8 minutes ago, SSB_Shadow said:

And new universal classes which two are Republic types.

I had hoped for more separatist-oriented classes.

Someone posted something something similar on the SWRPG subreddit so I'll just paste my reply from there.

There's an (admittedly slim) chance that the Outcast might lean towards Darker characters, since the only "Outcasts" I can recall from TCW are factions like the Nightsisters/Brothers and the other three universal specs all have clear TCW allegories (Navy Officer = Admiral Yularen, Representative = Padme, Scavenger = Numerous).

That said, a dedicated droid-focused spec would be neat and the Separatists debut in the game seems like the best opportunity by far to introduce it.

2 hours ago, Kualan said:

Someone posted something something similar on the SWRPG subreddit so I'll just paste my reply from there.

There's an (admittedly slim) chance that the Outcast might lean towards Darker characters, since the only "Outcasts" I can recall from TCW are factions like the Nightsisters/Brothers and the other three universal specs all have clear TCW allegories (Navy Officer = Admiral Yularen, Representative = Padme, Scavenger = Numerous).

That said, a dedicated droid-focused spec would be neat and the Separatists debut in the game seems like the best opportunity by far to introduce it.

I'm hoping Outcast is based on Asajj Ventriss. I don't know who specifically Scavenger would be based upon.

And I agree that a Sep-focused Droid spec would have been awesome just as a counterpoint to the Clone career.

Aw man, those absolute teases didn't even show up anything from the Jedi specs, beyond vague descriptions! Not even confirming the third spec!

The Jedi class better be amazing to make up for all this teasery

Sadly, by now, there's no way it's coming out before christmas though... not when it *still* isn't off that **** rowboat!

If they're making them full careers with 3 specs each, we might end up getting 2 more spec books with 3 more careers each sometime later. This gives them the ability to add in more CW-era stuff too.

3 hours ago, SSB_Shadow said:

And new universal classes which two are Republic types.

I had hoped for more separatist-oriented classes.

It's not really much of a surprise, given how the Age of Rebellion line is geared towards the PCs being part of the Rebel Alliance, or how Force and Destiny tends to skew towards the PCs playing lightsiders. EotE is the one book that comes closest to having the PCs be "neutral" in terms of the larger galactic conflict, and even then the assumption on the writers' part is that the PCs aren't completely amoral crooks. With Dawn of Rebellion, the universal specs were either Alliance-leaning or neutral, with Pirate really being the only one that could be considered "villainous" of the lot.

In the Clone Wars, the Republic are generally held as being the good guys (or at least the closest thing to it) with the Separatists holding the"bad guy" role. Yes, I know that there are "heroes on both sides" (as well as villains on both sides), but given FFG's track record it's not much a surprise that the PC-centric material is focused on the 'good guy' faction.

Man, the more these previews come out the less open ended the options are starting to feel for this sourcebook, which is really disappointing to me. The ones I’ve seen seem really constricting.

I was hoping to do a more “realistic” take on this era in some games, but if the player options are going to funnel everything into Lucas’ vision of it then it’ll really feel like there’s far less alternate storyline potential.

4 hours ago, Donovan Morningfire said:

It's not really much of a surprise, given how the Age of Rebellion line is geared towards the PCs being part of the Rebel Alliance, or how Force and Destiny tends to skew towards the PCs playing lightsiders. EotE is the one book that comes closest to having the PCs be "neutral" in terms of the larger galactic conflict, and even then the assumption on the writers' part is that the PCs aren't completely amoral crooks. With Dawn of Rebellion, the universal specs were either Alliance-leaning or neutral, with Pirate really being the only one that could be considered "villainous" of the lot.

In the Clone Wars, the Republic are generally held as being the good guys (or at least the closest thing to it) with the Separatists holding the"bad guy" role. Yes, I know that there are "heroes on both sides" (as well as villains on both sides), but given FFG's track record it's not much a surprise that the PC-centric material is focused on the 'good guy' faction.

