Star Wars Saga: How to stat up an Imperial Knight?

[wingsandsword]

I'd go with Soldier/Jedi (mostly Jedi, but with a few levels of Soldier for the Armor feats and talents) into Force Adept (and maybe Elite Trooper) and eventually Force Disciple, with a tradition-specific talent tree somewhat similar to the Jensaraii.

As for a separate Talent Tree, the idea of a tradition-specific talent tree (instead of PrC) is built right into the Saga rules, with examples of the Jensaraii and Dathomir Witches getting their own Talent Trees. I'd expect a Fallanassi talent tree eventually from supplements eventually for example.

 

[Klaus]

And according to Wookieepedia, the Jedi consider the Imperial Knights to be "Grey Jedi", because their ultimate allegiance lies with the Emperor, not with the Force.

 

[Imaro]

I'll just state this upfront...D&D 3.5 kind of soured me on the idea of PrC's...so I probably will use seperate talent trees/ new force powers, etc. to differentiate alot of things in my game rather tha endless classes. It's just a personal choice though so YMMV.

Another quick note about the armor...they tend to move like it weighs nothing, and we don't tend to see many(any?) jedi in armor at all...I gotta think there's a reason for this. Now you could claim the IK use the force to augment their bodies everytime they move or flip or whatever, but IMHO it makes more sense to attune a light suit of armor, than use the force each time you do an acrobatic move. Attuning it makes it tougher and reduces the check penalty.

 

[drothgery]

Saga armor check penalites aren't like D&D; you don't take an armor check penalty to skills if you're proficient in the armor you're wearing.

 

[Imaro]

Saga armor check penalites aren't like D&D; you don't take an armor check penalty to skills if you're proficient in the armor you're wearing.

Sorry...was talking about increasing the max Dex bonus. My bad. This could also be an argument for the armor being better than light.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Truthfully, the Imperial Knights are a combination of the old Royal Guards and the Jedi. Hence the red armour. But being Jedi definitely didn't make them move easily in the armour, I'd simply put that to training, as the Royal Guards were amazing warriors, arguably on par with Jedi, and wore even more extensive armour than the Imperial Knights.

I do think a seperate talent tree is a great way to handle them, really.

 

[drothgery]

Sorry...was talking about increasing the max Dex bonus. My bad. This could also be an argument for the armor being better than light.

Again, Saga max dex bonuses only apply to the dex bonus to reflex defense.

 

[Imaro]

Again, Saga max dex bonuses only apply to the dex bonus to reflex defense.

Yes, but this still could be factored into a "moves better" with it issue, your reflex defense applies to dodging alot of things...whether you describe it as flips, sidesteps or quick parries. Ceremonial armor has a max dex bonus of +2(I think??) with attune armor you raise it to a +3. With the ability increases in Star Wars, and the +2 bonus to armor the talent gives you, I see this as making the armor both more resilient and supple. It also makes it more attractive to higher level characters, since I don't think the IK's are "low level" by any standard(I would have to go mid level probably) and without attune armor it quickly makes no sense for them to continue wearing it.

Ceremonial armor effectively raises the AC by 7 so a jedi or jedi/soldier( w/+2 Dex) would normally surpass it at about 7th level(+3 Dex at 6th) while with attune armor it takes it's usefulness up to about 10th level(11th level with a +3 dex). I see the IK's as being somewhere along the 6th to 10th character level and this talent, at least in my mind explains why they continue to use the armor. In my oppinion they are a practical lot, especially as far as combat, and wouldn't wear armor that impedes them.

 

[ValhallaGH]

Yes, but this still could be factored into a "moves better" with it issue, your reflex defense applies to dodging alot of things...whether you describe it as flips, sidesteps or quick parries. Ceremonial armor has a max dex bonus of +2(I think??) with attune armor you raise it to a +3. With the ability increases in Star Wars, and the +2 bonus to armor the talent gives you, I see this as making the armor both more resilient and supple. It also makes it more attractive to higher level characters, since I don't think the IK's are "low level" by any standard(I would have to go mid level probably) and without attune armor it quickly makes no sense for them to continue wearing it.

Ceremonial armor effectively raises the AC by 7 so a jedi or jedi/soldier( w/+2 Dex) would normally surpass it at about 7th level(+3 Dex at 6th) while with attune armor it takes it's usefulness up to about 10th level(11th level with a +3 dex). I see the IK's as being somewhere along the 6th to 10th character level and this talent, at least in my mind explains why they continue to use the armor. In my oppinion they are a practical lot, especially as far as combat, and wouldn't wear armor that impedes them.

Why do you assume that Imperial Knight armor would be in that craptastic Ceremonial armor? Why would it not be modified stormtrooper armor? That stuff is nice through level 6, and far beyond if you have the Armored Defense / Improved Armored Defense talent(s).

An Imperial Knight can easily be built at level 9 by being a level 7 Jedi and a level 3 Jedi Knight that spent his Knight talents on Armored Defense and Improved Armored Defense (Jedi Knights get access to the Armor Mastery talent tree).
This will give him a reflex defense of 24 + Dex (max of +3) + Misc, a fort defense of 23 + Con + Misc and a will defense of 21 + Wis + Misc. A very capable and dangerous character without any crazy new talents. You can even give them access to the Jensaarai Defender talent tree, since many Jensaarai had joined with the New Jedi Order over seventy years prior, and their skills would have an appeal to the style of the Imperial Knights. So, the Attune Armor talent would improve the above knight to Reflex Defense of 25 + Dex (max +4) + Misc.

See? An extremely easy build.

 

[Gundark]

I would make Cortosis gauntlets work like this "when a character with a lightsaber is fighting an opponent equiped with a Cortosis gauntlet rolls a natural 1 to hit the lightsaber deactives for 2d4 minutes" .