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Net.Guide to Lightsaber Construction

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for d20 and d6 Star Wars RPG
Introduction
Having a Jedi character in the party can be a great asset to any group of adventurers. In cobat especia!!y"
the aa#ing s$i!! %ith %hich one can %ie!d a !ightsaber. Ho%ever" source ateria! thus far on the physica!
traits of a ne%!y constructed !ightsaber are odd!y issing. &his page has the 'fficia! West (nd Gaes
ateria! for !ightsaber construction" as %e!! as soe ateria! created especia!!y for the Star Wars RPG
)atabase concerning any of the !ightsaber detai!s over!oo$ed in officia! ateria!. 'f course" as West (nd
says" none of this is the be a!! and end a!! of !ightsaber detai!s" *ust soe suggestions that seeed to a$e
sense. +ee! free to tin$er %ith this ateria!" and ost of a!!" en*oy it.
Saber Construction
'ne of the rites of passage for a Jedi is for hi or her to construct a !ightsaber. &he !ightsaber acts as a
focusing device" a!!o%ing the Jedi to reach a state of attuneent %ith the +orce %hich enhances his cobat
capabi!ities. &he ,&a!es of the Jedi -opanion, by West (nd Gaes gives a !itt!e inforation on the
construction of !ightsabers. &he fo!!o%ing is fro that boo$" page ./2 0%ith odifications for )20
copatibi!ity12
,Jedi apprentices spend a great dea! of tie and effort constructing !ightsabers" an e!egant %epon of
ancient techno!ogies. &he b!ade he!ps the Jedi focus" attuning hi to the +orce so that it ore easi!y
f!o%s through hi. It is used for cobat on!y %hen other ethods of conf!ict reso!ution have ended in
fai!ure.
3ost Jedi bui!d severa! !ightsabers over a !ifetie" each saber ore po%erfu! and %e!!4ba!anced than
the !ast. &hese iproveents re!ect the Jedi5s increasing pro%ess in his use and understanding of the
+orce. &he !oss of a !ightsaber can so deora!i#e a Jedi that he oentari!y stub!es in his abi!ity to
access the +orce 0!osing .) 0)61642 0)201 in +orce s$i!!s unti! he constructs a ne% b!ade.
7 !ightsaber ust have the fo!!o%ing parts2 a po%er ce!!" a handgrip" an activation p!ate" a safety" a
be!t ring 0optiona!1" a b!ade !ength ad*uster 0optiona!1" an eitter atri8" a recharge soc$et" a !ens
asseb!y" a focusing crysta!" and a po%er conduit.
3ost handgrips have a !ength of 2/ to 90 centieters" %ith the b!ades e8tending these!ves up to ..:
eters.
&he type of crysta! used to focus the energy fro the po%er ce!! deterines the hatronic resonance
and !etha!ity of the %eapon. Jedi ;nights use 7degan crysta!s a!ost e8c!usive!y" as they have done
for i!!enia. &he 7degan fai!y inc!udes the fo!!o%ing crysta!s in order of rarity 0the die code
represents the b!ade5s base daage %hen using that crysta!2
;athracite2 9)<2 0)61 6 2d6 0)201
Re!acite2 /) 0)61 6 9d/ 0)201
)anite2 /)<2 0)61 6 2d= 0)201
3ephite2 :) 0)61 6 /d/ 0)201
Pontite2 :)<2 0)61 6 9d6 0)201
&o construct a !ightsaber fro its coponents parts ta$es a iniu of one onth and re>uires a
successfu! !ightsaber repair ro!! against a ?ery )ifficu!t difficu!ty 0)61" or a -raft 0!ightsaber1 chec$
0)201 as per the ru!es on page .:9 of the -ore Ru!eboo$. )ecrease the difficu!ty !eve! by one difficu!ty
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!eve! for each e8tra onth spent bui!ding the saber" to a iniu of (asy 0)61" or decrease the )-
as per the ru!es in the -ore Ru!eboo$ 0)201.
