I have a player who, for character background reasons, does not want to use a lightsaber at all. I'm running them through the GM screen adventure to obtain rubat crystals, but there's nothing in it for him. Suggestions?

Take a look at some of the Force Artifacts found in Nexus of Power. If you don't find what you're looking for there, use them as a guide to make up your own.

The Core book has a talisman that lets you roll an extra force die once per session, that's a pretty good start. I've considered crystal shards that do the same, but break when used, so they're like one-use magic items.

Other than that... a silver chain that lets you use the Bind power once per day with out knowing it. A Sith Sword with an only partially wrapped hilt, so you can channel Lightning through it, and boy is it angry! I suppose when you attack with it, you can roll your force dice, and you can spend black pips (and only black pips) to do extra damage or make crits worse.

A Talisman is a good idea.

In one of the PbPs on this forum I am playing a brawler character who also doesn't use a lightsaber. But I sure as heck wouldn't say no to a Talisman of the Iron Fist.

If you are looking for something "gear" related for the character, perhaps some item that gives him bonuses of some kind to any Discipline check he makes? Since that is the go to dice pool for almost all Force powers, something that maybe lets him upgrade any Discipline check he makes, related to a Force power would be good. Perhaps once per encounter, he can roll an extra force die on a check, or heck every check.

I would make the item be significant. Remember, he is forsaking a lightsaber, an item so powerful, it's worth 9 THOUSAND CREDITS, basically ignores soak entirely for anyone it hits, and is, in general, considered a giant glowstick of death by most people. That's not an insignificant piece of equipment. The item you give him in place of it should be comparable in power. Players with lightsabers can use them every time they want, turn after turn. The item should be as usable nearly as often in my opinion.

A Talisman is a good idea.

In one of the PbPs on this forum I am playing a brawler character who also doesn't use a lightsaber. But I sure as heck wouldn't say no to a Talisman of the Iron Fist.

I'm making a brawling Force Adapt/Gunslinger character too. He can deal with most range enemies well enough. I don't want him to use a lightsaber so my GM let him buy the Cortosis Gauntlets.

Talisman of Iron Fist should be quite the awesome tool for a brawl character and on top an interesting different force tradition and contrast to the jedi and sith. FaD Page 190/191

Indeed. It's something a lot of people overlook in the book (because it's not in the weapons bit) and a lot of people haven't heard of, and can be a source of awesome moments.

The first time a player comes at a new nemesis with a glow-bat and he grabs the blade is a serious "what the....." moment.

How about his own special crystal that can only be mounted in a non-powered mellee weapon (such as oohh... a cortosis staff for that real wizard vibe).

2 hard points, base ability of +1 advantage to force related skill checks. Mods could be along the lines of +1 to range, strength or magnitude of individual force powers. (ie +1 range to force move is 1 mod).

May not be balanced... GM beware!!!

One idea would be, not giving him an item, but an ability. Like say a talent or an extra force rating.

How about his own special crystal that can only be mounted in a non-powered mellee weapon (such as oohh... a cortosis staff for that real wizard vibe).

2 hard points, base ability of +1 advantage to force related skill checks. Mods could be along the lines of +1 to range, strength or magnitude of individual force powers. (ie +1 range to force move is 1 mod).

May not be balanced... GM beware!!!

I really dig this idea. In order to balance it out, I would say mods should affect specific powers. [Move: Range]. [bind: Magnitude], and so on.

The Herder's Gauntlet

Dram of Oliphine

Holocrons that make buying certain abiliies cheaper might be a good reward.

I would seriously ask myself though if the character or the player is rejecting lightsabers. Lightsabers aren't just a fashion statement, the living crystals at their core are naturally occurring force artifacts that call to their weilder, and it makes very little sense for a force sensitive character to encounter one and go "Meh, do not want".

I started playing a character who was supposed to be a low key force user without a lightsaber or obvious Jedi trappings, but once the character encountered a naturally occurring kyber crystal and was put to the test by it, found worthy and was able to free it from the rocks I had a moment where I basically was pondering what had happened and said "I can stubbornly force my concept onto the character despite what just happened, or I can accept that this crystal chose him in a profound way and accept that characters are meant to evolve." I chose the latter, so he eventually built a saber and started to learn how to wield it.

Also not having any ability to use parry is pure folly if you ever get attacked by a competent light saber wielder.

What other details does the player have in mind? Is he more mystic? Knowledge focused? Healing? The Force isn't all about a bash fest. A few suggestions:

If his specialization has talents / abilities that say "requires lightsaber" provide a suitable substitute via a focus/item...or perhaps no focus item required at all...at the cost of additional strain or fewer uses. Yoda doesn't need a saber to reflect force lightning...and he doesn't use one at all in episodes V or VI.

Perhaps he automatically gains extra Destiny to use each session.

Perhaps a pool of die upgrades/boost die each session/encounter, representing his force affinity. Ideally something that at least compensates for no glowstick of doom.

Good lick!

Giving people a bonus for not having a lightsaber doesn't make any sense to me. Not using a lightsaber means not having to spend XP on learning how to use it, so the XP that frees up is the reward for not using a lightsaber. We're not talking about a class feature that needs to be replaced with something else if you don't use it afterall, we're talking about a classless system where not buying one thing means you get to buy another.

It wouldn't make any sense to give people extra benefits for not learning how to pilot a starship or shoot a blaster or use a medkit either.

The only thing that makes sense is maybe replacing saber crystal rewards in adventures with something else if someone is really hellbent on playing a character who never even encounters a crystal to make a connection with.

I thought from the first post that there was no point for the player to have one. Nor Dido think that he already had a crystal

the talisman would be a good substitued for the lightsaber, he gets a clear benefit while not becoming a lightsaber serial killer ^^