So with the release of the new Mass Effect game, I'm still really loving Star Wars, but I was thinking about how difficult it would be to convert this system over to using it for the Mass Effect universe. I figure a lot of the important work is already done; basically all of the professions from both Edge of the Empire and Age of Rebellion could be just dropped in without anything other than cosmetic changes. The races probably won't be all that difficult to convert, and there's far fewer to worry about in Mass Effect than there are for Star Wars. I think the biggest thing is probably going to end up being the biotic system; there are probably a few Force powers that could be ported straight over, but biotics have some very different capabilities than Force powers, and they don't have a morality component. Dropping Morality is probably not that big a deal, and hell, even changing the Destiny pool isn't that difficult - just call the two sides, instead of Light and Dark, Paragon and Renegade.

Has anyone else had this on their minds lately? Or could I possibly be the only one?

This is spooky, I was thinking about this just the other day, I think the system would work quite well for Mass Effect.

I think the hardest thing besides biotics would be if you tried to convey every weapon in the game, it would be easier to start with some more generic ones, then branch out. Such as have each weapon type, then have a fire rate version of each one to.

Another thought occurred to me when I was thinking about this, what galaxy would you set it it? Setting it up so you could do both would be more work initially but would probably be better in the end.

For biotics, a few new powers would have to be created but I think if its balenced right it would work very well.

I have also had similar thoughts. I actually have thought that the Star Wars rules would fit well as a system for Mass Effect, Firefly and Battlestar Galactica games.

I think there's probably a wide range of biotic powers than we have seen in the mass effect games, probably as all powers in the games focus on combat. As all Asari have biotics for example, I'm sure that there are loads of biotic powers that have not been shown or mentioned in the games.

Certainly there are some force powers that don't fit, and some biotic powers that do not have similar force powers, but most should be fine I think. I guess it depends on if you only want biotic powers that have appeared in the mass effect games. I personally would probably just go through the list of force powers, remove a few and create a few new biotic powers that I feel are missing.

Other than that, it feels like Star Wars and Mass Effect have similar technological levels, so it should fit well.

Stangely the Numenera game works well with mass effect and destiny type games. The FFG system would work, but you would need to redo the fluff material including careers and specs, and force powers.

I'll just throw my hat in the "thought about it" crowd. I know that I wouldn't have enough in person interest to run a game, so I've never put any of my ideas on paper. I do think it'd be the system I'd want to use if I ever did run a game simply b/c of the mechanics, even if another system might be easier to convert.

I think there was an attempt to make a ME conversion somewhere. You might find it in the compiled resources thread, if the links are still good.

I had actually put some thought into building a universe with the same structure as ME, just with expanded classes and powers! ;-)

But, unfortunately, I'm the only one that loves Mass Effect, for that matter even likes it. :-/ Thankfully, All of my players like or love Star Wars though. :-)

FFG should pick up the rights to make a Mass Effect ttrpg, I'm sure that it would be a huge line too.

You can find most if not everything about fan-made Mass Effect RPG related things here:

http://masseffectd6.blogspot.de/

That said, as much as I like Mass Effect, I am not inclined to play neither a D20 nor a D6 based game. I just don't like the systems. A FFG based Mass Effect though...

Unfortunately I am a terrible designer for adventures. So I would need pregens from others.

There was actually a VERY good Fate-Based Mass Effect Game floating around for awhile, sadly the original site is down but if you can find a copy somewhere it's worth playing.

Though My one attempt to run it was short-lived, but only due to scheduling reasons.

There is also a D6 Conversion that is well done (It's probably the one linked above.).

I know a fair number of people dislike the D6 System but as a long-time fan and GM I've always loved it for it's simplicity.

Using D6 for both ME and SW has and added advantage...Crossover! 8D

The Fate ME Game I started to run was ironically slated to eventually end up in Andromeda, and that was before word of ME: Andromeda even dropped.

Can you imagine the possibilities...Andromeda Initiative Crew go to sleep, 600 years later they wake up...in a Galaxy Far, Far Away...oops, shoulda taken that left turn at Aldeberan!

