USH'S STAR WARS GAME- Core Rules
These are the Core Rules for all my Star Wars Games, played in any era. Specific rules for each game will be appended.
Note these rules do not come into effect until the start of the first Episode of the Original Trilogy game.
These rules are designed to be as fun and fast as possible, whilst still keeping the game in a reasonably regulated environment. It only takes a little bit of experience to get into the swing of things and then you will be just fine!
THE BASIC ROLL SYSTEM
Note that whilst this uses a d20, it is NOT the d20 system as used in D&D and the licensed SW RP game!
All rolls in this game are made on a single d20- a die with 20 sides.
The objective of any roll is to beat the number 10. The important numbers are your skill (as given on your character sheet) and the difficulty of the task (as set by me depending on the circumstances).
When you make your d20 roll, you add your skill and subtract the difficulty. If the final number is ten or higher, you have succeeded!
The amount you pass a roll by is called the 'Outcome'. An Outcome can never be higher than five. So if you pass a roll by two, the Outcome is two. If you pass it by five, the Outcome is five. If you pass it by eight... the outcome is still five.
The better your Outcome, the more successful you have been!
If rolling in competition with another person, you do not need seperate rolls for each person. Instead, one person makes the roll, using the other person's skill as the difficulty.
Examples:
Jedi Knight Arin Luxor is attempting to pick the electronic lock on a door. His Fix-It skill is 12. The Gamesmaster decides the difficulty on the lock is a ten. When Arin makes his roll, he will add 12 and subtract ten. As always, he looks for a final result of ten or higher. He rolls a 15, adding 12 and subtracting ten gives him a 17. He has passed. The Outcome cannot be higher than 5, so he has passed as well as it is possible to pass the roll.
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Dark Sider Lorlorn is attempting to sneak past a Bureau official. Lorlorn has an Intrusion skill of 13, the official an Observation of 8. Rather than both making rolls, Lorlorn (as the 'aggressor, as it were) makes an Intrusion roll on his skill, with a difficulty of 8- the skill of his 'opponent'. If he passes the sneaks past, if he fails, the official has spotted him. Lorlorn rolls a 9. Adding 13 and subtracting 8 gives a 14; Lorlon passed with an Outcome of 4. He's fine.
This basic roll system is used for nearly all rolls in the game!
Note that because the 'magic number' is a ten (rather than an eleven, which would give half the possible numbers), the mathematically-minded amongst you should be able to quickly work out that if skill and difficulty are even, you have a slightly better than even chance of success- hence, the game is slightly in favour of the 'aggressor' at all times.
COMBAT
As you can see, performing most tasks in this game is very simple. But Star Wars is an epic-scale presentation. From the Lightsabre duels to the Battle of Geonosis to the escape from the Death Star to the Assault on Hoth, the focus is always on the exciting combat scenes.
And so it is in this system; nearly all the rules are designed to handle combat. So, let's get a few basics out the way first.
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Frames
'Frames' are the movie-esque (though not literal!) term used in this game by which the timing in combats is broken up. All Combats start on Frame 0, and we count up frame by frame. Each frame represents approximately one second of action. Each action you take, takes a number of frames. The default amount of time for any basic action, like an attack, is three frames. Hence, if you were on frame 12 and took a standard attack, you would next act on frame 15.
Frames just keep counting up and up until the combat is over. However, some characters- and all Jedi- have 'pools' to use in Combat. All pools refresh every 12 frames.
At the very start of a combat, all participants start on a different frame. This depends on your 'Initiative', which is equal to your Speed, plus any modifiers. Your starting frame equals 10 - your Initiative.
So, a character with Speed six starts the combat on Frame 4. A character with a Speed of 8 starts the combat on Frame 2.
Combat rolls
Although some modifiers may come into effect, these work the same way as normal rolls. The attacker makes a skill roll, using his relevant attack skill, on the defender. The difficulty of the roll is equal to the defender's highest combat skill. Outcome is very important in a Combat roll, as it directly increases damage.
'Guns' is not as effective in defence up close as it is from range; if used to defend against a Melee attack, the difficulty of that attack is at -2 to normal.
Damage
Whenever you take a hit, you receive damage. Damage is equal to the damage rating of the weapon, plus the Outcome of the successful attack. If in Melee, the damage rating of the weapon is dependant on the Strength of the character wielding it, unless stated otherwise (e.g. with Lightsabres). Damage is then reduced by the recipient's 'Toughness' (which equals his/her Strength plus any modifiers).
In heroic games such as these, 'Damage' is a very abstract concept, and normally represents minor scratches, running out of breath, or even just burning up your luck. It does nothing but accumulate until it gets too high.
At 60 wounds, you are now actually hurt and become 'impaired'. Impairment gives you -1 to all your rolls. You get impaired again, for -2, at 65 wounds, and again for a total of -3 at 70 wounds.
Once you take 75 wounds, you are at danger of being taken out the combat. Each time you take a hit and end up with 75 or more wounds, you must make a Strength roll, with the difficulty equal to the amount your damage exceeds 75 by. If you fail the roll, you have been badly hurt and are out the fight. The more you fail the roll by, the more you are hurt- up to possible death.
