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Jun 23, 2011 -- 9:07AM, Krusk wrote:

I wouldn't even make lightsabers paticularly good in comparison to other weapons. Maybe a superior weapon that force users are automatically proficent in. Then have class abilities like "Use your lightsaber to redirect blaster fire" instead of making that a property of the weapon.

I think that these should be immediate interrupt utilities, or daily stances that allow you to do yada yada.  At low levels you wouldn't be too good at it, and thus you can't bat as many shots back.  Then later you can take more utilities to be better at it.

Also, to OP, I was thinking of doing something like this myself.  Good to see someone else has started it.

Jul 3, 2011 -- 4:30AM, Phantymwolf wrote:

Edited addition - I apologize for the length of this post, but I've done a lot of thinking recently on this conversion and how to do things to give the game a SW feel rather than a D&D with an SW skin feel.  

Yep, I absolutely realize what I am getting myself into. I've already built a homebrew D&D setting, that started way back in 2e and never finished it until just recently for 4e (due to system changes. I'd get close and then, bam, new edition. 4e was the first system that made things really easy to make), with several new classes, paragon paths, and epic destinies as well as over 150 new feats that are specific to my setting (divided by region, race, and the like). No, none of them have been posted here due to my desire to keep things close to the vest in case WotC ever does one of those contests that got Eberron published.

Also keep in mind that I am only doing 20 levels, as I feel that Star Wars characters, even at their most powerful such as the Emperor or Yoda, or even Naga Sadow or Bastilla Shan were only ever at the peak of Paragon tier, but definetly not epic. Yoda as powerful as he was would not be able to challenge a god in his home domain if gods existed in SW, and that is what epic tier in D&D is all about, challenging gods and their minions.      

Anyway, I have full access to a ton of EU information, and though your suggestion of checking out the SWTOR site is a good one, I think that they are being far too restrictive on some things, like the fact that you are literally stuck with specific types of weapons based on your class. Jedi Guardians for example, can only use a single-bladed lightsaber, or two single-bladed lightsaber, based on their advanced class, but can never use a double-bladed saber, or even pull a sudden trick out of their hat and shoot a blaster. 

As an aside, that's the only thing that makes me hesitate about that game (and I've been watching it since it was announced years ago), is obvious lack of character customization, definition and flavor. I'm afraid it's going to be worse than WoW when it comes to end game and everyone looking the exact same, especially since they've already stated that they won't have appearance slots like so many other MMOs (EQ2, LotRO for example) have. I'll still buy it and play it to see and judge for myself, but with heavy reservations. 

Anyway, back from my derailing of my own thread there briefly, I have been talking to some of my friends who are very familiar with Star Wars, looking through various books and online resources (Wookieepedia rocks btw) and even been perusing through my FLGS' collection of old WEG SW books (he's asking quite a bit for them or I'd buy them). One of my friends is trying to borrow some SAGA books from a friend of his so I can reference them for feats, force powers and talents to convert into feats and powers. Was even looking at an old Star Wars Galaxies guide for ideas. 

At this point I know that I will have the SAGA classes in terms of Soldier, Scout, Noble, and Scoundrel. They've been staples of the game since the first d20 version of SW came out. I may add a Techie and a Medic class as well, just not 100% sure yet. I will have Jedi Guardian (Defender), Jedi Sentinel (Striker), Jedi Consular (Leader), and Jedi Sage (Controller). I may make builds that deviate from those roles though, as I do like the Essentials idea that a single class can cover multiple roles through different builds, despite my disliking of Essentials in general, there are some good ideas here and there. 

For the other force traditions like the Jensaari or the Baran Do Sages, I will be making several generic force using classes like Force Warrior, Force Adept, Force Sorcerer and the like. The classes will be fairly bare with a single power per level. In order to build one of those classes you will have to tack on what will amount to an extended theme (one for each tradition) that will add more powers to each level to choose from that will be available to that tradition only. 

Also as I already stated in one of my posts above, I will be making several universal powers that any force user can take at any given level, that will level with the character, so no matter when he takes it, it will still be relevant and useful. Alot of those will be the base powers that most force users seem to display, such as the general telekinetic powers, and the mind powers. 

