Mark's Star Wars House Rules

Hierarchy of Rules

The hierarchy of rules interpretations is: GM Fiat > House Rules > WotC published errata and clarifications > Books > Chrysler Fiat

Retraining

Periodically^*, one (1) talent, feat, or skill may be exchanged for another that they would qualify for. The same type of trait must be retrained (feat for a feat, talent for a talent), and from the same list. Subject to GM approval.

^* This is a period chosen by the GM. It could be every level. It could be every 7 levels. It could be once per campaign.

Multi-Classing

Instead of normal starting feats when multiclassing, you may take a Skill Training feat instead to learn a new class skill.

Soldier: If starting as a soldier at level 1 or multi-classing into the Soldier class, you may take Weapon Proficiency (advanced melee weapon) instead of Weapon Proficiency (rifles).

Skills

Athletics: Climb, Jump, and Swim are consolidated into a single ‘Athletics’ skill. Any Feat, Talent, or Force Power that affects any one of the former skills can affect the new ‘Athletics’ skill for that use. (e.g. the Surge Force Power)

Acrobatics: You may substitute Acrobatics for Climb or Jump skills in certain situations. Subject to GM approval. A successful tumble requires an Acrobatics check vs. DC 15 or the attack roll for the opponent’s attack of opportunity, whichever is higher.

Mechanics: The Mechanics skill can be used untrained. However, much like Knowledge skills, untrained characters can only achieve a maximum DC 10 success. It is the GM's discretion to allow up to DC 15 successes in Mechanical areas tied to other skills or talents. For example, a character trained in Pilot may know a bit more in maintaining a speeder or fighter, while one trained in Use Computer may know enough to do some basic maintenance on their datapad. A character with 2 or more talents in the Commando talent tree is likely to have some explosives exposure, so may do up to a DC15 untrained Mechanics check for explosives (incidentally, the number needed to correctly set the explosive).

Pilot: You are considered trained in any pilot-controlled weapon while you are the pilot. You must still take Weapon Proficiency (heavy weapons) to use weapons for which you are the gunner, but not the pilot, on a vehicle.

Treat Injury: If a target is unconscious and their Second Wind has not yet been used, medics and doctors may use a medpac to trigger the target’s Second Wind. This is in addition to the standard First Aid that is allowable per day. If the target has multiple Second Winds, the medic may use multiple medpacs to trigger them. This requires a DC 15 check.

Use Computer: Like the Knowledge skills, an untrained character can only only achieve a maximum DC 10 success. Characters who are trained in Pilot may achieve up to DC 15 Use Computer checks for navigation plotting only. Characters who have the Educated talent may make up to DC 15 checks.

Modified Feats

Burst Fire: Replace prerequisites with the following: "Proficient with heavy weapons, proficient with weapon." Add the following sentence to the Special section of the feat: "If you do not have a Strength of 13 or higher, increase the penalty on attacks to –10 when using this feat with non-vehicle weapons." [Per Jedi Counselling 112]

Dodge: Provides a flat +1 dodge bonus to Reflex.

Fool’s Luck: This feat does not apply to Use the Force checks.

Force Training: This feat cannot be taken more than once every 7 levels (or "tier"). i.e. You can have it once for Levels 1-7 (Apprentice tier), twice for levels 8-14 (Knight tier), and three times for levels 15-20 (Master tier).

Force Regimens Mastery: Similar restrictions to Force Training.

Rapid Shot: Remove the Strength prerequisite from the feat. Add the following sentence to the Special section of the feat: "If you do not have a Strength of 13 or higher, increase the penalty on attacks to –5 when using this feat with non-vehicle weapons." [Per Jedi Counselling 112]

Table 1: Skill Focus Bonus
Level	Bonus
1-3	+1
4-5	+2
6-7	+3
8-9	+4
10+	+5

Rapid Strike: Remove the Dexterity prerequisite from the feat. Add the following sentence to the Special section of the feat: "If you do not have a Dexterity of 13 or higher, increase the penalty on attacks to –5 when using this feat with non-light weapons." [Per Jedi Counselling 112]

Skill Training: You may become trained in any skill, irrespective of it being in any of your class skills lists. Use the Force is the exception – it still requires the Force Sensitive Feat.

