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Contents [hide] 1 Factions 2 Races 2.1 Federation 2.2 Klingon Empire 2.3 Shared 3 Traits 4 Ranks 5 Notes

Playing STO

From Star Trek Online

So you've installed the game, loaded it up, and are ready to play Star Trek Online. Below is a quick primer on what you should know before setting foot on Earth Spacedock for the very first time.

Factions

Intially, the only faction you are able to play as is the Federation. Once you reach Lieutenant level 6, the Klingon Empire is unlocked as a playable faction.

Each faction has its own collection of playable races, shown below.

For a list of available traits per race, see our trait chart, or see a miniaturized version below.

As you progress through Star Trek Online, or "level up" as other MMOs call it, you will see an increase in your character's rank. After Ensign, each rank has 10 levels. At level 11 of each rank, you must spend all your skillpoints before you are promoted to the next rank.

Despite being the captain of one's own ship (a term reserved for any ranking officer in charge of a starship), the player starts off with a commissioned Starfleet rank of Ensign and must work his or her way up to Captain and beyond.

• Ensign - When you first start off the game, you are a lowly Ensign, the lowest commissioned rank in Starfleet. There is only one level in this rank, so one can think of this as level -1 (or level 0). It only takes a mission or two before you are promoted to the next rank.
• Lieutenant 1–10 - Despite being divided into two grades (Junior Grade and regular Lieutenant) in the Star Trek canon, there is only one Lieutenant rank in this game.
• Lieutenant Commander 1–10 - The next rank after Lieutenant sees the player gaining access to Escorts, Cruisers, and Science Vessels.
• Commander 1–10 - The next rank after Lt. Commander, and the rank prior to Captain, sees the player gain access to several more classes of starships.
• Captain 1–10 - The penultimate rank in the game thus far, Captains have access to another collection of starship types.
• Admiral 1–10 - This is the highest rank any player is able to achieve at this time. Once an Admiral, twice as many ship as usual become available for purchase and usage — a total of 18 new starship classes.

1. ↑ Joined Trill are exclusively available with digital download game purchases
2. ↑ Exclusively available to lifetime subscribers