I'm sure some of you here know this sector rather well (probably far better than I ever well), but it's always been a bit of a personal favourite due to the emphasis on the noble swashbuckling style of things.

I may be able to get my group to go here or even make a campaign out of the underbelly of this setting (and there's plenty there to work with), so I'm looking at trying to get a grasp of two major things: lightfoils and the way they have carriers.

Now, Tapani Sector ships don't have hangar bays, but rather use docking clasps. I'm trying to determine if it would be a simple handwave to do this in lieu of the hangar, or if there's something I may be missing.

This may come up later as, depending on how things are handled, the party may want to have a docking clasp on their own ship to allow a snubfighter to be attached, and the closest I have is using the Retrofitted Hangar Bay as a baseline and tweaking it to allow the ship to clasp and transport a ship (or multiples) up to a multiplier of their own silhouette, but suffer a number of setback dice for doing so.

The other one is Lightfoils. I'm thinking of taking the Lightsaber, removing Breach, adding Pierce 3 and Unreliable to it. Perhaps reduce the damage a bit, maybe to 8, and drop Vicious down to 1. From there, I was contemplating dropping the price by a small bit, to about 7,500 credits, but leaving it as Restricted as they are not something that gets sold easily.

This also makes me want to add hard points to Lightsabers/Foils due to how often they both get customized in the EU, but that's a debate for another time.

This may lead to inspiration for an Adumari Blastsword, but that's another thought for another time.

Any input, anyone?

I would note that the Citadel -class already has docking clasps for two starfighters mentioned in its description, albeit without further elaboration (i.e. not showing up in the stat block). Maybe a handwave if they're buying a Tapani-style ship?

I would note that the Citadel -class already has docking clasps for two starfighters mentioned in its description, albeit without further elaboration (i.e. not showing up in the stat block). Maybe a handwave if they're buying a Tapani-style ship?

I think I missed that in my first read through. I'll look into it, then.

And note that not every Tapani ship has this; it's just the capital ships that act as "carriers" use the clasps instead of a hangar. Never really understood why beyond aesthetics and a possible corner cuts.

Well, aesthetics sure seemed to matter a lot in Tapani culture from what I glimpsed...

I tried to run a Tapani game back in the old WEG days but the players really didn't have interest. but the idea was to mix in Pirates and Privateers.

If you want to have docking clamps for the fighters (specifically the Manta fighters) I would suggest using a ship with a silhouette of 4 or 5. a Corvette, or Patrol craft would work. Have a minor adventure where you make sure the hyperspace drive creates a bubble large enough to account for the slaved ship. It would e best if the ship was grappled to a docking port so the pilot didn't have to do EVA to get inside of it.

as for the lightfoils, these are nothing more then a gimmick for the Saber Rakes and dueling. in the WEG system Lightsabers did 9d damage while the foils did 4d. Most of the times you were not going to be able to do much more damage then giving someone a cut.

I would give the stats for a lightfoil as follows:

Name: Light Foil; SKill: Melee; Damage: 5; Crit: 2; Ranged: Engaged; Encumbrance: 1; HP:0; Price: 7500 ®: Rarity: 9; Special: Vicious 1

I'd love a Tapani Sector sourcebook, be it for EotE or AoR. That was one of my favorite settings from the WEG days, but sadly not one that other gamers in my area shared an enthusiasm form.

I did my own take on the lightfoil, and was a little more generous than kinnison was, with his version amounting to a grossly over-priced vibrosword. Here's what I came up with:

Name: Lightfoil (modern); Skill: Lightsaber; Damage: 6; Crit: 1; Ranged: Engaged; Encumbrance: 1; HP:0; Price: 7500: Rarity: 8 ®; Special: Accurate 1, Pierce 5, Sunder, Vicious 2

Part of the reason for giving it the stats I did was that while not as purely dangerous as a true lightsaber, lightfoils are pretty deadly weapons, with the fluff noting that losing a limb during a duel was not an unusual occurance. And while the energy blade may not be up to par with a lightsaber's, it's still an energy blade and works on the same principles, meaning it's going to have an easier time hewing through things.

And since it's an energy blade and has the same issues of "no mass at the business end" that lightsabers have, then it'd fall under the Lightsaber skill, which also makes sense as being able to use a lightfoil well in the Expanse is a mark of skill and prowess amongst the Saber Rake culture; after all, any clod can swing a vibrosword around, but only a true duelist can wield a lightfoil with the proper balance of finesse and panache (at least that's how the Saber Rake sub-culture would probably see it).

