SWTOR

[Cyrrex]

One staff saber was fine.  It worked as a unique weapon for a unique style.  Unfortunately Maul was too cool on that front so everyone had to emulate it, making it more common than dual wielding sabers.

I still want to do a saber pike, which I suppose there are some references for, but which makes infinitely more sense and has yet to appear in a game to my knowledge.

Doesn't the little guy on the trash planet in Force Unleashed have a saber pike?  It was a polearm in any case, though I'm not sure if there is a distinction to be made.

[Typhon]

Unless you invent some material that is impervious to the light saber a polearm would seem to make little sense.  Sure, you'd have greater reach... until the sword-wielder cut the head off your polearm, at which point you'd just have a stick.

[Cyrrex]

Unless you invent some material that is impervious to the light saber a polearm would seem to make little sense.  Sure, you'd have greater reach... until the sword-wielder cut the head off your polearm, at which point you'd just have a stick.

My thinking exactly, though I must admit that the little guy on the trash planet kicked my ass the first couple go arounds.

[Lakov_Sanite]

When did all jedi's become kratos anyways? It's become ridiculous.

[Surlyboi]

Since before Kratos existed.

[UnSub]

When did all jedi's become kratos anyways? It's become ridiculous.

You are asking the wrong question: when is Kratos going to be good enough to become a Jedi? 

[Lantyssa]

Unless you invent some material that is impervious to the light saber a polearm would seem to make little sense.  Sure, you'd have greater reach... until the sword-wielder cut the head off your polearm, at which point you'd just have a stick.

And why are they more likely to cut the shaft of the pike than you are to cut the hilt or arm off them?

For one, it's a stylistic choice which allows for a different fighting style.  For another, saber users are a dime a dozen.  The pike user would have plenty of practice against them while a saber user would have little in return unless they trained together.  Lastly, other saber wielders aren't the only thing a Jedi fights.  Except in games where it's more exciting, the majority of opposition wouldn't.

[Sheepherder]

Cutting the hilt is irrelevant: the EU canon includes an absolute shitton of materials that magically don't get destroyed by lightsabres.

The fact that a pike is a shitty melee weapon outside of strictly regimented infantry formations is relevant.  You can't use a 22 foot long polearm in a melee.

[Pezzle]

I cannot agree.  The very nature of what a lightsaber IS changes the rules on weapon usage.  All parts of the weapon outside where you hold it are equally dangerous.  Many weapons are impractical using the lightsaber model because they rely on the mass and weight, two key properties a lightsaber all but ignores.  Using a lightsaber axe is pointless.  Lightsabers already do a better job.  Let's say you had some pikesaber.  Is the whole thing energy?  8-18 feet long?  If it is you would not use it like the weapons we know of today because the properties are entirely different.  It would probably get you killed in under 15 seconds.  You could just have a saber bit at the end but why?  Since Star Wars has blasters and the lightsaber is so awesome (you can throw it I guess, meh) taking out enemy cavalry types is not the issue it was when these weapons were created.  The pikesabers might even be used on some planet somewhere, but why would something so unwieldy be used on a ship in space or in a bar?  The certainly would not be adopted as any sort of Jedi/Sith standard or used anywhere but big open areas.

Sure it might look or sound interesting to have other weapons but it does not work.

[Sheepherder]

Is the whole thing energy?

Is the whole of a pike sharpened steel?

I cannot agree.  The very nature of what a lightsaber IS changes the rules on weapon usage.  All parts of the weapon outside where you hold it are equally dangerous.  Many weapons are impractical using the lightsaber model because they rely on the mass and weight, two key properties a lightsaber all but ignores.

If you Google lightsabre you will find a Star Wars wiki that will tell you that according to cannon Lightsabres are indeed effected by weight - when cutting dense materials the electromagnetic field that contains the beam resists being forced through the medium.  Obviously a retcon to explain why Jedi aren't cutting through blast doors as if they were butter, but it does handily explain why you would want the weapon to have heft and reach.

