Saga Edition FAQ

This section compiles discussions between Rodney Thompson and users of the wizards forum about rulings in Saga Edition. They were compiled by RavingDork, who was not affiliated with WotC, and this section should be read with that in mind.

Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Web Enhancements

See also: Jedi Counseling

By Rodney Thompson and RavingDork

Q1: If a game designer posts on these forums, should his word be taken as official errata?

A: For the record, a clarification from a designer/developer/editor doesn't have to be "Official"- i.e. published- to tell you the correct interpretation of an ambiguous statement.

The point of a publication is to communicate specific information; thus, if someone is officially tasked (i.e. contracted) with creating a publication, they're technically still performing that task if they have to clarify an ambiguous bit of that communication. If this were not the case and it was not part of the same contracted job, then that would imply that Rodney would have to pay me for billable hours just to answer his personal questions about what a rule is supposed to mean! (Sure, I could use the money, but still...)

To be clear, it's not the same as errata, where the actual text is changing and thus must be done in an official context (mostly because it's a licensed product, and Lucas Licensing has contractual approval over anything published under that license).

Yes, published clarifications are nice because they're visible to more readers and codified for future reference, and if you have a conflict between two clarifications the published one would be "Official" and take precedence, but a clarification's publication or lack thereof doesn't change its relevance or veracity. (And, yes, a clarification can be incorrect, but until you have a particular reason to believe this to be true- such as conflicting clarifications from different authors- you have no reason not to take it at face value.)

Official Optional Rules

The following are official inclusions to the Saga Edition system, seperate from official clarifications and errata.

• Rapid Assault Feat (E2)
• Maiming Foes (E18)
• Mechanics Untrained (E20)
• Sniper Blaster Rifle (E27; rendered redundant by Scum and Villainy)
• Subrepeating Blaster (E27; rendered redundant by Scum and Villainy)

Abilities

Q2: If I increase my Intelligence score high enough, do I get extra Trained Skills and Languages? What about Wisdom and Force Powers? Constitution and bonus Hit Points? What about class Starting Feats and their prerequisites, would I get those if I later met the prerequisites?

A: Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Saga is very retroactive friendly.

Species

Q3: If a Trandoshan (or similar creature with Limb Regeneration) lost multiple limbs, would they all grow back in 1d10 days? Or would it take longer? Would I roll 1d10 for each limb or 1d10 for all limbs?

A: All limbs grow back in the normal time frame for that creature assuming the creature in question did not perish from his grievous injuries (for Trandoshans, all limbs would grow back in just 1d10 days). You can roll a single 1d10 for all the severed limbs if they were all lost during the same day.

Q4: Do Wookiees get any extra benefit from the Force Trance option of the Use the Force skill when used in conjunction with the Improved Force Trance Force Technique?

A: It would appear not.

Q5: If a Wookiee has Weapon Focus (Rifles), does he also apply the +1 bonus to Bowcasters due to his Weapon Familiarity racial trait? What about Gungans with their Atlatls and Cestas?

A: Weapon Familiarity effectively changes the weapon type in all ways (as far as that particular character is concerned), not just for determining proficiency. For example, a Wookiee with Weapon Focus (Rifles) and Weapon Specialization (Rifles) would get a +1 to hit and +2 to damage with Bowcasters as well as Rifles. A Gungan with the same Feats/Talents invested in Simple Weapons would receive the same bonuses with a Cesta or Atlatl.

Q6: If a racial ability does the same thing as a Talent, does it count as a "Virtual Talent" to qualify for other Talents and such?

A: No it does not become a "Virtual Talent" and does not qualify for other abilities unless specifically named.

Q7: What is the damage dealt by a Yuzzem with the Martial Arts III feat? What comes after d12s?

A: The damage should probably cap at d12. (The benefit being that the Yuzzem get there a Feat earlier than everyone else.)

Q8: What size are the 3 meter tall Thakwaash supposed to be?

A: They are supposed to be Medium (they were originally meant to be Large, but LucasArts overruled that, which is why the current write-up is a bit wonky), though you can play a Large sized version provided your GM allows as a house rule (with all the bonuses and penalties inherent to being Large).

Classes

Q9: Can a non-Force sensitive character Multiclass to take levels in Jedi?

A: Yes.

Q10: Can you play a non-Force sensitive Jedi?

A: Yes. You will have to start as a non-Jedi, however, and then Multiclass into it. Once you take your first level of Jedi, don't pick up the Force Sensitivity feat. This is an ideal choice for such concepts as Darth Vader's Training Droids, an alternate General Grievous, or for Antarian Rangers.

Q11: What are the starting credits for a character above 1st level?

A: As a very loose guideline, your wealth at any given level should be something like this: (Level x (Level -1)) x 2,000 credits*

*Double this for a Noble with the Wealth Talent.

Suggested Starting Credits by Level

LEVEL	STARTING CREDITS	WITH WEALTH		LEVEL	STARTING CREDITS	WITH WEALTH
2	4,000	8,000		12	264,000	528,000
3	12,000	24,000		13	312,000	624,000
4	24,000	48,000		14	364,000	728,000
5	40,000	80,000		15	420,000	840,000
6	60,000	120,000		16	480,000	960,000
7	84,000	168,000		17	544,000	1,088,000
8	112,000	224,000		18	612,000	1,224,000
9	144,000	288,000		19	684,000	1,368,000
10	180,000	360,000		20	760,000	1,520,000
11	220,000	440,000

This basically assumes that roughly 60% of your total income is spent on upkeep, paying rent, buying food, paying taxes, repairing equipment, getting medical care, etc. (This is a much higher rate than in D&D, where you'd only be expected to "Burn" about 10%- but D&D doesn't have an Imperial Revenue Service.)

For example, at 16th level, it should be somewhere around half a million credits.

The reason I say this is a very loose guideline, though, is that at least half of this wealth would tend to be in a non-liquid form (e.g. property, intangibles such as favors and allies, etc.). As a very rough guideline, having someone owe you a favor (i.e. one-time intervention on your behalf, not to exceed one encounter) is worth about 2,000 x CL; having a long-term ally (i.e. someone who will help you out any time they are available) is worth about 40,000 x CL x (% chance that they're available).

Q12: How many Destiny Points and Force Points does a character higher than 1st level start off with?

A: When creating a character higher than 1st level, give it the maximum Force Points for its current level (generally 5 + 1/2 Character Level) and a number of Destiny Points equal to its Character Level divided by 5 (rounded down to a minimum of 1).

Talents

Q13: If I have all three of the Lightsaber Defense Talents along with the Makashi Talent you get a +5 bonus to Reflex Defense, correct. If I then take the Jar'Kai Talent does it double to a +10 bonus?

A: No. Jar'Kai requires you to wield two Lightsabers, and Makashi says you must be wielding a single Lightsaber in one hand. The best you could do would be a +6 from Lightsaber Defense x3 and Jar'Kai.

Q14: If you are a Soldier/Jedi with the Harm's Way and Deflect Talents, can you jump in the way of a blaster shot meant for an ally and then deflect it harmlessly away?

A: Yes.

Q15: Does the Equilibrium Talent reset your Condition Track to the top? Or does it just remove poisons, diseases, and other effects so that you can begin recovering/healing normally?

A: It does both.

Q16: Does using Dark Side Talents such as Dark Presence or Swift Power automatically increase your Dark Side Score by one? These Talents don't mention it, while it is specifically called out by their prerequisite Talent, Power of the Dark Side.

A: Unless it explicitly says so, no.

Q17: The Lightsaber Throw Talent allows you to throw a Lightsaber as a Thrown Weapon with which you are proficient, which deals normal damage. However, Lightsabers a footnote indicating that certain Lightsabers can be Thrown (the same footnote applies to Knives, Spears, and a few others). In Weapon Ranges, Lightsabers are again mentioned as Thrown Weapons . Does this mean that anyone can use a Lightsaber as a Thrown Weapon (the only advantage of Lightsaber Throw being the ability to retrieve it as a Swift Action), and if so, how much damage does it do as a ranged weapon? (For that matter, how much damage does any Thrown weapons do?)

A: It's an Improvised Thrown Weapon unless you have Lightsaber Throw, and a Thrown Weapon if you do have the Talent. Thrown melee weapons do their normal damage.

Q18: Do reroll abilities stack? So a Talent that gives a reroll, and the racial ability that gives a reroll to the same Skill, do I get two rerolls?

A: Yes, they do stack. For example, a Zabrak with the Acute Senses Talent could reroll their Perception check twice taking the last one. Effectively, they would get three Perception checks.

Q19: From the Jedi Consular Talent Tree- Adept Negotiator. Are there any restrictions to the number of times this can be used on a target? We've noted under the Persuasion skill that if you fail at a Persuasion check you cannot test again for 24 hours. Would this also apply to Adept Negotiator? Do they need line of site to attempt it? What happens if they or their allies "Attack" you? Does your Condition move up? Can you attack someone and then still continue to Negotiate?

A: There is no limit to the number of times you can use this on a single target. The target must be able to see, hear, and understand you, so yes you must have line of sight. If one of his buddies attacks you, and then you attack them back, then you can continue to use the Talent, but that would break the "End of the Condition Track" effect.

Q20: If you use the Redirect Shot Talent to send a blaster shot back at the enemy do you apply your level bonus to the damage? Or do you use the bad guy's damage roll?

A: You roll the normal damage for the weapon and apply your level bonus to it.

Q21: What happens to an opponent's weapon when you use the Block ability against it? Does it get damaged or destroyed? What if they made an Unarmed Strike?

A: Unless you specifically attack an opponent's weapon, it does not take damage (such as from Block). Someone using an Unarmed Strike does not take damage from being blocked.

Q22: Sith Dark Healing says it deals/heals 1d6 per Class Level. It's available to both the Sith Apprentice AND the Sith Lord PrC's. So... what? It applies to the class you originally took the Talent for? The higher of the two? Or the two added together?

A: You use the sum of your Sith Apprentice and Sith Lord levels (as well as any other levels that have access to the Talent).

Q23: The Sith Talent Dark Healing requires the Sith to make a ranged attack roll... so can it get a Critical Hit? Be deflected? Redirected?

A: Yes, it can critical and be deflected (it is a ranged attack). No, it cannot be redirected (since it is not a blaster bolt).

Q24: The description for the Stunning Strike Talent says that the target slides an additional step down the Condition Track if your attack roll beats their damage threshold. Is this intentional, or was it supposed to say "if your damage roll...?"

A: It should be damage, not attack.

Q25: How can you tell if a talent is a Force Talent? Certainly, they are not limited to Chapter 6. What about Force Persuasion from the Jedi Consular Talent Tree and others like it? I ask because I have a Jedi who wants to go into Force Adept. Will the Jedi consular/knight/sentinel Talents allow me to meet the prerequisites?

A: If it is not found in Chapter 6: The Force, than it is not a Force Talent. Force Tradition Talents, like the Jensaarai Defender Talent Tree and the Dathomiri Witch Talent Tree, are also Force Talents, like Control, Sense, Alter, and Dark Side.

