Last week, we delved into the world of Law Enforcement, where we discussed the gear breakdown of a Police Department. This week, I’ll discuss the bane of many a player character, the Detective, and the role that this type of character can play in a Star Wars RPG, and how they conduct an investigation. This may also be useful to players who may have an interest in developing a sleuth style concept.
Its Not What You Know, But Who
Every law enforcement organisation has an investigative branch associated with its operation. These individuals are mostly members who started walking the “beat,” learning the ropes as a rookie cop, and more than likely learning the trade from a more experienced officer. Movies and television would like to tell us that every seasoned officer who is allocated a trainee has serious flaws and skeletons in their closest, normally providing the viewer with the notion that the officer has a grudge to bear, or has something so sinister that it motivates the character to show the rookie exactly what not to do. What is also shown in this type of character is that contacts play a very important role in that character’s backstory. The same can be said for Detectives, who utilize their relationships with criminals, lawyers, politicians, proprietors and of course, other officers to root out the next clue they are looking for. A good example of this in the Star Wars Role Playing Game is the talent Talk the Talk from the Enforcer specialization (see Dangerous Covenants). The talent allows the character to utilize their Streetwise or Underworld skill to gather information on any topic they intend to research. This is an exact representation of the type of skills a Detective may use to find that vital clue which allows them to get one step ahead of their target.
4 Simple Rules
There are 4 simple rules to an investigation that GMs should consider when they decide that the player characters’ actions have warranted the attention of local investigators.
1) Be methodical
Detectives are often taught to never blunder into an investigation, and take a step-by-step approach. Obviously, pressure can come from superiors to “get results,” but when time is not a factor, processes should be adhered to to ensure no stone is unturned.
2) Question everything
Investigators are always encouraged to regularly gather the evidence they have uncovered in a kind of puzzle and examine what they have to work with. Procedural police shows usually present this with a group of detectives staring intently at a large white board filled with photos of suspects and people involved, and lines or string indicating leads and connections that the investigation has presented during the case. Detectives will often “spit-ball” ideas in the same way players do when working through a plot that the game master has presented during several sessions. They learn to question all evidence that they have, and by doing so, learn what holes are in the evidence and may provide additional objectives or targets that may lead to closing those gaps.
3) Get all of your mynocks in a row
Similarly to the points above, detectives always aim to provide an airtight case to present to the court. Failed prosecutions can be the bane of any detective, with too may lost cases plaguing that officer for the rest of his career. These sorts of losses can result in demotion, ridicule, or transfer to a precinct far from wherever the officer would like to be. Ensuring that all the facts fit the case, prior to pursuing the suspect directly is essential to a successful arrest. This maybe where the detective has gained the trust of a target’s friend or co-offender, allowing not only physical evidence to be presented to the court, but also verbal confessions and the like. Skills such as Coercion and Negotiation may be well regarded by the detective to ensure they gather the evidence needed to speak with the prime suspect.
4) Always speak with the prime suspect last
Far too often, young Police officers who are eager to impress want to nab the first suspect that come to their attention. It’s normally a case of evidence being too perfect, or that witness statements that an officer has relied upon are widely inaccurate or tainted. In law enforcement, the suspect is probably the last person to hear about them being wanted. Police like to keep it this way to ensure that the perpetrator doesn’t have the opportunity to destroy valuable evidence. The detectives know this too well, and before an interview is conducted with the main suspect, all evidence and hard work has been conducted, thus preventing the suspect from having anywhere to go.
The Crunch
Now obviously, not every detective that is introduced is a mirror image of the likes of John McLean – brutish, hard to kill, and as lucky as they come. Detectives range in skills and abilities as much as any player character does, however there are certain skills an abilities that Detective type characters should have. The following statistics are for a detective who has become embroiled in the underworld, however game masters should be encouraged to swap out the Underworld skill, and replace it with a skill pertinent to the matter that the detective is investigating. Perhaps the detective is from a specialized unit that is investigating the murderous rampaging of an assassin droid (Mechanics) or the works of a serial killer (Xenology). Any skill can be utilized in this fashion to create a detective worthy of the PCs’ attention that best suits the needs of the story.
POLICE DETECTIVE [ RIVAL]
Brawn 3
Agility 2
Intellect 2
Cunning 3
Willpower 3
Presence 2
Defense (Melee/Ranged) 0/0
Wounds 14
Skills:
Brawl 1, Coercion 2, Cool 1, Leadership 1, Perception 1, Piloting (Planetary) 1, Ranged (Light) 2, Streetwise 2, Underworld 1
Talents:
Adversary 1 – Upgrade the difficulty of any combat check targeting this character once per rank of Adversary.
Keen Eyed 1 – Remove [SB] per rank of Keen Eyed from Perception and Vigilance checks. Decrease time to search a specific area by half.
Talk the Talk – When making a Knowledge skill check, the character may spend one Destiny Point to substitute Streetwise for the required skill. Any information gathered by a subsequent success on this check may be suitably embellished by the GM to reflect its criminal and underworld origins.
Equipment:
9-MP “Police” Blaster Pistol (Ranged [Light], Damage 6, Critical 3, Qualities: Stun Setting, Disorient 1), Armoured trenchcoat, Comlink (handheld), Electrobinoculars, Binders, Lockpicking Tools, Datapad (with analysis software providing [B] when analyising crime scene data).
Latest posts by GM Hooly (see all)
- The Dice Pool Podcast’s – Interpret This! #4 - May 24, 2018
