TheSagaContinues

1 vote for the Shantipole Technician (nice nod to older material and happenings), and 1 vote for "Lieutenant Kettch" (whoever that Wedge guy is, he is nothing compared to the Furry Fury:  Yub, yub, Commander!).

I think a contest on Gamblers and Charlatans would be fun.

I messed up in an earlier post by not completing my thought.  I was casting my second vote for lil_literalist's geothermal vents.  I believe that will make a difference in determining the winner of this contest.

Sith ruins dot the lands of many worlds, a reminder of the times when dark empires led by warrior-wizards ruled the galaxy.  Many of these decrepit palaces and tombs still house the fortunes of those long dead sorcerers, but the distance to those worlds combined with the secrecy of the Sith means that many of these architectural wonders will never be explored.   For those foolish fortune-seekers and archaeologists who do stumble upon them, many of them wish they had left well enough alone, for the stones themselves seem to scream with the insanity of the damned and the desolate, and those that become unnerved enough flee into the twisted maze of buildings never to be seen again.


Haunted Ruins

Statistics (CL 10)

Keywords: Artificial, Energy, Sonic

Trigger: A character enters a set of haunted ruins

Attack: +12 vs Fortitude Defense

Damage: 3d10 sonic (half damage on a miss)

Recurrence: Hourly, as long as the target remains in the haunted ruins

Suggested Skills: The following are suggested Skills for this Hazard:

•   Endurance (DC 24): The character attempts to shake off the worst effects of the ancient Sith whisperings, gaining a +5 circumstance bonus.
•   Knowledge (galactic lore) (DC 29):  The character recalls the details of ancient Sith sorceries that still protect the buildings they created.
•   Perception (DC 24): The character keeps watch for unusual apparitions or other illusions that could be more than they seem, gaining a +2 circumstance bonus to their Fortitude Defense.
•   Use the Force (DC 19): Characters can surround themselves with the peaceful energy of the light side of the Force, bolstering them against encroaching darkness for a +2 circumstance bonus to their Fortitude Defense.

Special: Characters who move down one or more steps on the Condition Track as a result of taking damage from this hazard suffer another attack by the haunted ruins (+12 vs Will Defense).  If this second attack succeeds, the character is treated as though the next closest creature had used the Terror aspect of the Mind Trick power on the character (this effect is not negated even if the character’s level is higher than the level of the next closest creature).


I do like what I have created for the Haunted Ruins, but if anyone has suggestions for improving it, please fire away.

I agree, there are so many interesting builds here.

I did an Aleema Keto build myself on another contest, so that gets an honorable mention from me.

My official votes are for Morrun Dokkas, the Sith Beastmaster and for Kel'eth, the Holocron Gatekeeper.

Morrun and his focus on beasts is all too often a forgotten style of build, using the natural world around you against your enemies.  A little surprised he doesn't have Plant Surge to represent additional control over the environment, but overall, a fun idea.

Kel'eth is in the same boat.  Not many people build holocron keepers, and I can respect the build as a way to get your players into a mess, one way or another.

For the next contest, maybe something a bit nontraditional, like building a hazard.  I realize that a hazard might not have the same depth as building a character, but it'd be fun to expand our pool of poisons, deadly plants, harsh terrains, and other things that adventures might encounter (without fighting).

I’ve always though Cin Drallig was a cool character, even though we don’t see him much in the media.  Most of my remembrance is fighting against him in the Revenge of the Sith video game for PS2.  In this format, I’ve tried to represent a variety of fighting styles befitting an instructor who has mastered all the lightsaber forms.  Unfortunately, there is no way to give him all the lightsaber form talents unless we went into Sith Apprentice, and we can’t do that!

For initial creation decisions, I went with a middle-aged human, since Cin was still considered a master swordsman, but I could use the age penalties to boost his lightsaber training stats and slightly reduce his physical capacity (which is an important consideration concerning his final fight facing Anakin Skywalker).  Compared to the Anakin statblock in the Clone Wars Campaign Guide, Drallig may be one level higher, but it is very reasonable that Anakin's level 14 build could defeat this level 15 Cin Drallig as noted in both the RotS novelization and the brief cameo in the movie via hologram.

Though he is not distinguished with scars, he is somewhat an older character with ages lines on his face.  Taken with his nickname of “The Troll” and his reputation as a taskmaster during lightsaber instruction, I thought it fitting to give him the Scarred background, though I must confess I secretly wanted to add Deception to his list of class skills through this choice. 

I made a few decisions about what I could leave out based on stats and effectiveness, like his Strength and Dexterity being the same.  There was no point in taking Weapon Finesse or the Ataru talent for virtually no benefit when I have other fish to fry, as I will outline.  And while I could take more lightsaber form powers, I think all Jedi should have the mainstays of Battle Strike, Mind Trick, Move Object, and Surge.

Ataru is represented by the Acrobatic Strike feat and Saber Swarm.  Several other powers boost the mobility of the battlemaster’s Ataru dance, but these actually give him decent offense.

