Good single handed combatant vs really good Staff combatant

[ZequarX]

So, my bother was telling his friend about US, and he responds with "Dude you're so far behind... I have like 9 of em, including a staff!"

WTF? Lol and apparently his friend is pretty good with the staff. Any advice on how to better take on a staff user for all ye single handers??

[Shami Pemas]

while i've never dueled someone with a staff, i'd think that speed and agility would help greatly to combat a staff.

[Master Uilos]

Best advice for using a staff and fighting a staff. Always be aware of where the other end is.

[Temple]

Move in close and make it imposible to weild the staff, constaly press the advantage one inside you will own him

[ZequarX]

Sweet deal, thanks guys! Though that all seems like info I should of already known lol.  I wanna dual this guy cuz my lil bro said he was pretty good, so hopefully when my saber comes in that'll happen sooner or later

[Vex]

Move in close and make it imposible to weild the staff, constaly press the advantage one inside you will own him

agreed , stay in close and give him NO room to swing/spin......game over!

[Vex]

As a side note, the staff wielders main weak spot will always be his/her center as he/she has to work from side to side.

[Master Nero Attoru]

Best advice for using a staff and fighting a staff. Always be aware of where the other end is.

Very worthwhile advice as usual Uilos!  The staff is very intimidating, but it has one limitation - the one end is fully dependent on the other.  In other words, when you swing one end the other can only be opposite it, as opposed to dual wielding.  This means you're really only getting one strike at a time, so as long as you can keep up with that you'll be ok.

Not to say it's easy!  It's an unorthodox weapon to combat for sure.  Against something like I would think you'd have to go one of two ways - either patiently keep your distance, waiting for an opening, or use an all out attack like Temple and Vex said.

[ZequarX]

I think a good combo of both patience and blitz offense is what you would need. It also depends on this guys skills, cuz like I've stated before, I am a lot faster then my size puts off. I plan to feel out the battle in the beginning then make a judgement call once I see where he decides to take it.

Being a defender in basketball is one of the hardest things to do, and thats something that I practiced for 10 yrs. The point about a staff wielders center point being the weakest is just like basketball. You never watch the ball, or the shoulders or the feet, because these can be very shifty and decieving... Watch the center of the persons body, it never moves. And I'm guessing the exact same concept with dueling.

[Master Lucien Kane]

Getting comfortable with being in close is important with many different dueling situations.

Also what I like to do against staff wielders is keep my defense in tight. Aim for that big opening of a hilt they have. IF you can get inside there you can take arms and wrists and hands and all sorts of fun marks of contact.

Make no mistake the double bladed lightsaber makes its money because of its unorthodox nature. People see it and are intimidated, don't be intimidated. Also if you can take them to a spot that is a little enclosed; you can bite off some of their attack avenues. Some might call that cheating. I call it working smarter not harder.

[ZequarX]

Also if you can take them to a spot that is a little enclosed; you can bite off some of their attack avenues. Some might call that cheating. I call it working smarter not harder.

And that my friends, is why Lucien makes the big bucks 

I'm actually not that imtimidated with him using a staff, but all this info is much appreciated, and I will store it in the infinite space that is my noggin, lol.

My brother talks a big game about a lot of things, so, I really hope that he is good. Because if you plan to be the best, you need to take out the best.

[Darth Ruin]

I've spent about eight years doing Chinese Martial Arts (I'm 17), and saber staffs actually fight very well. 

The common misconception with saber duelists is that they see the staff as two blades joined at the hilt.  Do your best to visualize the entire staff as one single unit (difficult, you subconsciously follow the two blades separately, due to the fact that they are two glowing rods separated by the "unlit" hilt).  If you can follow it as a staff, like a wooden bo, you will unconsciously know the position of the other blade/end by knowing the position of one.

But yes, fight in tight and close in.  Be aware of how you stance yourself.  A stance with your side to your opponent is useful in defense, but only if you're certain you can determine the position of the other blade in said unconscious manner (blocking with your blade behind you would definitely be a skill to learn), and give you the ability to go full out offensive.  Saberstaves are definitely heavily offensive weapons, with that being their best defense.  Stripping that from staff users robs them of their advantage.  Balance your offense and defense, making defense your priority and offense a reaction to openings. 

If I had had to link it to canon, Soresu is the way to go.

[Stephen Strange]

As we are talking saber staff... we are talking bo staff. That makes it slightly easier. I wouldn't recommend going up with a one-hand weapon to a dragon pole. Lucien has one of the few light spears I have seen.

In my opinion the bo staff has a 'blind' centre. The part in-between the wielders hand. to get there safe you actually 'slide' across the foreward attacking 'blade'. You can then hit his hand. But you have to come in close and fast. As the other side comes in directly behind.

When you r in real close the other side can never hit you. If you can hit the hands.. no-way he can hold the staff.

Most staff techniques work from teh centre of the body.. following one side will bring your blade to his mid-section. Just don't forget to come in deep! If you dont come in deep fast enough you will have to block the otherside first in order to reach the close combat you need to have teh advantage.

[ZequarX]

As we are talking saber staff... we are talking bo staff.

Saber staff. My brothers friend has one and is apparently pretty good.

Darth Ruin, love your post man. And I agree completely that Soresu is the way to go. Tight defense, parry's, blocks. It'll be fun to get the form III on here with Stephen and the rest of the gang

[Darth Ruin]

One of the worse things to do is to have weak blocks.  Staff fighting is extremely kinetic.  If you go rewatch Darth Maul's duel with Obi-Wan after Qui-Gon's knocked out of the picture, Ray Park's got it down squat.  He's fast, he doesn't give you time to react.  He's using his entire body to strike, doing 180s with his entire being.  Those will be hard, hard hits, and if you don't learn to lock your guards and blocks, it's going to cost you.

I've dueled against a saberstaff user, a tad of light fighting.  I was too focused on attacking, rather than defending, and some of those kinetic blows were strong enough to make my own saber glance off against my own knees and shoulders.  Don't let your opponent have the chance to use his body.  Use thrusts to aim for his blind center, it forces him to bend awkwardly to parry these sort of attacks, and thus breaking their series of attacks.

This kinetic type of fighting can both be an advantage to you if you build up your defensive abilities and patiently wait it out - they'll tire soon, doing big hard hits is a reckless fighting style, and they'll definitely leave a lot of openings.

At the same time, lock your guard (most of that'll be in the wrists and elbows), you don't want his blows to be strong enough your own saber's the reason you have a bruise on your forehead (: 

When people say don't be intimidated by a saberstaff, they're half right.  You shouldn't be intimidated by the idea of a "different" weapon, but damned, you should be extremely cautious.  A good staff fighter makes up for his blind spots with painful blows.  You'll have to learn to be patient and wait for openings.  Duels like this will last long, but endurance will definitely be one of the surest wins to a fight.