Star Wars Saga Edition [SECR] Preview #3 is Up

[Gentlegamer]

A marathon-runner can't... but Indiana Jones could. A marathon-runner can't... but Conan could.

For that matter, why can a fighter, a physical character who is thus somewhat related to realism, go all day, every day - but a wizard, whose powers are completely divorced from reality, can't?

Your plausible-meter could use some adjusting, methinks, if it buys 'shooting fireballs from your hands' and 'being able to fight with a sword all day long without getting tired,' but not 'being able to shoot fireballs every few minutes.' Once you've accepted the first concept, the third is no more or less 'realistic,' whereas the second remains silly in either case - and unlike EITHER the first or the third, it can actually be tested and relates to the objection you voice in the quoted passage.

Lost hit points represents part of the fighter's "fatigue" over the course of several combats.

 

[Dragonblade]

So I'm not sure if I'm picking this up right. Is there also a level based character damage bonus in Saga Edition? I would love if that were the case. If higher level characters have more hit points and attack bonuses, then it makes sense that they are relatively more lethal towards each other and to lower level mooks such as Storm Troopers.

And no iterative attacks? Is that true? I actually like the idea of removing iterative attacks. I always thought it worked well in Spycraft.

The one thing I want to know more about is how exactly are Force Powers replenished in combat. 10 rounds is a life time. I like the move towards ToB, per encounter balancing. But I also like how Tome of Battle has a refresh mechanic that only takes you out of the action for a round (i.e. Sword Sage with Adaptive Style). Is there a similar fast refresh mechanic in Saga Edition, or at least a side bar presenting you with an option rule.

I like the natural 20 refresh mechanic, and Force Points were mentioned, but how often do Force Points come back? If they are a use once and lose them resource akin to how they were in WEG, then I don't like that.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Lost hit points represents part of the fighter's "fatigue" over the course of several combats.

Why do they get fatigued more from near misses from big weapons than from trying to frantically dodge a smaller, quicker weapon (possibly poisoned)?

 

[variant]

I am really liking this enitre system. It makes me really want this book.

I might even consider adopting the system for my D&D campaign.

Yes, I would very much like to know how it will handle TWF.

If TWF gives you a second attack, it would certainly be more special without iterative attacks gained from leveling.

 

[McBard]

Is there also a level based character damage bonus in Saga Edition?...And no iterative attacks? Is that true?

Yes: damage bonus = 1/2 character level. And, yes, no iteratives. I like both changes, but will be really surprised if it goes the Spycraft-route of 2 actions per round (instead of standard action/move action) that allows for not moving and attacking twice. We'll see...

On another streamlining topic, there's speculation as to what's happening with criticals. None of the stat blocks posted list unique threat ranges (especially note how the Jensaarai's lightsaber has no "19-20" threat range listed), and so we're wondering if all threats happen on a 20, and/or perhaps (more radically) that "threats" no longer occur--perhaps auto crits. (And then there's the idea that crits affect the condition track)...all very interesting...

 

[Ranger REG]

Yes: damage bonus = 1/2 character level. And, yes, no iteratives. I like both changes, but will be really surprised if it goes the Spycraft-route of 2 actions per round (instead of standard action/move action) that allows for not moving and attacking twice. We'll see...

No iterative attacks? Hope I can make multiple attacks with a [capital] starship.

 

[Twowolves]

Yes: damage bonus = 1/2 character level. And, yes, no iteratives. I like both changes, but will be really surprised if it goes the Spycraft-route of 2 actions per round (instead of standard action/move action) that allows for not moving and attacking twice. We'll see...

Personally, I'd LOVE it if they went to the Spycraft "2 actions per round" model. It's so simple and intuitive, I don't know why more systems don't use it. Combined with feats like rapid shot, multishot, double tap, etc etc, you won't miss iterative attacks.

 

[McBard]

Yes: damage bonus = 1/2 character level. And, yes, no iteratives.

Strictly speaking, only the 1/2 character level damage bonus has been confirmed. The lack of iteratives conclusion has been posited by virtue of there being no evidence of it in the 4 stat blocks posted so far (e.g. Han Solo has a BAB of +6, not "+6/+1"). Moreover, there is not a "full attack" row in any of the stat blocks, only an attack row.

Combined with feats like rapid shot, multishot, double tap, etc etc, you won't miss iterative attacks.

It looks like Saga's rapid shot will be like d20 Modern's Double Tap (-2 attack, extra damage die) rather than D&D's. Moreover, Han has a feat called Trigger Work that seems to cancel the -2 attack penalty of his Rapid Shot. I hope that if there is a Multi-shot type of feat that it too works along the lines of the extra damage die approach. (I hope autofire blasters work similarly).

[Edit: There have been several official erratas and corrections to the initially posted stat blocks, so it could be that the no-apparent-iteratives conclusion by many of us will, too, be errated. However, that would mean that the "mistake" was made in several places at once, so I'd lean towards, indeed, there not being iteratives.]

 

[gribble]

No iterative attacks? Hope I can make multiple attacks with a [capital] starship.

Given that it's crewed by multiple people, I imagine it'll work like the minis game - you get one attack per round with each weapon on the ship.

Not sure how it'll work for smaller ships - i.e.: single person fighters with multiple weapons.

 

[Victim]

Personally, I'd LOVE it if they went to the Spycraft "2 actions per round" model. It's so simple and intuitive, I don't know why more systems don't use it. Combined with feats like rapid shot, multishot, double tap, etc etc, you won't miss iterative attacks.

Because the cost of movement is too high under such a system.