For your character to have a lightsaber, it's usually a good idea to give them some engineering skills.

A hilt filled with wound monowire and a nanite hive, the nanites pre-programmed to take a straightline crystalline form[the 'blade'] connected via monowire. Give the monowire a nice dip in some electro-luminescent dye...

The nanites connect to the monowire and spin them, creating the ever shifting cutting surface and the 'hum'. The nanites are held in an electromagnetic field[the nanites have both polarity magnets built in to each one to attract and repel each other] Once you switch it on and the electricity starts pumping through it, it llights up, hums, an springs to life.

We did experiment with rules for laserswords and such, but ultimately decided that the demand wasn't there.

This is more for the groups that have GMs who allow the PCs to have what they want, provided they can come up with how to actually implement it/design the tech/etc.

Yeah, the mystic adepts who think they are Jedi are annoying enough (not that I don't like Star Wars, I do, but I just think that lightsabers don't fit in Shadowrun).

Lightsabers are the kind of thing someone always asks about when they start playing, and then forget about once they settle into the setting. I have yet to find someone who's unhappy with the selection of melee weapons once they settle into a firm understanding of the setting.

Besides, there's always any number of other games that come with lightsabers preinstalled. Some of them even cause cancer...

My one regret when introducing the Odd ball micro paradigm of Jedi is that I gave them a unqiue spell light sabre rather than just monoswords/sword foci across the board.

To be absolutely honest, "Jedi" should be a very valid tradition in the Sixth World, cheesy as it is. There's large groups of people following it as a religion now. Just imagine how that would grow the moment telekinesis, mind control, and swords with Energy Aura (Light) became a reality. I imagine it would be far more popular than a good many traditions listed in Street Magic.

That said, the best way to go about it is to just get a fancy-schmancy hilt, enchant it as a sustaining focus, and build a possession-based tradition around the Jedi philosophy. Force ghosts never actually materialized, only manifested, and their possession could be described as "guiding you with the Force."

Then whenever you want to activate your lightsaber, just cast [Element] Aura: Light, toss it into the sustaining focus, and have fun. Just describe the physical effect of the spell as your lightsaber lighting up, but use all the rules for the spell as written. If you want to make it more effective, take up Armory and "invent" a Telescoping Staff version of a Sword and use that as the focus instead.

Building a lightsaber is actually quite easy with the rules as they stand.

1) Extendable Baton + Inhabitation Spirit with the Energy Aura (Light) power.

2) Hilt with an Inhabitation Spirit with Energy Aura (Light) and Natural Weapon.

But I do agree with other posters, lightsabers simply don't fit the setting very well.

That technically won't work as written. Energy Aura requires that the spirit itself would have to be making the attacks, which it either cannot do (by being inanimate) or requires that its fighting on its own (ie, not in the "Jedi's" hands) depending on the type of inhabitation being used. Thus it wouldn't be a lightsaber either way, except maybe looking like one.

You also can't have an Inhabitation Spirit without first initiating and taking the Ally Conjuration metamagic. So it's right out during character creation using the basic rules. You'd need a possession tradition to pull it off without initiation.

Wrong on both counts.

1) Energy Aura also works when something hits the spirit. If you hit someone with a spirit, you are causing them to hit the spirit - hence, damage.

2) Free spirits, yo. I detail how to get them easysauce in my signature. Costs like 800 nY for a F1. And there's a huge difference between Possession and Inhabitation.

A Lightsaber has three features that make it desirable:

1) Aesthetics - 'nuff said.

2) Vorpal - A Lightsaber will cut through anything short of a plot device or another lightsaber - they're awesomely overpowered. There's no rational game mechanic that could be applied here that would allow for game balance and properly execute the effect. (e.g. Slicing through an ATAT that blasters wouldn't scratch (one handed, in one swing) and making a hole big enough to toss a grenade in)

3) Bullet Immunity - A Jedi can use the Lightsaber to deflect Blasters, the de facto firearm in that universe. With training, a Jedi is functionally invincible when facing ranged fighters. This would actually be an interesting effect to try and write in - allow an adept to add something to a Total Defense roll based on the weapon's special ability to deflect bullets. I might have to work that in...

Or you could just go play Star Wars instead.

'Fraid not.


Again, 'fraid not. Someone has to hit the weapon in that case, which by the rules means they're trying to do something like Parry, Riposte or Disarm you. It doesn't apply in normal circumstances, sorry to say. By your logic, any critter gets to damage someone twice every time they make an attack: Once with the +4 DV bonus, the other with the full brunt of the power because they're "causing them to hit the spirit."


