Star Trek Adventures – The 2d20 Generation

RockyMountainNavy, 27 October 2024

Armchair Dragoons (ACD) Regimental Commander Brant works hard to help ACD be more than just another wargame site on the internet. Believe it or not, several of us grognards actually have a gaming life outside of hex & counter wargaming. For myself, this includes playing science-fiction roleplaying games (RPGs). Thanks to outreach by Brant, Modiphius Entertainment graciously provided copies of new RPG materials for our consideration. Thus, I am a proud recipient of a digital copy of Star Trek Adventures: The Roleplaying Game – Second Edition Core Rulebook (Modiphius Entertainment, 2024) and can share my reactions to this newest Star Trek roleplaying game with you.

Bottom Line Up Front

Star Trek Adventures: The Roleplaying Game – Second Edition Core Rulebook uses Modiphius Entertainment’s house game engine, the 2d20 System, to build a game that is full of fan service yet creates roleplaying adventures with thematically appropriate narrative in play.  

 

Star Trek: The Last Generation

My past history with Star Trek Adventures is admittedly a bit mixed. In 2016 I signed up for and participated in the Alpha Playtest of what was then Star Trek Adventures – First Edition. My reaction to that early version was not the greatest for various reasons. I tried to be a “voyager” into the new Adventures but my actual reaction was to “deep space” that “next generation” vice embracing it. Eight years later I now have a chance to revisit Star Trek Adventures. This time there is a major motivator to reembarking on the path of “discovery” that was not present before; the forthcoming Space: 1999 – The Roleplaying Game uses the Modiphius 2d20 game engine. This means Star Trek Adventures provides an opportunity to explore the “lower decks” of that game engine in a seemingly adjacent sci-fi RPG setting.

 

Saavik: By the book?
Captain James T. Kirk: By the book! Regulation forty-six A, ‘If transmissions are being monitored during battle…’
Saavik:‘…no uncoded messages on an open channel.’ (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)

Star Trek Adventures: The Roleplaying Game – Second Edition Core Rulebook is a 384 page product. That is close to the 395-page core rulebook for ALIEN: The Roleplaying Game (Free League Publishing, 2019) but a bit bigger than the 258-page The Expanse Roleplaying Game (Green Ronin, 2019). My takeaway here is that the content of Star Trek Adventures Second Edition is roughly what one would expect to see in a core rulebook that covers a popular and beloved franchise.

The chapter order in Star Trek Adventures Second Edition highlights an editorial question I see in many RPG core rulebooks; specifically, should the core game mechanism be introduced before or after the character generation rules? In earlier versions of Star Trek Adventures such as the Rules Digest (2021), the “Operations” chapter (core game mechanisms) comes immediately before “Reporting for Duty” (character generation). This makes eminent sense to me because I believe one needs to understand the core game mechanisms in order to understand how to make a character that is playable within the rules. Star Trek Adventures Second Edition, however, makes a different choice.

 

The placement of the character generation rules in Star Trek Adventures Second Edition seemingly makes sense if one looks at what immediately precedes it; much (if not all) of the universe setting details for the game. In fact, the universe background material—the first 84 pages of the core rulebook—comprises some 22% of the book. Alas, that is not the only material placed ahead of introducing the core game mechanism. By the time one gets through the setting material and the rules for character generation, starship creation, and ironmongery—all of which precedes the introduction of the core game mechanism—the reader is some 248 pages into the book. That is about 65% of the book read before one has “learned” how to play the game. Truth be told, the rules for how to play found in the second edition of Star Trek Adventures (Chapters 7 through 9) are covered in about 85 pages which is again only about 22% of the book. This makes Star Trek Adventures Second Edition appear to be as much as, if not more than, a fan service book as it is a core rulebook for playing an RPG.

 

Spock‘s Voice: Space, the final frontier. …These are the continuing voyages of the Starship Enterprise. …Her ongoing mission, to explore strange new worlds, …to seek out new lifeforms and new civilizations. …To boldly go where no man has gone before. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan).

It is not only the chapter order of Star Trek Adventures Second Edition that makes it feel like fan service. With such an expansive setting at hand, the core rulebook for Star Trek Adventures Second Edition tries to not play favorites. Indeed, in some ways it might try to be a bit too completist:

“FOR NEARLY 60 YEARS AND ACROSS 11 television series, 13 feature films, and countless other forms of narrative, from novels to comic books to games of all types, Star Trek has delighted audiences worldwide with its science fiction storytelling set in an optimistic 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 exploring the frontier together) to its current life in many active productions, Star Trek stands unique among science fiction media properties, presenting a comprehensive and consistent setting in which virtually every story genre and type of character can find a home.” (STA2e, p. 3).