Q26: Are you considered your own ally in Saga for purposes of Born Leader, Cover Fire, and similar Talents and abilities?

A: No. Such abilities do not have any effect on you unless the ability specifically says so.

Q27: Is it possible for me to take the same Talent twice? What if it is from two separate Talent Trees (such as Notorious under the Bounty Hunter and Crime Lord)?

A: Not unless the Talent specifically says you can. Two Talents with the same name are the same Talent even if they are from different trees. Unless the Talent in question specifically says you can take it twice, you can't.

Q28: The Force Haze Talent says it is broken if an attack is made. Does this include any Force Power or tossing a rock as a distraction?

A: It applies to any harmful or hindering action. Using Mind Trick or Force Lightning would break it, whereas Battle Strike or a rock would not (unless used to make an attack).

Q29: Can one use Deflect and Evasion vs the same Area Attack? If so, does a failed Deflect + a failed Evasion against an Area Attack that hits you result in 1/4 of the original damage?

A: Yes you may use both Deflect and Evasion against an attack. It does not deal 1/4 damage, it negates the remainder altogether.

Q30: When a Soldier uses their Harm's Way ability, do they automatically suffer damage from the attack? Or is the attack compared to their Reflex Defense first?

A: It is compared to their Reflex Defense first.

Q31: Is Dark Healing affected by Damage Reduction 10?

A: Yes. Pretty much everything except Lightsabers is affected by Damage Reduction.

Q32: Does the Force Pilot Talent allow you to pick up the Vehicular Combat Feat even if you don't have training in the Pilot skill? Can you use it to get into the Ace Pilot Prestige Class without the Pilot skill?

A: Yes and yes. For all intents and purposes, you are treated as being Trained in that particular Skill. The RAW disagrees with the above statement, but the Devs disagree with the RAW on this particular matter (they clarified that it simply got lost in translation). The only difference is that whenever you are called to make a Pilot check, you make a Use the Force check instead. If you have abilities that allow you to reroll or Take 10 on Pilot checks, then you may use those abilities when making Use the Force checks as well (but only when substituting for Pilot checks). This also applies to other Talents that allow Skill replacement as well.

Q33: How many times can you take Coordinate? 3 times or 5 times? The wording is ambiguous.

A: 5 times.

Q34: Does Darkvision trump the Total Concealment Talent?

A: If the Talent is in effect due to Low-Light or Darkness (as opposed to fog, smoke, etc.), then Yes.

Q35: How do you handle things like Elusive Target and firing into melee when you are using Autofire and Area Attacks? Do you take the appropriate penalties anyways?

A: Elusive Target specifically says, "Opponents you are attempting to target." Area Attacks target the area, not the opponent, and compare the attack roll to their Reflex Defenses. Elusive Target has no effect against Area Attacks as written.

Q36: Can I use the Lightsaber Forms Talents with other weapons? Unlike other Feats and Talents, a great many of the forms don't specifically say you need a Lightsaber to use them. For example, could I use Djem So to attack someone with my Vibroblade or Blaster Pistol? Could I reroll all of my pistol attacks with Juyo? Can I use Sokan even if I am not wielding a Lightsaber at all (such as if I had been Disarmed)?

A: Lightsaber Forms Talents specifically require a Lightsaber (a Sith Sword can also be used in some cases, such as with any Talent requiring Deflect or Block as a prerequisite, though that particular weapon is an exception to the rule). The Talent Tree specifically says, "Anyone using a Lightsaber..." (to clarify, using means "Wielding"). Feel free to use Sokan while Unarmed (or some other variation of Lightsaber Forms) in your games, but that would be a house rule.

Q37: Can I Block or Deflect an attack that hit me automatically as a result of Destiny Point expenditure?

A: No. An attack that hit automatically due to a Destiny Point can generally only be negated by another Destiny Point (to make the attack miss). However, you could use the Force Fortification Talent to take normal damage instead of critical damage.

Q38: Do Noble Talents that activate on ranged attacks also activate on Area Attacks when they miss (dealing half damage)?

A: Unless an ability that activates on ranged attacks further clarifies that it activates on Area Attacks, assume that it doesn't.

Q39: When precisely do you get the bonus form the Bullseye Talent?

A: The target loses its Dexterity modifier for a single attack. The Talent effectively modifies the benefits gained by the Aim Action.

Q40: The rules are clear in that you can Deflect attacks made from Vehicles of up to Colossal (Frigate) size. However, can you redirect those shots? My reading of the Redirect Shot Talent seems to say that you CAN do it IF the ship in question is firing Blaster Cannons. Things such as Laser Cannons and Turbolasers are simply not mentioned in the Talent's text. Is this interpretation correct?

A: The intent is for you to be able to redirect blasters, lasers, and even turbolasers so long as the weapon does not suffer the -20 penalty vs. targets less than Colossal size. This includes almost all weapons on Vehicles up to Colossal size as well as Point-Defense weapons on larger Vehicles. For example, in Dark Empire, Luke redirects a shot from an AT-AT's Laser Cannons.

Now, to the issue of Splash: This is a bit of nuance that gets lost in the rules, but in the case of energy weapons (such as blaster/laser cannons), the Splash is a completely secondary effect that occurs as a result of surface effects on the target or the ground nearby. In other words, the weapon pumps so much energy into such a small space that a small chunk of the target or ground is vaporized, exploding outward as it expands and producing shrapnel in the process. If the original attack is "Nullified" by using Deflect, the Splash doesn't occur at all around the original target; if the shot is redirected, the new target is subject to Splash.

By the way, the reason Deflect was written where it won't work against (most) Area Attacks is specifically to prevent goofy outcomes, like "Deflecting" a Grenade (which should detonate due to the heat of the blade, sufficient to melt or vaporize almost anything and more than enough to set off an explosive), missile (ditto), or Flamethrower (which has no discrete "Shots" to deflect, being a spray of flaming liquid or gas that is too wide to be blocked by a Lightsaber blade). The same logic is also why it doesn't work against "Oversized" (Capital Ship) weapons. A shot from a Star Destroyer's turbolaser is so wide that the blade can't possibly deflect enough of the shot to be meaningful. So, to sum up the intent:

Deflect can be used against ranged attacks that originate from weapons that are not oversized (i.e. that take a -20 penalty against targets smaller than Colossal size), if

• you are targeted by a non-Area Attack weapon or a weapon eligible for Redirect Shot (blasters, lasers, and turbolasers, when not set to Stun), in which case the attack is completely nullified (including secondary effects such as Splash or Talents triggered when an attack hits, such as a Gunslinger's Debilitating Shot) or
• you are in the area of an Autofire attack (including a Strafe attack), in which case damage is reduced by one-half the original (i.e. half damage on a hit, no damage on a miss).

Redirect Shot can be used immediately after successfully using Deflect against a ranged attack, if

• the attack was made by a blaster, laser, or turbolaser that was not set to Stun, and
• you have not attempted to use Redirect Shot since the beginning of your last turn.

If successful, make a ranged attack against a target within Point-Blank Range, resolving the effects as if you made a single attack with the weapon that you deflected.

• Apply modifiers based on your Feats, Talents, and so forth, not those of the original attacker. (e.g. you add 1/2 your Heroic Level to damage instead of 1/2 the attacker's level).
• The new target is subject to any secondary effects (such as Splash), just as if you had originated the attack.
• You only redirect a single shot from the weapon regardless of how many shots were directed at you by the original attack, so you don't get the benefits of Burst Fire, Rapid Shot, or Autofire under any circumstances.
• A Fire-Linked weapon is treated as a single weapon for game purposes (i.e. all shots are designed to focus on small area, unlike a Weapon Battery, which is designed to bracket a target). As such, your damage roll includes any extra damage from fire-linking, already included in the damage listed for the Fire-Linked weapon.

Stun shots can't be redirected, but they can certainly be deflected.

Skills

Q41: The Initiative skill says you can Take 10 on it. I thought the rules said you can't Take 10 when stress and distractions (which combat most certainly is) would prevent it. What does this text entail exactly?

A: If you're about to launch an attack on someone (such as an ambush against unaware targets), have prepared yourself, and are the one initiating the encounter, you can Take 10. In other circumstances, you generally cannot.

Q42: If I have a Talent or similar ability that states "you are considered trained in the X skill for purposes of this Talent" does that mean I can qualify for Feats, Talents, and Prestige Classes as if I had been Trained in that Skill?

A: Yes.

Q43: How does Sense Surroundings work exactly?

A: Sense Surroundings allows you to ignore Cover and Concealment for the purposes of making Perception checks (including any penalties resulting from Cover or Concealment). Thus, a Jedi could "Sense" other characters, creatures, or Droids in another room even though the door is shut. You must still make a Perception check to detect the targets and you suffer all the normal penalties to your Perception check with the exception of those from Cover or Concealment (thus, you still cannot detect targets that are extraordinarily far away due to the accumulative range penalty).

You must still roll a Perception check to detect targets who aren't actively hiding (DC 5 for a Medium creature; +5 for every size difference smaller than Medium, -5 for every size difference bigger than Medium). Sensing targets in this manner does not allow you to see them or determine what they are. You are simply aware of their presence and location. In any event, you do not have line of sight to your target (and thus can't target them with a great deal of Force Powers). Sense Surroundings also works on bypassing Total Cover and Total Concealment (for the purposes of making Perception checks) despite its wording.

Q44: How do characters survive such high falls in the movies? The existing rules for Falling Damage don't seem to allow for survival at those kinds of falling distances.

A: First, note that the errata allows you to use both Jump and Acrobatics to reduce Falling Damage in the same way (that is, knock off 3 meters if you beat DC 15, and an additional 3 meters for every 10 points you beat that DC by). Also, the Falling Damage rules doesn't make this clear, but any distance above 60 meters is treated as 60 meters because that's when you hit terminal velocity (which is why the damage caps at 20d6).

Thus, you start reducing the damage from the fall with an Acrobatics check and a Jump check (possibly with Surge), you then subtract from 60 meters, not 100 (or whatever the "Real" distance of your fall may be).

For example, a Jedi with a +25 modifier in their Acrobatics/Jump skills falls out a high window on Coruscant. Being thousands of feet high, the fall would surely kill them. However, they activate their Surge power (with a Force Point) to increase their Jump skill to +65. They then make both an Acrobatics check and a Jump check and gets 35 and 75, respectively. Therefore they knock off 21 meters from the fall. Even though they are higher than 60 meters, we subtract 21 from 60 leaving us with what would be effectively treated as a 39 meter fall. At 39 meters they will only take 13d6 points of damage (an average of 45 damage, 22 if the attack roll misses), low enough for a mid to high level character to survive easily (and even a few lucky/tough low-level characters!).

Q45: How come Ride isn't a Class Skill for Nonheroics when every other Skill is?

A: Ride is a Class Skill as well. It's omission is an error. Please note that this is evidenced by several published Nonheroic characters who have the Skill when they shouldn't, not a developer statement.

