Starstrider 5E by Sammythybunnie67 (2024)

-Welcome to Starstrider, where the vast expanse of space is your playground, and adventure awaits beyond every star. This unique compendium seamlessly blends the rich universes of iconic sci-fi franchises like Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars, Alien, Cyberpunk, and Transformers into the beloved framework of Dungeons & Dragons.

Stats And Checks

• In our game, we've introduced new mechanics involving checks and saves to enhance gameplay depth. Alongside traditional ability checks and saving throws, we've incorporated two new types: Time checks and Technology checks. we do plan to add more checks in the future.

• Time Checks (Wisdom): These checks gauge a character's awareness, intuition, and attunement to temporal phenomena. They assess a character's ability to navigate through time-related challenges, such as detecting temporal anomalies, foreseeing future events, or understanding the intricacies of time manipulation.

• Technology Checks (Intelligence): Reflecting a character's proficiency with technological devices, systems, and innovations, Technology checks measure one's capacity to interact with and manipulate advanced machinery, analyze complex technological schematics, or hack into electronic systems.

Silurian

Racial Bonus: +3 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -1 Wisdom

Speed: 45 ft. walking, 30 ft. climbing

Evasion: Dex save for half damage, failed roll takes half damage.

Venom: Tongue attack inflicts poison damage, target makes Con save.

Super Jump: Jump higher and farther.

Hissing Call: Give +2 attack bonus to allies, lasts 2 rounds, use as bonus action.

Weapons Expert: Proficient with all weapons.

Silurian Skin: +1 to AC

Humanoid Dalek

Speed: 30 ft. walking

Racial Bonus: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence

Weapon: Laser gun attached to body, 60/120 range, adds Dex mod to attack roll. Deals scaling lightning damage.

Improved Charge: Spend action to charge, +3 to attack roll, make three attacks, add 10 + character level to damage for each hit. Paralyzes target until next damage taken.

New Emotions: Proficiency on insight checks.

Mystisapien

Racial Bonus: +3 Intelligence, +2 Dexterity, -1 Constitution, -1 Strength

Spirit Animal: Choose from Spirit Animal List, gain proficiency and ability shown.

One with Magic: +6 on all Arcana checks.

Spiritual Guidance: Spirit animal boosts stat associated with it for party for 3 turns, once per long rest.

Mystical Projection: Project mind to any place visited, imperceivable unless chosen.

Necrotic Weakness: Vulnerability to necrotic damage.

Spirit Animals

Spirit Animals and Unique Spells:

Playable Races

Vulcan

Ability Score Increase: Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Size: Medium

Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision: Thanks to your Vulcan heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Vulcan Mind: You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed.

Vulcan Logic: You have proficiency in the Intelligence (Investigation) skill. Additionally, you have proficiency in the Technology skill and have advantage on Intelligence checks related to technology.

Meditative Focus: You can enter a meditative state as an action, gaining advantage on saving throws against effects that would cause you to become frightened or charmed. You must finish a short or long rest before using this feature again.

Trance: Instead of sleeping, you meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.

Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and Vulcan. Vulcan is a language of precise syntax, used by Vulcans for scientific research, philosophical discourse, and meditation.

Classes

Cost of glyphs

SUB CLASSES

Bloody Calligraphy

3rd: Glyph Tattoo when preparing glyphs during a long rest, you can choose to paint one glyph onto your body. When used, you can spend hp equal to 3 times the rune’s level to instantly recharge it. The glyph must be of a level you can cast, and no stronger than 5th level.

9th: Blood Magic you can use hp to apply metamagic to your glyphs, at a rate of six hit points per sorcery point.

13th: longevity when being healed by outside sources, (examples are healing potions, or spells) you get extra healing equal to half of the total HP healed. (1.5X modifier)

17th: Blood Recollection At the start of each turn, you regain hit points equal to 5+ your Constitution modifier if you have no more than half of your hit points left.

Fused Composition

3rd level: Glyph Song when you cast a glyph, and on your next turn cast a glyph of the same school of magic, the next spell gets a small buff. +1 to hit/+1 to DC depending on what it is. This can stack up to 3 times, for a max of +3 to each. If you don’t cast a glyph for one round, this bonus goes away. Additionally, you can cast glyphs without a physical component.

9th level: crescendo when you cast a glyph, and on your next turn cast a glyph of the same school of magic, the second spell gets a buff. +dex mod X glyph level to damage. This ability does not stack, however can be continued. You can use this a number of times equal to your proficiency per long rest.

13th level- chain casting: your speed with glyphs is unmatched. You must use this ability before moving. You create a chain effect between two of your drawn glyphs. One is cast as an action, the other your bonus action. However it takes concentration to perform such a maneuver, as such your speed is set to 0 until the start of your next turn. The second glyph must be of fourth level or lower.

17th level: improved song your chain bonus goes up by +2 rather than +1, and caps at +6.

Subclasses

SORCERER

Artronic bloodline

1st level feature: touched by the vortex:You gain 3 timelord regenerations. These regenerations do not trigger when you’ve reached 0 hit points, but rather once you’ve failed all 3 of your death saves.

1st level feature: portantStarting at 1st level, glimpses of the future begin to press in on your awareness. When you finish a long rest, roll two d20s and record the numbers rolled. You can replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see with one of these foretelling rolls. You must choose to do so before the roll, and you can replace a roll in this way only once per turn.Each foretelling roll can be used only once. When you finish a long rest, you lose any unused foretelling rolls.

6th level feature: expert divinationBeginning at 6th level, casting divination spells comes so easily to you that it expends only a fraction of your spellcasting efforts. When you cast a divination spell of 2nd level or higher using a spell slot, you regain one expended spell slot, and 3 sorcery points. The slot you regain must be of a level lower than the spell you cast and can't be higher than 5th level.

14th level feature greater portant//Starting at 14th level, the visions in your dreams intensify and paint a more accurate picture in your mind of what is to come. You roll three d20s for your Portent feature, rather than two.

18th level feature once per long rest, you may target one creature within 60 ft, within sight. The target must succeed on a wisdom saving throw, or else suffer from terrible visions of the future. Afflicted creatures are stunned until the end of your next turn. They can not move, use their action, bonus action, or reaction, and damage done to them during this time is an automatic critical.

Ne’er-do-well

Casting Ability

Wisdom

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Dexterity

Proficiencies:

• Light armor
• Simple weapons
• Lightsabers
• 1 skill of your choice from: acrobatics, athletics, perception, investigation, religion, sleight of hand, stealth

Equipment:

• 2 daggers
• Explorer's pack
• Leather armor

Lightsaber:

• Versatile, 1d6 radiant damage laser weapon
• Bonuses when used by a Force Adept:
  • Thrown 50/70
  • Returns after being thrown
  • 1d8 (5th level), 1d10 (11th level), 1d12 (17th level)

Class Features Descriptions

Subclasses

Ship Stat Explanation

• Spaceships are useful and allow you to travel vast distances. they come with a range of weapons and defences. here are the stats and systems you need to understand for ships to work.

• Piloting: Piloting a ship is not easy, and occasionally that means doing checks for said ship. every ship has a base modifier to add onto a piloting check. (Maneuverability)

• Hardness Class:HC is the ships armor class, it basically decides weather an attack from an enemy ship would hit. depending on a roll. The Calculation for this.(HC = 10 + Dexterity Modifier + Maneuverability Armor Bonus)

• Arcane Points:AP is the defence against magical attacks. how this works is if your AP are +1 this means any magical attack done by a spell of some kind now does Original damage role - Arcane points. Resulting in less damage to your ship. This however can work in the enemies favor, example if your arcane points are -2 their spell attacks will now do +2 for damage rolls.

• Shields:Shields are a temporary HP your ship can have that regenerate over time.

• Ship Classes:Ship classes are unlike normal classes. and instead are determining factors of many things. cargo size (carrying capacity), crew limit, upgrade slots, hit points and ship speed.

1. Drone: A small, unmanned spacecraft designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, or remote operations. Drones are typically equipped with sensors, cameras, and sometimes light weaponry for defensive purposes.

