Lasers & Feelings vs Starfinder
Compare Lasers & Feelings and Starfinder side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Lasers & Feelings | Starfinder | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi | Scifi |
| Play Style | Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Beginner-Friendly, Low-Prep, Comedy, Collaborative, Fiction-First, Open Source, Tag-Based | Tactical, Crunchy, Combat-Heavy, Character Building, Grid-Based, Heroic, Ascending AC, Space Opera, Ship-Based, Exploration |
| Core Mechanic | Pick a number from 2–5. Roll 1–3d6 depending on preparation and expertise. Rolls under your number succeed at Lasers (science, tech, reason); rolls over succeed at Feelings (intuition, diplomacy, passion). Rolling exactly your number triggers Laser Feelings — a special insight where you can ask the GM one question. | d20 + modifier vs. DC. Three-action economy per turn. Four degrees of success. Cross-compatible with Pathfinder 2e. |
| Dice | d6 dice pool | d20 |
| Complexity | Very Low | High |
| Accessibility | Very High | Very High |
| Community | Low | High |
| License | CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 | ORC |
| Cost | Free | Free (ORC) |
| Publisher | One Seven Design (John Harper) | Paizo |
| Year | 2013 | 2024 |
| Best For | Quick one-shots with zero prep — the crew of the interstellar scout ship Raptor must save the day while the captain is out of commission. | 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 | Entire game fits on one page, zero prep needed, character creation takes seconds, hundreds of community hacks adapt the framework to other genres, free and Creative Commons licensed | Free rules on Archives of Nethys, deep tactical combat, cross-compatible with PF2e, distinct class identity |
| Considerations | GM carries most of the creative and structural load, single stat means characters can feel mechanically identical, no structured scenario framework beyond the initial hook, limited replay variety without community hacks | 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 |