Phase 2 Update and Implementation

This news post caps the day of major Phase 2 announcements, and brings with it the one many of you have been waiting for: Our new Orders! I'll briefly cover some of the details of what's not coming this time around, then get into the actual stuff that is now live! This post is very text heavy, but rather than delaying it further to put in fancy images, I am pushing it live now. :)

As we push forward with implementing our plans for the non-Force sensitive Orders (NFOs for short in some places), we've run into some small hiccups. Nothing too severe, but it is causing minor delays in some areas that will result in a gradual roll out of some items. Most notably, the Test of Identity requires a bit more polish before release. James, Evant and I are hard at work on it, but James has an important new responsibility, and so while he trains the future generation of DB coders (and changes diapers!), we'll experience a little bit of occasional delay. :)

Another minor element being delayed are two of the four NFO Disciplines. We decided to roll out the two we have now because we want people to be able to play around with what we've done as soon as possible. This means that only the Weapons Specialist and the Field Medic are ready for selection.

But other than that, Phase 2 is right on schedule. So what exactly does that mean? Read on!

Non-Force Using Orders Available, New Order Feats

Non-Force using Orders are now available for selection.

Along with these two new Orders, we have implemented simple Feats that describe each Order. For now these feats are just flavor based, to help define the Orders a bit more. We've teased around a bit with minor benefits to each Order, but one thing I want to avoid is creating a situation where people pick an Order for its perks alone.

Feats:

Loyalist (All Paths): Those that wish to serve the Brotherhood, but lack no ability with the Force, are called to serve in the Brotherhood’s armed forces. Whether they serve the Iron Throne or the military of their Clan, members of the Loyalist Order make up a variety of callings, from pilot to soldier to mechanic. Despite their lack of Force sensitivity, Loyalists receive considerable training in combating Force users; as such, they are well versed in identifying Force-based attacks, and conditioned to not balk in the face of a Jedi or Sith’s powers.

Mercenary (All Paths): Not all who lack talent with the Force are called to serve others. Utilizing their skills and talents, Mercenaries are always looking to make a profit or earn some fame, and the Brotherhood is full of opportunities for those willing to look. Despite their lack of Force sensitivity, Mercenaries in service to the Brotherhood receive considerable training in combating Force users; as such, they are well versed in identifying Force-based attacks, conditioned to not balk in the face of a Jedi or Sith’s powers.

Jedi (Light Path): The Jedi are Force users that seeks peace and tranquillity in the galaxy. They subscribe to a rigid philosophy that askew passion and emotion, instead emphasizing peace and harmony. Jedi respect all life and strive to defend and protect those in need. Jedi rely on the light side and avoid the dark side and the threat its power poses.

Gray Jedi (Light Path): Gray Jedi are Force users that do not ascribe to the rigid teachings of either the Jedi or the Sith. Whether they were never exposed to Sith or Jedi teachings prior to the Brotherhood, or simply because they do not agree with either Order’s philosophies or codes, Gray Jedi as an Order are not united by any binding doctrine or philosophy. Gray Jedi of the Light Path call upon the light side of the Force and avoid the dark side and the threat its power poses.

Gray Jedi (Gray Path): Gray Jedi are Force users that do not ascribe to the rigid teachings of either the Jedi or the Sith. Whether they were never exposed to Sith or Jedi teachings prior to the Brotherhood, or simply because they do not agree with either Order’s philosophies or codes, Gray Jedi as an Order are not united by any single binding doctrine or philosophy. Gray Jedi of the Gray Path attempt to walk the balance between the light and dark sides of the Force. They may lean on one or the other side more, but their usage of both sides of the Force to some degree defines them as Gray Jedi.

Dark Jedi (Dark Path): Dark Jedi are Force users that do not ascribe to the rigid teachings of the Jedi Order or the Sith, either because they were never exposed to them prior to the Brotherhood, or simply because they do not always see eye to eye with them. Dark Jedi are not united by any binding doctrine or philosophy, though Dark Jedi of the Dark Path call upon the dark side of the Force, eschewing the light.

Sith (Dark Path): The Sith are Force users that seek power, and are willing to do anything to achieve their goals. The Sith are solely dedicated to the dark side, which they see as the ultimate tool with which to succeed. They embrace ancient teachings that promote power and pleasure above all else, which they use to bring power and prestige for themselves across the Brotherhood.

