Lightsaber Forms and their STRENGTHS and WEAKNESSES

In this geek rant I discuss the pros and cons of each lightsaber form.
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[@parallax7789]

So, let's see if I got this right. Form I: Shii-Cho Fairly balanced form made to handle multiple opponents, but weak against 1v1 forms Form II: Makashi Highly offensive form used to bypass a single person's defense, weak against strong opponents or force combat users and lacks defense. Form III: Soresu Purely defensive form with almost no true counter, only weakness is it's own user as they must break defenses to attack as the form lacks any actual offensive capabilities. Form IV: Ataru Highly offensive speed form using quick bursts of agility to rush single opponents, Weak against defensive users like Soresu and multiple opponents as well as taxing on stamina. Form V: Djem-So Form that perfectly balanced offense and defense used by those of great strength, weak against defensive and fast opponents and drains the user's stamina. Form VI: Niman Truly balanced form without any strength or weakness that allows user to freely use the force, user may still be defeated by particularly talented lightsaber combatants. Form VII: Juyo/Vaapad Completely offense focused form that lacked any defense and is made to tackle single opponents head on by using both the strength and speed of the user as well as their emotions and drive to win, weak against force users and agile duelists due to lacking any sort of counter. Juyo users are likely to lose themselves in battle while Vaapad users, while more collected, do not carry the same amount of force as Juyo.

[@AntoineBandele]

Sounds about right.

[@EndLess009]

Perfect

[@Shane16784]

The only part wrong is saying Makashi is highly offensive. It's a balanced form. It's the mirrored version of Djem So. Two sides of the same coin.

[@Shane16784]

Also to say it’s weak against force users is laughable. Makashi is the best form to use against the force heavy Niman. This wasn’t a well done description of Makashi. It’s the mirror version of Djem So, balances between offense and defense, but where Djem So is powerful, Makashi is precise

[@Shane16784]

Bombproofbutter that’s not a form, it’s a style.

[@DearSis]

"They're more like, guidlines!" Did nobody else think of Pirates of the Caribbean?

[@ethanspencer6769]

Yes. I definitely do.

[@stewarthayden]

I did that pirate!

[@samuraijaydee]

Sure did

[@jamyangpelsang3099]

What if I want to be "formless" like Bruce Lee?

[@AntoineBandele]

Oh damn

[@gameovervirus2384]

I would highly recommend a Chii-Cho/Juyo hybrid style

[@TheTyrek99]

I know you're kidding but to be formless is to learn as much as you could and take everything you learned to make your style.

[@joshuapittman544]

Form 6

[@yodabomb3882]

Get good with a blaster

[@drksideofthewal]

The definitive masters of each form of lightsaber combat, as of the Clone Wars era: Form 1- Kit Fisto Form 2- Count Dooku Form 3- Obi-Wan Kenobi Form 4- Yoda Form 5- Anakin Skywalker Form 6- Darth Sidious Form 7- Mace Windu Accurate, or not?

[@eclipseshade776]

+Richard Santamaria Besides 6, who I would say Exar Kun.

[@TheFanatic33]

+Proud Posiedon (PremislausNicon) My mistake I thought we were going solely movies.

[@eclipseshade776]

Oh, he said as of Clone Wars era. I was just saying who, in my opinion, used it to its maximum.

[@TheFanatic33]

+Proud Posiedon (PremislausNicon) Yes that's true. But Darth Sidious was no joke with it either.

[@drksideofthewal]

Proud Posiedon I agree, Exar Kun is *the* definitive master of form 6, of all eras. In my opinion, Sidious isn't so much a master of Niman as he's a master of *all* forms of lightsaber combat, but it's easier to say he's a master of Niman for the sake of simplicity.

[@greenacorn1151]

Shii-Cho: Standard class Makashi: Shadow class Soresu: Tank class Ataru: Warrior class Djem So: Hammer class Niman: Mage class Juyo: Berserker class

[@AntoineBandele]

Hah. Pretty much this.

[@AntoineBandele]

I would have Ataru as whirlwind class.

[@direraven7735]

That's pretty accurate. The only things I would change is Shii Cho would be the warrior class and Ataru would be the monk class.

[@ryx6071]

Jarkai - Assassin

[@swiftstreak98]

Wouldn't Djem so be considered warrior class seeing as how it was meant for pure combat?

[@ColArana]

No Darth Zannah for Soresu, no Grievous for Jar'Kai, and no Exar Kun for Niman? Shame on you Antonine :P Besides that, this is still probably my favorite video on the lightsaber forms on youtube. Moderately surprised you made no comment about the Three Rings of Defense, or the Strong, Medium and Fast forms of the NJO, but still the best on youtube that I've seen :)

[@AntoineBandele]

KatakiDoragon I know I know! I should have included Zannah! Glad you liked the vid!

[@blackpanther1013]

@@AntoineBandele also what forms are good for wielding a crossguard lightsaber

[@MrMultiWilk]

@@blackpanther1013 pretty much all forms, i think form 1 and 5 are best choices for crossguard

[@brothersmakingmovies]

Nimen is quickly becoming my favorite Form. Great video! Between this and Jensarai's video you can get all you need to know on the Lightsaber forms.

[@AntoineBandele]

***** I agree. Niman is a good one to have.

[@joshdavison6888]

Loved the video, I'm a Lightsaber Form Enthusiast myself. My one question is with your Soresu practitioners. I disagree with you putting Darth Traya/Kreia in there. In Kotor II she seemed to find the form distasteful when you ask her about it. She talked about it rather negatively, saying that it "merely delays the inevitable." (I always took offense when she said that because Soresu is my favorite form :D)

[@Alexmustand87]

That is true I think she is more Niman in my opinion or Makashi as she can still beat you at lightsaber combat but use force residence it helps against her as that is where I got the Niman theory from

[@joshdavison6888]

Alexmustand87 My thoughts exactly. Her force abilities are her strong point, she would pick a style that gives her freedom to crush someone with her powers or blast them with force lightning. And the fact that she only has one hand to hold a lightsaber makes me believe that she would use Makashii as well, seeing that it is an excellent one-handed form. Plus it plays into her technical and perfectionist attitude.

[@Alexmustand87]

I think that is why Revan is a Niman specialist as Kriea may know the form like you said about her freedom to use force lightning in combat Man we know Darth Traya to well lol

[@AntoineBandele]

***** Yeah I should have replaced her with Darth Zannah.

[@Diabtus]

Antoine Bandele Hehe yeah you should, I was sitting there gaping "Now where's Zannah?" ;) Great video otherwise though, really fun to hear your thoughts. Personally I think a mix between form V, form III and form IV would suit me the best, using V as a base and the other two as required. Considering the fact that I'm a gym-nerd, form V is perfect for me. I might add some VII in there aswell - when the situation requires, but most of the time I think Djem So can see you thorugh.

