Starships

Build Points
The players get a number of build points to build their ship with based off of the party's profit factor.

Base Frame
Each starship has a base frame that determines its size, maneuverability, starting weapon mounts, hull strength, room for expansion, and other capacities. Although two ships that use the same frame might look radically different, they both have some of these base statistics in common. The frame of a starship includes all life support and artificial gravity systems necessary to keep the crew (and any passengers) alive and comfortable. The starship’s frame is also built with a transponder that is essentially the ship’s “address” for standard system-wide and unlimited-range communications (see page 430); this transponder can be turned off, during which time the starship can’t send or receive messages, but neither can it be tracked down by conventional means.

The base frames below are organized by size (from smallest to largest) and cost in Build Points (with less expensive frames coming first within a size). In general, the size and expansion bay capacities of a base frame can’t be changed without a great deal of time and money (and the GM’s permission), so it can be more effective to just start over with a different base frame when upgrading those aspects of a starship.

Racer
Size Tiny

Maneuverability perfect (+2 piloting, turn 0)

HP 20 (increment 5); DT --; CT 4

Mounts forward arc (1 light), aft arc (1 light)

Expansion Bays --

Minimum Crew 1; Maximum Crew 1

Cost 4

Interceptor
Size Tiny

Maneuverability perfect (+2 piloting, turn 0)

HP 30 (increment 5); DT --; CT 6

Mounts forward arc (2 light)

Expansion Bays --

Minimum Crew 1; Maximum Crew 1

Cost 6

Fighter
Size Tiny

Maneuverability good (+1 piloting, turn 1)

HP 35 (increment 5); DT --; CT 7

Mounts forward arc (2 light [1 must be a tracking weapon]), aft arc (1 light)

Expansion Bays --

Minimum Crew 1; Maximum Crew 2

Cost 8

Shuttle
Size Small

Maneuverability perfect (+2 piloting, turn 0)

HP 35 (increment 5); DT --; CT 7

Mounts forward arc (1 light)

Expansion Bays 3 (usually cargo holds or passenger seating)

Minimum Crew 1; Maximum Crew 4

Cost 6

Light Freighter
Size Small

Maneuverability good (+1 piloting, turn 1)

HP 40 (increment 10); DT --; CT 8

Mounts forward arc (2 light), port arc (1 light), starboard arc (1 light)

Expansion Bays 3

Minimum Crew 1; Maximum Crew 6

Cost 10

Explorer
Size Medium

Maneuverability good (+1 piloting, turn 1)

HP 55 (increment 10); DT --; CT 11

Mounts forward arc (1 light), port arc (1 light), starboard arc (1 light), turret (1 light)

Expansion Bays 4

Minimum Crew 1; Maximum Crew 6

Cost 12

Transport
Size Medium

Maneuverability average (+0 piloting, turn 2)

HP 70 (increment 15); DT --; CT 14

Mounts forward arc (1 heavy, 1 light), aft arc (1 light), turret (2 light)

Expansion Bays 5

Minimum Crew 1; Maximum Crew 6

Cost 15

Destroyer
Size Large

Maneuverability average (+0 piloting, turn 2)

HP 150 (increment 20); DT --; CT 30

Mounts forward arc (2 heavy), port arc (1 light), starboard arc (1 light), aft arc (1 light), turret (1 light)

Expansion Bays 4

Minimum Crew 6; Maximum Crew 20

Cost 30

Heavy Freighter
Size Large

Maneuverability average (+0 piloting, turn 2)

HP 120 (increment 20); DT --; CT 24

Mounts forward arc (1 heavy, 2 light), port arc (1 heavy), starboard arc (1 heavy)

Expansion Bays 8

Minimum Crew 6; Maximum Crew 20

Cost 40

Bulk Freighter
Size Huge

Maneuverability poor (-1 piloting, turn 3)

HP 160 (increment 20); DT 5; CT 32

Mounts forward arc (1 heavy), aft arc (1 heavy), turret (2 light)

Expansion Bays 10

Minimum Crew 20; Maximum Crew 50

Cost 55

Cruiser
Size Huge

Maneuverability average (+0 piloting, turn 2)

HP 180 (increment 25); DT 5; CT 36

Mounts forward arc (1 capital), port arc (1 light), starboard arc (1 light), turret (1 heavy)

