[FATE/SotC] A Saga Edition-inspired Star Wars adaptation

[Kiero]

This is a direct spin-off of this thread on "lighter than Saga Edition" systems (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102908), where for me at least, FATE seems a good choice for replacement. Now while this may seem presumptuous given no one else from my group has weighed in with their views (though the GM has said what he's looking for), I figured this would be a useful thing to do anyway. Two reasons, firstly because it might help demonstrate why FATE is a good alternative to Saga Edition, and secondly because I think it's a brilliant fit for my ideal campaign, After the Darkness, Comes the Light (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99575).

I'm still making my way through the SotC SRD (http://www.faterpg.com/dl/sotc_srd.pdf), so if I make mistakes along the way feel free to point them out. My understanding of FATE to date is pretty hazy, I've read FATE 2.0 a long time ago, and before now that was about it. I remember looking at the SotC SRD a while ago and balking at the sheer number of Stunts.

Anyway, the idea here is not to do a straight, faithful conversion to allow characters to be translated from Saga Edition to FATE, but rather to use SE as a guide for adapting FATE 3.0 for a Star Wars game. Generally the aim is to keep things relatively simple and maintain a fairly rapid pace in place, not interrupted by having to look things up. But also to retain a certain level of familiarity as well. I think one of the really good things about FATE is the way that it's things like motivations and connections, through the medium of Aspects that can matter more than having a mechanically well-optimised character. I also like the Fate Point economy a lot; that volunteering bad things to happen to your character gives you resources to use later.

[Kiero]

So finally, here's a character adapted.

The original Saga Edition character:


Coll Arranda CL 5

Medium Human Jedi 2/scout 3
Init +9; Senses Perception +9
Languages Basic

Defenses Ref 20 (flat-footed 17), Fort 17, Will 18; Deflect, Evasion
hp 63; Threshold 17

Speed 8 squares
Melee lightsaber +7 (2d8+5) or
Melee lightsaber +7 (2d8+8) with both hands or
Melee unarmed +7 (1d6+5)
Ranged blaster rifle +6 (3d8+2) or
Ranged blaster rifle +1 (3d8+2) with autofire
Base Atk +4; Grp +7
Atk Options autofire (blaster rifle)
Special Actions Shake It Off
Force Powers Known (Use The Force +8) battle strike, move object, surge

Abilities Str 16, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12
Talents Deflect, Evasion, Long Stride
Feats Force Sensitive, Force Training, Martial Arts I, Shake it Off, Skill Training (2), Weapon Proficiency (lightsabers, pistols, rifles, simple)
Skills Acrobatics +9, Climb +10, Endurance +8, Initiative +9, Perception +9, Stealth +9, Survival +9, Use the Force +8
Possessions blaster rifle with Retractable Stock, lightsaber,


And in FATE:

Coll Arranda

Aspects

Rugged Frontiersman from Dantooine
-Invocation: Doing manual labour, at home while out-of-doors, a natural with animals
-Compel: Poorly versed in sophisticated social graces, bad at hiding his feelings or affecting reserve, uncomfortable in formal wear
-Tag: "I see right through your feeble disguise!", "Everyone of breeding knows you don't hold a knife like that!", Embarrasing Guest, Looks Out of Place.

What Would Greatfather Dace Do?
-Invoke: Acting on impulse, "This one time when Greatfather Dace...", sticking up for your friends
-Compel: Stand up for the little guy, spare the innocent, leave no one behind
-Tag: Morals get in the way, "Dace never faced anything like this", "Or your friend gets it"

Ran Away To See the Stars/Been All Around the Outer Rim (which is a nice counterpoint to the first one)
-Invoke: "I saw something like this, on...", Universal Communication, Well-Travelled
-Compel: Wanderlust, Attracted to Novelty
-Tag: A Native Would Have Spotted That, You're Not From Round Here

Justice For My Sister!
-Invoke: You killed my sister, prepare to die! Won't give up
-Compel: Stubbornly follows any leads, hate leads to the dark side, "she wouldn't have wanted this"
-Tag: Blinded by Revenge, Crippled by Grief

