“The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.”

–Princess Leia Organa

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce Desperate Allies, a new career supplement for the Star Wars®: Age of Rebellion™ Roleplaying Game!

Desperate Allies is a sourcebook for Diplomats of all kinds, inviting you to join in tense negotiations, make last-second deals, and spread hope in a galaxy consumed by fear of the Empire. Within this supplement, you’ll find plenty of new opportunities and tools for Diplomats, including three new playable species and three new specializations, along with new items and vehicles well suited for diplomatic missions. You’ll also find rules for establishing Rebel bases, allowing you to enrich your campaign with diplomatic embassies, covert intel outposts, secure safehouses, or any other bases you can imagine.

Feeding the Fire

The Alliance to Restore the Republic is committed to fighting the Empire, but not all battles are fought with blasters. Diplomats use their words to fight for a better future. They convince new systems and factions to declare their support for the Rebel Alliance. They supply troops on the front lines with much-needed weapons, tools, and provisions. They spread hope for a brighter future in a galaxy choking on fear of the Empire.

Diplomats can come from all walks of life and serve many functions within the Rebel Alliance. They may have been politicians or Senators before the rise of Emperor Palpatine, or they may have come from much more lowly origins. A Diplomat might have extensive schooling, or may just have a knack for getting the right equipment to the right people. No matter what background or specialization your Diplomat may have, you’ll find plenty to learn and take advantage of in Desperate Allies.

For more on the new additions included in Desperate Allies, we turn to lead developer Max Brooke.

Developer Max Brooke on Desperate Allies

Desperate Allies is a sourcebook for Diplomats and all other representatives of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, giving Age of Rebellion players and GMs new tools to tell stories of politics, intrigue, and dramatic twists. This book offers three new species with long histories as diplomats: the cunning Neimoidians, the wise Caamasi, and the calculating Gossams. Additionally, Desperate Allies features three new Diplomat specializations. The Advocate, Analyst, and Propagandist provide your Diplomats with unique new avenues for development, and give other characters access to potent social abilities that their careers might otherwise lack. This supplement also includes new backgrounds, motivations, and two powerful signature abilities to give Diplomats an edge.

Tools of the trade are as important in negotiations as they are in the cockpit or on the battlefield, and Desperate Allies has numerous iconic and novel examples of weapons, armor, gear, and equipment that emissaries of the Rebel Alliance use to complete their important tasks. You may find a lightweight and elegant blaster pistol to rely on, or use your resplendent robes to command the attention of a room. Diplomats need transport as well, so this book has a selection of vessels ideal for diplomatic missions – and for evading or outflying the Empire when a job turns dangerous! The life of a Diplomat is rarely a peaceful one in the Rebel Alliance, and the tools and equipment in Desperate Allies give Diplomats the best chance of surviving their adventures.

In addition to the wealth of new character options it includes, Desperate Allies provides GMs with guidance and rules to enhance their social encounters and create moments for Diplomat characters to shine. Players will be able join in the negotiation and deals required to bring new soldiers and star systems into the Rebellion. Desperate Allies also features a number of modular encounters and adventure outlines that focus on diplomacy – without depriving players of the fast-paced action and adventure they expect from Star Wars roleplaying! These resources can be used to underscore the theme of intrigue in ongoing Age of Rebellion campaigns or to create stories with a focus on politics and power.

Finally, this volume contains the rules for creating Rebel bases, which GMs and players can use to construct and develop their own fortresses and hideouts. Your Diplomats can use these rules to establish embassies, but every character in Age of Rebellion can take advantage of the chance for a secure safehouse.

Desperate Allies invites you to partake in the galactic politics of Age of Rebellion, assisting players and GMs alike in bringing this vibrant part of the Star Wars universe to life!

The Stylus Is Mightier than the Sword

War is a central theme of Age of Rebellion, but without the Diplomats who envision a better life, warfare is just meaningless bloodshed. Diplomats ensure that soldiers have the support they need to wage war, but more importantly, they give the troops reasons to fight – to liberate the galaxy and to see something better built on the ashes of the Galactic Empire.

Look for Desperate Allies at your local retailer in the second quarter of 2015!