I was reading up on the gear section on lightsabers and came across these.

Mechanically a melee 6 stun, NSA weapon is fairly pedestrian (twice the cost of a stun only blaster pistol by comparison.) Granted it does allow lightsaber skills/talents to trigger or be utilized.

Is the intent that these be available and accessible? Seems contrary to the whole 'Emperor stomped on anything Jedi schtick'...but I can certainly understand allowing these so FaD characters can use lightsaber talents...and get that whole "ffap-hishh mnnnmm" thing going

BTW ditto for the various hilts+training emitter. Sholto+training emitter same price as a basic training saber, just 1 less damage being replaced with a boost die.

Just trying to figure out if its supposed to be a newbie-class weapon. (I believe so, but would like to hear other opinions, especially if I am mistaken.)

Thanks in advance!

The idea is that the PC's probably made them themselves, or someone close to them did. very few people know how to make a Lightsaber, but these are PC's we are talking about here, they are a bit special. The rare part of any Lightsaber in this system is the crystal. But a Training Emitter is not a crystal, it's a crafted device. Easy to make, with the right knowledge, but it's also got no modification options as well. This makes it a very limited device, perfect for a starting PC.

It was also a design consideration as well. The idea is that they wanted "lightsabers" that PCs could start with at XP: 0. Hence the ancient sword and the training lightsaber.

Also it works just fine as a Taipani Light Foil. Just ignore that it does stun when attacking minions, and chop down Malvora Goons left and right.

Keep in mind that this system focuses as much on storyline impact, as it does game mechanics. Yes, it's very easy for someone to start with a Training Saber right out the gate. It gives them access to all of their Lightsaber based talents while they get better and hopefully find a true crystal somewhere down the road.

But in the meantime, it still looks and sounds like a real Lightsaber. It won't slice through blast doors or anything, but you can't tell that from a distance. Even when they do get a true Lightsaber... The first time they ignite it during a street brawl, every bystander is going to start muttering "Is that a Lightsaber? Are they a Jedi?" And then word is going to spread very quickly. Especially if one of those bystanders happens to be an Imperial spy who immediately radios in a description of you and your friends. Suddenly, you and your friends discover there isn't a safe port anywhere. Everywhere you look, WANTED posters with your faces. Everywhere you turn, bounty hunters coming to collect. All because somebody just HAD to show off their glowstick during the fight

So when GMs come along asking "How do I keep my players from ruining the game b/c they got a Lightsaber and can kill everything in sight"... The answer is to hold them accountable for their actions. Most worlds ended up an Imperial police state, with cameras and observation drones everywhere. Any one of those spotting you running around with a Lightsaber, and life is going to get much harder.

Keep in mind that this system focuses as much on storyline impact, as it does game mechanics. Yes, it's very easy for someone to start with a Training Saber right out the gate. It gives them access to all of their Lightsaber based talents while they get better and hopefully find a true crystal somewhere down the road.

But in the meantime, it still looks and sounds like a real Lightsaber. It won't slice through blast doors or anything, but you can't tell that from a distance. Even when they do get a true Lightsaber... The first time they ignite it during a street brawl, every bystander is going to start muttering "Is that a Lightsaber? Are they a Jedi?" And then word is going to spread very quickly. Especially if one of those bystanders happens to be an Imperial spy who immediately radios in a description of you and your friends. Suddenly, you and your friends discover there isn't a safe port anywhere. Everywhere you look, WANTED posters with your faces. Everywhere you turn, bounty hunters coming to collect. All because somebody just HAD to show off their glowstick during the fight

So when GMs come along asking "How do I keep my players from ruining the game b/c they got a Lightsaber and can kill everything in sight"... The answer is to hold them accountable for their actions. Most worlds ended up an Imperial police state, with cameras and observation drones everywhere. Any one of those spotting you running around with a Lightsaber, and life is going to get much harder.

Not all worlds ended up being a police state. It all depended on where the world was located determined the amount of Imperial presence. Deep Core and Core worlds would have a definite police state presence complete with neighbors ratting on their family and friends for breaking Imperial Law. However, the further away from the Core the less Imperial presence there was. This is why the Death Stars were built. They were to keep the worlds outside of the Deep Core and Core in line. A New Hope mentions this with Tarkin's statement about the Death Star will use fear to keep systems in line.

I did say "most systems" but not "all systems"

If there weren't a safe system anywhere, then there wouldn't be any point to playing. That would mean the Empire really did win, since their rule would be absolute. And clearly that isn't the case.

I just meant that overall, GMs should use storyline aspects to control game balance as much as they use cold hard game mechanics. Sure, you could give everybody a Lightsaber the 1st session. But make it painfully obvious that if they get caught with them, there may not be a 2nd session for those toons.

I thought about the obvious...it sure "looks and sounds like a lightsaber" even though mechanically it is inferior to a blaster. And won't get you through that locked door/etc. So aside from the "If you see someone with a glowstick call the Imperial Hotline 1-888-DIE JEDI" story complication it's ok for PCs to start with one. Thanks that is what I wanted to know.

Off-topic...as far as "killing everything in sight..." that's not a lightsaber issue in my book

Not all worlds ended up being a police state. It all depended on where the world was located determined the amount of Imperial presence. Deep Core and Core worlds would have a definite police state presence complete with neighbors ratting on their family and friends for breaking Imperial Law. However, the further away from the Core the less Imperial presence there was. This is why the Death Stars were built. They were to keep the worlds outside of the Deep Core and Core in line. A New Hope mentions this with Tarkin's statement about the Death Star will use fear to keep systems in line.

