Villains of Revenge of the Sith

By Gary M. Sarli

This first in a series of articles on Revenge of the Sith describes the villains that drive the story. Below, you'll find full Star Wars Roleplaying Game statistics for Palpatine, Anakin Skywalker (now known as Darth Vader), and General Grievous, along with his MagnaGuard droids. In addition, the article provides statistics on new weapons, cybernetics, and droid equipment.

References: HG = Hero's Guide; GCG = Galactic Campaign Guide; DSSB = Dark Side Sourcebook; PotJ = Power of the Jedi Sourcebook; A&EG = Arms & Equipment Guide; UAd = Ultimate Adversaries

Palpatine, Sith Lord

Trained by Darth Plagueis, Palpatine was the culmination of a millennium of plotting by the Sith to have their revenge on the Jedi. He manipulated the Separatists and the Republic to fight a war that kept him in office, slowly gathering greater executive power. (These stats represent Palpatine as of his confrontation with Mace Windu, before he started to be called "Emperor".)

Palpatine (Darth Sidious): Male Human noble 3/dark side marauder 3/Sith warrior^DSSB 4/Sith lord^DSSB 10; Init +1 (Dex); Speed 10 m; Defense 25 (+13 class, +2 Dex), 31 with Master Defense; VP/WP 173/15; Atk +22/+17/+12/+7 melee* (6d8+1/17–20, personalized lightsaber) or +21 ranged (variable, Force lightning); SQ block, bonus class skill (Intimidate), deflect (attack –2, defense +3), enemy bonus +1, exceptional minions, favor +2, inspire confidence, minions, resource access, Sith master; SV Fort +17, Ref +16, Will +16; SZ M; FP 9; DSP 24; Rep +10; Str 12, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 16. Challenge Code I.

Equipment: Lightsaber* (personalized^A&EG, threat range 18–20).

* Palpatine has constructed his own lightsaber.

Skills: Bluff +13, Computer Use +9, Craft (lightsaber) +6, Diplomacy +16, Gather Information +12, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (Jedi lore) +10, Knowledge (Naboo) +6, Knowledge (Politics) +12, Knowledge (Sith lore) +12, Read/Write Basic, Read/Write Bothese, Read/Write Gran, Read/Write Mon Calamarian, Read/Write Rodese, Read/Write Ryl, Read/Write Sith, Sense Motive +10, Speak Basic, Speak Bothese, Speak Gran, Speak Mon Calamarian, Speak Rodese, Speak Ryl, Speak Sith.

Force Skills: Affect Mind +11, Alchemy^DSSB +10, Battlemind +13, Control Mind^DSSB +11, Empathy +14, Enhance Ability +12, Farseeing +19, Fear +8, Force Defense +11, Force Grip +12, Force Lightning +16, Force Stealth +10, Force Strike +12, Heal Self +9, Move Object +17, See Force +12, Telepathy +10, Transfer Essence^DSSB +12.

Feats: Armor Proficiency (light), Exotic Weapon Proficiency (lightsaber), Fame, Force-Sensitive, Heroic Surge, Improved Critical (Lightsaber), Power Attack, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus (Lightsaber), Weapons Group Proficiency (blaster pistols, blaster rifles, primitive weapons, simple weapons, vibro weapons).

Force Feats: Alter, Control, Drain Force^DSSB, Force Mastery, Force Mind, Improved Force Mind, Knight Defense, Lightsaber Defense, Master Defense, Rage, Sense, Sith Sorcery^DSSB.

Sith Warrior Class Features: As a 4th-level Sith warrior, Palpatine gains the following class features.

Enemy Bonus -- Palpatine receives a +1 bonus to attacks against a single Jedi opponent selected at the beginning of combat. He may not change the chosen enemy later in the same battle.

Sith Lord Class Features: See page 313 of the revised Star Wars Roleplaying Game book for details on Resource Access, Exceptional Minions, and Sith Master class features.

