Jab’s Builds! (Lawnmower Man! Samus Aran! Metroids!)

[slade the sniper]

Over the last 5 years or so I worked to convince one of my players to stop making each and every character he plays into a "Snowflake Edgelord". He keeps saying that this gives him much more to work with, I usually counter by saying that it triples my work as GM to find a good way for him to be present to certain events.

As a GM, my job is to make the world for the PCs to interact with...not make the PCs find a reason to do anything. At the beginning of the campaign the players tell me what they want and I deliver, but of someone is going to play a Snowflake Edgelord...and they can't find a reason to be involved with the same story everyone else is...well, he can be Edgelord over there by himself.

-STS

The problem here isn't presenting the world, it's how the character fit in.

Oh, I understand what you mean. My statement is that if the PC can't figure out a way to engage in the world or the other 5 characters...I don't really feel it is my job to cater to that one person. At the beginning of the campaign it is easy enough for all the PCs to all have the same impetus in the campaign. Once that initial goal is met, however...if four PCs have come together and made a new goal...but special snowflake edgelord is being a silent lone wolf, well, I am not going to stop the game for 4 players to cater to one player who can't make a character with any background hooks for future goals.

-STS

[Jabroniville]

THE INQUISITOR
Role: The Hunter
Group Affiliations: The Empire
PL 9 (168)
STRENGTH 3 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 9 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Acrobatics 4 (+9)
Athletics 8 (+11)
Insight 2 (+5)
Intimidation 6 (+8)
Investigation 3 (+6)
Perception 5 (+8)
Stealth 2 (+7)
Technology 5 (+7)
Vehicles 3 (+7)

Advantages:
Agile Feint, All-Out Attack, Daze (Intimidation), Equipment 3 (Blaster +5, Assorted Gear), Improved Critical (Lightsaber), Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Languages (A Few), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 5, Startle, Uncanny Dodge

Powers:
"Mastery of The Force"
"Force Senses"
Senses 8 (Detect The Force- Ranged 3, Detect Life- Ranged 3) [8]
Enhanced Skill 2: Vehicles 2 (+9) [1]
Enhanced Advantages 3: Defensive Roll, Improved Aim, Precise Attack (Close/Concealment) [3]

"Force-Assisted Movement"
Leaping 1 (15 feet) [1]
Speed 2 (8 mph) [2]

"Jedi Laser Deflection" Deflect 12 (Extras: Multiattack, Reflect, Redirection) (Flaws: Limited to Lasers, Lightsaber-Based, Multiattack Requires Multiple Lasers -1/2) (18) -- [18]

• AE: "Use The Force" Move Object 6 (Feats: Precise, Subtle) (Diminished Range -1) (13)
• AE: "Force Push" Damage 4 (Feats: Subtle) (Extras: Area- 30ft. Cone +1/2) Linked to Affliction 6 (Strength; Hindered & Vulnerable/Prone & Stunned) (Feats: Subtle) (Extras: Extra Condition, Area- 30ft. Cone +1/2) (Flaws: Limited Degree) (15.5)
• AE: "Jedi Mind Trick" Affliction 3 (Will; Dazed/Compelled) (Feats: Subtle) (Extras: Area- Audio Perception, Selective) (Flaws: Limited Degree) (7)

"Whirling Blade of Death"
Damage 8 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Shapeable) (Flaws: Requires Special Lightsaber) [8]

"Double-Bladed Lightsaber" (Flaws: Easily Removable) (Feats: Restricted to Those Trained) [10]
Strength-Damage +6 (Feats: Split) (Extras: Penetrating 7) (14 points)

Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Lightsaber +9 (+9 Damage, DC 24)
Laser Blaster +9 (+5 Ranged Damage, DC 20)
Force Push +4-6 Area (+4 Damage & +6 Affliction, DC 19 & 16)
Mind Trick +3 Area (+3 Affliction, DC 13)
Whirling Blade +8 Area (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Initiative +8

Defenses:
Dodge +12 (DC 22), Parry +12 (DC 22), Toughness +4 (+5 D.Roll), Fortitude +6, Will +7

Complications:
Responsibility (The Empire)- The Inquisitor is to hunt down Force-powered individuals and kill them.

