USH'S ORIGINAL TRILOGY STAR WARS GAME- Campaign intro and character creation
This is the thread for the construction of my Original Trilogy Star Wars game. It tells people more or less what the game is about, and it gives details for character creation. If you are interested in playing or have any questions, ask them here.
THE GAME
The game is set 15 years after the Battle of Coruscant- that’s five years before the Battle of Yavin (or to put it another way. 15 years after Revenge of the Sith, 5 years before A New Hope).
Following victory in the Clone Wars, Emperor Palpatine has become supreme and unchallenged ruler of the Galaxy in the first Galactic Empire. His political powers are near infinite, the forces at his disposal mightier than anything previously seen.
Using emergency powers to rule over the head of the Imperial Senate, in which authority of the sovereign worlds of the Galaxy is meant to be vested, the Emperor’s mighty battle fleet has scoured the Galaxy, destroying the remnants of all opposition of the Clone Wars. The days of battle droids and such technologies are long gone; the fleet and the mighty armies have destroyed them all. The Corporate concerns that once threatened to rule the Galaxy themselves have either been dissolved, or incorporated into the Empire.
After 15 years of hunting, the Jedi are no more. Those who survived the treachery of Order 66 at the pinnacle of the Clone Wars have been exterminated by the Imperial Inquisition, under the control of the Emperor’s sinister right hand, Darth Vader.
These long years since the end of the war have dragged by. Planets have awaited the time when peace will be fully restored to the Galaxy. Such was their desperation for such an end, that many were willing to gloss over some of the uncomfortable questions surrounded the Emperor’s rise to power. Jedi had defended many of these worlds, often to their deaths- yet all were executed without trial, on the word of the Emperor. Emergency powers, designed to last for the war, have lingered years after any droid opposition has been removed. The Galaxy, a democracy that has lasted longer than most histories record, is becoming a place where ‘freedom’ is a concept decided from Coruscant alone. ‘Empire’ at the time sounded like strength, safety. But to many, it now sounds like slavery.
Yet who can resist? The Imperial Army and Navy grow continually stronger. Very few planets have any armed forces at all, and those that do are on a scale totally inadequate to that the Emperor commands. His political power, voted by the Senate itself, is irreversible. It has long been learned that all those who oppose the Emperor soon disappear, just as the Jedi did.
The Emperor is triumphant on all fronts; he has achieved by a mixture of guile and sudden force what the Sith of old never could- he alone controls the Galaxy. But yet… total victory still eludes him.
A few, a very few, dare to fight back. A combination of disaffected Senators, traditional rulers of the people, traders, sovereign armed forces- and even just principled people who refuse to sit by and let the Galaxy become an eternal dictatorship- have chosen to resist. Many are outcast, having to abandon their friends and family to stay out of the Empire’s reach. Some mask their opposition staying within the political process to fight from there, waiting for the day when they can declare their struggle in the open.
Over the last few years a loose network between these disparate elements has grown. Brave couriers bring secret messages, connecting Senators with some of the scoundrels of the Galaxy, finding common cause in their opposition to the Empire. From across the Empire, these disparate elements have allied together, into one coherent force of Rebels.
They have no equipment, no force, no strength at all. Their opposition is surely hopeless, for how can they possibly oppose such a mighty Empire? Yet somehow, this young Rebel Alliance has GROWN in strength in the five years before this game starts. It has become a Galactic fact- weak and feeble though it is, and as much as the Empire wants to keep it secret, a Rebellion against the Empire has begun.
The Rebellion has little in the way of a physical presence- it exists mostly in the hearts and minds of people. Yet should they ever wish to truly oppose the Empire, there will need to be central administration- a Rebel base. This makes the Rebellion potentially vulnerable.
An irritated Emperor disperses his mighty fleet- now reinforced with the latest version of Star Destroyer, the Imperial class- to hunt and destroy the Rebels wherever they are found, including their base. These unstoppable dreadnoughts crush naval opposition with ease, following the Emperor’s doctrine of concentrated strength. Yet their ponderous nature makes them ill-suited for the hunt. The Rebel base remains elusive, and whilst any opposition the ships find is soon destroyed, far more often the Rebels simply slip away. More and more ships have been sent out for this Galactic hunt.
The Rebellion is all too aware of its pitiful strength. Just one mistake could destroy all of their hopes; their efforts concentrate on survival. They can do little to actively oppose the Empire for now. Meanwhile, in the vastness of the Galaxy, the Emperor still has many problems that need sorting. Once he might simply smashes these problems into nothing. But his fleet is dispersed throughout the Galaxy, and large as it is, the Galaxy is larger still.
In a move that is unusual for the Emperor- for he does not like the possibility of talented servants, save Vader himself- the Emperor has turned to talent to solve these issues. He has constructed small task forces of Star Destroyers- enough to destroy nearly all opposition, but not enough to simply solve all problems just by their presence- and set in their charge some of the finest personnel that serve the Empire. These people will represent the Emperor’s will, and will solve these issues for them in any way they see fit, upon his authority.
But there is a surprise in store- the Rebellion, weak as it is, is not as cowed as the Imperial Forces imagine. They have decided that now is the time to start to make a stand, and to show that the Empire can be opposed. In secret, they are constructing teams of talented personnel of their own. Their mission- to follow these Imperial taskforces, and sabotage their efforts wherever they go.
It is the beginning of the true struggle against the Empire.
This, then, is the set-up for my Original Trilogy campaign. Players take the role either of Imperial or Rebels. If Imperials, you are part of an elite force of chosen personnel trying to enforce the Imperial will- certainly far more talented than the average Imperial officer.
If one of the Rebels, you are part of the Alliance’s counter-efforts against these taskforces. With the fleet busy trying to annihilate the structure of the Alliance, these task forces are the only way the Emperor has for now of making his wishes become true- if they can be opposed, then the Empire itself can be challenged.
Episodes will follow the Imperial taskforce as it tries to fulfil its objectives- often under very severe pressure from the Emperor who is not patient with his subordinates. The Rebel players shadow the taskforce wherever it goes, and employ whatever tactic they can to undermine its efforts.
