultures the main characters encounter
across the Star Trek universe, each have cultures
containing norms, expectations, and styles all their
own. Precious few are provided with a deep dive
into their beliefs, customs, morals, and so on – the
stuff that roleplaying gamers rely on to deliver a
meaningful portrayal of their character at the game
table. The most-used species – Humans, Klingons,
T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY
rather than becoming the basis for marginalization
or persecution.
Reflecting the strong ideal of IDIC, characters in Star
Trek Adventures may be of any species, ethnicity,
faith, sexual identity, gender, gender expression,
and so forth without limit or restriction. Variations
rarely have any impact upon the character in
game mechanics terms, though you may choose
to highlight some key element of your character
mechanically, perhaps via a value or focus, should
you so desire.
Vulcans, Betazoids, Cardassians, Bajorans, Ferengi,
and Kelpiens, among others – are given sufficient
cultural background (by virtue of being the species
of a main character) that makes them relatively
easy to roleplay compared to others. Secondary
canon has helped to fill in some of the blanks for
other species as well. If you are playing a character
from a well-known Star Trek species, much of the
world-building has already been fleshed out for you.
23
 Create your character on that firm foundation and
boldly add your own spin to an established species.
If you are playing a character of a species that has
not been given much canonical cultural detail (or
if you are creating a unique species from scratch),
embrace the fun challenge of fleshing out that
species for the purposes of your campaign. Much
as The Next Generation added a wealth of detail
ECONOMY
ANOTHER IMPORTANT FACET OF THE STAR TREK
universe is that, by and large, the average
Federation citizen has left behind the need to pursue
a survival income or to hoard wealth. Replicator
technology and the realities of a post-scarcity
society mean that few beings in the Federation want
for any of life’s essentials, which frees people to
pursue careers or activities out of desire rather than
necessity. Some individuals and cultures certainly do
pursue wealth and material possessions, but these
are seen as the exception rather than the norm.
Your character likely joined Starfleet or the Klingon
Defense Force (or whatever organization is
FEDERATION CITIZENS AND MONEY
The United Federation of Planets is, broadly,
a collection of post-scarcity societies where
financial success and the accrual of wealth are
archaic concepts consigned to history…but
the exchange of resources is still managed and
accounted for. Federation citizens receive a share
of the economic product of their world, which is
more than sufficient to provide for all their regular
needs: food, housing, clothing, education, use
of public utilities, and so forth. On a day-to-day
basis, no citizen of the Federation needs to worry
about lacking the means to survive.
A portion of this share is set aside as credit to
be traded on a discretionary basis for luxuries
and extras – a visit to a restaurant, a bottle of
24 CHAPTER 2.10
on Klingon culture, and Deep Space Nine dove
deeply into the Ferengi psyche, use the opportunity
to take a canon species and build their culture as
you play. Species such as the Tellarites, Andorians,
Tiburonians, Ktarians, and Pakleds could all be
embraced as a player character and given deeper
cultural details and practices that could enhance
any game experience.
appropriate for your game) out of a desire to better
themselves rather than feeling the need to earn a
salary and benefits or because they’re obligated
to do so. Without a need to earn to live, free to join
Starfleet to explore the Galaxy and to better them-
selves, what excites your character? What hobbies
do they choose to pursue? Knowing that they can do
anything they want if they put in the effort to learn
new skills, what do they want to do in their Starfleet
career? How about a second career? Perhaps they
spend 30 years at one trade and then join Starfleet.
What did they do and how does that experience
influence their decision to join Starfleet?
real wine, other items made the old-fashioned
way rather than replicated, as well as a wide
variety of trades practiced by skilled profession-
als. Starfleet personnel and citizens who travel
extensively, or who come into contact with those
outside the Federation, often exchange a portion
of this discretionary fund for an equivalent value
in latinum or other valuable commodity, allowing
them to purchase goods and services from those
who are not part of the Federation.
For example, it is not uncommon for Starfleet
personnel stationed at Narendra Station (or any
other Federation station or outpost) to keep a
stash of Klingon darseks or latinum on hand for
trading purposes. 
02103
 STARDATES
TIMEKEEPING IN THE STAR TREK UNIVERSE CAN BE
tricky when dealing with multiple different worlds
that each have their own native calendar and time
systems, combined with issues that arise from rela-
tivistic effects. After the formation of the Federation,
a standardized system was implemented called
stardates. As a player, all you need to remember is
that a stardate gives an internal reference to the
chronological occurrences in your game. A story that
occurs after another should have a higher stardate
than the first. It’s up to your group to figure out how
you want to keep track of time.
BEHIND THE SCENES: STARDATES
If you and your group want to use a stardate for
your adventures that feels more authentic to the
source material, consider the following guidance:
§ Star Trek: Enterprise uses traditional
Gregorian calendar dating practices. The
first episode, “Broken Bow,” starts on April
16, 2151, while the season four episode
“Terra Prime” takes place on January 22,
2155. If you are playing in this era, feel free
to use the Gregorian dating practice and
simply sidestep the whole stardate issue.
§ Episodes in the original series, The
Animated Series, the six original series-era
feature films, and the first two seasons
of Star Trek: Discovery use stardates in
the 1000–9900 range, though they are
sporadic and rarely sequential from episode
to episode. For example, the original
series episode “The Man Trap” carries a
stardate of 1513.1 (and is set in the year
2266), while Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered
Country starts with a stardate of 9521.6
(and is set in the year 2293). If you are
playing in this era, you can safely use a
stardate in the 1000.x–9999.x range for the
years 2254–2323 or thereabouts.
T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY
While not always the case, there is a rough equiva-
lence in stardates and the calendar of Earth after the
23rd century. A stardate of 44000.1 is roughly equiv-
alent to January 1, 2367, with one year comprising
1000 stardate units. Alternate versions of stardates
are sometimes used, including using the calendar
year as the whole number, and the fraction of the year
already passed as the decimal, i.e., 2285.2739 is 10
April 2285. You may also choose to use a traditional
form of dating missions and sessions, for example,
having one episode set on May 22, 2155 and the next
episode set a couple weeks later, on June 14.
§ Starting with The Next Generation, the pro-
ducers choose to use a five-digit stardate,
suggesting a progression from the original
series, and use a range of 41000.x-41999.x
for the first season, set in 2364. This prac-
tice is continued sequentially through Deep
Space Nine, Voyager, and the four The Next
Generation feature films. For example, the
pilot episode “Encounter at Farpoint” starts
at stardate 41153.7 (and is set in the year
2364). Voyager’s final episode, “Endgame,”
starts at stardate 54973.4 (and is largely
set in the year 2378). If you are playing in
this era, you may wish to review various
episodes or consult a Star Trek timeline
resource in print or online to determine
where in the canonical timeline you wish to
place your adventures. Of course, you are
free to pick whatever dates you wish!
§ Star Trek: Picard is set in the year 2399,
though does not make use of star-
dates in its first season of episodes.
Theoretically, the stardates would be in the
75000.x–75999.x range. If you’re playing
a game set in this time period, you could
choose to use a stardate following The Next
Generation era pattern, or simply make use
of the Gregorian dating system. 
02104
25
 CHAPTER 02.20
TEC HNOLOG Y
“ I n st r u me nt s re gist e r o nly t ho se th in g s th ey’re d esig n ed to
re gist e r. S pa c e st ill c on tain s in fin ite u n kn own s.”
GADGETS AND GEAR
This section provides an overview of some of the
most commonly used technology found in the
Star Trek setting with which your character would
be familiar. Most of these types of technology are
CLOAKING DEVICE
A CLOAKING DEVICE, REGARDLESS OF THE POLITY
producing it, is actually multiple pieces of equipment
(heat sinks for the engines, baffled thruster ports,
multispectral plating on the outer hull, etc.) installed
on a starship that operate together to render the
vessel undetectable to most sensors. Even the
most advanced forms of the cloaking device require
significant power; therefore, vessels under cloak
generally do not have enough power to simultane-
ously provide for defensive and offensive systems.
More primitive cloaking devices may even restrict
COMMUNICATIONS
THE ABILITY TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION BETWEEN
two points is integral to the Star Trek setting, be it
using a personal communicator to speak to your
ship from a planet’s surface, or connecting to com-
puter databases light-years away to download the
latest information on a wide variety of topics. Most
citizens of the Federation grow up with easy access
to voice and image communications to speak with
family and friends. An easy rule of thumb is that if
26 CHAPTER 2.20
— LT. CMDR. SPOCK
present in all eras, though some are only avail-
able in specific eras. The various descriptions in
this section will note what eras you may or may
not find that particular technology. 
02201
the use of warp and impulse propulsion, leaving the
cloaked vessel maneuvering under thrusters only.
You may expect to use a cloaking device for con-
ducting covert missions, hiding from enemies, or
getting a starship into position to make a surprise
attack. While the Klingons and Romulans use cloak-
ing devices extensively, the Federation has treaties
that prevent its use in Starfleet vessels, except for
the U.S.S. Defiant, which was destroyed during the
Dominion War. Cloaking devices are present in all
potential eras of play.
you can do something today with communications
technology, you can do something equivalent with
the communications technology of the Star Trek
universe. Personal communicators (from any era)
utilize a subspace transceiver just like ship-based
subspace transceivers, but with a more limited
range due to its smaller size and energy storage.
You should assume that your starship’s communica-
tions array will allow you to communicate with any
world within a reasonable distance and even moni-
tor communications at the same range as long as it
isn’t encrypted. Personal communicators are able to
talk to a ship in orbit or a crew on a nearby moon.
By the 24th century, most communications occur
via subspace, layers of reality that exists along-
side normal space-time. Within subspace there
is a “spectrum,” just like in the electromagnetic
LANGUAGE AND THE UNIVERSAL TRANSLATOR
The invention of the universal translator in the
22nd century was a massive breakthrough in
interspecies communication. In the centuries
that followed, further advancements allowed the
technology to be incorporated into personal com-
municators or unobtrusive wearable technology
that allowed real-time conversation between any
two beings regardless of shared language.
Starfleet guidelines, and general pragmatism
elsewhere, suggest that learning other languages
in case of technical faults, or to help understand
other cultures more deeply, is still valuable,
but it is no longer an absolute necessity for an
exploratory mission to have a xenolinguist on
board as it was during the early missions of the
Enterprise NX-01.
In most games of Star Trek Adventures, the
existence of the universal translator means
that we can ignore language difficulties as a
regular part of play, as it isn’t likely to be an
issue. However, communication without using a
universal translator is a plot point in numerous
Star Trek stories, from the Enterprise crew des-
perately seeking to send a message in Klingon in
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, to many
stories involving Ensign Hoshi in Enterprise, to
more recent stories such as the communication
difficulties faced by the Discovery crew in the
episode “An Obol for Charon.” Because of this,
it’s occasionally useful to know what languages
different characters speak and read.
T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY
spectrum in normal space-time, that allows data to
be transmitted at faster-than-light speeds. Subspace
communication utilizes these subspace frequencies,
and like its equivalent radio transmissions in normal
space-time, allows vast quantities of data to be
spread across the Galaxy at incredible speeds. This
does not mean instantaneous, as even subspace
communications have an upper speed limit similar
to light-speed in normal space-time.
Player characters are assumed to be completely
fluent in one or two languages. These are
typically the common language of their service
– Federation Standard in Starfleet, or tlhIngan
Hol in the Klingon Defense Force – and either
a language reflecting the character’s heritage
(an Andorian will be able to speak a form of the
Andorian language, for example), or another lan-
guage which the character studied at some point
during their upbringing (a Human who natively
speaks English also speaking tlhIngan Hol). It can
be assumed that every civilization has numerous
languages and regional dialects, with one being
the most prominent and used for government
and interstellar trade, as Federation Standard
English is for Earth.
A character may additionally know languages
based on their focuses – any focus relating to a
particular culture means that the character has
at least some understanding of that culture’s
language, and knowledge of history may give a
character a grounding in a dead language (such
as Latin) or a particular chronolect of a language
they already know (a chronolect is the way a
language is spoken during a particular era, such
as the differences between Old English and its
modern forms). A focus in Linguistics or similar
(gamemaster’s discretion) may allow a character
to know numerous languages – Commander
Saru, for example, speaks 94 different languages
– and if a player is willing to devote part of their
character to that, then the gamemaster should
allow the character to know a minimum number
of languages equal to their Reason score. 
02202
27
 In the 22nd century, power and technological
limitations meant real-time communications, even
over as little a distance as Earth to Vulcan, were
difficult without subspace boosters. In the 23rd
century, it would be difficult to get immediate con-
tact with Starfleet Command on Earth when on the
edges of Federation space, but by the 24th century,
real-time communications Federation-wide were
possible due to an extensive network of subspace
communication relays and boosters.
While the Federation enjoys freedom of communica-
tions for its population, other polities may not put as
much significance on the use of subspace boosters.
The Romulan Star Empire, as an example, may only
utilize boosters to operate between Romulus and
strategically important worlds, in order to compart-
mentalize and cover up rebellious actions in con-
quered star systems. The Ferengi Alliance may have
an extensive network of subspace boosters so stock
traders from across the Alliance can quickly and
efficiently make profits. Regardless, lightly settled or
explored sectors may not enjoy subspace relays and
boosters at all, causing a communications lag.
Communications on a planet, or even communica-
tions between a planet and orbit, may not rely on
subspace technology, and instead rely on older and
less power intensive fiberoptic wires and laser data
transmission, especially in the 22nd and 23rd centu-
ries. This practice would become redundant as power
generation increased and technology for subspace
HOLOGRAM TECHNOLOGY
HOLOGRAMS HAVE BEEN IN USE SINCE THE EARLY
days of the Federation when holographic imaging
systems were used to record and display lifelike 3-D
representations of people, scenery, objects, strategic
maps, and more (perhaps your character has a
treasured holorecording of a loved one, or a place
they’ve visited). Starting in the 23rd century, some
polities experimented with holographic communi-
cation systems (in lieu of viewscreens), though they
did not see widespread use.
28 CHAPTER 2.20
communications became more miniaturized. In the
24th century, older styles of communication became
niche hobbies and studied by historians rather than
engineers, and starships of that era would rarely
monitor the normal EM spectrum. Knowledge of these
older communications styles can be very useful when
dealing with less technologically developed societies
that are pre-warp, or in emergency situations where
no subspace communication is possible. Remember
that old never means useless!
You can expect to have communications interrupted
or made unreliable through multiple events such
as ion storms, sheer distance to transmit over, and
enemy jamming, to name just some examples. The
distance that sublight communications can cover
ranges from hundreds of thousands of kilometres
to hundreds or thousands of light-years. You should
understand that real-time communications may only
be possible between different star systems when
there are subspace boosters in between them to
“speed up” the transmission. Outside of this, a rule
of thumb would be to assume it takes one hour for
your transmission to travel six light-years. In Captain
Archer’s time of the mid-22nd century, this would
mean a transmission from Vulcan to Earth would
take two hours and forty-five minutes to go one way.
When exploring the edges of the Federation, the
closest starbases may be tens of light-years away
or more, and calls for assistance may not be heard
for days.
However, the most significant use of holographic
technology came with the invention of the holo-
deck (or, in some places, a smaller holosuite).
Developed in the 2360s to address the psycho-
logical needs of most organic lifeforms to relax
and experience familiar environments – and do so
in a way that utilized a minimum of space in the
ships they were installed in – holodecks became
instantly popular with Federation starship crews
(despite a few technological hiccups).
Holodecks combine holographic imaging, forcefields,
and tractor beams to create interactive environ-
ments that can be touched as well as seen (and
heard, smelled, and even tasted). Standard safety
protocols prevent items on a holodeck from being
deadly, though accidents are still possible – for
example, someone skiing in an Andoria simulation
could still suffer a leg injury. Adding artificial intelli-
gence allows for holographic characters that users
can interact with, and the use of replicators allows
for physical objects one can use or even consume.
In general, objects created on a holodeck vanish
when taken beyond its doors. A holodeck program
can be paused, saved, and altered while in progress,
using either voice commands or by summoning the
room’s exit or “arch” (the control-laden framework
around the door).
This technology is in use beyond the Federation as
well, popular for recreation, as a training tool, and
as a development and simulation tool for disciplines
ranging from engineering to medicine. It has also
been used in anthropological field research, where
holographic “duck blinds” hide observation posts
behind images of natural scenery such as cliff walls
or dense vegetation.
T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY
Many late 24th century starships are equipped with
an Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH), an artificial
intelligence designed to mimic a humanoid being
and programmed with extensive medical knowl-
edge. An EMH can operate in sickbay (which has
been equipped with holo-emitters) and is intended
to supplement or temporarily replace the medical
staff in emergencies. Such holograms are not
designed to be self-aware, though there have been
a few notable exceptions.
As depicted in Star Trek: Picard, emergency
holograms have expanded significantly by 2399.
Additional varieties in use include the Emergency
Engineering Hologram (EEH), Emergency Hospitality
Hologram (EHH), Emergency Navigational Hologram
(ENH), and Emergency Tactical Hologram (ETH).
Emergency holograms in this era can be modeled
on existing people, including their memories
and personality.
Besides recreational use and emergency holograms,
any ship department can make use of a holodeck in
their day-to-day work. Science and medical officers
can create working models of physical compounds,
spatial phenomena, and even life-forms to test
29
 theories. Engineers and conn officers can run lifelike
simulations to try out different power and flight
configurations. Security officers train extensively
against any conceivable simulated enemy in multi-
ple environments. Counselors use carefully-crafted
holo-environments (and sometimes holo-charac-
ters) to aid the therapeutic process. And command
officers immerse themselves in situations both
tactical and interpersonal that hone their instincts
concerning following Starfleet protocol and making
effective command decisions.
As a player, consider coming up with a few ideas for
the kinds of holo-programs your character spends
time in. Are they a holo-novel fan who enjoys step-
ping into the shoes of a fictional character? Do they
spend more time in fitness and training programs
than pure recreational ones? Do they like designing
their own programs? Do they hang out with other
crew members in a simulated environment based on
a real location, or perhaps even a fictional one?

PROPULSION
STARSHIPS IN THE STAR TREK SETTING MOVE speed, a starship could travel from low Earth orbit to
among planets, systems, sectors, and quadrants the Moon in 21 seconds. At full impulse, a starship
using two primary forms of propulsion: impulse
(sublight), and warp (faster-than-light). While
many episodes present other forms of propulsion,
including solar sails, quantum slipstream drives, and
subspace tunnels, this primer focuses on the two
most common forms player characters will use in
virtually every adventure.

Impulse Drive
An impulse drive is the primary set of equipment
used to propel a starship, shuttlecraft, or probe
at sublight speeds. United Earth, and later the
Federation as a whole, standardized impulse drives
to use highly efficient fusion reactors that would
generate energy for ship systems and plasma
exhaust that could be channelled through mag-
netic and subspace baffles to provide thrust that
resulted in propulsion. These fusion reactors utilize
deuterium-deuterium reactions that produce helium
and hydrogen atoms, free neutrons, and an amazing
amount of energy. In the setting, it means that a
helmsman can both accelerate and decelerate their
starship with an impulse drive without ever having
to change the orientation of their starship.

You can use these systems to not only propel your

vessel at sublight speeds, but also use them in
ways that require thrust like a rocket or power like a
nuclear power plant. Impulse drives are used to travel
within star systems, and even at quarter impulse

30 CHAPTER 2.20
would only require around a half hour to go from the
Earth to the Sun, and could travel the entire diameter
of Neptune’s orbit in a little more than 33 hours. While
slow compared to warp velocities, an impulse drive
is able to adequately provide movement inside a star
system for most of the Federation’s citizens.
All impulse drives in common use have limitations
on velocity; this speed is typically between 0.25 and
0.33c. This restriction is meant to address both safety
and relativistic effects. The faster a vessel goes in real
space under impulse, the more damage any particles,
dust, or larger objects impacting the vessel will
cause, requiring more power to deflector systems to
keep everyone on board safe. Time dilation becomes
an issue as well: the faster a vessel goes, the more
the outside universe seems to speed up. While at
T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY
low velocities this may not be a large issue, at higher
speeds the ship’s crew may find themselves unable
to react fast enough to outside threats. Most civiliza-
tions the Federation interact with do not like vessels
continually being out of sync with other ships and
headquarters, so the time dilation makes coordination
difficult at best. At extremely high sublight velocities,
it’s possible that characters may only feel they have
been travelling for days when years or decades have
passed outside.
In game play, you may find that an impulse drive
may shut down from heavy use, or that steep gravity
wells mean the impulse drive struggles to provide
enough velocity to escape. While fusion reactors are
much safer than fission reactors (due to their failure
only resulting in the dissipation of high-energy
31
 plasma out external vents), working near them still
has dangers that the gamemaster can introduce
to provide some nail-biting tension, such as the
plasma vents being damaged, the impulse drive
taking damage during battle when maneuvering
is vital, or perhaps the relativistic limiter fails and
you may need to fix the damage before time (in the
outside universe) literally runs out.
Warp Drive
Star Trek without warp drive would be limited to
being “Solar System Trek.” It is one of the most
quintessential technological systems that every
player character will encounter. Simply put, warp
drive is a propulsion technology that warps space-
time around a vessel by producing a subspace
bubble. This bubble allows a vessel inside of it
to stay at slower-than-light velocities, avoiding
relativistic effects, and moving the bubble itself at
superluminal velocities. This subspace bubble is
produced by warp coils, pieces of technology found
in a vessel’s warp nacelles. Most vessels keep these
nacelles far from the inhabited areas of the ship for
safety reasons, but this isn’t a firm design rule.
Warp travel requires significant amounts of power,
even at low speeds, and this is commonly provided
by matter/antimatter reactions inside of a warp
core. In Starfleet vessels, the matter and antimatter
streams converge inside a chamber where a faceted
dilithium crystal helps to focus the resultant plasma
into a ship’s warp plasma system, channelling the
high-energy material to the vessel’s warp coils.
This form of energy generation isn’t the only means
of providing power to warp drives. The Romulan Star
Empire builds vessels that power their propulsion
through a naked singularity. Any kind of large power
source can provide power to drive a vessel in warp,
even fission reactions found in modern nuclear reac-
tors, though the lower the amount of energy provided,
the lower the warp velocities. Much like other types
of propulsion, warp coils are unable to sustain their
maximum power rating for long durations, and ves-
sels that have been travelling at higher than cruising
speed must often slow or even stop for a period of
time to let the coils cool or to perform maintenance.
32 CHAPTER 2.20
While warp speeds are incredibly fast by early 21st
century standards, space is a very large place, and
travelling between star systems isn’t something
that happens in moments. During the 23rd century,
a ship cruising at warp 6 (216 times the speed of
light) would take 7 days and 4 hours just to travel
between Earth and its closest stellar neighbor,
Proxima Centauri. Even in the 24th century, when
starship cruising speeds are higher and the warp
scale was reconfigured, a ship cruising at warp 6
(392 times the speed of light) would still take nearly
4 days on the same journey. The highest speeds
seen on screen are achieved by the Intrepid-class
starship, capable of emergency speeds of warp
9.975, or a staggering 5126 times the speed of
light, allowing the vessel to move between Earth
and Proxima Centauri in a little more than 7 hours.
Regardless of the era, you should remember that if
your crew is exploring deep space, help will often be
weeks away.
Standard warp isn’t the only way to travel at super-
luminal velocities. Transwarp is another form of
travel that is often mentioned. First theorized in the
late 23rd century, transwarp drive allows a vessel
to shunt itself entirely into subspace, exponentially
increasing the real space velocities of a starship.
Borg vessels use this type of propulsion, in addition
to normal warp propulsion, to be able to transverse
the entire Galaxy in a matter of hours, either through
conduits generated by an individual vessel, or
through stable transwarp conduits, which provide
even higher relative velocities.
Warp and transwarp are only two examples of
faster-than-light travel in the Star Trek universe,
and there are dozens of others, each with their
own quirks and benefits. Maybe your character will
be able to figure out a way to introduce them to
Starfleet and change the Galaxy for the better. Your
characters can use warp drive systems in many
ways, including for purposes of bending space-
time, producing localized temporal acceleration or
deceleration, or even defensively to cause directed
energy weapons to bend around the vessel. Warp
drive is a wondrous invention, and there are count-
less ways for a creative player to use the technology
in unique and fascinating ways.
 ERA-SPECIFIC TERMINOLOGY TRANSLATOR
Many elements of Star Trek effectively work the Here is a list of items and concepts that use
same in different eras but have different names. different labels over time. 

Enterprise Star Trek The Next Generation

communicator communicator combadge

grappler tractor beam tractor beam

hand scanner tricorder tricorder

landing / boarding party landing / boarding party away team

particle rifle phaser rifle phaser rifle

phase cannon phaser bank phaser bank / phaser array

phase pistol hand phaser hand phaser

photonic torpedoes photon torpedoes photon torpedoes

polarized hull plating screens or shields shields

protein resequencer food synthesizer replicator

— recreation deck (“rec deck”) holodeck

02203

SENSORS
SENSOR TECHNOLOGY IS A BROAD CATEGORY OF
technology ranging from the “Mark 1 Eyeball” to the
most advanced multispectral interferometric wide-
band subspace/EM detectors of the 24th century.
Sensors are any device that can detect the outside
universe and provide information about that occur-
rence to the user. Eyes see the visible portion of the
EM spectrum and provide data to the brain to help
a person interpret their surroundings. Dolphins use
a form of sonar, allowing sound waves from their
chirps to travel through the water and bounce back
off of objects so the dolphin can better interpret
their surroundings. In the Star Trek universe, there
are far more things to detect than just the visual part
of the EM spectrum and sound in water!
The most common sensors player characters in
Star Trek Adventures will come across while on
a starship are long-range sensors. These are a
variety of detection devices that operate by sending
out pulses of wide-spectrum subspace energy and
detecting the reflected energy that returns. The
most important aspect of these sensors is that they
use subspace; they aren’t limited by the speed
of light. This is why starships can detect vessels
approaching from light-years away, why the bridge
crew can see a star collapsing as it happens even
though they are light-minutes or hours distant,
and how a starship navigates around obstacles in
their path while at warp. These sensors operate on
principles similar to modern-day radar and are used
to determine the location of a ship or other object
along with some basic information about it, such as
speed, size, and mass. Operators skilled with such
systems can tease out quite a bit of information
about stars and planets, but detailed information is
limited. In other words, a science officer won’t be
able to detect where a specific person is standing
on a planet’s surface from light-years away, but may
be able to tell that there are many people on that

T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY 33
 world, via electromagnetic emissions typical of a
technological society.
Short-range sensors are similar to their long-range
counterparts but have a larger amount of data they
can gather at a higher resolution. Many of these
sensors have no need to operate at faster-than-light
speeds, so they do not rely on subspace to function,
but often can be tied into subspace devices to get
longer range data than they otherwise would. These
devices include standard electromagnetic spectrum
detectors (cameras, as an example), particle detec-
tors (such as Geiger counters), and even telescopic
or microscopic equipment. Examples of short-range
sensors include tricorders, medical scanning equip-
ment, diagnostic equipment in engineering, etc. A rule
of thumb is that if there is a real-world equivalent to a
sensor (an optical telescope, Doppler radar, magnetic
anomaly detector, blood pressure monitor, etc.), then
the sensor falls into the short-range category.
As the resolution at which a sensor is supposed
to scan gets higher (i.e., moving from scanning
something the size of a Human to a size of a cell),
the closer the sensor needs to be to function well.
This is why patients lay down in sickbay to be
scanned for their injury or illness instead of being
diagnosed from across the ship. It’s also why
stars can be scanned from quite long distances
but planets require closer proximity. For example,
SHUTTLECRAFT
WHILE STARSHIPS MAY BE THE CAPITAL SHIPS OR
ocean liners of the Star Trek universe, shuttlecraft are
more akin to personal transportation. Shuttlecraft are
small, space-capable vessels that most citizens of the
Federation have easy access to. They are common
sights both in planetary atmospheres and when
travelling between worlds. Some shuttles have limited
TRACTOR BEAMS
A TRACTOR BEAM IS A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT
focuses emitted gravitons and antigravitons into a
coherent stream. This stream of particles is then
34 CHAPTER 2.20
a star system may be detected from dozens of
light-years away, a planet in that system or a
starship not attempting to hide may be detected
from several light-years away, and intelligent life
on a planet may be detected as far away as a few
light-years. Determining that the life-signs are
humanoid will require the starship to be in the
same star system as the world, detecting that the
humanoid life-forms are Romulan may mean being
an AU (150 million kilometers) away, and getting
an accurate count on how many Romulans are
living on the planet would require the starship to
be in orbit. Attempting to find deposits of dilithium
on the planet may mean performing orbital scans
and some surface prospecting; finding a specific
dilithium mine will require a landing party or away
team. Discovering that the Romulans on the planet
are sick will require being within tens of meters
of the Romulans, and identifying the viral infection
they are stricken with will require close contact.
No approach yields more accurate information than
being up close with whatever it is you are scanning
and being able to manipulate it yourself. Exploration
is far more than looking at something from a
distance; it is about seeing, smelling, and experi-
encing it. And that means getting off your ship and
transporting down to the planet or over to that alien
spacecraft to check things out first-hand.
warp capabilities, and while you may not want to take
long journeys between star systems with them, they
can reduce the time it takes to get to faraway plan-
etary bodies within a star system to hours. You can
use shuttlecraft in any way you can imagine using
an automobile, aircraft, helicopter, or short-range
spacecraft such as the space shuttle orbiters.
directed at a nearby object, likely less than a few
thousand kilometers away, so the beam can either
bring the object closer, hold it at a set distance,
or push it away. The mass of the object able to be
towed or moved in such a way is normally limited to
around a similar, but lower, mass as the vessel gen-
erating the tractor beam. In other words, you should
be able to have a starship tow a smaller starship,
SHIELDS
DEFLECTOR SHIELDS (ALSO CALLED EITHER
deflectors or shields) are the most common type
of defensive measure employed by starships in
the known Galaxy. Available starting around the
2240s, shields are forcefields that surround a ship
or base in an invisible bubble – except when they
are hit by something, at which point an observer
will see a multicolored flash of Cerenkov radiation.
Shields protect against both physical objects (such
as asteroids) and many types of energy (including
phasers and other weapons). Shields that are active
are said to be “up,” and shields that are inactive or
have collapsed are referred to as “down.”
Objects and weapons striking a shield reduce its
effectiveness. Some interstellar phenomena can
also impair or disable shields, including nebulae,
stellar flares, radiation storms, geomagnetic storms,
novas, and black holes. Once a ship or station’s
Shields rating is reduced to 0, the shields collapse
TIME TRAVEL
TIME TRAVEL IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN STAR
Trek stories. From the Guardian of Forever to the Orb
of Time to the Red Angel time suit, Starfleet officers
and members of other cultures have had many
journeys into the past and future.
In the Star Trek universe, time is malleable. It is
possible to change the past and affect one’s own
timeline, so extreme caution is advised for any
officers who find themselves traveling into history.
Indeed, in the late 24th century, the Federation
instituted a Temporal Prime Directive that prohibits
changes to the past, in much the same way that the
original Prime Directive prohibits interfering in the
natural development of other worlds. Officers who
T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY
but be entirely unable to move a planet. In com-
bination with the Laws of Motion and deactivated
inertial dampeners, you may find interesting ways of
maneuvering your starship using the tractor beam to
push off objects to change your momentum.
and offer no further protection until restored or
repaired. Most ships cannot withstand many attacks
once the shields are down.
Some shipboard activities cannot be performed while
shields are up, including transporting to or from the
ship, launching or landing shuttlecraft, and operating
a cloaking device. Some cultures have been able to
work around this restriction, such as the Dominion
and Borg with their advanced transporter technology.
Shields operate at a specific frequency, and nor-
mally operate at the same frequency as the ship’s
own weapons so they do not interfere with each
other. Shield (and matching weapon) frequencies are
changed regularly, because if an enemy manages to
match its weapon frequency to that of the shields,
the weapon will do the same as the target ship’s
own weapons: bypass the shields entirely.
travel through time can expect a thorough debriefing
by the Department of Temporal Investigations. It
is likely that other cultures have instituted similar
directives and departments as the Federation.
(Before establishing the Temporal Prime Directive,
the Federation experimented with missions to the
past for observational purposes.)
The Temporal Prime Directive has three
essential rules:
§ Don’t interfere with historical events.
§ Do take action to prevent historical alterations,
if necessary.
35
 § Avoid revealing information about the future that
could itself cause interference or even generate
a time paradox.
The methods employed in traveling through time are
quite varied, but common means to do so include
the slingshot effect (warping near a powerful gravity
source, such as a star, then rapidly breaking away),
warp drive malfunctions, transporter accidents,
and the general (but vague) category of “temporal
anomalies.” Evidence of time travel is often detect-
able by sensors and tricorders, in the form of such
phenomena as temporal distortions, tachyons, and
rare subatomic particles called chronitons.
Alterations to history during time travel sometime
create alternate timelines. These sometimes exist
only between the time a change is made in history
and the time someone else repairs that change, but
36 CHAPTER 2.20
in other cases, they remain in existence as a separate
reality, leaving it possible to travel back and forth
between the two timelines. This is separate from
the concept of parallel universes, in that alternate
timelines differ from ours only because of changes to
historical events, whereas parallel universes generally
incorporate different physical laws, even if the
changes are minor compared to our own universe.
In addition to the Federation, the Borg and
Klingons both have access to time travel technol-
ogy, and records at the Department of Temporal
Investigations indicate that numerous other civiliza-
tions do as well. The Orb of Time on Bajor has been
used for this purpose. Some organisms have even
shown the ability to manipulate or travel through
time, such as the Devidians, the Q, and a species of
quantum singularity lifeforms.
 WEAPONS
THOUGH PEACE IS STARFLEET’S GOAL, IT’S A FACT
of life that combat happens. (In the Klingon Empire,
Handheld Weapons
The most common personal weapon in the
it’s an aspiration.) It helps to know the weapons
Federation and many other societies is the phaser
you will be facing as well as the ones you will be
(except in the Star Trek: Enterprise era, when it
using, so this section offers an overview of both
was the earlier-model phase pistol). Phasers are
handheld weapons and those installed on starships.
phased particle beam weapons, favored by the
We won’t cover every weapon in use in Star Trek,
Federation because of their versatility, despite
but rather present a summary of the most common
the fact that other weapon types can more easily
or noteworthy.
cause greater damage. Depending on the setting
used, a phaser can stun, heat, cut, kill, or even
Note that when encountering the aftermath of a
vaporize targets. In game terms, a phaser’s Charge
battle, it is often possible to use sensors and tricord-
quality represents its versatile array of settings;
ers to determine which type of weapon was involved
to use it, your character performs a Prepare minor
in an attack by analyzing the damage. Sometimes
action to adjust the weapon before firing. If you
even hearing the sound of a weapon can differenti-
want, you can let your gamemaster handle the
ate it; Federation phasers sound quite different than
game rules, and simply tell them “I adjust my
Klingon disruptors.
phaser so I can use it to heat up the rock.”

Another highly popular weapon in the Galaxy is the

disruptor, favored by the Klingons, Romulans, Gorn,
Tholians, Breen, and more. Disruptors are less ver-
satile than phasers but perform well at their primary
task: inflicting damage (reflected by their Vicious
1 damage effect). They do not have a stun setting,
though characters can still use them for non-lethal
attacks, in which case the target receives burns that
are minor but survivable.

Other energy weapons in use in the known Galaxy

are less ubiquitous. Though the Federation discon-
tinued the use of lasers, early particle beams, and
phase pistols by the early 2250s, a few civiliza-
tions still use them. Some cultures, such as the
Andorians, have used plasma weapons, though
the Dominion uses a version that incorporates an
anticoagulant effect that makes injuries inflicted
by them far harder to treat. The Federation has
used a variety of grenades that use phaser pulse
technology to stun targets, collectively called pulse
grenades. The Klingons have an affinity for using
melee weapons in addition to energy weapons, from
their d’k tahg dagger to their legendary bat’leth, and
many warriors default to these whenever possible.
Similarly, the Jem’Hadar enjoy using their kar’takins,
which are like short polearms.

T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY 37
 Most energy weapons have a few features in
common. They generally appear in both pistol and
rifle variants, with the rifles having greater accuracy
and the capability to inflict greater damage. They
use rechargeable power cells that can support a
tremendous amount of sustained usage. And many
have an “overload” feature that can turn the weapon
into a makeshift explosive device.
Starship Weapons
Starships usually mount both energy weapons and
projectile-based ones, commonly called torpedoes.
In general, energy weapons are more precise, while
WHY DOESN’T AN ENEMY
JUST FIRE A TORPEDO INTO SOMEONE’S SUN?
While there is an example of this exact thing
occurring in the Star Trek universe (Star Trek:
Generations), there are many reasons why a
player or a gamemaster should avoid doing this,
or something just as destructive, to a star system.
In universe, there are few pieces of technol-
ogy that can affect a star in such a way as to
destroy it: trilithium, red matter, creating artifi-
cial singularities, etc. Each one of these technol-
ogies is incredibly rare and hard to construct,
but also would be highly regulated and rarely
in the hands of anyone except researchers at
the highest levels of a government. It is also
highly likely these technologies and substances
are banned under interstellar treaties. The
reason for this is simple: the destruction of star
systems, even uninhabited ones, represents the
loss of incalculable resources and would result
in every other nearby polity banding together
to remove the threat of a government that can
destroy stars and planets at will.
Imagine this occurring in an inhabited star
system with billions of sentient beings. Even
the most villainous of governments in the Star
Trek universe would consider this reprehensible.
Fighting over habitable worlds is common, but
38 CHAPTER 2.20
torpedoes inflict more damage but also raise the
stakes (reflected by the generation of Threat points).
ENERGY WEAPONS
Phasers are the primary starship weapon for many
cultures, including the Federation, and some use a
combination of phasers and other energy weap-
ons, such as the Cardassians, Ferengi, and Orions.
Shipboard phasers are similar to their handheld
counterparts and can even use the stun setting (over
a large area!). Disruptors are also common starship
weapons, equipped on Klingon, Romulan, Gorn,
Tholian, and Breen ships.
destroying them for no one to inhabit or exploit
is a terrible thought. You should note that photon
or quantum torpedoes were not listed above
as technology capable of destroying a star or
making it go nova. Remember that even the
most destructive weapons that your characters
have access to pale in comparison to the energy
output of even the smallest star. Each second,
our sun releases the equivalent energy of
nearly two billion photon torpedoes detonating.
Whatever your starship has in its magazines
won’t do anything except register on sensors as
a stellar anomaly.
From a storytelling perspective, the concept of
destroying a sun usually doesn’t fit into the nar-
rative structure of a story and can often entirely
destroy the plot the gamemaster has devised.
Star Trek is about exploring ideas and concepts,
discovering new life and new civilizations. Star
Trek isn’t about committing genocide on any
scale. You should strive to see even a lifeless
world, through the eyes of your characters, as
worlds capable of providing resources to your
society, an opportunity to explore and learn,
maybe even gain glory for you and your House.
A rapidly expanding cloud of molecules does no
one any good, players or characters alike. 
02204
Some civilizations have developed more uncon-
ventional weapons. The Breen use an energy
dissipation weapon that can drain power from ships
without damaging them, and the Ferengi sometimes
fire an electro-magnetic pulse that combines a
high-damage blast with low-level power disruption.
Jem’Hadar ships use phased polaron beams, which
excel at penetrating shields. One of the most unu-
sual weapons is the Tholian web spinner, capable of
(slowly) ensnaring a ship and draining it of power.
TORPEDOES
Starships in earlier eras (or modern fleets used by
less-advanced civilizations) used rockets, spatial
torpedoes, and then photonic torpedoes. As of
the original series era, photon torpedoes became
the most popular starship projectile weapon in
the known Galaxy, and see use by the Federation,
Klingons, Orions, Gorn, Dominion, Hirogen, Vidiians,
TRANSPORTER SYSTEMS
A TRANSPORTER IS A FORM OF TELEPORTATION
system that converts matter into a stream of energy
and sends it to another location where it is reassem-
bled moments later. Transporters work on life-forms
as well as objects and are used by most spacefaring
civilizations in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. They
are available in all eras of play, though see the
Transporter and Replica Era Notes sidebar for
comments on key changes over time.
Traveling by transporter is commonly called “beam-
ing,” as in “beam me up.” The complete demate-
rialization/rematerialization process only takes a
few seconds. In game terms, most transporters are
limited to Close range on a starship scale, which
is close enough to beam to and from a planet from
standard orbit. Some advanced civilizations have
transporters that can operate across far vaster
distances – up to thousands of light-years.
Transporters cannot normally operate through
shields, which means sending an away team to
another ship would require one’s own shields to be
down as well as those of the target vessel. In rare
circumstances this has been overcome, as when the
T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY
and many others. Torpedoes are long-range projec-
tiles that carry powerful explosive or energetic pay-
loads. Many torpedoes can track a target, pursuing
it at high speed until it strikes and detonates. Photon
torpedoes contain a quantity of antimatter that
combines with matter on impact, creating a pow-
erful explosion. In the late 24th century, Starfleet
began equipping ships with the more advanced and
higher-damage quantum torpedoes, which work on
a similar principle but use plasma-based warheads.
An earlier plasma weapon still in use from the original
series era is the Romulan plasma torpedo. This
weapon is extremely powerful and can even follow a
ship into warp for short periods of time. They require
a tremendous amount of energy and have a longer
charge time than most torpedoes, but when they
strike, they spread a lingering field of plasma around
the target, inflicting additional damage over time.
operator was familiar with the target vessel’s shield
refresh cycle, and some civilizations’ transporters
have been designed to bypass shields – notably the
Dominion and the Borg. Beaming can be attempted
at warp speed, but at greater difficulty, and the
velocity of the beaming ship must be set to match
that of the target ship.
Shipboard transporters are typically housed in one
or more transporter rooms. Most transporter rooms
have six transporter pads, sufficient to transport
six individuals or an equivalent amount of cargo at
once, though it is possible to beam more than six
people with an increase in Difficulty. A transporter
room is normally staffed by a transporter chief who
specializes in the operation, maintenance, and repair
of the system. A transporter operator commonly
scans for a communicator or combadge as an easy
way to identify and gain a sensor lock on a person
for transport, though this is not required.
Site-to-site transport is beaming from one location
to another without materializing in the transporter
room doing the beaming. Note that the transpor-
tees technically still pass through the transporter’s
39
 TRANSPORTER AND REPLICATOR ERA NOTES
Enterprise era: Transporters are new and
most people don’t put much trust in them for
beaming living beings. A relatively primitive pro-
genitor of replicators called protein resequenc-
ers can prepare a limited menu of common food
choices to supplement the galley.
The original series era: Transporters are in
common use, though some traditionalists still
don’t trust them. Life-forms in transit are immo-
bilized until they fully materialize. Intraship beam-
ing is difficult and generally avoided. Replicators
have not been developed yet, though food
synthesizers replace the older protein resequenc-
ers in supplementing shipboard meal production,
often in the form of multicolored food cubes.
systems on the way, they just don’t materialize until
they reach their destination.
Beginning in The Next Generation era, biofilters were
developed and added to transporter systems to scan
incoming matter streams for known bacteriologi-
cal and viral signatures and remove them, greatly
reducing the risk of an away team bringing contam-
inants or diseases aboard. In a similar manner, a
transporter operator can disable or remove weapons
possessed by transportees, if they are of a known
design. They can even nullify the effect of a weapon
that has been fired during the transport sequence.
These modifications to the matter stream are
possible because of the pattern buffers that store
the stream before materialization. The transporter
system can hold a person’s pattern in stasis for
short periods, typically a few minutes, before the
pattern starts to degrade. Delaying a new arrival’s
materialization in this way is sometimes used to
give security or medical officers time to reach the
transporter room, depending on the situation.
40 CHAPTER 2.20
The Next Generation era: Transporters are
ubiquitous, and replicators are new. The trans-
port process is faster than in the past, taking
only a few seconds to dematerialize and rema-
terialize. Biofilters are introduced. Transportees
can move and talk during transport. Intraship
beaming is common and unremarkable.
Beaming patients directly to sickbay is a
frequent benefit.
The 32nd century: As depicted in the third
season of Star Trek: Discovery, transporter
technology in the 3200s advanced to the point
that portable transporters were miniaturized
and built directly into combadges, removing
the need for transportees to go to a dedicated
transporter room before beaming. 
02205
Stellar flares, radiation storms, ion storms, and
geomagnetic storms or other atmospheric distur-
bances can stop transporter operations or cause
them to malfunction. Large amounts of solid matter
can block transporters as well, such as a target
deep underground. Some devices can intentionally
prevent nearby transporter operations, including
transporter scramblers, transport inhibitors, and
particle scattering fields.
Transporter accidents are common in Star Trek,
though this is likely skewed due to the fact that
viewers are often presented with the dramatic
moments rather than the countless routine times
that everything works fine. In fact, engineer Geordi
LaForge once stated that transporting is the safest
way to travel. But it is true that transporters have led
to people failing to materialize properly, materializ-
ing in the wrong location, aging in reverse, visiting
the Mirror Universe, duplicating, splitting into two
separate entities, merging two entities into one, and
traveling through time. Perhaps it’s no wonder that
some people still distrust them.
Replicators weapons, decorations, and even meals. The finished
product is virtually a perfect copy of the object it
A major offshoot of transporter technology is the
was modeled on. Replicators form their creations
replicator, a device which uses a transporter to
from a supply of stored raw material, and they can
instantly recreate a wide range of inanimate objects.
work in the other direction as well – recycling waste
First available in The Next Generation era, replica-
material and other objects by dematerializing them
tors are popular among many societies in the Alpha
and storing their raw materials for later replication.
and Beta Quadrants for producing tools, clothing,

THE FINE ART OF TECHNOBABBLE

Often when Star Trek scriptwriters need to
include dialogue that sounds scientific and
technological, they simply type “TECH” into the
script and let designated technical consultants
fill in the appropriately Star Trek-sounding
wording. As a player, you can operate in a sim-
ilar manner. Don’t worry about the difference
between baryon particles and tachyon particles
(unless you want to) – just tell the gamemaster
and other players the gist of what you want to
communicate, and assume the characters use
the proper wording.
For example, if you’re wondering if it’s possible
to detect the recent use of a time travel device
in the area, you don’t have to say you’re
scanning for chronitons; you can just say you’re
scanning for evidence of time travel. If your
character is hiding aboard an enemy ship and
trying to figure out how to sabotage its warp
drive, you don’t have to know the difference
between an intermix chamber and a plasma
manifold – just tell the gamemaster you’re
looking for ways to force the ship to stop.
However, if you do feel like slinging technobab-
ble like the characters on screen, go for it! One
way to do this is to find a list of words related to
the topic at hand. The following are some exam-
ples from technological domains commonly
encountered in Star Trek Adventures.

Domain Example Words

algorithm, compression, cybernetic, encryption, interface, matrix, model,

Computers
network, neural, positronic, processor, subroutine

accelerator, actuator, array, assembly, buffer, capacitor, coils, compensator,

Engineering
compressor, converter, generator, grid, module

disorder, dysfunction, inducer, membrane, molecular, organic, receptor,

Medicine
resequencing, solution, syndrome

dark matter, field, frequency, graviton, inertial, nano-, neutrino, phase,

Physics
polarity, quantum, tachyon, tetryon, wave
Time causal, chrono-, dilation, inter-phasic, singularity, spacetime, temporal

Other anomaly, continuum, flux, subspace

There’s a technobabble generator in The
Operations Division supplemental rulebook
on page 48. You can also use any number of
online technobabble generators or just throw
out whatever tech-y words sound appropriate to
you. Don’t worry too much about believability –
none of the players in your game actually went
to Starfleet Academy. 
02206

T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY 41
 Replicators are useful on a ship for creating spare
parts on an as-needed basis, though crews often
keep important replacement parts in physical stor-
age, either because they are difficult to replicate or
because they are important enough that they might
be needed when replicators are unavailable (such as
during a loss of power). Replicators can scan items
as well, which allows users to store object patterns
for later replication. Note that some substances or
items have too complex a molecular structure to
replicate. An example is latinum, and this is part of
the reason latinum remains valuable.
One of the most popular uses for replicators is for
producing food, and replicators on starships include
thousands of stored meal selections. Replicator ter-
minals are located in most living quarters on a ship,
as well as in lounges and other common areas. Most
replicated meals on a Starfleet ship are designed
with enhanced nutritional value as compared with
their traditionally-cooked counterparts. Klingon
ships don’t use replicators for food, instead relying
on the important role of the ship’s cook.
Though the energy cost is significant for creating
most of the crew’s meals using transporter sys-
tems, the benefits are tremendous. Food storage
needs are reduced, as is the need for personnel
to prepare it, and of course the crew (and visiting
42 CHAPTER 2.20
guests) have access to a wide variety of dishes at
a moment’s notice.
It is important to note that replicators use molec-
ular-level object imaging, rather than the quan-
tum-level imaging employed by transporters, which
means replicators are not suitable for recreating
living things. It also means that replicated meals
are not perfect, and single-bit errors sometimes
occur; this may be why some users say they can
distinguish replicated foods from the “real thing.”
Specialized replicators in sickbay and various sci-
ence labs have higher resolution than most, allowing
them to replicate pharmaceuticals and other scien-
tific supplies, and even create biological organs.
Consider what sorts of meals your character enjoys.
Do they prefer dishes from home (if available), or do
they like to sample foods from other worlds? What’s
their “comfort food?” Do they prefer old-fashioned
hand-prepared meals, or have they ever even experi-
enced such a thing as traditional cooking? Have they
created and shared replicated meals of their own?
Besides meals, what sort of things does your char-
acter tend to replicate? Do they dress their quarters
with copies of art objects or other decorations? Or
are there certain “original” keepsakes they have
around for sentimental value?
 CHAPTER 02.30
S ER VI CE
PR OT OCOLS
“ I a ssume she ’ ll be ship sh ap e an d Bristol fash ion .”
THE PREMISE OF STARFLEET
Starfleet, the Klingon Defense Force, and other
spacefaring organizations depicted in the Star
Trek franchise are based on real-world militar-
ies, even if they are not all militaries in a strict
definition of the word. There has been much
debate about whether Starfleet is a military in
the same sense as modern armed forces; suf-
fice it to say that whether it is a true military or
not (or whether you choose to make it so for the
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
STARFLEET IS A VAST ORGANIZATION SPREAD
across thousands of light-years, incorporating
beings from over 100 member worlds and their
associated colonies, and involved in a constant
stream of research, exploration, defense, and train-
ing duties. Any attempt at detailing the procedures
in use across the entire fleet would be an exercise in
futility. Thankfully, Starfleet Command has codified
the standard operating procedures in such a way
that even guests visiting a starship (or a player
wanting to learn how Starfleet functions) are able
to quickly learn what should generally happen in
certain circumstances.
The Klingon Empire and other spacefaring polities
in the Star Trek universe can be expected to have
similar operating procedures. Adapt the following as
you see fit for your non-Federation games.
T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY
— CAPT. JE AN- LUC PICARD
purposes of your campaign), Starfleet does have
a codified set of standard operating procedures
that govern the organization’s operations and its
members’ conduct and behavior.
This section briefly discusses some of those
procedures, specifically those that are likely to
come up frequently in a Star Trek Adventures
mission or campaign. 
02301
Docked / External
Support Mode
Sometimes referred to as a blue alert or condi-
tion blue, this mode of operations is used when a
starship is docked with a space station or star-
base, landed on the surface of a planet or moon,
or is otherwise out of harm’s way. The vessel has
powered down its primary power source, typically
its warp core. Secondary power systems, such as
the impulse fusion reactors, are kept at minimal
operations as long as external power to the starship
is connected. Life support systems are also put in
standby if the connected facility is able to provide
support for these systems. Most of the vessel’s
primary systems, ranging from propulsion to defen-
sive and offensive systems, are either shut down
or put on standby. During this downtime, the player
43
 characters and other crew are likely being shuffled
off the ship for shore leave or encouraged to relax
Standard Operations
During most adventures, this is the standard oper-
elsewhere off-ship. This is also a perfect time for the
ating mode of a starship when conditions are not
crew to perform vital maintenance on areas that are
out of the ordinary. Referred to as cruise mode in
dangerous to access during normal operations, such
the 24th century, it is also called condition green,
as the warp core, warp coils, damaged bulkheads,
referring to the Human tendency to use the color
and the outer hull.
green to represent when a system is operating
normally. On primarily Human-crewed starships,
During these times, characters aren’t usually armed,
there are usually three shifts that total 24 hours, or
and few characters would be carrying any specific
a standard Earth day. The shift schedule can vary
equipment with them that isn’t personal posses-
widely depending on the crew composition and the
sions. Outside of these generalities, engineers
captain’s preferences. A primarily Vulcan crew and
performing maintenance may carry a tricorder and
captain may keep a 24-hour standard day but only
engineering toolkit. Medical personnel may continue
utilize two duty shifts, while an Andorian crew may
performing their duties in sickbay and have access
use a 32-hour day and four duty shifts.
to the equipment normally at that location, but
would rarely be carrying said equipment around
For most adventures, standard operations is the
the ship. Before the advent of replicators, a ship’s
starting condition for the ship. Engineers on duty will
quartermaster may find themselves at their busiest
likely have a tricorder and engineering toolkit, and
as they coordinate loading and unloading of equip-
medical personnel in sickbay will have access to
ment, resupply the vessel’s departments, and even
medical diagnostic equipment.
ensure that personal equipment from newly-arriv-
ing officers and crew is stowed or moved to their
When entering a new solar system, science officers,
assigned quarters.
especially those with physical science specialties,
may want to scan the major worlds (planets and

44 CHAPTER 2.30
moons) in the system, and, if time allows, the minor
bodies (asteroids and comets). Interesting geological
anomalies are noted and passed to specialists, and if
life is detected on any world, xenobiologists and per-
haps medical personnel will be called on to assist in
the analysis of the data. Entering orbit around a world
gives characters a better chance at understanding
the long-range sensor readings. It’s here where cCha-
racters with specialities can perform more detailed
scans, perhaps pinpointing an anomaly or refining
what was detected at long range.
Standard away teams (or landing parties, depending
on the era) move to the surface to get better readings,
if surface conditions are safe for the crew. When
an away team has beamed to the surface, Starfleet
typically will have a shuttlecraft on standby in case
transportation from the surface becomes an issue. A
standard away team composition for general explo-
ration consists of a command officer (often one with
experience in the type of world they are exploring),
multiple science division members who are special-
ists in relevant fields, and a single security officer.
Away teams beaming down to worlds with life-forms
will also include at least one medical officer, and
often include a xenobiologist in case the away team
encounters any new pathogens or otherwise fasci-
nating life-forms. Regardless of why the away team
is beaming to the surface, all characters are given
communicators (if they do not already have one),
tricorders applicable to the specialty, and the security
officer will be equipped with a sidearm (Type-1
phaser, phase pistol, or disruptor pistol). Away teams
with a diplomatic assignment will rarely have any
member armed unless the society being contacted
is known to put an emphasis on being armed at all
times. The captain of a vessel, in coordination with
the chief of security, may amend these procedures
as needed (for example, requiring all away team
members to be armed with Type-2 phasers).
Yellow Alert / Caution
A yellow alert is called on a starship when the
situation seems as though danger to the ship or her
crew is a distinct possibility. On Starfleet vessels,
this means that shields are raised, all shuttlecraft
are readied for use, and recreational activities
(such as holodeck programs) are cancelled. While
T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY
Starfleet does not usually fully arm weapon systems
at yellow alert, Klingon vessels do arm weapons
but refrain from targeting nearby vessels or surface
targets. The entire crew (apart from those in their
sleep period) are brought to a ready status, and
crew with multiple areas of expertise are directed to
where they are most needed.
Similar precautions are taken for away teams that
are moving into a potentially dangerous environment
or situation. Just like standard away teams, these
response teams are led by a command officer who
has experience in combat situations, a medical officer
trained in emergency medicine, and at least two
security personnel (one officer and one enlisted). An
operations or science division member may be pres-
ent depending on circumstances. All members of the
response team are armed with hand weapons and
standard tricorders, and the medical officer carries a
medical tricorder and a medkit. The response team is
the standard form of away team when the environ-
ment is dangerous due to its climate or atmosphere,
and environmental suits are issued to the team
before beam down, along with portable light sources
if dark conditions are likely. While on the surface, a
shuttlecraft is kept in a ready launch status, and ships
sensors are kept focused on the away team in case
any problems arise.
Red Alert / Danger
When a ship is in danger, about to enter an
emergency, or is in a combat situation, a red alert
is declared. The entire crew is brought to action,
including those who were asleep. To provide for this
contingency, many positions on board a starship
have two personnel assigned, one of whom may
take over the position if the other is injured or
otherwise unable to perform their duties. Long- and
short-range sensor sweeps are performed around
the starship by the vessel’s tactical and science
officers. On Starfleet vessels, weapon systems are
brought fully online, whereas Klingon vessels will
lock targets and begin combat operations immedi-
ately. On larger or more tactically advanced vessels,
some command and operations officers report to
their duty stations on the Battle Bridge, or to an
auxiliary control center where bridge functions are
duplicated. The officers there can take control of a
45
 ship’s operations if the bridge station or officers are
unable to perform their duties. Given enough time,
all crew arm themselves with hand weapons and
security personnel prepare for possible boarding
actions when in proximity to a hostile vessel.
Away teams beaming into a hostile or dangerous
situation are sometimes called boarding parties or
tactical response teams. The only science division
member typically on these teams is a medical officer
capable of performing emergency medicine, equipped
with a sidearm (usually set to stun to preserve their
Hippocratic Oath), medical tricorder, emergency
surgical gear, and a variety of hypospray ampules
reserved for triage situations. The command officer
of the party is always one with some tactical training
and armed with a sidearm. The remainder of the party
consists of security officers armed with hand phasers
and possibly phaser rifles. If possible, transporter
locks are maintained on every member of the team,
and a shuttlecraft with extra security personnel is
made ready in case transport to and from the area
becomes impossible. If the party has arrived on scene
in a shuttlecraft, the vehicle will be equipped with
transport enhancers for the team to carry if they need
to use them for emergency beam-out.
Emergency Evacuation /
Medical Emergency
All starships launched have a maximum number
of crew complement they are rated to carry. This
number, ranging from a dozen to thousands for
larger ships built by the Federation and nearby
polities, is determined by the number and quality
of quarters for their crew, the volume needed for
crew support equipment, and, most importantly, the
efficiency of the vessel’s life support systems. In
rare circumstances such as an emergency evacua-
tion, a starship may take on board far more than its
normal crew complement, stretching its resources
to the breaking point to get civilians, rescued ship’s
crew, or even livestock out of harm’s way. The num-
bers vary by starship, but at least twice the number
of the standard complement of the vessel can be
accommodated for short periods of up to a few days
to a week before a strain on ship’s systems begins
to show. On board a starship, the primary officer in
46 CHAPTER 2.30
charge of evacuation operations is the chief medical
officer, as they mobilize anyone on the crew with at
least first aid training to assist any wounded or sick
individuals. During this time, any such character will
have access to a medical kit and medical tricorder.
Security personnel are posted around sensitive
areas of the starship to maintain operational security
and to ensure that personnel are able to continue to
perform their duties.
Away teams that are responding to a medical
emergency have a makeup that is different than
many landing parties. The team is led by a security
officer with an additional security officer present to
provide protection for the medical personnel who
compose the majority of the team. Medical personnel
are composed of at least one general practitioner,
one nurse or doctor trained in triage techniques, and
specialists in the type of medical problem at hand
(viral or bacterial infections, radiation sickness, etc.).
Security personnel will beam down with sidearms
unless hostile action is expected, in which case larger
rifles may be issued on the determination of the
commanding officer. Security personnel may also be
equipped with a medical tricorder if they have any
training. Medical personnel will each beam down with
a medical kit, medical tricorder, and specialist equip-
ment for the situation at hand. While shuttlecraft are
typically used to evacuate severely wounded beings
from a planet who are unable to be transported, in
quarantine situations, shuttlecraft operations are
halted unless the vessel has an isolated shuttlebay, as
on many medical vessels.
Security Alert
When a ship is boarded or there is an escaped pris-
oner or otherwise hostile entity on board, a security
alert is declared. All personnel are issued sidearms
from the ship’s armory. Security personnel will be
equipped with phaser or disruptor rifles if the threat
calls for it, as determined by the chief of security
or commanding officer. Operations or science
officers continually scan the interior of the ship for
the hostile force or any signs of non-standard ship
operation. Finally, security personnel are deployed to
vital ship areas such as the bridge, main engineer-
ing, armory, weapon systems, and shuttlebays to
guard the personnel and equipment in those areas.
 ORBITAL TYPES
WHEN ORBITING AROUND A PLANET, A STARSHIP
can assume any of several types of orbits, and some
are mentioned more frequently than others in the
Star Trek universe. A standard orbit is one in which
a starship continues to use propulsion to maintain
a position above a specific area of a planet, often
from one to ten thousand kilometers in altitude, to
facilitate transporter operations, sensor sweeps of
the region, etc. This is in contrast to a synchronous
orbit, where a starship doesn’t need to maintain
power to its propulsion systems to stay above a
region, but is at a much higher altitude, depending
on the mass and rotation of the planet. A polar
THE PRIME DIRECTIVE
STARFLEET’S GENERAL ORDER ONE, ALSO KNOWN
as the Prime Directive, prohibits personnel from
interfering in the affairs and natural development of
other cultures – even if such changes are well-in-
tentioned. The most familiar application of this
T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY
orbit is one in which a starship crosses over the
axial poles of a planet; this is a highly efficient way
to quickly get sensor coverage across the whole
globe. An inclined orbit is one in which a starship
moves around the planet at an angle to its equator,
giving it a path that looks like a sine wave when
seen on a flattened map of a world. While not an
orbit, Lagrange Points are nonetheless useful to
players who are portraying helm officers; these are
gravitationally stable points between two masses,
often quite far from either. Objects placed at
Lagrange points remain stationary in respect to both
the masses.
Prime Directive involves non-warp-capable cultures,
as these are the cases where interference could
happen most easily and with dramatic conse-
quences. Even introducing a world with the knowl-
edge that “aliens” exist – perhaps even accidentally
47
 – could transform a planet’s society overnight, with
end results that are not predictable.
The Prime Directive is not just a rule, it is the guiding
philosophy of Starfleet. Upholding it takes priority
over the lives of Starfleet personnel, even an entire
crew. Unfortunately, upholding it is not always easy,
and often involves making tough decisions. Should
the crew intervene to save a primitive population
even though the Prime Directive forbids it? If an allied
Klingon ship asks a Starfleet crew for help against
another Klingon faction, should the player characters
get involved? If crew members themselves get into
legal trouble on a developing world, do other charac-
ters dare bend the rules to get them out of it?
In Star Trek Adventures, the Prime Directive is not
meant to trip players up, or prevent them from doing
fun things; instead, it is a means to increase drama
and introduce philosophical considerations into a
story. There is often a lot of room for interpretation
of whether the Prime Directive should apply in a
given situation, and you should feel free to discuss
as a group whether you think it does and what you
should do. Such moral quandaries are the bread and
butter of Star Trek.
48 CHAPTER 2.30
Although Starfleet captains are often in the spotlight
for possible Prime Directive violations, every crew
member must do their part to apply the directive. The
captain won’t be the only one to suffer scrutiny from
Starfleet Command if an officer reveals “miraculous”
capabilities to a primitive culture. Loss of Reputation
is possible, as well as demotion, or even, in extreme
cases, court martial. Complicating this, of course,
is the fact that although every Starfleet officer has
sworn a vow to uphold the Prime Directive, not every
officer has the same opinions about the directive
or how to interpret it. This is a good thing, though,
because it is an amazing source of drama.
Keep in mind that not only do most other cultures
not have such a noninterference directive, some of
them actively work to interfere with other cultures.
Indeed, a Starfleet crew might have to involve
themselves to prevent interference from happening,
or repair it when it already has.
For a more extensive discussion of this topic,
consider reading The Prime Directive subchapter
on pages 21–24 of The Command Division
supplemental rulebook.
STARFLEET'S NAVAL TRADITION
Many of the customs, regulations, trappings, and
rituals of Starfleet originate from Earth’s nautical
traditions. This is especially true of the Star Trek:
Enterprise and original series eras, but it is evi-
dent in later centuries as well. A key part of this
is that Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was
inspired by the Horatio Hornblower novels written
by C. S. Forester, which feature the action-ori-
ented nautical adventures of an introspective ship
captain whose voyages involved both warfare
and diplomacy.
We can start with the “U.S.S. Enterprise,” a
vessel named after several noteworthy nautical
ships from Earth history. “U.S.S.” is a common
naval ship prefix that originally meant “United
States Ship.” As was common with some Earth
navies, Starfleet ships are traditionally referred
to in the feminine.
Starfleet ranks are also modeled after Earth
navies, from admiral down to ensign, and
even including midshipmen (Academy cadets
receiving shipboard training). One notable
holdover from Earth’s naval tradition is calling
the commanding officer of a vessel “captain”
even if they hold a lower rank than captain.
Many shipboard positions also have naval
origins. The second in command is called the
first officer, executive officer, exec, or XO. The
head of a department is called a chief, such as
the chief engineer. In earlier eras (through the
original series), the officer piloting the ship is
called the helmsman, and crews include the
position of yeoman, which is an assistant to
higher-ranking officers.
For players who wish to immerse themselves in
nautical-sounding speech, consult the following
lexicon, which lists terms and phrases useful in
giving orders and describing situations during a
Star Trek Adventures mission.
T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY
Abandon ship: Leave the (presumably doomed)
ship by previously arranged means, typically
transporter, shuttle, or escape pods. “All hands,
abandon ship!”
Abeam: Alongside the ship, on a line at a right
angle to the ship’s heading. “When she comes
abeam of us, transport the survivors aboard.”
Aboard: On a ship. “We have 300 tribbles aboard.”
Adrift: Unmoored and not moving under the
ship’s own power, likely drifting. “No power
readings…she looks to be adrift.”
Aft: Toward the back of the ship. “Aft torpe-
does, fire!”
Ahead full: Proceed at full speed, normally
interpreted on starships as full impulse.
All stop/full stop: Stop propulsion and bring
the ship to a stop (possibly relative to some
other object). A common response to this order’s
completion is, “Now reading all stop.”
Amidships: In the middle of a ship. “The tor-
pedo struck her amidships.”
Astern: Behind or toward the rear of a ship. “The
object they dropped lies astern of the ship.”
Aye: Confirms that an order has been heard an
understood. “Aye, sir,” or the more emphatic
“Aye aye, sir.”
Battle stations: Orders the crew to prepare
for combat immediately. “All hands to battle
stations.” The similar order “general quarters”
does the same.
>>>
49
 <<<
Bearing: The direction of an object relative to
a starship. “Sensors are picking up an object
bearing 245 degrees mark 18.” (Note that
you would say this as “two-four-five degrees
mark one-eight” rather than “two hundred and
forty-five degrees mark eighteen.”)
Belay: Cancel. “Belay that order.”
Bow (rhymes with “how”): The front of the
ship. “The anomaly is just off our bow.”
Bulkhead: A dividing wall between shipboard
compartments. “The enemy boarding party
is trying to cut through the bulkhead into
engineering.”
Captain on the bridge: A formal way of
announcing a commanding officer’s arrival.
Variants include other locations (“Captain
on deck!”) and flag officers (“Admiral on
the bridge!”).
Clear the bridge: Orders all non-essential
personnel to leave the bridge.
Closing: Moving closer. “That sensor blip has
returned, and it’s closing fast.”
Come about: Change the ship’s course to a
new heading. “Come about to 045 mark 7.”
Course: A path set by a navigator, giving the
ship a new heading. An intercept course is one
type, intended to meet up with a target vessel.
“Set a course for Betazed.”
Dead ahead: Directly in front of the ship. “The
pirate ship is dead ahead.” Something directly
behind is dead astern.
Dead in the water: Disabled and incapable of
defending oneself. “One more hit and we’ll be
dead in the water.”
50 CHAPTER 2.30
Deck: A horizontal level or “floor” of a ship.
“Impact on deck five!”Drydock: A starship repair
yard located in space, away from gravitational
or atmospheric interference. “The ship will need
some time in drydock to repair those breaches.”
Fore: Toward the front of the ship. Often inter-
changeable with “forward.” “Report to the fore
phaser room.”
Hail: Initiate communications. “Hail the
Romulan vessel” or “Open hailing frequencies.”
Hand: Crew member. “All hands, brace for
impact!”
Hard aport / hard astarboard: Turn the ship
as quickly as possible in the specified direction.
“Hard aport, get us away from that station!”
Heading: The direction a ship is moving
relative to galactic coordinates. “The Tholian
ship has a heading of 110 mark 12 – directly
toward the convoy.”
Heave to: Another way of ordering a ship to
stop, often issued as a demand. “Orion vessel,
heave to and prepare to be boarded.”
Helm: The controls for piloting the ship (aka the
conn in later eras).
Leave / shore leave: Time off from duties,
especially shore leave, involving downtime on
a planetary surface. “Looking forward to shore
leave on Risa?”
Maiden voyage: A vessel’s first assignment.
Port: To the left side of the ship. “The signal came
from our port side, 120,000 kilometers away.”
Shakedown cruise: A simple mission to test a
ship and her crew’s readiness for duty after first
being constructed or after major repairs or refit.
Shipshape: Functioning normally.
Shipyard: A starship construction facility,
which may be on a planetary surface or
may consist of orbital drydocks. “The
newest class of cruiser is under construc-
tion at the Utopia Planitia shipyards.”

Skeleton crew: The minimum number of

hands required to operate a ship, often
assuming little or no redundancy.

Starboard: To the right side of the ship.

“Starboard shields buckling!”

Steady as she goes: Remain on current

course; keep doing what you’re doing.

Stern: The back, or aft-most, part of the

ship. “The pursuing ship has struck our
stern.” Something behind the ship is called
“astern,” or “dead astern” if it is exactly
behind.

Take the conn: Can mean either take

control of piloting the helm of a starship
or shuttle, or take command of the ship
(e.g., if the commanding officer or watch
officer has to leave the bridge and turn over
command to someone else).

Underway: Describes a ship in motion.

“Once we are underway, the trip will take
two days.” 

02302

T H E S TA R T R E K U N I V E R S E I N P L AY 51
52
 CHAPTER 03.00

STA R T RE K E R A S
A ND P LAY S TY L E S
03.10 ERAS OF PLAY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

03.20 STYLES OF PLAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S 53
 CHAPTER 03.10
ER AS OF P L A Y
“ Ho w lit t le do yo u mortals u n d erstan d time.”
SELECTING AN ERA OF PLAY
The Star Trek franchise spans thousands of
years of storytelling, though that massive
breadth of time can be broken down into
specific eras of play. The various eras can
generally be mapped to specific series, though
as the franchise continues to grow, there are
THE FOUNDATIONAL YEARS (2063-2199)
This era includes Star Trek: Enterprise, elements from
other series, and parts of Star Trek: First Contact.
Hope and Distrust
THE LATTER HALF OF THE 21ST CENTURY WAS A
time of great change for humanity. The hundred
years after Earth’s first contact with an extra-ter-
restrial civilization would prove to be formative
and crucial to the eventual safety of the local Orion
Spur. Earth lay in ruins. World War Three had ended
without a victor. The military forces of Earth had
beat themselves bloody and destroyed everything
around them in drug-fuelled, nuclear rage. Vulcans
had always seen humanity as unworthy of con-
tacting, an emotional and dangerous species that
didn’t have the common sense of even the warlike
Andorians. The Human Zefram Cochrane changed
everything overnight on April 5, 2063, when he
rode Phoenix into orbit and broke the warp barrier,
ironically on top of a rocket designed for mass
destruction. The Vulcan survey vessel T’Plana-Hath
made landfall after monitoring the Phoenix’s flight,
beginning a nearly century-long struggle between
the two peoples.
54 CHAPTER 3.10
— “JUDGE ” Q
overlaps where multiple series fit into the same
general era. This chapter details the key eras of
play you and your group should consider when
determining when in the Star Trek timeline you
wish to set your adventures. 
03101
Earth was dying from climate change, radioactive
pollution, and nearly a century of constant warfare.
Humanity began to see its own follies in a new light,
and began to make changes for the better. Vulcans
assisted in the rebuild effort to some extent, though
they also worked to ensure Humans didn’t push
too far too quickly. Unlike what they had done with
the other species in the local stellar neighborhood,
Vulcans refused to assist humanity with technolog-
ical and scientific studies beyond allowing medical
exchange programs to visit a slowly uniting Earth,
Luna, Mars, and the fledgling colony on Alpha
Centauri. Vulcans had been exploring space since
Earth’s 4th century, Tellarites and Andorians since the
late 19th and early 20th centuries, respectively, and
Earth was forced to play catch-up.
Each technological development, each breakthrough
in warp technology was hindered by Vulcan inter-
ference and the sowing of doubt in humanity’s own
ability to walk as equals in the Galaxy. At each step,
humanity surprised the Vulcan High Command with
breakthroughs through means the Vulcans would
consider reckless, dangerous, or impossible. The
Warp 5 program was the breakthrough the United
Earth Space Probe Agency (UESPA) and Earth’s
Starfleet needed. With the construction and launch
of the NX-01 Enterprise in 2151, a new age of
exploration began, one with a renewed Earth looking
outwards, not just with wonder of all there was to
discover, but with hope.
Coalition and Federation
The exploits of Enterprise during her early voyages
opened up the nearby Orion Spur to humanity’s eyes
and showed how much the Vulcan High Command
had been hiding from Humans. Two species had
homeworlds even closer to Earth than Vulcan: the
Andorians and the Tellarites. While the Tellarites had
a neutral relationship with the Vulcans, the Andorians
were hostile and teetering on the edge of open con-
flict with the High Command. The increasing presence
of Starfleet and UESPA vessels in the regions near the
Sol system drew attention, first from the Suliban, then
from the Xindi, both of whom struck out at Earth and
its colonies. These brief conflicts drew together the
Vulcans, Andorians, and United Earth, and it was only
a short time before Tellar Prime was also drawn into
the burgeoning group of allies.
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
The addition of the trade fleets of the Tellarites to
what was called the Coalition of Worlds was a step
too far for the new allies’ oldest foe, the Romulan
Star Empire. Originally a group of dissident Vulcans
who fled their homeworld, the Romulans had been
interfering in the Vulcan government for centuries
in an attempt to force a return to older ways. Many
historians believe that much of the Vulcan antagonism
towards the Humans and Andorians was started and
supported by the Romulans in order to weaken all the
nearby allies. Events quickly unfolded as Romulan
interference was brought forward. The Coalition of
Worlds was at war, and Earth was the primary target.
During the Earth-Romulan War, bonds were forged
that bound the members of the Coalition together.
The war was brutal and every world lost tens
of thousands of officers and crew, in addition to
countless civilian casualties. Worlds burned from
orbital bombardments. Before, there was a loose
coalition of worlds, then the war made each member
see the others in a new light, one in which they not
only could, but should, cooperate. The founding of
the United Federation of Planets on August 12, 2161,
with the original delegates from Vulcan, Andor, Earth,
55
 and Tellar Prime, built a framework for a government
that stabilized the region for dozens of light-years in
every direction. Starfleet, with the remnants of UESPA
at its core, quickly became the Federation’s unified
organization tasked with exploration and defense.
Following the founding of the Federation, worlds in
the region – including some previously encountered
by Captain Archer of Enterprise – began clamoring for
FRIEND OR FOE
Prior to the formation of the Federation, United
Earth’s Starfleet encounters many hostile (or,
at the very least, uncaring) antagonists in the
region around the Sol system. The primary
source of friction are the Vulcans. They are the
species to make first contact with humanity
after the flight of Phoenix, and they attempt
to slow humanity’s progress and refuse them
scientific and technological help. Once humanity
begins to encounter other species who know
little about Humans besides what they heard
from Vulcans, relations are cool at best, filled
with doubts about the motivations of humanity
and their independence from (or control by) the
Vulcans. Until the formation of the Coalition of
Worlds, nearly every civilization encountered
is a possible antagonist, distrust (both real and
instigated by the Romulan Empire) making each
unwilling to cooperate. The Xindi also have a
hostile relationship with United Earth at this
time, and a limited war is waged between the
two polities in 2153 and 2154. Before the Xindi,
FEDERATION AND EMPIRE (2200-2299)
This era includes Star Trek (the original series),
Star Trek: The Animated Series, the first two
seasons of Star Trek: Discovery, and all six original
series era motion pictures (plus the beginning of
Star Trek: Generations).
THE DAWN OF THE 23RD CENTURY SEES THE
Federation bringing stability to system after system,
56 CHAPTER 3.10
admittance to the new government. Lorillia, Denobula,
and Arcturus soon joined as they saw the benefits of
mutual assistance and the sharing of scientific and
technological advancements. The last half of the 22nd
century saw the Federation begin its push outwards
into the Galaxy as it slowly rebuilt from the devasta-
tion of the Earth-Romulan War. Once it was stable,
the peaceful explorers in Starfleet would begin to get
pushback from less-cooperative galactic neighbors.
Earth encounters the Suliban, an antagonistic
faction that was used as pawns in the earliest
front of the Temporal Cold War.
As the Romulan threat emerges, Captain
Archer and the diplomats of United Earth begin
to form the Coalition of Worlds. It is fortuitous
timing, as the outbreak of hostilities with
the Romulan Empire begin in 2156 and last
until 2160. During this time, there is a shift
of former foes becoming steadfast allies, and
the primary antagonist becoming the Romulan
Star Empire and the puppet governments
they controlled. The formation of the United
Federation of Planets in 2161 makes official
the friendship between Humans, Andorians,
Tellarites, and Vulcans. For the rest of the 22nd
century, the primary antagonists you’re likely
to encounter are possible holdouts of member
worlds unwilling to join the Federation, as well
as Orion pirates, Klingon raiders, and die-hard
Romulan factions. 
03102
while at the same time the Klingon Empire sees
more disorder as it grows towards the Shackleton
Expanse. Inside the Empire, the Great Houses of
Qo’noS, under the rule of a series of weak chancel-
lors, begin feuding with each other. While conflict
had been common previously, the wars that occur
early in the century are the result of a push for
“purity” in the aftermath of the Augment virus that
made some Klingons more Human than was com-
fortable for non-infected Klingons. Extremism led to
wars of purification and the Empire turned on itself,
allowing the Federation to grow unchecked against
the established border zone and beyond.
The expansion of the Federation is slow at the begin-
ning of the century, with colonies and new worlds
being added every few years. Expansion begins to
accelerate with new warp field theories driving new
technologies, better subspace communication arrays,
and the construction of deep space outposts. In 2243,
Doctor Richard Daystrom develops the duotronic
computer system, as revolutionary as the introduc-
tion of the warp drive. These new computers are so
powerful and can process data so quickly that every
element of the Federation is impacted, none more so
than Starfleet. Exploration vessels can detect worlds
from further away, starships can adjust their warp
field automatically at picosecond response times, and
data sets that earlier were thought to take decades
to process can be compiled in a matter of weeks. An
explosion of technological innovation occurs across
the Federation, and Starfleet’s push into the final
frontier accelerates faster than anyone could have
anticipated. New Constitution-class starships are
commissioned and immediately sent far beyond the
borders of the Federation on five-year missions that
become the stuff of legend.
The Klingon Empire looks on at the new Federation
golden age with envy, but can do little to stop them,
due to continued inter-House warfare. The fighting
begins to show signs of ceasing as some Great
Houses conquer new subject species and begin
salvaging older Hur’Q spaceframes left over from
the ancient occupation of the Klingon homeworld
and other nearby worlds. With the rise of pow-
erful warlords and strong leadership on Qo’noS,
consolidation of power is finally sufficient to bring
the Empire into a semblance of unity by the 2250s.
Klingon intelligence assets within the Federation
steal duotronic computer systems, but it takes years
for Klingon engineers to fully reverse-engineer the
technology. Hostilities between the two polities
begin with Klingon raids into Federation-claimed
space in the early 2250s, which lead to brief
open hostilities through the end of the 2260s. The
Federation-Klingon wars of those decades include
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
the failure of colonization attempts of both polities
in the border region, loss of life numbering into the
hundreds of thousands, and a mistrust of each other
that lasts until 2293.
These brief wars end in 2267 with the intervention
of a non-corporeal species known as the Organians.
This species enforces the so-called Treaty of Organia
in which they threaten to render both polities’ fleets
and other space assets immobile and trap the offend-
ers on their homeworlds permanently unless they
peacefully handle arguments about disputed systems,
worlds, and resources.
Relations between the Federation and Klingon
Empire only thaw permanently after the disaster at
Praxis, when the Klingon moon is destroyed through
mismanagement of dilithium mining operations. The
ecological damage to Qo’noS is extreme, with the
accelerated collapse of the Empire a distinct possi-
bility. The Organian prediction that both the Klingon
Empire and Federation would work together as allies
comes true only through the efforts of Federation
diplomats and Chancellor Gorkon, followed by his
daughter and successor Azetbur, at the Khitomer
Conference. While the Empire is forced to forgo its
claims to a large swath of star systems in the Arcanis
sector, the technological and material support from
the Federation saves the Empire from becoming a
failed interstellar polity.
Elsewhere, the enemies of both the Klingons and
Federation are not quiet. Border incursions from the
Romulan Star Empire begin in 2266 after almost a
century of peace. The Imperial Navy had improved
upon the cloaking devices they used during the
previous century’s war and developed a powerful
new plasma torpedo system. The delicate balance
of power along the Romulan Neutral Zone is almost
shattered before that first incursion is halted, but with
it, the knowledge of the Vulcans’ ancestral connec-
tion with Romulans becomes public. Questions of
loyalty to the Federation are asked of the Vulcans,
but the firm allies at the center of the Federation
hold together and begin a slow process to bring the
Romulans into galactic politics.
57
 HOT AND COLD
As the Federation expands into the space sur-
rounding the founding member’s homeworlds,
conflicts inevitably arise. The primary antagonist
in Star Trek Adventures stories in the 23rd
century should usually be the Klingon Empire.
Humanity and the Federation as a whole had
known about the Empire since Vulcans made
contact with Qo’noS in the early 21st century,
but with the Empire expanding away from
Federation space, conflict seemed far off.
However, the rapid expansion of the Federation,
along with the clamoring of worlds near the
Empire not wanting to be annexed, means that
conflict becomes inevitable.
The middle of the 23rd century is known mainly
by the cold war with the Empire where both
sides competed with each other to gain access
to star systems and their resources. A brief,
brutal open conflict occurred in 2256, followed
by intermittent skirmishes before the Treaty of
Organia put to rest any further large-scale con-
flicts. This didn’t mean that hostilities stopped,
ALLIES AND ADVERSARIES (2300-2379)
This era includes Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star
Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and all
four Star Trek: The Next Generation motion pictures.
THE PEACE THAT THE KLINGON EMPIRE AND
Federation share isn’t one that can be relied upon,
and both nations work to ensure that war isn’t the
outcome of disagreements. The stabilization of
the climate of Qo’noS and the other settled worlds
in the Klingon home system by Starfleet Corps of
Engineers terraforming teams requires decades of
work, slowing the colonization and terraforming
efforts elsewhere in the Federation. While Starfleet
continues to push into the frontier and integrate new
civilizations, the beginnings of large conflicts are set
in motion that change the Orion Spur as much as
the founding of the Federation itself did.
58 CHAPTER 3.10
as the Empire and Federation had small-scale
conflicts across the entire border region until
the disaster of Praxis.
Other antagonists you may encounter in this
era include the Romulans, who begin incursions
across the Neutral Zone in the 2260s. The
Gorn are first encountered in the same decade
and increasingly become a thorn in the side of
the Federation. The Kzinti and the Federation
briefly fight during this era, as the Kzinti view
the species comprising the Federation as weak
and genetically inferior. As this is a time of
rapid expansion for the Federation, many single
system polities come into brief conflict with
Starfleet vessels passing through, with many
later becoming members of the ever-growing
Federation. This expansion also brings both
the Klingon Empire and Federation into contact
with remnants from previous civilizations in the
region. Doomsday machines, whale probes, and
even godlike beings are encountered and cause
havoc for unwary space explorers. 
03103
In the first decades of the 24th century, Starfleet
makes it a priority to explore and chart the
entirety of the Romulan Star Empire’s border. As
many new habitable worlds are discovered and
new civilizations are contacted, it becomes clear
that the Romulans had done little expansion into
the coreward regions beyond their held systems
except to attack and enslave inhabited worlds. The
Federation Council decides to provide aid to worlds
about to be annexed by the Romulan Empire and
to offer Federation membership to shield them
from future aggression. The Federation expands
at a speed that the glacial Romulan Empire can’t
match. The Romulan Star Empire finds itself almost
entirely circled by Federation- or Klingon-held
space by the end of the 2320s. The Romulans
respond in the only way it knows: through subter-
fuge and indirect attacks.
The Romulan Star Empire begin a series of raids into
the Klingon Empire, often disguised as pirate forces,
but sometimes not hiding the fact that they were
Romulan. With the Klingon Empire still rebuilding
from the Praxis disaster, Starfleet is called upon to
assist the Klingon Defense Force (KDF) in hunting
down these raiding forces. The Romulans ensure
that they only attack worlds where Starfleet isn’t at
or can’t reach in time, and the Klingon government
comes to believe that perhaps this was a way for
the Federation to weaken the Klingon Empire.
In 2344, an event occurs that changes minds and
cements the relationship between the Klingons
and Federation: the Battle of Narendra III. U.S.S.
Enterprise NCC-1701-C, commanded by Captain
Rachel Garrett, responds to a distress call from the
Klingon colony on Narendra III and engages the
overwhelming force of Romulan warbirds intent on
annihilating the civilian population. The bravery of
Enterprise and the sacrifice of her crew and ship
showed all in the Klingon Empire that Starfleet
crews are willing to both die for their allies and die
honorably in battle. The Federation and Klingon
Empire soon signed a treaty that would enable the
two polities to work together as firm allies.
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
The final two conflicts are set in motion with the
rapid expansion of the Federation into star systems
claimed by the Cardassian Union. Many habitable
worlds are discovered in the region along the
border, and settlers from both polities claim the
same worlds. The result is worlds taking defense
into their own hands, with the two governments
not clear on who should be where. The Federation-
Cardassian War lasts from 2347 to 2366, and
includes low-intensity conflicts across dozens
of star systems. While the Cardassian military is
far smaller than Starfleet, it made up for its size
with brutality and a willingness to destroy civilian
targets. As Starfleet and the Cardassian military
skirmish year after year, the worlds defend-
ing themselves formed militias, then standing
militaries. When worlds begin to change hands
both during the war and after the treaty ending
it, partisan groups became common. The largest
of these were the Maquis, who continued to fight
against Cardassian occupation of their worlds until
they were later wiped out by the Dominion.
The Cardassian Union, while occasionally testing the
border patrols of the Federation, largely holds to the
peace treaty, but feels the Federation is not forceful
59
 enough in preventing continued Maquis raids and
attacks. Between 2366 and 2373, the Cardassian
government becomes more belligerent, demanding
Starfleet destroy the ”terrorist” group. With the
discovery of the Bajoran wormhole in 2369, the
Union begins to feel ignored by the Federation. Due
to these deteriorating relations, shortly after contact
with the Dominion is established in 2371, the
Cardassians join the Dominion in hostilities against
the Federation and its allies. The Dominion War is
fought between 2373 and 2375, resulting in horrific
COMPLACENCY
As the threat of the Klingon Empire falls to the
side after the destruction of Praxis and the
treaties that follow, Starfleet and the Federation
begin to become complacent and let threats
build in areas near their more static borders.
One of the primary antagonists in this era is the
Cardassian Union. Even before the Dominion
War, the Union is in direct conflict with the
Federation for nearly two decades (2347–2366),
well before the wormhole to the Gamma
Quadrant is discovered. This conflict leads to
the creation of a demilitarized zone in the region
between the two polities, and the peace treaty
forces whole planetary populations to leave
their homeworlds if they wish to keep the same
culture and freedoms they had grown to enjoy.
The Cardassians join the Dominion as allies
against the Federation, Klingon Empire, and
Romulan Empire. The Dominion War rages from
2373–2375 and could be the primary focus of
many games set during this time.
Aside from the Dominion, the most notable
threat to arise in this era is the Borg Collective.
These cyborgs originated in the Delta Quadrant,
60 CHAPTER 3.10
losses on both sides. While the Federation and its
allies stop the Dominion from destroying them, each
ally loses hundreds of starships and billions of lives.
While the 24th century starts with the hope of
long-term peace in the local Orion Spur, it quickly
devolves to low-scale warfare, then high-intensity
conflict. Each of the major polities experience
major changes in their policies that shift their gaze
inwards for decades to come.
tens of thousands of light-years from the
Federation, but with their use of transwarp
conduits, they begin to show up in unlikely
places. At first, many Borg attacks are passed
off as natural disasters, and even Starfleet is
initially unable to piece together the threat. The
Collective quickly becomes one of the largest
threats to the Federation, destroying an entire
fleet at Wolf 359, and, later, even time-travel-
ling in an attempt to destroy Earth during the
aftermath of World War III.
In addition to the Borg and Cardassians, the
Ferengi also pose a danger to many Starfleet
crews as they expand their trading networks.
The Q become an antagonist to Starfleet
crews as the Continuum begins toying with
the Federation and its allies in an attempt to
understand them better, often to the detriment
of Starfleet crews. Even the Maquis, a splinter
faction from the Federation who took the war
to the Cardassians in the brief years of peace
between the two governments, could become a
thorn in your group’s side during this period. 
03104
 POST-WAR AND
RECONSTRUCTION (2380-2399)
This era includes Star Trek: Lower Decks and
Star Trek: Picard.
THE YEARS AFTER THE END OF THE DOMINION WAR
bring a shift in focus for all the large polities.
Extensive resources were expended fighting the
Dominion and their allies, and even more are required
to rebuild formerly occupied worlds such as Betazed,
not to mention the large amount of aid required to
stabilize the broken Cardassian Union. Inside the
Federation, there is strong opinion to not assist the
Union, until the devastated world of Betazed pledged
the remains of their merchant navy to assist in the
relief efforts. The Betazoids’ gesture ensured public
opinion quickly swayed back to assistance.
In the Klingon Empire, the former leader of the
Empire’s military efforts, General Martok, becomes
Chancellor and begins a series of reforms. Subject
species and worlds across the Empire are given
more rights, most significantly, the right to serve on
KDF vessels, in an attempt to shore up the military
after the losses of the war. The former subjects
become Minor Houses in their own right and pledge
support to Chancellor Martok. While some waning
Houses fight against these reforms, the strength of
the Empire – diplomatically, economically, and mili-
tarily – improves at a faster rate than other allies.
The Ferengi Alliance provided trade and weapons
to both sides in the conflict, and the increasing
interaction with the Federation impacted their
society. The rise of Grand Nagus Rom in 2375 brings
significant changes to the Alliance: female citizens
gain equal rights to males, and limited labor unions
form for certain trades. While not a popular move
with the wealthiest of their society, and one resulting
in skirmishes between union members and hired
mercenaries, these reforms cause the economy of
the Alliance to become noticeably stronger in the
years after the war. The Alliance also becomes one
of the greatest contributors to the rebuilding of the
Cardassian Union. As the Grand Nagus notes, “A
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
little goodwill is an investment; a lot of it is insur-
ance against future uncertainty.”
The Romulan Star Empire suffers only minimal
losses during the Dominion War, but its losses from
home-grown events prove far more costly. The
Romulan Senate is assassinated by a Human named
Shinzon in 2379, and he claims the title of Praetor
with the assistance of Reman sympathizers. It is
only through Starfleet’s intervention that Shinzon is
stopped. Temporary political chaos follows as forces
from across the Empire converge on Romulus to
fight over who would become Praetor and lead the
new Senate. The looming civil war is halted in 2387
by the destruction of the Romulan star. The capital
system of the Empire is destroyed in minutes. The
radiation from the event renders more than fifteen
worlds uninhabitable and requires the evacuation of
billions of sentient beings.
With the remaining Romulan navy distracted by the
relief efforts, several Houses in the Klingon Empire
begin a series of annexations of bordering star sys-
tems inside the former Romulan Empire, expanding
Klingon territory coreward. Already surrounded by
Federation worlds, the furthest worlds of the former
Romulan state are allowed membership to both pro-
tect them from hostile pirate groups in the region and
to ensure they do not add to the chaos plaguing the
former Empire. This rapid expansion of the Federation
means Starfleet personnel already stretched thin
after the losses of the Dominion War suddenly find
themselves having to patrol and integrate nearly six
sectors of space, including former worlds inside the
now-defunct Romulan Neutral Zone.
The response to the Federation’s rapid expansion
is a colossal ship-building campaign by Starfleet to
better protect its new member worlds via easi-
ly-manufactured modular starship classes such as
the Inquiry-class. In response, multiple Romulan
factions begin manufacturing swarms of smaller
corvette-style birds-of-prey capable of swarming
61
 OLD FOES AND UNLIKELY ALLIES
The ending of the Dominion War brings rapid
change to the regions around the Federation. No
longer is the Cardassian Union a major threat
to peace; it becomes an ally in need. Even the
Ferengi become less opposed to Federation and
Klingon diplomatic efforts. The supernova of
the Romulan star in 2387 shatters the Romulan
Empire, and the already-friendly relations
between the Federation and Romulus are made
stronger during a Federation-led evacuation of
threatened Romulan solar systems.
The opponents of peace and stability become
more numerous even after the war. The return
of U.S.S. Voyager in 2378 brings a slew of
new antagonists the Federation may face,
from Hirogen hunting parties striking deep-
space assets, to the existential threat that
Species 8472 poses to all. Most importantly
is an increase in Borg attacks in and around
Federation space. Voyager brings with it
a target. Even with these new fleets, both Starfleet
and the Romulan factions continue to fall behind
on properly charting all of the now-open areas
of space, with inhabited worlds going undiscov-
ered only light-years from long-time Federation
THE TEMPORAL COLD WAR (27TH
CENTURY AND OTHER TIMEFRAMES)
This era includes elements from Star Trek:
Enterprise and other series.
THE TEMPORAL COLD WAR IS A PARADOX IN MANY
ways. Many of the primary participants originate
from the 26th to 31st centuries, but the battlefield
stretches widely across the timelines of multiple
branching universes. Participants even appear from
possible futures where they existed, intruding into
multiple pasts in order to ensure their future selves.
Temporal agents of the Federation in the 31st
62 CHAPTER 3.10
technology from the future designed to fight
the Borg, and with that comes the Collective’s
desire to assimilate the technology.
With Starfleet recovering from a devastating war
with the Dominion and forced to respond to Borg
incursions across its territory, older enemies
come to the front, including Orion pirate gangs,
Nausicaan raiders, Pakled opportunists, and
even Kzinti raiding out of their single star system.
The collapse of the Romulan Star Empire brings
the rise of dozens of single-star system polities
that could become threats to the Federation and
Klingon Empire as they gain access to former
Romulan shipyards, outposts, and weapons. Even
the most secure places in the Federation’s core
worlds and those near Qo’noS can come under
sudden threat from an unknown direction. While
the Dominion War may be over, Starfleet and the
KDF’s job is never complete. 
03105
member worlds. By the end of the 24th century, the
Federation firmly controls most disputed systems,
and law and order returns to systems plagued by
piracy and lawlessness for a decade or more.
century see a far different picture than those who
are living through the events in chronological order.
To them, the war stretches from antiquity into the far
future. Events have probabilities and history books
are just hopes for what may be, has been, or is.
The 26th century sees the beginning of events when
a parallel timeline intrudes into the 22nd century.
The Sphere Builders, capable of looking across time,
see that they would be defeated by the allied powers
of Starfleet and the KDF and decide to intervene to
ensure that the Federation never comes into exist-
ence. From that point, exact chronological events are
difficult to determine. One theory is that two separate
time travel events executed by Romulans – one from
the 24th century that attempted to change the 23rd
century, and one from the 27th century that sent
a strike force to 4th century Vulcan to assassinate
Surak – begin the process of polities sending agents
back in time to either secure crucial events or change
them in favorable ways. Many of these early agents
are lost in the shifting timelines, some going rogue
and continuing the fight long after their mission is
done. When multiple versions of Starfleet timeships
begin fighting each other for the right to be the “real”
version of themselves, the Federation detonates
multiphasic subspace field weapons in the early 25th
century to provide a dimensional “nudge” to nearby
parallel timelines. The goal is to shore up temporal
stability and prevent incursions from other possible
futures, but it accomplishes little, as new futures
appear each time an agent from any side travels
through time.
PARADOX
The Temporal Cold War is arguably the
most destructive of all conflicts seen by the
Federation and its allies. The war wages
across the centuries with fronts ranging from
small conflicts on Vulcan in the 4th century
to engagements as far forward as the 29th
century. One thing becomes certain for every
Time Agent, Loop Caster, and Starfleet officer:
no allies are allies forever, and the war means
forever is a possibility. While the Temporal Wars
cease in their own present, the ripple events are
still playing out across the Galaxy to those living
in other time periods.
Characters may encounter temporal agents that
are Federation, and perhaps even the same
species as them, but hold incredibly different
values. To them, your character’s life is already
over and their death recorded. To them, your
mission, while important to Starfleet or the KDF,
may be meaningless to their war, and they may
actively work against your completion of it for a
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
The Guardian of Forever (an ancient time travelling
device and sentient being), determines that the time-
lines of multiple realities are beginning to fray around
the edges from the constant splintering of possibili-
ties. A cease-fire is called in the relative present while
the Temporal Accords are debated. The end result is
peace as long as no new temporal warfare is waged
by any current or possible current participant. Any
polity engaging in attempts to change history would
be erased from reality. While peace is declared, the
war itself continues to be waged as agents, starships,
and even whole worlds move through space-time and
appear to perform their duties before disappearing
again into the past, alternate present, or future. The
primary battlefields of the 26th to 32nd centuries
are ones where events are unclear, a Gordian knot of
cause and effect in which even the most well-read
historian or researcher may be correct one moment
and then wrong the next.
The events after the signing of the Temporal Accords
are still as much in flux as before, but careful
bigger plan. Agents may also hail from your own
past when they weren’t allies or members of
the Federation or Empire.
Making things even more confusing are agents
and even starships that may stem from an
alternate timeline created from a temporal
incursion somewhen else. You may see your
characters encountering different versions of
themselves, each version absolutely certain
in their own right to exist and that they come
from the proper “Prime” timeline. Timelines far
different can begin to bleed into each other,
including ones where Romulans win the Earth-
Romulan War or even unlikely ones where the
Klingons lose the Great Tribble Hunt. What you
and your fellow players should know when
dealing with the Temporal Cold War is that every
new encounter, regardless of who they are, may
be friend or foe. And even those labels are only
temporary as the battle lines shift and change
across the millennia. 
03105
63
 study of the timeline by Accord Monitors existing
in subspace note few incursions from possible
realities. Only already-departed agents, vessels, and
probes are seen moving through the continuum, and
THE 32ND CENTURY
THE THIRD SEASON OF STAR TREK: DISCOVERY
takes the franchise into a bold, new direction and era
of play, moving the franchise approximately 800 years
ahead from 2399 to the late 3100s and upending the
major polities in the Galaxy. Much about the setting
remains the same, in terms of species and technol-
ogy, though much has changed as well.
Somewhere around the year 3069, a cataclysmic
event known as the Burn occurs, which renders
inert most dilithium in the known Galaxy. The Burn
causes the detonation of every active warp core,
crippling Starfleet and many other galactic polities.
Countless deaths result from the event, along with
the destruction of many cities, stations, and worlds.
New technologies must be created to compensate
64 CHAPTER 3.10
allowing them to continue to perform the missions
they’ve already accomplished will ensure the
stability of all possible futures.
for the changes, and active dilithium, now a rare and
precious resource, skyrockets in value.
The Federation is a shell of its former self, the
disparate pieces of it striving to hold together
and continue its mission. In the resulting anarchy,
various factions, such as the Emerald Chain, rise up
to gather power and influence. In short, an entirely
new stage is set for galactic intrigue and adventure.
What role does your character play in this new Star
Trek era? What about your fellow player characters?
Will you play brave Starfleet officers looking to
chart a new course forward, or perhaps a crew of
independent traders seeking their fortune? Whatever
the case, the future is still being written, and there
is opportunity for you to blaze an all-new trail with
your gamemaster and fellow players.
 CHAPTER 03.20

STYLE S OF PL A Y
“So m e t i m e s t he o nly w a y t o f ind o u t wh ere you fit in is to step
o u t o f t h e ro ut ine , be c a use so me t im es wh ere you really b elon g
w a s w a it ing right arou n d th e corn er all alon g .”

— MICHAE L BURNHAM

SELECTING A STYLE OF PLAY

There are a variety of adventure and campaign
styles of play your gaming group can select
from to use as the foundation for your game.
Adventure is to be had, whether it is serving
within the deep interior of your territory, along
the borders, or exploring unknown space
far from home. This section details the most
common styles of play upon which Star Trek
Adventures stories can be built. Discuss with
your group which one appeals the most to
explore together, or if a combination of styles
better suits your group’s desires. 
03201

ADMIRALTY CAMPAIGNS
ADMIRALTY CAMPAIGNS PUT PLAYERS IN
high-ranking leadership positions either within
Starfleet or the Klingon Defense Force, allowing
them to make big decisions that could affect
billions of lives on multiple worlds. Chapter 3 of The
Command Division supplemental rulebook contains
detailed instructions for building squadrons of ships
for an Admiralty campaign; this section focuses on
this style of game from the player’s point of view.
The typical approach to an admiralty campaign is
for one player to take on the role of an admiral while
the other players fill the roles of support staff, such
as adjutants, intelligence officers, and Federation
diplomats. This sort of campaign can work across
many different time periods and regions of space.
A few examples include the birth of the Federation,
the years following the Khitomer Accords that
established peace between the Federation and
the Klingons, and the years before and after the
destruction of the Romulan star. Players in any
of these eras have to balance complex political
considerations with challenging logistical con-
straints. In many cases, the high ethical standards
embraced by the Federation further complicate mat-
ters. For instance, characters in charge of a squad-
ron along the Romulan Neutral Zone may feel an
ethical obligation to help Romulan refugees after the
destruction of their star. How will those characters
respond if the very refugees they’re trying to help
refuse to abandon the decades of hostility and bad
blood between the Federation and the Star Empire?
These questions, and the broad implications they
have for the future of the Federation, form the core
of an admiralty campaign.
Inside the Situation Room
The responsibilities entrusted to Starfleet admirals
vary widely. Some admirals command a squadron,
while others may work as administrators on a
starbase or at Starfleet Command. Some admirals
oversee a particular region of space, such as the
Cardassian border, while others work on a specific

S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S 65
 portfolio of issues or operations. Players and
gamemasters should have a good understanding of
what their game is about and make sure they create
characters with relevant expertise and skills.
Admiralty campaigns usually involve a heavy dose
of politics and intrigue. This may require the main
characters to establish relationships with spies,
informants, and diplomats from hostile powers.
RANK HAS ITS PRIVILEGES,
BUT IT COMES WITH COSTS AS WELL
I’ve learned a great deal about Starfleet over
the years, both in the Officer Exchange Program
and as the highest-ranking Klingon officer on
Narendra Station. I’m struck by how quickly
and easily Starfleet admirals trust the officers
around them. There’s never any question they’re
working toward the same ends. For a Klingon
general, trust must be earned. I’ve seen too
many officers struck down by rivals when their
backs were turned. Usually, it’s because of
66 CHAPTER 3.20
Encounters with Section 31, the secret faction
devoted to upholding Federation security at all costs,
may also occur in an Admiralty campaign. Often,
characters introduced in this style of campaign
have ulterior motives or hide their true intentions.
Admirals and their staffs must hone their ability to
sniff out deception and cement relationships with
adversaries. This creates great potential for social
conflict. You may want to review those rules with your
8236 03202 359
some old grudge between enemy Houses, some
insult from long ago that must be set right. But
sometimes the deathblow comes from an old
friend, a cousin, maybe even a sibling. As the
Galaxy’s great bard once remarked, that is ‘the
most unkindest cut of all’. In the Empire, that is
the true cost of rank.
—G
 eneral Kargan
gamemaster and think of ways your character can
apply social tools effectively in high-stakes situations.
Information is power in an admiralty campaign.
Admirals can’t be sure they’re making the best
decisions unless they can see the full picture.
Their support staff must make sure they’re doing
everything they can to gather accurate and com-
plete intelligence. They must also offer options of
how to proceed based on that information.
In many cases, different members of the support
staff may not agree on the best course of action.
Let’s say a certain trio of legendary Starfleet
officers, scheduled for retirement in just a few
months, stands accused of conspiring to assassi-
nate the Klingon chancellor. And let’s say the admi-
ral in your campaign has the authority to determine
Starfleet’s response to this volatile political crisis.
The admiral’s intelligence advisor may believe
that the evidence indicates the legendary Starfleet
officers were set up and falsely accused of this
crime. Further, the intelligence officer might advise
KLINGON ADMIRALTY CAMPAIGNS
Admiralty campaigns work much the same
in the Klingon Defense Force as they do in
Starfleet, though there are some important
differences to keep in mind. For instance, the
equivalent ranks to admiral in the Klingon
Defense Force are colonel, brigadier, and gen-
eral. Most officers of this rank serve under the
direction of the Military Commission of the High
Council, also referred to as the High Command.
Five generals form the High Command, which is
headquartered on the heavily fortified planetoid
Ty’Gokor. Additionally, many of the great Houses
of the Empire maintain militias composed of
warriors and vessels.
Throughout Klingon history, the Houses have
competed with one another for power and
position. This means a Klingon admiralty
campaign is as likely to focus on internecine
conflict as it is external threats. This contrasts
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
the admiral to order a special operations mission
to rescue the officers from the penal colony where
they’re detained. A Federation diplomat who’s also
advising the admiral on how to proceed may look at
the exact same situation and arrive at a far different
conclusion. The diplomat may look at the same set
of facts and conclude that any rescue mission to
free three aging officers could irreparably damage
the relationship between the Federation and the
Klingon Empire, destabilizing two quadrants and
putting trillions of lives at risk. Both the intelligence
officer and the diplomat make valid points. It’s a
tough call with a lot riding on the outcome, and it’s
likely that any decision the admiral makes is sure
to anger someone. This is the sort of high-stakes
dilemma admiralty campaigns are built on.
Gathering intelligence to inform the admiralty’s
decisions may require support staff to attend regular
briefings or to analyze reports and data gathered
by others. It’s important to remember that the main
characters in your campaign are supposed to be the
heroes of the story. Most heroes don’t spend their
sharply with a Starfleet admiralty campaign and
provides opportunities for a very different tone.
Klingon generals may have to keep an eye out
for betrayal from within their own ranks, or from
challenges from rival Houses. The threat of civil
war often looms over the Empire, and generals
must account for that possibility in their deci-
sions. Like Shakespeare’s tragedies, admiralty
campaigns often reach their highest stature in
the hands of Klingons. 
03203
67
 FOCUSES AND VALUES
FOCUSES
For this style of play, focuses in diplomacy,
history, leadership, interstellar logistics, nego-
tiation, political science, and persuasion may
prove useful.
VALUES
Following are ten example values for admiralty
campaigns. Values that reflect a leadership style
and a willingness to make big decisions will
often make sense for such a campaign. 
days analyzing reports from behind a desk. Rather,
they go out and do heroic things, often at great risk
to themselves.
Accordingly, admiralty campaigns may require
potentially dangerous fact-gathering missions and
maybe even covert adventures. Starfleet Command
usually frowns on admirals risking their lives by
personally going on such missions, so these tasks
often fall to support staff. However, flag officers have
wide latitude to determine the right personnel for their
operations. If a Romulan diplomat wishes to establish
a backchannel with the Federation to exchange vital
information but insists on speaking directly with a
high-ranking Starfleet officer, it’s entirely possible
that the admiral might make the calculation that
personally traveling across the Neutral Zone is worth
BLOCKBUSTERS AND PHOTON TORPEDOES:
CINEMATIC-STYLE CAMPAIGNS
GRAB AN ICE-COLD SODA AND A TUB OF POPCORN,
and don’t forget the buttery topping! Star Trek has
a long tradition of telling sweeping, action-packed
stories tailor-made for the silver screen, and you
68 CHAPTER 3.20
§ Born to lead
§ Information is power
§ Listen to opposing viewpoints
§ Follow the data
§ Act with confidence, even if you don’t
feel confident
§ The buck stops here
§ Trust, but verify
§ Deserve victory
§ Good leaders get their hands dirty
§ Keep your uniform spotless
03204
the gamble. Players in this kind of campaign should
remember that they need not spend all their time in
conference rooms listening to briefings and hashing
out scenarios. Admirals and their support staff should
make an effort to get out and experience the Galaxy.
Admiralty campaigns might feature diplomatic sum-
mits in exotic locations, high-stakes treaty negotia-
tions between hostile governments, demonstrations
of innovative scientific research and technology,
classified tactical briefings, and secret exchanges
with spies or double agents. Any of these situations
might go badly, resulting in the potential for action
and danger. If the admiral has a squadron of ships
under their command, then support staff might com-
mand those vessels and lead them to all manner of
strange new worlds on high-priority missions.
might want to capture that same cinematic feel in
your Star Trek Adventures game. In most cases,
movie-style games adhere to the same conventions
and tropes that you’ll find in most other campaign
styles. But there are a few considerations that can
set your game apart if your group decides to pull out
all the stops and go for box-office gold.
Often, the Star Trek film franchise distinguishes itself
from the iterations made for television by telling
bigger stories and leaning into action and adven-
ture. Usually, this means big-budget set pieces and
larger-than-life villains. Think of the destruction of the
Enterprise above the Genesis Planet or the menace
of Khan or the Borg Queen. Those stories can wow a
theater full of movie-goers, and they can inspire truly
memorable encounters in a roleplaying game. As an
added bonus, you and your fellow players don’t have
to worry about staying within a budget, so it doesn’t
cost you anything to amp up the scale and action of
your game.
As a player in a movie-inspired campaign, you should
display a willingness to go for broke and risk it all to
create thrilling moments. This might mean taking on
the role of the action hero, such as when Jean-Luc
Picard and James Kirk team up to fight Tolian Soran
on Veridian III. Or this philosophy might lead your
character to make the ultimate sacrifice to save their
crewmates, such as when Spock exposes himself to
lethal radiation to conduct engine repairs, or when
Data uses his emergency transporter to beam Picard
to safety instead of himself before the destruction of
the Scimitar. These kinds of personal sacrifices should
occur at crucial moments in the story, and they
should make a big difference in the plot by saving the
other main characters, or achieving some other major,
positive development. If you have doubts about your
main character dying, no worries. They can always be
resurrected in the sequel. Work with your gamemas-
ter to figure out how that can work within the context
of your campaign.
Off-Screen Character
Advancement
A lot can happen “off-screen” in a campaign
aiming for a cinematic feel. In other campaigns, you
can expect much of the character development,
promotions in rank, and major improvements to your
starship to occur in game. That is, these situations
largely occur during a session and your character will
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
have a chance to respond to them in the moment.
In a cinematic campaign, months or years might
pass between adventures, and the beginning of one
adventure might find your character in a dramatically
different place than where they were at the end of
the previous adventure. Think of Hikaru Sulu, who
received a promotion to captain and took command
of the U.S.S. Excelsior between films. Similarly, Geordi
LaForge received prosthetic eyes and no longer
needed his VISOR between film appearances. These
are significant character moments, and, had those
developments occurred during a television series, we
might have expected scenes devoted to exploring the
ramifications they had for these characters. In a film
series, these developments often occur off-screen,
and the audience simply has to keep up.
Cinematic campaigns give you a chance to
dramatically change your character’s circum-
stances between adventures. At the conclusion of
a mission, you can go over possibilities with your
gamemaster and fellow players. Maybe a character
gets transferred or promoted before the next
adventure. Maybe significant personal develop-
ments occur, such as an engagement or marriage.
Don’t be afraid to shake up your character’s status
quo in big ways and then explore those changes
during the following adventure.
This same storytelling style applies to factors external
to your characters as well. Significant changes to
your campaign’s status quo may occur off-screen.
For instance, your crew might be transferred to a
newer, more advanced ship (maybe your gamemaster
will give your new ship the same name as your old
one, adding a letter from the alphabet to the end of
its registry). Or the political balance of power might
shift with the signing of a new treaty or the outbreak
of a new war. Characters from your supporting cast
might have moved on to different things, leaving new
characters with unfamiliar faces in their old positions.
As a player, you should try to accept these sudden
shifts in the status quo with an open mind. After all,
a good story pushes characters to grow and change.
Many entries in the Star Trek film franchise aim
to tell big stories that result in sweeping changes.
Characters may die, and ships may crash or explode.
You needn’t feel too attached to the old status quo.
69
 Each of these big changes is just a new opportunity
to tell a different story. And if there’s anything that’s
constant about the Star Trek universe, it’s that there
are always new stories to tell.
Make It Personal
One surefire way to crank up the stakes in your cine-
matic game is to make the story personal t your char-
acter. When Captain Kirk learns that Klingons killed
his son David on the surface of the Genesis Planet,
the entire complexion of the adventure changed. This
isn’t to say every cinematic adventure must result in
the death of a main character’s loved one, but having
something personally important at stake heightens
the sense of urgency.
FOCUSES AND VALUES
FOCUSES
You can expect plenty of action and high drama
in a cinematic game, so focuses such as
starship tactics, emergency medical response,
martial arts, temporal mechanics, and demoli-
tions might prove useful.
VALUES
Here are ten example values that might be
interesting choices for players in a high-stakes,
cinematic game. The goal with these choices is
to amplify the drama of the game. 
CAMPAIGNS BASED ON SEASON-LONG
STORY ARCS
SOME GAMES REVOLVE AROUND STORY ARCS THAT
play out over a series of intricately connected ses-
sions. These games focus on a central mystery or
conflict that starts early in the campaign and doesn’t
reach its conclusion until near the end, much like
the season finale of a television show. These cam-
paigns may place less of an emphasis on providing
70 CHAPTER 3.20
You may want to ask your gamemaster to work
elements from your character’s backstory, such as
your career events, into the plot of your next cine-
matic-scale adventure. If your character previously
served aboard a starship, perhaps that vessel is lost
or in danger. Maybe a friend or family member from
your character’s past needs help. The entire plot
doesn’t need to turn on your character’s connection
to the story; it might just be one smaller plot point
among many. And the story element you choose
doesn’t necessarily have to be something that’s been
established before. After all, we didn’t know Kirk had
a son until well into his Starfleet career. But, whatever
you choose to tie your character to the plot, it should
give your character added motivation to throw them-
selves into the action when the time comes.
§ Spring into action
§ No hesitation
§ Willing to sacrifice myself to save my crew
§ Always up for an adventure
§ Spoiling for a fight
§ True hero
§ One last mission
§ Always searching for something
§ Save the day
§ Resistance is never futile
03205
a resolution for individual episodes and save the
big payoff for the end. In Star Trek terms, you might
think of this approach as similar to how Star Trek:
Picard and Star Trek: Discovery are structured.
Think of the mystery surrounding the Red Angel
during the second season of Discovery or the real
reason behind the synth attack on Utopia Planitia
as depicted during the first season of Picard. A Star
Trek Adventures campaign can emulate this kind
of storytelling by posing questions and teasing plot
threads during early sessions that your gamemaster
may not intend to answer until later.
This campaign structure builds tension and allows
players to invest in the central themes and mystery
over hours of play. So, when the story finally reaches
its climax and the plot is laid bare, it can be tremen-
dously rewarding. Following are some guidelines to
keep in mind to stay engaged with the long game of a
season-long story arc.
Be Patient
Patience is a virtue in a game focused on a central
story arc. The default mode of Star Trek storytelling
showcases episodes that introduce a central conflict,
allow the characters to engage with the conflict,
and then reach a resolution – all within the span
of about 45 minutes. Conflict, in this case, simply
means a problem at the core of a story that the main
characters must solve. Most Star Trek series contain
episodes in which the main characters confront
a conflict and then warp off to their next adven-
ture where they’re likely to deal with a totally new
conflict that may have no connection to anything that
occurred in previous episodes.
Season-long story arcs involve conflicts that unfold
over a much longer period of time, and you may find
yourself dealing with the same conflicts from one
session to the next rather than starting each session
with a clean slate. This may require some patience
on the part of the players, especially those keen on
exploring as many strange new worlds and new civ-
ilizations as possible. If you’re playing in a campaign
that focuses on season-long, or even campaign-long
arcs, savor the sense of anticipation as you build
toward the conclusion. You can devote regular scenes
to having the main cast of your campaign speculating
on the events of the main story arc. If your campaign
takes place on a starship, make a point of having
the main characters meet in the conference room or
the crew lounge, reviewing clues and plot points and
guessing where the story is leading.
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
These scenes are valuable because it’s often quite
fun for the gamemaster to hear what the charac-
ters think of the plot, and it may also provide the
gamemaster with ideas they hadn’t thought of.
While many gamemasters perfect the skill of giving
the impression that they had everything planned all
along, it’s entirely possible your gamemaster may
not have determined what the conclusion of the
story arc will look like at the start of the campaign.
Often, hearing players’ speculation can inform a
gamemaster’s future decisions. If you’ve guessed
the answer to the campaign’s big mystery, the
gamemaster may want to throw you off the scent.
Or they may like some of your off-the-cuff ideas
so much that they weave them into the narrative
later. That’s only possible if you’re patient enough to
engage deeply with the long-form story arc.
It’s also helpful to slow down and regularly go over
the major developments of the central story arc to
make sure each player understands what’s going on.
Games revolving around a long-developing, central
story arc often involve an intricate and interconnected
web of characters, locations, and events. These layers
can build on top of one another to form a deep and
engrossing story, but the big payoff at the conclusion
likely will fall flat if the players don’t make an effort
to keep these elements fresh in their memories or
record them somewhere.
To this end, it’s usually good practice to begin each
session with a recap. Often, the gamemaster will con-
duct the recap of important plot elements, but it might
be valuable for the players to take turns reviewing
the story each session. It’s also usually good practice
to have open communication with your gamemaster
so you can ask questions when something in the
plot isn’t clear. Don’t be afraid to slow down and
exercise patience to make sure everyone at the table
understands the essential elements of the plot before
proceeding with consequential scenes.
Connect Your Character
with the Plot
This might be good advice for many different styles
of play across many different roleplaying games, but
it’s especially true for a game centered on long story
71
 arcs. You should try to find a way to connect your
character as closely as possible to the central story
arc. This style of game spends a lot of time building
toward a climax that might take a dozen or more
sessions to reach. When your gaming group puts
that much time and effort into one big story, you
want the resolution to feel as impactful as possible.
Making the stakes personal for your character is one
of the most effective ways of ensuring a meaningful
conclusion. The last thing you want is to feel like
the climax of the season-long arc didn’t make any
difference to your character’s development. Star
Trek Adventures offers a few mechanical elements,
such as a character’s values and focuses, that can
help you tie your character into the big story arc of
your campaign.
VALUES
Values are perhaps the most obvious tool in weaving
your character into a long-term plot thread. Values
motivate your character and provide insight into
your character’s priorities. Values that reflect
curiosity or a commitment to scientific inquiry, for
example, will keep your character in the mix during
a season-long story arc that centers on a mystery.
The ability to challenge values over the course of a
72 CHAPTER 3.20
long story arc also creates opportunities to develop
your character, and rich character development is
one of the hallmarks of season-long storytelling.
If you know your gamemaster intends to weave a
lengthy arc into your campaign, you may want to go
over your character’s values with your gamemaster
early on to see if they reinforce the campaign’s
themes. If so, play up those values during play. If
not, you might be able to challenge and change
them in play as the story arc unfolds.
FOCUSES
Focuses are your character’s specializations and
expertise, and represent one of the simplest ways
to make sure your main character is in the thick
of the action when the big, season-long story arc
reaches its conclusion. Make sure you take a few
moments to consider your character’s focuses and
how they might help to connect your character with
the ongoing story arc.
CAREER EVENTS
Elements from your character’s lifepath career
events can provide excellent fodder for long-term
storylines. This can be especially true if your group
took the time to roleplay scenes from the main
characters’ career events. You can work with your
gamemaster to mine your character’s career events
for interesting supporting characters, events, or
locations that could reemerge during your cam-
paign. Crucial points in your character’s backstory
can come back to drive your current adventures.
This kind of storytelling may require you and your
FOCUSES AND VALUES
FOCUSES
Work with your gamemaster to ensure one of
your focuses is relevant to the ongoing story
arc. Good all-purpose options, especially if the
story arc involves a mystery or scientific puzzle,
might include experiment design, history, inves-
tigation, and programming.
VALUES
Good values for this style of campaign reinforce
the themes of the story arc. Conversely, you
might choose values that you think might be
challenged over the course of the story arc,
allowing your character opportunities for growth
and change. 
CLOSE TO HOME: POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS
AND CORE WORLDS
SOME CAMPAIGNS MAY DEAL HEAVILY WITH A
single region of space rather than warping across
multiple quadrants and visiting a strange new world
every session. Or your campaign may return to the
same central world repeatedly throughout your trav-
els, immersing your character in the politics, culture,
and peoples of a specific planet or region, such
as the Badlands or the Triangle. This can provide
opportunities for your gaming group to engage in
deep world building. The more time you spend on a
single planet or in a specific region, the more you’ll
likely develop that setting with vivid details and
dynamic traits. This can be a rewarding collabora-
tive exercise.
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
gamemaster to collaborate closely and perhaps
share notes that other members of your gaming
group may not know until the story plays out. Or it’s
possible your gamemaster might surprise you by
calling back to your career events without cluing you
in ahead of time. Either approach can enrich your
game and tie your character into the central plot.
§ Scientific inquiry
§ The thrill of discovery
§ A good mystery is irresistible
§ I finish what I start
§ Patience is a virtue
§ See the whole picture
§ Goal oriented
§ Follow the clues
§ Teamwork
§ Trust the journey
03206
However, these kinds of campaigns also have a way
of piling baggage on your characters. When your
missions keep you close to a single region, your
actions and choices stick with you. You’re likely to
make friends, but you’re also likely to draw the ire of
enemies. Mistakes will come back to haunt you. You
can’t simply turn your back on the consequences of
your choices. You have to live with them.
This style of campaign may take place in the core
worlds of the Federation, perhaps on Earth or Vulcan.
Or, if you’re playing in a Klingon campaign, you might
spend much of your time on Qo’noS. These storied
locations have been the backdrop for countless
stories, and you shouldn’t have any trouble finding
73

QO’NOS AND THE
HEART OF A KLINGON
“Qo’noS will always make my Klingon heart
sing, as it should for every true warrior. Yet
part of me will never forget how I was once
exiled from the homeworld of my people. I
will never forget how my father was wrong-
fully accused of treason to cover for the
crimes of the privileged and powerful. Even
with my family’s honor restored, I can’t help
but view the great halls of Qo’noS through
that lens. For good or ill, no one can outrun
their past. And, if you’re not careful, your
past can haunt an entire world like the
tormented souls of Gre’thor.”
— Worf on the Klingon homeworld
interesting things to do on these worlds. Politics and
diplomacy might play major roles in your campaign.
Various factions might vie for power, and your deci-
sions might tip the scales in one direction or another.
Imagine a Klingon campaign in which powerful
Houses maneuver for influence among the High
Council. Or think of how Captain Jonathan Archer
and the NX-01 had to build trust among the founding
FOCUSES AND VALUES
FOCUSES
Focuses like commerce, diplomacy, encryption,
intimidation, persuasion, politics, and spycraft
may prove useful in a close-to-home campaign.
VALUES
Character values in a close-to-home game
might revolve around home, family, politics,
duty, honor, and other related topics. 
74 CHAPTER 3.20
worlds of the Federation, planets that in some cases
had been on the verge of war with one another.
This close-to-home campaign approach might also
apply further away from the core worlds. It might
be rewarding to spend an entire campaign ushering
a frontier world through the process of becoming
a member of the United Federation of Planets. This
could be an original world or colony that you invent
with your gamemaster and fellow players. You might
draw inspiration from watching the crew of Deep
Space 9 as they deal with the many complications
and crises that mark the Federation’s relationship
with Bajor. In addition to building relationships with
various Bajoran political factions, the crew also has
to contend with the constant specter of Cardassian
interference, as well as the Maquis and, later, the
Dominion. Throughout the series, the characters
cement relationships, make hard decisions, and deal
with the consequences of everything they did to
change the course of the region.
Similarly, a Star Trek Adventures campaign that fol-
lows this model will offer you the opportunity to build
prolonged relationships with any and all influential
factions that inhabit your chosen region of space.
In many cases, the motivations of these factions
may come into conflict with each other. Your regular
presence in the area impacts the local politics and the
§ Loyalty
§ The mission comes first
§ No place compares to home
§ Accept responsibility for your mistakes
§ Make a difference
§ Build relationships
§ All’s fair in love and politics
§ Play for keeps
§ Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith
§ Respect alien cultures
03208
balance of power. You may find that your character is
sympathetic to a particular faction but unable to help
them. This might be due to Starfleet orders, the Prime
Directive, or treaty stipulations. You may find that
collaborating with an adversarial faction, or otherwise
compromising your principles, may serve the greater
good of your mission. You might also find that your
character’s feelings about a particular character or
faction may shift over the course of the campaign as
the story evolves.
DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION GAMES
HUMANS HAVE AN INSATIABLE LUST FOR EXPLO-
ration. We have been enraptured with the idea of
space long before our first rocket went into orbit.
An everlasting fire was set in the hearts of people
ever since the first person looked down on the
blue orb called Earth from the earliest manned
starships. But humanity is not alone in its quest to
visit the stars. Hundreds of other species share the
appetite for adventure.
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
Imagine the complex emotions Kira Nerys must feel
as she risks her life to help the Cardassians – a
people that oppressed the Bajorans for much of her
life – overthrow the Dominion during the late stages
of the Dominion War. This kind of textured story-
telling works well in a close-to-home style game,
but may not work as well in a traditional Star Trek
series in which the crew travels to dozens different
systems but rarely spends a great deal of time at
any single location.
In like manner, you may have decided to play Star
Trek Adventures so that your imagination can take
you farther than any Human has gone before. The
Star Trek universe has an endless array of strange
new worlds, fascinating civilizations, and scientific
wonders to explore, and you might want to be the first
Starfleet or Klingon officer to discover them. You are
willing to land on hostile planets, encounter bizarre
anomalies, and interact with extraordinary beings, all
for the sake of saying you were the first to do so.
75

PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES
My first assignment was a deep space mis-
sion. I was 22 years old and fresh out of the
Academy. Back then, we would be weeks – if
not months – from a starbase, alone, sometimes
with only our instincts to guide us. I do not know
what made me want such a perilous assign-
ment. Was it the naiveté of youth? Was I excited
by the risks? It was some of that. But more so,
it was my desire to keep journeying farther and
farther, to set foot on soil that no other Human
Not everyone is cut out for deep space exploration
missions. You will be estranged from friends and
family you leave behind. You will be far away from
the safety and security of the Federation or Klingon
Empire. You will need to use every iota of wit and
ingenuity to overcome unprecedented challenges and
come up with novel solutions to an endless array of
wild situations.
Even though you will be warping into the deepest
regions of the Galaxy, it does not mean you are com-
pletely alone. Deep space does not mean unexplored
space. It could mean that it has not been explored
by you. Your crew may unwittingly cross into the
sovereign territory of another species or pass into the
realm of monstrous or godlike creatures. There are
things out there beyond description, and hazards that
have cost entire crews their lives. Still, you daunt-
lessly press onward seeking to reap the rewards of
knowledge that might be the key to unraveling the
ancient secrets of our universe.
This style of campaign is well-suited for fans of Star
Trek: Enterprise or Star Trek: Voyager. Star Trek
Adventures enables you to play a variety of deep
space exploration campaigns. A few options are
listed below.
Scientific Missions
Most deep space exploration missions depicted in
Star Trek serve the main purpose of expanding the
Federation’s knowledge of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Though it is rarely seen, it is logical that the Klingon
Empire has its own form of exploration.
76 CHAPTER 3.20
8236 03209 359
had tread, to fly into the infinite unknown, to
push the boundaries of forever. Even if I never
made it back, I would have led a singular life
and contributed to the advancement of my
species like no other person had. Eternity is in
the hearts of those who keep rushing into the
void. We are the spirit of humanity.
—C
 ommander Pavel Chekov
Seeking out new life and new civilizations is just part
of deep space missions. Survey missions help chart
star systems and spatial phenomenon. They mark
hazards that could endanger other vessels that are
seeking to do more detailed exploration of star sys-
tems or desiring to set up colonies. Survey missions
could include setting up subspace beacons to enable
long-range communications or establishing defense
nets to protect from hostile invasions. These missions
can also help locate valuable resources that are of
use to Federation worlds and their colonies.
Discovering new life could mean encountering a
sentient species. First contact is a carefully-regulated
event. It is logical that any deep space exploratory
vessel would have mission specialists well-versed in
first contact protocol, diplomacy, and xenolinguistics.
Some deep space missions involve studying
strange anomalies, searching for lost ships, and
even crossing the boundaries of time and space.
Officers are expected to keep detailed logs of
all their findings. Every piece of data adds to
the collective knowledge of the Federation. And,
ultimately, knowledge is power.
Tactical Missions
The farther starships push into the Galaxy, the more
likely they are to encounter a hostile species with
designs of its own. This has switched the tone of
some deep space missions from scientific to tactical.
A good example of this is Starfleet’s explorations
of the Gamma Quadrant. It was not long after the
Bajoran wormhole was discovered that Starfleet,
Ferengi, Klingon, Romulan, Pakled, and other vessels
began exploring the newly-opened region of space.
Non-Starfleet Missions
Deep space exploration is not solely under the
Within a short time, it was discovered that the
purview of Starfleet. Independent organizations,
Dominion held sway over much of the quadrant and
civilian agencies, and Federation members are free
they were not pleased about all the “solids” pouring
to pursue their own expeditions. This is highly risky
through from the Alpha Quadrant.
since most vessels are rarely as well equipped as
their Starfleet counterparts.
What initially was met with excitement was soon
replaced with a sense of dread. Exploring the Gamma
EXAMPLE: Irene and Magnus Hansen were
Quadrant was equivalent to poking a hornet’s nest.
Human exobiologists studying the Borg. They
Before long, Starfleet and its allies were devoting
set off on an independent research project sup-
more resources to tactical exercises and intelli-
ported by the Federation Council on Exobiology.
gence-gathering missions into the Gamma Quadrant
They, along with their daughter, Annika, set out
than to scientific studies.
in 2353 aboard the U.S.S. Raven. Despite being
warned against it, they left Federation space.
In a similar manner, your crew might decide on
The mission ended tragically with their assimi-
a clandestine deep space mission into Dominion,
lation by the Borg.
Romulan, Breen, Tzenkethi, or some other hostile
species’ space. Or maybe the unexplored Shackleton
If you choose to embark on a deep space mission
Expanse appeals to you and your players. Tactical
that is unsanctioned by Starfleet, be prepared to bend
missions afford more action, tension, and suspense
the rules to survive. The Prime Directive might not
than a purely scientific mission. But, gathering intelli-
hold much sway on the borderlands. You will likely
gence that will secure the borders of your species is
find yourself in backwater bars and ragtag outposts
essential to your survival.
searching for supplies or information. You may need
to form alliances with non-Federation species to

KLINGON DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION MISSIONS

Whereas Federation deep space missions take
on a more scientific or diplomatic role, Klingon
exploration has served a different purpose.
Expansion of their borders have historically
centered on conquest, acquisition of resources,
and tactical operations. These missions are
designed to strengthen the Empire and elimi-
nate possible threats to Klingon supremacy.
engage in battle more often. Therefore, assign-
ments aboard long-range exploration vessels
are not highly sought after. However, there are
those who have a passion to explore burning
deep in their hearts. They long for the chance
to bring honor to their House and to the Empire
by acquiring a new resource that will maintain
Klingon dominance in the Galaxy. 

