The second most common request we get is for specific Xenos (the most common is “more ships”).
What sorts have you had in your games? What could their Xeno powers do? I’m curious!
One of my characters decided they wanted to be a long lost member of the Ur species. They have an almond shaped head and eyes, a thin corkscrew shaped body surrounded by six tentacles. They were put in stasis with several others after they created a universe encompassing network of machines that was using the Way to restart the universe and prevent its inevitable heat death. They were discovered in a damaged Ur ship by another member of the crew, and are trying to figure out why their project didn’t work.
We decided that many other xenos in the systems are distant descendants of the Ur with various evolutionary changes, so its easy enough for the Ur to blend in. The only tell-tale sign of their species is that their head is made up of separate segments, sort of like the petals of a flower, which “bloom” open and reveal their glowing blue crystalline skull when in the presence of Ur artifacts.
- For 0 stress they can use their 6 limbs to multitask
- For 1 stress they can use telekinesis to move something smaller than a table without lethal force, or telepathically speak to someone they can see
- For 2 stress they can climb or leap great distances.
Their weakness is that when they are in the presence of Ur artifacts their head “blooms” in a way unique to the Ur species, and the crew takes 3 heat if their enemies or Hegemonic powers are there to witness it.
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I’m playing a Xeno in our game. She’s essentially a Quarian Machinist from Mass Effect, and I decided not to give her a special Xeno power. I might retcon that later (taking a previously unrevealed Special Ability the next time I qualify for one). I think “Construct Whisperers” are either non-existent or rare outside her species, so that’s a bit of a stand-in for her “Xeno power.”
Most of her people nomad-travel in a big multi-ship migrant caravan in the Holt system, are ancestrally connected to the Mem, claim Ur descent & have some secret knowledge regarding the Hantu gate. It’s not quite so problematic for them to take of their vac suits relative to ME’s Quarians.
A bit unoriginal, perhaps, but I really like Tali’Zorah nar Rayya.
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One of my players is playing a kind of a Skrull (doppelganger) xeno.
For 2 stress (or 1 stress and 1 heat) it can transform to anyone it sees and gain some of their short-term memory (we usually do an attune/study/fortune roll when it comes to accessing this memory).
The Sah’iir has a special animosity toward this race.
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@nemomeme can’t really blame you, I’m a fan of Tali m’self 
Also @Synthmorph I just saw the Captain Marvel movie and really enjoyed it. That’s an interesting take.
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Oh, Xenos…
I have an Ur-bot Pilot in one my crews and we it looked something like this when we were all said and done:
Here are some things you might expect an Ur-bot to do:
- 0 Stress: Eschew breathing and eating. Have immunity to diseases.
- 1 Stress: Detect nearby Ur-bots. Access and/or hack a machine by hooking directly up to it. Gain potency whenever you Attune to other artifacts. Briefly contact any Ur-bot within the system.
- 2 Stress: Use your machine nature to process information faster than organic minds. Survive in space unharmed for an extended period of time.
We also had our Rocket Raccoon inspired race, the Otori. The player also wanted to focus on being able to fit through things. They’re ironically rare in Procyon sector (ironic since raccoons are in the genus procyon XD):
Here are some things you might expect an Otori to do:
- 0 Stress: Fit into small spaces such as vents. Climb easily using your claws.
- 1 Stress: Eat something typically nonedible. Track a creature by scent.
- 2 Stress: Fit into impossibly small spaces suuch as between the cracks of a door.
We also had a Muscle character based off of the Cravers from Endless Space. We ran them as being created by the Ur long ago and then left to their own warlike devices.
- 0 Stress: Four arms that work independently. Sense infared light.
- 1 Stress: Use your enhanced muscles to lift a thug one-handed. Hear a conversation across the room. Track a creature by the scent of its blood.
- 2 Stress: Ripping chains apart through sheer strength.
We also have some Xenos like the Ro’garr that we’ve flavored with playbooks instead of Xeno abilities thus far. The Ro’garr are a lion-like humanoid race that travel in tribal bands across the desert of Shimaya. They live in very small numbers, so they’re not as widespread as the Mem our universe.
Love seeing these other Xenos people came up with!
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@Shakes These all sound rad! I have to admit I may have squeaked in joy at alien trash pandas
Someone asked me once how I’d run GotG and I said “Four muscles, and a Scoundrel” but I’ve seen good arguments that rocket is a mechanic high in scrap.
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I’m thinking of writing up the crew of the Moya as Xenos (apart from John of course) - just because all the examples so far of TV shows recommended are majority human.
