Aurora vs Traveller
Compare Aurora and Traveller side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Aurora | Traveller | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi | Scifi |
| Play Style | Crunchy, Combat-Heavy, Skill-Based, Mission-Based, Base-Building, Deadly, Random Character Creation, Superhero | Sandbox, Simulation, Exploration, Deadly, Character Building, Faction Play |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d100 equal to or under skill value for a standard success. Degrees of success scale with the margin: standard (full value), difficult (half value), very difficult (quarter value), legendary (01 only). Misfortune triggers on rolls of 96+ (99+ for skilled characters). Combat uses initiative based on Dexterity, with major actions, minor actions, and reactions (number limited by Dexterity / 30). Defenders choose to dodge, parry, counterattack, or maneuver as reactions. Superpowers cost energy points and risk destabilizing the dimension when used in front of witnesses. | Roll 2d6 + skill + modifier ≥ 8 to succeed. Character generation is a mini-game. |
| Dice | d100 | 2d6 |
| Complexity | High | Medium |
| Accessibility | High | High |
| Runnability | Medium | Very High |
| License | All Rights Reserved | Traveller Fair Use Policy |
| Cost | $$ | $$ |
| Publisher | GrubyBang | Mongoose Publishing |
| Year | 2024 | 2022 |
| Best For | Groups who want a crunchy BRP-based sci-fi game where superpowered agents travel to other dimensions on tactical missions, build up a shared base between operations, and face detailed combat with location-based wounds. | Hard sci-fi sandbox campaigns with trading, exploration, and realistic space travel. |
| Highlights | Dimension-hopping premise supports any genre or historical period within a single campaign. 16 superpowers with leveled upgrades and a risk-reward discretion system. Base-building expands Facility 13 with modules like the Isomer Forge (iconic weapons) and Nanite Workshop. 120+ weapons spanning primitive, modern, and futuristic eras. Detailed wound tables by body location and weapon type. | Comprehensive sci-fi toolkit, lifepath character creation, detailed trade/travel systems |
| Considerations | 11-step character creation process is detailed but lengthy. Translated from Polish: occasional language inconsistencies. No free rules or SRD available. | Lifepath character creation can produce unplayable results, subsystem rules are spread across multiple supplements, steep buy-in if using official sourcebooks |