Total: Abilities: 64 / Skills: 38--19 / Advantages: 18 / Powers: 51 / Defenses: 16 (168)

-The Inquisitor is the "Big Bad" of the first season of Star Wars: Rebels, and showcases yet ANOTHER "Never-Before-Seen Force-User" in the Imperial Era. In his case, he's basically a Dark Jedi, using The Force and a red-bladed Lightsaber to hunt down Kanan and his crew once it becomes clear that a Jedi is present. Creepy, bald and weird-looking, he's basically a male version of Assaj Ventress, and sports the very unique ability to making his Lightsaber (dual-bladed, of course) into a spinning Death Wheel, cutting up everything around him. In the end, he goes down with the ship (er, Star Destroyer) rather than accept help from the heroes- a very villainous way to go out. Pride goeth before the fall, as always.

-The Inquisitor is dangerous, and can hold off both Kanan & Ezra simultaneously, but his Whirling Blade attack is only PL 8, as, well, like most Villainous One-Hit Kill Weapons, it NEVER HITS.

[Spectrum]

Is there a difference between a Dark Jedi and a Sith?

I've heard that there are tons of special kinds of Force users out there.

[kirinke]

This might help:
http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=726467

Despite the fact that both groups called upon the dark side of the Force, Dark Jedi were not the same as the Sith, though the first group of the Dark Jedi were the predecessors of the Dark Lords in the ancient Sith Empire.

The term Dark Jedi was a collective and vague name of dark side practitioners (be they fallen or rogue Jedi) that used Force powers and a lightsaber, but were not always members of a certain organization; whereas the term Sith refers to a definite heritage or ideology. Some Dark Jedi were allied to the Sith or other organizations, while others were loners. Because they were notoriously dangerous, unstable, and treacherous, Dark Jedi seldom formed well-organized groups on their own in order to expand their following or reinforce their strength. One notable exception to this was the Miraluka Dark Jedi Jerec and his retinue of minions. Dark Jedi could also use their power for personal gain, becoming mercenaries or assassins.

The Sith, however, was an order that followed their code and studied their history, studied their own skills and techniques, and possessed secrets like Sith alchemy and Midi-chlorian manipulation. Furthermore, after the Rule of Two was established, the Order of the Sith Lords was limited to only two members, a master and an apprentice, whereas the Dark Jedi had no organization and no such limitations.

The Sith would often seduce Dark Jedi to work for them, without really granting them any knowledge of Sith techniques. Yet most Dark Jedi were willing to serve the Sith, and saw it as a way to further their knowledge of the Force. Like the Sith, they usually used lightsabers with red blades, but were also known to use a wide variety of saber colors.

Many dark side practitioners, such as Count Dooku, considered the power of a Dark Jedi to be nothing compared to the power of the Sith. Other individuals, like Darth Vader, practiced both Dark Jedi and Sith techniques.

Basically, the Sith is it's own order, while Dark Jedi are a catch all for evil force users who aren't Sith.

[catsi563]

Is there a difference between a Dark Jedi and a Sith?

I've heard that there are tons of special kinds of Force users out there.

