Are there mechanics I'm missing or is it narrative?

Narrative. In fact, I would stick with narrative even if there were a mechanic, since that's what I've done in the past with systems that actually had mechanics...

Good, I like narrative.

I'd say the PC needs either Sense or Foresee before they can actively detect.

We've been using Sense. If a player has the Sense power and a character is particularly strong in the force, The PC will sense something about that character. Otherwise I will let them use the Sense power as described.

I don't have F&D yet, so maybe it's already handled, but if a FS can be Sensed they should also be able to Hide. Otherwise, Palpatine's capabilities (if not his intentions) would have been blindingly obvious. But there are plenty of times, especially in TCW, where someone like Dooku or Ventress aren't noticed until they spring an ambush.

I don't have F&D yet, so maybe it's already handled, but if a FS can be Sensed they should also be able to Hide. Otherwise, Palpatine's capabilities (if not his intentions) would have been blindingly obvious. But there are plenty of times, especially in TCW, where someone like Dooku or Ventress aren't noticed until they spring an ambush.

This is why I think it's much more of a narrative thing--it's based almost entirely on plot. It's much more interesting if the bad guys can't always be detected just by using the Force.

I saw a pdf of the talent trees and I think there is a talent in the Shadow spec that allows one to hide ability with, and use of the Force. I presume that's how Palpy does it.

I don't know the mechanics of sensing the use of the Force, but I'm guessing that it is Sense related.

I would use sense or foresee, but unless they were actively looking for a force user I don't think I would point it out. I would just say, the force is strong here or something vague.

I agree with preferring narrative. it's not like anyone is walking around trying to actively search for force users normally.

we'll see what F&D have to say about it.

I usually just hang out at the bar and 'put off the vibe'..........it seems to work...............

I'd keep it narrative, but if you want mechanics, they are easy to house rule.

I'd start out making this an Impossible (5 purples) Vigilance or Perception check for those with a Force Rating of 1. I'd then I'd then add the Force ratings of the seeker and target together and divide by two, rounding up and reduce the check by that many steps (so that if a pair of FR 3 characters are involved, it reduces 3 steps, it's an Average Check). I might also toss in boosts for training in powers like sense, or if they have a close relationship to the other Force user. And allow them to spend advantage to know exactly who it is and even their current mental state or a flash of something that gives away their location better.

I usually just hang out at the bar and 'put off the vibe'..........it seems to work...............

STOP STARING AT ME!!!

I don't have F&D yet, so maybe it's already handled, but if a FS can be Sensed they should also be able to Hide. Otherwise, Palpatine's capabilities (if not his intentions) would have been blindingly obvious. But there are plenty of times, especially in TCW, where someone like Dooku or Ventress aren't noticed until they spring an ambush.

This is why I think it's much more of a narrative thing--it's based almost entirely on plot. It's much more interesting if the bad guys can't always be detected just by using the Force.

...like Paladins spamming Detect Evil kinda spoiled things back in the day...

I don't have F&D yet, so maybe it's already handled, but if a FS can be Sensed they should also be able to Hide. Otherwise, Palpatine's capabilities (if not his intentions) would have been blindingly obvious. But there are plenty of times, especially in TCW, where someone like Dooku or Ventress aren't noticed until they spring an ambush.

This is why I think it's much more of a narrative thing--it's based almost entirely on plot. It's much more interesting if the bad guys can't always be detected just by using the Force.

...like Paladins spamming Detect Evil kinda spoiled things back in the day...

Threat of threats and despair prevents such spamming I think. If a Sith is sneaking up on a Jedi, and we agree that FSs can be detected, it seems somewhat arbitrary for the GM to decide when that happens. And if players start "detecting" all the time, they still have to roll something contested, which I'll happily bump up to dissuade abuse...which is, of course, arbitrary too

If a Sith is sneaking up on a Jedi, and we agree that FSs can be detected, it seems somewhat arbitrary for the GM to decide when that happens.

You mean, GM's do something besides arbitrarily framing encounters?

You mean, GM's do something besides arbitrarily framing encounters?

In the past, I've had Force-users roll their Force rating in dice and then count appropriate pips - white pips for players and Light-side NPCs, black pips for Dark-side NPCs - and compare. The higher can always detect the lower, and can decide if they wish to reveal themselves. The lower can only detect the higher if the higher allows.

But Perception is a good choice, too! I'd only make a roll if a character or NPC was attempting to mask their Force sensitivity. Then I'd make it Perception vs. Deception, with both sides adding a number of Boost dice equal to their Force rating.

The Beta has a sidebar about disturbances in the Force that basically equates sensing other Force users and Force-imbued items in the same way Obi-Wan sensed the destruction of Alderaan.

The Sentinel Shadow has a talent called "Shroud" that can be used once per session and which hides the user from being detected in the Force, as well as hiding his uses of Force powers for the duration of an encounter.

