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Uncharted Worlds by Sean Gomes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

UNCHARTED WORLDS Design Doc v0.83

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

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Chapters:

Training Simulator o Game Concepts o Standard Moves o Quick Start Guide

Example of Play Premade Characters

Administration Offices o Running the Game o GM Principles o GM Moves

Habitation Ring o Character Creation o Origins o Careers

Galactic Embassy o Factions o Debt o Favor

Marketplace o Weapons o Suits o Gadgets o Vehicles

Shipyard o Ships o Crew, Passengers and Cargo o Ship Combat

Medbay o Harm o Armor o Health o Stun o Afflictions

Drop Pods o Combat o Exploration – Planetary o Exploration – Space

Trash Compactor o Glossary o Misc


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SUMMARY Uncharted Worlds is a Space Opera roleplaying game built upon the Apocalypse World rules. It’s inspired by the big, bold, larger-than-life space-faring epics like Mass Effect, Firefly, Star Trek, and by games like Traveller, Masters of Orion, Starcraft (and a bit of Galaxy Trucker).

Uncharted Worlds is a game of exploration and inter-faction conflict. The players are the owners of an interstellar vessel, travelling from world to world with a handful of crewmen, exploring new and dangerous worlds, trying to pay off their debts while earning favor with the new factions they encounter.

The ship is a home, the crew a dysfunctional family The player’s ship needs to feel like their communal living space. It’s their home, their base camp, their livelihood. It’s also the source of their crippling debt, and a font of malfunctions, minor breakages, odd noises, duct-taped fixes, smelly air and blocked up toilets. The crew are stuck in cramped quarters for days and weeks on end, especially during Jump chains. Tempers flare, people get on each other’s nerves, and rumors and cliques rear their ugly heads. The players will have to deal with their own subordinates, the other players, and the subordinates of the other players. Ambition, greed, laziness and pettiness can turn a normal mission into a powder keg.

Debt makes the galaxy go ‘round While contact between systems is limited due to the lack of FTL communication, all planets, all of humanity, is connected in a galaxy-spanning web of debt to each other. While this often means monetary debt, it also often takes the form of debts of honor, oaths of service, declarations of loyalty, oaths of fealty, friendship, cultural requirements, social expectations, duty, bargains and favors. Everyone owes and/or is owed. And everyone will eventually come collecting.

Out there,

past the boundaries of civilized space, lies

the frontier of mankind. Thousands of uncharted planets

to explore, colonize and exploit. There are no wormholes there; jumps between

stars are made blindly by the brave and foolish, never knowing exactly where they’ll come out. But

there are prizes, for those who are willing to risk the trip. Crystals that can power a ship for a year, dust that grants visions

of the future, waters that restore youth. And stranger things still. Artefacts of unknown origin and bizarre function. Anomalies which defy the known laws of physics.

Caches of data which could reshape the course of technological advancement. A bold, courageous crew can earn fame, fortune and glory being the first to uncover these mysteries. A foolish, unprepared crew will leave their bones on a distant, hostile world for the next group of explorers to find. Of course, even if a great discovery is made, fame and glory is only granted to those who bring it back to civilized space, back In Here…

In here, within the core of civilized space, inhabited planets and space stations cluster together; each cluster an

island in the vast sea of space. This archipelago of human civilization is loosely tied together by a string of Jump points, precious lanes between the stars. The political and cultural landscape of each sector is unique, an ever shifting melting pot of wars, vendettas, aggressive commerce and diplomatic incidents. A smart, savvy crew can build prosperity, influence and power by providing services for the right factions, and playing them against each other. A foolish crew will be crushed under the weight of their ever increasing Debt, imprisoned, sold into slavery, or just vanish without a trace. Of course, when the stakes get too high, one can always escape Out There…


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GM PRINCIPLES

Embrace the deadly beauty of the galaxy Humans are pretty frail, all told, and there are nearly limitless things in the galaxy that can kill us. From crushing gravity to incandescent radiation storms. From toxic atmospheres to the vacuum of starry space. From mountainous behemoths to delicate, gossamer parasites, there will always be something beautiful and deadly waiting over the next horizon.

Paint in primary colors Go big. Be larger than life. Use a bold ‘palette’ that reinforces the emotional impact of the scene. Poor, high population planets aren’t just poor and over-populated, they’re rainy, oily, filthy pits; hive-cities crammed with malnourished people under purple storm clouds, and lit by crackling orange electric signs. Rich planets are covered in gold and silver spires and arches, reflecting perfectly blue skies as chrome-plated hover cars stream in orderly lines around them. Space pirates are unkempt, unwashed, scarred individuals in ramshackle ships, lit only by crimson emergency lighting. Paint settings and planets in solid, bold, primary colors, and make them memorable.

Make each new world unique and full of interest Each new planet is a chance to see something new and strange. Think of a planet as a very large NPC; it has its moods, its style, its personality. Think of things that make it unique, different to all the previous planets. This can be its climate or geography, or it can be its fauna or flora, or it can be its peoples, architecture, culture or politics. Remember to paint in primary colors.

Reveal the dark heart of the Factions Factions are the big movers and shakers in the galaxy, and they inevitably are at each other’s throats. There’s no wide-spread peace, just a veneer of vicious, icy politeness as they stare at each other across the stars waiting for someone to blink. Some may have ‘alliances’, but as soon as a faction stumbles or looks weak (or worse, looks like they may gain an advantage), the others are ready to swoop in. Have Factions fight for the characters’ loyalty. Have them tempt, bribe, threaten or blackmail the characters into acting against other Factions. Have the Factions’ plans interfere or impede the player. Give the characters chances to betray, undermine or support various factions for various reasons. Show the Faction’s dark heart.

Speak the Truth When you state something, it is a fact. When you answer a question, it is a fact. Even if you just made it up on the spot. Be generous with information.

Address the characters directly This is a small act that has a big impact; it serves to frame everyone’s mind firmly within the game, and reminds them that they are playing a role. Don’t say “Bob, what do you do?” or even “Bob, what does Danov do”. Say, instead “Danov, what do you do”? The ‘camera’ is focused on the character, not the one pulling his strings.

Be a fan of the player characters Allow the characters to win. Oppose them, challenge them, but don’t take away their hard-earned victory. Cheer them on. Don’t cheat them. Share in their triumphs, even while planning their next challenge. Give the characters opportunities to shine. Give them opportunities to make a difference. Give each of them time in the spotlight. Let their decisions and actions shape the galaxy.

Work within the narrative You should never name your GM Move or indicate why it’s happened. In pure game mechanics, there is an obvious cause-effect. In the fiction, this should be obfuscated as much as possible so as to appear natural, logical and entirely driven by current events and what’s going on behind the scenes. If someone rolls 6- on an Assault and you choose to “Involve a Faction”, weave it into the narrative; the gunfire alerted local authorities, whose gunship is sweeping its searchlights over the fight.

Prompt the players to shape reality Don’t pre-write stories. This is very important. Set the scene, but leave glaring gaps. Leave things unknown to you in the starting setting. During play, prompt the players to fill in those important gaps, and run with their answer. Ask them about things that interest you, as them follow-up questions. And, most importantly, ask them through their characters eyes (Address the characters directly); ask about stuff that their character experiences, that their character knows. “Danov, you’re at the helm; what Faction controls the ship turning to target you? What’s distinct about their starship’s design that you know immediately it’s them?” “Kyto, what part of the ship desperately needs attention next time you get to a stardock?” “Kepplun, you’ve been aware of the creatures tracking you from some time. What do they look like? How do they like to attack their prey?” See page xx for more about prompts.


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PLAYER PRINCIPLES

Act with conviction When a character wants to do something, just have them do it. Asking the GM “can I do X?” is not a fair question. The GM doesn’t know. At best, the GM will flat out say no because it’s not physically possible, but that’s just logic. Otherwise, it is up to the player to determine what their character attempts within the current situation. Note that the decision to act includes accepting the costs and consequences.

Act as your character When choosing how to act, consider the character, first and foremost. Consider what they can do, physically and mentally. Consider what they would do, emotionally and ethically. Don’t always take the most optimal action, don’t always try to use their highest stat; take the action that the character would take, considering their background, their careers, their goals/aspirations/fears/etc. Act with the information the character has, not the player.

Weave an awesome narrative Always consider how to make the story better and more entertaining for everyone, rather than what would be the easiest to overcome. When the GM prompts for something, resist the urge to “outsmart” the GM and say something exploitable or silly. The GM and the players are working together to create a narrative, and the GM prompts allow the players to color the universe. Similarly, acting in a way that is not in keeping with the tone and the setting will just break the immersion and the narrative. Strive to make an epic worth retelling.

Respect player boundaries There may be animosity between characters, but do not bring that into the real world. Be respectful of the other players and their things. This includes being respectful of their characters. Don’t take over other characters or speak for them. Don’t do bad things to other characters without their player’s consent, and only if it makes for an interesting story (Weave an awesome narrative).

Respect GM’s role The GM is there to keep the story going. They are not an opponent to defeat. They are not an enemy to outwit. They are there to keep the universe running so the players can be the stars. The GM has the right (and duty) to reign in behavior that they feel is disruptive or goes against the tone and story of the game. Unless the GM specifically prompts them, the players should refrain from altering or inventing facts about the world.


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SEQUENCE OF PLAY

Step 1. The GM sets the scene. The GM describes the setting and the current situation, giving a broad overview of the current events and opportunities. Then the GM asks the players “What Do You Do?”

This is an excellent time for the GM to prompt players to fill in major gaps.

Step 2. One or more players respond. The players describe what their characters do, how they react to the presented situation, etc. The players can ask for further clarification or information on what the GM described, but only from their own perspective.

If a character feels that they cannot act in the current situation, the GM is encouraged to ask them about

something else; how they feel about the situation, about an NPC, about another character.

Step 3. Make a Move. If the described action is central enough to trigger a player Move, the GM will call upon the player to roll 2d6 and add the appropriate stat. If the roll is 10+, the Move succeeds; the action plays out as the player wanted it to. If the roll is 7-9, the Move mostly succeeds, but the GM gets to throw in a complication or twist. If the roll is 6-, the Move likely fails, and GM gets to throw in consequences.

Remember that a 7-9 is a success. A success with a cost, but a cost that shouldn’t invalidate the success

itself.

Step 4. The GM refreshes the scene. The GM then sums up the situation that was caused by the success or failure of that action, and the resulting consequences, and asks the players again: “What Do You Do?”

Return to Step 2 and repeat.


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STATS Stats represent the character’s physical, mental, social and emotional strengths and weaknesses. They provide bonuses (or penalties) to rolls. For example, a Move that involves jumping and climbing would roll using the Physique stat (“Roll+Physique”); if the character had a +1 in Physique, they would add +1 to the result of their roll. Most of the time, a Move will call for a specific Stat on a Roll; “Roll+Influence” always rolls 2d6 + the character’s Influence stat. Occasionally, there will be a call for “Roll+[Stat]”. In this case, which Stat is used is based on how the action was described; describe the action, the GM will tell the player what Stat to use. The stats are:

Mettle: The ability to stand your ground in a fight. Your nerves of steel. The steadiness of your hand, the speed of your reflexes, combat skill, and the discipline to act under the worst kinds of pressure.

Influence: The ability to affect other people. Your charisma, political clout, force of personality, popularity, style and poise. Allows you to manipulate and command others, make friends and influence people.

Expertise: Your creativity, cleverness, savvy, perception, logic and tactics. Allows you to invent, create and fix.

Physique: The ability to leverage your physical fitness. Your physical condition, health, strength, flexibility, appearance and endurance. Allows you to brawl and resist toxins, illness and fatigue.

Interface: The ability to use technology to its fullest potential. Your technical expertise, familiarity with complex systems and programming knowledge. Allows you to access information networks, hack computers and push the limits of electronics.

SECONDARY STATS These are not physical, mental or social attributes of the character themselves, but rather outside attributes that characters are called to roll in appropriate situations. Roll+Armor or Roll+Favor the same way you would Roll+ any other stat.

Armor: Determined by what suit, clothing or armor you’re wearing. Allows you to resist injury using the Brace For Impact move.

Favor/Debt: How many favors a faction owes you, or how much you owe them. Allows you convince factions to give you what you need, using the Acquisition move. See Favor/Debt later in this section


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DATA POINTS Data Points are small but critically useful bits of information about a subject, which can be leveraged to tip the scales during a particularly tense moment. Data Points are earned by making particularly successful Assessments, from certain skills, from Acquisitions or as rewards. There are no limits to how many Data Points a character can have, but they quickly expire if they are no longer pertinent or are rendered obsolete/out-of-date. Each Data Point concerns a specific topic or subject, and can be spent to grant a +1 to any roll that directly involves or leverages the information in that Data Point. Only one Data Point can be spent per roll, no matter how many would apply.

INJURY Bodily harm is always a risk in dangerous, hostile situations. A character usually comes to harm due to a failed Move, as a cost of a partially successful one, or due to a narrative choice they made. When this happens the character makes a Brace For Impact move, which will try to mitigate some of the damage. BRACE FOR IMPACT (+Armor)

When you would suffer harm, the GM will tell you the Severity (Minor, Major, Severe, Critical or Fatal). Roll+Armor. On a 13+, the severity is reduced by two. On a 10-12, the severity is reduced by one. On a 7-9, you suffer an injury of that severity. On a 6-, you suffer an injury of a greater severity, or suffer extra costs/troubles, at the GM’s discretion.

