Revision as of 04:00, 10 March 2024 by Tenor1411 (talk | contribs) (Created page with "{{tocright|4}} <div style="padding-top: 1em;">The Gamemaster is the guiding force of the game. If the game is fun, it will be to your credit. If it isn’t, you’ll need to make some adjustments. But don’t worry—running a ''Star Wars'' game is nowhere near as daunting as it might seem at first.{{newline}}Describe below are the different duties of the GM. As with any hobby, focus on what you enjoy the most, but remember that the other duties are also...")
The Gamemaster is the guiding force of the game. If the game is fun, it will be to your credit. If it isn’t, you’ll need to make some adjustments. But don’t worry—running a Star Wars game is nowhere near as daunting as it might seem at first.
Describe below are the different duties of the GM. As with any hobby, focus on what you enjoy the most, but remember that the other duties are also important.
Describe below are the different duties of the GM. As with any hobby, focus on what you enjoy the most, but remember that the other duties are also important.
The Role of the Gamemaster
The Gamemaster is storyteller and referee, creator of terrible threats against the galaxy, secret master of the villainous, criminal, and ruthless, and hidden protector of the brave. The GM’s responsibilities include several important tasks; each of these is outlined in this section.Creating Adventures
As the GM, your primary role in the game is creating and presenting adventures in which the other players can play their heroes. To accomplish this, you need to spend some amount of time before the game preparing your stories. This is true whether you create your own adventures or use published ones.Creating adventures takes time. Many GM’s find this creative process the most fun and rewarding part of being a Gamemaster. Creating interesting characters, settings, plots and challenges to preset to your friends can be a great creative outlet. In fact, creating good adventures is so important that it receives its own section: Building an Adventure.
Teaching the Game
Sometimes, but not always, it’s the GM’s responsibility to teach newcomers how to play the game. This isn'’t a burden; it’s a wonderful opportunity. Teaching other people how to play provides you with new players and allows you to set them on the path to becoming top-notch roleplayers. It’s easier to learn to play with someone who already knows the game. Players who are taught by a good teacher in a fun game are more likely to stick with the hobby over the long haul. Use this opportunity to encourage new players to become the sort of the gamers you want to play games with.
Here are a few pointers on teaching the game:
- You need to know the character creation rules so that you can help new players build characters. Have each player tell you what sort of hero they want to play, then show the players how they can create those heroes with the Star Wars rules. If they don’t’ know what to play, show them the five heroic classes, briefly describe each, and let them choose the one that most appeals to them.
- Don’t worry about teaching all the rules ahead fo time. All the players need to know are the basics that apply to understanding their heroes (what hit points are, how to make attack rolls, how to use skills, and so on), and they can pick up most of this information as the game progresses.
- You need to know how to play the game. As long as you know the rules, the game can move along, and the players can simply focus on their characters and how they react to what happens in the game. Have players tell you what they want their characters to do and translate those decisions into game terms for them. Teach them how the rules work when they need to learn them, on a case-by-case basis. For example, if a player wants their Jedi to use the Force, the player tells you what the hero attempts and you tell them what die to roll, which modifiers to add, and what heppens as a result. After a few times, the player will know what to do without asking.
Providing the Backdrop
Gamemaster Accessories
The following items are available to enhance your game:
Miniatures: The rules in this book assume that you are using Star Wars miniatures—attractive, pre-painted plastic figures that can be used to represent heroes and adversaries in the game. Combined with the miniatures-scale battle maps, they make it easy to keep track of character position, tactical movement, line of sight, and other combat factors. Miniatures also add an exciting visual element to the game by giving players a stronger idea of what GM characters, creatures, and other heroic characters look like.
Battle Maps: Battle maps provide spacious, ready-to-use encounter locations for epic Star Wars battles. Battle maps can be found in the Star Wars Miniatures game and other Star Wars Roleplaying Game products.
Galaxy Tiles: A creative alternative to the battle maps, the Star Wars Galaxy Tiles accessories provides cardstock corridors, chambers, and map features the the GM can assemble to create Rebel bases, Imperial installations, and other unique adventure locations.
Miniatures: The rules in this book assume that you are using Star Wars miniatures—attractive, pre-painted plastic figures that can be used to represent heroes and adversaries in the game. Combined with the miniatures-scale battle maps, they make it easy to keep track of character position, tactical movement, line of sight, and other combat factors. Miniatures also add an exciting visual element to the game by giving players a stronger idea of what GM characters, creatures, and other heroic characters look like.
Battle Maps: Battle maps provide spacious, ready-to-use encounter locations for epic Star Wars battles. Battle maps can be found in the Star Wars Miniatures game and other Star Wars Roleplaying Game products.
Galaxy Tiles: A creative alternative to the battle maps, the Star Wars Galaxy Tiles accessories provides cardstock corridors, chambers, and map features the the GM can assemble to create Rebel bases, Imperial installations, and other unique adventure locations.
Consistency is the key to creating a backdrop that feels real to the players. When the heroes go back to Mos Eisley for supplies, they should encounter some of the same characters they met before. Soon, they’ll learn the cantina owner’s name—and they’ll remember the heroes as well. Once you’ve achieved this level of consistency, however, provide an occasional change. If the heroes come back to have their starfighter repaired again, they may discover that the man who ran the starport went back home to Corellia, and his nephew now runse the family business. That sort of change—one that has nothing to do with the heroes directly, but which they’ll notice—makes the players feel as though they’re adventuring in a living universe as real as themselves. It’s not just a flat backdrop that exists only for them to battle stormtroopers or the villain-of-the-week.
Determining the Style of Play
While the GM provides the adventurers and the universe, the players and the GM work together to create the game as a whole. However it’s the GM’s responsibility to guide the way the game is played. The best way to accomplish this is by learning what the players want and figuring out what you want as well. Many styles of play exist, but a few are detailed below.Blast ’Em All!
The heroes blow open the blast door, fight the stormtroopers, and rescue the princess. This style of play is very strightforward. It’s fun, exciting and action-oriented. Very little time is spent on developing personas for the heroes, engaging in roleplaying encounters, or mentioning situations other than what’s going on in the adventure. If you’re running this type of game, let the heroes face obviously evil opponents and meet obviously helpful characters. Don’t expect heroes to anguish over what to do with prisoners. Don’t bother with too much credits earned or time spent recovering. Do whatever it takes to get the heroes back into the action as quickly as possible. A hero’s motivation does not need to be much more than a desire to fight evil (and maybe acquire a few credits).Rules and game balance are important in this style of play. Having heroes with combat ability greater than that of their companions can lead to unfair situations; the more powerful heroes can handle more of the challenge and thus their players have more fun. If you 5re using this style, be mindul about adjucating rules. Think long and hard about additions or changes that you want to make.
Immersive Storytelling
The Galactic Senate is threatened by political turmoil. The heroes must convince the senators to resolve their differences, but can only do so after they’ve come to terms with their own differing outlooks and agendas.This style of gaming is deep, complex, and challenging. The focus isn’t on combat but on talking, developing in-depth personas, and character interaction. Whole gaming sessiong may pass without a single blaster being fired.In this style of game, most characters should be as complex and richly detailed as the heroes—although the focus should be on motivation and personality, not game statistics. Expect digressions about what each player wants their hero to do, and why. Buying spare parts might be as important an encounter as fighting battle droids. (And don’t expect the heroes to fight the battle droids at all unless their heroes have a good reason to do so.) Heroes will sometimes take actions against their players’ better judgement because “that’s what a hero would do.” Adventures deal mostly with negotiations, political maneuverings, and character interaction. Players may even talk about the “story” they’re collectively creating.
