Mothership vs Traveller
Compare Mothership and Traveller side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Mothership | Traveller | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi, Horror | Scifi |
| Play Style | Rules-Light, Deadly, One-Shot Friendly, Survival, Atmospheric, Low-Prep, Cinematic, Fast-Paced | Sandbox, Simulation, Exploration, Deadly, Character Building, Faction Play |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d100 under stat/skill. Stress and panic mechanics escalate tension. | Roll 2d6 + skill + modifier ≥ 8 to succeed. Character generation is a mini-game. |
| Dice | d100 | 2d6 |
| Complexity | Low | Medium |
| Accessibility | High | High |
| Runnability | Medium | Very High |
| License | 3rd Party License | Traveller Fair Use Policy |
| Cost | $ | $$ |
| Publisher | Tuesday Knight Games | Mongoose Publishing |
| Year | 2022 | 2022 |
| Best For | Terrifying sci-fi horror one-shots and short campaigns. Panic table creates unforgettable moments. | Hard sci-fi sandbox campaigns with trading, exploration, and realistic space travel. |
| Highlights | Rules-light, well-regarded module library, panic system creates mechanical tension | Comprehensive sci-fi toolkit, lifepath character creation, detailed trade/travel systems |
| Considerations | Panic table can cascade and end sessions abruptly, limited long-campaign support in core rules, stress mechanics can feel repetitive over extended play | Lifepath character creation rolls for aging and career mishaps, so a Traveller can leave chargen weakened or pushed onto an unwanted path. Subsystem rules are spread across multiple supplements, so the core book leaves several procedures without full depth. Characteristics are recorded as a hexadecimal Universal Personality Profile string, an unusual notation newcomers must learn before they can read a stat block. |