star trek rpg combat rules

CODA Star Trek RPG Support

Updated: 11 June 2021

If this site is useful to you, I'd appreciate it if you could let me know . You can use this email address to ask questions, send comments, or submit content.

This site and all its content are free, and will remain so. However, keeping it going is not free at this end. If you do find the site useful, monetary donations to keep it going are gratefully accepted. There are a couple of ways you can do that. I have a PayPal account, but I know some of you don't like that route, so I've also set up a tip jar at Ko-Fi.

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This is a site devoted to Decipher's Star Trek Roleplaying Game, using the CODA rules system. There are other Star Trek RPG systems out there, of course, but we don't support them directly. Instead, we refer you to the best support sites for each system that we know. (If you happen to know a good site for the FASA Star Trek RPG, I'd be grateful if you sent me an email to the link above.)

ICON Star Trek games by Last Unicorn Games: Memory ICON

Star trek adventures by modiphius : continuing mission, table of contents.

Beyond the Final Frontier - The Zine

• All back issues of Volume 1 in a single ZIP file
• Volume 1, Issue #1 - Equipment Locker: Released Star Trek RPG Products, The Rules of G'qlf, Enhancements: New Flaws, Starship Profile: Mercenary Ship, Species Profile: Qefani, and What's Out There?: Star Trek RPG Resources
• Volume 1, Issue #2 - Alternative CODA Rules, But to Serve: Enlisted Personnel Creation, Starship Operations: Sensors, Narrator's Ready Room, and "Safe Passage"
• Volume 1, Issue #3 - Sector Profile: Sector 235, System Profile: H'ralko (Gamma Cygni), "Of Builders and Beggars", Starship Profile: USS Argyll, and Species Profile: Sonar
• Volume 1, Issue #4 - Running an Academy-based Series, Character Profile: Geras Idrani, Starship Profile: USS Boothby, System Profile: Jirada (Tau Cygni), Captain Garth's War, and "Birds of a Different Feather",
• Volume 1, Issue #5 - System Profile: Ch'rsh (Alpha Cygni), Character Profile: John Forrester, Starship Profile: Slaver's Delight, Character Profile: Lumok, Starship Profile: Darkside Station, Species Profile: Saharites, and Weapon Profile: Varon-T Disruptor
• Volume 1, Issue #6 - Rik's Café Terrestrien, Character Profile: Commander Thomas Riker, Divine Treasury of Ferengi Character Options, A PCs So-Called Life, Starfleet Academy Course Outline, Visual Overview of Early Star Trek Starships, Starship Profile: USS Normandy, and a Tribute to James Doohan
• Volume 1, Issue #7 - Tour of Duty: Post-Academy Advancement, New Technology: Multi-Dimensional Tactical Display, Starfleet Academy Course Outline, "The Battle for Trill" Campaign Guide, and System Profile: Szora-Kodal (Beta Cygni)
• Volume 1, Issue #8 - "Margin of Error", Character Profile: Captain Joshua Relzik, Starfleet Academy Course Outline, Species Profile: Brikar, and Starship Profile: Loknar class Cruiser
• Volume 1, Issue #9 - House Insignia for the Klingon Empire, "Blood & Honor" Campaign Guide, and "Blood & Honor Part 1: The Attack"
• Volume 1, Issue #10.1 - New Starship Systems from Star Fleet Battles , Species Profile: Jyn Faisha, "Blood & Honor Part 2: The Raid", "Princess and Pirates", and In the Cards: Random Episode Generation (NOTICE: Certain items of background and technology used in Mr. Saul Schimek's article about Star Fleet Battles in Beyond the Final Frontier #10 are the property of Amarillo Design Bureau, Inc. , which has given permission for that use.)
• Volume 2, Issue 1 - Alternate mixed species rules, Starship Profile: Royal Oak class Battlecruiser, and "It's Not Just a Job"
• Volume 2, Issue 2 - Rules Option: Alternate Stat Block, Starship Profile: Orion Scout Ship, and Species Profiles: Denobulans and Edosians.
• Back to Top

Errata & Conversion Documents

• All Errata in a Single ZIP
• Don Mappin's ICON to CODA Conversion Guide
• P layer's Guide Errata 2.2
• Narrator's Guide Errata 1.0
• Narrator's Screen Errata 1.0

External Links

I can't host everything, no matter how hard I try. There are several excellent Star Trek gaming resources out there that are hosted on other sites.

• Star Trek Crew Replicator 2.0 by Wayne Peters [NOTE: Browser must support Unity WebGL for this to function properly.]
• Star Trek: The Last Anton , a play-by-post game I'm currently participating in, showing CODA in action!
• The Cords That Bind - Starship designs and Star Trek musings by Iltharanos

• CURRENTLY DOWN Tomcat's RPG Web Profiler - Sample character sheet from Tomcat's RPG Web Profiler
• CURRENTLY DOWN Tomcat's RPG Web Profiler - Sample starship sheet

Player's Guide Resources

The Player's Guide is the central book for the entire CODA Star Trek Roleplaying Game. All the information for creating a character, including the various Species, Skills, Professions, and Traits available to create a character.