Character System Advancement for Non-Force Orders

When we decided to add in non-Force Orders, we had to face some tough choices in regards to our character sheets. Our system was built from the ground up to cover Force powers. Complicating matters was that in most practical sources, Jedi were almost always better in combat than the vast majority of opponents they faced that couldn't use the Force. There were exceptions - certain individuals that had experience with fighting Force users, or were highly trained and talented in combat. And of course, Wedge Antilles is a good example of a pilot that was amazing, perhaps even better than pilots that had the Force, but Wedge is the exception to the rule. Thus, our new Orders presented a bit of a problem - how could we provide some intriguing customization options, and allow for a degree of competitiveness, while staying true to the the power of Jedi?

Luckily, Wally's CS team has been hard at work filling gaps in Skills and creating unique ways in which members can already engage in combat without heavy reliance on the Force. Feats became our base here, because combat and non-combat Skill Feats are where characters can really shine and show their uniqueness. So non-Force Orders gain an extra Feat at the 2nd rank of each Rank Tier (e.g. Novitiate 2, JM2, EQ2, and ELD2). While this won't necessarily bring them even with Jedi, it should make them engaging and fun to write and play, and very diverse.

But there's also the element of Skills. Because our non-Force Orders do not need to spend time training Force powers, they gain an added benefit in Skills. They receive an additional 0.75 Skill Points per rank (rounded in the system), and though they can't achieve any higher Skill Tiers than Force users, it does allow them to have a wider repertoire of Skills. For instance, by Equite 1, a non-Force user will have six more skill points to spend than his or her Force using counterpart.

Finally, we wanted to address the lack of a particular Weapon Skill for non-Force Orders. Since they will not have access to Lightsaber Forms, we wanted to provide a degree of weapon customization. Characters that can't use the Force now can designate Primary Weapons (and a Secondary Weapon at EQ1). For most Disciplines (see below) this is just flavor, but it interacts importantly with one Discipline and perhaps others in the future. The goal here isn't to make characters without the Force necessarily better with a bladed weapon or the like, but to give them a chance to flush out various combat skills a bit more in preference, without necessarily having to dedicate an Aspect to that purpose (Though they still can!).

All of these features are being released but may face heavy modification in the future as we evaluate how they work in practice!

New Disciplines

We are currently implementing two Disciplines for the NFOs! The first two to be implemented are Weapons Specialist and Field Medic. Weapons Specialists make use of a new feature of the character sheets, Primary and Secondary Weapon slots. The Field Medic, on the other hand, is a great doctor-type character that is experienced in treating all manner of species on the fly. Sometimes a medical droid just can't make it into hostile situations; in those cases, the Field Medic is a life-saver.

We have two additional Disciplines in the pipeline: the Infiltrator and the Operator. The Infiltrator will function just as it sounds, while the Operator will specialize in being the best pilot he or she can be (without the Force).

Since I've already gotten the question: These Disciplines are not currently enabled for Force users, but we will consider it in the future. Some may be available to all Orders, while some may be restricted.

Tradition Submissions

Below are the tentative guidelines for Tradition Submission. The Wiki will be updated shortly with these guidelines and a new category for Traditions.

• Name
  
• Color (Hex preferred)
  
• A proposed wiki page complete with:
  ** History - for details on the history and founding, including how the unit fits into the Canon universe in some way - perhaps just as legends or the like told to people.
  ** In the Brotherhood - for details on how the tradition views the Brotherhood and DB specific ties
  
• Reasoning: Why should it be added? How does it uniquely fit with the other existing approved Traditions?
  
• Members: What immediate demand is there for this tradition to be created? List of members. Minimum of three members required, but not every Tradition with three proposed adherents will be approved.
  

We will monitor Traditions, and Traditions that lose activity may face deactivation. These requirements may change throughout the next few weeks.

One last thing from Mav!

As we move into Phase 3, just remember that we are anticipating hiccups, especially in the character system department, that require us to heavily modify what we're planning. This means that we could end up invalidate character sheets and the like along the way, so please remember that everything currently in the system for non-Force Orders could change dramatically between now and the first of October. :)

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!

In case you missed these great Phase 2-related announcements, check them out!

The Shadow Academy Staff has completed our new Order CORE courses! Check out all the news just a few posts below mine!

The Herald Staff has uploaded a few selector items for our non-Force users, and released some huge plans! Custom blasters? Damn, yes please! I need me a new gun!

That's it for this now!

TL;DR

• Loyalist? Mercenary? You decide!
  
• Character System for non-Force Orders is live.
  
• Each Order has a Feat associated with it!
  
• Traditions submissions guidelines described above.
  
• The SA Staff has released new Order COREs!
  
• The HRLD Staff has released the new weapon perks!
  

Telaris "Mav" Cantor

Deputy Grand Master