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TimeSPAN Expansion for Planets Systemless Setting
Written by Al Seeger
c. 2012 Point of Insanity Game Studio
http://www.poigamestudio.com
Artwork used under license from Tamas Baranyar,
John Picot, Louis Porter Jr. Design Image Portfolio
series, Jeff Preston, and Sade. Some artwork
copyright Art of War Games, used with permission.
Introduction 4
Income Level 4
Character Creation 6
Effects of Gravity Class 6
Aglath 8
Crathik 10
Dwalv 11
Grey 12
Grovasti 13
Hominid 14
K'hul 15
Luth 16
Sagadon 17
Teph 18
Yeezak 19
Zrah 20
Table of Contents
How to Use this Book
This product is meant to serve as a guide for gamers who
wish to use the TimeSPAN rule set with the Planets
Systemless Setting. Equipment costs have already been
covered in the TimeSPAN core book, chapter 4. The main
focus of this book will be to cover the various character races
and how much starting money a character will have.
Income Level
The first thing a player needs to do is determine his Income
Level. This represents how much money a character starts
with and how much money he receives after each adventure.
Money gained after each adventure is assumed to come from
side jobs the character does or from investments. It does not
take into account money the character might receive from
other sources, like a reward for turning in a wanted criminal
or preventing a crime. Typical rewards for heroic acts can
range anywhere from 500-1000 credits.
This money is measured in the generic term Trade Credits
(TC). If the character comes from the Alliance, the
Sagadonian Empire, or the Grovastian Empire these credits
represent the currency accepted on all worlds within the
sector. If the character is from the Neutral or Far Sector these
credits represent the local currency.
Introduction
4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Roll1d100 Income Level
1-10 Poor
11-30 Low
31-75 Medium
76-95 Upper
96-100 Elite
Poor characters start with 25 TC and receive 1d6+4
TC after each adventure.
Low income level characters start with 75 TC and
receive 5d4 TC after each adventure.
Middle level characters start with 150 TC and receive
5d6 TC after each adventure.
Upper level characters receive 300 TC upon creation
and get 5d8 TC after each adventure.
Elite level characters start with 500 TC upon creation
and get 5d10 TC after each adventure.
This money is not all the money the character has to
his name. It is assumed the character can afford
shelter appropriate to his Income Level, food, and
basic necessities. Consider this money the
character’s “spending money.”
Exchanging Currency
One disadvantage character from the Neutral and Far
sector face is the fact that the planets in these regions
do not use a universal currency. So what should the
players and game master do when the adventure
takes them to a planet that uses different forms of
money?
Most technologically advanced worlds have some sort
of money-changing system that will allow travelers to
exchange the money they have for the “coin of the
realm,” so to speak.
Rather than keep track of exchange rates throughout
the galaxy, we’ll use a fast and simple rule. When a
character exchanges his money for a different form of
currency he loses 10-40% (1d4x10%) of the amount he
turns in. The loss comes from fees, local taxes, and
changing money values. If a group of characters are
trading currency at the same time only one player
needs to roll.
For example, if a character from the Alliance visits a
world in the Neutral Sector he needs to exchange his
Alliance credits for the local currency. He decides to
trade in 500 TC. The player rolls 1d4 and gets a 2. The
character gets 400 TC back (500 x 20%=100, 500-
100=400).
Income Level
5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Character Generation
The process of creating a character for use in the
Planets setting is very similar to creating a standard
TimeSPAN character. The main difference is many of
the species presented here have modifiers to their
ability scores and racial abilities. Even with these
modifiers characters still have a minimum ability score
of 1and a maximum score of 6.
Effect of Gravity Class
Without proper adaptation gear a character will have a
difficult time on a planet with a Gravity Class (GC)
higher than his native world. When in a situation like
this a character’s Power, Endurance, and Dexterity
will suffer as he needs to fight against stronger gravity
than he is used to. When a character is on a planet
with a lower GC than his native world he will find
himself capable of athletic feats he never thought he
could achieve!
As stated in the Planets setting book there are 6
Gravity Classes: 0-6.
