Chapter 5: Game Master's Toolkit

This chapter offers optional rules to enhance your gaming experience, allowing customization and the creation of unique options beyond those provided in the core rulebooks. Here, players can explore additional character choices, delve into advanced adventuring and combat tactics, and receive detailed guidance on modifying existing threats or crafting entirely new challenges. Additionally, Non-Player Character Stat Blocks are provided to enrich your campaigns.

PC Options
Adventure Options
Combat Options
Creating Threats
Building New Stat Blocks
NPC Stat Blocks

SECTION 1

PC OPTIONS

These optional rules pertain to a character’s abilities and skills.

CUSTOMIZED TRAITS

The character races in the Player's Handbook provide an easy-to-use framework for creating a character of a particular species. While those options are generalized upon historical culture and planet of origin, the truth is all people have unique physical and mental traits and come from an infinite variety of places, cultures, and lineages. If you wish to provide a broader variety of character traits, consider allowing the following options during character creation.The character races in the Player's Handbook provide an easy-to-use framework for creating a character of a particular species. While those options are generalized upon historical culture and planet of origin, the truth is all people have unique physical and mental traits and come from an infinite variety of places, cultures, and lineages. If you wish to provide a broader variety of character traits, consider allowing the following options during character creation.

ABILITY SCORE INCREASE

You can assign any ability score increase from your player race or subrace to any ability score of your choice. For example, if your choice of player race increases your Wisdom by 2, you can instead increase any other ability score by 2.

ALIGNMENT

Any references to alignment and personality are often attributed to the perceived culture or homeworld of the species. These can be ignored. You can choose any alignment you wish, which can provide insight into your character’s personal nature and temperament.

PROFICIENCIES

If your player race provides you with a proficiency bonus, you can exchange it for another proficiency using the following guidelines defined for each proficiency type.

Armor. Can be exchanged for any weapon or tool.
Skill. Can be exchanged for another skill or a tool.
Tool. Can be exchanged for another tool or a simple weapon.
Weapon. Can be exchanged for any tool. Simple weapons can also be exchanged for other simple weapons. Martial weapons can be exchanged for any simple or martial weapons.

LANGUAGES

You can replace any language with any other language from the Standard Languages table. At the GM’s discretion, you can choose an exotic language depending upon the campaign and your character’s origins.

ORIGIN TEMPLATE

Beyond the major galactic species presented in the Core Manual, the galaxy is filled with a limitless variety of people from countless star systems. Instead of choosing an available player race during character creation, a character’s origin and species can be created using the following steps.

1. PRIMARY TRAITS

Determine your character’s primary traits as follows. Species. Choose your character’s appearance, age, and homeworld of origin. Your character is humanoid, regardless of species. Size. Your size is either Small or Medium Ability Score Increase. One ability score of your choice increases by 2. 2. ADDITIONAL TRAITS Choose one of the options listed on the table below or determine randomly.

1D4	ADDITIONAL TRAITS
1	Choose one ability score other than the one chosen for your primary trait. That score increases by 1. You gain proficiency with two simple weapons of your choice or one martial weapon of your choice.
2	Choose one ability score other than the one chosen for your primary trait. That score increases by 1. You have darkvision and infravision with a range of 60 feet.
3	You gain one feat of your choice for which you meet the prerequisite. You gain one of the following: (a) darkvision with a range of 60 feet or (b) proficiency in one skill, tool, vehicle, or simple weapon of your choice.
4	You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice. • You have resistance to one damage type. • You gain one of the following: (a) darkvision with a range of 60 feet or (b) proficiency in one tool, vehicle, or simple weapon of your choice.

3. SPEED

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

4. LANGUAGES

You speak, read, and write Common and one other language approved by the GM.

VARIANT ENVIRONMENTAL TRAITS

Instead of choosing additional traits as defined in step 3, the Environmental Traits table lists suggested additional traits based upon their societal or planetary environment. Choose an environmental origin for your character and use the table which follows. Ability Increase. The ability score listed here increases by 1. You can change it to another ability if you wish. A “—” in the column means there is no ability increase. Additional Traits. Use these options in place of the ones provided in step 3 of the “Origin Template”. They are defined as follows.

Arctic environments can be any climate of extreme cold from icy terrains to sub-zero gasses.
Extreme heat climates are found on volcanic terrain, and on planets with dense atmospheres or high-heat gasses.
High-gravity regions have at least twice the gravitational force of an Earth-type planet.
Metropolitan areas are massive cities and stations with controlled climates and a dense, congested population.
Starship environments also include other space-borne structures such as settlement colonies and stations.
Subaquatic environments include any terrain surrounded by or beneath the surface of a liquid matter.
Subterranean regions can also include asteroids, city tunnels, or areas beneath uninhabitable surfaces.
Wastes are areas affected by radioactive fallout, atmospheric decay, or similar cataclysmic conditions.
Wilderness regions consist of all-natural terrain with little to no industrial development

CREATING A SPECIES FOR PLAY

When creating a species to be available as a player race in your campaign, the most important step is to start with the story behind the species you wish to create. Having a firm concept for a species helps to guide your decisions during its design. Purpose of Play. When establishing a concept, consider the purpose behind designing the species as a player race. How does it benefit your campaign or storyline? What are the possible pitfalls to making the species available for play? Are there existing player options that can fulfill the same desired role? Balance Limitations. Creating a species for play is different from creating one for use as an NPC or a threat. Player races should be designed with a focus on balance and ease of use with existing character classes, equipment, and combat options. If the purpose of your species isn’t specifically tied to being a player character, using the rules for threats and NPCs opens a broader range of options. See “Creating Threats” for advice on designing threats and NPCs. Chapter 10 also provides rules for designing a new galactic species for your setting Origin and Society. Once you establish a concept for play, answering the following questions can help guide your next steps. What common elements describe their appearance?

What signature traits set them apart from other species?
Where does this species come from and where do they live now?
Do they share their homeworld with other forms of equally intelligent or evolved life?

ENVIRONMENTAL TRAITS TABLE

ENVIRONMENT	ABILITY	ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Arctic	—	• You have resistance to cold damage. • You have advantage on saving throws made against exposure to extreme cold. • You are trained in one skill, tool, or simple weapon of your choice.
Extreme heat	—	• You have resistance to fire damage. • You have advantage on saving throws made against exposure to extreme heat. • You are trained in one skill, tool, or simple weapon of your choice.
High-gravity	Str	• Your jump distance is doubled. • Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Metropolitan	Cha	• You are trained in the Insight skill, one other skill of your choice, and one tool (or vehicle) of your choice. • You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.
Starship	—	• You are trained in the Computers skill, another skill of your choice, and one tool (or vehicle) of your choice. • You ignore any penalties to attack rolls and ability checks associated with being in zero-G.
Subaquatic	Con	• You can breathe both air and water. • You have darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Subterranean	Wis	• You are trained in one skill and one tool of your choice. • You have darkvision with a range of 120 feet.
Wastes	—	• You have resistance to poison and necrotic damage. • You are trained in the Survival skill and one martial weapon of your choice.
Wilderness	Wis	• You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in planetary wilderness environments. • You are trained in the Survival skill and one tool or simple weapon of your choice.

Does the species share a common culture or do their cultures share any historical similarities?
Are there any major events that helped to define their societal traits and cultural lore?
How technologically advanced are they?
How does the species handle conflict with each other? Do any conflicts currently exist?
How do they deal with other galactic cultures?

USING EXISTING OPTIONS

With an established appearance and origin, the easiest way to complete your design is to modify an already existing player race. Minor Alterations. You can alter an existing species by changing its appearance without revising its game-related mechanics. You can also expand these revisions by using the options provided in “Customized Traits”. For example, you could alter the race into a subterranean species with furry hides and a cultural hierarchy resembling that of ants. They have proficiency in Survival and communicate psychically using pheromones (instead of larimar). Using the Origin Template. You can just as easily use the options defined in the “Origin Template” and apply them to your new species concept. Decide on which additional traits fit best for the species and establish a cultural language, if applicable.

