Character Templates
The links on the main branch page link to sample templates that contain the Attribute codes, lists of Skills (to increase at character creation or to keep as a wish list for later) and equipment suggested for that profession. Sample backgrounds are also given. Experienced Players may wish to customize their own Attribute codes and Skills to fit their character's unique background.
Note: Not listing a Skill under an Attribute does not mean the Character does not know that Skill. Any Skill can be attempted using the die code of the Skill's base Attribute.
Character Approvals
There are some standard SWC rules that must be observed. First, do not invent a new alien species in your submission. This branch does not approve new alien races, as there is West End Game material for dozens of species. Second, try not to propose any sweeping changes to the Star Wars universe. Examples include having your Character be a former Emperor's Hand, or inventing a completely new order of Jedi. Third, do not invent new ships or equipment. Use WEG published equipment, and verify any unusual items with the Gamemaster. Finally, when making a Character submission, type or paste your character sheet with game statistics, description, background, personality, objectives, a quote, and equipment into an e-mail as html for easy showing of errors, and send it to the Branch Gamemaster (no attached files, please).
The general procedure for creating a Character is as follows. First, the Player makes a background and template for submission to the Branch Gamemaster. Special care should be taken to develop a realistic, interesting background. The Branch Gamemaster will read the background, and discuss any changes that need to be made. Once the Branch GM agrees with the Player on the template and background, he will issue bonus Skill dice at his discretion based on originality, interesting situations, applicability to future adventures, etc. The better the background, the more dice will be assigned.
Each Character has six Attributes:
Dexterity - Your Character's eye-hand coordination and agility.
Knowledge - Your Character's knowledge of the galaxy.
Mechanical - Your Character's "mechanical aptitude," or ability to pilot vehicles, starships and the like.
Perception - Your Character's power of observation, and ability to convince others to do things for him.
Strength - Your Character's physical strength, health, and ability to resist damage.
Technical - Your Character's "technical aptitude," or ability to fix, repair and modify all kinds of technology, including starships, droids, and vehicles.
Each Attribute has a die code. An average die code would be 2D (pronounced "two dee"). That means the GM would roll two six-sided dice for you whenever the Attribute is used. If there is a +1 or +2 after the "D," that number would be added to the total rolled. The extra +1 or +2 after the "D" are called pips.
Skills are things your Character learns through training and they can get better over time. 4D in a Skill represents a professional level of training. 8D in a Skill is usually the best on a given planet (one in a billion). A Skill is listed under a particular Attribute; each skill begins with the same die code as its Attribute.
You are given a total of seven dice (7D) to spend on Skills. You can add one or two dice to a Skill, raising the Skill's die code by 1D for each of the "D" you spend. You can't improve every Skill, just a few that you think will be important.
Example: Let's say you want your Rogue to be the best freighter pilot he can be. Looking at the template, you would see Space Transports listed under the Mechanical Attribute. We'll use a Mechanical Attribute of 3D+2 as an example. Since you can only add a maximum of 2D, you add the 2D to your Space Transports Skill (3D+2 due to Mechanical, plus 2D equals 5D+2). You would have 5D left over to spend on other Skills.
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Space Transports 5D+2Optional Specialization: You may spend one of your seven "D" to buy 3D in Specialization Skills (such as Heavy Blaster Pistol, as opposed to Blaster; YT-1300 Transport as opposed to Space Transport, etc.). In effect this gives you three dice to spend instead of one, but the die spent would only be added to the Specialized Skill, using the original Skill as the starting amount.
Example: Let's say you want the same character to specialize in piloting the Corellian YT-1300 Light Freighter. Using the above example, add the 1D to your Space Transports Skill to find your YT-1300 skill. You still have a 5D+2 Space Transports but now have a 6D+2 YT-1300 Specialized Skill, now treated an entirely new Skill but since it's a specialization the cost to increase it in the future is halved. It is recorded as follows:
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Space Transports 5D+2
(S) Space Transports: YT-1300 Light Freighter 6D+2Character Points: Your Character begins the game with five Character Points. You may spend one Character Point to add 1D to an action in the game. You must say you want to spend the Character Point on the board before the GM tells you your success. You will gain Character Points thoughout your adventures, either spending them on bonuses to your dice rolls or to permanently increase Skills, Attributes and Movement through training between adventures.
Force Points: Your Character starts with one Force Point; two if Force Sensitive. When you spend a Force Point, you double the number of dice you would roll that round for an action. You must post that you are using a Force Point before the GM rolls any dice. Spent Force Points will return to to your Character at the end of an adventure provided it was used in a heroic manner. New Force Points can be gained by spending Force Points heroically at a dramatically appropriate time.
Movement: This is how fast (in meters) a Character moves in a 5-second round. The standard for most races is 10. Make sure that, if there are two numbers separated by a slash (such as "10/12"), you use the first number listed; the second is the maximum allowable value.
Creating a Force-user
Force-users have specific rules for creation. This page is devoted to just that. Check it out if you intend on playing one, or are contemplating it.
Information for Character Approval:
- Only the Senior and Branch Gamemasters shall approve Characters.
- All Characters shall have the following information included in their templates: Stats, background, personality, objectives, physical description, homeworld, height in meters, weight in kilograms.
- The initial Skill dice can not be broken down into pips.
- Only 1D of the initial Skill dice can be used to gain specialized Skills.
- Deep relations with any SW Characters from the Lucasfilm sources, the novels or the comics are not allowed.
- No Characters can have names that are the same or similar to Characters already named in the Lucasfilm sources, the novels or the comics.
- No one can be the pilot of the Y-wing flying back after the first Death Star was destroyed (don't place yourself in the center of a major movie, novel or computer game situation).
- After the initial approval, bonus Skill dice can then be assigned based on the quality and uniqueness of the Character's background. However, these bonus background dice are limited to 25D, which requires the correct layout, perfect grammar, creative and detailed backgrounds, appropriate skill distribution, and other things.
- Like the initial Skill dice, the bonus background dice cannot be broken down into pips.
- No more than 3D of bonus background dice can be placed on a single Skill or existing Specialization (this is not counting the +1D or +2D starting Skill dice that may have already been assigned).
- No bonus background dice can be used to gain new specialized Skills.
- Bonus background dice are applied AFTER the Character allocates the original 7D. Basically, the Character has to be created first THEN bonus dice added, if any.