Deep space missions aboard Klingon vessels

are hardly as comfortable as those aboard
Federation ships. Creature comforts like well-lit
surroundings, recreational facilities, and relax-
ing activities are scant. Long periods of time can
pass without meeting other species or encoun-
tering a habitable or resource-rich planet. Less
honor might be given to a scientifically curious
Klingon compared to one who has the chance to
03210

S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S 77
 survive or integrate alien technology into your star- the closest starbase via an encrypted subspace relay
ship to effect repairs. Still, some scientists, archeolo- network, until it finally arrives for analysis at Starfleet
gists, or treasure hunters brave the risks to reap the Headquarters. Curiosity dictates further exploration.
rewards, be they scientific or monetary.
Excitement grows as the vessel comes within a few
light-years of the target system. Sensors may start
Guidance for Deep Space picking up evidence of civilization. The subspace and
Exploration Games interstellar chemistry pallet could be brought online.
The communications and sensor arrays might start
If you are playing in a deep space exploration
to pick up radio signals or detect signs of post-indus-
campaign, you can expect to come across stellar phe-
trial civilizations. Long-range sensors are now close
nomena and alien civilizations that no other Starfleet
enough to pick up other starships in orbit of populated
or Klingon vessel have ever come across. But you
planets or in transit through space.
must first locate the anomalies. It is undoubtedly
thrilling to hear the commanding officer declare, “First
Once a starship is within a solar system, the true
star to the right and straight on ‘til morning.”
work begins. More detailed planetary analysis, remote
life-form analysis, and electromagnetic scanning may
A crew might start by initializing long-range scans
occur. Fully autonomous probes equipped with terres-
to locate star systems with a high probability of
trial and gas giant sensor pallets might be launched
having planets capable of sustaining humanoid life.
to retrieve data on interstellar particles. Material
Enhanced long-range particle and field detectors and
samples can be analyzed for chemical composition.
imaging systems might chart hazards along the way
Other probes can observe pre-warp civilizations and
like solar flares, supernovas, black holes, and a wide
transmit the data to the main ship. Multiple shuttles
variety of radiation, geomagnetic, or ion storms. All
manned by conn and science officers might strike
this information feeds the stellar cartography and
out into the system, forming away teams to collect
astrometric labs and is normally transmitted back to
samples from the surface of large asteroids, moons,

78 CHAPTER 3.20
 DISTANCE IN STAR TREK: THE SIMPLE SOLUTION
There are a variety of sources in published
form and on the internet that explain how long
it takes to get from here to there in the Milky
Way Galaxy. Also, it seems that sometimes the
deep space vessel has little trouble establishing
communications with the nearby starbase while
other times they are out of range. Give or take
a spatial anomaly or two, subspace communi-
cations should travel at roughly warp 9.9995.
This means that it would take a subspace
and planets. A hustle of activity fills every corridor as
material samples and data are brought back to the
ship to be analyzed, dissected, and catalogued in a
variety of science labs.
For most deep space explorers, the most valuable find
is a new sentient species. This is a sensitive interac-
tion that can go amazingly well or end in utter disas-
ter. The astonishing diversity of civilizations your crew
may discover can be created by your gamemaster
using the tools in the core rulebooks. The television
series had budgetary constraints that limited the type
of aliens that could be created for on-screen use. This
is not the case with your game. Gamemasters can
introduce the most obscure non-humanoid species to
the adventure. Your imagination is the limit!
Give some thought as to why your character decided
to take one of the riskiest assignments in Starfleet or
the Klingon Empire. What was their motivation? What
area of study did they want to expand on during the
continuing mission? Do they have friends on board
the ship or will they need to reach out to others to
form strong bonds?
SENIOR OFFICERS
If your character takes on a senior staff position
assigned to a deep space mission, you can expect
long stretches of quiet travel through interstellar
space. It could take months merely to reach the outer
borders of your territory and still many more weeks or
months of high warp travel before you arrive at a new
star system worth exploring. During that time, senior
staff members would be dedicated to making sure
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
transmission one full day to travel 144 light
years. However, this guideline seems to be bent
in more than one television episode.
You should understand that time and distance
in Star Trek is usually more of a plot device
than an exact science. Your gamemaster might
provide a variety of explanations why inconsist-
encies may appear. In any case, play along as
distance is rarely the crux of any story. 
03211
staff morale is high and departmental operations are
in top shape. These long interludes in action provide
an ample opportunity for staff members to improve
their expertise in their discipline of choice, learn new
focuses, and pursue artistic and cultural endeavors.
It is during these long periods of peace that amazing
friendships and romantic relationships are born.
Adventures can be born from scientific experiments
gone awry or relationships coming to a boiling point.
At the same time, staff members need to be ready
to jump into action at any moment. Even wide
swathes of interstellar void can contain oddities worth
dropping out of warp to inspect. Sensors might pick
up an incandescent swarm of spaceborne creatures
migrating at sublight speed through an emission
nebula. A derelict spaceship could appear on sensors
possessed by a sentient super-computer eager to
transfer its program to a better vessel. A cosmic entity
could suddenly appear in your vessel’s path, beckon-
ing the crew to play a game of chance.
An entirely new scope of adventure occurs when
the ship arrives in new areas of space. Senior staff
members are likely the first to set foot on strange
new worlds and establish first contact with new life
and new civilizations. Without the immediate support
of aligned vessels, only the most skilled officers dare
take lead on these missions. Starfleet Command and
the Klingon High Council are not quickly available for
consultation. Established rules and regulations cannot
possibly cover all facets of a deep space mission.
Commanding officers and senior staff members must
act independently, aware that their actions and the
79
 repercussions of such could be subjected to scrutiny
at the end of the mission.
JUNIOR OFFICERS
Junior officers can expect monotonous days fulfilling
their duty assignments. Staff meetings outlining
new protocols and shift handover meetings are on
the daily agenda. Long hours are spent performing
routine diagnostics on critical ship systems. Routine
maintenance duties may include lonely chunks
of time spent working in Jefferies tubes or in the
deepest bowels of the ship. Sensor arrays must be
realigned, computer data analyzed, weapons systems
tested, engines tuned, science experiments tracked,
power systems optimized, medical equipment main-
tained, replicators reprogrammed, waste managed,
staff fed, and quarters cleaned.
During breaks and off-hours, junior officers might
huddle together in enlisted mess halls that rarely
boast the same views or perks of the officer’s lounge.
This is time for junior officers and enlisted crew
to catch up on the day, exchange stories, discuss
their futures, or complain about their supervisors.
Downtime could be spent expanding knowledge in
their areas of expertise or enjoying their hobbies.
FOCUSES AND VALUES
FOCUSES
Focuses such as stellar cartography, first
contact, xenoarcheology, geology, botany,
metallurgy, life support systems, warp engines,
or sensor operations would be helpful for deep
space exploration missions.
VALUES
Here are some example values that might be
interesting choices for players in a deep space
exploration campaign. You may want to consider
choosing values that reflect maintaining com-
posure and insightfulness while exploring the
unknown or values that embody the drive to be
the first to see wondrous new things. 
80 CHAPTER 3.20
Since junior officer crew quarters generally contain
multiple roommates, bargaining for more time on the
holodeck might be a common occurrence.
Mission objectives and daily task lists can drastically
change with zero notice and little explanation. Red
alerts might have lower-ranking officers jumping out
of bed, throwing on their uniforms, and scurrying to
emergency stations with no idea of who or what is
endangering the ship. Junior officers must be ready
and willing to be transferred to other departments
that might encounter a staffing shortage.
A highlight for many junior officers is the opportunity
to accompany a landing party or an away mission
The pressure to perform is on as your character
desires to shine. Demonstrating their focuses and
talents on an away mission could be the difference
between a promotional opportunity and career
suicide. If you are playing a junior officer, what
motivated you to take the deep space assignment?
Was it to get more experience under your belt
to further your career? Was it to get away from
problems back home?
§ Ship sensors can’t tell you everything
§ Exploration is the blood that fills my veins
§ First Contact? Sign me up!
§ Seeking to find myself far from home
§ Experience will earn me that promotion
§ I prefer to be surrounded by strangers who
don’t know my past
§ You have to walk barefoot in the dirt to
really understand a world
§ We are all connected despite being
worlds apart
§ Never leave a stone unturned
§ To boldly go where no one has gone before
03212
CIVILIAN LIFE
There are several reasons why a civilian character
would want to join a deep space mission. Perhaps
they have negotiated temporary transport to get to
another ship, colony, or planet. Perhaps the civilian
character holds a specialty in archeology, astro-
physics, or geotectonic activity and they have been
assigned by a science council or representative
species to participate in a research study. It could be
that they chose not to undergo the rigors of Starfleet
Academy or Klingon training but still had the desire
to see the stars. Hence, they may have willingly
accepted the opportunity to work in a service function
such as cook, bartender, medic, counselor, journalist,
teacher, maintenance personnel, or quartermaster.
FAR FROM HOME GAMES
THERE ARE A VARIETY OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT
might cause your character and crew to be
displaced thousands of light-years from home. A
chance encounter with a Caretaker Array. Flung
whimsically to the other side of the Galaxy by a Q.
Caught in a spatial anomaly. Many officers recall the
tale of the starship Voyager cast 70,000 light years
from home. Though their tale had a happy ending,
very few ships have the power or stalwart crew to
survive such an ordeal.
Some vessels become generational ships, where the
offspring of the original crew have been born and
raised aboard a vessel. It has been their only home.
All their training has been in the field. Life in the stars
was not a dream, it was a harsh reality, one they have
adapted to in amazing ways. Your vessel and its crew
might be caught in such unexpected circumstances.
In this case, the characters might feel truly alone. Cut
off from communications with their people. Desperate
to find resources to keep the ship in working order.
Now they are the aliens in a new part of space.
This style of campaign is well-suited for fans of Star
Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Voyager, or Star Trek:
Discovery. Star Trek Adventures allows you to play
a variety of far from home campaigns. New species
and civilizations must be created from scratch as the
dominant powers of the Alpha and Beta Quadrant
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
Another possibility is that the character is the spouse
or relative of another crew member. They may spend
their days attending prerecorded classes, pursuing
personal hobbies and endeavors, or fulfilling another
function on the ship. They might even be raising a
family and dealing with the challenges of raising
children who have never set foot on a home planet.
Civilians have the lowest security access than any
others aboard a starship. It might be a struggle to feel
relevant while other crew members attend to their
duties. If you are playing a civilian, what motivated
you to join a deep space mission?
hold no claim in this uncharted region of space. Work
with your group to invent drastically different species
and worlds, the likes of which other Federation or
Klingon citizens may never encounter except through
your stories when you return home.
Lost in Space
This might be the most common form of far from
home campaign. You will need to answer a few
questions to make the premise plausible. What force
or technology was the catalyst for the extremely
distant journey? Exactly how far from home are you?
How many years at maximum warp would it take to
get back to your native region of space? Are you on
the other side of the Galaxy or in an entirely different
galaxy? What is the condition of the ship upon arrival?
Is it lacking resources and, if so, where will you
acquire them?
Lost in Time
Perhaps you crew has been flung far into the past or
thrust violently into the future. In either case, familiar
technology might be scant or non-existent. The social
and political landscape of planets and empires might
be totally different than what you were used to. What
spatial effect or technology allowed you to break
the constraints of physics and was there a purpose
81

WE ALL WANT TO GO
HOME IN THE END
Home defines who we are. Home is where
we first learned our values. Home is more
than a memory; it is wrapped into the
very core of our beings. No matter how far
a sentient species may venture into the
Galaxy, they all have a place they call home,
and most, if not all, desire to find their final
rest in the soil of their birth.
— Leucon Icheb
for the journey? Can a way be found to restore the
timeline? It is possible that your characters have been
caught in some manner of temporal war. Will you be
viewed as criminals by temporal agents or enemies
by vicious time-hopping aliens?
Other Realities
The Mirror Universe. Fluidic space. The Celestial
Temple. Some theorize that there are as many layers
to reality as there are stars in the sky. With that, other
dimensions spawn all sorts of life-forms. The laws of
physics that you have come to know might operate in
a different manner. Environments might be inhospita-
ble to humanoid life. Your starship might be rendered
inert in such alien realms. Once again, the desire to
return home will be at the forefront of your crew’s
thoughts. Will they be able to maintain their sanity
while piercing barriers that are one quantum leap
away but a universe apart?
Guidance for Far from
Home Games
If your group decides on a far from home campaign,
they will need to realize that help may never come.
Starfleet or the Klingon High Council may have
been left with few clues as to your current wherea-
bouts. Characters will need to summon forth new
levels of innovation to survive what could be a
decades-long ordeal. Moral dilemmas might arise.
Should you adhere to the Prime Directive? How far
will your crew go to acquire rare resources? What
82 CHAPTER 3.20
will happen when your characters come across
habitable planets? Will some desire to transplant
themselves in a new region of space, start a colony,
and make like pilgrims in a new land?
Being separated from your allies is dangerous; even
worse when hostile species find out that you are truly
alone. It could make for hard times if most of the
crew’s time is spent fighting or running from attack-
ers who seek to pillage the advanced technology of
your ship or enslave your people. Xenophobic species
may not be open for negotiation. Friendly species
might be few and far between, though still boasting
agendas of their own.
First contact takes on an entirely new meaning in
this setting. More caution than normal is advised as
first contact could be your crew’s last chance to get
home. Scouting parties, spy missions, and under-
ground bartering for goods might be the order of the
day to keep from arousing suspicion or attracting
unwanted attention.
Each character will react differently in this extremely
stressful circumstance. Realizing that one may never
see home again will cause many complex emotions
to rise to the surface. Isolation, desperation, fear,
paranoia, anxiety, depression, and anger threaten to
overcome the spirit of discovery at any moment. Or
MASTERS OF OUR
OWN FATE
A warrior is always in a struggle against
fate. Fate triumphs when a person stops
believing they can affect the outcome of
their life. A warrior triumphs when they
grasp fate in their hands and squeeze
until one’s destiny becomes clear. For four
generations did my forefathers wrestle fate
until my path was known. How much we
would have lost had we surrendered to fear
or succumbed to sadness. No! Instead, we
marshalled our grit and resolve and became
the masters of our own destiny!
— Captain Kohlar
perhaps the crew will triumph in these harsh circum-
stances and discover a new destiny in the stars.
SENIOR OFFICERS
The psychological welfare of the crew will be of par-
amount concern to senior officers if the crew is cast
into a far from home mission. It would be unrealistic
to believe that such a rare event is easily handled by
the crew. Everyone must confront the fact that they
may never see their loved ones again, that they will
likely never again set foot on the soil of their home-
world. Managing the trauma of such realizations will
demand senior officers be in control of themselves
and in touch with their crew. Campaigns to boost
morale will take first and foremost attention.
Next, time will suddenly be consumed charting a path
home through unknown regions of space and the
constant search for allies and resources. Gone are the
days of resupply ships and retrofits. Many vessels are
constructed to last hundreds of years in service, and
now your crew will be testing those limits. The ration-
ing of food and energy must be a constant agenda
item. Food will need to be grown. Nonessential
activities like holodecks or replicators may need to be
reduced or completely suspended. Every spare inch
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
of vessel will need to be optimized as the storage of
resources and materiel will be crucial activities.
Lastly, the ship’s objective will likely change to getting
home. Exploration may take second place to short-
ening the distance to the borders of your people’s
territory. Still, some officers may want to stop and
research the cosmic wonders that your starship is
passing by at maximum warp, insisting on fulfilling
the vessel’s mission of exploration. Refusing to stop
could mean missing out on technology that could
shorten your long journey home, or failing to form
beneficial alliances with other species.
Senior officers will need to make tough calls without
the benefit of guidance from central command. How
will senior staff handle discipline when dismissing
someone from the ship could mean their death?
How will they deal with talks of mutiny? What
boundaries are they willing to cross to ensure the
survival of their crew? Senior staff members might
find themselves bending or breaking the rules to
survive far from home.
83
 FOCUSES AND VALUES
FOCUSES
Focuses in alien technology, psychiatry, first aid,
survival, navigation, astrometrics, warp theory,
quantum physics, and experimental technology
may prove useful in far from home campaigns.
VALUES
Here are some example values that might be
interesting choices for players in a far from
home campaign. You may want to consider
choosing or developing values that reflect inno-
vative thinking, inspiring others, or decisiveness
under pressure. 
JUNIOR OFFICERS
Junior officers will be expected to follow protocols
based on a set of regulations created by an organ-
ization that no longer holds authority in this region
of space. This is where the true test lies, as officers
begin to question their belief and trust in Starfleet or
Klingon tradition.
Before, low-ranking crew faithfully attended to their
duties with the hope of one day moving up the ranks.
Now, positions only become available in extreme
circumstances like the removal of an officer of higher
rank, an individual abandoning the mission, or death.
What once was considered routine duties now seem
like a life sentence in a penal colony. This is not how
your character envisioned living the rest of their days.
Now, they are possibly looking for options out of this
scenario as opposed to a life of servitude to the senior
officers. Conversations with fellow officers might be
filled with anger and spite as they blame the com-
manding officer for their woes and begin questioning
every order coming from the bridge.
Still others muster up their courage. They view the
crew as their family, and they will give their all to
make sure everyone is comfortable and as happy as
can be. Your character may realize that this was the
84 CHAPTER 3.20
§ Keep a smile on your face no matter how
you feel
§ I can make something from nothing
§ Adaptation is survival
§ Crew comes first
§ I will do anything to see my family again
§ Push me too far and you’ll see my ugly side
§ Diplomacy is the first and last solution
to anything
§ I can bargain my way out of anything
§ It’s not broken until I say it’s broken
§ You can’t fight your destiny; you have to
roll with it
03215
risk they signed up for and set their mind to making
the best of it. Thoughts might turn to mastering a new
skill, discovering new wonders in this corner of the
universe, or finding a suitable mate. In what ways
will your junior officer help strengthen the unity of the
crew? Or will they do the opposite?
CIVILIAN LIFE
Whereas commissioned offices agreed to the
hazards of space travel, such might not be the
case with civilians who now find themselves in this
predicament. Suddenly, your character’s life was
ripped from its foundations. You may be surrounded
by complete strangers, the myopic nature of your
purpose on the ship shattered to pieces. Will you be
able to negotiate a new role on board the ship? Are
you the family member, colleague, or romantic inter-
est of an officer on board the vessel? Maybe you did
not plan to spend the rest of your days in proximity
to this person, but here you are. Will this strengthen
or strain that relationship?
It is quite possible that your character is brought onto
the ship as a new crew member. Perhaps you are
the last of your race, a lone traveler, or have been
rescued by the crew and invited to accompany the
ship on its journey. Will you be able to carve out a
new life among these strange Federation or Klingon
people? What talents will you bring to bear to make
you an asset to the crew? Could you act as an advisor
or ambassador to your people? Do you plan to stay
SPICE OF LIFE GAMES
LIFE IN SPACE CAN BE FULL OF VARIETY. VESSELS
that stay within the boundaries of their alliances,
federations, empires, and unions have a never-end-
ing array of mission profiles in which they may be
assigned. In addition, your character might be one
of the Federation or Empire’s top-notch diplomats,
physicians, strategists, or soldiers. Their expertise
could be called into service at any time. You may
be assigned to missions based on your vessel’s
capabilities or reputation in battle.
This style of campaign is well-suited for fans of the
original series or Star Trek: The Next Generation. One
week you might be negotiating a treaty between the
Pakleds and Yridians; the next, rescuing a science
outpost from a supernova. Days later, you could be
asked to support a patrol of the Romulan border.
Discuss with your gamemaster the type of adven-
tures you want to rotate through the campaign.
Spice of life games allow you to have recurring
guest stars, favorite ports-of-call, and familiar
settings in which to play. The various Star Trek
Adventures adventure compendiums and stan-
dalone missions provide a generous library of
stories that can be adapted to fit most campaigns.
In addition, there is a lot of fan-made material
available on the internet. And, you can work with
your gamemaster to design your own campaign. The
game is what you make of it.
Another benefit of this style of play is the oppor-
tunity for your characters to meet some of the
stars of the Federation or Klingon Empire. It might
be possible to rub elbows with legendary figures
like Sarek, Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Picard, Riker, Kira,
Janeway, Seven of Nine, Worf, and Gowron. You
could make time to fraternize with popular personal-
ities like Harcourt Fenton Mudd, Quark, Vash, Garak,
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
for a short while, maybe disembarking before you
leave familiar space, or will you bond with the crew
and stay indefinitely?
Lwaxana Troi, Guinan, Morn, or Dr. Soong. You could
walk the decks of famous ships-of-the-line like the
Enterprise, Excelsior, or Zheng He. You might set foot
on Deep Space 9 or Regula I.
Diplomatic Missions
Though establishing first contact is a distinct priv-
ilege, there are other kinds of diplomatic missions.
Starfleet’s mission is a peaceful one; however, fac-
tions within their borders might require assistance
in ending a conflict. Even the Klingon Empire has
worlds within their borders comprised of other spe-
cies. The Empire is no stranger to conflict between
the various Houses. The KDF might be called in to
settle all kinds of disputes. Some conflicts are not
of an aggressive nature. Diplomacy can include
negotiating trade deals, determining trade routes,
land and mining rights, and cultural exchanges like
the Officer Exchange Program. Your crew might be
asked to escort an ambassador or specialist to a
meeting. You may be called to represent Starfleet,
the Klingon High Council, or your species during a
major interplanetary conference.
Protection and Security
Tactical missions are just one facet of protecting and
securing the rights and territories of the Federation
or Klingon Empire. Providing aid and relief to dis-
tressed outposts and planets is a possible scenario.
You could be called on to coordinate mass evacua-
tions after a major disaster, stop a virulent plague,
deliver food supplies and technology, or other
humanitarian deeds. Your vessel could be assigned
to patrol a section of space along a neutral zone or
ordered to provide security for a diplomatic convoy.
Other missions could involve dismantling illegal
trafficking cells, infiltrating criminal organizations,
85
 or destroying enemy installations. Also, adventure
awaits at any one of the hundreds of ports-of-call
at which your ship might dock. Your character might
find themselves aiding any number of starbases,
relay stations, science outposts, or colonies.
Science Missions
Besides deep space missions that have already
been covered, there is an assortment of other mis-
sion types available for the science-minded officer.
You may be asked to survey an asteroid field,
moon, or planet for mineral resources or coloni-
zation. Elaborate and sensitive experiments could
be the order of the day. Conducting experiments
in a controlled and isolated environment might
decrease the possibility of accidents that could
harm large populations. Some starships are replete
with research labs wherein new technologies
can be developed and scientific practices can be
explored. There is also an infinite number of stellar
phenomena to survey and catalog.
Guidance for Spice of
Life Games
The universe is your oyster if you choose to rotate
through different mission types. This might be the
most dynamic form of roleplaying as each character
has a chance to really engage with their background
and test their capabilities in a variety of scenarios.
The gamemaster might keep each adventure episodic
in nature with each plot being resolved by the end of
a single session. Or they may create a story arc that
carries through multiple adventures and sessions.
This format of play allows for rich character devel-
opment as you have an opportunity to interact with
people from your individual’s past. These relationships
can be explored in greater detail.
Your character might be a little more comfortable in
this setting as surroundings are familiar, relationships
are established, and they have a good lay of the land
(or ship). They might have the opportunity to visit
home and communicate with loved ones on a more
regular basis. Generally, there is not a state of con-
stant war or conflict happening within the protected
86 CHAPTER 3.20
VARIETY IS THE
SPICE OF LIFE
I have set foot on hundreds of worlds, dined
on a buffet of alien delicacies, and expe-
rienced unbridled passion in the arms of
dozens of the Galaxy’s most handsome and
powerful beings. And still I want more. We
live in a time of unprecedented possibilities
where every sentient’s desires, hopes, and
dreams can be fulfilled. Why squander your
existence by limiting yourself to one planet,
one person, or one adventure? Variety is the
spice of life. Get out there. Make something
of yourself. And do it all with vigor and vim!
— Ambassador Lwaxana Troi
borders of the Federation or Empire. You might see
more action engaging in a family squabble than
shooting it out in ship-to-ship combat.
Does your character have a business back home? Is
there a conference, concert, or exhibition they want
to visit? Do they have a favorite vacation spot? These
are all potential locations for memorable adventures,
all available in your local quadrant of space.
Keep in mind, there are still forces within your
borders that seek to destroy the carefully constructed
peace. There are those trying to sow disorder and
contention among allies. Spice of life games allow
a myriad of nefarious characters to surface. Your
adventures could reveal dark corners of the criminal
underworld, uncover vicious conspiracies, and root
out corruption in the highest levels of government.
SENIOR OFFICERS
Spice of life campaigns are a wonderful breeding
ground for adventure. Senior officers live out amazing
careers. There is always a lot to do in spice of life
missions. Whereas deep space exploration might
have long lulls in action, this is usually not the case
for vessels traveling within the Federation or Empire’s
borders. Vessel movement is strictly coordinated from
the closest starbase as admirals make sure their
fleets are engaged in the most efficient use of time
 FOCUSES AND VALUES
FOCUSES
Focuses such as diplomacy, navigation, law,
Starfleet protocol, Klingon history, teaching, or
any of the sciences or medical skills may prove
useful in spice of life campaigns.
VALUES
Here are some example values that might be
interesting choices for players in a spice of life
campaign. You may want to consider choosing
values that reflect your character’s wealth of
experience or their devotion to their culture. 
and resources. Staff transfers are commonplace,
perhaps changing each time the mission changes.
You can expect to receive orders to host ambassado-
rial delegations and conferences, transport supplies,
coordinate relief missions, and the like. The actions of
your characters may fall under much more scrutiny
from headquarters as they tend to be closer to home.
BREAKING FREE FROM
THE COLLECTIVE
Freedom comes with a price. You separate
from the Collective any time you strike out
on your own, exact vengeance for crimes
against yourself or your family, and refuse
to ask permission. Despite what some may
think, Starfleet is also a collective. Directives
come from the top. These directives claim to
be for the purpose of benefitting the greater
unit. Those in subordinate positions are made
subject to the will of the queen – or in this case,
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
§ Never take me for granted
§ I’d rather stay on the ship
§ Humility is the best path to honesty
§ Admirals don’t intimidate me
§ Sitting still doesn’t sit well with me
§ The Academy taught me 10 percent of what
I know
§ Never date someone from your homeworld
§ Any agreement can be reached over a glass
of (insert alien beverage here)
§ Away missions are the fast track to the
captain’s chair
§ When stakes are high, never me count out
03217
JUNIOR OFFICERS
Junior officers have the chance to gain a wealth of
experience on a vessel that is in or near the borders
of the Federation or Klingon Empire. Some officers
may have already had the chance to serve on several
ships, stations, or colonies. If you are playing a junior
officer, you might be brimming with confidence, eager
to gain experience and make your mark so you can
move on to your next assignment.
8236 03218 359
the Council. The collective is greater than the
individual. That is a lie. There may come a time
when you must guide your own destiny because
the collective cannot see the grander scheme at
hand. When you do this, understand that you are
alone, and you are the only one to blame for the
repercussions.
— Seven of Nine
87
 Spice of life campaigns might afford junior officers
more of a chance to utilize their focuses and talents
since specialized missions require specialized
personnel. You could be studying a supernova aboard
a Galaxy-class vessel one month, then transferred to
a science team located on nearby colony to crunch
the data for Starfleet’s science division the next. Your
next assignment might be aboard a science vessel to
provide insights on how to improve their sensor array.
Take advantage of every opportunity to gain experi-
ence. Who knows? This could lead to a promotion or a
deep space assignment.
CIVILIAN LIFE
Hundreds of thousands of civilians live aboard
spaceships, providing invaluable support services to
crew members. Your character might be a bartender,
server, cook, nurse, therapist, physical trainer, or
any one of hundreds of other professions. Mission
specialists are often civilians called into service to
support a larger mission. Perhaps your character
has an expertise in stellar phenomenon, forensics,
88 CHAPTER 3.20
engineering, artificial intelligence, pathology, or
computer programming. Starfleet or the Klingon
High Council has requested their services. They
might be the family member, friend, or lover of
another crew member. Or your character may have
negotiated transport aboard the vessel to arrive at
some destination.
On smaller ships, civilians might be confined to
quarters or common areas for the duration of a
mission. On larger vessels, your character might
be able to take advantage of recreational facilities,
multiple mess halls, science labs, or even schedule a
tour of the bridge. If your character is the member of
a special delegation, you might find yourself invited
to a private dinner with the captain or senior staff
members to discuss objectives.
Of course, expect to be locked in quarters or shoved
into an escape pod should something ill befall the
ship. You boarded the vessel and assumed the risks
of doing so. Such are the hazards of civilian life.

WANT TO EXPERIENCE
THE GALAXY? GET A JOB ON A DEEP SPACE STATION
Sure, I’ve worked on some fine starships in my
day. In fact, my wife delivered our firstborn in
Ten Forward aboard the Enterprise. That ship
was a beauty, and she had a first-rate crew. But
if you want the truth, I spent most of my time on
the Enterprise running level-1 diagnostics in the
transporter room. Later, when I was posted to
Deep Space 9, I finally felt like I could take own-
ership of the job. I learned every centimeter of
that station, from the tip of the docking pylons
STATION-BASED GAMES
IT WOULD BE A GRAVE ERROR TO ASSUME LIFE ON
a space station, colony, or starbase lacks the drama
and adventure of a starship duty assignment. While
characters on a space station may find few oppor-
tunities for away missions on exotic new planets
every week, they’re sure to encounter fascinating
supporting characters, complex antagonists, and
challenging scientific and moral dilemmas. Warping
boldly across the vastness of space in a starship
might form the cornerstone of Star Trek storytelling,
but campaigns focused on less mobile settings
like starbases can make use of many of the same
classic themes and story elements while providing
opportunities to add new twists to the narrative.
Star Trek Adventures supports a range of possi-
bilities for players looking for an alternative to the
traditional starship-based campaign. A few options
are listed below.
Space Stations
Space stations often reside in deep space in
strategically important locations or near unusual
spatial phenomena. Space stations attract Starfleet
and civilian starship traffic alike, providing a safe
port where crews can perform maintenance on their
vessels or resupply for long voyages. They may also
draw agents of other governmental powers, creating
the potential for political and diplomatic intrigue.
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
8236 03219 359
to the heart of the ore processing machinery.
I flew through a stable wormhole more times
than I can count. I met beings from the Gamma
Quadrant, some of whom became close friends
while others became deadly enemies. You want
my career advice? Get a job on a frontier space
station. You’ll learn plenty of things they don’t
teach at the Academy.
— Chief Miles O’Brien
Some space stations, such as Regula I, act as
research laboratories where scientists and engi-
neers conduct ground-breaking experiments. These
research stations may support a relatively small crew
and be located in isolated regions of space.
Starbases
Starbases built on planets, moons, or other
celestial bodies share many of the same qualities
as space stations. They may act as a crossroads
for a diverse array of travelers and can provide
compelling backdrops for political and diplomatic
stories. A starbase may reside on a planet that also
features strange scientific qualities. Such qualities
could include unique native plant or animal life,
unstable climactic or seismic conditions, or unpre-
dictable temporal fluctuations.
Frontier Colonies
Countless brave souls have set their sights on
deep space and dreamed of carving out a new life
for themselves on a distant, uninhabited world.
They may be driven by the desire for freedom,
scientific curiosity, or philosophical or religious
motives. In any case, building a colony from
scratch on an isolated world could form the basis
of a tremendously rewarding campaign, but it also
presents an endless parade of dangers. Colonists
89
 TOUGH LITTLE SHIPS?
Some space stations, starbases, and colonies
have ships, or even fleets of ships, permanently
assigned to support their missions. These ships
might take the form of shuttlecraft or runabouts,
or they might be Defiant-class starships or even
larger vessels, depending on the circumstances.
In these cases, your character might spend
some time taking on exploration missions and
traveling to distant sectors.
On the other hand, some stations and colonies
have very little in the way of ship support.
must take on the challenges of material scarcity
and social isolation, compounded by the fact that
many colonies are too distant from core worlds to
receive help in a timely manner. When something
goes wrong – and it always does – colonists can’t
rely on anyone but themselves.
Guidance for Station-
Based Games
If you’re playing in a station-based campaign, you
may need to adjust some of your expectations and
prepare to encounter some different themes and
tropes that may not be as prevalent in a campaign
aboard a starship. This section will explore some
ways you can engage with this kind of game to
produce a setting that’s as rich and dynamic as Star
Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Perhaps most obviously, a campaign set on a station
or colony grants characters less mobility than one
set on a starship. As a consequence, the action must
often come to you, rather than vice versa. In no way
does this diminish a campaign’s level of excitement,
because starbases and colonies are, almost by defi-
nition, remarkable settings that attract remarkable
people and events. You should keep an open mind
when strangers pay a visit. A space station is just as
likely to host a diplomatic confab involving political
leaders from multiple quadrants as it is to be a
meeting place for Nausicaan mercenaries or Yridian
90 CHAPTER 3.20
These might be isolated science outposts or tiny
communications relay stations. These settings
likely depend on regular starship visits to deliver
supplies or routine medical care.
Work with your gamemaster to determine what
kind of starship support your character can
expect on your station. These decisions can influ-
ence the kind of missions your character will take
on and the overall tone of your campaign. 
03220
informants with dark secrets to sell. Players in these
settings should be ready to embrace whatever the
gamemaster throws at them with an open mind and
an intention to build a fun and exciting story. No
warp travel necessary.
Indeed, the sheer diversity of characters that can
make up the supporting cast of a station-based
campaign also provides opportunities for conflict
and character development. Player characters in a
station-based campaign are likely to encounter a
large and diverse array of recurring characters as
part of their daily lives. You might play a Starfleet
officer on a Starfleet-run space station, but your
character may live alongside and forge relationships
with civilians or, in many cases, characters who rep-
resent groups that have an adversarial relationship
with Starfleet. You might create main characters
who aren’t affiliated with Starfleet at all. Accordingly,
players in station-based games should demonstrate
a willingness to create interesting relationships
with the other inhabitants of the space station. For
instance, it’s unlikely that a plain, simple tailor on
a Starfleet ship might also be a former Cardassian
spy. On a space station or colony, not only is that
possibility more plausible, but it might be great fun
for the player characters to befriend this mysterious
tailor, or at least strike an uneasy alliance with them.
In this sense, station-based games spotlight the
importance of IDIC, one of the core principles of Star
Trek storytelling.
The vibrant diversity of life on a station, starbase, or
colony is also a terrific showcase for the supporting
character rules found in Chapter 05.40 of the core
rulebook or Chapter 04.50 of The Klingon Empire
core rulebook. You can work with your gamemaster
to build supporting characters who get increasingly
more developed as they make additional appearances
in your game. Before long, you’ll have a colorful
recurring cast of merchants, priests, pirates, merce-
naries, spies, or whatever else fits your campaign.
These supporting characters can act as trusted
friends or infuriating foils to your main character.
Also be ready to engage with the setting in such a
manner as to bring it to life. Your setting isn’t just
a workplace. It’s also a community where per-
haps tens of thousands of beings from across the
Galaxy live side by side. How does your character
fit into this complex social fabric? How does your
character spend their off-duty hours? Playing darts
on the Promenade, taking a Klingon cooking course,
training in the Anbo-jyutsu arena? Work with your
gamemaster to embed your character into the life of
the station’s community.
Your character, and the decisions they make, can
have a real effect on the development of the setting
through their interactions with the characters
around them. The inverse is true as well. As your
character gains experience with the setting and
the people and beings that live there, consider how
exposure to such a wide variety of supporting char-
acters challenges your character’s values, goals,
and perspective. A vibrant setting like a space sta-
tion is sure to provide a different kind of insight and
experience than a Federation starship, where many
of the characters are likely to have similar goals and
operate under the same command structure.
Games set on starships likely hop from one plane-
tary system to another from session to session. This
often creates an episodic rhythm to the campaign as
the characters confront a challenge on one planet,
bring the story to a resolution, and then warp off to
the next planet the following session. Station-based
games, by contrast, create excellent backdrops
for serialized story arcs where plot threads extend
for multiple sessions. When so much of the story
takes place in a single location, as it does in a
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
station-based game, gamemasters can allow the
main characters to drive much of the plot, leading
to deep and interesting character development that
unfolds naturally over the course of a campaign.
What can you do to make sure you’ve created a
character well-suited to life on a station or outpost?
You might consider how your character ended up on
this station. Were they ordered there, as Commander
Sisko was? Or are they drawn by the romantic allure
of the frontier, like Dr. Bashir?
SENIOR OFFICERS
If your character takes on a senior staff position
on a station or outpost, you can expect to face
big decisions on a daily basis. Stations located on
hostile frontiers must live with the threat of invasion
or attack. Senior officers must be prepared to make
life-or-death choices that account for the political
and diplomatic realities of the region of space in
which their station is located. One bad call could
upend the fragile balance of power on a Federation
border, such as the Romulan Neutral Zone or the
Demilitarized Zone.
Senior staff on frontier stations will also face
scientific and technological puzzles. Stations might
be located near interesting phenomena such as
nebulae, wormholes, or plasma storms. Or they
may conduct top secret and potentially hazardous
scientific experiments, such as Project Genesis,
which sought to remake uninhabitable planets into
new ecosystems suitable for humanoid life.
JUNIOR OFFICERS
Junior officers will have their hands full dealing with
the day-to-day operational and logistical challenges
associated with life on a space station, starbase,
or colony. For instance, inspecting cargo mani-
fests might appear to be tedious work, but Orion
smugglers and Ferengi arms dealers often favor
frontier outposts as convenient locales for striking
illicit deals. Their presence might turn tedious cargo
inspections into a thrilling game of cat-and-mouse.
Street-level crime might also pose a threat in set-
tings far from the more civilized core worlds.
Space stations require massive amounts of power
to function, and teams of engineers and technicians
91
 FOCUSES AND VALUES
FOCUSES
The sort of focuses you choose might depend on
the mission and circumstances of the space sta-
tion. Research laboratories will require scientific
focuses, while tactical expertise makes sense for
starbases near a hostile border. Some sugges-
tions might include bartering, criminal networks,
environmental systems, fleet tactics, fusion
reactor systems, and spacedock traffic control.
VALUES
Here are some example values that might
be interesting choices for players in a sta-
tion-based campaign. You may want to consider
choosing values that reflect self-reliance and
a willingness to leave behind the luxury and
stability of the core worlds. 
must maintain the fusion reactors and life support
systems that make life possible in deep space.
Much of this critical work falls to junior officers.
Finally, lower-ranking officers play essential roles in
the many scientific endeavors on a space station,
starbase, or colony. Trained scientists must gather
and analyze data, program computer models, and
conduct experiments. The thrill of scientific discov-
ery isn’t just for senior-level officers.
CIVILIAN LIFE
While material scarcity is no longer a major
concern on most core worlds, deep space out-
posts face a different reality. Replicator technology
and energy production might lag behind more
densely populated regions, giving rise to a need for
commerce and trade. The exchange of currency is
more common on space stations, making use of
everything from Federation credits to gold-pressed
latinum. Freighters also deliver cargo across the
Galaxy, transporting goods and supplies that may
not be easily replicated. If you’re playing a civilian
in a station-based game, it may be necessary for
your character to know a trade allowing you to
“pay your way.” Maybe your character works as a
technician, scientist, or medical professional. Then
92 CHAPTER 3.20
§ I pay my own way
§ The frontier is where heroes are made
§ Growth seldom occurs in your comfort zone
§ Running from the past
§ Putting my stake in the ground
§ I serve in memory of the loved ones I left
behind
§ Experience is the best teacher
§ You have to be tough to live here
§ Life’s too easy on the core worlds
§ Starting over somewhere new
03221
again, maybe your character earns a living in a less
reputable manner.
Civilians on colonies and particularly remote or
sparsely populated stations may also struggle
with social isolation. If you’re playing in this kind
of setting, you might consider what relationships
or circumstances your character left behind when
they set out for the frontier. How has this dynamic
shaped your character?
NONALIGNED COLONIES
The Alpha and Beta Quadrants contain numerous
colonies that do not belong to an interstellar alliance
or governing body. Indeed, many colonists seek
to establish new societies out of a desire to stand
alone. These colonies write their own laws and
determine their own societal norms. The planet of
Freecloud, for example, is a nonaligned world where
colonists built a society that values personal liberty
nearly to the point of anarchy. This unrestrictive
approach shaped the kind of commercial interests
that took root on Freecloud, as well as the kind of
people who live there.
Players and gamemasters are free to go where their
imaginations take them when creating nonaligned
colonies or space stations for their games. Star
Trek Adventures was designed to give players the
flexibility you need to create any setting your game
requires. When doing so, consider what kind of
characters would live in the kind of setting you’ve
created. What kind of jobs and services would
be necessary to make this place function? What
KLINGON STARBASES AND COLONIES
Warriors in the Klingon Defense Force often
find themselves serving aboard space stations
and colonies. The Empire’s fearsome fleet of
warships, the very pride of the Defense Force,
take flight from massive shipyards and drydocks
where some of the best engineers in the Empire
ply their trade. Heavily armored starbases occupy
strategically important locations to defend terri-
tory and repel foes. And the Klingon network of
penal colonies constructed on desolate asteroids
and moons is the stuff of nightmares.
Countless stories of pain, sacrifice, glory, and
honor have played out on Klingon space stations
and colonies, and your character can add their
own verse to this age-old Klingon song. Perhaps
your character is a proud warrior serving on a
military starbase along the Romulan border, or
UNSANCTIONED MISSIONS
THE CREW OF THE U.S.S. ENTERPRISE LED BY
James T. Kirk defy Starfleet orders and return to
the Genesis planet to rescue Spock. Worf resigns
his Starfleet commission to join the Klingon
Defense Force during a civil war. Jean-Luc Picard
assembles a ragtag band to unravel the mystery of
the Zhat Vash.
In all these cases, the characters marshalled together
what resources they could and struck out on their
own without the support of a larger organization.
In some cases, they openly defied direct orders to
accomplish their objectives. Your character might feel
forced to do the same. Maybe a friend or colleague is
in trouble. Maybe it is time to repay a debt. Perhaps
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
would life be like there? These are the sort of
questions science-fiction writers ask themselves
when inventing their worlds, and the answers to
those same questions can help you create and
play your character in the most convincing and
interesting way possible.
perhaps your character was wrongly accused of
a crime and must now escape from the brutal
confines of a prison colony. The Empire’s quest
to command the stars would surely fail without
the crucial contributions of its space stations,
starbases, and colonies. 
03222
your characters are aware of a Galaxy-spanning
danger and you cannot wait to cut through govern-
mental red tape to save the day. Maybe sabotage,
infiltration, theft, and assassination are the only ways
to preserve the peace or tip the balance of power.
Unsanctioned missions give characters the opportu-
nity to slip out from the Prime Directive and see the
sometimes-unsettling reality of life without regula-
tions. This style of campaign is well-suited for fans of
Star Trek: Picard. If you are planning to play this style
of game, it might end with your character saving a
friend’s life, exposing a galactic conspiracy, or dis-
covering a valuable treasure. Conversely, you might
end up losing all rank and privilege, wasting away in
93
 a dank prison, or dead at the bottom of a ravine on a
backwater planetoid.
A Debt Owed
A call from help has come from a person or a civili-
zation. The situation is dire. Perhaps Starfleet or the
KDF is deliberating on the matter, mired in politics
and treaties, but you need to act now. Or your char-
acter may be currently serving aboard a starship
when someone from the past reaches out to your
character. You need to do something unscrupulous
or off-the-record before an opportunity is missed.
Whatever the ask, your character feels compelled
to break protocol, grant the favor, or pay back the
debt. Once they go down this road, their future with
Starfleet or the KDF is uncertain.
Vigilantes
The Maquis. Ferengi eliminator Leck. The Fenris
Rangers. Starfleet and the Klingon High Council do
not even play into the equation. Your character got fed
up with the rules a long time ago. It is time to do what
is right or in their own best interest. Dare anyone
94 CHAPTER 3.20
to try to get in their way. Your character might go it
alone or join like-minded individuals to achieve their
goals. Vigilantes might be out for justice, revenge, or
a pile of gold-pressed latinum. They are familiar with
hideouts, outposts, and safehouses used by illegal
traffickers and traders. Anything or anyone can be
bought for a price in this underworld environment.
Vigilantes might be acquiring or exchanging infor-
mation like the location of archaeological treasures,
banned weapon technology, or security access data
to some of the quadrant’s most powerful figures.
Espionage
Your character could be working for a secret organ-
ization like Section 31, the Tal Shiar, or the Obsidian
Order. You are one thread in a tangle of lies and cov-
er-ups. You have some of the information, but never
all the information. You meet with disguised agents
and counteragents in shadowy alleys, crowded
marketplaces, and over encrypted comm lines. The
lines of morality are blurred but your mission direc-
tives are clear. Perhaps you are an enlisted officer,
but you know Starfleet could never support such a
questionable mission. Nonetheless, your character
is willing to put their career and life on the line to do
that which Starfleet or the KDF would never allow a
sanctioned officer to do.
Player Guidance
for Unsanctioned
Missions Games
Traveling the Galaxy without the backing or pro-
tection of Starfleet or the Klingon Empire is one of
the riskiest endeavors a being can undertake! Your
character can easily drop into danger if you fall off
the grid. Villainous people, nefarious crime syndi-
cates, and desperate individuals are all too eager to
take advantage of you. Goodwill is a rare commodity
during unsanctioned missions, so you better have
a chest full of gold-pressed latinum, hard to find
technology, or valuable intel to exchange if you are
going to keep moving toward your goal.
CONTACTS
Contacts that can provide information and resources
are valuable assets in an unsanctioned campaign.
FOCUSES AND VALUES
FOCUSES
Focuses such as encryption, pickpocketing,
jury-rigging, repair, weapons technology,
bartering, and persuasion may prove useful in
unsanctioned missions campaigns.
VALUES
Here are some example values that might be
interesting choices for players in an unsanc-
tioned missions campaign. You may want to
consider choosing values that reflect a sharp
eye for finding clues, the ability to talk your way
out of any situation, or willingness to bend the
rules to serve a greater purpose. 
S TA R T R E K E R A S A N D P L AY S T Y L E S
These contacts can work for the government.
They could be businesspersons, bartenders, local
celebrities, or criminals. In any case, they can help
you cover your tracks or get a lead on someone or
something. They may not have the exact information
or technology you are looking for, but they know
someone who does. Of course, if other people come
asking, they never saw you. Well, maybe they did
see you…for a price.
STARSHIPS
Unfortunately, unsanctioned missions are rarely
accomplished by staying on one planet. Transport is
often required. It is highly unlikely that you will get
your hands on an Intrepid-class science vessel or
Pach’Nom-class escort. Hitching a ride on an inter-
stellar cargo freighter, mercenary shuttle, or luxury
commercial cruiser are more plausible scenarios.
If you are even more gutsy and have high-quality
forged documentation, you may manage a ride on
a Federation or Klingon vessel. The best scenario,
of course, is if your crew can afford to rent, borrow,
or buy their own vessel. Most likely, it will be an
unregistered warp-capable vessel built by a private
§ Principle over law
§ The Federation is as temporary as the
[insert dead civilization here]
§ Never do a favor without getting one in
return
§ Intimidation is an acceptable form of
negotiation
§ Don’t love anything you might stand to lose
§ Never stay in one place too long
§ The absence of evidence is evidence
§ I serve a goal greater than myself
§ The best way to buy yourself some time is
by making something explode
§ Getting stabbed in the back teaches you
how far you can reach
03223
95
 supplier or a retrofitted spaceship held together by
self-sealing stem bolts and chicken wire. If you are
fortunate, fate may drop into your lap a Kaplan F17
Speed Freighter or some other modern ship. If none of
these ideas work, you could always just try to hijack
someone to get where you need to go.
WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGY
If you are going it alone, you will want a trusty
sidearm…or maybe three. You may seek to hide
weapon caches in cities, outposts, and planets you
frequent. Your character will want to know one or
more weapons dealers who can come through in
a pinch. Of course, you run the risk of being sold a
dud. And Starfleet will not treat you kindly if they find
you in possession of an illegal weapon. Additionally,
each mission often requires specialized technology.
Vigilantes rarely have access to industrial replicators
or starship cargo bays stuffed with useful gear. You
may need to build, barter, or steal what you need.
UNSANCTIONED MISSIONS
A player character could easily get lost in the chaotic
environment of an unsanctioned game. Individuals
96 CHAPTER 3.20
might have contrasting objectives and you may need
to adopt a win some / lose some attitude to obtain
your goals. If your character is playing an undercover
officer, decisions will have to be made on when to
cross the line. You may simply want to accomplish
your unsanctioned mission as quickly and neatly as
possible then head back to your normal life.
If your character has chosen the life of a vigilante, you
will need to decide where the character lives, who
they spend most of their time with, and how they pick
up new missions. Do they live by an ethical code?
What are their political views? Do they hold a particu-
lar view of the Federation or Klingon High Council?
Do they have a criminal record? Will someone be
pursuing them while they are pursuing their goal?
You may want to run an unsanctioned storyline for a
brief period before moving on to a different style of
play. If so, did you take on the unsanctioned mission
for sport, adventure, money, loyalty, love, thrills,
or something else? Are their friends and families
endangered by their profession or did they cut all ties
long ago?
 CHAPTER 04.00

E NGAG E !
04.10 GAME PREPARATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

04.20 PLAYING THE GAME. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

04.30 MAXIMIZING YOUR PLAYER EXPERIENCE. . . . . . . 115

04.40 SUPPORTING THE GAMEMASTER. . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

ENGAGE! 97
 CHAPTER 04.10
GAM E
PREP ARAT I O N
A GAME BUILT FOR INFINITE DIVERSITY
IN INFINITE COMBINATIONS
VULCAN SOCIETY EMBRACES A CONCEPT KNOWN
as IDIC, short for “infinite diversity in infinite com-
binations.” This philosophy centers on the limitless
variables at play in the universe. The Galaxy brims
with diversity – in its beauty, its mysteries, and
its peoples. To deny that diversity also denies the
nature of the universe itself. And that would be
most illogical.
In accordance with the IDIC philosophy, Star Trek
Adventures provides players with many options
SESSION 0
MANY GAMING GROUPS DEVOTE AN ENTIRE SES-
sion at the start of a campaign to hammering out
these questions and establishing lines of communi-
cation in order to ensure the campaign will provide
the kind of game experience everyone wants. This
preliminary session, often referred to as Session 0,
establishes consensus and lays the foundation for
what everyone can expect from the game, whether
it’s a one-shot adventure or a longer, multi-epi-
sode campaign. Session 0 often includes charac-
ter creation, as well as discussions of tone, era,
setting, scope, story content, and scheduling. This
discussion should also include player safety tools,
so everyone involved in the game knows what to do
98 CHAPTER 4.10
“ ‘Fu n ’ will n ow com m en ce.”
— SE V E N OF NINE
to help them get the most out of their games.
Considering these options before play begins helps
to ensure the game experience will be optimized
for players and their gaming groups. This section
looks at campaign formats, era, tone, character
creation, and a few other topics. Giving each of
these sections some thought ahead of time will put
each player in a position to enjoy the game and
experience the Star Trek universe in all its vibrant
diversity through the game.
if the story takes a turn that causes discomfort for
themselves or another player.
Safety and Consent
It is important to understand that roleplaying can
be an intensely personal experience. Players join a
game placing a strong amount of trust in each other
– trust that the story you will be creating together
will be a good experience, and that everyone’s per-
sonal boundaries will be respected by all involved.
As a player, it is critical to ensure that everyone
playing with you feels safe and comfortable in their
gaming experience.
Roleplaying games require some improvisation and
collaboration. The sometimes unpredictable nature
of the hobby can create situations where you might
be exposed to ideas, themes, and situations that
trigger discomfort or emotional distress. Session 0
gives every participant an opportunity to establish
clear communication about what they are and are
not comfortable with.
Note that if you’re playing a game at an event or
convention, you may not have the time for a Session
0. Therefore, it’s important to check for content
warnings in the description of the game, so that
you have an idea of what to expect at the table. If
the event doesn’t have a content warning, ask the
gamemaster before play begins.
HARD AND SOFT “NO’”S
A strong way to start your campaign from a safe
place is to discuss the tone you want from the game,
setting the expectations of the game you want to
experience. Some players may want to delve into
grittier, darker themes, while others may prefer to
lean into humor. Any option is fine, but what matters
is the group knowing what they’re in for. Be sure that
everybody is happy before you start playing.
Ask your players if there are any situations that they
would not want to encounter in the game, or any
topics they don’t like. If a player has a topic which is
a “hard no,” then everyone should strive to ensure
“BUT WE DON’T NEED SAFETY RULES!”
You might think there is nothing objectionable
in your game, but the Star Trek franchise has
dealt with a lot of difficult topics over its lifetime.
While the franchise usually operates below a
“mature audiences only” level of language and
violence (harkening back to its roots as a network
television show), some episodes, scenes, and sit-
uations across the franchise’s hundreds of hours
are more intensely graphic, violent, or disturbing,
and these may be upsetting for some individuals.
SESSION 0 CHECKLIST
TOPICS TO DISCUSS
ˆ Safety and consent
ˆ Tone
ˆ Era
ˆ Campaign Concept
ˆ Character Concepts
ˆ Creating your starship or starbase
ˆ Scheduling
ˆ Establishing best channels
for communication
04101
that topic never comes up in the game in any way.
Common “hard no’s” in Star Trek include child
abuse, animal abuse, sexual assault, and unwilling
bodily or mental possession.
Soft “no’s” are subjects that players might be fine
with but prefer not to engage with directly in the
game. Think of these as “off-screen” or “fade to
black” events. Common soft “no”s in Star Trek might
include sexual encounters and substance abuse. You
should approach these subjects with considerable
Truth is, you likely don’t know all your fellow
players’ histories or inner lives. Something you
might not think is problematic might be triggering
to another player. Often, you or the other players
may not react to something right away, and emo-
tions might strike later in the session. Err on the
side of caution – no player should have to “get
over it” for the sake of continuing the game ses-
sion. Remember, everyone at the table is there to
have fun. The amount of effort that is required for
everyone to play safely is minimal and can avoid
the campaign ending badly. 
04102
ENGAGE! 99
 care and with attention to players’ consent, often
only referencing them in passing.
Be aware, however, that these preferences can
change over time, so always consider them subject
to alteration. Check in with your fellow players and
adjust accordingly.
READING THE ROOM
If you are approaching a subject that might be
difficult, it’s important to slow the pace of the scene
so that you can get a good reading of how the group
is feeling. If you are playing online, you can do this
via webcam or by listening carefully to the audio
stream. There are many signs that another player
might give which could indicate that they are not
entirely comfortable with how a scene is progress-
ing. These could include:
§ Crossing their arms over their body
§ Glancing to the side or away from the main group
§ Sitting back, as if trying to pull away
§ Nervous laughter
§ Prolonged silence
If you notice these, call for a pause and check in
with your group – ask if they are happy to con-
tinue. If anyone seems hesitant, you should stop.
A player does not need to outwardly say that they
are unhappy – people often feel put on the spot and
may not answer honestly in the heat of the moment.
If you’re unsure, be cautious and keep checking in.
You shouldn’t have to rely on the gamemaster to
catch these cues; if you see something happening
or feel something is off, say something.
HANDLING DISCOMFORT
When a player signals that they are uncomfortable
with a subject, some people at the table may be
tempted to ask why or inquire what it is about the
content that the player finds objectionable. This
should be avoided – someone who has come to a
game night will find little enjoyment in being quizzed
about their fears or phobias. Everyone at the table
should strive to be respectful of their fellow players.
100 CHAPTER 4.10
Sometimes somebody may discover that they are
uncomfortable about something only once it comes
up, and it’s important to recognize this. A player
may have stated that they are fine with intense
violence, only to discover that those descriptions
are uncomfortable for them. If this does occur
mid-game, treat it as you would any other discom-
fort and adapt your game accordingly. After the
session, you should take a moment to touch base
with your group to gauge if they are comfortable
with the game, check if there are any issues, and,
above all, if they’re still having fun.
Finding Consensus
on Tone and Era
There’s an entire Galaxy of stories waiting to be told
with Star Trek Adventures, but before you can lay in
a course for excitement and fun, you have to decide
where and when in the Galaxy your story takes place.
Determining the era and tone for your campaign are
big decisions that will influence the kind of stories you
tell and the experiences you’ll share with your gam-
emaster and fellow players. Are you most interested
in a starship-based, action-adventure romp during
the 2260s? Or maybe you’d prefer a more methodi-
cal, introspective campaign set after the synth attack
on Mars in 2385. Maybe you want to take on the roles
of temporal agents who visit a different era every
mission. All of these stories and many more await you
in Star Trek Adventures, but some might appeal to
your group more than others. Everyone in your group
should give these questions some thought and then
try to come to a consensus before play begins. Let’s
look at a few considerations you should account for
when making these decisions.
TONE
Tone is simply the word often used to describe how
a campaign feels and the kinds of themes it is likely
to utilize. Star Trek often showcases a bright and
optimistic tone in its largely positive depiction of
humanity’s future. Human beings have made great
strides toward eliminating poverty, greed, prejudice,
and many of the other ills that have marred Human
history. This depiction of the Human adventure
strikes a hopeful tone that has inspired millions
of Star Trek fans throughout the years, and you
may want to emulate that feeling in your Star Trek
Adventures game.
You can do this by playing a character who strives
to do right and who adheres to a code of ethics that
enshrines noninterference, peaceful exploration, and
scientific advancement as core principles. Many of
the main characters of various Star Trek series aim
for these standards. They may occasionally make
mistakes, misjudge a situation, or compromise their
principles, but they’re unquestionably the heroes
of their story, and their actions make the Galaxy a
better place.
But not every story must adhere to this bright and
optimistic tone, even though we often think of it
as the default tone for Star Trek. Games can just
as easily make use of themes and story elements
that introduce shades of gray into the mix. For
instance, campaigns set against the backdrop of a
bloody interstellar war, such as the Dominion War
or the conflict with the Klingons, will most likely
take on a bleaker tone. Or you might decide to
play an admiral in the upper echelons of Starfleet
who must make difficult choices that affect the
populations of multiple worlds. In these cases, you
might find there’s no single “right” choice. Rather,
you might face several imperfect choices or a
no-win scenario in which the only viable course of
action will result in grave consequences.
There’s no one way to tell a Star Trek story. The
franchise has been a vehicle for everything from
deep character studies to contemporary social
commentary to high-octane action and adventure
to side-splitting comedy. Some episodes combine
some or all of these elements into a single story.
All of these options can result in compelling game
experiences for you and your group, and there’s no
single right or wrong answer for what kind of tone
your Star Trek Adventures game should strike.
Rather, it comes down to a matter of taste.
That’s why it’s important for you to discuss the
kind of tone you’re most interested in early on with
your gamemaster and fellow players, ideally before
the campaign even begins. Establishing a consen-
sus increases the likelihood that everyone will be
happy with the feel of the campaign and won’t end
up in situations that make them uncomfortable or
ENGAGE! 101
 frustrated. Those lines of communication should
stay open throughout the campaign as well.
Campaigns evolve, just like a television series.
Many gamemasters and players enjoy experi-
menting with different tones over the course of the
campaign to keep the game from feeling stale. Be
honest and open with your group about what kind
of tone appeals to you, while keeping in mind that
others may have different ideas.
ERA
Just as with tone, Star Trek has told stories across
many different eras in its fictional universe,
spanning thousands of years within the Star Trek
universe. Your gaming group should seek consensus
on the era best suited for the stories you want to
tell. Chapter 3 of this guide takes you on a brief tour
of Star Trek history, and you can set your game at
any point on that timeline, or even somewhen else
if your group so chooses. You might want to review
that chapter and note options that appeal to you and
discuss them with your gaming group.
You should keep in mind that the era you choose
can influence the sort of missions your characters
are likely to take on. For instance, are you interested
in an era defined by a major conflict, such as war
with the Dominion or Klingons? Would you prefer an
era before the Borg threat overshadowed much of
Starfleet’s other priorities? The era also affects the
kind of supporting cast and antagonists that might
be available for your game. For instance, many of
the worlds that eventually join the United Federation
of Planets were still unknown to Starfleet in the
2150s, when the first NX-class starships took flight.
Take some time to think about the kind of character
you want to play and the sort of stories that best fit
your character concept. What kind of tone and era
would best support the character you want to play
and the stories you want to experience? Finding
consensus with your gaming group on these consid-
erations makes it much more likely that you’ll have
the kind of game experience you have in mind.
102 CHAPTER 4.10
One Shots, Limited Series,
and Extended Campaigns
The Star Trek canon features stories of varying
scope and length. Sometimes a story requires only
a single episode to reach its conclusion, while other
story arcs stretch out over the course of years, per-
haps even crossing over into other quantum realities
and timelines. Similarly, Star Trek Adventures pro-
vides players with plenty of options to find the right
scope for the stories they wish to experience.
You might sit down at a convention or game store to
play for just a couple of hours and spin a complete,
self-contained story with a beginning, middle, and
end. Or you might have a regular game group that
meets consistently for years, steadily building a
sweeping story where player characters move up
through the ranks of Starfleet and live out an entire
career exploring the stars. Many campaigns fall
somewhere in the middle. Whichever option is right
for you and your game group, Star Trek Adventures
provides the tools you need.
Before your campaign begins, you might want to
make it clear to the gamemaster and other players
how much time you have to devote to the game and
when you’re most likely to be available. Scheduling
conflicts often pose the greatest risk to the survival
of a campaign, and you’ll be doing everyone at the
table a favor by being upfront about what kind of
participation your schedule permits. The gamemas-
ter might want to run an extended, ongoing cam-
paign that meets every week, while some players in
the group may have time only for a one-shot session
every few months. It’s in everyone’s interest to have
open communication and broad agreement about
the scope of the game and a plan for scheduling.
Lengthy campaigns provide terrific opportunities
for character development and deep exploration of
the setting, but one-shot stories can deliver game
experiences that are just as memorable. After all,
Captain Picard lived an entire lifetime on the planet
Kataan after coming into contact with an alien
probe, while only minutes passed for the rest of the
Enterprise crew. Even if all you can spare is a couple
hours, don’t let that stop you from going boldly into
the final frontier.
Complete Character
Creation Together
It’s often a good idea for players to work with the
gamemaster as they create their characters. This
ensures that the characters fit with the setting,
era, and tone of the game. For instance, creating
a Klingon character might not work for an original
series era game set on a Starfleet ship because the
Klingons were adversaries of the Federation at that
time. Star Trek Adventures utilizes the Lifepath
character creation system, which includes seven
distinct steps beginning with the choice of a species
and ending with some finishing touches to person-
alize the character. These steps are summarized on
page 101 of the core rulebook and page 97 of The
Klingon Empire core rulebook.
Players and gamemasters may want to coordinate
throughout the lifepath process to make sure each
character fits with the campaign’s overall vision.
For instance, make sure your character’s species,
environment, and upbringing all make sense for
the concept of the game. If you want to play a
character that seems like an unintuitive choice,
like the previous example of a Klingon serving
aboard a Starfleet vessel in the 2260s, you should
get your gamemaster’s input. Maybe you can come
up with a clever explanation for your character, but,
if not, maybe you should choose a more compati-
ble concept for your character.
Roleplaying Career Events
The lifepath character creation process includes at
least two opportunities to choose career events that
played pivotal roles in shaping your character. You
can choose these events from a list of options or roll
a d20 to determine these events randomly. In either
case, these career events provide you with dramatic
and colorful opportunities to fill in some of your
character’s backstory. Take a few minutes to flesh
out each career event. Where and when did these
pivotal episodes take place? Who else was involved?
What did your character learn from the experiences?
It may even be fun to roleplay these events with
your game group early in the campaign in brief
scenes. If this sounds like something your group
is interested in, each player should select a career
event and describe it to the group. Your group may
not have time to roleplay scenes for every career
event because most main characters will select
two or more events during character creation.
Accordingly, each player might want to choose one
career event that they think is particularly dramatic
or had the greatest impact on their character. As you
describe your career event to your gamemaster and
fellow players, determine if the event involves one or
more supporting characters. If so, the gamemaster
and the other players in your group can take on
these roles, which gives everyone something to do,
even if the other main characters of the campaign
aren’t directly involved in your career events. Once
all the necessary roles are assigned, and everyone’s
clear on the parameters of the scene, proceed with
roleplaying the career event.
These scenes will differ from most of the other
scenes in the game because the outcomes of your
career events are already determined. For instance,
if you chose the “death of a friend” career event,
nothing any character does during these roleplay-
ing scenes can save the doomed character. Your
gamemaster might consider applying a trait to these
scenes, such as “flashback” or something similar,
to make it clear to everyone that some parts of
the scene cannot be avoided or affected by player
actions. You may not even need to roll any dice
during these scenes because the parameters of the
events are determined ahead of time.
What use is this exercise if the outcome is never
in doubt? It brings your career events to life so
they’re no longer simply generic entries on your
character sheet. All too often, players choose
career events that never factor into the campaign
once play begins. Important questions go unan-
swered, and details are left vague. Roleplaying
these scenes forces you to fill in those blanks. Any
locations, ships, or supporting characters involved
in these flashbacks give the gamemaster hooks
they can reintroduce later in the campaign. And it
forces you to consider how these defining events
shaped your character.
Finally, it puts your career events, as well as those
of your fellow players, front and center for the
ENGAGE! 103
 CHARACTER CREATION IN PLAY
No time to work with your gamemaster during
character creation? No sweat!
It may not be possible for you to work with your
gamemaster through each step of the lifepath
process. Luckily, Star Trek Adventures provides
an option for groups to create their characters
while playing the game. The “creation in play”
option is detailed in Chapter 05.30 of the core
rulebook and Chapter 04.40 of The Klingon
Empire core rulebook. This system allows for a
faster and simpler character generation process
that allows you to fill in some of your character’s
entire group to experience, especially if the other
players take on supporting roles in your career
events and vice versa. This creates much greater
story resonance than simply choosing the option
from a list. These roleplaying scenes also weave
the main cast’s backstories into the campaign in a
memorable way, so the gamemaster and players
104 CHAPTER 4.10
details as you play the game. It can be a good
option for groups that want to dive into the story
as quickly as possible, or for groups that place a
heavy emphasis on improvisation.
However, even in games that utilize this system,
you should have a firm grasp of your basic
character concept before play begins. Consult
with the gamemaster and the other players to
make sure your character suits the circum-
stances of your game. Once you’re satisfied
that’s the case, ahead warp factor nine! 
04103
are more likely to recall career events later and
build on them in future stories.
Your gaming group may not have time to roleplay
career events for every character, or there might
be other limiting factors. Accordingly, this step isn’t
mandatory, but, under the right circumstances, it
can imbue your game with depth and plant seeds
for future stories – all before the campaign has
even truly begun.
Starship Spaceframes
and Mission Profiles
In many ways, a starship is like a character in
its own right, with its own feel, backstory, and
personality. Think of how your character would feel
receiving an assignment on a gleaming, state-of-
the-art Sovereign-class vessel that’s just rolled off
the assembly line. Now contrast that to how your
character would feel being assigned to a timeworn
Oberth-class ship that’s been in service for decades.
That thought exercise stresses the importance of
selecting just the right ship for your game.
As with character creation, Star Trek Adventures
provides many ways for gaming groups to custom-
ize their starship with talents and traits that make it
truly their own. Starships also assist on many tasks
attempted on board, just like characters do. Two of
the most important decisions your group must make
regarding your starship are choosing a spaceframe
and mission profile. A ship’s spaceframe determines
its basic structure, while mission profile determines
how a ship’s facilities and personnel are assigned.
PLAYING ON A STARBASE, SPACE STATION, OR OUTPOST
Your game might take place on a setting other
than a starship. Some alternative options might
include a starbase, space station, or a planetary
outpost. In these cases, you may not have to
choose a spaceframe or assign refits as you
would aboard a starship, but you should still
treat your chosen setting as you would a distinct
character. You might want to invent a brief history
of your setting to give it some depth. Filling in
details about how long the setting has existed,
who built it, and what notable events may have
occurred there in the past can grant your cam-
paign a sense of historical heft, as well as provide
story elements for future sessions to draw on.
It’s worth taking some time to consider these
options so your group is sure to create a starship
with just the right character to fit your campaign.
Your ship can reinforce the tone of your game, or,
in some cases, it might run counter to your game’s
tone in interesting ways. You might approach
starship creation as an opportunity to put together
an optimal build for the kind of missions you plan
to undertake. This approach tries to match the
strengths and weaknesses of a particular ship with
the story your campaign will tell. An Intrepid-class
spaceframe with the scientific and survey oper-
ations mission profile makes great sense if you
expect your campaign to lean into scientific explo-
ration and research. Or the D7-class battle cruiser
spaceframe and the warship mission profile would
fit nicely in a Klingon campaign focused on conflict.
However, sometimes building a starship that, at first
glance, seems ill-suited to its mission can make
for compelling games as well. Perhaps a wormhole
unexpectedly hurls that science-focused Intrepid-
class vessel behind enemy lines, and the starship’s
crew now faces the very real possibility of starship
combat, a mission for which it wasn’t designed.
Or maybe the D7 battle cruiser stumbles across a
natural disaster and must work to save a population
of refugees. Either example would add an interesting
You might also want to spend some time
discussing how your setting feels. Does it have
the welcoming, comfortable feel common to
modern Federation facilities? Or is it purely
utilitarian in design? Does your setting feel well
maintained, or is it a little rough around the
edges? Discussing these questions with your
gaming group can help make your setting feel
like a real, immersive place.
Detailed guidance on playing characters in these
settings appears in Chapter 3 of this guide. 
04103
ENGAGE! 105
 chapter to that ship’s service record, even though
neither ship was built with those missions in mind.
Forms of Communication
Session 0 is also a good opportunity to establish
the best means of communication with your
In the case of long-serving starships, Star Trek
gaming group. Your group most likely will need
Adventures provides you with refit guidance
to stay in regular contact to share ideas, make
to make sure your aging-yet-sturdy ship isn’t
announcements, and coordinate logistical concerns
completely outclassed by the newest ships of the
outside of your regular gaming sessions. You might
line. If your group decides to crew an older vessel,
exchange email addresses; set up a group text;
you might want to discuss how many refits you
communicate via social media; or even create and
have available and how you’d like to apply them. In
maintain a game forum, wiki, or server. Poor com-
general, for every decade between when your ship’s
munication can doom a campaign to a premature
spaceframe entered service and the current year of
end, so it’s worth your group’s time to figure out
your game, you get an opportunity to improve one of
the best way for everyone to stay in touch outside
your ship’s systems. You can find full rules for refits
of gaming sessions.
on page 252 of the core rulebook or page 227 of
The Klingon Empire core rulebook.

You can use any refits to further strengthen the

Ready for Departure
As you can see, Star Trek Adventures upholds the
systems you expect to rely on most often during
IDIC philosophy by supporting a diverse, virtually
your game, or you could use refits to address
limitless range of storytelling possibilities. Going
potential weaknesses you anticipate your ship to
over the topics contained in this section should help
have. It might also be fun to come up with a brief
you and your gaming group establish consensus
service record for your vessel and assign your refits
on the tone, era, and scope of your Star Trek
to systems that would have been utilized heavily in
Adventures adventure or campaign. Further, you
the past. This method can reinforce the sense that
should be ready to work with your gamemaster
your ship has its own unique history and that your
and fellow players to create a setting that fits those
characters are starting a new chapter in a larger
qualities. You also have the tools you need to create
story that could stretch back for decades.
a believable character with some depth and detailed
career events, and you know what to expect from
Think of your starship as a character with its own
Session 0, including how to make the game experi-
strengths, weaknesses, backstory, and personality, and
ence safe and enjoyable for all involved.
then use the mechanics and rules options included in
Star Trek Adventures to bring your ship to life. You’re
You’re ready to leave Spacedock. It’s time to see
bound to create a deeper sense of immersion and a
what’s out there.
stronger bond with your vessel. After all, your starship
is your character’s home among the stars.

106 CHAPTER 4.10

 CHAPTER 04.20
PLAYI NG
THE GAM E
“ It ’s a ga me . Rik er b rou g h t it b ack from Risa.
Eve r ybo d y’s p layin g it. Wan t to tr y?”
YOU HAVE BUILT YOUR CHARACTER. YOU HAVE
taken time to flesh out their background and per-
sonality. You know the ship or station on which you
will serve. You have met your fellow crew members.
You have familiarized yourself with the basic rules of
the game. You have reviewed the guidance on how
BE ENGAGED
THERE ARE SOME BEST PRACTICES YOU CAN USE
to be a collaborative, engaged player, which will
enhance each gaming session.
Always Ask “Why”
A story dies without motivation, whether it is the
drive to discover new worlds and new civilizations, to
see things no other being has seen, or to reunite the
shattered fragments of a millennium-old Federation.
This is the “why” factor. Every adventure needs
to include a why. Why are Lokai and Bele at odds
even though they are the last two beings in their
civilization (Star Trek, “Let That Be Your Last
Battlefield”)? Why won’t the Sikarrians give up their
spatial trajectory technology (Star Trek: Voyager,
“Prime Factors”)? Why is the Red Angel appearing in
seemingly random locations throughout the Galaxy
(Star Trek: Discovery, “The Red Angel”)?
The central premise of the game is to unravel the
mysteries of the universe by asking “why.” To
— DR. BE V E RLY CR USHE R
to be a good and supportive player, and you and
your players have agreed upon the table rules and
safety tools you’ll use during the game.
It is now time to play.
comprehend alien worlds and species, you must
ask why they act and think the way they do. If your
vessel is being attacked, you should ask why you
are viewed as a threat or enemy. Unlike some RPGs,
confrontations in Star Trek Adventures are not
normally solved by who has the greatest strength or
most powerful weapons. Problems are solved when
the motivating factor leading to a conflict is dis-
covered and resolved. This could mean negotiating
resources between two warring factions, unearthing
deep-set prejudices built into a society, or decoding
the programming in a weapon of mass destruction.
Players should actively pursue understanding the
relevance of a mission and their role in it. It is more
important to understand the cause of an issue, not
merely looking at the effect. Once the “why” of the
problem is discerned, the crew has a better chance
of figuring out what to do or how best to create a
solution. These solutions tend to be more innovative
and gratifying than responding to every problem
with a volley of photon torpedoes.
ENGAGE! 107
 Just Do It There could come a time when you push the limits
of logic in game terms. You may say, “I want to use
You might be playing an RPG for the first time.
the power of a star that is two light-years away to
Consequently, you may worry about what is and
recharge our entire vessel so that we are in battle
is not possible in the game. You may have tried
ready condition in one hour.” In this case, the gam-
to memorize all the rules before your first gaming
emaster might say that this is impossible.
session and are feeling overwhelmed.
Under any circumstance, explain what action your
Relax.
character is attempting. The gamemaster will set
the Difficulty of each task. Your role is to try and
Put the character sheet and core rulebook aside for
try again until you succeed. Rolling the dice is the
a moment. This simple tip will make your gaming
only real way to know if something had a chance of
experience imminently better: Do not ask. Just
succeeding. The laws of probability will decide in the
do. As opposed to asking your gamemaster, “Can
end if you can or cannot do something.
I reroute power from life support to the engines,”
practice rephrasing that into, “I am going to reroute
power from life support to the engines.” Exude Confidence
Starfleet and Klingon officers are not the timid type.
Your gamemaster will then tell you what attribute
Though they might be shy or withdrawn, these
and discipline combination is required to make the
individuals are the crème de la crème. They are
roll, the Difficulty of the roll, and any other pertinent
highly skilled officers who know the capabilities of
information. A skilled gamemaster will know that
themselves, their crewmates, and their ship.
they do not need to say “no” to a task. They simply
need to increase the Difficulty of the task to repre-
Present your ideas and opinions with confidence
sent how hard it will be to succeed.
when proposing solutions, interacting with other
species, and exploring the universe. If other char-
For example, the gamemaster might tell you that
acters doubt the feasibility of a plan, make up a
rerouting power is a Power Management task that
backstory wherein something similar worked. The
requires a Daring or Control + Engineering task
dice will decide what is a failure or success, not the
with a Difficulty of 2. However, the ship might be on
opinions of your colleagues.
its last iota of power and you may say, “I want to
draw power from the nearby star to recharge our life
Be ecstatic about exploring new ideas and testing out
support and engines.” The gamemaster might make
theories. Leap into danger with confidence knowing
this a Difficulty 4 task. This is when you decide if
that you have the training and equipment to survive.
you need assistance from other characters or if you
Rally your crew to achieve the impossible.
want to buy more dice for your dice pool.