Expansion Bays 6

Minimum Crew 20; Maximum Crew 100

Cost 60

Carrier
Size Gargantuan

Maneuverability poor (-1 piloting, turn 3)

HP 240 (increment 30); DT 10; CT 48

Mounts forward arc (1 capital), port arc (3 heavy), starboard arc (3 heavy), turret (2 light)

Expansion Bays 10 (must have at least 1 hanger bay)

Minimum Crew 75; Maximum Crew 200

Cost 120

Battleship
Size Gargantuan

Maneuverability average (+0 piloting, turn 2)

HP 280 (increment 40); DT 10; CT 56

Mounts forward arc (1 capital, 2 heavy), port arc (2 heavy, 1 light), starboard arc (2 heavy, 1 light), aft arc (1 light), turret (2 heavy)

Expansion Bays 8

Minimum Crew 100; Maximum Crew 300

Cost 150

Dreadnought
Size Colossal

Maneuverability clumsy (-2 piloting, turn 4)

HP 400 (increment 50); DT 15; CT 80

Mounts forward arc (2 capital, 2 heavy), port arc (1 capital, 3 heavy), starboard arc (1 capital, 3 heavy), turret (4 light)

Expansion Bays 20

Minimum Crew 125; Maximum Crew 500

Cost 200

Power Core
The power core is the most important system on a ship, as it provides power to every other system. The table below lists the ship size each core is designed for, as well as the PCU it provides and its cost. Each Large and smaller ship has room for only a single power core by default, but Medium and Large starships can be fitted with an extra power core housing (see Expansion Bays on page 298). Huge starships can have up to two power cores, Gargantuan starships can have up to three, and Colossal starships can have up to four. Though some ships are exceptions to this standard, they are rare in design. A power core typically has a backup battery system for use in emergencies that can provide limited power—enough for life support, gravity, and comms (see page 430), but no other systems—for 2d6 days.

Thrusters
Ships rely on conventional thrusters to move between locations in a system, to navigate the reaches of the Drift once they arrive there, to explore, and to engage in combat They are designed for ships of a specific size (specified in the Size column of the table below), and they can’t be installed in a ship of an incorrect size. The maximum speed of a starship’s thrusters either grants a bonus or imparts a penalty to Piloting checks to fly the vessel, as noted on the table below.

Thrusters are also used when landing on and taking off from a planet. Large and smaller Starships generally have little difficulty landing on and taking off from a planet with low gravity or standard gravity (unless there are atmospheric conditions such as high winds or storms). The GM determines whether or not a starship’s pilot must attempt a Piloting check to land a starship with a speed lower than 8 on a planet with high gravity, with failure meaning it might crash. Due to their sheer size, Huge and larger starships can’t land on planets, and must use shuttles or other means to ferry crew and goods to a planet and back.

Other Systems
Many other systems have requirements that must be met before they can be installed on a ship. Frequently, these requirements demand a certain amount of power or a specific starship size or tier. Some systems are so standardized that the different types available are simply referred to by their mark (mk), expressing the typical bonus provided.

Armor
Armor protects a ship from direct-fire weapons (see Type on page 303), deflecting their energy and preventing damage to critical ship systems. It grants an armor bonus to a ship’s AC. Armor’s cost depends on the bonus it grants and the ship’s size category (for the purpose of this calculation, Tiny = 1, Small = 2, Medium = 3, Large = 4, etc.). Armor is a passive system and does not require any PCU to remain functional. It provides protection primarily through mass, which can affect a ship’s maneuverability (making it harder to turn) and make it easier for opponents using tracking weapons to lock on to the ship— these effects are listed in the Special column of the table below.

Computer
A computer system functions in many ways as a ship’s brain. Most computers aboard starships have at least a rudimentary artificial personality, and while they can’t fully perform the duties of a crew member, they can assist crew members in various tasks. However, many spacefarers claim that over time, a starship’s computers can develop temperaments and personality quirks that set them apart from identical computers in other ships. A starship has a basic computer of a tier equal to half the starship’s tier (minimum 1); see the Computers skill on page 137 and Computers on page 213 for more information about how a starship computer can be hacked or upgraded. Which upgrades a crew can purchase for its starship computer is determined by the GM; some upgrades can be purchased with Build Points (see page 294).