Q46: When treating a wounded character who has the Cyborg Hybrid option, do you use the Treat Injury or the Mechanics skill to heal/repair them?

A: You still use Treat Injury.

Feats

Q47: Does the benefit of Point-Blank Shot (and similar ranged-based benefits) extend to Short Range when used with an Accurate Weapon or a Targeting Scope?

A: No.

Q48: If a Jedi had the Quick Draw Feat and wanted to draw their Lightsaber, would they still have to use another Swift Action to activate the Lightsaber?

A: No. The "Draw a Weapon" Action normally includes everything necessary to render that weapon immediately usable, including deactivating the safety on a Blaster Pistol and activating a Lightsaber or Vibroblade. Weapons are designed to be drawn and armed very quickly, so the GM generally shouldn't require a separate action unless there's some unusual difficulty in play (such as when the wielder isn't proficient with the weapon). Similarly, you don't have to spend a separate Action to deactivate or disarm a weapon when you holster it.

However, it is important to note that this applies only to the actual "Draw or Holster a Weapon" Action (that is, moving the weapon either to or from a holster, hanger, sling, and so on). It does not apply when picking up or dropping a weapon, nor does it apply when using Stealth to use Sleight of Hand to get the weapon in your hand without attracting attention. In these cases, you're not getting the weapon in your hand as efficiently as you would when drawing or holstering it.

Q49: Can you use Fighting Defensively and the Melee Defense Feat together?

A: Yes. They work just fine together provided you find a way to gain an extra Standard Action in the round.

Q50: Can a Jedi use their Far Shot Feat in conjunction with the Redirect Shot Talent to deflect attacks farther than they normally could?

A: No. Far Shot requires that you use a ranged weapon. A Jedi using Redirect Shot is not using a ranged weapon, but a Talent.

Q51: Shouldn't Force Training be on the Bonus Feat list for the Jedi class?

A: No. You cannot learn the Force Training Feat as a Bonus Feat for any class. You can only use your level-dependent Feats (or more specifically, your level 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 Feats) or the Bonus Feat for being a Human.

Q52: When a person with the Martial Arts Feats and the Crush Feat gets someone in a Grapple, do they deal their improved Unarmed damage? What about the Sneak Attack Talent? Does the "Crusher" get their Sneak Attack damage to their Unarmed Attack since the "Crushee" is considered Flat-Footed?

A: Martial Arts increases your Unarmed Attack damage. If you make an Unarmed Attack, it does that damage. Crush deals bludgeoning damage equal to your Unarmed damage. Thus, Martial Arts increases Crush damage. However, Sneak Attack applies to melee or ranged attacks, not to the Crush Feat. It specifically says melee or ranged attacks. Crush is merely a Feat that does Unarmed damage as a result of a Pin.

Q53: Do Natural Weapons (Claws, Bite, etc.) stack with the Martial Arts Feats in some way?

A: Martial Arts increases the damage die of a creature's Natural Attacks, just as it does for a creature's Unarmed Attacks. For example, A Cathar (Claw attack, 1d6 damage) with Martial Arts I would deal 1d8 damage with a Claw attack whereas a Cathar with Martial Arts III would deal 1d12 damage with a claw attack.

Q54: Does Point-Blank Shot apply to area effect weapons such as Flamethrowers and Grenades?

A: Yes. It even applies to weapons that technically don't have range increments (such as a Flamethrower).

Q55: Does Bantha Herder work with Grenade attacks? If so, what's the point of the Forceful Blast Feat?

A: Unless an ability that activates on ranged attacks further clarifies that it activates on Area Attacks, assume that it doesn't. The two Feats' abilities are meant to be mutually exclusive.

Q56: Does the Dive for Cover Feat make you immune to the incoming attack if you dive behind Total Cover?

A: Yes.

Q57: Does the Unified Squadron Team Feat work at Starship Scale?

A: Yes.

Q58: Does having Tae-Jitsu Training grant a dodge bonus against three targets (two for Tae-Jitsu Training and one for Dodge)?

A: You only get two dodge targets, one for Tae-Jitsu Training and one for Dodge.

Q59: Are the Martial Arts Feats meant to be prerequisites for the Martial Arts Master Prestige Class' Martial Arts Forms Talents?

A: No. It was a deliberate design decision to exclude them as prerequisites. This is just another case of ability names not meaning much in Saga.

Q60: Can you add Upgrade Slots to a Cybernetic Prosthesis via the Tech Specialist Feat or by enlarging the prosthesis and, if so, does this change the appearance of said prosthesis?

A: Yes, as a DEVICE, you can add Upgrade Slots to them just like you could any other device. Doing so, however, voids the Cybernetic Prosthesis' warranty (that's a joke) and makes it highly visible to onlookers.

Q61: What is the effect of adding the Enhanced Strength Device Trait of the Tech Specialist Feat to a Cybernetic Prosthesis? Does it increase the character's Strength?

A: Doing so does not enhance the character's personal Strength score.

Q62: How does Tech Specialist interact with the Cyborg Hybrid? Could you increase your Ability Scores using the Droid Traits under Tech Specialist?

A: No. You treat the Cyborg Hybrid as 6 individual DEVICES. They are not treated as a DROID in part or in whole.

The Force

Q63: If I get a 20 or a 25 on my Use the Force check to activate Battle Strike do I deal 3d6 and 4d6 damage, respectively? Or is it 2d6 and 3d6? I ask because the text says "An additional." In addition to what? To the attack's damage? Or to the DC 15 bonus damage?

A: That's just showing that the damage scales up. It's 1d6/2d6/3d6 extra on top of your normal weapon damage.

Q64: Can I use a Force Point to bring back a Force Power (say Negate Energy) to my suite as a Reaction when attacked, and then use said power as a Reaction (say, to negate the incoming blaster attack)?

A: Yes you may.

Q65: Several Force Skills say they work out to 6 squares or to line of sight. What does this mean exactly? Can I Move Object someone 4 squares away if I am trapped in a dark chest?

A: Some Force Powers require line of sight and a limited range, which means someone in a box can't use them. Other powers require line of sight or a limited range, which means someone in a box can use them on targets that are sufficiently close. (They still have to be able to observe the target via sense surroundings, remote surveillance, or what have you.)

Q66: If I use a Force Point to regain a Force Power, what Action does it use? There was contradictory text in the book I believe.

A: It's a Reaction.

Q67: Can you use the Move Object power to "Fly" yourself around?

A: No. You need Flight for that. You also cannot fly by holding on to an object targeted by the Move Object power. The buddy system doesn't work either. A friend may use Move Object to lift you off the ground, but they cannot do so if they are being flown via Move Object themselves by another (such as by you).

Q68: Can you use the Vital Transfer power on yourself?

A: No.

Q69: Does the Negate Energy power work against the Force Lightning power? In the first sentence of Force Lightning it uses the term Force Energy. Later on it just says Force damage.

A: Negate Energy specifies it negates "Weapon Energy Damage." Force Lightning is a Force Power, not a weapon. Thus, no you cannot use Negate Energy against a Force Lightning attack.

Q70: Rebuke can deflect or reverse "One Force Power." Can it also deflect or reverse a Force Talent like Dark Healing, or a skill roll like Use the Force/Sense Force?

A: No. Rebuke only works against Force Powers, not against Talents, Skills, or other abilities that aren't Force Powers.

Q71: Sever Force moves the target on the Condition Track when they use "Force Powers." Does it also hurt them if they use Force Talents and Skills like Damage Reduction 10, Equilibrium, Deflect, Swift Power, or Use the Force/Telepathy?

A: The Condition Track effect applies only when the target uses Force Powers, not Force Talents or Skills. The target may thus still use Talents and Skills like Swift Power, Deflect, and Use the Force/Telepathy without penalty. However note that Sever Force also prevents the target from spending any Force Points. This prevents them from using Force Talents which have a Force Point cost, such as Damage Reduction 10, Dark Healing, or Equilibrium.

Q72: If I use Move Object to throw a Stormtrooper at another Stormtrooper, is the damage going to be 2d6 no matter what I get on my Use the Force check? Or can it go as high as 16d6 with a good roll?

A: Assuming your check was high enough to hurl the object in the first place, the damage is always based on your roll. Both of your Stormtroopers would take 16d6 damage provided you hit your target.

Q73: What exactly qualifies an "Unpalatable Suggestion" as referred to in the Mind Trick Force Power? If a squad of Stormtroopers is shooting at you, can you Mind Trick the leader into thinking you are an ally? Would their squad question them? Will it work against enemies who are active against you?

A: This is one reason why we have a Gamemaster capable of making decisions on the fly. Mind Trick makes an unpalatable suggestion seem reasonable- it does NOT mean that the person will automatically do what you want. A Persuasion check may still be called for if even the reasonable suggestion seems like something the target may not do. Mind Tricking the Stormtrooper leader into thinking you are an ally may work, depending on the situation. In the middle of a firefight, it might distract them for one round, but then they're going to realize that their buddies are shooting at you and figure it out pretty quick.

Q74: What is Force Shield supposed to be in Reaction to? What's more, does it really NOT protect against the incoming attack (see the Reaction errata) that it (hopefully) is meant to react to?

A: Force Shield is meant to be in Reaction to an incoming attack, though as written it can be in Reaction to anybody else's action (whether or not it is an attack). Force Shield does protect against the incoming attack. The errata isn't wrong, but the Force Shield text could be more clear.

Heroic Traits

Q75: Under Using Force Points, you can lower your Dark Side Score by 1 as a Swift Action. However, when this process is described (under Atoning) it is said it "Represents a period of meditation, reflection and absolution" that can be worked into the campaign or take place between adventures. This seems to imply a much longer process than just a Swift Action. Is the Swift Action incorrect, or is this period of meditation a prerequisite to taking the Swift Action (similar to spending a Full-Round Action to attune a Lightsaber after crafting it), or is this deliberately left as something for the GM's discretion?

A: The Swift Action is correct. If you want to rule that you have to meditate, that's fine.

Q76: When you use a Free Action to spend a Force Point to add 1d6 to a check can you decide to do so after the check has been made, or do you have to declare it before making the d20 roll?

A: You can declare it after you make the roll but before you know the result of the check. (For example you roll a 3. Before your GM tells you that a 3 isn't enough to succeed, you can opt to spend a Force Point.)

Q77: When can someone spend a Destiny Point? Does it have to be directly related to fulfilling one's Destiny? Does it require GM approval?

A: You can spend a Destiny Point at any time provided you have one. As to whether or not it must be related to your Destiny is something that should be taken up with your GM and can vary from group to group. Technically, everything requires the approval of your GM. By the rules as written, no it does not need to be related to your Destiny.

Q78: Can you have a Destiny Point war? In other words, could I use a Destiny Point to say that I hit an opponent and then they use a Destiny Point to say that the hit failed, but then I use another point to say I hit, and so on and so forth?

