Andorians!

[tonyg]

Here are some CODA write-ups for Andorians. I've done two versions. The first is based on the ICON version, whiel the second reflects details about Andorian anatomy gleaned from the Among the Clans sourcebook (I've been thinking out doing some Keth-base personal deveoplment packages as well).

ANDORIANS
SPECIES ADJUSTMENTS: +2 Vitality, -1 Intellect, +1 Perception, -1 Presence. Andorians are hardy and perceptive, but tend to react emotionally making them a bit intimidating.

SPECIES ABILITIES:
• BONUS EDGE: SKILL FOCUS (KEEN HEARING): Andorians have “antennae” that enhance their ability to detect sounds and pinpoint their source. Andorian begin with the Edge Skill Focus (keen Hearing). See pages 137-138.
• BONUS SKILL: ANDORIAN TRADITIONAL WEAPONS: All Andorians learn to use the weapons traditional to their culture. They gain the Armed Combat sill Andorian Traditional Weapons at skill level 1. Andorian characters can treat this skill as a professional skill for purposes of skill acquisition (see page 98) and advancement (see page 153).
• BONUS EDGE: HIGH PAIN THRESHOLD: Andorian physiology, combined with their dueling culture results in Andorians being better able to tolerate pain. See page 135.
• HONOR: Andorians place a high value on their honor, and will seek to avenge any slight upon it, normally through the ushaan, or ritual duel. Andorians with a high personal Honor (measured by Renown) can persude other Andorians more easily and have great respect among the clans. When making Influence, Negotiate, and Persuade tests involving other Andorians, the character adds his Renown modifer automatically to the skill test.
If an Andorian has a stain upon their honor, they cannot add their Renown modifier automatically, and other Andorians will react poorly to the character, reducing all social interaction stance categories towards the character by one step worse (see “Social Tests”, page 101).



ANDORIANS (AMONG THE CLANS VERSION)


SPECIES ADJUSTMENTS: +2 Vitality, -1 Intellect, +1 Perception, -1 Presence. Andorians are hardy and perceptive, but tend to react emotionally making them a bit intimidating.


SPECIES ABILITIES:
• BONUS EDGE: SKILL FOCUS (KEEN HEARING): Andorians have “antennae” that enhance their ability to detect sounds and pinpoint their source. Andorian begin with the Edge Skill Focus (keen Hearing). See pages 137-138.
• BONUS SKILL: ANDORIAN TRADITIONAL WEAPONS: All Andorians learn to use the weapons traditional to their culture. They gain the Armed Combat skill Andorian Traditional Weapons at skill level 1. Andorian characters can treat this skill as a professional skill for purposes of skill acquisition (see page 98) and advancement (see page 153).
• CARTILAGINOUS SKELETON: The Andorian skeleton is compartmentalized, and very resistant to blunt attacks. This grants Andorians the benefits of 3 points of armor against blunt attacks, such as clubs. However, once broken, a bone takes twice the normal time to heal.
• GHELOID CRICULATION: Andorians have a dual circulatory system that transfers oxygen and blood more efficiently than in other life forms. Andorians gain a +4 bonus to all Stamina tests made to resist fatigue or the effects of cold.
• HONOR: Andorians place a high value on their honor, and will seek to avenge any slight upon it, normally through the ushaan, or ritual duel. Andorians with a high personal Honor (measured by Renown) can persude other Andorians more easily and have great respect among the clans. When making Influence, Negotiate, and Persuade tests involving other Andorians, the character adds his Renown modifer automatically to the skill test.
If an Andorian has a stain upon their honor, they cannot add their Renown modifier automatically, and other Andorians will react poorly to the character, reducing all social interaction stance categories towards the character by one step worse (see “Social Tests”, page 101).
• TOXIN SUSPECTIBILITY: Due to their dual circulatory system, most toxins work very quickly on Andorians, resulting in reducing the Base Time for poisons by one-half.

[AllenS]

This is excellent! don't know if it will match up with the one in the Narrator's Guide or not but it's certainly well done.

Feel like taking a shot at a Tellarite template next? <g>

Allen

[tonyg]

Allen,
Thanks. I aready did a Tellarite write-up (check the thread).

BTW, THese are sort of hold overs unitl the NG comes out. Unfortuantely, everyone who is officially involved in DecTrek can't reveal much due to non-disclosure agreements.

[qerlin]

If I wind up using CODA, these will be really useful. We're lousy with Andorians in our campaign; can't swing a dead cat without hitting one.

I'll probably use the 'Among the Clans' version -- I loved S John's take on the guys.

[tonyg]

I liked his version too. THat's why I did two write ups. It just that since CODA uses a "balanced species" design the second one might not be legit in CODA rules (although many of the extra abilties were counterbalanced in AtC).

I would have like to have seen "unbalanced species design" with tougher species being counterbalanced with fewer advancements. That way we could give races all thier abilities (DS9 level Vulcans for instance) without worrying about creating ubermensch.

