Black Star vs The Expanse Roleplaying Game
Compare Black Star and The Expanse Roleplaying Game side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Black Star | The Expanse Roleplaying Game | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi | Scifi |
| Tags | Rules-Light, Pulp Action, Space Opera, Beginner-Friendly, Fast-Paced, Mana Points | Licensed IP, Space Opera, Ship-Based, Crunchy, Social Combat, Investigation, Faction Play, Social Intrigue, Strong GM Support, Tactical |
| Core Mechanic | Roll 2d6 + ability, 9+ to succeed. Ten abilities rated 0–5. Pick two archetypes from ten options (Commander, Engineer, Mystic, Scoundrel, etc.) to define your character's strengths. Resolve serves as both HP and hero points: spend it to boost rolls or fuel special abilities, but run out and you're down. Advantages and disadvantages modify the roll. | Roll three six-sided dice, two matched and one differently colored Drama Die, and add an ability score plus a focus bonus of +2 if applicable. The total must equal or beat a target number set by the GM or an opponent's result. Rolling doubles generates stunt points spent on combat, exploration, or social effects. The Drama Die's value sets the degree of success. |
| Dice | 2d6 | 3d6 |
| Complexity | Low | High |
| Accessibility | Medium | High |
| Runnability | Low | Very High |
| License | All Rights Reserved | All Rights Reserved |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | No verified route found |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Cost | $ | $$ |
| Publisher | Lakeside Games | Green Ronin Publishing |
| Year | 2023 | 2019 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | Groups who want fast, pulpy space opera with simple rules: pick two archetypes, grab some d6s, and blast off into adventure. | Groups who want a character-focused science fiction campaign of crew jobs, faction pressure, and danger across the Solar System. It suits tables that want structured action, investigation, and social encounters alongside ship travel. |
| Highlights | Simple to learn, dual archetype system creates unique combinations, Resolve as HP-and-hero-points is a clean design, fast character creation, suited for one-shots and pickup games | Backgrounds, professions, talents, and focuses build characters with mechanical ties to their lives before the campaign begins. Action, exploration, and social encounters each use dedicated stunts, giving different kinds of scenes procedures beyond a single skill roll. The Churn turns accumulated complications into escalating story events, giving the Game Master a structured way to introduce setbacks. |
| Considerations | Limited advancement options, narrow space opera focus, lacks deep tactical combat | Combat stunts are drawn from six separate category tables covering roughly sixty options, requiring both players and the GM to check charts mid-fight to keep pace. Ground and air vehicles receive no example statistics, leaving their combat rules almost entirely improvised. The forty-page setting guide summarizes the solar system's factions and history at a survey level, so groups wanting deeper political detail need outside reading of the novels. |