Crew a beat-up transport on the frontier, take whatever work pays, and keep flyin' in the 'Verse
scifi
Licensed IPShip-BasedCinematicNarrativeCharacter-DrivenClasslessSkill-BasedCharacter BuildingTacticalStrong GM Support
Languages: English
Diced2–d12
System FamilyStandalone
CostUnavailable
LicenseAll Rights Reserved
PublisherMargaret Weis Productions, Ltd.
Year2005
ComplexityMedium
AccessibilityVery Low
RunnabilityLow
Core Mechanic
Roll an Attribute die and a relevant Skill die and add their results to meet a difficulty or beat an opposing roll. Ratings use d2–d12 and add extra dice above d12. The Game Master chooses the Attribute paired with each Skill. Personal modifiers change die sizes; outside conditions change the difficulty. Plot Points buy bonus dice before a roll or add +1 per point afterward.
Best For
Groups who want to play a working-class spaceship crew taking risky jobs on a Western-flavored frontier. It suits tables that like a light core roll, dangerous gunfights, and characters defined as much by their flaws as by their skills.
Highlights
Playing up a mandatory Complication earns Plot Points, so a character's flaws fund the bonus dice and damage reduction they need in a crisis. Plot Points buy GM-approved story facts on a priced scale from inconsequential to major, giving players a measured say in the plot. The crew's ship has its own Attributes, Traits, and Skills, giving its condition and quirks a mechanical role in play.
Considerations
Severe Wounds penalize every Attribute die and can require surgery followed by days of recovery. Owning a ship adds monthly bookkeeping: a maintenance roll sets the bill, and each month of skipped upkeep lowers the ship's Vitality toward a breakdown. Social conflict uses ordinary Influence rolls with no dedicated procedure for arguments, negotiation, or deception.
No verified publishing route foundThe core rulebook reserves all rights to Universal Studios and Margaret Weis Productions and grants no reuse license. A bounded review of the rulebook credits, Margaret Weis Productions' current site, and targeted searches found no Serenity publishing route or explicit prohibition.Reviewed 2026-10-01 · Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.