2nd Edition Revised and Expanded

By DarthDude, in Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game 30th Anniversary Edition

Is there a chance, that 2nd Revised and Expanded Edition might be reprinted as well? If so, there will be a "take my money" from me for sure!

I'd rather see the Imperial Sourcebook and the Alliance Sourcebook reprinted, for first edition. Those two would make a sweet pairing for a slipcase.

Edited by player3412539
2 minutes ago, player3412539 said:

I'd rather see the Imperial Sourcebook and the Alliance Sourcebook reprinted, for first edition. Those two would make a sweet pairing for a slipcase.

I only know of the 2nd edition and never skimmed through the 1st edition. I still ponder to purchase it though. Is there a big difference between those two? (except of the wild die of which I am aware)

Yes, quite a big difference. I've played both games, first and second edition, extensively. Both are exceptional games. Second edition has more rules. First edition is more seat-of-your pants gaming. In my younger days, I preferred 2ER&E. But, today, I've gone back to basics. I like the simple, quick gameplay of first edition.

In 2E, skill points are turned into character points, and you can use them to improve task throws. You can use up to two CPs on a regular task, and you can use up to five CPs on a defensive throw. So, if you have Blaster 4D, then you can throw 6D, using two CPs. And, the CP's explode, too. If you roll a 6 on either CP die, then you can re-roll it and keep re-rolling it as long as you roll 6's. If you have STR 4D, and you get shot, then you can roll up to 9D, using five CP's, to defend yourself when you roll for damage. Again, those CP's explode.

You know about the Wild Die. It explodes, too, and there can be some negative outcomes on a Wild Die "1".

During character generation, there are specialization skills, where you can get a 3D benefit from a single 1D spent. These are spent on more narrow descriptions of the skill. There are Advanced skills, too.

The negative to burning CP's is that CP's are also used as skill points to improve character skills. In my games, I found that players kept using their CPs like mini-Force Points, and they never improved their characters.

While this all sounds cool at first, this leads to some problems--the rule of unexpected consequences rearing its head--when the game is played. For example, when Han Solo is piloting the Falcon, being chased by three TIE fighters, Han can use his CP's defensively to save the ship and everyone on board. In a battle-heavy game like Star Wars, the pilot of the stock light freighter will eat through his CP's while everyone else on board gets to keep theirs.

Also, in a 2E game, you'll find that stormtroopers can be rather weak. That's because the PCs got boosted with all these new rules and the stock stormtroopers remained the same.

In a 2E game, you'll find you have to throw a lot more dice. Players will Specialize in skills that their characters use a lot, naturally, and thus 6D will become more common, where that's a high number of dice in 1E.

You will also throw more tasks. You roll for Initiative in 2E (and I love the elegant initiative system in 1E). You roll for sensor scans. There are more skills in 2E, some with more narrow definitions. You may roll for movement in 2E.

It's just a more complicated, more detailed game.

Again, I will say that both games are great games. I do love 2E. But, these days, my preference is for the much more basic 1E. To me, it fits the feel of the original trilogy better than does 2E.

5 minutes ago, player3412539 said:

Yes, quite a big difference. I've played both games, first and second edition, extensively. Both are exceptional games. Second edition has more rules. First edition is more seat-of-your pants gaming. In my younger days, I preferred 2ER&E. But, today, I've gone back to basics. I like the simple, quick gameplay of first edition.

In 2E, skill points are turned into character points, and you can use them to improve task throws. You can use up to two CPs on a regular task, and you can use up to five CPs on a defensive throw. So, if you have Blaster 4D, then you can throw 6D, using two CPs. And, the CP's explode, too. If you roll a 6 on either CP die, then you can re-roll it and keep re-rolling it as long as you roll 6's. If you have STR 4D, and you get shot, then you can roll up to 9D, using five CP's, to defend yourself when you roll for damage. Again, those CP's explode.

You know about the Wild Die. It explodes, too, and there can be some negative outcomes on a Wild Die "1".

During character generation, there are specialization skills, where you can get a 3D benefit from a single 1D spent. These are spent on more narrow descriptions of the skill. There are Advanced skills, too.

The negative to burning CP's is that CP's are also used as skill points to improve character skills. In my games, I found that players kept using their CPs like mini-Force Points, and they never improved their characters.

While this all sounds cool at first, this leads to some problems--the rule of unexpected consequences rearing its head--when the game is played. For example, when Han Solo is piloting the Falcon, being chased by three TIE fighters, Han can use his CP's defensively to save the ship and everyone on board. In a battle-heavy game like Star Wars, the pilot of the stock light freighter will eat through his CP's while everyone else on board gets to keep theirs.

