Explore every episode of the podcast Dark Star Adventurecast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| An Acceptable Loss | Star Master Log: Season One Wrap (w/ The Whole Cast!) | 20 Oct 2026 | 02:03:54 | |
This Star Master Log was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Jeff closes out season one with the entire cast at once instead of the usual single guest. Brian, Scott, Doja, and Stephanie sit down together to cover two years of recording, from the rule each of them got wrong the longest to the bit that somehow turned into an entire genre of made-up space rock bands. They swap favorite NPCs, worst decisions, and ships nobody saw coming, then each pick one word to sum up the whole season before signing off into the break. New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| SWN Rules Explained: How to Design Alien Species in Stars Without Number | 15 Oct 2026 | 00:09:49 | |
This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast This episode of SWN Rules Explained looks at how alien species work in Stars Without Number, from the alien design chapter starting on page 202 of the revised rulebook. Brian walks through the book's split between recognizable aliens and the stranger, harder-to-parse kind, then covers the lens tables on page 204 that shape a species' psychology and the social structure table on page 207. From there he gets into building a playable alien character, picking perks from page 209 to construct an origin focus from scratch. It's the final SWN Rules Explained of Season 1, timed with the crew's time-loop escape from Prometheon Station in Episode 33, "An Acceptable Loss." New SWN Rules Explained episodes drop every other Thursday, breaking down the mechanics behind the adventure. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| An Acceptable Loss | 13 Oct 2026 | 00:44:59 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast The gyroscope is eating Prometheon Station one ring at a time, and there's no next loop to fix what goes wrong this time. Thorne gets locked in an office with the one enemy he can't decide whether to trust. Felix runs a hack under a ten-second gas countdown with three lives riding on it. Haleyy finds out exactly how many members of an Unhallowed horde one very angry woman can throw. And somewhere in the wreckage, the crew has to decide what an acceptable loss actually looks like. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Twenty-One Loops | Star Master Log: The Glue (w/ Brian) | 06 Oct 2026 | 00:45:54 | |
This Star Master Log was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Brian joins Jeff to talk about episode 32, Twenty-One Loops, the one where the rest of the crew starts treating death as a formality and Thorne is the only one still keeping score. They get into why he's sitting on two separate secrets from Felix right now, and Brian makes his case for Thorne as the reluctant Malcolm Reynolds of the Scapegoat. Then Brian tries to sell Jeff on competitive Pokemon, and it does not go well. New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| SWN Rules Explained: How NPCs Work in Stars Without Number | 01 Oct 2026 | 00:16:43 | |
This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast This episode of SWN Rules Explained looks at how NPCs work in Stars Without Number, from the Xeno Bestiary chapter of the revised rulebook. Brian walks through the general NPC table on page 195 and how to read hit dice, armor class, attack bonuses, and morale scores, plus when the Star Master should actually call for a morale check. From there he covers robots and virtual intelligences, including the rules for playing a VI as a character, and wraps up with beasts and how to run a swarm of them as a single NPC. He frames it against the crew getting looped back in time right as they arrive at Prometheon Station in Episode 32, "Twenty-One Loops," racing to get inside and save the Doctor before the loop resets again. New SWN Rules Explained episodes drop every other Thursday, breaking down the mechanics behind the adventure. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Twenty-One Loops | 29 Sep 2026 | 00:49:51 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast The crew wakes back up on the bridge with no idea how they got there, except that they remember dying. Prometheon Station resolves out of the dark exactly like it did the first time, gyroscope still sparking. Behind one locked office door: a dead man's switch, and a data chip stuffed with files, and a photograph shows a face Thorne wasn't expecting to see. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| You're Arriving Very Late | Star Master Log: She's That Girl, Get Her (w/ Stephanie) | 22 Sep 2026 | 00:30:58 | |
This Star Master Log was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Star Master Jeff sits down with Stephanie to talk about Episode 31, You're Arriving Very Late, and the dread of playing Haleyy through a fight with no visible way out before the time loop kicked in. Stephanie talks about how three different factions closed in on Haleyy all at once, and where her own theories about the character's void-touched biopsionic powers go from here. Jeff also debuts a new closing segment, Sell Me On It, where Stephanie tries to convert him to the extremely specific hobby of filling out baseball scorecards. New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| SWN Rules Explained: How to Build a Sector in Stars Without Number | 17 Sep 2026 | 00:12:20 | |
