Rapid Random Encounters

I recently made it my goal to create a system for rapidly generating random encounters in Dungeon & Dragons. I want to run a one-shot / demo game for some family, and I'd like to include some random encounters. Rather than write up a bunch of encounters before hand, and then roll on a table for them, I created a deck of cards that can decide the roles or archetypes of the monsters in a random encounter. The cards themselves contain a brief description of the monster's tactics, equipment, and/or abilities, as well as some keywords to help give context to an encounter.

Here are the cards: Monster Role Cards

The last card in the set is an Instructions card, which details how to use them. I recommend printing two (or more) copies of the first page to allow more flexibility in customizing the encounter deck.

In short, a card is drawn for each player, and then the Special cards are assigned to modify or add monsters based on the actual Role cards drawn. Once everything is resolved, I populate the monsters for the encounter based on the results.

I really like this system, because I can rapidly modify the deck based on my needs. If the players are stomping through the woods near town, I know that the players are likely to run into Goblins, which I think are best described by Skirmishers, Lurkers, Minions, Artillery, and Controllers. I don't think the Goblins have any Soldiers, and they would have to go really deep into the woods to encounter a Solo. These Goblins do have a few Bugbears, so I'll include Brutes, too. I would populate the deck with every card except the Soldier and Solo cards. Before the session starts, I'll also do a quick write-up based on the "monster" populations the PCs might encounter. In this case, Goblins. It would look something like this:

GOBLINS
These goblins have a couple Bugbears in their ranks, and are otherwise very feral.
[Immediate Reaction] All goblins shift 1 square when they are missed. Poor Will saves. Good Reflex saves.

• Skirmishers/Minions: Wield javelins, 1D6
• Lurkers: Daggers, 1D4, Elite Lurker is a Bugbear (1D6)
• Artillery: Shortbows, 1D6
• Controllers: "Bog Swallowers," these Goblins like to venture into swamps to swallow poisonous critters. They can later regurgitate the critters to deal poison damage in an area (Fortitude save). Other creatures that end their turn in the area take ongoing poison damage, as they are inevitably bit by a critter.
• Elite Brutes: Bugbears, Greataxe 1D12; regular brute is just a neutral bear or something
• Minions: Wield spears, Level + 5 damage

As far as I'm concerned, most of the Goblins are distinguished by their specific tactics and weapon loadout. I also decided that the only Brutes are elite Bugbears. If I draw a Brute that isn't elite, I'll make it a neutral animal that the Goblins are hunting in that particular encounter, like a Bear, and the Players can try to save it. Elite or Leader Skirmishers and Controllers are going to be noteworthy goblins. In the event the Solo cards are included in the deck, I'll prepare a specific Solo beforehand, and ignore the instructions to apply the Solo role to an existing role. Maybe it will be the BBEG, or a hungry young dragon.

The last piece of information I need is my Level Cheat Sheet, which will provide attributes for any monster of a particular level. Combining the Role Deck, Cheat Sheet, and Monster Population notes, I'm prepared for anything.

This is my cheat sheet: Monster Templates / Cheat Sheet

You may have noticed that this system is designed for 4th Edition D&D. I love 4e. I think the Role cards can be used for any system, but you'll need to find or create your own Cheat Sheet to use with them.

Seize the Initiative! Revised

Courtesy of homebrewery,naturalcrit.com, here is my new, fancy-formatted version of Seize the Initiative! System: Seize the Initiative!

I've gone ahead and simplified the base rules, and added the "Seizing the Initiative from someone else" part as an optional rule.

Artisan Micro-Class, and Clarifying Tool Proficiencies

I've hit a bit of a conundrum with tool proficiency. It isn't expressly stated that tool and skill proficiency are different things, but it is implied by the Skilled Feat. So, I'm going to write down my rules for handling it (a personal errata, if you will), as well as introduce a "micro class", the Artisan.

First up is the Artisan. Unlike most classes, the Artisan is intended to be used by a character with levels in at least one other class; Artisans need to acquire levels in other classes in order to gain Artisan levels after the first. However, subsequent levels in Artisan are appropriately potent. Feel free to tweak the non-Artisan class levels required for each Artisan level.

Note: I use italicised text to indicate flavor or clarification to a feature or ability.

The Artisan

With a single whisper, an ancient sage imparts eternal insight on her disciples. A blacksmith commands dozens of apprentices in her busy workshop as she prepares her Lord's army for war. A knight's dying breath carries the words his squire needs to avenge his master. All these are Artisans in their respective fields, whether in a monastery, workshop, or field of battle. The Artisans live by their expertise and ability to lend that expertise to others.

