Mechanics

[Scarecrow71]

Based on some conversations in Discord, it was decided to have a thread to hold information about different mechanics in Star Trek Adventures.  With a lot of people in this game new to the system, a quick reference of some of the mechanics is a boon!

[Scarecrow71]

Threat

The GM starts every session with 2 threat per player at the table.  In PBP, this equates to starting every mission with 2 threat per PC that starts the mission.  A mission can cover multiple threads, and the GM should tag each thread with the name of the mission so that it is clear which threads involve which amount of threat.  As an example, the thread "Scene I:  Unwelcome Reception" is tagged with "rescue at xerxes iv", and all threads related to this mission will be tagged the same way.

 

Threat is a mechanic that the GM can use to throw wrenches into the plans of the players.  The GM can spend Threat in much the same way players can spend Momentum.  Some of the ways Threat can be spent include:

 

• Increase the target Difficulty of a given roll
• Introduce a Complication into the current scene
• Negate an Advantage that the players have in the current scene
• Have an NPC add additional dice to one of their rolls
• Have an NPC call for back-up (bring in more NPCs/mooks in a combat encounter)

While these were all taken from the core rulebook, the list is not exhaustive.

 

It should be stated that the GM should not spend Threat simply to hose the players/characters, or because the GM feels that things need to be dicey for the characters.  Threat needs to be spent in a way that makes sense for the scene, or in a way that enhances gameplay for the better of the story.  And all Threat spends should not only make sense, but should be agreed upon by the players as well.

[Scarecrow71]

Tasks

At varying times throughout the game, the players will need to roll dice to determine success or failure at performing something.  The GM will indicate an Ability + Discipline that applies to the Task, and the player will then add the 2 numbers from their character together.  The player will then roll 2d20, attempting to get each die UNDER the total previously determined.  Every die that comes up lower than or equal to this total is a success; every die that comes up greater than this total is a failure.  The general target difficulty for Tasks is 2, meaning you the players need both d20's to come up under the determined total.

 

A Focus can apply to the Task if it is directly related to the Task at hand.  Any d20 that comes up equal to or less than the Discipline involved counts as 2 successes instead of 1.  The same goes for any die that comes up as a natural 1; this would also count as 2 successes.  In the event a player rolls a natural 1 and has a Focus that applies still only generates 2 successes on that die (although this may change based on errata or other conversations with the developers from playtesters and such).

 

Any d20 that comes up as a natural 20 indicates that a Complication has arisen.  A Complication is a Trait that makes completing a given Task harder, either by increasing the target difficulty of a future (or current) roll, or by introducing some situation that makes completion of an objective harder.  Attached to this post is a PDF that gives an idea of what Complications can arise from rolling a natural 20.  The first page is for individual Complications, while the second page is for starship Complications.  Read the chart on each page by cross-referencing the Ability + Discipline rolled.  This document should not be used as a canon end-all for determining Complications; Complications, regardless of what any document or rule says, should always add to the scene and be related to what happened (similar to spending Threat).

 

Example:  Ferris is attempting to run a systems check to find a virus that has somehow made its way into the central computer.  The GM decides Ferris needs to succeed at a Insight + Engineering Task to track down the virus and (possibly) contain it.  Ferris has a Insight of 10, and an Engineering of 4, for a total of 14.  Ferris has a Focus of Computer Programming that applies.  He rolls 2d20; the first die comes up as a 3, while the second comes up as a 20.  He succeeds in the Task (2 successes for rolling under his Discipline due to the Focus), but he ends up with a Complication (due to the presence of the 20 on the second die).  Looking at the chart on page 1, the GM sees that the Complication could be that Ferris cannot spend Momentum for any re-rolls on Extended Tasks related to this virus until the virus is wiped out completely.  The GM decides that this fits the Task.

Complication Cards.pdf

[Scarecrow71]

Some questions have come up related to what Attribute/Discipline combination needs to be rolled for a given Task.  As I'm new at this, I scoured the internet, and I found a document that I have been using to make these kinds of judgement calls.  It isn't perfect, and I'm sure it's open to interpretation.  But, I'll attach it here so everyone can see where I'm coming from!

Attribute-Discipline Combos.pdf