[RPG] How to make the most of Use the Force

First off: If you want to be iconic Jedi, I'd say emphasize your lightsaber prowess. Problem is, with that 7 crippling you, it won't be easy as Jedi more-or-less need all stats.

However, here's another idea: Keep the 7 STR, and instead, become a Force-focused Jedi.

The Force powers can be massively powerful, and you should take full advantage of them. I suggest changing your stats to the following:

STR 7 DEX 12 CON 10 INT 12 WIS 16 CHA 16

Now, at levels 1 and 3, take Force Training as your feats. Bonus feat should be Skill Focus (Use The Force), maybe more skill trainings, or Force Boon (extra force point) Also talk with your GM about making Diplomacy a class skill for Jedi, since I see no good reason why it isn't. Be trained in that.

Next, talents. Force Focus is AMAZING. As a full-round action, recover a spent force power. So useful, both in and out of combat. Skilled Advisor grants any ally a +5 on a skill check, if you spend a full-round action. Very useful. The Telekinetic tree (telekinetic Power, TK Savant, TK Prodigy, etc) are also pretty good.

Alternatively: Dip noble for a level, pick Exceptional Skill for UTF. If you ever roll between 2 and 7 on a UTF check, it's now treated as an 8. Every time. It's stupid useful.

Powers: Move Object is a must. Negate Energy is a must. Force Grip restricts enemies to a minor action. Useful. Force Shield is wonderful in a pinch. Enlighten is maybe the most useful thing of all. Roll a UTF check. Congrats, you or an ally can use that roll in the place of something - attack roll, skill check, or defense, as a one-time switch. If your UTF modifier is high, it's a godsend. Sensitive, one-time thing, such as a diplomacy check, or disarming a bomb? Roll Enlighten, and give it to the person. If they roll better, great. If not, they use your result. Combine this with the above mentioned Force Focus and you are immediately one of the most useful party members.

With this, you've got a pretty damn powerful Jedi. Iconic? Not as much. But useful to the party? Hell. Yes.

As an alternate idea, but you'll need to start it now. Renew Vision + lots of Farseeing uses + Prepared for Danger. Prep For Danger lets you spend a Farseeing use and regain any already used power as a swift action. Renew Vision lets you regain all spent uses of Farseeing. The other WatchCircle talents (see the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide) are also immensely useful, but that combo right there? you can't do it until level 8 at the earlier (as Prepared For Danger is a Jedi Knight talent), but when you can...hooo boy.

Also, if you reeeeally wanna optimize? Drop Zabrak, become a Miraluka. Free Force Training at first level if you're trained in UTF, which you will be as a Jedi.

Also also: Someone on the Wizards forums went and made indicies. So, so, SO very helpful. Here's the link: http://www.mediafire.com/?w7mlg0lq70gnd90

Wizards hasn't shut down the thread yet, so they seem okay with it, as the indicies don't contain all the specifics - just general stuff and tags.

I hope this helps! I've made lots of Force Users in Saga Edition, so this is my area of expertise.

EDIT: Since you asked, here you go:

Iconic Jedi are proficient in both Force Powers and Lightsaber ability - Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi were both accomplished duelists as well as Force masters.

The problem here is that without being very high level, your character cannot be good at both, especially with those stats.

If you want to maximize your ability for both, however, here's what I suggest. Assuming level 4 Jedi, with the stat build I gave you.

Talents: Deflect & Force Focus. Deflect will protect you from ranged fire, and you can work your way to the Praetoria Ishu talent which is from the Imperial Knight prestige class in the Legacy book. That talent lets you use it on others.

Force Focus has many uses outside of combat, and is a good emergency talent to have in combat in case you really need is.

Feats: Force Training, twice. This gives you 8 Force powers to choose from.
Bonus feats: Skill Focus (Use The Force) and Weapon Finesse, if you want. Take advantage of your DEX mod for your lightsaber, if or when you need it.

Powers:
- Move Object - no brainer
- Vital Transfer - good for healing, but have medpacs on hand as well
- Enlighten - the ultimate in helping the party. Use it often, recover as a full round when outside of combat (or in combat).
- Negate Energy - just in case.
- Mind Trick - Another classic Jedi power.
- Force Grip - can more-or-less disable on enemy in a round, plus decent damage at lower levels.
- Force Slam - a good area effect power.
- Surge - the movement bonuses can be very, very handy to have

A LeisureMech Personal Droid only costs 600 credits (p49 Scavenger's Guide to Droids).

The GM's call, of course, but I would assume a droid capable of carrying simple conversations and noticing / keeping track of details in a character's life "from tastes in food and culture to the amount of fuel left in a speeder" could (or could be modified to) perform the comparatively simple task of using OCR to convert text-to-speech.