Cepheus Universal House Rules

Cepheus Universal is Zozer Games’ excellent 2d6 science fiction roleplaying game, based on Cepheus and developed from there. As such, there is a lot to the game that will be familiar to anyone who has played any of the 2d6 versions of Traveller over the years, right through to the Mongoose editions. Universal is a one book, very complete SF game, which introduces a number of innovations to the Cepheus family. A couple of favourites would be speculative trading which is very fast, and the design of large ‘capital’ starships, using a quick component based design.

This is a short document that outlines the options I use and the tweaks I have made to Cepheus Universal to run the game at my table. Suffice to say that none of the below are strictly necessary, the game is great as it is, but they make some minor tonal shifts that I like. Most all other steps and rules apply, this document only notes some choices and changes.

For most task based rolls I use the standard 2d6 + Skill + Characteristic to get an 8+. In some key areas Universal drops the characteristic bonus. Mostly, I put it back in, though I’m mindful of the probability ranges and effects of some of these rolls, with starship gunnery and speculative trading being two examples.

I come and go with some of these house rules, and they are subject to change and flux. Nevertheless, I thought I’d post them for reference to any GM out there that’s running Cepheus Universal.

I use design based creation p.26.

p.28. I use the following more generous Characteristic String –  E: 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6

A character’s homeworld provides one skill at level 1. Either choose any one skill and justify it in your character biography, or select one based on the character’s homeworld trade codes.

Ice-Capped – Survival

Poor – Survival

Non-Agricultural –  Mechancal

Agricultural – Agriculture

Rich – Carousing

Industrial – Ground Vehicle

Vacuum – Zero-G

Non-Industrial – Mechanical

Asteroid Belt – Zero-G

Desert – Survival

Water World – Watercraft

p.29. Divide up EIGHT skill levels between the skills offered by your character’s chosen career. No skill level may start at more than 3. All other Career Skills begin at level 0.

p.30. Add the following Career:

[Art]

Other Skills

Athletics

Carousing

Bribery

Liaison

Recon

Steward

Vehicle

Rank

1 Extra

2 Walk on

3 Craftsman

4 Artist

5 Celebrity

6 National Treasure

Academic:  INT, EDU

Agent:  INT, DEX

Belter:  END, DEX

Citizen:  EDU, SOC

Explorer:  END, EDU

Fixer: INT, SOC

Marine:  STR, EDU

Mercenary:  STR, DEX

Merchant:  INT, SOC

Performer: DEX or INT, SOC

Rogue:  DEX, INT

Spacer:  DEX, EDU

Primitive:  STR, END

Scavanger:  DEX, INT

Technician:  DEX, EDU

Scientist: EDU, INT

Art (Cascade Skill): The various specialties of this skill cover different types of

Artistic endeavours. When this skill is received, the character must immediately

select one of the following: Fine Art, Performance Art, Writing, or Media.

Athletics: Significantly trained in physical development. Physical characteristic tests become standard 8+ checks using Athletics and one of the Characteristics

Rename Vacc Suit as Zero-G

“It is common to give all player characters level-0 in Vacc Suit, Ground Vehicle and the combat skills of Gun Combat and Melee Combat…”

p.58 Perception Roll. This is ‘Unskilled OK’ so doesn’t attract an unskilled penalty.

An effect of 6 on the advantage roll provides a further -2 DM to an enemy attack

An effect of 6 on the attack roll provides a +2 bonus to the damage roll for adventure class ships

Swap CU 6 and 7, so Armour becomes 7. Armour Damage is to reduce by 1 point (Hull)

p.249 1 Hull Point every 25t of Hull (this effectively doubles Hull Points). This expansion of Hull Points and the slight curtailment of Hull damage above, gives me a slightly more robust set of ships that will survive a bit longer before kaboom. 

p386. Use Option 4. Destiny Dice. The pool of 6 dice are a shared group resource that can be called on for critical rolls by table concensus.