CREATING A SUPPORTING CHARACTER
The number of Supporting Characters present during any game is variable, and Players do not inherently own any Supporting Characters — though they can lay claim to them during play, for the duration of that adventure.

A group of Players will have a maximum number of Supporting Characters that can be used during a single adventure; this number is the Crew Support of the group’s ship (Crew Support is described in full in Chapter 9: Home Among The Stars). During an adventure, Players may choose to introduce one or more Supporting Characters at the start of any scene, either creating those characters anew or choosing from amongst previously-created Supporting Characters. The total number of Supporting Characters introduced during the adventure cannot exceed the Crew Support.

Note that previously-created Supporting Characters do not count against this number until they are introduced in play, and during a prolonged campaign a group may create many Supporting Characters, not all of whom will appear in every session.

When creating a Supporting Character, use the following procedure:

1. PURPOSE: First, determine what purpose the Supporting Character will fill. Are they an engineer, or a doctor, or a scientist, or a security officer? This will shape the rest of the character. This includes choosing a department for the character.
   
2. ATTRIBUTES: Secondly, assign the character’s Attribute scores. The character will have Attribute scores of 10, 9, 9, 8, 8, and 7, arranged in any order. Also at this stage, choose the character’s species, and note down both their species Trait, and adjust the Attributes accordingly.
   
3. DISCIPLINES: Next, assign the character’s Disciplines. The character will have Discipline scores of 4, 3, 2, 2, 1, and 1, arranged in any order. The character’s highest Discipline should match up with the department chosen in step one.
   
4. FOCUSES: After this, choose three Focuses for the character. At least one of these should match up with the purpose defined in step one.
   
5. FINISHING UP: Finally, give the character their standard issue equipment (uniform, communicator, tricorder, Phaser, and possibly other tools), and choose an appropriate name and rank for the character. Supporting Characters should never have a rank above lieutenant, and may often be enlisted personnel rather than officers.

Supporting Characters do not have the same level of detail as Main Characters, and initially will lack Values and Talents. Further, a Supporting Character has no Determination to spend (and, lacking a Value, no way to earn Determination either). Supporting Characters can obtain these details and develop during play.

Whenever a Supporting Character is introduced to an adventure, and this is not the first time they have been introduced (i.e., they have been introduced before), the Player introducing them may choose one of the following options:

• VALUES: The Supporting Character gains a single Value. This option may be chosen up to four times, gaining a new Value each time.
• ATTRIBUTES: The Supporting Character increases a single Attribute by 1. This option may only be chosen once.
• DISCIPLINES: The Supporting Character increases a single Discipline by 1. This option may only be chosen once.
• FOCUSES: The Supporting Character chooses one additional Focus. This option may be chosen three times, gaining a new Focus each time.
• TALENTS: The Supporting Character gains a single Talent that they meet the requirements for. This option may be chosen four times, gaining a different Talent each time.

Once all the options listed above have been taken, a Supporting Character cannot improve further simply by being introduced to an adventure. However, Supporting Characters can also be improved as part of a Main Character’s advancement — reflecting a Main Character training and developing the personnel under them.