Ok and this is strictly my experience on the matter.

the Sith are basically ancient Jedi who were thrown out of the order for practicing the dark side to an extreme which lead to them being cruel and evil and despotic. the Sith mixed with the original Sith alien species who worshiped them as gods and created basically a religion and philosophy based around passion and the dark side of the force. this lead to them becoming the natural enemies of the jedi Sith post Darth Bane are limited to the rule of 2

Dark jedi are NOT sith. In a way Dark Jedi are similar to Sinestro before he was thrown out of the lantern corps. theyre Jedi who fall to the dark side and who embrace the dark sides power. they can be cruel and dangerous without actually embracing the sith philosophy and training. Pre empire the Dark Jedi would be lone madmen and women who fell and who became evil or corrupted some believed they were being what the jedi SHOULD have been and similar warped philosophy

Post empire most dark jedi would either be hunted down and killed as enemies of the empire or would become like Malicos from the Fallen order game who made himself into a leader of the Dathomir night brothers. Or the Inquistiors like the grand inquisitor and various brothers and sisters

also some might become assassins like Mara Jade or were made into sovereign troopers or the like

the main difference is one of philosophy a Dark jedi might think ehs protecting the galaxy from the evils fo the Sith by embracing the monster within sort of a only way to fight a monster is become one

Sith fully embrace the dark side and the philosophy of the sith living the sith code while dark jedi have either abandoned the jedi code entirely or live some twisted version of it

[kirinke]

It boils down to the Jedi have ice cream, the Sith have cookies and the Grey siders have ice cream sandwiches.

[Jabroniville]

OTHER INQUISITORS:
Role: Elite Hunters

-Star Wars: Rebels throws out an increasing number of forgettable Inquisitor-types as the show goes on, though few get much time, or even have their faces seen. One of them is played by a post-Buffy Sarah Michelle Gellar, who was REALLY slumming it for the part as her career was mostly going nowhere (it probably helped that her husband plays Kanan). Most of these guys aren't on The Inquisitor's level, but are good enough to challenge the heroes, but rarely win. In the end, the Seventh Sister, Fifth Brother and Eighth Brother were slaughtered by Darth Maul, who proved to be far superior to any of them. He'd demanded that Ezra Bridger execute the Sister, but the boy could not- Maul had no such compunctions.

[Ares]

Yeah, there's a difference between being a Sith and a Dark Jedi.

Any Jedi that falls to the Dark Side and is consumed by it past the point of no return is a Dark Jedi. In this case, these are just Evil Jedi that can have their own agendas.

The Sith are a specific organization thousands of years old with a long game plan to take over the galaxy. They're the Decepticons to the Jedi's Autobots, a group that splintered off to form their own ideals, philosophies, one that emphasized personal power over the considerations of others. For the Sith, they feel their power makes them the center of existence and they can do as they please, no matter who gets hurt.

For a long time the Sith tried the route of recruiting large numbers of Dark Side users and creating a Sith Army, but the Jedi would always lead the rest of the galaxy against the Sith and crush them. Eventually one Sith, Darth Bane, decided that the central problem with the Sith was that an ideology focused on the self but allowing large numbers of people was counter productive. The group as a whole would always be weaker due to infighting, or if they tried to work together harmoniously, they would become less strong in the Dark Side.

So Bane killed the other Sith and instituted the Rule of 2. There would only every be two true Sith at any one time: An Apprentice to desire power and a Master to provide it. The Master would work to gain as much knowledge in the Force and further the Sith goals of taking over the universe. The Apprentice would learn everything the Master had to teach with goal of one day killing him, assuming the mantle of Master and choosing a new Apprentice. Thus the Sith tendency to backstab each other would work in their favor as the Apprentice would have to learn and grow stronger in order to overcome the Master, while the Master would have to improve and carefully watch his Apprentice so that he wouldn't be taken out too early.

One thing I liked about the Expanded Universe was the idea that the Jedi and the Sith didn't have a monopoly on the Force. There over a dozen different organizations throughout the galaxy who used the Force in different ways. The Jedi and Sith generally had the most complete understanding of the Force, but the other organizations had their own philosophies, strengths and weaknesses. It easily allowed for Force Users that weren't part of the main organization and didn't disprove Yoda's statement about Luke being the last Jedi in the galaxy. You had everything from Aang Ti monks who could manipulate space to the Nightsisters of Dathomir that used 'spells' to control the Force.

