Choosing a Star Wars game

What is the basis of the game? Will all the PCs be Jedi or the more classic Jedi, Smuggler, Princess, Wookie, Drioids?

If all Jedi, Savage Worlds + Super Powers Companion works wonderfully. I ran a one-shot based on this (Escape from the Jedi Temple -- some teen Jedi (0XP) had to escape the 501/Anakin's purge) - I really loved the feel of it.


But that indicates the fundemental problem - Jedi are superheros and everyone else is just a hero. Episode IV shows a baby Jedi (Luke) was just as effective as a veteran rogue smuggler (Han). Eps 1-3 (whatever you may think of them) basically rarely showed anyone on the level of a Jedi -- Jango Fett got chopped up pretty quick (he needed environment to help win, even then it was a draw vs. Obi Wan) and Grevious actually had "Jedi Training."

If I were to do a Savage Worlds mixed version (Jedi + others), I would do Jedi with the supers powers at a very low "level" and everyone else starts at something like Veteran. (I've not worked out the "spread" between the base rules and the SPC powers).

amerigoV said:

What is the basis of the game? Will all the PCs be Jedi or the more classic Jedi, Smuggler, Princess, Wookie, Drioids?

If all Jedi, Savage Worlds + Super Powers Companion works wonderfully. I ran a one-shot based on this (Escape from the Jedi Temple -- some teen Jedi (0XP) had to escape the 501/Anakin's purge) - I really loved the feel of it.


But that indicates the fundemental problem - Jedi are superheros and everyone else is just a hero. Episode IV shows a baby Jedi (Luke) was just as effective as a veteran rogue smuggler (Han). Eps 1-3 (whatever you may think of them) basically rarely showed anyone on the level of a Jedi -- Jango Fett got chopped up pretty quick (he needed environment to help win, even then it was a draw vs. Obi Wan) and Grevious actually had "Jedi Training."

If I were to do a Savage Worlds mixed version (Jedi + others), I would do Jedi with the supers powers at a very low "level" and everyone else starts at something like Veteran. (I've not worked out the "spread" between the base rules and the SPC powers).

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Honestly, I'm not sure yet. I've sort of envisioned an arc of 3 campaigns through different eras, each with a different feel. I guess I'm trying to pick a ruleset that can cover all of them.

Clone Wars era - Military themed camaign. Squads, large-ish battles, clone troopers, etc.

Dark Times era - Fringe themed campaign. Smugglers, crime lords, bounty hunters, all under the spreading oppression of the Empire.

Legacy era - Intrigue themed campaign. Spies, special agents, black ops, under the new Galactic Civil War and the rise of Darth Krayt's One Sith.

amerigoV said:

But that indicates the fundemental problem - Jedi are superheros and everyone else is just a hero. Episode IV shows a baby Jedi (Luke) was just as effective as a veteran rogue smuggler (Han).

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That's because in the system the films use, everything prior to the start of the film is inconsequential background detail and gives no mechanical benefit. Both Luke and Han are 1st level. (Or, if you must, both are level N, for some suitable value of N.)

Under this paradigm, had it been Han vs Vader in RotJ, Han would have won just as Luke did. (Search your feelings; you know it to be true.)

Eps 1-3 (whatever you may think of them) basically rarely showed anyone on the level of a Jedi -- Jango Fett got chopped up pretty quick (he needed environment to help win, even then it was a draw vs. Obi Wan) and Grevious actually had "Jedi Training."

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The same applies - in both of these cases, Obi-Wan was close in level to his opponent, which is why it was a standstill. Windu, on the other hand, was much higher in level, and so took Fett apart easily.

Plus, the prequels rarely showed anyone else on the level of a Jedi because they very rarely showed anyone other than a Jedi. In both TPM and AotC, Amidala appears to be about as effective as the Jedi, albeit in different fields, and R2-D2 is consistently awesome.

Clearly, Jar Jar is just a poorly-optimised character...

TyrantLobe said:

Honestly, I'm not sure yet. I've sort of envisioned an arc of 3 campaigns through different eras, each with a different feel. I guess I'm trying to pick a ruleset that can cover all of them.

Clone Wars era - Military themed camaign. Squads, large-ish battles, clone troopers, etc.

Dark Times era - Fringe themed campaign. Smugglers, crime lords, bounty hunters, all under the spreading oppression of the Empire.

Legacy era - Intrigue themed campaign. Spies, special agents, black ops, under the new Galactic Civil War and the rise of Darth Krayt's One Sith.

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Provided you're not going to have any Jedi PCs, I would recommend the WEG d6 version of Star Wars. If you can find the 1st edition, all the better.

However, I even a single Jedi PC is a good reason to avoid that system. As mentioned up-thread, the rules for Jedi in that system tend to be a bit problematic.