• Decipher's Player's Guide Preview Images

Character Sheets

• Blue-themed three-sheet character sheet by KillerWhale
• Official Decipher Character Sheet (Printer Friendly)
• Original Decipher Character Sheet (Not Printer Friendly)
• PC Character Sheet ( Print-only and Form versions) by MrZoink
• PC Character Sheet by ???
• PC Character Sheet by Knight
• Star Trek CODA Form 3.2 by Don Mappin
• Two PC Character Sheets by Chris Huth

Character Generation Aids

The character generation process in the Player's Guide is somewhat...disheveled. I found it enormously useful to create a simple, single-sheet summary of the character generation process for CODA Star Trek . Wanting to give it a little bit of visual appeal, I decided to put a watermark in the background. This caused a single sheet to become, well, more than one. There are currently nine variations of this sheet; perhaps more will come later. The glyphs in the watermark are all part of font sets, which is why there's a limited number of them. As I find others with glyphs that appeal to me, I'll probably expand the selection.

It should be noted that, while there are nine different graphics, the sheets all have exactly the same information.

• Borg Symbol (Gray) by Patrick Goodman
• Ferengi Symbol (Orange) by Patrick Goodman
• Klingon Tri-Foil (Red) by Patrick Goodman
• Next Generation Badge (Old-Style, Gold) by Patrick Goodman
• Next Generation Badge (Old-Style, Blue) by Patrick Goodman
• Next Generation Badge (Old-Style, Red) by Patrick Goodman
• Original Series Command Badge (Gold) by Patrick Goodman
• Original Series Operations/Support Badge (Red) by Patrick Goodman
• Original Series Science Badge (Blue) by Patrick Goodman

Other character generation aids that have turned up over the years, which are not produced by me:

• Character Builder 3.5 by Tuan Amith (Windows-based; doesn't incorporate the errata)
• Character Creation Summary by Renny
• Character Generation Summary by D. Holmes
• Star Trek RPG Character Generation Guide by ???

Fan Supplements

• A Divine Treasury of Ferengi Character Options by Steven A. Cook
• A Piece of the Action Expanded Character Generation by Steven A. Cook
• Ex-Borg Background by Tobian
• Klingon Genealogy Questionnaire by Roger L. Taylor II
• Martial Arts Maneuvers (compatible with Starfleet Operations Manual ) by Scott Rhymer
• Shattered Stars Supplement: Fleet Recon Expanded Character Generation by Roger L. Taylor II
• Starfleet Life Support Belt by Geoff Loggans
• Various pieces of Starfleet equipment from the 2250s by Geoff Loggans
• Vulcan Interspecies Exchange Programs by Patrick Goodman

Narrator's Guide Resources

The Narrator's Guide was the second of the core books for Decipher Star Trek RPG released. It's as well-organized as the Player's Guide was disorganized. Loaded with advice on how to run and organize a Star Trek RPG series, as well as the CODA rules system and systems for creating worlds, sectors, starships, creatures, and aliens, the Narrator's Guide is one of the finest GM tools I've ever used in nearly 40 years of gaming.

• Decipher's Narrator's Guide Preview Images
• Missing Original Series Crew Stats by Calastir (PDF put together by Tomcat from Calastir's forum posting)
• Rules crib sheet in color and grayscale by Renny
• Series Profile Sheet (Printer Friendly) recreated by Robert Saint John
• Starship combat crib sheet by Renny
• Starship combat range bar in color and grayscale by Renny

Starships & Starships Resources

This is, by far, the most popular section of this site, and the area that gets the most regular contributions. I've been working on a scheme to get them organized, and for the time being I've settled on sorting them by era/century, and then by the government who designed the ship. I've also separated out the individual starships, which make up most of this section, from the remaining starship resources. Compilations of ships appear with other starship resources in the final subsection.

Individual Starships

• Doomsday Machine by Iltharanos

21st Century

• Earth Ares class survey ship by Somaticon
• Earth BBI series deep space surveyor by Somaticon
• Earth Valiant class surveyor by Somaticon
• Vulcan Vahklas class frigate by Iltharanos

