Dueling Sabers Feedback & Discussion

[CRMcNeill]

I've been working on a rule system that is a good representation (IMO) of cinematic lightsaber combat, as well as incorporating the additional information provided in the E2 and E3 film novels and the Star Wars Insider Lightsaber combat article.

I've been a big fan of the Dueling Blades optional rule for some time, as I don't think the RAW does a good job of representing lightsaber combat. In the films, we see Jedi and Sith making as much as a dozen attacks or parries in the course of one combat round, and the RAW version of attack vs. parry does not represent that well.

In addition, there are other aspects of melee combat that are not well represented in the RAW, specifically Stamina in combat, psychological warfare, and the special techniques such as hilt strikes, takedowns and such.

I've come up with a detailed version that I think covers most of the bases. It's based off Bren's result chart from his "yet another Lightsaber variant" thread, with input from others on this forum. I'm going to post a section at a time...
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

KEY SKILLS:
Lightsaber + Advanced Form are the skills used for the initiative roll and to make the combat roll for the round. In addition, the Advanced Form also provides a bonus to specific combat situations.
Willpower & Intimidation are used to settle psychological attacks with the Dun Moch / Form Zero techniques (Although Persuasion and/or Con may be used in place of Intimidation at the GM's discretion, depending on the desired result)
Stamina is used to determine fatigue levels, and to roll to resist fatigue in drawn-out duels.
Control & Sense are used not only for the Lightsaber Combat power, but also for generating bonuses. Control ads to Willpower for Dun Moch / Form Zero combat, to Stamina to determine a one-time bonus for that combat, and to Form IV to generate its general combat bonus. Sense generates the attack bonus to Intimidation for psychological combat.

BEFORE THE DUEL BEGINS:
1). Bring Lightsaber Combat up, preferably splitting the Control and Sense rolls between rounds, so as to avoid MAPs.
2). Use the Control roll from Lightsaber Combat to generate Stamina bonus (+1 for every 2 points of success above Moderate Difficulty on the Control roll).
3). Generate Fatigue Value (Roll Stamina + bonus, then record the result). As combat progresses, you will track the increasing Stamina difficulty for your character (Very Easy + Form modifier), but you will not roll Stamina until the Stamina difficulty matches or exceeds the Fatigue Value.
4). If your character is a Form IV adept, use the Control roll to generate your combat bonus, as per the rules of Form IV.
5). Roll combined Lightsaber dice for initiative. The initiative winner gets to make some critical choices about the combat situation, and only loses the initiative under certain conditions

THE DUEL:
1). The initiative winner may then choose to make a psychological attack (see the rules for Dun Moch / Form Zero), subsequently applying any penalty generated to the combat roll
2). Both combatants roll their combined Lightsaber dice (plus bonuses, if any), then check for the combat result on the appropriate table (Offense or Defense, depending on whose roll is higher).
3). Apply the appropriate Stamina modifier to the Base Difficulty of Very Easy (5), based on what form your character was using and whether he was attacking, defending or resting.
4). Return to number 1 and repeat.

THE IMPORTANCE OF INITIATIVE IN THIS SYSTEM:
1). Winner gets to choose Attack or Defense
2). Winner gets to choose the Combat Range (Optional Rule)
3). Winner may choose to make a Dun Moch / Form Zero attack (Optional Rule)
4). Winner keeps initiative unless:

A). Winner rolls a Wild Die 1, or the loser rolls a Wild Die 6 (re-roll initiative)
B). Winner rolls a Wild Die 1 and Loser rolls a Wild Die 6 (initative switches automatically)
C). Winner takes a hit that does Stun damage or greater (initiative switches automatically)

_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[Esoomian]

It seems like it could be good but I'd only ever consider using a system like this if I had a one GM one Player style game otherwise it just seems like too much and would leave the other PCs with nothing to do.
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[CRMcNeill]

RESOLVING COMBAT:

Step 1: The initiative winner chooses to either attack or defend

Step 2: Both sides declare what result they wish to achieve. The choices are Normal, Stun, Disarm, Knockdown, Grapple or Feint, with Normal as default.

Step 3: Both sides roll their combined Lightsaber dice, then apply the result to the Offense or Defense chart, depending on which character rolled higher.

Step 4: Apply the given result. The winning duelist may choose to inflict a lesser result, but must select from the result he declared at the beginning of the round.

