Riding beasts in EotE?

By Harlock999, in Star Wars: Edge of the Empire RPG

While I realize FFG made the "obviously logical" decision to include beasts and a beast riding specialization for their AoR fighter pilot career book... (sigh)

Are there any statted riding beasts - other than the carrion spat (chocobo?) from the Corellian sector source book - in the dedicated EotE books?

I can't think of any. And, as FFG has claimed each line can be played as its own game system, this seems like a huge oversight.

The Explorer and Bounty Hunter books seemed ripe for this sort of thing. Maybe we'll get a Tatooine source book that includes info on bantha and dewbacks?

Edited by Harlock999

All the game books are 100% compatible. So while you don't need any other core to play the game all of the stuff in each of the lines is 100% usable. Many use all 3 lines as one big system.

I believe rancors are in the Edge core book, you can convert basically any beast big enough into something you can ride ^-^

It just that the rules for taming beast, converting their stats into vehicle stats are only in Stay on Target. Though I might be wrong, there might be a FaD career book about animal companions which might include those rules as well. So basically, if you want to play a beast rider, even without the spec, you still want stay on target. :)

Several riding beasts appear in the "Creatures of the Galaxy" Adversary deck.

7 hours ago, SEApocalypse said:

Though I might be wrong, there might be a FaD career book about animal companions which might include those rules as well.

In fact, all of those rules are duplicated in Savage Spirits, though it includes different animal stats.

As for Edge of the Empire, I have to agree with you on the weird scarcity of stats available for riding mounts. I was very surprised to find that there's not so much as a bantha given stats - despite being supposedly ubiquitous throughout the Outer Rim, they're only in Stay on Target. There are two more usable mounts in Suns of Fortune aside from the carrion spat, however: the great ibbot from Drall on page 28, and the spooked ronto on page 65. Seems to be nearly exactly like a regular ronto, just pretend it's not spooked, simple as that.

But I'll second picking up Stay on Target and/or Savage Spirits just for the extra animal mounts and related rules, if you're really interested in exploring that.

Edited by Herf Nerder

The three additional specs in Stay on Target are excellent additions as out of career specs to many PC's. The Astromec rules are excellent, there is some very nice equipment, and then all the Silhouette 3 vehicles. Really the beast riding rules and beast stats would just be a bonus.

So in other words... EotE is indeed NOT a complete game system as you get zero info on the specifics of riding mounts (but get stats for a carrion spat and an ibbot! woo! two whole creatures!) UNLESS you pick up an AoR or F&D supplement.

I mean, that's what nearly EVERY post keeps echoing.

(And, correct me if I'm wrong, but EotE is the line that's supposed to take place on the wild galactic fringe where you might actually find colonists, explorers, and bounty hunters employing beasts of burden alongside various mounted beasts.)

FFG absolutely needs to rectify this in a sector book or adventure book.

Edited by Harlock999

Honestly it's the lack of Armour crafting rules in EotE that surprises me more. I also think FFG are trying hard to tread a fine line between new material and reprinting elements they see as optional.

As we saw with the recent Friends Like These adventure they are definitely trying to make the Adventures and Region books more appealing to everyone. Traditionally those are considered "GM only" which is ok, but that cuts your already small group of customers significantly. Holding back some material for those books sounds sensible to me.

I think there are plenty of areas unexplored by FFG that they can delve into now that Edges careers are done. I hope we get a lot more material on regions, along with unique and interesting adventures. But it will only happen if they maintain a broad appeal to every new book (and reprint often as the new movies come out!). Only time will really tell, but the next Edge announcement should hopefully give us some guidance.

I could certainly see a planet based Edge adventure where beasts and survival take centre stage. Perhaps a series of long hunts on remote worlds.

46 minutes ago, Richardbuxton said:

I think FFG are trying hard to tread a fine line between new material and reprinting elements they see as optional.

As someone who only picks up the EotE line? I can (begrudgingly) live without Star Destroyer stats or species info on the Mon Cal and Sullustans.

Hey, I could just substitute an Interdictor or Nebulon-B (although I've always had a hard time seeing that one as an Imperial vessel) or suggest a Quarren or Duros.

But to not have any specifics on mounts? And to only have two mounts in how many EotE books now?!? Yeah, it's time for some reprinted material that should not be seen as optional, FFG.