UNDERSTAND HOW SCENES WORK

MANY GAMEMASTERS KEEP TO THE RHYTHM OF
Star Trek episodes when developing their adven-
tures. Most episodes open with a teaser, then
run through three or more acts before coming
to a resolution. Many of the published Star Trek
Adventures missions follow a similar format, with
the adventure broken up into three acts and multiple
scenes. Each scene may cover a few minutes,
hours, days, or longer. Several scenes collectively
form an adventure.
Gamemasters have the responsibility to design
scenes and, generally, to decide when they end.
Over time, you will get a feel for those moments. On
the contrary, scenes can be drawn out far past their
useful life if the gamemaster or players do not know

108 CHAPTER 4.20

when to quit. Reviewing some fundamentals on how
scenes start, play out, and end will help you move
the story along in conjunction with the other players.
Developing a Scene
The gamemaster should describe the scene with
some relevant details like time of day, lighting con-
ditions, sights, smells, structures, people present,
conversations occurring, activities happening in the
background, etc. A brief description should be given
of what everyone is doing at the beginning of the
scene. The gamemaster may set the scene, then ask
the players about activities in which their characters
are engaged.
Once the pieces are in place, it’s time to begin the
scene. At some point, a problem should present itself.
This problem could be designed to highlight a charac-
ter’s focus, value, or opinion. It could just be a way of
exploring a little-known facet of Star Trek. Whatever
is presented, it should have some tie into the larger
story. It should drive the characters to discover some-
thing of interest – even a personality flaw in another
character – and encourage them to explore.
The Logical End Point
Know when to end a scene. Just as we do not see
every second of what every character is doing during
an episode or movie, we do not need to play out every
second of your character’s life. Generally, the scene
should end when one of the following happens:
§ The characters are surprised by something
unexpected. Perhaps everyone looks around
at each other, are rendered speechless, jump in
shock, or cry out in disbelief. Cut scene.
§ The situation has implied consequences.
Maybe a shuttle carrying an away team
explodes, an ambassador walks out swearing
war against your species, or your lover tells you
they never want to see you again and cuts off
communications. Cut scene.
§ The battle seems to be leaning in favor of one
side over another. Leaving players in suspense
as to who will win a particular conflict is a good
way to hold their attention. Imagine that your crew
has been exchanging fire with a Romulan war-
ship. Suddenly, two more Romulan ships decloak.
They move within weapons range. Cut scene.
ENGAGE! 109
 § A clue of things to come is discovered. revive mortally wounded individuals by the end of
Imagine that your landing party has arrived in most scenes, or even between scenes. A character
the scene with the goal of finding survivors. reduced to 0 Stress at the end of a scene might very
Perhaps they find a recording explaining that well wake up in sickbay by the next scene.
a mutation occurred among the populace that
transformed them all into ravenous giant lizards. If your character was injured or stunned at the end
Suddenly, a distant roar is heard. Cut scene. of a scene, discuss what happened next. Did they
recover from being stunned? Did they receive any
§ Someone enters or leaves the scene. Perhaps
complications from their injury? Were they beamed
the crew is going about its business when
back to the ship or did they have to hide somewhere?
a friend or foe beams onto the bridge unan-
There may be no need to roll to determine any of this.
nounced or an argument with another crew
Discussing this out-of-character can prevent long,
member ends with them storming out of the
drawn-out scenes that may divert the main plot.
conference room. Cut scene.
Canon sources do not provide extensive detail on
You can help the gamemaster transition by asking
how long a person will be affected by a stun beam,
if it is okay to end the current scene. This is a great
knockout gas, or other effects that might incapaci-
way for everyone to step out of character and
tate a victim. It can be assumed that anyone who is
reorient the direction of the game. When a scene
stunned or injured carries that effect until the end of
is declared over, wait to ask questions until the
the scene unless someone has the skill or power to
gamemaster discusses the likely next action with
revive fallen characters. Otherwise, they are uncon-
the players who were in the scene. Once that is
scious until the beginning of the next scene.
resolved, you can discuss how all the characters
might react and begin to plan next actions.
Of course, the gamemaster or characters might
have a narrative reason to prolong the effect. The
Momentum. One point of Momentum is deducted
effect may be part of a larger plot. Perhaps some
from the team Momentum pool at the end of
characters are meant to be incapacitated the entire
each scene. This game mechanic is designed to
adventure with part of the solution being centered
encourage you to use Momentum to succeed in your
around finding a way to revive them. These matters
tasks and move the plot forward. There is no need
can be discussed between scenes.
to hoard Momentum in this game. The team pool is
maxed at six. Generous use of team Momentum is
Other effects. A change of scene can also indicate
to be expected and encouraged. Note that while it is
a change in circumstances. For instance, if the
often a good idea to check with your other players
previous scene ended with the away team being
before spending Momentum, there are times when a
knocked out by a theta-wave projector while walk-
5-10 minute debate over whether to spend it or not
ing in the dark, they might wake up on a brightly-lit
may slow down the game. Once you get a feel for
beach on the other side of the planet. Some or all of
your group’s tendencies, you’ll know when you can
the advantages, complications, conditions, or traits
simply spend the Momentum and when you should
from the last scene may or may not be present in
have a group discussion about it.
the current one. The gamemaster should communi-
cate to the players when and if these changes occur.
Injury and healing. It is possible that your charac-
ter could be injured, stunned, or presumably dead at
Once a new scene begins, it needs to be devel-
the end of a scene. Star Trek Adventures has been
oped in the same fashion as before. Set the stage.
designed to deal with a lot of those after-effects off
Determine the conditions and characters present.
screen. It is logical to assume that efforts have been
And, action!
made to treat injuries, recover Stress, and even

110 CHAPTER 4.20

 MANAGE EXPECTATIONS
YOU CANNOT EXPECT TO SUCCEED AT EVERY
attempt you make to accomplish a task. Failure is
part of life even when playing a roleplaying game.
However, you can choose the attitude you take when
you fail. The best attitude to take is to remember to
fail forward. Just because you failed to succeed at
a task doesn’t mean that all hope is lost.
When reading or watching stories, we are often
more enraptured when the heroes are presented
with obstacle after obstacle. Many times, they
will fail to perform a task and we sit in suspense
wondering how they are going to get out of their
USE SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
ON ANY STARSHIP THERE ARE DOZENS, IF NOT
hundreds, of individuals going about their business.
On space stations, there could be thousands of such
persons. Little is known about these individuals, but
we can assume that many of them are integral to
the operation of the ship or station.
Star Trek Adventures provides a mechanism to
utilize these individuals in the form of supporting
characters. Supporting characters are created
and controlled by the players. They tend to be less
detailed and can be played by any player when the
scene calls for it. They are generally regarded as
characters who are subordinate to senior staff. They
support main characters and manage stations left
unattended by those characters. Supporting charac-
ters can be a delightful way for a player to experi-
ence ship life and tinker around with disciplines and
focuses that their main character does not possess.
APPRECIATE YOUR FELLOW PLAYERS
YOU SHOULD DEVELOP AN APPRECIATION FOR YOUR
fellow players. Find joy in watching others roleplay
their characters. Your character does not need
to always be on center stage. Even captains do
jam. The same principle applies to playing Star
Trek Adventures. The dice determine success and
failure. Failure is just part of a greater narrative in
which you get to showcase how your character rises
above the odds to be a hero. Failure and conflict are
at the center of a great story. Over time, you will
find that you remember the stories that presented
the biggest challenges. It is hardly exciting when
everything is easy.
This means that you should embrace the opportunity
to fail. It will help you to know your character better
and harden your resolve to be victorious.
There is another benefit to playing support charac-
ters during a gaming session. Perhaps your main
character is not in a given scene. However, your
fellow player may want an assist for a task. You
could offer to play a supporting character so that
you, too, can take part in the scene. Now, you can
stay engaged during scenes and encounters even
though your main character is not present. Just
make sure to keep the spotlight on the actual player
character. Likewise, one of your regular players
might not be able to make the gaming session.
Transform their main character into a supporting
character for the session. In a sense, they can still
be present and take part in the mission. That helps
keep continuity to the overall campaign.
There is hardly a reason to be bored while playing
Star Trek Adventures. Supporting characters are a
great way to still take part in the action.
not need to be in every scene. If you are a more
gregarious person, learn to step back. Give other
players time to think when they are presented with
a challenge. Some people take longer than others
ENGAGE! 111
 to mull over the details of a story or to contrive a
solution. Give those more thoughtful players space
to think. In other words, step back.
Perhaps the session could end with you mentioning
a favorite scene in which your character did not
take part. That demonstrates that you respectfully
listened in on other scenes. It will heighten engage-
ment with your playing group. The gamemaster
could also ask players to share what they thought
was the most poignant or dramatic scene during
the adventure. Often, those will include sessions rife
with emotion and drama.
You could also ask other players about their plans
for developing their character. Take an interest in
their back stories. Ask questions to learn more about
their backgrounds, cultures, likes, and dislikes.
While playing the game, one character can compli-
ment another character by calling attention to heroic
deeds they performed and recommending them for
special commendation.
Encourage other players to explore their char-
acter’s limits. Just because you have a skilled
navigator on your crew does not mean they have
to fly the shuttle on every away mission. Perhaps
another player wants to try their hand at flying a
ship. For example, the ship surgeon might want
to log in some flight time. Why not allow another
character to experience another role if the task is
not critical to mission success? A seasoned officer
knows that cross training can increase individual
confidence and build a team capable of filling each
other’s roles in the case of an emergency.
For non-critical projects or missions, you should
encourage your fellow players to step out of their
comfort zone and explore their surroundings.
Allowing an ensign to take command of the bridge
during the overnight shift might help the character
grow in new and unexpected ways. It might also
allow a player to consider altering their character’s
career goals over time.
One indication of a great leader is a person who
trains the people under them to take their place.
Any of the player characters could potentially be in
command of their own ship one day. A starship is
112 CHAPTER 4.20
also great training grounds for characters eager to
explore the various roles on board.
Know the focuses, talents, and values of all the
main characters on your crew. Review your fellow
players’ character sheets. This will make for quick
reference when your crew is confronted with a
problem. You should know which of your characters
are more likely to succeed in a situation, are more
adept in a particular role, or work better as a lead or
an assistant on a task. Review their focuses. Study
their talents. Preemptively imagine scenarios that
they might be put in. Which character or combina-
tion of characters would be best suited to tackle the
scenario? Who is most likely to succeed based on a
combination of their attributes, disciplines, focuses,
and talents?
Being aware that the ship’s counselor also has a
focus in skydiving might prove useful in a scenario
requiring diving from orbit to a structure on a plan-
et’s surface. The player might overlook this related
skill. But a friendly colleague might remind their
fellow crew members of their abilities.
You will eventually want to know the various char-
acters’ values. Think of it like knowing the different
personalities of your various family members. One
way to learn more about characters’ values is by
asking them. Any time you spend time with the crew
should be viewed as a potential learning opportu-
nity. You could delve into a person’s background by
inquiring about their values. You could ask them to
explain times when they confronted the value and
how they and others might have been affected. Ask
hypothetical questions to get a feel for each crew
members’ personal boundaries or limitations. As
much as it is important to comprehend what your
crew knows, it is equally essential to understand
how they might react in different scenarios.
Star Trek Adventures can be a safe environment
to study social dynamics and interpersonal relation-
ships. This is the highlight for many groups who enjoy
the improvisational nature of this game. They would
much rather spend time conversing then firing phas-
ers at each other. You can play a huge role in setting
the tone for a dynamic gaming session if you play in a
way that draws out the best in your crew.
In any case, it is vital to remember that your group
has chosen to take hours out of their schedule the
play Star Trek Adventures with you. At the end
of every adventure, you should have a feeling of
accomplishment and a desire to return. The same
goes for your fellow players. Your comments and
BE A CO-WRITER
YOU PLAY AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN THE DEVELOP-
ment of your character. Meet with your gamemaster
before and after gaming sessions to discuss the
path you want your character to take.
To illustrate, your individual could brag to the other
players how she single-handedly destroyed a
Romulan bird-of-prey by sabotaging its singularity
drive. Or you could ask the gamemaster to create a
flashback story wherein your fellow players adopt
supporting characters to run through the brief flash-
back scene with your brave warrior.
On a grander scale, work with your gamemaster to
form a story arc. A story arc is an ongoing storyline.
The story would unfold over many episodes on a
television program. In the game, you may want to
develop your character in a similar fashion. Really
significant changes do not occur in one mission.
EFFECTIVELY USE VIRTUAL TABLETOPS
THE FACE OF ROLEPLAYING GAMES IS GRADUALLY
changing. When roleplaying games were launched
in the 1970s and 1980s, it was common to find a
bunch of friends huddled around a table with action
figures, maps, and dice. With the advent of the
internet, new platforms have developed that enable
gamers to get together and play.
Matching schedules with players who are scattered
across different states, countries, and time zones
can prove challenging. Some people have limited
time to play. They may not be able to dedicate three
or four hours to a gaming session at one sitting.
They might prefer to play in shorter intervals.
Also, you may have played roleplaying games as
encouragement will go a long way to incentivizing
them to continue playing the game. You collectively
share the responsibility to showcase your charac-
ters. A little appreciation and encouragement can
help forge a roleplaying group that stands the test
of time.
True growth takes time. Express your intent for your
character with your gamemaster so that they can
take this into account in the campaign. You likely
will be playing the same character through dozens
of different adventures. Your gamemaster could
agree to spotlight your character in some of those
adventures, writing in opportunities for others to
witness their growth.
In the same vein, the entire gaming group should
meet with the gamemaster to discuss where they
want the story to go. Are they exploring the borders
of the known Galaxy or serving in a diplomatic role
among other Federation members? Is it a time of
war or a time of peace? Does the crew want to
discover new worlds and new civilizations or test
out new technologies? Do they want to focus on one
primary character, highlight a few key officers, or
rotate the spotlight among the characters?
a teenager, but as an adult you have more time
constraints. Getting together on a weekly basis at
your friend’s house might be impossible. Virtual
roleplaying solves a slew of problems confronting
the modern gamer.
Due to these problems, some gamemasters have
shifted their game into a virtual environment.
Some use interactive gaming platforms, message
boards, phones, email, or other applications.
Some may find playing in an online campaign as
easy as text messaging. Players can post their
actions, chat in and out of character, and make rolls
ENGAGE! 113
 with virtual dice applications. Gamemasters can
post links and art virtually anywhere.
Several virtual tabletop platforms allow voice and
video calls from your computer or smartphone. You
can search and find free virtual tabletop applications.
Some gamers like a virtual platform since many role-
playing games including Star Trek Adventures offer
PDF copies of their books and supplements.
Consider the following when setting up a virtual
game. If you have purchased a core rulebook, down-
load the digital file along with any supplements you
need to play the game. The printable PDF editions
are not too large and are searchable from smart-
phones. This is recommended for the gamemaster
but optional for players, though players would do
well to review this Player’s Guide to optimize their
gaming experience. Download an online dice rolling
app. The group could also decide that the gam-
emaster is trusted to make all the dice rolls.
If possible, set up multiple forums with different pur-
poses. Here is a sample of the type of forums you
might set up to enable clear and concise playing:
114 CHAPTER 4.20
§ Main play forum. This forum is meant to
present the ongoing story in narrative form. It
explains the actions that both player characters
and NPCs are performing.
§ Out of character (OOC). Another forum should
be an out-of-character (OOC).
§ Actions. Dice rolls, Momentum, Threat, and
complications can be tracked here, though the
gamemaster might want to have a separate
forum for each.
Additional forums can be formed depending on the
needs of your group. You can create different rooms
or channels that allow characters to chat privately or
breakout the crew into different scenes on the ship.
Search popular social media sites if you are
interested in joining a virtual tabletop group. You
will find many eager people with similar interests
and matching schedules looking for a group to
join. Prepare to enjoy an entirely different kind of
roleplaying experience online.
 CHAPTER 04.30
MA X I M I Z I N G
YOU R P LAY E R
EXPE RI E NC E
“ T h e r e a r e so ma ny re a so ns t o jo in Starfleet. We g et to reach
f o r t h e b e s t in o urse lve s. We ge t t o d o wh at we love alon g sid e
c o lle a gue s w ho be c o me f rien d s…wh o b ecom e family.”
WARP INTO A UNIVERSE OF FUN
A GAMING EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER
You may be reading this book and wondering:
“What is my friend getting me into? Are role-
playing games even fun?”
Here are the answers: “A new universe fueled
by your imagination” and “They are beyond
fun; they can even sometimes be life-changing
experiences that help you get to know yourself
and your friends better.”
OVERVIEW
WHILE SOME GAMES ARE COMPETITIVE IN NATURE,
Star Trek Adventures is designed to help you create
a collaborative and cooperative gaming experience.
Luckily, you do not need to memorize a million rules
to get started. In fact, you will find the rules, beyond
the basics, are secondary to character development
and dramatic storytelling.
— CMDR. MICHAE L BURNHAM
You may have always desired to write a book,
act in a play, or grab a karaoke mic and just let
loose. This is your chance! RPGs create fantas-
tic collaborative improv experiences. You can
let your creativity flow in a safe environment.
Possibly more than any other roleplaying game,
Star Trek Adventures lends itself to celebrating
your diverse ideas and vivid imagination. Enjoy
the experience! 
04301
This section is all about developing the personal
and interpersonal skills needed to thrive in the Star
Trek universe. Memorizing game mechanics (if you
ever choose to do so) can come later. This is about
you getting the most out of this gaming experience
through the Star Trek lens of diversity, inclusion, and
tolerance, coupled with humanity’s insatiable thirst
for exploration.
ENGAGE! 115
 DEVELOPING YOUR TOLERANCE FOR RISK
SPACE IS A DANGEROUS PLACE. BESIDES THE
deathly cold and airless vacuum, there are countless
anomalies that could ravage a starship at any
moment. Alien planets contain microbes, animals,
civilizations, and environments that could end one’s
life in an instant. Hostile entities, space pirates, and
malevolent cosmic forces all pose a real threat.
Nonetheless, your character has made the choice to
journey into the stars. As such, they are fully aware
of the risks and rewards of space travel.
As a player, you do not need to wait for perfect
conditions to act. You can trust that your gam-
emaster is not out to kill your character. You may
have played other dungeon-diving or action-
packed RPGs. Though you may occasionally
find yourself wandering around labyrinth-like
cave networks or embroiled in a bar fight with
rowdy Nausicaans, the goal of most Star Trek
Adventures missions is to deepen one’s knowl-
edge of the universe, explore one’s character, and
overcome new and interesting challenges.
As in the various television series and movies,
most Star Trek main characters largely have “script
immunity.” In other words, your character’s life
is protected by the fact that they are a recurring
person in your group’s campaigns. The game’s
mechanics are designed more to create challenging
experiences for characters than to create lethal situ-
ations. There are chances for main characters to be
injured or even killed, certainly, but there’s enough
wiggle room for a main character to survive most
BEING A GOOD TEAM PLAYER
MORE THAN LIKELY, YOU ARE PLAYING WITH A GROUP
of other players. This means that you will want to
cooperate with the other players in finding solutions
to the problems at hand. And every good player can
become better. What are some ways to ensure that
everyone has a great playing experience?
116 CHAPTER 4.30
any challenge. Whether they survive completely
unscathed is another story.
The respect for all life is a large part of the Star
Trek universe. The death of a character is a big
deal. If a character is to meet their end, this should
usually be discussed with the gamemaster as part
of an important story arc. When a death does occur
in an adventure, it will likely involve non-player
characters. You might choose to show the death of
an NPC if it is appropriate to your plot. While all life
in Star Trek should be regarded with respect, there
are inevitable casualties from the inherent dangers
of stellar exploration, and these events can offer an
opportunity for crew reflection.
It is not necessary to scan every square meter of a
planet’s surface before deciding to beam down and
explore. Nor is it necessary to bring along a fleet
of shuttles, an armory of weapons, or every piece
of equipment available on the main ship. Standard
issue equipment – communicators, energy weap-
ons, and handheld scanning devices – are normally
enough to help you uncover clues or overcome any
challenges the adventure might present. Likewise,
there is no need to treat everyone who comes on
the ship as a potential biohazard or adversary. You
can trust the transporter to handle filtering out such
pathogens or deactivating energy weapons. Trust
that the experience of your teammates and the
technology you have on hand is enough to succeed.
When you do fail, take it as a learning experience.
Dust your character off and keep going. After all,
success is more likely to be based on a good roll of
a dice than waiting for a perfect situation.
Respect Everyone
Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. This Vulcan
philosophy recognizes the heterogeneous nature of
the universe. The creators of Star Trek Adventures
designed a game wherein all are welcome to play
in a respectful environment. This reflects the goals
and principles of the United Federation of Planets.
In the future, humanity has become an exemplar of
tolerance to other species. Discrimination and class
systems have become a thing of the past. In real life
and in the game setting, you should make a sincere
effort to create a hospitable space that allows your
fellow players to safely explore social conflict and
tactfully express differing opinions.
It is possible that a particular character, conflict,
or story triggers certain emotions. Star Trek has a
reputation for placing modern social issues into a
sci-fi setting and examining those issues. The crew
might find themselves confronting an alien species
with a different set of social, economic, cultural, or
religious values. The gamemaster may choose to
run a mission that sheds light on a problem that
mirrors a modern current or historical event. A quick
comment or thoughtless insult could unintention-
ally hurt another player who is seeing the issue
through a different lens. All of us have some form
of unconscious bias. If this happens during a game
session, try to be aware of it. If the gamemaster
doesn’t pause the game to give everyone a moment
THE PROBABILITY
OF SUCCESS
I once told Lieutenant Commander Data that
it is possible to commit no errors and still
lose. Such is life. As a Starfleet officer, you
should give that some thought. I have seen
individuals frozen into a state of inactivity,
gripped by the fear of failure. They try to run
through every possible scenario, consider
all possibilities, predict every eventuality.
The absence of probability is certainty.
We mortals cannot deal in certainties one
hundred percent of the time. At some
point, a person must trust their years of
experience, have faith in their fellows, and
rely on intuition to grant them the best
chance for survival.
— Captain Jean-Luc Picard
to touch base, consider suggesting a short break to
give everyone a chance to reset and regroup.
Great works of literature or well-written movies
provoke thought and discussion. An RPG game can
too. You are partly responsible for creating a game
where differences in opinion can be explored in a
safe space. This might make you or other players
uncomfortable. Some people respond to this dis-
comfort in different ways. Anger. Humor. Becoming
vocal. Growing silent. If things become tense, it is
best to review or reset boundaries. If another player
is offended, be quick to make peace. If something
you say or do makes someone uncomfortable,
own it and apologize. If the time and place is right,
discuss the matter openly and frankly.
Some people make jokes when they feel awkward
or if they see emotions on display. If you find dra-
matic scenes to be uncomfortable, challenge your-
self to get into the moment and play a role as if you
were an actor on a stage. You might purposely avoid
such scenes. You may be too embarrassed to act
out a romantic scene or get antsy when dealing with
serious subjects, such as a terminal illness or death.
However, you will find gaming more satisfying when
you develop the ability to roleplay a full spectrum
of emotions, and also give your fellow players the
space to roleplay through their emotions as well.
The most important thing is that everyone feels
included and has a good time. Consider the feelings
of others. Humbly adapt to changing circumstances.
Seasoned gamemasters and players will tell you
that years of playing together can create lasting
friendships and enduring memories. Overcome
personality conflicts or differences in beliefs so that
your crew’s epic adventure can continue unabated.
Be the Change You
Want to See
While roleplaying, you can create the future you
would want to live in. Do you look forward to the end
of national borders, a humanity united by a common
goal? Do you want to live in a world where kindness
triumphs over hate? Can you imagine a time when
mankind has solved the problem of war, eliminated
ENGAGE! 117
 hunger, reversed ecological destruction, and soared
into the stars? Do you wish that you could freely
explore arts and sciences for the betterment of every-
one? Do you desire to work among people who look
beyond the surface and define you by your accom-
plishments and not the circumstances of your birth?
If so, you are ready to help create a better future.
You can start by modelling respectful behavior
during sessions of Star Trek Adventures. If you
want to be received well by open-minded people,
then you might want to be open-minded yourself.
If you are a long-time fan, you probably have certain
opinions about the various Star Trek series and
movies. You might fantasize about being in the
writers’ room and ponder the decisions you would
have made with certain characters and storylines.
Roleplaying is the perfect time to infuse those ideas
into a game. Work with your gamemaster to weave
the fabric of the universe to your collective whims.
Remember, you have the chance to write and act in
your own Star Trek stories. Make the most of it!
Share the Spotlight
Every player at your table or in your virtual environ-
ment has put a lot of work into building their char-
acters. They want to take the stage and have fun
just as much as you. Additionally, your gamemaster
has crafted a story to highlight the focuses, values,
and distinctive nature of each character. It’s impor-
tant to remember that each character has a role
UNEXPECTED VISITORS
What was initially a funny circumstance ended
up ruining my day and made me a great source
of irritation to my crew. Earlier in the day, we
arrived at Federation headquarters and were
issued personal transporters. No need for trans-
porter rooms anymore. One merely needs to tap
what used to be a simple combadge, state the
location in which they desire to be transported,
and voila! they arrive. It did not quite work for
me, probably for the same reason the universal
118 CHAPTER 4.30
to play, and the crew (and the game) are stronger
when everyone works together.
Learn to understand the rhythm of scenes in the
Star Trek genre. Under normal circumstances,
the gamemaster or your fellow players will have
described the scene, including which characters are
present. You could easily exasperate your group if
you insist on being in most scenes or if you demand
to be the lead on every task.
Let others have their moment. You will get yours too.
There are still interesting things you can do if you
share a scene with another character that is being
spotlighted this session. You can ask questions to
draw out more information about their character’s
motives and desires. You can inquire about their
background and history. You can request to assist
them with their tasks. Much like in real life, asking
questions and then listening without judgement
is the best way to get to know others. The same
can work in the game. Who knows? Maybe the
spotlighted character will seek out your character to
engage in more interaction. If you let others shine,
they are more likely to share the spotlight with you.
After all, Humans tend to gravitate toward people
that make them look good in front of others.
Even if your character is not present in the scene,
there is a lot to be done. Think: What is my character
doing at this point? Are they working off-scene on
a project that could aid in this mission? Are they
8236 04304 359
translator has trouble interpreting my native
tongue into Federation standard.
My point is, other officers do not appreciate
when you drop in unannounced. You do not
need to be present in every conversation. It is
just as important to know when to be silent as it
is to know when to speak up.
— Lieutenant J.G. Linus
off-duty? If so, what are they up to? Make some
notes. Jot down a short backstory or “off camera” HUMILITY MIGHT BE
scene. Maybe you can write down an experience
that your character had that might help the situa-
THE BEST SKILL OF ALL
tion. These notes might come in handy when it is I thought it would be helpful to give you
your turn to act again. Watching or listening to your some advice that could have eased my
fellow gamers play can provide insights on how to transition as a new officer. Simply put,
move the overall story forward. no one likes a know-it-all. I was a newly
assigned ensign on board the Federation’s
flagship. I was confident. I wanted to
Avoid Metagaming ingratiate myself to my superiors. Therefore,
In most circumstances, your character should only I thought it my role to expound on my
act on things that they would know. For instance, it many commendations, achievements,
would be bad form for a character to remark about and awards. I was more than happy to
a conversation in which they had not taken part. Nor share my extensive knowledge, especially
would they reveal a fact of which they could not have with those in command. I thought that my
possibly known. Stay in your lane. Remain within studies in analysis, sensor operations, and
the boundaries of the story. Differentiating between microbiology would be lauded as remark-
what you know and what your character knows is a able. However, I soon learned that what I
fundamental skill to use in most RPGs. Refrain from viewed as being helpful was perceived as
telling others what they should do on their turn or arrogance. Some even went so far as to
how they should play their character. Take agency of say that I had a superiority complex. I made
your character, not those of other people. a supreme effort to revise my reputation
with the crew and add humility to my list
Metagaming can include making ill-timed or tactless of skills.
comments about another person’s roleplaying. It can
be considered rude to toss in snarky or conde- — Lieutenant Mendon
scending remarks about another player’s decisions.
You have the right to make decisions that govern
others feel awesome. Being silent is sometimes
your character’s fate. Allow others to do the same
more powerful than speaking. Of course, if your
for their characters. Players deserve the chance to
game’s code of conduct or the agreed-upon tone
experiment, learning what works or what does not
of your campaign gives free rein to the comedians,
work. Be supportive, not intrusive. If their character
have at it. The game is what you and your fellow
fails in an action, the universe will go on. It does
players make of it.
not mean the game is over. You may think that
picking apart other player’s decisions is helpful. It is
A Star Trek Adventures campaign can really hit the
not. Being overly critical can hinder some people’s
mark when everyone tries to stay in character during
creativity and may cause them to shut down during
a scene. As opposed to metagaming, you might find
a game session.
yourself engrossed in an intense scene that other
players are acting out. This can be an enjoyable
Likewise, avoid tossing in a wisecrack every other
experience. Hopefully, they will accord you the same
line or making a joke about every scene. You might
attention and respect when you truly embody your
find you have a singular wit. Even though other
character and lose yourself in the mission.
players may politely laugh, they may be irritated.
You could be ruining a dramatically serious scene
for their character. If you think you are a comedian,
then learn to read the room. Decide if your humor
is coming from a place of personal discomfort,
boredom, impatience, or the sincere desire to make

ENGAGE! 119
 MANAGING EXPECTATIONS
UNLIKE SOME OTHER RPGS, YOU WILL FIND STAR
Trek Adventures more enjoyable to play if you view
it as a team game. Intense infighting is a rare occur-
rence in a Starfleet crew; not so much for Klingon
campaigns, which we will touch on later.
Collaboration is Key
Starfleet officers understand their roles. They have
undergone years of training and appreciate the
power of collaboration. Problems are discussed.
Theories are shared. Characters with complimen-
tary disciplines, focuses, and talents join forces to
implement solutions. Players are encouraged to
assist each other. A medical officer could be the key
120 CHAPTER 4.30
to solving an engineering problem. A science officer
might need to master a weapons system to help the
crew succeed.
Officers are generally trusted to act outside of their
designated roles when time is of the essence and
there is little or no time for discussion. Consensus is
not needed for every round of play. If problems are
more complex or could have major repercussions,
then it is likely the commanding officer will summon
a meeting of some or all of the senior officers.
However, this is not a requirement. The gamemas-
ter might indicate that the current circumstances
do not allow for a confab. They might explain that
communications are down, or your character has

mere seconds to decide. If that occurs, roll with it,
and try your best.
Disagree, Then Move On
This is not to say that some characters might not
disagree on a certain point. However, it does not
benefit the game for you to brood just because your
idea was not selected, or others chose to take a dif-
ferent course of action than you would have chosen.
Treat others as you would like to be treated if your
decision had been chosen. You would want them to
exhibit full confidence in your abilities along with a
positive and supportive attitude.
It is more important that you stay focused on the
mission’s directives and goals of the adventure.
There is more than one solution to a problem. Be
humble and realize that other people’s opinions
are equally valid. In the end, the gamemaster has
chosen an adventure for everyone to enjoy. Others
should not feel that they need your personal seal of
approval on all their actions.
There should be no hard feelings by the time the
gaming session is over. Avoid carrying an argument
between characters into real life and vice versa.
Leave disagreements about the game with the game.
Remember, you were all either fellow fans, friends, or
family before the game began. There is no reason that
should change. You play a key role in making sure the
game experience is fun for everyone.
Act Like an Officer
Familiarize yourself with the basics of Starfleet
or Klingon protocol. For instance, in most cases
Starfleet officers never throw the first punch or fire
the first volley of torpedoes. Though they are not
strict pacifists, they have been trained to use diplo-
macy and science to solve issues before resorting
to violence. Officers are trained in various forms of
non-violent resolution like composure, negotiation,
psychology, and persuasion.
Hence, you do not have to treat every first contact
with overt suspicion. Though caution is always
warranted, you can allow yourself to relax in most
settings. People are not trying to assassinate you
at every turn. Smiling is okay (except if you are
a Vulcan, perhaps). Take a breath and enjoy your
assignment, the faint hum of the engines, the soft
beeping of computer consoles. Be pleasant and
diplomatic when in the presence of delegates from
other ships or species. Starfleet officers are experi-
enced in working in diverse settings. They would not
make prejudiced or biased remarks about another’s
customs, values, or appearances.
Officers are expected to carry themselves with
a certain decorum in and out of uniform. Even
a Ferengi officer will tone down their incessant
desire for riches to make it as a Starfleet officer.
Whereas a civilian Ferengi’s first instinct might be
to pillage and profit from a rare find like an alien
ENGAGE! 121

KLINGON DECORUM
You must understand what it means to be a
Klingon. Honor above all else. We are not soft
pacifists like our Federation allies. Insult a
brother-in-arms and you could find yourself
tossed over a table. Slight another officer and
you can expect to be standing toe-to-toe facing
the sharp end of a d’k tahg. Mention someone’s
mother in less-than-respectable terms and
prepare to have your life choked out of your
writhing body.
Some have called us cowards for employing the
cloaking device, sneaking up on our opponents,
treasure trove, a Ferengi Starfleet officer might
restrain themselves and donate the find to the
Federation Archaeology Council.
Give the Gamemaster Threat
As mentioned previously, you did not join Starfleet
to avoid risk. In the game, risk is represented by
Threat. Your gamemaster can spend Threat to create
complications, invoke certain conditions (like bad
weather or strange spatial conditions), or increase
the complication range of a scene. A group’s
Momentum pool is capped at six. On the other
hand, there is no limit to the amount of Threat the
gamemaster can collect.
The gamemaster uses Threat to keep the game
moving forward just like players use Momentum to
create advantages, perform additional tasks, or take
special actions that benefit themselves or the crew.
Though you might be cautioned against giving the
gamemaster Threat on every single roll, you must
realize that, in game terms, adding Threat represents
the risk your character is willing to take to be suc-
cessful. The more crucial it is for a task to succeed,
the more inclined you might be to add Threat.
Your gamemaster may spend Threat to create compli-
cations. Do not panic. You can spend two Momentum
to eliminate complications. You can also use the
Create Advantage option to remove a complication or
to create an advantage that counteracts the effects
122 CHAPTER 4.30
8236 04305 359
and blowing them from the stars. Not so! Does
a brush devil emit its fearsome scream when
it is far from its prey? Of course not! Those
who dare violate our borders are themselves to
blame for provoking our mighty Empire. To think
that we would allow any vessel to defile our
spaceways and not expect retribution is pure
foolishness and utter disrespect. If people do
not fear the Klingon Defense Force, then they
will try to plunder our planets and subjugate us.
If you are in our sights, then you are our prey.
— General Kargan
of a complication (core rulebook page 173 or The
Klingon Empire core rulebook page 70). You can
also eliminate a complication by spending 1 point of
Determination. The Make it So (Execute! for Klingons)
option allows you to create an advantage that applies
to the current scene (core rulebook page 87 or The
Klingon Empire core rulebook page 79).
Trust that your gamemaster wants everyone to
survive the adventure. They may use Threat to
challenge you and your group, but they’re not out to
clear the board of all characters.
Avoid Over-Analyzing
If you have ever played a roleplaying game, you
might be familiar with this situation: The team is
tackling a task. The task itself will take thirty sec-
onds in game time to complete. Wanting the perfect
solution, your gaming group spends thirty minutes
discussing how best to complete the task. You ana-
lyze every angle, build for every contingency, predict
each possible failure. Finally, after much exhaustive
deliberation, you roll the dice…and fail.
Some of you might say, “The reason it takes me
so long to decide is because I am a perfectionist.”
If this is you, try embracing your spontaneous,
decisive side. Perfectionists may tend to think that
something that has taken a long time is better or
has a higher quality than something that did not
take so much time. There are many cases when this
is not true. For example, a lot of effort can go into
designing software tools that prove to be useless or
out of touch with customer’s needs.
Similarly, over-analyzing will get you nowhere. Star
Trek Adventures is a flexible gaming system that
allows you to talk about, test, and act on challenges.
If you get stuck, ask your players for ideas or
assistance. Ask your gamemaster if you can attempt
a task to help determine a good solution. The gam-
emaster might grant you a clue to help unravel the
conundrum. Any Momentum you generate could be
used to obtain more information that might help you
solve the problem you’re facing.
It is possible that each player will want to tackle the
problem from a different angle. This is a common
occurrence when trying to solve a science problem.
Various hypotheses are tested to find a solution.
Instead of expecting to find the right solution on the
first try, expect failure. If necessary, propose solu-
tions. If your gamemaster requires, attempt tasks
to enact the process of elimination. This could be a
demonstration of your crew’s collective deductive
mind and investigative capabilities.
GO WITH YOUR GUT!
At some point, you need to take a risk, test
theories, or go for the gusto. Under trying
circumstances, you might be afraid to act.
But, you must take a chance. That is how
you develop grit and earn the trust of your
comrades. The more often you take risks
and succeed, the more confident you will
become. As the commanding officer of the
U.S.S. Excelsior, I took significant risks
against seemingly insurmountable odds.
You will learn you cannot always wait for
Starfleet’s approval to act, or wait for the
perfect circumstance to leap into the fire.
Many times, you just need to assess the
threat, jump in, and hope for the best. Your
quick action could mean saving the lives
of millions.
— Captain Hikaru Sulu
Be the Leader People
Want to Follow
At some point during the game, it is likely that you
will be required to lead a team. You might be the
head of your department aboard ship. At any time,
your commanding officer might bequeath you
with command. An ensign might be asked to lead
some cadets through a training exercise. The chief
medical officer or surgeon might be required to take
charge of a planetary crisis. The engineering officer
might be put in charge of a team fixing an orbital
satellite. In each of these cases, there is a chain of
command, and you might be at the top.
Avoid Micromanaging
Let’s face it. Some of us are control freaks. We feel
that the only way to get something done right is
by doing it ourselves, even if it’s someone else’s
responsibility. This can be called micromanagement.
If you do this, it might seem that you do not trust
your fellow players to make good decisions that
have successful outcomes. Very few people like to
be micromanaged.
A polished leader allows those under their authority
to learn from their mistakes. They provide clear
boundaries. For instance, your crew may be under
assault from killer robots. A micromanager might
order each of the characters under their command
to do specific actions like “Use your phaser to shoot
off that robot’s arm weapon.” A leader who trusts
their team might keep the order simple, like “Stop
that robot!” and leave it up to the other person to
create a solution.
Articulate Directives
The officer in charge needs to know how to issue
clear orders. The best way to do this is by making
sure that the players understand the exact outcome
you are looking to achieve. This enables the other
players to employ their own powers of reason to
create a solution that achieves the goal. Failure to
articulate directives can lead to conflict as each side
argues what it heard as opposed to what was meant.
ENGAGE! 123
 Ask Everyone’s Opinion Trek Adventures. The game has a command
structure that falls in line with naval tradition.
You might be able to picture the scene. Captain
Therefore, the officer in command should proac-
Picard sits at the head of the conference table in
tively seek advice from trusted advisors, usually
the Enterprise’s main conference room. His senior
their fellow crew members.
officers discuss the latest problem to confront their
crew. Each officer, in turn, expresses their opinion
True, responsibility for the decisions made by
or idea as Picard dutifully listens. Once each
the crew falls squarely on the shoulders of the
person has said their piece, the captain makes the
commanding officer in the end. They are likely the
best decision he can with the information that is
ones to be called before the Judge Advocate General
at hand. He thanks everyone for their contributions
should things go horribly awry. Even if you are given
and dismisses his officers. The officers file out
temporary authority, treat it will the care and respect
happy to have been heard and go about following
such authority deserves. A team that does not feel
the directives.
heard will stop speaking. Silent team members are
disengaged team members. And disengaged team
You can do much the same if you are put in
members could pose a danger to themselves and
command of a situation. Managing a roundtable
their fellow officers.
discussion can keep the game from spiraling into
a never-ending debate over the right course of
action. The players have signed on to play Star

124 CHAPTER 4.30

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
There is a command structure in Star Trek
Adventures. You might be playing the
commanding officer, which grants you a lot of
authority. You may be playing a ranked char-
acter, so it is highly likely that you are selected
to take charge of an away team or lead a
research project.
Listening is one of the best skills you can
develop as a leader. Listening is performed
with your ears, your eyes, and your instincts.
Sometimes, it is the thing unsaid that carries
the most weight. Do you know when your
officers feel worried, uncomfortable, upset,
satisfied, or eager? Have you gotten to know
them well enough?
A fine way to make sure everyone feels heard is
by chairing your meetings in a way that elicits
everyone’s perspective in a safe environment.
Ask each player for their insights. Start from
the player with the highest ranked officer on
down. Or flip the script and let the player with
the lowest ranked officer talk first. On some
occasions, you might find it fitting to grant a
player the right to make a final decision based
on their character’s specialty. Such a display of
trust goes a long way toward endearing yourself
with your group.
Even if a player’s idea fails, give them your
unfailing support. You are all in this together. 
04307
Understandably, there are times when it is unneces-
sary or inadvisable to invite every single character
to comment on a particular situation. A few officers
skilled in business or bartering might be all that
is needed if the first officer needs assistance
negotiating a trade agreement with a small band of
seemingly-harmless Pakleds. Only engineering and
helm officers need to be present when discussing
an enhancement to the impulse engines. Likewise,
everyone does not need to cram into sickbay each
time a medical diagnosis is discussed.
Move Things Along
If you are the mission lead, feel free to place a time
limit on any subject under discussion. This will
prevent your group from indefinitely deliberating on
a matter, which can really ruin a gaming session.
Your gamemaster might have already imposed
a time limit on the situation. But if they fail to
do so, you may suggest that everyone will get a
chance to speak once before a decision is made. A
stopwatch can be used to keep the game moving
along too. Your fellow players and gamemaster will
appreciate you if you kindly enforce simple but
non-offensive house rules to keep things moving
along in a timely fashion.
ENGAGE! 125
 Review Command
Structure
It would be wise to hear everyone’s perspective on
Starfleet or KDF command structure before launch-
ing into a new game or after joining an already-
formed crew. Is everyone clear on each character’s
rank and responsibility? Who is the first officer? Who
is the second officer? Is there a third officer?
Who is designated to lead each away mission?
There are times when a lower ranked officer
oversees a particular away mission due to a focus,
talent, or special connection they have to the mis-
sion. Big problems could occur if those lines are not
clearly delineated before the shuttle launches.
Under what conditions should an officer pull rank?
What is the role of the chief medical officer or the
surgeon? Who can relieve the captain of duty?
Undoubtedly, there will come a time when command
structure comes into question. It is much better
that these matters were discussed far in advance
of a problem than in the moment. You could call a
timeout if you feel everyone needs to review the
command structure, especially if emotions are high.
One of the benefits of being the officer in charge of
a particular mission is that you can end a heated
discussion by dismissing people from the conver-
sation or ordering people to cool off in another area
of the scene. What happens if a character refuses
to follow such an order? This should, once again,
be discussed far in advance of the problem so that
each player is fully aware of what they are getting
themselves into by breaking protocol. It should
be emphasized that Starfleet and Klingon crews
handle arguments and dissent far differently (see
the “Challenge” sidebar in The Klingon Empire core
rulebook on page 115).
Understand the Difference
Between Disagreement
and Insubordination
It is crucial that you understand the difference
between a subordinate disagreeing with you and
outright insubordination. You may have issued a
126 CHAPTER 4.30
direct order. Your subordinate officer might have
questioned the validity of the order and even invited
others in to support their case. After hearing them
out, you decide to restate your original order. The
subordinate decides to state for the record that they
do not agree with the decision being made and pro-
ceeds to follow the order. They may even go so far
as to file an official complaint with your superiors.
The chain of command carries a lot of authority that
can be used responsibly or rashly. Tarnishing some-
one’s reputation by charging them with insubordi-
nation should not be taken lightly, especially since
it could lead to various forms of discipline (see the
section on disciplinary actions on page 142 of the
core rulebook or the “Using Shame” section on page
134 of The Klingon Empire core rulebook).
So how can you know when a subordinate has
stepped over the line? Here are questions that can
help make the determination:
§ Did the officer refuse to obey an order?
§ Was the officer’s response issued with a
disrespectful, vulgar, or mocking tone, gesture,
or expression?
§ Did the officer directly question or mock the
commanding officer’s decisions in a public
setting in such a way that could undermine the
CO’s authority?
§ Is the officer taking steps to create dissension
among the ranks?
Starfleet has protocols in place that allow subordi-
nates to file complaints against superior officers.
This is not considered insubordination. However,
insubordination could be declared if an officer con-
tinues to demand their way after a hearing has been
held. One of the hardest decisions a commanding
officer may have to make is placing an individual in
the brig, demoting them, or stripping them of rank
and service.
You should be very careful when employing such
devices in the game as they can cause lasting hurt
not only to the character but your fellow players as
well. As this is a collaborative game, such instances
should be few and far between. You may need to
be aware that the insubordinate character might be
playing to a larger plot if you have been selected
to lead a team of officers. Perhaps their character
is under the influence of an alien entity or is taking
extreme actions to save the ship and crew. If the
ADVANCING YOUR CAREER
A DRASTIC DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STAR TREK
Adventures and other RPGs is that you can enjoy a
game in which your character does not “level up” or
earn “loot.” The goal is not to outfight everyone or to
constantly earn more powerful abilities. The goal is
to solve the mysteries of the universe and to grow in
knowledge. Or course, you might be playing a game
set during one of the more tumultuous times in
Federation history, like the Dominion War. This type
of campaign could lend itself to more action than
what is normally portrayed in the setting. Klingon
campaigns might also lend themselves to more
combat scenes.
Your character is unlikely to obtain a cosmic weapon
for more than one episode or gather enough money
to start their own Federation or purchase their own
little moon somewhere. Still, there are mechanics
that help your character grow and advance. The
core rulebooks explain how to develop your charac-
ter over time. Familiarize yourself with these rules
so that you can plot your character’s career.
To highlight character development in Star Trek
Adventures, emphasis is put on tracking how your
character is being changed as a person by what
they learn about themselves and the universe
while exploring. Overcoming adversities, facing
challenges, and the successes and failures related
to performing tasks can alter their perspective on
many matters. The way they react to ever chang-
ing circumstances can affect their reputation with
Starfleet or the Klingon Empire.
Reputation points earned can be used to earn a
promotion, gain more influence, and receive special
commendations, awards, and assignments.
need arises, pause the game to determine if you are
dealing with an intricate storyline or a player with a
negative attitude. If it is the former, play along with-
out taking it personally. If it is the latter, it might be
time to review the group’s code of conduct to ensure
the session is not spoiled by obstructive behavior.
Accumulated milestones can be used to change a
character’s values, increase or decrease attributes
and disciplines, and change focuses and talents. A
player can also choose to apply these milestones to
developing or enhancing supporting characters that
serve on the player vessel.
CHARTING THE FUTURE
OF YOUR CAREER
Starfleet provides many avenues for ambi-
tious officers to climb up the ranks. The
dream of many cadets is to one day captain
their own ship. Only a small percentage
will ever fulfill that dream. You stand a
better chance at promotion if you know the
answers to certain questions an individual
should ask their commanding officer:
§ How can I better serve the needs and
objectives of Starfleet?
§ What knowledge and skills should
I develop to help achieve Starfleet’s
goals?
§ Are there any opportunities for me to
take the lead on an upcoming away
mission?
§ Can you suggest someone on the ship
or station who would be willing to
mentor me?
§ Can you recommend any extra assign-
ments or training to help further my
promotional goals?
— Admiral Nsomeka, Starfleet Academy
ENGAGE! 127
 Likewise, milestones can be used to make improve-
ments to the player vessel.
Some groups might choose to deviate from the
published guidelines and establish their own rules for
advancement. They do not track points or milestones.
For many, they save advancement for when they
feel the story calls for it. The completion of a major
campaign arc might warrant shifts in reputation or
promotion. A transfer to another vessel or station
might grant someone an increase or decrease in rank
YOUR CREW IS YOUR FAMILY
EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE EAGER TO ADVANCE YOUR
character’s career, Starfleet is not an overtly compet-
itive environment. Sure, you will find those officers
who are driving hard for a promotion; but, overall,
you will relish the success of your comrades as their
accomplishments are recognized by the brass.
More than anything, you will find yourself drawing
closer to your crew. After all, you are probably hun-
dreds of lightyears from your blood relatives. Even
with subspace communications, it could take weeks
or months for messages to transmit from your
location to your home planet. It will be beneficial
to form close friendships with those onboard your
vessel or station.
You will miss out on some amazing experiences if you
are the officer who merely does their job then retreats
to their own quarters alone. Your shift may consume
one-third of your day. What are you planning to do the
rest of the time? Will you pursue artistic endeavors?
Will you start a fitness regimen? Do you prefer to
practice cooking or studying a new branch of science
or engineering? If so, why do it alone?
You gamemaster might ask you what you do in
your down time. Why not create a list of your
possible work schedule attached to your personal
one? Encourage the other players to do the same.
Compare your lists. Are there certain activities you
could invite other officers to participate in? This is a
fantastic way to bond with your crew.
128 CHAPTER 4.30
or responsibility. Discuss as a group what method
you will take to record advancement.
Share with your gamemaster any ideas you have
on how to advance your character. By doing so,
you help your gamemaster create opportunities
to showcase why you have earned advancement.
Conversely, you might decide you want to create a
story in which your character is put in a position to
possibly lose rank or take a hit to their reputation.
Weave the story of your complex and individual
character any way you see fit.
As in any family, listening is important. However,
players might feel initially awkward about playing in
character and exuding emotions.
The best way to get people talking is to ask open-
ended questions that draw them out. Simply put,
open-ended questions generally start with Who,
What, When, Where, and How. Avoid asking Why
or just Yes or No questions as that can dead end a
response. Invite the other player to explain what life
was like on their home planet, what it feels like to
perform a mind meld, expound on their first crush,
THE COMRADES WITH
WHOM YOU SERVE
Those with whom you serve are your blood
brothers and sisters. They are your new
family, your comrades-in-arms. You function
as one unit for the glory of the Klingon
Empire. Insult the honor of one and you
insult us all. It is not uncommon to hear
how one Klingon has defended the honor
of their comrade, even if that comrade has
already journeyed to Sto’Vo’Kor. There is
no greater honor than giving one’s life in
battle to bring glory to one’s family and the
Empire. It is what any true Klingon lives and
dies for.
— Kor, Dahar Master
or describe the scariest thing that ever happened to
them in space. The other player may be put on the
spot for a moment, especially if they never thought
about such things before. However, give them a
moment to make something up. This will add depth
to their character and make for some interesting
anecdotes that a crafty gamemaster might weave
into future stories.
There are entire episodes of Star Trek that are
written in the context of a favorite pastime. (See The
Next Generation’s “The Game”; Deep Space Nine’s
“Let He Who Is Without Sin…”; or Voyager’s “Bride
of Chaotica!”) Time off fraternizing with your fellow
crew members can quickly turn into an unexpected
adventure. The more material you give the gam-
emaster to work with, the better.
You should envision a bustling environment of activ-
ity when you picture your vessel or space station.
Everyone is not working all the time. Many choose
life on a starship because of the diversity of activi-
ties in which they can partake, new worlds they can
walk on, and sights they can see. What better way to
travel than with friends!
How to Enrich Your
Character History
Maybe you are unsure how to create a rich and
vibrant character history. You want something
that will set your character apart from the literally
trillions of members of the Federation and Klingon
Empire. You have gone through the lifepath genera-
tor process. You have a general idea of some events
that occurred in their past. You may have completed
your character sheet and selected your species,
focuses, values, and talents. Now what? Who is this
person? What are their likes and dislikes? What
triggers their emotions? What do they dream about
if they dream at all? What about their relatives? Do
they have any enemies?
You will want to spend time working on your char-
acter’s history. Not sure where to start? Review and
answer the questions in the “Character Prompts”
sidebar to gather some ideas.
THE IMPORTANCE OF
FRATERNIZING
You can’t imagine what a struggle we had
getting the Starfleet officers and Maquis
to play nice the first couple of years. But
Captain Janeway and I knew that if they
couldn’t play together, they sure could not
fight together. I was given the assignment
to create opportunities for the crew to
fraternize. Some worked better than others.
I count Mr. Neelix as a blessing. Food
seemed to work every time, even if the
crew agreed that sometimes the concoc-
tions he whipped up were truly abhorrent.
He knew what I was trying to accomplish
and played along. If you want your crew to
really bond, you need to create spaces of
downtime when they can relax and take
their mind off of work or politics. You will
have a better crew for it.
— Commander Chakotay
Know your character. After a few gaming sessions,
you will begin to react instinctively and in character.
The gaming experience really takes off when you
spend less time looking down at your character
sheet and more time acting out scenes in an
improvisational manner.
Characters can expound on their background while
working on a project or engaging in a mission.
Humans are natural storytellers. You might tell sto-
ries to your friends on a regular basis even outside
of the context of RPG. Stories are our way of relating
to other people. The same goes for the game.
You may do a lot of work on your backstory, so
you should look for opportunities to weave it into
gameplay. If the vessel suddenly encounters a
flower-shaped spatial anomaly, your character might
say, “It reminds me of the flowers I used to pick on
Rodillian Prime. My grandmother was a horticulturist
and she warned me that a pretty thing can still be
lethal.” Though it might seem small, such back-
story enriches your character and helps others see
ENGAGE! 129
 CHARACTER PROMPTS
ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS
ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER TO
HELP AUGMENT THEIR BACKSTORY
Who do they admire the most?
If they could retire anywhere in the Galaxy,
where would it be?
If they could choose to do anything for a day,
what would that thing be?
What is their favorite game or sport to watch
and play?
Have they ever had a nickname? What is it?
Do they like or dislike surprises? Why or why not?
What is their biggest fear?
What would they change about themselves if
they could?
What triggers anger or frustration in them?
What motivates them to work hard?
What is their favorite thing about being in their
current assignment?
What is their least favorite thing about being in
their current assignment?
What is the accomplishment they are most
proud of?
them in a new or different light. It might give your
gamemaster an interesting way in which to present
the game, as the crew truly does learn that this
beautiful anomaly has a dangerous quality.
You are encouraged to share your character’s expe-
riences even if their backstory does not become the
130 CHAPTER 4.30
What are their children/parents/siblings/grand-
parents like?
What is their favorite piece of literature?
What makes them laugh hardest?
What was the last art or music event they
attended? How did they feel about it?
If they could go back in time, what era would
they travel to?
What are their hobbies?
What is the best gift they have ever received?
What is the worst gift they have ever received?
What is their favorite animal, if any?
If they could go back in time to change one
thing, what would it be?
What’s their favorite holiday?
What’s the most daring thing they’ve ever done?
What is their favorite childhood memory?
Do they collect anything?
Are they related to anyone famous?
What was their first job or assignment? 
04311
crux of an adventure. Star Trek consistently gives us
small insights into people’s backgrounds that stick
with us over the years.
EXAMPLE: Captain Archer has a dog, Porthos,
that is often tucked away in quarters or accom-
panying landing parties. Porthos provides depth
 to Archer’s character, adds some cute hijinks,
and makes for a consistent companion.
EXAMPLE: Lwaxana Troi was a frequent visitor
on the Enterprise and Deep Space 9. Her out-
spokenly flirtatious manner contrasts with her
daughter Deanna’s reserved nature and makes
for many an awkward moment.
EXAMPLE: It was revealed early on that Captain
Janeway was engaged to Mark, her fiancé from
Earth. That fact emphasized the sense of loss
many of Voyager’s crew were feeling.
Another thing to remember is that not all backstories
show your character in a favorable light. Individuals
make mistakes. People are flawed. It is overcoming
those flaws that presents life challenges. Even as
you stand there with your uniform and rank, it took
a lot of work to get there. Having been accepted
into Starfleet or the KDF should be a source of
great pride, not because of how easy it was, but
because of the obstacles and challenges you had to
overcome to get there. Those past events are what
formed your character into the person they are.
THERE IS AN ARTIST
AMONG YOU
One way to really make your game come
alive is by creating artwork that represents
your ship and its crew. One of your fellow
players might possess artistic talent. Perhaps
they would be willing to draw your character
or crew. Creating a collection of pictures,
drawings, and schematics can really enhance
your Star Trek Adventures game. 
04312
Those memories might make your character proud
or ashamed. Reflect that as you play your character.
Your character needs to have motivations, hopes,
dreams, fears, and flaws. Reveal these intimate facets
of the character’s personality and background so
that they become real to the other players. This is the
pathway to creating incredible roleplaying experi-
ences. If done right, you will be rushing to play Star
Trek Adventures frequently so that you can explore
your character and the universe in which they operate.
ENGAGE! 131
 CHAPTER 04.40
SU PP ORT I N G TH E
GAM E M AST E R
“O u r sp e cie s c a n o nly sur vive if we h ave ob stacles to over-
c o m e . W i t h o u t t he m t o st re ngt he n us, we will weaken an d d ie.”
YOUR GAMEMASTER OFTEN PUTS A LOT OF EFFORT
into planning a game long before you sit down to
play. They are careful to study the player charac-
ters’ abilities and back stories, memorize the ship’s
capabilities, construct plausible conflicts, and craft
the tone and rhythm of the game. Some gamemas-
ters go even further. They create detailed virtual
settings, build models, paint miniatures, and add
GET INTO THE MOOD
YOU CAN SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION FOR YOUR
gamemaster’s efforts by being a proactive player.
Try and understand the tone of the current game.
Play along. Maybe the scene starts with everyone
on the bridge greeting an alien ambassador. Your
character’s actions should reflect the dignity of the
scene. They should likely fall into standard protocol,
allowing the commanding officer to take the lead
until ordered otherwise. Maybe the gamemas-
ter launches your session with the crew in the
middle of an away mission on an alien planet. The
gamemaster explains you all transported down with
standard-issue equipment. Refrain from demanding
that you brought a shuttle or other equipment. The
gamemaster set the scene for a reason. Get into
character quickly and play along.
Take time to study any art pieces or visuals your
gamemaster has chosen to display. They selected
the art for a reason. Ask questions about it. Some
gamemasters use concept art found on the internet
132 CHAPTER 4.40
— CAPT. JAME S T. KIRK
soundscapes to create a highly interactive gaming
experience. They might spend hours preparing for a
scene that may take mere minutes of game time.
Your attitude and actions can go a long way in
having your gamemaster motivated to create more
missions. Let’s dig deeper into how you can support
your gamemaster.
or other sources, so it might not match their vision
of the item or event perfectly. Listen as they explain
the purpose of the illustration. Make notes on the
key points they want you to remember about the
map, drawing, or schematic. They will appreciate
your attention to detail.
Know when to talk or be silent. Know when to joke
and when to be serious. Your gamemaster may have
gone to great lengths to create a hazardous envi-
ronment with terrifying beasts. Peril surrounds the
away team at every turn. One of your members is
injured and could die if they do not receive medical
attention. Get into it! Play up the drama and strike
some fear into your other players by exuding worry
that you are about to lose a crew member. Display
the emotions appropriate for the scene.
Avoid pursuing actions that do not correlate to the
current mission. For instance, your character might
want to design and build their own shuttlecraft.
However, that may not be the plot of the current
adventure. Though you may make passing mention
about your personal project, you will want to tailor
your actions to benefit the larger story. You could
always ask your gamemaster to spotlight the shuttle
at another time. Contribute to the current story.
Another thing that could break the mood are players
who are disengaged from the game. Laptops, cell
phones, and tablets can be great tools during a
session. They can also provide for huge distractions.
As much as possible, try to stay focused on the game
even when it is not your turn. You might work appro-
priate use of technology into your group’s code of con-
duct. Games flow faster when everyone is engaged.
An appreciated gamemaster is a happy gamemas-
ter. Let them know you like their attention to detail.
Be engaged. Get into the mood. Your gamemaster
deserves to have as much fun running the game
as you do playing it. Trust your gamemaster. In Star
Trek Adventures, the gamemaster is rarely, if ever,
out to kill your character. Even when things seem
their darkest, you can trust that there is a way out.
You just need to find it.
PLAY ALONG
AT SOME POINT ON A MISSION, YOU MAY BE TAKEN
aback by something the gamemaster says. Perhaps
they describe an event that sounds implausible or
tells a story that conflicts with your understanding of
Star Trek lore or mechanics. It is appropriate to ask
for clarification; however, refrain from arguing with
your gamemaster.
In sci-fi and fantasy games, it is oftentimes best to
adopt the “Yes, and…” frame of mine. This is an
improvisational technique used to envelop actors in
a role or situation. If your gamemaster tells you that
your crew has grown to the height of 200 meters,
accept it. “Yes, and…” it could be an illusion. “Yes,
and…” something you ingested on the planet
caused you to grow to this phenomenal size. “Yes,
and…” it appears that you are growing because
everything around you is shrinking. “Yes, and…”
fosters an environment where imagination and
Overly paranoid players can often suffer from
over-analyzing, as was mentioned above. This is a
sure-fire way to drain energy from the game and
exasperate the gamemaster. Normally, your gam-
emaster has prepared several scenes or encounters
for any gaming session. It could severely hamper
the story if you get stuck in one scene for hours
searching for the “perfect” solution.
If you are unsure if there is a solution, simply ask
your gamemaster, “Is there a solution?” Most likely,
they will answer in the affirmative and prompt
you to keep trying. If you need a clue, trust your
gamemaster to give you details that matter, either
directly or through the voice of an NPC. You may
believe you have the solution and might pursue that
route of investigation. However, pay attention when
your gamemaster provides you clues. It might be
one key phrase or a single descriptive word they
say that will provide the piece to solve the puzzle.
Your gamemaster has probably designed clues into
the game to help you solve each mystery. Trust that
those clues will lead to a resolution.
innovation can run wild. It opens up possibilities that
would not otherwise come out in a “No. But. Can’t”
environment. You will find “Yes, and...” to be a much
better method than arguing when something strikes
an ill chord with you.
This form of response can provide hours of hilarious
and exciting gameplay as your crew attempts to
rule out the impossible, sort through the improbable,
and discover the solution. It is much more satisfying
than whipping out rule books, yelling about conflicts
with canon, or challenging others to a trivia contest.
You might be a long-time Star Trek fan. Others in
your group might be new to the franchise. Keep
new players engaged in the game by not making
them feel inadequate for not knowing the difference
between a deflector grid and a force field generator.
Likewise, the gamemaster may not have watched
ENGAGE! 133
 “YES, AND…” IN ACTION
Diana (Gamemaster): “You board the trans-
porter pad and prepare to transport down to
the surface of Vulcan. You materialize a second
later. However, you are surprised to find your-
selves transported to San Francisco, California.
A digital calendar on a building indicates the
year to be 2027. Newsfeeds running on a digital
ticker indicate that the planet is in the middle of
a full-scale pandemic, social unrest is plaguing
every city, and the economy is in decline.”
Yuan (Captain): “Wait a second. I thought
that World War III began in 2026 and lasted for
nearly thirty years according to canon? Is this a
post-apocalyptic setting?”
Diana (Gamemaster): “It is not. If you look at
the news it seems that there was no war.”
Jackie (Science Officer): “Ah. So this must
be some sort of alternate past. World War III
hasn’t happened.”
every episode and movie ever produced. Help create
an environment that welcomes old and new fans
alike. More likely than not, your adventures will not
be called to account by millions of Trek fans. This is
your group’s story. You can relax. Play along.
Be willing to start the mission with a major fail-
ure. This is normal for the genre. Many opening
sequences in Star Trek begin with the crew being
shown in a precarious situation in the very first scene.
EXAMPLE: Captain Archer carries Commander
T’Pol’s body into sickbay. Dr. Phlox rushes over
and aids Archer in placing her on the biobed.
After restraining her, she regains consciousness.
She attacks the captain and acts as if he is
endangering her life. She lets out an excruciat-
ing scream.
134 CHAPTER 4.40
Yuan: “Yet, we should figure out what the polit-
ical situation is by watching the news or asking
people on the streets. Are there people around?”
Diana: “Yes. They are all Xindi.”
Jackie: “What? Why didn’t our scanners sense
that before we beamed out? We are out of time
and the Xindi run Earth? How did that happen?”
Yuan: “So, we are in some sort of alternate time
and reality. Great.”
Jackie: “Yes, and we need to make sure we
blend in. We can’t know how they will react
to our presence. Then we can figure out more
about this transporter accident.”
Diana: “Okay. Let’s discuss ways to disguise
yourselves while you get a lay of the land.” 
04401
EXAMPLE: Ensign Harry Kim finds himself shot
out of a chute and into a grungy alien prison.
Alien men rush him. There is only one face
the flustered ensign recognizes, Lieutenant
Tom Paris.
Before he can call out to his friend, Tom
punches Harry.
EXAMPLE: Captain Philippa Georgiou and
Commander Michael Burnham are exploring a
desert planet as a huge sandstorm comes closer
to their location. The U.S.S. Discovery is unable to
get a transporter lock on them due to the storm.
Your gamemaster may launch an initial scene
wherein your characters are in a precarious or
compromised position. Instead of arguing why this
could never happen or being upset at starting off
as the underdog, play along. You can trust that the
gamemaster started the adventure at this point
to construct an even greater story. This is a fine
opportunity to show that your character is more than
KNOW THE SYSTEM
THIS MIGHT BE YOUR FIRST TIME PLAYING STAR
Trek Adventures. Memorizing the rules is not
necessary to be a good player. However, the more you
know, the better your gaming experience will be. It
is not necessary for you to put to memory every type
of dice roll you need to do in every possible scenario.
A general idea of how to assemble your dice pool,
spend Momentum, and engage focuses, talents,
and values should suffice. As time goes on, you can
review sections of the core rulebooks that interest
you. You might stumble across a rule that no one in
your group has yet taken advantage of. Surprise your
crew by evoking a mechanic no one thought to use
before. You will be that session’s hero!
On the other hand, you may be the type of player that
has read the entire core rulebook, placed sticky notes
on your favorite pages, and have it on hand the entire
session. That is great! Nonetheless, refrain from
correcting the gamemaster when they use incorrect
technobabble, mispronounce an alien name, or do
something that does not meet your personal seal of
approval. Citing reference after reference could bring
the game to a halt as the gamemaster is made to feel
inadequate to run a game.
ASK FOR CLARIFICATION
AT SOME POINT ON A MISSION, YOU MAY BE CON-
fused by something the gamemaster says or you
might not remember the point of the scene. It is
perfectly acceptable to ask your gamemaster to
restate the mission objectives.
You might ask, “Can you remind us of the over-
all mission objective?”, “What task do I need to
complete this project?”, or “How do we know when
we are successful?” Such clarifying questions can
a combadge or tricorder. They are brilliant and witty
individuals trained to survive in the most extreme
and alien environments. Impress your fellow gamers
by triumphing against impossible odds.
Star Trek Adventures is not designed to prove who
is the biggest Star Trek geek. The fact is, your gam-
emaster might not have as much time to study up
on every detail. (If you do, however, consider being a
gamemaster sometime.)
Give the gamemaster the flexibility to bend the rules
when needed to advance the story. For instance,
one of your crew might be the last person standing
after a skirmish with some rowdy Andorians. One of
the Andorians lands a solid punch. The gamemaster
rolls the challenge dice and generates a whopping
8 points of Stress. This would normally knock out a
character. However, the gamemaster never expected
your crew to be overwhelmed (sometimes dice just
roll like that). They may decide to allow the crew
member to keep fighting if it is crucial to the scene
or story.
The gamemaster’s responsibility is not merely to
enforce rules. They are there to create a wonderful
story. Help them out by knowing the basic rules
and by not acting like a rules lawyer for the entire
game session.
help keep the characters on track and avoid rushing
headlong down the wrong path.
It takes the players working with the gamemaster
to envision a shared vision of the world in which
your characters exist. As such, it is possible that that
vision starts to look different to each person. Your
gamemaster might describe a giant idol com-
posed of amber. Depending on a player’s personal
experience, they might envision a yellow stone.
ENGAGE! 135
 Another might envision a dark brown or orange
stone. Knowing the exact color of the stone might be
essential if the story required a beam of similar-
ly-colored light to be directed into the idol’s eyes.
Try your best to ask enough questions to get a
general understanding of the timeline, locations,
and characters in any given scene. Make a note of
the mission’s objective along with what tasks your
character has been assigned. Have a clear picture of
what success would look like and aim to get there.
Overcoming Complications
Gamemasters spend threat to create complications,
which are obstacles to your crew achieving its
goals. Also, players might roll a complication that
the gamemaster can use to create problems. Some
gamemasters really pile on the complications to
express how risky a situation is or to demonstrate
the improbability of success.
Keep a positive frame of mind when this hap-
pens. Just like you might work around dozens of
136 CHAPTER 4.40
unexpected obstacles during a routine driving trip,
you can maneuver around complications. There is
no need to complain about or fear the presence of
them. The game has a built-in mechanic, Create
Advantage, that can help you overcome or work
around complications.
Some gamemasters stock up Threat with the goal of
using it to make challenges more difficult the deeper
into the game you go. In fact, you might assume
that you are getting close to beating the current
mission when your gamemaster starts adding more
and more complications. When that happens, it is
time to get creative. You can create advantages that
counteract or cancel out the complication. You may
find an alternative solution that outsmarts your gam-
emaster’s carefully crafted machinations. You might
turn the complication into an advantage, disrupting
your gamemaster’s efforts to befuddle your crew.
In any case, view complications as good things,
challenges that allow your character to demonstrate
what makes them the best of the best.
 CHAPTER 05.00

CHARAC TE R
ROLE S
05.00 CHARACTER ROLES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

05.10 COMMANDING OFFICER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

05.20 EXECUTIVE OFFICER/FIRST OFFICER. . . . . . . . . . 143

05.30 SECOND OFFICER AND THIRD OFFICER. . . . . . . . 145

05.40 OPERATIONS OFFICER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

05.50 CHIEF ENGINEER/ENGINEERING OFFICER . . . . . . 149

05.60 CHIEF OF SECURITY/WEAPONS OFFICER. . . . . . . 152

05.70 CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER/SURGEON . . . . . . . . . . 155

05.80 SCIENCE OFFICER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

05.90 FLIGHT CONTROLLER/HELM OFFICER . . . . . . . . . 161

05.100 SHIP’S COUNSELOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

05.110 COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

05.120 SHIP’S COOK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

CHARACTER ROLES 137

 CHAPTER 05.00
CH ARACT E R R O L E S
“So m e t i m e s w e k no w t he ro le w e ’ re mean t to p lay. Som etim es
w e do n’ t . I’ m no t sure w hich is b etter, to b e h on est.”
YOUR PLACE IN A CREW
WHETHER IT’S SWEATING IN A SWELTERING ENGINE
room or giving orders on the bridge, the role you
play on board a starship or space station is just as
important to developing your character as a detailed
backstory and lifepath. Defining your role in both
job and rank will allow for specific roleplaying
experiences for you and your character, as well as
challenge your character’s many values.
When you sit down with a group for the first time, you
may collectively discuss ideas of what roles would
best fit the characters you and your fellow players are
looking to create; however, there may also be times
where you join a game looking to fill a specific role.
Whatever role your character plays, their lifepath and
backstory should tie into it in some way.
Whether piloting has been in your character’s family’s
blood for years, or your character is rebelling against
their family’s wishes by becoming a science officer,
the stories that drive you to your role will inform
future story arcs for your character. Once you’ve
decided on a role, and how your character came to
be in that role, your gamemaster will then review
your character’s values and use them to help create
dramatic scenes and meaningful character arcs.
A Proficient Crew Member
Your character’s role should reflect years of
schooling, training, and experience; it is important
to remember that all members of a ship’s crew are
considered the best of the best. While your character
138 CHAPTER 5.00
— CAPT. CHRIST OPHE R PIKE
has been specifically given a job that suits their
focuses, it is expected that their training covers the
basics of other jobs on board the ship.
It is likely your character will be required to occa-
sionally perform tasks that don’t directly relate to
their given role. These tasks often add more drama
to a scene and should not be avoided just because
your character doesn’t have an applicable focus
or talent. In fact, these scenes can often challenge
your character’s values and become an important
part of a story arc. Further, the classic “fish out
of water” situation is one used often in Star Trek,
giving opportunities for characters to be challenged
beyond their normal duties.
YOU ARE YOUR SHIP
“You have been chosen from the best of
the best and asked to perform a job. With
your knowledge and skills, the things you
will discover with your crewmates will be
beyond your imagination. Despite your
proficiency in an area, you will be asked to
perform and assist in ways that push you
to become better. To push you to become
more. Do these things expertly, as expected,
and the mysteries of the universes will be
yours.”
— Direct Message from Captain Gabriel
Lorca, U.S.S. Discovery
What Your Role Means
When your character is promoted or assigned to
a role within their area of expertise, they inherit a
group of crewmates that they may listen to, speak
for, or give orders to. Usually, these crew members
are part of the department that your character has
dedicated their life to. In most cases, your character
also becomes the liaison for their department by
reporting to their commanding officer and partici-
pating in senior staff meetings.
Do I Need a Role?
Star Trek Adventures embraces nearly every
type of story and campaign. If you wish to play a
low-ranking character within a department rather
than take on one of the established character roles,
and the gamemaster agrees, go for it and have fun.
It is even possible to have multiple player characters
from the same department, as long as the other
players at the table and the gamemaster agree.

