Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Rule Book

Maneuvers

Maneuvers are activities that are not complex enough

to warrant a skill check, but do involve time and effort

on the part of a character. Characters are allowed one

maneuver during their turn, and certain circumstances

may allow them a second maneuver as well (see be-

low). The following are some examples of maneuvers:

• Aiming a weapon.


• Moving one range band closer or farther away
  from an enemy (for more on range bands, see
  page 208).


• Opening a door.


• Diving behind cover.


• Standing up.

ACTIONS

Actions are important activities that are vital to a

character accomplishing goals. Each character may

normally only perform one action during his turn, and

it will likely be the most important activity he under-

takes during his turn. Actions almost always involve

performing a skill check, although certain character

abilities may require using an action to activate them.

The following are some examples of actions:

• Slicing a computer.


• Opening a locked door.


• Firing a weapon.


• Punching or grappling an opponent.


• Instructing allies with a series of orders.


• Performing first aid on an ally.


• Sneaking up on a vigilant foe.


• Climbing a cliff.
  Out of all of these options, the most common dur-
  ing combat is likely attacking an opponent. Attacking
  an opponent requires a combat skill check, some-
  times referred to in shorthand as a combat check or
  simply an attack.

MANEUVERS

B

ecause EDGE OF THE EMPIRE utilizes an abstract

method of describing combat, movement is simi-

larly described in broad strokes. Characters often do

far more than shoot their blasters in combat, includ-

ing pulling out stimpacks to heal a wounded comrade,

slicing through a computer to open a blast door, or

scaling a wall to get an advantage on their opponents.

Not all undertakings require a check. These mi-

nor activities are known as maneuvers and cover a

wide range of activities that any character can per-

form. They require an investment of time and effort

on the character's part, but are simple enough that

there is no chance of failure when doing them. Techni-

cally, characters perform maneuvers during narrative

gameplay as well as encounters. However, maneuvers

are tracked and defined during encounters because

characters are more limited in their time and efforts

by the frantic pace of conflict.

MANEUVER LIMITATIONS

A character may perform one free maneuver on his

turn. He may also perform a second maneuver by vol-

untarily suffering two points of strain. (Characters may

also perform a second maneuver through a particularly

successful skill check, or by other means listed else-

where.) However, regardless of the source, a single

character may not perform more than two maneu-

vers during his turn

MANEUVERS OUTSIDE A

CHARACTER'S TURN

In some cases, a character may even be able to per-

form a maneuver when it is not his turn. A storm-

trooper rolling horribly on a Stealth check to ambush

a character may generate a number of failures on his

check. The CM may decide that the blunder allows his

would-be victim the opportunity to perform a maneu-

ver, even though it is the stormtroopers turn.

Any bonus maneuvers gained outside of a charac-

PERSONAL MANEUVERS VERSUS

STARSHIP MANEUVERS

T

his section deals primarily with maneuvers

performed on the personal level—individual

characters moving about and performing tasks.

Starships also perform maneuvers to represent

their mobility, evasion, and special moves. To

distinguish the two types of maneuvers, the

default use of the term applies to personal

level maneuvers. Starship maneuvers are spe-

cifically prefaced with the word "starship" for

easy reference. More information about star-

ship maneuvers can be found in Chapter VII:

Starships and Vehicles

CONFLICT AND COMBAT

EDCE OF THE EMPIRE