Alright, I've seen some other things people have done as conversion for Mass Effect, though some are sadly lost to time, and I've started working on my own. Now, I've never actually played a Force-user, or GMed a game with one in it, so I don't have a good idea on how they or their powers are balanced. With that caveat - and that it has been years since I have tried to hack a system like this - here's my very, very rough initial draft of what a Charge power might look like.

Charge Basic Power

The biotic user may make a Charge attack; the attack can Charge a target within one range band, moving to Engaged distance. The Charge attack uses Discipline for the attack roll, and has the following characteristics: Damage 5, Strain 5, Crit Rating 3, Range Short, Disorient 1 and Knockdown.

The user may spend (Biotic pip) to Charge an opponent.

Range

Spend (Biotic pip) to increase power’s range by a number of range bands equal to Range upgrades purchased. (x2 Range upgrades)

Strength

Spend (Biotic pip) to increase wounds and strain inflicted by 1 per rank of Strength upgrades purchased. (x3 Strength upgrades)

Control 1

Make the Charge attack Disorient 3.

Control 2

Reduce the Crit Rating of the Charge attack by 1.

Control 4

Inflict additional wounds and strain equal to ranks in Melee.

Control 3

Spend (Biotic pip); give the Charge attack Ensnare 2.

Magnitude

Spend (biotic pip); Charge may affect additional targets as if the attack had Blast 5; additional targets hit are also affected by Disorient and Knockdown.

Mastery

Biotic user may spend (Biotic pip) to reduce critical rating of Charge attack to 1.

Charge

I I I I

Range Strength Control 1 Control 2

I I I I

Range Strength Control 3 Strength

I I I

Magnitude Control 4 Mastery

I was fiddling with this idea a couple months ago, (thought about it a few years ago), and the whole system really works just fine, the only hiccups I found with the plan was:

1) Biotics conversion with the Force. KnightVeritas there basically pointed out the way I was planning on doing it. I was basically going to wipe out the force powers (and use a few that worked fine, like Hold, which is basically stasis). Hawkbat strike is basically charge, so I was going to use that as a basis. I felt biotics was going to be a character creation thing, as you would have to deal with implant levels as well, so it wouldn't quite be like picking the Force Exile or Emergent later on like "oh I have the force now." I did have a list of the old powers spread out into different types, I'll have to find that.

The new game has added some new stuff which might be easier to cross over, I haven't played it much yet (though I do seem to miss a few of the old powers like Warp, ah well.)

2)Shields, and armour. A lot of the characters durability in ME stems from a shield system build into the armour, or biotic barriers. I had a rough plan to redo the armour and bascally add in setback die that can be used once per round, and then you would have to use a maneuver to recharge them, and then there was amps, and cool down mods as well as increasing shields. I think I still need to work on it some, but it was a start.

3) Some ME class things would be armour upgrades, while others would be specializations to add, much like the Force talent trees. Cloaking field (Infiltrator), that's just an expensive armour upgrade, whereas the Vanguard would be mostly a talent tree. I feel like for some specialization trees it would be best to go back and look at how ME1 did it. But with Andromeda it shows you can cherry pick and mix and match using multiclass to get a bit of everything.

I'll try and get a scan of my notes or something in the near future, or put more time into it. But, busy with things, and Mass Effect

Otherwise, as is I think the whole Star Wars system fits ME just fine. Until you get into Biotics and shields/armour, everything works pretty fine as is. Oh and all Geth follow minion rules.

Alright, I've spent a good chunk of the day working on this, and gotten through the races, some of the equipment, and some material on biotics. I took the advice of tehRJ and reworked my Charge using Hawk Bat Swoop as a basis. A friend who's been helping me on this recommended that I make most Tech powers as attachments for omni-tools, and so that's what I've done; I haven't attached any costs to those yet, but I assume the more powerful ones would be either Restricted, very expensive, or both. I'm attaching what I have so far.

Mass Effect Conversion Notes.docx

Saga edition (or plain old d20 if you can find it I guess) is probably a better place to go with a Star Wars-to-Mass Effect conversion. A blanket Use the Biotics (?) check to activate powers seems to be a bit more in-line with the universe rather than giving in to the dark side of biotic power??? Plus it is essentially as easy as taking ranks in UtF so the imppimentation of a character getting implants is simple enough without any big rules reworks.

