Zebulon Sunset - Star Frontiers
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The Star Frontiers role-playing game was originally published in 1982 by TSR Hobbies, Inc. of Lake Geneva, WI. The game was written by the TSR Staff and edited by Steve Winter with cover art by Larry Elmore. It was distributed with a basic game and an expanded RPG game called Alpha Dawn.
Designed by Douglas Niles and published in 1983 by TSR, Knight Hawks was a supplement to the Star Frontiers game. It provided a board game to conduct starship combat as well as supplemental role-playing rules.
Zebulon’s Guide to Frontier Space, Vol. 1 was first published in March 1986 by TSR, Inc. and was edited by Kim Eastland. This was meant to be the first of several books to update the Star Frontiers game, but ended up being the last officially published supplement.
STAR FRONTIERS, WIZARDS OF THE COAST, and the WIZARDS OF THE COAST logo are trademarks belonging to Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and are used here without permission. © 2001 Wizards of the Coast. All Rights Reserved. The free distribution of this fan-based document the out-of-print game system is not intended to infringe upon the trademarks or copyrights of the Wizards of the Coast.
Star Frontiers 2000: Is a Star Frontiers Community Project developed by Andy Campbell, Craig Cavalieri, Roy Crisman, Tim Carrier, Albin Johnson, Brad McMillan, Timothy Norris, Layne Saltern, Troy Terrell, Clark Valentine, Vandi Williams and others that was released January 10, 2001. It is a fan-created effort to convert the Zebulon rules to more of an Alpha Dawn hybrid system.
The Espionage Profession presented here is based on a story by Tom Verreault in Star Frontiersman issue 13, page 2, called “Espionage PSA: Agents in the Frontier.”
The Criminal Profession presented here is based on the Criminal PSA created on the Star Frontiers wiki site () by Malcadon on April 8, 2012.
Table of Contents
Section I. Introduction 7
Edited Version of the Expanded Game 9
What Is a Star Frontiers Game? 9
Differences Between the Basic and Expanded Rules 9
How to Use the Components 9
Counter Facing 9
Maps 10
Map Scales 10
Playing Without a Map 10
Miniatures 10
Imagination 10
Dice 10
Section II. Creating Characters 11
Character Sheet 11
How to Use the Dice 11
Ability Scores 11
Dice Example Table 12
Explanation of Abilities 12
Ability Checks 12
Ability Check Modifiers 13
Ability Score Table 13
Ability Contests 13
Creating a Character 13
Personalizing 13
Select a Race 14
The Core Four Races 14
Rim Coalition Races 14
Volturnus Originating Races 15
Saurians 16
Minor Frontier Races 17
Non-Aligned World Races 18
Hostile Races 20
Racial Ability Score Adjustments & Movement Rates 22
Racial Adjustment & Movement Table 23
Racial Special Abilities 24
Racial Special Abilities Table 24
Other Abilities: Initiative Modifier, Punching Score, Ranged and Melee Weapons 25
Punching Score Table 25
Professions and Free Starting Skills 25
Table of Contents
Section II. Creating Characters (Continued)
Skill Advancement 26
Experience Point Cost Table 26
Ability Score Improvements 26
Ability Score Improvement Table 26
Starting Equipment 27
Recommended Starting Equipment Table 27
Additional Details 27
Other Resources 28
Section III. Professions and Skills 29
Automatic Professional Skills 29
Biosocial/Psychosocial 30
Enforcer/Military 32
Espionage 34
Explorer 36
Scispec/Medtech 38
Techex/Technological 40
Spacer 42
Section IV. Library of Skills 45
Biosocial/Psychosocial Skills 45
Computer Skills 45
Environmental and Science Skills 46
Medical Skills 47
Robotic Skills 47
Robot Levels 47
Robot Missions and Functions 48
Robotic Malfunctions 49
Robotic Malfunctions Table 49
Technician/Engineer Skills 49
The Standard Repair Rule 49
Vehicle Skills 50
Weapons/Military Skills 50
List of Skills in Alphabetical Order 51
Section V. Knight Hawks 101
General Spacer Skills 101
Specialist Spacer Skills: Astrogation 103
Specialist Spacer Skills: Spaceship Engineering 107
Specialist Spacer Skills: Spaceship Gunnery 107
Specialist Spacer Skills: Piloting 110
Spacer Skill Advancements 112
Table of Contents
Section VI. Mentalist and Enlightened Characters 111
Mentalist Disciplines 111
Enlightened Character Creation 111
Mentalist Character Creation 112
The Mentalist Discipline 113
Mentalist Limitations 114
Known Mentalist Disciplines Chart 114
How Mentalists Advance Disciplines and Skills 115
Mentalist Combat 115
Options and Notes About Sources of Disciplines Listed 115
Entry-Level Equipment: Psy-Crystals 115
Mental Disciplines 117
Section VII. Criminals 147
Crime as a Profession 147
Criminal Archetypes 147
Criminal Professional Skills Chart 149
Additional Criminal Skills 149
Section VIII. Space Pirates 153
Raider Characters 153
Space Pirate: Non-Spacers Skills Chart 154
Space Pirate: Professional Skills Chart 154
Space Pirate Skill Advancements 155
Spaceship Skill Cost Chart 155
Raider General Skills 156
Space Pirate Specialist Skills 158
Space Navigator (Astrogation) 158
Fix-It (Spaceship Engineering) 161
Shooter (Spaceship Gunnery) 162
Rocketeer (Piloting) 164
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Section I. Introduction
This booklet is intended to update the Star Frontiers 2000 project by providing a few more professions for players while streamlining the skills list. It is a fan-created document and is free to download and for other devotees of the game to alter to meet the dictates of their campaigns.
One of the wonderful things about the original SF Alpha Dawn Expanded game is the uncluttered simplicity of its character development rules. However, players are limited by the skill options they can chose in the form of Primary Skill Areas (PSAs). The Knight Hawks supplement provided starship-handling skills, but restricted those talents to very high-level characters.
When Zebulon’s Guide to Frontier Space, Vol. 1 came out in 1986, it offered a more diverse set of skills and additional equipment, but upended the ease of the Alpha Dawn system for rules that used column shifts and color codes for determining the success of skill checks.
When I had rediscovered Star Frontiers while seeking a game to play with my children who had grown tired of video RPGs, I found remastered copies of the Basic, Alpha Dawn and Knight Hawks rules online. As I prepared to use the game, however, the limited character choices (PSAs) weren’t as appealing as I originally thought they would be for a campaign. Yet, the Zebulon system was very flawed as well.
Conducting more online searches, I found the Star Frontiers 2000 project with its rules to convert the Zebulon rules to more of an Alpha Dawn feel – there were no column shifts or color codes to worry about while retaining the combat rules of the original game. Character attribute scores, such as Logic (LOG) or Intuition (INT) or Personality (PER), etc., helped determine the success for various skill checks. Previously, these attributes had little to do with normal skill checks in the Alpha Dawn and Zebulon rules.
Yet, the designers for Star Frontiers 2000 had created mini-PSAs within each profession. A character could have a certain set of skills that they could advance by spending experience points at the professional cost. All other skills – including those in the same profession – had to be advanced using the non-professional skill cost. This solution still didn’t strike me as adequate and led me to tweak the rules a bit.
This version – which I’ll dub “Zebulon Sunset” – includes several new professions based on optional PSAs that have been published in the Star Frontiersman and Frontier Explorer magazines, such as the Espionage profession, along with an optional Criminal profession that was published on the Star Frontiers wiki site. In several instances, related skills have been grouped together to provide even more of an Alpha Dawn feeling, while still trying to provide some of the diversity of the Zebulon skills system.
For example, in the Alpha Dawn system, a character with a Technological PSA could purchase a computer skill which had eight sub-skills including operating computers, writing programs, defeating security, bypassing security, displaying information, manipulating programs, interfacing computers and repairing computers. Under the Zebulon’s Guide and Star Frontiers 2000 systems, each sub-skill became a separate skill that a character could purchase. However, abilities that seemed to intuitively flow from one to the other – being able to manipulate a program while also being able to write software and bypass security – were no longer linked. Granted, you had to be able to have the “Computers: Access & Operate” skill before you could purchase other computer skills, but it still didn’t have the insightful design of the original rules.
With this version, there are six computer skills – one includes “Software Engineer,” which is a more advanced skill that came from Star Frontiers 2000 and I added “Computers: Forensics” as a specialized skill for a specialist who can try to identify, preserve and recover data that has been lost after someone has hacked into a computer system. The rest of the computer skills have various sub-skills. Similarly, many robotics skills have related sub-skills; animal handling has various sub-skills, etc.
The second edition version combines several skills together, such as Diplomacy and Politics, Geology and Geophysics are now sub-skills of Sciences: Planetology, etc. Some other skills are now bonus skills – they only need to be purchased once, at level one, but provide a positive modifier for using other skills.
Hopefully you will find the process of creating characters and using the skills to be easier.
Joseph Paul Cabadas
May 30, 2017
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Artwork from the Basic Game showing four adventurers with weapons drawn exiting from a hatch. Those shown, from left to right, are a Dralasite, a woman and a man, a Yazarian and a Vrusk.
Edited Version of the Expanded Game’s Introduction:
This is the Star Frontiers™ Expanded Game rulebook. This book adds more details to the Basic Game rules, and introduces new rules that widen the game’s scope and make the game more challenging and fun to play. If you have not read the Basic Game rules and played the basic adventures, you should do so before starting to read these expanded rules.
What is a Star Frontiers Game?
Star Frontiers Science Fiction Game is a role-playing game. In this type of game, each player controls an imaginary hero, making all his decisions and guiding him through heroic exploits: defeating villains, capturing criminals and exploring strange alien worlds.
Although the Star Frontiers rulebooks contain detailed instructions, the special quality of a role-playing game is that players are not limited by the rules. Players are encouraged to use their imaginations and find creative solutions to the problems facing the characters. The rules are designed to help players see the effects of their decisions.
Differences Between the Basic and Expanded Rules
The Expanded Game rules give more detailed explanations of character abilities, new rules for movement and combat, new equipment and a way for characters to improve their ability scores and learn special skills.
