Mothership vs TimeWatch
Compare Mothership and TimeWatch side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Mothership | TimeWatch | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi, Horror | Scifi, Historical |
| Tags | Rules-Light, Deadly, One-Shot Friendly, Survival, Atmospheric, Low-Prep, Cinematic, Fast-Paced | Investigation, Mystery, Mission-Based, Cinematic, Narrative, Resource Management, Tactical, Gonzo, Hackable, Strong GM Support |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d100 under stat/skill. Stress and panic mechanics escalate tension. | 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 | d100 | d6 |
| Complexity | Low | High |
| Accessibility | High | Medium |
| Runnability | Medium | Very High |
| License | 3rd 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 | Tuesday Knight Games | Pelgrane Press |
| Year | 2022 | 2016 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | Terrifying sci-fi horror one-shots and short campaigns. Panic table creates unforgettable moments. | Groups who want investigative missions across historical eras with action-movie combat and opportunities to solve problems through time travel. |
| Highlights | Rules-light, well-regarded module library, panic system creates mechanical tension | 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 | Panic table can cascade and end sessions abruptly, limited long-campaign support in core rules, stress mechanics can feel repetitive over extended play | 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. |