Introduction
There are now 7 steps to designing a Star Wars character, these are;
Several of these steps (marked *) should be discussed between the player and the Gamemaster, such as your character’s Profession, Species, Equipment and Money, and Description. For help on these sections, you can consult the following books;
The other steps are carried out as they are detail in the rule books, except for Selecting Merits and Flaws (with thanks to White Wolf’s World of Darkness games), which is what this document will focus on.
Merits and Flaws are special abilities and disadvantages that characters have. Some examples from the films would be:
Each Trait has an associated number assigned to it which is the cost of that Trait. This is the cost in "pips" with 3 pips in one die, and each pip is the plus value after the die code in Star Wars. For example, 2D+2 is made up of 2 whole dice and 2 pips, and is made up of 8 pips in total (3 each for the 2 dice, and an extra 2 for the +2). For example, 8D+1 is made up of 25 pips in total. Merits take this cost away from your Skill Dice points (in pips), while Flaws give you extra Skill Dice pips to use. You may only take up to 10 pips (3D+1) worth of Flaws (so characters feel more realistic, and to stop those power players out there), although you can transfer up to all of your Skill Pips (21+Flaws) into Merits.
The Traits will be organised into groups depending on what they effect, so that the Flaw Shy will be in the Psychological section, while the Merit Underworld Connections will be in the Society section, and so on.
Some Traits may be restricted or modified by the Gamemaster due to the setting of the game, or other things. For instance, in a game that is set during the Clone Wars, the Imperial Record Flaw would have to change its name to Republic Record. These will mostly be cosmetic changes, while in the setting of the Tapani Sector (Lords of the Expanse boxed set), things like Imperial Record would cost less due to the lesser involvement of the Empire in the sector, an extra Flaw of Cast-Out might be added to introduce the possibility of a Noble being thrown out of a Noble house and loosing his privileges and status, and Corporate Connections would be replaced by Nobility Connections, and this would be more expensive than normal, since there is going to be more interaction with the nobility, and being on good terms with some of them will make things a lot easier.
A note: Some difficulty numbers are listed in brackets. This denotes my house rule on difficulties, using a modified difficulty chart shown below;
| Very Easy: | 1-4 | Difficult: | 13-16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy: | 5-8 | Very Difficult: | 17-20 |
| Moderate: | 9-12 | Heroic: | 21+ |
Merits and Flaws Lists
You have a personal code of ethics to which you strictly adhere. You receive a +1D per point spent bonus to your Willpower (or Perception vs. Force Powers) when someone attempts to force you to do something that conflicts with your code. You must construct your own personal code of honour in as much detail as you can, outlining the general rules of conduct by which you abide.
You are addicted to any one of a variety of things. A one point Flaw would be a mild addiction to an easily attained substance, such as caffeine, nicotine or alcohol. A two point Flaw would be either a severe addiction to any easily-obtained substance or any "mild" drug, such as pain killers, sleeping pills or marijuana. A three point Addiction involves the heavy street drugs or hard-to-find drugs. The need for these drugs varies from once a day for some to two or three times a day for others, depending on the strength of the drug and the addiction. If you are denied access to the drug, all difficulty numbers are increased by 5 (4) times the Flaw cost (five, ten, or fifteen (four, eight, or twelve)) until your receive your "fix". If you are deprived of the drugs for an extended period of time, you will be forced to make an Easy Willpower check, with a +5 (+4) for each additional day. If you fail, you will forgo everything and forcibly go seeking the drug.
You have difficulties with the niceties of social interaction, and are quick to take insult at any slight – real or imagined. To resist taking offence at a perceived slight, you must make a Moderate Perception roll, although this can be modified depending on the situation. If the test fails, then you are likely to shoot your mouth off in a rude fashion. This will probably have the effect of damaging the situation in a non-violent way (or possibly even violent, depending on the situation and the people involved).
You have a psychological compulsion of some sort, which can cause you a number of problems. Your compulsion may be for cleanliness, perfection, bragging, stealing, gaming, exaggeration, or just talking. A compulsion can be temporarily avoided with a Moderate Willpower test, but it is in effect at all other times.