The most important change in the Expanded Game is the addition of a referee – also called a game master. The referee creates adventures and makes the final decisions about how the rules should be applied. If the players are the citizens of a world in the future, then the referee designs that world; he writes the laws, he creates the unexplored planets and alien races, and he controls everyone that is not a player character. The referee has the most important job in the game.
How to Use the Components
To play the Star Frontiers game you need a copy of the Expanded Game rules, at least two 10-sided dice (more is better), pencils and paper (hey, this game was made in the era before tablets and smart phones), a place to play and your imagination. Maps and counters – which can be downloaded at various SF fan websites – are also very useful.
Counter Facing
Players can use counters to indicate which direction their character, robot or creature is looking. The top of the picture on the counter indicates which side is the character’s front. Players can imagine their characters are standing upright on the counter and are facing the top of the counters.
A character can see anything that is not behind him. He can attack anything that is in front of him and can defend himself from any attack that comes from the front or the side.
Maps
The original Star Frontiers game included seven small maps showing different types of terrain on the back of the large Port Loren map. The terrain maps were originally to represent events in the Crash on Volturnus adventure, but can be used in any adventure calling for that type of terrain.
Map Scales
In the Basic Game, distances were stated in terms of squares on the map of Port Loren. In the Expanded Game, distances are measured in meters. A referee could map the inside of a building using a map scale of 2 meters per square while the map of the city uses a scale of 5 meters per square. A region map around a city could use a scale of 25 meters per square.
If the size of a map square does not divide evenly into a character’s movement rate, counters can be placed on the lines between squares.
Players can draw maps with much larger scales, showing entire continents or even planets. These types of maps are used when characters must travel a long distance. The planetary map from crash on Volturnus is this type of map.
Playing Without a Map
Star Frontiers combats can be played on a table top, without using maps. Pieces of paper or other items can be used to show furniture, doors and other obstacles. Another possibility is to play using a sheet of plastic, using wash-away markers to draw obstacles on the plastic. Distances can be measured with a ruler. For instance 1 inch should equal 5 meters.
Miniatures
Instead of using counters, players can use small metal or plastic figures painted to look like their characters. (These figures could have been purchased in many toy and hobby stores.)
Imagination
After they are familiar with the game, players may decide it is easier to play simple fights without the maps and counters. The referee simply keeps track of ranges and obstacles in his head and lets the players picture the situation in their imaginations. Besides being a lot of fun, this eliminates the need to draw a map for everything.
Dice
Some rules in the Expanded Game use a 5-sided dice (abbreviated 1d5) to roll a number from 1 to 5. When a d5 roll is called for, the player should roll 1d10 and divide the result by 2, rounding up for fractions. For example, a 6 becomes a 3 and a 7 becomes a 4.
Section II. Creating Characters
Your character is your alter ego, and like a character in a play, novel, or action adventure movie. He will have strengths and weaknesses, just like you and me. He will grow and develop his skills, abilities, and quality of equipment.
Character Sheet
Use the STAR FRONTIERS character sheet or make a copy on a blank piece of paper. You’ll also need to get a set of ten-sided dice and a pencil (don’t use pen because some numbers change during character generation and later during play).
How to Use the Dice
Two dice are included in Star Frontiers games. Numbered from 0 to 9, they are called ten-sided dice (abbreviated d10).
If the rules tell you to roll one ten-sided die (abbreviated 1d10), roll one die to get a number from 1 to 10. A zero is read as a 10.
If the rules tell you to roll two ten-sided dice (abbreviated 2d10) roll both dice and add the results to get a number from 2 to 20. A zero is read as a 10. For example, if the rolls were 0 and 4, the result would be (10 + 4 =) 14. More dice can be rolled to give results of 3-30 (3d10), 4-40 (4d10), etc.
If the rules tell you to roll a 5-sided die (abbreviated 1d5), simply roll a normal 10-sided die and divide your result by 2, rounded up. A roll of 1 or 2 is treated as a result of 1, etc.
If the rules tell you to roll percentile dice (abbreviated d100), roll both dice. Instead of adding the results, read the dark-colored die as the first (tens) digit and the light-colored die as the second (ones) digit. A zero is read as a zero. The following table shows several examples of rolls.
Ability Scores
Your character has eight basic abilities, common to all living individuals in the Frontier. These abilities are arranged in four pairs.
These are Strength/Stamina, Dexterity/Reaction Speed, Intuition/Logic and Personality/Leadership. These eight abilities tell players how strong, fast, smart and masterful their characters are. They are explained below.
Each of these abilities will have a score from 1 to 100. An ability score of 1 means the character is very poor in that ability, while a score of 100 means the character has very high ability in that area.
Players find their ability scores by rolling dice. This is explained in the Characters section.
Explanation of Abilities
Strength is a measure of how strong the character is. A character with a low Strength score is scrawny and weak. A character with a high Strength score is very strong. A character with a Strength score of 100 may be one of the strongest characters on that planet. Strength is a physical ability score and is often abbreviated STR within these rules.
Stamina measures a character's physical fitness and general health. A character with low stamina will get tired easily and will be prone to injury and disease. A character with high Stamina could work hard all day without getting tired, and might never be sick a day in his life. Stamina also measures how badly a character can be wounded before he passes out or dies. As a physical ability score, Stamina is often abbreviated STA within these rules.
Dexterity measures a character's coordination. Characters with low Dexterity scores are clumsy, while characters with high Dexterity scores are very agile. Very important in combat, Dexterity is a physical ability score and is often abbreviated DEX within these rules.
Reaction Speed measures the quickness of a character's reflexes. If a character with a low Reaction Speed is attacked suddenly, he probably will fumble with his weapon and react slowly. A character with a high Reaction Speed could draw and fire a weapon quickly, jump out of the way of falling boulders, etc. Reaction Speed is a physical ability score and is often abbreviated RS within these rules.
Intuition measures a character's alertness and ability to draw conclusions from what seem to be unrelated facts. Characters with high Intuition scores are more likely to solve problems by having hunches or making guesses than by carefully considering all the evidence. Sometimes called Intelligence by the Zebulon rules, Intuition is a mental ability score and is often abbreviated INT within these rules.
Logic is a character's ability to solve problems in an orderly, step-by-step way. It is the opposite of Intuition. Characters with high Logic scores make good scientists and computer experts. Logic is a mental ability score and is often abbreviated LOG within these rules.
Personality measures how well a character gets along with other intelligent beings. Characters with high Personality scores are friendly, pleasant and persuasive, while those with low scores may be grouchy and hard to get along with. Personality is a mental ability score and is often abbreviated PER within these rules.
Leadership measures a character's ability to give orders that other people will understand and obey. It also measures how willing other people will be to work for the character, take his advice or follow him into a dangerous situation. Leadership is a mental ability score and is often abbreviated LDR within these rules.
Ability Checks
Whenever the referee decides there is a chance for your character’s action to fail, he calls for an ability check. The appropriate ability to be checked is determined by the referee, but is obvious once you have an understanding of the role that each ability plays in defining the capabilities of your character.
To make an ability check, simply roll d100. If you roll less than or equal to the ability in question, your check is successful. If you roll higher than your ability score, your action fails.
Example: Garrison is running from security bots, trying to stay away from their identity imaging cameras. He steps out a window on the second story, and sees a wall upon which he could walk to get to safety. The referee informs him that this requires a Dexterity check to make it safely to the other side, warning that failure might result in falling off the 5-meter high wall!
Fortunately, Garrison has a DEX score of 65, so you confidently toss the dice and roll a 4 and a 7, a success! The security robots won’t try to follow, as their simple programming doesn’t define the top of a wall as floor space upon which to tread.
Ability Check Modifiers
Your referee may assess the situation and determine there are bonuses or penalties associated with any given ability check. Difficult terrain, favorable winds, good tactical position, and any number of other factors may help him decide this. When he figures this is the case, he will tell you when he informs you that an ability check is necessary.
Example: Rhainah is a hacker and is trying to break into a computer network protected by fairly simple security software. The referee informs Rhainah’s player that she must succeed in a LOG check with a bonus of +10, to represent the simplicity of the security software. Rhainah’s player must roll less than or equal to ten higher than her character’s LOG score.
Ability Contests
Sometimes you must pit your abilities against another player’s character or non-player character.
The rules work normally, but both parties must make a roll and compare success. Whoever succeeds by more (rolls the greatest amount under his score) wins the contest.
Example: Yinang, an assassin character working for Streel Corp, is trying to palm his sonic sword handle to conceal it from the quick search of his boss’ thug.
The referee determines that palming something that size and shape will require a Dexterity check at -10. Yinang’s player has to roll less than or equal to ten less than his Dexterity score and must succeed by more than the thug’s Intuition check.
Creating a Character
Roll once on the following ability score table for each pair (thus, four total rolls). Note the resulting ability score for both numbers in the matched pair. For example, if you roll 49, that results in a score of 45 in both STR and STA.
Personalizing
These attributes can further be modified by shifting points among pairs. No more than ten points may be shifted from one to the other, and points cannot be shifted to or from abilities outside of pairs.
For example, if your STR/STA is 45/45 and you envision a character who is more durable than strong, you could shift five of the points from Strength over to Stamina.
The end result would be a STR/STA of 40/50. You could not, for instance, shift points between Strength and Logic, or between any other non-paired abilities. (An exception to this rule are Mentalist characters, see optional rules.)
Select a Race
There are four basic races from which you may choose your character’s racial stock. Known as the “Core Four,” these are not the only intelligent races in the Frontier, they are just the races that have settled many of its systems. Other races are available for players to choose too, at the referee’s discretion. Read carefully through the list of races on the following pages.
The Core Four Races
Humans. Humans are considered the average characters in Star Frontiers games, so their abilities are not modified when the character is created. The exception is that since they emphasize training and education, players who are starting new Human characters can add 5 points to any one ability in an ability score pair. For example, increasing a character’s Strength score does not affect his Stamina score.
Dralasites. Rubbery, elastic aliens, Dralasites can change their shape at will. creating as many artificial arms and legs (pseudopods) as they need at the moment. They are stronger than Humans, but are also slower. They enjoy philosophical debates and have a very strange sense of humor; they love telling old jokes and puns they hear from Humans. They are sometimes called “blobs” by other races – not always affectionately.
