System

The game uses a modified version of The Star Wars Role-Playing Game (Second Edition, Revised and Expanded) by West End Games, and small sections of text have been borrowed from that game here and there to aid players in understanding how we have adapted the system to our use. For full documentation on the system, we recommend obtaining a copy of the core game book. Resources for getting a print copy can be found at The Rancor Pit or digitally from d6holocron.com. We have also borrowed from The Star Wars Role-Playing Game Quick Reference Guide, which was compiled and written by Diem Ephée.

Stats
The game's "stats" of note are primarily skills, ratings that quantify how adept a character is at performing a particular task. All stats are rated in terms of six-sided dice (referred to as "D6" or "D" by the system). Skills are derived on a base attribute that governs a character's broad aptitude across several types of skills, such as "Dexterity" or "Mechanical" aptitude; for example, a player with 3D Dexterity who places 2D into Blaster has a Blaster skill of 5D. So, a skill serves to "refine" and improve the limited aptitude offered by each attribute. Further, skills can be refined in turn by specializations, which are more specific versions of skills that allow a character to emphasize personal expertise.

Attributes
New characters begin with 18D to allocate to attribute points, and each of the six attributes must be set at a minimum of 1D. Thus, characters have 12D to allocate freely. When assigning attribute dice, consider the consequences of having low dice in certain attributes. Characters with low Strength and Dexterity will be liabilities in combat and have a high risk of getting hit and killed. Low Perception and Knowledge characters will have difficulties figuring out where to go, what to do, and will be prone to being conned or intimidated. Without Mechanical or Technical, a character will have to rely on others to get from place to place, be healed after combat, and repair damaged equipment.

Skills
New characters begin the game with 25 Character Points (CP), which can be spent to increase starting skills. A skill level of 4D is considered professional, 6D very good (e.g. top military units), 8D among best on a planet, 10D among best in a sector, and 12-14D among the best in the galaxy. Therefore, if a player wants his character to be the group’s pilot, he should certainly start with at least 4D in Space Transports (preferably more).

You can split one skill die into three +1D Specializations. This represents specific training, such as Blaster: Blaster Rifle, Pilot Transport: YT-1300, or Cultures: Twi'lek. These skills can be increased at half the cost of normal skills and do not require the base skill to have the specialization.

House Rules
We have several specific "house rules" in place on the game.


 * We do not make use of the Wild Die system.


 * Unlike in the raw base system, we allow skills to have "pips" just like attributes.


 * We have heavily modified the skill lists to simplify and streamline them, as well as balancing out how many skills are associated with each attribute.


 * Attributes, skills, and specializations "stack"--that is, the code treats them as separate values and totals them--so that raising an attribute increases a skill, raising a skill increases the specialized version of the skill, etc.


 * Languages are handled as either known or not known rather than being treated as a rolled skill. This is designed to simplify their use and treats languages as more of a role-play flavor element than a stat to manage.

Difficulty
Every task is associated with a conceptual degree of challenge to complete it. This usually referred to as the "difficulty" of the task, which is in turn associated with a particular "Target Number" (or "TN") that must be rolled on the dice in order to accomplish the task. Generally, GMs will not call for rolls on extremely routine tasks for trained characters, but in some cases the game's code may automatically check player stats even for basic tasks--however, generally speaking, it is only when tasks become increasingly difficult that players will need to "prove" themselves with a die roll. To what degree dice are used in player vs. player encounters is generally governed by the GM of the scene (often called the "Emitter") and/or by consensus of the players involved.

Dexterity
Dexterity represents your character’s coordination, agility, balance, and general sense of spatial awareness. Dexterity checks may be called for when a character needs to balance on a narrow beam in windy conditions, shoot a Sarlacc tentacle, or otherwise move nimbly and accurately about. Dexterity is primarily used in dodging or making ranged attacks.

Difficulty Examples:

In many cases, Dexterity checks are simple made skill-to-skill. When they have a set difficulty, however:


 * 1) Very Easy: Walk on stable ground.
 * 2) Easy: Walk on unstable ground; run on stable ground.
 * 3) Moderate: Walk in rough terrain; run on unstable ground.
 * 4) Difficult: Walk along a tightrope; run in rough terrain.
 * 5) Very Difficult: Run along a tightrope; swing from a trapeze.
 * 6) Heroic: Perform an orbital dive without a safety harness.

Skill List:


 * Acrobatics is a "movement" skill based on balance and agility that lets the player perform actions such as tumbling. Specializations: specific maneuver--Balance, Cartwheel, Dive, Flip, Roll, Swing, etc.


