Species Attribute Adjustments

[PGoodman13]

It's been established that a character's maximum score in an attribute is 12 plus the species modifier. The maximum Klingon Strength, for instance, is a 13. It is understood and understandable that this maximum can't be breached without one whopper of a reason.

What I'm wondering about, though, is this: Can a negative modifier be overcome through dint of experience and hard work? Can a Vulcan, for instance, ever reach a Presence score of 10? At least one canon example, Spock, would seem to suggest this is possible. However, Spock is a half-breed, half Human and half Vulcan; the higher Presence could be seen as his Human side peeking through, even though none of his other stats or abilities suggest that he's anything but a pure Vulcan.

So...can a negative species modifier on an ability be overcome over the course of time? Any official stance on this would be greatly appreciated.

[Don Mappin]

This isn’t official (that’d have to come from Jess), but I would say yes.

Why? Two reasons:
1) I don’t see the proposition as unbalancing.
2) A reoccurring theme in Star Trek is overcoming one’s limitations. I have a fundamental problem with the system saying, essentially, “sorry, you can’t overcome that.”

But, like I said, that’s just me.

[Erik Filean]

Originally posted by Don Mappin
This isn’t official (that’d have to come from Jess), but I would say yes.

Why? Two reasons:
1) I don’t see the proposition as unbalancing.
2) A reoccurring theme in Star Trek is overcoming one’s limitations. I have a fundamental problem with the system saying, essentially, “sorry, you can’t overcome that.”

But, like I said, that’s just me.

As far as I'm concerned, the only unbreakable limit should be 12 (or 12 + a positive species modifier, as applicable). For that matter, story circumstances might even lead me to break that rule, but I'd think about it first. And, I agree; it isn't unbalancing if the player is spending the picks to raise the attribute above the limit set by a negative species modifier--after all, the same picks might have been used to reinforce stereotypical species strengths.

[PGoodman13]

Jess was kind enough to respond to this question over on Decipher's ST:RPG boards, and was gracious enough to allow me to cross-post it here.

Jesse's reply:

To some degree species adjustments represent "game balance" factors. A Vulcan with a high Presence and a 12+ Strength and Intellect is obviously, stat-wise, superior to just a plain vanilla Human.
If characters can have stats that break their normal species norms, too, we wind up in the odd situation of wondering why Kirk (for instance) has "only" a 12 Presence if it's possible for Humans to do better. If anyone has a better rating, it would be Kirk!

In Star Trek, however, we consistently see that concerted effort and will to change can overcome many of the limitations of species. Humans of the 23rd and later centuries have overcome their warlike, divisive, acquisition-minded natures. Vulcans can learn to empathize with other emotional species, as epitomized by the examples of Spock and even Tuvok (witness that Tuvok sends off Neelix, when Neelix leaves Voyager, by performing a dance step for the Talaxian).

If you are a relentlessly simulationist player, you would probably find your game best suited by leaving certain species with the lower maximums due to their modifiers.

My "official" recommendation, for what it's worth:

* SURPASSING THE LIMITS: With tremendous effort, people can and do change in Star Trek, often for the better. Be it due to an act of incredible willpower, the influence of alien ideas, a life-changing experience or other great motivator, people learn to overcome their weaknesses, their deficiencies, and their personal demons. It's not easy, but it's possible.
Your character can surpass the "normal" species limits with extraordinary effort. You must meet the following qualifications:
-- You must experience a life-changing event. This could be a single brief event that changes your character forever (Gul Dukat seeing his daughter Ziyal's death, Spock failing to achieve kolinahr), or it could come over the course of many years (B'elana Torres learning to rein in her impulsive side, Melora Palzar undergoing lengthy treatments to overcome her species' low-gravity background). This is the "story impetus" for your character's change. If you discuss your idea beforehand with the Narrator, you can probably come up with plotlines that will move this along and also present good story ideas.
-- You must purchase the edge: Superior Specimen. This edge simply allows you to pick one of your favored attributes and have the potential to improve it one point beyond your normal species limits. It is not upgradeable, nor may it be purchased for more than one attribute. (You could still take the edge that lets you "double up" on a normally non-upgradeable edge, in which case you could raise a single favored attribute by two points over normal.)
-- You must still spend picks to improve the favored attribute.

Under this system, you could (theoretically) have a Vulcan with a Presence of 11; the character would have to purchase Superior Specimen (Presence), purchase the edge that lets you upgrade it, purchase Superior Specimen again, and spend picks for two advancements in Presence. But it could be done.

If you wanted to get really cracky, your Vulcan could instead take Superior Specimen (Intellect) doubled up and then have an Intellect of 15.

Note that in many cases it's cheaper just to take edges and professional abilities that improve your rolls for specific skills, instead of going to all the work of raising an attribute.

[Lancer]

Thanks for sharing this info with us Patrick.

The only thing I find curious about Jess's reply is the reference to the Trait Upgrade edge. From how he writes about it, it sounds as if this only allows you to buy a certain edge a second time and then actualy expand the points for: Edge, Trait Upgrade, Edge (=6 picks). I was under the impression that Trait Upgrade in itself leads to the increased effect, without the necessity to buy the edge a second time.

[PGoodman13]

Originally posted by Lancer
Thanks for sharing this info with us Patrick.

No problem; I figured that since I started it here, I should let those folks here who don't venture onto Decipher's boards reap the benefit as well.

The only thing I find curious about Jess's reply is the reference to the Trait Upgrade edge. From how he writes about it, it sounds as if this only allows you to buy a certain edge a second time and then actualy expand the points for: Edge, Trait Upgrade, Edge (=6 picks). I was under the impression that Trait Upgrade in itself leads to the increased effect, without the necessity to buy the edge a second time.

I don't have my books handy, so I can't check the wording, so I don't know if I agree with you or not at the moment. However, you'd have to talk to the actual Line Developer Guy to see how he spins that one. Jesse?

[aelius]

I believe that I read here you do not have to purchase the Trait Upgrade edge then the the edge again, but I make my players spend the 6 points because it seems too easy if you can upgrade a trait that can't normally be but it doesn't cost any more than if it could normally be.

[Jesse Heinig]

To me, it seems a little cheap that for the cost of one edge (Trait Upgrade), you get two effects (the ability to break the rules on a trait, as well as the effect of the additional trait itself).
As far as I'm concerned, the "fair" answer is that you purchase Trait Upgrade, then you purchase the upgraded edge a second time.

J.H.