wingsandsword
Legend
Something I came up with that I'm seriously considering using in my game, as a game mechanic explanation of various special things that the main characters do with their Force abilities (to explain how they can, and why PC's normally can't, but they could theoretically).
Force Techniques
Force Techniques are special uses of Force skills or special Force abilities that step outside normal limits of Force skills and feats. Characters do not gain them normally, they must be discovered or taught in game play, and only enter the game with the express permission of the GM. They represent highest levels of Force learning, ancient lore, and legendary power in the Force, and even many Jedi Masters and Sith Lords do not gain these techniques. Even knowing of the existence of Force Techniques is rare, and knowing of specific techniques can require very high Knowledge (Jedi Lore) or (Sith Lore) checks.
Learning a Force Technique: To learn a Force technique it must normally be taught by someone who already knows it. It is learned over a time of 1 week per 100 XP spent on the technique (see below), at the end of that time the character learns the technique and should note it on their character sheet. A character can only gain new Force techniques without the help of a teacher with GM permission, and these should be very rare events resulting from long research and great insight into the Force. No game mechanic exists to determine the success of these attempts at research, as a Technique never enters the game if the GM does not explicitly permit it. The will of the Force is inscrutable at times.
XP Cost: Force Techniques do not cost Skill points or feats, and are not gained as normal class abilities. Instead, when the ability is discovered or taught, the character must pay a cost in Experience Points to learn the technique.
Imbue with Force Sensitivity
Prerequisites: Sith Sorcery, Alchemy 8+ Ranks, Force Sensitive, Force Level 3rd+, 6+ Dark Side Points
XP Cost: 1,000
Effect: You gain a new alteration you can inflict with the Alchemy skill. With a DC 25 check you can grant the subject the ability to take the Force Sensitive feat at any point thereafter, and the subject gains 1 Dark Side Point.
(In my campaign, the Force Sensitive feat can only be taken at 1st level, since it is an inborn talent, but it appears that the Emperor could imbue Force Sensitivity upon others, and Jedi Knight II implies that the Shadow Troopers had been through a similar process)
Force Spirit
Prerequisites: Force Level 13+, Charisma 13+, At least 2 Force Points.
XP Cost: 700
Effect: You know how to become a Force Spirit upon death. By spending a Full Round Action in meditation and one Force Point, preparing to become one with the Force, you are ready to become a Force Spirit. If at any time in the next 5 minutes you die (by any means), you may choose to have your body fade away or remain, you also automatically become a Force Spirit.
(This replaces the rules from the Hero’s Guide for becoming a Force Spirit, reflecting RotS, otherwise using the same rules once they become one.)
Greater Transfer Essence
Prerequisties: Sith Sorcery, Sith Sorcery, Transfer Essence 8+ Ranks, Force Sensitive, Force Level 3rd+, 6+ Dark Side Points
XP Cost: 600
Effect: You can use the Transfer Essence skill at a range beyond the normal 10 meters, however you must know the exact location of your target, and the further the distance to your target, the greater the penalties you will suffer once you arrive, as your ability in the Force is severely strained from the ordeal of traveling so far.
Range: Penalties:
11-100 m -2 penalty to all Force Skills for 1 day.
100 m - 1 km -4 penalty to all Force Skills for 1 week
1 km – 10,000 km -6 penalty to all Force Skills for 1 month
Anywhere in same Star System -8 penalty to all Force Skills for 1 Year
Anywhere in same Sector -10 penalty to all Force Skills for 1d4 years.
Anywhere in the Galaxy -20 penalty to all Force Skills for 1d6 years.
(To explain how Palpatine could use the skill from Endor to return to a clone body at Byss, well outside the normal range of the skill, and accounting for the 6 years he was incapacitated for by doing this)
Greater Force Stealth
Prerequisites: Control, Force Stealth 8+ Ranks,
XP Cost: 200
Effect: The duration of your Force Stealth checks lasts for 24 hours instead of 10 minutes.
(To explain how Palpatine was able to shield his strength in the Force from the Jedi for all those years.)
Greater Drain Knowledge
Prerequisites: Sense, Drain Knowledge 8+ Ranks, 6+ Dark Side Points
XP Cost: 500
Effect: When you succeed at a Drain Knowledge check on a subject, If you spend one Force Point you may also choose one intelligence-based skill (excluding Force Skills). The character loses all ability to make checks with that skill. They do not lose the ranks in the skill, but the knowledge is damaged and sealed away from their mind. The damage is permanent, and can only be healed by extreme means, such as the Luminous Being ability of the Jedi Healer class or a Force Technique (including Sith Healing). Any new ranks learned after this point restore the ability to make checks with that skill, however, they do suffer a permanent penalty equal to the number of ranks drained until the damage is healed.
