Star Trek RPG

daddystabz

Explorer
I am very interested in starting a Star Trek RPG group and I am wondering which former Star Trek RPG is the overall best system? I am mostly looking between the Last Unicorn Games version or the slightly newer Decipher version of the game. I am preferentially looking for a game that can cover any era of Trek so that my players can choose which era they want to play in. I am additionally seeking a version of the game that is not too incredibly rules/mechanics heavy but at the same time properly allows for all aspects of what one would consider essential for any Trek game. Lastly, I am looking for a system that could possibly easily converted into d20 or Unisystem in case we would rather play in one of those rulesets and a system that does well with starship combat but without being so rules heavy as to really bog it down.
 

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Neither LUG nor Decipher system felt very Star Trek to me. At least they couldn't do anything that other systems couldn't do.

I'd suggest taking some cinematic universal system (Savage Worlds, Risus, The Pool,...) and just play Star Trek. You probably know more about the universe than any RPG book could tell already, and then there's Memory Alpha.
 


We play a version of Star Trek called Spheres of Influence, but it is home-made, so that won't do you much good. I mention it though because I basically agree with 1of3, nearly any good system will do ya depending on how you want to adapt your basic setting.

For instance do you want the game to take place in Federation Space primarily, along the frontiers, or both inside and outside of Federation space, like our game does?

Do you want it to deal typically with standard model starships and basic internal Star Fleet concerns (politics, border patrol, basic exploration, warfare, inter-species relations, societal issues - of any era) or do you want it to deal mostly with experimental technologies, covert contacts with aliens, advanced alien technologies, proto-type experimental star craft, and exploration deep outside known space? Or do you want it to be a mixture of aims? (Actually our setting is more a mix or hybrid between Star Trek and Traveler.)

Depending on your intentions, and what your players want, it is often best to create your own setting using the Federation as a baseline, or control setting, upon which you create your own milieu, or to which you make your own particular setting adaptations.

Either way, I can suggest this without hesitation. When it comes to tactical ship combat, or hostile ship to ship encounters, then sue Star Fleet Battles (adapted to your setting and era) because that is a far better naval combat system than any RPG version I've ever seen. It's easy, flexible, intuitive, fast, and you can quickly and fluidly add in things like Advanced ECM, stealth functions, change ship designs, add or subtract experimental weapon systems, vary plans, create new alien ship models, etc, and you can do it all on graph paper without much effort. The combat system makes it easy to track combat as well, and the whole affair can be easily seen and visualized.

We role play Spheres of Influence, but when it comes to ship battles, we play Star Fleet Battles.
 

As someone who’s main RPG has been Star Trek since 1983 I'm afraid I have a very different opinion from those who've posted before me. While many different systems can be used to portray adventures in the Star Trek Universe, a few of those that were designed specifically to do so stand out in my mind as superior choices.

First and foremost is the Last Unicorn Games ICON System version. Simple, flexible and cinematic, the system is excellent for running Star Trek, especially in the areas of character creation, starship design and covering a wide range of PC and NPC options (spies, ambassadors, smugglers, etc.). I may be biased (I playtested and wrote for it) but I still use that system to this day.

My second choice would be the FASA version. Detailed, well researched (even if it strays from canon over time) and definitely wrapped up in the tense, action-adventure feel of the original series and original feature films (ST: TMP through ST: VI).

Check this thread for a few additional notes and details...

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/249042-experience-deciphers-star-trek-rpg.html

There's been a lot of talk about Star Trek gaming lately and with a new movie, comic books and an MMORPG on the way, someone out there could make a pretty penny with a new pen and paper Star Trek RPG (and maybe hire an ol' gamer with some experience to help out maybe, hmm, could be...;)).

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I prefer LUGTrek since it feels most like Trek, and I have been a fan of Trek more than a fan of Star Wars.

FASATrek came at a time when it feels militaristic to me. It is especially fun to play with the starship simulator complete with station panels and counters. My only gripe is the three-phases per turn sequence. It should have been as simple and fast as BattleTech combat turn sequence.

I haven't played Decipher-Trek
 


I liked Prime Directive, myself, but the FASA version was pretty doggone good.

Notice- it seems to be everyone's #2 choice!
 



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