The standard campaign is set during the Rebellion Era. This is an era when drawing a lightsaber will get you a visit from the Inquisitors and Mr. Vader. Thus making 6 careers very problematic and potentially pretty useless.

Are you allowed to use an Ancient Sword with some/any talents that require a lightsaber? What about a cortosis weapon?

Would it be unbalancing to allow some Lightsaber talents to be used with brawl? (not reflecting shots back at someone etc, but some)

Flavor wise this would give a character a nice Martial Arts feel and considering how powerful other melee weapons are not that unbalancing compared to a Maurader with a vibroaxe.

it just seems like in most campaigns lightsabers are mostly useless because of the amount of Imperial Entanglements using one anywhere where you might be seen will bring down upon you.

Is this part of the balance of the game "sure its a cool weapon and you can do cool things with it, but don't use it since it will get you seriously hunted down" This also seems problematic with balance for non Rebellion era games where having a lightsaber wasn't so obviously illegal.

I have however learned that after reading the answers to questions like these I often change my mind about whether or not something is unbalancing.

If you read the updates in the errata or the long descriptions, most talents specify if you simply need to do a Lightsaber skill check (meaning lightsabers or Ancient Sword), or if it works with a variety of weapons, or if you need to have a Lightsaber.

Parry for instance, works with Brawl, Melee, and Lightsabers skill-related stuff. Reflect specifically needs a lightsaber, not just anything that can use the Lightsaber skill. And off the top of my head, I believe Saber Throw and all the unique talents for Lightsaber-focused Talent trees all just require anything that uses the Lightsaber skill.

I wouldn't allow any talents meant only for lightsabers/Lightsaber skill checks to be used with Brawl. Most of the time, it doesn't really make sense.

As for the usefulness of Lightsabers in a campaign. It depends. If you spend most of the time exploring the wilderness or being in the general company of people who are more pro-Rebellion, you're probably not going to be causing any trouble. If you're hanging out most of the time in heavily populated areas and stuff, then yeah, lightsabers aren't going to be quite as usable unless you and your party are sporting masks to hide their identities or are fine risking the potential bounties. But really, the same can be said for characters wielding most heavy ordnance like missile tubes.

I expect the stories we'll be seeing coming out of the Force and Destiny line will either be Force users in direct opposition to the empire - in which case, you're already going to be getting a visit from the big bads - or Force users exploring ancient temples uncovering the secrets of their abilities - in which case you'll be away from the prying eyes those that would turn you in.

This is an era when drawing a lightsaber will get you a visit from the Inquisitors and Mr. Vader.

This stubborn misconception goes all the way back to WEG, and I'm now going to call it, "Devon's Lightsaber": "If you ignite a lightsaber in scene one, Darth Vader shows up and kills you in scene two." (posthumous apologies to Anton Chekhov).

1. As Kaosoe notes above, being "visited by the inquisitors" is the default foundation for a whole campaign in F&D, and paced appropriately. Even those who lack sabers may still die upon them (posthumous apologies to Prof. Tolkien).

2. The galaxy is an enormous place, and while the arms of the Empire may be long, they're also spread thin. One guy with a saber isn't going to bring Vader down upon him -- only existential threats (or opportunities) to Vader are going to bring Vader.

3. Even outside an F&D campaign, the system has a method of dealing with this -- it's called Obligation. It starts small and slowly ramps up. If a character really starts to make a name for himself, he should start accumulating Obligation (at least, in a EotE or AoR game) if this is a fairly unique situation (in a F&D game, probably already being pursued by Darth Javet (apologies to Victor Hugo), so not likely needed).

This is an era when drawing a lightsaber will get you a visit from the Inquisitors and Mr. Vader.

This stubborn misconception goes all the way back to WEG, and I'm now going to call it, "Devon's Lightsaber": "If you ignite a lightsaber in scene one, Darth Vader shows up and kills you in scene two." (posthumous apologies to Anton Chekhov).

1. As Kaosoe notes above, being "visited by the inquisitors" is the default foundation for a whole campaign in F&D, and paced appropriately. Even those who lack sabers may still die upon them (posthumous apologies to Prof. Tolkien).

2. The galaxy is an enormous place, and while the arms of the Empire may be long, they're also spread thin. One guy with a saber isn't going to bring Vader down upon him -- only existential threats (or opportunities) to Vader are going to bring Vader.

3. Even outside an F&D campaign, the system has a method of dealing with this -- it's called Obligation. It starts small and slowly ramps up. If a character really starts to make a name for himself, he should start accumulating Obligation (at least, in a EotE or AoR game) if this is a fairly unique situation (in a F&D game, probably already being pursued by Darth Javet (apologies to Victor Hugo), so not likely needed).

Thank you for adding literary merit along with interesting points

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Also note things like concealing robes, the indistinguishable talent, ect.

Just like flipping pips through "calling on the darkside" is less about "the darkside" then it is about "discouraging the characters from using the force to eat hot dogs and pick up girls" the illegal nature of the lightsaber (and by extension force usage) is less about bringing down the empire on the players at the drop of a hat and more about keeping the use of magic powers and flaming swords from being the easiest solution to any encounter.

So if the player wants to bust out the telekinesis and hot pink glowstick of choppy-chop... it's not hard to make it happen.

A- It's Javert.