Planet with Lower GC: When a character is on a
planet with a lower Gravity Class than his native world
he does not need gravity specific adaptation gear. For
each step lower his lifting and carrying capacity
improves by 25%. He also treats his Power as 1 higher
for purposes of attack rolls and damage rolls (maximum
is still 6). For every class lower he also receives an
additional +1 to skill or ability checks involving strength,
agility, or endurance.
For example, Bob’s character has a Power of 2 and is
from a GC 2 world. If his character visits a GC 1 world
he would treat his Power as 3 for determining attack roll
and damage bonuses. Since he is visiting a planet with
gravity one step lower he would receive a +1 to any
physical skill and ability checks. His lifting and carrying
capacity will increase by 25% while he is on that planet.
Planet with same GC: When a character is on a planet
with a GC equal to that of his home world his Power,
Dexterity, and Endurance are unaffected.
Character Generation
6
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Planet with Higher GC: If a character finds himself
on a planet with stronger gravity but no adaptation
gear than he will treat his Power as 1 point lower per
Gravity Class for purposes of determining attack and
damage bonuses (minimum is still 1). Each GC higher
reduces his lifting and carrying capacity by 25% and
forces the character to take a -1 penalty to any sort of
physical skill or ability check.
Using Bob’s character again, let’s say his ship is
forced to make an emergency landing on a Gravity
Class 5 world, three steps higher than what he is used
to. Unfortunately, Bob’s character does not possess
the appropriate adaptation gear. His Power score is
reduced to 1, his lifting and carrying capacity is
reduced by 75%, and he will suffer a -3 penalty to any
physical skill or ability checks because he will have a
harder time working against the gravity.
For reference each species entry will list the race’s
native Gravity Class, which will be referred to as
Native Gravity.
And now, on to the character races!
Effect of Gravity Class
7
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Aglath
Native Gravity: GC 2
Modifiers: +1 to Willpower, -1 Power, -1 Endurance
Racial Abilities: Aglath receive a +2 to when
attacking with or defending against psychic attacks.
All members of this race are considered psychic even
if they belong to another class. Thus, if a psychic were
to use a psi power against an aglath soldier he would
not receive the +1 bonus he normally receives when
using a psi power against a non-psychic character.
All aglath have two psychic powers. First, they can
communicate with any intelligent creature within 50
feet by using telepathy. All aglath can use the psychic
stun psi power three times per day, though this natural
stun only has a range of 25 feet. If the target fails his
defense roll he is stunned for 10 minutes.
Finally, all aglath have gills as well as lungs. They can
stay underwater for as long as they need to and can
dive up to three miles below the surface, though they
can only survive 15 minutes at this depth. Aglath are
equally comfortable in salt water or fresh water.
Their underwater vision is just as good as their above
water vision as long as they have appropriate light
(thus, if an aglath dives deeper than the sun’s light can
penetrate, or if the water is murky, he will need to
provide his own light source).
Aglath
8
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Racial Hindrances: Since the aglath are aquatic
creatures they risk dying from dehydration. It is not
enough for an aglath to simply drink water-his skin
must remain moist. If an aglath goes for three days
without exposing his skin to significant amounts of
moisture he will start to suffer minor headaches. On
the fourth day his Power and Endurance scores will
drop by 1 point. On days 5-8 he will suffer a
cumulative -1 penalty to all rolls (damage included).
His movement will suffer as well, granting a -3 penalty
to his Armor Value and only be able to move at half
speed (round down). On day 9 he automatically fails
all rolls. On day 10 he dies.
The only way to reverse this process is for the aglath
to submerge himself in clean water (it can be fresh or
salt water). For every day the aglath has been without
water he needs to spend one hour soaking to reverse
the damage done to his body. He must soak for at
least four hours to recover his lost Power and
Endurance.
Crathik
Native Gravity: GC 4
Modifiers: +1 Power, +1 Endurance, -1 Intellect, -1
Willpower
Racial Abilities: Upon creation crathik receive 5 extra
Vitality. They also double their lifting and carrying
capacity. If the character has one or two horns they
can be used as a melee weapon in close combat,
granting the character one additional unarmed attack.