It's unfortunate, but it's not like we don't have the framework to make droid characters. Rolling up a droid and giving them a military career is all you gotta do for a typical CIS soldier, or a soldier or EotE character who supports the Confederacy. Still a little disappointing, but it looks good otherwise.

26 minutes ago, Galakk Fyyar said:

It's unfortunate, but it's not like we don't have the framework to make droid characters. Rolling up a droid and giving them a military career is all you gotta do for a typical CIS soldier, or a soldier or EotE character who supports the Confederacy. Still a little disappointing, but it looks good otherwise.

That's really all that had to be done for a clone too, but that's not what they did.

"Heroes on both sides", but mostly one side.

The Geonosian feels like the one odd out. I mean, the other three it is more believable within the line of being a republican. The umbaran weren't Separatists until later in the war and can fittingly be a republic representative.

But the Geonosian? Yeah, sure, it's the "scavenger". Perfect.

Else it opens up the door of weird fanfiction territory.

"My character is Nick Nack. He was a Geonosian worker before the clone wars. He hated being a low-class worker so he fled and joined the secret clone training program and became a Clone Trooper with custom made armor just for him. But he eventually got removed, which upset him very much, so he formed a one-man union as a republic representative for Geonosians right to fight for the republic."

Or he became a Jedi, although there had never been a Force using Geonosian reported but I guess that is plausible. But then I think they should've chosen a more fitting separatists species for that like Koorivar. Or heck, a Zygerrian could fit better with all factions as it could be Jedi, scoundrel or separatist.

*More baseless speculation inbound*

I wonder if they're going to revisit the Mass Combat rules. Battles in the Clone Wars were fought seemingly daily, and varied massively in scope and force composition. With war being such a major focus (even for a franchise called Star Wars), I suspect Jedi and officer players might want a meatier system than the one we have.

The question then, of course, is how complicated you could make the system before it becomes *too* complicated. The answer is probably different for everyone. Eh.

I also wonder if they're going to go into the differences between playing a scrappy self-funded adventurer, and a military commander or political figure who doesn't live hand-to-mouth. I doubt that Padme Amidala or Duchess Satine need to worry about whether or not they can afford their own personal spaceship. And who's really going to charge General Kenobi for that sweet armor of his?

Unless you're stranded on a desert planet where nobody knows who you really are, I doubt such characters would need to worry about how much loose change they have in their pockets, or whether the locals take Republic credits.

It's possible (likely even) that they might just leave that stuff unsaid, or haven't even really thought of it. Ah well.

15 hours ago, SSB_Shadow said:

And new universal classes which two are Republic types.

I had hoped for more separatist-oriented classes.

I think this is more the fault of the material they have to pull from. I mean what do you want for classes? Banker Clan specialist? Trade Federation bureaucrat? Lost Jedi? Those have been options since the game came out.

Again, there’s inherent weakness in the material. The whole conflict is based on a mindless hive army purchased by the wealthy versus a slightly less mindless army ran by the political elite and commanded by what should be a neutral force in the conflict.

The Clone Wars can be a more “realistic” war, so my recommendation is utilizing this rpg to do just that. Premade classes that are going to wedge you into the creative half-heartedness of the prequels are always going to disappoint.

People have been raving on about playing 'real' Jedi since the beta for EotE. If the book was crammed with Republic AND Separatist content, the forums would be filled with complaints that Jedi weren't fleshed out enough and pages were 'wasted' on the CIS content.

They may well be saving CIS content for a Late War/'Fall of the Republic' book. As per the book's title, the art exclusively being Phase I armour and presumably the lack of a stated Grevous I'm still holding to that popular theory. We're probably getting Genosians because the planet is a major focus at the literal start of the war and again shortly into it, but not much afterwards.