The website Memory Alpha which is the home of “canon” Star Trek, has this to say about Star Trek Adventures:

“First released in August 2017, the RPG uses Modiphius’ 2d20 system and features a storyline partially developed by Star Trek authors Dayton Ward and Scott Pearson. It covers the various live-action series from Star Trek: The Original Series to Star Trek: Enterprise and the Star Trek films, with the exception of those set in the alternate reality. Since 2022, the game has expanded to Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Lower Decks content. (Memory Alpha, “Star Trek Adventures (Modiphius)”)

The introduction to Star Trek Adventures Second Edition goes on to say: “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 “ (STA2e, p.3). That is lots of franchises to cover. Indeed, the core rulebook echos in many ways what J.R.R. Tolkien wrote in The Fellowship of the Ring: “I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.”

 

Saavik: [speaking to Spock in Vulcan] He’s never what I expect, sir.
Spock: What surprises you, Lieutenant?
Saavik: He’s so – human.
Spock: Nobody’s perfect, Saavik. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)

Regardless of the degree of fan service in Star Trek Adventures Second Edition it is still a roleplaying game that one should be able to use to create their own stories. To do so one must create a character. “Chapter 4: Reporting for Duty” starts the rules for character creation in Star Trek Adventures Second Edition by first recommending players choose a style of play:

“Some groups may be fine with the default presumption that the player’s main characters are the senior staff of a Starfleet ship, mirroring the format of most of the series—but others may wish for a different approach. Specialized problem-solving teams within a ship’s crew, or groups of lower-ranking officers, may be more comfortable for some groups, in which case ignore the section of these rules that asks the players to choose a character role (see page 135). Similarly, some groups may wish to play as civilians, just making their way through the Galaxy, or as part of a different civilization such as the Klingons, Romulans, or Ferengi.” (STA2e, p. 66) 

 

Star Trek Adventures Second Edition offers two choices of methods to generate characters; Lifepath and Creation in Play. The same general rules apply if you are making a Main Character or a Supporting Character. For the purposes of this discussion I created a main character using the Lifepath method.

 

Broadly speaking, characters in Star Trek Adventures Second Edition are described by their Attributes (Control, Daring, Fitness, Insight, Presence, and Reason) and Department (Command, Conn, Engineering, Security, Medicine, and Science). Each of these is a rating value. Departments in turn have Focuses; perhaps best thought of as specializations. Character also have Values which are “short statements describing the attitudes, beliefs, and convictions of that character” (STA2e, p. 87). Characters also have Talents which are “additional benefits a character possesses, defining areas of specialty, the advantages of their personal approach to circumstances, and other decisive abilities” (STA2e, p. 95).

In more than a few ways the Lifepath character generation method in Star Trek Adventures Second Edition is a modified point-buy system. Players start by choosing the species of their character to establish a baseline of Attributes, Departments, Traits, and a Special Ability. In each of the steps that follow, players will often add a Value, adjust an Attribute and/or Department, and gain a Focus or a Talent. As part of “Step 7: Finishing Touches” there is one “Final Check” that reinforces my point-buy viewpoint:

“FINAL CHECK: The character’s attributes, added together, should add up to 56. The character’s departments added together should add up to 16. The character should have a species ability, four values, four talents, and six focuses.” (STA2e, p. 132)

While it may seem tempting to jump straight to a point-buy system, I see the benefit of the lifepath method in Star Trek Adventures Second Edition in that, at points in a career, the prerequisites for a certain Talent may not have been met or a Career Event may show an unexpected development. Those are valid points but in many ways as a reason for a step-by-step process they are like Earl Grey…in other words, “weak tea.”

Hanabi S’hado

Hanabi is a Human (Trait: Human, Species Ability: Faith of the Heart) that spends their early years on a Starbase (Environment) where they learned the Value of “Use only what is needed.”. Their mother tried to give them an Artistic & Creative Upbringing but Hanabi rebelled against it, picking up a Focus of “Deception (Command)” and a Talent of “Constantly Watching.” 

