One of my players is the tank/melee expert of the group with an impressive 8 soak and good use of the sense ability. He recently annoyed a gank assassin after beating him in combat with the rest of the PCs (great fight scene!) that resulted in him losing his cybernetic arm.

The assassin is coming back and but the PC is only stronger with a lightsaber. The assassin is clever and strong but what kind of things could he do to counter the force user/balance the scales?

I'm thinking cortosis armour/weapons but want other things.

Except for when targeting people like Rey, I think a not-so-accidental landslide would do. (Semi-serious answer... probably even mostly so.)

Let's face it, often a fight is narrated as one person (or group) facing off against another (or group) at melee range out to the maximum distance of the weapon with the furthest range. Dice are rolled, weapon damage calculated, a winner emerges.

in another thread I mentioned I like to choose my battle grounds. I don't want my characters to be pushed off a cliff, so they tend to avoid standing near the edges if they can. Any assassin worth his intellect (and salt) would likely choose the circumstances of his battles. For fairness sake this needn't be a "Rocks fall, you die, no save" situation, but directly or indirectly weakening the target is part of the hunt.

• Sabotage the party speeder/starship so they get wounded in the resultant crash.
• Cause a landslide (or similar) ambush to damage the character beforehand.
• Hire thugs to harrass the character, maybe steal the lightsaber.
• Have the assassin find an ysalamiri (no help against the lightsaber, but interesting encounter nonetheless).
• Assuming the Soak 8 comes from a variety of sources, and not just a Brawn 8, find ways to negate those Soak sources.
• Start an incriminating offensive with false, planted evidence, and have others solve the problem.
• Does the target character have any family or other loved ones that can be targeted in a hostage situation?

Just to give a few examples.

He could set up a trap with explosives.

Or throwing a net to ensnare him. The best melee fighter is useless, if he can't move.

Maybe make use of concussive weapons to stagger the PC.

To spice things up the gand could wear a jetpack or repulsor boots.

But keep in mind to leave options for the PCs.

Get in a vehicle and use planetary scale weaponry. Lightsaber skills will be utterly meaningless.

1 hour ago, Vader is Love said:

He could set up a trap with explosives.

Or throwing a net to ensnare him. The best melee fighter is useless, if he can't move.

Maybe make use of concussive weapons to stagger the PC.

To spice things up the gand could wear a jetpack or repulsor boots.

But keep in mind to leave options for the PCs.

I agree with ViL. Ambushes are the key to revenge. Make the net out of refined cortosis weave so it prevents him just slicing out of it with his lightsaber.

Why defeat him in combat when he can take away everything the FU holds dear. What else is important to the character?

15 minutes ago, kaosoe said:

Why defeat him in combat when he can take away everything the FU holds dear. What else is important to the character?

Because sometimes just killing a guy is way faster. Not everybody devotes their entire life to slowly taking apart a foe's existence when one ambush or bomb can get the job done and over with quickly enough. Then the villain can get on with his plans that really don't involve the hero at all.

Some ideas...

- Ambush at Extreme Range in cover (hidden, so Vigilance/Perception to find) with a good sniper rifle (+ Talents), resorting to Missile Tube depending on circumstances (get past that Soak)

- Jet pack to stay out of Engaged Range

- Aim Maneuver to disarm with Attack, with plan to scoop up lightsaber the next round (if able) or perhaps he has the help of droids/allies to grab it for him (Or use the Nemesis rule to give the assassin an extra turn at the end of the round).

There are a number of Force Powers and PC decisions (or the dice) that can mitigate these tactics but I don't think the goal should be to guarantee an overwhelming fight but to have a fun fight with obstacles difficult and memorable to overcome.

2 hours ago, HappyDaze said:

Because sometimes just killing a guy is way faster. Not everybody devotes their entire life to slowly taking apart a foe's existence when one ambush or bomb can get the job done and over with quickly enough. Then the villain can get on with his plans that really don't involve the hero at all.

Of course, but I think of a devious and emotionally-driven revenge might be more satisfying for both villain and protagonist.

Last I checked, a Jedi can't deflect poison in their food/drink.

2 hours ago, KungFuFerret said:

Last I checked, a Jedi can't deflect poison in their food/drink.

Or lungs. Or on their skin fron an aerosol.

I like your thinking. Star Wars nerds more chemical weapons!

3 hours ago, kaosoe said:

Of course, but I think of a devious and emotionally-driven revenge might be more satisfying for both villain and protagonist.

An emotionally mature opponent can be a terrifying change of pace.

3 hours ago, HappyDaze said:

Or lungs.

No, but we do know they can hold their breath for a crazy long time, to specifically avoid such a gas attack, as evidenced in Phantom Menace. So probably not the best approach.

9 minutes ago, KungFuFerret said:

No, but we do know they can hold their breath for a crazy long time, to specifically avoid such a gas attack, as evidenced in Phantom Menace. So probably not the best approach.

That's why you use something colorless and odorless, but it's even more reason to go with a contact agent that just needs to touch skin (or eyes).

However, the "hold breath long time while being active" power seems largely limited to Enhance on Resilience, so it's not perfect protection.

Alright. There's actually a lot of material in the Star Wars universe that is resistant, if not immune, to lightsabers. Cortosis is one, beskar, songsteel, ultrachrome, phrik are others. They're all rather expensive and difficult to acquire, but can be done, especially with old Clone Wars tech. Additionally, range is crucial. Jetpacks and jet-boots will be some of your best bets, along with slugthrowers to prevent getting own shots deflected back at him. Flechettes and shotguns are really helpful, because they can't be blocked with a lightsaber blade. Sonic weapons are also very effective against Jedi.

