Science Fiction PDFs and Books for RPG Random Tables

Here we are looking at titles for Science Fiction. Now also with a Solo section.

Disclaimer: Rand Roll is an affiliate for DriveThru RPG.

Starting Points

There are lots of options for random tables, solo games, decks of cards and other resources for science fiction roleplaying games.

So here we have things for all kinds of sci-fi.

There is also a Generators Guide for Sci-Fi

Dec 2024: Added Cards and Planets sections, added titles and merged older sections; May 2024: Added new titles.

Major Titles

Some PDFs are much larger and comprehensive.

Dicegeeks has the Great Book of Random Tables with 138 d100 tables. These combine and improve many tables from the The Book of Random Tables: Science Fiction and The Book of Random Tables: Science Fiction 2 (and book 3), plus new ones. There is a more focused one on Sci-Fi Facilities
A cheaper option is Science Fiction Codex of Lists from JEN Games with 300+ pages of assorted lists of varying length. Also Science Fiction Codex of Lists 2 and Science Fiction Codex of Lists 3 providing 100s of more pages.
Ironsworn: Starforged from Mophidius is the sci-fi version of the Ironsworn solo rpg. It has story-driven mechanics using Powered by the Apocalypse rules.
The Sci-fi Bundle Collection from Grinning Skull Studios has several pdf tables for alien race names, rumours and starship names.
the Lifeform Maker from Ennead Games which creates alien creatures and life forms. Ennead Games has a huge bundle of 30+ titles in the Sci-Fi Collection 2019

Solo RPG Titles

Solo gaming for tabletop rpgs has become popular in recent years, and here are titles specifically for solo. Also see Starforged in the major titles section. There's also a separate Guide for Non-Fantasy Solo Titles.

From Candlenaut is Entity, a solo game taking on the roal of a synthetic AI explorer, stranded in an expanse filled with alien ruins.
Another RPG is D100 Space from Martin Knight, which is a solo adventure game captaining a starship thorugh the galaxy, with supplements to support it.
The Wretched from Loot the Room is a solo journalling game where you are the last survivor of a spaceship. And something is in the ship with you...
T-Rex Games has Space Aces: TNG (The New Guidebook), a lightweight adventure game with rules for solo and lots of random tables.
An adventure wargame, as opposed to an RPG, Five Parsecs from Home from Mophidius is designed for solo, assembling ragtag crew of galactic trailblazers.
Glide from Sleepy Sasquatch Games is a solo game about desert wastes on a planet, hoping to restore it's past splendor.

Free and Pay What You Want

If you like pdfs and random tables then there are some options. And where you find one you might find more...

Although an RPG, Stars Without Number (revised, free version) from Sine Nomine Publishing also has many free tables worth looking at.
Never Engine has a Planet Generator, with several tables crammed into a one page format.
Kai Pütz a.k.a Gregorius21778 has 100 names for androids and other artificial beings and 100 names for starships in private hands
To enhance Starforged, Eric Bright has Starsmith: Expanded Oracles, a huge pay-what-you-want supplement expanding tables from the original game.
Mysterious Passenger - Space Opera Support #3 from Polgarus Games has six adventure seeds for a passenger who comes on board your spaceship.
Mothership: Player's Survival Guide from Tuesday Knight Games has a pay-what-you-want player's guide for the Mothership RPGs. Lots of random tables to create your character.

Cards

If you like pdfs and random tables then there are some options. And where you find one you might find more...

For an oracle, gm helper and random generator in one, The GameMaster's Apprentice: Sci Fi from Larcenous Designs is a deck of cards for your solo game.
For many quest ideas with maps, Inkwell Ideas has Sidequest Decks: Science Fiction, containing a deck of 50+ cards.
The Galaxy Builder Decks: Starter Set from Journey Mountain Studios is one of a series of Decks. It has planet trait and planet cards to pair together and works with other decks such as Conflicts and Gas Giants.
Sci-Fi Locations - Concept Cards from Artemis Games is a deck of 56 cards detailing unique worlds. Others exist for Sci-Fi Characters and Sci-Fi Planets.
For maps, Handiwork Games has Scifi Dystopia Tiles, with 30 double-sided tiles. There are also matching Scifi Utopia Tiles.

Planets, Colonies and Asteroids

Games will need places to explore, homeworlds, ruined alien civs and mega-city planetoids.

Space Colonies and Starbases from Ennead Games has many pages of tables for places to work and call home.
D10 Dimensions gives us Deep Space Backwater Planetoid Generator and 100 Escape Pods - Vol 1: In Space. Plus many similar space and cyberpunk titles.
For your asteroids Atelier Clandestin has an Asteroid Generator with several tables detailing composition of lone asteroids and belts. Similar titles include Galaxy Generator
Azukail Games has 100 Space Age Ruins for adventure sites

Spaceships

To find more related titles by a particular publisher the "Customers Who Bought This Title also Purchased" bar at the bottom of product description is useful.

1d100 Spaceships and Captains from Terry Herc gives pairings of ships and captains.
Azukail Games has 100 Problems on a Starship for things that might go wrong. Alongside 100 Derelict and Wrecked Spaceships to Encounter, for those ships that really have gone wrong. And 100 Potentially Dubious Space Cargoes for what a ship might be carrying. And 100 Forgotten Sci-Fi Cargoes
For what a ship is carrying, Healing Fireball has Just Add Dice: 50 Starship Cargos.
In a solo game, to captain a Star Trek ship Mophidius has STA Captain's Log Solo Roleplaying Game (TNG Edition) PDF. There are 3 other versions for other eras, the same except for the covers.
More cargos are given with 101 Starship Cargos from Polgarus Games. Also ship related is 101 Starship Model Names.
Ennead Games has Starship Maker with 100+ pages of tables.

Space Bars

Space bars in many forms provide places to relax, meet new characters and get into trouble.

To create a unique venue, the Space Bar Generator from Atelier Clandestin has 18 tables to help you along.
Sci-fi Bar Bundle from Azukail Games includes 100 Space Bars, 100 Space Cocktails, 100 Sci-Fi Foods and 100 Characters You Might Meet in a Starport.
For people to meet, Terry Herc has a number of d100 tables starting with 1d100 Sci-Fi NPCs with name, occupation, secret, need and demeanor. Others include 1d100 Sci-Fi Criminals,

Other Titles

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Fishwife Games has 100 Bits of Space Junk and 100 Starship Salvage Finds and more similar tables found in their wider catalogue
Ennead Games has Space & Sci-Fi Encounter Concepts using two 2d100 tables for a quick encounter. Also has SciFi objects, Starship Maker and many other sci-fi tables.
Alien Body Plans from WMB Saltworks with first in series being Hexapods and Other Ecdysozoa
For trouble, Azukail Games includes 100 Encounters for a Dubious Starport, another title is 100 Robot Malfunctions for another type of trouble. They also have 100 Detailed Bits of Junk to Find in Space.
the d66 Compendium and d66 Compendium 2 from Jon Brazer Enterprises, has lots of random tables for Traveller, with lots of d6 x d6 lists in each.
From Samual Penn is Wonders of a Solar System: Barren Worlds, with descriptions of 36 barren worlds and possible wonders found on them for Traveller