Two "stupid" questions...

By Alderaan Crumbs, in Star Wars: Force and Destiny RPG

1) Do Stun weapons/settings work on droids? I've seen nothing saying they're immune.

2) After a careful reading of Move and Bind it seems as if you need the latter to affect people, whereas the former affects objects. Thoughts?

Edited by Alderaan Crumbs

I'll only answer the first: it doesn't say regular weapons with stun setting don't effect droids, however, some stun weapons (like a couple from Far Horizons) are specifically mentioned to be chemical/gas based, which droids are immune to. But I have seen a house rule that makes droids immune to a regular blaster pistol's stun setting (I guess because they are primarily designed for organics, among other reasons).

1) Do Stun weapons/settings work on droids? I've seen nothing saying they're immune.

2) After a careful reading of Move and Bind it seems as if you need the latter to affect people, whereas the former affects objects. Thoughts?

1) Unless the weapon's description says or indicates otherwise, droids can be affected by Stun weapons and weapons set for Stun. Prior RPGs made droids immune to stun, but not this one.

2) Nope, Move is prefectly viable ot use on people, and can be a pretty useful way to save a fellow PC that's in jeopardy of falling into one of the numerous open pits that seem to keep showing up in Star Wars locations.

I've been going with Stun affecting them, more for balance than anything. As far as the Force powers, it struck me that Move mentions objects over and over, whereas Bind states the ability to affect people (I forget the exact wording). It came up because of a player's desire to Force slam stormtroopers. :)

Given that Sam Stewart has said (via the "Answers from the Designers" thread over on the EotE forum) that Move as written could be used to replicate a "Force slam" like we see being done to battle droids in the prequels, the term "objects" is simply a blanket descriptor rather than an indication that Move only works on non-living, non-sentient things.

Well, people are objects by technical definition anyway...

It seems odd/poor worded. "Targets" would've worked better, but thanks for the clarification. The only "beef" I have with Move letting you grab and fling people is that it steps on Bind, if only a little. Of course, you can't choke someone with Move, so...

Edited by Alderaan Crumbs

It seems odd/poor worded. "Targets" would've worked better, but thanks for the clarification. The only "beef" I have with Move letting you grab and fling people is that it steps on Bind, if only a little. Of course, you can't choke someone with Move, so...

Yeah, weirdly, neither power outright describes the "short, sharp push" that we see starting in Phantom Menace, though you could use the rules for either one to get that effect. (Move officially describes throwing things at enemies, but as long as you use the same rules, you could describe it as throwing an enemy against a wall. I suspect that Bind's movement effect is supposed to replicate the "hover someone slightly off the ground while you immobilize/choke them" that we see in some of the video games, but you could use the same "damage + move" mechanics and describe it as a push. Either way, actually knocking down a foe would rely on narrative interpretation of Advantage, as by RAW they would just kind of slide around on their feet unless knocked out.)

I think modifying Move to insert the Force push (and keeping it from getting to "throw a YT-1300 at another YT-1300" levels quite so fast) is one of whafrog's personal crusades; maybe he'll speak up.

It's tough to keep one power from covering all Force telekinesis while also avoiding having a bunch of granular powers. With the exception of the "finesse aspect" of Move, I see it as more blunt force than the Bind power. In the end I like that there are options as this is a narrative system with a lovely amount of mechanical wiggle room.

Well, people are objects by technical definition anyway...

It's important to state that though because some rules systems treat "creature" and "object" as distinct entities ("Target: One object" means it won't work on a creature, etc), and people coming from those other systems may assume it works the same way in this one.

No Force Slam? There's a move upgrade that allows you hurl stuff and cause damage.

So instead of hurling a droid into another droid, you "hurl" it at the floor.

Voilà, "Force Slam."

You can also accomplish a "push" effect by simply activating Move and moving the bad guy(s) around. You can use such a thing to give yourself (or allies) some room to maneuver, or to give some physical oomph to your coercion attempts :)

No Force Slam? There's a move upgrade that allows you hurl stuff and cause damage.

So instead of hurling a droid into another droid, you "hurl" it at the floor.

Voilà, "Force Slam."

You can also accomplish a "push" effect by simply activating Move and moving the bad guy(s) around. You can use such a thing to give yourself (or allies) some room to maneuver, or to give some physical oomph to your coercion attempts :)

I particularly like picking one stormtrooper and then using them to bludgeon the imperial officers....seems like the poetic thing to do....

No Force Slam? There's a move upgrade that allows you hurl stuff and cause damage.

So instead of hurling a droid into another droid, you "hurl" it at the floor.

Voilà, "Force Slam."

You can also accomplish a "push" effect by simply activating Move and moving the bad guy(s) around. You can use such a thing to give yourself (or allies) some room to maneuver, or to give some physical oomph to your coercion attempts :)

I particularly like picking one stormtrooper and then using them to bludgeon the imperial officers....seems like the poetic thing to do....

Do they scream like they do in Force Unleashed when you do that?

I particularly like picking one stormtrooper and then using them to bludgeon the imperial officers....seems like the poetic thing to do....

Nah, I just use a Wookiee for that...

Do they scream like they do in Force Unleashed when you do that?

Always have the Wilhelm scream handy when GMing.....

Do they scream like they do in Force Unleashed when you do that?

Always have the Wilhelm scream handy when GMing.....

