Everyone loves a good villain–even this staunch Rebel Jedi. Well, I love to hate them–that counts, doesn’t it? Four Imperials weren’t enough for me during Imperial Propaganda Week, it seems, so I am back with Season 2’s Inquisitors. I affectionately refer to Seventh Sister and Fifth Brother as “Brains & Brawn,” for reasons that are obvious to anyone who has seen them in action.
The two Inquisitors are designed with the Force & Destiny template with some changes. Like all Adversaries, they need to be scaled for the PCs. If you have a Knight Level, or nearly so, group, drop the Wound and Strain Thresholds by 10 each as well as drop at least 1 rank of Adversary; also consider lowering skill ranks, depending on the kinds of encounters you plan.
If you really want to pit an Inquisitor against a party that isn’t yet Knight Level, make them Rivals as well. Frankly, I suggest waiting until they are at least Knight Level. From my group’s experiences with Agent Abyss (a non-Force-sensitive build based on the template) a Combat encounter with an Inquisitor type, even with lower Thresholds, will be very, very tough.
You can also add a level of Adversary, if your players really have a lot of XP, say over 400. And even though Sister and Brother are only shown operating as a team on the show, it might not be a good idea for your group, considering how tough FFG SW Inquisitors are. As always, regardless of PC experience, I recommend some trial combats using your group’s PCs. This is something that has really helped my GMing.
SEVENTH SISTER [Nemesis]
Mirialan Inquisitor
Characteristics
Brawn 2
Agility 3
Intellect 3
Cunning 3
Presence 4
Willpower 5
Skills
Coercion 3
Computers 2
Cool 2
Deception 3
Discipline 1
Knowledge (all) 2
Lightsaber 4
Mechanics 1
Melee 3
Negotiation 1
Ranged (light) 2
Talents
Reflect 4
Scathing Tirade (Improved)
Ability
Aura of Command (F&D, p. 420)
Force Power
Move (F&D, p. 421)
Soak: 4 Defense (m/r): 1/1 Strain Threshold: 25 Wound Threshold: 23
Force Rating: 3
Equipment
Inquisitor Lightsaber (Double-bladed lightsaber: Lightsaber; Damage 6; Crit. 2; Engaged; Breach 1, Linked 1, Sunder, Unwieldy 3)
Inquisitor uniform (Armored Robes [Soak +2, Defense +1])
Encrypted commlink
ID 9 Seeker Droids
Seventh Sister is quicker and more clever than her unfriendly rival and sometime partner, Fifth Brother. She is ambitious and sees the Grand Inquisitor’s death as an opportunity for her to gain power and rank. While she is good with her signature lightsaber, it is strictly Plan B to guile, deception, and persuasion. If there is any weak point in her social abilities, it is–as Ezra Bridger observes–that she doesn’t know when to shut up, a fault that could hinder her in interrogations, since silence tempts people to fill it. Seventh Sister orders Fifth Brother around when they work together. She is creepily fond of her flock of ID9 droids and her Aura of Command is often used on them.
FIFTH BROTHER [Nemesis]
Near-human Inquisitor
Characteristics
Brawn 5
Agility 3
Intellect 2
Cunning 3
Presence 4
Willpower 3
Skills
Athletics 3
Brawl 3
Coercion 3
Discipline 2
Lightsaber 4
Melee 2
Resilience 4
Streetwise 1
Vigilance 1
Talents
Parry 4 (F&D, p. 420)
Lethal Blows 2
Ability
Terrifying (F&D, p. 420)
Force Power
Move (F&D, p. 421)
Soak: 7 Defense (m/r): 1/1 Strain Threshold: 23 Wound Threshold: 25
Force Rating: 3
Equipment
Inquisitor Lightsaber (Double-bladed lightsaber: Lightsaber; Damage 6; Crit. 2; Engaged; Breach 1, Linked 1, Sunder, Unwieldy 3)
Inquisitor uniform (Armored Robes [Soak +2, Defense +1])
Encrypted commlink
Fifth Brother is the classic brute/thug. He has no subtlety, isn’t particularly smart or scholarly (hence, no ranks in Knowledge skills), and his favorite (only?) tactic is “Kill them!” He almost always gives way to Seventh Sister when they work together but won’t help her unless she insists/orders. The pair are rivals and he doesn’t hide his antipathy toward his “sibling”; neither does she for that matter.