You are a naturally curious person and find mysteries of any sort irresistible. In most circumstances, you find that your curiosity easily overrides your common sense. To resist the temptation, make a Moderate Perception roll for simple things like "I wonder what is in that cabinet?" A Very Difficult Perception roll is needed for things like "I’ll just peek into the Grand Moffs private chambers – no one will know. What could possibly go wrong?"
You have some sort of secret that, if uncovered, would be of immense embarrass-ment to you and would make you a renegade among your peers. This can be anything from having murdered a General to having once fallen to the ways of the Dark Side. While this secret weighs on your mind at all times, it will only surface in occasional stories. Otherwise, it will begin to lose its impact.
You have a personal goal, which compels and directs you in sometimes startling ways. The goal is almost limitless in depth, and you may never truly achieve it. It could be to eradicate the Empire or to bring a Dark Jedi back to the Light Side. Because you must work toward your goal throughout the campaign (though you can avoid it for short periods by making a Difficult Perception test) it will get you into trouble and may jeopardise other goals. Choose your driving goal carefully, as it will direct and focus everything your character does.
You have an unreasoning dislike of a certain thing. This may be an animal, a class of person, a colour, a situation, or just about anything else. The difficulties of all tests involving the subject are increased by +5 (+4). Note that some dislikes are too trivial to be reflected here – a dislike of Imperial Network News or Imperial propaganda, for instance, will have little effect on play in most campaigns. The Gamemaster is the final arbiter on what you can pick to dislike.
You experience horrendous nightmares every time you sleep. Sometimes the nightmares are so bad that they cause you to lose your concentration, increasing all difficulties by +5 (+4) until the next day.
You have an overpowering fear of something. You instinctively and illogically retreat from and avoid the object of your fear. Common objects of phobias include certain creatures, insects, open spaces, crowds, confined spaces, and heights. You must make a Willpower roll at a difficulty set by the Gamemaster. The difficulty of the Willpower test is increased by +5 (+4) for the three point version.
There is something that you like, love or are fascinated by to the point where you often disregard common sense to cater to this drive. You react positively to anything related to your obsession, even if it’s not in your best interests. For example, if you are obsessed by Storm-troopers, you will have collected the various promotional items about the recruitment of new Stormtroopers, and will probably want to join the "Elite Ranks" of the Empire yourself. There are many other obsessions, including Tapani Nobility, blasters, knives, Jedi, and so on.
You have an exaggerated and unshakeable opinion of your own worth and capabilities – you never hesitate to trust your abilities, even in situations where you risk defeat. Because your abilities may not be enough, such over-confidence can be very dangerous. When you do fail, you quickly find someone or something else to blame. If you are convincing enough, you can infect others with your overconfidence.
You are distinctly ill at ease when dealing with people and try to avoid social situations whenever possible. The difficulties of all rolls concerned with social dealings are increased by +5 (+4); the difficulties of any rolls made while at the centre of attention are increased by +10 (+8). Don’t expect your character to make a public speech.
You have a stammer or some other speech impediment which hampers verbal communi-cation. The difficulties of all relevant rolls are increased by +10 (+8). Do not feel obliged to roleplay this impediment all the time, but in times of duress, or when dealing with outsiders, you should attempt to simulate it.
You have a score to settle – an Imperial Admiral murdered your family, a friend went over to the Dark Side, a mentor was slain... whatever. You are obsessed with wreaking vengeance on the guilty party. Revenge is your first priority in all situations. The need for vengeance can only be overcome with a Difficult Willpower roll, and even then, it only temporarily subsides. Someday you may have your revenge, but the Gamemaster won’t make it easy.
You have a significant amount of practical, everyday wisdom. Whenever you are about to do something contrary to common sense, the Gamemaster should alert you to how your potential action might violate practicality. This is an ideal Merit if you are a novice player because it allows you to receive advice from the Game-master concerning what you can and cannot do, and (even more importantly) what you should and should not do.
