Star Wars Unisystem

LITE

This page contains notes for using Unisystem Lite (Ulite) in a Star Wars game. Ulite seems more appropriate for such a cinematic setting. Although I thought about this before, the contributions of the members of RPG.net and the Eden Studios Discussion Boards were extremely helpful. Check out the specific threads if you want.

POINTS

     All PCs are Hero types in Star Wars. Droid characters might qualify as White Hats.

QUALITIES

Force
5-point/level Quality
     The character has a stronger connection to the Force, the mystical force that touches all reality. Force-using characters, even without training, are very sensitive to the flows of Essence and the Force; they are often plagued by visions, strange hunches and flashbacks of the distant past (this works exactly like Psychic Visions, from the Buffy RPG). Other Force wielders will be able to sense their presence, and may seek them out, for good or ill. A character with this Quality add its level to rolls when using Powers like Telekinesis and Farseeing. Force level also influences other Powers, such as Lightsaber Combat.
     This Quality allows characters to buy new Force points with experience points at a 1-to-1 rate. However, full Force users area always in danger of being seduced by the Dark Side and can gain Dark Side points for evil actions, not just for spending Froce points in an evil way.

Force-Sensitive [Optional]
1-point Quality
     This Quality can be used by those players who don't want their characters to start as Force users, but want the possibility of them developing it later in the campaign. GMs can use it in racial packages to denote species with "potential for the Force". This Quality includes the "are very sensitive to the flows of Essence and the Force; they are often plagued by visions, strange hunches and flashbacks of the distant past" of the Force Quality.
     One advantage of this Quality is that characters are not considered full Force users and, as such, do not have the same restrictions on actions as the full-fleged wielders.

Gadgets (by C.J. Carella)
1 point per 1,000 credits of value.
     This quality can be used instead of Resources to purchase equipment (no more than 1 level of Resources is allowed in these games, anyway), especially rare and hard to find equipment like Imperial equipment or illegal/advanced weapon systems. Phasers and tricorders are two pieces of equipment that non-Starfleet characters should pay points for the privilege of having them.

Holocron [Optional]
Variable Quality
     This quality works exactly like the Occult Library one from the Buffy RPG. However, instead of giving access to spells, it has several Force powers recorded. Obviously, this Quality only makes sense if you are not using the "Everybody knows everything" option of the Force. At the Impressive and Amazing levels, the character also receives bonuses to rolls involving Jedis or Siths.

Jedi
5-point Quality
     You are a member of the Jedi Order or has been trained in its traditions. You are one of the peacekeepers of the galaxy, a tradition that strecthes ack in time for millenia. Since your early years you have been educated in the ways of the Force, from farseeing to lightsaber taining. You have also received extensive physical and mental training, making you a top specimen of your species.
     Without additional charge or value, Jedis gain +1 to Dexterity and Willpower, to a maximum level of their race; Fast Reaction Time or Situational Awareness (pick one); +2 skill levels to Acrobatics and Wild Card (Lightsaber); and a 3-point Obligation to the Order.

DRAWBACKS

     New Drawbacks can be found at New Qualities/Drawbacks of the official WitchCraft website. Below, you will find one of the more pertinent of these new Drawbacks.

Indebted (by Colin Chapman)
Variable Social Drawback
     This Drawback indicates that the character owes someone something, and will be called upon to repay that debt sometime, bit by bit, or all at once. The value of this Drawback depends on what the character owes, and to whom. For example, owing a local loan shark $5,000 if the character has no Resources levels, might be worth 2 points, whereas owing a malevolent Demon your life might be worth 10 points. Han Solo's debt to Jabba would probably be worth 5 points. If the character fails to repay her debt, the individual owed attempts to gain recompense by one means or another. Even if the debt is repaid (at least in the mind of the character), the lender may seek to extract more . . .

SPECIES

     These write-ups were based on both D6 and d20 stats, although I gave preference to the former. As always, my interpretation was also taken into account. Nevertheless, I'm not sure any write-up, even official ones are precise, since they are usually based on one individual who doesn't get a lot of screen time like Greedo (a Rodian) in the first Star Wars movie.
     The following write-ups list Qualities, Drawbacks and Skills; Attribute modifiers are only listed for those that deviate from the human norm.

SKILLS

    Except for Occultism, all the skills listed in the Buffy RPG are applicable, even though some had to be renamed for flavor. Below you will find the list for the seeting with a brief explanation of the new skills introduced.

Blasters
     This skill allows the character to fire any type of point-and-click weapons. It covers mainly blasters, but also includes chemical slugthrowers. Blasters + Dexterity are used to fire the weapon. Aiming Tasks use Blasters + Perception, with each Success Level adding +1 to skill level for the next shot at the aimed target.

Driving
     The skill to control planetbound vehicles, including wheeled and tracked ones, repulsorcraft and walkers. Most Driving Tasks use Dexterity.