Playing an Artisan
Have you ever had a favorite teacher in school? Are you excited by the fantasy of being a Guild Artisan responsible for running a bustling workshop? Then you should consider building a character with levels in Artisan. Unlike most classes, the Artisan is intended to be used in conjunction with levels in other classes. What that other class is comes down to taste. A blacksmith character naturally lends itself to levels in Fighter between Artisan levels. A composer could be a mix of Artisan and Bard. If you envision a preacher, your Artisan features allow you to back up a Cleric's divine magic with poignant lessons. The Artisan is wide open and very flexible, so that you, the player, can build the character you want to express.

Each level of Artisan addresses a degree of professionalism. A first level Artisan is expected to be an expert in their particular craft, and be capable of actively leading apprentices in their tasks until they become proficient or experts themselves. At second level, the Artisan is more academic in their pursuits. This Artisan is able to benefit themselves and others by applying their intuition in a variety of subjects on-the-spot. A playwright is a good example of this. The playwright himself may not be an expert performer, but he knows how to direct his actors' performances to prodigal levels. And, he can do the same for himself in a pinch. The third-level Artisan represents a true teacher and educator. She imparts lessons on her students each day as they grow in proficiency and knowledge. Finally, the fourth level Artisan has reached the heights knowledge. When this Artisan speaks, his lessons last for lifetimes.

Class Requirements

Except for the first level of Artisan, for each level in non-Artisan classes you possess, you may gain a level in Artisan. The Artisan requires 13 Intelligence for the purposes of multiclassing. I don't mean to imply that Artisan levels come free. when you gain a level in a different class, if that is not clear. You need to gain the requisite amount of experience before choosing to gain an Artisan level, and this, of course, comes at the expense of not gaining a level in a different class.

Class Features

As an Artisan, you have the following class features:

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per artisan level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier.

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Consitution modifier per artisan level after 1st.

Proficiencies

Armor: None

Weapons: None

Tools: One tool of your choice,

Saving Throws: One attribute of your choice..

Skills: Two skills of your choice.

The skills, tool, and saving throw useful to a particular profession vary. An Artisan picks proficiencies based on his or her needs.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• The tool you chose for your proficiency
• Traveler's clothes
• 200 gp

Expertise

At 1st level, choose one of your tool proficiencies and one of your skill proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies. You may not choose proficiences that already benefit from the Expertise feature.

Instruction

You are a skilled teacher, as adept at instructing apprentices in a workshop as you are guiding your companions in a dungeon. Starting at 1st level, you may Instruct a character you can communicate with and see as a free action, allowing them to use a skill or tool that you chose for your Expertise feature:

• If a character is not proficient with the skill or tool, he or she adds 1d4 to their skill check as their proficiency bonus. This increases with their level, not yours, to 1d6 at 5th level, 1d8 at 9th level, 1d10 at 13th level, and 1d12 at 17th level.
• A character proficient with the skill or tool doubles their proficiency bonus for the check, as if passing on your own Expertise.
• A character may choose to benefit from Instruction after rolling the d20, but before the DM says whether the check succeeds or fails.
• A character may benefit from Instruction a number of times equal to 1 + their Intelligence Modifier between Long Rests.
• Instruction has no effect if the character you are instructing would double their proficiency bonus on the check without your help (most likely because they also have Expertise in that skill or tool). 
• If you are instructing a character in the use of a tool, that character will need to borrow tools or provide (or improvise) their own in order to perform the check.

Expanded Expertise

At 2nd level, you may apply Expertise to one additional skill or tool proficiency.

Portfolio

At 2nd level, choose three of your skill, tool, weapon, or armor proficiencies that do not benefit from Expertise. You may Instruct these proficiencies without Expertise, and you may even Instruct yourself. Whenever you gain a level, you may replace a proficiency in your Portfolio with a different proficiency. 

• When you Instruct a character using a weapon that is in your Portfolio, you benefit their attack roll instead of an ability check.
• When you Instruct a character wearing armor that is in your Portfolio, that character may use their reaction to add their Proficiency Bonus to their Armor Class until the start of their next turn.
• When choosing weapons or armor for your Portfolio, you may choose a general proficiency, such as 'simple weapons' or 'all armor' if it is a feature of a non-Artisan class (such as the Fighter). Otherwise, specific weapons and armors must be chosen. If you are proficient in Unarmed Strikes, like the Monk, you can even choose Unarmed Strikes for your portfolio.

Lessons

At 3rd level, you may spend 1 minute with a character to impart a Lesson. When you impart the lesson, choose a skill, tool, weapon, or armor you can Instruct. The character may later consume the Lesson to receive Instruction in that skill, tool, weapon, or armor without your presence. A character may retain a number of Lessons equal to 1 + their Intelligence Modifier, and may retain only one of each Lesson. Whenever a character takes a Long Rest, they forget the Lesson they have retained the longest. You can't impart someone, including yourself, with a Lesson they have Expertise in. Imparting yourself with a Lesson is redundant, as you either have Expertise, or you can Instruct yourself on-the-spot with your Portfolio. When a character receives a new Lesson, they may replace an existing one if they are at their limit.

