Lightsabers in DOTR

Referring to lightsaber weight, I remember reading somewhere (though I don't quite remember where, not sure if this is Canon or just me thinking this up) that lightsabers were additionally diifficult to wield; when a lightsaber is swung, it creates a compounding inertial effect, and would continue to move in the direction it was swung - almost like it was "eating" through the air. That's why only Force-sensitive users were able to properly wield one, because the Force helped them control the difficult physics of lightsaber movement.

Again, I don't remember where I read this, so correct me if I'm wrong.

Please, no more physics speak with lightsabers. If we can accept the fact that the blade itself is impossible, why can't we accept that the thing works. Let's just call them swords, which can cut like lasers, and can be turned on and off. We don't need physics to complicate things, its a sci-fantasy space opera with absolutely no sci-fi hardness.

The most important aspect to a roleplay which is set in a suspension of disbelief is an equity of understanding. We have to all be on the same page about what things can do. That means that people who know tons of physics should ignore it all and accept that none of it matters. Maybe in Mass Effect it does, but this is Star Wars. There's nothing remotely realistic about it.

*finds Saul IRL, reads his mind, and cuts him in half with a real lightsaber*

Shalken said:

Again, I don't remember where I read this, so correct me if I'm wrong.

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You're right on both accounts.
The thing you mentioned is the gyroscopic effect I've been babbling about and no, that is not Canon. From my understanding that isn't Legends either. In fact, no SW source - that I can think of - go into such detail and really explain how lightsabers work, simply because they can't work in the real world, from what we now understand of it - maybe in the future we'll be proved wrong. That's a textbook case of "wizards did it".

Supposedly the gyroscopic effect arises from the rotation of the plasma particle cloud within the circuit of the containment field blade - remember, the plasma is being emitted and reabsorbed by the hilt. Basically, while the blade would feel like being weightless, you'll still feel a strong pull in a direction opposite to any movement, like moving a stick through a dense fluid. Gyroscopic effect is indeed a behavior observed in fluids (gases or liquids) and the field os gyrokinetics (regarding plasma) is still quite based on a lot of assumption.

Saul said:

Please, no more physics speak with lightsabers. If we can accept the fact that the blade itself is impossible, why can't we accept that the thing works. Let's just call them swords, which can cut like lasers, and can be turned on and off. We don't need physics to complicate things, its a sci-fantasy space opera with absolutely no sci-fi hardness.

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Totally agree in regards to RP, but this is OOC, so I don't think it does any harm to have a cordial conversation regarding these matters.
If people - myself included - are willing to debate it, why shouldn't we? I can promise you that I won't bring any of this into an actual RP.

P.S.: Funny how some of you people took my "lightsaber modification suggestions" seriously. I was just citing the most unorthodox weapons I could come up with; but I was being serious in regards to a lightsaber workshop thread though. I much prefer the original design, but Disney is really trying to come up with some weird stuff, and people seem to be trying to bring this into DoTR - like with the lightsaber-blaster hybrid.

@Vosrik Bruce Lee would've nailed it, though!

Lightsaber-blaster hybrid will be as deadly as the pistol-sword was. It will kill its user more often than not.

MockaDash said:

@Vosrik Bruce Lee would've nailed it, though!

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Had to be done...

my character I've had create a pretty unique lightsaber if you can even call it that. I've added it to the very bottom of my workshop thread and basically its a double ended lightsaber pike that can be separated into three segments. if you've watched bleach it's not unlike Ikkaku's three-sectioned shikai staff/spear. it also has an amber colored blade (so basically orange-ish)

Darasuum said:

my character I've had create a pretty unique lightsaber if you can even call it that. I've added it to the very bottom of my workshop thread and basically its a double ended lightsaber pike that can be separated into three segments. if you've watched bleach it's not unlike Ikkaku's three-sectioned shikai staff/spear. it also has an amber colored blade (so basically orange-ish)

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I'm assuming that, once split, the middle section has no plasma beam. I can picture it working, provided that each end section has its own kyber and power cell.

@MockaDash only either end have a shoto style blade and the chain that links each of the two is not anything energy based and is a simple chain made out of a phrik so it is still lightsaber resistant though i was thinking of making each section having an inbuilt power coupling in each section so it wouldn't be too unlike a San-Ni staff though i changed my mind and went with something more physical and not energy based as a personal choice and i figured anything that could get in between the positive and negative end of it could cut it off making the section useless or if there was a strong enough EMP.

added note: also my character tends to not even use the blades in most cases and uses it like a traditional staff or flail weapon but that's just rp trivia...

@Darasuum Keep in mind that the San-Ni staff is Legends, so you can't actually say IC that you've based your design in it. It's basically a variant of a known oriental weapon called sansetsukon (japanese) or sanjiegun (chinese), so I guess it's okay to use it.

