Saga Edition Web Enhancement 2, Star Wars Role-Playing Game
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Saga Edition Web Enhancement 2
Encounter Design 101
RODNEY THOMPSON
(PDF CONVERSION BY CRAIG ‘GRIBBLE’ BISHELL)
Designing fresh, exciting, and (most importantly) fair encounters for Star
Wars Roleplaying Game heroes can be one of the greatest challenges for a
Gamemaster. In many ways, encounter design and balance are more art
than science. Despite the organized and numeric nature of the rules,
sometimes factors outside of the raw statistics can alter the difficulty or
fun of the encounter. For example, a Gamemaster might design an
encounter that would be perfectly appropriate for most parties, but since
her players have just the right mixture of talents, feats, and tactics, the
encounter is over too quickly -- either in the heroes' favor, or to their
dismay.
specific formula; determining CL can often be a matter of testing the
challenge to gauge its difficulty). However, CL gives a good starting point
for designing an encounter. An opponent of a given CL is considered to be a
challenge for four heroic characters of that level; thus, a CL 1 stormtrooper
is a challenge for four 1st-level characters.
As stated in the core rulebook, encounters with four to six enemies work
best for most encounters. This gives the heroes enough targets to feel like
each member of the group is participating while not overwhelming them. To
The Saga Edition Core Rulebook presents some very basic guidelines on
encounter design. However, to encourage Gamemasters to create more
dynamic and exciting encounters, this article walks through the steps for
building an encounter from start to finish. The guidelines in this web
enhancement should help you create interesting and fair encounters,
though of course each GM must consider the composition of the adven-
turing party.
Step 1: Determine Opponents
The most significant and most difficult part of designing an encounter is
choosing the enemies that the heroes will face. Every character, creature,
droid, and vehicle includes a Challenge Level (CL) that indicates how tough
that challenge can be. In many cases, CL is not assigned through any
remain an appropriate challenge, the main opponents in the fight should
have a CL that is 1 or 2 points lower than the average party level. For most
encounters, the enemies should be weaker than the heroes but should still
be enough of a threat that the heroes will feel challenged by the encounter.
Star Wars differs from many other roleplaying games, though, in that it's
often perfectly acceptable to litter the battlefield with enemies who are far
outclassed by the heroes. This will be covered in more detail in Step 3, but
when determining encounter difficulty, you should focus only on those
enemies whose CL is within 5 levels of the average party level.
For example, the classic "squad of stormtroopers" encounter is a favorite in
Star Wars adventures. However, so much more can be done with the
encounter to make it more exciting. Instead of six stormtroopers, we might
use four stormtroopers, an Imperial officer, and two Imperial probe droids.
Instead of five human thugs starting a cantina fight, the encounter might
be three human thugs, the Twi'lek bartender, and the cantina's "pet," a nek
battle dog. Even within members of the same species, class diversity can
make a big difference. A single noble with a few soldiers makes a potent
combination, and one that produces an interesting combat dynamic during
the encounter.
To determine whether or not the CLs you have chosen for your encounter
are appropriate, add all the CLs together and divide by 3. If this result is
within one level of the average party level, and no single enemy is of a
higher CL than the average party level minus 1, you've probably created a
good challenge. Remember, though, that for single opponents, an appro-
priate encounter is with an enemy of CL equal to the average party level.
Mixing in vehicles can be a bit more challenging, due largely to their
increased firepower and toughness. For this reason, most vehicles are higher
on the CL scale. However, speeder bikes and landspeeders (many of which
have weapons comparable to those carried by characters) can liven up the
battlefield without tilting the balance of the encounter too much. A group
of dark Force adepts might be made into a more interesting encounter if it
were two dark side marauders, a dark Force adept, and three of their human
thralls riding around the battlefield on speeder bikes.
Mixing Challenge Levels
Not every enemy in an encounter has to be a difficult challenge for the
heroes. It is acceptable, and even encouraged in many cases, to have a
portion of the opposition be weaker than other opponents. These weaker
enemies might act as "support" for the primary opponents, using the aid
another action to enhance attack rolls, or affecting the battlefield in some
indirect way. Alternatively, they might just be there to slow the heroes
down long enough for the main enemies to make their move. Regardless of
their function, these lower-CL enemies can still hurt the heroes, but they
are secondary concerns after the primary enemies.
Regardless of the exact combinations, diversity is usually more engaging
than uniformity when it comes to primary enemies. A good rule of thumb
when diversifying opponents is to choose one type of opponent as the base
enemy, choose a second type of opponent that is separated from the base
enemy by a minor difference (such as species or class), and then choose a
third type of opponent that is separated from the base enemy by a major
difference (such as by type: droid, creature, or vehicle).