Personally, I'd say that it should possibly be a special use of the Sense power, maybe coupled with Perception or Vigilance, though I'm not sure how I'd set the DC--it should be difficult to sense someone with a low Force rating unless they're right on top of you, while it should be easy to sense someone strongly emanating the Force, unless they're trying to hide.

How about this?

Sense Force

You may attempt to sense the presence of creatures, objects, and locations that are strong in the Force (have a Force rating) by making a Sense power check coupled with a Perception check. The base difficulty for sensing an engaged subject is simple, but increases for each range band farther from the source you are. You may spend (L/D) to add Success or Advantage, and may spend 2 Advantage to pinpoint one source of Force emanation.

When trying to sense someone hiding from detection, you instead roll your Perception check against their Deception, adding a Setback for each range band separating you. The hiding being adds 1 Failure per Force rating.

If a Sith is sneaking up on a Jedi, and we agree that FSs can be detected, it seems somewhat arbitrary for the GM to decide when that happens.

You mean, GM's do something besides arbitrarily framing encounters?

What do you mean? If there's an ambush about to happen I'll offer a perception roll, why would I treat this differently?

I've just handled as an aspect of the Sense power, with the Force user having to activate the power with the deliberate intent to sense other Force users. They also only get the character with the highest Force Rating (unless Magnitude Upgrades are triggered), which is why Vader only picked up Obi-Wan (probably FR 3, maybe 4) but not Luke (FR 1) when he probed the Falcon with his Force senses aboard the Death Star.

It's a sidebar item in my Ways of the Force document, and it's worked out pretty well, as the only person we've seen in the revised canon be able to reliably hide themselves from the Force senses of others was Sidious, likely using some kind of Sith technique to do just that.

I've just handled as an aspect of the Sense power, with the Force user having to activate the power with the deliberate intent to sense other Force users. They also only get the character with the highest Force Rating (unless Magnitude Upgrades are triggered), which is why Vader only picked up Obi-Wan (probably FR 3, maybe 4) but not Luke (FR 1) when he probed the Falcon with his Force senses aboard the Death Star.

It's a sidebar item in my Ways of the Force document, and it's worked out pretty well, as the only person we've seen in the revised canon be able to reliably hide themselves from the Force senses of others was Sidious, likely using some kind of Sith technique to do just that.

Sidious was probably using the Sentinel Shadow's Shroud talent, and just making sure to encounter Jedi only once per session.

"No, Master Windu, I can't take a meeting with the Jedi Council today, I just saw Master Yoda an hour ago. I could do Wednesday two weeks from now...? Oh, it's Master Fisto's anniversary so he won't be available? How about Tuesday? Oh, Master Mundi has finals the next day so he has to study? What about the week after that? Master Yoda's out of town for business?"

I'm using a house rule for force sensitive player. I give him ten force tokens at the beginning of the session. Five dark side and five Light side tokens (Many thank's for the Beginners Game boxes ). We call it The Balance. Each time he act "like a jedi"[sic] he can flip one dark side token to light side and vica versa. At the end of the session, if he has more dark side tokens than light side tokens, then he lost Morality (we called it Destiny, but we change it Morality now) and if he has more light side tokens than dark side tokens he earn Morality.

The detection part. If i'm curious about that two force sensitive character are sense each other, then I throw secretly a sense or disciple check both of them and I add five minus the difference of they The Balance ratio difficulty. The thing is, if they are the different side of the Force, then they detect each other easier. The rest is always narrative.

I'm using a house rule for force sensitive player. I give him ten force tokens at the beginning of the session. Five dark side and five Light side tokens (Many thank's for the Beginners Game boxes ). We call it The Balance. Each time he act "like a jedi"[sic] he can flip one dark side token to light side and vica versa. At the end of the session, if he has more dark side tokens than light side tokens, then he lost Morality (we called it Destiny, but we change it Morality now) and if he has more light side tokens than dark side tokens he earn Morality.

The detection part. If i'm curious about that two force sensitive character are sense each other, then I throw secretly a sense or disciple check both of them and I add five minus the difference of they The Balance ratio difficulty. The thing is, if they are the different side of the Force, then they detect each other easier. The rest is always narrative.

This is an interesting idea. I like it, but it also feels very "fiddly".

As I've used in many other Star Wars games before...detecting a force user hanging out at the bar is not an easy thing to do...unless they are actively using the force. Things that override that would be a large loss of life within proximity commensurate to the loss of life. If detecting force users was a simple scan Darth Vader and Palpatine or vice versa would have controlled or eliminated all force users in the galaxy...force users should be able to radiate force use...but that would be them saying consciously to let others know. I find that using sense and someone goes force active in your vicinity you will pick it up...like quigonn seeing anakin racing and subconsciously using the force and then testing more. If a Jedi isn't actively using the force it should be very tough to locate