I Like Swords, Part 4: Classic Traveller

In Part 1 of I Like Swords I statted up three blades for S. John Ross's Encounter Critical. Part 2 put some Mazes & Minotaurs weapons on the field, as well as M&M stats for some totally sweet ninjas. I Like Swords, Part 3 ended up as a d20 homage to the classic 80's barbarian flick The Sword & The Sorcerer. For today's installment it's time to break out the light sabers.

Now, I want to warn any kids reading this that they shouldn't try this at home. Statting laser swords for Traveller is highly heretical and could get you expelled from the Secret Cabal of Traveller Nerds. I'm already on thin ice with those guys for my use of apocryphal scriptures. All kidding aside, adopting these sorts of things to your own campaign can kinda freak out some of the more intense canon monkeys in the Trav scene. But most geeks have their own buttons. I'm one of those Han Shot First guys, for example.

Anyway, here are some Classic Traveller combat stats for a quartet of energy blades. For more information on the first two items below I highly recommend Clifford Linehan's article "Mondi Plasma Saber".

Plasma Saber

Damage 3d6+2

Required Dexterity 6
Under Required Dexterity DM -3
Advantageous Dexterity 10
Advantageous Dexterity DM +2

Close Range DM -2
Short Range DM +1

No Armor +2
Jack +2
Mesh +2
Cloth +1
Reflec +2
Ablat +2
Combat 0

Dual Plasma Saber

Damage 3d6+2

Required Dexterity 7
Under Required Dexterity DM -3
Advantageous Dexterity 11
Advantageous Dexterity DM +2

Close Range DM -4
Short Range DM +2

No Armor +2
Jack +2
Mesh +2
Cloth +1
Reflec +2
Ablat +2
Combat 0

Anyone with at least 2 ranks in Dual Plasma Blade skill may make 2 attacks per combat round.

[Right here I was gonna drop an awesome pick of Obi Wan and Darth Maul throwing down. Frickin' Blogger.]

Psi Focus

These weapons are inert rods of metal and crystal, except in the hands of a properly trained Psionic (treat the skill for this weapon as a "Special" psionic power). When activated by the users own Psionic powers, the Psi Focus produces a nearly invisible sword-like blade of force.

Damage 4d6

Required Psi 5
Under Required Psi DM -2
Advantageous Psi 8
Advantageous Psi DM +2

Close Range DM -2
Short Range DM +1

No Armor +1
Jack +1
Mesh +1
Cloth +1
Reflec -1
Ablat +1
Combat +1

Electrofoil

A handle with a thin, semiflexible antenna-like extension. When activated this weapon crackles with electricity. This weapon is popular with nobles on some high tech worlds.

Damage variable. "Soft contact" sporting units do only 1d-5 points of damage. "Hard contact" sporting units do 1d-3. Full combat models inflict 2d+1 damage. Some units are built with a switch allowing the user to vary between these options.

Required Strength 4
Under Required Strength DM -1
Advantageous Strength 8
Advantageous Strength DM +1

Close Range DM -1
Short Range DM 0

No Armor 0
Jack -1
Mesh +2
Cloth -1
Reflec 0
Ablat 0
Combat -2