TRANSPORTER SYSTEM ANALYSIS

06546-77

• 2937856 • 0987654
• 239856 • 346 06546-65 28 06546-78
• 32589 • 6745976
• 328957 • 523789
• 231975 • 45689 06546-64 06546-79
• 000001 • 4578
• 3285523 • 6841
• 234523 • 01894 29

CHARACTER ROLES 139

 CHAPTER 05.10
CO M M ANDI N G
OF FICE R
“ P a rt o f le a de rsh ip is th e ackn owled g em en t
THE SHIP'S LEADER
WHETHER IT’S BRINGING GLORY TO YOUR SHIPMATES
or defending Starfleet’s principles, as the command-
ing officer, your job is to unite the crew and make
decisions at a moment’s notice. How you react to
situations, both stressful and dire, will not only keep
your crew safe, it will also define the culture of your
ship. As the beating heart of your crew, your actions
will inspire and motivate them to be the best and will
help get them through difficult times together.
In a Starfleet campaign, this role is usually assigned
to the captain of the ship; however, there are many
circumstances in which the role can be filled by
another rank. If the captain is missing or injured, you
may be called upon to assume their duties or even
replace them. If this is the case, you assume the
commanding officer role regardless of rank. It is also
entirely possible for a ship to have the commanding
officer assigned to a commander, or even lieutenant
commander depending on the size of the vessel and
its anticipated mission profile. In most instances,
these assignments would be smaller ships and
essentially a working interview to see how capable
you are as a leader. If this idea interests you and the
other players in your game, make the gamemaster
aware so they can plan accordingly.
If you are running a Klingon Defense Force cam-
paign, the commander is usually the commanding
officer of a Klingon vessel. It is entirely possible
140 CHAPTER 5.10
th at on e is su ited to it.”
— CAPT. SAR U
that a lieutenant could take the commanding officer
role, but only if the commander isn’t capable due
to injury or death. It is also possible for a lieutenant
who is the second officer to challenge a commander
if they have proof of dishonor against the Empire. In
this extremely rare case, if the lieutenant happens
to win the challenge, they become the commanding
officer of the ship.
Uniting the Crew
The responsibilities that fall on your shoulders are
vast and varied. From administering promotions and
recognitions to leading your ship into battle, you
carry the full faith of your organization – Starfleet
or the Klingon Defense Force – with you. Their trust
in how you handle situations is implicit and should
reflect the procedures and policies they put forth.
As the leader of the ship, your orders should be
developed and implemented based on input from
your senior officers. The senior staff should feel that
their insights are valued and respected with almost
every decision you make. That said, when the clock
is ticking and there’s no time for discussion, your
commands should be clear and brief.
A crew member having a different opinion is always
possible. Most times, many of the decisions you
make won’t make everyone happy; the important
part is that during those disagreements, you can find
common ground and show those crew members how
much you value their opinion, even if you don’t take
the actions or recommendations they suggested.
Keeping a Log
Just as your predecessors did long ago, you
are encouraged to keep an ongoing log of your
missions, as well as your insights on your and your
crew’s conduct during the mission. Filling your log
with details of how the mission is going in real time
will be conveyed back to your superiors and used if
similar things happen to other ships.
In addition to your insight into the missions you and
your crew are executing, it is suggested that you
supplement with logs that refer to the crew them-
selves. From individual recommendations to insight
on how different crew members perform in different
situations, you will be responsible for keeping your
superiors up to date on your ship and your crew.
Ready Room
As the commanding officer, you are given the use
of an office known as the ready room. This room,
usually connected to the bridge of the ship, is where
you may go to ponder questions, respond to secure
communications, and have meetings with dignitar-
ies or crew members. The ready room can also, at
times, be used for full group discussion about topics
that will be implemented directly on the bridge.
As the space is yours, you are free to decorate it as
you see fit. Some commanding officers are known to
have luxurious furniture, while others prefer to have
little furniture at all. From ornate desks to standing
tables, the room should reflect your personality and
command style.
Most commanding officers also use their ready room
to pay tribute to the history of both naval and space
exploration. Using models and paintings to remind
them where they came from, these captains often
take inspiration from their forebearers when making
decisions. Some captains have even been known to
use their ready room as a museum of both historical
and alien artifacts in addition to their decorations.
In most Klingon campaigns and original series-era
Starfleet games, it’s likely most discussions may
happen directly on the bridge rather than in a ready
room. Whether you use a ready room or not, you
also have a commanding officer’s quarters that is
your private space. While this is your place to rest
and strengthen your resolve, some commanding
officers may invite others to their quarters for one-
on-one discussions.
Role Ability
Bringing out the best in others is what you do. To
represent this while playing a game, you gain the
role ability to use your Determination to aid another
officer with whom you can communicate. By spend-
ing one point of Determination, you can give that
Determination point to another who may use it as
they need. This can often push the bar heavily in the
officer’s favor when completing a difficult task and
will give them the best possible chance to succeed.
ROLE EXAMPLE: After entering a radiogenic ring
to refuel the Delta Flyer, Captain Janeway orders
her crew into an escape pod as part of a plan to
get away from some dangerous dark matter enti-
ties. Crewman Tal Celes and crewman Billy Telfer
decide to stay and help the captain while crew-
man Mortimer Harren gets in the escape pod
and launches it. Realizing the escape pod has
adjusted its course in a suicidal attempt to take
out the dark matter beings, Janeway instructs
the crew to beam it on board to save Harren’s
life. Crewman Celes tells the captain she can’t
get a lock because they are too far away. The
captain reassures Celes and gives her a point of
Determination to attempt a Difficulty 5 Control +
Engineering task, assisted by the Delta Flyer’s
Sensors + Engineering. Crewman Celes use the
Determination to get two automatic successes
and buys one more die with two Threat. Celes
rolls four successes and the Delta Flyer rolls one
success, for a total of five successes. The escape
pod is beamed back into the Delta Flyer just as
Janeway creates a chain reaction within the
radiogenic ring, allowing them to escape from the
dark matter entities.
CHARACTER ROLES 141
 QUICK BUILD
Follow these suggestions to create a main
character for the commanding officer role:
§ Make Presence your highest attribute,
followed by Insight.
§ Make Command your highest discipline
score.
§ Take Command Track for Starfleet
Academy when completing your
lifepath.
§ Take Experienced Officer or Veteran
Officer for Career when completing
your lifepath.
§ Take at least two of the following tal-
ents when completing your lifepath:
CHOOSE THIS ROLE IF:
§ You are good at interacting with people.
§ You enjoy helping others come to con-
sensus on a decision.
§ You can act at a moment’s notice.
§ You enjoy ad-libbing impromptu impas-
sioned speeches.
§ You have a knack for encouraging
people to be their best selves.
§ You enjoy analyzing and interpreting
protocol and procedures.
§ You are likely able to attend most, if not
all, game sessions with your group.
05102

§ Advisor

§ Bold (Command) or Cautious

(Command)

§ Defuse the Tension

§ Follow My Lead
05102

142 CHAPTER 5.10

 CHAPTER 05.20
EXECUT I VE
OFF I CE R /
FIRS T OFFIC E R
“ I f y o u c a n ’ t ma k e t he big de c isio ns , Comman d er, I su g g est you
ma k e room for someon e wh o can .”
SECOND IN COMMAND
AS THE CAPTAIN’S NUMBER ONE ADVISOR ON THE
ship, you will represent the crew in all matters that
the captain wishes to discuss. Whether it is discuss-
ing who should go on an away mission or landing
party, or which engineers acted dishonorably during
your last operation, your words should honestly reflect
the crew’s feelings and perceptions. The captain will
use your trusted insight while making their command
decisions and will do their best to implement your
ideas as it relates to having a unified crew.
The Voice of the Crew
While your presence on the bridge will provide
powerful tactical and social insight, your jobs off
the bridge are equally important. From meeting with
department heads to keep up to date with work
conditions and projects to overseeing mediations
among crew members in conflict, your very pres-
ence gives the crew a sense of ease and respect.
In addition, you are responsible for crew evaluation
in conjunction with the department heads on the
ship. This gives you the opportunity to engage with
both player characters and non-player characters
on board. This process can also lead to numerous
subplots and stories for your character.
— LT. CMDR. SHE LBY
In addition to these obligations, the crew will often
bring concerns and issues to you so you can discuss
them with the captain. Often these crew members
are department heads or project leads that need
more assistance or are concerned with procedures
and protocols having an impact on their jobs.
Your role as executive officer is meant to groom you
for becoming a captain. For all intents and purposes,
you should consider this role as an extended
interview for a captaincy of your own. As such, you
should always be thinking about how you would act
if you were in command and how your actions now
might reflect on your future position.
The Bridge is Yours
As the second in command of your ship, when the
commanding officer is away from the bridge, you
are in charge. While sitting in the commanding
officer’s chair, you are in charge of commanding the
crew and bringing them together if any challenges
arise. These moments can often inform and show
the way for your future. That transition from the
commanding officer to you should be seamless and
almost unnoticeable.
CHARACTER ROLES 143
 Though you are filling in for the commanding officer,
this doesn’t mean you have to be an exact copy
of them. Anyone who has had the honor of being
a commanding officer has put their own twist and
personality into the role; this is your chance to do
the same.
Role Ability
Because your crew has full faith in you, they are
often motivated by your words alone. In a game
where you are the executive or first officer, you
gain a special ability to reflect this connection
with the crew. When another character who is
in communication with you spends a point of
Determination, you can spend Momentum to ensure
they regain the point of Determination. By spending
3 Momentum immediately after your crewmate uses
Determination, they regain the point that they spent.
QUICK BUILD
Follow these suggestions to create a main
character for the executive / first officer role:
§ Make Presence your highest attribute,
followed by Reason.
§ Make Command your highest discipline.
§ Take Command Track for Starfleet
Academy when completing your lifepath.
§ Take Experienced Officer or Veteran
Officer for Career when completing
your lifepath.
§ Take at least two of the following
talents when completing your lifepath:
§ Advisor
§ Collaboration
§ Follow My Lead
§ Supervisor
§ Follow My Lead
05201
144 CHAPTER 5.20
ROLE EXAMPLE: After becoming trapped in
a simulation of the novel Hotel Royale, Riker,
Data, and Worf struggle to find a way out of the
bizarre structure. After Captain Picard relays to
Riker that nondescript foreign investors pur-
chase the hotel in the novel, the team decides
they will take on the role of the investors. First
though, they need to come up with the cash to
do so. Data decides to play a game of craps,
using his ability to rapidly compute the likeli-
hood of a roll and bet to their advantage. After
rolling a 6 in craps, Data uses his Determination
on his next roll, citing his value “What it means
to be Human” in an attempt to roll another 6.
Riker then spends 3 Momentum so Data can
gain back the point of Determination he spent.
Data fails to get a 6 on his next attempt even
though he spent his Determination. Then, after
noticing that the dice were weighted incorrectly,
Data fixes them and spends the Determination
that Riker gave him to win at the game enough
to give them money to purchase the hotel and
flamboyantly hand out money to everyone.
CHOOSE THIS ROLE IF:
§ You are good at interacting with people.
§ You wish to play a captain someday.
§ You can act in the best interests of
others.
§ You enjoy playing a synergistic
character
§ You enjoy playing a well-rounded
character.
§ You like being in charge some of
the time.
§ You are likely able to attend most game
sessions with your group.
05202
 CHAPTER 05.30
SEC OND OF F I C E R
AND T HI RD
OFF I CE R
“ O u r f ut ure is ho no r. O ur p resen t is ser vin g th is sh ip .”
CHAIN OF COMMAND
WHETHER EXPLORING THE GALAXY ON BOARD A
starship or managing the day-to-day operations of
a space station, the chain of command is extremely
important. With that in mind, both Starfleet and the
Klingon Defense Force have created command-re-
lated roles that a crew member could have in addition
to their normal roles. With Starfleet using second
officers and the Klingon Defense Force using second
and third officers, the crews of these ships know who
would be in charge in the unfortunate event of losing
both their commanding and first officers.
As a second or third officer, you will usually serve
on different shifts than the commanding and first
officers. This will allow you to have time on the
bridge during beta and gamma shifts and gain the
experience needed to one day move up the chain of
command. Usually, you will work your primary role
during alpha shift, lending your expertise to the area
you initially trained for.
Multiple Duties
As a second or third officer, you will be committed
to both a department on the ship, and the bridge
crew when you are in command. Often, these roles
require long hours and are exhausting; however,
they allow you to hone your craft as a leader while
— LT. KLAG
keeping your department in order. Depending on
how the shifts work on your ship, you may start
your day on the bridge and end it in engineering
or start your day at the helm and wrap it up in the
commanding officer’s chair.
As you will probably have an additional role such
as operations manager or science officer, it will be
important to build your leadership skills within your
department so when you oversee the whole ship,
you can apply similar strategies.
Challenges
Unlike Starfleet, whose line of command is managed
by the captain, if you are on board a Klingon vessel,
and feel you would be better at the role of your
direct superior officer, you may issue a challenge.
These challenges are rare, and only to be used
when you have evidence of failure of duty or great
dishonor in your direct superior. The rules for
these challenges can be found on page 115 of The
Klingon Empire core rulebook.
Challenges can be the beginning, or end, of a com-
plex story arc for you or the entire crew. If this is a
story you’d like to tell, be sure to let your gamemas-
ter know so they can try to weave the challenge
CHARACTER ROLES 145
 into the story dynamically instead of abruptly. When
deciding if this is an arc you’d like to consider,
remember that losing the challenge usually results
in death, save for rare circumstances.
From bringing honor to yourself and crew for
besting a dishonorable commander, to losing a
challenge, there are numerous character arcs that
will open to you once the challenge has ended.
One thing you should consider is that issuing chal-
lenges to other player characters in your group is
frowned upon, as it detracts from the group story-
telling focus of the game. If you have an immediate
superior who is an NPC, however, the story could
be beneficial to the group.
QUICK BUILD
Follow these suggestions to create a main
character for the second or third officer role:
§ First, follow the lifepath quick build for
your primary role.
§ In your primary role, make Presence
your second highest attribute score.
§ In your primary role, make Command
your second highest discipline score.
§ Take Experienced Officer for Career
when completing your lifepath.
§ Take at least one of the following talents:
§ Advisor
§ Collaboration
§ Follow My Lead
§ Supervisor
05301
146 CHAPTER 5.30
ROLE EXAMPLE: As Commander Riker arrives
on the I.K.S. Pagh’s bridge as part of the Officer
Exchange Program, second officer Klag isn’t
impressed. Klag tells commanding officer
Kargan that Riker is a liar and can’t be trusted.
With some taunting from Kargan, Riker takes
this as a challenge from the second officer. A
fight ensues and Klag is quickly defeated by
Commander Riker after being smashed into a
computer console. As a result of the challenge,
Riker offers Klag his job back or a transfer to
prison. Lieutenant Klag begins to respect Riker,
as does the rest of the crew.
CHOOSE THIS ROLE IF:
§ You enjoy being a hard worker.
§ You wish to be in command one day.
§ You are good at managing multiple
responsibilities.
§ You enjoy complex stories with multiple
layers.
05302
 CHAPTER 05.40
OPE RAT I ON S
OFF I CE R
“ I ne ve r t ho ught I’ d sa y t his , b u t rig h t n ow I’m g lad th e
D o m i n i o n ’s a ro und. Ot he rw ise w e never wou ld ’ve started th ese
u p g ra de s, le t a lo ne ha ve t hem almost fin ish ed b y n ow.”
MANAGING RESOURCES
AS THE OPERATIONS MANAGER, YOUR JOB IS TO
keep track of all operations on board the ship and
manage the system loads while operations take
place. While much of the operations software
can divert resources based on its programming,
there are times when a shift or reallocation in the
programming doesn’t account for what might need
to happen. These situations, like when the ship is
in an alert status, are where your skills are needed
to manage which operations need resources on a
moment-by-moment basis.
Though your abilities to follow the energy flow and
resources through the ship’s network is impor-
tant, you are also in charge of managing physi-
cal resources, such as ensuring the away team
members have phasers and tricorders ready for the
mission, or science teams have access to appropri-
ate sensor pallets or lab spaces.
You Are of Two Worlds
Your role interacts heavily with both the science
and engineering departments. In fact, on smaller
ships, you may carry the role of science officer or
chief of security in addition to operations manager.
Managing the resources to multiple sensor arrays
will require direct communication with the science
department members using them. You will also
— CHIE F MILE S O’BRIE N
work with engineering when power management
is necessary. Additionally, if any department needs
power or resources, they will ask you for permission
to divert them to where they are needed.
Alert Conditions
While the ship is in cruise mode, the operations
software can usually manage all the resources in the
system. While this is happening, you are still expected
to be on the bridge and scanning the ongoing activ-
ities on the ship. Perhaps a group of scientists are
using sensors to scan a nearby star, or the engi-
neering department is reprogramming their reactor
protocols. If the bridge wishes to scan another target,
you would override the current resource allotment
and shift some to the forward sensor array.
When the yellow alert condition is activated, in
addition to complete system diagnostics, you will
need to visually assess all operations on the ship
and cut off resources to any activities that will not
help if a crisis arises. You alone will determine which
operations leech resources and compromise the
system’s readiness to react to danger.
In the rare occasion that the red alert condition
is called, your job is to assure the bridge has the
resources to defend and protect the ship. You are
CHARACTER ROLES 147
 given full autonomy over the computer system,
redirecting both power and computer loads to emer-
gency and defense systems. You work side by side
with engineering to ensure the power flow continues
even if overloads or power depletion occurs.
Managing Operations on a
Space Station
Operation managers for space stations have a
much larger job than those on starships. While you
may lead a dozen individuals on board a ship, on a
space station, you will lead dozens of teams. Since
a station has such a large footprint, the resource
allocation is a massive undertaking.
The computer system on a space station is capable
of controlling the resources for day-to-day operations,
such as ensuring the entertainment and commerce
districts’ computers operate at appropriate speeds.
However, when variables are introduced to the
network, your teams must regulate the resources
accordingly. Since this regulation is best moderated
from multiple locations, your teams are placed at ops
terminals throughout the station.
Another way that your role on a space station is
expanded is the sheer number of non-computer
related operations that happen every day. From
starship resupplies to diplomatic conferences,
your teams make sure that each operation has
everything it needs to be successful.
Role Ability
Your knowledge of the ship’s computer systems and
operations is expansive. To represent this, when you
succeed at a task assisted by the ship’s sensors or
computers, you gain an additional point of Momentum
that must be used to obtain more information about
what is going on. These situations reveal your
comprehensive understanding of the ship’s digital
resources and how they are being impacted or used.
ROLE EXAMPLE: While searching for Friendship
1, Ensign Harry Kim conducts a scan of grid
295 and finds nothing. Harry suggests moving
to grid 350 as he was up all night plotting
148 CHAPTER 5.40
Friendship 1’s trajectory, compensating for
solar winds, ionic interference and other local
anomalies. At grid 350, Ensign Kim Harry gets
one success, as does the U.S.S. Voyager. Harry
generates one Momentum which he banks
and generates another Momentum that must
be used to Obtain Information. He detects a
titanium signature which matches Friendship 1,
on a planet that is two light years away.
QUICK BUILD
Follow these suggestions to create a main
character for the operations manager role:
§ Make Insight and Reason your highest
attribute scores.
§ Make Engineering your highest
discipline score, followed by Science.
§ Take Operations Track for Starfleet
Academy when completing your
lifepath.
§ Take at least two of the following tal-
ents when completing your lifepath:
§ Computer Expertise
§ Intense Scrutiny
§ In the Nick of Time
§ Technical Expertise
05401
CHOOSE THIS ROLE IF:
§ You enjoy interacting with computers.
§ You enjoy both engineering and science.
§ You are calm while under duress.
§ You enjoy keeping track of what is
going on around you.
§ You are good at creating and speaking
technobabble.
05402
 CHAPTER 05.50
CHIE F E NGIN E E R /
EN GI NE E RI N G
OFF I CE R
“ Sc o t t y, yo u’ re my c hie f e ngine e r. You kn ow ever yth in g ab ou t
t h a t sh i p t he re is t o k no w. Mo re t han th e m en wh o d esig n ed it.
I f y o u ca n’ t ge t t ho se w a rp e ngin es workin g , you ’re fired .”
POWER MANAGEMENT
WHETHER IT IS ON A STARFLEET OR KLINGON
Defense Force vessel, power is the key to keeping
the ship going. Your job as either a chief engineer on
a Starfleet ship or an engineering officer on a Klingon
ship is to manage and maintain the ship’s power grid.
To make this task possible, you manage a team of
engineers who ensure the reactors continue to create
power, even during dire circumstances.
As a Starfleet chief engineer, you usually lead your
team directly from the engineering department.
Messages from the bridge are transmitted to you
and you relay them to your team. Some Starfleet
vessel have installed auxiliary engineering stations
on the bridge and request that an engineering
department member manage it in times of alert
status. When this occurs, you are responsible for
determining who will take that position.
If you are playing an engineering officer on a
Klingon vessel, you, in typical Klingon fashion, lead
your warriors from the front, on the bridge. You are
responsible for monitoring power distribution and
coordinating damage control from your station.
You have complete computer override power to
— CAPT. JAM E S T. KIRK
directly manage non-weapon systems on board
the ship yourself.
Monitoring the Flow
Under normal conditions, the power systems regu-
late the flow of energy without too much oversight.
Even with this efficiency, you and your crew are
responsible for running maintenance and diagnos-
tics every shift to ensure peak operational perfor-
mance. A dip of even one half of a percent in power
generation can have a huge impact throughout ship
systems during a time of crisis.
There will be times when sections of the ship may
require more power for experimentation or using
the sensors or navigational deflector. For the most
part, these power expenditures should be pre-
planned and submitted to you for approval. When
these operations happen, you and your team will
redirect power as necessary.
Another part of your job is to always monitor the
efficiency of both warp and impulse propulsion
systems. With their displays permanently a part of
CHARACTER ROLES 149
 your station’s screen, you are provided with a visual
scale of the engine power system’s performance. If
the ship moves to alert status, you are responsible
for taking power from non-essential systems to
ensure that propulsion is operating at maximum
power. The same is true for shields and weapons.
On a Klingon ship, you can even redistribute power
to the cloaking system.
Cross Training
As much of engineering has its roots in the sciences,
you will probably want to have some training in the
sciences as well. Your discipline scores and focuses
should reflect this. You will also be called to work with
the science department in many instances, especially
when backward-designing alien technology. When
you lead or support tasks with the science depart-
ment, usually you will focus on the structure and
systems of whatever it is you are researching. It is
entirely possible, however, that your science training
alone could accomplish the task.
involve anything from transporting in cryogenic
deuterium to completely replacing the storage tanks
and even the core itself.
Role Ability
As chief engineer, you manage the engineering
department and push them to do their jobs with
precision and speed. Therefore, you are always con-
sidered to have an advantage called “Engineering
Department” that represents the crew you super-
vise. This advantage can be manifested in many
ways as you play. When you feel it is applicable, let
the gamemaster know what you’d like this advan-
tage to represent. Perhaps you’d like to use it to
be able to attempt a task that wouldn’t be possible
with a single engineer, or you could even use it to
reduce the Difficulty of a task that your department
is working on together.
ROLE EXAMPLE: While speeding the U.S.S.
Enterprise back to a strange planet where a
landing party went missing, Lt. Commander

Managing Engineering on
a Space Station
The lead engineering job on a space station is a truly
herculean task that requires hundreds of workers
running diagnostics in all areas of the station. These
teams of engineers are under your management,
as is the overall power system of the station.

Often having one or more fusion cores the size

of multiple starships, space stations generate
a staggering amount of power. While the
power system computers can manage the
day-to-day distribution of power around
the station, it is important to ensure the
system is operating at its maximum poten-
tial as the other people working or staying
on the station rely on the power for their
everyday lives.

While monitoring the power output of the

reactor and managing workers is your
primary job on a station, you are also
responsible for planning and overseeing
refuelling operations. This process can

150 CHAPTER 5.50

 Montgomery Scott reports that the ship “feels
wrong.” The ship then begins to accelerate out QUICK BUILD
of control due to the emergency bypass in the
Follow these suggestions to create a main
matter-antimatter integrator becoming fused.
character for the engineering officer or
Scott proposes cutting the ship’s matter-anti-
chief engineer roles:
matter flow. Doing so is a Difficulty 4 Control +
Engineering task. Scotty uses his Engineering
§ Make Insight and Control your highest
Department advantage to reduce the Difficulty of
attribute scores.
the task by 1. After buying three dice with Threat,
Scotty gets three successes and cuts the flow § Make Engineering your highest disci-
without rupturing its magnetic containment field pline score, followed by Science.
just before the Enterprise is destroyed.
§ Take Operations Track for Starfleet
Academy when completing your
As the engineering officer on a Klingon vessel, you
lifepath.
control the power systems yourself. To represent
your knowledge and potential glory, whenever you § Take at least two of the following tal-
succeed at an Engineering task to make emer- ents when completing your lifepath:
gency repairs or reroute power, you generate one
bonus point of Momentum to be used immediately § I Know My Ship
on that task.
§ In the Nick of Time
ROLE EXAMPLE: Engineering officer Mor’luk’s § Jury-Rig
ship has been engaged in combat with a
Romulan warbird. After engaging cloak, the
§ More Power!
05501
Klingon ship is low on power so Mor’luk attempts
a Difficulty 2 Daring + Engineering Power
Management task to generate more power to be
used for shields and weapons. After buying dice
with Threat, Mor’luk gets three total successes. CHOOSE THIS ROLE IF:
This generates one Power plus one Momentum.
§ You enjoy building and fixing things.
It also generates an additional Momentum that
must be used on this task. As such, Mor’luk § You stay cool-headed when faced with
spends both Momentum to increase the amount a ticking clock.
of Power generated by two, causing the task to
§ You like applying your previous knowl-
generate three total Power.
edge to new situations.
§ You are good at creating and speaking
technobabble.
§ You enjoy looking at a good schematic.
05502

CHARACTER ROLES 151

 CHAPTER 05.60
CH IE F OF
SECU RI T Y /
W EA P ONS O F F I C E R
“ We a re a t w a r. Gowron sh ou ld forb id an y
c ha lle nges u n til we are victoriou s.”
THE SHIP'S PROTECTOR
WITH SO MANY THREATS AND DANGERS IN A
Galaxy of shifting political structures, you are
needed to protect your ship and crew from danger.
From subverting interdimensional pirates to ensur-
ing an important delegate is safe from assassina-
tion, your job is to ensure safety at all costs. While
on a Klingon ship, you are personally responsible
for all weapon attacks on enemy vessels and for the
upkeep and maintenance of the weapons them-
selves, whereas on a Starfleet vessel, you manage
security teams throughout the ship and operate the
tactical station on the ship’s bridge. From disrupters
for Klingons to phasers for Starfleet, your knowledge
of weapons and tactics are a necessary precaution
in the vastness of interstellar space.
Multiple Responsibilities
As chief of security, you assign security details to
where they are needed around the ship. In some
cases, your security teams manage small disrup-
tions among crew members, whereas in others,
they provide protective detail for important visitors.
During these details, you will often join your teams
as they do their jobs.
152 CHAPTER 5.60
— LT. WORF
You are also called upon to assist in the investi-
gation of crimes. Your intuition and eye for detail
can often find clues that others may overlook. You
probably have at least basic training in interrogating
people to find the information you need. While you
may call upon the science department for forensic
information, your knowledge of behaviors and moti-
vations help paint the full picture of an investigation.
On both Starfleet and Klingon vessels, while the
ship is in alert status, you are in direct control of the
tactical systems on the ship. You ensure weapons
are ready to be fired if needed and send your teams
to deal with any breaches or invaders. Whether the
threat is an alien species or a swarm of dark matter
asteroids, your accuracy with weapons provides an
additional line of defense to protect the ship’s hull,
and, ultimately, your crewmates.
Managing Security on a
Space Station
As you would imagine, security on a space station
is a big job to undertake. With such a vast amount
of space to cover, your security teams need to be
autonomous without you directly being there. In
many cases, it could take time to get from one
end of a station to the other. Because of this, you
rely heavily on the station’s communications and
computer systems. In addition, as a precaution, it
is important that there are weapon stores located
on every level of the station in case they are needed.
Because a space station is barely moving relative to
any attackers that may fire upon it, there are mas-
sive numbers of weapons installed to ensure there
are no blind spots. When attempting to target an
enemy, you direct every weapon that can possibly
acquire a firing lock to do so. In many cases, this
onslaught will target multiple systems on the enemy
vessel at the same time with the hopes of disa-
bling the ship. Even more impressive is the sheer
amount of energy these weapons carry with their
blasts. Often used for defending planets from orbital
assault, the weapons on your station are capable of
inflicting massive damage.
Many stations have patrols of ships assigned to
them. In the case of an attack, another of your jobs
is to contact these ships and coordinate tactics
with their security chiefs or weapons officers. In
some cases, these ships may prevent an enemy
threat from making it to your station, while in
others, they may provide backup, ensuring the
enemies can’t escape.
Role Ability
As chief of security, you manage several security
teams who patrol and serve at stations around
the ship. With your tactical station having a direct
line of communication to each of these teams,
you are always considered to have the “Security
Detachment” advantage while on the bridge. This
advantage can be used as you see fit, as long as
the reasoning is sound. Perhaps you want to be able
to detain a monstrous alien creature who would
easily injure a single crew member, but you use your
advantage to say you are allocating a full security
team will take care of it. Another way you could use
the advantage is to reduce the Difficulty of a security
task by 1 if an entire security team could help.
ROLE EXAMPLE: During the battle to buy
time for Michael Burnham to open a worm-
hole to the future, Leland beams aboard the
U.S.S. Discovery. Enlisting the help of Philippa
Georgiou, Commander Nhan then uses her
Security Detail advantage to have her teams
redirect Leland to the spore drive room. After a
shifting gravitational battle, Leland arrives at the
spore drive room and Georgiou is able to trap
him into the spore console chamber.
As the weapons officer on board a Klingon Defense
Force vessel, you are one with the ship’s weapons.
Whether it is disruptor cannons or photon torpedoes,
the weapons systems are an extension of you and
will help you bring glory to the Empire. To show this
connection, you gain a role ability that will ensure
an honorable and glorious victory over any vessels
foolish enough to engage you in combat. Whenever
you roll A to deal damage with a ship’s weapon,
you may reroll a number of them up to your Security
score. This ensures your attacks consistently inflict
more Stress.
ROLE EXAMPLE: General Martok is given
the I.K.S. Rotarran to find the I.K.S. B’Moth
which has been missing for three days. As the
Rotarran drops out of cloak, it is attacked by
a Jem’Hadar cruiser. Singing songs of glory,
the Rotarran fights back. Kornan unleashes a
disruptor cannon shot that nails the Jem’Hadar
ship. He then rolls 9A and deals 8 Stress and
two effects. Because three of the dice rolled
blanks, Kornan rerolls them and scores 3 more
Stress and another effect. Once he has used
his role ability, Kornan ends up inflicting 11
total Stress and three effects. The Jem’Hadar
ship has a Resistance of 5, so it takes 6 Stress,
which chews through most of its shields and
inflicts a breach.
CHARACTER ROLES 153
 QUICK BUILD
Follow these suggestions to create a main
character for the chief of security or chief
weapons officer roles:
§ Make Control your highest attribute.
§ Make Security your highest discipline.
§ Take Operations Track for Starfleet
Academy when completing your
lifepath.
CHOOSE THIS ROLE IF:
§ You take pride in protecting others.
§ You enjoy tactical discussions.
§ You enjoy being effective in combat.
§ Planning patrols and details comes
easy to you.
§ You enjoy detective stories and getting
to the bottom of mysteries.
05602

§ Take at least two of the following tal-

ents when completing your lifepath:

§ Bold (Security)

§ Close Protection

§ Interrogation

§ Quick to Action
05601

154 CHAPTER 5.60

 CHAPTER 05.70

CHIE F M E D IC A L
OFF I CE R / S U R G E O N
“ In my e xpe rt me dic a l op in ion , I’d say it’s...sick.”

— DR. JULIAN BASHIR

TREATING THE ILL AND INJURED

AS EITHER THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER OR THE
ship’s surgeon, your job is to attend to those who
Research and Evidence
Science is the foundation of everything you do in
are unable to perform their duties due to sickness
this role. You have experience with conducting
or injury. Though the medical practices of Klingons
medical research and experimentation and are able
and Starfleet are extremely different, the goal
to gather evidence and make a logical conclusion
is the same: get your crew back into service as
based on what you observe. When the scientific
quickly as possible.
method is implemented on board the ship, it isn’t
uncommon for you to assist with your knowledge of
You will have top of the line technology at your
biology, anatomy, and physiology.
fingertips and use it to ease the pain of your patients
and even perform complex surgeries with few
The Galaxy is rife with new and undiscovered med-
lingering effects. Whether it is a biobed or miniature
ical phenomenon, so you must be ready to isolate
medical transporter, your medical technology can
and investigate at a moment’s notice. Your medical
handle almost any disease or injury in the database.
bay is equipped with field generators that can quar-
Because of this, routine diagnostics and recali-
antine the room as needed. These forcefields allow
bration are necessary parts of your job when you
you to observe and scan life-forms that are being
aren’t working with patients.
affected by an unknown contagion without allowing
it to spread.
As the ship’s surgeon on a Klingon vessel, you
are always actively patching up small lacerations
and bruises from the typical daily skirmishes that
happen between your Klingon crewmates. During
The Medical Team
As a chief medical officer on a Starfleet vessel, you
a battle, whether on the ship or on foot, you often
have several assistants and specialists who help
resort to the quickest method of getting your crew
with anything from diagnostic care to surgeries. In
back into the fray. As such, stimulants and pain
the case of a wide-spread medical emergency, you
killers are your go-to treatments. If you are faced
and your teams use additional space on the ship for
with a major injury, you find ways to cut corners so
quarantining while looking for a cure. You can also
your patient can continue to fight. From setting a
create emergency medical plans for your ship and
broken bone and splinting it, to electro-cauterizing a
run drills with your teams to ensure they are ready
bloody stump, your methods are brutal but effective
to act in the case of emergency.
and will help to bring glory to the Empire.

CHARACTER ROLES 155

 Role Ability over sixty percent of the station infected, Dr.
Bashir discovers the virus was created molecule
As chief medical officer, you manage several medical
by molecule by replicators sabatoged by the
teams who assist you and run the medical bay during
Bajoran underground. Before succumbing to the
other shifts. To represent the abilities of your teams,
virus himself, Dr. Bashir uses his Medical Teams
you are always considered to have the Medical
advantage to ensure all infected people are quar-
Teams advantage while on the ship. This advantage
antined in different locations around the station,
can be used as you see fit, as long as the reasoning
limiting the spread of the virus. This buys time
is sound, and it would include your medical teams
for Kira to find a Bajoran who helped create the
helping. Perhaps you’d like to issue aid to another
virus, bring him to the station, and find a cure.
ship that was just attacked by an angry cosmozoan
or maybe you are looking to isolate and treat a new
If you are a surgeon in the Klingon Defense Force,
type of virus. Either way, this ability can be used to
your speed at performing triage cannot be matched. If
either reduce the Difficulty of a task by 1 or allow you
your crewmates fall due to an injury, your role ability
to attempt a task that otherwise wouldn’t be possible
represents how quickly you get them patched up and
without the help of your medical team.
back into the fight. When attempting a medical task
to stabilize an injured character, it normally takes 2
ROLE EXAMPLE: After fixing the command level
Momentum to get them to be able to act again in
replicators, Chief O’Brien becomes infected
initiative. For you, however, the cost to get them up
by a virus that causes people to have aphasia.
and back into initiative is only 1 Momentum.
Commander Sisko and Dr. Bashir immediately
put the station into quarantine lockdown. With

156 CHAPTER 5.70

ROLE EXAMPLE: Bur’q is a surgeon on an away
mission. Her away team has engaged in combat
with a wicked alien beast with razor-sharp
claws and vicious fangs. While attempting to
wrestle the beast, Tarn, the weapons officer, is
caught by an uppercut from the beast, lacerat-
ing his right trapezius muscle and causing him
to start to bleed out. Bur’q rushes to her injured
ally and assesses the injury, rolling a Difficulty
1 Daring + Medicine task to remove the injury.
After buying a die with Threat, Bur’q gets 3 suc-
cesses and generates 2 Momentum. Normally
Bur’q would need to spend all this Momentum
to get her fallen ally up to fight, but as ship’s
surgeon, she only spends 1 Momentum and
banks the other. After stuffing the wound with
mud to stop the bleeding, Bur’q quickly wraps it
and injects Tarn with a stimulant, allowing him
to return to glorious battle.

QUICK BUILD CHOOSE THIS ROLE IF:

Follow these suggestions to create a main § You enjoy medical mysteries.
character for the chief medical officer or
§ You like keeping notes and doing
surgeon roles:
research.
§ Make Control or Daring your highest § You are quick to act in crisis situations.
attribute, followed by Reason.
§ You are good with medical jargon.
§ Make Medicine your highest discipline
§ You like working with other roles to
followed by Science.
help find answers.
§ Take the Science Track for Starfleet
05702
Academy when completing your
lifepath.
§ Take at least two of the following tal-
ents when completing your lifepath:

§ Doctor’s Orders

§ Field Medicine

§ First Response

§ Triage

§ Collaboration
05701

CHARACTER ROLES 157

 CHAPTER 05.80
SC IE NCE OF F I C E R
“ ‘ F a sc i n a t i n g’ is a w o rd I use f o r t he u n exp ected . In th is case,
I sho uld t hink ‘ in terestin g ’ wou ld su ffice.”
SEEKING ANSWERS
BOTH STARFLEET AND THE KLINGON DEFENSE FORCE
hold knowledge in high regard. As the science officer,
you are the key to unravelling the mysteries of the
universe. Whether it is finding more powerful weap-
ons to help you bring honor to your House or using
spatial anomalies to extend the laws of physics, your
research is extremely valuable.
It is common for ships to have scientists of multiple
disciplines and backgrounds on board to tackle
research from many angles at once. While you prob-
ably have experience in several different sciences,
odds are you are specialized in one. Whether it is
biology, geology, physics, or something else, your
experience and knowledge will provide insight into
both known and undiscovered scientific concepts.
Tools of the Trade
While investigating the unknown, you have multiple
tools at your disposal. Perhaps the most important
of these tools is the ship’s sensors. Capable of both
long- and short-range scans, the ship’s scanners can
gather vast amounts of data in a short time. While the
data you collect is more detailed the closer you get
to the target, having the flexibility of getting a general
picture of where you are going and what you are
looking at from a long distance is helpful.
When the distance is too extreme for your sensors,
you have a veritable fleet of probes that can be
launched and retrieved to gather information for you
to mine. In some cases, the probes are even capable
158 CHAPTER 5.80
— LT. SPOCK
of travelling at warp speed. Whether it is gathering
samples of a dark matter nebula or transmitting
images from the other side of a temporal rift, your
probes maximize the range at which you gather your
data and allow your ship to stay at a safe distance
from anomalies.
Perhaps your most versatile tool is your tricorder.
Capable of running multiple, detailed scans at close
distances, your tricorder will reveal the unseen
world from the palm of your hand. The tricorder is
essentially an extension of the ship’s computers,
allowing you to upload and download information as
needed while making a scan.
It isn’t uncommon for you to spend time at the
science station on the bridge of your ship, especially
during alert situations. This station allows you to
manage who is using which sensors and even gives
you full autonomy over the sensors for tactical infor-
mation. Whether it is searching for tachyons that
suggest a cloaked ship or mapping the geodesic
radiation from spatial folds, your use of sensors
during tactical situations can help shift events into
your ship’s favor.
Science Teams
As the science officer on a Starfleet vessel, you
have several teams of scientists who are always
conducting experiments and gathering data on
objects and phenomena around the ship. Usually,
each team consists of scientists from a single
 THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
When you encounter a completely new phe-
nomenon that can’t be explained with a simple
sensor sweep or any established scientific
knowledge, you may use the scientific method.
The rules for the scientific method are on
pages 157–158 of the core rulebook and pages
246–247 of The Klingon Empire core rulebook.
The scientific method should not be used when
you can use current science and sensor readings
to find the answer to the problem. In these cases,
your gamemaster should develop an extended
task or gated challenge for you to work through
while finding the answers you seek.
discipline of science; however, it isn’t uncommon to
have multiple disciplines team up when using the
scientific method on a new discovery.
You oversee all instances of the scientific method
and other experimentation being done on the ship. If
any of the science teams wish to conduct an experi-
ment, they must first get it approved by you. You are
also responsible for scheduling the use of the ship’s
sensors when any of the experiments going on may
need them.
Role Ability
As the science officer, your ability to analyze and
interpret data is second to none. As such, you
have a role ability that allows you to discover
more information than an untrained crew member.
Whenever you succeed at a task while using the
ship’s computers or sensors, or with a tricorder, you
generate 1 bonus Momentum which must be used
on the Obtain Information Momentum spend. This
represents your deeper understanding of the data
It is important to understand that the scientific
method by design doesn’t produce immediate
answers. If you choose to use the scientific
method to figure out an unknown phenomenon,
work with your gamemaster and fellow players
to plan how your character will gather evidence
to come up with a valid conclusion. The effort
could be completed in a single mission, or
stretch out several sessions, depending on the
complexity of the challenge. Also remember,
the conclusion you come up with may not be
the one you originally predicted. The beauty of
science is that every conclusion you come to
leads to more questions. 
05801
you’ve collected along with the scientific principles
that are related to it. Couple this ability with the
Studious talent and every time you spend the extra
Momentum on Obtain Information, you get to use
Obtain Information a second time for free!
ROLE EXAMPLE: Upon entering the center
of the Galaxy, Lt. Commander Spock starts a
science survey, scanning the area. This is a
Difficulty 2 Reason + Science task, assisted
by the ship’s Sensors + Science. After buying
an extra d20 by adding 1 point to Threat, Spock
rolls three successes, generating 1 Momentum
and 1 bonus Momentum to be used on the
Obtain Information Momentum spend. He banks
the first Momentum and learns that there is
a matter-energy whirlwind. With his Obtain
Information Momentum spend, he identifies
that the U.S.S. Enterprise is no longer in time or
space as they recognize it.
CHARACTER ROLES 159
 QUICK BUILD CHOOSE THIS ROLE IF:
Follow these suggestions to create a main § You are inquisitive by nature.
character for the science officer role:
§ You enjoy researching and drawing
conclusions based on evidence.
§ Make Reason your highest attribute,
followed by Insight. § You enjoy applying scientific ideas
outside the box.
§ Make Science your highest discipline.
§ § You are good with scientific jargon.
Choose a branch of science to spe-
cialize in – such as biology, physical § You like working on a team to help
science, or geology – and while find answers.
completing your lifepath, make at least 05803
two of your focuses relate to this area
of study.
§ Take the Science Track for Starfleet
Academy when completing your lifepath.
§ Take at least two of the following talents
when completing your lifepath:

§ Intense Scrutiny

§ In the Nick of Time

§ Studious

§ Technical Expertise

§ Testing a Theory
05802

160 CHAPTER 5.80

 CHAPTER 05.90

FLIGHT
CON T ROLLE R /
HEL M OFFIC E R
“ F o r t h e ast e ro id t o e xit a t t he c orrect an g le, I wou ld n eed to
e xe c ut e a su stain ed circu lar d rift.”

— LT. KE Y LA DE T M E R

CHARTING YOUR COURSE

WHETHER IT IS PILOTING A SHIP WITH A THOUSAND
people on it or navigating an alien shuttle through
Your Fleet
As a flight coordinator on a Starfleet vessel, you are
space junk, your insight into the ship’s maneuvera-
also familiar with the shuttle bay, flight deck, and
bility ensures the safety of everyone on board and
cargo bays. Whether it is a Type-9 shuttle, a runa-
the ship itself. Your mastery of both attack patterns
bout, or a work bee, you have intimate knowledge of
and evasive maneuvers has earned you a spot on
all the vehicles on your ship. You are also in charge
the bridge during alpha shift.
of all the other pilots who operate the smaller craft
and have oversight over any refits or repairs made
With the ability to manually control the ship from your
to the shuttles.
station, your reaction speed and ability to survey a
battlefield allows for the ship to always be in the best
In the case that multiple shuttles are being used
position during alert situations. Often, a helm officer
tactically in an alert situation, you manage and
on a Klingon ship will choose to always have manual
approve all maneuvers the smaller ships execute.
control over their ship as it provides more glory when
Usually this will be done from your conn station
the ship survives situations unscathed.
on the bridge, but, from time to time, you may
also direct them from a shuttle of your own. If on
In addition to controlling the ship, you also analyze
a Klingon ship, it is common for the helm officer
computer data to chart successful courses to your
to shuttle out on their own if their ship is being
destination. The courses that you set will follow
attacked by squadrons. These instances bring more
the safest path in the quickest amount of time. You
glory to the officer and, by default, to the entire crew
always have the ability to override a course should a
on the ship.
situation arise, and you can make new adjustments
to the path as sensors produce a more detailed
picture of the area you are flying through.

CHARACTER ROLES 161

 Flight Controllers ROLE EXAMPLE: After being attacked by
several orchids, La Sirena loses power and
and Helm Officers crashes onto Soji’s homeworld. In an attempt
on Space Stations to discover what the engine problem is, Rios
attempts a Difficulty 2 Control + Engineering
If the thrill of piloting a ship doesn’t intrigue you,
task. Recalling how the ship was affected by the
being a flight controller on a space station provides
engine damage during descent, Rios uses Conn
an interesting use of your abilities. From managing
in place of Engineering on the task. After buying
the numerous shuttles and ships that dock with
two extra dice with Momentum, Rios gets 4
the station on a daily basis, to commanding shuttle
successes. He discovers the intermix reactor is
defense fleets, your knowledge of tactics and ship
fused. Rios then uses the two extra Momentum
capabilities is invaluable on a space station.
generated to create the advantage “Schematic
Memory” which allows him to remember
With dozens of docking bays on a space station,
exactly how the reactor should look when using
you manage the teams at each to ensure they are
the imagination device.
knowledgeable and equipped to handle the size
and number of ships they interact with. Whenever
Conn officers on Klingon vessels have fewer
a ship is arriving or leaving, it is run through you,
protocols and procedures that apply to them than
and, when they arrive, you are in charge of directing
Starfleet fight controllers. To represent this, you
them to the appropriate docking bays.
gain an ability that helps you to push your ship
to its limits and beyond. When you succeed at a
While most Klingon Defense Force space stations
navigation task to pilot the ship, you gain a bonus
don’t have a conn station, it is common for them to
Momentum that must be used on that task to make
employ a conn officer to direct and move ship traffic
your result more effective.
around the base. In some cases, you may pilot the
shuttles yourself when they need to be moved from
ROLE EXAMPLE: Conn officer S’krag has been
one location to another.
asked to navigate his ship through an asteroid
field whose asteroids change directions at
In the case of an attack on a Klingon station, you
random due to shifting gravimetric distur-
have the right to bring a shuttle into battle or even
bances. The shifting asteroids increase the
commandeer a larger vessel for the purpose of
Difficulty of all Conn tasks by 2. Therefore, this
defending the station’s honor. In combat situations,
is a Difficulty 4 Reason + Conn task which will
you have the ability to communicate with all ships at
be assisted by the ship’s Computers + Conn.
the station in order to coordinate defense strategies
S’krag uses a point of Determination and cites
and maneuvering.
his value “I Will Always Find a Way Through” to
buy a die that automatically rolls two 1s, then
Role Ability buys two more dice with Momentum. After
spending a reroll and after the ship assists,
As the flight coordinator, your knowledge of ship
S’krag has 7 successes and generates 3
propulsion and how it relates to how your ship
Momentum. Because S’krag succeeded on the
moves through space grants you an ability on some
task, he generates a fourth Momentum that
Engineering tasks. Whenever you need to attempt
must be used on this task. He then spends all
an Engineering task regarding how the ship’s pro-
four Momentum to reduce the next helm task
pulsion is affecting its movement in space, you can
by an additional 2 for a total of 3 when the
replace Engineering rating with your Conn rating.
successful Plot Course task is added in.

162 CHAPTER 5.90

QUICK BUILD
Follow these suggestions to create a main
character for the flight controller or conn
officer roles:
§ Make Daring your highest attribute
score, followed by Reason.
§ Make Conn your highest discipline
score.
§ Take the Command Track for Starfleet
Academy when completing your
lifepath.
§ Take at least two of the following tal-
ents when completing your lifepath:
CHOOSE THIS ROLE IF:
§ You enjoy the thrill of flying or piloting
a vessel.
§ You like having a team to work with.
§ You have quick reflexes.
§ You enjoy executing attack patterns and
evasive maneuvers.
§ You like figuring out how hazards would
impact your ship’s performance.
§ You enjoy plotting the most efficient
course from one point to another.
05902

§ Bold (Conn)

§ Fly-By

§ Precise Evasion

§ Push the Limits

§ Starship Expert
05901

CHARACTER ROLES 163

 CHAPTER 05.100

SH IP ' S COU N S E L O R
“ To a dmit t ha t yo u’ re afraid g ives you stren g th .”

— LT. CM DR. DE ANNA T ROI

HELPING OTHERS
TOWARD THE END OF THE 23RD CENTURY, captain looks to you for insight into social situations
Starfleet began to realize the long-term effects ranging from first contact to encountering old ene-
mental trauma had on their personnel. It was appar- mies. When on the bridge, you can take an analytical
ent that anxiety, depression, and other attacks on the look at behaviors when communicating with others
mental well-being of officers were causing perfor- both with and without video. You can also use your
mance disruptions and undue suffering. As such, in knowledge of social interactions and social struc-
the 24th century, Starfleet ships and stations were tures to provide information on how to interact with
required to have a counselor on board to help crew a group of people both socially and tactically.
members maintain their mental and emotional health
and work through any concerns.
Empaths and Telepaths
Your job is two-fold while on a starship. First, you
must meet and discuss concerns and state of being
as Counselors
If you choose to play an empathic or telepathic
with your crew members. Often these counseling
species as a counselor, that ability can provide more
sessions are voluntary, but it is also common for
insight into a situation. However, the doctor and
you to request that a crew member comes to see
patient confidentiality pledge that your character
you during office hours. In many disciplinary cases,
made when completing training must be followed.
the crew member is required to meet with you a
This could mean that you only read a patient’s
specific number of times a week to work through
thoughts or emotions during a session, or never
their actions and feelings.
at all. The important part is to discuss what would
make your patient the most comfortable when
The second part of your job is to observe your
considering the use of these abilities.
crew’s interactions with each other, as well as their
social behaviors and routines. Your knowledge of the
When stationed on the bridge, these abilities can
effects of trauma on a person’s actions will inform
provide you more information about the people you
you on meeting the mental health needs of the crew
are interacting with. Though many species consider
based on how they interact with others and the ship.
telepathy to be an attack on them, most consider
empathy to be an acceptable way to interpret other
Respected Advisor peoples’ feelings. Keep in mind though, that there
are many species who have both positive and
When you aren’t working office hours and coun-
negative views of these abilities. It shouldn’t be sur-
seling the crew, it is common for the captain to ask
prising for some species to consider them religious
you to be on the bridge with them. Acknowledging
gifts while others think they are magical curses.
your superb ability to read the actions of people, the

164 CHAPTER 5.100

 REAL LIFE TRAUMA
When you choose this role for your character,
it is important to remember that many players
may be carrying trauma from their real lives
with them when they play the game. Many
people use roleplaying games to step away
from their trauma for a time and don’t wish
to engage with that trauma while playing. It
is entirely possible that you won’t know that
these traumas exist for those players in real life.
Because of this, it is important to not force a
counseling session on a character if the player
doesn’t wish to participate.
The key to navigating this potentially chal-
lenging issue in a game is to create a sense
of trust and support for all the other players at
the table. Have a discussion with them about
what the ship’s counselor is and how you see
yourself playing this role. You should also let the
other players know that if things you discuss in
Role Ability
Your ability to assess a living person’s mental state
through talking with them and analyzing their body
movements gives you additional insight into what
struggles they may be dealing with. To represent
this ability, when you succeed at a task to deter-
mine the emotional state or intent of another living
person, you generate one additional Momentum
that must be used on the Obtain Information
Momentum spend. The information you obtain
can reveal a deeper level of emotional turmoil the
person may be experiencing.
game cause discomfort or anxiety for the player
out of game, it is okay for them to ask for the
session to end. If this happens, work with your
gamemaster to end the scene immediately.
Keep in mind that though your counseling
session scene may only involve two players,
there are other players at the table watching
the scene unfold. If any of the players not in
the scene feel uncomfortable with it, end the
scene immediately.
If is a scene must end because of discomfort,
the next scene doesn’t have to happen imme-
diately. It might be a good idea to take a snack
break or for everyone to stand and stretch. It is
entirely possible that you may need to end the
session entirely, and it is important to under-
stand that it is okay to do so, and other players
shouldn’t be upset about that. 
051001
ROLE EXAMPLE: While disguised as a Romulan
Tal Shiar officer, Deanna Troi has been asked to
ensure the transfer of several cargo containers
filled with top Romulans to a Corvallen freighter.
Doing so will help Spock’s underground
movement. When she meets the captain of the
freighter, Troi attempts a Difficulty 3 Insight +
Medicine task to attempt to identify what the
captain’s intentions are. After buying a die with
Momentum, Deanna rolls three successes and
determines the captain is lying about some-
thing. Troi also generates one Momentum which
she uses to Obtain Information, which allows
her to recognize the captain has no intention of
delivering the cargo to the agreed destination.
CHARACTER ROLES 165
 QUICK BUILD
Follow these suggestions to create a main
character for the ship’s counselor role:
§ Make Insight your highest attribute,
followed by Presence.
§ Make Medicine your highest discipline.
§ Take the Science Track for Starfleet
Academy when completing your lifepath.
§ Take at least two of the following tal-
ents when completing your lifepath:
§ Cautious (Medicine)
CHOOSE THIS ROLE IF:
§ You like analyzing behaviors.
§ You enjoy listening to people and help-
ing them with their problems.
§ You have a calming personality.
§ You can make a conversation about
others and not about yourself.
§ You enjoy interpreting body language.
§ You have insight into cultural behaviors
that are different than your own.
051003

§ Doctor’s Orders

§ Insightful Guidance*

§ Positive Reinforcement*

§ Psychoanalyst*

§ Studious

*These talents can be found in The

Sciences Division supplemental rulebook.
051002

166 CHAPTER 5.100

 CHAPTER 05.110
COMM UNI C A TIO N S
OFF I CE R
“ C a p t a i n , b o t h a mplit ude a nd f re quen cy mod u lation b ein g u sed .
I t h i n k I c a n pic k up so me t hing visu al. It’s a n ews b road cast
using a syst e m I t h in k th ey on ce called vid eo.”
LINGUISTICS SPECIALIST
A MAINSTAY IN STARFLEET BEFORE THE 24TH
century, you have several important jobs on your
starship. From encrypting messages to Starfleet
headquarters to deciphering an extinct alien
species’ three-dimensional text, your knowledge of
language, syntax, and cryptography allow for rapid
communication with species across the Galaxy.
From your station on the ship’s bridge, you are able
to monitor subspace communications and run deci-
phering programs for encrypted messages.
While the universal translator software became a
powerful tool once a language was loaded into the
program, your abilities gave the crew an upper hand
with first contact scenarios that used vastly different
syntax than the species Starfleet has already met
and loaded into the universal translator database.
Even though the communications officer role began
to be phased out as the job became shared between
security and operations in the 24th century, the
newest space stations being built needed commu-
nication officers, as detailed below. It is entirely
possible that your post in the 24th century could
be on one of these space stations instead of on a
ship. There are, however, instances of captains that
request a communications officer for their ship.
— LT. CM DR. NY OTA UHURA
Communications Officers
on Space Stations
While the basics of running communications on
a space station are similar to duties you might
perform on a ship, the sheer number of commu-
nications occurring on a station requires you and
a small team to monitor and ensure safety for
everyone using the systems. Every day, you and
your teams ensure that thousands of messages can
be delivered, encrypted, and decrypted, for both
Starfleet and non-Starfleet personnel serving aboard
the station.
There are two different communications systems
installed on Starfleet space stations. The first allows
both intrastation and extrastation communications
for commercial, non-Starfleet workers doing their
jobs and visiting the station. The second system is a
secured communications network used by Starfleet
personnel. The commercial communications cannot
connect to the Starfleet channels unless you provide
a secure channel connection. You can, however,
scan and regulate transmissions within the com-
mercial network using the Starfleet network and can
even execute a complete shutdown of the commer-
cial network should subspace transmissions need to
remain silent for any reason.
CHARACTER ROLES 167
 Role Ability
Knowing how language and encryption typically QUICK BUILD
works for a society is extraordinarily helpful when Follow these suggestions to create a main
trying to learn a new language that is different than character for the communications officer role:
those Starfleet has encountered before. Because of
this, you have the ability to lower the Difficulty of § Make Insight your highest Attribute
tasks that have to do with new forms of language or score, followed by Reason.
new styles of encryption. If the Difficulty of a task to
§ Make Science and Engineering your
interpret a new language or decrypt a new encryp-
highest Discipline scores.
tion would be increased due to never experiencing it
before, you ignore the Difficulty increase altogether. § Take the Operations Track for Starfleet
This allows you to work quickly and efficiently in Academy when completing your lifepath.
establishing communication with a new species.
§ Take at least two of the following
talents when completing your lifepath:
ROLE EXAMPLE: Ensign Hoshi Sato has been
hearing frequency distortions mixed within the
static of Enterprise’s comms system. After real-
§ Computer Expertise
izing an alien creature is capturing their crew, § Intense Scrutiny
Hoshi begins listening, trying to communicate
with the creature. She notices the frequency
§ Studious
distortions seem more like a calculus problem § Technical Expertise
then a language but decides to start decipher-
ing them. Sato attempts a Difficulty 2 Insight
§ Testing a Theory
051101
+ Science task that has its Difficulty increased
by 2 for being an unknown creature and an
unknown method of communication, increasing
the total successes needed to 4. Luckily, as CHOOSE THIS ROLE IF:
the ship’s communications officer, Ensign Sato
§ You like analyzing languages.
ignores this increase; she then buys a die with
Threat and rolls 3 successes. She is able to § You like solving logic puzzles.
interpret that the creature is giving the crew
§ You enjoy writing messages to others.
the coordinates for its home. She then uses
the one Momentum she earned on the Obtain § You like keeping people connected.
Information Momentum spend to learn that the
§ You are great at creating and decipher-
creature is referring to its homeworld.
ing coded messages.
§ You like finding ways of communicating
without talking.
051102

168 CHAPTER 5.110

 CHAPTER 05.120
SHIP ' S COO K
“A c t , a n d y o u sha ll ha ve dinne r; w ait, an d you sh all b e d in n er.”
PROVIDING NOURISHMENT
COMMON ON STARFLEET SHIPS BEFORE THE WIDE
use of replicators, and a mainstay on all Klingon
Defense Force ships, your job is straightforward:
keep the crew well fed and nourished so they can
perform their jobs to the best of their abilities. You
also provide a welcome gathering place for the crew
to relax and de-stress from their long days at work.
The role of ship’s cook can be found throughout all
eras of play. You may serve on any Klingon vessel,
and may have even been asked to perform this role
in a far-from-home scenario where the ship is trying
to save on resources. This was one of the ways the
U.S.S. Voyager was able to conserve energy for their
trip home from the Delta Quadrant.
Vutwl’
Roughly translating to “ship’s cook,” the vutwl’ on
a Klingon ship raises, butchers, and prepares food
for your crew. Through honorable meal prepara-
tion, you bring glory to the Empire by ensuring its
warriors are strong and fueled for battle. This role is
extremely important on a Klingon ship as mealtime
is an almost ritualistic gathering of the warriors on
board. Here the crew share stories and sing songs
while they revel in the food you have prepared. Be
it a new flavor of gagh or a plate of racht, your food
provides a foundation to the mealtime ritual.
In addition to the mess hall, you often have a large
preparation and storage area where you keep
and breed livestock to serve your crew. Tanks and
cages filled with creatures you find, take, or trade
for line the walls of your storage area and are only
— CHANCE LLOR GOWRON
butchered when a meal is imminent to ensure the
freshest meat possible. From Ceti eels to targs,
your storeroom is capable of holding both large and
small animals. In many cases, you will oversee the
reproduction of these animals to aid in making sure
you have a supply of fresh meat between resupplies.
Klingons aren’t huge fans of spices, preferring
to taste the meat for what it is, but they do enjoy
marinades and sauces derived from the creature’s
blood and bile. This allows for them to have the full
flavor experience of the creature they are consum-
ing. In addition, Klingons love bloodwine, and, when
the commanding officer approves, they drink it to
excess as it enhances their sense of taste and their
overall dining experience.
Role Ability
As a ship’s cook on a Klingon Defense Force vessel,
your meals provide the sustenance needed to help
bring glory to the Empire. When the calories you
prepare are consumed, the warriors on board gain
the vitamins and nutrients needed to maintain their
powerful stature and combat abilities. Your role ability
represents the effects your food has on both the
morale and power of the crew. As such, once per mis-
sion, at the end of a scene, you may prepare a special
meal for your crew. After partaking in this meal, as
the scene ends, instead of losing 1 Momentum from
the group pool, you may roll 1A and add the total
to the group’s Momentum pool. If the meal includes
bloodwine, instead roll 3A and add that total to the
group’s Momentum pool, as well as 1 to the Threat
pool to represent your crew’s degree of drunkenness.
CHARACTER ROLES 169
 Even though the ship’s cook role ability was created
specifically for Klingons, if you are on a Starfleet
ship as the ship’s cook, talk to your gamemaster
and see if you could use this role ability as well.
You could also consider modifying the role ability to
make it feel more in line with a Starfleet mess hall.
WHAT’S ON THE MENU?
Roll 1d20 for each column and consult the
table for some interesting meals you can
prepare for your crew. 

ROLE EXAMPLE: K’Larg’s crew just returned D20 Roll Protein Sauce
from a glorious hunt on a newly-discovered
1-2 Gagh blood sauce
jungle planet. They return with several new
quadruped game animals, as well as a giant, ruptured
3-4 Ceti eel
eight-legged lizard. While unloading the catch, mucus sac
the commanding officer receives a report
fireworm Kylerian
of several small, unknown vessels sitting at 5-6
entrails goat milk
extreme sensor range. While the ship engages
the enemy, you prepare the animals brought 7-8 rokeg tail venom glaze
back from the planet for the next meal. After
Aldebaran
claiming victory, the commanding officer orders 9-10 ink sauce
serpent
all warriors to the mess to share in a special
meal while the bloodwine flows. Your food is so vampire
11-12 belly grease
delicious, that before the scene ends, you roll squid sushi
3A and get a result of 4, adding 4 Momentum to
13-14 whole targ gut bile
the group Momentum pool and 1 Threat to the
Threat pool for the next scene. Rhombolian
15-16 taspar eggs
butter

whole Pacifica cod

QUICK BUILD 17-18
bunnicorn caviar
Follow these suggestions to create a main
shredded
character for the ship’s cook role: Pyrithian bat
19-20 Degebian
guano
goat
§ Make Insight your highest attribute,
followed by Control.
051202
§ Make Science your highest discipline,
followed by Medicine.
§ Take the Technical Officer training CHOOSE THIS ROLE IF:
when completing your lifepath. § You enjoy different types of meal
preparations and flavor profiles.
§ Take at least two of the following talents
when completing your lifepath: § You like bringing people together and
boosting morale.
§ Bold (Science)
§ You like trying new foods.
§ Intense Scrutiny
§ You are good with animals.
§ Killer’s Instinct
§ You are interested in genetic
§ Testing a Theory crossbreeding.

§ Warrior’s Spirit § You are coordinated with a knife.

051201 051202

170 CHAPTER 5.120

 CHAPTER 06.00

CHARAC TE R
C REAT I ON O PT IO N S
06.10 NEW CHARACTER TYPES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172

06.20 NEW CHARACTER ROLES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

06.30 ALTERNATIVE LIFEPATHS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S 171
 CHAPTER 06.10
NEW CHARA C T E R
TYPE S
“Yo u St a r f l e e t t ype s a re t o o de pe nden t on g ad g ets an d g izmos.
Yo u lo se yo ur na t u ral in stin cts for su r vival.”
BEYOND STARFLEET
GIVEN THAT STAR TREK ADVENTURES AIMS TO
emulate the kinds of stories told in Star Trek
television shows and movies, the core rulebook’s
focus on Starfleet personnel as characters (and
similarly, The Klingon Empire core rulebook’s focus
on Klingon warriors) did not allow room to discuss
the breadth and range of other character types we
see on screen.
Numerous stories throughout the franchise include
guest or recurring characters from outside of
Starfleet or the KDF, often in the form of civilian
advisors, Federation officials, important diplomats,
and so forth. Sometimes these characters serve
as an external agent who creates the reason for a
mission, a complicating factor, or even an antago-
nist, in which case they are non-player characters
for the gamemaster to employ. At other times, they
are compelling secondary characters sympathetic
to, and aligned with, the regular cast of characters.
Star Trek: The Next Generation gives us our first
main character who isn’t (yet) a part of Starfleet,
in the form of Wesley Crusher. Star Trek: Deep
Space Nine provided an abundance of non-Star-
fleet characters: Major Kira Nerys, Constable Odo,
Jake Sisko, Quark, Rom, Nog, and plain, simple
Garak, who provided a variety of perspectives and
allowed for a wider range of stories to be told. Star
Trek: Voyager’s part-Maquis crew provided some
172 CHAPTER 6.10
— M AJOR KIRA NE RY S
non-Starfleet perspectives (though Chakotay was a
Starfleet officer, and Torres attended the Academy),
as well as bringing along Neelix and Kes as civilian
outsiders, and both the Doctor and Seven of Nine
explore ideas of humanity and personhood. Star
Trek: Enterprise predates a multi-species Starfleet,
and thus both Sub-Commander T’Pol and Doctor
Phlox represent non-Human viewpoints and people
from non-Starfleet backgrounds, as do recurring
characters like Ambassador Soval and Commander
Shran. In Star Trek: Discovery, Ash Tyler, Philippa
Georgiou, Cleveland “Book” Booker, and Adira Tal
all have backgrounds that set them apart from
everyone else. In Star Trek: Picard, the main cast
exists outside Starfleet: Jean-Luc Picard, Raffi
Musiker, and Cristóbal Rios are all former Starfleet,
Agnes Jurati is a civilian scientist, Elnor is part
of an obscure Romulan sect, Seven of Nine has
grown from her liberated Borg origins but is still an
outsider, and Soji Asha’s origins are the focus of the
show’s first season.
And that only really scratches the surface. As main
characters, and as supporting characters, non-Star-
fleet characters have an important place in the
history of Star Trek, and they can add depth and
diversity to the adventures you play out.
Allied Personnel
Perhaps the easiest archetype to fit into a game of
Star Trek Adventures is the officer from an ally’s
service. Their skillsets are like those of Starfleet
characters, even if the way they apply those skills
may be different. This ensures that the character
can take part in the same kinds of missions and
adventures as the rest of the group, and they can
fit into the crew easily enough, while allowing for
tension and internal conflict between Starfleet char-
acters and ones who aren’t beholden to the Prime
Directive or Starfleet’s other rules and regulations.
Kira Nerys is a primary example of this kind of
character. As a former resistance fighter from
the Shakaar resistance cell and an officer in the
Bajoran Militia, she’s as competent and capable
as the Starfleet officers she works alongside, but
her history and her values do not always align
with those of Starfleet, and her superiors in the
Bajoran government may force her into conflict with
Starfleet’s goals.
T’Pol is another great example. Born before
Starfleet even existed, T’Pol represents the Vulcan
High Command, and she has experience serving
the Ministry of Security, the Science Council, and
working for the Vulcan ambassador to Earth, giving
her a wealth of military, scientific, and diplomatic
experience that are invaluable to the crew of the
Enterprise. However, her status as an outsider to a
Human crew who don’t necessarily trust the Vulcan
High Command means that conflict between her and
the rest of the crew is not uncommon.
One easy way to add an allied officer to a group
is through an Officer Exchange Program. These
initiatives are set up by Starfleet Command and
allied services to allow officers a chance to see how
their allies operate, aiding future understanding and
cooperation. An example of the Officer Exchange
can be seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation when
Commander Riker spends time aboard a Klingon
vessel, and later, Worf’s brother Kurn is sent to serve
aboard the Enterprise. A Klingon warrior could join
a Starfleet crew (or vice versa) during any era in
which the Federation and the Klingon Empire are
allies (most of the 24th century, other than during
the Federation-Klingon War of 2372–2373). This
allows you to use content from The Klingon Empire
core rulebook in a Starfleet game (or vice versa).
Ambassadors
and Diplomats
Starfleet’s mission is peaceful exploration, and when
encountering “new life and new civilizations,” it
becomes necessary to turn to diplomacy to maintain
the peace. And, while Starfleet captains are often
fine diplomats, they have a starship to run and mis-
sions to carry out. A Federation ambassador is better
suited for engaging in long-term diplomacy, working
out treaties, and representing their civilization to the
wider universe.
Starfleet vessels are often called upon to carry
ambassadors across the Galaxy to attend peace
summits, treaty talks, and other important events,
and larger vessels – often the most prestigious
classes of ship of their day – are often used to host
such events. Starfleet naturally provides security in
these situations: nobody wants to see peace talks
derailed by renewed hostilities. Similarly, younger
Starfleet officers often find themselves attached to
diplomatic missions, working for an ambassador
for extended periods, as was the case with a young
Benjamin Sisko when he first met Curzon Dax.
As a result, a Federation ambassador is a perfectly
viable type of character, though not for all types of
mission. They tend to be older and more experi-
enced than most player characters, with younger
diplomats tending to serve in support roles within
delegations and embassies, rather than roaming the
cosmos on vital missions.
Sarek of Vulcan is a good example of an ambassa-
dor. A long-time ambassador for Vulcan and for the
Federation as a whole, his duties take him across
the Federation and ensure that he has high-level
access to information, meaning that he is frequently
involved in major events. Rules for Sarek as an NPC
can be found in The Command Division supple-
mental rulebook.
C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S 173
 Lwaxana Troi is another example of an ambassa-
dor. An important Federation dignitary, Ambassador
Troi is someone whose skills are in high demand
and her responsibilities take her from one side of
the Federation to the other. Though her eccentrici-
ties often create complications for the crews of the
ships she travels upon (particularly when aboard the
Enterprise, visiting her daughter), she is neverthe-
less an insightful, persuasive woman and an asset
to the cause of peace. Like Sarek, rules for Lwaxana
Troi can be found in The Command Division supple-
mental rulebook.
Beyond that, many Starfleet officers are called to
take up diplomatic roles later in life, often because
of the bonds they have forged with other cultures.
Jonathan Archer would serve as Ambassador to
Andoria in the decades after he commanded the
Enterprise NX-01. Spock would become a diplomat,
initially helping to spearhead peace between the
Federation and the Klingons, and later devoting his
life to the project of reunification between Vulcans
and Romulans. Worf served as Federation ambas-
sador to Qo’noS at Chancellor Martok’s request after
the Dominion War.
Similar can be said of the Klingons, who often place
lauded and respected commanders in diplomatic
roles where their force of personality and practical
experience of the universe can be put to great
use. The Dahar Masters Kor, Koloth, and Kang all
represented Klingon interests during the Khitomer
Accords, decades after they commanded starships
on the front lines, and Kor served for a while as the
Klingon Ambassador to Vulcan.
Civilian Advisors
and Experts
For all that Starfleet encourages excellence in
science, engineering, medicine, and other endeav-
ors, there are a great many experts in a great many
fields who prefer independent research. These
experts may still find value in Starfleet’s work and
resources, however, often petitioning Starfleet
Command for support on ambitious undertakings or
cutting-edge research. By the 24th century, it was
not unusual for larger Starfleet vessels and facilities
174 CHAPTER 6.10
to contain a civilian contingent performing research
and other valuable tasks as part of ongoing missions
of exploration.
Many leading experts will be present aboard a
ship or station only for a short while – long enough
to carry out their work – but long-term research
projects are not unknown, particularly on science
vessels charting unexplored regions of space.
Indeed, there are a variety of reasons that someone
may need or want to work aboard a starship without
being part of Starfleet, though the ones that make
the best player characters (main characters or sup-
porting characters) are ones whose jobs are likely to
get them involved in the story.
Doctor Phlox is an interesting example. As the
ship’s doctor aboard the Enterprise NX-01, he
served a normal role within the ship’s crew, but his
background was as a civilian doctor, working on
Earth as part of the Interspecies Medical Exchange
program, brought aboard because he understood
Klingon physiology better than any Starfleet phy-
sician. His breadth of knowledge of other cultures
and species and his unorthodox medical techniques
became a vital part of the ship’s capabilities, which
the Enterprise would have lacked if they had been
assigned a Starfleet doctor. In their own ways,
Neelix aboard the U.S.S. Voyager and Cleveland
“Book” Booker with the U.S.S. Discovery provide
a similar type of character: someone outside of
Starfleet who can guide the rest of the crew through
unfamiliar territory, serving as a connection between
the crew and the setting around them.
Aboard Deep Space 9, numerous civilians became
integral parts of the station’s community and
even aided the Starfleet crew during difficult
situations. Elim Garak, an exiled Cardassian
tailor with suspected ties to the Obsidian Order,
often had knowledge, skills, and connections that
proved invaluable, while his mysterious past often
presented complications. Quark was a community
leader in his own right, whose trade contacts and
illicit dealings resulted in plenty of adventures,
and his brother Rom would end up being a skilled
engineer who made significant contributions to the
station during the Dominion War. The abundance of
civilian life aboard a space station compared to a
starship produced greater opportunities for these
characters’ stories to be told, and to enable the
more traditional Starfleet cast to become involved in
unusual adventures.
Families and Children
A controversial subject in some circles, Starfleet has
always been somewhat accommodating toward the
idea of families on ships. Dating back to the early
days of Human warp travel, long-haul freighters
often took months at Warp 2 or slower to reach
their destinations, and it wouldn’t be unusual for
members of these crews to form relationships, or
even marry and have children during these long
journeys. Those children – the first generation born
when interstellar travel became common, collec-
tively referred to as “space boomers” – were raised
in space, and grew up familiar with how spacecraft
worked, often expecting to take over the family
business and join the working crew when they got
old enough.
Starfleet saw these young people, already familiar
with space, and sought to recruit as many as possi-
ble as it built toward an era of exploration with the
new Warp 5 capable NX-class starships. Starfleet
in turn saw little reason to prohibit fraternization
between the crew of their ships, so long as it didn’t
interfere with the running of the ship (as determined
by the captain, who would be the highest authority
on any vessel weeks or even months from home).
For a long time, Starfleet maintained a policy that
any personnel having children should be reassigned
to a starbase or planetside facility at the earliest
convenience, to avoid having children aboard a star-
ship for longer than necessary, but this still meant
that children were born aboard ships from time to
time, as sometimes getting to a starbase (or another
ship going the right direction) would take time.
But even this would change. Larger ships, able to
support a sizeable civilian population, often had
space set aside for schools so that children aboard
could learn together, and educational holodeck
programming such as the Flotter series of holopro-
grams could be loaded into a starship’s library to
C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S 175
 provide a wider range of activities for the children of
crew members. Starfleet personnel wouldn’t have to
give up on postings or separate from their families,
and the psychological strain of long-term explora-
tory voyages was lessened by a greater sense of a
ship being “home.” Even so, much of this was left to
the discretion of individual captains.
The practice naturally fell out of favor after the Borg
attack at Wolf 359 and was suspended entirely
during the Dominion War. As a result of all this, a
regular or recurring child character aboard a star-
ship isn’t necessarily unusual, and their presence
could produce some interesting stories.
about wanting to be a Starfleet captain when she
grows up, that’s still a ways into her future. Instead,
her stories, and those of Icheb and the other Borg
children, tend to focus on her connections to other
characters, particularly Seven of Nine and Seven’s
exploration of individuality and social interaction.
A child character is, necessarily, more defined by
growth and change than most other characters.
Growing up is their story, and given enough time,
a child character is likely to grow into a character
taking a different role in the group or in the story.
Thus, they get more opportunities to change and
develop than an adult character.

