Champions of the Force Preview 2

Republic Commando Scorch and Barriss Offee

By Gary M. Sarli and Sterling Hershey

In this second preview of the upcoming Champions of the Force set for the Star Wars Miniatures Game, we look at two more minis. First, Gary Sarli explains how the demolitions-expert clone known as Delta Six-Two earned the nickname "Scorch." Then Sterling Hershey introduces the special tandem fighting style of Jedi Knight Barriss Offee.

Republic Commando Scorch

Republic Commandos were designed to find the middle ground between rank-and-file clone troopers and the much more elite ARC Troopers. Raised from birth in four-man "pods," these clones are trained to work together so that their individual strengths combine to make a team greater than the sum of its parts.

The clone designated RC-1262 was a member of one such four-man team, Delta Squad. Delta Six-Two was a highly skilled demolitions specialist with an overly ironic sense of humor, always finding a way to make a sarcastic comment even under fire. Delta Six-Two earned the nickname "Scorch" as a result of a demolitions training mishap that left him and his drill instructor without eyebrows for a short time. (The drill instructor, Sergeant Walon Vau, was not amused.)

Republic Commando Scorch is one of four members of Delta Squad found in Champions of the Force, and they work together quite well as a team or deployed individually. Although they don't have many Hit Points, their Stealth gives them the ability to avoid being attacked more often than not, and they are good shots with a decent punch. Scorch adds Grenades to the mix, giving the Deltas a way to deal with multiple enemies trying to overrun their position.

However, Scorch's most distinct feature is his demolitions expertise. Is an enemy using Override to keep you away from your objective? Just apply a Satchel Charge, and that door is history. More than anything else, the Deltas know how to make an entrance.

Scorch also appears in the Star Wars: Republic Commando computer game and video game.

Star Wars Miniatures Stat Card Preview

Faction: Republic
Cost: 16
Hit Points: 30
Defense: 17
Attack: +9
Damage: 20
Special Abilities: Order 66, Grenades 10, Satchel Charge, and Stealth

Star Wars Roleplaying Game Statistics

Delta Six-Two ("Scorch"): Male Human thug 5/soldier 3; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Defense 17 (+6 class, +1 Dex); DR 5; Spd 8 m; VP/WP 24/12; Atk +9/+4 melee (2d6+1, wrist-mounted vibroblade) or +9/+4 ranged (3d8+3/19–20, DC-17m Blaster) or +5/+5/+0 ranged (3d8+3/19–20, DC-17m Blaster with multifire) or +3/+3/+3/-2 ranged (3d8+3/19–20, DC-17m Blaster with autofire) or +9 ranged (6d8, DC-17m Anti-Armor); SQ clone immunities, energy resistance 5, low-light vision; SV Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +2; SZ M; FP 1; DSP 0; Rep +2; Str 12, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8. Challenge Code D.

Equipment: Katarn-class armor, DC-17m interchangeable weapon system, power packs (4), anti-armor rockets (4), DC-15s blaster pistol, wrist-mounted vibroblade, grenades (4), explosive charges (4), medpacs (2).

Skills: Demolitions +16, Disable Device +4, Hide +5, Listen +2, Move Silently +5, Read/Write Basic, Speak Basic, Spot +6.

Feats: Armor Proficiency (light, medium, powered), Cautious, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Skill Emphasis (Demolitions), Weapon Group Proficiency (blaster pistols, blaster rifles, heavy weapons, simple weapons, slugthrowers, vibro weapons).

Katarn-class armor

Cost not available for sale (100,000 credits black market value); DR 5; Max Dex Bonus +2; Armor Check Penalty –2; Speed 8 m; Weight 20 kg; Availability Rare, illegal.

Special: Provides +2 equipment bonus on Hide checks, Listen checks, Move Silently checks, Search checks, Spot checks, and Fortitude saves made to resist hostile environments. The HUD's starlight mode provides the wearer with low-light vision. Integrated shield unit provides energy resistance 5, allowing the wearer to ignore the first 5 points of energy damage each round. Once the shields have absorbed 25 points of damage, they shut down. The shields reset after the wearer takes no energy damage for 1 minute (10 rounds).

DC-17m Interchangeable Weapon System

Cost not available for sale (20,000 credits black market value); Availability Rare, illegal.

Special: You can switch between the repeating blaster, sniper, and anti-armor attachments as a full-round action.

Repeating blaster attachment: Damage 3d8+3; Critical 19–20; Range Increment 20 m; Weight 5.5 kg; Stun DC --; Type Energy; Multifire/Autofire M/A; Size Medium; Group Blaster rifles.
Special: This weapon can make 60 shots on a single power pack.

Sniper attachment: Damage 3d8; Critical 19–20; Range Increment 50 m; Weight 6.5 kg; Stun DC --; Type Energy; Multifire/Autofire M/A; Size Large; Group Blaster rifles.
Special: If you make a single attack as a full-round action, the threat range increases to 18–20. This weapon can make five shots on a single specialized power pack (cost 100 credits, weight 0.5 kg).

