Should I prepare templates?

[Yora]

So I am preparing to run a Star Wars campaign, this time being the first time with the d6 system. And I am assuming probably all players will never have played the system either.

Usually I tend to think that premade characters for RPGs are dumb, and players should be making their own characters from scratch.

But looking at this game, there really are not that many choices to make. There's only so many sensible ways to put 18 attribute points in 6 attributes, and when you have some kind of archetype in mind it's even significantly less.
When it comes to putting 7D into skills, players will also almost certainly go with the obvious options for their chosen archetype.

So unlike with many other games, it looks like not a lot would be getting lost if players just start with a template. Giving them a list with useful and appropriate skills for their archetype will probably result in the same selection of skills as letting them pour half an hour over lists and descriptions of 50 skills. Probably same with equipment.

And I think aside from saving time with filling out the character sheets, presenting the players with 10 archetypes that I think would be good fits for this campaign might also be quite helpful with communicating to them what situations and skills can expect to come up most frequently.

I've never used premade (or half-premade) characters as a GM before, or even seen them used in games I played in. What are your experiences with using templates in Star Wars?
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"Adventure? Eh... Excitement? Eh... A Jedi does not crave these things."

Iridium Moons Retro-futuristic Space Opera

[garhkal]

I'd say 95% of the time i've played SWd6, i have used templates..
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Raven Redstar]

I usually at least start with a template, and then edit skills, fluff, etc on an as needed basis for character creation. For Example: I don't want to play a Laconic Scout, can I play a Plucky one?

We've taken the Failed Jedi template and removed the dark side point and alcoholism to just make him a "Jedi".

But, my suggestion is to have your players pick a template they like for the first game, worry about creating from scratch once people get the system down a bit better.
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RR
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[CRMcNeill]

Templates are useful as a starting point, but don't feel the need to be bound by the letter of it. The main thing to keep in mind is balancing. If you think your character needs to have a 3D+1 instead of 3D in a certain Attribute, make sure you take a pip off another Attribute somewhere else.

And there are all kinds of options out there now to make your characters more unique and granular, from Advantage/Disadvantage systems to things like the Talent optional rule. One House Rule idea that I like (credit to Daniel Stull of shootingwomprats) is Round-Out dice, where a character is allowed 4D-5D (can't remember exact value) which can be applied up to a maximum of +1D so long as said skill is tied to the character's background somehow (Example: Grew up living in poverty on the streets, so character gets +1D each to Streetwise, Survival, Pickpocket and Brawling, etc), and isn't one of the skills that were improved with the character's beginning 7D of skill dice.

tl;dr Templates are more what you might call guidelines than actual rules.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Whill]

I concur with what's been said. I love templates. They can inspire players. But of course, they can be tweaked so they aren't and shouldn't be set in stone.
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[garhkal]

[CRMcNeill]

[Yora]

That all sounds like pretty strong endorsements. Thanks.
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"Adventure? Eh... Excitement? Eh... A Jedi does not crave these things."

Iridium Moons Retro-futuristic Space Opera

[MrNexx]

Just to throw in... templates are great, they tell you about what to expect, and guide people towards the types of characters you want played. But they are not classes; they are not destiny, nor, even, necessarily, role.

I may START as a Young Senatorial, let me pick up a heavy blaster and spend some cash on armor, and I can stand toe-to-toe with a Bounty Hunter (or at least match them shot-for-shot). Ewok isn't the best chasis for being a droid repair specialist, but if you can get training on the skill, you can make a passable one if you want to throw in the CPs.
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“We're going to win this war, not by fighting what we hate, but saving what we love.”
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[garhkal]

[CRMcNeill]

[Raven Redstar]

[garhkal]

[CRMcNeill]

[garhkal]

IMO that depends on how free one is with credits..
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!