Interested in playing the Star Wars Roleplaying game but don't know where to begin? Not sure if you're interested but want more information? A little confused about some of the SW RPG games out there? Here's an overview of the basics of the game and tips on getting started.

The Basics: What is a roleplaying game?
In a roleplaying game, each player takes on the persona of a fictional character of their own devising. In Star Wars, you might be a Rebel Pilot, Jedi Knight, a wookiee warrior or something else that you find fun to play. Your character will have a list of stats, skills and special abilities that determines what they know and how good they are at certain tasks. You use various dice to determine the outcome of attacks or other tasks.

One player, called the Gamemaster (GM), runs the game. They plan the basic plot for the game session. They play all of the other characters the players might meet or fight during the game. They determine everything the players see, hear and interact with. They also determine any rewards the players received for their actions during the game.

Game sessions usually last a minimum of 2-4 hours and can run much longer if so desired. Think of each session as an episode of a TV show. Some adventures are contained in a single session, while others might be in multiple parts that take several sessions to complete. Long term games, called campaigns, take many sessions and stretch for weeks or months at a time. The type of game you play will depend on your gaming group and the sort of adventures they like.

Which brings us to the adventures themselves. The GM will determine the plot of the adventure and the basic encounters along the way. The plot may change during the course of the game...just how much depends on the players' actions and the GM response. The possibilities are endless, but for example, you might smuggle arms for the Rebel alliance or play Jedi dispatched to quell problems on some distant world. Adventures may be placed in any Star Wars era - prequel, classic, old republic, new republic, New Jedi Order or somewhere in between.

Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game vs. the Star Wars Roleplaying Game
A subtle difference in names for two different games. The original RPG was called Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game and was produced by West End Games from 1987-1998. The current version is the Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Saga Edition by Wizards of the Coast.

The difference between the games, other than publishers, is that they use different game systems. The original used a system called d6, while the current version uses d20. Both systems are named after the die type they standardized on (six sided versus 20 sided). More on d20 below.

What version you play will depend on a few things. If you're brand new to the game, you will want to look for Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Saga Edition, which is the latest edition, and now available. Large booksellers should carry it, as well as most of the better game stores. If nothing else, you can pick it up online.

If you are playing with an existing group, find out exactly what version of core rulebook they use. As stated above, the latest version is Saga Edition, but since that is very new, some gaming groups may take awhile to decide if they should switch over to it. Some fans remain dedicated to d6 system while others may continue with the d20 Revised Core Rules (sometimes called the RCR). If you need to find some of the old d6 books, you'll have to scrounge around some - go to used game stores or try various online outlets. RCR books may still be available in some stores.

For the rest of this post, I'll assume you're using one of the d20 versions: Saga Edition or the RCR.

OK, so you've never played before and now you see this huge rulebook that you somehow have to learn. How to get started?

First, don't panic. You don't have to memorize everything. In fact, you might already know some of the basics.

How?

Ok, have you played Knights of the Old Republic I or II? Their character stats and basic rules are based on the RPG. How about NeverWinter Nights? Same thing. If you've ever played Dungeons and Dragons, some of the rules will be familiar. If you've played D&D 3rd Edition or 3.5 or any of the current mass of d20 products in the marketplace, the Star Wars rules will be familiar, but not exactly the same. Also, the Star Wars Miniatures game is a simpler, stripped down version of d20.

The easiest way to learn is by playing. Try to find a group in your area or at a local gaming convention. If you can't, again, don't panic. You don't have to learn the entire game at once. Start off with the basics of character creation and combat. Leave Jedi characters out for the first few sessions (classic era is good for this). Skip the vehicle and starship rules until later. If you're running the game, read the gamemastering section, otherwise skip it as well. As you get a feel for how it all works, add more rules.

What books do you need?
To start with, all you MUST have to play is the core rule book. Unless you're playing with an existing group that specifically avoids it for some reason, you want Saga Edition. If playing with an established group, find out which core rulebook they use (which may include one of the d6 books, the original d20 rules or the Revised Core Rules).

After that, it is largely up to you. The rest of the books cater to specific aspects of the game. Some concentrate on aliens and creatures, while other focus on the dark or light side of the force. Some focus on specific planets or regions of space. You can pick and choose as you wish.

Note that only the core rulebook is available for Saga Edition and it will be some months before new sourcebooks are released. However, check the Wizards website for new content in the meantime. Also, in the coming weeks, some guidelines will be posted online for converting older stats to the new system.

Locating early d6 or d20 sourcebooks may be challenging. Some have been out of print for some time. If you can't find it on the store shelf, again, look online.



Updated 06/03/07.