You have the ability to focus your mind and shut out any distractions or annoyances, above and beyond normal discipline. Any penalty to a test or action arising from a distraction or other inauspicious circumstance is limited to a maximum of +5 (+4).
You can remember things seen and heard with perfect detail. By making a Moderate Willpower roll, you can recall any sight or sound accurately, even if you heard it or glanced at it only once (although the difficulty of such a feat would be high). If the roll is made by 10 (8) or more, you can recall an event perfectly: the Gamemaster relates to you exactly what was seen or heard.
When you are determined and your mind is set, nothing can divert you from your goals. When Jedi use mental attacks or mind control powers against you, you gain an additional +2D to your resistance rolls as long as you are resisting.
You have a natural affinity with numbers and a talent for mental arithmetic, making you a natural when working with computers or betting at the speedtracks. You gain an additional +1D for all relevant rolls, or a +2D bonus if you have long enough to study any appropriate numerical data first (at least one hour). This Merit can also be used to help with Astrogation.
This Flaw may not be taken with the Merit: Concentration. Though you do not forget such things as Knowledge skills, you do forget such things as names, addresses and the last time you ate. In order to remember anything more useful than your own name and the location of your home, you need to make a Moderate Willpower roll or, as a last resort, spend a Character Point.
You are unable to remember anything about your past, yourself or your family. Your life is a blank slate. However, your past may someday come back to haunt you. (You can, if you wish, take the rest of you Flaw points as an addition to this Flaw, allowing the Gamemaster to assign them as he wishes and without him specifying what they are. Over the course of the campaign, you and your character will slowly discover them.)
You are often confused, and the galaxy seems to be a very distorted and twisted place. Some-times you are simply unable to make sense of things. You need to roleplay this behaviour all the time to a small degree, but your confusion becomes especially strong whenever stimuli surround you (such as when a number of different people talk all at once, or you enter a bar with loud pounding music). You may make a Difficult Willpower roll to override the effects of your confusion, but only temporarily.
You have exceptionally sharp hearing, smell, vision, or taste. You gain a +1D to all relevant tests that use the sense in question.
You have an innate ability to sense the motivations, emotions, and possibly the inten-tions, of others. With a successful Moderate Perception test over the course of 4 rounds, you can discover something significant about the discussion or plans of the people being observed. If you cannot understand the language being used, then there is a +5 (+4) modifier to the difficulty, and there is an extra modifier dependant upon the race of those being observed (a Human has a harder time trying to figure out what a Wookie is feeling than he does with another Human), and also a modifier of +5 (+4) if the subjects are only briefly viewed, or a -5 (-4) if you can observe the subjects for longer.
Your sight is defective. The difficulties of all tests related to vision are increased by +10 (+8). This Flaw is neither nearsighted nor farsighted – it is a minor form of blindness. The impairment is only correctable with expensive major surgery (an Imperial clinic would have the appropriate tools and expertise to perform the surgery). You may not take Acute Senses: Vision if you take this Flaw.
You automatically fail all tests involving vision. You cannot see – the world of colour and light is lost to you.
You can only see in black and white. Colour means nothing to you, although you are sensitive to colour density, which you perceive as shades of grey. Note: colour blindness actually indicates an inability to distinguish between two colours, but we fudged a bit for the sake of playability.
You cannot hear sound, and automatically fail any rolls that require hearing.
Your hearing is defective. The difficulties of all tests related to hearing are increased by +10 (+8). You may not take Acute Senses: Hearing if you take this Flaw
You have a high degree of off-hand dexterity and can perform tasks with the "wrong" hand at no penalty. The normal penalty for using the "wrong" hand for a task is a +5 (+4).
You are especially attractive to others of the opposite gender. You receive a +2D to your Bargain, Con and Persuasion rolls. However, this will aggravate others of your own gender, causing a +5 (+4) difficulty modifier to Bargain, Con and Persuasion with them.
You have a natural affinity with computers and droids, so the you gain a +2D to repair, construct or operate them, and for hacking into their data!
You have a natural affinity with vessels, such as skiffs, speeders, and any spacecraft of starfighter scale. You gain a +2D for performing risky or especially difficult manoeuvres.
