World Mapping

Physical Science

You focus on scanning a specific area of a world to learn more about its geography.

You spend the day scanning and analyzing data for thousands of square miles of a world’s geography. You must be in a starship orbiting a world to use this activity.

At the end of the day, attempt a Physical Science check. You gain a +1 bonus to this check if your starship has a general science lab or a +2 bonus if it has a physical science ab. You also can apply the bonus normally granted by your starship’s computer. The DC for this check begins at 15 and is modified as normal (see the Sensor Modifiers sidebar). You can’t take 20 on this check.

On a success, you learn the biome of each 12-mile hex in a region, the size of which is determined by the GM (most often a map of the size provided on the Exploration Log on page 158). For every 5 by which your result exceeds the DC, you discover a more detailed feature in one 12-mile hex at the GM’s discretion. This might be a hazard, the presence of a group of sapient or threat species, a planetary anomaly, or even an interesting geological feature.