StarkJunior, I will agree that FFG's fluff in each of their books (well, all of the EotE books, which are the only ones I've read) are great and tend to fit the theme.

It's FFG's assignment of species and specializations that really drives me bananas...

StarkJunior, I will agree that FFG's fluff in each of their books (well, all of the EotE books, which are the only ones I've read) are great and tend to fit the theme.

It's FFG's assignment of species and specializations that really drives me bananas...

I can see somewhat that stance - I guess I'd be more frustrated if you were locked by Career, but since you aren't, it's less of an issue. Though, for someone who prefers only EotE material, then yeah, definitely annoying since something like Beast Rider is - thus far - only an Ace Specialization.

If you look beyond Star Wars itself, Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop is both a devoted martial artist and one of the more iconic fictional bounty hunters to be found after the Fetts. That may have played some part in inspiring the spec being assigned to bounty hunters.

Of course a martial artist can be a bounty-hunter in other genres or established fictions. Of course there can be kung-fu in certain styles of western, especially pulp western!

As for Star Wars, the role and place of the martial artist or martial arts-like character, samurai and kung-fu equivalent, has always been filled by the jedi and force-sensitive characters.

This is part of what makes Star Wars feel like Star wars and not Firefly, Star Trek or Cowboy Bebop for that matter.

I would be very surprised if FFG all of a sudden went against the established genre conventions that makes Star Wars Rebel Era feel like Star Wars Rebel Era, like calling the spec "martial artist".

This does not mean there can`t go all the way with a hand-to-hand + melee focused Bountyhunter spec, but they should flavour it differently and call it something else than Martial Artist or Ninja.

I would have to think they had an idea of what the spec would actually be focused on, in this case hand to hand combat. Then they may have come up with a list of names and martial artist was the best fit. Wrestler, pit fighter, brawler, boxer could all have been on that list. But to them the developers martial artist was obviously the best fit to their concept.

I believe the intention of specialisation names has always been to a evoke The essence of what a specialisation is all about. But it has never been the intention that The specific name is all that the spec can be used for. A Driver is actually quite a good mechanic, a Politico could be a lawyer, a marauder could be a pit fighter.

I would have to think they had an idea of what the spec would actually be focused on, in this case hand to hand combat. Then they may have come up with a list of names and martial artist was the best fit. Wrestler, pit fighter, brawler, boxer could all have been on that list. But to them the developers martial artist was obviously the best fit to their concept.

I believe the intention of specialisation names has always been to a evoke The essence of what a specialisation is all about. But it has never been the intention that The specific name is Paul that the spec can be used for. A Driver is actually quite a good mechanic, a Politico could be a lawyer, a marauder could be a pit fighter.

Exactly. My Bounty Hunter PC is a Gadgeteer/Trailblazer currently, but those are just meta terms used for mechanics. Really, all your specializations coalesce to form your concept, and the terms used don't really matter that much. 'Martial Artist' is a catch-all term for any type of disciplined style of hand-to-hand combat, so it makes sense they'd choose it.

This is not a generic system, but a Star Wars emulator and I feel they have done a good job of naming careers and specs, even talents and skills, that fit the fiction.

It's why there are careers called bountyhunter and smuggler instead of space-fighter and space-rogue, the reason why we say the Force instead of magic.

Genre convention and specific fiction emulation.

This is not a generic system, but a Star Wars emulator and I feel they have done a good job of naming careers and specs, even talents and skills, that fit the fiction.

It's why there are careers called bountyhunter and smuggler instead of space-fighter and space-rogue, the reason why we say the Force instead of magic.

Genre convention and specific fiction emulation.

Well, sure, but inevitably you're gonna have to name something that may not fit what we've seen so far as entirely representative. I mean, some of the Force and Destiny Careers skirt that line, and there are a few Specializations that are pretty generic. FFG usually manages to write awesome flavor, as I said, so they make it work with what they've got.

This is not a system emulator and I feel they have done a good name of naming careers and specs, even talents and skills, that fit the fiction.

It's why there are careers called bountyhunter and smuggler instead of space-fighter and space-rogue, the reason why we say the Force instead of magic.

Genre convention and specific fiction emulation.

Fair call. And I agree we don't see any martial artists in the popular Canon. But that's the same with many of the specs. Doctor? Demolitionist? Thief? Survivalist?

Any of the specs are either extrapolation from a single scene of a character or completely drawn from Legends.

This is not a generic system, but a Star Wars emulator and I feel they have done a good job of naming careers and specs, even talents and skills, that fit the fiction.

It's why there are careers called bountyhunter and smuggler instead of space-fighter and space-rogue, the reason why we say the Force instead of magic.

Genre convention and specific fiction emulation.

Well, sure, but inevitably you're gonna have to name something that may not fit what we've seen so far as entirely representative. I mean, some of the Force and Destiny Careers skirt that line, and there are a few Specializations that are pretty generic. FFG usually manages to write awesome flavor, as I said, so they make it work with what they've got.

At least they didn't call it "Monk"

This is not a generic system, but a Star Wars emulator and I feel they have done a good job of naming careers and specs, even talents and skills, that fit the fiction.

It's why there are careers called bountyhunter and smuggler instead of space-fighter and space-rogue, the reason why we say the Force instead of magic.

Genre convention and specific fiction emulation.

Well, sure, but inevitably you're gonna have to name something that may not fit what we've seen so far as entirely representative. I mean, some of the Force and Destiny Careers skirt that line, and there are a few Specializations that are pretty generic. FFG usually manages to write awesome flavor, as I said, so they make it work with what they've got.

I understand that and agree. Generic can be OK. But generic in the right way! Is martial artist generic in the right way or does it break the fiction if not tied to a force tradition? I'm not sure, I've got mixed feelings about this one...

