Alternate Force Rules

[Neo-Paladin]

Awhile ago I developed some alternate Force rules that I thought fit the 'feel' of Star Wars better than the tried and true Control-Sense-Alter rules. I've run a campaign that used them, and the response was positive.
I was hoping others could look what I have over and let me know what they think.

https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/ealderson/alt-force_mech.pdf
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Science is organized knowldge, wisdom is organized life
-Kant

[Jamfke]

Hi there! For some reason, your file reads as file type .html instead of .pdf. I downloaded it as an HTML file and changed what it opens with in its properties. I can read it now, but you may want to fix it if you can for others.

Wow, you went into a lot of detail there. I like the concept of the Peace rule, but being comfortable with WEG's original setup, I have to say that this adds another roll to a system that is supposed to be quick and fast paced. Maybe Peace could be used like taking aim or something similar, where you get either a bonus to the die roll, or as you have it, lowering the difficulty.

I like the idea behind the whole thing, and if it works for you and your group, stick with it. I myself may borrow a couple of concepts, like the Peace option I mentioned above, for my own games.

Thanks for sharing this with us! And welcome to the Pit!
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[Neo-Paladin]

Hmm, well, to be honest, I don’t know what to do about the file type problem. I haven’t had that problem when I tried the link. I’m sure if I had the ‘133t skilz’ I’d be able to figure something out, but there it is I suppose.

Anyway.

I’m glad you liked the concept. I was actually trying to streamline the system with my mechanics. When you look at something like Jedi Mind Trick in the standard system, you’re rolling three pools. When you look at my system you’re never going to roll more than two pools, and most of the time just one. It’s not like a Jedi wants to use the Peace roll all the time, considering a serious failure increases the difficulty. I was trying to speed up Force usage with the combined Force roll, and an occasional Peace roll as well as give a sense of scale. That was the idea at least.

I’ve gotten the most positive feedback on the ‘Peace’ rule. It seems people respond to that modeling of the Jedi’s ‘strength’. I’m not sure the ‘Wrath’ mechanics are quite as apt, but as I said, they have played out well enough, and I’ve had PC’s with both mechanics, and nobody was unhappy.

If you incorporate the ‘Peace’ option, please let me know how it goes for you! I’d love to hear how it plays out for you.

Thank you for your response, and I’m pleased to make my way to the pit! I’ve been visiting off and on for years, so I’m glad I can contribute something.
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Science is organized knowldge, wisdom is organized life
-Kant

[Jedi Skyler]

I just finished reading through this. Not a bad alternate Force system! I've seen some cobbled together systems before, and this one at least looks like it's been well thought-out.

[Jamfke]

Hey, this is a great system, and I think it would work great, but as the saying goes, 'Can't teach an old dog new tricks'. Streamlining is good, I've no problem with trying to lessen dice rolls, but again, I'm just used to the old ways.

The Wrath mechanics are good too. I especially like the Waste portion of the system as there really isn't something like it in WEG's rules other than receiving a DSP for your bad actions. It makes more sense and follows the chantings of Yoda, "Yes, a Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware of the dark side. Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice."

I may be incorporating that as well.
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[Neo-Paladin]

Thank you Jedi Skyler. I tried to make it easy, intelligible, and comprehensive.

I understand what you mean Jamfke. I'm just the sort who never met a rule I didn't want to tweak. That is part of the reason why I love D6 oh so much, it's inimitably customizable.

You wouldn't believe the grin I had on my face when I saw Palaptine go all prune-faced. 'Ooo, somebody just dropped something like 20 wrath points!' Considering these rules were more or less finalized a year or two before RotS came out I felt all sorts of psychic.
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Science is organized knowldge, wisdom is organized life
-Kant

[Jedi Skyler]

I felt the same way when, over a decade ago, I was playing SW D6 pretty regularly, and I came up with my own E-wing concept about a year before they ever hit the books. Once I first read about them, my jaw dropped...

