Player Guide Errata & Typos

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Originally posted by Don Mappin

Page 153 is correct. Two picks (you get 5 per advancement) to raise a non-professional skill and you can only raise one per advancement. One pick to raise a professional skill and you can do up to two per advancement.

Not a typo and I don't agree with your assessment. There's plenty of reasons to raise (and learn) non-professional skills. They're simply more expensive. Most characters raise a non-professional skill per advancement, actually. No profession is good at everything.

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Unfortunately, Don, it is a typo or otherwise is incredibly unclear. It states in the paragraph in question that "Each time your character advances, you may use no more than one pick per nonprofessional skill." Given that it costs 2 picks per level, this implies you can't raise a nonprofessional skill during one advancement, rather than that you can raise it only once during one advancement.

Also, further down it states under nonfavored reaction that "Each time your character advances, you may allocate no more than two picks per nonfavored reaction." However each of these costs 3 picks, implying you can't spend 3 and increase it once during your advancement.

It seems it should have been said more simply i.e. "You can only increase/gain one level in a nonprofessional skill/nonfavored reaction each time you advance."

I just use the chart anyway. Since it's mathematically impossible to go over the reaction limits, I just remember that you can't advance a professional skill more than twice, or a nonprofessional skill more than once per advancement (the intent of the rule if not the letter)

Lockhart

Hey Don, thanks for the welcome to the boards. I am actually not that new to the boards. I used to post under a different user name, but after about 50 posts I decided I wanted to use a more 'sensible' screen name. And over the course of the past two years or so I have been an avid lurker. Just let me say that your site is one of the best rpg sites I have ever scene. Great job on the site!

Please do not take my comments in anger (I do not think you are though), because they are not meant in anger. I am just trying to get my opinion across in the most neutral and constructive way possible.

My initial thoughts on the errata matter were lazy editing, but those were made only in haste. With my level head I realize that there are things that are out of the editiors hands. Sure, all of this errata could have been taken care of by a simple test-reading group, but who wants to add another three to six months onto production? Not only were the fans eager to get their hands on the new game, but I am sure that those on the buisness end of things at Decipher did not want to waste the additinoal three to six months of sales on the relative luxury of extra editing. And I would never blame the authors (I know, by your smiles, that you were just joking). I know enough about publishing written work (especially those written by multiple authors) is a very complicated matter. And from what I know of the Trek rpg authors they are great people. Your quick action in handling the errata issue is only one example of your devotion to this project.

My major problem with the errata is actually two things. The main reason is the errata involoving the rules directly (not the concepts or clarity of the material). For example, the negative TN modifiers on academic tests due to mind imparing circumstances. It is acctually suppose to be a positive modifiyer. That is a mojor rules point that can cause a bit of a problem with game. The second reason is more of a blatant whine and I do hate to whine, so I will make no further point of it.

Like I said before, though, I love the book! I thought d20 was the second coming, but CODA is a great alternative. I can not wait to get a good grasp on its rules and run a few games with it (then I can start writing something positive about it :)).

Page 89/para 4

Scientific Upbringing

In the pick 3 skill list, it lists any one engineeing skill +2. When it should be +1.

Page 89/ para 6

Wealthy Family

In the pick 3 skill list, the any one Entertain skills level has been missed off. I asume it should be +1.

Further down the list, the any, in any one language skill is spelt

ary .

(God I'm so sad for finding that:) )

I'd rather have Coda Trek than

GURPS "let's not reprint anything and if we do let's make WORSE"

Chaosium CoC "let's put timelines and priceguides(?!) in the corebook but NOO setting info"

Chaosium was the reason I went to Mayfair Games' Chill RPG

speaking of 2nd editions

will this stuff be corrected for the Limited Edition?

I'm thinking of waiting for it

BUT i REALLY want it!

I will get both books anyway

sooo how much difference will there be between the regular and limited?

please put the cut descriptions of the emergency medic and ship's doctor

professions HINT NUDGE Etc

;)

There's a minor layout bug on page 182.

The line with the ranges of the Type I phaser appears under the photo of the Type II phaser, making it very easy to overlook and conclude that it's missing, as I nearly did. Moving the picture down a notch fixes it.

I dig the book so far. :)

Question - suppose you are a member of the Starship Officer Profession and start in the Science Elite Profession. You gain an advancement and wish to transfer into Command by using Starship Duty. Which of the following (if any is correct):

Option 1:
Advancement X: Spend 3 picks on Starship Duty which gives you the command elite profession and one command professional ability. Two more picks to do whatever you want with? Just Command?

