alternative Jedi weapons

[Thx1138]

Take a flashlight and lay it across the top of a fist so you can visualize it.

[CRMcNeill]

[Thx1138]

Well leverage isn't an issue with a lightsaber since even a little contact can be deadly. I had also visualized that while using this saber type the jedi would wear an cortosis or prink gauntlet in the off hand to block an opponents lightsaber with.

[CRMcNeill]

There are multiple instances in the films of blade locking, where the duelists are applying leverage via blade-to-blade contact. Why exactly that is with a purely energy weapon, I can't say, unless the field has some sort of static effect that functions like a physical barrier. But in any case, a lightsaber worn across the back of the knuckles in the manner you describe would be at a serious disadvantage in such a contest. YMMV, but I see a couple other issues as well.
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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

[Thx1138]

I had thought of it being used in more of a mix of boxing and lightsaber combat, that is why the cortosis Gauntlet is there to block attacks as well as another weapon for attack. I had the image of what kind of lightsaber a very strong alien species would use such as a wookiee or a gamorran who would use their strength more in a fight than a lightsaber.

[CRMcNeill]

I could see it more like standard brass knuckles, with the lightsaber gripped as normal, but with the knuckle rings there to protect the wielder's hand if he wanted to make a hilt strike.

The trade-off with an integrated gauntlet is that, while it does protect the hand and/or wrist, you trade off a lot of flexibility. The lightsaber is essentially locked into a single grip position that eliminates the possibility of quick stance changes, such as reversing the blade, or passing the blade to your off-hand.
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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

[Jedi Skyler]

When I first read the description, I'd thought he was talking about something more along the lines of a push dagger of some sort.

You DEFINITELY wouldn't have the same kind of control with this weapon that you would with a lightsaber actually held in your hand.

[Thx1138]

Well every lightsaber is unique to the crafter and each crafter will be able to use it to the maximum potential. If anything, this lightsaber would be used in conjunction with heavy armor allowing the jedi to wade through combat like a tank absorbing damage and then dealing it out. the control would be mostly the same since most of a lightsabers precise movements come from the movement of the Jedi's wrist. In fact it might also be a better design for a more dexterous Jedi since when you hold something in your hand, your wrist movement is slightly less then when not holding something, since the saber is on the knuckle instead of in the hand, the limits on wrist movement is better than a held saber.

[CRMcNeill]

[CRMcNeill]

[CRMcNeill]

Giving this a bump on account of an idea that’s been floating around in my head for years. Basically, I’m picturing a high-tech version of a Japanese War Fan. Historically, war fans doubled as defensive weapons that could be carried when obvious weapons like swords were not permitted, and could also be used as signaling devices on the battlefield. I’m picturing something like the Tessen, but made entirely of metal.

Some thoughts on updating said weapons to the SWU:

-Powered Blade Edges, either as vibro-blades or wave-guide power-edge weapons (ala Dryden Vos’ Petar Blades), possibly with an integrated contact Stun option for the end-vanes. Jedi/Sith would be able to make use of these, but they could also be in more general usage among elites and upper-class citizenry for both decorative and utilitarian purposes.

-Magnetic Shielding, allowing them to be used to block blaster bolts or lightsabers.

-Integrated systems such as com-links or localized jamming arrays to counter eavesdropping.

-2D Holo-Display built into the surface of the fan, primarily decorative / “Rule of Cool”, but can also be used to flash coded messages by displaying specific images.

I don’t have any real thoughts as far as stats, but I wanted to get the idea posted to see what you all think.
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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]

As someone who likes some wushu like films, i have often loved seeing those war fans, and such being used in combat.. And with how some SW cities/cultures, DO seem Oriental like, i can see them making versions SW style..
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[Glelukun]

The lightsabre is so iconic it does kind of suck some of the air out of the room in terms of potential armaments for force wielders. Beyond what we’ve seen a lot of in canon and the EU, there’s a few fun options that come to mind….

Some of CRMcNeill’s great war fan ideas touch on one of my thoughts, around bucklers, duelling shields and lantern shields. Particularly with rare materials like cortosis, beskar and phrik that can withstand energy weapons, a more peaceful Force user might carry a small, simple disc shield at their side, or something that unfolds like a metallic flower, able to leap to the defence of innocents and attempt to defuse violence with words and wisdom - and in the worst case scenario, a chunk of metal in your hand can make for a forceful up-close argument. A more aggressive fighter might use something more like a lantern shield or pata, a forearm parrying shield with a blade extending forward from the knuckles, either a vibroblade or something like the TaggeCo protoblade. Imagine all the fun a gadgeteer type might have adding doohickeys to a Star Wars version of a lantern shield!

Another big one for me is around the broad category of flexible weapons, besides lightwhips – things like flails and sectional staves, nine-section whips, meteor hammers and rope darts. I imagine them as hailing from the elder days of the republic, perhaps befitting the more ornate, circular wushu-influenced combat from the dying days of AotC’s “civilised age” era than the kendo and western stage/sport fencing flavour of ANH onward. They all rely on momentum, which is their strength and weakness. They gain power by being flicked out, whirled and swung, but those same arcs of motion make them hard for even the wielder to control.

Adding the Force to the equation could solve that problem, allowing unpredictable strikes, added momentum and quick recovery from wide swings. Many of them also have the potential to entangle or bind. To some extent they might even be able to disguise use of telekinesis or other Force powers in combat as simply adept use of armed martial arts. (It’s also a kind of assay at a rules-lawyery handwave around accruing dark side points for using telekinetically controlled objects to attack people, which seems good balance-wise but personally doesn’t quite feel satisfying to me. In this case, you’re already manifesting the intent and swinging the weapon with your non-Force abilities, the Force is just helping you steer what you were already doing a little, like using Lightsabre Combat to help you chop someone up.)

Depending on whether the character is very upstanding, or a bit more on the darker side, they could include some kind of stun module on a weighted end to incapacitate, or a monomolecular laser/vibro sheath around a tip or chain to create a deadly energised piercing force or garrotting effect.

Here’s an overwrought, top of the head attempt at imagining one such weapon. Perhaps a nice character point sink to occupy a grey Force adept PC, and a scary weapon for an inquisitor-type big bad henchman that can change the flow of an encounter by locking down a powerful party member.

[garhkal]

[pakman]

For my game - a force user can use what ever they want to use - especially for traditions/religions other than the Jedi/Sith.

I have made a weapon modification called "ionic" which has techno babble about a weapon that has a weak energy field (force field whatever) and can withstand damage from a lightsaber before breaking easily.
(Lore wise - I based somd of its development to an extension of some of the anti-jedi weapons from the clone wars, enhanced furthur by syndicates that wanted to be useful by their enforcers against the jedi....)

The second thing is I changed the Lightsaber force power to be "Force Combat" and let it work with any weapons (I also adjusted the power scaling of it).

Blocking blaster bolts requires a weapon that can withstand them, and reflecting them back - only works with a few - but overall this works well - and offers force users a lot of options.

GM's and players should also look at weapons and force users in other systems (d20, FFG) and some video games etc (SWTOR) etc.
Obviously not all weapons will fit the "feel" of every game.
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