CREATING NEW TRAITS

Compare the species you have in mind with those already available to players. You can use their available traits as a guide to creating new ones for your species. Species traits should tie directly into their culture, homeworld, or lineages. They should be both fun and useful as player race options, but not so much as to make the existing options seem mediocre in comparison. It’s always best to playtest these options with your players to ensure balance and playability.

NON-HUMANOID PLAYERS

Whether they have wings, scales, antennae, or a carapace, species options available to players primarily fall under the category of humanoid. This ensures that every player can easily play any class and utilize all equipment and options available. Player characters with amorphous forms or multiple heads require additional rulesets that are beyond the scope of this game... for now. If you would like to allow traits that are more “alien” or lean toward other creature types, a good solution may be to make cosmetic alterations to existing racial or threat traits. For example, a species with a flying speed doesn’t necessarily need wings. They could instead float and have tentacled appendages for legs. You can also include special features available to threats such as chameleon skin or the slippery trait (See “Creating Threats” for a full list of traits). When adapting new traits in this way, always make sure to playtest them to ensure they work well with your game, aren’t too powerful, and don’t conflict with existing rules for races and classes.

MODIFYING A CHARACTER CLASS

The following section discusses ways to modify existing classes to better fit the needs of your campaign.

CHANGING PROFICIENCIES

Changing a class’s proficiencies is a safe and simple way to modify a class to better reflect your setting. Swapping out one skill or tool proficiency for another doesn’t make a character any stronger or weaker but doing so can change the feel of a class in subtle ways.

CHANGING POWERS LISTS

Modifying a class’s powers list usually has little effect on a character’s power but can change the theme and feel of a class significantly. In your setting, templars may not have a rig at all, instead of being a league of psychic warriors. To capture this story concept, you could build a new templar powers list with arcane powers drawn from the mystics or mage powers lists. Suddenly, the templar feels like a different class. Be cautious when altering the cyberuner powers list. Since cyberuners recover their talent slots after a short rest, they have the potential to use certain powers more often than other classes.

SUBSTITUTING CLASS FEATURES

If one or more features of a class don’t quite fit the theme or tone of your campaign, you can replace them with new ones. When doing so, you should strive to make sure that the new options are just as appealing as the ones being replaced, and that the substitute class features contribute to the class’s effectiveness at social interaction, exploration, or combat just as well as those they are replacing. Ultimately, a class exists to help a player express a particular character concept and any class feature you replace is also removing an aspect of that character. Substituting a class feature should be done only to fit a specific need for your campaign, or to appeal to a player trying to create a specific kind of character (perhaps one modeled after a character from a novel, TV series, comic book, or movie). Before you choose to remove or replace a class feature, you should see if you can instead make cosmetic alterations to it, such as renaming the feature and its flavor text without altering the actual mechanics. If you feel you do need to change a feature at its core, the first step is to figure out which feature you’re going to replace. Then you need to evaluate what the feature provides to the class so that the feature you are adding isn’t going to make the class over or underpowered. Ask yourself the following questions about a feature you’re replacing:

What impact does replacing the feature have on exploration, social interaction, or combat?
Does replacing the feature affect how long the party can continue adventuring in a 24-hour period?
Does the feature consume resources provided elsewhere in the class?
Does the feature work all the time, or is it regained after a short rest, a long rest, or some other length of time?

With answers to these questions, you can start designing new features that replace the ones you are removing. It’s fine if the new class features drift closer to exploration, social interaction, or combat than the ones you are replacing, but be wary of going too far. For example, if you replace an exploration-focused feature with something purely combat-focused, you’ve just made that class more powerful in combat, and it could overshadow the other classes in a way that you didn’t intend. There’s no formula that can tell you how to design new class features. The best place to start is by looking at other class features, or at powers, feats, or any other rules for inspiration. You’re almost certainly going to have some missteps, as features that seem good on the surface fall apart in play. That’s all right. Everything you design will need to be playtested. When introducing new class features, be sure the players using them are comfortable with the fact that you might need to go back and make some changes after seeing them in play.

CREATING NEW CLASS OPTIONS

Each class has at least one major choice point. Mystics choose a psychic paradigm, warriors choose a martial archetype, engineers choose a technical specialty, and so on. Creating a new option doesn’t require you to remove anything from the class, but any new option you add should be compared to existing options to make sure it’s no more or less powerful yet remains distinctive in flavor. Like anything in class design, be prepared to playtest your ideas and make changes if things aren’t playing out the way you want them to. Once you have the concept for the class option in mind, it’s time to design the specifics. If you’re not sure where to begin, look at the existing options and see what class features they provide. It’s perfectly acceptable for two class options to have similar features, and it’s also fine to look at other classes for examples of mechanics you can draw on for inspiration. As you design each class feature, ask the following questions:

How does the class feature reinforce the story or theme of the class option?
Is there an existing feature that can be used as a model?
How does the new class feature compare to other features of the same level?

CLASS FEATURE VARIANT: TECH POINTS

With this variant option, classes that use forging techniques can use their own version of talent points to fuel their arcane powers. Also, a class using this option isn’t required to prepare their techniques. Use the Talent Point Cost table in chapter 11 of the Player's Handbook to determine the tech point cost for each power rank. The use of tech points also allows for performing limit breaches as defined in the Player’s Handbook. Unless you’re utilizing the Limit Breach option, you can’t reduce your tech points to less than 0 and you regain all spent tech points when you finish a long rest. The number of tech points you have is dependent upon your level as a forger as shown on the Tech Points by Level table. There are three sections on the table—one for full forgers (such as engineers) and one for hybrid forgers (such as templar and pathfinders). Arcane Mastery. Forging classes that can activate techniques at rank 6 or higher gain the Arcane Mastery feature at 11th level. They choose one rank 6 talent from their powers list and can activate that power once using the required number of talent points. They regain the ability to use that power again after finishing a long rest. They gain a rank 7 power they can use in this way at 13th level, a rank 8 power at 15th level, and a rank 9 power at 17th level. Each time they gain a new level in their forging class, they can replace one of these powers for another of the same rank from their powers list.

TECH POINTS BY LEVEL

CLASS LEVEL	TECH POINTS	MAX RANK	TECH POINTS	MAX RANKS
1st	4	1	-	-
2nd	6	4	4	1
3rd	14	2	6	1
4th	17	2	6	1
5th	27	3	14	2
6th	32	3	14	2
7th	38	4	17	2
8th	44	4	17	2
9th	57	5	27	3
10th	64	5	27	3
11th	73	5 (6)	32	3
12th	73	5 (6)	32	3
13th	83	5 (7)	38	4
14th	83	5 (7)	38	4
15th	94	5 (8)	44	4
16th	94	5 (8)	44	4
17th	107	5 (9)	57	5
18th	114	5 (9)	57	5
19th	123	5 (9)	64	5
20th	133	5 (9)	64	5

CLASS FEATURE VARIANT: EXPANDED MASTERY

This variant allows more flexibility to the Arcane Mastery class feature. With this option, whenever a character with the Arcane Mastery feature finishes a long rest, they can replace one of their mastery talents with another talent of the same rank from their powers list. This allows high level arcanes greater versatility and access to their full list of powers.