Quoting the rules is less important in the syle of play. Since combat isn’t the focus, game mechanics take a aback seat to hero development. Skills take precedence over combat bonuses, and even then, the numbers don’t have to be absolutes. Feel free to change things to fit the players’ roleplaying needs, perhaps even streamlining the combat system so that it takes less time away from the story.
Something in Between
Most campaigns are going to fall in between these two extremes. There’s plenty of action, but there’s also a plot line and interation between heroes and nonheroic characters. Players develop their heroes, but they’re eager to get into fights as well. The “in between” style provides a nice mixture of roleplaying encounters and combat encounters. Even in combat missions, you can present characters who don’t need to be killed. Instead, you can interact with them through diplomacy, negotiation, or a simple conversation.Adjucating the Rules
Stacking Bonuses
The term “stacking” means combining for a cumulative effect. It refers to modifiers (bonuses and penalties) that combine instead fo replacing one another.
Generally, factors that apply modifiers to a statistic, roll or check combine if they have different descriptors. For example, a competence bonus will combine with a morale bonus, but two competence bonuses will not combine.
Modifiers with the same descriptor only apply the best bonus. For example, a competence bonus of +2 is used instead of a competence bonus of +1 when both bonuses are applied to the same statistic, roll or check.
Any bonuses without a descriptor (sometimes called an “unamed bonus”) stacks with all other bonuses, including bonuses without a descriptor.
The only descriptor bonuses that stack with others of the same type are circumstance bonuses and dodge bonuses. (Even then, circumstance bonuses stack only if they’re not provided by essentially the same circumstance.) Other descriptor bonuses do not stack with others of the same type unless specifically noted otherwise.
All penalties stack regardless of source.
Generally, factors that apply modifiers to a statistic, roll or check combine if they have different descriptors. For example, a competence bonus will combine with a morale bonus, but two competence bonuses will not combine.
Modifiers with the same descriptor only apply the best bonus. For example, a competence bonus of +2 is used instead of a competence bonus of +1 when both bonuses are applied to the same statistic, roll or check.
Any bonuses without a descriptor (sometimes called an “unamed bonus”) stacks with all other bonuses, including bonuses without a descriptor.
The only descriptor bonuses that stack with others of the same type are circumstance bonuses and dodge bonuses. (Even then, circumstance bonuses stack only if they’re not provided by essentially the same circumstance.) Other descriptor bonuses do not stack with others of the same type unless specifically noted otherwise.
All penalties stack regardless of source.
When everyone gathers around the table to play the game, the Gamemaster is in charge. That doesn’t mean that you can tell people what to do outside the boundaries of the game, but it does mean that you’re the final arbiter of the rules within the game. Good players always recognize that you have the ultimate authority over the game mechanics. Good GMs know not to change or overturn an existing rule without a good, logical justification so the players don’t grow dissatisfied.
This means that you need to know the rules. You’re not required to memorize the rulebook, but you should have a clear understanding of what’s in the book so that when a situation comes up that requires ruling, you know where to reference the proper rule in the book.
Often a situation arises that isn’t explicitly covered by the rules. In such a situation, it’s the GM who needs to provide guidance as to how it should be resolved. When you come upon a situation that doesn’t seem to be covered by the rules, consider the following:
- Look at any similar situation that is covered in the rules. Try to extrapolate from what you see presented there and apply it to the current circumstance.
- If you have to make something up, stick with it for the rest of the campaign. (This is called a “House Rule.”) Consistency keeps players satisfied and gives them the feeling that they are adventuring in a stable, predictable universe, not in some random, nonsensical place subject to the GM’s whims.
- When in doubt, remember this handy rule: Favorable circumstances provide a 2 bonus to any d20 roll; unfavorable circumstances impose a 2 penalty. You’ll be surprised how often this “GM’s secret rule” solves problems.
Keeping the Game Balanced
Game balance ensures that most hero choices are relatively equal. A balanced game is one in which one hero doesn’t dominate over the rest because of a choice that they made (species, class, talent, feat, Force power, weapon, and so on). It also reflects that the heroes aren’t too powerful for the threats they face, yet neither are they hopelessly overmatched.Two things drive game balance: good management and trust.
Good Management
A GM who carefully watches all portions of the game so that nothing gets out of control helps keep the game balanced. Heroes and characters, victories and defeats, awards and afflictions, items found and credits spent—all these things must be monitored. No one hero should ever become significantly more powerful than the others. If this does happen, the others should have an opportunity to catch up in short order. The heroes as a whole should never get so powerful that all challenges become trivial to them. Nor should they be constantly overwhelmed by what they must face. It’s no fun to always lose, and always winning gets boring fast. When temporary imbalances do occur, it’s easier to fix them by altering the challenges than by changing anything about the heroes and their powers or Equipment. No one likes to get something, only to have it taken away again because it was too unbalancing.Trust
Players should trust the GM. This trust can be gained over time through consistent use of rules, by not taking sides (that is, not favoring one player at anothers expense), and by making it clear that you’re not vindictive toward the players or their characters. If the players trust the GM—and through you, the game system—they will recognize that anything that enters the game has been carefully considered. If you adjudicate a situation, the players should be able to trust it as a fair call and not question or second-guess you. That way the players can focus their attention on playing their characters, succeeding in the game, and having fun, trusting their GM to take care of matters of fairness and realism. They also trust that you will do whatever you can to make sure that they can enjoy playing their heroes, potentially succeed in the game, and have fun. If this level of trust can be achieved, you’ll have greater freedom to add or change things in your game without worrying about the players protesting or scrutinizing every decision.Handling Unbalanced Heroes
Sometimes, the unexpected happens. The heroes may defeat a villain, foil an unstoppable escape plan, and steal a custom starfighter you never intended to fall into their hands. Or, even more likely, the combination of some new acquisition with an item or power the hero already has will prove unbalancing in ways you didn’t foresee.Once a mistake has been made, and a hero ends up too powerful, all is not lost. In fact, it’s almost never difficult to simply increase the challenges the hero faces to keep him or her from breezing through encounters. However, this solution can be unsatisfying, since the encounters can become too difficult for the other more balanced heroes. At the same time, it’s never fun to lose some aspect of your hero that turns out to be unbalancing. From the player’s point of view, it’s not their fault.
You have two options: Deal with the problem in-game or deal with the problem out-of-game.
Dealing with the Problem In-Game: “In-game” is a term used to describe something that happens in the story created by the play of the game. For example, suppose a hero becomes unbalanced by building a droid servant that fights better than any of the heroes in the group. (This is something that the GM shouldnt have let happen to begin with, but all GMs occasionally make mistakes.) An in-game solution might be to have an enemy scoundrel sabotage the droid, or suspicious guards might confiscate the droid the next time the heroes visit Coruscant. Whatever you do, try not to make it obvious that the situation is actually just a tool to balance the game. Instead make it seem just a part of the adventure. (If you don’t, indignant players will get very angry.)