Mooks
An important concept in this game, 'Mooks' are the endless legions of apparently useless soldiers- very distinct from 'named characters' like Boba Fett or Darth Maul. Mooks include Republican guards, pirates, and, of course, battle droids and stormtroopers- the ultimate mooks!
Mooks are all rubbish fighters and are only dangerous because they turn up in large numbers- with enough of them, they are bound to hit you eventually! Remember the style of this- the logic of mooks is cinematic, not realistic.
Mooks are also easy to kill. They don't take damage. Instead, all Mooks have five 'life points'. The Outcome of any attack against them subtracts from their life points until they are dead.
There are also entities called 'Supermooks', for things not quite as rubbish as a mook, but nowhere near distinctive enough to be a named character- like the Droidekas of the Prequel trilogy. As well as having higher skills than normal mooks, Supermooks take damage like normal characters, though sometimes they cannot take as much. Other than that, they are treated like mooks as far as the rules are concerned- anything that works on Mooks works on them.
Defending
The final basic combat mechanic is defence. All characters are 'passively' defending at all times- maintaining a low profile, trying to keep out the way of attacks etc. This is what makes the difficulty of attacks to hit you the same as your combat skill.
If you want to make a particular atack harder to hit you, you may take a 'defensive action', which costs a frame. The only basic defensive action available to characters is the 'Active Dodge', which increases the difficulty of a single attack against you by two.
Equipment or special powers may give you other forms of Defensive action.
Defensive Actions are unusual in that you can make them outside your own turn- this is known as a 'Called' action; certain powers may be 'Called' as well.
Examples:
On Ord Mandell, Han Solo is tracked down by a Bounty Hunter. Han is quicker than his foe and gets off the first attack in the subsequent fight.
The Hunter has a Guns skill of 14, which is the difficulty of Han's roll. He also dodges Han's attack, making the difficulty now 16.
Han has a skill of 15, and via some of his special skills has a +1 to his Gun rolls, hence he rolls with a 16, matching the difficulty. He rolls a 14. Good shot! A hit with an Outcome of 4.
His basic damage, with all special factors built in, is 15. Add for to that for the Outcome. The toughness of the Bounty Hunter is 7. The final number is 12. Well, that's a hit, but the Hunter isn't finished yet!
Earlier in his life, Solo was fighting Stormtroopers on the Death Star. These skill 6 yahoos aren't much cop against Han, whose effective skill when fighting Mooks is 19. Han rolls an 8, not his best roll, but addding 19 and taking away 6 still gives him a 21, a hit way past the highest possible Outcome of 5. With one easy shot, the Stormtrooper loses all his life points and is blown away.
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On-line play
Those are the basics. Literally, all actions should be applied one at a time, one player at a time, in sequence. However, that is hardly practical on-line. Instead, when on-line, you should leave in advance what you want to do- including if you want to defend- and then I will execute your instructions when it is your turn. Sadly, out of necessity to keep play going, if you cannot make it on-line to make a move, the game will have to proceed without you; if practical I will let you make up lost time later.
Complications
Same frame
If two characters are acting on the same frame, then players always act ahead of non-players- this is called 'Player Privilege'.
If both characters are players, the one with the highest speed goes first.
If the speeds are the same, I make a die roll to decide. However, Rebels always beat Imperials in such draws, in the OT game. (Light Siders do not beat Dark Siders!)
Fortune
Fortune represents a character's luck. In Star Wars, this normally represents a certain favour to you shown by the Force, though your character never realises it. The luck of the Rebels in the Original Trilogy game can be identified as the ascendancy of the Light Side in that period, so the Force favours them more.
Jedi control the Force and effectively make their own luck. They have a Force rating instead of a Fortune rating, which is covered in its own rules section.
Fortune has two purposes- first of all, it is your skill factor in 'Luck' checks, which can be made in all sorts of circumstances.
Secondly, you can spend Fortune to gain advantage. However, when a Fortune point is spent it will not return until the next Episode. Your lowered Fortune rating is also used for Luck rolls for that Episode!
A Fortune point can:
1. Automatically pass a death check
2. Remove yourself from a random factor- for example, if a rock is going to fall on a random one of five people, and the random factor says it is you, you can spend a Fortune point to make it NOT you. It still has to fall on someone, though...
3. General favourable circumstance- spend a fortune point to make a lucky discovery, or be able to pick the correct path out of three different ones that you othgerwise have no idea about
4. Use a Fortune point to roll twice on any roll and choose the higher roll as your result
5. Spend a Fortune point to add +4 to your Defence against a single attack.
If two players on different sides use Fortune on the same circumstance- like for them both to prevent a rock falling on them- a Rebel always wins over an Imperial or Bounty Hunter. If no Rebel is involved, I decide randomly whose Fortune is the geeater.
Guns
Several rules about guns here.
Guns cannot be fired at multiple target without a Trick like Both Gins Blazing.
Some guns can 'Pin'- some Tricks allow you to pin as well. A Pinning attack can slow a foe down, or ward him away.
If an Outcome on a Pinning attack is greater than two, or if the target mounts any form of Defensive Action againt it, the firer can elect to Pin. This normally means no damage is done even if it hit (though some extreme weapons can hurt AND pin), but a Pinned target can neither move towards you, nor attack you.
