Quickleaf
Legend
[SECTION]Campaign Trailer
Rogues Gallery (Character Sheets)
Actual Play[/SECTION]
I've been itching to try out FFG's Star Wars, but my gaming friends are on baby-making hiatus and more into D&D.
So I'm putting feelers out there for folks who'd be interested in an online game of FFG Star Wars. I've found lots of online resources, including a play-by-post friendly dice roller (or a die roller integrated into Google Hangouts / Roll20 if we go that route), and I'm willing to GM.
The poster and video trailer I whipped together give a brief feel for the storyline and era (between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens) that I'm considering running.
Character Roster
Arsinoë Anjuliz, human Colonist (Performer, Force Sensitive Emergent) [MENTION=6801311]KahlessNestor[/MENTION]
You might have a connection to Arsinoë if...
"Rex" R3-X20, astromech droid Technician (Slicer, Mechanic) [MENTION=6788545]xynthoros[/MENTION]
You might have a connection to Rex if...
Kospirian Cowl, mirialan Spy (Infiltrator, Force Sensitive Emergent) [MENTION=14655]Green Karl[/MENTION]
You might have a connection to Kospirian if...
Garrett Jinsalon, human Seeker (Pathfinder, Pilot) [MENTION=6803188]VLAD the Destroyer[/MENTION]
You might have a connection to Garrett it...
Game Details
Which books? This game is for all core FFG books – Edge of the Empire, Age of Rebellion, and Force and Destiny. While one of those books is highly recommended (particularly for character creation), there are many pregens and I can help connect you to resources.
What if I want to play but don't know the system? I'm learning the system myself, so no worries there. I plan on leading us through a nice and easy warmup to understand the rules. This will include character creation ("session zero") and a sort of "en media res" tutorial incrementally introducing rules to make sure we've grasped everything.
How many players? 5 feels about right. I'll run with a minimum of 3 and maximum of 6.
How do I make a character?
[SBLOCK=Character Creation]We're going to make your characters together. Broadly speaking, there are 8 steps:
1. Background
As part of creating your character’s background....
2. Species
Bothan (AoR, EotE)
Cerean (FaD)
Droid (AoR, EotE)
Duros (AoR)
Gand (EotE)
Gran (AoR)
Human (AoR, EotE, FaD)
Ithorian (AoR)
Kel Dor (FaD)
Mirialan (FaD)
Mon Calamari (AoR)
Nautolan (FaD)
Rodian (EotE)
Sullustan (AoR)
Togruta (FaD)
Trandoshan (EotE)
Twi’lek (EotE, FaD)
Wookie (EotE)
Zabrak (FaD)
3. Careers & Specializations (Age of Rebellion)
Ace (Driver, Gunner, Pilot)
Commander (Commodore, Squadron Leader, Tactician)
Diplomat (Ambassador, Agitator, Quartermaster)
Engineer (Mechanic, Saboteur, Scientist)
Soldier (Commando, Medic, Sharpshooter)
Spy (Infiltrator, Scout, Slicer)
Universal: Recruit
Universal: Force Sensitive Emergent (Enhance, Foresee, Move)
3. Careers & Specializations (Edge of the Empire)
Bounty Hunter (Assassin, Gadgeteer, Survivalist)
Colonist (Doctor, Politico, Scholar)
Explorer (Fringer, Scout, Trader)
Hired Gun (Bodyguard, Marauder, Mercenary Soldier)
Smuggler (Pilot, Scoundrel, Thief)
Technician (Mechanic, Outlaw Tech, Slicer)
Universal: Force Sensitive Exile (Move, Influence, Sense)
3. Careers & Specializations (Force and Destiny)
Consular (Healer, Niman Disciple, Sage)
Guardian (Peacekeeper, Protector, Soresu Defender)
Mystic (Advisor, Makashi Duelist, Seer)
Seeker (Ataru Striker, Hunter, Pathfinder)
Sentinel (Artisan, Shadow, Shien Expert)
Warrior (Aggressor, Shii-Cho Knight, Starfighter Ace)
Force Powers (Batle Meditation, Bind, Enhance, Foresee, Heal/Harm, Influence, Misdirect, Move, Protect/Unleash, Seek, Sense, Suppress)
[SECTION]Careers by Possible Party Role
Frontline Fighters: Bounty Hunter (EotE), Commander (AoR), Guardian (FaD), Hired Gun (EotE), Seeker (FaD), Soldier (AoR), Warrior (FaD)
The Face: Colonist (EotE), Consular (FaD), Diplomat (AoR), Explorer (EotE), Guardian (FaD), Mystic (FaD), Smuggler (EotE), Spy (AoR)
Encyclopedia: Colonist (EotE), Consular (FaD), Diplomat (AoR), Explorer (EotE), Sentinel (FaD)
Sneaky Rogue: Bounty Hunter (EotE), Engineer (AoR), Sentinel (FaD), Seeker (FaD), Smuggler (EotE), Soldier (AoR), Spy (AoR)
Pilot/Recon: Ace (AoR), Bounty Hunter (EotE), Explorer (EotE), Mystic (FaD), Seeker (FaD), Smuggler (EotE), Warrior (FaD)
Team Support: Colonist (EotE), Consular (FaD), Diplomat (AoR), Engineer (AoR), Guardian (FaD), Soldier (AoR), Technician (EotE)
Tech Specialist: Bounty Hunter (EotE) Engineer (AoR), Spy (AoR), Technician (EotE)[/SECTION]
4. Spend XP
Your species gives you your starting XP. And I may give out a little bonus XP as well, at my discretion as GM for doing the following:
+5 XP for playing a human character.
+5 XP for tying your character to at least two other characters in the party.
+5 XP for making interesting hooks/motives investing your character in the story.