Anti-armor attachment: Damage 6d8; Critical 20; Range Increment 10 m (2 m); Weight 7.5 kg;
Stun DC --; Type Bludgeoning; Multifire/Autofire M/A; Size Medium; Group Heavy weapons.
Special: This weapon inflicts half damage in its 2-meter burst radius. It holds a single round of ammunition (cost 300 credits, weight 1 kg), and it requires a full-round action to reload the chamber.

Barriss Offee

At the start of the Clone Wars, Barriss Offee was apprenticed to Master Luminara Unduli, a fellow Mirialan. The Padawan fought extremely well with her Master, using an uncommon tandem style made possible though the Force. Among other actions, the two defended the Jedi-crystal caverns on Ilum from Separatist chameleon droids (as shown in Chapter Fourteen of the Star Wars: Clone Wars micro series).

Barriss was considered curious, reckless, and overconfident at times. She often depended on the Force to get her out of trouble, a habit that did not sit well with her Master. Barriss became a skilled healer, working with Stass Allie and joining the Circle of Jedi Healers.

Barriss eventually became a Jedi Knight. In the final days of the Clone Wars, she and her Padawan, a Selonian called Zonder, fought on Felucia with Jedi Master Stass Allie. In the midst of battle, a massive Republic AT-TE blasted Barris, making her yet another casualty of Order 66.

Barriss Offee brings value to Republic squads in two ways. First, she's one of the lowest-cost Unique Jedi characters in the game. She provides a very inexpensive way to add both a lightsaber and a healer to your squad.

However, when paired with Luminara Unduli (from the Clone Strike set), Barriss rises to a new level. She becomes slightly cheaper and gains a +4 bonus to her Attack. Her new Attack score, plus her regular Defense and Damage scores, make her equivalent to Luminara Unduli and similar to other Jedi of much higher cost.

True to her tandem fighting style, Barriss must stay relatively close to Luminara to retain her Attack bonus. Fortunately, Barriss' Defense score is high and unaffected by Luminara's proximity, so if the two Jedi are forced apart, Barriss isn't at a defensive disadvantage.

Star Wars Miniatures Stat Card Preview

Faction: Republic
Cost: 17
Hit Points: 60
Defense: 18
Attack: +8
Damage: 20
Special Abilities: Unique, Melee Attack, Rapport (with Luminara Unduli), and Synergy (with Luminara Unduli)
Force Powers: Force 2, Force Heal 20

Star Wars Roleplaying Game Statistics

Barriss Offee: Female Mirialan (near-Human) Jedi Guardian 7/Jedi Healer 1*; Init +3 (Dex); Defense: 20 (+7 class, +3 Dex); Spd 10 m; VP/WP 56/12; Atk +11/+6 melee (3d8/19–20, lightsaber); or +10/+5 ranged; SQ Deflect (defense +1), deflect (attack –4), deflect (extend defense and attack); Healing*; SV Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +7; SZ M; FP 5; DSP 0; Rep +3; Str 10, Dex 17,Con 12, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 14. Challenge Code D.

* from the Power of the Jedi Sourcebook

Equipment: Lightsaber**, Mirialan-style Jedi robes.

** Barriss Offee has constructed her own lightsaber.

Skills: Balance +6, Climb +3, Computer Use +3, Craft (lightsaber) +4, Knowledge (Mirial) +4, Knowledge (Jedi lore) +4, Read/Write Basic, Speak Basic, Speak Bimm, Speak Mirialan, Swim +4, Treat Injury +7, Tumble +7.

Force Skills: Affect Mind +4, Battlemind +6, Empathy +4, Enhance Ability +4, Force Defense +4, Heal Another +7, Move Object +5, See Force +4.

Feats: Athletic, Combat Reflexes, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (lightsaber), Force Sensitive, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Finesse (lightsaber), Weapon Group Proficiencies (blaster pistols, simple weapons).

Force Feats: Alter, Burst of Speed, Control, Lightsaber Defense, Sense.

See the Power of the Jedi Sourcebook for Barriss Offee's statistics as a Padawan.

About the Authors

Gary M. Sarli is a freelance writer and editor whose credits include Ultimate Adversaries (Star Wars), Monster Manual III, Races of the Wild, and Heroes of Battle (Dungeons & Dragons). He also moderates on the Wizards.COMmunity message boards as WizO the Hutt, cheerfully feeding Code of Conduct violators to the Sarlacc. Gary still works as a staff member for SWRPGNetwork, three-time ENnie Award winner in the Best Fan Website category and host of the Star Wars RPG Frequently Asked Questions.

Sterling Hershey has been a full-time architect and freelance game designer for over 10 years. He authored and contributed to many of West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game products and later contributed to Star Wars Gamer Magazine. These days, he writes regular Star Wars Miniatures scenarios for the Wizards of the Coast website, and he also wrote the Scenario Book for the recently released Attack on Endor Scenario Pack. Gaming in a galaxy far, far away is the focus of his starwars.com blog, Delusions of Grandeur. Sterling lives in the Midwest with his wife, Mary.