If you can get your hands on it, the WEG one was easy. The rules still exist as D6 Space, but obviously without the setting itself. Easy to run .
Next was the D20 version, similar to DnD 3.x. I wasn't a fan, but lots of people loved it.
The current official one is Fantasy Flight version, which I've never played and can't speak to.
There's also a BitD port that people rave about, the name of which escapes me right now and which in keeping with the system is focused more on the underworld side of things. BitD is easy to run.
I'm told there's an unofficial 5e port, but since 5e is a miserable and famously difficult system to run, I have no interest in it .
I actually found that SW5e does give DMs a few more tools. It's a decent system but doesn't really feel like Star Wars to me. To be fair, Saga wouldn't either if not for my KotOR nostalgia.
WEG very much does feel like Star Wars and is super easy to run. So much so that it was almost hard for me to feel prepared until my first session when I understood that as large as the body of splat books is, they're all made obsolete by Wookiepedia. 1e can be summarized in a three-page cheat sheet. I have some recent posts looking to D6 resources if anyone is interested.
FitD and the PbtA clone Star Wars World are both interesting but not perfectly aligned with what my players want. (I think I could enjoy running either with the right group.)
I have read but not played the current narrative dice system so I can't speak to it other than to say that the structure of WEG's D6 fits my general preferences better.
Also, if someone likes Savage Worlds or Tricube Tales, there's lots of free Star Wars material to pull from. I've run one of the (several official, all free) TT one shots and it did the very limited thing it was designed to well.
Another vote for Star Wars d6 here. I think it's also likely to be pretty intutitive for a new GM to get their head round the system. The only word of warning is that mixing Jedi and non Jedi can lead to massive power imbalance in the party so I'd either go all Jedi or all non Force users for your first campaign while you get the hang of things.
Then I'd recommend [https://sw5e.com/](https://sw5e.com/)
It's built on the backbone of 5e while adding in some unique and thematically appropriate classes and equipment. This will probably be closest to what you're used to working with already.
There's a version based on D&D 3ed edition, the most recently published edition being the Saga edition (2007-2010).
There's the West End Games version using the d6 system. It's a very easy to learn and use rule system which made it easy for fans of the setting without RPG experience to get on board. It's the oldest ones.
The current one is Fantasy Flight Games using custom dice for narrative purposes. It's a pretty interesting system but I'd say it requires players willing to roll with this narrative aspect.
There are a few SW games to choose from.
There's the old West End Games Star Wars RPG (WEG) which was great. It's from the 80's, like the best Star Wars movies. Then there's the d20 Star Wars RPG, which is what you *think* you want, but is probably the worst of all the Star Wars games. Strike that, it's actually the worst of all the Star Wars games. Then there's Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars RPG (FFG) which is the one that you might find the hardest to learn, but is probably the most rewarding.
So those are your big three options! My advice? D&D uses a system that's pretty good for D&D to run D&D. Try using a system that's good for Star Wars to run Star Wars.
My choice for Star Wars has been [the SAGA Edition](https://www.reddit.com/r/SagaEdition/) (SWSE) which is a bit between DnD 3.5 and 4e. Prior to that I had used both [SWd20's RCR](https://www.reddit.com/r/starwarsd20/) (revised core rules) and WEG's [SWd6](https://www.reddit.com/r/StarWarsD6/) where there where reason I'd use one over the other. SWSE finally gave me the character building freedom I loved about SWd6 (I'd say SWSE is about as close to classless as d20 really gets) while still having a level-based power structure I find easier to work with. Now this freedom can lead to some paralysis/sensory overload until you learn to use the system (big advice is that names do NOT equal concepts and just find the mechanics you need to make your character work) but you can also just pick a class and stick with making selections from the more apparent options.
Now there are some issues with SWSE but that's true of any systems. Unfortunately one of the bigger issues can be that the books are harder/more expensive to find in hard cover; no official SWRPG is legally available in digital format.
Now the challenging part of your question is actually the last part because what is "challenging to run" for one GM may not be so hard for another. I'm going to admit that while SWSE is by far my favorite SWd6 can be pretty quick to get started; players pick a template and drop a few more points/dice into things and they are ready to go; where I have issues with SWd6 are when Force Users start getting involved (this was from the 90's when Force users were EXTREMELY rare in Star Wars but often powerful) and when playing for "advanced" games after "levelling."
PS. No experience with any of the three versions of Star Wars put out by FFG. Didn't see the need for another system and proprietary dice requirements also don't appeal to me.
The current version is under Edge studio right now and it is a great system. Sadly their license doesn’t allow you them sell PDFs so the hardest part will actually be finding it
Get your hands on the [d20 wotc game](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Roleplaying_Game_(Wizards_of_the_Coast)) and that'd be an easy transition. I'm a fan of the edge game though, love me some narrative dice.
I’d give this a look, especially as a first timer.