There are five severities of harm, Minor, Major, Severe, Critical and Fatal. When a character suffers an injury, the GM will describe an injury of the appropriate severity (or ask the player or another player to do so). Write it on the sheet. A character can have only one each type of injury; further injuries of that severity are increased to the next level of severity.

Source Example of Injury Healing Time

Minor Injury

Brawling, Short Falls, Strains, Extreme Heat/ Cold, Debris

Bruises, Winded, Cuts, Scrapes, Scorches, Pulled Muscles, Deafness, Broken Teeth

An hour or two, or almost instantly with first aid.

Major Injury

Melee Weapons, claws/fangs/etc, Fire, Shocks, Falling Objects

Bleeding Wounds, Burns, Cracked Bones, Concussions, Limping, Numbness

A few days, or a few hours after medical attention.

Severe Injury

Most Pistols/Rifles/Shotguns, Long Falls, Vehicle Collision, Grenades

Copious Bleeding, Broken Bones, Burned Flesh, Gaping Wounds

A week or two, or a few days after medical attention.

Critical Injury

Heavy Weapons, Explosions, Mines, Structural Collapse

Dismemberment, Organ Damage, Disfigurement, Shattered Bones

Cannot heal naturally, requires surgery.

Fatal Injury

Ship Weapons, Artillery Strikes, Explosive Decompression.

Death. Disintegration. Decapitation. Gory Chunks. Red Mist. Dog Food.

Permanent.


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DEBT AND FAVOR Whenever the characters do important tasks for a faction or otherwise help them out, the group earns favor with that faction. Favors can be called in to purchase items that would be too expensive or difficult to obtain through normal means. Whenever the characters receive goods or services from a faction that does not favor them, or when the characters work against a factions interests, the team earns debt with that faction. Debt can be repaid by earning favor with that faction. Favor and debt with each faction is tracked for the entire party; any character can earn debt for the group with their acquisitions, or can earn favor for the group. Favor/Debt is tracked from +4 (highly favored) to -4 (deeply in debt). Each favor the group earns with a faction adds +1 (either adding favor or eliminating debt). Each debt the group earns with a faction subtracts -1 (either adding debt or erasing/expending favor). Gaining favor when already at +4, or accruing debt when already at -4 will instead start to affect the Standing of the characters (see Standing, below). The faction at large must be made aware of these actions to earn the Favor or Debt. For certain acts like Acquisitions or acts in high-communication areas, the faction is usually immediately aware. In backwater sectors or in the depths of space, the faction is unlikely to find out right away unless their agents manage to report back, or an investigation finds out later. Earning Favor: Completing a mission for a faction: 1 Favor Actions resulting in significant gain for a faction: 1 Favor Going above and beyond to advance the faction’s interests: 2 Favor Incurring Debt: Making an Acquisition: 0-1 Debt Breaking a promise/failing a mission: 1 Debt Damaging a faction’s property or assets: 1 Debt Initiating overt, hostile action against a faction: 2 Debt Example: The crew of the Pyrrhic perform a reconnaissance mission for the Galactic Navy. They already had 1 Favor with them, so at the end, they have 2 Favor. Later, one of the characters purchases a shuttle from the Galactic Navy (see Acquisition move), and calls in a Favor to pay for it. This reduces the team back down to 1 Favor. Later, they find themselves in deep trouble with the Criminal Syndicate, with whom they have 2 Debt (-2 Favor). They agree to perform a mission for the Syndicate in order to keep the goon squad off their back. If the characters perform the mission, they’ll earn 1 Favor, thus erasing 1 Debt and bringing them up to -1 with the Syndicate (which will make the Syndicate a little easier to deal with in the future). On the other hand, if they hit the Jump drives and flee as soon as they get clear, the Syndicate will consider that a significant breach of trust; in that case, the Pyrrhic will have 3 Debt (-3 Favor) with the Syndicate.


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STANDING While Debt and Favor represents a team’s business relationship with a faction, each character in that group has a Standing, which represents their own personal relationship with the faction. A character’s Standing determines how the members of that faction will deal with the character. There are 5 levels of Standing; Great, Good, Neutral, Bad, Terrible. A character starts in Good standing with one faction, and can choose to either have a Bad standing with 2 other factions or have a Terrible standing with one other faction.

Great: The faction holds you in the highest regards. You are an honorary member of the faction, if not a member in truth, and are treated with respect and admiration. They are willing to go to considerable lengths to help you out, and you can request exceptional goods or services when making an Acquisition from them.

Good: You have a generally good rapport with the faction. They are open to most Acquisition requests, and will often have requests, information and opportunities for you.

Neutral: You are not on the faction’s radar. You may be unknown to them, or they may be unsure whose side you’re on. They’re still very willing to supply you with basic Acquisitions. They may have missions for neutral, independent agents such as yourself.

Bad: The faction certainly has problems with you, which will color any present dealings. They will generally be harsher, more demanding and less forgiving. They may obstruct or interfere with you in a variety of minor ways, depending on their ideologies and methods. Alternatively, they may demand you perform tasks for them. Or else.

Terrible: The faction really hates you. Interactions with them will tend to be hostile, if not outright violent. They want you broken in some way; financially, socially, emotionally or physically. If you’re within their sphere of influence, it will be hard to convince them to leave you alone, and harder still to earn any semblance of good will.

Gaining Standing: Standing with a faction is earned by providing consistent, undeniable assistance to the faction’s cause. After earning a significant amount of favor without asking for any recompense, continuing to promote the faction’s cause will greatly improve their disposition. If the group already has 4 Favor with a faction, each time they earn another Favor, the group instead chooses one member who was instrumental in gaining that Favor. The chosen character’s Standing with the faction increases. It is also possible to immediately increase in Standing by performing an act of unprecedented heroism/brilliance which aligns itself with the faction’s goals and ideologies. Losing Standing: Standing with a faction is lost by disrupting or impeding a faction’s goals. After incurring a significant amount of debt without providing reparations, continuing to antagonize a faction will greatly sour their disposition. If the group has 4 Debt with a faction, each time they incur another Debt, the group instead chooses one member who was primarily to blame for incurring that Debt. The chosen character’s Standing with the faction decreases. It is also possible to immediately lose Standing by performing a shocking, grievous act that goes against everything the faction stands for.


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COMMERCE Acquisition It is assumed that the characters have a small but significant private reserve of funds, which can stretch to cover day to day expenses. Food, modest lodging, tips, clothing, public transport, rentals; all are assumed to come out of the character’s personal funds. Similarly, grade 0-1 weapons, grade 0 vehicles and Common armors are all within a character’s means to purchase. For more significant, more costly or rarer purchases, the character must rely on the good will of a faction, using the Acquisition move described below.

ACQUISITION (+FAVOR) When you request a significant purchase of goods or services from a faction, Roll+Favor. Additionally, any cargo you trade away in this deal adds its value to the result of the roll. Allies cannot Get Involved with an Acquisition. On a 13+, the faction grants your request, no strings attached. On a 10-12, the faction grants your request if you fulfill one of the following: On a 7-9, the faction grants your request if you fulfill two of the following:

Have a Great standing with them

Expend 1 Favor with them

Earn 1 Debt with them

Agree to perform a task for the faction

Cargo Collections of trade goods are measured in cargo units, and can be ferried from planet to planet, traded and exchanged for profit. Each unit of cargo has a value, tracked separately. The higher the value, the rarer, more expensive and more in-demand the wares. It takes an Acquisition to fill an average ship’s cargo hold with 4 units of value 1 cargo. Once those goods have been transported to a foreign market (a planetary, station, colony or fleet), the characters can use the Barter move (see below) to find buyers interested in their wares, exchanging them for local goods that will hopefully be more valuable elsewhere in the galaxy. One or more units of cargo can be spent after an Acquisition roll is made to increase the result by the value of the cargo. Note that the whole unit must be expended.

BARTER (+no bonus) When you spend at least a day in a market (planetary, station, colony, fleet) trading away one unit of foreign cargo for more valuable local cargo, Roll (no bonus). Allies cannot Get Involved with a Barter. On a 6-, something prevents the trade, or at least prevents it from being profitable; laws, competition, obstructions or simply lack of interested parties. You can’t attempt to Barter away this cargo in this market for quite some time. On a 7-9, your new cargo has a value 1 higher than the cargo you traded, to a maximum value of 4. On a 10+, choose 1:

Your new cargo has a value 1 higher than the cargo you traded, to a maximum value of 4.

You gain a number of new cargo units equal to the value of the cargo you traded; each of these new cargo units has a value of 1.


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Standard Moves

All characters have access to the different Standard Moves, and can use them freely. Career-specific skills can grant specialized Moves or alter these Standard Moves.

Face Adversity: Overcome danger or opposition. The most commonly used Move

Assessment: Get a critical answer to an important question

Get Involved: Help or hinder an ally’s efforts

Brace For Impact: Try to mitigate incoming damage using your Armor

Open Fire: Engage in long-range firefights using your Mettle

Launch Assault: Engage in close-quarters combat using your Physique

Patch Up: Alleviate injuries or damage using your Expertise

Command: Give orders to npcs using your Influence

Program: Give orders to computers/robots using your Interface

Acquisition: Convince a faction to provide you with equipment/services

Barter: Exchange foreign cargo for higher valued local cargo

Cramped Quarters: Find out how well or poorly you get along with your allies

Wild Jump: Make a jump into the unknown


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COMMON MOVES

FACE ADVERSITY When you overcome opposition or danger using… …stealth, piloting, accuracy, discipline or bravery, Roll+Mettle …knowledge, education, mechanics, first aid or logic, Roll+Expertise …athletics, endurance, strength or health, Roll+Physique …charm, diplomacy, bargaining or lies, Roll+Influence …computer systems, electronics, or hacking, Roll+Interface On a 10+ you overcome the opposition or danger, just as you described. On a 7-9, the danger is overcome, but at a price; the GM will offer you a cost or a hard choice.

GET INVOLVED When an ally makes a Move and you affect the result using… …stealth, piloting, accuracy, discipline or bravery, Roll+Mettle …knowledge, education, mechanics, first aid or logic, Roll+Expertise …athletics, endurance, strength or health, Roll+Physique …charm, diplomacy, bargaining or lies, Roll+Influence …computer systems, electronics, or hacking, Roll+Interface On a 10+ Choose 1

• Turn a failure(6-) into a partial success (7-9) • Turn a partial success(7-9) into a complete success (10+) • Turn a complete success(10+) into a partial success(7-9), you can suggest the consequence to the GM • Turn a partial success(7-9) into a failure(6-), you can suggest the consequence to the GM

On a 7-9, as above, and you incur a cost, complication or hard choice in order to get involved.

ASSESSMENT When you collect critical information about an important, dangerous or mysterious subject using… … stealth, focus or cunning, Roll+Mettle … research, knowledge and logic, Roll+Expertise … hard work or strenuous activity, Roll+Physique … informants or gossip, Roll+Influence … the SectorNet or electronics/devices, Roll+Interface On a 10+, you gain significant information about the subject, and earn a Data Point about it as well. On a 7-9, the GM will reveal interesting, potentially useful information about the subject. Or they might ask you to do so. On a 6-, the GM will reveal facts about the subject you probably wish were not true.

BRACE FOR IMPACT (+Armor) When you would suffer harm, the GM will tell you the Severity (Minor, Major, Severe, Critical or Fatal). Roll+Armor. On a 13+, the severity is reduced by two. On a 10-12, the severity is reduced by one. On a 7-9, you suffer an injury of that severity. On a 6-, you suffer an injury of a greater severity, or suffer extra costs/troubles, at the GM’s discretion.


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STAT MOVES

OPEN FIRE (+Mettle) When you engage enemy forces in long ranged, cover-to-cover firefights, describe your goal and tactics then Roll+Mettle On a 10+, you achieve your objective. On a 7-9, you achieve your objective, but the GM will choose 1 or more of the following consequences.

• Your side suffers harm during the attack. • The attack causes significant, undesirable collateral damage. • The encounter creates a short-term complication. • The encounter will have long-term ramifications.

LAUNCH ASSAULT (+Physique) When you engage enemy forces in chaotic close-quarters combat, describe your goal and tactics then Roll+Physique. On a 10+, you achieve your objective. On a 7-9, you achieve your objective, but the GM will choose 1 or more of the following consequences.

• Your side suffers harm during the attack. • The attack causes significant, undesirable collateral damage. • The encounter creates a short-term complication. • The encounter will have long-term ramifications.

PATCH UP (+Expertise) When using appropriate medical supplies/tools to repair damage to people or machinery, Roll+Expertise On a 10+, choose 1 from the list below On a 7-9, choose 1, but you’ve reached the limit of what you can do; you cannot re-attempt to Patch Up the subject.

• The subject is temporarily able to function despite pain/physical disability. • The damage is stabilized and will not get worse. • The subject’s behavior or mental state is recovered. • The subject is no longer incapacitated

COMMAND (+Influence) When you issue a command to a group that is inclined to follow your orders, Roll+Influence. On a 10+, they follow those orders to the best of their ability, though they may suffer costs or complications. On a 7-9, as above, but their disposition or effectiveness has been significantly impacted (casualties, bribed, lost, demoralized, panicked, exhausted, disgruntled, injured, etc). This crew will not accept a new Command until those complications/issues have been dealt with

PROGRAM (+Interface) When you transmit instructions to robots, AI or other computer systems that are open to your directives, Roll+Interface. On a 10+, they follow your instructions to the best of their ability, though they may suffer costs or complications. On a 7-9, as above, but executing the program causes degradation, bugs, damage, glitches or other breakdowns. This technology will not accept a new Program until those complications/issues have been rectified.