Not all worlds belong to the Empire, but a majority of the more industrious and/or valuable worlds do. The Empire has a very large presence in the Mid Rim, and a sizable presence in the Outer Rim as well. Even if you were to ignite your lightsaber on a Hutt world, in view of several witnesses, someone's likely to turn you in for the reward the Empire would offer for info on Jedi. Independant governments (including the Hutts) may try and capture you for the Imperial payday or to use as a bargaining chip when the Empire comes a knocking on their doorstep. Even if no one turns you in, rumors of a Jedi nearby is the type that easily spreads over a few systems. Point is, igniting a lightsaber in full view of witnesses you don't intend to kill, is a very bad idea.

Not everyone will turn you in there will also be people who will help you. Also you can get away with it if you actually make an attempt to hide your identity. Its really hard to turn in a dude that nobody can give an accurate description of. Rumors will still float around about that masked dude in robes running around with a lightsaber fighting crime or the empire and both sides will eventually send people to investigate.

There are talents and equipment that make it harder for people to know who you actually are. Also force powers:)

This is what I use for training lightsabers:

Don't overlook the value of the concealing robes' setback die on checks made to identify their wearer, or even the Indistinguishable talent (which can be snagged from the rather useful Force Emergent spec) in keeping the identity of your 'saber-swinger under wraps. I played an Ataru Striker in a friends' game that was probably more open in using his lightsaber while on Cloud City than he likely should have been... but nobody was able to provide a viable description and the security cams never got a good look at my PC's face; mechanics-wise, the security chief failed his Perception check when trying to get a positive ID on this "renegade Jedi."

But generally speaking, a PC breaking out the lightsaber is going to be a calculated risk, whether that saber be of the training variety or not. In a way, it's not unlike using Force powers and rolling all black pips; the PC has to decide how badly they want/need that effect to work, be it using Influence to mind trick an Imperial officer or using Reflect to avoid getting badly bashed by blaster bolts.

What may or may not be a factor is how long the PC is going to be staying in that area, and what they're doing when they do break out the glowsticks. While on Lothal in Season One of Rebels, Kanan only used his lightsaber when things were looking fairly grim for the crew, even if there were no civilians around; if he could get by using just his blaster pistol, then he did. But if the PC knows that they're going to be leaving the planet and not likely to return after the adventure wraps up, they might be more willing to break out the lightsabers, much as Kenobi did in ANH during the cantina sequence. Or if the PCs are taking action against a known evil, such as gangsters that are ruthlessly oppressing the local populace, then said populace might be more willing to turn a blind eye so long as the PC doesn't hang around too much longer.

Keep in mind that just because an item is listed with a price doesn't mean it's available at Ye Olde Lightsabre Shoppe, it's a guide to give Players and GMs an idea of their relative Cr value. So no, Training Sabres aren't available but they are accessible for PCs when appropriate.

Keep in mind that just because an item is listed with a price doesn't mean it's available at Ye Olde Lightsabre Shoppe, it's a guide to give Players and GMs an idea of their relative Cr value. So no, Training Sabres aren't available but they are accessible for PCs when appropriate.

Eh, arguable. The books make it abundantly clear that the Hilt is just a mechanism. Anyone who knows how to make it, can do so with 300 creds worth of spare parts. Whether you walked into a Home Depot / Radio Shack and spend 300, or whether you harvested dead droids and find 300 worth of bits.

The book goes back and forth as to whether the Training Emitter is a mechanical component or a particular flavor of crystal. Most seem to think it's mechanical, which means for a mere 100 creds more in spare parts and the right know-how, you can build that too. So really, as long as you can justify the characters knowing how to make them, it's only 400 creds worth of materials to make your own. You don't have to buy one from Lightsabers-R-Us, if you can just rummage through enough parts bins.

And with a Rarity rating of 6, finding all those parts and constructing a Training Saber is no more difficult than finding a place that can provide Cybernetic Limbs. And the Skywalker family album can attest, those really aren't too hard to find.

Keep in mind that just because an item is listed with a price doesn't mean it's available at Ye Olde Lightsabre Shoppe, it's a guide to give Players and GMs an idea of their relative Cr value. So no, Training Sabres aren't available but they are accessible for PCs when appropriate.

What if your group owns the planet Tython that has the original Ye Olde Lightsabre Shoppe?

Eh, arguable. The books make it abundantly clear that the Hilt is just a mechanism. Anyone who knows how to make it, can do so with 300 creds worth of spare parts. Whether you walked into a Home Depot / Radio Shack and spend 300, or whether you harvested dead droids and find 300 worth of bits...

I think we are on the same page My response was more along the lines of that you are unlikely to find a Training Sabre in your local arms shop and that the listing was for if a PC that wants it they can construct one for around 300Cr in parts.

Keep in mind that just because an item is listed with a price doesn't mean it's available at Ye Olde Lightsabre Shoppe, it's a guide to give Players and GMs an idea of their relative Cr value. So no, Training Sabres aren't available but they are accessible for PCs when appropriate.

What if your group owns the planet Tython that has the original Ye Olde Lightsabre Shoppe?

I suppose that would be an exception.

Keep in mind that just because an item is listed with a price doesn't mean it's available at Ye Olde Lightsabre Shoppe, it's a guide to give Players and GMs an idea of their relative Cr value. So no, Training Sabres aren't available but they are accessible for PCs when appropriate.

What if your group owns the planet Tython that has the original Ye Olde Lightsabre Shoppe?

BEST. CAMPAIGN. EVER.