Astral Projections - Mandalorian Covert Armorer for SWSE

Last month, I presented FFG SW adversary stats for the Covert Armorer, as seen in Disney+’s TV series The Mandalorian. This week, I have a version for the golden oldie Star Wars Saga Edition line, one of the best of the previous SWRPGs.

Sometime after Bo-Katan Kryze received the Darksaber in 1BBY and presumably before the Battle of Endor in 4ABY, Palpatine’s Empire conducted the Great Purge against the Mandalorians, confiscating much of their beskar steel and scattering the few survivors. Those fortunate few huddled in small, far-flung enclaves, also called “coverts,” where they maintained–and adapted–what traditions they could. Considering beskar was always the most valued treasure of the Mandalorians, it wasn’t surprising that those rare survivors who could work beskar and craft the signature suits of Mandalorian armor would become covert leaders. In addition to beskar-craft, Armorers also keep alive what lore and history they can, award signets to covert members, advise them, and make decisions for the covert. The welfare of their covert, and their traditions are the highest, if not the only, priority of an Armorer.

Human Soldier 6/Noble 2/Elite Trooper 2 CL10
Star Wars Saga Edition (Wizards of the Coast)

Force Pts: 10 Dark Side Pts: 0

Init: +12 Senses: Perception +11

Languages: Basic, Mando’a

DEFENSES: Reflex +26 (flatfooted +23) Fortitude +25 Will +23
HP: 74 Second Wind: 19 Damage Threshold: 25
Speed: 4 squares

Melee: Unarmed +12 (1d6+3)
Hammer or Tongs +12 (1d8+3)
Hammer & Tongs Dual +10 (1d8+3, 1d8+3)
Ranged: +11 (by weapon)
Base Atk: +9 Grapple: +12
Atk Options: Dual Attack, Martial Arts I

Special Actions: Dual Weapon Mastery I & II, Mandalorian Ferocity
Abilities: Indomitable, Presence

STR 16
DEX 15
CON 10
INT 10
WIS 12
CHA 14

Elite Trooper Feature: Damage Resistance 1

Talents
Armored Defense (When calculating your Reflex Defense, you may add either your heroic level or your armor bonus, whichever is higher. Must be proficient with the armor.)
Indomitable (Once/day, you can move +5 steps up the condition track. Doesn’t remove any persistent conditions.)
Mandalorian Ferocity (Once/encounter, when making more than one attack in a round, you can add one damage die to each successful hit with Simple weapons)
Presence (You can make a Persuasion check to Intimidate a creature as a standard action.)
Second Skin (When wearing armor with which you are proficient, your armor bonus to your Reflex Defense and equipment bonus to your Fortitude Defense each increase by +1.)

Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light, Medium), Weapon Proficiency (Pistols, Rifles, Simple), Dual Weapon Mastery I, Dual Weapon Mastery II, Mighty Swing, Martial Arts I, Point Blank Shot, Skill Focus (Mechanics), Skill Training (Knowledge [Galactic Lore, Tactics], Persuasion)

Skills: Initiative +12, Knowledge (Galactic Lore, Tactics) +10, Mechanics +15, Perception +11,
Persuasion +12, Treat Injury +11

Equipment
Battle Armor (Medium) with Mandalorian Armor Template (Armor bonus +9, Equipment bonus +3, DR may be applied to lightsaber attacks, Speed 4 squares. At GM’s option, may grant favorable circumstances on Persuasion checks made to Intimidate.)
Forge
Forge Hammer & Tongs (Treat each as a Mace for combat use [Simple weapon, Damage 1d8, 2.5 kg, Bludgeoning])

Design & Play Notes: Yes, I love-love-love (like most everyone else) The Mandalorian‘s The Child aka Baby Yoda. But I’m also an admirer of the enigmatic Armorer, played by Emily Swallow. A few words from her and a bunch of tough Mandalorians shut up and stand down. She beats the stuffings out of a squad of Stormtroopers. This is one amazing woman.
My SWSE Armorer NPC starts in Soldier, plus 2 levels in Noble to gain basic abilities necessary for leading a refugee covert. (Note the NPC doesn’t have the minimum INT to gain the Linguist Noble starting feat.) Then I added the Elite Trooper prestige class for access to the Mandalorian talent tree from the Knights of the Old Republic sourcebook (p.38).
This book and the SWSE core book were my main references, other than the TV show. KotOR Chapter XII, “The Mandalorians” (pp. 186-207) provided statblock examples of classes and challenge levels (CLs), as well as example armor and weapons. The Mandalorian Armor Template is from Threats of the Galaxy.
I opted not to use the Non-heroic NPC-only class, since The Armorer is a powerful and (nick)named character. Plus Non-heroic levels are best suited for generics/minions or perhaps important but non-combatant NPCs–and “non-combatant” is NOT the description of a Mandalorian Armorer.
You can use these stats for either the TV show’s Armorer (if you and your group enjoy cameos by Canon Star Wars characters) or for any other Armorer NPC. While intended for the post-Original Trilogy era, this NPC can be used for Mandalorian smiths from any Canon or Legends eras. Only minor alterations, if any, should be necessary. SWSE, like most d20-based systems, holds NPCs to the same build rules as PCs. So my Armorer can also be used an example of building and advancing a Mandalorian PC specializing in armor-crafting.

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Linda Whitson

Contributing Writer & Copy Editor at D20 Radio

Linda Whitson is a long-time RPGer, amateur musician & artist, & an officer in the Rebel Legion Star Wars costuming club. Linda met her husband in an AD&D game and they have 2 teenagers, an anime fangirl daughter and a son who plays on his university's quidditch team. She is the Lead Mod of D20 Radio's forums and Copy Editor for the blog. Linda can be reached at GMLinda@d20radio.com