Force Wizard’s Got Talents – Part 18: Jedi Padawan & Knight Specializations

February 27, 2023 Linda Whitson Astral Projections, Force Wizard 0

“Force Wizard’s Got Talents” is my series on the Force talents, from all of the FFG Star Wars lines. Greetings, padawans and disciples. In Part 18, we finally start checking out the Jedi Career Force talents! Today we look at Jedi Padawan and Jedi Kinght FTs from Rise of the Separatists.

Abbreviations
Coll = Collapse of the Republic
F&D = Force and Destiny
FR = Force Rating
FT = Force Talent
RAW = Rules as written
Rise = Rise of the Separatists

Note: There are two optional rules relating to creating Jedi PCs. One allows them to start at FR2. With GM permission, a player may spend 30 starting XP to increase their FR from 1 to 2 (sidebar, Coll, p. 17 ). Be mindful that you will then have only 70-80XP to spend on Characteristics, Skills, and Talents, depending on their PC’s species.
The other is Heroic Level Play (Sidebars, Rise, p.7 and Coll, p.7). This is much like Knight-level play from F&D. The player gains 150XP to spend on anything except Characteristics as well as 9,000 credits for additional gear.

PADAWAN

Adaptable (Unranked; 20XP)

  • Unique to the Padawan spec.
  • This is an Active FT (Incidental).
  • Only usable with skills in which the character has zero ranks.
  • Requires spending one Destiny Point.
  • Remove 1 Despair from the result OR remove Threat equal to character’s Cool ranks.
  • You must choose whether to remove Despair or Threat/s; you cannot do both.

Beginner’s Luck (Unranked; 25XP)

  • Unique to the Padawan spec.
  • This is an Active FT (Incidental).
  • Once/session.
  • To one check, add Success equal to the number of Lightside points in the Destiny Pool.
  • Choose your moment. Since Beginner’s Luck is once/session, make it memorable as well as getting the maximum Successes. Take out the Big Bad or grab the MacGuffin/BFF about to roll into the Sarlaac orifice. Even cooler if you use it with a skill you aren’t that good at. Or a storytelling reason for buying (more) ranks in it.

Temple Training (Unranked; 25XP)

  • Also: Padawan Survivor (Coll)
  • This is an Active FT (Incidental).
  • Before making a Lightsaber check, spend a Destiny Point to add damage equal to your Knowledge:Lore ranks.
  • Unlike many talents that cost 25XP and/or require Desitny points, there is no limit to how often Temple Training can be used. This adds value to an already strong talent that lets you take out opponents quickly.
  • A great FT for narratively showing a more scholarly character using their knowledge in combat. If I were reskinning Lord Faramir, of The Lord of the Rings fame, as a Jedi, he’d have this talent.

KNIGHT

Guardian of the Republic (Unranked; 25XP)

  • Unique to the Knight spec.
  • This is a Passive FT.
  • After you employ Reflect or Parry to reduce damage inflicted on an ally, your ally cannot be targeted by combat checks for the rest of the round.
  • This valuable talent puts the Guardian in Jedi Guardian. It also changes “Guardian of the Republic” from just another lofty-sounding ideal to something up close and personal.
  • Even if your earlier spec/s don’t have Parry and/or Reflect, the Knight tree offers a chance to pick up at least 1 of each long before you reach Guardian of the Republic.

Side By Side (Unranked; 20XP)

  • Unique to the Knight spec.
  • This is a Passive FT.
  • Must be wielding a lightsaber AND engaged with 1+ lightsaber-wielding allies.
  • Add 1 Threat to all combat checks targeting you and those allies.
  • Yes, the added Threat is cumulative/stacks! So if it is you, your 2 closest Jedi BFFs, and a Twi’lek captain vs. battle droids, the droids’ attacks each have 3 Threat added. (And someone better be protecting the captain – who doesn’t get the benefit of the FT – with Reflect or you might be stuck here…)

Will of the Force (Unranked; 20XP)

  • Unique to the Knight spec.
  • This is an Active FT (Incidental).
  • Usable once/round.
  • After failing a skill check, flip one Dark Destiny point to Light.
  • An aptly-named talent that can give your party the chance to use Destiny, when there are no Lightside points left. You can set up a fellow-PC to do something great by taking advantage of that flipped point.

Next time, we go on to the Jedi General and Jedi Master specializations, from Collapse of the Republic in Part 18. Until then, may the Force be with you always, padawans and disciples.

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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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