Think Star Wars meets Frontier First Encounters. You will be the crew aboard your captain's recently acquired starship. From there you can do pretty much anything you want within the boundaries of a science fiction reality (eg. No willing the head of the whiny engineer to explode or melding your sword to your arm with your mind.) I still have a few items to work on/tweak.
Please PM me to join or if you have questions. Posts requesting to join will be ignored. It has been 700 years since the discovery of hyperspace travel. Only up until the past 120 years or so, however, has there been peace. With the advent of hyperdrive technology, mankind was quick to lay claim to the stars. These ventures were largely successful and vast numbers of systems were explored and colonized. However, territorial disputes between various government factions eventually led to interstellar war. There was never one continuous sustained conflict but rather, smaller, numerous wars.
Around 300 years ago these petty squabbles were put to an end when an advanced race known as the Ith invaded Human space. Those who were not incinerated were taken as slaves and test subjects. Colonies and cities not vaporized were stripped of all wealth and useful technology. Humanity put aside their territorial arguments and united against their common enemy. In a war that lasted nearly 200 years, much was lost. Though much stronger together than apart, humanity was still threatened with annihilation. Just before the end of the war, Earth was destroyed and 10 billion were killed. Then for no apparent reason, the Ith vanished into Hyperspace and have not been seen since.
In that time humanity has made great gains. Humanity now controls hundreds of sectors and thousands of stars. With the formation of the Terran Alliance there have been few conflicts over planets and star systems. Instead of many factions with standing armies a single military body was formed under the Terran Alliance. Unfortunately, the military is not large enough to patrol and guard all Human controlled planets. Therefore, it is commonplace for the military to hire mercenaries to perform duties from system patrol to supply deliveries. The lack of war has also allowed large amounts of interstellar trade. Merchants from thousands of systems are thriving in the new galactic economy. Exploration of new systems and hyperspace routes has resumed, leading to new biological and technological discoveries. Recently, contact with non-hostile sentients has been initiated and reports indicate their territory is just outside human space.
You grew up on a moderately poor world far from the Alliance seat. Your parents could not support you and sent you off to live with your uncle who ran a junk collecting ship-route. While with him, you learned how to pilot medium spacecraft and how to give orders. Recently your uncle's health had been failing and he decided to give his ship to you. A few days later he died and you are left with the ship, some fuel and credits, and the dream to hire a crew and run a starship. What you make of that dream is now entirely up to you.
(A player who is selected captain and accepts has their skills/attributes replaced with basic Leadership, Pilot: Medium Craft, and Gather Resource: Junk)
1- Critical Failure (You fire a plasma bolt at an enemy but your gun explodes burning you.)
2- Total Failure (While rewiring a security panel, you cross the wrong wires, suffering electrocution.)
3,4- Minor Failure (You try to plot a hyperspace jump but you lose your calculations sheet.)
5- Partial success (You get a better offer on some frag grenades, but not quite at the price you wanted.)
6,7- Minor Success (You strike a barrier door with your plasma sword, causing some damage to it.)
8- Success (You successfully weave through a cluster of asteroids.)
9- Perfect (You land a direct hit on an enemy ship causing massive damage.)
10- Overshot (You quickly discover the cure for a horrible plague. In your excitement, you infect yourself.)
- 6 players to start off.
- 3 attribute/skill picks total (eg. 2 Strength, 1 Surgery, can only pick up to +2 in a specific attribute or skill).
- 50 credits worth of gear.
- Starting ship: junk freighter.
- Title of Captain is randomly determined but may be passed to another player if chosen player doesn't want it.
Levels: Attributes and SkillsAll players start off with average attributes and their picked skills. A player may take a -1 (below average) to one attribute to gain one more pick.
To gain a level in an attribute or skill you must gain the indicated amount of xp. Upon gaining a level, xp is reset.
- below average, none (0 xp) -1 to any rolls that require this in addition to any other penalties.
- average, basic (2 xp) Eliminates the -1 no skill penalty.
- improved, intermediate (6 xp) +1 to relevant rolls.
- superior, advanced (8 xp) +2 to relevant rolls, 10s are less severe.
- supreme, expert (10 xp) +3 to relevant rolls, 10s have no negative repercussions.