Anakin Skywalker, Sith Apprentice

This one-time slave boy was the Chosen One, destined to bring balance to the Force in a way the Jedi had never foreseen. Palpatine used Anakin's fear of losing Padmé to lure him to the dark side of the Force, and as Darth Vader he exterminated the Jedi in the Temple on Coruscant as well as the Separatist Council in hiding on Mustafar. (These stats represent Anakin as of the assault on the Jedi Temple.)

Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader): Male Human fringer 1/Jedi guardian 5/Jedi ace 2/Jedi weapon master^PotJ 3/Sith lord 2; Init +3 (Dex); Defense 25 (+12 class, +3 Dex), 29 with Knight Defense; Spd 10 m; VP/WP 102/13; Atk +15/+10/+5 melee* (5d8+3/18-20, lightsaber) or +14 ranged; SQ block, bonus class skill (Repair), Chosen One^GCG (Force Point use as though three levels higher, Anakin gets Force-Sensitive feat free and ignores the "Force level 1st" prerequisite when selecting the Force feats Control, Sense, and Alter), deflect (attack -2, defense +3), resource access, starfighter defense (+2), starship focus (+4), weapon mastery (Devastating Strike 10/day); SV Fort +14, Ref +15, Will +10; SZ M; FP 8; DSP 13; Rep +5; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 13. Challenge Code G.

Equipment: Lightsaber*.

* Anakin has constructed his own lightsaber.

Skills: Astrogate +4, Computer Use +5, Craft (droid) +5, Craft (lightsaber) +5, Craft (podracer) +3, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (Jedi lore) +4, Knowledge (Sith lore) +10, Knowledge (streetwise) +3, Knowledge (Tatooine) +6, Pilot +22, Read/Write Basic, Read/Write Huttese, Read/Write Sith, Repair +8, Speak Basic, Speak Huttese, Speak Sith, Spot +5, Survival +5, Tumble +9.

Force Skills: Affect Mind +5, Battlemind +11, Enhance Ability +7, Farseeing +5, Fear +9, Force Defense +8, Force Grip +10, Force Strike +8, Move Object +8, See Force +5.

Feats: Combat Expertise, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (lightsaber), Force-Sensitive, Gearhead, Improved Critical (lightsaber), Skill Emphasis (Pilot), Starship Operation (starfighter), Weapon Focus (lightsaber).

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

Jedi Weapon Master Class Features: As a 3rd-level Jedi weapon master, Anakin gains the following class features.

Weapon Mastery (Devastating Strike, 10/day) — As a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity, Anakin can make an attack with an increased chance of scoring a critical hit. The threat range of his lightsaber is doubled to 15-20 when using devastating strike, and he may do so up to 10 times per day.

General Grievous, Supreme Commander

Once a warlord in a war between the Kaleesh and Huk species, Grievous was rebuilt by the Commerce Guild after a shuttle crash. He has been trained in lightsaber techniques by Count Dooku, and he takes pride in collecting lightsabers from the Jedi he defeats. He was first encountered by the Jedi in the disastrous battle on Hypori, shortly after the start of the Clone Wars.

General Grievous: Male Kaleesh (cyborg hybrid) soldier 9/officer 5; Init +4 (Dex); Defense 21 (+10 class, +1 Dex); DR 7; Spd 14 m, climb 14 m; VP/WP 101/11; Atk +15/+10/+5 melee* (2d8+15/18–20, lightsaber) or +11/+6/+1 melee* (2d8+15/18–20, lightsaber) and +11 melee* (2d8+12/18–20, lightsaber) or +11/+6/+1 melee* (2d8+12, lightsaber) and +11/+11/+11 melee* (2d8+9/18–20, three lightsabers) or +12/+7/+2 melee* (1d6+6, claw) or +16/+11/+6 ranged (3d8+3/19–20, customized BlasTech DT-57); SQ cyborg hybrid, leadership, requisition supplies, tactics; SV Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +6; SZ M; FP 3; DSP 11; Rep +5; Str 22, Dex 19, Con 11, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 14. Challenge Code G.

