Variant Rules

Occasionally, as GM, you might put forth a task for your players that is more difficult than they might be prepared for, and that task might have multiple ways to accomplish it, such as asking your operative to make an ability check to conceal a device on a highly perceptive individual. This task could be reasonable accomplished with a (Dexterity) Sleight of Hand check or a Charisma (Deception) check. Rather than choosing between the two possible checks, the player could elect to do both. If they do so, they must make two separate ability checks, but the target DC for the checks should be reduced by 5.

For instance, using the above example, you might set the DC for the initial check to be 25, allowing the character to perform a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check or Charisma (Deception) check. The player might instead decide to attempt both checks. If they do so, they must instead succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check and a DC 20 Charisma (Deception) check. If they succeed on both checks, they accomplish their task. If the fail on either check, they fail the task regardless of the outcome of the other check.

Minimum DC#

For even more difficult tasks with multiple possible solutions, characters can attempt even more ability checks. For each ability check beyond the first, the DC should decrease by 5, cumulatively, to a minimum DC of 20. For instance, a DC 30 check could instead be accomplished by two separate DC 25 ability checks or even three DC 20 ability checks, provided there are sufficient different ability checks that could apply.

Degrees of Failure#

You might also consider implementing degrees of failure if a character attempts to perform compound checks and fails one or more of them. For instance, if a character attempts a compound check with two separate ability checks and fails on one or both, you might determine the outcome for failing both to be significantly worse than only failing one.

Combat is a stressful activity, both physically and mentally. If you want to add an additional layer to combat to help encourage your players to handle things in a more civilized manner, consider implementing this variant rule.

Concluding Combat#

At the end of a combat encounter, you might consider having each surviving participant make a Constitution saving throw to avoid exhaustion. The DC for the saving throw is equal to 10 + the number of complete rounds that occurred during the encounter. On a failure, a creature suffers 1 level of exhaustion.

More Restful Rest#

Exhaustion is a painful penalty to add to characters, especially if they end up encountering multiple levels of exhaustion over the course of a gaming day. When your players' characters complete a short rest with exhaustion from this variant, consider allowing them to spend a Hit Die at the end of that rest to remove one level of exhaustion.

If a character encounters multiple levels of exhaustion due to this variant, they can spend more Hit Dice to remove the additional levels, either during the same rest or separate ones. Each time they do so, however, the effect is cumulative for each additional level. Removing a second level of exhaustion would take two Hit Dice, while a third would take three, and so on. For instance, if a character completes a short rest with two levels of exhaustion from this variant, they could spend one Hit Die to remove one level of exhaustion, or three Hit Dice to remove both. Once a creature has completed a long rest, the number of Hit Dice to be spent to remove this exhaustion is reduced back to one.

For the sake of simplicity, ammunition is shared amongst weapons that deal the same damage type. For instance, all blasters that deal kinetic damage utilize slug cartridges, while all blasters that deal energy, ion, or other elemental damage types utilize power cells. If you dislike that an assault cannon and a blaster pistol utilize the same ammunition, consider the following variant rule.

Damage Dice Ammo Size#

Slug cartridges and power cells are each broken down into five size categories, from Tiny to Huge. These new sized ammunitions only fit in weapons that utilize certain damage values, as shown in the below table.

|Large|d10

|Huge|d12/2d6/3d4|

For those weapons with alternative damage types, you'll want to treat their damage as one step higher. Ion damage should be two steps higher or twice the weapon's damage, whichever is lower.

For instance, a blaster which deals 1d8 energy damage would use Medium power cells, while a blaster that deals 1d4 kinetic damage would use Tiny slug cartridges. A blaster that deals 1d4 fire damage, however, would use Small power cells (since we treat that damage as one step higher), as would a blaster that deals 1d3 ion damage (since we treat that damage as two steps higher).

Ammo Size Values and Weights#

Additionally, the value and weight of these sized munitions would scale, as shown in the table below.

Powered by Power Cells

Items that are powered by power cells, such as jetpacks or glowrods, would utilize Medium power cells.

Inspired by the Dimension 20 actual play campaign A Starstruck Odyssey, where one of the main characters is using sentinel bones but with techcasting instead of forcecasting, I've created the following variant rule.

Saving Throws#

For the five classes with native casting (consular, engineer, guardian, scout, sentinel) you'll want to make the following adjustments to their saving throws.

• Consular: Replace Charisma with Intelligence.
• Engineer: Replace Intelligence with Charisma.
• Guardian: Replace Charisma with Intelligence.
• Scout: No changes.
• Sentinel: Replace Charisma with Intelligence.

Force- and Tech-casting#

You'll want to replace the Forcecasting feature with Techcasting, and vice versa, as appropriate. Specifically, Force Powers Known, Force Points, and Forcecasting Ability will want to be replaced with Tech Powers Known, Tech Points, and Techcasting Ability, and vice versa, as described below:

Note that Max Power Level is not mentioned because it is not affected by these changes.

• Consular: Replace consular Forcecasting with engineer Techcasting.
• Engineer: Replace engineer Techcasting with consular Forcecasting.
• Guardian: Replace guardian Forcecasting with scout Techcasting.
• Scout: Replace scout Techcasting with guardian Forcecasting. Mechanist scout should instead replace Improved Techcasting with sentinel Forcecasting.
• Sentinel: Replace sentinel Forcecasting with the Improved Techcasting present in the Mechanist Technique scout archetype, with the following updates: sentinels will have 5 and 6 tech powers known, and 2 and 3 tech points, at 1st and 2nd levels, respectively.
• Splashcasters: Replace Forcecasting with Techcasting, and vice versa, of the other splashcasting archetype for that class. For instance, Shield Specialist fighter would replace its Techcasting feature with Adept Specialist fighter's forcecasting.

For the crosscaster archetypes, such as Way of Technology consular, you can simply flip the powers accordingly.

Class Features#

Different classes or archetypes with casting as a core component are typically built around that casting's primary ability score. You'll want to update or replace them, as appropriate to the class or archetype, including capstones.

Short or Long Rest Recovery#

You can also consider swapping the point recovery rest requirements, creating short rest force points or long rest tech points. To do so, you'll want to halve the base number of force points (not accounting for ability modifier) to account for short rest recovery, or double the base number of tech points (again not accounting for ability modifier) to account for long rest recovery. For instance, a consular with long rest forcecasting gets four tech points for each consular level (before modifier). If you wanted to do a short rest forcecasting consular instead, you'd only receive two tech points per consular level. The opposite would be true for an engineer; while they would get two tech points per engineer level as with short rest recovery techcasting, they would instead get four tech points per engineer level for long rest casting (again, ignoring additional tech points from their ability modifier).

Note that if you are only swapping the rest mechanics, this has no impact on powers known or casting ability, as discussed earlier in this variant rule.

Sundry Sidney

For those of you watching A Starstruck Odyssey, Sundry Sidney is a sentinel using techcasting instead of forcecasting. While they swapped the powers known, type of points, and casting ability, they maintained the long rest recovery of points. Consequently, she kept the three points per level a sentinel would normally receive, instead of halving the number received as with Improved Techcasting present in the Mechanist Scout archetype.

With the semi-recent release that added a second level of customization classes that lack them—collectively referred to as invocations, due to their inspiration from the warlock feature of that name—every class now has two levels of customization available to them: their class's invocation feature, and their archetype. Most (all?) of the class's invocation features are hard-locked; that is, once you choose it, you've got it for life. Benevolent GMs might allow players to replace a choice if they found it underwhelming, but others might not. With this variant rule, however, it is encouraged for GMs to allow their player's to rechoose invocations on a case-by-case basis.

What are Invocations?#

Beyond their choice of archetype, each class has a second level of customization collectively referred to as invocations. These invocations are as follows:

• Berserkers have Berserker Instincts.
• Consulars have Force-Empowered Casting.
• Engineers have Modification Slots, which vary based on their class.
• Fighters have their Combat Superiority Maneuvers.
• Guardians have their Guardian Auras.
• Monks have their Monastic Vows.
• Operatives have their Operative Exploits.
• Scholars have their Academic Superiority Maneuvers and Discoveries.
• Scouts have their Scout Routines.
• Sentinels have their Sentinel Ideals.

Of the ten classes, only engineers (mostly), fighters, and scholars can re-choose their invocations, and even then only sparingly. Using this rule, you can instead let all ten classes re-choose their invocations, at appropriate intervals.

When Can They Re-choose?#

The easiest route would be to allow characters to re-choose one of their invocation options when they complete a long rest, or even when they level up. Alternatively, you might enforce a narrative moment for them to re-choose. For instance, a guardian might not be able to relearn their Guardian Aura without spending some time with their master, while a monk might have to spend time in a monastery to re-choose a Monastic Vow, and a scout might have to spend time alone practicing to re-choose a Scout Routine. Ultimately, the method in which allow your players to re-choose their invocations is up to you and your playgroup. You might even let them re-choose on the fly.

Re-choosing Archetypes or Classes?#

Re-choosing archetypes or classes is not intended as a part of this variant rule. However, you could easily allow players to do so, though I'd recommend the narrative approach over the simple level up or long rest.

One aspect of 5e that has been more-or-less untouched is the concept of using elevation to your advantage beyond just creatures not being able to reach you. This variant rule offers mechanical boons to encourage utilizing elevation as a tactical device. Elevation grants a bonus called dominance, which comes in three levels.

A creature has dominance over another creature if it is at least 10 feet above that creature vertically, and at least 10 feet away from that creature horizontally. While a creature has dominance over another, it has a +2 bonus to ranged attack rolls against the dominated creature, and the dominated creature suffers a -2 penalty to Dexterity saving throws against effects the creature dominating it controls. Additionally, a creature with dominance has a +2 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws against a creature it is dominating.

A creature has superdominance over another creature if it is at least 20 feet above that creature vertically, and at least 20 feet away from that creature horizontally. While a creature has superdominance over another, it has a +3 bonus to ranged attack rolls against the superdominated creature, and the superdominated creature suffers a -3 penalty to Dexterity saving throws against effects the creature dominating it controls. Additionally, a creature with superdominance has a +3 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws against a creature it is dominating.

A creature has hyperdominance over another creature if it is at least 30 feet above that creature vertically, and at least 30 feet away from that creature horizontally. While a creature has hyperdominance over another, it has a +5 bonus to ranged attack rolls against the hyperdominated creature, and the hyperdominated creature suffers a -5 penalty to Dexterity saving throws against effects the creature dominating it controls. Additionally, a creature with hyperdominance has a +5 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws against a creature it is dominating.

A creature can only benefit from one level of dominance at a time for each creature it would be dominating, but it can have different levels of dominance for different creatures. For instance, if a creature is 30 feet above another creature both vertically and horizontally, it is hyperdominating that creature. If it is 20 feet above another creature vertically and 15 feet horizontally, it is only dominating the third creature instead of superdominating, since both values exceed 10 feet, but not 20.

Advantage and Disadvantage#

If a creature has advantage, it can choose to forgo that advantage when making an attack to increase its domination level by one against its target until the end of its turn. For instance, if a creature has advantage and is 20 feet above another creature both vertically and horizontally, it is superdominating that creature. The creature can choose to forgo its advantage to instead hyperdominate the creature until the end of its turn.

If a creature is suffering from disadvantage, it can't dominate another creature regardless of how far away from that creature it is, horizontally or vertically.

Cover#

If a creature would be dominating another creature, and it also has cover from that creature, the bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws don't stack. Instead, the dominating creature gains the higher of the two bonuses. For instance, if a creature is dominating another creature, and it also has half cover from that creature, it only gains the +3 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws against that creature. However, if the dominated creature has a feature that allows it to ignore the benefit of cover, such as Sharpshooter Mastery, the dominating creature would still gain the +2 benefit from dominating the other creature.

Conversely, if a creature is both dominated by another creature, and it has cover from that creature, you don't add the bonus and penalty together. Instead, you reduce a creatures dominance by one for each level of cover it has. For instance, if a creature is superdominated by a creature, but it also has one-quarter cover from that creature, it is instead just dominated. If the creature that is dominating it has a feature that allows it to ignore the benefit of cover, such as a Sharpshooter Mastery, however, the creature is still superdominated since the creature dominating it isn't affected by the cover.

