Star Wars Dawn of Defiance: Who's Running it? [Possible Spoilers]

[SteveC]

Hey!
Next week I will start running the Dawn of Defiance adventure path for Star Wars, so I'm wondering if anyone else is already doing this. If so, any thoughts, problems or stories you'd like to share?

My one concern is that my group wants to start with their own ship (what can I say, there's a Han Solo wannabe in every group). Any thoughts on problems with doing that? It does make the first adventure a little more difficult to manage, so I thought I would leave this for later -- perhaps their ship is impounded at the start of the adventure.

Thoughts?

--Steve

 

[Blackrat]

I don't know much about the adventure since I'm only playing in it and we are still on very beginning but if you feel that the spaceship makes it difficult to run, just say so to your players. I think the idea that the ship is impounded is cool. It gives them the feeling that they do have a ship, it's just not available at the moment. And when it comes more suitable for them to have the ship, you can run a short spinoff where they steal it back or something.

 

[Nebulous]

Hey!
Next week I will start running the Dawn of Defiance adventure path for Star Wars, so I'm wondering if anyone else is already doing this. If so, any thoughts, problems or stories you'd like to share?

My one concern is that my group wants to start with their own ship (what can I say, there's a Han Solo wannabe in every group). Any thoughts on problems with doing that? It does make the first adventure a little more difficult to manage, so I thought I would leave this for later -- perhaps their ship is impounded at the start of the adventure.

Thoughts?

--Steve

I'm going to be running it, and i pretty much have most of the notes/art done. As for a Han Solo wannabe wanting a ship...I'd nix that. Just explain to the player that he's 1st level and for game balance it would throw the campaign off. You can maybe compare it to a 1st level D&D character owning a battleship. I assume he wants something as fast and sleek and powerfully armed as the Millennium Falcon? Cost-wise, he wouldn't be able to afford to buy it, or even maintenance upkeep unless he's coming from a very wealthy background.

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

hi ive havent run this so i dont know how a ship will mess with things . but how i handle ships with new pc's is i give em like 20 or 30'ooo to buy an old bare-bones junker with a flaw or 2 . losts of fun that is makes em work harder to upgrade it . but ymmv

 

[McBard]

...my group wants to start with their own ship...

I've never had any problems with a low-level group start with their own ship in a Star Wars game, and I actually prefer it for Dawn of Defiance in order to get rid of the NPC Captain Okeefe and the "NPC" startship Banshee (I hate story hooks having NPCs swoop in and save PCs...).

I agree with one of the above posters, however, that the ship should be used and not tricked out yet. Try a used Ghtroc 720 freighter—its deckplan and stats are provided on WoTC's site—for 23,000 Cr. Have the PC work out a payment plan over the next several levels (or, at least, have him realize his chunk of group credits will be going to paying it off), as he obviously can't afford it outright at 1st level.

If the player seems to be abusing his ownership (e.g. blasting stormtroopers with its double laser cannons) have it impounded or, more severely, attacked and disabled by all the TIE fighters you have at your fingertips. I'd really encourage you to get a copy of Starships of the Galaxy, as it has some great rules detail on the basic functioning and costs of running a starship (port fees, astrogation checks, etc.).

In any event, all my players have always realized how vulnerable they are in a starship, and so usually don't go nuts. At the end of the day, they understand that any amount of damage their freighter can dish out can be easily countered by the near-infinite supply of TIE fighters and Star Destroyers the GM has on his team...

I think most GMs would disagree with me on all these issues, but I've always found a PC starship, even at 1st level, to be a focusing factor for the group, and it gives them (or at least the central controlling PC) an immediate campaign goal (to pay the thing off).

 

[Nebulous]

I think most GMs would disagree with me on all these issues, but I've always found a PC starship, even at 1st level, to be a focusing factor for the group, and it gives them (or at least the central controlling PC) an immediate campaign goal (to pay the thing off).

I haven't run Star Wars much (only twice the last edition) but maybe you have a point in giving them a junker with a lot of debt associated with it. I had planned on letting a ship enter play later on, but was afraid in the early stages it would give them access to anywhere in the galaxy. But there's always pirates looking to steal whatever they can...

 

[Klaus]

I plan on giving my 3-PC party an old ARC-170, with an NPC astromech droid. Rescued people go in the trunk (100kg storage).

 

[Nine Hands]

I'm going to be running it at my local gaming store starting in February.

 

[SteveC]

I'm going to have the group start with a ship, but our pilot is going to miss the first few sessions ergo he can have a sort of NPC status.

One new question: one of the characters is a Jedi, and I'm wondering what impact everyone thinks that should have on the game. I've already told him that igniting that lightsaber in a public place will likely have consequences for him. Does that seem unfair?

--Steve

 

[Klaus]

It's a big galaxy. And wielding a lightsaber =/= being a Jedi (q.v. General Grievous). Obi-Wan ignited one in a city controlled by the Empire, and no one batted an eye.

Of course, flashing a lightsaber inside an Imperial facility will likely be recorded, and those security tapes may find their way all the way to the top dogs.