# 334 Cepheus — improvement checklist

This maps the share's "Core Mechanics Analysis & Practical Improvements" onto the rules. The transcript is unchanged in `archive/raw-share.md`. Product name in the rules is **334 Cepheus**.

"Added in this PR" means the published text did not yet state the item, or stated a weaker version, and this pass filled it. Everything else was already in the core.

## Task resolution

| Checklist | Where | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cap total DM at ±4; excess becomes Boon/Bane (3D6, keep best or worst two) | `core/01-core-mechanics.md` — The Core Roll; Boon and Bane | Already present |
| Difficulty steps on a clear ladder (about a step of 2–3 on the target number) | `core/01-core-mechanics.md` — Difficulty. Simple 4+, Routine 6+, Standard 8+, Difficult 10+, Very Difficult 11+, Formidable 13+ | Already present |
| Unskilled familiar tasks −1 DM; alien or unfamiliar technology −3 DM | `core/01-core-mechanics.md` — Unskilled Tasks. Restated for psionics in `core/10-appendices.md` — Appendix E | Already present |
| Always narrate Effect, with a mechanical benefit at 0–2, 3–5, and 6+ | `core/01-core-mechanics.md` — Effect and Degrees of Success. Short form in `core/10-appendices.md` — Appendix A | Added in this PR. The bands existed; 6+ had no listed benefit, and −1 was a blank cell |

## Character generation

| Checklist | Where | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mishap table is the default. Death is optional Hardcore Mode | `core/02-character-creation.md` — Survival, including Optional Hardcore Rule | Already present |
| Failed qualification: Drafted at Rank 0, no basic training, −2 on first-term survival | `core/02-character-creation.md` — Qualification | Added in this PR. Drafted was already Rank 0 with no basic training; the survival penalty was Bane, and is now −2 DM |
| Aging pushed back: physical Term 5, standard Term 6, sedentary Term 7 | `core/02-character-creation.md` — Step 5: Aging | Already present (the published three-tier table, not the earlier analysis sketch of terms 4/5/6) |
| Background Knowledge replaces Jack-of-all-Trades | `core/02-character-creation.md` — Step 3: Background Knowledge. Noted in `core/10-appendices.md` — Appendix G | Already present |
| Directed chargen: swap any two characteristics; one skill reroll per career | `core/02-character-creation.md` — Step 1: Characteristics; Skills (Directed Chargen) | Already present |

## Skills

| Checklist | Where | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Deception, Investigation, Persuasion, and Art | `core/03-skills-and-tasks.md` — The Complete Skill List (Social, Knowledge & Investigation, Art & Performance). Art's narrows are listed there | Already present |
| Broad/Narrow cascades. Effective skill is Broad plus Narrow | `core/03-skills-and-tasks.md` — Broad Skills & Narrow Specialties. Also `core/02-character-creation.md` — Core Skill List | Already present |
| Starting cap Level 3. Career cap Level 4 | Creation: `core/02-character-creation.md` — Skill Caps During Creation, and `core/03-skills-and-tasks.md` — Skill Caps. Career cap and the stop on the end-of-adventure roll: `core/03-skills-and-tasks.md` — Skill Caps and End-of-Adventure Advancement | Career cap added in this PR. Creation already stopped at Level 3. Ordinary play previously allowed Level 6 |
| Science split into Life, Physical, Social, and Space, with Science-0 for cross-disciplinary tasks | `core/03-skills-and-tasks.md` — Knowledge & Investigation Skills, paragraph Science-0 | Split already present. The Science-0 sentence was added in this PR |

## Personal combat

| Checklist | Where | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stamina and Lifeblood, not characteristic damage | `core/04-personal-combat.md` — Stamina & Lifeblood | Already present |
| Armor as damage reduction plus Soak | `core/04-personal-combat.md` — Damage on Hit; Armor. Prices in `core/05-equipment-and-gear.md` — Armor. Quick table in `core/10-appendices.md` — Appendix C | Added in this PR. Armor previously subtracted AR only, and a stopped kinetic hit still cost 1 Stamina |
| Initiative is 2D6 + DEX DM each round, with a Hold action | `core/04-personal-combat.md` — Initiative | Already present |
| Recovery checks restore Stamina. Surgery restores Lifeblood and requires bed rest | `core/04-personal-combat.md` — Recovery Checks; Surgery | Recovery checks already present. The 1D6 days of bed rest after surgery were added in this PR |
| Pin Down / suppressive fire | `core/04-personal-combat.md` — Suppressive Fire / Pin Down | Already present |

## Starship combat

| Checklist | Where | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ship combat cards, and criticals only on Effect 6+ or when the hull is breached | `core/07-starships-and-space-combat.md` — The Ship Combat Card; Attack Resolution (Critical Hits). Quick card in `core/10-appendices.md` — Appendix D | Cards already present. Criticals previously keyed off a natural 12 or Hull at Structure. Effect 6+ or breached, and the blank Power Plant and Crew/Fuel rows, were added in this PR |
| Abstract missiles: one launch check, hit at the end of the round after launch, one Point Defense check | `core/07-starships-and-space-combat.md` — Missiles | Timing already present. "One Point Defense check per salvo" was added in this PR (any number of gunners could each roll before) |
| Sensor Ghosts and decoys | `core/07-starships-and-space-combat.md` — Sensor Ghosts. The penalty is Bane, which is how this ruleset expresses a large minus without breaking the ±4 cap | Already present |
| Squadron rules for ships over 2,000 tons | `core/07-starships-and-space-combat.md` — Squadron Rules (Large Ships) | Already present |
| Bridge Drama once per round: a creative action the Referee accepts grants +1 DM (or Boon) | `core/07-starships-and-space-combat.md` — Crew Actions (Captain); Bridge Drama | Already present |

## Economy

| Checklist | Where | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lower mortgage pressure: default 1/300, or start with the ship owned and in need of repairs. Optional harsh rate remains 1/240 after 20% down | `core/07-starships-and-space-combat.md` — Ship Costs. Procedure for the owned ship: `core/08-trade-and-economy.md` — The Economic Loop | Added in this PR. The prose already mentioned 1/300 and "owned, but needs repairs," but the ship table was still priced at 1/240 and the owned start had no procedure |
| Trade Legwork before speculative rolls | `core/08-trade-and-economy.md` — Trade Legwork, then Speculative Trade (buying and selling both take the legwork modifier) | Already present |