Vrusk. Although they look like large insects, Vrusk have an internal skeleton along with an exoskeleton. Sometimes called "bugs," they are quicker than Humans, but are not as strong. Vrusk are excellent businessmen and merchants. They love art, beauty and music.
Yazirians. A tall, light-boned humanoid race, Yazarians have furry manes around their necks. Humans nicknamed them "monkeys" because they look a little like chimpanzees. Thin membranes that stretch between their arms, torso and legs allowed Yazirians to glide between the trees on their native planet. They are generally smarter and quicker than the other races, but are not as strong. Their eyes are very sensitive to light, so they usually wear dark goggles during the day. Yazirians were very warlike in the past, and are still considered pushy and aggressive by other races.
Rim Coalition Races
Introduced in Zebulon’s Guide to Frontier Space, the Rim Coalition are a loose collection of system governments that lie on the other side of the Xagyg Dust Nebula and the Lesser Morass Nebula from the UPF. The main species in the Rim are the Humma, Ifshnits, and the Osakar. The Core Four races encountered them after the star route to the Zebulon System was opened.
Humma. A warrior race whose history is steeped in civil and interspecies war, the fur-covered Humma are vaguely shaped like a kangaroo from the Human’s home world. The body of the Humma is pear-shaped with a short, blunt head, no visible neck, narrow shoulders, short arms, a stocky trunk, and wide hips with powerful legs. Its 2-meter-long prehensile tale can also hold an item or swing a melee weapon. A Humma’s face is dominated by its muzzle. Able to jump 25 meters horizontally from a standing start, the Humma can “spring charge” an enemy. This allows them to make a melee attack that their opponents cannot strike back. They also are resistant to most toxins.
Ifshnits. Short, hairy humanoids, the Ifshnits look like tiny Humans in fur coats. All have bald pates, moustaches, and long, silky hair over the rest of their bodies. Herbivores, they find the practice of eating another creature to be revolting. The Ifshnits have a highly developed sense of sight, with inner eyelids that snap shut instantly, protecting the eye from blinding light. The Ifshnit society is heavily based on bartering and trade. Because of their unique culture, at the beginning of the game an Ifshnit character can choose one of the following skills at second level at no additional cost: Appraisal, Gemology or Bluff/Haggling.
Osakar. Very tall, long-limbed creatures, the Osakar have four legs that grow symmetrically from the lower portion of their barrel-shaped bodies and constitute 65 percent of their height. Each leg has two opposing knees and can fold up to lower the Osakar to a height of a little under 2 meters. Their hands are short and powerful with five fingers and two opposing thumbs. One Osakar greatly resembles another. In their society they are all absolutely equal but they desire to be different from one another. Because they have a highly developed sense of smell, any Osakar that learns the tracking skill has a +20 percent modifier on any skill roll unless something has masked or removed the scent. They can also duplicate all known languages.
Boon’Sheh. These teal-skinned bipeds ar slim and tall, usually standing at least a head above an average Human. Their skin is soft to the touch and they are completely hairless except for patches of fur on their shoulders and forearms. Their faces are unexpressive and almost skeletal, as they have very little muscle in them. Boon'sheh bodies are built for running, and as such they have little mass compared to other sapient species. Whatever physical weakness they have as a consequence, they make it up with their great speed. The Boon’Sheh had the misfortune of sharing the same home world as the Humma and were nearly driven to the brink of extinction.
Volturnus Originating Races
Eorna. A race of intelligent creatures descended from bipedal Volturnian dinosaurs, the Eorna have a large tail that is used for balance in walking. Their smaller forelimbs have developed hands for grasping and manipulating objects. Although basically reptilian, the Eorna are warm-blooded and have developed a fur-like coat of soft down over most of their bodies. At one time they had technology that was far in advance of the Frontier on some levels until they were nearly annihilated by the Sathar. Faced with annihilation, they genetically enhanced several other surviving Volturnian species in the hopes that one of them would be able to survive against any future Sathar incursions.
Arborean. An intelligent species of genetically manipulated bipedal bird-like creatures, the Arboreans stand just over a meter in height and are covered by feathered plumage and have wing-like arms ending with a manipulating hand. Despite the wing-arms, Arboreans are technically flightless, only capable of gliding in a manner similar to the Yazirians. On Volturnus, the Arboreans live simple lives as hunters and gatherers, keeping to a tribal society. Events surrounding the Frontier expansion on Volturnus had largely left the Arboreans alone in their mountain homes.
Edestekai. Descended from Volturnian arthropods, the Edestekai are trilaterally symmetrical – their bodies are divided lengthwise into three equal parts that are mirror images of each other. With a body shaped like a giant peanut with three bulbous lobes on top, the Edestekai have three eyes arranged in a circle around the narrowest part of the body. They have a 360-degree field of vision. The three lower limbs are arranged like a tripod. The first and largest joint of each limb serves as a foot. The second and third joints are analogous to a Human elbow and wrist. Below the third joint are three tentacles that are used for grasping and manipulating objects. The primary values of the Edestekai are order, fertility and abundance of lands and crops, and peace. They abhor violence except in self-defense. However, they have been known to fight with an almost insane fury when their religious principals are at stake.
Kurabanda. Standing 1.2 meters tall, the Kurabanda look similar to a tarsier monkey. It has large round eyes and large pointed moveable ears. It can swivel its head around and look behind its back. A Kurabanda's hands and feet, which have 6 digits each, have special pads for better grasping. In Kurabanda society, when one Kurabanda is harmed, his or her entire family has been insulted. Blood feuds are not common, but do occur. To avoid feuds it is usually necessary to pay compensation to the injured parties. Clan blood feuds can also be avoided by a system of ritualized vengeance.
Ul-Mor. Resembling octopi, the Ul-Mor have eight large limbs. Each limb ends in five small tentacles useful for grasping and manipulation. They walk on the four largest and more muscular limbs, using the other four more dexterous limbs to hold weapons or tools. They are not especially fast movers so they ride mounts of various types. The Ul-Mor have a ninth limb, a tentacle about 30 centimeters long. They insert this tentacle into the fatty tissue surrounding the spinal cord of other creatures; this allows them to achieve a nerve link that permits direct communication with another creature’s mind.
Mechanon. Mechanons are sentient robots. They are roughly humanoid, though members of the warrior class have a large metallic tail which they use to balance and as a weapon. The top of a Mechanon's head is a cluster of various-colored crystals that form an artificially intelligent storage and computing device. Mechanons evolved on Volturnus from primitive Eorna robots. Through a series of incredible coincidences they eventually became a sentient, sapient race of creatures which could propagate mechanically. The robots used on the Frontier in everyday life are to the Mechanons what baboons are to the Yazirians: there is a certain similarity, but the differences are far greater and of more importance.
Saurians
Saurians are bipedal reptilian humanoids that stand 2.1 meters high. Each of them has two hands, each with three fingers and an opposable thumb. Each foot has four toes. Their feet and hands are webbed. Saurians have small scales, as per their reptilian ancestry, but they are warm-blooded as mammals are. Saurians are omnivorous and have rather flat teeth. Being semi-aquatic creatures, Saurians feel at home both above and below water.
They hail from the planet Kischen, an oceanic world many light-years from the Frontier. For a time they lived in peace, enjoying profitable trade with nearby races. Soon, however, the Sathar descended on the Saurians’ colonies, destroying whole populations in the process.
With their defenses decimated and racial destruction imminent, the Saurian governments prepared dozens of starships to transport hundreds of thousands of citizens on a large-scale exodus to new worlds. To save as many beings as possible, all of the starships were filled to capacity with passengers placed in stasis.
The majority of the computer-guided vessels were launched in the direction of the Frontier, although ships were sent out in many other directions. The Saurians had earlier intercepted radio signals from the Frontier that were part of a plan by the Pan-Galactic Corporation to contact other sentient races, in hopes of developing more interstellar trade.
The Saurians did not send all of their ships in that direction, though, lest the signals prove to be a Sathar trick. The main body of Saurian starships eventually entered the Theseus system and was boarded by UPF vessels. Only a few thousand Saurians were brought out of stasis at first, until space could be found on other worlds on which they could settle.
The Saurians evolved from a highly adaptive creature that Humans have called a land dragon. This creature was found in a variety of habitats on Kischen and developed into the four known races of Saurians: the Kavak, the Kamier, the Talsoi, and the Vanar.
Kavak. These Saurians have green scales, a long tail, and a short, curved horn protruding from the top of their skulls. The horn varies in color from one Saurian to another, from white to green; it is light-colored at birth and darkens gradually as the Saurian grows older. This horn can be used as a weapon, causing 1d10 points of damage. However, for every 0.1 meter by which the opponent is shorter than the Saurian, reduce the chance to hit by 5 (to a minimum of a 10% chance).
Kamier. While the other races of Saurians have small but visible scales, the Kamier have the appearance of smooth skin, their scales being visible only under magnification. Coloration is green to green-brown, and this variety of Saurian sports a large crest of red or orange skin that runs from the base of the neck to the tip of the skull. The claws of the Kamier are more developed than those of the other Saurians; add +2 points of damage to punching the Kamier’s punching score. Because the Kamier’s tail is covered with horny spikes, they can add 2 points of damage to tail attacks (2d10+2).
Talsoi. Having beige to dark brown scales, a heavy tail (+ 1 points of damage to tail attacks), and a horny ridge running from its extended snout to the tip of the tail, the Talsoi developed from the forest and plains-dwelling land dragons. They enjoy freshwater rivers, seas, and lakes.
Vanar. With a bright to dark green coloration, the Vanar have a very narrow, whip-like tail (1d10 + 1 points of damage for tail attacks). They are descendants of the land dragons that were native to the jungles and rain forests of their home world. Vanar have thin limbs and are lighter than other sorts of Saurians.
Minor Frontier Races
Besides the Core Four, several minor races exist within the confines of the United Planetary Federation including the Clii’jak, Gorlians, Naga, Tyleri, Vimh, and Yinni. Out of these, the Yinni are considered non-player character races.
Clii’jak. Looking like a cross between crustaceans and large insects, the Clii’jak are natural tree climbers. They hunt for prey and consume a coconut type fruit that they tear open with the spurs on their wrists. Yazarians from the Araks system first encountered them on their home world of Clii’des (Arien). Their society is based on one family clans. These clans live and work together in mutual status. Clii'jak wars are few in number. They enjoy complementing others to the point of annoyance. Valuing friends and friendship, they will place themselves in grave serious jeopardy just to protect the name of their companions.