(Of course, Saga Edition has the advantage of there being dedicated sourcebooks for all three of your eras. But if you're happy to homebrew, Wookieepedia is probably a better resource anyway.)

delericho said:

Provided you're not going to have any Jedi PCs, I would recommend the WEG d6 version of Star Wars. If you can find the 1st edition, all the better.

However, I even a single Jedi PC is a good reason to avoid that system. As mentioned up-thread, the rules for Jedi in that system tend to be a bit problematic.

(Of course, Saga Edition has the advantage of there being dedicated sourcebooks for all three of your eras. But if you're happy to homebrew, Wookieepedia is probably a better resource anyway.)

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That could be a problem, then. The Clone Wars would definitely have Jedi as an option, with adversaries involving Dark Jedi or Sith at times.

Dark Times wouldn't really have Jedi.

Legacy era could have Jedi, again with Sith as probable antagonists.

Really, all of the Star Wars systems have their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to those eras. Except maybe the non-Saga edition games made by WOTC. Personally, I prefer Saga edition, but I love the WEG game as well.

Here's a question specific question about Savage Worlds:

How well could it handle lightsaber duels? I'm not looking to have 20 round duels, but they should also be dramatic and last longer than 2 rounds.

I would use the Fate system. I only have the Dresden Files RPG but it would be simple to translate its magic system into the force. And you could use the supernatural powers as inspiration and a gauge for special abilities of alien races.

delericho said:

R2-D2 is consistently awesome.

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Now you have touched on one of my favorite subjects -- I content R2D2 is really a Sith Lord (thus, he fits my Jedi are superheros approach ).

1.In every movie, every key scene

2.Can destroy Battle driods with ease

3.Hated Yoda

4.Eps IV – At Mos Eislie Cantina, suddenly the barkeep shouts “We do not serve their kind here!” in reference to the droids. Why? That is never referenced again in any other situation in any other episode. So 3PO and R2 GO BACK OUTSIDE ALONE where the Empire is looking for them. Suddenly, the Empire shows up while the driods hide nearby in a locked area. I am sure Vader would not be concerned about bashing open doors. Who sent the Stormtroopers to the Cantina just at that moment? Why did they decide NOT to search the locked area? What would R2 have to gain? Possibly killing Kenobi and separating him from Luke.

5.Was riding with Luke, but got hit on the Death Star run. Otherwise, he have prevented the Death Star from being destroyed. How else to you explain the misses of the other ships with computer aided targeting (force projection)?

6.In order to work on corrupting Luke, he destroyed the Red R2 unit so he could be bought instead

7.Went off searching for Obi Wan – clearly would have assassinated him if Luke had not caught up (Plus, he used the Force to get Luke to take off the restraining bolt).

8.The Falcon only hit light speed when HE wanted it to.

9.Hated Ewoks

10.Made sure the Princess could escape the Death Star so they could track them to the Rebel base (how else to you explain “that was too easy, they let us get away, they are tracking us” and then they go straight to the rebel base – Jedi mind trick!)

11.He always always close to both Anakin and Luke, “completing” their training (you know it was R2 that was projecting the bad dreams/visions to both of them).

12.You know he poisoned Yoda before they left Dagoba (sp) – Yoda was fine when they left, dying when they came back

13.Who do you think summoned the Emporer when Anakin was cut to pieces and burned by Obi Wan?

14.He knew about Luke and Leia. He retrieved the plans from the princess, attached himself to Luke (master plan was to get the plans, corrupt Luke, and kill Obi Wan). It was R2 that convinced the Rebellion to attack with small ships, figuring the massive number of tie fighters would crush the stub fighters (if false, why did the Rebellion use their capital ships in Eps 6?). He just did not count getting hit himself.

15.Who was directing Vader to Obi Wan to kill him in Eps 4?

16.R2 maneuvered Anakin and Padme to get married. At the beginning of the Eps 2, Padme really wants nothing to do with Anakin “in that way.” So explain how she falls in love after all that bad dialog? R2 was with them…

17.Just who were the Assassion Probes communicating with on Hoth? The Fleet, or R2? Who sent the image of the generator to the Fleet?

18.He never had his memory wiped.

19. He has the same Dark Side Evil Lighting (tm) as the Emporer

Clearly, Jar Jar is just a poorly-optimised character...

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Given he nearly single-handedly destroyed the Star Wars Universe (tm) for all of us, I would say he was overpowered

I've played all of the different Star Wars games to date, and for me the D6 version is the best.

Now, I like Saga all right, and had a lot of fun playing it with my friends. But, Star Wars doesn't feel like a setting that should have levels to me. I don't know why. I can't really explain that - it just does.

I never had a problem with Jedi in D6, but I was much younger then, and probably less aware of those kinds of things.

WEG just feels the most... cinematic? I guess? There aren't a lot of rules restricting what you can and cannot do, so it leaves a lot of interpretation up to the players, which is a good thing. It is also very easy to improvise as a GM.

Also, I have a soft spot for the artwork from that version. Mike Vilardi is still my favorite Star Wars artist of all time.