2. Corvette: A compact, versatile spacecraft capable of fulfilling a variety of roles, including reconnaissance, patrol, or escort duties. Corvettes strike a balance between firepower, speed, and endurance, making them adaptable to different mission requirements.

3. Frigate: A medium-sized spacecraft designed for fleet support, interdiction, or anti-piracy operations. Frigates are equipped with enhanced firepower, defensive systems, and sensor arrays, enabling them to engage enemy vessels and protect larger capital ships.

4. Destroyer: A heavily armed spacecraft specialized in offensive operations, including anti-ship warfare, planetary bombardment, or fleet engagements. Destroyers boast formidable firepower, advanced targeting systems, and robust defensive measures to overwhelm enemy defenses.

5. Cruiser: A large, multi-role spacecraft serving as a flagship or command vessel within a fleet. Cruisers are equipped with extensive sensor suites, communication arrays, and support facilities to coordinate fleet operations, provide logistical support, and conduct long-range missions.

6. Battleship: A heavily armored, heavily armed spacecraft designed for frontline combat and heavy bombardment. Battleships are the backbone of fleet operations, boasting overwhelming firepower, advanced defensive systems, and strategic capabilities to dominate the battlefield.

7. Carrier: A specialized spacecraft equipped with hangar bays and flight decks to launch, recover, and maintain squadrons of fighter spacecraft. Carriers serve as mobile airbases, providing air support, reconnaissance, and strike capabilities in fleet engagements or planetary operations.

8. Capital Ship: The largest and most powerful spacecraft in a fleet, capital ships serve as command centers, flagships, or strategic assets in interstellar conflicts. These colossal vessels are equipped with superlative firepower, extensive defensive systems, and auxiliary facilities to support fleet operations and project power across vast distances.

By default, the Tardis comes equipped with 5 rooms: the console room and 4 additional rooms for minor functionalities, including a bedroom, bathroom, library, and storage room.

To expand the Tardis and add more rooms, players must utilize Tardis Expansion Points in addition to ship points.

The life of an independent trader isn't an easy one. On paper, the career seems simple: get a ship, get a crew, get cargo, get paid. In reality, nothing ever seems to go as planned - starships get scorched in firefights, a milk run turns out far more dangerous than expected, and sellers overcharge while buyers haggle dizown. But the prospect of danger and uncertainty makes for an exciting campaign! The rules below provide a new way to structure a campaign around a crew of independent merchants flying a starship on their own while buying, moving and selling cargo in the galaxy far, far away.

The rules presented below allow the PCs to take control of their destinies to work as freelance traders and troubleshooters. You can use them in almost any campaign, especially a sandbox-style one.

Ship Points by Player Level

Alternate Build Points

In this Earned Ship Points subsystem, Build Points become a form of currency. This system is ideal if the campaign is built around trading and completing jobs. The players spend SP to buy a starship and cargo, and they earn SP whenever they make a sale.

The party’s starship becomes an investment like any other piece of equipment, but bought with SP instead of credits. As the PCs complete jobs, they get more Build Points to spend on upgrading their starship. They can do so gradually, installing one new system at a time, or they can hoard SP and then spend them all at once. However, the PCs should always keep some SP on hand to buy the cargo for their next job. If the PCs’ ship is destroyed, they also lose the SP they invested in it! But if the PCs’ business flourishes, they’ll find themselves living in the lap of luxury, hiring additional employees, or even buying a second starship to ply the interstellar trade routes.

This ruleset will include some guidelines for how players can acquire the SP they need to build and upgrade their first starship—via salvage, favors, or an arrangement with a friendly spacedock, for instance. In this case, Ship Points represent much more than simple credits and become exclusively useful through the starship creation system, staying separate from the methods by which they buy their personal equipment. This separation provides an important distinction because if PCs had the ability to exchange Ship Points for credits, they could end up underpowered in starship combat while simultaneously overpowered in all their other encounters.

In the rules presented here, Ship Points roughly represent the party’s business capital. That capital has many components, including the PCs’ available credit, loans they’ve taken out, and assets they might use as collateral. PCs use this capital to make big purchases, like cargo or starship modifications, often with financing help from a bank or other establishment.

To begin, the party should receive a number of Ship Points determined by their Average Party Level as noted in table on the previous page. They should use this SP to build their starship; you might want to remind the players that their vessel needs plenty of room for cargo and that they’ll have to spend a few SP to purchase that cargo.

Galactic Trade Basics

The players will earn most of their Build Points by hauling cargo from one world to another.

A cargo job boils down into several steps.

• Find Cargo: The PCs find cargo. Determine the cargo’s type, the price to buy it, its destination (if any), and how much it might sell for.
• Determine Complication: Most jobs have a unique complicating factor, which you determine in secret when the PCs find their cargo.
• Transport: The PCs take the cargo to its destination or to a world where they hope to sell it.
• Make the Sale: The PCs deliver the cargo to its intended recipient or try to find a buyer.

Shipping or Speculation?

When the players purchase cargo, they generally have to find a place to sell it themselves. After all, transport drivers who earn flat rates usually cover established shipping routes; as galactic traders, the players typically do more than that. However, at your discretion, the seller can give the PCs a tip as to where they might offload the cargo they just bought. This tactic can benefit players who’ve just started interacting with this system or for groups who only want to dip their toes into the trading game. In such cases, the party doesn’t need to use the find buyer downtime activity, and they receive an amount of BP of your choosing per cargo lot.

Destination

If you’ve decided that the cargo’s seller gives the PCs an idea of where to sell those goods, you can choose that destination based on the needs of your campaign (especially if the players have expressed interest in going to a specific place). Alternatively, you can randomly determine the general destination by rolling a d12 on the table below.

Find Buyer (Downtime Activity)

You look for someone interested in buying your cargo. You spend the day researching the HoloNets, checking with union or guild representatives, talking with contacts, and haggling. You must be within a settlement, though the GM might allow you to find cargo in other locations.

At the end of the day, attempt a Charisma (Persuasion) check. The DC of the check is equal to 12 + 1/2 x your level. If multiple allies perform this downtime activity on the same day, only one of them attempts the check, but with a cumulative +1 circ*mstance bonus for each aiding ally (not including the one attempting the check).

Results. On a success, you find someone willing to buy your cargo for the sell price (as determined by the GM). For every 5 by which your check exceeds the DC, increase the sell price of the cargo by 1 SP per lot. If you fail, you still find a buyer, but the sell price of the cargo is reduced by 1 SP per lot.

Determine Complication

Once the players find the cargo, but before they commit to purchasing it, you should determine what makes this particular job unusual. You decide the complication, and the players decide how to deal with it—if they even become aware of the problem, that is!

To randomly determine a complication, roll a d10 on the table below, keeping the result a secret. You can tweak the result as needed for your campaign; once you’ve rolled the same result from the table a couple of times, consider throwing out that entry and substituting one of your own! If a complication requires a skill check, the DC for that check equals 10 + 1-1/2 × the party’s average player level. Usually, only one PC should attempt this check. An asterisk (*) marks a complication that the PCs can be made aware of before purchasing the cargo, and some complications modify the buy or sell price of the cargo.

Competition: Once the PCs have loaded their cargo and determined their destination, a rival crew contacts them and declares they’re selling similar cargo at that location. Determine how long the rival crew takes to reach the destination (usually assuming average time in hyperspace); if the PCs don’t beat the rival crew to the destination, the sell price is reduced by 2 SP per lot.

Expiration Date:* This cargo is perishable. If the PCs don’t deliver it in 2d8 days, they can sell it for a maximum of 1 SP per lot.

Handling Problems: There’s a potential accident while loading or unloading the cargo. Treat this complication as a trap with a CR equal to the party’s APL. The exact nature of the trap and the skills necessary to disable it are up to you.

High Demand*: This cargo is trending. The buy price is increased by 1 SP per lot, and the sell price is increased by 2 SP per lot.

Imitation*: These goods are actually cheap knockoffs. A PC can detect this fact with a successful Wisdom (Perception) check, reducing the buy and sell prices by 2 SP per lot. If the PCs want to try to sell the goods at the unreduced price, they must succeed at a Charisma (Deception) check or else attract the attention of law enforcement.

