Saga Destiny Rules
Destiny rewards players for good roleplaying and gives Gamemasters new plot hooks to use when designing adventures.
The rules presented below are optional. A Gamemaster may decide to use Destiny Points or not; however, the decision to use them should be made before the campaign gets underway, so that each player can decide whether or not to embrace a destiny for her character from the outset.
Although conceivably any character-heroic or non heroic-has a destiny to fulfill, only heroic characters receive Destiny Points and receive in-game benefits for pursuing their destinies. Nonheroic characters don't receive Destiny Points; their destinies, whatever they may be, exist purely on a story level .
Choosing a Destiny
Players don't need to choose destinies for their heroes at the start of the campaign-or ever, for that matter. Not every hero has a destiny that must be fulfilled before the end of the campaign, and even players who want their characters to have destinies need to give their characters-and the campaign-a chance to develop first. It may take several adventures before players understand where the campaign is going and what goals their heroes are likely to pursue.
Choosing a destiny can be handled in one of two ways: Either the player can select an appropriate destiny for her hero (based on what's happening in the campaign), or the Gamemaster can select a secret destiny for the hero. If the player chooses a destiny for her character, the GM should challenge the player to fulfill her destiny by presenting conflicting situations where the smartest and most beneficial decision might force the character to choose between doing what is best for her fellow heroes and taking steps toward her destiny. If the GM secretly chooses the hero's destiny, he must present challenges that let the character move closer to achieving her destiny, imparting benefits when the character is moving in the right direction and imposing penalties when the character does something that takes her far from the destined path. The GM-selected "secret destiny" forces the player to take her character through a period of self-discovery, as she learns which actions lead her closer to-or farther from-her destiny. In essence, this mirrors Luke Skywalker's struggle at the end of The Empire Strikes Back, when he must choose between redeeming his father and falling prey to the corruption of the dark side.
A character with a destiny gains short-term benefits whenever he makes significant progress toward fulfilling it, while a character who pursues goals that move him farther away from his destiny suffers short-term negative effects. Conversely, a character without a destiny has nothing to gain and nothing to lose.
Death and Destiny
Achieving one's destiny may yield great benefits, but the path of destiny can be perilous. Many characters in the Star Wars saga perish attempting to fulfill their destinies. If a Force-sensitive character dies while fulfilling (or attempting to fulfill) his destiny, the Gamemaster may allow the dead character to manifest as a Force spirit. If a non-Force-user perishes while pursuing or achieving his destiny, the GM may decide that the character's sacrifice or untimely death imparts some benefit upon his surviving allies.
Force Spirit
A Force-user who dies in the process of fulfilling his destiny may manifest as a Force spirit. For a Jedi or other good Force-user, this means transforming into a translucent blue spirit that can appear before his former allies. For a darksider, this means becoming an evil dark side spirit that can linger on, continuing to spread the influence of the dark side.
If a character with the Force Sensitivity feat dies while fulfilling her destiny, that character may become a Force spirit, retaining her consciousness (and her Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores) but becoming completely incorporeal. The Force spirit can manifest at will and can vanish just as easily. It can also walk through walls and exist in the vacuum of space. Additionally, Force spirits can travel anywhere in the galaxy instantly with a mere thought. However, Force spirits have no substance and cannot interact physically with creatures or objects in the universe.
When a hero dies and becomes a Force spirit, that Force spirit becomes
a GM-controlled character. Under the GM's control, a Force spirit might
serve as a guide, advising heroes in times of dire need and sharing valuable
information or wisdom it held in life.
Noble Sacrifice
Whenever a character willingly sacrifices himself for a noble cause, particularly while fulfilling his destiny, he can bolster the resolve of his surviving comrades and allies. For example, when Arvel Crynyd crashed his A-wing into the bridge of the Executor, it was a turning point in the Battle of Endor. When a character dies fulfilling his destiny in such a way, all allies within the same star system gain a + 1 destiny bonus on attack rolls and a + 1 destiny bonus to defenses (Reflex, Fortitude, and Will) for 24 hours.
Vengeance
When a valued ally falls in the pursuit of his destiny, it can have powerful effects on those present at the time of his death. When a character dies fulfilling his destiny, any ally who witness his death may choose to become filled with a desire to avenge her fallen comrade, gaining a +2 destiny bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls for 24 hours. Since revenge leads to the dark side, any Force-user who chooses to gain these bonuses must immediately increase his Dark Side Score by 1.
Sample Destinies
The following sample destinies should provide a starting point for any character wishing to take advantage of the destiny rules. Each destiny includes a brief description, with examples.
Destiny Bonus
When a character accomplishes a goal or performs a task that clearly moves him closer to fulfilling his destiny (GM's determination), he gains this short-term benefit.
