Strange New Worlds

Game Hacking by Dave Chalker

Development Assistance by Josh Drobina

Powered by the Apocalypse engine by Vincent Baker

With many thanks to multiple crews of playtesters

Download Strange New Worlds Public Beta (PDF) | Download Strange New Worlds Blank Playbook (PDF)

Jump to: Introduction | GM Hard Moves | Mission | Basic Moves | Ship Playbook | The Captain | The XO | The Chief Engineer | Tactical Officer | Chief Medic | Operations Officer | Science Officer

What is Strange New Worlds?

Strange New Worlds is a hack of Apocalypse World/Powered by the Apocalypse inspired by Star Trek and similar fiction. Star Trek itself is owned in parts by a variety of massive corporations, so this document is as unofficial as you can get. It’s kind of like Star Trek RPG fanfiction.

Along those lines, this isn’t a full RPG document. Since it won’t be officially published in its current form, the game’s text assumes you already know the basics of Powered by the Apocalypse World games. (You make moves, you roll 2d6 plus the appropriate stat. On a 10+, you do it, on a 7-9 you do it but there’s a cost, on a 6-, the GM makes a Hard Move.) It also incorporates a few things from other games, especially Dungeon World.  I’ll go over the big changes below.

Since Strange New Worlds is Powered by the Apocalypse, it doesn’t handle games where a hyper-competent crew solves issues and everyone follows orders to the letter. It handles Star Trek-ish games where events snowball out of control on a mission, for the crew to come together and solve it by the end.

And just to try and cover my bases up front: no infringement is intended on anything Star Trek, no infringement is intended for anything taken from Apocalypse World or another Powered by the Apocalypse game. All the other words are mine, but feel free to use it and modify to play, and if you have any questions you can reach me at dave@critical-hits.com or @DaveTheGame on Twitter.

How Do Crewmembers Work?

Everyone grabs a playbook, which show the different roles on the ship. From there, the first thing you do is pick a Descriptor. The Descriptors are a brief summation of the character’s personality, background, etc. The Descriptor gives what stats you’ll fill in on your playbook to begin the game. Descriptors are unique among a crew: you can only have one crewmember that is a Warrior, one that is a Hotshot, etc.

Even though some Descriptors are more tied in the fiction with certain alien species than others, there are no restrictions. If you want your Klingon to be Logical, or your Vulcan to be Passionate, you are completely allowed. The game rules do not assign any special abilities to what species you play: it only matters in the way the players and GM describe the moves. Descriptors do give each crewmember a way to gain an extra XP at the end of a session.

After you pick Descriptor and fill in the appropriate stats, the playbook will also tell you a certain number of choices to make based on the playbook.

Be sure to also circle a choice on each line for the crewmember’s look. During this time, you may also want to discuss among the crew what era (and relatedly, what stardate) the game will take place in. A sample blank sheet for any playbook is available for download.

Ship Playbook

After each crewmember has filled out their playbook and introduced themselves, the Captain will take the Ship Playbook and make a few choices of improvements. Then, the ship needs a starship class (either pick one from the fiction or make one up) and name the ship. A collaborative captain will work with the crew to make these choices; an authoritative captain will make all the choices.

The ship lists the base systems plus any improvements. Each system has a box that shows if the system is online or offline: everything defaults to online. The ship also has Harm boxes that show how much damage it can take until it is destroyed.

If no one takes the Captain playbook, the rest of the crew and GM work together to come up with the Captain and make all appropriate decisions.

Advantage/Disadvantage

Instead of bonuses and penalties to rolls (including Ongoing and Forward), Strange New Worlds uses Advantage and Disadvantage. (Thanks to Rob Donoghue for showing me this mechanism for his Dungeon World game.)

When you have Advantage on a roll, instead of rolling 2d6, roll 3d6 and take the two highest. When you have Disadvantage on a roll, instead of rolling 2d6, roll 3d6 and take the two lowest. Any amount of Advantage and Disadvantage cancel each other out and just work as a standard roll. Multiple sources of Advantage and Disadvantage don’t do anything extra.

