Fantasy Flight Games

FFG Live in January

Published 31 December 2019 | Star Wars: X-Wing Second Edition

FFG Live in January

Discover What FFG Live Has Planned for January

After a short season break, FFG Live is back in action with a fresh slate of content and a few major changes!

The biggest change coming to FFG Live involves where we are streaming. Starting with our January 9th stream, live content will be streamed exclusively to Twitch, with a recorded version being available on our YouTube channel shortly after filming. This shift will open up more oppurtunities to include livestream extensions for giveaways, interactivity, and more! So be sure to tune in to our Twitch channel every Tuesday and Thursday at 1 p.m. Central Time! But even if you can't catch it live, all videos can be found on our YouTube channel shortly after airing!

With that being said, read on, to discover what FFG Live has in store for January!

Join us on January 9th as we cover the point changes coming to Star Wars™: X-Wing with the developers of the game. If you’re an X-Wing player, this is one stream you won’t want to miss!

On January 14th, get your first look at Fallout® Shelter™: The Board Game as we play through a full game on FFG Live! If you have questions about the recently announced adaptation of the popular mobile game, this is the place to get them answered!

Curious what’s coming next for Marvel Champions: The Card Game? Tune in on January 16th for the announcement of the Hero Pack coming your way in April with developer… Matt Newman? Discover the answers on January 16th!

On January 21st, join head of Organized Play Alex Watkins as he sits down for an AMA with you, the Fantasy Flight Games community. If you’re an avid fan of any of our games supported by Organized Play, be sure to tune in and ask your questions for the AMA here!

On January 23rd, join us for another game of Star Wars™: Legion showing off new releases coming your way soon! Developer Luke Eddy will be on hand to answer questions from the community, so be sure to stop by!

Are you ready for more The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth action? Then watch our stream on January 28th where we’ll reveal the next expansion for the app-based cooperative game! What new adventures await your band of heroes?

Finally, on January 30th, join us for a new season of our Roleplaying Liveplay Flights of Fantasy, this time we’re diving into the world of Star Wars Roleplaying with the Jewel of Yavin pre-made adventure!

Join us on our Twitch channel for FFG Live every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:00 PM Central Time, or check out our Youtube page for all our latest videos. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a new video or livestream—we hope to see you there!

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Celebrate Star Wars with Us!

Published 29 March 2019 | Star Wars: Outer Rim

Celebrate Star Wars with Us!

Take a Look at the FFG Schedule for Star Wars Celebration

Star Wars Celebration Chicago—the ultimate Star Wars fan experience—is only two weeks away, and we couldn’t be more excited to be there! If you’re attending, we want to make sure you know exactly how you can bring gaming into your Star Wars Celebration experience—especially since you’ll have to bring your X-Wing™ squadron or your Star Wars™: Destiny decks if you want to play in some of our tournaments!

Check out our full schedule below—every event listed here is completely free to Star Wars Celebration attendees!

THURSDAY, APRIL 11

1:00pm: X-Wing Furball (Room #W184BC). Includes participation card and prize card for each day’s winner.

1:30pm – 2:30pm: Darren Tan will be signing his exclusive Star Wars Celebration art print (Booth #4018).

3:30pm – 4:30pm: Live Star Wars™: Legion painting tutorial with Sorastro, from Sorastro’s Painting (Booth #4018).

4:00pm: Imperial Assault campaign (Room #W184BC).

4:00pm: Star Wars RPG, Edge of the Empire scenario, “Unwelcome Arrival” (Room #W184BC).

5:30pm – 6:45pm: “Make Your Own Promo Card” – put yourself in your very own Star Wars: Destiny promo card (Booth #4018).

Open Play: 1pm to 10pm in Room #W184BC. Guests can check out any of our Star Wars games and play.

Paint & Take: 1pm to 8pm, Booth #4018. Stop by our booth and learn to paint your very own Star Wars: Legion miniature.

FRIDAY, APRIL 12

10:00am: X-Wing Furball (Room #W184BC). Includes participation card and prize card for each day’s winner.

10:00am: Imperial Assault campaign (Room #W184BC).

10:00am: Star Wars RPG, Edge of the Empire scenario, “Unwelcome Arrival” (Room #W184BC).

10:30am – 12:00pm: “Make Your Own Promo Card” – put yourself in your very own Star Wars: Destiny promo card (Booth #4018).

11:00am: X-Wing Hyperspace tournament, including assorted prizes (Room #W184BC).

12:00pm: Star Wars: Destiny standard tournament, including assorted prizes (Room #W184BC).

12:30pm – 1:30pm: Darren Tan will be signing his exclusive Star Wars Celebration art print (Booth #4018).

2:00pm – 3:00pm: Brian Rood will be signing art prints (Booth#4018).

3:30pm – 4:30pm: Live Star Wars: Legion painting tutorial with John Shaffer, head of the FFG miniatures department (Booth #4018).

4:00pm: Imperial Assault campaign (Room #W184BC).

4:00pm: Star Wars RPG, Edge of the Empire scenario, “Unwelcome Arrival” (Room #W184BC).

5:30pm – 6:45pm: “Make Your Own Promo Card” – put yourself in your very own Star Wars: Destiny promo card (Booth #4018).

Open Play: 10am to 10pm in Room #W184BC. Guests can check out any of our Star Wars games and play.

Paint & Take: 10am to 7pm, Booth #4018. Stop by our booth and learn to paint your very own Star Wars: Legion miniature.

SATURDAY, APRIL 13

10:00am: X-Wing Furball (Room #W184BC). Includes participation card and prize card for each day’s winner.

10:00am: Imperial Assault campaign (Room #W184BC).

10:00am: Star Wars RPG, Edge of the Empire scenario, “Unwelcome Arrival” (Room #W184BC).

10:30am – 12:00pm: “Make Your Own Promo Card” – put yourself in your very own Star Wars: Destiny promo card (Booth #4018).

11:00am – 12:00pm – Fantasy Flight Games panel discussion (Twin Suns Stage).

11:00am: X-Wing extended tournament, including assorted prizes (Room #W184BC).

12:00pm: Star Wars: Destiny infinite tournament, including assorted prizes (Room #W184BC).

12:30pm – 1:30pm: Darren Tan will be signing his exclusive Star Wars Celebration art print (Booth #4018).

2:00pm – 3:00pm: Chris Trevas will be signing art prints (Booth#4018).

3:30pm – 4:30pm: Live Star Wars: Legion painting tutorial with Sorastro, from Sorastro’s Painting (Booth #4018).

4:00pm: Imperial Assault campaign (Room #W184BC).

4:00pm: Star Wars RPG, Edge of the Empire scenario, “Unwelcome Arrival” (Room #W184BC).

5:30pm – 6:45pm: “Make Your Own Promo Card” – put yourself in your very own Star Wars: Destiny promo card (Booth #4018).

Open Play: 10am to 10pm in Room #W184BC. Guests can check out any of our Star Wars games and play.

Paint & Take: 10am to 7pm, Booth #4018. Stop by our booth and learn to paint your very own Star Wars: Legion miniature.

SUNDAY, APRIL 14

10:00am: X-Wing Furball (Room #W184BC). Includes participation card and prize card for each day’s winner.

10:00am: Imperial Assault campaign (Room #W184BC).

10:00am: Star Wars RPG, Edge of the Empire scenario, “Unwelcome Arrival” (Room #W184BC).

10:30am – 12:00pm: “Make Your Own Promo Card” – put yourself in your very own Star Wars: Destiny promo card (Booth #4018).

11:00am: X-Wing Hyperspace tournament, including assorted prizes (Room #W184BC).

12:00pm: Star Wars: Destiny standard tournament, including assorted prizes (Room #W184BC).

12:30pm – 1:30pm: Darren Tan will be signing his exclusive Star Wars Celebration art print (Booth #4018).

2:00pm – 3:00pm: Brian Rood will be signing art prints (Booth#4018).

3:30pm – 4:30pm: Live Star Wars: Legion painting tutorial with John Shaffer, head of the FFG miniatures department (Booth #4018).

4:00pm: Imperial Assault campaign (Room #W184BC).

4:00pm: Star Wars RPG, Edge of the Empire scenario, “Unwelcome Arrival” (Room #W184BC).

5:30pm – 6:30pm: Learn to paint Star Wars miniatures. Join Sorastro and John Shaffer as they take you through the basics of painting a Stormtrooper from Star Wars: Legion (University Stage).

5:30pm – 6:45pm: “Make Your Own Promo Card” – put yourself in your very own Star Wars: Destiny promo card (Booth #4018).

Open Play: 10am to 10pm in Room #W184BC. Guests can check out any of our Star Wars games and play.

Paint & Take: 10am to 7pm, Booth #4018. Stop by our booth and learn to paint your very own Star Wars: Legion miniature.

MONDAY, APRIL 15

10:00am: X-Wing Furball (Room #W184BC). Includes participation card and prize card for each day’s winner.

10:00am: Imperial Assault campaign (Room #W184BC).

10:00am: Star Wars RPG, Edge of the Empire scenario, “Unwelcome Arrival” (Room #W184BC).

10:30am – 12:00pm: “Make Your Own Promo Card” – put yourself in your very own Star Wars: Destiny promo card (Booth #4018).

12:30pm – 1:30pm: Darren Tan will be signing his exclusive Star Wars Celebration art print (Booth #4018).

2:00pm – 3:00pm: Chris Trevas will be signing art prints (Booth#4018).

3:30pm – 4:30pm: Live Star Wars: Legion painting tutorial with Sorastro, from Sorastro’s Painting (Booth #4018).

Open Play: 10am to 4pm in Room #W184BC. Guests can check out any of our Star Wars games and play.

Paint & Take: 10am to 4pm, Booth #4018. Stop by our booth and learn to paint your very own Star Wars: Legion miniature.

Of course, in addition to a full five days of Star Wars gaming, we’ll also be at Booth #4018 for the entire show! There, you can pick up our exclusive Star Wars Celebration Darth Vader miniature for Star Wars: Legion, get demos of the newest Star Wars games, including Outer Rim, and paint your very own miniature to take home.

We can’t wait to see you there!

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Heroes on Both Sides

Published 5 December 2018 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

Heroes on Both Sides

Wage War in the Clone Wars Era with New Careers, Specializations, and Species

“Yes, a clone army. And I must say, one of the finest we’ve ever created.”
–Lama Su, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

Order your own copy of Rise of the Separatists at your local retailer or online through our website today!

Conflict wracks the galaxy!

With the secession of the Confederation of Independent Systems and the deadly confrontation at Geonosis, war has become inevitable. The Galactic Republic has deployed the massive Grand Army of the Republic alongside Jedi Generals to quell further uprising and bring rebellious systems back to the fold. Among the Separatist worlds, politicians and warriors fight to preserve their right to self-determination and freedom from the corruption and malaise of the Republic Senate. Bounty hunters and criminal cartels play both sides off one another. When the fighting comes to a standstill, scavengers plunder the debris of once-proud star destroyers and scuttled starfighters. Heroes and villains rise and fall as the struggle escalates into what will become known as the Clone Wars.

In Rise of the Separatists, the newest sourcebook for Star Wars Roleplaying, you’ll be able to fully enter a new era of the Star Wars saga, whether you’re playing with Edge of the Empire, Age of Rebellion, or Force and Destiny. In this supplement, you’ll be able to play as one of the Kaminoans or their creations, the clones. Alternatively, you can take part in the conflict as one of the industrious Geonosians or the scheming Umbarans. With four new species, two new full careers, and four new universal specializations, you can explore new playstyles and experience this iconic period of galactic history as never before.

