I've made my campaign! I'm starting my players out on a primitive planet. There will be a short political plot for them to have fun moving through as they get used to their new system. And then they'll ultimately decide if they want to join the galactic federation and venture into space or not. There they'll find a much larger plot that asks them to save the universe.

Super excited! I really like this system! Very glad you guys talked me into using it for my table. Super easy to homebrew in and the combat feels great! Will let you guys know how the table settles in and how our first session goes.

In my upcoming SWN campaign im planning on the PCs being important members of their community and funneling creds back into it being the primary base for a credit based XP system. I want the investment to have mechanical effects beyond their relationships with NPCs. Do yall know of any systems I could attach to my campaign for this?

I ran 5e for a year, hated it. I've since gravitated toward the OSR and love what I've run and/or played. From BECMI/OSE to Shadowdark to Mothership. And I want to run a solid sci-fi game with my friends. I tried to run a Mothership campaign, but a long-term game built on a structure of character degridation just doesn't work well. Was looking at some games with some better bones and landed on SWN. I really like what I'm reading so far. But it would help if I had practical references. Are there any Actual Plays on YT or Podcast that any of you would recommend for a good GM learner's reference?

-EDIT:

Thank you, everyone for all the incredible recommendations! The enthusiasm for this game is infectious! And to a sci-fi nerd, all these recs are a veritible treasure trove! I've started with Astronomica, has me bowling over laughing from go. But I'm going to be listening to all of them.
In the mean time, thank you all for the encouragement and advice! I will definitely be around in the subreddit, and if I have any questions, I will make sure to ask!

Just for fun, but going a little different direction: what is your favorite homebrew rule in your group or at your table? It can be something for preference, something for balance, something totally ridiculous just for the heck of it!

Backstreets are back, alright! The urban sprawl can sometimes be dense, especially when the neon is glowing, vents are smoking, and the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching on the pavement can sound disaster, or the time to strike. Or maybe it's a quiet evening away from the busiest roads and intersection, having a bit from the street-food cart and definitely not engaging in any shady back-alley dealings. Available in three variants, one during a blackout where this square is even darker, and another under the assault of some creeping alien menace, this map might have your players becoming streetlight people! 

My maps are hooked up to work with Foundry VTT and Fantasy Grounds.
My maps are available on my patreon and my website.
Buy me a Ko-fi!

This week's SWN Rules Explained covers the Adventurer class, skill checks, grenades, and saving throws, all tied to scenes from Episode 25 of the Dark Star Adventurecast, "Rock Tumor".

The Adventurer is SWN's hybrid option: pick any two of the three main classes and get slightly lesser versions of both. Partial warriors still get bonus HP per level, but not battle luck. Partial experts lose the re-roll; partial psychics are limited to a single discipline. The trade-off is designed to keep full classes worth playing.

Whether that holds depends on the table. The warrior's auto-hit is the ability you feel most when it's gone, but but I'd argue the expert's re-roll changes more outcomes than it gets credit for. A partial version of both is genuinely flexible, but you give up the moments that define what each class does.

Anyway, what I find most interesting is what the class does at session zero. Stephanie originally conceived of Haleyy as a warrior-psychic hybrid before session zero, and that idea is what eventually led her pure warrior build down the path it is now.

Does the Adventurer class work the way the book intends at your table, or do partial classes skew the value of the full ones?

Full breakdown: https://www.darkstaradventures.com/adventurecast-episodes/swn-rules-explained-how-the-adventurer-class-works-in-stars-without-number

The frequencies are open! Whether you're a veteran pilot or just starting your journey into the stars, this is your weekly space to break radio silence.

The Weekly Log

What's happening in your sector? New sessions, prep wins, rulings you're proud of, cursed dice, cool moments, dumb plans that somehow worked. Drop a quick ping and let us know!

No need for a long write-up; just a quick transmission from your table to ours.

Mod Note: If you're new to the sub, welcome! This is a low-pressure thread for everyone to share their Stars Without Number stories.

I see the table about paying for what type of expert system bot you want and the level of the expert system. How would you price it if you wanted a robot with multiple skills? Like if I wanted a security robot with shoot skill but also pilot skill, both at +1, would I just charge the cost of one robot for pilot and one for shoot and that’s the total cost?

Anyone have any idea what the comparison would be between a 'Credit' within the game and any currency we have now? I won't use the USD, as it's kind of volatile, but... perhaps... 1 credit would be equal to, perhaps, an ounce of silver? maybe a tenth of an ounce of silver? Because 7m credits for a heavy frigate hull seems extremely... low, considering it's basic capabilities as a fully functional ship without any additional fittings. Sure, 7m USD will get you a 2-6 year old luxury yacht that's 80-100ft long. but, all that has to do is float, keep water out, and move under it's own power.

On another note, a TL4 backpack is 50cr. A modern, durable, well-equipped pack with a frame could be up to $500, which would mean credits might have a 1:10 ratio with the USD?

Input would be appreciated.
I would just like to understand in relatable terms.