Dealing with the Problem Out-of-Game: “Out-of-game” means something that happens in the real world, but has an impact on the game itself. An out-of-game solution to the problem described in the previous paragraph would be to take the player aside between sessions and explain that the game has become unbalanced because of their too-powerful droid and that things need to change or the game may fall apart. A reasonable person will see the value in the continuing the game, and theyll work with you either in-game (perhaps donating the droid to an appropriate allied organization) or out-of-game (perhaps by erasing the droid from their hero sheet and just pretending it was never there). Be warned, however, that not every gamer is reasonable in this way. Many will not appreciate this level of intrusion on your part and will resent giving up a great ability or item that their hero “earned”. After an unfortunate exchange of this type, it will seem obvious and contrived if you try to balance things with an in-game solution.
Running a Game Session
After everything is prepared, and everyone sits down at the table, you’re on. It’s your show. Here are some things you should consider, at the table and before you ever get there, to help make the game run as smoothly as possible.Knowing the Players
Normally, but not always, the GM is in charge of inviting players to play in their game. If this is the case, it’s your responsibility to know and understand each of these people well enough that you can be reasonably sure that they’ll all get along, work well together, and enjoy the sort of game you run.A lot of this has to do with playing style. Ultimately, you have to know the kind of game your players want to play. With players new to the game, or a newly formed group, this may take a while to define. Recognize that while you’re in charge, it’s really everybody’s game. The players are all there, coming back session after session, because they trust that you’ll help them have a fun and rewarding experience.
Table Rules
One thing that will help everyone, players and GM alike, to all get along will be establishing a set of rules—rules that have nothing to do with the actual game but that govern what happens with the people around the table.The following are some “Table Rules” (also known as “House Rules”) issues you’ll need to deal with eventually. It’s best to come up with the answers before you start a regular campaign. You can establish these yourself, or you can work them out with your players.
No-Show Players
Sometimes a regular player can’t show up for a game session. The GM and group are faced with the question of what to do with his or her hero. There are several possibilities:
- Someone else runs that hero for the session (in addition to their own hero). This is easiest on you, but sometimes the fill-in player resents the task or the replaced player is unhappy with that happens to the hero in his or her absence.
- You run the hero, doing your best to make the decisions that you think the hero’s player would make. This might actually be the best solution, but don’t do it if running a hero and running the game at the same time is too much for you and hurts the whole session.
- The hero, like the player, can’t be present for this adventure. This only works in certain in-game situations, but if it makes sense for the character to be absent, that’s a handy way to take the hero out of the action for a game session. Ideally, the reason for the hero’s absence is one that allows him or her to jump back in with a minimum of fuss when the player is available again. (The hero may have some other commitment, for instance.)
- The character fades into the background for this session. This is probably the least desirable solution, because it strains everyone’s suspension of disbelief.
Recognize that players come and go. Someone moves away, another gets busy, and yet another grows tired of the game. They’ll quit. At the same time, new players will want to join. Make sure to always keep the group at a size that you’re comfortable with. The normal-sized group has four or five players (not including the GM). However, some groups are as small as two, and others as large as seven or more. You can also play the game one-on-one, with just one player and one GM, but that’s a very different sort of play experience. (It’s a good way to handle special campaign ideas, such as a Jedi Master’s mentorship of a young Padawan learner.)
If you can, try to find out from the players how long they’re interested in playing. Try to get a modest commitment from them to show up on a regular basis during that time.
Integrating New Players
When someone new joins the campaign, his or her hero needs to be integrated into the game. At the same time, the player needs to be integrated into the group. Make sure that a new player knows the house rules and the table rules, as well as the game rules.Rules Discussions
It’s probably best if players don’t question your rulings or established rules, propose new house rules, or conduct discussions on other aspects of the game (aside from what’s immediately at hand) during the game itself. Such matters are best addressed at the beginning or end of the session.Jokes and Off-Topic Discussions
There are always funny things to be said, movie quotes, good gossip, and other conversations that crop up during the game, whether they’re inspired by what’s going on in the session, or completely extraneous. Decide for yourself (and as a group) how much is too much. Remember that this is a game and people are there to have fun, yet at the same time keep the focus on the action of the heroes so the whole session doesn’t pass in idle talk.Working with the Players
Two players want the same newfound item. Each thinks their character can use it best, or deserves it for what they’ve done. If the players can’t find a way to decide who gets it, you will have to arbitrate or impose a solution. Or, worse, one player is angry with another player for something that happened earlier that day outside the game, so now his hero tries to harass or even kill the other player’s hero. The GM shouldn’t sit back and let this happen. It’s up to you to step in and help resolve conflicts like that. As GM, you’re both a master of ceremonies and an umpire during the game. Talk with the arguing players together or separately outside the game session and try to resolve the conflict. Make it as clear and nicely as you can that you can’t let anyone’s argument ruin the game for other players, and you won’t tolerate real-world hard feelings affecting the way characters within the game react to each other.Another case is when a player gets really mad when you rule against him. Again, be firm but kind in telling them that you try your best to be fair. You can’t have angry outbursts spoiling everyone else’s fun. Settle the matter outside the game session. Listen to the player’s complaints, but remember that you’re the final arbiter. By agreeing to play in your game, that player has also agreed to accept your decisions as GM.
Sometimes one player’s actions ruin the fun for everyone. An obnoxious, irresponsible, troublemaking player can make the game really unpleasant. Sometimes they get others’ heroes killed because of their actions. Other times they stop the game with arguments, tantrums, or off-topic conversations. Or they might keep everyone from playing by being late or not showing up at all. Ultimately, you should get rid of this player. Just don’t invite them next time. Don’t play the game with someone that you wouldn’t enjoy spending time with in another social setting.
Decide how many players you want in your game and stick with it. If someone leaves, try to get a new player. If someone new wants to join an already full group, resist the urge to let him or her in unless you’re sure you can handle the increased number of players. If there are too many players, consider dividing them into two groups that play at different times. If there are too few, you might want to recruit more or have each player play more than one hero. (It’s good to have at least four heroes on a mission team.)
If one player dominates the game and monopolizes your time with her hero’s actions, the other players will quickly grow dissatisfied. Make sure everyone gets his or her turn. Also, make sure each player gets to make his or her own decisions. Overeager or overbearing players sometimes try to tell the others what to do. If one player insists on controlling everything, talk to him outside the game session and explain that his actions are making things less fun for everyone.
Metagame Thinking
“I figure that there’ll be a lever on the other side of the chasm that extends the bridge,” a player says to the others, “Because the GM would never create a trap that we couldn’t deactivate somehow.” That’s metagame thinking. Any time the players base hero actions on logic that depends on the fact they’re playing a game, they’re “metagaming.” This activity should always be discouraged, because it detracts from real roleplaying and spoils the suspension of disbelief.Surprise your players by foiling this mode of thinking. Maybe there is a lever on the other side of the chasm—but it might be malfunctioning. Keep your players on their toes, and don’t let them second-guess you. Tell them to think in terms of the game universe, not of you as the GM. In the game universe, someone put in the trench on the Death Star for a purpose. Figure out the hows and whys for what they have done. The heroes will need to do the same.
