What To Expect In Star Trek Adventures 2nd Edition

Earlier this year, Modiphius announced that a new edition of its 2d20-system powered Star Trek Adventures TTRPG would be launched at Gen Con in August. This week, system developer Nathan Dowdell unveiled a few more details.

• Cleaned up rules presentation
• Guidance on use of traits
• No challenge dice
• More character options
• Revised talents
• Updated advancement and reputation rules
• Revised starship rules

You can read the full update on Modiphius' website.

 

[overgeeked]

Traits are traits. They represent something specific in a location, about a character, about a situation, or about a piece of equipment. So in that respect they're defined--they are a truth about a thing. How that trait impacts gameplay will depend on the context it's created, modified, or used in a scene.

A trait might make something possible that was impossible before, something that was possible impossible, provide a -1 to Difficulty, or provide a +1 to Difficulty. Really depends on how and when it's used.

You'll have to decide how that fits your parameters for 'free-form' or 'defined and locked-down'.

Yes, that’s exactly how they’re described in the Quickstart. You seemed to be saying before that the Quickstart lacked the actual rules for Traits. I’m trying to find out how much more detailed the rules for Traits will be in the actual game. Is the description in the QS representative of Traits in the final core or is the description in the QS a loose placeholder for a more detailed and defined subsystem in the final core? And if so, how much more detailed?

 

[Scribe Ineti]

Yes, that’s exactly how they’re described in the Quickstart. You seemed to be saying before that the Quickstart lacked the actual rules for Traits. I’m trying to find out how much more detailed the rules for Traits will be in the actual game. Is the description in the QS representative of Traits in the final core or is the description in the QS a loose placeholder for a more detailed and defined subsystem in the final core? And if so, how much more detailed?

Fishing for a page count, I guess? Overview of traits in the QS is about a page, page and a half? Traits rules cover more than 6 pages in the core book, providing full details on creating and using traits.

Hope that helps.

 

[overgeeked]

If they work like they do in more recent 2d20 releases, traits can raise or lower difficulty by one if they affect the die roll. So if the scene has the darkness trait and you're trying to shoot someone, it's going to be a higher difficulty. But if you're trying to hide from someone it will be lower.

Traits can also have numerical ratings to reflect potency. So total darkness might affect difficulty by 2 and supernatural darkness might be worth a 3.

Cool. Weird that what would amount to an extra sentence or two wasn’t included in the QS. What an odd thing to exclude given the block of white space after the main Traits text.

 

[overgeeked]

Fishing for a page count, I guess?

No, just a straight answer.

Overview of traits in the QS is about a page, page and a half? Traits rules cover more than 6 pages in the core book, providing full details on creating and using traits.

Hope that helps.

Yeah, that does. Glad we finally got there.

Side question, as the project manager for STA, how much of the actual rules writing and editing are you directly responsible for?

 

[Scribe Ineti]

No, just a straight answer.

Yeah, that does. Glad we finally got there.

Side question, as the project manager for STA, how much of the writing and editing are you directly responsible for?

Glad I was able to help.

I'm the PM and line editor. I don't do as much writing on the line as I used to in the early days of 1e; I'm focused now on managing the line, hiring freelancers, working with teammates, managing the concept to publication of all STA products, and editing and proofreading everything, along with additional freelance writers, editors, and proofreaders. Like many in the rpg business, I wear multiple different hats daily depending on the projects and their needs.