I originally posted this on RPGnet, but then I figured it might be better to do it here. Note that I haven't yet read fully through the book, since I only got it last night, but I am quite interested!

I've always liked Teräs Käsi, ever since Star Wars Galaxies. I didn't know much about it then, but I had a Trandoshan TK master, and it was a lot of fun to play. Martial arts in general are great, especially the esoteric mental disciplines and spirituality—things that mix well with the Force. I know a lot of practitioners of Teräs Käsi can be Force-sensitive. I'm interested in working up a writeup of an order of Force-using Teräs Käsi monks. They are a peaceful and secluded people who send out young monks to discover themselves and the universe and help right the balance.

Should I do the Teräs Käsi as a career with specializations? I was actually considering making it a standalone specialization, like Force-sensitive Exile, which anyone could purchase as a non-career specialization. From there, what I am not sure about is whether or not to create a Teräs Käsi talent tree with its own talents and some of the Force talents on the Force-Sensitive Exile's talent tree, or create a Teräs Käsi talent tree and assume that any Force-sensitive can also choose from the talents on the Exile talent tree. Basically: do you think the Exile's Force talent tree is what you'd consider a generic Force-user talent tree? So a Force-using TK master would have a TK talent tree, but also choose talents from the Force-Sensitive Exile talent tree when choosing talents. Or, if I want a Force-using Teräs Käsi artist, do I make sure to include Force talents in the TK talent tree?

One of the things I was thinking about that I'd like some Force-using Teräs Käsi artists to be able to do is deflect bolts and stuff, without using a lightsaber. The idea being that the TK user can focus her energy to deflect/block blaster bolts like Vader, with her bare hands. The book mentions this as something Force powers can do, but I was thinking maybe they could even parry lightsaber attacks. Not a guaranteed thing, by any means: they could still be shot and not be able to defend, or cut down by a lightsaber if a blow lands, or something. I'm not talking about immunity to laser weapons here, or being able to cut through things like a lightsaber could, with only your bare hands. But I'd rather like Force-using monks to be able to learn how to deflect bolts and parry small-scale energy weapons, much like one could with a lightsaber.

As for Teräs Käsi talents, they'd share more than a few in common with Exile talents: heightened senses and speed, for example. I'll probably have to make up some Force powers, but that kind of stuff is always fun.

I'm actually thinking this could be done using just the Force Exile and Marauder talent trees, as the later already gives plenty of oomph to unarmed attacks.

As for "dodging and deflecting blaster bolts"… I'd not recommend creating specific talents to do that. Instead, use the Sense talent tree and the upgrading of a foe's difficulty dice when attacking you, along with the Exile's Sixth Sense talent, to mimic that sort of thing.

Donovan Morningfire said:

Dono hit it on the head with this one. Marauder and Force-Sensitive Exile would be the way to go with this one.

I was going to make a similar thread for the purpose of gaining advice on making a Matukai initiate, but I think this works for that, too.

Of course, I'll have to make up the weapon, and the burning touch thing somehow…

doctorbadwolf said:

Well the staff could just be a reskinned gaffi stick; different appearance but same stats across the board except maybe a bump in Rarity.

For the burning touch, I don't recall that every being a part of their "power suite" in any of the RPG write-ups, but it could just be a fluff description for the Lethal Blows and Feral Strength talents.