Battlelords of the 23rd Century
| Designer(s) | Lawrence R. Sims |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) |
Optimus Design Systems (1990–1998) SSDC, Inc. (1999-present) |
| Publication date | 1990 (1st edition) 1990 (2nd edition) 1991 (3rd edition) 1992 (4th edition) 1993 (5th edition) 2000 (6th edition) |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction, Space Opera |
| System(s) | Custom |
Battlelords of the Twenty-Third Century is a paper and pencil science fiction role-playing game designed by Lawrence R. Sims and first published in 1990. The game's tagline is Roleplaying in a dangerous future. The Battlelords of the Twenty-Third Century license was later sold by Optimus Design Systems (ODS) to SSDC, Inc. in September 1999.
Battlelords of the Twenty-Third Century is set in the year 2279. The territory of the Galactic Alliance, spanning several galaxies, is the primary setting for the game. The Galactic Alliance is made up of twelve races (including Humans), and is run behind the scenes by huge mega-corporations seeking to exploit the farthest reaches of space.
Player characters usually assume the role of Battlelords, mercenaries employed by the corporations to further their business by any means, legal or otherwise. They face various challenges, including rival mercenaries, Rebels, hostile alien lifeforms on unexplored worlds, and the alien race known as the Arachnids.
There are many alien races in the Battlelords universe, but twelve are presented in the basic rulebook and form the basis for the Galactic Alliance.
The following races are hostile to the Alliance.
The following races are seen as neutral to the Alliance.
The following races are seen as friendly or are seeking Protectorate status.
The Galactic Alliance spans portions of several galaxies, including the Milky Way, Andromeda, Fornax, Spirax, M32, and the Magellanic Clouds. Details of two 'sectors' of the Fornax Galaxy are presented in the planetary atlas supplements, No Man's Land and Hell's Kitchen.
Battlelords of the Twenty-Third Century features a d100 (percentile) based system for resolving combat and skill checks.
Each character has eight Vital Statistics scores and four Secondary Statistics scores. These are significantly influenced by the character's race. There are no character classes or character levels in Battlelords of the Twenty-Third Century; the system is skill-based, with skills being increased with experience earned. Some races have matrix abilities (psionics) which can also be advanced with character experience, while other races are more suited for physical combat or other occupations.
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