+5 XP for contributing something to the game outside of your character (e.g. description of a planet/site/NPC, or providing a cool web resource)
5. Determine Derived Attributes
6. Motivation
7. Gear
8. Group Resource (choose one)
[SBLOCK=Character Tables (Optional)]
You can use these tables to inspire ideas for how your character connects to another character, as well as what part of the galaxy your character is from. Treat them as a starting point for your own creative process.
[/SBLOCK]
When, specifically, in the Star Wars chronology is this? After the events of the novel Bloodline (28 ABY) but before The Force Awakens (34 ABY). I like taking a flexible approach that embraces new ideas while rooting them to the Star Wars universe, and while I appreciate Disney's new canon I am not hung up on it.
[SBLOCK=State of the Galaxy, 30 ABY]
The Galaxy is in chaos – power is up for grabs.
The Empire fell 25 years ago. The war is over…so the New Republic would have us believe. Those who rejected the surrender – known publicly as the “imperial remnant” fleet – fled into the Unknown Regions. Criminal war profiteers find themselves scrambling in search of new markets, trying to extort exorbitant prices from the fledgling Resistance, inciting Mandalorian rage, and brokering secret deals with the First Order. In the vaccum of power, the Hutts who were allied with the Empire have suffered losses in their vast criminal network and the ruthless Black Sun is on the rise. Some of the new criminals and paramilitary forces are secretly funded by the First Order, such as the Amaxine warriors who were used as proxies to fund the Nikto crime lord Rinnrivin Di’s cartel before Leia exposed them.
[SECTION]Other power groups scramble for control of planets and shipping lanes once under imperial occupation. These include:
The New Republic is mired in Byzantine politics.
After accepting the Empire’s surrender at the Battle of Jakku, the New Republic was formed in its ashes, championed as a new hope. However, political battle lines were quickly drawn between Populists (who advocated for upholding planetary rights) and Centrists (who advocated strong united galactic government) that crippled the New Republic from getting things done. A couple years ago, the Centrist leader Lady Carise Sindian failed at a movement to secede from the New Republic and support the First Order, but in the process ruined Princess Leia’s senatorial career. Moreover, corruption and bureaucratic ineptitude is rampant in the New Republic.
The fledgling Resistance is hanging on by a thread.
After Leia Organa Solo’s senate seat was undermined by revelations of her being a child of Darth Vader, the disgraced former senator established a rogue organization to deal with rising threats the New Republic turns a blind eye to. This Resistance began in a private hangar in the outskirts of Hosnian Prime’s capital city, drawing on old rebel allies like Admiral Ackbar, and amassing an armory from seized smuggler’s cargo. However, relations between the New Republic and the Resistance disintegrated when a spy outed Leia as the General of the Resistance and political pressure forced the Resistance to leave Hosnian Prime. Now, a ragtag fleet of starships travels toward the Outer Rim in search of a suitable planet to establish a new home for the Resistance.
The First Order has returned from the Unknown Regions.
The First Order was constructed out of the remains of the Imperial Navy (the “imperial remnant”), with those loyal to the Empire fleeing to the furthest corners of the galaxy to lick their wounds and plan a counterattack. It has taken over 20 years, but they are finally solidifying their position with allies in the senate and criminal organizations. The First Order is well aware that the New Republic doesn’t see them coming and won’t be able to unite against them when the time comes. First Order spies and scout ships have become an growing threat in the Outer Rim, where they sabotage Resistance plans, bully minor planetary governments, and abduct children to be trained as stormtroopers.
The reborn Jedi Order was decimated by the Knights of Ren.
Luke Skywalker began training a new order of Jedis on the planet Devaron. Though he managed to recruit the help of a handful of fallen Jedi Knights surviving Order 66, they rarely saw eye-to-eye with Luke’s approach. However, his prized pupil, Ben Solo (“Kylo Ren”), fell to the Dark Side and converted many of Luke’s students to join him; these Knights of Ren slaughtered those padawans who would not join their cause. Only a handful of padawans escaped thanks to the self-sacrifice of the last aging Jedi Knights; the Knights of Ren relentlessly hunt down these padawans wherever they could find them. In the aftermath of this tragedy, Luke Skywalker went into self-imposed exile and many believe the Jedi order will never rise again.
[/SBLOCK]
What is the tone, feel, and gaming style? Cinematic, fast, and fun. Probably around PG-13. A blend of theater of the mind and maps & minis, as needed. While I'd like to tailor the themes to suite your characters, I know one overarching theme will be "finding a new base for the Resistance."
As a GM, I tend to be far more focused on narrative and am very comfortable improvising, and sometimes that can be problematic for players who are more focused on the mechanics/rules; in such cases, what I've done successfully in the past is appoint those players to be rules lawyers responsible for resolving sticky rules questions that I don't care to spend my time on.
What is the setting? The story begins on the wild trade outworld Kabal, but I anticipate a good deal of travel around the galaxy.
[SBLOCK=Planetary Profile, Kabal]
Kabal
Astronavigation Data: Kabal system, Mayagil sector, Outer Rim region
Orbital Metrics: 341 days per year / 23 hours per day
Government: local councils under a Premiere
Population: 3,240,000 (human 57%, squib 10%, houk 9%, krish 9%, bith 3%, kitonak 3%, omwati 3%, sharlissian 3%, others 3%)
Languages: Basic, Houkese, Kabalian, Kitonese, Krish, Omwatese, Sharlissian, Squibbian
Terrain: oceans, islands, rainforests, reefs
Local Fauna: giant arthropods (centipedes, crustaceans, water spiders), saltfish
Local Flora: arboray tree, bambooi, cordgrass
Major Cities: Shoribus (capital), Spirepoint*, Palisade
Areas of Interest: Bwimb Bwimb’s Cantina*, The Count's Junkyard*, Docking Pad P13, Kabal Central Citadel
Major Exports: raw materials
Major Imports: food, technology
Trade Routes: Sanrafsiz Corridor, Sharlissian Corridor
Special Conditions: “Cloudbursts” of thundering rain exceeding 100 mm (4 in) per hour can cause severe flooding. “Lightstorms” occur in the upper atmosphere, where luminous plasma is created from a coronal discharge lighting the night sky up with hues of green and aquamarine reflecting the oceans and forests below. “Green tides” occur in the oceans due to biolumininescent bacteria blooms, causing the shorelines to faintly glow green on nights when the pull of Kabal’s moon is strong.
