Star Wars Roleplaying Game (Wizards of the Coast)
Bill Slavicsek stood at the center of a shifting landscape in tabletop gaming when Wizards of the Coast released their Star Wars Roleplaying Game in November 2000. This new product arrived just as the company was preparing to launch its d20 System, a ruleset designed to compete with established market leaders. Slavicsek brought experience from an earlier era where he had helped design a West End Games version that ran from 1987 until 1999. That previous iteration used a unique d6 dice system and enjoyed many years of play before WEG went bankrupt. The transition from the old West End Games product to the new Wizards edition marked a significant shift in how fans interacted with the galaxy far away. The original game included statistics for major characters from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. A later Revised Edition added material from Star Wars: Episode II , Attack of the Clones and changed various feats and classes. This evolution showed how quickly the publisher adapted to new movie releases while maintaining core gameplay mechanics.
The game introduced a Vitality/Wound point system instead of standard hit points found in other roleplaying games. Characters gained Vitality points similar to hit points in other d20 games by rolling each level and adding their Constitution bonus. A character's Wound points equaled their Constitution score, dividing damage into superficial harm and serious injury. Most game mechanics remained familiar to players of Dungeons & Dragons and other d20-based games. Six Ability Scores defined every character including Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma. Actions resolved by rolling a twenty-sided die and adding a modifier if the result equaled or exceeded the difficulty. This check determined whether an action succeeded or failed during gameplay sessions. The system allowed for deep customization while keeping the core loop simple enough for new players to grasp quickly.
Players could choose from a wide array of species included with the Revised Core Rulebook such as Humans, Bothans, Cereans, Duros, Ewoks, Gungans, Ithorians, Kel Dor, Mon Calamari, Quarren, Rodians, Sullustans, Trandoshans, Twi'leks, Wookiees, and Zabrak. An unusual option for d20 games allowed players to create their own race as a Droid which meant being technically mastered by another player. Character classes ranged from Fringer, Noble, Scoundrel, Soldier, Force Adept, Jedi Guardian, Jedi Consular, Scout, and Tech Specialist added with the Revised Edition. Prestige classes allowed advanced characters who wished to specialize in certain suites of abilities to join a class devoted to them. For example, Jedi with special talents at helping others could choose to specialize as a Jedi Healer. A blaster-wielding mercenary might earn a reputation as a Bounty Hunter through these specialized paths. The core rulebook included options like Jedi Master, Jedi Ace, Crime lord, Elite Trooper, Starship Ace, Officer, Darkside Marauder, and Darkside Devotee.
On the 5th of June 2007, Wizards released Star Wars: Roleplaying Game - Saga Edition Core Rulebook to streamline the rules system. Standard hit points replaced the former Wounds/Vitality system where each character began first level with three times their maximum hit die based on their class. Jedi and Soldiers had a hit die of d10 and began 1st level with 30 hit points plus Constitution bonus. Characters then rolled a hit die for additional hit points as they progressed in level. A Condition Track measured how much they were currently impaired if Damage from a single attack exceeded the damage threshold. The number of character classes reduced to five including Jedi, Noble, Scoundrel, Scout and Soldier. Each class progressed along character trees similar to the d20 Modern system where characters built with talents and feats. Saving Throws changed to a series of Defenses requiring rolls against Reflex Defense, Fortitude Defense, or Will Defense.
The original edition saw multiple books released between November 2000 and February 2002 starting with the Core Rulebook and Character Record Sheets. Invasion of Theed arrived in November 2000 followed by Secrets of Naboo in December 2000. Gamemaster Screen appeared in February 2001 while Living Force Campaign Guide came out in March 2001. Rebellion Era Sourcebook reached shelves in May 2001 alongside Secrets of Tatooine and The Dark Side Sourcebook in August 2001. Alien Anthology published in October 2001 and Starships of the Galaxy in December 2001. The New Jedi Order Sourcebook closed the initial run in February 2002. The revised edition began with the Star Wars: Roleplaying Game Revised Core Rulebook in May 2002. Power of the Jedi Sourcebook followed in August 2002 and Arms and Equipment Guide in October 2002. Coruscant and the Core Worlds arrived in January 2003 and Ultimate Alien Anthology in April 2003. Hero's Guide came out in June 2003 and Galactic Campaign Guide in August 2003. Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds published in March 2004 and Ultimate Adversaries in July 2004.
Star Wars Roleplaying Game Saga Edition won the Gold ENnie Awards for Best Game, Best d20/OGL Product, and Best Rules. It also secured the Silver award for Product of the Year during its release period. Reviews appeared in various gaming publications including Pyramid issue #26 and Syfy magazine. Coleção Dragão Brasil provided additional coverage of the game's mechanics and reception among international audiences. These accolades highlighted how well the streamlined rules resonated with both new players and veterans of the franchise. The success of the Saga Edition demonstrated that Wizards of the Coast had successfully modernized a complex system without losing the spirit of the original Star Wars universe. On the 28th of January 2010, Wizards announced they would not renew their license to produce Star Wars products for their roleplaying and miniature gaming lines. Their license ended in May 2010 marking the end of an era for this specific iteration of the game.
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Common questions
When did Wizards of the Coast release their Star Wars Roleplaying Game?
Wizards of the Coast released their Star Wars Roleplaying Game in November 2000. This launch coincided with the company preparing to introduce its d20 System ruleset.
What dice system does the original Star Wars Roleplaying Game use for character creation and gameplay?
The game uses a unique d6 dice system for its original iteration from West End Games before switching to a twenty-sided die mechanic under Wizards of the Coast. Actions resolve by rolling a twenty-sided die and adding modifiers to meet difficulty checks.
Which species are available to players in the Revised Core Rulebook of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game?
Players can choose from Humans, Bothans, Cereans, Duros, Ewoks, Gungans, Ithorians, Kel Dor, Mon Calamari, Quarren, Rodians, Sullustans, Trandoshans, Twi'leks, Wookiees, and Zabrak. An unusual option allows characters to be created as Droids technically mastered by another player.
How many character classes exist in the Star Wars Roleplaying Game Saga Edition compared to previous versions?
The number of character classes reduced to five including Jedi, Noble, Scoundrel, Scout and Soldier in the Saga Edition released on the 5th of June 2007. Previous editions offered wider arrays such as Fringer, Noble, Scoundrel, Soldier, Force Adept, Jedi Guardian, Jedi Consular, Scout, and Tech Specialist.
When did Wizards of the Coast stop producing Star Wars roleplaying products under their license?
Wizards announced they would not renew their license to produce Star Wars products for their roleplaying lines on the 28th of January 2010. Their license officially ended in May 2010 marking the conclusion of this specific iteration of the game.