Deep Sky Ballad vs Lancer
Compare Deep Sky Ballad and Lancer side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Deep Sky Ballad | Lancer | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi, Post-Apocalyptic | Scifi |
| Play Style | Cinematic, Drama, Character-Driven, Pulp Action, Ship-Based, Combat-Heavy, Crunchy, Tactical, Skill-Based, Classless, Resource Management, Grid-Based, Mission-Based, Lore-Heavy | Tactical, Mecha, Grid-Based, Character Building, Combat-Heavy, Heroic, Crunchy |
| Core Mechanic | Blackjack System — each player and the GM draw from their own poker deck (cards 1–10 in each suit, no face cards). On a Challenge, draw two cards, then up to (Attribute) more, then remove up to (Skill) cards from the table. The remaining hand must reach the difficulty (Easy 16, Medium 18, Hard 19, Very Hard 20, Extreme 21) without exceeding 21. Hitting exactly 21 before the elimination phase is a Critical Success; busting over 21 is automatic failure regardless of the target. Aces count as 1 or 11. Emotional Bonds with crewmates can be spent during play to fuel near-superhuman cinematic abilities. | Narrative scenes use d20 roll-over (10+ succeeds), with backgrounds granting advantage and triggers adding flat bonuses. Mech combat is grid-based and tactical — no initiative, players and NPCs alternate turns. Pilots progress through License Levels (LL0–LL12), unlocking new chassis, weapons, and systems across five manufacturers with 30+ mech frames. |
| Dice | Diceless | d20 + d6 |
| Complexity | High | High |
| Accessibility | Medium | High |
| Community | Low | Medium |
| License | Proprietary | Lancer Third Party License |
| Cost | $$ | Free (PDF) / $$ |
| Publisher | Winged Lion Games | Massif Press |
| Year | 2023 | 2019 |
| Best For | Groups who want a Space Western centered on cinematic crew drama and modular spaceship combat, with a card-based resolution that turns every challenge into a poker hand. Designed for a Posse of adventurers who share ownership of an interstellar ship and chase wealth across the wreckage of a fallen galaxy. | Groups who want deep tactical mech combat with meaningful customization layered on top of accessible narrative play — giant robot enthusiasts seeking a modern alternative to BattleTech. |
| Highlights | Card-based resolution gives players visible information about their hand before committing to a Challenge, turning each roll into a press-your-luck decision. Six-axis Hardboiled System tracks Loyalty/Rivalry, Affection/Hatred, and Trust/Grudge between Posse members at multiple stages, granting bond-fueled cinematic abilities tied to those relationships. Spaceship combat uses a hex-grid module map with simultaneous six-phase turns (Maneuvers, Movement, Shield, Mine Release, Fire, Resolution), requiring each crewmember to act from their assigned station. Modular ship construction lets the Posse design custom hulls under Energy and Charge limits and upgrade modules over the campaign. | Free core PDF, extensive mech customization with 30+ frames, clean split between rules-light narrative and crunchy tactical combat, Comp/Con companion app is well-integrated, active community |
| Considerations | Heavy mechanical load: separate subsystems track Vigor, Resources, Fatigue, Mental Fatigue, Emotional Bond stages and tokens, Wear, and Spaceship Conflict each with their own rules. Card-based resolution requires a full poker deck per player plus a separate GM deck (an official Discord bot exists as a substitute). Spaceship combat's simultaneous-phase structure expects every player to participate from a different ship module and slows considerably with larger crews. Designed specifically for Space Western themes within the New Frontier setting — not a generic engine for other genres. | Mech combat dominates — narrative half feels thin by comparison, steep learning curve from sheer volume of mech options, genre-locked to sci-fi mech fiction, requires grid/VTT for combat |