You have a sixth sense which warns you of danger. When you are in danger, the Game-master should make a secret Perception test; the difficulty corresponds to the remoteness of the danger. If the roll succeeds, you are informed that you have a sense of foreboding and are given an indication of direction, distance or nature.
You are good at taking risks, and are even better at surviving them. All difficulties are reduced by -10 (-8) whenever you try something particularly dangerous, such as flying through a dense asteroid field at full speed while being pursued by TIE Fighters, or manoeuvring through the superstructure of a Death Star while being tailed by TIE Fighters and having to navigate ever shrinking tunnels!
You learn very quickly, and pick up on new things faster than most do. Learning new skills, Force Abilities, or increasing Attributes takes half the normal time, round up.
You must be Force Sensitive to take this Merit. You have the ability to see the Force flowing through everything, and are able to see which people are falling to the Dark Side (and getting an approximate number of Dark Side points, give or take one or two points). All tests made with the Force skill Sense are made at -5 (-4) to the difficulty.
You have the natural ability to fall into a role, and to project that role believably to others. You also have the ability to mimic other peoples voices after hearing them in conversation for a short time, forcing another person familiar with the imitated voice to make a Difficult Perception roll to notice "something wrong" with your voice. Their difficulty to notice "something wrong" is decreased if you have only had a brief example of their speech, or if you are imitating a foreign or alien voice (some voices are impossible to mimic, such as the voice of an Ithorian due to its’ stereo speech ability).
With this Merit, you will awaken at the slightest disturbance, such as the unmuffled footsteps of someone approaching where you are sleeping.
If a character(s) approaches and is trying to be stealthy, then the characters make opposed Stealth and Perception tests. If the sleeper’s Perception test is greater than the Stealth roll(s) of the other character(s), then the sleeper wakes up. If the sleeper rolls equal to or less than the Stealth roll(s) of the other character(s), then he remains asleep.
You have a flair for languages. You gain full fluency of one language (e.g. specialisation at 5D) each time you take this Merit. Han Solo has this Merit several times!
Your sense of balance has achieved great heights by your training or inherited traits. It is very unlikely that you will ever fall during your life. You may trip, but you will always catch yourself before you fully lose your footing or handhold.
This Merit functions for such actions as tightrope walking, crossing ice and climbing mountain sides. All difficulties involving such feats are reduced by -10 (-8). It would take a lot to push or shove a character off his feet if he has this Merit.
You have, for some reason or another, become resistant to poisons. It could be that you are somehow naturally resistant or that you have spent years building up your resistance against all known types of poisons. Any time you need to make a Strength or Willpower roll against the effects of a poison or toxin, add +3D to your roll.
You are naturally adept with all kinds of mechanical devices (note that this aptitude does not extend to electronic devices, such as computers or droids), so you gain a +2D to repair, construct or operate them. However, this Merit doesn’t help you pilot any sort of vehicle.
You are getting on in life, having passed the middle-aged mark for your species. This may mean some social problems, depending upon your background and who you are around at the time. You also lose -1D from Strength (to a minimum of 1D), but gain +1D to Knowledge.
This Flaw cannot be taken with the Merit: Perfect Balance. You have the unfortunate habit of dropping things, tripping, or knocking things over at inopportune times. The Gamemaster will occasionally require you to make a Moderate Dexterity roll. Failure means that you lose your grip, stumbles, or trips. The roll can be required as often as the Gamemaster desires, though as a general rule two or three times a gaming session probably will be adequate.
You will only awaken when disturbed by a very loud noise, or by physical prodding, shaking, etc. When you do wake up, it will take you 1D rounds before you are fully capable of any action other than groggily sitting up and trying to figure out what’s going on (any action that is necessary during this period is at -2D, to a minimum of 1D).
