Who Next Gen Data is in STFC
Next Gen Data is a common Command officer in Star Trek Fleet Command and one of the easiest Next Gen crew members to start collecting. His captain ability lifts the whole bridge, while his officer ability adds flat weapon damage, so he works as a practical combat filler while you build toward stronger officers.
Because he is a common officer, you will usually gather his shards well before most named TNG characters. That makes him an early-game pick rather than a long-term goal, and a cheap way to test out a combat crew before you commit resources to rarer officers.
Star Trek background
Data is a Soong-type android, the only one of his kind to serve in Starfleet. He works as operations officer and second officer aboard the USS Enterprise-D under Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and later serves on the USS Enterprise-E.
Built by Dr. Noonien Soong, Data was the fifth of the Soong-type androids. He was found deactivated by the USS Tripoli on Omicron Theta after the colony there was destroyed. Much of his story follows his effort to understand humanity, including his later use of an emotion chip. Brent Spiner played the character across The Next Generation and the TNG films.
The “Next Gen” tag on this version ties him to that era of the crew, which is why his synergy points toward other Next Gen officers in the game rather than to the original-series or Discovery crews.
Role in STFC
Data is a Command-class officer, and both of his abilities point at combat. One raises the core stats of everyone on the bridge, and the other raises weapon damage directly. That puts him in the role of a generalist combat support officer, strongest in the early game when a small percentage boost still moves the needle.
He does not specialize in mining, hostile farming, or station defense. Think of him as a cheap way to push a combat crew’s damage and survivability up a notch while you work toward officers with sharper, more situational abilities. As a Command officer he can sit in the captain’s chair for his bridge buff, or ride a lower bridge seat purely for his weapon damage.
Captain ability and officer ability
Captain ability: The Measure of a Man
As captain, Data increases the Attack, Defense, and Health of all officers on the bridge by 8% (as of the latest data). Because it touches all three core stats across the bridge, it is a broad buff rather than a specialized one, which suits a starter combat ship that has not yet earned a more focused captain.
The captain bonus grows as you promote him, so treat the 8% as the entry value and expect it to climb with rank. The strength of this ability is its width: every officer on the bridge gets a little tougher and hits a little harder, which is exactly what a new player’s crew needs before specialists take over.
Officer ability: Power Play
When Data is on the bridge, Power Play increases the ship’s weapon damage. The bonus grows each time you promote him. The per-rank values below are current as of the latest game data.
| Rank | Weapon damage bonus |
|---|---|
| 1 | 5% |
| 2 | 8% |
| 3 | 12% |
| 4 | 15% |
| 5 | 20% |
A flat weapon damage boost like this is most valuable on a ship already built around hitting hard, and it stacks with other damage sources on the crew. Even after you stop using Data as captain, his Power Play seat can keep earning its place on an aggressive combat crew.
Where Next Gen Data shines
He fits a few clear situations:
- Early-game combat crews that need a cheap, reliable weapon damage boost before you unlock stronger officers.
- Starter combat ships where his captain buff to all bridge officer stats gives you a little of everything at once.
- Next Gen crews, where his synergy lines up with the other TNG-era officers you collect alongside him.
Past the early game, a flat 8% captain buff and a 20% weapon boost get outclassed by specialists, so most players rotate him out as their roster grows. He keeps value longest as a Next Gen synergy piece, where his bonus to nearby TNG officers matters more than his raw numbers.
How to get Next Gen Data
Data is a common officer, so his shards tend to show up through early recruitment and rotating store offers rather than a single hard-to-reach source. Check the current store and event rotations for where his shards are available right now.
Promoting him from recruitment through his top rank costs the following shards per rank:
| Rank | Shards to promote |
|---|---|
| 1 | 3 |
| 2 | 9 |
| 3 | 20 |
| 4 | 48 |
| 5 | 88 |
That adds up to 168 shards from first unlock to maximum rank, which is light compared with rarer officers. The low cost is part of why he makes a good early ranking target: you see the payoff quickly without draining your shard reserves.
Synergies
Data carries a class synergy bonus of 3% Command, 6% Engineering, and 6% Science. In practice that means his bridge synergy rewards you a bit more for pairing him with Engineering and Science officers than with other Command officers.
His named synergy officers, with their synergy percentages, are:
- Next Gen Troi: 6%
- Next Gen Crusher: 6%
- Next Gen La Forge: 6%
- Lieutenant Picard: 6%
- Next Gen Riker: 3%
If you are building a Next Gen crew, these are the officers to slot alongside him. Outside that group, keep his pairings focused on whatever combat ship you are running, and let his weapon damage support your strongest available captain.
Frequently asked questions
Is Next Gen Data any good?
For an early-game combat crew, yes. He gives a broad bridge buff as captain and a solid weapon damage boost as an officer, both for very few shards. As your roster fills out with rarer officers, he becomes a filler rather than a core pick.
Where do you get Next Gen Data shards?
As a common officer, his shards usually come from early recruitment and rotating store offers. Availability shifts over time, so check the current store and event rotations in your game.
What does Power Play do?
Power Play increases your ship’s weapon damage while Data is on the bridge, scaling from 5% at rank 1 up to 20% at rank 5 (as of the latest data).
What ship is Next Gen Data best on?
Any early combat ship you are using to grind hostiles or fight other players. His weapon damage rewards an aggressive build, and his captain buff helps a starter crew survive longer.
Is Next Gen Data worth ranking up?
Early on, yes, because his promotions are cheap and they raise both his captain buff and his weapon damage. Later, spend your resources on officers with stronger or more specialized abilities first.
Should you chase Next Gen Data?
He is a smart pick for newer players who want an affordable combat crew, and for anyone filling out a Next Gen synergy line. If you are deep into the mid or late game, treat him as a stepping stone rather than a destination, and put your shards toward the officers who will still be on your bridge months from now.
