One thing that would be useful, i think, is a guide to create different charcter concepts, like the one they put in the end of Far Horizions, suggesting specs and talents to pick to create your character. Adding that the new spatrbooks could eliminate the need for new specializations.

And i support the idea of new regions and sectors created bt FFG.

Was gonna say, but knasserll beat me to it, that piracy is THE reason civilian ships have guns. I mean, what else would they be for... blasting TIE fighters?

Anyway, add me in as one who wants a totally original region (or more likely, sector) book. All new planets, creatures, vehicles, NPCs, equipment... basically a place where players can run rampant and call it their own without having to dance around the official 'canon'.

I'd like that, too. The question it raises, though, is how much FFG is going to respect the Legends canon. With the release of The Essential Atlas, much of the Star Wars galaxy has been mapped. There have also been several sector maps released that show the exact boundaries of each sector. In other words, if they do a book on a new sector or region, it may not be entirely "new" if they want to adhere to the Atlas. Based on the maps they've included in the core rulebooks for AOR and EOTE, they are adhering to it.

I'm a huge fan of the Atlas. It's a gorgeous and amazing book. But it has limited us a bit in delimiting all those sectors and planet placements. That said, I suppose they could take a sector for which we know very little, give a couple of nods to the pre-existing elements, and then run with it.

Without giving too much away, both Fly Casual and Stay on Target promise to be resources for pirate/privateer themed campaigns, some of that is mentioned in the pre-release announcements.

In terms of regional books, I could see the Corporate Sector getting a treatment, as well as possibly Arkanis sector. These last two are purely speculation on my part, despite being a contributor, I don't get to see the full plan that the RPG developers at FFG do.

Corporate Sector for EoE, Imperial Doctrine and Seprratist Remanants for AoR, and Taipani Sector and Ancient Lore (old republic) for F&D.

Very nice. I was hoping Fly Casual would have some useful goodies for a pirate/Privateer campaign since a number of pirates in the EU used captured Imperial Customs ships, or illegal knockoffs there of and Fly Casual seemed the logical place for customs ships to appear.

I wasn't expecting any piracy/privateer useful info outside of some ships mods, and specializations in Stay on Target though, IMO every region or career book has had some of that kind of info that a pirate/privateer campaign could use.. I thought piracy would be focused on much more in Lords of Nul Hutta then Stay on Target.

I think I would prefer more Universal Specializations to a whole new career.

Why? Certain things might be universal, but most things in these lines are based upon archetypes based upon a career and one or more specialties. If any particular archetype just doesn't fit with the given careers, then a new career might fit better than a universal specialization that still requires a character to be in a career that doesn't fit.

Well, AoR does have the Recruit to cover "military combat training" so the idea of a new universal spec for a general character type isn't completely unheard of.

Although it'd be a matter of keeping said Pirate universal spec balanced enough so that it doesn't simply become one giant grab-bag of cool talents and useful career skills that'd be the real trick. Recruit pulls it off by making you buy talents for the various combat skills. So maybe a Pirate spec could do similar, with a couple of the really iconic or necessary skills (such as Astrogation and Piloting: Space) as part of the default bonus career skills, and then the rest (such as Melee and Ranged: Light) acquired through talents.

EotE Core Rulebook pirate references that I found at a quick glance:

Page 259: "There is garnered a loyal following among both planetary defense forces and the various corporate, mercenary, and priate fleets that operate in the Outer Rim".

Page 260: "Slow and ponderous with little or nothing in the way of armor, weapons, or shields, transports must rely on armed escorts to protect themselves from the predation of priates and raiders".

Page 261: "Many of these reconfigured ships have found their way into the hands of freebooters and smugglers".

Page 346: "Remember, also, the Imperials take their anti-piracy operations very seriously". Should have just quoted this one by itself?

Page 370: "Primarily responsible for monitoring imports and exports through Imperial space, as well as seeing to it that all taxes and tariffs are collected, the agency also interdicts suspected smugglers, priates, and other criminals acting.....".

Running out of time, didn't even get to the Adversary chapter (Pirate Crew, Pirate Captain), and I'm sure I skimmed past lots of references, so I will leave you with this - Page 381 has an entire section on "Pirate" organizations.

Pirates are definetly part of this game. References are spread throughout the first book released. The Empire takes their, "anti-piracy operations very seriously".