Through the course of play, crewmembers might take a debility. That gives Disadvantage to any roll that uses that stat until addressed.

XP and Advancement

Whenever a crewmember makes a roll and the result is 6-, in addition to the result, the crewmember marks XP. When the XP boxes fill up, the crewmember takes another option from the playbook and erases all the previous marks. There are also XP opportunities at the end of the mission (see End of Mission below.)

GM Hard Moves

• Separate them
• Capture someone
• Put someone in a spot
• Trade harm for harm
• Inflict harm
• Announce off-screen badness
• Announce future badness
• Take away stuff
• Deactivate a system
• Activate a downside
• Offer an opportunity, with or without cost
• Turn their move back on them
• Make a threat move (from a front)
• After every move: “what do you do?”

Start of Mission: Captain’s Log

At the start of the session, pick an appropriate stardate for the era you’re playing in. (Don’t get caught up too much in continuity.)

If you’re making the game up on the spot, ask a few questions to determine the mission you’re on. Write the answers in the prompt below. There’s a standard starting set of questions: feel free to add or change these as appropriate, or give the question to a different crewmember.

• To the Science Officer or OPS Officer: Whose system is this?
• To the CO: What is your mission here?
• To the Tactical Officer: There have been reports of a hostile force in this sector. Who is it?
• To the XO: What was your previous mission?
• To the Medical Officer: How did it go?
• To the Chief Engineer: What are the lasting effects on the ship?

“Captain’s Log, Star Date ________(date). After the __________________________________ (previous mission) where we __________________________________________ (how did it go), we’ve arrived in the _____________ (system). Our mission here is _____________________________________________________ (mission). Starfleet Command says that there have been reports of ______________ (enemy) in the area, and since the ship is still __________________________ (lasting effects), I hope we will not run into any excess complications on this mission.”

After the prompt is filled in, give it to the Captain or ranking officer to read to start the session.

End of Mission

At the end of the mission, each crewmember reads out their Descriptor and says whether they think they hit it or not. If they did, they mark an XP.

Then, the GM asks the following questions of the group. For each one to which the answer is yes, each crewmember marks an XP.

• Did you explore strange new worlds?
• Did you seek out new life and new civilizations?
• Did you boldly go where no one has gone before?

Stuff to Make Later

• Explicit discussions of the principles
• Alternate ship playbooks for Space Stations, Colonies, etc.
• New playbooks for less common options like The Bartender, The Prodigy, The Counselor, The Spy
• Example NPC ships
• More moves for playbooks
• More descriptors for playbooks
• Really awesome-looking playbooks

Basic Moves

Open Fire! (War)

When you use force to attempt to damage, capture, or disable another creature or ship, roll +War. On a 10+, choose two options. On a 7-9, choose one.

• You suffer little harm
• You inflict terrible harm
• You rattle, stun or disable a system of your target
• You take definite hold of what you want

Open a Channel (Peace)

When you make contact in an attempt to discuss, negotiate, or come to terms, roll +Peace. On 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 2. While you’re interacting with them, spend the holds to ask questions.

• Is your character hiding something?
• What are your character’s cultural differences with mine?
• What does your character intend to do?
• What does your character wish I would do?
• How can I get your character to ______?
• How can I avoid offending/upsetting/annoying your character?

Go Boldly (Duty)

When you need to react or perform in a difficult situation, relying on your training and reaction time, roll +Duty. On a 10+, you do it. On a 7-9, you flinch, hesitate, or stall: you will be offered a worse outcome, hard bargain, an ugly choice.