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The Sunesi are a naturally inquisitive race. A closer description would be a strong desire or need for understanding. Usually, these desires tend to be highly specific to the individual. A Sunesi will often focus its curiosity in a specific area, making for some exceptional engineers, scientists, psychologists, etc. This inquisitive nature also leads to a highly collaborative society, with Sunesi generally eager to help each other in their individual quests for understanding. Because of this, they tend to be strong listeners and adept at convincing others to aid their cause. An interesting byproduct, though, is that Sunesi are largely uninterested in money, at least for purely monetary or material gains. They generally see currency only as a means towards facilitating their understanding (buying equipment, paying for transportation, etc). An offshoot of being naturally curious, the Sunesi are a very studious race, with a voracious appetite for knowledge, particularly in their specific focus. It is normal for Sunesi children to learn to read and communicate before learning to walk.
Emotionally, Sunesi tend to have a generally positive and optimistic demeanor. They have often made discoveries or insights in the past, been happy about them, and moved on to make more. They are as excited about the journey of discovery as the discovery itself. They also tend not to get frustrated, usually convinced that answers are inevitable with persistence. This can sometimes make them difficult to read and resistant to intimidation. A Sunesi will usually only exhibit frustration or anger if they are unable to pursue their curiosity. Sometimes, if evidence or circumstances are in contrast to their current understanding, a Sunesi will become agitated or enraged. This sort of reaction, however, is often looked down upon in Sunesi society.
Physically, Sunesi look very similar Humans. The most distinct feature is the above-average size of their eyes, with enlarged pupils. Most people attribute this to their observant and inquisitive nature. They also tend to look a little gaunt or emaciated, with lighter or grayer pallor, and are devoid of hair.
Religion plays no role in the lives of most Sunesi. A small minority, though, believe in Kadeem, a small group of gods who have the answers to all the questions. Most believers in Kadeem are on a search to find Them, and thus the answer to everything. The most common disagreement within Followers of Kadeem is the number of gods Kadeem is. Some say three, others five, still others 13 or more. Some even say Kadeem is a single god, but because this goes against most Sunesi proclivity toward cooperation, these Followers are more rare and generally thought of as crackpots by the rest of Sunesi society.
An uncommon event can sometimes occur in the mindset of a Sunesi. While normally driven by curiosity and always eager to understand more of the universe, in general as well as specific, sometimes a Sunesi will decide that there is no longer a point to discovery. This can be because they are overwhelmed with the infinite nature of their task, learning one thing only to learn another and another, making it impossible to really achieve any significant understanding before one dies; or they have decided that they know enough and no longer need to pursue a gathering of knowledge. This phenomenon is referred to as “The Final Content.” While other cultures might at first consider it similar to something like the concept of Retirement, this is not the case, as “The Final Content” almost always has negative consequences. Sufferers generally find life not worth living, and either allow themselves to waste and fade away, or commit suicide.
(Sunesi proverb: “Always Are.” - “Sometimes answers are easy to find. Sometimes answers are hidden. Sometimes answers are invisible. But answers always are.”)
(The term “Sunesi” comes from an ancient word for “Understanding,” but might be literally translated to “putting things together.” This is reflected by their interest in working together toward discovery.)
…
0 Stress - Impressive memory and recall ability. Speed reading.
1 Stress - Pattern recognition. Minor predictive ability based on deduction.
{Maybe add: Highly Collaborative - You may assist a crew member even if they are already being assisted by another crew member. Take 1 Stress as normal (not 1 for this ability AND 1 for assisting. Just 1.)}
2 Stress - {Need Help With This. Some ideas below.}
- 1 or 2 Stress (probably 2) - Adept at gaining information, or bonus to Studying. (Kind of already have this with Favors Owed).
- 2 Stress - Something about charm or persuasiveness? Has to be something inhuman, otherwise you might as well Push Yourself for 2 stress and extra die.
- 2 Stress - Spend Special Armor to re-roll all results of 1 on any Insight roll (Doctor/Hack/Rig/Study/Resistance). You do not have to declare this ability before you roll.
Disadvantage: Sunesi are in a constant state of discovery. They are always on a journey to understand more. Usually, they are able to sate these desires pretty easily, curious about everything as they are. However, if they are in a position where they are unable to be curious or have even minor discoveries (such as stuck doing very menial tasks, or locked in an empty room) they will begin to become agitated or stressed. [Take Stress, Resist with Resolve]