Gorlians. Though lacking interstellar travel, the Gorlians began emigrating off-world after contact with the UPF. Because of their home world’s (Trara’s) heavy gravity, Gorlians are prized for their physical strength by both security forces and the underworld. Standing 2.5 meters tall, Gorlians are muscular bipeds, with powerful arms and legs. They have bullish facial features, with a short snout, and small horns projecting from their foreheads. Short, course fur covers most of their bodies, with color ranging from light brown for females to dark black for males.
Naga. The Nagana (both singular and plural) are evolved from a sea race, though their bodies are more snake-like than fish-like. Their lower body is a long tail, ending with a slight vestigial fin that doesn’t really help them swim anymore. Their upper bodies appear more humanoid, with two long arms and a wider chest. The Nagana are not a space faring race. In their coral cities clustered around the larger lakes on Leen, the largest of the three moons of Terledrom (in the Fromeltar system), they have never developed any kind of faster-than-light drive. They haven’t even developed the ability to reach the planet around which their home moon revolves. Their personal understanding of technology ends with simple mechanical ground and water vehicles. Their own weapons of war have been limited to simple projectiles: bows, spears, and within the past hundred years, automatic pistols and rifles.
Tyleri. The Tyleri are a race of bipedal mammalians, once a primitive race on the world of Ken'zah-Kit. They resemble humans physically, albeit with some obvious differences. The average Tyleri stands some 1.5 meters in height, and has yellowish skin tones, ranging from golden-yellow to deep maroon. They have body hair roughly equivalent to that of humans, with similar colors and textures, though males and females both can grow thick facial hair. Tyleri have pronounced canine teeth in both genders, and claw-like fingernails and toenails. Tyleri eyes have slit pupils, allowing them excellent night vision; they are yellow, olive or green in color. The overall affectation is somewhat akin to an anthropomorphic feline or canine hominid.
Vimh. Scavenging mammalian creatures found throughout the Frontier, the Vimh are descended from some sort of rodent ancestry. Humans describe them as essentially having the appearance of a nearly man-sized rat and call them “ratlings.” Each of the major Frontier races has their own name for the race, usually quite derogatory in nature. A prolific race, the Vimh’s home world is a mystery, even to the Vimh. They just seem to appear wherever the other civilized races build settlements, apparently catching rides or otherwise stowing away on transport vehicles. Many speculate that the Vimh do not actually have a world of their own, but were genetically engineered on one of the core worlds.
Non-Aligned World Races
Outside of the UPF’s territory are several other races with their own minor civilizations including the S’sessu, Hydrae, Laamvin, Oduvu’arin, Peeloven, Thren, Skree, Zethra and others. The Hydrae and Zethra are non-player character races.
S'sessu. Although nearly identical in appearance to Sathar, the S’sessu’s body coloration is different. While a Sathar's skin is yellow or brown, the S'sessu has a bright pink- or green-tinted skin. The S'sessu do not have the patterns of dots or stripes on their heads that the Sathar have. Otherwise, all other descriptive information on Sathar can be applied to S'sessu. In general, S'sessu are extremely competitive and self-centered. Each individual does what it wants, caring little for others except for those who can help the S'sessu achieve its goals. Power and possessions are only for those S'sessu who can take and keep them. Yet S'sessu can be highly organized and cooperative; violent crime is an uncommon occurrence in their society.
Hydrae. Originating from a single F3 star system in the Vast Expanse beyond the Frontier, the Hydrae live in a harsh environment and thrive on bright light. A Hydrae is an intelligent creature that looks like a 2-meter tall silver tree with a cluster of limbs at one end. At the other end of its tubular body is a simple adhesive “foot” called a basal disc. The Hydrae's basal disc can secrete a sticky fluid that allows for adhesive properties if the creature chooses to secure itself to some solid object – this allows it to climb up vertical surfaces and hang from ceilings or other overhead structures or branches. Exobiologists are especially interested in Hydraes due to their regenerative ability; and that they appear not to age or die of old age.
Laamvin. A pseudo-crustacean intelligent species native to a desert planet, the Laamvin are furry and stand approximately one meter tall. They are trilaterally symmetrical, and covered in a carapace much harder than a Vrusk’s. In fact it is nearly as hard and unyielding as a clam’s shell. There are three major limbs arranged equidistantly around the carapace. These limbs, or “legs” branch into three more limbs, or “arms,” about half way down, that terminate in three deft fingered hands which are also used as the main means of locomotion. The Laamvin’s technology level is roughly equal to Earth’s Victorian era. The UPF has limited contact with Laamvim, though some have gone out into the Frontier aboard trade ships.
Oduvu’arin. A race of cephalopod beings that vaguely resemble a squid or octopus. The eyesight of the oduvu'urian is exceptional, about twice as good as a human's. They are able to see in color, and fine details; they also have good dark vision, able to see in low-lighting conditions as if in normal light, though they lose range and color perception. The oduvu'urians are highly intelligent, inquisitive and technologically advanced. Their homeworld has been descending into a deep ice age since the early days of oduvu'urian civilization, and their science has kept pace, adapting to cope with the diminishing warmth and arable land. Oduvu'urian cities are built near geothermal sources, in underground complexes, and near or under the seas, and use the natural forces present for energy and food production.
Peeloven. Xenobiologists are intrigued by the Peelovens. They have a short, tripedal body with two heads. The heads are flat, hairless and consist of one eye each. In addition, the mouths have lips that extend about 3 centimeters from their vegetarian teeth. The lips are dry and knobbed; these function as hands. Their eyes are generally blue to green and they use their tongues like fingers and thumbs. At the base of the neck is the skull and brain. Peelovens are followers of what is called the “herd instinct.” They are general cowards and go to great extremes of caution. They consider war an insane activity, consisting of multitudes of risks with uncertain to no profit margins. They had no word to express the concept of war until they met the S’sessu. Later, upon hearing of the Sathar threat, the word “war” is now a blend of the concepts of “insane” and “unorthodox.”
Skree. Large, plant-based creatures, the Skree have a pod-like “head” that has several antenna-like stems that serve as sensory organs and a number of leafy fronds at its terminus. The stalk has a bulbous torson area as well as a hip and “groin” area. The torso supports two arm-like vines that end in pads with the undersides possessing numerous small thorns allowing it to grasp and hold objects. The arm-like vines have two smaller tendrils near the pads allowing for finger manipulation and grasping smaller items than the pads can. The Skree do not possess a muscular structure nor a skeleton. Most of their organs are used to channel fluids throughout their bodies or for reproduction. They breathe by absorbing carbon dioxide and give off oxygen as waste. Coming from a world of mobile plants, the Skree see themselves as a single, overall entity rather than individuals. They possess a distinct racial memory that connects each individual to the entire race as a whole and extends back to their ancient developments.
Thren. Short, strong humanoids, the Thren have a backbone protrudes a little at the base of the spine and continues to go over the skull and onto the nose bridge. They have no body hair and no sweat glands and are in constant danger of overheating in hot conditions. Militant, with Spartan-like mentalities, Thren culture is based on mental and physical prowess, speed and agility. They hold an annual Olympics with award winners. Threns train at the beginning of life with weapons because they are warlike perfectionist. They constantly attempt to outdo their peers and try to excel in anything they do.
Zethra. Rubbery, ball-like creatures with high elasticity and durability, the Zethra most closely resemble Dralasites internally, due to the amorphous nature of their body parts. A Zethra’s brain is located beneath its seefers; nerve clusters from the brain’s green, oval mass act as feelers extending down throughout the rest of the body. Possessing a number of tentacle-like appendages, the Zethra can manipulate both large, heavy objects and tiny, intricate controls or items; their length varies from 1-4 meters. A ring, or “crown”, of four small (0.5m long) sensory tentacles project from one end of the ball and are parallel to but separated from their ring of arms. The Zethra had acquired a derelict space vessel, thought to be an abandoned Vrusk “Sarsk” explorer starship, and mastered its controls. Several hundred Zethra set out to explore surrounding space with it. Thier planet falls seem to have been by choice, rather than by any military or colonization plan. Their ship apparently moved out of the sector after leaving an unknown number of Zethra on various Frontier worlds.
Hostile Races
Several hostile races exist outside of the Frontier. The most implacable enemy is the Sathar (pronounced Say-thar) that mercilessly attacked the Eorna and the Saurians while also launching invasions of against the Core Four’s colonies and the Rim Coalition. Allied to the Sathar are the Zuraqqor, a race of insect-like aliens. The Sathar also use a number of slave races, such as the Bora-Kai, who may or may not be hostile.
The Clikk (or Klikk) are a mysterious race are believed to have had an interstellar empire that once stretched in the Frontier region about a millennia ago. They also used at least one slave race, the Heliopes, which were left on the planet Starmist in the Sundown system. Other mysterious and hostile aliens include the Na’dezh’da (Psirens) and the Rooksha.
All these species are considered to be non-player character races with motivations and abilities that only the referee may know.
Sathar. Long, worm-like creatures, the Sathar support their bodies hydrostatically, by pumping liquid into the segments so they become hard. A shiny, clear slime coats their skin. A Sathar's head tapers toward its mouth, which is circular and ringed with teeth. Each of their two eyes has two pupils. Four tentacles, two on each side of the body, are arranged about 1 meter below the head. The first pair is slender and weak-looking, and about 1 meter long. These end in four smaller finger-like tentacles. The second pair of tentacles is stronger and about 1.2 meters long. Both of these tentacles end in a paddle-like pad. This second pair is used for heavy lifting, while the smaller tentacles are used for fine work and for holding small weapons. Almost nothing is known about Sathar society. They have tried to kill every alien creature they have met in the Frontier, usually with alarming success. No one knows why the Sathar attack so viciously or what they hope to gain. All attempts to contact the Sathar peacefully have failed. No Sathar has ever been captured alive, because they kill themselves before they can be taken.
