Lightsaber blade length

[cheshire]

I know that in the EU material we see Jedi changing the length of lightsaber blades in combat. Has anyone drafted any rules as far as how this might be an advantage in combat?

[Kabal]

[Ray]

"It's not the size of the Lightsabre, it's how you use it." "You just keep telling yourself that..."

Sorry, I really couldn't help it...

[VermillionStar]

I'd have to agree with all that. The only reason big swords do more damage is size+weight. That's not really applicable to lightsabres.
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[Son of Fire]

I would not be prone to giving all that much for blade length, for the most part I figure its cosmetic, just a preference of the PC whom requested it.

Though I might give a few minor ruling in the PC’s favour, such as if they where in tight or confined quarters they might be able to wield their sabre more effectively (not decapitating themselves) if the blade could be shortened.
But outside of things along that line they would not get anything else…other than the satisfaction of having a sabre with the length they want.

Just to play “devils advocate” for a moment, I wonder if the degree of cutting surface to hit the victim would come into play for damage? After all, sabre's have no weight and such so the damage comes from something else, so the amount of cutting surface that comes into contact with the victim might play a role.
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"My schooling not only failed to teach me what it professed to be teaching, but prevented me from being educated to an extent which infuriates me when I think of all I might have learned at home by myself." - George Bernard Shaw

[VermillionStar]

LOL - I'd say it would have to play a huge role if there were rules for it; thankful there are not. If you figure changing the "thickness" of the blade from microscopic to say... 5mm like some kind of regular sword then when you give someone the chop (I know most people die immediately in the movies but it isn't always so in the RPG) then you're removing or vapourizing or whatever-izing a LOT more material. hehe, this branch of the discussion could get out of hand rather quickly.
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I find your lack of faith disturbing...

[Rathe Ehtar]

A lightsaber is not a bother in tight spaces since it goes through almost anything. I heard about a character that had a lightsaber blade to size of a lightpost. It got him in real trouble in certain situations.

[Son of Fire]

Well sure the sabre could cut through almost anything that impedes its path. But say you don’t want to have it cut through some of those things, like say a bulkhead or some such. So I think having a shorter sabre blade would be beneficial.
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"My schooling not only failed to teach me what it professed to be teaching, but prevented me from being educated to an extent which infuriates me when I think of all I might have learned at home by myself." - George Bernard Shaw

[Esoomian]

Exactly.

If you're on your own ship you don't want to accidentally slash a hole in the side and expose yourself to the vacuume of space now do you?

[VermillionStar]

LOL - how much does it hurt to get sucked through a microscopic crack?
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I find your lack of faith disturbing...

[Esoomian]

A LOT!

Still if you use the force to have your lighsaber depressurise the corridor while you're in an airlock it might be worth doing

[Son of Fire]

Jedi soup?

Still, I’m sure there are situation where variable lengths might be beneficial and not just cosmetic. Though I would mainly leave mechanics out of it entirely and just make it a GM’s call as to the effects.
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"My schooling not only failed to teach me what it professed to be teaching, but prevented me from being educated to an extent which infuriates me when I think of all I might have learned at home by myself." - George Bernard Shaw

[VermillionStar]

Music to my GM ears...
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I find your lack of faith disturbing...

[Hellstorm]

Excerp from StarWars : The Essential Guide To Weapons And Technology
Page 58 : Exar Kun's Lightsaber
"Panels controlled each blade's intensity: at its highest setting, a blade was like any other lightsaber, with the ability to cut through dense materials such as armor plating and durasteel with no resistance. At the lowest power setting the blade became a simple shaft of light, delivering no damage and providing no resistance against lightsaber attacks.

Mind you this is not RPG material but is interresting none the less 8)
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Tuco: "But if you miss you had better miss very well. Whoever double-crosses me and leaves me alive, he understands nothing about Tuco."
-The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

Peter Griffin: "Embrace The Fear." -Family Guy

[Hellcat]

About the only bonuses I'd give would be the length itself and possible surprise value in the middle of combat. The greater length allows the character to stand-off at a greater distance in melee combat or against another lightsaber, thus allowing them the chance to hit the opponent without the opponent being able to hit them unless they get in closer to the wielder and thus increase their chances of being hit. However, I'd find some way to negate the length, perhaps penalizing the user 1D in Lightsaber. The value of surprise with a variable length lightsaber would only come once in battle and only against an opponent who does not know the character can adjust the length of their lightsaber. But then the character would have to adjust the blade length in combat in order to surprise their opponent, who I'd say should be in a state of shock, and either unable to respond or suffers from a loss of from anywhere to -1 to -2D in all reaction and attack skills, for one to two rounds. Afterall, if you see someone enter battle with a sword six feet in length, then you'll think nothing of it beyond how you'll deal with such an advantage. But if they enter into battle with a three foot long sword and in the middle of battle it's suddenly eight feet in length and you didn't know it could do that, you're going to be shocked at whats happened and a little sluggish to get back to where you were before.