The Inquisitors were a good example of a group working within the Empire. They weren't full on Sith, but they served the Sith as minions and special agents, given just enough power to be effective but not enough to be truly dangerous.

[Ares]

And man, those stupid rotating lightsabers were so gimmicky, such an edge-lord design. It's clearly meant more for intimidation than actual practical combat, as anyone with full on Jedi skill easily takes the stupid things apart.

They remind me of an episode of Stargate SG-1 where the team is giving a group of Jaffa rebels some supplies, including Earth weapons. One of them scoffs at the idea of using weapons that are "primitive" compared to the Jaffa's energy weapons. Jack asks Carter for demonstration, and has one of the Jaffa's best marksman shoot at a hanging log target. The guy makes 2 out of three shots. Carter steps up with her P-90 and just peppers the target with dozens of accurate shots, before switching to single shot and shooting through the rope holding up the hanging log.

Jack then holds up a Jaffa staff. "This is a weapon of terror. It is meant to intimidate the enemy." He holds up a P-90. "This is a weapon of war. It is meant to KILL the enemy."

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjlCVW_ouL8

Man those first 8 seasons of Stargate SG-1 were amazing.

[Jabroniville]

AGENT KALLUS (Aleksandr Kallus, aka ISB-021, Fulcrum)
Role: Agent of Big Brother
Group Affiliations: The Galactic Empire, The Imperial Security Bureau
PL 7 (33)
STRENGTH 2 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 5
INTELLIGENCE 3 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Athletics 2 (+4)
Expertise (Space Military) 4 (+7)
Insight 3 (+6)
Intimidation 2 (+5)
Investigation 5 (+8)
Technology 4 (+6)
Vehicles 2 (+7)

Advantages:
Benefit (Rank), Equipment 3 (Imperial Gear), Ranged Attack 3

Equipment:
"Lasat Bo Rifle" Blast 6 (Extras: Multiattack) (18) -- (19)

• AE: "Bo Strike" Strength-Damage +3 (Feats: Reach, Split) (5)

"Imperial Armor"
Protection 2 (Flaws: Limited to Non-Laser Attacks) (1)
"Utility Belt" 5 Ranks of Assorted Gear (6)

Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Bo Rifle Stab +8 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Bo Rifle +8 (+6 Ranged Damage, DC 21)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +6 (DC 16), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness +4 (+6 Armor), Fortitude +5, Will +5

Complications:
Responsibility (The Empire)- Kallus is a loyal agent.
Enemy (Kanan & Co.)- Embarrassed by them a few times already, Kallus holds a grudge.
Reputation (Killer of Lasats)- Kallus led the operation that killed numerous people on Lasat- the survivors do not care for him as a result.

Total: Abilities: 62 / Skills: 22--11 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 6 (77)

-Kallus is a recurring bad guy in Rebels, being put in charge of stamping out Rebel activity before a full-scale Rebellion takes form (spoiler alert: it totally will). He's kind of your everyday smirking, sideburned douchebag, and was given a genocidal backstory (he killed a TON of Zeb's people on Lasat by using disruptors on them), but doesn't really stand out from say, any other bad guy. I didn't even remember his NAME at first. So it's kind of cool that it turns out as time goes on, he doubts the Empire's methods, and even ends up becoming the Rebellion's MOLE in their organization! This is largely due to an unusual friendship with Zeb and being spared by him.

-He's a good enough fighter to challenge the very strong Zeb in solo combat with "Bo Rifles", and nearly won by angering his opponent into making a mistake, but Rebels is a much more low-PL series than the main film run, so he's not as elite as Han Solo or anything.

[Ares]

"KALLUS " is also a bit on the nose. Then again, we have a great pilot named Skywalker and a smuggler with the last name Solo, so it isn't unheard of.

