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Using The Force Made Easy

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Jordisk said:
Protection money is "pay me or I break your kneecaps". This is an anti-bounty, basically going to the mercenary/assassin's guild and saying "I'll pay you to NOT take a contract on this guy".
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But if they stop paying then presumably the Guild will be quite happy to take contracts from the people who must really want this person inhumed with Extreme Impoliteness if they're paying under the table to be taken off the register, so the distinction is frankly a bit of a technicality.

They'd get better value for money from paying the Guild of Assassins a monthly retainer to assassinate anyone trying to assassinate them.
 
Jake said:
But if they stop paying then presumably the Guild will be quite happy to take contracts from the people who must really want this person inhumed with Extreme Impoliteness if they're paying under the table to be taken off the register, so the distinction is frankly a bit of a technicality.

They'd get better value for money from paying the Guild of Assassins a monthly retainer to assassinate anyone trying to assassinate them.
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Or as one star wars fic done. Set things out so that a bounty is applied to anyone whom puts a bounty on said individual. Turning attempts to call a hit into situation where you either pony up enough money they can't match, or you would find the hit on you more appetizing. :V
 
Fencer said:
"By scaring off every decent person watching that lacks a poodoo detector, and encouraging any lunatic who wants to go out in a blaze of glory." I deadpanned. It wasn't much but Obi-Wan twitched, "Luckily R3 ran the video by me before posting it so it's not out there encouraging the crazies. Seriously, depopulating planets? What were you thinking? That takes planet killers, or an army. Unless you think a lone Force user can just reach out and drag a planet's moon down?"
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Boss It's been a while sense I read this thread and I don't even completely disagree with the argument but I do have a question about how much knowledge does John have about the history of the Galaxy from before the Russan Reformation? I ask because their have been force users capable of killing Planetary populations almost by themselves or thousands at once if they put in the effort sense we are dealing with mostly Legends stuff. It takes a powerful force user but Exar Kun for example was able to drain the life force of thousands of Massasi at once to fuel the ritual that separated his spirit from his body before he was trapped on Yavin by the Jedi's Wall of light. Even the Thought Bomb Skerri Khan ended up using killed hundreds directly and messed up the planet and the surrounding space at a lot, so the argument he has that he is not making people a lot more dangerous then they already are does have some weak areas considering possible outcomes in the future.
 
Stewart9 said:
Boss It's been a while sense I read this thread and I don't even completely disagree with the argument but I do have a question about how much knowledge does John have about the history of the Galaxy from before the Russan Reformation? I ask because their have been force users capable of killing Planetary populations almost by themselves or thousands at once if they put in the effort sense we are dealing with mostly Legends stuff. It takes a powerful force user but Exar Kun for example was able to drain the life force of thousands of Massasi at once to fuel the ritual that separated his spirit from his body before he was trapped on Yavin by the Jedi's Wall of light. Even the Thought Bomb Skerri Khan ended up using killed hundreds directly and messed up the planet and the surrounding space at a lot, so the argument he has that he is not making people a lot more dangerous then they already are does have some weak areas considering possible outcomes in the future.
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Yes, but here's the problem with your supposition. These super powerful Force users (which do happen, and have happened, and will happen in the future) tend to get noticed at an early age. And then they get training in an actual 'school' (Sith Academy, Jedi Temple, Pious Deus Fortress Ship, etc). With massive access to vast libraries, the teachings of their elders, and a environment set up to promote the growth of powerful Force users.

In modern day times it's the equivilant of geniuses getting noticed in their single digits age, sent to specialty schools that cater to their intelligence, hit the top end colleges by their mid teens, and graduate with multiple doctorates by 20. Think Tony Stark. What John Kessel is teaching is basic CAD work and engineering on Youtube. So I'm not saying that it couldn't happen, but those once in a lifetime super-talents got massively supported and yet only came about once in a lifetime, if at that. Without the support, it's even less likely to happen. What's more likely to happen is if someone that crazy and determined to cause chaos comes about, they build bombs and do just as much damage. It's in fact far more likely, and quite frankly easier to pull off.