My family have served the Jedi for generations...but am I a Jedi? (Force Sensetive Aspect)
-Invoke: "But would a Jedi do this?", Strong in the Force
-Compel: Take the dutiful path/follow The Code, doubt leads to fear
-Tag: Just a Dabbler in the Force, Uncertainty Will Be Your Undoing

Skills (25 total)

Great (+4): Athletics (4)
Good (+3): Close Combat, Perception, Survival (9)
Fair (+2): Endurance, Ranged Combat, Stealth, Use the Force (8)
Average (+1): Empathy, Knowledge (General), Might, Resolve (4)

Languages: Basic, Bocce

Stunts

Force Training (Battlestrike, Move Object, Surge)
Hard Target (+1 to Athletics when avoiding area attacks)
Soresu Stylist (+1 to Close Combat when using a lightsaber defensively)
Teras Kasi Basics (+1 to Close Combat when fighting unarmed)
+1 more to choose

Stress
Health: [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Composure: [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]

[Kiero]

Here's the final draft we used last night for our translated game.


* * *

The purpose of this adaptation is to turn FATE 3.0 into something familiar to those who've played Star Wars Saga Edition, while at the same time being a simpler game that requires less rules lookups. That means simpler than both SE and SotC, and one of the primary means of doing this is through simplified Stunts.

The focus is in four areas; Skills, Aspects, Stunts and The Force.


Skills

I think Skills are really important in providing a fixed means of differentiating characters. Particularly in this little adaptation, there's a lot of "define your own" which runs the risk of having no concrete means of really distinguishing characters from each other. Here we abandon SotC's pyramid structure, in favour of a more relaxed "tower" and a point-buy system for Skill levels. This means you must have at least as many Skills at the level below, as the level above (so to have two Great Skills, you must have at least two Good, and thus two Fair and so two Average).

Starting characters (who are assumed to be competent and moderately experienced) get 25 points to spend on their Skills, which cost the following:
1 = Average (+1)
2 = Fair (+2)
3 = Good (+3)
4 = Great (+4)
[5 = Superb (+5)]

Note Great (+4) is the highest they can go at chargen. It's not possible to start with more than two Skills at Great, given the "tower". For less experienced characters, reduce the number of points, and if desired lower the cap to Good.

There are 20 Skills and they are as follows (Saga Edition terms) [SotC terms]:

Athletics (Athletics and Acrobatics; Reflex Defense) [Athletics]
Close Combat (Melee BAB) [Fists and Weapons]
Deception (Deception) [Deceit, Gambling, Rapport]
Empathy (Perception) [Empathy]
Endurance (Endurance; Fortitude Defense) [Endurance]
Gather Information (Gather Information) [Contacting]
Knowledge* (Knowledge) [Academics, Art and Science]
Mechanics (Mechanics) [Engineering]
Might (-) [Might]
Perception (Initiative and Perception) [Alertness and Investigation]
Persuasion (Persuasion)
Pilot (Pilot) [Drive and Pilot]
Ranged Combat ([I]Ranged BAB) [Guns]
Resolve (Will Defense) [Resolve]
Resources (-) [Resources]
Stealth (Stealth)
Survival (Ride and Survival) [Survival]
Treat Injury (Treat Injury] (Science)
Use Computer (Use Computer) [Academics/Engineering/Science]
Use the Force (Use the Force) [Mysteries]

*Specialisms in the Knowledge skill are represented with Stunts. Some of the specialisms are as follows: Bureaucracy, Galactic Lore, Life Sciences, Linguistics, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, Tactics, Technology. Each of these specialist Stunts gives a +2 to the Knowledge Skill when dealing with that particular area.

Languages are handled thus. Every character gets their native tongues, plus Basic for free. Then each level of Knowledge gives you that many languages in addition. Average gives you one more. Fair gives you another two (on top of the one from Average) and so on.


[B]Aspects

In order to keep characters more focused, they have five Aspects rather than SotC's regular ten. I'm thinking of three Phases, and you can choose one or two at each one (but still topping out at five). I'm not entirely set on what they are, but have some ideas.

First Phase is Origin - what species is the character, where are they from, where did they grow up and so on.