[@AntoineBandele]

+Chandler Kittelman Let's look up the exact definition of Form V as quoted from "The Essential Guide to the Force" BEGIN CITATION: Form V's Shien variation exploits the ability of the lightsaber to block a blaster bolt, and turns this defensive move into an offensive attack by deflecting the bolt deliberatly toward an opponent. Form V's Dejm So variation is devoted specifically to lightsaber dueling. END CITATION. Source: "The Essential Guide to the Force" Let's cross reference that with "The Jedi Path." BEGIN CITATION: ... they developed Shien, a style that deflected blaster fire but redirected the bolts back along chosen vectors to make out attackers and other targets of opportunity. The Shien Barrier of Blades technique creates a tunnel of lightsaber energy to ricochet enemy fire in every direction for maximum damage. Djem So follows the same philosophy of turning an enemy's attack back on him or her, but is optimized for lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat.Its signature move is the fluid riposte, which deflects a forceful enemy attack and immediately counterattacks. END CITATION. Source: "The Jedi Path." So yes, Shien was specifically designed for blaster deflection, not lightsaber combat. That's where Djem So came into play. Also, I never insinuated that Shien came from Djem So. Quite the opposite is true. While there is an argument to Shien being adapted to lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat, this video was the examination of the foundations of each form as they related to lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat.

[@florinsecry]

+harak salazar It's not difficult to understand: shien is used to redirect blaster bolts along CHOSEN vectors, that's where the technical part comes into play. A user of shien has to THINK how he's going to redirect those blaster bolts. The same concept goes when one uses shien ,ill-advised, in lightsaber-to-lightsaber fights, you CHOOSE whether to simply brush off a strike, or put some muscle into it and force it out of the way to make room for your counter.

[@MMMMEDEIROS]

+Antoine Bandele Why do you often refer to Juyo as form 7? (I know it is form 7) But why not like the others, "Form 7, Juyo"

[@florinsecry]

Max Gomes Pedersen maybe he's referring to both variants of the style when he just says "form VII"

[@scantrontheimmortal]

+Antoine Bandele after seeing videos like this its clear that Djem So and Juyo share many similarities to European medieval long sword practice and philosophy (ill post an example from a scholar who goes into detail about the german longsword training philoshopy below in two comments) *(Similarties to Juyo) "Those who fence "to the touch" often forget that survival is the primary objective of a sword fight. It is one thing to strike your opponent without regard for your own safety, but quite another to defeat your opponent and be able to walk away unscathed. Merely standing in a guard is not an effective defense. Liechtenauer and all of the masters who followed in his tradition taught that the best way to keep your opponent from hitting you is to hit your opponent first. Therefore you should do your best to maintain the initiative and not simply wait around to react to an attack that may be unpredictable. However, if survival were only a matter of who strikes first, then there would be no need to learn fencing, as whoever is fastest and luckiest will always win. If your opponent takes the initiative you must do everything in your power to take it back. This concept is known as being in the vor (the "before" time) or the nach (the "after" time). If you are in the "after" timing, you must try to regain the "before" as soon as possible by defending and going back on the offense. Movement is the most important element of defense. Stepping out of the way of attacks, known as voiding, and immediately attacking from your new position is one of the more efficient means of defense. Unfortunately, voiding alone is not always effective, as quite often your opponent will change the angle of his attack to follow you. So, although, you should not feel that you must make blade contact with your opponent, you will often need to do so in order to set it aside as you void. Remember, you are fighting your opponent, not your opponent's sword. Do not strike the weapon without attacking the person as well. Liechtenauer clearly states"

[@SomeStupidGuy249]

+Antoine Bandele Interesting. Granted, it's because of my lack of information and possibly bad research back in 2007, but I always thought that certain parts of Shien (the blast bolt blocking aspect) was actually the basis of how Soresu works because of the rise of blasters and masters could utilize certain aspects into lightsaber combat like how Obi-Wan utilized it.... Good thing I watched this video then. Learn something new everyday. Thanks for all of the useful information and your input that you've given in this video.

[@condeaarondarkusexcubitor3155]

My favorites would be Soresu and Ataru. Soresu for obtaining more time for rational thinking during a fight and survive against more experienced duelists (those that don't give too much room of opportunity to their opponents), Ataru for making chaos since it's a whirlwind of lightcuts. I believe a good application of this duo would be to use Soresu to stay live until the opponent reaches their limits, then counterattack quickly with Ataru when risk is lower.

[@greenacorn1151]

Shii-Cho: Rock Makashi: Paper Soresu: Rock Ataru: Scissors Djem So: Scissors Niman: Paper Juyo: Paper

[@AntoineBandele]

More or less.

[@revanreborn7626]

Green Acorn This is kinda confusing lol. I'm trying to think my way around it like "does rock mean defense or kinetic attack or does scissors mean offense or balanced,etc,etc". Would you mind explaining it

[@revanreborn7626]

Djem So wouldn't be considered "rock"?

[@AntoineBandele]

If you have the time, please take a survey for this channel: goo.gl/forms/OyxmPcNQEE

[@raphaelhanna8345]

wait a second shouldn't makashi be able to work its way around soresu's defense because that's what count dooku did during his fight with obi wan kenobi in star wars episode II of the movies also shouldn't djem so potentially be able to break soresu's defense if the djem so user is powerful enough with the form

[@sparklefish8897]

+raphael hanna It's good on Shii-Cho as well

[@jacksoncook7974]

One thing one should remember is that at the time of the attack of the clones was that obi wan was still learning and mastering the style at that time. After the duel obi wan the mastered soresu to near perfection, even beyond any other master plus obi wan then mastered and practiced other forms to make his style his own and this made him practically untouchable in a pute lightsaber duel, so the battle of obi wan and dooku was basiclly almost like a learning curve for obi wan so besides that one battle no other practitioners have really been able to defeat a soresu master.

[@hopejordanguerrero7243]

Also, what Kenobi used on Geonosis was still Form IV Ataru with elements of Form I Shii Cho. It was only during the rescue of the Chancellor that he showed Dooku his mastery of Soresu, just as Anakin concealed his own mastery of Djem So. Kenobi would only become purely Soresu in his final duel with Vader.

[@kadindarklord]

wouldn't Shii-Cho be weak against Djem-So too?

[@clarenceweaver1820]

Honestly I think a complete mastery of Niman, Form 6, would be what I’d like. Pick and choose what mix of the other forms for what’s best in each individual fight, while mixing in Force abilities seamlessly

[@charleswist2104]

me too

[@UTU1O]

​@@charleswist2104 Me too! I would fuse the forms I, III, IV, V and some parts of Vaapad to it for a great balance. I would also maybe even add some Jar'Kai when I get the opportunity to. Let me explain why I chose these forms: 1) Since Djem So has a "balance" between its offence and defence, I'll take that part of it as my first one. 2) Ataru's speed can be used to confuse your opponents, so I'm adding that feat from it. 3) I wanna take Soresu's unbreakable defences and apply its defensive strategies when I'm on the defensive. 4) I'm integrating Vaapad's control over the fight for 1v1's only, never for multiple opponents. 5) I gotta add some Jar'Kai to my training since it's effective against multiple opponents and it is able to do offence and defence simultaneously. 6) Niman is my own choice mostly due to the balance of it, and other reasons are because it's barely seen at all in the movies. 7) I also gotta add some Force abilities, I use them when I'm about to lose a fight yet I wanna stay alive.

[@charleswist2104]

@@UTU1O nice, i like it

[@UTU1O]

@@charleswist2104 thx

[@anneciccalone4880]

Form 8: ceiling fan, master: general grevious Form 9: helicopter, masters: inquisitors Form 10: use like baseball bat, master: rey

[@davidwhitted289]

Last one got me 😂

[@daeshawnkenway7932]

i will always be a fan of form 3

[@AntoineBandele]

It's a solid one.