I thought for *years* that the 'Wilhelm scream' was a particular *style* of scream. It wasn't until I saw this collection of clips that I realized it was actually the *exact* same audio clip.

Re: the first question...

1) Mechanically, droids can be affected by stun weapons.

2) Narratively, I would be angry with my GM if he let me use, for example, my Field Sports Model 77 "Sandman" Air Rifle (EtU, p39) on a droid, since it gets its "stun" capability from poison darts.

Hope that helps.

Bind has an upgrade where you move a target one range band closer or further, so that's why I was thinking Bind has the "Force slam" effect. As far as Move goes, I don't see it as the same or causing damage, simply because the target needs to strike/be struck by something. Picking them up and slamming them down or into a wall/crate/etc? Fine. Simply pushing them back? I assume that's a combined Force power/combat check.

*To add: It just occurred to me that, as this is a narrative game of heroism and PC awesomeness, using Move to Force slam an opponent and saying that falling down caused the damage, is perfectly fine to me. I'm loathe to pick too many nits with this system and besides, the Force should be magical and awesome.

Edited by Alderaan Crumbs

Yeah, the Force and Destiny rulebook gives guidance on how one might resist being "thrown around the battlefield," citing Resilience as a good skill to oppose the Force user's Discipline. So Resilience to resist a "Force thrust" or "Force slam" effect sounds about right.

Bind has an upgrade where you move a target one range band closer or further, so that's why I was thinking Bind has the "Force slam" effect.

Bind is all about restricting a person, with a side order of moving them around if you get a particular upgrade. It's Force choke, Force stun, Force stasis, Force grip, even something more powerful like Force rend. Move, on the other hand, is all about moving something or someone, with a side order of damaging them if you get a particular upgrade.

There is some crossover in terms of what the powers can do. I'm sure you could run some scenarios where the outcome of using one power or the other would net the same exact mechanical result, but the two powers are really different in their broader capabilities.

And to define terms: I admit, when people say Force slam, I think of the 6-square cone Saga Edition power that deals 4d6 damage and knocks prone everyone in the area of effect. That system was not the best (though not the worst) for allowing for some narrative creativity on "what exactly happens when I use this power."

But heck, Yoda does it to the two guards that Palpatine has on duty in RotS. A little gesture, and they both get slammed into the wall and crumple to the floor. Qui-Gon uses the Force to send two droids flying into the floor/wall in TPM. To my reckoning, that is the same power: Move. But as you say, it doesn't do much good to get all nitpicky.

I like...no love...as with pretty much all they've done with this game, that it's not too rigid. The Force should feel mysterious and flowing. To me, the system in place allows that. In the end, is it really a huge deal to let a player use Move to smash stormtroopers to the floor? There are costs, mechanically and narratively, to using the Force, unlike shooting or stabbing an opponent*. If a player invests in the Force, they should be rewarded with viable use. Otherwise, they'll end up saying, "Screw it. I'll hit 'em with my lightsaber..." (or shoot/stab/punch them).

*meaning, the potential cost of using dark side points, which leads to Strain loss, Conflict and flipping a Destiny point. There's also the fact the Force was overtly used, which can lead to other hassles. The biggest cost to using a blaster or vibrosword is a bad roll and, narritively, who was attacked.

Edited by Alderaan Crumbs

Re: the first question...

1) Mechanically, droids can be affected by stun weapons.

2) Narratively, I would be angry with my GM if he let me use, for example, my Field Sports Model 77 "Sandman" Air Rifle (EtU, p39) on a droid, since it gets its "stun" capability from poison darts.

Hope that helps.

Agree as a general rule stun works, but if the stun is from something droids are immune to such as gas and poisons then that stun would not work. However as a player getting a weapon that stuns with poison or gas I would already know not to use this on droids.

Also in my game I do have droids specifically built to be resistant to stun damage, but exclusively for a droid nemesis and that is one of their key qualities. Just like having a droid made of cortosis, there may be droids built with some kind of defense based on their specialty or task.

OK, I read Bind and Move again. Move is "poorly" explained and nothing in it leads to thinking it affects people. Even Force slam doesn't stand out as a use of it. Also, if you can sustain Move on people it steps on Bind quite a bit (it's pretty hard to do jack while floating in the air! ;)). It would be great if an official clarification was posted. If I hadn't asked here I'd still be scratching my head and others may not think/want to do the same. BTW, is there a link to Sam's explanation? I'd love to read it.

Oh, what roll would you think covers Force slam? Off the cuff, I was going to go with the rules covered under throwing objects*. Thoughts?

*that verbage! lol "Objects" and "Items" doesn't lead one to think of people. :)

To add: I noticed the sidebar on narratively grabbing your falling friend is with Bind, not Move now. Just another point of possible confusion.

Edited by Alderaan Crumbs

I found the thread and something occurred to me: Bind didn't exist then, so I wonder if Sam's answer might change.

Very good point. I still stand by my postive appraisal and love of the system, but also the feeling clarification would be great, especially for new players. As far as the "More" button goes, I found that, thanks! :)

So, how would you handle Force slam damage, mechanically? At first, I was thinking to just use the same rules as throwing objects, but it bothered me that the larger the object, the more damage it took because of its silhouette. The results on the Force die plus successes? Straight successes? Admittedly, my experience with this aspect the system is limited and all the advice is very much appreciated.

Edited by Alderaan Crumbs