OFFENSE
0-5 = Stalemate
6-9 = Forced Back
10-13 = Off Balance
14-17 = Level 1 Result
18-21 = Level 2 Result
22-25 = Level 3 Result
26+ = Level 4 Result

DEFENSE*
0-10 = Stalemate
11-14 = Forced Back
15-18 = Off Balance
19-22 = Level 1 Result
23-26 = Level 2 Result
27-30 = Level 3 Result
31+ = Level 4 Result
*The result difficulties on the Defense chart are one level higher than the Offense chart, reflecting the increased difficulty of performing special moves while reacting to the actions of others (as well as counterbalancing the advantages Defense has with regards to Stamina rolls).


RESULT CHARTS:
Common Result
Bind = In the next round, both sides replace Lightsaber roll with opposed Strength or Lifting rolls. The loser suffers a Forced Back result (see below)
Stalemate = Neither side gains or loses any advantage. Combat continues as normal next round.
Forced Back = Loser must move away from winner, or winner gains +1D to next action
Off Balance = Winner gains +1D to next action or can make a Force attach (such as Force Lightning or Force Push)

Normal Result
Level 1 = Glancing Blow (Normal damage w/ max result of Wounded)
Level 2 = Solid Blow (Normal damage w/ max result of Incapacitated)
Level 3 = Serious Blow (Normal damage w/ max result of Mortally Wounded)
Level 4 = Deadly Blow (Normal damage w/ max result of Killed)

Stun Result
Level 1 = Glancing Blow (Stun damage w/ max result of 1 Stun)
Level 2 = Solid Blow (Stun damage w/ max result of 2 Stuns)
Level 3 = Serious Blow (Stun damage w/ max result of 3 Stuns)
Level 4 = Powerful Blow (Stun damage w/ max result of 4 Stuns)
Note: For the purposes of lightsaber combat, multiple Stunned results stack (i.e. 2 Stunned results equal a -2D penalty), and wear off at a rate of 1D per round.

Disarm Result
Level 1 = Simple Disarm (Weapon lost, but can be retrieved with a standard action, with the attendant -1D MAP)
Level 2 = Serious Disarm (Weapon lost and flies 1D meters in a random direction. Character incurs a MAP for picking up the weapon, in addition to any MAPs for moving to get to the weapon)
Level 3 = Weapon Strike (Weapon struck by opponent and takes normal damage. Loser can choose to downgrade to Serious Disarm on a Lightsaber reaction skill check @ +5 standard difficulty, but weapon lands 2D meters away instead of 1D)
Level 4 = Weapon Steal (Weapon lost and taken by opponent)

Knockdown Result
Level 1 = Shove (Victim is forced back off balance and suffers -2D penalty until the end of the next round)
Level 2 = Throw (Victim is knocked prone and must either wait one round to stand or suffer multiple action penalties)
Level 3 = Stunning Throw (Victim is knocked prone and takes Attacker's Strength in Stun damage)
Level 4 = Power Throw (Victim is knocked prone and takes Attacker's Strength in Normal damage)
Note: While knocked Prone, a character lands 1D meters away in a random direction. Standing up is a standard action, and until they stand, the character is limited to Cautious Movement, suffers a -2D penalty to brawling and melee weapons, and -4D to dodge (but gains a +1D bonus to blasters / firearms).

Grappling Result
Level 1 = Weapon Grapple (Opponent's weapon is immobilized, and cannot be used to attack or parry until the grapple is broken. The grappled character cannot move, but may make attacks with his free hand)
Level 2 = Normal Grapple (Opponent is grappled as normal)
Level 3 = Power Grapple (Opponent is grappled as normal, but grappler has +1D advantage for the remainder of the grapple)
Level 4 = Superior Grapple (As above, but grappler has +2D advantage)

Feint Result
Level 1 = Minor Feint (Character is +2D on next combat roll)
Level 2 = Skillful Feint (Character is +3D on next combat roll)
Level 3 = Major Feint (Character is +4D on next combat roll)
Level 4 = Epic Feint (Character is +5D on next combat roll).
Note: This result table incorporates the combat disciplines of Sokan and Trakata, and serves as a blanket term to cover all the dirty tricks a Jedi may attempt in combat
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

THE SEVEN LIGHTSABER FORMS:

Form I - Shii-Cho (Basic Lightsaber Skill)
Capsule: Millennia before the Clone Wars, advanced technology replaced metal swords with energy-beam lightsabers. In this transition, the first Form was born. Jedi Masters created Form I from ancient sword fighting traditions, since the principles of blade combat remained much the same. The basics of attack, parry, body target zones, and the practice drills called velocities are all here. Despite the various Advanced Forms available to the Jedi, some choose to focus exclusively on the fundamentals and simplicity of Form I.
Stamina Modifier: +2 attack/+1 defense

(A) Form II - Makashi
Capsule: The ultimate refinement of lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat became Form II. Form II adepts focus on precision, elegance and economy of motion, advancing the precision of blade manipulation to its finest possible degree and producing the greatest dueling masters the galaxy has ever seen. Today, Form II is an archaism studied by almost no one in the Jedi Order, because it is not relevant to current tactical situations, in which Jedi enemies rarely fight with lightsabers. Even with the resurgence of the Sith, confrontation of an enemy with a lightsaber is an exceedingly rare prospect for a Jedi, so they continue to focus on more practical Forms. Sith expecting to battle lightsaber-wielding Jedi, however, find Form II a powerful technique.
Prerequisites:
Lightsaber 6D
Brawling 6D
Dodge 5D
Advantage: Bonus equal to character's Form II skill dice is applied to lightsaber vs. lightsaber or brawling combat.
Stamina Modifier: +1 attack/+0 defense

(A) Form III - Soresu
Capsule: The third great lightsaber discipline was first developed in response to the advancement of blaster technology in the galaxy. As these weapons spread widely into the hands of evildoers, Jedi had to develop unique means of defending themselves. Form III thus arose from "laserblast" deflection training. Over the centuries it has transcended this origin to become a highly refined expression of non-aggressive Jedi philosophy. Form III maximizes defensive protection in a style characterized by tight, efficient movements that expose minimal target area compared to the relatively open style of some of the other forms.
Obi-Wan Kenobi takes up a dedication to Form III after the death of Qui-Gon Jinn (who favored Form IV), since it was apparent to Kenobi that Jinn's defense was insufficient against the Sith techniques of Darth Maul. True Form III masters are considered invincible. Even in his elder years, Kenobi remains a formidable Form III practitioner.
Prerequisites:
Lightsaber 6D
Brawling 6D
Dodge 5D
Advantage: Bonus equal to character's Form III skill dice is applied to defensive actions with all prerequisite skills.
Stamina Modifier: +1 attack/+0 defense

(A) Form IV - Ataru
Capsule: Form IV is the most acrobatic Form, heavily emphasizing Jedi abilities to run, jump and spin in phenomenal ways by using the Force. Masters of Form IV incorporate all of the ways in which the Force helps them go beyond what is physically possible. Their lightsaber combat is astonishing to watch, filled with elaborate moves in the center of which a Jedi may be all but a blur. Yoda, with his deep emphasis on the Force in all things, is a Form IV master. Form IV was also the chosen discipline of Qui-Gon Jinn and the early choice of his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Prerequisites:
Lightsaber 5D
Brawling 5D
Dodge 5D
Running 5D
Jumping 5D
Control 6D
Note: Must also have the Force ability Enhance Attribute.
Advantage: Ataru has a bonus that is applied to Lightsaber in all combat conditions, as well as to Running and Jumping Move actions. The bonus value is based on the adept's Control roll when he brought up Lightsaber Combat (+1 pip for every point of success). However, the bonus cannot exceed the character's Ataru skill level.
Stamina Modifier: +3 attack/+2 defense

(A) Form V - Djem So
Capsule: During an era when Jedi were called upon to more actively maintain the peace in the galaxy, Form V arose alongside Form IV to address a need for greater power among Jedi. Jedi masters who felt that Form III could be too passive developed Form V. A Form III master might be undefeatable, but neither could he necessarily overcome his enemy. Form V focuses on strength and lightsaber attack moves. This Form exploits the ability of the lightsaber to block a blaster bolt and turns this defensive move into an offensive attack by deflecting the bolt deliberately towards an opponent. A dedication to power and strength necessary to defeat an enemy characterizes the philosophy of Form V, which some Jedi describe by the maxim "peace through superior firepower". To some Jedi Knights, Form V represents a worthy discipline prepared for any threat; to others, Form V seems to foster an inappropriate focus on dominating others.
Prerequisites:
Lightsaber 5D
Brawling 5D
Dodge 5D
Note: Must also have a minimum Strength of 3D.
Advantage: Bonus equal to character's Form V skill dice is applied to Lightsaber and Brawling when attacking or when parrying blaster bolts back at an attacker. In addition, when on attack, Form V adds a +2 modifier to an opponent's Stamina modifier
Stamina Modifier: +2 attack/+1 defense