Additionally, mixing Challenge Levels is a great way to keep the heroes
guessing. If one enemy has a high attack bonus and high damage, the
heroes might assume that they all do, encouraging the group to be more
cautious (even though that caution may be unwarranted). Similarly, heroes
that drop an enemy of a lower CL quickly might become reckless, making
them enticing targets for more threatening foes. A good mix of Challenge
Levels can add diversity to a fight in a subtle but effective way.
Altering Challenge Through Gear
Choosing Diverse Enemies
The process of picking appropriately interesting enemies is just as important
as picking appropriately challenging enemies. When designing an encounter,
pull enemies from different classes, different species, and even different
types. Mixing characters, creatures, droids, and vehicles is a great way to
create more interesting encounters precisely because they require different
tactics. Droids and vehicles are immune to ion damage, creatures can't be
negotiated with, vehicles move at high rates of speed, and characters have
a diverse array of talents and feats. Though each layer of enemy diversity
adds more work for the Gamemaster, they also make for more exciting and
tactically engaging encounters.
One aspect of picking your enemies that can often be overlooked is the
effect of weapons and equipment on an individual opponent. A CL 1 storm-
trooper typically carries a blaster rifle and other basic accoutrements.
However, if you put an E-Web blaster cannon in the hands of that storm-
trooper, he suddenly becomes a much more potent enemy, even though
technically his Challenge Level remains unchanged. Since equipment and
wealth are not balancing factors in determining Challenge Level for most
enemies, Gamemasters should be careful when handing out powerful
equipment. It can quickly increase the challenge out of proportion with the
Challenge Level.
between altitudes, as well as pits and chasms that must be avoided. Sim-
ilarly, a good encounter locale gives the Gamemaster enough to describe
without getting bogged down in details. By itself, a cargo bay isn't very
exciting or memorable, but a cargo bay with a massive glass window over-
looking a volcano planet, with electricity coursing through power couplings
along one wall, is certainly more evocative.
For outdoor locales, terrain plays an even more important role. Difficult
terrain requires tactical movement and can slow down heroes and enemies
alike. Alien flora and fauna, a staple of the Star Wars universe, can add
spice to any encounter. If your fight takes place on an ice planet, you can
stage it on an open, snowy plain, or you can stage it on the edge of a cliff,
above the canyon lair of a flesh-eating snow lizard. Likewise, if a battle
takes place on a forest planet at night, you can evoke the alien nature of
the world by having giant fireflies provide the only illumination. Even better,
as the huge insects drift across the battlefield, they bring an interesting
dynamic -- constantly shifting concealment -- to the fight itself.
By the same token, adding weapons or equipment to an opponent is an
excellent way to add diversity to an encounter. If every stormtrooper in the
encounter has a rifle, they all act the same way and use the same tactics. If,
however, one stormtrooper is firing an E-Web, this changes that opponent's
behavior and encourages the heroes to change theirs as well. Likewise, if
the Gamemaster puts a grenade launcher or a flamethrower in the hands of
one of the stormtroopers, the fight becomes very different indeed. A
standard bounty hunter might be tough, but when outfitted with the kinds
of weapons and armor worn by Boba Fett, the enemy becomes much more
challenging.
Environmental Hazards
Locales bring with them certain hazards native to the environment. Most
environmental hazards can be classified as conditional, partial, or total.
In general, equipment should not increase the CL of an individual opponent.
However, if the equipment significantly raises the enemy's attack bonus,
damage, or Reflex Defense, it might be appropriate to increase the CL as
well. As a guideline, if a piece of equipment increases any of these aspects
of the character by 50%, increase the opponent's Challenge Level by +1. For
example, a normal stormtrooper deals 3d8 points of damage with a blaster
rifle (an average of 13.5 points). If that stormtrooper begins using an E-Web
that deals 3d12 points of damage (an average of 19.5 points), that change
normally wouldn't justify increasing the CL. However, the weapon creates
an area attack (which not only strikes multiple opponents but also deals
half damage even on a miss), and that probably is enough to warrant a
higher CL.
Step 2: Determine Locale
Though the general locale of the encounter will likely be determined by the
demands of the adventure, choosing an appropriate setting can go a long
way toward excitement. Very few encounters in Star Wars take place in an
empty room or on a wide-open plain with no visible terrain or obstacles.
Instead, they take place in cramped hallways in Imperial detention centers,
around massive open-air catwalks and endless chasms, and on assembly
lines deep within droid construction facilities.