22nd Century

• Andorian Kumari class cruiser by Iltharanos
• Federation Bonaventure class cruiser by Iltharanos
• Federation Daedalus class upgraded light cruiser by Iltharanos
• Federation NX class 2162 refit cruiser by Roger L. Taylor II
• Klingon D2/K2 class bird of prey by Geoff Loggans
• Klingon D4 class heavy scout by Iltharanos
• Klingon D5 class cruiser by Iltharanos
• Klingon D5 class tanker variant by Iltharanos
• Orion interceptor by Iltharanos
• Romulan Bird of Prey class cruiser by Iltharanos
• Romulan drone ship by Iltharanos
• Romulan fighter by Iltharanos
• Suliban Cell Ship fighter by Iltharanos
• Tholian warship by Iltharanos
• United Earth Daedalus class light cruiser by Iltharanos
• United Earth Emmett class starship by Somaticon
• United Earth Intrepid class light cruiser by Iltharanos
• United Earth NC class transport by Iltharanos
• United Earth Neptune class escort by Iltharanos
• United Earth NX class refit cruiser by Iltharanos
• Vulcan D'Kyr class battle cruiser by Iltharanos
• Vulcan Sh'ran class battle cruiser by Iltharanos
• Vulcan Surak class exploratory cruiser by Iltharanos
• Vulcan Tal'Kyr class support ship by Somaticon
• Xindi-Aquatic warship by Iltharanos
• Xindi-Insectoid warship by Iltharanos
• Xindi-Reptilian battle cruiser by Iltharanos

22nd Century (Mirror Universe)

• Terran Empire NX class battle cruiser by Iltharanos

23rd Century

• Federation Aakenn class freighter by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Akula class destroyer by Iltharanos
• Federation Akyazi class light cruiser by Iltharanos
• Federation Andor class cruiser by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Antares class survey ship by Somaticon
• Federation Anton class cruiser by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Ares class battlecruiser by Geoff Loggans
• Federation Baker class destroyer by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Chameleon class survey ship by Somaticon
• Federation Chandley class heavy frigate by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation civilan surveyor by Geogg Loggans
• Federation Cochrane class colonial transport by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Constellation class exploratory cruiser by Don Mappin (now nicely laid out, complete with art; the original version with some developer commentary can be found here )
• Federation Constitution class heavy cruiser by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Constitution class refit heavy cruiser by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Derf class tender by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Detroyat class heavy destroyer by Iltharanos
• Federation Excelsior class battleship by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Federation class dreadnought by Iltharanos
• Federation Greyhound class warp shuttle by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Hermes class scout by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Larson class destroyer by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Liberty class freighter by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Loknar class frigate by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Lotus Flower class tanker by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Miranda class frigate (pre-refit) by Iltharanos
• Federation Mission class courier by Somaticon
• Federation Nelson class scout by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Northampton class frigate by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Okinawa class frigate by Somaticon
• Federation Oracle class intelligence ship by Somaticon
• Federation Pearl class mobile repair facility by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Pulsar class warp shuttle by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Ptolemy class transport/tug by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Pyotr Velikiy class light cruiser by Iltharanos
• Federation Remora class escort by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Saladin class destroyer by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Samson class tug by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Soyuz class frigate by Sonny Smith (aka TheAndorian or CypherWest) - Note: This ship is also part of the "Three Federation Starships" compilation in the last sub-section; you don't need to download this if you've already downloaded the compilation
• Federation/Vulcan Tai class warpshuttle by Somaticon
• Gorn BH-2 class battleship by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Gorn MA-12 class cruiser by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Gorn MD-8 class cruiser by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Gorn SS-3 class destroyer by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Klingon Administrator class gunboat by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Klingon Death Stalker class scout by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Klingon Enforcer class gunboat by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Klingon Ever Victorious class battleship by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Klingon Fat Man class battleship by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Klingon Gull class destroyer by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Klingon Kalath class gunboat by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Klingon Pathmaker class scout by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Klingon Unseen Creeper class surveyor by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Klingon W2 class warp shuttle by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Klingon W4 class warp shuttle by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Klingon Watcher class fast attack gunboat by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Orion Lightning class blockade runner by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Orion Wanderer class blockade runner by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Romulan Bright One class destroyer by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Romulan Gallant Wing class cruiser by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Romulan Nightwing class assault ship/troop transport by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Romulan Nova class battleship by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Romulan Nova class battleship variant by K.G. Carlson ( Starships compatible)
• Romulan Praetor class warp shuttle by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Romulan Ras Lovah class warp shuttle by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Romulan Tal Shaia class battlecruiser by Patrick Goodman
• Romulan Whitewind class battlecruiser by K.G Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Romulan Wing of Vengeance class light cruiser by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Romulan Winged Defender class light cruiser by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Romulan Wings of Justice class troop transport by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)

23rd Century ( Kelvin Alternate Universe)

• Federation Constitution class explorer by Iltharanos
• Federation Kelvin class deep space surveyor by Iltharanos