Background: Few planets have embraced neutrality on the galactic stage as tenaciously as Kabal. No matter the suffering or betrayal the Kabalian people endure, they demonstrate a resiliency to rival the voracious forests and reefs dominating the planet. A small rough-and-tumble trading outworld, Kabal was crippled by food shortages and riots when the Trade Federation abandoned the Trade Corridor in protest of the Galactic Republic’s taxation. In truth, it was part of Count Dooku’s scheme to overthrow Premiere Jan Dovu and his Jedi allies; when Dooku sent Separatist ships to deliver food drops to Kabal, he won the hearts and minds of the people.
During the Galactic Civil War, Kabal remained neutral and hosted the Conference of Uncommitted Worlds. Despite Imperial reprisals from which the capital Shoribus is still recovering, the Kabalian people refuse to take sides. Both the Resistance and the First Order have received a unwelcome reception on Kabal.
A Culture of Secrets
“Why speak a secret if you could sell it?” Goes an old Kabalian saying. Originally, the obsession with secrets began with initiation into the priesthood, which kept the confidence of “water spirits” whom it was forbidden for other castes to have contact with. Even till this day, the priesthood is surrounded by mystique and closely guard the secrets of what dwells beneath Kabal’s oceans. In time, the Kabalian penchant for keeping secrets merged with the code of silence observed among the criminal element running deep through the culture. More recently, the tug and pull of galactic politics has made Kabalians cautious about who they divulge secrets to…both for their own protection and to maximize their profits. Many old Imperial secrets are floating around the sector, ranging from data caches of the Eriadu Authority or Grand Admiral Thrawn’s conquests to passcodes kept only in the minds of aging alien gangsters.
Den of Scum and Villainy
Kabal lies on the Sharlissian Corridor and the Sanrafsix Corridor, an off-the-beaten-path hyperlane used by Spice-dealers, slave-traders, and nova crystal smugglers. The region of space surrounding Kabal is known as the "Smuggler's Cross", spanning the Bon'nyuw-Luq, Garis, Grumani, Mayagil, Rseik, and Tamarin sectors. Kabal’s criminals once made a hefty profit trading the Spice mined on the neighboring canyon planet Sevarcos, but the New Republic shut down the Spice mines of Sevarcos. In the months after the Battle of Endor, the New Republic attacked key sources of revenue for the Empire, including the slave camps and spice mines on Sevarcos secretly supported by Imperial agents. Trade in kitonak slaves from Kirdo has been reduced to a trickle of what it once was, but the New Republic lacks resources to shut down the Sanrafsix slave trade entirely; slavery is ingrained in Kabalian culture, making stamping it out a battle for hearts and minds. The nova crystals produced on Cotellier continue to be used as an informal currency in the Outer Rim, despite the New Republic attempting to outlaw it, and arms-dealers use nova crystals in a volatiles state as ammunition and explosives. And Ma'ar Shaddam is home to the Weaponsmith's Guild producing advanced armaments that are hard to regulate due to its remoteness.
Old Rebel Outpost
During the Galactic Civil War, the Rebellion had a small listening outpost in the rainforests of Kabal where they monitored the illegal activities in the system and spied on the Eriadu Authority created in the wake of Palpatine’s death. The officer in charge of the station, Khiar Doman, disagreed strongly with the New Republic’s aggressive stance fighting the Spice trade, believing it was creating enemies where they could instead make allies. Contact with the station, and even its location, was lost after the Battle of Jakku and end of the war. What befell Khiar Doman and his guerilla fighters remains a mystery to this day.
Rough Haven for Alien Species
Neighboring sectors suffered during the Galactic Civil War, and a whole spectrum of exiles, refugees, and desperate aliens looking to make a new life made Kabal their home. It’s not an easy life between the corrupt politics, insular locals, and organized crime, but in most cases it is better than what they left behind. While humans are in the majority, collectively alien species account for 40% of Kabal’s population. In addition to the more numerous squib, houk, and krish – who are deeply involved in commerce and crime – are the bith diaspora, kitonak slaves, omwati searching for children abducted by Grand Moff Tarkin, and sharlissians with their featureless oblong faces and spindly fingers in every pie. Rarer species unseen in other parts of the galaxy can also be found in the cantinas of Kabal, such as mate-less h’nemthe troubadours, pious tritonites espousing heretical doctrines, reptilian xamster mycologists profiting from the green tides, and even the last of the icarii believed to have been wiped out by Imperial genocide. Two alien power groups – the criminal Houk Barcad and the Squib Merchandising Consortium – wield a great deal of influence in Kabal’s markets and backalleys.
[SECTION]New Species of Kabal
Houk. Seven to eight-foot tall aliens, ugly by human standards, Houk have massively muscular bodies, thick ridged skulls, and exaggerated grim mouths. Though in principle they answer to the Lijuter Congress on their homeworld, Houks are notoriously violent, foul-tempered, and have little respect for agreements with “weaklings” lacking the power to enforce them. On the other hand, few aliens rival the Houk work ethic and many suffered experimentation at the hands of the Empire seeking slave-soldiers.
Krish. Human-sized aliens with a penchant for gaming, Krish appear as burly humanoids with brutish features and a bony ridge running from the bridge of the nose across the skull. They have pointy teeth that show due to an underbite, and the resulting toothy smile combined with their unkempt red hair causes humans to derogatorily refer to Krish as “hobgoblins” or “leprechauns.” While they show a great facility for gambling, Krish are often unreliable when it comes to business.