In short, where possible, encourage the players to employ In-Game logic. Confronted with the situation given above, an appropriate response from a clever hero is, “I figure there’ll be a lever on the other side of the chasm that extends the bridge, because you’d have to be able to cross from either side.” In fact, this is wonderful—it shows smart thinking as well as verisimilitude in the game universe.
Recapping
“Last time, you had just discovered the secret entrance to the Imperial shield generator on the forest moon of Endor. We ended the session with you on a nearby ridge overlooking the entrance. Arani suffered a terrible wound while fighting the biker scouts. Vor’en wanted to go straight to the entrance and shoot it out, but the rest of you talked him into helping you find a suitable place to watch and plan. What do you want to do?”In the middle of an ongoing campaign, recapping activity from the previous session at the start of a new session often helps establish the mood and reminds everyone what was going on. In most games, heroes continue what they’re doing from day to day (or even hour to hour), but most players (in the real world) have several days of real time between game sessions. Some players might forget important details that will affect their decisions if they don’t get reminders.
Of course, that means that you, as the GM, need to keep notes of what happens so you don’t forget, either. At the very least, jot down a few sentences about what’s going on at the end of each game session. Leave your notes where you can find them right away at the beginning of the next session. You’ll probably find that, as the GM, you tend to think about the game between sessions more than the other players do, and thus you’ll remember more details. You’ll quickly get to the point where you won’t forget what happened in past sessions, especially if the adventures you’re currently working on build off those events.
Setting the Pace
The pace of the game determines how much time you spend on a given activity or action taken by the heroes. Different players enjoy different paces. Some search every room they come across, but some think doing that is not worth the game time. Some roleplay every encounter, while some want to skip on to the $ldquo;good bits.”Do your best to please the group, but when in doubt, keep things moving. Don’t feel that it’s necessary to play out rest periods, replenishing supplies, or carrying out daily tasks. Sometimes that level of detail is an opportunity to develop heroes, but most of the time it’s unimportant.
You should decide ahead of time, if possible, how long the playing session will last. This not only allows everyone to make plans around the game but also enables you to judge about how much time is left during a session and pace things accordingly. You should always end a session at a good stopping point. Three to four hours is a good length for an evening game. Some people like to play longer sessions, usually on a weekend. Even if you normally play for shorter periods, sometimes it’s fun to run a longer &ldquolmarathon” session.
Referencing Rules
Try to look at the rules as little as possible during a game. Although the rules are there to help you, paging through the book can slow things down. Look something up whenever necessary (and mark things you’ll need to refer to again with a bookmark), but recall a rule from memory when you can. Even if you’re not exactly correct in your recollection, the game keeps moving.Cheating (and Player Perceptions)
Terrible things can happen in the game because the dice just go awry. Everything might be going fine, when suddenly the players have a run of bad luck. A round later, half the heroes are down for the count and the other half almost certainly can’t take on the opponents that remain. If everyone does, the campaign might very well end then and there, and that’s bad for everyone. Should you stand by and watch the heroes get slaughtered? Or should you “cheat” and have the opponents run off, or fudge the die rolls so that the heroes still miraculously win in the end? There are really two issues at hand.Do you cheat? The answer: GMs really can’t cheat. You’re the umpire, and what you say goes. As such, it’s certainly within your right to sway things one way or another to keep people happy or keep things running smoothly. It’s no fun losing a beloved hero because he fell down a flight of stairs. A good rule of thumb is that a hero shouldn’t die in a minor way by some fluke of the dice unless he or she was doing something really stupid at the time.
However, you might not feel that it’s right or even fun unless you obey the same rules the players do. Sometimes the heroes get lucky and kill an opponent you had planned to have around for a long time. By the same token, sometimes things go against the heroes and disaster befalls them. Both the GM and players take the bad with the good. That’s a perfectly acceptable way to play, and if there’s a default method of running a game, that’s it.
Just as important an issue, however, is whether the players realize that you bend the rules. Even if you decide that sometimes it’s okay to fudge a little to let the heroes survive so the game can continue, don’t let the players in on this decision. It’s important to the game that they believe they’re always in danger. Consciously or subconsciously, if they believe you’ll never let bad things happen to their heroes, they’ll change the way they act. With no element of risk, victory will seem less sweet. And if thereafter something bad does happen to a hero, the player may believe you’re out to get them. If they feel you saved other heroes when they were in trouble, they might become disaffected with the game.
When Bad Things Happen to Good Heroes
Heroes suffer setbacks, lose prized equipment, and sometimes even die. It’s all part of the game, almost as much as success, gaining levels, earning rewards, and attaining greatness. But players don’t always take it well when something bad happens to their heroes.Remind players that bad things happen sometimes. Challenges are what the game’s all about. Mention that setbacks are an opportunity to succeed later. Reassure the player of the dead hero that here are lots of opportunities for new hero types she hasn’t tried yet. The dead hero’s surviving allies will tell tales of their fallen comrade for years to come. The game goes on.
It’s rare (but possible) that an entire group of heroes can be wiped out. In such a case, don’t let it end the whole game. Encourage the players to try new heroes, perhaps of a class or species they haven’t played before. Even that’s not really so bad&mdsh;in fact, it’s an opportunity for a dramatic change of pace. This new group of heroes might even be charged with retrieving the bodies of the fallen heroes for honorable burial.
Ending Things
Try not to end a game session in the middle of an encounter. Leaving everything hanging in the midst of combat is a terrible way to end a session. It’s difficult to keep track of things such as initiative order, in-game effects, and other round-by-round details between sessions. The only exception to this is ending with a cliffhanger. A cliffhanger ending is one in which things end just as something monumental happens or some surprising turn of events occurs. The purpose is to keep players intrigued and excited until the next session. A cliffhanger ends a session right before an encounter begins, prior to Initiative checks, and you pick up the action with Initiative checks in the next game session.If someone was missing from that session, and you had their hero leave for a while, make sure that there’s a way to work his hero back in next time. Sometimes, even in a cliffhanger, this can work out well. The hero might come racing into the thick of things to help out his beleaguered friends and help save the day.
Allow some time—a few minutes will do—at the end of the session to have everyone discuss what happened. Listen to their reactions and secretly leave more of what they like and don’t like. Reinforce what you thought were good decisions and smart actions on their part (unless such information gives too much away for the adventure). Always end things positively.
You may want to award experience points at the end of each session, or you might wait until the end of each adventure. That’s up to you. However, the standard approach is to give out experience points at the end of each adventure, so the players whose heroes go up a level have time between adventures to choose new talents, feats, and so forth.
