Starwars D20 Variations/House Rules?

[AmorphousBlob]

After seeing Yoda and the Emperor's Move Object duel during which they threw senatorial podiums at each other, I altered the Move Object table to be based on size categories rather than just weight, and removed the restriction that using hurled objects as an attack was limited to Small and Medium-size objects.

Tiny or smaller: DC 5, Vitality 1; Damage 1
Small: DC 10; Vitality 1; Damage 1d3
Medium-size: DC 15; Vitallity: 2; Damage: 1d6
Large: DC 20; Vitality: 4; Damage: 2d6
Huge: DC 25; Vitality: 8; Damage: 4d6
Gargantuan: DC 30; Vitality: 16; Damage: 8d6
Colossal: DC 35; Vitality: 32; Damage: 16d6


As for the Force Jump ... I ignore the rule in the Hero's Guide. Since Move Object is just a move action, I ruled that you can just use it on yourself to "jump" great distances. I set the distance at 1 meter per point by which you exceed the DC, with a DC and Vitality cost set by your size category. Travel must be in a straight line. If you fail to travel the needed distance, you are allowed a DC 20 Reflex save to catch hold of any available projections to keep from falling (GM's call as to whether or not such projections are available).

Since its a move action, you can use it to jump up to a higher catwalk, or out of a carbonite freezing pit to safety, and still have an attack action or another move action left.

Note that my rule regarding Force Jumping negates the need for the Force Flight feat, but it is a quick and easy fix for replicating all the Jedi jumping and acrobatics we see even the "weakest" Jedi performing in the books and movies.

Normally, I don't like using variant rules for stuff as it typically complicates things in the game when someone forgets a new rule. But these are some very good ideas. I'm considering using them, but I don't have to worry too much for now since the campaign I'm starting is Rebellion era, and no one wants to play a Force Adept. The only one I'm worried about is someone who hasn't officially decided to play yet, and he's the kind of guy that likes to play weird things like, say, an Ewok Jedi.

 

[DnDChick]

I've been tinkering with Move Object lately. What do you think of this?

(Note: Some are my own tinkerings, but most are official from the RCR)

MOVE OBJECT (INT)
Use May Earn a Dark Side Point

Contesting for Control: Opposed Will saves (DC 10 + Force-user level).
Time: Attack action.

Dropping an Object on a Target: Object deals and takes normal falling damage (see pg 289) depending on how height from which it was dropped.
Use vs. Living Creatures Earns a Dark Side point.
Time: Attack action.
Vitality Cost: See table.

Fine Manipulation: Push buttons or pull levers.
Check DC: 10; For attended objects, target gets Will save equal to 5 + your Force-user level.
Time: Move action.
Vitality Cost: 1

Force Jump: Move self a distance equal to 1 meter per point you roll over the DC (DC determined by your size; see table). Travel must be in a straight line.
Time: Move action.
Vitality Cost: See table.

Force Open Locked Doors: DC equal to break DC of the door −5.
Time: Full-round action.
Vitality Cost: Same as if moving an object with the equivalent DC.

Hurl a Being or Object: Levitate a target rapidly with intent to do harm. Move the target in any direction a distance equal to 4 meters per point you roll over the DC (DC determined by target’s size, see table). Living beings allowed a Will save (DC10 + your Force-user level) to resist. Target deals and takes falling damage as if it had fallen the distance rolled (see pg 289). Make a ranged attack roll if hurling an object at a specific target.
Use vs. Living Creatures Earns a Dark Side point.
Time: Attack action.
Vitality Cost: See table.

Levitate a Being or Object: Levitate self or a target gently and with precision. Move the target in any direction a distance equal to 2 meters per point you roll over the DC (DC determined by target’s size, see table). Living beings allowed a Will save (DC10 + your Force-user level) to resist.
Time: Full-round action.
Vitality Cost: See table.

Move Multiple Beings or Objects: Cannot strike a single foe with multiple objects as part of the same action.
Check DC: That of the largest object by weight, +2 DC per additional object regardless of size.
Time: Full-round action.
Vitality Cost: That of the largest object by weight, +2 per additional object regardless of size.

Duration: Instantaneous. Can extend Move effects (but not Hurl effects) over multiple rounds by paying the Vitality cost each round.
Vitality Cost: Varies.


