Grey Jedi and Force Philosophies

[shootingwomprats]

I have been looking to incorporate "grey" Force users into my game. With the introduction of the Corruption rules I think I have something that is workable.

Shem-du-Vale Philosophy: the devotee may attempt to use what are traditionally viewed as dark side Force skills in a neutral manner (without the use of hatred, anger or fear). Make a Willpower or Knowledge skill check vs Moderate difficulty (+1D per point of Corruption). If the roll fails the devotee was unable to resist the corruption of the Dark Side (using hatred, anger or fear) and gains one point of Corruption. If the roll succeeds the devotee has successfully channeled the skill for his purpose without the use of dark side elements and does not gain a point of Corruption.
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Don Diestler
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[shootingwomprats]

Blaster-Fu
Control Difficulty: Moderate
Sense Difficulty: Easy
This power can be kept up.
Effect: This power is called upon at the start of a battle and remains “up” until the character is stunned, wounded or worse; if injured or stunned may attempt to bring the power back up.

If the character is successful in using this power, he adds his sense dice to his blaster skill when when attacking or parrying a projectile. The character may add or subtract part or all of his control dice to the blaster’s damage; players must decide how many control dice they are adding or subtracting when the power is activated.

If the character fails when trying to activate, he must use only his base blaster skill for the duration of the combat.

Finally the character may use his blaster to parry (shoot out of the air - this includes blaster bolts) as a “reaction skill.”
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Don Diestler
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[Naaman]

That blaster-fu sems pretty wild... let us know how it works out.

[shootingwomprats]

The Blaster-Fu, wish I could come up with a better name, is actually a power used by a Gray Paladin in the EU series, "Coruscant Nights" by Micheal Reaves.
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Don Diestler
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[garhkal]

On this blaster fu.. are they required to make and attune the blaster to them like jedi normally do with lightsabers>> Or will it work with any off the shelf blaster?
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[shootingwomprats]

That is an excellent question. I am unsure how to answer this. On the surface one would automatically say yes, but a lightsaber is much more than a weapon to Jedi. Its a meditative instrument, its a symbol, its an additional connection to the Force.

I can see it going either way.

1. making your own customized blasters, allowing you be more attuned to the weapon as you were focused in the Force while making it.

or

2. Any pair of blasters in good repair. The Gray Paladin believing in a philosophy that is more about internalization and control of emotions that in meditating and attaining understanding and enlightenment the way Jedi do.

I am open to suggestions though!
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Don Diestler
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The D6 Podcast
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[Naaman]

I took a swing at blaster combat a few months ago on the boards here. I deliberately gave it mechanics that were nothing like LSC so that it would be more than just a "description" separating the two fighing styles. Search "blaster combat" and you should see a thread about alteratives for force users (I foget the exact title).

I hope iit helps.

[garhkal]

[shootingwomprats]

Well I have no issue with that. I will add that to the Force power that is requires a customization/attunement to the user in order to benefit from the skill.

Question for you. Lightsabers, since they are all about being attuned to the Force and the person who builds it. If a person with LSC picks up another Jedi's lightsaber is he able to use it the same as his own? Does LCS allow a Force user to use the skill with say a vibrosword or axe?

I also am thinking that a blaster is not as useful as a lightsaber in many ways. As a balancing mechanic, could just leave it any blaster he pick up he can use.
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Don Diestler
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[cheshire]

I'm also wondering what sort of balancing issues are in play with a blaster-Jedi. You're trading the natural "blaster impervious" nature of a seasoned force user with a lightsaber, but one of the things that I've often used to challenge my Jedi in game has been the range factor. That is to say, I've introduced challenges by giving them a bounty hunter that's 300m away. Now the blaster-Jedi can play the range game.

How does that play in-game? Has it been tested?
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Before we take any of this too seriously, just remember that in the middle episode a little rubber puppet moves a spaceship with his mind.