The Imperial players work in a position of great strength- almost nothing can stand against their forces. Yet there are always loopholes; their Star Destroyers and AT-ATs can barely be resisted, but they can always be fled, and always have small weak spots. Their stormtroopers are almost numberless, but their general quality is poor. More fundamentally, however, it is normally the Empire that is trying to actually achieve something. It is easier for the Rebels to mess up something than it is for the Imperials to achieve it, and so the imbalance of strengths is countered. Furthermore, the Imperial players are working inside a paranoid organisation of competing interests, where success only applies to the last thing you did right, and conspicuous failure is all too often the last mistake you ever make.
The Rebels have almost no strength- in fact, they have no resources at all other than that they bring with them. At this point, the Alliance is not bothering with ranks, for it has not enough forces to make them worthwhile, and it can supply no equipment- only ideas, and hope. The players will be on their own. But they can find allies- for few bear any love for the Empire- and they can strive to find weak points within the Imperial machine. In counterpoint to the Empire, the Rebels represent a certain comradeship and honour which means that they can work in trust and co-operation, rather than just out of fear.
There are two important things for players to bear in mind that are central to the success of the game
1. Mood. The Prequel Trilogy campaign is quite intricate (for Star Wars, anyway), full of moral question marks in an increasingly oppressive environment- as befits the Prequel Trilogy.
This game is totally different. If it is to work, it has to be played like the Original trilogy was written- as classic, old-fashioned adventure. As well as the relative simplicity of the plots (though don’t worry, if we didn’t think the plots were any good we wouldn’t run the game), the central component of this is in how your characters are played. The Rebels are a rag-tag band of totally unalike people who, lacking any form of central authority, bicker and argue and seem to hate each other- but underneath, they all have hearts of gold, are fine comrades, and pull off amazing bouts of heroism.
The Imperials, however, all have a megalomaniac tendency. They all secretly want to prove they are better than each other, to earn the Emperor’s favour. Failure is something to be blamed on someone else, often a subordinate- because the Empire never micromanages. Squads of stormtroopers are sent to do work, and the Imperial officers fume if they fail- but rarely would they go and do the job themselves.
This feel of mood for your characters must extend to your actions also. For example, whilst it might be interesting in a general sense to do a story about the moral grey area of resistance, the invisible line between resistance fighter and terrorist, and the oral corruption that causes… that’s just not Star Wars. The Rebels are good and the Empire is bad. There are no evil Rebels- there are the Lando and Han types who seem dodgy, but always underneath you will find them to come good. Any attempt to act outside this behaviour is not consistent with the spirit of the game and will be overridden.
By extension of this logic, it might be very tempting for the Imperial players to try and fake evidence to get the Rebel players arrested, or for the Rebels to dress up in stormtrooper uniforms and perform atrocities in order to incite people against the Empire. In real life, these are valid, and historically used, tactics. They have NO place in an Original Trilogy Star Wars game! It simply defies the point of playing such a game to look at this area. This restriction in player motivation, however, should be counter-balanced by the sheer fun of throwing yourselves into the Star Wars ‘vibe’.
2. The second point to bear in mind as a plot element that only makes it into the films very briefly, but will play an important part in this game (in order to broaden available plotlines, which are otherwise few in the Original Trilogy compared to the newer films). At the start of ANH, Vader has clearly ‘illegally’ seized Leia’s ship. This points to a limitation in the power of the Empire, because it is still technically illegal for anything to happen without the will of the Imperial Senate. Vader gives orders to make it look like the Tantive IV was destroyed in an accident, knowing that it would be a very bad idea for the Senate to know he is holding her. Likewise, on board the Death Star, an officer makes comment that the Alliance is dangerous whilst it continues tog ain support in the Senate. Of course, at this point, Tarkin comes with the news that the Senate has been dissolved, and that the power of the Death Star will supplant it (and it is an assumption of this campaign that the subsequent destruction of the Death Star is the beginning of the end for the Empire, for with neither Death Star nor the Imperial Senate, the Emperor cannot fully control the Galaxy any more).
The need for the Senate is reinforced by the end of Revenge of the Sith. So in this game, in a time when the Senate is still there, it is a very important feature. The main limitation on the Imperial players doing anything they want will be the attitude of the Senate, and as much as the military side of the Empire will conflict with whatever the Rebels can field against it, so also is a political war played as the Empire attempts to justify actions to the Senate, and politicians working for the Alliance seek to stop them. A separate thread will explain how the system of ‘Senate Sympathy’ works, and why it is important to the game. The main thing to remember for now is that it is not only combat characters that each side needs.
If you are interested, then climb aboard and continue reading, The Empire and Alliance are both interested in setting new personnel to these teams!
CHARACTER CREATION
This goes through five steps
1. Imperial or Rebel? I am sure I don’t need to explain the plot-based differences here. However, the style of each game thread is very different indeed. The Imperial thread is all about competing interests inside the hierarchy, and good management of your forces. The Rebel thread is about showing balls of steel by going out there and getting stuff done against immeasurable odds- be that a sabotage mission or a desperate act of persuasive diplomacy. The Rebel thread is more traditional RPing, and closer to the Prequel Trilogy game, where you only, as a general rule, have yourselves to rely on, The Imperial thread is a new experience for these boards with a different style. Also, note that Rebel players are generally better- certainly luckier- but the Imperials get all their vast resources to make up.
2. Name. Harder than you might think. There is plenty of inspiration for Star Wars names around, and many are quite weird, but for the sake of other players try not to make them too obscure! And remember, Star Wars happily uses mundane first names like Luke or Ben. Surnames- like Skywalker and Darklighter- often have a mythological feel to them. As an additional note, if you are a member of the Imperial armed forces, try and make a name that sounds good with a rank in front of it.
3. Template- this is your character ‘class’, defining what sort of person you are, from a hotshot Rebel Ace to an Imperial General. This is dealt with below.
4. Assigning stats and skills- also covered below, this stage determines how good you are at things, and is reliant upon your template.