Bora-Kai. The Bora-kai are bipedal, with two arms, similar in external shape to Humans; on the inside, they are very different. They possess a complex web-like network of interconnecting bones and cartilage that serves as a powerful protective layer against outside harm. They have two hearts, one that takes over for the other at even intervals (a monthly cycle), though if one fails they can operate off the other indefinitely. Several other organs are redundant as well. They prefer the use of melee weapons over anything else, and tend to shun technology in preference to simpler things. The Bora-kai were a captive race, used for a hundred generations as slave labor by the dreaded Sathar. Their homeland was long-destroyed or lost and the Bora-Kai that remain are those that the Sathar wanted to live. As a slave race, they might be hostile if encountered with their Sathar masters present.
Zuraqqor. A race of intelligent, bipedal insects ((two arms and two legs) insects, the Zuraqqor have small, vestigial wings, two compound eyes, and two antennae. They appeared smaller than they were because their knees bent the opposite way of most races and their necks extend horizontally from broad hunched over shoulders. Zuraqqor are thought to originate from a world near Zebulon, as all assaults on Federation shipping have been made in that area. They are cunning and dangerous. Any encounter with them should be reported immediately. If escape is impossible, citizens should attack immediately, attempting to capture a live Zuraqqor for study, if possible. When Zuraqqor are encountered with Sather, citizens should either attempt to escape or attack to kill, as the Zuraqqor are known to be allies of the Sathar.
Clikk. An alien species that are external to Frontier space, it is believed that the Clikk resemble arachnids. They have six legs and two manipulative forelimbs radially arranged around a body that is approximately 2 meters long and 1 meter across at its widest. Each leg ends in a needle-sharp claw. The fore-limbs are much shorter than the legs and have three digits, also armed with claws. The body, the bulk of which is suspended beneath the legs, is encased in chitin. The top of the carapace is smooth, but lower plates have projecting horns and fluted ridges. This carapace is hard enough to be a considerable barrier against small arms. At some point before the Core Four established colonies in the Frontier, the Clikk may have surveyed the area. Almost nothing is known of Clikk society, language, goals, or origins but they kept slave races such as the Heliopes and are believed to be hostile.
Heliopes. Looking slightly like a bipedal scorpion, Heliopes stand erect and average two meters tall. Although its head is man-shaped, it has five or more sensory antennae located about their cranium but the most unnerving feature is their one, large eye. Omnivorous, Heliopes possess two long arms with average strength. Their "hands" are pincer shaped, slightly rigid, with a sharp nail along the edges. Two extremely powerful legs dominate the lower body. A long tail sweeps up like a scorpion's, to rest over the shoulder. The Heliopes are neither right nor left handed but right or left shoulder-tailed. The feet are large, long and splayed. All Heliopes seem awkward and clumsy in confined spaces and look totally unsuited to riding in vehicles or on animals but they are excellent swimmers. They were first encountered on the planet Starmist (Sundown) and had primitive technology, but it is believed this population are the descendants of Heliopes abandoned on the world by the Clikk.
Na’dezh’da. The physical description of the creature known by spacers as the psiren is somewhat confused. The very existence of the insectoid race is doubted as nothing more than a space myth. Many folklorists and sociologists amongst Humans feel the legend is nothing more than a modernization of the ancient human myths, perhaps influenced by the Vrusk morality tales of a creature known to them as Na’dezh’da. A highly intelligent predator, it is believed that the Psirens can read the minds of their victims; they can project an illusion that lures the victim closer. Once within striking range, the creature grabs the victim and attaches a specialized organ that resembles a small trunk with a sucker to the head of the victim. Victims appear to have their minds wiped, resulting in brain damage, coma, and – unless stopped – death. Once the victim of such an attack is brain dead, often the Psiren will then start eating the body.
Rooksha. With a head is elongated and shaped very similar to a satharoid, but they lack a tail. The Rooksha have segmented bodies and eyes with double pupils. Many of their internal features appear to be very Sathar-like, however, there are some very un-satharoid features as well. One difference in appearance is a sort of double-ear covered by a membrane on a head-ear crest on each side of their heads, based on the survivors reports the hearing of the Rooksha may have been superior to that of a Humans. They can also survive in the vacuum of space for limited periods of time. Based on the reports of the surviving eyewitnesses and security recordings it appears this creature may have been killing for sport. They were observed collecting ears Streel as trophies of their kills.
Racial Ability Score Adjustments & Movement Rates
Humans are the easiest characters to create, as they have no special abilities worth mentioning. But Humans stress individuality and specializations of abilities, and are entitled to add 5 to any one ability score (not both in its pair, just one single ability).
If you select a race other than human, your ability scores will be modified to reflect racial averages. Racial ability score adjustments for the Core Four and various other optional races are on the next page.
You also must show the movement rate associated with the race you selected on your character sheet, see the Racial Adjustment & Movement Table. Note: some of the races detailed below originated in various adventure modules while others appeared as optional races in the Star Frontiersman and Frontier Explorer magazines.
|Racial Adjustment & Movement Table |
|RACE |
Racial Special Abilities
Your race may also have special abilities that cannot be categorized into “ability score” or “skill” and these must also be noted on your character sheet. These are summarized in the Racial Special Abilities Table.
|Racial Special Abilities Table |
|RACE |SPECIAL ABILITIES |
|Arborean |Comprehension 5%, Sharp Eyesight, Gliding. |
|Boon’sheh |Danger Sense 10%. |
|Clii’jak |Leaping, Shock Kick +20%, Ambidexterity. |
|Dralasite |Elasticity, Lie Detection 5%. |
|Edestakai |360-degree vision: Cannot be surprised. |
|Eorna |Genetic Protection; Leaping and Vaulting; Mentalism. |
|Gorlian |Tracking Ability 40%, Incredible Strength. |
|Human |+5 to any one ability score. |
|Humma |Spring Charge, Resistant to Poison, Prehensile Tail. |
|Ifshnit |Inner Eyelids, Innate Skill. |
|Laamvin |360-degree vision: IM +2; Cannot be surprised. |
|Kurabanda |Mental Shield: 10% resistance to mental attack; Immune to Hypnotism; Climbing: +10% for checks. |
|Mechanon |Special: refer to racial description. |
|Oduvu’urian |Immune to dazzling effect of bright light; +5% to skill/ability checks involving technology. |
|Osakar |Highly developed smell; Linguistic. |
|Saurian |All: Ability to breath underwater, exceptional vision; Resistance to hypnotism/mind control, +15% bonus; Notice |
| |hypnotic effort, +15% to INT check; Claws: +1 to punching (PS) damage; Tail attack: -10% chance to hit, 2d10 |
| |damage. Kavak: horn, 1d10 damage. Kamier: claws: +2 to PS. Talsel: +1 hp to tail damage. Vanar: Whiptail, 1d10+1 |
| |damage. |
|Sathar |Unknown. |
|Shree |Ability to determine function of alien artifacts: 10%. |
|S’sessu |Ability Insight: 5%; Excellent Vision: +2 IM. |
|Thren |Weapon of Choice: +15% to hit; +5 to any one ability score. |
|Ul-Mor |Multiple Appendages: Four melee attacks per turn; Mind Link; Ul-Mor Sign Language |
|Vimh |Iron Constitution: 5%; Nearsightedness: -20% on ranged attacks; Superior Olfactory Sense; Swimming. |
|Vrusk |Ambidexterity, Comprehension 15%. |
|Yazarian |Night Vision, Gliding, Battle Rage 5%. |
|Zethra |Special: See racial description. |
|Zuraqqor |Specialization, Hover. |
Initiative Modifier, Punching Score, Ranged and Melee Weapons
In addition to the four pairs of abilities, your character has a few other statistics worthy of mention on your character sheet.
IM: Initiative Modifier is equal to your Reaction Speed score divided by 10, rounded up.
PS: Punching Score is found on this table, using the character’s Strength score:
|Punching Score Table |
|STR |01-20 |21-40 |41-60 |61-80 |81-00 |
RW: Ranged Weapons is equal to half your character’s Dexterity score, rounded up.
MW: Melee Weapons is equal to half your character’s Strength or Dexterity scores, whichever is better, rounded up.
Professions and Free Starting Skills
Your character is not just a collection of talent and potential, he’s also an accumulation of knowledge. At the start of the game, each player must choose a profession – Biosocial, Enforcer, Techex, Scispec, Explorer, Espionage or Spacer – because it provides job security and financial support. Each profession respects and supports its own members above any other profession.
For example, there are reference centers, discount houses and hotel-like facilities associated with each profession on most civilized worlds and space stations. When a character starts the game he receives 20 experience points, gleaned from years of study, practicing and apprenticeship. Immediately, 10 points are spent on joining a profession. In exchange, the character receives a bonus skill that is available only to members of that profession.
|Profession |Free Starting Skill(s) |
|Biosocial |Any starting skill |
|Enforcer |Endurance |
|Techex |Agility |
|Scispec |Intelligence |
|Explorer |Charisma |
|Espionage |Alertness, Recognize and Use Spy Gadgets, Situational Awareness |
|Spacer |Adroitness |
|Mentalist |Mental Prowess |
Once a character joins a profession he can spend his remaining experience points on any of his profession’s skills or non-profession skills. Some skills require a character to learn other prerequisite skills first before they can be acquired. The notation “Pr” refers to the required prerequisites, if any.
