Savage Worlds: Star Trek - Part I

“It has been four years since the Treaty of Bajor was signed. Millions had died in the Dominion War, and power in the Alpha Quadrant has shifted dramatically.

The Klingon Empire is in tatters. Starfleet Intelligence believes that they will need to spend the better part of a decade to rebuild, both militarily and economically. The better part of a generation was lost in battle, but this was not a first for the Klingon Empire, and they will return.

The Cardassian Union bore the brunt of the final battle, both against the combined forces of the Allies , and then the wrath of the Dominion when they rebelled. Cardassia is in ruins, with over half of her population lost in the carnage of those final days. The Cardassians may prove to be a friend to the Federation, or they may fall into old habits.

The Romulan Star Empire has retreated inward to lick its wounds now that the alliance is no longer of use to them. If history is our guide, they will also return, on their own terms.

The Breen were unexpected, they emerged as both a military and technology powerhouse capable of standing toe-to-toe with us during the war. They have also retreated back to their worlds, and we have no better understanding of them now then when we first encountered them.

The Borg… Well they should be preoccupied with other matters for awhile...

This brings us to the Federation, and to you ,the first Starfleet Academy graduating class since the end of the war.

You have come of age in a time that has proven our weakness. The Federation, for all of our lofty ideals, for all of our peaceful intentions failed due to complacency.

We have lost the best of Starfleet. We have taken terrible losses across many of our worlds, including right here in San Francisco.

This is our second chance.

We will require more of you than of any prior graduating class.

Some of you will be taking command of vessels directly after this ceremony, this is...almost… unheard of.

Desperate times sometimes require desperate measures, and these are desperate times.

Remember your training, remember your duty and remember the lessons earned with the blood of those who came before you.”

-Admiral Janeway Starfleet Academy 2379 Commencement

Setting Rules

• Born a Hero - Ignore rank requirements on character creation.
• Conviction - Conviction is obtained by living up to one’s ideals or acts of great sacrifice.
• Multiple Languages
• Arcane Background: Psionics is available to select races, but cannot be selected after character creation barring in game events.
• Arcane Background: Starfleet Engineer is available to those who are Starfleet Engineers.

Races

Species	Background
Andorians	"Let your woes become your deadliest weapons." Warrior Born: Andorians begin with Strength of d6 and can raise Strength to d12+1. Heart of Ice: The Andorians come from a frozen world, and have +4 versus cold environmental effects or damage. Unfortunately they are equally vulnerable to heat, suffering a -4 to resist environmental effects and a +4 to damage.
Humans	“The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.” As SWADE
Vulcan	“When you eliminate the impossible whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” Forged on Vulcan: Vulcan is inhospitable, and the Vulcan people are quite physically powerful compared to the galactic average. Vulcans begin with a Strength of d8 and may raise this to d12+2. Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations: This key element of Vulcan philosophy means that violence is a last resort to Vulcans. Logic Dictates…: Vulcans suffer a -2 to Persuasion or Intimidation trait tests outside of Academic, Engineering or Scientific environments. Ancient Rituals: Vulcans are eligible to acquire Arcane Background[Psionics], but this must be done at character creation.
Klingons	“Death is an experience best shared” Two of Everything - Klingons have a frightening amount of biological redundancy, duplicate organs, duplicate heart chambers and a proven ability to take damage that would fell members of other races. Klingon characters begin with a Vigor of d6, and may increase it to d12+1. Additionally, Size and Toughness are +1 and are considered to have a Strength die type one higher for purposes of encumbrance.

Federation Training Packages

All Starfleet Personnel begin with a d4 in Shooting, Electronics, Notice, Persuasion and Piloting.

Additional ‘steps’ are gained based on which Division they choose. These bumps are not limited by attribute.

All Starfleet Personnel also begin with the Hinderance Obligation(Major): Starfleet

Operations - (Engineering & Security)

Trait: Raise one of the following by one die-step: Smarts or Vigor

Select a package to reflect your work in security or engineering.

Starfleet Security

Edges (Pick one at creation)

Tip of the Spear

Requirements: Starfleet Security

Starfleet security has its share of nay-sayers, but one thing that cannot be argued is that they almost always see the danger before anyone else, and leap into action (and often certain death.) During the very first round of combat, you may swap your Initiative card for that of any other character with a successful Battle Trait check. With a Raise you may choose to swap someone else’s Initiative and not your own.

Look out Sir!: 

Requirements: Starfleet Security

Once per encounter, the Security officer may throw herself in harm’s way and take damage intended for someone within 6 yards of her. The original damage inflicted is applied instead to the Officer, and the target of her protection is knocked prone.

Skills: 8 steps between Notice, Fighting, Battle, Shooting, Stealth and Intimidation

Starfleet Engineer

Edges (Pick one at creation)

Arcane Background [Starfleet Engineer]

Requirements: Starfleet Engineer

This functions as the Weird Science Arcane Background in SWADE. Trappings are always mechanical/electrical/warp field manipulation in nature.

