My thoughts on a "Mandalorian Sourcebook"

By TheMOELANDER, in Star Wars: Edge of the Empire RPG

A Mandalore book? Unlikely. We will probably see bits of Madalorian content here and there. Equipment, armour, weapons, vehicles, etc. Maybe a species as we have Correlian. The upcoming Bounty Hunter book or an AoR Imperial version of Strongholds (Bastions of Oppression) are good places for information.

If that's gonna be the case I'm cool with it. Though I'd really like to see FFGs treatment of the Mando culture. They did a darn fine job with the corellian one.

You guys have really thought this through...

However, count me among those who would prefer something more along the lines of a Corporate Sector or Tatooine book rather than a full-blown Mandalorian sourcebook. That said, it might be nice to give a nod to some of the more famous bounty hunters who "acquired" Mandolorian Death Watch supercommando armor in the upcoming bounty hunter book. With some stats.

Okay, I'll bite. What kind of EotE campaign does one run in Mandalorian space or how does Mandalorian space make itself specifically suited to stories about smuggling, bounty hunting or dealing with "Wild West" colony issues?

Wookieepedia's entry on Imperial occupied Mandalore portrays the planet as one literally enslaved by the Empire, with a great deal of the population literally in chains and other Mandalorians, like Sabine Wren, attending Imperial Academies and blindly following Imperial orders. That sounds like an Age of Rebellion setting to me.

To start you it would be a Sector book which would account for more than just Mandalore. As for the EtoE setting - Considering that Mandalore is a planet that has domed cities were provisions are shipped in. Smuggling to avoid Imperial Customs is straight forward. With numerous Mandalorians having backgrounds as Mercenaries and Bounty Hunters you have an established setting for at least two Career backgrounds. As for Wild West Setting, that is often attributed to many colonized worlds in the Outer Rim. Not to mention what Criminal Enterprises that would in habit the Sector. Like Tyber Zann 's Consortium which is already part of the EtoE.

If we are looking at the timeline of the Original Trilogy. Within Canon we are not sure how heavily subjugated the planet is by the Empire. For what we know is that there is an Imperial Academy on the planet. Lothal is an example of a planet that had an existing Academy, but until the events of Rebels did not have that strong of an Imperial Presence. The same could be said of Mandalore.

Within Legends there is that large enslavement of the population of a Single planet in the Sector. It does not show a true lockdown of the Mandalorian People. When Shysa breaks the slaves free and arms them as his new Army the Rebellion is no where to be seen. Slavery is a part of EtoE Setting more than AOR. The freeing of an enslaved population would fit well within both settings.

This is quite similar to what I was thinking. If they did Corellia as a sourcebook, they could definitely do Mandalore. I can possibly see them putting Beskar'gam stats in the bounty hunter book, but there is so much more that could be done. Stats for wildlife, stats for Death Watch commandos, history of the Mandalorian empire, etc. Plus, there's the fact that it would be nice to have it all in one book, instead of scattered throughout several supplements.

You guys have really thought this through...

However, count me among those who would prefer something more along the lines of a Corporate Sector or Tatooine book rather than a full-blown Mandalorian sourcebook. That said, it might be nice to give a nod to some of the more famous bounty hunters who "acquired" Mandolorian Death Watch supercommando armor in the upcoming bounty hunter book. With some stats.

A pure Tatooine book I think is highly unlikely, though I still want stats for Krayt Dragons! And I agree that the Corporate Sector should take priority for EotE, the hapan Cluster for AoR and the deep core for FaD. But why so negative towards a potential Mandalorian sourcebook? I don't care when it happens, it just seems like a logical idea to me.

This is quite similar to what I was thinking. If they did Corellia as a sourcebook, they could definitely do Mandalore. I can possibly see them putting Beskar'gam stats in the bounty hunter book, but there is so much more that could be done. Stats for wildlife, stats for Death Watch commandos, history of the Mandalorian empire, etc. Plus, there's the fact that it would be nice to have it all in one book, instead of scattered throughout several supplements.

Very true and exactly what I was getting at! And I think that every GM agrees with me that he rather has his information concentrated.

But why so negative towards a potential Mandalorian sourcebook? I don't care when it happens, it just seems like a logical idea to me.