Best suited for smaller parties, gestalt and dichotomous Characters are two separate variant rules that have some conceptual overlap. Gestalt focuses on a character having two classes simultaneously, while, dichotomous focuses on having one class, with two archetypes. If either—or Ashla forbid, both—of these concepts sound intriguing to you, consider the following variant rules.

Gestalt Characters#

As indicated above, gestalt characters level in two classes simultaneously. They gain all of the proficiencies and features of each class, with following adjustments.

Experience Gain#

Because a character is leveling in two classes simultaneously, the amount of experience that character should require to gain a level should double. For instance, going from 2nd level to 3rd requires 600 experience points. For a gestalt character, it instead requires 1,200.

Hit Points and Hit Dice#

If a character chooses two classes with different sized Hit Dice, they should take the average of the two Hit Die sizes (rounded down), and they don't add the Hit Dice together. For instance, if a gestalt character chooses to level in consular, who has a d6 Hit Die, and guardian, who has a d10 Hit Die, that character would have a d8 Hit Die. If the player chooses consular and sentinel, who has a d8 Hit Die, however, their Hit Die would be a d6, since that would be the average of the two Hit Die sizes rounded down.

Starting Proficiencies and Equipment#

For starting proficiencies and equipment, what you receive varies:

Saving Throws. You choose the saving throw pair offered by either class. You cannot mix-and-match, and you do not get both.

Skills. You choose the skills offered by one of your classes. You cannot mix-and-match, and you do not get both.

Weapons, Armor, and Tools. You gain the weapons, armor, and tool proficiencies for both classes.

Starting Equipment. You gain the starting equipment—or starting wealth—for either class. You cannot mix-and-match, and you do not get both.

Ability Score Increases#

When a gestalt character reaches 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, they gain the Ability Score Improvement feature in both classes. At each of these levels, that character should only gain this feature once, instead of twice. Alternatively, you can give them the full +2 Ability Score Improvement from one class, and a feat from the other, as with the ASI and a Feat variant rule.

Force- and Tech-Casting#

If a character chooses two classes that both have force- or tech-casting, they use the following adjustments:

• They determine their Max Power Level as if they were multiclassing. If the potential Max Power Level of the two classes combined would exceed 9, however, they instead use the fullcasting Max Power Level progression present on the Multiclass Max Power Level table.
• They add the force or tech points from both classes together.
• They learn their powers separately by class, as with multiclassing, and those powers are restricted by that class's native Max Power Level regardless of their gestalt Max Power Level.

If a character chooses two classes with opposing casting, they ignore these rules. For instance, if a gestalt character levels as consular and scout, force- and tech-casting are treated separately as determined by their class.

Overlapping Features#

If two classes receive features that overlap, and aren't otherwise mentioned, it's up to the GM to determine how those features interact.

Multiclassing#

Gestalt Characters are not suitable for multiclassing.

Dichotomous Characters#

Instead of your character leveling in two classes simultaneously, you can have your character level in one class, but with two archetypes from that class.

When a character reaches third level, they gain an archetype of their choice for their chosen class. Using this variant, they instead can choose two. At each level within that class that they would gain archetype features, they gain the features for both archetypes. If archetypes offer features that conflict, it's up to the GM to determine how those features interact.

Alternatively, you can have a dichotomous character choose the features of only one archetype at a given level, rather than both, allowing the player to mix and match archetype features.

Multiclassing#

If a dichotomous character multiclasses, and reaches third level in two or more classes, it's up to the GM to determine whether they gain multiple archetypes in each class, or only in one.

Gestalt and Dichotomous#

Gestalt and dichotomous characters, since they impact only certain parts of the character generation experience, work seamlessly together. Simply follow the rules associated with gestalt characters, including the restriction on multiclassing, and allow them to choose two archetypes in each class at 3rd level.

Often times, in combat, characters might want to target a specific body part or feature of their target when making an attack. This is commonly referred to as a "called shot." If this is a mechanic you want to implement in your game, consider using the following variant rule.

Calling A Shot#

In order to make a called shot, you must first be making an attack roll with advantage. If you want to turn that attack into a called shot, you can choose to do so by forgoing that advantage. If you do so, and the attack hits, the hit becomes a called shot.

Effects#

When you hit with a called shot, you can choose to deal normal weapon damage and then roll a d100 to determine the effect of the shot randomly using the Called Shot Effects table below. Alternatively, you can choose to roll your damage dice twice and take the lesser total. If you do so, you can choose the effect you want to cause on the Called Shot Effects table below, instead of determining it randomly.

Called Shot Effects#

Unlike traditional 5e, Star Wars 5e places a significantly greater emphasis on the use of tools. Additionally, Star Wars 5e has substantially more languages than traditional 5e, since it spans an entire galaxy, with hundreds if not thousands of species, each speaking their own language. Using this variant rule, you can add additional proficiencies in tools and languages to your players beyond those offered by their species, class, or background.

Proficiency Points#

Each character gains a number of proficiency points equal to their proficiency bonus. These proficiency points can be spent to learn languages or tool proficiencies at a ratio of 1 point per language or tool.

Tool Expertise#

If a character wants to instead use their points to gain expertise in a tool, the GM might allow them to spend 2 proficiency points to gain expertise in a tool in which they are already proficient.

When Are They Chosen?#

Each character can choose to spend their proficiency points at any time to gain proficiency in a language or tool. If they would do so in a moment when that language or proficiency would become relevant to the story, they must first justify how they already know that language or tool proficiency. For instance, if the party encounters a particular species from which they need to glean information, and they have no way to communicate with that species, one of your players might spend a proficiency point to learn the language that species speaks. In order to do so, however, they must first explain how they would know that language. Perhaps they grew up with a wandering member of that species who taught it to them? Or maybe they took this specific language as an elective during their education?

Alternative Proficiencies#

Alternatively, you might allow your players to spend their proficiency points to gain proficiency in weapons or armor. A character could spend 1 proficiency point to gain proficiency in a singular weapon, or 2 proficiency points to gain proficiency in a weapon category (all blasters, lightweapons, or vibroweapons). A character could also spend 2 proficiency points to gain proficiency in a type of armor. However, they would first need to have proficiency in the lesser armors. For instance, to gain proficiency in heavy armor, you must first have proficiency in medium armor. To gain proficiency in medium armor, you must first have proficiency in light armor.

Skill Expertise#

If a character wants to instead use their points to gain expertise in a skill, the GM might allow them to spend 4 proficiency points to gain expertise in a skill in which they are already proficient.

One of my many gripes with 5e is that its cantrips scale with character level. I find that this doesn't make sense both mechanically and logically; if I multiclass 2 levels of fighter and 3 levels of warlock, I don't magically get Extra Attack, but for some reason I can create two beams when I cast eldritch blast. If you want to try alternative at-will power scaling, consider this variant rule.

Caster Level#

Instead of having at-will powers that improve at 5th, 11th, and 17th character level, instead have them scale at 5th, 11th, and 17th caster level. Caster level is, effectively, what you're calculating when you are determining your Max Power Level while multiclassing.

To determine your caster level, you divide your class's potential Max Power Level by 9, and then multiply the result by your number of levels in that class. That number is your caster level. For the full-caster classes—consular and engineer—this will be the same as your level in that class. For other casting classes and archetypes, your caster level will be lower than your level in that class.

When multiclassing, you determine your caster level by dividing each class's potential Max Power Level by 9, multiplying the result by the number of levels in that class, adding the results for each class together, and rounding down the final result. For instance, if you have four levels in Marauder Approach berserker (1.77) and three levels in guardian (1.67), your caster level is 3.

Results#

Ultimately, the results of this variant rule mean that a 20th-level fighter who took the Force-Sensitive feat and the shock force power is no longer as potent with shock as a 20th-level consular. Both mechanically and flavorfully, this aligns to me. Additionally, it means the consular who focuses on the Force is also better with their at-will powers than an equal level guardian or sentinel, which again makes more sense mechanically and flavorfully.

Favored At-Wills

Some archetypes, such as most sentinel archetypes or Soresu guardian, are built around a specific at-will. Your GM might consider letting characters of that archetype use native scaling. However, if adopting this variant rule, they should only scale with class level in this way, rather than character level.

Multiclassing Extra Attack#

If using this variant rule, you might consider allowing characters who multiclass in classes with the Extra Attack feature to add their class levels together to gain that feature. Their combined level in those classes must satisfy the level requirement in both classes to receive this benefit, however.

For instance, a character with 2 levels in fighter and 3 levels in berserker would be eligible for Extra Attack, since their combined levels would meet the 5th-level requirement for Extra Attack in both classes.

On the other hand, a character with 2 levels in fighter and 3 levels in armormech engineer, would not be eligible for Extra Attack, since their combined levels levels don't meet the 6th-level requirement for Extra Attack in armormech engineer. If that character gains an additional level in either class, or a level in another class with the Extra Attack feature, however, they would now meet the requirements for Extra Attack in all three classes, and thus would gain the feature.

If a class or archetype has a restriction to their Extra Attack feature, such as armormech engineer requiring that you are wearing your modified armor or wielding your modified shield to gain the benefit, the character must meet that requirement to gain the benefits of Extra Attack while multiclassing.

Greater Extra Attack#

No characters should receive the Greater Extra Attack feature through this multiclassing variant, since that feature is exclusive to fighter.

SW5e offers greater character customization than traditional 5e, and ultimately yields more powerful characters. If you find yourself struggling to challenge your party, consider using the following variant rule to make them stretch their resources.

Quick Rest#

A quick rest is a period of downtime, at least 1 hour long, during which a character does nothing more strenuous than eating, drinking, reading, and tending to wounds.

A character can spend one or more Hit Dice at the end of a quick rest, up to the character's maximum number of Hit Dice, which is equal to the character's level. Whenever a character spends a Hit Die to regain hit points, the player rolls the die and adds the character's Constitution modifier to it. The character regains hit points equal to the total. The player can decide to spend an additional Hit Die after each roll.

Short Rest#

A short rest is a period of extended downtime, at least 8 hours long, during which a character sleeps for at least 6 hours and performs light activity, such as reading, talking, eating, or standing watch, for no more than 2 hours. If the rest is interrupted by a period of strenuous activity—fighting, casting powers, at least 4 hours of walking, or similar adventuring activity—the characters must restart the rest to benefit from it.

At the end of a short rest, a character regains missing hit points up to half their hit point maximum (rounded up). A character can then spend one or more Hit Dice, up to the character's maximum number of Hit Dice, which is equal to the character's level. Whenever a character spends a Hit Die to regain hit points, the player rolls the die and adds the character's Constitution modifier to it. The character regains hit points equal to the total. The player can decide to spend an additional Hit Die after each roll.

A character can't benefit from more than one short rest in a 24-hour period, and a character must have at least 1 hit point at the start of the rest to gain its benefits.

Long Rest#

A long rest is a period of extended downtime, at least 2 days long, during which a character sleeps for at least 6 hours each day, and performs light activity, such as reading, talking, eating, or standing watch during the remainder of the long rest. If the rest is interrupted by a period of strenuous activity—fighting, casting powers, at least 4 hours of walking, or similar adventuring activity—the characters must restart the rest to benefit from it.

At the end of a long rest, a character regains all lost hit points. The character also regains spent Hit Dice, up to a number of dice equal to half of the character's total number of them (minimum of one).

A character can't benefit from more than one long rest in a 7-day period, and a character must have at least 1 hit point at the start of the rest to gain its benefits.

Power Durations and Other Effects#

Certain powers, such as battle precognition or force barrier, are powers that are intended to be cast once or twice per adventuring day. Since long rests are now once per week instead of once per day, consider increasing the duration of these powers to 24 hours, or even up to three days, as you deem appropriate.

When a character is reduced to 0 hit points, begins making death saving throws, and has hit points restored, they can return to the battle no worse for the wear. Using this variant rule, you can add an additional layer to make falling to 0 hit points more threatening.