Squib. 3-foot tall insatiably curious aliens with bright colored fur, tufted ears, and vaguely vulpine features, Squibs migrated from their homeworld Skor following trade opportunities on Kabal. They have an obsession with barter and a reputation as scavengers, thieves, and con-artists throughout the galaxy. Derogatory terms for Squibs, such as “furbag” and “furball”, are common among smugglers. Even in the face of dire danger, a Squib’s first instinct is to bluff and bluster.[/SECTION]
[/SBLOCK]
Are there good online resources for a FFG Star Wars game? Yes! Here are some that I've found:
FFG Star Wars Index (comprehensive!) http://swrpg.viluppo.net/
Real-time dice roller web app https://dice.owenmead.com
https://star-wars-fringe.obsidianportal.com/wikis/careers-and-specializations
Hooly’s Game Aids (very useful!) http://www.d20radio.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=152&t=13920
Hooly's Player Action cheat sheet
Hooly's Starship Action cheat sheet (it even has astromech actions/maneuevers!)
Character Names http://aux5.com/images/7/77/Star_Wars_-_Game_of_the_Name.pdf
FFG Dice Roller http://rpg-dice-roller.herokuapp.com/
Rules Cheat Sheet http://www.thealexandrian.net/creations/misc/star-wars-force-and-destiny-cheat-sheet.pdf
Form-fillable Character Sheet http://bastionkainssweote.blogspot.com/p/character-sheets.html
Compiled Talents Index https://www.dropbox.com/s/l8skpaycmsfagl5/comp talents.xls?dl=0
Talents Tree Sheets http://beggingforxp.com/2014/star-wars-talent-sheets/
Handy Handouts http://beggingforxp.com/category/handouts/
Art - Tokens 2D https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B2dtBKosXPdVb0FvcV9SYzFfcDg
Art - Tokens 3D https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pxnsmh8e4wqxt84/AADJhh8QtrOLqfM1sUoS3JrPa?oref=e
Rolling Dice with Orokos
Thanks [MENTION=6801242]GreenKarl[/MENTION] for pointing this out to me!
FFG Star Wars uses crazy colorful complicated dice. Luckily, these dice have been coded into www.orokos.com (which you need to briefly register for, free, no strings attached). To roll Star Wars dice in orokos, enter:
X (number of dice) e Y (first letter of die type) + XeY and so on.
For example: 2eA+1eP+2eD means "roll 2 Ability dice, 1 Proficiency die, and 2 Difficulty dice."
(A)bility, (B)oost, (C)hallenge, (D)ifficulty, (F)orce, (P)roficiency, or (S)etback.
You'd then take the bbcode of that roll from Orokos and paste it into a post here, like so:
Attack roll: 2eA+1eP+2eD 1 success, 1 threat
[SECTION]How to Build a Dice Pool: First you determine the Ability and Skill Proficiency involved (e.g. Agility 3 and Piloting 1). Then you take the highest of those two – that's how many Ability (green) dice you start with. In this case 3. Then you upgrade a number of those Ability (green) dice equal to the lower of those two (in this case 1) to Proficiency (yellow) dice. So your dice pool would be 2 Ability (green) die and 1 Proficiency (yellow) dice.
An average task is 2 Difficulty (purple) dice. If there are any Boosts or Setbacks, either the GM or the game rules will inform you.
If you spend a Light Side Destiny point (part of a shared pool with all players & the GM which switches to Dark Side after used, which the GM can then use), then you also roll a Force (white) die.
Sometimes a talent or a die result (i.e. a Triumph or Despair) will indicate one or more dice should be "upgraded."
For Difficulty dice, this means upgrading a Difficulty (purple) die to a Challenge (red) die. Or, in the unlikely event all the purples are already reds, adding an additional purple die.
For Ability dice, this means upgrading an Ability (green) die to a Proficiency (yellow) die. Or, in the event all the greens are already yellows, adding an additional green die.[/SECTION]
Another example, this one much more complicated to demonstrate all the dice:
test: 1eA+1eB+1eC+1eD+1eF+1eP+1eS 3 advantage, 1 Dark Side
Rogues Gallery (Character Sheets)
Actual Play[/SECTION]
I've been itching to try out FFG's Star Wars, but my gaming friends are on baby-making hiatus and more into D&D.
So I'm putting feelers out there for folks who'd be interested in an online game of FFG Star Wars. I've found lots of online resources, including a play-by-post friendly dice roller (or a die roller integrated into Google Hangouts / Roll20 if we go that route), and I'm willing to GM.The poster and video trailer I whipped together give a brief feel for the storyline and era (between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens) that I'm considering running.
Character Roster
Arsinoë Anjuliz, human Colonist (Performer, Force Sensitive Emergent) [MENTION=6801311]KahlessNestor[/MENTION]
You might have a connection to Arsinoë if...
- You were a prospective suitor who was turned down by her elite Corellian family.
- You are her older brother Moen searching the galaxy for Arsinoë.
- You work(ed) for, or are indebted to, Kwaltu the Hutt who has a bounty on his "tiny dancer."
- You belonged to the pirate crew that attacked the ship Arsinoë was being transported on and left her marooned on a lonely planet (Tatooine?).
- You are the Resistance pilot who picked Arsinoë up off the lonely planet.
"Rex" R3-X20, astromech droid Technician (Slicer, Mechanic) [MENTION=6788545]xynthoros[/MENTION]
You might have a connection to Rex if...
- You're a surviving member of the smuggling crew led by the deceased smuggler Sarn Doree who Rex was once owned by.
- You were a prisoner Rex inadvertently freed from First Order captivity during his getaway.
- You are a former First Order agent/collaborator who was burned by Rex's data smuggling.
- You're a droid mechanic who helped acquire/install several of Rex's custom mods.
Kospirian Cowl, mirialan Spy (Infiltrator, Force Sensitive Emergent) [MENTION=14655]Green Karl[/MENTION]
You might have a connection to Kospirian if...