Regulated*: Exhaustive laws govern this cargo at the point of purchase. A PC must succeed at an Intelligence (Lore) check, or the crew members must spend 1 day navigating customs and filling out forms before they can load the cargo on their ship.

Stolen: This cargo was stolen from another crew, and they’re coming to get it back! This complication represents a hard encounter, but the PCs can pacify the NPCs by surrendering the cargo.

Stowaway: An NPC with a CR equal to the party’s APL hides among the cargo, revealing themself after takeoff. A PC who succeeds at a Perception check can detect the stowaway during the cargo-loading process.

Strange Customs: The buyer comes from an unfamiliar culture or has unusual traditions. A PC must attempt an Intelligence (Lore) check to maintain proper etiquette. If they succeed, the sell price increases by 1 SP per lot. If they fail, the sell price decreases by 1 SP per lot.

Tough Sell: The buyer tries to strong-arm the PCs, reducing the sell price by 2 SP per lot. A PC can negate this reduction with a successful Charisma (Intimidation) check.

Transport

Next, the PCs must get the cargo onto their starship and transport it to a place where they can sell it. In general, the farther the PCs take the cargo, the more it’s worth

Loading or unloading a single lot into a starship cargo hold takes 1 hour for one person using a cargo lifter or similar equipment. Without such equipment, loading the same lot takes 8 hours of labor; multiple people can work together to reduce this time. For example, it takes 4 hours for two people without major equipment to load a single lot into a cargo hold. While the PCs can usually take their time, a complication might mean that every hour counts!

The PCs must also unload the cargo once they reach the world where they want to sell it, but unloading generally occurs while at least one of the crew engages in the find buyer downtime activity.

Make the Sale

Once the players have reached the area where they want to try to sell their cargo, finding a buyer is a downtime activity detailed below. Certain complications might make this activity more difficult, but once a PC finds a buyer, you need to determine the sale price.

First, determine the base sell price of a cargo by rolling a d8; if you roll an 8, roll again once, and add the new result to 8. This result is modified by the distance traveled (as noted on the table below) and any complications, in that order; the total results in a sale price per lot (minimum 1 SP per lot). Finally, the results of the PCs’ find buyer downtime activity can also alter this price.

Spending Ship Points

The following section expands on the rules for spending Ship Points and includes some obligatory expenditures (like upgrading the PCs’ starship so they can take on more lucrative jobs and bigger threats) as well as new options (like having a comfortable lifestyle or hiring employees). The PCs can hold onto as many unspent SP as they like.

Insurance

The PCs can insure their starship or cargo. Starship insurance policies cost a number of SP equal to a percentage of their starship’s total SP value at time of purchase (see below). An insurance policy remains in effect for 1 year; after this time, the PCs must buy a new policy (at a higher price if their starship has increased in SP value). If the PCs’ starship is completely destroyed with a policy in effect, the PCs receive a percentage of the ship’s SP value in payment. The rest of the Build Points the PCs spent on their starship are lost!

Starship insurance policies are rated bronze, silver, and gold. A bronze insurance policy costs 5% of the starship’s total SP value and pays out 50% of the total value. A silver insurance policy costs 10% of the starship’s total SP value and pays out 75% of the total value. A gold insurance policy costs 15% of the starship’s total BP value and pays out 100% of the total value.

To insure cargo, the PCs can buy a policy for 10% of the cargo’s buy price (minimum 1 BP). If the cargo is lost and not delivered, and the PCs can prove that they didn’t steal or lose the cargo through negligence, they’re repaid SP equal to the cargo’s buy price.

The PCs can have only one insurance policy per starship and per each cargo.

Lifestyle

The PCs can spend SP to live the good life. These lifestyles assume a group of 4 PCs; you can adjust the costs for larger and smaller groups as you see fit. Lifestyles don’t impart any mechanical benefits to the characters.

Comfortable: The party spends 1 SP to live comfortably for 1 month on a single world or space station. They live in safe, middle-class lodgings, in a neighborhood or a private room in a fine establishment. They have access to good restaurants and other foodstuffs, and associate with merchants, skilled tradespeople, and military officers.

Wealthy: The party spends 3 SP to live a wealthy lifestyle for one month. The PCs reside in spacious lodgings decorated to their taste and have access to stylish personal transportation, with a small staff of servants to suit. They partake in high-quality food and drink whenever they wish, and they attire themselves in fashionable and flattering clothing.

Aristocratic: The party spends 5 SP to live in luxury for 1 month on a single world or space station. The PCs reside in fabulous homes in an elite neighborhood; they have multiple forms of personal transportation, and unique fashions made for them by famous designers (equivalent to formal wear) fill their wardrobes. A large staff of professionals—housekeepers, gardeners, personal tailors and groomers, a chauffeur—see to everyday chores the PCs don’t wish to concern themselves with (each professional is a professional freelancer with a skill bonus equal to the party’s APL).

Other Sources of Ship Points

This subsystem assumes that the PCs earn their SP only from transporting and selling cargo. However, at your discretion, you can reward them with SP as treasure from particular encounters (such as a raid on a smuggling operation’s warehouses) or as salvage from starship combat encounters (such as a fight against an Imperial ship). In the former case, the PCs have to transport the SP to their ship much in the same way as loading cargo (count a cargo lot as 4 SP for these purposes), and in the latter case, the PCs can earn a number of BP depending on the enemy starship’s size category (Tiny = 1, Small = 2, Medium = 3, etc.).

Terrain Improvements Guide

Terrain improvements enhance the land within your kingdom, facilitating various activities such as agriculture, mining, and infrastructure development. Each improvement is tailored to specific terrains and offers distinct benefits. Some improvements can coexist within the same hex, marked with an asterisk (*). Here's a breakdown of common terrain improvements:

Terrain and Terrain Improvements Table

Exploration time: Represents the duration for a typical scouting party to explore a hex, assuming a party speed of 30 feet. Adjustments are made for different party speeds, and for water hexes, exploration is assumed to be via boat or watercraft.

Preparation time: Denotes the labor months required to prepare the hex for settlement, starting from the current turn. Settlement construction can commence immediately for plains.

Preparation cost: The BP expense to clear the hex for settlement.

Farm cost: BP investment to cultivate the hex for farming. A farm must be adjacent to a water source or two hexes containing farms.

Road cost: BP outlay to establish a road connecting the hex to adjacent ones. Doubling of road costs applies if rivers traverse the hex. Kingdoms sized 26 or larger can construct highways or upgrade roads to highways.

Additional Terrain Improvements Guide

In addition to the previously listed terrain improvements, here are further enhancements to consider for your kingdom:

Highway*

Highways are upgraded versions of roads, improving travel speed and promoting economic growth.

• Terrain: Can be established on any hex with a Road.
• Effect: Economy and Stability bonuses based on Highway length; enhances overland travel speed.
• Cost: Double the Road construction cost.

Mine

Mines extract valuable resources such as metal, coal, or salt from the earth, boosting the economy.

• Terrain: Suitable for cavern, desert, hill, or mountain hexes.
• Effect: Economy +1, additional BP income during tax collection.
• Cost: 6 BP.

Quarry

Quarries extract workable stone, contributing to stability and economic prosperity.

• Terrain: Suitable for cavern, hill, or mountain hexes.
• Effect: Stability +1, additional BP income during tax collection.
• Cost: 6 BP.

Sawmill

Sawmills process timber for construction and crafting purposes, bolstering stability and economic prosperity.

• Terrain: Found in forest or jungle hexes.
• Effect: Stability +1, additional BP income during tax collection.
• Cost: 3 BP.

Vineyard

Vineyards cultivate specialized crops in hill hexes, reducing consumption and aiding in brewery construction.

• Terrain: Specifically for hill hexes.
• Effect: Decreases Consumption by 1 BP; reduces Brewery construction cost when adjacent to a city.
• Cost: 3 BP.

Watchtower*

Watchtowers serve as symbols of authority and provide defensive advantages on the frontier.

• Terrain: Applicable to any land hex.
• Effect: Stability +1, Defense +2; decreases Unrest upon completion. If the hex transitions to a settlement, it counts as a Watchtower building.
• Cost: 12 BP.