Issue Orders (Rank)

When you issue orders to a character who falls under your chain of command to perform a task on your behalf, roll +Rank. If it is an NPC, on a 10+ they follow your orders to the best of their ability. You may reproduce another move this way, but the best they can do is the 7-9 result. On a 7-9, in addition to the effect happening, the GM chooses one:

• They require something in exchange, like concrete reassurance of safety or promise of recognition.
• You reflect poorly on the crew: take Disadvantage Forward on your next Issue Orders.
• They panic, choke, or otherwise don’t do the job entirely as expected.

If you issue orders to another PC in a difficult situation who falls under your chain of command, on a 10+, the crewmember takes Advantage Forward on their roll if they choose to follow the order. On a 7-9, the crewmember can follow the order with no bonus, or disobey the order and mark experience.

In either case, on a 6-, the order was the wrong call, and you both suffer the repercussions.

Spout Technobabble (Explore)

When you use your expertise to speak out about a scientific principle at work or recall information from a database, roll +Explore. On a 10+, the GM will tell you about it. (You can name the phenomena, if applicable.) On a 7-9, the GM will only tell you something interesting about it, it’s on you to make it useful.

Perform a Scan (Explore)

When you perform a scan, choose wide band or narrow band and roll +Explore. On a 10+, hold 2. On a 7-9, hold 1. As long as you can interpret the data, spend hold to ask any of the following questions.

• What are the properties of this area?
• What are the immediate dangers?
• What here is useful to me?
• What kind of lifesigns are present?
• What just happened here?
• What should I be on the lookout for?

Supplementary Moves

Brace for Impact

When your ship takes Harm that is not absorbed by Shields, the bridge officer in charge rolls +Rank. On a 10+, the bridge sprays harmless sparks and the bridge crew rocks back and forth. On a 7-9, choose 1 from the list below. On a 6-, choose 2.

• Shields or another key system go offline and will require extensive repairs.
• Multiple crew casualties inflicted (Disadvantage ongoing to Issue Orders until resolved)
• Bridge takes damage, inflicting equal Harm on a member of the bridge crew.
• Hull breaches on multiple decks- increase Harm to the ship inflicted by 1.

Initiate Self-Destruct Sequence

A command officer may roll +Rank to initiate the self-destruct sequence. On a 10+, there is enough time left for most crew to get to escape pods. On a 7-9, the self-destruct sequence will require multiple officers to pull off correctly, or will need to happen quickly. On a 6-, the self-destruct sequence is offline.

Starship Playbook

Name and Class:

Systems

• Phasers (base Harm 2) [ ]
• Torpedoes (base Harm 3, taken offline on a Miss) [ ]
• Primary Shields (base Shields 2) [ ]
• Secondary Shields (base Shields 1, does not stack) [ ]
• Sensors / cannot perform a scan or transport [ ]
• Transporters / cannot transport [ ]
• Communications / cannot Open a Channel [ ]
• Life Support / crew must Go Boldly before taking any other action. On a miss, they pass out. [ ]
• Impulse Engines / ship cannot move [ ]
• Warp Drive / ship cannot go to warp [ ]
• Main Power [ ] & Auxiliary Power [ ] / all other systems go offline until repaired

Harm to Hull: [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

(Harm dealt – Shields = harm to hull. See also Brace for Impact special move.)

Refit Improvements

• +1 Harm for Phasers
• +1 Harm for Torpedos
• +1 Shields for Primary Shields
• Armor: Add two extra points of Harm to the ship
• Redundant Systems: Choose a system. It must go down twice to be offline
• Specialized Crew: Take an Explore or War move from an unused playbook. Anyone on the ship can use that move
• The ship can cloak
• The ship is extra fast, both at impulse and warp

Mission Improvements

• The ship’s database is extra-extensive and contains knowledge from many worlds
• The ship houses a variety of civilian crew in addition to the military one
• The ship can separate into multiple parts
• The ship has a variety of holographic capabilities
• The ship has improved Shuttles
• The ship’s crew has a number of officers who know each other from previous assignments

Shuttle Stats

• Phasers (1 Harm), Shields (1 Shields), Sensors, Transporters, Communications, Life Support, Warp Drive, Impulse, Main Power
• 3 power slots, each of which controls 3 systems of your choice. [ ] [ ] [ ]

