I'm starting my first GM experience soon and was hoping I could get some insight into how to develop the, let's call it, "personality" of the starting ship. I assume most ships at the 120K range, with the exception of perhaps the YV-560, would be loaned to the party in a used condition and perhaps with some modifications already made. What would be the best way going about deciding how rarity, modifications, negative quirks, condition, and maybe even tools and gear left on board, come into play? How involved should the PCs be in this process? Should there be dice mechanics and/or skill checks involved? Sounds like it could be a destiny thing so force dice? Make some lists and roll against a d100? I'd like my players to have a say, but I also want to leave part of it to fate.

This is something I've been thinking about as well for the game I'll be starting soon. The players will end up having a choice from a couple ships sitting in a maintenance bay during their escape from a prison. One of the things I'm considering doing is giving the ship a couple existing criticals, representing why it's in the maintenance area to begin with. I'd also like to give it some "personality" quirks but I'm not sure where to begin.

I'd say involve the players in it as much as possible. They will enjoy it more if they opt take a malus in one area in exchange for a bonus somewhere, rather than feeling like you are just fiating.

In any case, I think the game presents used ships just fine. They have a number of open hard points suitable for long-term development. They come unmodded at a baseline which gives further customization options.

I've been in games where the GM used maluses to the ship in order to justify giving us a stronger starting ship. This was part of our agreement since nobody wanted any of the starting 3 ships, so we discussed it and came to a decision that left everyone happy. I don't think it would have gone the same way if we had picked a YT-1300 and the GM just said "ok this thing is old and used, so I'm decreasing handling by another -1 and reducing armor by 1 and…"

While it's good to get the players involved, I like the idea of there being surprises with the ship's quirks. Both as a GM and as a player. That's why, for an old and beat up ship at least, I feel that using things off the critical table are a good start. They're repairable and already have a ruleset in place for doing so. I also feel some quirks can be narrative, such as strange noises coming from the engine bay whenever the hyperdrive is used. There's not necessarily anything going on mechanically or dice-wise in the game, but it still adds personality to the ship. Plus, if you don't let the players know outright about it, they might think at first that the hyperdrive is going to give out at some point. Their fear will diminish over time of course when nothing happens, but there will always be that little nagging feeling that "this could be the time we get stranded because of this dang ship." Especially when their repeated attempts at finding the source of the noise turn up nothing and everything seems fine.

As a player, I really enjoy the feeling of fixing up a ship and making it awesome as opposed to recieving a baseline ship and adding on to it. Particularly when the story supports why your ship is a "hunk of junk" to begin with (for example: getting a beat up ship on loan from a Hutt, or only being able to snag a ship out of the maintenance/repair bay during a daring escape from a Kessel prison). In my experience, if you include a good story reason, especially when that part of the story is played out, the players can get a lot more involved with quirky items like ships.

Oh, I'm fine with narrative quirks, I just think negative mechanical surprises aren't fair.

My line of reasoning is that some of the hard points may already have modifications on them. Granted, you don't want your PCs running around with a bunch of quad laser cannons right off the bat, but, surely the previous owner of the ship made some sort of changes and perhaps left something on board. (Depending on the narrative of course). I'd just like a way of determining the starting packages using the PCs abilities or the luck of their dice.

For what to include on hardpoints if you want the ship to be outfitting a little already, I'd look at what types of characters you have and style of play that the players/you are aiming for. For example, if they're looking to be smuggling cargo across the galaxy, and you want them to be able to jump right into that, you might consider the ship being already fit with smuggling compartments. Maybe they stole a ship from a rival smuggler early on or their employer is loaning them a ship already fitted for what he/she needs them to do.

I use a lot of narrative quirks, but it sure would be nice to have a list of spaceship parts that can go bad from which to choose. Right now I just make things up that sound enough like a motivator or a hyperdrive injector.

My heroes' ship breaks down often enough that upgrading it has become my hook to get them into Beyond the Rim.

You know, maybe instead of a single list, we should create a series of rollable tables that would further break down the list of parts. Like a starting table that determines what general aspect of the ship: Weapons, external ship components, internal ship components, etc. Then have table(s) within that for what specifically is damaged or quirky.