A: Yes and no. A Destiny Point spent to cause your attack to miss makes the attack miss (even if you spent a Destiny Point for an automatic Natural 20). You cannot then spend another Destiny Point to have your missed attack suddenly hit again. However, you could have a "Destiny Point War" of sorts by spending even more Destiny Points to gain an extra round worth of actions, which you could then use to make even more attacks (which you could make Natural 20s with more Destiny Points). Note that you cannot interrupt somebody else's turn by spending a Destiny Point (unless you have the Quicken Power Force Secret).

Q79: How does Atoning to rid one's self of Dark Side Points work exactly?

A: The player tells you that his character is attempting to Atone, and he spends 1 Force Point. Next, you (the GM) decide how to adjudicate the period of meditation, absolution, reflection, etc.- but this period is definitely not instantaneous. It should span, at minimum, the length of an adventure (during which the PC would have to be a total saint) if you want to play out the absolution "On Stage;" alternatively, it would require a substantial period (at least a week, maybe even months) between adventures if you want to leave it off-stage. (You could always do both in combination, letting the atonement take place during multiple adventures and the downtime in between, but I normally wouldn't make it take quite this long.)

The length of the atonement period is 100% under the GM's control- it ends when you say it does, and not one second before. (If you have an overriding story-related reason for allowing a very short atonement period, feel free- but unless it's essential to the story, I would strongly recommend following the guidelines I mentioned above.) On top of that, the GM has the final say on whether the Atonement is successful- if the hero spends a Force Point to Atone but doesn't improve their behavior, the GM is within his rights to declare that the Atonement was unsuccessful and the Force Point lost. (Your players will probably take it more seriously once you point this out to them!)

One last detail here: You can only Atone one point at a time. This means that you can't just spend all your leftover Force Points just before you gain a level (unless you get a LOT of downtime between levels, and even then I'd wouldn't be inclined to allow that much Atonement without some "On Stage" time to prove that the character has sincerely changed their ways). You can probably spend one to start the Atonement process before you gain a level (but not in the middle of an encounter- it's a long action, not something that plays out in the normal round structure); still, you wouldn't have time to finish that Atonement before you gain a level and get a new set of Force Points, so all the other leftover Force Points will just be lost.

Bottom line: The GM, and only the GM, controls the throttle on this sort of thing. If the PCs are "Atoning" and then continuing the same behavior, then you're entitled to require them to meet a higher standard (either waiting until they show atonement on-stage before granting the benefits or declaring the Atonement attempt a failure, wasting the Force Point).

Q80: What is the Dark Side Score supposed to represent exactly?

A: It represents you being psychologically damaged by your actions (guilt, shame, anger at feeling "Forced" to do it, fear over being discovered, etc.). Your need to justify it or bury the pain slowly corrupts you, twisting your reasoning, because the only way to live with it is to do one of two things:

Atonement: Take the time to heal, to reflect on what you felt you had to do, and to genuinely make strides to make yourself a better person.

Live with it: Just justify your actions to yourself- "I had no choice," "The was no other way," "The ends justify the means"- or bury them in a terrible little hole in your mind to ignore the nagging, terrible reality of what you did. Either way, if the behavior continues, you might find yourself coming up with elaborate justification for almost anything (e.g. killing younglings because they might come back to fight you when they grow up)- or, just as bad, the layers and layers of emotional and psychological scars buried and ignored just drive you beyond rationality altogether, driving you into abyssal depths of madness. In fact, something can be ethically or morally justified but still earn a Dark Side Point!

For example, from a moral or ethical point of view, using Force Lightning to save a busload of orphans from certain death is acceptable, but you will still get a Dark Side Point. ([Dark Side] Force Powers tap abilities some would call "Unnatural..." essentially, you are scarred by being the conduit through which The Force itself is twisted and damaged.) Still, morally and ethically, this would be the only acceptable choice if it was indeed the only way to save all those lives: you're willingly putting your own psychological health at risk for the sake of saving others, so this is clearly an altruistic act. Still, you're damaged by it, so you get the Dark Side Point.

The same thing applies in the second example JD gave (Jedi Counseling 44): Even if you really have absolutely no way to save countless lives without resorting to torture, you still get the Dark Side Point because of the damage such a horrible act does to you. You should feel guilty for having to do something like that, and you should carry that pain with you until you have the time to heal and atone. You might truly believe that you did the right thing and you might have really saved millions or billions of lives, but you still have to face the horror of your own actions.

Equipment

Q81: When purchasing a license for 10 Grenades, do I only need to buy it once? Or 10 times? Do I need separate licenses for Ion Grenades and Stun Grenades (or any other similar weapons for that matter)? Or does one license apply to both?

A: It's like having a driver's license; you don't need one for each car you own. If you have a license for a weapon, you have a license for every one of that weapon you have. However, each weapon needs its own license; so, Heavy Blaster Pistols and Blaster Pistols have separate licenses.

Q82: Combat Gloves are considered Simple Weapons. However they are listed in the Unarmed section on the table on page 123 and they base their damage on your Unarmed damage, making them a somewhat unusual weapon. Do Feats and Talents that apply to Simple Weapons also apply to Combat Gloves? What about those that apply to Unarmed? Do they stack? For example, what happens if a character wearing Combat Gloves has both Weapon Focus (Simple Weapons) and Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike)? What if they had both Double Attack (Simple Weapons) and Triple Crit (Unarmed Strike)? By a strict reading of the rules, I would guess that only the Simple Weapon Feats apply, although I could see applying both Feats but not allowing them to stack.

A: Combat Gloves count as both Unarmed AND Simple Weapons. The bonuses, should you take the appropriate Feats for both, overlap. They do not stack.

Q83: Do Ion Grenades destroy the equipment of everyone in the area (assuming a good enough attack roll and damage rolls)? What about a Frag Grenade or other area of effect attack? Will that damage both the creatures in the area and their equipment?

A: No on all accounts. Ion Grenades and other area effect attacks (such as Frag Grenades and Autofire attacks) will damage or destroy unattended objects, but otherwise has no effect on attended objects (that is, anything connected to your body such as in your hand, in your holster, or in your backpack).

Q84: A Rifle with a folded stock is "Treated as a Pistol for purposes of proficiency and range." Do Rifle-oriented Feats (like Weapon Focus) still apply, or would Pistol-oriented Feats apply instead?

A: You would use the Rifle-oriented Feats. Although it is treated like a Pistol in some respects, it is still a Rifle.

Q85: Does the extra bonus from Attune Armor, Second Skin, and the Tech Specialist (Protective Armor) get halved by the Improved Armored Defense Talent?

A: Yes. The bonuses from those abilities are added to the armor bonus before the total armor bonus is halved by Improved Armored Defense.

Q86: Nets allow Grabbing, Grappling, and Pinning from range. Can I also maintain the Pin while using a Net?

A: Yes. Nets usually have a trailing rope (similar to a lasso) that can be used to maintain the Pin from a distance; however this trailing rope is only 6 squares long. Beyond that range, you can still throw the Net and Pin an enemy, but you can't maintain the Pin. After 1 round, the target would be Grappled but no longer Pinned, and would be able to escape with a Strength or Acrobatics check.

Q87: Can you Stun multiple targets with an Autofire attack?

A: Not unless the weapon specifically says you can. Autofire and Stun are two separate settings and are generally mutually exclusive.

Q88: There are no rules text for Gungan Energy Balls! Are they Thrown Weapons or Simple Weapons for purposes of range? Do you add your Strength modifier to damage with them? Can you load them into the Grenade Launcher? Do they only effect Droids? How long does it take to pull them out to throw? How long does it take to load them into the Atlatl and Cesta?

A: For the purposes of Range it's treated as a Thrown Weapon if thrown by hand, a Simple Weapon if hurled by an Atlatl, or an Accurate Simple Weapon if hurled by a Cesta. It functions exactly like all other ranged weapons: if thrown, you add you Strength bonus just like you would with other Thrown Weapons, otherwise it's treated just like any other ranged Simple Weapon. They are not area effect weapons and only affect a single target. They effect all manner of targets and cannot be used in conjunction with Grenade Launchers (since they are not Grenades).

Q89: How long to Energy Cells last? Do things like a Holorecorder or Glow Rod need them? Presumably, these have differing operating times with one Energy Cell.

A: Indefinitely.

Q90: Are we really to believe that an unlit Lightsaber is a Medium weapon for the purposes of concealing it with the Stealth skill? What about other weapons? The size penalties don't seem to make sense in most of their cases either. Should we be using a different scale than that on the weapon's chart to determine the penalties, such as the sizes presented to us in the Falling Object chart in the Gamemastering Chapter? I refuse to believe that my Blaster Pistol is the same size as an Ewok.

A: Weapon sizes are there to be relative to the character using it. Concealing an Object should rely on the actual size of the object, not its weapon size. So, yeah, a Lightsaber is about Tiny in size when deactivated. I do wish we'd put a bit better size chart in the book, but there's one on the GM screen. As of the release of Scum and Villainy, all weapons are now treated as objects of two sizes smaller. A Large weapon, for example, is treated as a Small object for concealment and other purposes.

Dawn of Defiance Episode 8 further clarifies this answer: Weapon size is two steps greater than object size; for example, a Small blaster pistol is a Diminutive object. (A deactivated lightsaber is one additional step smaller.)

Q91: How many Upgrade Slots does my armor have?

A: All armors have 1 Upgrade Slot (regardless of size), just like any other item. Powered armors are an exception and have 2 Upgrade Slots instead. There are other exceptions as well as noted in their individual armor rules text.

Q92: How many times can I strip an item to get Upgrade Slots?

A: Regardless of the manner of stripping you choose, you can only strip an item once. Note that you can also increase an item's size (once) to gain an additional Upgrade Slot.

Q93: Can I add an upgrade to an item being Dual Geared into another item via the Equipment Upgrade rules from Scum and Villainy?

A: No. When you Dual Gear an item, the second, smaller item is an upgrade in its own right (rather than an actual item) and thus has no Upgrade Slots of its own with which to upgrade.

Q94: What is the cost/weight to a Proton Torpedo for the Miniature Proton Torpedo Launcher shown in the Rebellion Era Campaign Guide? There are no values listed.

A: They should weigh about 5 kg and cost 200 credits each.

Q95: Are Gas Grenades (Rebellion Era Campaign Guide) really meant to deal 4d6 Stun damage in addition to their Condition Track effect? That seems overtly powerful- and it makes Stun Grenades nearly pointless.

A: It's an error. Gas Grenades don't deal damage of any kind- only Condition Track penalties. This is a classic example of the conflicting rules where the text beats out the table.

Q96: Is the Flame Cannon really supposed to weigh 0.5 kg?

A: It's a typo, the actual weight should be about 15 kg.

Q97: The Mortar Launcher says you can load it with magazines, or with single shells by hand. Is this just fluff? Or are there game mechanics behind it?

A: It's mostly just flavor.

Q98: Do you still get the penalty reduction when Bracing a Rotary Blaster Cannon to benefit from the 2x4 area effect?

A: You still get the normal benefits for Bracing.

Q99: Is the Scattergun supposed to work like the Blaster Cannon (such as having a Splash area, etc.)?