Second Phase is something to do with their life before, how they made a living, where they've been, that sort of thing. It's about the role they fulfill. In my KotOR game, this would be life before coming to the academy.

Third Phase is something to do with now, a present issue, goal or concern. I've not really honed this one down much further than that. Maybe it's how other people see you.

If you're a Force-user one of your Aspects should be connected with that in some way, it's a pre-requisite to put Use the Force on your Skill list (and indeed to use it at all).

I know SotC also involves phases to do with inter-relationships between the characters, but I'm not so sure it's applicable here. Characters in Star Wars often seem to be thrown together by chance (or the will of the Force...). That's not to say people shouldn't, if they desire, have Aspects that link their characters together. Besides in the SE game we're playing, the PCs didn't know each other before the game started. It's been a succession of chance meetings (something of a running joke now).


Stunts

Rather than writing out a complete set of new Stunts, which I think is an unnecessary level of effort, I like Blacksheep's approach (and also Spirit of the Blank (http://spiritoftheblank.blogspot.com/)) with more generalised Stunts. Essentially they do one of several things (and you give it your own name):
1) Give +1 to a given skill in a broad/common situation/application.
2) Give +2 to a given skill in a narrow/uncommon situation/application.
3) Do something special, like add Health Boxes, or some other minor mechanical tweak (this might need more thought).
4) Allow you to substitute one Skill for another.


The Force

So at the summary level, Force ability works thus: Force Sensetivity>Trained Force User>(Additional) Force Training. It's three tiers of possible relationship to the Force, to have the next one along you have to have the previous.

Force Sensetivity is simple; you just have to have an Aspect that relates to your connection somehow. Not a "Force Sensetive only" Aspect, just one that links you to the Jedi or Sith or some other tradition, or talks about the Force. Neither it's invocations nor compels even have to have anything to do with the Force, it just has to be reasonably clear that it is relevant.

With Force Sensetivity, you get the following:
Basic Force-sensetive Aspect (everyone gets these)
Search Your Feelings - UtF check to answer if action will have bad consequences
Sense Surroundings - concentrate to substitute UtF for Perception, can "see through" walls and obstacles?
Telepathy - send simple messages

Trained Force User means someone who has an Aspect (no Force Sensetivity without), and who has raised their Use the Force skill above Mediocre. This means you can actively use the Force, and don't tend to instinctively do things. Basic abilities covered by the Skill (in addition to the above, which are easier because your skill is higher):
Use the Force trained (everyone gets these too)
Force Trance - like Bounce Back when you enter a trance
Move Light Object - functions as Absymal-level Might up to one zone from the character (and in line of sight) on successful UtF check
Sense Force - like Uncanny Hunch for disturbances in the Force?
Breath Control - increase the interval on breath-holding for Endurance checks by two steps
Lightsaber Combat - can substitute UtF for Close Combat when defending against blaster attacks with a saber in hand


Then the third tier is Force Training, which is for Force Sensetives, who are Trained Force Users, and have in addition had instruction in the more esoteric powers. Force Training is a Stunt, each time you buy it, you get 3 Force powers to add to your suite. You can only use powers outside of your suite by spending an FP. You can only have as many powers active at the same time as your level in Use the Force.

Lightsabers aren't treated any differently than other weapons. But if a character has a lightsaber they constructed themselves, they should purchase the Weapon of Destiny Stunt.


Body Control
Battlestrike - spend a FP to get +1 to Close Combat for the scene
Negate Energy - spend an FP to absorb an energy attack that caused Stress
Rebuke - spend an FP to negate a Force power directed at you; spend a second to redirect it at the caster
Surge - spend an FP to gain the effects of Safe Fall, Mighty Leap and Faster than a Leopard for the scene
Vital Transfer - spend an FP to transfer your unchecked Stress to another; each point you sacrifice heals them of two

Influence
Battle Meditation - spend and FP and concentrate to give allies +1 to attacks or defense for scene
Force Haze - like In Plain Sight (does this need to be explicit?)
Force Stun - UtF contest (and an FP if successful?) to put an Aspect on an opponent
Mind Trick - UtF contest to put a temporary Aspect on target (or like Enthrall?)
Sever Force - UtF contest to put a block on target's own UtF checks and spending of FPs
Valour - spend FP to give allies +1 to Resolve for the scene


Sense Control
Farseeing - UtF check to see somewhere else; raise difficulty by one level to see past or future
Force Awareness - FP to gain Danger Sense and Ready for Anything for a scene
Language Absorption - spend an FP to understand all languages you hear for a scene
Psychometry - UtF check to learn about the past of objects/places/people
Receptive Telepathy/Probe - UtF contest to read surface thoughts (or like Cold Read?)


