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(More customer reviews)Reviewer's note: There are actually TWO different versions of the second edition of this book, and book sellers VERY OFTEN confuse the two and list them in the wrong place (so it is best to always ask beforehand to be safe). For this reason, I have included this review under both the 1992 and 1996 versions of this book (so please excuse me if you see it more than once). However, since I didn't know where most buyers would start, I figured it was best to provide this information under all relevant locations to be safe. That said:
This is the classic D6 version of the Star Wars Roleplaying game. If you are reading this, you likely already know of have heard that the West End Games version of Star Wars The Roleplaying Game is excellent (many people don't know this, but this is actually the basis for the newer Star Wars D20 RPG and Minis games, though many people think the original D6 version is even better). And this book is no exception (especially the 1996 version -- see below). This one book contains pretty much everything both the player and the GM need to play (though there are lots of great supplements -- including premade adventures -- you can use if you are interested and can find them). The book begins with a very nice "Player Section" that covers everything the player needs to know about creating and playing a character. The rest of the book is for the GM. For example, the "Gamemaster Section" covers all the basics that the GM needs to know run an adventure (including rules, combat and injuries, movement, space travel, the Force, etc.). There is also an "Adventure Section" (contains tons of ideas about designing adventures) and a "Universe Section" (provides tons of detail about GM characters, aliens/monsters, weapons/equipment/vehicles, droids, planets, etc). Finally, there are several appendices (with reference charts and character templates). In sum, if you are interested in giving this game a try, you can do so as both a player and a GM with this one book!
In addition to providing the above information about the book, I also wanted to make an important point of clarification re: the two different versions of the second edition of this book.
The first version of this book is simply subtitled "Second Edition" -- this one was released in 1992 (WEG40055 -- ISBN = 0-87431-181-0), and has a mostly blue cover with a picture of Darth Vader in a square on the front. This is still a fun book to read (and usually costs a lot less than the 1996 version). But, it DOES NOT contain the latest/final version of the rules. Further, thought the production quality is excellent, it is not quite as good as the 1996 version.
The second version is subtitled "Second Edition: Revised and Expanded" -- this one was released in 1996 (WEG40120 -- ISBN = 0-87431-268-X). It is also a hardcover, and has a picture of the Millennium Falcon racing through space while being fired upon by several TIE fighters. This book DOES contain the latest/final rules for this game. Further, the production quality is excellent, and it is printed in full color on high quality semi-gloss paper.
YOU DO NOT NEED BOTH VERSIONS OF THIS BOOK. If you just want to get a feel for the game and save a little money, buy the 1992 edition. In fact, if this is the case it may be worth buying the original first edition (which was released in 1987, and is also excellent and reasonably priced). However, if you want the latest/final version of the rules, than the 1996 edition is a must (it costs more, but I think it is worth it).
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Star Wars Roleplaying Game (Second Edition, Revised and Expanded)
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