I used to play the old D6 system, and was looking at letting my F&D players get crystals early, so I was working on this idea of weaker blades made from pure Kathracite, the idea being that the training sabers use a less pure and more common crystal. Here is the idea for the stats that I was thinking of:

Pure Kathracite crystals were a type of crystal that could be used in the construction of lightsabers. Most training lightsabers used by the Jedi Order to train their younglings contained either a Kathracite or Danite crystal, but pure Kathracite could be used to make a more lethal if still limited blade.

Base Modifier: Damage 2, Critical Rating +3, Breach +1, Stun, 3 Sunder Quality.

Mod Options: 2x +1 stun quality", 3x "Damage +1", 1x "Critical Rating -1"

What do you think?

You might want to bump the damage up to at least 4 or 5.

Are you adding Stun X , Stun Damage, or Stun Setting?

It looks like 2 advantage deal two strain.

What is Rarity/Price?

I like the Idea, mind if I use it?

The first thing to make a lightsabre less lethal is to remove the Breach quality. In this Star Wars RPG it's the breach quality that makes lightsabers such a powerful weapon.

8 hours ago, Mattheau said:

Pure Kathracite crystals were a type of crystal that could be used in the construction of lightsabers. Most training lightsabers used by the Jedi Order to train their younglings contained either a Kathracite or Danite crystal, but pure Kathracite could be used to make a more lethal if still limited blade.

Base Modifier: Damage 2, Critical Rating +3, Breach +1, Stun, 3 Sunder Quality.

Mod Options: 2x +1 stun quality", 3x "Damage +1", 1x "Critical Rating -1"

What do you think?

I'd say keep Breach, but buff the Damage to 4 at the cost of a mod.

So something like:
Base Modifiers: Installing this crystal changes the lightsaber's damage to 4 and its critical rating to 3, and the lightsaber replaces its item qualities with the Breach 1, Stun 3, and Sunder item qualities.
Modification Options: 2 Item Quality (Stun +1) Mods, 2 Damage +1 Mods, 1 Decrease the weapon's critical rating by 1 to a minimum of 1 Mod.

So a basic lightsaber would be: 4;3;Breach 1, Stun 3, Sunder.

So after some discussion, an P-47's input, I have it looking like:

Pure Kathracite crystals were a type of crystal that could be used in the construction of lightsabers. Most training lightsabers used by the Jedi Order to train their younglings contained either a Kathracite or Danite crystal, but pure Kathracite could be used to make a more lethal if still limited blade.

Base Modifier: Damage 4, Critical Rating +3, Pierce 2, Stun 3 Sunder Quality.

Mod Options: 2x “+1 stun quality", 3x "pierce +1", 1x "Critical Rating -1",

Keeping the Sunder quality doesn't make sense to me, if your goal was to nerf the lightsaber to not be strong.

1 minute ago, SuperWookie said:

Keeping the Sunder quality doesn't make sense to me, if your goal was to nerf the lightsaber to not be strong.

It's supposed to still be able to cut through something. Sunder represents that ability. This isn't just a matter of mechanical preferences.

It is a weaker lightsaber crystal, not a "nerfed" lightsaber crystal.

The Stun does not feel right to me.

If I read it right, on hit, even if attack deals no damage(Soak, parry), the target can still take 3-5 strain. All that is needed is two advantage. Is that right?

Other than that, It is good.

How many Hard Points is it? One feels about right.

5 hours ago, Lord Dust said:

The Stun does not feel right to me.

If I read it right, on hit, even if attack deals no damage(Soak, parry), the target can still take 3-5 strain. All that is needed is two advantage. Is that right?

Other than that, It is good.

How many Hard Points is it? One feels about right.

No. With a couple exceptions, you can only trigger weapon qualities on a successful check.

All crystals (as far as I know) use 2 HP (which brings up the question of why not just drop lightsaber hilts by 2 HP and say each must have one and only one crystal installed?).

The Check is a success, just that damage is negated.

Ghost Fire Crystal, and a few other are 1HP.

4 minutes ago, Lord Dust said:

Ghost Fire Crystal, and a few other are 1HP.

I stand corrected. Just none in the books I have, I guess.

5 minutes ago, Lord Dust said:

The Check is a success, just that damage is negated.

Oh, whoops. Sorry, I misread it. In that case, yes. But that's how it's supposed to work, and I see no issue with it.

I just see a lighting wreathed lightsaber delivering shocks on block.

Is it supposed to do that?

Just now, Lord Dust said:

I just see a lighting wreathed lightsaber delivering shocks on block.

Is it supposed to do that?

I'm picturing it as contacting the target, but that interpretation makes sense as well. Most of the time, attacks with a lightsaber aren't going to be blocked as you won't be fighting other lightsaber wielders (even in the movies).

But the Stun quality during a lightsaber duel is very potent given the strain cost for Parry. It also translates to wounds against most targets.

You have changed my mind. I now suggest dropping Stun (I also didn't realize how much Stun it could have... 5 is way too much).

Disorient could possibly be a substitute if you want the "stunning" ability of the crystal, but might be better to just not bother.

