We've only had one session so far. Unless something smacks me in the face and derails the game, I'll try to play as is until I have a much firmer grasp of the rules.

I want to master the system as is before changing things. It can often prevent pain further down the line.

Actually, that's not quite entirely true - we do have a house rule. Everyone gets one point in a fun Color Skill. It cant be something potentially useful, like piloting or deception - it has to be a hobby (like knitting or singing) or knowledge (like wine tasting or Shockball team rosters) - something that you normally wouldn't sink points into that adds flavor to your character (and very occasionally comes in handy).

I had totally forgotten that. I still haven't picked one for my character. Better get on it.

Since we are converting from Saga, there are a number of custom equipment rulings, but most conversions on equipment are "lossy," meaning the benefits are likely gone. The main example I have there is for Mandalorian armor, which has been heavily customized. The Free Traders & Freebooters PDF has been of use in that regard, but I've tweaked it beyond their suggestions.

As the author/editor/compiler/producer of the Free-traders catalogue I'm very interested in how you've tweaked it further. I'm working on a revision/update and would love feedback, suggestions and comments on what is in there, particularly attachments, armour and that stuff.

Since we are converting from Saga, there are a number of custom equipment rulings, but most conversions on equipment are "lossy," meaning the benefits are likely gone. The main example I have there is for Mandalorian armor, which has been heavily customized. The Free Traders & Freebooters PDF has been of use in that regard, but I've tweaked it beyond their suggestions.

As the author/editor/compiler/producer of the Free-traders catalogue I'm very interested in how you've tweaked it further. I'm working on a revision/update and would love feedback, suggestions and comments on what is in there, particularly attachments, armour and that stuff.

We adopted almost all of the stats for the Mandalorian armor, but I got some pushback on the soak value increase for heavy battle armor (possibly because the character wearing it is seen as having a soak that is already "too high"), so soak has remained at 2. We've also left the encumbrance at 6, effectively making it just HBA with the cortosis and durable qualities.

Where the conversion started to get difficult was with built-in weapons, especially the flamethrower. Those defined in the core rules just don't match the miniaturization concept. We may house rule that part or just use the wrist rockets or other attachments from the Free-traders supplement.

Thanks for pointing that out. I haven't looked at those stats for a while. So too high soak and encumbrance? Righty. I'll have a look see. Thanks a lot!

For the miniaturised stuff just decrease damage of the flamethrower 2 or 3 points and you should be good to go I think. If you have any other feedback or suggestions for the catalogue, please PM me or post a comment on my blog. I'm grateful for any and all feedback

Those tweaks are in the context of this specific group. We're transitioning from Saga and the game mechanics differences for armor have made one character rather tank-like, so I imagine that's where the hesitation came from: maintain the Mando idiom, but don't let it get out of hand (which is relative). For example, we had decided as a group that the kama (DR2 vs fragmentation attacks in Saga) would just be visual flair in EotE, but I perhaps favor the idea that it would provide -10 or -20 to a crit roll for fragmentation attacks, the opposite of Vicious for one attack type.

I like your idea for the flamethrower, as I appreciate your work on the supplements. Thanks.

For reference: I have my players roll their own dice pools with both positive and negative dice all at once. I was considering adding a residual effect to Triumph results. 1 exp for every Triumph. I know Triumphs are pretty good by themselves, but I really want to give my players that extra "Wow" factor concerning triumphs.

I doubt I would do a reverse where despair removes an exp. However I could see it. Even if the PC is at 0 exp and rolls a despair they gain an "exp debt" where they are at -1 exp, they don't lose talents or skills or anything from being in debt, they just have that much extra to go for more exp. I probably won't do this though. But the low frequency of Challenge dice compared to Proficiency dice could make this an interesting dynamic.

Just an idea I have kicking around in my brain. Comments?

For my kid I am using the BG skill list with just one knowledge skill and one pilot skill, and using the BG crit table (4 crit = death).

For both the kid group and the adult group no formal obligation stat. I will use it for background/plot hooks though.

Only house rules I have at this point are really just the stuff I compiled in "Ways of the Force" and the "Unofficial Species Menagerie."

I'm actually pretty happy with the majority of the system as is. Admittedly, I've not played around too much with Encumbrance when it comes to starships, but then I always played fast and loose with cargo capacity even back in the d6 days.

I've got some very rough notes on a means to cover cyborgs as viable starting characters, but those are in a very early and very rough alpha state right now, with the leading notion being to have "cyborg" as a template that adds certain elements of the Droid species and is applied at the cost of a hefty chunk of a character's starting XP budget.

How much of what I've written on all three of those fronts may well change once I get my hands on a copy of the AoR Beta. But that won't happen until next week (assuming FFG has copies for sale at GenCon).

I am really disappointed in the Vehicle/Starship combat rules. I have had an entire encounter where one player was just going evasive the whole time... rather boring. Working on revamping them where is more opposed rolls, and you are trying to go from head on, to advantage, to tailing. Also adding wingman assisting.

