Edges

The Edge New Powers has been removed. Choosing Star Knight or Astran grants all powers upon taking and dedicating yourself to that cause. Trappings can be negotiated with the Game Master but Astra powers are generally very low key in appearance and not flashy. Think a galaxy far far away where they move things invisibly and less like hurling balls of fire.

Background Edges

Background Edges represent advantages rooted in who your character is, where they come from, or the kind of training and experience they have accumulated before the story begins. In Astrabound, these Edges often reflect life in the Commonwealth and the Outer Rim: growing up in heavy gravity, surviving a frontier colony, inheriting a ship, earning trust in elite circles, or awakening Astra sensitivity through discipline, trauma, or contact with a Star Stone.

Most Background Edges can be taken after character creation if the story supports it. A hero might become Attractive through deliberate self-reinvention, gain Aristocrat by marrying into a powerful family, or acquire Captain by securing a ship through salvage rights, patronage, or a very risky loan. Astra ability is handled through Arcane Background (Astra Gifted) and represents a real, observable phenomenon in-setting, not rumor or superstition.

Alertness

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE
Not much gets by this hero. Add +2 to Notice rolls to hear, see, or otherwise sense the world around them.

Ambidextrous

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, AGILITY d8+
You ignore the Off-Hand penalty. If holding a weapon in each hand, you may stack Parry bonuses (if any) from both weapons.

Arcane Background (Astra Gifted)

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE
You are Astra Gifted. You have an innate sensitivity and trained focus that lets you shape Astra deliberately. Your Astra works through Focus (Spirit) and uses Power Points as normal for Arcane Background (Gifted), renamed in-setting as Astra Gifted.

Arcane Resistance

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SPIRIT d8+
Astra holds little sway with you. Enemy Astra abilities targeting you suffer a −2 penalty and Astra damage against you is reduced by 2. If a hostile power fails to affect you due to this penalty, it still activates and consumes Power Points and may still affect other targets.

This includes Astra bonuses granted to weapons, such as the smite power.

Aristocrat

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE
You were born into privilege or earned your way into the elite. You may or may not have wealth, but you move comfortably in high-status circles.

You add +2 to Persuasion when Networking with the local elite, corporate executives, old families, high-ranking officers, or established power brokers. You also add +2 to Common Knowledge rolls related to upper-class etiquette, identifying heraldry, recognizing lineage markers, or recalling elite gossip.

Astrid attends a fundraiser aboard an Olympia highport. She uses Aristocrat to Network with the arcology families and leaves with a private invite, a favor owed, and a warning about who not to cross.

Attractive

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, VIGOR d6+
People are more willing to help those they find attractive. Add +1 to Performance and Persuasion rolls if the target is attracted to your general type.

Berserk

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE
Immediately after suffering a Wound or a Shaken result from physical damage only, you must make a Smarts roll or go Berserk. You may voluntarily fail.

Going Berserk has these effects:

• FURY: Strength increases one die type and every melee attack must be a Wild Attack. You cannot use skills requiring wit or concentration (Gamemaster’s call). You may still use Intimidation.

• ENRAGED: Add +2 Toughness. Ignore one level of Wound penalties. This stacks with other abilities that reduce Wound penalties.

• RECKLESS ABANDON: On a Critical Failure on a Fighting check, you hit a random target within range of your attack, friend or foe. If none, the blow misses and smashes nearby objects.

After five consecutive rounds of berserk fury, you take a level of Fatigue. At ten rounds, you take another level of Fatigue and the rage ends. You may end your rage at any time by making a Smarts −2 roll as a free action.

Flynn takes a plasma graze during a boarding action on a derelict. He fails his Smarts roll and goes Berserk, carving through a corridor like a storm, then nearly tags Zayko when his blade bites the wrong direction on a Critical Failure.

Brave

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SPIRIT d6+
You have learned to master fear, or you have seen enough horrors that panic no longer owns you. Add +2 to Fear checks and subtract 2 from Fear Table results.

Brawny

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, STRENGTH d6+, VIGOR d6+
Your Size increases by +1 and therefore Toughness by +1. You treat your Strength as one die type higher when determining Encumbrance and Minimum Strength to use armor, weapons, and equipment without penalty.

Brawny cannot increase Size above +3.

Brute

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, STRENGTH d6+, VIGOR d6+
You focus on core strength over coordination. Athletics is linked to Strength instead of Agility for Advancement. You may resist Athletics Tests with Strength if you choose.

You also increase the Short Range of any thrown item by +1, double that for Medium, and double again for Long.

Captain

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, COMMAND, PILOTING d8+
You start the campaign with a light cargo hauler or scout ship of your own. You may have inherited it, salvaged it, stolen it, or bought it legitimately. You are responsible for maintenance, fuel, fees, charters, crew, and the consequences that come with having your own hull.

This Edge lets you start with a starship large enough to accommodate the party. Talk this over with the GM as it affects campaign structure and resources.

Astrid signs a questionable charter out of Haven because keeping a ship flying is expensive. Flynn wants to ask questions. Zayko points out they are already undocked.

Charismatic

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SPIRIT d8+
You are unusually likable. You get one free reroll on Persuasion rolls.

Elan

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SPIRIT d8+
When you spend a Benny to reroll a Trait, add +2 to the total. This applies only when rerolling Trait rolls. It does not apply to damage rolls. It does not apply to Soak rolls unless you spend another Benny to reroll the Vigor check.

Fame

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE
You are a minor celebrity in some slice of known space. You make double the normal fee when performing for pay. You may add +1 to Persuasion rolls if the target is friendly and knows who you are, determined by a Common Knowledge roll modified by how likely they are to recognize you.