 * Blaster is the "ranged combat" skill used to shoot portable blaster weapons. Specializations: Blaster Pistol, Blaster Rifle, Heavy Blaster Pistol, Sporting Blaster, etc.


 * Bowcaster is a "ranged combat" skill used to fire the unusual Wookiee bowcaster. Specializations: None


 * Dodge is a "reaction skill" that physically moves the character to avoid being hit by an attack. Specializations: skill type to dodge--Blaster, Melee, Lightsaber, etc.


 * Melee is the "melee combat" skill used for all hand-to-hand weapons (except lightsabers, which are covered under the lightsaber skill). Specializations: Sword, Knife, Vibroblade, Vibro-ax, Gaderffi Stick, etc.


 * Projectiles is the "ranged combat" skill used for all weapons that fire physical projectiles, including chemical-based projectiles and other exotic weaponry. Specializations: Dart, Flamethrower, Grapnel, Missile, Slugthrower, etc.


 * Running is a "movement" skill based on raw land speed, letting the character run long-distance or sprint. Specializations: Distance, Sprint.


 * Sleight of Hand is used to make subtle movements with the hands, from the classic pickpocket maneuver to palming a comlink without being noticed. : Palm, Switch, Ditch, Steal, Load, Simulation, Misdirection.


 * Lightsaber is the "melee combat" skill used for the lightsaber, the weapon of the famed Jedi Knights. Specializations: any specific lightsaber combat style, as applicable.

Knowledge
Knowledge skills generally reflect how much a character knows about a given subject, whether it's aliens, languages or laws.

Knowledge is a measure of your character's "common sense" and academic knowledge. Characters with a high Knowledge have a good memory for details, and have learned a lot about different aliens and planets. They often have a flair for languages, and they know how to get things done in bureaucracies.

Knowledge is used whenever a player wants to find out how much his character knows about a certain field. The difficulty depends upon how obscure the information is and how much the character knows about the general subject. Use the following guidelines to pick a difficulty, but remember that they should be modified based on the circumstances.

Difficulty Examples:


 * 1) Very Easy: General, common knowledge that almost anyone would know.
 * 2) Easy: Most people would know this much.
 * 3) Moderate: Professional level of knowledge. The average person who has an interest in the subject would know this much.
 * 4) Difficult: Professionals would know this much about a given subject; the average person would be hard-pressed to give much information.
 * 5) Very Difficult: This represents detailed, comprehensive knowledge of the subject. Professionals and scholars would probably have to research a subject to gain this amount of knowledge.
 * 6) Heroic: Only a very small number of people would know this much information.

Players should modify difficulties--and how much information characters get--to suit the particular situation. Easily found knowledge probably won't have a modifier; very obscure information could have a difficulty modifier of +10, +20 or much more.

Modifiers might also be made for particular situations under which knowledge must be recalled — trying to remember the right Rodian custom for signalling cease-fire would be easier in the calm comfort of one's starship, and much more difficult in a confusing firefight with several very angry Rodian bounty hunters.

Knowledge skill roll represents what a character can recall at the time the roll is made, or the extent to which the character remembers certain general information. It's not reasonable to say that a character is an expert on the subject simply because he rolls well once when looking for information. A high roll might reveal one specific bit of information sought, and a few hints for finding the rest of the knowledge the character is looking for.

Skill List:


 * Business is practical working knowledge of businesses and business procedures, handling money, and turning a profit via those pratices. Specializations: specific field of business--Starship Trade, Weapons Trade, Droid Trade, etc.


 * Cultures reflects knowledge of particular cultures and common cultural forms (primitive tribal civilizations tend to be somewhat similar, for example). Specializations: planet or social group--Corellian Culture, Alderaan High Society, Prexian Pirates, etc.


 * Planets reflects a character's practical working knowledge of geography, weather, life-forms, trade products, settlements, technology, government and other general information about different systems and planets. Specializations: specific system or planet--Tatooine, Endor, Hoth, Kessel, etc.


 * Politics reflects a character's familiarity with governmental and political systems and their procedures. Specializations: specific planetary or administrative government, or branch within it--Tatooine Politics, Celanon Politics, Bureau of Commerce, Bureau of Ships and Services, etc.


 * Scholar reflects formal academic training or dedicated research in a particular field, relating primarily to scientific or theoretical knowledge rather than field experience. Specializations: particular field of study--Archaeology, Jedi Lore, Galactic History, Physics, Planetology, etc.


