TEXT: BY 
  CHARLES RICE
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  BLOOD AND SPACE: 
  STARSHIP CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
  ADDITIONAL DESIGN 
  CHRIS DAVIS
  EDITOR
  chriS DAVIS
  COVER ART
  SCOTT CLARK
  INTERIOR ART
  V. SHANE 
  LAYOUT
  CHRIS DAVIS
  
  - 2 -
  STARSHIP CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
  INTRODUCTION
  Welcome to the last book in RPGObjects’ Blood and Space 
  II line of books, the starship construction manual!
  Before we begin, let us take a moment to discuss what this 
  book is, and what it is not.
  What this book is: This book has three primary purposes: 
  to assist the game master in the creation of new starship hulls 
  and weapons, the two starship systems most likely to require 
  a speciﬁc feel for the game master’s campaign; to assist the 
  intrepid player who wants a ship that is neither battlecruiser 
  nor destroyer but something all his own; and ﬁnally to 
  allow a player to heavily modify a starship almost until it is 
  unrecognizable from its original purpose, such as taking an 
  old hunk of junk bulk cruiser and turning it into the fastest 
  smuggling ship in the galaxy.
  What this book is not: This book is not intended as a 
  physics text nor was it written to require one. If your favorite 
  starship construction rules require a spreadsheet, go in peace 
  and send no more. 
  This book is also not intended to supplant the basic rules 
  for how starships are put together in the future core rules. 
  It was meant to assist those using that system but who 
  want a little more variety (especially the ability to design 
  completely new hull types from scratch).
  THE DESIGN PROCESS
  These rules are drawn from the RPGObjects’ product Blood 
  and Circuits and are reproduced here for completeness, so 
  that this product does not require anything else to aid the 
  game master and players in designing their own starships. 
  Those who ﬁnd this system interesting and would like to 
  see how it applies to weapons, armor, robots, computers and 
  land vehicles might wish to investigate the aforementioned 
  product. 
  1. THEORETICAL DESIGN 
  The ﬁrst step in designing a new item is deciding what it is 
  and what you want it to do. Go through the tables that follow 
  in this chapter and write down what you want the item to be 
  and do, then total the materials cost and invention points the 
  item will require (these topics are covered in depth later in 
  this chapter).
  2. GATHER RAW MATERIALS
  This involves making a wealth check. If the character fails 
  he must choose to wait while searching for suitable materials 
  (at a price he can afford) or settle for cheaper or less suitable 
  materials and increase the item’s prototype modiﬁer.
  Determining Purchase DC: The purchase DC for an item 
  you are designing is actually the cost of the raw materials. 
  Materials for exotic items can 
  be restricted in much the same 
  way as items themselves and 
  may be rated as Licensed (+1), 
  Restricted (+2) or Military (+3). 
  The additional cost (+1-+3) 
  is for a character without the 
  necessary access buying the 
  materials on the black market. 
  Progress Levels: The 
  Progress Level of an item also 
  factors into the materials cost 
  of an item. For each PL above 
  the current technological level 
  (PL 5 for campaigns taking 
  place in the modern era) add 
  +5 to the materials cost of an 
  item. Any item more than one 
  PL higher than the modern era 
  (PL 7 or higher) cannot be made 
  at all except with the GM’s 
  permission. Usually this means 
  the campaign involves super-
  science or superpowers. 
  STARSHIP 
  CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
  
  - 3 -
  STARSHIP CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
  3. SKILL CHECKS
  Make skill checks to generate invention points. The time it 
  takes to make each check is determined by the character’s 
  ranks in the craft skill being used to create the item. Each 
  check adds one to the item’s prototype modiﬁer.
  4. ITEM COMPLETED
  Game master writes down total prototype modiﬁer. Bugs are 
  discovered when a character using the device rolls a natural 
  one or whenever an opponent threatens a critical against him 
  while using the device. Bugs impose a permanent penalty 
  when using the device until corrected by use of the Repair 
  skill.
  INVENTION POINTS
  In this optional system an item is created slowly by 
  successive skill checks. The cost of an invention is rated in 
  invention points and each time the inventor works on it (how 
  long will be determined by the inventor’s skill- see below) 
  he makes a Craft skill check (d20+ his total skill modiﬁer) 
  and adds the points together. When he has generated more 
  invention points than the item requires he has completed a 
  working prototype. Note that while this effectively means 
  that even a character with 1 rank in a Craft skill could 
  eventually make a very complex item (if he was willing 
  to take a long time to do it) there are some signiﬁcant 
  advantages to having a high skill, namely prototype 
  modiﬁers (see below). 
  Time Between Skill Checks: How long it takes a 
  character to generate invention points is a function of the 
  ranks he has invested in the requisite craft skill required to 
  construct the object. A character with a very high number 
  of ranks will have made similar objects before and have all 
  the needed tools on hand to perform his task. A character 
  with a low number of ranks, on the other hand, is essentially 
  learning as he goes and will need to make frequent work 
  stoppages to gather tools he didn’t think to have on hand 
  and to consult manuals on the construction of the item in 
  question.
