TheSagaContinues

I have to go with chelle's entry for being complete and well-thought-out. It feels similar to the official ones in the books.

For the next contest, I'll submit Combat Techs. These are builds which fit one of the (admittedly limited) flavors of sci-fi technicians, while also being a valuable person to have on your side in a combat scenario.

EDIT: I just realized that this build is disqualified because it doesn't meet the point buy requirements. And I guess you could say it's more than one build? Although it's kinda showing a progression, like the Wedge one.

This is a bit of an odd build, because it's more of an expansion of an existing table. For Crew Quality, you're given a few modifiers for Untrained, Trained, Skilled, Expert, and Ace crew members. But what if you wanted them to be a little bit more fleshed out? What if they had feats to match the PCs? This series of stat blocks is an attempt to produce those sorts of enemies. These stat blocks are not 100% complete, because it's not possible to build an NPC with +5 to every single skill, for example. So you would just need to designate whatever relevant skills they have as Trained.

These stat blocks have been given free maneuvers according to page 29 of Starships of the Galaxy.

Untrained Crew CL 0
Medium Human nonheroic 1
Initiative: +0; Senses: Perception +0
Languages: Basic

---

Reflex Defense: 10 (Flat-Footed: 10), Fortitude Defense: 10, Will Defense: 10
Hit Points: 2, Damage Threshold: 10

---

Speed: 6 Squares
Melee: Unarmed +0 (1d4)
Ranged: Blaster Pistol -5 (3d6)
Base Attack Bonus: +0, Grapple: +0
Special Actions:

---

Abilities: Strength 10, Dexterity 10, Constitution 10, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 10, Charisma 10
Feats: (nothing useful)
Skills: +0
Possessions: Blaster Pistol, Flight Suit

These guys suck. They're completely bland, and pretty much braindead civilians who exist to be trampled over by low-level heroes.


Trained Crew CL 0
Medium Human nonheroic 1
Initiative: +5; Senses: Perception +5
Languages: Basic

---

Reflex Defense: 10 (Flat-Footed: 10), Fortitude Defense: 11, Will Defense: 10
Hit Points: 2, Damage Threshold: 11

---

Speed: 6 Squares
Melee: Unarmed +0 (1d4)
Ranged: Blaster Pistol +0 (3d6)
Base Attack Bonus: +0, Grapple: +0
Special Actions:

---

Abilities: Strength 10, Dexterity 10, Constitution 10, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 10, Charisma 10
Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light), Weapon Proficiency (Heavy Weapons), Weapon Proficiency (Pistols)
Skills: +5
Possessions: Blaster Pistol, Flight Suit
^H Human-granted skill and feat.

These crew members also suck, but at least they're trained in the relevant skill and proficient in the weapon they're using.


Skilled Crew CL 1
Medium Human nonheroic 3
Initiative: +6; Senses: Perception +6
Languages: Basic

---

Reflex Defense: 10 (Flat-Footed: 10), Fortitude Defense: 11, Will Defense: 10
Hit Points: 7, Damage Threshold: 11

---

Speed: 6 Squares
Melee: Unarmed +2 (1d4)
Ranged: Blaster Pistol +2 (3d6)
Base Attack Bonus: +2, Grapple: +2
Starship Maneuvers: 1
Special Actions: Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Vehicular Combat

---

Abilities: Strength 10, Dexterity 10, Constitution 10, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 10, Charisma 10
Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light), Point-Blank Shot, ^HPrecise Shot, Vehicular Combat, Weapon Proficiency (Heavy Weapons), Weapon Proficiency (Pistols)
Skills: +6
Possessions: Blaster Pistol, Flight Suit
^H Human-granted skill and feat. (As far as what should be removed if Human is changed)

This is where you start getting some actual competency. Not as much because their numbers rise, but because their feats are becoming more useful, particularly Vehicular Combat.