The most useless thing in the world: A force 1 spirit. Considering, you know, a background count of 1 is painfully common, especially in a metroplex. Hit it once and the spirit is disrupted. Yay. Additionally, most GMs wouldn't allow a player to have a free spirit at their beck and call regardless of what the rules say. Your fanaticism on the topic notwithstanding.


Uhm, duh? But possession spirits are available at character creation. Inhabitation ones are not without twisted, obscure rules that are heavily reliant on GM approval.

Note that only energy-blasts seem to be able to be deflected.
BLASTER Blasts are plasma. Not Laser. Laser is moving at speed of light, which even a jedi cannot achieve.
Try shooting full auto flechette. Or maybe a simple burst Fire Shotgun.
or this:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2587/405017...a95c60cf7_o.gif

This reminds me of waaay back when, when I was very new to SR, a friend of mine wanted to play a four-armed street sam wielding quad-Uzi III's. In SR1. Good times, good times.

If there is going to light sabres then people will have to accept everything else that belongs to Star Wars, including Ewoks and the Star Wars Christmas Special.

In $R4.5, that's a playable, if something undesireable, character . .

Really? What about the "Metahuman Body" improvised weapon? What happens when you forcefully smash a spirit into someone? I'd think that their aura would kick in, and that's what is happening in this case.


Have you polled "most GMs"? That's your belief, not your knowledge. Also, BC is not painfully common, otherwise there would be a slurry of cited sections of BC-1 areas in all of the sourcebooks, which there is not. Now, I know, the effects that cause BC-1 are common, but that does not neccessarily mean that BC-1 is everywhere or pervasive.


The rules for them are neither twised nor obscure, and are available to all characters as soon as before their first run is over. Now, I will agree that they are heavily reliant on GM approval, but everything in the game to one extent or another is reliant on GM approval, so that is a moot point.

<shrugs> Think what you want. It neither works according to the rules nor without significant GM intervention to make it possible. Whereas a Sustaining Focus and [Element] Aura: Light is both significantly easier to achieve and perfectly valid. The only "handwaving" with it is the description of the effect, which is also perfectly valid.

Inhabitation Traditions should never be allowed to Player Characters... Ever...
Just Sayin'

But if you prefer, then go for it... just don't complain to much when the inhabiting spirit takes over permanently and creates a flesh form or something else equally nasty...

Keep the Faith

My idea on how to make a lightsaber in Shadowrun:

Mage Blade (F/2 + 6) Manipulation Spell

• Physical Spell: +1
• Range: -2 (caster must be holding the blade)
• Duration: +0
• Manipulation Spell: Physical Damage: Elemental Effect: +2
• "Fudge Factor"*: +5 (allows wielder to use the blade without having to have Exotic Melee: Mage Blade)

Spell Description: This spell creates a "blade" of force with a elemental effect of light. This spell can be used to parry physical weapons. It creates a blade with a damage code of (Force/2 + 4)P, AP -1, a reach of 1, and has the "Light" elemental effect




* == this was thrown in to make it so the darn thing wasn't too cheesy
-------------------------------

Use this spell in a sustaining foci and have at it.

Make it fetish-reliant as well. It could reduce the drain.

Yup. I when I was creating the spell I wanted to make sure it was fair and balanced. I didn't want a "OMGWTFPWND!" spell.

I wanted something that fit the "flavor" of a lightsaber, but made the caster think: "Do I want to cast this spell or would something else be better?"

And take away the "fudge factor"... i mean, REALLY? There are no spells which just "on the side" give you skills. If you want to swing it around, LEARN it.

Well, i would just have that spell in force 12 anchored into an hilt, with a "analyze thought" spell as a trigger. If you WANT it to light up: BAM you have a DV12 Blade, with elemental effect. Should tear through nearly anything. Of course for that thing you would need an enchanter with anchoring and at least 12 spare karma... best 24 (You don't want it to get disenchanted so easily, now do you?) So prepare for maximum cash drainage on that. Maybe 80.000 or more? (EDIT: Ah make it 160.000)

But i would say this weapon is surely very impressive and useful... i guess a few insanely good payed Ki-Assassins and some Execs would have one.

I made something similar to KCKitsune's "Mage Blade" in SR3 but requiring a unique focus (bonding karma was the same as for a weapon focus) that would be the lightsaber's hilt.
This had 2 advantages:
A) Jedi fluff: All Jedis must make their own lightsaber (the unique focus couldn't be bought/found anywhere).
B) Expensive: Not only you have to pay karma and nuyen to make the focus, but you must also pay karma (and possibly nuyen too) to train the Talismongering and Enchanting skills. So no wanna-be-Jedi will ask for a lightsaber unless he REALLY REALLY wants one.

