Traveller, ed. Stephanus

The Core Mechanic: Throws

In Traveller, "Throw" indicates that you should roll and sum 2d6 (unless otherwise specified). The Referee may ask you to add various other modifiers, including bonuses from Skill, Attribute modifiers, and a variety of circumstantial sources.

Character Creation

When you create a new character:

1. Generate Attributes: Throw 2d6 for each of the six common attribute in order: STR, AGI, END, INT, EDU, and SOC.
2. Childhood: Roll 1d10 and then 1d6 to determine your Homeworld and Formal Education. For each, gain the listed Skill at rank zero (Skill-0). Then throw 1d20 for a random Childhood Event. For Childhood events, always randomly determine any listed outcomes (e.g. an Attribute increase or decrease). Any skills are gained as background skills (rank zero).
3. Career Term: For each four-year Term that you spend in a Career, use the following procedure. At the start of your first Term, you are 18 years old.

Attributes

Strength Muscle and Brawn
Agility Speed, Precision, Coordination
Endurance Hardiness and Stamina
Intelligence Quick Wits and Lateral Thinking
Education Formal Knowledge
Social Standing Connection to—and Influence Among—the Powerful
[Psychic Strength] Psionic Potency and Reserves

Attribute Modifiers

Skills

Skill Lists

You may train one Skill or Attribute at a time. It costs both time and money to do so. After paying the cost, you will make an Improvement Throw to determine whether your training has yielded improvement or whether more training is necessary.

Skills

To see whether you advance in a Skill (gain a new skill at rank zero or improve an existing skill's rank by one), pay 1,000 Cr (to account for previous training materials/instruction), spend a week of downtime focusing on training, and then make an Improvement Throw:

Throw 9+ Bonuses: +1 per previous attempt to improve this skill (cumulative), +1 for each point of [Margin between Target Rank and Instructor's Skill Rank] Penalties: ‑1 per current rank in the target Skill, ‑2 per consecutive week of downtime spent immediately repeating an Improvement Throw

After a Skill or Attribute improves, the "previous attempt" count resets, so attempts to improve the skill again start with no bonus from prior effort.

Example: Qing Li aims to improve her Electronics-2 skill. She pays 1k Cr during a week of downtime in Jumpspace and then throws 2d6. Her result is 8—a near miss. Later, the same character tries again. This time she pays an expert coder (Electronics-4) a week's salary (1,100 Cr)—on top of another 1k Cr—to provide additional instruction. She throws 2d6, +1 because she has already invested time in training this skill, +1 for the difference between her target Skill Rank (3) and the instructor's Skill Rank (4). The throw totals 11—success! The character's Electronics skill improves to rank three.

In all cases, we assume that the character has actually been developing the skill "offscreen," so to speak—the week of downtime is just the time when the character focuses on the skill and tests herself to see how well she performs, given her practice and development.

Attributes

It is also possible to improve Attributes, though the training involved takes a longer period of time to yield results. You may attempt to improve the score of an Attribute (except SOC) when you spend two weeks of downtime and 2,000 Cr for expenses:

Throw 11+ Bonuses: +1 per previous attempt to improve this skill (cumulative) Penalties: ‑[Positive Modifier for the Attribute], ‑2 per consecutive week of downtime spent immediately repeating an Improvement Throw

Example: Ekene aims to improve his Education from 8 to 9. He pays 2k Cr during two week's shore leave and then throws 2d6. His result is 6—a clear miss. Later, the same character tries again with a +1 bonus (for the previous attempt): a 3, and another clear miss. Even later, he tries again, this time with a +2 bonus from his prior efforts: a 13! The character's Education improves to 9, and thus now provides a +1 bonus to relevent Skill throws. Finally, the character again tries to develop his Education. The "previous attempts" count has reset, so he does not benefit from a bonus from earlier effort. In addition, the Attribute's positive Modifier (+1) will be applied as a penalty to the roll. This might take a few throws!

Combat proceeds in simultaneous Rounds, with each Round lasting as long as the Referee rules given the situation. Most personnel-scale combat Rounds last ~10 seconds, while most starship-scale combat rounds last ~10 minutes.

