• The players set the agenda - literally. To play, players let the DM know what they want to do, and also look at when they are available to play. The DM does not schedule sessions.
  • "Hmm, I really want to explore the Caves of Eternal Sorrow. Hey, [name] and [name], want to come with? We could play next Tuesday evening, if the DM is available. I'll let him know."
• No regular parties - every session aims to be a contained one-shot of sorts, with all players sharing the same world. Your session begins and ends at home base. You might be on an adventure with [name 1] one time, and [name 2] the next.
• Sharing your knowledge - Players keep logs and make maps, so this can be used by other players. 
  • "I see that the expedition into the Caves of Eternal Sorrow went three levels deep, but there was another level they didn't have the supplies for. [Name] and [name], want to go there next time?" 
• No plot in the traditional sense. Your characters will have goals and personalities, and the world will be as alive as possible. From that, 'stories' can emerge, but there's no 'you are the chosen ones!' narratives. 
• Exploration is dangerous. The world is hostile, and your progress can be measured with how far you're able to wander from home base. 

• Be kind to each other. We are playing cooperatively, for fun.
• Be on time.
• We use the Star Wars setting as a fun background. I love Star Wars lore, but this campaign won't be deeply tied to existing lore. This way, I hope the game is also welcoming to those who aren't as deep into the lore, and it gives us more freedom to do fun stuff.

Table of contents

Rolling a character works as follows. Any dice rolls are to be made in either Roll20 or Discord.

Tip: I made Jynna Dulana as an example player character!

Come Up With A Concept

Think of a cool character you'd like to play!

Names

You can use a generator such as this one or this one for inspiration.

Appearance

I have a board of Character inspiration. Feel free to pick any cool race you see, or look up your own. Races are completely disconnected from abilities and stats, and in that sense, are purely cosmetic/"fluff".

Note: We use the Star Wars setting as a fun backdrop for roleplaying and don't necessarily stick to lore too strictly. However, when it comes to the appearance/name of your character, try to make it Star Wars-y.

For Force-sensitives: There are some cool lightsaber creators online, like this one for instance.

Roll for Attributes

The core attributes are Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma.

Roll 3d6, and assign them to each attribute in order. If you roll a 14 or higher, the next attribute will be a 7. Continue rolling as normal after that.

Swap Two Attributes

You can swap two attributes around if that creates a better fit with your character concept.

Choose a Class

Choose a class from the list, and make the corresponding starting roll for HP.

Buy Equipment

A new character starts with 1000 credits, to spend on Equipment. Don't forget to buy ammo!

Fleshing It Out

Put the art, name, and class together in a Characters-page. Link the right class through the Abilities tab. Add any starting purchases through the Inventory.

Furthermore, think about the following (and note it in the Character tab):

• Why did you come to the West Sector?
• Mark one other player character, and describe how you know each other (do discuss this with said player beforehand)
• Describe a past failure in your life, and how this affects you today
• Describe a happy memory
• Describe what people might first notice about you when they first meet you

Quirks

Roll twice on the Quirk table and note the results on your character page. Reroll if the second quirk has the same roll as the first. Feel free to roll or choose from the Flavour Quirk table.

Finishing Up

Once that's all done, check with the DM to get your character into Roll20.

Enemies don’t make tests, a character must avoid their attacks by making a test, the only time an enemy would roll is for damage.

A Note On Modifiers

Keep in mind that Tests require you to roll under a stat, and that modifiers are applied to your diceroll.

If a rule tells you to make a roll at -2, you insert the '-2' modifier in Roll20. A negative modifier is good.

If a rule tells you to make a roll at +2 to an attack roll (for example), you insert the '+2' modifier in Roll 20. This is a debuff - positive modifiers decrease your chance to hit.

Making Tests

Rolling on or above indicates things went poorly or that the Action did not go as planned. The GM will then narrate the outcome of the failed Action describing how the Characters are affected. A GM never rolls dice to resolve NPC or Monster Actions, or negative elements of the environment such as traps - if they involve a Character, that Player will roll. Otherwise, the GM will make a swift and fair judgment call that moves the story forward and abides by the logic of the unfolding fiction, taking note if need be. 

• STR is used for physical feats, defending in melee and making melee attacks
• DEX is for swiftness, agility, hand-eye coordination, reflexes. Used for dodging and making ranged attacks.
• CON is for resilience and physical well-being.
• WIS is for cunning, perception, and intuition.
• INT is for knowledge, judgment, and technical abilities.
• CHA is for influence and the power of personality.

Advantage & Disadvantage

A GM may decide that an Action or outcome isn’t straightforward; perhaps something is more or less likely to happen - perhaps having a greater or lesser effect - this is called having an Advantage or a Disadvantage. Advantage and Disadvantage means when a roll is being made, it should be made twice as follows:

• With Advantage the Player chooses which result to use.
• Disadvantage means the GM chooses the result to use.
  

Usage Dice

A lot of systems use Usage Dice. If you roll a 1 or 2, the dice size 'decreases' one tier. The tiers are D20 > D12 > D10 > D8 > D6 > D4. When you roll a 1 or 2 on a d4, the dice is depleted.

Distances

Distances are defined in abstract tiers, though sometimes, we might measure distance on the virtual tabletop.