I can't speak for anyone else, but basically Mandos are kind of boring. There's some neat lore and backdrop for Revan, but otherwise it's just a guy in a neat suit of armor saying a couple lines and dying. Not much for a full sourcebook, but plenty for a couple pages worth of write-ups and a few bits of gear.

Mandos in my Star Wars are even more shrouded in myth than the Jedi. The equipment and such I might use but the culture is gone.

But why so negative towards a potential Mandalorian sourcebook? I don't care when it happens, it just seems like a logical idea to me.

I can't speak for anyone else, but basically Mandos are kind of boring. There's some neat lore and backdrop for Revan, but otherwise it's just a guy in a neat suit of armor saying a couple lines and dying. Not much for a full sourcebook, but plenty for a couple pages worth of write-ups and a few bits of gear.

Mandos in my Star Wars are even more shrouded in myth than the Jedi. The equipment and such I might use but the culture is gone.

I guess both of you never read any of the very good Karen Traviss books, or watched some of the clone wars episodes?

I am not even referring to Revan, because Revan is... boring to me. I am talking about the stuff that was set during the clone wars era and galactic civil war and legacy era. Yes there is stuff out there!

Again I won't mind if there never will be a mando sourcebook, but people please research before you make a comment of that kind. There is more about mandalorians, way more, than KotOR, SWtOR and Boba Fett. Most of it is legends, true, but so many things we have in the core rulebooks are already belonging to legends canon.

EDIT: Has anyone of you even clicked the legends button on top of most Wookieepedia pages? If not do it! You'll be surprised!

Edited by MOELANDER

I think there would be enough material to get something off the ground. Many people see the word "Mandalorian" and just knee-jerk a "NO". Which is understandable; there is a lot of fan dumb around the whole issue. Like I said, a base breaker. As far as Legends is concerned, they have a long, long history and continue well past the GCW.

A chapter on their history and culture, like LoNH (could include the different factions that divide the Mandalorians -- the Death Watch, the Protectors, remnants of Satine's New Mandalorians), a chapter on worlds with significant history with the Mandalorians (Mandalore, Concordia, Concord Dawn, Onderon/Dxun, Togoria, Ordo; there's plenty of room to introduce new content here); a chapter on new player options (plenty of weapons, gear and vehicles; species are a sticking point, as I can think of only 2 (Mandalorian Humans and Togorians)) and then some modular encounters. Sounds pretty regular for sourcebook.

I think there would be enough material to get something off the ground. Many people see the word "Mandalorian" and just knee-jerk a "NO". Which is understandable; there is a lot of fan dumb around the whole issue. Like I said, a base breaker. As far as Legends is concerned, they have a long, long history and continue well past the GCW.

A chapter on their history and culture, like LoNH (could include the different factions that divide the Mandalorians -- the Death Watch, the Protectors, remnants of Satine's New Mandalorians), a chapter on worlds with significant history with the Mandalorians (Mandalore, Concordia, Concord Dawn, Onderon/Dxun, Togoria, Ordo; there's plenty of room to introduce new content here); a chapter on new player options (plenty of weapons, gear and vehicles; species are a sticking point, as I can think of only 2 (Mandalorian Humans and Togorians)) and then some modular encounters. Sounds pretty regular for sourcebook.

You put it way better together than me! Andin fewe words. I have much to learn.

But yeah that's the basic idea. I hope we will get much more books like these based both on legends as well as new canon. There are some I can think of:

  • Mercs made of Iron (Mandalorian)
  • Corruption and Commerce (Corporate Sector)
  • Noble Isolationism (Hapes Cluster)
  • A Microgalaxy (the Rishii Maze)

But why so negative towards a potential Mandalorian sourcebook? I don't care when it happens, it just seems like a logical idea to me.

I can't speak for anyone else, but basically Mandos are kind of boring. There's some neat lore and backdrop for Revan, but otherwise it's just a guy in a neat suit of armor saying a couple lines and dying. Not much for a full sourcebook, but plenty for a couple pages worth of write-ups and a few bits of gear.

Mandos in my Star Wars are even more shrouded in myth than the Jedi. The equipment and such I might use but the culture is gone.

