Wizards of the Coast plans to relaunch its Star Wars Roleplaying Game line in March of 2007 with a 288-page revised core rulebook. The new book is referred to as the "Saga Edition" because it includes material from the entire Star Wars saga, including all six films. The Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Saga Edition is written by Christopher Perkins, Owen K.C. Stephens, and Rodney Thompson, and developed by Gary M. Sarli and Andy Collins, with art direction by Paul Hebron.
The Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Saga Edition presents a thorough revision of the existing rules, but it remains a d20 game. The main goal is to make the game easier to run while improving the overall play experience. The new rulebook includes Episode III content and places greater emphasis on the use of Star Wars miniatures and battle maps.
At 288 pages, the Saga Edition rulebook is slimmer than previous editions, thanks in large part to the streamlined and elegant rules system. Folded into the back of the book is a double-sided battle map, similar to the battle maps that have appeared previously in Star Wars Miniatures Game products and the Ultimate Missions series of books.
As of this writing, the manuscript is in its final stages of development and editing, so a few details might still change as we finish up. Still, this section should give you a broad overview of what you can look forward to in the new game. The Saga Edition rulebook breaks down as follows:
Introduction
Everything a player or Gamemaster needs to know to get started.
Chapter 1: Abilities
Characters still have six abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Not much has changed in this chapter.
Chapter 2: Species
Players still have a broad choice of species to choose from when creating characters, and we've added Devaronians to the list of options. Most of the changes you'll find here are just reflections of the changes in the skill system (below), but there have also been some tweaks to try to give each species its own unique appeal.
Chapter 3: Heroic Classes
There are five heroic classes in the game: Jedi, noble, scoundrel, scout, and soldier. A player can customize her character by choosing from a selection of class skills, class-specific talents, and feats. All of the classes have undergone extensive revision to make them more fun to play at all levels. Multiclassing is easier now than it has ever been.
As for the classes dropped in this edition (Force adept, fringer, and tech specialist), don't worry: These character concepts will still be playable, and their best abilities have been reborn as groups of talents for other classes.
Chapter 4: Skills
We've condensed and consolidated the skill list so that there are fewer skills in the game. Many skills that existed in the previous edition have been grouped together under a single skill; for example, the Deception skill replaces the Bluff, Disguise, and Forgery skills. All of the old Force skills have been replaced with a single skill called Use the Force, which works in conjunction with the new Force powers presented in Chapter 6. We've also devised a skill system that doesn't require players or Gamemasters to keep track of skill ranks, making it much easier to create and update characters in much less time.
Chapter 5: Feats
We've tweaked some of the old feats and added some exciting new ones. Force feats have been replaced with Force powers (appearing in Chapter 6). A few old feats have been reborn as class talents, but at the same time you'll find some old class features represented by new feats.
Chapter 6: The Force
Force Points work differently than before, but they're still in the game. The Force skills and Force feats from previous editions have been replaced with a new set of Force powers that require the Use the Force skill to activate. The Force powers use a "recharge" mechanic that's new to the game. Most importantly, a character of any class can become a skilled Force-user who is the equal of any Jedi. Finally, expect some tweaks to the Dark Side rules.
Chapter 7: Heroic Traits
Little has changed in this chapter (previously titled Heroic Characteristics), except that we've taken the Reputation mechanic out of the game. In its place, you'll find a new Destiny mechanic that helps to create an epic feel to your campaign.
Chapter 8: Equipment
Armor and weapons work a bit differently in the new edition, but most of the equipment remains the same. Some of the notable changes include streamlined rules for autofire weapons, area weapons (such as grenades), and stun blasts.
Chapter 9: Combat
The combat rules have been extensively reworked to speed up play, give characters better options, and make Star Wars miniatures a more useful part of the play experience. (This doesn't mean the Saga Edition is just an extension of the Star Wars Miniatures Game. Instead, it means that miniatures are a useful utility for running a good game, much like a Gamemaster screen, and we tried to find ways to integrate them seamlessly with your campaign.) Among the more noteworthy changes are the introduction of the swift action (similar to that seen in Dungeons & Dragons) and the use of hit points in place of vitality points and wound points.
Chapter 10: Vehicle Combat
The rules for vehicle and starship combat have been collected in a single chapter and revised to match changes to the combat rules in Chapter 9. The rules have been streamlined to make these encounters more cinematic and easier to run, and you'll find useful details such as Challenge Ratings for different vehicles and starships as well as some mechanics inspired by the new Star Wars MiniaturesStarship Battles game.
Chapter 11: Droids
You can still play droids as characters, if you wish. However, the rules for droids have been streamlined and revised to match other changes to the system. In addition, you'll find complete rules for building new droids.
Chapter 12: Prestige Classes
As with previous editions, the Saga Edition rulebook presents a selection of prestige classes for heroes and villains, including the bounty hunter, Jedi Master, and Sith Lord. Class features have been revised extensively to make the prestige classes more enticing and viable. Additionally, you'll find a Force adept prestige class ideal for Force-users from traditions other than the Jedi or Sith.
Chapter 13: Galactic Gazetteer
This chapter is aimed at players and presents detailed descriptions for various key worlds in the Star Wars galaxy, including the homeworld of every alien species presented in Chapter 2.
Chapter 14: Gamemastering
This chapter has been condensed, but it still contains rules that GMs need to create and run their own Star Wars adventures and campaigns. The Challenge Code system is replaced by a Challenge Rating system similar to that used in Dungeons & Dragons and d20 Modern, allowing for more precise adventure design including both combat and noncombat encounters. It also presents a single GM character class called the "nonheroic character" class, which replaces the diplomat, expert, and thug classes from previous editions. Finally, this chapter offers short, ready-to-play scenarios designed for use with the enclosed battle map.
Chapter 15: Eras of Play
This chapter discusses the various eras of play and presents game statistics for a few noteworthy characters from the Star Wars universe.
Chapter 16: Allies and Opponents
Here you'll find game statistics for creatures and GM characters that heroes are likely to encounter across the various eras. The creatures and characters in this chapter are meant to cover a broad spectrum of encounters in addition to having appropriate representation with official Star Wars miniatures.
That covers the basics of the new Saga Edition rulebook. In the next "Jedi Counseling," we'll start going through individual topics in more detail.