Fame has downsides. You get recognized, people demand time and favors, and anonymity is harder.

Famous

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, FAME
You are truly famous. You make 5× the normal fee when performing and add +2 to Persuasion rolls when influencing friendly individuals who know who you are.

The costs are higher too. Obligations, rivals, scandals, and constant recognition can complicate travel and covert work.

Fast Healer

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, VIGOR d8+
Add +2 to Vigor rolls for natural healing, and you check every three days instead of five.

Favored Terrain

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SURVIVAL d6+
Choose a terrain type: aquatic, arctic, desert, forest, hill/mountain, jungle, plains, space, swamp, underground, or urban including stations and ship interiors.

While in your Favored Terrain, you get a free reroll to Survival and Notice rolls. You also draw an additional Action Card for initiative in your Favored Terrain and choose from all your Action Cards as usual.

Favored Terrain may be taken multiple times, choosing a new terrain each time.

Filthy Rich

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, RICH
You start with five times the normal starting funds and, if appropriate, a yearly income after responsibilities of around $500,000. Additional wealth can exist, but should be worked out with the GM and should come with responsibilities and obligations.

Geared Up

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE
This Edge may only be taken at character creation. You start with 10 times the usual Starting Funds in possessions. Excess cash is lost. If used for cyberware or Robotic Mods, they are already safely installed.

This is a one-time benefit. Lost or broken possessions are not replaced.

Great Luck

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, LUCK
You draw two extra Bennies at the start of each session.

Heavy/Super-Heavy-G Worlder

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE
You grew up under crushing gravity. You treat your Strength as one die type higher when determining Encumbrance and Minimum Strength to use armor, weapons, and equipment without penalty. You also double normal jumping distances.

Improved Arcane Resistance

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, ARCANE RESISTANCE
As Arcane Resistance, but the penalty to the Astra skill roll and damage reduction are increased to 4.

Linguist

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SMARTS d6+
You begin play knowing half your Smarts die type in different Language skills of your choice at d6.

Luck

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE
You draw one extra Benny at the start of each session.

Quick

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, AGILITY d8+

Whenever you are dealt an Action Card of Five or lower, you may discard it and draw again until you get a card higher than Five.

If you also have Level Headed, draw your additional card first and choose from your cards. If the chosen card is Five or less, Quick may be used to draw replacements until it is Six or higher.

Rich

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE
You start with three times the normal starting funds. If a regular income is appropriate, you receive the modern-day equivalent of a $150,000 annual salary.

Very Attractive

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, ATTRACTIVE
Increase your Performance and Persuasion bonus from Attractive to +2.

Combat Edges

Combat Edges are the difference between surviving a corridor breach and becoming a name on a memorial wall. In Astrabound, they represent hard training, dirty experience, and the kind of instincts you only get after enough near-misses in vacuum, gravity, and places where the law does not reach. These Edges make you faster, deadlier, and harder to put down when the shooting starts.

Ammo Counter

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE
Most firefights in the Rim burn ammo like a reactor burns fuel. A shooter with this Edge is more precise with trigger control, reducing the number of bullets fired by half, round up.

Firing a weapon with Rate of Fire 2, for example, fires three shots instead of five per attack. Rate of Fire 3 uses five shots instead of 10.

Block

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, FIGHTING d8+
Through hard-fought experience your hero has learned to defend themselves in vicious hand-to-hand combat. Their Parry increases by +1 and any Gang Up bonus against them is reduced by 1.

Brawler

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, STRENGTH d8+, VIGOR d8+
Your fists hit like hammers, or your natural weapons land with brutal efficiency. You increase your Toughness by +1 and roll Strength+d4 when hitting with fists or feet (or claws if you have them).

If you already have a damage die from Claws, the Martial Artist Edge, and similar sources, increase the damage die type by one instead.

This Edge does not make your fists Natural Weapons.

Bruiser

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, BRAWLER
You increase your Toughness an additional +1, and the damage caused with your fists or claws increases another die type.

Calculating

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SMARTS d8+
You process angles, timing, and threat lines faster than most. When your Action Card is a Five or less, you ignore up to 2 points of penalties on one action that turn, which can include Multi-Action, Cover, Range, and Wound penalties.

Combat Reflexes

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED
You recover quickly from shock and pain. Add +2 to rolls when attempting to recover from being Shaken or Stunned.

Counterattack

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, FIGHTING d8+
You punish openings instantly. Once per round, if you are not Shaken or Stunned, you gain a Free Attack against one failed Fighting attack against you. The counterattack happens immediately.

Dead Shot

REQUIREMENTS

WILD CARD, NOVICE, ATHLETICS OR SHOOTING d8+
When your Action Card is a Joker, double the total damage of your first successful Athletics (throwing) or Shooting roll that round.

Dodge

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, AGILITY d8+
You move like you expect the shot before it is fired. Unless you are the victim of a surprise attack and completely unaware, attackers subtract 2 from all ranged attacks made against you. Dodge does not stack with cover.

Double Tap

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, SHOOTING d6+
You fire two quick shots without spoiling your aim. Double Tap can only be used with weapons with a Rate of Fire of 1 that can fire two shots without manual reload. It adds +1 to hit and damage at the cost of one extra bullet.

This is per action, so a shooter can Double Tap more than once if they perform a Multi-Action.

Double Tap cannot be combined with Rapid Fire.

If used with a weapon capable of Three-Round Burst, it adds +2 to Shooting and damage instead of +1 and expends six bullets.

Extraction

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, AGILITY d8+
Withdrawing from melee is dangerous. You have learned how to slip out alive. When moving away from adjacent foes, one adjacent foe of your choice does not get their free Fighting attack against you.

