Starfinder vs The Derelict Speaks
Compare Starfinder and The Derelict Speaks side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Starfinder | The Derelict Speaks | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi | Scifi, Horror |
| Play Style | Tactical, Crunchy, Character Building, Heroic, Ascending AC, Space Opera, Ship-Based, Exploration | Rules-Light, One-Shot Friendly, Horror, Character-Driven, Deadly, Low-Prep, Theater of the Mind, Open Source |
| Core Mechanic | d20 + modifier vs. DC. Three-action economy per turn. Four degrees of success. Cross-compatible with Pathfinder 2e. | When a Speaker opposes a Responder, the player rolls 2d6 and assigns one die to Survival and the other to Sanity. Each die is read separately: 5–6 avoids the consequence, 3–4 causes a lesser consequence and transfers one Blood to the GM, and 1–2 causes a severe consequence and transfers two Blood. Aiding adds a third die and keeps the best two, but every participant suffers the final results. |
| Dice | d20 | 2d6 |
| Complexity | High | Very Low |
| Accessibility | Very High | Very High |
| Runnability | Very High | High |
| License | ORC | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Publisher | Paizo | Precision Chaos Machine |
| Year | 2024 | 2021 |
| Best For | 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. | Groups seeking a semi-competitive science-fiction horror one-shot where player elimination becomes active antagonist play. |
| Highlights | Free rules on Archives of Nethys, deep tactical combat, cross-compatible with PF2e, distinct class identity | Assigning one die to Survival and one to Sanity makes each opposed roll threaten body and mind independently. A defeated Responder becomes a Speaker who spends Blood on manifestations, keeping eliminated players active as antagonists. Four Acts raise the Speakers' manifestation limits and Blood supply, producing a complete escalation arc from briefing to escape. |
| Considerations | 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 | The rules support one hostile-derelict scenario and contain no advancement or campaign procedure. Minor harm, serious harm, cracking under pressure, and meltdowns have no additional mechanical definitions, leaving their consequences to the table. The semi-competitive structure turns defeated characters into antagonists, changing play from cooperative survival to active opposition. |