Saving Throw Lessons

At 3rd level, you can impart Saving Throw Lessons. These function similar to Lessons, except you choose one of your Saving Throw proficiencies. No character may retain more than one Saving Throw Lesson at a time. Saving Throw Lessons abide by all other conditions for Lessons. You may impart yourself with a Saving Throw Lesson. 

Lasting Lesson

Your wisdom spans lifetimes. At 4th level, your Lessons become Lasting Lessons. When a character forgets their longest retained Lesson during a Long Rest, Lasting Lessons are ignored. Additionally, a Lasting Lesson provides a +1 bonus to whichever skill, tool, weapon, armor, or Saving Throw was chosen until the Lasting Lesson is consumed. You don't get the +1 bonus on the roll that consumes the Lasting Lesson, you just get the die or double proficiency bonus. You still can't impart someone, including yourself, with a Lesson they have Expertise in.

Artisans for Dungeons Masters

Artisans make for interesting PCs, but they are an especially useful tool for Dungeon Masters! If you have a mentor-type NPC, why not give him a couple Artisan levels? When the PCs are ready to storm off to the next Dungeon, the Artisan NPC can teach them a few lessons that shore up their skills for the perils ahead. Maybe the PCs seek out an ancient mountain-top sage who can teach them Lasting Lessons. Or better yet, one of the PCs is on a quest to avenge his master, who with her dying breath imparted a Lasting Lesson... to be used against the Dragon that slew her.

An Artisan does not have to be a craftsman. This class is just as suitable for a Sensei as it is a Blacksmith. It all comes down to what is done with the Portfolio. The head of a monastery might be an expert calligrapher, but their Portfolio and remaining Expertise is used for training young monks. A famous playwright makes excellent use of the Artisan class, as their Portfolio allows them to better direct actors in a play in their roles, especially where a character is using Deception to slyly allude to a plot twist that will surprise the audience later! Maybe the Player Characters hire a guide for their journey through the dangerous forest. The guide agrees to lead them, and their good fellowship on the journey inspires him to instruct the party in Survival as they complete the last leg by themselves.

The point is, this class is a great tool. Maybe you have mundane books which impart their readers with Lessons, although the books may take longer to impart the Lesson than a teacher. Consider allowing a Player Character to receive a Lesson from a book they read during a Long Rest. Or, the adventurers could encounter a note left by a previous adventurer that details how to overcome a trap. The PCs could read the note to gain Instruction for the specific trap.

Tool vs. Skill Proficiency

This section is just to clarify things for myself as reference.

Tool Proficiency is only granted to characters by features that expressly grant it. 

Skill Proficiency is only granted to characters by features that expressly grant it.

Tool Proficiency implies that a character has pursued and mastered use of the tool to a professional degree.

The Dungeon Master can highlight the importance of various tools by having the Player Characters participate in Skill Challenges in order to overcome obstacles. Require a Skill Challenge to overcome a devious trap. The Player Characters must succeed at three checks to overcome the trap before three failures. The initial Perception Check to notice the trap is not considered part of the Challenge, as simply noticing it is not a part of disabling it. 

1. Intelligence Check to identify how the trap works and expose it without triggering. 
• A character may add their Proficiency Bonus to the check if they are Proficient in Investigation or any Tools that would utilize a magnifying glass or jeweler's lens to better pick out delicate mechanisms (provided they have the Tools with them).
2. Strength Check to expose the trap's inner workings before it can be disabled.
• A character must have Proficiency with tools that are suited to prying and bending. Although a crowbar is a classic example, an alternative can be found in the kit of a Mason, Thief, Smith, or Tinker's Tools.
3. Dexterity Check to ultimately disable the trap without triggering it.
• A character must have Profiency with tools that allow for fine manipulation, such as a Jeweler, Thief, or Tinker's Tools.

Each individual failure likely causes the trap to trigger its swinging blades, gouts of fire, or poisonous darts. Complete failure of the Skill Challenge engages the trap's failsafe, which may set off an alarm or bar the door to the next room.

If a tool is used to create a challenge, then a similar tool is likely necessary to overcome the challenge.

Better Crafting for (Almost) Any Edition

I had an idea for a rogue-class character who is actually a blacksmith/artisan character, and I want an interesting way for this character to craft mundane (and with help, magical) weapons, armor, and equipment. The Player's Handbook does a rubbish job describing the process of crafting new gear, and I am here to mend this.

Crafting Rules:

In order to craft weapons, armor, adventuring gear, and other items, the artisan must succeed at a Crafting Skill Challenge! This is similar to the Skill Challenges from D&D 4th Edition, but with some additional twists if you want them.