  Skill Ranks
  Check Time
  1-5
  3 days
  6-10
  Daily
  11-15
  Twice per day
  16-20
  Four per day
  21+
  Hourly
  This assumes a character works on an item part time 
  (between adventuring and career responsibilities). If a 
  character does nothing else but work on the item he may 
  make checks one-step higher on the table. This requires a 
  character to not adventure for the entire time required to 
  make his next invention check and also reduces the wealth 
  gained from Profession checks when a character gains his 
  next level by 1-4 points (if a character burns the midnight oil 
  repeatedly between levels he might actually end up losing 
  Niles Antilles stood in the control tower of the UEG 
  Repulse, watching the radar screen with intense anxiety. 
  On the screen a pair of ﬂashing lights made a lazy turn, 
  banking and changing their course back toward the 
  massive space carrier. 
  As the twin ﬁghters began to edge back toward the 
  ﬂight deck, the com relay crackled to life, “This is Space 
  Superiority Craft X-77 Bravo, request permission to 
  begin simulated combat landing number nine.”
  The ﬂeet engineers, who had designed the ﬁghters, 
  intended to be the next generation of SCC Fighters, 
  looked calmly over the numbers ﬂowing by on their 
  screens and nodded to the Flight Control Ofﬁcer.
  “Roger SCC X-77, you are cleared to begin your 
  simulated combat landing.”
  With that the Flight Control Ofﬁcer keyed a 
  microphone, his voice echoing in the expansive ﬂight 
  deck below, “Attention all Flight Deck personnel. 
  Prepare to receive ﬁghters on combat approach, repeat 
  prepare for combat approach.”
  A series of high pitched shrieks and ﬂashing lights 
  accompanied this announcement and suddenly the ﬂight 
  deck was awash in activity, men and women running 
  full tilt to their positions, clearing equipment out of the 
  way, CPOs yelling and swearing at their crews to move 
  faster.
  On the radar screen the lazy maneuver of the ﬁghters 
  had transformed itself. The craft were now moving at 
  combat speeds, performing the high speed landings 
  designed to bring the craft in one side of the massive 
  hanger deck, refuel and rearm, and return the craft to 
  space as soon as possible. 
  It was one part night carrier landing in combat, 
  one part frantic high-stakes car race pit stop, and the 
  most dangerous thing a carrier pilot did in a reliable 
  spacecraft, which so far hadn’t been the case with the 
  SCC X-77.
  The twin dots moved closer and closer, the forward 
  thrust of the craft propelling them faster and faster 
  through the frictionless void toward the tiny, also 
  moving surface of the ﬂight deck. 
  At the moment the ﬁghters’ landing skids in the 
  surface, the major innovation of the X-77 came into 
  play, the reverse thrusters in the nose of the spacecraft 
  that would assist the arresting tractors, allowing the 
  spacecraft to come in at a much higher velocity. While 
  this posed its own series of dangers, it was better than 
  being picked off by enemy ﬁghters one by one as you 
  reduced speed so you could land.
  That is if the damn things worked. 
  The thrusters ﬁred and for a brief moment it appeared 
  the craft was slowing. Then a high pitched shriek ﬁlled 
  the ﬂight deck and the decelerator burned out.
  The pilots’ voices were ﬁlled with the anxiety 
  everyone on the ﬂight deck and in the com tower was 
  
  - 4 -
  STARSHIP CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
  wealth when he makes his next Profession check - this 
  could represent the character burning savings to pay bills or 
  perhaps being demoted at his day job).
  A character may also move one step up the table if he 
  has skilled assistants working with him on the project. 
  All assistants must have at least one rank in the requisite 
  class skill required by the item. To make checks faster 
  the character must have at least one worker for each 20 
  invention points the ﬁnished item will cost (so an item 
  that will cost 300 points requires 15 assistants to speed up 
  construction).
  Skill Checks and Prototype Modiﬁers: Each time a 
  character makes a skill check he adds one prototype modiﬁer 
  to the item in question (see below for more information on 
  how these affect the ﬁnished product). Since a character with 
  a high skill will have to make fewer checks to accumulate 
  the invention points necessary for success this also means 
  he will generate fewer bugs in the creation of his devices 
  (certain feats and class abilities might reduce this amount 
  even further). 
  PROTOTYPES
  Every time you invent a new (or signiﬁcantly modify an 
  existing) item it will always have *ahem* design ﬂaws. 
  Perhaps the metal in the ﬁring pin will get suddenly tired of 
  being where it was or a hundred other unforeseen problems 
  could crop up in the design or implementation of an item. 
  This concept is handled with prototype modiﬁers.
  Prototype Modiﬁers:  A core concept to all equipment 
  design is the prototype modiﬁer.  Prototype modiﬁers occur 
  naturally during the creation of an item and represent minor 
  ﬂaws that must be corrected as they are discovered. This 
  occurs even in “known” technologies and not just in the 
  creation of something completely fantastic and new (such 
  as a car that doubles as a submarine). For example new 
  race car engines, designed by experienced race car engine 
  designers, still have ﬂaws the ﬁrst few times they are used 
  in a race, even though the designer has built similar high-
  tolerance engines before and despite the fact that the internal 
  combustion engine is a thoroughly understood technology. 
  GENERATING PROTOTYPE 
  MODIFIERS
  Prototype modiﬁers are generated in three basic ways: skill 
  checks, rush jobs and cheap materials. 
  Skill Checks: Each time you make a skill check to 
  generate invention points you generate one prototype 
  modiﬁer. This means a character with a high skill will tend to 
  generate items with fewer bugs. 
