Is there room for another universal spec in EotE? Here's my suggestion:

The Boss

Career Skills: Leadership, Coercion, Negotiation, Deception

The idea is you've climbed the ranks, you've done your time, and your ready to do be the boss. Whether you've become a crime-lord/smuggling kingpin, the captain of a somewhat lager exploration vessel, or perhaps a bounty-hunter guild leader (colonists and hired guns already have leadership specs).

Sounds like a Politico.

That sounds to me more like a D&D/Saga prestige class, not so much like a universal Specialization. I think most of those things you listed can be done through narrative and some of the existing Specs. I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but I've neither a need nor a desire for such a thing.

Universal specks generally fill a gap between the spaces. Exile and Emergent to provide a taste of the Force, or as a bridge for a non-F&D character to progress to Force-sensitivity, and Recruit allows for EotE/F&D characters to segue into the Rebellion, or to provide a fundamentally non-combat career (Diplomat, Engineer) a cheaper way to access vital combat abilities in the more violent AoR games.

I'm not seeing much need for something like you've described that can't be build through what's already there.

3 hours ago, MitchPelon said:

Is there room for another universal spec in EotE? Here's my suggestion:

sorry to be dense, what is the first?

Exile

Nope, there is only one acceptable Universal Spec which could ever be considered for addition to EotE....

Nerf Herder.

Tangentially related thought... perhaps we will see Juyo/Vapaad lightsaber form spec (I think Vapaad would be talent in a Juyo tree) as a universal tree in an FaD adventure?

What this has going for it:

• An adventure would narratively explain the rarity
• It would prevent someone from taking it as their first spec
• Everyone would have access to it at equal cost
• It being a universal talent would "explain" the absence of a attribute talent (it could be used with any)
• Every FaD career would still have only 1 lightsaber spec
• All 7 classical forms would be represented.

Thoughts?

6 hours ago, EliasWindrider said:

Tangentially related thought... perhaps we will see Juyo/Vapaad lightsaber form spec (I think Vapaad would be talent in a Juyo tree) as a universal tree in an FaD adventure?

What this has going for it:

• An adventure would narratively explain the rarity
• It would prevent someone from taking it as their first spec
• Everyone would have access to it at equal cost
• It being a universal talent would "explain" the absence of a attribute talent (it could be used with any)
• Every FaD career would still have only 1 lightsaber spec
• All 7 classical forms would be represented.

Thoughts?

It would be a good way to sell an adventure for sure, who knows how Juyo will show up. I'm certain it will though since it's popular enough and well known.

I have always thought, for the sake of consistency, that Edge should have an additional Universal spec. Lukes the Recruit represents the basic training that all Rebels go through as part of a military organization, there should be a Universal spec that represents the cumulative knowledge and skills developed over a lifetime on the fringe, constantly working hard for basic survival and on the edge of the criminal underworld, even if one's not a part of it.

My personal preference would be for a Fringer spec (similar but not the same as the current Fringer) to be the Universal spec, with the Explorer getting something new and slightly more exciting to replace it.

One even tried my hands at making said UNIVERSAL: Fringer spec, but it didn't turn out in a way I was happy with. The replacement Explorer spec I was working on was the Adventurer, something like a less scholarly Archaeologist that specialized in getting into (and out of) trouble. But that also didn't pan out exactly as I wanted.

I think scoundrel would have been agood name but its a spec...

Charm, deception, skullduggery, ranged light

A rank of codebreaker, rapid reaction, smooth talker, kill w/ kindness, disarming smile, indistinguishable, black market contacts, hidden storage, time to go, steady nerves, etc.

On 5/29/2017 at 9:22 PM, Blackbird888 said:

Universal specks generally fill a gap between the spaces. Exile and Emergent to provide a taste of the Force, or as a bridge for a non-F&D character to progress to Force-sensitivity, and Recruit allows for EotE/F&D characters to segue into the Rebellion, or to provide a fundamentally non-combat career (Diplomat, Engineer) a cheaper way to access vital combat abilities in the more violent AoR games.

I'm not seeing much need for something like you've described that can't be build through what's already there.

The vacancy I'm looking at is that it takes a few shenanigans to play a crime lord. That said, there are leadership specs for colonists and mercenaries.