I debated between the ranks of Pierce and just going a full rank of Breach, but I went with Pierce since it reflected how the modern lightfoil was really a sub-par knock-off of the lightsaber; it can do a lot of the things a lightsaber can do, but it can't do them as well. I know the WEG version mentioned that if a Jedi tried to use a lightfoil to deflect blaster fire the thing would likely short out, but I opted to gloss over that, figuring that if a Jedi using my Deflect Blasters talent rolls a Despair, then the GM can have the weapon "short out" then.

As for the archaic lightfoils used by the Sith of the Mecrosa Order back during the KOTOR era, those would be lightsabers with the Accurate quality (and would easily work to cover the dueling lightsabers as used by Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress during the Clone War as well).

The Tapani box set said that there isn't a big fringe presence in the sector (probably because the nobility has its fingers in most of those pies too!), but that could make for some interesting situations for the small number of fringers actually operating there.

The Tapani box set said that there isn't a big fringe presence in the sector (probably because the nobility has its fingers in most of those pies too!), but that could make for some interesting situations for the small number of fringers actually operating there.

Actually, could make for some outright hilarious and memorable situations, very much akin to Mal & Kaylee interacting with all those uppercrust folk at the gala in "Shindig"

Given the amount of Imperial-related intrigue (at least in the adventures), this might be something better suited for an AoR supplement.

Actually, could make for some outright hilarious and memorable situations, very much akin to Mal & Kaylee interacting with all those uppercrust folk at the gala in "Shindig"

Given the amount of Imperial-related intrigue (at least in the adventures), this might be something better suited for an AoR supplement.

The Firefly analogy seems pretty sound to me. (It also reminds me that I would be more confident if Joss Whedon were directing Episode VII rather than JJ Abrams--but that's a whole different subject.)

I can see the point about a Tapani supplement working better in the AoR line, but I would like to see it reserve at least a few pages for the fringe. High ideals aside, the Rebellion might have a hard time supplying itself or covering its tracks without some fringe connections.

Lightfoils were basically lightsabers.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Lightfoil

Lightfoils were basically lightsabers.

In basic functionality perhaps, but from the same article that you linked:

"However, these Post-Cleansing Lightfoils were weaker than the authentic or "archaic" lightfoils due to the poor quality focusing crystals used in their manufacture and the relatively low level of craftsmanship compared to Jedi artisans. However, the knockoff lightfoils apparently did not require any connection to the Force to create, and were fully usable by non-Force sensitives."

I've put the keywords from that section in bold, since they illustrate that the modern lightfoils aren't up to par with an actual lightsaber. So having a stat block for modern lightfoils that makes them sub-par to an actual lightsaber is quite in synch with the material we've got to work from.

I'm not as sold on the idea of lightfoils as I used to be. I thought that part of the gimmick with Jedi and lightsabers was that Force sensitivity and training allowed a Jedi to effectively control the swing of a weapon with no weight in the blade, but most Tapani lightfoil-wielders don't have those abilities. I've wondered whether it would be more plausible if there was just a vibrosword-dueling tradition in Tapani. That solution ruins some of the flavor of the Tapani setting, but it also maintains some of the flavor of the Star Wars setting as a whole.

And from the same article, one narrative "plus" to a lightfoil is that as much as the more radical elements of the New Order such as the ISB may be suspicious, lightfoils are not going to bring a "drop the hammer" reaction from the Empire like a lightsaber will... not least since, according to the GM guide for Lords of the Expanse , "few saber rakes have more than a passing knowledge of the Jedi Knights"!

The same book says that the Imps were able to pressure the Tapani noble houses into banning functional lightfoils in Tapani Sector, but saber rakes simply took to wearing "non-functioning ornamental lightfoils at their belts (some of which just happen to activate if the right hidden buttons are pushed, and some daring and resourceful souls have managed to locate real lightsabers which they hide in plain sight".

I'm not fussed about it when General Grievous is G-canon, albeit trained by a Force-sensitive, and as said the whole point of the difference is that lightfoils are "inferior" imitations that (and probably because ) they're not made by Force-sensitives for Force-sensitive users... but close enough for the above narrative bit about the Empire, which doesn't hold if it's just vibroswords.

