Characters D6 / Praetorian Guard

ELITE PRAETORIAN GUARD

* has notes below for further details

SPECIES - Human (?)

GENDER - Male (?)
HEIGHT - Varies
MOVE - 10

DEXTERITY: 5D
Blaster 6D
Brawling Parry 6D+2
Dodge 6D
Melee Combat 6D
(S)Melee Combat (*Weapon of choice) 8D+2
Melee Parry 6D

PERCEPTION: 3D+1
Command 5D
Hide 5D+2
Search 6D+2
Sneak 5D+2

KNOWLEDGE: 2D
Streetwise 3D
Survival 6D+1

STRENGTH: 3D+2
*Brawling 6D+2
Climbing/Jumping 6D
Lifting 5D+1
Stamina 7D+2

MECHANICAL: 2D

TECHNICAL: 2D
Demolition 5D+1
First Aid 5D
 Security 5D

EQUIPMENT
CREDITS - N/A (Access to First Order resources)
Elite Praetorian Guard Armor (+2D Physical, +2D Energy, -1D Dexterity, can parry lightsabers and
other energy melee weapons), *Personal Weapon (pick one, see below)

*Weapons: See Game Notes for weapon details

Vibro-Voulge (Vibro-Polearm)
Vibro-Bisento (Vibro-Axe)
Bilari Electro-Chain Whip (Vibro-Sword & Stun-Whip)
Double-Headed Vibro-Arbir Blade (Double-Headed Vibro-Blade Staff/Pair of Vibro-Blades)

DESCRIPTION:

The Elite Praetorian Guard was a force of eight human warriors who were tasked with the protection of
Supreme Leader Snoke, the leader of the First Order. Following the tradition of the Emperor's Royal
Guard, the personal bodyguards of Emperor Sheev Palpatine, the Praetorian Guards wore red robes and
armor. They specialized in various martial arts, including Teräs Käsi, and carried various high-tech melee
weapons.

Following Snoke's assassination at the hands of Kylo Ren, the Praetorians attempted to avenge his
death. They fought very well, and, for a brief moment, almost overwhelmed Ren and Rey but were
ultimately killed by the duo. After their destruction, Ren succeeded Snoke as Supreme Leader of the First
Order.

History

As the First Order mirrored many of the dark traditions of the Galactic Empire, the Elite Praetorian Guard
originated from the Emperor's Royal Guard, personal bodyguards of Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine.
The Praetorian Guard was an elite force of eight human warriors who protected the First Order's leader,
Supreme Leader Snoke. They flanked the Supreme Leader in his throne room, and held in Snoke's
Mega-class Star Dreadnought, the Supremacy. Aside from their obvious origin from the Emperor's Royal
Guard, they also were derived to some extent from the Atrisian Emperor's royal guards, in particular how
each of them operated in pairs. Three of the guards were known as the First, Third and Seventh Guards,
respectively.

The guards were holding court as usual in Snoke's throne room when the Supreme Leader summoned
his apprentice Kylo Ren, whom he proceeded to berate for his losses on Starkiller Base. When Kylo
responded aggressively to the taunting, the guards quickly assumed combat-ready stances but stood
down at Snoke's gesture. When Snoke was assassinated by Ren, the Praetorian Guards immediately
sprung into action to avenge the death of their leader. Ren and Rey, who were present for the
assassination, engaged all eight of the guards in a short yet intense fight. The guards were at first evenly
matched against the two Force-wielders, with their weapons being resistant to their foe's lightsabers and
managed to score a wound apiece on them. However, they were ultimately no match for the two and fell
one by one, with the last guard being killed when Ren ignited Rey's lightsaber, which she had thrown to
him, through his faceplate, killing him instantly. Ren then assumed the title of Supreme Leader.

Equipment and Training

The Elite Praetorian Guards were clad in ornate crimson armor, robes and plastoid helmet. Nine plates of
armor protected each Praetorian's arm and shoulder. They were merciless, persistent, and specialized in
melee combat. The Praetorian Guards boasted an arsenal of melee weapons that were high-tech
versions of unpowered analogs found in primitive societies across the galaxy, such as long vibro-voulges,
vibro-bisentos with an electro-plasma energy filament running along the blade's edge-flailing Bilari electro-
chain whips, and heavy double-bladed vibro-arbir blades that could also be separated into dagger-like
single-bladed weapons to adjust to any battle scenario. The precise, sweeping movements of their
martial arts fighting style struck fear into the hearts of foes.

Although the Praetorians' weapons and gauntlets-which could resist lightsaber attacks-as well as their
training enabled them to hold their own against both Ren and Rey for a time, the guards were ultimately
defeated by the Force-sensitive pair.

Praetorian Guard Armor not only incorporated materials that were resistant to the energy attacks, but
also had conductive wiring built into the armor plates that, when powered, could produce a magnetic field
that further improved this, making the armor quite resistant to attacks from blasters or glancing blows
from a lightsaber (though direct stab could still penetrate the shell). This field caused excurciating pain to
the Praetorians wearing the armor, though this was considered part of their training and every day life
after they began their service as Praetorian Guards. The pain may have helped sharpen their focus to
remain alert for potential attacks and assassination attempts upon the Supreme Leader when standing
guard in Snoke's throne room.

