Shard

Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Jedi Academy Training Manual

Shards are crystalline beings native to the planet Orax. Although immobile and silicone-based, Shards are sentient and can communicate with others through computers and other electronic receivers. Some Shards, like The Iron Knights, have themselves placed inside Droid Bodies that they can manipulate telepathically. Many, if not all, Shards are Force-sensitive.

Shards in Droid Bodies, disconnected from their group-mind, became insatiably curious, and almost intoxicated by the new sensory experiences. Individual Shards began understanding the ideas of limited time, thinking and acting much faster than their counterparts in the group-minds. Some of the Shards remaining on Orax regarded this as a corruption of their traditional culture, while others welcomed the knowledge gained from Shards who eventually returned to their colonies.

Shard Characteristics

Personality: Shards are patient, spending all of their time in slow, contemplative thought. Political decisions are made by mutual consensus, which sometimes takes centuries to reach.

Physical Description: In their natural state, Shards take the form of irregularly faceted cylindrical crystals, thirty to forty centimeters in length. Faint pulses of light- thought signals propagating through their "Brains"- can be seen inside their bodies. Shards were immobile in their natural state, but could be installed in specially modified droids. Most Shards that venture out into the galaxy install themselves into a Droid body.

Average Height/Weight: A Shard's height and weight is determined primarily by their Droid Shell (see below).

Age Groups: As inorganic beings, Shards are not affected by the process of Aging.

Homeworld: The awe-inspiring crystalline world of Orax, located in The Outer Rim.

Language: Shards are able to telepathically communicate with other Shards without a need for language. Shards that enter Droid Bodies become learned in Binary, and most Shards that interact with non-Shards tend to learn Basic.

Example Names: Firkrann, Ilum, Luxum.

Adventurers: The vast majority of Shards that leave Orax join The Iron Knights as Jedi or Force Prodigies, although Shards of other Heroic Classes aren't unheard of.

Shard Species Traits

Shards share the following Species Traits, assuming that the Shard is implanted in a humanoid Droid Body (adjust these traits if the Shard's Droid Body is significantly different than the base humanoid Droid frame):

• Ability Modifiers: All Shards receive a +2 bonus to their Wisdom, but suffer a -2 penalty to their Dexterity. Shards have powerful minds, but must rely on somewhat clumsy Droid Bodies. A Shard retains its Constitution score, even when inside a Droid Body.
• Medium Size: As Medium creatures, Shards have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Speed: Shards have a base speed of 6 squares.
• Bonus Trained Skill: Shards gain Use Computer as a bonus Trained Skill, regardless of their Class.
• Droid Shell: Shards must inhabit Droid Bodies to travel and function in the galaxy at large. In this form, they gain the following traits:
  • Shards must undergo Maintenance, as per a Droid.
  • Shards are immune to Poison, Radiation, noncorrosive Atmospheric Hazards, and Vacuum. They can regain Hit Points only through the Repair Droid application of the Mechanics skill. They do not benefit from Natural Healing, unless they have the Force Repair Talent.
  • Shards are considered cybernetic creatures for the purposes of Ion Damage.
  • Shards can make use of Droid systems and accessories, subject to some limitations. Shards can have the following Droid Systems, with a Cost Modifier of x1:
    • Appendages
    • Droid Armor
    • Communications Systems
    • Compartment Space
    • Sensor Systems
    • Translator Units

• Automatic Languages: All Shards can speak, read, and write both Basic and Binary. Shards can communicate with other creatures only when connected to a computer or a Vocabulator.

Homebrew Using Shards in an Existing Droid Model

This Homebrew Content has not been reviewed in a meaningful manner. If you wish to review this content yourself, then see Untested for more details.

Homebrew Reference Book: Clone Wars Saga Edition Fan Sourcebook - Force Users

While the above allows for the creation of Shard heroes in custom Droid Shells, many players may wish to instead put their Shard character into the shell of an existing Droid Model from Star Wars lore. To do this, roll for Strength or Dexterity scores (Reduce your point buy by one third, rounding up if using Planned Generation).

Create your character as normal otherwise; using the special qualities listed in the Shard Species Traits. However, from the selected Droid Model, you take all the Droid Systems and possessions (Except the Processor type, which is removed in favor of the Shard’s personality), as well as the Speed and Strength score, and apply it to your Shard character. The Dexterity score is also applied, albeit at a -2 penalty, due to the imperfect melding of Shard and Droid.