5. Special skills- likewise covered below, all characters have certain advantages or talents in gunfighting tricks, or background advantages; your final stage is picking these. Players of my Prequel era game will find this easier than they are used to, wit no Force powers to choose from.
TEMPLATES
There are three broad categories here, each with several templates within.
‘Heroes and Scoundrels’ is a list of golden-hearted types who form the members of the Rebel Alliance It is important to note that these are not members of a centralised military- indeed, the H&S templates existed in the Prequel era. There is no Rebel Admiral or General; such forces don’t exist. It so happens that the Rebel Alliance draws from these people, and in this game you are all playing Rebels, but none of these templates are inherently Rebel in nature- the only thing they have in common is that they are good guys (even though some hide it well).
H&S templates tend to be very lucky, and very competent in their specialisations.
‘Officers and Gentleman’ is definitely a list of Imperial templates, that could only exist in a game with the Empire in, and are very definitely inherently Imperial in nature. Most O&G templates are direct members of either the Imperial Army or Navy, but a couple do not. All are in some way irrevocably linked to the Imperial machine.
Most Imperial templates are less directly competent than their Rebel counterparts, but command vast resources. A few, however, don’t have the resources but are a direct match for their enemies.
‘Scum and Villainy’ is known as the ‘Bounty Hunter’ list, though Bounty Hunter itself is but one template of many designed to handle characters from Boba Fett to Zam Wessel- basically, the evil version of Heroes and Scoundrels. Used often as a source of bad guys in my Prequel Era game, it has a different purpose here. There is an allowance for each side to have ONE- or maybe two, if there are enough players- character taken from this list, to represent a form of hired or impressed help. If Imperial, this means someone has drafted you in to help, much as Vader gets in Boba Fett in ESB. However, if Rebel, taking these templates doesn’t define you, it defines a past you once had, and now reject, because it is important that you have ‘seen the light’- Rebels are unlikely to actually hire evil slavers, you see. In which case, whilst you often moan about these moralising good guys, you keep find yourself agreeing to help them out for some issue or another.
‘Free’ Trader
You love me because I’m a scoundrel…
The Free Trader has made his life offering what he terms a ‘cut-price’ service to discerning clients, Republic and Empire alike had a simpler name for it- Smuggling.
The Free Trader has rubbed noses with some of the most evil beings in the Galaxy. Being basically a thief, he is hardly standard heroic material. He has a rather adversarial attitude to authority- good or bad, the system is his barrier to profits- and if anything he welcomed the advent of the Empire, because increased security meant that talented people like himself were in more demand.
But the Trader is well travelled, as befits his profession, and he’s seen a lot of stuff. And from the Empire, he’s seen a little too much. They’ve done some terrible things, and he’s seen some. Not his business- he walked away. But why does his conscience trouble him?
One day, a shadowy figure asked for a special contract- a message, perhaps, or a person, with a payment far beyond the value of the cargo- and a warning that the Empire must not find the cargo. Such a mission was foolhardy, but the Trader found himself saying yes. Doing good work, he was asked to go again. He said yes, again. Soon, he was carrying messages for no fee. And then, he was asked if he would help out in other ways. To his utter amazement, the Trader said yes- and became a Rebel.
In case you hadn’t guessed, the Free Trader is based upon Han Solo and is the central H&S class. He’s damn good- he can fight, he can steal, he can talk the pants off a Gundark (having put them ON the Gundark in the first place), and he is totally reckless, and despite his criminal nature, he’s not a bad person… he’s exactly the kind the Rebellion needs.
Make a Han Solo copy, or put whatever spin on the concept you wish, the Free Trader is a very solid class that can manage many things-. Careful though- these people have a past which can catch up with them- and remember, not all of these people are as lucky as Han was…
PHYSICAL
Strength 5
Agility 5
Dexterity 5
Speed 5
MENTAL
Charisma 5
Intelligence 5
Willpower 5
Perception 5
FORTUNE 2
Add eight points among either your Physical or Mental stats. Then add seven points amongst any stats. Your Fortune rating cannot exceed 4.
SKILLS
Guns = 14
Combat +4 (Max 13)
Pilot = 14
Languages +1
Savoir-Faire +2
Gambling +1
Fix-it +2
Lying +1
Observation +1
Seduction +0
Persuasion +0
Intimidate +0
Add 12 points amongst these skills; you may not raise them past 11.
Merits: 3. Furthermore, take the Merit ‘Starship’ for free.
Gun Tricks: 5
Pilot Tricks: 5
Charm. The Free Trader gets +2 on all non-aggressive social rolls.
Enmity: The Free Trader is wanted dead by a powerful Galactic organisation- legal or criminal- OTHER than the Empire. Choose such an organisation at creation.
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Ace
Stay on target!
The Ace is a man of incredible talent, one of the finest fighter pilots in the Galaxy. Maybe he was ex-military, maybe he just used to swoop race on his homeworld. Regardless, fact of the matter is that he only feels at home behind the controls of a starfighter.
It is assumed that the Ace is an Outer Rim talent, missed by the Empire. This is good, because the Ace is not a leader of men- he’s a hot shot solo guy, not some dandified formation flyer. In a fight, he’s a first guy to pretend his communicator isn’t working and disobey orders to fly off and do his own thing. Lucky, then, that he is VERY good indeed.
There are dozens of reasons for such people to join the Rebellion- a personal slight, a murdered friend, a destroyed home. Maybe he just hates it and actually signed up on his own initiative- such things happen. He’s quite a lot of trouble for the Alliance, it must be said- but too valuable a resource to discard.
Clearly based on Wedge, it is important to note that the Ace isn’t just a ‘ship-only’ character. He’s a vibrant personality in his own right, and he knows how to handle himself.
PHYSICAL
Strength 5
Agility 5
Dexterity 8
Speed 8
MENTAL
Charisma 5
Intelligence 5
Willpower 5
Perception 5
FORTUNE 6
Add three points among your Physical stats. Then add six points amongst any stats.
