Hello

I have played a couple FD games (long time EOE player) and have enjoyed it and picked up the CRB this past weekend. I am planning on having my party (who I hope aren't reading this!! :)) receive a distress call from a relatively isolated community in which a Rancor has stumbled into their region (young rancor- not a full grown angry model) and is causing havoc. In particular, this beastie seems to have some kind of "powerful magical abilities" which makes it very unpredictable. The party is going to get a contract to go and capture this creature for further study.

When they arrive on said planet, they discover that the Rancor appears to have some relatively basic force powers (move, push, levitiate, etc) but nothing really dangerous like force choke or lighting. He also seems to be somewhat docile- as if these powers are controlling him and he is very confused by it all. (the force is tempering his animal urges to kill on sight). As such, the party does have the ability to observe him from a distance. Eventually, they discover that he wandered too closely to a "force fissure"- an area where the force/midichlorians are concentrated and it has begun taking control of this Rancor. When the party further investigates, they discover that the "fissure" opens into an underground temple used by force users eons ago.

Curious what everyones thoughts are on this. Has anyone attempted to create a force using Rancor?

Canon/fluff-wise, to my knowledge, there is no precedent for a creature gaining Force abilities in this way that wasn't already prone to Force Sensitivity and to my knowledge Rancors are not.

Rancor are only semi-sentient creatures and so to have a "deliberate use/purpose" power like Move doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me either. Whereas something like, Sense, Enhance, Bind or even Foresee, or Harm would.

Furthermore it doesn't make much sense to me that asemi-sentient creature would have its animal behaviors "tempered" by the Force. That's not what the Force does - especially when used "instinctually" like this, it doesn't intervene in people's behaviors, it magnifies them.

So from that end, I'd say it sounds kind of ... well... like nonsense.

From a story perspective it's a cool idea, but I think would come off better if there was a Force User controlling the Rancor (maybe even capable of riding it!? >:D), and maybe using their Powers to make it look like the Rancor is using them.

All that and Rancors are normally form Dathomir which is pretty much steeped in the Dark Side...IF one developed Force Powers i doubt it'd be the friendly kind and it'd probably be a LOT smarter, or at least more Cunning.

Now if you really want to go for scary; Dathomir Witches / Night Sisters Riding Rancors they are bonded to via the Force...8)

Just a note, rancors are fully sentient (the ability to feel) but are not sapient (able to apply judgement).

First of in legends there were also intelligent Rancors (the herdmother TOSH of the rancors that followed the Dathomir tripe of the singing mountain, could even read and write e.g.), and not all dathomir witches were evil. more precisly the Herds of rancors would even reject any Nightsister who is trying to ride one of this beast (because the treated them not well, with Silris' Cuddles beeing an exeption). But those are considered an Mutational Exeption of the typical Rancor.

now to topic: I'm no big fan of of the "force fissure" since evenso the force can attune lifeforms to a specific degree on its own (like having a lot of ugly creatures anround a dark force nexus [e.g. the cave on Dagobah]) it normaly needs some time to do this.
It would need an conductor to bring forth so much dark sided evil in a short time (and you don't want your player to try finding this fissure to bath in it...).

The "Tamer"-approach is a very nice one, that way the Rancor would be normal but under controll of a force sensitive (using the talent of the seeker)

Or how I would do it if I really want the Rancor to be full of force juice:

You could use Sith-alchemie! Or better it was used on the poor little Rancor. The big bad wannabe alchemist used an kybercrystal, filled it with the power of the darkside (using a lot of bloody humanoid sacrifices of course) und than Fused the crystal with the head of the poor little creature, to form himself an mount worthy for his own greatness.

BUT during the progress, the child rancor can break lose and kills his wanna-be master and wrecks havoc to the working space, the wilderness in the neighborhood and threatens to attack the outpost, which now calls for help.

The players should be able to see that something is totaly not right with the beast (yellow Sith-eyes, smal black or purple lightningbolt that crackel over the skin of the Rancor, the not closed wound where the alchemist tried to fuse the crystal.

for your encounter I'ld give the Rancor an FR of one 1, and ONE force attack talent, like draw closer, hawk bat swoop, saber swarm or any other talent that seems useable. (of course change the Lightsaberskill to brawl).

