Do you actually duell with Lightsaber forms?

[ATeligent]

Despite the fact that I have several favorite forms, I've found that the most effective form for me is to have no form at all. I wait and let the opponent make the first move and make sure that it's his last. So far it always works.

[Gulcasa]

Despite the fact that I have several favorite forms, I've found that the most effective form for me is to have no form at all. I wait and let the opponent make the first move and make sure that it's his last. So far it always works.

Well thats like Soresu.. ^^ waiting for the enemy to be open and use this advantage

[ShadowKatt]

Despite the fact that I have several favorite forms, I've found that the most effective form for me is to have no form at all. I wait and let the opponent make the first move and make sure that it's his last. So far it always works.

That sounds like a niman-ish version of soresu. Jedi must learn all forms, but niman users are rarely a master of any. They use the elements, often to great effect, even though they're less refined.

[ATeligent]

True, but I believe it's stated that a niman user studies other things outside of lightsaber combat. I use the pause before and during combat to analyze the weakness in my opponents style and exploit it. When I find it I change styles on them at the last minute.

[Master Nero Attoru]

My friend and I have developed our own versions of a few of the forms.  Personally, I have fenced for around 8 years, so naturally I tend to use Makashi as my primary style.  I've also worked somewhat on Ataru and Djem So just to mix it up - changing styles mid-fight tends to throw my opponents off a LOT.  My friend is a martial artist, and primarily uses Soresu.  Like me, he mixes it up by occasionally using Vaapad in a fight.

[ThreadJack]

I'm more like Luke in that, I know some things about the forms and how to use my lightsaber, but not enough to actually practice any of the forms yet, so I basically just throw all the moves I know together to make my own little fighting style.

[SJJedi]

I'm more like Luke in that, I know some things about the forms and how to use my lightsaber, but not enough to actually practice any of the forms yet, so I basically just throw all the moves I know together to make my own little fighting style.

Sounds kind of like my take on Djem So.  Lots of smashy-smashy, but basically a conglomerate of all the useless random martial arts tidbits and stage combat I've learned over the years.  It's still not especially effective, unfortunately.

[thejedimasternick]

Well, you keep trying and practicing and making your technique more and more effective. I have a few myself and I try to give each form their own spirit and style. I am not really sure what I use. I mix it up depending on whoever is dueling with me, but, I always try to be on the attack, or at least use different offensive techniques. Then again, I also like being on the deffensive at times. Also depends on which saber I am using, too. If you have a staff, I think you need to be on the offensive.

[Gulcasa]

a staff can be very defensive as well.
The fact that you almost don't even need to spin your blade.. but just have to block.. makes a staff very defensive.
You can protect completely one side with just one movement..

[thejedimasternick]

True true, the only issue is you need to be good with a staff to actually defend efficiently. Someone who is quick with a single blade could have an advantage against a staff. Side blocks with a staff and trick you up sometimes. So a confusion volley could be a little troublesome. But, if someone is very good with a staff, then that is a whole new picture. My problem with the staff is that you can mix yourself up a lot, really quick too, and lose your momentum when you are in a duel. Same thing with dual wielding. But, if you get good at it, you can fix that problem. I, with how I use a staff, end up using it more for offensive than deffensive. Just because the staff is so awesome of a weapon in terms of speed and confusion.

[Gulcasa]

yup I think so too.. but the enemy can confuse you, but since you got at the end of the hilt.. another blade.. you can fix your mistake very quick..
He feints from left.. you block left.. but he attacks right then.. so you just spin the staff.. giving you an advantage..
and because of the spin -> you are able to attack from bottom
staff is very confusing.. and its even more confusing, when you use it to defend!

[SJJedi]

Not to get off-topic, but staffs and dual wielders are my bane.  With the style I'm using it's awesome on a one-on-one fair fight, where both opponents are only using one saber, but I'm finding that it's just not cutting it against double-bladers.  Any thoughts on a good way to deal with these?

[Gulcasa]

Not to get off-topic, but staffs and dual wielders are my bane.  With the style I'm using it's awesome on a one-on-one fair fight, where both opponents are only using one saber, but I'm finding that it's just not cutting it against double-bladers.  Any thoughts on a good way to deal with these?

Well.. when fighting against a double-blader.. always think of the secound blade! Never forget that.. and you shall alwys imagine what next move he can make..
fighting against double-bladers would be the best exercise.. it will steel your defence as well!
Against dual wielders.. well theyre much harder as double-bladers.. because they actually can use their secound blade without influence of the first..
The blades of a double-blader are always attached to each other.. what gives them a limit to theyre attacks..
a dual-wielder can wield the main blade without influence on the 2nd blade.. so they got like 2 blades to make fluence attacks! and both of those "Fluences" are individual.. so you just need ALOT of care.. but you should counter attack alot against them.. what will make them use theyre 2nd blade to defend..

[ATeligent]

It's actually easier to duel against a staff user because if you know where one blade is you automatically know where the second blade is due to the hilt being connected. A dual saber user is a little more dangerous, but they are faced with the same danger of having to know where each of their blades are at every given moment. Personally, although I can use two lightsabers easily, my ultimate preference is just a single saber.

[ShadowKatt]

I've never used two sabers before, but I have used a sword and a knife before. It's a potent combination, parrying with the sword to close the gap for a stab, or feinting with the knife to get in a cut or chop. Sabers being lighter than swords, I can see where dual sabers would be even faster in a duel.