Star Wars Saga Edition [SECR] Preview #6 is Up

[RigaMortus2]

he said impressive blaster damage

Last time I checked, you have to make an attack roll before you apply said damage, unless they changed that too in Saga edition.

If I were GM and my players went into melee with a droideka, it seems to me it would be a good idea to grapple them, not to deal damage, but to get them out of the fight while the other baddies (probably other droidekas) continue the fight.

 

[iwatt]

Last time I checked, you have to make an attack roll before you apply said damage, unless they changed that too in Saga edition.

If I were GM and my players went into melee with a droideka, it seems to me it would be a good idea to grapple them, not to deal damage, but to get them out of the fight while the other baddies (probably other droidekas) continue the fight.

he's still more likely to go with blasters IMO (+5/+5 5d8 v/s +7 1d4+3 and grapple).

 

[JohnSnow]

Last time I checked, you have to make an attack roll before you apply said damage, unless they changed that too in Saga edition.

If I were GM and my players went into melee with a droideka, it seems to me it would be a good idea to grapple them, not to deal damage, but to get them out of the fight while the other baddies (probably other droidekas) continue the fight.

That is correct, however the new autofire rules allow you to target a 2x2 square area. Take a -5 to your attack roll and compare it to the targets Reflex Defense. If you hit, it does full damage. If you MISS, it does half damage. Making Droideka decent at forcing characters to flee or take cover, but not so good at actually killing them. Unless they do something stupid.

Evasion (similar to D&D and d20 Modern) is one of the talents available to scouts and there is a similar talent available to Jedi that reduces that damage.

There's two threads going on the WotC boards. One claims droideka are too weak, and the other claims they're too tough. My not-the-least-bit scientific analysis leads me to thereforem conclude they're just about right.

SR is Shield Rating. SR works basically like DR, except it can be reduced. If you exceed the SR with a single attack, you do damage and the SR drops by 5. You can take an action (can't recall what type - it was in the combat preview) to bring the shields back up.

 

[iwatt]

Evasion (similar to D&D and d20 Modern) is one of the talents available to scouts and there is a similar talent available to Jedi that reduces that damage.

Evasion is quite powerful... maybe it has an action cost? (i.e burn a swift action?)

 

[SteveC]

So let me see if I get this straight on the skills front...

The FIRST class you take gives you a number of class skills and a number of skill points to pick from that list and train your skills.

As you level up, multiclassing gives you more class skills, but you only get more skill points by spending a feat?

I wonder if you get all of the other class abilities from multiclassing, because if you do, I can see a lot of characters picking Scoundrel (which has the most skill points) as their first class level. Yes, I can definitely see the all-scoundrel group at first level...

--Steve

 

[gribble]

I wonder if you get all of the other class abilities from multiclassing, because if you do, I can see a lot of characters picking Scoundrel (which has the most skill points) as their first class level. Yes, I can definitely see the all-scoundrel group at first level...

Actually, Noble has the most skill points in SWSE.
The conjecture is:
Noble: 6
Scout: 5
Scoundrel: 4
Soldier: 3
Jedi: 2
Non-heroic: 1

I believe all but the scoundrel have been confirmed, but we know it's not 6 or more (as it's been stated in one of the previews that Nobles get the most trained skills).

 

[Plane Sailing]

Last time I checked, you have to make an attack roll before you apply said damage, unless they changed that too in Saga edition.

If I were GM and my players went into melee with a droideka, it seems to me it would be a good idea to grapple them, not to deal damage, but to get them out of the fight while the other baddies (probably other droidekas) continue the fight.

Grappling past the shield generators? That would be a neat trick (i.e. I can't see it happening, frankly).

The only purpose I can see for the grappling ability is if someone manages to knock down the droideka's shield and then wants to grapple it themselves (perhaps the wookie wants to stop it firing at the princess or something). I can't see any situations where it would be advantageous for a droideka to actually attempt to grapple something.

 

[gribble]

The FIRST class you take gives you a number of class skills and a number of skill points to pick from that list and train your skills.

As you level up, multiclassing gives you more class skills, but you only get more skill points by spending a feat?

This isn't correct either.

The way it works is that each class has a list of class skills. At 1st level (thats first *character* level, not first class level) you pick a number of trained skills from your class skill list, dependant on your class (see my last post). For each of those skills you pick, you get a +5 bonus to that skill. There are no skill points/ranks in SWSE.

E.g.: For a scout, class skills are: Climb, Endurance, Initiative, Jump, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Mechanics, Perception, Pilot, Ride, Stealth, Survival, Swim.
At 1st level, a scout chooses 5 + Int mod of these skills to be "trained skills". In these skills he gains a +5 bonus, and he can do things with the skills that untrained characters can't.

When he multiclasses, he adds the skills of the new class to his class skill list, but he doesn't become trained in any new skills unless he uses a feat to become trained in another skill (again, giving him a +5 bonus, and unlocking additional uses for the skill).

So no, I don't think everyone will want to start as scoundrel, as they'll all only be trained in scoundrel class skills (which probably don't include things like endurance, survival, etc). Personally I think (for what I have seen so far at least) the developers have done a very good job of balancing the classes (and abilities - no longer will Dex be the only high ability a character needs in SWSE)!

 

[iwatt]

I wonder if you get all of the other class abilities from multiclassing, because if you do, I can see a lot of characters picking Scoundrel (which has the most skill points) as their first class level. Yes, I can definitely see the all-scoundrel group at first level...

I can see your concern. Since defenses are Level + Ability + one time class bonus, I imagine that this initial defense bonus is based on your initial class.

 

[SteveC]

I can see your concern. Since defenses are Level + Ability + one time class bonus, I imagine that this initial defense bonus is based on your initial class.

Now that is interesting. I suppose that if each class gets a special bennie at level one, you will end up having to decide which of good saves, good skills, good defense and so on that you want to choose. I like that idea a lot, so hopefully that's the way it will work out.

--Steve