Additionally there is considerably more granularity to weapons and the like so that seems like it would go a long way to being more appropriate for the setting - there is a bit of an emphasis on the specifics of guns and differentiating them from one another in the games, or that is how I see it.

14 hours ago, KnightVeritas said:

Alright, I've spent a good chunk of the day working on this, and gotten through the races, some of the equipment, and some material on biotics. I took the advice of tehRJ and reworked my Charge using Hawk Bat Swoop as a basis. A friend who's been helping me on this recommended that I make most Tech powers as attachments for omni-tools, and so that's what I've done; I haven't attached any costs to those yet, but I assume the more powerful ones would be either Restricted, very expensive, or both. I'm attaching what I have so far.

Mass Effect Conversion Notes.docx

Link doesn't work for me...

4 hours ago, Imperial Stormtrooper said:

Link doesn't work for me...

Hmm, not sure what's wrong there. Works for me downloading to my phone, so I'm not sure what the issue is.

14 hours ago, RixxyAGoGo said:

Saga edition (or plain old d20 if you can find it I guess) is probably a better place to go with a Star Wars-to-Mass Effect conversion. A blanket Use the Biotics (?) check to activate powers seems to be a bit more in-line with the universe rather than giving in to the dark side of biotic power??? Plus it is essentially as easy as taking ranks in UtF so the imppimentation of a character getting implants is simple enough without any big rules reworks.

Additionally there is considerably more granularity to weapons and the like so that seems like it would go a long way to being more appropriate for the setting - there is a bit of an emphasis on the specifics of guns and differentiating them from one another in the games, or that is how I see it.

I think how I planned on using dark side pips was to just cause extra strain to use biotics. And that in turn would be further mitigated by different biotic implants that would allow you to get away with using DS points without strain. So at low levels especially, you would be able to use DS pips, but at a cost to yourself. And would make you spend money or obligation to improve your implants over time.

I'll try and find my notes in a bit, might try to just take a picture, not sure if I have time to write them all out right now.

Some interesting thoughts on the subject in this podcast right here.

Alright, I'm going to try and copy in the notes that I have thus far; it might take several posts, because there's a fair bit. To start with, I've got races.

Angara

Characteristic Ratings:

• Brawn: 2
• Presence: 3
• Intellect: 2
• Cunning: 1
• Agility: 2
• Willpower: 2

Wound Threshold: 10+Brawn

Strain Threshold: 11+Willpower

Starting Experience: 100 XP

Bioelectric Field: Angara have an exceptionally powerful bioelectric field, which allows them to sense things around them in ways other races cannot. Angara can spend 1 strain to sense all living things (sentient and non-sentient) within short range, or to sense the current emotional state of one living target with whom they are engaged.

Sunlight to Grow: Angara need sunlight – or rather, the electromagnetic radiation that a sun provides. If an Angara goes for longer than 24 hours without exposure to this radiation, they ‘go dark’; the difficulty of all checks they make is upgraded by one and they lose access to the above use of their bioelectric field. They often use portable ultraviolet lamps to make up for this.

Asari

Characteristic Ratings:

• Brawn: 1
• Presence: 3
• Intellect: 2
• Cunning: 2
• Agility: 2
• Willpower: 2

Wound Threshold: 10+Brawn

Strain Threshold: 11+Willpower

Starting Experience: 100 XP

Special Abilities: Asari begin the game with one rank in either Charm, Deception, or Coordination. They still may not train this skill above rank 2 during character creation.

Natural Biotics: All Asari are born with the ability to use biotics without the need for an implant. Asari can take Biotic specializations after character creation.

Batarian

Characteristic Ratings:

• Brawn: 2
• Presence: 2
• Intellect: 2
• Cunning: 2
• Agility: 2
• Willpower: 2

Wound Threshold: 11+Brawn

Strain Threshold: 10+Willpower

Starting Experience:90 XP

Special Abilities: Batarians begin the game with one rank in either Coerce, Survival, or Streetwise. They still may not train this skill above rank 2 during character creation.

