I have one thought, but I am looking for ideas. My campaign is set before the launch of the ENTERPRISE B in the “Lost Years” - I’m planning a difficult first contact with the Tzenkethi, but I need some suggestions on how that might go. Anybody offer any wisdom?
Weapons are difficult, because no matter what cool treknobabble you come up with, it still shakes the ship and causes damage. However, what I had done for the tzenkethi in my universe is if the ship suffers any damage, the next check that the ship makes (be it engines, shields, weapons, etc) has an increased difficulty of 1.
I forget the actual term I used, but the weapon acts as a small-yield EMP, scrambling the systems of the ship it was targetting. This made the PCs think a lot more tactically with how they wanted their ship actions to be ordered.
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Maybe the weapon specifically targets a particular system, like Shields or Weapons? In that case, on Tzenkethi damage, roll 2d20. If you roll the preferred System on one of the d20s, use it. (Basically, you have Advantage to hit that one system.)
I suppose if the weapon soaked additional shields…craap I don’t know! Arggh!
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However, what I had done for the tzenkethi in my universe is if the ship suffers any damage, the next check that the ship makes (be it engines, shields, weapons, etc) has an increased difficulty of 1.
Any weapon can do that effect mechanically … it’s just inflicting a trait.
The difficulty of hitting with a weapon is 2.
the difficulty of inflicting a trait is 2. This can be done with any relevant story justification.
Adding a trait to some other roll is 2 momentum.
You’re not even near outside the rules as written.
In Star Trek Online, Tzenkethi use Tetryon Weapons. In game, those do additional damage to Shields on a critical hit.
Now, we don’t have Crits the same way D&D or STO does, but we do have Effects.
I suggest the trait, Drain 1. On an effect, deal 1 additional damage to Shield. If their Shields have dropped, lucky them, no additional damage.
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