I'm trying to introduce my kids to RPG. Since they are big Star Wars fans, I thought the Star Wars RPG might be a good choice. However, I see there are several different Era/Sets to chose from. Could I please ask for a suggestion as to which one to start with?

Ask your kids which part of Star Wars is their favorite, and base your decision on that:

• Edge of the Empire deals with shady elements like criminals, bounty hunters, and pirates, but it also focuses on exploring the galaxy, living on the frontier, and ordinary folks just trying to make their way in the galaxy. If their favorite characters are like Han Solo or Hondo Ohnaka, or if their favorite parts include Jabba's palace or Canto Bight, or really anything from the movie Solo , then this will be a good fit.
• Age of Rebellion is largely concerned with military matters, and the book is written with the Rebellion in mind. So if they're fans of X-wings and covert missions, this is the book for them. The mechanics can be pretty easily adapted to other militaries, though, so if they'd prefer to play as the Empire, the Resistance, or partake in the Clone Wars, those should be on the table.
• Force and Destiny is pretty much all about the Force. If your kids are fans of lightsabers, the Nightsisters, or the mystical aspects of the universe, they should find this to be fun. The Force essentially gives characters super powers, so if they want to be something special in the galaxy, they'll enjoy this. The rules also allow for dark siders, so if they're looking to be evil (or if you're looking to provide real consequences for evil actions) look no further.

The era books just change the fluff and add some specific things, but the archetypes present in the core rulebooks can be applied to pretty much anything. Prequels, sequels, stuff from Legends, whatever you need. If you find your kids gravitating towards a particular career (for example, if they want to be Guardians from Force and Destiny ) you might consider picking up the relevant sourcebook, since it provides additional roles they can play, other options for species, and special abilities they can unlock.

First of all: Way to go dad!

Second, I would guess the Force and Destiny material is most approachable for young children. But then again Star Wars Freemakers Adventures proves that EotE stuff can be pretty exciting.

As far as Era, you got a lot of choices. I would build on what the captain said, and see which of the cartoons and movies are their favorites and why. I think that will help inform the rest of your choices.

If the kids like the era of the Rebels animated series, then you might also pick up the Dawn of Rebellion sourcebook (in addition to whichever genre Core Rulebook you choose - FaD, EotE, or AoR).

If they like The Clone Wars animated series, then a new sourcebook - Rise of the Separatists - is coming "soon". (The date is unknown so far, but someone predicted February/March next year.)

Thanks for your help, everyone! I will start talking to them about what kind of characters they are interested in and then grab the appropriate beginner's box if I can narrow it down to one of the areas described above.

Also, keep in mind that things from each book are cross-compatible. You could start with Edge (Han and Luke early on), then move the characters into an Age story very easily (Han after clearing things with Jabba, and Luke mid-story), even having one or more of them becoming force sensitive in the process (Luke again).

Obviously the cost to get all three cores/beginner games is high so pick one as a starting point. I'm a big fan of the Edge beginner box over the Age or Movie one, but I haven't played the FaD beginner adventure yet.

On ‎8‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 1:26 PM, CaptainRaspberry said:

and ordinary folks just trying to make their way in the galaxy.

This is code for "I'm a murderous guy who will capture or kill you and sell you to sith or bug people who want to watch you get eaten alive."

Also, don't be afraid to buy multiple beginner boxes. Expeccially for kids

They are amazing value for the amount of stuff you get. Each one has a full dice set, plus heaps of maps and tokens that can be used for anything. I didn't buy a single dice pack, I just bought all 4 beginner boxes!

And each one has an adventure with a printable followup campaign to continue each story.

Each one has 2 more printable pre-gen characters too. I use the pre-gen character sheets (which are full colour and reusable) all the time for one shot adventures and teaching new players. I swap and mix them aswell, using Force users in Age of Rebellion and vice versa.

This way you can try out each setting before you settle on the core rulebook you want (which is a big investment, I only have one (AOR) but I play with all 3 settings)