[Jabroniville]

huh, I'd forgotten this scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxfrB1As36Q

I must have not been paying much attention, because seeing the MUMMIFIED CORPSE of a Jedi would have suck with me. I love how the fans are picking up in-jokes and callbacks I'd have missed (Kanan's explanation is scored by the same music when Obi-Wan is explaining Anakin Skywalker & Darth Vader's backstory in A New Hope), and Bridger's obvious disappointment that Kana is ready to unload him on a "proper" master- it's unspoken, but Ezra kinda wants to stick with the one he has.

And then Kanan pulls off that amazing Force Stunt by throwing the two Stormtroopers into himself for a double-clothesline!

[M4C8]

And man, those stupid rotating lightsabers were so gimmicky, such an edge-lord design. It's clearly meant more for intimidation than actual practical combat, as anyone with full on Jedi skill easily takes the stupid things apart.

They remind me of an episode of Stargate SG-1 where the team is giving a group of Jaffa rebels some supplies, including Earth weapons. One of them scoffs at the idea of using weapons that are "primitive" compared to the Jaffa's energy weapons. Jack asks Carter for demonstration, and has one of the Jaffa's best marksman shoot at a hanging log target. The guy makes 2 out of three shots. Carter steps up with her P-90 and just peppers the target with dozens of accurate shots, before switching to single shot and shooting through the rope holding up the hanging log.

Jack then holds up a Jaffa staff. "This is a weapon of terror. It is meant to intimidate the enemy." He holds up a P-90. "This is a weapon of war. It is meant to KILL the enemy."

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjlCVW_ouL8

Man those first 8 seasons of Stargate SG-1 were amazing.

Love that scene. When I first started signing in to sites I needed something easy to remember as my username, I chose P-90 because I was a huge fan of Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis (despite never having even held a loaded firearm), I'm still known as 'P-90' on the majority sites I visit when online. I don't remember why that's not the case on some sites, including this one, either someone was already using it or I effed up the registration so had to pick another name.

[squirrelly-sama]

And man, those stupid rotating lightsabers were so gimmicky, such an edge-lord design. It's clearly meant more for intimidation than actual practical combat, as anyone with full on Jedi skill easily takes the stupid things apart.

They remind me of an episode of Stargate SG-1 where the team is giving a group of Jaffa rebels some supplies, including Earth weapons. One of them scoffs at the idea of using weapons that are "primitive" compared to the Jaffa's energy weapons. Jack asks Carter for demonstration, and has one of the Jaffa's best marksman shoot at a hanging log target. The guy makes 2 out of three shots. Carter steps up with her P-90 and just peppers the target with dozens of accurate shots, before switching to single shot and shooting through the rope holding up the hanging log.

Jack then holds up a Jaffa staff. "This is a weapon of terror. It is meant to intimidate the enemy." He holds up a P-90. "This is a weapon of war. It is meant to KILL the enemy."

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjlCVW_ouL8

Man those first 8 seasons of Stargate SG-1 were amazing.

Whenever someone asks me Starwars or Startrek my answer is always Stargate.

[Jabroniville]

ADMIRAL THRAWN (Mitth'raw'nuruodo)
Role: Expanded Universe Big Bad
Group Affiliations: The Empire
PL 8 (128)
STRENGTH 2 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 10 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 4 AWARENESS 4 PRESENCE 4

Skills:
Athletics 5 (+7)
Deception 6 (+10)
Expertise (Military) 11 (+15)
Expertise (Art) 4 (+8)
Insight 8 (+12)
Intimidation 1 (+5)
Perception 4 (+8)
Persuasion 4 (+8)
Technology 4 (+8)
Vehicles 4 (+8)

Advantages:
Beginner's Luck, Benefit 4 (Rank- Imperial Admiral), Equipment 4 (Blasters & Stuff), Inspire, Jack-Of-All-Trades, Leadership, Ranged Attack 6, Ultimate Military Skill

Offense:
Unarmed +10 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Blaster +10 (+6 Ranged Damage, DC 21)
Initiative +3

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +4, Fortitude +5, Will +8

Complications:
Motivation (Power, Order Throughout The Galaxy)- Thrawn wishes to lead the new Empire into dominance of the galaxy. In Star Wars: Rebels, he is merely an extremely loyal, capable Admiral.

