The 7 Classic Lightsaber Combat Forms EXPLAINED

There are 7 main classic lightsaber combat forms which Jedi and Sith practiced. Today we’ll be explaining all 7 and outlining some of the most notable practitioners of each one.

Red Five standing by...

[BlapwardKrunkle]

Qui Gons face at 3:29 is sooo much better when you realize this is the first time anyone has seen a sith, (besides when they briefly saw him earlier) no less one with a double sided lightsaber in a thousand years.

He genuinely looks confused, and terrified about what would come next - almost as if he could feel it was coming.

Bone chilling to think about, especially since his death essentially created Darth Vader.

[ethanbradberry]

Well there is actually 8 forms, Rey uses an uncommon and little known form called the baseball bat.

[maltesers]

Kit fisto was so great, he blocked 3 attacks from Darth Sidious.

[Iron-Bridge]

I love Vaapad, Form 7. It seems to adhere to Carl Jung's acknowledging and harnessing one's shadow self or inner monster. Instead of rejecting or attempting to master it, redirect it for good. Of course, there's the risk of being consumed by it if one is not careful.

[DemonicShooter]

I love the idea of form 3. Turtle down and let them wear themselves down.

[TheLuconic]

Technically speaking Dooku learned all 7 styles but specialized on the 2nd form because of his belief of saber to saber combat and it’s superiority. Which is ironically also his down fall in his last duel against Anakin.

[davyfromthenavy]

Maul was a dedicated form 7 Juyo user. He may have supplemented his form with Niman to help with the double blade, but his primary form was Juyo.

[deionjames]

Form 6 in the right hands is OP. It gave the user their own unique style. Definitely a master of all trades in the right hands.

[z.ghost.z]

Form I Shii-Cho: 0:57
Form II Makashi: 2:33
Form III Soresu: 3:37
Form IV Ataru: 4:40
Form V Shien / Djem So: 5:45
Form VI Niman: 6:54
Form VII Juyo / Vaapad: 7:45

[ok_mister_sigma]

Qui-gon was limited with his speed and acrobatic abilities as he aged.

Yoda at 877 years old: 🗿

[ianreid]

I read in The Jedi Path that Shien was for facing blasters and Djem So was for lightsabers; Anakin used the former against Dooku on Geonosis and learned the hard way to practice the latter.

[Hic_Sunt_Leones-ov]

To think two of the greatest Jedi to ever live Anakin and Obi Wan were masters of Form 5 Djem So and Form 3 Soresu respectively.
The Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Bane was a master of both.

[clindholm]

Form three for me. I like that it is defensive rather than aggressive. I also find it very clever. I enjoy Obi-Wan’s battles because he finds the vulnerability of the opponent and exploits it, which is in keeping with form three. It is not just physical but mental in a way the other forms are not. This is not to say the other forms are not mentally exerting, I just like the way it manifests in form three.

[OdinSmilesRavensLaugh]

I thoroughly enjoyed your descriptions of the saber forms, i favor Ju-yo/Vapaad

[saber]

Darth Maul did not use form 6, he used the Juyo variation of form 7.

Form 7 was looked down upon by the Jedi as it required to user to delight in the battle and draw upon their emotions, which was thought by the counsel to bring memebrs to close to the darkside.

Only Mace Windu and his Vaapad variant we approved, and even then no one was really taught it as the few who did learn it fell to the darkside beside Windu. Vaapad had another special attribute that Juyo lacked. It not only took the users emotions to augment their feats, but it also took in the dark side fro their opponents and then redirected it back at them. This is why Windu easily bested Palpatine, as the stronger a users connection to the darkside is, the more it amps vaapad practitioners.

Anakin actually asked Windu about learning Vaapad, but due to Mace sensing the termoil in him turned him down, thats why Anakin learned Form 5 instead, as its forcus on power and physicality was the second closes form battle maniacs 😆.

Form 6 was known as the diplomat's form. As it was a balance between the other earlier form, making it a hybrid jack-of-all forms. Exar kun was a practitioner of this form.

[PrimarisUltramarine]

Fun fact: there is actually a confirmed 8th style of lightsaber combat(not the duel wielding one) that the both Jedi and Sith equal hate, it’s name is trakate

[geocross]

I’m definitely a Soresu practitioner. I’m the type that like to wait and observe my queries before determining how to approach them.
But I’m definitely also a Form V user also (specifically Djem So) because once I establish some foundation I go in full force (and I’m a _big_ fella).
In short, I’m the slow and steady kind of combatant and I favor resilience and strength over other stats.

[HenryOfSkalitz]

As a HEMA practitioner, I've had the opportunity to learn proper historical swordplay and more importantly be able to spar and as a result have discovered my own sort of fighting style, which I'd say is a mix between forms 2 and 4. Because I mainly fight with the Italian dueling saber, an elegant weapon for a more civilized age, I favor the elegance of Form 2 and because I am shorter than many of the people I spar with and therefore have less reach than them I have discovered that the most reliable way for me to win a duel is to close in as quickly as possible with a flurry of strikes and feints.

[Beetwixt_N._Janeen]

Thank you 🤗💯
I would prefer form 7, Vaapad. Although it holds many cautions, it is the one form that I would apply to my daily training - mastering one’s emotions. Which explains why Mace was so rigid; he had to be - I respect that 💯

[Arkhuman]

I'd go with Form 5, I may not have always been the biggest and strongest nor the leanest and fastest in the room but I've always been strong enough to compete with the strongest and fast enough to compete with the fastest.

Form 5 looks and sounds like it allows one to use all of their natural physical athletic abilities and traits from strength, speed, dexterity, endurance, cardio, etc. but with discipline and technique while also being a perfect balance between having both an effective offensive and defensive game. It is always good to have both and to never neglect one over the other.

It also looks like it gives you options in case one thing fails you, you have another technique or trait to resort to. For example if you are up against someone stronger, be faster or if you're up against someone who is better at offense, switch to defense and vice versa, and Form V allows the practitioner to do so.