Gunnery
     This skill covers the use of heavy weaponry. Anything heavier than a light repeating blaster falls under the domain of the Gunnery skill. These include ground, orbital and starship weapons. Dexterity + Gunnery is used for most ground and starship weapons. Intelligence + Gunnery is used for orbital weapons and some starship weapons.

Languages
     The many languages in this setting can be handled as usual. However, there are some instances of languages that can be understood, but not spoken, unless you are a native, like Shyriwook (the Wookie's language) and Binary (the chirping and whistling language of astromech droids).

Piloting
     This skill covers the control of starships. These include starfighters, space transports and capital ships. Dexterity + Piloting is used for starfighters and small space transports. Intelligence + Piloting is used for large space transports and capital ships.
     In the Star Wars universe, the advent of repulsorcraft has put most air and watercraft under the domain of the Driving skill. However, in certain primitive planets, you can still find the Piloting skill being used for them.

Riding
     The skill to ride animals and animal-driven vehicles. These include Tatooine's bantha and dewback, and Hoth's tauntaun.

Operations (by C.J. Carella)
     This is a catch-all skill for the numerous starship systems one needs to operate while running a vessel, from monitoring life support to checking on available power. With this skill, the character can run most basic ship functions, although any major problems will require Repair rolls. Trying to use this skill in an unfamiliar ship is at -1; on a ship of an unfamiliar civilization at -2, and of a different technological level at -2 per TR level difference.

Wild Card (Lightsaber)
     The elegant weapon used by the Jedi Knights requires great dedication to master. As such, its use is covered by a Wild Card skill and not Melee. During the Old and the New Republic Eras, it is easy to find a teacher, as long as you belong to the Jedi Order. During the Empire Era, the difficulty rises significantly. Unskilled use is possible, but not recommended due to the dangerous nature of this weapon. If after rolling for the Task, the character does not achieve at least one Success Level , he must make another roll. If he fails again, he has hit himself and should take damage accordingly. Common sense should be applied here. Turning on a lightsaber and using it to cut something -- say, a tauntaun's belly (like Hand Solo did in TESB) -- does not require a roll and is not subject to this rule. Combat uses Dexterity + Wild Card (Lightsaber).
     Crafting or repairing a lightsaber is the province of this skill too. Intelligence + Wild Card (Lightsaber) is used to design a lightsaber. Dexterity + Wild Card (Lightsaber) is used to build, modify or repair a lightsaber.
     Note that building a lightsaber is, usually, a lenghty and difficult process, starting with the acquisition of the materials. More information on it can be found in The Force section.

Maneuvers
      The following existing Maneuvers are applicable to lightsabers: Decapitation, Disarm, Feint, Melee Weapon, Parry, Through the Heart and Throw Weapon (but increase the penalty to -3). There are also a few new Maneuvers that are specific to lightsabers:

• Double-Bladed Lightsaber: Damage: By lightsaber. This Maneuver requires a double-bladed lightsaber. The character has -3 penalty to use any Maneuver, but he gains a +3 bonus to all parry rolls made when both blades are extended.
• Quick Draw: Damage: By lightsaber. This Maneuver lets you draw your weapon and attack in one fluid movement. By rolling a Dex + Wild Card (Lightsaber)-2, the character draws his weapon and attacks in the same action. The Quick Draw Maneuver replaces the attack roll. Depending on circunstances, the GM may allow surprise bonuses to the Task. This Maneuver can also be used to draw your weapon in order to defend from an attack. Again, the Quick Draw Maneuver replaces the parry.
  

EQUIPMENT
     You can use the ones described in Full Unisystem rules. For weapons and armors, use the averages. In the case of lightsabers, the damage is equal to: 3 x (5+Force Quality level).

FORCE
      Unlike the Full Unisystem rules, which used three skills (Control, Sense and Alter) to measure a character's proficiency in manipulating the Force, the Lite rules use just the Force Quality. Its level indicates how attuned the character is and how easily he can accomplish feats with the Powers.
       There three ways a GM can grant access to Force Powers. He should pick one for his campaign:

• Everybody knows everything: If the chracter has at least one level of the Force Quality, he can use any Force Power. There is no need for training, because the knowledge is instinctive. The character can create new Powers, or new ways to use an old Power, easily.
• They know everything, but they still need training: Like the first option, anyone with the Force Quality can access any of the Powers. However, unless he has been trained in it, he will have a -4 penalty to use it. This even affects Powers with no rolls associated, like Lightsaber Combat, which would be used as if the character had four levels less in the Force Quality. Training can be obtained through game play or at character creation, by buying each Power for 2 points. New Powers can be created by the character, but he will have the penalty as long as he is untrained in it. Note that by "training" I don't necessarily mean "formal". Anakin never concsiously trained his Enhance Ability Power.
• If you haven't trained, you can't do it: No training, no Power. The character can only attempt the Powers he has trained or bought at character creation. New Powers can only be created through long research.

