Publisher: Sine Nomine Publishing
Stars Without Number: Revised Edition is a sci-fi roleplaying game that combines old-school mechanics with sandbox-style play. It is a revised and expanded version of the original Stars Without Number, which was released in 2010 and won the Ennie Award for Best Free Game. The revised edition updates and improves the rules, adds new content and options, and provides more tools and guidance for GMs and players alike. In this review, I will cover the main aspects of the game, such as its system, its setting, its character creation, its factions, its sectors, and its adventures. I will also discuss the pros and cons of the game, and compare it with other sci-fi RPGs on the market.
System
Stars Without Number: Revised Edition uses a simple and familiar system based on the classic D&D rules. The core mechanic is to roll a d20 and add modifiers to beat a target number. The game uses six attributes (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma), four classes (Warrior, Expert, Psychic, and Adventurer), and four skills (Combat, Non-Combat, Psychic, and Adventurer). The game also uses hit points, armor class, saving throws, initiative, and experience points.
The system is easy to learn and use, especially for those who are familiar with old-school games. It is also flexible and customizable, as the game offers various options and variants to suit different preferences and play styles. For example, the game allows you to choose between fixed or rolled hit points, between class-based or point-buy attribute generation, between standard or heroic PC power level, and between three different types of saving throws.
One of the distinctive features of the system is the use of special talents and character foci. Special talents are class-specific abilities that grant bonuses or special effects to certain actions or situations. Character foci are general abilities that grant benefits or skills to any character. Each character starts with one special talent and one character focus at level 1, and gains more as they level up. These features allow you to customize your character and make them more unique and interesting.
Another distinctive feature of the system is the use of psionics, which are supernatural powers that some characters can wield. Psionics are divided into six disciplines: Biopsionics, Metapsionics, Precognition, Telekinesis, Telepathy, and Teleportation. Each discipline has a list of techniques that can be learned by spending psychic skill points. Psionics are fueled by effort, which is a limited resource that can be committed or expended to activate or sustain techniques. Psionics are powerful and versatile, but also risky and costly. Psionic characters must deal with strain, which is a negative effect that occurs when they overuse their powers or fail their psychic skill checks.
Setting
Stars Without Number: Revised Edition is set in a far-future galaxy where humanity’s interstellar civilization has collapsed due to a mysterious event called the Scream. The Scream caused most of the Jump Gates, which were devices that allowed faster-than-light travel between star systems, to malfunction or explode. The Scream also affected most of the psychics, who were humans with enhanced mental abilities that powered the Jump Gates. Many psychics died or went insane during the Scream, while others became corrupted or mutated by strange forces.
The Scream happened about six hundred years ago, and since then the galaxy has been in a state of isolation and chaos. Most of the worlds have lost contact with each other, and have regressed to various levels of technology and society. Some worlds have reverted to pre-industrial or even primitive conditions, while others have managed to retain or recover some degree of advanced technology. Some worlds have become tyrannical or decadent regimes, while others have become utopian or anarchic societies. Some worlds have been invaded or colonized by alien races, while others have been abandoned or quarantined by mysterious forces.
The game does not provide a fixed or detailed setting for the galaxy, but rather gives you tools and guidelines to create your own sectors. A sector is a region of space that contains up to thirty star systems. Each star system has one or more planets or other celestial bodies that can be visited or explored by the characters. The game provides random tables and generators to help you create sectors, star systems, planets, cultures, factions, aliens, threats, and other elements of your setting. The game also provides forty world tags, which are keywords that describe some distinctive features or aspects of a planet.
Faction Game
One of the most innovative and interesting features of the game is the faction game. The faction game is a mini-game that simulates the actions and interactions of the major factions in your sector. Factions are large-scale organizations or groups that have significant influence or power in the sector, such as governments, corporations, religions, cults, gangs, rebels, pirates, aliens, etc. Each faction has a set of attributes, such as force, cunning, wealth, and hit points, that represent its capabilities and resources. Each faction also has a set of assets, which are special units or facilities that can be used to perform actions or attacks against other factions. For example, some assets are Strike Fleet, Covert Shipping, Pretech Researchers, Mercenary Outfit, etc.