- You're a slave who Kospirian freed from the spice-smuggling vessel.
- You're a Force-user who also studied/discovered their gifts under the shaman of Akiva.
Garrett Jinsalon, human Seeker (Pathfinder, Pilot) [MENTION=6803188]VLAD the Destroyer[/MENTION]
You might have a connection to Garrett it...
- You knew his deceased uncle who hauled freight along the Sharlissian Corridor.
- You've had dealings with the criminal Houk Barcad to whom Garrett is indebted.
- You're a doctor researching a cure to Zithrom's Syndrome.
Game Details
Which books? This game is for all core FFG books – Edge of the Empire, Age of Rebellion, and Force and Destiny. While one of those books is highly recommended (particularly for character creation), there are many pregens and I can help connect you to resources.
What if I want to play but don't know the system? I'm learning the system myself, so no worries there. I plan on leading us through a nice and easy warmup to understand the rules. This will include character creation ("session zero") and a sort of "en media res" tutorial incrementally introducing rules to make sure we've grasped everything.
How many players? 5 feels about right. I'll run with a minimum of 3 and maximum of 6.
How do I make a character?
[SBLOCK=Character Creation]We're going to make your characters together. Broadly speaking, there are 8 steps:
1. Background
As part of creating your character’s background....
- You have the option of selecting ONE: Obligation, Duty, or Morality. This is decided on a per-character basis, regardless of your specializations (e.g. your Bounty Hunter can have Morality if you wish). Deciding to have none of the above is fine, so long as you have crafted a good hook/motive for your PC tying them into the adventure. Later on once we have a better grasp of the system, if we want to add additional optional rules (e.g. a PC with Duty and Morality), we can cross that bridge when we get there.
- If you're a Force-user who doesn't take Morality, then you are operating in the "grey Jedi" zone... there may be rules implications for this that we'll need to figure out... I haven't gotten there yet.
- If you're a non-Force-user who takes Morality, we may want to devise a way to generate Conflict through heroic actions (or anti-heroic actions) instead of through Force powers for your character...I haven't gotten there yet.
- If you take Obligation, ignore what Edge of the Empire says about lowering wound threshold. You have 10 "points" of Obligation to allocate. After that, if you allocate an additional 5 points of Obligation you gain +5 XP or +1,000 credits (your choice); the trials you've endured because of that Obligation have made you tougher or wealthier. If you instead allocate an additional 10 points of Obligation, you gain +10 XP or +2,500 credits (your choice). The total "points" of Obligation possessed by the entire party cannot exceed 100 (because a percentile die roll is involved on the GM side of things).
- If you take Duty, begin with a Duty of 10. While there's no immediate mechanical benefit (ignore what Age of Rebellion says about boosting morale / wound threshold) – it's simply a part of your character's narrative – when total party Duty reaches 100 you may gain commendations, equipment, vehicles, or strategic assets. You may opt to reduce your starting Duty by 5, gaining +5 XP or +1,000 credits (your choice); the adventures you've undertaken independently from the Resistance have made you tougher or wealthier. If you instead reduce your starting Duty by 10, you gain +10 XP or +2,500 credits (your choice).
- If you take Morality, you normally have 50 Morality (in between the Light and Dark). You also choose an Emotional Strength and an Emotional Weakness. You then select one of these options:
- Gain +10 XP.
- Gain +2,500 credits.
- Gain +5 XP and +1,000 credits.
- Begin with Morality 21 (Dark Side) or 71 (Lights Side). This provides benefits/changes described on F&D page 52-53.
2. Species
Bothan (AoR, EotE)
Cerean (FaD)
Droid (AoR, EotE)
Duros (AoR)
Gand (EotE)
Gran (AoR)
Human (AoR, EotE, FaD)
Ithorian (AoR)
Kel Dor (FaD)
Mirialan (FaD)
Mon Calamari (AoR)
Nautolan (FaD)
Rodian (EotE)
Sullustan (AoR)
Togruta (FaD)
Trandoshan (EotE)
Twi’lek (EotE, FaD)
Wookie (EotE)
Zabrak (FaD)
3. Careers & Specializations (Age of Rebellion)
Ace (Driver, Gunner, Pilot)
Commander (Commodore, Squadron Leader, Tactician)
Diplomat (Ambassador, Agitator, Quartermaster)
Engineer (Mechanic, Saboteur, Scientist)
Soldier (Commando, Medic, Sharpshooter)
Spy (Infiltrator, Scout, Slicer)
Universal: Recruit
Universal: Force Sensitive Emergent (Enhance, Foresee, Move)
3. Careers & Specializations (Edge of the Empire)
Bounty Hunter (Assassin, Gadgeteer, Survivalist)
Colonist (Doctor, Politico, Scholar)
Explorer (Fringer, Scout, Trader)
Hired Gun (Bodyguard, Marauder, Mercenary Soldier)
Smuggler (Pilot, Scoundrel, Thief)
Technician (Mechanic, Outlaw Tech, Slicer)
Universal: Force Sensitive Exile (Move, Influence, Sense)
3. Careers & Specializations (Force and Destiny)
Consular (Healer, Niman Disciple, Sage)
Guardian (Peacekeeper, Protector, Soresu Defender)
Mystic (Advisor, Makashi Duelist, Seer)
Seeker (Ataru Striker, Hunter, Pathfinder)
Sentinel (Artisan, Shadow, Shien Expert)
Warrior (Aggressor, Shii-Cho Knight, Starfighter Ace)
Force Powers (Batle Meditation, Bind, Enhance, Foresee, Heal/Harm, Influence, Misdirect, Move, Protect/Unleash, Seek, Sense, Suppress)
[SECTION]Careers by Possible Party Role
Frontline Fighters: Bounty Hunter (EotE), Commander (AoR), Guardian (FaD), Hired Gun (EotE), Seeker (FaD), Soldier (AoR), Warrior (FaD)
The Face: Colonist (EotE), Consular (FaD), Diplomat (AoR), Explorer (EotE), Guardian (FaD), Mystic (FaD), Smuggler (EotE), Spy (AoR)
Encyclopedia: Colonist (EotE), Consular (FaD), Diplomat (AoR), Explorer (EotE), Sentinel (FaD)
Sneaky Rogue: Bounty Hunter (EotE), Engineer (AoR), Sentinel (FaD), Seeker (FaD), Smuggler (EotE), Soldier (AoR), Spy (AoR)
Pilot/Recon: Ace (AoR), Bounty Hunter (EotE), Explorer (EotE), Mystic (FaD), Seeker (FaD), Smuggler (EotE), Warrior (FaD)
Team Support: Colonist (EotE), Consular (FaD), Diplomat (AoR), Engineer (AoR), Guardian (FaD), Soldier (AoR), Technician (EotE)
Tech Specialist: Bounty Hunter (EotE) Engineer (AoR), Spy (AoR), Technician (EotE)[/SECTION]
4. Spend XP
Your species gives you your starting XP. And I may give out a little bonus XP as well, at my discretion as GM for doing the following:
+5 XP for playing a human character.