This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast This episode of SWN Rules Explained looks at how to build a sector in Stars Without Number, the map of star systems where a campaign takes place. Brian walks through the setup from the revised rulebook: an 8-by-10 hex grid, a d8 and a d10 to place 20 to 30 stars, and the three-hex limit that keeps systems close enough for ships to reach. From there he covers world tags and the enemies, friends, complications, things, and places each one points to, plus the short list of questions that turns a planet from a dot on the map into somewhere the players actually want to go. He frames it against the crew's arrival at Prometheon Station in Episode 31, "You're Arriving Very Late," the far end of a sector map the Star Master drew up well before the campaign started. New SWN Rules Explained episodes drop every other Thursday, breaking down the mechanics behind the adventure. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| You're Arriving Very Late | 15 Sep 2026 | 00:52:49 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Eighteen days of drift end at Prometheon Station, a spire turning around a five-ring alien gyroscope the size of a city, with a Virodyne fleet hanging dead in the black around it. The crew came for Dr. Voss. What they find is an empty station that isn't empty. Automated drones. People in gas masks and thigh-high rubber boots who call themselves the Listeners. A crowd of workers with the wrong color in their eyes. Voss is here, wired to a pedestal behind a sealed door, and there's gas coming into her lab. Somewhere above all of it, Viktor Strake is watching through the glass, and he seems to think they're late. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| You Broke the Ship, Robert | Star Master Log: Felix Speed (w/ Scott) | 08 Sep 2026 | 00:31:02 | |
This Star Master Log was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Jeff sits down with Scott to talk through Episode 30, You Broke the Ship, Robert, and quickly regrets giving him only one listen's worth of credit. Scott answers a full round of pop quiz questions about Felix's fight to keep the Scapegoat's engine together while the rest of the crew handles their own mess topside, and gets nearly all of them right. The two get into how the ship-to-ship combat was built as a puzzle instead of a straight dice fight, using the house rules Brian just covered on SWN Rules Explained. They close out the episode with a spoiler-filled tangent about Edge of Tomorrow. New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| SWN Rules Explained: Ditching Command Points: House Rules in Stars Without Number | 03 Sep 2026 | 00:11:27 | |
This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast This episode of SWN Rules Explained looks at house rules in Stars Without Number: why a group might want to introduce them, examples straight from the rulebook's house rules section on page 237, and what to watch for when you start changing things. Brian pulls his case study from the crew's escape from Patrol Boat 6 in Episode 30, "You Broke the Ship, Robert," where the group dropped command points from ship combat so every department gets a single action each round instead of spending it on duty rolls. He walks through the ripple effects of that change, plus a few other house rules the table has tried, from cutting shock damage to borrowing mechanics like clocks from Blades in the Dark. New SWN Rules Explained episodes drop every other Thursday, breaking down the mechanics behind the adventure. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| You Broke the Ship, Robert | 01 Sep 2026 | 00:43:45 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Patrol Boat Six catches up mid-flight, weapons hot, and the Scapegoat barely has an engine left to run on. Felix spends the whole episode losing a fight with a redlining engine room. Robert pushes the throttle past where anyone told him to. Down in the cargo hold, Froggy finds a book he shouldn't have, and decides it's a job application. Somewhere in the middle of all of it, Haleyy finally figures out what's been wrong with her gun since Episode 1. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Eleven Rounds | Star Master Log: A Puzzle, Not a Slog (w/ Doja) | 25 Aug 2026 | 00:39:07 | |
This Star Master Log was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Jeff sits down with Doja to talk through Episode 29, Eleven Rounds, and the puzzle-combat built around it. They get into why the fight had no clean shot for anyone to just point and pull the trigger, what it meant for Robert Ross to head for the pilot's seat instead of joining it, and the long history behind Lokipon. The conversation wanders into real life too, from Doja's first year as a new dad to Jeff's plans for a pottery studio, before closing with a rapid-fire round and a look at what Robert's afraid of heading into next session. New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| SWN Rules Explained: How Space Travel Works in Stars Without Number | 20 Aug 2026 | 00:13:34 | |
