System Overhaul - how does it work?

[Lancer]

Simple question (or maybe not), how does the Starship Engineer's 'System Overhaul' ability work, or rather waht are the exact results of a successful System Overhaul use?

The text (PG, page 71) calls for an Engineering skill test at TN if this is successful "increase the system's maximum limit by 1.5".
What I am a bit unsure about is what exactly the "maximum limit" is. Can this ability increase (for example) a ship phaser's penetration from 6 to 9 or a shields threshold from 4 to 6 ????
Knowing my players they will sure try to use it that way, sooner or later.

And a related question: Is the increase only temporary or can this ability be used to permanently enhance a system/piece of equipment?

[Silverthorne]

I would rule that it is temporary.. depending on how well the roll was and what the conditions are.. if they boost shield threshold for 4 to 6 in combat then after comabt if they are still alive it returns to normal. as the fact that the shields are turned off.

[Doug Burke]

Originally posted by Lancer
Simple question (or maybe not), how does the Starship Engineer's 'System Overhaul' ability work, or rather waht are the exact results of a successful System Overhaul use?

The text (PG, page 71) calls for an Engineering skill test at TN if this is successful "increase the system's maximum limit by 1.5".
What I am a bit unsure about is what exactly the "maximum limit" is. Can this ability increase (for example) a ship phaser's penetration from 6 to 9 or a shields threshold from 4 to 6 ????
Knowing my players they will sure try to use it that way, sooner or later.

And a related question: Is the increase only temporary or can this ability be used to permanently enhance a system/piece of equipment?

I would be loathe to use it to increase penetration or threshold, but it should be possible. But only for a short time. I would treat it as a Jury-Rig repair (see NG p. 122-123) as far as time frame and Reliability test. Onc ehte Reliability test fails, the system involved should take 1 hit of damage to simulate the strain to the system involved in exceding its parameters.

But that's just the way I'd do it in may game...

[Lancer]

Originally posted by Doug Burke


I would be loathe to use it to increase penetration or threshold, but it should be possible. But only for a short time. I would treat it as a Jury-Rig repair (see NG p. 122-123) as far as time frame and Reliability test. Onc ehte Reliability test fails, the system involved should take 1 hit of damage to simulate the strain to the system involved in exceding its parameters.

But that's just the way I'd do it in may game...

Another possibility would be to give a bonus equal to that of the Enhanced System edge. This could last for 1 round with a marginal success and increased by one round for each success category, i.e. 4 rounds with an extraordinary success.
While treating it the same as a Jury-Rig repair sounds like a good idea I am more inclined to keep the dice rolling to a minimum, including Reliability tests. But that's just me...