Skill Advancement
To advance in most skills – except Spacer and Mentalist skills/disciplines – use the following chart:
|Experience Point Cost Table |
|Skill Level |Professional |Non-Professional |
|1 |1 |2 |
|2 |2 |4 |
|3 |4 |8 |
|4 |6 |12 |
|5 |8 |16 |
|6 |10 |20 |
|7 |12 |24 |
|8 |14 |28 |
Ability Score Improvements
Players can improve their character’s ability scores with experience points by using the following table:
|Ability Score XP Improvement Table |
|Starting Score |STR/STA |DEX/RS |INT/LOG |LDR/PER |
|1-39 |1 XP |1 XP |2 XP |1 XP |
|40-59 |1 XP |1 XP |2 XP |2 XP |
|60-79 |2 XP |2 XP |3 XP |3 XP |
|80-99 |2 XP |3 XP |4 XP |4 XP |
|100+ |4 XP * |5 XP * |6 XP * |6 XP * |
|*Most characters are limited to 100 points in an ability score. See racial limits. |
Starting Equipment
To equip your character, you’ll need money. Wealth in the Frontier is measured in Credits (Cr). Starting characters receive 250 Cr plus a roll of d100. Refer to the equipment area of this section for complete equipment lists. To help make character generation quick, players may simply purchase the Standard Equipment Pack and then roll d100+100 for additional discretionary equipment.
|Recommended Starting Equipment Table | |
|If your character is: |Then he starts with: |
|Biosocial |Portable Computer |
|Enforcer |Any weapon, 1 clip of ammo |
|Techex |Techkit or Robocomkit |
|Explorer |Any weapon, 1 clip of ammo |
|Scispec |Envirokit, Medkit or Hand-held computer |
|Espionage |Any weapon, 1 clip of ammo |
|Spacer |Techkit or Any weapon, 1 clip of ammo |
|Mentalist |Volturnian Psy-crystal |
Additional Details
You can fill in any additional details about your character, in order to make him seem more real to your stories. The greater the amount of detail, the more you’ll understand the character. But you can be as detailed or general as you’d like, as long as each of the following is considered:
• Name
• Gender (unless he’s a Dralasite, S’sessu and Zethra, who are hermaphroditic; Osakar are always female; Humma who are female until they have their first clutch of children then turn male until old age when they become neuter.)
• Handedness (unless he’s a Vrusk)
• Height (in meters)
• Weight (in kilograms)
You can even come up with a background for your character, perhaps dealing with his family structure, or home world. Inspiration can be drawn from the Frontier section of this book.
If one of the players in the group is a decent artist, draw your character, or find imagery on the Internet and printout. A picture goes a long way to helping you imagine your alter ego in STAR FRONTIERS or any other role-playing game.
Other Resources
The referee should print out – or have a PDF version available on a digital device – the rules from the Expanded Game and Zebulon’s Guide. These will provide additional information about the Core Four races, standard game weapons and equipment, robot and vehicle rules as well as how to conduct combat and role-playing sessions.
TSR originally published several adventure modules as well as additional game information in the Dragon and Ares magazines. Two later fan-created magazines – Star Frontiersman and Frontier Explorer – are another avenue for alternative rules, additional alien races, optional equipment, planetary briefs and even short and long adventures.
Enjoy the game and have fun!
|Section III. Professions and Skills |
|The revised skill system combines the Primary Skill Areas (PSA) from Alpha Dawn Expanded Rules with the Professions of Zebulon’s Guide. |
|Professions describe the field of work a character engages in, while PSAs describe clusters of related skills for which a character has a |
|certain knack or aptitude. The professions listed incorporate those from Zebulon’s Guide to the Frontier such as Enforcer, Explorer, Scispec,|
|Techex and Mentalist, but also includes several new professions including Biosocial, Espionage and Spacer. Other optional professions include|
|Criminal and Space Pirate. |
|Characters start out with 20 experience points (XP) – 10 of which are spent to learn a profession. All skills listed within the character’s |
|PSAs are available for learning at in-profession cost. All optional skills listed under each profession are available at in-profession cost |
|at the referee’s discretion. All other skills are considered to be out-of-profession in terms of cost. |
Automatic Professional Skills
Agility, Charisma, Endurance, and Intelligence are all professional automatic skills. When a character chooses his profession he automatically receives is: Techex – Agility; Explorer – Charisma; Enforcer – Endurance; Espionage – Alertness, Recognize and Use Spy Gadgets, Situational Awareness; Scispec – Intelligence; Spacer – Adroitness; and Mentalist – Mental Prowess. There is no other way to select these skills and their game use is only when the character is being created.
• Acumen provides 7 points that can be split between Logic and Leadership.
• Adroitness provides 7 points that can be split between Dexterity and Logic.
• Alertness gives a character a 15 percent bonus on Intuition rolls.
• Agility provides 7 points that can be split between Dexterity and Reaction Speed.
• Charisma provides 7 points that can be split between Personality and Leadership.
• Deft provides 7 points that can be split between Dexterity and Personality.
• Endurance provides 7 points that can be split between Strength and Stamina.
• Intelligence provides 7 points that can be split between Intuition and Logic.
• Mental Prowess adds an immediate 5 points to Logic and allows the character to eventually increase his Logic score 20 points above his racial maximum.
• Situational Awareness for a spy adds ½ his skill level, rounded up, to his Initiative Modifier (IM); adds 10 percent per skill level to surprise checks; and provides a skill to recognize dangerous situations.
Biosocial/Psychosocial
The Biosocial Profession covers a wide range of individuals from academics, business and financial experts, chefs, entertainers and performers, lawyers, politicians and diplomats, marketing and sales representatives, socialites, plus those involved in the behavioral sciences. It is a catchall profession for all other types of people in the Frontier.
Psychosocial skills give a character an advantage when dealing with individuals or groups of intelligent beings. The skill can be used when dealing with any of the major races as well as any other intelligent species the character encounters.
Racial Bonuses: Because Vrusk have the racial ability of Comprehension, they gain +5% on all rolls involving Psychosocial skills such as Empathetic Understanding, Communication, Diplomacy, Persuasion and Psychopathology. Dralasites get a bonus of +10 when using empathy, because of their racial ability to detect lies. These modifiers apply only if the character has the appropriate Psychosocial skill.
|Biosocial Professional Skills |
|Academics |Acrobatics |
|Analyze Social System |Appraisals |
|Archaeology |Bluff/Haggle |
|Business Administration |Chef |
|Communication |Diplomacy/Politics |
|Disguise |Dramatics/Rhetoric |
|Empathetic Understanding |Entertaining |
|Escape Artistry |Etiquette |
|Fine Arts |Gambling |
|General Lore |Hypnosis |
|Languages I |Languages II |
|Law |Lip Reading |
|Management |Mental Health |
|Occult Knowledge |Personality Restructuring |
|Persuasion |Photography |
|Recreation/Sports |Society |
|Stage Magic |Theology |
|Trade |Underclass |
|Ventriloquism | |
|* Biosocial characters can chose any starting skill during character creation as |
|their free skill. |
Business Executive/Analyst: You have been trained to be one of the “captains of industry” who can set financial and sales goals for a company or organization. An analyst is more educated to look at overall business and economic systems to make financial forecasts. The entry level skills for a player character include: Analyze Social System 1, Appraisals 1, Business Administration 1, Bluff/Haggling or Gambling 1, Persuasion or Empathetic Understanding 1, Finance or Fine Arts 1, Law 1, Management, Academics or General Lore 1, and Etiquette or Underclass 1.
Diplomat/Politician: Diplomats are professionals who negotiate trade and military treaties with other governments, help resolve conflicts and generally are supposed to act in ways that advance the interests of their home country. Politicians by their nature are practiced in the art of politics and range from entry-level political party operatives to representatives on the UPF Council of Worlds. The entry-level skills are: Academics or Business Administration 1, Bluff/Haggling 1, Communications or Empathetic Understanding 1, Diplomacy/Politics 1, Dramatics/Rhetoric or Business Administration 1, Etiquette 1, General Lore or Trade 1, Law or Underclass 1, Persuasion 1, and Society 1.
Entertainer: Singers, athletes, magicians, circus clowns, trapeze artists and holovision and stage actors are just some of the professionals covered by this category. Beginning skills include: Acrobatics 1, Disguise or Lip Reading 1, Dramatics/Rhetoric or Underclass 1, Entertaining 1, Escape Artistry 1 or Empathetic Understanding 1, Gambling or Hypnosis 1, General Lore or Languages 1, Bluff/Haggle or Persuasion 1, Society or Recreation/Sports 1, Stage Magic or Ventriloquism 1.
Psychotherapist: You interact with patients to help change their patient's thoughts, feelings, and behavior through adaptation. Psychotherapists provide treatment in individual and group settings. Some therapists include drug and alcohol counselors, ordained priests, ministers, and rabbis. This is a key professional that can be useful with the exploration of new planets and first-contact situations with new cultures. Initial skills: Academics or Analyze Social System 1, Empathetic Understanding 1, Etiquette 1, Communication 1, Hypnosis 1, Law or Occult Knowledge 1, Persuasion 1, Mental Health 1, Society 1, and Theology or Underclass 1.
|Enforcer/Military |
|The purpose of the enforcer profession is to provide protection and enforce federation or planetary law, corporate rules, or employer |
|interests, whichever fits the character's occupational standing. Typical enforcers work as Star Lawmen, corporate security personnel, private|
|investigators and mercenary soldiers. |
|Enforcers automatically gain the Endurance skill when they start the game. |
|Enforcer Professional Skills |
|Ballistics |Blind-Fighting |Body Speak |
|Camouflage |Climbing |Concealment |
|Cryptography |Demolitions |Endurance * |
|Forgery |Interrogation |Investigation |
|Law |Martial Arts |Outdoor Skills: Basic |
|Photography |Pumping Federanium |Running |
|Security Systems: Basic |Silent Kill |Style Analysis |
|Surveillance |Survival Zero-G |Swimming |
|Underclass |Underwater Operations |Vehicles: All |
|Weapons: All |Weightless Combat | |
|* Enforcer characters start with this skill. |
Enforcer/military professionals can chose between five starting careers including: Bodyguard, Combat Specialist, Investigator, Police or Security Specialist. These careers include ten level 1 skills for the cost of only 8 experience points. Of course, the player is free to design their characters differently without the benefits of a starting career.
Bodyguard. You’ve been trained as a “close protection officer” for a corporation or government official, or you been a bouncer for a bar. Either way, your goal has been to intimidate others to the point where they don’t want to pick a fight. Initial skills: Blind-Fighting 1, Law 1, Martial Arts 1, Pumping Federanium, Running 1, Vehicles: chose one, Weapons: Beam 1,Weapons: Grenades/Thrown 1, Weapons: Melee 1 and Weapons: P.G.S. 1.
Combat Specialist. You were a soldier in one of the Frontier militaries. Now you’ve mustered out. Initial skills: Body Speak, Climbing, Running, Weapons: Beam 1, Weapons: Demolitions 1, Weapons: Melee 1, Weapons: Missile 1, Weapons: Grenades/Thrown 1, Weapons: P.G.S.1 and Vehicles: Cars 1.