(A) Form VI - Niman
Capsule: In the time of Palpatine's Chancellorship, Form VI is the standard in Jedi lightsaber training. The Form balances the emphases of other forms with overall moderation, in keeping with the Jedi quest to achieve true harmony and justice without resorting to the rule of power.. It is considered the "diplomat's Form" because it is less intensive in its demands than the other disciplines, allowing Jedi to spend more time developing their skills in perception, political strategy and negotiation. In practice, Form VI is a combination of Forms I, III, IV, and V. Young Jedi spend their first few years studying Form I and then a year or two with each additional Form before completing their training. By comparison, a Form VI master will spend at least ten years studying only that Form after completing the basic Form I training. Form VI well suits the modern Jedi's role in the galaxy, in which a Knight overly trained in martial combat might be at a loss to resolve a complex political conflict between star system. However, full masters of other Forms sometimes consider Form VI to be insufficiently demanding.
Prerequisites:
Lightsaber 5D
Brawling 5D
Dodge 5D
Advantage: Niman has a total bonus equal to the adept's skill level. However, the bonus is distributed between Lightsaber combat and non-combat skills (For every 3 pips, 1 must be spent on the Lightsaber, 1 must be spent on another skill, and 1 can be spent on either at the adept's discretion).
Stamina Modifier: +2 attack/+1 defense

(A) Form VII - Juyo
Capsule: Only high-level masters of multiple Forms can achieve and control the ultimate discipline known as Form VII. This is the most difficult and demanding of all Forms, but it can eventually lead to fantastic power and skill. Form VII employs bold, direct movements, more open and kinetic than Form V, but not so elaborate in appearance as Form IV. In addition to very advanced Force-assisted jumps and movements, Form VII tactics overwhelm opponents with seemingly unconnected staccato sequences, making the Form highly unpredictable in battle. This trait makes for much more difficult execution than the graceful, linked move sequences of Form IV. Form VII requires the intensity of Form V, but much greater energy, since that focus is wielded more broadly. Form VII draws on a deeper well of emotion than even Form V, yet masters it more fully. The outward bearing of a Form VII practitioner is one of calm, but the inner pressure verges on explosion.
Prerequisites:
Lightsaber 6D
Brawling 6D
Dodge 5D
Willpower 7D
Note: Must also have a minimum of 2D in Forms II, III, IV and V.
Advantage: Bonus equal to the character's Form VII skill is applied to Lightsaber and Brawling in all situations. In addition, when on attack, Form VII adds a +1 modifier to an opponent's Stamina modifier.
Complication: Every round of combat with Form VII, the character must make a Willpower check against the character's Form VII roll that round (+5 for each of the character's DSPs). On a failure, the character temporarily gives in to the Dark Side. If he kills or wounds his opponent in that round, he earns a DSP. If he does not, roll again as normal the next round (at +5 difficulty).
Stamina Modifier: +2 attack/+1 defense

(A) Form VII (Enhanced) - Vaapad
Capsule: Vaapad is the current pinnacle of lightsaber technique. An evolution of Form VII, it is still under development as of the beginning of the Clone Wars, as few can achieve the necessary mastery to advance the art. While outwardly similar to Form VII, Vaapad takes Juyo's technique of drawing on a well of deeper emotion and takes it right to the edge of darkness. Not only does the Vaapad adept draw on his own emotions to fuel Form VII's explosive combat prowess, he also draws on the darkness in his opponent and reflects it back out. This potent ability entails great risks to the Jedi, and many Form VII adepts who have attempted to master Vaapad have instead fallen to the Dark Side (such as Depa Billaba and Sora Bulq). Mace Windu is the only current master of Vaapad, and he continues to develop the Form.
Prerequisites:
(A)Form VII - Juyo 4D
Willpower 9D
Note: Unlike Juyo, Vaapad can only be learned by characters who have or have had at least 1 DSP.
Advantage: As Juyo, plus the practitioner receives a +1 bonus for each of his DSPs and for each of his opponent's DSPs. The practitioner must take the bonus from his own DSPs, but may choose to take either all or a portion of his opponent's DSPs as a bonus, as that number affects the complications below).
Complication: As Juyo, but Willpower Difficulty increases by +1 for each of his opponent's DSPs that he uses to enhance his own skill
Stamina Modifier: +2 attack/+1 defense


