I'm building a character for a friend who wants a lightsaber duelist. I've got some ideas, but I don't want to overlook anything. He wants raw damage output. What would you build for a starting character and what direction would you go from there. All species, all Force Powers, all careers, and all specializations are open. The lightsaber at least for a good while will be a basic lightsaber.

If he's truly a starting level PC (as just having the XP provided by his species), then you're not going to be able to start out with a proper lightsaber, which costs 9300 credits for a basic lightsaber.

Frankly, if he wants damage output with a basic lightsaber, the main thing he can do is pump up his Lightsaber skill and make sure that whatever characteristic is tied to is at least a 3, if not a 4, since you'll need the successes to not only hit but also to up the damage delivered. Otherwise, for sheer damage potential he's better off going with a double-bladed lightsaber as that offers Linked 1.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. Starting out at Knight level.

Fair enough.

Assuming the GM permits it, aside from simply making sure the Lightsaber combat check has as many positive dice as possible, the other options are to look at either a Krayt Dragon Pearl or Mephite crystal to use in place of the standard Ilum crystal. Both the KDP and Mephite have a higher base damage, with Mephite able to be modified up to an 11 for damage (base is 8) while the KDP only mods up to a 10 damage but starts at a 9 (along with having Crit 1 and Vicious 1 at the start). The Extended Lightsaber Hilt attachment is also an option, as it provides another +1 to damage (and can be modded for another rank of Vicious), as is the Superior Hilt Customization (adds Superior quality, which is +1 damage and a free advantage added to the results of your combat checks).

There's only a single talent that lets you directly boost a lightsaber's damage value, that being Falling Avalanche which lets you add your Brawn to the damage rating at the cost of 2 strain. The talent itself is found in Shien Expert and Armorer (from Keeping the Peace).

Looking through the rules, I understand that you cannot permanently increase a stat above 6 (Brawn, for example), but can you increase it above 6 temporarily through the use of Talents or Force Powers?

Looking through the rules, I understand that you cannot permanently increase a stat above 6 (Brawn, for example), but can you increase it above 6 temporarily through the use of Talents or Force Powers?

Well, Brawn doesn't add to the damage value of Lightsaber weapons like it does for Melee weapons.

But yes, cybernetics can push a characteristic above a 6, to a maximum of 7. Enhance is the only power that can increase a characteristic, but the power doesn't say that it lets the PC break the characteristic cap, so I'm inclined to say "no" on that one.

To build on what Dono said above, he may want to invest in a double-bladed lightsaber or Temple Guardian Lightsaber.

Deadly Accuracy would also work too, no?

Albeit, it is not in any of the F&D trees. But I think it is applicable to any combat skill.

Actually there are 3 forms that let you boost your damage.

Ataru has hawk bat swoop which increases your advantages as well as getting you into combat and its saber swarm that gives linked based on force rating. (Advantages you can spend to crit) It also has quick strike which gives you boosts on the first attack you make against an opponent who hasn't acted yet.

Niman has draw closer which directly lets you add your force rating to your light saber skill rolls.

Finally Shii Cho has sarlaac sweep which is basically autofire for light sabers.

Ward's foresight gives automatic successes on your first action which improves your damage.

Enhance lets you commit a force die to increase either agility or brawn but not above 6 which can help.

Also remember that Lightsabers ignore 10 soak and have crit rating of 2. So they are pretty potent right away.

He's got a lightsaber, that's plenty damage enough.

Ataru offers the quickest access to link and improved parry, which in combination with dodge and sense would allow him to make an attack every time a despair comes up on a successful melee attack. Hawkbat swoop allows an instant advantage on attacks and additional movement; which means that one can either make attacks from medium without burning strain or allows one to aim using a move action while engaging other short targets. The tree is very strain focused though. It's by far the most aggressive of the styles in my opinion.

Shi-Cho offer's a solid application of brute force and reliablity. Reroll an attack once a day? A fair focus in brawn? disarms, anti-swarm and strain regen makes it a solid container.

The flirting sword style (marasomething) also works quite dandy, though it's fairly moderate in terms of target priority.

Shien is Ataruish, only the pc relies more on the offswing.

Niman has cool battlefield manipulation.

Last style just out-survives.

Now, aside from being a glowstick wielding toon, who is his character?

Do not forget the Sense Power to. If you commit a FD, you can get 2 upgrades to your attack roll twice a round.

And if someone in the Has Improved Field Commander, then the lightsaber character can attack twice in a round.

Looking through the rules, I understand that you cannot permanently increase a stat above 6 (Brawn, for example), but can you increase it above 6 temporarily through the use of Talents or Force Powers?

Well, Brawn doesn't add to the damage value of Lightsaber weapons like it does for Melee weapons.

True, it doesn't add to the damage, but the higher the Brawn stat is, in conjunction with the number of ranks in Lightsaber skill, the more dice and upgraded dice the character will be rolling, correct?

So each of the lightsaber styles has a talent to let you use Brawn or a different stat for lightsaber checks.

Niman - Willpower

Ataru - Agility

Soresu - Intellect

Makashi - Presence

Shien - Cunning

If you pick up any of these trees, most of their special lightsaber maneuvers and actions will require the use of the stat for that style. Like Ataru's Saber Swarm; it makes you use a Lightsaber(Agility) check.

So whichever style you pick, that's the stat you want.