I wonder is AoR will expand on the Starship combat rules? I guess we will know soon.

For reference: I have my players roll their own dice pools with both positive and negative dice all at once. I was considering adding a residual effect to Triumph results. 1 exp for every Triumph. I know Triumphs are pretty good by themselves, but I really want to give my players that extra "Wow" factor concerning triumphs.

I doubt I would do a reverse where despair removes an exp. However I could see it. Even if the PC is at 0 exp and rolls a despair they gain an "exp debt" where they are at -1 exp, they don't lose talents or skills or anything from being in debt, they just have that much extra to go for more exp. I probably won't do this though. But the low frequency of Challenge dice compared to Proficiency dice could make this an interesting dynamic.

Just an idea I have kicking around in my brain. Comments?

I wouldn't tie XP to rolls. I've seen something like this (houserules for permanent repercussions from simple rolls) in WFRP turn people off from attempting mundane things, like making a Perception check to search a room. Add the bonus XP on a Triumph, and you are going to see some rolls avoided (when they shouldn't be) and others rolled more than they should be.

If you don't have enough "kick" from Triumph or Despair, then you should narrate bigger effects.

Here are mine:

Star Wars

EDGE OF THE EMPIRE

House Rules

Updated: 7/11/13

Available Material:

All Fantasy Flight Games published material is available for use for the game, including any necessary errata. As well, the Unofficial Species Menagerie is also available for use for additional species. However, if official FFG published stats for a PC species becomes available the official stats will override the unofficial ones (this includes XP deductions).

Gamemastering:

I want the “leveling” pace to be slower than what is presented in the core book. Therefore I will use the following guidelines when determining XP at the end of each session.

· 5-10 XP per session

· +10 completing a major story arc/adventure

· +5 XP accomplishing key milestones

· +5 XP creative storytelling/roleplaying/playing to a character’s motivation

· +1-5 XP for other creative ideas, in-character suggestions, or situations

Character Creation:

Force Rating: To represent the feel of the Edge of the Empire era I am only going to allow one Force-Sensitive character in the group at a time. (This may change if we increase the number of players.)

Obligation/Motivation: At character creation I, the GM, will randomly determine a characters Obligation and Motivation. If you wish to create a secret Motivation please email me separately.

Force Powers:

Ongoing Effects: When a character is using the ongoing affect option of a Force Power, according to the core book, I may have the character begin to suffer strain that increases per round/scenario, to represent the exertion of maintaining the power.

Gear and Equipment:

Knockdown quality: Frag Grenades, Thermal Detonators, and Missile tubes gain the Knockdown quality. Also, vehicle and starship scale weapons used against character scale targets also apply the knockdown quality.

Character Creation:

Force Rating: To represent the feel of the Edge of the Empire era I am only going to allow one Force-Sensitive character in the group at a time. (This may change if we increase the number of players.)

Gear and Equipment:

Knockdown quality: Frag Grenades, Thermal Detonators, and Missile tubes gain the Knockdown quality. Also, vehicle and starship scale weapons used against character scale targets also apply the knockdown quality.

I really like the knockdown quality for grenades and vehicle weapons. That makes a lot of sense.

If you don't mind; what is the purpose of limiting force-sensitive characters? You look at the party make up of 'A New Hope' You have at least three force-sensitives; one budding force user, one potential force user and a full fledged Jedi, then a smuggler, his wookie pal and the two droids.

That raises a question I've been pondering. Are most people rolling obligation and motivation, or letting players choose? I think I'm leaning towards choice (definitely in the case of Motivation). But curious about what others are doing. Sorry off-topic.

For me, I want to run RAW for the most part. Really the only thing I'm thinking is allowing Blast to strike each member of a minion group individually. If it becomes a problem, I can always increase the rarity of grenades or decrease the number of encounters with minion groups.

I'm also thinking of limiting Force sensitivity. So far, I've only had one player express interest, so we'll see if that's necessary.

Lastly, I have the idea of 1XP per Dark side destiny point at the end of sessions in mind, but only if it proves necessary after we get into the flow of the game.

I like giving my players choice, so when they want a motivation or obligation specifically I let them choose it. I reserve random obligation/motivation for those players who don't know/care what to choose.

Character Creation:

Force Rating: To represent the feel of the Edge of the Empire era I am only going to allow one Force-Sensitive character in the group at a time. (This may change if we increase the number of players.)

Gear and Equipment:

Knockdown quality: Frag Grenades, Thermal Detonators, and Missile tubes gain the Knockdown quality. Also, vehicle and starship scale weapons used against character scale targets also apply the knockdown quality.

I really like the knockdown quality for grenades and vehicle weapons. That makes a lot of sense.

If you don't mind; what is the purpose of limiting force-sensitive characters? You look at the party make up of 'A New Hope' You have at least three force-sensitives; one budding force user, one potential force user and a full fledged Jedi, then a smuggler, his wookie pal and the two droids.

