Tell me about STAR WARS: EDGE OF EMPIRE

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By all accounts, Force and Destiny will be released in a Beta format around the time of Gencon, as the Age of Rebellion Beta came out with Gencon last year. The core rulebook for Age of Rebellion is out soon, but thanks to the Beta we know that it adds a new Force talent tree, plus 2 new force power sets for a total of 5 groupings in the system.

Well let me explain what my current group is doing in our SW game... it's a whole party of Jedi doing special ops style missions during the Clone Wars..that's why we're taking a wait and see approach with FFG's Star Wars game.

 

[Gamgee]

Branding the game as an RPG for newbs is a gross micharacterization, and frankly a titch insulting to the old guard like me who happen to love it.

I GM two different groups with this game, one is my old high school D&D group where we are all in our mid 40s, and they are enjoying it more than any other game we've so far played precisely because of the narrative mechanics... Because they help weave the story as a collective. This game is not players vs GM, but rather a combined story. The last time we played, not a single blaster was drawn, because the circumstances didn't call for it at all, but rather became the unfolding of the story and the players deciding how they wanted to participate in it.

The other group are high school kids plus their Dad, who are also enjoying the story, but they are needing to be encouraged to think outside the d20 pass/fail mechanics.

I have found combat to be very dangerous, and the players work to avoid it. In addition, most of the time the combat situations are not about eliminating all the opponents in the encounter, but simpler a means to advance the plot. So far none of the encounters except for the very first "demo" ended with all the opponents lying on the floor... They have all ended in a way that makes narrative sense. They manage to lose stormtroopers through a maze of streets, or sealed a blast door to cover their escape.

The point of advantage/threat is not to simply explode pipes to apply combat modifiers... That was just an example given in the promo videos. The idea is to let the players get creative about what happens with even a missed shot. One does not necessarily have to hit one's opponent in order to resolve combat.

As for obligation, it's unique to Edge rather the the other two that will be out, but I find its a great way to drive the story forward. It lends itself to sandbox play very nicely, because adventures can develop around the player's past catching up with them.

Anyway, this 40-something gamer loves this new system. Calling this only for newbs is dismissing the enormous potential .

I can do all of that in Saga without mechanical rules, and often do. In many of my games there are sessions that go by without sabers being drawn or shots fired. I run several campaigns across a plethora of systems. I find no need for Edge when I do what it does naturally through my own skill and natural talent. Being old does not necessarily equate skill or natural talent for the records.

 

[Agatheron]

Well let me explain what my current group is doing in our SW game... it's a whole party of Jedi doing special ops style missions during the Clone Wars..that's why we're taking a wait and see approach with FFG's Star Wars game.

If that's the case, then yes, waiting for Force and Destiny is entirely appropriate. Force powers are present is both Edge of the Empire and Age of Rebellion, but they are very much in the Dark Times era. As such, force users are either underground, or are sheltered by the Rebel Alliance... at least as far as the fluff is concerned. Of course, other force-sensitives are in the employ of the Empire in much more sinister rolls.

The beauty of the system is the cross-compatibility, and Force and Destiny bears the same promise that it will be fully cross-compatible with the current system, but will be much more in-depth with various Force Powers. Game balance is baked into the system without GMs needing to take additional actions to reign in potentially overpowered characters. Min-maxing in this system is very difficult, and there are no "ideal" character builds.

Anyway, if you're waiting for F&D, that's entirely legit. I'd suggest getting in on the Beta when it comes out, because then you can provide your feedback to FFG... plus you get access to it this year, rather than next

 

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If that's the case, then yes, waiting for Force and Destiny is entirely appropriate. Force powers are present is both Edge of the Empire and Age of Rebellion, but they are very much in the Dark Times era. As such, force users are either underground, or are sheltered by the Rebel Alliance... at least as far as the fluff is concerned. Of course, other force-sensitives are in the employ of the Empire in much more sinister rolls.

The beauty of the system is the cross-compatibility, and Force and Destiny bears the same promise that it will be fully cross-compatible with the current system, but will be much more in-depth with various Force Powers. Game balance is baked into the system without GMs needing to take additional actions to reign in potentially overpowered characters. Min-maxing in this system is very difficult, and there are no "ideal" character builds.

Anyway, if you're waiting for F&D, that's entirely legit. I'd suggest getting in on the Beta when it comes out, because then you can provide your feedback to FFG... plus you get access to it this year, rather than next

Is there going to be a Clone Wars era book? That's also one of the minuses for us moving from Saga Edition to FFG. Currently we use three books the Core book, The Clone Wars CG and Jedi Academy Training Manual.

 

[Agatheron]

Is there going to be a Clone Wars era book? That's also one of the minuses for us moving from Saga Edition to FFG. Currently we use three books the Core book, The Clone Wars CG and Jedi Academy Training Manual.