Telekinesis
Ionise - UtF contest to inflict Stress or Composure (?) on droids
Kinetic Combat - FP to use UtF in place of Close Combat with floating weapons
Move Object - UtF contest to substitute UtF for Might for purposes of lifting; double the capacities. Spend a FP to double those again.
Telekinetic Strike - UtF attack to do damage; FP to add Aspect like Immobilised or Knocked Down or to push back a zone
Slow - UtF contest to add Slowed Aspect


Dark Side
Corruption - spend FP after a successful Telekinetic Strike to continue doing damage
Dark Healing - UtF contest to heal your own Stress by causing damage to others (every two points of Stress caused is a point healed)
Fear - UtF contest to place Afraid Aspect on target (doesn't require words or Persuasion skill)
Force Choke - like a block: one lasting UtF roll to render the target unable to do anything but roll Endurance versus the difficulty level established by the UtF roll. Succeed and they take 2 stress; fail and they take 4 stress. Attacker need only roll once. The choke is a supplementary action so the attacker takes -1 to do anything else while choking
Force Lightning - FP to activate, like Choke must get Endurance success not to take a consequence, if fail take one. Costs 1FP to extend effects by a round.
Force Storm - Attacker makes a single UtF check that attacks everyone in the same zone. Athletics is the defending skill. Zone radius and duration can be increased 1 per FP spent on each.


Force Stunts (these are regular one-for-one things)
Constructed Lightsaber - your lightsaber becomes a Weapon of Destiny
Force Perception - substitute UtF for Perception
Force Pilot - substitute UtF for Pilot
Force Training - select three Force powers to add to your suite
Redirect - gain Riposte for purposes of blaster attacks you gain spin on (should this be a separate Stunt, or part of Lightsaber combat?)

[Kiero]

Some updates, largely based on using Legends of Anglerre, rather than Spirit of the Century as the base.

Weapons and Armour

I'm coming around to SBA's way of thinking here, that weapons should add to the Stress done on a hit, and armour should absorb it. It creates the potential for faster resolution, especially where people are using powerful weapons. I'm thinking of a simple 1, 2 or 3 points of addition/absorption. While I do like the "variable consequence absorption" model of one of the mods I've seen, it could get over-complicated in play.

So something like this:
Light armour (armoured flight suit, vacc suit, blast vest): Absorbs one point of incoming Stress.
Medium armour (stormtrooper armour, battle armour): Absorbs two point of incoming Stress.
Heavy armour (Katarn armour, Mandalorian crusader armour): Absorbs three point of incoming Stress.

Light weapons (knife, holdout blaster, brawling enhancements, improvised weapons, claws): Add one point of Stress.
Medium weapons (swords, clubs, vibroblades, blaster pistols): Add two points of Stress.
Heavy weapons (blaster rifles, bowcasters, lightsabers): Add three points of Stress.

Crew weapons and vehicle armour have scale on person-sized stuff, so add two points to either absorption or Stress (and are "heavy"). If lightsabers seem a bit weedy (only one point over stormtrooper armour), most will be Weapons of Destiny assuming a character has built it themselves, so that's another point.

As far as armoured minions go, I'm thinking the absorption should only count once, not for each minion affected. So if you blasted a squad of minions with medium armour and got a total of five Stress, only the first two points would be absorbed, and you'd take three of them down.


