Well, if you pull out a red one, you're mostly likely an imperial Inquisitor and the fool who tries to report you will meet a quick death. The Dark Side is like that. Eventually, word spreads that Imperials use Red.
Kyber Crystals
Well, when you think about it, the colors in the movies never meant anything, other than contrasting visual effects. Windu's purple blade is only because it's Samuel L Jackson's favorite color, and he asks for something purple in every movie. I can't think of one instance in the movies where color was brought up. A lot of the symbolism came after, introduced by fans (who became official writers).
If you follow the new canon, the only colors are red, blue and red, except for the ones that aren't those colors (purple, yellow and white, so far), with red being synthesized Sith crystals. In the EU, there were naturally occuring red. In either case, your vanilla F&D game could throw out any and all instances of color symbolism and get away with it, because who's going to know better? The Empire did such a good job at erasing the Jedi that only twenty years later and the galaxy barely knows what a Jedi is any more. Your average flying potato will have more of a chance to recognize a 'saber blade for what it is, let alone what the color actually means. The average citizen isn't going to run into that many Darth Vaders or Inquisitors, if any, in their life time, and the only civilizations who could place a 'saber are whipped to report it to their Imperial 'protectors' anyway.
To be honest, I like the idea of good guys with a lightsaber that's red. It breaks the SW stereotype (and that's always fun), and it can represent quite a few good qualities as well. Of course, you'll be playing a game that doesn't jive 100% with the new way of things, but when does that have to stop fun?
Hmm, iirc, in FaD there's a color given (red) for one of the crystals - the ones that cause Burn. Personally, I like the idea that the color can tell you something about the properties of the lightsaber or even about its wielder.
Not sure if this is everyone's cup of tea, but when a PC builds a lightsaber, I take them through the process of building it and at certain points describe visions, and ask their reactions. The visions are from the linked sheet, and their answers relate to the primary colors which reflect Conflict (red), Serenity (blue) and Knowledge (yellow). When they're done navigating all the visions, then I explain to them the process of attuning the crystal is complete, and describe the color the gem turns.
Lightsaber Crystal Color Chart
Edited by KylaWhen next I create a Forcey type character I know their saber will be pink. Why? Because the SWTOR character I'm basing it off has a pink saber, wears pink and light blue robes, and just likes pink.
I don't feel like their needs to be much more of a reason then that, but I'm sure I could make something BSy up if a GM really wanted me to. If I'm just making it up to make a GM happy though, what's the point, I'm not going to be invested in it. Just let a character have what they want. I'll caveat it with a "within reason." Barber Stripes might be a bit to far.
I don't feel like their needs to be much more of a reason then that, but I'm sure I could make something BSy up if a GM really wanted me to. If I'm just making it up to make a GM happy though, what's the point, I'm not going to be invested in it.
This game is a cooperative storytelling game. Why anyone would enter it with a willing unwillingness to collaborate with the GM, I don't know.
At any rate, you can bet a player of mine would become invested in it when I use it as a plot hook later on.
Not sure if this is everyone's cup of tea, but when a PC builds a lightsaber, I take them through the process of building it and at certain points describe visions, and ask their reactions. The visions are from the linked sheet, and their answers relate to the primary colors which reflect Conflict (red), Serenity (blue) and Knowledge (yellow). When they're done navigating all the visions, then I explain to them the process of attuning the crystal is complete, and describe the color the gem turns.
That's really cool! I am gonna snag that for future gaming inspiration.
Here's a good article on a related issue:
http://www.madadventurers.com/angry-rants-stop-playing-against-stereotypes/
Personally I think changing details "just cuz" is boring. There's no story there, no drama. It's shallow. If you want a gold saber, you have to earn it, as Ahsoka sure had done by then.
As the article notes, if you do it right it can be great for the whole table, otherwise it's extremely "meh".
Not sure if this is everyone's cup of tea, but when a PC builds a lightsaber, I take them through the process of building it and at certain points describe visions, and ask their reactions. The visions are from the linked sheet, and their answers relate to the primary colors which reflect Conflict (red), Serenity (blue) and Knowledge (yellow). When they're done navigating all the visions, then I explain to them the process of attuning the crystal is complete, and describe the color the gem turns.
That is indeed pretty cool! I find it slightly weird that it has yellow instead of green, but mostly because of it being one of the three fundamental colors in my mind (the other two being blue and red).
Not sure if this is everyone's cup of tea, but when a PC builds a lightsaber, I take them through the process of building it and at certain points describe visions, and ask their reactions. The visions are from the linked sheet, and their answers relate to the primary colors which reflect Conflict (red), Serenity (blue) and Knowledge (yellow). When they're done navigating all the visions, then I explain to them the process of attuning the crystal is complete, and describe the color the gem turns.
