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Stars Without Number: Original Core EditionClick to magnify
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Stars Without Number: Original Core Edition

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(TAKE NOTE! A Stars Without Number Revised Edition is now available here, as well as a free version available here. Original edition materials remain compatible with the revised edition, however, though if you want the core book for the game you're best off going with the new revision. It is the only book needed to play the game.)

The expanded Core Edition of Stars Without Number is available for those bold exporers who demand more grist for adventure For those intrepid starfarers who scorn primitive "paper" technologies, Sine Nomine offers you this fully bookmarked PDF. Inside, you'll find the full content of the free edition of Stars Without Number, plus more than forty pages of bonus material exclusive to the Core Edition.Be 

  • Rules and historical information on AIs and robots, including AI player characters. Assemble your artificial heroes with a point-buy character creation system and an array of armature hulls for them to use. Included information covers non-sentient guard bots and expert systems as well!
  • Rules and the historical context for mechs ranging from almost human-sized powered suits to hulking heavy assault mechs to the enigmatic psychic war machines that were the ancient psimechs. Strap in for those special occasions that call for the really big guns. Nine sample mechs are included, along with a design system for creating your own.
  • Society creation guidelines and generation tables to help GMs flesh out their worlds with vibrant, living cultures and their ages-old conflicts. Every culture comes with built-in struggles to fuel adventures on that world and give GMs a quick and easy hook for pulling in the players.

All print copies contain the exact same expanded content you'll find in the Core Edition, with mechs, AIs, and planetary society construction guides included. If you buy your print copy from this page, you'll get it in the fighting alien cover. If you'd rather have the classic starfield cover, just order your print copy over here, at the Free Edition page.

If paper books aren't your style, grab this PDF now for this exclusive content!

The year is 3200 and mankind's empire lies in ashes.

The Jump Gates fell six hundred years ago, severing the links between the myriad worlds of the human diaspora.

Now, the long isolation of the Silence falls away as men and women return to the skies above their scattered worlds.

Will you be among them?

Stars Without Number is a retro science fiction role playing game influenced by the Old School Renaissance and partially inspired by the great fantasy role-playing game editions written by Tom Moldvay and Frank Mentzer. The contents are compatible with most old school clones and are designed to be easily imported to your own favorite gaming system. In addition to a complete pre-made stellar sector, Stars Without Number offers GMs and players the tools to create their own sandbox-style adventures in the far future.

  • Classic mechanics adapted for science-fiction adventure in the far future
  • Extensive GM support for building adventure-crammed sandbox settings more quickly and easily
  • World building resources for creating system-neutral planets and star sectors
  • 100 adventure seeds and guidelines for integrating them with the worlds you've made
  • Old-school compatible rules for guns, cyberware, starships, and psionics
  • Domain rules for experienced characters who want to set up their own colony, psychic academy, mercenary band, or other institution

While Stars Without Number can be fitted to a wide range of settings, the backdrop provided is a vast canvas of scattered stars awaiting exploration by intrepid spacefarers and bold explorers. Tramp starships flit from world to world, trading the treasures of distant suns as reckless wanderers find adventure beneath alien stars. Elite mercenary bands launch surgical strikes from orbit, grav-tank dropcraft crashing down on the heads of native kings while guerilla fighters plot to draw knives in the dark of two moons. Alien eyes watch human interlopers from the acidic mists of forbidden worlds, their shining, poisonous relics plundered by daring hands. All the classic elements of sci-fi adventure have room to shine in Stars Without Number. Come make them your own!

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Reviews (11)
Discussions (21)
Customer avatar
Alex B August 28, 2023 9:48 am UTC
PURCHASER
I’d like to get the original core edition but with the star field cover but when I go to the original free edition link provided it only shows it as a pdf. Is this option no longer available?
Customer avatar
Stacie W March 22, 2023 4:04 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Could you offer a hardback version of this book? I'm probably one of the very few people who thinks this version of SWN is the better version. It would be nice to have it in hardback.
Customer avatar
Jeremy H October 03, 2021 1:46 pm UTC
I already have the newer Revised edition. How does this one compare?
Customer avatar
charles B September 14, 2021 2:37 am UTC
I dont suppose you'd knock the price down on the pod
Original core version???
Cant hurt to ask.
Customer avatar
DAVID M March 28, 2019 8:15 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Purchased and tried to print, but everything but cover came out boxie, any clue y?
Reply
Customer avatar
DAVID M March 28, 2019 8:35 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Ive also bought the additional stuff which printed fin. but core wont print right, not even the free one. Whats going on?
Customer avatar
renato G September 28, 2017 1:12 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Where is ship combat located? Ship combat here is overly complicated. I was under the impression there were Crew Points used for tasks and responsibilities so every player can enjoy spaceship combat, but that's nowhere to be found. What am I missing?
Reply
Customer avatar
Benjamin W December 06, 2018 12:10 am UTC
I believe you've heard about the revised version of Stars Without Numbers. You can find it here https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/230009/Stars-Without-Number-Revised-Edition-Free-Version?manufacturers_id=3482
Though I highly recommend buying the full version. It's worth every cent and then some.
Customer avatar
Dillard R June 10, 2017 3:38 am UTC
PURCHASER
Not pleased. I purchased the physical book and I just found out you intend to revamp the entire system. You plan to Kickstart this new system this summer. I am glad that you decided to clean up and improve this older version, but it would have been nice to know you were planning on doing it before I spent over 30 dollars after taxes on this older less acceptable version. Which of your current games would you suggest using to replace the system used in this version of SWN?
Reply
Customer avatar
Geoffrey W August 01, 2017 12:47 pm UTC
PURCHASER
"Revamp the entire system?"