I guess both of you never read any of the very good Karen Traviss books, or watched some of the clone wars episodes?

I am not even referring to Revan, because Revan is... boring to me. I am talking about the stuff that was set during the clone wars era and galactic civil war and legacy era. Yes there is stuff out there!

Again I won't mind if there never will be a mando sourcebook, but people please research before you make a comment of that kind. There is more about mandalorians, way more, than KotOR, SWtOR and Boba Fett. Most of it is legends, true, but so many things we have in the core rulebooks are already belonging to legends canon.

EDIT: Has anyone of you even clicked the legends button on top of most Wookieepedia pages? If not do it! You'll be surprised!

I think there would be enough material to get something off the ground. Many people see the word "Mandalorian" and just knee-jerk a "NO". Which is understandable; there is a lot of fan dumb around the whole issue. Like I said, a base breaker. As far as Legends is concerned, they have a long, long history and continue well past the GCW.

A chapter on their history and culture, like LoNH (could include the different factions that divide the Mandalorians -- the Death Watch, the Protectors, remnants of Satine's New Mandalorians), a chapter on worlds with significant history with the Mandalorians (Mandalore, Concordia, Concord Dawn, Onderon/Dxun, Togoria, Ordo; there's plenty of room to introduce new content here); a chapter on new player options (plenty of weapons, gear and vehicles; species are a sticking point, as I can think of only 2 (Mandalorian Humans and Togorians)) and then some modular encounters. Sounds pretty regular for sourcebook.

You put it way better together than me! Andin fewe words. I have much to learn.

But yeah that's the basic idea. I hope we will get much more books like these based both on legends as well as new canon. There are some I can think of:

  • Mercs made of Iron (Mandalorian)
  • Corruption and Commerce (Corporate Sector)
  • Noble Isolationism (Hapes Cluster)
  • A Microgalaxy (the Rishii Maze)

This sounds pretty good. It was quite helpful, for me at least, to have all the hutt material in one book. There should probably be sourcebooks for each of the major regions in the galaxy.

Edited by Vestij Jai Galaar

I can think of only 2 (Mandalorian Humans and Togorians)) and then some modular encounters. Sounds pretty regular for sourcebook.

There are, of course, the original Mandalorians: the Taung.

I guess both of you never read any of the very good Karen Traviss books, or watched some of the clone wars episodes?

I am not even referring to Revan, because Revan is... boring to me. I am talking about the stuff that was set during the clone wars era and galactic civil war and legacy era. Yes there is stuff out there!

Again I won't mind if there never will be a mando sourcebook, but people please research before you make a comment of that kind. There is more about mandalorians, way more, than KotOR, SWtOR and Boba Fett. Most of it is legends, true, but so many things we have in the core rulebooks are already belonging to legends canon.

EDIT: Has anyone of you even clicked the legends button on top of most Wookieepedia pages? If not do it! You'll be surprised!

Well, just because I happen to have a different opinion than you doesn't mean that I am uneducated about the material in the EU. I've been reading in the EU since the early 90's and have read basically everything up through the Legacy of the Force series. And I've seen all six seasons of TCW along with Rebels. I've played most of the videogames and obviously seen all the films many times over. So yeah, I'd say I've done my research. Thanks.

And I still disagree with you that Mandolorians are interesting enough to warrant a dedicated splatbook. I imagine we will get a decent bit in the Bounty Hunter book and that is plenty for my taste.

And there are some who would contend that they are interesting enough to warrant their own book, and would prefer more than a few pages.

I am sorry if I ticked you off, but when you wrote the thing about Revan I just assumed (and you can't write assume without ass and me) that you only know about the Old Republic stuff.

I again agree with Blackbird888 here, though. I'd rather see it truly fleshed out than as a sidenote. And seeing how FFG is handling this, I guess the chances are pretty high. Nobody would have guessed, that the first book of these would be about corellian space. It is fleshed out, but I would first have guessed with something like LoNH. SoF set the precedent why we even think about a mandalorian rulebook. Because Corellians were never that fleshed out either in the movies, just like Mandalorians. I love Suns of Fortune, I would have never thought it would happen, but that makes it even better. I love my Corellian Human Char (Colonist -Marshal, Gunslinger, Hotshot) and all those information about Polanis etc. I am currently planning huge parts of my mainly AoR campaign to transpire on Corellia and the surrounding planets. For that I am truly thankful for this wonderful collection of Info, Wildlife, NSCs etc.