Gaining Wounds#

When a character is reduced to 0 hit points, that character must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a success, nothing happens, but the DC of this saving throw for that character increases by 5, cumulatively, until they complete a short or long rest or fail the saving throw, at which point the DC resets to 10. On a failed save, the character suffers 1 wounded level. On a success or a failure, a creature immediately gains one death saving throw failure for each wounded level it has.

For instance, if a character with no wounded levels is reduced to 0 hit points and fails their Constitution saving throw, they gain 1 wounded level, and they then gain 1 death saving throw failure for their 1 wounded level. Alternatively, if a character with 2 wounded levels is reduced to 0 hit points and succeeds on their Constitution saving throw, they don't gain a wounded level, but they then gain 2 death saving throw failures for their 2 wounded levels. If they take damage, or fail the death saving throw they make at the start of their next turn, they immediately die.

Clearing Wounds#

A character loses all wounded levels when they are restored to their hit point maximum, whether through consumables, powers, resting, or other means.

Unlike attack rolls, which have critical hits and critical misses, saving throws don't have critical successes or failures. Using this variant rule, you can allow critical successes and failures on saving throws.

Critical Success#

When a creature rolls a 20 on their saving throw against an effect, they automatically succeed on the saving throw, even if the result of their save would not meet or exceed the save DC. Additionally, if they would suffer any effects on a successful save, such as half damage, they treat the effect's damage as if it had rolled the minimum.

Critical Failure#

When a creature rolls a 1 on their saving throw against an effect, they automatically fail the saving throw, even if the result of their save would meet or exceed the save DC. Additionally, if the effect would deal damage, they treat the effect's damage as if it had rolled the maximum.

Features That Grant Critical Saves#

Certain features, such as the Explosives fighting style or the Heavy Weapon Specialization feat, grant the ability for certain saving throws to deal critical damage. If you are using this variant rule, instead have them expand the critical hit range by 1. For instance, while using this variant rule, a character with the Explosives fighting style would have a critical hit range of 2 on their grenades. Consequently, creatures that roll a 1 or a 2 on the saving throw against their grenades would critically fail their saves.

Additionally, you can consider allowing weapons with the keen property to increase the critical hit range of their burst or rapid properties.

Saving Throw Checks#

If you use the Saving Throw Checks variant, you would instead allow effects to critically succeed if they would critically hit, and critically fail if they would critically miss, as appropriate.

When you spend at least 10 minutes performing an activity that requires an ability check, that check has consequences for failure, and you don't have disadvantage on the check, you can choose to make that check carefully, colloquially called "taking 10". If you do so, you treat the check as if you had rolled a 10 on the d20. For instance, if you are crafting an item, during resolution you make an Intelligence check with the appropriate tools to determine your d100 Roll Modifier. Instead of rolling the d20, you can make a careful check and take 10, treating the check as if you'd rolled a 10, adding your Intelligence modifier and proficiency bonus, if you are proficient with the tools.

If you would have advantage on the check, you can instead take 15.

Often a player might feel restricted because they made a bad power choice, and they don't want to wait until their next level up to do so. If this is a mechanic that suits your players, consider using the following variant rule.

Each time a character completes a long rest, they can attempt to take one power they know and replace it with another power, as long as that power is not of a higher level than their Max Power Level. If the character knows both force and tech powers, those powers can only be replaced with another force or tech power, respectively.

The character immediately unlearns the power they are trying to replace, and then must make a force- or tech-casting ability check (using Wisdom or Charisma as appropriate, depending on force power alignment) with proficiency. The DC of the check varies depending on the level of the power the character is attempting to learn, as shown in the Power Level Check DC table below.

Power Level Check DC#

On a success, the new power is learned. On a failure, the new power is not learned, the old power is still forgotten, and the character can't try again until their next long rest.

When attempting to replace a power, if the character currently has a vacant power known slot, they do not need to first unlearn a power before attempting to fill that slot.

When the outlook of a situation is grim, player's might want to have their character attempt to go above and beyond, fueling their endeavors with their own vitality at the expense of potentially overexerting themselves through use of this variant rule.

Exert#

Once per round, a player can have their character attempt to exert themselves. When the character makes an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, the character can roll a Hit Die without expending it, adding the result of the die to the roll. Alternatively, on their turn, the character can roll a Hit Die without expending it, increasing their speed by 5 x the amount rolled until the end of their turn. If the character has Hit Dice of different sizes, they can choose which Hit Die they use.

The character can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to exert themselves, but must decide before the GM says whether the roll succeeds or fails.

Over-Exertion#

When a character exerts themselves, they immediately lose hit points equal to the amount rolled, which can't be reduced or negated in any way. If this damage would reduce the character to 0 hit points, they don't immediately fall unconscious. At the end of the current turn, if the character is still at 0 hit points, they fall unconscious and are stable.

In lieu of the fighting style and fighting mastery options available in the PHB, using this variant rule you can instead use the options present here.

Fighting Styles#

Certain class features or feats offer your choice of Fighting Style. Choose from the following. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Brawling#

You are skilled at using your weight to your advantage. You gain the following benefits:

• You are proficient with improvised weapons.
• Your unarmed strike damage increases by one step (from 1 to d4, d4 to d6, or d6 to d8).
• When you attempt to shove or grapple a creature, or make an attack against a creature with an unarmed strike or an improvised weapon wielded in one hand on your turn, you can use your bonus action to make an additional attack, grapple, or shove against the same creature.

Close Quarters Shooting#

You are skilled at getting up close and personal with blaster weapons. While you are wielding a blaster weapon with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• When making a ranged weapon attack while you are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you do not have disadvantage on the attack roll.
• Your ranged weapon attacks ignore half cover against targets within 15 feet of you.
• You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls you make with blaster weapons.

Defense#

You are skilled at the art of defending yourself. While you are wearing armor with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a +1 bonus to AC.
• You have advantage on ability checks and saving throws to avoid being moved.

Dueling#

You are skilled in the art of fighting with a single melee weapon. While you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand with which you are proficient and no other weapons, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls.

Equilibrium#

You are skilled at fighting while minimally armored. While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a medium or heavy shield, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a +1 bonus to AC.
• You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls you make with unarmed strikes and weapon attacks.

Great Weapon Fighting#

You are skilled at putting the weight of a weapon to your advantage. While you are wielding a melee weapon in two hands with which you are proficient, when you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1 or a 2.

Sentinel#

You are skilled at techniques that take advantage of every drop in any enemy's guard. While you are wielding a melee weapon with which you are proficient, you can use a bonus action to enter a defensive stance that lasts until the start of your next turn. While in your defensive stance, you can make a number of opportunity attacks equal to your proficiency bonus without using your reaction, and you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against a creature that moves more than 5 feet while within your reach.

Sharpshooting#

You are skilled with blaster weapons and can make shots that others find difficult. While you are wielding a blaster weapon with which you are proficient, gain a +2 bonus to ranged weapon attacks.

Shielding#

You are skilled at using your shield to defend your allies as well as yourself. While you are wielding a shield with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll.
• If you are wielding a heavy shield, you are no longer required to wield a weapon with the light property in the other hand.

Throwing#

You are skilled with the techniques of throwing weapons. While you are wielding a weapon with the thrown property with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a +1 bonus to ranged attack and damage rolls.
• Whenever you make a ranged attack with a thrown weapon, you can immediately draw another weapon as part of the attack.

Two-Weapon Fighting#

You are skilled at fighting with two weapons. While you are wielding separate weapons in each hand, or a weapon with the double property, with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• When you engage in Two-Weapon Fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of your Two-Weapon Fighting attack.
• When you make an opportunity attack, you can attack with both of your weapons.

Versatile Fighting#

You are skilled at using weapons in different ways. While you are wielding a melee weapon with the versatile property with which you are proficient and no other weapons, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls while wielding a weapon in one hand.
• You gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls while wielding a weapon in two hands.

Fighting Masteries#

Certain class features or feats offer your choice of Fighting Mastery. Choose from the following. You can't take a Fighting Mastery option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Brawling Mastery#

You've mastered using your weight to your advantage, easily wrangling targets around. You gain the following benefits:

• Your improvised weapons use a d6 for damage and gain the versatile (2d4) property.
• Your unarmed strike damage increases by one step (from 1 to d4, d4 to d6, or d6 to d8).
• Your speed isn't halved by carrying a grappled creature who is the same size category as you or smaller.
• Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or an improvised weapon, you can make an additional unarmed strike or improvised weapon attack against the same target without the aid of your proficiency bonus (no action required).

Close Quarters Shooting Mastery#

You've mastered getting up close and personal with blaster weapons, maintain both rate of fire and accuracy. While you are wielding a blaster weapon with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• When you take the Attack action, you can choose to fire rapidly at the expense of accuracy. Your ranged weapon attacks are made without the aid of your proficiency bonus, but you use your bonus action to make an additional ranged weapon attack, also without your proficiency bonus.
• Your ranged weapon attacks ignore half cover against targets within 30 feet of you.
• Other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they move to within 15 feet of you, and you can use blaster weapons when making opportunity attacks.

Defense Mastery#

You've mastered the art of defending yourself, treating your armor as a second skin. While you are wearing armor with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• Critical hits made against you are treated as normal hits.
• When a creature makes a melee attack against you and misses, you can use your reaction to attempt to shove that creature up to 10 feet directly away from you.

Dueling Mastery#

Your mastery of fighting with a single melee weapon is unsurpassed; you make one weapon feel like many. While you are wielding a melee weapon in one hand with which you are proficient and no other weapons, you gain the following benefits:

• When you take the Attack action, you can decide to attack with haste at the expense of accuracy. Your melee weapon attacks are made without the aid of your proficiency bonus, but you use your reaction to make an additional melee weapon attack, also without your proficiency bonus.
• When a creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your AC for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you.

Great Weapon Mastery#

You've mastered putting the weight of a weapon to your advantage, letting its momentum empower your strikes. While you are wielding a melee weapon in two hands with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• On your turn, when you score a critical hit with a melee weapon or reduce a creature to 0 hit points with one, you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action.
• Before you make a melee attack with a weapon that you are wielding in two-hands with which you are proficient with, you can choose to forgo your proficiency bonus. If the attack hits, you add double your proficiency bonus to the attack's damage.

Sentinel Mastery#

You've mastered techniques to take advantage of every drop in any enemy's guard; in tight spaces you are indomitable. While you are wielding a melee weapon with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• When you hit a creature with an opportunity attack, the creature's speed becomes 0 for the rest of the turn.
• Creatures within 5 feet of you provoke opportunity attacks from you even if they take the Disengage action before leaving your reach.

Sharpshooting Mastery#

You have mastered blaster weapons and can easily make shots that others find impossible. While you are wielding a blaster weapon with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• Attacking at long range doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls.
• Your ranged weapon attacks ignore half cover and three-quarters cover.
• Before you make an attack with a blaster weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to forgo your proficiency bonus. If the attack hits, you add double your proficiency bonus to the attack's damage.

Shielding Mastery#

You've mastered using a shield to defend your allies as well as yourself, and you understand that shields are not just for protection but also for offense. While you are wielding a shield with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to try to shove a creature within 5 feet of you with your shield.
• If you aren't incapacitated, you can add your shield's AC bonus to any Dexterity saving throw you make against a power or other harmful effect.

Throwing Mastery#

You've mastered the techniques of throwing weapons, readily blending the weapons with your movements. While you are wielding a weapon with the thrown property with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a +1 bonus to ranged attack rolls you make with thrown weapons.
• Attacking at long range doesn't impose disadvantage on your ranged weapon attack rolls with thrown weapons.
• When you hit a creature with a ranged weapon attack with a thrown weapon, you have advantage on your next melee weapon attack against that creature before the end of your next turn.
• You can use Two-Weapon Fighting even when the melee weapons you are wielding in one hand aren't light, if at least one of them has the thrown property.