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COMMERCE MOVES

ACQUISITION (+Favor) When you request a significant purchase of goods or services from a faction, Roll+Favor. Any cargo you trade away in this deal adds its value to the result of the roll. Allies cannot Get Involved with an Acquisition. On a 13+, the faction grants your request, no strings attached. On a 10-12, the faction grants your request if you fulfill one of the following: On a 7-9, the faction grants your request if you fulfill two of the following:

• Have a Great standing with them • Expend 1 Favor with them • Earn 1 Debt with them • Agree to perform a task for the faction

BARTER When you spend at least a day in a market (planetary, station, colony, fleet) trading away one unit of foreign cargo for more valuable local cargo, Roll 2d6. Allies cannot Get Involved with a Barter. On a 6-, something prevents the trade, or at least prevents it from being profitable; laws, competition, obstructions or simply lack of interested parties. You can’t attempt to Barter away this cargo in this market for quite some time. On a 7-9, your new cargo has a value 1 higher than the cargo you traded, to a maximum value of 4. On a 10+, choose 1:

• Your new cargo has a value 1 higher than the cargo you traded, to a maximum value of 4. • You gain a number of new cargo units equal to the value of the cargo you traded; each of these new cargo units

has a value of 1.

TRAVEL MOVES

CRAMPED QUARTERS (Done by one player for each leg of an interstellar journey, or after long periods of close proximity). When you’ve been trapped in cramped quarters, choose another character trapped with you (PC or NPC) then Roll 2d6. On a 10+, describe how you and that character bonded in some way in the past few days. On a 7-9, describe the minor disagreement or annoyance that passed between the two of you in the past few days. On a 6-, describe what happened between the two of you in the past few days that caused anger, bad blood and/or hurt feelings.

WILD JUMP When you force your ship to make a Wild Jump, Roll 2d6. Allies cannot Get Involved in a Wild Jump On a 10+, the crew only suffers nausea, headaches and other minor effects. Choose 1 from the list below. On a 7-9, the illness and hallucinations are pronounced. The GM chooses 1 from the list below.

• You find an uncharted world, ready for exploration • You find exploitable resources, there for the taking • You discover a scientifically interesting phenomenon • You discover ancient wreckage or ruins of unknown origin • You find yourself in a civilized sector half-way across the galaxy • You encounter a new, previously unknown faction or culture

On a 6-, the GM will describe the ugly, debilitating, terrifying consequences. It’s full of stars.


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Quickstart

For your first game, or for a quick one-shot game, your group can follow these steps rather than going through the full character creation. The full character and faction creation rules take longer, but produce more personalized experiences for a longer running campaign. Players: Choose your Archetype. Archetypes are the culmination of a character’s origins, career training and miscellaneous skills. These are full-fledged characters that are archetypical to the space opera genre; the mercenary, the engineer, the scientist, etc. Choose an archetype sheet that interests you. Each Archetype has a couple of customisations to make when selecting them; choices of gear, which secondary skill they have, their physical appearance, etc. [Not yet implemented – premade archetypes coming in future update] GM: Generate Factions. Roll on the Faction chart to populate this sector of the galaxy with 5 different factions. Factions are far-reaching, system-wide organisations with grand scope, influence and resources. They are galactic-scale movers and shakers, with solid, overt philosophies and goals. Come up with suitable, simple, catchy names for each of them and fill in the galactic sheet. Players: Determine your Standing. Choose a faction that you feel is generally most aligned with your character and vice versa. Mark that faction on your character sheet in Good Standing. Then either choose 2 factions that your character doesn’t get along with and mark them both as Bad Standing -OR- choose a faction that is opposed to your character (and vice versa) and mark that faction on your sheet in Terrible Standing. Standing will generally determine how members of a faction will react to you. Players: Purchase a ship and name it. As a group, decide which faction originally owned the ship. Each player gets 3 Debt towards that Faction. You are all now the co-owners a moderate sized starship with Jump capabilities and 4 units of cargo space (which can each hold a unit of cargo or a vehicle). Name the ship. GM: Set the scene, prompt the players. Read out one of the starting scenarios, and ask the players the suggested questions to fill in the details. Play proceeds from there (see “Running the Game”). [Not yet implemented – starting scenarios coming in future update]


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Random Faction generator (roll 6d6)

1-2

1. Sinister 2. Controlling 3. Secretive 4. Popular 5. Rapacious 6. Austere

1. Expansionist 2. Scientific 3. Authoritarian 4. Colonizing 5. Trade 6. Mercenary

1. Government 2. Cult 3. Fleet 4. Syndicate 5. Corporation 6. Federation

1-2

3-4

1. Wealthy 2. Honorable 3. Violent 4. Degenerate 5. Defiant 6. Tyrannical

1. Merchant 2. Industrious 3. Criminal 4. Military 5. Anarchist 6. Starfaring

1. Society 2. Coalition 3. Armada 4. Network 5. Consortium 6. Council

3-4

5-6

1. Brutal 2. Underhanded 3. Ancient 4. Violent 5. Fanatic 6. Brave

1. Rebel 2. High Tech 3. Diplomatic 4. Corporate 5. Regimented 6. Political

1. Empire 2. Religion 3. Regime 4. Cartel 5. Alliance 6. Legion

5-6

Example: A roll of 2-4-3-6-1-2 would give a Popular(2,4) Starfaring (3,6) Cult (1,2)


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FULL CHARACTER CREATION

Step I: Create Archetype – Combine 2 Careers Of the 10 career paths below, choose 2 of them and combine them together to create your archetype. Give your unique archetype a name that suits the overall concept/flavor of the combination. For example, a Military-Explorer might be a ‘Scout’ archetype, or a ‘Guerilla’ archetype or even a ‘Conquistador’ archetype.

Academic (p15) Skills:

Learning, Chemistry, Medicine, Deduction,

Technobabble

Clandestine (p17) Skills:

Stealth, Assassination, Surveillance, Sabotage

Interrogation

Commercial (p19) Skills:

Trade, Broker, Bribe, Procurement, Luxury

Explorer (p21) Skills:

Recklessness, Survivalist Beast Tamer, Boldly Go,

Custom Vehicle

Industrial (p23) Skills:

Tinker, Build, Repair, Upgrade, Dismantle

Military (p25) Skills:

Unique Weapon, Toughness, Tactics,

Heavy Lifting, Authority

Personality (p27) Skills:

Fame, Subversion, Leadership, Contacts,

Performance

Scoundrel (p29) Skills:

Criminal, Sneak Attack, Scapegoat, Schemer,

False Identity

Starfarer (p31) Skills:

Traveller, Cosmopolitan, Navigation, Calibration

Personal Vehicle

Technocrat (p33) Skills:

Upload, Hacking, Coding, AI, Data

Manipulation

Step II: Choose Origin Choose your character’s background; what kind of life they grew up in, where they came from, what potential hardships they suffered or advantages they had. The origin gives a selection of skill options from a variety of careers, and can also offer a stat boost as a skill.

Advanced (p36) Skills:

Cutting Edge (Interface), Artificial Intelligence,

Calibrations, Sabotage

Colonist (p37) Skills:

Resourceful (Expertise), Tinker, Heavy Lifting,

Custom Vehicle

Crowded (p38) Skills:

Affable (Influence), Cosmopolitan, Bribe,

Contacts

Frontier (p39) Skills:

Hard Labor (Physique) Build, Survivalist,

Medicine

Impoverished (p40) Skills:

Scrappy (Mettle), Stealth, Criminal,

Recklessness

Privileged (p41) Skills:

Decorum (Influence), Luxury, Fame, Schemer

Productive (p42) Skills:

Vocation (Expertise), Learning, Procurement,

Data Manipulation

Regimented (p43) Skills:

Disciplined (Mettle) Leadership, Tactics,

Deduction

Spacer (p44) Skills:

Fine Tuning (Interface), Coding, Repair,

Navigation

Violent (p45) Skills:

Branded (Physique), Toughness, Sneak

Attack, Assassination

Step III: Choose Skills Choose 1 skill from your Origin Choose 3 skills between either Career. You cannot pick the same skill twice, even if it is offered by your Origin and one of your Careers.

Step IV: Distribute Stats Assign each of the following numbers to one of your 5 stats: +2, +1, +1, 0 and -1.


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Step V: Choose Descriptions Choose one of the descriptions from your Origin and one from each Career. Together these make up a broad description of your character, physically and behaviorally. Alternatively, you can invent your own descriptions.

Step VI: Choose Rooms Choose two rooms between the Room lists offered by your careers. These are rooms that are installed on your party’s ship. If you’re not playing in a campaign with a ship, these are more permanent rooms that you may own or work in, at the GM’s discretion.

Step VII: Define Iconic Gadget Create a Gadget that is iconic for your character’s personality, profession or history. They set the tone for your character, supporting their skills and interests. Iconic Gadgets can be discarded, destroyed or otherwise lost during the course of the adventures, just like any other Gadget.

Step VIII: Choose Starting Equipment Choose an equipment package for your character (See Weapons and Gear, p28 & p29)

Fighter Package A weapon with 2 upgrades

A weapon with 1 upgrade

A set of Gear with 2 Common upgrades

Survivor Package


A set of Gear with 2 Uncommon (or Common) upgrades A set of Gear with 2 Common upgrades

Leader Package

A weapon with 1 upgrade A set of Gear with 2 Common upgrades A crew with 2 upgrades

Driver Package

A weapon with 1 upgrade A set of Gear with 2 Common upgrades A vehicle with 1 upgrade


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Careers

Academic (p15) Skills:

Learning, Chemistry, Medicine, Deduction,

Technobabble

Clandestine (p17) Skills:

Stealth, Assassination, Surveillance, Sabotage

Interrogation

Commercial (p19) Skills:

Trade, Broker, Bribe, Procurement, Luxury

Explorer (p21) Skills:

Recklessness, Survivalist Beast Tamer, Boldly Go,

Custom Vehicle

Industrial (p23) Skills:

Tinker, Build, Repair, Upgrade, Dismantle

Military (p25) Skills:

Unique Weapon, Toughness, Tactics,

Heavy Lifting, Authority

Personality (p27) Skills:

Fame, Subversion, Leadership, Contacts,

Performance

Scoundrel (p29) Skills:

Criminal, Sneak Attack, Scapegoat, Schemer,

False Identity

Starfarer (p31) Skills:

Traveller, Cosmopolitan, Navigation, Calibration

Personal Vehicle

Technocrat (p33) Skills:

Upload, Hacking, Coding, AI, Data

Manipulation


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ACADEMIC Career Path – Expertise/Interface

The Academic career represents years of study and learning, with a strong focus on science and logic. Academics can be found in specialist positions in other fields, leveraging their years of study; Military Academics tend to be field medics, Clandestine Academics are often detectives, Academic Explorers range from xenobiologists to expeditionary researchers.

Skills: If one of your careers is Academic, you can choose from these Skills during character creation. The career’s Skill list (see opposite page) has more detailed descriptions of each skill.

Learning: Learn more and teach it to others

Chemistry: Concoct various chemicals

Medicine: Perform difficult medical procedures

Deduction: Draw quick conclusions about the situation

Technobabble: Give detailed, technical direction

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Thin, Pallid, Elderly, Kind-hearted, Aloof, Distracted.

Rooms: Choose a total of 2 rooms between your two careers. These are spaces that are built into your ship. (If you’re not playing with a ship, these can be spaces/ structures owned by you or available to you, at the GM’s discretion)

Laboratory: Equipped to perform a variety of experiments and research.

Medical Bay: Set up for medical attention, surgical procedures and long-term care.

Containment Unit: Capable of safely storing dangerous subjects/materials for further study.

Study: Comfortable, quiet room containing a wide variety of educational media.

Advancement: At the end of each session you can spend 1 XP in this career if you accomplished an appropriate milestone during the session. Once you’ve spent enough XP in this career, you earn a new Skill from the career’s Skill list (see opposite page). Note that you don’t necessarily have to succeed a task; a dedicated attempt is usually enough. Academic Milestones are usually related to specialist fields of study and experimentation. Example Academic Milestones include:

Spend significant downtime studying

Attend an institute of higher learning

Attempt a life-saving medical procedure

Participate in an important scientific experiment

Investigate a mystery

Tackle a problem using an overly convoluted solution

Invert the tachyon pulse by sending it through an auxiliary deflector array

Have a Great standing with a scientific or technological faction


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ACADEMIC SKILLS

Learning When you make an Assessment, on a 10+ you gain 3 Data Points about the subject, and on a 7-9 you gain 1 Data Point. As long as you spend part of your downtime educating yourself about a subject, Data Points associated with that subject don’t expire.

Deduction When you first witness a situation, you may ask one of the following questions, the GM will answer honestly:

Who/what is most vulnerable in this situation?

Who/what is most dangerous in this situation?

What is profitable about this situation?

Who/what caused this situation?

Technobabble You can Command NPCs with your Expertise rather than your Influence. As long as you are able to give them detailed direction, your allies can use your Expertise when they Get Involved with your actions (assuming they follow your instructions).

