CODA Conversion to the Unisystem,

part 2

STAR TREK

RACES

Andorians
Attributes: +1 STR [1], +1 DEX [1], +1 PER [1]
Life Points: +10 [1]
Qualities: Armor Value 2 (Bash only) [1], Acute Senses (Hearing) [2]
Skills: +1 Unarmed Combat [1]
Total: 8 points

Arkenites

Attributes: -1 STR [-1], +1 DEX [1], -1 CON [-1], +2 INT [2]
Qualities: Cathandri [5]*, Field Sense [2], Sonar [5]
Drawbacks: Addiction (Anlac’ven) [-1], Emotional Problems (Not a leader)* [-1]
Total: 6/12* points

Notes: Arkenites are descendant from dolphin-like animals that roamed the seas of Arken. They have a sonar sense and can perceive electrical flow. This gives a +2 bonus to Science or Engineering rolls dealing with repairing or studying electronic equipment. Arkenites are very attuned to the magnetic field of their home planet. When they leave Arken, they must wear the Anlac’ven, a head arch that creates a miniature magnetic field. Without then, Arkenites suffer the same penalties as for lack of a severe drug, like heroin. This addiction cannot be bought off, but since all Arkenite characters start the game with an Anlac’ven, it gives costs only 1 point. The vast majority of Arkenites are incapable of assuming leardership positions. This tends to limit their advancement in Starfleet -- they can never be Department Heads or Commanding officers. However, Arkenites from the Sia Cathan, the ruling clan, do not have this Drawback. In order to play a Cathandri, the player must buy the namesake Quality, increasing the race’s cost to 12 points (5 from the Quality and 1 from the lack of the Drawback).

Bajorans

Attributes: +1 WILL [1]

Drawbacks: Mental Problems (Cardassian intolerance, Mild) [-1]

Skills: +1 Wild Card (Bajoran Religion)

Total: 1 point

Betazoid

Qualities: Telepathy 2 [12]

Drawbacks: Mental Problems (Uninhibited, Mild) [-1]

Skills: +2 Wild Card (Telepathy) [2]

Total: 13 points

Notes: Telepathy works like Mind Sight (WC p.232) and Mind Talk (WC p.233). Betazoids are very open and often say whatever is on their mind. This is represented by the Uninhibted Drawback..

Cardassians

Qualities: Armor Value 2 (Bash only) [1]

Drawbacks: Mental Problems (Courtesy, Mild) [-1]

Skills: +1 Crime [1], +1 Influence [1]

Total: 2 points

Ferengi

Qualities: Acute Senses (Hearing) [2]

Drawbacks: Covetous (Greedy, Mild) [-1], Covetous (Lecherous, Mild) [-1]

Skills: +2 Influence [2]

Total: 2 points

Notes: Ferengi usually take an Influence specialty in Bargain.

Klingons

Attributes: +1 STR [1], +2 CON [2], +1 WILL [1]

Life Points: (STR + CON) x 5 +20 [2]

Qualities: Hard to Kill +3 [3], Long Life [1]

Drawbacks: Warrior Culture 1 [-1], Honorable 2 [-2]

Skills: +1 Melee [1], +1 Ranged Combat [1], +2 Unarmed Combat [2]

Total: 11 points

Nausicaans

Attributes: +3 STR [3], +2 CON [2], -1 INT [-1], -1 WILL [-1]

Life Points: (STR + CON) x 5 +20 [2]

Qualities: Armor Value 2 [1]

Skills: +1 Melee [1], +1 Unarmed Combat [1]

Total: 8 points

Orions

Attributes: +1 STR [1], +1 PER [1]

Qualities: Pheromones [2]

Drawbacks: Covetous (Greedy, Mild) [-1]

Skills: +1 Crime [1], +1 Influence [1]

Total: 5 points

Notes: Pheromones is the equivalent of Attractiveness +2.

Romulans

Attributes: +1 STR [1], +1 CON [1], +1 WILL [1]

Qualities: Acute Senses (Hearing) [2], Long Life [1]

Drawbacks: Mental Problems (Racial Intolerance, Serious) [-2]

Total: 4 points

Tellarites

Qualities: Acute Senses (Taste & Smell) [4], Infrared Vision [3]

Drawbacks: Covetous (Gluttony, Mild) [-1], Mental Problems (Argumentative, Mild) [-1]

Skills: +1 Influence [1]

Total: 6 points

Notes: Although there is no Gluttony type in the Covetous Drawback, I thought it would be a good way to represent it.

