Lit Beyond the big two: lesser Force traditions in the GFFA

Star Wars Saga Edition has "Jedi" as a generic class for Force-sensitives (Maul has levels in Jedi, despite being raised from infancy by the Sith) and Force Adept, Jedi Knight, and Sith Apprentice as prestige classes requiring the character to be at least level 7. Jedi Guardian, Jedi Consular, etc become "ability trees" rather than classes.

However, one does not need to be a Jedi - with the right feats (Force Sensitive in particular) a high level character could enter a prestige class without taking any Jedi levels.

Jedi Master, Sith Lord, and Force Disciple are the respective "senior prestige classes" - all requiring the character to be at least level 13, and all granting "Force Secrets".

 

Thanks, did not know that since I have only books belonging to the first and revised edition.

Also this remind me what that I forgot to ad in my previous post: As a reference a Jedi is knighted at Level 7 and can became a Jedi Master when she reach Level 13

 

Now it is time to discuss he urban adept, who is a combination of Force adept class and noble - "A master or bargaining and negotiation who inspires confidence and makes a great leader." - class.

The Class features that spirit adepts have represented Force powers/techniques are: Civilized Adept, Force Weapon, Force Target, Vanish, Force Talisman and Force Secret
Civilized Adept/Level 1: not actually a Force powers/techniques but I thought it was important to mention - this means that the adept begin with skills and weapons more fitting for a more technological advanced world.
Force Weapon/Level 7: the adept imbue a nonpowered melee weapon with the Force, which for a short time increase the damage and make it possible to parry a lightsabre. I still don’t understand why you cannot use it on a powered melee weapon; do anybody know?
Force Target/Level 9: “Force adepts who prefer the use of ranged weapons to melee weapons develop a Force-guided trance that guides their aim and makes their shots more accurate.”
Vanish/Level 10: “Out of necessity, some Force-users learn to mask their power to avoid detection by those who would wish them harm.”
Force Talisman/Level 12: the adept imbue an item of personal significance with the Force. Once imbued the new talisman gives a bonus when the adept try to defend against Force tricks or attacks.
Force Secret/Level 16: this represent that the adept discover a secret Force technique that gives her a bonus in a Force skill of the player’s choice.

There was no ilustration for the urban adept.


Thoughts
I like the concept of the urbane adept even if I find the execution lacking and I would rather have Force Target as an alternative to Force Weapon and available from the Core book. After all what says that my ewok Force adept would not rather use bow and arrow then a melee weapon, actually by only giving the Force adept a technique that give a bonus for just melee weapon WotC do hedge the way you create your PC.

“The typical portrait painted of a Force adept is that of a sorcerer, witch, or shaman on some backwater world who uses rituals and spells to access the power of the Force. While many Force adepts fit this stereotype, some powerful untrained Force-users grew up in civized worlds and entirely urban areas.” I blame the RPG:s for this stereotype since we don’t really see that many Force adepts in the books or comics.

“At the height of the Jedi Order’s power, must children with even a hint of Force-sensitivity on a civilized world were taken to Coruscant to begin Jedi training.” I think it is sentences like this that make people believe that the old order was baby ‘nappers.

I dislike that more-or-less al the suggestions how to play an urban adept are of the physical kind; why no suggestions to be a diplomat, technician, doctor, trader or a cleric – all jobs were Force training can give you an edge and don’t (usually) involve hurting people? Actually when I think about it: why do they not suggest any religious profession for the urban adept since they did give them for the Force adept and spirit adept? Are they suggesting that civilized worlds have “outgrown such silly superstitions” or is there another reason? Do anybody know?

“Most urban Force-users tend to keep a low profile, since overtly revealing their powers to society at large can result in prejudice, persecution, discovery by the Jedi or the Empire’s Inquisitors, or other complications most would prefer to avoid.” I wonder what kind of prejudice and persecution the author was thinking of and why many worlds have them against… what exactly? Force users? People with “supernatural” powers? Player characters in need of a tragic backstory?
Also: to me “discovery by the Jedi or the Empire’s Inquisitors, or other complications most would prefer to avoid” make it sound like the Jedi are around the same level of bad news as the Inquisitors.

Any thoughts or comments?

 

Agreed - it completely ignores the possibility that the parents might simply say no to the jedi.