+5 XP for tying your character to at least two other characters in the party.
+5 XP for making interesting hooks/motives investing your character in the story.
+5 XP for contributing something to the game outside of your character (e.g. description of a planet/site/NPC, or providing a cool web resource)
5. Determine Derived Attributes
6. Motivation
7. Gear
8. Group Resource (choose one)
- Base of Operations
- Jedi Holocron
- Mentor
- Starship (choose one: Commandeered Lambda-Class Shuttle, Firespray System Patrol Craft, G9 Rigger Light Freighter, Wayfarer Medium Transport, YT-1300 Light Freighter)
- Y-Wing Squadron
[SBLOCK=Character Tables (Optional)]
You can use these tables to inspire ideas for how your character connects to another character, as well as what part of the galaxy your character is from. Treat them as a starting point for your own creative process.
When, specifically, in the Star Wars chronology is this? After the events of the novel Bloodline (28 ABY) but before The Force Awakens (34 ABY). I like taking a flexible approach that embraces new ideas while rooting them to the Star Wars universe, and while I appreciate Disney's new canon I am not hung up on it.
[SBLOCK=State of the Galaxy, 30 ABY]
The Galaxy is in chaos – power is up for grabs.
The Empire fell 25 years ago. The war is over…so the New Republic would have us believe. Those who rejected the surrender – known publicly as the “imperial remnant” fleet – fled into the Unknown Regions. Criminal war profiteers find themselves scrambling in search of new markets, trying to extort exorbitant prices from the fledgling Resistance, inciting Mandalorian rage, and brokering secret deals with the First Order. In the vaccum of power, the Hutts who were allied with the Empire have suffered losses in their vast criminal network and the ruthless Black Sun is on the rise. Some of the new criminals and paramilitary forces are secretly funded by the First Order, such as the Amaxine warriors who were used as proxies to fund the Nikto crime lord Rinnrivin Di’s cartel before Leia exposed them.
[SECTION]Other power groups scramble for control of planets and shipping lanes once under imperial occupation. These include:
- The Confederacy of Corporate Systems
- The New Separatist Union (presumably a callback to the Separatists of the Clone Wars)
- The Sovereign Latitudes (the name space pirates have given to their attempt at self-governance)
The New Republic is mired in Byzantine politics.
After accepting the Empire’s surrender at the Battle of Jakku, the New Republic was formed in its ashes, championed as a new hope. However, political battle lines were quickly drawn between Populists (who advocated for upholding planetary rights) and Centrists (who advocated strong united galactic government) that crippled the New Republic from getting things done. A couple years ago, the Centrist leader Lady Carise Sindian failed at a movement to secede from the New Republic and support the First Order, but in the process ruined Princess Leia’s senatorial career. Moreover, corruption and bureaucratic ineptitude is rampant in the New Republic.
The fledgling Resistance is hanging on by a thread.
After Leia Organa Solo’s senate seat was undermined by revelations of her being a child of Darth Vader, the disgraced former senator established a rogue organization to deal with rising threats the New Republic turns a blind eye to. This Resistance began in a private hangar in the outskirts of Hosnian Prime’s capital city, drawing on old rebel allies like Admiral Ackbar, and amassing an armory from seized smuggler’s cargo. However, relations between the New Republic and the Resistance disintegrated when a spy outed Leia as the General of the Resistance and political pressure forced the Resistance to leave Hosnian Prime. Now, a ragtag fleet of starships travels toward the Outer Rim in search of a suitable planet to establish a new home for the Resistance.
The First Order has returned from the Unknown Regions.
The First Order was constructed out of the remains of the Imperial Navy (the “imperial remnant”), with those loyal to the Empire fleeing to the furthest corners of the galaxy to lick their wounds and plan a counterattack. It has taken over 20 years, but they are finally solidifying their position with allies in the senate and criminal organizations. The First Order is well aware that the New Republic doesn’t see them coming and won’t be able to unite against them when the time comes. First Order spies and scout ships have become an growing threat in the Outer Rim, where they sabotage Resistance plans, bully minor planetary governments, and abduct children to be trained as stormtroopers.
The reborn Jedi Order was decimated by the Knights of Ren.
Luke Skywalker began training a new order of Jedis on the planet Devaron. Though he managed to recruit the help of a handful of fallen Jedi Knights surviving Order 66, they rarely saw eye-to-eye with Luke’s approach. However, his prized pupil, Ben Solo (“Kylo Ren”), fell to the Dark Side and converted many of Luke’s students to join him; these Knights of Ren slaughtered those padawans who would not join their cause. Only a handful of padawans escaped thanks to the self-sacrifice of the last aging Jedi Knights; the Knights of Ren relentlessly hunt down these padawans wherever they could find them. In the aftermath of this tragedy, Luke Skywalker went into self-imposed exile and many believe the Jedi order will never rise again.
