The biggest "power issue" I've seen was the single advantage auto-fire. There are a couple of ways to achieve it. One of the better solutions, IMO, I've seen is increasing the activation costs by 1 advantage for every additional shot.

absurdly high brawn/soak and autofire seem to be the most common exploits. maybe the move power for force users, but opinions about this are divided.

I've heard of people banning Jury Rigged from allowing auto-fire. It's not come up in my game but I'll mention it because it's what I've heard. I've not hit any major balance issues, yet and it all seems considerably more robust than most RPGs.

The biggest "power issue" I've seen was the single advantage auto-fire. There are a couple of ways to achieve it. One of the better solutions, IMO, I've seen is increasing the activation costs by 1 advantage for every additional shot.

That's a good one, I'll have to use that.

As a person who can sympathize with the idea of wanting to be a Force Wizard, I would recommend at least warning that player that his options may be limited in the beginning (so far as you don't branch out into other FFG lines). While Force Users can still do some pretty cool stuff, a person accustomed to Saga's interpretation of Force Sensitives may feel that their powers are neutered.

You may want to have him take a peek at Force and Destiny to see if the stuff offered there tickles his fancy over what the base Edge of the Empire CRB offers (Heal/Harm and Protect/Unleash are the powers that make me feel the most wizard-y, but the utilitarian approach taken with the other powers leads me to believe that even someone who can't get Force and Destiny won't feel short-changed by the powers offered in Edge).

I wouldn't call a Force User's options limited... but the acquisition of powers are costly in terms of XP.

D20 Saga attempted to create a one-size fits all solution for game play across all eras of the Star Wars universe. Given that the prequels and original trilogy were incredibly different in tone and "power level," this leads to problematic character builds and trap options. As FFG has narrowed the focus of the setting to the span of time between Star Wars and Empire, it dodges the issue of having a Jedi Master sharing spotlight time with a crime lord.

One thing I'd like you point out, these boards will be biased towards FFG's RPG, just saying...

That being said, the good thing about playing FFG's system is that its still being supported and has a good community so if you have questions or need ideas you can always come in and ask about stuff, where as Saga that might be a bit harder to do since its discontinued.

Also, FFG's production quality is top notch, so if you want to own nice looking books FFG is the way to go

One thing I'd like you point out, these boards will be biased towards FFG's RPG, just saying...

That being said, the good thing about playing FFG's system is that its still being supported and has a good community so if you have questions or need ideas you can always come in and ask about stuff, where as Saga that might be a bit harder to do since its discontinued.

Also, FFG's production quality is top notch, so if you want to own nice looking books FFG is the way to go

Thanks for speaking for an entire community . Where most have played both and have shared their preferences honestly.

One thing I'd like you point out, these boards will be biased towards FFG's RPG, just saying...

That being said, the good thing about playing FFG's system is that its still being supported and has a good community so if you have questions or need ideas you can always come in and ask about stuff, where as Saga that might be a bit harder to do since its discontinued.

Also, FFG's production quality is top notch, so if you want to own nice looking books FFG is the way to go

Thanks for speaking for an entire community . Where most have played both and have shared their preferences honestly.

haha np! always glad to help

But seriously, going to the forum dedicated to a specific RPG and asking if she/he should play another one will always yield some level of bias towards the forum's RPG (e.g. going to the Pathfinder forum and asking if you should play Pathfinder or 5e). I never intended to say that this invalidates any opinions or makes any of the comments dishonest in any way, just pointing out that there will be some bias towards recommending FFG (I also mentioned it because when I was looking for which SW RPG to play a lot of people on other sites pointed to WEG or Saga instead of FFG's game, but I chose FFGs anyways because of the support... and because custom dice are awesome).

I would at least try to find a saga reddit/forum, or a general star wars rpg forum, and ask the same question and weigh the comments from both sites, and then you can balance out the bias a bit. Just saying.

One thing I'd like you point out, these boards will be biased towards FFG's RPG, just saying...

That being said, the good thing about playing FFG's system is that its still being supported and has a good community so if you have questions or need ideas you can always come in and ask about stuff, where as Saga that might be a bit harder to do since its discontinued.