Here's how a Skill Challenge works if you're not familiar: to accomplish their goals, the Player Characters must perform skill checks until some number of them pass, or until 3 failures are accumulated. When the requisite number of skill checks are passed, the characters succeed at the goal. Otherwise, they fail.

In a Crafting Skill Challenge, a character needs to succeed at a certain number of Skill Checks before 3 failures are accumulated. Most of these Skill Checks involve the character's artisan tool proficiency, but he or she may be required to achieve some successes with other skills relevant to the task at hand. Succeeding on the requisite number of checks results finishing their product, whether martial or mundane. Failing three times the project is ruined, but the character may be able to recover the materials.

To begin a Crafting Skill Challenge, the character must have on hand the necessary tools, materials, and possibly a workshop. The supplies to start a Crafting Skill Challenge cost approximately 1/3rd of the final product's total cost, without embellishment (more on that later). If the Crafting Skill Challenge is failed, the cost of materials may be recovered entirely and put towards a similar crafting project.

A workshop is not always necessary, but if a character does not have a personal workshop they can usually rent the space from their guild or a local artisan. Renting brings the cost of the Crafting Skill Challenge to 1/2 the final product's total cost (sans embellishment).

As a Dungeon Master creating a Crafting Skill Challenge, you can use various properties of the final product to determine the DC, number of required successes, and time consumed by each check in the Challenge. I use the bullets below to determine the details of a skill challenge based on what is being created. The majority of Skill Checks should utilize the appropriate Artisan's Tools, but as stated before, you and the player may decide that other Skills are necessary to complete the item. As a guideline, anywhere from a third to half of the skill checks should utilize Skills other than the Artisan's Tools.

Required Successes, DCs, and Crafting Times:

• ARMOR, DC = Base AC (DC 12 for Shields)
• Light Armor: 3 Successes, 1 Check/Day
• Medium Armor: 6 Successes, 1 Check/Day
• Heavy Armor: 9 Successes, 1 Check/3 Days
• Shields: 3 Successes, 1 Check/Day
• WEAPONS, DC = 10 + Average Dice (Rounded Down), 1d4 = 2, 1d12 = 6, 2d6 = 7
• Simple: 3 Successes, 1 Check/Hour
• Martial: 3 Successes, 1 Check/Day
• Loading: +3 Successes
• Two-Handed/Versatile: +3 Succeses
• ADVENTURING GEAR, DC varies, round down
• Cost < or = 1 gp: DC = 10
• Cost < 50 gp: DC = 10 + 1/10 gp
• Cost > 50 gp: DC = 15 + 1/50 gp (ignoring first 50 gp)
• Wood/Soft Material: 1 Success/5 lbs. (min. 1), 1 Check/Hour
• Stone/Tough Material: 1 Success/lb., 1 Check/Day
• Metal/Hard Material: 3 Success/lb., 1 Check/3 Day
• If multiple materials are present, use the average based on what is the most common.
• Spyglass and Other Extravagant Items: To create an incredibly expensive and technical item, such as a spyglass, each 100 gp costs 1 week to create, and the DC is 20, 1 Check/Week. Or just apply the Works of Art rules (later in this post).

Optional Rule: Flaws and Failures

Is it realistic that every sword in the world is flawlessly crafted? No. Are the flaws I describe below realistic? ABSOLUTELY NOT. But they are dramatic and make the players nervous, and that's what counts.

Each failure in a Crafting Skill Challenge introduces a flaw into its product. Flaws come in Major and Minor varieties, and may affect the final product or the skill challenge. Determine which flaw is introduced by rolling 2d6 and consulting the Flaw Table.

Minor Flaws are small penalties that do not affect every product the same. They can usually be overcome by handing the item to the right character. For example, a longsword with the A Bit Heavy minor flaw is no different from any other longsword when wielded by a halfling or gnome, but carries a penalty when wielded by a medium creature.

• One up-side of Minor Flaws: they may be removed by performing an additional Crafting Skill Check as part of the Crafting Skill Challenge. Success on the check removes the Minor Flaw AND the failure that created it. Failing the check, however, replaces the Minor Flaw with the Major Flaw in its Flaw Table entry.
• The time to complete a Crafting Skill Check to remove a Minor Flaw is the same as any other check in the Challenge.
• When a Minor Flaw would become a Major Flaw, the Major Flaw it becomes is the Major Flaw in the same 2d6 Flaw Table result as that particular Minor Flaw.
• If the third Failure in a Crafting Skill Challenge creates a Minor Flaw (as opposed to a Major Flaw), the crafter may immediately attempt a Crafting Skill Check to remove the flaw and avert failing the Challenge.

Major Flaws, with one or two exceptions, are fairly debilitating to whoever is using them. They are intended to be equivalent to a "mundane cursed item". Unlike Minor Flaws, they cannot be removed.