Special Terrain

Certain hexes contain unique features impacting kingdom statistics and development, offering opportunities for exploration and resource utilization. These features are determined by the GM and may include bridges, ruins, landmarks, resources, rivers, lairs, buildings, or free cities. Each offers distinct advantages or challenges for your kingdom's expansion and management.

Founding a Settlement:

1. Secure Funds:

   • Gather the necessary resources, represented as build points (BP), to finance the construction of your settlement and its structures.

2. Explore and Clear a Hex:

   • Select a suitable hex for your settlement and embark on exploration. The time taken for exploration depends on the terrain type.
   • Clear the hex of any monsters or obstacles, typically achieved through completing adventures in the area.

3. Claim the Hex:

   • Invest 1 BP to officially claim the hex once exploration and clearance are complete. This action establishes the hex as part of your kingdom.

4. Prepare the Site for Construction:

   • Ready the hex for settlement development, which may involve tasks like clearing vegetation, relocating obstacles, or digging trenches.
   • The preparation cost in BP varies based on the terrain type and site conditions.

5. Construct Initial Buildings:

   • Commence construction of essential buildings using allocated BP.
   • Begin with vital structures such as an Inn, Shrine, Monastery, or Watchtower. Optionally, add other buildings like Houses, Mansions, Noble Villas, or Tenements.
   • Position buildings strategically on the District Grid, which is divided into blocks and lots, with each structure impacting your kingdom's Economy, Loyalty, and related aspects.

Settlement Development:

• District Grid: Utilize the District Grid to plan and design your settlement, allocating space for structures and infrastructure.
• Population: Determine your settlement's population based on the number of occupied lots within its districts, with each lot representing around 250 inhabitants.
• Base Value: Establish the base value of your settlement, influencing the availability of magic items for purchase. Certain constructions, like Markets or Taverns, can elevate the base value.
• Defense: Strengthen your settlement's defenses by erecting structures such as City Walls.
• Additional Districts: If the District Grid reaches capacity, consider expanding by adding more districts, each contributing to your settlement's capabilities and population.

Magic Items in Settlements:

• Gaining Item Slots: Erect buildings that provide additional slots for specific or rare magic items, marking them on the District Grid.
• Filling Item Slots: During the Upkeep Phase, roll to fill unoccupied magic item slots in each district. There's a chance that suitable magic items become available for purchase, with their cost not exceeding the settlement's base value.

Settlement Stat Blocks

Overview:Settlements are treated as characters with their own stat blocks, allowing for quick and efficient management of vital data. Multiple stat blocks can represent different districts within a city, providing distinct characteristics to various neighborhoods.

Elements:

• Name: The name of the settlement.
• Size: Indicates the population size, which determines the settlement's category (e.g., village, town, city).
• Base Value: Determines the availability of goods and services, with higher values indicating greater access to resources.
• Defense: Represents the settlement's defensive capabilities, crucial for mass combat scenarios.
• Government: Describes the settlement's ruling structure and leadership.
• Qualities: Unique features or advantages possessed by the settlement (e.g., thriving market, renowned university).
• Disadvantages: Challenges or drawbacks affecting the settlement's prosperity or stability.
• Modifiers: Additional factors influencing the settlement's characteristics or functioning (e.g., magical wards, ongoing construction projects).

Districts:For large cities, multiple settlement stat blocks can represent different districts, each with its own unique attributes and challenges. This approach allows for the creation of diverse neighborhoods within a single city.

Customization:Game Masters are encouraged to add new elements or modify existing ones to tailor settlements to their desired settings and themes. This flexibility enables the creation of vibrant and immersive cities for player exploration.

Settlement Sheet

A Settlement Sheet, included in the game materials, provides space to record and track the details of individual settlements. This tool aids in organizing and managing settlement data efficiently during gameplay.

By utilizing settlement stat blocks and the accompanying Settlement Sheet, Game Masters can streamline the management of settlements, facilitating smoother interactions between players and the diverse communities they encounter in their adventures.

Settlements

Settlement Stat Blocks

Name: The settlement’s name.

Alignment and Type: General alignment and size category.

Modifiers: Values affecting specific skill checks.

Qualities: Unique features or advantages.

Danger: Indicates settlement's threat level.

Disadvantages: Challenges or drawbacks faced by the settlement.

Government: Governing structure.

Population: Approximate population.

Base Value and Purchase Limit: gp value for magic items and purchase limit.

Spellcasting: Highest-level spells available for purchase.

Minor Items/Medium Items/Major Items: Number of magic items available above the settlement’s base value.

Settlement Statistics

Table: Settlement Types and Population Ranges:

Table: Available Magic Items:

Settlement Modifiers

Modify skill checks based on settlement modifiers. Adjustments are made based on settlement type and characteristics.

Settlement Modifiers

Life in a settlement is represented by six modifiers, each of which adjusts the use of specific skills within the city.

• Offense

  • Bribe
  • Public Lewdness: 5cp – 10 cp
  • Breaking the Peace: 1sp – 25 gp
  • Larceny (depending on severity): 5sp – 100 gp
  • Assault: 10sp – 50 gp
  • Murder (depending on victim): 200 – 20,000 gp
  • Blasphemy: 1,000 – 10,000 gp

• Corruption: Measures how open a settlement’s officials are to bribes, how honest its citizens are, and how likely anyone in town is to report a crime. Low corruption indicates a high level of civic honesty. A settlement’s corruption modifies all Bluff checks made against city officials or guards and all Stealth checks made outside (but not inside buildings or underground).

• Crime: A measure of a settlement’s lawlessness. A settlement with a low crime modifier is relatively safe, with violent crimes being rare or even unknown, while a settlement with a high crime modifier is likely to have a powerful thieves’ guild and a significant problem with violence. The atmosphere generated by a settlement’s crime level applies as a modifier on Sense Motive checks to avoid being bluffed and to Sleight of Hand checks made to pick pockets.

• Economy: Indicates the health of its trade and the wealth of its successful citizens. A low economy modifier doesn’t automatically mean the town is beset with poverty—it could merely indicate a town with little trade or one that is relatively self-sufficient. Towns with high economy modifiers always have large markets and many shops. A settlement’s economy helps its citizens make money, and thus it applies as a modifier on all Craft, Perform, and Profession checks made to generate income.

• Law: Measures how strict a settlement’s laws and edicts are. A settlement with a low law modifier isn’t necessarily crime-ridden—in fact, a low law modifier usually indicates that the town simply has little need for protection since crime is so rare. A high law modifier means the settlement’s guards are particularly alert, vigilant, and well-organized. The more lawful a town is, the more timidly its citizens tend to respond to shows of force. A settlement’s law modifier applies on Intimidate checks made to force an opponent to act friendly, Diplomacy checks against government officials, or Diplomacy checks made to call on the city guard.

• Lore: Measures not only how willing the citizens are to chat and talk with visitors, but also how available and accessible its libraries and sages are. A low lore modifier doesn’t mean the settlement’s citizens are idiots, just that they’re close-mouthed or simply lack knowledge resources. A settlement’s lore modifier applies on Diplomacy checks made to gather information and Knowledge checks made using the city’s resources to do research when using a library.

• Society: Measures how open-minded and civilized a settlement’s citizens are. A low society modifier might mean many of the citizens harbor prejudices or are overly suspicious of out-of-towners. A high society modifier means that citizens are used to diversity and unusual visitors and that they respond better to well-spoken attempts at conversation. A settlement’s society modifier applies on all Disguise checks, as well as on Diplomacy checks made to alter the attitude of any non-government official.

Settlement Alignment

A settlement’s alignment not only describes the community’s general personality and attitude but also influences its modifiers. A lawful component to a settlement’s alignment increases its law modifier by 1. A good component increases its society modifier by 1. A chaotic component increases its crime modifier by 1. An evil component increases its corruption modifier by 1. A neutral component increases its lore modifier by 1 (a truly neutral city gains an increase of 2 to its lore modifier). Alignment never modifies a settlement’s economy modifier.

Settlement Government

Just like nations, towns and cities are ruled by governments. A settlement’s government not only helps to establish the flavor and feel of the community but also adjusts its modifiers.

Choose one of the following as the settlement’s government. Several options have been added from various 3rd Party Publisher sources, marked as “3pp”. Disregard if you prefer purely Paizo options.