A: No. The Scattergun is not meant to have a Splash and is not meant to be anywhere near as powerful as the Blaster Cannon or any other blaster weapon (though it makes a nice, cheap alternative for NPCs or heroes without access to high-end licenses).

Q100: Is the Katarn-Class Commando Armor supposed to be Medium Armor or Heavy Armor?

A: It is meant to be Medium Armor. If you have Armor Proficiency (Heavy) you gain the benefits of the Helmet Package.

Q101: The Ascension Gun reads as though it could be used as an add-on to another weapon. What is the upgrade cost for it?

A: There isn't one. The best way to use it is as an "Add-On" to an existing weapon would be to use the Dual Gear upgrade. There are no plans to include it as a stand alone modification.

Q102: What are the mechanical effects of shooting a target (that is, a character or Droid) with the Ascension Gun?

A: You cannot normally shoot something that is not a solid object with the ascension cable. Shooting a living target or Droid with it, and the resulting effects, is strictly under the purview of the GM.

Q103: Can you still fire an Ascension Gun while traveling along the zip line?

A: No.

Q104: What is the range and blast radius of the glowing Defoliator Shells in both Character Scale and Starship Scale? What are the weapon's effects on living equipment and ships (such as those used by the Vong)?

A: The range and radius is unknown at this time as Rodney was away from his notes, though he is aware that this is something that needs to be clarified in the future. It effects Vong gear and ships exactly as it does normal humanoid organisms (that is to say 4d10x2 damage on impact and every round thereafter).

Q105: As per its text, a Scattergun can hit a target at Medium Range, but deals no damage. Can I activate Feats, Talents, and other abilities that activate on a hit (but don't need to deal damage to work) when shooting someone with a Scattergun at Medium Range?

A: No. Such abilities don't activate when shooting someone with a Scattergun at Medium Range. The reason a Scattergun does no damage at Medium Range is because it isn't hitting anything.

Q106: How do you mount a Shock Stick to a Rifle when the Shock Stick itself is Large?

A: You basically take the business end of the Shock Stick and mount it to your Rifle in the same manner as a Bayonet. In other words, it is still a Large weapon, but your Rifle basically makes up the Shock Stick's handle.

Q107: How does the Bothan Weapon Template (Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide) interact with Shockboxing Gloves?

A: There is no interaction between the two since the Shockboxing Gloves don't deal their own damage (rather they just increase your own Unarmed damage). Rodney and Ryan both unintentionally imply that you don't gain the benefits of the Bothan Weapon Template if you have no lethal damage to reduce.

Q108: Can you summon a ship with Slave Circuits with a Subcutaneous Comlink?

A: Anything you can do with a normal Comlink you can do with a Subcutaneous Comlink (and do it silently).

Q109: Can upgrades be added after installing a Cybernetic Prosthesis? Or do you have to upgrade them before they are installed?

A: Either way is viable.

Q110: When adding Droid Systems to your Cyborg Hybrid body, does the weight of the systems count against your Carrying Capacity?

A: Yes they do. The prosthesis themselves don't weigh against you, but additional Droid Systems do.

Combat

Q111: Does the damage bonus from your Character Levels add on to all attacks? Or is it selective? Can you apply it to Autofire attacks? How about Flamethrower attacks? An Ithorian's Bellow? A darksider's Force Lightning?

A: Yes to all except Force Lightning since it is a skill check instead of an attack roll.

Q112: Is activating a Lightsaber a Free Action or a Swift Action? The rules seem to contradict themselves in a few places. Also, what kind of Action is it to flick a switch? (Hint: These questions are related.)

A: Swift. Activating an Item (including Lightsabers) is a Swift Action. The combat example is erroneous.

Q113: Do you get double your Strength bonus to your damage when wielding a double weapon?

A: Not if you attempt to attack with both ends in the same round (you would only get x1 your Strength bonus on either attack). If you only make one attack for the round, however, you can add double your Strength bonus.

Q114: Do any uses of Force Powers (and the Use the Force skill) promote Attacks of Opportunity if used whilst Threatened? Some are battle powers, but some require meditation or Full-Round Actions. Surely some would promote AoO??

A: Force Powers only provoke if your GM says they do (if they think some of the longer ones are distracting). Otherwise, they don't.

Q115: Can you Charge and Tumble as part of the Charge Action?

A: No, as they are two separate Actions. Since you are using a Standard Action to Charge, you can not use Tumble because it requires a Move Action. However, since Charge is a Standard Action, you still do have a Move Action left. So you can use your Move Action and Tumble before or after the Charge, just not as part of the Charge Action.

Q116: If I target an opposing character with Move Object or Bantha Rush and move them out of a square Threatened by one or more of my allies, can they make Attacks of Opportunity against them?

A: No. A target must willingly move from a Threatened square under their own power to provoke an Attack of Opportunity.

Q117: Do you apply your Condition Track penalties to your Damage Threshold since they lower your Fortitude Defense?

A: Yes. Any modifiers applied to your Fortitude Defense should also affect your Damage Threshold (even temporary ones), be they from Armor, the Condition Track, Ability Score increases, etc.

Q118: What Weapon Group includes Unarmed Attacks? Are you automatically proficient with Unarmed Attacks? Can you use them with combat Feats like Double Attack? Can you use them with Talent Trees like Weapon Specialist and Weapon Master?

A: Unarmed Attacks are considered Light Melee Simple Weapons and can be finessed, used in a Grapple, or dual wielded.

Q119: Can you hold Unarmed with two hands to double your Strength modifier to damage? I would guess not, since you're not actually holding a weapon in both hands, and Unarmed is probably considered a Light Weapon anyway.

A: No you do not get double your Strength modifier with Unarmed Strikes unless a Feat, Talent, class ability, or racial ability says otherwise.

Q120: Do shields help to protect against damaging Force Powers such as Force Lightning or Force Slam?

A: Yes they do.

Q121: Does Damage Reduction protect against Ion weapons?

A: Yes.

Q122: How does Ion Damage work when used against a living creature without cybernetics? What about Stun Damage?

A: If a normal creature is hit by an attack that does Ion Damage, it takes only a quarter of the damage (half because it is an Ion attack and half again because of the inappropriate target). The target does not move down the Condition Track regardless of whether or not the Damage Threshold is exceeded by the damage. Ion Damage, like Stun Damage, is incapable of killing a living creature.

If a cyborg (a living creature with cybernetic enhancements/replacements), a Droid, or an electronic device is hit by an attack that does Ion Damage, it takes only half of the damage to its Hit Points. The full unmodified damage is compared to the target's Damage Threshold to see if it falls 2 steps down the Condition Track (1 for overcoming the target's threshold, and 1 more for being Ion Damage). Ion Damage, like Stun Damage, is incapable of killing or destroying its target.

Cyborgs suffer the full effect from a Stun device whereas Droids and other electronic objects are completely immune.

Q123: Can you Ready a Swift Action?

A: Technically, you can't. However, you can ALWAYS trade down to a lesser Action and Readying is no exception. Therefore, you could Ready a Move Action or Standard Action and then exchange it for the Swift Action you desire. It is also worth noting that Readying an Action takes a Standard Action in its own right.

Q124: If someone moves up to me and makes an attack, and I had a prepared action to move 1 square to the right (still in their Threatened space), does that cancel their attack?

A: No. If you Ready an Action that will render an opponent's Action moot, the opponent does not get to declare a different Action. Instead, the Action is wasted. (If the Readied Action doesn't interfere with it, of course, the other Action goes off as planned.)

For example, A is several squares from B, and B is holding a big honkin' Vibro-Axe. A has initiative and Readies an Action to Withdraw as soon as B makes an attack. B Charges- at the end of their movement (i.e. once movement is finished), they declare their attack. A's Readied Action is triggered, so A Withdraws away from B. B's attack is now rendered moot (a is no longer within their Reach), so B's attack is essentially canceled. In your example, you are still within Reach and are still capable of being attacked despite your Readied Action to sidestep at the last moment.

Q125: In order to avoid being target of "Acrobatic Strike," can you choose not to threaten an area?

A: You can choose to not make an Attack of Opportunity, but you cannot choose to not threaten an area.

Q126: When Aiding Another for ranged attacks, do Range penalties affect the attempt? What happens with Weapon Batteries (such as those found on Capital Ships)?

A: Yes, Range penalties apply for Aid Another checks. The primary Gunner in the assisting Battery must make an attack against Reflex Defense 10 (without the benefit of any battery fire bonus from their own Battery), applying Range modifiers to the attack roll as normal; if successful, the assisted (attacking) Battery gains +2 on its attack roll per gun in the assisting Battery.

Q127: When you roll a Critical Hit, do you roll the damage twice (à la D&D) or simply roll once and multiply by 2?

A: You simply multiply.

Q128: Grappling seems to involve a lot of different rules: Grab, Grapple, Pin, Trip, Crush, Throw, opposed Grapple checks, and three different rules on escaping. How does it all work?

A: It's actually simpler than it looks! There are only three states: Grabbed, Grappled, and Pinned. All the other rules (Pin, Trip, Grab attack, Crush, Throw, opposed Grapple check, and escape) are just different ways of moving between the three states.

Untrained attackers can only Grab. Trained attackers (those who have either the Pin or Trip Feat) can improve their grabs into an improved hold called a Grapple. Grapples are harder to escape from, and also allow you to immobilize your enemy, knock them prone, and even cause damage.

Q129: How do you Grab an enemy?

A: Make an Unarmed melee attack roll, as a Standard Action. If successful, the enemy is Grabbed.

An untrained attacker (one without the Pin or Trip Feats) suffers a -5 penalty on the melee attack roll. A trained attacker (one who has either the Pin or Trip Feat) can immediately try to improve their Grab into a Grapple, as part of the same Standard Action.

Q130: What are the effects of being Grabbed?

A: A Grabbed enemy cannot move from their square, and also suffers a -2 penalty on attack rolls unless they're using a Natural Weapon or a Light Weapon. The target remains Grabbed until they escape, or until the attacker improves the Grab into a Grapple.

Q131: How do you Grapple an enemy?

A: When a trained attacker (one who has either the Pin or Trip Feat) makes a successful Grab attack, they can immediately try to improve their Grab into a Grapple as part of the same Standard Action.

Once a trained attacker has Grabbed the enemy, both fighters immediately make an opposed Grapple check. If the attacker's check result equals or exceeds the defender's result, the defender becomes Grappled.

Q132: What are the effects of being Grappled?

A: The effects are exactly the same as the Grabbed state: the target cannot move from their square, and also suffers a -2 penalty on attack rolls unless they're using a Natural Weapon or a Light Weapon. However escape from being Grappled is more difficult, and the attacker additionally gets the benefit of their chosen grappling style: Pin (possibly including Crush), Trip (possibly including Throw), or a close-range hit with a Light Weapon.

The target remains Grappled until they escape, or until the attacker knocks them Prone with the Trip Feat.

Q133: How do you Pin an enemy?

A: If the attacker is using the Pin Feat, and wins the opposed Grapple check, the target becomes Pinned. (Note that any Pinned target will always be Grappled as well, since the attacker made a successful opposed Grapple check to perform the Pin.)