SKILLS
Pilot = 15
Guns = 13
Combat +3
Fix-it +2
Observation +2
Leadership +2
Savoir-Faire +2
Seduction + 0
Add 6 points amongst these skills.
Merits: 3. Furthermore, take the Merit ‘Starship’ for free. This free Starship must be a fighter.
Gun Tricks: 2
Pilot Tricks: 8
Combat Awareness: The Ace adds one to his initiative in Starfighter combat, and gets +2 to all non-offensive Pilot rolls.
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Gambler
Never tell me the odds!
The Gambler is not some privileged pleasure seeker. He comes from the same stock as the Free Trader, working ‘between the lines’ of the law. Where the Trader was his own man, the Gambler was more of an organiser, a social guy in the criminal world- and boy, did he love his gambling!
Like the Trader, the Gambler found he had a growing unease with the activities of the Empire, that surprised him. Rather more directly, little operations he runs have been going out of business- unlike the mobile Trader, any enterprise the Gambler has set-up is being nationalised by the Empire. There’s no room for the small businessman any more! That wouldn’t have been enough though- like the Trader, the Gambler’s involvement in the alliance came down to conscience. His organisations have been used as fronts for the Rebel cause. Now he’s staked that much, like any good Gambler he’s willing to stake more- and he has set out to aid the Rebel cause directly.
Based off of Lando, the Gambler is akin to the Trader in many ways, but emphasises the social aspects at the cost of the combat ability. Mind you, that doesn’t mean he’s a slouch in the fight- and undeniably, the Gambler is the luckiest damn bastard you will ever meet. If you want a more sophisticated type of Rebel but don’t actually want to be a politician, this is the template for you.
PHYSICAL
Strength 5
Agility 5
Dexterity 5
Speed 5
MENTAL
Charisma 5
Intelligence 5
Willpower 5
Perception 5
FORTUNE 9
Add eight points among either Physical or Mental, then add seven points among the other (Fortune cannot be changed).
Guns = 13
Combat +4
Gambling = 14
Savoir-Faire +5 (max 13)
Persuade +3
Lying +3
Observation +2
Languages +2
Pilot +0
Fix-it +0
Seduction +2
.
Add 8 points among these skills.
Merits: 3
Gun Tricks: 3
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Elder Statesman
The debate is not over!
The Elder Statesman is an old and respected member of the Senate. He remembers the days before the Clone Wars- heck, he remembers the days before the Battle of Naboo. He most certainly remembers the days where Democracy was a valid concept in the Galaxy- decaying as it was, the Statesman fought hard to preserve it then, in both the interests of his people, and the Galaxy as a whole. There was nothing more horrible to him than the formation of the Empire, and the Elder Statesman has been with the political opponents who went on to form the Alliance right from the very start. Politics is clearly not going to win this fight alone- the Statesman has reluctantly concluded that there must be armed resistance; he will pledge what he can to aid the Alliance, whilst he continues to try and represent his people.
Bail Organa is the best association for this template- though because if you are going to fight, you will take a fighting template the Elder Statesman has been made older to concentrate purely on the social/political aspect. Aside from his lack of combat capability, the Elder Statesman is very much the ‘Jedi Master’ of the H&S templates; he brings experience and wisdom and is a good choice to ‘lead’ the group. As well as being a social guy, the Elder Statesman brings valuable resources to the group, because he can call upon the covert support his the world he represents- a world that is definitely no friend of the Empire. Oddly enough, though, the Elder Statesman is much more like an Imperial template than a Rebel one!
For those interested in any crossover, the Statesman can easily have been a past associate of one of your Jedi characters.
PHYSICAL
Strength = 5
Agility 5
Dexterity 5
Speed 5
MENTAL
Charisma 7
Intelligence 8
Willpower 7
Perception 8
FORTUNE 6
Add five points among all stats. The Statesman’s Physical stats cannot exceed 7.
Guns +4 (max 13)
Savoir Faire = 15
Persuade = 15
Languages +3
Lying +2
Law +4
Observation +2
Leadership +4
Warfare +0
Add 12 points among these skills. Your maximum for skills is 15.
Merits: 3. The Elder Statesman also receives the following Merits:
Ties (Imperial Senate), Ties (Homeworld), and Contacts in two organisations.
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Soldier
This is a dangerous situation
The Solider is actually a man from a dedicated military organisation- however, this is very much NOT the armies of the Empire! This is looking at the area of the Naboo Royal Guard, or Leia’s guard aboard the Tantive IV- in whatever respect, he was a member of an independent, good-guy fighting organisation. Because he is no mook, the Solider is a talented fighter who had rank.
Like the Ace, the Soldier’s reasons for joining the Rebellion would be very personal. Because he is no longer part of his organisation, now a member of the Rebels, it is possible that what he stood for was destroyed by the Empire, him one of the few survivors. You are free to make the connection yourself.
Captain Typho and the like are the best examples for this template, and it is a very straightforward indeed- it is there to fight. Come some point, the Alliance needs to resort to straight out ground combat, even if only as part of a delaying action, and the Soldier is there to do just that.
PHYSICAL
Strength 6
Agility 6
Dexterity 6
Speed 6
MENTAL
Charisma 5
Intelligence 5
Willpower 5
Perception 5
FORTUNE 4
Add 11 points among all stats. Fortune cannot exceed 6.
Guns=14
Combat +4 (Max 14)
Fix-it +0
Observation +0
Sabotage +0
Intrusion +0
Leadership +2
Medicine +2
Intimidate +0
Warfare +1
Add ten points among these skills
Gun tricks: 6
Combat tricks: 4
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Idealistic Noble
I call it aggressive negotiations
A large section of the Star Wars Galaxy is given over to traditional ways- ruled, anachronistically, by a nobility. Some of these Nobles are elected (but are nonetheless part of a privileged class), some are landowners, and some are truly hereditary aristocrats. All are Noble, and in Star Wars, there is a sense in which this is acceptable in a way we really would not in real life!