Each Round, characters may make one significant Action, like attacking, operating a device, piloting a vehicle, and so forth. They may also move or maneuver to a reasonable degree, given the specifics of the situation and the timeframe involved. (If in doubt, ask the Referee! They'll tell you openly before you commit to your Action.)

Initiative is a fictional advantage that one side may or may not have. If one side has Initiative, they are owed deference as the Referee coordinates the simultaneous actions in a given Round. Initiative can be seized (or lost) through fictional action. If no side has initiative, an Agility throw may be used to determine who acts first in situations where it matters (such as when two characters both dive for one gun on the ground between them.)

Distance

Abstract Distance Bands are used in combat. Attack rolls are modified by different weapons' modifiers based on the distance between the combatants. The Distances are:

• Grappling brawling, wrestling, very close quarters
• Close hand to hand range; a few paces
• Near several paces to throwing distance
• Far beyond throwing distance, but in the same area; dozens of paces
• Distant very far away; hundreds of paces

Attacking

Traveller protagonists differ from supporting characters in one crucial aspect: they only suffer a -1 Untrained Penalty when using any personal (non-heavy, non-starship) weapon. Other characters suffer the Untrained penalties listed below!

Damage

The Damage caused by a successful hit depends on the type of weapon. (See the Weapon Charts.) Add the Margin of the throw to any damage dealt.

Before any damage is suffered, the recipient reduces the incoming damage by an amount that depends on the type of armor that they are wearing (if any), bonuses from cover, or other sources of protection (as determined by the Referee).

The first time that a character is damaged in combat, all of the damage is first applied to their Endurance score. If this score is reduced to zero, the remaining damage is distributed between the character's Strength and Agility scores as the player elects.

When suffering subsequent injuries, the player may choose to have the damage from each die first apply to the physical Attribute of their choice (Strength, Agility, or Endurance). If any excess damage remains after an Attribute is reduced to zero, apply it to a different of the three Attributes.

Special Considerations

Stances are declared at the beginning of the Round. The default is Balanced, which carries no mechanical changes from the basic combat rules. Stances must align with the fiction, including using the environment and situation, etc.

Attack Options

• Reckless (stance): +2 to combat throw, +2 to damage suffered during the Round
• Aiming (stance): Cannot attack this Round, but +2 cumulative bonus to your attack in the next Round (stackable up to +6) as long as you aren't harmed or hindered before taking the shot.
• Automatic Fire: ‑6 modifier to attack throw against all targets in a small area.
• Suppressive Fire: Throw a successful attack: you deal only Margin damage, but you grant allies Initiative (as appropriate) and add a +2 modifier to their next related action.

Cover and Other Defenses

• Light Cover: Armor 2
• Heavy Cover: Armor 4
• Parry: As long as you are appropriately armed and can react, penalize incoming Brawling or Blades attacks by an amount equal to your relevant Skill Rank.
• Defensive (stance): ‑4 to your attack throws, but Armor 2 for the Round.
• Evasion (stance): You cannot attack, but you may cancel one damage die after being hit (once per Round).

Health Status

• One Attribute Reduced: Injured
• One Attribute at Zero: Unconscious
• Two Attributes at Zero: Seriously Injured
• Three Attributes at Zero: Dead

Injury & Medical Treatment

When you are Injured, you regain 1 attribute point per day.

If you receive Medical Treatment, instead regain 1d6+Margin attribute points per day (distributed as desired).

Throw Medicine 8+ Bonuses: +2 per Medicine Skill Rank, +2 for a skilled assistant, +4 for quantum-tech facilities Penalties: ‑3 untrained, ‑2 for field treatment/poor facilities

Serious Injury & Surgery

When you are Seriously Injured, you don't naturally heal.

Instead, when you successfully undergo Surgery, you regain 1+Margin attribute points. If the medic fails their Medicine check, however, you suffer [Margin] points of damage (which will knock you out and could kill you) rather than regaining points.

