the scum & villains expansion

get by, get out, or get even

the galaxy can be a rough place. the margins of empire, desperate people do what they must to make ends meet. but where some see desperation, others see opportunity. these racketeers and warlords will kick you while you’re down, then charge you for the opportunity to stand.

the scum & villains expansion is an expansion for riley rethal’s galactic 2e, a tabletop roleplaying game of “rebellion, relationships, and war among the stars.” the scum & villains expansion is inspired by recent Star Wars media, like The Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett, as well as classic characters like Han Solo and the many bounty hunters throughout the Star Wars universe. 

like the base games, the scum & villains expansion is a diceless and GM-less game, using the belonging outside belonging system created by Avery Alder and Benjamin Rosenbaum. it was inspired in part by the actual play of Jess Levine’s other galactic 2e expansion, going rogue 2e, on the A More Civilized Age podcast with Natalie Watson & Rob Zacny of Waypoint, and Austin Walker & Ali Acampora of Friends at the Table.

in the scum & villains expansion, players are thrust into the messy conflicts—and uneasy alliances—between the downtrodden criminals of THE SCUM and the ruthless crime bosses of THE VILLAINY. by splitting galactic 2e’s Scum & Villainy pillar in two, the scum & villains expansion gives players the opportunity to zoom in on the motivations and struggles of those forced to resort to crime and those who oversee it in order to amass wealth and influence.

playbooks like THE HUSTLER allow players to step into the role of fast-talking rogues like Han Solo, leveraging skills like your “black market connections”, “effortless lying”, or “crack shot” to escape the bad situations you put yourself, one after the other—and maybe, one day, find a place worth staying.

THE MERCENARY—inspired by character like Din Djarin of The Mandalorian, Baze Malbus of Rogue One, and Boba Fett of the original trilogy & Book of Boba Fett—lets players live out the struggles of the wandering gun-for-hire, scarred by their loneliness and the dirty work they have come to accept as their lot in life, and looking for a reason to be something more.

decide your price. find your limit. and when
the chips are down...learn who you really are.

“An excellent twist to galactic 2e that turns the whole system on its head! What if everyone got to play the loveable slimeball? Now you can, and it's a fresh way of building compelling crime dramas in space!"

— Jodie Caldernatta, designer of BIOMECHA

The Game

in the scum & villains expansion, players step delve into the galaxy's criminal underworld—the local tyrants of backwater planets and the struggles of those just trying to get by beneath them. this expansion offers 2 pillars—or in belonging outside belonging terms, “setting elements”—that replace THE SCUM & VILLAINY pillar in galactic 2e by splitting it two: THE SCUM and THE VILLAINY.

THE SCUM are those without options, who do what they must to make ends meet. these are your friends, your peers, and even your rivals. taken together, they are are force to be reckoned with, but their desperation can all too easily be used to divide them. they’re not always the most reliable bunch, but they’re who you have, and when the chips are down…they might just surprise you. meanwhile, THE VILLAINY are the racketeers and warlords that will kick you while you’re down, then charge you for the opportunity to stand. there are always credits to be made in their employment—and blaster bolts for those who dare to cross them.

this expansion also adds 2 new playbooks to supplement those in galactic 2e:

• THE HUSTLER has much to hide and more to offer. inspired by characters like Han Solo and other fast-talking rogues, their power comes from their creativity, their connections, and their desire to finally belong.
• THE MERCENARY is a freelancer, who bears the scars of their countless jobs. inspired by wandering guns-for-hire like Din Djarin of The Mandlorian and the many bounty hunters of Star Wars, their power comes from their experience, their calloused skin, and their aching heart.

finally, it includes a new mechanic called fates, a clock system which allows you to explore how your character comes to meet their inevitable future. THE MERCENARY always arrives with a fate, but the 4 fates offered in the scum & villains expansion can also be used with any playbooks from the base game!

Contributors

• Jess Levine, creator and lead game designer, whose other games include I Have the High Ground and the galactic 2e expansion going rogue 2e
  
• satah, game designer, who edited the scum & villains expansion, and contributed writing and design consulting and on the THE MERCENARY playbook and THE SCUM and THE VILLAINY pillars, and whose previous games include HOOK LINE & CYB3R
  
• riley rethal, creator, game designer, and layout designer of the base game galactic 2e, which also serves as the basis for the scum & villains expansionlayout by Jess Levine
• David Bednar, the illustrator, who drew the incredible cover art

Community Copies

if you can’t afford the game right now, there are free community copies available for download below. anyone who buys at the $10 price point—rather than the minimum $5—and for every $5 above that, a community copy is added to the pool. people who purchase at this level also receive exclusive content from the development of the scum & villains expansion.

Reviewers & Streamers

If you would like to review the scum & villains expansion or use it on your livestream or actual play podcast, reach out via this contact form and we would be happy to provide you with a free copy and the press kit.