Hanabi enlists in Starfleet (Trait: Starfleet Crew) where they learn the Value of “Quiet Professionalism.” They specialize in Security with a bit of cross-training in Command and Engineering and pick up the Focuses of Hand Phaser (Security), Troubleshooting (Engineering, and Station Operations (Command). They also pick up the Security Talent of “Get Down!”.

As a Veteran (Experience) Red Shirt, Hanabi learns the Value of “Don’t stick your neck out” and picks up the Talent “Quick Survey.” 

Hanabi had two significant Career Events. The first was a “Special Commendation” where they learned a new Focus of “Emergency Medicine” under fire. The second Career Event was a “Serious Injury” that resulted in an Ocular Implant and a newfound Talent of Gambling picked up in the long recovery period adapting to the implant.

Finishing up, Hanabi over the years has acquired another Value, “Officers first.” They also pick up the Talent of “Steady Hands.”

Hanabi is age 31 and a Chief Petty Officer assigned to security at a Base Station along the Klingon frontier.

ATTRIBUTES: Control 9, Daring 9, Fitness 10, Insight 9, Presence 10, Reason 9.
DEPARTMENTS: Command 2, Conn 2, Engineering 3, Security 5, Medicine 3, Science 1.
TRAITS: Human, Starfleet Crew, Ocular Implant.
SPECIES ABILITY: Faith of the Heart.
VALUES: Use only what is needed, Quiet Professionalism, Don’t stick your neck out, Officers first.
FOCUSES: Deception (Command), Gambling (Command), Station Operations (Command), Troubleshooting (Engineering), Hand Phaser (Security), Emergency Medicine (Medicine).
TALENTS: Constantly Watching, Get Down!, Quick Survey, Steady Hands.
PASTIME: Poker 

For about 10 minutes of effort the Lifepath method of character generation in Star Trek Adventures Second Edition delivered a character with plenty of potentially interesting plot hooks. That said, I remain skeptical as to the real value of a seven-step process over simply allowing players to build a character through a point-buy system.

 

Captain James T. Kirk: All right, explanation. Why was my phaser order countermanded?
Commander Willard Decker: Sir, the Enterprise redesign increases phaser power by channeling it through the main engines. When they went into anti-matter imbalance, the phasers were automatically cut off. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

One quick comment on starships in Star Trek Adventures Second Edition. Starships are, like many modern RPGs, basically treated as if they are a character. Like player characters, starships have Attributes (though called Systems), Departments, Traits, and Special Rules (think Abilities). Starship construction rules are included, but think of these like a set of modular components—in the core rulebook the system is nothing like what was found in the FASA Ship Construction Manual which, to this day, remains for me the best system to create most “realistic” Trek-like starships. Stats for many iconic Star Trek ships are in the core rulebook, but to design a starship requires accepting a large degree of abstraction.

 

Captain James T. Kirk: “I don’t believe in the no-win scenario.” (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)

Star Fleet Adventures Second Edition uses the latest version of the 2d20 game engine that powers more recent Modiphius RPGs (as well as the forthcoming Space: 1999 Roleplaying Game). The core game mechanism boils down to rolling 2d20—and possibly more—to get a number of successes based on a difficulty rating of 0 to 5 where the difficulty is the number of successes needed.

Page 257 of Star Trek Adventures Second Edition has a handy seven-step chart for attempting a task. Here are the basics:

1. 1. “Select an attribute and department, as well as any applicable focus. Add the ratings … The total is your target number.”
   2. The GM sets the task “Difficulty … usually from 0 to 5 … represent the number of successes the player must roll….”
   3. “Build your dice pool, starting with 2d20. Add bonus d20s granted from talents an other game effects. Add more d20s by spending Momentum or adding Threat … You cannot roll more than 5d20 on any task attempt.”
   4. (Optional) Improve your chances by using for Assistance….”
   5. “…Each d20 that rolls equal to or less than the target number scores a success.

• • • If one of you focuses applies … each die roll equal or less … is a critical success, scoring 2 success.”
    • “If none of your focuses apply, each die … rolls 1 is a critical success.”
    • Each die that rolls a 20 … causes a complication.”

1. 6. “If the number of successes scored equal or exceeds the task’s Difficulty, the task attempt succeeds … If you scored more successes than … Difficulty, each extra success becomes 1 point of Momentum.”
   7. “The gamemaster decides the outcome of the task, and if the task was successful, the player may spend Momentum to improve the result further. Then apply the effects of any complications” (STA2e, p. 257).

