Lightsaber Buying Guide: Toy, Force FX or Legacy Saber?

The right lightsaber depends mostly on who will hold it. For a child under about ten, buy a Hasbro toy saber such as Lightsaber Forge: it is rated for ages 4 and up, the blade extends, and it is made to be swung around. For a teenager or adult who wants a replica to display and switch on now and then, buy a Hasbro The Black Series Force FX Elite, which Hasbro rates 14 and up and gives a metal hilt and a removable LED blade. A Legacy lightsaber, sold by Disney at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and through Disney’s online store, is a third route: a heavy, detailed hilt, with the blade often sold separately. The Savi’s Workshop build at the parks is an experience as much as a purchase.

Everything in this guide is official Star Wars merchandise, made by Hasbro or sold by Disney under the Lucasfilm licence. Generic “RGB” or “smooth swing” sabers sold without the Star Wars name are a different kind of product and are not covered here.

The three families at a glance

Family	Made or sold by	Typical buyer	Age guidance	Power
Lightsaber Forge, Lightsaber Squad, Lightsaber Academy	Hasbro	Young fans who want to play	4 and up for Forge and Squad	None, or 2 AAA on electronic models
The Black Series Force FX Elite	Hasbro	Adult fans and collectors	14 and up	3 AA on many models; built-in rechargeable on some newer ones
Legacy lightsabers and Savi’s Workshop sabers	Disney (Galaxy’s Edge and Disney’s online store)	Park visitors, display collectors	Savi’s guidance varies by park	See the individual listing

Kids’ toy sabers: Lightsaber Forge and Lightsaber Squad

Hasbro’s current toy sabers for young children sit under the Lightsaber Forge name. StarWars.com describes several tiers. The entry-level Forge sabers have a blade you pull out by hand and need no batteries. The Bladesmith sabers add a light-up extendable blade and sound effects and run on two AAA batteries. At the top, the Inquisitor Masterworks Set includes two blades and two electronic hilts. All of them are rated for ages 4 and up.

The idea behind Forge is that a saber is a kit. Each one is made of four parts (the blade, cap, cover and core), and Hasbro says those parts swap across the whole line. A child who owns Darth Vader and Ahsoka Tano can put Ahsoka’s white blade on Vader’s hilt, or build a hilt that no character in the films ever carried. That makes a second Forge saber a better gift than it might sound, because it multiplies what the first one can do.

Lightsaber Squad is the simplest option. StarWars.com lists the Ahsoka model for ages 4 and up with no batteries, and the blade extends with a flick of the wrist.

Hasbro’s own caution on the Forge packaging is worth reading before you hand one over: “Do not swing, poke, or jab at people or animals.” These are plastic toys built for imaginary duels, not for hitting a sibling.

Who they suit: children who want to play, families on a budget, anyone who would rather not worry about a saber getting dropped.

Lightsaber Academy: a saber that keeps score

Lightsaber Academy, launched in 2019, sits between a toy and a game. According to StarWars.com, its “Smart-Hilt” connects to a free app over Bluetooth. Players pick one of five Jedi or Sith masters to train with, and the hilt tracks their moves to measure progress. A two-player mode lets friends battle each other. Hasbro’s pages that we found do not state an age rating for it, so check the box or listing before buying for a very young child.

Who it suits: a child who likes goals, ranks and screens, rather than free play.

The Black Series Force FX Elite: replicas for grown-ups

Force FX Elite is Hasbro’s collector line. Hasbro Pulse calls each one an “elite adult roleplay item” for ages 14 and up. The main differences from a toy saber are the metal hilt (Hasbro’s listings use the phrase “real metal hilt”), a removable blade lit by what Hasbro calls advanced LEDs, and a stand that displays the hilt with or without its blade.

