Conversion - Jedi Academy Training Manual

[Gry Sarth]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=starwars/article/JediAcademyTrainingManual

I know this book won't be released until the 19th of May, but I just felt like talking about it. I'm quite excited about this release. Just the fact that it's not entitled "The Jedi Academy CAMPAIGN GUIDE" is enough to make me quite interested. If they really follow the "Training Manual" title, it should be a very illuminating book. I hope they provide a thorough view of Jedi training, from being found by the Order, to becoming a padawan, to the knighting tests through to gaining a seat on the Council and Master status. Some real detail of the inner-workings of the Jedi Council would be very welcome.

We are sure to have some new powers to convert, although that rarely excite me much. Usually new powers mean pushing the boundaries of what we know about the Force a bit too far. Lightsaber customization doesn't seem all that fitting to me either. It seems more at home as a video-game gimmick than something I would want to explore in-depth in an RPG game. Lightsabers are a simple, elegant weapon. A handle, a gem, a shaft of light. 5D damage. It shouldn't get much more complicated than this.

Oh well, I hope it has lots of useful fluff.
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"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[Raven Redstar]

I'm excited too. My jedi just took on his first student. Poor little kid. I'm such a hard teacher. But, I'm a fan of Yoda...

[cheshire]

Gry, you about gave me a heart attack when I saw this thread appear. I'm still up to my ears in stats (that I pray I'm doing right) with one book, and I about died to see another thread start already.

I'm so glad we have until May before this comes out.

BTW, I'll be moving literally have way across the country on May 22nd through the 25th, so I will jump in on this conversion, but it won't be on day one.
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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.

[hisham]

I'd just like to threadjack a bit and get this off my chest. Despite my preference for D6, I have to say after reading a number of Saga Edition books in the last week:

I think the Saga Edition is the best handling of the SWRPG property by WOTC so far, much better than its previous two editions. Despite all the rules structure written into each book, I've discovered that there are a lot of usable fluff that can be used by all, instead of just descriptions of Feats and Talents and Prestige Classes and whatnots. They've gone beyond merely trying to establish stats of what's in the movies, books, comics and previous D6 books, and are now coming up with original things on their own - like Point Nadir in Scum and Villainy, and a lot of stuff in the Legacy Era Campaign book.

Here's hoping Jedi Academy Training Manual does the same.
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The Enteague Sector | Cracken's Collection of Crackpots
In D6, of course.

[Gry Sarth]

Don't sweat it, Cheshire. I won't be jumping to the conversion from day one either. It usually takes some time after the release for my... copy to arrive. But hopefully I'll have more free time by then so that I'll be able to really work on this one. Force powers usually take quite a bit of back and forth between us to get right.

And I agree that WOTC has been getting better on the fluff side of things. The Clone Wars book had some very good insight on the setting and they are coming up with some interesting stuff. The system still disgusts me for the most part, though, so I'm happy we can have the best of both worlds.
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"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[Rerun941]

On a side note, I went to my FLGS and picked up (not bought!) several of the Saga books, just to leaf through them and see what they are about.

Some good fluff in there, yes, but it's still d20. *gag*

Anyway, here's my biggest complaint:

Who was the "genius" (and I use that term loosely) who decided to print these books in that small, square format?!? Wow, if that isn't the biggest pain in the rear-end... not to mention the fact that those books (assuming I did ever purchase them-- not gonna happen) wouldn't fit in a normal bookcase.

Way to go, WOTC. Apparently 8.5" by 11" was too good for Star Wars Saga.

Anywho, just another reason for me to be disgusted with WOTCs handling of Star Wars. [end of rant]
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Han - "How're we doin'?"
Luke - "Same as always."
Han - "That bad, huh?"

[Gry Sarth]

Yeay, the weird format stumps me as well. It looks completely out of place in anybody's gaming bookshelf.
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"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[cheshire]

But, I can tell you that it lays open nicely on a table when you're trying to read stats. It also does so without stressing the spine. That was the intent when they designed them as such, and it works well in that respect.

It is really strange on the bookshelf, and they always stick out a bit. However, I found out that they pack nicely when you're boxing up all of your books. (I just boxed up all my my RPG materials yesterday.)
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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.

[Forceally]

[cheshire]

[Gry Sarth]

That's very lucky of you. Good luck to you both.
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"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[Raven Redstar]

Where ya heading to chesh?

[cheshire]

I'll be near Boston, MA.

Heh... if you're in the area, we can get a game together.
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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.

[Raven Redstar]

Lol, wrong side of the country, good luck out there though.

[Forceally]

WOTC had posted the first preview of this guide on their website. In the preview, we see the first of a new group of abilities called Lightsaber form powers. These powers allow the Jedi to use a specific technique associated with one of the lightsaber forms.

My opinion of a conversion of these powers is the following:

Since these powers are techniques associated with specific lightsaber forms, I see them as just that - techniques rather than powers. In order to perform one of these techniques, one must have one of the following - a specific lightsaber die code, or a lightsaber specialization associated with the associated lightsaber form. For instance, there's a technique associated with Juyo. You must have either lightsaber 7D or lightsaber: Juyo in order to perform this technique.