ELITE PROFESSIONS- Starship Duty

I want to see if I understand this about the Starship Elite Class and Starship Duty.

Starship Duty means after reading this in the Star Trek Player's Guide means I can take an Elite Profession and not worry about the prerequests.

If I understand this right even though for Example if I want to be a Starship Medical Officer (Star Trek Player's Guide pg 75) has the following Prerequesites as listed:

Starship Duty, First Aid 4+, Medicine 3+, System Operations 3+, and Investigate 1+

So if I am a Starfleet Officer I can take Starship Duty Tier and not worry about the other prerequisties, but if I am a Starfleet Officer and I choose not to take that Tier and want to be a Starship Medical Officer, for Example, then I need to make the Skill Prerequesites (First Aid 4+, Medicine 3+, System Operations 3+, and Investigate 1+).

If my Medical Doctor was a Scientist Profession but is a Medical Doctor, who joined Starfleet, he does NOT need Starship Duty, but just needs to make the Skill Prerequesites (First Aid 4+, Medicine 3+, System Operations 3+, and Investigate 1+) And not worry about having to have Starship Duty.

Am I right here or am I missing something?

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If my Medical Doctor was a Scientist Profession but is a Medical Doctor, who joined Starfleet, he does NOT need Starship Duty, but just needs to make the Skill Prerequesites (First Aid 4+, Medicine 3+, System Operations 3+, and Investigate 1+) And not worry about having to have Starship Duty.

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Correct.

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So if I am a Starfleet Officer I can take Starship Duty Tier and not worry about the other prerequisties, but if I am a Starfleet Officer and I choose not to take that Tier and want to be a Starship Medical Officer, for Example, then I need to make the Skill Prerequesites (First Aid 4+, Medicine 3+, System Operations 3+, and Investigate 1+).

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Not quite. If you choose the Starship Officer (not Starfleet BTW) Profession, you automatically get the Starship Duty ability, automatically qualifying you for whatever Elite Prof. It's a freebie. You then get to choose another Tier 1 ability from your chosen Elite Profession.

-- Daniel

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Originally posted by Sho-sa Kurita
Correct.

Not quite. If you choose the Starship Officer (not Starfleet BTW) Profession, you automatically get the Starship Duty ability, automatically qualifying you for whatever Elite Prof. It's a freebie. You then get to choose another Tier 1 ability from your chosen Elite Profession.

-- Daniel

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Thanks missed that on page 66

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Originally posted by T'lara
Starship Duty means after reading this in the Star Trek Player's Guide means I can take an Elite Profession and not worry about the prerequests.

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The first time you take it, yes. Subsequent instances of Starship Duty waive either the five pick cost or the Prerequisites, but not both.

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If my Medical Doctor was a Scientist Profession but is a Medical Doctor, who joined Starfleet, he does NOT need Starship Duty

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Actually, Starship Duty can ONLY be taken by a Starship Officer. So a scientist must not only meet the Prerequisites, but must also pay the five pick cost for the Elite Profession.

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Originally posted by Doug Burke
The first time you take it, yes. Subsequent instances of Starship Duty waive either the five pick cost or the Prerequisites, but not both.

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That may be the correct way to do it, but I can see no harm in simply taking Starship Duty a second time and ignoring the five picks and the Prerequisites. After all, entering an Elite Profession should (IMHO) first and foremost be based on story factors and character development. If it fits your character I'd say bend the rules as much as you like.

Besides, if the organization you serve with allows a transfer from one department to another (or admits a civilian), wouldn't they give that character some intensive training courses to make sure he is up to his new job? That would be best represented IMO by allowing said character to buy the Prerequisites at the "professional skill" cost of 1 pick per skill rank, i.e. buying prerequisite skill to the required levels first thing after entering a new SO EP.

Edit: No Doug, I don't want to question the way the rules work. I am simply thinking out loud. ;)

I tyhink my only problem with the Starship Duty as a prereq was as follows: Starfleet's a big organization...somewhere in there, you're gonna have people who, for some reason, never get into space -- they're doctors serving in TMCs on various planets, paper-pushers who get assigned to Starfleet Command or some such...