Settlement Government

Just like nations, towns, and cities are ruled by governments. A settlement’s government not only helps to establish the flavor and feel of the community but also adjusts its modifiers.

Choose one of the following as the settlement’s government. Several options have been added from various 3rd Party Publisher sources, marked as “3pp”. Disregard if you prefer purely Paizo options.

• Autocracy:A single individual chosen by the people rules the community. This leader’s actual title can vary—mayor, burgomaster, lord, or even royal titles like duke or prince are common. (No modifiers)

• Colonial (3pp)Source Cityscapes: New Settlement Options for the Pathfinder RPG.The settlement’s ruler is a figure-head for a distant colonial power: a magistrate, governor, or minor landed noble. He or she may have limited autonomy in running the colony, but ultimately answers to the colony’s founding power. Colonies are typically seen as resources for their founding government, not having much political power or influence.

  • Increase Corruption +2, Economy +1, Law +1.

• Council:A group of councilors, often composed of guild masters or members of the aristocracy, leads the settlement.

  • Increase Society +4; Decrease Law and Lore –2.

• Dynasty (3pp)Source Cityscapes: New Settlement Options for the Pathfinder RPG.Power is concentrated in the hands of a single family or a small group of closely related, inter-married families. These elites have ruled the settlement since its inception and manipulated the power structure to ensure they remain in power.

  • Increase Corruption +1, Law +1. Decrease Society -2.

• Magical:An individual or group with potent magical power, such as A high priest, an archwizard, or even a magical monster, leads the community.

  • Increase Lore +2; Decrease Corruption and Society –2; increase spellcasting by 1 level.

• Military (3pp)Source Cityscapes: New Settlement Options for the Pathfinder RPG.The settlement is an armed garrison that exists solely to serve the military forces deployed there. It may be a massive military base and training complex, a wilderness fortress, or a keep that patrols a major trade route, depending on its size. The settlement may even be an ordinary town or city that recently fell under military rule after a coup or uprising that led to the declaration of martial law.

  • Increase Law +3. Decrease Corruption -1, Society -1.

• Overlord:The community’s ruler is a single individual who either seized control or inherited command of the settlement.

  • Increase Corruption and Law +2; Decrease Crime and Society –2.

• Secret Syndicate:An unofficial or illegal group like a thieves’ guild rules the settlement—they may use a puppet leader to maintain secrecy, but the group members pull the strings in town.

  • Increase Corruption, Economy, and Crime +2; Decrease Law –6.

• Theocracy (3pp)Source Cityscapes: New Settlement Options for the Pathfinder RPG.The settlement is ruled by its patron faith: secular and theological power are one and the same here. Priests, clerics, and oracles decide every facet of life in the settlement.

  • Double the modifiers for the settlement’s alignment. The settlement gains any one of the following qualities as a ‘bonus’ quality: desecrate/hallow, Holy Site, Pious, Racial Enclave, Racially Intolerant, Unholy Site.

• Plutocracy (3pp)Source Cityscapes: New Settlement Options for the Pathfinder RPG.The wealthiest and most influential merchants rule this settlement. Wealth is seen as a sign of good character, ethics, and even divine favor. The poor have few, if any rights that the wealthy are bound to respect.

  • Increase Corruption +2, Crime +2, Economy +3. Decrease Society -2.

• Utopian Experiment (3pp)This idealistic settlement was founded upon lofty ideals. In theory at least, all members of the community have a voice in its government, and a settlement council meets to ensure the ideals of the community are followed.

  • Increase Society +2, Lore +1. Decrease Corruption -2, Crime -1.

Settlement Qualities

Settlements often have unusual qualities that make them unique. Listed below are several different qualities that can further modify a community’s statistics. A settlement’s type determines how many qualities it can have—once a quality is chosen, it cannot be changed.

Note that many of the following qualities adjust a town’s base value or purchase limit by a percentage of the town’s standard values. If a town has multiple qualities of this sort, add together the percentages from modifiers and then increase the base value by that aggregated total—do not apply the increases one at a time.

Settlement Qualities

Settlements often have unusual qualities that make them unique. Listed below are several different qualities that can further modify a community’s statistics. A settlement’s type determines how many qualities it can have—once a quality is chosen, it cannot be changed.

• Abundant (3pp):The settlement has access to extraordinary natural resources: rich farmland, a deep lake, excellent hunting grounds nearby or even a convenient source of magical sustenance. The local food surplus makes the settlement a major exporting hub, and increases the standard of living for its inhabitants.

  • Increase Economy +1. Reduce the purchase price of most forms of locally-grown food and livestock by 25% or more.

• Abstinent (3pp):The settlement's religious or moral convictions force it to deny some of the world’s more common vices. The settlement prohibits a common vice: usually alcohol is prohibited, but other abstinent settlements might ban stronger drugs, tobacco, prostitution, or even ‘indulgent’ foods like fine pastries, meat, or similar.

  • Increase Corruption +2, Law +1, Decrease Society -2.

• Academic:The settlement possesses a school, training facility, or university of great renown.

  • Increase Lore +1. Increase spellcasting by 1 level.

• Adventure Site:Proximity to a famous adventuring location has long drawn curious adventures from across the land.

  • Increase Society +2. Increase purchase limit by 50%.

• Animal Polyglot (3pp):Similar to the Magical Polyglot effect, a magical aura hangs over the settlement. All creatures of the Animal type gain the ability to speak and think while within the settlement’s borders. Animals act as if their INT scores were 6, and gain ability to speak Common; they lose these benefits as soon as they pass the settlement’s borders. There are likely to be few butcher shops within the settlement’s borders.

  • Decrease Economy -1, Increase Lore +1. Increase spellcasting by 1 level. Add the settlement’s Lore modifier to Handle Animal checks made within the settlement.

• Artifact Gatherer (3pp):The sale of a certain kind of rare item is heavily restricted. This may be items of a magical, technological, or psychic origin.

  • Increase Economy +2. Reduce base value by 50%, purchase of such items is limited to black markets.

• Artist’s Colony (3pp):The settlement is renowned for the excellence of its local artists, performers, and craftsfolk.

  • Increase Economy +1, Society +1. Add the settlement’s Economy modifier on all Craft checks, not just those made to earn a living.

• Asylum (3pp):The settlement is host to an infamous madhouse or asylum (or perhaps a prison, gaol, or notorious workhouse). The presence of these dangerous, mad souls has hardened the townsfolk, making them suspicious of strangers and paranoid about the possibility of an escape or other tragedy.

• Broad Minded:The citizens are open, friendly, and tolerant, and react positively towards visitors.

  • Increase Lore +1, Society +1.

• City of the Dead (3pp):The settlement abuts a massive, historically significant graveyard, massive tomb, or mausoleum complex. Its monuments are well maintained, and a powerful ancestor cult exists within the city, either in replacement or addition to traditional religions.

  • Decrease Economy -2, Increase Lore +2, Law +1. Add the settlement’s Lore modifier to Knowledge (history) and Knowledge (nobility) checks.

• Cruel Watch (3pp): (Special Restriction: Lawful communities only)The settlement’s civic watch or police force is infamous for its brutality, effectiveness, cruelty, and corruption.

  • Increase Corruption +1, Law +2. Decrease Crime -3, Society -2.
  • Increase Lore +1, Decrease Society -2.

Settlement Qualities

• Cultured:The settlement is well known for its culture of artistry, particularly among actors and musicians.

  • Increase Society +1. Decrease Law -1. Always counts as a prosperous city for the purpose of perform checks.

• Darkvision:Most of the citizens have darkvision, and thus nights provide no cover for thieves and other criminals. Merchants lose little inventory to dishonesty.

  • Increase Economy +1. Decrease Crime -1.

• Decadent (3pp): (Special Restriction: Evil communities only)The settlement’s vast wealth and proud, ancient heritage has made it a haven for corruption and sin.

  • Increase Corruption +1, Crime +1, Economy +1, Society +1, Danger +10. Increase Base Purchase Limit by +25%.

• Deep Traditions:

• Dance of the Damned:The settlement is bolstered by its strong traditions, but its citizens have difficulty interacting with visitors.