This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast This episode of SWN Rules Explained looks at space travel in Stars Without Number: spike drives, how travel times work within and between star systems, and how ships find or lose each other through detection locks and chases. Brian uses the crew's escape from Causeway 3 in Eleven Rounds as the case study, working through what it takes to clear a switching station's defense drones and stay ahead of the Viridine Security Patrol once they're back in open space. He walks through the math behind spike drive ratings and drill checks, then explains how pursuit and evasion play out mechanically at the table. New SWN Rules Explained episodes drop every other Thursday, breaking down the mechanics behind the adventure. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Eleven Rounds | 18 Aug 2026 | 00:34:42 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Eleven rounds. That's the clock Felix is racing when the crew gets pulled back into Causeway 3's server room mid-hack, three swarms of electro-beetles closing in from every angle while a Virodyne patrol boat spins up to intercept. Thorne throws a flare. Haleyy sweeps them back with her bare hands, twice. Robert drops his gun, pulls a knife, and rolls across the floor covered in bug grease rather than take a hit standing up. All three of them are buying Felix time to pull the one thing they came for: confirmation of where Strake took Voss. He gets that, and something else nobody asked for, buried four subsystems down under a name that means nothing to any of them yet. Getting out of the room turns out to be the easy part. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| I'm Not Angry, I'm Disappointed | Star Master Log: Chasing His Brother's Ghost (w/ Scott) | 11 Aug 2026 | 00:18:35 | |
This Star Master Log was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Star Master Jeff sits down with Scott, who plays Felix, for episode 28, "I'm Not Angry, I'm Disappointed." They talk through Felix's idolization of Dr. Voss and what it would actually take for him to give up on Petey. Scott walks through how he built Felix's cantankerous streak on purpose, then closes out with a rapid fire round: one-word takes on the rest of the crew and whether Buddy will ever earn a real place on the ship. New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| SWN Rules Explained: How Starships Work in Stars Without Number | 06 Aug 2026 | 00:15:05 | |
This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast This episode covers starships in Stars Without Number: hull classes, fittings and hardpoints, crew requirements, and the maintenance costs that keep a ship flying between sessions. Brian pulls his case study from Episode 28, "I'm Not Angry, I'm Disappointed," where the Scapegoat has to dock at the derelict Causeway 3 station and Felix spacewalks out to hack the exterior control panel by hand. He breaks down what a ship's stats actually mean at the table, what happens when repairs get skipped for too long, and why a GM can usually just grab a pre-built ship instead of designing one from scratch. New SWN Rules Explained episodes drop every other Thursday, breaking down the mechanics behind the adventure. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| I'm Not Angry, I'm Disappointed | 04 Aug 2026 | 00:42:58 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Three days in the fuel queue, and Felix hasn't left his data slab. When he cracks open what Voss left buried in Strake's transmission, the crew punches in the coordinates and doesn't look back. Eighteen days of transit, one unmarked station in a dead red system, one ship AI with a gift for fake names, one convincing Victor Strake impression, and a server room full of things Virodyne doesn't want them to read. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Life Is Unfair | Star Master Log: The Circus Has Skilled Performers (w/ Brian) | 28 Jul 2026 | 00:16:04 | |
This Star Master Log was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Brian, who plays Captain Thorne, joins Jeff to talk about Episode 27. They get into how Thorne's role as captain took shape through play rather than any plan, and what it's actually like to give orders to a crew that sometimes does something completely different. The conversation also covers the Thorne and Haleyy relationship, and closes with a speed round where Brian makes a few things permanent canon, including one he might already regret. New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| SWN Rules Explained: How Drones Work in Stars Without Number | 23 Jul 2026 | 00:11:29 | |
This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast This week's SWN Rules Explained covers drones, cyberware, and equipment mods. Brian uses the security drone spotted at the Helium Dock in Life Is Unfair as the case study, then walks through drone stats and combat rules straight from the Stars Without Number revised rulebook. He also gets into system strain and cyberware installation, plus how the Fix skill covers modding and maintaining gear. New SWN Rules Explained episodes drop every other Thursday, breaking down the mechanics behind the adventure. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Life Is Unfair | 21 Jul 2026 | 01:04:52 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast The crew leaves the Omnitech ship with a name, a lead, and no answers. And now: a midnight heist at the Helium Docks, a hacked security gate, one fake employee named Gregory Overton, and 3am waiting in the dark. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| You're a Good Person, Robert | Star Master Log: More Lawful Than Chaotic (w/ Doja) | 14 Jul 2026 | 00:15:33 | |
This Star Master Log was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Jeff sits down with Doja, the player behind Robert Ross, to talk through Episode 26: You're a Good Person, Robert. Doja gets into his first steps in the hobby, the moment Robert stops waiting and starts planning at the spaceport, his take on why Robert hates other clones, and what it actually costs Robert to hear Haley call him a good person. New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| SWN Rules Explained: How Character Creation Works in Stars Without Number | 09 Jul 2026 | 00:17:16 | |