So unless the SS Duty just reflects, at the very least, a 3 or 6 month 'cadet cruise', I would think narrator's could exchange it for 'starbase duty' or 'planetside duty'. Just a thought.

An idea for it might be (sorta like the US Navy): you can never go to space and still get your career training, but it might limit your ability for promotion. "Hey, Lieutenant Commander Snuffy, you're up for promotion, but it won't happen. You need a space tour for the rank."
"But Admiral, sir, I've been a starship designer and builder for years. I work at Utopia PLanitia...I don't wanna go to space."
"I understand Snuf...here's your transfer orders. Don't wear a red shirt..."

Just thinking aloud...

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Originally posted by T'lara
I want to see if I understand this about the Starship Elite Class and Starship Duty.

Starship Duty means after reading this in the Star Trek Player's Guide means I can take an Elite Profession and not worry about the prerequests.

If I understand this right even though for Example if I want to be a Starship Medical Officer (Star Trek Player's Guide pg 75) has the following Prerequesites as listed:

Starship Duty, First Aid 4+, Medicine 3+, System Operations 3+, and Investigate 1+

So if I am a Starfleet Officer I can take Starship Duty Tier and not worry about the other prerequisties, but if I am a Starfleet Officer and I choose not to take that Tier and want to be a Starship Medical Officer, for Example, then I need to make the Skill Prerequesites (First Aid 4+, Medicine 3+, System Operations 3+, and Investigate 1+).

If my Medical Doctor was a Scientist Profession but is a Medical Doctor, who joined Starfleet, he does NOT need Starship Duty, but just needs to make the Skill Prerequesites (First Aid 4+, Medicine 3+, System Operations 3+, and Investigate 1+) And not worry about having to have Starship Duty.

Am I right here or am I missing something?

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To Doug Burke,

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Originally posted by Doug Burke

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If my Medical Doctor was a Scientist Profession but is a Medical Doctor, who joined Starfleet, he does NOT need Starship Duty
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Actually, Starship Duty can ONLY be taken by a Starship Officer. So a scientist must not only meet the Prerequisites, but must also pay the five pick cost for the Elite Profession.

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This is what you said and quoted me.


ItInfact one can buy Starship Duty by taking the Innovative Edge, which allows you to buy an outside Tier thus I can take Starship Duty.

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Originally posted by T'lara
ItInfact one can buy Starship Duty by taking the Innovative Edge, which allows you to buy an outside Tier thus I can take Starship Duty.

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Nope, Starship Duty is the only (basic) professional ability that can't be taken with the Innovative edge. While it's not in the rules, it's in the errata thread here on the board.

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Originally posted by qerlin
So unless the SS Duty just reflects, at the very least, a 3 or 6 month 'cadet cruise', I would think narrator's could exchange it for 'starbase duty' or 'planetside duty'. Just a thought.

An idea for it might be (sorta like the US Navy): you can never go to space and still get your career training, but it might limit your ability for promotion.

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You could assign any such character a mandatory flaw:
"Paper Pusher" (new flaw)
You work in a position that allows not many chances for promotion. If you have this flaw you can't advance beyond Promotion 3.
Upgrade: You can't get a Promotion edge higher than Promotion 2.

Having this as a flaw allows characters to buy it off whenever the story (and their picks) would allow it, while still giving them a drawback compared to the starship crews.

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Originally posted by Lancer
Besides, if the organization you serve with allows a transfer from one department to another (or admits a civilian), wouldn't they give that character some intensive training courses to make sure he is up to his new job? That would be best represented IMO by allowing said character to buy the Prerequisites at the "professional skill" cost of 1 pick per skill rank, i.e. buying prerequisite skill to the required levels first thing after entering a new SO EP.

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Actually, that's what the use of Starship Duty simulates, Lancer. Giving Starship Officers (already part of the organization) a leg up on gaining the Elite Professions.

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Edit: No Doug, I don't want to question the way the rules work. I am simply thinking out loud. ;)

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No problem. Verbal cogitation is fine by me. :)

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Originally posted by T'lara
Infact one can buy Starship Duty by taking the Innovative Edge, which allows you to buy an outside Tier thus I can take Starship Duty.

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As Lancer said, that's an change from the PG Errata.