If the product of a Crafting Skill Challenge would gain a Minor or Major Flaw already affecting it, treat the Flaw as having no effect other than being removable or irremovable, respectively. It's possible to have both the Minor and Major Flaw for a given entry by rolling each result on a different failure, or by failing to remove a Minor Flaw and rolling the same Minor Flaw on a subsequent Failure.

Flaw Table.  Roll 2d6 to determine the Flaw created by a failure. While an item has no Flaws, a roll on the Flaw Table always yields a Minor Flaw, even if the dice rolled are doubles (i.e., both show the same number).

2d6	Minor/Major: Flaw Name. Effect.
Odd	Minor: Easy fix. The check to remove this Minor Flaw is made with Advantage. Major: Oops. Weapon/item/armor immediately gains a Failure in the Crafting Skill Challenge. Treat the resulting flaw as an Easy Fix instead of rolling on the Flaw Table.
2 (1,1)	Minor: Double Guessing. No failure or flaw, just wasted time. Major: Scrapmetal. If the Crafting Skill Challenge is failed, the cost of materials cannot be recovered.
4 (2,2)	Minor: Fragile. Weapon breaks on a natural attack roll of 1, armor breaks when critically hit, an item drops and breaks at feet when used in a check and a natural 1 is rolled. Major: Flawed. Weapon/armor/ammunition provokes attacks of opportunity after user performs an action, and user does not benefit from Disengage action.
6 (3,3)	Minor: A Bit Heavy. Light weapon loses light, versatile weapon becomes two-handed instead of versatile, non-loading ranged weapon gains loading, armor Strength requirement increases by 1, or becomes 10 if it has no Strength requirement. A versatile weapon weapon that becomes two-handed uses the base damage of the weapon, not the damage specified by the versatile quality. Major: Too Big, weapon imposes disadvantage on attack roll, armor imposes disadvantage on Strength- and Dexterity-based Saving Throws, unless used by a Large creature.
8 (4,4)	Minor: Functional, no one will pay more than cost of materials for this weapon/armor/item. Major: Embarrassing, disadvantage on social (Charisma) interactions involving this weapon/armor/item, and disadvantage on Charisma Saving Throws, while weapon/armor/item is visible. You're suddenly very self-conscious, but you think a carnival (or goblin) somewhere would pay top-dollar for your codpiece.
10 (5,5)	Minor: Unbalanced. Weapon imposes -1 penalty on attack roll, armor has -1 AC. Major: Caddywhompus. Weapon may not use proficiency bonus on attack roll, heavy armor has -2 AC, other armor may not add Dexterity to AC, shield provides no bonus to AC.
12 (6,6)	Minor: Double Guessing. No failure or flaw, just wasted time. Major: This Makes Things Harder. The next check in the Crafting Skill Challenge is made with Disadvantage.

There are relatively few Flaws that specifically mention items or adventuring gear, and these two terms are used interchangeably. For a Crafting Skill Challenge to create Adventuring Gear, if a Minor or Major Flaw does not specifically mention that it affects gear/items, and the Flaw does not affect the Crafting Skill Challenge, then treat the Flaw as having no effect other than being removable or irremovable, respectively.

Optional Rule: Critical Success! 

Whenever a natural 20 is rolled for a Crafting Skill Check, the character may choose to generate an additional success, remove any one Flaw (Major Flaws included), or add 100 gp to the item's final value (making it a Work of Art), in addition to the normal effect of succeeding on the roll. You might consider making this rule a special benefit for characters who are proficient in using their Artisan's Tools.

Optional Rule: Works of Art. 

Why not have rules specifically for crafting weapons, armor, and items that can be considered artwork?

For every 100 gp to be added to an item's cost, make an additional Crafting Skill Check. This additional check takes one week to complete, costs 50 gp for materials (like glitter and paint :-D), and has DC 14 or the item's normal Crafting DC, whichever is higher. Putting this extra effort into making something beautiful does ensure top-price for the item; the sale price largely depends on who you are selling it to. A collector or commissioner is more likely to pay full-price for an embellished sword (and more likely to overlook functional flaws) than a mercenary only interested in the sword's practical application.

To create a Decorative Work of Art, such as a statue, painting, or jewely, use this similar process: a character may spend one or more weeks creating a Work of Art. Each week, the character spends 50 gp on materials and makes a DC 14 Crafting Skill Check.  The first success ensures the final product is worth at least 100 gp, and subsequent successes increase the final price by 100 gp. A Work of Art has failures and flaws just like any other Crafting Skill Challenge. Use the Work of Art Flaw Table below, which is

Work of Art Flaw Table. Like the normal Flaw Table, use the Minor result for first/only flaw, Major if doubles.

