Character Creation
SWURPG uses a d20 core resolution system with six ability scores, a tiered proficiency bonus, and a focused list of 19 skills designed for Star Wars adventuring.
Streamlined Play — What SWURPG Doesn't Track
SWURPG is a cinematic tabletop RPG. We deliberately skip the bookkeeping micro-rules that bog down tabletop play. Unless your GM rules otherwise for a specific scenario, characters do not track:
- Food, water, or rations. Your character eats and drinks; you don't roll for it. Survival becomes interesting only when the GM frames a "no food on this Outer-Rim moon for 5 days" scenario as a story beat.
- Sleep. Long Rests cover whatever recovery a character needs — no separate sleep counters.
- Ammunition or energy cells. Blasters fire. They don't run dry mid-fight unless the GM rules a power cell drain as a dramatic complication.
- Weapon maintenance. Lightsabers stay lit. Vibroblades stay sharp. Mechanic's Toolkits handle deeper repair via Mechanics checks when the story calls for it.
What SWURPG does track in detail: carrying capacity, Force Points, Heroic Surge Points, Hit Points & Temp HP, the use-counts on per-rest abilities, and your inventory for narrative + encumbrance purposes. Everything else is GM-adjudicated when the moment matters.
Dice System
When an outcome is uncertain, a character rolls:
d20 + Ability Modifier + Proficiency Bonus (if proficient) + situational modifiers
The result is compared to a Difficulty Class (DC). If the total equals or exceeds the DC, the action succeeds. If it is lower, the action fails — or succeeds with a complication at GM discretion.
Difficulty Class Guidelines
| Difficulty | DC |
|---|---|
| Very Easy | 5 |
| Easy | 10 |
| Moderate | 15 |
| Hard | 20 |
| Very Hard | 25 |
| Nearly Impossible | 30+ |
Natural 20
A natural 20 is always a hit on attack rolls and often triggers extra damage or a special effect depending on your weapon or class. On skill checks and saving throws a natural 20 does not automatically override the DC, but GMs should treat it as an exceptionally strong success — granting extra information, a bonus side-effect, or a faster-than-expected result.
Natural 1
A natural 1 is always a miss on attack rolls, no matter how high your bonus is. On skill checks and saving throws a natural 1 does not automatically override the DC, but GMs may introduce complications, delays, or unwanted attention.
Advantage and Disadvantage
Some situations grant Advantage or Disadvantage on a roll.
- Advantage: roll two d20s and use the higher result.
- Disadvantage: roll two d20s and use the lower result.
Multiple sources of Advantage or Disadvantage do not stack — you always roll at most two dice. If a roll has both Advantage and Disadvantage from any source, regardless of how many sources of each, they cancel out and the roll is made normally with a single d20. Two sources of Advantage and one source of Disadvantage still cancel to a normal roll.
Opposed Checks
When two characters directly contest each other, both roll the relevant check. The higher total wins. Ties favor the defender.
Group Checks
When a group attempts a task together, each member rolls. If at least half the group succeeds, the group as a whole succeeds.
Ability Scores
SWURPG uses six core ability scores:
| Ability | Role |
|---|---|
| Strength | Physical power, melee force, climbing, grappling, jumping, swimming. |
| Dexterity | Agility, reflexes, ranged accuracy, stealth, piloting, dodging. |
| Constitution | Endurance, toughness, resisting stun, poison, disease, and exhaustion. |
| Intelligence | Knowledge, hacking, mechanics, investigation, tactics. |
| Wisdom | Perception, insight, survival, medicine, Force awareness. |
| Charisma | Leadership, persuasion, deception, intimidation, presence. |
Generating Your Scores
Three supported methods:
- Roll 4d6, drop the lowest die. Repeat six times and assign results to abilities.
- Standard Array. Assign the following scores to abilities in any order: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8. Recommended for faster balanced play.
- Point Buy (27 Points). Start with 8 in each ability. Spend 27 points to increase scores. The maximum score before species bonuses is 15. Recommended for campaigns where balance matters most.
Point Buy Costs
| Target Score | Total Cost |
|---|---|
| 9 | 1 |
| 10 | 2 |
| 11 | 3 |
| 12 | 4 |
| 13 | 5 |
| 14 | 7 |
| 15 | 9 |
Ability Modifier Formula
Modifier = (Ability Score − 10) ÷ 2, rounded down
| Score | Modifier |
|---|---|
| 1 | -5 |
| 2–3 | -4 |
| 4–5 | -3 |
| 6–7 | -2 |
| 8–9 | -1 |
| 10–11 | +0 |
| 12–13 | +1 |
| 14–15 | +2 |
| 16–17 | +3 |
| 18–19 | +4 |
| 20–21 | +5 |
| 22–23 | +6 |
| 24–25 | +7 |
| 26–27 | +8 |
| 28–29 | +9 |
| 30 | +10 |
Proficiency Bonus
Proficiency Bonus scales by level and applies wherever you have proficiency. Proficiency in attacks, saving throws, and skills can be granted by your class, your species, or gained as you level up. It applies to:
- Weapon attacks you are proficient with
- Saving throws you are proficient in
- Skills you are trained in
- Force powers and class abilities that reference proficiency
Using a weapon you are not proficient with imposes a −5 penalty to the attack roll (you do not add your Proficiency Bonus, and instead subtract 5). This reflects the lack of trained technique and muscle memory required for effective combat with unfamiliar weapons.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
|---|---|
| 1–4 | +2 |
| 5–8 | +3 |
| 9–12 | +4 |
| 13–16 | +5 |
| 17–20 | +6 |
Skills
SWURPG uses a focused skill list designed for Star Wars adventuring.
| Skill | Ability |
|---|---|
| Acrobatics | Dexterity |
| Athletics | Strength |
| Deception | Charisma |
| Endurance | Constitution |
| Investigation | Intelligence |
| Intimidation | Charisma |
| Insight | Wisdom |
| Knowledge: Galactic Lore | Intelligence |
| Knowledge: Sciences | Intelligence |
| Knowledge: Tactics | Intelligence |
| Mechanics | Intelligence |
| Perception | Wisdom |
| Persuasion | Charisma |
| Pilot | Dexterity |
| Stealth | Dexterity |
| Survival | Wisdom |
| Treat Injury | Wisdom |
| Use Computer | Intelligence |
| Use the Force | Wisdom |
Skill Check Formula
d20 + Ability Modifier + Proficiency Bonus (if proficient) + Proficiency Bonus again (if expert) + modifiers
Expertise
Expertise represents deep specialization. If a character has Expertise in a skill, they add their Proficiency Bonus a second time. Classes grant Expertise points that can be assigned to skills you are already proficient in. Some species also grant Expertise in specific skills, allowing for highly specialized characters from level 1.
Trait Interactions with Athletics
When a species or class trait grants Advantage or a bonus on a specific physical activity (such as climbing or swimming), the character still makes an Athletics check — they simply apply the bonus or roll with Advantage as the trait specifies.