Lightsaber in D&D?

[Mystic Muse]

Okay, is there any item other than brilliant energy weapons that work like a lightsaber? Brilliant energy doesn't really work since it doesn't harm constructs, undead or objects.

Is there anything else that'd work? Or somethng that makes the "cannot harm undead constructs or objects" not apply?

This is for a build I'm trying to make to replicate Jedi in D&D. I'm also going to make a Sith just for the heck of it.

[Volkov]

It will most certainly be a touch weapon, seeing as how only special materials or energy fields can stop it. Of course, a lot of dense materials can add a lot of resistance against the light saber. And no, Adamantine does not equal Cortosis or Phrik.

[DementedFellow]

Are you going for the glowy bit or the "can slice through anything" bit or the "can parry energy blasts" bit?

I seem to recall when you enchant a weapon with +1, you can decide if it glows a certain color. At least that's the way my old group used to do it. A whip that glows black is awesome.

[dragonfan6490]

The Angelwing Razor does this quite nicely. *evil grin* All you need to do is have it glow red and it fits a sith perfectly. Its from the Book of Vile Darkness btw. *Maniacle laugh* Although, it is an artifact, so you may need to do some diplomancy on your dm.

[Longcat]

Persistent Wraithstrike + Arcane Strike + Spell Storing Weapon should do the trick.

[Pluto]

Wand of Flame Blade.

[Mando Knight]

And no, Adamantine does not equal Cortosis or Phrik.

But it is close to beskar, the nigh-invulnerable Mandalorian Iron (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Mandalorian_iron) that's one of the other few substances that resist lightsabers.

[Mystic Muse]

Mostly going for the "can slice through anything" bit. Although slicing through most things and being all glowy would work well enough.

I'll look at the angel wing razor in a bit.

[Volkov]

But it is close to beskar, the nigh-invulnerable Mandalorian Iron (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Mandalorian_iron) that's one of the other few substances that resist lightsabers.

Those substances laugh at multigigaton shots. Adamantine is laughably weak when compared to Star Wars supersubstances.

[Thalnawr]

Well, there is the Rod of Force in the MiC that was inspired by the Lightsaber, and it's the literal descendant of the Wand of Force from the old 1e Unearthed Arcana.

Or you could just use the stats for the Lightsaber in the Star Wars D20 game (or Saga edition if you're playing 4e), and refluff it to say that it's magic or psionics that's powering it.

[Blas_de_Lezo]

There's a 3rd level cleric spell in some Forgotten Realms handbook (don't remember), called "Moonlight saber" or something like that. It allows you to wield a scimitar made of light to deliver touch attacks with some bonus damage to all enemies and objetcts.

[AslanCross]

The Sun blade deals damage as a bastard sword, but is as light as a short sword. It's not Brilliant Energy.

[Volkov]

Well, there is the Rod of Force in the MiC that was inspired by the Lightsaber, and it's the literal descendant of the Wand of Force from the old 1e Unearthed Arcana.

Or you could just use the stats for the Lightsaber in the Star Wars D20 game (or Saga edition if you're playing 4e), and refluff it to say that it's magic or psionics that's powering it.

Or you could go the cheap way and say you got it from a crashed ship.

[Cybren]

The OT clearly establishes that lightsabers do not cut through everything (watch luke bounce his saber off of railings, and, more importantly, vaders shoulder).

So, it doesn't need to be super utlra powerful

[Longcat]

That's why Wraithstrike is the way to go. It only cuts through nearly everything :smallwink:

[Thalnawr]

The OT clearly establishes that lightsabers do not cut through everything (watch luke bounce his saber off of railings, and, more importantly, vaders shoulder).

So, it doesn't need to be super utlra powerful
The Star Wars d20 rules replicate this quite nicely, since any actual cutting through something is generally a critical hit since it is the basis for the Vitality and Wound poitns system (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/vitalityAndWoundPoints.htm) in the SRD. And in the case of objects, like the railing, the damage wasn't more than the object's hit points.

[Starbuck_II]

The OT clearly establishes that lightsabers do not cut through everything (watch luke bounce his saber off of railings, and, more importantly, vaders shoulder).

So, it doesn't need to be super utlra powerful

Saga justs has Lightstabers ignore all DR (except for that Force DR ability) that cost a Force point.

