What's the best career for a charismatic mechanic? Perhaps Calm, Core World, Deception, Mechanics, Negotiation?

Seriously, is it really that difficult to recreate Han Solo?

Wait... What?

I guess this may not be a trick?

I'd go for the Han Solo Smuggler Career and Han Solo Scoundrel Specialisation. Pilot, too.

Best thread ever?

I'd go for the Han Solo Smuggler Career and Han Solo Scoundrel Specialisation. Pilot, too.

Smuggler->Scoundrel doesn't get mechanic, or negotiation. Sure, you get cool and deception, so you can time things well and lie, but how are you supposed to set up any of those smuggling deals without negotiation and how is a person supposed to be jumping in with his first mate to help fix the darn ship?

Anyone can pick up a welter...

Sure, anyone can turn a computer on too. That doesn't mean they have a realistic chance in hell of slicing into protected Imperial mainframes. I kind of figured that "the Han Solo class" and "Jedi" would be the first two things that anyone would want to play in a Star Wars game and I'm not seeing either.

What's the best career for a charismatic mechanic? Perhaps Calm, Core World, Deception, Mechanics, Negotiation?

Seriously, is it really that difficult to recreate Han Solo?

Yes, it's difficult to recreate Han Solo with a starting career, because he's not a starting character. He's really good, good enough to be on par with Luke. By The Empire Strikes Back, Han probably paid the 5XP tax to get mechanics out of career.

I'd go for the Han Solo Smuggler Career and Han Solo Scoundrel Specialisation. Pilot, too.

Smuggler->Scoundrel doesn't get mechanic, or negotiation. Sure, you get cool and deception, so you can time things well and lie, but how are you supposed to set up any of those smuggling deals without negotiation and how is a person supposed to be jumping in with his first mate to help fix the darn ship?

I don't think Negotiation or Mechanics are the things most people primarily associate Han Solo with.

I don't think this is the "best" way of building the character you seem to be aiming for, but you could do it by dipping into various Explorer Specs.

Career gets you Cool

Driver gets you Mechanics

Trader gets you Deception and Negotiation

Archaeologist (through the Well Rounded talent) gets you any two skills you like

Mix and match until you're the person you want to be.

What am I thinking? Han's Human - he can have a rank in Mechanics and Negotiation as his species skills.

This is what happens when I don't drink for three days straight.

What am I thinking? Han's Human - he can have a rank in Mechanics and Negotation as his species skills.

I was just about to post this!

Unless Han's player took the Correllian, then he'd have 3 ranks of pilot space.

Sure, anyone can turn a computer on too. That doesn't mean they have a realistic chance in hell of slicing into protected Imperial mainframes. I kind of figured that "the Han Solo class" and "Jedi" would be the first two things that anyone would want to play in a Star Wars game and I'm not seeing either.

You can't start out as Han, but you can easily develop into it. You get your in-career specialization for free at chargen, and you can buy an out-of-career specialization at any time. Han didn't start out as Han either...he was in the Imperial military for his piloting skills. He had to have taken a full mechanically inclined specialization later on in order to do those "special modifications".

As for "expected classes", you might want to take another look at the focus of the book. You aren't locked into these archetypes of the past, though you can certainly recreate them if you must. Full blown Jedi aren't really possible yet, but just dabbling in the Force capabilities tells you how much commitment it's going to take in the future. That's as it should be IMHO.

I don't think mechanic when I think Han. He's the guy who thought he fixed his hyperdrive and hadn't, and then needed to plug in a protocol droid to help. His negotiation skill was to shoot people under the table that didn't agree with him, so I don't think that was his thing either.

Lets be honest, Chewbacca is the Mechanic. Han just kicks the console and it works.

Han just kicks the console and it works.

That's actually a highly technical technique. It's called "percussive maintenance".

Han just kicks the console and it works.

That's actually a highly technical technique. It's called "percussive maintenance".

Hey, it works for my drier...