Stun Setting might work.

Target gets soak, and far as I know, there is no crystal with Stun Setting.

The Kimber stone has Stun Damage, but not Setting.

Also, "I set my lightsaber to stun."

For a "starting crystal," I've found the Athiss Cave Crystal from the F&D Beta adventure to be a pretty good one, as it's not super-potent right out the gate, and makes a good reward for PCs after completing their first adventure.

It starts out as Damage 6/Crit 3 with Breach and Sunder (it is a lightsaber crystal after all), with 2 damage +1 mods, a crit -1 mod (dropping it crit 2), and a Vicious +1 mod, giving it room for improvement but still keeping the 'saber fairly tame in terms of combat output.

A while back, I wrote up a "synthetic* crystal emitter" that was of a similar vein to the training emitter, just being a good deal more potent due to lacking the Stun Damage quality that the training emitter has. If I remember right, it started as Damage 5/Crit 3 with Pierce 2 and Sunder, and mods for +1 damage and +1 vicious. Don't recall the starting price point, but it was pretty low, enough so that a F&D PC could select the +2500 credits option at creation and have credits enough for a basic (or shoto) hilt with one of these crystals installed, and still have credits left over for some cheap armor and a few low-cost items.

*Mind you, I don't agree with Filoni's statement that creating a synthetic kyber crystal is fully impossible, but then from his POV there's probably not any difference in a kyber crystal no matter world it comes from, as opposed to the RPG were a kyber crystal's place of origin has notable effects on how a lightsaber performs in game. But, I suppose the synthetic emitter could be re-labeled as a katharicite crystal.

I have my own rant on Filoni I will skip and say I like your synthetic crystal emitter. Was it about 850c?

2 hours ago, Lord Dust said:

I have my own rant on Filoni I will skip and say I like your synthetic crystal emitter. Was it about 850c?

No, I'd put it at 2500 credits, which in retrospect was probably a bit high given it lacks the Breach quality though I think an earlier draft of the item gave it a higher damage and much higher Pierce value. At Damage 5 and Pierce 2, I'd probably knock the price down to 1500 credits since it's still a vast improvement over the 300 credit training emitter and unlocks the use of the Reflect talent while also being immune to Sunder, something that the comparatively cheaper vibroblade (which would have similar stats for half the cost) doesn't do.

Add Breach 1 as a mod option.

Just now, RLogue177 said:

Add Breach 1 as a mod option.

If you're refering to the synthetic emitter that I posted about, I had considered that, but I also feel that Breach is a very powerful combat option, and even as a mod it becomes very easy for a PC to acquire. I also delibrately wanted the emitter to be a temporary measure before a PC got a proper kyber crystal that had the Breach quality, so by withholding Breach I made it so the emitter was by design going to eventually be obsolete for most PCs, in much the same way the ancient sword and training emitter are.

If I drop the stun and keep everything else it might work for the story idea I have involving them.

Hope we were helpful. Good luck on your campaign.

On 8/17/2020 at 12:56 AM, Mattheau said:

I used to play the old D6 system, and was looking at letting my F&D players get crystals early, so I was working on this idea of weaker blades made from pure Kathracite, the idea being that the training sabers use a less pure and more common crystal. Here is the idea for the stats that I was thinking of:

Pure Kathracite crystals were a type of crystal that could be used in the construction of lightsabers. Most training lightsabers used by the Jedi Order to train their younglings contained either a Kathracite or Danite crystal, but pure Kathracite could be used to make a more lethal if still limited blade.

Base Modifier: Damage 2, Critical Rating +3, Breach +1, Stun, 3 Sunder Quality.

Mod Options: 2x +1 stun quality", 3x "Damage +1", 1x "Critical Rating -1"

What do you think?

The Kathracite crystal is specifically stated to be what’s used for a training saber. As such, it has the stats listed for a training emitter. This is stated on page 178 of the F&D CRB. To quote:

Quote

Equipped with an ultra-low-output power generator and either a Kathracite or Danite crystal , a training lightsaber produces a blade that, while possessing the same mass and energy characteristics as it’s full-powered cousins, does no lasting damage to living beings.

Yes, my thoughts are about what happens with a normal output power generator instead of the ultra-low-power generator, and a pure crystal instead of a stun emitter.

2 hours ago, Mattheau said:

Yes, my thoughts are about what happens with a normal output power generator instead of the ultra-low-power generator, and a pure crystal instead of a stun emitter.

Mechanically, nothing. The “training emitter” listed on page 200 of the CRB specifically is itself a lightsaber crystal. It’s not two separate attachments (crystal and power cell); it’s a single lightsaber crystal attachment. That crystal is Kathracite (or Danite, they share the same stats). Kathracite is a training emitter. This is further reinforced in the canon and Legends sources, as stated here :

Quote

Kathracite cystals were a type of crystal that could be used in the construction of lightsabers . Most training lightsabers used by the Jedi Order to train their younglings contained either a kathracite or danite crystal . These lightsabers were non-lethal and low powered. ^[1]

Kathracite produces a training saber blade. Thus, the “Training Emitter” is a Kathracite crystal.