What is up, GamerNation? GM Chris, here...

The Order 66 Podcast is proud to welcome FFG staffer and lead developer of the Desperate Allies Sourcebook, Max Brooke, to the show on July 26!

Max has graciously taken his time to talk to all of us about the Diplomat Sourcebook, it's development, design, and creation - and to answer our questions about the book. Got quandaries about gear, specs, talents, or species in Desperate Allies? Interested to know more about the design? Then this thread is place to post up your questions.

As usual when we're fortunate enough to have an FFG guest on the show, we're under a time constraint, and won't likely be able to ask ALL of your questions to Mr. Brooke. But (as most of you know by now...) the questions that get asked are prioritized by their relevance to the book material, and we encourage you to get them in by posting them right here.

The cutoff for questions will be Monday, July 20. We need a week's worth of lead time to compile questions and notes, and get them to Mr. Brook and FFG for approval.

And we encourage you to catch the live simulcast of this episode at 8:00pm CST on July 26! You can listen live, and chat real-time with the hosts and guest! http://www.ustream.tv/channel/d20radio

Thanks, everyone! Peace, Love, and Good Gaming,

GMC

Can you give me a copy for free?

I know the anser to that, but still.

How about this, which is admitedly more of a generic question about the lines:

With the new status of CANON vs. the old Legends material, how do you decide what to include, knowing that things might change, as an example, the A-Wing being manufactured by Kuat, rather than some rebel hidded shipyard? Has the design process been affected by having to go through additional channels for approval?

Are there any thoughts being given to a new version of the games, perhaps a unified core book, that incorporates the new Canon? A Reloaded Canon edition?

I do have a couple questions regarding how to deal with some of the new talents (both how to apply them as a Player and how to interpret them as a GM).

1. Regarding "Blackmail", while it expressly says the NPC's strain threshold must be reached with a non-combat check, can it be used in a combat encounter? Along with that, does strain inflicted by Scathing Tirade (or other talents like it) count as non-combat check, even if used in a combat encounter? I figure that it's not, but would like official word to confirm.

2. Regarding "Plausible Deniability (Improved)", how "uninvolved" can an NPC be to be affected by this? For example, say I have an Advocate in the middle of an audience with a Hutt (with guards, dancers, and other supplicants-in-waiting nearby). For now, the Advocate is only dealing with the Hutt, and things have yet to turn hostile. However, the Advocate, fearing that the guards could be used against him should talks turn sour, decides to try to coerce them into departing (taking for granted he has enough ranks of Plausible Deniability to do so). If he succeeds, does the GM have to make the guards leave peacefully, or can the GM say that the guards are too involved to be affected (you are talking to their boss, after all); leading to a deflection of the coercion to the Twi'lek dancers who suddenly decide they'd rather not be here?

Are we ever likely to see any further non-career specialisations?

I'd personally like to see a bit more crunch in the fluff books and adventures.

Are we ever likely to see any further non-career specialisations?

I'd personally like to see a bit more crunch in the fluff books and adventures.

I'll propose the question, dude... but it likely won't make it past the FFG teams' approval process (as they aren't allowed to discuss any non-announced products).

I must know Max's favorite type of pie.

Pie theory of game design and all...very important if I'm gonna be roleplaying a Diplomat in this setting.

I would love an online PDF with some Canon updates.

About question, I would love to know more about social skills and direct effects on "faction" and if special rules will be designed (if not available yet and I missed them XD).

Also I would like to add a suggestion/proposition. Could you some day do a few roleplaying sessions and record and upload it via Youtube (or others)? This will be an awesome way to fully understand rules from creators point of view

Thanks

Short and sweet, Bases, have a nice 20-30min yarn about the ins and outs of the Party having a base, from initial construction to improvement and setting adventures inside it. Advice for GM's on bringing the base to life would be superb, even if I never listen so won't get to hear the low down.

In Edge of the Empire, we see the Signature Ability of Last One Standing in the Dangerous Covenants book which can change the overall strength of combat dramatically, but the ability still keeps the combat a combat encounter.

In contrast, the Signature Ability of Diplomatic Solution in Desperate Allies is such that it completely changes the narrative of the combat from "guns blazing" to a more "tongues wagging" approach.

Q1. How do the developers see this working within a heavy combat campaign or scene?

Q2. Do you have any examples of how this ability was used in any of the play-tests?

NOTE: The only example I can think of was in Clone Wars when Obi-Wan was cornered and suddenly called for a Parley with the Separatist General Whorm Loathsom during the last stages of the Battle of Christophsis.

In the Age of Rebellion releases thus far, the talents for the different careers are such that they are able to be used in any of the three game lines.

In Desperate Allies, the Propagandist uses the Positive Spin and Improved Positive Spin Talents which require the use of the Duty mechanic specific the Age of Rebellion line.

Q1. What was the thought process behind integrating a core mechanic for a specific product line into a specialisation?

Q2. Are there any suggestions for including this in an Edge of the Empire or Force and Destiny game where the Duty mechanic is not used?

If Max were to create a character, say an advanced ("Knight Level" type) character with 150 XP, and he used 1 specialization from Desperate Allies and 1 specialization from elsewhere, what two specializations would he use, either for "maximum effectiveness" or "roleplaying flavor" (or possibly both)?

Basically I'm interested to know if he's got a favorite spec in the book, and how he would flesh out such a character.

Your option to make this question crunchy or fluffy

In Edge of the Empire, we see the Signature Ability of Last One Standing in the Dangerous Covenants book which can change the overall strength of combat dramatically, but the ability still keeps the combat a combat encounter.

In contrast, the Signature Ability of Diplomatic Solution in Desperate Allies is such that it completely changes the narrative of the combat from "guns blazing" to a more "tongues wagging" approach.

Q1. How do the developers see this working within a heavy combat campaign or scene?

Q2. Do you have any examples of how this ability was used in any of the play-tests?

NOTE: The only example I can think of was in Clone Wars when Obi-Wan was cornered and suddenly called for a Parley with the Separatist General Whorm Loathsom during the last stages of the Battle of Christophsis.

I'll use my question allocation to also ask this question, as my man Hooly has worded it perfectly. Very curious to hear some discussion on this.

The cutoff date is passed! Thank, everyone for getting your questions in!

We'll get the processed and on to FFG for approval. Look forward to seeing you all this Sunday!!!