This other Overlay

[Keny Suda]

I know, in my last post on the "Best character/Overlay" thread, I wrote that in my opinion every officer can contribute to a campaign/mission, regardless his position/overlay.
But after thinking a little bit more about it, I cannot see how a Counselor could be of use ?

(That is if he isnt a telepath. We once had a SI agent in our group, covered as a Counselor. He was bearly able to do the job, but had some VERY interesting PSI skills.)

On any mission every PC is part of the away teams, even if there is no logical reason why the chief engineer, chief medical, security chief, OPS, Navigator and the captain should all beam down/over/whatever. It is as if we played TOS in the TNG timeline, just to not let any PC back on the ship unemployed.

Any insights?

[calguard66]

Find something on the ship for those PCs to do, or let your players run a backup character when their primary character is off screen

A counselor, if played properly and created wisely, can be of use in almost any situation... the secret is not to over specialize, while still obtaining expertise in the character's primary duty skills.

Maybe the Counselor uses Mok'bara to maintain physical fitness (like Troi) or took engineering extension courses (like Bashir)... nothing major, just enogh to allow her to turn a wrench in a pinch, or get herself out of trouble.

Remember, it is the mind of the PLAYER that is the most important. Someone who REALLY wants to play a Counselor will find ways to make herself useful. Even in a pure technical-wrench turner emergency, the Counselor can be examining things no one else has time for.

Counselor is my vavorite position to play, since I can find excuses to be involved in everything... I just have to take some "Starfleet career" skills, as well as the traditional "Counselor career" ones... also, racial history and culture skills, anthropology and archeology also fit.

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"I'd rather die standing than live on my knees..."
Shania Twain

[Don Mappin]

Ditto.

I've played 3 Counselors over the years, and each was an important part of the game and contributed heavily. In fact, one I would mark as one of my all-time favorite characters to play from any RPG.

Much of the weight rests on the player to make a good character and involve them when possible. People that idly sit back and wait for the adventure come to them typically don't have much to do.

Observent readers will note that this prior paragraph applies really to any character and any Overlay -- Counselors included.

In fact, I'd daresay that Counselors have more opportunities and "excuses" to be involved in many situations than engineers, doctors, or security officers!

Don

[Dan Gurden]

Hell, as Narrator Ive always found that the counsellor is usually vital to any away team, and on the off chance you really have nothing at all to do with a counsellor simply team them up with a Security officer to solve a crime...

Come to think of it those pairing usually m ake a far more enjoyable game...

But as everyone else has said it really does depend on the player, if theplayer cant be asked to get involved it wouldny matter if they were the XO... They would still be left floundering and wondering what to do!

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Dan.

"A couple of thoughts froma random mind!"

[calguard66]

Originally posted by Don:

In fact, I'd daresay that Counselors have more opportunities and "excuses" to be involved in many situations than engineers, doctors, or security officers!

Don

Exactly! A Counselor can fit in almost anywhere... My favorite counselor character was a Vulcan. He had the usual Psychology skills (Human, Andorian, Vulcan) but he also knew about the cultures and histories of those species... knew some Anthropology and Archaeology... and could drop a rhino with a nerve pinch.

I remember one away mission: search and rescue. How did he fit in? Desert survival expert! He really wasn't an EXPERT expert, but he grew up on a desert world, succeeded in his coming-of-age-ritual <can't recall the name>... he was more of an expert than anyone else on the crew.

My point? Make your characters flexible and broad-based, with carefully selected depth...

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"I'd rather die standing than live on my knees..."
Shania Twain