That is indeed pretty cool! I find it slightly weird that it has yellow instead of green, but mostly because of it being one of the three fundamental colors in my mind (the other two being blue and red).
Yeah I was thinking of converting it to hex
I see lightsaber colour as being very much based on the user's personality. The wielder recover's what's effectively a blank gemstone - all shiny, but no colour. However, on harvesting it it bonds with them (wibbly-wobbly-Forcy-worcy stuff) and thus takes on a colour. The meanings I adopt are:
Blue – A blue crystal indicates a Jedi who lives to protect others. They are the most highly-trained in combat, and will often rely more on their blade than the force in combat.
Suggested careers: Guardian, Warrior
Green – A Jedi who wields a green blade typically prefers to talk out their conflicts than to fight. Furthermore, in combat they will usually favour the Force over a blade.
Suggested careers: Consular, Mystic
Yellow – These Jedi skirt the balance between a combat focus and a more diplomatic stance. A yellow blade often indicates a Jedi who will travel the galaxy protecting the weak.
Suggested careers: Seeker, Sentinel
Purple – Those who wield a purple lightsaber skirt the balance between light and dark, drawing on techniques from both sides of the divide to defeat their enemies.
Suggested careers: Seeker, Warrior
Gold – Very rare and not commonly seen, a Force user with a gold blade is almost always a supremely powerful Force user.
Suggested careers: Consular, Mystic
Silver – Those Jedi who are calm and reflective of the Living Force as a whole may select a silver blade. The colour reflects the inner peace they bear between themselves and the Force.
Suggested careers: Mystic
Bronze – Some Jedi do not just possess power via the Force; they also wield great physical strength. Such Jedi wield bronze blades that reflect their natural strength.
Suggested careers: Guardian, Warrior
Orange – This colour is most favoured by Jedi who favour negotiation. Many Jedi who travel the galaxy, finding peace in even the most violent situations, will see their personalities reflected in an orange blade.
Suggested careers: Consular, Seeker
Teal – Some Force users dedicate their lives not just to protecting others but to healing them, of curing diseases and treating wounds. Even these Jedi will carry a blade, but it is typically of a colour associated with the peace of nature.
Suggested careers: Consular, Mystic
Red – Mainly used by Sith and Dark Jedi, red crystals are synthetic and incredibly powerful. Their use is frowned upon by light-side users, and thus few will be seen.
Suggested careers: Warrior
Although you can read into blade colour what you want. It's your canon. I'm just putting this here because we seem to be sharing resources.
Edited by ColonelCommissarThat is indeed pretty cool! I find it slightly weird that it has yellow instead of green, but mostly because of it being one of the three fundamental colors in my mind (the other two being blue and red).
What I've found is that most people when actually taking the test waver their answers between yellow and blue responses with some red mixed in. Since the fallout is the third color, this usually means in the end most people get Blue or Green. I've only ever had one person answer so clearly that they got a Yellow.
If you wanted though, there is no reason why you could "emerald it up" and make yellow green instead, but it makes working secondary results a little more confuzzled.
I'm actually okay with the whole "your crystal gains a color from your ____________" angle, except that, in some ways, lightsabers aren't force-users, and they don't have any Force in them; they are physical objects, tools made by people's hands, and they CAN be constructed by droids, by "regular" people, or by Jedi, alike. If you were a droid, constructing it for your owner, would it be a white blade? What color would it have? Imperial Knights have white sabers, but they have them intentionally, or at least they did. I'm still a fan of "the crystal had colors imbued by the environment where they were formed." I can see making some blazingly rare, though any color should probably be available; it's properties that are rare/special/game-changing. Hell, everybody's favorite krayt dragon pearls are probably rather opaque, and they still make colored blades, while krayt dragons are NOT known for being particularly Force-sensitive.
Sorry I'm seemingly whining about this, now. My nostalgia wants to stick to what I know/accept from my childhood, while the SWTOR player in me wants to be happy that any color might be available, and flip all those purple saber-toting vanity players the bird, as I'll never manage to get a lvl 50 purple crystal (I'm not that good at SWTOR). I could sit here and wax old about what things meant when I was a kid, color-wise, but that was all fan-based, and I do like that other colors aren't "are you Mace Windu? Did you receive your purple crystal from a dying alien you met?" rare (for that, I expect a Lantern ring, not blue, preferably.)
I get where you're coming from Venkelos, but harvesting the crystal is separate from creating a lightsaber. I guess the argument there would be... if you harvested a crystal for someone else, could it be attuned later or change colors with a new user? I am going to argue against the changing color by user, because Luke's first blue lightsaber did not change. But could a crystal be harvested without attuning it? I guess that could be allowed, but would make the crystal very valuable, IMHO as it is not the normal process...
I don't feel like their needs to be much more of a reason then that, but I'm sure I could make something BSy up if a GM really wanted me to. If I'm just making it up to make a GM happy though, what's the point, I'm not going to be invested in it.
