Cepheus Engine vs Starfinder
Compare Cepheus Engine and Starfinder side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Cepheus Engine | Starfinder | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi | Scifi |
| Tags | Sandbox, Toolkit, Ship-Based, Career-Based, Skill-Based, Random Character Creation, Random Tables, Exploration, Simulation, Tactical | Tactical, Crunchy, Character Building, Heroic, Ascending AC, Space Opera, Ship-Based, Exploration |
| Core Mechanic | Roll 2d6 and add the relevant skill, characteristic modifier and difficulty modifiers. A total of 8 or more succeeds. The margin above or below 8 is the Effect, which determines the outcome where the rules call for it. | d20 + modifier vs. DC. Three-action economy per turn. Four degrees of success. Cross-compatible with Pathfinder 2e. |
| Dice | 2d6 | d20 |
| Complexity | High | High |
| Accessibility | Very High | Very High |
| Runnability | High | Very High |
| License | Open Game License 1.0a | ORC |
| Third-Party Publishing | Commercial publishing allowed — Open license | Not yet researched |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Publisher | Samardan Press | Paizo |
| Year | 2016 | 2024 |
| Languages | English, Italian, French | English, French, German, Italian, Spanish |
| Best For | Groups who want interstellar sandbox campaigns built around trading or exploring aboard a shared ship. | Sci-fi fans who want Pathfinder 2e's tactical depth with plasma rifles and starships. Great for PF2e veterans looking for cross-compatible space adventure. |
| Highlights | Career terms generate experienced characters whose skills and starting assets reflect their prior lives. Planetary trade codes modify cargo prices, giving merchants a reason to compare routes and markets. World and encounter tables provide the referee with material for an interstellar sandbox. | Free rules on Archives of Nethys, deep tactical combat, cross-compatible with PF2e, distinct class identity |
| Considerations | Failed career survival rolls kill characters by default, with an optional mishap alternative requiring referee approval. Damage reduces physical characteristics, weakening injured characters until they recover. Operating a ship requires tracking recurring expenses alongside its income. | Steep learning curve, fewer classes and options than PF2e (still growing), tactical starship combat rules deferred to a future supplement with current rules being narrative only |