You can Pin on behalf of a friend (known as 'Covering Fire), which stops someone approaching or targetting someone else- however, this only works if the person you are protecting is not firing back; Covering Fire is designed to help friends move, not prevent them being sturck back at in a fight.
Some Guns can 'burst fire', like the Stormtrooper rifle. This is of little use to players, but it allwos inaccurate foes more chance to hit. Guns on Burst Fire get +2 to hit, but only to a maximum rating of 10. Fine for Battle droids, no good for players whoi have skills of beyond 10 anyway (which is why players normally carry pistols instead- no need for the burst fire bonus of a rifle).
Heavy Weapons attacks damage every in the general cvicinity of a hit. A Heavy Weapons attack that misses by less than four still does half damage to its targets. A Heavy Weapons attack cannot be actively dodged. It can be 'dived away form', however, which reduces the damage of a direct hit by half, or negates all damage from a near miss. Diving costs two frames (one to dive, one to get up).
Heavy Weapons often have Recoil- Recoil costs you an extra frame every time you use the weapon.
Some guns- normally Light ones- can Double Shot. This means they can fire on the same target twice in a single attack, but the difficulty of those attack rolls is raised by two.
WEAPONS
Here is the reference as to damage done by weapons in the Star Wars game.
Note that there are limits to how much equipment you can carry. Unlike Matrix, this is not related to any semblance of realism, simply style. You may carry:
A. One Melee weapon. For a Jedi, this is always a Lightsabre! This could also be two lightsabres if you use two, or a double-ended one if you use that, but it always conceptually counts as a single weapon- so if you drop 'it' when using two, you drop both. You don't get spares unles the plot gives you one.
B. One rifle, or up to two pistols
C. Any Devices you carry
Larger weapons are more difficult to hide.
Note that there is no need to keep track of ammunition in Star Wars. Also note that the gun ethic in SW is very much encouraging you to use pistols, as the heroes/villains on film do.
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Assault Rifle- damage 11; Burst Fire
Assault rifles are the standard firearm type of the massed forces in the galaxy- including Stormtroopers and Battle Droids. Assault rifles are mass production models, and like many mass-produced types in the galaxy are of lower quality than heroes would like.
Assault rifles are designed to fire rapidly, and this they do well, but at the expense of power and accuracy. Battle Droids use the standard carbine model, but Clone Troopers are issued with a much longer full-rifle version, which increases the reange but is far more bulky. By the time of the Original Films, stormtroopers are using droid-like carbines again.
Assault rifles are only worth firing in burst mode. Their damage in this mode is 11. When fired in this mode, the multiple shots give you +2 your gun skill... but only up to a maximum of ten. If your gun skill is ten or more, you get no accuracy bonus- the gun is just too damn inaccurate for precision shooting! However, this bonus does make mooks more dangerous, especially in large numbers.
Blaster Pistol- damage 10, Double Fire
From the elegeant Naboo sidearms to Jango Fett's slim silvery pistols, in the Prequel era the ethic is very much towards light pistols. These pistols can be fired very rapidly but lack stopping power, in the vague terms of how 'damage' works in this system. Gun Tricks like Gunslinger or Both Guns Blazing can work very well with these, as Jango liked.
Heavy Pistol- damage 13*
By the time of the Original films, sleek is out and chunky is in, and people like Han Solo carried serious firearms. These guns take the standard three frames to fire but are the equivalent of modern day Magnums- a lot of stopping power! There is nothing to stop you taking Heavy guns in the Prequel era.
It's a tough call as to what is better out of Light or Heavy pistols
Heavy Assault Rifle- damage 13*
This is simply a Rifle with the power unit of a heavy pistol. Because it requires two hands to fire and is more bulky, most prefer the pistol variant- but the rifle does have a longer range and might find more use amongst mooks.
Bowcaster- damage 14*, one frame reloading, reduces range penalty
This two handed weapon, favoured by Wookies, is more likely to be used as a larger weapon by players than a rifle. Although it cannot be reasonably fired one handed, it is well known for its accuracy and power.
Nearly all weapon types can fit into these categories. A sonic blaster, for example, is a Heavy Pistol, that Lightsabre gets -2 as a dodge against, but with much shorter range.
Sniper Rifles- damage 13*, reduces range penalty, cannot be used at Melle rangfe
Certainly the realm of the specialist in Star Wars, guns like the Tenloss Disruptor Rifle are very efficient indeed at range, but far too awkward to use up close to your foe.
Heavy Weapons- damage 24**, Recoil, Heavy
From Rocket Launchers to Concussion Rifles, heavy gear likes this acts in mostly the same way; it hits hard but is slow to use.
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Melee Weapons
Unarmed attack- Strength +1 damage
Cudgel/knife- Strangth +2 damage
Sword/Vibroknife- Strength +3 damage
Vibrosword/vibroaxe- Strength +4* damage.
Note that using such weapons against Lightsabres is very unsafe.
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Lightsabres
Obviously, these weapons are pretty damn devastating, and that you have one is one of your main advantages. Because these are designed against people using ranged weapons, they HAVE to be amazing!
Damage: 30**. Ignores all armour.