We’ve only got 5 minutes…

Requirements: Starfleet Engineer

Starfleet Engineers are at their best when their Captains are at their worst. You may reroll one roll at a +2 when participating in a Dramatic Task relating to Engineering functions.

Skills:  8 steps between Fighting, Electronics, Hacking, Science, Repair , and Research.

Command - ( Leadership and Tactical)

Trait: Raise one of the following by one die-step: Spirit or Agility

Select one of the paths below to reflect your training in command or tactical operation.

Command Officer

Edges (Pick one at creation)

Make it so!

Requirements: Starfleet Command Officer

Starfleet’s command staff are known for their dedication and ability to get things done, often with just a word. You get a +2 to Persuasion and Intimidation rolls.

Peacebroker

Requirements: Starfleet Command Officer

When the Officer draws a Joker, she may make an impassioned plea to suspend the Conflict for a minute. If anyone on the Officer’s side initiates hostility, this truce ends and new initiative is dealt.

Skills: 8 steps between Persuasion, Pilot, Battle, Language, Notice and Science

Tactical/Flight Control Officer

Edges (Pick one at creation)

Manual Guidance

Requirements: Tactical/Flight Control Officer

No multi-action penalty for using two vehicle weapons systems in the same round or if using one system, always acts as if an aim maneuver has been performed.

Ace

Requirements: Tactical/Flight Control Officer

As per SWADE Core rules.

Skills: 8 steps between Notice,Shoot, Pilot, Battle, Science and Electronics.

Science - ( Science and Medical)

Trait: Raise one of the following by one die-step: Smarts or Spirit

Select one of the paths below to reflect your training in medicine or the sciences:

Science Officer

Edges (Pick one at creation)

SWAG

Requirements: Starfleet Science Officer

A Starfleet Science officer’s ‘best guess’ is better than the focused research of many of their non-Starfleet scientific contemporaries. Science Officers have a +2 to all Science rolls.

Proving a Theory

Requirements: Starfleet Science Officer

When working through a Dramatic Task, Science Officers may reroll any failed Science roll, but must take the second result.

Skills: 8 steps between Notice, Science, Electronics, Academics, Repair and Healing.

Medical Officer

Edges (Pick one at creation)

Don’t touch that goo!

Requirements: Medical Officer

Part of Starfleet’s mission of exploration inevitably involves boldly contracting diseases that no man has contracted before. Starfleet medical officers have a +2 to Science rolls relating to pathology and to Healing rolls.

He’s (Not) Dead Jim!

Requirements: Medical Officer

You can perform a Healing action if adjacent to a character,and if successful, to bring them back from death once per encounter. With a Raise they are no longer incapacited, without a Raise they are, but at least they are alive.  

Skills: 8 steps between Notice, Science, Electronics, Survival, Healing and Persuasion.

Ranks

At character creation, each player selects a Rank. Typically most characters will be LT. Commander, with one Commander and one Captain.

If the ship is Frigate sized, the highest rank will be Commander.

Ensign (-), Lt (d4), Lt Commander (d6), Commander (d8), Captain (d10)

The Rank acts as the Wealth system for Star Trek (SWADE Pg. 145) and represents that character’s ability to requisition items through appropriate channels.

Other cultures may or may not recognize this depending on trade relations with the Federation.

While Rank has its privileges, it also has its risks.

Your Rank determines to what degree you are held accountable for the success or failure of your mission, as well as any Directive violations that occurred under your command.

Demerits

• Violations of minor protocol 1
• Disobeying an order without cause 5

• Crew under command die under command  1 per 50
• Combat without Diplomacy 5
• Order Failed 5
• Ship is lost 10
• Prime Directive Violation/Treaty Violation 20
• Per Reprimand on record 1

Merits

• Each order accomplished  -7
• Diplomatic engagement -5
• Reminding Senior Officers of potential violations -2
• Rescued -2 per 10
• Strategic Gain for the Federation (GM discretion) -10
• Per Commendation on record 1

After the mission each crewmember rolls their rank dice and adds the Merits/Demerits to it. The dice do not explode.

20 - Summoned for Courts Martial/If CO, stripped of Ship Command

18 - Reduction in rank

10 - Formal Reprimand added to record

-5 - Formal Commendation

-10 - Considered for Promotion

Example:

Captain Drake’s last mission ended with his ship, the BonVoyage, being destroyed by two Klingon vessels after he entered the Neutral Zone.

His orders were to map stellar anomalies, which was completed before his mad dash into the Neutral Zone.

Given he mapped the stellar anomalies, he gets -7, the fact that he violated a treaty (20), lost his ship (10) and had 150 of his crewmembers die (3) means that he will be rolling his Command die (d10) + 26. No matter what he rolls, he is getting Reprimanded, reduced in rank and will be summoned before a formal Court Martial.

Lt Johnson was the Tactical Officer of the BonVoyage. He gets credit for the order being achieved (-7), he did notify the Captain that they would be in breach of Treaty (-2) and nobody under his command died. He will roll his command dice of d4 - 9. It is possible that he may get a commendation, but it is also possible, albeit less likely that he will be viewed much less favorably .