Well, no, because the fiction already includes martial arts that aren't tied to force traditions, like the Kage Warriors... who I think actually got into some martial arts fights with bounty hunters.

This is not a generic system, but a Star Wars emulator and I feel they have done a good job of naming careers and specs, even talents and skills, that fit the fiction.

It's why there are careers called bountyhunter and smuggler instead of space-fighter and space-rogue, the reason why we say the Force instead of magic.

Genre convention and specific fiction emulation.

Well, sure, but inevitably you're gonna have to name something that may not fit what we've seen so far as entirely representative. I mean, some of the Force and Destiny Careers skirt that line, and there are a few Specializations that are pretty generic. FFG usually manages to write awesome flavor, as I said, so they make it work with what they've got.

I understand that and agree. Generic can be OK. But generic in the right way! Is martial artist generic in the right way or does it break the fiction if not tied to a force tradition? I'm not sure, I've got mixed feelings about this one...

Well, no, because the fiction already includes martial arts that aren't tied to force traditions, like the Kage Warriors... who I think actually got into some martial arts fights with bounty hunters.

This is not a generic system, but a Star Wars emulator and I feel they have done a good job of naming careers and specs, even talents and skills, that fit the fiction.

It's why there are careers called bountyhunter and smuggler instead of space-fighter and space-rogue, the reason why we say the Force instead of magic.

Genre convention and specific fiction emulation.

Well, sure, but inevitably you're gonna have to name something that may not fit what we've seen so far as entirely representative. I mean, some of the Force and Destiny Careers skirt that line, and there are a few Specializations that are pretty generic. FFG usually manages to write awesome flavor, as I said, so they make it work with what they've got.

I understand that and agree. Generic can be OK. But generic in the right way! Is martial artist generic in the right way or does it break the fiction if not tied to a force tradition? I'm not sure, I've got mixed feelings about this one...

Well, no, because the fiction already includes martial arts that aren't tied to force traditions, like the Kage Warriors... who I think actually got into some martial arts fights with bounty hunters.

Good point!But didn't Rigosso actually call them marauders? Does anyone ever talk about martial arts? Interesting if they do! .. As I said, I have mixed feelings.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Martial_arts

Interesting.. Guess I'm warming up to the idea. And I can see how it fits the Clone Wars show or other eras and sub-genres/ interpretations of the Star Wars fiction, but I'm still not sure how it will fit in to classic rebel era Star Was that ffg is trying to emulate. Still, very interesting!

New Player Race:

Mandalorian Human

2 Brawn, 2 Agility, 2 Intellect, 2 Cunning, 2 Willpower, 2 Presence

Mandalorian Humans begin the game with 100 xp.

Mandalorian Humans begin the game with one rank in any one of the following: Ranged - Heavy, Ranged - Light, Melee, Brawl, Gunnery.

REALLY FFG!? Would it have killed you to at least include this a new species option?

New Player Race:

Mandalorian Human

2 Brawn, 2 Agility, 2 Intellect, 2 Cunning, 2 Willpower, 2 Presence

Mandalorian Humans begin the game with 110 xp.

Mandalorian Humans begin the game with one free rank in any one of the following skills and may spend starting experience to raise it to 3 at character creation: Ranged - Heavy, Ranged - Light, Brawl, Melee, Gunnery

REALLY FFG!? Would it have killed you to at least include this a new species option?

At least they got the title right.

New Player Race:

Mandalorian Human

2 Brawn, 2 Agility, 2 Intellect, 2 Cunning, 2 Willpower, 2 Presence

Mandalorian Humans begin the game with 100 xp.

Mandalorian Humans begin the game with one rank in any one of the following: Ranged - Heavy, Ranged - Light, Melee, Brawl, Gunnery.

Characters may still not begin play with more than 2 ranks in any skill

REALLY FFG!? Would it have killed you to at least include this a new species option?

The Madalorians as a playable race are being included in a different supplement.

Thanks for the heads up Tramp, but I'll recommend not to holding any breaths until an announcement, lol.

It has been announced. In fact, the book is already on the boat. The book in question is Friends Like These .

Within the 96 full-color pages of this supplment, players and game masters will find gazetteers for three new planets, countless NPCs, and directions for creating playable human characters of the Mandalorian culture. Although designed primarily for Age of Rebellion players, because of its Outer Rim focus and balance between warfare and diplomacy, Friends Like These is ideal for groups incorporating characters and material from Edge of the Empire ™ and Force and Destiny ™ as well.

Thanks, Tramp.

I'm the scrub EotE GM who doesn't click AoR links.

Man, Tramp, that art is encouraging, I do hope you are right!

That would be a great thing to include in order to sell an adventure book.

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/star-wars-age-of-rebellion/products/friends-these/

Man, Tramp, that art is encouraging, I do hope you are right!

That would be a great thing to include in order to sell an adventure book.

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/star-wars-age-of-rebellion/products/friends-these/

Yep. To quote:

Within the 96 full-color pages of this supplment, players and game masters will find gazetteers for three new planets, countless NPCs, and directions for creating playable human characters of the Mandalorian culture. Although designed primarily for Age of Rebellion players, because of its Outer Rim focus and balance between warfare and diplomacy, Friends Like These is ideal for groups incorporating characters and material from Edge of the Empire™ and Force and Destiny™ as well.

It was a fun adventure overall. Interested in the final product.

It was a fun adventure overall. Interested in the final product.

Why?!! Why must you torture us with your superior knowledge!!

At least it should be here in a week or so according to our Togruta Seer.

Mostly cuz I can, although it also reminds me of torturing my kids with xmas presents under the tree when they were itty bitty. I enjoyed the hell out of that as well...