Lightsaber Forms & RPing

[Blake Morrigan]

This is me, being a peasant and not knowing a lot about the universe of Star Wars aside from what i read here and see on the Wiki. So in my scrubish-ness i'd like to ask a question...


What role to Lightsaber forms play in RP? I mean to be honest when i read duels i can sometimes not even tell which one is which and who is using what. I just see characters swinging swords, blocking and using space magic lol. Do the forms even play any real part on the site? I wanted to know so i can figure out what Blake will end up studying when she gets into her role as a Force User and what not. Especially considering she might just end up making her own weird techniques since she favors practicality and efficiency over anything else.

At any rate, let the discussion begin. I will be the first to admit that i like the reverse grip form. I think its pretty neat lol.

 

[Alkor Centaris]

The lightsaber form you choose is either insignificant, or the pièce de résistance of your combat writing.

Whatever you choose essentially decides how you fight. If you choose Soresu, you character will be largely defending and wearing their opponent down, looking for the right moment to counterattack. An Ataru user would be highly aggressive and athletic, utilizing the terrain and attempting to overwhelm their foe with force. Everything comes down to preference, really.

For me, Juyo is it.

 

[Kaz Praxon]

The lightsaber form you choose is either insignificant, or the pièce de résistance of your combat writing.

^

I've always felt that it helps focus how I write combat. If I know that my character is an Ataru practicioner, then I know that I can make use of the flips, jumps, and rolls of Ataru, rather than the basic and super boring "swing your saber around" style. By the same token, if I use Soresu, then I won't be flipping all over the place, but instead be more defensive minded, and so on and so forth.

 

[Kyrel Ren]

Me i find the forms really important it let's me know what my opponents strengths and weaknesses are depending on that form,plus i find it a lot more fun and immersive than just swinging blades at one another. For me it has always been Form V Djem So my most favorite style in lightsaber combat.

 

[Fabula Caromed]

Yep. Basically, lightsaber forms play no part whatsoever in writing. They're flavor.

That said, it can be all sorts of fun to accurately portray a lightsaber form's strengths and weaknesses by clever writing. I used to have a pretty thorough guide up on the first five forms in the old Jedi forum, but I'm pretty sure it's been long since archived. It was less about what each form was supposed to do and more about what each form's mindset and goals were. For instance, you could refer to Djem So as strong, or focused on ripostes and spins, but it can be more inspiring to consider it a form where your main objective is to establish dominance over your opponent and control the flow of battle.

If you take that sort of approach, lightsaber forms can turn from empty flavor into character inspiration.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Djem So = King

 

[Carbon]

Yep. Basically, lightsaber forms play no part whatsoever in writing. They're flavor.

 

[Mythos]

Djem So

Juyo Or bust

 

[Fabula Caromed]

#AtaruMasterRace

 

[Kyrel Ren]

#DjemSoIsLoveDjemSoIsLife

 

[Zak Dymo]

Bith, please.

Makashi or get the kark out.

 

[HK-36]

ICly it's pretty much all Makashi for me because of history of training through one on one duels,

OOCly, after few years of contemporary fencing and now couple years of reenactment fencing with weapons like long and bastard swords, flails, and clubs/batons, I would probably go still with Makashi or Soresu. Soresu because it advocates small, compact, efficient body movements to be able to protect more of your body with parries, which is honestly pretty important especially in a single weapon fighting, the faster you can conduct an attack or parry and riposte your enemy before they can parry back the better. Usually it comes down to who has better reaction time, is faster, and less predictable with their attacks.

And Makashi because unless someone really knows what they're doing or they have a shield, 90% of time you throw a stab aiming at their gut or chest they won't be able to block it or parry it but not be able to push it away enough to avoid being skewered. The hardest part of single thrusting sword fencing is not stabbing someone, it's avoiding being stabbed before or while your attack succeeds. And it translates fairly well into open field fighting, you just have to move diagonally instead of straight forward or back and be aware of your surroundings. I've done skirmishes and line battles before, in the middle of the fray there isn't that much room to move around except forward and back anyway, unless it's a fairly small skirmish but either way it devolves than into a series of people dueling each other or trying to flank others.