Djem So has two contributions in Weapon Specialization (lightsabers) and one lightsaber form power (I really wanted Power Attack for extra damage and that aggressive feel, but I felt Force Regimen Mastery was a more important roleplaying and background element).

Jar'Kai has Dual Weapon Mastery I as it’s only representation.  He seems to favor using just one lightsaber, and the build wouldn’t gain much from including the actual talent, plus he doesn’t have the stats to do really good dual wielding.

Juyo is actually the first form represented by a talent, being supported by another talent, a feat, and a lightsaber power.  This represents Drallig’s major focus in perfecting lightsaber combat for offense.

Makashi gets two talents, and Contentious Opportunity, too.  Cin can easily switch hands if needed for one- or two-hand use to benefit from Lightsaber Defense, and Contentious Opportunity gives him a damage buff outside his turn.

Niman gets a single focus in Move Object as an option for using the Force in combat, but if you think about the creativity of Niman in the lore, having so many other options in his toolbox means that Drallig can find something to combat just about any opponent with, which is a hallmark of Niman.

Shien get just one Force power to represent it, but Shein Deflection plays to our lightsaber instructor’s mobility in combat, so it was a natural choice.

Shii-Cho gets three talents and a lightsaber form power to show off.  With Block and Deflect basic mainstays of Jedi builds, Shii-Cho was easy to add, and gives the Troll an excellent defensive tool.  Sarlacc Sweep gives him an option for engaging multiple opponents if he needs to.

Sokan is denoted by Acrobatic Strike and Unhindered Charge.  Being more principle than actual form means I could get away from the talent and rely on Force Training to get me what I needed for this build.

Soresu is in the same boat as Shii-Cho, supported by multiple talents for an excellent buff to Drallig’s defense.

Trakata is represented by Combat Trickery.  Getting Deception as a class skill from the Scarred background was essential for showing off Trakata this way because the feat is so much better than the talent.

Vaapad is the form solely not represented specifically.  From what I can tell, Mace Windu closely guarded the secret of Vaapad and thus I presume Drallig wouldn’t know much about it, but Swift Flank would be an ability Drallig would use if I were to add it.





Cin Drallig

Medium male Human (middle-age) Jedi 7/Jedi Knight 7/Jedi Master 1   CL  15
Force 13
Init +13; Senses Perception +10
Languages Basic, Bocce
Defenses Ref 30 (flat-footed 28, Lightsaber Defense 31, Makashi 33), Fort 27, Will 31
hp 85; Threshold 27
Speed 6 squares
Melee lightsaber +18 (2d8+10) or
Melee lightsaber +20 (2d8+10) with Acrobatic Strike or
Melee lightsaber +18 (2d8+11) two-handed or
Melee lightsaber +20 (2d8+11) two-handed with Acrobatic Strike or
Melee unarmed strike +16 (1d6+8) or
Melee unarmed strike +18 (1d6+8) with Acrobatic Strike or
Melee lightsaber +13 (2d8+10) and unarmed strike +11 (1d6+8) or
Melee lightsaber +13 (2d8+11) two-handed and unarmed strike +11 (1d6+8) or
Ranged move light object +20 (1d6)
Base Atk +15; Grp +16
Atk Options  Dual Weapon Mastery I
Special Actions  Block, Deflect, Juyo, Lightsaber Defense, Lightsaber Form Savant
Force Powers Known +20 battle strike, contentious opportunity, fluid riposte, mind trick, move object, rebuke, saber swarm, sarlacc sweep, shien deflection, surge, unhindered charge, vornskr’s ferocity
Force Regimens Known +20 Quiet the Mind, Sparring Practice, Vo’ren’s First Cadence, Vo’ren’s Second Cadence
Force Techniques  Improved Force Trance, Improved Move Light Object, Improved Sense Surroundings
Abilities Str 13, Dex 13, Con 9, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 16
Special Qualities  background (scarred), Bonus feat, bonus skill, fearless, serenity
Talents Block, Deflect, Juyo, Lightsaber Defense, Lightsaber Form Savant, Makashi, Shii-Cho, Soresu, Weapon Specialization (lightsabers)
Feats  Acrobatic Strike, Combat Trickery, Dual Weapon Mastery I, Force Regimen Mastery, Force Sensitivity, Force Training (3), Martial Arts I, Skill Focus (Use the Force), Weapon Focus (lightsabers), Weapon Proficiency (lightsabers, simple)
Trained Skills  Acrobatics +13, Deception +15, Initiative +13, Use the Force +20
Untrained Skills Climb +8, Endurance Gather Information +10, Jump +8, Knowledge +8, Mechanics +8, Perception +10, Persuasion +10 (+12 to intimidate), Pilot +8, Ride +8, Stealth +8, Survival +10, Swim +8, Treat Injury +10, Use Computer +8
Possessions lightsaber (self-built), Jedi robes, utility belt

I think calling it an accurate weapon and improving damage to 1d6 would be fine.  The description on Wookieepedia supports the idea of being a balanced weapon combined with enough weight to piece stormtrooper armor if the throw uses enough force.  Most exotic weapons happen to have other qualities associated with them as well, so perhaps to make it stand out from knives or other similar simple weapons, it could have an additional unique quality or two.  For example, the first time we see zenji needles is in the Thrawn Trilogy (Timothy Zahn), when those who see them initially mistake them for hair ornaments.  In addition, zenji needles are designed to be thrown quickly and often see multiple needles thrown at the same target, so aligning them with a feat bonus might be interesting as well.

