Game Rules for the Dual-Phase Lightsaber

[CRMcNeill]

As part of developing a more cinematic lightsaber combat system, I came across an idea for the Dual-Phase Lightsaber (the one with the blade that can more than double its length at the press of a button). For the longest time, the Dual-Phase Saber (which I have taken to calling a Light-Lance) seemed like little more than a neat cinematic trick with little or no in-game utility. After putting some thought into it, I came up with a few ideas:

1). In a more detailed melee combat rules set, there is room for a combat ranging system, where characters armed with reach weapons (like whips or polearms) can keep opponents with shorter weapons (such as swords) at bay, unable to use their weapons because they are too far away. However, such a weapon becomes unwieldy and awkward if an opponent can get inside of its range. A Dual-Phase Lightsaber can be used as a reach weapon, then change into a more standard ranged melee weapon with the touch of a button.

2). The extended range also makes a saber like this a useful weapon in vehicle or mounted combat, as it has the reach needed to strike at a nearby target (be it character, speeder or walker scale) without having to get too close.

3). The extended length of the blade could allow the Light Lance to actually inflict more damage to larger scale targets. While a standard length saber can cut a character-scale object in half, its blade may not have sufficient length to completely bisect a larger target. However, a Light-Lance, with a 3-meter long blade could conceivably cut a speeder, or even a small walker in half. In game terms, a Light Lance could receive a +2D scale modifier to inflict damage when attacking a target larger than Character scale.

Thoughts?
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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

[garhkal]

Or rather than increase damage, it ignores 2d of armor/scale difference when elongated.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[CRMcNeill]

That would be a good way to do it, as well. They both ultimately amount to the same thing.

What would be some good advantages and penalties for the elongated blade being used to keep an enemy with a standard lightsaber out of reach? Obviously, the standard saber wielder would have to get well within the reach of the light lance to even have a chance of landing a blow, but there should be a commensurate penalty if the standard saber wielder can get far enough inside the lance wielder's reach to land a blow. I suppose the question breaks down into three parts:

1). What advantage does a Lightlance have over a Lightsaber when at ranges of 3 meters or greater?

2). What sort of rule would allow the saber wielder to get inside the lance's range?

3). What sort of penalties would the lance wielder suffer when facing an opponent inside his range?
_________________
"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

[garhkal]

I'd say

When reach is achieved, the Lance user gains a +1d bonus, but when the opponent is within the reach of the lance user, he suffers a -1d penalty to hit.

For getting Inside the range.. Succeeding on a parry roll against the lance user by 5 or more.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[CRMcNeill]

[vanir]

You can examine the combat in a detailed breakdown to look at various advantages/disadvantages for greater reach. It should comparatively work similarly to facing a sword with a knife.

Your main disadvantage facing someone with a bigger reach is movement penalty to get inside their attack, you have to dart, dodge, deflect and duck and cover a fair attack distance quickly. That's a MAP penalty on the counterattack that the user of the bigger weapon doesn't have. But there is also a wieldiness penalty for using a very large weapon aside from its weight/inertia (which lightsabres don't have), and that's the fact that to control where you stick the pointy end, you wind up moving the end nearer the handle fairly slowly, fairly predictably, so enemies that do get in closer have an easier job if they can get near the handle of the weapon, placing the user at a potential disadvantage.

This is being represented ostensibly by your +1D skill bonus at distance and -1D skill penalty in close hand to hand, but I think you could refine this to involve the actual combat movement dynamic.

If you set a given attack reach melee distance for the weapon, 2-3m for normal reach plus length of the weapon in any typical melee strike. That gives a 6m reach for the long lightsabre that's just outside normal characters with a move rating of 10-11. In order to get inside the reach of the long weapon they need to lunge and dart at least 6m with their counterattack, not possible on a half move for the average person.

So the bonus for using the long weapon is actually the MAP penalty for a normal attacker who doesn't have as much reach. They're at -1D for the MAP of full-move/strike, unless they've got a weapon capable of locking blades with a lightsabre they're at a further -1D MAP for a dodge, that puts the average melee attacker at -2D unless they have a normal lightsabre where it as at -1D for the MAP penalty. More if they want to get back outside the range of attack following their strike.

The penalties for the user are more represented I think by an increased difficulty in wielding the weapon in close combat. A very difficult rather than difficult weapon to wield in normal melee without mishap. The trick is really that being weightless the user can swing it as quickly as any other lightsabre, but the problem is with the longer reach you need to concentrate more on where that pointy end is going to strike if you start swinging the handle-end too suddenly. Allies standing close by you when someone gets inside your reach are as likely to get their heads lobbed off as the enemy is, because your eyes can only be in one place at one time and it's a really long blade to watch the whole lot of it, predictably all the time when you also have to watch an attacker.

Technically the normal bonus for a long weapon should really be roleplayed in the combat encounter by mapping opponent locations using miniatures and using MAP for movements required within the combat round to get inside the larger weapon's reach. This would normally incur the MAP of extra darting movement and dodging actions during counterattacks, thus placing defenders at a natural disadvantage, however creatures or characters with a move of 12 or more maybe capable of getting inside its reach with half moves, without MAP on their counterattacks. Lightning quick dudes can dart inside its reach. Noghri would get inside its reach without penalty.

In terms of static weapon qualities you might assert a bonus such as a -3 to counterattacks against this lightsabre with a normal length melee weapon, but the user difficulty of the weapon is increased to very difficult.

If the user is specialised in the long weapon (lightsabre: dual phase lightsabre), you might increase bonuses to +1D lightsabre skill against normal sized melee weapons and provide +1D damage bonus, or if attacking larger scale objects the weapon does normal damage but acts as speeder scale for damage purposes (eg. if combating a speeder scale ginormous creature).

In addition the combat encounter should be broken down for movement requirements to get inside the weapon reach during counterattacks.

[garhkal]

Also, how would you show case the requirements for switching the blade length??
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[CRMcNeill]