This game is a cooperative storytelling game. Why anyone would enter it with a willing unwillingness to collaborate with the GM, I don't know.
At any rate, you can bet a player of mine would become invested in it when I use it as a plot hook later on.
Split Light isn't indicating that he was unwilling to collaborate with the GM. He's just stating that he doesn't see why all details about a character choice have to be some big narrative moment. He's stating that sometimes the only reason why a person has their character do something or pick something is because it just seems cool or it's their favorite color or any number of just mundane reasons divorced from the overall narrative.
Basically if I want my character to have a scar because I think scars are cool and chicks dig scars then that should be just as ok for me to do as it is ok for someone to come up with a 4 page back story into how he got the scar.
Some people are going to be more narratively invested in different aspects. Why does everyone need to invest in the same narrative details? Why can't it be acceptable to do something just because?
Not sure if this is everyone's cup of tea, but when a PC builds a lightsaber, I take them through the process of building it and at certain points describe visions, and ask their reactions. The visions are from the linked sheet, and their answers relate to the primary colors which reflect Conflict (red), Serenity (blue) and Knowledge (yellow). When they're done navigating all the visions, then I explain to them the process of attuning the crystal is complete, and describe the color the gem turns.
I'll admit to being surprised by how well those colors worked with my own preconceptions about blade color vs. personality.
I answered the questions for 2 of my prior characters, and ended up getting the same color blade I chose for them. 1 yellow, 1 green.
Some people are going to be more narratively invested in different aspects. Why does everyone need to invest in the same narrative details? Why can't it be acceptable to do something just because?
If you're asking me,* I'm not sure what other answer I can give you! I've already stated my opinion on these things, and so those reasons above are why I want my players to come up with something simple as a reason that they have what color of blade they have, if their blade is something off the beaten path.
Like I said earlier, I can understand if people don't value what I value—and those are my preferences, my values, my convictions—but I will be holding to my values because I have seen what it brings out in the PCs for whom I am the gamemaster. A little storytelling effort goes a long way, and I will still take any excuse to engage my players in the storytelling.
*I apologize if you were asking someone else, or otherwise just posing an empty question, "cursing deaf heaven" and such. But you quoted me and so I thought it rude to not reply with at least a summation.
I'll admit to being surprised by how well those colors worked with my own preconceptions about blade color vs. personality.
I answered the questions for 2 of my prior characters, and ended up getting the same color blade I chose for them. 1 yellow, 1 green.
Thanks Voice! That's awesome! I'm glad you found it accurate. I've been working on iterations of that questionnaire for a long time to get it tweaked just right! Guess those psych classes in college weren't all for nothing!
Edited by KylaNot sure if this is everyone's cup of tea, but when a PC builds a lightsaber, I take them through the process of building it and at certain points describe visions, and ask their reactions. The visions are from the linked sheet, and their answers relate to the primary colors which reflect Conflict (red), Serenity (blue) and Knowledge (yellow). When they're done navigating all the visions, then I explain to them the process of attuning the crystal is complete, and describe the color the gem turns.
Well I'll be...
I always thought I'd have a green lightsaber, and there it is!
Hmm... Methinks I should take that test and see what I come up with.
Huh. Interesting to reverse engineer why Obi Wan and, ye gods, Anakin ended up so pure of spirit, while Yoda and Qui Gonn and mature Luke a little 'tainted.' Mace must've been 4 Blue 3 Red 1 Yellow to get his purple saber.
Huh. Interesting to reverse engineer why Obi Wan and, ye gods, Anakin ended up so pure of spirit, while Yoda and Qui Gonn and mature Luke a little 'tainted.' Mace must've been 4 Blue 3 Red 1 Yellow to get his purple saber.
Well there's an interesting interpretation to that: Obi-Wan represents the purity of the light side, so he'd be pure blue. Anakin would also be blue, because he was a paragon of the order before he suffered a fall from grace. Meanwhile, Qui-Gon was always a deviant within the Jedi - that's why he stayed off the council - while it could be argued that maturer Luke strayed a little too close to the Dark Side. And Mace definitely strayed towards the Dark, only just managing to stave it off at times. And Yoda's green. So he has a green lightsaber. Sometimes GM Lucas ain't too subtle
I took this quiz for one of my older characters, and I got her usual color: Orange. Good work.
Well, green means you pick knowledge a lot of the time while still picking purity of spirit choices frequently. With 9 questions, most green saber users are 5-4, 4-5, or 4-3-2, 3-4-2, or even 4-4-1.
However, my character Kovin got a very very red lightsaber (6-3 red-yellow) and he's not a darksider so that's a bit confusing. I was going to give him a yellow saber (from my own interpretation). But then I'm still getting the hang of him