So I hope you might understand why I'd want something like this. So please stop being such a sourpuss and let us have this wish. If you don't like Mandalorians, you don't have to buy the book if it comes, and you don't have to bother with them in other books, so there will be more free space for other information that wouldn't have warranted it's own book.

I can think of only 2 (Mandalorian Humans and Togorians)) and then some modular encounters. Sounds pretty regular for sourcebook.

There are, of course, the original Mandalorians: the Taung.

The Mandallians (yes, I know, pretty lame name) come to mind. Also they don't all need to be species who joined the mandalorians. Conquered species could also be viable, like I said in my original post. So maybe the Cathar and other species.

Interesting would also be something like Echani, though they are a real kicker for either a FaD career sourcebook.

Edited by MOELANDER

I guess both of you never read any of the very good Karen Traviss books, or watched some of the clone wars episodes?

I am not even referring to Revan, because Revan is... boring to me. I am talking about the stuff that was set during the clone wars era and galactic civil war and legacy era. Yes there is stuff out there!

Again I won't mind if there never will be a mando sourcebook, but people please research before you make a comment of that kind. There is more about mandalorians, way more, than KotOR, SWtOR and Boba Fett. Most of it is legends, true, but so many things we have in the core rulebooks are already belonging to legends canon.

EDIT: Has anyone of you even clicked the legends button on top of most Wookieepedia pages? If not do it! You'll be surprised!

Well, just because I happen to have a different opinion than you doesn't mean that I am uneducated about the material in the EU. I've been reading in the EU since the early 90's and have read basically everything up through the Legacy of the Force series. And I've seen all six seasons of TCW along with Rebels. I've played most of the videogames and obviously seen all the films many times over. So yeah, I'd say I've done my research. Thanks.

And I still disagree with you that Mandolorians are interesting enough to warrant a dedicated splatbook. I imagine we will get a decent bit in the Bounty Hunter book and that is plenty for my taste.

Heh heh. Yeah I have to agree with Dbuntu. Don't assume I'm not familiar with Traviss' Mando-love books which I rank about as high as the constant Jedi-love books that make up a majority of the EU. The Clone Wars series while interesting doesn't impress me much. It had some good moments and some not so good ones. Like most series as far as I'm concerned. As I said, I think we will see Mando stuff, just in bits and pieces here and there.

I'm more old school when Boba Fett was wearing the armour of a long lost culture so I've kept it thusly in my game. Mando stuff are long lost artifacts and relics for my characters. Nobody is going to create a suit of Mando armour. Find one, maybe. Just like rare lightsaber crystals or Sith swords or Jedi katanas. But I wouldn't dislike a Mando book, even if unlikely, as I would pillage it relentlessly.

I am sorry if I ticked you off, but when you wrote the thing about Revan I just assumed (and you can't write assume without ass and me) that you only know about the Old Republic stuff.

So relax and just discuss politely and please don't interpret something in my posts that just isn't there.

So it's okay for you to do it, but anyone who disagrees with you needs to put up or shut up?

So far, you've been pretty quick to get condescending with anyone who doesn't agree with you...

So I hope you might understand why I'd want something like this. So please stop being such a sourpuss and let us have this wish. If you don't like Mandalorians, you don't have to buy the book if it comes, and you don't have to bother with them in other books, so there will be more free space for other information that wouldn't have warranted it's own book.

Why even post a discussion thread if you want to get nasty with anyone who disagrees? Why not just send an email to FFG with your wishes, and don't even give anyone the idea that you'd like to participate in discussion on a discussion board?

Personally, while I can see the appeal of a book devoted to mandalorians to some, I certainly don't think they have a prominent enough role in the time frame that the FFG games address to warrant much more than a large sidebar in the BH career book. One could make a *far* more convincing argument for a book about the Jedi Order using the arguments here, and that would make far more sense than a mandalorian book. Of course, the only response that seems to be given to anyone who isn't in 100% agreement with you seems to be a variant of "Shut up and listen to me repeat my opinion!", so I'll wait patiently for my own version thereof.

