Future Signature Abilities

By Zev Linare, in Star Wars: Edge of the Empire RPG

So the Colonist, Explorer, and Hired Gun have got the Signature Ability treatment, and Smugger / Ace are coming down the tube eventually, but it's going to be a LONG time before every class is filled out... And until that time, some classes are just going to be shortchanged, especially in a game where Signature Abilities are encouraged.

In the meantime, would anybody feel like chucking out ideas or even going so far as to work up some Signature Abilities with the upgrades and whatnot? The list of classes that are lacking such aspects are:

Edge of the Empire

Bounty Hunter, Smuggler, Technician

Age of Rebellion

Commander, Diplomat, Engineer, Soldier, Spy

Force and Destiny

Consular, Guardian, Mystic, Seeker, Sentinel, Warrior

Every class with a Signature Ability thus far has one that requires a Hard check of some skill that allows you to instantly overcome an obstacle, as well as an incidental one that gives you some effect that lasts for two rounds (or the encounter, for Colonist). Sticking to that layout would be a good way to start fleshing things out.

For Bounty Hunter, I envision something called Nowhere to Hide, where you make a Hard Streetwise check and flip your 2 destiny points to automatically track down your contracted target.

I'm also trying to figure out a good way to make Juyo/Vaapad a thing for some F&D class and tie in Conflict, but no brilliant ideas yet...

What would you suggest for any classes besides Colonist, Explorer, and Hired Gun?

Edited by Zev Linare

Technician and Engineer would be great. Also the Diplomat, but I would love to see the signature ability from the Force careers.

I like the "Nowhere to Hide" idea.

One of the two Signature Abilities for each class so far is "Unmatched ____," which grants some game-mechanical benefit temporarily. So far we have Unmatched Expertise, Unmatched Mobility, and Unmatched Protection, which cost two Destiny Points and grant immediate, single-encounter boons to career skills, number of maneuvers, and damage reduction, respectively.

I have no idea what the rest of the classes' abilities would do, but some possible names might be:

* Bounty Hunter: Unmatched Takedown

* Smuggler: Unmatched Bravado

* Technician: Unmatched Tinkering

You can knock Ace off of your list with the Stay On Target book about to hit the stores. It has the "This One Is Mine" and "Unmatched Survivability" Signature Abilities.

Edited by zathras23

I like the "Nowhere to Hide" idea.

One of the two Signature Abilities for each class so far is "Unmatched ____," which grants some game-mechanical benefit temporarily. So far we have Unmatched Expertise, Unmatched Mobility, and Unmatched Protection, which cost two Destiny Points and grant immediate, single-encounter boons to career skills, number of maneuvers, and damage reduction, respectively.

I have no idea what the rest of the classes' abilities would do, but some possible names might be:

* Bounty Hunter: Unmatched Takedown

* Smuggler: Unmatched Bravado

* Technician: Unmatched Tinkering

All of them cost two destiny points, and I think all have an upgrade that reduces the cost to 1 point.

The Bounty Hunter's Unmatched Takedown might give you the rest of the round (plus two more rounds) of dealing half again as much damage to the target, calculating it before soak. This would work for a traditional bounty hunter using stun damage or an assassin going for the kill. It would be the inverse of Unmatched Protection.

I was thinking over the Technician, and maybe Unmatched Tinkering lets you add a weapon or armor attachment (with a mod or two), or slap a handy item quality on a non-weapon non-armor item out of thin air for the rest of the encounter... The Technican's Hard check could be Mechanics to Macguyver through an obstacle, but I'm at a loss as to the specifics of said obstacle. Maybe you can instantly fix a vehicle without the necessary parts, tools, etc...?

Unmatched Bravado (excellent choice of words for a smuggler) makes me think of a short period of immunity to fear / coercion / any abilities that function on intimidation / Scathing Tirade. Maybe a progression of the ability could upgrade all your Charm checks for the remainder of the encounter (he's so brave and impressive...). Maybe the simplest way would be to say you get three rounds where nothing, talent or otherwise, can upgrade the difficulty of your tests, or add failures, setbacks, or threat to your roll. Roll against the base purples and nothing else.

You can knock Ace off of your list with the Stay On Target book about to hit the stores.

Right, that's estimated at next week, isn't it?

Edited by Zev Linare

I think the Smuggler might get something along the lines of Unmatched 'Offloading' where you get (by spending 2 destiny points) the opportunity to sell any type of cargo at any planet of his/her choice without trouble.

