It surrounds us, and penetrates us, and binds the universe together

If you thought that you couldn't get any worse with your StarWars fandom, and need to feel better about yourself, just click the subject of this post and you'll immediately either feel really good about yourself, or you'll find something new to drag you further into dementia. Either way i'm sure you'll like it.

Wizards of the Coast released a new edition of the Star Wars RPG called the Saga Edition. Its still D20, but has a whole slew of new rules and systems. It looks like Wizards has taken all their latest ideas for the d20 system and implemented them here.

Is this a taste of things to come for Dungeons & Dragons? Who knows.

I actually really like the new rules. Which balances the fact that I can't use any of my old materials from previous star wars suppliments. The information in them can still be used, but anything utilizing stats, systems, or numbers has to be completely converted.

I think the easiest thing to convert are the races though.

Quick rundown of large changes:

Only 5 classes: Jedi, Soldier, Noble, Scoundrel, Scout.

Every class has talent trees to choose from like d20 modern.

Defense has been rolled into the saving throws which are now defenses. You no longer roll saving throws. They simply set the DC of effecting you with various things. So, to not get hit, your reflex defense is used (which functions just like combat defense in the previous editiosn).

Wounds and Vitality have been replaced with Hit Points. To simulate taking a wound you have a Damage threshold, and Five levels of conditions from minor wounds to being completely incapacitated.

Instead of Jedi getting more damage to their lightsabers, every class now gets half their class levels added to damage with ANY weapon they use.

Jedi powers no longer sit as seperate skills. All jedi powers now use a skill called "Use the Force" and powers must be purchased with a feat that gives you them. They are usable once per encounter, with several talents or feats that let you refresh them during some fights.

Force Points refresh to a new total every level. They function exactly like action points in d20 modern. You can get a dark side talent that allows you to add additional dice to your force rolls if you take a dark side point (but you have to use a talent that you could have used on something else).

Vehicle and Starship combat runs a ton smoother now. You can use a standard square grid to simulate starship battles, and the combat runs very similar to combat with normal human scale fights.

So to summarize, the Jedi have been scaled with the other heroic classes. Everyone is heroic now, but in their own way. Jedi are more like your typical spellcaster, or group support class in other games (but have not lost their edge at all). All the rules that used complicated number formula have been simplified, and all the options to customize your class and create a decent concept have been opened up. Over all i'm very impressed with the new system, and I think its a move in the right direction.