Crew Playbooks

The Captain

• Career (War +0, Peace +0, Duty +1, Explore +0, Rank +3) If you did something for the mission that forced you to improvise against your better judgment, mark experience.
• Passionate (War +1, Peace +1, Duty +0, Explore -1, Rank +3). If your willingness to take risks put you into a dangerous situation, mark experience.
• Maternal/Paternal (War -1, Peace +1, Duty +1, Explore +0, Rank +3). If you gave major advice or opportunity to a crewmember so they could improve, mark experience.
• Diplomatic (War -2, Peace +2, Duty +0, Explore +0, Rank +3). If you forge a significant agreement in the face of opposition, mark experience.
• Hotshot (War +1, Peace -1, Duty +1, Explore +0, Rank +3). If you successfully rejected a no-win scenario by changing the rules, mark experience.

You have this move:

Commission

Add two refit improvements and two mission improvements to your starship.

And choose one more:

Promoted from Within

Choose another unplayed playbook and take a move from it.

Experienced

Add +1 to War, Peace, Duty, or Explore (maximum +2)

Battle-Tested

When you Issue Orders to Open Fire, you may add +1 Harm or +1 Shields instead of Advantage Forward.

First Contact

When you Issue Orders to Open a Channel, hold 1 yourself, no matter the result of the Open a Channel roll.

On A Mission of Exploration

When you Issue Orders to Perform a Scan, hold 1 yourself, no matter the result of the Perform a Scan roll.

Epic Speech

When you take a minute to give a rousing speech to shaken crewmembers, roll +Duty. On a 10+, the crew you hear your speech take advantage forward to Go Boldly until the current situation ends. On a 7-9, one crew takes advantage forward to Go Boldly. In both cases, cancel any Disadvantage to Issue Orders. On a 6-, the speech does not have the effect you intended, or is interrupted at an awkward time.

You Have The Bridge

When you delegate command of the bridge to the senior officer in charge in order to go deal with a problem yourself, that officer has advantage forward on their next Issue Orders roll.

The XO

• Career (War +0, Peace +0, Duty +2, Explore -1, Rank +2) If you were forced out of your comfort zone for the sake of the mission, mark experience.
• Spiritual (War +0, Peace +1, Duty +2, Explore -1, Rank +1) If your faith or beliefs were challenged by the mission, mark experience.
• Logical (War -1, Peace +0, Duty +2, Explore +1, Rank +1) If you leveraged someone else’s emotions in order to succeed, mark experience.
• Hotshot (War +1, Peace -1, Duty +2, Explore +0, Rank +1) If you refused to play it safe against another’s orders, mark experience.

You have this move:

Red Alert!

When you enter into a dangerous situation, roll +Duty. On a 10+, hold 2. On 7-9, hold 1. On a miss, the danger has the drop on you.

• You were well-prepared for this mission and have access to a useful piece of equipment or upgrade.
• You take evasive maneuvers. The first harm to your team or the ship is 1 less.
• You were ready to fight. On the first Open Fire, on a hit, give it one extra hold.

Choose two from these moves:

Make It So

When you roll a hit with Go Boldly, take Advantage Forward to your next roll.

Escape Plan

When attempting to get the ship out of a dangerous situation, roll +Duty. On a 10+, you’re gone. On a 7-9, you can go or stay, but it’ll cost you (ship damage, system offline, leave something behind, take something with you).

Attack Pattern Alpha

When directing a ship in combat, use +Rank instead of +War to Open Fire.

Take an Away Team

When leading an away team, the first member of the crew to roll Go Boldly can use your Duty instead of their own.

Ready for Command

Take +1 Rank (maximum +3).

A Lover on Every Planet

When on an away mission, roll +Rank. On a 10+, one of the inhabitants becomes infatuated with you. On a 7-9, someone with history with you is entangled with the away mission but might also prove useful. On a miss, a past entanglement causes complications.