Wesley Crusher is the first example of a youth
aboard a starship in Star Trek. A teenager with a
talent for science and technology, his technical
aptitude helps the ship and crew frequently, but
he starts out naïve and inexperienced and often
gets himself into trouble as a result. Over time, he
seeks to join Starfleet, serving as an acting ensign
while he prepares to join Starfleet Academy. In
some ways, Wesley isn’t that different from a young
ensign character, fresh from the Academy, but
with more to learn, and that’s what he would have
become, had he not chosen to venture into the wider
universe with the Traveler.
Cadets and young officers are a specific case of
this, as their time studying to become Starfleet
officers is their transition from childhood to adult-
hood, and many cadets (such as Sylvia Tilly during
the first season of Star Trek: Discovery) were full
adults before they joined. Still, they are similar in
that their inexperience and their potential for growth
are major parts of their role in a story: they are still
developing their potential, and that means they need
guidance and opportunities to grow. Similar can be
said of Alexander Rozhenko during the Dominion
War: he’s a young Klingon warrior trying to find his
place in the universe, and he can’t do that alone.

Jake Sisko is a bit different. With the wider range of

civilian life aboard Deep Space 9, Jake’s involve-
ment in stories is centered more on life on the
station, and his friendship with Nog. As
he grows, he finds a different role for
himself, pursuing a career as a writer,
varying between prose and journalism,
the latter of which requires him to stay
close to the station during the Dominion
War so he can report on the conflict.

Nog, meanwhile, goes from youthful shenan-

igans to becoming the first Ferengi in Starfleet,
attending Starfleet Academy, and serving on the
front lines of the Dominion War as a cadet, then as a
fully-fledged Starfleet officer.

Naomi Wildman and the Borg children on Voyager

offer a different perspective. Naomi is much younger
than the previous examples, and while she’s vocal

176 CHAPTER 6.10

 CHAPTER 06.20
NEW CHARA C TE R
ROL E S
“ S e e yo ur pa t h. S t a y o n it. Reach you r d estin ation .
Ca de t to Cap tain . Ju st like th at.”
FINDING YOUR PLACE
IN THE STAR TREK ADVENTURES CORE RULEBOOK,
a character’s role provides them with a distinct
benefit based on their place aboard the ship, under
the assumption that the main characters are the
captain and their senior staff. These are important,
significant positions, either serving a vital role on
the bridge or overseeing one of the ship’s major
departments, or both.
But that is not the only way to play, and these are
not the only roles that a character might fill.
The Command Division supplemental rulebook
provides an assortment of alternative roles for
Admiralty-level play, where the player characters
are an admiral and their command staff, overseeing
several ships. The Operations Division supple-
mental rulebook similarly provides a few specific
combat-related roles for an away team headed
into a combat situation, and The Sciences Division
supplemental rulebook provides a selection of addi-
tional medical roles that can be taken by characters
aboard ships and stations with a larger medical
staff. While The Klingon Empire core rulebook pro-
vides many of the same roles as the core rulebook,
it also presents several distinct roles that highlight
the differences between Starfleet and the Klingon
Defense Force.
— MICHAE L BURNHAM
This section is intended to complement those
options, providing a wider selection of roles for
characters to fill, particularly characters who are not
Starfleet personnel or Klingon warriors. As normal,
your group is not required to use all the roles avail-
able, and not every role needs to be filled by an NPC
or supporting character in your game. These abilities
are to highlight the place of a main character
within the group and within the crew, and to mark
out the kinds of activities and interactions that are
important to the group as a whole. The gamemaster
may prohibit any of these role options if they do not
fit the game being created, because not every role is
suited for every type of game.
§ Administrator: Administrators are impor-
tant but often unappreciated. They oversee
the smooth operation of colonies and other
institutions, such as spaceports, hospitals, and
research centers. These positions tend to be
held by civilians in many cases, but military
administrators necessarily exist to oversee
military facilities, such as Starfleet commanders
running a starbase. Their role often ensures
that they are well-connected, given the variety
of people and services involved in running
a colony, port, or similar. You may, once per
session, create an advantage which repre-
sents a favor owed by a connection in politics,
bureaucracy, trade, or some similar position of
C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S 177
 importance. Creating this advantage has
no cost, and it may be used before attempting
a task.
§ Ambassador: Civilian only. Ambassadors repre-
sent the interests of their nation or other polit-
ical entity to other nations. The Federation has
numerous ambassadors, as do member worlds
within the Federation, and other powers such as
the Cardassian Union, the Ferengi Alliance, the
Klingon Empire, and the Romulan Star Empire.
Ambassadors are the highest rank of diplomats,
and thus possess all the rights, privileges, and
responsibilities afforded to diplomatic person-
nel under international treaties observed by
all cultures, including immunity from criminal
prosecution. You possess an additional trait: X
Ambassador, where X is the name of the world
or civilization the character represents. This trait
represents the rights and privileges of ambas-
sadorial status.
§ Armory Officer: Starfleet (Security) or Military
only. A presence on older Starfleet ships, and
common in other militaries, this role is also
known as tactical officer or weapons officer. The
officer is responsible for the upkeep and use of
the ship’s armaments and is typically an expert
in ship-to-ship combat. In modern Starfleet
vessels, the ship’s chief of security fulfills this
role, but the United Earth Starfleet had not yet
adopted this tendency. This is identical to the
weapons officer role in the The Klingon Empire
core rulebook. When you succeed at an attack
with the ship’s weapons, they may re-roll a
number of A on the Stress roll equal to the
armory officer’s Security score.
§ Bartender: Civilian only. Found in civilian bars,
casinos, and similar establishments across
the Galaxy, and even aboard larger Federation
starships in crew lounges. While this might
seem like a minor role, bartenders interact
closely with people and are in the business of
helping people relax and enjoy themselves, and
thus they often excel at getting people to talk
about their problems and tend to know what’s
going on with everyone who passes through.
This may also represent other public-facing
business owners, such as tailors, barbers, and
178 CHAPTER 6.20
spa owners. Each adventure, you may ask the
gamemaster three questions, as per the Obtain
Information Momentum spend, but without
spending Momentum and without requiring a
successful task first. The answers represent
things you’ve overheard from patrons and pas-
sers-by, as well as other rumors circulating your
establishment. You do not have to ask all these
questions at once.
§ Bodyguard: You specialize in personal security,
protecting an individual, whether a paying client,
or someone you were assigned to. Militaries
tend not to employ specific bodyguards in this
sense, but most will have soldiers or security
personnel who will be assigned to protect VIPs
– ambassadors, admirals, political figures, and
similar – as needed. As a bodyguard, you will
have a single character – another PC, or an
NPC – whom you are assigned to protect. When
you are in the same zone as that character, you
may spend 1 Momentum (Immediate) when that
character is attacked to have the attack target
you instead. If you do this, the attack’s Difficulty
is also increased by 1.
§ Chef: In addition to owning restaurants, chefs
and cooks are often found on starships and
starbases, particularly those which do not purely
rely upon replicators to feed the crew; a ship’s
cook was a common fixture on older ships
before the introduction of the replicator. Larger
modern Starfleet vessels, especially ones serving
diplomatic roles, will often have a chef aboard
to help prepare banquets for dignitaries, cooking
with a mixture of stored foods, fruit and vegeta-
bles grown in hydroponics bays, and replicated
ingredients to produce spectacular dishes. For
the ship’s cooks found aboard Klingon vessels,
there is an appropriate role in the The Klingon
Empire core rulebook. Once per adventure, you
may prepare a meal for a non-combat scene set
aboard ship; this may be a dinner at the captain’s
table, a banquet for dignitaries or other VIPs,
part of a celebration, or some other meaningful
occasion. Player characters may re-roll 1d20 on
all social conflict tasks they attempt during that
scene. When the scene ends, do not reduce the
group’s Momentum pool by 1.
§ Child: Child character only. You’re a child of
one of the crew, and often get involved in the
exploits and adventures of the crew simply by
being aboard the ship, perhaps because you’re
learning from them. Unless you cause trouble,
you may be overlooked by the adults around
you, but that and your youthful curiosity often
§ Constable: Civilian only. A somewhat old-fash-
lands you in places you shouldn’t be. You may
only select this role if you have used the Child
variant to character creation, found on page
199. Once per adventure, when a non-combat
scene begins and does not include you, you
may add 2 Threat to declare that you are either
present in the scene, or somewhere nearby. In
addition, if you do end up in a combat scene,
enemies must spend 1 Threat to attack you
directly. However, your inexperience means
that you add 1 to your complication range for
all tasks.
§ Civilian Bureaucrat: Civilian only. You keep
an organization functioning, ensuring that the
wheels of civilization continue to turn. You’re
often placed in charge of important matters
within an organization, liaising with other
groups to ensure that vital tasks get accom-
plished. When you attempt a task which relates
C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S
to bureaucracy or administrative work, you may
reduce the Difficulty by 2, to a minimum of 0.
In addition, if you succeed at such a task and
spend Momentum to Obtain Information, then
the first point of Momentum spent allows you to
ask two questions rather than one.
ioned term for an officer of the law or a
keeper of the peace, you serve a community
by upholding the law, maintaining order, and
arbitrating disputes. This is a common role in
colonies and amongst the civilian population
of space stations, either in place of or along-
side more conventional security forces such
as Starfleet. You may be a lone peace officer,
handling matters with your wits and your words,
or you might oversee a collection of deputies
or other subordinates. When you succeed at a
task to investigate a crime scene, or to question
a witness or suspect, you generate one bonus
Momentum. Bonus Momentum may not be
saved. In addition, your knowledge of local
criminal activity means that once per scene,
you may create an advantage representing an
informant’s information by adding 1 to Threat
rather than spending 2 Momentum.
179
 CATERING ON STARFLEET VESSELS
In Starfleet during and after the 24th century,
the role of Chef or Ship’s Cook aboard a starship
became a rarity, normally only encountered
on space stations and large vessels such as
Galaxy-, Odyssey-, and Curiosity-class ships,
especially those outfitted for diplomatic opera-
tions. For all routine purposes, the use of rep-
licated food is considered more than sufficient
for crew and VIPs, and personnel are permitted
to carry supplies of real food in stasis as
individual cargo at their commanding officer’s
discretion, for special occasions or because that
person cooks as a hobby.
This was not always the case, however. During
the 22nd century, many Starfleet vessels con-
tained a galley operated by a dedicated chef who
would prepare a limited selection of meals to be
served in the crew mess each day, supplemented
by protein resequencers that could provide a
limited menu of synthesized meals. These chefs
would also prepare food for special occasions
such as first contacts and VIP visits, and for
senior staff dinners in the captain’s formal mess.
§ Expert: You are an expert in a particular field,
working alongside the crew to consult upon a
matter related to your expertise. You are highly
specialized, and extremely capable in your
chosen field, but this may lead you to ignore or
overlook things that fall outside your knowledge,
or result in an obsession that causes you to prior-
itize your work over other concerns. You gain one
additional value, which must reflect the impor-
tance of your work to you. In addition, select
one of your focuses – this is the field you are an
expert in. When you use this focus on a task and
succeed, you generate one bonus Momentum.
Bonus Momentum may not be saved.
§ Intelligence Agent: Starfleet Security or
Military only. You are not a traditional part of
the fleet. Instead, you are an operative of the
intelligence services of your civilization. You
are charged with gathering information from
180 CHAPTER 6.20
While food synthesizers improved in fidelity
over the years, a ship’s cook was still common
on some Starfleet vessels, particularly those
expected to operate for long periods away from
home where a professionally cooked meal is
a valuable morale boost. Constitution- and
Excelsior-class ships maintained this tradition
as both representations of the Federation on the
frontiers of space, and as large vessels likely to
play host to diplomatic missions and VIPs.
This tradition of a ship’s cook had largely fallen
out of favor by the middle of the 24th century as
replicators became capable of recreating a wider
range of food and drinks more accurately, though
even then, an occasional need for real food (or
meals prepared by hand from replicated ingredi-
ents) in special circumstances could arise.
In earlier eras of play, a ship’s cook may be
Starfleet personnel, though typically enlisted
rather than an officer. In later eras, they are
more likely to be a civilian expert. 
06201
places and people that don’t want their informa-
tion gathered, and you achieve this through a
combination of your own skills and the network
of informants and contacts you have culti-
vated. Once per adventure, you may create an
advantage without requiring a task or spending
any Momentum, Threat, or Determination. This
advantage must reflect information, equipment,
physical resources, or access to a location (such
as access codes or identification data) provided
to you by a contact or by your agency.
§ Merchant: Civilian only. You’re a merchant or
trader, exchanging valuable goods for latinum,
or for other goods. Even in the Federation, a
civilization which has largely evolved beyond
scarcity and the personal accumulation of
wealth, merchants are necessary for ensuring
that resources can easily move from place to
place, and the Federation and its members
 maintain reserves of latinum and other precious
commodities to allow them to trade with other
civilizations. In a practical, day-to-day sense,
merchants are well-connected and often
have access to unusual items or specialized
resources that might not be available nor-
§ Spiritual Leader: Civilian only. You are an
mally. Once per adventure, you can waive the
Opportunity costs on up to three items of equip-
ment being acquired by other player characters.
You may even allow other player characters to
obtain items that are not normally available to
them (such as disruptors to a Starfleet crew, or
items which are restricted or illegal), though you
add 1 to Threat for each such item provided.
§ Political Liaison: You serve as a representa-
tive of a government to the crew, representing
the government’s needs and interests during
the operations of the crew, and providing the
crew with a means of communicating with
that government in turn. This is often the case
where multiple groups are required to coexist,
such as a Starfleet facility operating close to
an allied non-Federation world, or as part of a
joint operation between Starfleet and Klingon
Defense Force personnel. You represent the offi-
cial government that your organization belongs
to – i.e., if you are a member of the Bajoran
§ Translator: You are an expert in language and
Militia, then you represent the current Bajoran
government. You gain an additional Directive
or Dictate, which only applies to you, which
reflects the political stance of the government
you represent. Your gamemaster will work with
you to determine the wording of this Directive
or Dictate. It serves to provide you with a source
of complications and potential restrictions when
acting against the interests of your government,
as well as benefits when you are acting with the
full support of your superiors.
§ Ship’s Doctor: You care for the crew of your
ship, or the station you serve on (in which case,
rename the role to Station Doctor), but unlike
a Chief Medical Officer, you do not have an
extensive medical department to manage or to
aid you. This is common in smaller crews which
do not require a large sickbay or infirmary and
tends to mean that these smaller postings favor
generalists who can adapt to a variety of cir-
cumstances, where a larger medical staff could
C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S
rely on specialists. You have two additional
focuses, which must relate to fields of study
within medicine. However, your ship cannot use
Crew Support to introduce supporting charac-
ters from the medical department.
important figure within your community, pro-
viding spiritual and philosophical guidance to
those who are troubled. In many cases, this can
overlap with the role of a counselor, but there
are meaningful differences between the two.
Spiritual leaders are more prominent in overtly
religious or spiritual cultures, but religion is not
necessary for spiritual leaders to be present in
a culture, as demonstrated by the Vulcans and
Klingons. The Bajoran faith is an example of
one that has many spiritual leaders. When you
are in a non-conflict scene with a character
who is suffering a complication from using a
value negatively, or who has challenged one
of their values, you may re-roll your d20 when
you assist them. If they have challenged one
of their values, you may spend 2 Momentum
(Immediate) during the scene to allow them to
rewrite their crossed-out value in that scene
rather than at the end of the adventure.
communication. While the development of
the universal translator has reduced the need
for translators during daily life, there are still
situations which call for experts in linguistics.
Encounters with new cultures often require
support from xenolinguistics experts to smooth
over any problems that the universal translator
has, particularly if a culture has an unusual style
or method of communication. Similarly, archae-
ological research often requires piecing together
extinct languages from evidence in ways that
can’t easily be automated. You are a polyglot,
who knows enough of most common languages
spoken by your culture and its neighbors to
communicate freely without a universal trans-
lator. You reduce the Difficulty of any task to
translate or understand an unfamiliar language
by 2, to a minimum of 0.
181
 CHAPTER 06.30

ALTE RNAT I V E
LIFE P AT HS
“I g r e w u p o n a J -c la ss, a lit t le s m aller b u t th e same b asic
d e si g n . A n d o ne t hing I c a n t e ll you is th at at warp on e p oin t
e i g h t , y o u’ ve go t a lo t o f t ime o n you r h an d s b etween p orts.
Tha t ’s ho w my paren ts wou n d u p with m e.”

— E NS. T RAV IS MAY WE AT HE R

WHAT LED YOU HERE

THIS SECTION PROVIDES YOU WITH A VARIETY OF
tools and options to customize lifepath character
creation for your character, to suit characters who
differ from the default assumptions present in the
core rulebook or The Klingon Empire core rulebook.
Each option here replaces one or more steps of
the normal lifepath with something that provides
a similar benefit, but which represents something
different than the normal options. Discuss with your
gamemaster which options you wish to use before
creating your character, as not all options will be
equally appropriate for all campaign concepts.
Alternate Environments
The environments presented in the core rulebooks
are intended to represent a variety of worlds and
places of origin, from the homeworld of a species,
to various types of colonies, to being raised aboard
a space station or starship. This already provides
numerous possibilities for a brand new player char-
acter, but one sticking point is that the majority of
Star Trek characters seen in the shows come from
their species’ homeworld, and the various home-
worlds of different cultures are far more well-known
than their various colonies, which means there’s
less guidance and supporting material for devising
the background of a colony-raised character.
This alternate set of character Environments focuses
less on what kind of world the character was raised
in, and more on the conditions surrounding them
during their upbringing. A character raised in a
peaceful utopia will have a different outlook and will
have learned different skills than one who grew up
in harsh conditions, or who had to fight to survive in
a warzone.
Decide on which Environment table you are
rolling on, or which list of Environments you are
choosing from, before you roll, after consulting
with your gamemaster.
As normal, a character’s environment grants them a
single value, one point in a single attribute, and one
point in a single discipline.
A player may choose their character’s environment,
or randomly determine it from the table below by
rolling a d20.

182 CHAPTER 6.30

 D20 ROLL ENVIRONMENT
1–3 Utopian Paradise
4–6 Cosmopolitan
7–9 Rigorous Discipline
10–12 Ascetism and Introspection
13–15 Struggle and Hardship
16–18 Occupation or War
Reroll or pick one
19–20
option above
1. Utopian Paradise
You were raised in an environment of peace,
prosperity, and abundance. There was no war on
your world, nor any poverty, homelessness, hunger,
or crime. You knew of those things only from studies
of history and you have never really been able
to understand how a society could produce such
destructive inequality. You have always had access
to the resources to not merely survive, but to thrive
in whatever endeavors you chose to pursue.
VALUE: At this step, the character gains a single
value. This value should reflect the environment
and culture the character was raised within. This
is a good opportunity to consider how the charac-
ter views society, and the beliefs instilled in them
during their upbringing.
Example Value: Who we are is found in how
we treat others.
ATTRIBUTE: Choose one of the following attributes
and increase it by 1: Control, Reason, Presence.
DISCIPLINE: Choose any one discipline; increase
that Discipline by 1.
2. Cosmopolitan
You were raised in environments of trade or diplo-
macy, and the intermingling of different communi-
ties and cultures. The unfamiliar has always been
familiar to you, and you had become familiar with
dozens of cultures from distant worlds long before
you were an adult. The frenetic pace of life and the
basic need to revel in differences between groups
and individuals have stayed with you as simple facts
of existence in this big Galaxy.
VALUE: At this step, the character gains a single
value. This value should reflect the environment
and culture the character was raised within. This
is a good opportunity to consider how the charac-
ter views society, and the beliefs instilled in them
during their upbringing.
Example Value: Infinite Diversity in Infinite
Combinations.
ATTRIBUTE: Choose one of the following attributes
and increase it by 1: Daring, Insight, Presence.
DISCIPLINE: Choose one of Command, Conn, or
Science; increase that discipline by 1.
3. Rigorous Discipline
You have always been surrounded by notions of duty
and purpose, and your childhood was a strict one,
aimed at preparing you to take on a specific role
or to achieve a specific goal. This meant relatively
little personal freedom, but it instilled within you a
powerful sense of what you were capable of when
pushed to succeed.
VALUE: At this step, the character gains a single
value. This value should reflect the environment
and culture the character was raised within. This
is a good opportunity to consider how the charac-
ter views society, and the beliefs instilled in them
during their upbringing.
Example Value: Nothing is beyond the reach of
those with the drive to achieve it.
ATTRIBUTE: Choose one of the following attributes
and increase it by 1: Control, Fitness, Reason.
DISCIPLINE: Choose one of Command, Security, or
Medicine; increase that discipline by 1.
4. Ascetism and Introspection
Your life was a simple one, lacking in many of the
luxuries that prosperous worlds take for granted.
This was not because of a lack, but rather a choice
– a belief amongst those you grew up with that
external and material abundance can distract from
self-knowledge and personal growth.
C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S 183
 VALUE: At this step, the character gains a single independent worlds, and interstellar conflicts rang-
value. This value should reflect the environment ing from border skirmishes to sector-spanning wars
and culture the character was raised within. This are something which all civilizations must prepare
is a good opportunity to consider how the charac- to face. Worlds ravaged by war, or even occupied
ter views society, and the beliefs instilled in them by a hostile nation, are difficult places to live, often
during their upbringing. forcing people to adapt to horrific conditions and
life-or-death decisions.
Example Value: If we do not understand our-
selves, how can we understand others? VALUE: At this step, the character gains a single
value. This value should reflect the environment
ATTRIBUTE: Choose one of the following attributes and culture the character was raised within. This
and increase it by 1: Control, Insight, Reason. is a good opportunity to consider how the charac-
ter views society, and the beliefs instilled in them
DISCIPLINE: Choose one of Science, Engineering, during their upbringing.
Medicine; increase that discipline by 1.
Example Value: Taking a life changes you, no
5. Struggle and Hardship matter what your reasons were.
For one reason or another, your world was one with
few available resources. Worlds on the frontier, as
well as isolated outposts, are often places of hard-
ship where continued survival is difficult, while other
worlds struggle in the wake of natural or ecological
disasters, the aftermath of war, or societal collapse
that leaves basic infrastructure in ruins. Some seek
out worlds such as this, where “honest toil” is held
as a virtue, while others find themselves in lives of
daily struggle through no choice of their own and
seek to either better their world or escape it.

VALUE: At this step, the character gains a single

value. This value should reflect the environment
and culture the character was raised within. This
is a good opportunity to consider how the charac-
ter views society, and the beliefs instilled in them
during their upbringing.

Example Value: Desperation can drive people

to extremes.

ATTRIBUTE: Choose one of the following attributes

and increase it by 1: Control, Daring, Insight.

DISCIPLINE: Choose one of Conn, Engineering,

Science; increase that discipline by 1.

6. Occupation or War
Though the Federation’s members no longer war
amongst themselves, warfare is still a part of the
Galaxy. Local or planetary conflicts afflict many

184 CHAPTER 6.30

ATTRIBUTE: Choose one of the following attributes
and increase it by 1: Daring, Fitness, Presence.
DISCIPLINE: Choose one of Command, Security,
Medicine; increase that discipline by 1.
Alternate Upbringings
The Upbringings in the core rulebook, and the castes
presented in the The Klingon Empire core rulebook,
represent the nature of a character’s family, and
the influence that has upon a character during their
formative years.
But this is somewhat reductive; it assumes that a
character’s family shapes the course they will take
in life, and while that is sometimes true, it isn’t
always. This option allows characters to define
themselves differently, replacing the Upbringings
step of the lifepath with an Aspiration step: deter-
mined by the future the character saw for them-
selves and pursued as they grew up.
Decide if you are rolling for or choosing a charac-
ter’s upbringing or their aspiration (i.e., the options
in the core rulebooks or the ones below), after
consulting with your gamemaster.
A character’s aspiration provides them with three
points spread across two attributes. Which attributes
can be increased, and by how much, is determined
not only by the aspiration chosen, but also by whether
the character pursued their goal, or abandoned it.
Each aspiration also gives the character a single
point to add to one of their disciplines, with each
upbringing having a choice of which disciplines can
be increased. Finally, the character receives a single
focus, which should relate in some way to the aspi-
ration chosen (a few examples are provided in each
case). Finally, each upbringing gives the character a
single talent.
A player may choose their character’s aspiration,
or randomly determine it from the table below by
rolling a d20.
D20 ROLL ENVIRONMENT
1–3 To Explore
4–6 To Fly
7–9 To Create
10–12 To Discover
13–15 To Protect
16–18 To Prosper
Reroll or pick one
19–20
option above
1. To Explore
You dreamed of exploring strange new worlds, seek-
ing out new life and new civilizations, and boldly
going where no one had gone before. You read
everything you could about the bold explorers of the
past and dreamed of one day sitting in the captain’s
chair of your own starship.
ATTRIBUTES: If you pursued this aspiration, your
drive to be worthy of your goal increases your
Presence by 2 and your Fitness by 1.
If you eventually gave up on this aspiration, your
more measured and practical approach increases
your Reason by 2 and your Control by 1.
DISCIPLINES AND FOCUS: Your efforts to emulate
your heroes and pursue your goals increase either
Command or Science by 1.
Your focus should relate to your dreams, covering
skills learned because they were the kinds of
things that explorers needed to know. Examples
include: Astronavigation, Composure, Diplomacy,
Linguistics, Starship Recognition, Team Dynamics,
Wilderness Survival.
TALENT: You also gain a single talent.
2. To Fly
You saw shuttles and transports soar overhead, and
wanted to be up there with them, in the skies and
among the stars. You took pilot’s lessons as soon as
you were able and may have gotten in trouble a few
times as a child for pushing your craft a little too far.
C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S 185
 ATTRIBUTES: If you pursued this aspiration, your
passion for flight increases your Control by 2 and
your Daring by 1.
If you eventually gave up on this aspiration, your
honed awareness and long hours studying craft
increases your Insight by 2 and your Reason by 1.
DISCIPLINES AND FOCUS: Your efforts to reach
the skies and the stars increases either Conn or
Engineering by 1.
Your focus should relate to your dreams, cov-
ering skills learned because they would help
you fly. Examples include: Astronavigation, Helm
Operations, Small Craft, Starship Recognition,
Propulsion Systems.
TALENT: You also gain a single talent.
3. To Create
Locked away within your mind have always been
things that didn’t exist. Your imagination has always
been filled with ideas for things that might be, or
could be, rather than simply things that already
were. And you wanted to show people the worlds
you saw. Whether your creations would take the
form of works of fiction or new inventions to change
the world, your creativity is boundless.
ATTRIBUTES: If you pursued this aspiration, your
curiosity and creativity increase your Insight by 2
and your Presence by 1.
If you eventually gave up on this aspiration, your
ingenuity is directed toward other outlets, increasing
your Daring by 2 and your Control by 1.
DISCIPLINES AND FOCUS: You studied the fields
that would help you bring your ideas to life; increase
either Command or Engineering by 1.
Your focus should relate to your creativity, which
is likely to relate to art or engineering. Examples
include: Literature, Theatre, Art, Holoprogramming,
Computers, Cybernetics, Structural Engineering,
Transporters & Replicators, Warp Field Dynamics.
TALENT: You also gain a single talent.
186 CHAPTER 6.30
4. To Discover
You want to know what’s out there. “Out there”
might be the furthest reaches of unexplored space,
or it might be the tiniest subatomic realms, or the
depths of the mind, or the myriad complexities of
the body, or some other field. Your drive is to find
that which is unknown and to make it known.
ATTRIBUTES: If you pursued this aspiration, your
enthusiastic curiosity increases your Reason by 2
and your Presence by 1.
If you eventually gave up on this aspiration, your
long hours of study and hard work increase your
Fitness by 2 and your Insight by 1.
DISCIPLINES AND FOCUS: Your pursuit of knowl-
edge and discovery increases either your Science or
your Medicine by 1.
Your focus should relate to your dreams, represent-
ing the field you were most curious about growing
up. Examples include: Anthropology, Astrophysics,
Botany, Genetics, Linguistics, Psychology, Quantum
Mechanics, Xenobiology.
TALENT: You also gain a single talent.
5. To Protect
Your first concern is helping others. You have a deep
disdain for anyone who would bring harm to the
people you care about, or you have a deep compas-
sion for those who have come to harm and seek to
give them aid and comfort. Or both.
ATTRIBUTES: If you pursued this aspiration, you
are quick to help others, increasing your Daring by 2
and your Fitness by 1.
If you eventually gave up on this aspiration, you
have gained a more circumspect approach rather
than heedlessly rushing to help; increase your
Control by 2 and your Reason by 1.
DISCIPLINES AND FOCUS: You have either learned
how to defend others, or how to care for them after
the fact, increasing your Security or Medicine by 1.
Your focus should relate to the skills you honed
protecting and caring for others. Examples include:
Hand-to-Hand Combat (may rename as a spe-
cific Martial Art), Hand Phasers, Survival, Threat
Awareness, Emergency Medicine, Triage.
TALENT: You also gain a single talent.
6. To Prosper
Success is your goal. This might mean fame or
recognition in a particular field, or it might mean
wealth, or influence, or power. There may be some
noble agenda behind this – a desire to overcome
being powerless or to escape hardship, or to be
able to provide for family – or it may just be pure
ambition, even greed. In whatever ways you seek to
prosper, you have the drive to seize the chances you
get, and, as the Ferengi say, the lobes to hear the
opportunities coming your way.
ATTRIBUTES: If you pursued this aspiration, your
ambition and opportunism increase your Presence
by 2 and your Daring by 1.
If you eventually gave up on this aspiration, your
hard work and keen instincts increase your Fitness
by 2 and your Insight by 1.
DISCIPLINES AND FOCUS: Your pursuit of success
could lead you down many paths; you may increase
any one discipline by 1.
Your focus should relate to the ways you intend to
make your way in the galaxy. Examples include:
Computers, Genetics, Holoprogramming, Music
(may rename as a particular genre or instrument),
Persuasion, Philosophy, Politics, Trade & Finance.
TALENT: You also gain a single talent.
Allied Militaries
Starfleet crews often find themselves working along-
side other security and military organizations. This
can happen with Klingon Defense Force crews as
well, but less often, as the KDF is not as “friendly” as
Starfleet. Characters of these other militaries can be
represented simply by creating a Starfleet character
and using the Starfleet Academy section to represent
other military training…but that isn’t necessarily very
satisfying and does take a little more work to adjust
the character into the right form.
When creating a character from an allied military,
select one of the following options instead of the
Starfleet Academy options for Step Four of the
lifepath (or any other replacements for Step Four
found in The Operations Division or The Sciences
Division supplemental rulebooks).
This step grants the following benefits:
VALUE: You gain a single value, which should
reflect the character’s beliefs as they developed
during basic training, officer school, or similar.
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three get
+1). Some options may give you specific choices as
to which attributes you may increase, while others
may allow you to pick freely.
DISCIPLINES: You increase a single discipline by
+2, and two others by +1. Which disciplines are
increased, and by how much, is determined by the
option picked.
FOCUSES: You select three focuses. These can be
chosen freely, but each option will provide a selec-
tion of common examples.
TALENT: You select a single talent. This is chosen
freely as normal.
RANK AND FILE
You represent the common mass of professional
military personnel, who will serve as a mixture of
ground troops and naval personnel. Most powerful
civilizations operate a voluntary and highly selec-
tive armed service, preferring to cultivate quality
rather than rely on the dubious advantages of raw
quantity. When considering the need to transport
and supply warriors across an interstellar nation,
the drawbacks of massed ranks of conscripts far
outweigh the benefits.
C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S 187
 You will probably have received a broad, if basic,
level of training in a variety of fields, with most of
your time directed to one or two disciplines. You are
enlisted personnel, rather than an officer, starting
with a rate equivalent to a Starfleet crewman or
Klingon bekk, and likely becoming an NCO, equiva-
lent to a Starfleet petty officer or a Klingon bu’.
This choice can represent the basic soldiers of
United Earth MACO forces, Vulcan Security Forces,
and Andorian Imperial Guard in the mid-22nd cen-
tury, as well as the rank-and-file military personnel
of the Romulan Star Empire, the Cardassian Union,
and similar militaries in later eras.
VALUE: You gain a single value, which should
reflect the character’s beliefs as they developed
during basic training, or which relate to why they
enlisted to begin with.
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three get
+1). One of the attributes you increase must be
Fitness, due to intense physical training.
DISCIPLINES: You increase your Security by 2, and
two other Disciplines by 1.
FOCUSES: You select three focuses. Examples
include: Composure, Extra-Vehicular Activity, Small
Craft, Military Protocol, Hand Phasers, Disruptors,
Hand-to-Hand Combat, Infiltration, Survival,
Demolitions.
TALENT: You select a single talent.
OFFICER TRAINING
You spent years of study to become an officer in
your nation’s military. This encompassed both train-
ing in leadership and command, but also combat
skills, technical and scientific studies, and a variety
of other disciplines. Most military officers in the
Alpha and Beta Quadrants have a breadth and depth
of training akin to that of a Starfleet officer, though
generally with more focus on military applications
rather than exploration.
188 CHAPTER 6.30
Upon concluding your training – typically years
of study in some manner of military academy or
officer school – you receive a junior officer rank,
equivalent to a Starfleet ensign or Klingon lagh.
From there, you are expected to develop and
expand your skills further as you rise in rank and
gain more responsibilities.
This choice represents the officers and command
personnel of United Earth MACO forces, Vulcan
Security Forces, and Andorian Imperial Guard in the
mid-22nd century, as well as military personnel of
the Romulan Star Empire, the Cardassian Union, and
similar militaries in later eras.
VALUE: You gain a single value, which should reflect
the character’s beliefs as they developed during
their academy years, or which relate to why they
became an officer to begin with.
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three get
+1). These may be chosen freely.
DISCIPLINES: You increase both Command and
Security: increase one by 2, and the other by 1.
Then, choose one of Conn, Engineering, Science, or
Medicine, and increase that by 1 as well.
FOCUSES: You select three focuses. Examples
include: Diplomacy, Inspiration, Strategy & Tactics,
Military Protocol, History, Politics, Hand Phasers,
Disruptors, Hand-to-Hand Combat, Shipboard
Tactical Systems.
TALENT: You select a single talent.
INTELLIGENCE TRAINING
You applied to join your nation’s military or some
other civil service, and they found that your talents
could be put to good use in intelligence. While you
might have an official posting as ordinary personnel
aboard a ship or a starbase, or an office in some
government bureau, your true duties are both loftier
and more clandestine.
Every civilization has civil and military intelligence
apparatus, a term covering a range of operatives,
analysts, informants, and activities which necessarily
remain secret. Personnel are trained to serve either
as operatives – working in the field under cover iden-
tities to gather information and cultivate networks of
informants – or as analysts who study the information
gathered, searching for patterns, and reporting on
noteworthy findings to their superiors.
Many intelligence services will recruit personnel
from military (or Starfleet) service on an ad-hoc
basis for individual operations, but selecting this
option means that your character is an intelligence
operative first, even if you do not advertise that fact.
VALUE: You gain a single value, which should reflect
the character’s beliefs as they developed during
intelligence training, or which guides them during
their operations.
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three get
+1). You must pick Insight or Reason as one of the
attributes increased.
DISCIPLINES: You increase a single discipline by 2,
and two others by 1 each. You must select Security
for one of your choices.
FOCUSES: You select three focuses. Examples
include: Persuasion, Computers, Espionage,
Infiltration, Interrogation, Linguistics, Threat Analysis.
TALENT: You select a single talent.
MILITIA AND GUERILLAS
You didn’t have any formal training. Rather, you
learned to fight out of necessity, to defend your
home from aggressors and invaders, or to try and
liberate it from those who were oppressing your
people. Frontier colonies, worlds where society
has collapsed into feuding factions, and conquered
planets often produce these kinds of fighters.
You may be part of a citizen militia, an impromptu
force that takes up arms when necessary but does
not serve as part of a permanent standing army.
You may be part of a resistance movement such
as those seen on Bajor during the Cardassian
Occupation, or the Maquis who fought the
Cardassians in the late 2360s and early 2370s.
C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S 189
 INTELLIGENCE SERVICES AND SECRET POLICE
Star Trek has often treated intelligence agencies
in a somewhat vague manner, blurring the line
between conventional intelligence agencies
like Starfleet Intelligence and covert operations
groups like the Tal Shiar, the Obsidian Order, and
Section 31.
For the sake of storytelling, these groups,
though perhaps somewhat different in purpose,
all fit a general sense of “clandestine opera-
tions,” and have similar storytelling potential as
sources of secrets, spies, and conspiracies.
While most characters are unlikely to work
directly for intelligence agencies, more expe-
rienced player characters are likely to have
In some cases, these improvised armies can grow or
evolve into full professional militaries. Local defense
militias can grow into a standing security force if a
community grows large enough to support one. The
Bajoran Militia initially consisted entirely of former
resistance fighters who were given uniforms, ranks,
and a proper chain of command to serve as Bajor’s
security force.
VALUE: You gain a single value, which should
reflect the reason the character chooses to fight.
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three get
+1). You must select either Daring or Fitness as one
of the attributes increased; you don’t get far without
being bold or tough.
DISCIPLINES: You increase Security by 2, and two
others by 1 each.
FOCUSES: You select three focuses.
Examples include: Composure, Inspiration,
Psychological Warfare, Hand Phasers, Disruptors,
Hand-to-Hand Combat, Infiltration, Disguise,
Interrogation, Demolition.
190 CHAPTER 6.30
encountered that world of spies and secrets
at some point. A Starfleet officer may have
gone on a mission prompted by a report from
Starfleet Intelligence, or find themselves entan-
gled within a plot started by agents of the Tal
Shiar. Experienced personnel may know friends
or former colleagues who went into Intelligence,
who can be contacted for a favor (and the favor
owed in return is a plot hook any gamemaster
will be happy to employ).
These possibilities can help add to a character’s
place in the wider Galaxy, and they’re worth
considering during character creation, so long
as you discuss the idea with your gamemaster
so they can weave it into the campaign. 
06301
TALENT: You select a single talent.
Ambassadors / Diplomats
Ambassadorial characters are often found accom-
panying Starfleet vessels, and in other groups and
situations conducive to telling exciting stories, as
already discussed in this chapter. These characters
don’t necessarily have Starfleet training, but by
necessity they are well-trained and well-informed,
and quite capable of taking part in dangerous mis-
sions when necessary.
When creating an ambassador character, select
one of the following options instead of the Starfleet
Academy options for Step Four of the lifepath (or
any other replacements for Step Four found in the
The Operations Division or The Sciences Division
supplemental rulebooks).
This step grants the following benefits:
VALUE: You gain a single value, which should reflect
the character’s beliefs as they developed during
their training.
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
RANK COMPARISONS
Any military or paramilitary force will have a
hierarchy that determines and reflects seniority,
experience, expected responsibility, and the
chain of command. The following table provides
guidance as to the common ranks used
amongst the major powers of the Alpha and
Beta Quadrants.
Not all ranks have direct equivalents. This table
lists the closest equivalencies of each rank and
rate. Characters from military services not listed
should select an equivalent Starfleet rank and
may devise an appropriate equivalent term as
they see fit. 

ANDORIAN VULCAN
IMPERIAL HIGH
MACO KLINGON ROMULAN GUARD COMMAND
(22ND DEFENSE STAR CARDASSIAN (22ND (22ND
STARFLEET CENTURY) FORCE EMPIRE UNION CENTURY) CENTURY)
Admiral General General General Grand Gul General Administrator
Lieutenant
Vice-Admiral Brigadier Admiral Legate
General
Major Colonel (Tal Fleet
Rear Admiral Colonel Jagul
General Shiar only) Commander
Commodore Brigadier Captain Captain
Captain Colonel Commander Commander Gul Commander Captain
Commander
Lieutenant Sub-
Commander Commander / Major (Tal Dal / Dalin
Colonel commander
Shiar only)
Lieutenant Sub-
Major Lieutenant Glinn / Gil Major
Commander commander
Lieutenant Captain Lieutenant Lieutenant Glinn / Gil Lieutenant Lieutenant
Lieutenant First Sub-
Lieutenant Glinn / Gil
(junior grade) Lieutenant Lieutenant
Second Sub-
Ensign Ensign Centurion Gil
Lieutenant Lieutenant
Master Chief Master
Centurion Gil
Petty Officer Sergeant
Senior Chief
Staff Sergeant Centurion Gil
Petty Officer

Chief Petty
Sergeant Sergeant Centurion Gil
Officer

Petty Officer Corporal Corporal Centurion Gil

(addressed
Warrior
Crewman Private Uhlan Garresh / Gorr Trooper by role,
(bekk)
not rank)
06302

C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S 191
 FORMAL DIPLOMACY
Within the Federation and its neighbors, there
are two main forms of diplomatic mission:
Bilateral diplomacy covers all situations where
one world or political entity sends represent-
atives directly to another world. For example,
Ambassador Soval was the Vulcan Ambassador
to Earth during the 2150s, representing the
interests of the Confederacy of Vulcan (the
planet Vulcan and its associated territories)
to the United Earth government. While Soval
served in this capacity during the years before
the United Federation of Planets was founded,
the practice of individual Federation member
states maintaining their own independent diplo-
matic missions remains strong centuries later.
Multilateral diplomacy covers situations where
representatives are sent to or from a wider
political entity such as the Federation itself.
Sarek served as a representative of Vulcan to
the Federation Council, but has also served as a
Federation Ambassador-at-large, representing
the interests of the Federation as a whole in a
variety of matters.
These two distinct forms of diplomatic mission
create a complex web of interests and foreign
policies, in which different individuals may
speak for a single world depending on context.
This may produce complexities, but it allows
individual worlds to exercise their freedom
to self-govern even while they are part of the
wider Federation, and that freedom is part of
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three get
+1). Some options may give you specific choices as
to which attributes you may increase, while others
may allow you to pick freely.
DISCIPLINES: You increase a single discipline
by 2, and two others by 1. Which disciplines are
increased, and by how much, is determined by the
option picked.
192 CHAPTER 6.30
what makes the Federation distinct from the
empires that surround it.
Other polities in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants
don’t tend to use the same approach: all worlds
in the Romulan Star Empire are ruled from
Romulus, all worlds in the Klingon Empire
are ruled from Qo’noS, and all worlds in the
Cardassian Union are ruled from Cardassia
Prime. The Ferengi Alliance has no formal
diplomatic corps, with individual businesses
expected to carry out their own dealings, but
individual Ferengi business-owners often bid to
become (or are selected to be) representatives
of the Grand Nagus in larger enterprises.
AMBASSADORS-AT-LARGE
Senior diplomats, particularly those who are
highly respected, are often appointed as ambas-
sadors-at-large. Whereas most ambassadors
(called ambassadors-in-residence) operate
from a single embassy, an ambassador-at-large
represents their people across a wider territory
– perhaps several worlds or even several neigh-
boring sectors. These ambassadors-at-large
tend to be the ones who arrange international
treaties, such as the subspace weapons ban
during the second Khitomer Accords.
Naturally, as they tend to roam about and
become involved in a variety of different
activities, ambassadors-at-large make for
fine player characters alongside a Starfleet or
Klingon crew. 
06303
FOCUSES: You select three focuses. These can be
chosen freely, but each option will provide a selec-
tion of common examples.
TALENT: You select a single talent.
Additionally, a Diplomat character cannot select
the Young Officer or Young Warrior options during
Step Five of the lifepath: neither of the options
presented below are suited to characters so young
and inexperienced; such characters wouldn’t be dip-
lomats, but rather attachés and other support staff
working for a senior diplomat.
In play, Diplomat characters do not necessarily
hold an active Starfleet rank or other military rank
(though many well-known diplomats are retired
Starfleet military). They can gain Reputation, though
they cannot be promoted or demoted.
DIPLOMATIC CORPS
You pursued diplomacy as a vocation early in life, and
you have spent years or more rising from the staff of
senior diplomats to your own postings in later life. You
might serve within the Federation Diplomatic Corps,
or as a representative on behalf of a specific world
(typically your own homeworld). Either way, your
role is a respected one, and you have considerable
professional and personal influence.
VALUE: You gain a single value, which should
reflect the character’s beliefs developed during
their studies, or which led them to enter diplomatic
service in the first place.
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three
get +1). One of the attributes you increase must
be Reason or Insight, as a sharp mind and keen
instincts are necessary for diplomatic work.
DISCIPLINES: You increase your Command by 2,
and two other disciplines by 1.
FOCUSES: You select three focuses. Examples
include: Diplomacy, Espionage, Politics, Linguistics,
Xenoanthropology, History, Philosophy.
TALENT: You select a single talent.
HONORARY STATUS
You had an illustrious career – perhaps in Starfleet
or your culture’s military, perhaps in politics – and
received a diplomatic appointment later in life as a
reward for your accomplishments. You serve well in
such a role, having established valuable connections
to other worlds and civilizations during your prior
career. You might be retired from your prior career,
or you may be on an extended leave of absence
while you serve as a diplomat.
This is an especially common career path for
Klingon diplomats; the Dahar Masters, Kor, Kang,
and Koloth all served as diplomats during the
Khitomer peace talks, and Kor served as Klingon
ambassador to Vulcan for a time. Similarly, Worf, the
first Klingon in Starfleet, was appointed Federation
Ambassador to Qo’noS after the Dominion War, at
Chancellor Martok’s request.
VALUE: You gain a single value, which should reflect
the character’s beliefs forged during their career
before becoming a diplomat.
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three get
+1). These may be chosen freely.
DISCIPLINES: You increase your Command by 2,
and two other Disciplines by 1.
FOCUSES: You select three focuses. Examples
include: Diplomacy, Espionage, Politics, Strategy
and Tactics, Leadership, Xenoanthropology,
History, Philosophy.
TALENT: You select a single talent.
Civilian Characters
Civilian characters can naturally fill a vast range of
roles in Star Trek Adventures, and while they do not
fit into all games, when they do fit in, they serve to
shine a light on life outside of Starfleet.
When creating a civilian character, select one
of the following options instead of the Starfleet
Academy options for Step Four of the lifepath (or
any other replacements for Step Four found in the
The Operations Division or The Sciences Division
supplemental rulebooks).
This step grants the following benefits:
C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S 193
 VALUE: You gain a single value, which should
reflect the character’s beliefs as they developed
during the character’s education and early career.
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three get
+1). Some options may give you specific choices as
to which attributes you may increase, while others
may allow you to pick freely.
DISCIPLINES: You increase a single discipline
by 2, and two others by 1. Which disciplines are
increased, and by how much, is determined by the
option picked. In addition, you may reduce one of
194 CHAPTER 6.30
your other disciplines by 1 and add that point to any
discipline not already increased. This may reduce
a discipline to 0, representing a complete lack of
training in that field.
FOCUSES: You select three focuses. These can be
chosen freely, but each option will provide a selec-
tion of common examples.
TALENT: You select a single talent.
In play, civilian characters hold no Starfleet rank
or other military rank. They can gain Reputation,
though they cannot be promoted or demoted –
their Reputation reflects how they are perceived
in their community and how well-known they are
beyond that.
FREIGHT AND TRANSPORT
You are a crew of a privately-owned starship, per-
haps running cargo from system to system, or flying
passengers to distant destinations. Some of these
ships are often family businesses, passed down
through generations, running a specific route. Others
take whatever contracts they can find, carrying
goods or passengers on an ad-hoc basis.
VALUE: You gain a single value, which should reflect
the character’s beliefs developed through their
career, or the ones which led them to take up such
a vocation
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three get
+1). These may be chosen freely.
DISCIPLINES: You increase your Conn or
Engineering by 2, and two other disciplines by 1
each. In addition, you may reduce one of your other
disciplines by 1 and add that point to any discipline
not already increased.
FOCUSES: You select three focuses. Examples
include: Astronavigation, Helm Operations,
Logistics, Bureaucracy, Small Craft, Extra-Vehicular
Activity, Starship Recognition, Propulsion Systems,
Emergency Repairs, Transporters & Replicators.
TALENT: You select a single talent.
VIGILANTES
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Frontier space can be lawless and danger-
You work to protect people in your local commu-
ous, with ships preyed upon by pirates and
nity, keeping the peace, arbitrating disputes, and
worlds extorted for protection by criminal
confronting those who seek to exploit or do harm to
organizations such as the Orion Syndicate.
others. Such groups normally exist on frontier worlds,
It is common, in these places, for individ-
and independent settlements far from the stability of
uals to try and fight back against these
the Federation. On the main worlds of the Federation,
forces, either individually or in groups.
Starfleet security personnel fill this role during emer-
gencies, but law enforcement isn’t typically a concern
The Fenris Rangers, operating along the
on worlds where crime no longer exists.
old Romulan Neutral Zone in the 2390s,
are a particularly active example of this
VALUE: You gain a single value, which should
kind of vigilante group, independent of any
reflect the character’s beliefs developed during their
government and working to protect those
career, or the beliefs that drove them to take up that
overlooked by the major powers. 
career in the first place.
06304
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three get
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
+1). These may be chosen freely.
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three get
+1). These may be assigned freely.
DISCIPLINES: You increase your Command or
Security by 2, and two other disciplines by 1 each.
DISCIPLINES: You increase your Medicine by 2, and
In addition, you may reduce one of your other disci-
two other disciplines by 1 each. In addition, you may
plines by 1 and add that point to any discipline not
reduce one of your other disciplines by 1 and add that
already increased.
point to any discipline not already increased.

FOCUSES: You select three focuses. Examples

FOCUSES: You select three focuses. Examples
include: Law, Hand-to-Hand Combat, Phasers,
include: Emergency Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry,
Interrogation, Intimidation, Small Craft.
Virology, Cybernetics, Genetics, Xenobiology.

TALENT: You select a single talent.

TALENT: You select a single talent.

PHYSICIAN
POLITICIAN OR BUREAUCRAT
You’ve devoted your life to healing others. You may
You are a civil servant, operating within the struc-
be trained as a doctor, a paramedic, a counselor,
ture of a civilization to ensure that if continues to
or you may be a medical researcher rather than a
function smoothly and to the benefit of its people.
practicing physician, but either way, the goal is to
Your role may be narrowly focused upon a specific
help people who are hurt in some way. Your skills
area of government, or you may be responsible for
are in demand across explored space, and even
overseeing large departments or ministries, your
civilian-trained physicians can find themselves
decisions impacting millions or even billions of lives.
aboard Starfleet and military ships.
Either way, your role is important, and you take pride
in the necessary work you carry out.
VALUE: You gain a single value, which should
reflect the character’s beliefs developed during their
VALUE: You gain a single value, which should
studies, or which led them to enter medicine in the
reflect the character’s beliefs developed during their
first place.

C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S 195
 studies, or which led them to enter public service in
the first place.
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three get
+1). At least one of the attributes you increase must
be Insight or Presence, as good instincts and a
strong personality are valuable for getting into office.
DISCIPLINES: You increase your Command by 2,
and two other disciplines by 1 each. In addition, you
may reduce one of your other disciplines by 1 and
add that point to any discipline not already increased.
FOCUSES: You select three focuses. Examples
include: Bureaucracy, Diplomacy, Politics,
Linguistics, History, Philosophy, or something related
to your role in public service.
TALENT: You select a single talent.
SCIENTIFIC OR TECHNICAL EXPERT
You pursue scientific truth or technological progress,
seeking to become your generation’s Zefram
Cochrane, Emory Erickson, Leah Brahms, or Richard
Daystrom. You probably specialize in a single field
of scientific study or technical expertise, or a small
number of related fields. You may end up working
with Starfleet or a military, but this is more because
they are interested in your work, rather than you
serving their goals.
VALUE: You gain a single value, which should
reflect the character’s beliefs developed during their
studies, or which led them to pursue science or
engineering in the first place.
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three
get +1). At least one of the attributes you increase
must be Reason, as nobody gets far in science or
engineering without a keen intellect.
DISCIPLINES: You increase your Science or
Engineering by 2, and two other disciplines by 1
each. In addition, you may reduce one of your other
196 CHAPTER 6.30
disciplines by 1 and add that point to any discipline
not already increased.
FOCUSES: You select three focuses. Examples
include: Astrophysics, Botany, Cybernetics, Exo-
Tectonics, Genetics, Quantum Mechanics, Subspace
Mechanics, Temporal Mechanics, Transporters and
Replicators, Warp Field Dynamics.
TALENT: You select a single talent. This is chosen
freely as normal.
TRADER OR MERCHANT
You exchange money for goods or services. Within
the Federation, the actual transactions are a trivial
matter, but other civilizations still make more overt
use of money, with gold-pressed latinum serving as a
common economic standard, easily exchanged for the
Cardassian lek, Bajoran lita, or Klingon darsek. You’re
a part of the galactic economy, providing a service
or trading in valuable goods (or both) in exchange for
latinum, currency, or other goods or services.
VALUE: You gain a single value, which should
reflect the character’s beliefs developed during
their career, or which led them to become a mer-
chant in the first place.
ATTRIBUTES: You gain three points, which may be
divided amongst two or three attributes freely (either
one gets +2 and the other gets +1, or all three get
+1). One of the attributes you increase must be
Insight or Presence, as a successful trader is often a
“people person.”
DISCIPLINES: You increase your Command by 2,
and two other disciplines by 1 each. In addition, you
may reduce one of your other disciplines by 1 and
add that point to any discipline not already increased.
FOCUSES: You select three focuses. Examples
include: Art, Cooking, Psychology, Economics,
Logistics, Persuasion, Tailoring, Disruptors.
TALENT: You select a single talent. This is chosen
freely as normal.
Cadet Characters cruise at some point in their second year, serving
aboard a ship, starbase, or other facility away from
Playing as younger characters still training to begin
the Academy for several months (or longer).
their careers can be an interesting experience in
Star Trek Adventures. You might play a cadet on
In their later years, especially promising cadets may
their “cadet cruise” during which they are assigned
find themselves given additional field assignments or
to a starship or starbase to gain valuable practical
even deployed longer-term to specific postings along-
experience alongside their studies, or you might
side conventional studies. Exceptional performance
play a cadet still at the Academy (perhaps among a
may even earn them a field commission to ensign,
group of cadet characters).
which replaces the wait to graduate normally.

Creating a cadet character is simple: go through the

Junior Cadets: A cadet character in their first or
normal lifepath process for creating a character. At
second year of the Academy does not receive any
Step 5: Career, make the following choice instead of
Career Events; they have not yet had enough of a
those presented in the core rulebooks.
career for it to be particularly eventful. This means
that the character will have two fewer points in their
CADET
attributes, two fewer points in their disciplines, and
The character is an officer-in-training, still studying
two fewer focuses than a character created normally.
at Starfleet Academy or a similar institution. They
have great potential, and some skill, but lack the
experience to put their abilities to the best use.

VALUE: The character receives a value, which must

reflect their inexperience and naïveté in some way.

TALENT: The character receives a single

talent: Untapped Potential, described on
page 118 of the core rulebook or
on page 107 of The Klingon Empire
core rulebook.

SPECIAL: A cadet character does not

follow Step Six or Step Seven of the
lifepath in the normal way. Rather,
they follow the modified procedure set
out below to represent their limited
experience. In addition, cadet charac-
ters have a slightly modified set
of character advancement rules,
described below

CADET CAREER EVENTS

A cadet’s education typically lasts four years,
though some cadets in Starfleet remain at the
Academy longer to complete more advanced
training, such as the additional two years
to become a doctor at Starfleet Medical, and
receive a higher rank upon graduating due to their
additional training. Most cadets undertake a cadet

C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S 197
 ADVANCEMENT VARIATIONS
The core rulebook contains one set of advance-
ment rules. The Klingon Empire core rulebook
and the rules digest in the Tricorder Collector’s
Edition Boxed Set contain a different set of rules
for character advancement. The differences
between these mean that we should discuss
how the cadet and child advancement rules
interact with these different rulesets.
ORIGINAL ADVANCEMENT RULES
When a character is mentored, they receive a
normal milestone at the end of that adventure.
If they would already gain a normal milestone
during that adventure, then they may also
select a single cadet or child advancement (as
applicable).
In either case, once a cadet character has taken
all available cadet advancements, they gain an
additional value the next time they gain a spot-
light milestone (in addition to that milestone’s
normal effects).
An adolescent child character who has taken
all available child advancements may, upon
their next normal milestone, use their next
Senior Cadets: A cadet character in their third or
fourth year, or even in their fifth or sixth year if they
are undergoing extra training, receives one Career
Event. This is likely to have occurred during field
studies, or the cadet cruise which normally occurs
during a cadet’s second year. This means that the
character will have one fewer point in their attrib-
utes, one fewer point in their disciplines, and one
fewer focus than a character created normally.
CADET FINISHING TOUCHES
During this step, a cadet character does not receive
a fourth value. In addition, the character’s rank is
chosen from one of the following:
§ Cadet, fourth class: First-year cadets.
§ Cadet, third class: Second-year cadets.
198 CHAPTER 6.30
adjustment to exchange their Childhood Insights
talent for the Untapped Potential talent.
REVISED ADVANCEMENT RULES
When a cadet or child character is mentored,
this is marked in their log as having used a
value positively (for simplicity, mark it as M, for
Mentored, if your log entries use the shorthand
recommended in the advancement rules).
In addition, whenever a cadet or child character
is mentored in this way, then they also gain a
cadet child advancement. When the character is
mentored in subsequent adventures, they may
call back to previous instances of being men-
tored to gain a milestone, regardless of which
other character was the mentor.
Furthermore, when a cadet character gains
a milestone after selecting all available cadet
advancements, they gain an additional value
(in addition to the milestone’s normal effects).
When an adolescent child character has taken all
available child advances, they may use their next
adjustment to exchange their Childhood Insights
talent for the Untapped Potential talent. 
06305
§ Cadet, second class: Third-year cadets.
§ Cadet, first class: Fourth-year cadets.
CADET ADVANCEMENT
Cadet characters do not follow the normal rules
for character advancement – at least, not at first.
Cadets are in the process of learning and developing
into the officers they will become, and that requires
a lot of growth in a short period of time. As a result,
a cadet character follows an altered set of advance-
ment rules until they graduate or receive a field
commission. Once they have graduated or received
a commission, they receive the rank of ensign and
use the normal character advancement rules from
that point onwards.
While still a cadet, a character should receive
advancements slightly more quickly, to close the
Child Characters
A child character is in many ways like a cadet char-
gap between them and a normal player character
acter, only more so: they have even less training and
and demonstrate the faster pace of their growth
experience, and even more room to grow.
and development. This faster rate of advancement
comes in the form of mentoring.
Playing a child character can be tricky; having not
honed their skills and abilities, they rely a lot on
In play, once per adventure, a player character (who
raw potential and on noticing things that adults
may not be a cadet) may “mentor” a cadet character
might have overlooked.
when they assist one of the cadet character’s tasks. If
the mentor has a value which is positively applicable
Creating a child character follows part of the lifepath
to the task being attempted (that is, if the mentor
process, but as the characters are not fully-grown
could use that value to spend a point of Determination
adults, there are numerous steps which are changed
if they were the one attempting a task), they may
or removed entirely.
spend a point of Determination and grant the benefit
to the cadet they are mentoring. This is counted as
STEP ONE: SPECIES
using a value for the purposes of advancement.
When creating a child character, choose their spe-
cies normally. This step is unchanged from normal.
Furthermore, each time the character advances by
being mentored, they may take a cadet advancement:
Bear in mind that different species rear their
children differently, and the children of different
§ Increase one of their attributes by 1, to a
species have different developmental milestones;
maximum of 11.
for example, a Klingon child ages significantly faster
§ Increase one of their disciplines by 1, to a than a Human child.
maximum of 4.
STEP TWO: ENVIRONMENT
§ Gain a focus.
A child is shaped by their surroundings and their
environment during their formative years.
A junior cadet may take each of these extra options
once before becoming a senior cadet. A senior cadet
When creating a child character, choose their
may take each of these options once. Once all cadet
Environment normally. This may either be the options
advancements to disciplines, attributes, and focuses
in the core rulebooks, or the alternative Environment
have been selected, the character will gain an
options presented earlier in this chapter.
additional value. This is described in more detail in
the Advancement Variations sidebar.
STEP THREE: UPBRINGING
Naturally, the upbringing of a child will have a
Once a cadet has obtained enough cadet advance-
significant impact on them. When creating a child
ments to “catch up” with a normal character, they
character, choose their upbringing normally. This
switch to following the normal character advance-
may either be the options in the core rulebooks, or
ment rules and no longer gain cadet advancements.
the alternative Upbringing options presented earlier
in this chapter.
A cadet tracks Reputation in the same way as a
normal character, though they cannot be promoted
STEP FOUR: EDUCATION
or demoted while they are still a cadet.
Naturally, a child has not attended Starfleet
Academy (or any of its counterparts), or any institute
of higher education. Indeed, they’re still in their
earlier stages of education.

C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S 199

TALENT:
CHILDHOOD INSIGHTS
REQUIREMENT: Child (only available
during character creation)
The character is young, but often spots
details or reaches conclusions that adults
might overlook. The character may not
have or increase any attribute above
10, or any discipline above 3 while they
have this talent (and may have to adjust
attributes and disciplines accordingly at
the end of character creation). Select a
single discipline, which must be rated at
least 2. Whenever you attempt a task using
that discipline and buy one or more dice
either by spending Momentum or adding to
Threat, roll one A for each die you bought.
You generate bonus Momentum equal to
the total rolled on the A (bonus Momentum
may not be saved). You add 1 to Threat for
each effect rolled. 
06306
Choose one of the following options for a child
character. These options do not provide the same
benefits, as they represent different stages of devel-
opment for a child character.
PRE-ADOLESCENT
You’re young, equivalent to a Human child between
the ages of 8 and 12. You’re still learning your way
in the world.
ATTRIBUTES: Reduce two of your attributes by
1 each. Then, spread three points amongst two or
three of your attributes (either +2 in one and +1 in
another, or +1 to three).
DISCIPLINES: Reduce two of your disciplines by 1
each. Then, increase one discipline of your choice by
2, and two other disciplines by 1 each.
FOCUSES: You select one focus. This should reflect
your areas of interest, one of your hobbies or the
school subject you excel at.
200 CHAPTER 6.30
ADOLESCENT
You’re reaching the point at which you are devel-
oping into an adult, equivalent to a Human child
between the ages of 13 and 17. You’re trying to
exert your independence and your uniqueness, and
often struggling against the guiding hand of your
parents and teachers as you gain a stronger sense
of who you are.
ATTRIBUTES: Reduce one of your attributes by 1.
Then, spread three points amongst two or three of
your attributes (either +2 in one and +1 in another,
or +1 to three).
DISCIPLINES: Reduce one of your disciplines by 1.
Then, increase one discipline of your choice by 2,
and two other disciplines by 1 each.
FOCUSES: You select two focuses. These should
reflect your areas of interest, your hobbies or the
school subjects you excel at.
STEP FIVE: CAREER
Naturally, a child character doesn’t have much in the
way of a career. Instead, they receive the following
benefits:
VALUE: The character receives a value, which must
reflect their inexperience and naïveté in some way.
TALENT: The character receives a single talent,
Childhood Insights, described in the sidebar.
STEP SIX: EVENTS
Child characters do not receive career events. Skip
this step for a child character.
STEP SEVEN: FINISHING TOUCHES
During this step, the character does not receive a
value. In addition, the character must select the
Child role, even if there are other child characters
present in the group.
CHILDHOOD ADVANCEMENT
Child characters do not follow the normal rules for
character advancement. Children are learning and
developing a lot in a short period of time, which
means they often advance more quickly than adult
characters, but they are still far from being adults.
As a result, a child character follows an altered
set of advancement rules until such a time as they
reach adulthood and start to make their own way in
the Galaxy.
While still a child, a character should receive
advancements slightly more quickly, to close the
gap between them and a normal player character
and demonstrate the faster pace of their growth
and development. This faster rate of advancement
comes in the form of mentoring.
In play, once per adventure a player character (who
may not be a child themselves) may “mentor” a
child character when they assist one of the child
character’s tasks. If the mentor has a value which
is positively applicable to the task being attempted
(that is, if the mentor could use that value to
spend a point of Determination if they were the
one attempting a task), they may spend a point of
Determination and grant the benefit to the child
they are mentoring. This is counted as using a
value for the purposes of advancement.
Furthermore, each time the character advances by
being mentored, they may take a child advancement:
§ Increase one of their attributes by 1, to a maxi-
mum of 10.
§ Increase one of their disciplines by 1, to a
maximum of 3.
§ Gain a focus.
A pre-adolescent child may select each child
advancement once, at which point they will
gain no further child advancements until they
become an adolescent (as determined by the
gamemaster and the passage of time in-game). An
adolescent child may take each child advancement
once each, at which point they will gain no further
child advancements.
An adolescent child, upon taking all their child
advancements, may swap out their Childhood
insights talent for Untapped Potential at the soonest
opportunity. This is discussed in more detail in the
Advancement Variations sidebar on page 198.
An adolescent child character who has taken
all available child advancements and taken the
Untapped Potential talent is now roughly equivalent
to a junior cadet character (see page 197), and if
desired, can now join Starfleet Academy (or equiv-
alent) if they wish and become cadet characters.
Otherwise, they are treated as normal characters,
and gain a fourth value immediately.
Child characters do not track Reputation. That would
be an unfair imposition upon a child.
Supporting Characters
Naturally, some character types discussed in this
chapter may not necessarily be ideal for long-term
play, but they can be interesting occasional charac-
ters to play as the story requires.
When creating a supporting character, you are not
required to make that character Starfleet personnel,
or a Klingon warrior, or part of the same service as
the rest of the main characters. Instead, a sup-
porting character can be created as a civilian, as a
diplomat, or as a cadet with no changes to the rules.
This is ideal for less-prominent background charac-
ters and minor recurring characters within a game.
Children as supporting characters are also possible,
but this takes some slight adjustments:
§ A pre-adolescent child supporting character
begins play with attribute scores of 9, 8, 8, 7,
7, and 6, arranged in any order. They also begin
with discipline scores of 3, 2, 1, 1, 0, and 0.
Finally, they should have only one focus.
§ An adolescent child supporting character
begins play with attribute scores of 9, 9, 8, 8,
7, and 7, arranged in any order. They also begin
with discipline scores of 3, 2, 2, 1, 1, and 0.
Finally, they should have only two focuses.
Child supporting characters advance in the same
way that all supporting characters do: each time the
character is reintroduced to an adventure, they may
choose one of the listed options on page 134 of the
core rulebook, or page 126 of The Klingon Empire
core rulebook. However, child supporting characters
C H A R A C T E R C R E AT I O N O P T I O N S 201
 may gain more of these options than a normal
character, as they have lower scores overall:
§ VALUES: A child supporting character may gain
up to four values as normal.
§ ATTRIBUTES: A pre-adolescent child sup-
porting character may increase their attributes
a total of 7 times, but no attribute may be
increased a second time until all six have been
increased once. An adolescent child supporting
character may increase their attributes a total of
5 times, but no more than once per attribute.
§ DISCIPLINES: A pre-adolescent child support-
ing character may increase their disciplines
a total of twice, but no discipline may be
increased more than once. An adolescent child
supporting character may increase their disci-
plines a total of four times, but no more than
once per discipline.
IMPORTANT SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
The supporting character rules are intended
to produce a selection of minor, incidental,
and undeveloped characters to flesh out the
lower ranks of your crew and represent the
junior officers, enlisted crew, random scientific
specialists, and ill-fated security personnel who
only appear in single episodes (or occasional)
episodes of the shows.
But that isn’t always the right fit. Some groups,
especially smaller groups, may often want to
have senior personnel, such as the chief medi-
cal officer or chief engineer, or even the captain,
in a supporting cast role, with the character
202 CHAPTER 6.30
§ FOCUSES: A pre-adolescent child supporting
character may gain only one additional focus.
An adolescent child supporting character may
gain one additional focus.
§ TALENTS: A pre-adolescent child supporting
character may gain only one talent. An adoles-
cent child supporting character may gain up to
two talents.
Child supporting characters of any kind have the
Child role (page 179), even though supporting char-
acters do not typically have roles.
A pre-adolescent supporting character, once they
have taken all the upgrades available to them, may
(at the gamemaster’s discretion) become an adoles-
cent supporting character. An adolescent support-
ing character, once they have taken all the upgrades
available to them, may become a normal supporting
character, and is counted as an adult.
presumed to always be present but not neces-
sarily an active part of every scene.
This is entirely possible and should be encour-
aged. A prominent supporting character like this
can even be developed in full as a main charac-
ter, and simply brought into scenes or set aside
as needed by the plotline. In these situations, it
is better to have senior officers or similar char-
acters not cost any Crew Support, but in turn
they do not improve like supporting characters
either – a fully-detailed main character, even
one only used part-time, must advance using
milestones as normal.
06307
 CHAPTER 07.00

ADVANC E D
OP E RAT I O N S
07.10 ATTRIBUTES AND DISCIPLINES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

07.20 SYSTEMS AND DEPARTMENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218

07.30 TRAITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225

07.40 VALUES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

07.50 FOCUSES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235

07.60 TALENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243

07.70 MOMENTUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252

07.80 EQUIPMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256

A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 203
 OFFERING A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING
The Star Trek Adventures core rulebooks
provide guidance for using the rules in-game
and for teaching the rules to your players as you
create and navigate game experiences. In the
years since the core rulebook was developed and
released, the design team designed and released
additional versions of the 2d20 System for other
licensed properties, and fielded rules questions
from thousands of gamers. The end result of this
additional development time and Q&A cycles is
that there is now a wealth of additional advice
that can be provided to you and your group so
that you can more effectively play the game and
create exciting Star Trek moments together.
204 CHAPTER 7.00
This chapter is intended to provide that
additional advice to you on most of the
most critical elements of the game system,
including attributes, disciplines, Momentum,
Threat, Determination, combat, and more. The
amount of information in this chapter may look
daunting, but fear not! You’re not required to
read every section or memorize every additional
piece of information. Read the sections you
most want more insight on, and add or enhance
these components in your game gradually,
building upon your experiences together with
your gamemaster and fellow players. 
07001
 CHAPTER 07.10

ATTRI BUT E S A N D
DIS CI P LI NE S
“Ly i n g i s a sk ill lik e a ny o t he r, a n d if you wan t to main tain a
l e ve l o f e xc e lle nc e , yo u h ave to p ractice con stan tly.”

