Starships for Edge of the Empire

If you look at the Star Wars Universe, one of its most iconic elements has always been the starships. Fantastic machines that give characters the freedom to explore the universe, a means to strike a blow for freedom, or the tools to wage war on a scale that defies imagining. Starships give characters a host of options and access to ideas that allow them to go on amazing adventures. This is the power of Starships in the setting, and one of its most iconic aspects.


Whether it’s a freighter like the Falcon, slipping cargo past unsuspecting customs agents, or a snubfighter like an X-wing, starships take part in some of the most exciting and amazing aspects of the Star Wars experience. Let’s take a look at how these wonderful machines (and to a lesser extent vehicles) function inside Edge of the Empire from Fantasy Flight Games.

Force & Destiny

Hey Game Fans, we’re back with another itty bitty update about one of our favorite things in the universe, the Star Wars RPG from Fantasy Flight Games. Now this is a family of Role-playing games that use the same system, meaning that they are interactive with each other. You can build a party of characters composed of a couple of rebels, a couple of edge of the empire criminals, and a force user in hiding for example. Now each game has a unique mechanic that sets it apart from the others, but they aren’t incompatible. As we dig deeper into this series, we’ll cover how those individual mechanics work, and try and help you put together a group that features these diverse characters.

The Force in Edge of the Empire (part III)

The Force is one the most iconic parts of the Star Wars universe and has an essential place in any role-playing game set in it. This is the dark time, when the Jedi have been hunted to the edge of extinction and the power of the Dark Side reigns over the universe. Rumors and stories tell of desperate battles in the shadows between the Emperor’s chosen and the few remaining wielders of the force. This is the backdrop for force users in Edge of the Empire, and it can be used to tell some amazing stories. It’s going to take us a bit to dig into the Force, so this is the third in a series of articles.

The Force in Edge of the Empire (part II)

The Force is one the most iconic parts of the Star Wars universe and has an essential place in any role-playing game set in it. This is the dark time, when the Jedi have been hunted to the edge of extinction and the power of the Dark Side reigns over the universe. Rumors and stories tell of desperate battles in the shadows between the Emperor’s chosen and the few remaining wielders of the force. This is the backdrop for force users in Edge of the Empire, and it can be used to tell some amazing stories. It’s going to take us a bit to dig into the Force, so this is the second in a series of articles.

The Force (Edge of the Empire)

The Force is one the most iconic parts of the Star Wars universe and has an essential place in any role-playing game set in it. This is the dark time, when the Jedi have been hunted to the edge of extinction and the power of the Dark Side reigns over the universe. Rumors and stories tell of desperate battles in the shadows between the Emperor’s chosen and the few remaining wielders of the force. This is the backdrop for force users in Edge of the Empire, and it can be used to tell some amazing stories. It’s going to take us a bit to dig into the Force, so this is the first in a series of articles.

Legend of the Five Rings Beta First Looks

Hey Game Fans, today we’re going to talk in brief about the new version of the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying game from Fantasy Flight Games.  Currently it’s undergoing an Open Beta for playtesting and i personally think that’s a fantastic idea.  Legend of the Five Rings is a long running franchise, featuring a Miniature Wargame, a Collectible Card Game that ran for several editions, and four editions of a Roleplaying game that featured drama, action, and intrigue.  

Since the property was acquired by Fantasy Flight Games, rumors and questions have been circulating about what they would do with the property.  They announced a new ideation of the Legend of the Five Rings card game, this time using the Living Card Game format that Fantasy Flight has had great success with in other properties (including Star Wars, Warhammer 40,000, and Call of Cthulhu to name a few).  They are also offering a board game that features the Great Clans of Rokugan vying for control of the world of L5R in the aptly named Battle for Rokugan.  I know that i was very interested to see what they did with the Roleplaying game side of the Franchise, and i have had a little bit of time to take a look at the first few chapters of the Beta (I think I’ve almost figured out how to make a character).  I’d like to talk about those first few chapters today and give you folks my first impressions.

