New GM Advice!

[motovoxbox]

Hey there! I'm new to the forums, and just picked up SW RPG R&E. I'm going to be running a game for my regular group and have some first timer questions. I've been running games in other systems for years, but this one is all new to me I've searched around here for some answers, but haven't found anything so I apologize if things here have been covered already.

1. I have 5 (perhaps 6) players. What are some acceptable challenges for a group this size? For instance, are there any good "formulas" or general rules of thumb for #of opponents and their skill in dice in comparison to #of players and their skill in dice? Say would 6 or so Stormtroopers be acceptable or easily destroyed?

2. My players tend towards really neat descriptions, and in a mock up battle to explain the rules, a player wanted to move past a doorway opening, fire through the opening and end on the other side. His total movement could be covered in a "Cruising Speed" distance. Now the real question: I ruled that it be two actions (a movement and attack) but that they "blended" meaning the first action was movement right until the attack (somewhere in the middle of the doorway), and the second action was the remainder of his movement. Is this appropriate? Does anyone have suggestions on any better ways to handle this if not? I felt that this allowed the enemies in the room a fair chance to strike him.

3. Do you prefer combined actions as bonus dice (R&E) or as Dice Cap (earlier ed.)??

4. How about movement in older editions vs. R&E? Not to open a can of worms here...

Well I think that's all I have for questions, thanks a ton ahead of time for any responses!

[hazardchris]

It sounds like you have some experience with the older editions of the book, is that true?

Or have you just read around a little about them?

I've recommended The Introductory Adventure Game on several occasions, and it's one of the best-balanced that I've ever run. So looking into that and perhaps the example game in the R&E itself might give you some ideas for difficulty number. You might also consider having some "lucid" difficulties for the first few rolls, just to get an idea of where your characters lie on the ability chart.

In general starting stormtroopers can be taken out easily enough with a group of near-to-equal size depending on the combat skills that the characters have taken (make sure that they have a couple of grenades ready, just in case).

Movement in my games has always been a little lucid, hence I only use the movement rules fairly arbitrary; for what you've outlined that sounds like a pretty solid two-action maneuver.

I like combined actions myself, sense for the most part I've found that to be what the R&E material is geared towards.

The only major idea that I've kept from the older editions is that everyone rolls initiative rather than the highest on each side rolling. Just seems to keep combat a little more interesting in the long run.


P.S. Send me a PM and I can point you in the general direction of the IAG if you're interested.

[Ankhanu]

Personally, I prefer movement as in 2e: moving half of your move rating is free. Moving your move rating is 1 action, moving up to double is 2 actions, 3 - 3, 4 is 4; you can only move up to 4x your move. Apply multipe action penalties as appropriate to the total number of actions the character performs in the round. For example Billy (a human, move 10) wants to move 15m and fire. He's moving more than 1 full move and (equal to or) less than 2x his move, so that's two actions, and firing his blaster is a third; he'd make his move and shot at -2D.

As for moving, stopping and moving to reduce penalties, it won't work. The penalties are based on and apply to the total number of actions in the round, not for each component alone. For example, let's say your character wants to move and fire. He wants to move a total of 10m, the door is 5m away... narratively he can make a half move to the door, fire, and keep moving to the other side, but he'll still be at -1D for the shot and his Running roll if you make him make one (only if the terrain is rough really, otherwise automatic success is assumed). I have seen people rule where penalties apply individually to actions, ie. action 1 is at full dice, 2nd is at -1D, 3rd is at -2D, etc., but this is pretty terribly broken (too powerful) and doesn't reflect the rushing required to do multiple things at once in a short time.

As for the enemies, power and number, I don't think there's a real standard to work from, it depends on a lot of factors, and getting a feel for how the players approach things. If the players are good, they could defeat many more powerful foes with some ease... if they're more straightforward, 6+ mediocre, less powerful foes could overwhelm them. Take a look at the sample adventure in the R&E book to get a bit of a frame work to start with though.