Investigator. You are either a CSI (crime scene investigator) or the next Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot and your goal is to solve crimes. Note: Alertness and Computers: Basic are non-professional skills; computers skills can only be improved using the non-professional cost. Initial skills: Alertness, Ballistics 1, Computers: Basic 1, Interrogation 1, Investigation 1, Law 1, Surveillance 1 and Weapons (Beam or P.G.S.) 1.
Police. You’ve worked for Star Law or one of the various planetary or municipal police forces. You hunt down criminals. Note: Computers: Basic can be improved using the non-professional cost. Initial skills: Computers: Basic 1, Interrogation 1, Investigation 1, Law 1, Martial Arts 1, Running , Surveillance 1, Weapons: (Beam or P.G.S.) 1 and Vehicles: Cars 1.
Security Specialist. Your job’s been more behind the scenes, to monitor events, but that doesn’t mean you’re unable to defend yourself. Note: Communications Devices and Computers: Basic can be improved using the non-professional cost. Initial skills: Communications Devices 1, Computers Operate 1, Cryptography 1, Forgery 1, Law 1, Photography 1, Security Systems: Basic 1 and Weapons (player choice) 1.
Espionage
Espionage professionals cover a wide-range individuals from those who research open information published in the Frontier media, to electronic gathering of encrypted data and conduct code breaking (also called cryptanalysis or cryptography), to interpreting images. But then there are those who conduct prisoner interrogations, to covertly gathering information either directly or through a network of informants.
The nature of the profession often requires require espionage professionals to lie, hide information, or use covert tactics to protect their "cover," access, sources, and responsibilities. Intelligence agencies expect, teach, encourage, and control these tactics so that the lies are consistent and supported – a term known as "backstopped." Espionage agents teach others to lie, deceive, steal, launder money, and perform a variety of other activities that are certainly be illegal and condemned by Star Law. These tactics – known as the "tradecraft" – are conducted by all the Frontier’s governmental and corporate intelligence services. Many agents are motivated by the sheer excitement of spying and the promise of steady extra income, but others – notably Sathar agents – engage in espionage out of deep-seated antagonism toward their native regimes.
Espionage is the disclosure of sensitive information (classified) to people who are not cleared for that information or access to that sensitive information. Different types of espionage professionals include those working for mega corporations such as Pan-Galactic, Streel or the Cassadine Development Corporation to planetary or system governments, then national governments found on divided worlds such as the S’sessu, Gorlian and others, and the various departments of the United Planetary Federation.
Because of the nature of their profession, espionage agents get to choose from a variety of skills. They automatically start off with Alertness, Recognize and Use Spy Gadgets and Situational Awareness.
Espionage professionals can chose between four starting careers including: Deep Cover Agent, Industrial Spy, Military Spy and Surveillance Expert. These careers provide eight initial level 1 skills for the cost of only 8 experience points (remember, spies start off with three skills automatically instead of one). Of course, the player is free to design their characters differently without the benefits of a starting career.
Deep Cover Agent. This is the social spy who excels at being suave in public gathering, parties and similar situations. Initial skills: Analyze Social System 1, Bluff/Haggle 1, Empathetic Understanding 1, Entertaining 1, Etiquette 1, Persuasion 1,, Society 1 and Weapon (player’s choice) 1.
Industrial Spy. You’re working for a mega-corporation or one of the planetary governments trying to get an edge for its industries. Initial skills: Business Administration 1, Communications Devices 1, Computers: Basic 1, Computers: Advanced 1, Cryptography 1, Security Systems: Basic 1, Security Systems: Advanced 1 and Weapons: (either Beam, P.G.S. or Melee) 1.
|Espionage Professional Skills |
|Academics |Acrobatics |Alertness * |
|Appraisals |Analyze Social System |Archaeology |
|Blind-Fighting |Bluff/Haggle |Body Speak |
|Business Administration |Chef |Climbing |
|Communications Devices |Computers: Advanced |Computers: Basic |
|Concealment |Cryptography |Demolitions |
|Disguise |Dramatics/Rhetoric |Empathetic Understanding |
|Entertaining |Escape Artistry |Etiquette |
|Fine Arts |Forgery |Gambling |
|Gemology |General Lore |Hypnosis |
|Interrogation |Investigation |Iron Will |
|Languages I |Languages II |Law |
|Lip Reading |Management |Martial Arts |
|Medical Treatment: First Aid |Occult Knowledge |Outdoor Skills: Basic |
|Outdoor Skills: Advanced |Persuasion |Photography |
|Pick Pockets |Recognize/Use: Spy Gadgets* |Robotics: Basic |
|Running |Security Systems: Basic |Security Systems: Advanced |
|Silent Kill |Situational Awareness * |Society |
|Stage Magic |Stealth |Style Analysis |
|Surveillance |Swimming |Theology |
|Underclass |Underwater Operations |Vehicle Skills: All |
|Ventriloquism |Weapons Skills: All |Weightless Combat |
|* Espionage characters start with these skills. |
Military Spy. You’ve mustered out of the military with an expertise in fighting. Initial skills: Blind-Fighting 1, Body Speak, Computers: Basic 1, Demolitions 1, Stealth 1, Weapons Skill (player chooses between Beam or P.G.S.) 1, Martial Arts 1 and Weapons: Melee 1.
Surveillance Expert. You’re a spy with an expertise in doing electronics surveillance. Initial skills: Communications Devices 1, Computers: Basic 1, Cryptography 1, Investigation 1, Photography 1, Security Systems: Basic 1, Security Systems: Advanced 1 and Surveillance 1.
Explorer
The purpose of the Explorer Profession is to operate alone or in small groups on an unexplored planet or as guides or scouts for scientific or military expeditions. Typical positions held by explorers include Star Law scout, mercenary strike force or commando team member, corporate spy and advance emissary to primitive cultures.
Explorers automatically gain the Charisma skill when they start the game.
|Explorer Professional Skills |
|Analyze Social System |Animal Handling: Basic |Animal Handling: Mounts |
|Appraisals |Bluff/Haggle |Body Speak |
|Camouflage |Cartography |Charisma * |
|Climbing |Communication |Communication Devices |
|Concealment |Demolitions |Disguise |
|Dramatics/Rhetoric |Empathetic Understanding |Exobiology |
|Gemology |Martial Arts |Medical Treatment: First Aid |
|Mental Health |Outdoor Skills: All |Persuasion |
|Photography |Running |Sciences: Life |
|Sciences: Planetology |Silent Kill |Stealth |
|Surveillance |Swimming |Underwater Operations |
|Vehicles: All |Veterinary Medicine: Basic |Weapons: Archaic |
|Weapons: Beam |Weapons: Grenades/Thrown |Weapons: Melee |
|Weapons: P.G.S. |Weapons: Repair | |
|* Explorer characters start with this skill. | |
Explorer professionals can chose between four starting careers including: First Contact Specialist, Infiltrator, Marine and Wilderness Expert. These careers include ten level 1 skills for the cost of only 8 experience points. Of course, the player is free to design their characters differently without the benefits of a starting career.
First Contact Specialist. You are trained in the art of making not only the first contact with new civilizations, but also to maneuver through the Byzantine politics and societies of the Frontier. Note: Diplomacy/Politics and Society are nonprofessional skills. Initial skills: Appraisals 1, Bluff/Haggle 1, Communication 1, Communications Devices 1, Dramatics/Rhetoric 1, Empathetic Understanding 1, Persuasion 1, Diplomacy/Politics 1 or Society 1, and Mental Health 1.
Infiltrator. Whether by land or water – or sometimes air and space – your job is to get in close and scout out potential enemies and sometimes leave a nasty surprise. Initial skills: Body Speak, Climbing, Communication Devices 1, Concealment 1, Demolitions 1, Running, Stealth 1, Swimming 1, Weapons: Beam 1 and Weapons: Melee 1.
Marine. You’re an expert at water operations. Initial skills: Body Speak, Climbing, Concealment 1, Demolitions 1, Outdoor Skills: Basic 1, Swimming 1, Vehicles: Aquatic 1, Weapons: P.G.S. 1, Weapons: Melee 1 and Weapons: Repair 1.
Wilderness Expert. You could be the next famed explorer like Alorne Zebulon. The wilderness – any wilderness in the Frontier and beyond – is your home. Initial skills: Animal Handling: Basic 1, Animal Handling: Mounts 1, Cartography 1, Camouflage 1, Outdoor Skills: Basic 1, Outdoor Skills: Advanced 1, Sciences: Life 1, Sciences: Planetology 1, Stealth 1, and Weapons: (player’s choice) 1.
Scispec/Medtech
Scispec is the common name given to a member of the Scientific Specialist profession who are involved in the sciences, life and health. The job of the scispec is to oversee scientific expeditions, conduct experiments and provide medical aid. Typical positions held by a scispec include Star Law science specialist, Star Law medic, exobiologist, corporate research expedition member, nurse and independent doctor.
Scispec automatically gain the Intelligence skill when they start the game.
|Scispec Professional Skills |
|Academics |Acoustics |Animal Handling: Basic |
|Archaeology |Bionics/Cybernetics |Computers: Basic |
|Exobiology |Forensic Medicine |Gemology |
|Genetics |Intelligence * |Medical Treatment: All |
|Optics |Sciences: All |Toxicology |
|Veterinary Medicine: All | | |
|* Scispec characters start with this skill. |
Scispec/Medtech professionals can chose between four starting careers including: Academic/Corporate Researcher, Combat/Star Law Medic, Scientist and Physician. These careers include ten level 1 skills for the cost of only 8 experience points. Of course, the player is free to design their characters differently without the benefits of a starting career.
Combat/Star Law Medic. You’re trained to extract badly wounded officers or fellow soldiers from dangerous situations and get them to the hospital. You can also provide first aid treatment. Note: weapons skills and Vehicles: Transports must be advanced using the non-professional cost chart. Initial skills: Medical Treatment: Basic 1, Medical Treatment: Advanced 1, Medical Treatment: First Aid 2, Medical Treatment: Disease, Infection, Infestation 1, Vehicles: Transports 1, and Weapons (player choice of one) 1.