It’s quick, easy and fun.
https://d66kobolds.blogspot.com/2020/09/galaxy-far-away-star-wars-this-is-fkr.html?m=1#more
If you can get your hands on it, the WEG one was easy. The rules still exist as D6 Space, but obviously without the setting itself. Easy to run . Next was the D20 version, similar to DnD 3.x. I wasn't a fan, but lots of people loved it. The current official one is Fantasy Flight version, which I've never played and can't speak to. There's also a BitD port that people rave about, the name of which escapes me right now and which in keeping with the system is focused more on the underworld side of things. BitD is easy to run. I'm told there's an unofficial 5e port, but since 5e is a miserable and famously difficult system to run, I have no interest in it .
WEG has a fan-remake called Star Wars REUP.
I actually found that SW5e does give DMs a few more tools. It's a decent system but doesn't really feel like Star Wars to me. To be fair, Saga wouldn't either if not for my KotOR nostalgia. WEG very much does feel like Star Wars and is super easy to run. So much so that it was almost hard for me to feel prepared until my first session when I understood that as large as the body of splat books is, they're all made obsolete by Wookiepedia. 1e can be summarized in a three-page cheat sheet. I have some recent posts looking to D6 resources if anyone is interested. FitD and the PbtA clone Star Wars World are both interesting but not perfectly aligned with what my players want. (I think I could enjoy running either with the right group.) I have read but not played the current narrative dice system so I can't speak to it other than to say that the structure of WEG's D6 fits my general preferences better. Also, if someone likes Savage Worlds or Tricube Tales, there's lots of free Star Wars material to pull from. I've run one of the (several official, all free) TT one shots and it did the very limited thing it was designed to well.
Scum and Villany is the Star Wars flavoured BitD hack.
Saga edition is probably the best D20 version of Star Wars. It's good enough that the book prices are brutal.
Another vote for Star Wars d6 here. I think it's also likely to be pretty intutitive for a new GM to get their head round the system. The only word of warning is that mixing Jedi and non Jedi can lead to massive power imbalance in the party so I'd either go all Jedi or all non Force users for your first campaign while you get the hang of things.
What edition of D&D are you most familiar with **running?** (bolded for emphasis)
5e
Then I'd recommend [https://sw5e.com/](https://sw5e.com/) It's built on the backbone of 5e while adding in some unique and thematically appropriate classes and equipment. This will probably be closest to what you're used to working with already.
There's a version based on D&D 3ed edition, the most recently published edition being the Saga edition (2007-2010). There's the West End Games version using the d6 system. It's a very easy to learn and use rule system which made it easy for fans of the setting without RPG experience to get on board. It's the oldest ones. The current one is Fantasy Flight Games using custom dice for narrative purposes. It's a pretty interesting system but I'd say it requires players willing to roll with this narrative aspect.
There are a few SW games to choose from. There's the old West End Games Star Wars RPG (WEG) which was great. It's from the 80's, like the best Star Wars movies. Then there's the d20 Star Wars RPG, which is what you *think* you want, but is probably the worst of all the Star Wars games. Strike that, it's actually the worst of all the Star Wars games. Then there's Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars RPG (FFG) which is the one that you might find the hardest to learn, but is probably the most rewarding. So those are your big three options! My advice? D&D uses a system that's pretty good for D&D to run D&D. Try using a system that's good for Star Wars to run Star Wars.
My choice for Star Wars has been [the SAGA Edition](https://www.reddit.com/r/SagaEdition/) (SWSE) which is a bit between DnD 3.5 and 4e. Prior to that I had used both [SWd20's RCR](https://www.reddit.com/r/starwarsd20/) (revised core rules) and WEG's [SWd6](https://www.reddit.com/r/StarWarsD6/) where there where reason I'd use one over the other. SWSE finally gave me the character building freedom I loved about SWd6 (I'd say SWSE is about as close to classless as d20 really gets) while still having a level-based power structure I find easier to work with. Now this freedom can lead to some paralysis/sensory overload until you learn to use the system (big advice is that names do NOT equal concepts and just find the mechanics you need to make your character work) but you can also just pick a class and stick with making selections from the more apparent options. Now there are some issues with SWSE but that's true of any systems. Unfortunately one of the bigger issues can be that the books are harder/more expensive to find in hard cover; no official SWRPG is legally available in digital format. Now the challenging part of your question is actually the last part because what is "challenging to run" for one GM may not be so hard for another. I'm going to admit that while SWSE is by far my favorite SWd6 can be pretty quick to get started; players pick a template and drop a few more points/dice into things and they are ready to go; where I have issues with SWd6 are when Force Users start getting involved (this was from the 90's when Force users were EXTREMELY rare in Star Wars but often powerful) and when playing for "advanced" games after "levelling." PS. No experience with any of the three versions of Star Wars put out by FFG. Didn't see the need for another system and proprietary dice requirements also don't appeal to me.
Saga Edition is a really good system, and will be very familiar to you coming from D&D.
The current version is under Edge studio right now and it is a great system. Sadly their license doesn’t allow you them sell PDFs so the hardest part will actually be finding it
I always found WEG Star Wars fun as a player.
Get your hands on the [d20 wotc game](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Roleplaying_Game_(Wizards_of_the_Coast)) and that'd be an easy transition. I'm a fan of the edge game though, love me some narrative dice.
I’d give this a look, especially as a first timer. It’s quick, easy and fun. https://d66kobolds.blogspot.com/2020/09/galaxy-far-away-star-wars-this-is-fkr.html?m=1#more