Hey all.

Recently I began to run a new group in Edge of the Empire, we've started off with the beginner game and have progressed into Act I of Long Arm of the Hutt.

Currently they are about to start the encounter at the Old Lyak (Spelling?) Den.

They are a somewhat large group of 7 players:

Alyssia Nix - Female Arkanian - Politico/Doctor

Batto - Male Toydarian - Explorer/Trader

Hector 'Hex' Connors - Male Human - Bounty Hunter/Gadgeteer

Kinsa - Female Twi'lek - Technician/Slicer

Liakorral - Female Wookiee - Hired Gun/Marauder

Mal - Male Human - Smuggler/Pilot

X-CEL-R8 - Droid, Male Programming - Hired Gun/Heavy/Demolitionist

I am trying to find ways to get everyone involved in the various social and combat aspects of the campaign, but usually the two camps (of social and combat characters) seem to keep quiet when it is not their respective moments.

The most difficult one to cater to is the Doctor, she seems to specialise in a lot of the knowledge skills, acting as both a Doctor and Scholar, how do you utilise this character type in your various adventures?

Furthermore, during ship combat (they have a YT-1300) its hard to find everyone multiple jobs or positions to do:

Right now the Wookiee and the Droid take gunner positions with the smuggler as the pilot.

The mechanic usually takes the sensor station to run jamming at the enemy.

That usually leaves the Toydarian Trader on Fire Discipline to boost the gunners. The Arkanian Doctor as a navigator, and the Bounty Hunter as a co-pilot. All three of those have very limited roles, I want to better expand their roles in space combat that is suited to their particular career/profession.

Ideas or suggestions?

Furthermore, during ship combat (they have a YT-1300) its hard to find everyone multiple jobs or positions to do:

Right now the Wookiee and the Droid take gunner positions with the smuggler as the pilot.

The mechanic usually takes the sensor station to run jamming at the enemy.

That usually leaves the Toydarian Trader on Fire Discipline to boost the gunners. The Arkanian Doctor as a navigator, and the Bounty Hunter as a co-pilot. All three of those have very limited roles, I want to better expand their roles in space combat that is suited to their particular career/profession.

Ideas or suggestions?

Vehicular combat can be hard to run in a manner that involves everyone, especially for big groups. One thing that helps is to keep vehicular combat short - no more than a few turns is best. There are going to be scenes that don't really involve everybody, and that's not necessarily something that can be overcome easily, so instead just don't spend inordinate time on the activities that isolate some characters. That said, as long as there is something for all of the characters to do (which this game does better than many other games), let the players be the ones to find things to do for themselves.

I find that with such a large group, it is hard to keep everyone drawn in. The trick my group uses is 2 GM's. It makes groups of say 7 players like yours or 8 like mine a lot easier. They can split up and do separate things by having 1 of the gm's take one group to a different room and running what that group will be doing. Once they actually are back with the rest of the group we bring them back together. It can be hard since there are 2 minds running the game, but if you talk things through and are somewhat like minded, it gets a lot easier. It makes for a fun dynamic for the players as it gives them something they can do extra.

I don't really have the option to have two GMs, plus the group is fairly patient as they have a DnD encounters group every Wednesday that they've been doing for a few years. I think part of it is me worrying they aren't being involved as much.

I do think that I need to learn how to utilise the Doctor in a more prominent role. Most of the players seem to think she should be the one who knows about the civilizations of the galaxy, she is the one who can identify weak points in battle, she can also help the team avoid social faux pas.

Well, the doctor in my game is an interesting character. We made it to Corellia recently and he setup a clinic for the working girls of the red light district of the blue sector. He would pump them for info while he treated them of their space STDs. So that's one idea. Plus it is a credit generator.

Maybe give a second ship? A Y-Wing could be solid as could fit two PC's and maybe even adapt the droid for the back so can get 4 and 3. Even unskilled people can do cool stuff in vehicle combat. Doc is likely a good bet for recovering ship strain due to high int, and aiming twice and having 2 greens is still good odds to tag a TIE fighter. Many of the manuevers a copilot could do don't require a roll but still help out a ton.