You have special ties to the underground shopping network, ties that help you acquire hard-to-find equipment. This Merit adds +1D per point to your Streetwise skill when trying, for instance, to obtain black market weaponry. The difficulty is left up to the Gamemaster (typically Difficult). The point cost reflects how "connected" you may be. The Gamemaster may allow you to use your Black Market connections during the game to provide you with needed or useful equipment. It is up to the Gamemaster to determine the quantity, quality and availability of the equipment. He may feel free to disallow it entirely if such connections would unbalance the game. Some examples;
You have both influence over and contacts in the local corporate community. You understand the dynamics of money in the galaxy and have links with all the major players. In times of need, you can cause all sorts of financial mayhem, and can raise considerable amounts of money (in the form of loans) in a very short period of time.
You have a particular influence and sway over a major corporation and associated companies, just as if you were its chief executive officer. Indeed, you might have owned this company before you went off gallivanting around the galaxy, and you have retained your control. Through this corporation, you know much that takes place in the corporate community and have the means to wage economic warfare.
You have a degree of fame and influence in the local entertainment scene (music, theatre, movies, etc.). Either you own or manage a good venue or site or you have some notoriety among both peers and fans. You can exert this influence to ferret out information or buy favours. This is especially useful when searching for people. For 5 points, this fame can become galaxy-wide.
You have both influence over and contacts in the Imperial bureaucracy. In times of need, you can request the aid of the Imperial fleet against "rebel uprisings", or have a news item pulled from publication and broadcast by most major networks. However, the more often you use your ties with the Empire, the weaker they become, and the more attention you attract towards yourself. Your influence is not solid and it can let you down at times.
You must discuss this Merit with the Gamemaster before taking it!
You have both influence over and contacts in the local police department and justice system. You can, with a single call, cause an APB to be issued. You know most of the judges as well as the attorneys in the prosecutor’s department, and can affect the progress of various cases and trials with limited difficulty. Though it is difficult to intervene in a case, you can influence it in one direction or another.
You have both influence over and contacts in the local media. You can suppress and create news stories (though not always 100 percent efficiency; journalists are an unruly bunch) and you have access to the files and gossip of the staffs of datasheets and vid stations.
You have both influence over and contacts among the politicians and bureaucrats of the city. In times of need, you can shut off the power and water to a building or neighbourhood, and can unleash many different means of harassment against your enemies. The more you use you political connections, the weaker they become: Total control can only be achieved through game play.
You have influence over and contacts in local religions, and have the means to create protest rallies, help the needy or raise money. The more you use your connections, of course, the greater your risk of being discovered.
You have a good reputation among a certain class of individuals, such as the nobility, the underworld, the rebellion, etc. The reputation may be your own, or it may be derived from your parents. Add +3D to all your social skills for social dealings with the appropriate class. A character with this Merit may not take the Flaw of Notoriety.
You have both influence over and contacts in the local Crime Bosses and organised street gangs. This provides you with limited access to large numbers of "soldiers," as well as extensive links to the underworld of crime. The more often you use your connections with the criminal element, the weaker they grow.
You have managed to incur a debt during your life. This is probably to a crime lord, or perhaps to a corrupt Imperial Officer, either way you will have to pay it back... one way or another. You can either pay it back in credits or you can pay it back through services, maybe smuggling a shipment, getting material for them to blackmail somebody, or something else. It will take you a while to pay it off, but you will... you have to!
For 1 point you owe 5,000 credits; for 2 points you owe 15,000 credits; for 3 points you owe 30,000 credits; for 4 points you owe 50,000 credits; for 5 points you owe 75,000 credits; and for 6 points you owe 100,000 credits!
You have an enemy, or perhaps a group of enemies, who seek to do you harm. You may not know the reason or the individuals hunting you. It may be a secret Imperial force, an assassin hired by a Crime Lord, or something else. This enemy is beyond reason and has some form of power, influence or authority that puts you at a disadvantage. Your friends, family and associates are likewise endangered. Sooner or later, this Flaw will result in a confrontation. The resolution should not be an easy one.
The value of this Flaw indicates how powerful these enemies are. The most powerful enemies (Boba Fett-level bounty hunters, or Imperial Admirals) would be 6 points, while someone near your own power would be only 1 point.