If you are familiar with the first edition of Star Trek Adventures then should know that edition also used Challenge Dice; basically a d6 where the faces were [1], [2], Blank, Blank, [5], and [6]. Rolling a [1] or [2] scored the value and a [5] or [6] generated an Effect (see Star Trek Adventures: Rules Digest, pp. 53-54) In Star Trek Adventures Second Edition, however, the Challenge Dice game mechanism is not used. This is a very good thing as it removes a major irritant I experienced in the rules as far back as the Alpha Playtest, i.e. too many die rolls. 

The core game mechanism in Star Trek Adventures Second Edition of rolling more successes than difficulty on 2d20 or more is fairly straightforward. The complexity in the core game mechanism comes from Momentum and Complications. In more than a few ways Momentum and Complications form a metacurrency for Star Trek Adventures Second Edition. Players earn (and spend) Momentum to alter the situation or scene in a way that will usually favor them. The Gamemaster uses Threat from Complications to alter the scene in ways to challenge the player characters.

Players in Star Trek Adventures Second Edition also have access to Determination. Each player starts each mission with one Determination and can have as many as three banked during a mission. The use of Determination is interesting enough I will quote directly from the rulebook here.

Gaining Determination 

“When you attempt a task or are otherwise in a difficult situation, and one or more of your values would make your situation more difficult, the gamemaster may ask you to either challenge your value, or comply with it:” 

“CHALLENGE: You choose to go against your value. You cross out the challenged value, as it is no longer as vital to the character as it once seemed, and then continue to resolve the current task or situation. Once finished, gain 1 Determination. At the end of the mission, alter the crossed-out value to reflect the change in your character’s beliefs. This is described more in CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT page 166.” 

“COMPLY: You choose to give in to your value, suffering a complication as a result. This complication may make your chosen course of action more difficult, or it may even prevent you attempting that action, instead requiring you to try something else. Discuss with your gamemaster how this should play out. Once finished, gain 1 Determination.” (STA2e, p. 263)

Star Trek Adventures Second Edition also seeds the game system with thematic elements to enhance game play. One added element is Technobabble which uses handy Technobabble or Medico-babble tables to generate that appropriate, “Well, Captain, the Klingons are closing in but if we [boost] the [duotronic] [fluctuation] [harmonic] [coil] we can set up a stealth screen….” Likewise, the game rulebook has rules for Directives:

“Directives are not linked to a single character, but rather apply to the group as a whole for the duration of a single mission. Each Directive represents a guiding principle of the fleet, such as Starfleet’s General Order 1, also known as the Prime Directive, specific mission orders or restrictions, or the limitations imposed by treaties or orders. The gamemaster chooses the Directives for each mission (though pre-written missions include their own Directives).” 

“Similar to values, Directives can be used positively to spend Determination or they can impact a character negatively and allow a character to regain Determination:

• Using a Directive positively allows a character to act with the confidence they have the support of their organization behind their actions.
• Suffering a complication from a Directive reflects a reluctance to go against orders.
• Challenging a Directive reflects a character knowingly disobeying orders for a meaningful reason, and being willing to face the consequences of that choice.” (STA2e, p. 262)

 

David Marcus: He cheated.
Kirk: I changed the conditions of the test; got a commendation for original thinking. I don’t like to lose.
Saavik: Then you never faced that situation… faced death. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)

Combat Conflict in Star Trek Adventures Second Edition comes in three different flavors; Social, Personal, and Starship. All three forms of conflict use the same general structure. Each round is divided into turns where a single character/ship can take a single major or several minor actions. Usually, at the end of a player-character round the initiative will pass to the opposition but in the 2d20 game engine a player can spend Momentum to keep the initiative and hand it off to another player-character. “Injury” or “damage” in conflict is tracked using Stress; suffer enough Stress and you are Fatigued with negative effects. In Social conflict one can be defeated, but in Personal Conflict if one suffers a Deadly Injury they will die at the end of the scene unless treated. Interestingly, though one sees many STL files on drivethrurpg.com for Star Trek miniatures, the rulebook specifically states that, though a map may be used, “They are not essential to play” (STA2e, p. 285).

 

Ambushed!

Chief Petty Officer Hanabi was not a happy. When the L-T came around looking for “volunteers” for an Away Team Hanabi tried their best to not stand out but the Master Chief was determined to send Hanabi. [This was a Social Conflict with an Opposed Test; the Master Chief with Presence 10 + Command 3 (Target #13) rolled 2d20 for a [4] and [11] for two successes thus setting the Difficulty at 2. Hanabi rolls Presence 10 + Command 2 (Target #12) with no Focus and rolls [9] and [15] for a single success which here is a failure. Hanabi joins the Away Team.]

