“Force Wizard” is my series on the Force & Destiny Careers’ Signature Abilities.
Today, we look at the first of the Guardian Career’s Signature Abilities (SAs), Fated Duel. Intended to be the climax of a major encounter or boss fight for a session or story arc. It works well for this, too.
The Basic Fated Duel (FD) requires a Hard Discipline check and the usual 2 Destiny Points to activate. For this you get a 3 round duel with whomever you challenge. Your opponent can’t target anyone else, you can’t target anyone else, and no one else (PC or NPC) can target either of you for the duration. Note that, unlike the Force Duel presented in Unlimited Power, combatants in a Fated Duel cannot move in and out of the duel to fight, or otherwise interact with, other characters (except perhaps to call out to them).
For ease of play, I suggest resolving the duelists’ actions together at either the beginning or end of each round, easy places to split the scene. Both of these also allow the other PCs to react in some way to the duelists. (Cry out, attack the nemesis’ companions fiercely, etc.)
Two of the upgrade types are common to most SAs. Duration adds 1 round to the Duel – up to 5 rounds if you buy both instances. The single Reduce Difficulty, as it says, lowers the Difficulty of the Discipline check to Average. Fated Duel doesn’t have Frequency or Destiny upgrades, so it will always be once/session at a cost of 2 DPs. This helps ensure players use FD only for the most narratively important fights.
This SA does have three unique upgrades, however. Inspiration aids your allies, allowing them to rally or gain new resolve from your dramatic fight with a nemesis. (I’m using the classical definition of “nemesis,” not the mechanical, here.) Your allies add 1 Boost to all checks they make while the duel is ongoing, or 2 Boost dice if you’ve bought both Inspiration upgrades.
Stand Firm, also with 2 instances, is a self-buff, and a most impressive one at that. You gain +4 to your Wound Threshold (+8 if you buy both) for the entirety of the FD. You aren’t going down easily!
Of course, you still have to worry about Critical Injuries. The Cosmic Balance upgrade gives you, and your allies, some consolation if your opponent does score a Crit on you. When you receive a Critical Injury during the FD, a Dark Destiny Point flips to Light.
I suggest buying as much of the 10 point tier as you can, then the Cosmic Balance. If you plan on using this a lot, consider buying the 15 point duplicates. After all, there is no limit on who you can challenge…
Next month we’ll check out the other Guardian SA, Unmatched Heroism. Until then, may the Force be with you always!
Linda Whitson
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