Today I finished the Skills list.

PIONEER: Canny, Charm, Deception, Drive Team, Knowledge: Union, Knowledge: Education, Negotiation, Perception

Merchant Bonus Skills: Knowledge: Union, Knowledge: Frontier, Navigation, Negotiation

Sawbones Bonus Skills: Cool, Knowledge: Education, Medicine, Resilience

Orator Bonus Skills: Charm, Leadership, Negotiation, Knowledge: Union

Charlatan Bonus Skills: Charm, Cool, Deception, Pistols

DESPERADO: Athletics, Brawl, Discipline, Perception, Ride, Pistols, Resilience, Vigilance

Rifleman Bonus Skills: Athletics, Perception, Rifles, Stealth

Veteran Bonus Skills: Artillery, Discipline, Leadership, Rifles

Gunfighter Bonus Skills: Brawl, Cool, Pistols, Vigilance

Pugilist Bonus Skills: Athletics, Brawl, Cool, Melee

RENEGADE: Knowledge: Cultures, Knowledge: Frontier, Navigation, Perception, Ride, Survival, Vigilance

Outrider Bonus Skills: Canny, Coordination, Navigation, Negotiation

Tracker Bonus Skills: Medicine, Rifles, Stealth, Survival

Bandit Bonus Skills: Canny, Knowledge: Outlaw, Stealth, Vigilance

Frontiersman Bonus Skills: Athletics, Cool, Rifles, Survival

EDIT: Former specialization called Gambler, has been changed to Charlatan to encompass more things, like a con man or a snake oil salesman.

Hammered out all the Talent trees. I will post an update probably tomorrow.

PIONEER
Pioneers have their beginnings in more populated areas, typically out east. These characters have more education and more social skills.
Pioneer Skills: Canny, Charm, Deception, Drive Team, Knowledge (Union), Knowledge (Education), Negotiation, Perception

Merchant
Merchants are knowledgeable tradesmen and travelers.
Examples: traveling salesman, a shopkeeper, operator a stagecoach business, Trader
Merchant Bonus Skills: Knowledge (Union), Knowledge (Frontier), Navigation, Negotiation
Merchant Talent Tree: Use Explorer-Trader on page 73 of the Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook.
Talent Changes: None

Sawbones
Sawbones are healers and doctors.
Examples: country doctor, town physician, medicine man
Sawbones Bonus Skills: Cool, Knowledge (Education), Medicine, Resilience
Sawbones Talent Tree: Use Colonist-Doctor on page 65 of the Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook.
Talent Changes: 2-1, 3-3 Bacta Specialist becomes Salve Application , 1-2 Stim Application becomes Administer Elixir , 1-4 Improved Stim Application becomes Improved Administer Elixir , 1-5 Supreme Stim Application becomes Supreme Administer Elixir .

Orator
Orators are public speakers and leaders.
Examples: Town Mayor, Newspaper Reporter, Preacher
Orator Bonus Skills: Charm, Leadership, Negotiation, Knowledge (Union)
Orator Talent Tree : Use Colonist-Politico on page 66 of the Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook.
Talent Changes: None

Charlatan
Charlatans are masters of deception and cons
Examples: a gambler, con artist, snake oil salesman
Charlatan Bonus Skills: Charm, Cool, Deception, Pistols
Charlatan Talent Tree: Use Smuggler-Scoundrel on page 66 of the Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook.
Talent Changes: 1-3, Quick Draw is replaced with Plausible Deniability.

NOTE: Talents in Red are to be detailed later.

DESPERADO
Desperadoes spent most of their lives in violence and combat of one form or another. These characters have a larger range of weapon and fighting skills.
Desperado Skill: Athletics, Brawl, Discipline, Perception, Ride, Pistols, Resilience, Vigilance

Rifleman
Riflemen are masters in the use of rifles.
Examples: military sniper, master marksman, hunter
Rifleman Bonus Skills: Athletics, Perception, Rifles, Stealth
Rifleman Talent Tree: Use Bounty Hunter-Assassin on page 59 of the Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook.
Talent Changes: None

Veteran
Veterans are ex-military, skilled in weapons and military skills.
Veteran Bonus Skills : Artillery, Discipline, Leadership, Rifles
Veteran Talent Tree: Use Hired Gun-Mercenary Soldier on page 79 of the Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook.
Talent Changes: None

Gunfighter
Gunfighters are tough, hardheaded and good with a gun.
Gunfighter Bonus Skills: Brawl, Cool, Pistols, Vigilance
Gunfighter Talent Tree: Use Hired Gun-Bodyguard on page 77 of the Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook.
Talent Changes: 1-2 Body Guard becomes Improved Quick Draw . 1-3 Body Guard becomes Natural Marksman.

Pugilist
Pugilist are experts at fighting with their hands.
Pugilist Bonus Skills: Athletics, Brawl, Cool, Melee
Pugilist Talent Tree: Use Hired Gun-Marauder on page 78 of the Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook.
Talent Changes: All Pugilist talents pertain to Brawling only and not Melee.

NOTE: Talents in Red are to be detailed later.

RENEGADE
Renegades have lived outside of the civilized world, through lawlessness, or living in the wild. They have knowledge of the wild and survival.
Renegade Skills: Knowledge (Cultures), Knowledge (Frontier), Navigation, Perception, Ride, Survival, Vigilance

Outrider
Outriders are experts at mapping and travel.
Examples: Explorers, Pony Expressmen, Cartographers
Outrider Bonus Skills: Canny, Coordination, Navigation, Negotiation
Outrider Talent Tree: Use Explorer-Finger on page 71 of the Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook.
Talent Changes: 1-1, 2-2 Galaxy Mapper becomes Mapper . 1-2, 1-4 Street Smarts becomes Field Smarts . 1-2 Skilled Jockey becomes Skilled Teamster . 1-3 Master Starhopper becomes Master Cartographer .

Tracker
Trackers excel at survival and travel in the wild.
Examples: Army Scout, Hunter, Indian Brave
Tracker Bonus Skills: Medicine, Rifles, Stealth, Survival
Tracker Talent Tree: Use Explorer-Scout on page 72 of the Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook.
Talent Changes: 3-3 Familiar Suns becomes Familiar Terrain , 1-5 Utility Belt becomes Satchel .

Bandit
Bandits are rogues, thieves and robbers.
Examples: Bank robbers, Horse thieves
Bandit Bonus Skills: Canny, Knowledge (Outlaw), Stealth, Vigilance
Bandit Talent Tree: Use Smuggler-Thief on page 85 of the Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook.
Talent Change: 4-1 Bypass Security becomes Bypass Lock .

Frontiersman
Frontiersmen are Masters of living off the land.
Examples: Trappers, Mountain Men
Frontiersman Bonus Skills: Athletics, Cool, Rifles, Survival
Frontiersman Talent Tree: Use Bounty Hunter-Survivalist on page 61 of the Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook.
Talent Changes: None

NOTE: Talents in Red are to be detailed later.

All the RED lettered talents will be detailed more when I go through the Talents. All of the ones listed Work similar, perhaps with minor changes. Mostly the name change is just for flavor.

One exception is "Improved Quick Draw" for the gunslinger. This talent works the same (character draws as an incidental) but also adds the benefit from the Aim Maneuver. This is to add benefit to the 10 xp level location of the Talent over normal quick draw. I am thinking it will only work with Pistols, and only when drawing. I may make a new name eventually for this talent.

Next up will be Skill Changes.

All the RED lettered talents will be detailed more when I go through the Talents. All of the ones listed Work similar, perhaps with minor changes. Mostly the name change is just for flavor.

One exception is "Improved Quick Draw" for the gunslinger. This talent works the same (character draws as an incidental) but also adds the benefit from the Aim Maneuver. This is to add benefit to the 10 xp level location of the Talent over normal quick draw. I am thinking it will only work with Pistols, and only when drawing. I may make a new name eventually for this talent.

Next up will be Skill Changes.

Having just watched a "Few Dollars More" last night, I find myself more and more interested in your hack. The Improved Quick Draw sounds perfect for the main character in that film.

Good Flick... I have a fairly extended Spaghetti Western collection of dozens of films.

Worked out a Logo last weekend also (amusingly parodied):

I love this.

Still working out Skills...

I have added the skill Science. This is different from Education because it would encompass stuff like understanding basics of electricity, chemistry, etc. This could be used to make a professor who understands telegraphs and dynamite for example. While no Specialization has it a class skill, humans get 2, so it could be chosen that way. This also allows me to say it replaces Computers and gets me the same number of stills in EotE.

Shotguns! Shotguns will NOT be handled in the rifle skill, instead they will be handled through ONLY Agility. However, I am coming up with a whole new mechanic specifically for shotguns where range will upgrade dice.