Keen Sight: Batarians have evolved a highly developed sight, this grants a boost die on all sight based perception checks.

Drell

Characteristic Ratings:

• Brawn: 2
• Presence: 2
• Intellect: 2
• Cunning: 2
• Agility: 3
• Willpower: 2

Wound Threshold: 10+Brawn

Strain Threshold: 10+Willpower

Starting Experience: 70 XP

Special Abilities: Drell begin the game with one rank in either Athletics or Survival. They still may not train this skill above rank 2 during character creation. Drell start with one rank in the Expert Tracker Talent.

Arid Homeworld: Drell may remove a setback die imposed due to hot or arid environmental conditions, but gain a setback die on particularly humid or aquatic worlds.

Low-Light Vision: Drell gain a boost die negative to see in darkness, but they are otherwise color-blind and suffer a setback die on sight based perception checks.

Elcor

Characteristic Ratings:

• Brawn: 3
• Presence: 2
• Intellect: 2
• Cunning: 2
• Agility: 1
• Willpower: 2

Wound Threshold: 14+Brawn

Strain Threshold: 9+Willpower

Starting Experience: 90 XP

Special Abilities: Elcor begin the game with a rank in Resilience. They still may not train this skill above rank 2 during character creation.

Massive: Elcor are a large species. This can make things difficult for them, as most equipment is not tailored to their needs; new equipment costs 1.5 times its normal cost. However, because of their size and their species’ origin on a high-gravity planet, they don’t tend to be effected by extra weight; Elcor ignore all Cumbersome values.

Emotional Statement: Elcor have such flat affect in their voices that they preface statements with the emotion behind it; this makes them very poor at deception. Any roll such as Deception that requires the Elcor to be vocally deceptive, upgrade the difficulty by 1.

Geth

Characteristic Ratings:

• Brawn: 1
• Presence: 1
• Intellect: 1
• Cunning: 1
• Agility: 1
• Willpower: 1

Wound Threshold: 10+Brawn

Strain Threshold: 10+Willpower

Starting Experience: 200 XP

Special Abilities: Geth do not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, and are unaffected by toxins or poisons. Geth have a cybernetic implant cap of 6 instead of their Brawn rating. In addition, after selecting their career, a Geth Player Character may train one rank in six of the eight career skills (instead of the usual four). After selecting their first specialization, a Geth Player Character may train one rank in three of the four specialization skills (instead of the usual two).

Inorganic: Since Geth are inorganic, they do not gain the benefit of recovering with a medpack or Medicine skill check. Geth do recover naturally by resting, as their systems attempt self-repairs. Otherwise, Geth need to be tended to with a Mechanics check, using the same difficulties and results as a Medicine check for an organic being. Emergency repair patches can be used to repair damage just like medpacks are used on organic beings. See page 220 of Edge of the Empire for more. Due to their resilient metallic construction, Geth start the game with one rank in the Enduring talent.

Synthetic Being: Geth cannot start as biotics, or use them in any way. Geth cannot be affected by the biotic power Dominate.

Human

Characteristic Ratings:

• Brawn: 2
• Presence: 2
• Intellect: 2
• Cunning: 2
• Agility: 2
• Willpower: 2

Wound Threshold: 10+Brawn

Strain Threshold: 10+Willpower

Starting Experience: 110 XP

Special Abilities: Humans begin the game with one rank in two different non-career skills of their choosing. They still may not train either of these skills above rank 2 during character creation.

Krogan

Characteristic Ratings:

• Brawn: 3
• Presence: 2
• Intellect: 1
• Cunning: 2
• Agility: 2
• Willpower: 2

Wound Threshold: 14+Brawn

Strain Threshold: 9+Willpower

Starting Experience: 60 XP

Special Abilities: Krogan Begin the game with one rank in both Brawl, and Survival. They still may not train either of these skills above rank 2 during character creation. Krogan, start with one rank in the ‘Durable’ talent.

Blood Rage: Upon suffering any wounds a Krogan will being dealing +1 damage on any Brawl and Melee attacks, after a Krogan is critically injured, this modifier is upgraded to become +2 damage on any Brawl and Melee attacks.