Feint

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, FIGHTING d8+
When performing a Test with the Fighting skill, you may choose to make the foe resist with Smarts instead of Agility.

First Strike

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, AGILITY d8+
Once per round, as long as you are not Shaken or Stunned, you get a free Fighting attack against a foe immediately after they move into your Reach.

Free Runner

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, AGILITY d8+, ATHLETICS d6+
You know how to move through cluttered stations, broken corridors, and wreckage fields without losing speed. As long as there are obstacles you can bound on, bounce off, or swing on, you move at full Pace on Difficult Ground when on foot.

You also add +2 to Athletics rolls when climbing and in foot Chases.

Frenzy

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, FIGHTING d8+
As a limited action, you may roll a second Fighting die with any one of your Fighting attacks for the turn. The extra die may target the same or different targets. Resolve each separately.

Giant Killer

REQUIREMENTS

VETERAN
You know how to find structural weak points in massive targets, whether they are beasts, warforms, or heavy exo-frames. Add +1d6 damage when attacking creatures three or more Sizes larger than yourself.

Hard to Kill

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SPIRIT d8+
You may ignore Wound penalties when making Vigor rolls to avoid Bleeding Out.

Harder to Kill

REQUIREMENTS

VETERAN, HARD TO KILL
If you are ever “killed,” roll a die. On an odd result, you are dead as usual. On an even result, you are Incapacitated but somehow escape death. You may be captured, stripped of gear, or mistakenly left for dead, but you survive.

Improved Block

REQUIREMENTS

VETERAN, BLOCK
Your Parry bonus is now +2 and the Gang Up bonus against you is reduced by 2.

Improved Counterattack

REQUIREMENTS

VETERAN, COUNTERATTACK
As Counterattack, but you may make a Free Attack against up to three failed attacks each round.

Improved Dodge

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, DODGE
You add +2 when Evading area effect attacks.

Improved Extraction

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, EXTRACTION
Up to three adjacent foes of your choice do not get attacks when you move out of melee with them.

Improved First Strike

REQUIREMENTS

HEROIC, FIRST STRIKE
As First Strike, but you may attack up to three foes each turn.

Improved Frenzy

REQUIREMENTS

VETERAN, FRENZY
When using Frenzy, add a third Fighting die to the Fighting attack made with Frenzy this turn.

Astrid kicks in a hatch and uses Improved Frenzy in the tight passage. She splits her dice between three targets, turning a boarding choke point into a problem the other side cannot solve fast enough.

Improvisational Fighter

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, SMARTS d6+
When you fight with improvised weapons, you ignore the usual −2 penalty.

Iron Jaw

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, VIGOR d8+
Add +2 to Soak rolls and Vigor rolls to avoid Knockout Blows.

Killer Instinct

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED
You get a free reroll in any opposed Test you initiate.

Level Headed

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, SMARTS d8+
You draw an additional Action Card in combat and choose which to use.

Marksman

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, ATHLETICS d8+ OR SHOOTING d8+
If you do not move in a turn and fire no more than a Rate of Fire of 1 as your first action, you may add +1 to an Athletics (throwing) or Shooting roll, or ignore up to 2 points of penalties from Called Shots, Cover, Range, Scale, or Speed.

This does not stack with Aim and does not apply to additional attacks after the first.

Martial Artist

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, FIGHTING d6+
Your hands and feet are weapons, so you are always considered armed. Add +1 when striking with them and your unarmed damage is Strength+d4.

If you already have a Strength damage die from Claws or the Brawler Edge, increase the damage die type by one instead.

Martial Artist does not add to damage from other Natural Weapons such as fangs or horns.

Martial Warrior

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, MARTIAL ARTIST
Increase your Fighting bonus from Martial Artist to +2 and increase your damage die an additional step.

Mighty Blow

REQUIREMENTS

WILD CARD, NOVICE, FIGHTING d8+
If your Action Card is a Joker, double the damage of your first successful Fighting attack that round.

Nerves of Steel

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, VIGOR d8+
You may ignore 1 point of Wound penalties.

No Mercy

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED
When you spend a Benny to reroll damage, add +2 to your final total.

Opportunistic

REQUIREMENTS

VETERAN
When you are dealt a Joker, add +4 to your Trait and damage rolls instead of +2.

Quick Draw

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, AGILITY d8+
When spending a Benny for an additional Action Card at the beginning of a round, draw two cards. Choose your final Action Card from any available choices, including additional draws from Level Headed, Quick, and similar Edges.

You also add +2 to Athletics rolls made to interrupt others’ actions, including being on Hold and resisting being interrupted.

Rapid Fire

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, SHOOTING d6+
As long as you are armed with a fast-firing ranged weapon and have enough ammunition, you may increase your weapon’s Rate of Fire by 1 for any one of your Shooting attacks that turn.

Rock and Roll!

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, SHOOTING d8+
If you do not move on your turn, you ignore the Recoil penalty when firing at a Rate of Fire of 2 or higher.

Steady Hands

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, AGILITY d8+
You ignore the Unstable Platform penalty. This also helps when running, reducing the usual penalty from −2 to −1.

Sweep

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, STRENGTH d8+, FIGHTING d8+
As a limited action, make a single Fighting attack with a two-handed weapon and apply it against all targets in your Reach, friends and foes alike. Resolve damage separately for each enemy hit.

A Sweep made without a two-handed weapon suffers a −2 penalty.

Trademark Weapon

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SKILL WITH CHOSEN WEAPON d8+
You know one unique weapon like the back of your hand. When using it, add +1 to Athletics (throwing), Fighting, or Shooting rolls, and +1 to Parry when it is readied, even if it is a ranged weapon.

