Have had the Edge of the Empire box for quite a while, and ran quite a few sessions with a group until I went abroad to study. My group has told me that they wanted to run some more Star Wars again because they really enjoyed the system, and I was wondering what supplements I should get.

I am playing on purchasing all three the corebooks, even Force and Destiny, just in case one of the players wants to roll a Force Sensitive. Are there any adventures that stand out and are must-buys? For the most part I am intrigued by Beyond the Rim and Mask of the Pirate Queen. I am also assuming I should get Onslaught on Arda I for some scenario ideas and on how to incorporate mass combat (I do plan on taking them through the ringer a few times). What other non-adventure supplements should I keep in mind?

Are things like Obligation, Duty, and whatever F&D has compatible and easy to mix? If not that easy to combine, could you provide any tips for this GM?

And lastly, what are the differences between the three corebooks? I know Edge of the Empire is really about the Scum and Villainy, Force and Destiny about the Force, and Age of Rebellion about the Galactic Civil War, but what else sets them apart?

Thank you for reading this, looking forward to your answers.

I'm not a canned adventure guy, but I played BtR and it was decent. Under a Black Sun is the free PDF on the site, probably a good way to decide if you want to spend the cash. I like the sourcebooks for the modular encounters.

I'd hold off on precisely what supplements until people pick their careers and then get the career books to match if they're interested.

Obligation,Duty, and Morality are no big deal to use all at once I think. I prefer Obligation.

The biggest difference between the 3 CRBs is the career/specs obviously, with F&D standing out with the bulk of the Force powers.

Obligations and Duty can be mixed quite easily. There's a couple of pages in AoR that tell you how to run it in-game. Can't say anything about morality, as I haven't played FaD yet.

I'm not a canned adventure guy, but I played BtR and it was decent. Under a Black Sun is the free PDF on the site, probably a good way to decide if you want to spend the cash. I like the sourcebooks for the modular encounters.

I'd hold off on precisely what supplements until people pick their careers and then get the career books to match if they're interested.

Obligation,Duty, and Morality are no big deal to use all at once I think. I prefer Obligation.

The biggest difference between the 3 CRBs is the career/specs obviously, with F&D standing out with the bulk of the Force powers.

Thanks for the quick reply! Is the free adventure located under the Edge of Empire product page? Could you perhaps elaborate what books count as the sourcebooks? I am assuming Strongholds of Resistance for AoR?

Yah

I'm not a canned adventure guy, but I played BtR and it was decent. Under a Black Sun is the free PDF on the site, probably a good way to decide if you want to spend the cash. I like the sourcebooks for the modular encounters.

I'd hold off on precisely what supplements until people pick their careers and then get the career books to match if they're interested.

Obligation,Duty, and Morality are no big deal to use all at once I think. I prefer Obligation.

The biggest difference between the 3 CRBs is the career/specs obviously, with F&D standing out with the bulk of the Force powers.

Thanks for the quick reply! Is the free adventure located under the Edge of Empire product page? Could you perhaps elaborate what books count as the sourcebooks? I am assuming Strongholds of Resistance for AoR?

Yup, the Hutt book and the Corellian book as well.

Three 'area' sourcebooks so far: Suns of Fortune, Lords of Nal Hutta and Strongholds of Resistance. Pretty useful for any kind of game, especially if you or your players don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of Star Wars. At the end of each is a list of modular encounters, short adventures that can be used to build a longer adventure, insterted into one, used for a short game night and so on.

I think the product pages list career books under 'Rules Supplements', and they are specific to the different careers found in each book. Some story suggestions, but mostly material pertaining to playing characters of that type, plus approproate gear, plus three new specializations for each career, and GM advice for building stories for those players. Not all are released yet, but you have Explorer, Colonist, Hired Gun, Smuggler, Ace, Diplomat and Guardian released so far. Commander and Technician are incoming.

Start with the 3 core books. It will give you the most PC & GM material for the price.

Next I would suggest getting any relevant Career source books for the careers PC's choose. These have something for everyone too, with lots of material for a GM to use for writing your own encounters that are focusing on particular PC's abilities.

Work with your group to ry to come up with a campaign theme before anyone makes a character;

A traveling stunt show, who are secretly Rebel spy's

A smuggling crew

A group of University sponsored explorers/archeologists

The A-team or Inglorious B's

Rouge Squadron

Force Sensetives trying to gather lost Jedi knowledge for a hidden training academy

A Rebel Cell in hiding on a world trying to disrupt Imps

Space Pirates

This will help get the group focused on the same goal and guide your crafting of the early story arc. Hopefully it will help the players when coming up with back story as well. But most importantly it will help you decide the primary game Mechanic (Obligation, Duty or Morality).