At this point, with all career books completed for EotE, the lack of info on beasts of burden and creature mounts is really unforgivable; this is the only area where I believe FFG has really dropped the ball...

Again, an AoR supplement... (sigh)

1 hour ago, Harlock999 said:

Again, an AoR supplement... (sigh)

why is this a problem. technically it is all one system with different focuses.

Yeah. I get that you only want to get the EotE line, I really do....

That being said coming on here and complaining is not going to garner any sympathy from me. If you want the rules, you pony up the cash. It's not like those books aren't going to give you something. It gives you new gear, starfighters and other items to use. While they are themed toward military use there are decent gear, ships and other items that people can use.

Plus someone just provided you with a free way to get a part of the information you want here and all you can say is "Oh no, the cover of the book says Age of Rebellion, and is in red...even though it could literally be any colour and all called the same and then I'd be okay with it because it's not branded as a particular bit of Star Wars I personally dislike."

Saving money, and only buying one line is a perfectly valid choice. However, like choices there are consequences and if you are not prepared to pay for those consequences (quite literally in this case it seems) then I have one word for you: tough.

Furthermore, what is optional and required are very subjective things. You seem to think beast riding is a big deal and something that cannot be missed. I personally would prefer to see something new than a reprint of mechanics I have never ever used.

Edit: Sorry if I come off as confrontational in this exchange. I just don't think you are being fair to the system and the only reason you are not picking up book lines is sheer stubbornness to not get the other lines. The simplest solution is before you: buy Stay on Target.

Edited by Ebak
14 hours ago, Harlock999 said:

So in other words... EotE is indeed NOT a complete game system as you get zero info on the specifics of riding mounts (but get stats for a carrion spat and an ibbot! woo! two whole creatures!) UNLESS you pick up an AoR or F&D supplement.

I mean, that's what nearly EVERY post keeps echoing.

(And, correct me if I'm wrong, but EotE is the line that's supposed to take place on the wild galactic fringe where you might actually find colonists, explorers, and bounty hunters employing beasts of burden alongside various mounted beasts.)

FFG absolutely needs to rectify this in a sector book or adventure book.

Really not seeing the logic on the game somehow being incomplete for not including mount rules. It's not like it's D&D, this is pretty niche stuff in this setting.

For every person like you who only wants to play within the one line, I'd guess there's at least two or three who cross over content from all three lines, and groan every time a significant amount of a book is used to reprint old information that is already available. The systems are designed from the ground up to be as compatible as possible, and that seems to be how most people use them, in my experience. Having the riding rules printed in three different books seems wasteful to a lot of these people, I'm sure, when that pagecount could be used for other, new things.

Not to mention the fact that you really should consider it Star wars rpg with 3 subsets that focus on 3 different parts of what is star wars. All use the EXACT same mechanics. each with a slightly different narrative aspects.

On 2/3/2017 at 7:36 PM, SFC Snuffy said:

Several riding beasts appear in the "Creatures of the Galaxy" Adversary deck.

This....^ get this Harlock. It's an EoE deck

15 hours ago, Harlock999 said:

So in other words... EotE is indeed NOT a complete game system as you get zero info on the specifics of riding mounts (but get stats for a carrion spat and an ibbot! woo! two whole creatures!) UNLESS you pick up an AoR or F&D supplement.

I mean, that's what nearly EVERY post keeps echoing.

(And, correct me if I'm wrong, but EotE is the line that's supposed to take place on the wild galactic fringe where you might actually find colonists, explorers, and bounty hunters employing beasts of burden alongside various mounted beasts.)

FFG absolutely needs to rectify this in a sector book or adventure book.

I am not sure if I would stay that the missing riding rules make EotE incomplete, especially not when the force powers would make a so much more powerful case.

17 hours ago, SEApocalypse said:

I am not sure if I would stay that the missing riding rules make EotE incomplete, especially not when the force powers would make a so much more powerful case.

Because riding rules DO make sense in the "wild galactic fringe" setting.

Force powers DO NOT make sense (other than those being developed by Luke Skywalker) in the "wild galactic fringe" setting in the time frame of 3 ABY.

Yeah, ha, I'm not a fan of FaD; it flies in the face of the OT IMHO. But so does the kids' series "Rebels." Again IMHO.

17 hours ago, 2P51 said:

This....^ get this Harlock. It's an EoE deck

Thanks, gentlemen. I may look into this... Although I would vastly prefer a small "text box" in a book with a short list of creatures.