 * Streetwise reflects a character's familiarity with underworld organizations and their operation. Specializations: Specific type of organization--Galactic City Gangs, Corellian Spice Dealers, Hutt Cartels, Black Sun Organization, etc.


 * Survival represents how much a character knows about surviving in hostile environments, including deserts, jungles, ocean, forests, asteroid belts, volcanoes, poisonous atmosphere worlds, mountains and other dangerous terrain. Specializations: type of environment--Volcanic Survival, Jungle Survival, Desert Survival, Low Oxygen Survival, etc.


 * Tactics represents a character's skill in deploying military forces and maneuvering them to his best advantage. Specializations: type of military unit--Squad Tactics, Fleet Tactics, Capital Ship Tactics, Ground Tactics.


 * Value reflects a character's ability to gauge the fair market value of goods based on the local economy, the availability of merchandise, quality and other market factors. Specializations: type of goods or specific planet's markets--Starship Value, Droid Value, Kessel Markets, Coruscant Markets.

Mechanical
Mechanical stands for "mechanical aptitude" and represents how well a character can pilot vehicles and starships and operate the various systems on board. A character with a high Mechanical attribute is going to take naturally to driving landspeeders, flying cloud cars and piloting X-Wings and ships like the Millennium Falcon. A character with a low Mechanical attribute has a lot of minor accidents.

Most Mechanical skills are used to drive vehicles or pilot starships. Most of the time, characters should be able to negotiate clear terrain (Very Easy or Easy) without too much trouble. It's when a driver goes too fast, tries risky maneuvers or gets involved in a chase that things get tricky.

Difficulty Examples:


 * 1) Very Easy: Fly a starship through open space.
 * 2) Easy: Fly a starship through a shipyard; launch or land a starship.
 * 3) Moderate: Fly a starship through a firefight without pursuit.
 * 4) Difficult: Fly a starship through a firefight while being pursued by hostile fighters.
 * 5) Very Difficult: Fly a starship through an asteroid field at a safe pace.
 * 6) Heroic: Fly a starship through an asteroid field while being pursued by hostile fighters.

Skill List:


 * Astrogation is used by starship pilots to plot a course from one star system to another. Specializations: specific trade route--Kessel Run, Tatooine to Coruscant, Corellian Run Trade Route.


 * Ground Vehicle covers primitive wheeled and tracked land vehicles, including Jawa sandcrawlers, the Rebel personnel transports on Yavin IV, personal transportation cars and bikes, and cargo haulers. (This does not include walkers, which require Pilot Walker.) Specializations: type or model ground vehicle--Operate Sandcrawler, etc.


 * Gunnery is the "ranged combat" skill that covers all mounted weapons, including laser cannons, ion cannons, concussion missiles, proton torpedoes, etc. Specializations: specific type or model of weapon--Concussion Missile, Ion Cannon, Laser Cannon, Proton Torpedo, Turbolaser, etc.


 * Pilot Capital Ship covers the operation of large combat starships such as Imperial Star Destroyers, Corellian Corvettes, and Mon Cal cruisers. Specializations: type or class of capital ship--Pilot ISD, Pilot ISD2, Pilot Nebulon-B Frigate, etc.


 * Pilot Jetpack represents a character's skill at using jet packs. Specializations: None


 * Pilot Repulsorlift allows one to operate common repulsorlift (or "antigrav") craft, including landspeeders, snowspeeders, T-16 skyhoppers, cloud cars, airspeeders, speeder bikes, skiffs and sail barges. Specializations: type or model of repulsorlift vehicle--Pilot XP-38 Landspeeder, etc.


 * Pilot Starfighter is used for all combat starfighters, including X-Wings, Y-Wings, A-Wings, and TIE Fighters. Specializations: Pilot X-Wing, Pilot TIE Fighter, etc.


 * Pilot Transport is used to pilot all space transports, ranging from small light freighters and scout ships to passenger liners and container ships. Specializations: Pilot YT-1300 Transport, etc.


 * Pilot Walker allows one to pilot various types of walker vehicles, such as AT-ATs, AT-STs, personal walkers, etc. Specializations: Pilot AT-AT Walker, Pilot AT-ST Walker, etc.

Perception
Perception is the character's ability to notice things about his surroundings and other characters. Those with a high Perception are quick to spot concealed objects or people hiding behind a corner. They're also good at convincing other people to do favors for them, tricking or conning others, and bargaining to get a good price for goods or services. Characters with a low Perception get lost a lot.

Gamemasters often ask players to make search or Perception rolls to see how much their characters notice about their surroundings. The higher the roll, the more the character notices.