— E LIM GARAK

THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF A CHARACTER

A CHARACTER’S ATTRIBUTES DEFINE MUCH ABOUT
who a character is and what they are good at. In
Control
Control defines characters who are precise, orderly,
addition to serving as rough benchmarks for the
disciplined, highly coordinated, and who possess
intrinsic physical and mental abilities of a character,
well-developed fine motor skills.
they also reflect the way a character thinks about
problems and the approaches they apply to solving
When faced with violence, a character may use
those problems.
Control to shoot at enemies, or to focus on a difficult
problem despite the battle raging nearby.
As a result, the attribute scores a character pos-
sesses are a valuable roleplaying guide, and they
When faced with a physical problem, a charac-
can shape the way a character is played and how
ter may use Control to overcome the problem with
other aspects of that character’s nature and identity
careful application of force, typically requiring finesse
play out. They also reflect a character’s priorities:
or accuracy, or with precision movement such as
a character’s better attributes require upkeep and
remaining stealthy or traversing precarious terrain.
practice, so the attributes with higher scores repre-
sent where a character is putting their efforts.
When faced with an intellectual or emotional
problem, a character may use Control to center
Attributes are not purely physical or mental, and
themselves and maintain their concentration, or to
they are not absolutes. A Vulcan or a Klingon is
find a solution that relies on precision or attention
significantly stronger than a Human, but this is not
to detail.
reflected only in the characters’ Fitness scores
(which might be a little higher than that of an aver-
When faced with a social problem, a character
age Human character), as a Fitness score reflects
may use Control to remain calm, break down
how a character applies strength as well as how
complex or intricate situations, and give detailed
strong they are.
instructions clearly.
This section provides additional guidance on what
each of the attributes may mean to your character,
and how they might be used in different situations.

A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 205
 Daring
Daring defines characters who are decisive and
fearless. When the adrenaline (or equivalent)
starts pumping, a Daring character can act swiftly
and confidently.
When faced with violence, a character may use
Daring to strike in hand-to-hand combat, or to
provide urgent first aid to an injured comrade.
When faced with a physical problem, a character
may use Daring to respond to an urgent danger, or
to act quickly before the situation deteriorates.
When faced with an intellectual or emotional
problem, a character may use Daring to find the
quickest solution, rather than waiting around to find
a perfect solution, or to overcome any doubts or
hesitation that they might be feeling.
When faced with a social problem, a character
may use Daring to lead by example, or to break
tension by speaking first without hesitation.
FITNESS AND STRENGTH
A Vulcan, known for having strength far superior
to that of even a strong Human, does not have
a massively higher Fitness score. Rather, the
disparity in strength is represented through the
Vulcan’s species trait. Were a Human to try to
arm-wrestle a Vulcan, there would be no test or
challenge involved: the Vulcan would simply win,
because the Vulcan is several times stronger.
Thus, for characters who have considerable
innate strength, or similar physical advantages
such as speed, the difference is shown in the
Difficulty of a task, or whether the task needs
to be attempted in the first place. A Human may
need a Fitness + Conn task to successfully
run cross-country and reach their destination in
time. A Kelpien would find the same task easier,
and they may not even need to roll.
206 CHAPTER 7.10
Fitness
Fitness defines characters by their physical prow-
ess, athleticism, and endurance. While no attribute
is purely physical or purely mental, Fitness is the
closest to being a physical attribute. Beyond its use
in tasks, Fitness is also the basis of a character’s
maximum Stress, so a character with high Fitness is
also more able to weather attacks and hazards.
When faced with violence, a character may use
Fitness to restrain a foe, resist a hazard, or to move
quickly around the battlefield.
When faced with a physical problem, a character
may use Fitness to apply a solution relying on raw
physical strength or repetitive actions requiring
considerable stamina.
When faced with an intellectual or emotional
problem, a character may use Fitness to resist
physical hardship when attempting to focus on the
problem at hand.
Due to how the game is set up, these advan-
tages don’t necessarily carry over into combat.
Hitting an opponent and inflicting harm upon
them in hand-to-hand or melee is more a
matter of skill – of knowing how to apply and
deliver force to an opponent – and split-second
decision-making (covered by Daring) than about
raw strength. To give an example, Spock is not
one to often throw a punch, and that kind of
aggression normally only comes out of him in
moments when he is not in control of himself.
His strength does not really translate into
making him a more effective fighter.
This can differ if a character wishes to restrain
an opponent. An opposed Fitness + Security
task would be a fine way to handle pinning an
opponent in place to keep them from escaping,
and that kind of task is one where enhanced
strength is a significant asset. 
07101
When faced with a social problem, a character
may use Fitness to control the situation through
physical presence and body language rather than
social skill.
Insight
Insight defines characters by their instincts and their
perceptiveness. Insightful characters often have a
good sense of the moods and feelings of others, but
have also learned to trust their own feelings when it
comes to the decisions they make and the problems
they are confronted with.
When faced with violence, a character may use
Insight to speculate upon the enemy’s plans or
motives, or to anticipate an incoming threat.
When faced with a physical problem, a character
may use Insight to assess the problem and form a
quick theory on how to solve it.
When faced with an intellectual or emotional
problem, a character may use Insight to trust their
instincts and choose the right course of action, or
to speculate on other problems that may occur as
a result.
When faced with a social problem, a character
may use Insight to judge the emotional state or
discern the motives of another person.
Presence
Presence defines characters by their strength of
personality, and by their ability to draw attention
and command respect. It may appear in deft and
eloquent rhetoric, in bombast and bravado, in easy
charm and enticing manner, or in quiet gravitas.
Such strength of personality also means a strong
sense of self, allowing a character to resist coercion
or manipulation by remembering who they are and
what they believe.
When faced with violence, a character may
use Presence to intimidate a foe or compel them
to hesitate.
When faced with a physical problem, a character
may use Presence to rally and inspire others to work
more effectively together.
When faced with an intellectual or emotional
problem, a character may use Presence to urge
others to focus upon the problem and dismiss
any distractions.
When faced with a social problem, a character
may use Presence to sway the other side through
emotive language.
Reason
Reason defines characters by their adherence
to logic, and it demonstrates a strong tendency
towards meticulous analysis, detailed planning,
the gathering of evidence, and the forming and
testing of theories. Characters with a high Reason
are likely to be patient and analytical, perhaps even
dispassionate, relying on careful observation and
understanding of the facts in evidence to come to
the right conclusions.
When faced with violence, a character may use
Reason to devise a plan or strategy to improve the
odds of success in combat, or to identify some flaw
or vulnerability that can be exploited through careful
study of the enemy.
When faced with a physical problem, a character
may use Reason to study the problem to find a
solution, or to apply available information to coming
up with a plan.
When faced with an intellectual or emotional
problem, a character may use Reason to engage in
research or study to determine patterns or details
that could be used to resolve the problem.
When faced with a social problem, a character
may use Reason to sway others’ opinions using
facts and logic.
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 207
 CONTROL
RATING MEANING
You are uncoordinated or lack self-discipline. You might be clumsy or careless, easily
7 or less
distracted, or inclined to panic.

8 Your control over yourself and your actions is ordinary and unremarkable.

You pay attention to details, and you can maintain your concentration under difficult
9–10 circumstances. You’re precise and careful, with good hand-eye coordination and
steady hands.

You always maintain perfect control over yourself. You are not one to lose focus or get
distracted, you are keenly aware of pertinent details, and you are incredibly precise
11–12
and efficient in everything you do. You might also be very serious and dedicated, rarely
allowing yourself to relax, as that might mean giving up some of your self-control.

DARING
RATING MEANING
You are overly cautious, or you find yourself frozen and unable to act when faced with a
7 or less difficult or dangerous situation. You might find yourself becoming uneasy in non-threat-
ening situations.

8 You are not overly hesitant, but you are not especially courageous either.

You are confident and decisive, able to act quickly and effectively when placed
9–10
under pressure.

You are fearless, and often the first to confront a difficult or dangerous challenge. You
11–12 don’t hesitate when the action starts, and you don’t doubt the decisions you make in the
heat of the moment. Some might consider you reckless or hasty for rushing into danger.

FITNESS
RATING MEANING
You are disinclined to rely on strength to solve your problems and may be somewhat
7 or less unfit. You probably lack stamina and struggle to resist the effects of physical hardships
such as extremes of temperature.

8 You are not unfit, but your fitness is unexceptional.

You are healthy and strong and have a good appreciation for how to use and maintain
9–10
your body. You have considerable stamina, and a good understanding of kinesthetics.

You are a prime example of physical conditioning, with plenty of practical understanding
for how to employ your strength, speed, and endurance to best effect. You may seem
11–12 tireless, though you understand the value of rest better than most. Others may pre-judge
you based on your physical presence, perhaps dismissing your intellectual abilities, or
seeing your stature as imposing.

208 CHAPTER 7.10

INSIGHT
RATING MEANING
You are not accustomed to trusting your instincts, or your instincts are not well-honed.
7 or less You may not be particularly observant of moods and behaviors in others, or you may
hesitate because of doubts about reaching the wrong conclusion.

Your judgement is not particularly poor, but neither do you rely overmuch on
8
your instincts.
You have good instincts about other people and about situations and have a reasonable
9–10
sense of when to rely on your gut, though you do not do so all the time.

You are deeply empathetic and can often pick up things about a person’s state of mind
that even they didn’t realize. You have great instincts and rely on them even in the face
11–12
of hard evidence to the contrary. More logical colleagues might consider you overly
emotional and your judgements irrational.

PRESENCE
RATING MEANING
You are somewhat shy and reserved, unable or unwilling to command attention. Your
7 or less manner of speech may be awkward, you might be wary of raising your voice, or you
may trip over your words.

While you are not particularly shy or awkward, neither is your charisma
8
particularly noteworthy.

You have a strong sense of self, and your confidence comes out in your body
9–10 language and the way you speak. You can hold the attention of a room and get your
point across effectively.

You seem almost larger-than-life at times. You are the center of attention, and your voice
11–12 cuts through the clamor of a crisis, so others reflexively look to you when danger is near.
You may sometimes be viewed as overbearing.

REASON
RATING MEANING
You do not have much patience for logic and meticulous analysis, or you frequently find
7 or less your biases and your instinctive responses overwhelm your attempts to approach a
problem dispassionately.

You can sit down and research a problem or devise a theory well enough, but you don’t
8
excel at those things.

You have a clear mind, and you can set aside snap judgements to pursue the truth with
9–10
a rational, logical mindset.

You are adept at approaching problems, perils, and the unknown with a dispassionate
11–12 mind that studies them from all angles before reaching a conclusion. Others might regard
you as cold, unfeeling, or even machine-like. You don’t allow their opinions to bother you.

A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 209
 AWARENESS
You might notice that several of the attributes
described in Star Trek Adventures could
reasonably be used to describe how observant
or aware a character is.
This is entirely deliberate. Our senses are key to
how we interact with the world, and there’s no
one way to properly encapsulate the different
ways that a person might relate to what they
see, hear, smell, feel, and taste, and how a
person processes and makes sense of that
information. As a result, several different attrib-
utes apply to a character’s senses, and could be
used on tasks where revealing information or
detecting peril are relevant.
§ If you’re trying to pick out fine details,
Control might be the most appropriate
option.
§ If you’re simply reacting to danger, Daring
might be the fitting choice.
§ If you’re observing other people to judge
their mood, Insight is the relevant choice.
§ If you’re searching or scanning an area
methodically or examining something
closely, Reason is a good fit.
§ If you can’t really decide which one to use,
Insight is probably the best choice for being
broadly observant.
Similarly, the discipline used will vary based on
what you’re looking at or for, because people
SKILLS AND EXPERTISE
THE OTHER THINGS THAT DEFINE A CHARACTER
most strongly are, of course, their disciplines.
Whereas attributes show a character’s natural pro-
clivities and preferred approaches, disciplines show
the areas of a character’s expertise.
Each discipline is broad and named for one of the
major departments. They each cover an assortment
210 CHAPTER 7.10
are naturally more likely to pick up on changes
to something familiar, or small details on things
that they already know.
§ Looking for details in the way someone
behaves, or within a group of people, will
typically rely on Command.
§ Observation of starships, to determine type,
capability, the effects of damage, and other
details, will use Conn.
§ Looking for problems with a machine or
structure will typically use Engineering.
§ Detecting ambushes and hidden enemies,
identifying weapons (or the effects of
weapons), and displaying awareness during
combat will normally use Security.
§ Detailed study of a subject, especially in
controlled conditions, is likely to be Science,
as is study of unknown phenomena not
covered by other disciplines.
§ Study of physiology and biology as well as
diagnosing injuries and medical conditions
will use Medicine.
These concepts apply as much to using a ship’s
sensors or a tricorder as it does to using your
own innate senses; a tricorder expands what
you can detect and monitor, but you still need
to be able to interpret the data just like you
interpret your perceptions. 
07102
of specific skills and categories of knowledge,
ranging from advanced theoretical knowledge to
practical techniques and everything in between.
But the kind of skill represented by a discipline
requires work. Disciplines take time and effort to
maintain, from practice to maintain precision and
reflexes for those specializing in Conn or Security, to
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” VERSUS “HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS?”
Many of the differences between the various
attributes reflect different approaches to solving
a problem, rather than different activities. A
character may achieve similar results using
Insight or Reason, even if the method used to
reach those results was different.
This often means that there are numerous
possible ways to consider a given problem, and
numerous combinations of attribute and disci-
pline that may apply to a particular skill test.
Many Star Trek Adventures missions contain
situations where multiple attributes may apply
to a particular task. In these cases, it’s up to
you as the player to choose which one you want
to use. You’re likely to choose the one with the
better score, and that’s fine; when presented
with multiple options to solve a problem, people
will naturally gravitate towards the one they’re
better suited for.
But it’s also useful (for both you as the player,
and for the gamemaster) to consider how
different approaches might have other con-
sequences. If given a choice between Control
or Daring, for example, maybe the potential
complications (or the effects of failure) that
result from them are different: the precise,
considered approach of Control may see you
delayed because your method took longer, while
the Daring may get the job done, but the result
might be messy or have unforeseen conse-
quences because you rushed in. 
07103
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 211
 THE MATTER OF TELEPATHY
One matter which often causes questions at the
table is “What do I roll for telepathy?”
By design, Star Trek Adventures does not have
a single universal combination of attribute and
discipline for all telepathic activity. Rather, the
intent is that telepathy – and empathy, which
is similar in most ways – is treated more like
a sense that a character possesses, rather
than as a specific game ability that works in a
singular defined way.
A telepath is aware of and can hear the surface
thoughts of other living creatures (barring those
whose brain structure is immune to telepathy,
such as Ferengi) nearby at pretty much all
times, but this is essentially just ”background
noise.” These surface thoughts are the thoughts
and impulses at the forefront of a person’s
mind, and most of the time are often trivial
matters, or things which they immediately act
upon, and most telepaths learn to ignore this
noise most of the time: it would quickly become
distracting otherwise.
regular reading of new theories and breakthroughs
in Engineering, Science, and Medicine, to leading
and delegating with Command.
This section provides some additional guidance
on what each of the attributes may mean to your
character, and suggests some ways that particular
combinations of attributes and disciplines might
be roleplayed.
Command
Command covers leadership, negotiation, coordinat-
ing and motivating others, as well as personal disci-
pline and resisting coercion. More broadly, it covers
a variety of other social skills as well; characters
who excel at these social skills tend to be effective
at managing and leading others as a result.
212 CHAPTER 7.10
Picking out an individual surface thought is rela-
tively easy, so long as a person isn’t attempting
to guard their thoughts (everyone is capable of
this to some extent, by choosing what to think
about, and people can be trained to resist telep-
athy). It gets more difficult if a person is making
a conscious effort to resist. It also gets more dif-
ficult if there are multiple people nearby, much
as hearing a single voice in a crowded room is
more difficult than a one-on-one conversation in
a quiet room.
Delving deeper into a mind requires greater
concentration and effort, and it can be a
particularly draining or even painful experience,
for both telepath and the mind they’re reaching
out to. Reaching into a person’s memories can
cause them to recall those events, which can be
unpleasant or even dangerous, and memories
are inherently subjective and might not be an
accurate reflection of events. Similarly, reaching
out to listen to a mind at a greater distance
can take more effort and concentration, though
particularly powerful minds, or the aggregate
impression of numerous minds (i.e., discerning
A character with a high Command and a high Control
is likely to be exacting and circumspect in their
leadership. They prefer to have a plan, and preferably
several, and these plans often demand nothing but
the highest performance from the crew, as the crew
are vital parts of those plans. Their orders are precise
and clear, with little room for misinterpretation.
A character with a high Command and a high Daring
is probably bold and their adventures exciting. They
do not necessarily plan things in advance, but rather
prefer to make the decisions they need to make as
and when they happen. They’re active leaders, lead-
ing from the front and getting personally involved in
whatever problems they need to be, and they never
give an order that they wouldn’t be willing to follow.
 that a crowd of people are angry or scared),
may be easy to discern at range.
As things get more difficult, which attribute is
used for a task can vary based on what you’re
intending to do with your telepathy:
§ Control is most useful when you are
attempting to sift through thoughts in an
orderly manner.
§ Daring is most useful when attempting
to delve into a mind quickly, often without
regard for any disruption caused.
§ Fitness is useful for withstanding the strain
of using telepathy for a prolonged period or
versus a powerful mind.
§ Insight is useful when delving deep into
thoughts or memories and trying to under-
stand what they mean.
§ Presence is useful for maintaining your sense
of self while submerged in another mind.
§ Reason is useful when trying to piece
together facts or patterns from numerous
thoughts or memories.
A character with a high Command and a high
Fitness is enduring and resilient, unlikely to give
up or back down unless there is no other choice.
They are likely to be highly active and athletic, and
they seem tireless. They’re not afraid to roll up their
sleeves and get their hands dirty on the job.
A character with a high Command and a high Insight
is likely to seem friendly and approachable, always
willing to listen to the opinions and the problems
of those around them and willing to change their
minds if proven wrong.
A character with a high Command and a high
Presence is likely be an inspiring figure, who
commands the loyalty of their subordinates and
the respect of their foes. They are likely to seem
powerful and in charge, and they have a level of
Which discipline is applicable is also very much
dependent upon circumstances:
§ Command is helpful for maintaining a
sense of self and interacting with another
mind in a controlled, deliberate manner.
§ Conn is perhaps the discipline least useful
for telepaths, though one could use Conn
to attempt to discern the movements of an
enemy ship by reading the mind of the pilot.
§ Security is helpful if trying to determine
whether someone is a threat.
§ Engineering is useful mainly for trying to
find or comprehend technical information
from another mind.
§ Science is useful for trying to gain and
interpret knowledge from another mind.
§ Medicine is useful for therapeutic uses of
telepathy and empathy, when attempting to
calm or heal a mind that has been injured
or is otherwise in distress. 
07104
confidence that is justified by their deeds and which
seems to spread throughout the crew.
A character with a high Command and a high
Reason is deeply knowledgeable and probably
seems to be wise and well-read. They dislike the
unknown, venturing into the unexplored because
they dislike not knowing. They will seek to be
well-equipped with the facts as they enter new
situations, and they encourage their subordinates to
be similarly well-informed.
Conn
Conn is about spacecraft, and the practicalities of
living and working in space. In its most basic form, a
character may use Conn to plot a course to a distant
world or guide a ship carefully through an asteroid
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 213
 field, but it is far from just “the pilot skill.” Beyond
its uses navigating and negotiating terrain, both on
Engineering
Engineering is about technology. While much of
the ground and in space, and operating vehicles,
what an Engineer does aboard a starship will relate
Conn covers a familiarity with starships as machines
to advanced sciences, the Engineer is concerned
and as places where people live and work, including
with the practicalities of making the technology
an understanding of spacefaring traditions and
work, keeping it working, and ensuring that the
protocols, familiarity moving around in micro- or
results that come from technology are the desired
zero-gravity environments, knowledge of how
ones. Designing, building, maintaining, understand-
spacecraft move and operate as well as how spatial
ing, and operating technology are all covered by the
phenomena impact space travel.
Engineering discipline.

A character with a high Conn and a high Control is

A character with a high Engineering and a high
deft and precise at the controls of a ship or shuttle,
Control can operate complex, precision equip-
and can move with finesse in zero-G.
ment such as transporters with ease, as well as
being highly adept at performing delicate repairs
A character with a high Conn and a high Daring is a
to sensitive equipment. They’re likely the kind of
more instinctive pilot, often guiding a ship through
person who fine-tunes the devices they work with
“feel,” but they are invaluable in a crisis as they can
to get exactly the desired result and is probably a
move a ship like nobody else, jinking and weaving
perfectionist when it comes to the operation of the
through hazards and flying in such a way that even
devices that they are responsible for.
the most effective targeting sensors struggle to
maintain a lock.
A character with a high Engineering and a high
Daring is willing to throw out the instruction
A character with a high Conn and a high Fitness is
manuals, and probably sees operational tolerances
familiar with extra-vehicular activities, orbital skydiv-
as guidelines rather than actual limits. They’re the
ing, cross-country hiking, and navigating through a
kind of person who can restart a cold Warp Core in
wilderness. They’re resilient, even unshakeable, and
five minutes when it should take thirty, and who can
nearly as comfortable outside a ship as inside one.
assemble some novel solution by rebuilding existing
technology to function in new ways.
A character with a high Conn and a high Insight has a
sense for ships and crews. They can judge the intent
A character with a high Engineering and a high
of an unknown vessel by the course they’ve plotted
Fitness is the one with their sleeves rolled up, crawl-
and the speed they’re travelling, and they can diag-
ing through a Jeffries tube, recalibrating plasma
nose a problem with their own ship by the vibrations
conduits and microcircuits one at a time. They’re
in the deck plating and the sound of the warp core.
the ones who don’t shy away from the hard work.
They’re the ones covered in stains and smudges
A character with a high Conn and a high Presence
from their work, and who know that old ships
knows procedure, protocol, and tradition, and under-
sometimes require care, attention, and occasional
stands the importance of a crew presenting itself
“percussive maintenance.”
properly when greeting outsiders.
A character with a high Engineering and a high
A character with a high Conn and a high Reason is
Insight has an instinctive knack for machines, able
an excellent navigator, skilled at plotting the most
to judge “moods” and ”feelings” in sophisticated
effective route through the most difficult regions
equipment in the way that a counselor detects
of space, and no less capable of tracking the signs
those things in people. They can normally diagnose
other ships leave behind to locate and pursue them
a technical problem quickly, and their gut feelings
across space.
about why something isn’t working tend to be right.

214 CHAPTER 7.10

A character with a high Engineering and a high
Presence are often the spokesperson for their
machines and their technology. They’re often able
to convey the details of technology – and technical
problems – in succinct ways, easy for non-engi-
neers to grasp (this may or may not include the
use of simple metaphors and similes), and they’re
particularly effective at leading teams of other
Engineers to solve bigger problems.
A character with a high Engineering and a high
Reason has a deep understanding of the machines
they work with. This comes from intensive reading
of technical manuals and professional publications,
understanding the theories and concepts behind the
devices, along with extensive practical experience,
disassembling devices and understanding the
function of every component and connection, and
testing them extensively to ensure that everything
works as desired.
Security
Security is about safety, protection, and survival,
but it is most importantly about violence. Watching
for it, understanding it, defending against it, and
employing it. It is the main specialty of soldiers and
warriors, but also valuable for law enforcement
personnel, peace officers, spies, and anyone whose
line of work invites danger.
A character with a high Security and a high Control is
probably an expert sharpshooter. But more than that,
they’re probably cool and calculating when it comes
to combat, seeking to approach dangerous situations
with a calm, measured response. Their use of force is
careful, precise, and seldom more than is absolutely
necessary to achieve the objective.
A character with a high Security and a high Daring
is likely to consider themselves a warrior first and
foremost. They are highly proficient in hand-to-hand,
and they’re innately courageous, which can verge
on recklessness at times. They may have a some-
what romanticized view of honorable combat.
A character with a high Security and a high Fitness
is tough and tireless. They’re fit, resilient, and have
probably faced more than their share of tough
situations. They probably resemble what most
people imagine as the dutiful, tough soldier, and
there is little that will stop them from completing
their objective.
A character with a high Security and a high Insight
has exceptional situational awareness and is likely
to be the first to anticipate a threat or spot a poten-
tial trap. They tend to be vigilant and wary. Many
such characters end up guarding secure locations
or VIPs, or serve in peacekeeping roles where their
awareness, and in particularly their ability to read
people, can help avoid or defuse conflicts before
they escalate into violence.
A character with a high Security and a high
Presence are often placed in leadership roles during
combat missions, where they can most effectively
direct other soldiers or security personnel during the
chaos of battle. They can be imposing and intimidat-
ing if they wish to be, able to convey the threat of
force without resorting to actual violence.
A character with a high Security and a high Reason
is a tactician or strategist (or both), with a keen
mind for how, when, and why to use force on
larger scales. They tend to have a big picture view
of battle, viewing environments as battlefields,
speculating on enemy motives and awareness, and
forming plans, counterplans, and contingencies
quickly even in the heat of battle.
Science
Science is, at its heart, about the pursuit and appli-
cation of knowledge. Science covers a broad range
of fields and subjects, from advanced mathematics
to the complexity of subspace theory and temporal
mechanics, to softer subjects such as anthropology
and sociology. While nobody is an expert in all scien-
tific fields, characters with a high Science score are
likely to be fast learners and effective researchers,
able to familiarize themselves with new concepts
quickly when needed.
A character with a high Science and a high Control
is likely to be precise but practical, often testing
their hypotheses or those of their colleagues
with carefully designed experiments or detailed
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 215
 simulations and meticulously recording their find-
ings. They’re also likely to be effective at learning
new techniques and procedures, and at laying out
instructions or directing another person through the
steps of a complex task.
A character with a high Science and a high Daring
accepts that risk is often a necessary part of science,
and that not all discoveries can be made inside a
laboratory or simulation. They remain observant and
clear-headed even when in mortal peril, often gaining
valuable insights in life-or-death situations. They
hypothesize quickly and reach conclusions just as
fast, but the moment they’re proven wrong, they’re
ready to form a new hypothesis and try again.
A character with a high Science and a high Fitness
is prepared for the worst. They have a knack for
applying their knowledge to provide practical
solutions to immediate problems such as exposure
to environmental hazards. When they are personally
afflicted by fatigue, poison, disease, or other hin-
drance, they find it in themselves to keep pushing
on to find a solution, even when others may have
already succumbed.
A character with a high Science and a high Insight
are good at making intuitive leaps, extrapolating
ideas from incomplete information, and making
educated guesses when the facts aren’t all
available. While not necessarily the best practice in
pure scientific work, this is valuable for the science
officers employed by Starfleet and in militaries, who
can present their commanders with options when
facing the unknown.
A character with a high Science and a high
Presence are effective science communicators,
skilled at explaining complex subjects in an effective
and engaging manner to people who may not have
the same depth of understanding. This is especially
valuable in Starfleet and military environments,
where unknown threats may need to be studied and
explained quickly so that the proper action can be
taken to defend against or avoid them.
A character with a high Science and a high Reason
is perhaps the archetypal scientist. Rational and
logical, the character seeks to understand things by
216 CHAPTER 7.10
piecing together the facts and evidence carefully to
reach a conclusion. They consider every available
variable, every likely possibility (and the unlikely
ones too, if the likely ones don’t fit), and can
produce mathematical proofs and solid hypotheses
with the kind of speed and accuracy one might
expect from an advanced computer.
Medicine
Medicine, while a subset of science, is important
enough to stand on its own as a distinct discipline
and field of study, much as there is overlap between
Science and Engineering. Medicine, at its heart, is
less about knowledge and more about the result:
healing those who are injured or sick.
A character with a high Medicine and a high Control
is likely to excel as a surgeon, where steady hands,
finesse, and precision are necessary to do the most
good. Alternatively, they may study genetics or phar-
macology, where tiny chemical variations can have
major effects, and finding the balance that is most
likely to help a patient is delicate work.
A character with a high Medicine and a high Daring
is a life-saver, well-suited to providing care in
life-or-death situations. They are effective combat
medics and emergency first responders, and can
excel as trauma specialists, racing against the clock
to save a life. They need to remain calm and col-
lected and make the right decisions under intense
pressure.
A character with a high Medicine and a high Fitness
is prepared for the worst. They are well-suited to
taking precautions and preventative measures to
protect themselves and resist environmental haz-
ards such as poisons, diseases, and radiation. The
character is also highly adept at the more physical
sides of medicine: moving a sick or injured patient
safely, restraining a patient who is struggling, and
guiding a patient through physical therapy.
A character with a high Medicine and a high Insight
are good at interacting with patients, figuring out
problems by interpreting patient complaints and
testimonies, or providing counseling and psychi-
atric care. They also have a good intuitive grasp of
medicine, and they have a knack for making the
intuitive leaps when diagnosing a problem that can
mean the difference between life and death.
A character with a high Medicine and a high
Presence often leads teams of medical personnel,
directing groups of emergency responders or over-
seeing a staff of doctors and nurses. They are also
good at communicating the nature of a disease or
injury to their patients (and their patients’ families,
if necessary), and conveying complex details effec-
tively to those who may not understand the medical
science, such as when giving a briefing about a
virulent plague spreading across a world.
A character with a high Medicine and a high Reason
is more likely to be involved in the research or
diagnostic side of medicine. They study diseases in
depth, relying on medical scans, biopsies, laboratory
testing, simulations, and other methods to seek to
WHAT DISCIPLINE DO I USE FOR THIS?
Because the list of disciplines is centered
around the activities and skill sets most useful
for operating a starship or exploring strange
new worlds, it can seem like it leaves little
or no room for activities that aren’t related to
flying ships, firing phasers, and scanning for
life-forms.
And at first glance, that can seem like a prob-
lem. Star Trek characters are more than just
their jobs, and not having any way to represent
activities we see characters enjoy, such as
cooking, dancing, writing, or playing a musical
instrument.
But how much of a problem is it, really? A task
is only attempted when there’s doubt in the
outcome, and when there’s risk of failure (and
failure is interesting). The kinds of people who
are player characters in Star Trek Adventures
are the kinds of people who succeed at things
so long as they’ve got sufficient time, the right
tools, and aren’t under any pressure. That in
understand an illness or condition as thoroughly as
possible to determine the most effective treatment.
They are a vital part of medical care, but may not
necessarily deal with patients directly.
mind, under what circumstances is a task
necessary to play the trombone?
The first consideration to make is the desired
outcome of the task. Are you trying to make a
good impression to a newly contacted culture?
Maybe Command is the most fitting discipline.
Are you attempting to demonstrate technical
skill at the activity? Maybe Engineering is the
best fit.
The second is that, maybe, it doesn’t matter
what discipline is used. Rather, with some
activities, how the character relates to those
activities may be the deciding factor in which
discipline they use. A character may consider
their art – be it painting, sculpture, or writing
holonovels – as a blending of creative impulse
and technical skill, linking it to their Engineering.
A character may regard cooking as chemistry,
blending ingredients and reactions to create
something different from the sum of its parts,
tying it to their Science. 
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A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 217
 CHAPTER 07.20
SY ST E M S A N D
DEPART M E N TS
“W h a t ’s t he mo st c rit ic a l c o mpo nen t on th is sh ip ? T h e m ain
c o mput e r? The w a rp re a c t or? Hu h ...?! It’s th e crew.”
— CMD R. CHARLE S “T RIP” T UCKE R III
PLASMA CONDUITS, ISOLINEAR CHIPS,
AND SELF-SEALING STEM BOLTS
A STARSHIP IS A COMPLEX THING, A LIVING,
breathing entity, a home, a community, and a vehicle
of discovery. Within the context of Star Trek as a
beloved franchise, a starship is one more thing: a
character. The U.S.S. Enterprise is as much an icon
as the crew are, and the cast of characters are as
enamored with their ship as the audience is.
This is the reason why the ship has a character
sheet in Star Trek Adventures, and why the way a
ship works in the game is designed to be like the
way characters work.
A ship’s systems and departments will most often
be used when the ship is assisting a character in an
activity. This section will have some explanation of
what each System or Department represents, and the
kinds of tasks in which they’re likely to be useful.
Ship Systems
A ship’s systems define the ship in the same way
that attributes define a character. Systems do, how-
ever, represent something more concrete and practi-
cal, because they are the physical infrastructure and
intrinsic technology that makes up the ship.
218 CHAPTER 7.20
COMMUNICATIONS
A ship’s communications systems are how the ship
(and its crew) communicates with those outside
the ship and receives communications from those
outside the ship in turn. This system also handles
internal communications, though this is more rarely
the subject of a task.
Communications systems can handle text and data
transmissions, images, audio, video, and holography,
though the utility of some of these is limited based
on how much information can be sent or received,
and the speed of the signal. The further you are
from the source of the transmission (or a relay), the
simpler the communication needs to be.
Communications technology also covers the univer-
sal translator, permitting instantaneous translation
of countless different known languages, and rapid
machine learning to translate unknown languages.
COMPUTERS
Starships contain large, powerful computer cores,
which serve as the heart of all computing systems
across the entire ship, from bridge control stations
and similar panels, personal data storage networked
to PADDs and personal terminals, library and archive
 AUTOMATION
By the middle of the 24th century, background
automation of ship processes had progressed
to such a point that many actions could be
undertaken automatically by the computer upon
voice commands or a signal from an authorized
PADD. These actions could not be taken by the
ship itself without a clear command to do so, for
safety reasons.
In game terms, a player character may com-
mand the ship to perform a single task, so long
as they are authorized to do so. This requires
a minor action from the character if in combat,
and adds 1 point to Threat, as there is always a
little risk when relying on an automated process
in this manner. This may be done from aboard
the ship, or from another location while in direct
communication with the ship (using a stand-
ard communicator): for example, contacting
an orbiting runabout to use its transporters to
retrieve you.
Any orders must give clear and explicit
instructions. The ship cannot be commanded to
systems, and any automated process the ship per-
forms on behalf of its crew and passengers.
The ship’s computer is one of the systems that crew
will be interacting with most frequently, though often
without needing to complete a task. Even without
considering how computer systems help the crew
operate the ship’s other systems, the computer is
used whenever a character accesses information or
performs research, or whenever they attempt to ana-
lyze the data gained from a scan. Semi-automated
processes also provide assistance during seemingly
unrelated actions: a character providing medical
attention in Sickbay can be assisted by the computer
controlling devices in sickbay, as well as bringing up
relevant records (patient history, medical databases).
move itself unless it is instructed to move to a
specific destination using the Plot Course task.
Any locations or individuals mentioned in the
instructions must be ones that the ship is able
to identify (at the gamemaster’s discretion). The
ship cannot attempt any task that it could not
normally assist.
If the task has a Difficulty above 0, the ship
attempts the task as a character would, and
may purchase additional dice for this purpose.
It rolls using its Computers, plus whichever
department is most applicable. Other charac-
ters cannot assist the ship (if a character were
able to assist, they would attempt the task and
the ship would assist them). The complication
range of the task is increased by 1, as the
computer will only carry out the task exactly
as ordered, without nuance or adaptation to
circumstances. If the ship fails this task, it will
abort the attempt, and respond that it is “unable
to comply.” 
07201
ENGINES
The beating heart of a starship is its reactor, the
power supply which fuels all the ship’s systems,
including the warp drive that allows it to travel faster
than light. The Engines system represents both sides
of this: the reactor that generates vast amounts
of energy, and the engines that use that energy to
propel the ship through space.
Characters will interact with the Engines system
most often when flying the ship – in the sense of
controlling where it goes and how fast – or when
controlling or directing the ship’s power supply.
The power supply of a starship is vast by necessity,
as warp travel requires huge amounts of energy to
initiate and sustain, but it is also versatile, provid-
ing power for a wide range of devices or stored for
later uses.
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 219
 SENSORS
The eyes and ears of a starship are an assortment of
sensor arrays. These fall into four broad categories:
long-range sensors, navigational sensors, an adapt-
able suite of high-resolution short-ranged sensors,
and internal sensor systems.
Characters will interact with the ship’s Sensors
when they need to gain information about distant
objects or require extreme precision with some
other aspect of the ship’s function, such as when
operating the transporters.
Long-range sensors scan through subspace, allowing
them to detect objects several light years away,
though as distance increases, the level of detail that
can be detected drops significantly. Sensors could
determine the class or type of an approaching vessel
from five light years away, but it may only be detected
as “a ship” at two or three times that distance.
Navigational sensors are a mixture of long- and
short-range devices, with the ship automatically
selecting which individual sensors are used based
on flight conditions – short-range sensors when
“COMMANDER RIKER IS NOT ABOARD.”
The internal sensors of a starship are often not
as powerful as we might expect them to be,
considering how accurate and powerful the
external sensors are.
In practice, most internal sensors are passive
detectors, designed to signal when something
is awry, rather than devices which constantly
perform active scans, which would be a drain
on power and computing bandwidth, as well as
require additional maintenance time…before
even considering the privacy concerns.
Aboard a Starfleet vessel, all personnel and pas-
sengers are afforded the full rights guaranteed
under the Articles of the Federation, even if they
are not Federation citizens themselves, which
includes a right to privacy. Continual active
220 CHAPTER 7.20
travelling through a star system, longer-ranged ones
for interstellar space – in a manner akin to a human
eye focusing on objects at different distances. They
are extremely specialized, serving to monitor for
obstacles, spatial distortions, subspace variations,
and any other factors that would interfere with flight,
so that the ship’s course can be corrected, either by
the ship’s computers or by a Conn operator.
The short-ranged sensors are many and varied, and
they are modular in design, with individual sensor
pallets often switched out for specific missions.
They have a maximum effective range of a few
thousand kilometers at most, but they can provide
extremely detailed readings within that distance.
Still, as with long-ranged sensors, there are limits:
detailed scans may take time, or require closer
proximity (such as entering low orbit of a planet) to
gain accurate readings, and more precise sensors
are often extremely sensitive to interference.
Internal sensors are mainly passive safety devices
intended to detect hazards such as fires, weapon
discharges, and similar irregularities, or to locate
personnel aboard. Detailed scans within the ship are
scanning would be unnecessary and invasive
scrutiny, and in breach of that guaranteed right.
Starfleet personnel agree to a higher degree of
necessary scrutiny while on-duty, for the safety
of themselves, the security of the ship, and the
performance of their duties. In practice, this is
simply having their movements and presence
tracked using their personal communicator,
and they can simply remove the communicator
when off-duty if they wish.
In practical terms, when the computer is
queried about the location of a specific person,
it will first check the location of their commu-
nicator. If that cannot be found, or if it has been
removed, then the internal sensors can perform
an active scan to locate that person. 
07202
better handled using tricorders and similar devices,
rather than relying purely on internal sensors.
STRUCTURE
The ship’s Structure covers both its physical
construction, as well as the related systems and
functions which reinforce those physical elements.
The physical elements are layered, alloyed, and
composite metals and ceramics, arranged as hull
plating, internal supports, and other solid forms that
collectively make up the spaceframe of the ship.
These are layered with thermal and radiation shield-
ing to protect the crew within, and sealed against
the vacuum.
This structure is, in turn, reinforced by the struc-
tural integrity field, a potent network of force fields
projected within the physical superstructure to
provide it with additional load-bearing capacity that
materials science alone cannot provide. Without a
structural integrity field, a starship would collapse
like a deflated balloon under the stresses of accel-
eration. There also links to systems of emergency
force fields that can seal off sections of the ship.
To protect the crew, a ship’s structure is paired with
an inertial damping field (IDF), a series of force field
projectors and artificial gravity generators which
generate a counterforce for the inertia of the ship
during flight. While not perfect, the IDF absorbs the
majority of acceleration forces imposed upon the
ship and its crew, preventing the crew from being
injured or worse when the ship moves. The IDF
is most efficient at countering predictable inertial
forces, such as from normal flight, and less efficient
when countering unexpected or sudden changes,
such as evasive maneuvers or impacts in combat.
Structure also covers the effect of the ship’s deflector
shields, additional layers of force fields designed to
deflect and disperse dangerous energies and hazard-
ous objects, as well as disrupt transporter beams and
other attempts to interfere with the ship or crew.
Finally, Structure covers the life support systems
and artificial gravity within the ship, providing a
life-sustaining environment for the crew.
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 221
 WEAPONS
Weapons, naturally, covers the ship’s armaments and
offensive systems. This will include directed energy
weapons – phasers on Starfleet vessels, disruptors on
Klingon ships – as well as missiles or torpedoes.
A character will be assisted by a ship’s Weapons in
situations where they are using the ship’s weapon
systems. This should go without saying. However,
one factor worth considering is that, especially on
Starfleet vessels, weapon systems are not purely
about offensive power. Phaser emitters can operate
on numerous frequencies and wavelengths, and
direct a variety of forms of particle stream, making
them extremely versatile. Combined with precise
targeting, this allows them to be used as cutting
tools or to project specific forms of energy at a
target in order to produce unusual effects, making
them an ideal tool for facing a variety of challenges
and hazards while exploring the unknown.
Similarly, a standard photon or quantum torpedo
casing is similar in construction to most forms of
sensor probes, and is designed to carry a variable
payload, allowing a torpedo to be easily refitted to
carry an unusual payload for use against a target
unaffected by conventional weapons.
Ship Departments
A ship’s departments are linked to the six disciplines
possessed by characters in Star Trek Adventures,
and each represents the personnel and facilities
that support activities related to that department
on board the ship. A vessel well-equipped for dip-
lomatic missions will have a high Command score,
for example.
COMMAND
A vessel’s Command department is focused on
command, control, and cooperation. It relates to
diplomatic matters, such as hosting talks, meetings,
and festivities for visiting dignitaries and VIP guests,
but it also relates to strategic operations, coordinat-
ing the efforts of numerous ships to handle a single
large task.
A ship with a low Command department has
few facilities and crew to support these kinds of
222 CHAPTER 7.20
activities. Talks are held in crew conference rooms
or crew mess halls. Strategic operations are coordi-
nated from the ship’s bridge.
A ship with a high Command department likely
has numerous VIP suites to house dignitaries and
guests, as well as dedicated spaces for holding talks
and hosting functions, and probably has personnel
trained to support these functions. They may also
have a dedicated strategic operations center where
an admiral, commodore, or fleet captain can oversee
the operations of several ships and teams without
displacing or interfering with activities on the bridge.
CONN
A vessel’s Conn department deals with the
navigation and flight of the ship, and of the ship’s
complement of support craft. All ships necessarily
have at least a basic form of these systems and the
associated personnel, as a ship is unlikely to be a
functioning vessel without them.
A ship with a low Conn department will have only
the most basic astronavigation, stellar cartogra-
phy, and flight control systems, and only a limited
capacity to operate and maintain support craft such
as shuttles, shuttlepods, and utility vehicles like the
work bee.
A ship with a high Conn department has the most
advanced and up-to-date astronavigation data and
subroutines available, state-of-the-art astrometrics
and stellar cartography facilities, and highly effective
flight control systems that allow the ship to under-
take voyages that might be difficult or dangerous
for other ships. It also has highly efficient support
craft facilities, well-equipped to maintain, repair, and
operate advanced support craft.
ENGINEERING
A vessel’s Engineering department handles both
the operation of the ship’s major systems and
infrastructure (reactors, propulsion systems, power
management), but also maintenance and repairs
of the entire ship, and technical support for all
other departments.
A ship with a low Engineering department will have
a small team of engineers responsible for ongoing
maintenance, emergency repairs, and operating
critical systems. Specialist engineering work, such
as experimental research and development, mate-
rials and technology fabrication, and non-essential
maintenance and repairs, are limited or nonexistent,
and the ship likely requires regular stopovers at a
starbase or even a drydock for any but the most
basic maintenance and repairs.
A ship with a high Engineering department has a
large Engineering staff, which gives it considerable
independence from the need to return to a starbase
or other facility for repairs. In addition to keeping
the ship running, the staff can perform extensive
maintenance and repairs in the field, can research
and develop novel technological solutions to
problems faced, and have considerable fabrication
facilities to create tooling and components. Such
ships are routinely given access to state-of-the-
art or cutting-edge tools and devices to field test,
and they can operate with limited support for long
periods of time.
SECURITY
A vessel’s Security department handles all matters
concerning the protection of crew, ship, and mis-
sion. This covers security personnel within the ship
(who may also serve as troops for boarding actions
and ground operations), security systems such as
containment force fields, armory personnel who
handle the upkeep of weapon systems and shields,
and the physical weapon systems and shield emit-
ters themselves.
A ship with a low Security department will have
a minimal security staff and only the minimum
necessary armaments and shields. Torpedo launch-
ers are most likely to serve double duty as probe
launchers, shields are maintained mainly as defense
from hazards, and the energy weapon and torpedo
complement are there for basic self-defense while
the ship retreats or calls for help. It will have little or
no ability to perform boarding actions or planetside
tactical operations, and a limited capacity to supply
personnel with heavier weapons, or to adapt or refit
their armaments for specific roles.
A ship with a high Security department will have
a significant complement of security personnel
aboard, sufficient to divide them into smaller teams
or to form specialized groups for roles such as
personal protection, tactical operations, or boarding
actions. Weapon systems will be cutting edge and
have dedicated personnel to maintain and operate
them, along with the most advanced targeting and
control systems available, and the ship will likely be
required to serve as the vanguard of major combat
actions or operate away from support for extended
periods in hostile space.
SCIENCE
A vessel’s Science department covers all scien-
tific and exploratory equipment and the attendant
personnel. This will vary from generalist scientific
advisors present to support other ship operations,
and the ship’s basic sensor and analysis systems, to
dedicated laboratories and science teams working
on specific projects aboard the ship as part of a
larger ongoing mission.
A ship with a low Science department likely lacks
science labs and can only perform whatever explor-
atory and research missions can be performed
with the ship’s sensors and crew with tricorders.
It will have a minimal level of dedicated sciences
personnel – perhaps a science officer or two to
serve as a direct advisor to the captain on scientific
matters – and the majority of its sensor pallets
will be those useful for navigation, combat, and
basic information-gathering, rather than in-depth
scientific surveys.
A ship with a high Science department has numer-
ous, often modular, scientific laboratories for carry-
ing out a wide range of research in different fields.
These will be operated by dedicated specialists,
either individually or in research teams that may be
assigned to scientific vessels only for short periods
of field study. In addition to this, the ships sensor
and analysis systems will be expansive, highly
sophisticated, and often easily customized to suit
the needs of individual research projects.
MEDICINE
A vessel’s Medicine department covers all medical
facilities and personnel aboard.
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 223
 A ship with a low Medicine department likely
operates a small sickbay staffed by one doctor
and a nurse, as well as personnel cross-trained
as medics to provide support in emergencies. In
extreme cases, there may only be a medic and a
triage bay where patients can be assessed and
stabilized before being transferred to a medical ship
or starbase, but any long-ranged mission will have
a full-time doctor as a bare minimum. In the 2370s
and beyond, Starfleet ships of this sort are often
candidates for Emergency Medical Holograms as a
supplement to a small medical staff in an emergency.
A ship with a high Medicine department will have
one or two sizeable sickbays, comparable in size
224 CHAPTER 7.20
and capacity to a planetside medical clinic, operated
by a staff of several doctors, nurses, and orderlies.
This can be expanded further by converting cargo
bays and shuttlebays into emergency medical
facilities, and by ensuring that a sizeable portion of
the crew are cross trained as emergency medics.
Each sickbay will have dedicated surgical bays,
quarantine and intensive care wards, and extensive
medical laboratories where new diseases can be
studied, and new cures formulated. In extreme
cases, these will be dedicated hospital ships, with
a significant amount of the habitable space aboard
converted into medical wards.
 CHAPTER 07.30
T RA I T S
“Ti l l y, y o u are inc a nde sc e nt . Yo u’ re g oin g to b ecom e a m ag n ifi-
c ent c a pt a in, be c a use yo u d o ever yth in g ou t of love.”
WHAT DEFINES US
TRAITS CAN HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT UPON HOW
a character pursues or achieves their goals, but they
can often be an overlooked piece of what makes a
character distinct. All characters possess at least
one trait – representing their species – and thus it is
useful to understand how traits of characters can help
represent who a character is and what they can do.
Character traits function exactly as all other kinds
of traits do: if a trait is relevant to a task being
FICTIONAL POSITION
In the theory of game design, traits influence
something called “fictional position,” which is
game designer jargon meaning “where a char-
acter is in the fictional world of the game, and
what they are able to do from that position.”
It doesn’t necessarily refer to position in the
sense of a character’s location in a room, but
rather the things they know, the things they’re
carrying, and similar context that exists only in
the shared fiction of the game.
That is, if you have a character in a locked
room, the fiction says that they can’t get out
unless they find a way to open the door or
bypass it entirely. If the character has the right
tools, they might be able to unlock the door
manually. If the character has a communicator,
they might be able to call for help. These things
— LT. CMDR. PA UL STAME T S
attempted, it may make the task easier, more diffi-
cult, or may make it so you can attempt a task that
wouldn’t be possible or prevent you from attempting
a task that you might otherwise attempt.`
Character traits can take a variety of forms, both
persistent and temporary. The most common of
these, and examples of traits of these kinds, are
presented here.
don’t have hard rules; they’re part of the story
being told in the game, but they might be used
to suggest situations that can be resolved by
the rules.
Traits serve as prompts for fictional positioning.
They serve as a reminder that something is
true within the current situation, so that we can
describe the situation clearly.
EXAMPLE: Lt. Commander Data has been
sent to prepare the colonists on Tau Cygna
V to evacuate. The world is bathed in deadly
hyperonic radiation, which would threaten
any character sent there, but because Data
is an android, he is immune to this radia-
tion. His Soong-type Android trait serves as
a reminder that this is the case. 
07301
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 225
 Species: All characters have at least one trait which
marks them as a member of their species, and
some characters may have several species traits if
their parents or grandparents were from different
species. Commander Spock has the species traits
Vulcan and Human, to reflect his mixed ancestry.
The species trait represents both a character’s
species and biology, but also the prominent culture
of that species. The dominant culture (the one which
the character most associates with) is listed first
and takes priority where the two would conflict.
Just as species traits represent culture, they can
also reflect how different cultures and different
species regard one another. Many cultures have
historic interactions that resulted in generations
of resentment, but even beyond that there are
stereotypes and presumptions that people may have
about cultures they’re unfamiliar with. A character
may regard Klingons as violent brutes, and that
generalization will shape their interactions.
Injuries and implants: Serious injury may have
a lasting result on a character, especially if that
injury rendered a character disabled or led to them
having some manner of cybernetic or biomechanical
replacement. Jean-Luc Picard’s synthetic heart,
the cybernetics used by Kayla Detmer, and Nog’s
replacement leg are all examples of this. Such
devices may provide functions that the original
organs did not, or they may have vulnerabilities that
the original lacked, but either way they serve as a
persistent reminder of something that happened,
and may significantly alter the way the character
interacts with the world.
MIXED-SPECIES CHARACTERS
While characters with parents of different
species have been a staple of Star Trek over the
years, most of these combinations are straight-
forward: one parent is of one species, the other
of a different species.
But as the centuries pass, mixed-species fam-
ilies become more commonplace, and by the
31st century, it is conceivable that a person may
226 CHAPTER 7.30
A trait representing an injury or implant may be
something added during character creation, perhaps
from a career event, or it may happen during play.
Accolades, status, and reputation: A character
may have gained status or reputation from prior
accomplishments, or from positions they have been
placed in. This can be positive or negative, but either
way these kinds of traits represent how others
perceive the character. Benjamin Sisko being the
Emissary of the Prophets is an extreme example
(and does also come with some stranger, more
metaphysical aspects, as it relates to the activities
of beings who exist outside of linear time). Worf’s
discommendation and the shame of the House of
Mogh is another example of this, even if it only
lasted a short time: this would have negatively
affected all his interactions with Klingons.
A trait representing status or reputation may be
added to a character during character creation,
but they can also come about in play. Indeed, the
renown and reputation rules create opportunities to
add both positive and negative traits relating to a
character’s status.
Moods, beliefs, and feelings: Character traits do
not need to be long-lasting, fundamental aspects
of a character’s nature. Traits are often temporary,
vanishing when they are no longer true, and this
goes as much for the traits applied to characters as
to ones applied to scenes. Particularly strong emo-
tions and other states of mind can be reflected by
traits, especially when resulting from complications,
tasks, or social conflict. A character who has fallen
have ancestors of several species, traced back
over numerous generations, as demonstrated
by the Temporal Agent known as Daniels, who
described himself as “more or less Human.”
With such characters, it’s typically easier to list
only the predominant species of the charac-
ter, and at most one or two others if they are
particularly apparent. 
07202
for deception may gain a trait reflecting what they
now mistakenly believe. A character acting against
their values may gain a trait that represents shame
or guilt at their decision or may become angry and
compelled to act irrationally. Enemies may seek to
provoke certain emotions (fear, panic, or reckless
anger) or cause confusion and misdirection. A leader
or trusted confidante may help dispel lingering
negative emotions or bolster and inspire characters
to do better.
A trait representing a feeling or belief is unlikely to
last longer than a single scene; adding or removing
such traits should be much the same as creating an
advantage or other trait in play, but the circum-
stances that create a trait should always make
sense from the perspective of the character.
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 227
 CHAPTER 07.40
VALUE S
“ A t t i m e s , o ne must de ny o ne ’s natu re, sacrifice on e’s own
pe rso na l b eliefs, to p rotect an oth er.”
SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN
A CHARACTER’S VALUES ARE THE CORE OF THEIR
self-identity, the beliefs that are central to who they
are and how they act. Needless to say, they are
quite important.
They are also left largely to the discretion of you,
the player, to determine, and this can be quite
a daunting proposition. Defining four distinct,
interesting, evocative phrases that can be used
in play to guide roleplaying and interact with the
mechanics is tricky, especially for players with less
experience with the system.
This section provides more guidance on how to
create values, what kinds of values are useful or
interesting for a character to have, and how values
can be used in play to make a game more interest-
ing and more dramatic.
Creating Values
“The tyranny of the blank page” often afflicts players
trying to create values for their characters: infinite
possibilities, and no easy way to narrow down those
choices into something useful. If you have a clear idea
of who you want your character to be, it becomes
easier, but even then, getting the wording right and
defining the value clearly can be tough.
Here are a few ideas to bear in mind when figuring
out your character’s values.
UNDERSTANDABLE
The actual text of a value is no good if you can’t
228 CHAPTER 7.40
— LT. COM M ANDE R DATA
understand or remember what you intended it
to mean. Both you and the gamemaster need to
be able to read the value and quickly determine
whether it applies to the current situation, and if you
can’t do that, then that value is just taking up space
on your character sheet.
Keep the statement simple. A single word might
work, but that might not be specific enough, so a
short phrase often works well, perhaps in the form
of a motto or quote you think reflects your intent,
or perhaps a line taken from an oath (such as a
doctor with “First, do no harm” as a value). Star Trek
episodes are full of statements like this, and each
chapter of every Star Trek Adventures book begins
with a quote from a character that could be useful.
TROUBLESOME
One of the two purposes of values is to cause prob-
lems. A character’s values might keep them from
taking actions that they do not believe in, or it might
force them to act when it might be better not to.
Values might hinder a character at a vital moment,
when what must be done conflicts with what a
character believes.
And this might seem like something to avoid: who
wants a character who won’t do as they’re told at a
pivotal moment?
But this troublesome function is also a part of the
game. A character earns additional Determination
(detailed further, below) when they are forced to
choose between their values and what needs to
be done in the moment. This, naturally, emulates
a key part of Star Trek storytelling: having to make
meaningful choices and deal with what our beliefs
really mean in practice.
As a result, try to ensure that at least one of a
character’s values is likely to get that character
into trouble from time to time. Even better is having
values that are double-edged swords, which could
help or hinder the character, but these can be a bit
more challenging to write.
You might even want to have several values that can
help you bring in those useful points of Determination,
but too many, and you might find it difficult to find
opportunities to spend that Determination.
BENEFICIAL
Spending Determination is powerful, and it can help
you overcome even the toughest of obstacles, but
you can only spend Determination when you are
acting in accordance with your values.
So, you’ll want at least one value which is helpful
to you in some way. Ideally, you’ll want more than
one beneficial value: if you’ve only got one helpful
value, you might find yourself needing to spend
Determination but not being able to because you
don’t have a value that works in that situation.
Again, the ideal value is one that’s a help or a hin-
drance in different circumstances, but that’s tricky
DIRECTIVES AND DICTATES
There is always an option beyond a character’s
values for gaining and spending Determination:
a mission’s Directives or Dictates.
Directives are established by the gamemaster
(or by the writer who created the adventure
you’re playing) and represent direct orders from
Starfleet, standing orders, and other external
influences that can limit your choices or provide
you with a path through a difficult situation.
Dictates are the same thing, but more Klingon.
to write, so don’t worry if it takes you a few tries,
especially if you’re new to Star Trek Adventures.
EVOLVING
Because one of the ways to use a value involves
crossing that value out, your character’s values will
naturally evolve over time. Each time you challenge
a value, you’re giving yourself a new opportunity to
define your character’s beliefs and self-identity, and
a chance to refine ideas that you had before.
So… don’t worry too much about what your values
are like at the start of a campaign. Those values
can – and should – evolve over time, feeding you a
healthy diet of Determination points and interesting
stories along the way.
A simple value that grows more nuanced each time
it is challenged and rewritten is good character
growth, and that’s what you should be striving for
anyway. You want to be put in situations where the
character must choose between their beliefs and
the mission, and some of those times, you want the
character to choose the mission.
More than just an excuse to start simple and build
complexity as you get more comfortable, this is
also an excuse to let your character be wrong
about things, which lets them be more interesting
people to roleplay and more interesting people for
other people to see being played, and it means that
you don’t need to make the right choices on your
character’s behalf all the time.
The Directives a mission uses can provide you
with extra opportunities to gain Determination,
by hindering you when you seek to disobey
these major orders, but also providing you extra
opportunities to spend that Determination when
those orders align with your actions.
Most importantly, being placed in a situation
where one of your values and the mission’s
Directives are in direct opposition is the kind of
thing Star Trek stories are made of.
07401
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 229
 CLASHING
It doesn’t matter if a character’s values might seem
to contradict one another. People can hold conflict-
ing beliefs, and finding a situation where a character
is torn between two of their beliefs and must choose
which one means more to them – that will make for
added drama in play.
Connecting Values
Sometimes a value might be a philosophical or
abstract thing, such as a desire for exploration, or a
prohibition against hurting others.
Sometimes, values can be connected to something
else, providing a powerful bond that defines the
character’s life and actions. This section will explore
a few of those connections and how they can shape
a character’s values. None of these are manda-
tory – it is entirely possible to have no values that
directly connect to a species, group, person, cause,
or anything else.
SPECIES AND CULTURE
Having a value that relates to a specific species
or culture can massively shape how the char-
acter interacts with that species or that culture,
potentially bringing the value into play, positively
or negatively, every time that species or culture
appears in an adventure.
Note that there is no reason that the value must
relate to the character’s own species or culture, nor
that it must be a positive connection.
§ Worf’s “Proud and Honorable Klingon Warrior”
value shows his regard for Klingon culture and
his perceived place in it. He is proud to be a
Klingon, he idealizes and romanticizes Klingon
culture, and he is honorable to a fault. This gets
him into trouble when dealing with enemies of
the Klingons, and with Klingons who are less
than honorable, but it is a source of strength
too, especially when he is faced with adversity.
§ Jadzia Dax’s value of “Nothing Beats a Night
of Opera and Bat’leths” demonstrates her
fondness and appreciation for Klingon culture,
which becomes a source of both strength and
230 CHAPTER 7.40
of entanglements when she deals with Klingons,
particularly the ones she knew when Dax was
Curzon, and with Worf.
§ B’Elanna Torres’ “I’ve always hated being
Klingon” or Seven of Nine’s “I was Borg – Now I
am More” values reflect how both women seek
to distinguish themselves from the groups they
are connected to. Torres’ disdain for her Klingon
half produces a number of complications and
challenges for her over the years. Seven’s
attempts to establish her individuality and
rediscover her humanity are often made difficult
by encounters with the Borg and with those who
have suffered at the hands of the Borg.
§ Thy’lek Shran’s value of “Mistrustful of Vulcans”
reflects the long-standing animosity between
Vulcans and Andorians, and it becomes a prob-
lem whenever he crosses paths with Vulcans,
even as an alliance between Vulcan, Earth, and
Andoria grows more likely.
Naturally, the gamemaster is likely to assume
that a value which relates to a culture or species
means that you want that culture or species to be a
part of an ongoing game. If you don’t want to face
Cardassians, you may not want to use “Never trust a
Cardassian” as a value.
When you take a value like this, it is a big statement
about the character’s worldview: by referencing an
entire other species and culture (and their beliefs),
you introduce context to a value that becomes
significant whenever you’re dealing with another
member of that species.
INSTITUTION
A connection to a specific organization or group
can be as potent and definitive as one connecting a
character to a species or culture.
For Starfleet personnel, this institution is likely to be
the Federation or Starfleet itself, with several charac-
ters speaking eloquently about what they believe the
Federation or Starfleet stands for (or should stand for).
It doesn’t have to be, but this is commonplace.
§ Christopher Pike’s value of “Starfleet... is a
promise. I give my life for you; you give your
 life for me” shapes many of his actions, and his Federation. However, a character’s faith in Starfleet
willingness to put himself at risk for the good might change over time if they come into conflict
of others is part of why he is such a respected with it too often.
officer. It gives him strength when lives are at
stake, and any troubles it causes him are faced PEOPLE
with stoic acceptance. Interpersonal connections are an effective way of
binding a group of characters together, as might be
§ Jean-Luc Picard’s “Loyal to the Federation”
expected. These connections might be to a single
value is a powerful guiding force for the veteran
person, or to a group of people such as a family
officer, and when the Federation is in the right,
(whether biological, or a “found family” of close
he commands with certainty and dedication.
friends). For Klingon characters, a House may be
It is when the Federation does not return that
considered part of this category, though there are
loyalty that Picard faces problems, for Picard’s
differences in the way a Klingon relates to a House
loyalty is to the ideals of the Federation, and if
that don’t really align with the way a human might
the Federation falls short of those ideals, he will
relate to a family group.
not hesitate to call it out.
Of course, such relationships are not necessar-
In a Starfleet-centric game, characters are
ily positive ones. A personal relationship might
unlikely to have a negative view of Starfleet or the
be friendship, love, resentment, rivalry, or even
Federation; they wouldn’t have joined Starfleet if
outright enmity, though whatever the nature of the
they didn’t believe in it. However, they may have
connection, it will be a powerful influence upon the
views about other organizations: a character at
character. Such relationships may even change over
the mercy of Section 31 might include that in one
time, and this kind of changing dynamic can be an
of their values, while another might have strong
interesting thing to play out. Similarly, a relationship
feelings about the Maquis, perhaps viewing them
to a family or other group might be positive, but it
as traitors who have turned their backs on the

A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 231
 could just as easily reflect a negative relationship for
characters who are estranged from their families.
One possible permutation of this can be a devotion
to a specific crew, or to a specific ship. This can
often be an easy value to call upon when the ship
and her crew are endangered, but it can also poten-
tially cause complications when you need to choose
between completing the mission and protecting ship
and crew.
§ William Riker and Deanna Troi both have
values relating to one another, demonstrating a
bond that has characterized most of their adult
lives. Even when they are not romantically
involved, they are close friends and confi-
dantes who care deeply about each other’s
happiness and well-being.
§ Worf spends many years dealing with the
legacy of his family, the House of Mogh, which
is reflected in one of his values. This often
causes conflicts with his idealistic views of
Klingon culture, for the House of Mogh was
once powerful and has numerous political
entanglements. Eventually Worf changes,
gaining values stating his dedication to both
to Jadzia Dax and to General Martok, who
accepts Worf into his own House.
§ Many members of the Voyager crew have
values which reflect the close bonds that are
forged between them during their journey
through the Delta Quadrant. In some cases,
these are abstract, referring to the crew as a
whole – Janeway, Chakotay, the Doctor, and
Neelix all do this – while others approach this
in a more specific sense, as is the case with
Tuvok’s loyalty to Janeway, or Paris’s love for
B’Elanna. The notion that the crew are a family
of sorts is a strong theme within Star Trek:
Voyager, as they cannot as easily rely on those
outside the ship when they are so far from
home and constantly need to be on the move.
If a relationship-based value is connected to another
player character, then there are more opportunities
for it to see use, but this does run the risk of becom-
ing too potent a story element. Sometimes this is
desirable – the friendship between Kirk, Spock, and
232 CHAPTER 7.40
McCoy is very much the heart of the original series
– but discuss with the rest of the group and with the
gamemaster as to whether you want to have such
bonds within your group and how much you want
them to shape the game.
Values in Play
All this discussing how to write a value, and what to
write values about, doesn’t help with the practical
matter of using values when you’re playing the game.
That guidance is covered in the core rulebooks, but
this section will examine those rules in detail to point
out some nuances and interactions that may help you
make use of your values more often.
USING A VALUE NEGATIVELY
Values being used to hinder a character is the main
way that a character earns Determination during
a game session. It’s also the part of the mechanic
that tends to be applied less often than using a
value positively: when you start with a point of
Determination, it’s easy to think of Determination
as a once-per-adventure special bonus and never
bother with the other side of things, but that misses
out on a lot of potential.
At any point during play, you or the gamemas-
ter may suggest that a value is impacting your
character negatively. The specific value should be
stated, along with a short explanation as to how it
is affecting the situation, if necessary (if you need a
long explanation for how it fits, then it’s probably not
a good fit for the situation).
If you suggested the value, the gamemaster must
agree to it (and probably will). If the gamemaster
suggested the value, you must agree to it. Either
way, the value doesn’t get used unless both you
and the gamemaster agree. If there’s no agreement,
then go back to playing the game as normal.
If there is agreement, then you have a choice.
§ Comply with the value. You decide that the
value takes precedence in this situation, and
you and the gamemaster create a complication
which applies to your character immediately.
This complication should make the action you’re
 IGNORE INJURY
One option for using Determination is not
affected by values at all: the ability to ignore
injury. This allows you to ignore the effects of an
injury you have just suffered, or to recover from
an injury suffered earlier in that scene, regain-
ing the ability to act normally for the remainder
of the scene.
This comes at a risk: the character is vulnerable
to gaining another injury (and potentially dying
undertaking more difficult, or prevent you taking
a particular course of action entirely or compel
you to take a specific course of action you might
not have taken otherwise.
§ Challenge the value. You decide that the value
is less important than the situation at hand, and
you cross out that value. You may act normally
as a result, but the crossed-out value can no
longer be used in any way. You will have an
opportunity to rewrite the crossed-out value
later (at the end of the adventure), to reflect how
that belief has changed or been replaced. You
may challenge a value only once per adventure.
In either case, you receive 1 point of
Determination immediately.
In addition, if you are challenging a value, then you
can also use a different value positively and spend
that newly gained point of Determination immedi-
ately. This can often happen when characters have
values that conflict with one another. Directives
can be challenged too, but when you challenge a
Directive, you don’t cross it out; rather, you suffer
some other consequence for disobeying orders.
This is framed slightly differently than the text of the
core rulebooks, but the core idea remains the same:
if a value would hinder you, you can gain a point
of Determination in exchange for doing something
counter to that value.
outright), and the extra strain on their body
makes treating their injuries more difficult.
However, as noted before, it does not require
any values to be referenced. You can do this
whenever you want, so long as you’ve got
Determination to spend. Just another reason
to make sure you’ve got a point or two of
Determination to spare if you need it. 
07402
EXAMPLE: Worf and Dax are on a mission seek-
ing to extract a Cardassian spy from Soukara,
a world in Dominion territory. They have made
their way to the planet’s surface and avoided
the sensor grid, but while trekking through the
jungle to the rendezvous point, they clash with
a Jem’Hadar patrol. Dax is seriously injured in
the fighting, and though they push ahead to
complete the mission, it becomes clear that she
will die without proper medical attention. Worf
is torn: the mission’s Directive is to retrieve the
Cardassian operative, but his value, “Jadzia is
my Second Heart,” would make him prioritize
her life. He chooses to go back and save her,
allowing the mission to fail; this can be thought
of as Worf challenging the Directive (gaining
a point of Determination) and prioritizing his
value, spending that point of Determination
immediately to ensure he can get back to
Jadzia and get her to the runabout safely.
USING A VALUE POSITIVELY
When a value supports the action you’re about to
undertake, you can spend Determination to help you
succeed, or improve the outcome of your action.
As you always start an adventure with one point of
Determination, this is always an option at least once
during play, but ensuring that you have moments
where your values hinder you will provide you with
more opportunities to spend Determination and reap
those potent benefits. The advantages of crew roles
can amplify this further – both Commanding Officers
and Executive Officers have abilities that relate to
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 233
 using Determination – and there are several talents § Re-roll: If the action you’re attempting involves
which can provide additional options or have other a task, then you can use this after rolling to
effects related to Determination, such as Veteran, re-roll any number of d20s in your dice pool.
Spirit of Discovery, or Follow My Lead. This might not seem as useful as buying addi-
tional successes (above), but it becomes more
At any point during play, you may suggest that a useful the more dice you roll, and it can be done
value would help your character in that situation. The after the roll, so it can help avoid disaster.
specific value should be stated, along with a short
§ Special Technique: You select a single talent,
explanation as to how it is affecting the situation, if
which you must meet the prerequisites for. You
necessary (if you need a long explanation for how it
count as having that talent for the duration of the
fits, then it’s probably not a good fit for the situation).
scene. This represents some incidental knowl-
edge the character possesses, or the benefits of
If the gamemaster agrees to your suggestion, then
unusual equipment or strange circumstances, but
you may spend one point of Determination imme-
the gamemaster may veto some choices of talent
diately to gain one of the following effects (or an
which don’t make sense for you to gain suddenly.
alternate effect granted by a talent):
This option first appeared in the The Klingon
Empire core rulebook, but there is no reason it
§ Additional Task: In an action scene or similar
could not apply to any game.
situation, you can immediately perform another
task as soon as the first one has been resolved.
EXAMPLE: Captain Picard, Lt. Commander Data,
Unlike spending Momentum to attempt an extra
and Ambassador Spock are on Romulus, cap-
task, this doesn’t increase the Difficulty of the
tured by Sela. They have incapacitated Sela’s
second task. This can be invaluable for achiev-
guards and have sent a message to warn of
ing victory against difficult odds, by simply
Romulan treachery, and now seek to make their
allowing you to do more.
escape. Data, having seen Spock perform a
§ Automatic Successes: If the action you’re nerve pinch upon one of Sela’s guards moments
attempting involves a task, then you can use before, uses his “Vast Repository of Information”
this before you roll, to add an additional d20 value, reasoning that he can use his knowledge
which has already rolled a 1 to your dice to mimic Spock’s technique, and gains the use
pool – the die immediately generates two of the Nerve Pinch talent for the scene. He then
successes. The normal limit on the number of uses it to incapacitate Sela, preventing her from
extra dice still applies, and this die counts as warning anyone of their escape.
the first d20 purchased (so the next die will cost
2 Momentum / add 2 to Threat). This can be
invaluable for ensuring that you can succeed at
extremely difficult tasks.
§ Make It So: You immediately create an advan-
tage. This could represent some detail about the
scene that others may not have noticed, or which
you’ve capitalized upon with your drive and
resourcefulness. It could instead be introduced as
some precaution or plan you set in motion earlier,
or the benefit of a relationship or connection
you’ve cultivated. This is listed as “Execute!” in
The Klingon Empire core rulebook.