A conditional hazard is one that presents itself only if certain conditions are
met. These conditions might require the heroes or their enemies to trigger
the hazard. For example, anyone who passes through the security sensors
triggers an alarm that slams a blast door closed. Alternatively, the hazard
might be triggered by some other environmental effect. Perhaps when the
blast door slams shut, it disrupts power to half the room, plunging it into
darkness. Similarly, the condition that triggers the hazard might be a
function of time. After 5 rounds, the ice at the edge of the cliff melts,
sending anyone in a 2-square-wide line plummeting into the chasm below.
Usually, interesting encounter locales are irregular in shape, with alcoves,
short hallways, and protruding walls. A locale can encompass several rooms,
and a single encounter might be designed to flow from one room to
another. Perhaps an explosive charge collapses a wall, allowing rein-
forcements to arrive from the far side and increasing the challenge. Indoor
locales usually have stairs, catwalks, turbolifts, or other means of moving
Additionally, conditional hazards may not be readily apparent to the heroes,
and can come as a surprise in the middle of an encounter.
inhaled. If the gas is present only when a hero enters an incorrect command
code, the hazard is conditional; treat it as a CL 3 enemy. If the gas is always
in the room, but the cloud covers only the computer stations, the hazard is
partial; treat it as a CL 4 enemy. If the entire room is filled with gas, the
hazard is total and would be considered a CL 5 enemy.
Partial hazards are usually visible to the heroes and are present throughout
the duration of the encounter. These hazards can be avoided and may not
affect every combatant. For example, the Sarlacc in the Great Pit of
Carkoon acted as a partial hazard because while it was present throughout
the fight, the heroes could avoid it by not falling off their skiff. Other
examples of partial hazards include a room that's half underwater, a large
swath of ground that's covered in jagged rocks or metal, or a stretch of
floor plating that's charged with electricity.
In any case, when you're determining the fairness of an encounter, be sure
to include an environmental hazard's CL in the calculations.
Step 3: Determine Obstacles and
Other Challenges
Lastly, anything else that can act as an impediment to the heroes should be
added to the encounter. Though many obstacles are environmental hazards,
you can complicate an encounter in other interesting ways. For example, a
construction droid that swings a hanging girder through the battlefield
every other round certainly alters the fight. The droid is not an environ-
mental hazard because it can be disabled, but it's not really an opponent,
either, so you need not consider its CL when determining the fairness of the
encounter.
A total hazard is one that is present throughout the encounter and
unavoidable, such as a room filled with dioxis or a completely flooded
chamber. Total hazards usually impede (or damage) the heroes every round
and can seriously affect the encounter. Gamemasters should be careful with
total hazards because they can quickly lead to the death of one or more
characters -- or perhaps the entire party.
Reverse Engineering
One good way to determine if obstacles are needed for an encounter is to
use the reverse engineering method. First, picture the room where the fight
will take place, empty it of obstacles, and imagine the foes inside. Now
imagine that the fight begins; what do the heroes do? What are their
actions, assuming they win initiative and act first? Based on those
assumptions, find ways to make those actions more difficult. Repeat the
process until you're satisfied that the encounter provides enough of a
challenge to the heroes.
For example, let's say an encounter pits the heroes against four storm-
troopers, an Imperial officer, and two probe droids. Place the enemies in an
empty room and begin the reverse engineering process. The Jedi hero will
likely move into the room and use Force slam on the squad of storm-
troopers, so you decide to put two of them on a platform that is 3 meters
tall, meaning that the Force slam can only get 2 of them at best. The
scoundrel will probably try to sneak up on the Imperial officer, so give that
foe a hovering spotlight droid that tries to point out any heroes breaking off
from the main group. The soldier carries ion grenades and ion weapons, so
he'll probably try to take out the two probe droids. To complicate matters,
spread the two droids far apart from each other, ensuring that a single ion
grenade won't take them both out. With just a few small changes, a rel-
atively mundane encounter has become more engaging and challenging for
the heroes.
When introducing an environmental hazard, adjust the encounter to
accommodate the increased challenge. Assuming that the hazard has attack
bonuses and damage outputs on par with enemies of the appropriate CL,
adding a hazard to an encounter is just like adding another opponent. If the
hazard is conditional, consider it to be another "opponent" with a CL equal
to the equivalent enemy CL minus 2. If the hazard is partial, consider it to
be another "opponent" with a CL equal to the equivalent enemy CL minus 1.
If the hazard is total, consider it to be another "opponent" with a CL equal
to the equivalent enemy CL.
