This is a practical guide to Cosmic Patrol that gets your table from zero to a finished one shot quickly. You will learn how cues drive scenes, how the baton for shared narration works, and how to run punchy pulp adventures in 60 to 90 minutes.
If you are still comparing the wider catalog, skim the brand overview first, then come back ready to frame scenes, roll once, and narrate boldly.
Each session flows through short scenes. Someone frames a scene, the table reads character cues to set intent, obstacles appear with tags, then a quick resolution step decides the outcome. The spotlight baton passes to the next player so everyone gets to frame, complicate, or resolve. Consequences change the fiction immediately, so scenes feel like comic book pages turning in real time.
Cosmic Patrol pushes authority around the table, which lowers prep and raises buy in. Cues tell players what is interesting about their hero, so they add details that help the group instead of waiting for a referee. With one pass conflict resolution and explicit baton passing, pacing stays brisk and the story lands on time.
Create a core concept in one sentence, pick three cue prompts that describe how you act, write a trouble tag that will complicate missions, and list a couple of iconic tools or gear. Keep it punchy. If a detail does not help frame a scene or solve a problem, leave it off the sheet until it matters.
Read your cues out loud when a scene starts so the table knows what you want to push. Invoke a cue to add a detail, claim a spotlight moment, or justify a roll with advantage. Hold a cue until you can set up someone else, then pass the baton with a clear prompt. The best cue use lifts another hero while keeping your own arc moving.
Agree on tone and limits during a 2 minute check in. Treat harm as cinematic unless the table opts in to grimmer stakes. Use lines and veils to protect fun. If a scene drifts from the agreed tone, anyone can call a reset and reframe with a softer or harder edge to stay aligned.
Cue examples by archetype
Use these to seed characters fast. Each archetype shows three quick prompts, a common trouble tag, and a usage tip that keeps scenes moving.
| Archetype | 3 cue prompts | Typical trouble tag | Table usage tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocket Ace | Never land slow - Race the clock - Daring over careful | Reckless showboat | Frame chases and daring approaches to hand allies clean openings |
| Science Officer | Scan before you shoot - Quote a theorem - Build a fix from scraps | Analysis paralysis | Keep explanations under 15 seconds and end with an actionable idea |
| Spacetrooper | Hold the door - Take the hit - Bark orders under fire | Command conflict | Give short commands that spotlight other players by name |
| Diplomatic Envoy | Mind the protocol - Read the room - Promise first, repay later | Dangerous promises | Plant bargains you can resolve in tonight's runtime |
| Explorer | Chart the unknown - Trust your gut - Climb where others won't | Wanderlust | Offer shortcuts that trade risk for time under pressure |
Pick one archetype each or double up and differentiate with distinct trouble tags. Trouble is not punishment - it is a reliable engine for interesting scenes.
Want crunchy campaigns with gear lists, downtime, and tactical subsystems on off weeks Consider a cyberpunk RPG alternative for deeper mechanical play, then return to Cosmic Patrol for quick pulp bursts between heavy arcs.
Frame - declare where, who, and what is at stake. Color - each player adds one detail that fits the frame. Action - someone takes a swing at the obstacle. Cut - resolve and move to the next spotlight holder. The baton passes clockwise by default or to the player most affected by the outcome. Say who goes next to keep flow obvious.
Declare intent, cite a cue or tag that helps, collect any situational dice the table agrees are fair, roll, and compare to the scene's target. On a hit you get what you wanted with one free flourish. On a near miss you get it at a cost. On a miss your intent fails and a setback fires. Do not split the action into several rolls unless the group wants a montage effect.
Mark stunts or gear when you cash in a special advantage. Refresh when a scene ends, a respite occurs, or a cue creates a new resource in fiction. Setbacks change the board immediately - damaged ship, split party, ticking clock - rather than adding math to the sheet. Keep numbers low and consequences visible in the story space.