[@Zaron_Gaming]

+daeshawn kenway the best of the best. got to love being a unbreakable wall if mastered

[@daeshawnkenway7932]

Shadow Zaron it just seems so badass to know that while you facing more 2 people at once they cant lay a finger on you

[@RainDoesGamingLive]

+daeshawn kenway it becomes a battle of stamina, and if you are of another race, one with more stamina, you have an amazing advantage against a soresu Master. Soresu can be used to great advantage when pared with another style, such as Niman, when used with a saber staff, or when you use direct force attacks to aid in your eventual counterstrike.

[@daeshawnkenway7932]

RainDoesGaming i feel sorry for the people who have low stamina all the time then lol

[@NiteMaster117]

Personally I think the perfect style would be Form V Djem So as a dedicated and Form III Soresu as a supplemental. Since Djem So already has high impact strength and solid defense so if you could sharpen the defense with Soresu and correlate your usage of your force pool appropriately over the course of a battle you could be nigh unstoppable or immovable (literally).

[@MrMultiWilk]

2 yrs, i know. In my opinion Soresu isnt good supplement when your primarly form is Djem so. Far more useful would be Makashi as a back up form. Strength doesnt work, try finesse.

[@bananapawn132]

I think that Form VII Juyo with Form III Soresu as a supplemental would even more op because Juyo has fast powerful strikes and is the only known form that can break Soresu's defense. Since only very few have known to master or use Juyo, I would have to agree that Form V Djem So and Form III Soresu would make a person unstoppable.

[@saulgoodman110]

A Makashi user could dance around your defenses.

[@MrMultiWilk]

Lets be honest, if you are strong with the Force, Form I will be enough to destroy a Makashi or Juyo master.

[@swiftstreak98]

Personally I'd prefer Djem (power), supplement with Makashi (grace)

[@EyeBeZombie]

Wait so what the hell is general grievous's form? Or does he have his own, *Form 8 breakdancing*

[@AntoineBandele]

He adapts to the forms he is fighting against, as highlighted in _Labyrinth of Evil._ When we fought Mace Windu he started to mimic Form VII.

[@MessyGamer616]

+Antoine Bandele nah, his form is definitely breakdancing. HE IS THE MASTER OF GETTIN DOWN! now im imagining gervious beating the crap out of jedi with the power of dance.... its awesome haha

[@LyghtningStryker]

Antoine Bandele he also relied on fear tactics to make Jedi panic and attack him head on rather than use force powers which he was susceptible to. Hence the spinning blades

[@teamvlcn6820]

He has created a bladed form of Capoeira.

[@generalgrievous5483]

SephirothgeneX7 shut up scoundrel

[@DuduFilm]

Loved smooth editing , keep up a good work ! Enjoyed

[@tomgrocutt7960]

I love your Obi-Wan Kenobi tribute ! I watch it all the time ! Great work keep it up and you're right the editing in this video is top notch 👌

[@DuduFilm]

Tom Grocutt Thanks a lot , I'm glad you enjoy it !

[@AntoineBandele]

DuduFilm AWESOME! I love your fan videos too man!

[@grandmasterrenzo7305]

I appreciated your analysis, it mirrored many of my thoughts on the forms, and I really liked how you compared the intricacies of their strengths and weaknesses.

[@AntoineBandele]

Thanks dude.

[@matthew9256]

Good job man! Real informative, you're quickly becoming the star wars guru on youtube.

[@AntoineBandele]

Matthew P Thanks Mr. P :-D

[@joshchristie7299]

1:02 Let the lightsaber learning begin.

[@ObiBrownKenobi]

I think you missed out on naming Darth Malgus as a Master of Form V it was his Holocron that Vader studied and his application of D'Jemso to further his (Vader) studies in the form. Great video as always

[@AntoineBandele]

There are too many Form V users to list them all. I think that was a good three, and Malgus was highlighted throughout the section.

[@Swordaholic]

I really appreciate your videos. I've watched others such as Jennasari and EvanNova who have a very in depth background analysis but zero charisma in their delivery. You videos are well spoken, and have a very clean and well formatted edit. Keep doing what you're doing, you're good at it.

[@AntoineBandele]

Thanks Eric, that's much appreciated.

[@timbruzda769]

Nice video as always, good analysis! I didn't even thought about the weaknesses or strenghts of some forms (e.g. Niman) because I wasn't interested in them. Now I see them from a different angle.

[@AntoineBandele]

Tim Bruzda That was the intention of the vide :-D Glad you liked it.

[@cichy45]

I wouldn't say Makashi was weak against Ataru, as form IV was less about power blows and more about speed and agility.

[@Murrdogg1000]

Ataru's still has kinetic energy that Makashi can still struggle with.

[@Murrdogg1000]

***** But the ideal Ataru user is quick and agile. Like Yoda or Shaak To or Ahsoka. Qui-Gon was more strength based, causing the openings. If you look at what Ataru is with agile focused duelists, their speed covers openings to where they can out pace Makashi. Plus speed generates kinetic energy, which Makashi struggles with defending against.

[@cichy45]

From what I know Makashi doesn't have any problem with generating speed. In fact it's the oposite, Makashi is very speed-oriented style. The problem with Makashi lies with strenght-based attacks, thats is why Makashi masters can only redirect power blows (like Dooku did against Anakin) and can't take them head on or else they would get tired very fast.

[@Murrdogg1000]

cichy45 But all the Ataru duelist has to do is use their speed to close in and the Makashi duelist is going to struggle. Because the Ataru duelist stays constantly moving, attacking. Where Makashi tries using leverage to pick their spots. It's why Dooku struggled against Dooku. Because Yoda was constantly pressing the offensive, but not creating huge openings.. That's what Makashi struggles against. Many forget that Ataru uses fast moves, but are supposed to keep their lightsaber near their guard range. Not like Juyo, where the strikes are wild, wide slashes

[@cichy45]

The problem is that Ataru does in fact create openings. Yoda is exceptional, because his small size and very advanced force valour made him extremely hard to target. Dooku actually criticized Ataru for it's acrobatics and stated that he can counter Ataru by launching a series of thrusts toward the enemy's legs to draw the opponent into a flipping overhead leap, so that he could burn through the enemy's spine with his Makashi attack. Another factor is that Ataru was not effective in prolonged combat, because of how tiring it was. So either Ataru master could take down enemy fast of he wouldn't be able to take him at all. Makashi on the other hand was all about conserving energy and economy of movement, which gives big advantage in long duels.

[@SkepticHeathen]

Assuming ( if i was a jedi ) I was powerful in the force, I'd probably go with Niiman as my primary with most focus placed there, while also learning Soresu for when dealing with very offensive and powerful opponents. Once proficient enough in those two would begin to specialize in form 7 for those occasions you come across other Soresu specialists who you don't have the time for a lengthy battle with. I'd say that covers the spread quite nicely.

[@AntoineBandele]

Dale C Soresu/Niman is a very, very nice mix.

[@keithasaur0]

Just added to Favorites! love your work Antoine!

[@AntoineBandele]

Thanks Keith, much appreciated.