  Rush Jobs: You may add additional prototype modiﬁers 
  to an item to complete it faster. Each time you make a skill 
  check you may declare you are rushing and add to your skill 
  roll as if you had just spent an action point. However instead 
  of deducting an action point from your total the GM adds 
  feeling as the craft broke free from the tractor and shot 
  toward the far side of the ﬂight deck, which opened 
  again onto the void of space, “Abort! Abort! Fly 
  through!”
  One of the ﬁghters lifted up slightly off the ﬂight 
  deck, careful not rise too high and into the ceiling 
  above. A split second before it would have hit the force 
  ﬁeld at the far end maintaining the atmosphere of the 
  ﬂight deck ,synchronized computers in the carrier and 
  the ﬁghter turned off the force ﬁeld allowing the craft 
  to safely skid back into space. A massive blast of wind 
  ﬁlled the ﬂight deck as a burst of atmosphere followed 
  the craft into space, one unlucky member of the ﬂight 
  crew was actually knocked off his feet by it, but quickly 
  scrambled back upright as the force ﬁeld returned to its 
  former position and the atmosphere pumps whined and 
  complained in their attempts to return the atmosphere to 
  its former level of pressure.
  The lead pilot’s wingman hadn’t been so lucky. The 
  tract sheered off part of her landing skid and in the 
  process turned the ﬁghter’s nose toward the far wall. 
  The pilot tried like hell to turn the nose back toward the 
  far end, but with the extreme speed and high number of 
  Gs she was pulling, it was impossible.
  The entire massive spacecraft rocked and shook as 
  the tank of fuel exploded. The ﬁre grew quickly in the 
  oxygen-rich atmosphere of the ﬂight deck, seeming 
  to take on a life of its own as the ﬂight crews ran 
  off the ﬂight deck. The Flight Control Ofﬁcer again 
  addressed the ﬂight crews running for the side portals, 
  as if he needed to, “Attention Flight Crew personnel, 
  emergency ﬁre control procedures in effect, emergency 
  depressurization of the ﬂight deck will occur in 10 
  seconds... 9 seconds... 8...”
  And exactly 8 seconds later both force ﬁelds dropped, 
  exposing the entire ﬂight deck to the vacuum of space. 
  The ﬂames actually grew for a split second as the air 
  moved in a mass with hurricane force but then was 
  instantly extinguished as it attempted, in vain, to follow 
  its fuel into space.
  As the force ﬁelds returned to their normal place a 
  second group of crewman, these masked and suited 
  to protect them from the cold and lack of atmosphere 
  moved onto the ﬂight deck to cover the craft with 
  ﬂame-retardant foam to eliminate any chance of a spark 
  reigniting the blaze when oxygen returned to the ﬂight 
  deck. 
  Meanwhile the engineers watched the data, seemingly 
  oblivious to the damage and death occurring on the deck 
  below, “I don’t understand, we compensated for the last 
  ﬂaw, it should have worked.”
  Antilles walked over to the engineer, hands clenched 
  into ﬁsts behind his back that wanted to take the tiny 
  man and pummel him against the bulkhead, “You’re 
  damned right it should have, and until you can give me 
  
  - 5 -
  STARSHIP CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
  prototype modiﬁer represents potential bugs and you have 
  just found one. 
  Bugs generated by prototype modiﬁers last until repaired 
  (see below).
  Working the Bugs Out:  A character has three chances to 
  work out a bug.  The ﬁrst attempt may be made in combat as 
  an attack action and requires a Repair skill check (DC 20 + 
  the item’s current prototype modiﬁer). 
  The second attempt can also be attempted in the ﬁeld and 
  requires 5 minutes (50 rounds) to perform. This check also 
  requires a Repair skill check (DC 15 + the item’s current 
  prototype modiﬁer). 
  The ﬁnal attempt can only be performed in a workshop 
  and requires 4-24 hours to perform (4d6 hours). This check 
  also requires a Repair skill check (DC 10 + the item’s current 
  prototype modiﬁer). 
  If this ﬁnal skill check fails the bug is in fact a design 
  ﬂaw and is a permanent feature of the device (including any 
  copies of the device that have been made - the next prototype 
  modiﬁer activated after a ﬂaw is discovered will be that ﬂaw 
  and may never be repaired).  However some copies of a 
  device through random chance might have been spared this 
  design ﬂaw. Copies of an item that have already had their 
  prototype modiﬁer reduced to 0 (meaning all bugs have been 
  identiﬁed and possibly worked out) are mysteriously free of 
  this design ﬂaw.
  Back to the Drawing Board-Eliminating Design Flaws: 
  So how exactly do you get rid of design ﬂaws if you have 
  failed to correct the problem? The answer is you must go 
  back to the drawing board. 
  To beneﬁt from going back to the drawing board you 
  must make an exact copy of the item you are attempting to 
  improve without adding any new features. If you succumb 
  to this temptation (known as “feature creep”) you have 
  started an entirely new design that will have an entirely 
  new prototype modiﬁer with potentially new (and totally 
  different) bugs and design ﬂaws.
  The process is much the same as making a copy of an 
  item; however, you must spend invention points equal to 
  ﬁfty times the design ﬂaw’s penalty (so 50 for a ﬂaw that 
  imposes a –1 penalty through 300 for a ﬂaw that imposes a 
  –6 penalty). Craft rolls to generate these points do not add to 
  the item’s prototype modiﬁer. 
  When these points have been spent the design ﬂaw has 
  been puzzled out and corrected and the completed item will 
  be free of it.
