Sunday, March 28, 2021

Cepheus Sorcery


Over the last year, I've looked at quite a few Traveller/Cepheus Engine products from various publishers. While I understand the appreciation for building your character through Education and Careers it's not something I'm a huge fan of. However, Stellagama is a publisher that has been making Cepheus products that are lighter on rules yet still capture the OSR appeal I think Traveller/Cepheus has.

My favorite of these began with Cepheus Quantum(it's free )and has carried over to Cepheus Atom (think Gamma World) and Barbaric! (think DnD or RuneQuest).

Yesterday, they uploaded Cepheus Sorcery which is a 2 page set of rules for using the Cepheus system in a Sword & Sorcery setting. Like their other Cepheus Quantum games, it's just a masterpiece of getting to the heart of what I find important as a player and a Game Master. I have less time these days and while I love DnD 5th Edition and Shadows of the Demon Lord it's cool to have such a proven set of rules in a mere 2 pages.

I haven't been taken like this with a set of rules since the Cypher System.

It's free and there is literally no reason not to download it. If you like it, pick up Barbaric! too.

5 comments:

Doctor Futurity said...

I'd picked up Sword of Cepheus and was really impressed. I was planning to skip Cepheus Atom and Barbaric, assuming they were too lite for me, but I grabbed them anyway and if anything I am even more impressed with how distilled yet perfect the mechanics are.

Cross Planes said...

Right? They are amazing. Its not like I don't like Cepheus Light or Swords of Cepheus its just that I love Cepheus Quantum.

Doctor Futurity said...

Totally...I define a system as "good" by how quickly I both want to play it and can see how to run with it, and both Atom and Barbaric clicked right away, such a smart approach to a lite system!

Cross Planes said...

That is a great way to rate a game.

Shawn Medero said...

Have you thought about whether Cepheus Quantum might scratch your Star Wars system itch? Seems like a better fit than DCC.

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