-- From the desk of BILL SMITH -------------------------- Executive Editor of Star Wars Role-Playing Game at West End Games Re-Typed for the InterNet by Stephen A Marinaccio 2 --------------------------------------------------------- What follows should be considered a quote... Dear Stephen and the InterNet gang: Here are a few "quick and dirty" rules patches I've put together. They are intendend to give gamemasters an easy way to run STAR WARS "free and loose" while still allowing for meaningful differences between ships, weapons, and so forth. Please remember, these are just ideas; they have not been extensively playtested (in fact, anyone reading this is effectively a playtest group). I'd love to hear what you all think. Fire any comments to Stephen via the InterNet and he'll pass them along to me. Bill Smith, WEG 9/9/94 --------------- Part 1 MOVEMENT Use these revised movement rules: - Characters may only take one move per round (except for "All-Out" movement, below). - CRUSING MOVEMENT: Characters move at their Move rate (equivalent to a quick walk or cruising speed). This counts as an action, but characters do not have to roll to cross the terrain (unless the terrain is fairly treacherous or there are obstructions). - CAUTIOUS MOVEMENT: Characters can move up to half their Move. Barring exceptional circumstances, characters can always move this distance in a round. They do not have to roll for this movement and it is not considered an action (it's "free" movement). - RUN: The character moves at double his or her Move rate (this is running or "speeding up" in a vehicle or starship). This counts as an action and the character must also roll for terrain difficulty. - ALL-OUT: Characters making all-out movement move TWICE in a round at their run rate. This reflects moving "all-out"-pushing one's physical limits or piloting a vehicle as fast as possible. This counts as two actions and the character must roll against the terrain difficulty for both movements. Characters making "all-out" movement may not do anything else in the round (including dodge or parry)! The GameMaster is encouraged to increase the difficulty by one level to reflect how dangerous it is to move at top speed. All-out movement takes its toll on the runner or vehicle. After three rounds of all-out movement, characters or animals must make an Easy STAMINA roll; vehicles and starships must make an Easy roll in their body strength or hull code. If the roll is failed, the character or vehicle takes 3D damage from strain. After one minute of all-out movement, increase the STAMINA difficulty to Moderate and the damage to 4D; after two minutes the STAMINA difficulty goes to Difficult, and the damage goes to 5D. The prior rules should be amended to suit specific adventure situations. Perhaps for one chase, the characters need only roll for strain to their speeders after 10 minutes of all-out movement. RATIONALE Movement rates are important because they reflect the relative speeds of vehicles and creatures. Still, chases shouldn't be bogged down with multiple movement rolls every round. STAR WARS, SECOND EDITION should be fast and furious, not numbingly tactile. The characters should only have to roll for movement when attemting dangerous maneuvers, going through tricky terrain or pushing their vehicles all-out. These rules also make a meaningful difference for the RUNNING and STAMINA skills. RUNNING, a Dexterity skill, reflects a characters nimbleness and ability to cross difficult terrain. STAMINA, a Strength skill, reflects the characters endurance and ability to keep on pushing her or himself for long periods of time. The 'kmh' listing for vehicles is still accurate; it represents a "top speed" that vehicles or characters can achieve through all-out movement. However, few vehicles or beings can be pushed to their limits for long. Soon, they will suffer strain as engines overheat and muscles get pulled. Thus, characters making all-out movement risk serious damage to themselves or their vehicles, and should thus wait for a "do-or-die" situations before attemting all-out movement. To find "cruising" movement rates divide the Move by four and look up the result on the Speed Code to Move Conversion Chart. "Top speed" remains the same as for on the chart. The only time a GameMaster needs to call for a roll for movement is when he or she thinks there is a resonable chance of failure. Otherwise, go ahead and assume the movement occurs normally. ----- Grand Moff Tarkin ------------------- Stephen A Marinaccio 2. -- InterNet: marinacc@tessa.iaf.uiowa.edu Voice/FAX: USA 1.319.338.6667 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- STAR WARS: THE ROLE PLAYING GAME Questions/Comments/Suggestions --------- Ask me An Official West End Games InterNet Liaison ---------