Gaming News and other assorted Mischief

So Game Fans, it’s been a busy weekend after Gencon (and though we didn’t make the show we’ll cover some interesting things that we heard about from the show) and Twitch has some interesting news for the rest of us as well.  First up, Gencon news

Maneuvers for Edge of the Empire

Hey Game Fans, we’re going to be taking a closer look at Maneuvers for Edge of the Empire.  These are movements, little steps, and other actions that generally don’t require a skill check to accomplish.  There are a ton of these and we’re going to try and break them down.  Remember that there is generally a limit of a character accomplishing one maneuver on its turn. There are a few exceptions to this rule and we’ll cover those in just a second.  Remember, a character can perform a reasonable number of incidental actions, typically one maneuver and one action in any given turn.  Situationally this can change, and certain character options can let you take an additional maneuver.  Let’s take a deeper dive into Maneuvers and how they work for Edge. If you’re curious about the first part of this discussion, check out our writeup of structured gameplay here.  

Structured Gameplay for Edge of the Empire

Hey Game Fans, we’re going to continue our breakdown of Edge of the Empire from Fantasy Flight Games.  Today we’re going to examine how structured gameplay works and break down the basics of what you can do in this time structure, We might dig into Narrative time as well, but that may be an article for another day.  For now, we’re going to dig into Structured Gameplay, so strap in, we’re going to try and not to burn out the hyperdrive motivators.  

Equipment for Edge of the Empire part V

Hey Game Fans, we’re back with the conclusion (hopefully) on our series about attachments and mods for Edge of the Empire from Fantasy Flight Games.  If you want some explanation of key terms and concepts, check out the first part of this article, which you can find here.  Let’s keep on and get through the rest of the weapon attachments and hopefully finish up the armor attachments.  Now these are all found in the Edge of the Empire corebook and you can find the start of this section on page 187.  Let’s dig in and see what sort of mischief we can get into.

 

Equipment for Edge of the Empire part IV

Hey Game Fans, we’ve covered the basic types of equipment and common items you’ll find in Edge of the Empire. Today we’re going to take a quick look at the customization rules and the processes that let you take a common blaster pistol and make it your very own.  These rules apply to just about every piece of equipment in the game, from blasters to armor to starships and other crazy ideas.  Buckle up, grab your tool kit, and let’s take a closer look at modifications.  

 

Equipment for Edge of the Empire part III

Hey Game Fans, we’re back to take a look at the equipment you’re going to probably utilize at some point during your games of Edge of the Empire from Fantasy Flight Games.  Star Wars has a rich history of cool gadgets and gizmos that crop up during important scenes during various movies, games and books.  They are an essential part of life on the fringes of society and can do a lot of things.  We’re not going to talk about Droids today (mostly because they are much better as a species discussion) nor are we going to talk about vehicles and starships (those belong in their own article).  We’re going to cover the other pieces of technology that make life a much easier proposition in the Star Wars RPG.  Now there are a lot of different kind of equipment, and we’re going to try cover as much ground as we can.  Let’s take a deeper look at Equipment.

Equipment for Edge of the Empire part II

Hey Game Fans, we’re back to take a look at the equipment you’re going to probably utilize at some point during your games of Edge of the Empire from Fantasy Flight Games.  Star Wars has a rich history of cool gadgets and gizmos that crop up during important scenes during various movies, games and books.  They are an essential part of life on the fringes of society and can do a lot of things.  We’re not going to talk about Droids today (mostly because they are much better as a species discussion) nor are we going to talk about vehicles and starships (those belong in their own article).  We’re going to cover the other pieces of technology that make life a much easier proposition in the Star Wars RPG.  Now there are a lot of different kind of equipment, and we’re going to try cover as much ground as we can.  Let’s take a deeper look at Equipment.

Equipment for Edge of the Empire (Multipasses not Included)

Hey Game Fans, we’re back to take a look at the equipment you’re going to probably utilize at some point during your games of Edge of the Empire from Fantasy Flight Games.  Star Wars has a rich history of cool gadgets and gizmos that crop up during important scenes during various movies, games and books.  They are an essential part of life on the fringes of society and can do a lot of things.  We’re not going to talk about Droids today (mostly because they are much better as a species discussion) nor are we going to talk about vehicles and starships (those belong in their own article).  We’re going to cover the other pieces of technology that make life a much easier proposition in the Star Wars RPG.  Now there are a lot of different kind of equipment, and we’re going to try cover as much ground as we can.  Let’s take a deeper look at Equipment.

 

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? (Careers in Edge of the Empire)

Hey Game Fans, today we’re back with another one of our articles on Edge of the Empire, the wonderful Star Wars roleplaying game from those fine people at Fantasy Flight Games.  Last week we talked about the many different types of interesting species you could choose to build your character from, and this week we’re going to follow that thought down a different line.  Today we’re going to take a look at the various careers that you can select and what the basic ideas behind a career are.  