My group is only five people, but I've found the two seater starfighter and a nimble freighter (They just got into a YT-2400) works well.

If you can find a good rhythm, you might consider splitting the party more.

If you have a 3-person and a 4-person group which each includes a couple of combat-heavy characters, they might each be able to get into some good trouble.

You could screen-wipe back and forth between the two groups performing two different objectives--one is exploring the tunnels underneath an ancient temple, the other investigating the upper chambers in search of an ancient relic.

Or one is infiltrating the Imperial base's security wing to shut off the alarm system so that when the other group reaches the detention block (or the command center, or the power reactor, or the vault, etc) it can get in undetected.

You could be frank with your party "I'd like to consider splitting the party during adventures", and then give them tactically sound reasons to do so.

In our game the Doctor and the Archaeologist are both good roleplayers, with the Doctor's player being especially creative.

So his character has a lot of personality which isn't even directly related to his character's abilities as a Doctor.

If that's not the case for your non-combat-heavy characters, you might find ways to engage them other than straight combat:

• Trigger their Obligation
• Meet up with people from their past
• A new NPC takes a liking to them
• or asks for their help specifically
• they offend a powerful NPC in a lawless town

In a recent game our Doctor said he wanted to chat up some girls at a bar. He did so, then the next session he woke up and one of the girls was asking for the party's help because her friend had been kidnapped.

It wasn't specifically a medical issue, but the player really rolled with it, and he insisted the party help the girls because he felt kinda guilty about it (even though it wasn't specifically his fault).

If you can find ways to engage your non-combat PCs they can become pivotal parts of the story without needing to attack or fight.

In our game the Doctor and the Archaeologist are both good roleplayers, with the Doctor's player being especially creative.

So his character has a lot of personality which isn't even directly related to his character's abilities as a Doctor.

If that's not the case for your non-combat-heavy characters, you might find ways to engage them other than straight combat:

• Trigger their Obligation
• Meet up with people from their past
• A new NPC takes a liking to them
• or asks for their help specifically
• they offend a powerful NPC in a lawless town

In a recent game our Doctor said he wanted to chat up some girls at a bar. He did so, then the next session he woke up and one of the girls was asking for the party's help because her friend had been kidnapped.

It wasn't specifically a medical issue, but the player really rolled with it, and he insisted the party help the girls because he felt kinda guilty about it (even though it wasn't specifically his fault).

If you can find ways to engage your non-combat PCs they can become pivotal parts of the story without needing to attack or fight.

This ^ Lots of this. Also, find ways to bring their class into play. Drop them on a planet that is being ravaged by a disease that the doctor knows how to cure or has to research a cure for it. Pull an npc on them that is injured terribly and will die during their interrogation if the doctor can't make his checks. We have an honest merchant in our game and the we struggled with him on our first campaign because there just wasn't any trading to be done. The latest few game sessions we've been reviewing obligations and seeing whats up. Obligations are a great mechanic to use to push the players to do something, even if it isn't something their role does. Our merchant has to help a bounty hunter find someone. He's doing it his way, but it is something not typically given to someone who is just normally a trader.

Do you play face-to-face or online? If online, chat or PbP?

I mainly ask because I've found splitting the party to be tedious at best face-to-face, and at worst half the party checks out because they're not in the scene. It's been much worse in chat just because of speed. PbP not as much maybe surprisingly, simply because every GM post can update everyone simultaneously.

I've only ever seen splitting the party really work in a 2 GM situation. It keeps everyone engaged.

Give your doctor something to research ask the player what their character is interested in and see if you can get them and the gadgeteer involved in something that helps the pair of them, maybe even the slicer for example hacking some ancient tech that has tantalising details on some long forgotten knowledge such as the cure to an epidemic that's been recently reintroduced whether as a new biological weapon the Empire is working on and unknowingly released (or being tested on the populace its just gotten offworld think blue shadow virus but harder to find a cure).