Skill changes

While I was mostly satisfied with the list of Skills as they were, I want to port this over to LoA without having to rely on anything from SotC. I also wanted to rebalance a few things and make little tweaks. End result is thus (Saga Edition terms) [LoA terms]:

Athletics (Climb, Jump, Swim and Acrobatics; Reflex Defense) [Athletics]
Close Combat (Melee BAB) [Fists and Melee Weapons]
Deception (Deception) [Deceit, Rapport]
Empathy (Perception) [Empathy]
Endurance (Endurance; Fortitude Defense) [Endurance and Might]
Gather Information (Gather Information) [Contacting and Investigation]
Knowledge* (Knowledge) [Academics, Art and Science]
Larceny (-)
Mechanics (Mechanics) [Artificer]
Perception (Initiative and Perception) [Alertness and Investigation]
Persuasion (Persuasion)
Pilot (Pilot) [Drive and Pilot]
Ranged Combat ([I]Ranged BAB) [Ranged Weapons]
[B]Resolve (Will Defense) [Resolve]
Resources (-) [Resources]
Stealth (Stealth) [Stealth]
Survival (Ride and Survival) [Survival]
Treat Injury (Treat Injury] (Science)
Use Computer (Use Computer) [Academics, Artificer and Science]
Use the Force (Use the Force) [All Power Skills]

Only changes are to LoA terms from SotC ones, merging Might into Endurance, breaking out the roguish stuff into Larceny and bolding those that affect Stress tracks.

I'm also considering requiring everyone to nominate a Skill not on their list at Terrible (-2) for some added colour and potential comic potential.


Aspects

Stealing an idea from DFRPG, characters will have two Aspects related to their concept and something that makes life difficult. The former will also correlate to your base class in SWSE (telling us what Skills it can be used to Invoke).

Concept is the core of what the character is about in a short statement. It should also be possible to link it to one of the five base classes from SWSE. So you might have Scion of House Amaraja (Noble). Each base class has five Skills that are always considered Invoke-able.

Jedi: Athletics, Close Combat, Perception, Resolve, Use the Force
Noble: Deception, Empathy, Knowledge, Persuasion, Resources
Scoundrel: Deception, Gather Information, Larceny, Pilot, Use Computer
Scout: Athletics, Endurance, Mechanics, Perception, Survival
Soldier: Athletics, Endurance, Perception, Ranged Combat, Treat Injury

Not entirely sure on the exact mixes, but that's the general idea.

Trouble is as per DFPRG. Something about the character that drives them to get into sticky situations. I'm considering making this Destiny or the like instead, to make it some sort of pull from the universe that lands the character in it. After all there are going to be Compel-related effects from their regular Aspects already.

Otherwise it's Phases use as per normal. One of everyone's two Origins-type Aspects should be related to their homeworld or species.


The Dark Side

My thoughts have moved on a little here from not really doing anything with it beyond darkening of the Force Aspect, to having a track. It allows you to do some neat things with the dark side having a "cost" and allowing Consequences (which can become Aspects).

So we add a third track, Balance (or Humility or Calm, not set on a name), which only Force Sensetive characters have. The Skill that boosts it is Empathy. There's a neatness there that it's both a perception-type Skill and a social one, and it seems really appropriate. I often think it's an under-utilised Skill, and this makes it important for Force Users. At least those who don't want to fall under the sway of the dark side.

The most obvious thing about the Balance track is that it can be attacked, representing the lure of the dark side. Where it really starts to bite is in Consequences. Because as with the other tracks, you can choose to take a Consequence instead of Stress, but they hang around longer and can be Compelled.

I'm thinking that some or all of the following will give you hits on your Balance track:


Accepting dark side Compels, either on your Force Sensetive Aspect, or on any dark side Consequences.
Direct attacks on your Balance with darkside powers (you take Stress on your Balance track).
Using dark side powers (each one has a Stress cost).
Using emotion to fuel the Force (you can trade two points of Stress for a +1 to a roll - should this be a power?).


An exception to the normal use of Consequences is that you can choose to take one to clear your existing Stress, not just absorbing incoming.

I'm also making dark side Compels (both to Aspects and Consequences) an exception to my normal house rule of no cost to ignore them. There's an escalating scale for how far they can go. Compels on Minor dark side Consequences can be ignored at no cost. Major can go up to one (as in you have to buy off the offer up to one FP). Severe go up to two (as in the GM can offer a second and you have to pay two FPs if you don't want it). Extreme and Aspects go up to three.

