CONDITIONS: Let’s just say you have your standard, typical single lightsaber (as in, not one of the exotic variations, such as lightwhips or underwater lightsabers) and that we have your average wand (as in, not the Elder Wand). Let’s also let the two weapon wielders be of equal level, Jedi and wizard, respectively. For instance, we’re not going to have Yoda vs. Albus Dumbledore, or Qui-Gon vs. Neville Longbottom, because not only is that extremely tragic for Neville, but also it becomes a debate between Jedis and wizards, and between the power of those two characters, rather than the power of the weapons.
Lightsaber Pros:
– Can cut through virtually anything (save a few rare materials, and other lightsabers, of course).
– Lightsabermanship means you’re battling someone who can actually use a lightsaber, which requires them to be both skilled and in tune to the Force. Uh oh!
– They look cool, and have an iconic sound effect that makes the wielder feel instantly cooler.
Lightsaber Cons:
– Must be used in close, hand-to-hand combat (except if you want to try throwing it … like a spear).
– In order to use a lightsaber, you have to be trained to do so, and must be in tune with the Force.
Wand Pros:
– No physical contact with opponent necessary. In fact, you could be yards away from your opponent and throw that sucker a K.O.
– Plethora of spells that can be cast instantaneously to be used against opponent (spells that can basically do anything you want — wands: the original iPhones. There’s a spell for that.)
Wand Cons:
– Can break easily, virtually useless in hand-to-hand combat (unless you try to poke someone’s eye out).
– Requires the user to be familiar with different spells and have proper training.
– Not very intimidating; they mostly look like sticks.
– Can easily backfire (such as in the case of changed-allegiance on the wand’s part, or damage to the wand, etc.)
Ding-ding-ding! We have a WINNER!:
Wands. While lightsabers and wands are both indeed quite badass, wands are the clear winner. You can kill, stun, injure, tickle, transform, or control almost anyone and anything that is in your line of vision, as long as you have a wand.
Let’s say due to a certain happenstance, a Jedi and a wizard are 10 paces apart and ready to duel. A Jedi could be running full-speed at the wizard, but as long as the wizard can pull out that wand and yell (or think) “Stupefy,” that Jedi can consider himself stunned and defeated. If you were using a lightsaber, you would have to get a little too close for comfort to your opponent. And you may accidentally amputate a limb.
Do you agree? Which weapon wins? Let us know in the comments below!
hmm. The dilemma here is you didn’t ask “Jedi vs Wizard”, With any weapon it always depends on the wielder – because the wand or the lightsaber are but an extension of the bearer.
In the hands of a Jedi Master the weapon would not be needed unless facing another Jedi Master. In the hands of a Powerful Wizard the wand only focuses the magic the Wizard already has. The lightsaber can be used by anyone, while the wand can only be used by a magical being.
If you put the Emperor against Voldemort, or Yoda against Dumbledore – I have to go with the Force every time – because the Force has no limits … even death makes the Jedi more powerful.
The winner is clearly the lightsaber. As a weapon, in and of itself, the wand is useless unless the wielder is a trained wizard. Anyone can pick up a lightsaber, swing it around, and leave a gaggle of one-armed space tramps howling in pain.
Exhibit A: Han Solo uses Luke’s lighsaber to disembowel a tauntaun.
Exhibit B: General Grievous’ many lightsabers
Let me just say that Andy, here, is sooooooooo right.
But you are BOTH forgetting the most fearsome weapon of the Jedi: his most powerful ally, and key to defeating the Empire, the mighty Ewok! Yeah, that’s right. No wizard has the midi-chlorians to stand up to these fearsome Hobo Teddy Bears (Lycanthropes need not apply; even if you manage to eviscerate one, you’re definitely getting Hepatitus.).
Secondly, Jedis have the advantage in wardrobe as well. While the wizards are weighed down in old fashioned wool (omg, itchy!), the modern Jedi wears robes made of a breathable cotton-Tauntaun blend that is both light enough for agile combat and heavy enough to hide those unwanted saber extensions (a side effect of the obviously celibate Jedi lifestyle).
And to boot, the well known fact that the Jedi has the power to have any powers he wants makes Dumbledore look like a total Hoser (no, I’m not Canadian either. Or am I? I’ll never tell! Teehee!).
FUCK THIS!!!
You’re ignoring the inherent force powers that come with being able to weild a lightsaber. If you are including the fact that a wandberer must know spells to use her/his wand then surely the jedi weilding the lightsaber could/would be able to use their force powers to force pull the wand from a wizard’s hand. And/or use any number of any other force powers to absolutely decimate a wizard. Not to mention if it was a SITH jedi, they’d force lightning the shit out of a wizard they’d make harry potter’s scar look like a freckle in comparsion.
And to boot (yes I just used canadian slang) (and no i’m not canadian) your example of using the spell “stupify” would not work on a jedi as they are strongwilled and could resist such things.