Today, we’ll take a closer look at some of the character options coming soon to your tabletop!

Aggressive Negotiations

While many equate the struggles of the Republic with the ground fighting seen on Muunilinst and Malastare, battles continue under another guise in the political arena. The Umbarans, deft at navigating the factions and ambitions of their homeworld castes, revel in the intrigue and backchannel diplomacy that whispers down the halls of the Senate. With their uncanny ability to sway others to their cause, some wonder whether they aren’t capable of some form of mind control. Their shadowy reputation is only deepened by their aversion to bright sunlight and their superior senses in darkness. For those Umbarans who have fallen out of the caste systems and have turned to a life of crime, their entrancing gaze allows them to flourish in the underlevels of Coruscant and the back alleys of industrial words and far-flung outposts.

On the front lines of battle, a more direct approach is required. The clones born and bred in labs on Kamino form the indisputable backbone of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). Their genome was carefully selected for superior strength and speed, and from the time they are decanted, their athleticism is put to the test in a series of rigorous trials. Alongside their physical training, battlefield tactics and discipline are drilled into clone recruits from an early age, all to ensure that the Republic is provided with the perfect fighting force. Yet, as they face their first true tests in the field, the clones must learn to balance their inborn tendencies for loyalty and obedience with their newfound desire to forge their own paths and identity. Flung into squadrons as battlefield commanders, pilots, or troopers, these soldiers gain strength from the familiar sight of their brethren. All three of these archetypes are represented as specializations with the new Clone Soldier career!

The Clone Officer specialization makes use of their training to command their brothers-in-arms in battle and lend them an ear when the going gets tough. Clone Pilots specialize in piloting the iconic Low Altitude Assault Transports (LAATs) and All-Terrain Tactical Enforcers (AT-TEs), gauging the lulls in battle to deploy complements of clone soldiers swiftly while sustaining minimal casualties with the Assault Drop talent. The unsung heroes of the Clone Wars, Clone Troopers serve as the rank-and-file infantry in the GAR and are equipped with an impressive arsenal to match. These soldiers excel at employing heavy weaponry to devastating effect, including the gunnery emplacements found on artillery installations, vehicles, and starships. No matter their role in the squad, hard experience teaches these clones the best ways to take out their enemies. With access to the Clanker Killer talent, clones can prove their brute effectiveness at dispatching CIS droids en masse, seizing on every opportunity to take the perfect shot or aim for the battle droids’ weaknesses.

Finally, the Masters of the High Council have rallied the Jedi to serve as leaders and special operatives in the conflict. Whether they’re leading the vanguard, pursuing dangerous special missions, or directing strategy from the gunships, the fighting capabilities of the Jedi Knights and their Padawans are revered and feared around the galaxy. Jedi Knight serve as warriors, diplomats, ambassadors, and scholars all at once, entering into “aggressive negotiations” at need or staging daring rescue missions for Senate dignitaries. Padawans learn from experience, and they can come through in unpredictable and surprising ways. No matter their level of experience, the Jedi must harness their skills and wisdom to see justice done and avoid letting the high emotions of the battlefield tempt them to the dark side.

Beyond the Clone Soldier and Jedi careers, players looking to create character concepts well-suited to the Clone Wars will also be able to choose from the Force-Sensitive Outcast, Republic Navy Officer, Republic Representative, and Scavenger universal specializations. These can be mixed and matched with the existing careers and specializations from all three Star Wars Roleplaying core rulebooks, so your group can tell their own stories in this era, no matter whether you’re playing Edge of the Empire, Age of Rebellion, or Force and Destiny.

Begun, the Clone War Has

How will you turn the tide of battle in this great era of galactic conflict? Discover a trove of player options and find your place in the galaxy in Rise of the Separatists.

Pre-order your copy of Rise of the Separatists (SWR11) from your local retailer or from the Fantasy Flight Games web store today!

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Enemies New and Old

Published 29 November 2018 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

Enemies New and Old

Announcing Two New Adversary Decks for Star Wars Roleplaying

Order your own copies of the Imperials and Rebels III and Republic and Separatist Adversary Decks at your local retailer or online through our website today!

Bring the galaxy to your tabletop with two new adversary decks for Star Wars™ Roleplaying, including cards for use with Edge of the Empire, Age of Rebellion, and Force and Destiny!

Within each of these decks, you'll find twenty adversary cards that offer the most pertinent information about a host of non-player characters, giving Game Masters the ability to keep their games flowing without having to flip through various books. The Imperials and Rebels III Adversary Deck features enemies and allies found in all three of the Star Wars Roleplaying lines. Meanwhile, the Republic and Separatist Adversary Deck features NPCs introduced in Rise of the Separatists, bringing characters of the prequel era to Star Wars Roleplaying adversary decks for the first time!

The Flow of Battle

The Imperials and Rebels III Adversary Deck features characters from a wide variety of sourcebooks, helping Game Masters to keep combat smooth and flowing with the abilities, skills, talents, and equipment of these characters all clearly displayed on their card! You can easily coordinate battle with Death Star Troopers and Officers, take on various Stormtrooper Specialty Corps, and more! Meanwhile, your player characters can keep their allies close at hand with cards like the dedicated and tenacious Sullustan Resistance Fighter.

Meanwhile, the Republic and Separatist Adversary Deck brings the characters of the Clone Wars to your tabletop! You could easily team up with the genetically engineered Clone Troopers to take on Count Dooku and the Separatist army of B1 Battle Droids. All these characters and more are found in Rise of the Separatists, and this adversary deck keeps them right at your fingertips. The Clone Wars are just beginning, and your characters will need all the help they can get in the trials to come!

The Will of the Force

Battles in the Star Wars galaxy are fast and dynamic, and you can keep your enemies and allies at your fingertips with the Imperials and Rebels III Adversary Deck and the Republic and Separatist Adversary Deck!

Keep your games organized with the Imperials and Rebels III Adversary Deck (uSWR13) and the Republic and Separatist Adversary Deck (uSWR14), available now for pre-order from your local retailer or our website!

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Worlds at War

Published 27 November 2018 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

Worlds at War

Tools for the Game Master to Run a Clone Wars Campaign

“How many other lies have I been told by the Council? And how do you know that you even have the whole truth?”
–Anakin Skywalker, Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Order your own copy of Rise of the Separatists at your local retailer or online through our website today!

The story of the Clone Wars is at once an epic tale of grand battles and sweeping political gamesmanship, as well as a deeply personal saga, featuring stories of courage and loyalty, temptation and redemption. Will the player characters pursue their duty at any cost, or will they question their orders and seek their own destiny?

Rise of the Separatists—coming very soon to a game store near you—aids players and Game Masters alike in exploring the tones and themes of this period of galactic strife, with new mechanics and narrative frameworks to bring to your Star Wars Roleplaying campaigns.

Introducing the Players

The fates of entire factions rest in the hands of the individuals who care deeply for their cause, but the challenges of war—and the costs required for victory—can sometimes cause those same people to break with their former allies and masters. To dramatize these conflicts and set up situations to force the player characters to face the same choices, GMs need to understand the motivations of the different factions, as well as the behind-the-scenes machinations of each faction’s most powerful actors.

Rise of the Separatists looks in-depth at the origins and organization of the biggest players in the Clone Wars, from the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems to the Jedi Order and the secretive Sith. Game Masters will benefit from a deep dive into the political structures of the Republic, from the past and present factions of the Senate, to the committees and bureaucracies that oversee Republic policy. A cast of political aides and NPC profiles for prominent figures like Padmé Amidala allows GMs to craft their own intrigues and double-crosses involving threats of corruption, sedition, militarism, or secession.

Seen by some as a new, authoritarian extension of Republic authority, the Jedi Order plays a key part in the current state of galactic politics. An overview of the hierarchy of the Jedi High Council and the other councils of the order offers plot hooks and moral quandaries for player characters to explore. Many wonder whether the Jedi have lost their way, sacrificing introspection and balance with the Force for immediate results on the battlefield. For the Separatists, this once-proud tradition seems to have become a mere pawn of the corrupt and ineffectual Senate. And with the Jedi sustaining heavy losses in the escalating fight, padawans are swiftly promoted to knights, and forced to train even younger padawans before their own training is truly complete.

This era sourcebook also pulls back the curtain on the inner workings of the Grand Army of the Republic. A huge bureaucracy is vital to oversee the deployment and supply of clone regiments, local garrisons, and starfighter patrols, as well as medics and mechanics. In addition to fleshing out the forces of the Republic, including stock NPC profiles for archetypal figures, this book also provides Game Masters with a wide array of battle droid minions and adversaries to build up the CIS armies in their games, as well as the figures who have worked behind the scenes to secure their planet’s independence and prosperity. From the cunning Count Dooku to villains like Asajj Ventress and General Grievous, GMs can challenge the PCs with true nemeses over the course of the entire campaign.

Though the true origins of the Clone Wars are shrouded in secrecy, the citizens of the galaxy are all too familiar with the cost they have had to bear. Profiles on the planets Geonosis, Kamino, Naboo, and Tatooine during this era provide additional context for the fighting as well as high stakes for the continually unfolding conflict. Each planet features modular encounters and planet-specific histories, points of interest, and recaps of famous battles fought there during the Clone Wars.

Setting the Stage

In addition to the wealth of information on the major players in the conflict and the worlds at stake, Rise of the Separatists includes guidance and new rules for recreating the feeling of The Clone Wars television series in your campaigns. Game Masters will find an entire chapter dedicated to rules for squads and squadrons, directions for structuring a session in the style of a film serial, and suggestions for expanding the cast of player characters through troupe-style play.

Jedi generals and ace pilots can call upon the rank-and-file to fight at their side in times of desperation, and the new rules for squads and squadrons let players lead these units into battle and command them into formation. Each formation gives a squad or squadron unique benefits, whether they are going dark to infiltrate an enemy position or putting together a search party to find lost allies or locate CIS scouts. Armed with these new optional rules, player characters can strike a decisive blow against an enemy or live to fight another battle thanks to the noble sacrifices of their comrades. In addition to these mechanical resources, Rise of the Separatists supports GMs in setting the stage for a truly epic confrontation, with suggestions for instances when zooming in or zooming out of the action can best capture the action and embroil the PCs in the conflict.

With the variety of stories unfolding against the backdrop of war, the troupe style of play can assist groups in exploring all the stories and settings the Clone Wars has to offer. Rather than trying to contrive scenarios in which a group’s clone and Jedi characters always work together, players can create multiple characters to feature in different scenes and storylines at different times. Rise of the Separatists advises players and GMs on how to swap between these different troupes during a session, including guidance for balancing spotlight time and exploring a range of character motivations. Additionally, the tropes associated with film serials detailed in this book can help GMs maintain the frenetic pace of an action-adventure series, as well as keep your players coming back for more by ending on a cliffhanger.

The End of a More Civilized Age

The Clone Wars were a time for friends and foes to demonstrate their skill and true allegiances, but the conflict will take a toll on them all. As the fighting escalates, those caught up in the conflict must decide for themselves whether they are still fighting for what they believed in, or if they too have had their cause twisted into something less-than-noble by powers behind the scenes. Rise of the Separatists gives GMs everything they need to explore the movers and shakers of this period, heighten the tension at the table, and structure their sessions to encapsulate the feel of the era and the television series.