Born Survivors: Krogan add one Boost Die to any Resilience checks made to overcome extreme heat and cold, toxins, and radiation.

Quarian

Characteristic Ratings:

• Brawn: 2
• Presence: 1
• Intellect: 3
• Cunning: 2
• Agility: 2
• Willpower: 2

Wound Threshold: 9+Brawn

Strain Threshold: 10+Willpower

Starting Experience: 100 XP

Special Abilities: Quarians begin the game with one rank in either Computers or Mechanics. They still may not train this skill above rank 2 during character creation. Quarians start with one rank in either the Scrounger (Utinni), or Technical Aptitude talents.

Compromised Immunity: Quarians possess a weakened immune system and thusly have to wear environment suits in order to avoid potential life threatening illness. A Quarian that does not have, or has a punctured enviro-suit, treats oxygen as a dangerous atmosphere with a rating of 4, and suffer a setback die to resist Toxin or Disease.

Starting Gear: Quarians begin the game with a custom enviro-suit, which counts as ‘Vacuum Sealed heavy clothing’.

Salarian

Characteristic Ratings:

• Brawn: 1
• Presence: 2
• Intellect: 3
• Cunning: 2
• Agility: 2
• Willpower: 2

Wound Threshold: 9+Brawn

Strain Threshold: 11+Willpower

Starting Experience: 60 XP

Special Abilities: Salarians begin the game with one rank in both Education and Perception. May train 1 skill up to 3 at character creation, this may be one of the two starting skills listed above. They still may not train any other skills above rank 2 during character creation. Salarians start with one rank in both the ‘Rapid Reaction’, and ‘Rapid Recovery’ Talents.

High Metabolism: Salarians only require one hour of sleep each day, although this does not give them the healing benefits of 8 hours of rest in only one hour, only mitigates the need for 8 hours of sleep. Natural healing still works as normal.

Low-Light Vision: Salarians gain a boost die to see in darkness.

Turian

Characteristic Ratings:

• Brawn: 2
• Presence: 2
• Intellect: 2
• Cunning: 1
• Agility: 2
• Willpower: 3

Wound Threshold: 10+Brawn

Strain Threshold: 12+Willpower

Starting Experience: 90 XP

Special Abilities: Turians begin the game with one rank in either Discipline or Leadership. They still may not train either skill above rank 2 during character creation.

Reflective Carapace: Turians have an evolved resistance to radiation, granting them a Boost Die to Resilience checks made to resist the effects of radiation.

Talons: When a Turian makes Brawl check to deal damage to an opponent, he deals +1 damage and has a critical rating of 4.

Volus

Characteristic Ratings:

• Brawn: 1
• Presence: 2
• Intellect: 3
• Cunning: 3
• Agility: 2
• Willpower: 1

Wound Threshold: 11+Brawn

Strain Threshold: 9+Willpower

Starting Experience: 100 XP

Special Abilities: Volus begin the game with one rank in either Deception or Negotiation. They still may not train either skill above rank 2 during character creation.

Ammonia Breathers: Volus evolved to breathe in an ammonia-rich atmosphere, and traditional nitrogen-oxygen mixes are poisonous to them. Volus start the game with an ammonia respirator, and treat oxygen as a dangerous atmosphere with Rating 8.

Vorcha

Characteristic Ratings:

• Brawn: 3
• Presence: 2
• Intellect: 2
• Cunning: 2
• Agility: 2
• Willpower: 1

Wound Threshold: 12+Brawn

Strain Threshold: 9+Willpower

Starting Experience: 80 XP

Special Abilities: Vorcha begin the game with one rank in Brawl. They may train Brawl (and only Brawl) up to rank 3 during character creation.

Regeneration: Whenever a Vorcha would recover one or more wounds from natural rest of recuperation, he recovers one additional wound. He does not recover one additional wound when receiving first aid or medical treatment from another character, or when using a medpack. Vorcha can regrow lost limbs as well, though it usually takes at least a month before the limb is usable.

Claws: When a Vorcha makes Brawl checks to deal damage to an opponent, he deals +1 damage and has a Critical Rating of 3.

Next up, equipment and biotics notes. All of this is still very first draft-y, so I am open to comments or suggestions for changes.

