Free, paid or reference — which is which
The free editions are complete games. Character creation, combat, advancement, the GM chapters and the generators are all there, and you can run a campaign for years without spending anything. This is unusual and it is deliberate on the publisher's part.
The full editions layer deluxe material on top: more character options, extra subsystems, and additional tools for the person running the game. Nothing in them invalidates the free rules — they are the same game with more of it.
The reference documents exist so other people can publish compatible material. If you want to write and sell your own supplement, that is the document defining what you may use. As a way to actually read the game they are the worst of the three kinds of edition, because sections are deliberately omitted. (Ashes Without Number has no reference document yet.)
A sensible buying order
- Download the free edition of whichever genre appeals. Read the first few chapters and make a character.
- Build that character here to see how the pieces fit, or roll a random one in a few seconds.
- Run a session. The free book is enough — do not buy anything yet.
- If it stuck, buy the full edition of that game. That is the point at which the deluxe material is worth having, and it is the most direct way to support the person who wrote it.
Common questions
- Where can I download the Without Number games for free?
- Stars, Worlds, Cities and Ashes Without Number each have a complete free PDF edition on DriveThruRPG. They are full rulebooks rather than quickstarts, and they stay free — there is no trial period.
- What is the difference between the free and paid editions?
- The free edition is the complete game. The paid edition adds deluxe material on top — extra character options, additional subsystems and more GM tooling. You can run a full campaign from the free version alone.
- Which book do I buy first?
- Read the free edition of whichever genre appeals first. If you want to buy one, buy the full edition of the game you already know you are going to run.
- What is a System Reference Document?
- The rules text released for third parties to build on. It is a publishing tool rather than a way to read the game — some sections of the full book are deliberately left out.