Chemistry When creating an antidote, vaccine, drug, poison or pathogen in a lab, state the effect you want it to have and its method of transmission (spray, injector, pill, etc), then Roll+Expertise. On a 10+, you successfully create it. On a 7-9, it will have reduced potency or unintended side effects.

Medicine When you Patch Up a living being in a suitable environment over the course of several hours, you may choose one of the following instead of the normal choices.

Remove all minor and major injuries.

Allow severe and critical injury to begin healing.

Reconstruct/replace permanent injuries.

Perform a regular Patch Up on several subjects at the same time.

Make permanent cosmetic alterations.


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CLANDESTINE Career Path – Mettle/Interface

The Clandestine career is a sinister profession, relying on information and invisibility. Clandestine operatives in other professions tend toward low profiles and subtlety; Clandestine Industrials make terrifying saboteurs, Clandestine Scoundrels are deadly assassins, Clandestine Personalities are deft infiltrators and spies. Ironically, Clandestine operatives also make effective (if scary) law enforcement agents.

Skills: If one of your careers is Clandestine, you can choose from these Skills during character creation. The career’s Skill list (see opposite page) has more detailed descriptions of each skill.

Stealth: Vanish without a trace, show up elsewhere

Sabotage: Tamper with something, make it fail

Assassination: Arrange someone’s death

Surveillance: Keep an eye on a person or place

Informant: Sell your Codex Entries to make Aquisitions

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Hawk nosed, Sinister, Wiry, Bland, Suspicious, Bald.


Security Office: Monitoring station tied to multiple visual and audio security feeds.

Private Comms: Private room with a secure communication array on an encoded channel.

Hidden Passage: Connects to various other rooms through hidden hatches.

Interrogation Room: Equipped with a variety of restraints.

Advancement: At the end of each session you can spend 1 XP in this career if you accomplished an appropriate milestone during the session. Once you’ve spent enough XP in this career, you earn a new Skill from the career’s Skill list (see opposite page). Note that you don’t necessarily have to succeed a task; a dedicated attempt is usually enough. Clandestine Milestones are usually related to espionage and wetworks. Example Clandestine Milestones include:

Arrange an “accident”

Vanish when someone is looking for you

Follow someone without being seen

Kill someone who really deserves it

Hurt or scare someone in order to get information

Make an arrest

Have a Great standing with a secretive or authoritarian faction


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CLANDESTINE SKILLS

Stealth Whenever you can move around freely and are unobserved, you can choose to vanish without a trace. While missing, you may show up in the midst of events, as long as you can explain how you got there.

Assassination When you want a lightly guarded or unsuspecting NPC out of the picture, describe how you arrange their death and Roll+Mettle. On a hit, they’re dead, and no one knows it was you. On a 7-9, they’re dead, but there may be evidence linking it to you.

Interrogation When you spend time questioning someone who is completely under your power, you gain 3 Data Points about them; their lives, their job, their friends, their family, their guilt, their shame, etc.

Sabotage When you tamper with something (information, machinery, social situations, tactical plans, etc), describe how you go about it and Roll+[Stat]. On a 10+ the target of your tampering is doomed to fail, just as you planned. On a 7-9, the target of your tampering is doomed to fail spectacularly, horrifically or comically, at the GM’s discretion.

Surveillance You can put a single Place (room, building, street, city/station) or Person (individual, group, faction) under surveillance at a time. You may ask the following questions about the chosen target. Broad and distant targets provide less precise/timely answers. Place: Who is there? What is going on there? Person: Where are they? What are they doing?


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COMMERCIAL Career Path – Influence/Expertise

The Commercial career’s strength lies in making deals, acquiring goods and managing the complex web of inter-faction debt and influence. Almost all other careers benefit in some way from the Commercial’s purchasing power. Commercial Industrials turn scrap into profit, Commercial Technocrats are always aware of the best prices and opportunities, Commercial Starfarers haul cargo to the farthest reaches of space.

Skills: If one of your careers is Commercial, you can choose from these Skills during character creation. The career’s Skill list (see opposite page) has more detailed descriptions of each skill.

Trade: Sell a cargo-hold full of goods for profit

Procurement: Make safer, better Acquisitions

Broker: Manage Debt and Favor

Luxury: Own nice things, have an assistant NPC

Bribe: Make social/political Acquisitions

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Thick, Well-Fed, Manicured, Harried, Miserly, Cunning.


Cargo Hold: Capable of holding, loading and unloading trade goods.

Vault: Holds a variety of valuables, locked and secured.

High Berthing: Space suitable for up to 2 VIP guests.

Kitchen: Semi-automated food preparation area, provides better meals.

Advancement: At the end of each session you can spend 1 XP in this career if you accomplished an appropriate milestone during the session. Once you’ve spent enough XP in this career, you earn a new Skill from the career’s Skill list (see opposite page). Note that you don’t necessarily have to succeed a task; a dedicated attempt is usually enough. Commercial Milestones are usually related to earning and spending wealth. Example Commercial Milestones include:

Buy something expensive and frivolous

Engage in lavish hedonism and carousing

Exchange a cargohold of goods as part of an Acquisition

Find valuable, unclaimed resources and sell the rights to them

Make an Acquisition from a faction despite your Bad/Terrible reputation

Spend Favor/earn Debt to help an ally

Deliver desperately needed goods

Have a Great standing with a commercial or corporate faction


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COMMERCIAL SKILLS

Luxury Your clothing, belongings and quarters are all lavish and expensive. Gain one of the following NPCs as a retainer: Butler, Assistant, Consort, Bodyguard or Advisor. Name them and give them a 2-4 word description.

Trade You add your +Expertise or +Influence when you Barter. When you roll 10+ on a Barter, choose 1 of the following instead:

Your new cargo has a value 1 higher than the cargo you traded, to a maximum value of 8.

You gain 2 cargo units each worth half the value of the cargo you traded (rounded up).

If the cargo you’re trading has a value of 4+, it can be donated to a faction for a Favor.

Broker When you make an Acquisition, you may expend Favor or earn Debt with any faction, rather than just the one providing the purchase. You can Get Involved with Acquisitions made by allies.

Bribe Acquisition can also be used to purchase:

Political power

Legal decisions

Faction involvement

Diplomatic immunity

Procurement When making an Acquisition, choose 1.

The details of the purchase are kept secret

The item/service is especially good quality

Delivery and/or installation is fast and free

They’ll ignore your Bad or Terrible standing


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EXPLORER Career Path – Mettle/Physique

The Explorer is the most daring and risky career, forever seeking new horizons and new treasures. Other careers that regularly deal with harsh environments and unexplored reaches benefit from the Explorer’s courage and survival instinct. Commercial Explorers are prospectors or big game hunters seeking profit on hostile planets, Explorer Starfarers daredevil pilots and daring navigators, Military Explorers tend to be guerilla fighters or scouts.

Skills: If one of your careers is Explorer, you can choose from these Skills during character creation. The career’s Skill list (see opposite page) has more detailed descriptions of each skill.

Survivalist: Know a little bit about every environment

Boldly Go: Venture into the unknown, hopefully find something awesome

Recklessness: Gamble with the outcome of an untested, desperate act

Beast Tamer: Gain the loyalty of an alien beast NPC

Custom Vehicle: Own a unique, souped-up land vehicle/walker

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Weathered, Battered, Unkempt, Rude, Cheerful, Brash.


Hydroponics Bay: Grows a variety of edible plant life.

Decontamination Chamber: Wipes out dangerous particles and contaminants.

Vehicle Hangar: A space to store and maintain vehicles, equipped with a loading/unloading ramp.

Probe Station: Capable of launching small telemetry probes and receiving their readings.

Advancement: At the end of each session you can spend 1 XP in this career if you accomplished an appropriate milestone during the session. Once you’ve spent enough XP in this career, you earn a new Skill from the career’s Skill list (see opposite page). Note that you don’t necessarily have to succeed a task; a dedicated attempt is usually enough. Explorer Milestones are usually related to discovery and risk-taking. Example Explorer Milestones include:

Experience a Wild Jump

Make a leap of faith

Survive in a harsh wilderness

Encounter a little known hostile plant or animal

Open/activate/taste something completely unknown

Assist in colonizing an inhospitable land

Be the first to test a prototype

Have a Great standing with a colonial or expansionist faction


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EXPLORER SKILLS

Boldly Go When leading an expedition into the unknown, Roll+Mettle. On a 10+, choose 1. On a 7-9, the GM will choose 1.

You encounter something potentially profitable

You encounter something currently useful

You encounter something uniquely awesome

Recklessness If it’s the first time you attempt a particular untested, unpredictable, desperate and probably dangerous act, you may choose to trust your beginner’s luck. Roll as normal. A 7-9 counts as a complete success (10+). A 6- is an especially catastrophic, disastrous failure. Your allies cannot Get Involved in this roll.

Custom Vehicle You own a Custom Land Vehicle or Walker with 3 upgrades (see page xx). If your vehicle is ever lost, you can abandon it and spend an extended period of time claiming a new vehicle as your Custom Vehicle, adding an extra upgrade to it.

Survivalist After experiencing a wilderness first-hand, tell the GM one strange, unusual or interesting fact about an aspect of that wilderness (animals, plants, weather, terrain, hazards, etc). You gain 3 Data Points about that wilderness.

Beast Tamer You have tamed an exotic alien creature of animal intelligence, which can be Commanded. Give a short description of your obedient beast NPC, and describe its role (guard, hunting, beauty, companionship, labor, mount, etc). It takes significant time and effort to tame a newly encountered beast, and you can only have one tamed beast at a time


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INDUSTRIAL Career Path – Expertise/Interface

The Industrial career shapes the world around them, constructing, improving, demolishing. Other careers benefit greatly from the Industrial’s ability to create, repair, maintain a variety of machines. Industrial Explorers are settlers and pioneers, Industrial Academics tend to be inventors working on new prototypes, Industrial Scoundrels are scavengers and wreck-divers.

Skills: If one of your careers is Industrial, you can choose from these Skills during character creation. The career’s Skill list (see opposite page) has more detailed descriptions of each skill.

Repair: Fix machinery, rather than just patching it up

Build: Improve, reinforce or secure structures

Tinker: Turn miscellaneous components into something useful

Upgrade: Temporarily improve a weapon, gear or vehicle

Dismantle: Salvage or wreck machinery

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Muscled, Grimy, Wrinkled, Rigorous, Rugged, Focused.


Workshop: Equipped with workbenches and tool racks.

Repair Bay: Set up to handle large machinery, with winches and lifts.

Secure Reactor: A reactor room with emergency lockdown protocols and blast doors.

Servo Arms: Multiple servo arms attached to the ship, controlled from Engineering

Advancement: At the end of each session you can spend 1 XP in this career if you accomplished an appropriate milestone during the session. Once you’ve spent enough XP in this career, you earn a new Skill from the career’s Skill list (see opposite page). Note that you don’t necessarily have to succeed a task; a dedicated attempt is usually enough. Industrial Milestones are usually related to interacting with structures and machinery. Example Industrial Milestones include:

Keep something working against all odds

Prevent a catastrophic failure

Participate in a significant engineering project

Build a useful temporary structure

Use seemingly useless scrap to solve a problem

Blow something up

Figure out why something blew up

Have a Great standing with an industrial or military faction


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INDUSTRIAL SKILLS

Repair When you Patch Up a machine or mechanical components in a suitable environment over the course of several hours, you may choose one of the following instead of the normal choices.

Repair all minor and major damage.

Repair a severe or critical damage.

Replace permanently damaged parts

Perform a regular Patch Up on several machines at the same time.


Tinker When you fashion a useful object out of miscellaneous components you have at hand, Roll+Expertise. On a 10+ choose 1. On a 7-9, as above, but there is a flaw A small or large melee weapon with 1 upgrade

A set of Gear with 1 common, non-EnviroSuit upgrade

A grenade with 1 upgrade (single use grenade belt)

An explosive with 1 upgrade (single use explosive satchel)

A short-lived or single-use Gadget

Dismantle When forcefully dismantling technology, breaking machinery, destroying a structure or salvaging a wreck, Roll+Physique. On a 10+, choose 2. On a 7-9, choose 1.

It doesn’t take very long to do.

You recover a 1-value cargo unit worth of scrap

You recover useful components.

You could reassemble/repair it quite easily.

Gain 3 Data Points about this kind of machinery

Build With enough time and materials, you can give up to one of the following upgrades to a room, small structure, or can build a small structure with that property.

Resistant to damage/weather/elements

Tactically advantageous positions (cover, etc)

Hidden and/or difficult to access

Workspace (lab, workshop, hospital, etc)

Upgrade When you wish to add a temporary upgrade to a vehicle, gear or weapon, choose the desired upgrade from that object’s list, then Roll+Ingenuity. On a 10+, the item has the upgrade for now. On a 7-9, the project has an extra cost in time or resources. You can only have one temporary upgrade active at a time.


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MILITARY Career Path – Mettle/Personality

The Military career is a specialist of combat, with a heavy reliance on command, discipline and strategy. Other careers which have to deal with hostilities or war zones benefit greatly from the Military career’s command of the battlefield. Military Industrials are combat engineers, Military Personalities are generals and commanders, Commercial Military are well-equipped (and often expensive) mercenaries for hire.

Skills: If one of your careers is Military, you can choose from these Skills during character creation. The career’s Skill list (see opposite page) has more detailed descriptions of each skill.

