So how would you guys stat Talon Karde as an NPC?

Honestly there is nothing "special" about him, so you could almost use a standard Smuggler Baron as the starting point. He is not really anything special.

Honestly there is nothing "special" about him, so you could almost use a standard Smuggler Baron as the starting point. He is not really anything special.

Well that is kind of a cop out.

This is how I would stat Talon Karrde circa his first appearance in Heir to the Empire five years after the Battle of Endor. If your story takes place earlier, you could downgrade some of these skills and characteristics a bit.

Characteristics: Brawn 2, Agility 2, Intellect 4, Cunning 4, Willpower 3, Presence 4

Skills: Charm 2, Cool 3, Deception 2, Discipline 2, Knowledge (Core Worlds) 1, Knowledge (Lore) 2, Knowledge (Outer Rim) 2, Knowledge (Underworld) 3, Knowledge (Xenology) 1, Leadership 2, Negotiation 1, Perception 3, Ranged (Light) 1, Skullduggery 1, Streetwise 3

Talents: Adversary 2, Black Market Contacts 2, Convincing Demeanor 1, Kill With Kindness 1, Nobody's Fool 2

For special abilities I would give him some kind of re-roll opportunity for Knowledge checks--maybe all Knowledge or specifically Lore and/or Underworld.

For equipment, maybe a simple blaster pistol and comlink. He should never be far from a computer or datapad, but I don't know that he needs to have one on his person at all times.

You could choose to include his pet Vornskyrs, Sturm and Drang, as companions.

The write-up for Smuggler Baron sounds somewhat similar to Karrde, but not the skills and talents associated. Throughout Timothy Zahn's novels, we hardly ever see Talon Karrde firing a weapon or flying his own ship so I wouldn't give him extra points in Agility or piloting skills/talents. He's much closer to a cross between Infochant and Hutt Crime Lord, though for my stat I looked at Lando Calrissian from The Jewel of Yavin and made some modifications.

I think it is rude to the character to assume he is anything different from any other smuggler.

The only things "maybe" he has over any other smuggler is slightly more intelligence/cunning and maybe a bit of usefulness in leadership.

Other than that... he was nothing special. What made him special was his location and his team. But during EotE times he didn't even have that. But if you want to randomly add anything you are pretending he has, go for it, but that isn't the character and is just something you made up, and at that point why bother making it?

You asked, I honestly told you the answer. Sorry you are offended by the truth.

I think it is rude to the character to assume he is anything different from any other smuggler.

The only things "maybe" he has over any other smuggler is slightly more intelligence/cunning and maybe a bit of usefulness in leadership.

Other than that... he was nothing special. What made him special was his location and his team. But during EotE times he didn't even have that. But if you want to randomly add anything you are pretending he has, go for it, but that isn't the character and is just something you made up, and at that point why bother making it?

You asked, I honestly told you the answer. Sorry you are offended by the truth.

Way to discount what actually made Talon Karde special. Mainly knowing things like who has what who is looking for what and what motivates people etc. He knew who was doing what where and how to use that information to his advantage. That is how he became big. Not by being a smuggler.

The write-up for Smuggler Baron sounds somewhat similar to Karrde, but not the skills and talents associated. Throughout Timothy Zahn's novels, we hardly ever see Talon Karrde firing a weapon or flying his own ship so I wouldn't give him extra points in Agility or piloting skills/talents. He's much closer to a cross between Infochant and Hutt Crime Lord, though for my stat I looked at Lando Calrissian from The Jewel of Yavin and made some modifications.

Nicely done.

How about Booster Terrik?

This is how I would stat Talon Karrde circa his first appearance in Heir to the Empire five years after the Battle of Endor. If your story takes place earlier, you could downgrade some of these skills and characteristics a bit.