* General Grievous typically uses four points of Power Attack, applying a –4 to his attack rolls and a +4 to his damage rolls. These modifiers are included in the stat block above.

Equipment: Four lightsabers, BlasTech DT-57 "Annihilator" (customized^A&EG, threat range 19-20), heavy droid armor (customized^A&EG, Max Dex Bonus +1, Armor Check Penalty -6), cybernetic eyes (IR sensor) cyborg hybrid (Str 22, Dex 19, Speed 14 m), climbing claws, droid appendages (six claws)**, environmental compensator (vacuum), extra limbs^UAd, adjoining limbs, magnetic feet, jump servos, grappling spike launcher.

** All six of Grievous's appendages have opposable digits and may be used as limbs. However, Grievous cannot use more than four limbs to attack at any one time.

Skills: Climb +13, Computer Use +8, Diplomacy +8, Hide +3, Intimidate +20, Jump +13, Knowledge (tactics) +20, Move Silently +3, Pilot +10, Tumble +7.

Feats: Armor Proficiency (light, medium, heavy), Combat Expertise, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (lightsaber), Frightful Presence, Improved Critical (lightsaber), Multidexterity, Multiweapon Fighting, Off-Hand Parry^HG, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (lightsaber), Weapon Group Proficiencies (blaster pistols, blaster rifles, heavy weapons, simple weapons, vibro weapons), Weapon Specialization (lightsaber)^HG.

Bodyguard Droid

Classification: Medium-size fourth-degree bodyguard droid
Cost: 29,000
Availability: Illegal, specialized
Era: Rise of the Empire

Holowan Mechanicals built the IG-series 100 MagnaGuard to General Grievous's specifications, and he personally trained them in fighting Jedi. The following stats represent a typical MagnaGuard, but more experienced droids do exist.

IG-series 100 MagnaGuard: Walking bodyguard droid, scout 1/soldier 4/loyal protector^HG 3; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Defense 18 (+6 class, +2 Dex); DR 3; Spd 10 m; VP/WP 59/15; Atk +9/+4 melee (2d6+3, electrostaff) or +7/+2 melee (2d6+2, electrostaff) and +7 melee (2d6+1, electrostaff) or +8 ranged; SQ decoy, harm's way, shielding strike +1; SV Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +5; SZ M; Face/Reach 2 m by 2 m/2 m; Rep +2; Str 15, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 8. Challenge Code D.

Equipment: Electrostaff, grappling claw, heuristic processor, light armor, locked access, magnetic feet, secondary battery, sensors (improved sensor package, infrared vision), vocabulator.

Skills: Balance +5, Climb +3, Disguise +5, Intimidate +7, Jump +16, Knowledge (streetwise) +5, Listen +7, Search +3, Sense Motive +5, Spot +7, Survival +3, Tumble +4.

Feats: Ambidexterity, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Heroic Surge, Improved Initiative, Track, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (electrostaff).

Loyal Protector class features: As 3rd-level loyal protectors, MagnaGuards receive the following class features.

Decoy -- MagnaGuards receive a +5 bonus to Disguise checks to act as a decoy for their charge.

Harm's way -- MagnaGuards may designate an ally at the beginning of combat; once per round, the droid may take damage instead of this ally when he is hit by a ranged or melee attack.

Shielding strike -- When adjacent to a designated ally (see harm's way) who is attacked in melee, the MagnaGuard may make an attack of opportunity with a +1 bonus against the ally's attacker.

New Weapons

BlastTech DT-57 "Annihilator"

Weapon Type: Heavy blaster
Proficiency Group: Blaster pistols
Cost: 850
Damage: 3d8+3
Critical: 20
Range Increment: 8 m
Weight: 1.8 kg
Fort DC: 18
Type: Energy
Multifire/Autofire: M
Size: Medium-size
Hardness: 5
WP: 5
Break DC: 17
Availability: Common, restricted
Era: Rise of the Empire, Rebellion

A "superheavy" blaster pistol like the Caliban Model X and the BlasTech T-6 "Thunderer," the DT-57 "Annihilator" packs a heavy punch without loss of range.