Jedi characters ay ad*ust the !ightsabers base daage die code through odifications @the sae
%ay as odifying daage die codes for any other %eaponA. -haracters re!y on their !ightsaber repair
s$i!! to a$e such iproveents.,
&he process of creating a !ightsaber varies depending on %ho the craftsan is" %ith each artisan giving the
saber his or her o%n persona! sty!e. 3ost Jedi use 7degan crysta!s" found very rare!y but usua!!y near!y
f!a%!ess. &a$ing these natura!!y4ocurring crysta!s" they bui!d the !ightsaber to their o%n persona! tastes" in
perfect harony %ith nature through the crysta!. &he Sith" ho%ever" use a specia! furnace to artificia!!y craft
crysta!s in an intense heat" using the )ar$ Side of the +orce to shape the crysta!s5 gro%th so that %hen it is
tie to reove it fro the furnace it is a!ready shaped to perfect!y suit the Sith Bord5s needs. 'bi4Wan
;enobi5s *ourna!" %hich %as %hat taught Bu$e ho% to construct his o%n saber" used a ethod si!ar to the
Sith5s artificia! crysta! ethod. Regard!ess of %hether or not natura! crysta!s or synthetic crysta!s are used"
the process of creating a !ightsaber is one of the ost essentia! !essons the Jedi 0and Sith1 teach their
students.
Handles
&he hand!e of a !ightsaber varies %ide!y" depending on the a$er. In ,I" Jedi, by 3ichae! Stac$po!e" -orran
Horn constructs a !ightsaber fro the hand!ebar on an o!d s%oop. &he Jedi of the '!d Repub!ic" ho%ever"
constructed uch ore aesthetica!!y p!easing" and cop!e8" saber hand!es. Here are e8ap!es of ho%
!ightsaber hand!es can vary.
Type of
Switch
Game Effect Difficulty to
Install
Switch/DC
Increase
Standard 'ne c!ic$ activates" one c!ic$
deactivates
Co e8tra ro!!
)oub!e
'ffc!ic$
'ne c!ic$ activates" t%o c!ic$s
deactivatesD this is so that the
!ighstaber does not accidenta!!y shut
off in cobat.
(asy6<: )-
Boc$ 'n &he !ightsaber5s 'n6'ff s%itch can
be !oc$ed into the 5'n5 position and
can5t be turned off %ith one touch.
3oderate6<.
0 )-
+orce
7ctivated
&he %ie!der ust use the +orce to
a$e a connection %ithn the hand!e
%hich a!!o%s energy to f!o%.
?ery
)ifficu!t6<.:
)-
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Colors
Whi!e it ay see to be a bit of trivia! detai!" the co!or of a !ightsaber is as uch a part of the persona!ity of
the %eapon as anything e!se. Epon cop!etion of the !ightsaber" ro!! .d6 and copare it to the Standard
Bightsaber co!ors tab!e. Shou!d a 6 be ro!!ed" rero!! and copare it to the Rare !ightsaber co!ors tab!e.
Standard Bightsaber -o!ors &ab!e
Ro!! -o!or Resu!t
. F!ue 07na$in" 'bi4Wan1
2 Green 0Bu$e" Gui Gonn Jinn1
9 Red 0)arth ?ader" )arth 3au!1
/ White 0Fen ;enobi1
: 'range
6 Ro!! fro ,Rare -o!ors, &ab!e
Rare Bightsaber -o!ors &ab!e
Ro!! -o!or
. -rison
2 &ea!
9 Roya! F!ue
/ Purp!e
: +orest Green
6 He!!o%
Length
7 !ightsaber can be any%here fro ..0 to ..: eters in !ength. Bi$e ro!!ing for co!or" ro!! .) on the tab!e
be!o% for the !ength. 7 Cote 'n 7d*ustab!e Bengths2 7 character ay choose to odify !ightsaber so that the
!ength can be changed by turning a dia! on the hand!e of the !ightsaber. +or each !ength aside fro the
standard !ength" a$e a !ightsaber repair ro!! against a 3oderate difficu!ty" odified one ore difficu!ty !eve!
for each e8tra !ength 0)61" or ade a odification to the )- of the fina! -raft chec$ 0)201.