Expert Crew CL 2
Medium Human nonheroic 7
Initiative: +8; Senses: Perception +8
Languages: Basic

---

Reflex Defense: 13 (Flat-Footed: 13), Fortitude Defense: 11, Will Defense: 10; Dodge
Hit Points: 17, Damage Threshold: 11

---

Speed: 6 Squares
Melee: Unarmed +5 (1d4)
Ranged: Heavy Blaster Pistol +5 (3d8)
Base Attack Bonus: +5, Grapple: +5
Starship Maneuvers: 2
Special Actions: Dodge, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Vehicular Combat

---

Abilities: Strength 10, Dexterity 11, Constitution 10, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 10, Charisma 10
Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light), ^HDodge, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Vehicular Combat, Weapon Proficiency (Heavy Weapons), Weapon Proficiency (Pistols)
Skills: +8
Possessions: Heavy Blaster Pistol, Padded Flight Suit
^H Human-granted skill and feat.

It's a bit hard to believe, looking at this stat block, that these pilots are supposed to be Experts. But the crew quality table itself doesn't prevent very impressive stats, even compared with first-level PC pilots.


Ace Crew CL 4
Medium Human nonheroic 14
Initiative: +12; Senses: Perception +12
Languages: Basic

---

Reflex Defense: 13 (Flat-Footed: 13), Fortitude Defense: 11, Will Defense: 10; Dodge
Hit Points: 35, Damage Threshold: 11

---

Speed: 6 Squares
Melee: Unarmed +10 (1d4)
Ranged: Heavy Blaster Pistol +10 (3d8)
Base Attack Bonus: +10, Grapple: +10
Starship Maneuvers: 4
Special Actions: Coordinated Attack, Dodge, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Vehicular Combat

---

Abilities: Strength 10, Dexterity 11, Constitution 10, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 11, Charisma 10
Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light), ^HCoordinated Attack, Dodge, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Vehicular Combat, Weapon Proficiency (Heavy Weapons), Weapon Proficiency (Pistols)
Skills: +12
Possessions: Heavy Blaster Pistol, Padded Flight Suit
^H Human-granted skill and feat.

These guys are certainly not here because of natural talent. They have become decent because of a lifetime of hard work. They are nonheroics, through and through! The guys who have been around for awhile and gotten promoted, simply because they haven't died yet.

I'm going with the Cursed Sith Inscriptions. It seems a bit like my own, but it's simple and easy to use, and seems like it matches the CL well. Plus, it would be easy to incorporate the runes into your game.

The second one is The Hole. Because I find that just telling a player that their character has been confined may not really settle in, with the player sitting cozily in their chair. "I wait it out." It's easy for them to say that. But actually putting some mechanics behind this to actually test how their characters would fare seems like a good idea.

My proposal for the next contest is navy personnel. Crew, pilots, commanders, support staff, etc.

Here's my first entry. It's a natural fit for many planets and can be run in an incredibly cinematic way. It can be used both for characters or for vehicles, and it is appropriate both in combat or as a survival challenge which needs to be crossed. In short, it's quite versatile, and the mechanics back up a very luck-influenced hazard while still allowing counterplay. The suggested skills include some which are taken frequently, and some which are not seen as often. And while Jedi should be able to do well with Surge to boost their Jump, this does not make them immune to the hazard.

Geothermal Vents (CL 6)
A thin crust of cooled rock conceals a network of superheated fissures below the surface. At irregular intervals, jets of scalding steam or bursts of boiling mud erupt upward with a roar, capable of blistering skin and disabling equipment. The vents can lie dormant for minutes, or detonate in rapid succession, making passage through such areas a gamble.

Keywords: Area, Natural
Trigger: When a creature, droid, or vehicle enters or begins its turn in an area of geothermal activity, roll a 1d6. On a 5 or 6, the hazard triggers as a vent erupts.
Attack: +8 vs Reflex Defense
Damage: 2d12 (half damage on miss)
Recurrence: Each round at the start of the target's turn, until the creature, droid, or vehicle leaves the area
Suggested Skills:

• Jump (DC 22): A character attempts to leap out of the way of an eruption, taking half damage if the hazard hits the character and one quarter damage if it misses.
• Knowledge (Physical Sciences) (DC 17): A character is able to determine the exact extents of the geothermal activity.
• Perception (DC 27): A character is able to spot telltale signs of an active vent before it erupts, gaining a +2 circumstance bonus to Reflex Defense to avoid the hazard.
• Pilot (DC 27): A vehicle may attempt to maneuver away from an active vent, gaining a +5 circumstance bonus to Reflex Defense to avoid the hazard.
• Survival (DC 22): A character is able to read a certain pattern in the network of geothermal vents. When the d6 for the trigger is rolled, a vent only erupts on a result of 6, and not on a result of 5.