Q134: What are the effects of being Pinned?

A: A Pinned target cannot move or take any Actions, and also loses their Dexterity bonus to Reflex Defense. The target remains Pinned for one round, until the attacker's next turn.

In each subsequent round, the attacker can try to maintain the Pin by making another opposed Grapple check. If the attacker doesn't maintain the Pin, the target ceases being Pinned but is still Grappled.

Q135: When trying to maintain a Pin, does the attacker have to roll both the melee attack roll and the opposed Grapple check, each round?

A: No. A melee attack roll is only used to initiate a Grab. If the target is already Grabbed, Grappled, or Pinned, the attacker can proceed directly to the opposed Grapple check.

Q136: A Pinned defender loses their Dexterity bonus to Reflex Defense. Does the attacker lose their Dexterity bonus, too?

A: No. The attacker has more freedom of movement than the defender does.

Q137: When the attacker makes an opposed Grapple check to strike with a Light or Natural Weapon, do they have to make an attack roll with the weapon, too?

A: No. There are only three die rolls:

• A melee attack roll to Grab (if the target wasn't already Grabbed, Grappled, or Pinned)
• An opposed Grapple check
• Damage dice for the weapon

Q138: If the defender wins the opposed Grapple check, does that mean they escape from the Grab or Grapple?

A: No. When the defender wins the opposed Grapple check, that only means that the attack has failed: the attacker doesn't get to Pin, Trip, or hit with a Natural or Light Weapon. However the defender is still either Grabbed or Grappled, exactly as before.

Q139: So how does the defender escape from a Grab? From a Grapple? From a Pin?

A: Escaping from Grabbed is easy: as a Standard Action, the defender can break free from a number of Grabs equal to their level. No roll is required; success is automatic.

Escaping from Grappled is harder: as a Standard Action during their turn, the defender must make an Acrobatics check (DC = the attacker's last opposed Grapple check result).

You can escape from Pinned only by winning the opposed Grapple check during the attacker's turn. If the attacker fails to maintain their Pin, the hold is reduced to a Grapple.

The attacker can also perform Grabs and Grapples from a distance by using a Net. If Grabbed or Grappled in a Net, escape is a Full-Round Action requiring a DC 15 Acrobatics check or a DC 20 Strength check.

Q140: While Grabbed or Grappled (but not Pinned), can I still fight?

A: Yes. However you cannot move from your square, and you suffer a -2 penalty on attack rolls unless using a Natural Weapon or a Light Weapon.

Q141: While Pinned, can I still... Fight with a Light Weapon? Use a Force Power? Use Acrobatics to escape? Make a Strength check to break free? Use Adept Negotiator? Enter a Serenity trance? Block and Deflect? Cut my way out with a Lightsaber?

A: No. While Pinned, the defender "Can't move or take any Actions." The only way to escape from a Pin is by winning the opposed Grapple check on the attacker's turn. Until then, you cannot do anything at all.

Q142: Could you please give an example of Grappling and Pinning?

A: Sure. Say that Amy has the Pin Feat, while Bob is the poor schmuck who's getting his arm twisted.

Round 1- Amy wants to Pin Bob:

1. She makes an Unarmed attack roll and succeeds (Bob is now Grabbed).
2. She makes an opposed Grapple check and succeeds.
   1. Bob is now Grappled, and also Pinned for one round.
   2. Bob gets no Actions for this round because he's Pinned.

Round 2- Amy wants to maintain the Pin:

1. She tries an opposed Grapple check to maintain her Pin for another round, but fails.
   1. Bob is no longer Pinned, but he is still Grappled.
2. Since Bob isn't Pinned anymore, he can act. He tries to escape the Grapple:
3. He makes an Acrobatics check and succeeds.
   1. Amy is no longer Grappling Bob; he has escaped.

Round 3- Amy wants to Grapple again, but instead of attempting a Pin this time, she just wants to stab Bob with a Knife.

1. She makes an Unarmed attack roll and succeeds.
2. She makes an opposed Grapple check and succeeds.
   1. Bob is Grappled again, and also takes damage from the Knife.
   2. On Bob's turn, he can attack Amy (at a -2 penalty, since he's Grappled) or he can attempt escape again with another Acrobatics roll.

Q143: Does Damage Reduction stack? For example, would a Nautolan (with a racial DR 2 due to rubbery hide) have DR 12 when they activated their Damage Reduction 10 Talent?

A: No. DR of the same kind does not stack. Since a Nautolan has DR 2/- and the Damage Reduction 10 Talent grants DR 10/-, the effects would overlap for a total of DR 10/-.

In the case of two different types of Damage Reduction, you use whichever one is the most appropriate to the situation. For example, if you have DR 2/-, DR 5/-, and DR 10/Energy and were shot by a Slugthrower Pistol, you would only deduct 5 points of damage from the attack. If it were a Blaster Pistol, however, you would deduct 10 damage from the attack.

Q144: Can you combine the Fighting Defensively Action and the Melee Defense Feat?

A: Yes, you can, providing you are making an attack as a Standard Action. You cannot use Melee Defense when taking the Full Attack Action. The Feat specifically states that it can be used whenever you use a Standard Action to make an attack.

Q145: Can you dual wield Unarmed Strikes?

A: Yep! You absolutely can dual wield your Unarmed Strikes as evidenced by the Trandoshan Mercenary.

Q146: Can you have multiple Reactions against the same Action? For example, could you attempt to Deflect a blaster bolt, and then use Negate Energy if you fail?

A: No. That's the big difference between Reactions and Free Actions- you can do as many Free Actions as the GM will allow, but you only make one Reaction to any particular Action. You may, however, react to multiple Actions over the course of a round.

Q147: Currently there are almost no rules for mounted combat whatsoever. We only have the little bit under the Ride skill to go off of. How do you fight with a mount exactly?

A: The Ride skill functions much like the Pilot skill insofar as Ride controls a Mount and Pilot controls a Vehicle. The difference is that a Mount is a creature all its own; you just manage to control that creature through the use of the Ride skill. I'll answer the below items, but also keep in mind that mounted combat is certainly one area we can expand upon. The mounted combat rules in the Core Rulebook are far from the be-all, end-all of what we could do with them.

Q148: Does your Mount's movement count against you for the turn? Can I, for example, have the Mount take the Run Action (a Full-Round Action for the Mount) while I reload my gun (a Move Action), switch it to Stun (Swift Action), and then shoot at the target pursuing me (a Standard Action)?

A: Your Mount's movement is its own movement. If you want to control the mount in battle, it takes a Move Action. However, Mounts specifically trained for battle ignore the rolling requirement, NOT the Move Action requirement. Keep in mind, though, that the above Actions would probably not be possible without guiding the mount with your knees to have both hands free, which is another skill check.

Q149: What happens if my Mount Charges? Do I suffer the penalties? Do I get the bonuses?

A: As written, you do not suffer the penalties or gain the benefits of a Mount's Charge. This is one of those areas that could certainly be expanded out with Feats, though, so I could easily see a Feat that lets you do that.

There are now rules for this. See the "Fighting from Mounts" sidebar in the Unknown Regions.

Q150: Can I attack in the same turn that my Mount attacks? Do I need to make a Ride check to do so?

A: Sure, you can both attack on the same turn. And you need to make a check only if the Mount is not trained for combat.

Q151: How do you handle the Grappling/Tripping rules while mounted?

A: The same way they work when you ride a Speeder Bike. Typically, a Mount provides you with no Cover against attacks (including Grab and Trip attacks) unless you use the Use Mount as Cover application of the Ride skill.

Q152: Also, is Use Mount as Cover a Reaction made against an attack? The text doesn't specifically say so.

A: Yes.

Q153: If I make an Area Attack on a Droideka, or a Starship Scale Area Attack on an enemy ship, what happens if I miss?

A: Just like any attack roll, Area Attacks resolve the attack first, damage resolution second. I miss with the attack, so it is halved, and then the damage is applied to shields, DR, and Hit Points.

Q154: Also, if I roll a Natural 1 on my area effect attack roll, do I deal half damage (if I still beat Reflex Defense 10), or do I deal no damage since I "Automatically Missed?"

A: A Natural 1 on an attack roll is always an automatic miss. In this case, you fail to hit the area you attacked.

Q155: What does a Cone in Saga look like? What about a Burst or Splash?

A: For the sake of consistency, area effects have the same shape and area that they did in the revised rules and in Dungeons & Dragons.

Bursts: The Red Squares are a 1-Square Burst. The Blue Squares are a 2-Square Burst. The Green Squares are a 3-Square Burst. The Yellow Squares are a 4-Square Burst.

Cones: The cone starts at an intersection on the battle grid (one of the corners of your space) and then extends outward for 6 squares in a 90-degree arc. Unlike normal range calculations, however, count diagonals using the old method- that is, 1 square for the first and all odd diagonals, and 2 squares for the second and all even diagonals.

Splashes: The red square is no Splash. Blue squares are 1-Square Splash. X Splash means you have a circle with radius X. That means the green squares are Radius 2, the yellow squares are Radius 3, and the purple squares are Radius 4.

Vehicles

Q156: How would a PC or unique crew affect a vehicle's stats? Which bonuses would it give?

A: You determine the following stats in the following way (in order of stat block appearance):

• Vehicle Initiative: The Pilot's Initiative modifier (or the Pilot skill modifier if you are Trained) + Vehicle's Size Modifier + Vehicle's Dexterity modifier.
• Perception: Character's normal Perception modifier.
• Reflex Defense: The Vehicle's Reflex Defense is equal to 10 + Size Modifier + Armor bonus (or Pilot's Heroic Level) + Dexterity bonus.
• Attack Rolls: Gunner's Base Attack Bonus + Vehicle's Intelligence modifier + miscellaneous bonuses (Point-Blank Shot, Weapon Focus, etc.) +2 (if Trained in Pilot and firing pilot controlled weapons from the pilot's position).
• Base Attack Bonus: Gunner's Base Attack Bonus.
• Grapple: A Vehicle's Grapple modifier is equal to its Pilot's Base Attack Bonus + the Vehicle's Strength modifier + the vehicle's special size modifier.
  • Large +5, Huge +10, Gargantuan +15, Colossal +20, Colossal (Frigate) +25, Colossal (Cruiser) +30, Colossal (Station) +35
• Skills: Character's appropriate Skill modifiers (+ Vehicle Size Modifier + Vehicle Dexterity modifier in the case of the Initiative and Pilot skill). If the ship's computer is Friendly or Helpful towards you, you also add the ship's Intelligence modifier as an Equipment bonus to your Use Computer checks.
• If it is not listed above, than it is not changed by having unique crew or is otherwise explicitly spelled out in the Saga Edition Core Rulebook.

Q157: Can you specialize with spacecraft weapons? Would it count double, and if so, could you use Point-Blank Shot for extra damage? I'm assuming Penetrating Attack would still allow you to reduce the DR. Does it work on SR as well?

