A Guide To Building a Character in Star Wars TTRPGs: Choosing a Species
- Jess Bardin
- Feb 2
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 11
So you've decided to create your own character instead of using one of the pre-made ones that come with the Beginner Game. Just like with any TTRPG, the character sheet can look a little daunting if you've never filled it out before. That's why we're going through the character creation process step-by-step to help you out.
When you’re creating a character in the Star Wars TTRPG, species is the first choice that actually affects your numbers. Before careers, before skills, before talents, the game asks a quieter question: what kind of starting shape does this character have?
What Species Actually Does Mechanically in a Star Wars TTRPG
If you've played D&D, you might be surprised by how important species is in Age of Rebellion, Edge of the Empire, and Force & Destiny. After all, it's your class that you generally choose first in D&D because it guides all of your other choices, including your race. But here, it's the species that needs to come first.
Species in this system isn’t about locking you into a role or telling you what you’re allowed to be good at. Instead, it sets your baseline — your starting characteristics, how much experience you have to customize them, and a handful of innate traits that give your character texture from the start.
Every species in the Star Wars TTRPG defines a few key things:
Starting characteristics
Some species begin with higher values in certain characteristics and lower values in others. This doesn’t tell you what you must do — it just nudges you toward things you’ll be naturally better at early on.
Starting experience (XP)
Species with stronger or more specialized starting characteristics usually receive less XP to spend, while more flexible species get more. This is one of the system’s built-in balancing tools.
Wound and strain thresholds
These affect how much punishment your character can take and how long they can push themselves before needing to recover.
Species abilities or traits
These are usually small but flavorful: a skill bonus, a natural aptitude, or a situational edge that reinforces how the species feels in play.
Taken together, these choices influence how your character feels at the beginning of a campaign — not where they end up.
The Real Trade-Off: Specialization vs Flexibility
One of the most helpful ways to think about species is in terms of specialization versus flexibility.
Some species start with higher characteristics in specific areas but less XP. These characters tend to feel very competent in a narrow band right away. Others start more evenly, with more XP to shape their abilities however you like.
Neither option is better. They just answer different questions:
Do I want to be immediately strong at a few things?
Or do I want more room to customize my character from the ground up?
Both approaches work. Both show up at real tables all the time.
Species Is About Early Emphasis, Not Long-Term Limits
A common worry for new players is that choosing the “wrong” species will hurt their character forever. In practice, that’s not how the game plays.
Characteristics can be increased later. Skills will grow. Talents will change how your character functions in meaningful ways. Over time, characters diverge based far more on choices made in play than on where they started.
Species matters most in the early sessions, when dice pools are small, and every advantage is noticeable. As campaigns go on, those differences soften, and character identity comes from actions, decisions, and relationships rather than starting math.
How To Choose a Species Without Overthinking It
When you’re stuck, it helps to ask a very simple question:
What do I want to be rolling for most often?
If you imagine your character talking their way through situations, fixing things under pressure, flying when everything’s on the line, or standing toe-to-toe with danger, species can gently support that preference without defining it.
After that, let yourself choose based on tone, story, or just what sounds fun. The system is resilient enough to handle imperfect choices — and flexible enough to reward characters who grow in unexpected directions.
Species Options in Star Wars TTRPGs: Edge of the Empire, Age of Rebellion, and Force & Destiny
Different species appear in different books. Some are introduced in the Beginner Games, others in the core rulebooks, and many more are added in supplements. Which species you have access to depends on how your GM is running the game. Some tables stick closely to a single Beginner Game or core book. Others freely mix options from all three lines. Neither approach is more “correct”—it’s simply a table decision.
Mechanically, all species follow the same design rules. Where they come from affects availability, not how they work.
Humans (Available Everywhere)
Humans appear in every Beginner Game and every core rulebook, and they’re intentionally designed as the most flexible option.
Mechanical lean: More starting XP and balanced characteristics
What that means: You have more freedom to customize your character’s stats and skills during creation
Trade-off: Fewer built-in species abilities compared to more specialized species
Humans are a strong choice if you’re unsure where you want to specialize yet, or if you want your early choices to stay as open as possible.
Species Commonly Found in Star Wars: Edge of the Empire
These species tend to emphasize survival, physicality, or operating on the fringes of society.
Twi’leks – Often start with bonuses that support Presence-based checks. Lean toward social interaction and negotiation; typically slightly lower physical thresholds.
Wookiees – Higher starting Brawn and higher wound thresholds. Very durable and physically powerful early on, usually with less starting XP.
Rodians – Bonuses tied to Perception and initiative-related play. Good at spotting danger and acting quickly; more narrowly focused.
Trandoshans – High resilience and regeneration-related traits. Excel in sustained physical conflict, with fewer social or subtle advantages.
Droids – Highly customized characteristics and unique strain rules. Extremely flexible at creation, but with social limitations and upkeep considerations.
Species Commonly Found in Star Wars: Age of Rebellion
These species often support teamwork, technical roles, and leadership-focused play.
Bothans – Bonuses related to Cunning-based skills. Strong at espionage, investigation, and information gathering.
Duros – Aptitudes tied to Agility and piloting. Very comfortable in cockpit-heavy or travel-focused games.
Mon Calamari – Bonuses leaning toward Intellect or Presence. Well-suited to technical, leadership, or support roles, with lower physical resilience.
Droids – As above. Excellent specialists in technical or medical roles.
Species Commonly Found in Star Wars: Force and Destiny
These species are often designed to support Force sensitivity and perception-heavy play.
Mirialans – Bonuses that interact well with Force powers and discipline. Often feel focused and precise, with clear early strengths.
Nautolans – Strong sensory traits and perception-related advantages. Excellent awareness and situational control.
Togruta – Spatial awareness and group-oriented traits. Naturally good at reading combat spaces and working alongside others.
Zabrak – Higher endurance and strain-related advantages. Resilient and driven, able to push themselves harder than most.
Cereans – Elevated Intellect and lower physical durability. Excellent for knowledge-focused or contemplative Force users.
How To Choose Your Species
Species choice shapes your starting math, not your character’s destiny. Over time, skills, talents, and story decisions matter far more than where you began. Pick something that supports how you want to play now, whether that's stats or your character's backstory, and trust the system to support where the character grows next.
Check out our podcast, Finding Atoria, to hear us talk about our own character creation in our Session Zero for these games.
Comments