Three early impressions with Star Trek Adventures

I recently finished reading all 364 pages of the Star Trek Adventures core rulebook, and it occurred to me that I’d never read an rpg book cover to cover before. If I had to guess, I’d estimate that I’ve read 99 percent of the material in the fifth edition Dungeon Master’s Guide and Players Handbook, some portions several times over. But I combed through those books a chapter here and a section there, as various mechanics became relevant in my home game. My hunch is that’s how most rpg enthusiasts use their rulebooks.

With Star Trek Adventures, I opened up the pdf (I still haven’t received my physical copy as of this writing) and started reading the first chapter and plowed through every last word in the text. In addition, I’ve also run two full sessions with my home gaming group with the finalized rules (after having run several sections with the playtest rules).

So what have I learned?

For starters, I still haven’t mastered the system by any stretch of the imagination (looking at you, reputation mechanic). But here are three big observations I’ve made as I’ve kicked the tires on this iteration of the 2d20 system.

1.  The Fate influence is real

Star Trek Adventures draws a lot of inspiration from Fate Core, a setting-neutral rpg system by Evil Hat known for its emphasis on storytelling and character over crunch and mechanics. Combat in Star Trek Adventures, as in Fate, plays out in abstract zones rather than rigid hexes or grids. Star Trek Adventures also uses “traits,” similar to Fate’s aspects, to help gamemasters and players quickly define situations, characters and settings. Additionally, Star Trek Adventures gives players the option to create characters during play, defining their characters’ talents and abilities as circumstances develop, another staple of Fate Core. (It should also be noted that Star Trek Adventures also includes a more traditional “life path” character generation method that allows players to churn out a fully developed character with a backstory and defined abilities before any dice are rolled.)

So the Fate influence is real, and that influence puts story front and center, as a Star Trek game should. But Star Trek Adventures adds layers of complexity over those Fate-inspired elements, and I would definitely not call Star Trek Adventures a rules-lite system. Starship operations, in particular, present players and gamemasters with a robust set of mechanics and options. And the momentum/threat economy provides a unique toolbox for dialing up the dynamism of scenes. Which leads me to my second observation…

2. Threat is NOT optional

Gamemasters should familiarize themselves with the threat system as quickly as possible because it’s an absolutely essential element of running Star Trek Adventures. Threat is a resource that gamemasters can use to throw complications and obstacles at the players on the fly. Let’s say your players are trying to reprogram the tyrannical artificial intelligence that’s taken over the main computer of their starship. You planned for this to be a harrowing encounter, but the players came up with some solution you didn’t think of or they lucked out on some improbable dice rolls and overcame your climactic challenge way too easily. Just spend a couple points of threat to create a new complication. Maybe the AI decides it’s going to take the PCs down with it and activates the ship’s auto destruct just before the characters wipe it from their mainframe. Now the tension has returned and the players are scrambling to diffuse a new challenge.

The rulebook provides a list of common uses for threat, but it also encourages gamemasters to get creative to throw twists at their players. The threat mechanic encourages improvisation and dynamism, and it’s a critical tool to get the most out of the game.

3. This book is PRETTY

Under normal circumstances, I don’t judge a book by its cover (or its interior art or layout). I’m a writer, first and foremost, and I’m happy to overlook bland design if the writing sparkles.  Star Trek Adventures, however, features such outstanding art and design that even I sat up and took notice. The interior layout borrows from the iconic Starfleet LCARS look seen in the Next Generation-era series. The book also makes use of diagrams and schematics of iconic ships and equipment, and there’s plenty of original artwork as well. It’s a slick design that gets me excited about playing the game. What more could you ask from the visual presentation of an rpg book?