I can't find the drain code I came up with, but it actually wasn't that high. Take into account I included the lightsaber sounds in the formula so the maintained spell completely ruined stealth.

So why does this have to be magical? Can't it be some kind of technical marvel? A plasma blade or alien tech? Part of the problem is that such a weapon doesn't fit in with the balance of the game, but does that matter? I would give it the similar damage to a monowhip, just without the penalty against barriers.

However, now that you have such a weapon, everyone is going to be hunting you for it. Private collectors, corporations, etc.

Considering the whole idea of a lightsaber is stupid (how exactly do you keep a laser limited to a sword's length, and when did Shadowrun develop the force field technology required to contain plasma in a sword-like shape, and why do you even need plasma if the forcefield is what's doing all the work, etc.?), that option is right out.

In YOUR opinion, maybe not in everyone's opinion, that's a matter of tastes, as the saying goes "to each his own".



The technical side is absolutely irrelevant, it's a game (shocking!), that's called suspension of belief.... else how can we possibly accept the various other utterly illogical things in shadowrun such as... magic... laser weapons... monowhip... gauss cannons... and so on...



According to YOU, in YOUR game, let others have their fun if they want to.

PS : I really dont understand you Funkenstein, almost half the time I see you post your replies are absolutely not constructive at all, bring nothing to the argument except the usual rules lawyering or opinionated rebutal. Use your imagination and be tolerant, not everyone is supposed to play the game strictly by the rules, as is obvious from all the "optional rules" and other disclaimers that there is NOT hard and fast rule in shadowrun, it's always UP TO THE GM.

o.O

I was talking about the lightsabers as described in the Star Wars universe. If you're trying to make one just like that, the option is right out because that kind of technology -- even if it made a modicum of sense -- just doesn't exist in the Sixth World. And if you are going to introduce such technology to satisfy it, you should at least explain why it was used to make a friggin' toy from a movie rather than applied in ways it actually would be applied in the real world.

Considering I'm one of the few people in this thread who did give a viable method of creating one without any special rules, maybe you should piss off with the whining and utterly irrelevant ranting. (Here's a hint: Go read my first fucking post in the thread.)

Maybe it was alien/metaplanar tech. it could have been an artifact from a previous age, it could be that some mystical crystal exhibits the required physics of a shield. It could a a lab prototype, and the tech hasn't reached the streets, it could be accomplished by some other means that's outside of the requirements that you mentioned. A little imagination as to why will open up the possibilities.

It's not the tradition that allows players to get Inhabitation spirits, it is the new free spirit Calling rules found in Running Wild.


Also, it is my understanding that lightsabers create a field of plasma that is held in place by a strong gravitational field, which is completely feasible and logical. It would not be very efficient to try to make one now, as we can't create batteries that are capable of emitting that much energy (possibly at all) for any extended amount of time, and our knowledge of gravity is laughable, at best, compared to what would be required for this technology.

Have fun in your game. It's very obviously not mine.

OK, how about this then:

Mage Blade (F/2 + 1) Manipulation Spell

• Physical Spell: +1
• Range: -2 (caster must be holding the blade)
• Duration: +0
• Manipulation Spell: Physical Damage: Elemental Effect: +2

Spell Description: This spell creates a "blade" of force with a elemental effect of light. This spell can be used to parry physical weapons. It creates a blade with a damage code of (Force)P, AP -, Reach 1, and has the "Light" elemental effect.



Need Exotic Melee (Mage Blade) to use properly.

What about the part of Street Magic that says that you cannot summon weapons?

It has probably been said before but I would just make a monosword into a sustaining focus and cast elemental aura-light on it. Or if you really want the extendo-effect then I would enchant a collapsable baton into a sustaining (or anchoring for mundanes) focus. Extend it & cast elemental aura light on it. If you really want it to look like a lightsaber hilt then use the custom look weaponmod on the baton.

Ligtsaber-ey: yes
Cool: yes
Cost effective: not so much
Worth it: not my call

I'm a little tired of this slang term for the 4a printing.

is it so bad that the most recent printing happened to be in full color with a new cover? it's got the Errata included but, so did the second printing, the third, etc. absent the 20th anniversary, printing 8 (9?) would've been the same stuff you see in 20a, just without the new layout and colors.

unless you think errata updates in future printings is a naked money-grab too "$R4.5" is disingenuous. it's errata updates with a pretty new printing, it's not a reboot of the game engine by any stretch of the imagination; this is not wizards, this is not Hasbro, this is not that game.