FORM TECHNIQUES:
These are not strictly separate from the core Seven Forms. Instead, they are techniques developed to incorporate different weapons, weapon styles, or combat conditions into the existing forms. When a technique is used, it is referred to as the technique of the given form (the Shien technique of Djem So, or the Jar'Kai technique of Ataru, for example).
Cost: To learn a technique, the practitioner must pay 10 CPs to learn the core aspects of the technique (as applied to Form I - Shii-Cho). Once the basic technique has been learned, the practitioner may begin to apply that knowledge to other forms (at a cost of 5 CP per form). The practitioner may only apply the technique to one new form per level-up.

Shien
Capsule: This technique covers the use of a normal lightsaber with an unorthodox stance. Examples would include Galen Marek's reversed guard with his saber behind his back, and Nikkos Tyris' reversed guard with the saber down and to the front.
Advantage: A Shien adept gains a bonus of +1D to Lightsaber, due to his opponent's lack of familiarity with the unorthodox stance.

Jar'Kai
Capsule: This technique covers the use of two lightsabers simultaneously; one in each hand.
Advantage: A Jar'Kai adept gains +1D to Lightsaber when wielding dual lightsabers.

Lus-ma
Capsule: This technique covers the use of a light-staff or double-bladed lightsaber.
Advantage: A Lus-ma adept gains +1D to Lightsaber when wielding a Light-Staff, and may divide his Control-based Damage bonus between the saber's blades, subject to declaration before the attack.
Note: Lus-Ma is mentioned only in Labyrinth of Evil as a lightsaber combat technique taught to General Grievous and his Magnaguards, with little or no description. However, since Light-staff Combat lacks an official name, and the Magnaguards all wield staff weapons, I decided to splice the two together.

La'nok
Capsule: This technique covers the use of Telekinesis to control a thrown lightsaber in combat. Unlike other techniques, La'nok need only be learned once, at the basic level.
Advantage: This technique allows the Jedi to use Telekinesis to control his blade from a distance without incurring a MAP.
Note: The name for this technique is my own invention, derived from the Sith Lanvarok disc-throwing weapon.

Trispzest
Capsule: This technique was developed by Jedi with natural flight abilities, allowing them to apply lightsaber combat techniques to airborne battles. As such, Trispzest has also become popular with Form IV practitioners, who often utilize leaps and flips that allow them to utilize Trispzest's aerial combat techniques.
Advantage: The Jedi may use a Lightsaber in the same round as a Move action that involves aerial movement (either flight or leaping) without incurring a MAP.

Craciata
Capsule: This technique allows the Jedi to wield his Lightsaber while riding on an animal or in an open-top vehicle.
Advantage: The Jedi does not incur a MAP for using Beastriding or any Vehicle Operation skill in the same round as Lightsaber and Lightsaber Combat.
Note: The name for this technique is my own invention, dervied from the Cracian Thumper riding animal.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

DUN MOCH & FORM ZERO: FORCE ASSISTED PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE (Optional Rule)

Dun Moch and Form Zero are two sides of the same coin, and constitute the use of psychological warfare in combat between Jedi and Sith. The Sith discipline of Dun Moch seeks to dominate and crush an opponent's spirit, while Form Zero is the Jedi Order's more peaceful counterpart, in which the Jedi seeks to undermine his opponent's commitment to the Dark Side. Using either Dun Moch or Form Zero in lightsaber combat is linked to initiative. Whoever wins initiative for that round may choose to make a pychological attack. He may also choose not to, as MAPs are applied as normal for all skill rolls, and in a pitched battle, the adept may decide that any advantage provided by a successful Dun Moch attack may not be worth the risks elsewhere. However, the initiative winner may still choose to make a Dun Moch attack even if he chooses not to attack physically.