Note that the damage of 20, unlike other melee weapons, is NOT increased by strength- Lightsabres have an amazing base damage regardless of the strength of the wielder, as they cut through without effort. The Killing Power of +2 makes it almost laughably easy to kill mooks, and Lightsabres are in hysterics against armoured opponents.
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Neurowhips
The signature weapon of the Osokan Hunting Guilds is of a technological sophistication similar to a Lightsabre, and is likewise constructed individually by each Hunter. The Neurowhip's purpose is to disable rather than to kill, with another weapon sued to kill once the target is rendered incapable. The energy strands of a Neurowhip hit opponents easily and soon disrupt their brain and nervous system to the point of permanent paralysis.
Damage: 18**. Causes Neurodamage
Note that like Lightsabres, Neurowhips are Energy weapons, and so do damage based on a fixed number, not the wielder's Strength. Also, energy weapons can fight Lightsabres in close combat without risk.
The ** is very high for a weapon of damage 18; this is to represent the whip's disabling properties against Mooks (who do not take neurodamage)
Neurodamage
Neurodamage is counted like normal damage. Unlike normal damage, however, hits from Neurodamage wepaons are all ACTUAL hits, not just glancing blows or near misses or diminishing luck. Neurodamage cuases little physical harm but is extremely painful and quickly disrupts a person's biorhythmns.
The proportion of your total damage that is Neurodamage is counted seperately. Every twenty points of neurodamage gives you one point of impairment. Also, as it is causing damage in general, you still suffer standard impairment at the normal times. Neurodamage tops out at 70, at which point the subject will be at -5 impairment and effectively paralyzed. Neurowhips do no more damage at this point and another weapon mut be used. If, due to damage from other sources, a hit from a neurowhip makes you require a death check, the difficulty of that check is halved.
Armour is very effective against Neurowhips, which need to make near contact with the body. Artificial armour counts its value doubled against Neurowhips. However, natural armour- given by Alien Tricks or Creature powers- only gets its standard allocation; Neurowhips were designed to hunt such creatures, after all.
And what do you know, we might just need Neurodamage in the new Campaign also!
Armour
A factor much more relevant in OT times than the Prequel era (Jango is an exception but his was a Device), some people choose to wear armour. Armour has an 'Armour factor'. This factor reduces all incoming damage by that amount, but also reduces your Speed and Agility by half that amount (the Agility loss also reduces relevant skills by that much, and that includes Lightsabre, which is why Jedi don't wear armour). Half the armour factor is also added on to the difficulty to hit a Mook, if the Mooks are wearing armour (like, obviously enough, Stormtroopers). This is because Mooks don't take damage, so armour just makes them harder to hit.
As a guide, an armoured jacket has a rating of two, whilst a full body suit has a rating of four.
TRICKS
Choose Tricks to your character from these.
Gun Tricks
In various ways, these give you fancy trick with firearms. They an be taken more than once, to get better at them. Each has four levels.
BIG GUNS
The tricks for the psycho in all of us, 'Big Guns' makes you more proficient with Heavy Weapons
At Level 1, your Strength is increased by one for the purposes of handling Heavy Weapons
At Level 2, you can ignore Recoil
At Level 3, you score a near miss if you miss by less than seven
At Level 4, the acrobatic roll needed to dive clear of your Heavy Weapon shots is at +2 difficulty.
BOTH GUNS BLAZING
Jango Fett made this classic Feng Shui power legal in Star Wars! Simply, this allows you to handle two pistols at once. Either use it to attack two different targets- at -2 to each on each shot- or to concentrate fire on one target, for a single attack that does more damage.
At Level 1, you have a -2 penalty to all BGB attacks.
At Level 2, the penalty is only -1
At Level 3, there is no penalty
At Level 4, there is no extra penalty for firing at different targets either!
CARNIVAL OF CARNAGE
An old favourite! CofC makes you damn good at dropping Mooks.
At Level 1, you roll two dice when targetting a Mook; if you score two hits you can hit another nearby mook as well.
At Level 2, you roll three dice this way
At Level 3, all your ranged attacks gain a * rating
At Level 4, all your ranged attacks gain a ** rating
EAGLE EYE
Those with Eagle Eye are adept at hitting precise targets. As well as giving you some advantages against Monsters, each level in Eagle Eye allows you to ignore a point of armour and/or two points of range penalty and cover.
FLURRY FIRE
Flurry Firers love to blast off volleys of fire with virtually no aiming at all- if you have the instinct, you can be darn dangerous that way.
If you hit a target using Flurry Fire, you may attack him again. If that hits, you may attack him again, and so forth, to a maximum of four extra attacks. However, the extra attacks are less accurate- your level determines how hard the extra attacks are.
Level 1: In order of extra attack, the penalties are : -2, -4. -6. -8
Level 2: -1, -3, -5, -7
Level 3: 0, -2, -4, 6
Level 4: 0, -1, -3, -5
Flurry Fire cannot be used with weapons that need reloading or have Recoil (even if you can ignore Recoil).
All Flurry Fire attacks can Pin.
GUNSLINGER
Gunslinger represents a Wild West attitude to gun combat- low slung holsters for quick draw and damn accurate pistol combat, in which respect it is the opposite of Big Guns.