"An ancient religion 'remembered' at the same time some 2-d trids came out about it in the 20th century. I find that very suspect."
--Harold Grefhurm, chairman of the board of the Religious Technology Center [Scientology], 2068

Ok to wrap this up because it is descending inevitably in the usual morass.

Ways to get light sabre-ish-ness, if you so feel.

Magical: Ally spirit in weapon form.

Unique spell with fetish limit sustaining hilt/ unique focus

Unique enchantment

Weapon focus with light spell on it/energy aura anchored/quickened

Mundane weapon with light/energy aura spell quickened and/or anchored

Possible inhabited blade with unique free spirit. Tricky with the paradigm but definately possible.

Diakote/ monosword with laser lightshow refracting up the blade.

Monosword with ruthenium polyimer light show on blade.

We done? If so, lets go have so some with or with out light sabres as personal choice prevails.

Page number please?

12/09/09 -- found the page number Neraph was talking about. Pg 160

And we are right back to the question wether a Spirit, especially a familiar, with the optional form of a daiklave will do daiklave damage or not and whether or not you can use him as such . .

And there you go again Doc... Being Offensive for no Reason... You should really learn to chill a bit... maybe try Meditation or something...

Remember, you are not the Shadowrun Police... Quit acting like it...

Keep the Faith

Fuck off. The guy started ranting all over me for no reason. Get back to pumping up your post count with two to four one-line posts in a row.

Shadowrun fluff has had the Laser Combat Axe for multiple editions, which used a short range welding laser on its business end. I don't see why the same technology couldn't be refined (over a period of 20 years, mind you) and used to create a one-handed blade of some sort. You won't get a shaft of superheated plasma that can melt down doors, but you'll get a viable weapon that certainly will get you recorded on trid cameras and make you an obvious target among corporate security enclaves. You can even easily add a nice little glowy effect for ambience, I guess.

It's dumb. But it could work in the SR universe. I'm sure someone would think of it in the Sixth World (George Lucas's disembodied head in a vat-jar connected to trodes, still milking his Great Legacy).

You are eloquent aren't you... But then again, most of the time you have nothing of value to contribute (so eloquence is not a preresuisite for obnoxiousness), as many have observed in the past; a lot of which is similar to what I have just quoted... so the feeling is mututal...

Keep the Faith

Dr. Funkenstein isn't the Shadowrun Police, but you aren't the Dr. Funkenstein Police, either. I honestly feel you are harassing him.

Quit poking each other and sidelining this discussion about stupid Star Wars weapons. *cheesy grin*

Oh yeah, because laser weapons and gauss cannons are completely unbelievable.

And a Star War tech level Lightsaber, in Shadowrun, is stupid. The technology which would be required to build one would have impacts across the board. The SR universe simply wouldn't be the same.

(But if you want to play "Future Game" using Shadowrun rules, more power to you.)

AS I told you before Hansoo, I do not abide incivility, and will call someone on it in a heartbeat, especially if it is directed at me in kind...

Besides, Stupid Star Wars Weapons are not Cheesy, "They are ancient weapons, from a more civilized era"...

@Angelis Storm... Who needs Tech for that, just use magic and move on... no reason for there to be any technological advances here, and there is no catastrophic change to Shadowrun at that point...

Keep the Faith

Tymeaus, you are being incivil toward Dr. Funkenstein. Leave him alone for a week, please!

I have yet to call him any names or toss blatant (and honestly, offensive) profanity at him...

As for Posting to his responses, I give them due respect, if they are not offensive, and when we disagree (which appears to be more often than not, though not always) I attempt to engange him in discourse, not personal attacks... it is generally his choice to advance towards the profane responses and personal attacks, not mine...

As long as he is civil, I do not have issues, when he is not, I tend to ignore it until he becomes profane (though not always), sometimes there are attempts to defuse, and you can generally see how those turn out, can't you... However, as always, I do not hold grudges, and will continue to hold forth discourse if I see something that he says that piques my interest or begs a response...

Keep the Faith...

Shadowrun has frickin' nanites that tear you to pieces from the INSIDE. Shadowrun has FUSION power. Shadowrun has colonies on Mars. I don't think the technology for a lightsaber is that ridiculous for the tech level (other than power source issues, which are conveniently solved by the level of technology that Cyberarms require no power packs whatsoever). There are folks using existing technology right now that are creating lightsaber prototypes because they have far too much time on their hands. And it wouldn't really have that much of a tremendous impact on the game, especially if the power level of the lightsaber is limited based on reasonable technology limits.

Re: Dr. Funkenstein: Posting to prod him makes YOU the troll, not him. It's pretty obvious to everyone else. I don't care how much of an elegant facade you paint around it, the gentleman's course to incivility is restraint, not bullying about.