24th Century

• Bajoran Assault Ship by Iltharanos
• Borg Diamond by Iltharanos
• Borg Probe by Iltharanos
• Borg Transwarp Prototype by Iltharanos
• Cardassian ATR-4107 "Dreadnought" class fast attack ship by Iltharanos
• Cardassian Galor class battlecruiser (Type 3) by Iltharanos
• Cardassian Hideki class escort by Iltharanos
• Cardassian Hutet class battleship by Iltharanos
• Devore Warship by Iltharanos
• Federation Achilles class heavy cruiser by Erahard
• Federation Allegiance class explorer by Roger L. Taylor II
• Federation Ambassador class (Yamaguchi refit) heavy cruiser by Iltharanos
• Federation Cantell class frigate by Erahard
• Federation Challenger class light cruiser by Iltharanos
• Federation Cheyenne class heavy destroyer by Sonny Smith (aka TheAndorian or CypherWest) - Note: This ship is also part of the "Three Federation Starships" compilation in the last sub-section; you don't need to download this if you've already downloaded the compilation
• Federation Decker class destroyer/escort by Roger L. Taylor II
• Federation Discovery class exploratory cruiser by Erahard
• Federation Excalibur class heavy explorer by Iltharanos
• Federation Excelsior class battle cruiser ( USS Lakota refit) by Iltharanos
• Federation Excelsior class battleship (refit) by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Eximius class heavy cruiser by Erahard
• Federation Freedom class heavy destroyer by Iltharanos
• Federation Frontier class tactical cruiser by Roger L. Taylor II
• Federation Galaxy class refit heavy explorer by Brian Kreuzinger
• Federation Hokule'a class heavy destroyer by Sonny Smith (aka TheAndorian or CypherWest)
• Federation Insignia class heavy cruiser by Iltharanos
• Federation Katana class heavy frigate by Erahard
• Federation London class transport by Iltharanos
• Federation Luna class explorer by Cut
• Federation Mars class fighter by Iltharanos
• Federation Merced class escort by Sonny Smith (aka TheAndorian or CypherWest) - Note: This ship is also part of the "Three Federation Starships" compilation in the last sub-section; you don't need to download this if you've already downloaded the compilation
• Federation New Orleans class heavy frigate by Sonny Smith (aka TheAndorian or CypherWest)
• Federation Norway class cruiser by Sonny Smith (aka TheAndorian or CypherWest)
• Federation Nova class refit frigate by Iltharanos
• Federation Ronin class light explorer by Iltharanos
• Federation Saber class light cruiser by Sonny Smith (aka TheAndorian or CypherWest)
• Federation Sovereign class (Enterprise refit) heavy explorer by Iltharanos
• Federation Steamrunner class heavy frigate by Sonny Smith (aka TheAndorian or CypherWest)
• Federation Vesta class heavy explorer by Iltharanos
• Federation Vesta class heavy explorer  by Geoff Loggans
• Federation Vigilant class heavy escort by Iltharanos
• Hirogen destroyer by Iltharanos
• Jem'Hadar Battleship by Iltharanos
• Jem'Hadar V class battleship by Iltharanos
• Jyn Faisha city ship by Roger L. Taylor II
• Jyn Faisha series 6 courier by Roger L. Taylor II
• Kazon Predator class battleship by Iltharanos
• Klingon Qang class battle cruiser by Iltharanos
• Klingon Vor'Cha class battlecruiser by Eric Ross
• Krenim Warship by Iltharanos
• Romulan Algeron class battleship by Iltharanos
• Romulan Cuirass class frigate by Roger L. Taylor II
• Romulan Griffin class cruiser by Brian Kreuzinger
• Romulan Hunter class frigate by Roger L. Taylor II
• Romulan Kerchan class battleship by Iltharanos
• Romulan Maratha class battlecruiser by Roer L. Taylor II
• Talarian Warship by Iltharanos
• Tamarian Darmok class battleship by Iltharanos
• Zalkonian Warship by Iltharanos

24th Century ( Kelvin Alternate Universe)

• Romulan Narada class battleship by Iltharanos

24th Century (Mirror Universe)

• Klingon-Cardassian Regency class battleship by Iltharanos

25th Century

• Federation Ascension class heavy explorer by Geoff Loggans
• Federation Aquarius class armored transport by Geoff Loggans
• Federation Avenger class light cruiser by Iltharanos
• Federation Dynasty class heavy explorer by Patrick Rowe
• Federation Emissary class exploratory cruiser by Iltharanos
• Federation NX-91001 class heavy explorer by Iltharanos
• Federation Odyssey class heavy exploratory cruiser by Geoff Loggans
• Federation Rapier class light cruiser by Felipe Martins
• Federation Shi'Kar class light cruiser by Geoff Loggans

26th Century

• Federation Universe class heavy explorer by Iltharanos (uses expanded rules available below)