Players and GMs alike will soon have their chance to pick up this era sourcebook at your local game store or the FFG web store! Pre-order your copy today.

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The Engines of War

Published 14 November 2018 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

The Engines of War

Preview the Iconic Armaments and Vehicles of the Clone Wars

“I want a Rogue-class starfighter with hyperdrive capabilities, weapons modifications, the works. Oh, and triple my usual fee.”
–Cad Bane, Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Order your own copy of Rise of the Separatists at your local retailer or online through our website today!

When the Separatists unleashed their legions of battle droids on Geonosis, they did not expect for the Jedi to have an entire army mobilized, fully trained and equipped for battle. In Rise of the Separatists, a whole new arsenal is available to deploy to your tabletop campaigns.

As the second Star Wars Roleplaying Game era sourcebook, Rise of the Separatists showcases iconic Clone Wars era vehicles and starships, including AAT-1 hover tanks, LAAT/i transports, AT-TE walkers, Venator-class star destroyers, and more. Players can find new attachments and gear to upgrade their firepower and supplement their protection when facing superior forces, while GMs can steer ever-more-deadly droid vehicles and battleships into combat against the heroes. And for the cunning—or the opportunistic—the influx of arms into the galaxy and the scrap left in the wake of battle present countless possibilities to profit.

Armories and Armaments

The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) bears the responsibility for outfitting soldiers with the necessary weapons and armaments to conduct war, and for their upkeep. This alone creates a markedly different tone compared to a campaign featuring credit-strapped scoundrels, underdog Rebel heroes, and on-the-run Force-sensitives—but it also places a greater charge on those soldiers to avoid losing excessive materiel. In addition to their regular loadout, clone soldiers are sometimes granted special issue equipment to execute a boarding action, planetary assault, reconnaissance mission, or other special objective. Adaptability on the battlefield is key, not only in terms of tactics employed to counter Separatist forces, but also overcoming and capitalizing on the terrain itself, whether the GAR’s soldiers are infiltrating the corridors of a starship or staging a jungle invasion planetside.

To return order and peace to the galaxy, clone soldiers march into battle with powerful, sturdy weapons and armor whose cost in credits would be out of reach of most galactic citizens—even if such a weapon did find its way onto the black market without a clone firing key. Such power comes with a cost, however, with weapons like the DC-15 blaster rifle and the Z-6 rotary blaster cannon being notoriously heavy and even prone to overheating. Some clone soldiers, especially marksmen, modify these weapons to increase their reliability and accuracy. When the fighting is fiercest, squads might be assigned flame troopers wielding the BT X-42 heavy flame projector, while the RPS-6 rocket launcher can disable or destroy enemy vehicles in the steady hands of a clone trooper.

All clone soldiers are clad in laminate armor that favors protection over comfort, offering soldiers some protection from blaster fire and even enabling them to survive for short bouts in vacuum. Advanced Recon Commando (ARC) trooper armor affords improved mobility at great cost to the Republic, but the integrated commlinks and scanning technologies are essential to the success of these troopers’ missions.

Some of the fiercest combatants on the battlefield, however, are the Jedi knights. These legendary guardians and peacekeepers of the Republic have sometimes adopted the suits of the clone troopers for protection, using only the most important pieces of laminate plates to avoid impeding their lightsaber forms and acrobatics. This so-called “Jedi Commander armor” is a stark reminder of the violent new reality commonly faced by the once-peaceful Order.

With war raging and no end in sight, the training of a padawan must continue, despite the difficult circumstances. To join the fight alongside their masters, Jedi apprentices quest to obtain a kyber crystal to focus the energies of their lightsaber. In Rise of the Separatists, players using the Jedi career can choose from the simple elegance of crystals from Ilum, the mysterious healing properties inherent in Thontiin crystals, or the rare but devastating power of the Zophis crystals, as well as other modification options to personalize their lightsaber.

Dogfights and Dropships

Just as versatile as the GAR’s ground forces is the Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry (LAAT/i) airspeeder, which simultaneously serves as a troop transport and gunboat, laying down impressive air-to-ground and air-to-air support fire. First deployed during the Battle of Geonosis to resounding effect, this ship has become mainstay on the battlefield and has proven its resilience, even in the face of superior firepower.

The LAAT/i is a balanced ship with good speed, fair handling, and superb survivability, all of which are necessary for the pilot and copilot to safely deliver their payload—whether that’s three squads of clone soldiers, four troopers on speeder bikes, or laser cannon fire. Squads rely on the LAAT/i to get where they’re needed, and to help them secure important objectives or concentrate firepower against entrenched enemy positions. When serving as fire support, two to four gunners have an array of weapons systems at their disposal, such as laser cannons and turrets, guided missiles and air-to-air rockets, and in special cases, even the “Droidbuster” EMP missile launcher, capable of devastating the main form of Separatist infantry.

For the knights of the Jedi Order, their pursuit of justice and peace frequently takes them to far-flung reaches of the galaxy, where they must undertake delicate negotiations on their own. Stealth and speed are paramount to avoid detection by the CIS navy, but in the worst-case scenario, pilots must be able to defend themselves until help arrives or they can seize the chance to flee. The Delta-7 Aethersprite-class interceptor fits the bill perfectly: a swift and responsive starfighter that packs an impressive punch for its small size. A built-in astromech droid assists with targeting and minor system repairs, but primarily serves to interface with hyperspace docking rings so that the ship isn’t burdened with the weight of its own hyperdrive. These ships are excellent support craft in large fleet battles, but they can also hold their own in a dogfight.

The ships you’ll find in Rise of the Separatists go beyond simple speeders and smaller starfighters. The Separatists and the Republic have brought entire planets’ worth of industry to bear in order to emerge victorious. From the Venator-class star destroyer—impressive carriers capable of laying waste to enemy emplacements and ships in atmospheric encounters and space battles alike—to the Munificent-class heavy frigates of the CIS navy—almost entirely automated and defended by squadrons of screaming-fast vulture droids—both sides are well matched, ensuring that victory will come down to those individuals whose crafty gambits and brave sacrifices can turn the tide.

Forged in the Fires of War

What will you add to your squadron’s arsenal, and how will you take the fight to the skies and stars? Rise of the Separatists offers an array of options to outfit soldiers and Jedi no matter the mission, and for GMs to equip new enemies in the galaxy-wide struggle. Join us next week for a sneak peek at the resources and advice the book provides Game Masters to make their campaigns evoke the grandeur of the Clone Wars!

There’s still time to pre-order Rise of the Separatists (SWR11) from your local game store or from the Fantasy Flight Games web store, so order your copy today!

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Rise of the Separatists

Published 10 August 2018 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

Rise of the Separatists

Announcing a New Era Sourcebook for Star Wars Roleplaying

"Begun, the Clone War has."
–Yoda, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

Order your own copy of Rise of the Separatists at your local retailer or online through our website today!

For generations, the Jedi Knights have been guardians of peace and justice in the Republic. But now they face a challenge like never before. With the Battle of Geonosis, the Clone Wars have begun. Battles rage across the galaxy as the Jedi and the Grand Army of the Republic fight back against the sinister agents and indefatigable droid armies of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Meanwhile, the diplomats and representatives of the Galactic Senate work for peace and forge political alliances. Amid the chaos, looters, salvagers, and other fringers profit from the detritus of war, or simply try to survive.

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce Rise of the Separatists, a new Era Sourcebook for the Star Wars™ Roleplaying Game!

Rise of the Separatists explores the early days of the Clone Wars, and is fully compatible with every Star Wars Roleplaying Game line, including Edge of the Empire, Age of Rebellion, and Force and Destiny!

Within this 144-page sourcebook, you’ll find expanded player character options, new weapons, gear, and vehicles, profiles of famous Clone Wars-era characters, guidance for running a campaign in this time period, and more!

An Era of War

For users of the Force, the era of the Clone Wars is a very different time. Unlike the distant memory they are in the era of the Galactic Empire, Jedi are numerous across the galaxy. The Jedi of this time have different roles than those described in myths, legends, and folktales. Those stories describe strange mystics, tyrant-toppling heroes, and shadowy figures manipulating minds. While such tales have some basis in fact, the Jedi now serve as generals, soldiers, emergency response specialists, and—in some cases—enforcers of the Galactic Republic’s will.

The Jedi receive their own career in Rise of the Separatists, representing their unique status during the Clone Wars. You can become the face of the organization as a brave Knight or learn the ways of the Force as a Padawan. Both of these specializations offer their own talent tree and give access to unique Force abilities.

The Jedi alone are not enough to safeguard the Republic. With more and more systems joining the Separatist cause, the Republic needed an army to stand up to their might. Clone Soldiers form the backbone of this Grand Army of the Republic. They serve in practically every battlefield role, fighting as infantry, leading as officers, and flying as pilots, in addition to fulfilling both mundane and esoteric responsibilities. These soldiers share their genetic identity, their origins, and their core training. However, they all have distinct experiences and personal responsibilities. These slight variations are enough to make them recognizable individuals who can secure their own niches within the vast army.

For the first time, Rise of the Separatists allows you to play as a Clone Trooper in their own career path! Take on the responsibility of leading your allies to victory with the Clone Officer, take to the skies with the Clone Pilot, or stand on the front lines as a Clone Trooper. These are just a few of the new careers available in Rise of the Separatists—as you'll soon learn, the book contains even more options for Clone Wars-era heroes!

Rise of the Separatists also features four new species for character creation, who came to fame during the Clone Wars. You might serve the Republic as a Clone, expand your industrious mind as a Geonosian, learn the secrets of cloning as a Kaminoan, or dwell in the shadows as an Umbaran. Each of these species begins the game with unique starting skills and inform your background in the Star Wars galaxy.

Look for a further exploration of these careers and species in our future previews of Rise of the Separatists!

Heroes on Both Sides

Rise of the Separatists includes a wealth of information on the early days of the Clone Wars, giving Game Masters and players alike the full context they need to roleplay in the era. While this will help players thematically, Rise of the Separatists also gives Game Masters a list of famous characters from the era, fully statted for use in your campaigns as allies or adversaries.

Of course, there are two sides to the war and you may find yourself either working with or at odds with a Jedi of the Republic. The High Council regards Master Obi-Wan Kenobi as an ideal Jedi. During the Battle of Naboo, after dispatching Darth Maul, Kenobi promised his dying master, Qui-Gon Jinn, to train young Anakin Skywalker. By the time of the Clone Wars, Kenobi’s Padawan is among the most powerful Jedi in history, but he lacks experience. All the while, Kenobi and the 212th Attack Battalion deploy to some of the toughest fronts of the conflict, winning countless battles.

A young Obi-Wan Kenobi is fully statted in Rise of the Separatists! Unlike his older version found during the time of the Galactic Civil War, Obi-Wan Kenobi as a Clone Wars General is at the height of his abilities. Whether it's through leading troops into battle or going head-to-head with a Sith Lord, Kenobi is a Jedi you want on your side!

A stalwart Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi's stats reflect his disciplined demeanor.

Of course, the Republic isn't the only group with strong leadership. The charismatic Count Dooku is a figurehead of the Separatist Movement, and as a former Jedi, he is extremely dangerous in hand-to-hand combat. When encountering other Jedi, Dooku claims to hunt a Sith Lord hidden within the Republic, but Dooku simultaneously displays dark powers, which he acquired after leaving the Jedi.