New Armor Attachment

Personal Shielding – Technology in the Mass Effect universe has evolved to include personal kinetic barriers, known as shields. Mechanically, these shields provide a temporary wound threshold increase; the lower levels of shielding grant 1 wound, while the most comprehensive (and expensive) grant 5. Once expended, the shields require a Mechanics check (Average difficulty; but may be upgraded due to dangerous circumstances) as an action to recharge them to full. 3 Threat or a Despair can be used to short out the shields temporarily, though they can be recharged.

Cost: 1,000 per temporary wound; Rarity 6, requires 1 hard point

Combat Drone

A combat drone is a VI-equipped drone that is often used by more technically-oriented combatants to draw enemy fire and stun targets with electric pulses, which can bypass shields. Treat the combat drone as a PC-controlled minion with the following statistics: Brawn 1, Agility 3, Intellect 1, Cunning 1, Willpower 1, Presence 1; Soak Value 3; Wound Threshold 6; Melee/Ranged Defense 0/0; Skill (group only, but counts controlling character) Ranged (Light)

Equipment (internal): Stun Blaster; Ranged (Light); Damage 8; Crit -; Range Short; Stun Damage, Disorient 1.

Cost: 2000 credits; Rarity 7

Special: The Combat Drone can be equipped with Personal Shielding; treat the Combat Drone as if it has 3 modification slots, each of which can add 1 to the Combat Drone’s soak value.

Omni-Tool

Omni-tools are handheld devices that combine a computer microframe, sensor analysis pack, and minifacturing fabricator. Versatile and reliable, an omni-tool can be used to analyze and adjust the functionality of most standard equipment, including weapons and armor, from a distance.

The fabrication module can rapidly assemble small three-dimensional objects from common, reusable industrial plastics, ceramics, and light alloys. This allows for field repairs and modifications to most standard items, as well as the reuse of salvaged equipment.

Omni-tools are special in that they are neither weapons nor armor, but have hard points; these hard points are used to attach or install special modules, that can produce temporary melee weaponry, drain an enemy’s shields, or make use of a medpack with a gesture.

Cost: 500 credits; Rarity 5; Encumbrance 1; Hard-points 3

Omni-Tool Attachments

Omni-Blade

The omni-blade attachment creates an omni-blade extending from the omni-tool, a disposable silicon-carbide weapon flash-forged by the tool’s mini-fabricator. The transparent, nearly diamond-hard blade is created and suspended in a mass effect field safely away from the user’s skin; warning lights illuminate the field so the searing-hot blade only burns what it is intended to: the opponent.

Melee; Dam +2; Crit 2; Range Engaged; Pierce 2, Burn 1; takes 1 hard point (750 credits)

Hacking Module

A hacking module includes specially-constructed code to help the user gain access to secure computer systems. Hacking modules might include things like bleeding-edge codebreaking software, encryption/decryption systems, data probes, credit spoofers, and other such devious tools. A hacking module acts as Slicer Gear from the EotE core book, but rather than weighing 2 Encumbrance, it takes up 1 hard point.(500 credits)

Electronic Bypass

An electronic bypass is a specialized module for an omni-tool; it contains plans for most known locks and access modules, and can use the omni-tool’s internal mini-fabricator to craft the material to help bypass virtually any lock. The Electronic Bypass module acts as an Electronic Lock Breaker from the EotE core book, though the keys or bypasses it creates dissolve after use, leaving no trace. It takes up 1 hard point. (1000 credits)

Energy Drain Module

An energy drain module lets an omni-tool’s user drain energy from a nearby target’s shields in order to augment their own. The user can make a Computers check (Average difficulty) to drain points from an enemy’s shields; each success drains one point. Those points can be added to the owner’s shields on a one-for-one basis; if the owner has no shields, the points are simply drained from the target. An energy drain module costs 1 hard point. (1000 credits)

Automated Medpack

An automated medpack allows an omni-tool to apply medigel to the omni-tool’s owner without having to access a separate medpack. This can save the owner’s life in a firefight. Once per session, the user may activate this attachment as an incidental, counting as the use of a medpack. Additionally, all Medicine checks made to heal the user gain a Boost die. 1 hard point. (1000 credits)

