“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. I will discuss using each power in play and suggest what upgrades to pick up, and when to buy them. (Be mindful–upgrades that require Force pips are useless if you can’t possibly roll enough pips.) I may also discuss how powers have been used/viewed in Canon and Legends/Expanded Universe sources.
I originally planned to cover powers from modules last, after all the Force & Destiny and other sourcebook powers. After my June 2019 Foresee Force Wizard was published, I decided Warde’s Foresight, from the Chronicles of the Gatekeeper module book, should be next, because both are related to sensing the future. However, the two powers do not work the same way at all, even though, per FFG, Warde’s “evolved from” Foresee. The differences stem from the focuses of the powers. Foresee is primarily about the future of the PC using it, while Warde’s gives the Force-user glimpses into someone else’s near future, as in the current encounter. Both of them also have upgrades that affect an encounter mechanically. Speaking of upgrades, advice below on when to take them is NOT applicable when playing through the module, which specifies when PCs may gain upgrades. My advice is aimed at players in other campaigns where GMs allow this Force power.
The basic Warde’s power provides “hints about what another individual within Short range is likely to do in the near future” when you spend 1 Force pip. Note the plural “hints” and that the two available Strength upgrades don’t provide additional details. Instead, spending 2 Force pips gains you 1 Boost per Strength upgrade purchased, on your next check against the power’s target. Multiple activations aren’t allowed, so a Warde’s power check adds a maximum of 2 Boost to the relevant check. The two Range upgrades, which apply to the basic power, function as with any other power.
Next on the left half of the tree, with the Strength and Range upgrades, we have the first of the four Control upgrades, which all have different effects. This Control lets you use the basic power as a manuever, a big advantage, so pick it up as soon as you can, after the earliest Range and Strength upgrades. The final upgrade on this side is one of the three available Duration upgrades, which all do the same thing. For 2 pips, bonuses gained apply to all checks for as many rounds as you have upgrades. Like the Strength upgrades, you can’t activate Duration multiple times, so there’s a three round maximum.
The earliest right side Control (10XP) allows you to make a Warde’s Foresight check as part of an Initiative check. Each pip grants an auto-Success on your first check of the encounter. The next, 15XP, Control works the same way but adds Advantage on the first check. The final Control upgrade is one of those with differing effects, depending on whether any Dark pips were used to generate Force pips. If only Light pips were used, each of the Force-user’s allies gains +1 Success on their Initiative checks. If any Dark pips were spent, it’s a good news/bad news situation: The Force-user may perform 1 action before the encounter–but each of her enemies adds +1 Success to their Initiative rolls. If I were going to do this, I’d make sure that my free action is worth upping the chances of my opponents getting more of the earlier initiative slots.
The right side’s last upgrade is a sole Magnitude upgrade. Interestingly, it doesn’t increase the number of targets you affect, as is typical. Instead, it affects the three Control upgrades on this side. You can opt to spend pips on +1 Success or +1 Advantage for a single ally, not just yourself. The Magnitude and the first 2 Control upgrades on this side may be activated more than once.
This is an intriguing power. It’s simple but seems fairly versatile. So far I haven’t had a chance to see it in action, as no one in my group has asked about playing it. If you have been in a Chronicles campaign, or another game where it was used, let me know how it works in actual play, and how well it survives contact with you and your players.
Force Wizard Index (Book/s)
Alter (Unlimited Power)
Battle Meditation (F&D)
Bind (F&D, Rise of the Separatists)
Conjure (Unlimited Power)
Ebb/Flow (Disciples of Harmony)
Endure (Knights of Fate)
Enhance (AoR, F&D, Rise of the Separatists)
Farsight (Savage Spirits)
Foresee (AoR, F&D)
Heal/Harm (F&D)
Imbue (Disciples of Harmony)
Influence (EotE, F&D)
Jerserra’s Influence (Ghosts of Dathomir)
Manipulate (Endless Vigil)
Misdirect (F&D)
Move (AoR, EotE, F&D)
Protect / Unleash (F&D) – Part 1 (Intro & Protect) and Part 2 (Unleash)
Seek (F&D)
Sense (EotE, F&D)
Suppress (Keeping the Peace)
Warde’s Foresight (Chronicles of the Gatekeeper)
Linda Whitson
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