31st Century

• Federation Urashima class temporal heavy explorer by Patrick Rowe

Individual Space Stations

• Federation Alamo class defense outpost by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Federation Alamo class defense outpost by Patrick Goodman ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible [coming soon])
• Federation K class medium outpost by Iltharanos
• Federation Watchtower class heavy starbase by Iltharanos
• Klingon Z4 class defense outpost by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Romulan Aviary class defense outpost by K.G. Carlson ( Narrator's Guide or Starships compatible)
• Cardassian repair facility heavy spacedock by Iltharanos
• Jem'Hadar Trelka class heavy defense station by Iltharanos

Compilations & Other Resources

• Additional starship systems for starship construction by Geoff Loggans
• Additional warp drive systems for starship construction by Geoff Loggans
• Expanded Spacecraft Operations by KillerWhale (ZIP file with sourcebook and additional materials)
• Expanded Starship Construction Rules by Iltharanos
• Four Klingon freighters and transports by Somaticon
• Four Vulcan Starships from the 21st and 22nd centuries (D'Kyr, Sh'ran, Surak, and Vahklas classes) by Iltharanos. These starships are also listed individually in the section above.
• Gorn Shipbuilding Guidelines by Geoff Loggans
• Planetary Facilities construction guide by Somaticon
• Prototype Trait Clarifications by Geoff Loggans
• Ships of the Starfleet 2245-2293 by Davy Jones
• Starfleet Lifeboats from several eras by Geoff Loggans
• Starship Basics Cheat Sheet by Darth Sarcastic
• Starship Combat Optional Rule (Propulsion Systems) by Geoff Loggans
• Starship Combat Sheet by KillerWhale
• Starship Creation Aid 3.2.3 by Karg
• Starship Creation Aid 3.4 by Karg, modified by ILikePike
• Starship Maneuver Cards by Tomcat
• Starship Maneuvers compilation by Chris Barnes
• Starship Profiler 2.51 by Matthew Kearns
• Starship Quick Sheets by Tobian
• Starship Record Sheet ( Print-only and Form versions) by MrZoink
• Three Federation Starships (Cheyenne, Merced, and Soyuz classes) by Sonny Smith (aka TheAndorian or CypherWest). These starships are also listed individually in the section above.
• Three Klingon Starships from the 22nd century (D4, D5, and D5 tanker variant) by Iltharanos. These starships are also listed individually in the section above.
• Three Kobayashi Maru designs for different eras by Geoff Loggans
• Two Starbases by Somaticon

Aliens Resources

Many of these are species that have shown up once or twice in Star Trek and then been forgotten. Some are originals from various RPG series. A few of them are non- Trek species that have been adapted from other sources.

Individual Species

• Aesceti by Roger L. Taylor II
• Bijani by Roger L. Taylor II & Rex Rouviere
• Brikar by Roger L. Taylor II & Brian Bailey
• Caitians by Roger L. Taylor
• Daa'Vit by Rogel L. Taylor II
• Denobulans by Patrick Goodman & Don Mappin
• Edoans by Roger L. Taylor II
• Ethaya by Roger L. Taylor II
• Genara by Roger L. Taylor II
• Jyn Faisha by Roger L. Taylor II
• Rihannsu by Roger L. Taylor
• Saeda by Roger L. Taylor II
• Tynari by Roger L. Taylor II
• Alien Compilation 1 by Geoff Loggans
• Alien Compendium 1.0 by Scott Rhymer
• Artilects (Androids and Artificial Intelligences) by Scott Rhymer & Daniel Potter
• Caitians and alternate takes on several other species by Davy Jones

Creatures Resources

Looking for some creatures for this section.

Worlds Resources

Worlds would have been the seventh hardcover release from Decipher, but their behind-the-scenes problems prevented that from ever happening. It was, eventually, released as a PDF-only document.

• System Readout 1.0 star system generation tool by Leo LaDell
• Worlds Preview (Decipher) by Eric Burns, Kenneth A. Hite, and Doug Sun

23rd century

• Be Not Afraid (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Blood and Honor, Part 3: Burdens of Proof (Klingons) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Edge of the Abyss (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Homefront (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• The Intruders (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II

23rd Century (Alternate Universe)

• Discovery on Saldana IV (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• All the King's Horses (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Decipher - Ordeal on Gamma Elster IV (Quick Start Rules/Adventure) (Starfleet) by Doug Sun (now with rules-legal pregenerated characters, with additional pregenerated characters by Chris Huth)
• Decipher - Perdition's Flames (includes maps) (Starfleet) by Doug Burke & Don Mappin
• Decipher - Pieces of You (Starfleet/Bajoran) by Dave Biggins
• Decipher - The Crusoe Effect (Starfleet) by Dave Biggins
• The Icarus Effect (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• The Sentinel Mini-Campaign (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• The Shattered Stars Campaign Setting Narrator's Guide by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 01 - Legacy (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 02 - Ring of Fire (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 03 - Fool's Errand (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 04 - The Taste of Ashes (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 05 - Ascendancy (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 06 - At What Price Peace? (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 07 - Unauthorized Entry (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 08 - Border Run (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 09 - Frostbite (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 10 - Echoes of a Tattered Past (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 11 - Fracture Lines (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 12 - Conflict of Interest (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 13 - The Tomb Raiders (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 14 - Borderline (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II
• Shattered Stars 15 - Sins Darker Than Night (Starfleet) by Roger L. Taylor II

