History VideoGame / FTLFasterThanLight

* SaveScumming: Possible, if you can find the save file and don't mind the tedium of quitting/restarting the game until you get a set of outcomes that favour you.

** The type B Rock Cruiser lacks airlocks; this makes asphyxiating boarders or fires in any of your vulnerable areas impossible ([[TooDumbToLive unless you start launching breach bombs at your own ship]]). The crew has to drop whatever they're doing and deal with such threats in person.

* EnemyScan: Fully upgrading sensors lets you see the exact state of enemies' subsystems, along with their power distribution.

* RegeneratingShieldStaticHealth: Subsystems can be repaired, but hull damage can only be restored by events, going to a store, or using one of the rare and moderately expensive Hull Repair drones - which can only be used if you have a Drone System and consumes one Drone Part to restore between 3 and 5 hull.

* SubsystemDamage: All systems and subsystems can be individually damaged. Major systems have reduced effectiveness when damaged and can be disabled entirely if hit hard enough; subsystems are either working or not. This applies to enemies as well as players; deciding which system to target is one of the biggest tactical parts of the game.

* BoringButPractical: Though it seems insignificant, when your door control system goes out, things can go south VERY quickly when you can't just let the oxygen go out of the ship to put out fires or asphyxiate enemies, and when enemies can just waltz through your base, killing all your dudes. On the other hand, the life support can go offline for a minute or two before oxygen levels fall enough to cause problems, giving you more than enough time to finish off the enemy before repairing them.

* WaveMotionGun: The Artillery beam. Full Stop. It takes up it's own module instead of being incorporated into your weapons, and bypasses all shields except Zoltan shields. It also cuts across multiple rooms like all beam weapons in the game, dealing 4-5 damage to most ships, and sometimes more.

** The type A Engi Cruiser only has a single airlock, set away from any manned systems. This makes asphyxiating boarders or fires in any of your vulnerable areas a lot more difficult.

* AndYourRewardIsClothes: Sure, each Type B layout comes with enough differences it's practically a completely different starting ship, but one of those differences is a spiffy new paint job.
* AnyoneCanDie: And they do. Those crew members that you've been with since the start of the game, trained up from skill-less {{Mooks}} with no abilities whatsoever into vital parts of your ship, can be killed off at a moment's notice. Even your starting crew isn't exempt. And the game carries on, expecting you to man up and find a way to deal.

** This damage also applies to the enemy vessel, making any fight very easy if you can take out their shields, or do horrible things to your ship if your shields are knocked off line.

** There's also the ''Artillery Beam'' system on the Federation Cruiser. Whilst you can never install a cloaking device without modifying the files, said beam can pierce shields and dish out serious damage.

* FinalDeath: For [[AnyoneCanDie crew members]] and for [[GameOver the ship itself]]. No saving either, as per the RogueLike standard. On the plus side, destroyed systems can always be repaired.

* RegeneratingShieldStaticHealth

* SingleGenderRace: The Engi and the Slugs.

* TakeAThirdOption: In some {{RandomEvent}}s, having specific systems or crew members can present you with new, usually beneficial, solutions. For example, a Rock's fire immunity comes in handy when assisting a burning station.

* ArmorPiercingAttack: Missiles, bombs and certain energy weapons can pass straight through a target's shields.

* CosmeticAward: {{Subverted}}: While most achievements do nothing, each ship has a set of unique achievements that allow you to unlock a new layout.

** Also, [[spoiler: killing every crew member results in an AI taking over, which has the ability to repair every system at same time. So if you killed all the crew during its first form, you're pretty much screwed.]]

** PlayedStraight with alien NPCs, however; the Mantis in particular stand out, with names like KazaaakplethKilik.

* BoringButPractical: Though it seems insignificant, when you're door control system goes out, things can go south VERY quickly when you can't just let the oxygen go out of the ship to put out fires or asphyxiate enemies, and when enemies can just waltz through you're base, killing all your dudes. On the other hand, the life support can go offline for a minute or two before oxygen levels fall enough to cause problems, giving you more than enough time to finish off the enemy before repairing them.

** Also, [[spoiler: killing every crew member results in AI taking over and AI has ability to repair every system at same time. So if you killed all crew in first form, you are pretty much screwed.]]

* CriticalExistenceFailure: Applies to crew. Since [[HitPoints hull integrity]] is measured seperately from SubsystemDamage, it's quite possible for a stray shot to destroy a fully-functional ship as well.

* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: While all other ships play by the same rules, [[spoiler: the Mothership's weapon control is divided into four different rooms (making it incredibly hard to disable) and can operate tons of drones at the same time (while everyone else is limited to a maximum of three)]].