Why do Sith and Jedi use swords instead of guns?

[revkashepard]

The Jed'aii used metal swords before the lightsaber. So your supposition does not hold.

 

In WW2, the Imperial Japanese Army officers use both military-issued swords and rifles too. Doesn't mean one have to give up the another because you could simply point and shoot.

[Joachimthbear]

As for the Sith, this is only speculation but chances are they use lightsabers to better channel their emotions. Their power stems at least in part from fear and what is more fear inducing: shooting someone at a distance or getting up in their face? I am reminded of a late episode of ST: DS9 where Dax is investigating a series of shootings on the station and when she held the weapon she specifically said she felt detached, cold, and emotionless.

I think this point is an important one. The action of using a lightsaber, as a Sith or as a Jedi, is also a good form of training for your Force powers. As a Sith, hand-to-hand combat is the perfect way to focus your aggression so that you can harness that passion to use the Dark Side. As a Jedi, defending yourself with the lightsaber - especially against attacks you couldn't normally anticipate - requires that you really focus, calm yourself, listen to your feelings, and place absolute trust in the Force to guide you. In each case this is valuable both in general training/meditation and for achieving the correct mindset in battle. A blaster doesn't achieve the same effect.

[stoopicus]

I'm just going to go with "because they are effective." I love the Sith Warrior specific cutscene when taking the CZ-198 flashpoint mission on fleet, for example. Good luck with that blaster.

[Aeneas_Falco]

In WW2, the Imperial Japanese Army officers use both military-issued swords and rifles too. Doesn't mean one have to give up the another because you could simply point and shoot.

 

Swords were had long been obsolete by World War Two. This is how it usually went for sword-wielding Imperial Japanese soldiers.

 

Of course that should have no bearing on Star Wars, where space magic is a thing.

[Lullegullebulle]

I wolde say it's beacus a light saber is so mutche cooler then a blaster, and for the one saying you can't defend your self agains a saber whit a rifle, why not bringe bothe and shot from a distance and when they get close you use your saber? And if i wolde use a seriouse reply, it's becaus a close combat weapon wolde counter a rifle, get in close and personal and stab them so that they can't shoot you

 

Im a poor noob in need of cool stuff so http://www.swtor.com/r/sxPc4Y

Edited November 30, 2016 by Lullegullebulle

[Rolodome]

Actually, a Twi'lek Grey Paladin (Jedi offshoots who use other weapons) in the Coruscant Nights trilogy of books wielded dual blaster pistols and was able to use the Force to make it so she could intercept incoming blaster bolts with her own.

Probably considered legends now.

 

Besides which, the point is that it's an efficient way to deflect blaster bolts, while still advancing an attack, and it requires little force power (the proficiency is mainly in the training of sensing where a blaster bolt is coming in and moving your saber to block it). There are Jedi/Sith in SW lore who can block blaster bolts with their hand... probably even deflect them. But it's inefficient and wastes energy, along with exposing your hand and using it when it could be holding a weapon.

 

Also worth noting is that for Jedi, they are supposed to be keepers of the peace, not soldiers. And though a lightsaber is as potentially lethal as a gun, it's much easier to get in close and disarm someone with a lightsaber, rather than killing them. Or simply block bolts until they give up. In other words, a lightsaber has better defensive capabilities.

[MadDutchman]

I wolde say it's beacus a light saber is so mutche cooler then a blaster, and for the one saying you can't defend your self agains a saber whit a rifle, why not bringe bothe and shot from a distance and when they get close you use your saber? And if i wolde use a seriouse reply, it's becaus a close combat weapon wolde counter a rifle, get in close and personal and stab them so that they can't shoot you

 

Im a poor noob in need of cool stuff so

 

1. Please do try to use better English spelling, that is painful. I know not everyone has English as a first language, but this is an English forum and I had a seriously hard time reading your post.

 

2. it is against forum rules to post a referral link in a post, you should move that to your signature

[t-darko]

Am not really a part of this discussion but we need to bump the game issue terrorist of the first page . . . Edited December 1, 2016 by t-darko