Extreme dark side Consequences become permanent Aspects. This replaces the "darkening" of your Force Sensetive Aspect, though players may opt to do that anyway in addition. There's no "your character is now an NPC" threshold. Obviously removing an Extreme dark side Consequence is a big deal.



The Force

I'm still formulating the changes to the powers specifically, but some principles.

There are six affinities for the Force (Body Control, Influence, Sense Control, Telekinesis, Dark Side, Lightsaber), each of which has some universal powers that anyone who is Force Sensetive can use, and those that require Force Training Stunts. I might change the name of Sense Control to Awareness. Lightsaber is an exception in that it has no universal powers. Using powers for which you have no training costs an FP per use.

There are three Force Training Stunts, which represent tiers of mastery and are the only tiered Stunts. They correspond roughly with the class/Prestige class levels of SWSE.

Force Training I (Padawan, etc) - requires UtF of Average (+1) - two affinities
Force Training II (Jedi Knight, Sith Apprentice, Force Adept, etc) - requires UtF of Good (+3) - four affinities
Force Training III (Jedi Master, Sith Lord, Force Disciple, etc) - requires UtF of Superb (+5) - six affinities

The Lightsaber affinity requires Force Training. There are some universal powers (basically blaster bolt deflection) which come with Force Training I and with Force Training II you choose a lightsaber form. Musing over whether there should be some Force Forms as alternatives.


Some power-specific musings. As a general rule, I'm going to use what's in LoA. While we did do a lot of work on the original lot, I'd rather co-opt what's already been written where possible. Unless there's no alternative to writing something from scratch, I'll use LoA over DFRPG.

Body Control

Force Trance - Regeneration and Extreme Conditions. A universal power.
Breath Control - . A universal power.

Surge - spend an FP to gain the following for a scene: Lightning Fast (the +4 to Athletics applies to jumping as well as other actions), Glide, +1 Athletics for dodging and +4 Perception for initiative.

Negate Energy - Protection (but only against energy attacks - absorbed energy can be stored and traded as spin for every three points).


Awareness



Influence



Telekinesis

Move Light Object - Telekinesis (the Trapping from the power of the same name). A universal power.


Dark Side


Lightsaber Combat

There are no universal powers with Lightsaber combat, all require training. If you choose Lightsaber Combat as an affinity, you get Deflect with Force Training I and choose a form with Force Training II.

Deflect - can substitute UtF for Close Combat when defending against blaster attacks with a saber in hand (without this power, Athletics is the only valid defense against Ranged Combat). Requires Force Training I.
Redirect - as Riposte, can turn blaster fire back with spin on a Deflect. Requires Force Training II.

Lightsaber forms (requires Force Training II, pick one):
Shii-Cho: +1 to Close Combat defense against melee attacks, +1 Stress on a hit
Makashi: +1 to Close Combat on maneuvers against lightsabers, +2 to defense against lightsabers
Soresu: +1 to Close Combat in defense, +2 to Deflect
Ataru: No supplementary action penalty when moving in melee, +2 to Athletics maneuvers in combat
Shien: +2 Stress on a hit, +1 to Redirect.
Nimaan: Flawless Parry, +1 to Deflect
Juyo/Vaapad: Whirlwind Attack
Jar'Kai: Weapon in Each Hand
Djem So: May choose to do Composure/Balance Stress on a hit, +2 to Persuasion maneuvers in combat.
Trakata: -1 to melee opponent's defensive rolls, +2 to Deception maneuvers in combat.

[Knaight]

First things first, I would recommend using Fate 2.0 instead of Fate 3.0, then adding stunts. Now for the point by point.

Actually noting everything an aspect can be used for is largely pointless, the name is all the information that is actually needed.

Force powers and lightsaber stances should use stunts. Dresden files has a reasonably good system here, you get 8 fate points and 8 refresh or so in a mid powered campaign, refresh goes down per stunt. Then just define stunts in a manner similar to Blood Sweat and Steel, you have concentrations, specializations, and skill switch stunts. Concentrations provide a +2 in extremely narrow conditions, specializations provide a +1 in wider conditions, and skill switches let you use one skill instead of another.

