Combat & Challenge Resolution

Combat in Star Trek Adventures is theatrical and narrative — not a tactical grid exercise. Characters are competent professionals, and the system rewards clever thinking, teamwork, and dramatic moments.

Initiative

At the start of combat, each character rolls Daring + Conn. The GM ranks characters from highest to lowest. Ties are broken by the GM.

Turn Structure

On your turn, you may take 2 actions from the following:

Action	What It Does
Attack	Make a combat check against a target.
Move	Reposition, take cover, or close distance.
Task	Perform a skill check — repair, scan, hack.
Support	Help an ally gain +1D on their next check.
Minor Action	Draw weapon, open door, communicate, activate device.

You may take the same action twice.

Attacking

To attack, make a skill check using the appropriate combat skill:

• Melee: Fitness + Fight (or Security + Fight)
• Ranged: Control + Marksmanship (or Security + Marksmanship)
• Unarmed: Fitness + Fight

Roll 2d20 + Attribute + Discipline against the target's Defense. Defense is typically 7 + Security Discipline for trained personnel.

Each success deals 1 Stress of damage (modified by weapon and talents).

Damage and Stress

Every character has a Stress track — their physical and mental resilience.

Stress Maximum = 8 + Fitness (before species adjustments)

When Stress reaches the character's maximum, they begin taking Injuries instead.

Injuries

When your Stress is full and you take more damage, you suffer an Injury:

Severity	Effect
Grazed	No mechanical effect. A warning.
Wounded	−1D to all dice pools.
Crippled	−2D to all dice pools. Maximum 1 action per turn.
Dead	The character is dead.

Healing

• Grazed: Heals after a scene of rest.
• Wounded: Requires medical treatment or an Extended Task.
• Crippled: Requires significant medical attention and time.

Extended Tasks

Some challenges are too complex for a single check — repairing a damaged warp core, negotiating a peace treaty, decoding an alien transmission. These are Extended Tasks:

1. Set the Difficulty and determine the Work Track — total successes needed (usually 8–15).
2. Each successful check adds extra successes to the Work Track.
3. Complications can reduce progress or introduce setbacks.
4. When the Work Track is filled, the task is complete.

Multiple characters can contribute to the same Extended Task.

Ship Combat

Starship combat uses ship systems and departments instead of individual character stats.

Structure

• Shields absorb damage first. When Shields are depleted, damage goes to Hull.
• Hull represents structural integrity. When Hull reaches 0, the ship is destroyed or crippled.
• Power is spent on special ship actions and talents.

Crew Actions

Each crew member takes an action on the ship's behalf:

Action	Check
Fire Weapons	Conn + Security vs. target's Defense
Evasive Maneuvers	Conn + Conn — adds defense to the ship
Scan	Science + Sensors — gather information
Shields	Engineering + Science — redistribute or boost shields
Repair	Engineering + Engineering — restore Hull or system damage
Aid Crew	Command + any — boost another crew member's check

Ship Scale

Ships operate on a different scale than personal combat. Ship weapons deal Ship Scale damage — much higher than personal weapons. Individual characters can take cover, use the environment, or target specific systems.

Morale Stress

Beyond physical Stress, characters can suffer Morale Stress — mental and emotional damage from frightening, traumatic, or morally challenging situations. Sources include:

• Witnessing horror or atrocity.
• Failing to save lives.
• Making morally compromising choices.
• Prolonged isolation or fear.

Morale Stress heals through counselling, rest, and roleplay — not just medical treatment.

Tips for Players

• Use your Values. Invoking a Value gives you Determination — a powerful resource. Don't hoard it.
• Work as a team. Support actions make everyone better.
• Think beyond combat. STA rewards creative problem-solving. Sometimes the best weapon is a scanner and a clever plan.
• Play your Focuses. Focuses are your specialty — lean into them.
• Embrace complications. A natural 20 isn't just a failure — it's a story opportunity.