(8ap!e2 7 Jedi decides that he %ants a !ightsaber %ith three !engths in tota!. His standard !ength b!ade
re>uires no e8tra ro!! or )- increase. Ho%ever" for the second !ength" he ust ro!! a )ifficu!t !ightsaber repair
ro!! 03oderate < . difficu!ty !eve!1 0)61" or add <: to his -raft )- 0)201. +or the third !ength" he ust ro!! a
?ery )ifficu!t !ightsaber repair ro!! 03oderate < 2 difficu!ty1 0)61" or add <.0 to his -raft )- 0)201.
Shou!d the Jedi fai! any one of these ro!!s" the !ightsaber %i!! not function. If a!! three are passed" the Jedi
ro!!s on the be!o% tab!e for a standard !ength" then chooses additiona! !engths 0fro .: to 2 1.
Ro!! Standard Bength
. ..0 3eters
2 ...
9 ..2
/ ..9
: ../
6 ..:
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Miscellaneous Modifications
&he fo!!o%ing isce!!aneous odifications ay be ade to a !ightsaber.
a Joining Sabers a
In order for the Jedi to *oin t%o !ightsabers together" he ust find the fo!!o%ing ites2 a set of specia!
%e!ding too!s 0:0 credits1" a agna4!oc$ for each saber 0200 credits each1" a re!ease s%itch 0:0
credits1" and a po%er connector 0.:0 credits1. 'nce obtaining these ites" a Jedi ay attept" %ith a
?ery )ifficu!t !ightsaber repair ro!! 0)61 or a -raft 0!ightsaber1 chec$ )- 20 0)201" *oin the t%o
together. +ai!ure to a$e this ro!! resu!ts in one or both of the sabers being daaged" depending on
ho% bad!y the ro!! %as issed by. If the ro!! is a success" they are *oined by a po%erfu! e!ecroagnetic
fie!d %hich can on!y be un!oc$ed by hitting the re!ease s%itch. &hey are *oined together at the base of
each saber and a$e a staff4!i$e %eapon.
b Cell Recognizer b
&his device is used to odify a !ightsaber such that it %i!! not function for anyone e8cept certain
peop!e. 7 sa!! sensor array 0=00 credits1 and recognition chip 09:0 credits1 are insta!!ed in the hand!e
of the !ightsaber" %hich reads the ce!! patterns of %hoever is ho!ding the %eapon. If the ce!! patterns
do not atch that of designated ,safe, users" the %eapon5s po%er ce!!s shut do%n" and any fai!safe
devices are activated. +ai!safe devices can range fro e!ectrocution to a !oud %arb!e to a >uiet beacon
%hich a!erts the o%ner via co!in$ that the %eapon is in the hands of an unauthoried bearer. 7
)ifficu!t !ightsaber repair ro!! 0)61 or a odification to the -raft 0!ightsaber1 chec$ of <.0 is needed to
insta!! this device.
c ressure!Grip c
&his adapter for the hand!e of a !ightsaber a!!o%s for %hat is" in essence" a ,deadan, s%itch on a
!ightsaber. &he !ightsaber activates and deactivates as nora!" but autoatica!!y deactivates shou!d
the pressure on the hand!e of the !ightsaber be reoved. &his is a!so a good %hen cobined %ith the
!oc$4on s%itch entioned above. &his pressure sensor itse!f runs rough!y 600 credits.
d Call "eacon d
&he ca!! beacon is the sip!est device to insta!! in a !ightsaber. &his device %i!! suon a ship %ith a
s!ave circuit !i$e a regu!ar ca!! beacon" on!y the button is ebedded in the hand!e of the !ightsaber.