GAME NOTES:

*Brawling VS Martial Arts

The Praetorian Guard were said to be trained in various forms, including Teras Kasi, Echani, Bakuuni
Hand, and Nar Kon Jii Blind Alley (pronunciation may be wrong). These were not listed in the skills for
various reasons, namely that there has always been debate of how Martial Arts should be used in the
Star Wars D6 system. If GMs/players wish to use these skills with the Praetorian Guard, reduce the
Guard's Brawling skill by -1D, and add these Martial Arts as either Skill Specializations (if going by the
book) or as Advanced Skills (if Martial Arts as Specializations seems too powerful, as it usually does).
Teras Kasi has rules in the D6 system, such as the Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook.

Echani has canon and legends information, as well as rules converted from D20 to D6, though the art
was not developed and named until after Star Wars had moved from the D6 system to D20. The simple
version is using the skill in place of Stamina, or otherwise making the user more durable.

Bakuuni Hand was a Jedi martial art where a Jedi used the Force to reinforce their hand, forearms and
feet, and could deliver blows that could smash rocks. While the Praetorian Guard are not Force users,
they could still learn this martial art to be aware of what it can do, and be more able to fight against it if a
Force user ever appeared using the skill. An non-Force alternative would also be to reinforce their
hands, forearms and feet the old-fashioned way, with endurance training that strengthens their skin,
muscles and bones. If such a skill is applied, it would be an Advanced skill, and could increase the
damage a character could do with the parts of the body they have enhanced, though such training would
take months, even years, to perfect.

The last martial art, Nar Kon Juu Blind Alley, as of this moment I have no available information of this
skill. If I were to "guess", I;d say it involved dirty fighting, which would work well with the other martial
arts here, and for the role of the Praetorian Guard as bodyguards to their Supreme Leader. Such a skill
would probably involve misdirection and feinting of some kind.

*Weapons

Each of the Praetorian Guard's melee weapons is paired with an ultrasonic generator that created a high-
frequency vibrating edge for greater striking and cutting power. They each also had an electro-plasma
filament that produced a small blade that could parry a lightsaber. Each weapon requires 4 power cells
installed in their hilt.

-Vibro-Voulge: Effectively a polearm weapon, a pole or staff with a blade on the end of it, and similar to a
glaive in design. This would give the user more reach than most other melee weapons. Vibro-Voulge,
Str+2D, reach +1 meter, +1D to parry melee weapons.

-Vibro-Bisento: Also a polearm and functionally similar to the Vibro-Voulge in some ways. The key
difference is, where the Voulge has a longer reach to keep the enemy at a distance, the bisento has a
longer, heavier blade for striking power. A bisento may usually be meant for a mix of dueling or fencing
with a reach greater than a typical sword but under that of a polearm, but in this weapon's case, made of
futuristic metal alloys and materials, this weapon's blade is meant for cutting power more like a
axe. Vibro-Bisento, Str+3D.

-Bilari Electro-Chain Whip: A rapier-like vibro-sword and electro-whip rolled into one. The weapon
started in sword form and could be used to duel and fence like a sword, though had little cutting ability
and would be used more for stabbing or parrying other weapons like lightsabers. The user could snap
the weapon into a whip-like form, causing the sword blade to separate into flexible links, greatly
extending the weapon's reach, as well as giving the user greater ability to wrap and bind an enemy's
weapon during combat. Vibro-Sword, Str+2D. Electro-Whip, 5D Stun.

-Double-Headed Vibro-Arbir Blade: A double-headed vibro-blade staff that could split apart into a pair of
duel-wielded vibro-daggers. The staff would give the user some reach while twirling and spinning the
weapon to deliver multiple strikes or keeping enemies back for fear of being hit by the blades. The
separated vibro-daggers allowed the user to engage enemies in closer range, where the staff would be
almost useless in striking them (though could still be used to parry). Vibro-Blade Staff, Str+1D+2, reach
+1 meter. Separated Vibro-Blades, Str+2D.

GAME DESIGN NOTES:

For the most part, I based the Snoke's Praetorian Guard off the Emperor Palpatine's Imperial Royal
Guard. The differences are, where the Royal Guard could be expected to perform other duties for the
Emperor on occasion that took them away from the throne room, Snoke's Praetorian Guard seem
trained, equipped, and overall set up to always be present in Snoke's throne room for his personal
protection, and never leave his side. With that in mind, any skills that aided in their roles as bodyguards
either stayed the same or were improved. Any skills that detracted from this were reduced or
removed. Also, any skills fitting their background are laft the same, enhanced, or added in if they were
not there to begin with. For example, their Stamnia skill is improved due to the nature of their armor and
the pain it causes them. Their Attributes are also shifted around from that of the Royal Guard as
Mechanical and Technical are less important when devoted to the role of a bodyguard, but enhanced
Perception would be much more important.

Behind The Scenes

"The Emperor's guards were very formal, and you always got the sense that they could fight, but they
didn't. They looked like they were more ceremonial, and you never really saw them in action. The
Praetorians, my brief to Michael Kaplan was that those guys have to be more like samurai. They have to
be built to move, and you have to believe that they could step forward and engage if they have to. They
have to seem dangerous."
-Rian Johnson

Rian Johnson, the writer and director of The Last Jedi, wanted the Praetorian Guards to be built to
move, to seem dangerous, more like samurai; in contrast to the Emperor's Royal Guards, which looked
very formal and ceremonial. The Praetorian Guards' costume was designed by Michael Kaplan in parallel
to Johnson's vision. The guards were named after the real-life Praetorian Guard whose members served
as personal bodyguards to the Roman emperors.

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