Racial Hindrances: Due to this race’s ugliness and
reputation a crathik character suffers a -3 penalty to
any skill checks that depend on the character making a
positive impression, such as a skill check involving
diplomacy or negotiation.
A crathik’s biggest drawback though is his tendency to
fly into fits of uncontrollable rage. After the third round
of combat the crathik must make an average Willpower
check. Success means he may act normally. Each
round after he must make another Willpower check at
the next highest level of difficulty. Failing any one of
these checks means the crathik gives in to sheer
bloodlust!
Aglath
9
TABLE OF CONTENTS
He will abandon ranged and psychic combat in order
to move to the closest opponent so he can attack with
melee weapons or his bare hands. During this time
the crathik receives a +1 to Attack Rolls and damage.
The rage lasts three rounds after all visible opponents
are dead or pursuit becomes impossible (i.e., the
opponent boards a boat and takes off, leaving the
crathik stranded on an island).
The problem with an enraged crathik is he loses
almost all his better judgment (which, truth be told, for
most members of this species isn’t much!). If getting
close to an opponent means the crathik has to charge
200 feet across an open field towards an opponent
armed with an automatic rifle in a bunker he will! The
character can still differentiate friend and foe, so this
isn’t a blind rage. An enraged crathik will even attack
fallen opponents (to make sure they are really dead)
and even opponents that have surrendered, until the
rage ends. This can be a problem if the party needs to
take prisoners or if an ally was masquerading as one
of the enemy!
One of the reasons this rage can be a liability is
because many clever strategists have figured out how
to use the crathik’s rage against him. Such folk will use
defensive tactics, deception, and trickery to provoke the
crathik until he snaps. They will then exploit the fact
that the crathik will charge towards the nearest
opponent without regards to its own safety. This is
usually a good way to lure the crathik into a trap or a
highly disadvantageous situation. Many a unit of crathik
mercenaries have met their ends this way.
Crathik
10
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dwalv
Native Gravity: GC 2
Modifiers: +1Power, +1 Intellect, -1Dexterity
Racial Abilities: None
Racial Hindrances: Dwalv cannot tolerate exposure
to the light from yellow stars. Each hour of direct
exposure causes 1d3 points of damage. If a dwalv
reaches 0 Vitality from exposure to sunlight he enters
a state of shock and dies within an hour. The skin of a
sunburned dwalv takes on a grey, stone-like
appearance. In addition, bright light forces them to
take a -3 penalty to Attack Rolls and any sort of skill
check where sight is essential. To get around these
penalties dwalv characters need to wear darkened
eyewear and special suits that cover their entire body
(even exposure to a small area is enough to cause
damage). Staying inside during the day or going out at
night will work as well. Long term exposure to light
from a yellow star inevitably causes a fatal disease,
but this takes months of direct exposure and is easy
to avoid if one takes precautionary measures.
Dwalv
11
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Grey
Native Gravity: GC 2
Modifiers: +1 Intellect, -1 Power, -1 Endurance
Racial Abilities: Members of this species receive a
+3 to resist disease and have infravision to 100 feet.
Racial Hindrances: None.
Grey
12
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Grovasti
Native Gravity: GC 4
Modifiers: +1 Power, +1 Endurance, +1 Intellect, -1 Dexterity
Racial Abilities: Grovasti can hold their breath for one hour and
receive a +2 to any skill checks involving swimming. They also
double their lifting and carrying capacity.
Racial Hindrances: Members of the grovasti race cannot become
psychics. They also suffer a -2 penalty to resist Psi Powers. Like
their smaller allies the aglath, grovastis require a moist
environment. They do not need to spend as much time in the
water as the aglath do, but they do need very high humidity. If a
grovasti spends two days in a dry environment he starts to suffer
minor headaches. On the third day his Power and Endurance
scores will drop by 1 point. On days four and five he will suffer a -
2 penalty to all rolls (damage included). His movement will suffer
as well, granting a -3 penalty to his Armor Value and only be able
to move at half speed (round down). On day six he automatically
fails all rolls. On day seven he dies.