While a starship’s computer is responsible for operating and managing a wide variety of starship systems at any given point in time, only a starship with an integrated control module (ICM) can aid the crew in starship combat (the basic computer listed on the table below is the only option that lacks an ICM). In general, an ICM adds a flat circumstance bonus to one or more starship combat checks, decided just before the check is attempted. An ICM has a number of nodes; each node grants its bonus to one starship combat check per round. Multiple nodes allow an ICM to influence multiple starship combat checks in a round, but they do not allow a computer to add multiple bonuses to the same starship combat check.

The cost of an ICM for the starship’s computer is equal to the bonus it grants squared, multiplied by its number of nodes. ICMs can be purchased only with Build Points, not with credits.

Crew Quarters
Most starships larger than Tiny have places where their crew can eat, sleep, and bathe during long journeys through space. These quarters can range from hammocks strung between cargo containers to cozy chambers with custom furnishings and private bathrooms. Crew quarters consume a negligible amount of PCU, though amenities in fancier quarters require an operational power core to function.

Common
Common crew quarters are the most basic type. They consist of simple bunks (sometimes folding out from the side of a hallway) or other similarly austere places to rest. Crew members who sleep in common quarters usually keep their personal possessions in a footlocker. Common crew quarters also include a communal bathroom (which includes a military-style shower) and a tiny galley (big enough to prepare only the most basic of meals). Starships with crews numbering in the dozens or hundreds often have massive barracks where crew members sleep in shifts.

Cost (In BP): 0

Good
Good crew quarters are a bit more upscale than common crew quarters. They consist of dormitory-style rooms that can hold one or two small beds (larger starships usually require lower-ranking crew members to share these quarters) and sometimes a personal closet or drawer space for each occupant. Good crew quarters also include one or two shared bathrooms with multiple sinks and shower stalls, and a dining space with an attached galley. Crews of larger starships eat in this dining space in shifts.

Cost (In BP): 2

Luxurious
Luxurious crew quarters are the pinnacle of comfort. They consist of private rooms for each crew member, with personal bathrooms (including showers with high water pressure) and furnishings that match the resident’s tastes. Some luxurious crew quarters also feature a kitchenette, gaming areas, or intimate meeting spaces.

Cost (In BP): 5

Defensive Countermeasures
Defensive countermeasures systems protect a ship from tracking weapons such as missiles, and they make it difficult for enemies using sensors to get a solid reading on the ship. They do this via a complicated suite of electronic sensors and broadcasting equipment that’s designed to jam enemy sensors and create false readings. These systems grant a bonus to a ship’s TL (see page 320); the bonus, PCU usage, and cost are listed in the table below.

Drift Engines
These engines let you travel to and from the Drift (see page 290). The better the engine rating, the faster you can reach distant destinations. Drift engines have a PCU requirement and a maximum frame size. The cost in Build Points is based on the starship’s size category (for the purposes of this calculation, Tiny = 1, Small = 2, Medium = 3, Large = 4, and so on). See the table below for the statistics of the various Drift engines.

For a starship to engage its Drift engines to either enter or exit the Drift, it must remain stationary with its conventional thrusters turned off for 1 minute.

Expansion Bays
Most starships have room within their hull for one or more expansion bays, each of which can be converted to function in a wide variety of roles. Unfilled, these bays are simply storage space (and count as cargo holds), and for many large transport vessels, they remain this way. If a starship’s bays are instead used for guest quarters, the ship can serve as a transport vessel for soldiers, travelers, or refugees. If its bays are filled with medical bays and guest quarters, the ship becomes a mobile hospital.

The following options are available for most ships that have available expansion bays. If an option requires multiple bays, this is noted in its description; if it must consume PCU to function, the amount is listed in the table on page 300. An entire expansion bay must be used for a single purpose, even if it gives you multiple instances of that option. For example, if you select escape pods, that expansion bay gains all six escape pods—you can’t combine three escape pods and one life boat.

Brig
A brig contains all the necessary restraints and security systems to incarcerate up to eight Medium creatures.