When you face Count Dooku, you face a warrior as cunning as he is deadly!

With heroes on both sides, the Clone Wars is the home to some of the most famous Star Wars characters of all time. As your heroes traverse the galaxy, Rise of the Separatists ensures Game Masters will be prepared when these iconic characters cross paths with their players!

Attack of the Clones

Rise of the Separatists brings the Clone Wars to your tabletop. The war between the Republic and Separatists presents plenty of narrative opportunities for heroes to find adventure. In a war for the galaxy, what role will you play?

Join the fight and pre-order Rise of the Separatists (SWR11) from your local retailer or our website!

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Running Rebels

Published 26 March 2018 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

Running Rebels

Guest Writer Bryan Young on Roleplaying an Episode of Star Wars Rebels

"Hey. For what it's worth, I've got a good feeling about this."
–Ezra Bridger, Star Wars Rebels

The Star Wars™ Roleplaying Game is the perfect way to play out your own adventures in the Star Wars universe from the comfort of your own table. From the scoundrels and outlaws of Edge of the Empire® to the soldiers and tacticians of Age of Rebellion® to the mystical Force users of Force and Destiny®, every corner of the Star Wars galaxy is yours to explore.

With the recent release of the Dawn of Rebellion sourcebook, available now from your local retailer or our website, it's easier than ever to run a game set in the early days of the Rebellion—the exact period chronicled by Star Wars Rebels. Today, guest writer Bryan Young gives us a taste of what's possible in this era by examining just how you could turn an episode of Star Wars Rebels into a session of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game!

The Call

Bryan Young: Who hasn’t watched an episode of Star Wars Rebels and thought the scenario would be amazing fun for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game? Well, what if I made it really easy for you? I’ll give you everything you need to run your group through an episode. Obviously, you’ll be able to scale it for your players and their particular quirks, but Rebels makes it easy to create a game on the fly.

Let’s start with the fifteenth episode of season two, “The Call.” In this episode, the Rebels are running low on fuel, as they always seem to be, and they need to steal some from an asteroid-based gas refinery. It’s the perfect sort of setting for a one-shot adventure, because of its remote location. And you can easily scale the difficulty based on how many players you have.

In the episode, the mining guild has its own, brightly painted, TIE fighters that help defend the base from attacks by rogues just like your heroes. That means your players are going to have to find a way to get to the base without crashing into any of the pools of unrefined fuel. Just watching the episode will help you visualize exactly what the facility looks like and give you an edge in describing it for your players. Your characters may not even know the exact location of the refinery… or maybe they have to quietly tail the patrol of TIEs to the base?

Your players can come up with any number of plans to get to the landing platforms, ranging from bluffing their way down to shooting the place up. Regardless of how they decide to do it, there is still going to be security at the installation. The security can range in species from Rodians or Trandoshans to Aqualish and Togruta, but for the sake of this adventure, why don’t we say the whole thing is guarded and operated by Humans and Rodians.

In the episode, some of the guards had access to an E-Web heavy repeating blaster cannon, which certainly made things more difficult for our heroes. That's just another thing that you can make available to your NPCs, depending on how difficult you’re planning on making this encounter for your players.

How the security forces at the installment make themselves known is really dependent on how your players make it down to the platform. If they’ve started shooting, then maybe a mob of guards and the E-Web are already waiting for them. If they’ve bluffed their approach, perhaps there is only one or two guards on the platform that they need to get through.

In the episode, the Ghost is able to refuel right there on the platform, while the other members of the team cover them… but there are plenty of other ways the fuel could be stolen, too. And what if your characters need a lot more than just fueling up a single ship? There’s every chance they could sneak inside the refinery and steal pallets of even more fuel to bring back to the Rebellion.

Another aspect of this particular episode of Star Wars Rebels is the inclusion of the purrgills. These are giant space whales capable of hyperspace travel. They consume the unrefined gas in order to power their organic jumps. Hera explains that spacers find them to be a nuisance and a threat that can destroy ships, which is why they should be shot at and scared away or killed. Ezra doesn’t feel the same way and connects with them. How you handle the purrgills in your game (if at all) can vary between those two extremes, but whichever way your players react, you’ll need to make sure the purrgills are consequential.

During the Ghost’s escape, the Mining Guild deploys even more guards and TIE fighters to pursue them on their way out. In the episode, the purrgills are the key to the Ghost getting back to safety, but your characters will, naturally, improvise any way they see fit! They might be able to shoot their way out on their own, or come up with an even more inventive solution.

Cause a Scene

Taking episodes of Star Wars television shows, especially Rebels, make perfect fodder for adventures in your roleplaying games at home. There’s no better inspiration for Star Wars adventures than to roleplay with Star Wars itself.

Become a Rebel with Dawn of Rebellion (SWR10), available now from your local retailer or our website!

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The Rebellion Is Born

Published 22 February 2018 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

The Rebellion Is Born

Dawn of Rebellion Is Now Available

Dawn of Rebellion, the first Era Sourcebook for the Star Wars™ Roleplaying Game, is available now from your local retailer or on our webstore! Drawing from the characters, locations, and equipment featured in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and the Star Wars Rebels series, Dawn of Rebellion gives players and Game Masters the tools and the inspiration to create their own adventures set in the early days of the Rebellion against the indomitable war machine of the Empire.

Whether your campaign is primarily themed around Edge of the Empire™, Age of Rebellion™, Force and Destiny™, or a blend of all three, Dawn of Rebellion offers a range of new specialization trees and species for you to use as player characters and the denizens of the galaxy that they meet. Location dossiers for iconic worlds such as Alderaan, Jedha, Dathomir, and more contribute terrific source material for your tales of danger and adventure. Additionally, extensive information on every level of the organization of the Empire gives players and Game Masters a solid background foundation for stories of desperate fringers, brave Rebels, or nascent Force-users.

Talents for the Talented

In Dawn of Rebellion, players gain access to an astounding six new specialization trees, representing a wide range of archetypal themes from the Star Wars galaxy that can help contour a character’s place in their own story.

We’ve shown you the Retired Clone Trooper, a veteran of countless battles who serves as a stalwart anchor for allies in combat. Force Adherents, while not able to channel to flow of the Force themselves, dedicate their lives to the lost principles of focus, determination, and discipline that guided the Jedi for millennia. Imperial Academy Cadet is a specialization designed for those who became disillusioned with the oppressive government they once swore to serve and now use that same galaxy-class education and training for their own, or loftier, goals. The Padawan Survivor provides a character of any previous specialization with a Force Rating of 1 and includes a multitude of talents for protecting oneself in a hostile galaxy. Pirates navigate the underworld with a sharp tongue and plasteel nerves, always on alert for a good deal or an unsuspecting fool. Finally, Ship Captains roam the galaxy with their loyal crew, confident in the knowledge that that loyalty is earned and rewarded.

Species in Revolt

Four new species also arrive in Dawn of Rebellion, all of which are themed around the control and exploitation of Imperial occupation. Freedom-loving Drabatans are an amphibious race of artists and singers who value expression and independence above nearly all else. Gigorans are burly, furry giants whose family and clan social structure has been upended by organized slavery operations. The ape-like Iakaru never developed space travel on their own, so their simple matriarchal society has only recently been displaced due to Imperial and corporate invasions of their resource-rich homeworld. The mineral-rich planet of Yar Togna has long been a source of materials for vital technologies, and the Empire did not hesitate to dominate the harvest and exportation of resources once belonging to the callous and cybernetically enhanced Tognath people.

Grand Designs

For Game Masters, Dawn of Rebellion offers significant insight into the workings of many Imperial organizations that may vex players, no matter the theme of the campaign. The Imperial Army and Navy are obvious foes, and ones that might largely be avoided by characters not playing an Age of Rebellion story. However, COMPNOR, the Imperial Security Bureau, and the Inquisitorius are fundamentally more insidious and pervasive. Beyond that, other groups like criminal organizations and independent Rebel cells provide both allies and opposition, as all kinds of motivations and goals may align or counter in interesting ways.

Modular encounters also make a return in Dawn of Rebellion, showcasing each of the different legendary locations featured in the book. As always, these encounters are designed to give players a strong sense of connection between the locale and the campaign, though any of the encounters could easily be modified to assimilate into an existing story.

Make Your Way

The embers simmer, ready to become a mighty blaze. From the populous and buzzing Core Worlds to the barren frontier of Outer Rim, no individual can fully escape the repercussions of the Galactic Empire. Even if one never sees a stormtrooper or hasn't felt terror in the shadow of an orbiting Star Destroyer, the presence of the Empire permeates all things. It is a galaxy in which, if the Emperor so wishes, it shall be.

Civilization has never seen such darkness. It has never needed such hope. It has never before needed heroes more.

Join the fight. Dawn of Rebellion (SWR10) is available now at your local retailer and our online store, so pick up your copy today!

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Building a Galaxy

Published 5 January 2018 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

Building a Galaxy

The Broken Horn Syndicate in Dawn of Rebellion

Dawn of Rebellion, the first ever sourcebook of its kind, brings you to the era of the Galactic Civil War before the events of Rogue One™ and A New Hope™, focusing on the tension, strife, and fear encouraged by the Galactic Empire at the height of its power. This is an era where despair is prevalent and the future dark, except for a few unique individuals who carry hope like a torch against the darkness, a torch that would become the spark that ultimately lights the flames of rebellion, war, and freedom.

This book provides players with a wealth of new equipment, specializations, and races to paint this vibrant and dangerous galaxy in stark and stunning detail. But where Dawn of Rebellion truly shines as an era sourcebook is in its service of setting the stage for encounters, sessions, and entire campaigns in a time when the Empire is at its strongest. That is not to mean every campaign that makes use of this book will have the fall of the Emperor as its goal; instead, we can see how Star Wars™: Edge of the Empire, Star Wars™: Age of Rebellion, and Star Wars™: Force and Destiny might approach the same story element from unique angles, and how Game Masters can present these angles to their players.

As an example, let’s use one of the independent organizations described in Dawn of Rebellion, the Broken Horn Syndicate.

Gunrunning for Fun and Profit

Employing loyal droids as labor and security, Cikatro Vizago built his Broken Horn Syndicate arms smuggling trade from the legitimate Twin Horns Storage shipping company after violently wresting control away from its former owners. Vizago’s base of operations is on Lothal, from which he directs the acquisition, smuggling, and sale of weapons and armor by the cargo load across the Outer Rim. Imperial presence increases both his supply and demand of weapons, as there is now a reliable source of arms to steal from and a dependable horde of fringers who would prefer to meet any opposition by the Empire with force.

In an Edge of the Empire campaign, Vizago may run the spectrum between ally or antagonist as his mercurial nature follows his pursuit of credits—his one true loyalty. The PCs may begin their epic story as hired hands, making deliveries and negotiating sales to other criminal enterprises of ill-repute along the Outer Rim. Conversely, the party may find the Broken Horn Syndicate to be the target of the campaign. A previous customer may feel that Vizago has cheated them one too many times with increased prices or substandard goods and the PCs have picked up the bounty on his head. Alternatively, they might have heard of a legendarily lucrative haul aboard The Broken Horn, Vizago’s Gozanti-class transport and flagship.