Throw Medicine 8+ Bonuses: +1 per Medicine Skill Rank, +EDU, +1 for a skilled assistant, +2 for quantum-tech facilities Penalties: ‑5 untrained, ‑4 for field surgery, ‑2 for poor facilities

Lazarus Pod: Extremely expensive quantum-tech (30k Cr). Functions as an automated Surgeon-4 with quantum-tech medical facilities (total of +10 to surgery Medicine throw). Exhausted after one use.

Note: Local conditions may substantially affect prices, especially for outlawed arms/armor.

Services

• Crew/Staff Wages:
• Skill‑0: 100 Cr per week
• Skill‑1: 200 Cr per week
• Skill‑2: 400 Cr per week
• Skill‑3: 700 Cr per week
• Skill‑4: 1,100 Cr per week
• Private Parcel Delivery (local): 5-10 Cr
• Private Parcel Delivery (intrasystem): 15-40 Cr
• Private Parcel Delivery (interstellar): 50-100 Cr per parsec (hex)

Travel

• Low Passage: 1k Cr per Jump
• Middle Passage: 8k Cr per Jump
• High Passage: 10l Cr per Jump
• Recent Navigational Records ("Jump Cassettes"): 1k Cr per parsec
• Fuel Pods: Double the usual fuel cost (30 tons per parsec)
• Intrasystem Transit: 75-100 Cr
• Charter Shuttlecraft: 20 Cr per hour

Weapons

Hand Weapons: 10‑50 Cr
Quantum-Tech Hand Weapons: 500 Cr
Firearms: 100 Cr
Laser Weapons: 800 Cr
• Firearm/Laser Ammunition: (⅒ Weapon Cost)
Grenade: 20 Cr each
Explosive Charges: 30 Cr each
Rocket: 250 Cr each
Flamer: 400 Cr
• Flamer Ammo: 50 Cr

Armor

Padded: 25 Cr
Mail: 100 Cr
Plate: 400 Cr
Ballistic (plates): 400 Cr
Ballistic (fabric): 1k Cr
Reflective: 800 Cr
Power Armor: 3k Cr
Dislocation: 2k Cr

Tools

Mundane Tool: ~10 Cr
High-Tech Tool: ~50 Cr
Vacc Suit: 600 Cr
Computer: 400 Cr
Communicator Device: 100 Cr
Professional Toolkits: 1k Cr

Drugs

• Medical Drugs: 15 Cr
• Combat/High Tech Drugs: 100 Cr

Vehicles

Wheeled/Treaded Vehicle (2 tons): 2‑3k Cr
Speeder Bike (1 ton): 4k Cr
Grav Car (2 tons): 6k Cr
Shuttlecraft (10 tons): 25k Cr

Robots

Cargo/Repair/Personal Robot: 2k Cr
Probe Droid: 4k Cr
Robodoc: 8k Cr
Combat Robot: 15k Cr
Lazarus Pod: 30k Cr

Personal Economics

Characters must pay weekly living expenses for each in-fiction week that passes. The rates are:

• Ordinary Lifestyle: 100 Cr per week (5,200 Cr per annum).
• High Lifestyle: 200 Cr per week (10,400 Cr per annum).

Starship Economics

There are regular ship expenses based on the size of a given starship (in displacement-tons). The basic rates for a 200 ton ship, like the one that the characters begin with, include:

• Mortgage: 3k Cr per week (Purchase Cost x 150% for financing x 0.1% per week)
• Annual Maintenance: 50k Cr, once per year (25k per 100 dTons)

In addition, ships incur various operating expenses, including:

• Life Support: Per week when underway, 500 Cr per Stateroom and 100 Cr per Low Berth
• Conventional Fuel: Per week when underway, 100 Cr per week per 100 tons of ship displacement
• Refined Jump Fuel: 20k Cr per Jump (10 tons)
• Unrefined Jump Fuel: 10k Cr per Jump (10 tons)
• Docking Fees: 100 Cr for a week, +100 Cr for each additional week while in port or drydock
• Crew Salaries: Weekly salaries for Pilot, Medic, Engineer, Navigator, Technician, Gunner, or Deckhand crew:
• Skill‑0: 100 Cr per week
• Skill‑1: 200 Cr per week
• Skill‑2: 400 Cr per week
• Skill‑3: 700 Cr per week
• Skill‑4: 1,100 Cr per week

For details on potential starship revenue, see the following section on Trade.

