personal forcefields

Lostboy · Commander Joined: 22 Aug 2008 Posts: 384

Personal forcefields are used in KOTOR and TOR as well as by Kyle Katarn and Jaden Cor, they are never the less not referenced in any source books and the only force personal shields available are forearm mounted ones that are used for parrying like those used by Durge.

Is there some sort of in cannon reason for this or is it just that they are expensive and kept out of it for game balance?

Finally what would there stats be.

Fallon Kell · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 6:40 pm Post subject:

As I understand it, they're rare, expensive, unreliable, and probably illegal. I've seen stats from who knows where, for droid energy shields that provide full cover at a strength of 4D, but only while the droid is stationary. This could be a good starting point.
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KageRyu · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 6:50 pm Post subject:

It's a video game thing to explain why characters can take multiple direct hits. It started for Star Wars Video Games with Dark Forces - and sure enough if you judge by the Video Games such devices are common...but they don't really exist in other sources (closest official technology are small beam shields and the energy shields used by the Gungan's)
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Fallon Kell · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 7:18 pm Post subject:

IIRC, there's one in the old Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology.
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Zarm R'keeg · Commander Joined: 14 Apr 2012 Posts: 481 Location: PA

Yes- basically just an expansion fo Katarns. I awarded one as a Verpine gift at the end of Strike: Force Shantipole to my often-mortally-wounded PC (she died on the next mission, so it did little good.) I think they should be of that rarity- special events only and not for purchase- but the rules I used were 'Extra 1D to strength to resist damage- if the field was compromised (the PC took a wound anyway) then it shorted out/overloaded, and would have to be taken back to the Rebel base's technicians to be repaired (essentially, out of comission for the duration of the mission).' So not an exceedingly powerful device (though it could be layered with armor)- just one to give a temporary leg up. Sadly, the character ended up with a head off, instead.
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Lostboy · Commander Joined: 22 Aug 2008 Posts: 384

is there a link to the old Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology?

Fallon Kell · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 11:03 pm Post subject:

Lostboy · Commander Joined: 22 Aug 2008 Posts: 384

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

garhkal · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 1:58 am Post subject:

There was also that shield used by Prince Isoder in Courtship of leia.
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Zarm R'keeg · Commander Joined: 14 Apr 2012 Posts: 481 Location: PA

Here's wookiepedia's article:
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Personal_energy_shield
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CRMcNeill · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 4:38 pm Post subject:

Might be a fun place for a Dune crossover...

I know my imagination tends to run outside the bounds of what is popularly considered the "normal" SWU, but I've had an idea floating around for awhile involving personal force fields. I liked to call it light-armor, in that it was very rare tech used by Jedi for added protection in heavy combat.
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cheshire · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 11:24 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I remember converting these from the Kotor Campaign Guide. I spent a LOT of time on this one to try to keep some semblance of game balance. I knew that personal shielding had already been established in some of the WEG materials, so it was a matter of balancing the cost with the benefit. There's a reason why not everyone is walking around with these things. (Though, one of my favorite in-universe explanations was that they were abandoned because they caused sterility... but no one else liked that.) Smile

Esoomian · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 11:48 pm Post subject:

cheshire · Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:39 am Post subject:

Heh... indeed.

I think we've actually got droid shield generators someplace separate. I'm pretty sure they're in the Scavenger's Guide to Droids. The costs run a little different.

Having looked at it again, there are a couple of other balancing agents to make the personal shields less of a big deal. I mean, they could serve to make someone practically bulletproof. But you have to spend a great deal of money as well as being temporary.
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Zarm R'keeg · Commander Joined: 14 Apr 2012 Posts: 481 Location: PA

No, cheshire, it musn't be so! The mighty line of Katarn must be continued...! Wink

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