Building an Encounter
For purposes of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, an encounter is defined as an obstacle, threat, or situation (whether it be an opponent, several opponents, or a hazard) that prevents the heroes from achieving a specific goal important to the adventure. An obstacle, threat, or situation can be overcome through smart roleplaying, combat, or skill use. Persuading a crazed Force disciple to surrender might require heroes to enter difficult and perhaps life-threatening negotiations, while capturing a crime lord might require heroes to fight their way past a squad of thugs or infiltrate the cime lord’s headquarters without setting off the security system.Challenge Levels
Every opponent or hazard the heroes face has a Challenge Level (CL), which tells GMs how tough it is to overcome. For example, every stormtrooper has a CL, as does every wampa and garbage compactor. The more opponents and hazards the heroes face at once, the more difficult the encounter and the more experience points (XP) the heroes get for overcoming it (see Awarding Experience Points, below).A challenging encounter is one the heroes should overcome with minor to moderate damage to themselves and some depletion of their resources. A single obstacle, threat, or situation of Challenge Level n is challenging for a single character of similar level. For example, a 1st-level hero should find a CL 1 stormtrooper challenging. By extension, four CL 1 stormtroopers should prove challenging to four 1st-level heroes.
A difficult challenge is one that seriously taxes the heroes’ resources and may require the heroes to withdraw and recover, while an unfair challenge could easily lead to a total party kill. Difficulty and unfair challenges are discussed below (see Measuring Encounter Difficulty).
Complications: An encounter can be made harder by adding complications that make overcoming certain obstacles, threats, and situations more difficult. In general, adding a complication to an encounter increases the CL of every affected obstacle, threat, or situation by 1. For example, if the heroes confront four CL 1 battle droids and two of them have the benefit of improved cover (and the heroes do not), the GM should treat the two battle droids with cover as CL 2 threats and award experience points accordingly. However, the two battle droids without cover would still be counted as CL 1 threats.
Beneficial Circumstances: Sometimes an encounter is made easier by circumstances beyond the heroes’ control. In such cases, you may reduce the amount of XP the heroes earn for achieving their encounter goals by as much as half. For example, if the heroes run across two bounty hunters who are moderately injured from a previous skirmish, the GM may elect to award only half normal XP for overcoming them. A GM should avoid reducing the XP awards when the beneficial circumstances are the direct or indirect result of good planning or roleplaying on the heroes’ parts. For example, if the heroes use treachery or bribery to turn one bounty hunter against the other, they should receive full XP for both bounty hunters even though the encounter was made easier by their actions.
Measuring Encounter Difficulty
Creating balanced and fun encounters is more art than science. However, the following guidelines will help you build encounters that aren&rqsuo;t so straight forward that players will be bored and aren&rqsuo;t so difficult that the heroes aren&rqsuo;t likely to survive:
Multiple Opponents: Encounters with two to six opponents work best. Save the single-opponent encounter for higher-CL “bosses” like the rancor or Darth Vader. Avoid encounters with more than a dozen opponents unless you want the heroes to feel overwhelmed.
Variety: The best encounters combine different sorts of obstacles, threats, and situations. Battling four Rodian soldiers is much less interesting than fighting a Rodian soble, two Rodian soldiers, and the noble’s trained nexu in a storage bay filled with cargo containers.
Combining Different CLs: When building encounters that involve multiple threats, obstacles, or situations of different Challenge Levels, add together the various CLs and divide the sum by 3 (round down). The combined CL for the encounter is either this result or the highest single CL + 2, whichever is more. If the result is within one level of the heroes’ average level, it’s probably a tough but fair challenge for the heroes. If the result is 2 to 3 levels above the heroes’ level, expect a difficult encounter that seriously taxes the heroes’ abilities and resources. If the result is 4 or more levels above the heroes’ level, expect the heroes to have a real fight on their hands, and also brace for one or more hero deaths. Note that these calculations are based on the assumption that there are four heroes in the party. For each additional hero, subtract 1 from the result. For eah additional hero, subtract 1 from the result. For each missing hero, add 1 to the result. Most encounters should not include a single enemy whose CL is more than 3 levels higher than the average party level.
Here are some sample encounters to illustrate the formula:
- An encounter with four CL 2 clone troopers and one CL 3 elite clone trooper has a combined CL of 11. Dividing 11 by 3 and rounding down, you get 3. Based on this result, you can expect this encounter to be a challenge for four 2nd-, 3rd-, or 4th-level heroes and a less challenging encounter for higher-level heroes.
- An encounter with two CL 15 elite troopers have a combined CL of 30. Dividing 30 by 3, you get 10. Based on this result, you can expect this encounter to be a challenge for four 9th-, 10th-, or 11th-level heroes; a challenge for five 8th-, 9th-, or 10th-level heroes; or a challenge for six 7th-, 8th-, or 9th-level heroes.
- An encounter with a CL 8 Crime Lord and five CL 5 Assassins have a combined CL of 33. Dividing 33 by 3, you get 11. This encounter is a challenge for four 10th-, 11th-, or 12th-level heroes and a difficult challenge for four 8th- and 9th-level heroes. It’s an unfair challenge for heroes of 7th level or less.
Awarding Experience Points
| Experience Point Awards | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Challenge Level |
XP Award | Challenge Level |
XP Award |
| 1 | 200 | 11 | 2200 |
| 2 | 400 | 12 | 2400 |
| 3 | 600 | 13 | 2600 |
| 4 | 800 | 14 | 2800 |
| 5 | 1000 | 15 | 3000 |
| 6 | 1200 | 16 | 3200 |
| 7 | 1400 | 17 | 3400 |
| 8 | 1600 | 18 | 3600 |
| 9 | 1800 | 19 | 3800 |
| 10 | 2000 | 20 | 4800 |
| Divide the XP award by the number of heroes in the party to determine how many XP each hero receives. Heroes recieve one-tenth XP for anything with a Challenge Level equal to or less than their character level −5. | |||
The GM has the right to adjust XP awards depending on how rapidly he or she wants the heroes to gain levels and how easily the heroes achieve their encounter goals. Wherever possible, the GM should split XP awards equally between the heroes so that they’re gaining levels at the same rate. Once the heroes accumulated enough XP to gain a level, it’s time to increase the difficulty of the challenges they must overcome.
Beginning at 6th level, heroes receive less XP awards for obstacles with a CL significantly lower than their character level. At some point, low-level threats become fodder, and little experience can be gained from overcoming them. Heroes receive one-tenth XP for anything with a Challenge Level equal to or less than the heroes’s average level −5. For example a group of 6th-level heroes receive 20 XP for defeating a CL 1 stormtrooper (instead of 200 XP).
Other Rewards
In addition to experience points, the heroes can earn other rewards for their actions. As a general rule, a challenging yet fair encounter should net the heroes resources equal their average level * 2000 credits, to be divided equally among them. Easy encounters may deliver half as many resources or none at all, and difficult encounters should give 50% more at least. You don’t have to hand out resources at the end of the an encounter; often it is best to save the heroes’ rewards until the end of the adventure, in the form of a lump-sum payment given to them for completing the adventure’s goals.Resources can take several different forms, as detailed below. For purposes of comparison, all resources are measured in credits.
Credits
For many characters, no reward is better than cold, hard cash. This category includes credit vouchers, electronic deposits of credits into a character’s account (if the character owns a credit chip), credit coins, or trade goods (often precious metals).Credits may be found during the course of an adventure—inside a vault in a Hutt crime lord’s palace, in the form of trade goods found in a freighter’s cargo hold, or perhaps even in the pockets or baggage of a defeated foe. However, heroes are more likely to receive the bulk of their wealth from grateful benefactors for jobs well done.
