Hey there,

So I am new to table top RPG's and have been a long time fan of Star Wars. I had a few questions about the game (keep in mind I haven't played it yet). I am hoping to get a group together in the next few days to play the starter box. I have read through the material and am planning on being GM.

So, never playing this game or any table top RPG, a few questions:

How long does the starter box take to play through? Generally speaking?

When making a character you have several options. Some I really don't understand, or at least I am not sure how useful they really would be. For example (sorry I don't remember all the categories) before reading the actual professions in my mind I was wanting to be a Smuggler/trader. I don't know how useful someone who is mainly focused as a pilot or explorer would be.

How many stories or campaigns are there? I can kind of see myself getting into creating encounters or small stories. Granted I have no experience with it.

Anyhow thanks for any info/advice.

Give yourself at least 4-5 hours to play through the beginner game.

Each career and specialization brings a unique roll to the party, so as long as you're not all High Willpower and Low Brawn, everyone's going to be useful at something. Work with your GM to make sure that your character is living up to his usefulness.

As for officially published adventures, there's your Beginner Game Escape from Mos Shutta, and the follow-up "Long Arm of the Hutt." There's also an adventure at the back of the Core book, and the just-released Beyond the Rim. There's also a free-to-download "Under a Black Sun."

There's also a good amount of fan-generated adventures. Not a whole lot of "campaigns," as such, but this system really lends to a more episodic style of play anyway (that is, adventure-to-adventure, like a TV serial).

Give yourself at least 4-5 hours to play through the beginner game.

Each career and specialization brings a unique roll to the party, so as long as you're not all High Willpower and Low Brawn, everyone's going to be useful at something. Work with your GM to make sure that your character is living up to his usefulness.

As for officially published adventures, there's your Beginner Game Escape from Mos Shutta, and the follow-up "Long Arm of the Hutt." There's also an adventure at the back of the Core book, and the just-released Beyond the Rim. There's also a free-to-download "Under a Black Sun."

There's also a good amount of fan-generated adventures. Not a whole lot of "campaigns," as such, but this system really lends to a more episodic style of play anyway (that is, adventure-to-adventure, like a TV serial).

Thanks, 4-5 hours? ****, it really didn't read like it would take that long lol, granted thats not a bad thing.

I know a well rounded group is best, I am just wondering how often other people skills will be coming into effect, i.e. looking at the start box, if I am a pilot, there wont be much for my skill. It just seems like a bounty hunter or hired gun would be doing 90% of the work while everyone else would be filling that nitch slot.

I do like the idea of adventure-to-adventure style.

The nice thing about this game is nobody is "just" anything. Even someone with Agility 2 and no training can shoot a blaster. Sure, maybe you won't hit often, but you might generate an Advantage which could help someone else. A "pilot" can still be a good shot, a decent mechanic, etc.

If by "starter box" you mean you got the Beginner box, then use the characters that came with it if this is your first time playing. There are a couple of additional characters available on FFG's support site as well. You'll notice they're all pretty well rounded.

Good luck with it, and hope you enjoy it!

Good luck with your beginner game! It's gonna be tons-a-fun!

The nice thing about this game is nobody is "just" anything. Even someone with Agility 2 and no training can shoot a blaster. Sure, maybe you won't hit often, but you might generate an Advantage which could help someone else. A "pilot" can still be a good shot, a decent mechanic, etc.

If by "starter box" you mean you got the Beginner box, then use the characters that came with it if this is your first time playing. There are a couple of additional characters available on FFG's support site as well. You'll notice they're all pretty well rounded.

Good luck with it, and hope you enjoy it!

Yeah the Beginner box, I am planning on using the characters for the game, but I am thinking in the future.

Good luck with your beginner game! It's gonna be tons-a-fun!

I hope so, well, I am more hoping that we have people show up, I already suspect that its going to be fun.

We took about 4 hours for the game, since it is railroaded through the story. I let my players not much freedom to decide other options in order to get through every step. Keep in mind to play it as a tutorial. We used own characters built along the corebook and I got 4 players for it.

You have to be carefully at two points:

- The Stormtroopers rifles got 10 damage points. This is strong stuff. One of my players was knocked out, cause he thought as Wookiee he can tear some down with a vibro ax. He is still alive, but have to deal with one critical hit now So think about to use blasters with just only 7 damage for the troopers if you all are inexperienced

- For the dogfight at the end NO 4 TIE-Fighters if you just have 1 gunner onboard! 2 will do it. We have 2 gunners and my people managed the jump into the hyperspace with only 2 hull left! They where nearly killed. As a hint: If it is close that your player are defeated in this scenario I have a plan B for you: Make the pilot being so excited and angry, that he is so desperated and starts to hit the console with his bare fists... "**** piece of junk, if THEY don't ... I gonna WRECK YOU!!!" ... the hyperdrive surprisingly kicks in and their asses are saved. Think of the movies

My group took only 3 and a half hour or so to finish it. Admittably they rolled incredibly well in some situations and managed to skip fighting all together at the spaceport control...