Also, said Tapani lore notes that House Pelagia itself had Jedi ties and even had Force-sensitive bloodlines (who were correspondingly purged by the Empire which acquiesced to House Mecetti's own war against Pelagia as a whole), and that same lore has lightfoils originating from Calipsan nobles finding a cache of lightsabers from said Pelagia-associated Jedi.

For what it's worth though, said Tapani lore also says that most duels are actually with blasters, while the use of lightfoils is viewed as something of a fad (at least by "most Imperial officials", for whom it's "a simple infatuation with an elegant weapon vested with a rich and regal history.")

The Tapani are using docking clasps due to restrictions placed on capital ship sizes on the Nobel houses by the Empire. If I remember correctly.

I also seem to remember each house had it's own smugglers and fixers to bring in illegal products and solve problems. Most houses also has illegals shipbuilding programs in place due to the restrictions on military recourses on each house. It should be easy to have the players obligation set up against one or more houses. Either as nobles being loyal to their house, or as master and servant relationship with the players family living on the nobles planets under their mercy.

And in turn, there's also Tapani nobles "residing" on Imperial Center in a rotation... I don't think anyone has illusions about what that 's about... so Obligation could come into play in regards to them.

Lots of great feedback here!

The Tapani are using docking clasps due to restrictions placed on capital ship sizes on the Nobel houses by the Empire. If I remember correctly.

Thank you for that reminder! I couldn't remember for the life of me why they wouldn't just build a normal carrier, but that makes sense.

The Tapani box set said that there isn't a big fringe presence in the sector (probably because the nobility has its fingers in most of those pies too!), but that could make for some interesting situations for the small number of fringers actually operating there.

As previously mentioned, there's plenty of need of fringers in this setting. Also, when you consider how many underhanded dealings are being done BY the nobility (smuggling, quietly supporting the alliance, works against another house, etc.), it would make perfect sense to run things in this setting.

Added bonus: there are a few Shadowports and similar organizations right under the nose of the Empire (often just a short hyperspace jump away from a major weapon's platform), and these play a small, but important, role in the grand scheme of the sector.

And, as someone previously mentioned, the lore of the Tapani Sector notes that younger members of the nobility are required to go to Imperial Center on a rotation basis as a polite way of saying "We have your family, do what we say." This doesn't mean that they LIKE it, and would count on PCs to take care of things that they wouldn't be able to do in the open. The concept of an expendable resource that you can deny every having worked with.

That's one of the more entertaining parts of the Tapani Sector in my opinion.

Now, for the lightfoil discussion that would take far too many requotes:

As it was mentioned, these are inferior blades that are produced by non-Force Senstitives to fill in this niche. The complaints have been random power loss and overall unreliability, but there are enough young, influential people (or at least members of influential groups) that wear these as a fashion statement at the very least or are skilled enough Saber Rakes to defend themselves.

Saber Rakes are mostly self taught in the first place, and these duels are rather illegal now (but, at least according to images, this doesn't stop Imperial Officers from learning the art and taking part in these duels). When you look at a society that emphasized aesthetics, elegant things, and rich kids that treated original, functional lightsabers as toys, the idea of having a duel with an elegant weapon because it raises the risk of it all just seems to make sense.

That said, here's my take on the Ligthfoil:

Name: Lightfoil; Skill: Lightsaber; Damage: 6; Crit: 2; Ranged: Engaged; Encumbrance: 1; HP:0; Price: 7500: Rarity: 8 ®; Special: Accurate 1, Pierce 3, Sunder, Vicious 2

Note: On a Despair, the weapon malfunctions and is inoperable until maintenance is performed with an Average Mechanics check. Costs for repair are up to the GM.

Something on the "docking clasp" thing; EotE actually specifically calls it out in the starfighter section in a sidebar (pg. 258) as a way to have one player with a non-hyperspace capable fighter keep up with a group's freighter. It says most freighters come with them (which makes sense as a cargo hauling option really) so you wouldn't need to modify a ship to use that option apparently.

Something on the "docking clasp" thing; EotE actually specifically calls it out in the starfighter section in a sidebar (pg. 258) as a way to have one player with a non-hyperspace capable fighter keep up with a group's freighter. It says most freighters come with them (which makes sense as a cargo hauling option really) so you wouldn't need to modify a ship to use that option apparently.

Thanks for reminding me of that one. I'll just hand-wave it under common sense as to how many ships can be attached and the impacts of it (like a Z-95 docket to a YT-1300 blocking on of the turrets, for example) and go from there.