Allies and Adversaries

Here's a preview of the newest book, an anthology of NPCs.

-Nate

Allies and Adversaries (P)review

This book is the second in the black-bound line of era-specific books, following Dawn of Rebellion and preceding (announced after, but arriving before) Collapse of the Republic. It's laid out a little differently from that other, with four chapters dedicated to different types of characters whom the PCs might encounter. Those are Chapter 1: Rebels and Heroes; Chapter II: Imperials and Despots; Chapter III: Scum and Villainy; and Chapter IV: Creatures and Citizens. 

Power levels for these NPCs run the gamut from generic Alliance troopers all the way up to Yoda. Some of them are familiar from previous sourcebooks, while others I don't recall seeing before. Familiar faces include Cassian Andor, Jyn Erso, Lando Calrissian, Leai Organa, Luke Skywalker, Mon Mothma, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Saw Gerrera and Wedge Antilles; Admiral Piett, Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, General Veers, Grand Admiral Thrawn and Grand Moff Tarkin; Boba Fett, Bossk, Dengar, Doctor Aphra, Hondo Onahka, Jabba the Hutt, Maul and Zuckuss. 

Creatures—which I always find useful for bolstering encounters—include the acklay, bantha, bearsloth, dewback, dianoga, gundark, krayt dragon, loth-cat and loth-wolf, Mantellian Ffutterplume, mynock and vynock, nerf, nexu, rancor, reek, ronto, sarlacc, tauntaun, varactyl and wampa. 

All in all there are some thirty characters n each category, making this a highly utilitarian book. It can supplement a collection from any of the three lines, providing access to stats that would otherwise require a stack of books to transport. 

A highlight for me is the fact that Ewoks are introduced as a playable species.

The Rise of What Now?

I like the trailer. I am intrigued...I will of course go at least once to this movie when it comes out.

What is Rey doing? Getting a ride to the record store from Kylo? 

I assume that's Kylo's TIE Silencer...but it has a red stripe like the TIE/sf (Special Forces TIE). So perhaps it's actually a bad guy. A Knight of Ren, perhaps?

I really don't understand the title. I thought we've been over this--I guess it could refer to Kylo...a good bait and switch trick, like how we thought the Clone Wars referred to the primary opponent...when it referred to the ally. Here we see Rey, hear about "Skywalker". Bait and switch?

Interesting. But I feel sad that I don't care as much as I wish I did. This sequel trilogy has been rough on my fandom.