Just what Planet are you from? (A Species Discussion for Star Wars: Edge of the Empire)

Hey Game Fans, we’re back for another Wednesday write up regarding one of our favorite things, Star Wars.  We’re going to further refine that discussion with a chat about Edge of the Empire, Fantasy Flight Games’s entry into the Star Wars Role-playing Game.  One of the most important aspects of the Star Wars Universe to us has always been the dizzying array of potential species and cultures represented in the setting.  From the first time we got a look at the Mos Eisley cantina and the swath of alien species operating inside of it, it was clear to me that the Star Wars universe took a wide view at a lot of different cultures and ideas about what sentient creatures were, and how they could interact with each other.  

Edge of The Empire Character Breakdown

Hey Game Fans, today we’re back with another look at the wonderful Role-Playing Game Edge of the Empire (and its cousins, Age of Rebellion and Force and Destiny).  Originally i was going to walk through the process of building a character and then i had a momentary brain work.  Making a character (and walking you through the steps of it) isn’t going to be that helpful if you don’t know what the numbers on the page mean.  So we’re going to start with a breakdown of a character, show you all the moving parts, and then next week we’ll show you the how to build section.  Strap in, Check your ammo, and make sure the coordinates are good.  Let’s talk about Edge of the Empire.

Star Wars Dice from Fantasy Flight Games

So i’m sure that some of you have been at the game store and seen Fantasy Flight Games’s full throttled run into the Star Wars Intellectual Property.  I’ve been playing Star Wars in one form or another since 1995, and have loved every iteration i’ve seen.  I’ll admit, i was a little hesitant when i saw FFG’s entry into the line, mostly because the Dice confused the crap out of me.  I don’t like seeing dice fly across a table and not being able to rapidly figure out what just happened.  In the spirit of inviting all of you in, we’re going to take a closer look at FFG’s new dice so you can avoid the wall of confusion.

So yeah, we’ve got some new, interesting dice to identify and figure out just what sort of mischief they are up to.  Let’s look at the evidence.  My friends tell me that every time the dice are tossed, the story evolves along narrative lines, and each roll can change the outcome of the adventure.  

 

 

Yep, I have absolutely no idea what any of that means.  Let’s take a closer look at what the dice are, and what they represent in the game.

Positive Dice Group

The Positive dice group represent the potential positive outcomes associated with a task.  Boosts, Proficiencies, and Abilities all fall within this pool.

Boost Dice:    The Boost Die represents the benefit of having the right tools, the right contact, or other things that just happen to break a character’s way. Thematically they are opposed by Setback Die.

Ability Dice: The Ability Die represents a character’s aptitude or skill when attempting checks.  These Die form the basis of most checks, and have positive, beneficial symbols on them.  Thematically they are opposed by difficulty dice.  

Proficiency Dice:   The Proficiency Die represents advanced training on the part of a character, or can be added to a dice pool by expending a Destiny Point (More on those later).  

Taken together, these three types of die represent the positive chances of success a player has when rolling the dice.  However, a dice pool doesn’t just have positive dice in it.

Negative Dice Group

Setback Dice: The Setback Die represents a host of potential problems that negatively influence the chance for success.  Trying to fix a broken repulsor coil in the rain for example.  These dice are thematically opposed by Boost Dice

Difficulty Dice:  The Difficulty Die represents the inherent difficulty of attempting a particular task.  Repairing the welds on a speeder compared to rewiring a broken hyperdrive, for example.  These dice are thematically opposed by the Ability Dice.  

Challenge Dice: The Challenge Die represents elite levels of adversity and opposition.  Bluffing your way past local guards is one thing, but those are Imperial Stormtroopers, for example.  These dice are full of ruination and can spell the downfall of an action.

These dice represent the challenges and setbacks that are part of attempting an action in Star Wars.  There is another Die, however.

The Force

The Force Die:  The Force Die is generally only used by Force sensitive characters, but it is also used to determine a character’s pool of destiny points at the beginning of a session.  

What Does It All Mean?

Still Nothing

If you’ll notice, Each die has an unusual assortment of lines/squiggles/pictographs that each mean something different.  Let’s break down those symbols and see if we can make heads/tails of this.  