Total: Abilities: 70 / Skills: 52--26 / Advantages: 19 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 12 (128)

Admiral Thrawn- The Most Popular Aspect of the Expanded Universe:
-Among the few really well-thought-of Star Wars novels is what's called The Thrawn Trilogy. Grand Admiral Thrawn answers the obvious question at the end of the Original Trilogy: Now what? Sure, they just offed The Emperor, and Darth Vader went with him (even turning good!). The Death Star is broken. The Empire was dealt a major blow. But... there's HOW many Star Destroyers left? HOW many Empire Soldiers? They killed the two biggest leaders, but this is called the GALACTIC Empire for good reason. They'd earned their victory party on Endor, but there was still a huge amount of stuff left to do.

-And so we have Grand Admiral Thrawn, an alien who nonetheless rose to a high ranking in the Empire (which is typically staffed only by regular ol' humans, which got used to turn them into a Speciesist organization in the Expanded Universe). And when the Emperor goes down, it's Thrawn who takes command of the remainder of the Empire's forces, and ends up becoming a major thorn in the side of the "New Republic". Timothy Zahn, author of the novels, based him off of many real-life military geniuses, such as Alexander the Great (who took a small country's army across half of Asia) and Robert E. Lee (who helped the less-populous, under-industrial American South fight the powerful North to a draw for a few years), turning him into a sort of "Super-General" who used smart tactics and a "Good Boss" nature (to counter Darth Vader's more-murderous response to failure) to win battles. He forms a new army comprised of Clones, and moves against the Republic.

-Thrawn is killed at the end of the Trilogy by his own personal bodyguard, who uncovers that Thrawn was part of the betrayal of his species. Like Mara Jade, he's a very "FanFic" kind of character, being so brilliant and skilled that he can "Thanos" his opponents, as WELL as lacking the trademark overconfidence of most villains, and being "A Father To His Men" (sort of), but again, Zahn's skill as a writer seems to be his ability to make his OCs into popular characters in their own right- Thrawn reads an awful lot like "Competence Porn", but rather than just scoring win after win after win, he makes critical mistakes and underestimates various opponents, and that costs him his life.

Thrawn in Rebels:
-Of course, the character famously returned in the final seasons of Star Wars: Rebels, and is the only person from the Expanded Universe to ever get to move into the "New Canon" of the Disney Star Wars fiction. Here, he was a cool, calculating individual, and the producers were clearly fans of The Thrawn Trilogy and went out of their way to make him look great. While a skilled fighter, that wasn't his focus- he kept traits such as "stare at the art of his enemies so that he can understand their culture and what they value", and called bluffs left and right- he figured out the Syndullas attempting to betray the Empire, and realized Agent Kallus was the Rebel spy "Fulcrum" and kept him on so that he could feed him false information and lure the rebels into traps. It never quite got excessive (villains are SUPPOSED to be extremely capable, so that helped), and really put him over as a dangerous threat. Ultimately, he meets his end in the Series Finale, when Ezra Bridger uses his "Talks to Animals" trait (even from the early seasons, he was communicating with and controlling animals at times) to lure some Space Beasts into the Imperial Star Destroyer, tearing Thrawn out of the ship and pulling him into space with Ezra. Ezra disappears and plots to make his way back, while Thrawn dies.

Thrawn's Stats:
-Thrawn's stats here represent a skilled, but not elite fighter. Chiss don't seem any different from humans in this universe, and he's more capable and brilliant as a commander than as a warrior like Vader or Palpatine. In a straight-up fight, the Rebels would probably kill him, but his Competence Porn abilities rendered him resistat to getting involved in those kinds of situations. He had good Insight, Deception and other people skills, and that was where he excelled.