Resolution checklist
This checklist keeps calls short and consistent. Read down the left column during a scene and you will stay inside one pass resolution without drift.
| Step | What to say | What to roll | What to change on success or failure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intent | State the goal clearly | None | Sets target and consequences |
| Edge | Invoke a cue or tag | Add 1 helpful die if justified | Explain the fiction that grants advantage |
| Roll | Roll the pool once | Compare to the scene target | Hit, near miss, or miss sets tone |
| Outcome | Narrate and pick a flourish or cost | None | Update positions, clocks, or tags in fiction |
If a player hesitates, offer a quick practice clash using the same steps. A 30 second duel resolves nerves and teaches the rhythm faster than a lecture. For a tactile warm up, try a quick abstract duel at the next table while others build characters.
Rescue: Hook - a distress beacon from a research outpost. Beats - breach the storm belt, find the missing crew, bypass the lockdown. Twist - the station AI wants the crew detained for quarantine. Exit - evac with proof the threat is contained.
Heist: Hook - a rogue guild is selling a stolen artifact. Beats - meet the fixer, case the venue, swap the artifact mid auction. Twist - the artifact bonds to a hero. Exit - sell the decoy and keep the real one safe.
Race: Hook - pirate raiders are en route to a colony. Beats - refuel at a shady depot, short cut through debris, dogfight the scout wing. Twist - the pirates are fleeing something worse. Exit - divert the threat and let the raiders run.
First Contact: Hook - an unknown craft parks over the ocean and stays silent. Beats - match protocol, decode the signal, step aboard. Twist - their translator maps intention, not words. Exit - trade something of value without a shared language.
Derelict: Hook - a freighter drifts cold and rich with salvage. Beats - cut inside, map crew last movements, restart power. Twist - the ship is bait for a hunter drone. Exit - power just enough to slingshot free and slag the drone.
Set a visible timer for each beat. Rotate spotlight by table order, but let anyone steal a brief cutaway if they can resolve it in under a minute. If a player goes long, hand the baton to their left with a friendly prompt. For lane and timer ideas that force motion instead of stalls, borrow patterns from airship battles on compact tables and translate them into scene clocks and approach vectors.
For 2 players, give each hero one backup cue that can be invoked to keep momentum. For 5 to 6, split scenes into paired threads and cut between them on a timer. Keep conflicts one pass so everyone rolls at least once per beat. If one thread resolves early, weave the characters back by tying their outcome to the other team's obstacle.
Frame cookbook
Use this as a pocket director's slate. It reminds you what to say and when to cut so the mission lands within the promised runtime.
| Frame | Hook | 3 beats | Twist | Exit signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rescue | Beacon from an outpost | Storm - Crew - Lockdown | AI detains for quarantine | Proof of safety and evac |
| Heist | Artifact up for auction | Fixer - Case - Swap | Artifact bonds to a hero | Decoy sold, real safe |
| Race | Raiders incoming | Refuel - Shortcut - Dogfight | Worse threat behind them | Threat diverted, raiders flee |
| First Contact | Silent visitor | Protocol - Decode - Board | Translator maps intention | Trade without a language |
| Derelict | Drifting freighter | Cut - Map - Power | Hunter drone trap | Slingshot free, drone slagged |
Write beats on index cards. Toss a card when a beat finishes to make progress visible and to nudge the table toward the exit.
Pick a lead when you run a convention slot, host new players, or teach young tables that benefit from a single voice that keeps time. The lead frames the first and last scenes, tracks clocks, and calls cuts when energy dips. Between those anchors, hand the baton freely so ownership remains shared.
Keep a one page cheat with the resolution checklist, a stack of index cards for beats, and a quiet timer. Add a safety card on the table and normalize its use. Consistency does not mean saying no - it means saying yes with the same simple steps every time.
Minute 0-3: elevator pitch and tone check. Minute 3-8: build characters with three cues and one trouble tag. Minute 8-12: practice scene with a short roll and a clear baton pass. Minute 12-15: frame the mission hook and show the beat cards. Start the timer and invite the first player to take the spotlight.