A Dun Moch / Form Zero attack must be declared at the beginning of the round, and incurs an automatic MAP (one for the extra Sense roll and one for the Intimidation roll). If used in the same round as a combat roll, the MAP

To initiate a Dun Moch attack, the attacker rolls his Sense dice, then compares the result to the following table:

1-12 = +1D
13-24 = +2D
25-36 = +3D
37-48 = +4D
(For every additional 12 points, increase the bonus by +1D)

The resulting bonus is added to the Dun Moch adept's Intimidation skill

The defender counters by rolling his Control dice for a bonus on the same table, then adding that bonus to his Willpower skill. If the Dun Moch adept's roll is lower than that of his target, nothing happens. If it is higher, then apply the result to the same result chart above, and apply the result as a penalty to the target character's actions the next round (including any subsequent Dun Moch rolls). The defending character may choose to spend CPs to counter a poor roll, but is limited to a maximum of 5 CPs at a time, as with other reaction skills.

However, Dun Moch is not a guaranteed result, as sometimes the taunting results in a surge of rage or an unexpected bolstering of the opponent's spirit. On a confirmed Wild Dice result (failure by the Dun Moch practitioner or success by his target), the target receives a temporary Force Point that must be used in the next round or it is lost. If the Dun Moch target kills his opponent while using this Force point, he automatically receives a DSP.

Example: Darth Zilla, with 8D Sense and 9D Intimidation is facing Jedi Knight Generic Antilles, with 7D Control and 8D Willpower. Zilla wins the initiative, and chooses to stand fast while initiating a Dun Moch attack, so he rolls his 8D (-1D MAP) Sense for a result of 28 (for +3D bonus). Generic rolls his 7D Control (-1D MAP) for a result of 22 (for a +2D bonus). The two then roll their respective skills: Zilla rolls 11D (9D Intimidation + 3D Sense Bonus - 1D MAP for a result of 37), against Antilles' 9D (8D Willpower + 2D Control Bonus - 1D MAP for a result of 30). Zilla beats Antilles by 7 points, resulting in a -1D penalty to all of his actions the following round.

NOTE: For the purposes of this rule, I limited Dun Moch / Form Zero to Intimidation vs. Willpower rolls only. However, a realistic system would also permit the use of Con or Persuasion vs. Willpower, depending on the circumstances and what result the attacker is trying to achieve. In general, use Intimidation if the attacker is trying to induce fear in his opponent, Con if he is trying to make him angry, and Persuasion if he is trying to seduce him to the Dark Side or cause a Moment of Doubt.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

LOSING YOUR LIGHTSABER (original concept from Bren)

In the movies we frequently see the Jedi and the Sith dropping or having their lightsaber knocked away. On the other hand, we never see them amputate their own limbs, as indicated by the RAW. To make combat more cinematic, add the following two rule modifications.

When a character fails his Lightsaber roll by more than 10 points (or gets a confirmed 1 on a Wild Die Lightsaber roll), he has lost his grip on his weapon. The weapon lands 1D meters away in a random direction determined by the Grenade Scatter chart.

When a character fails his Lightsaber roll by more than 20 points (or gets a confirmed 1 on a Wild Die Lightsaber roll), he injures himself as described in the RAW (This rule will not effect characters dealing normal lightsabers, but may still be a risk for those wielding lightstaves, dual lightsabers or lightwhips).
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

WEAPON RANGES IN MELEE COMBAT (Optional Rule):

Combat Ranges:
Brawling - Knives and other small weapons
Melee - Lightsabers, vibro-swords and the like
Reach - Force-pikes, spears, etc.
Range - Whips and Blaster Pistols (roughly equal to Point Blank range)

1). Spears and similar weapons with reach get a +1D bonus when fighting at Reach range, but suffer a -1D penalty at Melee and -2D at Brawling range.

2). Knives and other small weapons get a +1D bonus when fighting at Brawling, but suffer a -1D penalty at Melee, and -2D at Reach range

3). Medium sized "standard" weapons, like swords, get no bonuses or penalties either way, unless they are facing an opponent armed with a weapon covered in 1) or 2).