Two-Weapon Mastery#

You've mastered fighting with two weapons, becoming a flurry of motion. While you are wielding separate weapons in each hand, or a weapon with the double property, with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• While wielding separate weapons in each hand, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
• While wielding a double weapon, when you roll a 1 on a weapon damage die, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll, even if the new roll is a 1.
• You can engage in Two-Weapon Fighting even when the weapons you are wielding lack the light property.
• You can draw or stow two weapons when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one.
• When you engage in Two-Weapon Fighting, you can choose to forgo your proficiency bonus. If you do so, you can make an additional Two-Weapon Fighting attack, also without your proficiency bonus.

Versatile Mastery#

You've mastered the art of using weapons in different ways, altering your attack patterns mid-swing. While you are wielding a melee weapon with the versatile property with which you are proficient and no other weapons, you gain the following benefits:

• When you are the target of a melee weapon attack, you can immediately use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against the target without your proficiency bonus. On a hit, you impose disadvantage on the attack roll made against you.
• If you miss an attack while wielding a weapon in two hands, you can immediately make an attack roll against the same target using one hand. You can only make this attack once per turn. If the two-handed attack was made with disadvantage or without your proficiency bonus, this attack is made the same way.
• If you miss an attack while wielding a weapon in one hand, you can immediately attempt to shove that creature up to 5 feet directly away from you. You can only make this attempt once per turn. If the one-handed attack was made with disadvantage or without your proficiency bonus, this ability check is made the same way.

Rather than each player character and creature acting on their own, two or more allied creatures can instead choose to act tactically and work together using this initiative variant rule.

Rolling Tactical Initiative#

When combat begins and initiative would be rolled, two or more allied creatures can choose to work as a unit, provided they can see or hear and understand each other. When they do so, they each roll initiative separately, adding any modifiers as appropriate. Once each individual party has rolled their initiative, the group then acts using the lowest result. Once a tactical group is formed, each character's initiative is set to the lowest result, even if the tactical group separates.

For instance, if three players want to use tactical initiative, and they roll a 17, an 11, and a 14, all three players will instead act on initiative 11.

Multiple Tactical Groups#

The party can use multiple tactical groups rather than all working in concert. For instance, a party of five might split into a tactical group of three and a tactical group of two, each group rolling their tactical initiative separately. A character can only belong to one tactical group at a time.

Acting in Concert#

When a tactical group's turn comes up in the initiative order, each member of the group acts together. Their turns and actions can come in any order, though each individual tactical group member is still limited to what actions they could normally take. Additionally, actions that could normally be broken up, such as when a fighter takes the Attack action and has the Extra Attack feature, can be broken up during the turn.

For instance, a 5th-level fighter might take the Attack action and make their first attack. Before they make their second attack, however, the operative ally in their tactical group might then take the Help action to grant them advantage before the fighter makes the second attack.

Separating a Tactical Group#

When a tactical group loses contact with each other, or if the tactical group chooses to break up on their turn (no action required), the tactical group becomes separated. When separated, each member of the former tactical group acts on their own, though they retain the initiative of the tactical group. The order of any active members of the former tactical group acting on the same initiative is determined randomly.

Traditionally, armor class is designed entirely for avoidance. While unarmored or lightly armored, that's dodging the attack entirely. In medium or heavy armor, however, that's absorbing the attack on your armor in such a way that it deals no damage. If you want a different approach to armor, try this variant rule.

Armor Class (AC)#

Base armor class (AC), without consideration of any special traits, class features, or armor and shields, is always calculated as 10 + Dexterity modifier, with armor replacing or augmenting that base AC calculation. Using this system, your base armor class is instead calculated as follows:

Base AC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier

Damage Reduction (DR)#

Damage reduction (DR) is a static value that you subtract when you take damage if certain conditions are met. Certain features, such as the Defense fighting mastery or the absorptive armor property, grant DR that only applies when you take damage from weapons. DR is expressed as a number. DR provided by armor only affects damage you take as a result of being hit by an attack roll, in the same way that AC only helps you avoid being hit by an attack roll.

If passive DR would reduce the damage you take to 0, you instead take 1 damage.

Armor Class vs. Damage Reduction#

Instead of focusing solely on damage avoidance, this variant rule balances armor class and damage reduction, to better emphasize how armor is used. Each type of armor affects your AC and DR differently, as shown below.

Light Armor#

As normal, light armor does not prohibit the maximum Dexterity bonus you can receive to your AC. However, if the light armor had a higher base AC, extra AC instead becomes damage reduction (DR).

For instance, fiber armor normally increases your AC to 12 + Dexterity modifier. If you have a Dexterity modifier of +3, while wearing fiber armor you would have an AC of 15. With this variant rule, however, fiber armor instead grants you DR of 2 while allowing you to add your Dexterity modifier to your AC. If you have a proficiency bonus of +2, you would have an AC of 13 (8 + your proficiency bonus of +2 and your Dexterity modifier of +3) and DR of 2.

Medium Armor#

Medium armor strikes a balance between AC and DR. As normal, it still allows you to add up to +2 to your AC if your Dexterity modifier is +2 or higher.

For instance, weave armor normally increases your AC to 14 + Dexterity modifier (max 2). If you have a Dexterity modifier of +2 or higher, while wearing weave armor you would have an AC of 16. With this variant

rule, however, weave armor instead grants you DR of 4 while allowing you to add your Dexterity modifier (max 2) to your AC. If you have a proficiency bonus of +2, you would have an AC of 12 (8 + your proficiency bonus of +2 and your Dexterity modifier of +2) and DR of 4.

Heavy Armor#

Heavy armor focuses entirely on DR. You gain no benefit to AC from your Dexterity modifier, but you also aren't penalized if your Dexterity modifier is negative.

For instance, assault armor normally increases your AC to 17. With this variant rule, however, assault armor instead grants you DR of 7, but it grants no benefit to your AC. If you have a proficiency bonus of +2, you would have an AC of 10 (8 + your proficiency bonus of +2) and DR of 7.

Unarmored Defense and Natural Armor#

Certain species (such as wookie or colicoid), classes (such as monk or berserker), or archetypes (such as Blademaster Specialist fighter) grant unarmored defense or natural armor. When using this variant, the following rules apply.

Unarmored Defense. If your unarmored defense includes Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, you add that modifier to your AC as normal. If your unarmored defense includes your Constitution modifier, however, you instead treat that modifier as DR. For instance, a monk with a proficiency bonus of +2, a Dex modifier of +4, and a Wisdom modifier of +3 would have an AC of 17. A berserker with a proficiency bonus of +2, a Dex modifier of +4, and a Constitution modifier of +3, however, would have an AC of 14 and DR of 3.

Natural Armor. If your natural armor includes an adjustment to your base AC, that adjustment instead becomes DR. If your natural armor allows you to add your Dexterity modifier to your AC, you still add it as normal. For instance, a wookiee's hide grants them a base AC of 13 + Dexterity modifier. If the wookiee has a proficiency bonus of +2 and a Dexterity modifier of +2, instead of having an AC of 15 they would have an AC of 12 and DR of 3. A colicoid, however, who would have an AC of 17, with a proficiency bonus of +2, would have an AC of 10 and a DR of 7.

Shields#

As normal, shields add their bonus to AC.

Enhanced Items#

If an enhanced armor would add an additional bonus to AC, it instead increases DR. If an enhanced shield would add an additional bonus to AC, it continues to do so. If that bonus only applies to melee or ranged AC, it still only applies to melee or ranged AC or DR, as appropriate.

Other AC Calculations#

Work with your GM to determine how other AC calculations, such as the battle precognition power or Way of Endurance consular's Upheld by the Force feature, should translate using these rules.

Sometimes, campaigns might take place over years, or even decades. As these campaigns progress, you might want to introduce mechanics to reflect your characters' natural aging. Alternatively, at character creation, you might want to create a character who is already at a later stage in life. Regardless of when your characters have aged, consider using the following variant rule.

Aging Thresholds#

Every species ages at a different rate. While many near-human species age at the same rate as humans, reaching adulthood in their late teens, middle age in their 40's, elderly in their late 50's to early 60's, and venerability in their 70's, other species age differently. For instance, lanniks reach adulthood in their 50's and can live up to 900 years, while hutts aren't considered adults until they reach 200 years old and can live to be over a thousand.

Consequently, rather than tying aging to numbers, we instead establish three thresholds: Middle-Age, Elderly, and Venerable. Each time a character reaches one of these thresholds, they gain one or more aging quirks and one or more aging boons, determined by the threshold they've reached. When they do so, the GM can determine choose which quirk and boon they get, or determine it randomly, using the Aging Quirks and Aging Boons tables below:

Aging Quirks#

Aging Boons#

These effects are cumulative. When a middle-aged character, who has one quirk and one boon, becomes elderly, they gain two more quirks and two more boons, for a total of three of each. Additionally, duplicates are only rerolled at separate thresholds. If, at middle-age, your Strength score decreased by 1, your Strength score could again decrease by 1 at elderly.

Middle-Aged#

Most species enter middle age about halfway through their expected life. For humans and near-humans, this is typically in their 40's, while lanniks don't reach middle age until about 400 years, and hutts at about 600 years. When a character reaches middle age, the GM should choose one quirk and one boon. Alternatively, they can determine the quirk and boon randomly.

Elderly#

Like middle age, at which age a species becoming elderly also varies. For humans and near-humans, this is typically in their late 50's to early 60's, while lanniks are considered elderly at about 600, and hutts at about 750 years. When a character becomes elderly, the GM should choose two quirks and two boons. Alternatively, they can determine the quirks and boons randomly, rerolling any duplicates.

Venerable#

Venerable members of a species are rare and typically revered by the younger members of their species. Humans and near-humans become in their 70's, lanniks at about 750, and hutts over the age of 900. When a character becomes venerable, the GM should choose three quirks and three boons. Alternatively, they can determine the quirks and boons randomly, rerolling any duplicates.

Additional Aging Traits

Some species gain additional traits as they age. For instance, hutts have the unique special characteristic in that they never stop growing from birth to death. The GM can add quirks and boons as appropriate for members of those species.

When two Force-sensitive individuals spend time together, they can develop a powerful connection through the Force. While bonded in such a fashion, the two individuals gain a series of boons, depending on the strength of their bond. However, if the bond is unwilling, the individuals risk corruption by the dark side of the Force.

Developing a Bond#

When one creature wants to develop a bond with another, they must spend 1 hour meditating, which can be done during a short rest, while within 30 feet of a target that they can see. At the end of this meditation, the target must make a Charisma saving throw. The DC of this saving throw is equal to the initiator's universal force save DC, and the target of this feature can choose to fail this save. On a failure, the two creature's develop a Force-bond.

Valid Targets#

Only sentient creatures who can cast force powers of 1st-level or higher can develop a Force-bond, and a creature can only be bonded in such a way to one other creature a time.

Strengthening a Bond#

In order to strengthen their bond, bond-mates must remain with a certain distance of each other, as shown below in the Bond Distance and DC by Tier table. They must spend one week times the tier they are trying to achieve. For instance, to progress from 1st to 2nd tier takes two weeks, while progressing from 2nd to 3rd takes an additional three weeks. This time does not have to be continuous; bond-mates can spend three days together, two days apart, and then four more days together to achieve 2nd tier.

Bond Distance and DC by Tier#

Bond Features#

At each tier, bond-mates unlock a certain feature. In order to benefit from these features, bond-mates must be within 10 feet of eachother. This distance changes as their bond strengthens, as shown above in the Bond Distance and DC by Tier table.

For instance, at 1st tier, the bond-mates must be within 10 feet of each other to benefit from their bond's features. At 2nd tier, however, they must only be within 30 feet of each other.

1st Tier#

Both bond-mates always know precisely where their bond-mate is in relation to them, regardless of whether or not they can see or hear them.

2nd Tier#

Both bond-mates can speak with each other as if they were standing within 5 feet, provided they share a language. At 6th tier, this communication becomes telepathic.

3rd Tier#

Both bond-mates are constantly under the effects of the sense emotions force power, but they are only able  to read each other's emotions. This does not require    concentration for either bond-mate, and this       feature can not be interrupted while both         bond-mates are conscious.

4th Tier#

As an action on each of their turns, bond-mates can pass items to each other. When a bond-mate uses their action in such a way, the other bond-mate must use their reaction to take the item.

