Starfinder vs Traveller
Compare Starfinder and Traveller side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Starfinder | Traveller | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi | Scifi |
| Play Style | Tactical, Crunchy, Character Building, Heroic, Ascending AC, Space Opera, Ship-Based, Exploration | Sandbox, Simulation, Exploration, Deadly, Character Building, Faction Play |
| Core Mechanic | d20 + modifier vs. DC. Three-action economy per turn. Four degrees of success. Cross-compatible with Pathfinder 2e. | Roll 2d6 + skill + modifier ≥ 8 to succeed. Character generation is a mini-game. |
| Dice | d20 | 2d6 |
| Complexity | High | Medium |
| Accessibility | Very High | High |
| Runnability | Very High | Very High |
| License | ORC | Traveller Fair Use Policy |
| Cost | Free | $$ |
| Publisher | Paizo | Mongoose Publishing |
| Year | 2024 | 2022 |
| 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. | Hard sci-fi sandbox campaigns with trading, exploration, and realistic space travel. |
| Highlights | Free rules on Archives of Nethys, deep tactical combat, cross-compatible with PF2e, distinct class identity | Comprehensive sci-fi toolkit, lifepath character creation, detailed trade/travel systems |
| 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 | 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. |