Trills

Qualities: Joined [5/level]

Total: Varies

Notes: Joined works like Old Soul (WC p.87), but each level represents only one previous host. I’ve increased the cost because there’s no Essence cost. Also, since the Lite skill list is reduced, this Quality should give bonuses to the appropriate skill, instead of giving the character a new skill. Note that it’s possible to play a Trill without a symbiont, like Ezri before Jadzia died. Gamewise, the character would be just like a human, except for the freckles (or ridges, if you go by TNG’s “The Host”).

Vulcans

Attributes: +4 STR [4], +2 CON [2], +2 INT [2], +2 WILL [2]

Qualities: Acute Senses (Hearing) [2], Long Life [1], Mindmeld 1 [3]

Drawbacks: Controlled Emotions [-2], Honorable 1 [-1], Obsession (Logic) [-2]

Skills: +2 Wild Card (Trance) [2], +3 Wild Card (Mindmeld) [3]

Total: 16 points

Notes: Mindmeld works like Mind Sight (WC p.232). Controlled Emotions is a broader Humorless. Wild Card (Trance) works like the Trance skill (WC p.100). Wild Card (Mindmeld) is the skill needed to use the power. Nerve pinch could be a bonus to the Knockout Maneuver or a new Wild Card.

SKILLS
In some cases, a CODA Skill will be broken into two or more Unisystem Skills, and vice versa.

* New skills

EDGES & FLAWS
Edges and Flaws are a mixed bunch. Some can be converted as Skills, others can be replaced with normal Qualities and Drawbacks, and others count as Powers. A few simply aren’t meaningful in the Unisystem.

NEW QUALITIES AND DRAWBACKS

ACCURATE
2-point Quality
Prerequisite: Weapon Skill 4+
See LotR, p. 143.

BATTLE-FURY
1-point/level Drawback
See LotR, p. 154.

DOUGHTY
1-point Quality
Prerequisite: Str 4+
See LotR, p. 145.

ELF-FRIEND
1-point Quality
See LotR, p. 145.

FAVOURED WEAPON
2-point Quality
This ability adds a +2 bonus to Tasks involving an specific weapon. Example: broadsword, long bow, hadn axe etc..

FELL-HANDED
1-point Quality
Prerequisite: Weapon skill 6+
Each level of this ability adds a +1 bonus to attacks against an enemy group, which is determined as per LotR, p.146. A character can have as many levels as his weapon skill.

FORE-SIGHTED
2-point Quality
Prerequisite: INT 5+
See LotR, p.146.

HAMMERHAND
2-point/level Quality
Prerequisite: STR 4+
Each level of this ability adds a +1 bonus to Brawling damage (not Multiplier). A character can have as many levels as his Strength attribute.

HEALING HANDS
1-pointQuality
The character can heal 1 Life/Endurance/Essence point per Willpower Level. This healing can be spread in any way, and can be used to heal the character as well as others. Repeated uses of this ability incur the same fatiguing rules as the Sorcery Quality.

RESOLUTE
2-point Quality
See LotR, p. 150.

STIFF-NECKED
1-point Drawback
See LotR, p. 157.

SWIFT RECOVERY
1-point Quality
Prerequisite: CON 4+
Your natural healing rates are doubled. The reverse version of this Quality is the Drawback Slow Recovery.

SWIFT STRIKE
5- or 10-point Quality
This ability grants an extra attack or defense action to the character. It can be bough twice

TRAVEL-SENSE
2-point Quality
See LotR, p. 151.

WAKEFULNESS
1-point Quality
You only suffer half the normal fatiguing penalties for not sleeping: -1 for every two nights without sleep, instead of the normal -1 for every night.

WEAPON MASTERY
2-point/level Quality
Prerequisite: Weapon Skill 4+
You are supernaturally proficient with a weapon. Each level adds to the Multiplier of the attack. This Power cannot exceed the character’s Skill Level.

Converting Orders
Generally, classes are reflected on the skills the characters take. I thought of converting the Order abilities, but that seemed like importing the worst aspects of the system's micro-management.

MAGIC

In order to better simulate the Middle Earth feel, use the Sorcery (we’ll be calling it Spellcasting from now on, since Sorcery has a negative connotation in this setting) rules from the Buffy RPG (p.161). Keep the fatiguing and repeated use rules, although you might want to reduce the time period from day to minute. There are a couple more tweaks:

• Nothing happens if the character fails to attain the spell’s Power Level
• In case of failure, the difference between the roll’s Success Level and the spell’s Power Level is applied as penalty for further spellcasting, cumulative with the fatiguing and repeated use ones.
• There is no Occultism skill. The spellcasting roll is Attribute plus one of the spellcasting Qualities. Active Spells (which influence something or someone) use Willpower. Detection Spells use Perception. Creation/Illusion Spells use Intelligence.
• Spell damage, range and duration can be increased by 25% for every extra Success Level the character needs in the spellcasting Task. One Success Level will only increase one component, so if you want to increase each one by 25%, the character'll need 3 Success Levels.
• Permanently increasing these components can be done as described in LotR at the cost of 4 points per pick.
• Spells cost 1 character point per power level.

