Stars Without Number: House Rules

So we wrapped up our second Season of Monsterhearts and my group decided to do something different. I love me some high-narrative story games, but I decided that I wanted to run some straight-up adventures. “There's a big ol' dangerous thing over there. Why don't you go take care of that? Here's some material rewards to encourages you.” Classic.

So after pitching Crypts &Things and Adventures on Dungeon Planet (I was really, really pushing for Dungeon Planet) my group decided they wanted to play Stars Without Number. We did a SWN one-shot a couple of months ago and had a good time, and the promise of “Mass Effect meets Firefly” really appealed to the team.

We've had one session so far, and it's gone pretty well. Despite my suggestion that they try to avoid going “too-evil,” my players didn't take long to dive into murder and grand theft. We all had fun, though, so it looks like we're going to have a team of would-be pirates and bounty hunters.

Unlike a lot of my RPG brethren, I don't usually use a lot of house-rules. I do have a few I'm using for my SWN game, though:

Character Generation

1. To generate attribute scores, roll 18d6 and divide them into six groups of three. Put them into whatever stat you want. You don't get the “automatic 14” in your prime requisite, though. If you somehow can't get a net +1 in your modifiers, re-roll the entire set.

2. Maximum Hit Points at first level.

3. Available non-human races are the Hochog (space-orcs from the SWN book), the Naga (androgynous/hermaphrodite lizard people), and the Yurglings (crafty space-slugs).

I'll have more details about these races in a later post.

Combat

1. I'm swiping most of the combat maneuvers from Adventurer Conqueror King System. In short, to grapple, disarm, trip, etc. you make an attack a -4 and the target makes a save vs. paralysis (Physical Effect or Evasion save in SWN).

2. Dual wielding two melee weapons or two ranged weapons gives you a +1 to hit. Use the damage for your main weapon. (Also stolen from ACKS.)

3. Add your Attribute Bonus to Saving Throws:

• Physical Effect = CON (occasionally STR)
• Mental Effect = WIS
• Evasion = DEX
• Technology = INT
• Luck = CHA (representing your sense of self and place in the universe)

The game takes place in Persephone Sector. I will share those details with you all soon!