Special: If the hazard's attack exceeds the target's Reflex Defense by 5 or more, the target is tossed 1d3 squares in a random direction.

And I just had to make another build for the Mandalorians. The ones who are randomly chilling around in Stealth in KOTOR. These guys are ambushers, and they're here to bring some hurt!

Mandalorian Ambusher CL 4
Medium Human nonheroic 3/Soldier 3
Force Points: 1; Dark Side Score: 3
Initiative: +15; Senses: Low-Light Vision, Perception +9
Languages: Basic, Mando'a

---

Reflex Defense: 21 (Flat-Footed: 19), Fortitude Defense: 19, Will Defense: 13; +5 vs being knocked prone
Hit Points: 36, Damage Threshold: 19

---

Speed: 4 Squares (armored)
Melee: Unarmed +8 (1d4+4)
Melee: Vibrosword +8 (2d8+7)
Ranged: Disruptor Rifle +7 (3d8+1, -10 to Threshold)
Ranged: CryoBan Grenade +7 (3d6+1, vs Fort to reduce speed to 2)
Ranged: Frag Grenade +7 (4d6+1)
Base Attack Bonus: +5, Grapple: +8
Special Actions: Ambush Specialist, Deceptive Drop, Keep Them Reeling

---

Abilities: Strength 16, Dexterity 14, Constitution 14, Intelligence 12, Wisdom 10, Charisma 8
Talents: Ambush Specialist, Keep Them Reeling
Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light), Armor Proficiency (Medium), Cunning Attack, Deceptive Drop, Skill Focus (Initiative), Skill Focus (Stealth), Weapon Proficiency (Advanced Melee Weapons), Weapon Proficiency (Rifles), Weapon Proficiency (Simple)
Skills: Initiative +15, Perception +9, Stealth +15
Possessions: Vibrosword, CryoBan Grenade, 3 Frag Grenades, Mandalorian Battle Armor (+8 armor, +2 equipment; Helmet Package, Gyro, Vacuum Seals), Sound Sponge, Stealth Field Generator, Utility Belt

Just as a summary of what bonuses they can get:

• -5 for opponents to spot them with a Stealth Field Generator active
• +2 to one target from Ambush Specialist. They can activate this in the surprise round or in the first round (since the talent includes itself in the activation of abilities).
• +2 vs flat-footed opponents from Cunning Attack
• Ability to knock flat-footed enemies prone with Deceptive Drop
• Ability to make enemies flat-footed with Keep Them Reeling. (Also note that unlike Trick Step, they don't become flat-footed if they lose. Which they aren't likely to, with a +15 Init.)
• Since the Disruptor only fires every other round, they have grenades to throw in rounds when it's cooling down.

I'm voting for
sienn_sconn's Cin Drallig (CL 15)
SilverIcon's Miska Eoliss, the Crystal Seer (CL 9)

I admire the effort and thought that was put into faithfully representing all of the forms for Cin Drallig while still keeping it at an appropriate power level and optimization.
I also admire the use of Know Your Enemy in the Crystal Seer as a useful part of the build, one which uses Farseeing without going all-in on it. I like playing around with reactions and having options, and this seems to be a great build to do that.

Ah, a wonderful droid grapple build. After seeing it, it does look significantly different from the one I submitted.

Unfortunately, Weapon Focus (unarmed) was removed with errata. So you're gonna need to re-juggle your feats.

And like Stephen said on the show, I don't know if most GMs would count the mesh tape as a held/worn item if the target is willing for it to be cut, considering that this doesn't seem realistic and would introduce peculiarities like having high-level characters be harder to free than low-level mooks.

I had to check on Stava Training, since the feat only says that you can make a grab attack. But it looks like the FAQ specifies that "A trained attacker (one who has either the Pin or Trip feat) can immediately try to improve his grab into a grapple, as part of the same standard action." So I guess that's kosher. I feel like I need to go back and reevaluate all of the grabbing-related abilities now.

I put out a compilation on Reddit awhile ago. I don't know if it should be added to the first post, or if I should just make a separate topic for it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/SagaEdition/comments/qxs8wq/ultimate_compilation_of_saga_edition_resources/