Black Star vs Vagabond
Compare Black Star and Vagabond side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Black Star | Vagabond | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Sci-Fi | Fantasy |
| Tags | Rules-Light, Pulp Action, Space Opera, Beginner-Friendly, Fast-Paced, Mana Points | Fast-Paced, Character Building, Dungeon Crawl, Sandbox, Heroic, Pulp Action, Solo-Friendly, Player-Only Rolls, Mana Points |
| 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 d20 vs. Difficulty (20 − Stat, doubled if Trained). Crit on nat 20, fail below Difficulty. All rolls player-facing. Spend Luck for Advantage (Favor) or rerolls (Fluke). Three saves: Endure (MIT×2), Reflex (DEX+AWR), Will (RSN+PRS). Defend with Block or Dodge on off-turns. Mana-based magic scales one spell from cantrip to nuke. Enemy AI action gambits run monsters for the GM. |
| Dice | 2d6 | d20 |
| Complexity | Low | Low |
| Availability | Paid | Free quickstart |
| Runnability | 2 of 5 book tools | 1 of 5 book tools |
| License | All Rights Reserved | Open Compatibility |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Not yet researched |
| Publisher | Lakeside Games | Land of the Blind |
| Year | 2023 | 2024 |
| 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 wanting modern character depth married to old-school speed: 20+ ancestries, 17 classes, non-Vancian mana magic, and built-in solo/co-op/guided play. |
| 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 | Mana-based magic scales a single spell from cantrip to high-powered effect, so casters shape output on the fly instead of tracking fixed spell slots. Enemy action gambits run monsters from decision tables, removing per-turn tactical choices from the GM's workload. A spendable Luck pool buys Advantage or rerolls, turning swing into a resource players ration across a session. |
| Considerations | Limited advancement options, narrow space opera focus, lacks deep tactical combat | Dense class and ancestry options can overwhelm new players. Pulp-fantasy tone limits grimdark play. All rolls are player-facing, so the GM never rolls dice and every check rests on the players. |