Other Fan Publications & Resources

• Boomers and Merchant Captains by Somaticon
• Enterprise Sourcebook (Black & White) or (Color) by Space Cadet et al
• Enterprise Sourcebook (Unreleased by Decipher) by Don Mappin
• House Rules by Georg Witrisal
• House Rules by IKI
• House Rules by Jason Carroll
• House Rules by K.G. Carlson
• Insurrection Supplement by Sonny Smith (aka TheAndorian or CypherWest)
• Nemesis Supplement by Sonny Smith (aka TheAndorian or CypherWest)
• Through A Glass Darkly: The Mirror Universe Preview (Decipher) by Matthew Colville, Kenneth Hite, Steven S. Long, Don Mappin, Christian Moore, and Owen Seyler

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Continuing Mission

A Fan Site for the Star Trek Adventures RPG by Modiphius

Various Ways to Handle Ship Combat in Your Star Trek Adventures RPG

Welcome to another great discussion for all you gamemasters and players looking to elevate your game in Star Trek Adventures RPG !

We have a fantastic topic: easing players into starship combat. We see a lot of questions online from new GMs and players trying to understand the ship combat rules for Star Trek Adventures . Time to share ideas on how to ease people into a starship combat scenario.

Leaning Into the Narrative

I like a more narrative-focused game, though I appreciate mechanics. The big fleet battles in the Dominion War and Wolf 359 in the Deep Space Nine show are great examples of combining narrative with combat. These scenes focus on character moments amidst the combat, such as what the crew is doing on the bridge. It’s important to note that GMs and players don’t have to use the rules as written; you can narrate around the mechanics and get creative.

Simplifying Starship Combat

When it comes to ship combat, it’s crucial to consider the narrative. Here are some tips:

• Character Moments : Determine if the battle is about character moments. If so, you might not need extensive ship-to-ship combat rolls. Instead, focus on the narrative and simplify the mechanics.
• Fleet Battles : If it’s a Dominion-level Fleet battle, modify the rules to treat it more like a tactical exercise. You can use 2D20 dice to represent larger-scale tactics .
• One-on-One Battles : For a one-on-one ship battle, decide the goal. Is it to showcase how systems go down and how characters handle workarounds and jury rigs? Tailor the mechanics accordingly.

Treating the Ship as a Character

Think of the ship as another character in your game. Each player has access to the ship and can use it as a tool. If you’re introducing ship combat for the first time, start with a one-on-one ship battle to give players a chance to see the different actions they can take.

Using Narrative to Guide Mechanics

Encourage players to describe their actions creatively. Instead of asking if they can do something, have them explain what they want to do and then guide them through the mechanics. This approach keeps the narrative flowing and makes the game more engaging.

Preparing for Ship Combat

Preparation is key. Ensure characters have access to cards or resources that outline their actions during ship combat. This helps prevent analysis paralysis and keeps the game moving smoothly.

Making Ship Combat Exciting

Use the narrative to enhance ship combat. Describe the scene, the stakes, and the character moments. For example, if a ship takes a hit, narrate the impact and how the crew reacts. This approach keeps the game immersive and exciting.

Handling Fleet Battles

For large Fleet battles, consider treating them like a game of Risk . Use D6 dice to represent ships and handle combat on a larger scale. This approach simplifies the mechanics while still conveying the intensity of a large-scale battle.

Simplifying Ship-to-Ship Combat

For simpler ship-to-ship combat, focus on the narrative and use the Captain’s Log mechanics. Roll on a random table to determine the impact of hits and create complications for the crew to handle. This method keeps the game narrative-driven and less bogged down by mechanics.

Star Trek Adventures offers a flexible system that allows GMs and players to tailor the game to their preferences. Whether you prefer detailed mechanics or a more narrative approach, there’s a way to make ship combat exciting and engaging for your group. By focusing on character moments, preparing adequately, and using creative narration, you can enhance your Star Trek Adventures RPG and make every session memorable.

Keep exploring, and may your adventures in the final frontier be filled with excitement and discovery!

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Every way critical role made me better at baldur’s gate 3.

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• Watching Critical Role improved my understanding of D&D 5e rules used in Baldur's Gate 3.
• Critical Role's storytelling driven by dice rolls inspired me to become more involved in TTRPGs.
• Because of Critical Role, I understood several mistakes I was making in my first few hours of Baldur's Gate 3.