Also, FFG's production quality is top notch, so if you want to own nice looking books FFG is the way to go

Thanks for speaking for an entire community . Where most have played both and have shared their preferences honestly.

haha np! always glad to help

But seriously, going to the forum dedicated to a specific RPG and asking if she/he should play another one will always yield some level of bias towards the forum's RPG (e.g. going to the Pathfinder forum and asking if you should play Pathfinder or 5e). I never intended to say that this invalidates any opinions or makes any of the comments dishonest in any way, just pointing out that there will be some bias towards recommending FFG (I also mentioned it because when I was looking for which SW RPG to play a lot of people on other sites pointed to WEG or Saga instead of FFG's game, but I chose FFGs anyways because of the support... and because custom dice are awesome).

I would at least try to find a saga reddit/forum, or a general star wars rpg forum, and ask the same question and weigh the comments from both sites, and then you can balance out the bias a bit. Just saying.

Glad you see it that way due to Saga not competing against WEG and FFG due to Saga and WEG not producing anymore compared to the Pathfinder players being pissed that D&D keeps changing the rules all the time and actively competing against each other.

Thank you everyone for replying so far. I am going to pitch EotE to my group.

Are there any glaring balance/mechanical issues that one should be prepared for (like Saga had low level force users and Condition Track snipers) ?

I'm a little late to the thread here but I'll add my comments anyway...

I love Saga. It's a well designed system that really captures Star Wars. So is FFG Star Wars. The good news is that you can't go wrong with either one because we live in a golden age of Star Wars gaming.

I'd add my recommendation to GM Phil and listen to that episode of the Order 66 podcast.

Some comments comparing Saga and FFG:

FFG is more narrative. Whether this is a good or bad thing depends on your group.

FFG combats go more quickly and aren't as tactical. Or at least aren't tactical in the same way (seems like the fluid initiative can be very tactical depending on your play group)

Force users in Saga will be more effective early on. Even if you don't allow Skill Focus: Use the Force until later levels for balance reasons, force users will likely be able to realize their character concept earlier. In FFG they'll need to grow into it more. But as pointed out above, it won't take an unreasonable number of sessions for them to really hit their stride. There are some options in F&D to make this cheaper (Look up Mentor).

FFG is easier to GM on the fly because it's easier to challenge the PCs. Two minion groups of stormtroopers the players fight as beginning characters will still be a threat 20 sessions later. The PC will be able to take a little more damage, be able to dish out a lot more damage, but the minion storm troopers are still a threat.

Depending on your natural GM style this may or may not be an advantage for you but the narrative dice system gives the GM a lot more options on the fly. In Saga the GM is typically focused on running the encounter descriptively and tactically (e.g., remembering all the NPC abilities and how best to apply them). In FFG there's less to keep track of in this regard but there's a lot more to consider when iterpreting the dice and it's an adjustment. You have more than just hit/miss and X damage, but many ways of interpreting and "spending" the results of a dice pool. Don't be afraid to let the players do as much interpreting as possible (with ultimatge GM approval). Ultimately I think it offers a lot more to the gaming experience for GM and player but it's a new GM and player skill so it's something to keep in mind.

FFG puts a great onus on players to contribute to the story and the narrative. Mostly this is done by interpreting the dice pool.

Non-combat characters will not automatically gain any combat ability simply by ganing XP. A scholar character with no XP investment into combat will still be as ineffective at combat at 20 sessions as they were at session 1.

What Jedi Ronin said.

My question in coming in to FFG Star Wars roleplaying wasn't to compare it to another Star Wars system, but to compare it to Classic Mage, Pathfinder and too many editions of D&D (and in some part Shadowrun). I had most of the West End books but have not played that system in a looong time. I'll admit, my gateway drug back into Star Wars was X-Wing, not necessarily the tournament style but the Epic games looked amazing. I considered Imperial Assault as well, but 1) cash 2) painting backlog (the rest of my wife's unpainted Zombicide armies still stare at me in my sleep). Then I was thinking it would be really cool to be able to play an RPG that used all three (not so much Armada, because it's too impersonal).