Equipment
Heroes invariably acquire new Equipment in the course of an adventure, recovering it from the field of battle, seizing it from enemies they defeat, or stealing it from a less-than secure place (such as the hold of a captured Starship or a poorly defended warehouse).Be judicious when giving out valuable equipment as a reward. If the heroes find valuable equipment too often, they will be tempted to spend several minutes after every battle looting bodies for usable gear and later reselling their hawked goods, and this can quickly derail or slow down an adventure.
Always point out notable equipment that you want the heroes to have (“The scout trooper’s sniper rifle seems intact, and you can see a targeting scope mounted on it”). Meanwhile, never mention mundane equipment that isn’t meant to be useful, or emphasize why the equipment is either unusable or undesirable (“The smuggler’s blaster pistol is dirty and rusted, a cheap knock-off of a BlasTech model. You doubt he ever took the time to clean or maintain the weapon”). If your players still spend too much time looting, you should strictly enforce the encumbrance rules and subtract the value of salvaged equipment from the rewards you give them.
Building an Adevnture
An adventure—sometimes called a mission—is a collection of related encounters designed to fit together, creating a cogent storyline for the game. Some adventures are only short episodes in the campaign or interludes between longer adventures. Others represent significant missions, while still others form the backbone of the campaign.When building a campaign, adventure, or encounter, try to think in terms of heroic goals. What must the heroes achieve or accomplish? A heroic goal usually begins with a descriptive verb that best defines the required action: capture, defeat, discover, destroy, escape, find, negotiate, obtain, protect, rescue, and survive are good examples. Once you have a suitable verb, flesh out the details: Rescue the princess from the detention cellblock. Capture the plans for the Emperor’s newest superweapon. Negotiate safe passage aboard the smuggler’s space transport.
Every encounter should have a specific, attainable goal that heroes can achieve. For example, an encounter might require the heroes to obtain a code cylinder from a Rodian thug. The encounter setup could be as simple as cornering the thug in a cantina, or as complex as a landspeeder chase through the dusty streets of Mos Eisley. (Capturing the thug alive could be a secondary or additional goal.) Whether or not the heroes obtain the code cylinder will determine or affect their goals in subsequent encounters.
Just as each encounter has a clearly defined goal, so too does every adventure. For short adventures, the goal might be very simple: Find R2-D2 in the Tatooine desert and bring him back safely. A longer adventure mighty have an ultimate goal that can be accomplished only after the heroes achieve minor encounter goals and overcome various obstacles. For instance, an adventure’s ultimate goal might be to destroy a new Imperial superweapon, but accomplishing this goal might require the heroes to capture an Imperial spy, discover the location of the superweapon’s secret construction facility, infiltrate the facility, defeat the Imperial forces in the facility’s control room, and activate the superweapon’s self-destruct system.
A campaign need not have a clear goal (particularly when it begins), but it should have a theme or context. When Luke and Ben meet Han and Chewbacca in Mos Eisley, they (and their “players,” in this model) had no idea that the ultimate end of their “campaign” would be the overthrow of the Empire and the establishment of the New Republic. However, the GM of this “campaign” probably had a good idea that these heroes would become involved with the Rebellion during the campaign, and the Empire would be their primary opposition. (See Building a Campaign.)
What Makes an Adventure Exciting?
Creating a memorable adventure requires more than just an interesting plot or a grand finish. Remember that in most cases, the heroes won’t be able to see the behind-the-scenes machinations of the villain or the clever plot twists that occur on the bridge of the Imperial starship. While you want your adventures to feel like they could come from a movie, you can’t always rely on the same techniques that the moviemakers use. Where are a few tricks to help you keep your adventures memorable and exciting.Intriguing Interactions
Too often, players (and GMs) see an adventure as little more than a string of firefights separated by “talking.” This shortchanges one of the most compelling parts of a roleplaying game: playing a role. In addition to creating interesting characters, the GM must treat these characters as more than just cardboard props to be interacted with and then discarded.In general, run a GM character just as a player would run a hero—take whatever actions the character would take, assuming the action is possible. That’s why it’s important to determine a GM character’s general outlook and characteristics ahead of time if possible, so you know how to play the character properly.
When a GM character interacts with heroes, the GM determines the character’s initial attitude (hostile, unfriendly, indifferent, friendly, or helpful). A hero might try to influence this attitude with a Persuasion check. However, not all interactions require a check. Calling a Wookiee a “walking carpet” might shift the Wookiee’s demeanor from indifferent to hostile. It doesn’t take a roll—just the right words and deeds—to turn someone more hostile. In general, a hero cannot repeat attempts to influence someone.
Although a GM character can use the Persuasion skill to influence another GM character, the attitudes of the heroes are never influenced by a Skill Check—the players always decide those.
Worthy Adversaries
While it’s all well and good for the heroes to mow through a few ranks of battle droids or stormtroopers during an adventure, this type of encounter grows tiresome quickly. Be sure to include competent adversaries for the heroes to encounter, whether as common enemies, archvillains, or even occasional foils.An easy mistake is making an adversary too powerful, believing that the heroes will have it “too easy” unless their opponent is Darth Vader. Not every opponent has to be a Dark Lord of the Sith. An intelligently played enemy can often seem much more powerful than they appear on paper.
In the same vein, nothing is more disappointing than a climactic battle with a villain who turns out to have a glass jaw. If you know that your villain will face the heroes in combat, make sure they can stand up to them (or has plenty of assistance from underlings).
Exciting Combats
One reason that the lightsaber duels in the Star Wars movies are so exciting is that they tend to take place in interesting locations. From a pitched battle on a narrow ledge above a Cloud City airshaft to a death duel interrupted by leaps between platforms and opening and closing energy fields, these elements add twists to traditional combat scenes.While any combat can be exciting you should occasionally have the heroes face opponents in a nontraditional setting. Sometimes mounted combat (or aerial mounted combat) can provide a change of pace. Underwater settings can be interesting as well. A short list of other suggestions appears below. For more ideas, look to the Star Wars movies, novels, and comics.
Daring Escapes
Sometimes heroes get captured. It happens all the time in the movies. While it would be fairly easy for the bad guys to simply kill the heroes at that point, it’s more interesting and fun to “take them alive”. Maybe the villains plan to interrogate the heroes, or maybe the heroes are worth more to them alive.When heroes are knocked unconscious or otherwise force to surrender, the game isn’t over. Quite the contrary! Instead, try setting up the situation in which the heroes can perpetrate a daring escape, either alone or with some unexpected assistance. In The Empire Strike Back, Leia and Chewbacca escape Imperial custody with the unexpected help of Lando Calrissian, in Return of the Jedi, the heroes escape the clutches of Jabba the Hutt through resourcefulness, teamwork, and sheer luck. Daring escapes are staples of good adventure stories and an opportunity for heroes to turn an unfortunate situation into an advantageous one.
