Backgrounds

Every hero has to come from somewhere. Heroes don't all begin as Rebel agents, adventuring smugglers, or daring explorers. For most players,a simple history for their heroes will suffice, but other players might want to choose details in their characters' pasts that will help shape their futures. After all, the heroes are more than just members of a particular species or the sum of their training; they have defining elements in their histories that molded them into what they will become.

The background system presented here is an alternative to the Destiny system described in the Saga Edition core rulebook. The background system allows you to focus on a hero's origins rather than on an uncertain future. Gamemasters can use either the background system or the Destiny system, giving players a choice of selecting a background or selecting a Destiny. It is not recommended to use both systems together because adding another layer to the characters will affect hero complexity and party balance. To use the background system, each player chooses a single background from the event category, the occupation category, or the planet of origin category. Each category has its own rules giving special access to skills, languages, equipment, or other traits that help define who the character is and what shaped her into a hero. A character receives the benefits of the chosen background at first level, and those benefits stay with the character for life. For details on the benefits gained from each background, see the individual descriptions below.

Events

When you choose an event background, you decide that your hero has a single, defining event in his past that put him on the path to becoming a hero. This event fundamentally shaped your character's life.It was the moment at which he took his first steps toward becoming something more than ordinary, and it continues to shape the way your hero's adventuring career develops. When you select an event background, add one of the relevant skills listed at the end of that entry to your character's class skill list, regardless of starting class.This skill represents something your character learned to do as a result of the event. Additionally, when you select an event background, your character gains a small enhancement.

Sample Events

Event	DESCRIPTION	EXAMPLES
Bankrupt	You lost all or nearly all your credits and material possessions.	As a result of being nearly impoverished, you can use the Survival skill to sustain yourself in urban or civilized environments.
Conspiracy	You witnessed an attempt to cover up an incredible secret and had to abandon your life for fear that the conspirators would try to silence you.	As a result of trying to avoid the conspirators for so long, you have learned to spot the signs of a conspiracy.
Crippled	You were crippled or seriously wounded in some way, but you have overcome the effects of that injury to become a hero.	The event that left you wounded was a major catalyst for your transformation into a hero, and it has had lasting physical repercussions.
Disgraced	Once you were respected, possibly even in a position of authority, but you were disgraced and lost the standing you had worked so hard to achieve.	As a result of being disgraced, you have learned to hide your true identity from others.
Enslaved	At some point in your past,you lost your freedom and became a slave.	As a result of your slavery, you refuse to submit to such a state again, and you resist all attempts to seize you.
Exiled	You were exiled from your home planet and cannot return.	The event set you adrift in the galaxy and left you disconnected from everything you once knew.

Occupations

When you choose an occupation background, you select an element of your character's history that defines her skills and abilities. Most heroes in the Rebellion era had some kind of job or career before they joined the fight against the Empire. When you select an occupation background, add one of the relevant skills listed at the end of that entry to your class skill list, regardless of your starting class. Your chosen skill represents something your character learned to do as a result of her occupation. Additionally, you gain a +2 competence bonus to untrained skill checks with the skills in your occupation's list of relevant skills.  

Sample Occupations

Event	DESCRIPTION	EXAMPLES	Relevant Skills
Academic	You were once involved in an academic field, dedicating yourself to the pursuit of knowledge.	You might have been a teacher or an instructor in a university on a Core World.	Knowledge (any one skill), Persuasion, Use Computer
Celebrity	You were a celebrity of some kind, and your name was known throughout several worlds or sectors, or possibly even the entire galaxy.	You are the son or daughter of a wealthy noble family, constantly in the public eye.	Deception, Gather Information, Persuasion
Criminal	You come from a criminal background and spent your early years in and out of penitentiaries across the galaxy.	You were a thief who specialized in corporate espionage.	Deception, Gather Information, Stealth
Executive	You once had a position of influence and authority in a company or corporation.	You were a rising star at an organization in the Corporate Sector, or maybe you were an important engineer at Sienar Fleet Systems.	Initiative, Persuasion, Use Computer
Labor	You toiled for years doing manual work.	You were an assembly line worker in a droid factory,overseeing the automated manufacturing machines, or maybe you were a mechanic in an Imperial bureaucrat's vehicle pool.	Climb, Endurance, Jump
Law Enforcement	You used to work for a significant law enforcement agency and spent years apprehending criminals.	You were a member of CorSec and served as an investigator, or maybe you trained with the Sector Rangers.	Acrobatics, Gather Information, Knowledge (bureaucracy)
Medical	You come from a medical background and have learned the art of repairing the bodies of the sick and wounded.	You were a doctor in a Core World medical facility, or you served as a medic on an emergency response team.	Knowledge (life sciences), Treat Injury, Use Computer
Military	You have experience in the military and spent time in the disciplined world of professional soldiers.	You were a rank-and-file member of the Imperial Army,or you belonged to one of the many paramilitary or mercenary groups in the galaxy.	Endurance, Ride, Treat Injury
Pilot	You were a commercial or corporate pilot, using your skill at handling vehicles in the service of your employer.	You flew the personal shuttle of an important Imperial bureaucrat, or maybe you operated a cargo transport business that was bankrupted by pirate raids.	Knowledge (galactic lore), Mechanics, Use Computer
Politics	You come from a political background and have learned the art of diplomacy, negotiation, and maneuvering.	You were a diplomat attached to the Imperial Senate or an aide to a Senator.	Deception, Gather Information, Persuasion
Technology	You have a strong background in technology; either you studied how to operate or repair it, or you researched new technological advancements.	You were a sensor operator aboard a planetary defense station,or maybe you were an antislicer systems expert for a large galactic corporation.	Knowledge (technology), Mechanics, Use Computer