The faction game is played separately from the main game, and uses a different set of rules and mechanics. The faction game is played in faction turns, which are intervals of time that correspond to one month in the main game. During each faction turn, each faction can perform one or more actions, such as moving assets, buying assets, using assets, or improving attributes. The actions are resolved by rolling dice and comparing the results with the attributes and assets of the factions involved. The actions can have various effects on the factions, such as increasing or decreasing their attributes, damaging or destroying their assets, gaining or losing territory, creating or resolving conflicts, etc.
The faction game is designed to create a dynamic and evolving setting for your sector. The faction game generates events and situations that can affect the main game, such as wars, alliances, intrigues, disasters, discoveries, etc. The faction game also provides opportunities and challenges for the characters in the main game, such as missions, contracts, enemies, allies, secrets, rewards, etc. The faction game can be used to create a rich and immersive backdrop for your sci-fi adventures.
The faction game is optional and modular. You can choose to use it or not, depending on your preference and play style. You can also choose to use it partially or fully, depending on your level of involvement and interest. You can use the faction game as a GM tool to create and manage your sector, or you can involve your players in the faction game as well. You can use the faction game as a separate mini-game that runs parallel to the main game, or you can integrate it with the main game and make it part of your campaign. You can use the faction game as a source of inspiration and improvisation, or you can use it as a framework and structure for your plot and story.
The faction game is one of the most appealing aspects of Stars Without Number: Revised Edition. It adds depth and complexity to your setting and your gameplay. It creates a living and breathing galaxy that reacts to your actions and decisions. It offers endless possibilities and variations for your sci-fi adventures.
Sectors and Adventures
Stars Without Number: Revised Edition is a sandbox RPG, which means that it does not have a predefined plot or story, but rather gives you the freedom and tools to create your own. The game encourages you to create and explore your own sectors, which are regions of space that contain up to thirty star systems. Each star system has one or more planets or other celestial bodies that can be visited or explored by the characters. The game provides random tables and generators to help you create sectors, star systems, planets, cultures, factions, aliens, threats, and other elements of your setting. The game also provides forty world tags, which are keywords that describe some distinctive features or aspects of a planet.
The game also provides tools and guidelines to help you create and run adventures in your sector. The game offers three types of adventures: adventure sites, adventure seeds, and adventure frameworks. Adventure sites are locations that contain challenges and rewards for the characters, such as ruins, bases, dungeons, etc. Adventure seeds are short scenarios that can be expanded into full adventures, such as heists, rescues, mysteries, etc. Adventure frameworks are templates that can be used to generate adventures based on certain themes or genres, such as horror, espionage, exploration, etc.
The game also provides tips and advice on how to run a sandbox campaign, such as how to balance player agency and GM control, how to handle travel and exploration, how to use factions and events, how to create hooks and quests, how to reward and advance characters, etc.
Pros and Cons
Stars Without Number: Revised Edition is a well-designed and well-written game that offers a lot of features and options for sci-fi roleplaying. The game has many pros, such as:
- It has a simple and familiar system that is easy to learn and use.
- It has a flexible and customizable system that can be adapted to different preferences and play styles.
- It has a rich and diverse setting that can be created and explored by the GM and the players.
- It has a dynamic and evolving setting that is influenced by the faction game.
- It has a sandbox-style play that allows for freedom and creativity.
- It has a lot of tools and guidance for creating and running sectors and adventures.
- It has a lot of content and options for creating and playing characters.
- It has a lot of support and resources from the publisher and the community.
The game also has some cons, such as:
- It has an old-school system that might not appeal to some modern gamers.
- It has a lot of tables and generators that might overwhelm or confuse some GMs or players.
- It has a lot of rules and options that might create complexity or inconsistency in some situations.
- It has a sandbox-style play that might require more preparation or improvisation from the GM or the players.
Stars Without Number: Revised Edition on DrivethruRpg