You may take this Edge multiple times, choosing a different weapon each time. If a Trademark Weapon is lost, you can replace it, but the benefits do not return for a few days, at the GM’s discretion.

Two-Fisted

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, AGILITY d8+
If you make a Fighting attack with one action and another from a different hand in a later action, the second attack does not inflict a Multi-Action penalty. The Off-Hand penalty still applies unless you are Ambidextrous.

If you have Two-Gun Kid, the second action may instead be a ranged attack.

Two-Gun Kid

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, AGILITY d8+
Two-Gun Kid works like Two-Fisted but for ranged weapons. You may fire or throw a weapon in each hand as two different actions without triggering a Multi-Action penalty.

If you have Two-Fisted, the second action may instead be a melee attack.

Flynn has a blade in one hand and an autopistol in the other. With Two-Fisted and Two-Gun Kid, he can strike first, then fire as a later action without the Multi-Action penalty, which is exactly how you stay alive when the corridor gets crowded.

Improved Level Headed

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, LEVEL HEADED
You draw two additional Action Cards in combat and choose which to keep.

Improved Nerves of Steel

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, NERVES OF STEEL
You may ignore 2 points of Wound penalties.

Improved Rapid Fire

REQUIREMENTS

VETERAN, RAPID FIRE
You may increase your weapon’s Rate of Fire by 1 twice in the same turn via a Multi-Action.

Astrid is on the ramp with a carbine. She uses Improved Rapid Fire to push two separate Shooting actions past the usual limit, keeping the boarding party pinned while Zayko drags a wounded crewmate behind cover.

Improved Sweep

REQUIREMENTS

VETERAN, SWEEP
When using Sweep, you may avoid allies.

Improved Trademark Weapon

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, TRADEMARK WEAPON
The bonuses when using your Trademark Weapon increase to +2.

Leadership Edges

Leadership Edges reflect the kind of authority that holds a crew together when the alarm klaxons start, when the docking clamps fail, or when a landing party realizes the map is wrong. In Astrabound, leadership is often earned in the tight spaces of ships, the politics of ports, and the quiet competence that keeps people alive.

Unless an Edge says otherwise, Leadership Edges affect allied Extras only. Wild Cards benefit only if the leader has the Natural Leader Edge.

Leadership Edges are not cumulative with the same Edge from other leaders. Characters may benefit from different Leadership Edges from the same or different leaders.

Allies must be within 5″ (10 yards) to benefit. This is the leader’s Command Range.

Command

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SMARTS d6+
Command is the basic ability to give clear instructions and support to allies in the thick of danger.

Allied Extras in Command Range add +1 to their Spirit rolls when attempting to recover from being Shaken and +1 to Vigor rolls when attempting to recover from being Stunned.

Command Presence

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, COMMAND
You project authority through voice, posture, training, or sheer credibility. Your Command Range becomes 10″ (20 yards).

Fervor

REQUIREMENTS

VETERAN, SPIRIT d8+, COMMAND
You can light a fire in your people with a phrase, a motto, or a simple order that lands at the right moment.

Allied Extras in Command Range add +1 to their Fighting damage rolls.

Astrid plants her boots on a shifting deckplate and calls the push. The crew moves as one, and the next exchange of blows is all theirs.

Hold the Line!

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, SMARTS d8+, COMMAND
You make others harder to break by holding formation, controlling lanes, and keeping panic from spreading.

Allied Extras in Command Range gain +1 Toughness.

Inspire

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, COMMAND
You can turn a plan into momentum. As a limited action, roll your Battle skill to Support one type of Trait roll, then apply that Support to all allied Extras in Command Range.

The leader could Support all Shooting attacks in range, or all Spirit rolls to recover from being Shaken. Inspire requires some form of communication with those it affects.

Master Tactician

REQUIREMENTS

VETERAN, TACTICIAN
You get a total of two extra Action Cards each round to distribute using Tactician.

Natural Leader

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, SPIRIT d8+, COMMAND
You have proven yourself repeatedly, and others follow without needing to be convinced every time.

Any Leadership Edge that says it applies only to Extras now applies to Wild Cards as well.

Tactician

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, SMARTS d8+, COMMAND, BATTLE d6+
You have a natural grasp of small-unit tactics and can take advantage of rapidly changing situations.

You are dealt an extra Action Card each round of combat or a chase, kept separate from your own. At the start of the round, you may discard it or give it to any Extra, or group of Extras sharing an Action Card, in Command Range.

The controller of the receiving character or group may accept it and replace their current Action Card, or discard it.

Team Leader

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, COMMAND, COMMON BOND, NATURAL LEADER
You are the kind of leader who makes a crew feel like a single organism. With this Edge, all allies within your Command Range may exchange Bennies as if they all had the Common Bond Edge.

Flynn is pinned and out of luck. Astrid tosses him a Benny with a single look and a sharp hand signal, and the moment turns before it breaks.

Power Edges

Power Edges shape how Astra users push, conserve, and recover their strength. In Astrabound, Astra is usually subtle, controlled, and personal. These Edges represent the discipline to use it under fire, the knack for stretching your reserves, and the willingness to pay a price when you have to.

Channeling

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, ARCANE BACKGROUND (ANY)
When you get a raise on your arcane skill roll, or on a roll to activate or use an arcane device, reduce the Power Point cost by 1. This can reduce the cost to 0.

Concentration

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, ARCANE BACKGROUND (ANY)
Your Astra practice is efficient and steady. The base Duration of any non-Instant power is doubled. This includes maintaining powers.

