1. Ambition Arcs
In Frontier Worlds, your spacer's mechanical advancement is tied directly to their personal story. You gain points to spend improving skills and unlocking new abilities by playing out the trials and tribulations of your character's dreams through ambition arcs.
| Beat | Cost | Reward | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | 6 Ambition | +1 skill point | Introduce the story (you receive a message, meet an old friend, are reminded of something) and show how it's important to your spacer |
| Development | 6 Ambition | Enlist the crew's help to chase your spacer's goal (explain a shame from your past, hunt down a contact, pull off a risky job) | |
| Crescendo | 7 Tension | +1 skill point | Turn the situation on your spacer and the crew (the crew has to intervene, screw up a job, stoke or escalate a conflict) |
| Resolution | 8 Ambition | +1 ability point | Find closure to the story (come clean to the crew, finally pull off your goal with their help, or put the dream aside for your friends) |
Your spacer can normally only have one ambition arc ongoing at a time. If the GM agrees, you can pause your current arc and start another to represent a narrative turn for your character (e.g. pausing the Legend arc to follow the Fugitive arc when a job goes horribly wrong), however you must complete the new arc before returning to the paused one.
Available Arcs
Atlas
There are people relying on you, you can't let them down
Hunter
Someone has gotten on your bad side, you need to find them and see them gone.
- You get a lead on your target. Who are they and what did they do to earn the target on their back? What is the lead?
- You track the lead and get the information you need, but your actions backfire on the crew. What happens? How does the crew feel about it?
- The crew confronts you about your obsession with the target. What do they say? How do you justify your actions? +1 Conflict
- You track down your target and deal with them. Do you kill them or show mercy? How do you feel now that it's done? How does the crew feel? -1 Conflict
Forlorn
You are adrift upon the stars, searching desperately for something to give your life meaning
Fugitive
There's a target on your back for something you did or didn't do, but the Backwaters are the perfect hideout
- Job
Someone spots you in a crowd and recognises you. Perhaps they shout your name or what you were accused of, or perhaps they simply call out the local authorities. Either way, it results in an argument, fight, or hurried escape for the crew.
Lvl 2 Harm (injured in the escape, shaken, etc.) - Downtime
A crewmate confronts you about what you were accused of. Did you do it? Do you pretend you didn't? Do you defend yourself?
+1 Conflict - Job
Someone is hot on your tail now and it's causing trouble for the whole crew. The Job goes south due to the attention of whoever is after you. The crew blames you as once again you all escape by the skin of your teeth.
+1 Conflict, Lvl 2 Harm - Downtime
You own up to the crew and honestly explain the circumstances that got you in this mess. Do they believe you? Do they think you were justified? Do they forgive you?
-2 Conflict
Consider taking the Hunter arc if you were framed and want revenge, or the Ronin arc if you want to make amends with the crew now on your side.
Peacekeeper
The ship is already your home, and you'll do anything to protect it
Indebted
You're in over your head owing someone, who knows when and how they'll call that debt in
Legend
You can't let your name fade away, you'll become a legend of the Backwaters or die trying
Pioneer
You need to see all the galaxy has to offer, and leave your name on a wonder no-one has seen before
Refugee
You've been set adrift on the stars, searching for a home where you can feel yourself
Ronin
A regret is crushing you from the inside, and you can't go home until you make things right