For example, let's say the hazard is a poison gas cloud. The gas attacks a
target's Fortitude Defense with an attack bonus of +6 (the equivalent of
about a CL 5 enemy) and deals 2d10 points of damage each round the gas is
When using reverse engineering, it's important to remember that your goal
is to challenge your heroes, not to stymie them. Star Wars is all about doing
amazing, heroic things in the heat of battle, and your players will want to
do this as well. Obstacles should encourage them to make choices with
their abilities, not keep them from using the abilities completely. Does the
scoundrel go after the officer or the spotlight droid first? Which pair of
stormtroopers does the Jedi use Force slam on? Which probe droid feels the
heat of the soldier's ion barrage? The heroes still use their abilities in fun
and exciting ways, but they have choices to make when doing so.
like combat experiences. Objects that provide cover -- such as crates, com-
puters, and low walls -- also act as obstacles, encouraging creative
movement throughout the terrain.
Spreading Out the Enemies
One of the fastest ways to get a group of opponents killed is to have them
all bunched together. A quick grenade or a Force slam, and they'll be
wounded, dead, or dying. Instead, try to spread at least some of the enemies
out to avoid area attacks. It's fine (and encouraged) to have a group of
battle droids march in formation so they can be taken out quickly, but if you
want certain enemies to present a significant challenge, place them
throughout the encounter area so that individual area attacks will be less
effective -- at least in the first round or two.
Low-Challenge Enemies as Hazards
Low-level enemies don't usually provide enough challenge for heroes.
However, even at high levels, most players still want to kill stormtroopers
and blow up battle droids. That's part of what makes a Star Wars game
memorable. Instead of continually increasing the levels of stormtroopers, try
using a handful of stormtroopers as an obstacle. An encounter with a single,
high-level enemy might need to be enhanced to present a more cinematic
scene, and adding a bunch of low-level goons to the fight does just that.
The heroes will usually take time to stop and dispatch low-level enemies,
even if they see them as little threat, and there's always a chance that a
natural 20 will allow a thug to get off a lucky shot at a hero.
Putting It All Together
Having walked through the process of designing an encounter, it's time to
make up an encounter of our own. Let's assume that we have a party of
7th-level heroes playing in the Rebellion era, and we want to challenge the
heroes while still making sure that they can survive the encounter. Since the
heroes will be infiltrating an Imperial Detention Facility as a part of the
adventure, we already know our setting. For our primary enemies, we pick
two CL 5 Imperial Security Bureau agents (nonheroic 6/scout 3) and one CL
5 Imperial Officer (nonheroic 3/noble 3/officer 1) to represent the inter-
rogation team. Additionally, the facility has a small complement of crab
droid scouts (CL 3, nonheroic 9) leftover from the Clone Wars, one of which
is guarding the area the heroes are attempting to infiltrate. Adding all the
CLs together and dividing by 3, we get an encounter CL of 6, meaning we
have the beginnings of an appropriate encounter.
For example, a party of 10th-level heroes comes up against the Sith
apprentice they have been pursuing for several adventures. The Gamemaster
wants the Sith apprentice to be the focus of the encounter, but a four-on-
one fight, even against a Sith, might be anticlimactic. To enhance the
encounter, the Gamemaster adds a dozen low-level stormtroopers. They
pose little direct threat to the heroes, but they're an obstacle that must be
overcome on the way to defeating the real enemy. In addition, they give
non-Jedi party members something to do while the Jedi engages the Sith
apprentice in a climactic duel. A similar situation occurred in the Battle of
Geonosis, when Mace Windu ran straight for Jango Fett while others
focused on taking out the droids.
However, we really want to challenge the party, so we spice up the bat-
tlefield with terrain effects and other hazards. The encounter will take place
in a detention block, since the heroes are there to rescue an NPC that has
helped them in the past. We decide that the detention block is equipped
with emergency systems that spray a numbing gas into the room. We give
the numbing gas an attack bonus of +5 against a character's Fortitude
Defense (the equivalent of a CL 4 enemy), dealing 3d8 points of stun
damage. But we also determine that the gas shoots out of the walls only
around the edges of the room, making it a partial hazard and reducing the
CL to 3. Added to the other CLs in the encounter, this gives us a new
encounter CL of 7, which should be more challenging for the heroes.
Providing Cover Spots
One important aspect of encounter design is providing enough spots for
heroes and enemies to take cover during an encounter. Not only is cover
important to many characters in the game, it also provides more Star Wars-
Knowing that our heroes are fond of stunning enemies, the party is likely to
charge in and try to get close to the officer and the ISB agents to use the
stun settings on their blasters. To keep this from happening too quickly, we
decide that barricades pop up to block the middle of the room, spaced at
intervals of 3 squares. Thus, if the heroes want to get in close with the ISB
agents, they'll have to move down the sides of the room, where the
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