Niman Disciple

Of the 6 Career Skills, choose 3 to get a free rank. Of the 4 Specialization Skills, choose 2 to get a free rank.

Consular Career Skills: Cool, Discipline, Knowledge (Education), Knowledge (Lore), Leadership and Negotiation

Niman Disciple Specialization Skills: Discipline, Leadership, Lightsaber and Negotiation

The Consular begins play with a Force rating of 1

Even the most accomplished of negotiators can see negotiations fail and come to violence. In the time of the Republic, many Jedi peacemakers trained with the lightsaber to prepare themselves for that eventuality. Today, Consulars who wish to do the same can focus on self-defense and gain a working knowledge of lightsaber combat by following the path of the Niman Disciple.

Niman Disciples remain focused on working with groups of individuals to come to a peaceful accord, but they acknowledge that the road to that accord may be fraught with danger. These skills can make surviving in a treacherous environment much more possible.

Due to Consulars’ naturally compassionate nature, this path centers on developing defensive measures in concert with negotiation techniques. In general, the associated combat techniques are focused on survival and defense instead of attack. Also, due to the Consular’s emphasis on mental discipline and self control, the Niman Disciple puts more emphasis on integrating his Force abilities into his fighting style, using the Force as his ally to defeat dangerous foes.

Potential Backgrounds

  • Failed Initiate: Few of those in the Jedi Service Corps received formal lightsaber instruction, making the Niman Disciple a rarity when it comes to this background. Instead, most of them find themselves intuitively practicing the techniques of the Niman, as if the Force itself were guiding them, leading them along this path. They have little desire to inflict violence upon others, but in the wake of the Jedi Order’s destruction, they recognize that there are many cherished things, people, and even ideals that are worth defending.
  • Rogue Scholar: The art of the lightsaber has been lost with the destruction of the Jedi Order. Niman Disciples study what few fragmentary texts remain or searches for hidden practitioners who might have been masters of the iconic Jedi weapon. The practice of wielding a lightsaber is a study unto itself. Niman Disciples echo duelists of the past, rediscover lost techniques, and carry on the legacy of this forbidden weapon so they might find a brighter tomorrow. Because the Niman style focuses heavily on inner peace and serenity, these rogue scholars seek to become a simple stillness in a galaxy torn apart by conflict. Each secret they discover can be felt in the gentle hum of this ancient weapon.
  • Relic Seeker: Naturally, Niman Disciples who scour the galaxy for relics focus their investigation on lost lightsaber technology. This goes beyond the obvious search for crystals and construction methods; many Niman Disciples seek out instructional texts and holocrons, as well as any remaining records that discuss the philosophy behind the art of the lightsaber. For all Jedi, and especially Niman Disciples, wielding the weapon of the lost order is as much a spiritual exercise as a physical one—if not more so.
  • Wandering Diplomat: Though much of their training focuses on the lightsaber, Niman Disciples make excellent negotiators and diplomats. They recognize that a weapon should only be drawn if the wielder is willing to use it. As such, when they do ignite their lightsabers, it is done as an act of protection—to defuse violence before there is no turning back. By staving off greater violence with lesser methods, they can sue for peace when the dust settles and cooler heads can prevail.