1 hour ago, Arbitrator said:

People have been raving on about playing 'real' Jedi since the beta for EotE. If the book was crammed with Republic AND Separatist content, the forums would be filled with complaints that Jedi weren't fleshed out enough and pages were 'wasted' on the CIS content.

They may well be saving CIS content for a Late War/'Fall of the Republic' book. As per the book's title, the art exclusively being Phase I armour and presumably the lack of a stated Grevous I'm still holding to that popular theory. We're probably getting Genosians because the planet is a major focus at the literal start of the war and again shortly into it, but not much afterwards.

I believe one of the articles all but confirmed Grievous is statted in the books by listing him alongside Dooku and Ventress.

Well....I wasn't going to bother with this splat tbh... but... you know..extra setting stuff, races, stuff & stuff.. **** you preorder option. TAKEMYMONEY TAKEMYMONEY..

Once again I succumb to temptation 😍

On 8/13/2018 at 8:56 PM, Tramp Graphics said:

Nope. The Galactic Atlas was published in 2016. It's canon. The Rebels Visual Guide as well was published in 2014, also making the in universe information in that canon as well.

*in a five year old whiny voice* It's my game and what I say goes,,, pew-pew you're dead.. No I'm not... Mommy, he's not playing fair.... I got the Atlas for a steal from Book Depository and anything between the start of R1 and the end of ROTJ is canon,,, it makes life easier.

TBH any stuff before Disney new canon is canon for me...Especially the Tales from Mos Eisley Cantina/Jabbas Palace/Bounty Hunters..yeah call me a nerd

(You're a nerd) .... SHUT UP!!! 😁

But seeing the New (Palpatine) Calendar dates seems interesting.. would the Empire 'dumb down' the Battle of Yavin and merely call it '...a terrorist attack on an Imperial Facility...' and spread propoganda... so do the rebels use the BBY and Impericals use Foundation of Empire dates,,,, My head hurts

So, it’s been on the boat for at least three months. (According to the upcoming page, RotS was last updated 9/6)

channels Auralnauts Grievous voice

”Even for you guys, this is a new slow”

3 hours ago, ExpandingUniverse said:

But seeing the New (Palpatine) Calendar dates seems interesting.. would the Empire 'dumb down' the Battle of Yavin and merely call it '...a terrorist attack on an Imperial Facility...' and spread propoganda... so do the rebels use the BBY and Impericals use Foundation of Empire dates,,,, My head hurts

To toss another spanner into the works...I don't have a copy yet but the recently released Scum and Villainy uses yet another system for dates.

11 hours ago, Arbitrator said:

People have been raving on about playing 'real' Jedi since the beta for EotE. If the book was crammed with Republic AND Separatist content, the forums would be filled with complaints that Jedi weren't fleshed out enough and pages were 'wasted' on the CIS content.

They may well be saving CIS content for a Late War/'Fall of the Republic' book. As per the book's title, the art exclusively being Phase I armour and presumably the lack of a stated Grevous I'm still holding to that popular theory. We're probably getting Genosians because the planet is a major focus at the literal start of the war and again shortly into it, but not much afterwards.

One can only hope that is their plan. But even if they would make a part 2 I doubt it would have much separatist contents. Because they are "the bad guys".

But yes, of course I agree that the existing material would be enough to portray them. I would argue that every class except the Jedi classes are not necessary with that same argument.

Why I am a bit mopey about this is because they talk so big about how much of a struggle it is from both sides, the whole "heroes on both sides", but they clearly are favoring one; the atypical good guys Reps and showering them with classes and lore and goodness. This is also sad because there are material today from the show to portray the CIS as more than villains. Heck, there is an episode with the same name on it. They want to leave a government they believe is corrupt and faulty, not very different from the rebels in later times.

In don't like the "branded classes" such as Republic Representative or Retired Clone Trooper. Because that implies there is a very small nisch of what that character has to be. They could easily just remove that. The retired clone trooper could just be "Retired Soldier", giving room for the character to be a retired clone, militiaman, separatist (organic or otherwise), senate commando, etc. But no, you have to be human and you have to be a clone.