[@antonioiniguez1615]

Thank you! Never understood what people meant when they talk about these forms

[@kentabruxis]

I think a unique mixture of Soresu and Juyo would contend with any duelist. Great analysis!

[@AntoineBandele]

They clash too much. They not mix well. The only good use of it would be a Form III opening with Form VII finish. But you’d dimish your master in both because you can’t set yourself into its highest performance because they have opposing mentalities and philosophies.

[@kentabruxis]

Antoine Bandele That's the point my friend, by embodying a Grey Jedi mindset, I can attempt to confuse or outmaneuver my opponent :)

[@roninpride]

I will quote a young Mr. Solo " I don't trust ancient weapons and Hokey religions; Just give me a blaster. "

[@andyrrafael1827]

+roninpride True, but unless you are a mandalorian, or a jedi killer speacialist, you WILL lose againt any force sensitive with a lightsaber.

[@robrockstar9648]

+Andyr Rafael may favorite examples of a non force user beating a Jedi or Sith would be when Jag Fel (if I remember his name correctly) tricked a dark jedi into using the force to take his blaster away. The blaster was rigged to explode if it was to far way from him. he was able to hide the fact that it was a trick until it was to late by having a disciplined mind, and was able to use a jet pack to close the gap between him and the dark Jedi before she could recover. killed her by snapping her neck with Mandalorian crush gauntlets. the other involved a guy dual wielding blasters against a group of Sith (note that this individual had a weak but stronger than average connection to the force and had a Jedi knight assisting him). he used a lot of combination attacks with his partner as well as dirty fighting to get around their defenses. examples being throwing dirt and rocks into his opponents eyes, using unarmed combat to avoid getting killed by lightsabers, sacrificing a weapon to bypass an opponents guard, and my personal favorite distracting an opponent to leave them vulnerable to a force push from his Jedi partner and then shooting them while they were off balance.

[@Scarecrow545]

I loved how you could clearly see Form IV in Qui-Gon when he faced Darth Maul. He was constantly on the offensive and pushing him back, with very wide, open swings and lots of forward momentum.

[@kitvos2615]

This video helped a lot, especially with me choosing forms I want to study. The forms I'm studying are the forms I relate to the most, in which so happen to be mastered by my favorite Jedi and Sith (Shii Cho - Kit Fisto; Makashi - Count Dooku.).

[@AntoineBandele]

Interesting. One is instinctual, the other deliberate.

[@kitvos2615]

+Antoine Bandele I tried looking into the other forms, but they never interested as much. I'm not the type of person who is interested in strength-based forms like Djem So, or highly defensive forms like Soresu. I may look into other forms in the future, possibly Ataru. Vaapad and Juyo are just too overly offensive and can't be risked. Niman, on the other hand, is hard to think about because of the fact that the force in Star Wars isn't real.

[@Blueballthornton]

2 questions (both regarding Form VII) 1. A basic prerequisite for studying Form VII is high level mastery of other forms. So what in your opinion would be the best foundation for Form VII? 2. What do you think of a hybrid fighting style of Juyo and Soresu?

[@AntoineBandele]

brett2tt I think the base of Form VII would certainly be Ataru and Djem So.

[@ThatSpecificIndividual]

I would use one long saber and one short saber with two hands. I would use form V, VII and a bit of III. My fighting style would be very reminiscent of Pontiff Sulyvahn from Darksouls 3.

[@andrenogueira6693]

Makashi and Niman are my favorite forms, nice video man.

[@infinitesheldon5710]

Great video as always, Antoine. Not too far off from my own interpretations of the forms. I think if I were to train in lightsaber combat, I would likely focus on Soresu and Djem So, with a touch of Niman thrown in to incorporate Force powers more smoothly into my lightsaber sequences.

[@AntoineBandele]

infinitesheldon Thanks :-D Soresu and Djem So ain't a bad combo.

[@nikolascoffey6453]

Has there been any lightside characters that used form 2? As far as I'm aware, it's all dark side users like the second sister, the grand inquisitor and count dooku.

[@colinjewett1898]

Form 2 and form 4 mix would be amazing

[@AntoineBandele]

That was Shaak Ti's form ;-)

[@robrockstar9648]

+Colin Jewett very common combination among Jedi of the old Jedi order.

[@kamiencat2052]

So glad you did this. Great job!

[@AntoineBandele]

***** Me too! Thanks :-D

[@DeltaVe]

I have had such trouble trying to figure out what style(s) I would use, but I think I finally summed it up to Niman, as some of the specific strengths and weaknesses of the other forms don't appeal to me, but I like bits and pieces, like Makashi's probing offensive, Shien/Djem-So's defend and counter strategy, and Niman's application of force powers.

[@NotOrdinaryInGames]

Has anyone brought up Bruce Lee and how he would beat all forms combined with his nun-chucks?

[@Dewottpoke]

+NotOrdinaryInGames Only if his nun-chucks got heat protection from plasma.

[@madhatten00]

+Dewottpoke yall got light saber nunchucks tho

[@leonidaslemonis127]

+madhatten00 Hilariously, those actually do exist.

[@NotOrdinaryInGames]

@Wes Bradley-Taubner He's an actor so he wins if the script says so.

[@fly672]

The Definitive masters of each forms in Star Wars Form 1- Kit Fisto Form 2- Darth Tyranus Form 3- Obi-Wan Kenobi Form 4- Yoda Form 5- Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader Form 6- Darth Sidious Form 7 Mace Windu

[@tomgrocutt7960]

I really liked the editing in this video, especially when you switched from the old republic fight to the Anakin and Ventress fight at the end of the niman analysis, that looked great. My forms would be Soresu, niman and Ataru to mastery level. soresu to defend against attacks, with the force attacks of niman and then the quick strikes of Ataru would be an awesome skill set to have.

[@AntoineBandele]

Tom Grocutt thanks :-D

[@Cenacles]

Very nice concise and well informed overview (awesome editing too)! P.S. I'm sure we can all agree that Juyo is the best form :)

[@AntoineBandele]

Cenacles If one can master Juyo is quite effective. It's just the easiest form to misuse. High risk, high reward.

[@Cenacles]

Antoine Bandele Very true :)

[@seanng9478]

Personally my favorite practinoners of these forms are Shii-Cho:kit fisto Makashi:count dooku Soresu:obi wan Ataru:Yoda Djem so: Anakin and Darth vader Niman:kao cen darrach and Darth sidious Juyo:darth maul Vaapad:mace windu

[@theapexfighter8741]

Actually you should put Sidious In Juyo and Darth Maul in Niman.

[@skorchrow4980]

Yea mine is Soresu

[@dihoxide]

Good Video! Personally it's hard to choose between form 5 and 6. I feel that form 5 is the most effective battlefield form, but I love form 6's mental approach, using the lightsaber more as a last resort, relying more on tactics and the force to get the job done.

[@LightingbladeShen]

Informative and pretty decent :) Without the 'compensation' many Jedi formed to counter several of the staff weakness of the chosen forms, this is a good informational video :)

[@AntoineBandele]

LightingbladeShen Thanks :-D

[@LightingbladeShen]

Antoine Bandele Also, allergic to reading? That burn XD

[@AntoineBandele]

LightingbladeShen Hah I thought more people would have mentioned that comment lol.