Many reasons actually. One is fear, I am concerned about the powers being abused. I may change my mind after seeing them in play. Another is I don't view ANH as the standard but the exception. In my idea of the Star Wars universe there are very few force-sensitive individuals during this period and fewer still who are aware of their abilities and fewer still who are willing to use them during a time with such individuals are fiercely hunted down and destroyed. Thus having only one in the party fits with that theme. I also don't want my Life on the Edge story to turn into a Force themed story. If it is a non-issue then I may allow another, but out of a party of 4-5, I would still cap it at two.

I only started rolling obligation because we did it just on a whim during the chargen session and it turned out to add a nice element of surprise and fun, so... They have since been modified as the players flesh out the backgrounds for their characters

Some of mine:

Class skills are only used to determine starting skills. For advancement all skills are class skills

Talent Trees: Dont cost points. If you want to buy into a tree, you need two of the specialization skills at level 2

Ship encumbrance: I use the capacities in tons from prior games, modified by the actual cargo space that should be available.

The character changes are because I despise the concept of class, especially in a point buy system like EotE. As far as I am concerned the only game when should ever use the term 'character class' is D&D. In my opinion, the 'classes' in EotE should never have been presented. All they do is restrict choice in a place it is not needed.

As for vehicle encumbrance, it just dosent work. Yeah, a crate of blasters is not the same encumbrance as the blasters loose, but what is it? That is a rhetorical question, so dont answer it. The fact of the matter is that if you pile them loose, a yt-1300 can only carry 165 blaster pistols. That is non-sensical. There is also no way to make the 165 encumbrance make sense with the 100 ton cargo rating from every other product without stretching things beyond disbelief. a Wookie tricked out can lift several percent of the 165 encumbrance. Considering that 1% is a ton , things get a bit wonky. They should have just gave the ships a tonnage rating, especially cause some people are occasionally carry bulk cargos.

So far the only thing our group has house-ruled is Encumbrance, both vehicular and personal. For vehicles, the GM is going with tonnage and for characters we are going Brawn+10 instead of +5. The book version just seemed too low to us as a group and our variant seems to work pretty well, while not game-breaking.

Jim

I agree that encumbrance as written seems a bit... conservative. I hadn't figured out how to deal with it.

In thinking a bit about Obligation, I'm toying with doubles forcing a second roll rather than doubling the numeric penalty. I like the idea that multiple Obligations might be in play at once.

I might need to convert to Tonnage on Capacity. The rules as written are a bit lacking. I'll give them a try, but it doesn't look favorable to me. Luckily I have enough old West End books to give me a good idea of proper tonage for all sorts of ships.

I agree that encumbrance as written seems a bit... conservative. I hadn't figured out how to deal with it.

In thinking a bit about Obligation, I'm toying with doubles forcing a second roll rather than doubling the numeric penalty. I like the idea that multiple Obligations might be in play at once.

Oh multiple obligations at once is a great idea. I might have to steal this one for myself. Suspicious yoink .

I might need to convert to Tonnage on Capacity. The rules as written are a bit lacking. I'll give them a try, but it doesn't look favorable to me. Luckily I have enough old West End books to give me a good idea of proper tonage for all sorts of ships.

You can also check out Wookiepedia... I think much of that information has found its way there.

Due to the ~2 hour length of my weekly session I will have the players roll for destiny points as normal, but instead of flipping one to another when used, they will just be used and gone for the rest of the session.

I am considering doing this, except that they would be gone for the encounter rather than the whole session.

I've always used them as a scene-based resource, and it works just fine.

So far my house rules are:

-Enduring can only be acquired once.

-Cybernetic implants that add to brawn do not rise soak

-I use the EotE Beta version Weapon Damage values for both Personal and Vehicle weapons, with vibro-weapons a bit lowered (somewhere between Beta and final release).

Looking forward to:

-A house rule that improves my experience with destiny points. Well, only the upgrade/downgrade option of spending DPs

-Hoping that Age of Rebellion adds more gear options, specially armour options. I am toying with the possibility to rise Laminate armour to Soak 3 and create a Heavy Battle armour of Soak: 3 Def:1.

I agree that encumbrance as written seems a bit... conservative. I hadn't figured out how to deal with it.

In thinking a bit about Obligation, I'm toying with doubles forcing a second roll rather than doubling the numeric penalty. I like the idea that multiple Obligations might be in play at once.

Oh multiple obligations at once is a great idea. I might have to steal this one for myself. Suspicious yoink .

Oh man I really like that. Would you then just give both activated Obligation people -2 to their strain and everyone else -1?

Oh man oh man I really like that. Suspicious yoink indeed.

I don't know if this is a house rule exactly, but I let a PC make a difficulty 2 Leadership check to use his Stealth check for the group rather than defaulting to the lowest Stealth skill in the group. To refine this, I'd probably knock that down to difficulty 1 and add a setback die for to be led beyond the first. Failure just means the lowest Stealth dice pool gets used for the group. I might be willing to expand this concept at least into other movement-related skills such a Athletics for climbing.