Common Cargo

• Pays 1k per 10 ton load.
• There are 3d6 loads going to any given destination.

Mail

Mail delivery contracts pay 3k per parsec (hex) to the destination. Mail always occupies a flat 5 tons of cargo space, making it—along with passengers—one of the most lucrative sources of revenue for starship operators.

Passengers

Passengers are a key source of revenue for starship operators.

Passenger Revenue

• High Passenger: 10k Cr per Jump, 16k for a double occupancy (but 5 tons cargo each)
• Middle Passenger: 8k Cr per Jump, 12k for a double occupancy
• Low Passenger: 1k Cr per Jump

Hosting Limits

• One Low Passenger fare may be offered for each unused Low Berth.
• To host Middle Passengers, a crewmember must be trained in the Steward skill and dedicated to the Steward role for the duration of the voyage. For each such crewmember, 2(1+Steward Rank)² Middle Passenger fares may be offered:
• Steward-0: 2
• Steward-1: 8
• Steward-2: 18
• Steward-3: 32
• Steward-4: 50
• To host High Passengers, a crewmember must be trained in the Steward skill and dedicated to the Steward role for the duration of the voyage. For each such crewmember, (Steward Rank)² High Passenger fares may be offered. Each High Passenger is entitled to 5 tons of cargo space, even if they choose not to use it.
• Steward-0: 0
• Steward-1: 2
• Steward-2: 8
• Steward-3: 18
• Steward-4: 32

Speculative Trade Goods

The characters may choose to pursue speculative trade, if desired. Unlike with Common Cargo, there is no guarantee that you will find a buyer in the next system that you visit; rather, the characters must hope that they can sell the goods for a profit in other systems.

Speculative trade goods provide the characters with an opportunity to make a handsome profit, but they also also run the risk of occupying valuable cargo space for multiple Jumps.

Buying

To find a seller of speculative trade goods and negotiate an acceptable deal, the players must nominate one character to lead the trade activity. That character then spends a week pursuing leads and opening negotiations:

Throw Broker 8+ Bonuses: +1 per Broker Skill rank, +INT Modifier, +1 for repeat business, +1 for High or Massive Population Penalties: ‑1 for Low to Modest population, ‑4 if looking specifically for illicit goods

The tables below indicate what good(s) will be available to purchase, along with how many loads of each (minimum one). There will always at least one available load of a Surplus Good, but Scarce Goods will never be available.

Selling

To find a buyer for speculative trade goods, the players must nominate one character, who spends a week pursuing leads and opening negotiations. Depending on the degree of success, Speculative Trade Goods can be sold for more than their Cost:

Throw Broker (varies) Bonuses: +1 per Broker Skill rank, +EDU Modifier, +1 for repeat business, +1 for High Population/+2 for Massive Population Penalties: ‑2 for Low Population/‑1 for Modest population, ‑2 for illicit goods, ‑2 for each consecutive week searching for a buyer

• 8+: 125% of Cost
• 10+: 150% of Cost
• 12+: 175% of Cost
• 14+: 200% of Cost
• 16+: 225% of Cost
• 18+: 250% of Cost

Scarce Goods can be sold for +25% Cost.

Available Speculative Trade Goods

• 1‑3. One Category
• 4‑5. Two Categories
• 6. Three Categories

Table of Speculative Trade Goods (2d6)

2. Robots/Drones
3. Radioactives
4. Medical Equipment
5. Manufacturing Equipment
6. Chemicals
7. Machine Parts
8. Rare Minerals
9. Electronics Components
10. Pharmaceuticals
11. Luxury Goods
12. Arms/Munitions

Details

This list is ordered by increasing order of value per weight. The listed price is the Cost to purchase one load of the good, which will usually be sold for a greater value. Speculative Goods must be purchased and transported in the load sizes specified below. A variable number of loads (each occupying the specified tonnage) will be available during any given period.