The Idealistic Noble is a young noble from this background who very deeply believes in his/her responsibility to his/her and the principles that the Noble family envisages. The Empire is abhorrent to such people- obvious abuse of power wielded against the people it is meant to prevent. The Emperor is neither democratic NOR is he of noble birth! There is an element of pride in this, none of these nobles wish to bow down to some guile-appointed Emperor. But whilst most just sit and grumble- and continue to make money- the Idealistic Noble won’t stand for it. He fights- and brings the resources of his line to the aid of the Rebellion.
Very much a Princess Leia type template, minus the destroyed homeworld, the Idealistic Noble is along the same lines as the Elder Statesman, bringing social ability and resources to the group. What he lacks in experience, he makes up for in vigorous youth and determination born out of his natural talents.
PHYSICAL
Strength 5
Agility 5
Dexterity 5
Speed 5
MENTAL
Charisma 6
Intelligence 6
Willpower 6
Perception 6
FORTUNE 6
Add four points among mental. Then add eight points among any stats.
Guns +4 (max 13)
Savoir-Faire +4
Persuade +5
Languages +2
Observation +2
Law +2
Leadership +4
Lying +1
Medicine +2
Add 10 points on these skills. Your maximum for skills is 15.
Merits: 4. Furthermore, the Noble receives the Merit ‘Ties (Homeworld)’
Gun Tricks: 2
Privileged Position: The Noble receives +2 to all social and political rolls that involve his/her home area of space.
Vast Wealth: The Noble brings great resources to the Rebel cause. One per episode, the Noble can acquire aid otherwise unavailable to the players- large amounts of weaponry, a bribe for the Hutts, transport to any planet in the Galaxy, and so forth.
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Primitive Warrior
Somebody get this walking carpet out of my way!
The Galaxy is full of many obscure cultures, many of whom have a very primitive seeming society. Nonetheless, many of these cultures are primitive by choice, not out of savagery, and many have Senate representation.
The Empire is very human-o-centric, and many of these peoples find themselves oppressed. But many have strong warriors within with very old-fashioned notions of right or wrong. These people need no complicated reason to join the Alliance- they simply sought out the Enemies of their Enemies, and found them. Alternatively, Primitive Warriors can be the associates of criminal types such as the Trader or Gambler, and have joined the Rebellion with them. Regardless- Imperial soldiers have much to fear from this one…
The Primitive Warrior is sheer combat back-up for the group, and is the only access to the Alien Powers. The assumption is made that the Primitive Warrior is the physical killer type of Alien, and with great obviousness is based off Chewbacca.
PHYSICAL
Strength 7
Agility 7
Dexterity 7
Speed 7
MENTAL
Charisma 6
Intelligence 6
Willpower 6
Perception 6
FORTUNE 3
Set one Physical stat to 9. Set another to 6. Add five points among Mental.
Combat= 14
Guns +4 (max 12)
Intimidation +3
Languages +1
You many spend five points among any skills
Merits: 3
Combat Tricks: 10
Alien Powers: 3. In addition, the Primitive Warrior has the Alien Power ‘Superior Physiology’, which has already been represented by his stat that is set to 9.
Incomprehensible: Your Languages rating can only be used to understand other Languages. No-one else can understand you unless they have Languages also.
Imperial Navy Captain
Our first catch of the day
Surely by any measure, the glorious pride of the Imperial Templates is the Naval Captain. Command your own Star Destroyer! Be the envy of your friends and families!
No messing around here. The Navy Captain is a very senior member of the Navy. He’s had his time being a crew member, and of commanding lesser frigates and the like. Now he has hit the jackpot- he is command of a Star Destroyer, and its mighty force is entirely under his control. It is difficult to overestimate the authority of a Captain- he is God on his ship.
Whilst all things considered, Captains in this game have the same authority as Generals, they are generally considered to be the senior Military template in the game as far as being in charge of things is concerned. Character wise, the Captain is obviously highly valuable for the ship he brings, but he is also a very social character with a wide skill base. Like all Imperial players, he is considered to be an extremely good Captain.
PHYSICAL
Strength 5
Agility 5
Dexterity 5
Speed 5
MENTAL
Charisma 5
Intelligence 5
Willpower 5
Perception 5
FORTUNE 5
Add six points amongst either Mental or Physical, then add six points amongst any stats. Fortune may not exceed 7.
Guns =13
Pilot + 3
Savoir-Faire +3
Languages +3
Lying +3
Fix-it +1
Intimidation +1
Leadership + 4 (Max 13)
Observation +2
Warfare +4 (Max 13)
Add 6 points among these skills
Merits: 3. In addition, the Captain receives the Merit ‘Ties (Imperial Command)’
Gun Tricks: 1
Pilot Tricks: 1
Star Destroyer- The Captain commands a Star Destroyer
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Imperial Army General
The shield will be down within moments, You may begin your landing
If there is anything to rival the prestige of the Captain, it is the General. In fact, on screen, the Generals had a better time, Veers being the only Imperial to actually defeat the Rebels in a fair fight.
A General commands an entire assault division- the most that can be fitted into a Star Destroyer. The General is a veteran; he started off as a junior Lieutenant and e has made his way up through the ranks until he had his own damn army to throw around- and boy, does he enjoy using it!
Like the Captain, the General is quite widely skilled. However, whilst he has had some experience in personal combat, he’s not really the close fighting type; his main benefit, again, is in the resources he brings, which are many.
PHYSICAL
Strength 5
Agility 5
Dexterity 5
Speed 5
MENTAL
Charisma 5
Intelligence 5
Willpower 5
Perception 5
FORTUNE 5
Add six points amongst either Mental or Physical, then add six points amongst any stats. Fortune may not exceed 7.
Guns =13
Combat + 3 (Max 13)
Savoir-Faire +1
Intimidation +3
Languages +1
Pilot + 1
Fix-it +1
Medicine +1
Leadership + 4 (Max 13)
Observation +2
Warfare +5 (Max 13)
6 points to spend among these skills
Merits: 3. In addition, the General receives the Merit ‘Ties (Imperial Command)’
Gun Tricks: 2
Combat Tricks: 2
Combined Arms Division: The General commands a division, consisting of Stromtrooper regiments, and units of AT-STs, Speeders and AT-ATs.
