After re-reading the melee weapon list, it didn't seem right to me that a vibro-sword help you parry a blaster shot.

Maybe the "Defensive" quality should be a passive ability applied only against melee attacks (becaming a mirror to the "Deflection" quality).

+1 Good idea.

This would make me want to use a vibroaxe.

I know in some RPGs, a weapon skill covers more than just attacking and parrying with the actual weapon. It also includes stances, movements, and martial training (katas?) that are designed to "set up" your advantages against certain situations. Does that make sense? So "parrying" a blaster shot (or dodging a bullet or whatever) isn't literally that, but rather an abstract of maneuvers that - in the end - translates into "you're actions make you not the first thing the attack hits."

Now, I haven't read that specific rules passage, yet, so I'm not sure if that's the case here. But maybe that's what they're going for. I would prefer not. Abilities to perform such actions, however abstract they may be, create nothing but confusion because they are inevitably explained very poorly and people question why they can parry a blaster bolt with a vibro-blade.

I am also currently of the opinion that it makes more sense that the Defensive Quality (present in weapons such as Gaffi Stick, Vibrosword and Lightsaber) should only applied to Melee Defense whereas the Deflection Quality (Lightsaber only) should cover the ranged defense.

It is more in line with what we see in the movies.

But I also don't really understand the intention behind the diferent mechanics by which one is a passive quality and another is an active one.

So I may be wrong.

Nevertheless I will have trouble to adjudicate said mechanics as written in my games, just because they don't make sense to me like that. And as such I wouldn't be able to provide suitable descriptions in play.

Therefore, I think the Defensive and Deflection Qualities should be better explained, or rewritten altogether.

OB-1 said:

I also don't believe that the ability to parry ranged weapons with a lightsaber is an inherent quality of the weapon, but has a lot more to do with the abilities of the wielder.

Slaunyeh said:

Good point.

There's nothing stopping a Jedi from swinging a regluar sword, or even a lead pipe infront of a blaster bolt. It is just only going to work once, then no more pipe.

Slaunyeh said:

It's sort of both.

Lightsabers are weightless except when cutting; a well-made, well-balanced lightsaber with a clearly defined beam is extremely fast, even in the hands of an unskilled user. Blaster bolts aren't lasers - you can see them - so it's not inconceivable that someone with extremely good reflexes could bat a bolt or two out of the air with a lightsaber. You can't really do that with any other melee weapon. There are examples of non-Force Sensitives skilled with a lightsaber picking off a stray bolt or two. Still, you can power through a lightsaber with a skilled shot.

On the other hand, clearly being attuned to the Force gives large bonuses to Defense, as the Exile tree shows. It's also conceivable that a true Jedi talent tree would include hefty bonuses versus blasters (along with Soresu!), until a highly skilled Jedi is untouchable except by huge surprise barrages.

If the only way to increase your defense in the game (besides force powers) is shield generators/armor…then why on earth would holding a melee weapon just the right way allow you to gain defense, but lots of training wont. Again I'm just talking about increasing defense not talking about talents that add dice as part of a maneuver.

Melee weapons should only ever increase melee defense.

Lightsaber deflection should be a force power, not a natural ability that anyone can use with the weapon. (Again if I can't get trained to dodge blasters how can I get trained to deflect them)

Sorthlador said:

Agreed, as above.

Sorthlador said:

I agree with TheRedBaron here, It's sort of both. More the former than the later, though.