Force Points
      Drama points with a new name, Force points work the same way. All Drama point uses are applicable in a Star Wars campaign, even Righteous Fury (but beware the Dark Side). Force points can be bought with experience points at a rate of 2-to-1 for regular characters, and 1-to-1 for those with the Force Quality. The way in which the Force point is spent also influences what happens to it.

Neutral Uses (Force Point doesn't come back)

• Avoiding danger
• Saving your life
• Getting power, wealth or personal gain
• Using lies or deception for gain or advantage

Heroic Uses (Force Point returns at the end of the adventure)

• Exposing yourself to great danger in the name of good
• Making sacrifices to help others
• Fighting the forces of evil, such as the Empire, crime lords or any other group which serves the objectives of the Dark Side of the Force

Heroic Uses at Dramatically Appropriate Moments (Force Point returns and the character earns another one)

• Conqueringa more powerful evil foe
• Saving a city from destruction
• Preventing the deaths of millions of innocent people

Evil Uses (Force Point doesn't come back and character earns a Dark Side point; see Dark Side section below)

• Killing a helpless innocent
• Causing unnecessary, gratuitous injury
• Using the Force while angry or filled with hate (this includes Righteous Fury and will earn the character 2 Dark Side points)

     Remember that using a Force point for evil is the only way a character without the Force Quality can earn Dark Side points. Force users , on the other hand, will gain them in various situations, even if they don't use a Force Point.

Dark Side
     Using the Force is not without risk. The power, if wielded carelessly or for evil purposes, may eventually consume the character and make him a slave to the Dark Side, to the negative energy that feeds on pain and suffering. To turn to the Dark Side means to lose all emotional connection to the rest of the world, to abandon love and empathy, to turn into something that makes a serial killer look like a model of human brotherhood. Once in a while, a very strong-willed Force wielder may manage to break free from the pull of the Dark Side, but those are rarities and they often relapse back into evil.
      In game terms, a Force user who abuses his power or commits evil acts will gain Dark Side points. When the number of points gained is equal to the character;'s Willpower, he receives a Mental Drawback (given by the GM), usually Cruel, but it can be anything else. Every time the number of Dark Side points reaches a new multiple of Willpower (Will x 2, Will x 3 etc.), a new Drawback, or a stronger version of an existing one, is gained. This progression should mirror the fall of the character. When the number of points a character possesses is greater than his Willpower x 5, he has Fallen; he loses all capacity for empathy or care, and will see all human beings as nothing more than gamepieces, to be used, destroyed or discarded. He now earns Force points by doing the exact opposite of characters who are still in the Light Side.
      Described below are some circumstances and events that will result in a Force user gaining (and losing) Dark Side Points:

• Gain 1 point: Accidentally hurting an innocent, or letting an evil act go unpunished; Using the Force for trivial or selfish purposes (i.e., using Telekinesis to do something the character could have easily done himself); Using Force powers to acquire money or personal power, or to elicit the admiration of others; Using Force powers out of rage, greed or petty personal reasons; Using a Force Point for evil purposes.
• Gain 2 points: Killing in anger (this is already factored in Righteous Fury).
• Gain 3 points: Accidentally causing the death of an innocent.
• Gain 5 points: Deliberately killing an innocent.
• Lose 1 point: Refusing a deserved honor or reward, if the honor or reward are something the character really wanted or needed.
• Lose 1-4 points: Performing a truly heroic, life-threatening act, but the act must be truly dangeours.

Calling on the Dark Side

     The Dark Side is not better, but is easier, quicker and more seductive. Characters who are angry, afraid, desperate or otherwise out of balance, and have not been consumed by the Dark Side yet, may call on it, even if they are not Force wielders.
     Calling on the Dark Side earns the character 2 Dark Side points on the spot, even if the attempt is not successful. To call it, the character must make a Simple Perception Test. Force users have +4 to the attempt and can use Perception + Force if they want. If the actions intended will not bring harm or pain to another being, the characters have a -4 penalty to the roll. On a successful roll, the character receives a Force point, which must be used immediately. Note that if he uses this Force Point to commit an evil act, he will receive Dark Side points for it, like if he was using a regular Force point. This is in addition to the 2 Dark Side points he earned for calling on the Dark Side.
     Characters who do not believe in the existence of the Force, like most Imperial troops and officers, or have Fallen already cannot call on the Dark Side.

Powers
     Use the ones listed in the Full Unisystem rules, substituting any mention of Control, Sense and Alter for the Force Quality. Alternatively, you can use the spell creation system from the Buffy RPG to design the powers available in your campaign.

WRITE-UPS

     Coming soon.

Back to the Star Wars Unisystem Page

Well, enjoy it! And if you want, you can drop me a line at fred@planetfred.net or leave a comment at the PatchComm.