Now I did have another thought on what a possible response could be to the Kessel Channel. Mandolorians haven't been mentioned yet, and I was running down what their most likely response would be. After some thought most Clans probably are pretty happy overall. Think about what's this situation going to cause: Chaos, with Force users on both sides of the divide, and no one with actual training in how to deal with Rogue Force users other then Jedi who might or might not even be in the Sector, never mind the solar system or planet. And what could an enterprising and smart Mandolorian Clan offer? Well, a couple of things. Protection for one. Hire us and we will leave warriors in every system to deal with your tantrum throwing Force users. Or, and heres the big one imo: Training. Hire us to train your forces, and keep us on retainer in case of dire problems.

Fixes several problems the Mandolorian Clans have atm, no money, nothing for their warriors to do, and a government that's oppressive to their way of life. It gets them money, fixes the idle hands problem, and gets them far away from the New Mandolorians. Not to mention, the pansy's of the New Mandalorian faction can't really complain because your acting on the sides of Law and Order!
 
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Look when I started this project I was working with the movies as a foundation. Not disney, and certainly not the never ending stream of "what the hell" that came from the extended universe. The most impressive thing we see? Palps throws lightning, yoda lifts a single man fighter, the prequals? Maybe a bit more on the heavy lifting and they really push the whole ability to deflect blaster fire up a notch but we don't see anyone consume the life force of a planet. We don't se anyone stop a ship with sub-light engines running, we don't see anyone pull capital ships into a planet from low orbit. And we aren't going to. Because I'm not that kind of writer and this isn't that kind of story. I'm not, I won't, and I refuse to feel sorry about that. If anyone with a laptop could write up stories that broke canons power scale and get it rubber stamped so Lucas can rake in money I can absolutely nock the power scale back down to where it started for a story I'm writing for free.
 
Fencer said:
Look when I started this project I was working with the movies as a foundation. Not disney, and certainly not the never ending stream of "what the hell" that came from the extended universe. The most impressive thing we see? Palps throws lightning, yoda lifts a single man fighter, the prequals? Maybe a bit more on the heavy lifting and they really push the whole ability to deflect blaster fire up a notch but we don't see anyone consume the life force of a planet. We don't se anyone stop a ship with sub-light engines running, we don't see anyone pull capital ships into a planet from low orbit. And we aren't going to. Because I'm not that kind of writer and this isn't that kind of story. I'm not, I won't, and I refuse to feel sorry about that. If anyone with a laptop could write up stories that broke canons power scale and get it rubber stamped so Lucas can rake in money I can absolutely nock the power scale back down to where it started for a story I'm writing for free.
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That's perfectly fine, and I expect that I'm not the only one who will continue to enjoy this story even, or perhaps especially, with this understanding of your setting forewarning us.

That said, maybe you should threadmark this post, or add this statement to an informational post? Just to have a more readily noticeable point of reference for future readers.
 
Fencer said:
We don't se anyone stop a ship with sub-light engines running, we don't see anyone pull capital ships into a planet from low orbit.
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i always felt like such extreme actions and abilities are a bit out of character for the Star Wars setting, in the first 3 movies the force is a subtle power that is used to enchant skills and abilities (like Luke using the force to connect to Darth Vader heart). And it seems like later Media only really mentioned such extreme abilities second hand (aka lore dumps) or for the 'special' characters only use, while the average Force user abilities are very basic. ( i mean if a single person can drag a ship out of Orbit why can't a group of force users work together to achieve the same effect but no, only the special person gets to use the ability)
 
It makes sense because Darth Gravid destroyed Sith institutional knowledge and Jedi censored everything to the point where they forgot how to make holocrons.
 
Fencer said:
Look when I started this project I was working...
...story I'm writing for free.
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I like a lot of what you named, but you know what I like more? Your story. Cannon and expanded universes are things you can play with if you want. But so far I love everything you've done. Now I just have to figure out how to chain you to your desk so you can write forever more.
 