Also let the rancor gain the Fearsome 3 Talent and if you really want to show your Players how mighty fear can be add the Terrify and improved terrify tallent.

In the moment of dieing the krystall emitts an last wave of darkness and errupts from the skull, with that the Crystal is purified and obtainable for one of the forcis that has no saber until now.

Now the players can follow the trace to the mountain cave odr ancient temple where the alchimist lived and gain some nice treasures like a sith holocron, another kyberkristal, any force talisman.

And who knows maybe the alchimist isn't as dead as thought... time for another big bad encounter, alchimiest with 1-2 minion troops of small feral beasts under his control?

Bravo Nightone!!! EXCELLENT writeup!!!

I do like many of the suggestions you present -especially some of the force talents you suggest- as I am still learning this game.

One of the things I was looking as was the Rancor is a beast with destructive tendencies (Was unaware of the intelligent angle till you suggested it). I still like my idea of having the force essentially create a "behavior dilemma" if you will for our poor rancor- the force is "good" and it is "challenging" the destructive behavioral instincts of the beast to temper it with a more peaceful, tranquil side- thus the "inner conflict" the party witnesses.

Now, that being said, I am no idiot and there are some FANTASTIC angles both yourself and others have suggested that really give me some excellent material to work with!! I had no idea the connection with the Night Sisters and the Rancors- that opens a whole new floodgate.

Flying rancors, which there is precedent for. It needs to fly too, because why not.

If you want to use a real MF of a Sith Alchemist search "Lord Cronal" on Wookiepedia...seriously farked up dude who'd totally be into making Force-Capable Rancors...just cause.

30 minutes ago, GandofGand said:

If you want to use a real MF of a Sith Alchemist search "Lord Cronal" on Wookiepedia...seriously farked up dude who'd totally be into making Force-Capable Rancors...just cause.

AWESOME!!! Definitely will do!!!

Not what I thought this would be about.

As already indicated a "Force Fissure" does sound ridiculous. I'd skip that idea right out.

However a force sensitive rancor who's messing with a small village sounds suspiciously like the plot to Beowolf. (For which I approve).

If it were me, I'd keep the Rancor and give it some very basic and malicious force powers and use it as a nemesis.

You could even have it have it hanging out in the desired Force Sensitive archology and use the creature threat as a means for the PC's to find the archology.

As you may remember from Beowulf, Grendel wasn't actually killing villagers by the time the hero got to the story but she was sending her children to wreak havoc.

I think your story elements can be made to work nicely with a few subtle tweaks.

On ‎4‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 1:46 PM, Mark Caliber said:

However a force sensitive rancor who's messing with a small village sounds suspiciously like the plot to Beowolf. (For which I approve).

If it were me, I'd keep the Rancor and give it some very basic and malicious force powers and use it as a nemesis.

You could even have it have it hanging out in the desired Force Sensitive archology and use the creature threat as a means for the PC's to find the archology.

As you may remember from Beowulf, Grendel wasn't actually killing villagers by the time the hero got to the story but she was sending her children to wreak havoc.

I think your story elements can be made to work nicely with a few subtle tweaks.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Oh my!!! Yes, you are quite correct and I hadn't even thought of that!!! Excellent catch!!! Thank you for the kind words. There has been a ton of information on this thread that has set me to thinking about some additional cruel and nasty things to do!

Fair warning, I love tropes in star wars, so Imma be suggesting a trope

If you still have any desire to pursue the original idea of a tame rancor, you could have a child unwittingly protecting the town by calming it with the force and even talking with it. Walking it through town in a way that nothing is crushed underfoot. I'd recommend making it not immediately clear that this child is doing these things, and maybe could even be as confused about the situation as the players would be. I'd also recommend having the child name the Rancor.

As soon as the Rancor leaves town, the party could see it regress back into the killing machine we know them as.

Force sensitive, flying, powered armor Rancor that is sensitive to a child.