On 5/30/2017 at 7:58 AM, EliasWindrider said:

Tangentially related thought... perhaps we will see Juyo/Vapaad lightsaber form spec (I think Vapaad would be talent in a Juyo tree) as a universal tree in an FaD adventure?

What this has going for it:

• An adventure would narratively explain the rarity
• It would prevent someone from taking it as their first spec
• Everyone would have access to it at equal cost
• It being a universal talent would "explain" the absence of a attribute talent (it could be used with any)
• Every FaD career would still have only 1 lightsaber spec
• All 7 classical forms would be represented.

Thoughts?

Actually, I just remembered that the product code SWF04 has been left blank, and that is in the exact same position as the Recruit Specialization Deck is for the Age product codes (well, Onslaught at Arda I was in that spot, but Force moved the first adventure down to below the Core spec decks, so). It's entirely possible this spot will be filled by a new Universal spec. Possibly Juyo! Or my personal prediction, the Force-Sensitive Apprentice.

22 hours ago, MitchPelon said:

The vacancy I'm looking at is that it takes a few shenanigans to play a crime lord. That said, there are leadership specs for colonists and mercenaries.

It takes a few "shenanigans" as you put it to play a number of different character archetypes.

For a typical Jedi Knight, you're looking at taking at least two specs, one of them being a LS Form spec to get access to Lightsaber as a career skill as well as Parry and Reflect, then a second spec to be able to increase your Force Rating beyond a 1 (unless the PC started out with Niman Disciple, which has a Force Rating talent but doesn't have either of the 'bonk' talents that the other LS Form specs offer). And if the PC didn't start out in Niman Disciple, odds are good they're going to take that spec anyway for access to Discipline as a career skill, more ranks of Parry and Reflect as well as a Force Rating increase.

You want to play a Han Solo style of smuggler? You're looking at Pilot and Scoundrel at the very least.

In short, not all character concepts can be or even should be encapsulated into a single specialization.

9 minutes ago, Donovan Morningfire said:

You want to play a Han Solo style of smuggler? You're looking at Pilot and Scoundrel at the very least.

In short, not all character concepts can be or even should be encapsulated into a single specialization.

This is why, in addition to some bonus XP, I allow my players to take their 2nd spec for free.

2 hours ago, Donovan Morningfire said:

It takes a few "shenanigans" as you put it to play a number of different character archetypes.

For a typical Jedi Knight, you're looking at taking at least two specs, one of them being a LS Form spec to get access to Lightsaber as a career skill as well as Parry and Reflect, then a second spec to be able to increase your Force Rating beyond a 1 (unless the PC started out with Niman Disciple, which has a Force Rating talent but doesn't have either of the 'bonk' talents that the other LS Form specs offer). And if the PC didn't start out in Niman Disciple, odds are good they're going to take that spec anyway for access to Discipline as a career skill, more ranks of Parry and Reflect as well as a Force Rating increase.

You want to play a Han Solo style of smuggler? You're looking at Pilot and Scoundrel at the very least.

In short, not all character concepts can be or even should be encapsulated into a single specialization.

Those aren't shenanigans. Those are all in-career accessible specs that make absolute sense for the purpose at hand. Of course a Jedi should know how to use his weapon ("this is your life") but they should also know how to talk to people, or history and lore, or how to give good counsel or negotiate peace treaties. All of these are well within the Jedi Wheelhouse.

If I want to play a crime-lord, I want leadership and coercion at the very least (the ability to put the fear of the Force into my henchmen and debtors, as well as command their respect). To get Leadership, really the only spec that works is Mercenary Soldier, but Jabba was no mercenary soldier. It might work for some Crime Lords, but definitely not all of them. Smuggler to Crimelord is pricier if you accept being a Mercenary soldier, and honestly it's not necessarily a particularly convenient combo storywise either.

I really like this idea.

On the other hand, there's nothing that says you need to have a particular class skill in order to put ranks into it. If you want Leadership, buy it! Yes, it's less "efficient" to pay more XP, but if you want a skill bad enough... say, if you're wanting to found/take over a criminal organization... you'll pay.

Universal specs for meta-roles, such as Comic Relief, Love Interest, or even Chosen One might work. They don't change the character's role in the universe , but instead they alter the character's role in the narrative.

I like this