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Imperial Squadron Leader
I’m on the leader…
This template assumes that good quality Imperial pilots exist, as in the TIE fighter computer games- and so it shall be.
The Squadron Leader commands the entire compliment of a Star Destroyer’s fighter force- less of a Pilot than an Ace, but with auithority over many fighters. Just like the Ace, the Squadron leader is a bit of a jock, and no slouch out the cockpit.
Thjis template has less authority than the Captain or General but is a very useful (and active) one to have.
PHYSICAL
Strength 5
Agility 5
Dexterity 5
Speed 8
MENTAL
Charisma 5
Intelligence 5
Willpower 5
Perception 5
FORTUNE 3
Add six points amongst either Mental or Physical, then add five points amongst any stats. Fortune may not exceed 5.
Guns= 13
Pilot= 14
Intimidation +3
Languages +2
Savoir-Faire + 1
Fix-it +3
Observation +3
Leadership + 3 (Max 13)
Add six points among these skills
Merits: 3. In addition, the Squadron Leader receives the Merit ‘Ties (Imperial Command)’
Gun Tricks: 2
Pilot Tricks: 6
TIE Forces: The Squadron Leader commands a Star Destroyer’s compliment of Fighters and Bombers
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Imperial Administrator
You may fire when ready
The merging of politics and military is a dangerous business, and a hallmark of many evil regimes over time. It is true of the Imperial Forces most certainly, where the Grand Moff Tarkin, commander of many space Forces, is also Governor of the Outer Regions- a combined position which ranks him above even Vader. There is only one way to achieve such power- to be one of the Emperor’s Inner Circle.
The Administrator follows Tarkin’s logic on a lower level. His background has been a combination of military and political, and the effective rank he is reached is that of ‘Commissar’. No-one is entirely sure quite what that rank means, but as a representative of the Empire, very few would dare disobey him without fantastically good cause.
The Commissar’s job is to ensure that missions are progressing along the lines that the Emperor wishes. His remit, therefore, is almost infinite- but whilst the Emperor tolerates buffoons in the military, in his representatives he does not. He wants intelligent men who do not wield their authority like a sledgehammer; his Administrators are politicians and diplomats too, with a soft spoken deadliness behind their words that brings terror to many. An Administrator whose interference does more harm than good falls out of Imperial favour very quickly.
Character wise, the Administrator is the only Imperial political template, and he is very social to boot. Obviously, he’s not meant to be getting into front-line action; he is pairing off against the Senators and Nobles of the Rebellion in wars of words. The clash between political and military authority in the taskforce is an interesting part of gameplay…
PHYSICAL
Strength 5
Agility 5
Dexterity 5
Speed 5
MENTAL
Charisma 7
Intelligence 7
Willpower 8
Perception 7
FORTUNE 5
Add six points amongst Physical and Fortune. Fortune may not exceed 7.
Guns =13
Law + 3
Intimidation +3
Languages +3
Savoir-Faire + 3
Persuade +3
Observation +3
Leadership + 3
Lying +3
Add six points to these skills
Merits: 3. In addition, the Administrator gains the Merit ’Ties: THE EMPEROR’
Political Terror: The Administrator represents the Emperor and gets a +2 bonus on all social rolls involving members (including citizens) of the Empire. This includes non-aggressive ones; people are anxious to please.
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Agent Provocateur
Pursued by the Empire’s sinister agents…
The Agent is not really a spy as such, more a tool of disruption. He has no direct equivalent from the films, but represents part of the network of informers that help the Empire (for example, the alien who betrayed the presence of the droids on Tatooine). This makes the Agent an unusual Imperial template- he has no rank, wears no uniform and need not even be human. In fact, this is a huge advantage, because it gives the Imperials the only subtle template they have. Other Imperials stand out a mile; this one can blend.
To be any good at this job, the Agent has to be able to take care of himself, and indeed he can. Lacking directly Imperial resources, this template looks more like a Rebel than Imperial one, but is a useful tool
PHYSICAL
Strength 5
Agility 5
Dexterity 5
Speed 5
MENTAL
Charisma 5
Intelligence 5
Willpower 5
Perception 5
FORTUNE 2
Add seven points amongst either Mental or Physical, then add seven points amongst any stats. Fortune may not exceed 4.
Guns= 14
Combat= 13
Sabotage +3
Intrusion= 14
Savoir-Faire + 3
Persuade +1
Observation +3
Lying +4
Fix-it + 1
Languages +3
Intimidation + 0
Pilot + 0
Medicine + 0
Add six points among these skills
Merits: 3
Gun Tricks: 6
Combat Tricks: 4
Devices: 1
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Imperial Commander
Imperial troops have entered the base!
It’s a hard job and it needs a hard person- someone has to lead the Stormtroopers in.
By the time of the OT, Imperial ground forces are a mix of clones and recruited personnel. A few brave elite men volunteer to lead the front lines of the Imperial forces; the Commander is one of these. He is a assault soldier, who wears the stormtrooper armour (with a coloured shoulder pad to indicate rank) and shows no fear in a fight. He’s the only military Imperial template who is actually designed to be a front line fighter (the Agent can also but is not military), this is one of the few Imperial resources that you can trust to do those dangerous jobs that needs the ‘personal’ touch.
The Commander is a veteran of many combats and is not averse to using non-standard equipment. As he gets results, superiors allow him this flexibility.
PHYSICAL
Strength 6
Agility 6
Dexterity 6
Speed 6
MENTAL
Charisma 5
Intelligence 5
Willpower 5
Perception 5
FORTUNE 3
Add 11 points among all stats. Fortune cannot exceed 5.