CREATING A BACKGROUND

Backgrounds help players create characters that are fully enmeshed into your campaign setting. It helps define the character’s place in the universe, rather than what a character is in terms of game mechanics. Instead of focusing on a generic background, such as trader or explorer, think about the factions, organizations, and societies in your campaign and how they might be leveraged to create unique backgrounds for your players. For example, you could create an agent of a prominent mega corporation that is functionally similar to a media investigator or perhaps an outlaw depending on how they deal with corporate contacts and information. To create your own background, follow these steps. 1. LINK IT TO YOUR SETTING To ground a new background in your campaign’s setting, determine what element of your campaign the background is tied to a faction, an organization, a trade, a person, an event, or a location. 2. SUGGEST PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS Create a list of suggested characteristics—personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws—that fit the background, or those presented in the Core Manual as a guide. This step helps you establish how the background fits into your setting. Two or three entries per list should suffice. 3. ASSIGN PROFICIENCIES OR LANGUAGES Choose two skill proficiencies and two tool proficiencies for the background. You can replace tool proficiencies with languages on a one-for-one basis. Step 4. Include Starting Equipment Make sure your background offers a package of starting equipment. In addition to a small amount of money that a character can use to buy adventuring gear, the starting equipment should include items that a character would have acquired prior to the start of play, as well as one or two items unique to the background. Step 5. Settle on a Background Feature Choose an existing background feature or create a new one, as you prefer. If you choose an existing feature, add or tweak a few details to make it unique. A background feature should avoid strict game benefits, such as a bonus to an ability check or an attack roll. Instead, the feature should open new options for roleplaying, exploring, and otherwise interacting with the setting. The best background features give characters a reason to strike out on missions, contact NPCs, and develop bonds to the setting you’ve devised. Refer to the existing features in the Core Manual for examples.

SECTION 2

ADVENTURE OPTIONS

This section provides variant play mechanics for your campaign.

FEAR AND HORROR

These rules can be used to create suspenseful campaigns filled with terror and dread.

FEAR EFFECTS

Fear comes in many forms and can creep up on a character in different ways depending upon the situation in which they find themselves. Immediate Fear. When the source of fear is immediate such as an indomitable foe or an environment that spells certain death, you can call for a character to make a Wisdom saving throw against a DC chosen by you accordingly. On a failed save, the character becomes frightened for 1 minute. The character can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success. Rising Tension. Sometimes the source of fear is all around, such as exploring a terrifying environment or being stalked by an unknown, unseen foe. These situations can cause characters to become distracted, overcautious, or jumpy. You can call for a character to make an Intelligence or Wisdom saving throw against a DC you choose based upon the scenario. On a failed save, the character is subject to one of the following effects for 1 minute:

They have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to avoid being surprised.
They have disadvantage on ability checks or saving throws made to avoid the effects of a hazard.
Their walking speed is reduced by 10 feet.
They have disadvantage on attack rolls.
They have disadvantage on Strength or Dexterity saving throws made to avoid being grappled or knocked prone.
The player rolls one of their character’s hit dice and reduces their hit point maximum by the result (The character can’t be reduced to less than 1 hit point).

The character can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns. On a failed save, they are subject to an additional effect listed above. A successful save ends all effects gained.

HORROR AND SANITY

True horror evokes far more than just fear for one’s survival. Many horror themes combine elements such as distress, revulsion, misery, or torment. These scenarios can also influence or alter a character’s mental state, especially when faced with a creature, event, or knowledge which is incomprehensible to logic or reason. Even to a seasoned galactic explorer, the universe still holds horrors that aren’t meant to be understood. In these situations, you can call upon the character to make a saving throw against a DC chosen by you accordingly. Using the Horror Effects table, you can choose or determine randomly the type saving throw and its effects. Optionally, if the character fails their saving throw by 5 or more, they gain a short-term or long-term form of madness that you choose or determine randomly (see chapter 1). The following are some examples that would call for a character to make such a saving throw. Seeing a creature from another dimension or universe for the first time such as powerful aberrations from Drath Sia, the Valshion, or Sinoth Ir.

Touching or examining a powerful artifact of unknown origin such as a ciphers or a xenoterum stellar former.
Making direct contact with the mind of a being from another dimension or reality.
Passing through a cosmic portal to another universe or sub dimension.
Resisting an effect conferred by an attack or power that deals psychic damage.
Becoming inflicted with sickness or disease that alters the mind and body such as technoblight.

HORROR EFFECTS TABLE

1D6	HORROR EFFECT
1-2	Characters must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw or become stunned for 1 minute. They can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success.
3-4	Characters must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or take 3d6 psychic damage. They also gain a level of exhaustion that lasts for 1 minute.
5-6	Characters must succeed a Wisdom saving throw or fall under the effects of the haze of chaos power, the power’s save DC being the same as the initial save.

VARIANT: SANITY POINTS

Consider using this variant if your campaign focuses primarily on elements of horror or events that would debilitate one’s state of mind. Using this option, a character starts with 10 sanity points at 1st level. Each time the character gains a level, they lose any remaining sanity points and gain a new total equal to 10 + half the character’s level. Each time a character fails their save against horror effects as defined above, they lose 1 sanity point. When reduced to 0 sanity points, the character gains a form of indefinite madness that you determine randomly. Alternatively, you can decide they are instead incapacitated until they recover at least 1 sanity point. A major remedy power can restore any lost sanity points. Sanity can also be regained by resting. A character that finishes a long rest regains a number of sanity points equal to 1d6 + their Wisdom modifier.

KARMA

Using this option provides an added layer of chance and consequences. A character starts with 2 karma dice at 1st level. A karma die is a d6. They gain an additional karma dice at 11th level and 16th level. A player can roll a karma die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw (including death saves) their character makes. The player can wait until after they roll the d20 before deciding to use the karma die but must decide before the GM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Only one karma die can be used at a time.

Each time a player uses a karma die, it is lost, and the character gains a bane die, which is also a d6. The GM can choose to have a player roll one of their bane dice and subtract the result from an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw their character makes. The GM must decide whether the player rolls a bane die before they make the d20 roll. Each time the player rolls a bane die, it is lost, and their character gains a karma die. A character’s karma dice are replenished whenever they gain a level. Whenever karma dice are replenished, any unused bane dice are lost. Optionally, the GM may choose for karma dice to replenish each session or between adventures.

VARIANT: TIERED KARMA DICE

When you add this option, a character’s karma dice change when they reach certain levels. Each karma or bane die becomes a d8 when the character reaches 5th level, a d10 at 10th level, and a d12 at 16th level.

VARIANT: KARMA POOL

Using this option, instead of assigning karma dice to each player, they become part of a dice pool that is accessible to a group of characters. Each character in the group adds one karma die to the die pool. Characters that reached 11th level instead add two karma dice to the pool, while characters 16th level or higher add three karma dice. Any player can choose to use a die from the pool using the rules as described above. Each karma die used is lost and becomes a bane die, which the GM can choose to impose upon a roll made by any character in the group, using the rules as described above.

HEALING

These options adjust a character’s ability to recover from their injuries.

NEEDING A MEDIC

A character can’t spend any Hit Dice after finishing a short rest until another creature patches them up. The creature tending to the character’s wounds must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check. This check automatically succeeds if the creature expends one use of a medkit.

HEALING SURGE

This option works best in campaigns with little to no access to healing powers and items. As an action, a character can use a healing surge and spend up to half their Hit Dice. For each Hit Die spent in this way, the player rolls the die and adds the character’s Constitution modifier. The character regains hit points equal to the total. The player can decide to spend an additional Hit Die after each roll. A character who uses a healing surge can’t do so again until he or she finishes a short or long rest. While using this option, a character regains all spent Hit Dice at the end of a long rest. With a short rest, a character regains Hit Dice equal to his or her level divided by four (minimum of one die).

RESTING

This provides alternatives to the rules for resting as presented in chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook.

DIMINISHING RECOVERY

There is only so much rest one can benefit from without any activity. These rules limit the benefit characters gain from frequent resting. Using this option, a character can’t benefit for more than one short rest in a 4-hour period. They also can’t benefit from a short rest taken within 4 hours of finishing a long rest. If a character takes more than the necessary time during a short or long rest, they don’t finish the rest until the end of the additional time taken. Limited Resting. At the GM’s discretion, if a character takes a short rest within 4 hours after finishing a short or long rest, they can spend up to half their maximum Hit Dice to regain hit points, but don’t gain any other benefits from the short rest, including regaining the use of features or ending detrimental effects.

