So in my local RPG, I play a Cerean Seer with a 3/1/3/2/4/2 characteristic spread, and a some point (not sure when yet) I want to move into a specialization that has lightsaber as a career skill (preferably one with at least reflect), but I can't figure out which one. After about a week of thinking I've only eliminated two specs with lightsaber as a career skill. Hopefully you all can help me figure out what I would find most interesting, or work best with the party. There's a Bounty Hunter Assassin, and Engineer Mechanic regularly, then either a Warrior Shii-Cho Knight or a Smuggler Scoundrel. So far about the only thing that my character does that none of the others do is force powers, especially heal/harm (a misreading means I still only have the base power).

Here's what I have left, and the thought process behind why each one would work:

Arbiter: New career skills are Lightsaber and Negotiation (had the other two from Cerean and Seer). It has reflect but it would be expensive to get to the 2nd rank (or even the first). On the other hand it has some good social talents that may or may not be in the group, only the Scoundrel has but any effort into social skills. It also has both dedication and force rating (if the campaign goes on that long). Plus Aggressive Negotiations looks fun

Niman Disciple: Adds Leadership, Lightsaber and Negotiation as new career skills. It has easy access to reflect, and lets the character use their best stat for Lightsaber checks, but doesn't have improved reflect which I would like. It still has a few social talents would could be good and while expensive it has draw closer and center of being. It still has dedication and force rating.

Soresu Defender: Only adds Lightsaber as a new career skill. It has improved parry and improved reflect, but improved reflect is at the bottom of the tree. Defensive Circle isn't bad, but Strategic Form is also at the bottom of the tree. Lastly it only has dedication, which since my character is going to have quite a few force powers isn't the best.

Makashi Duelist: Would add Cool, Coordination and Lightsaber as new career skills for my character. Mostly left in the running because of Feint and the fact that it is an in-career specilaization, and the most grit talents out of any of the trees.

Ataru Striker: Adds Athletics, Corrdination and Lightsaber as new career skills. It has quick draw, dodge and reflect, plus the saber throw talent. But until my character got dedication and enhance to make their agility 3 they wouldn't be able to use hawk bat swoop or saber swarm very well. Also no ways to increase strain threshold or add force rating in this tree.

Shien Expert: Athletics, Lightsaber, Resilience and Skulduggery as new career skills, so I would get the most from this one in terms of career skills. It also has a lot of cheap reflect and improved reflect. It also has the Side Step and Saber Throw talents. But no force rating increase and without dedication to increase cunning not as effective using Counterstrike and Disruptive Strike.

So what do you all think?

I think that Niman Disciple is the most fitting as it uses your highest stat, Willpower. Combined with Seer you get a good combat option with the possibility to get to FR 4 in just two specs. It also has attacks that use the Force and with Seer you are going to have a very high FR to regularly pull it off.

Id agree here , although it lacks improved reflect, or parry you really need to be pushing defensive dice at your opponent before you can take advantage of it either through adding setback (and hoping for 3 threat) or by adding upgrades. Shien has sidestep , Soresu allows you to basic go all defense but for an action you can add defense (ie setback) to yourself and those around you. You have to factor this in.

As an example I dont use improved reflect or parry but I do have Baleful gaze (4 ranks of coercion) and overbalance, which is similar, and pushing 3 or more red dice at an opponent really adds to threat and /or Despair, so dont factor in Improved X unless you have some way of upgrading dice or adding setback because on its own you will rarely see 3 threat on basic checks that arent upgraded.

Remember that, narratively, any Threat your enemy rolls can be described as a deflected blaster bolt. "The stormtroopers rolled three Threat? I'd like to use that as Strain, as I use my Reflect talent to send their blaster bolts back at them." This can actually be pretty handy when facing high-soak enemies (though, yeah, the lightsaber tends to ignore all that).

I'll throw 2 more options at you that I think are better than some you suggested:

Shadow: it has the Well Rounded talent, choose Lightsaber as one. Also has Shroud, Indistinguishable, Slippery Minded and Anatomy Lessons and a Force Rating... but no Parry or Reflect.

Sentry: Reflect and Improved Saber Throw are cheap. With an xp investment you can always use Vigilance (your better initiative skill), get Improved Reflect, and have an extra Force Rating.

Of the options you suggested I think Soresu offers the most in the combat department, but Niman has the most to offer all around. Your character could really utilise Force Assault.

Out of my original ideas I definitely see how good Niman is since it has both force rating boost and dedication, plus once I get into the tree I can get a 4 dice upgraded twice for 25 XP much better than the 3 dice upgraded once that the character currently has.

35 minutes ago, Richardbuxton said:

Shadow: it has the Well Rounded talent, choose Lightsaber as one. Also has Shroud, Indistinguishable, Slippery Minded and Anatomy Lessons and a Force Rating... but no Parry or Reflect.

I hadn't considered this, it doesn't have reflect (though it does have dodge), and agility is my characters worst stat. This could make up for that in stealth, but it also uses a few talents that rely on cunning, which is only a 2.

35 minutes ago, Richardbuxton said:

Sentry: Reflect and Improved Saber Throw are cheap. With an xp investment you can always use Vigilance (your better initiative skill), get Improved Reflect, and have an extra Force Rating.

What book is this in? I currently only have Disciples of Harmony and Keeping the Peace for F&D career source-books.

9 minutes ago, Imperial Stormtrooper said:

Out of my original ideas I definitely see how good Niman is since it has both force rating boost and dedication, plus once I get into the tree I can get a 4 dice upgraded twice for 25 XP much better than the 3 dice upgraded once that the character currently has.

I hadn't considered this, it doesn't have reflect (though it does have dodge), and agility is my characters worst stat. This could make up for that in stealth, but it also uses a few talents that rely on cunning, which is only a 2.

What book is this in? I currently only have Disciples of Harmony and Keeping the Peace for F&D career source-books.

Sentry is in Endless Vigil , the Sentinel Sourcebook.

5 minutes ago, Imperial Stormtrooper said:

What book is this in? I currently only have Disciples of Harmony and Keeping the Peace for F&D career source-books.

It's in Endless Vigil, the Sentinel source book. It's a nice spec, it's kind of the Batman spec with a Talent that lets you use the Force to slow your fall. Improved Saber Throw lets you throw the Saber to Long range (but it costs 3 Force Pips total to hit and return it to your hand). Then there is a Conflict Talent "Fear the Shadows" to let you use Deception to make a minion group or single rival flee the encounter. Obviously that's less useful to you with a lower Cunning, but its avoidable in the tree. There are 2 cheap ranks in Reflect, Improved Reflect is unfortunately at the bottom though, although it is a gateway talent to the Force Rating.

1 minute ago, Tramp Graphics said:

Sentry is in Endless Vigil , the Sentinel Sourcebook.

Twice you beat me to it today!

Just now, Richardbuxton said:

Twice you beat me to it today!