Force Wizard – Jerserra’s Influence Force Power

September 7, 2020 Linda Whitson Astral Projections, Force Wizard 0

“Force Wizard” is my series on the Force powers in Fantasy Flight Games’ Star Wars RPG lines. It is primarily aimed at new players/GMs, and more experienced players playing a Force-sensitive character for the first time.

We come to Jerserra’s Influence (JI), the final Force power, from the adventure book Ghosts of Dathomir, which requires FR2+ to buy into. Unlike the classic Influence, this power focuses only on fear — inducing it in others and, to a much lesser degree, hardening yourself to its effects.

With the Basic power, the wielder spends 1 Force pip to force the target to make an Average Fear check. The check is an out-of-turn incidental for the target, but an action, as usual, for the wielder. The default range is short, as usual. While the Fear check is identical mechanically to any other, the fear is in the target’s mind. One of the sidebars on p. 12 discusses how the GM should handle the narrative aspects.

The 3 Range upgrades (5/10/15XP) are typical. For 1 Force pip, range is increased by +1 band for each Range upgrade you have. This is a single activation upgrade.

The Strength upgrades increase the Difficulty of the Fear check by 1 for each Strength upgrade bought. With 2 instances in the tree, that’s a maximum of Daunting/4 Difficulty. Each instance costs 10XP and this is a single activation upgrade.

The lefthand column Control upgrade (10XP) lets you recover Strain equal to any Strain your target takes from the Fear check. Next to it is another 10XP Control. This one helps you when you must make a Fear check for any reason. Make a combined JI power and Fear check, then spend Force pips on additional Success or Advantage. (On a one to one basis.)

Below, but not linked to it, is the 15XP Control, which lets you commit 1 Force die for +1 Willpower. Commit additional Force dice to a maximum of Willpower 6. Upping a characteristic is both rare, as wells as valuable for better check pools, but in this case does prevent using many Force talents and powers at full strength, or at all, depending on the wielder’s FR and how many dice are committed.

The two Magnitude upgrades (10XP each) affect +1 target per Magnitude owned for +1 Force pip. Like the Range and Strength upgrades, Magnitude is a single activation, so you can affect up to 3 targets.

JI has two different Mastery upgrades, each costing 15XP. One allows the wielder to force a target to commit 1 Force die. To do so, roll an opposed Discipline versus Discipline plus JI check. If it succeeds, spend 1 Force pip and commit one of your Force dice. Both dice stay committed until the wielder chooses to un-commit theirs or the encounter is over.

The other Mastery enables the wielder to make a target who failed their Fear check perform one action as an out-of-turn incidental. It only applies to failed Fear checks caused by Jerserra’s Influence. This Mastery is usable once per session and the wielder gains 3 Conflict, plus any additional meted out by the GM due to circumstances.

If the GM is running Ghosts of Dathomir, the module dictates when the Basic JI and its upgrades become available. The JI tree (p. 13) includes a key for when they are unlocked. Be mindful when considering JI;  in many situations deliberately inflicting fear would be worthy of Conflict even though only one upgrade mentions it.

So what upgrades do I think are most valuable? The top Range plus the Control that helps your Fear checks. The top Strength and the “recover Strain” Control are pretty useful. An additional Range is a possibility since they can’t be activated more than once. I wouldn’t advise the third unless you really want the Willpower boost.

I don’t find the Mastery upgrades that appealing. I tend to avoid auto-Conflict abilities like the one Mastery. (I am a Paragon–what do you expect?) The second is too situational, moreso than most Mastery or higher-end Control upgrades. Sure you could temporarily shut down a weaker (lower FR) opponent, but using it on a stronger (higher FR) one would likely just inconvenience and annoy them (generally a bad idea), at the cost of weakening yourself.

Jerserra’s Influence is a slightly different Force power that offers some useful abilities. However, when you are drawing on Fear, it is very, very tempting to take the Quick and Easy Path™. Again, think carefully before buying into the tree and using it.

The Force Wizard has completed her study of the Force powers–but will be back with Signature Abilities and other Force abilities. Until then, May the Force Be With You Always!

 

Force Wizard Index (Book/s)
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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

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