G:STAR TREK , Need 'Trek-specific' Disadvantages and Quirks...

[Qoltar]

For my GURPS: STAR TREK game I often make pre-generated characters who are already part of the ship's crew -or- NPCs that can serve as a player's character in a pinch for visiting players.

What I need are MORE Disadvantages and Quirks that are specific for the STAR TREK universe setting or make sense for it.


To help frame the question or request better - my campaign takes place in 2259 in the same universe as the 2009 JJ Abrams version of STAR TREK. (So that means any TNG or DS9 references won't help at all)


Any suggestions for more Disadvantages or quirks?


- Ed C.

[Ashtagon]

Are you looking for original work, or examples from the existing list that are suitable?

[Qoltar]

Originally Posted by Ashtagon

Are you looking for original work, or examples from the existing list that are suitable?

As far as I know there isn't an 'existing list' - SJG doesn't have the ST license.

So yeah, I'm asking for creative NEW quirks that fit the STAR TREK universe....known GURPS Disadvabtages with extensions or subtitle that are connected to the TREK universe.

For Example: Several of my players have a variation on the 'Enemy' disadvantage and its usually Romulans, or a specific Klingon or Romulan commander.

One player character has the quirk that his character always carries both a communicator and phaser on him at all times.

That kind of thing.


- Ed C.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Qoltar

One player character has the quirk that his character always carries both a communicator and phaser on him at all times.

Unless you're playing this purely as oddball behavior in a campaign where neither device is going to be particularly useful, I would recommend charging an SOP Perk for that, if not one for each of those two things. Separating us from our wonderous gear in various ways accounts for about 1/3 of our plot complications / drama ante-upping in our Trek game.

On Topic: My Trek group gets a lot of mileage out of what I like to call "Conflicting Good Guy Disadvantages." Every PC is more-or-less heroic and well-meaning, but they often disagree about the best approach to a problem (or even what the problem is), sometimes getting rather shouty about it. This is particularly heated between my PC (Culture Officer - Fanatically upholds the Prime Directive) and the Marine Sargent* (Bleeding Heart with various SoDs to the crew, innocent victims of oppression, etc), which recreates a bit of the old Spock vs McCoy vibe that we enjoy. ("We can't just stand back and let these people die, you cold-blooded..." "We must, or we destroy their culture!" etc) Other good candidates for this type of setup are Codes of Honor, Obsessions, and Delusions, as long as you make them more-or-less benevolent and avoid exact duplication.

Proud, Workaholic, and various Quirks that work out to "Desperate for Approval" are especially genre-appropriate IMHO. We're talking about insanely capable people who voluntarily work for room, board, personal fulfillment, and prestige here, after all.

*It's a modified, Abrams-influenced Prime Directiverse, so slightly more militarized than the shows but you get the idea - He's the guy who commands the redshirts when they're off the boat.

[Flyndaran]

Delusion: Vulcans are always logical and emotionless
Possibly a quirk as virtually every character has it so the social penalty would crop up only rarely
Genetic engineering even to fix horrible disorders is illegal, so that opens up the field to all sorts of odd disadvantages.

[Ashtagon]

Odious. Personal. Habit: Always. Speaks. Each. Word. As. Its. Own. Sentence.

[the_matrix_walker]

Gets annoyed when officers ignore the embargo on Romulan Ale [-1]

Insists on turning off the universal translator to regail others with his Klingon, which is broken (despite his belief to the contrary)[-1]

Claims to have met Zephram Cochrane. [-1]

Gets turned on by the steady thrum of the warp engines [-1]

Uses the transporter, but always... (complains / cringes / gets nervous) [-1]

Secret: Not really a Vulcan, but a Romulan! [-20]

Secret: Genetically Engineered [-10] or [-20]

[Rigil_Kent]

In my Trek game (set post-ENT, pre-TOS), all of the PCs are Starfleet officers so they had varying levels of Pacifism (reluctant killer or can't harm innocents) because that tracks with the Federation's "we're the good guys, dammit." I would also recommend reluctant killer being required for most characters in Starfleet (except maybe security types.)

We've also got a stim-junkie medical officer (Secret, potential rejection) and a former Federation Marine who did some very bad things to survive a battle with Nausicaans (Secret, potential imprisonment.) The engineer did some work for "Special Projects" (Section 31) and they occasionally give him a call, which is both a Secret (potential imprisonment) and an additional Duty (involuntary.) Finally, the Trill science officer may or may not be a longterm, deepcover spy for his government (so that could be a Secret or a Delusion, depending on which way I take the story.)

[adm]

Do not forget oddities like the Klingon reaction to tribbles, the "beauty drug" from Mudd's Women and similar items. As portrayed humans generally have xenophillia, at least for the series after ToS.

As far as Klingons goes, it depends on where you are ToS USSR stand in Klingons vs. the later series oriental style Klingons. (Knowing Qoltar's tastes, he is on the Oriental side of the debate, but others coming here may not be.)

Lastly, while I understand the position that ADB's GURPS:Prime Directive is not Trek do to the limits of their license I will mention them here for those that may not be aware of it.

http://e23.sjgames.com/search.html?g...me%20Directive

Their free overview is here.

http://e23.sjgames.com/item.html?id=ADB8000

[Captain Joy]

From my Hero Lens, which should be generally appropriate for Starfleet Officers:

You use your powers and skills for the greater good out of a desire to preserve life, help people, and otherwise "do the right thing”.

Sense of Duty (Small Group) to your adventuring party is especially recommended. Members of a cohesive team tend to act this way anyways; you might as well get points for it. Of course, you may not get points for disadvantages that overlap. E.g. Because Starfleet officers have a Sense of Duty (Large Group) for the Federation, they may not also take Sense of Duty (Small Group) for their team which consists of officers which are all members of the Federation.

DISADVANTAGES
Choose -20 points from:
-15† Charitable
-15 Code of Honor (Hero's) -- see below
-5 Code of Honor (Professional)
-10 Code of Honor (Soldier’s)
-5† Compulsive Generosity
-5 Guilt Complex -- make sure you are willing to role-play the consequences!
-10† Honesty (aka Law-Abiding)
-10 Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents)
-10 Pacifism (Cannot Kill)
-15 Pacifism (Self-Defense Only)
-5† Selfless
-2 Sense of Duty (Individual)
-5 Sense of Duty (Small Group)
-10 Sense of Duty (Large Group) -- already part of the Starfleet Academy Template
-15 Sense of Duty (Entire Race)
-20 Sense of Duty (Every Living Being)
-5† Truthfulness -- remember, this even prohibits you from lying by omission.
-10 Vow (Never Take A Life)
-10 Vow (Protect the Innocent)
-5 Vow (Uphold the Law)

Code of Honor (Hero's)
This is based on the Three Laws of Super-Heroics laid out in DC's Shadowpact team. Quote:
• First Rule: The lives and safety of innocent bystanders will always be protected.
• Second Rule: The lives and safety of you (the superhero) and members of your team will be protected to the extent that it does not conflict with the First Rule.
• Third Rule: The lives and safety of all opponents will be protected to the extent that it doesn't conflict with the first two Rules.