5th Tier#

Whenever a bond-mate makes an ability check or attack roll with advantage due to the other bond-mate taking the Help action, they can reroll one of the dice once.

6th Tier#

When a bond-mate casts a force power, they can cast it as if they are standing within 5 feet of their bond-mate. If the power requires a target, and that target is not their bond-mate, they must be aware of the target's presence and location in order to target them with this power.

7th Tier#

When a bond-mate casts a power of 1st-level or higher that targets only themself, they can also target their bond-mate.

8th Tier#

Whenever a bond-mate is reduced to 0 hit points, but not killed outright, the other bond-mate can use their reaction to cause them to drop to 1 hit point instead.

Once this feature has been used, neither bond-mate can use it again until they both complete a long rest.

9th Tier#

On their turn, one bond-mate can use their action to give their bond-mate an additional turn. If they do so, the targeted bond-mate immediately takes an additional turn after the current bond-mate's turn.

Once this feature has been used, neither bond-mate can use it again until they both complete a long rest.

10th Tier#

Whenever a bond-mate takes damage, the other bond-mate can use their reaction to grant them resistance to the damage. If they do so, both bond-mates take the same amount of damage. Alternatively, when a bond-mate has hit points restored, they can use their reaction to halve the amount of hit points. If they do so, the other bond-mate regains the same number of hit points. These features can be used a number of times equal to the bond-mate's combined Wisdom or Charisma modifiers (their choice, a minimum of once). All expended uses are regained when both bond-mates complete a long rest.

Breaking a Bond#

Sometimes, creatures might want to end their Force-bond, whether the bond was created unbeknownst to them or they no longer wish to share the bond. To do so, one of the creatures must spend 10 minutes meditating on the bond, and then make a Charisma saving throw. The DC of this saving throw varies, depending on the tier of the bond, as shown above in the Bond Distance and DC by Tier table. On a success, the bond's tier is reduced by 1. If the bond's tier is 1, it is broken. On a failure, the bond's tier is not reduced, and you can't try again for 24 hours.

Normally, when you score a critical hit, you roll the damage dice twice and add your modifier once. For instance, if you are wielding a weapon that deals 1d8 kinetic damage and is governed by Strength, on a critical hit you deal 2d8 + your Strength modifier kinetic damage. Sometimes, poor rolls lead to you doing less damage on a critical hit than a normal hit. For instance, you might roll two 1's on your 2d8, which with your +3 Strength modifier is only 5 damage. This feels lackluster.

With this rule, instead of rolling the damage dice twice, you instead maximize the damage once and then roll the second die. So, using the above example, instead of rolling 2d8 and adding your Strength modifier, you instead roll 1d8, add 8 for the maximum die roll, and then add your Strength modifier. This will make critical hits feel more impactful.

Some weapons—specifically lightweapons—can be used in a variety of ways. For instance, the iconic scenes with Darth Maul using his doublesaber, but with only one blade extended. Or more recently with Cal Kestis in Jedi: Fallen Order, where you could adjust from doublesaber fighting to single saber fighting, or vice versa, on the fly. If you want the option to combine weapons in this fashion, consider the following variant rule.

Weapon Combination#

Combining weapons requires three key components: the two weapons you want to combine, and the appropriate tools. Two weapons can only be combined by someone proficient with appropriate tools, as shown in the Item Specific Tools table in Wretched Hives.

Valid Targets#

Only unenhanced weapons of the same type can be combined, and you can't combine weapons that already have multiple modes, such as the IWS or bo-rifle. For instance, a lightweapon can only be combined with another lightweapon, while a vibroweapon can only be combined with another vibroweapon.

Combining Weapons#

You can only combine a number of weapons up to your proficiency bonus. Combining weapons takes one hour and requires an ability check with the appropriate tools, as shown in the Item Specific Tools table in Wretched Hives. The DC for the check is determined by the number of weapons being combined, as shown below in the Combination/Separation DC by Weapons table.

Combination/Separation DC by Weapons#

On a success, the weapons are correctly combined. On a failure, the weapons are not combined, and you must wait 24 hours before you can try again.

Separating Weapons#

Separating weapons requires an ability check with the appropriate tool, as shown in the Item Specific Tools table. The DC for the check is determined by the total number of combined weapons before separating, as shown above in the Combination/Separation DC by Weapons table.

On a success, the weapons are correctly separated. On a failure, the weapons are not separated, you must wait 24 hours before you can try again, and you must roll a d20. If you roll a 1 on the d20, one currently combined weapon is destroyed. The GM should determine which weapon is destroyed randomly.

Combined Weapons#

Once you've combined two weapons, you can readily switch between each weapon by using your object interaction on your turn. The combined weapon's weight is equal to the total weight of each individual part, and each weapon uses the appropriate damage and properties as shown in its statistics in the Weapons table.

For instance, a 3rd-level character decides they want to combine a greatsaber and a doublesaber. They have both weapons available, as well as a set of artificer's tools. After spending one hour, they make an ability check with the tools, resulting in a 17. The weapons are successfully combined, and using their object interaction each turn, the character can switch from a greatsaber to a doublesaber, or back again.

When the character reaches 5th level, they decide they want to add a lightwhip to the mix. They obtain a lightwhip, and attempt to combine it with their current weapon over the course of an hour with their artificer's tools. At the end of the hour, however, they only roll an 8 on the check, failing to combine the third weapon. They must wait until tomorrow to try again.

Blasters#

Unlike light- and vibro-weapons, you can't combine multiple blasters. Instead, you can integrate a wrist launcher attachment to a blaster, as long as the weapon lacks the fixed property. This attachment can fire all wrist launcher ammunition with a range of 20/40, or it can fire grenades with a range of 40/80. This attachment has a reload value of 2, it can have different ammunition types loaded simultaneously, and you can choose which ammunition you're using as you fire it (no action required). Each ammunition must be reloaded separately.

When you would attempt to combine an additional weapon, you can instead attempt to increase this attachment's reload property by making an ability check with the appropriate tool and consulting the Combination/Separation DC by Weapons table.

Dueling, be it with lightsabers or blasters, is an iconic experience in the Star Wars narrative. When you want to engage in a more narrative form of dueling, rather than traditional combat, consider the following rules.

Opponents#

Most often, dueling is an event suited only to two people. It might be a fight to the death, a fight for honor, or simply a fight to see who is better. Alternatively, it might simply be a sparring session. These rules are intended to potentially encompass all of these possibilities, but only for a traditional one versus one encounter.

Actions#

There are three major actions a dueling character can take: Attack, Defend, or Feint. During each round of dueling, each involved party must decide which of these three actions they will take.

Attack#

The most common action, a character can choose to attack. When a character chooses to attack, they have advantage on the attack roll during resolution if the opponent takes the Feint action, and disadvantage on the roll if the character takes the Defend action.

Defend#

The second action a character can take is is to defend. When a character chooses to defend, they have advantage on the attack roll during resolution if the opponent takes the Attack action, and disadvantage on the roll if the character takes the Feint action.

Feint#

The third action a character can take is to feint. When a character chooses to feint, they have advantage on the attack roll during resolution if the opponent takes the Defend action, and disadvantage if the character takes the Attack action.

Extra Attack

If one party has the Extra Attack feature, and the other party doesn't, consider allowing them to roll with an additional instance of advantage.

Resolution#

Once each party has chosen their action, they should each make an attack roll, with advantage or disadvantage as appropriate. The winner of the contest strikes a blow or scores a point, as appropriate.

Ties#

Generally, ties should either award a point to both parties—or no points to either party—at the discretion of the GM.

Strikes#

How many strikes a character can take varies based on the lethality of the contest. You might grant each party a potential three strikes if sparring, or you might give them each strikes equal to their Constitution modifier in a lethal contest, or even strikes equal to their proficiency bonus in a fight for honor.

Many species have features that make them better in certain martial ways: special traits like natural armor, armor and weapon proficiencies, or unarmed strikes and natural weapons. Counterintuitively, when those species choose certain classes, those features become obsolete instead of enhancing their class choice.

If you players choose such a species/class combination, consider using this variant rule.

Armor Proficiencies#

Many species come with specific armor proficiencies suited to their species' culture, such as chiss or draethos, or natural unarmored defense, such as aing-tii or wookie. If a player chooses a species and class combination that would grant the same armor proficiencies, or a species with natural armor and a class with unarmored defense, consider instead granting them a bonus depending on the type of armor, as shown below:

• Unarmored Defense: +1 bonus to AC while not wearing armor or wielding a shield.
• Light Armor: +1 bonus to Dexterity saving throws while wearing light armor.
• Medium Armor: +1 bonus to Constitution saving throws while wearing medium armor.
• Heavy Armor: -1 damage taken from weapons while wearing heavy armor. If this would reduce the damage to 0, the damage is instead reduced to 1.

For instance, at 1st level, a draethos operative with a 16 in Dexterity would have +6 to Dexterity saving throws instead of +5 while wearing light armor, while a wookiee berserker with a 14 in Dexterity and a 16 in Constitution would have an Armor Class of 16 while unarmored, instead of 15. A character should only gain each bonus once.

Weapon Proficiencies#

Many species come with specific weapon proficiencies suited to their species' culture, such as chiss or tuskens. If a player chooses a species and class combination that would grant the same weapon proficiencies, consider instead granting them a +1 bonus to damage rolls with the chosen weapon. For instance, at 1st level, a chiss scout with a 16 in Dexterity would have a +4 to damage rolls instead of a +3 when attacking with a blaster pistol or sniper rifle. A character should only gain this bonus once, and this bonus does not apply if the species offers a choice of weapons, such as human or echani.

Unarmed Strikes/Natural Weapons#

Many species come with higher unarmed strike damage, such as twi'lek or zabrak, or a natural weapon, such as chevin or karkarodons, representing their natural aptitude with unarmed combat. If a player chooses a species, class, or customization option combination that would both grant an increased unarmed strike, consider instead granting them a +1 bonus to their unarmed strike damage. For instance, at 1st level, a zabrak monk with a 16 in Dexterity would do 1d4+4 instead of 1d4+3 with their unarmed strikes. A character should only gain this bonus once.

Additionally, consider allowing those species that have natural weapons to use those weapons in place of their unarmed strikes, as appropriate.

Situational Expertise#

Certain special traits, such as the aqualish Arms Dealer trait, give expertise in a skill in a certain situation. If you would already have expertise in that situation, instead treat this feature as if it gave advantage.

Typically, multiple instances of advantage or disadvantage don't stack; you either have it or you don't, and if you have both, you essentially have neither. This variant rule is designed to allow sources of advantage—and disadvantage—to stack, to a maximum of three times.

When you have two sources of advantage, you instead have superadvantage, which allows you to roll two additional d20s when you make your ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, and take the highest of the three dice. If you have three sources of advantage, however, you instead have hyperadvantage, which allows you to roll three additionals d20s and take the highest of the four. Consequently, if you have two sources of disadvantage, you instead have superdisadvantage, and if you have three sources of disadvantage, you have hyperdisadvantage, rolling three and four d20s, respectively, and taking the lowest.

Additionally, advantage and disadvantage no longer completely cancel each other out. Instead, if you have two sources of advantage and one source of disadvantage, you instead have one source of advantage. For instance, if you are hidden from a creature, and an ally within 5 feet of it takes the Help action, you would have two sources of advantage—superadvantage—when you make your attack roll. If the creature is heavily obscured from you, however, you would have disadvantage on the attack roll, shifting you from superadvantage to advantage.

Each source of advantage or disadvantage must be unique. For instance, if you are hidden from a creature, and an ally within 5 feet of it takes the Help action, you would have two sources of advantage—superadvantage—when you make your attack roll. If another ally also takes the Help action, however, you still only have two unique sources of advantage, thus granting only superadvantage.

Some customization options, such as the Supreme Accuracy feat, grant bonuses if you would have advantage. If you elect to use this variant rule, adjust these customization options to instead grant an additional source of advantage if you would already have advantage. For instance, if you have the Supreme Accuracy feat, if you have no source of advantage, you gain no benefit from the second bullet of the feat. If you have a source of advantage, however, the feat instead grants you superadvantage (or potentially hyperadvantage if you have an additional source of advantage).