  NEW CHARACTER 
  CLASSES
  STARSHIP DESIGNER
  You love to design new starships and have the knowledge 
  of engineering and space sciences to allow you to construct 
  spacecraft for almost any purpose, from the smallest courier 
  to the largest galaxy-traversing explorer. 
  and my pilots a reason why it didn’t, this whole crackpot 
  idea is going back onto the drawing screen where it 
  belongs.”
  The engineer turned, oblivious to how close he came 
  to being a bloody smear on the bulkhead, “But Admiral, 
  with respect, this project has authorization direct 
  from...”
  Antilles silenced the man with his presence as he 
  stepped so close his chest actually brushed against the 
  man when he inhaled, “I don’t care if you have the 
  imprint of the President of the UEG on those orders, 
  mister, no ﬁghter takes off from this carrier without my 
  direct authorization and I will not give that authorization 
  until you prove, to my satisfaction, that no further 
  damage will occur to my people or my ﬂight deck. Is 
  that clear?”
  The engineer just nodded, his voice having left him. 
  Antilles, also silent, turned on his heel and left the 
  tower, heading down to the ﬂight deck to survey the 
  damage ﬁrst hand. 
  one to the invention’s total prototype modiﬁer. 
  Note that if you actually spend one or more action points 
  to aid in the completion of a device this does not count as 
  a rush job, it is simply good fortune or divine inspiration at 
  work.
  Cheap materials: You may add prototype modiﬁers to 
  an item to make it cheaper. You may add +2 to your wealth 
  check to pay for the item’s raw materials for each +1 you 
  add to the invention’s total prototype modiﬁer. You may 
  even decide to do this after you make your wealth check. For 
  example if you are attempting to build an invention whose 
  raw materials cost is 20 and you roll a 10 on your wealth 
  check you may decide to settle on cheaper materials and 
  begin construction now rather than wait to gather the needed 
  materials, adding 5 to the item’s eventual prototype modiﬁer 
  (since the wealth DC is the number of hours it takes to make 
  a wealth check a wealth-challenged character might end up 
  spending as much or more time shopping for quality raw 
  materials as building the item itself). 
  EFFECTS OF PROTOTYPE 
  MODIFIERS
  At certain times during each game, when you roll a 1, 
  whenever anyone attacking you scores a critical threat or 
  whenever the GM wants to be ﬁendish (this latter can happen 
  no more than once per game, however- the GM doesn’t get 
  to be ﬁendish every round of a critical combat- sorry guys!), 
  he will activate a prototype modiﬁer, giving you a –1d6 
  modiﬁer to one aspect of your device, such as to hit, damage, 
  defense, movement, etc. until the bug is worked out.  Think 
  of prototype modiﬁers as anti-action points. 
  Each time a prototype modiﬁer is activated the prototype 
  modiﬁer of the item is permanently reduced by one. The 
  
  - 6 -
  STARSHIP CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
  REQUIREMENTS
  To qualify to become a starship engineer, a character must 
  fulﬁll the following criteria. (The fastest path into this class 
  is through the Smart Hero base class).
  Skills: Pilot 3 ranks, Craft (mechanical) 3 ranks, Craft 
  (structural) 6 ranks, Knowledge (physical sciences) 6 ranks 
  Feats: Starship Operation (any one)
  CLASS INFORMATION
  The following information pertains to the starship engineer 
  advanced class.
  Hit Die: 1d8
  Action Points: 6 plus one-half character level, rounded 
  down.
  Class Skills:  The starship engineer’s class skills (and 
  the key ability for each skill) are Computer Use (Int), Craft 
  (electronic, mechanical, structural) (Int), Disable Device 
  (Int), Knowledge (Business, Current Events, Physical 
  Sciences, Popular Culture, Technology) (Int), Navigate (Int), 
  Pilot (Dex), Repair (Int), and Research (Int).
  Skill Points at Each Level: 5+Int. modiﬁer
  CLASS FEATURES
  All of the following are features of the starship engineer 
  advanced class.
  Starship Afﬁnity: The starship engineer has a feel for his 
  creations, gaining the listed bonus to Pilot skill 
  checks with a starship he has built. The starship 
  engineer also adds the listed bonus to his vehicle’s 
  defense if he takes that vehicle into combat. 
  Bug Hunter (Starships): Any starship made 
  by the starship engineer has its prototype modiﬁer 
  reduced by this amount. The starship engineer 
  also gains the listed bonus to any Repair checks to 
  ﬁx a bug.
  Slipstream: At this level the starship engineer 
  has achieved a mastery of high-performance 
  starship design most can only dream of. On a 
  Craft (structural) check (generating 100 Invention 
  Points) and a Wealth check (DC 10) the starship 
  engineer increases the top speed of any starship he 
  juices by 100’ per starship engineer level. 
  Bonus Feats: At 3rd, 6th and 9th levels the 
  starship engineer gains a bonus feat from the 
  following list: Armor Proﬁciency (light), Armor 
  Proﬁciency (medium), Builder, Gearhead, 
  Mastercrafter, Salvage, Starship Gunnery, Starship 
  Dodge, Starship Mobility, Starship Operation, 
  Starship Strafe. The starship engineer must meet 
  the prerequisite of any feat selected.
