This episode of SWN Rules Explained looks at house rules in Stars Without Number: why a group might want to introduce them, examples straight from the rulebook's house rules section on page 237, and what to watch for when you start changing things. Brian pulls his case study from the crew's escape from Patrol Boat 6 in Episode 30, "You Broke the Ship, Robert," where the group dropped command points from ship combat so every department gets a single action each round instead of spending it on duty rolls. He walks through the ripple effects of that change, plus a few other house rules the table has tried, from cutting shock damage to borrowing mechanics like clocks from Blades in the Dark.

This episode of SWN Rules Explained looks at space travel in Stars Without Number: spike drives, how travel times work within and between star systems, and how ships find or lose each other through detection locks and chases. Brian uses the crew's escape from Causeway 3 in Eleven Rounds as the case study, working through what it takes to clear a switching station's defense drones and stay ahead of the Viridine Security Patrol once they're back in open space. He walks through the math behind spike drive ratings and drill checks, then explains how pursuit and evasion play out mechanically at the table.

This episode covers starships in Stars Without Number: hull classes, fittings and hardpoints, crew requirements, and the maintenance costs that keep a ship flying between sessions. Brian pulls his case study from Episode 28, "I'm Not Angry, I'm Disappointed," where the Scapegoat has to dock at the derelict Causeway 3 station and Felix spacewalks out to hack the exterior control panel by hand. He breaks down what a ship's stats actually mean at the table, what happens when repairs get skipped for too long, and why a GM can usually just grab a pre-built ship instead of designing one from scratch.

This week's SWN Rules Explained covers drones, cyberware, and equipment mods. Brian uses the security drone spotted at the Helium Dock in Life Is Unfair as the case study, then walks through drone stats and combat rules straight from the Stars Without Number revised rulebook. He also gets into system strain and cyberware installation, plus how the Fix skill covers modding and maintaining gear.

This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at...

This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at...

Stars Without Number Rules Explained: how the psychic class works — disciplines, technique slots, Effort, and the difference between Core and Non-Core powers. A Dark Star Adventurecast deep dive.

Stars Without Number Rules Explained: how the warrior class works — attack bonus progression, Hit Points, Burst fire, Shock damage, and the Unarmed Combatant focus. A Dark Star Adventurecast deep dive.

Stars Without Number Rules Explained: how starship combat works — turn order, actions, gunnery checks, CP spending, and damage thresholds. A Dark Star Adventurecast deep dive.

Stars Without Number Rules Explained: how the expert class works — skill system, non-combat utility, Foci options, and how Expert compares to Warrior. A Dark Star Adventurecast deep dive.

Stars Without Number Rules Explained: how the 'Club Up a Weapon' rule works — lethal vs. non-lethal damage, when to use it, and edge cases. A Dark Star Adventurecast deep dive.

Every SWN Rules Explained episode of Dark Star Adventurecast, in order. Brian breaks down a Stars Without Number rule per episode, using a scene from the show as a case study.