The Chief Engineer

• Warrior (War +1, Peace -1, Duty +0, Explore +2, Rank +1) If the heat of battle drove an engineering decision, mark experience.
• Career (War -1, Peace +0, Duty +1, Explore +2, Rank +1) If you were forced into a non-Engineering role in a way that mattered, mark experience.
• Intrepid (War -1, Peace -1, Duty +2, Explore +2, Rank +0) If an engineering solution came into conflict with normal protocol, mark experience.
• Down-Homey (War +0, Peace +0, Duty +1, Explore +2, Rank +0) If you used a simplistic analogy to solve a complex engineering problem, mark experience.
• Passionate (War +1, Peace -1, Duty +1, Explore +2, Rank +0) If you let your emotions get the best of you in a charged situation, mark experience.

You get these two moves:

Reroute Power

When you give a systems some extra juice, roll +Explore. On a 10+, choose a benefit: the next officer to use that system takes Advantage Forward, a weapon does +1 Harm, shields provide +1 Armor. On a 7-9, you give the bonus, and choose one:

• A different important system goes offline (chosen by the GM)
• Power reserves are strained- Reroute Power rolls take Disadvantage Ongoing until they can be fully re-initialized
• Feedback causes damage (ship takes 1 Harm)

Repair Orders

When you attempt to repair an offline system or piece of the ship, roll +Explore. On a 10+, bring the system back online or repair 1 Harm. On a 7-9, also choose one:

• The repair will take extra time
• The repair will require exotic parts, jury-rigged adjustments, or another command officer’s time and expertise to complete
• Two other systems (of your choice) will have to go offline in order to make the repairs

And choose one:

Genius

Increase your Explore by +1 (to a maximum of +3)

Logistics

When you Issue Orders for an engineering problem, roll +Explore instead of +Rank.

Miracle Worker

When you Go Boldly involving an engineering task, you may use +Explore instead of +Duty. On a 10+, the task is done in record time.

I’m Giving Her All She’s Got!

You may use a system as though it were not offline with Disadvantage Ongoing. On a miss, the system shuts down permanently until extensive repairs can be completed.

Inventor

You are always working on the next big thing that will make the ship/crew safer/stronger/faster/invisible or whatever. Describe the invention to the GM.

At the beginning of each session, roll +Duty. On 10+, hold 2+Explore. On 7-9, hold +Explore. Spend your hold as part of another roll to make a breakthrough on your project and mark ship XP. When the ship advances, your invention is ready to be installed by engineering personnel.

On a 6-, your work suffers a serious setback that must be dealt with during the mission or lose all progress so far.

Ready for Command

May only be taken as an advancement. You are +1 Rank (maximum +3).

The Tactical Officer

• Warrior (War +2, Peace -1, Duty +1, Explore +0, Rank +1) If you found yourself in a situation that meant indeed, today is a good day to die, mark experience.
• Logical (War +2, Peace -1, Duty +2, Explore -1, Rank +0) If you explored an alternative to violence in a violent situation, mark experience.
• Down-Homey (War +2, Peace +1, Duty +1, Explore -1, Rank +0) If you entered into a conflict so strange that it defied all of your experiences, mark experience.
• Augmented (War +2, Peace -1, Duty +0, Explore +2, Rank -1) If your superior abilities in battle caused you to become alienated from others, mark experience.
• Outsider (War +2, Peace +0, Duty +1, Explore +1, Rank -1) If your reaction to a battle was handled in a completely alien way, mark experience.

You get this move:

Armed and Ready

While in an armed conflict your Open Fire roll, if it is a hit, is +1 Hold.

And choose two more:

Scan That Vessel

When you Perform a Scan against a ship, on a hit, you automatically get a free question: “What is the weakest part or system on this ship?”

Look Out, Sir!

