Lightsaber Crystals (and where to find them)

By Macabre, in Star Wars: Force and Destiny RPG

I dug through the web and began this document. Let me know if you see anything I missed or possible errors
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1E7e63UuHktOtuH2igsFudzP-R460EShql-1AY95Q0fg/pubhtml

I also broke down if they were Core (Primary) vs Focus crystals and if they were unique.

https://c.o0bg.com/rw/Boston/2011-2020/WebGraphics/Arts/BostonGlobe.com/2015/12/star-wars-lightsaber/assets/saber2.png

added galactic coordinates from the atlas (and web)

Edited by Macabre

Very cool. I admit that I tend to use Disney's version of crystals, where the color is a result of the tuner's personality rather than the quality of the crystal itself, but this is an excellent resource. Not only is it good for figuring out where crystals can be found, but it's good for ideas on homebrew crystals you can make for your table.

Some of these just don't make sense. How do you put acid or poison onto a plasma blade? How does burning plasma cause frostbite? I can see some of them talking about blade geometry or whatever. But lightsabers aren't D&D magic weapons for you to imbue with elemental effects or something. There's no reason why a lightsaber strike should leave the person with poison in their blood, or acid burning their gear. It's just silly. =)

keep in mind, a LOT of the crystals were from video games so they didn't conform to the average sense of normal.

i did it because i play a masterless jedi padawan and finding a crystal when you don't have a master can be a bit difficult. also, i am fascinated with the darksaber and want to know where to find the crystal for it (which would make an excellent campaign in general). closest i could find was the dark stick from Kerest, which has very similar features. since an actual source has yet to be named, it is not impossible

Edited by Macabre

Oh, I know most came from video games. And they were trying to copy the mechanics of games like D&D where you can run around with a Frost sword or Flame sword, or Poison dagger. But it doesn't make any sense at all for the focal crystal in a plasma blade to cause frostbite or poison on strikes. Not unless we full out admit that "the Force" is really magic, and "Force users" are really space wizards. Which is what they did for a game back home called Metascape. Basically ripped off Star Wars in everything but name, but their "Sorce users" were actual space wizards with Fireballs and everything (in addition to magical laser swords which changed colors). =)

i could see frostbite, sonic, superheat, and ion effects; but, yes, poisoning, life draining, and corrosion would be a bit odd.
why frostbite? who is to say that all crystals create hot effects? a crystal that creates a supercold plasma would be not too dissimilar from a superheated plasma. the closer it got to absolute zero it would make the atomic structure destabilize.

the use of the crystal to enhance a force wielder's ability to connect to the force has been around since the the very first EU book, splinter of the mind's eye. i can see them enhancing skills in different ways.

but some of those effects definitely need to be looked at

also left out one crystal of note, since it wasn't a lightsaber crystal. the ring in 'battle for endor' had a crystal that allowed shape shifting

Edited by Macabre

also left out one crystal of note, since it wasn't a lightsaber crystal. the ring in 'battle for endor' had a crystal that allowed shape shifting

I think that's for the best.

also left out one crystal of note, since it wasn't a lightsaber crystal. the ring in 'battle for endor' had a crystal that allowed shape shifting

I think that's for the best.

killjoy ;)

Plasma is just super heated gas or gas exposed to a strong magnetic field so yes if you take a poison turn it into a gaseous state you can in theory make poison plasma.

located a few more crystals

Kind of curious as to what you're getting at with the "core" and "focus" bit.This system doesn't use those distinctions, and leans more on what we see in The Clone Wars, which shows only one crystal being needed for a 'saber to function properly.

As was discussed earlier, most of these are taken from various SW video games. And in order to add more customization to Sabers to go along with modifications for Blaster Rifles and such, they had 2 crystals. Which isn't unheard of really (note primary and focusing crystals in the middle).

If anything, you could probably have the focusing crystal take up 1 HP as another Hilt attachment. Though really most of the focusing crystals on the list restrict usage to the crafter, which would be kinda like the Force Attuned Resonators from Keeping the Peace. Only instead of restricting to Force users in general, it restricts to just that one Force user.

Kind of curious as to what you're getting at with the "core" and "focus" bit.This system doesn't use those distinctions, and leans more on what we see in The Clone Wars, which shows only one crystal being needed for a 'saber to function properly.

the "core" is the primary crystal

there is also a "focusing crystal"

this is why i posted the image up top. posting it again.

https://c.o0bg.com/rw/Boston/2011-2020/WebGraphics/Arts/BostonGlobe.com/2015/12/star-wars-lightsaber/assets/saber2.png

http://www.geocities.ws/lair_of_the_sith/SITHSWORDsm.JPG

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/9/9a/Lightsaber-cutaway.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20051113041259

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7M1S7KfIEy4/TWlRkGJj7YI/AAAAAAAABhg/wZBTnDvFuP8/s1600/Obi-Wan%2BKenobi%2BLightsaber%2BCutaway1.jpg

kylo's does not have one:

http://www.blastr.com/sites/blastr/files/StarWarsTheForceAwakensVisualDictionary.jpg

Edited by Macabre

Kind of curious as to what you're getting at with the "core" and "focus" bit.This system doesn't use those distinctions, and leans more on what we see in The Clone Wars, which shows only one crystal being needed for a 'saber to function properly.

the "core" is the primary crystal

there is also a "focusing crystal"

this is why i posted the image up top. posting it again.

https://c.o0bg.com/rw/Boston/2011-2020/WebGraphics/Arts/BostonGlobe.com/2015/12/star-wars-lightsaber/assets/saber2.png

Anakin's saber is probably also a dual-phase lightsaber (had been noted in Legends to have a variable blade length), so it'd need at least two separate crystals to get the desired effect.

I think most lightsabers just used a single crystal, though we also see Kanan's lightsaber have a setting to shorten the blade for when he lets Ezra use it for training purposes.

Thanks @Macabre, this is a great resource. I am not familiar with much EU. This is educational.

Thanks @Macabre, this is a great resource. I am not familiar with much EU. This is educational.

no problem. i did it because role play games are about creating adventures. as such, all role play are, in their own way, non-canon expanded universe legends. if you play a jedi and you don't have a lightsaber, building one is kind of important. the other parts are easy, but crystals are a bit more difficult. ilum has an imperial outpost (albeit staffed by idiots), but what if you can't get to ilum? also, the crystals do have different properties, so finding one that fits your character is important.

the galaxy is a big place so it makes sense that the crystals wouldn't solely be found on one planet

i also want to do a shout out to west end games for creating much of what we think of as the expanded universe. their work in creating an excellent foundation has made it easy for authors and the following systems to expand farther

Edited by Macabre

added the 2 new ones from savage spirits

OK, two points. First, what are the two new ones from Savage Spirits? Secondly, your table is not very printer friendly, nor being saved as a PDF for off line reading.

Nice spreadsheet. I did notice some omissions, however. First off, under Mephite, you forgot to include Ossus as one of the planets you can get them from. Ossus is in the Adegan System, and Nexus of Power does specifically state you can find Mephite crystals in the caves there. Secondly, except for the two new ones from Endless Vigil , you haven't included the sourcebooks for any of the officially published crystals.

One other suggestion. Is there any way to format this for the web so that it can fit within the window and print to pdfs and standard 8.5 x 11 inch paper?

i just added the sourcebook section today and haven't gone through the other books yet