Then I looked at the dice and went "what the hell"? Don't get me wrong, I love dice. I have 7 full sets of d20 style in all kinds of colors. I have over 100 d6 in several shades (thanks to Shadowrun and probably some from WEG days). I have untold number of d10 thanks to CWOD Mage (two sets in brushed aluminum that are incredibly awesome). I'm really not sure why I reacted that way at first, except it had symbols instead of numbers. So instead of buying the game, I sought out to find podcasts of gameplay to find out what was different and if I was going to like the mechanics of it.

I listened to a couple of podcasts, but stumbled across James D'Amato and Kat Murphy with One Shot Podcast and Campaign. Hijinks aside, I began to understand what the different symbols meant and the freedom these dice provided. Suddenly the story is being told cooperatively by the players and the GM. Success with threat? Wait, what? That's cool! Failure with advantage? Triumph and Despair? Now my mind was ticking and ... sadly ... the closest thing I had to a game store had zero FFG RPG books (heck, they barely keep any X-Wing on the shelves). Ok, no problem. This is 2015. I'll go to FFG's store and order the PDF version so I can make sure I'll like it before investing in a hardback book... oh... wait... no, I guess only Pathfinder and White Wolf do that... hmmm.... Well, I guess I'll listen to some more podcasts until payday (cause, who doesn't like getting paid once a month, right?).

By the time payday rolled around, I made the smart decision to buy the Beginner's Boxed set. Then I got the EotE Rulebook. Then another set of dice. And more... and more... I'm still reading a lot, but I must say I am glad I came back to Star Wars. I haven't run a full fledged game yet, but I like the opportunities presented and the style of the flow of character interaction even during combat. I won't know fully until we hit a complex fight, but I would say we could streamline a massive melee that we would engage in on other systems in less than half the time (probably considerably less once we have done it a couple of times). Time will tell on Power Creep (looking at you Mage), but some things seem frighteningly deadly enough already.

I have had some players that would not like it, I'll be honest. They want to push through and hack at stuff and reap the reward. This is not a system for them. My Mage group though would love the opportunities for off-the-wall creativity that the dice provide. Getting them to play it may be difficult... several do not like to learn new rules (I still have original AD&D books... and only the Players Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide as one of two rules systems, the other being CWOD Mage 2nd Edition, and I still hate THAC0).

Perhaps in time I'll gather other gamers interested as my wife and I play through some of the early works and get a good feel for the system. Still need time to create anyway, so that may be a good thing.

Another thing to consider:

Good gear and heavily modified gear can add a much bigger boost to character combat effectiveness in FFG than in Saga.

In FFG you can mod a blaster rifle to do 25% more damage and to get a boost to hit as well.

In Saga when the thermal detonator is pulled out characters are going to lose a lot of hitpoints.

In FFG when the thermal detonator is pulled out characters are going down.

It's important to figure out what it is your players actually enjoy doing at a game table before committing yourself to a game system. Naturally, I and (probably) everyone on this board is going to recommend FFG over D6 or D20 Saga. But, speaking for myself, I happen to like more narrative based games and codified "yes-and" mechanics.

If your players' idea of fun is re-skinned D&D, then sticking with D20 may work better for you. I don't like (most) OGL D20 games (Spycraft 2.0 is the exception) and there are better games that handle tactical combat without invoking a "murder hobo" player mentality. But if that's what you like, do that.

I will also point out that there are plenty of examples of gamers using Savage Worlds, Traveller and even Shadowrun 4th edition mechanics and re-skinning them with Star Wars. So it's not like you have to use a branded Star Wars game system to play Star Wars.

Full disclosure: my first Edge campaign was a bit of a train wreck. We had come off of a more tactical RPG system (Earthdawn) and the players were still in that mind set of minimal immersion and loot the corpses. It took an aborted first start, ditching a problem child player, walking away from the system entirely for a few months, and then coming back for everyone to really get into it. Now everyone at the table loves it because they get how it works and why it's a good game. That required a group agreement that this is what we wanted to commit to and some mental adjustment with regard to play style.

FFG spend your gaming time having fun instead of looking up rules

Ehhhh... you'll stick look up rules, just not as often. My group recently realized we had been applying the Stun quality from weapons at incorrect ranges.