Academic/Corporate Researcher. You’re ready to be the next Indiana Jones or the great Vrusk exobiologist Tsk’illitti’kkl. Initial skills: Note, Appraisals and Outdoor Skills: Basic must be advanced using the non-professional cost chart. Initial skills: Academics 1, Archaeology 1, Appraisals 1, Gemology 1, Outdoor Skills: Basic 1, Sciences: Life 1, Sciences: Physical 1, and Sciences: Planetology 1 .
Scientist. You are engaged in the systematic approach to gain knowledge. Initial Skills: Academics 1, Acoustics 1, Computers: Basic 1, Exobiology 1, Sciences: Life 1, Sciences: Physical 1, Sciences: Planetology 1, Sciences: Space 1, Optics 1, and Toxicology 1.
Physician. You practice medicine in order to promote, maintain or restore the health of Frontier races. Initial skills: Computers: Basic 1, Forensic Medicine 1, Medical Treatment: Basic 1, Medical Treatment: Advanced 1, Medical Treatment: First Aid 1, Medical Treatment: Disease, Infection, Infestation 1, Medical Treatment: Poison, Radiation 1, Medical Treatment: Specialist 1, Sciences: Life 1, and Toxicology 1.
Techex/Technological
Techex is the common name given to a member of the Technical Expert profession. The techex's job is to build, direct, maintain, and repair his employer's technical equipment, computers, and robots. Typical positions held by a techex include Star Law computer expert, corporate robotics development, research and maintenance personnel, private contractor, or technology.
Techexes automatically gain the Agility skill when they start the game.
|Techex Professional Skills |
|Acoustics |Agility * |Bionics/Cybernetics |
|Communications Devices |Computers: Basic |Computers: Advanced |
|Computers: Forensics |Computers: Programming |Computers: Repair |
|Computers: Software Engineer |Cryptography |Defenses: Repair |
|Engineering: Architectural, Civil, Electrical|Engineering: Energy Generation |Engineering: Hydraulic, Mechanical |
|(A.C.E.) | | |
|Engineering: Military |Machinery |Matter Transferal Devices |
|Optics |Power Read |Robotics: Basic |
|Robotics: Advanced |Robotics: Repair/Alterations |Robotics: Robopsychologist |
|Robotics: Specialist |Sciences: Physical |Security Systems: Basic |
|Security Systems: Advanced |Vehicles: All |Weapons: Repair |
|* Techex characters start with this skill. |
Techex professionals can chose between five starting careers including: Engineer, Gunsmith, Roboticist, Technician and Vehicle Expert. These careers include ten level 1 skills for the cost of only 8 experience points. Of course, the player is free to design their characters differently without the benefits of a starting career.
Engineer. You are an engineering school graduate and ready to make your mark in the industry. Initial skills: Acoustics 1, Computers: Basic 1, Computers: Advanced 1, Power Read, Optics 1, Sciences: Physical 2, Engineering: Architectural, Civil, Electrical (A.C.E.) 1, and Engineering: Hydraulics and Mechanical 1.
Gunsmith. You’re a technician with a military background. You know how to repair jammed guns and repair armor – and defend yourself too. Note: weapons skills can be improved using the non-Professional cost. Initial skills: Acoustics 1, Computers: Basic 1, Defenses: Repair 1, Power Read, Machinery 1, Optics 1, Sciences: Physical 1, Weapons (player choses one level 1 ranged weapons skill) and Weapons: Repair 1.
Roboticist. You design, build and experiment with robots – at least that’s your goal in life. Initial skills: Computers: Basic 1, Computers: Advanced 1, Machinery 1, Optics 1, Robotics: Basic 1, Robotics: Advanced 1, Robotics: Repair/Alterations 1, Robotics: Robopsychologist 1, Robotics: Specialist 1 and Power Read.
Technician. You could be the next great computer hacker or computer security specialist. Initial skills: Communication Devices 1, Computers: Basic 1, Computers: Advanced 1, Computers: Programming 1, Computers: Repair 1, Computers: Software Engineer 1, Cryptography 1, Machinery 1, Power Read and Security Systems: Basic 1.
Vehicle Expert. If it flies, hovers, rolls – or doesn’t – you know how to drive it or make it work. Initial skills: Power Read, Vehicle: Aquatic 1, Vehicle: Atmospheric or Submersible1, Vehicle: Cars 1, Vehicle: Cycles 1, Vehicle: Machinery 1, Vehicle: Repair 1, Vehicle: Space 1, Vehicle: Stunt Driving 1 and Vehicle: Transports 1.
[pic]
Spacer
The characters who live and work on starships call themselves "Spacers." They include members of all four races, united in an elite group that is not bound by the restrictions of a single planet or even a single star. Living with danger, Spacers never know what peril waits for them at the end of a jump. But they also enjoy learning the galaxy’s secrets and have adventures that few other Frontier beings experience as well.
It is said that once a person has tasted the thrill of crossing the Void, charting a world never seen before, or guiding a mighty starship on a trip to the stars, no tiny bit of planet will ever again be called his home.
Although anyone can learn spaceship skills, Spacers get a distinct learning advantage as they advance in level. Spacers also automatically receive the skill Adroitness.
Spacer professionals can chose between four starting careers including: Astrogator, Engineer, Gunnery and Pilot. These careers include ten level 1 skills for the cost of only 8 experience points. Of course, the player is free to design their characters differently without the benefits of a starting career.
Astrogator. You’re not an official astrogator yet, but that’s your career aspirations and you get the background skills to achieve that goal. Initial skills: Computers: Basic 2, Sciences: Physical 1, Optics 1, Ship Onboard Systems Operations (SOSO) 1, Sensor Operations 1, Survival: Zero-G 1, Weapons: Melee 1, and Weightless Combat 1.
Engineer. You’ve got one of the most important duties on the “floating tin cans in space” – the task of finding and repairing damaged components and stop air leaks. If you don’t succeed, your ship and crew could be doomed. Initial skills: Communications Devices 1, Computers: Basic 1, Computers: Advanced 1, Computers: Programming 1, Defenses: Repair 1, Machinery 1, Sciences: Physical 1, Ship Onboard Systems Operations (SOSO) 1, Survival: Zero-G 1 and Vehicle: Machinery 1.
Gunnery. Ship gunners increase a spaceship's effectiveness in combat. Entry-level gunners are often called “space marines” because they often use laser rifles for shipboard defense and boarding operations. Generally they need a little more experience before they can handle the “big guns” on a star ship. Initial skills: Computers: Basic 1, Ship Onboard Systems Operations (SOSO) 1, Sensor Operations 1, Survival: Zero-G 1, Vehicle: Atmospheric 1, Vehicle: Space 1, Weapons: Beam 1, Weapons: Missiles 1, Weapons: P.G.S. 1, and Weightless Combat 1.
Pilot. Entry-level space pilots are affectionately called “Space Cadets.” You’re not quite ready to drive a big starship, but you’re on your way there. Initial skills: Computers: Basic 1, Ship Onboard Systems Operations (SOSO) 1, Survival: Zero-G 1, Vehicle: Atmospheric 1, Vehicle: Machinery 1, Vehicle: Space 2, Weapons: Beam 1 and Weightless Combat 1.
|Non-Spacers Skills Chart |
|Spacer characters can use experience points to purchase or improve these skills using the normal Zebulon’s Guide skill advancement chart. |
|Communication Devices |Computers: Basic |Computers: Advanced |
|Computers: Programming |Computers: Repair |Defenses: Repair |
|Engineer: A.C.E. |Engineer: Energy Generation |Engineer: Hydraulic/Mechanical |
|Entertaining |General Lore |Machinery |
|Management |Optics |Power Read |
|Sensor Operations (Ops) |Sciences: Physical |Sciences: Space |
|Ship Onboard Systems Operations (SOSO) |Survival: Zero-G |Trade |
|Vehicle: Atmospheric |Vehicle: Machinery |Vehicle: Space |
|Weapons: Beam |Weapons: Dropped Ordinance |Weapons: Melee |
|Weapons: Missiles |Weapons: P.G.S. |Weapons: Repair |
|Weightless Combat | | |
|Spacer Professional Skills |
|Use the Spacer Skills advancement chart for these skills. |
|Adroitness * |Astrogation |Engineering: Damage Control |
|Engineering: Ship Design |Engineer: Stress Analysis |Gunnery: Beam Weapons |
|Gunnery: Rocket Weapons |Gunnery: Selective Targeting |Star Pilot I |
|Star Pilot II |Star Pilot III |Star Pilot IV |
|Star Pilot: Evasion |Star Pilot: Increase Accuracy of Forward |Star Pilot: Increase Maneuver Rating |
| |Firing Weapons | |
|System Navigation | | |
|* Spacer characters start with this skill. | |
-----------------------
An example of the mountain pass map. The distance per square would be 25 meters.
A Dralasite
|Dice Example Table |
|Dark Die |Light Die |Result |
|5 |3 |53 |
|6 |0 |60 |
|0 |6 |6 |
|0 |0 |100 |
|Ability Score Table |
|Roll |Score |Notes |
|01-10 |30 |Feeble |
|11-20 |35 |Poor |
|21-35 |40 |Below Average |
|36-55 |45 |Average |
|56-70 |50 |Above Average |
|71-80 |55 |Good |
|81-90 |60 |Excellent |
|91-95 |65 |Remarkable |
|96-00 |70 |Incredible |
[pic]A Vrusk spacefarer.
[pic]
A Human spacefarer.
[pic]
A Yazarian male.
[pic]
A Humma
[pic]Ifshnit
[pic]
Osakar
[pic]Boon’Sheh
[pic]
Eorna
[pic]
Arborean
[pic]
Kurabanda
[pic]
Edestekai
[pic]
Ul-Mor
[pic]
Mechanon
[pic]
Kavak
[pic]
Kamier
[pic]
Talsoi
[pic]
Vanar
[pic]
Clii'jak
[pic]
Naga
[pic]
Vimh
[pic]
S’sessu
[pic]
Hydrae
[pic]
Laavim
[pic]
Oduvu’arin
[pic]
Peeloven
[pic]
Thren
[pic]
Bora-Kai
[pic]
Sathar
[pic]
Zuraqqor
[pic]
Heliope
[pic]
Cllkk
[pic]
Zuraqqor
[pic]
Zuraqqor
[pic]
Psiren
[pic]
Rooksha
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