A Rebel cell operating in an Age of Rebellion campaign may be directed to eliminate Vizago’s operation as his hostile activity around Lothal and the Outer Rim in general has increased the Imperial attention paid to freighters and smugglers in the area. However, the Syndicate's operation could prove beneficial, as a steady supply of armament keeps blasters in the hands of those willing to wield them, and Vizago's intelligence network could prove invaluable in avoiding Imperial customs or locating vulnerable supply caches. Finding common cause with a notorious criminal (or eliminating his enterprise) should make for some very exciting roleplaying scenarios with a party whose members may have differing views on the ethics of such potential corruption.

The stat block for Cikatro Vizago presents a sly adversary.

Characters in Force and Destiny might be less likely to see Vizago as an asset or ally unless they lean more towards the dark side, but how they interact with the Broken Horn Syndicate could still go in many different directions. A group may see him as a direct threat to the lives and well-being of the citizens of the Outer Rim, as his brutal and feckless demeanor leaves pain and suffering in his wake. In this story, Vizago’s criminal enterprise is the antagonist of an entire arc or campaign. However, in a different style of game, he may only make an appearance for a session or two as a group of Force-sensitive fugitives from the Empire make use of his ship as transport—either as paying passengers (at an exorbitant rate) or stowaways. Vizago’s extensive use of droids puts the players at a disadvantage, as many of their powers that affect the mind or perception simply do not work on his mechanical employees. Because of this, even remaining hidden and alive poses new challenges.

In addition to extensive information on the Broken Horn Syndicate, Dawn of Rebellion comes packed with descriptions, statistics, and adventure hooks for many notable Star Wars organizations. The Empire’s Inquisitorius, the Rebellion’s Phoenix Cell, and the Free Ryloth Movement are just some of the groups represented to add friends and enemies to your campaigns.

Dawn of Hope

How will you utilize the wealth of content in Dawn of Rebellion? Pursue the mysteries of the Force by traveling to forgotten worlds in an abandoned and refurbished U-Wing. Work alongside mysterious Fulcrum agents to protect a fledgling Rebellion. Make a fortune flying dangerous routes through Imperial space to fulfill the contract of a lifetime. The galaxy rests of the edge of a vibroblade and its waiting for you to make your mark.

Dawn of Rebellion (SWR10) takes you to a galaxy on the brink of war in the first quarter of 2018! Pre-order your copy at your local retailer or online through our website today!

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GM Guide: The Ultimate Sacrifice

Published 18 October 2017 | The Force Awakens Beginner Game

GM Guide: The Ultimate Sacrifice

Guest Writer Bryan Young on Tales of Desperate Heroics

"Saw Gerrera used to say, one fighter with a sharp stick and nothing left to lose can take the day. They have no idea we're coming. They have no reason to expect us. If we can make it to the ground, we'll take the next chance. And the next. On and on until we win… or the chances are spent."
–Jyn Erso

Like Star Wars™ fans around the world, we're eagerly looking forward to Episode VIII. At the same time, we're delighted simply to live in this new age of Star Wars riches. Constantly growing with new movies, television shows, novels, comics, and more, the Star Wars galaxy is larger and brighter than ever before.

It's also more diverse. Recent materials have focused on both a greater diversity of characters and styles. And while the Star Wars galaxy was always full of potential for stories of all shapes, sizes, tones, and themes, we're seeing more of them realized than ever before. From the expansion of the classic Star Wars saga presented by The Force Awakens, to the formation of the Rebellion in Star Wars Rebels, to the gritty war genre stylings of Rogue One, there's more here than ever before.

For those of us who enjoy bringing the Star Wars back to our tabletops via Star Wars roleplaying—whether through Age of Rebellion™, Edge of the Empire™, or Force and Destiny™—these stories and styles serve not only as entertainment, but as inspiration for our own adventures.

Today, guest writer Bryan Young follows that inspiration toward the pinnacle of heroism—designing adventures in which the player characters may be called to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Guest Writer Bryan Young on Game Mastering Desperate Heroics

One of the most striking things about Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was its message.

At its core, Rogue One was about a group of reluctant heroes who, at the end of the day, were willing to sacrifice their lives to create a better universe that they would never personally see. Watching stories of these ultimate sacrifices are emotional, even heart-rending. A doomed mission has a lot of weight to it, and it takes a special kind of character to embark on a mission you know you’ll likely never return from.

If your players are game, though, there is nothing more gratifying than playing a single session or limited series of sessions that are billed from the top as a mission that most likely no one will come back from. There are a number of steps you need to take to make sure your players are satisfied by this sort of sacrificial storytelling, but you and your group will be rewarded for it if you do it right.

Finding Inspiration

The first thing you need to think about is what the mission is.

Rogue One can offer plenty of inspiration for what the mission could be and how it can work, but you can also peel back a layer of Rogue One and see what sort of movies inspired it. World War II films. The Dirty Dozen. The Guns of Navarone. A Bridge Too Far. Even Saving Private Ryan has an air of futility to the mission you might be able to tap into.

All of these films have one thing in common: a team is gathered by the military and given a job they don’t necessarily want to do, but know that it would be good for the war effort. It’s really easy to come up with ideas like this that fit within a galaxy far, far away.

Getting Your Players on Board

The next thing you’ll need to do is talk to your group.

Some players get attached to their characters to the point where playing a sacrificial mission might not be appealing to them. Getting the buy-in of your players is really the most important thing you need. The point of any roleplaying game is to have fun, and if this isn’t the sort of fun they want, then you’d do better looking for a different kind of campaign. But if they are into the idea, you’ll need to decide if you’re playing a one-shot or a campaign with a finite amount of sessions. Then you’ll have to decide the mission objectives.

For the purposes of this exercise, let's say that the mission objective is to destroy a secret Imperial weapon on a planet that borders a vital space lane to the Rebellion’s cause. The Rebellion needs this space lane so they can use it for a vital rescue mission. The problem facing your characters is that they don’t know exactly where the weapon is hidden. They’ll need to infiltrate the planet, make contact with locals who can get them more information about the weapon, infiltrate the facility, and destroy the weapon so the Rebellion can pass through on their way to an important rescue mission. An important Rebel leader has been captured, and another team is leading that fight. If the mission fails, the rescue mission cannot occur. If that rescue mission doesn't succeed, the Rebellion might well be over.

The stakes are everything.

In order to have a mission that keeps your players at the table, ready to sacrifice themselves for the cause, you’re going to need to raise the stakes as high as you can while still fitting your adventure within the Star Wars universe. If there’s no cost to the galaxy for the failure of your players, there’s no incentive for them to lay down the lives of their characters.

Pacing Your Adventure

Pacing is important.

In my example scenario, I’d recommend a three- to five-session arc. The first session would be the initial briefing and the insertion onto the planet and all the danger that that implies. The second and possibly third session would be making contact with the locals and the intrigue involved in actually finding the weapon. The next sessions would cover the actual infiltration and destruction of the weapon. The game ends as soon as it’s destroyed or all the characters are dead. If you’ve planned the session out well enough, those two things will happen simultaneously. They’ll have to give their lives to win. And they’ll be okay with that.

Getting everything to line up can be tricky, but the important thing is to plan the adventure so that the characters need to divide their attention between the mission and the enemies, especially when everything is coming to boil. There's nothing more classic to the sacrificial mission than the point where the party is forced to split and some characters willingly throw themselves in harm's way to buy time for the others.

Perhaps some of the characters might be able to survive. Getting away isn’t part of the session, though. That’s when the credits roll and your group does its post-mortem on the campaign. With the right amount of planning, it’ll be a campaign that will keep your players talking for a long time.

Like Jyn Erso, Cassian Andor, Bodhi Rook, Baze, Chirrut, and K-2SO, your players’ characters could go down in history as heroes of the Rebellion willing to lay down their lives in defense of the galaxy.

When he's not making life difficult for his friends' small band of Rebels, Bryan Young is a writer, podcaster, and gamer. He writes regularly for StarWars.com and Star Wars Insider, and hosts the Star Wars podcast Full of Sith. You can follow him on Twitter @Swankmotron.

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Imperial Living

Published 9 October 2017 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

Imperial Living

Preview Some of the New Player Options Arriving in Dawn of Rebellion

As the first sourcebook of its kind, and one focused on a different point in time than presented in the core rulebooks, Dawn of Rebellion is all about context. This context informs what connections the player characters will have to each other and their galaxy, and this is reflected in a heap of new options that are inspired by many of the iconic characters introduced in Star Wars Rebels™ and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story™.

While these works are primarily focused on the military aspects of the Star Wars™ saga and would take place in a Star Wars: Age of Rebellion™ setting, considering the individual stories of these characters should give ample inspiration to be housed in Edge of the Empire™ or Force and Destiny™. Jyn Erso was little more than a criminal after being abandoned and then rescued by the Rebellion. Chirrut Imwe’s path of devotion to the Force may have taken him far from the temple on Jedha had events unfolded differently. Hondo Ohnaka (probably) doesn’t spend all of his time swindling Rebel cells into helping him acquire plunder and then escape to plunder another day. The adventurous lives of characters we see on the screen for only a short time can point towards campaigns in Edge of the Empire or Force and Destiny, or even finding where the intersections of those themes create some of the most memorable and beloved Star Wars stories!

As such, the Dawn of Rebellion sourcebook contains an unprecedented six universal specializations designed to bolster any character’s abilities while also providing a strong narrative link to that character’s backstory and future. Four new species choices, each with unique traits and histories describing their place in the galaxy, also contribute to a richer game setting for players and gamemasters to explore.

Kamino's Best

The Retired Clone Trooper talent tree is as reliable and robust as a clone trooper is expected to be. After the rise of the Empire, the ranks of Republic clones were replaced with more conventional beings instead of vat-grown duplicates, and so these clones have dispersed throughout the galaxy. Disposable soldiers who served their purpose, many surviving clones grapple with guilt over their betrayal of their Jedi generals at the execution of Order 66 and the coronation of a tyrannical Emperor. But rather than wallow in remorse, some of these clones find their way back into the warrior life in the name of the Rebellion, perhaps seeking atonement for the sins of their brothers.

Featuring an unusually high six new career skills, the talents for the Retired Clone Trooper are focused on all-around consistency and character improvement. Eighteen of the twenty talents in the tree are passive, meaning they simply add an ongoing benefit to various stats and abilities such as wound and strain thresholds and explosive damage. One of the activated talents at the end of the tree is Comrades in Arms, themed around the formidable battle prowess of squads of clone troopers. Once per encounter, the character may make a Discipline check to grant themselves and allies bonus defense until the fight is finished.

No Such Thing as "Snow Wookiees"

Perhaps owing to the harsh wintery conditions of their native planet of Gigor that requires cooperation and community to survive, Gigorans are often accurately referred to as ‘gentle giants.’ Gigorans stand over two meters tall with long and powerful arms and torsos, but their imposing figures are belied by their friendliness and almost joyful curiosity. Unfortunately for them, these traits have proven to make them easy prey for the galactic slave trade that puts a high profit margin on powerful-yet-easy-to-control laborers. When first discovered and exploited, their stature and shaggy white fur led slavers to market them as “Snow Wookiees,” which was a very useful fiction. Now, nearly every Gigoran encountered off their homeworld is either in slavery or has escaped it. Such a traumatic experience has different effects on individuals with some aligning themselves to the noble cause of freedom for all beings while others become so twisted and corrupted that they find that causing pain to others is the only way they can protect themselves from worse.