Successful attempts requiring attributes or skills give the player 1 xp to said item. If unsuccessful, a roll is made to determine if any xp gained from failure. A roll of 5 or higher will award .5 xp points while a roll lower than 5 gives no xp.
Any action attempted at below average, none (if higher is required) suffers a -1 in addition to any other penalties.
Levels (Attribute, skill)
Attributes - Strength - Used for moving large objects, damage in melee attacks.
- Agility - For dodging, quick actions and acrobatic feats.
- Endurance - Shrugging off wounds, healing, enduring pain.
- Intelligence - Generally only required to reach certain skill levels or figuring something out that has no relevant skill.
SkillsThese may be picked for starting characters.
- Physical Sciences - (Physics, chemistry and so on) xp requirement doubled. Advanced (2) or higher requires improved (1) intelligence.
- Biological Sciences - (Zoology, botany, genetics etc) xp requirement doubled. Advanced (2) or higher requires improved (1) intelligence.
- Medical Treatment - (First aid, diagnosis, medicines)
- Surgery - Requires intermediate (1) Medical Treatment.
- Astronavigation - 10 = 100% safe, 9 = very safe etc. Jumps are not recommended on astronav plots lower than 6.
- Engineering - Spacecraft, weapons, ship systems, building/structure. (Planning. Plans are required before building is possible. If builder does not have engineering, the engineer must assist in building process.
- Vehicles - Pick one: Spacecraft (small, medium, large, or capital), Wheeled, Hovercraft, or Submersible.
- Electronics - (Wiring, computer components, device modifications)
- Computer Programing - Advanced (2) or higher requires improved (1) intelligence.
- Repair - Specific item, vehicle, computer, weapon, ship system and so on.
- Cooking - Higher rolls produce more satiating/healthy foods.
- Survival - Pick 2: Terran, desert, plains, tundra, icy, barren, thin ATM, forest/jungle, corrosive, molten. (Rolls for finding shelter, food etc.)
- Appraisal/Identification - 10 = 100% price/item accuracy, 9 = 90% and so on. (Roll results for this skill are not shown)
- Haggling - 10% less on item for each result successively above 5. Eg. 7(20%) 8(30%). Failures anger the other party depending on severity eg. 1 enrages them and so on.
- Leadership - Can use turn to give orders. Any players that try to follow orders that turn have their rolls
affected by the outcome of the leadership roll. +1 on successful rolls -1 on failures. - Comm/Scan Tech - (radar, scanner operation, radio, decryption, signal jamming and so on)
- Melee Weapons - Sword, axe, spear, staff, knife, flail and variants. Advanced (2) or higher requires improved (1) intelligence and agility.
- Slug-thrower Weapons - Pistol, rifle, light/heavy repeater, machine gun (archaic), and gauss variants. Advanced (2) or higher requires improved (1) intelligence agility and agility.
- Plasma-thrower Weapons - Pistol, rifle, light/heavy repeater, hand-cannon, long-rifle, caster. Advanced (2) or higher requires improved (1) intelligence and agility.
- Explosives - Grenades, mines, detpacks, rocket launchers.
- Ship Weapons - Cannons, long-barrel, repeater, turret, missile/rocket battery, and gauss/plasma variants. Advanced (2) or higher requires improved (1) intelligence and agility.
- Gather Resource - Note: some resources/items require specific equipment to harvest depending on type and situation. Eg. a Harvester Unit is needed to gather large quantities of grain or a tractor beam or claw arm to gather space debris.
These can be learned later.
- Process Resource
- Build/Manufacture
Any other skills not on here may be suggested so long as they fit with the science fantasy/fiction theme.
This does not mean I will allow them however.
CombatRolls are made for the attacker's accuracy and the defender's evasion. If the attacker rolls higher the defender is hit, if not or the attacker outright misses, the defender evades (certain rolls have certain effects regardless)
Attacker - to hit (linked to Weapon Skill)
1-Missed by a Kilometer
2-Miss
3,4-Barely Missed
5-Grazing Hit (minor wound possible only)
6,7,8,9-Hit (unless defender rolls higher)
10-Unavoidable Hit!
vs.