  • Increase Law +2. Decrease Crime -2, Society -2.

• Defensible (3pp):The settlement is strategically situated to make it easier to defend, giving its inhabitants confidence and making the settlement a major local trade hub.

  • Increase Corruption +1, Crime +1, Economy +2. Decrease Society -1.

• Desecrate/Hallow (3pp): (Special Restriction: Good or Evil communities only)The entire settlement is under the effects of a permanent desecrate or hallow effect (choose only one) of incredible power. This effect can be suppressed in small areas within the settlement. The caster level for the effect is equal to 20 + the settlement’s size modifier, for the purpose of dispelling.

• Eldritch (3pp):The town has a strange and unnatural air, and is a popular place for sorcerers and oracles.

  • Increase Lore +2, Danger +13. Increase spellcasting by +2 levels when casting divination or necromancy spells only.

• Famed Breeders (3pp):The settlement is known for the excellent quality of the animals bred there, from the mundane (horses, mules, cattle, pigs) to the exotic (talking tigers, Pegasis, griffins). People come from far and wide to purchase livestock, draft animals, mounts, and animal companions.

  • Increase Economy +1. Increase Base Value and Base Purchase Limit by +20% when dealing with mounts and associated gear. Characters can purchase mounts or livestock in the settlement at a +10% discount.

• Financial Center (3pp):This settlement is home to powerful banks, mints, trading houses, currency exchanges, and other powerful financial and mercantile organizations.

  • Increase Economy +2, Law +1. Increase Base Value and Purchase Limit by +40%.

• Free City (3pp): (Special Restriction: Chaotic communities only)The city’s libertarian laws make it a haven for fugitives and outcasts of all kinds, from runaway children, serfs who escaped their lord’s lands, criminals, and escaped slaves alike. Foreign adventurers and bounty hunters cannot arrest or capture fugitives within the settlement’s borders.

  • Increase Crime +2, Danger +5. Decrease Law -2.

• Gambling (3pp):The settlement caters to vice and greed. Casinos, gaming houses, opium dens, and bordellos are all common here, and serve as the town’s major industry.

  • Increase Crime +2, Corruption +2, Economy +2, Law -1. Add +10% to the settlement’s Purchase Limit.

• God Ruled (3pp): (Special Requirement: Theocracy or Utopian Experiment governments only)The settlement has no real government; instead it is ruled by religious codes and omens. Gods or other powerful spiritual beings or outsiders intervene directly in the settlement’s politics and daily life. Ordinary citizens are possessed by spirits to speak decrees, unmistakable oracles appear as flaming messages written on walls or in the sky, or perhaps each and every citizen has prophetic dreams that tell them what they must do in the coming day for the settlement to thrive.

  • Decrease Corruption -2, Society -2. Add one dice to the number of medium magic items for sale in the settlement.

• Good Roads (3pp):The settlement has an extensive road network. These roads are well-maintained and allow for quick movement of troops and merchandise.

  • Increase Economy +2.

• Guilds (3pp):A variety of trade and mercantile guilds control the town’s industry and trade. These guilds are highly specialized (a printer’s guild, an eggler’s guild, a swordsmith’s guild, a diamond cutter’s guild, etc.), and usually semi-hereditary, with children following their parents into the guild.

  • Increase Corruption +1, Economy +1. Decrease Lore -1.

• Holy Site:The settlement hosts a shrine, temple, or landmark with great significance to one or more religions. The settlement has a higher percentage of divine spellcasters in its population. (Corruption –2; increase spellcasting by 2 levels)

Settlement Qualities

• Insular:The settlement is isolated, perhaps physically or even spiritually. Its citizens are fiercely loyal to one another.

  • Law +1; Crime –1

• Legendary Marketplace (3pp): (Source Cityscapes: New Settlement Options for the Pathfinder RPG.)The settlement is justly famed for its markets: almost anything may be for sale here! The settlement’s Base Value and Purchase Limits are treated as if the settlement was one size category larger. In the case of a Metropolis with the Legendary Marketplace quality, double the settlement’s Base Value and Purchase Limit.

  • Increase Economy +2, Crime +2.

• Living Forest (3pp):This settlement is a magical place, carved from the living heart of an ancient forest. The trees form themselves into homes, and branches bend to provide the settlement’s inhabitants with food, in the form of magical, druid-tended fruits and berries.

  • Increase Lore +1, Society +2, Decrease Crime -2, Economy -4. Increase Spellcasting by 4 levels (druidic spells only).

• Long Memory:The people of this settlement have a deep-seated hatred for a specific group or faction. Any such individual who makes their presence known in town is attacked within 1d4 hours, and either violently out of the settlement or executed. Similarly, residents look upon those who deal with this enemy faction with suspicion, and they must pay 200% the normal price for goods and services and may face mockery, insult, or even violence.

• Magically Attuned:The settlement is a haven for spellcasters due to its location; for example, it may lie at the convergence of multiple ley lines or near a well-known magical site.

  • Increase base value by 20%; increase purchase limit by 20%; increase spellcasting by 2 levels

• Magical Polyglot (3pp):The settlement is blessed with a magical aura that allows all sentient creatures within its borders to understand one another as if they shared a common language. This permanent magical effect is similar to the tongues spell, and has no effect on written language, only the words spoken by the settlement’s inhabitants.

  • Increase Economy +1, Lore +1, Society +1.

• Majestic (3pp):The settlement is known for its dramatic, sweeping architecture, monumental statuary and is built to a scale alien to most Medium size humanoids. Perhaps the settlement was once a domain of giants, or simply a human metropolis hewn to an epic scale for the sake of grandeur.

  • Increase spellcasting by +1 level. Add +1d8 to the number of the most expensive category of magic items the settlement offers for sale, as determined by its size.

• Militarized:The populace is devoted to the armed forces. Civil and military law is intertwined, punishments are harsh, and loyalty to the state is expected.

  • Increase Law +4. Decrease Society -4.

• Mobile: Frontlines (3pp):The entire settlement can move, albeit slowly, not much faster than an average man could walk. Perhaps it floats on a cushion of magical air, hundreds of feet above the landscape, is a fortress-castle growing from the back of some impossibly large creature, or is some kind of enormous steampunk or magi-tech tank.This city is designed to patrol its kingdom or territory, responding to threats and offering the city’s defenses to those in need.

  • Reduce Corruption -1, Economy -1, Society -1. Increase the Base Value and Purchase Limit of the settlement by 25% when trading weapons and armor.

• Mobile: Sanctuary (3pp):This mobile settlement is designed to retreat from danger, moving to a safer location when threatened by natural disasters, invasion or famine threatens.

  • Increase Economy +1, Decrease Society -1.

• Morally Permissive (3pp):Divine indulgence or perhaps just a corrupt church selling indulgences has made this settlement famous (or infamous) for its lax morals. Select 1d4+1 acts that would normally be considered sinful or immoral; these acts are not crimes or sins within the settlement, and committing these acts does not violate a paladin or cleric’s moral code, so long as the offense is limited to within the settlement’s borders.

  • Increase Corruption +1, Economy +1. Decrease divine spellcasting by -1 level.

• Mythic Sanctum:The settlement is a seat of power for one or more living mythic characters, granting each of the mythic characters additional influence so long as they reside here.

  • Decrease Corruption -2. Increase each resident mythic character’s effective mythic tier for the purpose of granting spells to followers.

• No Questions Asked:The citizens mind their own business and respect a visitor’s privacy.

  • Increase Society +1. Decrease Lore -1.

Settlement Qualities

• Notorious:The settlement has a reputation (deserved or not) for being a den of iniquity. Thieves, rogues, and cutthroats are much more common here.

  • Increase Crime +1 and Danger +10; Decrease Law –1; Increase Base Value by 30% and Purchase Limit by 50%).

• Peacebonding (3pp):By local law, any weapon larger than a dagger and all wands and rods must either be peacebound or stored at the local sheriff’s office or jail (at the settlement’s option) for the duration of the visit. Peacebonding a weapon involves winding a colored cord tightly around the weapon and its scabbard, and then impressing the local seal in wax. Removing the peacebond requires a full round action before the item can be drawn. (Disable Device DC 12 to untangle the bond as a move equivalent action; bond hp 5, no hardness)

  • Increase Law +1, Decrease Crime -1.