Once on the surface, Hanabi is leading the team though an area that seems somewhat suitable for an ambush. To detect the ambush (the GM declares it a Difficulty 3 task) Hanabi uses Insight 9 + Security 5 for a Target # of 14. The Talent “Constantly Watching” is applicable which adds another d20. Rolls are [1] (2x successes), [10] (1x success), and [6] (1x success) for a total of 4 successes. Hanabi’s ocular implant allows them to see a Klingon ambush team lying in wait (3 successes) while they bank the 4th for Momentum. 

Though Hanabi wants to spend Momentum to pass Initiative to a teammate, the GM uses Threat to interrupt. A Klingon Warrior (STA2e, p. 355) armed with a Disruptor Pistol takes a shot at Medium range (Difficulty 3). This is a Control (7) + Security (2) = Target Number 9. Rolls of [12] and [10] result in no successes. 

After waiting for the other members of the Away Team to act, Hanabi gets to shoot. Control (9) plus Security (5) is a Target Number of 14, but the Focus “Hand Phaser” means any die roll 5 or below are two success. Hanabi spends the banked Momentum to get another d20 (rolling 3d20). Rolls of [15], [5], and [11] grants four successes. The Klingon is hit! As the target is a Minor NPC, any success is enough to Defeat the NPC. This in turn means the three extra successes can be banked as Momentum. Hanabi can use one Momentum to pass initiative to a fellow Away Team member.

Unfortunately for Hanabi there is more than one Klingon in the ambush group. As the turn progresses, what Hanabi doesn’t see is another Klingon Warrior with a Disruptor Rifle which hits square in the chest. A Disruptor Rifle is a Severity 5 weapon and the Klingon Warrior called it a Deadly Attack. The damage from the attack is usually resolved in two parts:

• • “When a character suffers an Injury, they are also Defeated. A defeated character immediately falls prone and cannot take any actions for the rest of the scene. Characters can recover from being defeated in a few ways, described in the following sections.”
  • “Deadly Attacks are those which inflict serious harm upon the target, which might result in death. If you choose to make a Deadly Attack, add 1 Threat. While you have one or more Deadly Injuries and are Defeated, you are Dying, and you will die at the end of the scene if you do not receive medical attention.” (STA2e, p. 292)

However, in a move that is very thematically rich Hanabi can Avoid Injury:

• • “When you suffer an Injury, you may Avoid Injury by taking Stress. Suffer Stress equal to the attack’s severity to ignore that Injury, suggesting that you ducked out of the way at the last moment or otherwise resisted the attack. This also prevents you from being defeated by that Injury as well.” (STA2e, p. 292) 

Hanabi can Avoid Injury by taking 5 Stress (weapon is 5 Severity). Hanabi has 5 Stress remaining meaning they can avoid another hit but after that the outlook is grim. Hanabi and their Away Team has maybe one more round of conflict before the losses start piling up.

 

Scotty: All systems automated and ready. A chimpanzee and two trainees could run her.
Kirk: Thank you, Mr. Scott. I’ll try not to take that personally. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)

Although I hesitate to call the 2d20 game engine used in Star Trek Adventures Second Edition a “rules-lite” set of rules, the reality is that it is pretty streamlined and relatively straightforward. The same core mechanisms are used whether one is attempting a task or engaging in a duel of wits, a phaser shootout, or fighting a starship. Perhaps more importantly the core game mechanisms of the 2d20 system deliver narratively appropriate hooks that are natural springboards for adventure. Recognize, however, that the 2d20 game engine delivers a very cinematic version of adventure; the use of Stress to avoid injury is perhaps the most obvious implementation or impact from that design philosophy. 

 

Commander Pavel Andreievich Chekov: Course heading, Captain?
Captain James T. Kirk: Second star to the right and straight on till morning. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)

In the end, Star Trek Adventures: The Roleplaying Game – Second Edition Core Rulebook will likely be popular with today’s generation of Star Trek fans. Regardless of which series or movie they like—or do not like—players will likely be able to generate a character and use or build a starship that fits their style of play. Modiphius promises that, “Other styles of game are touched upon in this book and receive focus in other Star Trek Adventures supplements” (STA2e, p. 87). 

 

 

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