[/SBLOCK]
What is the tone, feel, and gaming style? Cinematic, fast, and fun. Probably around PG-13. A blend of theater of the mind and maps & minis, as needed. While I'd like to tailor the themes to suite your characters, I know one overarching theme will be "finding a new base for the Resistance."
As a GM, I tend to be far more focused on narrative and am very comfortable improvising, and sometimes that can be problematic for players who are more focused on the mechanics/rules; in such cases, what I've done successfully in the past is appoint those players to be rules lawyers responsible for resolving sticky rules questions that I don't care to spend my time on.
What is the setting? The story begins on the wild trade outworld Kabal, but I anticipate a good deal of travel around the galaxy.
[SBLOCK=Planetary Profile, Kabal]
Kabal
Astronavigation Data: Kabal system, Mayagil sector, Outer Rim region
Orbital Metrics: 341 days per year / 23 hours per day
Government: local councils under a Premiere
Population: 3,240,000 (human 57%, squib 10%, houk 9%, krish 9%, bith 3%, kitonak 3%, omwati 3%, sharlissian 3%, others 3%)
Languages: Basic, Houkese, Kabalian, Kitonese, Krish, Omwatese, Sharlissian, Squibbian
Terrain: oceans, islands, rainforests, reefs
Local Fauna: giant arthropods (centipedes, crustaceans, water spiders), saltfish
Local Flora: arboray tree, bambooi, cordgrass
Major Cities: Shoribus (capital), Spirepoint*, Palisade
Areas of Interest: Bwimb Bwimb’s Cantina*, The Count's Junkyard*, Docking Pad P13, Kabal Central Citadel
Major Exports: raw materials
Major Imports: food, technology
Trade Routes: Sanrafsiz Corridor, Sharlissian Corridor
Special Conditions: “Cloudbursts” of thundering rain exceeding 100 mm (4 in) per hour can cause severe flooding. “Lightstorms” occur in the upper atmosphere, where luminous plasma is created from a coronal discharge lighting the night sky up with hues of green and aquamarine reflecting the oceans and forests below. “Green tides” occur in the oceans due to biolumininescent bacteria blooms, causing the shorelines to faintly glow green on nights when the pull of Kabal’s moon is strong.
Background: Few planets have embraced neutrality on the galactic stage as tenaciously as Kabal. No matter the suffering or betrayal the Kabalian people endure, they demonstrate a resiliency to rival the voracious forests and reefs dominating the planet. A small rough-and-tumble trading outworld, Kabal was crippled by food shortages and riots when the Trade Federation abandoned the Trade Corridor in protest of the Galactic Republic’s taxation. In truth, it was part of Count Dooku’s scheme to overthrow Premiere Jan Dovu and his Jedi allies; when Dooku sent Separatist ships to deliver food drops to Kabal, he won the hearts and minds of the people.
During the Galactic Civil War, Kabal remained neutral and hosted the Conference of Uncommitted Worlds. Despite Imperial reprisals from which the capital Shoribus is still recovering, the Kabalian people refuse to take sides. Both the Resistance and the First Order have received a unwelcome reception on Kabal.
A Culture of Secrets
“Why speak a secret if you could sell it?” Goes an old Kabalian saying. Originally, the obsession with secrets began with initiation into the priesthood, which kept the confidence of “water spirits” whom it was forbidden for other castes to have contact with. Even till this day, the priesthood is surrounded by mystique and closely guard the secrets of what dwells beneath Kabal’s oceans. In time, the Kabalian penchant for keeping secrets merged with the code of silence observed among the criminal element running deep through the culture. More recently, the tug and pull of galactic politics has made Kabalians cautious about who they divulge secrets to…both for their own protection and to maximize their profits. Many old Imperial secrets are floating around the sector, ranging from data caches of the Eriadu Authority or Grand Admiral Thrawn’s conquests to passcodes kept only in the minds of aging alien gangsters.
Den of Scum and Villainy
Kabal lies on the Sharlissian Corridor and the Sanrafsix Corridor, an off-the-beaten-path hyperlane used by Spice-dealers, slave-traders, and nova crystal smugglers. The region of space surrounding Kabal is known as the "Smuggler's Cross", spanning the Bon'nyuw-Luq, Garis, Grumani, Mayagil, Rseik, and Tamarin sectors. Kabal’s criminals once made a hefty profit trading the Spice mined on the neighboring canyon planet Sevarcos, but the New Republic shut down the Spice mines of Sevarcos. In the months after the Battle of Endor, the New Republic attacked key sources of revenue for the Empire, including the slave camps and spice mines on Sevarcos secretly supported by Imperial agents. Trade in kitonak slaves from Kirdo has been reduced to a trickle of what it once was, but the New Republic lacks resources to shut down the Sanrafsix slave trade entirely; slavery is ingrained in Kabalian culture, making stamping it out a battle for hearts and minds. The nova crystals produced on Cotellier continue to be used as an informal currency in the Outer Rim, despite the New Republic attempting to outlaw it, and arms-dealers use nova crystals in a volatiles state as ammunition and explosives. And Ma'ar Shaddam is home to the Weaponsmith's Guild producing advanced armaments that are hard to regulate due to its remoteness.
Old Rebel Outpost
During the Galactic Civil War, the Rebellion had a small listening outpost in the rainforests of Kabal where they monitored the illegal activities in the system and spied on the Eriadu Authority created in the wake of Palpatine’s death. The officer in charge of the station, Khiar Doman, disagreed strongly with the New Republic’s aggressive stance fighting the Spice trade, believing it was creating enemies where they could instead make allies. Contact with the station, and even its location, was lost after the Battle of Jakku and end of the war. What befell Khiar Doman and his guerilla fighters remains a mystery to this day.
