Greetings all... just finished unboxing and putting together my latest saber, the Malice. In total I've purchased/assembled 3 UltraSabers, and after accidentally creating a naming scheme with the first 2 sabers ("Hate" and "Anger", both Dark Warglaives [RGB] with sound and silver claws), I decided with the help of my legion of twitter followers that my latest saber should of course be named something appropriate.
"Fear is the path to the Dark Side..."
"Fear leads to anger..."
"Anger leads to hate..."
"Hate leads to...""...Suffering."
My Malice, "Suffering" next to my favorite Warglaive, "Hatred".
Now for some specifics...
I purchased the parts and saber for a Blazing Red Malice with Sound, Lithium with ButtPack, the Silver-Pummel Cap, Red-Illuminated Activator Switch without the raised box and both Small and Large Emitter Blades.
I'm going to give an in-depth write up this evening, but I did want to get on here and indeed tell you that this saber is beastly as they say. It is much heavier than even my RGB Dark Warglaive witch surprised the hell out of me. The hilt feels good in the hand, although as one would expect the blades kind of create a sail or fan-like surface which makes certain moves with it a bit unwieldy. My only other complaint about the Malice here in the short-write up, is that for a man like me who has monster-sized hands, the Malice's hilt is just short of being a "Hand and a Half". If you've got normal sized hands, you'll probably be able to wield it with 2 hands but I myself just end up only being able to grasp the pummel cap.
But, as I gotta jet, I'll leave you with this... those blades, while not sharp, are the real deal. They're not flimsy or weak in the slightest. I've got a pair of Large claws I'll be trying out tonight as well, but let me tell you, if this WAS a galaxy far far away a long time ago... you'd have no problems sharpening these things and using them as a weapon themselves... though as they sit, I really don't think there's any logical way to sharpen these things...
That's it for now! Better picture and more coming later after some experimentation! You can see more pictures immediately on my twitter feed @Nobunagasama
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Expanded Malice ReviewAlrighty... where to start now that I have a good measure of time...
The Malice HiltThe hilt itself is smooth to the touch but has a series of 4 bumps or bulges along it's length which give it a bit more grip than you'd expect. It's thick and (for a monster such as myself) a bit on the shorter side, though I do realize few people have hands in my range. While I can't comfortably grip it in 2 hands like I can with my Dark Warglaives "Hate" and "Anger", for the occasional swing or move I can just grab the pummel cap. It feels quite solid and heavy, like you really could hilt-smash someone with it... intentional or not.
I had decided to go without the raised activator-switch box since I couldn't imagine having the box in my grip. As it turns out, with just a flat red-glowing activator switch it suits and fits the saber perfectly. I really recommend the illuminated switch on this one, it looks amazing. If you intend it only for decoration and not combat... or you prefer a style of saber combat that is rigid in it's hand position and pattern, than the raised switch-box does LOOK nice. I just can't imagine my massive hand wielding the saber in combat with that big box in the way.
Verdict: The hilt is great, and doesn't distract from the whole saber. If you use silver accents (pummel caps and illuminated activation switchs), the hilt functions as an amazing canvas to project your design... but on it's own, it's not drawing much attention.
The Malice Emitter (minus blades)
The emitter itself might be seen as a bit "basic" by some, but as a guy who appreciates a bit of simplicity in design to make an overall look, this emitter does it's job very well. As mentioned in the debut video, the emitter is deep and runs about 3 inches deep, meaning your saber blade seats nicely even with the 40" blades, which I'll touch base on next. The emitter has a stock-red button on it's "front" (this emitter has a decided 'facing') which I'll likely look at coloring or replacing soon enough. The black-colored inlays around the emitter are a nice touch, with the "blades" fastening to the emitter's left and right sides. At the emitter's rear is the blade-securing screw, and coming from someone who only owns Warglaives, being able to use the wrench in a horizontal position without smashing my hand into the emitter claws is a nice touch.
Verdict: A nice emitter which might see some after-market customizations from me, but for the community in general I really think it'll please crowds. A very classic look that doesn't fade with age.
The 40" MidGrade BladeRelatively new (to me at least) are the 40" blades. I purchased an extra few for use in my Warglaives as well as the stock blade from the Malice. I can tell you that the Mid-Grade blade has a little more 'flex' to it than the 36" blade. There's a decided bending action that occurs when you strike a rather solid object or clash blades with someone and continue the hold. Right now, as I'm not quite used to the sensation, it almost makes me feel like the blade is about to bend right over and break, but even if a few combat trials I haven't actually had it go beyond the threshold that would induce actual concern... for the extra bit of length on the blade though, it does feel worth it. Finally gives a "two handed power-blade" feeling to my Warglaives. The extra length is needed on the Malice, as the emitter is very deep... without the 40" blade, the saber looks decidedly short, perhaps with a bit more "off hand" shoto feel to it. Also of note is the blade's illumination, it carries the light with no discernible fading whatsoever.
Verdict: I love em, but they're going to take some getting used to when hitting things. Movements you thought you had mastered are suddenly a bit more challenging... and I haven't even put this in my saberstaff configuration...
The Malice Emitter Blades
The big-daddy feature of the Malice is it's emitter blades. Solidly mounted to the emitter by 2 points (much like the Warglaive's claws), they are removable and replaceable. In fact I had ordered a second pair so that I could swap between Small and Large blades at a whim. I haven't tried out the large blades in combat, but they are massive and kinda make the Malice look almost like a small paddle rather than a lightsaber at times. That being said, the look they give really does stand out and they will absolutely be a conversation starter. In combat they don't get in the way much, but in a lot of long-sweeping strikes you'll definitely feel the increased wind resistance of the swing if the blades aren't actually slicing through the air. I can only imagine the large blades... however they do make for amazing intimidation accents.
Verdict: They're solid, strong, and make a statement. Without a blade in the Malice they almost make it look like a short double bladed axe, lending a vicious look to the whole thing. But if you're into precision and three-dimensional symmetry this might not be the feature for you.
FINAL VERDICTThe Malice lives up to it's advertised "Beast" status in all regards. It's a solid saber in construction and appearance. No one is going to doubt looking at the Malice that it could be one hell of a saber in combat and out. While certainly not first in line for a "Jedi" like weapon, it is Darth Malgus's saber after all, it would be a fine addition to anyone's collection who enjoy standing out in a crowd. I've no doubt that in a sea of Jedi and Sith, you'll be standing out amongst the others. I can also imagine this saber would look really good in a saberstaff setup, which I might end up doing awhile down the road. I am impressed with the Malice's sturdy craftsmanship, you really do feel the quality and resiliency of the Malice when you hold it. Nothing rattles or shifts in your hand, it sits along the contours of your fingers nicely and has an overall feeling of being an extension of your hand. The Malice channels the sound of the Obsidian sound card VERY well. It almost rumbles as it idles in your hand. All in all, I'm really looking forward to showing this baby off...
Now, I must only wait for the last saber in my naming convention... perhaps a new design in the distant future that will truly embody the ideals of the Sith and strike... Fear... into the hearts of our enemies?
Oh, PS... if one of you kind mods could merge this post into my initial post (as I can't seem to edit my original post), it would be much appreciated.
**Edited by Moderator Nightwing**