Tactics: Control the battle with much more precision

Toughness: Take a lot more punishment

Unique Weapon: There aren’t many like it, and this one’s yours

Heavy Lifting: Ignore the Clumsy tag on heavy armor, heavy weapons

Authority: Command from a position of superiority, it will be obeyed

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Scarred, Grizzled, Massive, Skittish, Weary, Grim.


Gym: A variety of free weights, a number of exercise machines and an open area for sparring

Briefing Room: A functional, professional meeting room with tactical display table.

Holding Cells: Securely holds up to 4 prisoners.

Quarters: Military accommodations for a dozen crew/soldiers; bunk beds, footlockers, etc.

Advancement: At the end of each session you can spend 1 XP in this career if you accomplished an appropriate milestone during the session. Once you’ve spent enough XP in this career, you earn a new Skill from the career’s Skill list (see opposite page). Note that you don’t necessarily have to succeed a task; a dedicated attempt is usually enough. Military Milestones are usually related to combat and leadership. Example Military Milestones include:

Hold the line

Outwit or outmaneuver an enemy on the field of battle

Suffer multiple injuries in a short span of time

Show an inordinate propensity towards a specific weapon

Tackle a problem with guns blazing

Give a command that puts people’s lives at risk

Spend significant downtime working out

Have a Great standing with a military or authoritarian faction


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MILITARY SKILLS

Toughness You can have 2 injuries of the same severity; the second newly suffered injury does not increase in severity if you already have an injury of that severity.

Unique Weapon You have a Unique Weapon with 3 upgrades (see weapon section, page xx). If your weapon is ever lost or damaged, you can abandon it and spend an extended period of time claiming a new weapon as your Unique Weapon, adding an extra upgrade to it.

Authority Whenever you are in a position of clear superiority over a group of NPCs, you can Command those NPCs even if the order goes against their own traits and/or desires.

Tactics When you roll 7-9 on an Open Fire or Launch Assault, the GM does not choose consequences. Either you choose 1 of the consequences, or choose to stalemate the combat; neither side gains any ground.

Heavy Lifting You are trained in wearing cumbersome armor and carrying heavy weights. You ignore the Clumsy tag when burdened by weight or wearing heavy armors. You can don or remove armor in little to no time.


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PERSONALITY Career Path – Influence/Physique

The Personality career revolves around influencing others through charm, good looks and oratory. Personality is useful to any career that relies on persuasion or fame. Commercial Personalities are powerful traders and brokers, Starfarer Personalities are interplanetary diplomats and negotiators, Explorer Personalities are famous explorers and daredevils.

Skills: If one of your careers is Personality, you can choose from these Skills during character creation. The career’s Skill list (see opposite page) has more detailed descriptions of each skill.

Fame: Everybody knows your name, your allies share in that fame

Leadership: You have a loyal, talented, hand-picked Crew

Contacts: Call upon local NPCs to do jobs/favors for you

Performance: Incite emotions through oratory or artistry

Subversion: Leverage personal information to Command people

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Stunning, Sexy, Chiselled, Placid, Soft, Haughty.


Showcase: A small gallery for trophies, artwork or other acquisitions.

Crew Quarters: Small, individual quarters for a several crew members.

Lounge: Comfortable communal room, suitable for relaxation and recreation

Studio: A small room equipped for a specific type of art.

Advancement: At the end of each session you can spend 1 XP in this career if you accomplished an appropriate milestone during the session. Once you’ve spent enough XP in this career, you earn a new Skill from the career’s Skill list (see opposite page). Note that you don’t necessarily have to succeed a task; a dedicated attempt is usually enough. Personality Milestones are usually related to popularity, charm and social networking. Example Personality Milestones include:

Appear on galactic news media

Achieve a goal through charm/seduction

Tackle a violent problem using diplomacy

Do a personal favor for someone who can’t repay you

Incite or prevent a riot

Meet a new faction, make a lasting first impression

Reduce someone to tears/fill someone with spitting rage

Have a Great standing with an diplomatic or populist faction


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PERSONALITY SKILLS

Leadership You have a loyal, talented, hand-picked Crew at your command with 3 upgrades (see Crew section). Given enough time and training, you can replace lost members of this Crew with new NPCs.

Performance When you engage in your chosen oratory, art or performance, Roll+Influence or Roll+Physique. On a 7-9, choose a mental state (joy, sadness, anger, etc); it affects most of the audience. On a 10+, as above, and choose 1.

You gain a keen admirer in the audience

You are treated lavishly and with respect

You gain temporarily have Great standing with an interested faction

You gain the temporary loyalty of a handful of NPCs (temporary Crew, trait: Social)

Subversion As long as you have an embarrassing, damaging, intimate or personal Data Point about an NPC, you can Command that NPC. You can expend that Data Point to reroll that Command roll instead of gaining +1 to the roll.

Fame Decide what you are famous/infamous for. Factions, groups and people of importance always know who you are when you meet them. Allies may use your +Influence if they speak in your name, but they may make you look bad.

Contacts When you arrive in a city, station, colony or starship you’ve been to in the past (your choice), name an NPC that you know in the area, choose what faction they belong to (if any), and give them a short description (their job, how you met, etc). You gain a Data Point about that person.


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SCOUNDREL Career Path – Mettle/Expertise

The Scoundrel is the most underhanded career, using lies, violence, betrayal and theft to achieve their goals. Scoundrel can be a benefit to other careers that live outside the law. Military Scoundrels are raiders and space pirates, Commercial Scoundrels are smugglers, Scoundrel Personalities are expert con-artists.

Skills: If one of your careers is Scoundrel, you can choose from these Skills during character creation. The career’s Skill list (see opposite page) has more detailed descriptions of each skill.

Sneak Attack: Strike out of nowhere, with precision. You shot first.

Criminal: Plan and execute a crime.

False Identity: Maintain a false identity, neutral to all Factions.

Scapegoat: Deftly pass consequences onto someone else.

Schemer: Betray one faction to earn Favor with another.

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Thick, Dapper, Sly, Meaty, Slick, Cold.


Hidden Cargo: A secret cargo hold that’s hard to find by normal means.

Escape Pod: A cramped one-man escape pod, capable of sustaining someone for a week.

Gaming Room: A multi-purpose table suitable for gambling, card games and board games.

Front: Made to look like an innocuous room/workspace, with an adjoining private room.

Advancement: At the end of each session you can spend 1 XP in this career if you accomplished an appropriate milestone during the session. Once you’ve spent enough XP in this career, you earn a new Skill from the career’s Skill list (see opposite page). Note that you don’t necessarily have to succeed a task; a dedicated attempt is usually enough. Scoundrel Milestones are usually related to some form of criminal activity. Example Scoundrel Milestones include:

Participate in a heist

Commit significant vandalism

Use someone else’s identity

Smuggle something or someone

Shoot first

Betray someone’s trust

Escape the consequences of your actions

Have a Great standing with a criminal or rebel faction


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SCOUNDREL SKILLS

Criminal When you see an opportunity, choose a crime below and Roll + [Stat]. On 10+, you succeed. On a 7-9, you succeed, but you come to the negative attention of local authorities.

Larceny: Gain a 2-value unit of Cargo

Burglary: Gain a specific small item

Arson: Destroy a piece of property

Assault: Hurt, embarrass, frighten or anger someone

Scapegoat When you would suffer a social, legal or financial consequence, you may name an individual or faction and Roll+Expertise. On a 10+, you pass the consequence on to them. On a 7-9, as above, but they know it was you. On a 6-, you’re stuck with the consequences, and they know what you tried to do.

Schemer If you are in Good standing with a faction, your group does not earn Debt for the following (as long as you are directly involved): working for the opposite faction during a conflict, working against their goals/philosophy, failing missions, breaking promises, not upholding deals.

Sneak Attack When you make sudden, unexpected hostile action out of nowhere, Roll+Mettle. On a 10+, choose 1. On a 7-9, the GM picks 2 options, choose 1 of them.

Kill someone

Disable someone

Capture someone

Cause confusion/panic

False Identity You maintain a false identity, and can switch between it and your own. The identity starts with Neutral standing with all Factions. The identity has its own Favor/Debt rating, unrelated to the group. It can have a maximum of 1 Favor or Debt with each faction; any further gain will cause gain/loss of Standing instead. It takes significant time to construct a new, ‘fresh’ false identity.


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STARFARER Career Path – Influence/Interface

The Starfarer career travels all over the galaxy, experiencing a multitude of cultures and societies. The Starfarer’s ease with spaceships, vehicles and navigation make it useful to many other careers that are on the move. Industrial Starfarers are starship engineers, Academic Starfarers range from astrophysicists to stellar anthropologists, Military Starfarers are fearsome space marines.

Skills: If one of your careers is Starfarer, you can choose from these Skills during character creation. The career’s Skill list (see opposite page) has more detailed descriptions of each skill.

Cosmopolitan: You learn the quirks of new societies very quickly

Traveller: You can take on passengers to distant destinations

Navigation: You know the best way around familiar cities and stars

Calibrations: You know how to get the most out o.

Personalized Vehicle:

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Bony, Quick, Tall, Sunny, Restless, Tolerant.


Astrogation: A room-sized interactive holographic starmap, with orbital physics trajectories.

Shuttle Bay: A space to store and maintain shuttles and fighters, equipped with a large set of airlock doors

Low Berthing: Modest 2-person guest rooms for a dozen passengers.

Observation Deck: A panoramic viewing room with shielded, reinforced, full-wall windows.

Advancement: At the end of each session you can spend 1 XP in this career if you accomplished an appropriate milestone during the session. Once you’ve spent enough XP in this career, you earn a new Skill from the career’s Skill list (see opposite page). Note that you don’t necessarily have to succeed a task; a dedicated attempt is usually enough. Starfarer Milestones are usually related to all manner of space travel. Example Starfarer Milestones include:

Spend significant time living on a space station/starship

Visit a civilized world you’ve visited before

Travel for a long period with a dozen other passengers

Spend an inordinate amount of time tweaking a system

Tackle a problem using a shuttle or speeder

Lead people into or out of a faction’s territory

Be subjected to the effects of Cramped Quarters

Have a Great standing with a nomadic or starfaring faction


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STARFARER SKILLS

Traveller When offering passage to a distant destination, Roll+Influence. On a 10+, choose 1 reward you’ll get for delivering them safely. On a 7-9, the GM will choose 1.

They belong to a local Faction (+Favor)

They have valuable information (knowledge)

They are willing to work (temporary crew)

They have goods to trade (2-value cargo)

Navigation When navigating stars or cities that are familiar to you (you decide), choose 1.

The trip is short and pleasant. (+2 to Cramped Quarters rolls)

Choose a Faction; the trip passes into their turf

Choose a Faction; the trip avoids their turf

Your passage goes unnoticed by those not on high alert

Personalized Vehicle You own either a Shuttle or a Speeder with 3 upgrades (see page xx). If your vehicle is ever lost, you can abandon it and spend an extended period of time claiming a new Shuttle or Speeder as your Personalized Vehicle, adding an extra upgrade to it.

Cosmopolitan

After experiencing a society first-hand, tell the GM one strange, unusual or interesting fact about an aspect of that society (culture, traditions, laws, government, economy, etc). You get 3 Data Points about that society.

Calibrations You gain 3 Data Points about a ship’s system or vehicle when you spend the majority of your downtime adjusting, tweaking, aligning, maintaining and readjusting it. Your old Data Points expire if you start lavishing attention on a different system or vehicle.


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TECHNOCRAT Career Path – Physique/Interface

The Technocrat career is the most wired-in and computer-centric of the careers, focusing on programming, data and electronic warfare. Other careers benefit from Technocrat’s mastery of the computer systems that run almost all of civilized space. An Academic Technocrat’s thirst for information knows no bounds, Technocrat Starfarers are frighteningly connected pilots, and Military Technocrats can lead robotic soldiers as easily as humans.

Skills: If one of your careers is Technocrat, you can choose from these Skills during character creation. The career’s Skill list (see opposite page) has more detailed descriptions of each skill.

Technophile: Dressed to kill in the highest tech suit available

Hacking: Breach closed systems, steal their megahurtz

Coding: Add extra effects to your Programs.

Data Manipulation: Spread, alter or erase data on the SectorNet. Can’t stop the signal.

Artificial Intelligence: Gain an AI NPC that lives inside computers

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Nearsighted, Lanky, Underfed, Smug, Awkward, Intense.


Advanced Computer Core: Suited for complicated calculations and simulations

Boosted Signal Array: Greatly increased electronic communication range.

VR Suite: Padded, reclined seats equipped with VR headsets.

Recreational Holo: Recreation room with holographic projector.

Advancement: At the end of each session you can spend 1 XP in this career if you accomplished an appropriate milestone during the session. Once you’ve spent enough XP in this career, you earn a new Skill from the career’s Skill list (see opposite page). Note that you don’t necessarily have to succeed a task; a dedicated attempt is usually enough. Technocrat Milestones are usually related to acquiring and sifting data. Example Technocrat Milestones include:

Spend significant downtime browsing the SectorNet

Automate a task or procedure

Break into a closed computer system

Tackle a dangerous situation using a Program

Make something go haywire

Spread a truth or a lie

Gain a Codex Entry from a faction database

Have a Great standing with a technological or secretive faction


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TECHNOCRAT SKILLS

Technophile You have a set of Advanced Gear with 3 common or uncommon upgrades (see Gear section, page xx). If your gear is ever lost or damaged, you can abandon it and spend an extended period of time claiming a new set of gear as your Advanced Gear, adding an extra upgrade to it.