Skill Focus: There is still a maximum +5 to a skill roll, but it is capped by half your level, rounded down, minimum of +1. (e.g. At level 7, the skill roll bonus from this feat is 7/2 = 3.5, or +3.) See Table 1.

Tech Specialist: Like the Superior Tech Feat, you must select one set of traits that it applies to. You must find a trainer who knows that specialty. May be taken multiple times.

New Feats

Rapid Reload: You can reload as a swift action instead of a move action to recover from rolling a 1 on an attack. (See Dice Rolling section.)

Modified Talents

Block and Deflect are considered to be a single talent. Block and Deflect may be used to reduce a critical hit to a normal hit if the character’s Use the Force check meets or exceeds the attack roll.

Clarification: Deflect may be used against blaster and slugthrower rounds. It is ineffective against grenades, missiles, flamethrowers, sonic weaponry, and other similar weapons.

Educated: In addition to making Knowledge checks untrained, you may make Use Computer checks up to DC15 untrained. [This is to allow for the notion that someone who's done extensive education has likely been exposed to more computer use than some slum rat, but isn't going to be spectacularly better.]

Wealth: This talent is broken and offers too many ways for players to simply purchase their way out problems rather than attempt any other solution. It may not be taken.

Dice Rolling

When rolling a 1 on an attack roll, the weapon is considered temporarily inoperable. The character must do a Reload Action (see below) before their next attack. Melee weapons are considered to have caught something (clothing, scabbard) and require another draw action to become ready for use.

You must also roll a second d20. If this second dice also turns up a 1, the weapon is destroyed and deals maximum damage (including all bonuses, just as if the you were using it against yourself) to the wielder. If this number exceeds your Threshold, you lose the limb(s) holding the weapon. You may spend a Force Point to negate the limb loss, but you still take the full damage.

The Force

Effect of the Dark Side

Note: Many of these Dark Side house rules are for use in a campaign where the goal is to tempt heroes with the Dark Side, as it is 'the quick and easy path'. Of course, the downside is the loss of said character to the Dark Side should they delve too deeply.

The Seductive Dark Side: For Force Sensitive characters the temptation to call upon the Dark Side is always present. By calling on the power of the dark side a Force Sensitive character may gain a single use of any one of the following Force powers: battle strike, dark rage, force grip, force lightning, force slam, or force thrust, at the expense of gaining a dark side point per power used. The use doesn’t count against the characters total number of Force power in their suite nor does the character need to have already selected the Force power as one of their suite of powers.

Calling on the Dark Side of the Force: If your Dark Side Score is less than half your Wisdom, when you spend a Force Point to roll to add to the result to a skill check, attack roll, or ability check you may choose to call upon the dark side of the Force and gain an additional 1d6 to roll and then choose the higher result (as usual). The character receives 1 dark side point as a result. This feature stacks with the Power of the Dark Side talent, so a character with this talent could potentially roll 3d6 and keep the better result and gain 2 Dark Side points. Calling on the dark side is a major transgression (see page 94 of the Saga Edition Core Rulebook). Only heroic characters can call on the dark side.

Variant Rule: Calling on the Dark Side: If your Dark Side Score is less than your Wisdom, you can call on the dark side to gain a temporary Force Point. If the Force Point is not used before the end of the encounter, it is lost. Calling on the dark side is a major transgression (see page 94 of the Saga Edition Core Rulebook). Only heroic characters can call on the dark side.

Dark Side House Rule: You may regain the use of any Force Power or Lightsaber Form in your suite at the cost of 1 Dark Side point.

Dark Side House Rule: You may gain a +1 dark side bonus to attack rolls for an entire encounter at the cost of 1 Dark Side point.

Dark Side House Rule: You may regain the use of a talent that has been used up for the day at the cost of 2 Dark Side points.

Dark Side House Rule: You may gain a Destiny Point which must be used before the end of your turn at the cost of 3 Dark Side points.