4). The combat range is set by who wins initiative. If the guy with the spear is facing a guy with a sword and he wins initiative, he is fighting at a range of his choosing, and has a +1D bonus over his opponent.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

STAMINA IN DUELING:
1). As part of the initial rolls for the duel, each duelist rolls his Stamina (plus a bonus based on the Control roll for bringing up LSC) to generate a baseline number.
2). As combat progresses, the players and the GM track each character's Stamina difficulty total as it increases (Base Difficulty of Very Easy, plus modifiers for the Form being used), but does not actually roll for a Stamina check until the Stamina difficulty matches or exceeds the baseline number.
3). Once the Stamina difficulty baseline has been exceeded by the actual Difficulty number, the character is required to make a Stamina roll every round, with difficulty increasing as normal. If either character fails the Stamina roll, they must make an immediate Willpower check (as per the rules for the Stamina skill) or suffer an automatic Off-Balance result (see above), is subsequently Fatigued (as per the Stamina skill rules), and can no longer attack, just defend.
4). If both sides choose not to engage in physical combat in a round, their Stamina Difficulty number is reduced by -1D.
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

ERATA:

FACING MULTIPLE OPPONENTS
-When facing more than one opponent, a Jedi incurs a penalty of -1D for each additional opponent.
-The multiple opponents, on the other hand, suffer penalties on a sliding scale, depending on how many opponents are involved (as the more there are, the more likely they are to get into each other's way). With two opponents, each suffers a -1 penalty. With 3, the penalty goes up to 1D. With 4, the penalty goes up to 3D. Generally speaking, no more than four opponents may attack a single Jedi with melee weapons at a time, as any more than that and the dueling space gets too crowded.
-As such, a Jedi facing four Sith acolytes suffers a penalty of -3D, but his opponents suffer a similar penalty, as they are forced to work around each other's moves and attacks.


LIGHTSABER VARIANT WEAPONS
1). To use either dual sabers or a double-bladed saber increases the Lightsaber difficulty by one level (Very Difficult).
2). However, using either adds +1D to the character's Lightsaber skill, since they have an additional weapon to work with.
3). Characters who are untrained in the use of dual sabers or a double-bladed saber suffer a -1D MAP for using two weapons.


LIGHTSABERS VS. MELEE WEAPONS:
Unless specifically indicated to be lightsaber-proof or lightsaber resistant, all melee are especially vulnerable to the cutting abilities of lightsabers. A melee combatant can take his chances when facing a lightsaber armed opponent, but he is at a definite disadvantage (his difficulty on attack is increased by +5, and his difficulty on defense by +10), as he must avoid direct contact with the saber blade, either by his weapon or his person.

In the event that the lightsaber strikes a melee weapon, the meleeist's only real hope is that the weapon will absorb enough of the saber's damage to prevent a lethal blow from hitting home. The RAW states that weapons have a default Body Strength of 2D to resist damage, but I would be willing to bet that melee weapons are designed to be more durable, and can take more of a pounding than something like a blaster pistol (so perhaps a Body Strength of 3D-4D may be more appropriate).

Once the weapon's Body Strength is decided, roll for damage on the chart on page 94 (2R&E), then check the table on the next column for the damage inflicted to the meleeist on the destruction of his weapon. If the weapon is damaged but not destroyed, it is still subject to the damaged weapon rules on page 95 (2R&E).
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

[Esoomian]

Snack breaks can only hold someone's interest for so long.

Your rules seem to be quite detailed and could really make a duel between two characters or a character and an NPC fun to partake in but they could also string the duel out a lot longer than it would otherwise take.

When no-one is waiting for a turn to act this isn't so much of a problem but when you might have two or three other people just sitting around it seems you may have to switch to other players in between rounds just to avoid one player eating up all the screen time.
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Don't waste money on expensive binoculars.

Simply stand closer to the object you wish to view.

[CRMcNeill]

[Esoomian]

I'm not saying it's a bad idea but even with combat as streamlined as I can make it it still takes ages and can be dull for those not involved.

That said I'd consider it in a single player game or a game where everyone was Jedi so even those not involved would know they'd get to do the same thing at some point in the game.


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Don't waste money on expensive binoculars.

Simply stand closer to the object you wish to view.

[CRMcNeill]

True. Still, the other side of it is that if things are streamlined too much, the system bears no resemblance to the action it is supposed to duplicate. IMO, that's exactly what happened with lightsaber combat in the RAW.

Of course, the only way to find out for sure is to playtest...
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index