STA Tasks, Momentum, Threat and Determination

TASKS
Whenever a character attempts to complete an activity where the outcome is in doubt or failure is interesting, the character attempts a Task.

ATTEMPTING A TASK
A Task involves a character’s Attributes, Disciplines, and Focuses, and requires rolling two or more d20s.
1. The Gamemaster chooses which Attribute and which Discipline are appropriate for the Task being attempted. They also consider whether any of the character’s Focuses are applicable. Add together the Attribute and the Discipline chosen. This is the Target Number for the Task.
2. The Gamemaster then sets the Difficulty of the Task. This is normally between 0 and 5, but can go higher. The Difficulty is the number of successes the Player must roll on their d20s to successfully complete the Task.
3. The Player rolls their dice pool. The Player takes two d20s, and may choose to purchase up to three additional d20s by spending Momentum, adding to Threat, or using Determination (see "Improving the Odds", p.9). Once additional dice — if any — have been purchased the Player rolls their dice pool.
4. Each die that rolls equal to or less than the Target Number scores a single success.
A. If there is an applicable Focus, then each die that rolls equal to or less than the Discipline being used scores two successes.
B. Each die that rolls a natural 1 scores two successes.
C. Each die that rolls a 20 causes a Complication
5. If the number of successes scored equals or exceeds the Difficulty of the Task, then the Task is completed successfully. If the number of successes is less than the Difficulty of the Task, then the Task fails. Any successes in excess of the Difficulty of the Task become Momentum.
6. The Gamemaster describes the outcome of the Task. If the Task was successful, the Player may spend Momentum to improve the result further. After this, the effects of any Complications are applied.TRAITS
Locations, characters, and situations all come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and these differences are handled ingame as Traits. Each Trait is a single word or a short phrase, which describes a single significant fact about whatever it is the Trait belongs to and remains in play so long as it is true about the scene, character or place to which it is attached.

Traits, Advantages and Complications will do one of the following things:
* The Trait would not impact the Task and does not have any effect.
* The Trait is beneficial, and allows the Task to be attempted when it might normally be impossible.
* The Trait is beneficial, and reduces the Difficulty of the Task by 1.
* The Trait is detrimental, and increases the Difficulty of the Task by 1.
* The Trait is detrimental. It either prevents the Task from being attempted when it might normally be possible, or means the situation now requires a Task when one would not normally be required.

ADVANTAGES
An Advantage is a Trait which is inherently positive or beneficial, and which will never have a detrimental effect to its owners.

COMPLICATIONS
A Complication is a Trait which is inherently negative or problematic, and which will never have a beneficial effect upon its owners.

TASK DIFFICULTY
Unless otherwise noted, most Tasks have a basic Difficulty of 1, though more routine or straightforward Tasks may have a Difficulty of 0, and more complex or problematic Tasks will have higher Difficulties. After this, the Gamemaster then considers if there are any other factors in the current scene or environment, or affecting the characters involved, that would alter the basic Difficulty.IMPROVING THE ODDS
Star Trek Adventures provides several ways for characters to improve their chances of success by buying additional d20s to roll on a Task:


For the Gamemaster buying bonus d20s for Non-Player Characters there are fewer options. The Gamemaster may spend points of Threat to add dice to a Non-Player Character’s Task roll. Typically, Non-Player Characters do not have Determination.

MOMENTUM
Whenever a character attempts a Task and scores a greater number of successes than the Difficulty, these extra successes become Momentum, a valuable resource that allows characters to complete Tasks more quickly or more thoroughly than normal, or otherwise gain additional benefits. Each success above and beyond the Difficulty of a Task becomes one point of Momentum, which the character may immediately use or save for later. Each point of Momentum can be used or saved separately. The Player group may only ever have a pool of 6 Momentum at any one time.

THREAT
While not something that the Players interact with directly, Threat is an integral part of Star Trek Adventures. The Gamemaster makes uses of Threat to alter scenes, empower Non-Player Characters, and generally make things increasingly perilous and exciting. Players can add points of Threat to the Gamemaster’s pool instead of spending Momentum.

Throughout a game session, the Gamemaster will collect Threat, and spend it to create problems for the Player Characters. In this way, Threat creates tension that builds throughout a story, eventually culminating in an exciting finale that exhausts the Threat pool. The Gamemaster begins each session with 2 points of Threat for every Player in the group. They gain Threat in the following circumstances:
* Immediate Momentum: whenever a character uses an Immediate Momentum Spend, such as buying bonus d20s, they can do this by adding to the Gamemaster’s Threat pool, point for point.
* Complications: when a character suffers one or more Complications on a Task they or the Gamemaster may choose not to have the Complication take effect, but this is in exchange for adding two points to the Threat pool.
* Threatening Circumstances: the environment or circumstances of a new scene may be threatening enough to warrant adding one or two points of Threat to the pool.
* Non-Player Character Momentum: Non-Player Characters with unspent Momentum cannot save it like Player Characters because they do not have a group Momentum pool. Instead, a Non-Player Character adds unspent Momentum to the Threat pool.

In return, the Gamemaster can spend Threat in a few ways.
* Non-Player Character Momentum: Non-Player Characters may use Threat in all the ways that Player Characters use group Momentum.
* Non-Player Character Threat Spends: for any action that would add one or more points to Threat, a Non- Player Character performing the same action or choice must spend an equivalent number of points of Threat.
* Non-Player Character Complications: if a Non-Player Character suffers a Complication, the Gamemaster may prevent the Complication by spending two Threat.
Complication: the Gamemaster may create a Complication by spending two Threat.
* Reinforcements: the Gamemaster may bring in additional Non-Player Characters during a scene. Minor NPCs cost one Threat apiece, while Notable NPCs cost two.