Atonement

Characters may atone a maximum of 1 Dark Side point per level. The Force Point must be spent at the beginning of a level, representing a period of meditation and contemplation. This Force Point cannot be recovered by any means, including use of Force Point Recovery. Temporary Force Points may not be used to Atone.

Characters with an appropriate Destiny (e.g. Redemption, Rescue, Education -- GM's call) may spend a Destiny Point to atone up to 3 Dark Side points whenever 'significant progress' is reached. (That is, whenever they would get the short-term bonus to achieving their Destiny.) See SWSE p. 112.

Force Point Usage

Variant Rule: Force Point Usage: You may spend 1 Force Point to increase one Defense by the die roll result until the beginning of your next turn. You may spend 2 Force Points to increase all 3 Defenses by the die roll result until the beginning of the your next turn. This may help the character survive a particularly lethal encounter. The GM may use this rule for NPCs at any time.

The Force Fights With Me: PCs may ask to use a Force Point to affect a scene in some minor, but advantageous manner. For example, in attempting to distract a stormtrooper, a player may ask to use a Force Point to have a bar brawl break out between NPCs that ends up distracting the stormtrooper. A player may ask for a small advantage due to luck – a patch of dry pavement on an otherwise icy road while being chased. This represents the Force granting them an edge that might not otherwise exist.

Force Point House Rule: You may spend 1 Force Point to take an additional action of any type on your turn at any point before your turn is over

Force Point House Rule: You may spend 1 Force Point to regain the use of a daily talent that has already been used up for the day.

Powers, Techniques, and Secrets

"Lost" Force Powers: Depending on the campaign era, many Force Powers are considered 'lost' and are unknown (therefore not available) to the PCs. Just because it is in a book (I'm looking at you, Phase/Fold Space) doesn't mean it's widely available. Especially in the Old Republic prior to the rise of the Empire, many powers were known to only one Jedi. The only powers available in all eras are those in the SWSE core rulebook; all others are campaign-specific calls.

Modified Force Power: Move Object: In keeping with the variant rule in Jedi Academy Training (p. 24), Move Object damage will be limited by the size of the object. This is to prevent absurd results like doing 10d6 damage with a styrofoam cup. Very specific situations may allow for greater damage at the GM's discretion. If you attempt to move an object higher than your Use the Force check result, the object remains stationary and deals no damage. (Think of Luke in Empire Strikes Back and his attempt to raise his X-Wing out of the swamp.) Rules for the use of Force Points and Destiny Points remain unchanged. See the new related mechanics below.

New Force Technique: Improved Move Object: When using the Move Object power, you may do damage at one success result higher. This does not allow you to move an object larger than your success result. For example, if you roll a 21 on your Use the Force Check, you may move a Medium-sized object that deals 6d6 damage. Prerequisite: Move Object (Force Power)

New Force Secret: Size Matters Not: You are a master at moving objects via telekinetics. When using the Move Object power, you damage based on your Use the Force Check result irrespective of the size of the object. You are still limited to an object size based on your Use the Force check, but this allows advanced Force users the ability to throw a book that does 10d6 damage. Prerequisite: Improved Move Object (Force Technique)

Modified Force Power: Vital Transfer: The DC for Vital Transfer raises by 5 (cumulative) for second and subsequent uses in the same day. This keeps this power in line with other methods of healing and negates the “two Jedi healing each other” problem.

Combat-Related Rules

Aiming: Aiming no longer eliminates all cover bonuses. Instead, aiming reduces the bonus granted by cover to half, rounded down. An opponent with (regular) cover who is Aimed at only has +2 cover bonus to Reflex, while one with improved cover who is Aimed at has +5 cover bonus to Reflex. This reduces the absurdity of characters standing out in the open during firefights.

Explosions: Whenever a character is hit with a grenade, thermal detonator, character scale missiles or starship weapon or any other explosion or weapon that deals area effect damage, the character is knocked 1d4 squares for anything smaller than a thermal detonator, or 1d6 squares otherwise, and lands prone. The character also drops any object(s) they are holding.