This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Brian walks through Stars Without Number character creation from scratch, covering attributes, backgrounds, skills, classes, and foci. Inspired by the events of "You're a Good Person, Robert," he builds a Robert Ross clone as the worked example, rolling randomly for background and attributes, and ends up with a telepathic courtesan built for assassination. New SWN Rules Explained episodes drop every other Thursday, breaking down the mechanics behind the adventure. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| You're a Good Person, Robert | 07 Jul 2026 | 00:43:00 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast The crew tracks the assassin back to a docked Omnitech ship at the spaceport. What they find inside is a face they know. Dr. Iso gets her revenge. And Robert and Haleyy have the conversation they've been circling for years. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Rock Tumor | Star Master Log: Everything We Say Is Canon (w/ Stephanie) | 30 Jun 2026 | 00:15:31 | |
This Star Master Log was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Starting with Episode 25, the Star Master Log gets a new format: Jeff sits down with a rotating cast member for a spoiler conversation about the episode that just dropped. First up is Stephanie, who plays Haleyy with two Y's, breaking down Rock Tumor: the Spigot arc premiere and the episode that introduces Iso. New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| SWN Rules Explained: How the Adventurer Class Works in Stars Without Number | 25 Jun 2026 | 00:12:18 | |
This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Brian breaks down the Adventurer class, skill checks, grenades, and saving throws in Stars Without Number, using scenes from Episode 25 "Rock Tumor" as a case study. The Adventurer is SWN's hybrid class — a way to mix any two of the three core classes and build something new, at the cost of each class's signature ability. Brian covers how partial classes work, how the Star Master picks attributes and skills for any given roll, how grenades function as an area-of-effect attack, and how saving throws are calculated and used. He covers:
New SWN Rules Explained episodes drop every other Thursday, breaking down the mechanics behind the adventure. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Rock Tumor | 23 Jun 2026 | 00:52:20 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast The crew is nursing Haleyy's mystery condition and racing a ticking clock: they need a black market ship module or they're grounded forever. A visit to an old military contact brings medical answers no one wanted and an enemy neither of them saw coming. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Three Stars One-Shot (w/Astronomica and 7th Star) | 17 Jun 2026 | 02:00:07 | |
If you want to hear every main episode two weeks early, head over to https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast The Dark Star Adventurecast teams up with Astronomica and 7th Star to the Right for a fully improvised Lasers & Feelings crossover one-shot. Six players, one ship, and a Hive Armada blockade standing between them and a set of ancient space ruins! Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special guests:
Find our guests:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Boom! Biosionics! | Star Master Log: Does the World Need This Yet? | 16 Jun 2026 | 00:14:27 | |
This Star Master Log was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Jeff breaks down the design decision behind the Biosionics reveal in episode 24 — why he pulled psychics from the campaign before session one, and the discipline of withholding explanations until the world is ready for them. The Auction arc closes. Two years of slow-rolled strangeness finally lands. He covers:
New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| SWN Rules Explained: How the Psychic Class Works in Stars Without Number | 11 Jun 2026 | 00:11:06 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Brian breaks down the psychic class from Stars Without Number, using the firefight from "Boom! Biosionics!" as a case study. He covers all six psychic disciplines, the effort and torching system, the mortally wounded window, and system strain. He covers:
SWN Rules Explained drops every other Thursday, breaking down the mechanics behind Dark Star Adventurecast episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Boom! Biosionics! | 09 Jun 2026 | 00:44:23 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast The crew reaches the basement of Exosite 34b, and finds something they weren't prepared for. Two days from now, Brian drops his SWN Rules Explained on how psionic powers work, don't miss it! Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Pick Up the Box | Star Master Log: The World Doesn't Pause | 02 Jun 2026 | 00:24:35 | |
This Star Master Log was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Jeff breaks down Episode 23, "Pick Up the Box": the moment Haleyy commands an unhallowed for the first time, what the gap between untethered and unhallowed actually means in lore, and what the crew paid for by taking their eye off Strake. He covers:
New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| SWN Rules Explained: How the Warrior Class Works in Stars Without Number | 28 May 2026 | 00:10:43 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Brian breaks down the warrior class from Stars Without Number, using Haleyy and Robert's infiltration of the exocyte in "Pick Up the Box" as a case study. He covers the class's attack bonus, hit point advantages, and guaranteed hit ability, then digs into how burst fire stacks with the gunslinger focus and why the unarmed combatant focus makes Haleyy's bare fists outpace a burst-fire combat rifle. He covers:
