Star Trek via Ghostbusters: Character Basics

As a thought experiment, what might a Star Trek role-playing game based on Ghostbusters: A Frightfully Cheerful Roleplaying Game look like?

Traits

Characters start with 14 points to distribute amongst four Traits. Each Trait must have at least 1 point. Instead of Brains, Muscles, Moves, and Cool, characters have:

• Intellect
• Physique
• Coordination
• Composure

Talents

Characters have one Talent per Trait. Each Talent adds 2 dice to its related Trait roll. Most Talents pertain to skills appropriate to Star Fleet personnel, but players can create just about any Talent they can imagine with the Trek Master's approval. Talents and Specializations are stackable.

(I may add examples in the future.)

Specializations

Each character has one (or, rarely, more than one) Specialization and receives 2 bonus dice to all duties pertaining to that Specialization. Specializations and Talents are stackable. The following are common Specializations found in a starship crew:

• Command
• Communication
• Engineering
• Helm
• Medicine
• Navigation
• Science
• Security

Powers

Characters of certain species may possess Powers at the expense of certain Limitations.

For example, Vulcan Powers would include Increased Strength (Physique), Mind Meld (Intellect), and Nerve Pinch (Coordination). Vulcan Limitations would include Interspecies Social Awkwardness (possiby involving a penalty to certain rolls involving negotiation or etiquette outside of Vulcan-to-Vulcan interactions), Logical to a Fault, and Code to Preserve Life.

As a standard rule, each Power confers a bonus of 4 dice to relevant Trait rolls. (This may vary.) Powers are not stackable with Talents or Specializations.

Luck

Instead of Brownie Points, characters have Luck, which functions identically. Each character starts with 10 points of Luck. Or 20 points. (I'm still pondering this.)

Advancement

When characters achieve Mission Goals, they are awarded Luck points that may be used in the same manner as Brownie Points: they can be saved, used as bonus dice, expended to reduce injury, or spent to improve Traits.

Advancement is also marked by promotion in rank and/or assignment to various positions in the crew.