Guns =14
Combat +4 (Max 14)
Heavy Weapons +1
Fix-it +0
Observation +0
Sabotage +0
Intrusion +0
Leadership +2
Medicine +0
Intimidate +2
Warfare +2
Add eight points among these skills
Merits: 3. In addition the Commander receives the merit ‘Ties: Imperial Army’
Gun Tricks: 4
Combat Tricks: 4
Devices: 2
Stormtrooper Leader: The Commander has a company of Stormtroopers under his personal command at all times, and is the ranking officer of any stormtroopers in the area during a battle unless a General is around.
Remember- if you take a Scum and Villainy template and work for the Rebels, the descriptions below are of yuor past, not present
Bounty Hunter
He's no good to me dead
The centrepiece of Scum and Villainy, just as the Free Trader is of H&S, the Bounty Hunter is one of Star Wars' centrepieces. Oh, just about anyone can take up a gun and hunt for Bounties- any old mook, in fact. Only a few become legends.
This one is a legend.
What else can I say? The Bounty Hunter is skilled, dependable, tenacious, and deadly. He's also very well equippd. Still, there is always the tradiitional tragedy to the Bounty Hunter- it's an endless life, all your profits going on more equipment to get the next big kill, until you end up living only for the kill itself- until one of your prey kills you.
That day isn't yet, though. Go out there and have a blast.
PHYSICAL
Strength 5
Agility 5
Dexterity 5
Speed 5
MENTAL
Charisma 5
Intelligence 5
Willpower 5
Perception 5
FORTUNE 1
Add seven points to either physical or mental. Then add seven points among all other stats. Fortune may not exceed 3.
Guns= 14
Combat= 13
Heavy Weapons +4
Languages +1
Pilot +2 (max 13)
Intrusion +4
Lying +3
Fix-it +3
Intimidation +4
Savoir-Faire +2
Medicine +2
Observation +2
Add 6 points among these skills. Your maximum in these is 11.
Merits: 3
Combat Tricks: 4
Gun Tricks: 4
Pilot Tricks: 4
Devices: 5
Fearsome Reputation: The Bounty Hunter gets +3 on all interrogation rolls, and +5 on any social roll at all with criminals.
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Mercenary
I only take orders from one person. ME!
Mercenary is another simple career in the Galaxy, which again only a few people get any good at. Thise who are very good at it are in heavy demand in any time period.
The Mercenary is a combat specialist, lacking the refinement of the Bounty Hunter, but concentrating purely on the fighting.
PHYSICAL
Strength 6
Agility 6
Dexterity 6
Speed 6
MENTAL
Charisma 6
Intelligence 6
Willpower 6
Perception 6
FORTUNE 3
Add ten points among all stats. Fortune may not exceed 5.
Guns= 14
Combat= 13
Heavy Weapons= 13
Languages +0
Intrusion +2
Lying +2
Fix-it +2
Intimidation +2
Savoir-Faire +2
Medicine +0
Observation +0
Sabotage +2
Warfare +0
Add 8 points among these skills
Merits: 3
Gun Tricks: 5
Combat Ticks: 6
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Slaver
My kind of Scum; fearless and inventive
Slavery is BIG business with heft profits. The successful slaver is rich and influential. Must be said, though, the Empire has severely reduced such slavery (in favour of general servitude to the Empire) so competition between slavers for a dwindling market is intense.
The Slaver is a direct all-rounder like the Bounty Hunter, but not quite as good in a fight. Other than his grunts he has with him at all times, the Slaver is meant to be the smart guy of the S&V list, preferring to outthink foes if he can, but more than willing to engage in a fight if need be.
PHYSICAL
Strength 5
Agility 5
Dexterity 5
Speed 5
MENTAL
Charisma 5
Intelligence 5
Willpower 5
Perception 5
FORTUNE 5
Add seven points to either physical or mental. Then add seven points among all other stats. Fortune may not exceed 7.
Guns=13
Combat= 13
Languages +3
Pilot= 13
Intrusion +4
Leadership +3
Lying +5
Intimidation +4
Savoir-Faire +2
Medicine +2
Persuasion +0
Add six points among these skills
Merits: 5
Combat tricks: 5
Gun tricks: 3
Pilot tricks: 4
Devices: 1
Associates: The Slaver is always accompanied by two Skill 9 Supermooks. These are replenished each Episode if lost.
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Pirate
I have the death sentence on twelve systems!
Piracy is another one of those areas which will never stop being big business in the Galaxy. The Empire takes piracy especially seriously, so a player Pirate must have accumulated some favours to be operating as he does.
The Pirate is the flyer of the Scum and Villainy list; not as directly proficient as the Ace, he has wider resources to call on.
PHYSICAL
Strength 5
Agility 5
Dexterity 7
Speed 7
MENTAL
Charisma 5
Intelligence 5
Willpower 5
Perception 5
FORTUNE 5
Add 3 points among Physical. Add seven points among other stats. Fortune may not exceed 7.
Guns=13
Pilot=14
Combat +3
Fix-it +3
Intrusion +3
Languages +1
Lying +3
Intimidate +0
Add 6 points among these skills
Merits: 3. The Pirate also receives the Merits ‘Starship’ and ‘Ties’ (to a pirate clan of his choice)
Gun Tricks: 5
Pilot Tricks: 6
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Assassin
It was just a job
What is the difference between the Assassin and a Bounty Hunter, you ask?
The conceptual difference is that the latter picks up publically offered bounties, whilst the former gets specific contracts. But yes, there is a lot of overlap between the two.
The template difference is that the Bounty Hunter is a tough, vicious space nut who takes big risks all the time and does not mind facing death. The Assassin is more of a precision killer- he likes to engage at range or use traps, and only fights up close for his life if everything has gone rather wrong. It’s the difference between the assassin Zam Wessel and the Bounty Hunter Jango. It’s certainly a combat template, anyway.
PHYSICAL
Strength 5
Agility 5
Dexterity 7
Speed 7
MENTAL
Charisma 5
Intelligence 5
Willpower 5
Perception 5
FORTUNE 3
Add seven points to either physical or mental. Then add seven points among all other stats. Fortune may not exceed 5.
Guns=14
Combat +3
Heavy Weapons +4
Languages +1
Pilot +2 (max 11)
Intrusion +5
Lying +3
Fix-it +3
Savoir-Faire +2
Medicine +2
Observation +3
Sabotage: +2
Add six points among these skills.