I got significantly better Baldur’s Gate 3 because of Critical Role , despite knowing how to play the game since launch. The award-winning turn-based RPG by Larian Studios uses the rules of Dungeons and Dragons ’ fifth edition (popularly referred to as 5e) and so do most of the campaigns on the tabletop roleplaying show – the group has been moving away from 5e, as demonstrated by the creation of the Illuminated Worlds and Daggerheart TTRPG systems for Critical Role . I knew of Critical Role and even had a chance to interview them before the release of The Legend of Vox Machina .

However, I was not involved in their campaigns and was not a critter (the term is used to describe fans of Critical Role ). However, playing through Baldur’s Gate 3 at launch left me wanting to roll dice night and day. Most of the game’s systems are determined by dice rolls, even if not actively. Some of the major outcomes in the story are decided by the player’s active roll and that feeling of landing a successful natural 20 or a world-ending nat 1 always left me wanting more. That’s when I decided to visit my interviewees’ popular TTRPG channel.

Brennan Lee Mulligan Breaks Down Critical Role: Downfall, His Inspirations & Dream Final Calamity Story

Brennan Lee Mulligan talks inspirations for Critical Role: Downfall, how its story is the antithesis to Calamity, and his dream final Calamity arc.

I Started Watching Critical Role Because Of Baldur’s Gate 3

I felt an urge for deep storytelling driven by dice rolls.

Feeling the urge to continue witnessing great stories unfold, determined by the randomness of dice like in Baldur’s Gate 3 , I jumped into Critical Role ’s channel on YouTube and started campaign 3, Bells Hells. The story was well underway and I had dozens of four-hour episodes to catch up with, but I was immediately grasped by their storytelling abilities – and further immersed by the actor-players’ talents to play their roles . It was a matter of a single Bells Hells episode to get me enthralled and consider myself a critter. When not working and playing BG3 , I’d just watch Critical Role .

It did not take me long to catch up with the story of Bells Hells and then start watching them weekly. Not satisfied with having to wait, I retroactively started the second campaign, The Mighty Nein , and several other spin-offs, like Candela Obscura and the most recent Menagerie stories. While becoming a critter is a topic of its own, the fact is that hundreds of hours of Critical Role actually made me a better Baldur’s Gate 3 player. This is because I was simply unaware of DnD ’s 5e rules, the pillar that has sustained most of CR ’s campaigns.

Critical Role Taught Me DnD 5e Rules That Helped Me In Baldur’s Gate 3

The award-winning rpg’s mechanics aren’t always made clear.

After hundreds of hours of the TTRPG show on YouTube, several of the mechanics from BG3 started making a lot more sense. There were aspects of the video game that I had misunderstood or not completely grasped, and those were now clear as day. Having witnessed the group of actors use 5e rules on a near-daily basis had me quickly understand how the minutiae of the game worked . A great example of my early faulted understanding of the game’s mechanics was near the beginning of the story, right on the outskirts of the Githyanki Crèche in Baldur’s Gate 3 .

For reference, I had not played a single TTRPG since middle school, which is why I was so outdated.

Before heading down into the Giths’ lair, you can find a nest of eagles on the rooftop. By talking to them, I understood that they were simply trying to survive, but when I approached them, I initiated combat. Not wanting to kill them, I was desperately trying to Disengage with Astarion so that the battle would end and I could leave. Of course, this did not work. By watching Nott use Disengage on Critical Role , I understood what that same action meant in Baldur’s Gate 3 – I would simply be able to move without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Another embarrassing yet funny example of how the TTRPG show taught me to be a better player was by setting the distinction between Action and Bonus Action. I remember running the campaign and, at moments, asking why I could not use specific moves or attacks as actions or bonus actions , accordingly, and getting somewhat frustrated since I believed Bonus Action was simply a second set of actions I could take after my initial attack in Baldur’s Gate 3 , without restrictions. I also learned by watching Critical Role ’s Ashton and Yasha, why Karlach’s Rage would suddenly drop in a fight.

Why Critical Role Should Move Away From D&D 5e For Its Next Campaign

With the controversy that D&D seems to always finds itself in, and a new TTRPG system on the way, should Critical Role leave for its next campaign?

Rage, of course, is a Bonus Action used in combat that vanishes if the Barbarian is not trying to attack or is hit throughout their turn. As such, activating Rage for Karlach while she was far away and spending her entire turn trying to reach enemies without actually engaging in combat would result in Rage being dropped, something I did not understand. Because of Critical Role ’s campaigns, I also started to better comprehend AC and why Shadowheart’s attacks would never land. The list of the small details in BG3 that I learned or perfected because of Critical Role is large .

Over hundreds of hours, I also learned that Critical Role is not the best source for DnD -heavy gameplay mechanics. The group of actors takes of lot of liberties when it comes to gameplay, mainly for the sake of narrative. This is not a problem, per si, since they get a chance to make their stories denser and more appealing, but I’ve learned that some straight-laced players dislike it. Regardless, the DnD 5e rules I learned from Critical Role put me on the right path to learning and becoming a better Baldur’s Gate 3 player.