B- Odds are that the Empire has eyes on - mechanical or otherwise - pretty much every known Jedi or Sith ruin in the galaxy, so exploring ruins might be a more direct route toward getting the attention of Jedi hunters. (The Empire has eyes on Ilum. Tython is in the Deep Core and is probably also being watched. The Empire probably has active excavations going on on Korriban/Moraband and Dromund Kaas. In Legends, Yavin IV is the site of Sith ruins and the Empire appears not to have eyes on them - although they may have and the Imperial garrison there might have kept sending All Clear messages while turning their base over to the rebels.)

C- Obi-Wan Kenobi ignited a lightsaber in a packed bar on Tatooine and apart from the brief pause while everyone determines whether they should run, fight, or return to their drinks, nobody remarks on it. Yes, it does bring in the heat, and a garrison of the 501st (Vader's Fist) is basically the law - and they don't seem overly concerned about it. Not any more concerned than if somebody had whipped out a blaster and somebody else gunned them down. And if anybody knows what a lightsaber is and what it probably means, it should be the 501st. Even during the Clone Wars, no one seems to think much of someone who isn't a Jedi (or at least says she isn't) possessing lightsabers.

Obviously, directly attacking the Empire (or the Black Sun or the Hutts) on a regular basis with a lightsaber is going to draw more attention than using a blaster, but pulling the lightsaber out only when it's truly needed should pump the brakes on that sort of thing. And it gives the player characters (and anyone associated with them) good reason to try to find non-violent solutions to their problems as often as possible.

Also note things like concealing robes, the indistinguishable talent, ect.

Just like flipping pips through "calling on the darkside" is less about "the darkside" then it is about "discouraging the characters from using the force to eat hot dogs and pick up girls" the illegal nature of the lightsaber (and by extension force usage) is less about bringing down the empire on the players at the drop of a hat and more about keeping the use of magic powers and flaming swords from being the easiest solution to any encounter.

So if the player wants to bust out the telekinesis and hot pink glowstick of choppy-chop... it's not hard to make it happen.

On top of Lorne's excellent and well stated points we already see some examples of people getting away with carrying a lightsaber.

Primarily among these are Kanan and Ezra from Rebels. They carry and at times use their lightsabers. Admittedly by the time Ezra starts doing this they are already being hunted by an Inquisitor. However, more key to the point here, in most cases even though Kanan has used a lightsaber on a few occasions many people (including the imperial authorities) are reluctant to believe he is a Jedi.

There is also Luke Skywalker in the book Heir to the Jedi. He keeps his hidden (unlike Kanan who has his hanging from his belt but partially disassembled from what I can tell). But he does have it and he gets called on it once. His own mental comment is that it is not, strictly speaking, a forbidden weapon but it could very well bring one under suspicion of being a Jedi or Jedi Sympathizer.. which is a problem.

Given the bounties that were placed on Jedi there are likely bounty hunters and others out there who are not force users but do possess lightsabers and some may carry them somewhat openly.. kind of as a statement: I took down a Jedi, what chance do /you/ have?

So, all in all, possession and even some use of a lightsaber is unlikely to have the full power of the Empire brought upon your head.. but it is likely to get you treated suspiciously and may get you reported to local authorities and have them more likely to take you in with the slightest provocation, or even just to find out if you have one and why.

Also note things like concealing robes, the indistinguishable talent, ect.

Just like flipping pips through "calling on the darkside" is less about "the darkside" then it is about "discouraging the characters from using the force to eat hot dogs and pick up girls" the illegal nature of the lightsaber (and by extension force usage) is less about bringing down the empire on the players at the drop of a hat and more about keeping the use of magic powers and flaming swords from being the easiest solution to any encounter.

So if the player wants to bust out the telekinesis and hot pink glowstick of choppy-chop... it's not hard to make it happen.

Please.. keep posting the Emma Stone GIFs... every goofy expression on her face makes me fall in love with her more..

Given the bounties that were placed on Jedi there are likely bounty hunters and others out there who are not force users but do possess lightsabers and some may carry them somewhat openly.. kind of as a statement: I took down a Jedi, what chance do /you/ have?

EotE Bounty Hunter Survivalist/Force Sensitive Exile. As a Jedi-in-exile, carries a lightsaber openly, but doesn't really use it, favoring blasters instead, and otherwise dresses, looks, and acts like a bounty hunter. A Mandalorian bounty hunter. Nobody's going to think a Mandalorian carrying a lightsaber is a Jedi. But they'll probably conclude on their own that they're a Jedi hunter (maybe not a very good one, maybe just lucky) with at least one notch on their belt.

Also note things like concealing robes, the indistinguishable talent, ect.

Just like flipping pips through "calling on the darkside" is less about "the darkside" then it is about "discouraging the characters from using the force to eat hot dogs and pick up girls" the illegal nature of the lightsaber (and by extension force usage) is less about bringing down the empire on the players at the drop of a hat and more about keeping the use of magic powers and flaming swords from being the easiest solution to any encounter.

So if the player wants to bust out the telekinesis and hot pink glowstick of choppy-chop... it's not hard to make it happen.

Please.. keep posting the Emma Stone GIFs... every goofy expression on her face makes me fall in love with her more..

The other thing is how many saw you use it and did they survive?

And concealing robes and indistiguishable Works wonders. They were male, had brown hair and we're between 5'5" and 6'

Can you be more specific? I think they were human..maybe mirlian...it was dark...