 * PCU 1
 * Cost (In BP) 1

Cargo Hold
Unconverted expansion bays count as cargo holds. A cargo hold can contain approximately 25 tons of goods, with no item being larger than Large. A starship with multiple cargo holds can hold larger objects; usually 4 contiguous cargo holds are required to hold Huge objects and 8 for Gargantuan objects. These size restrictions can be overridden at the GM’s discretion.


 * PCU 0
 * Cost (In BP) 0

Escape Pods
Escape pods give the crew of a severely damaged or destroyed starship a way to avoid imminent death. An escape pod fits one Medium or smaller creature and has enough supplies and life-support capacity for that creature to survive for 7 days. It is also fitted with a distress beacon that is easily identified by long-range scanners. An escape pod has heat shields that allow it to crash-land on a planet with an atmosphere, but no means of propulsion. A single expansion bay can be converted into six escape pods.


 * PCU 2
 * Cost (In BP) 1

Guest Quarters
Starships that function as passenger vessels require spaces apart from their crew quarters for their guests to sleep. A single expansion bay can be converted into common quarters (usually simple bunks or hammocks) for six passengers, good quarters (usually a comfortable bed, a desk with a chair, and a small set of drawers) for four passengers, or luxurious quarters (usually a large bed, a wardrobe, a couch, a desk with a nice chair, and a private washroom) for two passengers.


 * PCU 1
 * Cost (In BP) 1

Hanger Bay
A hangar bay can be installed only in a Gargantuan or larger starship and takes up 4 expansion bays. A hangar bay provides a place for up to 8 Tiny starships to dock.


 * PCU 30
 * Cost (In BP) 10

Hydroponic Garden
This space holds an entirely self-sustaining garden, complete with oxygen recycling, food production, and lighting that fosters advanced growth. A hydroponic garden takes up two expansion bays and can provide food for up to 10 Medium-sized creatures indefinitely, even if the rest of the vessel is without full power or propulsion. Multiple hydroponic gardens can be linked together to form one massive garden space.


 * PCU 0
 * Cost (In BP) 5

Launch Tubes
Designed to fit on Medium and Large vessels, these tubes allow a ship to carry a single smaller vessel that can be launched at the start of any helm phase. A launch tube takes up two expansion bays and can hold one Tiny starship. If a vessel needs to dock in a launch tube during combat, it occurs at the end of the helm phase and requires a successful DC 10 Piloting skill check; this check takes a –1 penalty for each hex the smaller ship has moved this round. A failed check means that the ship doesn’t dock with the larger vessel.


 * PCU 10
 * Cost (In BP) 5

Life Boats
A life boat is a more sophisticated version of an escape pod. It has room for one Large creature, or two Medium or smaller creatures, and enough supplies to last those passengers 15 days (or 30 days of supplies for one Medium or smaller creature). While it has the same kind of distress beacon as an escape pod, a life boat also has an on-board computer that automatically detects the nearest hospitable celestial body and minimal thrusters to get the craft there (though a life boat can’t participate in starship combat). A single expansion bay can be converted into two life boats.


 * PCU 5
 * Cost (In BP) 3

Medical Bay
A medical bay functions as a medical lab (see page 220). A full medical lab contains beds, diagnostic equipment, sensors, and tools, and even a small surgical theater. It allows you to treat up to three patients at once, and you can use the treat deadly wounds task of the Medicine skill twice per day on each patient. It otherwise functions as an advanced medical kit.


 * PCU 4
 * Cost (In BP) 8

Passenger Seating
An expansion bay can be converted into rows of seating for passengers at no cost. A single expansion bay can hold seating for 16 Medium passengers (though seats can be built for larger creatures). This upgrade is appropriate only for taking many passengers on short trips; starships on journeys lasting multiple days should instead have guest quarters installed.


 * PCU 0
 * Cost (In BP) 0

Power Core Housing
An expansion bay can be set aside for an additional power core (which must be purchased separately) and the associated wiring and safety apparatuses. A power core housing can be installed on only a Medium or larger starship.


 * PCU 0
 * Cost (In BP) 10

Recreation Suite
A recreation suite includes entertainments that help the crew (or passengers) relax and blow off steam. These diversions can be wide-ranging, with some consuming more PCU than others (see the table on page 300). Example recreation suites include a gym, sparring arena, or other exercise area; a trivid den or other comfortable space in which to consume passive entertainment; or a holographic amusement chamber (or HAC), vidgame arcade, or other high-tech interactive entertainment center.