You must nominate a particular make of pistol with Gunslinger that is your favoured shot- e.g. a Naboo Light Blaster. Gunslinger will only work with those models of pistol.
At Level 1, you may draw your pistol at no frame cost.
At Level 2, you get +1 to hit with the pistol.
At Level 3, the damage of the gun is increased by 2.
At Level 4, you now get +2 to hit with the pistol
COMBAT TRICKS
Unlike Gun Tricks, you do not buy these more than once- however, some need prerequisites, as in you need to buy some befoee you can buy others.
Some Combat Tricks are 'Predictable'. Each time you have already used a Predictable attack in a sequence, it gets -1 to hit the next time you use it. These penalites disappear at the start of each sequence.
Combat Tricks require 'Pool' to use. Your Combat Pool is equal to the number of Combat Tricks you have.
Path 1- Martial Arts
A trained style, the default unarmed style a Jedi learns
CHANNEL- Pool 1, Frames 3
Make an unarmed attack. That attack does Strength +3* damage
SURPRISE STRIKE- Pool 1, Frames 3- requires Channel
Make an unarmed attack. That attack gets +2 to hit.
FLYING KICK- Pool 2, Frames 3- Requires Surprise Attack
Make an unarmed attack. Flying Kick needs some room to perform. it does strength +5*** damage. Predictable.
THROW- Pool 1, Frames 1
Use when you are unarmed and a melee attack just missed you. Make an attack which, if successful, sends your opponent prone. The damage from this attack is not increased by Outcome.
HOLD- Pool 2, Frames 1- Requires Throw
As Throw, but Grapples your opponent rather than proning them.
DISARM- Pool 3, Frames 1- Requires Hold
Use against any armed attack made against you at close range which missed, whilst you are unarmed. Make an attack back; if you hit your opponent drops his weapon. If you succeeded by two or more, you can instead take the weapon yourself. This is at no penalty aginst guns, +2 difficulty against a melee weapon, and +5 difficulty against a lightsabre.
Path 2- Street Fighting
A vicious style learned out in the Galaxy, the hard way.
HARD STRIKE- Pool 1, Frames 3
Make an unarmed attack. That attack does Strength +3* damage.
HEAD BUTT- Pool 1, Frames 1- requires Hard Strike
Use when a close combat attack just missed you. Immediately attack back. This attack does Strength +4** damage. Predictable.
NERVE ATTACK- Pool 3, Frames 3- requires Head Butt
Make an unarmed attack. That attack does Strength +5** damage. It may not work on non-humanoids, droids, and some aliens.
TRIP- Pool 1, Frames 3
Make an unarmed attack- however, you may be carrying a melee weapon. If successful, the target takes your strength in damage, though not increased by Outcome, and is sent Prone.
KNEE DROP- Pool 1, Frames 3- requires Trip
Make an unarmed attack- however, you may be carrying a melee weapon. This attack must be on a Prone opponent. It gets +2 to hit, and does Strength +3* damage.
BEAR HUG- Pool 1, Frames 3- requires Knee Drop
Attempt to squeeze the life out of someone. Make an unarmed attack. If successful, you have Grappled your opponent. This will kill a mook in three frames. Againt named characters, it does nothing for three frames but then their damage increases (eithout reduction) by your strength for every three frames after that until they are either dead, freed or released.
Path 3- Melee Weapons
This path represents training in non-Lightsabre melee weaponry.
PARRY- Pool 1, Frames 1
This is a defensive action you may use whilst armed, against a close range attack. It increases your dodge by 3.
COUP DE GRACE- Pool 1, Frames 3
Make an armed attack against as prone opponent. It does +4 damage and adds ** also.
TWIN ATTACK- Pool 1, Frames 3
Make an armed attack against two nearby opponents without penalty.
QUICK ATTACK- Pool 1, Frames 2- requires Twin Attack
Make a fast armed attack. This may be snapped but not super-snapped.
CUT AND ROLL- Pool 2, Frames 3- requires Twin Attack and Parry
Make an armed attack. If your target attacks you before you act again, you may make an active dodge at zero frame cost.
STRIKE OF THE MASTER- Pool 2, Frames 3- requires 'Cut and Roll' and Quick Attack
Honed with years of practice, you may use this power AFTER an armed attack roll to add 3 to the final result. Predictable.
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TRAINING- No cost
Training does not do anything, as such, But taking Training increases your maximum combat pool by two points, rather than the one you get normally for a Combat Trick. Training may be taken multiple times.
PILOT TRICKS
These work like Gun Tricks. The maximum amount of times you can take them is given in brackets after the name.
DAREDEVIL (3)
Daredevils have a taste for insane stunts and flying through things. It helps a whole lot in chases, and some general situations.
Level 1: Add one to all your 'Shake'em!' rolls
Level 2: Add two to all your 'Shake'em!' rolls
Level 3: You may re-roll a failed 'Shake'em' roll once per chase.
DEADSHOT (3)
You have an unnerving accuracy with torpedoes and other heavy ship weaponry.
Level 1: Add one to your attack roll during a Bomb Run
Level 2: Add two to your attack roll during a Bomb Run
Level 3: Increase the payload of any starship heavy attack by two
KILLER INSTINCT (3)
'Carnvial of Carnage' for the starship world, Killer Instinct lets you easily pick off the casual fliers.
