Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

[kjandreano]

I know this has been addressed here (and there) in the past but I've never been quite satisfied with what I've seen before for a character design of a Star Wars Jedi (light saber and all).

 

I've noticed that their portrayal has changed over time. Look at how Darth Vader and Obi Wan are in Star Wars vs. what you see in Clone Wars. IMHO, the latter is closer to Lucas' vision of what they are like (CG has no real-world limitations imposed by non-Jedi actors).

 

So, please post your renditions of Jedi and their light sabers.

[Tasha]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

One of the issues with writing up Jedi is that beyond basic force powers, Jedi vary as to what they were trained with. ie Mace Windu is an expert with many forms of Saber fighting. While others might be weak in Light Saber fighting but strong with certain force powers.

 

Also the writeups do depend a bit on what power limits are on the campaign. A Jedi Written up for a Galactic Champions game (ie over 500pts) will be far different from one written up for a 150pt Star Hero Game.

 

For Champions Writeups see : 350pt Jedi

 

for other kinds of writeups Google Hero Star Wars. or I am sure that someone will post a bunch of links for more info

 

tasha

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

Are you looking for heroic or super-heroic versions?

 

Why is this important?

 

A heroic level (Star Hero) Jedi wouldn't need to pay points for their Lightsaber. They would just pay points for the knowledge skill used to construct it in the first place.

 

A super-heroic level (Champions) Jedi would need to pay points (for everything).

 

Anyway, here's a link to a post I made in another similar thread recently.

 

HM

[kjandreano]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

Are you looking for heroic or super-heroic versions?

 

Why is this important?

 

A heroic level (Star Hero) Jedi wouldn't need to pay points for their Lightsaber. They would just pay points for the knowledge skill used to construct it in the first place.

 

A super-heroic level (Champions) Jedi would need to pay points (for everything).

 

HM

 

I'd like to see the Jedi's and Light Saber's stats whether he pays for it or not. Since I want the Light Saber write up included, for arguments sake let's say it's Super-Heroic.

 

Thanks!

[Alibear]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

In my opinion a lightsabre is a 2d6 NND killing attack. Defence is force fields or being blocked by another lightsabre. Either an RKA with no range cos you can't do more damage by being stronger or a HKA cos you can do more damge by being stronger.

 

GM decision but I prefer the RKA no range myself. Others my go for the HKA because of the whole blastdoor thing.

 

The other thing you should buy is a damage shield only when you block to simulate chopping blokes hands off who try to punch you.

 

 

I think there is a write up in Star Hero.

 

 

As to the Jedi himself he has a Martial Arts package and some Jedi Mind powers. Many will have force enhanced reactions, superleap and the like.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

I've had good success with an NND Does Body (not vs force fields / wall) Offensive Damage Shield HKA, OAF based build for a saber itself. The things a Jedi can do with one are bought as personal abilities vs being part of the saber intrinsically. It's an expensive write up, but lets face it, a light saber is a pretty amazing thing.

 

 

Due to the Damage Shield, Block and Missile Deflection become a lot more effective in conjunction as well.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

Yeah. And TK of course (not for striking). I usually think of it as having a limitation that makes it not work on living beings (with a different power for choking), but it might be a good idea to add something (for most force users) that keeps them from just using it on inanimate objects all the time to wrap people up, dump them overboard, or whatever. Perhaps Concentration, Extra Time, etc.

 

Might work to add large Increased End, higher Concentration levels, and/or Extra Time for increased Str values (if you can lift an x-wing, why not just collapse buildings on people left and right?). The big, "no, no," of UAA Flight is also a possibility.

[Alibear]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

Lot's of baddies have a TK NND choke slot but I never seen any Telekinetic punches or the like.

 

"I find you're lack of faith ... disturbing."

[Kenn]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

I built my homage Light Sabre as a few different abilities

1/2d6 Killing Attack Offensive Damage Shield, NND Does Body, Defense is Force Field (built so its no range and has no STR bonus applied)

AND

a multipower

 

25 Energy Sword Multipower: 50 points, linked to Energy Blade(+0); OAF(-1)

2 u On Offense: Hand-To-Hand Killing Attack 1d6+1 (vs. ED) @ 0 END(+½),

Armor Piercing(+½), +2 STUN Multiplier(+½); No Knockback(-¼)

[2d6, +2 STUN Mult., A.P. w/STR]

1 u On Defense: Missile Deflection Any Ranged Attack, Adjacent Hex(+½)

1 u Best Offense is a Good Defense: Missile Reflection Any Ranged Attack,

Reflect At Any Target; Only Works Against Energy Attacks(-1), Will

Not Work Against Heavy Missiles (-¼)

 

And yes, had to get GM permission to put the missle deflection slots in the multipower.

