7 Star Wars Weapons That Can Beat A Lightsaber

May 7, 2024, midnight

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7 Star Wars Weapons That Can Beat A Lightsaber

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Summary Cortosis material can resist or deactivate lightsabers, making it ideal for those facing Force wielders.

The Yuuzhan Vong use organic weapons like amphistaffs and vonduun crab armor that can overpower lightsabers.

The beskar spear debuted in The Mandalorian as an indestructible weapon capable of challenging lightsabers.

Known as the weapon of the Jedi, the lightsaber is the most iconic weapon in Star Wars, but there are several others that could beat the plasma blade. In the original Star Wars trilogy, no weapon could stand up to a lightsaber besides another lightsaber, making Jedi and Sith alike seem nearly invincible when they wielded one. However, the original Star Wars Expanded Universe, now known as "Legends", introduced new weapons that could challenge a lightsaber, and the new canon has continued to follow suit.

Even the Star Wars movies and TV shows began creating weapons that villains could use against lightsabers, beginning in the prequels and continuing in the sequels. The MandoVerse TV shows on Disney+ introduced the most prominent of these weapons, setting a precedent that will likely continue in future live-action series. From indestructible metals to strange new designs, seven Star Wars weapons are capable of beating a lightsaber.

Related All 17 Lightsaber Types In Star Wars Canon Explained The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi and the Sith – but there have actually been many different types in Star Wars canon.

7 Cortosis Weapons

First Appearance: I, Jedi (Legends)

First introduced in the Star Wars Legends timeline, cortosis is a rare material that is difficult to mine, proving invaluable for anyone looking to fight a Jedi or Sith. Depending on how it is refined, a cortosis blade can have two different functions: it can resist a lightsaber blade in combat or deactivate one for a short period. The first option would be perfect for an opponent willing to fight a Force wielder in hand-to-hand combat, while the second would be useful for a less skilled opponent looking to even the playing field.

The idea of using cortosis to short out a lightsaber was explored in I, Jedi by Michael A. Stackpole, and subsequent stories made it a material that could deflect lightsabers, especially in video games. A faction of the Imperial Remnant called the Empire Reborn created cortosis armor for their shadowtroopers in Star Wars: Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast, while the Separatists built C-B3 cortosis battle droids in Star Wars: The New Droid Army. In canon, cortosis has appeared in Star Wars: Thrawn - Alliances by Timothy Zahn and multiple issues of Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020) by Alyssa Wong.

6 Yuuzhan Vong Weapons

First Appearance: Star Wars: The New Jedi Order - Vector Prime (Legends)

Perhaps the most unique weapons in the Star Wars franchise are those wielded by Yuuzhan Vong in Star Wars: The New Jedi Order. A brutal warrior race from outside the known galaxy, the Yuuzhan Vong attempted to conquer the Star Wars universe, toppling the New Republic and nearly destroying Luke Skywalker's New Jedi Order. This was largely thanks to their terrible weapons which, like all Yuuzhan Vong technology, were organic rather than technological.

Their most common weapon is the amphistaff, a snake-like creature that can change into different weapons that are more than a match for a lightsaber. They also carry smaller amphistaffs called tsaisi that can spray venom, and they wear vonduun crab armor impervious to a lightsaber blade. As if these organic weapons aren't bad enough, the Yuuzhan Vong are an anomaly in the Force and cannot be sensed by Jedi.

5 Electrostaff

First Appearance: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Best known as the weapon of General Grievous' MagnaGuards, each end of an electrostaff is tipped with purple or yellow electricity that allows it to withstand a lightsaber blade. The electrostaff is made of a strong material called phrik, meaning the entire weapon can strike a lightsaber blade without being destroyed. Combined with the skill of the MagnaGuards, as evidenced in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and several episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, a lightsaber can easily be beaten by an electrostaff.

Electrostaffs were also used by other groups, from Republic shock troopers during the Clone Wars to the Imperial Purge Troopers during the Dark Times. Moff Gideon wielded an electrostaff in The Mandalorian season 3 finale, proving the weapon capable of beating a sword as powerful as the Darksaber. Luke Skywalker's first lightsaber duel in Star Wars canon was against an electrostaff, wielded by the scavenger Sarco Plank.

4 Z6 Riot Control Baton

First Appearance: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Similar to an electrostaff, a Z6 riot control baton has an electric current designed to incapacitate a target without killing them. This made it the perfect weapon for First Order stormtroopers, who would use the baton for non-lethal riot control while still being able to defend themselves. Despite its intended purpose, the baton has enough charge to block a lightsaber blade and deliver a crippling blow to an opponent.

It also has a magnetic grip that will pair the handle with a stormtrooper's glove and allow them to spin it in place. This gives the stormtrooper the ability to adjust the weapon as needed for maximum effectiveness and to be able to move quickly in a fight. FN-2199's fight with Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens demonstrates the force of the baton, easily batting away a lightsaber and opening up an opponent for a strike.

3 Knights Of Ren Arsenal

First Appearance: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Introduced via a brief vision in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the Knights of Ren sported a variety of impressive-looking weapons. They finally had a chance to use their arsenal in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker against their former leader, battling against Ben Solo's lightsaber on Exegol. Although the Knights of Ren were defeated, their weapons were capable of blocking a lightsaber, and using blasters would make them a formidable team against an opponent who didn't know how they fought.

This can be seen across the Knights of Ren's appearance in the Marvel Star Wars comics, taking down warriors long before they met Ben Solo. Their various weapons include a war club with a kinetite-charged end, an executioner vibro-ax of Mandalorian origin, a vibrocleaver, and an arm cannon. The multitude of weapons would allow the Knights of Ren to combine their skills against a lightsaber, both up close and from a distance.

2 Praetorian Guard Arsenal

First Appearance: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Supreme Leader Snoke's Praetorian Guards also wielded various weapons and worked well as a team in close combat, albeit with far greater skill than the Knights of Ren. The Praetorian Guards' weapons were vibro, electro, and plasma-charged, making them more of a match for a lightsaber blade. Their crimson plastoid armor was also designed to deflect non-direct attacks from blaster bolts and weapons, requiring considerable effort from Rey and Kylo Ren to defeat them in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

While a lightsaber could only act as a sword, the Praetorian Guards could carry specialized weapons that gave them an advantage. The most noticeable was the Bilari elector-chain whip, which hooked onto Rey's lightsaber and allowed the Praetorian Guard to gradually move forward to grab at his opponent. Sleek in their design and wielded by warriors with great skill, the Praetorian Guards' weapons were very capable of beating a lightsaber.

1 Beskar Spear

First Appearance: The Mandalorian season 2, episode 5 "Chapter 13: The Jedi"

One of the most recent Star Wars weapons that can stand against a lightsaber is the beskar spear, first seen in The Mandalorian season 2. Like Mandalorian armor, the spear is forged from pure beskar, making it virtually indestructible. Even if a lightsaber pressed against the spear for several seconds, it still would not break as the metal became superheated.

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Morgan Elsbeth used the beskar spear to duel Ahsoka Tano, successfully disarming her and nearly winning their duel. Din Djarin then used the spear to win the Darksaber from Moff Gideon, showing that beskar weapons are a match for even the most unique lightsaber designs. The lightsaber will always be the most iconic weapon in Star Wars, but the franchise has shown that the Jedi and the Sith can always meet their match.