Passive Checks#

When determining your total for a passive check with this variant rule, if you have superadvantage on a check, add 8. For superdisadvantage, subtract 8. If you have hyperadvantage on a check, add 10, and if you have hyperdisadvantage, subtract 10.

Careful Checks#

If you would have superadvantage on a careful check, you can instead take 18. If you have hyperadvantage on a check, you can instead take 20.

When multiple creatures within 5 feet of another creature engage it in combat, that creature may become flanked. This variant rule offers mechanical boons to flanking separate from simple advantage.

A creature who is one-quarter flanked suffers a -2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws against sources within 5 feet of it. A creature is one-quarter flanked if it is at least one-fourth surrounded, either to a side, above, or below.

A creature who is half flanked suffers a -3 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws against sources within 5 feet of it. A creature is half flanked if it is at least half surrounded, either to a side, above, or below.

A creature who is three-quarters flanked suffers a -5 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws against sources within 5 feet of it. A creature is three-quarters flanked if it is at least three-quarters surrounded, either to a side, above, or below.

Alternatively, you can have players add a +2, +3, or +5 bonus to their attack rolls against creatures who are one-quarter, half, or three-quarters flanked, respectively, by them. Additionally, if you use the Saving Throws Checks variant, you can instead have them add a +2, +3, or +5 bonus to their Dexterity saving throw checks against creatures who are one-quarter, half, or three-quarters flanked, respectively, by them.

A creature who has a reach of greater than 5 feet gains the benefit of flanking against a creature while within melee range, but does not contribute towards flanking unless they are within 5 feet of the target.

Flanking on Squares. On a square grid, a Small or Medium creature takes up one square, and has eight squares surrounding it within 5 feet. When two or three of those squares are occupied by hostile creatures, that creature is considered one-quarter flanked by those creatures. When four or five of those squares are occupied by hostile creatures, that creature is considered half flanked by those creatures. If six or more of those squares are occupied by hostile creatures, that creature is instead considered three-quarters flanked.

Flanking on Hexes. On a hex grid, a Small or Medium creature takes up one hex, and has six hexes surrounding it within 5 feet. When two of those squares are occupied by hostile creatures, that creature is considered one-quarter flanked by those creatures. When three or four of those squares are occupied by hostile creatures, that creature is considered half flanked by those creatures. If five or six of those hexes are occupied by hostile creatures, that creature is instead considered three-quarters flanked.

Alternatively, you can run the simpler ruleset for flanking found in the DMG, that offers advantage instead of flat bonuses. That ruleset works alongside Advanced Advantage as well.

Standing from Prone while Flanked#

When a creature attempts to stand from prone while flanked, it can choose to make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (DC = 10 + its penalty from flanking). On a success, the creature stands and can move to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of it without provoking opportunity attacks. On a failure, the creature remains prone and loses the movement it would have used to stand.

The Force is manifested by two powerful and opposing aspects: the Ashla and the Bogan, more commonly known as the light side and the dark. As force-wielding characters evolve throughout the game, they can gravitate towards one side or the other (or neither, should they choose), resulting in physical manifestations and boons.

Alignment Score#

How much a character embodies an aspect of the Force is calculated using their Alignment Score. The Alignment Score is an ever-shifting value falling between Light 100 to Dark 100. Characters gain an Alignment Score by gaining Light/Dark Points, as determined by their actions.

Gaining Light/Dark Points#

When a character performs an act associated with one side of the Force, they gain points accordingly. Players can gain Light Points through a multitude of actions:

• The first time you cast a light side force power of 1st-level or higher, you gain Light Points equal to the power's level. Subsequent castings of that power earn you 1 Light Point.
• Committing selfless acts, such as deliberately saving others at the expense of yourself, can earn you 1 or more Light Points.
• Other benevolent acts, as determined by your GM, can earn you 1 or more Light Points.

Consequently, players can also gain Dark Points through various actions:

• The first time you cast a dark side force power of 1st-level or higher you gain Dark Points equal to the power's level. Subsequent castings of that power earn you 1 Dark Point.
• Committing truly heinous acts, such as harming or murdering an innocent, can earn you 1 or more Dark Points.
• Other evil acts, as determined by your GM, can earn you 1 or more Dark Points.

If a character has a score and performs an opposing act, instead of gaining points towards the other aspect of the Force, they lose them from their current score. For instance, if a player has 5 Light Points, and casts a dark side power of 4th level, they would have their Light Points reduced to 1. If the player instead casts a dark side power of 7th level, their score would shift to Dark 2.

Alignment Tiers#

As you earn Light/Dark Points, you reach certain tiers of Alignment Score that manifest themselves in varying ways. If you ever fall below the Light/Dark Points threshold for a Major tier, you immediately lose that tier's benefits. You regain the benefits when you meet the criteria again. Minor tier effects are permanent unless another similar effect occurs.

Force Alignment#

Minor Benevolence/Corruption#

At certain tiers of Light/Dark Points, you risk manifesting Minor Traits, as shown in the Force Alignment table. When you would earn a Minor Trait, you must first make a saving throw (Charisma for Benevolence, Wisdom for Corruption), the DC of which varies depending on the tier of the Minor Trait, as shown in the Minor Benevolence/Corruption Save DC table below. On a failed save, you must roll on a Minor Benevolence/Corruption tables, depending on the tier of the Minor Benevolence/Corruption. You can choose to fail this saving throw, if you wish.

Minor Benevolence/Corruption Save DC#

Minor Benevolence (Tier I)#

Minor Benevolence (Tier II)#

Minor Benevolence (Tier III)#

Minor Benevolence (Tier IV)#

Minor Benevolence (Tier V)#

Minor Corruption (Tier I)#

Minor Corruption (Tier II)#

Minor Corruption (Tier III)#

Minor Corruption (Tier IV)#

| 1 | Your eyes permanently turn a luminous, dark orange with fiery red rings around the irises.

| 2 | Your skin loses its pigmentation, turning nearly stark white, while your veins become even more accentuated. |

| 3 | Your nails and claws begin to wither and grow longer, turning a vile yellow color. |

| 4 | Your hair begins to wither and fall out. |

Minor Corruption (Tier V)#

Major Benevolence#

At certain tiers of Light Points, as shown in the Force Alignment table, you manifest a Major Benevolence.

Tier I#

When you or an ally within 30 feet of you makes a Charisma (Persuasion) check to attempt to calm a creature or bring peace/alliance, you may spend a force point to add 1d4 to the result of the roll.

Tier II#

When a friendly creature other than you within 30 feet that you can see fails a saving throw against being frightened, you can spend 1 force point to have them reroll the die. They must use the new roll.

Tier III#

When an ally within 30 feet of you rolls a 1 on the d20 for an ability check or saving throw, you can spend 1 force point to let the ally reroll the die. They must use the new roll.

Tier IV#

Casting light side force powers of 1st level or higher costs 1 fewer force point, but casting dark side powers of 1st level or higher costs 1 more.

Luminous Being (Tier V)#

You have become a physical manifestation of the light side of the Force, gaining one of the following boons. Your GM can choose the boon for you, or roll a die to determine it randomly.

 Lightbringer. Your maximum force points increases by 10.

Protection. When a friendly creature other than you within 30 feet that you can see takes damage from any source, you can reduce that damage to 0. Once you've used this boon, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Immutable Defense. The damage resistances of friendly creatures other than you within 30 feet of you cannot be ignored.

Quick Casting. Choose one light side force power you know of 1st through 3rd level that has a casting time of 1 action. That power's casting time is now 1 bonus action for you.

Lay On Hands. You can use a bonus action and touch a friendly creature other than yourself, causing them to recover a number of hit points equal to half their hit point maximum. Once you've used this boon, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Healer. If a friendly creature within 30 feet of you regains hit points at the end of a short rest by spending one or more Hit Dice, that creature regains additional hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Major Corruption#

At certain tiers of Dark Points, as shown in the Force Alignment table, you manifest a Major Corruption.

Tier I#

You have advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks and disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks made against creatures with a higher Wisdom score than you.

Tier II#

You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened, and disadvantage on saving throws against being charmed.

Tier III#

You have advantage on saving throws made against dark side force powers. Additionally, when you receive healing from light side force powers, you only regain half the amount of hit points.

Tier IV#

Casting dark side force powers of 1st level or higher costs 1 fewer force point, but casting light side powers of 1st level or higher costs 1 more.

Dark Entity (Tier V)#

You have become a physical manifestation of the dark side of the Force, gaining one of the following boons. Your GM can choose the boon for you, or roll a die to determine it randomly.

 Deathbringer. Your maximum force points increases by 10.

Invincibility. When you take damage from any source, you can reduce that damage to 0. Once you've used this boon, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Irresistible Offense. You can bypass the damage resistances of any creature.

Quick Casting. Choose one dark side force power you know of 1st through 3rd level that has a casting time of 1 action. That power's casting time is now 1 bonus action for you.

Recovery. You can use a bonus action to recover a number of hit points equal to half your hit point maximum. Once you use this boon, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Power Mastery. Choose one 1st-level dark side power that you can cast. You can now cast that power at its lowest level without expending force points.

Destiny plays a large role in the Star Wars universe. As a young boy, Anakin Skywalker is told that his destiny is to bring about balance to the Force. Padme's destiny is to give birth to the twins, Luke and Leia, so that they can fulfil their own destinies. Luke Skywalker learns that his destiny is to redeem his father, Darth Vader, so that balance to the Force is restored. Leia's destiny is to save the Rebellion from annihilation at the hands of the Empire and help forge the New Republic. The destiny mechanic helps players and GMs recognize that all heroes - and even major villains - have significant roles to play in the fate of the galaxy. Destiny rewards players for good roleplaying and gives GM new plot hooks to use when designing adventures.

The rules presented below are optional. A GM may decide to use Destiny Points or not; however, the decision to use them should be made before the campaign gets underway, so that each player can decide whether or not to embrace a destiny for their character from the outset.

Choosing a Destiny#

Players don't need to choose destinies for their heroes at the start of the campaign - or ever for that matter. Not every hero has a destiny that must be fulfilled before the end of the campaign, and even players who want their characters to have destinies need to give their characters - and the campaign - a chance to develop first. It may take several adventures before players understand where the campaign is going and what goals their heroes are likely to pursue.

Choosing a destiny can be handled in one of two ways: either the player can select an appropriate destiny for their hero (based on what's happening in the campaign), or the GM can select a secret destiny for the hero. If the player chooses a destiny for their character, the GM should challenge the player to fulfil their destiny by presenting conflicting situations where the smartest and most beneficial decision might force the character to choose between doing what is best for their fellow heroes and taking steps towards their destiny. If the GM secretly chooses the hero's destiny, they must present challenges that let the character move closer to achieving their destiny, imparting benefits when the character is moving in the right direction and imposing penalties when the character does something that takes them far from the destined path. The GM-selected "secret destiny" forces the player to take their character through a period of self-discovery, as they learn which action leads them closer to - or farther from - their destiny. In essence, this mirrors Luke Skywalker's struggle at the end of The Empire Strikes Back, when he must choose between redeeming his father and falling prey to the corruption of the dark side.

 A character with a destiny gains short-term benefits whenever they make significant progress towards fulfilling it, while a character who pursues goals that move them further away from their destiny suffers short-term negative effects. Conversely, a character without a destiny has nothing to gain and nothing to lose. A character may even fulfill one destiny and take on another.

The GM and players should work together to determine a destiny's impact on a campaign. One or more destinies might form the driving force for an entire campaign, or the central focus of a short series of adventures. In one of these cases, the GM should present the characters with choices that regularly affect their destinies, giving them many opportunities to gain destiny bonuses and penalties. Destiny-based campaigns should culminate in a final adventure that allows characters to ultimately resolve their destinies, for better or for worse.

Destiny Points#

Destiny Points are a resource that a player can use to help fulfil whatever destiny has been set before their character. You either have a Destiny Point or you don't - you can't stockpile multiple Destiny Points for later use.

Destiny Bonus#

When a character accomplishes a goal or performs a task that clearly moves them closer to fulfilling their destiny (GM's determination), they gain a Destiny Point.

