Just One Ship

Mayday. Mayday. The door is sealed shut. Some kind of trap. Oxygen is low. Mayday. Mayday...

Just One Ship is an 2d6, skill-based, science fiction RPG game for 1-4 players set in a post-Atompunk frontier where the dreams of the Atomic Age became reality. Great rockets with fins, bottlenoses, and advanced atomic reactors hurtled into space to create a new Age of Wonders. Unfortunately, the shine wore off, the metal corroded, and the bleeding-edge technology became mundane and ordinary. Your character(s) find themselves here, in a sector they themselves have not explored, seeking out possible fame and glory in a rust-coated Age of Wonders.

LEVEL-LESS CHARACTER CREATION

A full life-path system inspired by games like Traveller, where you roll on a series of tables to build out a background and history for your character before you even set out. Additionally, advancement is lateral; you do not gain a level and automatically get granted bonuses, you must train or study, or utilize hard-won knowledge to advance your skills. 

Downloads include a complete example of a filled-in character sheet, and how it was determined.

SKILLS

Character's in this game are skill-based, where you will use one of 20 skills or 6 combat skills to approach all situations. A simple 2d6+Skill vs. 8 resolution system for all checks streamlines the entire process for combat, saves, etc. 

Modifying for difficulty is also simplified down to a simple Advantage/Disadvantage system so you don't have to stress over what sort of adjustment you should make to the roll.

CONDITIONS

Conditions serve two purposes: One, you can willingly accept a condition to Push Your Roll, providing you Advantage to your next skill test.

Two, Conditions provide simple mechanical, and narrative, penalties that you can inflict on your PC based on certain situations to make a failed roll easier to adjudicate. Being caught in the heat can make you Exhausted, and being rattled from a big scare can leave you Shaken.

PLAYER FACING COMBAT

All combat is either rolling to hit, or rolling to dodge. You will use your weapon skill to either Hit or Parry, or you can roll to Evade enemy weapons fire. Armor reduces the amount of damage you receive, but also makes it harder to Evade, making the gear you wear a tactical choice. In addition, the higher your skill, the higher your chance of inflicting bonus damage, making training up your abilities vital for survival.

SHIP COMBAT

The player character rolls to Attack or Evade, but they can also roll to improve their chances to hit, reload, repair, escape, etc. Ship combat is not a mere binary state, but one where combat can ebb and flow based on reload times, mood of the enemy ship, as well as the holes in your own hull, venting your atmosphere into deep space. 

DERELICTS

A full set of procedures to dive into lost and/or forgotten places to uncover secrets, experimental tech, or even robots that should have been left alone. You build the derelict as you explore, using a Node-based method of exploration.

SURVIVAL

HP is low in this game, and the dangers abound. Taking too much damage will inflict Wounds, some of which will not heal on their own, requiring medical knowledge or an actual doctor. Additionally, there are many hazards (like starvation or radiation) that, if not corrected, will ultimately lead to your character's untimely death. If you enter a dangerous situation while not properly prepared, you can enter a death spiral, slowly losing your ability to handle the dangers you are facing.

ORACLES and PROCEDURES

• System and Sector Generator

• Patrons and Missions

• Derelict Diving 

• Speculative Trade

• Space/Starport/Planetside Encounter tables

• Generic Encounters

• Creature Generator

• Robot Generator

• Faction Generator

• Solo Oracles

And more!