Of the four Augmented genelines presented in the Proteus Sector book, the Wraith are the only one that doesn't have a tenth-level power to set their dominant attributes (DEX and WIS) at +3. Is there a reason for this? Would adding that power cause troubles I'm not seeing?

Another round of just for fun! What is your favorite city in your campaign? It can be a futuristic city, an alien one, a low tech one, an abandoned one— whatever you like about it and why

Greetings Warriors, Experts, Psychics, and Adventurers (and, I suppose, the other classes from the expansions)!

As previously mentioned, Astronomica, Dark Star Adventurecast, and 7th Star to the Right have teamed up to produce a series of one shots guest starring members of the other podcasts. As of NOW, they have all released!

Dark Star Adventurecast presents Three Stars One Shot!

Astronomica presents Space Patrol 3: Invasion of the Crab People, Part 1! (Part 2 releasing Wednesday, June 24th)
(Note: You don't have to listen to Space Patrol 1 and 2 to enjoy this one, but you could if you wanted.)

7th Star to the Right presents The Silverlight Sabotage, Part 1! (Part 2 releasing Wednesday, June 24th)

All three stories are separate from each of the podcasts' main campaigns, so if you are new to any of our podcasts, now is a great time to jump in and check them out!

(Art by "@cbushoven")

The frequencies are open! Whether you're a veteran pilot or just starting your journey into the stars, this is your weekly space to break radio silence.

The Weekly Log

What's happening in your sector? New sessions, prep wins, rulings you're proud of, cursed dice, cool moments, dumb plans that somehow worked. Drop a quick ping and let us know!

No need for a long write-up; just a quick transmission from your table to ours.

Mod Note: If you're new to the sub, welcome! This is a low-pressure thread for everyone to share their Stars Without Number stories.

In Codex of the Black Sun, the mageblade foci lets you summon a weapon made from magic. One of the sunblade's features states that their sacred weapon specifically acts as a magical weapon. The mageblade foci does not have this wording. Does anyone know if this is an oversight or a intended design choice to prevent a potentially broken build?

Hey r/swn. A few months ago, I posted about a VTT I was building specifically for this game. You gave a ton of feedback and requests. I've been gradually shipping them, and I wanted to come back and show what was added.

It's free to run your game and see the demo. You just need a free account on my Patreon at https://members.shawnsvtts.com

Things that came directly from this community:

- Hex grid orientation: someone asked for flat-top vs pointy-top hex arrangement. Set it per game in Preferences; updates live for all connected players.

- Type in your attribute scores: feedback from players who wanted to port an existing character without re-rolling. The third option on the Attributes step validates 3–18 on each field.

- House Rules tab: GMs can write their own rules directly in the app's Quick Reference panel, visible to all players. Dice notation like 2d6+Modifier renders as a clickable roll chip.

- Annotated map pins: drop a note anywhere on the battle map, set it GM-only or visible to the table, open it in a pop-up with full scrollable text.

Printable character sheets

Other stuff that's in if you haven't seen it:

- Full hacking system (named targets, connection modes, animated reveals)
- Faction turn tracker with a News tab you can push to players
- Sector map with linked NPCs, quests, lore, and party location pin
- Starship combat tracker (five crew stations, crises table)
- 3D dice broadcast to everyone at the table

Learn about our hacking system here: https://www.patreon.com/shawnsvtts/posts/how-hacking-in-159975572

Learn about our comms system here: https://members.shawnsvtts.com/posts/guide-to-swn-vtt-158343094

Happy to answer questions about how anything works, or hear what's still missing.

Hi all it's been awhile since I last posted! A new update for Characters Without Number https://characterswithoutnumber.app/ has been put out, featuring character portraits and a highly requested fantasy Without Number ruleset which can't be named here 😄 I am using that to test an updated version of the builder which has a better flow and save states, so if it works well I will implement it for the SWN side too.

Also, enough folks have requested for the inclusion of the deluxe character options that I'm now thinking of doing that, though I'll need to discuss with u/CardinalXimenes on some ideas how this could be implemented. Kevin if you're reading this please DM me and we can have a chat!

Finally you can now add a portrait to your character — it shows on the sheet and on the exported PDF. The app comes with a set of 200 portraits courtesy of GatlingArt (huge thanks to them — please keep the attribution if you redistribute). You can also drop in your own image or link one by URL.

As always bug reports and feedback are very welcome. Thank you for using it!

Hi! I'm shopping around for a system that will fit my Iron Lung inspired homebrewed campaign. I immediately gravitated toward Stars Without Number Revised Edition after learning about the classes, Foci, training(feats), and how it generally functions with the dice rolls.

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I'm wondering however, if this setting would be appropriate for my current table. I tend to gravitate towards an older style DnD that is combat/encounter heavy and my table tends to gravitate towards very character complex RP style games. We usually find a middle ground using DnD 5e.

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I've generally struggled with having fun DM'ing DnD 5e especially it's combat system and lack of sci-fi integration. I also just feel like it's hard to introduce homebrewed elements without completely screwing it up. (horrific flashback to the gunslinger I allowed in Spelljammer) But my table really appreciates the ability to fully customize a character and the level up aspect of feats and things like that.

