Hello and welcome to my website. I have a bunch of free character builds (Hyper Score Marvel has superheroes, there’s a big PDF of Street Fighter for D&D 5E, the current Warhammer 40k D&D 5E Hack series, then there’s handful of randomness like Afro Samurai, Venger, Aku, etc.) BUT that’s not what we’re here for today.
Today we are here for Star Wars.
Also if you spot a way this can improve, share the info! I’m on Twitter @MikeMyler2, Facebook, Google+, and you can leave messages below the post. Thanks!
First of all you are going to want the following three (free) things.
(For the most part they are reprinted in this post but still, they are handy and neat)
- Hypercorps 2099 5E Playtest – Obviously having the actual book is ideal but superheroes are not for everybody. Really we just need to plum the Parallel out of there for Force-users, Meganaut for folks into cyberwaring up, and Savant for everyone else.
- Mists of Akuma Primer – You’re going to want Dignity and Haitoku out of this guy. You can go ahead and swap in Honor from the DMG for Dignity if you like, but Haitoku literally means “fall from virtue” so is perfect for going to the Dark Side (especially with the gradual signs of corruption and eventually mutation, although probably not into adeddo-oni just mad decrepit). The latter is going to replace Sin for determining…
- Book of Exalted Darkness: Evil Primer – Sin Points. One of the best parts of the d20 Star Wars rules were “dark side points let you do extra things but corrupt you” and “f#*$ off light side that’s not how this deal works you don’t get any extra stuff shut up and jump somewhere”
- [optional] 2099 Wasteland Primer – The rules for custom building weapons would fit GREAT in a SW game and give people that are not into being Jedi/Sith/Adepts something fun to do comparable to energy swords but those are only included in the full book. You can dip in here for Irradiated though, depending on how the GM wants to handle Dark Side artifacts and so on.
ASIDE The core d20 Star Wars game is great, it’s probably half-price or less at your local FLGS, and you will be able to easily convert a lot of it to D&D 5e. I encourage you to totally have fun with all the stuff I talk about in this blog post but if you see that book for sale somewhere buy it.
Also if you have not seen it one of its designers (Owen K.C. Stephens) has the best story ever regarding Star Wars RPGs that I have ever heard.
Also worth checking out: Tribality did a solid article on 5E Jedi. Props for Richard Howard, incidentally, who helped convert Hyper Score from Pathfinder to 5E (and has a great Alchemist 5E class you can snag if you are like me and want to play a glitterstims-addicted space doctor). I’d probably run both this *and* the Hyper Score bit to really ram in the superiority of Force users, but do as you will.
CLASSES
Martial classes only! If you want tech-powered spellcasters (instead of having technological items that duplicate spells) there’s the Unearthed Arcana artificer and the (free) Scrapper PDF from 2099 Wasteland.
RACES
The Star Wars – D&D 5th Edition Conversion document by fedorable1 is very cool and worth looking at if you haven’t yet (there’s definitely d20 Star Wars echoes in there). What I’m offering here is way shorter than theirs, but it’s definitely worth popping over to grab the races: https://www.scribd.com/doc/278947931/Star-Wars-D-D-5th-Edition-Conversion-PF.
EDIT: Apparently folks *hate* Scribd so I’ve pulled Dale Easterling’s Species chapter from the above document and dropped it into GoogleDrive –> https://docs.google.com/document/d/10Tqj0nVpGfA94GrAE_dDyfIYC_jHIAC0BqrTrhKkhqM/edit?usp=sharing
EDIT: While organizing ^^ someone found a better link to Dale’s entire book –> http://fedorable1.wixsite.com/btdpress/books
Hypercorps 2099 5E → Star Wars 5E
The Hyper Score system is what adds superheroes into the Hypercorps 2099 setting by adding on a rules template that overlays the existing ruleset (Paizo’s idea shamelessly taken from Mythic Adventures). We don’t need a ton of Hyper Score to get what we need for being a run of the mill Jedi and if you want to do a full on levels 1-20 Star Wars campaign, go buy the Hypercorps 2099 5E PDF. Otherwise you’re going to get some Apprentices and Padawans and to make sure we get the latter, I’m including a little bit more than the playtest document offers right here so lucky you (and you can just make a sith lord or dark jedi as you would a monster). 🙂
Hyper Score | Hyper Proficiency | Hero Points | Bonus Feat | Hyper Abilities |
1 | +0 | 2 | Hyper Feat | Hyper Mortality, Hyper Route 1, Increased Ability Score |
2 | +1 | 2 | — | Hit Points increase by 5, Hyper Attack 1, Hyper Proficiency |
3 | +1 | 2 | 1st | Hyper Initiative |
4 | +2 | 3 | — | Hyper Ability Trait, Hyper Route 2 |
WHAT ARE THESE THINGS?