If you end up with a mixed party the biggest choice you as GM will need to make is which starting Resource will the party get. For the sake of balance you will need to choose 1 book (that most fits the theme) and allow the party to choose a resource from it. Each system has very different options. where Edge is all about smuggling ships, with 3 different options. AoR gives a wider variety of either a squad of fighters, a stolen Imp ship or a Base. FaD is very different again with a Mentor or Holocron or small ship. But mixed groups are great, just ask GM Lucas with EotE, AoR and FaD all in the same party.

Weapons, gear, and ships can vary widely depending on which core books you have.

If you are on a budget, you first need to decide what kind of campaign you want to run. I am doing a Bounty Hunter campaign where Force Sensitives don't really make sense for what I am doing. So, though I own FaD, it'll be collecting dust on this one.

As has been stated, buy supplements to match what you need. EotE has the most support currently, but AoR is catching up fast enough, and FaD will follow suit. Once EotE has all its career books, we may see other series coming out faster, too.

Buying all the things is also a legitimate method.

I definitely advocate it.

Looking through the supplements, not all of them provide a species list. Having bought F&D to use as a PC, I'd like to run the siecies I want. Is there some one that has a list of wich species are in wich book?

Three 'area' sourcebooks so far: Suns of Fortune, Lords of Nal Hutta and Strongholds of Resistance. Pretty useful for any kind of game, especially if you or your players don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of Star Wars. At the end of each is a list of modular encounters, short adventures that can be used to build a longer adventure, insterted into one, used for a short game night and so on.

I think the product pages list career books under 'Rules Supplements', and they are specific to the different careers found in each book. Some story suggestions, but mostly material pertaining to playing characters of that type, plus approproate gear, plus three new specializations for each career, and GM advice for building stories for those players. Not all are released yet, but you have Explorer, Colonist, Hired Gun, Smuggler, Ace, Diplomat and Guardian released so far. Commander and Technician are incoming.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. My group did reply with some character suggestions, and so far I have a pilot, bounty hunter/mercenary. Not entirely sure on what type of pilot yet, but I am assuming Smuggler. I do hope to get a good mix.

Start with the 3 core books. It will give you the most PC & GM material for the price.

Next I would suggest getting any relevant Career source books for the careers PC's choose. These have something for everyone too, with lots of material for a GM to use for writing your own encounters that are focusing on particular PC's abilities.

Work with your group to ry to come up with a campaign theme before anyone makes a character;

A traveling stunt show, who are secretly Rebel spy's

A smuggling crew

A group of University sponsored explorers/archeologists

The A-team or Inglorious B's

Rouge Squadron

Force Sensetives trying to gather lost Jedi knowledge for a hidden training academy

A Rebel Cell in hiding on a world trying to disrupt Imps

Space Pirates

This will help get the group focused on the same goal and guide your crafting of the early story arc. Hopefully it will help the players when coming up with back story as well. But most importantly it will help you decide the primary game Mechanic (Obligation, Duty or Morality).

If you end up with a mixed party the biggest choice you as GM will need to make is which starting Resource will the party get. For the sake of balance you will need to choose 1 book (that most fits the theme) and allow the party to choose a resource from it. Each system has very different options. where Edge is all about smuggling ships, with 3 different options. AoR gives a wider variety of either a squad of fighters, a stolen Imp ship or a Base. FaD is very different again with a Mentor or Holocron or small ship. But mixed groups are great, just ask GM Lucas with EotE, AoR and FaD all in the same party.

Yeah, depending on the group's make up, I will select one book for their starting resources. I am thinking of a more Space Pirate themed group, dealing with the underworld before they get too popular and in the sights of the larger factions.

Weapons, gear, and ships can vary widely depending on which core books you have.

If you are on a budget, you first need to decide what kind of campaign you want to run. I am doing a Bounty Hunter campaign where Force Sensitives don't really make sense for what I am doing. So, though I own FaD, it'll be collecting dust on this one.

As has been stated, buy supplements to match what you need. EotE has the most support currently, but AoR is catching up fast enough, and FaD will follow suit. Once EotE has all its career books, we may see other series coming out faster, too.

Buying all the things is also a legitimate method.

I definitely advocate it.

It is Christmas soon anyway, might as well spend all the money I can. It is expected, after all.