2P51, as a playtester, I do wish you would make it known to FFG that this could be an issue. Especially if FFG's still holding fast to its original stance that each line can be played separately.

I know you're not a fan of reprinting a beast rider spec. And I'm certainly not pushing for that. But a bit more info? And several more creatures and mounts? I think that's perfectly reasonable.

19 hours ago, Ebak said:

Saving money, and only buying one line is a perfectly valid choice. However, like choices there are consequences and if you are not prepared to pay for those consequences (quite literally in this case it seems) then I have one word for you: tough.

Furthermore, what is optional and required are very subjective things. You seem to think beast riding is a big deal and something that cannot be missed. I personally would prefer to see something new than a reprint of mechanics I have never ever used.

Spoken like someone willing to spend all of their disposable income on EVERYTHING FFG releases. Good for you in helping to keep the company afloat. Ha.

But to say "tough" to the rest of us? What callous disregard.

Reprinting material that might take up a whole one page is not what I'd call unreasonable. Especially material that, yes, should be necessary for a "wild" setting that was based on the U.S. Western.

While I have no idea why the 'light horsemen / militaristic' feel of mounted combat ended up in a fighter pilot book as opposed to a soldier book? I get why it's included in AoR.

But to recreate the feel of mounted bandits, rangers, lawmen, and bounty hunters (especially for those of us who grew up with the animated segment from the holiday special and the old Saturday morning cartoon "Droids?"), FFG should absolutely throw the 'EotE only' crowd a bone.

Two mounts in one book (out of how many)? And no other info is, again, ridiculous.

4 hours ago, Harlock999 said:

Spoken like someone willing to spend all of their disposable income on EVERYTHING FFG releases. Good for you in helping to keep the company afloat. Ha.

But to say "tough" to the rest of us? What callous disregard.

Reprinting material that might take up a whole one page is not what I'd call unreasonable. Especially material that, yes, should be necessary for a "wild" setting that was based on the U.S. Western.

While I have no idea why the 'light horsemen / militaristic' feel of mounted combat ended up in a fighter pilot book as opposed to a soldier book? I get why it's included in AoR.

But to recreate the feel of mounted bandits, rangers, lawmen, and Bounty Hunter s (especially for those of us who grew up with the animated segment from the holiday special and the old Saturday morning cartoon "Droids?"), FFG should absolutely throw the 'EotE only' crowd a bone.

Two mounts in one book (out of how many)? And no other info is, again, ridiculous.

Yes I do purchase most of FFG's Star Wars line, because I enjoy it. Any comments I've seen from you seem to suggest nothing but contempt for FFG and the way they do their system. Your opinion is your opinion but if you have so much contempt for FFG, what are you still doing here?

As for saying 'Tough' well that's how the world works and how I see things. You are asking for something that can easily be attained by simply purchasing Stay on Target. Yet instead of doing that very simple thing you're on here complaining about how it's not featured in any EotE book line. I get you don't want to collect all the Star Wars books and that's fine...

Furthermore, no matter what way you look at it there is 'callous disregard'. You call my attitude callous for those who want mount rules in Edge. I'd say it's callous disregard for people who stubbornly only purchase the Edge line to moan that we get toys that we don't. Yes I spent money on all the books, a complete collection. I did this because I love the system and to give me access to everything. Now someone comes along and wants to get the same/similar result without spending the time, effort, and resources that I did. To add, it does take up space for new items. Especially when you can just buy Stay on Target.

As I have said before, you have to pay the piper for your decision. We all want something and sometimes we can't always have it. Although in this case, you get little sympathy for me because the option to buy Stay on Target does exist. I know it's an AoR book, but it has vehicle stats, weapons, game mechanics and other items that you might find useful even if you are not running an AoR campaign. Don't buy the AoR line in its entirety, just that one book! Plus if you ever do want to go into AoR (although your attitude suggests that is unlikely) then you already have an expansion book.

I don't know your background. I don't know if your decision to only buy one line is a financially motivated one, or simply because you dislike AoR & FaD. Either way, you can't have your cake and eat it too. FFG's books are not unreasonably priced and the distance between each release is so few and far between that it should be easy to justify a book purchase now and again. Besides...the last career splatbook is now out, what else have you got to buy in the future?

