Cyphers and Masks (P)review

I know it's more than a little bit late, but here's a preview of what people can expect from Cyphers and Masks. 

-Nate 

Cyphers and Masks (P)review

Page 1: Crawl

Page 2: Credits

Page 3: Table of Contents

Page 4: Fiction

Pages 5-9: Secrets in the Age of Rebellion/Tradecraft in Star Wars/Spies of the Rebellion

This section provides an overview of how espionage can be used in Star Wars adventures and campaigns, including suggestions for including other types of characters in spy missions.

Pages 10-35: Chapter 1—Operating from the Shadows

Detailed herein are four pages of backgrounds for spy characters, two pages of duties, just more than five pages detailing new species (the balosar, kubas and melittos), three new specializations (courier, interrogator and sleeper agent), two pages of talents, one of motivations, and two new signature abilities (counterespionage and unmatched tradecraft).

Pages 36-63: Chapter 2—Tools of Tradecraft

The book's strongest section is this one, which introduces six ranges weapons, three melee weapons, three suits of armor, four different chemicals and poisons, seven electronic devices, eight other tools, eight droids, four attachments for weapons, six for amor and eight for other equipment. There's also a new landspeeder and starfighter, along with six attachments for vehicles. All in all, this is the strongest equipment section in an Age of Rebellion book for some time.

Pages 64-95: Chapter 3—The Hidden War

Keeping up with tradition, the third chapter of this book provides suggestions for integrating spy characters into adventures and campaigns; it includes two pages each of rules for using Computers, Deception, Skulduggery and Stealth checks; guidelines for concealing weapons and slicing, three detailed scenarios for spies, and ideas for rewarding spy characters.

96: Advertisement

I was disappointed by the choice of species to include, since the one Balosar character in the movies is little more than a sight gag, and the Melitto is a background character in Episode VII; the Kubaz is the only familiar species. I think the Defel could have been a solid addition, along with the Clawdite. Even so, the rest of the book seems solid, especially the equipment section—which, I think, could provide entertaining scenes in which the PCs are issued special items much like when James Bond pays a visit to Q.