 

[Hailyn]

Makashi or get the kark out.

 

[Hailyn]

Do the forms even play any real part on the site?

If you are fighting to kill, sure. And that's only if the other writer is going to write anything beyond blocking/avoiding a blow.

For example, you could very easily overwhelm your opponent if you're very particular about what your character is doing - though you could also screw yourself over if you are too specific or doing too much at once.

Or it could have no impact on an RP whatsoever.

Lightsaber forms have as much impact as you want it to. If not for Niman, I'd be toast with blasters.

 

[Grrwunhoooll Agaburry]

[member="Blake Morrigan"]

In concept lightsaber forms are cool but executed in RP its just eh. annoying. Not everyone knows the lightsaber styles and in pvp situations the forms are very hard to adapt to and especially when you want to add some you into them. Do you and make up your own style. Look at all the styles and consider your characters tactics. Make a mix or something new.

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

I'd also note that most Lightsaber Forms are reflective of a particular mindset, something you'd expect to see reflected in the user: Shii-Cho users believe in simplicity, keeping to the basics and trying to reduce their energy use in a fight; Makashi users believe in keeping balance both physically and psychologically, outmaneuvering their opponent through tactics; Soresu users believe in using an opponent's strengths against them, making them do all the work; Ataru users are chess players, always looking for an angle; Djem-So users are aggressive and believe that the best defense is a good offense; Niman users believe in combining lots of different approaches to achieve a singular goal, and finally Juyo/Vaapad users just believe in utterly dominating their target, overpowering them through sheer obliterative force.

Forms don't have to play a part in your writing, and it always makes me laugh when I see people picking Juyo/Vaapad in their character profiles, as if this provides them with any actual advantage in their RP, particularly when they then can't write it! Truth of the matter is that your Form should reflect your character's state of mind - which is why Soresu is often perfect for more conservative Jedi, why aggressive ones tend to pick Ataru or Djem-So, and those who barely use a Lightsaber might specialise in Niman, to combine their saber skills with use of the Force. As always, it comes down to how you write the scenario.

 

[Fabula Caromed]

Ataru users are chess players, always looking for an angle

Or, alternatively, we watch too much anime.

 

[Matreya]

Or, alternatively, we watch too much anime.

True

 

[James Justice]

[member="Blake Morrigan"]


Yea, saber forms are just to make you feel special or have IC-flavor. Sadly, since a lot of the lightsaber play and lore is lacking (as is the martial arts side) there is a great deal of fannon but not a lot of cannon. I have a number of combat fighters, but here are my big three. Each one is really based off real world combat that I think suits their personality since a lot of their stuff is nothing/next to nothing.

James Justice. Rager to the max. He feeds strongly off pain and throws caution to the wind. He gets battered and beats the crap out of anything and everything that stands in his way. Primal, emotional, volitile, and incredibly brutal, he fights to make a bloody example of whoever he kills. If you live, chances are you will wish you died. If you die, your getting a closed casket.

@Akio Daichi is my Jedi. He uses no lightsaber but instead relies on force imbued blades, chains, sais, and so on. His fighting is very eastern combining Ninjitsu, shoulin kung fu, judo, and wing chung. He fights to respect his opponent and win while doing as little damage to his foe as possible.

[member="Ardgal Raxis"] if "Order" and "tactical" had a body, he'd be in it. The man is a general, who relies strongly on his squad and teamwork abilities to do his work. Most of what Adrgal does is leading from the frontlines and surgical excision. He is mostly a blaster user, but when he fights it resembles Krav Maga and boxing.

TL;DR, craft a fighting style that works for you based on real world fighting styles and have fun.

 

[Just Skeleton]

No love for Soresu? Boo.

#SoresuBestForm