Coriolis: The Third Horizon vs Starfinder
Compare Coriolis: The Third Horizon and Starfinder side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Coriolis: The Third Horizon | Starfinder | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi | Scifi |
| Play Style | Exploration, Atmospheric, Character-Driven, Faction Play, Ship-Based, Investigation, Cinematic | Tactical, Crunchy, Combat-Heavy, Character Building, Grid-Based, Heroic, Ascending AC, Space Opera, Ship-Based, Exploration |
| Core Mechanic | Roll a d6 dice pool (attribute + skill + gear). Each 6 is a success. Pray to the Icons to reroll all non-successes, but doing so gives the GM a Darkness Point to spend on complications, NPC boosts, or cosmic threats. | d20 + modifier vs. DC. Three-action economy per turn. Four degrees of success. Cross-compatible with Pathfinder 2e. |
| Dice | d6 dice pool | d20 |
| Complexity | Medium | High |
| Accessibility | Medium | Very High |
| Community | Medium | High |
| License | Year Zero Engine OGL | ORC |
| Cost | $$ | Free (ORC) |
| Publisher | Free League Publishing | Paizo |
| Year | 2017 | 2024 |
| Best For | Groups who want sci-fi exploration with a Middle Eastern-inspired setting, ship-based campaigns, and a mix of trade, intrigue, and cosmic mystery. | 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 | Setting blends sci-fi with Middle Eastern mythology and Icon worship, Darkness Points create a GM resource that escalates over the session, detailed ship customization with five crew roles in space combat, ten factions provide a political backdrop for intrigue campaigns | Free rules on Archives of Nethys, deep tactical combat, cross-compatible with PF2e, distinct class identity |
| Considerations | Space combat uses a separate five-phase subsystem with added complexity, praying to the Icons is the only reroll mechanic and it always costs a Darkness Point, mystical powers chapter is brief compared to the setting and combat chapters, setting is tightly coupled — 36 star systems with specific lore | 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 |