  STARSHIP TEST PILOT
  Test pilots are those rare individuals who thrive 
  under the worst sort of pressure. These brave men 
  and women not only ﬂy state of the art combat 
  spacecraft, they ﬂy them ﬁrst before all the bugs 
  are worked out. While this makes test pilots 
  TABLE 1: THE STARSHIP DESIGNER
  Level Base Attack 
  Bonus
  Fort 
  Save
  Ref 
  Save
  Will 
  Save
  Special
  Defense 
  Bonus
  Reputation 
  Bonus
  1st
  +0
  +0
  +2
  +0
  Starship Afﬁnity +1
  +1
  +0
  2nd
  +1
  +1
  +3
  +1
  Bug Hunter (Starship) +1
  +1
  +0
  3rd
  +2
  +1
  +3
  +1
  Bonus Feat
  +2
  +0
  4th
  +3
  +1
  +4
  +1
  Bug Hunter (Starships) +2
  +2
  +0
  5th
  +3
  +2
  +4
  +2
  Starship Afﬁnity +2
  +3
  +1
  6th
  +4
  +2
  +5
  +2
  Bug Hunter (Starships) +3; Bonus Feat
  +3
  +1
  7th
  +5
  +2
  +5
  +2
  Slipstream
  +4
  +1
  8th
  +6
  +3
  +6
  +3
  Bug Hunter (Starships) +4
  +4
  +1
  9th
  +6
  +3
  +6
  +3
  Bonus Feat
  +5
  +2
  10th
  +7
  +3
  +7
  +3
  Starship Afﬁnity +3; Bug Hunter (Starships) +5
  +5
  +2
  
  - 7 -
  STARSHIP CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
  essential to the peacetime operation of space ﬂeets, it also 
  makes them invaluable during wartime, as these hardy souls 
  bring the two qualities that make a tremendous combat pilot 
  to the cockpit: natural piloting skill and fearlessness. 
  REQUIREMENTS
  To qualify to become a test pilot a character must meet the 
  following criteria (the quickest path into this class is through 
  the Fast Hero basic class).
  Base attack bonus: +2
  Skills: Pilot 6 ranks, Repair 3 ranks
  Feats: Starship Operation (any one)
  CLASS INFORMATION
  The following information pertains to the test pilot advanced 
  class. 
  Hit Die: 1d8
  Action Points: 6+ one-half character level, rounded down, 
  every time the character gains a new level in this class.
  Class Skills: The test pilot’s class skills (and the ability 
  for each skill) are: Bluff (Cha), Computer Use (Int), Craft 
  (electronic, mechanical) (Int), Knowledge (popular culture, 
  streetwise, technology) (Int), Navigate (Int), Pilot (Dex), 
  Profession (Wis), Repair (Int)
  Skill points at each level: 5+int. modiﬁer
  CLASS FEATURES
  All of the following are features of the test pilot advanced 
  class. 
  Right Stuff: The test pilot is one of the ﬁnest pilots to 
  ever sit in a cockpit, period. He gains the bonus listed on the 
  class table to all piloting skill checks and to the Defense of 
  any ultralight or light starship that he pilots. 
  Workaround: When a bug presents itself the test pilot 
  actually improves under the pressure. When a bug presents 
  itself in a starship the test pilot gains the listed bonus to any 
  affected area, possibly allowing him to ignore minor bugs 
  at higher levels. This does not remove the bug (that’s the 
  designer’s job) but does (hopefully) allow the test pilot to 
  ignore the ﬂaw long enough to return home.
  Bonus Feat: At 3rd, 6th, and 9th level, the test pilot 
  gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from 
  the following list, and the test pilot must meet all the 
  prerequisites of the feat to select it.
  Barrel Roll, Evasive Maneuvers, Formation Flying, 
  Gearhead, Renown, Spacer, Starship Battle Run, Starship 
  Dodge, Starship Gunnery, Starship Mobility, Starship 
  Operation, Starship Strafe, Teamwork, Wingman, Zero-G 
  Training.
  Outside of the envelope: When placed under pressure 
  test pilots seem to thrive, rather than fold, as most lifeforms 
  would. When the test pilot spends an action point to aid a 
  pilot check he adds all applicable dice rather than the highest 
  die. 
  STARSHIP DESIGN
  MODULAR STARSHIP DESIGN
  1. Choose or design a hull 
  2. Choose or design the craft’s engines
  3. Choose or design the craft’s weapons
  4. Choose or design the craft’s miscellaneous systems
  HULL DESIGN
  MODULAR HULL DESIGN
  1. Determine Hull Class
  2. Purchase additional hit dice (optional)
  3. Determine ship’s weapon hardpoints and maximum 
  defensive systems
  4. Increase crew requirements (optional)
  DETERMINE HULL CLASS
  The ﬁrst step in designing a starship hull is determining the 
  hull class: ultralight, light, medium, heavy or superheavy. 
  The hull classiﬁcation will determine a starship’s base HD, 
  and minimum crew requirements. A starship’s class will also 
  determine how many weapon hardpoints the ship has, how 
  expensive additional hit dice are and so forth.
  The terms used in the hull type descriptions are explained 
  below.
