Hey there, so I just got an email from you guys mentioning new product releases. One of which was the Star Trek Adventures Rules Digest. It sounds interesting, espeically the part about “An extensive exploration of the United Federation of Planets and its galactic neighbours in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. Guidelines for gamemasters on how to run an adventure of exploration and discovery for the crew of a Federation starship. A full catalogue of aliens and antagonists including Klingons and Romulans. Brought to you by a team of expert Star Trek writers, including writers from previous editions of Star Trek roleplaying games and other gaming talent.”
So my question is this - does this book contain enough new material to make it useful for someone with the core book, the various division books, and both the players and gamemasters guides?
I would say it kind of replaces the core rulebook. It has some updated rules from the Klingon core book, including the new advancement mechanic and some other stuff. So it might be interesting if you don’t already have the Klingon core book or if you want the latest iteration of the core rules. Keep in mind that it is TOS themed and thus only contains TOS species, spaceframes, adversaries etc.
It definitely does not replace the previous supplements (quadrants and division books) not the Player’s and GM’s Guides.
Does it have any more, or unique, setting material compared to the other books - like printed stuff about the alpha and beta quadrants and such? Cause if not, and its just rules updates, I guess I will pass.
I do wonder what the advancement rules change is in Klingon as I do not have that book nor interest in getting it.
I have not compared the texts synoptically. Yet, since the digest is a more comprehensive, I think it’s more an update than an expansion. That being said, the updates can be seen as marginal – a random table here, an advancement mechanic there. Yet, they’re worth to be called the Core Rulebook, 2nd edition, framed and styled differently for TOS.
Both the new Advancement Rules and the new Reputation System (that fuses in the Reputation based Awards & Commendations system presented in the Command Division Supplement) are great. For me, they’re enough to buy either the Klingon Core Rulebook or the Rules Digest. Your mileage may vary, of course.
If you have the core rulebook, you have most of the content that’s in the rules digest. The digest is a trimmed down version of the core rulebook, revised and reformatted to the TOS design, and incorporates any errata and some of the rules tweaks from the Klingon core. Also contains the alternative advancement system presented in the Klingon core.
Very little new content was added. I revised all the example text to be TOS focused, added one new spaceframe (the Archer class) and fit in what tweaks I could from the Klingon core in the limited time I had to revise. The digest is probably the most up to date version of the rules.
For content, tho, we focused it on TOS, so I cut most of the TNG content out of the core book–spaceframes, playable species, etc.
Anecdotally, some fans appreciate the white background of the TOS layout as much more readable than the LCARS black design in the core rulebook. Some folks like the softcover digest size over the US letter hardback. YMMV.
Thanks for the info. As someone who owns the core and likes the TNG style and the hardback format I am going to pass on this. But I do appreciate the information.
The Archer spaceframe, and the klingon core tweaks are all I can think of. Its very readable comparable to the Core book due to black print on a white page. Combined with the new Disco Campaign book and the PHB/GMG its a great Enterprise to TOS era corebook. Also worth mentioning its the same size as the GMG and PHB so if shelf space is an issue… then it may be a solution to a problem that some gamers have.
The digest adds very little to what you can get in one of the hardcover core books, and in fact it cuts more than it adds. The advantages that I will point to are (1) a Starfleet-friendly rulebook (with a TOS-era focus) that incorporates rules updates from the Klingon core book, most notably the changes to character advancement; and (2) a much lighter, less bulky, more portable rulebook, which I appreciate a lot.
I do have to admit the advancement rules is one of the feww areas of the game I am not entirely a fan of. I much prefer “XP is gained in an adventure that is turned towards the purchase of new traits” system.
Like on one hand I get the concept that the Picard of Season 1 of TNG is not fundamentally different from the Picard of Season 7. (Same with Janeway of Voyager Season 1 vs Season 7.) But it just is so radically different from what I am used to a big part of me wants to fight it.
Part of my issue is when we think of characters that might have psychic or augment based abilities - you know, the superhuman. Mind you with some research I have thought of a Psychic Prodigy trait that basically opens such characrers up to doing things using the Attribute + Discipline system that other characters might.
But yeah, seeing variant advancement rules are somewhat inteesting to me. Though I know that said advancement rules in the Klingon book doesn’t change the fundamental nature of how advancement is tracked.
Hello!
I’m new here, new to the game, and will discover it with the “Tricorder Set”.
So I’ll get the digest version of the corebook.
My question is, as it’s apparently different of the corebook in some areas, and focused on TOS (which I don’t mind, clearly, I’m a newbie that became a fan with Discovery), am I going to “miss” some thing?
Will I have to buy the classic corebook too?
You’ll miss any content that isn’t TOS focused. There are a few more spaceframes and character species in the regular core rulebook that aren’t specifically TOS and aren’t in the rules digest. You don’t have to buy the regular core. The digest offers the full ruleset.
You could probably get by with the rules digest and the free online character builder app.
Ok, thanks a lot for answering !
I may get the classic corebook eventually. I had to choose one of the multiple doors available to join, and I chose the Tricorder Set because it seemed very complete.
I just received it and it’s absolutely gorgeous! The box is sturdier than I would yave thought and that’s very cool! I can’t wait to read the digest!
The campaign booklet’s only downpoint is how quickly it gets fingerprints. That in itself was amazing…
The only missing thing is a screen, really, I’ll have to get one soon-ish.
A few questions, if that’s not too much of a hassle:
so, with the digest corebook is “missing” some elements form the corebook. Ok. If I was to get the GM Guide and the Player’s Guide, would I get some of those elements?
speaking of screen, does it have pages references for the classic corebook, or does it just summarize things, and in doing so is fully compatible with the digest ?
I’ll second your point about the box. I guess I got jaded after a few dozen flimsy TSR boxed sets back in the '80s and '90s. This one resists torsion much better.
Picked the digest up, handy little book! I know that the digest incorporates the advancement changes from the Klingon CRB and neatens up the structure, but the Starship Combat continues to use the Federation CRB and not the Klingon variant. Just wondering why that was - was it a design choice or that the original Starship Combat rules take precedence as it were?