Coding

When you successfully Program a system, choose 1:

You can end the Program with a word

Lock out everyone else from this system

You leave no traces of your passage

Run a second program after this one

Gain 3 Data Points about the system

Artificial Intelligence You have the loyalty of a digital, artificial intelligence NPC. Give it a name and 2-4 word description of its personality. Your AI can enter open systems, controlling them to obey complicated and subtle Programs. Your AI can only be in one system at a time.

Hacking When making a run on a closed, protected system, Roll+Interface. On a 7-9, the system is now open to you. On a 10+, as above, and you can immediately run a Program on that system without rolling (automatic 10+).

Data Manipulation

Whenever you earn Data Points and have access to the SectorNet, choose 1:

The topic is erased, hidden, classified or otherwise rendered difficult to access

The topic is spread across the SectorNet and becomes common knowledge

Alter a pivotal fact in the topic.


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Origins

Advanced (p36) Skills:

Cutting Edge (Interface), Artificial Intelligence,

Calibrations, Sabotage

Colonist (p37) Skills:

Resourceful (Expertise), Tinker, Heavy Lifting,

Custom Vehicle

Crowded (p38) Skills:

Affable (Influence), Cosmopolitan, Bribe,

Contacts

Frontier (p39) Skills:

Hard Labor (Physique) Build, Survivalist,

Medicine

Impoverished (p40) Skills:

Scrappy (Mettle), Stealth, Criminal,

Recklessness

Privileged (p41) Skills:

Decorum (Influence), Luxury, Fame, Schemer

Productive (p42) Skills:

Vocation (Expertise), Learning, Procurement,

Data Manipulation

Regimented (p43) Skills:

Disciplined (Mettle) Leadership, Tactics,

Deduction

Spacer (p44) Skills:

Fine Tuning (Interface), Coding, Repair,

Navigation

Violent (p45) Skills:

Branded (Physique), Toughness, Sneak

Attack, Assassination


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ADVANCED Origin

The Advanced grew up in prosperous, high tech societies, well ahead of the galactic technology curve, enjoying an unprecedented quality of life. Technologies and gadgets that would be rare or fantastical elsewhere were considered commonplace.

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Angular, Robust, Strapping, Carefree, Lazy, Arrogant.

Skills: Choose 1 of these skills if you’ve had an Advanced origin.

Sabotage When you tamper with something (information, machinery, social situations, tactical plans, etc), describe how you go about it and Roll+[Stat]. On a 10+ the target of your tampering is doomed to fail, just as you planned. On a 7-9, the target of your tampering is doomed to fail spectacularly, horrifically or comically, at the GM’s discretion.

Calibrations You gain 3 Data Points about a ship’s system or vehicle when you spend the majority of your downtime adjusting, tweaking, aligning, maintaining and readjusting it. Your old Data Points expire if you start lavishing attention on a different system or vehicle.

Artificial Intelligence You have the loyalty of a digital, artificial intelligence NPC. Give it a name and 2-4 word description of its personality. Your AI can enter open systems, controlling them to obey complicated and subtle Programs. Your AI can only be in one system at a time.

Cutting Edge Interacting with new, advanced technology comes naturally to you. On the other hand, dealing with old, clunky, obsolete dreck is rather aggravating. You gain +1 to your Interface stat, to a maximum of +2.


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COLONIST Origin

The Colonists are born and raised out on the fringes of galactic civilization, living in domes, colony pods or habitation modules, working diligently and tirelessly to terraform planets to make them more hospitable for the next generation.

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Hard, Serious, Calloused, Dusky, Solid, Prudent.

Skills: Choose 1 of these skills if you’ve had a Colonist origin.

Heavy Lifting You are trained in wearing cumbersome armor and carrying heavy weights. You ignore the Clumsy tag when burdened by weight or wearing heavy armors. You can don or remove armor in little to no time.

Custom Vehicle You own a Custom Land Vehicle or Walker with 3 upgrades (see page xx). If your vehicle is ever lost, you can abandon it and spend an extended period of time claiming a new vehicle as your Custom Vehicle, adding an extra upgrade to it.

Tinker When you fashion a useful object out of miscellaneous components you have at hand, Roll+Expertise. On a 10+ choose 1. On a 7-9, as above, but there is a flaw A small or large melee weapon with 1 upgrade

A set of Gear with 1 common, non-EnviroSuit upgrade

A grenade with 1 upgrade (single use grenade belt)

An explosive with 1 upgrade (single use explosive satchel)

A short-lived or single-use Gadget

Resourceful You’re good at making do with limited resources, and getting the most out of what you have, making you a bit of a hoarder. You gain +1 to your Expertise stat, to a maximum of +2.


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CROWDED Origin

The Crowded have lived their lives shoulder-to-shoulder with humanity. They come from the cramped confines of heavily populated hive cities, underground facilities, domes and space stations; one face among billions in the most densely overpopulated worlds.

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Lively, Compact, Stout, Spare, Loud, Agoraphobic.

Skills: Choose 1 of these skills if you’ve had a Crowded origin.

Contacts When you arrive in a city, station, colony or starship you’ve been to in the past (your choice), name an NPC that you know in the area, choose what faction they belong to (if any), and give them a short description (their job, how you met, etc). You gain a Data Point about that person.

Bribe Acquisition can also be used to purchase:

Political power

Legal decisions

Faction involvement

Diplomatic immunity

Cosmopolitan

After experiencing a society first-hand, tell the GM one strange, unusual or interesting fact about an aspect of that society (culture, traditions, laws, government, economy, etc). You get 3 Data Points about that society.

Affable You get along well with almost everyone in your own way. You are most comfortable around others, and get lonely quickly. You gain +1 to your Influence stat, to a maximum of +2.


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RUSTIC Origin

The Rustic were raised on the very edges of galactic society, on the most inhospitable and savage worlds. With only basic machinery and tools, they were forced to toil by the sweat of their brow, shaping the hostile landscape.

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Wrinkled, Creaking, Rangy, Aged, Weary, Strong.

Skills: Choose 1 of these skills if you’ve had a Rustic origin.

Survivalist After experiencing a wilderness first-hand, tell the GM one strange, unusual or interesting fact about an aspect of that wilderness (animals, plants, weather, terrain, hazards, etc). You gain 3 Data Points about that wilderness.

Medicine When you Patch Up a living being in a suitable environment over the course of several hours, you may choose one of the following instead of the normal choices.

Remove all minor and major injuries.

Allow severe and critical injury to begin healing.

Reconstruct/replace permanent injuries.

Perform a regular Patch Up on several subjects at the same time.


Build With enough time and materials, you can give up to one of the following upgrades to a room, small structure, or can build a small structure with that property.

Resistant to damage/weather/elements

Tactically advantageous positions (cover, etc)

Hidden and/or difficult to access

Workspace (lab, workshop, hospital, etc)

Hard Labor You can perform long grueling hours of physical labor with minimal rest. You’ve collected a wide variety of aches, pains and minor ailments from doing this. You gain +1 to your Physique stat, to a maximum of +2.


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IMPOVERISHED Origin

The Impoverished grew up on the margins, in the slums, in slavery and prisons and filth. They have little to call their own, only what they could scrape and scrounge together. They’ve fought tooth and nail to survive against oppressive conditions.

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Gaunt, Haggard, Sickly, Filthy, Vulgar, Fierce.

Skills: Choose 1 of these skills if you’ve had an Impoverished origin.

Criminal When you see an opportunity, choose a crime below and Roll + [Stat]. On 10+, you succeed. On a 7-9, you succeed, but you come to the negative attention of local authorities.

Larceny: Gain a 2-value unit of Cargo

Burglary: Gain a specific small item

Arson: Destroy a piece of property

Assault: Hurt, embarrass, frighten or anger someone

Recklessness If it’s the first time you attempt a particular untested, unpredictable, desperate and probably dangerous act, you may choose to trust your beginner’s luck. Roll as normal. A 7-9 counts as a complete success (10+). A 6- is an especially catastrophic, disastrous failure. Your allies cannot Get Involved in this roll.

Stealth Whenever you can move around freely and are unobserved, you can choose to vanish without a trace. While missing, you may show up in the midst of events, as long as you can explain how you got there.

Scrappy Life has beaten you down, but you never, ever give up. No matter how bad things get, you rarely back down, even when you really should. You gain +1 to your Mettle stat, to a maximum of +2.


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PRIVILIGED Origin

The Privileged are the nobility of the galaxy, the elite. Their families hold great power and influence, be it financial, political or religious. Moving in such exalted circles, wielding their family name and power, they have grown up expecting courtesy, respect and deference.

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Manicured, Plump, Groomed, Snobbish, Sleek, Pompous.

Skills: Choose 1 of these skills if you’ve had a Privileged origin.

Schemer If you are in Good standing with a faction, your group does not earn Debt for the following (as long as you are directly involved): working for the opposite faction during a conflict, working against their goals/philosophy, failing missions, breaking promises, not upholding deals.

Fame Decide what you are famous/infamous for. Factions, groups and people of importance always know who you are when you meet them. Allies may use your +Influence if they speak in your name, but they may make you look bad.

Luxury Your clothing, belongings and quarters are all lavish and expensive. Gain one of the following NPCs as a retainer: Butler, Assistant, Consort, Bodyguard or Advisor. Name them and give them a 2-4 word description.

Decorum You are well versed in the rules of etiquette, civility and propriety. You can carry yourself with grace in formal affairs, but are ill-at-ease in casual settings. You gain +1 to your Influence stat, to a maximum of +2.


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PRODUCTIVE Origin

The Productive live in societies, cultures or groups that place high importance on education and industry. From extremely young ages, they begin training for their destined profession, devoting any spare time to higher education and secondary vocations.

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Slight, Curious, Faded, Greying, Detached, Introverted.

Skills: Choose 1 of these skills if you’ve had a Productive origin.

Procurement When making an Acquisition, choose 1.

The details of the purchase are kept secret

The item/service is especially good quality

Delivery and/or installation is fast and free

They’ll ignore your Bad or Terrible standing

Learning When you make an Assessment, on a 10+ you gain 3 Data Points about the subject, and on a 7-9 you gain 1 Data Point. As long as you spend part of your downtime educating yourself about a subject, Data Points associated with that subject don’t expire.

Data Manipulation

Whenever you earn Data Points and have access to the SectorNet, choose 1:

The topic is erased, hidden, classified or otherwise rendered difficult to access

The topic is spread across the SectorNet and becomes common knowledge

Alter a pivotal fact in the topic.

Vocation You’ve spent many years training in a variety of techniques and trades. Sadly, you’ve never had time for fun or relaxation. You gain +1 to your Expertise stat, to a maximum of +2.


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REGIMENTED Origin

The Regimented have lived very strict lives. Whether in a militaristic society, a religious organisation or an authoritarian government, they have been indoctrinated to the advantages of discipline, obedience and loyalty, their lives organised and orderly.

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Athletic, Meditative, Sturdy, Organised, Formal, Strict.

Skills: Choose 1 of these skills if you’ve had a Regimented origin.

Deduction When you first witness a situation, you may ask one of the following questions:

Who/what is most vulnerable in this situation?

Who/what is most dangerous in this situation?

What is profitable about this situation?

Who/what caused this situation?

Tactics When you roll 7-9 on an Open Fire or Launch Assault, the GM does not choose consequences. Either you choose 1 of the consequences, or choose to stalemate the combat; neither side gains any ground.

Leadership You have a loyal, talented, hand-picked Crew at your command with 3 upgrades (see Crew section). Given enough time and training, you can replace lost members of this Crew with new NPCs.

Disciplined You know the rules, the codes, the processes, the scripture, the laws. They give you stability. You don’t deal well with change. You gain +1 to your Mettle stat, to a maximum of +2.


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GALACTIC Origin

The Galactics are born and raised in orbital stations, starships and asteroid mining colonies. Most have lived their whole lives among the stars, surrounded and protected by metals, plastics, machinery and electronics, breathing recycled air and eating hydroponic food.

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Sharp, Guarded, Frigid, Isolated, Energetic, Graceful.

Skills: Choose 1 of these skills if you’ve had a Galactic origin.

Repair When you Patch Up a machine or mechanical components in a suitable environment over the course of several hours, you may choose one of the following instead of the normal choices.

Repair all minor and major damage.

Repair a severe or critical damage.

Replace permanently damaged parts

Perform a regular Patch Up on several machines at the same time.

Make permanent cosmetic alterations

Navigation When navigating stars or cities that are familiar to you (you decide), choose 1.

The trip is short and pleasant. (+2 to Cramped Quarters rolls)

Choose a Faction; the trip passes into their turf

Choose a Faction; the trip avoids their turf

Your passage goes unnoticed by those not on high alert

Coding

When you successfully Program a system, choose 1:

You can end the Program with a word

Lock out everyone else from this system

You leave no traces of your passage

Run a second program after this one

Gain 3 Data Points about the system

Fine Tuning You’re adept at interfacing with everything from climate controls to heuristically programmed algorithmic computers. You’ve gotten quite used to having an artificial environment set just the way you want it. You gain +1 to your Interface stat, to a maximum of +2.


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BRUTAL Origin

The Brutal were forged in the most volatile conditions; war zones, slavery or in barbaric, bloodthirsty societies. Life was short and cruel, blood and pain are the norm. There was no room for weakness or mercy, no place for honor or fair play.