2 minutes ago, Veino said:

Alright. There's actually a lot of material in the Star Wars universe that is resistant, if not immune, to lightsabers. Cortosis is one, beskar, songsteel, ultrachrome, phrik are others. They're all rather expensive and difficult to acquire, but can be done, especially with old Clone Wars tech. Additionally, range is crucial. Jetpacks and jet-boots will be some of your best bets, along with slugthrowers to prevent getting own shots deflected back at him. Flechettes and shotguns are really helpful, because they can't be blocked with a lightsaber blade. Sonic weapons are also very effective against Jedi.

And, it should also be noted that all of these materials can be simulated in the game with the Cortosis Weave attachment.

1 hour ago, Tramp Graphics said:

And, it should also be noted that all of these materials can be simulated in the game with the Cortosis Weave attachment.

Yep! You don't need to homebrew anything new or fancy, unless you want some more flavor, which can be done with fluff description.

15 hours ago, Veino said:

Alright. There's actually a lot of material in the Star Wars universe that is resistant, if not immune, to lightsabers. Cortosis is one, beskar, songsteel, ultrachrome, phrik are others. They're all rather expensive and difficult to acquire, but can be done, especially with old Clone Wars tech. Additionally, range is crucial. Jetpacks and jet-boots will be some of your best bets, along with slugthrowers to prevent getting own shots deflected back at him. Flechettes and shotguns are really helpful, because they can't be blocked with a lightsaber blade. Sonic weapons are also very effective against Jedi.

Ideally, NOT attacking a Jedi in a method they are ideally suited to countering is the best strategy, if the final result desired is "and the Jedi dies".

Applying more blasters and direct combat just plays into the Jedi's strengths, making it less likely to actually work.

I mean, I get that the target in question is a PC, but I mean, if this Assassin is even remotely good at his job, that being the job of making living things dead thing, he should probably approach this job using something other than direct combat.

16 hours ago, Veino said:

Yep! You don't need to homebrew anything new or fancy, unless you want some more flavor, which can be done with fluff description.

Precisely. For example, if your Mandalorian wants a suit of Mandalorian battle armor made from Beskar (Mandalorian Iron)-Cortosis Weave attachment.

Have the assassin go after and capture another party member. Then say he will kill them unless the player you wants fights him in a duel of his choosing. Then you can set a cool environment to go along with it, pick weapons allowed or any other restrictions you want.

If their friends are at risk for their actions it makes them much more willing to agree.

Something that is important to fighting a Jedi, by RAW anyways, is a good Discipline.

Most opposed Force Power checks test Discipline by default (Move, Influence, etc.).

That said, there is latitude in the rules, found in some side-box somewhere that - like any Skill check - you can use whatever Skill can make narrative sense.

I've allowed Adversaries to make Athletics checks to "break out" of, or basically dodge Bind and/or Move attacks.

Resilience to resist Harm (and not just the Crit Control upgrade).

Cool to resist the Mind Control Influence Upgrade.

Probably other examples could work.

Adversaries are meant to be spectacular individuals just like the PCs, so don't be afraid to use the narrative license this system gives you over the mechanics. Maybe establish it early in play though, allowing PCs the same latitude with relavent Skill tests.

As for the question at large, yes, there's a reason why Bobba Fett had a Jetpak, flamethrower, rocket launcher, etc. (and half a dozen Jedi braids on his belt) just like people are recommending to you.

"And how would you beat him?"

"With a stick. While he slept. But on a horse, with a lance? That man is unbeatable."

Ambush him. Sneak onto his ship when they're all asleep. Unless the Gank, you know, has some need to fight fairly.

A jet pack or a speeder bike can be quite annoying to a melee fighter as it can keep the opposition well out of reach. Couple it with a sniper rifle and engage from long or extreme range only.

Personally, I'd be tempted to make it a recurring, persistent, increasingly unhinged villain that strikes from ambush and then runs away rather to fight to the bitter end. And every time the PCs survive he starts upping his game, increasing firepower and caring less and less about collateral damage. This could of course lead to the PCs being somewhat unwelcome in places. I mean, the last time they were in a city, some Gank maniac did a drive-by on them, hitting several innocent bystanders and at some other time tried to kill them with a bomb in a crowded market square. It's perfectly reasonable that people don't want the PCs around under those circumstances, or that it draws unwanted attention to them from the authorities, despite them being the victims.

Essentially, turn the guy into an obligation that pops up and takes increasingly lethal potshots of them before running away. Maniacal laughter optional.

8 hours ago, penpenpen said:

A jet pack or a speeder bike can be quite annoying to a melee fighter as it can keep the opposition well out of reach. Couple it with a sniper rifle and engage from long or extreme range only.

Personally, I'd be tempted to make it a recurring, persistent, increasingly unhinged villain that strikes from ambush and then runs away rather to fight to the bitter end. And every time the PCs survive he starts upping his game, increasing firepower and caring less and less about collateral damage. This could of course lead to the PCs being somewhat unwelcome in places. I mean, the last time they were in a city, some Gank maniac did a drive-by on them, hitting several innocent bystanders and at some other time tried to kill them with a bomb in a crowded market square. It's perfectly reasonable that people don't want the PCs around under those circumstances, or that it draws unwanted attention to them from the authorities, despite them being the victims.

Essentially, turn the guy into an obligation that pops up and takes increasingly lethal potshots of them before running away. Maniacal laughter optional.

Unless said melee guy is the one on the Speeder bike. I used to do that all the time playing Jedi Academy on a couple of the missions.

4 minutes ago, Tramp Graphics said:

Unless said melee guy is the one on the Speeder bike. I used to do that all the time playing Jedi Academy on a couple of the missions.

He brings a speeder bike, you launch a starfighter. He sends one of yours to the the spice mines of Kessel, you feed one of his to a rancor! That's the Nar Shaddaa way, and that's how you get a Force user!