EPIC HEROISM

Some scenarios require all the heavy action to happen within a limited amount of time. A short rest takes only 5 minutes, and a long rest takes 1 hour. Using these rules, a character can’t benefit from more than one long rest in an 8-hour period. It’s recommended this option be used for epic scenarios or adventures in which time is a critical factor. An example of this is when the team has less than an hour to make their way through the decks of a well-guarded Imperium flagship before it’s destroyed.

NATURAL RECOVERY

This option is for campaigns with no access to advanced medicine or medical technology. Finishing a short rest takes 8 hours and a long rest takes 7 days. To add an extra layer of realism, you can instead choose for a long rest to take 1d6 + 1 days for each character. Using this method encourages players to be more careful, planning their excursions and missions around necessary downtime.

TOOLS & SKILLS

This variant rule allows for tool proficiencies to grant bonuses to certain skills. In scenarios where a skill check may also involve a tool proficiency, a character proficient in that tool can gain advantage on their skill check. For example, if a character is investigating the properties of a customized pistol, being proficient with gunsmith’s tools can grant them advantage to their Intelligence (Investigation) check. Likewise, a character proficient with a hacker’s kit can gain advantage on their Intelligence (Computers) check to locate hidden data on a device or server. Whether or not a situation would allow for this benefit is solely at the discretion of the GM.

SECTION 3

COMBAT OPTIONS

The following options can be used to change some aspects of resolving combat.

BURST FIRE OPTIONS

This section provides variant options for burst fire.

BURST FIRE AT HIGHER LEVELS

With this variant, when a character reaches 11th level, the area of their burst fire action increases to a 15-foot square area. At 17th level, the area increases to a 20-foot square.

CRITICAL SAVE FAILURE

If a creature fails their burst save by 5 or more, they take additional damage equal to the attacker’s Dexterity modifier. If you’re using the Burst Attack variant above, a creature that rolls a 20 on their burst fire attack roll can add their Dexterity modifier to their weapon’s damage.

PATH OF FIRE

Each burst has a path of fire which is a 5-foot-wide line between the attacker and the area targeted for burst fire. Any creature in that line must succeed on a burst save or take damage from the burst fire. Optionally, you can allow them to make this save with advantage.

COMBAT ACTIONS

This section provides new combat actions.

CROUCH

A creature that is standing on the ground and capable of movement can crouch or stand up as a bonus action, gaining a new condition called Crouched. A crouched creature is subject to the following.

The creature has advantage on Dexterity saving throws and burst saves.
An attack roll against the creature has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature.
The creature’s walking speed is reduced by half.
The creature has disadvantage on saving throws made to avoid being knocked prone.

DISARM

A creature can use a weapon attack to knock a weapon or another item from a target’s grasp. The attacker makes an attack roll contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) check or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the attacker wins the contest, the attack causes no damage or other ill effect, but the defender drops the item. The attacker has disadvantage on its attack roll if the target is holding the item with two or more hands. The target has advantage on its ability check if it is larger than the attacking creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller.

OVERRUN

When a creature tries to move through a hostile creature’s space, the mover can try to force its way through by overrunning the hostile creature. As an action or a bonus action, the mover makes a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the hostile creature’s Strength (Athletics) check.

The overrunning creature has advantage on this check if it is larger than the hostile creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller. If the mover wins the contest, it moves through the hostile creature’s space once this turn.

TUMBLE

A creature can try to tumble through a hostile creature’s space, ducking and weaving past the opponent. As an action or a bonus action, the tumbler makes a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the hostile creature’s Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the tumbler wins the contest, it can move through the hostile creature’s space once this turn.

MORALE

Some combatants might run away when a fight turns against them. You can use this optional rule to help determine when threats and NPCs flee. A creature might flee under any of the following circumstances:

The creature is surprised.
The creature is reduced to half its hit points or fewer for the first time in the battle.

The creature has no way to harm the opposing side on its turn. A group of creatures might flee under any of the following circumstances:

All the creatures in the group are surprised.
The group’s leader is reduced to 0 hit points, incapacitated, taken prisoner, or removed from battle.
The group is reduced to half its original size with no losses on the opposing side.

To determine whether a creature or group of creatures flees, make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw for the creature or the group’s leader. If the opposition is overwhelming, the saving throw is made with disadvantage, or you can decide that the save fails automatically. If a group’s leader can’t make the saving throw for whatever reason, have the creature in the group with the next highest Charisma score make the saving throw instead. On a failed save, the affected creature or group flees by the most expeditious route. If escape is impossible, the creature or group surrenders. If a creature or group that surrenders is attacked by its conquerors, the battle might resume, and it’s unlikely that further attempts to flee or surrender will be made. A failed saving throw isn’t always to the characters’ benefit. For example, a security guard that retreats might run to a place where they can set off an alarm or alert more building security.

PASSIVE INITIATIVE

This option removes initiative rolls at the start of combat Instead, each creature begins combat with an initiative equal to 10 + their Dexterity modifier before adjustments (if any) are applied.

STUNNING DAMAGE

When a creature takes damage from a single source equal to or greater than half its hit point maximum, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn. If the damage is taken as a result of a critical hit, and the creature fails its Constitution save by 5 or more, the creature instead drops to 0 hit points. This is the right column.

SECTION 4

CREATING THREATS

When you need ready-made foes for your campaign, the Threats Database has a wealth of monsters, villains, and mechanical menaces available for use right away. However, part of forging a sci-fi universe is creating creatures born from your own imagination. The first step to take when creating a threat is to ask basic questions that help establish its identity and role in your game. Some examples of these include:

What does it look like and how is it different from other creatures?
Where does it come from?
How does it interact with other galactic creatures?
What purpose does it serve for your own setting or campaign?
What special traits or abilities does it have?

Starting from Scratch. If you don’t have a creature concept in mind or need guidance on where to start, refer to “Creating a Galactic Species” in chapter 10 for ideas.

USING AN EXISTING STAT BLOCK

The easiest method for creating your own threat is to adapt it to an existing stat block from either the Threats Database or another established 5E resource. Let’s say your idea involved a scientific experiment that caused an evolutionary mutation in a species of winged animals. The ganaray could be easily adapted to such an idea. You can change its name and alter its appearance to better fit your own concept. You can also make simple modifications such as changing its language or removing it altogether. Perhaps your version is resistant to fire instead of cold. If you need a deadly robot, making small tweaks to a gamaroid, droids, or drone stat block might be just what you need. Horrific monstrosities overrunning an abandoned station? Adapting the aberrant may fit your scenario. For creating planetary beasts, easily customizable stat block templates and options are available in appendix B of the Threats Database.

MODIFYING ATTACKS

Weapon attacks such as blades, claws, or rifles can be exchanged for others that better fit your concept. For example, you could exchange a shortblade for a microfilament whip or a heavy pistol for an auto rifle. You can also change a spear or combat knife into a claw or bite attack. When making these adjustments, change the damage and the attack’s reach where appropriate. Try to avoid making extreme changes that may alter a creature’s DC, such as trading out a combat knife for a sniper rifle. Also be aware of changes that may occur by switching between one-handed and two-handed weapons, such as additional damage from the versatile property or losing the AC benefit of a shield.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

Consider adding a special feature or trait by creating your own or using one from an existing threat. You can borrow one or more from the Additional Features table provided in appendix B of the Threats Database. You can also choose from others, such as a virtual echo’s Detect Life trait or the martenka’s Nimble Escape trait

CREATING QUICK THREAT STATS

Use the following steps to quickly create stats for a threat of a specific challenge rating. This method is primarily for creating threats on the fly or for scenarios where a full stat block isn’t necessary. If you need to create a full creature stat block from scratch, see “Building a Stat Block” later in this section.

1. BASE CHALLENGE RATING

Choose a base challenge rating (CR) for your threat to be used as a baseline for calculating its proficiency bonus and combat statistics. It may change as you continue along the process, but you can make adjustments later on to reach the desired CR. When deciding on a CR, always keep in mind the level of your player’s characters to gauge how it affects the difficulty of an encounter. If the threat you’re creating is to be encountered in groups of two or more, their CR should be lower than the characters’ level. For guidance on choosing a challenge rating for solo or group threats, see “Creating an Encounter” in chapter 6.