A: Yes you can specialize. Yes you can use Point-Blank Shot. Yes Penetrating Attack still gets through Damage Reduction. No, Penetrating Attack does not get through shields. Yes all damage multiplies (if there is a damage multiplier). Remember though that Starship Weapons are considered Heavy Weapons for proficiency, specialization, and so on.

Q158: Under "Dogfight" one of the consequences is that you must select the Dogfight Action each turn. However, there is no Dogfight Action specifically listed. What exactly can you do in a Dogfight in a Dogfight and in what order?

A: The Dogfight Action is listed. It's a Standard Action, and you have to follow the attacking rules while engaged in a Dogfight.

Q159: Most large scale Vehicle Weapons have a multiplier attached. How does this multiplier interact your 1/2 level damage? Would a 10th level character deal (#d6x2)+5 damage? Or (#d6+5)x2 damage?

A: Bonus damage is applied before multipliers. Same goes for increasing the number of dice rolled.

Q160: If Ion Grenades can't affect attended objects, what happens if you throw it at a piloted Vehicle such as a Speeder Bike?

A: Assuming the attack is successful the Vehicle is damaged, disabled, or possibly even destroyed. As for the Speeder Bike being an attended object, it's not. It is bigger than you. You are essentially the Speeder Bike's attended object. As a rule of thumb, make an exception for any electronic item physically bigger than the person carrying it (especially if it is meant to be ridden on such as a Vehicle).

If it was any other way than the 64-Y Swift 3 Repulsor Sled Drop Net would not work too well.

Q161: When establishing a Dogfight you make an opposed roll, if you succeed you are now Dogfighting. Do you:

• Then make an attack as a Free Action.
• Make another opposed check without a penalty to see if you can attack.
• Do nothing as you've already taken an Action and therefore give the foe first attempt at an attack.

A: C. You can try to attack on a later Action, but the benefit of this initial "Begin a Dogfight" Standard Action is that the other fighter can't just fly by uninhibited. (Yes, this does mean the other pilot will have the first chance to attack, assuming they want to- they may just try to disengage because they have other things to do.)

Q162: When Dogfighting can you Fight Defensively or take Total Defense?

A: No. Those are only meant for stand-off attacks, not while engaged in a Dogfight. (When you think about it, the opposed Pilot checks to prevent an opponent from attacking are the conceptual equivalent of Fighting Defensively, and disengaging is the conceptual equivalent to Total Defense.)

Q163: If two TIEs are Dogfighting an X-Wing can one use Aid Another for attacks, skill checks and the like?

A: Yes, but the Aid Another attempt can only help the Pilot check or the following attack roll, not both- and you have to decide which you're assisting before the aided pilot makes their roll(s).

Q164: Since Disengaging from a Dogfight is a Move Action, are you still required to take the Dogfight Standard Action as well?

A: No. You only have to spend a Standard Action when initiating a Dogfight or trying to attack a target.

Q165: The AT-AT is listed as size 6x12. Is it supposed to be 12x12?

A: It's meant to match the AT-AT mini, which is 6x12. You could treat it as 12x2, though, and that would actually be a bit easier in many situations.

Q166: Can the Pilot of a Starfighter use the Aim Action?

A: Only in one of the following two cases:

• Come to complete stop, then Aim and attack in the same round.
• Aim at the end of round 1, then attack at the beginning of round two. (You can't take any other Actions between the two- including Pilot checks, Attacks of Opportunity, or whatever- without losing the benefits of Aiming, though.)

Q167: On a Capital Ships how many crewmen can use the Aid Another Action to assist the various ship positions?

A: Well, only the Copilot can assist Pilot checks, and only the Commander can assist Use Computer checks, so for those two Skills a maximum of one person can assist. For Mechanics checks, there's technically no limit, but this is up to the GM. (They might decide to limit the size of damage-control parties, but there's no specific rule for it at this time.)

Q168: Can Vehicles use Suppressing Fire? Can vehicles be Suppressed?

A: Yes and yes.

Q169: Recharge Shields for 5 SR. makes sense for Starfighters, but seems really low for Capital Ships, in RCR larger ships regained more shield pts per Recharge than smaller ones. Is the new setup intentional or was something left out?

A: This was intentional.

Q170: If I use Battle Strike with Vehicle Weapons, do the extra dice get multiplied?

A: Yes. Everything multiplies. Note however that when using a Vehicle Weapon, you cannot apply any effect that causes an automatic Natural 20 or automatic Critical Hit (such as spending a Destiny Point or using Serenity), unless a rule specifies that it can be used with Vehicle Weapons.

Q171: Since the Attack Run Action involves directing the Vehicle's movement, does it suffice as an act of controlling the Vehicle? If so, could a Pilot use two Swift Actions to lock on with a torpedo, then make an Attack Run to fire it in the same round, without losing control of the Vehicle? Alternately, could a person with Charging Fire first Aim and then Charge and get the benefits of both?

A: While an Attack Run does count as movement for the purposes of controlling your Vehicle, you cannot Aim then perform an Attack Run. From the description of Aiming, page 154: You lose the benefits of Aiming if you lose line of sight to your target or if you take any other Action before making your attack.

Since the Attack Run Action is causing you to take another action before the attack, no, you cannot Aim and then gain the benefits on an Attack Run. This is the same reason you cannot Aim and use Charging Fire with a Charge.

Q172: In the new Starships of the Galaxy book, some of the existing ships are terribly vague when it comes to telling me what kind of weapons there are. This is important as I need to know precisely what kind they are so I can determine how many Emplacement Points I get back when I take them off to add other modifications.

A: While I can't help you with things like internal systems (it's just not feasible to list every single system available in a Capital Ship, for example, and a certain amount of GM fiat has to be assumed), I can help with things like weapons. Any time a Weapon System is referred to without a size, assume it is a medium version of that system. Thus, the Dynamic-Class Freighter has one Double Medium Blaster Cannon, worth 1 EP.

When it comes to removing Weapon Systems, you count it as the number weapons listed in the stat block. If something says "Laser Cannons" then they are all part of the same individual system; regardless of using a plural word, it is always considered to be a single system. So, for example, since the GR-75 Medium Transport's stat block clearly mentions 4 Point-Defense Double Laser Cannons, that means you calculate the EP for a Point-Defense Double Medium Laser Cannon, and you have 4 such systems to remove. The Citadel-Class Cruiser lists a single set of Laser Cannons (as Medium Laser Cannons), while the ship also has 2 sets of Ion Cannons (as Medium Ion Cannons). As for Fire-Linking, any weapons that have an Autofire attack that are not listed as Double, Triple, or Quad should be considered to be Fire-Linked. If the damage is higher than average for 2 Fire-Linked Weapons, assume it's 4 Fire-Linked.

If the damage die codes don't match up exactly to those in the Starship Modifications chapter, that's a result of decades of RPGs and other technical manuals establishing systems without codifying them. As we say in the book, there's no way to realistically simulate the thousands of factors that go into a Starship's creation in a meaningful system that can be used easily, not and maintain continuity, so that's the sacrifice you have to make. Some die codes for established ships won't match up, but once again all that really matters is that the system be used to balance player modifications.

Q173: So I should just assume the Z-95 Headhunter is using the Double Blaster Cannons option (which is described as a Triple)? If so, can I take them off to get a few Emplacement Points and then spend the same amount of EP for a new set of triple blasters that will do 4d10x2 instead of 3d10x2?

A: Yes.

Q174: Can a Capital Ship using the Focused Fire option choose to use an entire Weapon Battery or is it limited to a single weapon (such as a single Turbolaser from a Battery)? If they can, do they deal extra dice of damage on a successful hit (as is normal for Batteries)? Obviously, they won't deal extra dice if they miss (in which case they deal only half the base damage).

A: They're picking a single Weapon System; in the case of Batteries, yes, this includes all the normal aspects of Battery fire. Hence, the "Takes normal damage" clause, not "Takes weapon damage."

Q175: How does Fire-Linking work? Do I need two guns of the same type (so to Fire-Link, I need to buy 2 weapons, then the Fire-Linking option, making my two Turbolasers into a single Weapon System?) or do I only need one Turbolaser to start, keeping me from wasting a whole bunch of Emplacement Points and money?

A: You only need one base weapon and the Fire-Link trait. For example, if you purchase a single Light Turbolaser, then get Fire-Link (4), you now have a 5d10x5 quartet of linked Light Turbolasers (which also get the bonus of Autofire).

Q176: Can I stack the Quad, Fire-Linked, and Cannon Enhancements abilities on a Heavy Blaster Cannon (albeit at ridiculous cost)?

A: Yes you can. Many weapons can get as high as 11d10 damage this way. When multiplying the costs, however, you follow the order of operations, making the final cost quite extreme.

Q177: How do you go about adding Weapon Batteries to a ship? The tables have Autoblasters, Double-mounts, Quad-mounts, Cannon Enhancements, and Fire-Linked systems, but there is nothing for Weapon Batteries at all.

A: Just figure out how many weapons you want in your Battery and then add that many Weapon Systems. For example, if you wanted a Turbolaser Battery with 6 Gunners (granting a +10 Aid Another bonus), you would need to add 6 individual Turbolasers. Than you just group them together and call them a single Battery system.

Alternately, if you are doing the strip-out-and-replace thing, you could probably get away with just doing a 1-for-1 swap of the Weapon Systems (not worrying about splitting Batteries or combining into Batteries), but multiplying costs by the number of component and just giving the Battery benefits to the new system.

Q178: When making a Starship from scratch using the Stock Starships found on page 53 of the SotG book, is it even possible to get extra Emplacement Points by reducing a ship's starting values when it has less than 10 starting Emplacement Points to begin with?

A: Yes. In this instance, you round up and simply follow the order of operations. If you worsen a stock ship's starting value in an area by 50%, you gain EP equal to 2 x 10% of the stock Emplacement Points. For a ship that starts with 5 EP, you start with 7 EP (10% of 5 is .5, rounded up to 1, x 2 is +2, for a total of 7) instead. You can, of course, use the rules under "Gaining Emplacement Points" on page 38 to get more, as well.

Q179: Can more than two ships use the Synchronized Fire Talent to gang up on a hapless Capital Ship for massive amounts of damage?

A: No. Synchronized Fire only works with paired ships. Other ships may use this Talent as well, but they must pair up. You can't have 6 ships making a single attack this way, but you could have 3 sets of 2 each making an attack.

Q180: I can adjust a ship's Strength, speed and other base traits down 25 or 50% to gain more Emplacement Points, right?

A: Wrong. The Emplacement Points text on page 53 is referring exclusively to the values on Table 3-9. You cannot lower any of the base stats found in table 3-8 on the previous page in the manner described. Notice the text specifically refers to "Values." Stock Starships table 3-9 is specifically labeled "Stock Ship Base Values" whereas Table 3-8 is not for this very reason.

Q181: Can a Colossal ship really equip Turbolasers? Wouldn't such an upgrade make the ship practically unbeatable in combat when paired with Combat Thrusters?

