 April 23, 2009 - 1:06pm | AFAIK, Star Frontiers does not have a system of Player Character Level (Unlike D&D where everything has a level associated with it). How do Ref's determine the party's overall damage and defensive strength?
I've broken it down to the following area's of determining "level".
STEP 1) Add each level of STA and % To Hit. Record as "Level x" STEP 2) Damage Output and record as "Damage type:Level " STEP 3) Defense Type and record as "Defense type:Level" Example: Basic Stats: Slartibartfast, Stamina 60, Ranged 50%, 10 Frag Grenades, Skeinsuit with 50 points remaining. |
 April 25, 2009 - 8:33am | "AFAIK, Star Frontiers does not have a system of Player Character Level (Unlike D&D where everything has a level associated with it)." I think you said it all right there. No it doesn't have a level system and that is a good thing. The cool part of SF is that it is not level based. Just because so many people use D20 doesn't mean that it is good thing. It seems to work well for D&D, but it's unrealistic play becomes very apparent when you play in a modern or sci-fi setting. In SF the more you play the characters the more diverse they become. That is why they don't easily fit into a level system. If you think about real life people. We don't get more and more powerful all across the board, We develope skills. I usually try to match the skill levels of the NPC's with the PC's. If you want to have a group of mooks outnumber the PC's then I will have them be lower skill levels than the PC's. I don't sweat the encounters being totally balanced. Heck in life things just aren't balanced or fair. I like to keep the players guessing. At least I got to scare an alien rabbit thingy...... |
 April 25, 2009 - 10:50am | d20 (C&C) with Level for Fantasy RPG d100 (Star Frontiers) Skill Based for SciFi RPG At least, what I like... |
 May 3, 2009 - 6:21am | I once read advice on GMing that said, "When in doubt have two mooks come through the door with guns." When you think about it there is a lot to that- You can try to balance stuff but no adventure survives contact with the Players- so I try to have extra mooks, robots, animals ready in the wings to throw in if the encounter is a cake walk or if I detect the beginnings of player boredom. Should I have guessed wrong and an encounter is too tough then I fudge a few rolls causing some missed shots by the opposition (I'm not in favor of a TPK as it pretty much ends the campaign though the total party kill might be acceptable during the campaign climax though I've never had a TPK) or I allow for an unexpected event like the police showing up and the mooks high tail it out though that calls for a lot of rough questioning of the PCs by the police and possibly the confiscation of weapons if they dont high tail it too- just the natural consequences of being saved by the cops. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 May 3, 2009 - 5:36pm | Larry - There are many factors here. What I like to do as a ref is offer tactical opportunities to make up for what might be the PCs at a disadvantage - or in the midst of a tough fight. I never liked the whole concept of "encounter levels". I know that it started (in a basic form) looong ago in first Ed. AD&D. There were even elements of it in the D&D box sets. Give your PCs time to make a plan. Or give them an ambush. Let them do a B.A. Baracus A-Team concoction - complete with high-velocity cabbage projector! (LMAO - remember that one?) Or maybe they can just ROLE PLAY their way out of the encounter completely! |
May 4, 2009 - 8:02am | ... Or maybe they can just ROLE PLAY their way out of the encounter completely! Whoah!!! Role play in a role playing game? That's kind of old school isn't it? Not sure that's still allowed.  I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
May 4, 2009 - 3:53pm | I've posted this question in a few places and get about the same response. Unlike other games, Star Frontiers is a game where it takes dedication to running a successful encounter. I use the word "dedication" because "hard work" and "preparedness" seem to be the Red Headed Step Child of modern RPG's. Our games take preparedness and hard work to bring about a successful encounter. And we like it that way 'cause were the OS of RPG's. Old School Boo Yaaa! |
May 4, 2009 - 9:32pm | I still dont think its that hard to ballance an encounter. Like I said make a guess at the number of opponents and their fire power to oppose the PCs and have some extras (robots or more goons) in the wings and if its obvious that the encounter is too easy throw in the re-inforcements. If its too hard, having the law show up (cliche) can cause the opposition to break off. or even an unexpected ally. however if the Players come up with something unique or even role playish I roll with it even giving xp bonus for a good idea. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
May 5, 2009 - 9:01pm | Jedion is correct. There are many possibilities, Larry. Keep the action fluid and the options open, and your adventures will be fine. |
May 7, 2009 - 9:02pm | Second thoughts from recent campaign- I've had some combats that went way to easy- the whole fighting the Quickdeath at the end of SF-0- one player put his laser on max and blew threw a 20 SEU clip he'd been saving it was like a 2 round combat. I simply had to let it go with the whole build up to the ceremony. sometimes its just neccessary to just let it go for the sake of the adventure. If its a "random" encounter or you threw it in to pull wandering attention back to the game. if its suppose to be a major encounter or a climatic encounter than you can't just let it be a cake walk. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 May 8, 2009 - 3:22pm | If all else fails, the Referee can always go back to the Sulaco and nuke the PCs from orbit. Just to be sure.  "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
but wanted some input before continuing this line of thought. 