[Draegan]

Lance sabers for jousting on force ghost horses

[Lantyssa]

Angle of attack.  A foe against a pike has three feet of blade they always have to get past to do anything.  A saber wielder will have openings since they need to swing the blade.  They'll each have advantages and disadvantages.

If you want to get all EU nerdy, then a cortosis shaft with a 3' blade.  You gain reach, the advantages of a staff, counter-weight, and it won't be cut off by a saber.

The fact that a pike is a shitty melee weapon outside of strictly regimented infantry formations is relevant.  You can't use a 22 foot long polearm in a melee.

Are you purposefully being obtuse?  I'm talking a 5-10' shaft.  Maybe if I said 'spear' you'd be happier?  Light Glaive?

Geezus.  I just thought it'd be a nice option and something I'd like to see in a fictional setting.  Y'all have out-nerded me.  Congrats.

[Cyrrex]

Lightsaber pikes:

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Lightsaber_pike

So, yeah.  Used by Shadow Guards and Krazdan Paratus (the junk boss I was referring to earlier).  Hilt portion made of something called "phrik", which I presume will end up being some kind of cortosis or mandalorian beskar.

[Sky]

I want some saber clippers for a really neat mani/pedi.

[Paelos]

I want a light saber cheese knife.

Also a champagne bottle full of jelly beans, some Cracker Barrel Cheddar, 10% off of Netlfix, some assorted lotions, and a little bear.

[Morat20]

I'm still wondering why, if we're going to bring in cortosis, why the middle of the damn light-staff isn't made of the stuff? I can understand why you don't make a regular saber hilt out of it -- if a lightsaber is hitting the hilt of another lightsaber, it's already cut through your hand and you are fucked.

But fuckit, if you're going to wield a light-staff, why not? You can block with the center -- which turns "lightsaber v lightstaff" into basically "Sword versus staff" which boils down to "Sword user at disadvantage unless he's trained extensively versus staff, which he probably hasn't, but if he has then staff user at disadvantage since he's likely to get own legs cut off".

As it is, weilding a lightstaff is basically begging for your opponent to reduce your weapon to a few chunks of broken metal. (Or, I suppose, if you happen to have Narrative Luck, back to a basic saber. But I think "Turn Staff to Saber is an Obi-Wan only power).

As for charging the dude with a knife -- Stormwaltz has a pretty good point there. At least with the knife, he'll have to make a small exertation of effort to kill you. Poor dude should have listend to HK-47 and That-Fucking-Smuggler-Dude-From-Pergasus' lectures on how to kill force-wielders.

Or just ask Jayne: "Sure would be nice if we had some GRENADES right about now". Shooting the padawan probably does not distract Sith.

[Pezzle]

Is the whole of a pike sharpened steel?

If you Google lightsabre you will find a Star Wars wiki that will tell you that according to cannon Lightsabres are indeed effected by weight - when cutting dense materials the electromagnetic field that contains the beam resists being forced through the medium.  Obviously a retcon to explain why Jedi aren't cutting through blast doors as if they were butter, but it does handily explain why you would want the weapon to have heft and reach.

Pikes are piercing weapons, sure you can slap a guy with a pike and hurt him but the lightsaber goes around all of that.  Slapping him and stabbing him have the same general effect (dead or cut up).  Lightsabers are ALL edge/point/whatever.  

Lightsabers do not even really follow the rules.  Holding a lightsaber up to a door that resists and turning it on does not push the user back.  The user really only has to be strong enough to hold it up and eventually it will cut through.

For that matter being physically strong only seems to matter when you encounter objects that can resist the lightsaber to a significant degree.  Hitting robots and clones with a lightsaber does not send them flying yards away, the lightsaber does not have the mass to pass on your physical strength UNLESS of course you are up against another lightsaber or resistant force, and even this is limited.  The Juggernaut using a lightsaber to open a door is not going to be much more effective at it than an average person.  It might be easier to disarm someone (ho ho) but not much else.  On that note, if one saber user can hit another guys saber so hard it breaks the guys bones, turns him to jelly etc from the sheer impact of their weapons he has eclipsed the need for a lightsaber in the first place and would likely use a weapon more suited to his or her characteristics.  That must be a point somewhere in here.  