- Hyper Score: Treat these as you would a level.
- Hero Points: These do more than what’s in the DMG. Read the free playtest PDF for more info but definitely extremely important.
- Hyper Feat: All Star Wars D&D 5E player characters receive the same hyper feat at Hyper Score 1 (take whatever feat you want at HS3) — Special Strike: Choose one weapon, spell that requires an attack roll (including class abilities such as divine smite), or unarmed strikes. You gain a bonus to damage with that weapon, spell, or unarmed strike equal to your Hyper Bonus.
- Hyper Mortality: You gain advantage on saving throws against death and death effects.
- Hyper Routes: These are like archetypes. We are interested in 3 of them (meganaut, parallel, savant).
- Increased Ability Score: Starting at Hyper Score 1, you may increase one ability score by 2 points, or two ability scores by 1 point each (this increase may not be traded for a feat and an ability score may not be increased above 20 + your Hyper Score using this feature, or any similar features.)
- Hyper Attack: Starting at Hyper Score 2, you may make an additional weapon attack when you use your action to attack.
- Hyper Proficiency: Starting at Hyper Score 2, your bonus to weapons and other features (that are not skills or equipment) you are proficient with increases by 1. This bonus increases by 1 again at Hyper Score 4.
Hyper Hit Dice: Starting at Hyper Score 3 you gain +1d10 hit dice. - Hyper Initiative: Starting at Hyper Score 3, you gain advantage on Initiative checks.
- Hyper Ability Trait: Starting at Hyper Score 4, you receive one Hyper Ability Trait. For Jedi (parallel route) this could be a reflection of force powers, for meganauts it would be a reflection of some new kind of cybernetic part, and for savants it’s just being damn lucky (and probably quick of wit, charming, or very cunning). All of the Hyper Ability Traits in the playtest PDF should do you fine, although I do predominantly believe these best suit meganaut mercenaries.
- Luck and Reputation: Hypercorps 2099 uses Luck and Reputation which are fun attributes. They aren’t totally necessary here, but you could reinterpret Luck to be the Force (so everybody gets it) or make it available exclusively to non-Force users.
HYPER ROUTES
Once again, you will want the free Hypercorps 2099 5E Playtest for more concrete details but here’s some hard and fast rules for getting (using parallel hyper route) a Jedi Consular, Jedi Guardian, or Jedi Sentinel, a cybered out mercenary (using meganaut), or a highly skilled pilot/mechanic/woman-of-the-hour (using savant). These are all Route 1 suggestions and you should not feel at all bound to them–I suspect by Hyper Score 4 you’ll be ready to pick out Route 2 on your own anyway–but are predominantly meant to illustrate a basic dichotomy for the run-up to full jedi-ness (a parallel literally chooses their ability score/cantrips/spells so pick the ones you think fit best).
JEDI CONSULAR
- Chosen ability score: Wisdom
- Cantrips: mage hand, vicious mockery
- 1st-level spells: cure wounds, shield of faith
- 2nd-level spell: hold person
JEDI GUARDIAN
- Chosen ability score: Charisma
- Cantrips: eldritch blast, mage hand
- 1st-level spells: expeditious retreat or featherfall, jump
- 2nd-level spell: enhance ability
JEDI SENTINEL
- Chosen ability score: Intelligence
- Cantrips: guidance, mage hand
- 1st-level spells: charm person, heroism
- 2nd-level spell: suggestion
MERCENARY (Melee)
- Strong Hurl. Double the range ratings of any thrown weapon you use. Increase the damage die type of any improvised thrown weapon you use by a number of steps equal to the traits you possess in Hyper Strength (as a rule of thumb, a weapon’s damage dice increases by one step for every 100 lbs.; after reaching 1d10 it adds +1d8 per additional 100 lbs., up to carrying capacity). This damage bonus stacks with Primal Warrior if the thrown weapon is improvised.
- Strong Warrior. You deal an additional amount of damage with melee weapon attacks equal to the number of traits you possess in Hyper Strength.