• Close (~5ft)
• Nearby (Up to ~30ft)
• Faraway (Up to ~60 ft)
• Distant (Beyond 60 ft)

During their turn, Creatures may normally Move somewhere Nearby. If a Creature is Nearby to something and decides to Move towards it, they’re now Close to it. Moving shifts you one step along the range band, either closer to or further away from a Creature, object, or location.

Rest

Once per day (or mission), when characters rest for about an hour, they may roll their HD and regain that many HP.

Returning to home base means that characters will get proper rest and heal back to full health. The only exception to this is serious injuries, which will need to be healed by the station's medic.

Using Your Background

Once per session, a Player may tell the DM that their Character is using their Background to aid them in making an Attribute Test. The Player should give a convincing narrative explanation as to how their Character’s Background relates to the current Action, and provide some kind of useful exposition about the Character’s story. If the DM agrees - the Player may roll that Attribute Test with Advantage.

Continue to 2. Combat

For combat in space, see 8. Starships. For the tools of combat, see 6. Weapons. For lightsaber-related combat, see 7. Lightsabers

Every Character, NPC, or Monster has something called a Hit Die (HD), accompanied by a number.

This number represents their Level - for example a Level 6 Reek has 6HD and a Character that has 3HD would be Level 3. This difference in level can effect combat: See Powerful Foes.

HD also indicate how many dice to roll to determine the number of Hit Points or HP a Creature begins the game with.

• NPCs and Monsters roll d8s for HP.
• Characters roll the dice given in their Character class for HP.

Hit Points are used to track how much damage something can take through physical and spiritual wear and tear.

When a GM or Player first rolls to determine a Creature’s starting Hit Points, this is the maximum they can ever have. No amount of healing, spells, or effects can take them beyond this amount. The only way for a Creature to increase their max HP is to gain a Level - when they do, a single Hit Die is rolled and the result is added to their maximum HP.

Status Effects

Certain abilities, magical effects and consequences of Actions will leave Creatures hindered until a successful Attribute Test of the DM’s choosing is made, sometimes needing an Action to complete. 

Each of these effects should Finish at the end of the affected characters' next turn unless stated otherwise.

• Stuck - You can't move, otherwise, you act as normal.
  
• Paralyzed - You cannot move or take any actions.
• Weakened - All ability checks are taken with Disadvantage.
• Stunned - All ability checks are taken with Disadvantage and you cannot move.
• Vulnerable - All damage taken is rolled with Disadvantage.
• Ongoing Damage - The creature takes damage equal to its Level (HD) at the start of its turn, an Ability Test (DM will determine which) should be made to see if the damage continues next turn.

Initiative

When combat breaks out, everyone must be sorted into an order so they each get to act and react in turn.

Every character tests their DEX, those that succeed take their turn before their opponents and they must then act as a group, deciding their own order for actions. Those that fail their DEX tests, go after their opponents. 

The initiative is re-rolled every turn.

During their turn, a creature may Move and take an Action.

Moving in Combat

During their Turn, Creatures may normally Move somewhere Nearby. If a Creature is Nearby to something and decides to Move towards it, they’re now Close to it.

If you also use your Action for movement, you may move to a place Faraway. Describe where you want to go and how you want to get there - the DM might call for a Test.

Attacking & Defending

As an Action a Character might choose to deal damage to an opponent with an Attack. Their Player must succeed at an Attribute Test before they can roll their Attack Damage dice and subtract the result from their opponent’s HP.

Likewise, something will surely attempt to inflict damage in return and reduce a Character’s HP. To Defend and avoid this damage the Character must succeed at an Attribute Test. The GM will determine what test to use for both Attacking and Defending using the guidelines below:

• Melee - STR Attribute Tests for Attacking and Defending with daggers, vibro-axes etc.
• Ranged - DEX Attribute Tests for Attacking and Defending with blasters and thrown weapons.

West Sector features a wide array of equipment, some of which might allow you to use DEX for melee attacks, for instance.

Cover

Any Creature at least partially obscured by a solid object (a supply crate, pillar or something similar) has cover. Player Characters Defend with Advantage when in cover, and make Ranged Attacks with Disadvantage against opponents in cover.

Powerful Foes

If an opponent’s HD is higher than the Character’s, the Player should add the difference between the two HD values to the d20 when making any Attribute Tests to Attack, Defend, influence, or otherwise interfere with their opponent. The DM will inform you of this.

Example: A level 2 character attacking a HD 5 enemy adds +3 to his d20 roll.

Enemies with a higher level than the strongest party member will be marked with this token.

Critical Hits & Misses

When the result of a d20 roll to Attack is a natural 1 or a roll to Defend is a natural 20, the damage dealt to the Creature is doubled.

Out of Action

When a character reaches 0 HP, they are knocked unconscious and are Out of Action. They can no longer Move or take Actions.

When they receive aid (from anyone making an INT Test on them), or the danger has passed, roll a D6 + the number of times they have been OofA (before this one) during this mission.

1. They are just knocked out. They come to with 1d4 HP.
2. Dazed and confused. Disadvantage on all tests for the next half hour. They come to with 1d4 HP.
3. Cracked Bones. Disadvantage on all STR, DEX and CON Tests for the remainder of the mission. They come to with 1d4 HP.
4. Disfigured. CHA reduced by 1D4. They come to with 1d4 HP.
5. Badly maimed. They are missing a limb, though it isn't bleeding too badly. They come to with 1d4 HP.
6. Dead. The character dies.

Continue to 3. Experience & Gaining Levels