Add your Killer Instinct level to any Hunt roll against mook fliers.
SPEED KING (3)
Some people just have an insane love of speed- and the skill to do it safely.
Level 1: Add one to all your 'Floor it!' rolls
Level 2: Add two to all your 'Floor it!' rolls.
Level 3: Add one to your Pep in all Chases.
TACTICAL AWARENESS (3)
Some have a great instinct for reaction with battle. Tactical Awareness allows you to make an 'emergency switch' of your declared action in a starfight to a Dogfight once all actions are declared- presumably, you would do this because you have come under attack yourself.
Level 1: You can use TA in a Duel
Level 2: You can use TA in a Hunt
Level 3: You can use TA in a Bomb Run
FAVOURITE SEAT (1)
This means you have a particular ship (not type of ship, a specific ship) that is your personal pride and joy (normally one you own via the Starship Merit). You get +1 to all Pilot rolls in that ship.
If the ship is lost, you may 're-buy' this Merit for 3 xp with a new ship, as you settle into a new favourite seat.
SOFT LANDINGS (1)
Much as you will want to avoid it, everyone goes down sooner or later. Walking away from a crash is the tricky part. If you have Soft Landings, you may make a Pilot roll for you and your passangers to take no damage from a crash- and possibly save the ship.
WHEEL TO WHEEL (1)
Regardless if wheels are involved or not, possessing this gives you +2 to all ram rolls
Alien Powers
These represent your natural abiolities as an impressive alien species.
Note that as the only currently available Alien Template forces you to take Superior Physiology, the Mental powers are currently there for reference only.
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Alien Schticks
Physical
If you take a Physical class trick you may not take a Mental class trick.
Natural Weaponry
Each level in this trick gives you either +2 Hand Damage, 2 points of natural Armour, or one extra point of Hand Damage and one point of Armour. This schtick can be taken up to three times, euither for different choices or to take the same choice more than once, which stacks.
Poison
You have a poisonous bite or stinger. This does a basic damage of 10 plus two per level in this schtick and needs a Combat roll to hit. You can take this trick four times.
Regeneration
Your Wound Point total decreases by your level in this trick at the start of each sequence. This ability stops working when you fail a Death Check, and only starts to work again when your Wound Points are restored to 0. You can have a maximum of five levels in this trick.
Superior Physiology
You are physically more capable than any human. Increase a physical stat by one. The limit for the stat that you increase rises to 9. If the stat increased is Strength, Agility or Dexterity, your maximum allowed for those three combined at character creation increases by one also. This can only be taken once.
Warrior Society
You come from a culture that values martial prowess, and you have continued to practice the ancient ways of self defence taught on your world. You gain the skill Combat =13 and two Combat tricks or five Combat tricks.
Common
Alien Metabolism
Each time you buy this trick pick one of the following powers – Immune to poison and drugs (except for some very rare and exotic ones), Double Strength when making Drowning or Suffocation roles, add five to your Action Value when making Death Checks, “radar” sense means you cannot be blinded and get +2 to all difficulties to ambush you, immune to all Jedi powers that can be resisted with a Willpower roll. This can be taken three times.
Amphibious
You are amphibious, and are an expert swimmer. All swimming rolls get a bonus of two and you can breathe water as easily as air.
Heightened Senses
Your vision or hearing is much more sensitive than a human’s, which gives you a bonus on the relevant Observation roll. Alternatively, you can see things outside the normal human spectrum (such as heat) which may help you see in the dark or hear sounds that humans cannot hear. When you take Heightened Senses you must specify which power you are taking (though you can take Heightened Senses several times).
Tough Hide
You have thick hide or tougher epidermis than most. This gives you a natural armour rating of two. Tough Hide can only be taken once, and you cannot have more than six points of any armour from any combination of tricks.
Widely Experienced
Your species lives longer than most. Though still young by your race’s standards you have at least a decade more experience under your belt than others. You gain seven skill points to spend on any non-combat skills, and A Contact or Ally of your choice. Your starting maximum for all non-combat skills is increased by one (for most characters this makes your starting maximum 13).
Mental
If you take any Mental class tricks you may not take any Physical class tricks
Auspicious
Your race has a reputation for fore-telling the future, which leads to them being venerated on some worlds and shunned on others. You certainly seem to have an unfailing instinct for predicting what is to come. Increases premonition rolls by two.
Force Sensitive Physiology
Some races have a natural affinity with the Force. Increase your Force stat by one, and the maximum for your Force stat is also increased by one. The schtick may only be taken once.
Quick Learner
Your species can learn new skills and abilities very quickly. To represent this, all Skills on your template are increased by one (maximums and equalled Skills are not affected). Also when you learn a new skill using experience it starts at +2 rather than at +1 as standard
Superior Mental Process
Your brain is beyond that of a human’s. Each time you buy this trick chose one of the following powers- increase your maximum in the mental column to 9 (including at character creation), add one to all initiative rolls, gain the ability to casually perform complex maths in your head (giving a bonus on rolls such as navigation, security and hacking) or have eidetic memory. This trick may be taken twice.
DEVICES
Devices are high technology tools of extreme usefulness. They are very rare, and have a reputation for being used by the most famous Bounty Hunters, though they are not exlcusive to them.
