Stellagama Publishing has announced that the print edition of The Sword of Cepheus 2nd Edition is now available via Amazon, broadening the distribution of their multi-genre 2d6 roleplaying game.
While the title has been circulating in digital circles, this move enables a wider range of hobbyists to acquire a physical copy of the ruleset outside of specialist print-on-demand channels. It’s also a nod to Stellagama Publishing ongoing success.
The game is built upon the Cepheus Engine, a framework widely recognised by tabletop gamers as the open-source derivative of the classic Traveller 2d6 sci-fi system. The Sword of Cepheus takes these mechanics, famously known for their lethal combat and skill-based resolution, and adapts them for pre-industrial and fantastical settings. The publisher describes the system as covering the “triple Sword genres”: Sword and Sorcery, Sword and Planet, and Sword and Sandal.
For those unfamiliar with the distinctions, the game provides rules to emulate the amoral, gritty adventures of Conan (Sorcery), the planetary romances of John Carter of Mars, where brawn meets alien worlds (Planet), and the quasi-historical mythological struggles of films like Jason and the Argonauts (Sandal).
The core premise of the 2nd Edition remains reliance on 2d6 task resolution, a system that tends to produce a bell curve of results that rewards competency while keeping failure a statistical possibility. The book includes 12 archetypal careers for character generation, a staple of the engine’s lineage, allowing players to build protagonists ranging from gladiators to sorcerers.
Notably, the magic system in The Sword of Cepheus appears to lean heavily into the “dangerous” trope common in pulp literature. The rules distinguish between Arcane and Eldritch spells, with a specific focus on magical mishaps. Characters wielding these powers risk mutation and physical corruption, reinforcing the genre standard that power often comes at a terrible price.
The volume also serves as a complete toolkit for Game Masters (Referees). It includes a bestiary of 95 monsters, rules for generating treasures and artefacts, and specific encounter tables designed to keep the narrative moving. It also details 12 non-human species for those looking to move beyond human-centric campaigns.
Quick Links
- You can purchase the print edition of The Sword of Cepheus 2nd Edition on Amazon.