Ditto on the second ship perhaps have it adapted so its part of the main ship so when they need to it can separate especially in combat... I wonder what if the second ship is actually the larger one so the PCs ship is docked to it sort of like a Jedi Hyperdrive makes it easier and quicker to travel boosting shields but maybe not armed... initially that is.

Anyway best of luck with this sounds like you've got quite the game going!

Our doctor is brilliant (albeit a Booster Blue junky) in administering Stim Packs, adding attributes by cooking up various "serums", starting his own research projects, and--even though he has no computers skill-- using his high intelligence to work the computers a lot and documenting a lot of things on his datapad.

I agree with Progressions' approach: If you can't bring a player into the fold with their skills in certain combats (and for some reason, I have very little space combat in our game; they always seem to find a way to avoid it), then bring them in with the plot points. He is the Politico, after all, so maybe he's a contact for the more above-the-radar channels.

But yeah, seven people is a lot. I ran an open game for the beta at our local store with NINE players. Beta + Nine Players = I'm never doing that again. We got down to five players for season 2 & it's manageable, meow. Adding a sixth (as much as I adore the player) made a marked difference. I think splitting the party and running two separate games is worth it, if you can work it in.

This ^ Lots of this. Also, find ways to bring their class into play. Drop them on a planet that is being ravaged by a disease that the doctor knows how to cure or has to research a cure for it. Pull an npc on them that is injured terribly and will die during their interrogation if the doctor can't make his checks. We have an honest merchant in our game and the we struggled with him on our first campaign because there just wasn't any trading to be done. The latest few game sessions we've been reviewing obligations and seeing whats up. Obligations are a great mechanic to use to push the players to do something, even if it isn't something their role does. Our merchant has to help a bounty hunter find someone. He's doing it his way, but it is something not typically given to someone who is just normally a trader.

Great idea!

In fact, in our case in the adventure I described earlier, the girl who asked the PCs for help was betrayed by the slaver crimelord and showed up at the PC's ship just before she died.

That had been the plan, but the Doctor ran up when he saw her and made a great Medicine check, and saved her life!

I hadn't intended to let her live longer than it took to whisper out a clue, but the Doctor was on good form so he was able to help her out.

--snip--

I am trying to find ways to get everyone involved in the various social and combat aspects of the campaign, but usually the two camps (of social and combat characters) seem to keep quiet when it is not their respective moments.

--snip- -

Furthermore, during ship combat (they have a YT-1300) its hard to find everyone multiple jobs or positions to do:

--snip--

So...

What kind of campaign are you running?

What is the major arc of the campaign?

What minor arcs do you have?

Getting non-combat PC's involved and active means they need a purpose requiring their specific skills. What background information did they create to compliment your campaign outline during character creation?

When I am ready to run a campaign, I never say "just make some random PC's". Instead I give the players a 'casting call' that outlines the basic campaign, lists the major 'parts' that need to be filled. And in the case of EotE lists a few pre-generated obligations that, while not required, would enhance the game.

This is especially important if there will be PC's filling more subtle non-combat roles.

This is one reason I never really got into games that just threw randomly made PC's into the world.

As far as ship tasking. Make relevant tasks occur. The Doctor, the Trader and the Bounty Hunter will not have time to be bored.

Don't you have despair on the dice?

Your mechanic will only have moments to waste his time at the sensors, he'll be way to busy in damage control, after all you don't have R2 to lock down that stabilizer!.

And the Doc will be patching people up when they get caught in the panel explosion!

Who is fighting the fire while the Mechanic desperately tries to get mains back on line!

And just wait until the enemy manages to board!

Oh the humanity!

Don't let the ship combat just be between ships. Inject pulse pounding action to the encounter.

Sure, you're pretty skillful in gunnery while manning the turret. But what happens when the stabilizer comes undone and the vibration is so bad your fillings are shaking out of your teeth and the sights are jumping around so much they are giving you black eyes just looking through them.