SWN Rules Explained drops every other Thursday, breaking down the mechanics behind Dark Star Adventurecast episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Pick Up the Box | 26 May 2026 | 00:45:44 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast The crew hits the Sibylen exosite to rescue Froggy, Vera, and the other auction survivors from the Void Cultists. What they find inside is worse than expected. Two days from now, Brian drops his SWN Rules Explained on the warrior class, don't miss it! Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Good Job, You Monster | Star Master Log: There's a Crater | 19 May 2026 | 00:28:28 | |
This Star Master Log was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Jeff breaks down Haleyy's two moments from the session, the same character from opposite ends, then gets into what a failed roll actually owes the players. He also opens up the Void Cult lore on Unhallowed vs. Untethered, and answers the ship scale question that's been quietly wrong for 22 episodes. He covers:
New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| SWN Rules Explained: How Starship Combat Works in Stars Without Number | 14 May 2026 | 00:09:42 | |
This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Brian breaks down starship combat in Stars Without Number, using a scene from Episode 22 as a case study. In this episode:
New SWN Rules Explained episodes drop every other Thursday, breaking down the mechanics behind the Stars Without Number adventure. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Good Job, You Monster | 12 May 2026 | 00:40:03 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Locked inside their own ship by an Omnitek admin override, the crew has one option left: cut their way out. The ship-to-ship combat that follows happens on the ground, fifty meters apart, with no room to maneuver and nowhere to run. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Welcome to Your Prison | Star Master Log: Villains with Soft Power | 05 May 2026 | 00:31:17 | |
This Star Master Log was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Jeff breaks down "Welcome to Your Prison," the first episode of the auction arc, covering the table moment seven sessions in the making when Thorne cited corporate policy to get out of handcuffs, and why Strake's most effective weapon was never his soldiers. He covers:
New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| SWN Rules Explained: How the Expert Class Works in Stars Without Number | 30 Apr 2026 | 00:10:18 | |
This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Brian (Thorne's player and assistant star master) breaks down the Expert class from Stars Without Number, using scenes from "Welcome to Your Prison" as a case study.
New SWN Rules Explained episodes drop every other Thursday, breaking down the mechanics behind the adventure. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Welcome to Your Prison | 28 Apr 2026 | 00:43:41 | |
This episode was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast The crew wakes up in handcuffs on Sibylen with Viktor Strake holding all the cards. Before they can find out what he plans to do with them, Thorne cites a corporate policy clause from memory and walks everyone free. They have 24 hours before Strake can take them back into custody, and there's a $1.06 billion alien artifact auction to work. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Haleyy's Story | Star Master Log: A Climax Without Dice | 21 Apr 2026 | 00:28:34 | |
This Star Master Log was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Jeff breaks down Haleyy's Focus episode, where the entire session takes place inside her unconscious mind. He digs into how he designed a dream climax with no dice rolls, the hero's journey structure he used to walk Steph from denial to acceptance, and the full reveal of the mechanism behind Haleyy's identity split. He covers:
New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| SWN Rules Explained: How "Club Up a Weapon" Works | 16 Apr 2026 | 00:07:23 | |
This rules breakdown was released two weeks early for patrons. To skip the wait on every episode, Star Master Log, and rules breakdown, join us at patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast New series! Brian (Thorne's player and assistant [to the] star master) breaks down the rules behind the scenes of the Dark Star Adventurecast, a Stars Without Number actual-play podcast. In this episode, Brian covers the "Club Up a Weapon" move action from the Stars Without Number revised rulebook (page 50), using the dreamscape combat from Episode 20 as a case study. What happens when a warrior gets stuck in melee with a rifle? The weapon-breaking rule on max damage created an unscripted chain reaction, and custom expert gadgets (a flashlight and an adhesive gun) gave the non-combat characters meaningful options in a fight. New SWN Rules Explained episodes drop every other Thursday, breaking down the mechanics behind the adventure. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| She Never Existed: Haleyy's Story | 14 Apr 2026 | 00:56:26 | |