&his re>uires a 3oderate !ightsaber repair ro!! 0)61 or a odification of the -raft 0!ightsaber1 chec$ of
<: 0)201 to a$e the odifications. &he cost for the ca!! beacon to attach to the !ightsaber is rough!y
."000 credits.
e Conceale# Compartment e
7 Jedi ay choose to create a hidden copartent in his !ightsaber %hich can on!y be accessed if you
$no% %hat to !oo$ for. &he cost is no ore than the cost of the supp!ies to construct the hand!e of the
!ightsaber" ho%ever the difficu!ty %hen crafting the b!ade is increased by one difficu!ty !eve! 0)616<:
to )- 0)201.
f $ater!roof Casing f
When constructing a !ightsaber" soe Jedi 0particu!ar!y those at hoe in a oist environent" !i$e
3on -a!aari1 add a secondary %ater4proof casing to the hand!es of their !ightsabers in order to
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protect the po%er ce!! inside. Whi!e sti!! not re!iab!e for functioning under%ater" this %i!! a!!o% a
!ightsaber to be carried nora!!y on a>uatic *ourneys" %ithout the necessity of reoving the po%er
pac$. 7 %ater4proof casing costs rough!y 200 credits" and ust be crafted at the sae tie as the
!ightsaber itse!f to fit proper!y over the hand!e.
g Translator %nit g
7 notab!e Jedi fro days !ong gone ade a particu!ar!y odd odification to his !ightsaber that soe
consu!ars ight find usefu!. +ro the ear!y stages of p!anning" he designed his !ightsaber to contain a
sa!! droid trans!ator unit" as %e!! as a for of vocabu!ator %ith a bui!t4in earpiece for discreet use.
&his enab!ed the Jedi to have a trans!ator %ith hi %herever he %ent" right there in his !ightsaber
%hich never !eft his side" for use in de!icate situations re>uiring precise trans!ation. &he cost of
insta!!ing this is rough!y =00 for the droid parts" p!us another 900 for the necessary %iring and pieces
of the !ightsaber.
h Stun Damage h
It is possib!e for soe of the ost s$i!!ed !ightsaber craftsent to design a !ightsaber that does !itt!e
ore than stun an opponent" rather than s!icing the as a standard b!ade does. &hese b!ades use a
very specia! $ind of crysta! that a!ters the haronics of the !ightsaber b!ade such that it no !onger
dea!s nora! daage. Instead" the !ightsaber does stun daage e>ua! to the standard daage rating
of the %eapon" but no !onger ignores the hardness of ites. &he cost of this is :"000 credits iniu
for the crysta!" p!us the difficu!ty for creating the b!ade is increased by t%o difficu!ty !eve!s 0)616<.0 to
the )- 0)201. &his specia! crysta! can a!so be used in p!ace of a b!ade4!engthening one" effective!y
creating a !ightsaber %hich can be s%itched fro nora! daage to the stun settingD use the ru!es for
a variab!e !ength b!ade in addition to the stun daage b!ade %hen deterining the difficu!ty of
construction.
i &ulti!purpose %se i
Soe Jedi design their !ightsabers to have secondary functions" such as a g!o%rod" a co!in$" or a
syntherope dispenser. In such a case" the cost of a$ing the odification is ere!y the cost of the
secondary function" and the difficu!ty to insta!! is increased by one difficu!ty !eve! 0)616<: to )- 0)201.
j Trappe# 'an#le j
&ypica!!y reserved for )ar$ Jedi" soe !ightsabers have specia! traps in their hand!es to prevent
unauthori#ed use. &he hand!e ay have spi$es or b!ade %hich burst forth fro the hand!e and
daage the user 02d/ daage1" or e!ectrocute the user instead 0.d6 shoc$ daage1. Whatever the
trap" they are triggered typica!!y through incorrect ce!! recognition 0see the -e!! Recogni#er above1" or
by a ,duy, activiation s%itch %hich triggers the trap. &he difficu!ty to insta!! a trap is increased by
t%o difficu!ty !eve!s 0)616<.0 to )- 0)201" and the cost varies fro 9004.000 for the parts.
k Silence# k
Soe Jedi te8ts fro the days of the %ars %ith the Sith indicate that certain Sith %arriors had
perfected the art of effective!y si!encing a !ightsaber b!ade. Fy ad*usting the crysta!s %ithin the b!ade"
and adding a fe% specia! ones to reduce noise" soe !ightsabers have been reduced to a near!y
noise!ess b!ade" a$ing on!y the faintest %hisper of a noise %hen activated. &he cost of obtaining a
si!encing crysta! is 2000 credits 0or oreD they are e8ceeding!y rare1" and the difficu!ty to insta!! is
increased by three difficu!ty !eve!s 0)616<.: to )- 0)201.
