Star Wars: Age of Rebellion Preview and Review

[Crothian]

I think 16 new talent trees, running Duty and Obligation side-by-side, testing out the capital ship stats, and trying to find the rough edges between EotE and AoR compatibility are plenty worthy of a getting a Beta+ game almost a year early.

So, there are rules in there for using obligation and Duty together?

 

[Super Pony]

So, there are rules in there for using obligation and Duty together?

No, there are no explicit rules governing Obligation and Duty together. They are separate things from compatible games. However, it might be worthwhile for FFG to have folks playtest how well these two separate things work in their compatible lines since they have stressed interoperability as a selling point for those who have been and are still waiting for the stuff they want. Perhaps FFG may want to make adjustments through the beta to make sure that the final version of Age of Rebellion holds up on its own, and as an enhancement to the extant EotE game. Anwyay, I am merely suggesting that perhaps the Beta for Age of Rebellion is less boring and worthless to me and the folks I play the current game with since we intend to mesh all three of FFG's games together where and when we can.

If it seems like a meaningless cash-grab to other people, I'm fine with that viewpoint too. To each their own.

 

[Crothian]

One of the previews mentioned a Military Training specialization that is available to anyone. How does that work and what is that like?

 

[Vigilance]

I think you misunderstood something.

The only career-less specialization in the book is a new Force Sensitive specialization.

Then there are new careers, with 3 specializations each, just like in EotE.
Ace with Driver, Gunner and Pilot
Commander With Commodore, Squad Leader and Tactician
Diplomat with Ambassador, Agitator and Quartermaster
Engineer with Mechanic, Saboteur and Scientist
Soldier with Commando, Medic and Sharpshooter
Spy with Infiltrator, Scout and Slicer

And then a new Force Sensitive Emergent universal specialization.

It's possible I missed it, but I don't see any other unversal specializations. Now, you can learn specializations from ANY career, so maybe they were saying everyone could buy talents from the soldier tree.

 

[Crothian]

According to this preview page

http://gsa.thegamernation.org/2013/08/15/first-look-star-wars-age-of-rebellion/

Right above the It's Your Motivation section it says:

"One final, non-force related, specialization is available to anyone. Military Training represents the essential bits of skill and abilities necessary to anyone expected to fight an ongoing war. Combat is a reality of war and non-combat PCs should consider taking this to acquire the basic skills needed."

That sounds like another universal specialization like the force ones.

 

[Fiddleback]

As mentioned in the original post, the review was based on an editing copy. It appears, from reports received, that the Mil. Training spec has been removed from the Beta book.

 

[Donovan Morningfire]

As mentioned in the original post, the review was based on an editing copy. It appears, from reports received, that the Mil. Training spec has been removed from the Beta book.

Indeed, Military Training was removed from the Beta book. It might show up in the full rulebook, but more likely it'll appear in a supplement if at all.

Which is a shame as I think it would have been a neat option for characters like Leia who probably began play with a non-combat career like Diplomat but wanted to beef up their combat prowess. Also, it would have been a template to use as a measuring stick for creating any other universal non-Force specializations.

 

[Vigilance]

But anyone can take Soldier specializations. The difference between it being there, and a Leia-like PC taking a combat specialization from another career, is 10 XP.

Not a big deal.

 

[Donovan Morningfire]

But anyone can take Soldier specializations. The difference between it being there, and a Leia-like PC taking a combat specialization from another career, is 10 XP.

Not a big deal.

Which could be a contributing factor as to why it was removed from the Beta. There's also the Bounty Hunter and Hired Gun specs from EotE for additional combat options as well.

 

[Crothian]

But anyone can take Soldier specializations. The difference between it being there, and a Leia-like PC taking a combat specialization from another career, is 10 XP.

Not a big deal.

Without seeing the Talent tree it is impossible to say.