Star Wars Saga Edition?

[drothgery]

I am going to assume that Plane Sailing was referring to this as the "aspect of the discussion" he wanted dropped, as nobody was actually discussing the broader "take 10" issue I raised--which, ironically, is what I wanted to discuss, not "search your feelings".

I certainly hope that's the case anyway, as I see it as sufficiently clear-cut as to make debate on the matter a rather bizarre proposition.

Eh. I don't really see it as a big issue; DC15 tasks are typically the first level that untrained characters aren't expected to succeed at routinely. If someone's invested a trained skill and a feat to get a +10 at low levels, and is naturally gifted (has a high ability score), well, it doesn't bother me that when they're not under stress they can routinely do things untrained people have to be very lucky to pull off. I mean, that's just part and parcel of 1st-level Saga characters being far more competent than 1st-level characters in most other d20 games.

Without tricking things out at all, a 20th level character in Saga can easily have a +25 to a skill. 40% of that came from training (trained in the skill +5, skill focus +5), 40% came from experience (1/2 level bonus = +10), and 20% came from natural ability (+5 from an ability score of 20). And I think that's a pretty reasonable breakdown, too.

Besides, it's just not that hard for a focused to get a +15 modifier on a skill at low levels in most d20 games, between racial modifiers, synergies, feats, and cheap skill-boosting magic.

 

[gribble]

Besides, it's just not that hard for a focused to get a +15 modifier on a skill at low levels in most d20 games, between racial modifiers, synergies, feats, and cheap skill-boosting magic.

Exactly. And the only thing that has changed between Saga and any other d20 game is that there is now an additional restriction on taking 10 - that you must be trained in the skill, so if anything Saga is more restrictive than other d20 games.

Plane Sailing - again I hope the above is ok, as it isn't aimed at Felon and is now back to discussing the topic of the thread - how Saga differs from other d20 games.

Edit: So, back to my original assertion - in cases where skills have easy to achieve DCs, I don't think it's necessarily an issue with the game, but something where the designers intended for the use of the skill to be all but automatic for a reasonably competant character. Of course, they're just human and may have made some mistakes, but in general I think the game is working as intended when characters can easily achieve fairly straightforward and non game breaking tasks - just bear in mind that Saga is built with this assumption... it may not be something you like, and it may require you to take a bit of care when designing adventures, but no more so than when designing D&D adventures for high level characters with divination/find the path/speak with dead/etc.

 

[gribble]

Well, I read the previews and it looked like a good system to run star wars games.

That it is. I think someone summed it up very nicely when they said it has the free wheeling spirit of d6 Star Wars, combined with the more rigorous ruleset (particularly around character creation/advancement) of earlier incarnations of d20 Star Wars.
If you understand Star Wars "feel", then it definitely has it! In spades.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I apologise for leaving people with more questions than clarity about what I meant

Essentially, for those interested in discussing the 'take 10 issue' wrt whether DCs are too low - please start a separate thread for that. Although the Skill Training issue in SWSE accentuates the problem, it is a general problem for many d20 products (most starting characters can hit DC15 in their best skills at 1st level by taking 10 anyway).

I'd also ask that future discussion on the impact of 'augary at will' powers on a game be discussed in a separate thread too (probably a different thread from the 'take 10 issue').

I think that both of those are interesting discussions, but I'd rather see them take flight under their own wings rather than sorta derail this thread.

Does that clarify things?

Thanks

 

[PallidPatience]

Here's hoping people will also be interested in discussing what it takes to write an adventure that feels like Star Wars in this thread:

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?p=3651494#post3651494

Particularly you, Raven Crowking. I'm interested in the segments you mentioned you've split the movies into, and how they've helped you plan your campaign arc.

 

[gribble]

Does that clarify things?

Yes, thanks.

 

[HeinorNY]

If you wanna feel like that kid from the Last Action Hero movie, SWSE is the book of your life!

Just beware of the masochists characters using Second Wind

 

[Felon]

Does that clarify things?

I hope so. Thanks for responding to my request for clarification so speedily.

 

[Moggthegob]

Ill just stick with my dnd 3.5

 

[Plane Sailing]

Ill just stick with my dnd 3.5

And the point of that interjection was?

No threadcrapping please, otherwise posts will be deleted and other action may also be taken.

Thanks