You know, maybe instead of a single list, we should create a series of rollable tables that would further break down the list of parts. Like a starting table that determines what general aspect of the ship: Weapons, external ship components, internal ship components, etc. Then have table(s) within that for what specifically is damaged or quirky.

I like the idea. All starship mechanics weigh in!

A couple of things:

First I suspect/hope that the technician career book has just this sort of thing, along with overhaul rules.

Second, I believe traveller has this type of thing. I would maybe do something along the lines of for every 10-100 years (you choose) you get a purple die for the first increment. And so on. If you also eant to reduce the price, upgrade the difficulty roll. On a fail, something mechanical and reversible is found. On a threat its merely a flavour issue. On a despair, there is something seriously wrong that the players may not know about.

Faults could go from an odd smell (threat )in the cargo hold to a vengeful sith spirit haunting the ship. (Despair).

At the risk of stating an unpopular solution, maybe we should just start with known names of parts we've heard/read about? I'd hate to scope this out to be a giant project when all I would need (and many, I suspect) is a quick list of parts to pick from.

You could always give them a beneficial quirk at the cost of something else.

"Y'know, I've never had a problem with ________, but the _______ is a bit dodgy."

Then for one Destiny either side can activate some benefit/detriment, like a free Upgrade. No amount of repairs will fix this issue either; it's just the way it is.

At the risk of stating an unpopular solution, maybe we should just start with known names of parts we've heard/read about? I'd hate to scope this out to be a giant project when all I would need (and many, I suspect) is a quick list of parts to pick from.

I agree with this. Start simple and, if needed, it can always be expanded upon later.

Hey guys. Long time lurker, fist time poster. I am "starting" my EotE Campaign tomorrow. I use the " " because we have done two "mini" adventures so far with, but not as a whole group. Tomorrow we start Beyond the Rim. Anyway, I gave my group a modified KDY Corona class transport. I had to make up the stats my self for it, I used the old WEG material to convert it over. I did not use any hard points as these were "jurry-rig" mods to the ship. So nothing to awesome, but a little panache to their ship. It gives it that used feel with out being dangerous. It will also have a couple of doors that don't like to open or close, and landing gear that gets stuck in the down position, but nothing that will have any true effect on them and their encounters. I will also be posting in the BtR topic to detail out our experience with the module. So hope you enjoy my mods to the KDY Corona Kimogila Claw

Laser Cannon:
Amped up power. Power droid generator installed in parallel with the laser cannon power module increasing Damage by +1 and Crit Range by -1. Power generator burns out on on three threat and above. Damage and crit reverts back to normal range. (5 and 3)

Maneuvering Jets:
Jets have been slightly reshaped providing one for evasive maneuvers.

Astrogation Computer:
An R2 brain has been installed into the Astrogation computer. This added personality to the computer allows for faster travel times in Hyperspace. All Hyperspace trip durations are reduced by 1/6. (A 24 hour trip will take 20 hours)
All Astrogation skill checks receive one . Any Astrogation Droid making the skill check also upgrades one to a .

*Self promotion* If any one is on Obsidian Portal come check our group: https://edge-of-the-empire-6.obsidianportal.com/

I'm really digging the astrogation computer modification. I really like the whole idea of "this thing has the computing power to calculate faster routes, but I'll be a nerf herder's uncle if it's ever easy to use."

Also, I started making a list of ship systems today at work and will be organizing them into categories after I get a decent number of them down. I did think of one snag though, which is the fact that ship modifications are going to vary significantly between groups. Such as, what if the ship doesn't have a shield generator but rolls on that for a quirk? I imagine the simplest fix would be to just reroll on the table.

I'm leaving some of the "systems" kind of generic since I'm viewing this as mostly an idea generator at the moment. So, for example, one of the interior components could be simply "Airlock Doors," with a sentence stating "One or more of the airlocks on the ship has a minor fault; it constantly emits a hissing noise, grinds loudly whenever opening or closing, the 'not sealed' warning light never shuts off, etc."

Thanks for the feedback. Although I can not take credit for the R2 brain in the astrogation computer, that is an oldy but a goody.

