Greetings friends,

My group's current game is reaching it's conclusion and I've begun thinking on what to do next, if life can spare me time that is. I've been pondering running one of two ideas of campaigns. I'm here to get some general ideas on how to run such a campaign if I choose either one of these as well as any other critques. In case it matters, this would be my second GMing experience, and the PC count would roughly be 3-4 players.

Option #1: a Clone Wars Commando group (potentially civil war but most of my players like the clone wars). Idea is pretty straight forward, PCs are Clone Commandos sent to do varous missions for the Republic (probably will completely take the story from the old video game while adding in some custom stuff). Obvoulsy the game will be using the AoR CRB. The focus of this game would be combat and (hopefully) strategy on the PCs' part. The advantage with this game is the effective corrodor that can be created for the game, not in the adventures but in the PCs' motivations and purposes. My idea on how this would start is the PCs going through training and getting double the standard xp while in training. The only issue I see for myself is that I don't have the AoR CRB... and it might be out of my price range atm (not to mention there may be no stock in the local shops). Another issue could be the whole 'Base of Operations' or group vehicle, something I also messed up with in the current game (gave them a vehicle, used it purely as a plot teleport).

Option #2: After purchasing 'S.T.A.K.E.R: Call of Prepyat' via Steam, I felt enspired with the idea of a location that is completly alien to the galaxy at large. General jist of this idea is a planet had all kinds of science facilities during the time of the Old Republic/Sith war, which obvously has bad things happen to it. Skipping over a ton of detail, we arrive to a planet that's surface can constantly shift or open up under a person's feet, full of bizar impossible creatures, varous force abominations, strange mechanical or biological artifacts, dangerous anomalies and an eary green (living) fog that covers the planet. The general feel I'd be aiming for in this game would be exploration and the element of the unknown. The reason for a single planet focus would be because my prevous game was all over the galaxy and a couple of my players mentioned how they didn't really get to explore a specific planet and generaly felt disatisfied with the way it was run. An obvious issue is the amount of custom items, locations, etc, that need to be created (something I'll prob ask help for here if I pick this game). Another difficulty for myself is finding a motivation for the PCs to be dedicated to the planet (besides a hostile environment for vehicles or money). This game would most-likely use the EotE CRB and run via Obligation (something I have failed to understand).

I probably missed a couple of things I could add but this is all that has come to mind at the moment. Again, all types of input is desired.

I love the Stalker series! However I don't think I'd set the entire campaign set in "the Zone". But I could definitely see a few chapters set there.

You could have some of the scientists "cracked open" the planet, or accidentally created a powerful conduit with the force, and now strange anomalies occur. Plenty of scientist labs to explore with grotesque and monstrous creatures. Focusing on the a very Force heavy game you could say that perhaps the whole planet was a "creature" and that essentially the "sole of the Planet" was stolen or broken. I guess I'm thinking along pretty epic lines with the entire planet being sick and needing to be cured, but this is Star Wars after all! (no need to be as bleak as the STALKER game endings ). There is also the level in Mass Effect 1 that comes to mind, the planet of Feros.

I don't know what period you are looking to set this in but if Jedi and Sith are present then perhaps the zone has created artifacts powerful in the force and both Jedi and Sith have come to the planet seeking the artifacts (STALKERS).

Another feature of the game that would be interesting to implement would be the different factions that you can ally yourself with. Perhaps the Jedi or scientists trying to heal or understand the planet vs the Sith/empire or artifact scavengers trying to exploit the land.

Just as a quick layout:

• Chapter 1 discover the planet's craziness and find clues to direct them to "the source"
• Chapter 2: discover the "cause of the sickness"
• Chapter 3: Fix ship/find transportation off planet and travel to different world to Get important scientist/force object/cure vial (the cure). Bust scientist out of Imperial prison, recover force object from inquisitor temple, etc.
• Chapter 4: Return to planet to confront a villain trying to stop you, then heal the planet.

Oh and as far as creating new artifacts whole-cloth, screw that. Just covert the game artifacts into a a similar equivalent. Examples:

• Electro Battery: Reduce damage taken by energy weapons/sources by 1, but lowers wound threshold by 1 while wearing.
• Jellyfish: Reduce damage taken by kinetic weapons/sources by 1, but lowers wound threshold by 1 while wearing.
• Stone Blood: Increase wound threshold by 1, but adds +10 to any critical roll.
• Thorn: +2 boost to any resilience checks, but lowers strain threshold by 1 while wearing.
• Slime: -10 to critical rolls, but lowers strain threshold by 1 while wearing.

*Edit: each artifact should also have at least 1 encumbrance.

This is a great idea now that I've written quite a bit here and it flowed pretty easily. Even if I don't end up setting a campaign with this type of story arc I really like the idea of the my players finding unique artifacts that have both a positive and a negative and will likely try to slip it in. Hopefully some of this helps.

Realizing now that I could simply combine these two ideas if needed. In any case, I intended to use the 'Stalktooine' idea during the Civil War era.

What you've provided greatly helps and is highly appreciated ThreeAM.

Edit: One other thing I'd like to ask is how one would stat a starting clone? Both a fair start (In line with the normal balance of the game) and minor boost start, I'm thinking a stat line of 2-3-2-2-1-2 with 110xp and prob 1 rank in either (Ranged Heavy) or Ranged (Light). Or would it be more thematic to give them no extra xp? The idea for this would be to have them gain double XP while they're in training and allow the PCs to develop more in this 'prologe' of the game.