Compund Encounters
You can spice up an otherwise boring scenario by adding new elements after the action has already started. After the players think they know what’s going on, make the encounter more complex by adding a new threat, new goal, or new opportunity. The simplest kind of compound encounter adds a new foe halfway through a fight. If a group of assassins attacks the heroes in a cantina, have their bounty hunter leader show up 4 rounds later. Similarly, if the heroes are convinced the focus of a fight in Mos Eisley is to defeat a few stormtroopers, they’re not expecting a bantha stampede.It’s important to remember the overall Encounter Level of a compound encounter. Heroes haven’t had a chance to recover and heal since the beginning of an encounter, so anything they face is all part of the same encounter, and should be added together to determine the Encounter Level. It is slightly easier to deal with foes that attack a few rounds apart (since not all enemies can attack the heroes off the bat), but in general you don’t want to throw more challenges at the heroes just because their arrival time is staggered. A compound encounter is a good way for a typical scenario to become more interesting, not a way to sneak in more foes that the heroes can deal with.
For example, the heroes know an Imperial Inquisitor is hunting them down to capture their Force Sensitive members. They’ve been attacked by his troops once already, and know how tough those nonheroic characters are. When the heroes are trying to convince a junk dealer to sell them a datapad with critical information, the Inquisitor’s troops attack. The junk dealer hides at first, but after three rounds he screams he’s leaving, and if the heroes want the datapad they can get it themselves. He throws it onto a conveyor belt, where it’s carried toward a smelter. The next round, local guards show up and also start shooting at the heroes. Not only must they beat twice as many foes, but the heroes must reach the datapad before it’s melted.
Building a Campaign
The term “campaign” refers to the ongoing game created by the Gamemaster, a linked set of adventures or missions that follow the escapades of a group of heroes. A campaign might have a single ongoing storyline—such as the overthrow of the Empire—or several, shorter plots. The “classic” trilogy (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi) is an example of a campaign with a single ongoing storyline. In this “campaign” we follow the adventures of a central group of heroes—a group that changes slightly over time as individual heroes come and go—who generally work together to accomplish their goals.Building a good Star Wars campaign is more than just stringing together a bunch of adventures, though. The guidelines below should help you create a rich, immersive campaign that is fun for both the players and the GM.
Create a Context
Before any other campaign-building task, you should decide the context in which the players can place (and play) their heroes. While this context doesn’t have to be obvious to the players at the beginning of the campaign (and indeed can change as play goes on), it greatly helps the Gamemaster in designing adventures and encounter goals for the game.
Of course, this context will vary dramatically based on the era in which you set your campaign. A plotline appropriate to heroes of the Rebellion era might well be out of place in the days of the Old Republic. A variety of context option exist for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game, a few of which are listed below.
- Rebels plotting the overthrow of the Galactic Empire
- Envoys of the Jedi Council searching for evidence of the Sith
- Diplomats working for the Galactic Senate to foster peace and harmony in the galaxy
- Representatives of the New Republic charged with hunting down remnants of the Empire
- Private traders looking to gain wealth and influence
- Members of a mercenary team willing to work for the highest bidder
Incorporate Interesting GM Characters
It’s your job to portray everyone in the galaxy who isn’t one of the heroes. These people are all your characters, running the gamut from the feisty Jawa who sold the heroes their astromech droid to the foul Sith Lord out to destroy the Rebellion, or the Hutt crime lord holed up in the Tatooine desert.Most people go about their own lives, oblivious to the actions of the heroes and the events around them. Ordinary people whom they meet in a spaceport won’t notice them as being different from anyone else unless the heroes do something to draw attention. In short, the rest of the galaxy doesn’t know the heroes are, in fact, heroes. It either treats them no differently from anyone else, gives them no special breaks (or special penalties), or gives them no special attention whatsoever. The heroes have to rely on their own actions. If they are wise and kind, they make friends and garner respect. If they are foolish or unruly, they make enemies and earn the enmity of all.
As you run your campaign, you need to portray all sorts of characters. Use the following tips for creating and controlling interesting characters.
Villains and Opponents
Villains and opponents provide an outlet for play that is unique to being a GM. Running the foes of the heroes is one of your main tasks, and one of the most fun responsibilities. When creating opponents for your heroes, keep the following in mind.Plausible Villains: Flesh out enemies. Give a fair amount of thought toward why enemies are doing what they do, why they are where they are, and how they interact with all things around them. If you think of them as just bad guys for the heroes to defeat, so will your players.
Intelligent Villains: Make the enemies as smart and resourceful as they really would be—no more, no less. An average Trandoshan might not be the best strategist, but Hutts are very intelligent and usually have schemes and contingency plans.
Fallible Villains: Villains don’t know everything, and even smart villains sometimes leap to the wrong conclusions. Avoid the temptation to make your villains omniscient, and let the heroes surprise them once in a while. It’ll make your villains seem more realistic and help the players feel like they have the advantage from time to time.
Lackeys: Give your major villains underlings, employees, bodyguards, and other lackeys whenever possible. At the same time, don’t deny the heroes the satisfaction of eventually having the opportunity to defeat the major villain.
Allies
Most allies provide assistance to the heroes in the form of information, resources, or safe places to hide from the Empire. These allies may be friends, relatives, school chums, former coworkers, or anyone the heroes have met during their adventures. The Gamemaster should plan such characters in as much detail as necessary for the campaign. At the very least, a name, species, and personality should be included in the GM’s notes. allies will have attitudes of friendly or helpful toward the heroes.On rare occasions, heroes may have allies who will join them on their missions. This is most useful when the group of heroes is small or doesn’t cover the requisite skills for an adventure. Either the GM or one of the players can run this type of GM character. Be careful not to overuse them, because you don’t want the players (and their heroes) to become reliant on them.
Build on Campaign Events
Once you’re finished setting up the campaign, don’t think your work is done. Without a living, reactive environment, even the most exciting context will become stale. Use what’s come before and prepare for what’s still coming. That’s what makes a campaign different from a series of unrelated adventures. Some strategies for maintaining a campaign by building on the past include using recurring characters, having the heroes form relationships beyond the immediate adventure, changing what the heroes know, hitting them where it hurts, preparing the heroes for the future, and foreshadowing coming events.Recurring Characters: While this includes Tarnree, the bartender who’s there every time the heroes visit Mos Eisley, it extends to other characters as well. The mysterious stranger they saw in a back ally of Coruscant reappears on Naboo, revealing their identity and original intentions. The rogue officer responsible for inciting mutiny returns, this time with a pirate crew at their command. The other Jedi the heroes beat out for a prime position as Council Envoy shows up again, after he has turned to the dark side. The scoundrel who helped the heroes free the princess returns just in time for a climactic battle. Overused recurring characters can make things seem artificial, but when you reuse characters judiciously, it not only lends realism, but also reminds the heroes of their own past, reaffirming their place in the campaign.
Deep Relationships: The heroes make friends with a local bartender and visit him every time they are in town, just to hear another of his jokes. A hero falls in love with a princess, and eventually, they marry. Old Yaris, a retired soldier, looks upon the heroes as the children he never had. The Gungans of Otoh Gunga deliver a present to the heroes every year on the anniversary of the characters’ heroic victory over a battle droid army. These relationships flesh out a campaign.
Change what the Heroes Know: The Senator of Corulag is replaced by an usurper. The once-dangerous trade routes are safe now, thanks to increased patrols. A powerful group of corsairs defeats most of the pirates in the area. Change a few details that you have already established. You establish both what the players know now and what they knew before more firmly in their minds. They’ll also be intrigued to know why things changed.