Advancement X+1: As a member of the Command Elite Profession, spend all five picks within it (i.e. command professional skills and abiltities)

Advancement X+2: Back to normal



Option 2:
Advancement X: Spend 3 picks on Starship Duty which gives you the command elite profession and one command professional ability. Two more picks to spend just in command professional skills.

Advancement X+1: Back to normal


Option 3:
Advancement X: Spend 3 picks on Starship Duty which just gives you the prerequisite to Command. Spend two more picks on anything.

Advancement X+1: Spend 5 picks to enter command elite profession. Gain a command professional ability.

Advancement X+2: Must spend all 5 picks in the command professional skills or abilities.

Advancement X+3: Back to normal.

I'd go with option #1.

Option #3 is a bit too demanding for my players, and option #2 is not demanding enough for my tastes.

Page 41, Notable Klingons says that Worf is the Federation ambassador to the Klingon Empire.

Page 222, The Second Klingon Empire says that Worf has left Starfleet ("former Starfleet officer Worf") and is the Klingon ambassador to the Federation.

He's both the Federation ambassador to the Klingon Emprire and the Klingon ambassador to the Federation?

I imagine Federation-Klingon debates are interesting, to say the least.

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Originally posted by Enrious
He's both the Federation ambassador to the Klingon Emprire and the Klingon ambassador to the Federation?

I imagine Federation-Klingon debates are interesting, to say the least.

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OTOH, it makes it really easy for the two rival delegates to get drunk together and swear lifelong friendship over a really mournful Klingon Opera.

Well, except when Beverly remembers to give Worf his medicine.


BJ

Quote:

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Originally posted by Lockhart
It seems it should have been said more simply i.e. "You can only increase/gain one level in a nonprofessional skill/nonfavored reaction each time you advance."

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I've checked with Ross, both Lockhart and Gabriel are correct: the text should indicate that you may raise only one non-professional skill per advancement, not that you can only spend one pick on a non-professional skill. (A small, but important, distinction.)

Same with the reaction text.

I have to admit that this was puzzling, especially since we never tracked "half" ranks in this game; they don't exist. :)

Quote:

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Originally posted by Dan Stack
Question - suppose you are a member of the Starship Officer Profession and start in the Science Elite Profession. You gain an advancement and wish to transfer into Command by using Starship Duty. Which of the following (if any is correct):

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I'd think you 1) don't have to buy Starship Duty again, and 2) you spend 5 picks like everybody else to join your new elite profession, which immediately gives you one professional ability. On your next advancement you are back to normal and may spend picks on abilities and professional skills of both of your current professions at the convenient rates.

Lockhart

>>Therefore, I must ask: "Every character receives a number of skill picks equal to Int x 2"? Does this mean the Intellect score or the Intellect modifier? <<

Intellect times two. Yes, that means your Vulcan is throwing a lot of skill levels at those skills. Which certainly explains why Mr. Spock seems to know a little something about everything.

>>On p.132, the description says that you must expend a number of picks equal to the Commendation level you wish. Does this mean (via the advancement rules that an edge costs 2 picks) that a Commendation 1 costs 2 picks and a Commendation 2 costs 4?<<

The example doesn't bear this out. You must expend a number of picks equal to the commendation level you desire. One pick for commendation one, two picks for commendation two.

>>"Why do some of the tables modify the TN and some modify the test result?" I was trying to make things consistent (to my mind). <<

This has been the bone of contention in the office for almost a year now.

Modifiers that modify the TN are circumstances controlled by the Narrator. The Narrator tells you when the room is dark or when you don't have sufficient equipment, and this modifies the TN.

Modifiers that modify the test result are circumtances under the Player's control. If your character has an edge that gives you a +2 to a test result, that's because YOU control that. It's innate to your character.

Therefore, if you suffer from a mind altering drug, that's up to the Narrator (since he's the one who says "you're drugged") and so it should make the TN more difficult for you.

Whether or not you're at point blank or short range is really up to the player. After all, if the Narrator says "you're at medium range" you can always reply with "then I move closer."

By the same token, whether or not someone is friendly towards you (a social modifier) depends on your actions towards them. If Captain Koloth hates your guts, but you give him a nice bottle of bloodwine, this may modify his interaction stance towards you. Thus, the bonus to your test result.

You could pick any edge you want at either stage of character development, and treat the ones listed at "suggestions." Or you could treat the edge picks as a closed list. It's up to you, which is why the text was intentionally left vague. Maybe we should shore that up one way or another....