MERCENARY (Ranged)
- Dexterous Warrior. Increase your ranged weapon damage by the number of traits you possess in Hyper Dexterity. You must be proficient with the weapon you use to gain this benefit.
- Hand-Eye. Double the short range rating of any ranged weapon you use, including thrown weapons. Increase the damage roll of any ranged weapon you use by the number of traits you possess in Hyper Dexterity.
SAVANT
- One bonus feat or hyper feat
- Choose two skills or pieces of equipment. The bonus you gain from being proficient with the chosen skills or equipment is doubled.
- Increased Ability Score (as above; this cannot be swapped for a feat)
Mists of Akuma → Star Wars 5E
There’s a lot of cool things you can further incorporate into this (samuraiiiiiiiiii paladin oath jedi FTW) but we’re predominantly concerned with Haitoku or “fall from virtue” which is where we are getting into the Dark Side of the Force. The basic info on Haitoku/Dark Side is below, but for more information go grab the (again, free) Mists of Akuma Primer PDF!
Haitoku means “fall from virtue” and represents a character’s gradual embrace of dark methods, immoral ethics, and fel powers. Characters with a high Haitoku score do whatever is necessary to achieve their goals—endangering children and the infirm, sacrificing the lives of others, committing a settlement to bloody reprisal from a rival town, or even dooming a region by disrupting a powerful relic for their own gain—and it taints their soul. This severe disposition can be recognized by others who share a willingness to be cutthroat, and some truly embody their depravity to unlock powerful abilities beyond the ken of mortal beings.
Haitoku can be raised by committing evil acts using the Force as your tool to inflict death, destruction, and suffering. A character always has a number of levels of the misted condition equal to their Haitoku modifier.
Haitoku Checks. Haitoku checks can be used much like Wisdom, when how despicable a character is plays an impact on a social situation. Generally if the Intimidate skill is applicable, Haitoku may be used with it. The GM might also call for a Haitoku check in the following instances:
- A character is unsure of whether they are going to endanger others with their direct actions.
- A character wants to know another character’s Haitoku score (DC 20 – character’s Haitoku modifier).
- A character wishes to unlock the secrets of a powerful item, activating it with the implacable and unending perseverance of their spirit.
- A character wants to influence another character by revealing how depraved they are willing to be and that no consequence or measure can stop them.
Haitoku Saving Throws. Haitoku saving throws are used against Dignity-driven abilities or when a character pushes their body and mind beyond their limitations.
The GM might also call for a Haitoku saving throw in the following instances:
- A character can resist death by dipping into their deepest reserves of unyielding resolve. As a reaction, a character can attempt a Haitoku saving throw (DC equal to the damage from the last attack). On a successful save, the character regains 1 hit point and a level of the exhausted condition. They may activate this ability even while unconscious (and before they make a Death Save). A character may resist death a number of times equal to their Haitoku modifier (minimum 1). Uses of this ability recharge after a long rest and when they do the character gains a point of Haitoku.
- A character encounters a truly unnatural horror that would shatter the mind of a less resolute being. When an effect would cause insanity (such as the symbol spell or to resist madness) a character may make a Haitoku saving throw in place of a Wisdom or Charisma saving throw. They may make this Haitoku saving throw with advantage by gaining a level of the exhausted condition.
Misted is measured in eight levels. An effect can give a creature one or more levels of misted, as specified in the effect’s description. Creatures always have a minimum number of levels of misted condition equal to their Haitoku modifier.
Level | Effect |
1 | Mild auditory effect |
2 | Mild visual effect |
3 | Speed +10 feet during combat |
4 | Severe auditory effect |
5 | Severe visual effect |
6 | Visible physical mutation, providing +1 to two attributes, –1 to Constitution |
7 | Ignore the first 3 points of damage from each attack or spell |
8 | Complete descent into the Dark Side and corruption of the body (lower Constitution by 2). |
Book of Exalted Darkness → Star Wars 5E
This is on Kickstarter right now and you should totally go check it out (even if you are not down for the evil!), BUT, for Star Wars D&D 5E we only need Sin Points:
An evil adventurer begins play with a number of Sin points equal to half their proficiency bonus. Otherwise an evil adventurer gains a Sin point whenever it increases its Haitoku Sin score (gaining a number of Sin points equal to the amount of increase). The maximum number of Sin points an evil adventurer can have is equal to its level. By spending a Sin point as a reaction, an evil adventurer can do any of the following:
- Change the damage of a spell or weapon attack to necrotic.