To use a few characters of mine as an example. A dart thrower took the thrown weapons skill up in BSS, took a specialization in darts giving a +1 to their use, and took a concentration in throwing darts at unaware targets. This made an effective sniper, which correlated to the backstory. Another character was largely a spy and socialite, and had a stunt called "Look Behind You!" that allowed her to substitute Deceit for Melee Weapons to strike an unaware foe.

In star wars, there are plenty of options. Obvious specializations include specializing for a lightsaber with Melee Weapons, specializing for an X wing with Pilot, using Rapport, Deceit, etc. better on a particular species or culture, or specializing in droids for Mechanic. Concentrations narrow this somewhat, but you might take a concentration on a droid in your party for Mechanic, maybe a Jedi takes a concentration on deflecting blaster bolts.

Then, on top of that, you have force power stunts. Looking at BS&S again, each stunt gives you a field, you might get telekinesis, force push, and similar all for one stunt.

[Kiero]

First things first, I would recommend using Fate 2.0 instead of Fate 3.0, then adding stunts. Now for the point by point.

Never much liked FATE 2.0, more a box of tools than a coherent system. More to the point, I like FATE 3.0, and LoA is a good game that does most of the things I want it to.


Actually noting everything an aspect can be used for is largely pointless, the name is all the information that is actually needed.

Not pointless at all, they're not "everything an Aspect can be used for", but rather some obvious gimmes that don't need negotiation. There's already all the other Aspects for the usual bits and pieces, this is a bit of deliberate linkage harking back to SWSE.


Force powers and lightsaber stances should use stunts. Dresden files has a reasonably good system here, you get 8 fate points and 8 refresh or so in a mid powered campaign, refresh goes down per stunt. Then just define stunts in a manner similar to Blood Sweat and Steel, you have concentrations, specializations, and skill switch stunts. Concentrations provide a +2 in extremely narrow conditions, specializations provide a +1 in wider conditions, and skill switches let you use one skill instead of another.

To use a few characters of mine as an example. A dart thrower took the thrown weapons skill up in BSS, took a specialization in darts giving a +1 to their use, and took a concentration in throwing darts at unaware targets. This made an effective sniper, which correlated to the backstory. Another character was largely a spy and socialite, and had a stunt called "Look Behind You!" that allowed her to substitute Deceit for Melee Weapons to strike an unaware foe.

In star wars, there are plenty of options. Obvious specializations include specializing for a lightsaber with Melee Weapons, specializing for an X wing with Pilot, using Rapport, Deceit, etc. better on a particular species or culture, or specializing in droids for Mechanic. Concentrations narrow this somewhat, but you might take a concentration on a droid in your party for Mechanic, maybe a Jedi takes a concentration on deflecting blaster bolts.

It was a deliberate choice to de-Stunt the Force and lightsabers, compared to LoA's Stunt-heavy approach. I don't like "special stuff" requiring scads of Stunts to do, it makes for boring characters when four out of five are on the same thing (Basic Lightsaber, Intermediate Lightsaber, Dual Lightsaber, Advanced Dual Lightsaber...).

I don't like Refresh as a "balancing" mechanic, largely because I don't think it's actually any good at that task. There's an inherent tension between Refresh and Compels, and I find the latter a lot more interesting. In my FATE games, people just get a fixed number of Stunts (which is the same for everyone).

Already using generic Stunts here (which is what you're describing), though I don't allow the +1 to a Skill with combat Skills, because it isn't interesting. Weapon specialisation should only give bonuses to maneuvers (since it encourages them), or add Stress. As a general rule one of mine here equals two of the "detailed" Stunts LoA uses. A large part of the aim is to break tiers and reduce the number of boring access Stunts.


Then, on top of that, you have force power stunts. Looking at BS&S again, each stunt gives you a field, you might get telekinesis, force push, and similar all for one stunt.

As above, reducing the number of Stunts needed to build a functional Force user was deliberate. And besides I'd rather they were spending Stunts on non-Force things, making for much more varied characters. Better a Jedi character who has 2 Force-related Stunts and 3 other-Skill-related Stunts, than one who spends all five on the Force.