(This is what the Exar Kun possessed Kyp Durron did to Qui Xux in the Jedi Academy series to permanently mindwipe her of the skills she used to design the Death Star)
Create Force Storms
Prerequisite: Int 17+, Force Lightning 8+ Ranks, 12+ Dark Side Points, Force Level 13+
XP Cost: 1,000
Effect: Instead of bolts of lightning, you can create huge storms of dark side energy. Your storm may take up one 500 meter square (a normal starship combat square, but it covers the same area of effect on a character scale if necessary) per two Force levels, the squares must be contiguous and must begin within 500 meters of you. This storm does 3d8 points of damage to everyone and everything in it’s area of effect (occupants of vehicles, structures and starships granting full cover do not take this damage as long as their cover is intact), however the storm smashes large constructs and structures in the area of effect, and thus ignores the hardness of vehicles, starships and fortifications.
This costs 12 Vitality points per round, and maintaining the Force Storms requires an attack action each round. If you suffer damage while using this ability, you must make a Constitution check (DC 20) to retain control of the Storms. If you are subject to the Force Light skill, you automatically lose control of the Storms. If you lose control of the Storms, they continue without further action from you and you cannot terminate the storm willingly, the Storms will continue until you run out of vitality or die, however you also take full damage from your storm each round
(Palpatine’s huge fleet-smashing storms from Dark Empire)
Sith Healing
Prerequisite: Sith Sorcery, Control, Sense, Force Level 13+, 12+ Dark Side Points
XP Cost: 1,000
Effect: You may attempt to call upon the Dark Side to heal all your wounds, no matter how terrible. While it may seem counterintuitive, the deepest levels of Sith secrets imply that this is possible, although very few have ever been able to accomplish it. After 10 rounds of concentration and meditation (taking no actions nor damage), you may spend 100 vitality points and make a Heal Self check (including the -8 penalty for being Dark Side) against a DC of 40 (-1 per Dark Side Point you have). If successful, you heal all wound damage you have suffered, all ability drain (specifically excluding that caused by gaining levels as a Dark Side character), are purged of any curses, diseases or poisons, and you regenerate atrophied or mauled organs. This will not regenerate severed limbs, but will generally heal any physical ailment where at least remnants of the injured body part remain.
(Based on the scene in Shadows of the Empire where Darth Vader tries to use an ancient Sith technique to heal his body so that he won’t need his suit, but he finds he isn’t corrupt enough in the Dark Side to use it successfully)
I don't have them written up, but I'm tempted to say Create Thought Bomb (ala Ruusan) would also be a Force Technique.
Force Techniques
Force Techniques are special uses of Force skills or special Force abilities that step outside normal limits of Force skills and feats. Characters do not gain them normally, they must be discovered or taught in game play, and only enter the game with the express permission of the GM. They represent highest levels of Force learning, ancient lore, and legendary power in the Force, and even many Jedi Masters and Sith Lords do not gain these techniques. Even knowing of the existence of Force Techniques is rare, and knowing of specific techniques can require very high Knowledge (Jedi Lore) or (Sith Lore) checks.
Learning a Force Technique: To learn a Force technique it must normally be taught by someone who already knows it. It is learned over a time of 1 week per 100 XP spent on the technique (see below), at the end of that time the character learns the technique and should note it on their character sheet. A character can only gain new Force techniques without the help of a teacher with GM permission, and these should be very rare events resulting from long research and great insight into the Force. No game mechanic exists to determine the success of these attempts at research, as a Technique never enters the game if the GM does not explicitly permit it. The will of the Force is inscrutable at times.
XP Cost: Force Techniques do not cost Skill points or feats, and are not gained as normal class abilities. Instead, when the ability is discovered or taught, the character must pay a cost in Experience Points to learn the technique.
Imbue with Force Sensitivity
Prerequisites: Sith Sorcery, Alchemy 8+ Ranks, Force Sensitive, Force Level 3rd+, 6+ Dark Side Points
XP Cost: 1,000
Effect: You gain a new alteration you can inflict with the Alchemy skill. With a DC 25 check you can grant the subject the ability to take the Force Sensitive feat at any point thereafter, and the subject gains 1 Dark Side Point.
(In my campaign, the Force Sensitive feat can only be taken at 1st level, since it is an inborn talent, but it appears that the Emperor could imbue Force Sensitivity upon others, and Jedi Knight II implies that the Shadow Troopers had been through a similar process)
Force Spirit
Prerequisites: Force Level 13+, Charisma 13+, At least 2 Force Points.
XP Cost: 700
Effect: You know how to become a Force Spirit upon death. By spending a Full Round Action in meditation and one Force Point, preparing to become one with the Force, you are ready to become a Force Spirit. If at any time in the next 5 minutes you die (by any means), you may choose to have your body fade away or remain, you also automatically become a Force Spirit.
