Is it diff 2 per the basic move? Or would you use the players discipline? If it's the players discipline; I assume if you're targeting multiple people you have to target the hardest to hit?
I am leaning towards just keeping it diff 2.. if it's straight up contested, I don't see unleash being worth using.. but I haven't actually played or ran F&D yet, so I'm interested what those of you more experienced folks think.
It's a 2 difficulty ranged attack, so that's it. But as it's an attack then Ranged Defense and any Talents the PC has that increase the difficulty of ranged attacks against them are included in the dice pool. It also means Reflect can be used against it too.
Reflect nice! Windu your way to victory! Thanks for the reply, I was thinking that was the case, tho I didn't think of reflect!
Also improved and supreme reflect. The Sense Force Power, and the Side Step talent would be the big things after armour, cover and the environment that affect the attack.
There's been some debate about whether improved reflect can be used against unleash. It is kind of the area of protect, but then again, could be up to the group.
For arguments sake we only see Yoda and Windu reflect force lightning back at the attacker - and from what I've come to understand, the description in the novelization of Ep III does seem to indicate it's a forcey powery thing, and not a simple question of reflecting the lightning like a blaster bolt.
Improved Reflect is pretty specific about what sort of attacks it can be used against, since it cites the three ranged combat skills (Ranged: Heavy, Ranged: Light, and Gunnery). Problem is that while Unleash is a ranged combat attack, it attacks using Discipline. And I believe Reflect is equally specific about which attacks it can be used against, namely citing the three ranged combat skills.
As JegerGryte noted, being able to stop Unleash does seem to be more in the realm of Protect (or Suppress if you've got Keeping the Peace). Don't have my book handy, but not sure if the target of Unleash could opt to make it an opposed check instead of using the standard difficulty (I know that sidebar mentions that option doesn't apply if it's already an opposed check), but allowing the PC to make it an opposed check would help account for things like Obi-Wan stopping Dooku's attack with his lightsaber in AotC; Kenobi invoked that rule, but instead of Discipline opted to use his much better Lightsaber skill, on top of the defensive boost he'd have from using Defensive Circle prior to Dooku's attack, adding enough setback dice from a boosted ranged defense that the Count's attack failed.
Checked and yeah improved reflect looks to be outside the purview of the power. I think cause it's a combat check already it wouldn't be contested.
Unleash remains a difficulty 2 attack even against a PC, similar to how a melee attack is always difficulty 2. As Richardbuxton said, a PC can add amplifying affects that increase difficulty/setback die just like any other ranged attack. I personally rule that Reflect is a valid use against Unleash as well. Afterall, it was used in both Attack of the Clones and the Clone Wars show. They clearly used a lightsaber to reflect/parry/stop force lightning. There is no narrative explanation needed. I however, don't allow Improved Reflect to be used against Unleash. It is similar to projective weapons and stun blasts, they just get cancelled out when they hit the lightsaber.
As for Master Windu, there's been a few explanations throughout the years to explain his event with the Emperor. The 2 standing explanations:
1) The reflection of the Emperor's lightning was an effect of Windu's Vaapad style, turning an opponents darkness back on themselves.
2) The Emperor intentionally allowed the lightning to turn back to provoke Anakin's sympathy for him and/or to allow the Emperor to stop hiding his true form by explanation of "scars" from the Jedi attack. Remember that using the Dark Side for prolonged periods tends to distort your appearance, and Palpatine had been an exceptionally powerful Dark Side user for a few decades by this time.
As a side note, I took Palpatine's appearance in the OT as a direct effect of the encounter with Windu toward the end of the PT.
I think the "dark side makes you freaky-looking" thing has been overplayed as a result of Anakin and Palpatine's appearances, both of which are explainable in more mundane terms related to things we see actually happening to them.
As a side note, I took Palpatine's appearance in the OT as a direct effect of the encounter with Windu toward the end of the PT.
I think the "dark side makes you freaky-looking" thing has been overplayed as a result of Anakin and Palpatine's appearances, both of which are explainable in more mundane terms related to things we see actually happening to them.
To be fair to the authors of the time (especially prior to 1999), there was pretty much nothing to go on in terms of why Palpatine looked so hideous or the precise reason for Vader's horrific injuries. So the assumption made and not contradicted by any official sources (mostly because at that time Lucas didn't really care so long as the money kept rolling in) was that their physical degradation was the result of the dark side, playing on the trope of evil being a corrupting influence.
Besides, not like it was the sole instance that folks presumed how something in the series would turn out only to be disproven with later films. For instance, there was a number of folks that figured Luke and Leia to be the main couple of the films, with the old vector-graphic Star Wars game even having them wed as part of winning the game, and we know now how that turned out. Or that Obi-Wan Kenobi was nothing but completely truthful when he initially told Luke about his father's fate. You won't see those sorts of things now, given how much more involvement there is courtesy of the Story Group, but back in the 80's and 90's fans and authors made plenty of assumptions that the prequels as well as later material debunked.
No, to be clear, I didn't intend that as a slam on the writers from the "intertrilogy" period... just something that, like lightaber color and its relationship to "alignment", that both authors and fans have, in MY opinion, made far too much of from what was on screen, and perhaps taken speculation as fact.
No, to be clear, I didn't intend that as a slam on the writers from the "intertrilogy" period... just something that, like lightaber color and its relationship to "alignment", that both authors and fans have, in MY opinion, made far too much of from what was on screen, and perhaps taken speculation as fact.
Nature of the beast.
Pick any fandom with a large and devoted following, and you'll find lots of folks, both authors and fans, making all sorts of speculation and guesses and theories about any elements that aren't hashed out in detail. Being a big fan of the Potter series, it was quite amusing to see all the fan theories about how things would turn out in the last couple books, with Rowling herself having fun with some of the more outlandish theories. And you see it plenty in Star Trek, with the shows themselves being fairly infamous for techno-babble-based arse-pulls (Voyager being the biggest offender by 12 parsecs) to handwave an explanation.
No, to be clear, I didn't intend that as a slam on the writers from the "intertrilogy" period... just something that, like lightaber color and its relationship to "alignment", that both authors and fans have, in MY opinion, made far too much of from what was on screen, and perhaps taken speculation as fact.
That pretty much happens with everything when canon facts are scarce. We make do with what we get, and fill in the blanks with our own crazy ideas.
As for lightsaber color, well there's been a lot of changes to that over the years (especially after Windu's violet saber). Currently, according to the Disney ran sight (so canon), lightsaber crystals are clear and get their color from the force sensitive that attunes to it. It's not really explained why certain colors appear, only that blue and green are the most common. While I don't care for this particular line of thought, it is the current canon.
I don't think that what we see in the movies is Reflect (improved or otherwise). I believe the force power Protect represents better what we see in them.
First, we see Yoda do it without any lightsaber. Second, containing the attack seems to take their full attention, wich Reflect doesn't do at all. If they would be using Reflect mechanics, they would continue attacking as normal and we don't see that.