 * Gym
 * PCU 0
 * Cost (In BP) 1
 * Trivid den
 * PCU 1
 * Cost (In BP) 1
 * HAC
 * PCU 3
 * Cost (In BP) 1

Science Lab
A science lab contains scientific apparatuses and other laboratory equipment to aid in the research of certain topics. A general science lab provides a +1 circumstance bonus to Life Science and Physical Science checks (and is called a general science lab), a life science lab provides a +2 circumstance bonus to Life Science checks, and a physical science lab provides a +2 circumstance bonus to Physical Science checks. The lab type is chosen when the expansion bay is converted.


 * PCU 2
 * Cost (In BP) 1

Sealed Environment Chamber
Occasionally, a starship will need to host an alien or other creature whose biology is radically different from that of the crew. The passenger might be able to breathe only methane gas or can survive in only below-freezing temperatures. In such a case, a sealed environment chamber is required for the passenger to remain comfortable (and alive).


 * PCU 2
 * Cost (In BP) 1

Shuttle Bay
A shuttle bay can be installed only in a Huge or larger starship and takes up two expansion bays. A shuttle bay provides a place for a Small or smaller starship to dock.


 * PCU 10
 * Cost (In BP) 4

Smuggler Compartment
Smuggler compartments are cargo holds hidden behind false bulkheads and are shielded from most scanning, allowing a starship equipped with them to haul illegal goods without detection. A smuggler compartment can contain 10 tons of goods, with no item being larger than Medium. A creature on the starship must succeed at a DC 20 Perception check to detect a basic smuggler compartment on the starship. A creature scanning the starship must succeed at a DC 20 Computers check to detect one (this additional check is part of the science officer’s scan action in starship combat; see page 325). For each Build Point spent over the base cost, these DCs increase by 5 (maximum DC 50), though the amount of power the compartment uses also increases by 1.


 * PCU 4
 * Cost (In BP) 2

Synthesis Bay
A synthesis bay contains all the space and tools required to craft drugs, medicine, or poison (see page 235), though the crafter must still provide the necessary raw materials. A synthesis bay reduces the crafting time by half.


 * PCU 2
 * Cost (In BP) 1

Tech Workshop
A tech workshop contains all the space and tools necessary to craft technological items (see page 235), though the crafter must still provide the necessary raw materials. Such a workshop reduces the crafting time by half.


 * PCU 3
 * Cost (In BP) 1

Security
The additions below help to prevent unwanted scoundrels from absconding with a starship. Security systems require an operational power core to function, but they consume a negligible amount of PCU. The cost of each option is listed in the table below.

Anti-Hacking Systems
By increasing the security of the starship’s computer, these systems increase the DC to hack into it by 1 (see page 139). This upgrade can be purchased up to four times.


 * Cost (In BP) 3

Antipersonnel Weapon
An antipersonnel weapon must be mounted near the boarding ramp of a Medium or smaller starship. This weapon can be any longarm whose item level is equal to or less than the starship’s tier. By spending 5 additional Build Points, the installed weapon can be a heavy weapon (of creature scale, not starship scale). When an antipersonnel weapon is activated, if a hostile creature approaches within the weapon’s range increment, it begins firing with an attack roll modifier equal to the ship’s tier (minimum 1). It fires once per round during combat until its ammunition is depleted or the hostile creature is disabled or flees. The weapon can’t detect invisible (or similarly hidden) creatures. This weapon can’t be removed and used by characters. Anyone with access to the starship’s computer system can activate or deactivate the weapon, as well designate what kind of targets are considered hostile. Once installed, this weapon can’t be removed from the starship without destroying it.


 * Cost (In BP) for heavy 5 + item level of weapon
 * Cost (In BP) for longarm item level of weapon

Biometric Locks
The systems of a starship with biometric locks can only be used by certain creatures, designated when the locks are installed; this list can be updated by any creature who can gain access to the ship’s computer systems. A successful Computers check (DC = 20 + 1-1/2 × the tier of the starship) can bypass these locks.