[Neo-Paladin]

I was hoping to solicit more feedback on my system. Playing with Force mechanics seems to be popular, so I’m thinking there have got to be more opinions out there.
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Science is organized knowldge, wisdom is organized life
-Kant

[Pel]

Very well researched and conceived. I do like the Waste concept.
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Aha!

[Cool McCool]

Wow, dude, I dig it!

I would totally make up a character with a loved one, or develop that kind of relationship through play, fully expecting the GM to try and off that loved one. Yeah, sweet.

Is there a way for Jedi to use Wrath points? That would be pretty sweet too. A nice temptation for goind to the Dark Side. (I may have missed that part when I was reading.)
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Still funky after all these years

[Neo-Paladin]

Thank you Pel. So often we see the Sith disfigured, I thought there should be a mechanic for it. It turned out to be a good way from keeping the Dark Side from getting obscenely powerful. Ep III was just vindication for me.

I'm glad you like it Cool. The relationship rule came about in response to the council's rule. As that tends to be an unpopular aspect of the Jedi Order I thought it might be an unpopular rule, but I'm glad you mentioned it. I think it adds a good bit of tension, and I don't think the Jedi would enforce it for no reason.

In my mind a light side Force user ‘calling on the Dark Side’ (bottom of page 4) is in effect using Wrath points. Obviously the mechanics are different (calling on the Dark Side is more powerful), but I’ve liked the idea of the Dark Side enticing the virtuous.
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Science is organized knowldge, wisdom is organized life
-Kant

[Jedi Skyler]

[Gry Sarth]

Well, another interpretation of that event, and one that I believe is sustained by WOTC, is that Palpatine was that disfigured all along, but he used the Force to conceal it from others. He used the lightning event as a good moment to drop the act and use his disfigurement as further proof of the Jedi's betrayal.
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"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[Jedi Skyler]

I've never read any of the WotC books, so I'd never heard that one before. Kinda makes sense, as it's obviously possible.

But I personally have a hard time believing that Palpatine was putting forth the level of power required to hide that kind of disfigurement while at the same time keeping himself fully hidden from the Jedi. Sure, the effects of his doings were detected, and a general "there is a disturbance in the Force" kinda thing was happening, but for Mace Windu or Yoda to be completely unable to detect the Sith Lord running rampant in their midst seems a bit out there to me, if he were indeed keeping that kind of illusion up.

But it's an interesting theory, at least. I'd need to know a bit more about the actual workings of the dark side in order to form a more educated opinion on how likely that scenario would be.

[Neo-Paladin]

Yeah, the channeling of too much dark energy causing the corruption is what I was going for. I’m not aware, does anything in WEG lit stat out the progression of disfigurement?

Something aside, I mentioned in the write up that the Sith have arts to channel their waste (the most sacred of their arts...), while I didn’t put it on the pdf above, I do have a Dark Side ability for my system written out… somewhere on one of my hard drives… that spells it all out. In my mind Palps had a bit of waste already but channeled it into a ‘vessel’. When he went crazy on Windu for ~30 seconds he overwhelmed the vessel’s ability and Palps got it all at once, kinda Dorian Gray like.

Perhaps Dooku used a vessel too, but on the other hand, he was always in control (you know, except the part where he lost his hands … amongst other things). I think he just didn’t use that much dark energy to boost his power. Also, he’d have a really high control from being an experienced Jedi Master, so he’d have to use a lot of Wrath to cause him to Waste.

Also, we see Vader from the beginning of his career, not nearly so controlled and after going a little nuts on some hapless pawns he’s already picking up the eyes; what I’d term as a point of waste.

I agree that Palps actively using a Force Projection to hide his disfigurement seems kinda crazy. Palps is obviously powerful because he can fool the High Council of the Jedi, but if the council is that oblivious then we’re measuring against a much smaller standard than believed. I don’t buy it.
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Science is organized knowldge, wisdom is organized life
-Kant