[@luis94289428]

If I had to pick a form of lightsaber combat to specialize in, I think I would go with Djem So though also incorporating a little of other forms to make up for some of its weaknesses. What about you? Which lightsaber form would you say is the most attractive to you?

[@AntoineBandele]

Gandalf the White I personally prefer Makashi/Soresu as a combo but Djem So would be the runner-up if I was a brutish person.

[@azxtreme1237]

i'd go a into battle with my mage form, wielding a sword in one hand and a staff in the other

[@luis94289428]

AizatXtreme 123 This may seem silly, but if you see it from this perspective: Form II: Duelist-Like warrior Form III: Sword and "Shield" warrior Form IV: Rogue (Considering how acrobatic and evasive this form is) Form V: Two-Handed Sword Warrior Form VI: Mage (since it insists on incorporating force-based attacks)

[@TheZackBriggs]

I think all these lightsaber forms would turn out irrelevant in a real fight and everyone would just swing their weapons like baseball bats like Luke in ROTJ.

[@noHarmony1]

Antoine Bandele I would also think that is a winning combination. Soresu to tire the opponent out and Makashi to finish him, right? Maybe it would also be possible to construct a lightsaber with a straight hilt that can be adjustet to be curved. I mean If you look at other kinds of fancy lightsabers that cant be too difficult. Then you could start with Soresu and when you see that your opponent is getting tired adjust the hilt and surprise him with a change of style AND a change of attacking angle. Wouldnt that be great?

[@AresZVII]

If someone were to combine form 1, 3, 4, and 7 the dueler would be completely unstoppable

[@AntoineBandele]

Very hard to do.

[@jensentaylor8168]

+Antoine Bandele am I right in thinking obi wan was a former 2 and 3 specialist, or was that just something I heard

[@madhatten00]

+Jensen Taylor obi wan was a former 4 and then he went to 3 while keeping some aspects of form 4 his master qui gon was a pure form 4 specialist so he taught obi wan form 4

[@jensentaylor8168]

OK thanks

[@AresZVII]

Antoine Bandele Yes it would be very hard but think of a being that is thousands of years old (Darth Plagueis), they could possibly combine all forms together. I mean they'd be completely unstoppable in saber combat

[@TheJoker10259]

Great video, Antoine. I myself would practice Makashi, Soresu and Niman. It covers all the bases very well.

[@AntoineBandele]

The Joker 10259 That's a solid combo.

[@GreatSage8]

Form 7 Vaapad all day and since Vaapad requires you to be at least proficient in all the other proceeding forms I would fall back most on Niman, because I think using the force in combat is very essential to winning a fight, and I would use a little bit of Djem So techniques as a bit of a stop hitter for those wing chun like fighters who like to attack in flurries. But Vaapad would be my base period it complements my state of mind in the heat of battle......well my state of mind period, very aggressive I am lol but cold at the same time, it's weird lol.

[@TheFuryProduction]

I think you broke down the lightsabers pretty well. I really enjoyed this video!

[@AntoineBandele]

TheFuryProduction Thanks :-D

[@CallofWar5]

Well if I was gonna choose a style to master it would be djem so first, makashi, and then soresu. Djem so would provide the base and makashi would provide the more energy efficient fall back as well throwing off my opponent with my suddenly precise and economical movements. Soresu for my defense against ataru as well as coupling well with makashi for an all together more devastating one on one style.

[@AntoineBandele]

blackraver5 Good choices, very Vader-esque.

[@Marzzz887]

@@RynUmbra I’m the same way but use form 1/4 instead of five

[@Marzzz887]

@@RynUmbra also form 3

[@99thJediWarrior]

I may be inclined to disagree with you on Ataru being better against Djem So. While I do agree with you saying that Ataru had alot more mobility against Djem So's rooted style, that is also a weakness of Ataru. Where Djem So users need alot less mobility, Ataru relies on its mobility. Essentially, you'd get a similar result of an Ataru practitioner going up against a Soresu practitioner: the Ataru user would get tired and let out too much energy, whereas a Soresu practitioner would be completely fresh and able to take down their opponent almost easily. Except in the case of Ataru vs. Djem So, the Djem So practitioner could attack back when he/she chose to.

[@GonzoTehGreat]

It's not the form that decides the outcome, but the skill of the individual!

[@GonzoTehGreat]

Char Aznable​ Both being equally matched in skill is an incredibly rare occurrence but even then circumstances and chance have as much influence as form.

[@GonzoTehGreat]

Char Aznable​​​​​​​​​ Every form obviously has both strengths and weaknesses because following a particular strategy necessarily precludes the use of others, which can then be used against you. However, if one form could always be beaten by another (on paper) then it would soon become redundant. If all these 7 forms survived, it's reasonable to assume they were all effective IF mastered. If someone lost a fight it was more likely due to their lack of skill which consequently didn't allow them to maximise the advantages of their chosen form while minimising the disadvantages. Discussing if Ataru can defeat Djem So is akin to asking if Karate can defeat Kung Fu. It all depends on the individuals... You effectively say as much in your own comments: _I think it comes down to a users speed._

[@GonzoTehGreat]

Char Aznable​​ Fair enough. Although, the OP's first line about Ataru being better than Djem So seems to imply just that... _I may be inclined to disagree with you on Ataru being better against Djem So._

[@piercewise2232]

I believe a Djem So user even with a lack of mobility could take a ataru user. Ataru does have more maneuverability and mobility but it has basically no defensive training thus Djem So could attempt to block a ataru users flip and spin attacks then immediately counter with his own power blow. but once again it depends on skill of the user

[@MMZERO9]

Were I a Lightsaber practitioner I would incorporate Forms 1-6, with an emphasis on Soresu, Ataru, and Djem-So. I'd also use Makashi so as to use it's deflection and redirection abilities.

[@robertfancyman3873]

This is a really well made video. Personally, I would have to master Niman for no other reason than I don't like to be in a position where I can't deal with something myself.

[@giorgit5252]

Can't quite agree that Makashi is weak against Ataru. Not because i'm Makashi fan or something like that, actually it's my least favorite form. But Ataru can create too much openings which for Makashi can be a heaven to explore. And I can't leave without pointing on your editing and style and design of your video which is the best as always.

[@garudaboy8372]

If the makashi user is skilled enough to work around Ataru's offense then sure

[@thedarkmaster4747]

+giorgi talikadze Makashi is horizontally adept but it is slow on the vertical. relies on foot work, dancing. flourishes are quick, sharp. focused. ataru is at it's weakest when grounded. hard not to flourish or completely evade evade everything. makashi fights opponants infront of the user, Ataru turns the user into a death-ball... which bounces. Makashi would be hard pressed to land a hit on an Ataru user, at the same time, the lack of a strong or reinforced blocking deffence against Atarus crazyness would make it difficult to stand against. both forms are often mixed as they take a complete oppisite approach to lightsaber combat, and thus cover each others weaknesses

[@TheSithAvenger]

My lightsaber forms would be Form 2 Makashi, because I can be precise about my attacks and expose an enemy's weakness. Form 3 Soresu because it has perfect defence and it would tire my enemies when I keep defending my self and they would get tired. And Form 5 Djem So because it is strong with some decent defence to back it up. I would learn all of the 7 forms but forms 2, 3, and 5 would be my most used forms. 

