So, if someone were to design Imperial Knights what careers and specializations would you expect to see?

I think Imperial Knights, as we see them, are far narrower than the Jedi specializations. This could mostly be due to the lack of information (we only see them as side characters in the Legacy comics). Honestly, we see mostly warrior-types (Guardians), a few with a bit more social skills than others (Consulars), and some that excel at being investigators (Sentinels). We have one or two trainers here and there, but that's the extent of it.

In the end, I'd see variants of whatever careers with see for the Jedi with one or two possible, minor tweaks here and there.

If you were to use what we already have access to, I would use the force sensitive emergent from the age of rebellion and the marauder - the imperial knights have a very martial bent, let them have ranks in lightsaber and decree that they must have obligation or duty to the Empire.

I could see a good case for Bodyguard too.

True. Bodyguard might be better with the sidestep and Defensive stance subbing for lightsaber qualities. At least till the lightsaber force power comes out.

If you have access to AoR Beta, I would argue that Emergent may be better depending on what sort of training the Imperial Knight had, as that seems to be the more militant Force User. I don't have the Beta, but I've heard that the Emergent is a much more capable combatant there.

Additionally, the more I think about the various Imperial Knight characters we see, they really would just mesh Force Sensitive In Exile with a combat career (Bodyguard and Marauder, primarily) with some non-combat specialties mixed in (Pilot, Doctor, and even Politico).

Awesome everyone thank you. You've give my wife and I much to think about.

If you have access to AoR Beta, I would argue that Emergent may be better depending on what sort of training the Imperial Knight had, as that seems to be the more militant Force User. I don't have the Beta, but I've heard that the Emergent is a much more capable combatant there.

I keep seeing this comment, but I really don't think it's the case. Exile gets quicker access to Uncanny Reactions. The only real "militant" stuff that Emergent has going for it are Balance (4th tier non-direct-access Talent) and a couple instances of Grit/Toughened. Unless you count Boosts to Stealth as more militant. Emergent doesn't even have Sixth Sense/Superior Reflexes.

If you have access to AoR Beta, I would argue that Emergent may be better depending on what sort of training the Imperial Knight had, as that seems to be the more militant Force User. I don't have the Beta, but I've heard that the Emergent is a much more capable combatant there.

I keep seeing this comment, but I really don't think it's the case. Exile gets quicker access to Uncanny Reactions. The only real "militant" stuff that Emergent has going for it are Balance (4th tier non-direct-access Talent) and a couple instances of Grit/Toughened. Unless you count Boosts to Stealth as more militant. Emergent doesn't even have Sixth Sense/Superior Reflexes.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there a power/talent (or multiple talents/powers) in Emergent that gives extra successes/boost dice to physical actions? If so, wouldn't that cover a lot of the physical-based things you would expect of a warrior, such as running, jumping, and swinging weapons?

I don't know for sure since I didn't get a copy and had to rely on hearsay from some friends who DID get it. . .and who are too far away to join my table (BLAST!).

You may be thinking of the Force Power Enhance. I could see someone wanting to play an Imperial Knight going the Hired Gun/Bodyguard or Marauder (or both eventually)/Force Sensitive Exile and then taking the Force Powers Sense and Enhance.

Pretty much the above... Imperial Knights are, so far as we've seen of them, perfectly doable with the existing Force rules (and Force specializations), the existing careers/specializations, and of course the Lightsaber skill.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there a power/talent (or multiple talents/powers) in Emergent that gives extra successes/boost dice to physical actions? If so, wouldn't that cover a lot of the physical-based things you would expect of a warrior, such as running, jumping, and swinging weapons?

You're not wrong about what Enhance does, but you don't need to be an Emergent to buy Enhance. It's a Force power; only prereq is Force Rating 1. Design intent seems to be that Force powers are not restricted to the particular Force Specialization of they book they appear in; only the Talent trees of that Specialization are so limited. In other words, a FS Exile can buy Enhance.

What Kshatriya said meshes with my own understanding of how it works -- since both Force specializations only grant Force Rating 1 if you didn't already have it or higher, at this time the only reason to take a different Force specialization is if one wants a talent exclusive to that, or to get to Force Rating 3 by going all the way down in both Force specializations' talent trees to their "gain +1 Force Rating" talents.

Therefore, by RAW as presented in the final AoR beta update, all that you need to answer regarding "Exile or Emergent" and Imperial Knights is "Which talent tree is closer to the intended Imperial Knight?"

at this time the only reason to take a different Force specialization is if one wants a talent exclusive to that, or to get to Force Rating 3 by going all the way down in both Force specializations' talent trees to their "gain +1 Force Rating" talents.

Or to grab 2 more ranks of Unnatural Senses/Reflexes, which is quite worth the investment imo. And +1 Force Rating is nothing to sneeze at with so many great uses for committed Force dice between Sense and Enhance.

I honestly don't think it's hard to play an Imperial Knight with the RAW. Just take a Hired Gun (Bodyguard/Maruader) and add both Force Sensitive Exile and Force Emergent in whichever order you like as soon as possible. Given what the Imperial Knights are and what they're going throughout much of the Legacy era, all of the above talent trees make perfect sense.

All of this is assuming, of course, that you must play a Legacy era game so early in this system's lifespan. Force and Destiny will be here soon enough, if only in Beta. You'll have plenty of toys to play with there.

That too -- it's just that without FaD we aren't sure what FaD will contain, only that FFG is taking "compatibility with EotE and AoR" into account, allowing us to find a basis in the existing specializations and powers.

Am I the only one around here who thinks Force and Destiny is going to be placed during the Jedi Academy timeline rather than Legacy?

I don't think anyone thinks it will be placed during Legacy. It will probably reference the time after Endor.

All of this is assuming, of course, that you must play a Legacy era game so early in this system's lifespan. Force and Destiny will be here soon enough, if only in Beta. You'll have plenty of toys to play with there.

Considering how well EotE fits in with the heroes we see, it's not surprising to see people wanting a Legacy game. I mean, Cade's a Hired Gun with Force Sensitive in Exile, Delilah is a Mechanic, Syn is a Bodyguard (for the most part), and Morrigan Corde is a Gadgeteer. . .and this is without adding Ania Solo as an Outlaw Tech.

It really does make sense, but the Imperial Knights, scattered Jedi, and the very random Force powers do tend to put a damper on using EotE as-is in that setting. Just my two cents.