2.DETERMINE BASE STATS

Using the challenge rating from step 1 as a guide, use the Threat Statistics by Challenge Rating table to determine the threat’s Armor Class, hit points, attack bonus, and the amount of damage it can deal each round. For hit points and damage per round, choose a number that falls within the ranges listed. Even Quicker Stats. Once you’ve determined the threat’s base stats using the table and you don’t feel the need to make adjustments, you can skip directly to step 6 and use the threat’s base challenge rating as its final challenge rating. Balancing Things Out. If you’re aiming for a specific challenge rating rather than specific stats, it’s best to start with scores that fall in the middle of the stat ranges listed. For example, if you decide on a base challenge rating of 6, consider starting with hit points closer to 145 or 146 before making adjustments. This allows you some flexibility on the next steps before calculating your final CR.

3. MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.

Raise or lower each stat to a desired number, based on the concept of your threat. For example, if your threat is agile or well-armored, you may wish to raise its Armor Class. A strong or hearty creature may have more hit points. After making your desired changes, record your adjusted statistics.

4. DETERMINE DEFENSIVE RATING

Using the table, find where your threat’s adjusted hit points fall on the table and note the corresponding challenge rating suggested for that number of hit points. Next, look at the Armor Class for the challenge rating you just noted. If your threat’s AC is at least two points higher or lower than that number, adjust the suggested challenge rating up or down by 1 for every 2 points of difference. Record this adjusted number as your defensive rating. Modifying an Existing Stat Block. This is the fastest and simplest method for creating threats. Consider this option to save the most time. Use the other options if you require more versatility. Creating Quick Stats. Use this option if you want to create something more unique, but still wish to save time, or if the threat can be used without the need of specific details such as ability scores or resistances. This method also makes it easier for you to introduce your players to new and unique creatures. Building a New Stat Block. This method is the most time-consuming but fleshes out all the details you would find in a ready-to-play stat block. Use this method if creating a unique threat that plays a significant role in your setting, story, or campaign scenario.

5. DETERMINE OFFENSIVE RATING

Using the table, find your threat’s damage per round and note the corresponding challenge rating suggested for that damage amount. Next, look at the attack bonus for the challenge rating you just noted. If your threat’s attack bonus is at least two points higher or lower than that number, adjust the suggested challenge rating up or down by 1 for every 2 points of difference. Record this number as your offensive rating. Using Save DC. If the threat relies primarily on damage from effects with saving throws (such as arcane powers or other special attacks), use the threat’s save DC instead of its attack bonus when determining your offensive rating.

6. DETERMINE FINAL CHALLENGE RATING

The threat’s final challenge rating is the average of its defensive and offensive ratings, rounded up. For example, if the threat’s defensive rating is 6 and its offensive rating is 5, its final challenge rating is 6. Proficiency Bonus and XP Value. With the final challenge rating, you can use the Threat Proficiency Bonus and XP table to determine the threat’s proficiency bonus and how many experience points the threat is worth. A threat with a challenge rating of 0 is worth 0 XP if it poses no threat. Otherwise, it is worth 10 XP.

7. FINALIZE YOUR CREATION

Establish your threat’s name and appearance. Choose a size category if it’s necessary for you to know how much space it occupies on a grid. Optional Skills. If your threat needs to use a skill in a non-combat situation, determine whether the threat is proficient in the skill. If so, add its proficiency bonus to its skill check. You can include bonuses or penalties as you see fit, depending on your concept. For example, a scrawny creature may not get any bonus to its Strength checks or saving throws. Likewise, a nimble creature may be granted an additional +2 or +3 bonus to its Dexterity checks. Saving Throws. If a situation calls for the threat to make a saving throw, simply add its proficiency bonus to the die roll. Just as with skills above, make adjustments accordingly to fit your concept.

Defining Attacks and Damage. Determine the source of the threat’s damage. Is it a natural attack, a weapon, or a power? This also helps determine if the threat’s attacks deal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. You can also change this to an alternate damage type. Multi-attack. If you want your threat to make more than one attack per round, split the damage per round between its number of attacks. For example, a threat with a damage/round total of 22 can instead be given two attacks, each dealing 11 damage. Alternatively, one of its attacks can deal 13 damage while another deals 9 damage. You can also assign a different damage type to each attack, if you choose.

THREAT STATISTICS BY CHALLENGE RATING TABLE

CR	ARMOR CLASS	HIT POINTS	ATTACK BONUS	DMG ROUND	DC SAVES
0	12	1-15	2	0–1	12
1/8	12	16-25	2	2–3	12
1/4	12	26-35	3	4–5	13
1/2	13	36-49	3	6–7	13
1	13	50-65	4	8–10	13
2	13	66-95	4	11–14	13
3	14	96-110	4	15–18	14
4	14	111-125	5	19–24	14
5	15	126-140	5	25–34	15
6	15	141-150	6	35–40	15
7	15	151-165	6	41–44	15
8	16	166-180	7	45–50	16
9	16	181-195	7	51–54	16
10	17	196-220	7	55–60	16
11	17	221-235	8	61–66	17
12	17	236-250	8	67–72	17
13	18	251-265	8	73–78	17
14	18	266–280	8	79–84	18
15	18	281–295	8	85–90	18
16	18	296-310	9	91–96	18
17	18	311-325	9	97–108	19
18	18	326-340	10	109–112	19
19	19	341-355	10	113–116	19
20	19	356-370	10	117–124	19
21	19	375-415	11	126–140	20
22	19	416-450	11	141–158	20
23	19	451-485	11	159–176	20
24	19	486-540	12	177–194	21
25	19	541-585	12	195–216	21
26	20	586-630	12	217–232	21
27	20	631-675	13	233–246	22
28	20	676-720	13	247–262	22
29	20	721-765	13	263–278	22
30	20	766–800	14	279–300	23

THREAT PROFICIENCY BONUS AND XP TABLE

CR	PROFICIENCY BONUS	XP VALUE
0	2	0 or 10
1/8	2	25
1/4	2	50
1/2	2	100
1	2	200
2	2	450
3	2	700
4	2	1,100
5	3	1,800
6	3	2,300
7	3	2,900
8	3	3,900
9	4	5,000
10	4	5,900
11	4	7,200
12	4	8,400
13	5	10,000
14	5	11,500
15	5	13,000
16	5	15,000
17	6	18,000
18	6	20,000
19	6	22,000
20	6	25,000
21	7	33,000
22	7	41,000
23	7	50,000
24	7	62,000
25	8	75,000
26	8	90,000
27	8	105,000
28	8	120,000
29	9	135,000
30	9	155,000

SECTION 5

BUILDING NEW STAT BLOCK

Building a New Stat Block Use the following method to create a full stat block for your new threat. To create a stat block, you’ll need to be familiar with the components of stat blocks as they’re presented in the Threats Database. If you get stuck or can’t decide on an option while building your stat block, refer to other stat blocks in the Threats Database for guidance. Refer to the basic questions at the beginning of this section and use those answers to establish a concept. Once that’s done, follow the steps below. A sample stat block is provided with markers for which parts of the stat block are covered by each of the steps.

STAT BLOCK SAMPLE BY STEP

Threat Name (Step 2)
Size (step 3) type (step 4), alignment (step 5)
Armor Class (step 7)
Hit Points (step 8)
Speed (step 9)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Ability Scores and Modifiers (step 1 & 6)
Saving Throws (step 10)
Skills (step 11)
Damage Vulnerability, Resistances, Immunities (step 12)
Condition Immunities (step 13)
Senses (step 14)
Languages (step 15)
Challenge (step 20)
Special Traits. (step 19)
Actions, Attack Options.
Attack bonus (step 16)
Save DC - if applicable (step 17)
Damage (step 18)
Special Action. (step 19)
Reactions, Special Reaction, Legendary Actions Definition of actions and availability. Legendary Action. (step 19)

1. DETERMINE BASE STATS

See “Creating Quick Threat Stats” above and follow steps 1 through 3. Each of these stats (Armor Class, hit points, attack bonus, and damage per round) directly affect your threat’s final challenge rating and vice versa. Record them for future reference as they’ll be referred to in the later steps.

