I've started a new Edge campaign with 5 PCs new to the system (but who are veteran tabletop RPGers). I'm currently walking them through the last bits of character creation, and it's looking as if we've got a pretty squishy party. So far:

• Human, Outlaw Tech
• Duros, Cyber Tech (party medic)
• Droid, Heavy or Bodyguard
• Human, Politico
• TBD, but likely Scoundrel

So, suffice to say, looking like not a particularly combat-focused party.

Now, this doesn't faze me. I'm *really* pumped for this party's ability to problem-solve and to do social combat. They've got solid concepts behind their builds and are excited to play. I'm also not going to intervene and suggest they get more combat focus -- my priority is that they play who they want, even if their skills are redundant. I've told them about their general skill gaps (it isn't just combat -- they're not going to be good in rural or wilderness environments either), and they are fully aware.

So combat is going to be very tough for this group, with only the Droid as the shooter or meatshield. At the moment, only the Mechanic has a human-bonus free rank of Ranged (Light), and unless the Scoundrel changes his build, we're looking at a group that won't last long against even a few minion groups.

I have in the past GM'd this system to combat-heavy or balanced parties, so my average, modular combat encounter design was pretty standard: for a group of 5, I'd pick 3-4 Minion Groups of variable size and difficulty, 2-3 Rivals, some situational hazards/complications, and go to town. For this group, I'm pretty uncertain about how to proceed. I'm confident this party will be good at avoiding combat, or in mitigating its danger before it happens, but when it does happen, I'm looking for advice -- specifically about balancing rivals and minions.

I know the standard line about reducing difficulty is to reduce minion unit size, but it seems a bit weak to throw groups of 2 at my PCs. On the other hand, I know it's easy to find weak Rivals, but they are going to be tough for this party unless the Politico starts throwing out some serious crowd control effects at them.

I'm confident this group will survive, and will learn how to fight. But I want to get the balance right -- and think specifically about strategies on the Minions/Rivals compositions for spontaneous, generic, "standard" encounters. While people are often dismissive of Minions, I often find that is because combat builds eat Minions for lunch. On the other hand, I've actually found non-combat builds to be more effective at controlling Rivals in some circumstances. Do I go lots of small (2-person) Minion groups and only one Rival? Or lean more towards Rivals and reduce the number of Minion groups?

Advice much appreciated.

You will need to try it out. Looking at the concepts, your biggest problem will be challenging your droid without obliterating your squishies by accident. You may just try to structure your first couple of weeks to have increasing difficulty encounters to see what works. 1st incident is a bar brawl with some minion groups. Then a conflict with a single rival with minions. Then 2 rivals no minions. Then try a bigger combat with 4 or 5 small minion groups plus a rival or two, knowing the combat will only last a round or two before the police break it up. Just test their capabilities, and learn what works with your group.

Keep the opposition armed with light pistols or weak melee types. Emphasize it's ok to not be Joe Gun, but they shouldn't ignore the ability to take a hit an deal one out. Have them use rifles to put your adversaries down quickly. Stimpacks are good. Just keep it light a few sessions until they can get a bit of gear an xp to beef themselves up.

This looks like more-or-less like my crew. We get by well enough. The key is to find some way for the less combat-ready characters to contribute during combat. Maybe the politico screams in fear and runs in a panic, so is ignored by the enemies, and maneuvers behind the minions to shoot at them unaware. Eventually they'll probably do what my crew did, and everyone at one point specializes in some kind of combat style. Our doctor went the martial arts route with Pressure Point, our mechanic likes to wear high tech shock gloves and blast knucklers to pound on enemies. (I still remember when she rolled a Triumph and punched a Gamorrean in the groin with her shock glove.)

Have any of you guys ever read The Expanse novels by James S.A. Corey? (Really great pseudonymous writer duo, who have also written a Star Wars novel.) I'm starting to think of this party as shaping up a bit like the composition of the crew of the Rocinante :

• Naomi (Engineer)
• Holden (Face)
• Alex (Pilot)
• Amos (Muscle)

Only Amos is really combat-capable: the rest are able to hold and shoot a gun but aren't really fighters.

Crap. Now I want to recreate the Roci and her crew in my game.

So combat is going to be very tough for this group, with only the Droid as the shooter or meatshield.

Can a droid really be a meat shield?

Anyway. My choice would be to play to the group's strength in the first session or two, with maybe one combat thrown in to test their ability to deal. After all, there are plenty of non-combat abilities that can be used effectively in structured time to dissuade or evade fighting, and this game is only a little less encouraging of off-the-wall ad-libbing than FATE Core. Besides, if even one player put some XP into combat skills, they deserve the chance to give it a shot. Or, y'know, get shot.

For that one combat, I'd make it low stakes even if you make it high risk, and have it happen in a place where they can reasonably expect some aid if they get their butts kicked. Otherwise, make it such that their opponents aren't likely to coup-de-grace them once they're KO'd; maybe the baddies just take the group's stuff and leave them in the gutter.

And the entire Expanse series is ripe for stealing ideas for an RPG, especially with low-combat parties. (Though if I'm being honest, I kind of liked Bobbie more than Amos, but he's definitely got better character development.)

And the entire Expanse series is ripe for stealing ideas for an RPG, especially with low-combat parties. (Though if I'm being honest, I kind of liked Bobbie more than Amos, but he's definitely got better character development.)

Bobbie is great. And I do think her character development was decent. Giant Polynesian Martian Female Space Marine with PTSD and a RoboDoomSuit? She's got some stories to tell!

Some different ideas, based on my experience being a player in a combat-weak group and from running a game with a wide variance in combat skill among the PCs:

1. Unless there's a good narrative reason, don't close off their escape routes. Having potential combats turn into chases as the group runs rather than facing a potentially deadly encounter is a great way to keep a sense of danger without directly threatening them with critical injuries and death.
2. Seed opportunities for clever characters to even the odds in the scene. Using a nearby computer terminal to mess with environmental conditions is a classic move, as is rigging machinery or vehicles to get in your opponents' way. Allowing the PCs to find good (2 ranged defense) cover also helps.
3. Try out using fewer, but larger groups of minions. One group of four or five minions has a single dangerous attack, but they can only target one character per turn, and it's easier to eliminate more of them at once with a high damage roll/crit, whereas two or three groups of two minions can potentially do more damage and are harder to dispatch quickly.

As a smaller thing, if none of the players discover this gem on their own, maybe slip a SoroSuub X-30 Lancer Precision Blaster pistol or two into a reward. They aren't great for damage or critting (though Pierce 2 definitely helps), but they're Accurate, which is good for less skilled shooters, and can fire at Long range, which is safer for more vulnerable characters, particularly if there's a beefier combatant (such as the droid) at closer range to the enemy.

So combat is going to be very tough for this group, with only the Droid as the shooter or meatshield.

Can a droid really be a meat shield?

Well, it is shielding the meat, is it not?

I, too, dislike squishy characters, because there isn't much to do with a bunch of characters like:

* A protocol droid

* An astromech droid

* A Human Politico

* A (Corellian) Human Smuggler

* A Wookiee pilot

* A Force-emergent Colonist

Outside of the Wookiee, combat would utterly destroy this party! There's no way they could survive a bunch of lowly Stormtroopers, let alone giving adversaries better weapons, bigger ships, etc.