I am really starting to doubt myself and how I am starting the beginning of this campaign now...
So I understand that it would make sense to not allow lightsaber specializations right away, but I know part of the reason my group was so gung-ho to start F&D was the lightsaber combat and Force powers. They really wanted to start at Knight level, but I didn't want to just start what felt like at mid-story to me. I wanted to have them come together as a group, build their lightsabers, and start to learn more about the Force with either a mentor or holocron.
We came to the compromise that instead of starting at the "very beginning" with just base character creation XP, they would start with an additional 75xp to show that they have already tried to either expand their knowledge into certain areas of the Force or something like that. I did want them all to give a good background and explain why they had a certain level of skill in certain areas by explaining it through a story (martial arts, swordfighting, etc.)
Now that I am getting some of their builds, it looks like some of the people with lightsaber builds have put 1-2 levels into their lightsaber skill even though they have never picked up an actual lightsaber...but if they could explain that they have used something similar for many years then it would be more plausible to approve it.
I have run into problems with my group on occasion because some are more combat oriented and other are more RP oriented. If I take this off the table at this juncture, I am worried that it would make the people effected mad and would not want to continue the game because they already had compromised by getting to half Knight level.
I have had a lot on my plate recently so creating a whole new universe, along with reading the CRB, and everything else wasn't plausible for me right now so I chose to use the BG to start things off. I figured I would change it up a bit, like make them all get there for separate reasons, meet the mentor in the story, find out why she disappeared, and band together to find her. It has been burning me out trying to think very creatively with everything going on right now so that's why I was asking about the training saber issue.
No! Don't let doubt make you falter. I told my troupe your premise and they said they loved it. I think you've got a great thing going..
My troupe is used to me adjusting and tweaking the game till "launch" and roll w it till I say okay this is final, but your troupe might not roll like that.
A lot of folks posting on here are posting what WE think is the way to run for our game and troupe, but that doesn't mean it's what's best for your situation. If everyone is all jazzed w what you guys were doing originally, then just make up something in their background to give justification for it. Alternatively, once they get a lightsaber (training or otherwise) in their hands do a lil training montage and that's the explanation, for the current skill they have.
I (and I assume at least a couple other forum posters whom have jobs that leave them w too much free time) refresh the star wars forums a few times a day.. I spend WAY too much time analyzing this stuff.. but when I get to the brass tacks of running a game, I don't let it color the main goal of a bunch of friends sitting around and having a good time.
Sorry for the rambling rant, but I really liked your concept and don't want the nitpicky nature of the forums to dampen your enjoyment.