Escape Velocity
Hundreds of star systems. Eight alien civilizations. One impassable void with something moving inside it.
The Ember Reach is a cluster of 200 star systems bounded on all sides by the Great Void, an uncharted expanse no ship has ever crossed and returned from. Nine ancestral species emerged through a hollow black hole five years ago. Eight alien civilizations were already here. And something on the other side of the Void knows you are there.
What Is Escape Velocity?
Escape Velocity is a science-fiction tabletop RPG setting for D&D 5th Edition, 5.5 Edition, Tales of the Valiant, Draw Steel, DC20, and more. It is built for exploration, first contact, faction politics, and the feeling of being very small in a very large galaxy.
Your Campaign. In Space. Bring your existing characters. The aliens of the Ember Reach have never met a Human, an Elf, a Dwarf, or a Wizard before. You are not an adventurer here. You are a first contact event.
Fantasy Meets Sci-Fi Elves, dwarves, and orcs alongside eight alien species, synthetic AIs, and things that defy classification.
16 Playable Species Nine ancestral species (humans, elves, dwarves, and more) plus seven unique alien civilizations, each with deep lore and original mechanical traits.
A Galaxy of Conflict 16 factions. 200 star systems. Political intrigue, frontier justice, corporate espionage, and ancient mysteries.
Space Is Dangerous Ships break down. Pirates attack. Gravity anomalies appear without warning. Getting home alive is its own adventure.
The Ember Reach
The Core Worlds
Hearthworld. Silverwood. Ironhold. The political and economic heart of the Reach, where the great factions maneuver for power and newly arrived species struggle to find their footing.
The Frontier
Beyond the Core Worlds, law is thin and opportunity is thick. Uncharted systems, Remnant ruins, pirate havens, and mining colonies where a crew with a ship can make a fortune or disappear.
The Great Void
The vast emptiness surrounding the Reach. No stars. No stations. No help. Long-range sensors detect anomalies. Ships that venture too far do not always come back. And something out there is listening.
What’s Coming
The Core Rulebook launches May 2026 for D&D 5th Edition and 5.5 Edition. It includes 7 new classes, 16 playable species, ship combat, mech rules, and a starter campaign from levels 1 to 10. Available as a PDF on day one. A free 40-page Preview drops the same day.
Compatible with D&D 5th Edition and 5.5 Edition on day one. System conversions for Tales of the Valiant, Draw Steel, and DC20 follow post-launch.
- 7 new classes built for the Ember Reach (Catalyst, Operator, Cipher, Smolder, Resonant, Rift, and one more)
- 16 playable species with full stat blocks
- Personal weapons, armor, and power armor
- Ship combat rules and 8 ship classes
- Mech rules (optional, scalable from solo frames to multi-crew giants)
- A starter campaign from levels 1 to 10 (The Outer Edge)
- 16 major factions with goals, methods, and adventure hooks