• Phantasmal (3pp):The settlement simply isn’t always there!This magical settlement might only appear in the moonlight, appear out of the mist on particularly holy or infamous dates, or only appear in this plane during thunderstorms or on particularly hot days. At other times, the settlement simply doesn’t exist on this plane; powerful, plane-crossing magic is required to access the settlement outside of the ‘proper’ time. The highly magical settlement is insular and clannish as a result of its isolation from the outside world.

  • Decrease Economy -2, Society -2. Increase spellcasting by two levels when dealing with planar magic or conjuration (summoning or teleportation) spells only.

• Pious:The settlement is known for its inhabitants’ good manners, friendly spirit, and deep devotion to a deity (this deity must be of the same alignment as the community).

  • Increase spellcasting by 1 level; any faith more than one alignment step different than the community’s official religion is at best unwelcome and at worst outlawed—obvious worshipers of an outlawed deity must pay 150% of the normal price for goods and services and may face mockery, insult, or even violence).

• Planar Crossroads (3pp):Natural or artificial planar gates near the settlement make it a cross-roads for planar travel. Creatures from across the multiverse, both malevolent and benign, can be found here, as can their artifacts.

  • Increase Crime +3, Economy +2, Danger +20. Increase spellcasting by two levels, and the Base Purchase Limit by +25%. In addition, the Planar Crossroads settlement is the point of origin for many breeds of monstrous player characters. Reduce the ECL of any monstrous player race if that race has its origin in this settlement, making heroic versions of these creatures more common in the region.

• Planned Community (3pp):

  • Special Restriction Lawful communities only
  • The community’s design was determined in advance, every detail planned out before the first keystone was laid. Streets are wide, straight and laid out on an orderly grid, neighborhoods and districts are segregated by purpose, as are the living quarters of the city’s inhabitants.
  • Increase Economy +1. Decrease Crime -1, Society -1.

• Pocket Universe (3pp):

  • Thanks to a magical fold in space and time, the settlement exists in a place far too small to sustain it. A sleepy hamlet might be found in an old mansion’s disused pantry, a huge fortress might hide the space between two old oaks, or a planar metropolis might be contained within a single cramped alley of a much less important city-state.
  • Increase Spellcasting by +2 levels. Decrease Economy -2. Depending on the nature of the settlement and its relationship with the outside world, the settlement might be impossible to find. It may skill checks to even find the entrance to the settlement: usually a DC 20 Knowledge (local) or Knowledge (the planes) check. The settlement’s size modifier is applied to this check, albeit inverted. After all, it’s easier to find a Metropolis (DC 16) than a Thorpe (DC 24).
  • This settlement is home to a greater than usual percentage of children, making it energetic and lively. Increase Crime +1, Society +2.

• Population Surge (3pp):

  • This settlement is home to a greater than usual percentage of children, making it energetic and lively.
  • Increase Crime +1, Society +2.

• Prosperous:

  • The settlement is a popular hub for trade. Merchants are wealthy and the citizens live well.
  • Increase Economy +1; Increase Base Value by 30%; Increase Purchase Limit by 50%.

• Racially Intolerant:

  • The community is prejudiced against one or more races, which are listed in parentheses. (Members of the unwelcome race or races must pay 150% of the normal price for goods and services and may face mockery, insult, or even violence).

Settlement Qualities

• Racial Enclave (3pp):

  • The settlement is dominated by a single race: a pleasant halfling farming community, an elven capitol, a collection of half-orc yurts on the open plains, etc.
  • Decrease Society -1.
  • Members of one or more races, chosen when the settlement is founded, are especially welcome in the tight-knit and hom*ogeneous settlement. Members of this race can purchase goods and services in the settlement at a 25% discount.

• Resettled Ruins (3pp):

  • The settlement is built amid the ruins of a more ancient structure. While ruins provide a ready source of building materials, nearby dungeons to plunder, and ancient artifacts to explore, they might also provide a hiding place for modern dangers or old curses.
  • Increase Economy +1, Lore +1. Add +1d3 to the amount of magic items in any category the settlement’s size would allow it to normally offer. If the settlement’s size would not normally allow it to have magic items of a particular category, it always has at least one randomly chosen item of that category for sale. However, if a buyer rolls a natural one on any Appraise or Diplomacy check made to examine or purchase a locally bought magic item, that item is always cursed.

• Religious Tolerance (3pp):

  • The settlement is known for its widespread religious tolerance, and many faiths have temples, cathedrals, or monasteries here. Religious debates in the public square are common.
  • Increase Lore +1, Society +1. Increase divine spellcasting by +2 levels.

• Resource Surplus:

  • A surplus of a certain commodity has made for very competitive markets in those kinds of goods. This commodity and items primarily made from it can be purchased for as little as half the normal cost. The additional cost of making an item with alchemical compounds related to that resource is halved in this settlement’s marketplaces.

• Restrictive:

  • Foreigners who settle in this settlement are prohibited from owning property in certain districts and sometimes pay a higher price for goods. This disdain rarely involves violence towards foreigners, though the city guard monitors strangers to ensure they don’t cross the boundaries of the city without appropriate paperwork.
  • Decrease Corruption -1, Lore -1.

• Romantic (3pp):

  • The settlement’s inhabitants are renowned for their stunning beauty and charm, and the location has been made famous in dozens of romantic songs, poems, and bawdy limericks. Affairs of the heart are common here, among the town’s hotblooded, lusty inhabitants.
  • Increase Society +1. Double the amount of minor magic items available for sale in the marketplace. Such trinkets are a popular, if expensive, token of affection here.

• Royal Accommodations (3pp):

  • One or more members of a royal dynasty call the settlement home. As such, security is extremely tight, and the local economy has taken flight, as merchants catering to the nobility have sprung up.
  • Increase Economy +1, Law +2. Decrease Society -1. Increase the Purchase Price of high quality or luxury items by +10% due to widespread inflation.

• Rule of Might:

  • The settlement has a tradition of rule by the strongest individual.
  • Increase Law +2; Decrease Society –2.

• Rumormongering Citizens:

  • The settlement’s citizens are nosy and gossipy to a fault—very little happens in the settlement that no one knows about.
  • Increase Lore +1; Decrease Society –1.

• Rural (3pp):

  • The settlement, no matter its size, has never lost its sleepy, small-town atmosphere. Despite sprawling across a wide, mostly open area, neighbors look out for one another.
  • Decrease Economy -1, Crime -1, Danger -5.

• Sacred Animals (3pp):

  • In this settlement, there is a great taboo about killing a particular breed of beast. The animals have free run of the settlement.
  • Increase Lore +1; Decrease Corruption -1, Economy -1.

• Sexist (3pp):

  • The settlement’s laws have completely disenfranchised one gender or the other. Members of the oppressed gender cannot legally make purchases of items worth more than 5 gp, and may suffer mockery, violence, or legal persecution.
  • Decrease Society -2.

Settlement Qualities

• Slumbering Monster (3pp):

  • The settlement is home to some form of powerful and ancient monster. The inhabitants expend vast effort keeping their monstrous prisoner contained.
  • Increase Lore +2, Society +1, Increase Spellcasting by 2 levels.
  • At the Gamemaster's discretion, the slumbering monster might be awakened, removing this quality and afflicting the settlement with the Hunted disadvantage instead. The slumbering monster must either be destroyed or re-imprisoned by PC actions to restore this quality to the settlement.

• Small-Folk Settlement (3pp):

  • This settlement is designed for the comfort of a mostly gnome or halfling population. Everything in the settlement, from furniture to forks, is sized for small creatures.
  • Increase Law +1, Lore +1. Medium-sized and larger creatures treat the Settlement’s Crime and Society statistics as a penalty due to their difficulty in maneuvering or sneaking around in the miniature Settlement. Small or smaller creatures treat the Settlement’s Crime and Society statistics normally.