Corruption
Your destiny is to corrupt an individual, organization, or location. You may seek to turn a person to the dark side or indoctrinate a group of people in the ways of evil. Your destiny may also be to become corrupted yourself, either by another character, an organization, or a series of life-changing events that unfold over time. The corruption should be a long-term goal requiring a great deal of time and effort.
Examples of this destiny include the Emperor's corruption of Anakin Skywalker, a dark Force-user transforming a Jedi shrine into a temple of evil, or an Imperial officer convincing an Alliance cell to betray the Rebellion. Additionally, a character's destiny may be to allow herself to be corrupted by the dark side; her fall into darkness becomes the path to achieving this destiny.
Destiny Bonus
For 24 hours, you and any allies within 10 squares of you gain a + 1 destiny bonus on skill checks and ability checks.
Destiny Fulfilled
Increase two ability scores of your choice by +1 each. In addition, if your Dark Side Score is less than your Wisdom score, your Dark Side Score increases until it's equal to your Wisdom score, signifying that you've turned to the dark side (see The Dark Side).
Destruction
Your destiny is to destroy a person or object, for good or evil. A Rebel agent's destiny might be to destroy a tyrannical Imperial Moff presiding over his home planet, while a darksider may be destined to destroy a powerful Jedi training site used to bolster the ranks of the Jedi order. The target of this destiny should be something very difficult to reach, either because it's heavily guarded or well hidden. Examples of this destiny include Darth Vader's destruction of the Emperor, Lando Calrissian's destruction of the Death Star II, or A-wing pilot Arvel Crynyd's destruction of the Executor.
Discovery
Your destiny is to discover a person, species, object, or location that was either previously lost or unknown to the civilized galaxy. This could be as simple as seeking out the remains of a long-dead hero, or as rare as finding a vergence in the Force. A scout's destiny might be to find a thus-far-uncharted world that helps solve a galactic crisis, while a scoundrel's destiny might be to chart a new route through the Deep Core, allowing the Rebel Alliance to sneak past the Empire's security web. The thing being discovered should be something that can only be found as the result of a long-term search or serendipitous events that only occur because the character long ago set down the path that would lead to that discovery.
Examples of this destiny include Qui-Gon Jinn's discovery of Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine or Kyle Katarn's discovery of the Valley of the Jedi.
Education
Your destiny is to train or educate another being or group of beings in some way. In some cases, this could mean taking a young Padawan learner and molding her into an eventual Jedi Master, or it could mean training fresh-faced Rebel Alliance recruits and molding them into a crack team of SpecForce operatives. Characters with this destiny are not merely teachers providing mundane training. The education that this destiny demands must be of great importance to the galaxy, and should lay the groundwork for the beneficiaries of your tutelage to go on to fulfill destinies of their own. Only when the training is complete can this destiny be fulfilled, and the process should take many months or years to complete.
Examples of this destiny include Obi-Wan Kenobi's training of Anakin Skywalker, Yoda's training of Luke Skywalker, or Grand Admiral Thrawn's training of Captain Pellaeon.
Redemption
Your destiny is to redeem a character that has been corrupted or otherwise turned to evil. Many Jedi seek to turn their fallen brethren away from the dark side. A Rebel agent might seek to turn his brother, an Imperial officer, away from the evil Empire, redeeming him back to the side of justice and freedom. The target of this destiny should be someone that has fallen from the light in some way, whether that means turning to the dark side of the Force or simply siding with evil over good. Turning someone away from their wicked ways is usually very difficult and requires far more than simple persuasion. Often a character that fulfills this destiny does not survive it, and sometimes neither does their redeemed target. Additionally, you may be your own target for this destiny, making your own redemption the means of fulfilling it.
Examples of this destiny inclurje Luke Skywalker turning Darth Vader away from the dark side and Revan's redemption of Bastila Shan on the Star Forge.
Destiny Penalty
You lose one Force Point. If you have no Force Point to lose, you take a -1 penalty on attack rolls until you gain a level.
Destiny Fulfilled
The Dark Side Score of the redeemed character is reduced to 1, and he loses any remaining Force Points. You gain a number of Force Points equal to 3 + the number of Force Points the redeemed character lost.
Rescue
Your destiny requires you to save a person from death or an object from destruction. Often characters with this destiny will not know which person or object they're meant to save, let alone when or how to do so. They simply must be in the right place at the right time. A hero might spend months traveling with his allies before fulfilling his destiny by saving one of their lives. Conversely, a Rebel agent might engage in years' worth of espionage on his home planet, only to find that his destiny is to save a local Imperial magistrate who betrays the Empire after having her life saved.
Examples of this destiny include Han Solo saving Luke Skywalker's life at the Battle of Yavin and Wicket the Ewok rescuing Leia from the scout troopers on Endor.