Descriptions: Choose 1 description for your character from this list. This is a facet of your physical appearance or behavior (along with the other 2 choices from your other career and origin). Tired, Disfigured, Suppressed, Cruel, Angry, Severe.

Skills: Choose 1 of these skills if you’ve had a Brutal origin.

Sneak Attack When you make sudden, unexpected hostile action out of nowhere, Roll+Mettle. On a 10+, choose 1. On a 7-9, the GM picks 2 options, choose 1 of them.

Kill someone

Disable someone

Capture someone

Cause confusion/panic

Toughness You can have 2 injuries of the same severity; the second newly suffered injury does not increase in severity if you already have an injury of that severity.

Assassination When you want a lightly guarded or unsuspecting NPC out of the picture, describe how you arrange their death and Roll+Mettle. On a hit, they’re dead, and no one knows it was you. On a 7-9, they’re dead, but there may be evidence linking it to you.

Branded You have a prominent, recognisable physical mark (scars, burns, tattoos, prison barcode, slave brand), as a testament to the hardships you’ve survived. You gain +1 to your Physique stat, to a maximum of +2.


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LEVELING

Each career has a number of example milestones in its Advancement section. At the end of each session, if the player has achieved a milestone similar to one of those, the player earns 1xp in that Career. The player can spend the XP earned in a single career to gain a skill from that career. The amount of XP they need to spend is equal to their current non-Origin skills; 3xp to earn their first new skill, then 4xp, then 5. Note that earning XP in one’s own careers is quite easy; the skills a character starts with allows them to easily achieve a career milestone during regular play. Achieving milestones from outside their careers will require more effort and the ability to spot opportunities during play.


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ITEMS, VEHICLES, CREW

When creating a character, choose one of these 4 starting packages.

Fighter Package A weapon with 2 upgrades


A set of gear with 1 upgrade

Survivor Package


A set of gear with 2 upgrades A set of gear with 1 upgrade

Leader Package


A set of gear with 1 upgrade A crew with 2 upgrades

Driver Package


A set of gear with 1 upgrade A vehicle with 2 upgrades


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WEAPONS There are a myriad of weapons available that can cause all kinds of harm to your enemies. Weapons fall into several broad categories, and are further refined by upgrades. Most common weapons have 0-2 upgrades; weapons lacking upgrades are cheap and plentiful, while weapons with 2 or more upgrades may be rare, licensed, restricted or outright banned, depending on the sector. Some alien and relic weapons have very bizarre upgrades, not included in these lists. A weapon will state its type (Melee, Ranged, Thrown) and a range (Grappled, Adjacent, Close, Far, Distant). They may have other properties, like “[Two-handed]”; these are described later in this section. Weapons also have Tags, which are most often added as an upgrade. Tags are words with “+” in front of them. These represent what the weapon is specifically designed to do. They allow for descriptive usage, such as using a Laser weapons +Cut to slice a hole in a door.

Small Melee [Melee: Grapple, Adjacent] Sharp: +Sever, +Bleed

Concealed: +Hidden

Light: [Thrown: Adjacent, Close]

Shock: +Stun

Energy: +Burn, +Melt

Piercing: +Pin

Flexible: +Grab

Glove: [Unarmed]

Large Melee [Melee: Adjacent][2-Handed] Default Tags: +Knockdown Sharp: +Sever, +Bleed

Hafted: +Area, +Knockback

Heavy: +Break Bones

Destructive: +Property Damage

Energy: +Burn

Shock: +Stun

Piercing: +Pin

Grenade Belt [Thrown: Close] Default Tags: +Area Plasma: +Burn

Shredder: +Messy, +Bleed

High Impact: +Break Bones, +Knockback

AP: +Ignores Armor, + Property Damage

Flashbang: +Stun Concealed: +Hidden

EMP: +Haywire

Small Firearm [Ranged: Adjacent, Close] Laser: +Melt, +Cut

Shredder: +Bleed

Explosive: +Messy, +Property Damage

AP: +Ignores Armor

Concealed: +Hidden

Silenced: +Silent

Shock: +Stun

Incendiary: +Burn

Long Firearm [Ranged: Close, Far][2-Handed] Laser: +Melt, +Cut

Shredder: +Bleed


Burst Fire: +Suppressive Fire

Rapid Fire: +Area

AP: +Ignores Armor

Silenced: +Silent

Long Barrel: [Ranged: Distant]

Large Firearm [Ranged: Close][2-Handed] Default Tags: +Knockdown Plasma: +Burn

Shredder: +Bleed


High Impact: +Break Bones, +Knockback

Grenade Launcher: +Area

AP: +Ignores Armor

Shock: +Stun

Sustained Heavy Weapon [Ranged: Close, Far][2-Handed] [Clumsy][Ignores Armor] Default Tags: +Suppressive Fire Laser: +Melt, +Cut

Plasma Fire: +Burn

Shredder: +Bleed, +Sever

Breaching: +Pierces Hulls

Shock: +Stun

Demolishing: +Property Damage

Spray: +Area

Launcher Heavy Weapon [Ranged: Far, Distant][2-Handed] [Clumsy][Ignores Armor] Default Tags: +Area, +Knockback Plasma: +Burn

Shredder: +Bleed, +Sever

Breaching: +Pierces Hulls

Demolishing: +Property Damage

Concussive: +Stun, +Break Bones

Smart: +Indirect Fire

EMP: +Haywire

Explosives Satchel [Melee: Grapple][2-Handed][Clumsy] [Timed Detonation] Default Tags: +Large Area, +Property Damage Plasma: +Burn, Melt

Shredder: +Bleed, +Messy

Breaching: +Pierces Hulls, +Ignores Armor

Concussive: +Stun, +Break Bones

Proximity: +Proximity Detonation

Triggered: +Trigger Detonation

Inconspicuous: +Hidden

High Yield: +Massive Area


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GEAR Gear encompasses a character’s loadout; their armor, clothing, and the non-weapon contents of their pouches, belts and backpacks. Gear can include helmets and visors with HUDs (head’s up display). All Gear is assumed to have commercial-grade audio communicators built in, either ear pieces or wrist comms. Standard Gear has 0-2 upgrades, though 2-upgrade Gear is expensive, complicated or specialized enough that it requires an Acquisition to purchase. Some alien, relic or experimental sets of Gear have truly bizarre properties (gravity fields, shape-changing, personal force fields, intelligent, etc) and are not included here

Combat Gear – 1 Armor

Reinforced. +1 Armor, hard to damage

Armor Plated. +2 Armor, Clumsy

Jump Jets. Long jumps, slow descent, zero-g control

Career Kit

Sensors

Hazard Gear – Protects from hazardous elements

Life Support. Vacuum sealed, space worthy

Carapace. +2 Armor, Clumsy

Jump Jets. Long jumps, slow descent, zero-g control

Career Kit

Sensors

Utility Gear – Career Kit

Rugged. +1 Armor, easy to repair

Secondary Career Kit

Additional Career Kit

Sensors

Secondary Sensors

Stealth Gear – Inconspicuous, stealthy clothing

Meshweave. +1 Armor, looks like clothes

Adaptive camo. Changes color, blends into terrain

Sensor void. Does not show up to scanners

Career Kit

Sensors

Career Kits Career Kits are a collection of all the gadgets, tools and other miscellaneous pieces of gear needed for that career. If you are wearing a set of Gear that incorporates a Career Kit, you can pull an appropriate gadget out of a pouch, back pack or belt. Career Kits also affect the general look/style of the gear itself. It is not necessary for a character to have a career in order to wear Gear with that career’s kit. Many kits, such as the Explorer Kit or the Industrial Kit, can be useful to anyone in a given situation. Academic Kit – Sterile. Medical supplies, chemical analyzers, data recorders, sealed sample containers, etc. Clandestine Kit – Somber. Remote camera, handcuffs, electronic/mechanical locks, chloroform, etc. Commercial Kit – Expensive, stylish, lavish, ostentatious. Jewelry, personal electronic seal, etc. Explorer Kit – Heavy backpack. Climbing tools, grappling line, deployable tent, heat/light sticks, water filter, etc. Industrial Kit – Straps and belts. Tools, cutters, welding torch, crowbar, cage lamp, clamps, spare parts, etc. Military Kit – Badges and insignias. Range finder, field rations, folding shovel, sleeping bag, etc. Personality Kit – Formal, dignified, powerful, attractive. Digital signet, holo-communicator, etc. Scoundrel Kit – Shabby, comfortable. Recreational drugs, hidden pockets, lock picks, fake credits, etc. Starfarer Kit – Utilitarian. Mag clamps, emergency oxygen mask, deployable tether, gas-propulsion unit, etc. Technocrat Kit – Wired. Holo-display, connection ports, cables, diagnostic tools, integrated computer, etc. Sensors When selecting a Sensor, choose what element it detects (example: Radiation, heat, movement, metal, seismic activity, etc). When active, the sensors detects the presence or absence of that element and displays on whatever visor or wrist panel your Gear is equipped with.


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VEHICLES When a character builds or purchases a vehicle, they choose a base type and then can add modifications to customize it. A vehicle can have 0-2 upgrades, and the more modifications, the rarer it is to find and more expensive it is to purchase and maintain.

Shuttle 1 pilot + 1 co-pilot + 2 passengers Average speed – 2 Armor Special: Atmosphere sealed, flight, space flight, needs landing area, cannot hover.

Agile – Fast, capable of performing stunts

Armored – +2 Armor

Armed – Armed with a heavy weapon

Transport – Room for cargo/dozen people

Sensors – Get readings/telemetry

Stealthy – Almost invisible to sensors

Luxury – Comfortable, looks amazing

Hover – Hover, vertical take-off/landing

Tool – Drill/crane/bulldozer/etc (choose 1)

Land vehicle 1 pilot +1 (bike) or +4 (car) passengers Average speed – 4 Armor Special: Easy to repair, resists elements, inexpensive, land-bound

Agile – Fast, capable of performing stunts







Sealed – Atmosphere sealed

Workspace – Small lab/workshop


Speeder 1 pilot +1 (bike) or +4 (car) passengers Fast speed – 1 Armor Special: Flight, hover, capable of performing stunts, vertical take-off/landing, fragile







Sealed – Atmosphere sealed, spaceworthy


Walker 1 pilot (biped) or 1 pilot + 1 co-pilot (quadruped) Slow speed – 3 armor Special: Land-bound, all-terrain, short jump jets, walker, lifter claws





Rugged – Easy to repair, resists elements

Sealed – Atmosphere sealed, spaceworthy


Boosters – Average speed, longer jump jets


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CREW Crews are a group of a half-dozen NPCs who are currently following the orders of a character. A character can use the Command move to get the Crew to perform important tasks, as long as the task is within the capabilities of the crew and doesn’t go against their ethics/beliefs. There are four basic Crews; Squads, Techs, Gangs and Staff (see below), that can be easily be hired in most civilized areas. Crews can have 0-2 upgrades, which increase their skillset and give more options for Command. A Crew with 2 upgrades is highly trained and requires an Acquisition to obtain such a rare and skilled team. COMMAND (+Influence)

When you issue a command to a group or Crew that is inclined to follow your orders, Roll+Influence.

On a 10+, they follow those orders to the best of their ability, though they may suffer costs or complications. On a 7-9, as above, but their disposition or effectiveness has been significantly impacted (casualties, bribed, lost, demoralized, panicked, exhausted, disgruntled, injured, etc). This crew will not accept a new Command until those complications/issues have been dealt with.

Obtaining a New Crew A Crew can be earned by seeking them out for a specific task. The character simply states what kind of Crew they want (Squad, Techs, Gang, Staff). The GM is free to offer a choice of upgrades, or (if the workforce is robust enough) leave the option open to the character. In most circumstances, a Crew with 0 or 1 upgrade can be found quite easily, but might require Facing Adversity if the situation is tenuous or able-bodied workers are in short supply (Terrible reputation, manpower shortage, ongoing war, plague/disease outbreak, famine, etc). A short-term, recently hired Crew is unlikely to leave their own society/home; unless specifically hired for a long-term voyage, once their job is done they will most likely leave the employ of the characters and return to their own lives. Alternatively, Crews can be temporary and situational; groups of people with similar skillsets forced into cooperation with the characters due to a crisis. They follow Commands just like hired Crews. These Crews will leave the ‘employ’ of the characters as soon as they can safely do so. Fleshing Out a Crew Unlike weapons, gear and vehicles, Crew are made up of a half-dozen people, with their own names, drives, beliefs and aspirations. When a Crew is first introduced, name and describe two or three of the crewmembers, and give them short descriptions. Further development of these NPCs should happen during the game, with the GM prompting the Crew’s leader or other characters to provide more detail about the crewmembers. Losing a Crew Crew are just as susceptible as characters to the dangers of the universe, if not more so. In addition to the panoply of inventive and bizarre injuries and deaths out there, legal, political and personal upheavals can take one or crewmembers out of action. A crew that has suffered too many losses can’t function until new, similar members can be found and integrated into the group. Furthermore, if a crew is neglected, abused or mistreated, it can leave, become stubborn and rebellious, or go into outright sabotage/mutiny, at the GM’s discretion.


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SQUAD The crew is disciplined and stolid. They are equipped with standard weaponry (stunner pistols, stun batons, rifles) and can be Commanded to guard areas and engage in small-scale combat.

Tactics: The crew fights as a unit in large-scale combat engagements. They can be Commanded to engage in tactical warfare and take objectives.

