Star Wars: Force Powers, The Vancian Way

The basic Star Wars books have just about all the Force Powers you would ever really need. Kinda the point really. However, several new powers were introduced throughout the books released for the system. There really is no reason to expand beyond what is already there. That is to say, what I am going to do in this series is completely unnecessary.

I know better, but I don't really care

The Vancian Way of the Force

Over thousands of years, the people of the Gygaxian sector developed a unique method of using the Force. The elves are usually given credit for mastering the method. When they joined the Old Republic, many of the Force-users joined the Jedi. Some continued to use their own methods while adopting the Jedi philosophy.

The Vancian path is more complex than the Jedi way. It uses eight different skills - called schools - and four have available specializations. The variety of powers is vastly more complex than the Jedi method. They call their power 'spells' which they 'cast'.

Typically, Vancian powers are resisted with Willpower, Stamina, or Dodge rolls. However, if a target has dice in the skill of the power being used, they can use that skill in place of Willpower, Stamina, or Dodge. For example, a vancian Force-user could use their dice in Evocation instead of Dodge to avoid the effects of an Evocation power. Finally, Jedi may use Control in place of Willpower, Sense in place of Dodge, and Alter in place of Stamina.

Vancian Skills

Abjuration: This skill covers protective powers. They create physical or energy barriers, negate other powers or abilities, harm trespassers, or banish other beings.

Conjuration: There are five specializations to the Conjuration skill. Conjurations bring manifestations of objects, creatures, or some form of energy to you (the summoning specialization), actually transport creatures from another dimension to your dimension (the calling specialization), heal (healing specialization), transport creatures or objects over great distances (teleportation specialization), or create objects or effects on the spot (creation specialization). 

Divination: These powers enable you to learn secrets long forgotten, to predict the future, ot find hidden things, and to foil deceptive powers. There is a single specialization, scrying, which creates an invisible sensor that sends you information.

Enchantment: These powers affect the minds of others, influencing or controlling their behavior. There are two specialization. The first is charm, which changes how the subject views you, typically making it see you as a good friend. The second is compulsion, which forces the target to act in some manner or changes the way his or her mind works.

Evocation: Evocation powers manipulate energy or tap the Force directly to produce a desired end. In effect, they create something out of nothing. Many of these powers produce spectacular effects, and evocation powers can deal large amounts of damage. Some practitioners learn to specialize in a type of energy.

Illusion: Illusion powers deceive the senses or mins of others. They cause people to see things that are not there, not see things that are there, hear phantom noises, or remember things that never happened. There are five specializations; figments, glamers, patterns, phantasms, and shadows. A figment creates a false sensation. A glamer changes a subject's sensory qualities, making it look, feel, taste, smell, or sound like something else, or even seem to disappear. Like a figment, a pattern creates an image that others can see, but a pattern also affects the minds of those who see it or are caught in it. A phantasm creates a mental image that usually only the caster and the subject (or subjects) of the power can perceive. A shadow creates something that is partially real from extradimensional energy.

Necromancy: These powers manipulate the power of death, unlife, and the life force. Powers involving undead creatures make up a large part of this school.

Transmutation: Transmutations change the properties of some creature, thing, or condition.