Destiny Penalty#

When a character does something that clearly moves them away from their destiny (GM's determination), they lose their Destiny Point if they currently have one. If not, the GM gains one Destiny Point to be used against them.

If the character makes steps towards their destiny once more, this GM Destiny Point should first be discarded instead of awarding the player with one.

Final Destiny#

When the moment or encounter of a character's final destiny is upon them (GM's determination) their Destiny Point is not expended upon use and may be used repeatedly. Examples of such a situation include Luke Skywalker at the Battle of Yavin, or Revan upon facing Darth Malak onboard the Star Forge.

Destiny Fulfilled#

When a character fulfils their destiny, they gain permanent benefits. Sometimes fulfilling a destiny has other effects as well; these are also covered here.

Spending Destiny Points#

Spending a Destiny Point does not take an action and grants one of the following benefits:

• Gain advantage on an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check.
• Impose disadvantage on an enemy attack roll, saving throw, or ability check (even once the attack is resolved).
• Act out of turn (thus changing your position in the initiative order).
• Take damage that would otherwise harm another character within your reach.
• Immediately gain 2 of a consumable class resource (rage, force points, tech points, superiority dice, or focus)

Sample Destinies#

The following sample destinies should provide a starting point for any character wishing to take advantage of the destiny rules. Each destiny includes a brief description, with examples.

Champion#

Your destiny requires your to become leader of a large and/or significant group or organization and successfully lead it through an extremely threatening event. Characters who have this destiny might or might not know of the group they are destined to lead. They must attain this goal through a mixture of training, charisma, experience and political maneuvering. The GM might want to divide this into two destinies: attaining leadership and leading the group through troubled times.

Examples of this destiny include Mon Mothma leading the Rebel Alliance, Darth Sidious gaining control of the Republic, Wedge Antilles leading Rogue Squadron, and Admiral Ackbar escaping Grand Moff Tarkin and eventually taking command of the Rebel Fleet.

Destiny Fulfilled#

You receive a permanent 2 increase to your Charisma score.

Sample Champion Destiny: Recruiting

Your destiny is to convince an influential person or group to secretly aid or openly join the resistance effort on a planet or in a sector. The person or group must have considerable authority and resources, and thus be able to operate behind a thick wall of underlings and bureacracy. The group might be a far-reaching criminal organization that has agents, established rackets, transports, and cover facilities throughout a sector. It could be a corporation that could lend its financial and material support to a local rebellion. Perhaps the hero encourages an influential military, government, or corporate leader currently serving the Empire to defect and aid the resistance. Convincing this entity to change its allied or neutral stance towards the Empire requires the hero to undertake missions to earn that individual's trust.

Corruption#

Your destiny is to corrupt an individual, organization, or location. You may seek to turn a person to the dark side or indoctrinate a group of people in the ways of evil. Your destiny may also be to become corrupted yourself, either by another character, an organisation, or a series of life-changing events that unfold over time. The corruption should be a long-term goal requiring a great deal of time and effort.

Examples of this destiny include the Emperor's corruption of Anakin Skywalker, a dark force-wielder transforming a Jedi shrine into a temple of evil, or an Imperial officer convincing an Alliance cell to betray the Rebellion.

Additionally, a character's destiny may be to allow themselves to be corrupted by the dark side; their fall into darkness becomes the path to achieving this destiny.

Destiny Fulfilled#

Increase two ability scores of your choice by 1 each. In addition, if you are using the variant Dark Side Corruption rules, consult the Dark Side Corruption table.

Creation#

Your destiny requires you to create an object, machine, or other item of great power or significant use. You must use this item in support of another character's destiny, or in a future destiny of your own. Others might help create the actual item, so long as you lead and make a significant contribution to the effort. Pursuing this destiny might require you to seek out rare or restricted materials, expert advice, and adequate construction facilities or shops.

Examples of this destiny include Grand Moff Tarkin and the construction of the Death Star, Raith Sienar and the TIE fighter, and Walex Blissex and the Victory-class Star Destroyers.

Destiny Fulfilled#

Once per short rest, you or any ally within line of sight can take two actions in a single round while performing an action using the created object.

Destruction#

Your destiny is to destroy a person or object, for good or evil. A Rebel agent's destiny might be to destroy a tyrannical Imperial Moff presiding over his home planet, while a darkside may be destined to destroy a powerful Jedi training site used to bolster the ranks of the Jedi order. The target of this destiny should be something very difficult to reach, either because it's heavily guarded or well hidden. Example of this destiny include Darth Vader's destruction of the Emperor, Lando Calrissian's destruction of the Death Star II, or A-wing pilot Arvel Crynyd's destruction of the Executor.

Destiny Fulfilled#

Increase one ability score of your choice by +2.

Discovery#

Your destiny is to discover a person, species, object, or location that was either previously lost or unknown to the civilized galaxy. This could be as simple as seeking out the remains of a long-dead hero, or as rare as finding a vergence in the Force. A scout's destiny might be to find a thus-far-uncharted world that helps solve a galactic crisis, while a scoundrel's destiny might be to chart a new route through th Deep Core, allowing the Rebel Alliance to sneak past the Empire's security web. The thing being discovered should be something that can only be found as the result of a long-term search or serendipitous events that only occure because the character long ago set down the path that would lead to that discovery.

Examples of thise destiny include Qui-Gon Jinn's discovery of Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine or Kyle Katarn's discovery of the Valley of the Jedi.

Sample Discovery Destiny:

Base of Resistance

Your destiny requires you to establish a hidden base that provides a safe haven and support for resistance fighters in a specific region. You might need to locate a new world that could accommodate a secret base or find a concealed facility on a known world from which dissenters covertly operate agains the Empire. You might need to gather allies and create secret support networks to maintain the base, supply it with equipment and weapons, and provide transportation for resistance forces. The scope of this destiny varies; it might be enough to establish a secret gathering place and a supply depot to aid resistance fighters in a single city, or it might require the construction of a major base to support operations in an entire system or even a sector.

Destiny Fulfilled#

You gain a permanent +1 destiny bonus to saving throws.

Education#

Your destiny is to train or educate another being or group of beings in some way. In some cases, this could mean taking a young Padawan learner and molding them into an eventual Jedi Master, or it could mean training fresh-faced Rebel Alliance recruits and molding them into a crack team of SpecForce operatives. Characters with this destiny are not merely teachers providing mundane training. The education that this destiny demands must be of great importance to the galaxy, and should lay the groundwork for the beneficiaries of your tutelage to go on to fulfil destinies of their own. Only when the training is complete can this destiny be fulfilled, and the process should take months or years to complete.

Examples of this destiny include Obi-Wan Kenobi's training of Anakin Skywalker, Yoda's training of Luke Skywalker, or Grand Admiral Thrawn's training of Captain Pellaeon.

Destiny Fulfilled#

You gain a permanent destiny bonus equal to your proficiency bonus on checks made with one class skill of your choice.

Liberation#

Your destiny is to liberate a group, population, or region from Imperial domination. The focus of this destiny can range from a persecuted group - a small alien enclave, a remote town, or an orbital installation - all the way to a city, a starport, or even an entire planet. For instance, a hero might endeavour to free a planet's governing legislature, which has been previously relocated to a well-guarded penal camp by a hard-line Imperial governor to silence its dissenting view. As another example, they could attempt to wrest control of a starship construction facility from the Empire by influencing the worker population to revolt, supplying arms and equipment, and leading them in a mutiny. Achieving this objective usually requires organizing resistance to Imperial forces that are persecuting the local populace, destroying key installations or assets, or deterring or eliminating personnel that are vital for the Empire to maintain its oppressive grip.

Destiny Fulfilled#

You gain a permanent +1 destiny bonus to saving throws.

Redemption#

Your destiny is to redeem a character that has been corrupted or otherwise turned to evil. Many Jedi seek to turn their fallen brethren away from the dark side. A Rebel agent might seek to turn his brother, an Imperial officer, away from the evil Empire, redeeming him back to the side of justice and freedom. The target of this destiny should be someone that has fallen from the light in some way, whether that means turning to the dark side of the Force or simply siding with evil over good. Turning someone away from their wicked ways is usually very difficult and requires far more than simple persuasion. Often a a character that fulfills this destiny does not survive it, and sometimes neither does their redeemed target. Aditionally, you may be your own target for this destiny, making your own redemption the means of fulfilling it.

Examples of this destiny include Luke Skywalker turning Darth Vader away from the dark side and Revan's redemption of Bastila Shan on the Star Forge.

Destiny Fulfilled#

You receive a permanent 2 increase to your Wisdom score. In addition, the Corruption score of the redeemed character is reduced to 1 and they lose any dark side corruptions they have accrued.

Rescue#

Your destiny requires you to save a person from death or an object from destruction. Often characters with this destiny will not know which person or object they're meant to save, let alone when or how to do so. They simply must be in the right place at the right time. A hero might spend months travelling with his allies before fulfilling his destiny by saving one of their lives. Conversely, a Rebel agent might engage in years' worth of espionage on his home planet, only to find that his destiny is to save a local Imperial magistrate who betrays the Empire after having her life saved.

Examples of this destiny include Han Solo saving Luke Skywalker's life at the Battle of Yavin and Wicket the Ewok rescuing Leia from the scout troopers on Endor.

Destiny Fulfilled#

Increase two ability score of your choice by 1 each.

Death and Destiny#

Achieving one's destiny may yield great benefits, but the path of destiny can be perilous. Many characters in the Star Wars saga perish attempting to fulfil their destinies. If a Force-sensitive character dies while fulfilling (or attempting to fulfil) their destiny, the GM may allow the dead character to manifest as a Force spirit. If a non-force-wielder perishes while pursuing or achieving his destiny, the GM may decide that the character's sacrifice or untimely death imparts some benefit upon his surviving allies.

Force Spirit. A force-wielder who dies in the process of fulfilling his destiny may manifest as a Force spirit. For a light side force-wielder, this means transforming into a translucent blue spirit that can appear before his former allies. For a dark side force-wielder, this means becoming an evil dark side spirit that can linger on, continuing to spread the influence of the dark side.

If a Force sensitive character dies while fulfilling their destiny, that character may become a Force spirit, retaining their consciousness (and their Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma scores) but becoming completely incorporeal. The Force spirit can menifest at will and can vanish just as easily. It can also walk through walls and exist in the vacuum of space. Additionally, Force spirits can travel anywhere in the galaxy instantly with a mere thought. However, Force spirits have no substance and cannot interact physically with creatures or objects in the universe.

When a hero dies and becomes a Force spirit, that Force spirit might serves as a guide, advising heroes in times of dire need and sharing valuable information or wisdom it held in life.

Noble Sacrifice. Whenever a character willingly sacrifices himself for a noble cause, particularly while fulfilling his destiny he can bolster the resolve of his surviving comrades and allies. For example, when Arvel Crynyd crashed his A-wing into the bridge of the Executor, it was a turning point in the Battle of Endor. When a character dies fulfilling his destiny in such a way, all allies within the same star system gain one destiny point.

 Vengeance. When a valued ally falls in the pursuit of his destiny, it can have powerful effects on those present at the time of his death. When a character dies fulfilling his destiny, any ally who witnesses his death may choose to become filled with a desire to avenge their fallen comrade, gaining a destiny point. Since revenge leads to the dark side, any force-wielder who chooses to gain this bonus must immediately increase his Corruption score by 1.

Sometimes a starship is more than just a means of transportation. Sometimes, it's part of a character's destiny. In fact, for some characters, it's the focal point of their destiny, which might otherwise be nothing more than to wander aimlessly from one jam to another. No matter how humble (or downright ramschackle) a starship might appear, if it's the destiny of a character to be linked with that ship, it can accomplish amazing things.

If you decide to link a starship (or, rarely, a planetary vehicle) to your destiny, that replaces the normal destiny mechanic. In essence, you don't have a destiny to accomplish any specific goal; instead, you're destined have the most important events in your life with a specific starship. This option is appropriate in campaigns with at least a moderate frequency of starship-scale encounters, but it's certainly not restricted to such campaigns. In fact, if a campaign centers exclusively around starship-scale action, this option might be too powerful as it allows access to Destiny Points in most encounters. Only the GM can decide if starship-linked destinies are appropriate for a given campaign.