Defender - to dodge (linked to Agility, all except a ten are irrelevant if attacker misses)
1-Frozen in Place (+1 to damage against defender)
4-Rolled with the Hit (-1 to wound severity against defender)
5-Barely Avoided
6,7,8,9-Dodged
10-Dodge and Counter Attack! (100% to hit against attacker unless attacker rolls 10)
If the attacker hits or the defender counters rolls are made for damage.
Attacker (linked to Strength for certain melee weapons, melee/ranged weapon bonus)
1-Blundering Hit (attacker has -1 to dodge for one turn)
2-Ineffective Hit No wound
3,4-Grazing Hit +1 minor wound (scratch, bruise, minor burn)
5,6-Moderate Hit (coin toss: heads +1 wound (cut, major bruise, burn) tails +1 minor wound)
7,8- Great Hit +1 wound
9-Perfect Hit +1 severe wound (major laceration, broken bone, severe burn)
10-Critical Hit! (coin toss: heads +1 debilitating/mortal wound (severed arm, ruptured organ, 3rd degree burn) tails +1 severe wound)
vs.
Defender (damage reduced by armor, if any)
In addition, wounds are inflicted to body parts. What body part hit is rolled. I will however, for reduction of clutter, leave the tables unrevealed.
Physical Wounds
0 Unharmed
1 Minor
2 Wounded -1 to physical rolls involving specific area wound (eg -1 to hit accurately with a sword due to arm wound)
3 Severe -1 to all rolls, severe pain possible
4 Mortal -2 to all rolls except to survive, roll each turn 1 or 2 = death, severe pain possible
Dead -10,000 to rolls, no pain
Mental "Wounds"
0 Normal
1 Slightly Disoriented -1 to physical rolls
2 Dizzy -1 to physical rolls, vomiting possible
3 Drowsy/Stunned -1 to mental rolls or rolls requiring good attention/-2 to all rolls
4 Unconscious Cannot perform actions except attempt to awaken.
Wounded (Severe, mortal, dead)
Wounds stack: Three level 1 wounds = one level 2 (3 scratches=1 cut), two level 2s is one level 3, and two level 3s is a level 4.
If a wound is a severe cut or there is internal bleeding, there is, naturally, bleeding. Bleeding adds a -1 to natural healing/survival checks.
Stacked wounds are healed one at a time.
Level 1 wounds take 3 turns to heal.
Level 2s require a roll of 6 or successful first aid.
Levels 3 and 4 require first aid and/or surgery.
Attacker - to hit (linked to ship weapon skill)
1-Missed by a Kilometer
2-Miss
3,4-Barely Missed
5-Grazing Hit (minor damage possible only)
6,7,8,9-Hit (unless defender rolls higher)
10-Unavoidable Hit!
vs.
Defender - to dodge (linked to ship evasion, all except a ten are irrelevant if attacker misses)
1-Vulnerable (+1 to damage roll against defender)
4-Rolled with the Hit (-1 to damage severity against defender)
5-Barely Avoided
6,7,8,9-Dodged
10-Dodge and DO A BARREL ROLL! loop behind the enemy! (+1 to hit and damage against attacker for one turn unless attacker rolls 10)
Attacker - to damage
1-Uesless Hit no damage
2-Ineffective Hit no damage
3,4-Grazing Hit +1 minor damage (hull scratch, dent, scorch mark)
5,6-Moderate Hit (coin toss: heads +1 damage (tear, minor puncture, heat warping) tails +1 minor damage)
7,8- Great Hit +1 damage
9-Perfect Hit +1 severe damage (major tear, major puncture, burn hole)
10-Critical Hit! (coin toss: heads +1 critical damage (gaping rent, major hull breach, plasma fire) tails +1 severe damage)
vs.
Defender (damage is blocked by shields, if any, and reduced by armor, if any)
0 Undamaged
1 Minor
2 Damaged -1 to specific component damage eg. damaged computer
3 Severe -2 to specific component damage, hull breach/hyperdrive explosion in 5 turns
4 Critical Damage Unable to use specific component, hull breach/hyperdrive explosion in 3 turns
Destroyed
Damage stacks the same ways as wounds.
Level 1 and 2 damage may be repaired with out supplies.
Level 2 damage requires tools.
Level 3 requires tools and one set of repair supplies (eg spare components, hull patch)
Level 4 requires tools and two sets of repair supplies.