  Base Purchase DC: This is the cost to construct an 
  unmodiﬁed hull of the chosen type. Unmodiﬁed means 
  TABLE 2: THE STARSHIP TEST PILOT
  Level Base Attack 
  Bonus
  Fort 
  Save
  Ref 
  Save
  Will 
  Save
  Special
  Defense 
  Bonus
  Reputation 
  Bonus
  1st
  +0
  +0
  +2
  +0
  Right Stuff +1
  +1
  +0
  2nd
  +1
  +1
  +3
  +1
  Workaround +1
  +1
  +0
  3rd
  +2
  +1
  +3
  +1
  Bonus Feat
  +2
  +1
  4th
  +3
  +1
  +4
  +1
  Workaround +2
  +2
  +1
  5th
  +3
  +2
  +4
  +2
  Right Stuff +2
  +3
  +1
  6th
  +4
  +2
  +5
  +2
  Bonus Feat; Workaround +3
  +3
  +2
  7th
  +5
  +2
  +5
  +2
  Outside of the Envelope
  +4
  +2
  8th
  +6
  +3
  +6
  +3
  Workaround +4
  +4
  +2
  9th
  +6
  +3
  +6
  +3
  Bonus Feat
  +5
  +3
  10th
  +7
  +3
  +7
  +3
  Right Stuff +3; Workaround +5
  +5
  +3
  
  - 8 -
  STARSHIP CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
  the hull type constructed has the minimum HD, Weapon 
  Hardpoints and Crew for its type. 
  Base Invention Points: This is the cost to construct an 
  unmodiﬁed hull of the chosen type. Unmodiﬁed means 
  the hull type constructed has the minimum HD, Weapon 
  Hardpoints and Crew for its type.
  Minimum and Maximum Size: This is the ship’s 
  minimum and maximum size.
  Minimum HD: This is the number of hit dice possessed 
  by an unmodiﬁed hull of the chosen type.
  Cost for additional HD: This is the increase to the base 
  purchase price and invention point costs to increase the hit 
  dice of the chosen hull type.
  Minimum crew: This represents the minimum number of 
  people needed to ﬂy the hull type. A ship cannot operate with 
  less than one-fourth the minimum crew requirement. It does 
  not include personnel needed to use any weapons installed 
  on the hull once it is built. 
  The minimum is a function of the starship’s HD. The 
  designer may increase or decrease this minimum to make the 
  craft more or less expensive. Every time the minimum crew 
  is halved, increase the cost of the hull by +1 Purchase DC 
  and +10 Invention Points. Each time the minimum crew is 
  double decrease the cost of the hull by –1 Purchase DC and 
  –10 Invention Points.
  Base Progress Level: This is the progress level at which 
  hulls of the chosen type begin to appear in large numbers. 
  Ships can be made of this hull type one progress level 
  earlier, but the base purchase DC is increased by +5 and the 
  base invention point cost is increased by +50. 
  ULTRALIGHT STARSHIP HULLS
  Ultralight starships serve as 
  shuttles, small passenger craft, 
  light cargo vessels and ﬁghters.
  Base Purchase DC: 16
  Base Invention Points (Craft 
  Structural DC): 160 (16)
  Minimum Size: Huge
  Maximum Size:  Colossal
  Minimum HD: 4d20
  Maximum HD: 30d20
  Cost per 2 additional HD: +3 
  Purchase DC, +30 Invention 
  Points (or +3 Craft Structural 
  DC)
  Weapon Hardpoints: 1 per 3 
  HD
  Defensive Systems: 1 per 3 HD
  Minimum Crew: 1 per 3 HD
  Base Progress Level: 6
  LIGHT STARSHIP HULLS
  Light starships serve as freighters, corvettes, frigates and 
  destroyers.
  Base Purchase DC: 22
  Base Invention Points (Craft Structural DC): 220 (22)
  Minimum Size: Colossal
  Maximum Size:  Colossal
  Minimum HD: 36d20
  Maximum HD: 120d20
  Cost per 2 additional HD: +2 Purchase DC, +20 Invention 
  Points (or +2 Craft Structural DC)
  Weapon Hardpoints: 1 per 10 HD
  Defensive Systems: 1 per 10 HD
  Minimum Crew: 1 per 10 HD
  Base Progress Level: 6
  MEDIUM STARSHIP HULLS
  Medium starships serve as large freighters and cruisers.
  Base Purchase DC: 24
  Base Invention Points (Craft Structural DC): 240 (24)
  Minimum Size: Colossal
  Maximum Size:  Colossal
  Minimum HD: 125d20
  Maximum HD: 300d20
  Cost per 5 additional HD: +1 Purchase DC, +10 Invention 
  Points (or +1 Craft Structural DC)
  Weapon Hardpoints: 1 per 50 HD
  Defensive Systems: 1 per 50 HD
  Minimum Crew: 1 per 10 HD
  Base Progress Level: 6
  
  - 9 -
  STARSHIP CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
  HEAVY STARSHIP HULLS
  These ships ﬁll the role of battleships and carriers.
  Base Purchase DC: 26
  Base Invention Points (Craft Structural DC): 260 (26)
  Minimum Size: Colossal
  Maximum Size:  Colossal
  Minimum HD: 250d20
  Maximum HD: 750d20
  Cost per 10 additional HD: +1 Purchase DC, +10 Invention 
  Points (or +1 Craft Structural DC)
  Weapon Hardpoints: 1 per 50 HD
  Defensive Systems: 1 per 50 HD
  Minimum Crew: 1 per 10 HD
  Base Progress Level: 6
  SUPERHEAVY STARSHIP HULLS
  These ships ﬁll roles as wide ranging as colony ships to 
  dreadnoughts. Anything too large to ﬁt in an earlier category 
  will be handled by this largest of starship hulls. 
