Starting Level: 8. This is intended to allow everyone to have one level of a Prestige Class should they so desire, particularly allowing for full Jedi Knights in the party.
Sourcebooks: I believe I have all of them, so use your judgment but in theory most everything’s available. I’m okay with reflavoring some things, but do ask, particularly if you’re using something obscure. If I don’t recognize it I’ll look it up, and if it seems screwy I’ll call shenanigans.
Ability Scores: All your scores start at 10, and you have 20 points to spend increasing them on a 1-for-1 basis. No scores should be below 10 before adjustments for your species, unless you’re a Jedi, in which case none should be below 10 after adjustments. And don’t forget the score increases for being level 8!
Species: Most species are available, but some aren’t as reasonable. I’m not hugely concerned about what’s canon and what isn’t, but we probably shouldn’t have an Ewok or Yuuzhan Vong running around in this period.
Classes: All five base classes are available, of course, and as long as it makes sense, Prestige Classes are on the table, too. Keep in mind, you’re part of a special team of operators for the Republic during the Cold War: you should pick options that gear you toward a useful skill set for the team. Also make sure to look at my Class Notes/Upgrades below.
Skills: I roll Climb and Swim together into a new skill called Athletics; if either of those were class skills for you, Athletics is a class skill for you. I also fold Jumping into Athletics and Acrobatics, so you can use either of those skills for jumping as you please. Anything that would have added to Jump instead applies to Acrobatics/Athletics checks made to jump (or perform some other use of the Jump skill).
Feats: Biggest changes here are in your class’s Starting Feats. I’ll also be assigning your character a bonus feat of my choosing based on a background element—homeworld, prior experience, training, something of that nature. It’s worth noting, however, that I’m quite willing to change certain feats to replicate their Pathfinder counterparts. The ones that most come to mind are Dodge, Melee Defense (Combat Expertise), Power Attack, and Power Blast (Deadly Aim); ask me if there are others you’re interested in taking that seem worth changing. Another big change is progression, which works as Pathfinder: you get a feat at every odd level (1,3,5...) rather than every three.
Talents: You get two talents at each level you normally receive one—that is to say, every odd level of a given class. These talents are considered to be taken simultaneously, though, so you can’t use one to qualify for another at the same level. I’ve also altered certain talents, as noted in the Class stuff below. The other thing worth noting is that I make talent trees from your base class(es) always available when you take a Prestige Class; e.g., if you go from Soldier to Gunslinger, you could keep taking talents from, say, the Weapon Specialist tree with your Gunslinger levels if you wanted to do so.
Equipment: You have 50,000 credits to spend on starting gear; if you have the Wealth talent, it’s doubled to 100,000. As long as the base equipment makes sense, feel free to purchase modifications, upgrades, templates, and so on, as long as you follow the normal rules and everything works together. You can even purchase upgrades from the Tech Specialist feat, although if you don’t possess that feat yourself it costs double.
Obviously some characters may have more to purchase here than others—Jedi come to mind as probably not needing to spend all that much on their own gear—but I would strongly advise that you keep some cash in reserve for both purchasing/upgrading the group ship and just having some liquid funds during the game. After all, in the galaxy of Cold War espionage, you never know when having a few thousand credits on hand will make a difference.
I would also advise purchasing licenses for at least some of your equipment as necessary. Since you’re Republic agents, you’re technically allowed to carry anything short of illegal equipment, but since you’re covert Republic agents, you won’t be able to fall back on that excuse with any reliability--certainly not on any Imperial-controlled worlds.
Character Traits: I’ll be using the Background system from the Rebellion Campaign Guide, with the caveat that rather than just adding skills to your class skill list, you receive training in them; after all, you’re highly skilled operatives who’ve been chosen for your particular skills and experience. I won’t be using the full Destiny system, but Destiny Points are in play as a rare but powerful resource; each of you starts out with 1 Destiny Point. You also start out with max Force Points as regular for your class and level. For Hit Points, use half-max+1 for your class’s hit die (so Soldiers, for example, would gain 6 HP+Con for each level) for every level after 1st (which uses regular rules).
Character Creation Fluff:
Backstory: The more the better, within reason—while I’d love to read a well-written novella about your character’s life up to this point (that should only be read with a mild amount of snark), I doubt I’ll have the time, or the inclination to spend the time doing that instead of something else. A few paragraphs or so is probably good enough for giving the basics of your backstory: where you come from, how you’ve gotten here. The Legend of the Batman for your character is a good idea here: a neat sum-up of what’s made them who they are, but which doesn’t take too long to get through. We’re looking for the action, after all!
Beyond that, though, there are a few questions I’d like everyone to answer for their character.
Question 1: Who do you know? Name a couple of contacts your character has made, people they can call on for a favor or support when the time comes. One of these should be someone who could be a contact over and over again, and one should be more of a short-term or one-time deal—they owe you a favor, something along those lines. Give them a name and a basic summary of their role—something like “Dexter Jettster, Cantina Owner/Information Broker” would do, with a little more to explain how you know them and while they’re willing to help you.