Tactical Cloak

The tactical cloak is the ultimate in personal stealth technology, and has a price point to match. Tactical cloak users cannot be detected by sight, and any attempts to detect a user by other means, such as scent, motion, or sound, make their skill checks at a difficulty of Formidable. The major flaw with tactical cloaks is that they are somewhat unstable, and prone to malfunction (such as complete field collapse at a moment’s notice). Any Threat or Despair generated while using a tactical cloak may be used by the Game Master to indicate that the field flickers for a moment or collapses altogether at an inopportune moment. 2 hard points. (5000 credits)

Incinerator

An incinerator module allows a user to wield the full power of a flame thrower for a short period, packing a great deal of destructive power into a tiny omni-tool module. The incinerator is a terrifying anti-personnel weapon, and will have frightening effects against closely-packed enemies.

Ranged (Light); Damage 8, Crit 2; Range Short; Burn 3, Blast 5, Prepare 2; 2 hard points. (2500 credits)

Cryo-Blast

The Cryo-blast module makes full use of the omni-tool’s mini-fabrication potential; it creates and fires super-cooled subatomic particles at a target to snap-freeze virtually anything, organic or not. Enemies caught in the path of a Cryo-blast will be caught in their tracks, unable to move, and may lose the use of their limbs permanently, even if they survive combat.

Ranged (Light); Damage 8, Crit 2, Range Short; Ensnare 3, Blast 5, Prepare 2; 2 hard points. (2500 credits)

Overload

An overload module uses the omni-tool’s systems to create a targeted, tightly localized EMP that can bring down an enemy’s shields, overheat most modern weapons, and interferes with the operation of synthetic life-forms like the Geth. It can effectively bring down, or substantially cripple, most things on a modern battlefield, and is thus highly restricted. The user of an Overload module makes a Computers check at Hard difficulty; if he succeeds, the target – and any others engaged with the target – loses shields and use of any modern weaponry for 1 turn; any synthetic enemy hit takes damage as if hit by an ion weapon, doing 8 strain damage. 2 hard points. (2500 credits)

Biotic Professions

Biotic professions will take the place of Force-using professions, though there are no lightsaber-training specializations. There will be three basic biotic professions: Adept, Sentinel, and Vanguard. In trying to avoid re-building the entire Force profession system, the Adept will take over the place of the Mystic profession (using the Mystic career skills), and include the Advisor, Seer, and Hunter specializations. Sentinel will replace the regular Sentinel profession (using the Sentinel career skills), and include the Artisan, Sage, and Shadow specializations. Vanguard will take over the role of the Warrior profession (using the Warrior career skills), and include the Peacekeeper, Protector, and Aggressor specialties.

Replace all entries of Force Rating with Biotic Rating, Force Protection with Biotic Protection, The Force Is My Ally with Biotic Surge.

Biotic professions may only be taken at character creation, unless the character is Asari. A character either is born biotic, or is not; a character cannot become biotic during play.

Biotics

Several Force powers can be relatively easily re-skinned as biotic powers. These are Bind, Enhance, Influence, Harm, Move, Suppress (from Keeping the Peace), Protect and Unleash (Protect/Unleash will be separated into two separate powers). Bind will be renamed to Stasis, Harm will be renamed as Warp, and Influence becomes Dominate. Move can substitute for a number of biotic powers seen in games, such as Pull, Lift, Throw, or Slam. Protect will be renamed to Barrier, and Unleash will become Nova. This does not cover the full range of biotic power shown, so others, such as Charge, may be added.

Biotics, like Force powers, function by using the pips rolled on a Force (or Biotics) die. However, when a biotic uses the black pips to activate a power, each black pip causes the user to take 1 point of strain damage, as the user is clearly pushing his boundaries. White pips mean the user is utilizing greater control, and so cause no strain damage.

Charge Basic Power

The biotic user may take a Charge action, performing a Melee combat check against one target within short range and adding Biotic dice no greater than Biotic rating to the pool. The character may spend (Biotic pip) before resolving the success or failure of the check to engage the target immediately as an incidental, and may spend (Biotic pip) to add Advantage to the check. If the character cannot move to engage the target, the attack automatically misses.