GM lite toolkit
These tools handle common friction points. Pull only what you need and keep the rest in your bag for emergencies.
| Tool | What it solves | When to use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| One page cheat | Rules drift | Teaching nights | Print both the loop and the checklist |
| Beat cards | Scope creep | Any one shot | Discard as you go to show progress |
| Timer | Stalls | Large groups | Cut on the beep and hand the baton |
| Safety card | Unwanted content | All tables | Normalize quick resets without debate |
Run the first scene with the timer visible. A concrete clock beats vague nudges and keeps the story crisp without feeling rushed.
Grab the core PDF, character sheets, cue cards, and a one page version of the resolution checklist. Store them in a shared folder so late arrivals can catch up on a phone. Bookmark the sections you use every session and annotate the PDF with your table's house phrases for intent, edge, roll, and outcome.
Print sheets on heavier paper, slip them in write on sleeves, and keep a handful of index cards for beats. Use short filenames like cp-cues, cp-tracker, cp-checklist so you can find them during a scene break. Archive each night's sheets in a photos folder if you plan to run a sequel later.
Choose it for breadth, restock visibility, and digital tie in that keeps PDFs tied to your account. Listings usually include links to quick references and sheets that match the current printing. For checkout details, taxes and tidy proof packets, keep the complete buying and shipping guide open while you plan purchases.
Pick a nearby shop for speed, classroom bundles, and easier returns if a print comes scuffed. Ask about demo nights or shelf copies for clubs. Combine supplies like sleeves, markers, and index cards in one run so your kit is self contained.
Photograph damage next to the box for scale, keep the receipt or invoice PDF, and write a short numbered note when you message support. Clear packets resolve most cases on the first reply and keep your schedule intact.
Buying routes
This quick grid compares common paths so you can decide by speed or catalog breadth without guesswork.
| Route | Pros | Cons | Who benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official storefront | Widest catalog, digital tie ins, restock alerts | International shipping may take longer | Educators, club organizers, collectors |
| Local retailer | Faster pickup, bundled supplies, easy returns | Selection varies by store | Groups starting this week |
Bundle sensibly. One consolidated order usually lands cleaner than several micro shipments that tangle delivery windows.
Four is the sweet spot for scene rotation and steady pacing. Two is fine with backup cues, while five or six benefits from parallel threads and a timer.
No, but appointing a lead narrator for the first and last scenes helps teaching tables stay on time. Between those anchors, share the baton freely.
Use what your table prefers as long as you keep the target scale intuitive. The important part is one pass resolution, not the specific dice math.
Five to eight minutes with a visible timer. Tight scenes accumulate quickly into a complete issue of pulp adventure without dragging.
Make the baton visible, set a one minute nudge rule, and celebrate setups that hand wins to other players. The culture you model becomes the table norm.
Yes. Cue based narration and cinematic stakes work well for young players. Keep scenes shorter and use clear goals with obvious exit signals.
Limit extra switches to one lever at a time. A light gear slot or a scene clock is usually enough. Avoid stacking subsystems that slow narration.
Yes. Use identical beat cards and start timers together. Swap one hero between tables at the midpoint for a crossover vibe if both groups are willing.
Show beat cards, call the 10 minute warning, and compress the final obstacle into one pass with a clear success or cost clause. Hard cuts beat soft fades.
Use minis only as scene markers to visualize space. If your group wants measured skirmishes some nights, switch to a minis tactics alternative and bring the energy back to pulp sessions later.
Give that player stronger control within scenes they frame and set clear turns so they do not feel overruled. Rotate lead duties lightly and keep rules consistent.
If you want linked progression nights with card driven tension, sample cooperative deckbuilding for a change of pace. Keep Cosmic Patrol on your roster for zero prep one shots between heavier campaigns and enjoy how cues keep everyone engaged without a pile of stat blocks.
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