Difficulty Examples:


 * 1) Very Easy: Noticing something very obvious. A character is walking down a crowded starport avenue.
 * 2) Easy: Making an obvious finding. The starport street crowd consists of spacers and aliens (a few Rodians, Duros and Sullustans).
 * 3) Moderate: Finding something interesting. One of the aliens is a Wookiee, and one Sullustan is carrying an oversized duffel.
 * 4) Difficult: Spotting something very specific. The Wookiee seems to be walking along with another spacer. The duffel bears SoroSuub markings.
 * 5) Very Difficult: Observing something requiring more than just casual glance. The spacer and the Wookiee are arguing about starship repairs. Somebody's tailing you.
 * 6) Heroic: You really have to look to notice this. The Wookiee has blue eyes, and his spacer friend's trousers have a Corellian Bloodstripe running down the side. The guy following you is trying to conceal an Imperial Security Bureau badge under his vest.

Several Perception skills are interaction skills--they are used to influence other people the characters meet. Using these interactive skills often pits the character's skill against the other person's skill to resist it (often Perception or Willpower).

Interaction skills between player and non-player characters shouldn't be solely determined by the die roll. If a character is conning a customs agent, and the player rolls a high con score, he obviously succeeds--but how does his character do it? What does he say to influence the customs agent? This is up to the player. The better the player acts the role of his character, the greater his chance of success should be.

Interactive skill rolls shouldn't be used by players to influence other players' characters--instead, they should resolve the situation by role-playing and coming to some kind of mutual agreement. By reducing player interaction to a series of skill rolls, the game turns from a fun exercise in social interaction to a die rolling contest, which isn't nearly as enjoyable.

Skill List:


 * Command is a measure of a character's ability to convince NPCs and subordinates to do what they're told. Specializations: leader's unit--Rogue Squadron, Imperial Stormtroopers, etc.


 * Insight reflects a character's ability to gain meaningful information from observing the circumstances around them, particularly by seeing beyond the obvious. It can be used to directly oppose Subterfuge. Specializations: specific variety of insight--Empathy (insight into others' emotions/motivations), Wisdom (resist Subterfuge), etc.


 * Investigate is a character's ability to find and gather information via research and checking with sources regarding someone else's activities and then draw a conclusion about what the target has done or where they have gone. Specializations: locale or field of investigation--Nar Shaddaa, Galactic City, Property Estates, Criminal Records.


 * Perform is used to put on an entertaining spectacle for others to enjoy, such as acting, playing an instrument, singing, telling a story, or giving an impressive speech. Specializations: play a specific instrument--Play Harp, Play Horn, Play Tambour, etc.; Orate, Sing, Tell Story.


 * Persuade is used to convince another person, often an NPC, to agree to something one wants. This may include special applications, such as bargaining, but it does not involve active deception. Specializations: specific form of persuasion--Bargain, Debate, Flirting, Intimidate, etc.


 * Search is used when the character is examining a physical location, such as trying to locate trace evidence or to spot hidden objects or individuals. Specializations: Detect Ambush, Detect Trap, Tracking.


 * Stealth represents the character's ability to move silently, hide from view, move in shadows and otherwise creep around without being noticed. Specializations: specific type of terrain--Jungle Stealth, Urban Stealth, etc.


 * Subterfuge is used to trick and deceive characters, or otherwise convince them to do something that isn't in their best interest. It can be opposed by Insight. Specializations: particular method of deception--Con, Disguise, Fast Talk.


 * Willpower is a character's strength of will and determination. It is used to resist coercion, but the character must be aware of it. (It does not work against Subterfuge.) Specializations: kind of coercion to be resisted--Resist Persuasion, Resist Intimidation, etc.

Strength
Strength represents a character's physical strength, endurance and health. Characters with a high Strength can lift heavy objects, push themselves for days without rest and are good at resisting disease and injury. A character with a low Strength gets winded very easily.

It also reflects how well the character handles live mounts, like banthas and tauntauns.

Difficulty Examples:


 * 1) Very Easy: Lift 10 kg; climb a ladder.
 * 2) Easy: Lift 50 kg; jump between close rooftops.
 * 3) Moderate: Lift 100 kg; leap and grab a starship's entry ramp as the ship rises for takeoff.
 * 4) Difficult: Lift 200 kg; swing on a rope across a chasm with a princess in one's arms.
 * 5) Very Difficult: Lift 500 kg; spring from a carbon freeze pit before it activates.
 * 6) Heroic: Lift 750 kg; leap from one vehicle to another while speeding high above Galactic City.

