How my group will handle the lightsaber combat situation...

[BentuSinn]

In regards to the whole "lightsaber combat is overpowered" consensus, I have developed a system, that I'd like some feedback on

Here are the major elements of the rule revision:
- Lightsaber attacks and parries are done with the lightsaber skill. (as in the RAW)
- The lightsaber combat power still exists, but it is a passive/reaction power (like detoxify poison etc). Meaning any Jedi who has it can deflect blaster bolts with his sense skill and redirect bolts with his control skill.
- Lightsaber damage cannot be argumented with the Force, but they do ignore the protection of armor, symbolizing the cutting aspects of the energy weapon.

The reasoning for removing the lightsaber combat
RAW is to keep high level Jedi from being game-breakingly powerful.
This allows for some seperation between the martial aspects of Jedi and the use of the Force. (Jedi can still argument their battle prowess with Enhance Attribute, Combat Sense etc. Powers which I feel better represent what is written in the books.)

I didn't want to remove the power entirely, because I wanted a rule change that would mesh well with the established character stats. This method would again simplify things immensely while keeping the tone of the game.

The lightsaber ignoring personal armor bonuses is something I borrowed from d20 (yeah, I know). But I actually like the idea. A lightsaber deals 5D damage (avg) but it cuts and doesn't "just" explode on the surface like a blaster bolt.
This would also give the players more of a reason to modify their lightsabers. Something that isn't really necessary with control dice being added to damage.

My players really liked this idea too
Let's look at Darth Vader as an example.
In battle he would have 24D (LSC, CS; even more with EA, -2D MAP) to attack and defend and his lightsaber would deal 14D+1 of damage.
This is insane and no player would have fun playing his character. Litterally nothing could hit him, let alone worry him or give him a sense of excitement and adrenaline. And anything he would hit would be instantly destroyed. Nothing short of another Jedi of equal power could challenge him. And by then it's a coinflip with that many dice.
It is highly unlikely, that Luke Skywalker would have lasted a single round against Vader in RotJ. With 11D more damage die than Strength die, you're as good a dead on the first hit.

With my method Vader would fight with 13D+2 (lightsaber + CS), and Luke with 10D+1. Much better odds for the Jedi Knight.
This would also allow something like the Jango vs. Obi-Wan fight to last more than a couple of rounds.
Jedi ARE still powerful, more powerful than a soldier of equal training, but they just don't break the game.

[Darth_Hilarious]

Even in the movies an occasional Uber Jedi was taken down by a low level character so it does make sense in some ways.

[DougRed4]

Nicely done, Bentu. Certainly a step in the right direction. If you browse through the House Rules section you'll see that quite a few of us have house ruled things regarding the Jedi, Lightsaber Combat, Duels, and the Force.

You can read my variant here, which has worked pretty well for our group so far.
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Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[Liquidsabre]

I like this. Of all the house rules I've seen this is my fav version for the Lightsaber Combat power.
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Belsarius: "All clear!"
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[Naaman]

From a game balance standpoint, its pretty solid. I personally prefer to preserve the one-hit-victories that we see in the movies. So I like to see big damage with lightsabers.

Still, I like it (probably because it is so similar to my own rules).

[shootingwomprats]

I am intrigued by this mechanic but I am having some problem following it. Let me see if I understand this correctly.

Lightsaber Combat:
1. Passive, does not require activation or "kept up". Does not incur a MAP penalty.
2. Lightsaber + Sense when attacking
3. Control no longer adds to lightsaber damage
4. Lightsaber + Sense to parry a blaster bolt (reactive skill)
5. Control to redirect a blaster bolt (action, takes place in same action phase as parry).

Lightsabers:
1. Lightsaber always do 5D unless modified
2. Lightsabers ignore all armor bonuses.

Example: Blok-tu-Duun has Lightsaber 5D, Control 5D and Sense 5D.
1. Declares 1 action. His lightsaber skill is 10D (5D Lightsaber skill + 5D Sense) and his damage 5D (ignores armor).
2. Declares 3 actions, the MAP is -2, Lightsaber 8D (5D Lightsaber skill + 5D Sense -2 MAP) and his damage 5D (armor piercing).

Is this correct in your system? The reason I ask is the numbers you gave for Vader at the bottom didn't make sense to me. So I had to go back and read and re-read the mechanics and I am still unsure I understand them correctly.
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Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
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@swd6podcast, Twitter

[garhkal]

Even with blaster redirection etc being a "passive" aspect, should not Maps still apply though? Especially if they still need to activate the power to have it up and running.
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[shootingwomprats]

I don't know. The original write-up is confusing and the reason I requested additional information.

If I were to use this mechanic, blocking blaster shots would be a "reactive" skill. The player has the option of taking a MAP or forgoing all additional actions in that round to use it without a MAP (this is RAW).

Now, since this is a "reactive" parry it is in place until the end of the round. So once you have rolled the parry that is the difficulty the enemies must roll higher than to hit the character.

Each incoming attack can be redirected back using the control power. Each such attack is considered an action and would be assessed a MAP.

The above additional rule is not something I saw or inferred in the original mechanics, it is something I added because it made sense in reference to RAW. Under "Lightsaber Combat", line 5 I did denote it as an "action".
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[BentuSinn]

[BentuSinn]

[shootingwomprats]

[BentuSiin] Though I like some of what your suggesting, it seriously neuters LSC. You would need at least Force skills in the 6D-7D range to make deflecting bolts even feasible. Especially when you start taking into account all the MAPs involved. WOW!
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[shootingwomprats]

[BentuSinn]

[BentuSinn]

[BentuSinn]