All, of course, at the GM's discretion.

As food for thought, the F&D classes could have their Unmatched ___________ be lightsaber form related. And since every form has an adjective label - I.E. Niman is the Moderation Form - filling in the blank is easy.

Consular - Unmatched Moderation (Niman)

Guardian - Unmatched Resilience (Soresu)

Mystic - Unmatched Contention (Makashi)

Seeker - Unmatched Aggression (Ataru)

Sentinel - Unmatched Perseverance (Shien)

Warrior - Unmatched Determination (Shii-Cho)

For example:

Unmatched Resilience - For the remainder of the round, as well as the next two rounds, you cannot be hit by attacks from minions and rivals, even if they roll Triumph. If a nemesis attacks you while this ability is active, upgrade the difficulty of the combat check twice.

The other ability (instantly overcome some obstacle) could then relate to non-lightsaber stuff.

As an aside, I suppose if a particular GM was *really* into lightsaber forms, and wanted to get a real Wuxia feel (Chinese martial arts films), you could develop a couple of additional Signature Abilities that were more expensive (40-50xp), but open to anyone, to reflect Juyo/Vaapad, Jar'Kai, etc. Personally, I feel like that would be overkill, but some people just love their lightsaber forms.

I think the Smuggler might get something along the lines of Unmatched 'Offloading' where you get (by spending 2 destiny points) the opportunity to sell any type of cargo at any planet of his/her choice without trouble.

All, of course, at the GM's discretion.

I like that, especially since it could apply to a Thief, Scoundrel, or Pilot. My only objection is that in true FFG form, the instantly overcome an obstacle abilities are the ones that aren't labeled, "Unmatched __________" and require a Hard test... So rename it it something similar (A Fence In Every Port is all that comes to mind), require a Knowledge (Underworld) check, and I'd call it great.

Best I had was something to the effect of Never Tell Me The Odds, which would let you overcome a very risky obstacle (dealing with an asteroid field), or something highly dependent on luck (gambling), but I feel like Unmatched Bravado (as proposed above) handles that very well.

Edited by Zev Linare

And, as long as I'm on a roll, I worked up "Unmatched _______________" Signature Abilities for all F&D classes, to reflect total mastery of a lightsaber form. Obviously, all are once per game session and require spending 2 Destiny Points.

Consular

Unmatched Moderation - For the remainder of the round and the next two turns, automatically generate one extra Force pip on any checks that use Force dice. You may also treat your Force Rating as 1 higher for purposes of committing Force dice. That is, you gain an extra Force die that can only be committed.
I feel that this aptly reflects the reliance on the Force when using Niman, and as is fitting a Consular, would be applicable on a lot more than just combat. This does not double up on, nor render useless any Consular talents, as best I can tell.

Guardian

Unmatched Resilience - For the remainder of the round and the next two rounds, you cannot be hit by any attacks by Minions, even if they roll Triumph. Any Rival or Nemesis that attacks you while this ability is active must upgrade the difficulty of their combat check twice.
This was designed with being at the eye of the storm in mind. It lets you keep all the mooks off for a short period, but Rivals and Nemesis can still pose a problem. It prevents some need to use Parry and Reflect, but in a way that streamlines the process.

Mystic

Unmatched Contention - For the remainder of the round and the next two rounds, you may select one target and ignore his melee defense, Parry talent, and soak equal to your Presence.
Straightforward dueling here, for the Count Dooku types that excel in one-on-one combat... You still have to hit, but this makes hitting significantly easier against other lightsaber-wielding opponents. Shouldn't interfere with any Mystic talents, either.

Seeker

Unmatched Aggression - For the remainder of the round and the next two rounds, you may take an Ataru Acrobatics maneuver to add two Boost dice to your next Brawl, Lightsaber, or Melee check. You may also change range bands with this maneuver as though you were using it to move normally.
It's basically an Aim maneuver that's worth double the Boost dice. I'm not totally positive this feels right, but it would allow high speed bursts of offense, which seems thematically appropriate, and since you can take it as a maneuver, it won't prevent Hawk-Bat Swoop or Saber Throw.