[CrimsonHawk]

May I also recommend the following additions?

*****
LANGUAGE: Andorian, Federation Standard
FAVORED PROFESSION: Soldier (or Starship Security Officer).
*****

Then again, that was probably pretty self-explanatory, eh?

=====O
Dale W. Robbins

[tonyg]

I'm not sure if solider is right for Andorians. THey don't seem to have the warrior culture that the Klingons do. With the degree that the ADF was developed, I'm incliude to thing of Starship Officer.

[Silverthorne]

According to the Write up for Andorians in the Prime Directive Rule book, they are passionate, in all things. I did not see anything to suggest this in your write up. is there a way to indicate it.

[tonyg]

Not exactly, and for the same reasons why Vulcans don't have "Hides Emotions" anymore.

CODA hads taken a lot of that out of the game mechanics and put it into the role-playing aspect of the game. Basically if you don't play the personaltiy correctly you won't earn as much XP.

Besides, PRIME DIRECTIVE isn't a very good source for TREK, not being based on the series.

However,
If you are familar with Among the Clans, LUG's Andorian supplement for ICON TREK,then certain aspects of the species write up [b][i]will[b][i] reinforce those concepts. For instance the Tradtional Weapons skill reflects the Andorians' dueling tradition (it's a major factor in Andorian society, and how they settle disputes--thats why I gave them the tradirional weapons skill-to duel other Andorians!) and Honor trait is there to make them more likely to take offense and engage in duels-pushing the "passionate" aspect of thier personalites.

[Silverthorne]

Every time I saw the LUG trek I did not have the money to buy any of the copies I saw, and at the time had 5 games running. I did not want to sit down and learn a new system. Beside none of my players at the time liked the LUG trek, so I would have gotten it for shelf filler.. I have several players now that seem interested in the Dec Trek, So I will be getting it and learning the rules to run the game...

[CrimsonHawk]

I'm not sure if solider is right for Andorians. THey don't seem to have the warrior culture that the Klingons do. With the degree that the ADF was developed, I'm incliude to thing of Starship Officer.

I based that decision off of the "dueling tradition" which they developed to stave off the senseless warring their tempers were forcing them into. But you and Silverthorne both have points.

Considering their passionate natures, their drive to excel, and their sense of honor, I don't see why they can't be good at whatever they put their minds to.

Maybe ... FAVORED PROFESSION: Any.

???

=====O
Dale W. Robbins

[tonyg]

IMO the advantage that LUGTrek and CODATrek have over Prime Directive is that they are based on the various Trek series, where as PD isn't. It is based on the starship combat game Star Fleet Battles which was liscenced from Franz Jospeh, who wrote the orignal STAR FLEET TECHNICAL MANUAL, based on STAR TREK.

That leads to some differences. For one thing, all the races in PD are different from STAR TREK. PD Klingons are based on the Klingons from the orignal series more than the "Samurai-Vikings" of latter TREK.

Since Star Fleet Battles was based on starship combat, it needed a Trek universe that had frequent ship engagments (so players had something to do). As a result the SFB universe is a bit more militant than the standard TREK universe.



As for Andorians-
In LUGTrek and probably in DECrek as well (both systems have the same design team), Andorians are very passionate. In a supplement about Andorians, the species culture was explained.

Basically, rather than repress thier violent tendancies as the Vulcans did, the Andorians channeled thier agression through the use of formalized duels. If an Andorian feels that some has slighted thier honor, they can challenge them to a duel. This is to first blood upon a cloth (similar in many respects to old norse dueling practices).

There are even rules for dueling with non-Andorians (basically the Federation beliveds that in respect to the Andorian's culture, a slighted Andorian has the right to challenge, but the challengee has the right to decline).

[tonyg]

Crimsonhawk,

Since favored profession doesn't actuually do anything, just gives suggestions for "typical characters" it probably isn't too important.

[CrimsonHawk]

Basically, rather than repress thier violent tendancies as the Vulcans did, the Andorians channeled thier agression through the use of formalized duels. If an Andorian feels that some has slighted thier honor, they can challenge them to a duel. This is to first blood upon a cloth (similar in many respects to old norse dueling practices).

I should've clarified. That's what I was trying to say up above.

Since favored profession doesn't actuually do anything, just gives suggestions for "typical characters" it probably isn't too important.

DOH! I need to read through by DecTrek a little more, then. I thought Favored Profession did do something. But you're probably right.

I offer my apologies if I've offended you by making the suggestions. That was not my intentions at all.

=====O
Dale W. Robbins

[Silverthorne]

ok, i personally like the idea of prime directive, but it never went over well with the gamers I play with. I am using that as a basis for the races, since I do not remember the Fasa write up on andorians off the top of my head. As it stands I remember little bits from both games. If I need to I can go back to the books and look up info, but I was trying to see how the game is set up since I know how most of my players run. The andorian has the ability in PD to sense energy flows, This would be a super ability if it is included in the Coda Rules, but if it is not, then Oh well.