Hello, fellow game masters (GMs)! Today, I want to talk about a potent tool in the Star Trek Adventures RPG that, when used creatively, can significantly enhance the quality of your sessions and keep your players focused on the main storyline: Complications.
In the world of Star Trek Adventures, a Complication is not just a misstep or mistake; it’s an opportunity. As a GM, introducing Complications can help you guide your players, keep them engaged in the main plot, and minimize unnecessary diversions.
Remember, in Star Trek Adventures, a Complication is not a punishment but a narrative tool.
Understanding Complications
Complications in Star Trek Adventures aren’t just problems or difficulties that arise; they’re narrative twists that add depth to the story and present the players with new challenges or decisions. These might be unexpected events, added difficulties, or surprising information that affect the story or the characters. Complications can arise from failed or even successful task checks, and should be more than just “something goes wrong”.
Creating Plot-Centered Complications
The trick is to make sure the Complications you introduce don’t lead your players further away from the main plot. Instead, they should subtly guide your players back on track or reveal new aspects of the main plot to them.
For example, let’s say your crew is investigating a strange alien artifact and they’re starting to stray from the primary storyline. A well-placed Complication could be that the artifact unexpectedly activates, sending out a distress signal to an alien race that is integral to your main plot. This brings their focus back to the central narrative and adds a sense of urgency to their mission.
Feel free to utilize the Complication and Momentum probability matrixes now available in Captain’s Log to spice things up a bit. These roll tables can work with Star Trek Adventures campaigns!
Making Complications Interactive
It’s essential to use Complications in a way that your players will perceive them as interactive and engaging, rather than frustrating roadblocks. Good Complications should present your players with decisions that feel meaningful, providing an opportunity for them to demonstrate their characters’ creativity, resourcefulness, and resilience.
For instance, if your players are caught in a diplomatic feud that isn’t central to your main plot, introduce a Complication where their Starship picks up an urgent distress call from a Federation ship under attack – a situation that directly ties into your main storyline. Now, the crew has to decide whether they stay and resolve the feud, or leave and respond to the distress call.
Complications as Plot Reveals
Complications can also be used to reveal critical plot points. Perhaps a Complication leads to the discovery of a hidden message, an unknown enemy, or an unexpected ally. These Complications serve as engaging story twists that keep players excited, focused, and involved.
Remember, in Star Trek Adventures, a Complication is not a punishment but a narrative tool. As GMs, our role is not to work against the players but to ensure that the story remains engaging and the game is fun. Using Complications creatively is a fantastic way to keep players on their toes and keep the story centered around the main plot points, helping you tell unforgettable Star Trek stories.
So, don’t be afraid to complicate things a bit.
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