[2E] Star Wars of Darkness

[wyrdhamster]

Yes, it's another Star Wars conversion. Yes, it's mainly because how I like Last Jedi movie ( just saw it, it's great! ) and because I think about running one shot in universe. And yes, because I LOVE Storytelling System ( i.e. CoD mechanics ). I used 2E of rules and If not marked otherwise - assume that things works just like in CoD Rulebook. No, I probably will not join normal CoD gamelines and monsters. For short I use SWoD as Star Wars of Darkness conversion name. So let’s start.

Star Wars of Darkness

Attributes & Skills – Stays and works the same as in CoD Rulebook, beside logical changes like Drive becoming Piloting and working on spaceships, speeders, etc. Occult become Skill for Jedi, Sith and various monsters legends lore.

Races – Do not know now if alien races should modify starting Attributes. For now, assume ‘everyone works the same’, human or alien.

Anchors – Instead of Virtue and Vice traits, characters in SWoD has Light and Dark traits, encompassing their main pulls to, respectively, Light and Dark Side. Mechanically, it works identical to normal Virtue and Vice from CoD.

Balance (?) – Still not know about name, but it’s Light and Dark Side balance in character. Works like Integrity equivalent, closest to Werewolf: The Forsaken 2E Harmony – where Balance 10 is totally Light Side character and Balance 1 is utterly consumed by Dark Side. Most characters starts with Balance 7. And I do not use name Force because…

Force – It’s Supernatural Tolerance trait. Every Player Character have it, even when they are not officially ‘force sensitive’ in universe – because ‘Force has chosen them to play part in Galaxy story’. Most non-Force using character just stays at Force 1 dot rating. Proper Force-Users with have Powers to that having Force 1 dot is minimum perquisite. Force gives character Force Points that she can use to rising dicepools, special actions, etc.

Powers – I thinking here on what two routes to go – Use Mage: The Awakening 2E spellcasting system, with Arcana and all that. Or just makes Force Powers being Supernatural Merits paid to activate by Force Points character currently have.

What do you think about Powers – MtAw spellcasting or Supernatural Merits? Let’s leave here as Opening Post question.

[malonkey1]

It'd be better to use Supernatural merits. We rarely see Jedi perform new feats of Force mastery on the fly. Plus, having them as merits helps to keep dark side powers on the dark side, e. g. force lightning.

[Vent0]

It'd be better to use Supernatural merits. We rarely see Jedi perform new feats of Force mastery on the fly. Plus, having them as merits helps to keep dark side powers on the dark side, e. g. force lightning.

Additionally, you can have certain powers having Integrity/Balance prerequisites (or scaling effects).

For Dark Side powers, I'd have them grant pretty potent burst effects, but risk Breaking Points or otherwise decay a character's long-term capability - the idea being that it offers short term power with long term consequence and sets up characters to have to rely on the short term boost once they are corrupted enough. Maybe modify Willpower bonuses? Like low Integrity/Balance gives you less bonus dice unless you are doing so in pursuit of the Dark Side? I don't know.

[wyrdhamster]

So I will go with Supernatural Merits as Powers in general as idea.

Thinking about main mechanics, I feel a Force Trait needs to be slightly changed from typical Supernatural Tolerance trait. In CoD games characters are 'full monsters' from the start, being established after The Change. In SWoD heroes are assumed to be 'special, but not truly mystical' until they hit cretin Force dots level - remember, Force as trait in SWoD is much more 'marked by Fate/Force to have impact in Galaxy' than straight 'I'm god with magical powers' - it comes later on, with larger Force rating and purchased separately Powers. So instead of starting at Force Points max pool of 10 - I think to work with a lesser start, like max 5 Points on Force 1. It would look like this:

Force / Max Points
1 / 5
2 / 7
3 / 10
4 / 12
5 / 15

Rest of typical Supernatural Tolerance traits table is the same.

Now, question is: What 'non-Jedi' character could use Force Points? Simple answer: They work basically as extra Willpower points, for any other mechanical use in CoD Rulebook. But maybe you have other usage for Force Points, beside 'they just works as secondary Willpower' and 'they are burned for Force Powers'?

As to proper Jedi/Sith characters - They would work based on your Force dots rating. Your title would work this:

Force - Title
1-3 - Padawan
4-6 - Jedi Knight / Sith
7+ - Jedi Master / Sith Lord

[Mad_Maudlin]

It might be neat to allow characters to sometimes use Force Points as a hero point, to "buy" an automatic Success (but not Exceptional Success) without having to roll. This would be limited (once per chapter, or even once per story) and would require consent of the ST and any other players who would be affected. But it gives the flavor of something amazing happening "as the Force wills it."