Rough Haven for Alien Species
Neighboring sectors suffered during the Galactic Civil War, and a whole spectrum of exiles, refugees, and desperate aliens looking to make a new life made Kabal their home. It’s not an easy life between the corrupt politics, insular locals, and organized crime, but in most cases it is better than what they left behind. While humans are in the majority, collectively alien species account for 40% of Kabal’s population. In addition to the more numerous squib, houk, and krish – who are deeply involved in commerce and crime – are the bith diaspora, kitonak slaves, omwati searching for children abducted by Grand Moff Tarkin, and sharlissians with their featureless oblong faces and spindly fingers in every pie. Rarer species unseen in other parts of the galaxy can also be found in the cantinas of Kabal, such as mate-less h’nemthe troubadours, pious tritonites espousing heretical doctrines, reptilian xamster mycologists profiting from the green tides, and even the last of the icarii believed to have been wiped out by Imperial genocide. Two alien power groups – the criminal Houk Barcad and the Squib Merchandising Consortium – wield a great deal of influence in Kabal’s markets and backalleys.
[SECTION]New Species of Kabal
Houk. Seven to eight-foot tall aliens, ugly by human standards, Houk have massively muscular bodies, thick ridged skulls, and exaggerated grim mouths. Though in principle they answer to the Lijuter Congress on their homeworld, Houks are notoriously violent, foul-tempered, and have little respect for agreements with “weaklings” lacking the power to enforce them. On the other hand, few aliens rival the Houk work ethic and many suffered experimentation at the hands of the Empire seeking slave-soldiers.
Krish. Human-sized aliens with a penchant for gaming, Krish appear as burly humanoids with brutish features and a bony ridge running from the bridge of the nose across the skull. They have pointy teeth that show due to an underbite, and the resulting toothy smile combined with their unkempt red hair causes humans to derogatorily refer to Krish as “hobgoblins” or “leprechauns.” While they show a great facility for gambling, Krish are often unreliable when it comes to business.
Squib. 3-foot tall insatiably curious aliens with bright colored fur, tufted ears, and vaguely vulpine features, Squibs migrated from their homeworld Skor following trade opportunities on Kabal. They have an obsession with barter and a reputation as scavengers, thieves, and con-artists throughout the galaxy. Derogatory terms for Squibs, such as “furbag” and “furball”, are common among smugglers. Even in the face of dire danger, a Squib’s first instinct is to bluff and bluster.[/SECTION]
[/SBLOCK]
Are there good online resources for a FFG Star Wars game? Yes! Here are some that I've found:
FFG Star Wars Index (comprehensive!) http://swrpg.viluppo.net/
Real-time dice roller web app https://dice.owenmead.com
https://star-wars-fringe.obsidianportal.com/wikis/careers-and-specializations
Hooly’s Game Aids (very useful!) http://www.d20radio.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=152&t=13920
Hooly's Player Action cheat sheet
Hooly's Starship Action cheat sheet (it even has astromech actions/maneuevers!)
Character Names http://aux5.com/images/7/77/Star_Wars_-_Game_of_the_Name.pdf
FFG Dice Roller http://rpg-dice-roller.herokuapp.com/
Rules Cheat Sheet http://www.thealexandrian.net/creations/misc/star-wars-force-and-destiny-cheat-sheet.pdf
Form-fillable Character Sheet http://bastionkainssweote.blogspot.com/p/character-sheets.html
Compiled Talents Index https://www.dropbox.com/s/l8skpaycmsfagl5/comp talents.xls?dl=0
Talents Tree Sheets http://beggingforxp.com/2014/star-wars-talent-sheets/
Handy Handouts http://beggingforxp.com/category/handouts/
Art - Tokens 2D https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B2dtBKosXPdVb0FvcV9SYzFfcDg
Art - Tokens 3D https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pxnsmh8e4wqxt84/AADJhh8QtrOLqfM1sUoS3JrPa?oref=e
Rolling Dice with Orokos
Thanks [MENTION=6801242]GreenKarl[/MENTION] for pointing this out to me!
FFG Star Wars uses crazy colorful complicated dice. Luckily, these dice have been coded into www.orokos.com (which you need to briefly register for, free, no strings attached). To roll Star Wars dice in orokos, enter:
X (number of dice) e Y (first letter of die type) + XeY and so on.
For example: 2eA+1eP+2eD means "roll 2 Ability dice, 1 Proficiency die, and 2 Difficulty dice."
(A)bility, (B)oost, (C)hallenge, (D)ifficulty, (F)orce, (P)roficiency, or (S)etback.
You'd then take the bbcode of that roll from Orokos and paste it into a post here, like so:
Attack roll: 2eA+1eP+2eD 1 success, 1 threat
[SECTION]How to Build a Dice Pool: First you determine the Ability and Skill Proficiency involved (e.g. Agility 3 and Piloting 1). Then you take the highest of those two – that's how many Ability (green) dice you start with. In this case 3. Then you upgrade a number of those Ability (green) dice equal to the lower of those two (in this case 1) to Proficiency (yellow) dice. So your dice pool would be 2 Ability (green) die and 1 Proficiency (yellow) dice.
An average task is 2 Difficulty (purple) dice. If there are any Boosts or Setbacks, either the GM or the game rules will inform you.
If you spend a Light Side Destiny point (part of a shared pool with all players & the GM which switches to Dark Side after used, which the GM can then use), then you also roll a Force (white) die.
Sometimes a talent or a die result (i.e. a Triumph or Despair) will indicate one or more dice should be "upgraded."
For Difficulty dice, this means upgrading a Difficulty (purple) die to a Challenge (red) die. Or, in the unlikely event all the purples are already reds, adding an additional purple die.
For Ability dice, this means upgrading an Ability (green) die to a Proficiency (yellow) die. Or, in the event all the greens are already yellows, adding an additional green die.[/SECTION]
Another example, this one much more complicated to demonstrate all the dice:
test: 1eA+1eB+1eC+1eD+1eF+1eP+1eS 3 advantage, 1 Dark Side
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