Beyond the Rim is a reasonable adventure. I'm running it with a group at the moment. It does take some reading on the GM's part to absorb all the information in there - it's quite "wordy" and not all the information is relevant, and there aren't any maps to speak of (although it doesn't really need them). The actual story is interesting and the players seem to like it anyway.

Obligations and Duty can be mixed quite easily. There's a couple of pages in AoR that tell you how to run it in-game. Can't say anything about morality, as I haven't played FaD yet.

Morality has a few uses, but it's primary use is quantifying where a character lies on the dark-to-light spectrum. Unlike Obligation and Duty, there's very little use for the Morality mechanic outside of it's corebook, which is fine, it's a mechanic for force users.

IMO, FaD would not be money well spent if you don't have serious force-users in your game, but it's really required if you do.

Just some broadening perspective, since the OP stated he's planning on buying all the core products. The core products are great, and I see anything beyond those as really just gravy (Nice to have, but not the real *meal*).

Oh, crap, I just realized no one has mentioned the GM kits/screens which apparently have some good info. I don't have them, but IIRC....

• The EotE GM kit has Nemesis building tips
• The AoR GM kit has squad combat rules (someone check this for accuracy?)
• The FaD GM kit has lightsaber construction rules

I think they all have adventures in them too. They seem to have been received relatively well, and for $20 a pop they're pretty good values, too.

The rules are all compatible, but when starting out, I would try to decide on what sort of theme you're trying to run. I'll be starting a game once my buddy's D&D game wraps up. I'll be letting my players know that while most concepts are valid, it will be an Edge of the Empire game. You might have strong ties to the Rebel Alliance, or you might have access to the Force, but to begin with, we'll be using Obligation and focusing on the fringes of galactic society. If you're playing a career and spec from AoR, you're probably ex-military, but you're not an Alliance pilot or officer yet. If you're a F&D spec, you probably have some formal training in the force, but not likely under a Jedi Knight. Nah, your mentor was more likely a Tropist Mystic Swordsman or a MacGuffin Sorcerer.

Beyond the Rim is a reasonable adventure. I'm running it with a group at the moment. It does take some reading on the GM's part to absorb all the information in there - it's quite "wordy" and not all the information is relevant, and there aren't any maps to speak of (although it doesn't really need them). The actual story is interesting and the players seem to like it anyway.

Obligations and Duty can be mixed quite easily. There's a couple of pages in AoR that tell you how to run it in-game. Can't say anything about morality, as I haven't played FaD yet.

Morality has a few uses, but it's primary use is quantifying where a character lies on the dark-to-light spectrum. Unlike Obligation and Duty, there's very little use for the Morality mechanic outside of it's corebook, which is fine, it's a mechanic for force users.

IMO, FaD would not be money well spent if you don't have serious force-users in your game, but it's really required if you do.

Just some broadening perspective, since the OP stated he's planning on buying all the core products. The core products are great, and I see anything beyond those as really just gravy (Nice to have, but not the real *meal*).

Thanks. Just have one more question about Force and Destiny. Would it also be a requirement if I want to incorporate NPC force users? For example, Darth Vader, or Kylo Ren as villain examples?

The rules are all compatible, but when starting out, I would try to decide on what sort of theme you're trying to run. I'll be starting a game once my buddy's D&D game wraps up. I'll be letting my players know that while most concepts are valid, it will be an Edge of the Empire game. You might have strong ties to the Rebel Alliance, or you might have access to the Force, but to begin with, we'll be using Obligation and focusing on the fringes of galactic society. If you're playing a career and spec from AoR, you're probably ex-military, but you're not an Alliance pilot or officer yet. If you're a F&D spec, you probably have some formal training in the force, but not likely under a Jedi Knight. Nah, your mentor was more likely a Tropist Mystic Swordsman or a MacGuffin Sorcerer.

That is definitely how I am planning to run it as well. You've definitely given me some ideas based on the characters they want to play.

Thanks. Just have one more question about Force and Destiny. Would it also be a requirement if I want to incorporate NPC force users? For example, Darth Vader, or Kylo Ren as villain examples?

Requirement?

Crazy useful?

... Sorry, I'm in an Archer mood.