Also it is not like FFG is coming out with a new book every week. We get a new book what every couple months? and those books retail for 40 bucks. If you can afford the Edge books you can afford to acquire an Age book. You could even eventually get the whole line if you wanted. I am kinda with Ebak. If it were a different color you would buy it. so why is it unobtainable because it is red?

Edited by Daeglan

Just to be clear Beast Riding is all like regular Piloting just using the Survival skill. It works exactly the same way. What you actually get in SoT and SS is a method for converting beasts to mounts, rules for training, 2 new beast only manoeuvres and the actual stats of creatures. If all you want are creatures just use this compendium . Sure it doesn't have the full descriptions but it's a good taste.

As for good Beast Riding specs that are not Beast Rider, Big Game Hunter, Survivalist, Scout and Marauder all work rather well depending on your needs.

6 hours ago, Harlock999 said:

Spoken like someone willing to spend all of their disposable income on EVERYTHING FFG releases. Good for you in helping to keep the company afloat. Ha.

But to say "tough" to the rest of us? What callous disregard.

Reprinting material that might take up a whole one page is not what I'd call unreasonable. Especially material that, yes, should be necessary for a "wild" setting that was based on the U.S. Western.

While I have no idea why the 'light horsemen / militaristic' feel of mounted combat ended up in a fighter pilot book as opposed to a soldier book? I get why it's included in AoR.

But to recreate the feel of mounted bandits, rangers, lawmen, and bounty hunters (especially for those of us who grew up with the animated segment from the holiday special and the old Saturday morning cartoon "Droids?"), FFG should absolutely throw the 'EotE only' crowd a bone.

Two mounts in one book (out of how many)? And no other info is, again, ridiculous.

I think this is the wrong way to look at it. There are three fluffs, AoR, FaD, EoE, but they are all one system. So making the choice to stay just within one fluff is an odd one, because the themes of all three settings overlap and thus do the books. Riding, Driving, Flying, Diving, everything vehicle related is summarized in Stay on Target, because the main career for this stuff is the ace, which fits as well to include space and horse jockeys in the same book, especially as riding mounts are handled as vehicles, with all the advantages and disadvantages that comes with it. The same can be said about all other career books. If the focus activity of a career is important for your game, pick the book up. If it is not, you can ignore the extra, does not matter if is is part of your prefered fluff line or not.

23 hours ago, Ebak said:

(1) Any comments I've seen from you seem to suggest nothing but contempt for FFG and the way they do their system.

(2) Furthermore, no matter what way you look at it there is 'callous disregard'. You call my attitude callous for those who want mount rules in Edge. I'd say it's callous disregard for people who stubbornly only purchase the Edge line to moan that we get toys that we don't. Yes I spent money on all the books, a complete collection. I did this because I love the system and to give me access to everything. Now someone comes along and wants to get the same/similar result without spending the time, effort, and resources that I did.

(3) I don't know your background. I don't know if your decision to only buy one line is a financially motivated one, or simply because you dislike AoR & FaD. Either way, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

(1) I believe my quote above is something along the lines of "this is really the only area in which I believe FFG dropped the ball." Hardly contempt.

That said, in the past, I have certainly voiced opinions on how FFG's assignment of specs and species stats seem rather arbitrary at times. (E.g., beast rider in Ace, Kyuzo in soldier, martial artist in bounty hunter) But again, not what I would call contempt. In fact, I've often praised FFG for their work on these books! Heck, I own every bit of the EotE line with the exception of the card decks.

(2) So it's "callous disregard" for those of us who purchase only one line to ask for ONE item that, as I've pointed out, would only take up a page's worth of text? And an item that is intrinsically tied to the source material, as I've pointed out? I think you really need to look in the mirror before calling someone out as unreasonable. Especially considering you're angry that someone who didn't spend the hundreds of dollars on material that you did should feel "entitled" to a simple text box and a few statted creatures...

(3) Wow, bet you're a real blast at parties. Ha. Again, you're ignoring the fact that each line in the Star Wars roleplaying system by FFG was originally advertised as a complete game system. As time has worn on, many have seemingly forgotten this little tidbit ... and see all of it as ONE big thing. And that's fine. But... It's, again, not what was originally on the tin.

And, yes, as someone who elected to purchase the one line (whether I'm financially strapped or only interested in the "wild galactic fringe" setting is neither here nor there), I would like to think that FFG - and its playtesters - might be interested to find something (again, only ONE thing IMHO) lacking in one of its lines.