For the moment, each of the books are set within the Dark Times/Rebellion Era. However, once they've completed that, I expect different eras to be detailed. They just had to start somewhere That having been said, B1 Battle Droids have already been statted out.

Each of the three Core Rulebooks are standalone games that are (will be) 100% cross-compatible. So you can stick with just one of the Core sets, or you can choose to use a combination of all three. I'm sure that eventually there will be a splatbook that will cover what you need, but there's enough info in the Core
Book of your choice to get you started

 

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For the moment, each of the books are set within the Dark Times/Rebellion Era. However, once they've completed that, I expect different eras to be detailed. They just had to start somewhere That having been said, B1 Battle Droids have already been statted out.

Each of the three Core Rulebooks are standalone games that are (will be) 100% cross-compatible. So you can stick with just one of the Core sets, or you can choose to use a combination of all three. I'm sure that eventually there will be a splatbook that will cover what you need, but there's enough info in the Core
Book of your choice to get you started

If that's the case,then as switch over may not happen at all...I was planning on getting the books i need to run a CW era all Jedi game at the same time and since the jedi book wont be out till 2015 and it's a toss up on even the possiablity of a CW era book....i'm gonna have to recommend to my group that we pass on FFG as it currently wont have what we want and would need for a awhile.

 

[Argyle King]

I love Edge of The Empire; it's currently my second favorite rpg.

One of the things I like most about it is that there's very very rarely a time when a dice roll is made and nothing happens. Most of the time, even if failure is involved, the scene progresses forward. I was surprised that I like the game as much as I do because other games which are often described as 'narrative' (i.e. D&D 4th) are games I've struggled with. I went into Edge of The Empire not expecting to like it; I came away from the experience enjoying the game so much that I can hardly wait to play again. The only reason I'm not playing it right now is because the consensus among my primary gaming group was that they wanted me to run a GURPS 4E Supers game.

However, I still managed to sneak in a bit of EoTE; I blatantly stole the idea of rolling for fate at the beginning of each session. Even though I'm not currently playing EoTE, I'm still using many of the concepts from the game.

A lot of people complain that Jedi and Sith aren't very present in the game. Personally, that's one of the things I like the most about it. I like playing people who are on the fringes of the universe ("The Edge of The Empire"). I like having the freedom to make my own story, and pushing forward with stories which are informed by the Star Wars universe, but not restricted by it. I think one of the best explanations I've heard of Edge of The Empire has been to hear it described as "Firefly, but set in the Star Wars universe." I'm not sure I can provide a better explanation of it than that. Suffice to say that I highly recommend the game. I very much look forward to playing it again.

I believe that Edge of The Empire's focus allows someone who knows a lot of Star Wars lore to sit down beside someone who knows none of the Star Wars lore and enjoy the same game. To me, that's a great feature.

 

[Agatheron]

If that's the case,then as switch over may not happen at all...I was planning on getting the books i need to run a CW era all Jedi game at the same time and since the jedi book wont be out till 2015 and it's a toss up on even the possiablity of a CW era book....i'm gonna have to recommend to my group that we pass on FFG as it currently wont have what we want and would need for a awhile.

I wouldn't say its a toss up as to whether or not there will be a Clone Wars era book, but a matter of when. The system itself, while specifically set in Dark Times/Rebellion Era, is actually era agnostic. There's certainly enough info in the existing Core Rulebook(s) to run stuff in any era that Star Wars offers. In addition, the creation and development of adversaries and starships is exceptionally easy. A visit to Wookiepedia, cross-reference to an existing ship, and voila! You have the stats you need. Oh yeah, and lightsabers are exceptionally deadly.

As I said, Force and Destiny as a Beta is likely to be out by 3rd quarter. That could easily get you started, and it might be the only book you'll need given the focus you're looking at. The cross-compatibility is a bonus, but it's not required. What it does mean is that you can take an EotE supplement like Suns of Fortune describing the Corellian Sector in detail, and use it in either Age of Rebellion or Force and Destiny.

Another possibility is check out whatever Free RPG day stuff that's out there. Ultimately the Edge of the Empire one they did last year is what sold me on the system. It didn't cost me anything up front, and I could see how the system worked. Imagination went from there.

 

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Well as i said i'm gonna inform my group thaqt I feel that currently FFG does not have what we need ( mainly pre-generated stats,fluffy stuff on planets Jedi/Sith abilities etc) that are key to the Clone Wars Era and maybe when if we do a Old Republic era game we'll see whats out by then.

 

[Agatheron]

Well as i said i'm gonna inform my group thaqt I feel that currently FFG does not have what we need ( mainly pre-generated stats,fluffy stuff on planets Jedi/Sith abilities etc) that are key to the Clone Wars Era and maybe when if we do a Old Republic era game we'll see whats out by then.

That's certainly fair. Saga had a lot of time to develop, and FFG is still in the early stages of their license. Doubtless there will be all kinds of supplements, and it will be interesting to see what is developed in light of the new films and spin-offs.