Success: Success symbols are essential for completing tasks as a part of Dice Pool.  They are cancelled out by Failure symbols.  If there are any Success Symbols left, the check succeeds.

Triumph: Triumph symbols count as Success symbols, but, it’s also possible to spend Triumphs to make extremely positive consequences occur beyond simple Success or failure

Advantage:Advantage symbols represent incidental benefits beyond success or failure.  They cancel (and are cancelled) by threat symbols.  They other thing to keep in mind regarding these symbols is that they are always beneficial, even if the check itself fails.

Failure:Failure symbols represent difficulties that prevent success from occurring.  If more Failure symbols show up on the dice than successes, the check has failed.

Despair: These are the supercharged versions of Failure Symbols.  They count as Failures, but the GM can also spend them to make extremely negative consequences occur as well.

Threat:  Threat symbols represent unpleasant consequences or side effects.  These symbols cancel out advantages (and are cancelled by them as well).  The effects of these dice occur whether or not the check was a success or failure.  

The Force Die has white circles (the Light Side of the Force) and Dark Circles (The Dark Side of the Force), but those are governed by slightly different rules we’ll cover later on.  

So now we’ve got some dice, and we know what the symbols mean, let’s see if we can explain this again.  

Example 1:

Dafro the Enraged, (A Twilek Smuggler with anger management issues) is attempting to outmaneuver the TIE Fighters that are actively looking for a freighter matching his.  So far, they’re at the edge of sensor range, but they could find him at any time.  

Dafro has 3 agility (which means he has three green dice) and Piloting 2 (which means he can upgrade 2 of those green dice to yellow dice).  Avoiding a Tie Fighter Patrol is going to be an average task for the sake of this, which means we’ll be adding two purple dice to the pool.  Dafro’s player will pick up his 1 Green, 2 Yellow, and 2 Purple dice, and let them fly across the table.

Example 2:

(From my old friend Chase, who’s been playing this version much longer than i have. His example is much more nuanced and discusses possible outcomes of the dice result)

“Dafro has 3 agility (which means he has three green “Ability” dice) and Piloting 2 (which means he upgrades 2 of those green dice to yellow “Proficiency” dice). The Game Master decides that a single, opposed, Piloting check will be required in order for him to avoid a Tie Fighter Patrol. The Patrol consists of 2 Tie Fighters in a Minion group. They have an Agility of 3 (This means we’ll be adding three purple “Difficulty” dice to the pool) and as a Minion group each Minion after the first upgrades the check (changing one of those purple dice into a red “Challenge die”) due to Piloting (Space) being one of their Group Skills. Dafro’s player will pick up his 1 Green, 2 Yellow, 2 Purple, and 1 Red dice, and let them fly!

The Narrative Dice will then help tell the story of what happens. Does Dafro succeed in outmaneuvering the Empire? Just a simple success or failure could happen but with Narrative Dice many other outcomes are possible. Success with uncancelled Advantages could allow Dafro’s Player to indicate that one of the TIEs pushed their engines a little too far, earning a black  ‘setback’ die in any further Piloting checks. Even succeeding, if enough threat symbols are left uncancelled, the GM might say that the Empire has tagged Dafro’s ship for inquiry! Failed but with advantage? Perhaps the Ties are on his tail but Dafro’s Player asks if he could spot a cargo ship that he could fly near to try and get them to back off on the next round! Failed to avoid them and generated threat? Dafro’s anxious maneuvers got him nowhere but fast, with the GM having each threat becoming a system strain dealt to Dafro’s starship from overtaxed systems. A Triumph generated by one of his yellow “Proficiency” die could represent Dafro’s Player having one of the TIEs colliding into some space debris and disabling or destroying their ship, taking them out of the encounter. A Despair rolled on the Red “Challenge” die could mean GM has the TIEs call in backup and a third TIE joins in their Minion group! Since Triumphs and Despairs do not cancel, it is possible for both of these outcomes at the same time. And these are only examples, let your imagination flow through you!”

What happens after the dice are rolled is a matter for another article.  Now i know that our Good Friends over at Hyper RPG are gearing up for a Star Wars RPG show, and if i can read (There are 0 guarantees on that), they are doing Character Creation this week.  I’ll try and put together an article on character creation and what all those numbers mean for next week’s article.  

Happy Gaming, and remember you can fall into Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars Rabbit Hole here, https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/#/universe/star-wars

Game On, Game Fans