Cepheus Deluxe vs Serenity RPG
Compare Cepheus Deluxe and Serenity RPG side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Cepheus Deluxe | Serenity RPG | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Sci-Fi | Sci-Fi |
| Tags | Space Opera, Career-Based, Skill-Based, Classless, Character Building, Sandbox, Ship-Based, Exploration, Random Tables, Strong GM Support | Licensed IP, Ship-Based, Cinematic, Narrative, Character-Driven, Classless, Skill-Based, Character Building, Tactical, Strong GM Support |
| Core Mechanic | For uncertain tasks, roll 2d6 plus a skill and characteristic modifier to reach a target number. A natural 2 fails and a natural 12 succeeds when the task is feasible. Effect is the amount by which the modified result exceeds or misses the target. Advantage means rolling 3d6 and keeping the highest two dice. | Roll an Attribute die and a relevant Skill die and add their results to meet a difficulty or beat an opposing roll. Ratings use d2–d12 and add extra dice above d12. The Game Master chooses the Attribute paired with each Skill. Personal modifiers change die sizes; outside conditions change the difficulty. Plot Points buy bonus dice before a roll or add +1 per point afterward. |
| Dice | 2d6 | d2–d12 |
| Complexity | High | Medium |
| Availability | Paid | Out of print |
| Runnability | 5 of 5 book tools | 3 of 5 book tools |
| License | OGL 1.0a; Cepheus Deluxe Compatibility-Statement License | All Rights Reserved |
| Third-Party Publishing | Commercial publishing allowed — Open license and compatibility license | No verified route found |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Publisher | Stellagama Publishing | Margaret Weis Productions, Ltd. |
| Year | 2022 | 2005 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | Groups who want a shipboard science-fiction sandbox with career histories and a working trade economy. | Groups who want to play a working-class spaceship crew taking risky jobs on a Western-flavored frontier. It suits tables that like a light core roll, dangerous gunfights, and characters defined as much by their flaws as by their skills. |
| Highlights | Career events produce contacts and enemies that can become adventure hooks. World profiles alter trade prices and local restrictions, giving destinations practical consequences. Distinct shipboard actions let the crew contribute beyond firing weapons. | Playing up a mandatory Complication earns Plot Points, so a character's flaws fund the bonus dice and damage reduction they need in a crisis. Plot Points buy GM-approved story facts on a priced scale from inconsequential to major, giving players a measured say in the plot. The crew's ship has its own Attributes, Traits, and Skills, giving its condition and quirks a mechanical role in play. |
| Considerations | Career creation spans several terms of skills and events before ordinary play begins. Trading campaigns require recurring expense and cargo accounting. The Referee builds the setting from generators and adventure seeds. | Severe Wounds penalize every Attribute die and can require surgery followed by days of recovery. Owning a ship adds monthly bookkeeping: a maintenance roll sets the bill, and each month of skipped upkeep lowers the ship's Vitality toward a breakdown. Social conflict uses ordinary Influence rolls with no dedicated procedure for arguments, negotiation, or deception. |