d20 Star Wars -- if you were writing a 3rd Edition, what would you change?

[KDLadage]

Just as the topic states, I want to know what you would change. I have been trying to encorporate some of the d20 Modern ideas into the game and this topic came to my mind...

 

[Shalimar]

The number 1 biggest thing I would change is the Force adpet class. As it is presented they are always primitive people. Why should a force adept who grew up on a planet like Couruscant have access to more primitive skills and have to buy computer use as cross class? If you just have to have a primitive force adept, I would seperate it into two packages, at creation you choose the package that fits: one with primitive skills and the primitive weapons group, or a regular package with the same skills as a jedi Counselor and weapons group blaster pistol feat.

I would also add at first level the deflect (block)Sq to the class as long as they have something capable of blocking the attack. There is no reason for them not to have this ability. If the Jedi can do it, then they can do it. Force Adepts aren't any weaker, just different.

 

[Hollywood]

Just as the topic states, I want to know what you would change. I have been trying to encorporate some of the d20 Modern ideas into the game and this topic came to my mind...

Get rid of any concept of classes, period. Not to mention hp/vp/wp, rather use something akin to M&M's damage system which resembles the original WEG SW damage system. Those are two big ones right there.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Change the Force User Classes so they are NOT over the top...
Don`t create stupid feats like "Dissipate Energy" (i hope there is already an errata for it...)

Reduce Weapon damage (3d8 Heavy Blaster Pistol)
Consider getting around of the Defense Bonus Mechanic...

Make the classes special abilitites more useful. (Noble, anyone?)

Or drop it, since the Starwars story have been mostly told and there is few room for your "own hero"...

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[KDLadage]

The number 1 biggest thing I would change is the Force adpet class. As it is presented they are always primitive people. Why should a force adept who grew up on a planet like Couruscant have access to more primitive skills and have to buy computer use as cross class?

Good point. Thanks.

I would also add at first level the deflect (block)Sq to the class as long as they have something capable of blocking the attack. There is no reason for them not to have this ability. If the Jedi can do it, then they can do it. Force Adepts aren't any weaker, just different.

This would depend upon yuo feeling that the ability is a trained or natural gift I suppose.

 

[Hollywood]

The number 1 biggest thing I would change is the Force adpet class. As it is presented they are always primitive people. Why should a force adept who grew up on a planet like Couruscant have access to more primitive skills and have to buy computer use as cross class?

Good point.

Thats as good of example as any for why there should be no classes as defined by the d20 rules in a game like StarWars. The StarWars universe is too vast and varied to be constrained by a goofy mechanic.

Now if classes were to be templates in which new players could use to easily create characters when starting to play, thats one thing [WEG StarWars did this, others have too] or you had an Advanced Package that represented time/knowledge investments, i.e. character went to a military academy or a university, such as those found in the MechWarrior RPG are possible uses for classes.

But to attempt to shoe-horn everything into a few archetypes just flat out doesn't work and it ends up making more work for the GM because now he has to apply the zero rule to allow people to have abilities, skills and feats that apply to where they are from or experiences they have gone through.

P.S. Technically, the StarWars RPG would be on at least its 5th edition not counting the possible GURPS overlap...

Star Wars Roleplay Game - West End Games
Star Wars Roleplay Game 2nd Edition - West End Games
Star Wars - Wizards of the Coast
Star Wars, Revised - Wizards of the Coast

 

[Shard O'Glase]

re-do starship combat. The pilot skill to perform maneuvers thingis ok, but it's lame that pilot skill has nothing to do with the ships AC. The maneuver system represents that in a way to abstract way.

bring force push back.

make force attacks deadlier as is you burn vitailty to do about the same daamge you'd do with one shot form a blaster pistol with force grip. And you can shoot multiple times with the balster pistol. Your spending vitality, and skill points they should be effective attacks.

Non-darkforce powers shouldn't have addendums for when they automatically give a darkside point. That should be much more campaign style dependent.

Give force users better sensing abilities, the power of the jedi sense at a distance thing is a small fix, but jedis still suck way too much at sensing things as is. Maybe give them uncanny dodge or something.

reflect balsters if it hasn't been fixed in the errata, make it so you reflect shots that miss by more than 5 instead of within 5. Opponents shouldn't be penalized for having a better shot.

Absorb energy feat forget its name, fix it up a bit. Let it absorb environmental energies at a vitality cost/hourly rate. Once the damage starts doing dX damage isntead of something like a fort save to resist sunstroke, allow them to make a fort save for 1/2 damage.(have it cost a MEA to use vs dmg)

I'd turn all force feats that give a power into force skill, so there would be a force whirlwind skill, and a force skill to improve movement etc.

 

[dpdx]

My big change would be to release more materials simultaneously with the core rulebook. Even if you like/hate the game system, having a virgin chunk of SW universe to play it in would go a long way toward having characters make a difference in the universe, aka preventing Forgotten Realms Syndrome.

A system based on SW relies on content: if you have to make up too much of your own, it can easily unbalance the game. Whereas in DnD things like regular longswords could pretty much be believed to be mostly the same, it's not the same with droids, ships, or even blaster pistols.

I'd agree with nerfing Force users, except for a gigantic disadvantage: opposing Force users. For example, "I detect a disturbance in the Force" is all it takes sometimes to ferret out your secret mission to the Outer Rim.

I noticed this in the twin IC SW games in Gaming Action|Playing the Game. Maybe this is the same with Paladins in DnD to a lesser extent, and maybe also Luke never got the jump on anybody yet persevered, but I think Force users are playable as is, given the right content and context.

Which brings me back to my main complaint: how do we know what IS the right content and context if they don't release very much?

That being said, I'd like more chances to either play or create something for the system before I can recommend rules revisions to it with any seriousness.

 

[Corinth]

For now, all I'll say that is that I'd get rid of Vitality & Wounds.

 

[RodneyThompson]

The number 1 biggest thing I would change is the Force adpet class. As it is presented they are always primitive people. Why should a force adept who grew up on a planet like Couruscant have access to more primitive skills and have to buy computer use as cross class?

Well, then you're going to want to pick up the Hero's Guide in June. This is one of the issues that I specifically wanted to address in that book, and I think it came out well.

As to everyone else who wants to get rid of classes, VP/WP, and so forth, I don't find any of those things to be a problem, and rather like Vitality/Wounds. I would integrate the errata, and change the effects of the stun setting.