As a matter of fact, I think this book overestimates just how many force sensitives were found by the Republic and the Empire - I always got the impression that most force sensitives were never found, though admittedly, I don't think very many ever developed or even realized they had powers on their own.

 

The Jedi Path said that midi-chlorian testing at birth was mandatory within the Republic. Consistent with Qui-Gon's comment in TPM on how if Anakin had been born within the Republic - he would have been found by the Jedi much younger.

Lines in The Jedi Path (background book on the Jedi Code, the Jedi Order, etc) regarding the "misperception that the Jedi are kidnappers" :

p143
An all too familiar accusation for Jedi Recruiters, this charge springs from the pain of emotional attachment. It is also technically false. Within the Republic, the Jedi Order has the legal authority to take custody of Force-sensitives, and some Masters have argued that the Force's presence in a child indicates that child's consent to join the Order even before he or she is able to speak.

 

So, legal authority to forcibly remove individuals is not kidnapping, huh? Guess that solves the moral conundrum about slavery. As for the other argument -- if it's even worth calling that -- there's nothing to be said.

Seriously, Jedi? Is that all you got? Weak.

 

Parental consent as depicted in TPM.

 

Yes, because I'm sure no Jedi ever used a mind trick on the parent of a young Force-sensitive.

 

Appeal to ignorance is not an especially strong case.

 

If I remember right so was this the book that stated that "Jedi brute" was an in-universe term used by the Jedi instead of a gameplay term for a type of enemy so excuse me if I take what it says with a pinch of salt.

EDIT: also any thoughts about the other stuff I mentioned?

 

I ain't making no case. Just hatin' on the Jedi.

 

And it's one that's used fairly often too.

 

So maybe you know something about this -

?

 

I imagine the author was thinking of Han Solo in Ep IV. "Normal" people don't like it when a small elite has supernatural powers. That is why people burn witches.

 

That might be why the Jedi devoted themselves to "selfless service" in the first place.

 

So they would suffer from the prejudice and persecution that cynics don't believe in their abilities?

No that is not why people burned witches; if that was the case we would have seen Vikings killing völvur, alchemist killed in old China, African blacksmith kings wold never have become, well, kings etc. etc.

 

No, that the SW everyman instinctively distrusts Force-sensitives. And it's not just Solo, but also the Imperial military in Ep. IV. It's a very short walk from distrust to persecution.

When there is stability, there are fewer persecutions. When there is a famine, you look around and see who owns a black cat or whatever so you can blame them. The largest Jedi persecution in the SW galaxy came at a time of instability.

 

Owen, in the ANH novel, as well:

"The reason I think it might be stolen is because it claims to be the property of someone it calls Obi-Wan Kenobi."
Maybe something in the food, or perhaps the milk, caused Luke's uncle to gag. Then again, it might have been an expression of disgust, which was Owen's way of indicating his opinion of that peculiar personage. In any case, he continued eating without looking up at his nephew.
Luke pretended the display of graphic dislike had never happened. "I thought," he continued determinedly, "it might have meant old Ben. The first name is different, but the last is identical."
When his uncle steadfastly maintained his silence, Luke prompted him directly. "Do you know who he's talking about, Uncle Owen?"
Surprisingly, his uncle looked uncomfortable instead of angry. "It's nothing," he mumbled, still not meeting Luke's gaze. "A name from another time." He squirmed nervously in his seat. "A name that can only mean trouble."
Luke refused to heed the implied warning and pressed on. "Is he someone related to old Ben, then? I didn't know he had any relatives."
"You stay away from that old wizard, you hear me!" his uncle exploded, awkwardly substituting threat for reason.
"Owen ..." Aunt Beru started to interject gently, but the big farmer cut her off sternly.
"Now, this is important, Beru." He turned his attention back to his nephew. "I've told you about Kenobi before. He's a crazy old man; he's dangerous and full of mischief, and he's best left well alone."

 

^That's not really an instinctive distrust, given what Owen knows of Anakin Skywalker becoming Darth Vader, and that entire situation really isn't based on his personal opinion of Obi-Wan, but rather a desire to protect Luke from turning out like his father. His way of doing this is keeping him ignorant of everything concerning his father and larger galactic events.

 

That is true for the extract quoted, but 25 years later, Owen's instinctive distrust of the Jedi was confirmed by AotC.

