I've been thinking about getting into this Star Wars RPG. I was checking it out then saw these specialisation decks.

Can the game be played without them OR Are they required buying? While not that expensive, how will charcters know if they want to BE that charcters without me buying the deck? My worst fear, would be this example - Players wants to be a bodyguard, I buy deck, players looks through deck and decides they don't like it, and want to be something else.

Thoughts?

You don't need the decks. They are just an added tool for players. I've kind of looked into them but have no desire to use them. But then I'm an 'old school' player and everything I need is in the book and on my character sheet.

No need to buy them. They are just a handy way to collect the talents your character has so you don't have to open the book to look at their rules.

Thank you for this information.

At first glance they look handy, but once you've played a character a while and learned their talents thoroughly they're unnecessary I think.

Does anyone have the adversary decks? They seem more useful for the GM.

My last question is - are there any major rule differences between the 2 core sets? I know they focus on differ on different things but the rules are the same yes?

My last question is - are there any major rule differences between the 2 core sets? I know they focus on differ on different things but the rules are the same yes?

They are the same rules sets, though they have a mechanic unique to each.

Edge of the Empire uses Obligation. People on the fringe and galactic underworld probably owe something to someone. All EotE characters have obligation.

Meanwhile, Age of Rebellion has Duty. Duty is the opposite of obligation. I don't have AoR, but its more like how helpful you are to the Rebel Alliance, the more you earn the better, and doing things to help the alliance earns you more duty.

Both have mechanical and narrative impacts, so depending on your game it will change the flavor. And both mechanics are compatible, they just add one extra layer to your game if you use both.

Yeah, Duty outline specific goals you have to help the Alliance. Do them well and often and you'll get rewards at certain thresholds.

And Force and Destiny due out what, spring? Has Morality. Not as bad as it sounds, it illustrates how conflicted your character is and how light/dark. Good news ia falling to the darkside isn't that bad, so if you want to run a darksider it's viable and the system won't kick you in the nuts for doing it.

You don't need the specialisation decks. The adversary decks are amazingly useful and I would strongly suggest getting them. There is different careers, equipment, vehicles and force powers in each book, so although not necessary, I would highly recommend getting both books eventually.

I've been playing the game for almost a year now without so much as touching the Specialisation Decks. Heck, I didn't even know they were a thing until several months after I got the Core Rulebook. xD

Can the game be played without them OR Are they required buying? While not that expensive, how will charcters know if they want to BE that charcters without me buying the deck? My worst fear, would be this example - Players wants to be a bodyguard, I buy deck, players looks through deck and decides they don't like it, and want to be something else.

Thoughts?

And I never used a single deck. Half of them haven’t even been opened.

IMO, these things are a waste of money.

Now, the decks for Adversaries, those are very cool and I think they would be very useful for GMs. But not so useful for players.

My last question is - are there any major rule differences between the 2 core sets? I know they focus on differ on different things but the rules are the same yes?

It all depends on what type of game you want to run. If you want to be the Rebel Alliance versus the Empire, then you’re going to want AoR.

If you want to be the Scum and Villains with hearts of gold, but always open to making a buck or three, then you want EotE.

If you want to be a force user with your glowstick-o-death, then you want to wait for FaD to come out of beta and ship.

Me? I have all of the core rulebooks, including FaD. And we have a pretty weird and wonderful game that is continuing to get even weirder by the week.

The talent decks are actually the one thing I don't have, though some of my players have the appropriate ones.

They are just the talent trees printed on cards; there's nothing new, it's an ease-of-use thing.

The only difference between the three systems is the Obligation/Duty/Morality mechanic, which in all three cases are bolted-on rules that don't use the special dice or regular game system. I have found they can all be happily ignored if you choose and it's easy to handle these elements narratively. Others have reported success in integrating them, or just using one.

Do the specialization decks feature new art, or is the art all recycled from the core books and FFG's other Star Wars licenses?

From what I can see, the art mostly seems recycled from the various other SW card games.

I picked up one Specialization deck and all of the NPC decks. The NPC decks: completely useful and would buy again. The Specialization decks are . . . oh, whats the word I'm thinking of. Ah: utterly shite. Yeah, that's about right.

Does anyone have the adversary decks? They seem more useful for the GM.

I bought some. I don't have any need for them as GM - they're all PC talents. My NPCs and monsters all have their abilities in their stat blocks. What they're really for is so that players can quickly see what they have and easily put down a card saying what the effect is.

They're pretty good for what they are - nice art, nice quality. Not at all necessary to play the game though! I bought them because I have one player who really struggles with numbers and character sheets and well, anything mechanical in the game, to be honest. I thought having four of five cards in her hand would give her an easy way to see what her special abilities were and get a handle on them. It doesn't seem to have made much difference, but it works for everyone else and I think they're good.

I started with buying the Specialization decks, but then I have access to a copier at work, so I just copied the Specializations for each Career.

Sadly, I'm a completionist, so I've still been collecting the decks that keep coming out.

The NPC decks are perfect. When I write up an adventure, I can just put a Cast list at the bottom of my write-up and note that So-and-so is statted as a Pirate Captain, add/minus this weapon/gear.

Does anyone have the adversary decks? They seem more useful for the GM.

I bought some. I don't have any need for them as GM - they're all PC talents. My NPCs and monsters all have their abilities in their stat blocks. What they're really for is so that players can quickly see what they have and easily put down a card saying what the effect is.They're pretty good for what they are - nice art, nice quality. Not at all necessary to play the game though! I bought them because I have one player who really struggles with numbers and character sheets and well, anything mechanical in the game, to be honest. I thought having four of five cards in her hand would give her an easy way to see what her special abilities were and get a handle on them. It doesn't seem to have made much difference, but it works for everyone else and I think they're good.

Actually, he asked about the adversary decks, which have cards with stat blocks for NPCs.

I have found the specialization decks to be very useful to newer role players not yet accustomed to tracking abilities in the traditional way whereas the long-time players almost never use them.

I just scanned and printed my talent trees, it even says at the bottom of the page that "Permission is Granted to Photocopy this Page", and I keep it in a folder with my character sheet, ship sheet, and my other personal notes I take during my campaign.

I just use oggdudes generator that i entered the data to so the trees print out with the character.

Does anyone have the adversary decks? They seem more useful for the GM.

I bought some. I don't have any need for them as GM - they're all PC talents. My NPCs and monsters all have their abilities in their stat blocks. What they're really for is so that players can quickly see what they have and easily put down a card saying what the effect is.They're pretty good for what they are - nice art, nice quality. Not at all necessary to play the game though! I bought them because I have one player who really struggles with numbers and character sheets and well, anything mechanical in the game, to be honest. I thought having four of five cards in her hand would give her an easy way to see what her special abilities were and get a handle on them. It doesn't seem to have made much difference, but it works for everyone else and I think they're good.

Actually, he asked about the adversary decks, which have cards with stat blocks for NPCs.

Oh, my bad. I have no view on those. I expect they're as nice as the Specialization deck but I have no use for those. I write out all of my statblocks before the game on my clipboard.

I just scanned and printed my talent trees, it even says at the bottom of the page that "Permission is Granted to Photocopy this Page", and I keep it in a folder with my character sheet, ship sheet, and my other personal notes I take during my campaign.