B.B. Rain said:
That's perfectly fine, and I expect that I'm not the only one who will continue to enjoy this story even, or perhaps especially, with this understanding of your setting forewarning us.

That said, maybe you should threadmark this post, or add this statement to an informational post? Just to have a more readily noticeable point of reference for future readers.
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There's already a thread mark to this effect
 
verycoolname said:
I'm sorry... Darth Gravid? Did he draw the short straw or did his master hate him or something?
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starwars.fandom.com

Darth Gravid

Darth Gravid was a human male who reigned as the Dark Lord of the Sith in the lineage of the Order of the Sith Lords. During his tenure as a Sith Lord, Gravid took a Twi'lek female as his apprentice, naming her Darth Gean. Over time, he was drawn to the light side of the Force and began to lose...
starwars.fandom.com starwars.fandom.com

Gravid Rust - Discworld & Terry Pratchett Wiki

wiki.lspace.org wiki.lspace.org

The answer is probably yes.
 
nuthenry2 said:
i always felt like such extreme actions and abilities are a bit out of character for the Star Wars setting, in the first 3 movies the force is a subtle power that is used to enchant skills and abilities (like Luke using the force to connect to Darth Vader heart). And it seems like later Media only really mentioned such extreme abilities second hand (aka lore dumps) or for the 'special' characters only use, while the average Force user abilities are very basic. ( i mean if a single person can drag a ship out of Orbit why can't a group of force users work together to achieve the same effect but no, only the special person gets to use the ability)
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Negation said:
It makes sense because Darth Gravid destroyed Sith institutional knowledge and Jedi censored everything to the point where they forgot how to make holocrons.
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And then there was Malachor 5. Where Revan's Jedi army was fighting a bunch of non-force users and were LOSING! Prior to Revan pulling a superweapon to blow everything up. Really, Delving into the material, they pretty much heavily overrepresent the geniuses, the Leonardo da Vincis, the tony starks and such of force users, while most are far more grounded in what they can do.

And really, the whole fact the Mandalorians have their whole THING being able to square off against jedi really makes high power levels make no sense. After all, I don't think mandos have shown any abilities beyond logical human limits.
 
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Teräs Käsi/Legends

The art of Teräs Käsi is about control and mastery of one's self.Joclad Danva Teräs Käsi, or "steel hand" in Basic, was a deadly and mystical martial art discipline renowned throughout the galaxy for its lethality. Teräs Käsi originated in the remote star cluster of the Pacanth Reach on the...
starwars.fandom.com starwars.fandom.com

Then there is Teräs Käsi which was created to allow normal people to have the speed to match Force-sensitive precogs in close combat....which was then promptly adopted by Force-sensitives and boosted with Force Speed to never allow normies to touch them.
 
Fencer said:
Look when I started this project I was working with the movies as a foundation. Not disney, and certainly not the never ending stream of "what the hell" that came from the extended universe.
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Not a power level question, but what are your stances on Miraluka (near-humans with vestigial eyes that universally see via the force) the Luka Sene (a college that teaches Miraluka even more advanced force sensing techniques that let them do shit like identify weakpoints in force shields) or a couple notable force tricks like Ionize (fucks with droids and machines but not biologics) or Force Light (dispels Dark energies, mostly useful for long-term taint on a location or object and fighting Sith Ghosts, but I could see it also being useful for knocking someone experimenting out of a feedback loop)?

Of note for Force Light, it's technically preserved in the Jedi Library, though only Yaddle (the head librarian) and at least one of her apprentices are known to actually know it, so it makes some amount of sense that it's not on the curriculum or in Yoda's lesson. Especially since Yoda doesn't super like Yaddle due to Jedi Code reasons (she got captured as a Padawan and achieved enlightenment during the two centuries it took for an earthquake to break the jail, and Yoda disagreed with the other Masters voting to elevate her directly to Master due to her strength, skill and enlightenment despite just being an orphaned Padawon).
 