If you've never played a tabletop game before, you may not finish the beginner adventure in one night. RPGs always take longer than you might think.

Also, even though characters may not be suitable for combat, they can still be useful. There are a lot of social/negotiating situations that come up. Or mechanics, or hacking.

Our group quickly realized we were severely lacking someone with Mechanics skill, and that affected them a couple times.

for adventures, there are several pre-made ones. There's Black Sun a freebie download, The beginner box adventure "escape from Mos Shutta", another free download follow up to that "Long Arm of the Hutt", an adventure in the core rule book, and an adventure packed in with the GM screen. And the adventure book "Beyond the Rim" which is like $25 or so.

There's another adventure out there somewhere that came with the Beta book but it's not a free download. You'd have to find the beta book I guess.

Thanks, 4-5 hours? ****, it really didn't read like it would take that long lol, granted thats not a bad thing.

I know a well rounded group is best, I am just wondering how often other people skills will be coming into effect, i.e. looking at the start box, if I am a pilot, there wont be much for my skill. It just seems like a bounty hunter or hired gun would be doing 90% of the work while everyone else would be filling that nitch slot.

First time around, it took my group about 5 sessions, just shy of an hour each. Of course, we got a bit...sidetracked. Muddled about the rest of the city for a while.

And then they got blasted out of space. Watch out for those TIEs.

Second time around, with only one now-familiar player, we ran the whole adventure in, I should say...a little more than an hour.

When it comes down to it, it seems to me that it's GM familiarity with the rules that sets the pace. Players are pretty quick to pick up the die mechanic and so long as your player sheets are somewhat organized, it shouldn't take too long to look up any stats. If you're designing your own adventures, I'd suggest writing down NPC profiles like they do in the adventure book. Very easy to reference.

Your first few sessions will probably go slowly, but don't be discouraged. With my wife and kids, the beginner box has taken several sessions. Then I managed to play with a couple fellow nerds who take games a bit more seriously. Even though they had never played this game before, we blazed through the whole adventure in the fastest RPG session I've ever played. This is coming from a guy who tries to stick to "Fast and Furious" types of games like Savage Worlds.

My group took abot 3:20, and didn't had any problemy, barely got hurt.

Some encounters can very anticlimatic with some luck on the dice side.

Though it really helped that we had a full group of people, especially the MedDroid was very effective.

My beginner group is VERY analytical and has a tough time deciding on a course of action. This week we're playing our third session of "Escape from Mos Schuuta", of about 3 hours each.

I'm hoping we finish it this time!

FootNote, check out the Compiled Resources thread on these boards; it has a bunch of adventures on it.

-Nate

One thing I've started to do to my group when they show signs of just wanting to sit and jaw in the middle of something is that I hold up my hand and start counting down. If they don't come to a decision, then too late.

First off... Welcome and have fun!

The Beginner Box adventure is split into two sections. With that said, just try to get through the first section in one night. Don't rush it, learn from it. Look things up if you have access to a Core book and learn as a group. It's not a race. As you play and become more familiar with the game, things will go faster and flow smoother.

Also, I suggest using the pre-generated characters to save time and get into the die rolling. Also, and others may disagree with this, inform your players that after the Beginner Box game you are going to allow them all to generate their own characters and they can keep any XP they gained along with gear and obligation. This way they will have control of their character, build what they want and won't feel as if they wasted time. But, they get the "bad" stuff too that came with the adventure. You can "handwave" this moving into the follow up, or break out into your own.

When I hosted that session for my kids it took about three hours. I used it as a guided adventure (some say rail roaded) but the boys grill me now on when our next Star wars adventure is going to happen. The Beginners box is there to help you learn the game, use it as such. Enjoy yourselves and entertain the group. For now a dead PC is useless. As in all Star Wars movies, the heroes have a leg up, play it up and if and when they are hooked and you are a more seasoned GM, increase the difficulty and rewards. Above all else, have fun. That is what role-playing is/should be about. On the flip-side if you have a power hungry clown, crush them and never invite them back. Check out the thread about the worst RPG sessions played.......WOW!!!