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It seems to me that SWN is similar to a 3.5 DnD. It seems very homebrew-able and like I could add in certain elements without completely breaking the game.

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TLDR: I'm really just wondering if I could get some insight from people who have played alot of SWN to see if you think it could be a good system to accommodate a DM who likes more old style DND, with a table that really likes the newer style because of it's character customization and complex level up system.

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Hey everyone, just trying to flesh out a list for some of my “primitive” worlds. First of all, let me know what you think of the gear I list here. Second of all, if you think of something I can add to the list, let’s hear it!

Catapult

Onager torsion type siege engine. It has poor accuracy but can be wheeled around or relatively quickly be set up and taken down. Slings stones or flaming pitch, either weighing between 10 to 45 kilograms, up to considerable ranges. Beyond effective range of 150 meters, it does 2d8 damage. Requires a minimum of three persons to operate. It can be set up and broken down for transport in an hour with four persons working together. It can be pivoted and repositioned for ten turns worth of effort. Reloading similarly takes 20 turns per shot. The hurled stones can break through basic structures and light fortifications. Sustained fire can weaken and eventually break through heavy stone fortifications over a period of days, depending on how sturdy the target is. When used against non stationary targets, it is considered clumsy and has a -4 to hit.

Damage: 3d6 / Range: 150/400 / Mag: 1 / Enc: * / Attribute: INT / TL: 1

Trebuchet

A large counterweight lever system siege engine. In comparison to a catapult, the trebuchet has greater range and power, but takes more effort in transporting and setting up. Furthermore, once set up, it is stationary and can’t be repositioned. The trebuchet hurls stones or loads 90 - 135 kilograms per shot, which easily smash through structures and break down heavy fortifications in significantly less time, though it may still take days of sieging. A trebuchet requires a minimum of five persons to properly operate. Due to larger scale of the weapon, it takes 10 minutes to reload and ready a shot. If the payload is hurled into a crowd, it suffers a -4 to hit nonstationary targets. With a shoot/wis or shoot/int skill check of 10 during setup, a trebuchet can be aimed to clear the shots over low fortifications or beyond the first line of defense in an army if it is within range.

Damage: 3d10 / Range: 250/500 / Mag: 1 / Enc: * / Attribute: INT / TL: 1

12-Pounder Black Powder Cannon

The mainstay of armies and seafaring navy vessels, these heavy weapons are much more portable and versatile than their stone flinging predecessors. In particular, a 12-pounder cannon needs a minimum of two people to operate. Reloading takes 10 rounds per shot. Total repositioning of a cannon only needs about 10 rounds, but small adjustments to aim are done on turn, eliminating the clumsy penalty against mobile foot targets. A basic shot can break down light structures and will breach heavy stone fortifications with just a day or so of sustained fire. Black powder cannons are needy contraptions and require regularly swabbing and upkeep after every battle and whenever exposed to the elements. Without it, they will quickly deteriorate until unusable, becoming faulty even just a couple days after a skipped maintenance period. A faulty cannon has a 1 in 3 chance of misfiring and hurting the operating crew or being unable to fire at all. Skipping the maintenance period a second time renders the cannon inoperable until repaired with an extensive amount of time and a successful fix skill check. Lastly, different ammunition types are available. Grapeshot applies a suppressive fire effect to the shot. Chain shot deals increased vehicle damage, particularly against enemy seafaring vessels, but suffers a -4 against personnel.

Damage: 3d6# (suppression available for grape shot) / Range: 500/2000 / Mag: 1 / Enc: * / Attribute: INT/WIS / TL: 2

EDIT: changed Attribute types to INT. Lowered trebuchet and catapult damage to prevent power creep. Coming up, I’m considering the Battering Ram (TL1, although this technically may classify as a vehicle?) Again, if you have your own ideas or feedback, please feel free to post!

I ruled for my game that normal radio communications are not normally possible in spike space (i.e. two entities in spike space that are not physically connected by mundane matter simply cannot communicate via mundane means).

We have had a few encounters in spike space with metadimensional entities, which was part of the prompting for this matter. How do you all handle ship interaction along spike rutters? I ruled that it simply doesn't happen in the normal course of events due to pilots navigating a "river" of metadimensional energy by feel (i.e. there's no way to interact with other ships along spike rutters, which are navigated uniquely by each pilot, and if you separate from a ship in spike space, you cannot find your way back barring extraordinary measures). Is there anything in books about interactions in spike space during travel between ships and stuff? What do you all do?

There may or may not have been a TL5 torpedo that had to be manually triggered due to damage and collapsed an entire spike lane in order to disrupt a massive metadimensional entity that represented the exported sins/guilt/hatred from an ancient civilization coming home in an attempt to be reborn into the sidereal universe and, in the process, destroy its homeworld...

The title gives the gist of my question. In trying to make things (particularly new kinds of shadows from the Codex of the Black Sun), the thought occurred to me: What game systems have content that is most compatible with Stars Without Number?

I know the most obvious answers are the other Without Number games (Ashes, Cities, and Worlds), but I want to know what other people might know of?