maybe we should also examine the roots of the desire to posses exotic weapons.

how many 'training', 'simulation' or 'vacation' stories can you do? the overall originality of the stories being put out by squad(ron) leaders and the higher ups is woeful.  they neither challenge nor excite the vast majority of the members. 

since i joined, two years ago, i've seen an explosion of personal stories...sometimes to the detriment of the squad(ron) stories.  why, the personal stories tend to be far more original in their content and scope...and tend to excite the members far more.

let's not let the higher ups off scott free either, i give HUGE kudos to Fury and the rest of the HC for finally moving the overall timeline forward...it was LONG overdue.  we are all in a rut, hopefully this will break us out of it.

the occasional exotic weapon is not a bad thing. it adds to the character and defines them in some way.  the EXCESSIVE USE and EXCESSIVE QUANTITY of weapons IS a detriment. then again, what are you to do when you're bored and you have to many IC's?

in closing i do not feel this is the apocolypse and that we are doomed for the introduction of the stray phrik hammer, lightfoil or even a Super Star Destroyer.  as a wise man once said, it's not what you have...it's how you use it.

You just proved Tal's point. You're using a weapon to define your character.

And make sure you get that story done like Kadann requested before using said weapon in any story.

You want it so bad? Earn it.

Personally I hate having my character rely on special items. She used to run around with a whip, but its lame, so meh. 

I do agree however with Tal here.
Sweet weapons in a personal story I get.
In an official story, I dont get.
A chainsaw in a squad story is just wtf?

Just be sure that you try to stay in touch with your realism you despite our SW universe.

I do believe she was referring to the "realism" that is present in most fictional universes. Not by our standards, but by the standards of the fictional universe that we write in.

Guns don't kill stories.  People kill stories.

The problem isn't that there are too many powerful weapons, it's that there are too many people who don't know how to properly develop their character when there is a giant gun that they can pull out of their back pocket. 

I'll give you a for instance.  Ron's ship, Fortunato is just about the most badass thing I've ever created for one of my chracters on here.  The ship has an artificial intelligence computer that has top secret, military grade information on all known planets and their moons; a fraction of a piece of an imperial star destroyer sublight power engine, which takes up so much space of the engineering room that he had to cut a hole in the hull of the ship just to fit it in- as well as an cloaking device.

But to say that Fortunato defines what my character is all about could be no further than the truth.

I give him limitations, temptations, I punish him for using bad choices things and save him for making good choices.  He doesn't even know that the AI and the cloaking exist on the ship yet- and when he does I'll make things complicated.  His crew from the beginning has been mutinous and divided, and his ship was created nearly a century ago (it's about 91 years old) and is outdated, and very nearly fallen apart.  There's a very good chance that I may write where the ship explodes and Ron and the crew have to find a new ship without all of that jazz.

The point really is that it doesnt matter how big the gun is.  Look at the Death Star for pity's sake.  Just don't be a douche bag about it and no one will mind.  In fact, I'm pretty sure a lot of people will enjoy your writing all the more for it.

common, but not overwhelmingly prevalent.

Ron is an example of wisely used exotic weaponry. Tanus has used his phrik hammer what, once? twice? i've used my lightfoil twice...in a year.

what i am saying is that yes it CAN be used as a crutch...but so can any weapon. it is up to the PERSON to use the items wisely and sparingly. Squad(ron) leaders need to be more involved and those above them.

i see little in the way of mentoring here when it comes to writing. i see a lot of attacking, belittling and demeaning. so, let's maybe worry less about what they're using, but how they're using it, and why they feel the need to resort to uber weapons.

remember, the more you prohibit something, the more people want it. remove the bans and it loses it's appeal.

i agree, to a point

lightfoils are not 'godly' they were built by non-force sensitives over 3K years ago.

are they rare: hell yeah

are they powerfull: no, not really...a really sharp steel blade is prolly as good.

are they wicked cool: AWWWW HELL YEAH.

i continue to agree w/many of your points, what i continue to say is allow the exotics, but w/oversight. if it gets ridiculous a(opening a beer bottle w/a lightfoil, or cutting bread) then, OK, shut'em down.

responsible use is just that...responsible.

actually you should check your damn source materiel. Have you read the d20 source books the wiki references?