Characteristics: Brawn 2, Agility 2, Intellect 4, Cunning 4, Willpower 3, Presence 4

Skills: Charm 2, Cool 3, Deception 2, Discipline 2, Knowledge (Core Worlds) 1, Knowledge (Lore) 2, Knowledge (Outer Rim) 2, Knowledge (Underworld) 3, Knowledge (Xenology) 1, Leadership 2, Negotiation 1, Perception 3, Ranged (Light) 1, Skullduggery 1, Streetwise 3

Talents: Adversary 2, Black Market Contacts 2, Convincing Demeanor 1, Kill With Kindness 1, Nobody's Fool 2

For special abilities I would give him some kind of re-roll opportunity for Knowledge checks--maybe all Knowledge or specifically Lore and/or Underworld.

For equipment, maybe a simple blaster pistol and comlink. He should never be far from a computer or datapad, but I don't know that he needs to have one on his person at all times.

You could choose to include his pet Vornskyrs, Sturm and Drang, as companions.

Natural Scholar is the one that allows rerolls on knowledge checks. And Knowledge specialization underworld.

Talon Karrde was a smart smuggler boss. He wasn't Admiral Thrawn tactical, but he was smart. He was good at recruiting people and good at noticing what people would want to buy.

Was he involved with neat stories? yes. Was he some magical tactical genius? no. Was he a really good smuggler? sure. Other than that you must have read something into his story that wasn't there.

Like I said if ou want to give him crazy skills he didn't have, go for it, but don't call that Talon Karrde.

Talon Karrde was a smart smuggler boss. He wasn't Admiral Thrawn tactical, but he was smart. He was good at recruiting people and good at noticing what people would want to buy.

Was he involved with neat stories? yes. Was he some magical tactical genius? no. Was he a really good smuggler? sure. Other than that you must have read something into his story that wasn't there.

Like I said if ou want to give him crazy skills he didn't have, go for it, but don't call that Talon Karrde.

And the stats given by Dead Bothan Spy do not make him a tactical genius. They make him a VERY knowledgeable individual who knows how to talk to people and lead them.

Talon Karrde is not a run of the mill smuggler. As has been noted here multiple times. Do not undersell knowledge and what it can do. But if you are going poo poo the idea how bout you leave this thread as your input is not helpful.

I won't try putting numbers to Karrde, but only because I'm still learning the system and cannot as yet do justice to him. And Karrde, done properly, is a tricky character.

He's a smuggler because that was the way open to him. Moving good in secret, providing the unobtainable, is what pays the bills and is mildly distracting, but it isn't what makes Karrde Karrde. Recruiting talent, finding skilled people and getting them to follow him is a gift, and one he puts to excellent use, but that isn't what defines him either. His fleet of ships, his willingness to use them in combat if necessary, and his skill in avoiding that necessity make him a good boss in this field, but it isn't what makes him tick.

Karrde is in love with knowledge. The more rare a piece of information, the more valuable yet unobtainable, the more he covets it. He has become wealthy and powerful as a smuggler. He commands respect and the loyalty of talented and dangerous people, but he isn't the typical crime lord.

Talon Karrde is a man born under the wrong star. Were his destiny just, he would have found his way into a position as a spymaster. This is a man who should have headed Alliance Intelligence, or the ISB, or the Ubiqtorate. He should have been the man in the shadows, the man who knows not just your darkest secrets, but your most private thoughts. He should command legions of assassins and black ops teams but rarely use them, instead using knowledge as a lever.

Alas, such was never his fate. Instead, he runs a ring of smugglers. Perhaps THE ring of smugglers. And he still knows more than you. Give him time, and he may know everything there is worth knowing. Not because he's paid to, or because it's his duty. He knows it because finding those secrets is what drives him. And that is what makes him dangerous.

How do you stat this out? Beats the hell out of me

How do you stat this out? Beats the hell out of me

Great description, GrimmSqueaker! If I were trying to model a starting player character around Talon Karrde, first I would need about 400 starting XP off the bat. I'd make his starting career/spec Smuggler/Scoundrel, but I'd give him additional specializations in Politico and maybe Archaeologist and Scholar both.