Be descriptive of the action, paint big broad colorful strokes.

Just remember that the PC's are living on the edge in a sh*tty world and it is your job to keep giving them big heaping shovelfuls of it

What kind of campaign am I running: Investigation mainly.

What is the major arc of the campaign: Well we have opened with the Beginner game and now into Long Arm of the Hutt to get the players into the world, however I have extended it with my own stories. Basically The Darktrooper project has been reactivated by a rogue Moff in the Empire who is secretly going to use the project to usurp power. Because he doesn't want the Empire getting wind of it, he has to get research and droid parts illegally...IE from Teemo.

What minor arcs do I have:

1) Kinsa, the slicer is currently wanted and persued by Bounty Hunters sent by a rival Hutt who believes that if she can't have the expert slicing skills of Kinsa, then no one can, she presents a liability.

2) Alyssia is searching for the location and history of the original Arkanian homeworld which has since been lost to the waves of time.

3) Batto is attempting to set up his own trading business along with Mal.

4) The Bounty Hunters guild internal politics lead to Hex's fellow bounty hunter and romantic interest being killed. He knows they were sold out, but doesn't know by whome and is doing whatever he can to find out who sold them out.

5) Liakorral was separated from he parents during the Invasion of Kashyyk. She is searching for them and also looking for any opportunity to screw the Empire over.

6) Teemo is building his own forces for a hostile takeover of the Hutt Crime Syndicate.

7) The Imperial officer who is the go between for Teemo and the Moff has a side interest of selling prisoners to a private hunting lodge for 'specialised hunts'.

8) X-CEL-R8 has a prejudice against combat droids in general and so has a vested interest in taking down the Darktrooper project.

Pulling everything together we have:

Alyssia Nix - Female Arkanian - Politico/Doctor

Searching for the location and history of the original Arkanian homeworld which has since been lost to the waves of time.

Batto - Male Toydarian - Explorer/Trader

Attempting to set up his own trading business along with Mal.

Mal - Male Human - Smuggler/Pilot

Hector 'Hex' Connors - Male Human - Bounty Hunter/Gadgeteer

Bounty Hunters guild internal politics lead to Hex's fellow bounty hunter and romantic interest being killed. He knows they were sold out, but doesn't know by whom and is doing whatever he can to find out who sold them out.

Kinsa - Female Twi'lek - Technician/Slicer

Currently wanted and pursued by Bounty Hunters sent by a rival Hutt who believes that if she can't have the expert slicing skills of Kinsa, then no one can, she presents a liability.

Liakorral - Female Wookiee - Hired Gun/Marauder

Separated from her parents during the Invasion of Kashyyk. She is searching for them and also looking for any opportunity to screw the Empire over.

X-CEL-R8 - Droid, Male Programming - Hired Gun/Heavy/Demolitionist

Prejudice against combat droids in general and so has a vested interest in taking down the Darktrooper project.

Now your major arc, {cue dramatic announcer voice} The Darktrooper Conspiracy is solid. Depending on just how long you intend to run it, you’ll have anywhere from 5-10 plot-points mapping major encounters from their first clues to the dramatic showdown. I generally also have a handful of related but not required encounters and a healthy catalog of NPC’s for those unexpected left turns that most player groups will throw at you. Remember that having plot-points established does not mean they have to be fully developed encounters. I usually have the early encounters mostly built, but later ones are more of an outline with notes. While you have to be prepared for play that is happening now, the players will make decisions that always radically change what happens later. While you may be planning that last encounter be a stunning final battle between the Moff and the players, who the Moff is, the location and forces the Moff has can change dramatically in the course of play. So I just note “Battle with Moff and personal guard” and leave it at that until we get close. I’ll use my notes of the earlier game to flesh out the final encounter. And the same goes for all the rest.