Shotguns! Shotguns will NOT be handled in the rifle skill, instead they will be handled through ONLY Agility. However, I am coming up with a whole new mechanic specifically for shotguns where range will upgrade dice.

Bear in mind that there are a lot of Hollywood myths about shotguns, like them blowing men off their feet or hitting everyone in a room with a single shot. The first is simply not going to happen (else the shooter would be blown off his feet too by the recoil) and shot spread is much less than imagined (maybe you could hit three close together men at 50 yards range but at room to room range most if not all shot will hit a single target).

You can of course ignore the above if you actually want Hollywood style shotguns!

You can of course ignore the above if you actually want Hollywood style shotguns!

As stated in the very first post "...in the vein of Spaghetti Westerns." That should sum it up.

Update: The skill Canny (which replaces Streetwise) has been renamed "Gumption". Also a few of the previously mentioned talents in the Specialization section have changed names, these are listed below.

Worked through the minor changes in Talent for the ones my careers touch:

Administer Elixir (all)
Activation: Active Ranked: No
Original Talent: Stim Application (all), page 142
Works the same as listed, the name has been mainly changed for flavor.
Please note changes include the Improved and Supreme versions of this talent.

Bypass Lock
Activation: Passive Ranked: Yes
Original Talent: Bypass Security, page 133
Works the same as listed, but works with the Skulduggery skill. The skill could also be possibly used with the science skill depending on type of lock and method.

Master Cartographer
Activation: Active Ranked: No
Original Talent: Master Starhopper, page 139
This Talent works the similar to how it works in the book. However since Navigaion checks are not generally made under duress, the 2 Strain suffered are not recovered for 1 day of game time. Also doing this check takes several hours of studying land, sky and maps.

Prudence
Activation: Passive Ranked: Yes
Original Talent: Street Smarts, page 144
This Talent works the same as Street Smarts, but it works with the Gumption and Knowledge (Outlaw) skills.

Quick Sighting
Activation: Active (incidental) Ranked: No
Original Talent: None
This Talent works the same as Quick Draw, but also adds the advantage of the Aim Maneuver.
This action can only be used when drawing the weapon, once per encounter.

Salve Application
Activation: Passive Ranked: Yes
Original Talent: Bacta Specialist, page 132
Works the same as listed, the name has been mainly changed for flavor.
As their are no bacta tanks, the limits of this is in regards to a doctor being able apply various medicines and salves while the character is taking extensive bed rest.

Surveyor
Activation: Passive Ranked: No
Original Talent: Galaxy Mapper, page 136
This Talent works the same as but works with the Navigation skill.

Next up Weapons.

SKILL CHANGES:

Should there not be a Knowledge Native? Or is Customs supposed to be Knowledge Native Customs?

I'd also consider a fourth Profession, with four Specializations.

Profession: Lawkeeper. (I was going to say "Lawman", but that sounded sexist.)

But the Old West WAS sexist. Keep calling it Lawman. I can't think of many Lawwomen of the Old West off the top of my head.

Make Computers simply into Science. You could include Electricity, Chemistry, Biology, etc under Science.

Then I would keep Engineer in the mix as suggested above for actually building large things.

But the Old West WAS sexist. Keep calling it Lawman. I can't think of many Lawwomen of the Old West off the top of my head.

Make Computers simply into Science. You could include Electricity, Chemistry, Biology, etc under Science.

Then I would keep Engineer in the mix as suggested above for actually building large things.

Science was added as a skill a week or go or so (look a few posts ago when I listed out all the skills).

I am not sure what you mean for "engineer".

Minor update info:

1) There will probably be no rules update this week. Have a Roll20 online session Saturday. The result is, I have not had a lot of time to dedicate this week to the conversion. I should have an update next week.

2) ...which brings me to point 2... with the announcement of the Beta AOR Beta book, which I would guess will be at GenCon when I am there next week...I will probably actually just start work on incorporating this at the same time.

Expect some updates Next Weekend.

I'm throwing my money at the screen but nothing is happening...

I never was a big western fan, I did enjoy the Adventures of Brisco County Jr when I was younger, but that's about it.

Still, looking at this I keep thinking of a young(er) Bruce Campbell, his sciency friend and Lord Bowler. I must re-watch that series soon. This seems like a good fit for playing a Brisco-type game.

