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1) Shi Cho - basic saber skills, all Jedi (and Sith) must be decent in this (Kit Fisto was considered a master in it).

2) Makashi - Fencing style, rapid light attacks, Dooku's favorite during the movies (though he used others when needed).

3) Sorresu - 90% defense, Obi-wan, both old and young, uses a variant of this.

4) Ataru/Atreyu - Uses the force to add acrobatics to saber combat, favored by short Jedi (Yoda, Evan Peel) and by Aayla Secura.

5) Djem So - Relies on defense and counter attacks, Anakin generally uses this (as did Luke in ep 5).

6) Niman - generally a weak style, best for blocking blaster fire.

7) Juyo/Vaapad - as has been said, uses a lot of high energy attacks (Palpatines initial attack was a combo of this and Ataru). Vaapad was created as a form of Juyo that enabled Mace to touch the dark side and make him stronger without falling (through brought him close many times). Named after an odd critter with flailing tentacles.


Most Jedi know and use more than one form. Each form has a weakness (some more than one) that can be exploited, so you have to know how to move out of that area of combat.


Anyway, Mace training Anakin may have worked better. His leash would have been much larger, and Mace would likely have payed more attention when Anakin was having issues.

Also, many of the SIth had good intentions, and just let their emotions control them too much.

The biggest problem for the Jedi is that they are afraid of the dark side and thus avoid it, making them weaker. Hence the urge to avoid love (which has been ignored by just about every Jedi except Yoda ).

Is any of this stuff even hinted at in the movies? Obviously, we can see different Force-users fighting in different ways, but where exactly have these different forms, or kata, or whatever-they-are been codified as above?

Mikey wrote:Is any of this stuff even hinted at in the movies? Obviously, we can see different Force-users fighting in different ways, but where exactly have these different forms, or kata, or whatever-they-are been codified as above?

I'm not sure where all the specifics are, but I believe the RotS novelisation goes into quite a bit of detail.

So, not in any of the films, then? Then AFAIC, they're just individual nuances of the strange marriage of fencing, kendo, and iaido that they appear to be.

There is a book that covers every style (which is basically a painstaking compilation of all the combat seen in the movies and in the comics... and the books). I just can't seem to locate it now. The author even had masters of real sword (and martial arts) combat discuss it with him so that it would be more genuine.

Mikey wrote:So, not in any of the films, then? Then AFAIC, they're just individual nuances of the strange marriage of fencing, kendo, and iaido that they appear to be.

No they aren't a part of the Films, however they are considered Canon.

Deepcrush wrote:

Mikey wrote:So, not in any of the films, then? Then AFAIC, they're just individual nuances of the strange marriage of fencing, kendo, and iaido that they appear to be.

No they aren't a part of the Films, however they are considered Canon.

Where are they laid out as described above? I mean, are they described as disparate named styles like that in some EU book? I ask because common-sense-wise, it's almost ridiculous to try and separate different personal nuances of the same form of combat - using the same weapon - into different whatever-they-are. When I fenced saber, I had a marked preference for an overhand cutting riposte from above my head to the top of the opponent's head, but obviously I couldn't use it all the time... I could only use it when an opponent attacked with a blade attack in I or III. However, it's nonsensical to say that I practiced two different forms of saber fencing.

stitch626 wrote:There is a book that covers every style (which is basically a painstaking compilation of all the combat seen in the movies and in the comics... and the books). I just can't seem to locate it now. The author even had masters of real sword (and martial arts) combat discuss it with him so that it would be more genuine.

As I said, yes they are laid out as described above in an EU book. Once I find the book again I'll post the title and author.


And the forms of saber combat describe its purpose and uses. Most combatants know most forms. And in any given battle, you could use all of them.

Each saber form is like a different type of martial art. You use the same weapon, but use it differently depending on preference and need.

The forms are a line of evolution in Lightsaber battles. Form-I being the oldest and most basic founded on Tython. Then over time new Jedi added or adapted new styles and techniques into the old. Each was in its own right a separate martial art, although they did draw from one another as they grew just as many martial arts do in real life. However this is slightly untrue with Form-VI as that is kinda the SW version of MMA. A throw together of all the known and practiced forms.

Form-VII is the only one that wasn't accounted for in the list because until Mace Windu came along, that style normally caused the fall of the Jedi using it. So it was their version of the Dark Arts.

Something that bothered me....why does almost every Jedi use only one lightsaber? I mean, you have a weapon with no weight, and only inertia you have to counter, and granted, you need the power of a swing to carry it "through" the target, but it slices easily through nearly anything?

I can't understand why two handed fighting wasn't more popular. A full sized blade and a shorter off hand parrying blade would certainly be MY choice.

Or, for that fact.....why not carry a back up like the Emperor did?

The good the Emperor did.....he cared for Anakin from the time he was nine. Yes.....he wanted him as an apprentice, but remember how the Sith work. Anakin would have to destroy him one day to become the master, and he was helping Anakin to achieve that potential.

I wonder about the "grey area" between the Jedi and the Sith. Both seem fanatical. Would you be evil if you used both sides of the Force to help others?

I think that the Jedi WERE intentionally blind as hell. Pretending the Dark Side didn't exist and NOT studying Sith teachings left them a gaping hole...so when the Sith appeared they just weren't ready. I mean, Yoda...the Avatar of the Light Side was completely overwhelmed by Darth Sideous. And if the Sideous and Vader weren't as maniacal as they were....willing to destroy entire planets....would it have mattered to the general populace if they had Jedi or Sith protecting them?

Mark wrote:And if the Sideous and Vader weren't as maniacal as they were

That's a pretty big "if." Pretty much the same as saying, "If Sidious and Vader... weren't Sidious and Vader."

Some did use two sabers. But they tend to be more of a liability than one.

You have much less strength with one hand on a saber than with two. Also, not everyone is ambidextrous. It also requires much greater skill to not hinder your own attacks with two sabers.

Mark wrote:Something that bothered me....why does almost every Jedi use only one lightsaber? I mean, you have a weapon with no weight, and only inertia you have to counter, and granted, you need the power of a swing to carry it "through" the target, but it slices easily through nearly anything?

I can't understand why two handed fighting wasn't more popular. A full sized blade and a shorter off hand parrying blade would certainly be MY choice.

Or, for that fact.....why not carry a back up like the Emperor did?

Could be a number of reasons from... issues with handling multiple sabers, to the style they fight with, to simply matching part of their dogmatic history dating back to when the Lightsabers were attached to a power pack the user carried. When the power packs were in use it looks like dual welding sabers was common. This lasted up to Jedi Civil War, in which afterwards the Jedi put much tougher restrictions on their members. They turned into monks where they were warriors which led to their downfall... several times.

Mikey wrote:

Mark wrote:And if the Sideous and Vader weren't as maniacal as they were

That's a pretty big "if." Pretty much the same as saying, "If Sidious and Vader... weren't Sidious and Vader."

Agreed, the toned down versions of Sidious and Vader would have been Windu and Anakin. Truth is that the Dark Side pushes for power where the Light Side pushes for peace. The major problem is that the Jedi became so afraid of the Dark Side that they stopped preparing themselves to deal with it.