Settlement Disadvantages

Just as a settlement can have unusual qualities to enhance its statistics, it can also suffer from disadvantages. There’s no limit to the number of disadvantages community can suffer, but most do not have disadvantages, since a settlement plagued by disadvantages for too long eventually collapses. A disadvantage can arise as the result of an event or action taken by a powerful or influential NPC or PC. Likewise, by going on a quest or accomplishing a noteworthy deed, a group of heroes can remove a settlement’s disadvantage.

Several options have been added from various 3rd Party Publisher sources. Disregard if you prefer purely Paizo options.

• Anarchy:

  • The settlement has no leaders—this type of community is often short-lived and dangerous.
  • Crime +4, Corruption +4, Economy -4, Law -6, Society -4; Danger +20.

• Atheistic (3pp):

  • The gods have abandoned the settlement.
  • Outsiders cannot be summoned within the settlement's borders, and divine magic does not function.

• Bureaucratic Nightmare (3pp):

  • The settlement is a nightmarish, confusing maze of red tape and petty tyrants.
  • Decrease Economy -2, Increase Crime +2, Corruption +2.
  • All financial transactions require a DC 10 Diplomacy check, with failure resulting in fines.

• Cursed:

  • Some form of curse afflicts the city, causing violence, ill luck, or infestations.

• Fascistic (3pp):

  • The settlement is governed by a totalitarian regime, enforcing brutal laws.
  • Increase Law +4, Decrease Society -4. Undesirables may be killed, imprisoned, or enslaved.

• Heavily Taxed:

  • The settlement is heavily taxed and has fewer resources available.
  • Decrease Society -2, base value by 10%, purchase limit by 50%, spellcasting -2.

• Hunted:

  • A powerful group or monster uses the city as its hunting ground, causing fear among citizens.
  • Decrease Economy, Law, and Society by 4; Danger +20; reduce base value by 20%.

• Ignorant (3pp):

  • The people of this town are uneducated and dull-witted.
  • Decrease Economy -3, Lore -6, Society -3.

• Impoverished:

  • Poverty, famine, and disease run rampant in the settlement.
  • Crime +1, Corruption +1; decrease base value and purchase limit by 50%; halve magic item availability.

• Magically Deadened (3pp):

  • The magic in this region is weak, reducing spellcasting and magic item availability.
  • Decrease Lore -1, Economy -1; decrease spellcasting by four levels; reduce magical item availability.

• Magical Dead Zone (3pp):

  • There is no magic in the settlement; spells do not function.
  • The entire settlement is a dead magic area.

• Martial Law:

  • The settlement is under martial law, with strict curfews and stifling rules.
  • Increase Law +2; Decrease Corruption -4, Crime -2, Economy -4; Danger +10; halve marketplace values.

• Mutagenic (3pp):

  • Strange energies cause mutations in those who spend too much time in the settlement.
  • Characters risk mutating after spending 72 continuous hours in the settlement.

• Oppressed:

  • The leadership retains oppressive control, stifling freedom.
  • Decrease Lore -6, Society -6.

• Plagued:

  • The community is suffering from a protracted contagion or malady.
  • Select a communicable disease; there’s a daily chance of exposure and infection.

• Rampant Inflation (3pp):

  • The settlement's economy is out of control.
  • Decrease Economy -4, Increase Corruption +2, Crime +4; roll for additional costs before any purchase.

• Soul Crushing (3pp):

  • The settlement has an oppressive, frightening atmosphere.
  • Characters suffer a penalty on WILL Saves as long as they remain in the area and for 24 hours after leaving.

• Polluted (3pp):

  • The settlement's industry has polluted the environment, causing sickness and misery.
  • Increase Corruption +2, Economy +4; characters suffer penalties on Fort Saves against disease.

Settlement Disadvantages

• Wild Magic Zone (3pp):
  • The settlement is built over an area of wild and unpredictable magic.
  • Decrease spellcasting by -2 levels; magical beings and spellcasters tend to avoid the area.

Settlement Mods

Settlement Sizes and Modifiers

The GM may want to adjust settlement modifiers based on the kingdom’s Size and how that corresponds to the standard settlement size categories.

• Guards! Guards!:
  • Calling for the guard requires a Diplomacy check modified by the settlement’s law modifier. Success results in guards arriving on the scene in 1d6 minutes.

Sample Settlements

While it’s nice to be prepared, and planning out cities can be fun in and of itself, it’s not always possible to generate specific settlement stat blocks for every town and city that the PCs might visit. Sometimes the PCs decide to venture off in search of supplies instead of heading straight for the next dungeon, other times they make selling their newly acquired loot their highest priority. The following sample settlements are designed for precisely such occasions. Rather than a specific name, each of these sample settlements bears a generic title that indicates what kind of settlement it is or where it might be located.

• Capital City:

  • Large city with various qualities and notable NPCs.

• City of Thieves:

  • Small city known for its high crime rate and secret syndicate government.

• City-State of Intrigue:

  • Metropolis with a mix of qualities, rampant anarchy, and notable NPCs.

• Creepy Backwoods Hamlet:

  • A cursed, insular village with few inhabitants and notable NPCs.

• Dwarven Trade Town:

  • Large town governed by a council, with a focus on trade and notable NPCs.

• Elven Town:

  • Small town populated mainly by elves, magically attuned but racially intolerant.

• Failing Fishing Village:

  • A village suffering from poverty and superstition, with few notable NPCs.

• Sleepy Crossroads Thorpe:

  • A thorpe with minimal economy and society, governed by a council and notable NPCs.

Table: Settlement Sizes and Modifiers

*Per district.

Modifiers: Add the listed number to the settlement’s Corruption, Crime, Law, Lore, Productivity, and Society.

Danger: Add the listed number to the settlement’s Danger value.

• Download Settlement Sheet

Tech Points

Reverse Engineering (TP)

In your D&D adventure, imagine arriving in a fantastical realm enriched with magic and mystery. Alongside your spacefaring exploits, you've acquired advanced technology from distant galaxies. Now, as you journey through this realm, you have a choice: utilize the futuristic gadgets and weaponry from your travels or embark on the path of discovery through reverse engineering.

As you encounter artifacts from your space travels and delve into the unknown, you have the opportunity to study and reverse engineer these marvels. By dismantling, analyzing, and experimenting, you unlock the secrets of these advanced technologies, gaining valuable insights and accruing tech points.

These tech points represent your growing understanding of these enigmatic devices and can be invested in enhancing the technological prowess of your party or traded for access to even greater wonders in the realm. Will you wield the power of your spacefaring heritage to reshape the world around you, or will you unravel the mysteries of these artifacts to unlock new possibilities and propel your adventures to even greater heights? The choice is yours to make in this thrilling fusion of magic and technology.

This table represents the amount of tech points you can gain by reverse engineering different types of items in the realm, fueling your journey with the wonders of both magic and technology.

In your quest to advance the technological capabilities of your settlement, you'll need to spend specific amounts of tech points to unlock new advancements. The cost of unlocking these advancements follows a scaling system similar to the tech levels:

• Low Tech Advancement (1-14 Tech Points): Basic technological upgrades that require a modest investment of tech points to implement within your settlement.
• Medium Tech Advancement (15-25 Tech Points): More significant advancements that necessitate a moderate allocation of tech points to introduce and integrate into your settlement's infrastructure.
• High Tech Advancement (26-50+ Tech Points): Cutting-edge breakthroughs demanding a substantial investment of tech points to unlock and implement, revolutionizing the capabilities and potential of your settlement.

Important Note: Advancing Technology in Settlements

Remember, just because you possess the knowledge to create and utilize advanced technology does not mean that the settlers in your settlement do as well. Teaching them prematurely can have detrimental consequences. It's crucial to allow society to grow and develop alongside technological advancements.

Introducing advanced technology to a society that lacks the foundational understanding of how it works can lead to disaster. Without proper comprehension, misuse or mishandling of technology can have catastrophic consequences, potentially even dooming the entire settlement.

Therefore, it is imperative to refrain from prematurely imparting advanced knowledge and technology to settlers. Instead, focus on fostering an environment of education and gradual societal advancement. As society grows and learns, they will naturally become better equipped to handle and benefit from the advancements that technology has to offer.

Remember: Patience and prudence are key to ensuring the long-term success and sustainability of your settlement in the vast expanse of Starstrider.

Trade Routes