 

I would not say that Solo distrusted Kenobi, he just did not believe in anything spiritual that could guide him or other. And we don't see more then one imperial dis the Force and if I remember right so was he just talking back to Vader, who had just dissed the Death Star, not saying that it did not exist.

I agree on this but it don't need to be people with anything special as the McCarthy-era or your everyday racism show.

If you think of the Jedi purge at the eve of the Imperial era so was that created by just one man who had given to much power.

Is that not more of an example of Owen's dislike of Kenobi and his unwillingness to let Luke go?

EDIT

What do you mean?

 

Obi-Wan also drops some hints about early Force-users, in the same novel:

"A force? That's the second time you've mentioned a "force"."
Kenobi nodded. "I forget sometimes in whose presence I babble. Let us say simply that the force is something a Jedi must deal with. While it has never been properly explained, scientists have theorized it is an energy field generated by living things. Early man suspected its existence, yet remained in ignorance of its potential for millennia.
"Only certain individuals could recognize the force for what it was. They were mercilessly labelled: charlatans, fakers, mystics - and worse. Even fewer could make use of it. As it was usually beyond their primitive controls, it frequently was too powerful for them. They were misunderstood by their fellows - and worse."

 

On the other hand we have Garven Dreis talking about Anakin with respect, the angry Barabel in Dark Force Rising fully respecting Jedi Luke's decision, Shmi and Anakin treating Qui-Gon with full respect, the Bimm liking Luke, etc. etc. (a.k.a. I don't remember more exact examples right now and lack my library).
And in tCW we see a lot of people respecting the Jedi and when not more often being indifferent then anything else.

 

Except Owen again doesn't have an instinctive distrust of the Jedi. He's wary of them based off the fact his stepbrother was one, became a monster, and brought immense pain to the galaxy, and murdered billions. Before that, there's nothing to hint he has any problem with Jedi. (And even after that he really doesn't seem to have a problem with Obi-Wan personally, but rather the fact that knowing Obi-Wan could drag Luke into the same fate as his father.)

 

It's left a little unclear exactly how much Owen knows about Anakin and what he became.

Life & Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi shows that he had some suspicions regarding the Tusken massacre in AOTC though:

Owen glanced back to his own home, then returned his gaze to Ben. "Normally, I'd tell you to get lost. But I just got word from a friend in Bestine. The Sand People attacked another farm." Owen looked away again. "Only one survivor," he continued. "A little girl. But she didn't last long."
Ben sighed. "I'm sorry, Owen."
"I'm not finished!" Owen roared, his eyes now blazing at Ben. The edge of Owen's upper lip quivered nervously.
He's not just angry, Ben realised. He's terrified.
Owen licked his lips before he continued. "The little girl ... she said she saw one of the Sand People, maybe their chief. She said he ... he used two 'laser swords.'"
Over the last three days since Ben's last exchange with Qui-Gon Jinn's spirit, Ben had had plenty of time to consider the possibility that A'Sharad Hett was involved in the recent killings. Still, hearing Owen's description of the marauder's leader made him feel suddenly queasy.
Oblivious to Ben's discomfort, Owen said through clenched teeth, "I don't suppose you've heard about any missing lightsabers on the planet, Mr Jedi?"
"Get a hold of yourself, Owen," he said, keeping his voice calm. "You know I had nothing to do with the attacks."
"Maybe not!" Owen said bitterly. "But I have some idea of what Jedi are capable of!"
"You're talking about Anakin," Ben said, "About what he did after he learned that his mother had been taken by Tuskens." It wasn't a question.
Owen winced, then he scowled at the ground. "Shmi Skywalker was a good woman." he said. "We tried to rescue her, but my father ..." The words caught in his throat, and he left the sentence unfinished. Tilting his chin in the direction of the entry dome, he continued, "When Anakin brought Shmi's body home, I'll never forget the look on his face. If killing me would have brought her back to life, I know he would have killed me then and there. I could see it in his eyes."
Ben grimaced. "Anakin never told me what really happened, Owen. Please trust that what he did that day was not the way of the Jedi."
"Well, I'm not so sure if that's a relief," Owen said. "Much as I didn't like the way he looked at me, I like the idea of Tuskens with lightsabers even less. There's not a person on Tatooine who wouldn't be happy if all the Tuskens were dead."
Ben offered no response. He knew that the deaths of Tuskens would not bring him any happiness, but he didn't believe there was any reason in explaining this to Owen.