Character Advancement is a thorny issue in any RPG. Luckily, for fans of Star Trek Adventures Second Edition (STA 2E), Modiphius’ team has done its best to simplify advancement and offer several different (voluntary) ways for players to ‘level up’.
At the very core of STA 2E Advancement is an iconic piece of ‘Star Trek’ lore: the Personal Log. It is the basis for all the advancement that follows. It mirrors the ‘narrative’ structure of the game and it cleverly allows for tremendous flexibility of use.
Unlike other role-playing games, the goal of character advancement in Star Trek Adventures is not to become immortal, unstoppable, become a Q or an Admiral.
Instead, Star Trek Adventures guides Players to be a better individual, maybe get over something traumatic, serve the Federation and its goals… and occasionally get cool new talents, promotions or the opportunity to help others or to improve your starship/starbase.
Character Advancement is optional, and completely up to the players. It can take place after every complete MISSION/ADVENTURE. There are 4 main processes, but the key to all of them is tracking character’s growth (and abilities, talents, focuses, pastimes, etc.) in Personal Logs.
Personal logs are the first/most frequent way to alter/advance a character. The other core advancement mechanics are all based on those logs:
- PERSONAL LOG
- MILESTONES
- CHARACTER ARC
- ACCLAIM
PERSONAL LOGS
Logs allow players to move one point between different Attribute or Departments for their Characters. Log entries only allow moving existing points, not adding to them, within a 7-11 point range.
These changes reflect evolving affinities or interests the character has roleplayed in-game and commented on in Logs. Logs should note and reflect VALUES used [+], challenged [!] or acted against [-]. Players can also list when they acted in support or against Mission Directives (orders).
Lieutenant Truss works in Security, but his ship’s First Officer has been giving him time as bridge watch officer. He has enjoyed it and decided he wants to do more in Command. He can observe this in his personal logs and upon Mission/Adventure completion may reduce his Security Department rating by 1 in order to increase his Command Department rating by 1.
At the end of a Mission/Adventure, alter your character sheet based on the values (V) in your Log (in the order they appear on character sheets) and how the character interacted with them.
Choose used [+], challenged [!] or acted against [-].
For example: V1+ V2! V3- D1+ D2!
NOTE: Earned log adjustments can also be applied to supporting characters instead of main character.
MILESTONES
Milestones track the use of personal Values and adherence to Directives in meaningful moments during Missions/Adventures. While Personal Logs let characters move existing points to different Attributes and Departments as they grow, each use of a Value in a milestone gains your character points
after each Mission/Adventure is completed.
A Milestone marked in your personal log for use of a Value lets Players add a point of determination (to a maximum of 3) on your sheet. Players can then choose ONE of the following to modify:
1) ADD an ATTRIBUTE (up to 11) or DEPARTMENT (up to 4)
2) Gain Additional Focus
3) Gain additional Talent
4) REDUCE one AND INCREASE another Attribute or Dept by 1 (from 7-11)
5) REPLACE one star ship Talent for another
Earned Milestones can also be donated to supporting characters if desired.
CHARACTER ARCS
Milestones emulate personal growth and escalating skills). After 3 or more adventures, players can claim a Character Arc instead.
Character Arcs link 3 or more milestones challenging one Value to show character growth. Your first arc can be recorded after 3 missions/adventures in which you’ve used that specific Value. The second arc requires 4 missions, and the third arc 5 missions, each linked by used of a specific value.
Arcs allows Players to choose one of these options:
1) Increase an Attribute by 1 (max now 12)
2) Increase a Department by 1 (max now 5)
3) Add a new Value
4) Add one point to starship System or Dept (1 per Player per Season)
5) Add one Talent to starship (increasing maximum by 1)
Arcs let your Player characters change, mature, regress, or work AGAINST their own beliefs (EG: works with Circassians, rebels against unlawful orders against professed beliefs) just like other Star fleet legends have done through their careers.
ACCLAIM
Acclaim (or reprimands) are determined by a Reputation Roll. Acclaim is a benefit of positive Reputation, and Reprimands result from negative Reputation. Sometimes players feel obligated to act against orders, and those actions can lead to a Reprimand. Either way, Reputation precedes characters into every Mission/Adventure.