Oh My...

I am so sorry. I didn't know this is how I come off to people. I am truly sorry, my grasp of english is pretty good, but not perfect. In german we have fewer words, and since three different english words can probably be translated to a single german one I might have used some wrong ones.

I never intended to be condescending, I just didn't like those comments that fired against the idea for no reason. I was just trying to have a discussion on what such a book should include inside it. Not if such a book should even exist, thus ma probably not very nice reaction to those who think so.

I really thought I hadn't offenden anyone this time, I am truly sorry if I did.

I don't think you offended anyone, but (to me at least), it's certainly coming across with an undertone of "I only want people who agree with me to post".

I think that your opening of "How about a Mandalorian Sourcebook?" and "So those are my thoughts and as you can see, there is actually a lot to draw from. What are your thoughts on this? I'd also like to hear counterarguments." certainly leaves the door open to others explaining why they think other material should have a higher priority, or why they feel that a Mandalorian Sourcebook might *not* be a great idea or one that FFG might not be into pursuing in the forseeable future.

It's not so much that you're coming right out and saying this, as much as your wording and your intent not really saying the same thing (which is completely possible, given the language barrier). I think you brought up an interesting idea and in your wording, you pretty explicitly asked for opinions, even opinions of dissent...then when you got those opinions, you reacted negatively toward them, thus the static.

Given what seems to be your intent, perhaps the first post might have been better phrased along the lines of, "Who else would like to see a book like this? And if so, what are some things you'd like to see in it?" Then if people showed up explaining why they hated the idea, it would make far more sense for you to say that you aren't interested in their opinions in this thread.

There's also something to be said for the idea that a thread takes on a life of it's own once it's created, and that while the OP may try to bring it back around to their original idea, once it takes off, it's pretty much the property of everyone who posts in it, and as such, wild tangents are bound to pop-up. Mods in various fora tend to handle this differently on a person by person basis, but as a mod on what used to be a very active SWRPG board, I'd typically let threads go wildly off course, so long as things stayed civil. If the OP never got a satisfying answer, usually it was no big deal for them to start another thread, specifically requesting that they'd like to strictly address one issue. It's been my experience that as soon as a discussion board starts to adopt a policy of stifling discussion of any kind, it begins it's slow decline into irrelevance, and the least strictly controlled are often the most lively.

So long story short, I don't think there's any hurt feelings, just some general miscommunication leading to some strained patience.

No worries!

Edited by hydrospanner

Oh My...

I am so sorry. I didn't know this is how I come off to people. I am truly sorry, my grasp of english is pretty good, but not perfect. In german we have fewer words, and since three different english words can probably be translated to a single german one I might have used some wrong ones.

I never intended to be condescending, I just didn't like those comments that fired against the idea for no reason. I was just trying to have a discussion on what such a book should include inside it. Not if such a book should even exist, thus ma probably not very nice reaction to those who think so.

I really thought I hadn't offenden anyone this time, I am truly sorry if I did.

<sarcasm>Stop begin so understanding! Don't you know this is the internet?!</sarcasm>

Edited by kaosoe

I don't think you offended anyone, but (to me at least), it's certainly coming across with an undertone of "I only want people who agree with me to post".

I think that your opening of "How about a Mandalorian Sourcebook?" and "So those are my thoughts and as you can see, there is actually a lot to draw from. What are your thoughts on this? I'd also like to hear counterarguments." certainly leaves the door open to others explaining why they think other material should have a higher priority, or why they feel that a Mandalorian Sourcebook might *not* be a great idea or one that FFG might not be into pursuing in the forseeable future.

It's not so much that you're coming right out and saying this, as much as your wording and your intent not really saying the same thing (which is completely possible, given the language barrier). I think you brought up an interesting idea and in your wording, you pretty explicitly asked for opinions, even opinions of dissent...then when you got those opinions, you reacted negatively toward them, thus the static.