[shootingwomprats]

[Cheshire] I was concerned about balance as well, but let's be honest, is anything in the game balanced? Seriously, want to talk about the other Force powers?

Lets go with an example:

Dookie Tanada has Control 5D, Sense 5D, Alter 5D, Blaster 6D and uses a heavy blaster 5D. He declares he wishes to activate Blaster-Fu in a single round and declares 2 actions (total of 4 actions). He rolls Control 2D (5D-3D MAP) vs Moderate and Sense 2D (5D-3D MAP) vs Easy.

If he is successful (requiring either an exploding Wild Die or the use of one or more character points) he may add +2D to his Blaster skill of 6D for a total of Blaster 8D. He may also +2D to his blaster damage, making it 8D.

Action 1: Blaster 8D, Parry w/blaster 8D, blaster damage 8D

A Stomtrooper shoots at Dookie Tanada.

Action 2 (MAP for "reaction" defense): Blaster 7D, Parry w/blaster 7D, blaster damage 7D.

Action 3 (no MAP for "reaction" defense, sacrifices all remaining actions for the round): Parry w/blaster 8D.

In a single round he performed 2 actions and a reactive dodge, more than likely had to spend 1-2 character points and only increased his skill, damage and parry by +1-2D.

Keep in mind, if the character is ever stunned or wounded the power will drop. The rules do not allow a roll to avoid this.

You could use a house rule allowing a Willpower/Knowledge skill roll vs the total amount of damage rolled as the Task Difficulty. The character could use up to two character points to augment this.

The example is of a moderately trained Force user. The skill doesn't even become useful until the character has Control 4-5D and Sense 2-3D. Doesn't seem unbalanced to me. What do the rest of think?
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Don Diestler
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[shootingwomprats]

Here is another way to look at the information from the example:

Control 5D, Sense 5D, Blaster skill 6D and Heavy blaster pistol (5D damage)

1 action: Blaster 8D[7D], Parry w/Blaster 8D[7D], blaster damage 8D[7D]
2 actions: Blaster 7D[6D], Parry w/Blaster 7D[6D], blaster damage 7D[7D]
3 actions: Blaster 6D[5D], Parry w/Blaster 6D[5D], blaster damage 6D[5D]
4 actions: Blaster 5D[4D], Parry w/Blaster 5D[4D], blaster damage 5D
5 actions: Blaster 4D[3D], Parry w/Blaster 4D[3D], blaster damage 5D

[] denotes dice pool if character uses "reactive" defense. If the character decides to sacrafice the rest of his actions in the round, he does not suffer a MAP for using a "reactive" defense. Refer to the number in front of the [].
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Don Diestler
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[garhkal]

[shootingwomprats]

I meant that a blaster/gun is not as versatile a utility as a knife/sword/lightsaber. Yes it can shoot from range and it can block incoming fire. But it does not have the ability to redirect bolts nor does it cut anything. For example a tree, a blast door, etc. It also is not a light source. It is not a badge of honor denoting the character belonging to a recognized and respected oder. There are a lot of reasons why a lightsaber is better than a blaster.
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Don Diestler
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The D6 Podcast
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[Naaman]

The fact that its a blaster negates the "loss" of blaster redirection, since you can just shoot the enemy; and if adding control to damage, its a far cry and a half better than aiming someone's own blaster bolt back at them.

While I do agree that it should be possible to use the Force with a blaster, I would tend to make blaster combat based on incorporating special uses or variations of eexisting Force powers, rather than just copy/pasting LSC and swapping in the word "blaster."

Example: magnify senses can stand in for a scope. Life detection could acct as a range finder or reduce the benefits of concealment. Life sense could grant a targeting bonus or damage bonus as the Force use senses the vital organs of the target. Instead of the normal benefits of enhance attribute, you could allow a certain number of free actions (draw, reload, aim, etc) that happen at super human speed so that the character can stay in the fight.