Object Size: DC; VP Cost
Tiny or smaller: DC 5; VP Cost 0
Small: DC 10; VP Cost 1
Medium-size: DC 15; VP Cost 2
Large: DC 20; VP Cost 4
Huge; DC 25; VP Cost 8
Gargantuan; DC 30; VP Cost 16
Colossal: DC 35; VP Cost 32


Example uses:

Contesting for Control: Yoda and the Emperor hurl senate podiums at each other and fight back and forth over one of them. Each has to make opposed Will saves and spend an attack action. When one gets control, he gets to Hurl an Object (see below).

Fine Manipulation: Vader works the carbonite freezing chamber controls. Hd has to make a DC 10 Move Object check as a move action and spend 1 VP.

Force Jump: Luke jumps out of the carbonite freezing pit. Ben Kenobi leaps up several meters to a catwalk. They each have to leap about 10 meters, so each has to use a move action, make a DC 25 Move Object check (DC 15 for Medium-size, 1 meter per point above 15) and spend 2 VP. They travel in a straight line 1 meter per point by which they exceed 15. Note that if either one wanted to *gently* levitate up, they could use Levitate Object (below) instead. The DC then would have only been 20 (DC 15 for Medium-size and 2 meters per point over 15). The VP cost would be the same, but it would be a full-round action. Since they were in the middle of desperate combats, each chose the Force Jump effect since, as a move action, that left them with another move action (which Ben used to chase after Maul and Qui-Gon) or an attack action (which Luke used to Hide).

Hurl a Being or Object: Count Dooku slams Ben Kenobi into the wall. Yoda slams the Emperors guards into a wall. Darth Maul uses a bit of debris to slam into a door panel to open the door. Yoda hurls a Senate podium at the Emperor. Ben and the guards get Will saves to resist, and take falling damage as if they had fallen the distance they were hurled. Being Thugs with no VP, the emperor's guards apparently failed their Fort saves and were knocked out by the impact (1d6 or so damage). Yoda has to make an attack roll to hit the Emperor with a podium. Yoda, Dooku, and Darth Maul each spent 1 attack action to hurl the item of their choice. (Yes ... according to my interpretation of the rules given for the game, Yoda picked up several DSPs during his fight with the Emperor. You can disagree if you like. )

Move a Being or Object: Yoda gets Luke's X-Wing out of the swamp. Luke gets his lightsaber out of the snowback before the wampa eats his face. Luke and Yoda are able to move their respective objects 2 meters per point by which they exceed the DC.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

(doesn't it also have something on force spirits?)

Those are in the Hero's Guide, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were in PotJ, too.

 

[AmorphousBlob]

Those are in the Hero's Guide, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were in PotJ, too.

Light side spirits are in the PotJ Sourcebook. It doesn't have anything on Dark Side spirits, though.

 

[Chaldfont]

These are some great house rules!

I am pretty new to d20 Starwars. I've been playing a lot of Jedi Knight II and Jedi Academy and wanting to do some of the same things in d20 Starwars. Your house rules fit most uses of the Force Push from those games.

But I haven't seen any rules for throwing a lightsaber. Are they in a different book? Does anyone have a house rule for this?

 

[DnDChick]

Throwing a lightsaber is in the core rules book, IIRC. I don't know the exact page reference, but it's in there.

 

[AmorphousBlob]

Throwing a lightsaber is in the core rules book, IIRC. I don't know the exact page reference, but it's in there.

I don't think there are any rules for throwing lightsabers in the core book. I haven't seen it. I do know there isn't a range increment for lightsabers, though that shouldn't be that surprising.

 

[DnDChick]

Hmm ... maybe its in the Hero's Guide then. I know I've seen it somewhere. I will look it up when I get home from work tonight.

 

[wingsandsword]

There was a "Throw Lightsaber" feat in the Original Core Rules which just removed the nonproficiency penalty, I think they ditched it in the RCR and made the proficiency to throw it part of normal Lightsaber proficiency, I think for game balance reasons because spending a feat to be able to throw a lightsaber for one attack, and not get it back was pretty lame. (I'm posting from campus so I don't have my books, but I'm fairly certain about this.)

 

[Ranger REG]

It's in page 135 of the Hero's Guide. They treat it as an improvised throwing weapon with a -4 attack penalty and a range increment of 4 meters.

You could create a feat [tree] that would allow you to eliminate the penalty AND have the lightsaber return to you. It would require prereqs at least a Move Object of 4 ranks as well as proficiency with lightsaber.

And if you happen to be a fan of KOTOR (the CRPG that is based on d20 ruleset), you can allow an Improved feat that would strike up to three opponents before it return to you.