Hi Everyone,

I am considering buying the Beginner Set and I just wanted to hear what people think about this game by FFG compared to what was produced by Wizards with the Saga Edition RPG. Thanks!

The balance between Force Using PC's and Non Force Users is great in this system, The Force provides more options, but its not the only option.

You can actually play a Dark Side Force User within reason (Killing everything on sight may not sit well with the rest of the party ) and make a great game out of it.

Combat can take a side roll, this game is very Narrative with a healthy dose of tactical choices. A Social encounter can be just as crazy and fun as a Combat.

Maps are for inspiration and reference, not measuring distance.

Chose between:

1. Scum and Villainy, surviving on the edges of society is Edge of the Empire

2. Military Campaigns, its Age of Rebellion (the book fluff is focused on a Rebellion party, but converts easily to an Imperial Party)

3. Understanding the Force, exploring the moral choices a Force User must make for Force and Destiny.

All the Beginner boxes have a downloadable extension module from the product pages here on the FFG site, they are well worth your time as they delve deeper and provide a lot more adventuring options.

It has vastly superior rules that do a better job of capturing the feel of the universe. If you want to do a mixed campaign where the jedi aren't just better than everyone else then it's better for that as well.

In my opinion Saga is better at giving you the immediate sense of power. If you're looking for a game where you start out as bad ass Force users Saga is your game. This game replicates a more slow climb to power and it takes awhile to get to the point where you're replicating PT level Jedi. Overall though I do feel that FFG is the better game. But Saga has it's ups in that it offers you a more immediate return on your powers.

They're both great systems that capture a cinematic Star Wars feel (like anything this requires running it well).

FFG is more narrative and the core dice mechanic encapsulates this very well.

However, with the Skill Challenge rule set in Galaxy of Intrigue, Saga offered a really nice narrative option that provides for story driven role play and quick action and plot development (think infiltrating a base and getting the McGuffin will take all night or 2 sessions? or want a fluid interesting social scene where allies or enemies can be made? - try it as a Skill Challenge).

Saga provides for more fleshed out beginning characters and low level/XP. You can create a "Jedi Knight" character concept in Saga at 1st level. In FFG you'll need 150-200 XP to do something similar (The Force and Destiny core book offers the Knight Level play option which starts you at +150 XP).

FFG is much easier and less time intensive on the GM side - less prep for opponents and easier to roll with things on the fly.

Gear/equipment/weapons can be more game unbalancing in FFG Star Wars than in Saga.

In Saga force users can easily be broken at early levels, in FFG certain "soldier" builds can easily be broken at low XP.

Saga offers a lot more breadth in terms of era's specifically supported (though you will likely pay a lot to get the out of print books like Knights of the Old Republic which is at $275 on Amazon as I type this) in terms of options and fluff.

FFG offers a more in depth gaming experience focused on the rebellion era where each core line offers core mechanics designed to really bring in the feel and flavor of certain character archetypes and journeys.

However, FFGs game can easily be adapted to other eras and there is material that implicity supports it (for example the new Force and Destiny Guardian splat book "Keeping the Peace" supports Jedi Battle Armor and Jedi Temple Guard armor that would be more common in the old republic era).

I will say that the beginner boxes are a great way to jump into the game as they have a paired down rule set which makes learning the game easier - the biggest change and thing to get used to is the narrative dice system (which is essentially unchanged from the beginner box sets and a the core rule sets) and having fun with this new mechanic is probably the most important "rule" to focus on and the box sets make this easier by not over encumbering the core mechanic with other stuff.

Thank you all for your remarks. They were very helpful!

If you can unlock your mind from the rigidity of d20 mechanics, this games includes a refreshing, role-playing inspiring, participation boosting, narrative system that is much different. By different I mean awesome with with * a helping of Yoda stew poured over the top. BUT, you MUST free yourself from any comparisons to d20 or any leap from SAGA to this will drag you into arguments of, "where's the grid?", and "how much ammo does my blaster mag carry?", etc.

* = I'm apparently getting old.

I prefer the FFG game over Saga, mainly because Saga was a rule system originally developed for medieval gaming into which the Star Wars universe was shoe-horned. FFG's system was instead designed around Star Wars (though, yes, I realize it borrows a great deal from the latest version of WFRP).

