Star Wars Roleplaying Game vs The Expanse Roleplaying Game
Compare Star Wars Roleplaying Game and The Expanse Roleplaying Game side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Star Wars Roleplaying Game | The Expanse Roleplaying Game | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi | Scifi |
| Tags | Career-Based, Narrative, Space Opera, Licensed IP, Faction Play, Combat-Heavy, Character Building | Licensed IP, Space Opera, Ship-Based, Crunchy, Social Combat, Investigation, Faction Play, Social Intrigue, Strong GM Support, Tactical |
| Core Mechanic | Assemble a pool of custom narrative dice: positive (Boost, Ability, Proficiency) from skills and equipment, negative (Setback, Difficulty, Challenge) from task difficulty. Roll and cancel opposing symbols on three independent axes (Success vs. Failure, Advantage vs. Threat, Triumph vs. Despair), so every check produces both an outcome and narrative texture. Each corebook adds its own character-pressure layer: Edge of the Empire tracks Obligation (debts and burdens that randomly trigger at session start), Age of Rebellion tracks Duty (Rebel mission focus that earns Contribution Rank toward Alliance promotions), and Force and Destiny tracks Morality (a 0–100 light-vs-dark scale that fuels a dedicated Force die powering abilities like Move, Sense, and Influence). | Roll three six-sided dice, two matched and one differently colored Drama Die, and add an ability score plus a focus bonus of +2 if applicable. The total must equal or beat a target number set by the GM or an opponent's result. Rolling doubles generates stunt points spent on combat, exploration, or social effects. The Drama Die's value sets the degree of success. |
| Dice | Custom dice | 3d6 |
| Complexity | Medium | High |
| Accessibility | High | High |
| Runnability | Very High | Very High |
| License | All Rights Reserved | All Rights Reserved |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | No verified route found |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Cost | $$$ | $$ |
| Publisher | Fantasy Flight Games | Green Ronin Publishing |
| Year | 2013 | 2019 |
| Best For | Groups who want a narrative-rich Star Wars campaign where every roll generates story texture beyond pass/fail, and who can pick the corebook (or mix multiple) matching their preferred campaign focus: outer-rim scoundrels, Rebel operatives, or hunted Force users. | Groups who want a character-focused science fiction campaign of crew jobs, faction pressure, and danger across the Solar System. It suits tables that want structured action, investigation, and social encounters alongside ship travel. |
| Highlights | Three corebooks fully cross-compatible: Edge of the Empire (fringe criminals and scoundrels), Age of Rebellion (Rebel Alliance soldiers and pilots), and Force and Destiny (Force-sensitive characters) play at the same table with characters from any book, six careers per book each with three specialization talent trees, narrative dice produce three independent axes of result on every roll so success-with-complications and failure-with-silver-lining are common outcomes, detailed starship combat and ship-modification rules throughout all three books with Force and Destiny extending the system with lightsaber construction and Force power talent trees | Backgrounds, professions, talents, and focuses build characters with mechanical ties to their lives before the campaign begins. Action, exploration, and social encounters each use dedicated stunts, giving different kinds of scenes procedures beyond a single skill roll. The Churn turns accumulated complications into escalating story events, giving the Game Master a structured way to introduce setbacks. |
| Considerations | Requires proprietary narrative dice or the Star Wars Dice app: standard polyhedral dice need conversion charts and slow play significantly, no free core rules available (Beginner Games exist for each corebook but require purchase), interpreting multi-symbol dice results adds a learning curve compared to standard d20-style resolution, most groups buy only the corebook matching their campaign focus rather than all three | Combat stunts are drawn from six separate category tables covering roughly sixty options, requiring both players and the GM to check charts mid-fight to keep pace. Ground and air vehicles receive no example statistics, leaving their combat rules almost entirely improvised. The forty-page setting guide summarizes the solar system's factions and history at a survey level, so groups wanting deeper political detail need outside reading of the novels. |