But the GM can easily just do that themselves without doing it official. I know. I love this game and franchise so that is why I care.

5 hours ago, Nytwyng said:

To toss another spanner into the works...I don't have a copy yet but the recently released Scum and Villainy uses yet another system for dates.

I always figured the most sensible in universe dating system would go for the Ruusan reformation as as a year zero. The reformation was the end of a rather brutal drawn out conflict and there is a clear cut off point for it.

8 hours ago, SSB_Shadow said:

One can only hope that is their plan. But even if they would make a part 2 I doubt it would have much separatist contents. Because they are "the bad guys".

But yes, of course I agree that the existing material would be enough to portray them. I would argue that every class except the Jedi classes are not necessary with that same argument.

Why I am a bit mopey about this is because they talk so big about how much of a struggle it is from both sides, the whole "heroes on both sides", but they clearly are favoring one; the atypical good guys Reps and showering them with classes and lore and goodness. This is also sad because there are material today from the show to portray the CIS as more than villains. Heck, there is an episode with the same name on it. They want to leave a government they believe is corrupt and faulty, not very different from the rebels in later times.

In don't like the "branded classes" such as Republic Representative or Retired Clone Trooper. Because that implies there is a very small nisch of what that character has to be. They could easily just remove that. The retired clone trooper could just be "Retired Soldier", giving room for the character to be a retired clone, militiaman, separatist (organic or otherwise), senate commando, etc. But no, you have to be human and you have to be a clone.

But the GM can easily just do that themselves without doing it official. I know. I love this game and franchise so that is why I care.

If one wanted to rules lawyer I believe the game mechanical requirement is human male not clone, clone of jango fett is the obvious intent but it's not stipulated in the mechanics.

7 hours ago, Darth Revenant said:

I always figured the most sensible in universe dating system...

I read that first part of the sentence waaay differently than as was intended...

16 hours ago, ExpandingUniverse said:

But seeing the New (Palpatine) Calendar dates seems interesting.. would the Empire 'dumb down' the Battle of Yavin and merely call it '...a terrorist attack on an Imperial Facility...' and spread propoganda... so do the rebels use the BBY and Impericals use Foundation of Empire dates,,,, My head hurts

Palpatine/Imperial Calendar = French Republican Calendar, complete with rollback post-Battle of Endor to whatever they were using before.

33 minutes ago, EliasWindrider said:

If one wanted to rules lawyer I believe the game mechanical requirement is human male not clone, clone of jango fett is the obvious intent but it's not stipulated in the mechanics.

Correct. As clone is a distinct species in the rules, it doesn't qualify for RCT.

4 hours ago, EliasWindrider said:

If one wanted to rules lawyer I believe the game mechanical requirement is human male not clone, clone of jango fett is the obvious intent but it's not stipulated in the mechanics.

It's quite possible that the Clone species write-up will have some bit of rules text that says they have to start with the Clone Trooper career, especially if the species is meant to reflect a Kamino-grown Jango Fett clone.

And much like the RCT spec's species requirement, it can probably just be ignored by those GMs that so choose just as some GMs have opted to ignore RCT's species requirement.

Just out of curiosity, what are people doing about career skills for for the RCT when they unlock it from the clone requirement? I got the sense that its six career skills (instead of the usual four) were compensation for the lack of flexibility, and perhaps to help account for it.

1 hour ago, Dr Lucky said:

Just out of curiosity, what are people doing about career skills for for the RCT when they unlock it from the clone requirement? I got the sense that its six career skills (instead of the usual four) were compensation for the lack of flexibility, and perhaps to help account for it.

From what I've seen on these forums at least, absolutely nothing, and are just using the spec as-is sans the "human male" species requirement because having six career skills instead of four is viewed as "no big deal," even if the bulk of those career skills are perfect for a combat-focused character.