2. NAME

Choose or invent a name for your threat. Remember to keep the threat’s nature and concept in mind when deciding on its name. Its planet or system of origin may help depending on your setting. If it’s a mechanical creature, a numerical designation or model number might serve as a name.

3. SIZE

Determine the size of your threat: Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, Huge, or Gargantuan. Your choice affects how much space it occupies as well as which die is used to calculate its hit points, as defined later in step 9.

4. TYPE

The Threats Database describes each threat type. Assign a type to your threat based upon your chosen concept and origin.

5. ALIGNMENT

Skip this step if your game doesn’t use the rules for alignment as presented in the Core Manual. If your threat has no concept of ethics or morals, it is unaligned. Otherwise, it has an appropriate alignment based on its personality and nature.

6. ABILITY SCORES AND MODIFIERS

Threats have six ability scores, same as player characters. Assign these ability scores to your threat. An ability score can’t be lower than 1 and can’t be higher than 30. If you can’t decide what scores your threat should have, you can refer to chapter 7 of the Core Manual for information on each ability score. You can also look at existing stat blocks in the Threats Database for guidance and comparison. For example, as most constructs have limited understanding beyond their programming, they tend to have lower Intelligence and Charisma scores. The same can be said of many beasts. Most skilled combatants have higher Strength or Dextertiy scores, while creatures that use arcane powers have higher scores in their assigned arcane ability

7. ARMOR CLASS

Using the Armor Class determined earlier from your base stats, adjust the threat’s AC, if desired. Consider the following advice when adjusting AC. Using Armor. If your threat wears armor, consider the type of armor it wears (as defined in chapter 5 of the Core Manual) to determine an AC. Depending upon the armor type, you can also add its Dexterity modifier. Use of a shield can increase its AC by the shield’s bonus as well. Natural Armor. If your threat doesn’t wear armor it might have natural armor represented by thick scales, hide, or similar protection. A creature with natural armor has an AC equal to 10 + its Dexterity modifier + its natural armor bonus. Thick hide can provide a natural armor bonus of +1 to +3. More durable or resilient features can provide greater bonuses such as a drake’s hardened scales or the chitin exoskeleton of a coloterim. Armored Frame. An automaton or construct can have an armored frame, represented by its metal exoskeleton or protective plating which functions the same as natural armor. 8. HIT POINTS Refer to the hit point total determined earlier from your base stats (see step 1). You can use this number for your threat’s hit points or adjust it to your desired total Keep in mind the hit point range listed under the base CR you chose on the Threat Statistics by Challenge Rating table. Adjusting the creature’s hit points beyond that range greatly affects its final challenge rating later on. Using Hit Dice. If you would like a more accurate calculation, you can assign a number of Hit Dice to the creature, then calculate its average hit points. A creature can have as many Hit Dice as you choose, but the size of the die used to calculate its hit points depends on the creature’s size, as shown in the Hit Dice by Size table. For example, a Medium creature uses d8s for hit points, so a Medium creature with 3 Hit Dice and a Constitution of 15 (+2 modifier) has 3d8 + 6 hit points. You can then determine the creature’s average hit points based on its Hit Dice. For example, the creature with 3d8 + 6 hit points has an average of 19 hit points (3 × 4.5 + 6). If you want to keep your threat’s hit points within the range listed under its base CR, you can adjust its hit dice until its average hit points fall within the desired range. It doesn’t need to be an exact match and is likely a few points off of your original number.

HIT DICE BY SIZE

SIZE	HIT DICE	AVR HP
Tiny	d4	2 1/2
Small	d6	3 1/2
Medium	d8	4 1/2
Large	d10	5 1/2
Huge	d10	6 1/2
Gargantuan	d12	10 1/2

9. SPEED

Every threat has a walking speed. Threats that are immobile or don’t move on ground terrain have a walking speed of 0 feet. In addition to its walking speed, a threat might have one or more other speeds, including a burrowing, climbing, flying, or swimming speed. Effective AC for Flying Threats. Depending upon your threat’s base challenge rating, its ability to fly can increase the Armor Class value used to calculate its final challenge rating. This is referred to as its effective Armor Class. If your threat can fly and deal damage at range, increase its Armor Class by 2 to determine its effective Armor Class. This number is used solely for the purpose of calculating its final challenge rating. The threat’s actual Armor Class shouldn’t change.

10. SAVING THROWS

If you want your threat to be resilient against certain kinds of effects, you can give it a bonus to saving throws tied to a particular ability. A saving throw bonus is best used to counteract a low ability score. For example, a bulky construct with a low Dexterity score might need a Dexterity saving throw bonus to account for the fact that its sensors allow it to react to immediate danger faster than its Dexterity would indicate. A saving throw bonus is equal to the threat’s proficiency bonus + its relevant ability modifier. Effective AC for Saving Throws. If a threat has three or more saving throw bonuses its effective AC (see step 9) should be raised for purposes of determining its final challenge rating. If it has three or four bonuses, increase its effective AC by 2. If it has five or more bonuses, increase its effective AC by 4.

11. SKILLS

If you want a threat to be proficient in a skill, you can give it a bonus equal to its proficiency bonus on ability checks related to that skill. For example, a threat with acute senses might have a bonus on Wisdom (Perception) checks, while a skilled hacker might have a bonus on Intelligence (Computer) checks. You can double the proficiency bonus to account for heightened mastery. For example, a spyder is exceptional at hiding its presence, so its bonus on Dexterity (Stealth) checks is equal to double its proficiency bonus + its Dexterity modifier. Skill bonuses are completely optional and have no bearing on a threat’s challenge rating.

12. DAMAGE VULNERABILITIES, RESISTANCES, AND IMMUNITIES

Decide whether your threat has vulnerability, resistance, or immunity to one or more damage types. These should only be assigned to a threat when it aligns with its nature or concept. For example, it makes sense for a threat with acidic blood to have immunity to acid damage, or for a threat from a sub-zero environment to have resistance to cold damage. For the purposes of calculating its final challenge rating, assigning three or more resistances or immunities (especially bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage) is like giving it extra hit points (see below). This becomes less relevant for threats with higher challenge ratings, as higher-level characters are better equipped to counteract such defenses. Effective Hit Points. If a threat has resistance or immunity to several damage types—especially bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from mundane weapons—and not all the characters in the party possess the means to counteract that resistance or immunity, you need to take these defenses into account when comparing your threat’s hit points to its base challenge rating. Using the Effective Hit Point Calculation table, apply the appropriate multiplier to the threat’s hit points to determine its effective hit points. This total is solely for the purpose of calculating its final challenge rating. The threat’s actual hit points shouldn’t change. For example, a threat with an expected challenge rating of 8, 170 hit points, and resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from mundane weapons effectively has 255 hit points (using the 1.5 multiplier for resistances) for the purpose of gauging its final challenge rating. Vulnerabilities. Threats don’t normally have vulnerability to more than one or two types of damage. Vulnerabilities don’t significantly affect a threat’s challenge rating. If you need your threat to have a vulnerability to a common damage type (particularly bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing), you can instead simply lower its hit points or even cut them by half.

EFFECTIVE HIT POINT CALCULATION

CR	RESISTANCE	IMMUNITIES
1-4	x2	x2
5-10	x1.5	x2
11-16	x1.25	x1.5
17 or more	x1	x1.25

13. CONDITION IMMUNITIES

A threat can be immune to one or more conditions. For descriptions of the various conditions, see appendix A of the Core Manual. As with damage immunities, condition immunities should be logical and align with the threat’s nature or concept. For example, it makes sense that an alphalite can’t be poisoned, since it’s a construct with no internal organs or living tissue. A threat can have as many condition immunities as you see fit with no effect on its challenge rating.