• Machine Parts: 4k / 20 tons (2d6+3 loads)
• Rare Minerals: 6k / 20 tons (2d6+3 loads)
• Chemicals: 4k / 10 tons (2d6 loads)
• Manufacturing Equipment: 20k / 40 tons (1d3 loads)
• Electronics Components: 6k / 10 tons (1d6‑2 loads)
• Medical Equipment: 26k / 40 tons (1d3 loads)
• Pharmaceuticals: 7k / 10 tons (1d6‑2 loads)
• Radioactives: 15k / 20 tons (1d3 loads)
• Luxury Goods: 16k / 20 tons (1d6‑3 loads)
• Robots/Drones: 36k / 40 tons (1d3 loads)
• Arms/Munitions: 10k / 10 tons (1d6‑3 loads)

Whenever a ship first enters a system from Jumpspace, the captain must roll a Random Encounter Check. Throw 1d6: on 5+, an encounter occurs. The Referee will tell you what happens and then will ask how you respond.

Stations

To be adequately crewed, all starships require at least a Pilot and an Engineer. Larger vessels require other officers, crewmembers at other stations, or even multiple crewmembers assigned to certain stations. The Referee will tell you the minimum and recommended crew to operate a given starship.

• Captain*
• Pilot
• Navigator*
• Comms (sensors and electronic warfare)
• Engineer
• Steward (only when Middle/High Passengers are aboard)
• Gunner* (one per weapon group)
• Optional Stations: Deckhand, Technician, Security, etc.

Stations marked with an asterisk do not need to be filled at all times or can usually be filled by a crewmember that normally works a different station. For example, on smaller vessels, the Pilot or the Comms Officer also usually works as the Navigator, while the Captain may be a crewmember occupied with any station (often Comms or Steward), and Gunners usually draw from any unoccupied crew in the moments before ship combat erupts.

Jumpspace

Ships may travel enormous distances in a short period of time by transiting through Jumpspace. To do so, the ship must expend sufficient fuel (measured in parsecs-worth) and the ship's Navigator must pass a Jump throw.

The experience of Jumping is disorienting for the inexperienced, but is otherwise uneventful, since the ship is completely isolated for the duration of the jump. Boredom and cramped quarters are the most common threats during most Jumps.

No matter the distance Jumped, ships always arrive at their destinations after roughly a week in Jumpspace, plus or minus a handful of hours. The destination of any Jump must be near (but not within 100 diameters of) a gravity well, and the destination must be within a number of parsecs (hexes) equal to the ship's Jump rating.

Throw Navigation 8+ Bonuses: +1 per Navigate Skill Rank, ±EDU Modifier, +1 for refined fuel, +1 for recent navigational records Penalties: ‑1 for unrefined Fuel, ‑1 for a rushed Jump, ‑4 for a blind Jump, ‑6 for Jumping within 100 diameters of a gravity well

If the Jump throw is failed, then the ship suffers from a Misjump: the ship travels 1d6-1 parsecs (hexes) in a random direction and must immediately make a Maintenance Saving Throw (with a substantial penalty).

Maintenance

Ships must be serviced once per year. As a ship becomes overdue for its Annual Maintenance (scheduled maintence/overhaul), it becomes increasingly prone to issues. (See Economics for costs.)

In addition, the Captain of a starship must make a Maintenance Saving Throw at the end of each week to determine whether any major maintenance issues arise. (Success indicates that nothing breaks this week!)

Throw 5+ Bonuses: +1 if crewed by skilled engineer(s), +6 if the week was spent docked, +4 if it was spent in system, +1 if a Jump was made with refined fuel Penalties:‑6 if the ship Misjumped, ‑2 for each unresolved maintenance issue, ‑1 for each month past the ship's annual overhaul date

When a ship fails a Maintenance Saving Throw, throw 1d6 to determine the nature of the malfunction:

• 1‑4. Mechanical Issue
• 5‑6. Electrical Issue

Repairs

Broken or inoperable systems may be able to be jury rigged by skilled technicians.