Armed: The crew is versed in advanced weaponry, and is equipped with the Grade 1 melee, ranged or heavy weapons of your choice.

Equipped: The crew is fully kitted out with advanced Gear. Choose a Grade 1 set of Gear; the entire crew is equipped with that Gear set.

Intimidating: The crew is imposing in some way, you decide why. The crew can be Commanded to disperse crowds and intimidate individuals.

Sappers: The crew knows how to handle digging equipment and explosives, and can be Commanded to destroy structures and terrain.

Loyalty: The crew doesn’t question orders and quickly recovers to their normal disposition. They only take commands from you.

Faction: The crew belongs to a faction. They can be Commanded to interact with their faction on your behalf, or to interact with others on their faction’s behalf, but are reticent to act against the faction’s agenda.

Artillery: The crew knows their way around vehicle, ship and artillery weapons, and can be Commanded to bombard targets.

Pilots: The crew can pilot a variety of vehicles, and can be Commanded to perform specific maneuvers. Vehicles not included.

TECHS The crew is educated and intelligent, and can be Commanded to provide technical or manual assistance to a variety of scientific or engineering projects.

Researchers: The crew is capable of running a lab/workspace for extended periods of time, and can be Commanded to perform experiments and record scientific data

Maintenance: The crew automatically provides day-to-day maintenance, and can be Commanded to repair more serious damage over time.

Construction: The crew can be Commanded to build small temporary structures or assist in larger construction projects.

Medical Training: The crew can be Commanded provide long-term medical care for convalescent patients or assist in surgical procedures.

Field Training: The crew is capable of performing their duty in a variety of harsh conditions. They have moderate survival skills, and can improvise with less than ideal materials.

Side Arms: The crew is equipped with small firearms and melee weaponry (pistols, batons, knives, etc) and can be Commanded to engage in small-scale combat.

Equipped: The crew is fully kitted out with advanced Gear. Choose a Grade 1 set of Gear; the entire crew is equipped with that Gear set.




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GANG The crew is crude and self-reliant. They are equipped with a smattering of mismatched and eclectic weaponry (pistols, shotguns, chains, knives, etc) and can be Commanded to attack people or break things.

Armed: The crew is versed in advanced weaponry, and is equipped with the Grade 1 melee, ranged or heavy weapons of your choice.

Intimidating: The crew is imposing in some way, you decide why. The crew can be Commanded to disperse crowds and intimidate individuals.

Arsonists: The crew knows how to handle flammable materials and explosives, and can be Commanded to destroy structures.

Criminals: The crew has their hands in all sorts of underhanded dealings. They can be Commanded to commit small-scale criminal activity or assist in a larger-scale crime.

Infiltrators: The crew is able to get into places where they really shouldn’t be. They can be Commanded to break into or sneak into restricted areas


Construction: The crew can be Commanded to build small temporary structures or assist in larger construction projects.

Crazed: The crew is undisciplined and fearless. They are never afraid or intimidated and will follow the most insane Commands, but can go too far in following orders.

Fodder: They may be the dregs of society, but what this crew lacks in skills, it makes up for in numbers. There are always more replacement crew members, and it would take an absolute catastrophe to wipe them all out.

STAFF The crew is refined and professional. They can be Commanded to serve guests, keep accounts, prepare meals and perform daily household chores.

Beauty: The crew are gorgeous, witty and well dressed, and can be Commanded to dazzle and distract guests with conversation or more intimate methods.

Artists: The crew are artists, actors, dancers and/or singers, and can be Commanded to provide entertainment for individuals or small crowds, or assist in larger entertainment productions.

Diplomats: The crew is well-spoken and cultured, and can be Commanded to provide communication between potentially hostile parties.

Lawyers: The crew can be Commanded to research local laws and customs, provide legal advice and assist in legal action against third parties.

Infiltrators: The crew is able to get into places where they really shouldn’t be. They can be Commanded to ease their way or charm their way into otherwise restricted areas.

Spies: The crew keeps its eyes and ears open, and can be Commanded to collect gossip and observations and report them back to you.

Side Arms: The crew is equipped with small firearms and melee weaponry (pistols, batons, knives, etc) and can be Commanded to engage in small-scale combat.




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STARSHIPS

Bridge

The Bridge is the center of operations for the ship. It has the following stations:

Piloting: The person manning this Station can perform Moves that displace the ship, such as evasive maneuvers, escapes, weaving through debris, taking off or landing in harsh conditions, etc

Sensors: The person manning this Station can perform Moves that rely on awareness through the ship’s senses. Assessing Situations, examining phenomena, etc

Comms: The person manning this Station can Command followers in any part of the Ship as well as use the communications array.

Primary Weapon: The person manning this Station can fire the weapon mounted on it (see the Weapons section below)

Point Defense Guns: The person manning this Station can fire the weapon mounted on it (see the Weapons section below)

Engineering

The Engineering section is the core of the ship. It has the following stations:

Generator: The person manning this station can Get Involved in the actions of other stations by redirecting power, and can repair and maintain the power core of the ship.

Shields: The person manning this station can Patch Up depleted Shields and can Program it to provide case-specific shielding.

Life Support: This station handles the air filters, water and matter recycling and gravity engines. It is not usually directly used, but must be kept repaired and maintained.

Reactors: While the ship’s movement is controlled from the Bridge, any stress or damage to the reactors is assessed and repaired from here.

Servo Arm Control: This station allows the ship’s servo-arm to grab and manipulate nearby objects

Launcher Station: The person manning this station can launch the heavy weaponry mounted on it (see the Weapons section below)

Stations The ship has multiple stations, which can have on person operating them at a time. Each station allows its operator to perform actions through the ship; the Piloting station allows the operator to pilot the ship, the Shield station allows its operator to monitor and maintain the shields, etc. A character on the Bridge can move between stations on the Bridge; but moving between the Bridge and Engineering takes time. Actions The characters operate the ship as an extension of themselves, but can only perform those actions through the appropriate Stations. The pilot moves the ship, the sensors can be used to look around, eavesdrop and watch for trouble, the comms can converse and command, etc. Rolls are made by the characters, using that character’s own stats, to perform risky actions through the ship. Combat Ship combat is handled much like any other threat or hazardous situation; each enemy ship encounter is a multi-piece puzzle presented by the GM (defeat the shields, defeat their weapons/engines/hull, evade their attacks, etc). The GM starts by describing the obvious threats presented by the hostile ship. The players use the tools provided by their own ship (weapons, sensors, shields, piloting, etc) to overcome the challenges presented by the fight.


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FACE ADVERSITY When you act while faced with opposition or danger, describe how you overcome it and Roll+Stat. On a 10+ you overcome the danger. On a 7-9, the danger can be overcome, but at a price; the GM will offer you a minor consequence, a cost or a hard choice. Face Adversity is the most commonly used Move. It represents a character attempting something that has dangerous consequences or something simple made dangerous by outside forces (or both). The character should only be called to Face Adversity if the consequences of the action are important. Often, a situation will require a charcter to Face Adversity before attempting another move (climbing a control tower before hacking the signal, crossing a minefield before engaging an enemy, etc). Furthermore, a partially successful or failed Move could force the character to Face Adversity as well, creating a chain of danger they have to overcome. The +Stat roll means that a character uses the stat most appropriate for the situation and for their own description. See the sidebar for which stat to use. Since it covers every action that is not covered by another Move, the GM will most often call a character to Face Adversity; when in doubt, Face Adversity.

EXAMPLE: Player: “I’m going to move stealthily through the air ducts and drop down into the cargo bay, behind some crates.” GM: “There are a few crewmembers around who might spot you and raise the alarm (stating the consequence for failure). Face Adversity using your Mettle” Player: “I have +1 Mettle so that’s… 8” GM: “A partial success. You drop down out of the air duct and land right next to a junior tech crouching amid the crates, scanning their ID codes into her data pad. She’s boggling at you like a deer in the headlights. She’s no physical threat; stick thin, barely out of that awkward acne phase, not even armed… but she’s about to scream and raise hell. You still have a split second to act, to ensure that your infiltration doesn’t raise an alarm. What do you do? (The GM should always ask this.) At this point, things could go a number of ways, which triggers further Face Adversity. For example:

If the character chooses to silently take her down (choke hold, snapping her neck, silenced pistol at point blank range, etc), it’ll be a test of speed and strength, and the character would roll +Physique.

If the character chooses to try to talk her down (bribe, diplomacy, charm, intimidation), it’ll be a test of social ability, so the character would roll +Influence.

If the character opts to just leg it, abandoning the stealthy approach, there’s no need to roll just yet: in this instance, the character is deciding to cut their losses, making their partially successful stealth attempt a failure (instead of trying to salvage it and risking compounding the failure). However, the raised alarm will obviously create a new set of Adversity to Face very soon.

Roll… If you are trying to overcome the problem using…

+Mettle Aim, Courage, Discipline, Nerves, Stealth, Daring, Tactics, Reflexes

+Physique Strength, Stamina, Speed, Melee, Agility, Partying, Good Looks, Sex

+Expertise Knowledge, Education,

Craftsmanship, Cunning, Wit

+Influence Charm, Diplomacy, Deception,

Oratory, Leadership, Politics, Art

+Interface Technology, Robotics,

Programming, Computers


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GET INVOLVED After an ally performs a Move that is not a full success (10+), they may describe what you can do to help them. If you do so, Roll+[Stat]. On a 10+, upgrade their result by a category; a failure (6-) becomes a partial success, and a partial success (7-9) becomes a full success. On a 7-9, as above, but you incur costs, problems or consequences for your troubles. Get Involved allows a character to help another when things go bad. As the name implies, it requires a direct involvement of the one providing the help, which means they may also share in any consequences of the primary Move. Most importantly, the consequences for a partially successful or failed Get Involved apply in addition to any consequences incurred by being involved in the main Move. Furthermore, a failed Get Involved can actually hinder a partially successful Move. Getting Involved can be very risky, but it can also be a lifesaver. A character only rolls a Get Involved after finding out the result of their ally’s roll. They can be present and helping beforehand, narratively, but they don’t need to risk a roll unless they feel it necessary. A character that is not present, unaware of the problem, or is otherwise occupied usually can’t Get Involved. Any number of characters can Get Involved, as long as they’re reasonably able. After the main roll, the GM can offer suggestions as to what another player could do to help, or can leave it up to the characters. Describing how the character Gets Involved is very important: it determines the +Stat used for the roll. See the sidebar for guidelines.

EXAMPLE: Doctor: I wince, ignoring my own wound, and begin surgery on the incapacitated officer. *Roll* Argh, 5! Soldier: I can see that the Doctor is too shaky to do it, but she has the knowledge. I gently but firmly take the tools from her and demand that she direct me. I may only have basic field first aid training, but I have steadier hands at the moment. (Note that a player shouldn’t come right out and say “I’m using Mettle”, though it’ll often be obvious which +Stat applies) GM: Alright, Get Involved using your Mettle. Soldier: *Roll* 6! +2 for my Mettle, that makes 8. So the surgery is a partial success and you also get a consequence for the Get Involved Pilot: I’m going to Get Involved as well to make the surgery a full success. GM: Aren’t you piloting the ship? What are you suddenly doing in the medbay? Pilot: Oh yeah. Never mind. GM: Soldier, you follow the instructions well enough, yet make a number of small but costly mistakes, and end up using a significant amount of the medbay’s supply of blood packs and derma-regen patches. You’ll need to restock next time you reach a market that supplies medical facilities (the consequence of the Get Involved’s partial success). You’ve managed the surgery, but any more surgery will do more harm than good; he’ll have to heal the rest naturally or you’ll have to get him to a proper hospital (the consequence of a partially successful Patch Up move).

Roll… If you are trying to help using…

+Mettle Aim, Courage, Discipline, Nerves, Stealth, Daring, Tactics, Reflexes

+Physique Strength, Stamina, Speed, Melee, Agility, Partying, Good Looks, Sex

+Expertise Knowledge, Education,

Craftsmanship, Cunning, Wit

+Influence Charm, Diplomacy, Deception,

Oratory, Leadership, Politics, Art

+Interface Technology, Robotics,

Programming, Computers


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GET INVOLVED (+Stat) After an ally performs a Move that is not a full success (10+), they may describe what you can do to help them. If you do so, Roll+[Stat]. On a 10+, upgrade their result by a category; a failure (6-) becomes a partial success, and a partial success (7-9) becomes a full success. On a 7-9, as above, but you incur costs, problems or consequences for your troubles. Get Involved allows players to help each other when things go bad. As the name implies, it requires a direct involvement of the one providing the help, which means they also share in any consequences of the primary Move. Most importantly, the consequences for a partially successful or failed Get Involved apply in addition to any consequences incurred by being involved in the main Move. Getting Involved can be very risky, but it can also be a lifesaver. The +Stat roll means that a character uses the stat most appropriate for the situation and for their own description.


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GM Moves:

Use a Faction move

Make something malfunction

Cause collateral damage

Cause Harm

Foreshadow a looming threat

Reveal an immediate danger

Divulge troubling information

Expend their resources

Present a vexing choice

Declare a cost and let them choose Faction Moves:

Get drawn in

Interfere

Demand tribute

Seize by force or guile

Lay a claim

Make a show of strength

Withdraw or retreat Detailed Basic Moves Ship Sections


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A€¦ · · 2015-12-20o Character Creation ... Uncharted Worlds is a Space Opera roleplaying game built upon the Apocalypse World rules. Its inspired by the big, ... cheat …