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I've been a Trek fan for many years, and I've also played a lot of Trek RPGs over the years. When Lower Decks first aired, many of my old gamer buddies noted that it feels almost like you're watching a group sitting round the table playing Trek - a wonderfully weird mix of genuine, earnest Trek and unabashed silliness. So I was interested to see what form a book set in the show's interpretation of Trek felt like - was it even necessary? Would its tone annoy me?
The Riskier The Road, The Greater The Profit
A simple answer - this is a GREAT expansion, and well worth the price tag; it has much more content than I expected. I'm not sure quite why I was surprised by this, as Modiphius do produce very detailed books (and us Trekkies and Trekkers do love our tiny details) with lots of interesting character options and ideas for GMs. Systemically, their games use a 2d20 mechanic which is VERY swingy but really suits narrative play, especially where characters are inherently expert and advancement is about a character's personality and goals - in other words, it's ideal for Trek (less for Dune, FWIW). Previous Trek systems (FASA, LUG, Coda) could become bogged down in a plethora of skills and everyone rolling ridiculous dice, which obviously intrudes on storytelling; with the Modiphius system, however, the emphasis is on the story and building narrative Momentum (itself a tangible resource) to counter growing Threat. It's very natural, intuitive and enjoyable... but does THAT suit the more irreverent tone of Lower Decks?
Hear All, Trust Nothing
Let's be clear, the book absolutely embraces that tone; as well as a mix of art from the show and tremendous original art in the Lower Decks style, it does so by having commentary and log entries from the perspective of (mostly) Boimler and Mariner, which definitely immerse you in the feel of the show - granted, some may find that jarring, but I actually rather liked it. Plus, you get some "helpful" assistance from Badgey throughout. It's worth mentioning that from the outset the book specifically discusses the fact that, whilst Lower Decks certainly emphasises fun, it's fuelled by a very affectionate and sincere love of Trek. It's not parody or pastiche, or even homage: it is, 100%, Trek. Some scenarios will play to comedy, of course; but that doesn't mean there won't be character development or genuine pathos.
Opportunity Plus Instinct Equals Profit
The update covering the state of the Federation post Dominion war is genuinely useful no matter what style of game you want to run, giving you information on the state of the Federation and other galactic players. It covers life as a junior officer, which if you're running any post academy game again is great for research and understanding life on as a Lower Decker, shenanigans or otherwise. Having new lifepath options is always welcome, if only to stimulate backstory, and many new species - including Cetaceans, Gorn, Pakleds, and Exocomps - get a look in too. Ships of the era are covered also, including the California, Obena, and Parliament classes, and many of the ground vehicles (Argo II!) are detailed also. There's plenty of GM advice (for Lower Decks or other, Wej Duj style games), an army of NPCs to draw on AND a mini campaign that can be used in any era. All in all, a really solid product that I'd recommend faster than a mugato (gumato?) in heat.
