Cinematic Lightsaber Combat

[CRMcNeill]

In the past, I've made multiple attempts to design a lightsaber combat system that captures (or thereabouts) the action seen in the films. My most recent attempt was comparatively ambitious, but ended up loaded down with optional rules in an attempt to cover as many facets of lightsaber combat as possible. I'd like to try paring it back a bit.

What I want to do is focus specifically on a ruleset that allows for relatively fast paced, story-driven lightsaber combat, not concentrating on the minutiae found in all the EU material. I may even throw out mention of the Seven Forms, seeing as how they are never mentioned in the films.

I have been a huge fan of Peter Schweighofer's Dueling Blades system over the rather stagnant attack vs. parry of the WEG RAW lightsaber combat. However, in the interests of making lightsaber combat more cinematic (as opposed to more realistic), I would suggest the following result chart instead:

Winning By # = Combat Effect
1-5 = Force back.
6-10 = Knock off balance: -1D to all rolls next round.
11-15 = Trick: successfully executes combat-related maneuver--disarms opponent, slices suspenders and drops his pants, throws cape over his head and confuses him.
16+ = Wound: inflict damage per rules.

My reasoning is that, while Tricks are more difficult to perform in the real world, they are more common as critical moments or turning points in the story of the duel itself, setting the stage for the telling blow, as opposed to being something of a luxury in serious combat. Since Lightsaber damage ramps up pretty quickly, a Trick can quickly become superfluous when a single hit for normal damage can pretty much end a duel. However, a good Trick result can make the duel far more interesting and take it in new and exciting directions if used properly.

The major thing I'm looking to do is flesh out a list of possible Tricks, structured like Advanced skills. In essence, rather than making rules for all the various Canon Lightsaber forms, individual characters would be able to build their own forms by putting CP into Tricks, which would then stack with the basic Lightsaber skill roll for the purposes of the Trick. Some possibilities I'm considering are:

Offense / Defense (Character is particularly good when attacking or defending; pick one)

Disarm (Character is skilled at knocking an opponent's weapon from their grasp or damaging it)

Feint / Positioning (Character is skilled at faking out his opponents or setting them up for future attacks)

Knockdown (Character is skilled at knocking opponents off their feet)

Clinching (Character is skilled at closing the range and locking blades with his opponents, where gutter-strikes or other weapons can be used for advantage)

Terrain (Character is skilled at using the terrain to their advantage, as well as drawing the fight from one location into another that favors his dueling style)

Telekinesis (Character is skilled at inserting Telekinetic attacks into Lightsaber Combat)

Flourish (Character can perform spectacular and flashy moves that force his opponent to back off temporarily)

If treated as Advanced Skills, the various Tricks would need specific rules and parameters of usefulness, which would still need to be worked out.

Ideally, though, the result would be a system that optimizes the flow of combat as an aspect of the story, as opposed to capturing every last detail of combat.

Obviously, this is a bare bones idea that needs to be fleshed out, but it is something I have been considering for some time. While it would, for example, get rid of the formalized idea of Form II as a melee combat-focused Form, it would allow the character to build its equivalent by putting CP into the Disarm and Feint / Positioning Tricks (as well as others, if that is the route the character wishes to take).

At the moment, I'm fishing for ideas and opinions as to what form this should take, so feel free to fire away.
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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]

Are you thinking of specific actions that would require using Telekinesis to be a separate, distinct entry? I ask because there are a number of examples where TK is used to achieve some of the other entries:

Darth Maul uses TK to hurl a rock into door controls, allowing him to go through and thus change the venue (or terrain);

Although Force Push is listed as its own power, it's basically a focused use of TK to knock an opponent off their feet; we see that used a number of times in the movies by several different individuals. We also see Vader use TK, not in a Force Push, but to seize objects and hurl them at Luke, knocking him off his feet.

Or are you thinking of this being a catch-all method of allowing a character to use TK in a battle? I'm not being critical, mind you; I'm just getting some perspective. And, hopefully, helping you think it through.

[CRMcNeill]

It doesn't necessarily have to stay just TK, even. It could be re-labeled Force, allowing the Jedi to mix Force powers in with Lightsaber Combat, like Force Lightning, or Affect Mind, or making a taunt using information gained using Sense. I haven't crunched the numbers yet as to whether or not spending CP on something like this would be more advantageous than simply spending CP to improve Lightsaber and the Force Skills, though. Obviously, as an Advanced skill, CP cost would start low and ramp up relatively quickly.
_________________
"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]

Gotcha.

I'd think it would be most advantageous for one of two reasons; the first, and more obvious, would be if the character were earning extra CPs for using this ability in combat. That would certainly be impetus for a player to invest their hard-won CPs.

The second, and less appealing reason, would be for the role play value of having this ability. And, as you said, making the role play more cinematic.

Perhaps you might not break it down into so many categories; you could have one called Combat Flourish or Combat Manipulation or some other such thing, something designed to incorporate all the things you're considering. Then, instead of having the different categories, your players are free to develop their own style and, more important to this I think, their own signature moves. Then, perhaps a character could earn extra CPs by using one of their signature moves, as one would do by using a signature quote.