Anyway, you don't need FaD to create a force-using NPC. In EotE and AoR you'll get the basic force rules and the following powers with brief descriptions:

• Move - Telekinesis (Both)
• Sense - "feel" stuff in the force (EotE)
• Influence - Jedi mind trick (EotE)
• Enhance - Boost physical skills (AoR)
• Foresee - reading the future (AoR)

FaD has all of the above and adds:

• Battle Meditation - Buffs
• Bind - Force choke/grip
• Heal/Harm - Guess what this does...
• Misdirect - Illusions and stealth
• Protect/Unleash - Armor and force lightning
• Seek - find stuff in the force

Additionally it adds tons of information on how to use the force in your campaign, updated lightsaber info (incl. attachments & mods), and guidelines on creating inquisitor baddies.

If $60 MSRP (tho you can usually get it for ~ $40 at least in the US) is with worth it to get the additional information and guidance for your NPC and be consistent with the force powers, grab FaD. If the other cores give you what you think you need, pass on FaD. You can always buy it later.

Nothing above should be construed as either encouraging or discouraging purchase; I'm just trying to provide accurate info.

Thanks. Just have one more question about Force and Destiny. Would it also be a requirement if I want to incorporate NPC force users? For example, Darth Vader, or Kylo Ren as villain examples?

Not really. You need F&D if you’re going to have PCs that start out with Careers in the Force, but not otherwise.

F&D does have some nice rules for quickly creating Inquisitor type NPCs, but IMO that’s just a nice side-benefit if you’re already going to be getting the book anyway.

Thanks. Just have one more question about Force and Destiny. Would it also be a requirement if I want to incorporate NPC force users? For example, Darth Vader, or Kylo Ren as villain examples?

Anyway, you don't need FaD to create a force-using NPC. In EotE and AoR you'll get the basic force rules and the following powers with brief descriptions:

• Move - Telekinesis (Both)
• Sense - "feel" stuff in the force (EotE)
• Influence - Jedi mind trick (EotE)
• Enhance - Boost physical skills (AoR)
• Foresee - reading the future (AoR)

FaD has all of the above and adds:

• Battle Meditation - Buffs
• Bind - Force choke/grip
• Heal/Harm - Guess what this does...
• Misdirect - Illusions and stealth
• Protect/Unleash - Armor and force lightning
• Seek - find stuff in the force

Additionally it adds tons of information on how to use the force in your campaign, updated lightsaber info (incl. attachments & mods), and guidelines on creating inquisitor baddies.

If $60 MSRP (tho you can usually get it for ~ $40 at least in the US) is with worth it to get the additional information and guidance for your NPC and be consistent with the force powers, grab FaD. If the other cores give you what you think you need, pass on FaD. You can always buy it later.

Nothing above should be construed as either encouraging or discouraging purchase; I'm just trying to provide accurate info.

Thanks for the abundance of help, you've really managed to make things a lot clearer for me, purchase-wise. Age of Rebellion just got in today, so only waiting for EotE now.

Thanks. Just have one more question about Force and Destiny. Would it also be a requirement if I want to incorporate NPC force users? For example, Darth Vader, or Kylo Ren as villain examples?

Not really. You need F&D if you’re going to have PCs that start out with Careers in the Force, but not otherwise.

F&D does have some nice rules for quickly creating Inquisitor type NPCs, but IMO that’s just a nice side-benefit if you’re already going to be getting the book anyway.

I don't think any of the PCs will start out with Careers in the Force, in fact, they seem a bit too afraid to play Jedi. But I might need an NPC for the narrative I am planning, so will decide a bit later on getting FaD, if I have difficulties with the creation of the NPC.

Thanks for the abundance of help, you've really managed to make things a lot clearer for me, purchase-wise. Age of Rebellion just got in today, so only waiting for EotE now.

Glad it helped, informed purchasing is the best purchasing. Let us know if there's any more info you need.

I noticed it hasn't been mentioned yet, but Jewel of Yavin was pretty fun for my group. Before I told them we were to run it, I made sure to watch an Ocean's ## movie or two with my wife, and then kind of snuck it into conversation about our next gaming night that we'd be doing an adventure like that. My group is only my wife and sister (our LGS only does war games and hardly supports the RPG system), so it took tweaking on the fly, but we made it work beautifully.

I have found that FFG pre-gen adventures are a good quality, there's a few details I would perhaps enjoy being laid out slightly differently, but everything I needed was right there. They had fun by the time we ended, and had we continued on with those characters, they would have likely enjoyed the fruits of the labour. Up until this game, I was usually a player in other systems (D&D/Pathfinder, nWoD, Shadowrun), so though I've been around lots of GMing, it's been nice to get something pre-made while I find my footing better in the system and unleash a proper story on them. Plus, depending how I set things up, I can still slide these in if I just couldn't be creative in time for the next game.