Question 2: Who knows you? Name an enemy your character has made, living or dead. The Galaxy is a dangerous place, and not so long ago it was embroiled in all-out war. It’s difficult to make it very far in life without making enemies, and for the types of people who become Player Characters, it’s all but impossible. Maybe it’s a smuggler you busted, rotting in prison and waiting for revenge; maybe it’s a Sith apprentice whom you dueled to the death as a Padawan during the dark days of the Great War. Give them a name and summary like your contacts above, with a brief note on why you are (or were) enemies. (Obviously noting their current state will be helpful too, because if you don’t, I’ll take it and run as far as I can.)
Question 3: Why are you part of this mission? The game is going to start with your first mission as a team already underway: a “cold open,” in medias res, whatever you want to call it. The objective is to rescue one Kaul Wren, a Republic Special Forces agent who was compromised and captured by Sith agents. He’s currently being held in a complex on the city-planet Carratos, kept under careful watch and tight security measures. The situation is delicate for many reasons, but it seems a perfect testing ground for the new unit the party comprises.
But the group has been hand-selected for the expertise of each individual and their purpose in this particular mission. Explain what your role in the mission is, and be specific! If you’re a sharpshooter, don’t say “I was brought on for my precise aim and cool trigger finger;” try something like “Intelligence showed there are three guards posted on the balconies of the floor where Wren’s being kept, and there’s no approach to take them out without alerting them. The only vantage point to take them out is over 300 meters away; command knows there are just four rifles in the Republic who can make that shot, and I’m the only one who can make all three quick enough to count.”
Don’t treat this as a restriction that means you have to build characters with certain skills; think of it as a way to really sell yourself as a creative player and your character as a valuable member of the team.
CLASS NOTES/UPGRADES:
JEDI
Ability Scores: To play a Jedi, all of your ability scores must be at least 10 after adjustment for your species. Jedi are well-rounded and capable individuals, and are often above average for a member of their species in nearly every regard. (They’re also extremely powerful and I don’t want them to get away with dump stats of any kind.)
Starting Feats: In addition to their regular starting feats, Jedi gain Armor Proficiency (light) and Weapon Proficiency (advanced melee weapons). In these dangerous days, many Jedi find that some light armoring can make the difference between life and death, and with the rise of energy shields, their training has reintroduced the use of vibroswords.
Talents: The Block and Deflect talents are combined into one single talent. Additionally, Jedi can take the Armored Defense talent from the Soldier’s Armor Specialist talent tree.
Build Lightsaber: Assuming you’re high enough level in the Jedi class to have this option, you should have completed it by game start. You do pay the cost for one attempt from your starting credits, but you also gain the bonus for having a personally built and attuned lightsaber (with a crystal of your choice).
The Force: (Listed here since Jedi are the most likely to be affected) When you take the Force Sensitive feat, you pick one mental ability score (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma). You use this score as the linked ability for the Use the Force skill, and for determining how many Force powers you learn when taking the Force Training feat. By default, this does NOT affect Force talents or other Force effects that rely on a given ability score.
NOBLE
Starting Feats: In addition to their regular starting feats, Nobles gain Armor Proficiency (light) and Weapon Proficiency (advanced melee weapons). Even diplomats and corporate heads are trained to use energy shields and vibroblades in self-defense during these dark times.
Talents: Nobles gain the Connections talent from the Lineage talent tree for free; in the Cold War, who you know is nearly as important as who you are.
SCOUNDREL
Starting Feats: In addition to their regular starting feats, Scoundrels gain Improved Defenses and Weapon Proficiency (advanced melee weapons). For those who live by their wits, natural reflexes and luck are more important than armor, but a vibroknife at your side is never a bad plan.
Talents: Scoundrels gain one rank of the Dastardly Strike or Sneak Attack talent for free; perhaps more so now than ever, it pays to take whatever advantage you can. Additionally, Scoundrels can take the Improved Stealth talent from the Scout’s Camouflage talent tree.
SCOUT
Base Attack Bonus: Scouts have a Base Attack Bonus equal to their class level, rather than the usual progression.
Starting Feats: In addition to their regular starting feats, Scouts gain Armor Proficiency (light) and Weapon Proficiency (advanced melee weapons). Even reconnaissance specialists and backwater survivalists benefit from armor and vibroweapons in this day and age.
Talents: Scouts can take the Armored Defense talent from the Soldier’s Armor Specialist talent tree.
SOLDIER
Starting Feats: In addition to their regular starting feats, Soldiers gain Weapon Focus (player’s choice) and Weapon Proficiency (advanced melee weapons). Nearly all combat training in this era includes the use of vibroweapons, and the best warriors are known for their skill with a given set of weapons.
Talents: Soldiers gain the Armored Defense talent for free; having lived through an era of all-out conflict, anyone with combat skill knows how to use armor to their advantage.