Whats a Saga???

Ehhhh... you'll stick look up rules, just not as often. My group recently realized we had been applying the Stun quality from weapons at incorrect ranges.

For me that's an understatement. I've not had to crack the book open during a session since the early days, certainly not in the past year. If you organize each player with their dice pools, talent sheets and descriptions, everything is at your fingertips.

Other games I was always digging through the rules.

Whats a Saga???

Wizards of the Coast Star Wars Sage Edition, d20, basically D&D with blasters.

It's important to figure out what it is your players actually enjoy doing at a game table before committing yourself to a game system. Naturally, I and (probably) everyone on this board is going to recommend FFG over D6 or D20 Saga. But, speaking for myself, I happen to like more narrative based games and codified "yes-and" mechanics.

If your players' idea of fun is re-skinned D&D, then sticking with D20 may work better for you. I don't like (most) OGL D20 games (Spycraft 2.0 is the exception) and there are better games that handle tactical combat without invoking a "murder hobo" player mentality. But if that's what you like, do that.

I will also point out that there are plenty of examples of gamers using Savage Worlds, Traveller and even Shadowrun 4th edition mechanics and re-skinning them with Star Wars. So it's not like you have to use a branded Star Wars game system to play Star Wars.

Full disclosure: my first Edge campaign was a bit of a train wreck. We had come off of a more tactical RPG system (Earthdawn) and the players were still in that mind set of minimal immersion and loot the corpses. It took an aborted first start, ditching a problem child player, walking away from the system entirely for a few months, and then coming back for everyone to really get into it. Now everyone at the table loves it because they get how it works and why it's a good game. That required a group agreement that this is what we wanted to commit to and some mental adjustment with regard to play style.

Yeah... OGL D20 is meh... now if there was a star wars using 5e....

That being said, I think star wars doesn't lend itself well to the class/leveling system, and I like the flexibility that FFG's system provides with the talents and skills.

Ehhhh... you'll stick look up rules, just not as often. My group recently realized we had been applying the Stun quality from weapons at incorrect ranges.

For me that's an understatement. I've not had to crack the book open during a session since the early days, certainly not in the past year. If you organize each player with their dice pools, talent sheets and descriptions, everything is at your fingertips.

Other games I was always digging through the rules.

specially since its mostly skill checks and such, but it depends on playstyle. If you want to run the game less cinematic and more sim style then you could be looking up stuff in the rules a lot like travel times etc, but if you play it using cinematic style you can go a loong time without needing details from the book (most handy tables are on the GM screen thankfully).

In FFG when the thermal detonator is pulled out characters are going down.

Not necessarily.

Whats a Saga???

This thing?

(Image: It's a sega dreamcast. The joke of course being that it's Sega, not saga. Yeah, it's stupid)

I have run both systems. Saga since the first day it came out to the first day FFG system game out. I like Saga's fleshed out campaign material better, but for a system FFG is so much better. I run epic games and like players to be diverse. I found myself giving 10 bonus talents and 10 bonus feats just to get them as diverse as I like and epic as I like and then a laundry list of house rules.

With FFG I have 3 to 5 house rules.

1)All players begin with a +2 to one characteristic, +1 to three other characteristics however no characteristic can exceed a 5 rating without cybernetics or enhance force power and they can't be combined.

2)Force users begin with a +1 to their total force rating, but at the cost of a disturbance in the force that gives them a character flaw that we work out. No pc can have their Force rating above a 4 until I feel they are masters. All non-force users can commit to never becoming force sensitive and get a ship or home that we work out. Only PCs that get neither are those that don't start as force sensitive, but don't commit to that.

3)All characters pick their first career and get access to all 3 of the specializations in that career for free.

4)Each time a player buys a specialization from another career they get a rank in two of the specialization's skills if they currently don't have ranks in them.

5)They start with 300 xp. If force users 100 of those xp must be spent on non force skills, talents or extra specializations.

6)Most game sessions give out 20 to 40 xp depending on how good roleplaying is, no metagaming from all players, and accomplishing group or personal goals