14. SENSES

A threat can have one or more of the following special senses, which are described in the Threats Database: blindsight, darkvision, infravision, tremorsense, and truesight. A threat’s special senses has no impact on its challenge rating. Perception. All threats have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score, which is often used to determine whether it detects approaching or hidden enemies. A threat’s passive Perception score is 10 + its Wisdom modifier. If the threat has proficiency in the Perception skill, its score is 10 + its Wisdom (Perception) bonus.

15. LANGUAGES

A threat can know as many spoken languages as you want, although few know more than one or two. Some threats, such as beasts, have no spoken language whatsoever. A threat that lacks the ability to speak might still understand a language. Such a creature might also be telepathic. Information on telepathy can be found in the Threats Database. A threat’s known languages or ability to speak (even telepathically) has no impact on its challenge rating.

16. ATTACK BONUS

Refer to the attack bonus determined earlier from your base stats (see step 1). You can keep this as your threat’s attack bonus or adjust it as you see fit.. Keep in mind that adjusting your threat’s attack bonus may impact its final challenge rating. Detailed Calculation. If you would like a more accurate calculation, you can determine your threat’s attack bonus using the same method as you would for a character.

CONDITIONAL EFFECTS

Some attacks do more than just deal damage. Many threats have attacks that carry additional effects to make combat more versatile and engaging. Some examples are:

Grappling the target on a hit.
Knocking the target prone on a hit.
Dealing additional damage on a hit if the target fails a saving throw.
Imposing a condition or arcane power effect on the target if the attack hits and the target fails a saving throw.

When your threat makes an attack its attack bonus is equal to its proficiency bonus + its Strength or Dexterity modifier. A threat usually applies its Strength modifier to melee attacks and its Dexterity modifier to ranged attacks, although smaller threats sometimes use Dexterity for both. Your threat’s highest attack bonus is used to calculate its final challenge rating. If you want the attack bonus to remain close to the base number you chose, consider changing the corresponding ability score to adjust the calculation. Don’t worry if it doesn’t match the exact number. Remember, adjusting your threat’s Dexterity score may also change its effective Armor Class, so it’s best to not adjust it too far.

17. SAVE DCS

Refer to the save DC determined earlier from your base stats (see step 1) If your threat has an attack or other feature that requires a target to make a saving throw, the saving throw is made against this DC. You can adjust this number to a higher or lower difficulty if you wish. Just as with attack bonuses, adjusting your threat’s save DC directly impacts its final challenge rating. Detailed Calculation. If you would like a more accurate calculation, you can determine the save DC as follows:

Spell Save DC = 8 + the threat’s proficiency bonus + the threat’s relevant ability modifier

For the relevant ability modifier, choose the best ability that applies for the effect. For example, an effect that would grapple a target would probably use the threat’s Strength as its relevant ability while a poison would more likely use the threat’s Constitution. For effects that are similar to arcane powers, the relevant ability would be the threat’s Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. This is most likely the case for threats that have special traits such as Innate Powers or Arcane Powers (see step 19).

18.DAMAGE

Damage Refer to the damage per round determined earlier from your base stats (see step 1). You can use this as the amount of damage your threat deals every round or adjust it to a desired amount. This number directly affects your threat’s final challenge rating, regardless of how its distributed between attacks and damage types. Multi-attack. A threat can either deal its total damage in a single attack or the damage could be split between multiple attacks against one or more targets. For example, a threat with a damage per round total of 22 can instead be given two attacks, each dealing 11 damage. Alternatively, one of its attacks can deal 13 damage while the other deals 9 damage. Damage Types. For each attack, choose one or more damage types based on how you imagine the damage being dealt. For example, if a threat attacks with its claws, it probably deals slashing damage while a threat using a rifle likely deals piercing damage. If the rifle fires incendiary rounds, some of that attack’s damage might be fire damage instead of piercing damage. Multiple Options. You may decide your threat has more than one attack option to use as an action. For example, in addition to the attacks that use the multi-attack option, the threat might also have a single action it can use instead (such as a separate weapon, a powerful bite, or an area attack) that deals its full damage per round. Area Attacks. Some attacks, such as burst fire attacks and breath weapons, deal damage to multiple targets that fail a saving throw. To estimate the actual damage per round for these attacks, assume the attack hits two targets, and that each target fails its saving throw. If the attack’s area of effect is larger than a 60-foot radius, a 90-foot cone, or a 300-foot line, increase the number of assumed targets to 3. Detailed Calculation. If you would like a more accurate calculation for a weapon attack, you can use a die expression to represent the damage dealt based on whatever weapon it is using. For example, a threat using a grandblade deals 2d6 (an average of 7) slashing damage plus their Strength modifier. You can also assign die expressions to natural attacks such as claws or spikes. Effective Damage Output. If your threat has multiple action options or if you use detailed calculations for its weapon attacks, the threat’s effective damage output is used to calculate its final challenge rating. To determine this number, take the average damage it deals with each of its attacks in a round and add them together. If the threat has different attack options, use its most powerful attacks to determine its damage output. For example, an azurite bahtera can make two gemstone blade attacks or one tail spike attack in a round. The gemstone blade attacks deal more damage, so that attack routine determines the bahtera’s effective damage output. If a threat’s average damage varies from round to round, calculate its damage output each round for the first three rounds of combat, and take the average. For example, a kotatu has a multi-attack routine (one bite attack and one claw attack) that deals an average of 14 damage each round, as well as a fire breath attack that deals 21 damage, or 42 if it hits two targets (see Area Attacks above). In the first three rounds of combat, the kotatu will probably get to use its fire breath once and its multi-attack routine twice, so its effective damage output for the first three rounds would be (42 + 14 + 14) ÷ 3, or 23 damage (rounded down). When calculating a threat’s effective damage output, also take into account special off-turn damage-dealing features, such as auras, reactions, legendary actions, or lair actions. For example, a xamaron monarch has 3 legendary actions it can take each round. The one that deals the most damage is its claw attack which deals 12 damage. Assuming the monarch takes that option for all 3 of its legendary actions each round, its effective damage output increases by 36.

19. SPECIAL TRAITS, ACTIONS, AND REACTIONS

Some threats have additional features that increase its effectiveness in combat, which also affects their challenge rating. These can be special actions (such as Engulf), special reactions (such as Parry), and special traits (such as Arcane Resistance). The Threat Special Features table lists various features taken from stat blocks in the Threats Database. The table notes which features increase a monster’s effective Armor Class, hit points, attack bonus, or damage output for the purpose of determining its challenge rating. (The features don’t change the threat’s actual statistics.) Features that have no effect on a threat’s challenge rating are noted with a dash (—). When assigning special actions, reactions, or traits, keep in mind that not all threats need them. The more you add, the more complex (and harder to run) the threat becomes. Innate Powers and Arcane Powers. These special traits are defined in the introduction section of the Threats Database. Certain powers available from these features can directly affect a threat’s final challenge rating. Powers that can deal more damage than the threat’s normal attack routine would increase its effective damage output. Likewise, powers that increase the threat’s AC or hit points need to be accounted for when determining the threat’s effective AC or hit points. For example, a lorendi aether walker has an AC of 12, but their effective AC is 15 due to their assumed activation of their protection field power. Also, since the damage they deal using their arcane powers is far greater than their wrist blade attacks, it would be instead used for calculating the aether walker’s effective damage output.

20. FINAL CHALLENGE RATING

At this point, you should have the following statistical information:

Armor Class (or effective AC)
Hit points (or effective hit points)
Attack bonus
Save DCs
Damage per round (or effective damage output)
Using these stats, refer to steps 4 through 6 under “Creating Quick Threat Stats”. Use that method to calculate the threat’s defensive rating and offensive rating, then take the average to get its final challenge rating.