So maybe a Pirate spec could do similar, with a couple of the really iconic or necessary skills (such as Astrogation and Piloting: Space) as part of the default bonus career skills, and then the rest (such as Melee and Ranged: Light) acquired through talents.

This is closer to what I was thinking. There could be an Aficionado spec that focuses on types of combat or types of piloting, for example, to explain how a Colonist: Scholar is also a renowned swoop biker with lots of bonuses for Piloting (Planetary).

Not sure if this has already been said but.. You can easily use the Smugglers career as a Pirate.. They are very similar.

Not sure if this has already been said but.. You can easily use the Smugglers career as a Pirate.. They are very similar.

Not necessarily. I'd think that there is as much difference between a Pirate and a Smuggler as there is between a Bounty Hunter and a Hired Gun.

Besides that, at the core a Smuggler is a career about avoiding confrontation, while Pirates in Star Wars are not so shy.

Not sure if this has already been said but.. You can easily use the Smugglers career as a Pirate.. They are very similar.

Not necessarily. I'd think that there is as much difference between a Pirate and a Smuggler as there is between a Bounty Hunter and a Hired Gun.

Besides that, at the core a Smuggler is a career about avoiding confrontation, while Pirates in Star Wars are not so shy.

Your point about the differences is valid, but what I believe Trisilex wanted to point out is that the Smuggler career - especially the pilot specialization - would also work well (talent wise) for a Pirate. If you want to a "real" pirate some talents would need to be replaced, but it's a good starting point.

The trouble is, there's no real "pirate" career, but rather piracy requires several skill sets and a crew. Yes, a pilot is needed for piracy, but in history, the most successful pirates (Captain Morgan, for example) were commander types, capable of leading and coordinating rather than the swashbuckling stuff themselves. Instead of a specific career, I see Pirating/Privateering as a campaign theme.

You know, maybe we'll see a "Privateer" spec in the eventual career sourcebook for the AoR's Commander.

The trouble is, there's no real "pirate" career, but rather piracy requires several skill sets and a crew. Yes, a pilot is needed for piracy, but in history, the most successful pirates (Captain Morgan, for example) were commander types, capable of leading and coordinating rather than the swashbuckling stuff themselves. Instead of a specific career, I see Pirating/Privateering as a campaign theme.

I think this is the right way to go. On your pirate ship you might find mostly sailors with some fightin' skill (various types of Smugglers), some beefy full-on boarding party muscle (Marauders), First Mate Navigator (Fringer), the Fence (Trader), Doc (Doctor), and the Captain (Mercenary).

Why limit to who bunch of Pirates (only) all with some skills in fighting, pilot, and gunnery? Just like any naval ship, there will be specialties amongst the crew. The RAW has those covered.

Note that I just used EotE, and not AoR due to the edginess of the pirate life. There are also a few options in AoR that could also be used with the right justification (Naval Commander/Pilot/Guard turned pirate).

There really isn't any career or specialty I would completely leave out. The term, "motley crew" is often attirubted to pirates for a reason. Even a Politico could find herself part of a pirate crew.

There won't be another sector book. Asmodee, who just bought FFG, will cancel the line. Ffg will lose the star wars license and wotc will re-acquire it.

There won't be another sector book. Asmodee, who just bought FFG, will cancel the line. Ffg will lose the star wars license and wotc will re-acquire it.

WHAT? this cant be true. I just started buying all their books now they're losing the Star Wars Licence?!?

You kidding, Samophlange?

I read about the merger, but it didn't seem to affect anything, according to their news article.

Star Wars is a money-spinner and they'd be daft to lose it. Asmodee seems to do board games, not RPGs.

There won't be another sector book. Asmodee, who just bought FFG, will cancel the line. Ffg will lose the star wars license and wotc will re-acquire it.

WHAT? this cant be true. I just started buying all their books now they're losing the Star Wars Licence?!?

None of what he said is true except maybe the purchase part. Mergers can be different than purchases though.

Details here: http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=5212

That being said right on the heels of the Asmodee/Days of Wonder merger this is somewhat disturbing. But I'll take the press release at face value for the time being. Peterson staying on as CEO of FFG makes me a little more comfortable though.

Page 346: "Remember, also, the Imperials take their anti-piracy operations very seriously". Should have just quoted this one by itself?

