Talk:Laser Blade (3.5e Equipment)

Use

Wouldn't it be easier to just use the Lightsaber from Star Wars D20... wouldn't it be even easier to just play the Star Wars Roleplaying game if you want a lightsaber? --Mkill 02:06, 12 July 2007 (MDT)

Mostly flavor... ...and a bit more useful than a Brillant Energy/Vorpal weapon which gives the same look. I don't actually know the information from Star Wars d20 games. More importantly though I didn't want a technological lightsaber, just a magic item which gave the general feel on one to use in normal DnD settings. -- Eiji 15:42, 12 July 2007 (MDT)

Just one thing...

This seems better than vorpal, but is only a +5 weapon... I think it needs to cost more (+6 at most). Any thoughts? --Sam Kay 11:01, 20 December 2007 (MST)

Oh, that's not good. I was hoping to match or drop below it. I figured the need to make called shots at -4 to hit would be enough. If not, have any suggestions? One thing I thought of was that I could make it 'sever random body part' on a 20 instead, with only a % chance it mimicking vorpal. Other times it deals less than but still potent limb damage. Maybe the 'retracting blade' needs removal or rebalacing? What say you? -- Eiji 22:01, 20 December 2007 (MST)

It's not just the retracting blade- thats fine- it's the greater choice over vorpal. I think it should be a +6, but it is definatly worth +6. I would not try to weaken it at all. --Sam Kay 03:34, 21 December 2007 (MST)

A weapon enhancement can only have a maximum of +5. Sorry for necroing here. --Formicinae (talk) 13:15, 20 June 2012 (MDT)

Is this really what a lightsaber would be like?

I have thought a good deal about giving my level 20 fighter villian all the little fighter feats with a lightsaber. As such, I'm wondering if a typical lightsaber may have more affects than this. Maybe since lightsabers can cut through stuff, it should be really good at sundering? Or it can go through armor? Or maybe we should invent a specific lightsaber weapon rather than an enhancement..... --Sir Milo Teabag 12:24, 30 December 2007 (MST)

I second the motion of specific weapon over specific enchantment, since I realized an actual lightsaber is probably a Laser Blade Lightweight Hardness/DR Ignoring Brilliant Energy Longsword +5. Awesome weapon but hell to pay for D&D wise. I know there are enchantments for making it lightweight somewhere... however the only DR Ignoring one I know of you have to hit once before it adapts to fit the DR. That would be a good way to express it's omni-cutting powers, bypass all hardness and (non alignment?) DR. -- Eiji 12:43, 30 December 2007 (MST)

I think you would just be better off playing Star Wars D20 than trying to add bits of star wars to D&D. Making a weapon like brilliant energy or vorpal is fine, but a lightsabre might be abit... well... having seen all 6 star warses, I got the distinct impression that lucas was trying to make a weapon that makes swords useless. That would be bad for D&D, being a fantasy game usually set in a medieval europe like place. A ligtsabe could cut strait through pretty much anything with ease (be it sword or blast door). This could run amok, as many doors found in dungeons designed to be impenetrable to all but a high level rogue could be destroyed in a short period of time with a lightsabre, allowing easy access, and taking the rogue's job away from her. Another point is that a Lightsabre could be used to destroy enemy weapons just like in star wars. That makes a fighter's job hard when fighting against someone with a lightsabre. --Sam Kay 14:10, 30 December 2007 (MST)

Well, that's why I prefer specific weapon over specific enchantment. I presumed that if he desired a true to fiction lightsaber for his BBEG, he already has in mind that the weapon would be hell'a strong (for the reasons Sam Kay stated). It's also why my enchantment is only lightsaber flavored. This one could still be used by PCs without being ultra-destructive, short of laying on more enchantments to make it more lightsaber like. We're talking epic, +20 enchantment levels.

I do love translating modern/future things into ye olde times though. Mmmm, spellpunk.... -- Eiji 14:43, 30 December 2007 (MST)

I see no reason magic wouldn't be able to protect against a lightsaber- different levels of lightsabers versus different levels of magical protection. Different crystals could grant different strengths to the beam. Btw, should a lightsaber be able to hurt unead? Yes, obviously? Okay, then it can;t be brilliant energy. For it to be balanced in the game, it would still be able to cut through, say, stone or mithril (which brilliant energy wouldn't)- but it would take longer based on the object's hardness. And a lightsaber of at least +1 would totally wreck any unprotected level 1 creature- but cutting through armor, especially magically enhanced armor, would be more difficult (having to beat the creature's AC with armor bonus if the armor gives a bonus equal to or greater than the lightsaber's). It should definitely gain bonuses to sundering, maybe again based on the enhancement score of the lightsaber- but a +2 lightsaber -shouldn't- be able to sunder a +3 magical longsword- the longsword's magic should be too strong for the lightsaber's energy.