2d6	Minor/Major: Flaw Name. Effect.
Odd	Minor: Easy fix. The check to remove this Minor Flaw is made with Advantage. Major: Oops. The Work of Art/Performance immediately gains a Failure in the Crafting Skill Challenge. Treat the resulting flaw as an Easy Fix instead of rolling on the Flaw Table.
Even (Doubles)	Minor: Double Guessing. No failure or flaw, just wasted time. Major: Should Have Left It Alone. The next check in the Performance Skill Challenge is made with Disadvantage.

Any play, song, or poem is a Performance Work of Art, and may be created in the same way as a Decorative Work of Art. If a character intends to perform a Performance Work of Art for a crowd, use a Performance Skill Challenge!

• # Successes Required by Skill Challenge = # Successes in Performance Crafting Skill Challenge.
• Each check takes 10 minutes to perform.
• The total cost of the props, instruments, and score/script is equal to the final cost of the Performance Work of Art. 
• These items are usually not consumed while performing the Work of Art.
• Final revenue of the performance is the final cost of the Performance Work of Art divided by 10.
• On each Failed Performance Skill Check, roll on the Work of Art Flaw Table.
• Similar to a normal Crafting Skill Challenge, an additional check may be made to "cover up" the minor flaw, but without costing any time. Also similarly, if the third failure in a Performance Skill Challenge causes a Minor Flaw, a check to remove the flaw, and recover the performance from disaster, may be made immediately. The DCs are as hard as the DC that caused the Flaw. Except in this last case, the check to recover from a Minor Flaw may be made at any time, using the same skill as the check that failed.
• If the performance succeeds, then the performers (usually) receive the the final revenue as a reward from the audience. Each failure present at the end of the performance reduces the final revenue by 25%. At three failures, the performance is a bust and the performers are booed off the stage without any reward.
• The final revenue may be adjusted by the audience's taste, and it is possible to receive some revenue up front by charging admission.

It is totally within a player's right to come up with clever ways to use spells or other skills as a part of a performance (provided it's dramatic)! This is an exciting way for amateur performers (aka, everyone else in the party) to participate, and more excitement means more revenue! To incorporate a different skill into a Performance Work of Art, the author makes one of the Performance Skill Checks using either his own skill and proficiency, or that of someone who can demonstrate the skill and proficiency. Utilizing a spell in this way requires an arcana, religion, or nature check, depending on the spellcaster. For each different skill success in the Performance Skill Challenge, increase the final price by 50 gp (in addition to the usual price increase for a success). For each different spell used in the performance, at the GM's discretion, add 25 gp per spell level. The GM should consider whether a spell or skill contributes to the performance's narrative when allowing it to contribute to a Performance Skill Challenge. The DC of an Arcana, Religion, or Nature check to include or perform a spell is 10 + the spell's level, and consumes its spell slot.

Maybe an entire adventure is based around a knight commissioning the players to create a play in honor of the king! They then relive the king's adventures in order to inspire the Performance Work of Art they create (aka have advantage on the checks), and gain the levels and skills they need to finish the play. The knight has asked the play to be at least an hour long and have a price of at least 800 gp.

I'm considering coming up with a flaw table that is specific to Works of Art, and possible splitting the regular Flaw Table into tables to Weapons, Armor, and Adventuring Gear/items.

You probably noticed that it's much more cost-effective to create and sell a weapon, armor, or item, rather than a Work of Art. I like to think that for the weapon, armor, or item, there is more value in the fact that is can solve a physical problem. For a Work of Art, the final value is partially subjective.

I've probably used the words "price" and "value" interchangeably in this post. Hopefully this clears up any confusion. 

Optional Rule: Flawed World. 

Those goblins and kobolds probably don't have ideal weapons, and if they made it themselves, the craftsmanship is dubious at best. For any weapon of ill repute, roll twice on the Flaw Table and apply both results (apply identical results only once). If you think the item wouldn't have a Major Flaw, just roll 1d12. You can also speed things up by applying the Unbalanced Minor Flaw to a creature's description, and have the PCs roll on the Flaw Table when they pick up the item. Or skip applying a Flaw to the creature's description, and have the PCs roll whenever they pick up a piece of junk weapons or armor.

House Rules for Force Users in FFG Star Wars

House Rules for Force Users, a fix for Force & Destiny

I have some house rules for Force Users in FFG Star Wars. I think that as-is, the mechanics for light-side or dark-side are too random, especially with the possibility that any low-rating force user who is expressly trying to be a Light or Dark character could roll terribly one session and get very few of their respective sides. I like dice rolling, but when you’re rolling one dice with ~60/40 odds of whether or not you even get to activate your power, the odds are just a bit too swingy. The other dice mechanics in FFG Star Wars are all about incremental advantages. Why not provide a mechanical element to the Force that better characterizes the natures of the Light and Dark sides of the force? How about a Force mechanic that directly interacts with the Destiny mechanic? How about a mechanic that emphasizes the Balance of the Force? What you read below are detailed descriptions of how this mechanic works in gameplay, as well as details on what inspired this mechanic. I've also described how to incorporate Neutral Force Users into your game who wield both Light and Dark simultaneously, but draw attention when they favor one side.