Zenji Needle
Weapon Type: Exotic Weapons (Ranged, thrown)
Size: Tiny
Cost: 50
Damage: 1d6
Stun Setting: NO
Rate of Fire: Single-Shot
Weight: 0.1 Kilogram
Type: Piercing
Availability: Rare
Accurate:  This weapon takes no penalty to attack rolls when thrown at targets at Short Range.
Special:  You do not take the -2 penalty when using this weapon with Rapid Shot if you have multiple zenji needles.  The zenji needle's size, shape, and ornamental jewel give the wearer a +10 Equipment bonus to Deception checks for the purpose of hiding its presence if the wielder has hair that is shoulder length or longer and the hair has been styled.

Hey, guys, it's been quite a while.  Hope things have been well.  Looks like things have slowed down quite a bit, but I still see signs of life here and there.

Rather than start a new thread, I found the perfect thread to perform necromancy on.

While other groups kept me away from Saga for longer than I cared for, I am fortunate enough to be able to be starting two Saga Edition games in the near future.  Both games are going to use Dawn of Defiance as the campaign, since my schedule at the moment is tight and premade campaigns are a bit easier to run.  The one group will be playing DoD in the early years of the Empire, just as the campaign outlines.  Not alternations be made (or few enough that it doesn't matter for major game purposes).

It is the second group that I need help with.  Per the request of the group, they would like to do Dawn of Defiance, but they want to play in the era of the New Republic (Legends canon).  My request for the community is what ideas can you offer me for alteration in making DoD suitable for the later timeline.

The ideas I have so far:

1.  12 years after the Battle of Yavin, during the Imperial Reunification (so Admiral Daala kills the warlord and promotes Admiral Pellaeon to lead the new Imperial Remnant).  I will make minor changes to certain aspects of the canon to suit my narrative (mostly to include more Imperial factions uniting behind Pellaeon than indicated by Wookieepedia).

2.  The Sarlacc Project is going to be renamed (my working title is the Reclaimation Project while I field more ideas, and I'll take suggestions), and instead of being a massive prototype warship, is going to center around the Restored Empire's Clone Wars-era fleet of decomissioned Old Republic warships (similar to how Thrawn acquired and revamped the Katana fleet of Sienar dreadnoughts for use during his campaign against the New Republic).  The idea is that in this era, the Imperial Remnant (much like Thrawn before them) wants ships to be able to take the fight to the New Republic and is willing to use outdated military hardware, similar to how the Rebels fought against the Empire during the Rebellion era.  The ships are being hidden away and revamped until the right moment to surprise the New Republic.  I think many of the elements of DoD, such as acquiring funding and slave labor, are still applicable for the Imperials in this venture of refurbishment.

3.  As the heroes are probably working for the New Republic to identify this new threat and with Luke's Jedi Academy up and running, visiting Imperial-held worlds (especially for Jedi) will still be quite risky, but they will have a greater capacity to work in the open on several of the worlds they will go to.  Bail Organa will be replaced with a Republic-friendly NPC, depending on the heroes' nature, so likely a colonel, another senator, or even a Jedi at Luke's Praxeum.  Should I maintain a tone of secrecy and low profile by making it a black-ops mission, or should I introduce 'friendly' complications, such as inept New Republic bureaucrats?

4.  The Inquistors and dark force users of DoD will be replaced with Force-sensitive members of the different Imperial factions near to this time (such as the Reborn, the Disciples of Markos Ragnos, the Blackguard, and other Dark Jedi).  While the full resources of the Empire are no longer always able to be brought to bear for them as it is in the traditional campaign, I still feel they can provide the same threat and challenge as the Inquistors posed.

5.  I was planning on replacing Master Denia with a Jedi apprentice from Luke's academy, thus opening up a line to the New Jedi Order (so it can function as a bridge to meeting Luke for the first time, despite my general dislike of celebrity encounters, or if the heroes already have a connection to the academy, it can serve as a rescue attempt sponsored by Luke).  Denia's future appearances would be replaced by a new NPC Jedi working for Luke.

What other ideas do you guys have for altering DoD to be more playable in the New Republic era?

Sort and simple, I have been on both sides of rolling stats.  Had an 2nd level elf rogue in my first DnD ever (3.0) and I could beat both the ranger and the cleric (both level 2s) in a fight because my stats were so much better.  And had games where I felt useless because of rolling low.

I much prefer point buy because, even though it may feel a bit "samey" and not as random, I think it's more fun to make sure each player gets what he can and wants out of a system.