Yeah Anti-piracy ops were one of the major justifications, along with anti-Separatist holdout ops, used to explain why the Imperial military kept expanding when the Clone Wars ended.

There was a book which described the Imperial legal system some. The highest crimes were referred to as class one offenses. The only group which regularly committed a wider variety of class one offenses then pirates were Alliance privateers who committed the code one offenses pirates did and the ones rebels committed at the same time.

Not sure if this has already been said but.. You can easily use the Smugglers career as a Pirate.. They are very similar.

Not necessarily. I'd think that there is as much difference between a Pirate and a Smuggler as there is between a Bounty Hunter and a Hired Gun.

Besides that, at the core a Smuggler is a career about avoiding confrontation, while Pirates in Star Wars are not so shy.

I personally think Bounty Hunter would be closer to a pirate then a smuggler. Bounty Hunters capture targets or ships and capturing ships or cargo is basically what most piracy is all about.

There won't be another sector book. Asmodee, who just bought FFG, will cancel the line. Ffg will lose the star wars license and wotc will re-acquire it.

<sarcasm> Right I'm sure Asmodee really wants FFG to lose its most well known license </sarcasm>

I just read the news on FFG Main site.. It's a Merger NOT a Buy out. And quote FFG will stay a fully independent publisher in the Asmodee Group, and intends to keep creating the best games possible.

Noone is selling any rights or losing rights for that matter.

Yes, everyone, I am kidding. Why hasn't sonlmeone invented a sarcasm font. It would get more use than comic sans.

If asmodee did something to Jeopardize the star wars license, it would be the dumbest decision since greenlighting the prequels.

Another potential location-type sourcebook that could come out after Lords of Nal Hutta could have to do with the Kessel Run. Of course, the system and its infamous trade route might be part of LoNH. If not, though, I could see either a location book or adventure module based on the Kessel Run.

Yes, everyone, I am kidding. Why hasn't sonlmeone invented a sarcasm font. It would get more use than comic sans.

If asmodee did something to Jeopardize the star wars license, it would be the dumbest decision since greenlighting the prequels.

Although to be fair - that's what killed WEG and their Star Wars line: While WEG was making money, the shoe company in Italy that owned them was seriously in debt. The owner borrowed money from the West End coffers to pay the Shoe Company's debt - and that took both companies down.

Since we only have one Age of Rebelion sourcebooks listed as upcoming and NO Force and Destiny books listed as upcoming, clearly this means that the range is dead. Sorry folks, it was a good run - but all things must come to an end.

I doubt asmodee is borrowing money from FFG currently. And writing sourcebooks takes time.

The trouble is, there's no real "pirate" career, but rather piracy requires several skill sets and a crew. Yes, a pilot is needed for piracy, but in history, the most successful pirates (Captain Morgan, for example) were commander types, capable of leading and coordinating rather than the swashbuckling stuff themselves. Instead of a specific career, I see Pirating/Privateering as a campaign theme.

I think this is the right way to go. On your pirate ship you might find mostly sailors with some fightin' skill (various types of Smugglers), some beefy full-on boarding party muscle (Marauders), First Mate Navigator (Fringer), the Fence (Trader), Doc (Doctor), and the Captain (Mercenary).

Why limit to who bunch of Pirates (only) all with some skills in fighting, pilot, and gunnery? Just like any naval ship, there will be specialties amongst the crew. The RAW has those covered.

Note that I just used EotE, and not AoR due to the edginess of the pirate life. There are also a few options in AoR that could also be used with the right justification (Naval Commander/Pilot/Guard turned pirate).

There really isn't any career or specialty I would completely leave out. The term, "motley crew" is often attirubted to pirates for a reason. Even a Politico could find herself part of a pirate crew.

While you can do pirates with the RAW, I think the advantage of a Pirate spec would be to capture the "spirit" of cinematic pirate characters. Much like you could make an archaeologist with the Scholar spec, the Archaeologist-with-a-capital-A is different -- she's a tough-as-nails fist fighter and tomb raider. It's a spec to capture the Indiana Jones/Lara Croft/The Mummy archetype. In the same way, a Pirate spec ideally would provide several talents for swinging from chandeliers and witty repartee. I'm thinking all the stuff Guybrush Threepwood tries to emulate in the Monkey Island games, but played for action/adventure more than humor.