This is also somewhat the game’s own fault. BG3 is a mechanic-heavy game because DnD ’s 5e is also mechanic-heavy. The problem is that the game does not explain a lot of its gameplay mechanics and somewhat expects all of its players to already know 5e rules or to learn them on the go. It is intuitive enough for you to finish the entire campaign without fully understanding 5e rules – I got to Act 3 before starting to watch Critical Role – but a more active tutorial for Baldur’s Gate 3 players unaccustomed to 5e rules would be very helpful.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Made One Huge Class Change That D&D Needs To Adopt

Baldur’s Gate 3 makes quite a few changes when adapting Dungeons & Dragons 5e into a video game, and there’s a warlock change the TTRPG should adopt.

Even with this issue, BG3 is still well-tailored enough for players to go through the majority of its campaign and experience its great storytelling capabilities. Having both played Larian’s RPG and watched hundreds of hours of Critical Role , I became fascinated with TTRPGs and dice. The two very distinct entertainment products triggered my curiosity and set me looking toward more systems, trying to fix up groups of friends for one-shots, and, of course, heavily awaiting the sequel to Baldur’s Gate 3 , if there ever is one.

Source: YouTube/Critical Role

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[Recommend] Spaceship combat systems?

• Thread starter DeathbyDoughnut
• Start date Feb 19, 2019

DeathbyDoughnut

A meat robot.

• Feb 19, 2019

Looking to run a scifi game that will have space ship combat, what's your favorite rules light to medium space ship combat rules? I was thinking of using X-Wing tabletop game. But happy to entertain other suggestions. I haven't decided which rpg system I am using for the rest of the campaign. I do know that I want to use a separate combat system for space battles.  

Tantavalist

Validated user.

Divorcing the RPG core system from a major part of the game seems like a bit of an odd decision. How will player skills translate into effects on the X-Wing tabletop? Since the PCs are going to be aboard a single ship, is there a job for everyone or will some of the players be shifting to "Sit and Watch others play" mode every time a starship combat begins? Something you need to understand is that what makes a good starship combat system in a wargame isn't automatically good for an RPG. All the players are aboard a single starship which probably forms the core of a campaign; losing that ship means a TPK and/or the end of the campaign. Most wargames won't give a PC ship the sort of Plot Immunity they'd need to avoid that. Whatever system you use, make sure that there's something for everyone to do in space battles and that the ship can't get wiped out by a single really bad roll. My current personal favourite system for RPG starship battles is Star Trek Adventures. Some people just don't seem to like the 2d20 system though, and since it's tailored specifically toward Star Trek then you'd need to do some conversion for anything else.  

Silent Death could probably be used with an rpg. Each crewperson has a pilot and/or a gunner skill of 1-10, so there would be room for differentiation between characters. It is best for starfighters up to 4-5 crew, but there are rules for small ships of up to a couple of dozen crew. https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/156598/Silent-Death-The-Next-Millennium?term=Silent+death  

Tantavalist said: Something you need to understand is that what makes a good starship combat system in a wargame isn't automatically good for an RPG. Click to expand...

Fragged Empires has a fun starship system. The system is based on tags, which allows the characters to build the starship to their preference. Obtaining a starship system is based on Influence instead of a cash and is fairly easy to exchange for a ship of equal value, if the players don't like their current starship choices.  

Tantavalist said: Something you need to understand is that what makes a good starship combat system in a wargame isn't automatically good for an RPG. All the players are aboard a single starship which probably forms the core of a campaign; losing that ship means a TPK and/or the end of the campaign. Most wargames won't give a PC ship the sort of Plot Immunity they'd need to avoid that. Click to expand...

• Feb 20, 2019

Warbirds could work, if you use the Space expansion. It mostly depends on what sort of combat it is - if it's capital ship against capital ship as the focus don't use it, but fighter squadrons with the occasional capital ship mixed in? That's where it shines.  

Active member

Star Trek Adventures is awesome. The Exodus System Sci-Fi SRd has a really easy starship creation and customization system (works very much like chargen, takes a few minutes for a hero ship). Lots of tactical options.  

Tachyon Squadron is a Fate game with a solid rules light system for spaceship fighter aces combat. It abstracts the battle into an initiative track with a few different options for combat that capture a lot of the situations in ace fighter combat like you might see in BSG or like Star Wars: Rogue Squadron things. If you are already a fan of using X Wing for this, you might not like its abstract nature so much though.  

Do you want space fantasy cinematic combat - Star Wars like with fighters performing like aircraft but in space, non-Newtonian movement, no heat management issues etc, or there is the more 'realistic' ship combat like you see in the Expanse where at least some thought has gone into real world physics. Will you be running the ship combats as a tabletop wargame or is it to be role played?