From: sjs28257@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Steve Stelter)
Subject: Re: SWRPG
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1992 01:11:11 GMT

barmiyan@wam.umd.edu (Amy Rebecca Ewing) writes:

>The second edition of the RPG is supposed to be out. Has anyone seen it,
>and if so, how is it? What are the major rules changes, etc?

The basic mechanics of the game have stayed essentially the same, but
2nd edition makes a few minor changes here and there.  I don't really
consider 2nd edition an improvement, though, nor do I consider it
worth the $25 I coughed up for it.  IMHO, you'd be better off with
the 1st edition rules plus the Rules Companion.

A few neat changes to character creation, though: all characters are
now designated either Force-sensitive or not, something the player
decides upon when he creates the character.  Force-sensitivity is
required for that character to be able to learn Force skills, and such
characters also start with an extra Force point.  However, Force-
sensitive characters earn a Dark Side point whenever they do something
evil--regardless of whether they spent a Force points to do it, and
regardless of whether they have any Force skills.  Characters who have
Force skills have even more restrictive codes of conduct.

Another welcome change is the ability of characters to spend character
points (that is, skill points) to give minor modifications to their
rolls--sort of like Possibilities in Torg or Brownie Points in Ghost-
busters.  Very useful: a character can improve his skill or attribute
rolls without having to spend a Force point, and without having to
worry about whether the situation is dramatically appropriate.

The rules for vehicles, movement, and starships have changed somewhat
as well--for the better, I think.

Unfortuantely, that's about all the good I can say about the book.
There's no index, which is especially bad because vital information is 
scattered throughout the book, seemingly at random.  The front cover
oughta have a "Some Assembly Required" warning.  :)  I didn't find it
nearly as user-friendly as 1st edition.  1st edition also broke up the
text nicely with photos and stills from the movies; 2nd edition has
cheesy black-and-white ink drawings.

Overall, I'd advise you to stick with 1st edition; it's a better read
and is more easily absorbed by beginning RPGers.  If you really feel
the need to get the 2nd edition rulebook, at least split the cost with
a friend or three.  I didn't think 2nd edition was *bad*...just not
an *improvement*.

>One of the things I'd like to see changed is the "hit points" system, or
>lack thereof. Firing and hitting with weapons is fine, but the damage
>system is sort of vague IMHO. Did they alter this? And if not, has anyone
>come up with a better way of doing damage totals that you could tell me
>about?

The damage rules are mostly the same, but not quite.  Whereas 1st edition
damage was calculated based on multiples (1x Strength roll = Wound, 2x
Strength roll = Incapacitated, etc.), 2nd edition bases damage on the
amount by which the damage roll exceeds the Strength roll (if the damage
roll is 4 to 8 points higher than the Strength roll, it's a Wound, and so
forth).  There are also some really simplistic hit location rules that,
IMHO, you shouldn't bother with; fortunately, it's an optional system.
Stormtrooper armor now offers +1D protection against blasters but +2D
protection against physical attacks, which is nice.

However, the system still fails the Steve Stelter Star Wars Damage System
Movie Simulation Test, which goes as follows: On the average, will a hit
from a blaster pistol down a stormtrooper, as it does in the films?  Sadly,
the answer is no; a stun or wound is the more likely result.  Our gaming
group's GM designed his own SW damage system that (in our humble opinion,
anyway) does a better job of simulating damage the way the films do, and
I'll gladly post it if enough people are interested.

>Also, is the rulebook the only thing to have a second edition, or are all
>the sourcebooks updated too?

I would guess that from now on, all SW material from WEG will use the
2nd edition rules.  This won't mess things up too much, though, since
the mechanics are largely the same.  For this reason, they probably
won't bother upgrading the sourcebooks and Galaxy Guides that are already
out.


                               --Steve Stelter
                                 sjs28257@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu