Recent Star Wars Saga chat session with designers

[RodneyThompson]

Question:

Will I be able to make Imperial Knights (from the recent Star Wars: Legacy comics) with the new system (i.e., like Gray Jedi, not necessarily Evil, but their main allegiance is not to the Force).

Does the system differenciate Jedi, Gray Jedi, Dark Jedi and Sith?

Sure. In fact, for fun I did up some stats for the Imperial Knights myself a couple of weeks ago. The system as written allows you to make any flavor of Jedi or Sith that you want.

 

[Baumi]

I'm very interested in the new Skill System. Fewer skills and being able to be acceptable in your skills of choice would be a great improvement (no more problems with low Level NPC's who sould be good in what they do).

 

[CaptainChaos]

I'm not arguing that VP/WP can work. It obviously does. However, as pointed out above, the system does have some flaws that cause some difficulty during gameplay.

I always thought the Wounds/Vitality system was a terrible choice for Star Wars. I'm glad you tossed it out for the new edition.

 

[Klaus]

Sure. In fact, for fun I did up some stats for the Imperial Knights myself a couple of weeks ago. The system as written allows you to make any flavor of Jedi or Sith that you want.

Cool! Once the book is released, maybe you could write up an adaptation of Star Wars Legacy for the WotC site, eh?

 

[RodneyThompson]

Cool! Once the book is released, maybe you could write up an adaptation of Star Wars Legacy for the WotC site, eh?

I hope to. I actually kinda like the Legacy era. Though it does kind of, well, negate the whole point of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader's sacrifice, it's a great setting for the RPG. Empire, Sith, Jedi, what's not to like? I've been following the comics closely since they came out, and I really like the setting.

 

[Klaus]

Yeah, we'll have to see what it does with the Prophecy thing. Unless the whole "bring balance to the Force" refers not only to his own actions, but to those of his offspring.

What I like best about the Legacy era is the multifaceted galaxy. No more Republic/Separatists or Empire/Rebellion dichotomy. You can be in the Empire and still be good (just look at the Imperial Mission). And they open up the Imperial military to nonhumans, which makes much more sense, RPG-wise.

 

[Psion]

Rodney! Thanks for dropping by and providing some feedback.

Not to start an argument, but it's not quite that simple. There's a couple of layers of mechanics we've not yet mentioned.

Still, if you want every one of your non-Jedi Force users to be Force weapon/talisman-using rubes with the ability to understand lots of languages, nothing is going to stop you from doing that in the new system.

I wish I could say more, but I can't.

And in absence of knowing that, all I can really do is speculate.

I thought I was going to HATE the new Spycraft rules, but the team proved me wrong. Perhaps the SW SAGA team will also prove me wrong. Maybe.

But when I hear about big changes, I always fear. I think it's inherently difficult to synthesize an "mature" (smooth running, low-problem) RPG system from the ground up... both D&D 3e and SW d20 1st edition saw a lot of errata, enough to warrant revisions with improved mechanics based on years of actual play with the game system. And this despite D&D 3e being extensively playtested. I beleive that whenever you tear a mature gaming system down, as it appears is being done, you are basically creating the opportunity for new problems to creep into the freshly minted, untested rules.

First of all, as a purely academic exercise I'd love to know what your four major problems with HP are. Just curiousity there.

I'll refer you to my oft referred-to four conceptual hangups with hit points.

 

[ValhallaGH]

I'll be honest. After purchasing the RCR, I was ready to give up on all things d20 SW. I've bought one other product since then (Genosis and the Outer Rim) purely for setting information. Instead I cobbled together a True20 variant for my SW gaming needs and I'm pretty happy with the results.

All that said, I have become intrigued by what I have heard about this "Saga Edition." You seem to have changed many of the things I complained about in the RCR (except for all those horrible inconsistencies in the setting, but those are beyond your purview) and I am curious to see how well or poorly the new rules flow with the style of Star Wars.


Side Note: Has anyone here ever considered giving most NPC classes (basically all except the Warrior) fewer than one HD per level? Like say, a hit die every fourth level, or every sixth level? Just for that whole "heroic sage" issue.

 

[Psion]

Side Note: Has anyone here ever considered giving most NPC classes (basically all except the Warrior) fewer than one HD per level? Like say, a hit die every fourth level, or every sixth level? Just for that whole "heroic sage" issue.

They already have less than one HD/level. The whole reason I said that SW DOES address the whole heroic sage thing is because it doesn't give NPC "professional" classes ANY vitality dice.

 

[ValhallaGH]

They already have less than one HD/level. The whole reason I said that SW DOES address the whole heroic sage thing is because it doesn't give NPC "professional" classes ANY vitality dice.

I know; as I mentioned, I own and have familiarized myself with the Revised Core Rules. I was mentioning it for use in all those d20 games that don't use WP/VP. Like D&D.