I played Saga Edition and DnD 4e for a little over 10 years. I invested ALOT in grid, minis and terrain lol. So I just adapted a simple grid combat system and let the dice tell the story. I really like the FFG system, it takes me back to old school roleplaying.

I played Saga Edition and DnD 4e for a little over 10 years. I invested ALOT in grid, minis and terrain lol. So I just adapted a simple grid combat system and let the dice tell the story. I really like the FFG system, it takes me back to old school roleplaying.

If you'd be willing to post it, I'd like to read your grid combat system.

I also played Saga for a long time. I think 10 years is not yet possible since it was released in '07, but it certainly does seem like I played it forever It was the first system I GM'd in, and the first RPG I really got into. I loved it. But I vastly prefer FFG's system. It just makes so much more sense as a Star Wars RPG. Nothing inherently wrong with Saga Edition (except for perhaps the Grapple rules...always hated those...); it's just that Edge of the Empire feels more like Star Wars.

Plus the art is so much prettier

I played Saga for a few years. It's safe to say I love this system far more. It's not just that the way the game is constructed makes for a more "Star Wars" experience, but I also think it's made me a better GM, and my players better players. It certainly has been an eye-opener and a hoot for my group of long time (30+ years) role players, none of whom are even Star Wars fans.

[...] it's made me a better GM, and my players better players [...]

This sentiment I can attest to as well. This system has helped me hone my improv and creative thinking skills.

[...] it's made me a better GM, and my players better players [...]

This sentiment I can attest to as well. This system has helped me hone my improv and creative thinking skills.

This. Both of these.

In Saga's defense though, I'd still play it if a friend wanted to run it. More so over the d20 brand.

Wait! There were Star Wars RPGs before this one?

Wait! There were Star Wars RPGs before this one?

Star Wars d6

Star Wars d20

Star Wars d20 Revised

Star Wars Saga Edition

I played Saga Edition and DnD 4e for a little over 10 years. I invested ALOT in grid, minis and terrain lol. So I just adapted a simple grid combat system and let the dice tell the story. I really like the FFG system, it takes me back to old school roleplaying.

If you'd be willing to post it, I'd like to read your grid combat system.

It’s fairly simple and a lot like Saga.

Range increments

Short=6 squares

Medium = 12 squares

Long = 18 squares

Maneuver = 6 squares

From here I just add dice as needed. Flanking gives blue advantage for attack. Cover gives black disadvantage to attacker.

I stayed fairly basic so I could still use my grid maps and minis. If something pops up I haven’t seen, I adjust for the situation or just add dice.

Well, considering that the D20 system was F'ing terrible, FFG is a serious step upwards. It's very much the spiritual successor to the D6 system.

I also played Saga for a long time. I think 10 years is not yet possible since it was released in '07, but it certainly does seem like I played it forever It was the first system I GM'd in, and the first RPG I really got into. I loved it. But I vastly prefer FFG's system. It just makes so much more sense as a Star Wars RPG. Nothing inherently wrong with Saga Edition (except for perhaps the Grapple rules...always hated those...); it's just that Edge of the Empire feels more like Star Wars.

Plus the art is so much prettier

Sorry I should of put D20 but we transitioned to Saga when it dropped.

Wait! There were Star Wars RPGs before this one?

Star Wars d6

Star Wars d20

Star Wars d20 Revised

Star Wars Saga Edition

Man, this board really needs individual avatars. For a second, I thought WhatFrog just got suckered by Mouthy when he very well shoulda known better.

lol

Man, this board really needs individual avatars. For a second, I thought WhatFrog just got suckered by Mouthy when he very well shoulda known better.

Who is "WhatFrog"?

Man, this board really needs individual avatars. For a second, I thought WhatFrog just got suckered by Mouthy when he very well shoulda known better.

Who is "WhatFrog"?

A typical dyslexic doubling of a tall letter from Whafrog... and the question to which Whafrog is the answer...

Man, this board really needs individual avatars. For a second, I thought WhatFrog just got suckered by Mouthy when he very well shoulda known better.

Who is "WhatFrog"?

Apparently, this is WhatFrog.