Extra Effort

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, ARCANE BACKGROUND (ASTRA GIFTED), FOCUS d6+
Some Gifted can dig deep and force a stronger outcome.

After rolling Focus, you may increase the total by +1 for 1 Power Point, or +2 for 3 Power Points. Extra Effort may not be used to improve a Critical Failure.

Astrid is holding a bulkhead shut with Astra while Flynn drags a wounded crew member to cover. She spends 3 Power Points for Extra Effort and bumps her Focus total by +2, just enough to keep the seal from failing.

Favored Power

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, ARCANE BACKGROUND (ANY), ARCANE SKILL d8+
You have mastered one specific power through repetition and lived experience. Choose one power.

You may ignore up to 2 points of penalties when making the arcane skill roll for that power. This can include Multi-Action penalties, Wound penalties, Fatigue penalties, and similar modifiers. Other actions that round still suffer the Multi-Action penalty normally.

Power Points

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, ARCANE BACKGROUND (ANY)
You have a deeper reservoir than most. Gain +5 Power Points.

Power Points may be selected more than once, but only once per Rank. It may be taken as often as desired at Legendary Rank, but each grants only +2 Power Points at that Rank.

Power Surge

REQUIREMENTS

WILD CARD, NOVICE, ARCANE BACKGROUND (ANY), ARCANE SKILL d8+
When your Action Card is a Joker, you recover 10 Power Points. This may not exceed your usual maximum.

Rapid Recharge

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, SPIRIT d6+, ARCANE BACKGROUND (ANY)
Your Astra recovers faster during rest. You regain 10 Power Points per hour spent resting instead of 5.

Soul Drain

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, ARCANE BACKGROUND (ANY), ARCANE SKILL d10+
When you have nothing left but stubbornness, you can burn your body to fuel your Astra.

You may take a level of Fatigue to recover up to 5 Power Points. You may take an additional level of Fatigue, to Exhaustion, to recover up to 5 more Power Points. You cannot render yourself Incapacitated in this way.

Fatigue incurred by Soul Drain may only be recovered naturally. The relief power and similar abilities have no effect.

Zayko is empty on Power Points and the ship is still in danger. He takes a level of Fatigue to claw back 5 Power Points, then throws the last of his strength into one clean Astra push that keeps the crew alive.

Professional Edges

Professional Edges represent credentials, field hours, and hard-earned competence. In Astrabound, this is the difference between reading a sensor ghost and chasing it into a minefield, or patching a drive coil well enough to limp to Haven instead of drifting.

Players may purchase Professional Edges after character creation. In play, that usually means training during downtime, apprenticing under someone who knows the work, or earning the right contacts to learn the trick.

Bonuses to the same Trait from different Professional Edges do not stack. Use only the highest.

Ace

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, AGILITY d8+
Aces have a special affinity with the vehicles they operate, from grav-bikes to shuttles to starships.

Ignore 2 points of penalties to any Boating, Driving, or Piloting roll.

You may spend Bennies to Soak damage for any vehicle you control or command, using the appropriate Boating, Driving, or Piloting skill instead of Vigor. Each success and raise negates a Wound.

Acrobat

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, AGILITY d8+, ATHLETICS d8+
You are trained in balance, controlled falls, and moving through unstable environments.

You get one free reroll on Athletics totals that involve balance, tumbling, or grappling. This does not affect rolls to interrupt actions, climb, swim, or throw.

Assassin

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, AGILITY d8+, FIGHTING d6+, STEALTH d8+
You are trained to end fights before they become fights.

Add +2 to damage rolls when your foe is Vulnerable or you have The Drop.

Atmospheric Acclimation

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE
You have spent enough time planetside and in mixed-atmosphere habitats that your body and breathing discipline handle the basics.

You never make Vigor rolls to avoid the effects of Thin Atmosphere or High and Low Pressure.

Combat Acrobat

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, ACROBAT
You stay in motion under fire, using clutter, railings, and hard angles to keep shots from lining up clean.

Attacks against you are made at −1 as long as you are aware of the attack, can reasonably move about, and are not suffering any Encumbrance or Minimum Strength penalties.

Duct Tape & Bubble Gum

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, REPAIR d8+
You know how to reroute power, bypass safeties, and keep a machine moving long enough to matter.

As a limited action, make a Repair roll to remove a vehicle’s Distracted or Vulnerable status. With a raise, remove both.

Evasive Maneuvers

REQUIREMENTS

VETERAN, ACE
You fight vehicle-to-vehicle like it is a language.

This Edge can only be used while operating a vehicle. At the start of a round, after Action Cards are dealt and all Edges, Bennies, and other abilities are accounted for, you may spend a Benny to swap your Action Card with that of any enemy vehicle in the encounter, or a group if multiple vehicles act on a single card.

Exo Scientist

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SCIENCE d8+
You have studied systems that are alien, obsolete, or dangerously advanced, and you do not freeze up when the interface makes no sense.

Ignore up to 2 points of penalties from equipment being too advanced, too alien, or too primitive compared to the setting’s standard technology.

Gravitic Acclimation

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, AGILITY d6+
You know how to move, fight, and work in gravities that do not match your home.

Ignore the −2 penalty to Agility and Agility-based skills when acting in a gravity other than your own.

Improved Sneak Attack

REQUIREMENTS

VETERAN, SNEAK ATTACK
Your Sneak Attack bonus also applies if the foe is Distracted.

Investigator

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SMARTS d8+, RESEARCH d8+
You know how to dig, connect dots, and find what someone tried to bury.

Add +2 to Research rolls and Notice rolls made to search through desks for important papers, sift through piles for something of note, or spot obscured items in cluttered spaces.