(This replaces the rules from the Hero’s Guide for becoming a Force Spirit, reflecting RotS, otherwise using the same rules once they become one.)
Greater Transfer Essence
Prerequisties: Sith Sorcery, Sith Sorcery, Transfer Essence 8+ Ranks, Force Sensitive, Force Level 3rd+, 6+ Dark Side Points
XP Cost: 600
Effect: You can use the Transfer Essence skill at a range beyond the normal 10 meters, however you must know the exact location of your target, and the further the distance to your target, the greater the penalties you will suffer once you arrive, as your ability in the Force is severely strained from the ordeal of traveling so far.
Range: Penalties:
11-100 m -2 penalty to all Force Skills for 1 day.
100 m - 1 km -4 penalty to all Force Skills for 1 week
1 km – 10,000 km -6 penalty to all Force Skills for 1 month
Anywhere in same Star System -8 penalty to all Force Skills for 1 Year
Anywhere in same Sector -10 penalty to all Force Skills for 1d4 years.
Anywhere in the Galaxy -20 penalty to all Force Skills for 1d6 years.
(To explain how Palpatine could use the skill from Endor to return to a clone body at Byss, well outside the normal range of the skill, and accounting for the 6 years he was incapacitated for by doing this)
Greater Force Stealth
Prerequisites: Control, Force Stealth 8+ Ranks,
XP Cost: 200
Effect: The duration of your Force Stealth checks lasts for 24 hours instead of 10 minutes.
(To explain how Palpatine was able to shield his strength in the Force from the Jedi for all those years.)
Greater Drain Knowledge
Prerequisites: Sense, Drain Knowledge 8+ Ranks, 6+ Dark Side Points
XP Cost: 500
Effect: When you succeed at a Drain Knowledge check on a subject, If you spend one Force Point you may also choose one intelligence-based skill (excluding Force Skills). The character loses all ability to make checks with that skill. They do not lose the ranks in the skill, but the knowledge is damaged and sealed away from their mind. The damage is permanent, and can only be healed by extreme means, such as the Luminous Being ability of the Jedi Healer class or a Force Technique (including Sith Healing). Any new ranks learned after this point restore the ability to make checks with that skill, however, they do suffer a permanent penalty equal to the number of ranks drained until the damage is healed.
(This is what the Exar Kun possessed Kyp Durron did to Qui Xux in the Jedi Academy series to permanently mindwipe her of the skills she used to design the Death Star)
Create Force Storms
Prerequisite: Int 17+, Force Lightning 8+ Ranks, 12+ Dark Side Points, Force Level 13+
XP Cost: 1,000
Effect: Instead of bolts of lightning, you can create huge storms of dark side energy. Your storm may take up one 500 meter square (a normal starship combat square, but it covers the same area of effect on a character scale if necessary) per two Force levels, the squares must be contiguous and must begin within 500 meters of you. This storm does 3d8 points of damage to everyone and everything in it’s area of effect (occupants of vehicles, structures and starships granting full cover do not take this damage as long as their cover is intact), however the storm smashes large constructs and structures in the area of effect, and thus ignores the hardness of vehicles, starships and fortifications.
This costs 12 Vitality points per round, and maintaining the Force Storms requires an attack action each round. If you suffer damage while using this ability, you must make a Constitution check (DC 20) to retain control of the Storms. If you are subject to the Force Light skill, you automatically lose control of the Storms. If you lose control of the Storms, they continue without further action from you and you cannot terminate the storm willingly, the Storms will continue until you run out of vitality or die, however you also take full damage from your storm each round
(Palpatine’s huge fleet-smashing storms from Dark Empire)
Sith Healing
Prerequisite: Sith Sorcery, Control, Sense, Force Level 13+, 12+ Dark Side Points
XP Cost: 1,000
Effect: You may attempt to call upon the Dark Side to heal all your wounds, no matter how terrible. While it may seem counterintuitive, the deepest levels of Sith secrets imply that this is possible, although very few have ever been able to accomplish it. After 10 rounds of concentration and meditation (taking no actions nor damage), you may spend 100 vitality points and make a Heal Self check (including the -8 penalty for being Dark Side) against a DC of 40 (-1 per Dark Side Point you have). If successful, you heal all wound damage you have suffered, all ability drain (specifically excluding that caused by gaining levels as a Dark Side character), are purged of any curses, diseases or poisons, and you regenerate atrophied or mauled organs. This will not regenerate severed limbs, but will generally heal any physical ailment where at least remnants of the injured body part remain.
(Based on the scene in Shadows of the Empire where Darth Vader tries to use an ancient Sith technique to heal his body so that he won’t need his suit, but he finds he isn’t corrupt enough in the Dark Side to use it successfully)
I don't have them written up, but I'm tempted to say Create Thought Bomb (ala Ruusan) would also be a Force Technique.