CREATURE FEATURES TABLE

FEATURES	EFFECT ON CR
Aggressive	Increase the threat’s effective per-round damage output by 2.
Ambusher	Increase the threat’s effective attack bonus by 1.
Amorphous	-
Amphibious	-
Balance Equilibrium	-
Battle Mage	Increase the threat’s effective per-round damage by the amount noted in the trait.
Breath Weapon	See step 18 under “Building a New Stat Block.”
Brute	Increase the threat’s effective per-round damage by the amount noted in the trait.
Burst Fire	See step 18 under “Building a New Stat Block.”
Chameleon Skin	-
Charge	Increase the threat’s damage on one attack by the amount noted in the trait.
Charm	-
Constrict	Increase the threat’s effective AC by 1.
Cybernetic Body	-
Cybernetic Hybrid	-
Death Burst	Increase the threat’s effective damage output for 1 round by the amount noted in the trait, and assume it affects two creatures.
Diving Strike	Increase the threat’s effective damage on one attack by the amount noted in the trait.
Echolocation	-
Elemental Aura	Increase the threat’s effective per-round damage by the amount noted in the trait.
Encrypted Software	-
Energy Absorption	-
Energy Being	-
Energy Shift	-
Arcane Powers	See step 19 under “Building a New Stat Block.”
Arcane Resistance	Increase the threat’s effective AC by 2.
Essence Drain	-
Ethereal Shift	-
False Appearance	-
Flyby	-
Frightful Presence	Increase the threat’s effective hit points by 25% if the threat is meant to face characters of 10th level or lower.
Hive Mind	-
Hold Breath	-
Hull Breacher	-
Immutable Form	-
Incorporeal Movement	-
Infrared Sensors	-
Innate Powers	See step 19 under “Building a New Stat Block.”
Invisibility	-
Keen Senses	-
Legendary Resistance	Each per-day use of this trait increases the threat’s effective hit points based on the expected challenge rating: 1–4, 10 hp; 5–10, 20 hp; 11 or higher, 30 hp.
Mechanical Body	-
Mimicry	-
Natural Camouflage	-

SECTION 6

NPC STAT BLOCKS

Appendix A of the Threats Database provides stat blocks for various NPC archetypes as well as tips for customizing them. Those tips include adding species traits from the Core Manual, upgrading equipment, and swapping armor, weapons, and powers. If you want to take an NPC stat block and adapt it for a specific threat species, add the features listed in the NPC Features table. If the NPC’s AC, hit points, attack bonus, or damage changes, recalculate its challenge rating.

CREATING ARCANE POWERS

When creating a new arcane power, consider the following advice.

Use existing powers as a guide to creating new ones.
Avoid making a power that would surpass others of its level or would replace the use of other powers. The power should match its domain and intended classes. For example, healing and tech-based powers are usually techniques, not normally available to mystics or mages.
Make sure there isn’t an existing power that already fulfills the purpose of a new one.
Avoid creating powers with too narrow a focus to where it would see little to no use during your campaign.
For some powers, a shorter activation time or longer duration can be traded for a less powerful effect.

ARCANE POWER DAMAGE

If you create a power that deals damage, the following table defines the approximate amount of damage a power should deal at its level. The table assumes the power deals half damage on a successful saving throw or a missed attack. If your power doesn’t deal damage on a successful save, you can increase the damage by 25 percent. To add some variation, you can use different damage dice than the ones in the table, provided that the average result is about the same. For example, you could change a rank 3 power’s damage from 5d10 (average 27.5) to 6d8 (average 27), or 8d6 (average 28). If your power’s damage includes an arcane ability modifier, incorporate that into the average damage and adjust accordingly. Healing Powers. You can also use the table to determine the amount of hit points a power heals. Prime powers shouldn’t be able to provide healing.

ARCANE POWER DAMAGE TABLE

POWER RANK	SINGLE TARGET	MULTIPLE TARGETS
Prime	1d10	1d6
1	2d10	2d6
2	3d10	4d6
3	5d10	6d6
4	6d10	7d6
5	8d10	8d6
6	10d10	11d6
7	11d10	12d6
8	12d10	13d6
9	15d10	14d6

CREATING ITEMS AND GEAR

When creating new items, it's recommended that you start with the item’s function and its purpose for adding it to your game. Also consider the following advice.

If there is another item that performs a similar function, it would be easier to simply modify that item rather than creating a new one (see “Modifying Items”).
Unless it’s an intended part of your storyline, avoid creating items that can drastically alter the flow of events or eliminate the challenge of play. If such an item does exist, it should be extremely rare or unique , such as a artifacts.
If the item can permanently replace a player’s class features or is so good it would never need to be modified or replaced, it’s likely too powerful.

MODIFYING ITEMS

The easiest method for creating new gear, whether it’s a piece of equipment or a forge-enhanced item, is by modifying an existing one. You can alter a cryo grenade to instead deal necrotic damage or add the effects of a Zero-G pack onto the sealed armor property, which would also increase the cost. You could modify a pair of gravity boots into an antigravity belt or turn a telekinetic band into a pair of gloves that perform the same function. A flamethrower unit can be turned into an energy accelerator that deals lightning damage instead of fire. The effects of two items can be merged into a single one, such as a pair of sunglasses that functions as both an imaging visor and a tactical visor. Doing so would increase the item’s rarity and value but won’t break your game.

As an example for core-forged items, if a hunter prefers knocking down walls from a distance, you can allow a rifle to be a demolisher weapon. Similarly, a sword-wielding justicar could find a longblade with the features of frostfire focus. Even without modifying an item directly, you could instead grant an item sentience, or confer a minor property onto it (see chapter 2).

CREATING NEW EQUIPMENT

Use the existing equipment in this book and the Core Manual as guidelines. Miscellaneous gear are often items that see use only in certain situations, providing minor benefits to social or exploration scenarios such as climbing gear or a plasma torch. They can also provide passive benefits such as a carrying container, or have a limited use in combat such as packs of ammunition. If the features of a piece of equipment can match the benefits of either a class feature or an arcane power, it’s more likely to be a forge enhanced item than something you can pick up at the local shop. Access to technology can also influence what counts as normal equipment.

CREATING ENHANCED ITEMS

If modifying an item doesn’t provide what you need, you can create a new one.

ITEM TYPE

Decide what category your item falls into. A forge enhanced item should either let a character do something they couldn’t do before, or improve their ability to do something they can already do. For example, gravity boots allow a character to fly without a vehicle. Meanwhile, a tactical visor enhances their already existing awareness of their surroundings. If the item provides a powerful benefit or has several different features, consider giving the item limited uses or a fixed number of uses per long rest. If such an item is always active, consider increasing its rarity instead.

ATTUNEMENT

Decide whether the item requires a character to gain attunement with it to use its properties. Refer to the following advice regarding this decision: If having all the characters in a party pass an item around to gain its lasting benefits would be disruptive, the item should require attunement. If the item grants a bonus that other items also grant, it’s a good idea to require affinity so that characters don’t try to collect too many of them.

POWER LEVEL

Use the Item Power by Rarity table as a guide to help you determine how powerful an item should be, based on its rarity. Power Grade. Use this alongside the other columns to determine how powerful a core-forged item should be at a certain grade. This can also be used for determining the rarity of an armament with permanent features, such as a core-bonded item. Maximum Power Rank. This column indicates the highest-rank arcane power affect the item should confer, in the form of a once-per-day or similarly limited property. For example, a common item might confer the benefit of a prime or rank 1 power once every 24 hours (or just once, if it’s consumable). A rare, very rare, or epic item might allow its possessor to use a lower-rank power more frequently. Maximum Bonus. If an item delivers a static bonus to AC, attack rolls, saving throws, or ability checks, this column suggests an appropriate bonus based on the item’s rarity. When creating a core-forged item with both a static bonus and additional effects, consider limiting the item’s bonus and effects to that of a lesser rarity.

ITEM POWER BY RARITY TABLE

Rarity	Power Grade	Max Rank	Max Bonus
Common	-	1	-
Uncommon	Standard	3	+1
Rare	Exceptional	6	+2
Very Rare	Superior	8	+3
Epic	Optimum	9	+4

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