Duty and Obligation

By DeadInkPen, in Game Mechanics

But what I'm wondering now is, if you took an Ace: Gunner specialization and then bought a specialization in, say, Technician: Outlaw Tech, would the same character have to have both Obligation AND Duty? Or can you decide which, or both? And is there anything from saying you can't take Duty instead of Obligation for a character career from the EotE book, or vice versa? Can I have a Colonist: Doctor who has no Obligation, but a Duty instead?

I'd say no.

Just because you bought an EotE specialization doesn't mean your AoR PC now suddenly has Obligation, and your EotE wouldn't be required to sign-up with the Alliance just to take an AoR specialization.

As for using EotE careers in an AoR game, substituting Obligation for Duty, I don't see why not.

I'd say that how you handle Duty and Obligation in your game should really depend on the kind of game you're trying to run.

Having said that, my preferred method as a GM would be to keep both tables, as suggested earlier.

While Obligation and Duty have mechanical effects, I see them as primarily narrative-enhancing. I feel they should be used accordingly.

That means that if someone in your AoR party wants to play the reluctant smuggler who is helping the Rebels while they deal with a bounty on their head, they should probably have the Obligation to represent that. If they've cleared their old debts (or they are minor enough to not be a potential issue) but they still want to play a Smuggler, then they don't need Obligation.

If the campaign is AoR-focused and that Smuggler assists the Rebels, then they should earn some Duty. Even if they didn't start with a specific Duty, you can decide based on the nature of their character or their contribution what that Duty should be.

TL;DR: If you want to tell a story that includes Obligation in AoR, then take it. It's a narrative-enhancing mechanic that should work for your game, not against it. If you want to play an EotE career using Duty instead of Obligation, I don't see why that is a problem (mechanically or narratively).

Just my two cents.

Light Side/Dark Side :P

Yea, I'm also assuming it will have something to do with that. And I'm guessing that it won't directly interfere with Duty or Obligation, and that it could be used separately or in conjunction. I feel like FFG thought this out pretty well. That's why Duty is like "Reverse Obligation".

Light Side/Dark Side :P

I think it will be obligation duty and destiny not light side dark side. In the movie with Luke it was always said "it is your destiny." While I do feel a mechanic for light side and dark side may be needed I doubt it will be a core mechanic

Light Side/Dark Side :P

Yea, I'm also assuming it will have something to do with that. And I'm guessing that it won't directly interfere with Duty or Obligation, and that it could be used separately or in conjunction. I feel like FFG thought this out pretty well. That's why Duty is like "Reverse Obligation".

Light Side/Dark Side :P

I think it will be obligation duty and destiny not light side dark side. In the movie with Luke it was always said "it is your destiny." While I do feel a mechanic for light side and dark side may be needed I doubt it will be a core mechanic

I don't see this. obligation and duty are chooses like light/dark. destiny is preordained or something like that.

Edited by tenchi2a

But what I'm wondering now is, if you took an Ace: Gunner specialization and then bought a specialization in, say, Technician: Outlaw Tech, would the same character have to have both Obligation AND Duty? Or can you decide which, or both? And is there anything from saying you can't take Duty instead of Obligation for a character career from the EotE book, or vice versa? Can I have a Colonist: Doctor who has no Obligation, but a Duty instead?

I think the answer to all of these lie in what kind of game the GM and the players want to play. Do you all want to have both Duty and Obligation, or one or the other, or neither? Talk about it and then sally forth with whatever choice you make.

I don't see the various careers as being tied to Duty or Obligation. They're all building blocks. Choose the blocks you want in your game. Want a Smuggler, Ace, Spy, and Hired Gun in the game group but just want to use the Duty mechanic? Go for it. Same group of characters but add on obligation? Do it. Want some characters to start with only Obligation and some to start with only Duty? You can do that too.

Imagine all the careers are in one big pile, and the Duty and Obligation rules are in another pile. They're not directly connected; they're just options for your game. Mix and match the ones you want to use.