The only way to reverse this process is for the grovasti to
submerge himself in fresh water. For every day the grovasti has
been without water he needs to spend one hour soaking to
reverse the damage done to his body. He must soak for at least
four hours to recover his lost Power and Endurance.
Grovasti
13
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Hominid (human)
Native Gravity: Usually GC 3, but on rare occasions
GC 4.
Modifiers: None
Racial Abilities: The major advantage humans have
is their adaptability. As long as there is breathable air,
food, and water humans can survive almost
anywhere. As an added bonus, newly created human
characters start with one extra Advanced Skill point
that may be used as the player sees fit.
Racial Hindrances: None.
Hominid
14
TABLE OF CONTENTS
K’hul
Native Gravity: GC 2
Modifiers: +1 Dexterity
Racial Abilities: +1 to Dexterity related skill and
ability checks.
Racial Hindrances: The k’hul are prone to
recklessness. If a k’hul character sees an opportunity
to show off he must make a Willpower check with
difficulty determined by the GM. The more spectacular
the result will be, the higher the difficulty level should
be (no less than Average, however). Failing the
Willpower check means the character will attempt to
show off or take the more reckless path regardless of
the danger. For example, using a bridge to walk
across a swiftly flowing river may be the safer route,
but it is boring! So why use the bridge when there is a
vine hanging from the tree over there that looks like it
“might” let you swing over to the other side?
Hmmm….which route should I choose?
K’hul
15
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Luth
Native Gravity: GC 3
Modifiers: -1 Willpower
Racial Abilities: The primary ability of the luth is their
extra set of arms. If a luth is trained in two weapon
fighting he may use either four handguns or 4 small
weapons (such as knives) at once. If the luth is
unarmed he may make one extra unarmed attack.
Luth characters receive a +2 Attack bonus when
wrestling or grapping opponents due to their extra
arms.
Racial Hindrances: -2 to any Willpower skill or ability
checks. Luth also suffer a -2 penalty when defending
against mind control Psi Powers and devices that
simulate those powers.
Luth
16
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Sagadon
Native Gravity: GC 4
Modifiers: See below
Racial Abilities: Since all sagadons are bred for a
specific purpose a sagadonian character receives a
+1 to one ability score of the player’s choice. Sagadon
characters also start with an extra 5 Vitality and take
half damage from fire, heat, and radiation based
attacks. They are immune to the effects of a
microwave gun (see TimeSPAN rulebook, chapter 4).
Racial Hindrances: Sagadons are weak against cold
and take double damage from such attacks. Their
slow reflexes force them to take a -5 penalty to Action
Order rolls. Finally, the GM spends all but 1 of the
character’s initial Basic and Advanced Skill points.
These skill points will be spent on skills related to the
character’s occupation (rolled on the chart in Chapter
6 of the Planets setting book, found under the section
“Sagadons as Player Characters”).
Sagadon
17
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Teph
Native Gravity: GC 3
Modifiers: +1 Power, +1 Endurance, -1 Intellect, -1
Dexterity
Racial Abilities: +2 to Power and Endurance related
skill and ability checks.
Racial Hindrances: -2 to Dexterity and Intellect related
skill and ability checks.
Teph
18
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Yeezak
Native Gravity: GC 3
Modifiers: None
Racial Abilities: Yeezak characters start with 5 extra
Vitality. Their extra eyes allow them to easily track the
movements of nearby friends and foes as well as spot
potential ambushes. Yeezaks receive a +3 bonus to
Action Order rolls as well as rolls to avoid being
surprised.
Racial Hindrances: Like the grovasti, the yeezak
race is non-psychic. They may never learn Psi
Powers and suffer a -2 on any rolls to resist them.
Yeezak
19
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Zrah
Native Gravity: GC 3
Modifiers: +1Dexterity, +1 Intellect, -1 Endurance
Racial Abilities: If a zrah gets a 10 foot running start
he can make a ramming attack with his horns. The
character uses his unarmed combat and Power
modifiers (if any) and the attack inflicts 2d6 damage.
Racial Hindrances: Zrah do not have as good a
constitution as other races and suffer a -3 to resist the
effects of poison, drugs, disease, and intoxication.
Zrah
20
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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