The user may spend (Biotic pip) to Charge an opponent.

Range

Spend (Biotic pip) to increase power’s range by a number of range bands equal to Range upgrades purchased. (x2 Range upgrades)

Strength

Spend (Biotic pip) to increase wounds inflicted in the attack by 1 per rank of Strength upgrades purchased. (x3 Strength upgrades)

Control 1

Add Disorient 3 quality to the Charge attack.

Control 2

Add Knockdown quality to the Charge attack.

Control 4

Inflict additional wounds equal to ranks in Melee.

Control 3

Spend (Biotic pip); give the Charge attack the Ensnare 2 quality.

Magnitude

Spend (biotic pip); Charge may affect additional targets as if the attack had Blast 5; additional targets hit are also affected by Disorient and Knockdown, if applicable.

Mastery

Biotic user may spend (Biotic pip) to reduce critical rating of Charge attack to 1.

Charge

I I I I

Range Strength Control 1 Control 2

I I I I

Range Strength Control 3 Strength

I I I

Magnitude Control 4 Mastery

I actually started writing stuff down for a Mass Effect 1 based RPG, until I got sidetracked making a Fallout based one. One of the things I noticed is that it is very basic if you keep it at ME1. You just need to stat out armour, attachments, weapons, and items. Most of those are just different versions of the same guns, armour, etc. just with an upgrade as you go up a numeral. As with biotics, I leaned away from the "Can use biotic points to activate" and instead came up with a cool down of so many rounds depending on the biotic. Classes were a bit tricky however, I have a rough sketch of what they could be but I was having trouble on how to make a version that uses parts of both Edge's and ME1's style of skill trees. Races were the easiest part, I just simply used FFG style races ad modified them for whatever species I wanted. I would love to finish this project if anyone would like to help/playtest/tell me what I am dong wrong.

Well, I run my first playtest of my conversion rules this weekend, but I'm running into a snag. I'm starting the party at Knight level, and one players is trying to make the case that because he has invested essentially everything in getting his Biotic/Force Rating up to 3, and because of the way the Move-type powers are used in Mass Effect, he should be able to inflict falling damage equal to range bands a creature/enemy is thrown (10 for short range, 30 for medium, auto-incapacitation for long+), rather than the Silhouette x 10 damage noted in the Control upgrade of the power. I think that the removal of the need to spend a Destiny point to use Dark Side pips, as well as the lack of Morality, is already a pretty nice advantage, but he's pretty adamant that if he can lift someone up 50 feet and drop them for falling damage, throwing them 50 feet should do the same thing. Having never run a game using Force powers, I'm not really sure how to rule this; looking through the forums, I see a lot of discussion on this use of the Move power, but no clear consensus. Anybody have any advice on how to rue on this?

Not really. The move power does exactly what it says it does. A round is up to a minute so there's no support that the move power propels someone at the same speed as gravity. Nor does it provide the sudden stop at the end.

The hard part is keeping industrious players from trying to always use the move power to lift someone up then drop them for more damage than they should be doing.

Remember the EotE rules are a story telling framework and not a reality simulation.

Move does what the book says that move does unless you as the GM decides otherwise.

@KnightVeritas Going to Necro this because I've been trying to do this for a while, but hit snags. I guess mostly because I was trying to figure out how to get Tech powers to work and create custom classes.

I like a lot of what you do! I think making tech powers into purchasable tools fits well with how they really should work. Question for this, however: are you planning on creating mods for the tech 'tools', since they are in essence weapons? I think it would be something to look into because tech seems more like a supplement to other powers right now and slightly weaker than other options. However, I noticed that you had modification slots so I'm guessing this was an idea you had for the future. I think it would be a pretty cool and fit in very well with a Technician to be able to get the most out of their omni-tool.

Second - while I like the idea of not being able to flip a Destiny Point to flip a Dark Side PIP, and just being able to use them, one thought that I might add that I considered for Biotic use is what I call 'Exertion'. Essentially, the Biotic can use strain to use the Dark Side PIPs. I was thinking one or two strain per PIP.