Starguild: Space Opera Noir

By Alex White

- 2 minutes read - 329 words
In space, nobody can hear you scheme... Space Opera style science fiction, with a noir twist! A classic d20 based science-fiction RPG.

Starguild: Space Opera Noir is a traditional tabletop RPG. In 238 pages futuristic weapons and faster than light travel meet heartbreak, decadence and betrayal. Be brave naval officers or devious smugglers. Match wits and passion in high society or creep through ganglands in derelict cities. Explore dangerous jungles on the frontier worlds or engage as high tech mercenaries on future battlefields. But every decision comes with a price.

All this is underlaid with the essential noir setting details - cynical, ambitious, cruel; with dark undertones of emotional blackmail, sex and betrayal. Conflicting agendas and fragile trust. Secret deals and complex intrigues. The good guys do not always win. The good guys do not always live. The good guys are not always good guys.

To support this atmosphere, the game treats social conflict - the ability to alter someones emotions and thinking - as equally important as fist and gun in enforcing your will. There are many ways that adventurers can achieve their objectives, including manipulating their friends and allies should the need arise. But beware - lest your head be turned by seduction, poisoned by distrust, swindled out of something important or taunted into an irrational act!

The main rules book contains five complete adventures and more than 140 adventure seeds.

Downloadable Resources

The following resources are provided for you to download

There are three character sheet versions. The first is a simple PDF from the book. The second and third use Excel and Numbers respectively and have a degree of auto-calculation built in to them.

The starguild quick reference pdf is from the end of the game book, and summarises important information for social, dramatic and violent conflict (including military and space combat sheets for common vehicles)

example quick reference showing starship stations and actions

It can be purchased in PDF or hardback from DriveThruRPG