Han isn't the Charismatic Mechanic, that would be Chewie.

Han isn't the Charismatic Mechanic, that would be Chewie.

Since when is Chewie charismatic? He's actually a real dickhead... and a coward, at that. (No offense to the good Wookiee, but objectively speaking it's true.)

In any case, for a "charismatic mechanic" I'd start as a Scoundrel and take up Gadgeteer or Mechanic ASAP if I wanted to go the "Han Solo" route.

However, if you want to be even more simple with the game mechanics AND do something more interesting, go with Politico and pick up the Well Rounded talent ASAP to get Mechanics and perhaps a combat skill of some kind. Round that out with a high Intellect and pick up Scholar later on so you can take another rank of Well Rounded (not to mention Intense Focus later on) and you have yourself a highly customizable character that can fit any number of different stories/backgrounds.

Since when is Chewie charismatic? He's actually a real dickhead...

I know it's childish of me, but that really cracked me up.

Since when is Chewie charismatic? He's actually a real dickhead...

I know it's childish of me, but that really cracked me up.

FACT: Jar Jar Binks is a better companion to have than Chewbacca. He's more loyal, brave, kind-hearted, and mutli-useful than Chewie ever was.

"Hey Chewie, wanna play a game?"

"Sure, but if I lose I'll rip your #$%&ing arms off!"

"Hey Chewie, jump down there before we all die!"

"#@$% you! It's smelly!"

"Hey Chewie, you owe me a life debt so would you mind helping me with this giant monster over here?"

"No! #@$% you again! That thing is scary!"

"Hey Chewie, are those repairs coming along!"

"WAAAAA COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN!!!"

Meanwhile...

"Hey Jar Jar, we need to visit your home town."

"But if I go there, they'll put me to death!"

"Too bad. You owe me."

"You're right, I do. Let's go!"

"Hey Jar Jar, it looks like we need someone to lead an army of human shields who will probably all die."

"Don't worry. Weesa warriors!"

"Hey Jar Jar, there's an ancient race of Force adepts who want you to help them with a mystical problem but totally distrust the Jedi."

"Okay I'll help, and I'll bring a Jedi too so everyone can learn to trust each other."

I ask you; who would you rather have as a fiend...?

FACT: Jar Jar Binks is a better companion to have than Chewbacca. He's more loyal, brave, kind-hearted, and mutli-useful than Chewie ever was.

"Hey Chewie, wanna play a game?"

"Sure, but if I lose I'll rip your #$%&ing arms off!"

"Hey Chewie, jump down there before we all die!"

"#@$% you! It's smelly!"

"Hey Chewie, you owe me a life debt so would you mind helping me with this giant monster over here?"

"No! #@$% you again! That thing is scary!"

"Hey Chewie, are those repairs coming along!"

"WAAAAA COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN!!!"

Meanwhile...

"Hey Jar Jar, we need to visit your home town."

"But if I go there, they'll put me to death!"

"Too bad. You owe me."

"You're right, I do. Let's go!"

"Hey Jar Jar, it looks like we need someone to lead an army of human shields who will probably all die."

"Don't worry. Weesa warriors!"

"Hey Jar Jar, there's an ancient race of Force adepts who want you to help them with a mystical problem but totally distrust the Jedi."

"Okay I'll help, and I'll bring a Jedi too so everyone can learn to trust each other."

I ask you; who would you rather have as a fiend...?

All true. On the other hand Jar-Jar could have a magic coat that dispensed pretty girls who loved me out of one sleeve and booze out of the other and I'd still choose Chewy as a travelling companion.

Lets be honest, Chewbacca is the Mechanic. Han just kicks the console and it works.

I was gonna mention this--Chewie's the one who seems to know how to fix stuff!

Another Fun Fact: Chewbacca is a dead-beat dad who left his wife and kid to become a drug dealer/terrorist.

I ask you; who would you rather have as a fiend...?

A fiend you say. Neither sounds particularly fiendish.