When a member of your away team is attacked, roll +Duty. On a 10+, choose 2. On a 7-9, choose 1. On a 6-, you both suffer the original attack.

• You redirect the attack to yourself.
• The attack deals less Harm.
• You get into advantageous position against the attacker, take Advantage Forward for your next move against them.

Ceremonial Weapon

When performing an Open Fire move with a handheld weapon, inflict +1 Harm and take -1 Harm, but you may not keep yourself out of harm’s way.

Redundant Targeting Systems

When you Open Fire, you always at least Hold 1, even on a miss.

Security Detail

You have a specially trained security squad that counts as your own squad (see AW’s mob rules).

Life and Death Situations

When you Issue Orders in a combat situation, roll +War instead of +Rank.

Full Weapons Spread

When you Open Fire, you may take Disadvantage to fire multiple weapon systems at once.

Wartime Command

You get +1 War (+3 maximum.)

Ready for Command

May only be taken as an advancement. You are +1 Rank (maximum +3).

The Chief Medic

• Down-Homey (War -1, Peace +2, Duty -1, Explore +2, Rank +0) If you pointed out that you’re a Doctor, and not something else, mark experience.
• Maternal/Paternal (War -1, Peace +2, Duty +1, Explore +1, Rank +0) If you put yourself in direct danger to help someone in need, mark experience.
• Outsider (War -1, Peace +2, Duty +0, Explore +2, Rank -1) If your bedside manner got you into trouble, mark experience.
• Augmented (War -1, Peace +2, Duty +0, Explore +2, Rank -1) If your augmented abilities caused friction with your colleagues, mark experience.
• Open-Minded (War +0, Peace +2, Duty +0, Explore +1, Rank +0) If you discovered a new insight in a species or custom that no one else appreciates, mark experience.

You have this move:

Please State The Nature of the Medical Emergency

When you attempt to treat a medical condition or injury, roll +Peace. On a 10+, choose three. On a 7-9, choose two.

• You are able to repair injury and remove 1 Harm.
• You are able to correct a temporary debility.
• You make progress or discover something new about an ongoing medical issue.
• The procedure is without any complications.

And choose two more:

Doctor Coming Through

You may roll +Peace instead of +Rank when using Issue Orders, regardless of Rank or other circumstances, if the orders relate to a medical situation.

Detailed Medical Imagery

When you Perform a Scan on a living creature, on a hit, you hold this question for free: “What is interesting about this creature’s biology?”

Cutting Edge Medical Research

You have +1 Explore (maximum +3)

Hippocratic Oath

When you Open Fire against other creature by using a medical instrument, you may roll +Peace instead of +War. If you do, you may not choose to inflict terrible harm.

Ready for Command

May only be taken as an advancement. You are +1 Rank (maximum +3).

The Operations Officer

• Outsider (War -1, Peace -2, Duty +2, Explore +2, Rank +1) If your outsider status causes you to act strangely in an important situation, mark experience.
• Inexperienced (War +1, Peace +0, Duty +2, Explore +1, Rank -1) If you found yourself unable to coordinate a complex situation, mark experience.
• Enlisted (War +1, Peace +1, Duty +2, Explore +1, Rank -2) If your plans were challenged by those who didn’t take you seriously, mark experience.
• Spiritual (War +0, Peace +1, Duty +2, Explore +0, Rank +0) If your faith guided you in a morally questionable situation, mark experience.
• Revolutionary (War +1, Peace +0, Duty +2, Explore +0, Rank +0) If you used your position to right old wrongs, mark experience.

Choose three from the list below:

Transporter Operator

When operating the transporter under adverse conditions, roll +Duty. On a 10+, choose 2. On a 7-9, choose 1.

• The transport is extremely precise.
• The transport is faster than normal.
• The transport can cut through interference.

Communications Specialist

When you Open a Channel, you always Hold at least 1, even on a miss.

Precise Scanner

When you Perform a Scan, add one extra Hold on a hit.

Long Range Scanner

You may use the Perform a Scan when not in the same system as your target.