Jack-of-All-Trades

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SMARTS d10+
You learn on the fly through observation, simulation, and stubborn curiosity.

Make a Smarts roll as an action after observing or studying a subject. With success, gain a d4 in the relevant skill. With a raise, gain a d6. You may try again after an hour of study, trial and effort, or immersion if you fail or want to try for a raise.

This lasts until you attempt to learn a different subject, whether successful or not.

McGyver

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SMARTS d6+, NOTICE d8+, REPAIR d6+
You can build something useful from junk, scraps, and bad ideas that still work.

Given a few simple items, make a Repair roll to craft improvised weapons, explosives, or tools that last until used or the end of the encounter, GM’s call. This takes one entire turn, and you cannot move or take other actions while constructing the device.

Failure means the device is not ready. A Critical Failure means you do not have the right materials and cannot create the device this encounter.

Success creates a minor explosive, 2d4 damage in a Small Blast Template, a one-shot projectile weapon like a zip gun, Range 5/10/20, Damage 2d6, a rickety raft, a basic power source, and similar.

A raise creates a larger explosive, 2d6 in a Medium Blast Template or 2d4 in a Large, a better ranged weapon, five shots, 2d8 damage, Range 10/20/40, a more stable raft, a more powerful battery, and similar.

Mr. Fix It

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, REPAIR d8+
Add +2 to Repair rolls. With a raise, you halve the time normally required to fix something.

If a particular Repair job already says a raise repairs it in half the time, Mr. Fix It finishes the job in one-quarter the time with a raise.

Power Hacker

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, HACKING d8+
You code under pressure and understand secured systems as a battlefield.

You get a free reroll when failing a Hacking roll.

You may also ignore the advice about making repetitive Support or Test rolls if using Hacking to control the local environment and you have a way to connect to it.

Rocket Jock

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, ACE
You can fly and fight in the same breath.

You ignore the Multi-Action penalty for making a Boating, Driving, or Piloting roll and taking another action in the same round.

Scholar

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, RESEARCH d8+
Pick one of the following skills: Academics, Battle, Occult, Science, or a Smarts-based knowledge skill allowed in your setting. Add +2 to totals whenever that skill is used.

This Edge may be taken more than once, choosing a different skill each time.

Sneak Attack

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, ASSASSIN
Your killing angle is cleaner than most.

The +2 bonus from the Assassin Edge is replaced by a d6, which may Ace as usual. This applies to Athletics (throwing), Fighting, or Shooting attacks.

Soft Touch

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, BOATING d4+ OR DRIVING d4+ OR PILOTING d4+
You know how to coax performance out of bulky freighters, clumsy transports, and patched-together hulls.

Ignore up to 2 points of Handling penalties.

Soldier

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, STRENGTH d6+, VIGOR d6+
You are trained to carry weight and function in bad conditions.

After a few days getting used to your gear, GM’s call, treat your Strength as one die type higher when determining Encumbrance and Minimum Strength to use armor, weapons, and equipment without a penalty. This stacks with Brawny.

You also get a free reroll on Vigor rolls made to survive environmental hazards.

Thief

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, AGILITY d8+, STEALTH d6+, THIEVERY d6+
You specialize in getting in, getting out, and leaving people arguing about what they think they saw.

Add +1 to Athletics rolls made to climb in urban areas.

Add +1 to Stealth rolls when in an urban environment.

Add +1 to Thievery rolls in all circumstances.

Trick Shot

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, ATHLETICS d8+ OR SHOOTING d8+
When performing a Test with Athletics (throwing) or Shooting, you may choose to make the foe resist with Smarts instead of Agility.

Uncanny Reflexes

REQUIREMENTS

VETERAN, AGILITY d8+, ATHLETICS d8+
You avoid blasts, shrapnel, and hazard arcs with a timing that feels impossible.

Ignore the usual −2 Agility penalty when making Evasion attempts.

You also get a regular Evasion attempt against area effect attacks or effects that do not usually allow it, at the usual −2 penalty, such as burst, blast, confusion, and similar powers cast with Area Effect.

Woodsman

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SPIRIT d6+, SURVIVAL d8+
You are more at home on raw worlds than in clean corridors.

Add +2 to Survival rolls and Stealth rolls made in the wild. This does not apply in towns, ruins, or underground.

Flynn grew up in scrub country on a wind-cut Outer Rim moon. When the crew goes planetside with half a map and no air support, his Woodsman instincts keep them fed, hidden, and moving.

Social Edges

Social Edges are for characters who win rooms, not just firefights. In Astrabound, a smooth voice can open a sealed dock gate, a well-timed insult can start a riot, and the right contact can make a charge vanish from the registry. These Edges represent reputation, technique, and the ability to move people.

Bolster

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SPIRIT d8+
When you successfully Test a foe, you may also remove the Distracted or Vulnerable state from one of your allies.

Astrid tears into a smug customs supervisor with a perfectly timed Taunt. The supervisor is Distracted, and Astrid uses Bolster to steady Flynn, clearing his Distracted state before the next inspection sweep.

Common Bond

REQUIREMENTS

WILD CARD, NOVICE, SPIRIT d8+
You can share luck, momentum, and confidence with your companions.

You may freely give your Bennies to any other character you can communicate with. Describe what that looks like in the fiction, such as a sharp callout over comms, a quick hand signal, or a steadying touch.

Connections

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE
You have reliable ties to a faction, guild, crew, or network that can help when things get complicated.

Connections may be taken more than once, selecting a new faction or contact each time.

Once per session, assuming you can get in touch with them, you can call on your contacts for a favor. The favor depends on the contact, GM’s call, and might include a loan, gear, a few allied fighters, transportation, information, or a specialist the crew needs.

