THE DOWN AND OUT
The player may decide that the character comes from humble or hardscrabble beginnings. Perhaps he was a moisture farmer on some barren world, an indentured servant working for the Hutts, or abandoned from a young age to survive in the depths of Coruscant's underworld. This character starts out knowing that life is nasty, brutish, and short and probably has seen friends and family members die from malnutrition, disease, or violence and witnessed tremendous injustice done to the weak or vulnerable.

Despite (or because of) this harsh, early view of the universe, characters from this type of background strive to better themselves and do their utmost to escape their plight. The character either trains incessantly, picking up knowledge any way that he can, or simply is tough and resourceful enough to go out on his own.

However, leaving this rough-and-tumble life might not be as easy as it seems. The character may still have family left behind in squalor, former comrades that take a dim view of him leaving a gang, or former "employers" that want the character to finish up their "contracts."

Source(s): Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook, Page 36

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
The simplest reason for a character to live on the fringes of society is the basic desire to grasp some opportunity or challenge oneself. A character from a hard, poor background may strive to better himself and jumps at the first chance to improve his lot. A well-off character may be bored with the steady rhythms of high society or realizes that his chances for advancement must come from his own hard work rather than waiting for things to occur. Lastly, this could be as simple as making a spur of the moment decision to board a starship bound for some far-flung part of the galaxy.

Source(s): Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook, Page 37

DUTY TO TRADITION
Even at the height of the Empire's power, the Force still plays a major cultural role on some worlds. In less sophisticated cultures. Force-sensitives may occupy leadership roles as shamans or spiritual advisors. Individuals could be inducted into an order during their early childhood. so that they could engage in a rigorous course of study. Such trainees are seldom given any other option but to embrace their education. The ability to manipulate the Force provides them with a moral obligation to use it for the betterment of their culture and the greater galaxy beyond it. The character may be selfless in making decisions to help others and may face the consequences which come from intuitive self-sacrifice.

Source(s): Force and Destiny Core Rulebook, Page 46

DRIVE
The Age of Rebellion Core Rulebook includes an ample list of Motivations, broken into three distinct types: Beliefs, Connections, and Quests. When a character is created, players either freely choose Motivations for their characters or roll randomly on the Motivation tables to select them. The rules for determining a character’s Motivation can be found starting on page 104 of the Age of Rebellion Core Rulebook.

Source(s): Lead by Example, Page 37

GUILT
The Commander is motivated to keep his troops alive due to the guilt he inevitably feels when they die under his command. He spends many waking hours analyzing his orders, as well as the events surrounding them, in an attempt to assuage his anguish for the lives he feels he's lost.

Source(s): Lead by Example, Page 37

DEDICATION (STRENGTH)

The character does not do things halfway. He takes every responsibility to its end and he commits his full power to everything he does.

Source(s): Keeping the Peace, Page 17

OBSESSION (WEAKNESS)
Sometimes, interest in something can turn to obsession if not tempered with reason. The character can slip into an obsessive state about his need to discover information, accomplish a goal, or even defeat a rival, and he may ignore all else until success is his.

Source(s): Force and Destiny Core Rulebook, Page 50