In a galaxy of 400 billion stars, with 3.2 billion of them habitable systems, and 100 quadrillion sentient beings (I assume they mean sophontic -- even a dandelion can sense environmental conditions and slowly, chemically react in some ways to it, and is so technically sentient), even odds so low they require scientific notation to depict are a certain bet to happen frequently.

Even with the political situations severely restricting who has sufficient access to support and resources to properly leverage such "Tony Stark" levels of potential, there are going to be plenty of people with Force potential. The Jedi and Sith are far from the only groups who take them in, after all, and the sampling we have of them (books, movies, games, whatever) are severely biased towards the people who do get the support they need to become powerhouses.

And that's without an eldritch horror energy field infusing most (not all) of the living things in the galaxy, binding them together in an elaborate masquerade of a grand space opera intentionally directing said would-be powerhouses, either to specific fates or like a GM running a tabletop game.
 
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In defense of certain bits of Expanded Universe canon, I think a lot of those feats involve (or could be interpreted to involve) various levers, in an Archimedean sense.

Some advanced forms of force healing seem to make heavy use of scientific knowledge.

You have Sith Alchemy, which seems to be based on rituals and sort of storing power and then using it all at once, with the ritual perhaps baking in scientific knowledge and more sophisticated direction than you could get with pure visualization.

The Rakghoul plague is both of those levers plus being self-propagating, perhaps based on using the target's innate Force potential, whatever part of it persists past (at least personality) death.

Vitae seems to have started with stealing force potential from other people (using rituals) and then slowly pushed that to larger and larger scales as his power grew--even if his endgame feats seem crazy and like they came out of nowhere, there's a lot of gradual buildup behind them.

Stopping a ship's sublight engines...maybe that's sort of just a matter of pulling on both the ship and the ground/something behind you, and there's some technique where you can sort of use the Force like a rope holding them together rather than "using your muscles to pull ropes connected to each," because of the specific act of holding something in place relative to something else? So the limiting factor isn't your strength in the Force, but how good you are at making that rope?

The star destroyer thing is a lot sketchier. But maybe that's a time thing? Something takes vaguely around 5 minutes to fall from the edge of the atmosphere, so you can apply 300 times the force you could apply in one second, and a tiny deviation in trajectory can amplify a lot in five minutes.
Alternatively, maybe there's a Force technique to do 'telekinesis' that works more like gravity, so the mass of the thing you're affecting doesn't matter? Where like gravitational force the force applied to the object is proportional to its mass? Maybe that's (one of) the technique Yoda was actually teaching Luke, even if that didn't come across in the movie?

But I agree with everyone else, use however much of this/EU/Disney/Canon you want.
 
John's training is honestly vastly better set up to create a lot of minor force users than to create any truly exceptional ones. The training to gain force sensitivity works better on the low end and he isn't providing intensive training. So while a lot of people may gain some skill creating a exceptional force user probably requires more than holovids.
 
BethofDeath said:
Even with the political situations severely restricting who has sufficient access to support and resources to properly leverage such "Tony Stark" levels of potential, there are going to be plenty of people with Force potential. The Jedi and Sith are far from the only groups who take them in, after all, and the sampling we have of them (books, movies, games, whatever) are severely biased towards the people who do get the support they need to become powerhouses.

And that's without an eldritch horror energy field infusing most (not all) of the living things in the galaxy, binding them together in an elaborate masquerade of a grand space opera.
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And of note, there is generally a high level of talent required to even be let into the front door of such an organization. Which only amplifies the skewed perspective as the best of the Jedi order, and the best of the Sith hogs the spotlight. Which is especially notable because well, the gap between the talents good enough to get in the door and them is massive. So well, yeah, in nearly every case a truly notable force-sensitive will be someone whom stumbled on some big technique discovery, with a rare few outside the jedi having any real talent for force use in general.
 
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