Hi all, I was hoping to get some feedback here.

I have a force user in my group, and I had one in my last group too. Both are/were Force Rating 1. It seems to me that at FR 1, you generate the 2 pips usually needed (most things require the 2 pips, to activate and one for the upgrade) about 1/3 of the time. This seems pretty low to me.

I was thinking of introducing an artifact to my game that could give a low power force user some help; I don't want to upset the balance, just tip it a little. So here are some thoughts, and has anyone else tried anything like this before and if so, what were your results?

So now on to the:

https://edge-of-the-empire-6.obsidianportal.com/wiki_pages/fainmoor-crystal

Fainmoor Crystal:

Option 1. provides one light side pip...that's it. (I don't like it)

Option 2. Roll a D4, 1-2 one light side pip, 3-4 nothing.

Option 3. It has finite amount of light side energy in it that can be called upon and spent. Maybe like 25 pips in. After that, the user has exhausted the resource and can not recharge it.

Once Force Rating 2 is hit, the crystal can't help augment their abilities any longer.

So any thoughts and ideas on this would be welcome. I do want to hear the good and the bad about this idea. Anyone think it is too crazy? My current Force user only has the Sense tree right now too. Thanks.

I like the idea of 'magic items'.

-Allows any Force check to be re-rolled new result must stand.

-Allows for automatic activation of a specific Force power but pips still required for upgrades.

-Provides finite extra Force die for any check for use once per session.

I'd avoid a mod. First, I think the game is purposely constructed to make it hard to do anything by rolling a single Force die. Rather than coming up with a mod, encourage the player to spend XP on Talents (getting closer to upping the Force Rating), and Powers that require the PC to *commit* a single Force die. Sense is a good one for that, upgrading difficulty of incoming attacks, etc. I think if you follow that path you follow the natural Force learning progression more closely. Once the PC gets FR2 they can start doing more active things.

Second, they can always spend Strain to use a dark pip. It's a small cost, and they should be able to make up for it with advantages.

I like the idea of 'magic items'.

I also like the general idea, but not as a means to short-circuit the learning curve.

Thanks for thoughts! But wait, you are supposed to love my idea and tell me how great it is!!!

I don't want to make it too easy or too powerful, but I don't want the player to feel that this is just a wasted thing either. What is the point of having something if it can only work 1/4 to 1/3 of the time. That is a huge learning curve.

It felt like my last Force user just stood around most of the time. He would want to use move object, but would fail to generate the two required pips, still a 4 in 12 chance on the die. If the power/upgrades are not activate, the action is still lost.

Second, they can always spend Strain to use a dark pip. It's a small cost, and they should be able to make up for it with advantages.

You forgot to mention that they have to flip a Destiny Point in order to use the Dark Side Pips in addition to the strain cost. So the cost is not that insignificant.

That is why I have been thinking about tipping the scale in small way. Like I said in my OP, once FR 2 is hit, this temp boost is gone. I am leaning towards this crystal having a "pool" of 20 pips in it that the player can call on, perhaps costing one strain per pip.

Please, I would love to hear more thoughts on the "for" and the "against' it!! It makes me dig more into the books to double check my facts and ideas! And no good items/mods are born without thought, consideration, and discussion!

I think a once per session mechanic, or finite use mechanic, will keep from being OP but allow your player an option for a boost on a critical roll.

It felt like my last Force user just stood around most of the time. He would want to use move object, but would fail to generate the two required pips, still a 4 in 12 chance on the die. If the power/upgrades are not activate, the action is still lost.

If you follow the "Luke progression", Move comes much later (after Sense), and only for little things. The game mechanics don't limit you, but I think are structured intentionally to encourage avoiding the flashy stuff until you really can get enough pips on a regular basis. I would strongly discourage a new player from taking things that require pips over committing a die.

If you just want a mechanic to give them a better chance of rolling more pips, then why not just give them FR2 at the start? You're not charging them XP for the device, and if it goes away after they reach FR2 then they won't have a sense of progression. In fact, it would probably delay them from bothering to get that talent because it's 25+ whatever-Talent-they-don't-want XP to get there and they already have it anyway.

You forgot to mention that they have to flip a Destiny Point in order to use the Dark Side Pips in addition to the strain cost. So the cost is not that insignificant.

Oops, forgot about that. So make a house rule: you can spend 1 Strain without flipping a DP. If you want to spend 2 Strain you have to flip. That way when they reach FR2 it will still mean something.

HHmm, some good thoughts...Perhaps my little item can be the cause of this this then. thanks for the feedback and thoughts.

K.I.S.S.

Once per session may convert 1 or more darkside pips to light as if you had flipped a destiny point and burned the appropriate strain.

K.I.S.S.

Once per session may convert 1 or more darkside pips to light as if you had flipped a destiny point and burned the appropriate strain.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

This way, the PC has a minor boost, but they've got to decide when is it really worth using.

A quick and easy path to power? 'sounds like a dark artifact if ever there was one.

That is your intention, right? I mean, if you aren't tempting your Force users to the dark side, you're not doing your job.

I know it's Legends at this point, but there is also the existence of the Kaiburr crystal (from Splinters of the Minds' Eye). It was a crystal that served as a Force amplifier artifact, enough so that Vader wanted it. Granted the crystal lost a lot of its potency when it was removed from it's native planet (Mimban?), but it's a thought for an "amplifier" that's not too much of a crutch unless your campaign takes place on that specific planet.

And Lorne does have an excellent point about this crutch being a "quick and easy" route to power. As such, it could be a good story element to reflect the character's struggle to not succumb to the allure of power and thus the dark side.

you need to be very careful here. force rating 2 isn't that hard to get. with fr2 and your "magic item" a force user becomes quite powerful quickly.

if you want to use such an item, i would give it limited charges. that way the fledgling padawan can use the power of his item for important stuff and can pull off impressive maneuvers if needed, but sooner or later this additional power will be gone. i play a force user and if you gave me a "+1 light blip on every power check"-item i wouldn't accept it.

kaosoe's idea is also a good one i think. although i'd implement that as a talent instead of an item. maybe f&d will have such talents.

Hey everyone! Thanks for all the great feedback and ideas. Last adventure I presented to this my player as a reward at the end of the adventure. The Mando Bounty Hunter got some old pre Clone Wars Mando lament armor that he can re-tailor to fit him. So taking all of your thoughts and ideas into consideration, I presented a few different ideas to the player, and we agreed upon this:

With the crystal, once a session, it can turn a Force Die roll of Dark Side Pips into Light Side Pips, with no strain damage or the flipping of a Destiny Point. Once Force Level 2 is reached by Miles, the crystal can no longer function in this way, as his connection to the Force will be stronger than its. After this point is reached, the crystal will form a symbiotic relationship with Miles, it will siphon off one Destiny Point for the following adventure, and then become ready to go in to a hilt of a lightsaber.

This Saturday, he can actually use this in game play, so i wonder if it will come up at all.

So again, a sincere thanks everyone for your feedback.