If Talon Karrde was a PC, I would say the only thing that separated him from any other smuggler was his "Player" was great at Role Playing. I get you have sort of Bromance with the character but you are reading too much into it. You asked a question about how to stat him, I gave a 100% honest and accurate answer. I don't get why your panties are in a bunch over an opinion that recommends closer to the facts.

It is much better to throw a tantrum though and tell people to "get off my lawn" I guess so have fun with your character that isn't in any way, shape, or form Talon Karrde.

The write-up for Smuggler Baron sounds somewhat similar to Karrde, but not the skills and talents associated. Throughout Timothy Zahn's novels, we hardly ever see Talon Karrde firing a weapon or flying his own ship so I wouldn't give him extra points in Agility or piloting skills/talents. He's much closer to a cross between Infochant and Hutt Crime Lord, though for my stat I looked at Lando Calrissian from The Jewel of Yavin and made some modifications.

Nicely done.

How about Booster Terrik?

Booster Terrik, would be Talon Karde 20 yrs later. But with the slight change of Higher INT & CUN both being 5s. Terrik would also have the motivation of Greed! He is the Info-Broker on Steroids & he can get anything you need (For a price) Anytime!

Now trying to stat his Imperial Star Destroyer, would be a different story. Paint that sucker Red & GO TO TOWN!

Personally I would not stat him at all, for me he should be a plot device. If I desperately needed stats, the Smuggler Baron stats would work in a pinch but some NPC's do not need statting.

If Talon Karrde was a PC, I would say the only thing that separated him from any other smuggler was his "Player" was great at Role Playing. I get you have sort of Bromance with the character but you are reading too much into it. You asked a question about how to stat him, I gave a 100% honest and accurate answer. I don't get why your panties are in a bunch over an opinion that recommends closer to the facts.

It is much better to throw a tantrum though and tell people to "get off my lawn" I guess so have fun with your character that isn't in any way, shape, or form Talon Karrde.

Because your responses ignore the skills Karrde has. It ignores the abilities he has. So I do not find your responses helpful at all. In fact I find them unhelpful.

I think you read a corrupted version of books about Talon Karrde. My stats I stated were within the books.

I fully appreciate that you dislike the truth, you have shown this many times.

I think you read a corrupted version of books about Talon Karrde. My stats I stated were within the books.

I fully appreciate that you dislike the truth, you have shown this many times.

Well seeing as how others do not see your vision makes me think your version is corrupt. But in either case Your comments are not helpful in this thread and I am not interested in them. So how bout you go someplace where you are wanted.

Talon Karrde and Booster Terrik as NPCs in my campaign... sounds interesting, but now I have to wipe anticapatory drool off my keyboard.

I don't really see Booster as an older version of Karrde. Karrde is smooth, a man of finesse and class. He acts as much as a gentleman as his vocation permits. His is a substance of style. If he were a sword he would be an elegant rapier, plainly hilted but with a master Smith's blade.

Booster is a blue collar kinda guy. Smart and indirectly, sure. Big, tough, course, smarter than you think but perhaps not as smart as he thinks. Decades of experience, favors, contacts and grudges piled up. He pulled himself up by the bootstraps, and while he can still flatten you in a bareknuckle brawl, he's older and wiser (ish) and may just screw with you in a series of mean practical jokes. If he were a sword, he'd be a big honkin' two handed claymore. Brute force, sheer power, but still a masterful weapon in the hands of an experienced warchief.

Booster would have much higher brawn and combat skills. Never seen any reference to either mans piloting skill so that's a wash. Equal cunning but I give a slight edge to Karrde in cunning an intelligence. Slight mind you. Karrde would have greater and more broad knowledge skills. Booster perhaps with more contacts (though not necessarily friendly contacts). Karrde has more suave and charm. Booster is equal in raw charisma and is far more intimidating. Mess with Booster and he will beak you in two. Possibly personally. Screw with Karrde, and you'll never see it coming.

That's how I see them. Couple more weeks with the book's and I may be up to putting stats to all that.

Edit: bloody autocorrect!