  Base Purchase DC: 29
  Base Invention Points (Craft Structural DC): 290 (29)
  Minimum Size: Colossal
  Maximum Size:  Colossal
  Minimum HD: 800d20
  Maximum HD: No maximum limit
  Cost per 10 additional HD: +1 Purchase DC, +10 Invention 
  Points (or +1 Craft Structural DC)
  Weapon Hardpoints: 1 per 150 HD
  Defensive Systems: 1 per 150 HD
  Minimum Crew: 1 per 5 HD
  Base Progress Level: 7
  WEAPONS DESIGN
  ADAPTING WEAPONS
  There is a chance that a player may wish to build a weapon 
  that already exists in the future core rules. To do this, simply 
  divide the cost of the weapon by 1.5 to determine the 
  purchase price. Multiply this number by 10 to determine the 
  invention point cost (or simply use the purchase price as the 
  DC for a Craft [mechanical] skill check).
  MODIFIERS
  DIE TYPE
  Die Type
  Purchase DC
  Invention P
  oints
  Materials 
  Restriction
  D8
  +0
  +0
  Lic. (+1)
  D10
  +4
  +40 (+4)
  Res. (+2)
  D12
  +8
  +80 (+8)
  Mil. (+3)
  D20
  +12
  +120 (+12)
  Mil. (+3)
  D100
  +16
  +160 (+16)
  Mil. (+3)
  DAMAGE TYPE
  Ballistic
  Purchase DC modiﬁer/Invention Point modiﬁer: -2 
  purchase DC, -20 invention point modiﬁers
  Fire
  Purchase DC modiﬁer/Invention Point modiﬁer: -2 
  purchase DC, -20 invention point modiﬁers
  Energy
  Purchase DC modiﬁer/Invention Point modiﬁer: -0 
  purchase DC, -0 invention point modiﬁers
  WEAPON TYPE
  Directed Fire
  Purchase DC modiﬁer/Invention Point modiﬁer: +2 
  purchase DC, +20 invention point modiﬁers
  Missile
  Purchase DC modiﬁer/Invention Point modiﬁer: -4 
  purchase DC, -40 invention point modiﬁers
  Mine
  Purchase DC modiﬁer/Invention Point modiﬁer: -8 
  purchase DC, -80 invention point modiﬁers
  TABLE 3: WEAPON DAMAGE DICE
  Damage Dice
  Purchase DC
  Invention Points
  (Craft [mechanical] DC)
  Materials Restriction
  Minimum Ship Size
  4
  16
  160 (16)
  Res. (+2)
  Huge
  6
  18
  180 (18)
  Res. (+2)
  Huge
  8
  20
  200 (20)
  Res. (+2)
  Gargantuan 
  10
  22
  220 (22)
  Res. (+2)
  Gargantuan
  12
  24
  240 (24)
  Res. (+2)
  Colossal
  14
  26
  260 (26)
  Mil. (+3)
  Colossal
  16
  28
  280 (28)
  Mil. (+3)
  Colossal
  18
  30
  300 (30)
  Mil. (+3)
  Colossal
  20
  32
  320 (32)
  Mil. (+3)
  Colossal
  
  - 10 -
  STARSHIP CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
  RANGE
  Each 1,000 ft. Range Increment
  Purchase DC and Invention Points (Craft mechanical 
  DC): +2 and +20 (+2)
  Special: All starship weapons have a range increment of 
  1,000 ft. which does not increase the purchase price or the 
  invention point cost. 
   
  RATE OF FIRE
  Automatic Rate of Fire
  Purchase DC and Invention Points (Craft mechanical 
  DC):  +2 and +20 (+2)
  Effect:  Weapon can ﬁre with an automatic rate of ﬁre.  
  Only weapons with charges may have this modiﬁer. Energy 
  weapons may never have this modiﬁer even if they have 
  charges.
  Special: A weapon may be modiﬁed in this fashion but the 
  purchase DC and Invention Point cost are increased to +10 
  and +100 respectively.
  SIZE
  Compact
  Purchase DC and Invention Points (Craft mechanical 
  DC): +2 and +20 (+2)
  Effect: This modiﬁer reduces the minimum hull size of a 
  ranged weapon by one category to a minimum of Huge.
  Special: A weapon may not be modiﬁed to have 
  this ability it must be included as part of a weapon’s 
  construction. This modiﬁer may only be purchased once.
  PROGRESS LEVEL
  Progress Level
  Each PL above 6 purchase DC and invention point 
  modiﬁer: -1 and –10 (-1)
  Effect: This modiﬁer represents the advance of 
  technology. A powerful weapon will be easier to build in an 
  advanced society than in a more primitive one. 
  CREATING OTHER ITEMS
  The focus in this product is on the two items that the game 
  master is most likely to want to tweak mechanically to craft 
  starships that better ﬁt the theme of his campaign: hulls 
  and weapons. However many players may wish to create 
  every item on their ship from scratch, even the armor and 
  miscellaneous systems. 
  The truly devoted mechanical genius will ﬁnd much in the 
  companion product to this book, the Modern d20 sourcebook 
  Blood and Circuits to aid them in their endeavors. For 
  those wishing only to build something “off the rack” from 
  the Future core rules or for a simple way to determine the 
  difﬁculty of creating an item, some guidance is provided 
  below.