Hit them where they Hurt: If a hero makes friends with the bartender at a spaceport, then rule that his son was among those kidnapped when the Imperials attacked. If the heroes really enjoy visiting Mos Espa, put Mos Espa in the path of the worst sandstorm in memory. Don’t overdo this, or the heroes will never grow attached to anything for fear that it will put that thing in danger. This strategy works as a powerful motivator when used in moderation.
Foreshadowing: If you know that later in the campaign you want to have an order of Dark Jedi rise up from secrecy and begin hunting Jedi, Foreshadow that event beforehand. Have the heroes hear rumors about about Dark Jedi, or even see evidence of them on an unrelated adventure long before they hunt down and destroy Jedi. It will make the later adventure much more meaningful. Threading information into previous adventures while hinting at future events helps weave a campaign into a whole.
Gravity
The force that gravity exerts on a creature determines how they develop physically as well as their ability to perform certain actions. In addition, gravity affects the amount of damage a creature takes from falling.Gravity conditions may vary considerably from one environment to the next. However, for ease of play, the Star Wars Roleplaying Game presents four simplified gravity environments: normal gravity (0.8 to 1.2 g), low gravity (0.1 to 0.8 g), high gravity (more than 1.2 g), and zero gravity (less than 0.1 g). The following sections summarize the game effects for each type of environment.
Normal Gravity
Normal gravity imposes no special modifiers on a character’s ability Scores, attack rolls, or skill checks. Likewise, normal gravity does not modify a creature’s speed, carrying capacity, or the amount of damage it takes from a fall.Low-Gravity Environments
In a low-gravity environment, it becomes easier to move and lift heavy objects, as well as perform Strength-related tasks. In addition, creatures take less damage from falling.Speed: Your speed increases by one-quarter (round down to nearest square, minimum 1). This bonus applies to all your modes of movement.
Carrying Capacity: Your normal carrying capacity is doubled. In addition, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on any Strength check made to lift or move a heavy unsecured object.
Skill Check Bonuses: You gain a +2 circumstance bonus on all Strength-based skill checks (including Climb, Jump, and Swim checks).
Attack Roll Penalty: You take a −2 penalty on attack rolls unless you are native to low-gravity environments or have the Spacehound talent.
Damage From Falling: Roll d4s instead of d6s when calculating falling damage.
High-gravity Environments
In a high-gravity environment, the pull of gravity is significantly greater than normal. Although an object’s mass doesn’t change, it becomes effectively heavier. It becomes harder to move and carry heavy objects, as well as perform Strength-related tasks. In addition, you take more damage from falling. Even the simple task of walking or lifting one’s arms feels more laborious.Speed: Your speed decreases to three-quarters normal (round down to nearest square, minimum 1). This penalty applies to all modes of movement.
Carrying Capacity: Your normal carrying capacity is halved. In addition, all creatures take a −2 penalty on any Strength check made to lift or move a heavy unsecured object.
Skill Check Bonuses: You take a −2 penalty on all Strength-based skill checks (including Climb, Jump, and Swim checks).
Attack Roll Penalty: You take a −2 penalty on attack rolls unless you are native to high-gravity environments or you have the Spacehound Talent.
Damage From Falling: Roll d8s instead of d6s when calculating falling damage.
Zero-Gravity Environmnets
Weight vs. Mass
While an object in zero-gravity loses weight, it does not lose mass or momentum. Thus, while a character could push a 10-ton piece of equipment around in space, albeit slowly, setting it to stop is a bit more difficult. If a character were to come between that piece of equipment and a solid object, that character would be crushed as if they were in full gravity—just more slowly.
For simplicity, assume that a Strength check to lift of move an object in zero-gravity gains a +10 circumstance bonus. However, stopping an object already in motion does not receive this same bonus.
For simplicity, assume that a Strength check to lift of move an object in zero-gravity gains a +10 circumstance bonus. However, stopping an object already in motion does not receive this same bonus.
Most creatures find zero-gravity environments disorientating, taking penalties on their attack rolls and suffering the effects of space sickness. In addition, creatures in zero-gravity are easier to Bull Rush than in other types of gravity.
Space Sickness: When a living creature is exposed to weightlessness, make an attack roll (1d20+0) against it’s Fortitude Defense. If the attack succeeds, the character moves −1 persistent step down the condition track. This persistent condition cannot be removed without a DC 20 Treat Injury check, or after 8 hours, whichever comes first. This attack recurs after 8 hours, but does not recur again after that. Creatures with the Spacehound talent and droids do not suffer the effects of space sickness.
Speed: In a zero-gravity environment, a creature gains a fly speed equal to it’s base land speed, or it retains it’s natural fly speed (whichever is greater). However, movement is limited to straight lines only; a creature can change course only by pushing away from larger objects (such as bulkheads).
Carrying Capacity: Your normal carrying capacity increases by 10 times in a zero-gravity environment. In addition, you gain a +10 circumstance bonus on any Strength check made to lift or move a heavy unsecured object.
Attack Roll Penalty: You take a −5 penalty on attack rolls and skill checks while operating in a zero-gravity environment, unless they are native to zero-gravity environments or have the Spacehound talent.
Long-Term Exposure: Long-term exposure to zero-gravity conditions can cause serious problems when returning to normal gravity. A creature that spends 120 hours or more in a zero-gravity environment moves −2 persistent steps down the condition track upon returning to normal gravity. These steps down the condition track cannot be removed unless the character spends at least 24 hours in normal gravity.
Visibility
| Light Sources | ||
|---|---|---|
| Item | Light | Duration |
| Candle | 1 square | 12 hours |
| Torch | 3 squares | 2 hours |
| Fusion lanter | 6 squares | 24 hours |
| Glow rod | 3 squares* | 2 hours |
| * Creates a beam 6 squares long and 1 square high. | ||
Darkvision
A creature or droid that has low-light vision can see in the dark, ignoring concealment and total concealment due to darkness. Darkvision is black and white only, so there must be at least some light to discern colors. It is otherwise like normal sight, and a creature with darkvision can function with no light at all.Low-Light Vision
A creature or droid that has low-light vision can see without penalty in shadowy illumination, ignoring concealment (but not total concealment) due to darkness. It retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.Blindness
A blinded creature can’t see and takes a −2 penalty to Reflex Defense, loses its Dexterity bonus to Reflex Defense (if any), moves at half speed and takes a −5 penalty on Perception checks. All opponents are considered to have total concealment to the blinded creature. All checks and actions that rely on vision (such as reading) fail automatically.This was originally listed as a hazard.
Hazards (Deprecated)
A hazard includes any effect that can cause harm, but does not have a stat block. Most hazards are self-contained dangers that affect anyone or anything that comes into contact with them. A scorching desert, a toxic or corrosive atmosphere, and a virulent disease are all examples of hazards.
Hazards affect organic creatures, machines, or both. A hazard resolves its effects by making an attack roll against one of the target’s defense scores; if the attack succeeds, the target suffers the effects of the hazard, including damage that may require special actions to treat. A hazard may affect all targets within an area or a single target, depending on its nature and its range.
- See Hazards for an updated and expanded mechanics system.