So the question is about srtain. I have inflicted it very little on my players so far, and so many talents help to recover it. What are some creative ways to pass along some strain to the players. One thing I'm thinking about doing is using it more with threats and npc advantages in combat which if I remember right happens in the BBoxes. I am getting ready to run them through BTR and JOY.

I use it both in and out of combat. Any threat can cause strain, like negotiating with a Hutt...

So the question is about srtain. I have inflicted it very little on my players so far, and so many talents help to recover it. What are some creative ways to pass along some strain to the players. One thing I'm thinking about doing is using it more with threats and npc advantages in combat which if I remember right happens in the BBoxes. I am getting ready to run them through BTR and JOY.

It's actually a pretty balanced mechanic imo, particularly once combat specs advance into their trees. They start doing a juggling act between wanting to trigger 2 or 3 ranks of Frenzied Attack on every attack or using Dodge every time they are shot at. Couple that with just the typical 2 maneuvers a turn and it gets eaten up quickly. If you want to up the intensity a bit it is worth considering in a great many situations people actually want to capture adversaries for questioning and such, so a couple three stun grenades every now and again can raise the stakes nicely.

my one problem with strain is that it is separate from wounds. But I have learned to give it out freely as "stress" to players

I also do not like that System strain takes so long to recover. 1 a day? for some ships that could mean weeks

I also do not like that System strain takes so long to recover. 1 a day? for some ships that could mean weeks

That's if you just a let a ship self repair. The Damage Control Action can be used once a turn, per character, for 1 Strain point, during an encounter. In my mind that means out of combat if the crew simply conducts maintenance the ship recovers its Strain just like characters recover theirs.

My players learned the hard way how strain was supposed to be used.

After using up most of their threshold during the whole scenario (in and out of fights).

They happened to meet with a imperial officer and started fighting his stoormtrooper squad.

In less of three rounds all of them were out uncounscious, while the stormtroopers didn't even use paralyzing shots.

The PC's didn't have enough strain to use their abilities and to compensate for the ennemies threats.

In the end we had two death later on...

But that was in an imperial prison.

Environment - causes it.. also drops wookies quicker... I love strain.

Hard to keep track of strain, but it is a great mechanic that help drive the narrative

Also encourage your players to make use of strain as a resource. That extra maneuver can mean a lot.

• aim twice
• move, then aim
• draw weapon, then aim
• move twice

... etc. Each of those maneuver choices can be really useful and the PCs will have to exert themselves at 2 strain a pop.

Environment

Keep in mind the environment the PCs are in.

I like to put my PCs in harsh environments--hot deserts, cold mountains, humid swamps, etc. Each of these is a justification for adding strain to the whole party. It also helps Talents like "Resolve" come in handy, reducing the amount of strain that player suffers.

We've had several cases where the PCs were in a city with limited credits and they had to decide between walking an hour across town or spending money to hire a transport. Usually it's a tradeoff between strain and credits. Walking across town on a hot day incurs strain.

Fear checks

Put your characters into frightening, stressful situations, and have them make Discipline checks to avoid the effects of Fear.

• meeting a Hutt crimelord
• running into a powerful legendary bounty hunter
• ambushed by a squad of Stormtroopers
• caught in an avalanche
• hear the roar of a rancor approaching

Failing the Discipline check can incur a Setback die throughout the encounter, plus just cause the characters to suffer 2 strain (again, reduced by Resolve and the like).

Those are just some ideas off the top of my head. Hope this helps!

If you have an overpowered Wookie hired gun in your group with 20+ wound, and you want to be cruel to your players, have your adversaries shoot the Wookie with the stun setting of their blasters Wookies tend to be really short on strain, at least compared to their wound.

If you have an overpowered Wookie hired gun in your group with 20+ wound, and you want to be cruel to your players, have your adversaries shoot the Wookie with the stun setting of their blasters Wookies tend to be really short on strain, at least compared to their wound.

Which is why Wookiee Doctors and Scholars can be so dangerous with their ranks of Resolve, and all that extra Grit. ;-)