[21C Hermit]

It might be neat to allow characters to sometimes use Force Points as a hero point, to "buy" an automatic Success (but not Exceptional Success) without having to roll. This would be limited (once per chapter, or even once per story) and would require consent of the ST and any other players who would be affected. But it gives the flavor of something amazing happening "as the Force wills it."

In currently-existing game terms, the ability to give yourself something like the Steadfast Condition? That’s certainly neat.

So something like “give yourself Steadfast or Inspired once per scene?” I’m getting the feeling that the Dark Hero rules we had in 1E could be useful here, at least with “Force Users” who aren’t actual Force Users.

[Mad_Maudlin]

In currently-existing game terms, the ability to give yourself something like the Steadfast Condition?

Yes! Thanks, Steadfast is the one I was thinking of.

[Tessie]

If non-Force users use Force points as Willpower, you could just combine WP and Force points. The total pool can be Resolve + Composure + Force (with additional points when reaching Force 6+).

[Vent0]

If non-Force users use Force points as Willpower, you could just combine WP and Force points. The total pool can be Resolve + Composure + Force (with additional points when reaching Force 6+).

That would also streamline resource costs and inject some parity/balance with non-Force Users. Spending Willpower on fancy Force Powers means they don't have it for other purposes.

[wyrdhamster]

Force Points section draft version...

Force Points

Force dots measure general connection of character to the Force – and by this, Destiny – in Galaxy. Force Points are showing how many times character can influence it, in smaller way, even if character is unaware that she is supported by the cosmic Force of the Galaxy in her actions. Character can gain Force Points by doing heroic ( or villainous ) deeds that mark it’s place in history, in greater Saga of cosmos. Sure way to regain Force Points are Breaking Points against Balance, granting 1 Point per roll. Awarding other FP is decided by Storyteller, in dramatic appropriate way – good examples are actions of Light or Dark Anchors for character, or taking Dramatic Failure instead of normal Failure in scene.

Force Points can be spent in maximum number per turn depending on Force dots of character. They can be used to achieve those effects:

• Once per chapter, giving character automatic Success, even if roll normally would be Failure. ( Works as Steadfast Condition, CoD Rulebook page 291. )
• Giving character automatic Exceptional Success instead of normal Success on one roll. ( Works as Inspired Condition, CoD Rulebook page 289. )
• Working as Willpower points for any mechanical purpose.
• Activate Force Powers.

[Wormwood]

The way you described the Balance system, I'd say let characters start at 5 instead of 7. This way, everyone is morally grey/in the middle, and going White Side is an actual achievement.

Also, since every Jedi can at any moment fall to the temptation of the Dark Side, maybe offer Light Side Force Users the chance to boost a roll in exchange for a Breaking Point towards the Dark Side? Or something like filling up some of their Force points, to represent their renewed strength.
I also quite liked Vent0's idea of turning it into something they will have to rely on if they start using it often, so maybe instead of just a Breaking Point roll, they 'negate' one dot of Willpower each scene they are used, until they character either rises or falls from their current Side level. Maybe you should consider what acts would help to rise/fall in Balance levels, because as of now, I think falling is way easier (as it should be, maybe?).

Also, you might want to have general Force Powers (Force Push/Pull for example), White Side Powers (Healing), Dark Side Powers (Choke and Lightning) and, as I was always a fan of Grey Jedi, maybe some exclusively Grey ones, too? 6-4 would be the Grey area, similar to Sated Satiety.
You could set explicit Balance Level requirements (Force Choke --> needs to be Balance <5, Lightning--> needs to be <= 3). On the other hand, there WERE canonical instances of traditionally Dark or White Side powers being used by the opposite side - you could allow a White Side Force User to use Force Lightning, but he has to pay an increased price (maybe make it harsher the bigger the difference between the Balance requirements and their actual Balance level are?).

[Tessie]

I think either increased cost, decreased effect, and/or instant Breaking Point towards the other end.

[Vent0]

How about Breaking Point, plus less effect? For the aligned powers, what about modeling them like Beast in regards to Satiety thresholds (but with Balance in place of Satiety)?

Brackets:
0-1 = Dark
2-3 = Corrupted
4-6 = Grey/Neutral
7-8 = Enlightened
9-10 = Light

[Tessie]

I don't think the effects chosen for "wrong" alignment can map to all powers equally. Using Grey powers doesn't really pull you towards the center (so no Breaking Point), but by not being balanced enough you still can lose some of the effectiveness. Generally I think Breaking Points should be reserved for the most extreme powers, such as Force Lightning.

[Tessie]

There's not many powers that are so exclusively light side that I believe they should warrant Breaking Points, but that means the dark side becomes a slippery slope once you start using those powers.
I also think that both succeeding and failing Breaking Points (regardless of source) should grant Conditions representing the inner conflicts of not acting according to oneself.