 

The NND represents the blade existing and burning nearly everything it touches.

The "On Offense" actually represents swinging the blade at a target. Though a Force Field will stop the NND portion of the attack, the A.P. HKA mights still damage whatever the force field is protecting.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

I'm being dim here - but why is a LS built as a damage shield?

 

I'd go for this:

 

Light Sabre 81 active, 23 real

Killing Attack - Ranged 1 1/2d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), No Normal Defense (Force fields; +1), Does BODY (+1) (81 Active Points); Side Effects (-1), OAF (-1), No Range (-1/2)

 

Everything else - missile deflection - being able to use a lightsabre without lopping your own head off - throwing the thing (and having it come back) - are all Jedi Powers you buy - anyone can pick up a lightsabre, and cut stuff with it - but doing so safely in combat, deflecting missiles and such is something only a Jedi learns, which is a much better explanation for Stormtroopers not having them than 'they are too time consuming to build for mass production'. You COULD mass produce them but it isn't worth the time to train troops to use them safely.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

I'm being dim here - but why is a LS built as a damage shield?

 

To represent how difficult it is to block one with anything other than another lightsaber like weapon or forcefield.

 

The common theme amongst all the builds using Damage Shield is that it only applies to a portion of the total damage potential of the weapon. Swinging it is therefore more effective than just touching a target with it.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

Thoughts:

 

1 - as I keep getting reminded - blocking does not necessarily involve any contact in Hero

 

2 - A DS construct would only be relevant if the lightsabre user was blocking or the target was (and the block sfx involved contact)

 

3 - You'd be better off with a triggered attack, wouldn't you - the damage going to the attacking weapon, potentially destroying it before contact.

[Guest steamteck]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

lightsabres as NND? So you guys think a lightsabre could cut through Superman,the hulk or the front plate of a main battle tank like butter? I just don't see it . Armor piercing or just piercing seems better to me. Although in a non supers environment it matters less I suppose.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

Lot's of baddies have a TK NND choke slot but I never seen any Telekinetic punches or the like.

 

"I find you're lack of faith ... disturbing."

 

Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Yoda do a fair amount of TK shoving in the prequels; Wookieepedia refers to this power as 'Force Push'. There's also Force Whirlwind (pick someone up and spin them around violently), Force Wave (an AE-Radius, Pers. Immune, No Range Force Push), Force Throw (flinging objects at an opponent, see Yoda vs Palpatine in the Senate chamber), and others. The SW SAGA RPG features Force Thrust, which is basically a physical blast with Double Knockback.

 

I would probably buy a fair-sized Multipower, with multi slots, with variable limitations. If you have the time, you can stand there at 0 DCV Concentrating; if you're in a rush, you'll have to make a skill roll/take an activation roll, that sort of thing.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

lightsabres as NND? So you guys think a lightsabre could cut through Superman' date='the hulk or the front plate of a main battle tank like butter? I just don't see it . Armor piercing or just piercing seems better to me. Although in a non supers environment it matters less I suppose.[/quote']

 

Lightsabres cut through anything but forcefields and other lightsabres in their own genre. I might build it differently cross genre.

[Kenn]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

lightsabres as NND? So you guys think a lightsabre could cut through Superman' date='the hulk or the front plate of a main battle tank like butter? I just don't see it . Armor piercing or just piercing seems better to me. Although in a non supers environment it matters less I suppose.[/quote']

 

Front plate of a battle tank: I'd expect a light sabre to be able to cut through it, but it would take some effort.

Superman: honestly it depends on which Superman to determine exactly how effective I'd expect a light sabre to be. Earth-One Silver Age Superman would not be affected. Most other versions (modern, pre-1946, post-CoIE) I would expect him to be affected a little bit, but not cut through like butter. Enough to justify the artist to draw the costume damaged and the visible slash on the exposed skin that represents the wound. Not enough to really affect him much. Then again, if you look back at my version of the sabre, only 1-3 Body would be NND. Enough for that costume damage and the visible slash, though.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

Obi-Wan' date=' Qui-Gon, and Yoda do a fair amount of TK shoving in the prequels....[/quote']

 

Bah. Call me a Star Wars snob, but only Episodes IV, V, and VI count for anything with me.

