GM's Player Reminders

Star Trek Adventures
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Our first game is tonight! I watched the Modiphius YouTube videos on Signals (the mission I’m running, though they changed it some) and I like how the GM would occasionally give tips on when to use momentum to get bonus damage, etc. I think that’s a great way for the players to learn rules without overwhelming them with options. Unfortunately, I don’t know that I’ll remember them myself! I decided to make myself a summary of the task and attack sequences, with tips at the appropriate points. If you like it or have any suggestions, let me know!

These are lists for me as GM, not the players. The way I plan to use them is to offer a single suggestion once in a while, like “hmm that’s a low damage roll…do you want to use momentum to reroll?” I won’t give them every option every time.

Task Sequence

  1. Choose attribute and discipline to find the target number. Decide if focus applies.

  2. Set difficulty (0-5+).

To improve odds (before the roll):

  • Spend momentum or add threat.
  • Use determination, automatic 1 (must relate to value).
  • Use talents.
  • Another character assists.

  1. Roll dice pool.

  2. Count successes:

  • Roll 1: 2 successes
  • Roll <= discipline: 2 successes if focus applied
  • Roll <= target number: 1 success
  • Roll 20 (or in complication range): Complication (or 2 threat)
  1. If success >= difficulty, task succeeds.

To turn failure into success:

  • Use determination to reroll all dice
  • Use talents
  1. GM describes the outcome

Attack Sequence

  1. Choose weapon.

  2. Pick target (for melee, must be within reach).

  3. Pick non-lethal or lethal. Lethal adds +1 threat.

  4. Attempt task:

  • Melee: Opposed task, Daring + Security, Difficulty 1
  • Ranged: Control + Security, Difficulty 2
    ** +1 Difficulty if enemy within reach of attacker
    ** +1 Complication Range if creature within reach of target

To improve odds before roll:

  • Spend momentum or add threat.
  • Use determination, automatic 1 (must relate to value).
  • Use talents.
  • Another character assists?

To turn failure into success:

  • Spend determination to reroll all dice.
  • Use talents.
  1. If success, roll damage dice.

To add damage:

  • Spend momentum for bonus damage.
  • Spend momentum to reroll damage.
  1. If the target has resistance, roll resistance dice

To overcome resistance:

  • Spend momentum for penetration.
  1. Reduce damage points by resistance points. Apply the difference to the target’s stress.
    Target gains an injury if:
    a) 5+ damage
    b) Target reduced to 0 stress
    c) Target takes damage when already at 0 stress

To avoid injury: spend momentum or take a complication. Once per scene, unless they recover.

To do something else:

  • Spend momentum to do another minor action
  • Spend momentum to do another task with difficulty + 1
  • Spend determination to do another task
  • Note, no more than 2 tasks for one PC per round
  • Spend momentum to keep the initiative (another PC goes)
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I’m not crazy about how that got formatted, but hopefully you can read it! :slightly_smiling_face:

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I think that’s because there’s a difference in the scenario that comes with the Starter Kit (or Quickstart, can’t remember which one it’s in) and the ones in the living campaign.

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The Mission in the quickstart Rules only consists of the Away Mission, while the Living Campaign’s Mission does include some shipboard action.

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Ooooh, I’m going to have to check out that living campaign!

I ended up not using the reminders very much, but I think just thinking through the lists and typing them up greatly helped me internalize the rules. Some players really caught on quickly, but others struggled with the rules. I think it won’t take too long though for everyone to figure it out.

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