Here are what I see as the most important characteristics in each side of the Force:

Light – Safe, potent, scarce (but to a degree, reliable)

Dark – Dangerous, risky, plentiful

These characteristics are the basis for my Force & Destiny mechanic that replaces the standard Force mechanic. Here are the details:

The First Force Rating

When a character gains their first Force Rating (granted through a Background or Career), they must decide whether they are a Light Side, Dark Side, or Neutral Force User. This choice does not affect or limit the powers Force Users may learn, which Force Points are generated, or how a Force User chooses to spend Force Points. This choice does affect how certain powers may be used, and how the character generates Conflict, and which is a resource primarily managed by the Game Master. A character knows when an action will generate Conflict, and the player informs the Game Master when his or her character performs such an action. The player is not entitled to know exactly how much Conflict is generated. Conflict will be discussed in more detail later in the Conflict & Destiny section.

Rolling for Force Powers

Rolling a Force die to take Force Power actions remain the same. There is no gameplay cost for Force Users who decide to use an unaligned force point. They must deal with the immediate consequences for fueling a power with whatever Force Points they fuel it with, as described by their power.

Example: a Light Side User rolls black pips, and can decide to use the Dark Force Points to fuel their Force Power without paying strain and spending a Destiny point .

Force Powers & Destiny Points

Force users also have access to a pool of Force points based on the state of the Destiny Point Pool. To fuel a Force power, the user may spend one Destiny Point (flipping Light to Dark) in order gain a single Light Force Point, after rolling Force Rating. Then, the user may suffer strain (ignoring soak) equal to the number of Dark Destiny Points showing (including a Light Destiny Point that was just flipped). The user gains Dark Force Points equal to the strain suffered. The user may not suffer less strain than the number of Dark Destiny Points; gaining Dark Force Points in this way is all-or-nothing. The user is not forced to spend any Force Points generated.

The order for gaining Force Points from the Destiny Point Pool must be enforced. Flip to gain Light, then strain to gain Dark. No one may interrupt this sequence to flip a Destiny Point (except through a Disturbance in the Force). Straining for Dark Force Points does not flip any Destiny Points back to their Light side. The Game Master is encouraged to spend a recently flipped Destiny Point as soon as possible.

If a character flips to gain a Light Force Point and strains to gain Dark Force Points in generating Force Points for the same Force Power, a Disturbance in the Force is caused. The Game Master rolls on the Disturbance in the Force table (feel free to make your own). The results are revealed only as necessary. If after resolving a roll on the Disturbance in the Force table the character is still alive/conscious, they may finish using their Force Power.

Disturbance in the Force Table, roll 2d6

2d6	Results
Odd	No effect.
Even	Power Tax: Each character within short range of the triggering character suffers 1 strain ignoring soak (including triggering character)
Doubles	(ignore Even results)
2, 12	Dark Force Gift: The triggering character receives a Dark Force Gift determined by the Dark Force Gift table and the number of Dark Force Gifts they have already received.
4, 10	Dark Force Overload: All Light Destiny Points flip, then the triggering character suffers strain (ignoring soak) and gains Dark Force Points for each Destiny Point flipped in this way.
6, 8	Force Tempest: Force Lightning strikes each character within short range of the triggering character for 2d6 damage (including triggering character).

Dark Force Gift Table, roll 1d6 +1 per Gift already received. On 6 or less, receive a Dark Force Gift. The 1st through 4th Dark Force Gifts are persistent abilities that provide a passive (but not optional) benefit. Every Gift after the 4th is an immediate benefit. This table may be rerolled once at the cost of 1 Destiny Point.

1d6 (+ 1/Gift) less than or equal to 6
1st Gift	Embrace Your Hate: The character becomes a Dark Force User, and is always considered to have spent at least one Dark Force Point on a Force Power if it affects the quality (not necessarily quantity) of the power.
2nd Gift	Touch of Darkness: Convert 1 Light Force Point to a Dark Force Point when you roll Force Dice to generate Force Points for a Force Power.
3rd Gift	Shadow in the Force: When generating Destiny Points for a session, reroll until you generate Dark Destiny Points.
4th Gift	Despair: On your initiative, flip 1 Light Destiny Point to the Dark Side.
5th+ Gift(s)	Breath of Power: Remove all Strain from character
1d6 (+ 1/Gift) greater than 6
7+	Reprimand: Remove all Dark Force Gifts from the character, and the character is considered to be Force Rating 0 until the start of the next game session. The character regains 1 Force Rating at the beginning of each subsequent session. A character who has Force Rating 0 in this way may not use Force Powers.

