Changing Professions

[Renny]

Quick question. If i'm creating a Captain but want him to start his Starfleet career as a helmsman, is there anything in the rules to support changing branch? I know I can give him Edges to reflect the required rank and command position but is there a way he can jump from the Flight Officer profession to Command mid career so he can get some of those nifty command abilities ? There is certainly evidence in the shows to support this approach but I can't find anything in the rules after a quick look.

[selek]

Quick question. If i'm creating a Captain but want him to start his Starfleet career as a helmsman, is there anything in the rules to support changing branch? I know I can give him Edges to reflect the required rank and command position but is there a way he can jump from the Flight Officer profession to Command mid career so he can get some of those nifty command abilities ? There is certainly evidence in the shows to support this approach but I can't find anything in the rules after a quick look.

It would be the same as purchasing any other Elite profession- you'd have to meet all the prerequisites for that profession and spend one advancement (five picks) to purchase the new profession.

(There's a cheat there, of course). Your character can purchase the Starship Duty edge a second time, and wave the prerequisites.

Once in the new profession, he purchases Professional abilities and such normally.

In the normal course of events, however, you'd more likely start him as a helmsman and THEN transfer him to the command branch.

[PGoodman13]

Quick question. If i'm creating a Captain but want him to start his Starfleet career as a helmsman, is there anything in the rules to support changing branch? I know I can give him Edges to reflect the required rank and command position but is there a way he can jump from the Flight Officer profession to Command mid career so he can get some of those nifty command abilities ? There is certainly evidence in the shows to support this approach but I can't find anything in the rules after a quick look.

As Selek said, it's just a matter of adding/changing Elite Professions. Meet the prereqs, pay the price in advancement picks, and you're so there. For an example...well, take a look at Treyva and watch his next advancement. It's about to happen in our own game.

Well, if we all make it out alive, that is.

[Renny]

Thanks guys. I found the Starship Duty note just after I posted. Nice to know I wasn't misreading it. And @PG, gulp!! :-)

[K.G. Carlson]

Wouldn't it be easiest to build him as a command candidate and just purchase a fairly high Systems Operations skill with the (helm or flight control) specialty? Because his branch is command does not automatically make him captain, but command candidates would certainly have jobs in Starfleet before their rank climbs high enough for the center seat.

[Renny]

Your way may very well be easier although i'd like him to have some of the helm related abilities as part of the character concept is he was a ship driver before transfewrring to the command path. Either way is good and i will probably try both as i'm writing up characters. Thanks again guys.

[PGoodman13]

Thanks guys. I found the Starship Duty note just after I posted. Nice to know I wasn't misreading it. And @PG, gulp!! :-)

Be sure to check the errata, too, Renny.

[Renny]

I carry a print out of the errata with me Shame it's necessary but as you know, there are some major corrections in there.

[spshu]

Quick question. If i'm creating a Captain but want him to start his Starfleet career as a helmsman, is there anything in the rules to support changing branch? I know I can give him Edges to reflect the required rank and command position but is there a way he can jump from the Flight Officer profession to Command mid career so he can get some of those nifty command abilities ? There is certainly evidence in the shows to support this approach but I can't find anything in the rules after a quick look.

A helmsman in the CODA rule is in the Command branch.

It would be the same as purchasing any other Elite profession- you'd have to meet all the prerequisites for that profession and spend one advancement (five picks) to purchase the new profession.

(There's a cheat there, of course). Your character can purchase the Starship Duty edge a second time, and wave the prerequisites.

Once in the new profession, he purchases Professional abilities and such normally.

In the normal course of events, however, you'd more likely start him as a helmsman and THEN transfer him to the command branch.

Starship Duty edge as shown in the characters in the books are shown as only:
Starship Duty (Command)
Starship Duty (Operations)
Starship Duty (Science)
not by any of the underlying Starship Officer subprofessions.
So to go from helms (flight control officer) to command, he already has the appropriate Starship Duty edge -- Command.