They are easier to hide on the body (the holdoutblaster even gives setback dice to whoever searches you), they are cheaper, the bigger ones jam or run out of energy more easily(the heavy blaster pistol text suggests that GMs use three threats or despair for that).

Do you have any other arguements for choosing "lesser" weapons? Or do you have your own favourite small or seemingly weak weapon gem you want to tell us about?

Edit: I absolutely see the endless reasons for rp and character flavour to pick any weapon or none at all. Mostly I want to know mechanical, situational or other narrative reasons why carrying or using a smaller or specific weaker weapon or the drwabacks of big and strong weapons, specific ones or in general.

They are easier to hide on the body (the holdoutblaster even gives setback dice to whoever searches you), they are cheaper, the bigger ones jam or run out of energy more easily(the heavy blaster pistol text suggests that GMs use three threats or despair for that).

Do you have any other arguements for choosing "lesser" weapons? Or do you have your own favourite small or seemingly weak weapon gem you want to tell us about?

1. Cost - this is a game where your performance is gated by your access to equipment as much as by the amount of XP you've earned.

2. The theme/flavor of your character (someone at my table refuses to have their character pick up a weapon, let alone a heavy blaster)

Concealability as mentioned.

Narrative restriction, perhaps nothing larger allowed on Planet Feel Good.

Challenge/RP concept. The sheer fun of making a total number crunching combat monster that refuses to use larger weapons as a point of personal honor, as well as, demonstration of overwhelming superior combat prowess.

In a recent game that started I took a slug pistol. Partly do to cost and partly do to flavor. It is a slightly different setting that EotE so it worked to have it be a family heirloom. I still like having it even though it gets picked on by the other players!

Not everyone wants to be Dirty Harry; having the biggest gun can make it seem like you're looking for trouble sometimes. .

Our behind-the-scenes Commander likes the X-30 sporting pistol, because it really feels like an officer's sidearm.

The dainty little diplomat uses an ELG-3A light blaster because it's super-concealable. Same with the Staff of Office; it doesn't really seem like a weapon.

In a recent game that started I took a slug pistol. Partly do to cost and partly do to flavor. It is a slightly different setting that EotE so it worked to have it be a family heirloom. I still like having it even though it gets picked on by the other players!

Our Big Game Hunter exclusively uses Czerka Legacy Slugthrowers. Any idiot can bring down a beastie using blasters; it takes skill to bring down the same prey using bullets...

Since you're asking from a "non-RP" aspect, I'd say light weapons more than heavy. They're cheaper, easier to find, and are the most acceptable form of weapon to have on you pretty much anywhere in the galaxy.

RP wise, since I usually prefer playing non-combat characters, I find guns less than useful/enjoyable. I've never been a big fan of "gear focus" compared to "skill focus" in RPG's. I could be stripped of all my stuff, and lose that sexy heavy blaster with all the mods....but they can't take away my Skullduggery, or my Force Rating of 3 + Influence, etc. To me, the more useful method is skilling it, so gear is usually an afterthought.

Definitely the whole "sorry sir that weapon is above the maximum capacity allowed inside our premises"

And also a holdout blaster fits better in the hidden compartment inside my cybernetic arm.

A Diplomat/scholar/ambassador/advocate/politico/doctor walking around openly with anything bigger than a hold out blaster in our Edge game gets set back on charm checks. In our Age game it is a little differrent....

Vibro-Axe. Every time. Add a Uniform and it looks ceremonial, but has a big wallop.

Definitely the whole "sorry sir that weapon is above the maximum capacity allowed inside our premises"

And also a holdout blaster fits better in the hidden compartment inside my cybernetic arm.

Definitely the whole "sorry sir that weapon is above the maximum capacity allowed inside our premises"

And also a holdout blaster fits better in the hidden compartment inside my cybernetic arm.

In special modifications... the inbuilt weapon upgrade lets you build an enc 2 or less weapon into a prosthetic arm/or cybernetic appendage

Mmmm Built in H7-Equaliser... or Dragoon! look out

Definitely the whole "sorry sir that weapon is above the maximum capacity allowed inside our premises"

And also a holdout blaster fits better in the hidden compartment inside my cybernetic arm.