[Roderick_BR]

Well, there is the Rod of Force in the MiC that was inspired by the Lightsaber, and it's the literal descendant of the Wand of Force from the old 1e Unearthed Arcana.

Or you could just use the stats for the Lightsaber in the Star Wars D20 game (or Saga edition if you're playing 4e), and refluff it to say that it's magic or psionics that's powering it.
Actually, I think that psionics would be the closest thing you could get to Force powers, so a psionic weapon could work.

[Sinfire Titan]

Black Blade of Disaster, Spell Compendium.

[drengnikrafe]

"I don't see a Lightsaber. I see a psionic spirit blade."

I feel like if you gave it some sort of insanely powerful sundering power, and fluffed it as cutting right through...

[ericgrau]

Reflavored adamantine longsword or bastard sword?

[THE_BIG_CHEESE]

Somewhere, in a book that used the cover of I think the Arms and Equipment Guide (whichever one was gray) in the back there was a weapon called the "no-sword". The idea was that it's essentially so thin and sharp you can't even see it past the handle, but it cuts through virtually anything (costs a lot if I remember).

[Schylerwalker]

Wand of Flame Blade.

This. I read about a villain in some module who had one and the first thing that sprang to mind was "OMG SHE HAS A LIGHTSABER."

[Mystic Muse]

can't seem to find black blade of disaster. Could you at least narrow it to a specific spell list?

[Dr.Epic]

What's that on PrC in complete arcane. It's like something blade of heronious or whatever the god of paladins are.

There's also kensai. I only point those out because they are lawful classes that would let you get a cool possibly sword like weapon weapon that you may choose to have act like a lightsaber.

[Shyftir]

soulknife to kensai? don't know if it works and you'd probably suck anyway, but .... cool concept.

[LurkerInPlayground]

Okay, is there any item other than brilliant energy weapons that work like a lightsaber? Brilliant energy doesn't really work since it doesn't harm constructs, undead or objects.

Is there anything else that'd work? Or somethng that makes the "cannot harm undead constructs or objects" not apply?

This is for a build I'm trying to make to replicate Jedi in D&D. I'm also going to make a Sith just for the heck of it.
No.

Besides, what's the difference between a sword and a lightsaber other than the setting?

Besides, lightsabers would cut through actual swords and shields, so it's not like swordsmanship is involved when you can just slice through an opponent's defenses so easily.

The lightsaber is a sword, in terms of its purpose in the plot. It can just be a ridiculously powerful weapon, but that's missing the point, I think.

[Hawriel]

A forgotten realms spell called Force Lance. Granted its a 12' force weapon but it does the job as a lightsaber. Oh and it doesnt have to be 12' long. Just make a wand of force lance. And its a touch attack. Its pritty bad ass.

[Superglucose]

Are you going for the glowy bit or the "can slice through anything" bit or the "can parry energy blasts" bit?

I seem to recall when you enchant a weapon with +1, you can decide if it glows a certain color. At least that's the way my old group used to do it. A whip that glows black is awesome.
20% chance it glows as if it had the "light" spell on it.

[Mystic Muse]

No.

Besides, what's the difference between a sword and a lightsaber other than the setting?


I want to use one and not the other?:smalltongue:

[Emmerask]

No.

Besides, what's the difference between a sword and a lightsaber other than the setting?


Well there are some differences
-you can turn it off, it is now a cylinder which can very easily be hidden
-it can increase or decrease in length, well only one jedi had such a lightsaber using two different focus crystals but its still a possibility :smallwink:
-it can run out of power ^^



Besides, lightsabers would cut through actual swords and shields, so it's not like swordsmanship is involved when you can just slice through an opponent's defenses so easily.


Mandalorian steel and the Yuuzhan Vong crab armor can easily block a light saber (which in d&d terms would be magical armor I guess?)

[Mystic Muse]

Mandalorian steel and the Yuuzhan Vong crab armor can easily block a light saber (which in d&d terms would be magical armor I guess?)

I think it would actually be more along the lines of armor made out of a special material rather than just magic armor. Although I'm probably wrong.

[Emmerask]

I think it would actually be more along the lines of armor made out of a special material rather than just magic armor. Although I'm probably wrong.