A: Yes, such a ship would be extremely powerful and unbalanced. No, you cannot equip Turbolasers on a Colossal-sized ship. In fact the footnote at the bottom of Weapon Systems in the new Starships of the Galaxy book should refer to Colossal (Frigate) or larger ships, not Colossal. This is official errata.

Q181: Can you use the Snap Roll Starship Maneuver and the Vehicular Combat Feat against the same attack? Or do you have to pick one or the other?

A: You have to pick one or the other against any individual attack.

Q183: Does the extra 20 SR from the Attack Formation Zeta Nine get lost first or last (like temporary Hit Points from D&D)? For instance, say I had SR 20 and raised to SR 40 with the Starship Maneuver. I take enough hits to knock my SR down 20 points during a battle. After the battle I end the maneuver. Do I still have SR 20 left over? Or is it SR 0?

A: If you have any SR left when you end the maneuver, you lose 20 SR (to a minimum of 0).

Q184: How exactly does taking damage to your shields work when you are using the Angle Deflector Shields maneuver?

A: Your shields are considered doubled/halved with the maneuver, but you don't actually double/halve them.

1. So, I have SR 20. I use this, target the boss.
2. The boss shoots me for 35. I consider my SR doubled (40) so the shields absorb all the damage and there is no reduction in shields.
3. The mook shoots me for 35. I consider my SR halved (10) against him so the SR absorbs 10 and my SR is reduced from 20 to 15.
4. The boss shoots me for 35. I still consider my SR doubled (30), so the shields absorb 30 points of damage and my SR is reduced from 15 to 10.

Q185: Can you use Serenity to get an automatic Natural 20 when using a Vehicle Weapon? If so, doesn't this make it devastatingly good?

A: This isn't clear in the text, but the answer is no.

Serenity says that "your first attack roll... made in the following round is considered to be a Natural 20." This use of "your" was intentional, an artifact left over from earlier phrasing that made this point more clear: Any reference to "your attack roll" means that it applies only to a personal, hand-held weapon, but a reference to "an attack" (or attack roll) is not limited this way.

As described on page 144 of the Saga Edition rulebook, "Your attack roll with a ranged weapon is 1d20 + Base Attack Bonus + Dexterity modifier + range penalty (if any)." However, on page 167, it says that "An attack roll with a vehicle weapon is . . . 1d20 + base attack bonus + Vehicle's Intelligence modifier + Range modifier." This difference in phrasing was intentional and meant to show that two different processes were occurring. Since an attack with a Vehicle Weapon is never made as "1d20 + Base Attack Bonus + Dexterity modifier + Range penalty," it is never technically "your attack roll" (first or otherwise), and thus it can't benefit from Serenity. (The Force Power Battle Strike is another example of this.)

Originally, this was part of the justification for why Luke had to turn off his targeting computer to use The Force and blow up The Death Star. With the targeting computer off, the Proton Torpedoes basically became Improvised Ranged Weapons, and he was limited to a very short-range shot (within the same Starship Scale square) due to the lack of computer assistance. However, Luke could use his personal ranged attack bonus and thus qualify for using a Destiny Point (or even Battle Strike, which we originally considered making his first Force Power).

Obviously, this explicit distinction was lost while condensing everything to fit in the available page count, but the remnants of it ("your attack roll") are still there.

Q186: What player in their right mind would make a Starfighter with the LIGHT FIGHTER template when they can just use the INTERCEPTOR template, remove the 6-square speed sublight engines, replace them with 5-square speed sublight engines, resulting in a ship that is equal or better in every single way and is cheaper to boot?

A: The mistake you seem to be making is selling off the 6-square engine and getting back the full 100,000 credits (effectively making your interceptor worth nothing). You can't do that, not even when making your ship from scratch. Your proposed 5-square speed interceptor would have a base cost of 95,000 credits (100,000-25,000 for removing the 6-Square Sublight Drive + 20,000 for adding the 5-Square Sublight Drive). Even when designing a ship's blueprints from nothing, you must still sell components for 1/4 their value (as shown in the Starship Modification chapter). It may not make much sense, but it is an abstraction to help maintain game balance and to cover any additional costs during ship building that would be too detailed for a game (in other words, you may not literally be selling an engine which you never had, but you must still crunch the numbers as though you did).

Q187: Could you please clarify how Focused Fire (from Starships of the Galaxy) is supposed to work?

When it says a single system fires, does it mean a single weapon? Or a single weapon battery? Does it take the -5 penalty common with Autofire attacks? If it fires a Battery, does it still get the bonus to attacks or damage as Batteries typically do?

A: You select one Weapon System. Not a Weapon Battery, but a Weapon System. So, subtract the bonuses built-in from gunners in Batteries, and it does not get the bonus to damage from Batteries (as beating a Reflex Defense of 10 would otherwise be ludicrously easy with Capital Ships, and would rack up huge damage bonuses). The book does not say that the ship takes a -5 penalty to the attack roll; make no mistake, it is an Area Attack, but a -5 penalty is NOT associated with all Area Attacks, but rather with Autofire attacks. Remember, though, that Focused Fire is an option used by the Gamemaster to speed up gameplay and create engaging Starship encounters, and wasn't designed to be some kind of superior Starship combat tactic.

Q188: I know I can take cargo space and convert it into extra EP, and I know I can take EP gleaned from the methods shown on table 3-9 of the Starships of the Galaxy rulebook and convert them back into cargo space, but can I convert ANY extra EP I have (regardless of its source) and convert it into cargo?

A: Yes you can. The footnote says, "Any Emplacement Points gained in this way may be kept as spares or used to purchase additional cargo space, adding tons of cargo capacity equal to the Starship's Cost Modifier for each Emplacement Point spent."

The "In this way" part does not explicitly state what "This way" is. Is "This way" the changing of stats on a Stock Starship? Or is "This way" more specific, referring only to increasing your crew requirements, which is what the previous sentence was talking about? Or is "This way" more general, referring to any change that gives you extra EPs?

It's the last one. The phrasing that I had in my turnover was this: "Any leftover Emplacement Points may be kept as spares..." It didn't specify that it applied that particular method at all, and- as I mentioned- it wasn't meant to. I'd meant to point this out elsewhere in the chapter, and that part of the footnote was supposed to be a reminder of how you can add extra cargo by spending EPs because this was one time you'd be particularly likely to want to do so.

During his final pass while getting it ready for typesetting, the managing editor rephrased it become he didn't like using "Leftover" as an adjective, but he wasn't trying to change the rule. Unfortunately, his phrasing compounded my error because it could very easily be read to mean it applies only to stock ships.

In the absence of evidence to the contrary, you'd be right to read it conservatively and assume that it only applies to Stock Starships because of where it appears in the chapter. But, now that I have pointed out how it is meant to be read, you do have evidence to the contrary.

Q189: Can the Battlefield Effects be abused by activating them for two rounds, and having the Vehicle Weapons fire on the second round? Could you use Readied Actions to get around the limitations of Battlefield Effects (effectively getting the fire effects at no penalty)?

A: Yes. In the former case, the Battlefield Effects will be up for two rounds, down for a round, up for two rounds, down for a round, etc. You can use Readied Actions to get around the limitations, though Rodney suggests ruling against such actions.

Droids

Q190: Can Droids with Climbing Claws climb perfectly smooth vertical surfaces? It would seem Grievous and others were capable of doing so in the Clone Wars cartoons.

A: No. In that case, I'd argue that he was creating his own hand holds by clamping into the metal itself, making it a Rough Surface.

Q191: Can a Droid take levels in Jedi?

A: Yes, so long as it isn't the Droid's first level. Even so, a Droid may never take the Force Sensitivity Feat, even when Multiclassing into the Jedi class.

Q192: Do the system components a Droid begins play with count against its Carrying Capacity?

A: Stock models of Droids are always assumed to be able to carry their stock equipment unencumbered. If you play a Droid, the systems and accessories you buy with your base 1,000 credits are considered to be covered under this clause. Any other equipment encumbers the Droid as normal, including aftermarket modifications.

Q193: If I buy a group of B1-Series Battle Droids (or any other Droid for that matter), can I get them without their guns in order to save money? Does getting them without their carbines affect the license in any way? Do their guns come with ammo upon purchase? Heck, do the Droids even come with the carbines or is that only shown in the stat block of what they are typically fitted with (and are actually supposed to be a separate purchase altogether)?

A: The prices in the book cover the stock model with the stock accessories and weapons loadouts. We do not make any provisions for cost with or without certain components, as they are generally not available for sale in any other package. If a Gamemaster wants to make a special exception, they can, but it would be just that: a special exception.

Q194: When Reprogramming new Talents into a Droid, do they have to be a member of the Heroic Class that has the Talent first? Or can I have a 1st-level Droid Soldier with Bounty Hunter Talents?

A: Talents can only be programmed in for the appropriate class levels. If I have a Droid with 3 levels of Soldier and 3 levels of Scout, I can still only Reprogram it with 2 Soldier Talents and 2 Scout Talents. Skills, however, follow no such requirement.

Prestige Classes

Q195: Should your minion die (see the Attract Minion Talent of the Crime Lord's Mastermind Talent Tree), is it replaced with a new one? Or do you lose the benefit of the Talent forever (short of taking it again)?

A: Your minion is not replaced for free. You must spend a Talent to do so. That is why Crime Lords get so many Talents.

Q196: The Force Disciple is able to select Talents from "...any Force Talent Tree in Chapter Six: The Force." (p.215) (There is similar wording for the Jedi Master and Sith Lord Prestige Class.) Does this include the Force Tradition Talent Trees in Chapter Six (Jensaarai Defender Talent Tree and Dathomiri Witch Talent Tree) or is it only referring to the Force-sensitive trees (Alter, Control, Dark Side, Sense)? If it's only the Force-sensitive trees, then is that language redundant since someone with Force Sensitivity can always select Talents from those trees, or are there times when such a character is allowed to select a Talent but is not allowed to select from the Force-sensitive trees?

A: It includes the Force Tradition Talent Trees.

Q197: Both the Officer and the Crime Lord gain access to the Command Cover ability, which has a maximum bonus based on your Class Level. How does this work for a multiclassed X / Officer / Crime Lord? Do the two abilities effectively stack (add your levels in Officer and Crime Lord together to determine the Command Cover maximum)? Or are they separate (take the better of the two)?

A: You can stack levels in these two Prestige Classes, but you are still limited to a +5 maximum bonus. Therefore, a 4th-level Crime Lord/6th-level Officer would get a +5 Cover bonus.

Q198: How does the Command Cover ability interact with normal Cover?

A: Since the Command Cover ability grants a "Cover" bonus, it does not stack with normal forms of Cover.

Q199: Can Crime Lords use their Talents to gain Force Talents?

A: Yes, provided they meet the prerequisites.

Q200: Tough as Durasteel is listed as a Talent, though it looks like it is meant to be a class feature. Which is it?

A: Tough as Durasteel is meant to be a class ability, not a Talent. You gain a cumulative +2 bonus at every even level (which is effectively equal to your Class Level).