And on to the lesser arcs. First I’m going to say that there is no right or wrong way for any of this. But in my personal view, you didn’t describe any minor arcs. Instead you told me what they PC’s personal motivations and pasts were. They are definitely plot-hooks. But by themselves they are not minor arcs. A minor arc is a mini-campaign inside the main campaign and you have a couple of excellent triggers for some interesting and relevant minor arcs. Here is one idea.

Minor Arc. Best Served Cold .

(Primary PC participants: Kinsa & Hector 'Hex' Connors)

(The Primary antagonists: The Weequay Assassin Murk Gaddee & The Hutt Drooda Shetta Kutu)

Watchers at the starport have spotted Kinsa and Hutt Drooda senses an opportunity to curry favor with the kajidic Zaxo Jemba Zochi. Hutt Zaxo is the Hutt that is hunting Kinsa. Hutt Drooda has dispatched the Weequay Murk Gaddee to kill Kinsa, though if the opportunity presents itself, capture is also an option (Drooda wouldn’t mind finding out just what Zaxo is hiding).

The opening gambit should take place when the PC’s are moving through a crowded & packed open market in a larger city/town. Both Kinsa and Hex need to be there with Hex bringing up the rear, but they should not be the primary reason for the trip into town. Other PC’s should be present and the initial incident needs to be run so that the players do not realize who was actually the target. While jostling through the crowd, suddenly one of the bystanders near Kinsa head explodes splattering blood and brains everywhere. The crowd immediately panics and scatters while the PC’s react.

Since this is just the opening act of the minor arc, they should find nothing or anyone. Whoever killed the bystander is long gone. But….here is where it gets good.

In the few seconds of the encounter Hex noticed 4 things (this info should be given only to Hex, who will decide what he will pass on and to whom if anyone):

1) Kinsa was the target, if she hadn’t been jostled and stumbled a little at just the right moment it would have been her head that exploded.

2) The weapon was some kind of dart thrower, silent and it passed through the victim and stuck quivering in a nearby post.

3) The dart is duralloy, marked with a symbol that matches the one you have in the hidden compartment of your spacers chest. The one that you found next to the body of {insert name of dead romantic interest}. Now you know what it is.

4) Apparently the same person or organization that killed her has targeted Kinsa. This is the first solid lead Hex has ever had.

Now you have a very flexible minor arc. The only certainty is that Murk Gaddee will make every effort to kill Kinsa. But how he accomplishes it, if at all, is up to you.

The dart and the symbol has many options, is it Murk Gaddee’s personal mark? Is it the mark of his Guild? Is it the mark of Hutt Drooda? Or is it just the manufacturing mark of the company that makes the weapon?

Now that the attention of the Hutt is focused on Kinsa, is it possible that a rival faction got wind of it and is wondering what Kinsa might know that warrants her death? Could they enter the game in order to kidnap her and extract the intelligence?

How will Hex react? Will he warn Kinsa? Will he use her as bait? Do they tell the rest of the crew?

Many many possibilities.

See...that is perfect! I didn't even think about linking the Bounty that Kinsa has on her head to the group that betrayed Hex.

As for the major arc, that is pretty solid as I have been working on the idea for awhile and have most fleshed out but I am easily adaptable to certain situations. However the minor arc stuff did leave me with a few question marks above my head. However now I have something to compare to, I can now work on minor arcs.

Alyssia's personal stake will take place in a future quest which features a Raiders of the Lost Ark-esque story of the PCs racing against the High Imperial Inquisitor Jerec to locate the Crystal Opum (created by another user) a lost Jedi location that acts as a massive holoprojector of major galactic events. Alyssia is hoping to use the history of the temple to locate what happened to the original homeworld, Jerec is searching for it in hopes of acquiring the location of the Valley of the Jedi (yes it is THAT Jerec).

Excellent.

I use the minor arcs to add spice if the main arc is dragging or to slow them down if they are blowing through the main arc too quickly.

They are especially effective if the players do not realize they are in fact minor arcs, but confuse them with the main arc.