Player Handout

New Player's Guide to the Star Wars Roleplaying Game

By Mike Fraely

This is your guide to creating a new character for the D6 Star Wars Roleplaying Game for the REUP rule set. It covers creation and guidelines for character development. Though it serves as a basic aid, it cannot replace the main rulebook, but will help newcomers to the system get their start:

Attributes

There are six attributes:

• Dexterity – General hand-eye coordination. - This attribute governs how well you fire a blaster, evade being hit, and other such abilities.
• Knowledge – Your understanding of the galaxy. Includes your willpower, languages, and understanding of planets.
• Mechanical – How well your character operates mechanical devices. This does not include repair, but does include how well you can fly an airspeeder, pilot a starship, or operate shields and sensors.
• Perception – How observant your character is. The skills under this attribute determine your character's ability to sneak, hide objects, con, bargain, and forge documents. This attribute is also used for general awareness or "spot checks."
• Strength – How physically strong and tough your character is. Strength includes the ability to lift objects, engage in hand-to-hand combat, and physical endurance. Since there are no hit points, this attribute roll is also used for damage resistance.
• Technical – Your character’s ability to fix mechanical objects. The skills under Technical determine how well you can fix walkers, speeders, or starships. This also allows for your first aid rolls, or your ability to improve blasters or build a lightsaber.

Each attribute has a die code that may be represented as 1D, 2D+1, 4D+2 and so on. The number before the D indicates how many six sided die you may roll, and the number after the + is a simple modifier. 2D+2 means that you would roll two die, and then add two to the result. (If you need an understanding of how well versed your character might be in any given attribute, consult the ranking chart. It shows a die code and how that compares with the general level of competency of other beings in the galaxy.)

Before choosing attribute die codes for your character, you must first choose a species. The species statistics has a few vital pieces of information. First is the attribute dice (which shows how many dice the average member of the species has in their attributes), and then the species minimums and maximums (showing how weak or strong a character is allowed to be in their attributes). It also features a “Move” value, which indicates how fast the species can move on foot. (Beginning characters start with the minimum “Move” value.) We’ll be using humans for our example.

Humans:
Attribute dice: 12D
Dexterity 2D/4D
Knowledge 2D/4D
Mechanical 2D/4D
Perceptions 2D/4D
Strength 2D/4D
Technical 2D/4D
Move 10/12 

Though the attribute dice tells how many dice the average human has (the moisture farmers, scouts, barkeepers, and menial laborers), you’re not going to be playing any of those types of characters. You’re playing a hero! As such, your character is going to be a bit above average. Take your species attribute dice, and add +6D, and use that number for your character creation. If you are human, you begin with 18D.

Now you must decide if your character is Force sensitive, or if they have Force skills. Obviously, in order to have Force skills you must be Force sensitive. To make thing simple, we’ll be creating a character without Force skills first.

Creating a Character Without Force Skills

In the D6 system we do not literally “roll up” new characters. All attribute values are assigned. It makes for quick, easy, and customizable characters. Since we’re using humans as an example, we have a pool of 18D to assign to our character’s attributers. (12D for the species and 6D just to give your character that added extra edge.) We may break those dice up as we wish and assign them to our attributes. Note that you cannot assign more dice than the species maximum allows, and you may not assign any fewer dice than the species minimum allows. Observe the following example:

Attribute	Dice	Current Total:
DEX	3D	3D
KNOW	4D	7D
MECH	2D	9D
PER	3D	12D
STR	4D	16D
TECH	2D	18D

You may also split up a single die into three “pips.” A pip is a +1 modifier added onto a die value. You may split up as many die as you wish to provide the desired modifier. You may have a +1 or a +2, but never a +3, as three pips equals another whole die. Please consider the following example:

Attribute	Dice	Current Total:
DEX	2D+1	2D+1
KNOW	2D+2	5D
MECH	4D	9D
PER	3D+2	12D+2
STR	3D+1	16D
TECH	2D	18D