In special modifications... the inbuilt weapon upgrade lets you build an enc 2 or less weapon into a prosthetic arm/or cybernetic appendage

Mmmm Built in H7-Equaliser... or Dragoon! look out

The HH-50 would be good for a fast heavy hit too, but Enc 3 so no go there

Interesting question I'm coming across as a player in an RP heavy Age game. My character is a Tactician, themed as an eight-year veteran of the Alliance with a three year long career as a sergeant of a basic squad of ground-pounders (albeit one rather famous for assaulting factories and occasionally adding more boots to a SpecForce mission). I've been trying to work it so that, in the future, he gets invited to the Urban Guerrillas SpecForce Regiment - partly for flavor, and partly as an excuse to pick up a second spec and get out from the overlap I have with our group's Diplomat Analyst.

The thing is... they use pistols, or carbines at best. I already have a pretty sweet Blaster Rifle, and the only mechanical difference is that it's range Long and 1 Enc heavier. I don't really want to go to all the trouble of switching weapons just to lose a whole range band for flavor reasons, so I'm at a loss of what to do.

The point isn't to take it to a gang war and start firefights with it. The point is to smuggle it into places where it's going to be the only gun, like government buildings, corporations or the Wheel.

In a game with a lot of stealth and RP, holdout blasters are probably the most useful weapons. Put one in a hidden storage or cybernetic cavity and you can take it anywhere. Then again, if you spend a lot of time in old temples, burial grounds and anything that implies a dungeon, they can also be completely useless.

Gunslinger and Improved Quick Draw is your friend.

For the weapon concealed in a prostethic i would use a disruptor pistol - incredible stopping power and vicious 4. As long as the character or the group has no ethic concerns against disintegration.

With my Gunslinger is use two modified X-30 Lancer pistols as primary weapons as they are enc. 1, have good stopping power and are the only light weapon with range long (one has a Electronic Sighting System, Bantha's Eye Laser Sight and the paired upgrade, the other has a Magnifier Scope instead of the ESS for easyer long range shots and observation purposes). Then there is a Disruptor Pistol with signature reduction hidden in the characters smugglers trenchcoat und a holdout blaster with blaster supressor hidden in the boot when a non-lethal and silent weapon is needed. (As neither the lancers nor the disruptor has a stun setting.)

As long as the character or the group has no ethic concerns against disintegration.

My Astromech Technician opted for a built-in stun-only holdout pistol in part because I was pinching credits to afford a toolkit and slicer gear, but also because I needed to save on encumbrance, as I have Brawn 1 and a lot of those tools are heavy.

Good backup weapons. A Gunslinger might prefer heavy blasters, but it's not as encumbering to carry a light blaster or holdout if the mains are lost or damaged and they need a fallback.

I often have heavy blasters restricted or illegal on civilized planets, but the smaller blasters are allowed.

I appreciate giving me a reason to use this picture.

But I don't understand the point of this thread. You list the basic reasons a person might benefit from a weapon that deals less damage in your OP. It's basically just a trade off. Why would a person choose to make that trade? Encumbrance, Credits, Setting, and RP may all be factors. Ultimately I don't think it matters. You pick the gun that fits the character. A point of damage either way doesn't matter that much anyway.

Also, even in a mechanical sense, a Holdout Blaster in capable hands does enough damage to take down the average unarmored Minion without too much trouble. In all honesty a point of damage either way isn't that much of an issue in the long run, especially as the PC improves in Skill. Players sometimes forget that as nice as having the monster weapon is, or super high Skill for that matter, it generally is unnecessary or even over-kill on most occasions.

The main reason though is Role Playing. I always tell my Players to choose things that make sense from the perspective of the Character you want to play and not just from the mechanical benefit. From a GM's perspective if you are always creating situations in which the deciding factor will be one or two points difference in damage potential then you may be better off playing an FPS.

I appreciate giving me a reason to use this picture.

But I don't understand the point of this thread. You list the basic reasons a person might benefit from a weapon that deals less damage in your OP. It's basically just a trade off. Why would a person choose to make that trade? Encumbrance, Credits, Setting, and RP may all be factors. Ultimately I don't think it matters. You pick the gun that fits the character. A point of damage either way doesn't matter that much anyway.

I have gotten lots of helpful comments about situational and other narrative advantages So that must have been the point of this thread...

Other than that, I asked for hidden Gems among less obvious weapon choices too...

Boonta blaster is pretty great, and it's bling. I allow the Fiver as a holdout, since they're describing a snub-nose revolver.