Also, in a 2E game, you'll find that stormtroopers can be rather weak. That's because the PCs got boosted with all these new rules and the stock stormtroopers remained the same.

In a 2E game, you'll find you have to throw a lot more dice. Players will Specialize in skills that their characters use a lot, naturally, and thus 6D will become more common, where that's a high number of dice in 1E.

You will also throw more tasks. You roll for Initiative in 2E (and I love the elegant initiative system in 1E). You roll for sensor scans. There are more skills in 2E, some with more narrow definitions. You may roll for movement in 2E.

It's just a more complicated, more detailed game.

Again, I will say that both games are great games. I do love 2E. But, these days, my preference is for the much more basic 1E. To me, it fits the feel of the original trilogy better than does 2E.

Thanks very much for the detailed comparison. I want to introduce my child to roleplaying, especially Star Wars roleplaying as he loves Ep 1 to 6. I myself love the extended rules of 2nd (though I dislike the usage of literally Experience Points to buy additional dice) but to get my son hooked, I want mechanics to be simple for both players and GMs alike. If 1st edition fits the bill to introduce him, I can always change to 2nd later, when he has more roleplaying experience under his belt.

1E is definitely easier to learn and more basic in design. Instead of a rule, the GM is called upon to make a ruling and get on with the game. I would definitely first start out with 1E.

Note, that there are a few differences between 2E and 2E R&E.

Heck, there are even some different versions of 1E.

1E, core rulebook only (I play this).

1E + Rules Upgrade. The upgrade is a four page document that I'm sure you can find on the net.

1E + Rules Companion. The RC is a supplement of optional or additional rules that can be tacked onto 1E basic.

4 minutes ago, player3412539 said:

1E is definitely easier to learn and more basic in design. Instead of a rule, the GM is called upon to make a ruling and get on with the game. I would definitely first start out with 1E.

Note, that there are a few differences between 2E and 2E R&E.

Heck, there are even some different versions of 1E.

1E, core rulebook only (I play this).

1E + Rules Upgrade. The upgrade is a four page document that I'm sure you can find on the net.

1E + Rules Companion. The RC is a supplement of optional or additional rules that can be tacked onto 1E basic.

Thanks again. I guess, I give 1E a try. The prospect to improvise more easily is appealing to me. I know 2E R&E mostly only from theory (just did some test combat scenarios), I was a 1E D&D guy at that time. So I would be a new GM to Star Wars D6 and simplicity mechanics wise would be helpful.

This is a forum where we discuss 1E games. Feel free to come hit us with some questions!

CLICK HERE to see Beggars Canyon

The Revised and Expanded edition is an absolutely gorgeous book, IMO, and stands up against current RPG releases today easily. I am surprised it wasn't the choice for the reprint, to be honest.

That said, I am *glad* it wasn't. For me, the first edition is the "best" version of the ruleset, the most cinematic and fun, and certainly the most nostalgic (it was the first RPG I ever played, and I ran a campaign for four years using those rules, despite later acquiring the later editions).

I agree with the sentiment that another reprint would be *awesome*, and I'd also agree that it should probably be the Imperial and Rebel sourcebooks, ideally in a slipcase with the Rules Companion book as a triple pack. While I'm not a huge fan of all the new rules the latter book adds, I think a lot of gamers would appreciate them. It's not a big book and would be a tough sell on its own, but would be a huge encouragement to buy the set since the Rules Upgrade (the paper insert included with most early adventures containing 1st edition errata) wasn't included with the FFG rulebook/sourcebook set sadly. Not to mention, the Rules Companion (if I recall correctly) also contains "missing" stats from the first Sourcebook that most gamers will want/need (such as capital ship combat stats).

Edited by Banjo Oz
On 2/2/2020 at 1:40 AM, Banjo Oz said:

The Revised and Expanded edition is an absolutely gorgeous book, IMO, and stands up against current RPG releases today easily. I am surprised it wasn't the choice for the reprint, to be honest.

Simply put, it wasn’t the 30th anniversary of the 2R&E game, but of WEG’s original release. 😁

12 minutes ago, Nytwyng said:

Simply put, it wasn’t the 30th anniversary of the 2R&E game, but of WEG’s original release. 😁

Pretty much this.

The reprints of the 1st edition WEG books was a one-off, in effect being a novelty item to mark the anniversary of said game and generate some fairly easy revenue for FFG by cashing in on the nostalgia of WEG fans whose own copies of the two 1e books are probably somewhere between banged up and falling apart at this point (how many table-top gamers, a great many of whom were college kids, honestly took great care of their RPG books back then?)