[@TheSithAvenger]

Christopher Lewis *Facepalm* He said in the video if I were to study those lightsaber forms, and use them as a Jedi those would be the forms I would choose!!

[@SamaritanPrime]

Makashi would actually be the last form I would learn, because it requires a degree of control that the other forms don't have. A Makashi master can send their blade exactly where they want it to go, whether it be to defend themselves or to poke at the other guy. I'd probably use Soresu or Niman the most. Let 'em come at me- I'll just block and defend and generally let my opponent wear themselves out, then switch it up and strike hard and fast and WIN.

[@ssj1k564]

Red Lylat I'd have form V, III and VI

[@theprimetimelime9410]

Red Lylat Exactly. With those 3 you have a perfect trifecta, precision, defense, and power. They are definitely the best forms. IMO, Shii-Cho and Niman are too basic, and Ataru and Juyo/Vaapad are too stamina-consuming.

[@davidalicea966]

Red Lylat I'm all forms

[@arcadedomination8006]

To be honest, in my opinion your channel is the most professional of the star wars geeks!

[@AntoineBandele]

Hah thanks. There are others that have far more production value than I do.

[@raphaelhanna8345]

hey Antoine im curious what do you think of the idea of certain lightsaber hilts being designed for certain forms like how anakins lightsaber hilt is designed for form 5 because im working on my own stories that involve a djem so practitioner but im curious to know if its absolutely necessary for a form 5 practitioner to have a similar lightsaber hilt to anakins or if it should be disregarded entirely and i should design the hilts the way i want them to be designed these stories are more based on legends but i want to know what you think

[@CloneScavengerVulpin8389]

What if someone tried changing in between all the lightsaber forms to confuse their enemies.

[@blackpanther1013]

Darth sidious does that.

[@CloneScavengerVulpin8389]

@@blackpanther1013 yeah he mastered all the lightsaber forms.

[@e.than_w]

In my opinion Soresu is the best. Although there is a lot defense in it you wait for them to slip up. I heard someone say that this with force lightening would probably be the most unstoppable combat, which could be true in some ways I suppose. I heard that Soresu Masters may have to meditate (I'm not sure if that's true or not). Soresu can defeat any form. I think Soresu can beat Ataru because since Soresu is based around defense and waiting for them to slip up, Ataru is used to kill people easily and use critical hits. In the Phamtom Menace, the first Star Wars movie if your remember Qui Gon Jinn against Darth Maul, Qui Gon Jinn as you know uses Ataru. So by the time when it was Darth Maul and Qui Gon Jinn Qui Gon was probably tired beyond believe which made him get killed. Although, Darth Maul uses Juyo/Vaapad. Soresu has no weakness except for Form Seven but as you said no Soresu Master has been killed in lightsaber to lightsaber combat by a Form Seven user. If you watch videos about the Soresu Lightsaber combat I heard that Soresu Masters like ObiWanKenobi can survive for a very long time. If you remember in Revenge Of The Sith, the third Star Wars movie Obi Wan Kenobi defeated DarthVader, Anakin Skywalker. Also, isn't Soresu mainly based around blaster deflection? A Soresu Master can hold up to 20 droids and with deflect it back the blaster bullets back to the droid (if you know what I mean). Soresu is probably based around Shien and a bit of Makashi but in a defensive way. Like I said previously about Soresu vs Ataru. If you're talking about the great Ataru master Master Yoda against the great Soresu Master Obi Wan Kenobi I bet many of you will say Master Yoda will win against Obi Wan. Many of you will say he's stronger than Obi Wan and you're probably correct. Imagine Qui Gon Jinn still alive but the same age as he was in The Phamtom Menace against Obi Wan Kenobi (Obi Wan a bit older not talking about when he was a Padawan). That to me is a great Ataru vs Soresu duel. Two good duelists. Although I did say imagine Obi Wan slightly older. I'm not being bias or anything but I think that Obi Wan Kenobi would win. The reason this is is because Soresu Masters can last quite a long time against any Lightsaber duelists. If Qui Gon Jinn wants to strike Obi Wan he will have to do a critical hit or a very fast hit in order to kill Obi Wan. It would be the same problem for Qui Gon Jinn possibly he would get tired and he would get killed against Obi Wan Kenobi.

[@andyrrafael1827]

+ChelseaFc Foreverandever Shien & Djem so were created because some viewed Soresu as not offensive enough to combat. Also, I agree with you, Soresu, is a complet defense both againt blaster and lightsaber, the only problem is that there is no attack maneuvers at all, just defense, not that is bad, but against a enemy that has lots of endurance and stamina, A soresu user would be in trouble. Force powers are also a pretty good advantage against Soresu, as it's masters have to focus only in the form to near perfection, leaving their guard down, to force powers, and we can see this in Obi. In episode 3 when he and Ani fought against dooku, It was too easy for dooku to pass through the force wall of Obi, so much that he did twice. Even though we are talking about DOOKU, if a average force user can trespass your force wall, then you are pretty much doomed. The best form against Soresu for me is Indeed Form VII, as a full master of this technique (Say a Obi wan of Juyo) would obliterate his defense. Form VI Niman also is a good one, as a master of Niman is a master of Force powers, and even more dangerous as Obi stated himself " It's difficult to utillize the force as a weapon while also wilding a lightsaber too! have to practice more." Hope we can have a discussion about the lightsaber forms and force powers if possible. :D

[@e.than_w]

+Andyr Rafael Soresu with force lightening would be very powerful. And yes Jedi can use force lightening, Luke Skywalker can even use force lightening I heard.

[@andyrrafael1827]

Yes, a jedi can, but it's nature is dark side, that's why jedi didn't used in the CW, giving pain and suffering to a living being is prohibited not only by the consil, but for a jedi's morals.

[@e.than_w]

+Andyr Rafael True. Also, the force isn't used for attack its used for defense as Yoda said.

[@andyrrafael1827]

ChelseaFc Foreverandever Exactly! A true jedi knows how to end a fight without killing or mortaly injuring the enemy.

[@sandmanzcommin08]

Of all these styles, I love Djem So and Niman the most and I even study these with my own stunt saber. A very strong focus on counter-attacks and parrys but incorporates force attacks(kinda like Karate or Jeet Kune Do combined with Tai Chi).

[@julianjames2899]

beautifully done, as almost always

[@AntoineBandele]

Thanks Julian.

[@kirill1052]

No form 3 master was defeated in lightsaber combat. Hmm, I heard about this Kenobi dude.

[@1God1Fury]

closing his eyes and standing still like a statue for a free kill isn't a defeat if he let them kill him on purpose

[@keentan2896]

@@Rabid_Savage Plus, makashi is good at poking holes in soresu's defence.

[@rajikage3098]

@@1God1Fury lol Vader was going to beat him either way

[@JoeBarron1027]

Can we just talk about the fact that Palpatine mastered all 7 forms o.0

[@codyallen7864]

Their are a lot of people that mastered all 7 forms

[@arielmichel2099]

Hey Antoine Bandele, I have a question? What do you think a Light saber duelist who had equally strong foundations in makashi and niman would like in combat? Do you think these two forms compliment one another in anyway?