Flynn calls in a favor from a Haven dockmaster he once saved. The ship gets a slot and a sealed parts crate quietly rerouted, no questions asked.

Deceptive

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, SMARTS d8+
You are practiced at lies, misdirection, and telling the truth in a way that sounds like a lie.

When making a Persuasion or Taunt Test, you may choose whether the target resists with Smarts or Spirit.

Humiliate

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, TAUNT d8+
You know how to hit pride where it hurts.

You get a free reroll on Taunt Tests.

Menacing

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, ANY ONE OF BLOODTHIRSTY, MEAN, RUTHLESS, OR UGLY
You make your presence do work, even when you are not raising your voice.

Add +2 to your Intimidation rolls.

Provoke

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, TAUNT d6+
You can draw heat to protect your allies.

Once per turn, when you use Taunt for a Test and get a raise, you may Provoke the foe. In addition to the usual effects, the enemy suffers a −2 penalty to affect any other target besides you. This stacks with Distracted but not further instances of Provoke.

Provoke lasts until a Joker is drawn, someone else Provokes the target, or the encounter ends. You may Provoke multiple targets. Provoke may be combined with Rabble-Rouser.

Rabble-Rouser

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, SPIRIT d8+
You can turn a crowd into a weapon.

As a limited action, make a social Test with Intimidation or Taunt against all enemies in a Medium Blast Template. Targets must be able to see and hear you clearly. Each defender resists and is affected separately.

Reliable

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SPIRIT d8+
People know you come through when it matters.

You get a free reroll on any Support roll.

Retort

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, TAUNT d6+
You can turn an enemy’s social attack back on them.

If you get a raise when resisting an Intimidation or Taunt Test, the foe is Distracted.

Streetwise

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SMARTS d6+
You know how to work the edges of society: black markets, favors, fences, and the quiet rules that keep you alive.

Add +2 to Intimidation or Persuasion rolls made to Network with shady or criminal elements.

Add +2 to Common Knowledge rolls pertaining to finding illicit goods, identifying who is hiring muscle, avoiding heat, and similar under-the-radar activity.

Strong Willed

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SPIRIT d8+
Your confidence is hard armor against pressure and manipulation.

Add +2 to your total when resisting Tests with Smarts or Spirit.

Work the Crowd

REQUIREMENTS

SEASONED, WORK THE ROOM
As Work the Room, but you add a third skill die to your Support roll this turn and Support an additional ally.

Work the Room

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SPIRIT d8+
You can encourage more than one person with the same moment, a look, a phrase, or a shared rhythm.

As a limited action, roll a second skill die when Supporting with Persuasion or Performance. The additional die Supports another ally normally and can apply to any Trait chosen. It does not need to be the same Trait for both allies.

Astrid talks fast and calm while alarms howl, using Work the Room to Support Flynn’s Repair and Zayko’s Piloting in the same breath.

Weird Edges

Weird Edges reflect the parts of Astrabound that do not fit neatly into training manuals and shipboard procedure. Some are Astra-adjacent. Others are the kind of rare intuition, strange biology, or uncanny luck you only believe in after you have seen it keep someone alive. Check with your GM before taking them.

Beast Bond

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE
You share an unusual connection with animals and companion creatures, whether that is empathy, subtle Astra sensitivity, or simply a lifetime of trust built through care.

You may spend your own Bennies for any animals under your control, including mounts, pets, and similar companions.

Beast Master

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SPIRIT d8+
Animals take to you quickly and rarely see you as prey.

Animals will not attack you unless you attack them first or they are enraged for some reason.

You also attract a loyal animal companion. This is typically an animal of Size 0 or smaller, subject to the GM’s approval.

The companion is an Extra and does not Advance in Rank or abilities. If a pet is dismissed or killed, you gain a replacement in 1d4 days.

Beast Master may be taken more than once. Choose one effect each time:

• Gain an additional pet.

• Increase one of the pet’s Traits one die type, only one Trait per pet.

• Increase the maximum Size pet you may have by +1, to a maximum of 3.

• Make one pet a Wild Card. The hero must be of Heroic Rank.

Flynn’s first week on the Rim he fed scraps to a half-wild cargo-hound behind the Haven docks. A month later, the same beast is still there, still loyal, and still willing to put teeth in anyone who tries to board uninvited.

Champion

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SPIRIT d8+, FIGHTING d6+
You have been chosen, trained, or compelled to stand against a particular kind of darkness in the galaxy. In Astrabound, that might be cults who weaponize Astra, predatory entities tied to ancient ruins, or the worst abuses of Remnant tech.

Add +2 damage when attacking supernaturally evil creatures, or supernaturally good creatures if you are evil. The bonus applies to area effect damage, ranged attacks, powers, and similar sources.

The Gamemaster decides which foes qualify, but this generally includes beings with truly unnatural origins or abilities.

Chi

REQUIREMENTS

VETERAN, MARTIAL WARRIOR
Your combat discipline crosses into something deeper. Whether you call it breath control, body-memory, or Astra-adjacent focus, you can push beyond normal limits for a moment.

At the start of each combat encounter, you gain a Chi Point. You may spend it to:

• Reroll one of your failed attacks, even a Critical Failure.

• Make an enemy discard an attack against you, then reroll it from scratch.

• Add +d6 damage to a successful Fighting attack made with your hands, feet, claws, or other Natural Weapons. This die may Ace.

Unspent Chi is lost at the end of the combat encounter.

Danger Sense

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE
You get a bad feeling a heartbeat before the universe turns sharp. Sometimes it is experience, sometimes it is instinct, and sometimes the Astra is whispering just loudly enough.