Throw Mechanics/Electronics 8+ Bonuses: ±INT Modifier, +1 for a skilled assistant Penalties: ‑1 for each unresolved maintenance issue, ‑2 for inadequate tools, ‑1 for each month past the ship's annual overhaul date

In addition, a skilled Repair Chief may be able to reduce the cost of repairs: subtract the Margin of the Repair Chief's skill throw from the rolled Cost of the repairs (below).

Basics

Ships are measured in "displacement tons" (dTons, or just "tons"). Each ton represents the volume of space displaced by a ton of liquid hydrogen at room temperature at 1 atmosphere of pressure, or roughly an area 2 meters per side. For deckplan mapping purposes, each graph paper square represents 5 displacement tons of space, or an area roughly 4 meters per side.

Ships possess one Hardpoint (for equipping weapons) and six Hull Points (HP) per 100 tons.

The Starter Ship: Free Trader (200 tons)

Cost: 2m Cr

Starship Statistics

The following elements may be combined to create a starship. The total tonnage of all components must equal that of the ship's tonnage class (e.g. 200 tons). The "Ship Systems" elements and at least one Stateroom are required; all other elements are optional.

Cost

The Base Cost of a starship is based on its total tonnage. When a mechanic refers to a ship's "Cost," the Base Cost is the intended number. The Base Cost does not include the cost of Ship Defenses, Armaments, or Small Craft stored in the Hanger. (The cost of these elements are listed below.)

Ship Systems

Command Bridge, Central Computer, and Key Infrastructure: 10% of total tonnage.

Impulse Drive:

• Impulse‑1: 1g acceleration, 10 tons
• Impulse‑2: 3gs, 40 tons
• Impulse‑3: 6gs, 90 tons
• Impulse‑4: 10gs, 160 tons

Jump Drive:

• Jump‑1: 1 parsec range, 20 tons
• Jump‑2: 2 parsecs, 80 tons
• Jump‑3: 3 parsecs, 180 tons
• Jump‑4: 4 parsecs, 320 tons

Fuel Tanks: 10 tons per parsec-amount (hex)

Amenities

Quarters: 10 tons each

• Stateroom: Occupancy 2
• Barracks: Occupancy 5 (only Marines)
• Low Berths: Occupancy 6 (frozen)

Medbay: 5 tons / Occupancy 2

Cargo Hold: Multiples of 5 tons

Hanger: Multiples of 5 tons

• Shuttlecraft: 10 tons
• Ship's Boat: 20 or 40 tons

Armaments

Lasers Weapon Cost: 30k Cr/ton 1-in-6 chance to overheat after each attack

• Pulse Lasers: 10 tons (300k Cr) 1d6 damage / +2 Close, ‑2 Far, — Distant
• Beam Lasers: 20 tons (600k Cr) 2d6 damage / 0 Close, 0 Far, ‑4 Distant
• Particle Ray: 30 tons (900k Cr) 2d6 damage (ignores Physical Armor) / ‑2 Close, 0 Far, ‑2 Distant

Projectile Weapons Weapon Cost: 20k Cr/ton Ammo: 5 tons per 6 additional slugs/barrels (Cost: 10k Cr/ton)

• Gauss Cannon: 30 tons (600k Cr) 2d6 damage (ignores Shields) / +4 Close, 0 Far, ‑6 Distant
• Sandcaster: 10 tons (200k Cr) With a reactionary Gunnery roll (+2 vs lasers), discard one damage die from a successful laser or missile attack
• Point Defense Flak Guns: 20 tons (400k Cr) 1d6 damage vs all small craft at Close range

Missile Racks: 15 tons (225k Cr) Weapon Cost: 15k Cr/ton Ammo: 5 tons per 12 additional missiles (Cost: var.)