If you are deciding on attributes and have decided not to purchase any Force skills right away, use the chart below. Remember that 2D is about average for the normal human being in the galaxy, so plan your attributes around what sort of character you want. A rough and tumble fighter is going to want a high Dexterity and high Strength score. A con man or diplomat will want a high Perception attribute followed by a reasonable Knowledge level. Mechanical and Technical attributes are good for pilots and technology specialists. However, attributes aren’t everything. If you attribute level is relatively low, you can still boost skills under those attributes. But pick your attributes first either on the table below, or on your character sheet:

Attribute	Dice	Current Total:
DEX
KNOW
MECH
PER
STR
TECH

Creating a Character with Force Skills

If you have permission from your GM to begin the game with Force skills, you need to follow a similar method of creation. Beginning Force skills are treated as attributes at the time of character creation only! Later you will advance them as normal skills. Also, you do not need to purchase your Force skills immediately. It is possible to learn a new Force skill later on in your game even if your character has had no prior training.

There are three Force skills: control, sense, and alter

• Control – The Force user’s ability to control the Force within his own self.
• Sense – A Jedi’s ability to sense beings or the Force around her.
• Alter – The ability to manipulate the Force around an object or within another person. This Force skill is often taught last, and almost never exceeds the Jedi’s control or sense skill.

If you begin with a Force skill, the minimum starting point is 1D. You may not have 0D+2 or 0D+1.

Consider basing your character off of the following examples:

Attribute/Force Skill	Dice	Current Total:
DEX	2D	2D
KNOW	3D	5D
MECH	2D	7D
PER	3D+1	10D+1
STR	3D+2	14D
TECH	2D	16D
Control	1D	17D
Sense	1D	18D
Alter	X	18D

Attribute/Force Skill	Dice	Current Total:
DEX	2D+1	2D+1
KNOW	2D	4D+1
MECH	2D	6D+1
PER	3D	9D+1
STR	3D+2	13D
TECH	2D	15D
control	1D	16D
sense	1D	17D
alter	1D	18D

Notice how beginning with Force skills greatly weakens your character’s attributes. This balances out Jedi characters, who, if are able to develop too quickly, will dominate the game. You should now create your character either in the chart provided below or on your character sheet.

Attribute/Force Skill	Dice	Current Total:
DEX
KNOW
MECH
PER
STR
TECH
control
sense
alter

Choosing Skills:

Your character may now spend 7D on beginning skill dice. Each attribute has a number of skills listed under it. The following chart allows you to see the distribution of skills under each attribute plus specializations. Specializations are focused talents and training in one small part of a broader skill. For example rather than your character being trained to fly starfighters in general, he may be skilled at flying an X-Wing exclusively. To help you decide on skills, please consult the following chart:

DEXTERITY SKILLS	Specializations
Archaic Guns	Black powder pistol, matchlock, musket, wheelock, etc.
Blaster	Blaster pistol, heavy blaster pistol, blaster rifle, hold-out blaster, repeating blaster, etc.
Blaster Artillery	Anti-infantry, anti-vehicle, surface to air defense, surface to space defense, surface to surface, etc.
Bowcaster
Bows	Crossbows, long bow, short bow, etc.
Brawling Parry	versus boxing, martial arts, etc.
Dodge	versus energy weapons, slugthrowers, missile weapons, etc
Firearms	pistols, rifles, machineguns, etc.
Grenade
Lightsaber
Melee Combat	swords, knives, axes, vibroblades, vibroaxes, etc.
Melee Parry	versus lightsabers, knives, clubs, etc.
Missile Weapons	Concussion missile, grenade launcher, power harpoons, etc
Pick Pocket
Running	long distance, short sprint
Thrown Weapons	knife, spear, sling, etc.
Vehicle Blasters	heavy blaster cannon, heavy laser cannon, light blaster cannon, light laser cannon, medium blaster cannon, medium, laser cannon