You earn and spend Destiny Points with a starship-linked destiny using the same basic rules as with the normal destiny options. However, having your destiny linked to a starship causes the rules to work slightly differently.

Firstly, Destiny Points are earned when you experience (and survive) key campaign events involving you and your starship.

Secondly, if a starship is your destiny, it is never completely destroyed. Even if it is blown up in battle or confiscated by Hutts before being crushed and melted, some small part of it survives. Perhaps you find the hyperspace core the whole starship was built around, or its ruined hull is found drifting as debris after that battle. Your starship can cease to be functional as easily as anyone else's, but a recognizable part of it always survives for you to rebuild (or retrofit to a similar starship). It can be as time consuming and difficult as getting a new starship would be (if not more so), but the result still qualifies as your destiny-linked starship.

Finally, the options you can exercise by using a Destiny Point are slightly different, as detailed below. The following are possible only when you are acting as a crew member (pilot, gunner, mechanic, operator or coordinator) on the starship linked to your destiny:

• Cause an attack rolled against your starship to suffer disadvantage, or gain advantage on a saving throw against an attack on your starship, even once the attack is resolved. (Coordinator or pilot)
• Gain advantage on any pilot check. (Pilot)
• Allow your starship to act out of turn, thus changing your position in the initiative order. (Coordinator, operator, or pilot)
• Gain advantage on an attack roll, or impose disadvantage on an enemy saving throw, against an attack from your ship's weapons. (Coordinator, gunner, or operator)
• Repair your starship, restoring hit points by rolling a number of its hit die equal to or less than your level. (Mechanic)
• Immediately restore your starship's shields to full. (Mechanic or operator)
• Gain advantage on any skill check made to interact with the ship.
• Immediately gain 2 tactical dice.

In general, a character with a starship-linked destiny can do what no one else can manage - unless they, too, are linked to its destiny. There's nothing to prevent multiple characters from being destiny-linked to the same starship. Such characters might share the ship, or might constantly be stealing, buying or gambling it back and forther between them.

You can attempt to damage, and potentially destroy, a weapon held by a hostile creature. On your turn, you can take the Sundering action to damage an enemy's weapon. Make a melee weapon attack roll with disadvantage against the target's Armor Class as normal. If the attack hits, roll weapon damage and instead apply the damage to one weapon being wielded by your target.

Weapon Hit Dice and Hit Points#

A weapon's hit points are presented both as Hit Dice and hit points. A weapon has a number of Hit Dice equal to twice its damage dice. For instance, a blaster rifle has a 1d8 damage die, so it has 2 Hit Dice, which are d8s. A weapon's hit points are determined by taking the average of its hit dice. For instance, a blaster has 2 Hit Dice, which are d8s, so it has 9 hit points on average, as shown in the Hit Dice Average table below.

Hit Dice Average#

At the GM's discretion, some weapons might be resistant, immune, or even vulnerable to certain types of damage. Enhanced weapons are resistance, or even immune, to damage from unenhanced weapons.

Repairing Damaged/Broken Weapons#

A weapon is destroyed when it drops to 0 hit points. As long as a weapon has 1 or more hit points remaining, a character can attempt to perform minor repairs by spending one or more of the weapon's Hit Dice at the end of a short rest, up to the weapon's maximum number of Hit Dice. To restore hit dice, the player must first make an Intelligence (Technology) check If a weapon has at least 1 HP remaining, you can attempt to make minor repairs to it during a Short Rest. To attempt to restore HD, a character must make an Intelligence (Technology) roll. The DC is 8 + the amount of damage the weapon has taken. The player has advantage on the roll if they know the mending tech power or are proficient with the appropriate artisan's tools (armstech's tools for blasters and vibroweapons, artificer's tools for lightweapons). On a failure, the Hit Die is expended and no hit points are restored. On a success, the player can spend the weapon's Hit Dice to restore hit points. The player can decide to spend an additional Hit Die after each roll.

A weapon regains Hit Dice when serviced by a professional with the appropriate artisan's tools, who can repair the weapon over a number of hours equal to the size of the weapon's damage dice. For instance, a blaster rifle has a 1d8 damage die, so it would take 8 hours to repair. This service costs half the value of the weapon.

In reality, lightweapons are probably more effective than vibroweapons when it comes to sundering weapons. For the sake of balance, they aren't. At the GM's discretion, weapons might be resistant to kinetic damage, or vulnerable to energy damage, to represent this effectiveness.

A player can choose to specialize their character with the following features.

Fighting Style#

Certain class features or feats offer your choice of Fighting Style. As a part of this variant rule, you should allow your players to take the following Fighting Style instead of the options listed in the Player Handbook. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

Sunder Fighting#

You are skilled at striking in order to damage, and potentially destroy, your enemies' weapons. While you are wielding a melee weapon with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• You no longer have disadvantage on Sundering attack rolls.
• When a foe hits you with a Sundering attack, you can use your reaction to add a +5 to your armor class vs the triggering attack. If this causes the attack to miss, your weapon does not take any damage.

Fighting Mastery#

A feat represents a talent or an area of expertise that gives character special capabilities. It embodies training, experience, and abilities beyond what a class provides. At certain levels, your class gives you the Ability Score Improvement feature. Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking that feature to take a feat of your choice instead. You can take each feat only once, unless the feat's description says otherwise. As a part of this variant rule, you should allow your players to take the following feat instead of the options listed in the Player Handbook.

Sundering Mastery#

You have mastered rending your foes' weapons, leaving them impotent and vulnerable to your follow up attacks. While you are wielding a melee weapon with which you are proficient, you gain the following benefits:

• Before you make a Sundering attack with weapon that you are proficient with, you can choose to forgo your proficiency bonus. If the attack hits, you add double your proficiency bonus to the attack's damage.
• On your turn, when you score a critical hit with a Sundering attack or reduce a weapon to 0 hit points with one, you can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action.

Some characters—and their players—take great pleasure in using their weapons to potentially maim their foes. If you want to add an additional layer to combat, consider using this variant rule.

When a character scores a critical hit with a weapon that is capable of removing a limb, such as a lightweapon or vibroweapon, have them roll an additional d20. If they roll a 20 on the second d20 roll, they successfully remove a limb from a creature, or potentially slay the creature outright.

The character should then roll percentile dice and consult the Dismemberment table below.

Dismemberment#

If a creature is immune to the damage dealt by the weapon, it can not be dismembered by that weapon. If the creature is resistant to the damage dealt by that weapon, when you roll the second d20 to determine whether or not you remove a limb, you do so with disadvantage.

If you roll a result on the Dismemberment table, and the creature lacks the chosen limb, you instead deal additional damage equal to the attack's governing ability modifier.

A creature with legendary actions can use its Legendary Resistance to avoid dismemberment, instead taking the additional damage equal to the attack's governing ability modifier.

More Common Dismemberment

You can readily increase the potential for this rule through a number of house corrections. As it stands, not account for advantage/disadvantage, you have a 1/400 (or .25%) chance to trigger a dismemberment when you make an attack roll. This increases to 39/8,000 with advantage (or .4875%), almost doubling the potential. You can increase it even more by changing the initial trigger to any critical hit, instead of just a natural 20, or increasing the range on the additional d20 from beyond just a natural 20, or both.

One of the first variant rules I added to my games was the Defense Rolls, published in the Unearthed Arcana: Variant Rules. Essentially, instead of the GM making attack rolls against the players' static AC, the players make defense rolls against the GM's static attack save DC. Implementing this is easy.

Calculating Defense Bonus (DB)#

Armor class is replaced with Defense Bonus. This bonus is calculated simply by players taking their AC and subtracting 10. If a player had an AC of 16, they would have a DB of +6.

Calculating Attack Save DC#

Attack bonuses you find on monster cards are similar converted to static values, called the attack save DC. To calculate this DC, simply take the listed attack bonus and add 12 to it. For instance, a B1 battle droid's blaster rifle attacks with a +4 modifier. Instead, that droid would have an attack save DC of 16.

Making the Roll#

Instead of the GM making attack rolls, players make defense rolls by rolling a d20 and adding their Defense Bonus. If the roll meets or exceeds the attack save DC, the player successfully defends. If a character fails the the defense roll, the attack hits.

If the attacker would normally have advantage on the attack roll, you instead apply disadvantage to the defense roll, and vice versa if the attacker would have disadvantage.

If the defense roll comes up a 1 on the d20, then the attack is a critical hit. If the attacker would normally score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20, then the attack is a critical hit on a 1 or 2, and so forth for broader critical ranges.

Similarly, a 20 on the defense roll would automatically be a successful dodge, regardless of the attack save DC.

Also published in the Unearthed Arcana: Variant Rules was a rule for your players to roll when they use powers or abilities that call for a save DC. Instead of the GM making saving throws against the players' static save DCs, the players roll a saving throw check against the GM's defense save DC.

Calculating Saving Throw Check#

If players have their save throw DCs calculated, simply subtract 8 from that value. If your consular's force save DC is 15, your saving throw check modifier is +7.

Calculating Defense Save DC#

Monster cards also include potential saving throws, which can easily be converted to a defense save DC. Take the appropriate ability score modifier and add 14 to it. If the monster is proficient in the saving throw (indicated in the saving throw line on the monster card, if it exists), instead use that value. For instance, if a B1 battle droid is forced to make a Dexterity saving throw, its defense save DC would be 16 (14+2).

Making the Roll#

Instead of the GM rolling saving throws for the monsters, players make saving throw checks by rolling a d20 and adding their saving throw check modifier. If the roll meets or exceeds the defense save DC, the creature fails the saving throw. If a character fails the the saving throw check, the creature successfully saves.

If the defender would normally have advantage on the saving roll, you instead apply disadvantage to the saving throw check, and vice versa if the defender would have disadvantage.

The current version of the SW5e PHB has the player using different ability scores depending on the alignment of the powers they are trying to cast: Wisdom for light side, Charisma for dark side, player's choice for universal.

For new players, this might be too complicated. Consider letting them instead choose between using Wisdom and Charisma as their forcecasting ability.

When you fail an ability check, if you added your proficiency bonus to the check and you did not have advantage or disadvantage, you can spend 1 force or tech point to reroll the die. You can only use this feature once per ability check, and you must use the new roll.

This one is simple. At level 4, 8, 12, 16, and 19, when a player gets the opportunity to choose between adding 2 to their ability scores or a feat, I'm letting them add 1 to an ability score and choose a feat.

Now, this is going to create more powerful players, which means you need to pit them against more powerful monsters. I, personally, love this rule because I know it helps experienced players realize the exact character they want and helps to differentiate different characters of the same class. Then again, I'm a huge proponent of feats in general.

I won't delve too far into this. The simplified version is that instead of receiving experience for every encounter and leveling up at odd times, the GM chooses when they level up. Additionally, there never has the potential to be an experience, and consequently level, disparity between players.

Most consumables require an action to use, which makes sense when applying them to others. However, a common adjustment in 5e (which is even more logical in SW5e), is to allow administering such consumables to yourself as a bonus action, instead. This only applies to consumables that confer a positive benefit, such as a repair kit or medpac.

In some eras of Star Wars history, forcecasters are a rarity, and are hunted across the galaxy by the likes of Inquisitors, or if they're unlucky, a Dark Lord of the Sith, in an attempt to crush any foreseen threats to their rule. Should you want your forcecasting players to experience this additional level of drama and suspense, here is an alternate rule to implement:

Whenever a player casts a force power, others in the Galaxy may detect their presence through ripples in the Force. Each player has a pool of Disturbance Points. This pool of Disturbance Points increases every time a force power is cast by a number of points equal to the level of the force power used (at-will powers are treated as Level 0).

After each combat, roll a percentile dice for each player that used a force power. If you roll a number equal to or lower than the players Disturbance Pool, they are detected by Jedi Hunters of your determination, who begin to hunt the player they detected.

During each long rest, decrease each player's pool of Disturbance Points by an amount equal to their level.