  Building standard items from the future core rules: 
  Take the item’s price (the Wealth DC required to buy it) and 
  divide by 1.5. This becomes the item’s purchase DC (the 
  Wealth cost for the materials the item requires). 
  Take the item’s purchase DC and multiply by 10. This is 
  the invention points required to craft the item. If the standard 
  “one roll” system is being used the DC to construct the item 
  is simply the purchase DC.
  Regardless of the number of 
  rolls needed to create an “off the 
  rack” item, the item will have a 
  prototype modiﬁer of 1-4 (1d4).
  If the completed item, bought 
  retail would have a restriction, 
  the materials to make it may 
  as well. Reduce the restriction 
  level by one for the materials 
  to construct the item. So 
  the materials to construct a 
  Licensed (+1) item need no 
  special access, an item with 
  Restricted (+2) access would 
  require a License and so forth. 
  The exception to this is an item 
  rated as Illegal (+4). Even the 
  materials for these items are so 
  highly restricted that they are 
  illegal as well.  
  
  - 11 -
  STARSHIP CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
  Building original items (the easy way): If a character 
  wishes to construct a completely new item from scratch, 
  the GM can simply assign the item a purchase DC as he 
  would assign any skill DC (using the standard craft rules as 
  a guide), then multiply that by 10 to receive the invention 
  point cost of the item. Again this book’s companion product, 
  Blood and Circuits will provide much more guidance, but 
  the above system will serve in most cases.
  EXAMPLE OF STARSHIP 
  CREATION
  Shell Therrin, a 6th level character (Smart 3/Starship 
  Designer 3) decides to build a new class of heavy ﬁghter to 
  aid the Sons of Jove in their conﬂict against the United Earth 
  Government. She has informs the game master that she has 
  begun to draw up the plans for this vehicle in preparation of 
  the building of a prototype. 
  Shell has 9 ranks in the Craft (Structural) and Craft 
  (mechanical) skills.
  STARSHIP HULL
  First Shell designs the hull. Since this is a ﬁghter she decides 
  the craft will be an ultralight starship, which has a base 
  purchase DC of 16 and a base invention point cost of 160. 
  Since Shell wants these ﬁghters to be tough and survivable 
  as the main attack craft of the rebellion she ups their hit dice 
  from the base of 4d20 to 10d20. Adding 6 HD increases 
  the wealth cost by +9 and the invention point cost by +90, 
  resulting in a ﬁnal purchase price of 25 and a ﬁnal invention 
  point cost of 250. Shell decides to take 10 on all her Craft 
  checks, meaning the prototype will take 13 days to construct.
  Shell decides to purchase the ﬁghter’s engines and 
  defensive systems on the black market, leaving her more 
  time to design a unique weapon for the craft.
  STARSHIP WEAPONS 
  Since the craft will operate in the rock-ﬁlled surrounding 
  of the Jovian moons, Shell designs a new weapon that will 
  capture small micro-meteors and then ﬁre them at high speed 
  at enemy vessels.
  Since her ﬁghters are small to more easily hide from 
  UEG military vessels, she makes the number of dice for her 
  starship weapon 6, the maximum that can be installed on a 
  Huge hull. This has a base purchase DC of 18 and a base 
  invention point cost of 180. Because of the extreme speeds 
  generated by these weapons (and because her ﬁghters will 
  often have to engage much larger vessels) Shell makes the 
  attack die of the weapon d12, increasing the purchase cost 
  by +8 and the invention point cost +80. The costs for the 
  weapon being a direct ﬁre weapon and inﬂicting physical 
  damage cancel out, leaving the purchase price of the 
  prototype at 26 and the invention point cost 260. Taking 10 
  on all her Craft (mechanical) checks, Shell can complete the 
  weapon in 14 days.  
  SOJ-FIGHTER (PL 6)
  This ﬁghter designed by Shell Therrin, technical wizard 
  behind many of the craft and weapons used by the terrorists 
  (or freedom-ﬁghters) the Sons of Jove is the size of a small 
  shuttle, but is incredibly tough and durable. 
  Type: Ultralight 
  Size: Huge (–2 size)
  Subtype: SOJ Fighter 
  Tactical Speed: 3,500 ft. (7 sq.)
  Defense: 13 
  Length: 24 feet
  Flat-footed Defense: 11 
  Weight: 24,000 lb.
  Autopilot Defense: 9 
  Targeting System Bonus: +1
  Hardness: 20 
  Crew: 1 (trained +4)
  Hit Dice: 10d20 (200 hp) 
  Passenger Capacity: 4
  Initiative Modiﬁer: +2 
  Cargo Capacity: 2,400 lb.
  Pilot’s Class Bonus: +3 
  Grapple Modiﬁer: +8
  Pilot’s Dex Modiﬁer: +2 
  Base Purchase DC: 62
  Gunner’s Attack Bonus: +2 Restriction: Illegal (+4)
  Attack: 3 Slingshot Mass Drivers +1 ranged (6d12)
  Attack of Opportunity: None
  Standard PL 6 Design Specs:
  Engines: Ion engine, thrusters
  Armor: Polymeric
  Defense Systems: Autopilot system
  Sensors: Class II sensor array, targeting system
  Communications: Laser transceiver, radio transceiver
  Weapons: 3 Slingshot Mass Drivers
  Grappling Systems: None
  
  - 12 -
  STARSHIP CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
  OPEN GAME LICENSE
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  15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
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  Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; 
  Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, based on material by 
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