• Conventional Missiles: 1d6 damage / +0 at all ranges (Ammo: 10k Cr/ton)
• Nuclear Missiles: 2d6 damage / +0 at all ranges (Ammo: 25k Cr/ton)
• Smart (AI) Missiles: +2 at all ranges (Cost: +10k Cr/ton)

Bay Weapons/Spinal Mounts Tonnage and Weapon Cost: 12 x Base Weapon

• Spinal Super Pulse Laser: 120 tons (3.6m Cr) 3d6+3 damage / +2 Close, ‑2 Far, — Distant
• Spinal Super Beam Laser: 240 tons (7.2m Cr) 6d6+6 damage / 0 Close, 0 Far, ‑4 Distant
• Spinal Super Gauss Cannon: 360 tons (7.2m Cr + 720k Cr per 6 slugs) 6d6+6 damage / +4 Close, 0 Far, ‑6 Distant
• Bay Super Particle Ray Projector: 360 tons (10.8m Cr) 4d6+3 damage (ignores Shields) / ‑2 Close, 0 Far, ‑2 Distant
• Missile Bay: 180 tons (2.7m Cr) 12 missile volley / As missile type

Defenses

Physical Armor: Armor Cost: 20k Cr/ton Prevents 1 damage per damage die rolled per rank versus all sources of damage (except Particle Rays)

• Physical Armor‑1: 30 tons (600k Cr)
• Physical Armor‑2: 120 tons (2.4m Cr)
• Physical Armor‑3: 270 tons (5.4m Cr)

Shields: Shield Cost: 30k Cr/ton Prevents 1 total damage per rank versus lasers and missiles

• Shields‑1: 10 tons (300k Cr)
• Shields‑2: 40 tons (1.2m Cr)
• Shields‑3: 90 tons (2.7m Cr)
• Shields‑4: 160 tons (4.8m Cr)

Typical Civilian Starships

A list of common civilian starships and their typical configurations.

Light Merchantman (100 tons)

Cost: 800k Cr

Free Trader (200 tons)

Cost: 2.3m Cr

Merchant Freighter (300 tons)

Cost: 4.725m Cr

Passenger Liner (300 tons)

Cost: 4.8m Cr

Typical Military Starships

A list of common military starships and their typical configurations.

Gunboat (100 tons)

Cost: 725k Cr

Scout Ship (200 tons)

Cost: 2.3m Cr

Corvette (200 tons)

Cost: 2.9m Cr

Destroyer (400 tons)

Cost: 9.545m Cr

Carrier (600 tons)

Cost: 20.4m Cr

Battlecruiser (800 tons)

Cost: 32m Cr

Battleship (1000 tons)

Cost: 50m Cr

Dreadnought (3000 tons)

Cost: 450m Cr

Typical Small Craft

A list of common, small spacecraft and their typical configurations.

The components for most small craft occupy ⅒ the tonnage that they would occupy in a full-size spacecraft, except that Essentials require 20% of the craft's weight and Impulse Drives provide 2-g acceleration per rating and occupy tonnage equal to their rating.

Viper Starfighter (10 tons)

Cost: 100k Cr (w/o missiles)

Ship's Launch (20 tons) IN PROGRESS

Cost: 125k Cr

Ship's Boat (40 tons) IN PROGRESS

Cost: 250k Cr

Some characters develop psionic abilities, either during childhood ("Childhood Events Table") or during their career as a Drifter. When a character does so, they immediate generate the hidden seventh ability, Psionic Strength (PSI). Characters with a PSI score can attempt to enter the Psion career.

Psychic Skills

To activate a Psionic Ability, psychic characters must suffer the listed points of damage to their PSI score and then pass a throw of the associated Psychic Skill:

Throw [Psychic Skill] 8+ Bonuses: ±PSI, +2 for psychotropic drugs, +1 for psionic wetware Penalties: -2 for each Attribute that is reduced to zero

Each Psychic Skill governs a collection of related Psionic Abilities, each of which can be activated by spending PSI and passing a Psychic Skill roll.

• Psionic Abilities

Torching

Characters with PSI scores can always "burn" or "torch" an Attribute to instantaneously refresh their Psionic Strength. When they do, they first suffer 1d6+2 damage to Strength, Agility, or Endurance, and then they regain 1d6 Psionic Strength. If desired, they can repeat this process multiple times.

The boost to PSI can even temporarily lift Psionic Strength scores above their normal maximum rating, as long as the psychic immediately activates a Psionic Skill. Any unused points in excess of the character's PSI are then lost.

After torching (and activating a psionic ability, if desired), the psychic suffers the normal effects of damage, which might include unconsciousness, serious injury, or even death.