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For the Gamemaster: Using Lightsabers as a Plot e!ice
Bightsabers can 0and often are1 used as the focus of adventures" and are eans of te!!ing a better and ore
f!uid story in a ro!ep!aying gae. 'f course" it is easy to use the creation of a !ightsaber by a P- as a eans
for furthering the p!ot of a capaign. &he character ust find the necessary parts" purchase crysta!s" and
co!!ect a!! that5s needed before he can even begin asseb!ing. Ho%ever" G35s aren5t !iited to this tried4and4
true ethod of furthering the p!otD there are any %ays in %hich a !ightsaber can serve as the focus of the
story.
Perhaps the %eapon a!so houses a Jedi ho!ocron" %hich is instructing the aster!ess Jedi in the Rebe!!ion era
%hi!e the capaign goes a!ong. -onverse!y" perhaps it is a Sith ho!ocron %hich is attepting to seduce the
f!edg!ing Jedi to the )ar$ Side of the +orce. &he %eapon5s va!ue is a!so considerab!y greater once it is
discovered to be housing a ho!ocronD bounty hunters" thieves" )ar$ Jedi" and other groups %i!! be hot on the
party5s hee!s in an attept to obtain the %eapon. Instead of a ho!ocron" perhaps it has a ho!ographic ap
ibedded in its hi!t" !eading the party to a ysterious p!anet to e8p!ore ancient Jedi6Sith6;rath6etc. ruins"
!eading the further and further into danger. 'r perhaps the %eapon houses an e!ectronic $ey" %hich %i!!
open the entrance to a secret vau!t soe%here" again putting the party right in the !ine of fire as the greedy
and the dead!y pursue the !ightsaber %ith rec$!ess abandon.
&he +orce po%er Inhabit 'b*ect cou!d be used to create >uite p!ot device. 7s (8ar ;un and -a!!ista 3ing did"
perhaps a Jedi or Sith p!aced his spirit into his !ightsaber for preservation upon his death" and no% it has
fa!!en into the hands of the party ebers. Perhaps it offers the characters gent!e nudges and %arnings
through the +orceD or" in the dar$ of the night" the character a%a$ens fro terrib!e nightares" s!o%!y driving
hi over the edge to%ards the )ar$ Side. 7t a critica! oent" the !ightsaber refuses to activate un!ess the
spirit5s %ishes are heeded" or perhaps the b!ade rando!y ignites at an inopportune tie" refusing to shut off.
Perhaps the spirit !ends soe of its energy to the +orce abi!ity of the bearer 0giving a bonus to +orce po%er
ro!!s1" or dra%s part of the bearer5s !ife essence into itse!f over tie 0giving a pena!ty1.
3aybe the !ightsaber has soe !egendary history behind it" or is a re!ic of soe faous historica! event. &he
!ightsaber once be!onged to )arth ?ader hise!f" or -ay Gue!4)roa" or any one of the other faous +orce
users. Perhaps it %as discovered on the batt!eground at Ruusan" or %as used to s!aughter Jedi during the
Purge after the (pire rose. &he !ightsaber ight be part of a atched set %hich once be!onged to a
Fatt!easter" and its t%in has fa!!en into the hands of the part5s eney. Regard!ess of %hat the Gaeaster
chooses to do" there are any variants of these thees that cou!d be ip!eented %ith ease into any
capaign to give it action" ystery" adventure" persona! ties" and great character deve!opent.
Credits
&he proposa! of this docuent is to be an off!ine copy of the Cet.Guide to Bightsaber -onstruction avaiab!e in
%%%.s%rpgnet%or$.co
&his docuent has been created using open source soft%are 'pen'ffice avaiab!e on %%%.openoffice.org
7!! tradear$s and copyrights on this docuent are o%ned by their respective copanies. 'ther content is
copyright I 200. SWRPGCet%or$ un!ess other%ise noted. 7!! rights reserved.
)ocuent edited by ;e$o" there is on!y foratting oddifications to the origina! docuent.
&han$s for reading
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