Given what seems to be your intent, perhaps the first post might have been better phrased along the lines of, "Who else would like to see a book like this? And if so, what are some things you'd like to see in it?" Then if people showed up explaining why they hated the idea, it would make far more sense for you to say that you aren't interested in their opinions in this thread.

There's also something to be said for the idea that a thread takes on a life of it's own once it's created, and that while the OP may try to bring it back around to their original idea, once it takes off, it's pretty much the property of everyone who posts in it, and as such, wild tangents are bound to pop-up. Mods in various fora tend to handle this differently on a person by person basis, but as a mod on what used to be a very active SWRPG board, I'd typically let threads go wildly off course, so long as things stayed civil. If the OP never got a satisfying answer, usually it was no big deal for them to start another thread, specifically requesting that they'd like to strictly address one issue. It's been my experience that as soon as a discussion board starts to adopt a policy of stifling discussion of any kind, it begins it's slow decline into irrelevance, and the least strictly controlled are often the most lively.

So long story short, I don't think there's any hurt feelings, just some general miscommunication leading to some strained patience.

No worries!

Thanks, perhaps I read too much Pratchett for my own good.

I agree with you, that would have been wiser to word it like that. I should have taken more time thinking before I opened this thread.

"No Patience that man has" - Yoda about me

Oh My...

I am so sorry. I didn't know this is how I come off to people. I am truly sorry, my grasp of english is pretty good, but not perfect. In german we have fewer words, and since three different english words can probably be translated to a single german one I might have used some wrong ones.

I never intended to be condescending, I just didn't like those comments that fired against the idea for no reason. I was just trying to have a discussion on what such a book should include inside it. Not if such a book should even exist, thus ma probably not very nice reaction to those who think so.

I really thought I hadn't offenden anyone this time, I am truly sorry if I did.

<sarcasm>Stop begin so understanding! Don't you know this is the internet?!</sarcasm>

May I hug you?

I think of it less as something to satisfy the fans so much as something that's desperately needed. You've got material dating back to Marvel's original comics, all throughout the Dark Horse era comics, novels galore (especially Karen Travis' works), novels that contradict Travis' interpretation, KotOR/TOR. The Clone Wars and Rebels and on and on. I think there's a need to reconcile or clearly define what's what. As FFG is currently in the 'who knows if it's canon or not?', I'm interested on their take and how they would include it in their material.

It's been my experience that as soon as a discussion board starts to adopt a policy of stifling discussion of any kind, it begins it's slow decline into irrelevance, and the least strictly controlled are often the most lively.

Heh. Only with some topics. In my experience, you can't mention the words "Final Fantasy" without setting off an atomic warhead. Some subjects just turn everybody involved into monsters that can only spit caustic venom.

Oh My...

I am so sorry. I didn't know this is how I come off to people. I am truly sorry, my grasp of english is pretty good, but not perfect. In german we have fewer words, and since three different english words can probably be translated to a single german one I might have used some wrong ones.

I never intended to be condescending, I just didn't like those comments that fired against the idea for no reason. I was just trying to have a discussion on what such a book should include inside it. Not if such a book should even exist, thus ma probably not very nice reaction to those who think so.

I really thought I hadn't offenden anyone this time, I am truly sorry if I did.

<sarcasm>Stop begin so understanding! Don't you know this is the internet?!</sarcasm>

May I hug you?

If you feel you must, but tell no one of this moment. I don't want my players finding out, and learning that I have a heart.

If FFG does release a Mandalorian book, and it's based in any way on Karen "Travesty" Traviss' work, it may be the first book in this line I won't buy. Given their limited resources, spending their time on anything else would be far more welcome.

If FFG does release a Mandalorian book, and it's based in any way on Karen "Travesty" Traviss' work, it may be the first book in this line I won't buy. Given their limited resources, spending their time on anything else would be far more welcome.

Actually I would think if they do draw on anything it will be the Clone Wars cartoon.

If FFG does release a Mandalorian book, and it's based in any way on Karen "Travesty" Traviss' work, it may be the first book in this line I won't buy. Given their limited resources, spending their time on anything else would be far more welcome.

Actually I would think if they do draw on anything it will be the Clone Wars cartoon.

That would be fine, as long as the word "beskar'gam" never sees print :)