The way I see it, while the San-Ni was presented as an alternative to lightsabers on the EU, what you did was join both concepts into one. I don't believe that the stun prods on each end of the outer sections were able to parry lightsabers, only the power couplings between the three sections were. By replacing the stun prods with lightsaber beams and the power couplings with phrik chains, you're basically trading the power coupling stun capability for a lightsaber greater usefulness - in comparison to a stun prod. I don't see it as a fair trade.

I would rather just go with your design entirely without the lightsabers but make the whole thing made of phrik, or put the shoto lightsabers but don't make any of it lightsaber-resistant (don't use phrik, cortosis, w/e). In the event of someone slicing the chain in half you would still be able to use that section as a normal shoto, something akin to what happened to Darth Maul during his fight with Obi-wan on Episode I.

That's just my advice and opinion though. Nothing's carved in stone.

I think the design you have in mind is excessive @Darasuum. For one, in PVP I foresee you having a lot of trouble keeping track of the movement of the weapon, much less your opponent who has to read and respond. Second, all that fanciness and effort really cuts back on a lot of things; for one, like a saberstaff you're restricting your mobility, for two how do you block blaster bolts? It's like using two swords, only they're tied together. I don't know, I mean sure try it out but be ready to just go to a regular lightsaber. I really would recommend avoiding exotic lightsabers until you actually participate in a PVP fight on the forum and can use that experience to enhance your understanding of how these weapons actually work in RP versus RL.

If you want something fun and different, you could try a Kusarigama, but with a sword instead of sickle.

I keep doing searches for "impractical lightsaber" or "silly lightsaber" and the ones that come up are spoofs of Kylo's saber and the Hasbro bladebuilder kit(s). I'm a purist and I long for people to just work on the traditional saber. Again, I know people will do cray things, but I hope most FUs do more traditional "swords". You can still get a lot of diversity with a sword - hilt, blade length, dual blade, dual wield, fighting styles, matching to your outfit, history behind the hilt/crystal/building it, etc.

Saul said:

I think the design you have in mind is excessive @Darasuum. For one, in PVP I foresee you having a lot of trouble keeping track of the movement of the weapon, much less your opponent who has to read and respond. Second, all that fanciness and effort really cuts back on a lot of things; for one, like a saberstaff you're restricting your mobility, for two how do you block blaster bolts? It's like using two swords, only they're tied together. I don't know, I mean sure try it out but be ready to just go to a regular lightsaber. I really would recommend avoiding exotic lightsabers until you actually participate in a PVP fight on the forum and can use that experience to enhance your understanding of how these weapons actually work in RP versus RL.

If you want something fun and different, you could try a Kusarigama, but with a sword instead of sickle.

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I thought about the pvp aspect and that has caused me to rethink the idea. might just go with two shoto style lightsabers. i was thinking tonfas but i feel like i'd just end up cutting my character's elbows off. that's what this whole workshop thing is for, flush things out.

I think that as long as you are comfortable being able to write it, you should give it a go. Just be fair, smart and make sure what your writing makes sense. If you don't know what you are saying then your opponent defo will not.

Tsunami said:

I think that as long as you are comfortable being able to write it, you should give it a go. Just be fair, smart and make sure what your writing makes sense. If you don't know what you are saying then your opponent defo will not.

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I agree. i think i'm going to give it a try and if i end up feeling it is too much of chore or if i don't feel like i am adequately describing the situation i'll retire it and make it just another trinket my character has acquired. he likes getting souvenirs.

@Darasuum You have plenty of time to do practice duels to find out!

First of all, like I said, the sansetsukon, or section staff, is a real weapon that has been around for more than 1000 years. It's not something that just looks weird, and it has its real uses. Here's an idea of how the weapon works:

Easy to write its mechanics during combat? Far from it, I agree. But I'm not a killjoy and I don't make assumptions as to someone else's writing skills. Also, not everyone thinks their characters with PvP in mind. Maybe someone just wants a certain weapon to flesh out a character, and will never even use it in an actual duel.

Still, for me, it's all about the basic design with few modifications, as Marcus pointed out - this is Star Wars after all, and the beautifully simple original LS was born in this galaxy far, far away. Why not stick with it?
Disney, on the other hand seems to be experimenting with unusual designs giving rise to an escalation battle that I'm particularly not found of. But then again, there is what I want for my own characters, and what others want for theirs; if I can help them, I will, even if I don't want it for myself.

@Marcus Thanks to you, I just found the perfect gif for my siggy! XP

The three-section staff in an extremely temperamental weapon, but in the proper hands it can be quite formidable. Its use would boil down to "saberstaff on steroids". If you stop moving with a three-section staff, the weapon loses much (nearly all) of it's advantage. I've actually been working on an Ultrasabers conversion to use a three-section staff-saber on stage.

All light-sabers should be replaced with the really old ones that had to be wired up to an energy pack.

Retro SWRP.