Gigoran player characters benefit greatly from their natural Brawn and free rank in the Brawl skill, while their pragmatic hunter-gatherer society has inhibited their Intellectual growth, as well as imposing and automatic upgraded difficulty on Mechanics checks related to advanced technology. One can safely expect not to find too many Gigoran scholars or engineers, but escaped slaves have been able to find ample opportunity as mercenaries, bounty hunters, and soldiers.

Stay alert for more information on how gamemasters will be provided more insight into crafting vibrant and thrilling campaigns set during the height of Imperial power, and be ready to pick up your copy of Dawn of Rebellion (SWR10) when it launches in Q4 of 2017! Pre-order your copy at your local retailer or online through our website today!

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A Galaxy On Fire

Published 25 September 2017 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

A Galaxy On Fire

Previewing the Known Galaxy of Dawn of Rebellion

They promised eternal peace. They proclaimed the Jedi dead, and with them, their theocratic control of a civilization. They promised the galaxy. As this new order takes hold, it's only now that the citizens of this galaxy watch as its forceful grip squeezes tight around the stars, and threatens to strangle the very life from them.

For many though, especially those in the Core Worlds, the Empire has delivered on their promises. The stability, security, and prosperity they enjoy far surpasses any time of peace in living memory. For them, the struggle to eradicate the Rebellion, the brutally harsh penalties for criminals, and the Inquisition of those with Force abilities are well beyond arm’s length. But the galaxy is a big place, and sometimes strife simmers just below the surface.

Dawn of Rebellion is a new sourcebook coming soon for the Star Wars™ Roleplaying Game and provides players and gamemasters with a wealth of information on life in a galaxy under the newly-formed Empire. The Rebellion still sits in its infancy, barely more than a whisper on the lips of a brave few, and most citizens were resigned to try and make a new way for themselves in this New Order. It is this specific, and precarious setting, that the new Dawn of Rebellion sourcebook takes place, which we will examine closely in today's preview.

Doomed Hope

Before its funeral pyre ignited a revolution, Alderaan was a beacon of peace and hope for thousands of years. In the time of Dawn of Rebellion, it is a world of nobility and democracy, culture and beauty. Alderaanians work diligently to preserve their classical way of life despite a looming Empire seeking to crush their renowned sense of virtue. From the island capital city of Aldera, the legendary Organa family works from within the Imperial Senate to try to guide policies that protect not only the people of Alderaan, but the vulnerable scattered across the galaxy. All the while, the Organas secretly make a concerted effort to bring down the Empire by actively aiding the Rebellion with funds, materials, and information.

Hidden Refuge

The desolate desert planet of Atollon serves as one of the first Rebellion strongholds. Atollon’s inhospitality to most life forms and its lack of known valuable resources has left the world almost entirely forgotten and untouched. Plotting a course there is a challenging task even to seasoned astrogators, and so the fledgling Rebellion found it to be a perfect location for Chopper Base, a haven from which to gather supplies, collect intelligence, and launch raids against the Empire.

The planet itself is dry and unwelcoming. The most notable topographical features are the massive coral formations built by the subsurface spring water that is remarkably rich in mineral content. Life on this dusty red planet is understandably sparse with the majority of what could be charitably called a biome made up of the predatory spider-like krykna and the more docile dokma, who resemble large snails with shells made of minerals syphoned off of the abundant coral. A mysterious Force entity that calls itself Bendu also resides on Atollon, though its purpose and intentions are enigmatic. Its proscription of perfect Force balance, a central path between the light side and the dark, gives it a unique perspective on the motives and methods of the Force-sensitive beings who seek it out.

Perfect Destruction

Born from the clever minds of Geonosian engineers during the Clone Wars and secretly funded from Republic coffers by the corrupt Chancellor Palpatine, no undertaking in history has taken more from the galaxy than the DS-1; the Death Star. For over a decade, laborers and technicians constructed this terror in the sky above Geonosis while the forces of the Empire plundered entire worlds for the kinds of materials money couldn’t buy. Namely, the rare and powerful energy-focusing kyber crystals. These crystals, once used in the lightsabers of Jedi, are essential for the operation of the Mk I Superlaser, a doomsday weapon without parallel.

Without the Superlaser, the Death Star would be the most powerful and intimidating space station ever created. Hyperspace-capable, its thousands upon thousands of turbolaser batteries are capable of annihilating fleets of capital ships with impunity. Major cities could be razed from orbit while a garrison of hundreds of thousands of stormtroopers could occupy a planet faster than any sort of resistance could be mustered.

But with the Superlaser? Power turns into abject horror. In mere seconds, this moon-sized station can, quite literally, turn a planet into dust. Thousands of years of civilization and millions of beings on a rock billions of years old can become debris and vapor with the mere push of a few buttons and the pull of a lever. In that moment, complete destruction becomes an abstraction; if a world can exist, and then not exist, by the will of man, what is anyone to do?

Check back frequently to our website to see how Dawn of Rebellion will aid players and gamemasters in crafting their own Star Wars tales set in the shadow of invulnerable tyranny! Will you run daring smuggling runs through Imperial blockades in Edge of the Empire? Will you run guerrilla operations against armored strongholds on Empire-occupied worlds in Age of Rebellion? Or you will you seek hiding and safety in a vain hope to preserve the legacy of the Jedi, and your life, in Force and Destiny?

Where will you set your adventures? Plan well, Dawn of Rebellion (SWR10) will arrive at retailers in Q4 of 2017!

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GM Guide: Making Characters Memorable

Published 12 September 2017 | The Force Awakens Beginner Game

GM Guide: Making Characters Memorable

Guest Writer Bryan Young on Bringing Your NPCs to Life

"They're my friends. I've got to help them."
–Luke Skywalker

Details bring characters and their stories to life. Characters without details are like skeletons. They may have some shape, but they're dead. They can't move. And you can't really tell one from the other. But once you flesh them out with details, they quickly become able to move you.

We recognize something fundamentally human in the young Tatooine farmboy who dreams of joining the Rebel Alliance to escape his planet's barren wastes and embark upon adventure amid the stars. We get a kick out of Han Solo not because he's a helpful smuggler and pilot, but because he projects a cocksure attitude and talks about how he completed the Kessel Run in under twelve parsecs, even though his modified freighter looks like a hunk of junk. And we respond to Darth Vader's presence with immediate fear and respect because a wealth of details suggest his terrible powers—his imposing stature, confident stride, masked helmet, deep voice, measured speech, and even the strange, wheezy sound of his suit's life support.

Physical details are important, but even more so are behavior quirks and the relationships these characters have with others. And just as these details helped us connect to the characters and conflicts of a galaxy far, far away, so can they enrich our games of Age of Rebellion™, Edge of the Empire™, and Force and Destiny™.

No matter what your characters are doing, your Star Wars™ roleplaying sessions are bound to prove more entertaining when they're set amid a galaxy full of three-dimensional characters with lives, challenges, and desires of their own.

So how do you fill your games with these Non-Player Characters (NPCs)? That's the question that guest writer Bryan Young explores in today's look at our Star Wars roleplaying games.

Guest Writer Bryan Young on Fleshing Out Your NPCs

When you’re looking to Game Master one of the pre-written adventures for any of the Star Wars roleplaying games, you'll find the cast of characters you'll get to play has already been taken care of for you. But when you’re running a game of your own design, all of those characters will have to come directly from your own head. So how do you invent the details that will bring them to life?

When I’m running a game, I like to come up with a few random details for each of my Non-Player Characters (NPCs) so I know exactly how to play them. The details I try to keep are simple and progress naturally as I think about how they interact with the players and the story.

Who Are They?

In a game I’m running, there’s a mechanic the players could deal with. Naturally, to make the mechanic feel more Star Wars, I made this mechanic a Rodian and gave her her own story. I did this because I believe it helps make the world feel more real when the NPCs have their own lives moving in the background of the game.

Her name was Leota. Her specialty was making modifications that the Empire might consider… illegal. Fake transponders. Illicit weapons. Extra shields. Even cloaking devices. So long as the price was right.

That was all the info I needed for the first session in which she appeared, but I had the idea that Leota owed debts to a number of people and might have bounty hunters coming after her at odd times. This was an idea I kept tucked in my back pocket in case I needed an idea for future sessions. At any point, if the characters came back to see her, this backstory could lead them into an interesting mystery.

Perhaps, they'd find bounty hunters hassling Leota when they showed up. Or maybe the bounty hunters would have abducted her.

Then I started to think about what her connection to the players might be. Did she trust them? Or did she think they were going to burn her, exposing her to Imperial attention? I opted for a mix of the two.

These bits gave me enough information to be able to interact with the players. You’ll still have to do plenty of ad-libbing when you’re talking in your NPC’s characters voice, but at least you’ll know where they’re coming from as a starting point.

Where Are They Headed?

These few rough points are all you really need to consider for each major NPC—name, appearance, role, motive, relationship with the PCs. And once you get used to bringing NPCs to this level of detail, making up new NPCs on the fly will be no problem.

Say there is a bounty hunter at the mechanic’s hideout. What’s he like? Is he a Zabrak with a vendetta? Or is he an Imperial loyalist working for the sector Moff. Maybe there’s a piece of one player character’s backstory that hooks into having a bounty on his or her head, too, doubling the trouble for the characters.

All it takes is a few questions and you’re ready to go:

What's the NPC's name?
What does this NPC look like?
How does this NPC typically operate?
What does this NPC want?
What does this NPC's presence in a scene mean for the PCs?

Given this list, I keep a list of names handy for whenever I have to come up with a new NPC. Nothing breaks the tension of the game more than when the Game Master has to stop and think up a name for the character the players are currently interacting with. I’ll write down ten or fifteen names and what species they’d belong to… just in case. This is one Game Master trick that always comes in handy.

Where Can Your NPCs Take You?

Hopefully, these tips about handling non-player characters will help you flesh out your game.

All it takes is asking questions and coming up with enough of a story for you, as the Game Master, to do some riffing. You just need to know enough about your NPCs to help your players visualize them and enjoy interactions that flow naturally.

Once you get that down, your games will be much more exciting and detailed, and your players will feel like you’ve dropped them in a Star Wars galaxy that is fully realized and in which every character they encounter has his or her own exciting story.

When he's not making life difficult for his friends' small band of Rebels, Bryan Young is a writer, podcaster, and gamer. He writes regularly for StarWars.com and Star Wars Insider, and hosts the Star Wars podcast Full of Sith. You can follow him on Twitter @Swankmotron.

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Star Wars Roleplaying Gamemat

Published 17 August 2017 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

Star Wars Roleplaying Gamemat

Bring Your Star Wars™ Roleplaying Games to Life

"Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design."
- Emperor Palpatine, Return of the Jedi™

Your team has prepared as much as possible for the coming conflicts. Your blasters are loaded, your speeches prepared, your minds quiet; all you wait for now is the signal to begin your heist, your trial, your rebellion. And now, you can be even more prepared to face the unmentionable odds your favorite iconic characters from the Star Wars™ galaxy have battled for generations with the Star Wars Roleplaying Gamemat™, new from Fantasy Flight Games!

This 26” x 26” natural rubber gamemat is the perfect surface upon which to tackle any obstacles the galaxy (or your gamemaster) might throw at you, whether you're plundering ancient riches in Edge of the Empire™, striking at a critical Imperial target in Age of Rebellion™, or constructing your very first lightsaber in Force and Destiny™. Not only does its natural rubber provide a pliable and durable surface perfect for rolling your skill tests upon, the gamemat is lined with all manner of helpful keys and graphics to enable quick and easy dice pool reading so that the game can continue flowing quickly and organically to its destiny.