Combined actions, I work as a bonus.
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[ifurin]

one of the editions had this table as a guideline in it:

challenge level.........total dice..........specific skill
none................... -15D or more...... -3D or more
minor.................. -5D to -14D........ -2D
moderate............. -4D to +4D........ -1D to +1D
serious................ +5D to +14D...... +2D
major................. +15D or more..... +3D or more

[motovoxbox]

Hey thanks for the great suggestions! One note though, I actually meant Scale not Combined Actions (my bad, I've been reading so many rules!) for bonus dice or cap.

hazardchris: I do have access to the IAG, and have looked at it. I believe I may use this to get started.

Ankhanu: Thank you for the movement clarification. I like the sound of that system better then R&E. I also agree with your description of the narrative attack and move.

ifurin: One question on the table you presented: I am assuming the total dice reflects a characters attribute and skill dice added together? Thus the sum equals a characters or NPC's difficulty. Starting characters would have on average 25D (18D attribute + 7D skills)? Correct me if I am wrong here.

[Raven Redstar]

Basic starting characters get their species average dice [usually 12, though some have 11 (such as twileks), and some others have 13 (like Falleen) + 6 for attributes, and the game recommends starting characters start off with 7D for skills, and 5-10 character points.

Although, if you're planning a tougher game to start with, you can allow more. Usually I allow my players 10D for skills, and 10-15 character points depending on how in depth their backgrounds are, only because I tend to roll very well, and some of my players do not, so I do it to be fair to them.

[ifurin]

[Grimace]

I'll weigh in on the scale question.

I prefer the die cap method for scale, but I know a lot of people here prefer the bonus dice method.

The reason I go with the die cap is due to the fact that I don't like the idea of rolling heap loads of dice. I also don't like the idea of a character being able to damage things that are dramatically bigger than them in scale. With the bonus dice method, not only are you rolling more dice, but an advanced character who burns a Force point and calls on the Dark Side could easily end up damaging a Star Destroyer (or more). If that's what you want to allow in your game, then more power to you.

Basically it boils down to what rules you have access to, what you feel works best for your style of gaming, and what is easier for you to understand. For me, that's die caps.

[Whill]

Right now I'm leaning to being pretty much with Grimace on scales.
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Star Wars D6 Damage

[Orgaloth]

I was playing in a game at a convention, where the Wookiee shot an AT-ST with his bowcaster, and did enough damage to destroy it twice over. We were using dice caps. It was the only good roll he made all day (I played in a couple of games that had him in it)
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[Grimace]

Yeah, but that's more the exceptional rare case than the norm, Orgaloth. And with die caps that's still a possibility, so I don't have too much a problem with envisioning that happening. I would have a problem with a Wookiee with a bowcaster doing the same thing to a Corellian Corvette. With die caps, it's an impossibility for such a thing to occur. With the bonus dice, it could very well happen.

[Orgaloth]

Yeah, I know it's a rare occurance. I just wanted to state that these type of things can still happen on the caps. I was an idiot and didn't mention that at the start of my post.
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"You know, sometimes I amaze even myself."
Du Cass' Dream

[atgxtg]

One option that could help to reduce the bowcaster taking out the Corvette thing would be to change the scaling bonus from die to a fixed bonus. While it would still be possible for someone to roll a lot of sixes with the bowcaster and take out the Corvette, it becomes much less likely that the Corvette will get a pathetically low roll and "zero out".

Just change each 2D from scaling into a +7.

So the Capital Scale corvette would replace the extra 12D scaling dice with +42 (12D/2=6x7=42). Even if the Corvette rolls 4 ones on it's hull and shields roll, it would still have a 46 "soak". A very tough target for a bowcaster to take out (rolling a 62 on 4D is quite an achievement).

[Raven Redstar]

maybe I'm misreading, but (12D/2=6x6=36) Unless it was a typo, and should be (12D/2=6x7=42) Either way, just wanted to clarify.

[atgxtg]