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS	Specializations
Alien Species	Wookies, Gamorreans, Ewoks, Sullustans, etc.
Bureaucracy	specific planetary or administrative government –Tatooine, Celanon, Bureau of Commerce, etc.
Business	Specific field or company - starships, weapons, droids, Sienar Fleet Systems, etc.
Cultures	Specific species or culture – Corellians, Alderaan royal family, etc.
Intimidation	Interrogation, bullying, etc.
Languages	Wookie, Huttese, Bocce, etc.
Law Enforcement	Alderaan, Tatooine, the empire, the Rebel Alliance, etc.
Planetary Systems	Tatooine, Endor, Hoth, Kessel, etc.
Streetwise	Specific planet or criminal organization – Celanon, Corellia, Jabba the Hutt's organization, Talon Karrde's organization, etc.
Survival	Volcano, jungle, desert, poisonous atmosphere, etc.
Value	Specific planet's markets or type of good – Kessel, Coruscant, starships, droids, etc.
Willpower	versus persuasion, intimidation, etc

MECHANICAL SKILLS	Specializations
Archaic Starship Piloting	Specific ship type
Astrogation	Kessel run, Tatooine to Corsucant, etc.
Beast Riding	Banthas, cracian thumpers, dewbacks, tauntauns, etc.
Capital Ship Gunnery	Concussion missiles, gravity well projectors, ion cannons laser cannon, proton torpedoes, tractor beams, turbolaser, etc.
Capital Ship Piloting	Imperial star destroyer, victory star destroyer, Nebulon-B frigate, etc.
Capital Ship Shields
Communications
Ground Vehicle Operation	Specific vehicle
Hover Vehicle Operation	Specific vehicle
Powersuit Operation	Spacetrooper armor, etc.
Repulsorlift Operation	Xp-38 landspeeder, snowspeeder, etc.
Sensors
Space Transports	YT-1300 transport, Gallofree medium transports, Corellian transports, etc.
Starfighter Piloting	X-wing, TIE-Fighter, TIE-Interceptor, Z-95 headhunter, etc.
Starship Gunnery	Concussion missiles, ion cannons, laser cannon, proton torpedoes, turbolaser, etc.
Starship Shields
Swoop Operation
Walker Operation	AT-AT, AT-ST, AT-PT, etc.

PERCEPTION SKILLS	Specializations
Bargain	Spice, weapons, droids, datapads, etc.
Command	Rogue squadron, Imperial Stormtroopers, etc.
Con	Specific type of con
Forgery	Specific type of document
Gambling	Sabacc, etc.
Hide
Investigation	Mos Eisley, Imperial City, etc.
Persuasion	Specific subject
Search	Tracking
Sneak	Specific type of terrain

STRENGTH SKILLS	Specializations
Brawling	Boxing, martial arts, etc.
Climbing/Jumping	Climbing, jumping
Lifting
Stamina
Swimming

TECHNICAL SKILLS	Specializations
Armor Repair	Stormtrooper armor, bounty hunter armor, etc.
Blaster Repair	Specific blaster type
Capital Starship Repair	Specific capital ship
Capital Starship Weapon Repair	Specific capital ship weapon
Computer Programming/Repair	Computer type
Demolition	Bridges, walls, vehicles, etc.
Droid Programming	Specific droid type
Droid Repair	Specific droid type
First Aid	Specific race
Ground Vehicle Repair	Specific type of vehicle
Hover Vehicle Repair	Specific type of vehicle
(A) Medicine	Medicines, cyborging, surgery [requires 5D in First Aid]
Repulsorlift Repair	Specific vehicle
Security	type of lock or device
Space Transports Repair	YT-1300 transports, Ghtroc freighter, etc.
Starfighter Repair	X-wing, Y-wing, etc.
Starship Weapon Repair	Specific weapon type
Walker Repair	AT-AT, AT-ST, AT-PT, etc.