This Flaw indicates that you are wanted by the Empire for some crime. Class One Infractions are worth 9 points (e.g. treason), Class Two is worth 7 points (e.g. unauthorised ship weapons), Class Three is worth 5 points (e.g. bribing an Officer), Class Four is worth 3 points (e.g. avoiding taxation of cargo), and Class Five is worth 1 point (e.g. lack of emergency equipment in any vessel). See Platt’s Smugglers Guide or Platt’s Starport Guide for more detailed information.
You have a bad reputation among a certain class of individuals, such as the nobility, the underworld, the rebellion, etc. The reputation may be your own, or it may be derived from your parents. Deduct -2D (minimum of 1D) to all your social skills for social dealings with the appropriate class. A character with this Flaw may not take the Merit of Reputation.
You are devoted to the protection of someone. You may describe your ward, though the Gamemaster will actually create him. This character may be a friend or relative, and have a talent for getting caught up in the action of the adventures, and they are frequent targets of a character’s enemies.
You are especially attractive to others of the opposite gender. You receive a +2D to your Bargain, Con and Persuasion rolls.
You are unusually supple. Reduce the difficulties of any Dexterity roll involving body flexibility by -10 (-8). Squeezing through a tiny space is one example of a use for this Merit.
You are abnormally large in size, possibly an extra 20 percent in height and an extra 100 percent in weight. You therefore gain a +1D to Strength for resisting damage, and gain a +2D to intimidation rolls.
You are allergic to some substance – pollen, animal fur, alcohol, chocolate, etc. For one point, you get hives, sneeze or become dizzy upon prolonged contact with your bane; for two points, you swell up uncomfortably in the affected area, increasing all difficulties by +5 (+4); for three points, your reaction actually incapacitates you, increasing all difficulties by +15 (+12). If the substance is really common in your campaign, add an additional point to this Flaw.
You are under the age of an adult for your species. You have the Flaw: Short (see below) at no extra cost, and find it difficult to be taken seriously by others (+10 (+8) difficulty to all relevant rolls). Additionally, you may be subject to parental control, curfews and child labour and truancy laws. Few clubs will admit you, because you are "underage."
Your legs are injured or otherwise prevented from working effectively. You suffer a +10 (+8) penalty to all rolls involving movement, and your movement values are reduced by -2 (to a minimum of 1). A character may not take this Flaw along with the Merit: Double Jointed.
Your vocal apparatus does not function, and you cannot speak at all. You can communicate through other means — typically writing or signing.
You are missing one arm – choose which or determine randomly. This could be a battle scar, birth defect or other form of injury. It is assumed that you either have a cybernetic replacement or that you are accustomed to using your remaining hand, so you suffer no off-hand penalty. However, you do suffer a +10 (+8) difficulty increase to any test where two hands would normally be needed to perform a task. A character may not take this Flaw along with the Merit: Ambidextrous.
You can hardly move without assistance, such as a pair of crutches or a wheelchair. Even then it can be painful and cumbersome to do so. The Gamemaster and you should take care to role-play this Flaw correctly, no matter how difficult it makes things. A character may not take this Flaw along with the Merit: Double-Jointed.
You are well below the average height, and have trouble seeing over high objects and moving quickly. You and the Gamemaster should make sure your height is take into account in all situations. In some circumstances, this will give you a hide bonus.
You look very unattractive to the opposite gender. You receive a +5 (+4) difficulty modifier to your Bargain, Con and Persuasion rolls.
You own a large building or facility that you can use to sustain an income. This is usually through owning a bar, a series of docking ports, or a mining facility. The cost is variable, depending on the size and location of the structure in question and the amount of money it gives you each month. For example; a medium sized bar which gives you 1,000 credits per month would cost 6 points, a Tiberium mining facility on Bespin which gives you 10,000 credits per month would cost you at least 15 points!
You have the use of a Light Freighter (or other small ship), although this does not come without any strings attached. You will either only own part of it, while the other part is owned by a company that you works for, or you will owe a crime lord the second-hand cost of the ship, or some other reason why you don’t have full freedom with the ship.
