Daily topic: lightsaber forms

In Star Wars the lightsaber is an elegant weapon, but only for those who know how to use it properly. Light saber combat is a key component in many lightsaber battles. Without it, you would be mindlessly swinging around a laser sword randomly with no pattern or opening in your opponent. There are 7 forms of lightsaber combat, each has a different attack style and strength and weakness. Here are the forms.


First of is the first form of lightsaber combat known as Shi-Cho or "the way of the Sarlacc" or simply the determination form. It was designed for engaging multiple enemies and was not reccomended for those who were facing a single enemy as a single opponent could find an opening in the clumsy strikes.

Shi-Cho in action

The second form is known as Makashi and is more lightsaber dueling concentric and is served as a counter to form 1 Shi Cho. Users who wished to be effective with Makashi would have a specialized lightsaber made usually a curved hilt as it fit better in the palm and allowed more precision and power. Effective users of Makashi were usually those who had an elegant, precise and calm personality almost to a point of being arrogant (which explains why it was Count Dooku's preferred lightsaber form). 

Makashi being utilized on the left

The third lightsaber form was known as Soresu and was a defensive form. It was most effective when used to deflect blaster bolts and is more centered on survival over attacking. A master of Soresu would be seen as being able to walk through a storm of blaster bolts and escape unscathed. The basic principle of Soresu was purely defensive and allowing your opponent to tire themselves out and make mistakes therefore leaving an opening in their defense to strike. Soresu was used mostly during the Clone Wars, where Jedi could be seen facing many opponents with blasters. The most famous user of Soresu is Obi-wan Kenobi, whose mastery of Soresu made him able to walk into a swarm of blaster bolts and come out without a scratch. This was his preferred form.

Soresu being employed by a Jedi 

The fourth form of lightsaber combat was known as Ataru or "the Way of the Hawk-bat". Ataru is a lightsaber form focused on acrobatic feats and is best used against a single opponent. A Jedi would have to use the force to aid him in feats nessacary for Ataru such as flipping and rolling. Due to the way this form taxes the user the best way to apply it would be against a single opponent and not multiple. Ataru's main weakness is enclosed spaces which is why Qui-gon Jinn was defeated by Darth Maul. The space needed for Ataru was not there which seriously hindered the lightsaber form. 

Ataru being used by the Jedi on the right

The fifth form of lightsaber combat was split into two sections. The first is known as Shien and is focused on blast deflection. Shien is a lightsaber form that was created by form 3 masters who wanted a more offensive approach. It had the defensive style of form 3 combined with the aggressive tactics and philosophy of form 2. Shien users highly favored and used a reversed grip with it. The second section of form 5 is known as Djem So and was mostly focused mostly on an overwhelming offense using powerful strikes to not only knock an opponent off balance, but to leave them unable to counter. 

A Jedi utilizing Shien

The sixth form of lightsaber combat is known as Niman. It is a form that is a "jack of all trades" combining forms 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 to make it very hard to find a weakness in it. However a master might be able to find a common weakness in the forms. This form was used by those who wanted to pursue a carrer outside the Jedi Order such as politics or diplomacy due to its generalization of the forms.

A push Slash attack, part of the Niman form

This next form is a form only studied by a few. The Jedi don't use this form because of it's danger to the user as well as the opponent. This form is the seventh form of lightsaber combat and is known as Juyo. Juyo is a form that uses the users emotions to fuel their lightsaber strikes and was usually only used by the Sith due to it's dark side nature. A lightsaber duelist who uses Juyo runs the risk of being corrupted by the dark side. Only one Jedi has been known to master this form without being corrupted by the dark side. Mace Windu, who made a combat form called Vaapad. Vaapad was described as more of a state of mind than a combat form. It took the user perilously close to the dark side. Someone who mastered Vaapad would seem to move with too many lightsabers to count at blinding speed. 

Juyo/Vaapad being used.

And thats it for Lightsaber combat. Until next time. May the force be with You!