[@danmarusan2878]

Antoine, you did a great job with this geek rant. I totally agree with your examinations. But there's one thing I noticed at the end of this video: You forgot to mention that Juyo practitioners are masters of or at least trained in one ore more lightsaber forms before they study Form VII.

[@AntoineBandele]

This video isn't meant for direct explanations of each form. It's an overall overview and comparison piece.

[@dylandarnell3657]

Everyone's talking about how badass they'd be with some style or another. I'd just scrape a "pass" in Form VI, and spend the time I saved learning academics, Force powers, and utility skills. My primary combat tactic would be Force Speed ("Secret Joestar Technique: RUN AWAY!"), followed by throwing bits of the environment at pursuers, Looney Tunes-style. No writer would dare kill me off. All the combat specialists would prioritize keeping me alive because I know how to fix the starship, reattach their limbs, and get/keep them out of jail. If the Jedi Order falls then I know how to hide my identity and get a real job. Sith Order operating in secret, plotting to take over the Republic? Very hard to start solving that problem by stabbing it with a laser. But Damask Holdings is moving around a suspicious amount of money. And right after Hugo Damask died it all went to a holding account that a bit of Force-assisted cryptanalysis shows is a front for some politician on Naboo. Who was also seen at a particular not-quite-illegal training camp, shortly before everyone there woke up dead. And this hypernet account that leads back to him has some quite frankly disturbing messages in its history. And he's being a little _too_ shiny and humble about everything. And he's got creepy taste in decorations. And oh look, there's a lightsaber inside this statuette. A red one. TLDR: You killed a Sith Lord? That's nice. I exposed his plan to take over the Republic. With _math._

[@AntoineBandele]

Loved this Dylan :-D

[@panayotisharalabopoulos4809]

Nice video mate. Do you think the lightsaber forms have any real life counterparts? I can only relate Form III to Aikido, Form IV to Tae Kwon Do and maybe Form V to Krav Maga. Any ideas on that?

[@jesseschloesser5343]

Great overview! The one thing you forgot though is Niman's poster boy Exar Kun. He was probably the greatest master of the form.

[@AntoineBandele]

Definitely.

[@alexyoblick]

I think Revan could be considered the 2nd best user of the form (not saying Revan is the very best fighter there ever was but there aren’t many examples of others who could top him easily).

[@tiaanvandenberg1467]

Amazing!!! I think you gave each form justice with your explanations. Out of curiosity which form would you choose if you could practice only one? Each one has it's ups and downs so it's very difficult to choose.

[@AntoineBandele]

Funny you mention that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nKaXkKxmbLOWgqsh27m54s

[@tiaanvandenberg1467]

Am I supposed to watch the two hour discussion about Plagueis on GreyJedi's channel? do you discuss you form preference there?

[@FutureUSMC12]

I would use Makashi, as I admire rapier fencing so greatly, combined with Soresu to better apply myself against blaster wielders, and elements of Shii-Cho, mainly the disarms.

[@nuttysalt4914]

Very good job. I tested it with my friend and your correct

[@caos1925]

excellent video, I agree with you on every point. Personally I would use 2 and 3 as well, they compliment me as a person and compliment each other perfectly. It can leave a possible weakness to Juyo, but that seems to be its only major threat in duels. Also noticed you used grievous in a lot of clips even though he didn't use any of the standard forms. Any particular reason you used him so much?

[@AntoineBandele]

caos1925 Grievous essentially used all the forms. What he often did was replicate the enemies he fought as indicated in "Labyrinth of Evil."

[@JudgeCraven]

Interesting video. Great editing too.

[@AntoineBandele]

Thanks MightyWebb.

[@quyendiep17]

My final pick is: Form 6, 3, 5 and 4. 6 as my main, to work the fight out, (such as trying to fight how I want it to play out)3 when I'm getting overwhelmed by the opponent, 4 to be swift and deal quick strikes and 5 to power through and parry and counter. Note: Sometimes, I choose balance to get better at everything. Got a speed problem? I'm good. Power? Good. And other stuff. I love your videos Antoine Bandele.

[@piercewise2232]

Well.... I mean like said in the vid u are quite moderate. Tho your Niman backbone style does has good fall backs and sub styles at the end of the day u aren't the most powerful,defensive or Fastest. You are more or less a tempo fighter based on how you described your style. Like a mix of Revan and Exar Kun.

[@quyendiep17]

@@piercewise2232 Yay! Thanks. My character uses those styles (Edge Marek), but having sprinkles of Form 4 and Form 7 instead.

[@jessupshutt3557]

+Antoine Bandele what lightsaber forms would you specialize in?

[@TheOnlyHollywood1]

I would learn all of the forms but my most used ones would be Form 2 Form 3 Form 5 Form 7 and maybe a little Jar kai, just in case Could you also cover duel blade fighting Thanks

[@KP-sx9zf]

I love your channel and thanks for answering my comments:)

[@AntoineBandele]

Of course!

[@CT-lr9ur]

Very good video. I’m interested in the Trakata form. It’s almost like a cheat form shunned by the Jedi. Imagine mastering turning your saber off and on during duels. I’m surprised it’s never mentioned. I would choose that just to be different. A maverick in the order.

[@samdickenson5852]

My top three forms I would choose to wield are Makashi, Djem So, and Soresu. Makashi for its elegant dueling style and as a default offense, with Soresu being the best defense against blaster bolts, and Djem So for strong strikes which I have the body for. Both these take away the weaknesses of Makashi in blast deflection and power.

[@TheLuconic]

That's why Anakin applied Ataru with his Dhem So to eliminate its flat footed weakness. Very smart. Why it's the practitioner, not the form that can succeed.

[@refurbishedtechpriest9076]

Based on what I know of the seven forms, I think your assessment of the strengths and weaknesses is pretty accurate.

[@AntoineBandele]

Me too! Lol

[@peacefulbenevolenttree3004]

Great video and great discussion in the comments section =) I would have the defense or Soresu but I don't know what I would have as an offense? I prefer stamina and speed though over power.

[@AntoineBandele]

Peaceful Benevolent Tree I would suggest coupling Form II with Form III if you are looking for longevity.

[@xRadinox]

Very Nice Video! I was waiting for some light-saber forms video from you for quite some time!... Very precise and informative. Personally my favorite form would be Niman, Balance, good defense and lot of tactics and powers to apply to offense, even a variant for dual lightsaber, of course i think is more effective in dedicated warriors with knowledge of all forms, not in the hands of novice and diplomats that die in the battle of Geonosis :P... Quite surprise you didn't mention Exar Kun as one of the masters of the Niman Form =)

[@AntoineBandele]

xRadinox Yeah I totally should have mentioned Exar Kun, he just slipped my mind when I placed Kao Cen Darach in there. Cin Drallig should have been left out

[@alexyoblick]