Two of the gamemat’s sides are lined with a dice key so that you can quickly assemble dice pools using accurate in-game terminology and easily interpret the results of your rolls to keep the game moving. The helpful range band reference will keep your maneuvers in check as you advance upon your foe. Along the GM’s edge of the mat, players will find a helpful stylized initiative tracker that will keep their heads in the game as they plan their next action and enable them to prioritize lethal targets who may be acting sooner than the group would like. Additionally, there is a handy key for dice pool difficulty, allowing all players to easily assemble the dice for a Daunting Computers check, and quickly see what the available Destiny pool looks like in case they need that little extra push to succeed.

Players will also find the iconic art of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, drawing them into the narratives that their characters will be building over the course of their enthralling campaigns. The star field backdrop also keeps players firmly grounded in the vibrant and dangerous Star Wars galaxy.

Meet Your Destiny

You’ve assembled your team, you’ve been briefed on your mission. All that’s left is to pick up those dice and trust in the Force. Bring your Star Wars Roleplaying to the next level with the Star Wars Roleplaying Gamemat, now available from Fantasy Flight Games’ in-house manufacturing!

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GM Guide: The Hero's Journey

Published 31 July 2017 | The Force Awakens Beginner Game

GM Guide: The Hero's Journey

Narrating Your Star Wars™ Roleplaying Games

"The belonging you seek is not behind you. It is ahead. I am no Jedi, but I know the Force."
–Maz Kanata

There's no more immersive experience of the Star Wars universe than that provided by any or all of the three different Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars™ roleplaying systems — Age of Rebellion™, Edge of the Empire™, and Force and Destiny™.

All three systems allow you and your friends to share thrilling adventures in the Star Wars universe, and all three utilize the same dice and core mechanics. Moreover, you can dive quickly into any of these game lines by starting with its Beginner Game. Regardless of the line, a Star Wars Roleplaying Beginner Game offers a unique and memorable take on the core Star Wars experience, allowing players and Game Masters to learn the game even as they play.

But where do you go from your Beginner Game? Perhaps you have a fantastic series of Star Wars adventures racing through your mind, and you want to share them with your friends. How can you use the game's narrative dice as part of your effort?

Today, guest writer Bryan Young draws upon his experience as a Star Wars roleplaying Game Master in order to help you make the dice your ally.

Guest Writer Bryan Young on Using the Power of the Dice

There are a lot of newer Star Wars gamers who opened up their Star Wars™ Roleplaying Beginner Games, ran the box's well-structured game, and are now looking to make their next game even better.

As you make your way on that journey from gaming Padawan to Master, having adventures of your own in the Star Wars universe, one of the most important things you can learn to improve your gaming experience is to focus on the stories you can tell using the dice.

The Star Wars Roleplaying Games from Fantasy Flight Games are unique from any other game I’ve played. With them, you can have wonderful things happen in tandem with otherwise unsuccessful rolls, but you can also have horrible things happen when you’ve clearly aced a task.

What happens when our heroes successfully convince a crime lord's henchmen to lead them to a secret weapons depot (success and Triumph)—only to find it more heavily guarded than they expected (Threat)?

This apparent contradiction lends itself to the sort of high-adventure storytelling of Star Wars movies, but can be a little difficult for players to get used to. The system asks a lot from the players, but it can create some of the most fun story moments you’ve ever had in a game.

What Stories Will Your Dice Tell?

If your group has players accustomed to other games, it might be difficult to get them to participate in telling stories with the dice, but once you do, you’re going to have a much more collaborative and fun game. Think about all the great moments in Star Wars movies where something good and bad happened at the same time and it helped tell a much more thrilling story.

A really great way to get your players accustomed to this is by offering all sorts of examples you’d find acceptable in play.

One of my favorite moments involved a starfighter battle in an asteroid field. One of my players was chasing a TIE fighter through the asteroids, dodging around back and forth, and rolled to shoot the TIE. Naturally, the difficulty of hitting the TIE fighter was really high, and my player missed the shot. But it still yielded a Triumph result. That’s when my player offered that the stray shot hit an asteroid and altered its trajectory… and that asteroid hit another—right into the TIE fighter!

There are many other ways to use your dice results. Fail that stealth roll but got a Triumph? Maybe the guard took a break to go to the refresher station so your stealthiness doesn’t matter. Or imagine that your players are rolling for their hyperspace navigation and score a bunch of Advantage, even as they fail what they want to do; maybe they manage to come out of hyperspace early, realizing that if they’d have done what they intended, they'd have fallen into a trap.

On the other side of the token, what if your player rolls a success along with a significant amount of Threat? Maybe she manages to blast the stormtrooper as which she's aiming at, and he’s knocked forward into the console he’s guarding, opening the blast door behind him.

Another of my favorite game moments happened when one of my players was shooting at a stormtrooper in the rafters. The player rolled enough Threat that the shot missed the trooper, but hit the rigging that kept a TIE fighter attached to the hangar ceiling. The TIE came crashing down, pinning the players in their position and made the rest of their job a lot more difficult.

These scenarios increase the tension of the situation, sure, and you, as the Game Master, will have to decide what’s appropriate. Some players might not be ready to add too much danger to their games, so you must also make sure they have the tools they need to have fun.

Know Your Role

With FFG's Star Wars Roleplaying Games and the narrative dice system, it’s not just the Game Master who adds to the twists in your story, but it’s important that it's clear the Game Master does have the ultimate say in what is permissible.

It’s also a lot more fun to use the dice to help turn the story on its ear than to use them to add simple bonuses. Being a Game Master who works with the players toward roleplaying of this sort ensures that your sessions are more about storytelling than being a slave to the numbers of the rules. And in my opinion, it creates a much more rewarding style of play.

Work with your players to get more creative in your use of the dice, and I guarantee you’ll have more fun gaming!

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Frontier Optimization

Published 13 July 2017 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

Frontier Optimization

Technician Specialization and Signature Abilities Decks Are Available Now

On the fringes of society, Technicians are essential for life. From building and maintaining the ships that transport goods to directly providing the necessities of life such as Tatooine’s moisture farms, technology is inseparable from life in the galaxy. And wherever technology is needed, there will be those who excel at inventing, building, repairing, and upgrading every bit of wire and metal at their disposal.

The Technician Specialization and Signature Abilities Decks are on sale now, ready for your ingenuity and fine tuning! Featuring the new Specialization trees and Signature Abilities found in the Edge of the Empire™ Technician sourcebook, Special Modifications, these 20-card packs each provide a card for every talent found in the three new Specializations introduced. Each card is produced in full color and contains all the rules text needed that makes them a handy tool for players and gamemasters alike.

The Galaxy Is What You Make It

Each 20-card deck includes every talent in the Specialization trees for the Technician career found in Special Modifications:

Cyber Tech - Melding the essence of organic and mechanical is the Cyber Tech’s specialty. Through the constant installation and upgrade of cybernetic parts, the Cyber Tech’s quest of self improvement may seem never ending, but the results are no less impressive. The More Machine Than Man talent appears four times in the tree, increasing the allowance of cybernetic upgrades on themselves which would otherwise stifle the Cyber Tech’s pursuit of perfection. Overcharge, and its Improved and Supreme upgrades, pushes the installed cybernetics even harder by increasing the benefit provided by one or more of their installed pieces of technology. Multiple ranks of the Surgeon talent also allow the Cyber Tech to contribute to remedying their group’s medical needs.
Droid Tech - Whether assembling a horde of robotic assistants or focusing on a singular masterpiece, the Droid Tech lives to cultivate the usefulness of droids. Some Droid Techs see this calling as a way to make good credits in a galaxy that depends on droids to maintain their way of life, while others may view the value of the work itself as infinite; every optimized power relay, every upgraded subroutine a tally in the ledger of greatness. Droid Techs benefit from the Deft Maker talent while crafting droids, which is complemented well by Eye for Detail’s addition of success or advantage on Mechanics and Computers checks on which such crafting relies. In the field, Reroute Processors can optimize a droid by increasing a needed characteristic while reducing a currently unnecessary one, and Redundant Systems allows the Droid Tech to make needed repairs by scavenging extra parts from another piece of equipment.
Modder - Not content to simply build things, the Modder seeks to make everything built better. Whether focusing on personal gear, vehicles, or spaceships, the Modder carries the tools needed to optimize technology as a matter of pride. Many of the essential talents in the Modder specialization tree offer multiple stacking ranks, keeping in the theme of utility and optimization. Jury Rigged, Tinkerer, and Gearhead all provide increasing benefits to the Modder’s pieces of equipment whether they are specialized tools or weapons. Resourceful Refit allows the Modder to completely disassemble an attachment and then use those pieces to reassemble a new attachment that will be more useful for the situation at hand. For Modders who wish to focus on ships and vehicles, the Signature Vehicle talent locks the Modder into a pet project which always provides a free upgrade to the Mechanics checks used to upgrade or repair the craft.

In addition to the Specialization talent trees, Special Modifications also introduced the new Signature Abilities available to all Technicians who have dedicated themselves to the perfection of their work. The Signature Abilities deck provides a card for each Ability itself, as well as all supporting upgrades that accompany each, all in one deck.

Inventive Creation is a very potent and flexible narrative Signature Ability. With a Daunting Mechanics check (or Hard, after an upgrade), the Technician may simply create an item of rarity 5 or lower by making creative use of the materials at hand. The nature of this device is up to the player and GM, but after the end of the current scene it simply fails in some way. Important upgrades for this Ability include Increased Rarity (going up to rarity 8), and Change Scale, which places vehicles with a silhouette 2 or lower into reach.

Conversely, Unmatched Calibration’s benefit is clearly mechanical. Once per session, the Technician may simply decide to spend 2 Destiny Points to reroll two dice. These can be any dice that are not the white Force die, meaning that the Technician may find themselves lucky enough to eliminate a Despair result, or take a second chance at a Triumph. Upgrades for this Signature Ability include Minimize Risk, which downgrades a rerolled Challenge die into a Difficulty die, or Increase Number which can put the number of possible rerolled dice up to an impressive six.

Double Your Efforts

The new Technician Specialization and Signature Abilities Decks are available at your local retailer and our online store today!

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Dawn of Rebellion

Published 11 July 2017 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

Dawn of Rebellion

Announcing a Brand New Sourcebook for Star Wars Roleplaying

The chaos of the Clone Wars has left its devastation in countless systems. Worlds have been ravaged and brought to the brink of collapse. Citizens of thousands of worlds suffer from the turmoil of a conflict they never wanted, and the exhaustion that comes with a galaxy’s struggle for mere survival has opened the way for a nefarious and tyrannical evil to take control…

The Jedi Order has been eradicated and, with it, their particular religion and its impact on society. The Separatist cause has been lost. From the ashes of the corrupt and bureaucratic Senate, the former Chancellor Palpatine has secured a new Empire, promising peace and security for all who submit.

There are some who welcome this change. There are more, though, who see the Empire for what it is: a pernicious evil, a cancer upon the Force, and the enemy of all free people everywhere. Twisted by the dark side and his own insatiable lust for power, Emperor Palpatine and his formidable apprentice Darth Vader command a reign of terror across the galaxy. They wield destruction and fear as powerful weapons in their quest for galactic subjugation. And there is nothing standing in their way…

But there are those few brave individuals who still hold on to hope. Those lost among the stars who understand that, no matter how long the night, the dawn must come.