Spellcasting Qualities
Users of Magic have access to three different spellcasting methods:

SPELLCASTING
5 points/level
Exactly like the Sorcery Quality, esxcept it doesn’t include the Telekinesis ability.

RUNE
3 points/level
Limited for of magic that uses the engraving of symbols.

SONGS OF POWER
5 points/level
Spells take longer, but are more powerful.

WRITE-UPS

ARAGORN
Race: Dúnadain
Birth: TA 2931

Life Points: 54
Speed: 22
Courage: 7
Qualities: Elf-friend, Fell-handed (Orcs), Fore-sighted, Healing Hands, Natural Toughness, Nerves of Steel, Renown 3, Resistance (Corruption) 2, Resolute, Status 2 (Chieftain of the Dúnadain), Swift Recovery, Swift Strike, Wakefulness
Drawbacks: Adversaries (The servants of the Shadow) -8, Love (Arwen), Obligation (Defat Sauron and claim throne): Total -3
Skills: Arts (Poetry) 6, Athletics 6, Climbing 6, Disguise 5, Dodge 5, Hand Weapons (Bow 6, Sword 10, Thrown 4), Intimidation 12, Questioning 9, Quick Draw 8, Lore (History: Dúnadain 7, Moria 2, Realm 4, Race: Dúnedain & Orcs 6), Notice 10, Piloting (Sailboat) 5, Riding (Horse) 8, Running (Marathon) 7, Siegecraft (Catapult) 8, Stealth 10, Storytelling 8, Streetwise 9, Surveillance 8, Survival (Forest, Mountain, Plain) 12, Swimming 4, Tracking (Orcs) 12, Unconventional Medicine (Herbal remedies) 10, Weathersense 5
Languages: Adúnaic, Black Speech, Orkish (dialect), Orkish (another dialect), Quenya, Rohiric, Sindarin, Westron (Common)
Possessions: Andúril [+2 to Sword, +3 to inspire]
Maneuvers:

• Andúril vs. Orcs   18   D8 x 5 (20)   slash
• Andúril                  17  D8 x 5 (20)   slash
• Sword 15 D8 x 5 (20) slash
• Bow 11 D6 x 5 (15) stab
• Thrown 9 D4 x 5 (10) stab
• Punch 5 D4 x 5 (10) bash

ORC
Race: Orc

Life Points: 42
Speed: 14
Courage: 0
Qualities: Acute Senss (Smell), Favoured Weapon (Scimitar), Low-light Vision
Drawbacks: Cowardly, Delusion (Prejudice: Dwarves, Elves) -3
Skills: Hand Weapons (Sword 4, Bow 2), Intimidation 4, Lore (Race: Orc) 4, Notice 4, Riding (Wolf) 3, Running (Marathon) 3, Siegecraft (Type) 2, Stealth 4, Tracking 1
Languages: Black Speech, Orkish (dialect), Westron (Common)
Abilities: AV 1, Claws
Possessions: Scimitar
Maneuvers:

• Scimitar 9 D8 x 4 (16) slash
• Bow 5 D6 x 4 (12) stab
• Claws 3 4 slash

URUK

Race: Uruk

Life Points: 50
Speed: 18
Courage: 0
Qualities: Favoured Weapon (Scimitar), Low-light Vision
Drawbacks: Delusion (Prejudice: Dwarves, Elves) -3, Obligation (Sauron, Saruman or other master) -3
Skills: Hand Weapons (Sword 7, Bow 5), Intimidation 6, Lore (Race: Orc) 4, Notice 6, Riding (Wolf) 3, Running (Marathon) 5, Siegecraft (Type) 5, Stealth 4, Tracking 1
Languages: Black Speech, Orkish (dialect), Westron (Common)
Abilities: AV 1, Claws
Possessions: Scimitar
Maneuvers:

• Scimitar 11/13 D8 x 5 (20) slash
• Bow 9 D6 x 5 (15) stab
• Claws 4 5 slash

Back to Unisystem

Well, enjoy it! And if you want, you can drop me a line at fred@planetfred.net or leave a comment at the PatchComm.