[Mosesandstick]

I think you should've just said that lightsabers only follow the laws of physics when it looks good 

[Pezzle]

You are probably right!  It is a slow day at work.

Actually I can say this is another reason there should be no Jedi/Sith as PCs in the game!

[Sky]

Let's keep SWG out of this. 

[Fordel]

2nd thought: it's official: BioWare is making Star Wars fan fic. "And then it'd be awesome if the Jedi CAUGHT the lightsaber and SUPER AWESOME if they could throw FIREBALLS!".

That's just the air getting sucked along in the force push!

[Typhon]

Oh, so they invented material(s) which resist the lightsaber?  Clearly I'm not keeping up.

That being the case, it seems much more sensible to make a blaster staff out of that material.  Crossing block the light saber with staff with the business end left pointing at the enemies chest and pull trigger. BLAM!  

If we're just trying for awesome (and practicality doesn't matter), then a lightsaber Nunchaku or Sanjiegun (three-section staff) would seem to be full of win.  Big ole pike just seems too damn slow.

[Lantyssa]

There have lightsaber resistant materials since at least KotOR 1.  Likely before that.

Also, have you ever seen a trained martial artist use a staff or naginata?  They don't have to be slow at all.

[Surlyboi]

Lightsaber resistant materials go back even further.. There was cortosis in Dark Forces 2 and some of the Zahn books.

[Stormwaltz]

I think this thread has reached the point where it's earned its own insult comic dog.

I love you guys.

[HaemishM]

That trailer, while pretty, lost all sanity when moron charges a fucking Sith Lord with a bowie knife. As retarded as that was, him shoulder tossing Jedi that were between him and Sith Lord put it into super mongoloid retard territory.

[Lucas]

Short trailer about Player Ships: (only two unveiled for now)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUhROwBsHWY

...And article on Massively

http://www.massively.com/2010/06/15/bioware-discuss-swtor-player-ships-group-gameplay-and-pvp-at-e3/

[Morat20]

That being the case, it seems much more sensible to make a blaster staff out of that material.  Crossing block the light saber with staff with the business end left pointing at the enemies chest and pull trigger. BLAM!  

You just reinvented one of the more amusing weapons in the EU -- the blaster-sword, from Aallston's Starfighter of Adumar. Since it was Aallston, it was fucking hilarious and the weapon (a sword that shot blaster-bolt-like-thingies from the end) was a dueling weapon which was mocked roundly, that made it okay.

Specifically, I think Wedge or his 2nd in Command used it to draw insulting pictures, before ditching it in favor of physically beating the crap out of some guy who fancied himself a duelist. And then later set a carpet on fire.

It wasn't a very good weapon.

[Fordel]

The Ships look much larger then I initially thought they would be.

[WindupAtheist]

When did all jedi's become kratos anyways? It's become ridiculous.

Seriously. I may as well post my Force Unleashed snark here as well.

[Fordel]

Is there any place to watch E3 gameplay of this yet? I've heard some people say the animations are better.

[Pezzle]

Blaster Sword!

[Fordel]

Found a few videos of actual gameplay here: http://www.youtube.com/user/21rusZoom#p/u/0/dByXaLN2SiQ

I think that's all new at least, I don't recognize it.


-edit-
Is there anyway to make that link not automagically turn into a forum popup window? It's actually a link to five videos or so.

[Abagadro]

When did all jedi's become kratos anyways? It's become ridiculous.

Seriously. I may as well post my Force Unleashed snark here as well.

But when are they getting to the fireworks planet!?!

[tmp]

That trailer, while pretty, lost all sanity when moron charges a fucking Sith Lord with a bowie knife. As retarded as that was, him shoulder tossing Jedi that were between him and Sith Lord put it into super mongoloid retard territory.

He had the high ground.