Any skill marked with an (A) is an advanced skill which requires intensive training. If you improve an advanced skill, you must have the skill prerequisites. You begin all advanced skills at 1D. At first, your attribute levels may seem very abstract. Sure, you know that 2D is about average, but how well will your character stand up in a fight next to a Stormtrooper? Can you outsmart a clever smuggler? To give you a basic understanding of how you rank up to others in the galaxy, consult the following chart:

1D	Below human average for an attribute or skill
2D	Untrained human average for an attribute and many skills
3D	Average level of training for a human
4D	Professional level of training for a human
5D	Above average expertise
6D	Considered about the best in a city or geographic area. About 1 in 100,000 people will have training to this skill level.
7D	Among the best on a continent. About 1 in 10,000,000 people will have training to this skill level.
8D	Among the best on a world. About 1 in 100,000,000 people will have training to this skill level.
9D	One of the best in several systems. About 1 in a billion will have training to this skill level.
10D	One of the best in a sector.
12D	One of the best in a region.
14D	One of the best in the galaxy.

Assigning Skill Dice

Now that you have an idea of the skills that are out there, you have 7D to break up and distribute among the skills you want to improve. Note that this is 7D overall, not 7D per attribute. If you cannot afford to improve a particular skill at this time, don’t worry. You may always use normal skills and specializations untrained at your attribute level.

For the sake of example, we’ll examine improving a few Dexterity skills.

If your character has a Dexterity of 3D, he will have all Dexterity skills at 3D. If you spend 1D of your skill dice to improve your blasters skill, then you now have a blaster of 4D, and only 6D left to spend. If, in addition, he wishes to improve dodge by 2D, then he has a dodge skill of 6D, and now only has 4D left to spend on other skills.

You may not spend any more than 2D of your starting 7D of beginning skills.

Just like with attributes, if you wish to break up a die into three pips, you may do so.

If you have already purchased Force skills, you may use your beginning skill dice to improve them. If you have not already purchased Force skills, you may not do so at this time (though you may after character creation).

NOTE: Many new players are tempted to express their skill dice in terms of modifiers. For example, if someone has a Dexterity of 3D+1, and then spend an additional 1D+1 on dodge, they may write the following on their character sheet:

Dexterity 3D+1

Dodge +1D+1

Please resist this temptation, as this format tends to create confusion later on as your character develops. Express your skills as such:

Dexterity 3D+1

Dodge 4D+1

The latter format will reduce confusion when it comes to character advancement.

Picking Force Powers

Force powers are special applications of your Force skills. They may allow you to telekinetically lift an object, allow you to heal faster, or affect the minds of your opponents. If your character has Force skills, you and your gamemaster may decide what Force powers your character may know. There is no prescribed number of powers your character will have. However, your character should have at least one Force power for each skill he or she has learned. Further, it is unlikely that a starting character would have any more than three powers per skill die. Your gamemaster will have a list of available Force powers and their prerequisites.

Assigning Specialization Dice

You may choose to put some of your beginning skill dice into a specialization. A specialization is a special focus in one area of a skill. Rather than improving how your character flies all space transports, she may focus on learning about YT-1300s. However, they are separate from their associated skills. Like skills, they begin at the associated skill’s die code.

If you choose to improve a specialization, you must use a single beginning skill die. That die now becomes three separate +1D to three different specializations. You may not improve a single specialization more than 1D, and you must choose three specializations.

Character Advancement

In the D6 system there are no character levels. Character advancement may be done in terms of individual skills, individual specializations, or as a matter of advancing entire attributes. When you improve your character’s stats, it always costs Character Points. Character Points are awarded by the gamemaster after every adventure.

Any time that you advance a skill, attribute or specialization, you may only increase it one pip at a time after an adventure. For example, you may improve from 2D+1 to 2D+2. Or you may improve from 3D+2 to 4D (which is still an improvement of only one pip, because a single D is composed of three pips). You may not, after a single adventure, move from 2D to 2D+2.