[Guest steamteck]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

Lightsabres cut through anything but forcefields and other lightsabres in their own genre. I might build it differently cross genre.

 

Ah. I tend to think of everything built cross genre Because of my multiverse campaign. I just never thought of lightsabres as admantium slicers cutting Excalibur in half etc so that's were I'm coming from.

 

 

I admit to not seeing much of the prequels because my stomach can't take it so any info in there I don't know. I did see the first prequel and part of the 2nd and third but couldn't sit through either. They were so annoying I really don't remember much about them.

[Guest steamteck]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

Front plate of a battle tank: I'd expect a light sabre to be able to cut through it, but it would take some effort.

Superman: honestly it depends on which Superman to determine exactly how effective I'd expect a light sabre to be. Earth-One Silver Age Superman would not be affected. Most other versions (modern, pre-1946, post-CoIE) I would expect him to be affected a little bit, but not cut through like butter. Enough to justify the artist to draw the costume damaged and the visible slash on the exposed skin that represents the wound. Not enough to really affect him much. Then again, if you look back at my version of the sabre, only 1-3 Body would be NND. Enough for that costume damage and the visible slash, though.

 

 

That's not too bad . It allows the lightsabre to not slice through heavy armor quickly but use it like a blowtorch which is how I picture it would work. I was mainly thinking of the builds which were ALL NND. To me a lightsabre is just a really really hot self terminating beam not a field of annihilation,so I would think extreme heat resistance would be effective also.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

Ah. I tend to think of everything built cross genre Because of my multiverse campaign. I just never thought of lightsabres as admantium slicers cutting Excalibur in half etc so that's were I'm coming from.

 

 

I admit to not seeing much of the prequels because my stomach can't take it so any info in there I don't know. I did see the first prequel and part of the 2nd and third but couldn't sit through either. They were so annoying I really don't remember much about them.

 

 

If intended for a cross-genre campaign I'd probably just go with x4 Penetrating (instead of NND & Does Body for the same cost). I'd still split the damage up between a Limited Offensive Damage Shield Advantaged portion and a regular 'swing it like a sword' HKA/RKA portion.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

Lightsabres cut through anything but forcefields and other lightsabres in their own genre. I might build it differently cross genre.

 

Lightsabers can cut through nearly anything, but not necessarily 'like butter'. It would take some effort to cut through tank armor, but it could be done (unless the tank armor were made of cortosis or phrikk). Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon cutting through the blast doors is a prime example; they were definitely cutting through (ignoring DEF), but still had to deal with all the BODY those doors had.

[prestidigitator]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

Ah. I tend to think of everything built cross genre Because of my multiverse campaign. I just never thought of lightsabres as admantium slicers cutting Excalibur in half etc so that's were I'm coming from.

 

Remember that cross-genre--and especially superheroic--usually includes Unbreakable Foci for many powers. That pretty much takes care of that issue IMO.

[megaplayboy]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

2d6 HKA, APx2, Pen x2, 0 END Persistent, no knockback, OAF.

perhaps linked to +1" stretching.

 

With an 15 STR, you get a 2d+1 HKA. With a 30 STR(Vader), you get a 2.5d HKA. STR min to wield a LS is basically 0.

A "haymaker" strike will get Vader up to maybe 3d HKA.

 

It takes +4 DC with the relevant sword fighting art to get +1 damage from a Martial Strike, and +8 DC to get +.5d6 from an O Strike. IIRC this is based on DC for killing weapons being traded at 2:1, then factoring in all the advantages.

If, say, Mace Windu has a 20 STR, adding +1 to the damage, to get to max 4d6 LS damage would take a LOT of skill levels and DC adders.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

Lightsabers can cut through nearly anything' date=' but not necessarily 'like butter'. It would take some effort to cut through tank armor, but it could be done (unless the tank armor were made of cortosis or phrikk). Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon cutting through the blast doors is a prime example; they were definitely cutting through (ignoring DEF), but still had to deal with all the BODY those doors had.[/quote']

 

 

Thay were big blast doors. Lots of Body

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Star Wars Jedi (and light sabers)

 

Thay were big blast doors. Lots of Body

 

Indeed.

 

Another example is Darth Maul taunting Obi-Wan in that solar collector pit. When he was sweeping his lightsaber back and forth along the rim, he was just striking sparks. If lightsabers cut through anything effortlessly, strips of the floor would have been falling on Obi-Wan's head.