I think I have my ideal hybrid form down but that doesn’t mean I still haven’t completely 100% decided if I would always stick with it. I would try to go for 3/possibly 4 different forms after learning Shii Cho considering how that form is generally a beginners form. I think the first thing to consider is what lightsaber hilt style I would have. If I have a curved hilt then Makashi seems a given considering how most Form II experts used that style due to its weight balance, although if I ended up with a straight hilt style I could still use the form effectively to a certain degree if I desired. I wouldn’t feel right ignoring Niman given how adaptable it is as well as optimized for utilizing force powers in conjunction with dueling so that form I would go for (another benefit would be how Niman teaches the use of other weapon styles like staffs and duel wielding which I would try to make use out of but not fully rely on). I would then most likely go for both variations of form V (if I have a straight hilt style I would attempt the reverse grip variant of Shien as it is surprisingly strong on the defensive side of things) followed by a solid application of Soresu with some Ataru (Soresu mainly for adding defensive techniques, Ataru mainly for using brief bursts of fast offense but also possibly employing hand to hand combat when applicable). So all in all I think my choices would be as follows. Shii Cho for learning basics and having a last resort along with being able to be unpredictable if needed Niman for baseline of all forms as well as learning different types of weapons, using two blades when possible, and being able to properly incorporate force powers Definitely make use of overall form V for a strong balance (also so that I can make an attempt at the Shien reverse grip style) Lightsaber hilt style will determine how much I employ Makashi (more focus if using curved hilt, moderate if using straight style hilt) Forms III and IV would mainly be sparingly used for situational circumstances (possibly a bit more of Ataru for speed along with hand to hand, Soresu for brushing up defense). Might go for form VII but chances are I could make due without it. So I end up using each form at some point but with more focus in certain ones, forms I, VI, overall V, with a good amount of III and II as well as possibly VII for variety, and finally a touch of IV. Thoughts would greatly be appreciated.

[@piercewise2232]

a quick question, shouldn't ataru and djem so be strong against shii cho because they are geared towards single combat?

[@robrockstar9648]

+Pierce Wise yes but its a lot less drastic as form 1's weakness to from 2 because from 2 was made to counter form 1 tactics and maneuvers. from 7 could also be said to have an advatage

[@jessupshutt3557]

I use Soresu as my primary style, with certain elements from Shii-Cho, Ataru, and the binding maneuvers of Makashi

[@vagavash4128]

Antoine I have few questions 1. What combination of 3 forms would be the best? And why? 2.Which is your favorite form and why? 3.Which is your least favorite and why? Hope you reply. Keep up the good work.

[@AntoineBandele]

I think Makashi, Soresu and Niman work together very well. Shii-Cho, Ataru and Juyo also are a good combo.

[@wjb-wt6sc]

Great information video. I would most likely study Makashi , Juyo , and Soresu in that order of precedence. It would seem that Niman has a lot of unused potential , it encompasses all elements of the prior five forms in addition to implementing force powers in a combat situation, and given its nickname "the moderation form" it would seem that it's only true limits are how far its user is willing to take it. Can you imagine a lightsaber master that has actually mastered the previous five forms but fights with a Niman mentality? I read previously that you wont be in the next Forcecast, but do you know what the topic is ?

[@AntoineBandele]

wjb61274123 Believe it or not ... they are taking about lightsabers. I think the best user of Niman we've seen is Revan.

[@clerickolter]

I like Nimen but I would do tricks like adjusting the blade length, turning it off and on in interesting times and add in wearing bounty hunter type armor and loaded with alternate weapons and tricks to get at opponents of all kinds especially if during wartime.

[@RyuSenshi510]

Just subbed! Can you give your opinion? I want to specialize in ataru but instead of going for soresu for defense, modify ataru by incorporating airbender defensive circle walking, evasive maneuvers, and "path of least resistance" mindset. Both use either the force or air to augment speed and agility. Both utilize rotations and constant motion so i see potential for blending offensive ataru with defensive airbending for a hybrid style that doesnt sacrifice movement or speed since the defenses are dynamic. Thoughts?

[@AntoineBandele]

I would definitely taper Ataru with something. If not Soresu, then Makashi.

[@bnadit1949]

I feel like a combination of Vapaad and Soresu, with some Jar Kai, would be a very formidable line up. You will be able to crush a weaker opponent in a very short period, but if you are fighting someone stronger, or of equal skill, you can go defensive until they tire out and are unable to withstand your onslaught. Then there is the ability to surprise your opponent with another blade, I would recommend a dual bladed shoto for added shock and awe. However use of the shoto should be limited only to those times where it proves beneficial, as overuse can lead to dependence. As with the force the best is not one aspect or another, but a combination of many aspects.

[@andrewsmetic7881]

I am able to do most lightsaber forms, but my personal favs to use are type 2 and type 3. I like the defense of 3 with the offensive skill of 2. I also like form 5, of course. It’s my third fav.

[@batko6362]

I believe that makashi is actually not entirely lacking in defense, as practicioners usually parry their assailants attack, though it requires some strength to do so. But much like ataru, it's probably best to pair it with another form, to compensate for fighting against form V Djem So practicioners, such as ataru, soresu, or in my personal opinion, Juyo/ Vaapad. Also, I have heard that Shien can be utilised as a lightsaber dueling form, in Jensaari's video, Vindican vs Luminara Unduli.

[@AntoineBandele]

Spell Shot Makashi would be adept at defending speed attacks but less so against a power attack. Jensaarai1 and I have differing opinions when it comes to the semantics of shien. I believe once someone begins using Form V for dueling, it's more akin to Djem So. Unduli would favor a more swifter form of Djem So essentially. But I do see where one could think shien could be used in a duel.

[@batko6362]

Antoine Bandele in regards to power attacks however, Dooku was a highly trained makashi user, and was able to defend against skywalker, the only reason for his defeat (in my opinion) was his lack of stanima brought on by old age. Not mention he was able to (but not surprisingly) able to parry the strength of Savage Opress, and although being an amateur, he was a powerhouse nonetheless.

[@speedy4574]

I would use form 5 shien/djem so as a base form while implementing parts of other forms to suit whatever situation I was in but Form 5 would always be the bedrock of my fighting style. I would probably implement some Soresu and Ataru in there maybe.

[@maxkogan3785]

I believe the ultimate way to fight using the forms is this way: open with Form II to figure out your opponent and then after finding what you need to know, use a hybrid between Form V and VII, combining the defense, counterattacks, and power of Form V with the vicious ferocity and offense of Form VII.

[@WyvernDukemon]

I rather find this to be a wonderful analysis and well thought out! I may reference this to my group during filming for this years LCC with your permission.

[@AntoineBandele]

WyvernDukemon I'm okay with this.

[@WyvernDukemon]

Antoine Bandele Thank you very much! I didnt wish to use it without your consent.

[@Alarcj7]

I have a lightsaber at home and I practice usesing mostly the basics of Shii-Cho (attack and defence). But I am able to fight one handed using an Makashi variation (I prefer fighting with two hands even though). I often go stonewalling using apart of Soresu (my "stonewall" isn't even at the feet of Obi-Wan's but I'm still trying to leave minimum exposure in my targeting zones) and use the tactics of waiting for a opening in an opponent's defence. I sometimes use Ataru to bolster my speed and acrobatics (but not so often because it's tiring and I can leave myself open to any counterattack) and also use my surroundings to overpower taller opponents (mimicking Yoda sometimes). I still don't know how to give a counterstrike like an Djem So practitioner, I don't understand the nature of Niman and I don't use Juyo or Vaapad because it's way too tiring and and I don't want to get my denfences penetrated because of the form(s)'s lack of defence to countering. So I'm basically a master from all first four forms.