Though this rule is true with skills, specializations, and attributes, the time it takes to train varies.

Improving Skills

Cost: Character Point cost is equal to the number before the D of your skill. If your skill is 3D+1 then it costs three Character Points to move it to 3D+2. Also, it would be three character points to move it from 3D+2 to 4D. However, once the skill is at 4D, it costs four Character Points to advance the skill any farther.

Training time: If you have used the skill during your adventure, then you may advance the skill immediately after the adventure ends. Your character learned through experience.

If you have not used the skill, then you must train. It takes two days for every Character Point spent. If your character has a melee weapons skill of 3D+1, and he studies melee weapons, he must study for six days to move up to 3D+2. You may only train one skill at a time.

If you have not used the skill and decide to train, you may train with a teacher. Training with a teacher cuts the time in half. If trying to improve the same melee weapons skill of 3D+1, it would require only three days instead of six.

Force skills: Force skills are advanced by the same rules, with one exception. When training without a teacher, the Character Point cost is doubled. If your character does not have a Force skill, yet, then they must train for one week and spend 10 character points to receive the Force skill at 1D.

Force sensitivity: If your character is not Force-sensitive, you can become so. At the cost of 20 Character Points, the character gains force-sensitivity and a Force Point.

Rushing training: A character can rush the training by spending Character Points. The training time is reduced one day for each character point spent. This is true for any skill or specialization.

Advanced skills: If you train an advanced skill, such as (A) Medicine, or (A) Engineering, the point cost and training times are doubled. If you do not yet have an advanced skill, you must meet the prerequisites, pay two character points, and then you will receive the skill at 1D. The minimum training time for an advanced skill is always one week.

Improving Specializations

Remember, a specialization is a special focus in one area of a skill. Rather than improving how your character flies all space transports, she may focus on learning about YT-1300s. However, they are separate from their associated skills. They begin at the level of the associated skill, but they do not improve when the associated skill improves.

Cost: The Character Point cost of specializations is one-half of the number before the D, rounded up. If improving a specialization from 5D+2 to 6D, the cost is 3 Character Points (five divided by two is 2.5, which rounds up to three).

Training time: The training time for specializations is the same for training time for skills.

Improving Attributes

Improving attributes is not as easy as improving skills and specializations. It requires much more time, cost, and even requires a bit of risk. The benefit of improving an attribute is that all skills and specializations under that attribute raise one pip as well.

Cost: Attempting to improve an attribute costs 10 times the number of D before the attribute. So, to attempt to increase an attribute from 2D+2 to 3D, you must first spend 20 Character Points.

Training time: If your character has a teacher, the time is one week for every Character Point spent. Without a teacher, the time is increased to two weeks for every Character Point spent You may reduce the time by one day for every additional Character Point spent (with a minimum training time of one week).

The risk: Because characters can only become so strong or so dexterous, there is a limit imposed on attributes. After spending the training time and Character Point cost, you must roll to determine whether or not you actually improve. You roll your current attribute die code (2D+1 for example). The gamemaster rolls your species maximum for the attribute (4D for humans). If your result is equal to or less than the gamemaster’s result, your attribute increases. If your result is greater, your character does not improve, and you receive half of the Character Points back.

Improving Movement

Most species begin with a movement score of 10, meaning that they can take a single action in a round and move ten meters (for more information on movement rules, see Chapter Six of The Star Wars Roleplaying Game Second edition Revised and Expanded beginning on page 100). However, your character may improve that score allowing for faster movement.

A species' stats will list two values for movement, separated by a slash. For example, a human has a rating score of 10/12. This means that the character begins with a movement of 10, and cannot advance the movement any higher than 12.

Advancing movement, like skills and attributes requires Character Points and time. The Character Point cost is equal to that of the character’s current move. The time spent is one week per Character Point spent.

--GM Daniel (talk) 16:47, 4 March 2015 (CST)