Haleyy lies unconscious on the floor of an alien facility, trapped in a dream she can't wake from. Inside her mind, she's 12 years old again, riding bikes with childhood versions of her crewmates, following a mysterious signal into the woods. But the dream turns dark, and Haleyy is forced to confront the truth about who she really is. Want episodes 2 weeks earlier? Check out our Patreon, where episodes are always early and ad-free! https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Or buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Robert's Story | Star Master Log: Send in the Clones | 07 Apr 2026 | 00:28:11 | |
Get the next Star Master Log right now! This episode was released two weeks early for our patrons. To skip the wait and get bonus world-building posts and behind-the-scenes secrets, join the inner circle at: patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Or buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Jeff breaks down Robert's focus episode, where the crew learns that Robert Ross is clone designation RR7 and that Haley died on Ventos during an extraction gone wrong. He covers how the players turned a dramatic backstory flashback into Tropic Thunder in space, the war movie structure he used to make the emotional gut punch land, and what the clone program reveals about the campaign's corporate factions. He covers:
New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| The Truth About Haley: Robert's Story | 31 Mar 2026 | 00:53:06 | |
Robert finally tells the crew what he knows about Haleyy's past. Deep in the jungles of Ventos during the Red Rice Wars, a clone squadron led by a man with piercing blue eyes and an incredibly high opinion of himself was sent to extract a captured commander named Haley. One Y. What they found in those caves, and what happened after, changes everything the crew thought they knew about their friend. Want episodes 2 weeks earlier? Check out our Patreon, where episodes are always early and ad-free! https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Or buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Elective Surgery | Star Master Log: Bucking Bronco | 24 Mar 2026 | 00:24:54 | |
Get the next Star Master Log right now! This episode was released two weeks early for our patrons. To skip the wait and get bonus world-building posts and behind-the-scenes secrets, join the inner circle at: patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Or buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Jeff breaks down the fifth episode of the Sibylen arc, where the crew battles surgical spider bots in an alien operating theater and gets their first look at whatever built this place through a pylon window. He talks about refereeing chaos on the fly, designing truly alien encounters, and what the gyroscope megastructure means for the rest of the season. He covers:
New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Elective Surgery | 17 Mar 2026 | 00:44:02 | |
The surgical bots are awake, and the crew of the Scapegoat did not schedule an appointment. What follows is the least dignified combat in the history of the Viridian Expanse - and that's before Robert gets involved. Then the pylon activates. And things stop being funny. Want episodes 2 weeks earlier? Check out our Patreon, where episodes are always early and ad-free! https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Or buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Powering the Nautilus Spiral | Star Master Log: Save the Rope! | 10 Mar 2026 | 00:23:15 | |
Get the next Star Master Log right now! This episode was released two weeks early for our patrons. To skip the wait and get bonus world-building posts and behind-the-scenes secrets, join the inner circle at: patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Jeff breaks down the fourth episode of the Sibylen arc, where the crew tackled two of the greatest challenges in TTRPGs: a puzzle, and a short climb down a shaft. He digs into his philosophy on puzzle design and reveals the grim purpose behind the Nautilus room. He covers:
Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Powering the Nautilus Spiral | 03 Mar 2026 | 00:48:31 | |
Deep in the Sibylen Exosite, the crew faces two of the greatest challenges a party can face: a 30-foot drop and a puzzle. After Hailey tests the limits of "superhero landings," the party discovers the mysterious Nautilus Room. Restoring power to this level is their only way forward, but in an abandoned alien quarantine facility, "turning the lights on" will come with a price. Want episodes 2 weeks earlier? Check out our Patreon, where episodes are always early and ad-free! https://www.patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Or buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Meet the Crew:
Special thanks to Brad and Holly, our Scapegoat Syndicate members! They're keeping the lights on, and the airlocks sealed. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||
| Laser Beams For Eyes! | Star Master Log: Self-Replicating Nightmares | 24 Feb 2026 | 00:20:02 | |
Get the next Star Master Log right now! This episode was released two weeks early for our patrons. To skip the wait and get bonus world-building posts and behind-the-scenes secrets, join the inner circle at: patreon.com/DarkStarAdventurecast Jeff breaks down the lethal combat encounter within the Sibylen Exosite, where the crew faced off against a squid-crab hybrid designed to ensure no one leaves alive. He explores the "rule of cool" mechanics behind nano-fluid hacking and reveals the grim truth behind the calcified beaks left in the vats. He covers:
New Star Master's Logs drop every other Tuesday, bridging the gap between our main adventure episodes. Buy us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darkstaradventurecast Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy | |||