In the Cradle — that rough 10,000–12,000 light-year bubble of space around old Sol — humanity’s been mixing genes and living in every kind of gravity for centuries. Skin color? Old Earth tribes? Nobody gives a damn. What people notice the second you step (or drift) into a room, a bar, or a firefight is your Gravity Rating — GR.
GR is how your body grew up under whatever gravity shaped you. It decides how tall you are, how strong, how fragile, or how goddamn unstoppable. We call the four main types by their Void slang: Floaters, Hoppers, Bricks, and Stompers.
Pick one when you make your character (or roll for it if you like chaos). It gives you permanent attribute modifiers and changes how every Action Roll feels depending on the local gravity (via the Gravity Rating Modifier, or GRM). Get caught in the wrong gravity? You’ll feel it — penalties stack until you suit up, pump meds, or bolt on cyber.
Floaters (0–0.2G)
Born in true zero-gravity ships or stations that barely spin — people who never once felt real weight.
Appearance: Ultra-tall and rail-thin (2.0–2.2 m / 6’7″–7’3″), long fragile arms and legs like stretched rubber bands, pale or almost see-through skin with veins showing, big eyes, puffy faces from fluid floating up.
Permanent Attribute Modifiers: STR –2, AGL –1, INT +2, HLTH –1, PER 0
GRM (added to all Action Rolls):
| Environment | GRM |
| Zero-G | +2 |
| 0.1–0.5G | +1 |
| 0.5–1G | –1 |
| 1.1–1.5G | –1 |
| 1.6G+ | –3 |
How they feel: Light as ghosts in zero-g, but gravity crushes them.
Gameplay tip: Floaters own space stations, wrecked ships, and any zero-G fight — super agile, hard to hit, perfect for breaching hulls or hacking in freefall. On a real planet? They’re screwed without exosuits (XO-SKEL), Combat Roids, or Cyberlegs.
Slang: “Don’t let the floater lift that crate.”
Hoppers (0.4–0.6G)
Grew up on low-gravity moons, asteroids, or stations with gentle spin — bouncing around like kangaroos their whole lives.
Appearance: Tall and wiry (1.85–2.0 m / 6’1″–6’7″), lean muscle, long limbs, light skin, always moving with a springy, bouncy step even in normal gravity.
Permanent Attribute Modifiers: STR –1, INT +1, HLTH –1, PER 0
GRM:
| Environment | GRM |
| Zero-G | +1 |
| 0.1–0.5G | +2 |
| 0.5–1G | –1 |
| 1.1–1.5G | –2 |
| 1.6G+ | –3 |
How they feel: Gods in light gravity — huge jumps, easy climbing. Heavy gravity tires them fast.
Gameplay tip: Hoppers rule asteroid belts, low-g ruins, and rock-hopping fights. They leap between cover like nobody else. On high-g worlds they get sluggish and worn out quick.
Slang: “Hoppers own the rocks.”
Bricks (0.8–1.2G)
The “normal” ones — people from Earth-like worlds or stations with near-standard spin gravity. Most of the Cradle’s population ends up here.
Appearance: Average height (1.65–1.85 m / 5’5″–6’1″), solid and balanced build, good muscle tone, medium skin tones — look like the old Earth holos in the arks.
Permanent Attribute Modifiers: PER +2 (others 0)
GRM:
| Environment | GRM |
| Zero-G | –1 |
| 0.1–0.5G | –1 |
| 0.5–1G | +1 |
| 1.1–1.5G | –1 |
| 1.6G+ | –1 |
How they feel: Comfortable almost everywhere. No huge wins or crippling losses.
Gameplay tip: Bricks are the all-rounders. They don’t dominate in zero-g or super-heavy, but they never suffer badly either. Perfect for crews that bounce between every kind of gravity.
Slang: “Bricks built the Cradle.”
Stompers (1.6G+)
Born on super-heavy worlds or engineered to survive crushing gravity. Built like walking tanks.
Appearance: Short and massively muscular (1.5–1.75 m / 4’11″–5’9″), thick necks, barrel chests, dense bones, powerful frames — look like they could punch through steel.
Permanent Attribute Modifiers: STR +2, AGL –1, HLTH +1, PER 0
GRM:
| Environment | GRM |
| Zero-G | –1 |
| 0.1–0.5G | –1 |
| 0.5–1G | +1 |
| 1.1–1.5G | +1 |
| 1.6G+ | +2 |
How they feel: Unstoppable in high gravity — smash anything, shrug off punishment. In zero-g or low-g they feel clumsy and weak.
Gameplay tip: Stompers dominate planetary assaults, high-g boarding actions, and ground fights. They hit harder and take more hits. In zero-g or light gravity they struggle to move fast without suits or meds.
Slang: “Stompers don’t fall — they land.”
Quick Play Tips
Diversify your crew: Floaters breach zero-G wrecks, Hoppers scout low-G asteroids, Bricks hold the line, Stompers smash high-G ground targets.
Wrong gravity hurts: GRM penalties apply to every Action Roll (combat, skills, initiative). Mitigate with:
- XO-SKEL Suit (+1 GRM, ~20 oz gold)
- Combat Roids (+1 STR/HLTH AtMod, 1.5 oz gold)
- Cyberlegs (+1 GRM, +4m Move Rate, 30 oz gold)
LNC characters use Floater GRM (see Living Neuro-Core appendix).
Your GR is your Void body type — it’s who you are the moment you step into the fight. Pick it carefully. Every world, station, and firefight will feel it.
Eye Of Balor Magazine 