Basically, because you can set your stats as in Matrix, most aliens can use the standard templates- a Zabrak or Twi'lek is, when you come down to it, much the same as a Human.
The Exotic Alien rules introduce extra templates for those species that are CONSIDERABLY different from a Human- Yoda's species, Wookies, Dugs, Geonosians, Chion...
The templates lose out a bit in some areas but get special Alien powers, which basically define in what way the character is Alien (e.g. smarter, stronger, faster, naturally armoured, force sensitive, immune to mind tricks etc.)
So I wanted to gauge if that was a level of complexity worth including.
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"We've got maybe seconds before Darth Rosenberg grinds everybody into Jawa burgers and not one of you buds has the midi-chlorians to stop her!"
Ok, here is a basic appraisal of how the system works. Incidentally, if you do not know the Matrix rules, do not worry, I will post full rules in here also. Also note I tend to use 'Jedi' as a collective term for any character that can use the Force.
The basics are as Matrix. Your most important skills are your combat skills- they set your ease of hitting others, and how hard it is to hit you. You can take 25 damage before being wounded, 30 before being double wounded, and 35 before you start making death checks and are at risk of dying.
The game uses the same Round (and turn) and exertion/frame system as the Matrix game. Each move costs exertion/frames, which dictates how long it takes you to do things.
The principle remains the same. You are considerably more dangerous than most enemies you meet. Most enemies you meet are called 'mooks' Mooks are the endless ranks of stormtroopers, bounty hunters, gang members and battle droids you meet. You cut them down in very large numbers. More dangerous are so called 'named' characters (so called because anyone who is ever dangerous at all in action films has a name. The five hundred or so mooks who die... no-one cares who THEY are...). A named character would obviously be a powerful Dark Sider like Kuylen, but also the very rare normal people who are just EXTREMELY good- like Balek in my game, Jango, Boba, Han and Lando from the films. These people are considered to be one amongst billions or more, to be so talented as to be ratable in comparison to a Jedi. Most Bounty Hunters are just standard mooks.
An addition to that principle is Jedi/Dark Siders. All you force using guys ALWAYS have an edge over everyone else- named or otherwise. An equivalently experienced Jedi is always more dangerous than an equivalently experienced Named Bounty Hunter. Jango Fett was considered to be the finest bounty hunter in the Galaxy. This won him a retreating draw against Obi-Wan, but against possibly the finest Jedi swordsman- Windu- he was useless. In general, then, you all play VERY powerful people- more powerful than your Matrix characters. This has to have common sense applied though- a non-combat Jedi template, like an Acolyte, is still going to be taken down by a combat-focussed non-Jedi, like a Bounty Hunter.
The stats are different from Matrix. You have two main sections- physical and mental. The Physical attributes are Strength, Agiity, Dexterity and Speed. The first three, as well as being useful in their own right, are vital components of lightsabre duelling. Speed sets how much you can do at one time, just as in Matrix. The Mental Attributes are Perception, Intelligence, Willpower and Charisma. A lot of your work will involve using the mental skills- Jedi need to do their day to day jobs and Dark Siders cannot kill everything they meet. Force-based characters also have a Force stat. Non-Force characters are considered to have a loose tie to the Force instead, and get a Fortune rating, like in the Matrix. Jedi never get Fortune- they control their own destinies with their command of the Force instead.
There are several combat skills:
Lightsabre (obviously)
Combat (any close combat fighting that is not with a sabre)
Guns
Heavy Weapons
You also get powers/tricks, just as in Matrix but not as in-depth. The various tricks available are:
Force Powers (obviously). They are split into several 'trees'- Kinetic (derived from Push/Pull), Speed, Jump, Cosmic, Living, Light Side and Dark Side. Note that my brother and I do not believe in distinct Dark Side/Light Side powers as such- anyone can use Grip, for example. The LS/DS powers are powers that the other side simply WILL not, not CAN not use. For example, many of the Dark Sie 'only' powers involve unleashing your emotions. A Jedi can do that if he wants but he has decades of training telling him not to.
Blade Tricks: Gun Tricks from the Matrix game, but for the lightsabre. It is in this area that Swordsmen/Freelancers/Blackguards/Corsairs tend to clear up
Combat Tricks: Marital arts moves- but ten times more simple than the Matrix.
Gun Tricks: As in the Matrix game, fancy moves with your guns.
Master Tricks: Special powers reserved for Masters
Alien Powers: The exotic aliens get special powers of their own
Devices: The only non-Jedi one there is, these are the cool bits of technology that Bounty Hunters like to use.
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All of which may make this seem more complex than the Matrix... but trust me, it is not. Becausre the Mateix has only three templates, and then you must spend a while working out your download set-up. Star Wars is much simpler. As you know, it has closer to 20 templates, which have done most of the work for you. Creating an SW character is this simple:
1. Pick a template
2. Add your stats and skills
3. Pick your powers and Tricks
Done. It should take about ten minutes all told.
There, that was just an overview for you...
__________________
"We've got maybe seconds before Darth Rosenberg grinds everybody into Jawa burgers and not one of you buds has the midi-chlorians to stop her!"
"You've never had any TINY bit of sex, have you?"
BtVS
Last edited by Ushgarak on Feb 24th, 2004 at 08:45 PM
Yup go for it Ush. If it doesnt work it'll not spoil anything to step back to the old system.
Maybe you should do a poll to get a nice clear picture of nay and yay!
Incidentally, some news for the Dark Side players. My brother is writing a special story JUST for you on-line guys, that was never played here at home. This is being done as the Dark Side players here have been on a long leave of absence and as it pans out are not re-joining until the rough equivalent of episode VII (though as I say, the episode numbering will be reset, or cease). As the Dark Siders here on-line are more continuous, Brith is writing a Dark Side 'Episode VI' to bridge the gap for you guys!
__________________
"We've got maybe seconds before Darth Rosenberg grinds everybody into Jawa burgers and not one of you buds has the midi-chlorians to stop her!"