When rolling for Surprise, add +2 to your Notice roll to act in the first round. With a raise, you start the encounter on Hold.

In other situations not covered by Surprise, such as a sniper shot, a pressure plate, a poisoned drink, or a silent drone ambush, Danger Sense gives you a Notice roll at −2 to detect the hazard and take appropriate action. If this was an attack and you make your Notice roll, the foe does not get The Drop against you.

Astrid’s hand goes up before the deck team even sees the thin laser line across the corridor. The crew freezes, and the trap does not get its first bite.

Healer

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, SPIRIT d8+
Whether through Astra sensitivity, intuitive technique, or a gift for stabilizing the body under stress, you can keep people alive.

Add +2 to all Healing rolls.

Liquid Courage

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, VIGOR d8+
Your system processes alcohol differently than most, and the result is a short burst of grit and stubbornness.

The round after consuming a stiff drink, your Vigor increases one die type, increasing Toughness as well. You may also ignore one level of Wound penalties, which stacks with other abilities that do the same.

Smarts, Agility, and all linked skills suffer a −1 penalty for the duration.

The effect lasts for one hour. When it ends, you suffer a level of Fatigue for the next four hours.

Scavenger

REQUIREMENTS

NOVICE, LUCK
You have a talent for finding what you need, whether that means you pack better than most, you notice the right junk at the right time, or the galaxy is not done with you yet.

Once per encounter you may find, suddenly remember, or dig up some much-needed piece of equipment, a handful of ammunition, or another useful device.

The Gamemaster decides what counts as an encounter and has the final word on what can and cannot be found.

Flynn swears the patch kit was not in the locker five minutes ago. Astrid does not ask questions. The hull breach stops bleeding air.

Legendary Edges

Legendary Edges are rare, setting-shaping advantages. In Astrabound, these are the people who become the story: captains whose names travel faster than their ships, survivors who refuse to die, and specialists who can do the impossible with a handful of tools and a bad idea.

Expert

REQUIREMENTS

LEGENDARY, PROFESSIONAL IN AFFECTED TRAIT
As the Professional Edge, increasing the selected Trait and its limit one additional step.

Followers

REQUIREMENTS

WILD CARD, LEGENDARY
Each time this Edge is chosen, five followers come to fight by your side. If any are lost, others eventually take their place, how long is up to the GM and the circumstances.

Followers must be cared for and generally want a share of whatever loot, salvage, or other rewards you acquire. Otherwise, they are completely dedicated to the task. They will not throw their lives away, but they are willing to risk them repeatedly in your service.

Followers Advance like player characters. You may outfit them as you see fit.

Immortal

REQUIREMENTS

LEGENDARY
Through science, mutation, Astra saturation, or quantum phenomena you do not fully understand, you no longer age.

If slain, you eventually recover as long as your body is reasonably intact, GM’s call. Missing body parts do not regenerate.

Master

REQUIREMENTS

WILD CARD, LEGENDARY, EXPERT IN AFFECTED TRAIT
Your Wild Die increases to a d10 when rolling the selected Expert Trait.

Master of Arms

REQUIREMENTS

LEGENDARY, WEAPON MASTER
Increase your Parry an additional +1 and your Fighting bonus damage die is now a d10.

Miracle Worker

REQUIREMENTS

LEGENDARY, MR. FIX IT
Once per session, you can make a Repair roll, or Electronics if appropriate, at −2 that would normally take hours or days as a single limited action.

This can be used to repair a vehicle, walker, ship system, or any device that can be fixed, even if it would normally require a workshop, dry dock, or specialized facility.

Astrid is staring at a drive core that should take a day in a yard to stabilize. She rolls up her sleeves, mutters “not today,” and Miracle Worker turns it into a single frantic action while Flynn calls out readings and Zayko holds the ship steady.

Professional

REQUIREMENTS

LEGENDARY, MAXIMUM DIE TYPE POSSIBLE IN AFFECTED TRAIT
Choose one skill or attribute.

Increase the selected Trait and its limit one step. A d12+1 becomes d12+2, for example. This Edge may be selected once per Trait.

Savior of the Universe

REQUIREMENTS

LEGENDARY
Some people become a rallying point for the crew, the sector, or something larger. Whether it is fate, Astra, or sheer refusal to quit, you carry momentum that others can feel.

You may convert two Bennies into one point of Conviction at any time. You may also give your Conviction to others if you wish.

Sidekick

REQUIREMENTS

WILD CARD, LEGENDARY
A capable protégé joins your orbit.

You gain a Novice Rank sidekick. The sidekick is a Wild Card, starts each session with two Bennies, may Advance, and has abilities that complement you. The player controls the sidekick like any other ally, but the GM may use the sidekick to create complications, such as getting captured or rushing into danger at the wrong moment.

If the sidekick dies, they are not replaced unless you choose this Edge again.

You may always spend Bennies for your sidekick as if you had the Common Bond Edge. The sidekick must actually take Common Bond to give Bennies back to you.

Tough as Nails

REQUIREMENTS

LEGENDARY, VIGOR d8+
You can take four Wounds before you are Incapacitated. Your maximum Wound penalty is still −3.

Tougher Than Nails

REQUIREMENTS

LEGENDARY, TOUGH AS NAILS, VIGOR d12+
You can take five Wounds before you are Incapacitated. Your maximum Wound penalty is still −3.

Weapon Master

REQUIREMENTS

LEGENDARY, FIGHTING d12+
Increase your Parry by +1.

Your Fighting bonus damage die is a d8 instead of a d6.

You must be armed to gain these benefits, but being armed includes the Martial Artist Edge, claws, or other abilities that count as weapons.