Hey All,
Does anyone know of any trading rules for Edge of the Empire?
I know there is nothing official from FFG (and probably won't be until they release the Smuggler Class Book), but I thought I might ask before I go ahead and design my own rules (basing it around the Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters rules).
Edited by MoonSwingChroniclesI'll just correct myself - there are rules in Edge for trading between world involving Rarity. I was just looking for something a little more involved.
tramp feighters is what I would use. What you will need to do is establish rarity for items based on planet. IE on camino water is cheap. But on Tatooine it is expensive.
I was actually going to do it per product type:
Obviously these are the categories from GG6.
Edited by MoonSwingChroniclesOK, so I started working in something which I hope will still use the existing trading rules in Edge of the Empire. All that it required was a small modification to the Rarity Modifier Table, and an addition of a new table. Here are both, and I'd be keen for feedback:
TABLE 5-2: RARITY MODIFIERS
Rarity Modifier Circumstances
Region
-2 Primary Core world
-1 Other Core world
+0 Colony or Inner Rim world
+1 Mid Rim world
+2 Outer Rim world
+2 Frontier world
+3 Wild Space world
+4 Uncivilized world
Trade Routes
-1 World on primary trade lane
+0 World on a trade route
+1 World not on a trade route
Starports
-1 Imperial Class (A)
-1 Stellar Class (B)
+0 Standard Class ©
+1 Limited Services (D)
+2 Landing Field (E)
+4 None (X)
Technology
-1 Space
+0 Information
+1 Atomic
+2 Industrial
+3 Feudal
+4 Stone
Edited by MoonSwingChroniclesThe second table:
TABLE 5-4: MODIFER DUE TO IMPORT/EXPORT
Dice Pool Bonus Condition
1 x Boost Dice or more Buy World Preferred Export
1 x Setback Dice or more Buy World Preferred Import
1 x Setback Dice or more Sell World Preferred Export
1 x Boost Dice or more Sell World Preferred Import
My main question with something like this is, are you/your players really interested in a ton of number crunching? A campaign based primarily just jumping from planet to planet, picking up profitable item(s) (cheap where you're at and expensive where you're going) and making the rounds, doesn't sound like a ton of fun.
Now maybe that's the backdrop, and your adventures are set against the shipping your crew does, the complications they get into, etc. In that case, you can make something simple, like a baseline price for your cargo volume and profits adjusted each time by Negotiation/Streetwise checks at each planet.
But if you guys want to have a bunch of crunch, go for it and enjoy. Just be careful that numbers don't get in the way of fun. Remember, math is just a tool.
It's a backdrop, but from experience its something the players will probably want to do "off screen". I guess I just want the rules done and dusted before I start my campaign, in order to stay consistent.
I'm actually after thoughts on the math as I'm doing this:
A) never having played this version of the game; and
B) not having had the opportunity to play-test it.
Any advice would be appreciated
Edited by MoonSwingChroniclesI'll say that I LOVE seeing tons of numbers and math (makes my nerdy innards happy), and what you have here is a pretty simple way of determining rarity/negotiation rolls with a bit more precision related to trading and trade conditions, which I think is important to those who, well, want to trade. (Or even sell some salvaged goods).
I think it would help keep it simple to determine a base price for a standard product in each category you've made, based on the type (food or low tech might be cheaper, while luxury might be higher). Then that base price can be modified by rarity, or even some old fashioned high/low rolling behind the scenes.
All that said, try your best to keep it as a backdrop, if that's not what your players want. I recently ran a campaign with my players running a colony, creating products and export. It very quickly became a game of Spreadsheet: The Mathening, and several of my players wanted to sleep through most sessions (Though, one guy really enjoyed it). On the flip side, if you and your players all really want to trade, let them. But it never hurts to spice things up with pirates, raiders, or thieves.
I could not agree more. As mentioned, this is a backdrop, and to be honest, may not even be something the players use. I just wanted it there for a few of reasons.
The first is just in case the players do need or want it.
Second, is to help me get my head around the rules.
Lastly, its so that I can play with the system using my sector of space that I'll be using in my campaign. I now have 28 planets which have been laid out in my GM Holocron (as per the Order 66 Podcast) with 2-3 adventure hooks at each location to make my job easier. With each planet write-up, I started going through things that I don't have, and speculative trading was one of them. The aim will be to give each planet its own Rarity Modifier so I don't have to do the calculations on the fly.
My next task is to give each of the "product types" their own base price per point of encumbrance, so that the math will be VERY simple to handle on the fly.
I'm also thinking of adding in another modifier to represent the world's "function". I think a +2 for a Trade World, and a -2 for a Subsistence World.
So that people who are interested know, I'm using the world creation rules from West End Games Planets of the Galaxy Collection, and Galaxy Guide 6 for these world statistics.
Edited by MoonSwingChroniclesFirst, welcome to the game! You can get lots of good advice around here; I know I have.
To your quesiton, depending on how long you have during each session, I'd generally want to spend minimal time on this.
* I'd start with a default amount, which you can base off the ship's cargo space if you want to go by the stats, or by how quickly you want your PCs to be gaining credits. I'd go with the latter, with somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 credits per player per session as the base.
* Next, I'd have the PC with the best trading ability (or combo if two are helping each other) make a skill check. Negotiation if it's legitimate cargo, Streetwise if it's illicit. Difficulty based off the place or person they're selling it to. [Check the Adversaries section of the CRB for what a good typical dealer might be.]
* If you want to add one more step, add in a Knowledge check based on the region/type (Core Worlds, Outer Rim, Underworld, even Medicine or Mechanics if it's those sort of goods), and use that for additional modification.
* Add maybe 25cr/PC for each success/2advantage, subtract the same for net failures/threats.
Just some thoughts to get things rolling. Have fun!
First, welcome to the game! You can get lots of good advice around here; I know I have.
To your quesiton, depending on how long you have during each session, I'd generally want to spend minimal time on this.
* I'd start with a default amount, which you can base off the ship's cargo space if you want to go by the stats, or by how quickly you want your PCs to be gaining credits. I'd go with the latter, with somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 credits per player per session as the base.
* Next, I'd have the PC with the best trading ability (or combo if two are helping each other) make a skill check. Negotiation if it's legitimate cargo, Streetwise if it's illicit. Difficulty based off the place or person they're selling it to. [Check the Adversaries section of the CRB for what a good typical dealer might be.]
* If you want to add one more step, add in a Knowledge check based on the region/type (Core Worlds, Outer Rim, Underworld, even Medicine or Mechanics if it's those sort of goods), and use that for additional modification.
* Add maybe 25cr/PC for each success/2advantage, subtract the same for net failures/threats.
Just some thoughts to get things rolling. Have fun!
Nice! well done. use the stuff Moon swing worked up to modify this. 