You'll be playing a character — a person who lives in the Star Wars universe. While playing, you pretend to be that character.
There is no board to move tokens around on. Instead, one person will be the gamemaster (GM). The GM acts as storyteller and referee, describing each scene to you and the other players by posting on a message board (also called a forum). Now, imagine how your character would react to the situation. Then, tell the GM what your character is going to do.
When you describe what your character does, the GM will roll dice when needed, and tell you what happens as a result or how well you did with respect to your character's Attributes and Skills.
In a way, you, the other players, and the GM are creating your own Star Wars movie with your characters as the stars!
Winning. There are no winners or losers. Having fun is what counts (actually, surviving is winning for the most part).
Cooperate. In a roleplaying group, you will have to work together if you are to stand any chance of succeeding in your adventures.
Be True to the Movies. Remember, you're playing Star Wars! Be heroes. Use snappy one-liners. And above all else, have fun!
Become Your Character. Don't be afraid to ham it up a little! Think of your character when posting and use his mannerisms when you describe his movements and actions.
Use Your Imagination. Your character can do whatever you can imagine someone in that situation doing. If you can imagine it in the real world (or the Star Wars universe), it can happen in the game!
Keep Things Moving. Don't worry about the rules. Simply post what you want your character to do for the GM, and he'll tell you what happens. If the GM is missing for a few days, interact with the other characters until the adventure picks up again.
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.
Skills are things your character learns and they can get better over time. 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 Smuggler to be the best spaceship pilot he can be. Looking at the template, you would see Space Transports listed under the Mechanical Attribute. Your Mechanical Attribute on this template is 3D+2, so 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.
Optional Specialization: You may spend your final "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: You want to specialize in the YT-1300 Transport. 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, recorded as follows:
Mechanical 3D+2
Astrogation
Repulsorlift Operation
Space Transports 5D+2
(S) YT-1300 6D+2
Starship Gunnery
Starship Shields
Combat is broken down into rounds; each round is about five seconds of game time. You may perform one action per round at full die codes. Each additional action subtracts 1D from all rolls that round (For example, if you want to do four things, you loose 3D from any action attempted).
Your character begins the game with five Character Points. You may spend one Character Point to add 1D to an action. 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 though out your adventures, either spending them on dice rolls or to increase Skills, Attributes and Movement.
Limits on spending Character Points: Two to improve a Skill or Attribute roll; two to increase the damage of an attack; five to improve a Specialized Skill roll; five on reaction skills (dodge, melee parry, brawling parry, or pilot skill when dodging in a vehicle); or five to increase a Strength roll to resist damage.
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. Character Points and Force Points cannot be spent in the same round.
Movement: This is how fast (in meters) a character moves in a round. Average is 10.
There is additional information at the following SWC websites:
Star Wars is a Trademark and Copyright of Lucasfilm, Ltd. (LFL)