Sentinel

Unmatched Perseverance - For the remainder of the round and the next two rounds, you may make a combat check as an out of turn incidental against any opponent who attacks you within short range, made immediately following the resolution of their attack. If you are attacked by an engaged opponent, your combat check must be Brawling, Lightsaber, or Melee, and deals normal damage. If you are attack by an opponent at short range, your combat check is Ranged (light) or Ranged (heavy) and has the base damage, critical rating, and qualities of the weapon used to attack you. This ability does not apply to attacks against you with weapons with the Limited Ammo quality.
This one is the longest and clunkiest. I wished I could have said you get a counter attack against any attackers, with details provided by common sense... But alas, details. The net result, however, applies to both Shien (redirecting shots) and Djem So (heavy assault in a duel), so I like the way it turned out, even if it is wordy. It also avoids conflict with Warrior talents, to my knowledge.
I do, however, foresee a problem in mass combat, since it creates additional rolls. Maybe there is a better way to handle this.

Warrior

Unmatched Determination - For the remainder of the encounter, you treat any Brawling, Lightsaber, or Melee checks as though you had the Autofire quality (CRB pg 155). You still may only attack engaged targets.
Simplicity came to me after I got Sentinel's wordiness out of my system. Shii-Cho is known as the Way of the Sarlacc, and to be very unpredictable and wild, and with the many tentacles of the Sarlacc in mind, I thought of melee Autofire. Considering that the difficulty is increased by 1 to use said ability, and you need to generate 2 Advantage to activate it, this felt like an ability that should last for the whole encounter instead of two rounds. And the Advantage spent to activate it only prevents the use of Sun Djem and disarming, so it's not a big conflict.

Edited by Zev Linare

I really hope the Technician has unmatched REPAIR.

I really hope the Technician has unmatched REPAIR.

I thought about that, but I wonder if that would leave Outlaw Techs and Slicers feeling shafted. That's why I was looking for a broader word that could cover repair and upgrade.

Edited by SavageBob

I really hope the Technician has unmatched REPAIR.

I thought about that, but I wonder if that would leave Outlaw Techs and Slicers feeling shafted. That's why I was looking for a broader word that could cover repair and upgrade.

Maybe that would be the active ability, called something like Quick-Fix?

I really hope the Technician has unmatched REPAIR.

I thought about that, but I wonder if that would leave Outlaw Techs and Slicers feeling shafted. That's why I was looking for a broader word that could cover repair and upgrade.

You could have an ability that lets you make a Hard Mechanics or Computer check (whichever is appropriate) to automatically fix a broken item, weapon, armor, droid, or ship, regardless of available tools or knowledge of the item in question, removing all wounds, strain, or system strain. Alternatively, you can determine the purpose of, or steal any piece of information from any mechanical or computerized system. Call it Technical Wizard, or some such thing.

Then you can also have Unmatched Tinkering - For the remainder of the encounter, add a weapon or armor attachment with 1 mod, regardless of available hard points, add Superior 3 to any device, or remove a negative quality (aside from limited ammo) from a piece of gear, such as removing Slow-Firing. Alternatively, you can increase one ability on a Droid or Ship by 2 for the remainder of the encounter (such as Agility on a droid, or Handling on a starship).

My idea for Quick-Fix would be that you would take a Hard Mechanics check to repair something in half the time that it would normally take, without lowering the quality of the job. Could be useful when trying to get off a planet where the Imperials are after you, or some other situation where you need something repaired quickly

Edited by SirSprinkles

My idea for Quick-Fix would be that you would take a Hard Mechanics check to repair something in half the time that it would normally take, without lowering the quality of the job

Yet that is almost exclusively for Mechanic specializations, as SavageBob pointed out. What of Slicers and Outlaw Tech?

My idea for Quick-Fix would be that you would take a Hard Mechanics check to repair something in half the time that it would normally take, without lowering the quality of the job

Yet that is almost exclusively for Mechanic specializations, as SavageBob pointed out. What of Slicers and Outlaw Tech?

Maybe one of the upgrades could expand it into Computers?

Maybe one of the upgrades could expand it into Computers?

Why do Slicers have to fork out more experience points than Mechanics? Please note that I am not trying to be antagonistic, I'm just trying to be fair to all specializations. I understand you like the idea of a wiz mechanic, but these abilities need to be broader than that, given that there are two signature abilities and three+ specializations.

All Technicians can get Mechanics as a career skill, but I agree that my first idea for Quick-fix was a little too Mechanic focused, so here's my new idea: Once per session, spend 2 Destiny points to make a Hard Mechanics or Computers check to repair something or perform work with a computer in half the time, without lowering the quality of the job. A useful utility skill for getting things done quick, for mechanics escaping the law with a hastily repaired ship, or a slicer getting his work done much faster

Edited by SirSprinkles

I also had an idea for the over time ability, Unmatched Ingenuity (Thanks for the idea SavageBob), upgrade the ability of any Intellect checks to identify a machine or its purpose by 1 for the remainder of the round and 2 additional rounds

Edited by SirSprinkles

Spitballing names for the rest of the Age of Rebellion "Unmatched X" abilities:

  • Commander: Unmatched Supremacy, Unmatched Authority (two very different abilities, I'd guess)
  • Diplomat: Unmatched Influence (need a word to cover all specs, which specialize in different social skills)
  • Engineer: Unmatched Genius, Unmatched Ingenuity
  • Soldier: Unmatched Valor, Unmatched Dauntlessness
  • Spy: Unmatched Subterfuge, Unmatched Chicanery

I also had an idea for the over time ability, Unmatched Identification (Couldn't come up with anything snappier that made the purpose clear), upgrade the ability of any Intellect checks to identify a machine or its purpose by 1 for the remainder of the round and 2 additional rounds

That's a start, but I think it should be even more badass. I mean, the over-time abilities for the Colonist, Explorer, and Hired Gun are highly cinematic and potentially game-changing: immediately valuable knowledge gained; immediate discovery of a lost artifact, shortcut, or one's own precise location; complete elimination of all minions. The general formula seems to be you roll a PPP check of some kind; if you make it, you get the awesome ability.

So, for the Technician, and riffing on your idea, maybe it could be something like this:

Tech Fugue (base ability): Once per game session, the character may spend two Destiny Points to make a PPP Computers or Mechanics check. If he succeeds, the character gains an intuitive and thorough understanding of the workings of a single computer, droid, vehicle, or other machine. For two rounds or a single modification, the character may downgrade all checks to repair, upgrade, or otherwise interact with that machine or device, and all costs associated with such manipulations are halved. The narrative means by which he accomplishes this are up to the player but must be approved by the GM.

Even this isn't enough, I think, since Jury Rigged is more powerful, and it's not a signature ability! Ideas?

Edited by SavageBob

I had an idea for an Unmatched X skill for the Bounty Hunter:

Unmatched Sharpshooter

As an incidental, downgrade any checks to attack a target at Long or Extreme range by 1 for the remainder for the round and 2 additional rounds

or perhaps make the weapon's crit rating count as 1 lower, but that would probably be for an active ability

Edited by SirSprinkles

All Technicians can get Mechanics as a career skill, but I agree that my first idea for Quick-fix was a little too Mechanic focused, so here's my new idea: Once per session, spend 2 Destiny points to make a Hard Mechanics or Computers check to repair something or perform work with a computer in half the time, without lowering the quality of the job. A useful utility skill for getting things done quick, for mechanics escaping the law with a hastily repaired ship, or a slicer getting his work done much faster

I also had an idea for the over time ability, Unmatched Ingenuity (Thanks for the idea SavageBob), upgrade the ability of any Intellect checks to identify a machine or its purpose by 1 for the remainder of the round and 2 additional rounds

Now I'm going to beg an entirely different question. Does this stack up against other signature abilities? The colonist gets to upgrade all class skills for the entire encounter (compare to Unmatched Ingenuity), and the hired gun gets to skip his next turn to kill all minions. I don't know if making a single check in half the time, or getting an upgrade for 3 rounds are near the same power level.

Hence why I suggested the following:

Technical Wizard - Once per game session, spend 2 Destiny Points to make a Hard Mechanics or Computer check (whichever is appropriate) to automatically fix a broken item, weapon, armor, droid, or ship, regardless of available tools or knowledge of the item in question, removing all wounds, strain, or system strain. Alternatively, you can determine the purpose of, or steal any piece of information from any mechanical or computerized system.

It is decidedly more powerful, and an upgrade could allow you to do it in half the normal time.

Edited by Zev Linare

You can knock Ace off of your list with the Stay On Target book about to hit the stores. It has the "This One Is Mine" and "Unmatched Survivability" Signature Abilities.

I really wish the Ace sig ability was call "I have you now".

I'm hoping the engineer or tech book includes rules for making PC created gear, ship, vehicle, and weapon designs. I could see this requiring a sig ability.