Originally when I started my game I expected 5 players, I have had some come and go. Now I am coming to a situation in which I have some possible new players.

I am curious how others would deal with the obligation. Originally my starting players had 10 initial obligation (For EotE characters), when the option to get up to 10 additional obligation. Most of my current players have not really tried to reduce obligation.

I am curious as to recommendations of what starting obligation new characters should get, and if they should be allowed extra obligation for addition starting XP/Credits. Such as should they start with the same initial obligation/additional obligation as other players, start with less? Should new player characters be allowed to have their joining into the game create total obligation over 100? Any other thoughts or considerations, or opinions I had not considered?

Thank you in advance

I also have trouble keeping a core group together, so my group size changes. Personally, I would ditch the group size chart, and probably just give everyone 10 Obligation, with the option to take 10 more. Yes, small groups will have a lot less, but they also have trouble covering all the roles.

It isn't for the players to choose to get rid of their obligation , you should be structuring your campaign and your sessions around doing that and providing them opportunities to do so, as well as provide them opportunities to add additional obligation to gain benefits. When I use obligation in my sessions players are given opportunities to both add and lose obligation nearly every session obligation isn't something that stays static in my campaigns it is very dynamic.

I try to get rid of individual player character starting obligation as soon as we begin a campaign and transition the entire group over to a group based obligation . Any new characters then joining the ongoing campaign just get a flat obligation score and I allow them to tell me how they fit into the ongoing groups total obligation .

Yeah I think providing obligation reduction opportunities should be very much a thing the GM does proactively.

I try to keep some adaptable plot points ready to throw into things when someone's obligation is rolled, means I'm not too caught off guard when I have to write in someone's obligation suddenly.

Although these days I mostly just roll the next session's obligation a week or so in advance, so I have time to plan it. This might not suit everyone though, some people enjoy the spontaneity.

I kind of find this odd. I though I saw obligation as a part of a characters story and history, a part of the events that lead to where the character currently is and can possibly (even ended) lead the character to new specific directions of growth, adventure, and challenges. And some of those points feel like stripping a part of character creation and development out of my players hands.

I do try to provide them with opportunities to possibly reduce some of their obligation. I believe many of my players are more interested in growing and developing their characters before tackling the challenges some of them have built into their obligations.

Obligation can be very dynamic or incredibly static based on the Players and GM's.

Here are a couple of examples from the group I'm playing with.

a) Our group slicer started as an escaped prisoner from a Hutt with a bounty on his head. We later met up with the Hutt in question, and the slicer was able to employ his skills in sufficient a manner to appease the Hutt. That particular obligation went away pretty quickly and easily.

b) The Smuggler/Force Sensitive (latent) started as a drug addict to a pretty powerful narcotic. She is fighting the addition and has been clean an sober for 63 days. She may overcome this addiction some day in the near future and eradicate this obligation through force of will.

c) The Gungan Explorer is a raging alcoholic and immerses himself in his addition at every opportunity. This obligation may never go away . . .

d) Three of our characters were approached by the ISB with an offer they couldn't refuse. They are currently defacto junior agents of the ISB. All three (with the encouragement of the rest of the group) will be betraying the ISB shortly. Their obligation will be changing soon. And may become more 'expensive.'

e) Recently my character learned that they have a 20 point obligation (possibly a bounty) that will be better defined later? (The GM giveth and taketh away).

So our group did start with some well defined obligations. And several of the characters left their obligations poorly defined (oh the fools) which were later defined by the GM with greater clarity.

Some obligations will eventually be satisfied, and others will remain foils to the characters in question.