Once the explosion distance is rolled, roll a 1d8. The result will correspond to a cardinal direction based on whatever part of the map is considered ‘North’, proceeding clockwise. (i.e. 1 = North, 2 = NE, 3 = East, etc.) A scatter die may also be used to determine direction.

A character with the Acrobatic Recovery talent can use it normally to remain upright, but is still knocked (moved) backwards. If the Acrobatics check is successful, they also hold onto any object(s) they had in their hand(s).

Edge of Exhaustion: If you have already activated your Second Wind(s) for the day, you may make another Second Wind at the cost of a going -1 on the condition track. This condition is persistent until you have surgery performed on you or you get 8 hours of uninterrupted rest. Even species that require less sleep, or Jedi and other Force users who can normally trance, need 8 full hours of uninterrupted rest.

Variant Rule: Free Actions Aren't Free: Each round, a character can perform a number of free actions equal to 1 plus his Charisma modifier or Intelligence modifier (whichever is more), with a minimum of one free action allowed each round. This encourages characters with a higher Charisma or Intelligence -- the leaders and planners -- to coordinate the group even when they don't have any talents that can come into play. Conversely, it encourages the heavy-hitters to "shut up and shoot" instead of trying to overplan their actions, thereby keeping the tempo of the fight moving along.

Optional Rule: Hit Points: If you are knocked to exactly 0 hit points, you are knocked prone, fall to -10 on the Condition Track, may take move actions (any movement is 1/2 speed). You may take a standard action but you immediately lose a hit point and fall unconscious. If you are below 0 hp, you lose 1 hit point per round unless you are treated (DC 15 Treat Injury), or make a DC 20 Endurance roll to become stable. If you fall below a number of hit points equal to negative your Constitution score, you die -- Revivify rules from Treat Injury still apply. The Condition Track rules continue to work normally (which makes that Endurance check very difficult, but not impossible if you're trained in it.) This rule is used when a grittier feel is wanted for a game, as Force Points are no longer a 'Get Out of Jail Free' option.

Minions (The Mook Rule): Taken from D&D 4e, minions (or mooks) are designed to help convey a certain sense of presence without overwhelming the gameplay with too many rules for combat. For Z-Team play, minions may show up to help fill out a roster for opponents. Minions have the following characteristics:

1. Mooks go down in one hit
2. Mooks do fixed damage, usually equal to the average damage of the weapon(s) they are using
3. Four mooks of the same level equal one fully statted NPC of the same level for the purposes of challenges and experience points.

Movement: Diagonal movement has an alternating cost. Instead of costing 2-2-2-2 to move diagonally, it costs 2-1-2-1. Moving diagonally through difficult terrain doubles this like normal: i.e. 4-2-4-2

Point Blank Range: Point Blank distance for character-scale combat is now a fixed distance of 3 squares. Anything within 3 squares’ distance is considered point blank. This will extend the “Short” ranage of weapons from 4 squares to whatever the current maximum distance is for that weapon category. For instance, pistols will now have a Short range of 4-20 squares. Medium and Long range are unaffected. This affects all skills, feats, talents, and any other rule that provides bonuses, penalties, or other mechanical modification for being in “point blank range”. See Table 2. This replaces Table 8-5: Weapon Ranges in SWSE p. 129.

Table 2: Weapon Ranges
TYPE OF	POINT BLANK	SHORT	MEDIUM	LONG
RANGED WEAPON	(NO PENALTY)	(-2 ATTACK)	(-5 ATTACK)	(-10 ATTACK)
Heavy weapons	0-3 squares	4-100 squares	101-250 squares	251-500 squares
Pistols	0-3 squares	4-40 squares	41-60 squares	61-80 squares
Rifles	0-3 squares	4-60 squares	61-150 squares	150-300 squares
Simple weapons	0-3 squares	4-40 squares	41-60 squares	61-80 squares
Thrown weapons	0-3 squares	4-8 squares	9-10 squares	11-12 squares

Reloading: Reloading a weapon due to a jam (see Dice Rolling rules above) can reload a weapon as a Move Action.