Unlike other such things chosen at Character creation, Devices are not integral to yourself (unless you are Balek) and so can feasibly lost or de-activated by damage. However, you get them back at the stat of each Episode if lost.
Device limitations
Some Devices can be handheld, in which case they are treated as any weapon and can be temporarily lost and changing them takes three frames (as with any gun or melee weapon).
Alternatively they can be worn. A worn device cannot be lost or Force Pulled. Devices can be worn on the forearms, back, belt or legs. However, you can only have a certain number of Devices in certain areas. These are known as the Location Limits
Maximum Devices
Forearms 2
Back 1
Belt 3
Jet Pack
Quite straightforward, Jet Packs allows the wearer to fly, hover and race around the battlefield at high speed. All Jet Pack manoeuvres use Pilot as the basic skill. There is usually enough fuel in them for use in at least two fight sequences before fuel is a problem. They are quite vulnerable to damage. A hit on you could force a Fix-It roll to get the Jet Pack to work again. Jet Pack must be worn on the back.
Tangle Gun
Fires a steel bolas like device that wraps around the target and immobilises him, or at least slows him down. This uses the standard firearms to hit. Each success takes away a frame from the target. If the target is framed out he can lose no more frames. With five successes the target is entangled and cannot move. All Agility and Dexterity takes get a minus 10 penalty while entangled. An entangled victim cannot lose any more frames from being attacked by a Tangle Gun. The cord can be broken but is needs an Action Value of 20 from a Strength roll. Tangle Gun can be handheld or worn on the forearm.
Spike Gun
This fires five sharpened steel spikes at the target. The gun uses compressed air making it virtually silent. The bolts have a spread pattern that reduces the effectiveness of Defensive Actions by three. The higher the Outcome of the attack the more spikes hit home, and the higher the basic damage of the gun.
Outcome Base Damage
0, 1 5
2, 3 7
4, 5 9
6, 7 11
8, 9 13
The gun automatically reloads, but takes six frames to do so. The Spike Gun can be handheld or worn on the Forearm
Mini-shield
A portable force field generator worn on the non-weapon arm. When activated it increases your passive dodge by one, and increases your active dodge to plus five. It also gives the ability to reflect a single attack at the cost of one frame (use the same rules as Reflection) against energy weapons. Furthermore the user can enter melee combat against a lightsabre without suffering the usual penalties. You do not get the dodge bonuses when fighting someone with the Gun Schtick Eagle Eye but you can keep the Reflection ability. Mini-shield can only be worn, and is worn on the forearm.
Backpack Mortar
This portable piece of artillery has a damage rating of 24 and uses Heavy Weapons to hit. It can carry 16 shells, but these have to last you an entire story. Its sophisticated targeting system allows you to fire a mortar and have another action in the same frame but this is a –2 stunt. Obviously, this weapon cannot be used in confined spaces. The Backpack Mortar can be worn on the back.
Stim Packs
A stim pack is a potent cocktail of drugs to give you an edge in combat. When activated, it increases your Speed to 10 (for the purposes of Initiaitve and acting first on frame ties). It can be used three times per Epsidoe (more if you buy this more than once).
Hi-tech Armour
This gives you two points of armour each time you buy this device. Unlike normal armour this does not give any activity penalty but is still vulnerable to the Eagle Eye Guns Schtick. Hi-tech armour is worn but does not count towards any location limit. You can buy this Device up to three times, and the effecitveness of the armour increases by two each time. If you buy it for the third time the Armour will even provide two poitns of protection against Lightsabres. That;s not very much, really, but it might help you pass the Death Check.
Hazard suit
The Hazard suit is an enclosed suit that protects you from most environmental hazards – deep space, high radiation, deep pressure, poisonous and corrosive atmospheres. Unlike most space suits the Hazard suit gives no impairment or observation penalty. In fact, the hazard suit enables the wearer to see in different wavelengths and protects against most visual impairment (including pitch darkness). If you spend an additional schtick in Hazard Suit it provides three points of armour. Although the suit covers the entire body due to the equipment need to regulate temperature and supply oxygen the Hazard suit counts as being worn on the back.
(Remember in Feng Shui only one form of armour can be counted at one time. So if you have two schticks of Hi-tech Armour on under a two schticks of Hazard Suit you can choose to either use the four points of Hi-tech Armour or three points of Hazard Suit Armour, not combine them for seven points).
Regen Patch
A palm sized chunk of plastic infused with bacta injectors, bone fusers and other medical gizmos. Simply activate, press against a wound and let it heal you. The patch is then thrown away. The patch has a rating of twenty. When used make an Action Check with the wounds of the target as the difficulty. On a success reduce the wounds by the Outcome. Regen kits takes only three frames to apply but are rather rough and ready. The target must pass a Strength check (with the number of wounds healed as the difficulty) or suffer four more wounds from shock. Each story you get as many Regen patches as schticks spent on Regen Patch. Regen patches are worn on the belt.