Merits: 3
Gun Tricks: 8
Devices: 3
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Primitive Warrior
“Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrggggh!”
Primitive Warriors can be evil thugs as well as noble good guys. This template is exactly the same as the H&S one, except evil. Obviously, you can’t take this for the Rebels- just use an H&S template instead.
Assigning Stats and Skills
'Stats' (Statistics) are the measure of the basic physical and mental capacities of your character.
Skills are what your character has aptitudes in- including fighting.
Both are easy to assign to your template.
Stats
Strength is a measure of your physique and toughness; it is used to resist damage, to do damage in close combat, and simply to shift stuff!
Agility is a measure of your character's mobility and athleticism. It helps you fight up close and make acrobatic manoeuvres.
Dexterity is a measure of your character's finesse and handling skills; it is used to pilot ships and fire guns.
Speed is a measure of your character's wits and reaction speed. It is not used in skills but sets how fast you react in a fight.
Charisma is a measure of your character's strength of personality- it enables to to better relate to others, whether that be being friendly or threatening to kill.
Intelligence is a measure, of course, of how smart your character is, which can be quite an asset to the political side of the game.
Willpower is your strength and firmness of mind, used to resist mental effects and keep going in the face of adversity.
Perception is your ability to notice things, from clues at a crime scene to an incoming ambush.
To set your stats, simply add the amount your template allows you to between physical and mental stats. 5 is the average for a being in the Galaxy, 6 a better average for trained people like yourselves, 7 is the exceptionally fit/clever level- and 8 means you are actually at the limit! Impressive.
The attribute maximum is 8; this is the highest a stat can go for a 'human' template (where 'human' is a wide term referring to about 90% of Star Wars races who are pretty much the same as humans in the end- like Twi'leks and Zabraks). The 'Primitive Warrior' template is an exception to this.
If a stat has an '=' sign by it- notably for older characters- then it cannot be increased; it is already as high as it can go.
Skills
All skills are based on a stat. To get your final level in that skill, add the stat and the '+' number relevant to the skill. So someone with a Combat skill of +4 would check his Agility, which Combat is based on. If his Agility is 7, his combat would therefore be 7+4 to make 11.
You may add points to your given skills, or in some cases any skills, as noted on the template (if you do not add to a +0, simply ignore it). Unless stated, the maximum for the final total of the skill (not the + number, the final total with the stat included) is 12.
If a skill has a '=' sign by it- normally for fighting skills, and always for Lightsabre- then it will always equal that final amount, including the stat, no matter what. So if a Guns skill is =13, then it final + number will equal whatever is needed to get it to 13. Guns is based on Dexterity, so if your Dexterity was 7, the + number would become 6 to make 13; if your Dexterity was 8, the + number would be 5. Nothing will change this final amount so don't spend points on an = skill (after all, they are set at a high level for you as it is!)
Here is a summary of skills:
Combat (Agility): The ability to fight up close unarmed or with a melee weapon other than a Lightsabre.
Fix-it (Perception): Technical knack and know-how, always an important skill in Star Wars for little emergency jury-rigs on the job
Gambling (Perception): The ability to either play well in skill-based, or judge well in luck based, gambling games. Gambling is a useful social skill.
Guns (Dexterity): The ability to fight, preferablty at a distance, with the wide variety of handheld arms in the Starwars galaxy, from small pistols to longarms.
Heavy Weapons (Dexterity): The ability to operate very large weapons, including rocket launchers and the like.
Intimidation (Charisma): The ability to compel others, either by threats or general scary presence, to do what you want.
Intrusion (Agility): The ability to break and enter- just as valuable for Imperial agents trying to catch Rebels as it is for Rebels breaking into Imperial bases.
Jedi Lore (Intelligence): Knowledge of the mysteries of the Force, and the secrets of the Jedi and the Sith. The first campaign was a Jedi Lore plot and you can expect to see it being useful again in future. This skill is not available to starting players in this Campaign
Languages (Intelligence): Your general knowledge of other languages. Whilst most aliens speak basic, it is often highly useful to understand others in their native tongue.
Law (Intelligence): Not the knowing of what is and is not illegal, but law as a lawyer or politician would see it- understanding the legal system, how to use it, abuse it, speed it or slow it. This is an obscure and difficult skill and cannot be taken unless it is on on your template.
Leadership (Charisma): The ability to get others to follow your lead by example and direction.
Lying (Charisma): The ability to fool and deceive others. Both sides have equal need for this skill.
Medicine (Intelligence): The ability to treat basic wounds and other mdecial problems, and identify the cause of wounds.
Observation (Perception): The ability to notice things- not just physical things, but also to notice things about the manner of a person, for example
Persuade (Charisma): The ability to get people to help you via means of reasoned argument
Pilot (Dexterity): The ability to fly ships and drive vehicles. Pilot is used as a combat skill in some circumstances.
Sabotage (Dexterity): The generic ability to wreck stuff- from viruses to electro-disruption to big bombs
Savoir-Faire (Charisma): Cultural knowledge of the Galaxy- essential for travellers like yourselves, this helps you blend in to and understand the myriad planets and cultures you will encounter over time.
Seduction (Charisma): The ability to bring others under your thumb via means of personal attraction. Not a common skill for Jedi or even Dark Siders, but it does happen...
Warfare (Intelligence): The ability to organsisde fighting as a General sees it- where you need Leadership to lead squads, you need Warfare to lead armies.
Lightsabre (Special): Just as a note, this skill still technically exists. Obviously, no-one can take it.
5. ASSIGNING TRICKS
Choosing Devices, Pilot, Combat, Gun or Alien Tricks, this process is very simple, though many put a lot of thought into it. Tricks represent your particular talents in certain areas.
Your template tells how how many, if any, of each Trick you can choose. Look up the Tricks in the Core Rules to see what you want. Feel free to ask other players for help.
At this point, you may also choose your Merits- background advantages your character has, like a starship or ally.