Run Diagnostics

You may use moves related to offline systems as if it were not offline with Disadvantage Ongoing. On a miss, the system shuts down permanently until extensive repairs can be made.

Linguistics Expert

You can communicate with any sentient creature, even if the translator systems are offline. If communications are offline, you can still communicate simple concepts through other means.

Set a Course

When you need to warp to another location in a hurry, roll +Duty. On a 10+, choose 2. On a 7-9, choose 1.

• The ship arrives quickly.
• The ship doesn’t suffer extra stress from the trip.
• The ship arrives in an extra advantageous position.

Pilot Training

When you actively pilot a ship into a more advantageous position, roll + Duty. On a 10+, hold 2. On a 7-9, hold 1.

• You get into a better position to inflict damage. The next weapons hit inflicts +1 Harm.
• You get into a better position to hit vulnerable systems. The next Open Fire is +1 Hold.
• You get into a more defensible position. Take +1 Shields against the next hit.
• You keep other enemies from reaching you.
• You position yourself exactly where you want to in a tight spot.

Flexible

Take +1 to any stat (maximum +3)

Cross-Training

Take a move from an unused playbook.

The Science Officer

• Outsider (War +0, Peace -1, Duty +1, Explore +2, Rank +1) If you revealed something new about yourself in the course of scientific investigation, mark experience.
• Logical (War -1, Peace +0, Duty +1, Explore +2, Rank +1) If you rejected emotion in order to advance scientific inquiry, mark experience.
• Ancestral (War +0, Peace +1, Duty +0, Explore +2, Rank +0) If you drew on experiences from a previous generation, mark experience.
• Intrepid (War +1, Peace -1, Duty +2, Explore +2, Rank -1) If you put yourself in danger to be at the forefront of a scientific discovery, mark experience.
• Prodigy (War +0, Peace +0, Duty +2, Explore +2, Rank -2) If you showed up someone much more experienced than you, mark experience.

You gain these two moves:

Scientific Inference

When you Spout Technobabble, on 10+ hold 1. Spend your hold to ask a question from the Perform a Scan list.

Insightful Analysis

When you Perform a Scan, you may give Advantage Forward to the first roll that follows up on an answer to one of your questions.

And choose one more:

Brilliant Detective

When you lead an investigative Away Team, roll +Explore. On a 10+, hold 3. On 7-9, hold 1. Spend your hold to choose questions from the following list:

• “Is the target still nearby?”
• “To where did the target depart?”
• “Is anything relevant missing or out of place?”
• “Is there anything of unique scientific interest here?”

First in the Class

+1 to Explore (Max +3)

Eureka!

When you are faced with a problem of near impossible difficulty, roll +Explore. You design a solution that can solve the problem just in time, but will be difficult to implement. On 10+, choose one from the following list; on 7-9, choose two.

• It requires rare or difficult to obtain elements.
• It requires putting many innocent lives in danger.
• It will cause great harm to the ship or away team.
• It will disable an important system on the ship until extensive repairs can be made.
• It will only be temporarily or partially successful.

Diligent Researcher

You are always working on the next big thing that will make the ship/crew safer/stronger/faster/invisible or whatever. Describe the invention to the GM.

At the beginning of each session, roll +Duty. On 10+, hold 2+Explore. On 7-9, hold +Explore. Spend your hold as part of another roll to make a breakthrough on your project and mark ship XP. When the ship advances, your invention is ready to be installed by engineering personnel.

On a 6-, your work suffers a serious setback that must be dealt with during the mission or lose all progress so far.

Field Expert

Choose a scientific field, like particle physics, warp fields, subspace, or quantum singularities. Whenever you encounter something within your field, the GM tells you one new insight about it.

Astrometric Reference

When you arrive in a new system, you may consult the star charts. The GM will tell you an interesting fact about a nearby world.

Ready for Command

May only be taken as an advancement. You are +1 Rank (maximum +3).