It is only mentioned in d20 books and in said books it has exactly the same damage characterisitcs as a lightsaber.

It is a lightsaber, originally built by sith. Tapani nobles copied the design with poor quality knock offs.

That is all. Check you references before you state facts please.

If your story is about you making one as powerful as you said that would be good

Atrasin if you really get the point here, why are you still arguing?

I mean, if you dont feel this post applies to you, then what is the point participating in it? Tal here was just stating something and warned us about it. He's not banning it of any sorts.

The actual source material states:

"Lightfoil
Lightfoils are petite and elegant lightsabers
which are popular among certain young Tapani
nobles, especially those that call themselves
saber rakes. In the beginning, lightfoils were
built by a few technologically adept saber rakes,
following the designs of actual antique Jedi
lightsabers they had on hand. Gradually, as the
designs were established, others got into the
act, and lightfoils are now a hot item on
the fringe markets frequented by saber
rakes.
Lightfoils are weaker than authentic
lightsabers, largely because those who
build them do not use the same focusing
crystal designs found in real lightsabers.
They aren't crafted with the attention
and devotion to excellence the Jedi gave
to real lightsabers, either. They have a
tendency to fail at the worst times. But
to the saber rakes, this just adds to their
appeal.

Game Notes: On a roll of one on a wild die, the
beam flickers and fades. Repairing the weapon
takes two hours and a Moderate lightsaber repair
roll."

"Lightfoil
Lighter than average lightsaber and more delicately balanced, the archaic lightdoil is weielded with only one hand and was once the favoured weapon of many jedi duelling masters. Originally crated by the sith agents in the Tapani sector, lightfoils promote a more graceful fighting style and are favored practitioners of the makashi style of lightsaber combat. The lightfoil in its original form was created in much the same was as other lightsabers."

"Lightfoil, Modern
After the fecline of the sith in the tapani sector the art of creating a true lightfoil was all but lost. However craftsfolk in the employ of the nobles from the tapani sector contined to try and meet demand for the archaic weapon millennia after the secrets of building the original died with the sith. The modern lightfoil . . . . is less potent than its original form can be built even by those with no training in the force."

Modern lighfoil damage 2d6
Lightsaber damage 2d8
knife damage 1d4
longsword 1d8

So within the source material it has been stated that modern lightfoils can still remove a limb and are more powerful than standard weapons, but tend to stutter and turn off.

You see they are too similar to lightsabers in the source material for me to want to see them used regularly.

If you want to go with your personal interpretation of them lacking the penetrive power of a lightsaber i agree that would seem a sensible middle ground

But I wanna jetpack!

The use of this by Driver has been approved by Kadann. Driver followed the correct procedures to get this approved and his story was actually very well written. The  history of how this weapon came into Driver's possession was very well thought out, and reading into his dark, and possibly darker to come, soul. I approved of this as long as it doesn't become a crutch, and I know Driver well enough as a writer that it won't.

Kadann also made a very valid point in that the lightfoil was actually created by non-force users, and would never match a lightsaber.

Denethor wrote:The use of this by Driver has been approved by Kadann. Driver followed the correct procedures to get this approved and his story was actually very well written. The  history of how this weapon came into Driver's possession was very well thought out, and reading into his dark, and possibly darker to come, soul. I approved of this as long as it doesn't become a crutch, and I know Driver well enough as a writer that it won't.

Kadann also made a very valid point in that the lightfoil was actually created by non-force users, and would never match a lightsaber.

I know that Kad approved it. I find it interesting that he's so vigerously disputing the warning I was giving. No one pointed fingers or dropped names. If everything you said was true I would imagine he would be a bit more calm in addressing this. Instead I see arguing for the sake of arguing.

Talon: while i agree with you that sometimes stories are unoriginal and sometimes things can be inappropriate such as (Ae) a chainsaw or a ridiculous weapon, characters like mine, namely Razor, rely on special weapons like his disk shooter not unlike a lanvarok.  Special weapons are a neccesary part of VE life.