Sure certain special materials should block a lightsaber too and it is a lot closer to mandalorian steel though magic armor should work too (I´m speculating here because there is no magic armor in star wars ^^)

[Mystic Muse]

Sure certain special materials should block a lightsaber too and it is a lot closer to mandalorian steel though magic armor should work too (I´m speculating here because there is no magic armor in star wars ^^)

I think magic armor would add its own bonus to your AC but the normal bonus for Armor, unless it was one of the afore mentioned special materials, would no longer apply due to the lightsaber's nature.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

+x Adamantine Bastard Sword with Perm Wraithtouch covers the typical combat abilities.

[Mystic Muse]

Since I can't find it in the SRD I'm assuming it's in the compendium? where exactly would it be? (hoping for a specific school)

knowing where black blade of disaster is would also be nice.

[Ogremindes]

If we're going with the Psionics = Force route, what about a Psychic sword? Or a Psychic Psychokinetic Parrying Longsword that makes a Mentally Audible 'voom' noise when drawn?

[Jarveiyan]

Saga justs has Lightstabers ignore all DR (except for that Force DR ability) that cost a Force point.

Actually lightsabers ignore that too(unless otherwise noted lightsabers ignore all damage reduction; exceptions include mando iron[beskar] which is used in making beskargam, phrik, and cortosis which is used in making cortosis weave armors).

[Martin Greywolf]

So, what does a ligtsaber do:
1) It is hard to use. Insanely hard. You have a two-pound hilt and a blade without mass (as per Wookiepedia), that means it has it`s centre in the hilt which makes it prone to sudden changes in direction - too easy (and your arm goes off). If you want to make it into DnD weapon, it should be a weapon no one is proficient in unless he burns a feat.

2) It cuts through almost anything, but, as Wookiepedia points out:

The power of the energy blade was so great that it could cut through almost anything, although the speed through which it cut depended on the density of the subject.
So ignoring or halving hardness of objects seems like a thing to do (no idea if there is something that can do it). Also, it should probably have very high and wide critical (17-20/x3 perhaps) (partially achievable through keen property).

3) It looks like it cauterizes the wounds, I have seen no cut from it bleeding. Perhaps it should have 1d6 extra fire damage (doable with flaming property).

4) You can slice things with it. It should have mighty cleaving property (it doesn`t appear in the Star Wars as far as I know, but cleave (the DnD version) is something that is just not doable in real combat so...)

5) Touch attacks? Well, maybe, but magic armor should stop that or at least give a double protection (a +1 armor giving a +2 bonus). This probably has to be homebrewed.

6) Glow. All magic items glow, so this is covered.

7) Go vroom. Meh, almost any GM will allow your sword to make small noises...

8) Deflect stuff. Hmmm, maybe make it to give you arrow deflection? Or just let that slide as a part of your training.

9) Be awesome. Seriously, laser weapon and magic sword in one - how could that NOT be awesome? :smallbiggrin:

As for the class, I`m thinking monk here. They have the right fluff and if you made lightsabers exclusively monk stuff, it would make them not only a viable choice for the players, but also badass. Lightsabers tend to do that.

[Emmerask]

Some minor additions lightsabers actually have little to do with a laser (what I always imagined as a child ^^) they are actually plasma weapons, plasma held together by a force field (see some of the later novels legacy of the force etc - which are pretty good I might say :smallwink:)

So elemental fire (just an example other things might be better) held in place by some force spell would actually fit better :smallcool:
I really really don´t know what the crystal is supposed to do in the lightsaber that one would fit a lasersword much better:smallfrown:

One could also add a special maneuver that was often used in the books where you shut down the lightsaber during the enemies swing thereby he would hit nothing and turn it on afterwards and have the enemy defenseless.

I would suggest take -2 ac for that round (no parry means lesser protection) and increase your tohit by +2 or have the enemy flat footed (might be a bit powerfull)

[sombrastewart]

One could also add a special maneuver that was often used in the books where you shut down the lightsaber during the enemies swing thereby he would hit nothing and turn it on afterwards and have the enemy defenseless.

Given how long they seem to take to power on/off, that seems like an incredibly bad idea/writing.

[Crafty Cultist]

you could re-fluff the warlocks eldritch glaive. it stikes as a touch weapon.