Skill List:


 * Armor Use allows one to effective move around in and utilize heavy armor. Specializations: particular variety of armor--Use Mandalorian Armor, Use Stormtrooper Armor, etc.


 * Beast Riding represents a character's ability to ride any live mount. Specializations: particular riding animal--Ride Bantha, Ride Tauntaun, Ride Varactyl, etc.


 * Brawling is the "melee combat" skill used for fighting hand-to-hand without any weapons. Specializations: Specific unarmed combat style--Boxing, Grappling, Martial Arts, etc.


 * Climbing allows the character to climb trees, ropes, walls, piles of junk in a garbage masher, etc. Specializations: particular terrain or method--Climb Buildings, Climb Rocks, Climb Rope, etc.


 * Jumping allows the character to leap up or across distances, as well as increasing the distance they can safely fall. Specializations: Falling, High Jump, Long Jump.


 * Lifting allows the character to lift heavy objects or carry weight for extended periods. Specializations: None


 * Stamina checks are made when a character must exert themselves over long periods of time. Specializations: None


 * Swimming represents the character's ability to stay afloat in aquatic environments--lakes, oceans, flooding rivers, and luxury starliner swimming pools. Specializations: None


 * Throwing is the "ranged combat" skill used whenever a character employs a primitive thrown weapon, as well as being used to determine the accuracy of any other thrown object. Specializations: particular kind of projectile--Throw Knife, Throw Rock, Throw Spear, etc.

Technical
Technical stands for "technical aptitude" and represents a character's innate knowledge of how to take apart, repair and modify things. A character with a high Technical attribute can take apart a droid to repair a malfunction, fix a busted drive system on a landspeeder, and modify a blaster to have a longer range. Technical also reflects a character's knowledge of healing and medicine, his skill at setting explosives, and his ability to figure out electronic security systems. Characters with a low Technical have trouble changing a power pack on a blaster pistol.

Difficulty Examples:


 * 1) Very Easy: Perform routine maintenance on technology; use starship scanners to locate a specific item within one square kilometer or less.
 * 2) Easy: Repair lightly damaged technology; use starship scanners to locate a specific item within 100 square kilometers or less.
 * 3) Moderate: Perform sophisticated maintenance on technology; use starship scanners to locate a specific item within 1,000 square kilometers or less.
 * 4) Difficult: Repair heavily damaged technology; use starship scanners to locate a specific item within one million square kilometers or less.
 * 5) Very Difficult: Repair severely damaged technology; use starship scanners to locate a specific item within one hundred million square kilometers or less.
 * 6) Heroic: Repair nearly obliterated technology; use starship scanners to locate a specific item within one planetary hemisphere.

Skill List:


 * Communications represents a character's ability to use subspace radios, comlinks and other communications systems. Specializations: type or model of communications unit--Use Comlink, Use Subspace Radio, etc.


 * Demolitions reflects a character's ability to set explosives for both destructive purposes and to accomplish specific special effects. Specializations: specific target type--Bridges, Walls, Vehicles, etc.


 * Engineering reflects a character's ability to design and construct technology. Specializations: Droid Engineering, Lightsaber Engineering, Starship Engineering, etc.


 * Medicine reflects a character's ability to heal others and perform life saving procedures via drugs, surgery, or other medical procedures. Specializations: species of patient--Human Medicine, Ewok Medicine, Wookiee Medicine, etc.


 * Programming allows a character to give specialized instructions to a droid or computer by altering their coded operational software. Specializations: Program Computer, Program Droid.


 * Repairs allows a character to fix and repair technology that has been damaged, ranging from blasters to droids to starships. Note that extensive repairs may also require related Engineering checks. Specializations: type of technology--Blaster Repair, Droid Repair, Transport Repair


 * Security represents a character's knowledge of installing, using, fooling, or breaking various security systems. Specializations: type of security procedure--Electronic Locks, Physical Locks, Slicing, Forge Ship ID, Forge Voiceprint, etc.


 * Sensors allows a character to operate various kinds of sensors, including those that detect lifeforms, identify vehicles, pick up energy readings, and make long-distance visual readings. Specializations: specific type of sensor unit--Hand Scanner, Starfighter Sensors, Transport Sensors, Capital Ship Sensors, etc.


 * Slicing allows a character to break through the intended protocols of computer software, granting access to locked functions or information. Specializations: Information Retrieval, Information Alteration, Command Access, Conceal Slicing, etc.