Conflict & Destiny

Instead of tying Conflict into the Morality mechanic, scrap Morality and do this instead:

The Game Master tracks how much Conflict a character generates in a given session. Characters generate Conflict for circumstances where a Force Power generates it, or in one of these ways:

• +1 Conflict whenever a character acts outside their Force alignment:
• Dark Force user spends Light Force Points
• Light Force user spends Dark Force Points
• Neutral Force user exceeds 2:1 ratio for spending mixed Light and Dark Force Points.

• +1 Conflict at end of session if Neutral Force user spends Light or Dark Force Points exclusively at least once.
• Example: Neutral Force User fuels Battle Meditation Power only using Dark Force Points
• +2 Conflict whenever a character causes a Disturbance in the Force.

The Game Master may generate Conflict for a character for reasons not described above, or may increase the amount of Conflict generated for a given circumstance. For example, the Game Master may multiply Conflict by the Force Rating of a character who generates it; high-rating Force Users should know better than to disrupt the Force.

Immediately after generating the Destiny Point pool at the beginning of the next session, flip 1 Light Destiny Point to its Dark Side for each Conflict generated during the last session. If all Light Destiny Points are flipped in this way, or only Dark Destiny Points were generated for the Destiny Point Pool and at least one Conflict was generated during the last session, then a Force Conflict occurs that session. It’s up to the GM to decide how the Force Conflict manifests, but it likely involves an encounter with a nemesis-class Force User character and/or the Force User’s minions/associates. This could be a Dark Jedi coming to tempt a character to the Dark Side, a Jedi Knight who reprimands a reckless character, or a Sith who wants to test his strength in a duel. It could also be a bounty hunter hired by an Imperial Inquisitor. The nature of the Force Conflict encounter is up to the Game Master’s discretion. Optionally, the Game Master may accumulate Conflict instead of spending it in order to increase the likelihood of a Force Conflict for a later session (even to the point of guaranteeing the Force Conflict).

To reiterate what was said in The First Force Rating, a character knows when an action will generate Conflict, and the player informs the Game Master when his or her character performs such an action. The player is not entitled to know exactly how much Conflict is generated

Conflict is a measure of whether or not disruptions in the Force are noticed by NPCs in the world. And, not all Force Conflict encounters are necessarily bad. The Jedi Knight who comes to reprimand one of the PCs may find that the PC in question regrets their decision and is seeking atonement. This is an opportunity for the Jedi Knight to help the PCs, if he is agreeable to that course.

Ultimately, this Force Conflict mechanic is intended to complement the Obligation and Duty seen in Edge of the Empire and Age of Rebellion. Rather than be a third parallel mechanic for characters generated using a specific Core Rulebook, it is meant to be layered on top of Obligation and/or Duty and reflect the unique ripples in the galaxy that Force Users create. Imagine the interesting combinations that result from a combination of Conflict and Obligation! Perhaps the PC’s patron, a Hutt kingpin, comes under extreme pressure from an Imperial Inquisitor, who is aware that he has a Force User in his employ. The Hutt threatens to cut the PCs loose in the worst way possible if they don’t keep things under wraps. But he’s a Hutt after all, so it’s likely he’ll either blackmail them or sell them out to the Inquisitor anyways.

What does this system say about the Force in your game?

The Dark Side is always an antagonist towards the PCs, and the Light Side is always a protagonist, regardless of whether or not the PCs are good guys, bad guys, or somewhere in the middle. This makes Dark Force User PCs challenging to work alongside. Maybe this is why the Sith Lords instituted the Rule of Two.

A character who disturbs the Force’s balance regularly is at the risk of acquiring a Dark Force Gift. The Dark Force Gifts are designed to empower a character while limiting the ability to help others with the Force, and otherwise make each session more difficult by manipulating the Destiny Pool. Of course, Dark Force Gifts are only one component of the Disturbance in the Force table. Any result other than “nothing happens”, at best, is inconvenient, and at worst, highly dangerous.

Game Masters should be careful when granting NPCs Dark Force Gifts. While NPCs themselves do not generate Conflict (or maybe they do in your game), many of the Dark Force Gifts provide a powerful advantage. Despair is particularly noteworthy, since an NPC with the gift will always have a Destiny Point it can use to upgrade checks on its turn. On the other hand, a Jedi Knight is a very powerful nemesis, as the Knight can flip Light Side Destiny when he or she uses his or her Force Powers, and the Game Master can then upgrade the Knight's checks with the flipped Destiny Point. Sometimes the Dark Side of the Force keeps the Balance by helping a Jedi pummel someone, a fact that any Jedi Knight NPC is aware of.