 * Cost (In BP) 5

Computer Countermeasures
When a foe attempts to hack a starship’s computers and fails, a set of countermeasures can punish the would-be hacker. The crew can install one of the countermeasures listed on page 216, following the normal rules for countermeasures. Each countermeasure costs a number of Build Points equal to the starship’s computer’s tier (half the starship’s tier; see page 297).


 * Cost (In BP) Tier of computer

Self-Destruct System
Used most often as a last resort, a self-destruct system completely destroys the starship on which it is installed (as if the ship had taken damage equal to twice its Hull Points), often killing everyone on board. A starship in a hex adjacent to a starship that self-destructs takes an amount of damage equal to half the destroyed starship’s maximum Hull Points; this damage can be mitigated by shields. A self-destruct system can be activated only by creatures on the starship (by turning a set of keys, typing in a specific passcode, or other physical means known only to high-ranking members of the crew) and can’t be activated remotely via hacking. The activating creatures set a time delay for the destruction (at least 1 round of starship combat). The cost of a self-destruct system depends on the size category of the ship (for the purposes of this calculation, Tiny = 1, Small = 2, Medium = 3, Large = 4, and so on).


 * Cost (In BP) 5 x size category

Sensors
Sensors function as a starship’s eyes and ears, allowing a crew to see what’s in the space around the ship, whether planetary bodies, other ships, a dangerous asteroid field, or some monstrosity from the depths of space. Sensors are a combination of video cameras, multispectrum scanners, radar arrays, signal interceptors, and optical telescopes. In starship combat, short-range sensors have a range of 5 hexes, medium-range sensors have a range of 10 hexes, and long-range sensors have a range of 20 hexes. All sensors have a skill modifier that applies to any skill used in conjunction with them. Sensors require an operational power core to function, but they consume a negligible amount of PCU.

Sensors operate in two modes: passive or active. In passive mode, sensors automatically scan the ship’s surroundings. Passive sensors detect visible or unhidden objects in a 360-degree field around the ship at a range of up to twice the sensors’ range category while in space or in the Drift (no skill check required), though local conditions may affect their range. However, gravitational forces and atmospheric conditions limit starship sensors to a range of 250 feet on most planets, and their range might be further limited by terrain, at the GM’s discretion.

Active sensors are far more discerning, and they are required if the science officer wishes to scan enemy vessels and learn details about them during starship combat (see page 325). The modifier listed in the table below applies to some checks attempted by the science officer in starship combat as specified in the science officer’s actions (see page 324). Active sensors can discern information about a target up to five times the sensors’ range away from the ship, but such checks take a penalty of –2 for each range increment beyond the first to the target. For example, if short-range sensors (range = 5 hexes) were used against a target 12 hexes away, the check would take a –4 penalty.

Outside of starship combat, a crew member can use sensors to scan a planet the starship is orbiting, attempting a Computers check (applying the sensors’ modifier) to learn basic information about the planet’s composition and atmosphere. The DC for this check is usually 15, but it can be altered at the GM’s discretion to account for mitigating factors or complications. A crew member can also use the starship’s active sensors to attempt Perception checks to examine the surrounding area as if she were standing outside the starship, using her own senses (such as darkvision), but adding the sensors’ modifier as a circumstance bonus to the check.

Shields
While almost every ship has simple navigational shielding to prevent damage from tiny bits of debris, this protection does little to stop a starship from being damaged by lasers, missiles, and larger impacts. To defend against such threats, a ship has energy shields. Projectors mounted around the ship create a barrier that absorbs damage from attacks. Each attack reduces the number of Shield Points (SP) in a given arc until that arc’s shields are depleted, after which point all further damage in that arc reduces the ship’s Hull Points. See Damage on page 304 for more information. Shield Points regenerate over time and can eventually be used again, but this regeneration occurs only when the ship is not in combat or otherwise taking damage. Shields must be attached to a functional power core in order to regenerate; the rate of regeneration is listed in the table below.

The value listed under Total SP in the table below is the total number of Shield Points provided to the ship. At the start of combat, when the starship’s crew takes up battle stations and the shields are activated, the Shield Points must be divided up between the four quadrants of the ship. No quadrant can be assigned less than 10% of the total number of Shield Points available at the start of combat, or available at the time the shields are balanced again using the balance science officer action (see page 324).