Electrostaff

Weapon Type: Melee weapon
Proficiency Group: Vibro weapons
Cost: 5,750
Damage: 2d6/2d6
Critical: 20
Weight: 1.8 kg
Type: Bludgeoning
Fort DC: --
Size: Large
Hardness: 10
WP: 10
Break DC: 20
Availability: Specialized
Era: Rise of the Empire, Rebellion

This staff is made of a costly phrik alloy that retains its DR against lightsabers, allowing it to be quite effective against Jedi. Each end of the electrostaff mounts an electromagnetic pulse generator that discharges upon impact, allowing it to inflict damaging blunt-force wounds.

New Cybernetics

Cyborg Hybrid (Cybernetic Enhancement^HG)

The most extensive cybernetic replacement yet devised, the experimental cyborg hybrid surgery converts the subject into something that is quite literally "more machine than man."

Effect: The subject's vital organs and central nervous system are transplanted into what is essentially a droid body. This process weakens the subject's health, permanently lowering his Con by 4 points. His Strength, Dexterity, and Speed are all replaced by that of the cyborg hybrid. Furthermore, the subject is now able to mount and use the following droid equipment: adjoining limbs, armor, automatic grip^UAd, climbing claws, comlink, digging claws^UAd, electroshock probe, environmental compensator, extra limb^UAd, fire extinguisher, flamethrower, grappling claw, interchangeable tool/weapon mount^UAd, jump servos, magnetic feet, recording unit, stabilized weapon mount^UAd, tool mount, weapon mount, welding laser/cutting torch. Cyborg hybrid counts as four cybernetic enhancements for purposes of determining the effect of a Force point.

Install DC: 15 + 1/2 (Str + Dex + Speed).

Common Side Effect: Transplant complications. The stress of having his vital organs removed and placed into the droidlike hybrid body has permanently damaged the subject's living components. His Constitution score is lowered by 8 points instead of by 4, and this can result in the subject's death.

DR/Wounds: 3/15 (central body), 1/12 (arms), 1/15 (legs)

Price: 50,000 plus 100 × (Str² + Dex² + Speed²) credits (surgery: 100,000 plus 1,000 × Install DC credits)

New Droid Equipment

Adjoining Limbs

Cost: 2,000 per pair of limbs
Weight: 1 kg.

Only added to droids with four or more limbs, adjoining limbs can be linked to combine their strength, allowing a weapon to be wielded as if it were being held in two hands. One pair gets to add Str bonus x 1.5 to damage, but the other only adds Str bonus x 1 to damage because the droid cannot put its entire weight behind both attacks. Note that extra limbs^UAd only allows a maximum of four limbs to be used simultaneously in combat, so only two weapons can be wielded in this manner.

Linking or unlinking adjoining limbs is a move action; doing so immediately before making a check to feint in combat (see Bluff skill) grants a +4 bonus to your Bluff check unless your opponent knows you have adjoining limbs.

Climbing Claws

Cost: 2,000
Weight: 5 kg.

Climbing claws grant the droid a climb speed equal to its normal speed. The droid also gains a +8 equipment bonus to all Climb checks and can take 10 on Climb checks regardless of distractions.

Grappling Claw

Cost: 200
Weight: 0.5.

This allows one claw appendage to function as a reusable grappling spike launcher with a maximum range of 10 meters. This also allows the droid to make a ranged touch attack to initiate a grapple against a nonadjacent opponent, but the droid must still move into the opponent's square to continue the grapple.

Jump Servos

Cost: 2,500
Weight: 4 kg.

Jump servos give the droid a +8 equipment bonus to all Jump checks. Furthermore, the droid can ignore its normal maximum jump distance.

About the Author

Gary M. Sarli is a freelance writer and editor whose credits include Ultimate Adversaries (Star Wars RPG) and Monster Manual III (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.