The sound and light effects go well beyond a toy’s on and off. Hasbro lists progressive ignition, battle clash, wall-cutting, blaster deflect, a duel effect and a battle sequence mode on its Elite pages. Some models add character details: the AA-powered Ahsoka Tano saber (F0491) includes a removable kyber crystal and a barrel plug, and the Darth Revan saber’s blade changes from purple to red.

Batteries: check each model

Power is where Force FX Elite models differ most. The Luke Skywalker and Darth Revan sabers each run on three AA batteries, not included. The newer Ahsoka Tano model (F9178) instead has a non-replaceable rechargeable 3.7V lithium-ion battery, according to Hasbro Pulse UK. Two sabers that look alike on a shelf can therefore be powered in completely different ways, so read the battery line on the listing before you buy.

New releases

The line keeps growing. Hasbro opened pre-orders for an Ezra Bridger Force FX Elite on May 4, 2025, rated 14 and up and powered by two AA batteries. In 2026 Hasbro announced a Darth Maul “Shadow Lord” model that runs on three AA batteries and includes an adapter for joining two sabers.

Who they suit: adult fans who want a display piece that also lights up and makes noise, and anyone building a shelf around a favourite character.

A note on safety: every Force FX Elite listing carries Hasbro’s warning that the toy “produces flashes that may trigger epilepsy in sensitized individuals.”

Legacy lightsabers and Savi’s Workshop

Disney’s own sabers come from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the themed land that opened at Disneyland on May 31, 2019 and at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on August 29, 2019.

Savi’s Workshop: build your own

Savi’s Workshop is a guided build in the park. At Disneyland you pick a hilt from four themes and a kyber crystal colour (blue, green, violet or red), and leave with your saber, a 31-inch blade and a carrying case. Both parks include the blade and the case. The rules differ between the two locations:

• Disneyland lets you book up to 60 days ahead. At least one person in the party must be 14 or older, and the builder can bring up to two guests.
• Walt Disney World strongly recommends a reservation, with walk-ins only when space allows. The builder can bring one guest, and again one person must be 14 or older.

Park admission is separate in both cases. The value here is the event itself, so it makes most sense for a family already planning a visit.

Legacy hilts: collector sabers from Dok-Ondar’s

Legacy lightsabers are detailed hilts based on characters’ sabers. Disney sells them at Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities in Galaxy’s Edge and through its online store. Many are sold as a hilt with the blade sold separately. The Disney Parks Blog said so for the Cal Kestis hilt, a limited edition of 7,500 released on May 4, 2023, and for the Stellan Gios hilt from The High Republic, limited to 5,000, in November 2023. Other Legacy sabers come as complete sets with a blade. If you are buying a gift, confirm whether the listing includes a blade, or the person may open a hilt they cannot light.

Who they suit: collectors who want a weighty, character-accurate hilt, and park visitors who want a souvenir from Batuu.

Which should you buy?

• A five-year-old who wants to duel: a Lightsaber Forge saber, or a Lightsaber Squad for the simplest option.
• An eight-year-old who loves building: two Forge sabers, so the parts can be swapped.
• A child who likes apps and scores: Lightsaber Academy.
• A teenager who wants a “real” saber: a Force FX Elite of their favourite character, with the battery type checked.
• An adult collector: a Force FX Elite for lights and sound, or a Legacy hilt for detail.
• A family going to Disneyland or Walt Disney World: book Savi’s Workshop early.

Buying tips

• Look for the Star Wars name with Hasbro or Disney. That is how you know the saber is licensed by Lucasfilm.
• Match the line to the age on the box: 4 and up for Forge, 14 and up for Force FX Elite.
• Check the battery line. Some Elite sabers use AA batteries and some are rechargeable.
• On Legacy listings, check whether the blade is included.

You can compare official Hasbro sabers side by side in our Star Wars lightsabers collection, find more presents in the Star Wars gift guide, or browse all Star Wars merchandise. For a fan who also loves the Wizarding World, the Harry Potter wand guide covers that franchise’s best-known roleplay prop.