I couldn't find any posts on this already, so I figured I'd ask the question here.

It isn't very clear in the rules (at least not from my reads through the beta book and errata documents) how the crystals work in lightsabers with respect to HPs used.

For example, if I purchase a Shoto, it has 3 remaining HP, but obviously has a crystal in it, or it wouldn't be able to function. However, if I were to simply create/purchase the Shoto hilt (with no crystal), it also only has 3 HP.

As I understand it, in order to make a hilt I either created or purchased function as a lightsaber, I would need to find/purchase a crystal and use it to "mod" the hilt, using up 2 HP in the process and leaving only 1 remaining. This is a pretty big issue for those Force users who are crafting their own lightsaber (aka: every Jedi) as opposed to simply purchasing one that can later be modified.

Am I missing something? Thanks!

A lightsaber from the equipment table has an Ilum crystal pre-installed (see the various descriptions for each type of lightsaber). As per the errata, the Ilum crystal takes 2 of the HP. Also, you're looking at a Shoto, a smaller, more specialized weapon; it should be expected to have fewer HP. The basic lightsaber has 5 HP which is plenty of room for mods, especially considering that the most important "mod" is the crystal (which all take the same 2HP no matter which you swap in). Additionally, there are plenty of mods that can be done to the crystals themselves giving various qualities, extra damage, or whatever.

Regarding "simply purchasing one," that's often a lot harder than a table in a sourcebook might lead you to believe. They're Rarity 10, but that doesn't tell the whole story. Buying or finding the materials to craft a lightsaber could be an adventure all its own.

Finally, it should be noted that a training lightsaber is just a lightsaber hilt with a training emitter instead of a real crystal. You can just mod in a real crystal unless your GM really wants to play up the whole "build your own" thing.

My point is that if you do end up buying one (regardless of the availability/difficulty involved), which is a less personalized/customized lightsaber, you wind up with more available HP for modding activities. As stated, the Shoto has 3 HP (Basic has 5HP, etc) available with a crystal pre-installed. The same exact scenario, only using your crafted hilt and discovered crystal, starts you at (I think all crystals are 2HP anyway) 2 HP less. That's a huge disadvantage and one that makes no sense from a game mechanics perspective.

My personal perspective on this is that either the "purchased" lightsabers should have their stats changed to reflect the fact that they actually have a crystal in them (and reduce their available HP by 2 across the board) or have the hilts with no crystals be increased by 2 to account for the variance.

A bought lightsaber doesn't have 5 HP "available." It has 5 HP and the description specifically says that the crystal takes up 2 of the lightsaber's HP. Read the descriptions; the tables don't have all the rules in them.

Woops...missed that. Thanks.