234 CHAPTER 7.40

 CHAPTER 07.50
FO CUSE S
“ W i t h a l l d u e re spe c t , sir. . . This is a level of q u an tu m en g in eer-
ing t ha t ’s be yon d an yth in g I ever learn ed .”
— CMD R. CHARLE S “T RIP” T UCKE R III
PUTTING FOCUSES IN FOCUS
YOU HAVE CHOSEN THE CHARACTER YOU WANT TO
play. You know their role on the ship. Now it is time
to select their focuses. You may think, “This is easy.
I have the flight controller. I will pick focuses that
will benefit them as they pilot the ship.” You select
Astronavigation, Helm Control, Small Craft, Evasive
Maneuvers, and so on.
Predictable? Yes. A little boring? Possibly.
You will find that a character can be more than just
their job role. Selecting distinct skills unrelated to
their official position will exhibit that your character is
a well-rounded, seasoned, and memorable individual.
EXAMPLE: Dr. Julian Bashir serves on Deep
Space 9. Although he has several focuses that
highlight his medical expertise, he also has
Athletics (Springball) in his repertoire. This
provides depth to the character as it shows
him taking an interest in Bajorans, the species
that invented springball. It also gives you a
chance to see Dr. Bashir as a skilled athlete and
competitor. Additionally, Julian can choose a
rousing game of springball in a holosuite as a
fun setting when he needs to have a conversa-
tion with another character.
Each Starfleet or Klingon officer goes through
rigorous training in multiple disciplines. Though
they may have a proficiency in a specific discipline
– Command, Conn, Security, Engineering, Science,
or Medicine – you can assume that they still have
taken other coursework pertaining to disciplines
outside of their role. This multi-disciplined approach
to the acquisition of knowledge and skills allows
an officer to have a wide range of abilities from
piloting shuttlecraft to operating a ship’s technology
to a working knowledge of basic survival, energy
weapons, and basic hand-to-hand combat.
In other words, you do not need to have a focus in
piloting to fly a shuttle. You do not need to have a
medical focus to perform first aid. You do not need
to be a trained diplomat to negotiate for peace.
There is no need to fret over whether your character
can perform a particular task. They graduated from
the Academy or survived the rigors of Klingon train-
ing. It makes sense that they could single-hand-
edly maintain a ship and its technology or survive
being stranded on a habitable planet for weeks if it
became necessary to do so.
Focuses are merely areas of “focused” knowledge
that makes you a specialist in that field of study. And
in the end – focus or no focus – a roll of the dice
decides success or failure.
EXAMPLE: Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S.
Enterprise went through the Starfleet Academy
Command School. His focuses in Composure,
Diplomacy, and Starfleet Protocol reflect that
training. However, years of experience exploring
the Galaxy have also made him a skilled pilot
as reflected in his Conn score of 3, though he
does not have a Conn-related focus. He has a
deep interest in ancient civilizations and is an
avid collector of alien artifacts, which grants him
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 235
 SWITCHING A FOCUS DURING AN ADVENTURE
The core rulebook explains that there is an
option to save a milestone. Alternatively, a
gamemaster could allow players to switch one
of their character’s focuses in the middle of an
adventure. This can be narrated as the charac-
ter revealing a previously unknown skill to their
crew members, completing a course of study as
part of the story, or being forced to learn a new
specialty to survive a particular encounter.
EXAMPLE: While enjoying some much-
needed shore leave on Norcadia Prime, the
crew of U.S.S. Voyager learns that Seven of
Nine has been abducted by a greedy fight
a specialty in Xeno-archaeology. Participation
in previous clandestine Starfleet missions also
grants him Infiltration as a focus. Still later, his
experiences aboard the Enterprise gave him the
ability to play the Ressikan flute, a musical focus.
On multiple occasions, Picard has displayed the
ability to operate Starfleet systems, manipulate
alien technology, and enjoy a variety of other
hobbies, interests, and pastimes. He is a well-
rounded citizen of the Federation.
Detailed focuses give your character depth.
Carefully crafted focuses add a history and
perspective to the character, allowing them to be
unlike anyone else. This is what makes Star Trek
Adventures unique from other roleplaying games.
Each character has an entirely different combi-
nation of focuses that makes them truly unique.
Make them a character to remember.
Focuses Are Not Forever
There is no need to panic when it comes to
selecting your character’s focuses. They are not
set in stone and can be changed later during the
course of play. The gamemaster may grant you a
milestone at the end of an adventure, which can be
used to replace one focus for another (see the cure
rulebook, page 293, or The Klingon Empire core
rulebook, page 127).
236 CHAPTER 7.50
promoter intent on adding Seven to his
array of alien warriors. In order to survive
the violent cage matches, Seven comes
under the tutelage of a captured Hirogen.
Coupled with knowledge gained from the
Book of Tsunkatse, a manual procured by
her ally Tuvok, Seven takes to learning the
martial art needed to triumph in battle.
In game terms, it could be argued that Seven
now has the Tsunkatse focus. She can apply
the knowledge of this distinct fighting form
in other confrontations for as long as she
possesses the focus. 
07501
There are plenty of episodes that show characters
developing over the course of their career. In game
terms, it is logical that they utilized new and differ-
ent focuses as time went on.
EXAMPLE: Geordi La Forge initially begins as a
helmsman when we first see him on The Next
Generation, using focuses like Helm Control
and Astronavigation. Over time, he is promoted
to chief engineer, where he displays focuses
in Warp Theory, Transporters, and Android
Systems. Still later, we catch a glimpse of his
alternate future as a captain of his own Galaxy-
class vessel wherein he has probably developed
more Command-related focuses.
EXAMPLE: Ensign Sylvia Tilly of the U.S.S.
Discovery is a brilliant theoretical engineer. She
likely has a focus in Warp Field Dynamics. In a
short time serving aboard her vessel, however,
she works hard to develop command-related
skills, so much so that she develops Composure
as a focus during some tense moments against
Osyraa, the leader of the Emerald Chain.
Highlight Your Character’s
Focuses in a Campaign
Discuss with your gamemaster ways to highlight
some of your character’s more obscure focuses. For
example, as the chief engineer you may have ample
opportunities to use Warp Design or Subspace
Theory. But you may have selected a more special-
ized focus like Oenology. As such, you may want to
ask the gamemaster to write a scene wherein your
character is conducting a wine tasting in the mess
hall. An inventive gamemaster might even create an
entire adventure in which your focus can shine. The
crew visits a planet that has a disease that is spread
through a popular fermented fruit. The engineer’s
enjoyable pastime could take center stage as their
knowledge of how to make wine contributes to
concocting a cure.
You can enhance your gameplay by searching the
internet for details about your character’s area of
focus. The fact is you might not be totally versed
in microbiology in real life. So, running a search on
“what is microbiology” will give you a general idea
of practical applications of that branch of science.
That fundamental knowledge can be a great step-
ping stone to your character coming up with science
fiction solutions to many problems.
EXAMPLE: You play a first officer who has a love
for opera house design and music. This passion
is reflected in the focus of Acoustics. If you were
to research the science of acoustics you might
stumble across a term called sonoluminescence,
which is when sound is used to excite liquid
molecules, thereby creating light. Being aware
of this fact during a gaming session could prove
advantageous. Perhaps the away team is left
weaponless after falling into a river and being
swept out to sea. They manage to climb aboard
some debris floating in the water but soon find
themselves on the menu for a whale-sized
GETTING REALLY CREATIVE
THERE ARE MANY NOTABLE CHARACTERS OUTLINED
in various books, standalones, and compendiums
aquatic predator. Using your focus in Acoustics,
you brilliantly think of a way to link the tricorder
with their communicator to create a sonic pulse.
The pulse subsequently creates a burst of pain-
fully blinding light that drives the sea beast away.
Remember, Star Trek is about exploring a future
in a science-fiction setting. Feel free to use actual
science facts as a springboard for your imagination.
There is no need to be constrained by “actual sci-
ence.” Interestingly, many of the technologies seen
on Star Trek have become part of our reality in some
form or another. Hence, one seed of modern sci-
entific truth can be transformed into a magnificent
journey into wonderfully theoretical and visionary
sciences and technology. Have fun with it while your
character’s focuses shine.
Be Ready to Assist Others
It is important that you understand that your group
may consist of three or more players. This means
that the gamemaster may rotate adventures to high-
light just one or two characters during an adventure.
Be patient. You should not expect your character to
be spotlighted in every session, though they will still
play an important role in the game. You can still be a
great team player. Constantly look for opportunities
to assist your fellow crew members by applying
your focuses in creative ways.
For instance, suppose you serve as the operations
manager. If the security team is engaged in a
firefight against insurgents on the ship, can your
character use their focus in Life Support Systems
to shut off access to parts of the ship? Maybe they
can flood a section of the vessel with anesthizine
gas to knock out their opponents? You may not be
experiencing the excitement of a shootout or be the
focal point of the scene, but you can still help your
team achieve success.
published for Star Trek Adventures that provide
ideas for focuses. Certain popular figures like Dr.
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 237
 Soong, Worf, and Vice Admiral Nechayev have dis-
tinct focuses not shared with any other characters.
Feel free to adapt those focuses for your character.
Likewise, The Klingon Empire core rulebook and The
Command Division, The Operations Division, and
The Sciences Division supplemental rulebooks intro-
duce focuses that may be useful to your character.
How to Create
Focuses That Make Your
Character Unique
You should have some focuses that can be used
almost every session. A captain will likely have
Starfleet Protocol or Team Dynamics. A helmsman will
238 CHAPTER 7.50
likely use Astronavigation nearly every mission. After
picking some areas of expertise, you may want to
allot your character one or two distinct focuses. Here
are some ways to select markedly different focuses.
WATCH STAR TREK
Watch television episodes or movies. When a char-
acter exhibits an impressive skill, try to imagine what
the focus might be that they are displaying. Many Star
Trek stories are standalone episodes, perhaps leaving
some loose ends. Could your character have gone
back to a planet after first contact and become a spe-
cialist on that world’s people, culture, or technology?
Was there a particular artifact, art form, or technology
that you enjoyed seeing on the show? That could
become your character’s area of study.
EXAMPLE: Commander Saru spends his
downtime caring for plants from his homeworld
of Kaminar. He is especially fond of a native red
flower called fredalia. His room has green moss
bedding and plants that grow up the walls. It is
likely that Saru has Horticulture or Floriculture
as a focus. Or, he might have selected the wider
study of plants, Botany, as a focus.
EXAMPLE: The Genesis device is a piece of tech-
nology originally proposed and tested by Dr. Carol
Marcus, the lead scientist on the project. Due
to serious political and moral conflicts brought
about by premature detonation of the device,
the Federation outlawed any further research
into the experimental technology. Your character
might have a focus about Genesis Device History
or they may have been part of a secret group of
scientists still trying to develop or weaponize the
device. Focuses like Terraforming, Experimental
Technology, or Weapons of Mass Destruction
might be appropriate choices.
PULL IDEAS FROM SHOWS, BOOKS,
AND OTHER SOURCES
You can find thousands of characters in television,
movies, and literature that have a wild variety of
skills and areas of expertise. Maybe your favorite
character from a crime drama has a forensics
specialty that you can adapt for a security officer.
Maybe your favorite comic hero (or villain) built a
piece of experimental technology you want to bring
into the Star Trek universe. You could even have a
passion for a course of study you heard about on a
podcast or a branch of science you stumbled across
at a zoo or museum. These are all great places to
fish for new focuses.
SEARCH THE INTERNET
You can spend hours scouring the internet for
specialized areas of study and special interests.
Search “branches of science” or “top ten careers of
the future.” Review what comes up. Does anything
stand out to you as unique? Is the gamemaster
willing and able to work it into future campaigns?
Another great boon of the internet is the ability to
quickly search for explanations of scientific terms
while playing in an adventure. If your group’s culture
allows for it, running a quick internet search on prac-
tical applications of quantum mechanics might make
you look like a real genius during a gaming session.
YOU ARE AN EXPERT OF SOMETHING TOO!
Perhaps you personally have a knack for animal
trivia, comic collecting, cooking, doll making, or the
history of space travel in the 20th century. Is your
current job specialized and likely to exist in some
form in the future? You may be a bartender, com-
puter programmer, fitness trainer, teacher, carpenter,
or an expert on unicycle design and construction.
Any of these could be adapted into a focus for your
character in the game. You will have little trouble
making your character more believable if you select
a focus you possess in real life.
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 239
 JUMPSTARTING YOUR CREATIVITY
YOU MAY STILL WANT AN ASSIST IN COMING UP WITH
some fun, intriguing, and truly distinct focuses for
Conn
Boat Pilot / Submersibles: This character has
your character. The following additional focus options
experience in the design and operation of aquatic
are divided into categories corresponding with the six
vehicles. They know how to navigate through bodies
disciplines in Star Trek Adventures. Remember, many
of water and manage the hazards of a high-pressure
specific focuses can fit into more than one discipline.
or turbulent environment. They have a good feel for
ocean currents and other underwater anomalies.
Command Climbing: This character enjoys the hobby of
Courting Rituals: This character has sex appeal
mountain climbing but also can train away teams on
and knows how and when to employ it. This is not to
safety measures related to the skill. This focus can
be confused with pheromones, which is a natural or
aid them in scaling buildings and cliffs, spelunking,
synthetic means of altering or manipulating some-
and the knowledge of rappelling equipment.
one’s emotions. This focus could include flirtation,
courting rituals, and a general awareness of how to
Stellar Cartography: Simply put, this is mapping
titillate people and attract attention.
space. Your character is adept at reading and pro-
ducing maps of stars, galaxies, and other celestial
Intimidation: A character with this focus knows
objects. They are readily found in astrometrics or the
how to inspire fear in an opponent by either using
stellar cartography lab. They are especially helpful
threats, displays of brute strength, or flaunting supe-
when mapping long-range missions or navigating
rior weapons or technology. Some species make
through unknown space as they tend to have a
intimidating one’s opponents an art form integral to
knack for tracking and predicting the movement of
any social conflict.
astronomical objects.

Journalism: This character was at one time or is

Tracking: This focus allows the character to track
currently assigned to a ship or station documenting
others and to cover their own trail when on the
your crew’s exploits for a media outlet or a military
surface of a planet. They can follow a target through
organization. They might be focused on a particular
any type of terrain or natural environment. This only
subject, perhaps filming a documentary, or prepar-
applies to tracking when sensors or tricorders are
ing a research article for a benefactor. They have
not available.
investigative skills, multiple contacts and sources,
and great interviewing skills. They likely have con-
tacts within small and large organizations spread
throughout the quadrant, sources whom they would
Security
Blade Weapons: This focuses on the art of sword or
protect for ethical reasons but who can provide key
knife fighting. Different cultures have created their
intelligence for missions.
own forms of blade weapons. The character might
be an expert on the weapons from their species or
Performer: The character has a focus in one or more
may have taken to learning how to use a variety of
areas of the performing arts. They will look for oppor-
blades from around the galaxy.
tunities to showcase their art, perhaps setting up
concert events or encouraging others to take a role in
Camouflage: This character is an expert at camou-
entertaining the masses. They might be called upon
flaging equipment, objects, and self. This includes
to demonstrate their skills before visiting delegations.
more than creating visual tricks or blending with
the environment to hide from sight. It could include
the use of electronic systems to create false sensor
readings. The character would know how to use

240 CHAPTER 7.50

holotechnology to create hidden observation posts, a
common tactic used to study pre-warp civilizations.
Chemical and Biological Weapons: As horrible as
these weapons are, someone must be an expert on
them. This character has an expansive knowledge of
chemical and biological weapons and will normally
use that knowledge to defuse or mitigate damage
from use of those weapons. However, the skill set
also might come in handy since a character with
this focus could easily use common materials to
create small explosives or concoctions. This person
does not need a phaser rifle to make a big impact
in a battle. A cabinet full of chemicals or a hive of
poisonous insects might serve just as well.
Pickpocketing: The art of stealthily stealing money,
wallets, or other small items from the pockets of
people or slyly swiping objects from a table or
room. A character with this focus might be skilled at
sleight of hand, which can be used to entertain an
audience. It is also possible for this person to disarm
opponents in melee combat with the victim being
unaware that they lost an object or weapon.
Engineering
Artificial Intelligence Systems: The study and
research of thinking systems made by biological
beings. This character studies leading-edge computer
technology that is borderline sentient or fully sentient.
They may have studied the works of great inventors
like Dr. Soong, the creator of Data and Lore, along
with possessing a working knowledge of androids,
positronic brains, and hologram memory engrams.
Locksmith: This character can make, repair, or
access locks. This does not include getting through
computerized lockouts. This focuses on standard
mechanical and electronic locking systems.
Structural Engineering: This allows the character
to design, build, and modify buildings, bases, tun-
nels, mines, colony outposts, and other such struc-
tural complexes. This does not include space sta-
tions but could include colonies and outposts built
on asteroids, small moons, and planets. In the event
of a structural collapse, this character is a welcome
addition to any away team, shoring up cave-ins and
effecting repairs or design improvements.
Weapons Engineering: This character has knowl-
edge of how to build, use, and modify phasers,
torpedoes, and artillery. They have experience
testing and modifying weapons and can design
computer-controlled weapon systems. They can
take apart and construct new types of handheld
energy or projectile weapons.
Science
Animal Behavior: This character is fascinated with
the ways in which animals interact with each other
and the environment. It is possible that they manage
a small habitat aboard the vessel, or they enjoy the
company of a well-trained domestic pet. On away
missions, they are quick to observe the behaviors
of wild animals and use that knowledge to form a
picture of the habits of alien creatures. They might
even find a way to tame a hostile alien beast.
Catastrophism: The character has a deep interest
in belief systems centered around major end of the
world or end of the universe events, and has extrap-
olated it out into a doomsday theory. They spend
hours studying oral or written prophecies of doom
from their homeworld or that of other species. They
may even believe that a future cataclysmic event is
sure to happen, perhaps obsessing over finding a
way to avoid it.
Ecology: The interrelationship of living organisms
with their environment is of special interest to
this character. They are often the first to pull up
comparative samples of soil, animal feces, plant
matter, and genetic material to diagnose problems
or to get a better picture of what makes a planet or
ecosystem tick.
Marine Biology: Whether it is studying a small pond
or large ocean, this character focuses on where
life began. They are well-versed in the life cycle of
microscopic plankton all the way up to the largest
sea creatures. Helpful on underwater away missions,
their skills can be equally useful when interacting
with aquatic species. They have a fundamental
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 241
 understanding of the physiology of undersea life and
could assist with medical diagnoses.
Medicine
Biotechnology: Artificial organs, bionics, cybernetic
enhancements, and prosthetics are a specialty of
this character. Biotechnology can be micro or macro
in application, ranging from Borg nanoprobes to
Nog’s prosthetic leg. This character is always seek-
ing to improve on biotechnology, perhaps driven to
create artificial limbs and organs that are indistin-
guishable from the real thing.
Microbiology: The microscopic world is as fasci-
nating as the endless universe to characters with
this focus. In fact, they often see the interrelation
between the microscopic and macroscopic, using
their detailed knowledge of how things work on the
molecular level to assist their crew. They understand
the life cycle of microorganisms and how they
interact with their environment, up to and including
242 CHAPTER 7.50
diagnosing diseases and the effects of nanotechnol-
ogy on biological systems.
Parapsychology: The study of psionics or powers
that emanate from the mind. They might be a
specialist in Vulcan or Betazoid physiology and the
science that enables telepathy, mind control, and
telekinesis. This focus could also lead to familiarity
with mental practices, medicines, or therapies to
enhance, eliminate, or resist mental influence.
Pharmacology: This character takes a lead in
researching and, when necessary, developing drugs.
They are well-versed in common drugs used in
medical bays and are often assigned to maintain
inventory and monitor usage among crew members.
They likewise can discuss potential application and
side effects of various pharmacological agents and
can serve as capable anesthesiologists if called
upon to do so.
 CHAPTER 07.60

T ALE NT S
“ I a m ple a sa nt ly surprise d a t you r cap acity for d ed u ctive
r e a so n i n g, Ca pt a in. W he n yo u a re n ot b ein g b ellicose, th ere
a p p e a r s t o be no e nd t o yo ur a rs en al of form id ab le talen ts.”

— CM DR. SPOCK

ADVANCED TECHNIQUES
A CHARACTER’S TALENTS ARE USEFUL TOOLS IN
helping a character feel distinct and dynamic in play.
General Talents
The talents in this section are not tied to any
The scores and numbers a character possesses are
specific discipline, and they are likely to be useful
a solid foundation for distinguishing between two
for characters from a variety of different fields
characters, but the actions a character takes are the
and departments. Some talents here require that
most memorable things about them. A character’s
you select a specific discipline when the talent is
focuses and values will help shape which actions a
selected, granting a benefit only when used with
character takes – focuses showing where the char-
that discipline.
acter excels, and values showing what the character
believes in – but talents provide a final way to alter
BACK-UP PLANS
and influence a character’s actions in play.
REQUIREMENT: Control 9+
Each talent, broadly, comes in two parts: a condition
You have plans and contingencies which are set into
that must be fulfilled to use the talent, and a benefit
motion whenever something goes awry. Whenever
which applies when that condition is fulfilled. This
you or an ally fails a task, you may add 1 point to
benefit normally serves as an exception to the reg-
the group’s Momentum pool.
ular rules in some way, marking out a way in which
the character is exceptional.
CALM AND LOGICAL
REQUIREMENT: Reason 11+
In this way, each talent applies to different situations
and circumstances, and you might choose to spread
You are a highly rational individual, with a disci-
out your choice of talents to apply to a wide range of
plined mind that can set aside your feelings to view
situations, or to have them all converge to work on
things as objectively as possible. You may still have
the same narrow range of circumstances, stacking
to deal with those feelings later, however. When you
their effects upon one another. In essence, you have
would gain a trait or complication which represents
a choice between versatility and specialization.
a mood or emotional state, you may immediately
remove that trait by adding 1 to Threat.
This section provides a selection of additional
talents for characters to use.

A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 243
 TALENTS GRANTING BONUS D20S
Several talents in Star Trek Adventures grant a
bonus d20 on specific roles. It’s useful to clarify
exactly how this works in play.
§ When you attempt a task and purchase
one or more d20s for that task by spend-
ing Momentum or adding to Threat, the
cost of these dice increases with each
die purchased.
§ Dice granted for free by talents are
applied first.
§ Dice purchased by spending Determination
are applied next.
CLOSE-KNIT CREW
REQUIREMENT: Main Character only
You and your crew have bonded through shared
adversity, and you all pull together when the situ-
ation demands. When a scene begins, if there are
fewer points of Momentum in the group pool than
there are characters in the scene who possess this
talent, immediately add 1 point of Momentum to the
group pool.
CONSTANT PRESENCE
REQUIREMENT: Supporting Character only, must
have at least two values and at least two other talents
You’re a regular fixture of away missions and other
important work, relied upon by the senior staff for
your expertise and judgement. Introducing this
Supporting Character in subsequent adventures
no longer costs Crew Support, and the Supporting
Character gains 1 Determination the first time they
are used in an adventure.
EXTRA EFFORT
REQUIREMENT: Fitness 9+
You can push yourself to extremes to succeed, but
at a cost. When you attempt a task, you may reduce
the Difficulty of the task by 1, to a minimum of 0.
244 CHAPTER 7.60
After that, any dice purchased by spending
Momentum or adding to Threat are added.
If other dice were applied first, then this
will increase the cost of dice bought with
Momentum or Threat. That is, if you were to
gain a bonus die from a talent like Defuse the
Tension, and then purchase an extra die by
spending Determination, then a third (and final)
extra d20 could be purchased by spending
Momentum, but it would cost 3 Momentum, as
it would be the third die purchased. 
07601
However, once the task is completed, you reduce
your maximum Stress by 2 for the remainder of
the current adventure (after which you can rest
sufficiently to return your maximum Stress to its
normal value).
GUT FEELING
REQUIREMENT: Insight 11+
You’ve learned to trust your gut when something
doesn’t feel right, and your instincts are rarely
wrong. When the gamemaster spends one or more
Threat to introduce reinforcements or to cause a
Reversal, they must spend 2 additional Threat to do
so (2 extra Threat in total, not per reinforcement).
INDEFATIGABLE
REQUIREMENT: Fitness 11+
You don’t give up, and you don’t let failure deter you.
When you fail a task, and attempt that task again
during the same scene, reduce the Difficulty of the
second attempt (and any subsequent attempts if you
still fail) by 1.
METHODICAL PLANNING
REQUIREMENT: Reason 9+
You have a clear path to achieving your goals and
objectives, and you have a thorough understanding
of what you and your allies need to do at each step.
When an ally attempts a task which benefits from
an advantage or other trait you created based on
your plans or strategy, you may assist that ally’s
task even if you are not present. In combat, this
assistance does not require you to use your task to
assist that ally.
NO HESITATION
REQUIREMENT: Daring 9+
You know that responding quickly to dangerous
situations can be vital, so you are always the first to
act. At the start of any round in an action scene, you
may add 1 to Threat to take the first turn, regardless
of who would otherwise have acted first.
NO PAIN, NO GAIN
REQUIREMENT: Daring 11+
You prefer to achieve your goal first, and then deal
with the consequences felt along the way. When
you fail a task (but not an opposed task) which used
your Daring, you may always choose to succeed at
a cost.
QUICK SURVEY
REQUIREMENT: Insight 9+
You have a way of getting a good impression of
a situation with only a moment’s observation. At
the start of a scene, you may immediately ask one
question, as if you had spent one Momentum on the
Obtain Information Momentum spend. The answer
can only provide information that you could obtain
with your own senses; you cannot gain information
from equipment in so short a time.
REASSURING
REQUIREMENT: Presence 9+
Your presence is a boon to your comrades, providing
them with a little extra confidence when they need
it most. When you succeed at a task using your
Presence, you may spend Momentum to reassure
your allies, so long as they are within communication
range of you. It costs 1 Momentum (Repeatable) to
reassure an ally, and this effect allows them to ignore
a single complication rolled. This cannot be used to
ignore complications from succeeding at cost.
SECOND WIND
You can sometimes draw upon deep reserves of
energy and resilience when the situation becomes
desperate. You may spend a point of Determination
to remove all the Stress you have accumulated.
The normal requirements for spending a point of
Determination still apply.
SELF-RELIANT
REQUIREMENT: Control 11+
While you understand the value of teamwork,
you’re just as capable when you’re forced to rely
on your own abilities. Whenever you succeed at a
task where you did not purchase additional dice by
spending Momentum or adding to Threat, you gen-
erate bonus Momentum equal to the task’s Difficulty.
Bonus Momentum cannot be saved.
VOICE OF AUTHORITY
REQUIREMENT: Presence 11+
The tone of your voice and the clarity of your words
conveys that you are in control, that you are some-
one who should be listened to. When you assist
someone, and use your Presence to do so, you may
add 2 to Threat to treat your assistance die as if it
had rolled a 1 instead of rolling it.
WELL-INFORMED
You have contacts everywhere and you listen for
news and rumors from far and wide. At the start
of a scene, you may add 1 to Threat to ask the
gamemaster two questions about the situation or
location, as if you had spent Momentum on the
Obtain Information spend. The answers you receive
will be knowledge you’ve gained from your contacts
and the news and rumors you’ve heard.
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 245
 EMPATHY AND TELEPATHY IN OTHER SPECIES
Typically, telepathic ability is found as an ability
common to an entire species, as is the case
with Vulcans and Betazoids. However, there are
numerous instances of telepathic ability mani-
festing in other species. This may happen as a
quirk of genetics or of neurological development
during childhood, with the potential for psychic
ability developing in rare individuals amongst
Humans, Remans, and a few other species.
In some cases, psychic abilities may manifest
in a distinct population within a species, such
as with the Aenar, a subspecies of Andorians
who were thought to be a myth for much of
Andorian history. In other cases, psychic ability
can come about through environmental factors.
Esoteric Talents
Esoteric talents cover strange abilities that char-
acters may occasionally possess. These abilities
are rare, and only available at the gamemaster’s
discretion, even for characters who are innately
telepathic and thus predisposed towards such
unusual mental powers.
EXTRA-SENSORY PERCEPTION
REQUIREMENT: Gamemaster’s discretion
You have an ability to perceive things beyond the
normal limits of humanoid senses, allowing you to
gain knowledge of people, places, and objects beyond
your ability to sense them conventionally. This is
known as Extra-Sensory Perception, or ESP. It is not
directly under your control, but instead tends to come
in the form of accurate guesses, strong feelings, or
flashes of insight. Such sensitivity often leaves you
vulnerable to psychic dangers as well. At any point
during play, you may ask the gamemaster for hints
or insights about the current situation, and the gam-
emaster may similarly offer you information about the
current situation that you would not normally be able
to determine. Each hint adds 1 point to Threat, and
you may always refuse to accept the hints offered.
246 CHAPTER 7.60
Unshielded exposure to certain rare forms of
cosmic radiation – such as the barrier at the
Galaxy’s edge – can cause some beings to
spontaneously develop psychic abilities, as can
ingestion of certain rare substances.
In game terms, this can mean that the Telepathy
and Empathy talents, and the Esoteric Talents
in this section, may be available to characters
of any species, at the gamemaster’s discretion.
This availability may be temporary, gained
due to unusual circumstances (as happened
occasionally in the original series), or they might
be part of an ongoing development of untapped
psychic potential in a character, as was the case
with Kes in Star Trek: Voyager. 
07602
PSYCHOKINESIS
REQUIREMENT: Gamemaster’s discretion
You can manipulate and control objects using only the
power of the mind, an ability referred to as psycho-
kinesis or telekinesis. You may exert a psychic force
upon an object within Close range equivalent to the
force that you would normally be able to exert phys-
ically, though this takes concentration and cannot be
applied suddenly or violently. Greater force may be
applied but requires greater effort; you may spend 1
or more Momentum (Immediate) to increase the mag-
nitude of the force you apply, with each Momentum
spent counting as an additional person’s worth of
force applied (that is, you can move or manipulate
objects that would take two people to move or
manipulate by spending 1 Momentum). Momentum
(Immediate) may also be spent to increase the range:
1 Momentum to affect objects in Medium range, 2
to affect objects at Long range, and gamemaster’s
discretion for distances beyond. To apply force
violently instead, add 1 point to Threat to make a
Control + Security task with a Difficulty of 2 to strike
an opponent, inflicting 2+SecurityA Stress with the
Knockdown effect (you may apply the Grapple or
Shove melee combat options instead).
TELEPATHIC PROJECTION
REQUIREMENT: Telepath talent, gamemaster’s
discretion
Your telepathic ability is more potent than most,
and you are quite accustomed to projecting your
thoughts into other minds. You can send your
thoughts into the minds of other creatures – other
than those immune to telepathy – even if those
creatures are not telepathic themselves. You can
“hear” their responses by reading their minds
as normal. You are also capable of using this
ability offensively, overwhelming a target’s mind
with pain-inducing psychic noise. This requires a
Presence + Security task with a Difficulty of 2
(increasing by 1 for each range category beyond
Close), and inflicting A Stress equal to your
Presence, with the Intense effect.
Command Talents
Command talents are those which relate mostly to
characters with a high Command discipline, and
mostly involve leadership, diplomacy, and teamwork.
ADVANCED TEAM DYNAMICS
REQUIREMENTS: Command 4+, Main Character
only, Commanding Officer or Executive Officer only
The people working for you are the best, and you
expect the best from them. The first time each
adventure that you introduce a supporting character,
that supporting character may take one additional
option to improve the supporting character (from the
list on page 134 of the core rulebook, or page 126
of The Klingon Empire core rulebook).
BOLSTER
REQUIREMENT: Command 3+
You are skilled in keeping your allies up and active
even under the most difficult circumstances. When
you succeed at any task using your Command
discipline during an action scene, you may spend
Momentum to recover Stress suffered by your allies:
each Momentum spent (Repeatable) recovers Stress
equal to your Command rating from a single ally.
This cannot help an injured character.
PRECAUTIONS
REQUIREMENT: Command 4+
You prepare for the worst, just in case. Once per
scene, when an ally suffers an injury or the ship
suffers a breach, you may prevent that injury or
breach; describe what precaution you took to allow
that ally to avoid being injured or to prevent that
breach occurring.
TEACHER
REQUIREMENT: Command 3+
Beyond only being a leader, you concern yourself with
the development and growth of your crew, taking
pride in their accomplishments. When you create an
advantage for an ally that represents your guidance or
advice, that ally may re-roll one d20 on a single task
they attempt which benefits from that advantage.
Conn Talents
Conn talents typically relate to characters with a
high Conn discipline, and normally involve piloting,
extra-vehicular activity, and knowledge of starships.
THREAD THE NEEDLE
REQUIREMENT: Conn 4+
You’re used to operating small, nimble ships, where
their agility and small profile make them a much
harder target, if you know how to fly them. When
you perform an Impulse, Warp, or Evasive Action
task when piloting a starship, enemy attacks from
ships with a greater Scale than yours increase in
Difficulty by 1. If attacked by a ship with a Scale that
is double or more the Scale of your ship, then you
increase the Difficulty by 2 instead.
ZERO-G COMBAT
REQUIREMENTS: Conn 3+, Security 3+
You have received special training to fight effectively
in micro-gravity and zero-gravity environments,
a process that famously involves a significant
amount of nausea as participants acclimatize to the
conditions. In combat, when you make an attack
while in a zero-gravity or micro-gravity environment,
you may use the higher of your Conn or Security
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 247
 disciplines for the task, and you ignore any Difficulty
increases caused by the lack of gravity. In addition,
enemies who lack similar training increase the
Difficulty of attacks against you by 1.
HANDS-ON PILOT
REQUIREMENTS: Conn 3+, Engineering 3+
Your piloting style delves deeply into the technical
aspects of a ship’s propulsion systems, and you
spend much of your time in Engineering, fine-tuning
power flows, subspace field geometries, and inertial
stabilizers to ensure that the ship flies exactly the
way you want it to. When you perform one of the
Impulse, Warp, Evasive Action, or Attack Pattern
tasks, the ship may treat its assistance die as if it
had rolled a 1. However, when anyone else pilots the
ship, they increase their complication range by 1, as
your adjustments don’t suit everyone.
VISIT EVERY STAR
REQUIREMENTS: Conn 3+, Science 2+
Your expertise in navigation and stellar cartography
come from a deep and enduring fascination with
248 CHAPTER 7.60
space; as a child, you dreamed of the stars you’d
visit and the stellar phenomena you’d see up close,
and you memorized every fact you could about
them. You gain an additional focus, and one of your
focuses (either the one gained from this talent, or an
existing one) must relate to Astronavigation, Stellar
Cartography, or a similar field of space science.
Further, when you succeed at a navigation-related
task, you gain 1 bonus Momentum due to your
knowledge and familiarity. Bonus Momentum cannot
be saved.
Engineering Talents
Engineering talents typically relate to characters with
a high Engineering discipline, and normally involve
working with, repairing, or creating technology.
SABOTEUR
REQUIREMENT: Engineering 3+
You’re skilled in taking things apart – violently if
necessary. When you make an attack against a
structure, machine, or stationary vehicle while in
personal combat (i.e., you aren’t using a ship’s
weapons to make the attack), you may use your
Engineering instead of your Security to resolve the
attack task and the Stress inflicted.
PERCUSSIVE MAINTENANCE
REQUIREMENT: Engineering 4+
You have an extensive repertoire of quick fixes,
crude bypasses, and other improvised techniques
for using and repairing devices during a crisis.
They all do the job, but it’s messy work. When you
attempt a Control + Engineering task, you may
add 2 to Threat to use your Daring instead of your
Control. If you do this, and the task succeeds, you
may reduce the time taken by 1 interval without
spending Momentum.
I’M GIVING IT ALL SHE’S GOT!
REQUIREMENT: Engineering 4+
You can keep a ship running on a fraction of its
normal power levels, and always seem to be
able to squeeze just a little more power out of
the reserves or non-essential systems. Whenever
someone attempts a task with a Power require-
ment aboard your ship while you are aboard, roll
1A; on an effect, reduce that Power requirement
by 1, to a minimum of 0. In addition, when you
succeed at the Power Management task, you
restore Power equal to your Engineering score,
rather than only 1; you may increase this amount
by spending Momentum as normal.
TRANSPORTER CHIEF
REQUIREMENT: Engineering 3+
You’re well-versed in the operation of transporter
systems and can often get them to function in
extreme circumstances or to achieve outcomes that
few others could manage. Such efforts are never
without risk, given the delicacy of the technology.
When you attempt a task to use, repair, or modify a
transporter, you may add 2 to Threat to reduce the
Difficulty of the task by 2, to a minimum of 0.
Security Talents
Security talents typically relate to characters with
a high Security discipline, and normally involve
combat, investigation, and acting effectively in
deadly situations.
AMBUSH TACTICS
REQUIREMENT: Security 3+
You’ve familiarized yourself with techniques that
make ambushes and surprise attacks especially
effective. When you succeed at an attack against
an enemy who is unaware of your presence, or
who is suffering from a trait or complication which
represents a weakness or vulnerability, add 2A to
the amount of Stress the attack inflicts. This applies
to both personal combat and ship combat.
APPLIED FORCE
REQUIREMENTS: Security 4+, Fitness 9+
You’ve trained to best apply your size and strength
in a fight. When you make a melee attack, you may
use Fitness instead of Daring. In addition, you add
1A to the Stress rating of your unarmed attacks, or
2A if you have a Fitness of 11 or higher.
DEFENSIVE TRAINING
REQUIREMENT: Security 2+
You’re especially good at avoiding harm. Select
either melee attacks or ranged attacks when you
acquire this talent. Attacks against you of the
chosen type increase in Difficulty by 1.
PRECISION SALVO
REQUIREMENT: Security 4+
You’ve spent countless hours running combat sim-
ulations and fine-tuning targeting subroutines, and
you can now place a torpedo salvo exactly where it
will have the most decisive effect. When you make
a torpedo attack, you may spend 1 Momentum
(Immediate) to add the Piercing 1 weapon effect.
SHIELD-BREAKER
REQUIREMENT: Security 3+
You’ve developed firing solutions designed to
overwhelm a target vessel’s shields without harming
the ship beneath, ideally as a prelude to boarding
or extracting a target using transporters. When you
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 249
 make an attack with a starship’s energy weapons,
you may spend 1 Momentum (Immediate) to target
shields. If you do so, then increase the Stress rating
of the energy weapon used by 2A. This attack
cannot inflict any breaches to the target. If used on
a ship with 0 shields, then it adds 1 Difficulty to the
next Regenerate Shields task the target attempts.
Science Talents
Science talents typically relate to characters with
a high Science discipline, and normally involve
knowledge and study.
APPLIED RESEARCH
REQUIREMENT: Science 3+
You’re a practical scientist, always looking to see
how your knowledge can be put into practice. Once
per scene, when you attempt a task which relates
to information you received earlier that scene from
an Obtain Information question, you may roll an
additional d20.
DID THE READING
REQUIREMENT: Science 4+
You absorb information quickly and know how to put
it to good use. When you attempt a task, you may
spend 1 Momentum (Immediate) to use Science
on that task instead of the discipline you would
normally use. In addition, you count as having an
applicable focus for that task. Each time after the
first in a single scene that you use this ability, the
Momentum cost increases by 1: this is cumulative.
LEARN FROM FAILURE
REQUIREMENT: Science 4+
A true scientist learns as much from failure as from
success. When you fail at a Science task, you may
add 3 to Threat to create an advantage that repre-
sents knowledge or insights gained from the failure.
The cost of this is reduced by 1 for each success
you scored on the failed task.
RAPID HYPOTHESIS
REQUIREMENT: Science 5
250 CHAPTER 7.60
You are quick to devise a working theory about an
unknown phenomenon’s nature, origin, or effect.
Once per scene, when you ask two or more ques-
tions using Obtain Information, you may immediately
create an advantage that represents your theoretical
understanding of the subject of those questions.
Medicine Talents
Medicine talents typically relate to characters with
a high Medicine discipline, and normally involve
healing others.
CUTTING-EDGE MEDICINE
REQUIREMENT: Medicine 4+
You keep up to date with the latest medical publica-
tions and the latest advances in medical science, to
ensure that there are no diseases you’re unprepared
to face, and no treatments or medicines you’re unfa-
miliar with. Whenever you make a Medicine task
with a Difficulty of 3 or higher, you may spend up to
3 Momentum (Immediate) to reduce the Difficulty
by the number of Momentum spent, to a minimum
Difficulty of 1. However, as these latest advances
are often experimental, the complication range of
the task increases by 1 for each Momentum spent.
DIAGNOSTIC EXPERTISE
REQUIREMENT: Medicine 4+
You focus on diagnosing the nature of an illness,
injury, psychological problem, or other condition,
because once the cause has been determined, find-
ing the solution gets easier. When you succeed at a
Medicine task to identify and diagnose the nature
of a medical problem, you gain 1 bonus Momentum
for every additional d20 you bought by spending
Momentum, which may only be used to Obtain
Information or Create Advantage.
DON’T YOU DIE ON ME!
REQUIREMENT: Medicine 5
The line between life and death is a thin one, and
you’re good enough to keep a patient alive when
lesser doctors would have pronounced them
dead. When a character is killed, you may spend
1 Determination to make one attempt to revive
them. If they were killed instantly by suffering two
injuries, then this may only be attempted within that
scene. If the character suffered a lethal injury and
died because they didn’t receive medical treatment
in time, this may be attempted before the end of
the subsequent scene. This requires a Daring +
Medicine task, with a Difficulty of 3. If successful,
the character is brought back from the brink of
death, though the injury / injuries that nearly killed
them still require healing. Failure means that your
efforts were unsuccessful and the character dies.
STIMULANT SHOT
REQUIREMENT: Medicine 3+
You’ve got a few tricks and treatments that can
get an injured patient back on their feet for a
while. They are rough on the body, but they can
be essential during a crisis. When you perform the
First Aid task on an injured ally, you may get them
back into the fighting right away without spending
Momentum. In addition, the ally recovers Stress
equal to twice your Medicine rating.
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 251
 CHAPTER 07.70
M OME NT UM
“ I f w e su c c e e d, t he re w ill be ma ny son g s su n g in ou r h on or.”
KEEP MOVING FORWARD
MOMENTUM IS AMONGST THE MOST VALUABLE OF
resources available to you as a player in Star Trek
Adventures. It represents the benefits of your prior
successes and those of your allies, and it serves
to abstract the countless benefits of collaboration,
morale, and opportunity that can turn an impossible
situation into one that is merely difficult.
This section provides some additional guidance on
the different ways to use Momentum in play, along
with some suggestions on interesting or useful
approaches that you might want to try.
Spending Momentum
As explained in the core rulebook and The Klingon
Empire core rulebook, Momentum is generated
when you succeed at a task and score more
successes than you needed: each extra success
becomes a point of Momentum.
At the point when you create that Momentum, you
have the option to spend it. At that moment, it is
yours to do with as you will, and while your fellow
players can (and probably will) suggest possible
ways to use it, you’re the one who gets to decide
how you want to use that Momentum. It might be
an option available in the rulebooks, or you might
have a creative suggestion for the gamemaster that
you’re willing to spend Momentum to get.
When you spend Momentum, you can spend each
point one at a time. You can spend some, see how
that plays out, and then decide what you want to
spend the rest on. If you’ve asked a question with
252 CHAPTER 7.70
— LT. COM M ANDE R WORF
Obtain Information, you can wait to get an answer
before you decide if you want to ask another ques-
tion. If you’ve just re-rolled Stress for an attack, you
can wait until the dice have landed before deciding
how to spend the rest of your Momentum.
Momentum spends listed as Repeatable can be
used as many times as you like, so long as you’ve
got the Momentum to spend. Momentum spends
that aren’t listed as Repeatable can only be used
once on a given task, or once per round in a conflict
or scene.
Saving Momentum
Momentum you don’t want to use right away, or
which you don’t have an immediate use for, can
be saved, but only 6 points of Momentum can be
saved at any time; if you already have 6 points of
Momentum saved up, then any extra you create will
go to waste unless you spend it. This should be an
incentive to spend your Momentum regularly rather
than hoarding it.
Once Momentum is in the group pool, it belongs to
the whole group. Nobody gets priority on spending
it, and while you shouldn’t spend too long discuss-
ing who gets to spend those points (if it takes longer
than 2-3 seconds to think of a reason why someone
shouldn’t spend Momentum, it’s probably not a good
enough reason), it’s at least polite to ask before
spending them.
Saved Momentum diminishes over time – one point
is lost with each new scene – so that’s another
reason to spend it rather than let it go to waste. You
can always generate more Momentum, and spend-
ing it often creates opportunities to generate more.
If you’ve just succeeded at a task, you can spend
the group Momentum alongside any you’ve just
generated. But you can also use saved Momentum
outside of that context, on a specific subset of
Momentum spends which are noted as Immediate.
These options can be used essentially whenever
(though they normally have a specific time when
they’re useful, such as just before you attempt
a task), and when you pay for them, they come
straight out of the group pool.
Immediate Momentum spends can also be paid for by
adding to Threat, essentially giving the gamemaster
something rather than spending a limited supply of
Momentum (or even Momentum you don’t have).
We’ll discuss this idea more later in this section.
Specific Uses
The most common uses for Momentum are dis-
cussed in more detail here, providing suggestions
for situations where they might be useful or effects
that they might represent.
CREATE ADVANTAGE
Perhaps one of the most flexible and potent tools in
a player’s toolkit, the ability to create an advantage,
can be used in innumerable different ways depend-
ing on circumstances and imagination.
For 2 Momentum, you can do one of the following:
§ Create an advantage (a beneficial trait) for
yourself or your allies
§ Remove an advantage from your enemies
§ Remove a complication (a detrimental trait) from
yourself or your allies
§ Create a complication for your enemies
§ Change an existing trait to reflect a new situation
Within those possibilities are all kinds of options
to shape both gameplay and the ongoing story.
The only real limit is that the trait you create must
represent some effect that your character could
reasonably have upon the world, based on the task
they’ve just performed.
It would be possible to impose a “Keeping their head
down” complication on an enemy after shooting at
them. Or to create a “Defensible position” advantage
after moving to a new location. Or to call out orders
and create an “Attack Pattern Janeway Alpha-
Three” advantage to bolster your bridge crew during
ship-to-ship combat. These are all abstract advan-
tages, representing circumstances and situational
benefits that make things easier for you, or harder
for your adversaries.
If you’re the ship’s doctor, maybe you call over a
nurse to help with a patient. The nurse doesn’t need
to be created as a supporting character or NPC;
they can literally just be an advantage, representing
the benefit of having an extra pair of hands to help,
and then they’re gone. A squad of MACOs might
not make attacks directly, but their presence could
be used to hinder enemies with suppressive fire or
block off an escape route. Incidental characters as
advantages are a potent tool that can help evoke
the feeling of commanding a crew rather than just a
small team.
Equipment as advantages is a subject that we’ll
discuss more in the next section. Hopefully, this has
illustrated some of the possibilities of creating an
advantage during play.
CREATE OPPORTUNITY
Where Create Advantage is one of the most powerful
options, Create Opportunity is the one used most
often. Buying additional d20s for a task is a key com-
ponent of the way Star Trek Adventures is played.
It’s helpful to think of Create Opportunity as rep-
resentative of “effort.” A character can succeed at
pretty much any task they set their mind to, but the
more difficult ones require more work to succeed.
Spending from a limited, but renewable, resource
like Momentum, or generating Threat for the gam-
emaster, means that choosing to try that Difficulty 5
task is a matter of how much you’re willing to pay to
achieve your goals.
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 253
 In story terms, these dice represent things like put-
ting greater effort into a task or having an opportu-
nity to focus because an ally is handling a different
problem, or because a previous activity provided
setup for the current one, or any little intangible
factors that might mean the difference between
success and failure.
As an Immediate Momentum spend, Create
Opportunity can also be paid for by adding to Threat.
In those cases, it may also represent calculated
risks, moments of boldness and recklessness that
pay off in the short-term, or taking shortcuts that
may have consequences later.
In either case, you don’t really need to think what
each die specifically represents each time you
attempt a new task. Rather, Momentum and Threat
help abstract all these factors so that you don’t have
to worry about them individually. That doesn’t mean
you can’t come up with an explanation as to why
you’ve got extra dice – a good thematic reason can
help the story be that much more engaging – but
you’re never required to.
CREATE PROBLEM
Create Problem is the inverse of Create Opportunity,
though not as commonly used. It tends to be some-
what overlooked, but it can be a valuable option in
dangerous situations. The simple ability to make an
enemy less likely to succeed (or to require the gam-
emaster to spend more Threat to make that action
succeed) can help characters survive in combat or
prevent situations from escalating further.
As with Create Opportunity, it functions as an
abstraction for all the potential problems and diffi-
culties that crop up intermittently during an adven-
ture, but the most likely situation is that a player
character did something distracting that has thrown
off an opponent’s concentration at a vital moment.
It’s also an Immediate Momentum spend, so you can
pay for it by adding to Threat rather than spending
Momentum. This is more to allow the timing of the
option (you don’t have to declare you’re using it until
the enemy attempts a task), as adding to Threat to
make a task harder is of limited use.
254 CHAPTER 7.70
A note on timing: when you attempt a task, any
Difficulty increases from this option (from the gam-
emaster on your tasks, or from you on NPC tasks)
are done when the Difficulty is declared for the task.
After this is done, the person attempting the task
may choose if they want to buy extra d20s and how
many. You can’t see how many dice someone is
rolling and then boost the Difficulty.
OBTAIN INFORMATION
An invaluable option, Obtain Information is often
used on Reason + Sciences tasks with the ship’s
sensors or a tricorder scan. It’s an easy way to
frame information gathering, and having a task
like that early in an adventure or near the start of
a scene to get the adventure moving is a useful
gamemaster strategy and a good way to generate a
bit of Momentum.
But there are two extra things worth knowing about
the Obtain Information option.
First, using it helps the gamemaster as much as it
provides you with information. In many games, infor-
mation is given out as exposition to the players, but in
Star Trek Adventures, the players ask the questions,
and the questions that you ask can be instructive
to the gamemaster as to what things interest you,
and what ideas you have, and it gets you involved in
the information gathering more directly. Remember,
the person spending the Momentum gets to ask the
questions, so while your fellow players can suggest
questions for you to ask (and vice versa), you’re the
one who gets the final say.
Second, you can Obtain Information on any suc-
cessful task where you have Momentum to spare.
Scanning for life-signs is an obvious time to use
it, but maybe think about using a spare point of
Momentum here and there in unusual situations
too: maybe ask for details about the enemy after a
successful attack or ask for information about the
cause of a problem after stopping some catastrophe
in engineering. These can potentially reveal unusual
ways to approach the situation and gives the
gamemaster a prompt to provide extra useful details
about a scene.
YOU DON’T KNOW
When you ask a question with Obtain
Information, the gamemaster must provide an
answer that is true, but within the limits of what
you could reasonably ascertain in that situation.
The gamemaster’s answer does not have to be
complete, and it can be vague or lead to more
questions (in which case, those extra questions
cost more Momentum to ask).
But sometimes, there’s no information to give,
or no information that the character would be
able to determine right then and there. This
should be rare, but it can happen.
As a rule of thumb, the gamemaster should
refund any Momentum spend on Obtain
Information if there is no information to obtain.
Simply put: if the gamemaster cannot reason-
ably give an answer to a question, then it does
not cost you any Momentum. 
07701
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 255
 CHAPTER 07.80
EQ UI P M E NT
“I a ssu m e yo u’ ve bro ught a lo ng o n e of th ose famed Starfleet
e ngine e rs w ho c a n t u rn rocks in to rep licators.”
— K EEVAN , V ORTA FIE LD SUPE RV ISOR
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
WHILE THE TECHNOLOGY OF STAR TREK IS ICONIC,
Star Trek Adventures, by design, is not a particu-
larly equipment-focused game. In truth, Star Trek’s
technology is meant to make storytelling easier, and
the tools the characters possess are there to highlight
who the characters are and what they do. For all the
countless words written about how transporters and
phasers and warp drive work, a transporter is there
to simply get the heroes from their ship to another
location, their phasers are the ray-guns of older
science fiction (with a non-lethal option to show that
our heroes don’t resort to deadly force needlessly),
and warp drive is just how we get from one planet to
another quickly, to keep the story moving.
That character-centered approach to technology is
how Star Trek Adventures is intended to work too.
Most items of equipment – with the main exceptions
of weapons and protective gear – are essentially
just traits, and much like the character traits and
the advantages discussed elsewhere in this chapter,
traits can be powerful tools for storytelling, but
they never overshadow character choices. The
traits that apply to you influence what tasks you
can attempt and how difficult they are, so your
character is always at the center of the action and
the decision-making.
Creating and
Acquiring Items
A starship has a vast array of tools and devices
aboard, used to support a wide range of activities.
256 CHAPTER 7.80
Replicators and other onboard fabrication facili-
ties allow the potential range of available tools to
increase dramatically. It’s rare that a Starfleet officer
or Klingon warrior will lack the tools they need to
achieve their mission.
So, no matter how exhaustive a list of items may be
in a rulebook or supplement – carefully researched
from endlessly watching the shows and movies – it
will never cover the full possibilities of what can be
done, not least because there is still new Star Trek
content being made in a myriad of formats that
will introduce new items and new possibilities. Any
“exhaustive” list would be incomplete the moment a
new episode airs or a new story is published.
So, rather than try to list every possible piece of
gear, it’s easier to give you, the player, and your
gamemaster the means to handle the creative part
at your table. As noted in the core rulebooks, there
are two potential costs for equipment in Star Trek
Adventures: opportunity costs and escalation costs.
OPPORTUNITY COSTS
Opportunity costs represent the time and effort
needed to obtain specific items of equipment when
the situation is time-sensitive, may deteriorate,
or there is some other pressure. If the situation
permits you adequate time to plan and prepare, then
opportunity costs are waived. The opportunity cost is
an amount of Momentum spent (Immediate, so you
can add to Threat instead). In essence, in situations
where time is of the essence, taking some of that
time to acquire additional specialized gear reduces
your opportunities to do something else (or allows
the situation to deteriorate, if you added to Threat).
§ If the item is standard issue, or otherwise so
ubiquitous that they can be obtained literally
anywhere aboard the ship, then the opportu-
nity cost is 0, because there’s no extra effort
required to get one.
§ If the item can be easily replicated, or if it is
found in specific storage lockers across the
ship, then it has an opportunity cost of 1. This
is common for normal engineering tools and
medical equipment: items that aren’t found
everywhere, but which can be obtained reason-
ably easily if necessary.
§ If the item is particularly bulky or cumbersome,
highly specialized, or requires significant work
to equip, then it has an opportunity cost of 2.
This covers things like environmental gear
which takes time and effort to put on, as well
as tools used to move around heavy or volatile
cargo, but also items that might only be found
in a specific lab or store, or which must be
replicated and assembled before use.
Any item which would be rarer or more inconvenient
to obtain can only be obtained at the gamemaster’s
discretion, normally through use of a task: perhaps
to create or assemble a highly specialized device,
or to negotiate to use a one-of-a-kind item that
someone else needs for their own work. It may even
require inventing a new device from scratch, poten-
tially requiring several tasks and a fair amount of
roleplaying to create, using the guidance described
on page 185 of the core rulebook.
ANNULAR CONFINEMENT ANALYSIS
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• 231975 • 45689 06546-64
• 000001 • 4578
• 3285523 • 6841
• 234523 • 01894
Naturally, tools which are more specialized or more
difficult to obtain may provide more valuable benefits
in the right circumstances: a medical tricorder
provides a trained user with useful information about
a patient’s health, but a detronal scanner can provide
detailed genetic analysis that a medical tricorder
cannot. But, there aren’t as many detronal scanners
aboard the ship as there are medical tricorders, so
the more specialized tool has an extra cost to obtain.
ESCALATION COSTS
Weapons and other combat gear also come with an
escalation cost. This represents the way the char-
acters are perceived because of the items they are
carrying. Beaming down to a planet carrying phaser
rifles and wearing combat armor conveys a hostile
intent and makes people more likely to be wary or
panicky, escalating tensions. Thus, an escalation
cost adds to Threat.
§ If the item is a small, routine sidearm, such as
a hand phaser (type 1 or type 2), knife, or other
single-handed blade which can be holstered
or sheathed, or if armored pieces are part of
your standard uniform (such as with Klingons
and Cardassians), then the escalation cost is
0. These are routine items for characters in
Starfleet or a military and worn as a matter of
course in dangerous situations.
§ If the item is large and imposing (such as a
large melee weapon like a bat’leth) or demon-
strates an expectation of greater-than-normal
danger (such as heavier body armor), then the
escalation cost is 1. The items show that the
characters are expecting a fight, which will
affect how others respond to them.
06546-77
28 06546-78
06546-79
29
A D VA N C E D O P E R AT I O N S 257
 § If the item significantly increases the combat The key ideas here are as follows:
effectiveness of the character – such as a rifle,
explosives, or personal force field projectors – § Would I need special equipment to do what
then the escalation cost is 2. The characters are I want to do, or would it be helpful but not
equipped as if expecting heavy fighting. essential?
§ What form would this equipment take?
Creativity § How likely is it that some tool or device which
Starfleet personnel regularly engage in risky or does that job already exists aboard the ship?
unusual activities, and they need the tools to sup-
§ How difficult would it be to produce something
port those actions. As a result, the potential variety
like that, given my character’s access to Star
of tools created during a Star Trek Adventures
Trek levels of technology?
campaign is huge. Don’t be dissuaded by lack of
precedent in the shows, or lack of in-depth knowl- § Would it have the potential to cause other
edge about what has or has not been tried before. problems or challenges?
Suggest things and build from there.
Figuring reasonable answers to those questions
If you need to get from one ship to another in a should help you – individually, and as part of the
hurry but the transporter isn’t viable right now and group playing the game – figure out unusual forms
a shuttle would be too noticeable, then maybe an of equipment for any adventure.
environment suit with a thruster pack will get you
there if you’re willing to take the risk. Spock tried
this to approach V’Ger in Star Trek: The Motion
Picture, and Michael Burnham did likewise to study
the Sarcophagus ship in the first episode of Star
Trek: Discovery.

258 CHAPTER 7.80

 I NDE X
Act Like an Officer................................ 121
Advanced Operations............................ 203
Attributes and Disciplines................ 205
Equipment....................................... 256
Focuses........................................... 235
Momentum...................................... 252
Systems and Departments............... 218
Talents............................................. 243
Traits............................................... 225
Values............................................. 228
Advancement Variations........................ 198
Advancing Your Career.......................... 127
Allied Militaries..................................... 187
Allied Personnel.................................... 173
Alternate Environments......................... 182
Alternate Upbringings........................... 185
Alternative Lifepaths............................. 182
Ambassadors and Diplomats................ 173
Ambassadors-At-Large......................... 192
Ambassadors / Diplomats..................... 190
Appreciate Your Fellow Players............. 111
Articulate Directives.............................. 123
Ask Everyone’s Opinion......................... 124
Ask for Clarification.............................. 135
Attributes and Disciplines..................... 205
Automation........................................... 219
Avoid Metagaming................................ 119
Avoid Micromanaging........................... 123
Avoid Over-Analyzing............................ 122
Awareness............................................ 210
A Well-Woven Tapestry........................... 20
Be a Co-Writer...................................... 113
Be Engaged.......................................... 107
Behind the Scenes: Stardates................. 25
Being a Good Team Player.................... 116
Be Ready to Assist Others..................... 237
Be the Change You Want to See............ 117
Be the Leader People Want to Follow.... 123
Beyond Starfleet................................... 172
boarding parties...................................... 46
“But We Don’t Need Safety Rules!”......... 99
Cadet.................................................... 197
Cadet Advancement.............................. 198
Cadet Career Events............................. 197
Cadet Characters.................................. 197
Cadet Finishing Touches....................... 198
Catering on Starfleet Vessels................. 180
Character Creation in Play..................... 104
Character Creation Options................... 171
Character Prompts................................ 130
Character Roles.................................... 137
Charting the Future of Your Career........ 127
Chief Engineer / Engineering Officer...... 149
Chief Medical Officer / Surgeon............ 155
Chief of Security / Weapons Officer....... 152
Child Characters................................... 199
Civilian Advisors and Experts................ 174
Civilian Characters................................ 193
Cloaking Device...................................... 26
Collaboration is Key.............................. 120
Commanding Officer............................. 140
Communications..................................... 26
Communications Officer........................ 167
Complete Character Creation Together.. 103
Connecting Values................................ 230
Create Advantage................................. 253
Create Opportunity................................ 253
Create Problem..................................... 254
Creating and Acquiring Items................ 256
Creating Values..................................... 228
Creativity.............................................. 258
Culture................................................... 23
Developing Your Tolerance for Risk........ 116
Diplomatic Corps.................................. 193
Directives and Dictates......................... 229
Disagree, Then Move On....................... 121
Distance in Star Trek:
The Simple Solution............................ 79
Do I Need a Role?................................. 139
Economy................................................ 24
Effectively Use Virtual Tabletops............ 113
emergency evacuation............................ 46
Empathy and Telepathy
in Other Species................................ 246
Energy Weapons..................................... 38
Engage!.................................................. 97
Equipment............................................ 256
Era....................................................... 102
Eras of Play............................................ 54
The Foundational Years
(2063-2199)................................... 54
Federation and
Empire (2200-2299)....................... 56
Allies and Adversaries (2300-2379)... 58
Post-War and
Reconstruction (2380-2399)........... 61
The Temporal Cold War (27th
Century and Other Timeframes)...... 62
The 32nd Century.............................. 64
Era-Specific Terminology Translator........ 33
Escalation Costs................................... 257
Executive Officer / First Officer.............. 143
Families and Children........................... 175
Federation Citizens and Money............... 24
Fictional Position................................... 225
Finding Consensus on Tone and Era...... 100
Finding Reward Beyond the Mechanics... 15
Finding Your Place................................. 177
Fitness and Strength............................. 206
Flight Controller / Helm Officer.............. 161
Focuses................................................ 235
Formal Diplomacy................................. 192
Forms of Communication...................... 106
Freight and Transport............................ 194
Gadgets and Gear................................... 26
Game Preparation................................... 98
Get into the Mood................................. 132
Getting Really Creative.......................... 237
Give the Gamemaster Threat................. 122
Handheld Weapons................................. 37
Highlight Your Character’s
Focuses in a Campaign..................... 237
Hologram Technology.............................. 28
Honorary Status.................................... 193
How to Enrich Your Character History.... 129
Ignore Injury......................................... 233
Important Supporting Characters.......... 202
Impulse Drive......................................... 30
Intelligence Services
and Secret Police.............................. 190
Intelligence Training.............................. 188
Jumpstarting Your Creativity................. 240
Klingon Admiralty Campaigns................. 67
Klingon Deep Space
Exploration Missions............................ 77
Klingon Starbases and Colonies.............. 93
Know the System.................................. 135
Language and the Universal Translator.... 27
Law Enforcement.................................. 195
long-range sensors................................. 33
Manage Expectations............................ 111
Managing Expectations......................... 120
medical emergency................................ 46
Militia and Guerillas.............................. 189
Mixed-Species Characters.................... 226
Miximizing Your Player Experience........ 115
Momentum........................................... 252
Move Things Along................................ 125
New Character Roles............................ 177
Administrator................................... 177
Ambassador.................................... 178
Armory Officer................................. 178
Bartender........................................ 178
Bodyguard....................................... 178
Chef................................................ 178
Child................................................ 179
Civilian Bureaucrat.......................... 179
Constable........................................ 179
Expert.............................................. 180
Intelligence Agent............................ 180
Merchant......................................... 180
Political Liason................................. 181
Ship’s Doctor................................... 181
Spiritual Leader............................... 181
Translator........................................ 181
New Character Types............................ 172
Non-Federation
Characters and Campaigns.................. 12
Obtain Information................................ 254
Offering a Deeper Understanding.......... 204
Officer Training..................................... 188
One Shots, Limited Series,
and Extended Campaigns.................. 102
Operations Officer................................. 147
Opportunity Costs................................. 256
Orbital Types........................................... 47
Overcoming Complications................... 136
Physician.............................................. 195
Play Along............................................. 133
INDEX 259
 Playing on a Starbase,
Space Station, or Outpost.................. 105
Playing the Game.................................. 107
Politician or Bureaucrat......................... 195
Propulsion.............................................. 30
Putting Focuses in Focus...................... 235
Rank and File........................................ 187
Rank Comparisons................................ 191
Real Life Trauma................................... 165
Religion and Spirituality.......................... 22
Replicators............................................. 41
Review Command Structure................. 126
Roleplaying Career Events.................... 103
Roundtable Discussions........................ 125
Safety and Consent................................. 98
Saving Momentum................................ 252
Science Officer..................................... 158
Scientific or Technical Expert................ 196
Second Officer and Third Officer........... 145
Selecting an Era of Play.......................... 54
Selecting a Style of Play.......................... 65
Sensors.................................................. 33
Service Protocols.................................... 43
Session 0................................................ 98
Session 0 Checklist................................. 99
Share the Spotlight............................... 118
Shields................................................... 35
Ship Departments................................. 222
Ship’s Cook........................................... 169
Ship’s Counselor................................... 164
Ship Systems........................................ 218
short-range sensors................................ 34
Shuttlecraft............................................. 34
site-to-site transport............................... 39
Skills and Expertise............................... 210
Society................................................... 21
Spending Momentum........................... 252
Standard Operating Procedures.............. 43
Docked / External Support Mode........ 43
Emergency Evacuation /
Medical Emergency........................ 46
Red Alert / Danger............................. 45
Security Alert..................................... 46
Standard Operations.......................... 44
Yellow Alert / Caution......................... 45
Stardates................................................ 25
Starfleet’s Naval Tradition....................... 49
Starship Spaceframes
and Mission Profiles.......................... 105
Starship Weapons................................... 38
Star Trek Defined...................................... 7
Star Trek Eras and Play Styles................. 53
Styles of Play.......................................... 65
Admiralty Campaigns......................... 65
260
Blockbuster and Photon Torpedoes:
Cinematic-Style Campaigns........... 68
Campaigns Based on Season-Long
Story Arcs...................................... 70
Close to Home: Political Campaigns
and Core Worlds............................. 73
Deep Space Exploration Games......... 75
Far From Home Games...................... 81
Spice of Life Games........................... 85
Station-Based Games........................ 89
Unsanctioned Missions...................... 93
Supplement Structure............................... 2
Supporting Characters.......................... 201
Supporting the Gamemaster................. 132
Switching a Focus
During an Adventure.......................... 236
Systems and Departments.................... 218
tactical response teams.......................... 46
Talent: Childhood Insights..................... 200
Talents.................................................. 243
Advanced Team Dynamics............... 247
Ambush Tactics............................... 249
Applied Force.................................. 249
Applied Research............................. 250
Back-Up Plans................................. 243
Bolster............................................. 247
Calm and Logical............................. 243
Close-Knit Crew............................... 244
Constant Presence........................... 244
Cutting-Edge Medicine.................... 250
Defensive Training........................... 249
Diagnostic Expertise........................ 250
Did the Reading............................... 250
Don’t You Die on Me!....................... 250
Extra Effort...................................... 244
Extra-Sensory Perception................. 246
Gut Feeling...................................... 244
Hands-on Pilot................................. 248
I’m Giving It All She’s Got!................ 249
Indefatigable.................................... 244
Learn from Failure........................... 250
Methodical Planning........................ 245
No Hesitation................................... 245
No Pain, No Gain.............................. 245
Percussive Maintenance.................. 249
Precautions..................................... 247
Precision Salvo................................ 249
Psychokinesis.................................. 246
Quick Survey................................... 245
Rapid Hypothesis............................. 250
Reassuring...................................... 245
Saboteur.......................................... 248
Second Wind................................... 245
Self-Reliant...................................... 245
Shield-Breaker................................ 249
Stimulant Shot................................. 251
Teacher........................................... 247
Telepathic Projection........................ 247
Thread the Needle........................... 247
Transporter Chief............................. 249
Visit Every Star................................ 248
Voice of Authority............................. 245
Well-Informed.................................. 245
Zero-G Combat................................ 247
Talents Granting Bonus d20s................ 244
Technology............................................. 26
Ten Aspects of Star Trek Adventures..... 13
Ten Facts About Star Trek.......................... 8
The Building Blocks of a Character....... 205
The Fine Art of Technobabble.................. 41
The Matter of Telepathy........................ 212
The Premise of Starfleet......................... 43
The Prime Directive................................ 47
The Star Trek Universe in Play................. 19
Time Travel............................................. 35
Tone..................................................... 100
Tools of the Trade.................................. 256
Torpedoes............................................... 39
Tough Little Ships?................................. 90
Tractor Beams........................................ 34
Trader or Merchant............................... 196
Traits.................................................... 225
Transporter and Replicator Era Notes...... 40
Transporter Systems............................... 39
Understand How Scenes Work.............. 108
Understand the Difference Between
Disagreement and Insubordination.... 126
Use Supporting Characters................... 111
Using This Guide....................................... 3
Values.................................................. 228
Values in Play....................................... 232
Vigilantes.............................................. 195
Warp Drive.............................................. 32
Warp Into a Universe of Fun.................. 115
Weapons................................................ 37
“What are You Doing?” Versus “How are
You Doing This?”............................... 211
What Discipline Do I User for This?....... 217
What is Star Trek?..................................... 8
What is Star Trek Adventures?.............. 13
What’s On the Menu?............................ 170
What Your Role Means.......................... 139
Where To Start?........................................ 4
Why Doesn’t an Enemy Just Fire a Torpedo
into Someone’s Sun?........................... 38
“Yes, and...” in Action........................... 134
Your Crew Is Your Family....................... 128
Your Place in a Crew............................. 138
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