Lancer vs TimeWatch
Compare Lancer and TimeWatch side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Lancer | TimeWatch | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi | Scifi, Historical |
| Tags | Tactical, Mecha, Character Building, Heroic, Crunchy | Investigation, Mystery, Mission-Based, Cinematic, Narrative, Resource Management, Tactical, Gonzo, Hackable, Strong GM Support |
| Core Mechanic | 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. | A relevant Investigative ability reveals necessary clues without a roll or point spend. For General ability tests, roll a d6 and add points spent from that ability's pool before rolling to meet or exceed the difficulty. |
| Dice | d20 + d6 | d6 |
| Complexity | High | High |
| Accessibility | High | Medium |
| Runnability | Very High | Very High |
| License | Lancer Third Party License | All Rights Reserved |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Commercial publishing allowed — Community content program |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Cost | $$ | $$ |
| Publisher | Massif Press | Pelgrane Press |
| Year | 2019 | 2016 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | 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. | Groups who want investigative missions across historical eras with action-movie combat and opportunities to solve problems through time travel. |
| Highlights | Free core PDF, extensive mech customization with 30+ frames, clean split between rules-light narrative and crunchy tactical combat, alternating activations remove initiative so both sides stay engaged | Investigative abilities guarantee necessary clues, keeping mysteries focused on interpreting evidence rather than failed searches. Paradox Prevention spends let agents arrange helpful circumstances through time travel, including assistance from their future selves. Campaign frames change the premise and rules for alternatives such as body-hopping missions or time-traveling heists. |
| Considerations | 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 | Spending General ability points commits limited resources before the die result is known. Paradox can reduce Chronal Stability far enough to rewrite an agent's identity or erase them from existence. The GM can refuse time-travel tactics that contradict established events or make the game less workable. |