The galaxy is a dangerous place. Most people have access to some kind of weapon, and those who travel the space lanes often carry a blaster or some other weapon as a means of defense. A weapon's legality depends on where you are. No one would look twice at a character wearing a blaster at his side in Mos Espa or Nar Shaddaa. The same character would do well to conceal it while visiting the gleaming metropolis of Coruscant.
Weapon Groups
Discriminating combatants choose their weapons very carefully. However, a character who knows how to load and fire a slugthrower pistol can handle a blaster pistol just as expertly. Thus, weapons are categorized based on their form and function, and a character who takes the appropriate Weapon Proficiency feat is considered skilled with all of the weapons in that group. If you are proficient with at least one weapon in a group, you qualify to take Weapon Focus (or any other weapon-specific ability) for that group. The benefits of such abilities apply only to weapons in which you are proficient. For example, a scoundrel with the Spacehound talent is proficient with all starship weapons (all of which are heavy weapons), so he qualifies to take Weapon Focus (heavy weapons). This grants him a +1 bonus on attacks with starship weapons, but he wouldn't get that benefit with a grenade launcher or any other heavy weapons until becoming proficient with them. Exotic weapons such as bowcasters and flamethrowers are exceptions: An exotic weapon is unique in form and function, and requires special training (that is, the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat) to wield proficiently.
Advanced Melee Weapons
The most common advanced melee weapons are bladed vibro weapons with ultrasonic generators built into their hilts or handles. A vibro weapon's ultrasonic blade gives the weapon more cutting power with less effort. Advanced melee weapons include the electrostaff, force pike, vibrodagger, vibroblade, vibrobayonet, and vibro-ax.
This group includes the standard lightsaber (a handgrip hilt that projects a single blade of energy) and all lightsaber variants, including the double-bladed lightsaber (as wielded by Darth Maul in Episode I: The Phantom Menace). Lightsabers ignore damage reduction unless noted otherwise. However, a target's shield rating reduces a lightsaber's damage normally.
The size of a weapon compared to your size determines whether the weapon is light, one-handed, two-handed, or too large for you to use.
;Light: If the weapon's size is smaller than your size (a Human using a Small weapon, such as a blaster pistol). then the weapon is light. Light weapons can be used while grappling, and light melee weapons can be used with the Weapon Finesse feat.
;One-Handed: If the weapon's size category is the same as your size (a Human using a Medium weapon, such as a heavy blaster pistol). then the weapon is one-handed.
;Two-Handed: If the weapon's size category is one step larger than your size (a Human using a Large weapon, such as a light repeating blaster)' then the weapon requires two hands to use (and sometimes a special mount such as a tripod).
;Too Large to Use: If the weapon's size category is two or more steps larger than your size (an Ewok using a Large weapon, such as a blaster cannon), the weapon is too large to use. The exceptions to this are vehicle or starship-mounted mounted weapons, which are housed in a unit that aids in their use.
Weapon Qualities
When you choose a weapon for your character, refer to the following tables for details about the various weapon types. The weapon qualities on these tables are explained below:
;Weapon Group: A weapon's group tells you which Weapon Proficiency feat you need to be considered proficient with the weapon. If you don't have the appropriate feat, you take a -5 penalty on attacks made with the weapon.
;Damage: The damage the weapon deals with each hit. Melee weapons also add the wielder's Strength bonus to damage, or twice the wielder's Strength bonus when wielded in two hands. Double weapons have two damage entries separated by a slash, these represent the damage dealt by each end of the double weapon.
;Stun Damage: If the weapon has a stun setting, it is listed here. A weapon set to stun does stun damage equal to its normal damage (see Stunning). Ranged weapons set to stun have a maximum range of 6 squares unless noted otherwise.
;Rate of Fire: Ranged weapons have either a single-shot setting (S) or an autofire setting (A). A few weapons have both settings and can be set to either single-shot mode or autofire mode as a swift action. Only ranged weapons that hold multiple shots of ammunition can have an autofire setting. A weapon can only be on one alternate setting other than its default setting (such as autofire or stun) at a time. Autofire-only weapons with stun settings can deal stun damage in autofire mode, but still have a maximum range of 6 squares unless noted otherwise.
;Weight: The weapon's weight in kilograms.
;Damage Type: The type of damage a weapon deals. Some creatures and objects take more or less damage from weapons that deal a certain type of damage (see Damage Reduction). Some weapons deal more than one type of damage, depending on how the weapon is used.
*And: The weapon deals both types of damage simultaneously.
*Or:The weapon deals one type of damage or the other, chosen immediately before making the attack roll. Double weapons sometimes deal a different damage type depending on which end of the weapon is used; in this case, the two damage types are separated by a slash.
*Ion: See Ion Damage for special rules governing ion weapons.
;Availability: Some weapons have limited availability, as noted below. Licensed, Restricted, Military, or Illegal. Ownership of the weapon is limited to certain individuals.
*Rare: A rare weapon is generally available only on its planet of origin (for example, Naboo for the atlatl and cesta, or Kashyyyk for the bowcaster) or by acquiring it directly from the manufacturer. When available on the open market elsewhere, rare items usually cost double the listed price.