He's not revamping the entire system. He's cleaning up the presentation, messing with some of the systems, but mostly just adding more options and prettier art to the whole thing.

Kevin insists that the new edition must be backward compatible.

Also, I will note, that the comment directly below this one mentions the new edition.
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Customer avatar
Dillard R August 29, 2017 6:56 pm UTC
PURCHASER
No. Based on the reading I have done on the internet (forums etc) this sounds like a completely new system. Which is great, b/c the old one is horrible. I just wish I had known ahead of time. Comments don't count (such as the one below) b/c they are not official. Also note that while this comment is present the developer has never replied to it. Just as he has never replied to my comment. Which I think speaks volumes about his willingness/ability to support his product and his ethics.
Reply
Customer avatar
Geoffrey W September 01, 2017 5:02 am UTC
PURCHASER
I don't really think Kevin needs to answer for his ethics. He communicates more than pretty much anyone else in the industry, near as I can tell, and is certainly more open about his business than most.

As for the system revamp, howsabout you just go take a look at the beta documents that are publicly available on the Sine Nomine google plus group?

I think you're gonna find that it's still an OSR game.
Customer avatar
Todd S April 11, 2017 10:19 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Hi Kevin, I noticed on the Godbound Kickstarter you mentioned a revised version of SWN that you want to Kickstart in June. Is that still on track?
Customer avatar
chris D March 08, 2017 4:51 pm UTC
So the difference between the two versions is you get full print copy but different covers but the pdf you get with this one is full pdf and the other one is the slimmed down one with missing chapters?
Reply
Customer avatar
Kevin C March 15, 2017 4:49 am UTC
PUBLISHER
Correct. If you buy the starfield-cover hardcover and want the full-version PDF, you can drop me a line at sine.nomine.pub over at gmail and I can get you a code for it.
Customer avatar
Kevin C February 13, 2016 4:52 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
The reason there's no hardcover option at present is because my source files for the hardcover got corrupted some years ago. As it was my first serious RPG, I was still sadly careless with my file control. In order to make a hardcover, I'd have to remake the source file, and that's very difficult to find the time for in my current work.

There is no difference between any print editions of SWN. Every version, softcover or hardcover, starfield or alien cover, has the full core game text in it.
Reply
Customer avatar
Ju F September 20, 2016 3:04 am UTC
If I could I would send you a pdf of the core version. I'm not sure if I can over this site. Maybe if you gave me an email or something.
I'd really like to own a hardcover of this book. And if you made one I would definitely buy it.
Reply
Customer avatar
Michael O March 10, 2017 10:11 pm UTC
Could we use a service like Lulu to convert the PDF of this to a Hardcover? For private use.
Reply
Customer avatar
Kevin C March 15, 2017 4:48 am UTC
PUBLISHER
I'd consider that fair for private use, yes.
Customer avatar
Luke W February 13, 2016 4:36 am UTC
Where is the hardcover option mentioned in the blurb?
Customer avatar
albert R November 08, 2015 12:26 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Why is their no hardcover option for this version? I don't get it. This one is supposed to be the enhanced version with the extra 50 pages. The only option for hardcover is for the free version? That doesn't make sense.
Customer avatar
Brian J July 14, 2015 4:55 am UTC
PURCHASER
Where is the Hardcover?
Customer avatar
Timothy B May 21, 2015 7:27 pm UTC
FEATURED REVIEWER
Sample ship stated out.
http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2015/05/pwwo-wildstar-corvette-osr-scifi-games.html
Customer avatar
Wesley B October 31, 2014 6:26 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Is there any difference between the softcover of this edition and the Hardcover of the Free Edition besides the cover?
Customer avatar
Benjamin S August 14, 2014 7:06 pm UTC
I've got the free edition and I would love to order the core edition with the alien cover in hardcover. Will it be made available?
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Product Information
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253
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6.44 MB
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Original electronic Click for more information
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File Last Updated:
September 03, 2011
This title was added to our catalog on September 02, 2011.