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Should I prepare templates?
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Yora
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 26, 2020 2:54 pm    Post subject: Should I prepare templates? Reply with quote

So I am preparing to run a Star Wars campaign, this time being the first time with the d6 system. And I am assuming probably all players will never have played the system either.

Usually I tend to think that premade characters for RPGs are dumb, and players should be making their own characters from scratch.

But looking at this game, there really are not that many choices to make. There's only so many sensible ways to put 18 attribute points in 6 attributes, and when you have some kind of archetype in mind it's even significantly less.
When it comes to putting 7D into skills, players will also almost certainly go with the obvious options for their chosen archetype.

So unlike with many other games, it looks like not a lot would be getting lost if players just start with a template. Giving them a list with useful and appropriate skills for their archetype will probably result in the same selection of skills as letting them pour half an hour over lists and descriptions of 50 skills. Probably same with equipment.

And I think aside from saving time with filling out the character sheets, presenting the players with 10 archetypes that I think would be good fits for this campaign might also be quite helpful with communicating to them what situations and skills can expect to come up most frequently.

I've never used premade (or half-premade) characters as a GM before, or even seen them used in games I played in. What are your experiences with using templates in Star Wars?
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garhkal
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 26, 2020 3:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd say 95% of the time i've played SWd6, i have used templates..
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Raven Redstar
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 26, 2020 4:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I usually at least start with a template, and then edit skills, fluff, etc on an as needed basis for character creation. For Example: I don't want to play a Laconic Scout, can I play a Plucky one?

We've taken the Failed Jedi template and removed the dark side point and alcoholism to just make him a "Jedi".

But, my suggestion is to have your players pick a template they like for the first game, worry about creating from scratch once people get the system down a bit better.
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CRMcNeill
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 26, 2020 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Templates are useful as a starting point, but don't feel the need to be bound by the letter of it. The main thing to keep in mind is balancing. If you think your character needs to have a 3D+1 instead of 3D in a certain Attribute, make sure you take a pip off another Attribute somewhere else.

And there are all kinds of options out there now to make your characters more unique and granular, from Advantage/Disadvantage systems to things like the Talent optional rule. One House Rule idea that I like (credit to Daniel Stull of shootingwomprats) is Round-Out dice, where a character is allowed 4D-5D (can't remember exact value) which can be applied up to a maximum of +1D so long as said skill is tied to the character's background somehow (Example: Grew up living in poverty on the streets, so character gets +1D each to Streetwise, Survival, Pickpocket and Brawling, etc), and isn't one of the skills that were improved with the character's beginning 7D of skill dice.

tl;dr Templates are more what you might call guidelines than actual rules.
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Whill
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 27, 2020 1:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I concur with what's been said. I love templates. They can inspire players. But of course, they can be tweaked so they aren't and shouldn't be set in stone.
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garhkal
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 27, 2020 2:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Raven Redstar wrote:
I usually at least start with a template, and then edit skills, fluff, etc on an as needed basis for character creation. For Example: I don't want to play a Laconic Scout, can I play a Plucky one?

We've taken the Failed Jedi template and removed the dark side point and alcoholism to just make him a "Jedi".

There's a few other jedi templates, such as the quixotic, the minor jedi.. Why change the failed jedi??
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CRMcNeill
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 27, 2020 1:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

garhkal wrote:
There's a few other jedi templates, such as the quixotic, the minor jedi.. Why change the failed jedi??

Jedi Templates can be a little wonky, though. For instance, why does the Minor Jedi only get 1D in Control while the Young Jedi gets 1D in all three Force Skills?
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Yora
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 27, 2020 2:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That all sounds like pretty strong endorsements. Thanks.
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MrNexx
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 27, 2020 3:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just to throw in... templates are great, they tell you about what to expect, and guide people towards the types of characters you want played. But they are not classes; they are not destiny, nor, even, necessarily, role.

I may START as a Young Senatorial, let me pick up a heavy blaster and spend some cash on armor, and I can stand toe-to-toe with a Bounty Hunter (or at least match them shot-for-shot). Ewok isn't the best chasis for being a droid repair specialist, but if you can get training on the skill, you can make a passable one if you want to throw in the CPs.
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garhkal
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 27, 2020 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CRMcNeill wrote:
garhkal wrote:
There's a few other jedi templates, such as the quixotic, the minor jedi.. Why change the failed jedi??

Jedi Templates can be a little wonky, though. For instance, why does the Minor Jedi only get 1D in Control while the Young Jedi gets 1D in all three Force Skills?


How they are made?
Looking at it "Minor jedi. You received a little training). HAS a lightsaber.
Young jedi - Self taught. NO lightsaber.
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CRMcNeill
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 27, 2020 5:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

garhkal wrote:
How they are made?
Looking at it "Minor jedi. You received a little training). HAS a lightsaber.
Young jedi - Self taught. NO lightsaber.

That's even worse; the Minor Jedi has a saber that they can't use (requires Control and Sense at a minimum), while the Young Jedi is closer to being able to use Lightsaber Combat but doesn't have a saber to use it with. I'm not talking about balanced Attributes and Force skills; I'm talking about background and whether or not the game stats make sense compared to who the character is supposed to be.
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Raven Redstar
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 27, 2020 6:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

garhkal wrote:
Raven Redstar wrote:
I usually at least start with a template, and then edit skills, fluff, etc on an as needed basis for character creation. For Example: I don't want to play a Laconic Scout, can I play a Plucky one?

We've taken the Failed Jedi template and removed the dark side point and alcoholism to just make him a "Jedi".

There's a few other jedi templates, such as the quixotic, the minor jedi.. Why change the failed jedi??


The Attribute spread made the most sense to us.
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garhkal
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 28, 2020 1:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

CRMcNeill wrote:
I'm talking about background and whether or not the game stats make sense compared to who the character is supposed to be.


Several pilot templates don't start with ships, so should they start with one, using that argument?
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CRMcNeill
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 28, 2020 1:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

garhkal wrote:
Several pilot templates don't start with ships, so should they start with one, using that argument?

Ships to pilot are a lot more common than spare lightsabers.
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garhkal
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 28, 2020 3:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

IMO that depends on how free one is with credits..
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