I may even do the same with some of the powers for the non-force users. I would think that there are some techniques and such that are basic to the training of using certain weapons.  For example, to pull something from D&D - Cleave, the fighter At-Will exploit. It's basically swinging your weapon in a swath in front of you. To me it seems that a warlord, rogue, or a ranger could do that just as easily, so why don't they have access to it without taking a multi-class and a power swap feat? That's one of those powers that could be a universal power and be available to any martial class.

So more to the point for SW - you could take something like Pistol Whip as a power for anyone who has the Martial (to be renamed, something like Tech or the like, but it's any class that is not a force user) power source that is trained in the use of blaster pistols. It's just one of thso epowers that universally could be trained to anyone that has trained extensively with a blaster pistol. 

And no that isn't set in stone as a power, it was just an example to show what I am trying to come up with for the system. Thoughts?  

I had the thought that for all the jensaari and all that other stuff, you could just put them as themes / backgrounds.  each one offers some static opening power, then at such n such level, can trade them out in place of something else, ala how 4e does it.

Feb 5, 2013 -- 10:45AM, nerraDetroK wrote:

Is anyone still working on this?  If so, I'd love to pitch in, and I have some additional ideas that may make conversion easier.

I'd restrict it to levels 1-20, that should be plenty. 

Convert a few races to the major races in Star Wars, and then use DM-Player collaboration for some of the more out there racial selections. 

Here's some somewhat different ideas about class availability and ability selection:
your class gives you a +2 ability score bonus to whatever it's primary modifier is.  Race gives another +2 bonus, out of a choice of 3 stats, but you can't double-up on main attritbute.

I wouldn't worry about Power Source too much, since many classes and roles would cross-over. 
You'd have 3 classifications of Armor:  Cloth/Robe, Light Armor and Heavy Armor. 
All Force users would pick powers from across a wide range.  You'd have weapon attacks (lightsaber or blaster) and "implement" attacks which woudl be the general Force powers. Most force powers would be restricted by Heavy Armors.
Damage die is determined by your class, not by the power. 
Role doesn't translate as well across, but we can try.

For example, a Jedi Guardian (Defender) uses d10 for Lightsaber attacks, d6 for Force attacks (for when out of armor).
A Consular (Leader, really just mixed-melee and range) would have light or no armor, and use d8 for weapon attacks and d8 for force attacks.
The Sage would have no armor (Ranged leader/controller?), use d8 for force attacks, d6 for weapon attacks.
The Sentinel (Striker) would use d10 for weapon attacks (even using 2 weapons) and then d6 for Force attacks. 
The Consular would possibly fit the role of ranged striker too.

You'd have a wide array of powers, arranged not by class, but by primary attribute.  It may promote Multiple Attribute Dependency, but there still could be a selection of powers that use Your Highest Attribute instead. 

As for Healing- I'd like to steal liberally from the Artificer class and its Healing Infusions.  Replace Helaing Infusion for Stims/Bacta patch and you're golden.  Force users canalso heal using the midichlorians found in everyone.  Force users may provide more healing, but provide fewer leader type bonuses.  Or not, haven't worked that out yet.

As for items:  I'd take a page out of the KotOR games (even though it was based on 3.5) and have Lightsabers have 3 slots for upgrades, 2 of which have always on properties and 1 that gives an Encounter/Daily Item power.  Armors could have 2 slots, one is a Property, the other is an Encounter/Daily Item Power. 
The number of Item slots would be Weapon(s), Armor, Head, Waist, Shield (replacing Neck), Arms, Feet and Implant. 

That's just a quick rundown of ideas I have for this.  I'd love to work on some class design with people if they're interested.
I'm considering asking one of my current games if they'd like to help design and playtest.

Great idea with the artificier thing although for force users, I didn't get what you wanna do power-wise. Is it a huge power pool from which force-users can pick from and the damage changes from class to class? If so, I'd just suggest creating different powers for each class just because fighting styles vary alot from say Jedi Knight and Jedi Consular.