- Reroll a failed ability check or saving throw.
- Gain a +1d6 bonus to an ability check or attack roll so long as it is part of committing an evil act (desecrating a holy object or place, delivering a poison, preparing a murderous ambush, telling a hurtful lie, and so on). At 11th level this bonus increases to +2d6.
- When casting a spell, you may delay its effects for 1d4 hours per spell level. Cantrips count as 1st-level spells when sending Sin points in this way and can be delayed up to 1d6 hours per point of proficiency you possess.
2099 Wasteland → Star Wars 5E
I spent a lot of time polishing, tweaking, and improving the custom-building weapons rules in D&D 5E and I simply cannot in good conscience share them here (that would be unfair to the 100+ people that backed the Kickstarter for it) but if you’re going full-in and do a complete Star Wars D&D 5E game I suggest you recommend it to the group if somebody has chosen to not be a jedi (it will make combat way more interesting for them although you could totally build lightsabers with it too). Oooh and we’ve got a bunch of vehicular rules in there (for Mad Max style stuff) that could easily be converted entirely to 3-D for space combat (take the gyrocopter, increase various values for flying through space, add in shields, ta-da).
Depending on how the GM wants to approach the Dark Side of the Force, the (free) rules for Radiation might be useful as well (tying Irradiated into Haitoku).
LIGHTSABER
Legendary magic weapon (requires attunement)
This item appears to be a longsword hilt. While grasping the hilt, you can use a Bonus Action to cause a blade of pure radiance to spring into existence, or make the blade disappear. While the blade exists, this magic sword has the Finesse property and deals 3d4 damage on a successful hit. A character with a Hyper Proficiency bonus of +0 or greater and proficiency with shortswords or longswords is proficient with the lightsaber.
You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon, which deals fire, force, and radiant damage instead of slashing damage. If you are a parallel, you increase the damage the lightsaber deals by 1d4 per point of Hyper Proficiency (to a maximum of 8d4 at Hyper Score 10).
The sword’s luminous blade emits bright light in a 15-foot radius and dim light for an additional 15 feet. The light is sunlight.
That’s it!
Gather up the few bits I haven’t reprinted from the freebie PDFs (full Hyper Routes and Hyper Traits), fill in the blanks above, paste it into a word document, print it out, and let me know how it plays! I’ve got the day off today so I think I’ll be giving it a shot on Roll 20 myself! 😀
[…] Last week we had Vision and next we’ve got Hulk, then Thing, Rocket Raccoon, Emma Frost, Cyclops, Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Punisher, Mr. Fantastic, Human Torch, Doctor Doom, Invisible Woman, and Loki. More requests are always welcome however–I’ll get to them all eventually! Full cast so far is over yonder. It’s also worth noting that there are freebies for Hypercorps 2099 and if you are like “awww man I have to download something!” I’ve got some brief explanations of the Hyper Score system right here in the Star Wars D&D 5E Hack. […]
[…] Last week we had Thanos (and The Infinity Gauntlet and the Infinity Gems!) and next we’ve got Thing, then Rocket Raccoon, Emma Frost, Cyclops, Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Punisher, Mr. Fantastic, Human Torch, Doctor Doom, Invisible Woman, and Loki. More requests are always welcome however–I’ll get to them all eventually! Full cast so far is over yonder. It’s also worth noting that there are freebies for Hypercorps 2099 and if you are like “WHAT!? I have to download something!” there are brief explanations of the Hyper Score system in the Star Wars D&D 5E Hack. […]
[…] Last week we had the Hulk and next we’ve got Rocket Raccoon, then Emma Frost, Cyclops, Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Punisher, Mr. Fantastic, Human Torch, Doctor Doom, Invisible Woman, and Loki. More requests are always welcome however–I’ll get to them all eventually! The full cast so far is over yonder (Spider-Man, Venom symbiote, Infinity Gauntlet, lotsa good stuff). It’s also worth noting that there are freebies for Hypercorps 2099 and if you are like “WHAT!? I have to download something!” there are brief explanations of the Hyper Score system in the Star Wars D&D 5E Hack. […]
[…] EDIT — A new Star Wars movie just came out so I guess I ought to point out that I’ve got a hack for that too. […]
[…] that I’ve got the Star Wars 5E Hack, Street Fighter D&D 5E, Beztekorps 5E Conversion (for some Attack on Titan action), and the […]