Flamer
A self contained flame thrower system built into a wrist mounted weapon. The Flamer is a heavy weapon with a damage value of 15**. If the Flamer delivers its full damage on the target that target is on fire and takes 15 Wounds (reduced by Strength) at the start of each sequence until put out. The disadvantages are the Flamer’s limited range (about two meters) and that it can fire only four times before needing to be re-fuelled. Re-fuelling takes about minute and cannot be done in combat. It you spend an extra Device schtick the Flame can be used eight times before refuelling. Flamers can be handheld or worn on the forearm.
Custom gun
The custom gun is a specially designed weapon (maybe by its owner). It is a huge weapon of spectacular power and is great for intimidating people. It has a damage rating of 14* and but takes four frames to fire like a Heavy Blaster. You can spend an additional device schtick to enable the Custom Gun to fire every three frames. The Custom Gun has to be handheld.
Combination device
A Combination device does nothing in itself, but combines two other devices so that they only count as one device for location limits. You cannot combine handheld devices. So with three Device schticks you can combine the Jet Pack and Backpack Mortar and wear it on your back.
Dart weapon
The Dart weapon uses a powerful blast of compressed air to fire a small poison dart. The dart has a short range (about five meters) but has a damage rating of 20**. It uses Guns to hit. The Dart weapon has to be reloaded by its owner, which takes entire sequence to do. If you spend an extra schtick in this Device you can improve the weapon by using an electro-magnetic field to fire the dart, which increases its range to a normal rifle range. Alternatively, the extra schtick can mean the dart uses an exotic poison that defeats the immunity that some aliens and monsters have to toxins. You can spend three schticks on Dart weapon. Dart weapon can be handheld or worn on the forearm.
Collapsible Spear
This is a one and a half foot pipe that at the simple press of a button expands into a five foot spear tipped with a powered blade. The Collapsible Spear is a melee weapon that does Strength +8** damage if it hits and can be used with any appropriate Combat Schtick. It can also be thrown without penalty (use Combat to hit). The Collapsible Spear can add one to you Dodge rating if you Actively Dodge using it. Collapsible Spear has to be handheld.
Mini-charges
A mini-charge is a small flat bomb the size of a credit card. It can stick to any metal surface when activated. At activation you can use it to detonate on a timer or on any movement on a near by area. When detonated, mini-charges attack everyone in a three meter radius as if they were using an attack with a skill of 13. Mini-charges have a damage rating of 14. Each device schtick spent in mini-charges gives you four charges each story. You can have up to 12 mini-charges, and they must be worn on the belt.
Claws
Claws are two pairs of power blades set into a casing worn on the forearm. They can be extend or retracted by pressing a button. They make fearsome melee weapons with a damage rating of Strength + 8**. Claws count as an armed attack and can be used with any appropriate Combat Schtick. You cannot be disarmed with Claws. Claws must be worn on the forearms.
Survival belt
This is actually a collection of devices, but count as only one Device Schtick. The belt gives you a small but powerful torch, a grappling hook and 20 meter line, a tiny medi-pack that enables the use of the medicine skill, two sets of restraining cuffs even a Wookie cannot break and a concealed flat knife that can only be found with a close search. Even then the knife needs an observation roll of 20 or higher to be found. The Survival belt must be worn on the belt (!)
MERITS
These represent background advantages to your character. Some Mertis cost more than one of your available Merits to 'take', they are noted as such.
Note that Merits are only available to 'buy' at character creation, representing links you have made during your life up until the start of play. Once you start playing, Merits are gained (or lost) entirely though role-playing- you cannot simply buy more with experience. Some Merits- like Lucky- can only ever be gained at character creation.
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MENTOR
A Master character with whom you have a special relationship, usually the one who trained you. Although usually unable to help in person, he or she will be around to offer advice. Don't worry if you are a Master yourself and want to take this - Ben had Yoda in the later films.
In the OT, Mentor remains a Merit, but represents an older, wiser person in general, not a Jedi
FAMOUS MASTER
Your Master was/is a famed man, and some of the respect he gets rubs off on to you. This duplicates the Master reaction bonus from Jedi (and so obviously cannot be taken by Masters). It is Light Side only.
Obviously, this cannot be taken in the OT game.
ALLY
A non-Jedi NPC who you can count on for support and help.
CONTACT
An information source. This can be bought several times. Each time it is bought you must state where your contact is. If you need inspiration try one of these: Jedi Archive, Jedi Council (worth 2 merits), the Hutts, the Senate, the Pirate Clans, Corellian Navy, Bounty Hunters...
HAVEN
A safe bolt-hole to run to if there is trouble. As you paid for it as a Merit, the safety of this place is assured from anyone. Note that Imperials have just as much right to buy this as Rebels- in the long term, if you think about it, maybe more so.
This is for the OT only. Jedi have no need or opportunity for Havens, and Dark Siders have to work harder than Merit buying to be safe.
STARSHIP
A ship of your own, up to freighter size. Ship customising rules will follow.
TIES (costs 3)
A more powerful version of contacts, meaning you also have some official standing, or even rank, inside the organisation. Note this has to be appropriate- Jedi cannot have Ties to pirate clans, or Dark Siders to the Jedi Archives- you simplky would not be members of such things!
LUCKY (costs 3)
The Force is with you... you may re-roll two failed rolls per game. Note this is in addition to any re-rolls you get from Instincts, and unlike Instincts can only re-roll failed rolls.