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I didn't want this to happen, but it is...

Some more recent playtesting at home has uncovered some gameplay issues with the current Star Wars rules, so it's being tweaked to a new .1 version. The main worries are:

1. People doing absolutely anything to claw back frames because frames are so darn valuable

2. People fighting in really gay ways to get around not having Total Cover

Frames are the big problem, in the Matrix also. In the Matrix combat is supposed to be really tactical so it is not so bad, but in Star Wars, people around here are getting a habit on concentrating more on hardcore system advantage in the way of frames than they are on, like, playing a STAR WARS game...

So, sorry, but a few things will change, which may mean having to tweak your characters but at LEAST we have not started play yet, and I am hopeful I can fulfil a guarantee that there will be no major changes once we start play.

You can expect the following to happen:

1. Total Cover will disappear. All Force users will have 360 degree Lightsabre protection

2. Block will change into a power like Mind of the Warrior. The dodging power of Mind of the Warrior, if it continues to exist, will move into block

3. There will be some new force powers for defensive use, and also one to give multiple attacks (the interrelation of force/blade tricks will continue in that vein- some blade tricks duplicate force powers on the idea that they are kind of force powers in of themselves)

S, apologies to anyone who took Total Cover, Mind of the Warrior or Block.

Most the system is static at this point; the main worry is that the fights might become dull if the conentration comes on finding small system advantages- as players like to do, of course!

Anyway, sorry about that, and I shall update the new rules ASAP.

Bah, Ush...You smashed Christof with one blow of your mighty Game God powers. I have to remake him now

My apologies

We are going to try and think of a new blade trick, else we might run into this problem where ALL Dark Siders take Block and Mind of the Warrior for the real hardcore combat advantage (with a sideline of ricochet and Carnival of Carnage, always a powerful trick, that last one). Problem is, there is only so much you can do with sabres and still keep them even vaguely balanced.

Light Siders, at least, can find more attractions in Bodyguard and Strike to Subdue.

At this point, the new power Force Guard is going in after Reflection, and Force Cleeve just went in... after Speed, I think. Or maybe Strike.

Ush got a little pissed off I see.
Thats OK, I'll just have to rework my char a little, no biggie.

Ahh feck...

I knew this would happen eventually, it always does with the Matrix RPG...

Well, Galder might need some new tricks. I don't remember what I gave him off the bat.

For Takuan and Nume, where the hell does Force Lightning come in?

I took Block, so I guess I may have to change something...oh well, I'll worry about it later.

Pfft, Lightning...

In theory it would be a Dark Side power that also required at least the entire Kinetic Tree.

doesn't seem like much that concerns me that thing about the frames was to be expected no?

It's a real problem with Jedi.

Annoyingly, of course, I used a ton of zero-frame dodges in that play example...

Ah, I didn't get what you were saying about the frames...

Now I do.

Damn, now I was hoping you didn't notice...

idd ush, that is a very valuable power indeed

Well, it's only a frame; same deal as, say, Strike gives you. But there are a lot of these around and Swordsmen types were starting to get a habit of moving twice as fast as everyone else by saving frames.

maybe making it more expensive, or giving it another draw back?

You can't make Blade Tricks more expensive, and there is no call giving them drawbacks either. It is also vital that any progression remains very simple.

okie looks like it's gonna be tough

Yeah

But what will basically happen is that just about anything that makes you faster (i.e. saves you frames) is going to be looked at and either be removed (for Blade Tricks) or increased in prince (for Force powers).

In Matrix, attacks that speed you aren't so bad as they are at the expense of a power that might make you hit harder. But in Star Wars, your lightsabres hit as hard as you will ever need, so speeding you up is far more lethal.

true, good thing you caught it


(I was wondering maybe just say you can use a saving power only like once or twice in a round (aka till all your frames are used up))

No- on no account are we going to introduce more things for players to remember...

Thank the Lord!

lol you think players are that dumb?

Yes!
*points to self*

Well, even if these guys were standard RP players- which they are not- the essence of this system is meant to be in its relative simplicity in handing grand scale fights, and it is very easy to over-regulate in that area. So we are trying to scale things back rather than layer more rules on.

sure sounds fine ush, I was just teasing ya

Is the dodge, full cover and other stuff just being removed, or replaced. Or both?
I mean if your replacing them what else can you do with a lightsaber that hasn't alreaady been listed. Is there something specific you have to replace them with or just any ol' skill or trick.

this is all basicly combat, everything you could want to do with a saber in combat is pretty much covered, if you outside of combat and you want to do somethign you gan just do it.
It might sound confusing but it makes more sence as you play more

Total Cover is just going, Block and Mind of the Warrior re-worked, and hopefully a new Trick introduced.

Ok, some changes:

1. There will never be an attack in Star Wars that takes less than two frames (by default- snapping can reduce it), or a dodge that takes less than one frame. Note that a two frame attack is valuable, so Guns might be tweaked as well.

2. Dark Siders are now going to have one less Force rating, and one higher force attack. Force defence will be the same for everyone. There will be no generic Dark Side discount. The Dark Side only force powers will increase in cost to reflect this. The Orphan MAY get the old Dark Side discount as one of his talent options (this was actually how the Orphan originally worked but it might be too powerful now)

3. Several Dark Side powers are being changed- Strength from Fear will now be about becoming scary, rather than drawing power from adversity, for example.

4. Blade Tricks- Mind of the Warrior, Total Cover, Friend of the Force and Block are all going. Mind of the Warrior will return in name only; at least one new Blade Trick is being created. Half the Blade Tricks will now have the sole function of helping you use Force powers in battle- they will be called 'complimentary' Blade Tricks. Because they tie into force powers, Type C templates may now require more force powers, which will cause some tricky rebalancing, so expect to see some of your force power numbers change in-game

5. Carnival of Carnage now gives you Killing Power for the first two levels, and reduces frame cost afterwards. Note this does mean a small exception to what I said above, as four levels in Carnival of Carnage will give you one frame attacks- but still only against mooks. Killing Power now does extra damage to supermooks.

6. New Force powers- Reflexes returns, but only giving one extra point of initiative and is rather expensive. Dodge and Guard will help you stay safe. Combination and Cleave will help you kill things.

With any luck, after a little playtesting makes sure these things are balanced, this will be IT for new SW rules, at least for a while (though we may still sneak in new Force powers over time).

And immediately scratch number 2! A force rating is not worth a force atack. Light/Dark side equivalents will now have the same force ratings. This makes the difference between them very small- but that is not a problem, there are only meant to be 5 template types anyway, with Knight/Renegade/Dark/Marauder only making small changes to that.

sounds good ush