This Merit can be shared among several characters, reducing the individual cost, meaning that they all own a small amount of the vessel each. The 30 point version exists for those who wish to fully own their vessel. This cost can also be shared amongst several characters. This Merit requires special permission from the Gamemaster, who may decide that it is better for the story that you own the ship without paying out points for it.
You have a permit for an item designated as R or X. This means that you may legally carry such an item on your person and anywhere on your property. This does not apply to lightsabers which are only legal during the days of the Old or New Republic and as long as you are a Jedi.
You have in your possession a one-of-a-kind item. This can be anything from a custom built weapon to a work of art, but will not be replaced if it is lost or stolen, so be careful with it. The details of this need to be worked out with the Gamemaster.
This Flaw cannot be taken with the Merits: Light Freighter, Permit, or Unique Item. You start off with no money and no equipment other than the clothes on your back. This Flaw should be checked out with the Gamemaster before you take it.
Attributes
You have an amount of dice determined by your race (+6D) to assign to your attributes, for example a normal or variant Human has 12D to assign to his attributes, a normal or variant Human player character would have 18D to assign. The reason that player characters start with 6D more than other members of their race is that they are supposed to be heroes, and have had enough training and experience to help them survive against greater odds than average.
You may allocate these dice amongst your six attributes however you like, with one limitation — your allocated dice must fall within the range allowed for your race; for Humans and variant Humans, the range is 1D to 4D in all six attributes, for other races this will vary, and you must consult your races description for the listed ranges.
With the universe standard, you can rate your character based on how they compare to other characters in the Star Wars universe and how experienced they are.
Skill Lists
Each attribute governs several skills; characters often improve skills as a result of their experiences and adventures. Skills represent a more specialised ability or area of knowledge.
Many skills have specialisations: when a character specialises, he has concentrated on learning a lot about a very small area covered by a skill. He is very good when using tools or abilities directly related to the specialisation, but when he uses something outside his specialisation, he simply uses his base skill in that area. You have 3D to assign to specialisations (a total of 5D in any language specialisation counts as that character being able to fluently speak and/or understand that language, without any further rolls required).
Advanced skills (marked with an (A)) can only be bought when certain other skills are at a minimum of 5D. They also do not add on to the Attribute they are listed under, they are figured separately. For example; Medicine requires First Aid at 5D before it can be bought, and purchasing 2D of Medicine allows the character to roll 2D when performing surgery and other intensive medical feats, instead of Technical + 2D.
Dexterity
Knowledge
Mechanical
Perception
Strength
Technical
Force Skills
Force Skills work differently from normal skills, and are purchased through Attribute Dice (if in a campaign where Jedi are rare, e.g., during the reign of Emperor Palpatine), or through Skill Dice (if in a campaign where Jedi are more common, e.g., during the Clone Wars).
When purchasing Force Skills during character creation you will receive between one and three Force Powers of each Skill you have selected. These Powers require that the appropriate Force Skill Dice be rolled to see if the Power works successfully (e.g., Resist Stun requires that a Control roll be made to activate the power, Affect Mind requires a Control, Sense, and Alter roll to activate the power).
You can use the control skill to control the Force inherent in your own body. By doing so, you can control your own hunger, pain, thirst, and exhaustion. You can help your immune system defeat poisons and diseases. You can accelerate your body’s natural healing abilities, heighten your natural alertness, or put your body in a hibernating trance. If you ever try to do any of these things, the gamemaster will tell you what the difficulty number is.
If you have the sense skill, you can "feel" the ebb and flow of the Force, sensing the bonds that connect all things. You can read the feelings of others, heighten your own senses, and tell how badly damaged or diseased an organism is.
If you possess both the sense and control skills, you can combine them to read minds, project thoughts and feelings into the minds of others, and see the past, present, and possible futures.
If you have the alter skill, you can move objects with your mind alone. If you possess both control and alter, you may do to the bodies of others what you can do to your own – help them withstand pain, fatigue, hunger and thirst; accelerate healing; and so on.
If you possess all three Force skills, you can change the contents of the minds of others, causing them to see what is not there, remember things incorrectly, or come to false conclusions (e.g., "These are not the Droids you’re looking for").
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