I suggest just do whatever quirks or mods you guys want to. I don't see the need for a chart. If it gives a little boost to the group, but also has a small potential drawback, then run with it. I have found my self rolling on charts before and more often than not, just picking the one I wanted to use anyway. So while a good list of systems and mods is great, I don't think this game needs one to roll on. Fit the mods in to the group to help tell a great story. Make the ship its own unique character. If the group does not have a good gunner, then give them a little boost to the targeting computer. Have the Ship NPC fit into the group the way you want other players to fit into your group. I would like to see this list though. Will it be a new thread? Thanks.

That's very good advice. I hadn't really thought about using the quirks to aid players in that way. I'm definitely going to incorporate that into my game I think to help out some of the players that want to do more space activities but don't have characters that are specialized for it.

I end up usually doing the same thing when I roll on tables, but for some reason I still like having them around, haha. And a new thread may be a good idea, I'll create one once I have a list together!

Thanks. I really try hard to give the constructive criticism. Just don't say you don't like the idea, present an alternative.

This one of the things that really sets it apart from it's predecessor, you don't need rules for the rules and a table to roll on to tell you what table to to roll on. This is really designed to tell a story. The old version was great if you wanted that battle mat out and every second of little detail plotted out, every two meter step to be measured.

Just don't make the ship so overpowered where if they pick up some training it will be impossible to hit them. But a boost die here or there, or even a free upgrade die is not too bad most of the time. And with the quirks, it can also have a little setback. One thing you could do also is have it affect PC strain.

There is a weird and disturbing creaking coming from the deck plating in the captains quarters. The Captain could suffer one strain until he sleeps in a different room or place.

There is a foul stench in the cargo hold that cannot be found, (possibly a small animal made it's home in between the hull bulkhead and died, or worse) and every time they are in the cargo hold they suffer one strain from the overwhelming stench.

Have fun with it, and make her unique to every other ship out there somehow. I loved the idea about the door light always indicating it was open. Perhaps the computer is always saying "the Cargo Bay Door is ajar: I'm mean.

So have fun it's your creation, and don't let a chart tell you what to pick. Pick from a well complied list.

One I have enjoyed greatly is a carry over from the Krayt Fang, which had a LOT of good ideas you can expand on. Never getting the smell out of partially cured wookiee hides. and usually when using the autochef in the galley you get the smell of rotten meat... (must be stuck in the vents). Enough to be annoying, but not enough to make it worthwhile to fix.

It wasn't wookiee meat, because it was not Chewie

Some ideas: Patch on the inside of the Cockpit window constantly fogs up.

Borrowed one from the Red Dwarf series: one of the sleeping bunks is right next to the pipes that lead to the purification system. Makes constant gurgling sound and groaning when trying to sleep. Make an easy cool check to get some sleep (upgrade of you failed last night), otherwise get a setback dice until you take a "nap" somewhere else.

So, there was some talk of making a list of starship parts some time ago in this thread, and lo and behold, I stumbled upon a gm_toolbox pdf over in Reddit's SWRPG section; it does have some other content in it, but by golly, it has a chart of 100 different starship parts.

Remember that the ship is a narrative element of your game. It doesn't really matter how big it is or how it works, as long as the players can have fun with it. Its meant to be a home base for them. I guess I'm saying that you shouldn't get too hung up on the rules here.

Aside from descriptions you may benefit from having the computer restrict ship operation when it glitches. Won't take off while the engine light is on or something. The problem with that thinking is that its not fun, and can be a silly nuisance. Do it judiciously.

The price listed is 'New'. Used is like 20% of the price, but there are no rules for the obviously larger maintenance for a used ship. I've more or less just said that the ship gets an equal share.

I recommend this guy's layouts if you want deck plans;

http://www.rpgnow.com/browse.php?manufacturers_id=606

I've given my players the Venture which is the equivalent of a YT-1930 ship. He has a Firefly equivalent as well.

If you prefer old school, pick up a copy of the Haynes Maintenance Manual for the Millenium Falcon. It has lots more detail for you to toss at the players. There was a shuttle which could be placed in the mandibles of the YT-1300 (you have to crawl into it). There was also a mini fighter in place of one airlock.

The beginner box comes with the Krayt Fang deck plans, and dice.

"Correlian Engineering would like to remind you not to smash the control panels to get the hyper-drive working."