Quick Sighting

Activation: Active (incidental) Ranked: No
Original Talent: None
This Talent works the same as Quick Draw, but also adds the advantage of the Aim Maneuver.
This action can only be used when drawing the weapon, once per encounter.

I have a question about this. Is this once per encounter period, or would you allow a once per encounter per weapon drawn? I mean, one-shot pistols, drawing a lot of them and dropping them, like Derringer Meryl from Trigun?

Now that I think of Trigun... someone should do that.

I have a question about this. Is this once per encounter period, or would you allow a once per encounter per weapon drawn? I mean, one-shot pistols, drawing a lot of them and dropping them, like Derringer Meryl from Trigun?

Now that I think of Trigun... someone should do that.

I would say however the GM/Player want to interpret it. I personally would allow it if the character is just tossing the currently held weapon to the ground... I would not let them "Reholster" this weapon.

This brings another thing up... the game will have a "Rounds" listed for each weapon. GM can decide if he wants to track this, or use the out of ammo rules in EotE. The Round will be pretty generic as the guns will also. I am planning on having Derringer (2), Holdout (6), Pistol (6), Repeating Rifle (15), Hunting Rifle (1) and shotgun (2). Again, these are totally generic. I may eventually use the in game customization rules to create actual different models.

I have a question about this. Is this once per encounter period, or would you allow a once per encounter per weapon drawn? I mean, one-shot pistols, drawing a lot of them and dropping them, like Derringer Meryl from Trigun?

Now that I think of Trigun... someone should do that.

I would say however the GM/Player want to interpret it. I personally would allow it if the character is just tossing the currently held weapon to the ground... I would not let them "Reholster" this weapon.

This brings another thing up... the game will have a "Rounds" listed for each weapon. GM can decide if he wants to track this, or use the out of ammo rules in EotE. The Round will be pretty generic as the guns will also. I am planning on having Derringer (2), Holdout (6), Pistol (6), Repeating Rifle (15), Hunting Rifle (1) and shotgun (2). Again, these are totally generic. I may eventually use the in game customization rules to create actual different models.

That is one of the big differences. In Star Wars, blasters fire (usually) between 100 and 200 times before running out of energy from a fresh power pack. Some overcharged things fire less (I believe heavy blasters fire either 25 or 50, can't remember), and some smaller things fire less simply due to size. When you can fire 100 rounds before needing to worry about running out of ammo, it means a whole lot less than when you only have six.

However, westerns often ignore the ammo constraints unless it actually becomes important, having people shoot for awhile, then reload when two characters decide to talk about something or they want a moment of tension. And the other issue is that as written, the system doesn't consider one attack roll to necessarily be one shot fired, so that could muddy up the tracking of ammo unless you decide to modify that.

That is one of the big differences. In Star Wars, blasters fire (usually) between 100 and 200 times before running out of energy from a fresh power pack. Some overcharged things fire less (I believe heavy blasters fire either 25 or 50, can't remember), and some smaller things fire less simply due to size. When you can fire 100 rounds before needing to worry about running out of ammo, it means a whole lot less than when you only have six.

However, westerns often ignore the ammo constraints unless it actually becomes important, having people shoot for awhile, then reload when two characters decide to talk about something or they want a moment of tension. And the other issue is that as written, the system doesn't consider one attack roll to necessarily be one shot fired, so that could muddy up the tracking of ammo unless you decide to modify that.

Yep. Again, that is why I am giving he option. They want to go for the all-out realism, they can. If they want that crazy no one pays attention to number of shots movie idea... they can. Honestly, I have not even decided which I am going to do yet. If I go with the EotE rules, I will probably make them run out of ammo more in the setting. I seriously never use it in Star Wars. I suppose i might sometime but usually I spend the threat on stuff that makes sense in the scene.

UPDATE: This is not dead... Had a session for the online game I run 2 weekends ago... Last weekend had a friend down from Chicago and we went to Gen Con.

Hope to get weapons done this weekend. Have a pretty good idea of what I am going to do already.

UPDATE: This is not dead... Had a session for the online game I run 2 weekends ago... Last weekend had a friend down from Chicago and we went to Gen Con.

Hope to get weapons done this weekend. Have a pretty good idea of what I am going to do already.

Relax, good system hacks take time to consider, write, test, and revise. I look forward to later posts.

Hammered out the cover this weekend, also here is a sample of what the pages look like at this point...