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce Dawn of Rebellion, a new sourcebook for the Star Wars™ Roleplaying Game line. Dawn of Rebellion is the first sourcebook of its kind, designed to be used alongside any of the three core roleplaying lines. Campaigns using Edge of the Empire™, Age of Rebellion™, or Force and Destiny™—or any combination of the same—will find a wealth of valuable information within its 144 pages. Primarily focusing on the years preceding the Battle of Yavin, Dawn of Rebellion features descriptions, context, and statistics for many of the iconic characters and vehicles appearing in the Star Wars: Rebels television show and in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The might of the Empire is at an unprecedented peak and a successful rebellion seems like a fever dream to all but the most optimistic. Even those who have no personal stake in the Galactic Civil War feel the tremendous impact of this new order.

Edge of the Empire

The bootheels of law enforcement will never completely stamp out scum and villainy, not entirely. Trades both legitimate and illicit are still in high demand in the Outer Rim, where the Empire’s grip is tenuous at best and laughable at worst. Many Hutts and crime lords of all species view the change in leadership in the Core Worlds as simply a market shift; buying, selling, and swindling are all the same game, only the faces on the other side of the table have changed.

Opportunities abound for those willing to make some credits outside the law, be it local or Imperial. Bounty hunting crews will always find work from a vengeful mob boss looking to eliminate a threat. Rumors are even spreading that even the Empire itself has contracts available for those able to solve problems with upstart insurgents or singularly stubborn “complications,” though the issue of disintegration is generally not negotiable.

Smugglers willing to work the heavily controlled space lanes of the Mid Rim and Core ironically find that the increased presence of militarized patrols can be a great benefit; skilled pilots and smooth talkers that have reputations for dodging customs inspectors and border security see their values skyrocket. In fact, a nascent Rebellion would very likely need to rely on experienced and slightly reckless smugglers to be a secret supply line to various cells and strongholds.

Age of Rebellion

The galaxy as described in Dawn of Rebellion is one of oppression and fear. The white armor and unflinching ruthlessness of a squad of stormtroopers are as common a sight as any in most centers of civilization. The scream of a TIE Fighter’s engine can often lay low a heart more completely than its laser cannons. The Tarkin Doctrine — that the fear of force is a more effective means of control than force itself — has proven practical for the Empire but also presents a keen opportunity to those wishing to incite rebellion. Every atrocity committed in the name of supposed order recruits ever more souls into opposition. Eventually, the hate and fear-mongering will reach a tipping point from which Imperial vitality may never recover.

For now, though, characters in the Rebellion have a difficult road ahead. Securing military victories against a monolithic foe remains rare enough, but every success is born from a previous one. Powerful political allies need to be won in any way possible, not to mention the everyday necessities of food, materiel, and fighting bodies. The most potent ally of all, though, is the will of the people. A Rebellion is a cruel waste of life if the very galaxy they are fighting for does not believe in their cause. The obligation for struggle must be demonstrated, just as the possibility of ultimate victory must be proven. What the people need is hope.

Force and Destiny

Visions of the Force are clouded in uncertainty. The Jedi Order, a beacon of guidance to the galaxy for millennia, is but a poorly remembered shadow. Essentially all of their expansive records have been purged and destroyed, their traditions all but burned away like the morning fog at sunrise. But while Order 66 could destroy an organization, it could not destroy the Force. And every day, just as every day before, beings are discovering that they can do things — things they can’t explain, things they should not be able to do. For some, this crystallizes in an acknowledgement of the connectedness of all things; for others, it is a pathway to influence and authority otherwise denied to them in a dangerous galaxy.

What these characters do with their abilities is up to them. The Jedi are regarded as myth, but perhaps there is truth to the legends of those cunning warriors and wise sages who guided the lost in times of trouble? Perhaps the manifestation of the Force in these individuals can be explained away by a nod to natural intuition or dedicated practice? Whether seeking knowledge, fighting for the helpless, or pursuing personal power, the Emperor’s elite cadre of Inquisitors hungrily prowl for evidence of Force users, before they become a threat to all the Empire has struggled to build.

The Dawn Approaches

Dawn of Rebellion will equip players and gamemasters with new options, guides, and insights for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game when it releases later this year. In the meantime, stay on alert for more previews for how this exciting new book will expand your games of Star Wars Roleplaying!

Look for Dawn of Rebellion (SWR10) to hit stores in Q4 of this year!

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High Quality Hunting

Published 23 February 2017 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

High Quality Hunting

Bounty Hunter Specialization Decks Are Now Available

Not everyone is cut out to be a Bounty Hunter. More than just a steady hand and implacable will, hunters spend a lifetime honing their specialized skills to make themselves unpredictable and inescapable predators of anyone who has a price on their head. These skills and talents separate the seasoned professionals from the brash fools who only dream of quick credits.

Manage your wealth of talent choices more easily with new Specialization Decks available for the new Bounty Hunter trees found in No Disintegrations, the new sourcebook for Star Wars™: Edge of the Empire™. Displaying iconic full-color art and rules text on every card, players and gamemasters alike can keep all the information they need at their fingertips for easy reference. Included in each pack are reference cards to show you how to use the talent cards that cover each talent in every tree, including talents with multiple ranks so that you can always accurately determine your abilities and bonuses.

Gamemasters can also make fantastic use of the cards in these decks to build new memorable NPCs from scratch or to efficiently make adjustments to existing ones, supplementing their abilities on the fly with one or two new talents to customize and enhance the cinematic excitement the Star Wars Roleplaying Game is known for!

Living Weapons, Consummate Professionals, and Ruthless Hunters

Pick up a new 20-card deck for the three new specializations contained in No Disintegrations:

Martial Artist - A disciplined hand-to-hand warrior, strengthened by years of focused training to turn their body into a deadly weapon and stalwart bastion. Talents such as Martial Grace and Coordination Dodge directly increase the hunter’s offensive and defensive capabilities, while Overbalance punishes an enemy’s foolish attempt at a strike and Unarmed Parry shrugs off all but the most disastrous attacks with ease.
Operator - With some of the most impressive starship and vehicles in the galaxy, Operators make capture unavoidable for their quarry. Overwhelm Defenses and Debilitating Shot allow the Operator to control vehicle combat encounters by hindering the capabilities of their target’s craft. And when in the pilot’s chair of a starship or vehicle, Operators can use Shortcut and Improved Shortcut to close the distance with their quarry, while Offensive Driving cuts off the target’s ability to escape.
Skip Tracer - Pursue the contract across the galaxy, knowing who can get you the information you need and where to seek your prey. The investigative skills of a Skip Tracer should never be underestimated; vital clues can unlock even the greatest mystery. Use thematic talents such as Informant to somehow always find the right person to talk with or Reconstruct the Scene to get a clearer picture of events, making the Skip Tracer a galaxy-class detective.

In addition to the three new decks available for each No Disintegrations specialization, hunters of all stripes can make use of the Signature Abilities Specialization Deck. This deck includes eighteen cards that correspond to the two Bounty Hunter Signature Abilities and their upgrades. Unmatched Devastation brings to bear the entire ferocity of the hunter’s arsenal upon their foes. Blaster fire, rockets, grenades, all manner of incredibly destructive gadgetry! For those who prefer a more subtle (and potentially less lethal) approach, Always Get My Mark is an incredibly powerful narrative ability that allows the hunter to accomplish the legwork of tracking a target “off-screen,” pushing the story along into entirely new complications and dangers.

Bring Them In, Dead or Alive

Capture your new Specialization and Signature Abilities decks now from your local retailer or our online store!

Pick up your Bounty Hunter Specialization Decks today!

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A Fistful of Credits

Published 2 February 2017 | Star Wars: Edge of the Empire

A Fistful of Credits

No Disintegrations Is Available Now!

Some do it solely for the money. Others, the challenge. A few even desire to see the justice that the law often can’t provide. The life of a bounty hunter can provide all of these treasures and more to an individual of supreme ability and dedication. No Disintegrations, a new sourcebook for Star Wars™: Edge of the Empire™, offers a myriad of exciting campaign and character options for those who pursue lucrative justice, and it’s on sale now at your local retailer and in our online store.

A bounty hunter’s career is defined by uncertainty; bounty contracts come from nearly any place and for almost any reason. An Imperial Moff may need a deserter captured quietly to ensure the recovery of some very sensitive information the Rebellion is trying to purchase; “dead or alive, as long as you get that datapad.” An up-and-coming majordomo for a notorious Hutt crime lord requires the live capture of a droid tech in the service of a rival so that he may be ‘convinced’ to accept employment opportunities with said Hutt. A small-town sheriff on a backwater planet needs a ruthless pirate band dealt with, and is willing to pay handsomely for the safety of her community. It’s the promise of profit and the thrill of the chase that puts bounty hunters on the path; No Disintegrations gives you everything you need to make that path as lucrative as possible.

Prepare For The Hunt

No Disintegrations provides players and gamemasters alike even more variety to populate the galaxy. Face-changing Clawdites utilize their innate—and quite unique—gift to avoid detection and take their prey by surprise. The hardy Kallerans, guided by principles of self-reliance and independence, venture into a galactic society that has destabilized their homeworld for generations. Naturally restless explorers, the horned Devaronians venture confidently into space in pursuit of exciting adventure and riches untold.

As for where you can take your Bounty Hunter, the Martial Artist find balance in offense and defense and seeks to outmaneuver and outlast even the most formidable opponent. Skip Tracers combine their wits and underworld connections to investigate, pursue, and locate the targets of their bounty contracts. Operators tend to follow the path on a larger scale, bringing to bear some of the most impressive starships and vehicles in the galaxy to incapacitate their quarries' defenses and means of escape.

As bounty hunters accrue a reputation, and the accompanying credits, they will find that the tools required to complete their contracts become more formidable. The iconic Mandalorian armor awaits, serving as a platform to be modified and augmented to serve whatever needs its owner requires. New starships such as the YV-666 Light Freighter and the Lancer-class Pursuit Craft add more terrific options to the hunter and their companions when choosing a mobile base of operations.

Our First Catch of the Day

Veteran bounty hunters who have dedicated themselves to the perfection of their ‘craft’ will gain access to the Signature Abilities found in No Disintegrations. Always Get My Mark puts the narrative pursuit abilities of the Skip Tracer on overdrive. By spending Destiny Points and making a Streetwise check, the bounty hunter utilizes the network of informants and contacts they have gained over their career and find themselves almost immediately upon their prey.

Alternatively, a bounty hunter who prefers to fulfil contracts by delivering corpses—or who often finds themselves with a bevy of disagreeable but expendable interference between them and their target—may instead decide to invest in Unmatched Devastation, an ability whose evocative name is rivaled only by its potential for ruination delivered upon the hunter’s foes.

The benefits of No Disintegrations are not restricted merely to bounty hunters, or even just to a classic Edge of the Empire campaign. Players in a Force and Destiny™ story may need to explore the deep investigative opportunities to locate an enigmatic individual who is rumored to possess extensive knowledge of the fabled Jedi Order which they must save before the Inquisitors of the Empire becomes aware. Additionally, the arsenal of new weapons, armor, gear, and ships will be a welcome sight to a scrappy band of Rebels working tirelessly to restore the Galactic Republic in an Age of Rebellion™ campaign.

Don’t let your prey escape you; No Disintegrations is available today from your local retailer or our online store!

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