Author: Bill Slavisceck, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker
Category: game
Company/Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Line: Star Wars
Cost: 34.95
Page count: 320
ISBN: 0-7869-1793-8
Playtest Review by Justin Mohareb on 11/24/00.
Genre tags: Fantasy Science fiction Space

You've got to understand, it's hard to approach a game like this. I can't think of any other product that comes with as much emotional baggage attached (well, maybe Elfquest, but that's personal).

Star Wars has a lot of things tagged to its scuffed space suit. Originally published by West End Games, the license was acquired by Wizards last year. It's now being published as the first non Dungeons and Dragons game to bear the d20 symbol.

It's also Star Wars, a brand that carries a lot of emotional Oomph; odds are a lot of gamers role-played Star Wars before they joined the hobby in the first place.

Taking all that into consideration, does Star Wars d20 live up to its expectations? I think so. I must admit I've enjoyed the d20 system in its D&D incarnation. And I've been a Star Wars fan for 6/7ths of my life. Needless I say, I liked Star Wars d20.

The book comes out to 320 pages (about the same as the main rulebook for Star Trek: The Next Generation). In that book, they squeeze everything they fit into the three D&D core books. There are the primary rules, a section on gamemaster advice, and a monster section. No, seriously. They have Wampas and Tauntauns and Dianogas. Oddly enough, they don't have Banthas, even though they're supposed to be common to every planet in the galaxy.

WotC has promised to support three settings for the game, with products to be set in the timelines of The Phantom Menace, the era of the Rebellion, and the New Jedi Order. The book has guidelines for running a game in each of the three settings.

Admittedly, the game assumes you'll have knowledge of the Star Wars universe; that isn't a rough assumption. I can't think of a single gamer who doesn't know the original trilogy very well, or who didn't see the prequel. So familiarity with the setting shouldn't be a problem.

One of the interesting aspects ofthe game is, although it does include a brief 'this is a role-playing game' section, it assumes that players will have already either played in a full role-playing game before, or played the Star Wars Adventure Game, and refers neonates to the Adventure Game at the beginning of the book

So, how well does Star Wars parse onto the d20 system? Quite well.

The game uses species (races) and classes, just like D&D3. Species cover the basics of the Star Wars universe, with Wookies, Ewoks, Gungans and Humans in the initial choices.

Once you've picked your species, you pick you class from the 8 available ones: Fringer, Noble, Scoundrel, Scout, Soldier, Force Adept, Jedi Guardian, and Jedi Counsular. The last three are dedicated Force users, but any character can have an aptitude in the Force (the stats for Anakin and Luke Skywalker have them both beginning their careers as Force-Sensitive Fringers).

Each of the classes has special abilities; Fringers are talented at jury-rigging, Scoundrels are talented at moving illicit goods, and Nobles know the right people.

Prestige classes are available as well; among the included examples are Officer, Bounty Hunter, Crimelord, and Elite Soldier.

Skill points are divided according to class; one difference between Star Wars and D&D that is readily apparent is that SW characters start with more skill points. While Clerics, Fighters and Wizards all start with 2 skill points + Int. Modifier, the lowest starting skill points in SW go to the Jedi Guardians, who have 4 + Int. Mod.

Feats are handled similarly to D&D3. Some seem to be d20 standards (Toughness, Alertness, Whirlwind attack, Point Blank Shot), while others are setting specific (Force sensitivity).

Damage is handled very differently from the D&D game; instead of Hit Points, a character has Wound points equal to their Constitution stat, and gains Vitality points at each level (including first). Damage incurred in combat is taken first off Vitality, then Wounds, unless it's a critical hit.

The Force is handled using skills, which often have Force Feats as pre-requisites. All the standards are there, including the Jedi mind trick (Alter Mind) and Force Lightening. Force skills sometimes require the expenditure of Vitality points.

All characters still have Force Points, which add d6s to your rolls for the turn after they're spent. The number of d6s is dependant on whether or not the character is Force Sensitive, and what level they are.

The rules move well, with combat, skill resolution, and vehicle use all integrating into the d20 system. Included in the back of the book are conversion notes from WeG's d6 setting.

The weakness of the game comes at the end, with the introductory adventure, Shadow of Coruscant. It has the PCs being asked to investigate a terrorist group on behalf of Chancellor Valorum. Unfortunately, it lacks a strong concept (why would two Scoundrels and a pilot be asked to do this job? was a question I was asked pretty much constantly while running it) and is a horrible example of railroading at work.

In fact, if this game is designed for players who are at least established role-players, or have at least tried the Adventure Game, an introductory adventure seems to be extraneous, at best, wasted space at worst.

The introductory adventure in the original Star Wars game at least had a reason for being set on rails (the PCs could only go forward, since they were in a mine, being chased by 2x Stormtroopers, where x is the number of stormtroopers are capable of killing), and had an interesting villain. Shadow of Coruscant doesn't even have that.

The art looks good, although the illustration of the Wookie signature character seems to be somewhat leaner than I've come to expect, although his description on the WotC website indicates he may be a youth. The final book will be in full colour, although mine was black and white.

All in all? I like it, and the people I play tested it with enjoyed it too, even though they complained about the adventure (it was strangely comforting to be told "this adventure sucks, but it isn't your fault"). The d20 system is proving to be a versatile workhorse of a system, and I think if they ever release a core d20 book, it'll likely find a spot on my shelf next to Champions & BESM2.

Style: 5 (Excellent!)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)