ID 9 Seeker Droid [Minion]
Characteristics
Brawn 1
Agility 3
Intellect 1
Cunning 3
Presence 1
Willpower 1
Skills (group only): Perception, Ranged (light), Stealth
Talents: none
Abilities: Droid (Does not need to breathe, eat, or drink and can survive in vacuum and underwater; immune to poisons and toxins), Hoverer (Does not have to spend additional maneuvers when navigating difficult terrain), Sister’s Pets (Gains a Boost die to any action taken on Seventh Sister’s orders).
Soak: 1 Defense (m/r): 0/1 Wound Threshold: 3
Force Rating: 0
Silhouette: 0
Equipment:
Built-in Ion Blaster (Damage 5, Ranged [light], Crit 5, Short range, Disorient 1, Ion)
Built-in Stun Blaster (Damage 5, Ranged [light], Crit 5, Short range, Stun only)
Holonet communicator
Lifeform scanner
Sensor array
Inquisitor Lightsabers: I think these lightsabers have some pretty over-the-top abilities, even for lightsabers. After a lot of thought, I suggest treating them as standard double-bladed lightsabers. Speaking of thought, as the GM you should think about the possibility of a PC capturing one of these–or asking to make this style using the kyber crystal they obtained in play–and decide ahead of time how you will handle such requests and if they will cause balance or other issues for your game.
How about those cool rotating blades? Should they be some sort of attachment or mod that adds to damage, like Superior Weapon Customization or many of the mods for lightsaber attachments? I don’t think so. The rotation seems to have been used primarily for intimidation or surprise, not to do more damage.
So I suggest using the other tools FFG SW gives GMs. For example, as part of an Intimidation or Coercion check in an encounter. It could also be used with Seventh Sister’s Scathing Tirade ability. You may call for Fear checks if this is the first time they have seen this type of lightsaber. (Even Kanan was taken aback the first time The Grand Inquisitor pulled that stunt!) If the Inquisitor–like Fifth Brother–has the Terrifying ability, emphasize the spinning blades in your narrative. Use it when describing narrative results or flipping a Destiny Point: either a Triumph spent by you for a critical or using a DP to upgrade a PC’s attack might be caused by all those spinning blades.
What about the ability to use them as personal helicopters? Not going to go there mechanically. I think this works best as strictly a story device for the GM. If you don’t want your Inquisitor/s captured or killed when the PCs get the upper hand, have them fly away, for example. You could also use it as part of an encounter set-up. The Inquisitor uses it to get to a catwalk or other high ground before the PCs arrive, perhaps planning to swoop down upon them, aided by the saber-copter as the party runs in after the bait or MacGuffin. Or it might also be the result of a (double?) Triumph/Despair.
These were combat tested vs. higher level PCs.
Credits: Thanks to Friday Nite Skypers Donovan Morningfire, Dr. Xerox, and Empty Bacta Tank for feedback on the stats. Donovan and EBT also helped with the combat trials.
Image Sources: Star Wars Rebels Wiki (ID 9 Seeker Droid and Lightsaber) and Wookieepedia (Fifth Brother and Seventh Sister). All images ©LucasFilm/Disney.
Linda Whitson
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The “cheatsaber” function seems to mainly act as a shield, presumably to help them duel with better-trained Jedi survivors. I’d treat it as a variant form of Reflex Grip (Endless Vigil) that requires a maneuver to activate, with an available repulsorlift mod that provides the same effect as an Anti-Grav Chute (Suns of Fortune).