REPUTATION ROLLS
Acclaim is generated through Reputation Rolls at the end of each Mission/Adventure. Whenever the reputation question is posed by the GM or if an in-game court/trial/cosmic power makes a verdict over a character, players must roll to determine Reputation.
Players’ Main Characters start with a score of 3 Reputation. If a character has reprimands from a previous Mission/Adventure, complication range increase to reflect those reprimands on record. (EG: 2 reprimands= 19-20 range, 3 reprimands= 18-20 range) to a Max range of 15-20.
THE ROLL
- Determine Target (7 plus current Reputation level).
- Difficulty (number of inappropriate actions taken) by a player.
- Roll d20’s equal to number of positive acts of reputation Player can cite from Mission/Adventure
(NO maximum number of d20’s for a reputation roll). - Tally the d20 successes (numbers below your current reputation) as a critical (2) successes.
- Compare successes to difficulty (number of inappropriate actions cited from Adventure/Mission).
- Successful rolls generate ACCLAIM points (Immediate spend, cannot be saved) and Failures=REPRIMANDS*.
Each rolled success below set difficulty becomes one reprimand. (EG: 3 successes instead of the target of 4=3 reprimands.)
Any rolls in the complication range will become an additional reprimand if a Player fail the Reputation Roll.
ARE REPUTATION ROLLS FAIR?
Players might get through an adventure without acting against their orders or causing negative consequences, but end up with a bad Reputation Roll at the end of it.
What?!
Remember: the advancement mechanic is completely optional, but it’s been built to be reflective of real life. Even in a post-scarcity utopia, office politics and bad luck can play a role in your fate.
Go with it: embrace it in your roleplaying and see what happens!
No Captain on screen has ever been happy about being promoted ‘out of the chair’. James T. Kirk was ‘punished’ by being returned to it–much to the delight of his crew (and fans).
At the top of this article I mentioned the system doesn’t want Players to become immortal, unstoppable, become Q or Admirals… just the best character and Officer they can be.
Star Trek Adventures has been designed to encourage role-play and engage in the narrative, rather than crunchy mechanics. Sometimes a Player doesn’t get what they want. That might encourage their character to work harder, or change. That can create even richer journeys than the quick advancement the Player imagined.
Just like when an improv group asks the audience what happens next in a scene (and work their butts off to make it happen) rolling dice is a random element that adds a wonderful chaotic element to the game.
Embrace it!
ACCLAIM REWARDS
A successful reputation roll generates ACCLAIM points that must be spent immediately. Players can ‘buy’ any of the below options, even multiples where valid, until you run out of Acclaim points.
- AWARDS
Costs, conditions, benefits for Awards on P 173, 2E Core Rule-book. - COMMENDATIONS
Add 1 reputation point to a ONE main character under your command. - ELEVATION
3 Acclaim points can elevate an NCO to officer in battlefield commission. Commanding Officer must agree.
GM chooses new rank. - GAIN FAVOUR
Obtain a favour from non-enemy PC. Cost: 1 Acclaim PLUS increasing +1 if PC, +1 if not Star fleet, +1 if
Captain of a ship and +2 if Admiral
(EG: Admiral in command of starship-equivalent from another government= =4 Acclaim). - INCREASE REPUTATION
Once per Mission/Adventure with a cumulative cost: Levelling up from 1 Rep to 2 Rep costs 2 Acclaim; 2 Rep to 3 Rep costs 3 Acclaim. - PROMOTION costs 3 Acclaim, and Commanding Officer must agree (no Acclaim lost if refused).
ALSO: STATUS TRAIT
With GM’s assistance, create an additional trait reflecting character’s changing relationship to something (EG: Respected by Vulcans) or remove a negative/harmful trait (EG: Suspicious of Vulcans).
There’s a lot to Star Trek’s Advancement system… but also a lot of well thought out flexibility.
As in any game, your satisfaction will likely depend on finding like-minded players and a GM who’s willing to work with you, and keep the communication open.
Bottom line: If you’re wary of character advancement, there’s no reason not to try it out…. but if you decide it’s not for you, Modiphius built the mechanic so that ignoring it won’t detract from your game!
Have fun playing!
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