Light Sabers

[Azraelt]

Ever since the patch, I've noticed the decline of the popularity of several stances and the increased popularity of others, so I was wondering:

 

What is your favourite Light Saber Stance? And Why?

Also if you like to use more then one or all, please specify which time you deem each stance usefull.

 

Also, in your opinion, do you think light saber combat was ruined in the patch? Better in the patch? The same in the patch? Or somethings are better some worse in the patch. Please explain your answer.

 

Thank You.

 

[Sutek]

I would have to say that I prefer red or yellow stance, switching between them as the situation demands: If I want speed, then I'll use yellow, if I'm not so worried about speed, I'll go for the higher damage of red.

 

Generally, when facing blue stance users, I go for yellow (rarely red, depending on their technique of fighting - difficult to explain, but it has to do with whether they dance like loonies or not). Against yellow stance users I prefer Red, but if they are fond of staying in close and keeping up the pressure with constant attacks, I'll switch to yellow for the higher speed again. Against red users, I will often start out with red, land a solid blow or two if possible, then move in with yellow for the kill. Alternatively, I'll use yellow the whole time, ducking in under their slower blows and out again. I prefer yellow for this because of it's greater damage potential and the fact that it is too easy to hammer a blow past blue with red stance. I also have to say that I read a few lightsaber combat guides, which have a number of very useful tips on how to fight. I actually recommend ArtifeX's guide on the Anti-Saberist Code website (don't have the link though, got it from jediknightii.net)

 

As for "Is lightsaber combat ruined?", the answer is No. It has been changed significantly, to the point where old learned tactics are no longer as useful as they were (if they are even valid anymore), but not ruined. I actually have grown to like the increased blocking in a no force duel, since it makes the fight longer, more interesting and impressive to watch.

 

The increase in damage/usefulness of the backs**** maneouvers is unfortunate, but I think they did need to do more damage than a normal swing (maybe not as much as they do now though), if used in proper situations or more tactically, rather than running around backwards trying to get a stab in, then they add to the flavour of a combat. One example I'll give from a game I played last night was when a multiperson fight was occuring in the ffa_ns_streets level, and I jumped across from a far away ledge next to an enemy, span round just before I landed into a backswing move which killed him, (without even any backwards movement). If only wish I'd had that game recorded so I could watch it from another point of view. On the other hand, several people I fought insisted on spending quite a lot of time running backwards in my direction trying to backsatb me - that's not fun, that's just silly.

 

Right, now I've mentioned that I use the backswing, I'll just go put on my abspestos robes so the flames don't hurt.

[Trahern Valley]

I'm a yellow stance man. Blue is fancy and fun, red is big and strong, but yellow is the best against any opponent, as far as I can tell.

 

The patch made things...different. Not ruined, necessarily. I figure Raven is trying to make saber combat more like the movies, in spite of the players who aren't as interested in a decent fight as they are getting the top score. This is why I only play on Duel servers. The one real problem I have with the patch is the increased chance of a saber lock. Unless someone's stupid enough not to put all their points in saber attack/defence, or bash MB1 instead of Ctrl, it's just a waste of time.

[Darth Enzo]

well first off, I like to use the strong stance when there are many people in a group, racks kills, I like to use fast or normal stance when I'm dueling, because with normal, I like the backstab, but fast is, obviously faster. It seems to work for me, and when there's just a few people and I'm going into a small group or something, I use normal with force speed

 

I think the patch made saber combat way better, it's mopre like the single player saber style. if they came out with a flawless mod for realistic combat, that would rule:fett: :fett:

[Repeater]

Yellow 90% of the time. If i get hit hard early on, i'll switch to red. If I land a red, and haave plenty of health, then might switch to blue.

[Epyon9283]

Blue almost always. Red is way too slow for me.

[Mechstra]

I never play online, but offline I generally go for Medium stance, mostly sidesweeps. A few kicks to even things up if I'm low on health. I don't like Strong, as it's too slow for me, and I only use Fast in SP, for the epitome of cool: the backstab against a jumping reborn.

[Demangel]

If someone is using blue, switch to yellow, or ocasionaly red. If they are using yellow, use yellow or red to counter.

 

If they use red, use any of them since they all have about the same chances, except red will penetrate the guard more often, but yellow and blue is easier to time between thier red slashes.

 

Overal keep em guessing. If they see you switch to a stance, as soon as they start moving in or just before you move in switch stances again to trick them. Very often when you stop and change to red for example they will now be expecting a red strike. Well as soon as you start moving change to another stance so they can't see whatr stance it is till it's swung.

 

I go to blue when I need to do some quick damage or do a lot of fake outs.

 

For example, the lung is a fun move if done in the air. What I mean by that is, do a back flip then pres and hold foreward and crouch then hit attack. as you flip around backwards you will do the lung to right back where you started the backflip. It's good against yellow DFA spammers, and even backstabbers since lunge will usualy guard well VS backstab, and break through the backstabbing saber (but not always so use it mainly for DFA counters).

 

For yellow, I usualy bob side to side in an attempt to first swung left or right, then back again without too much of a dely between swings. what this does is quickly attacks both sides of the target in quick succession. Often getting past the guard.

 

Red stance is pretty much my damage stance. When I need to even the score real quick, or have better guarding. I use overhead chops on remotely stationary enemies, which has the highest chance to break through guard, and side strikes to fake out oponents (run left swing and run back at the same time.).

 

DFA only when they are set up just right or when I want to make them nervous (sometimes it's good for getting away so long as you jump right after the animation ends to avoid a counter).

 

Combo's in red are cool if you can land them... but in the heat of battle it can be hard to get all three combo swings to occur, so I usualy only consiously go for two at a time... for example, if a guy is standing still baiting me in. I will run forward and do a downward chop, but make sure I will miss... this will usualy pull in the defensive guy hoping to hit me, but if I hold down the same direction I usualy do the second downward chop, smacking them on the top of the head as they come twirling in.

 

A word to the wise however, if someone is using blue, and your using red, be careful if they are a twily headless chicken. they will hit you 2 or three times every time you come in to attack them by breaking thier guard. tyou will break thier guard about 50% of the time or so, but do less damage, and they will hit you up to three times for 60 damage (sometimes). so against a blue, keep your distance, and play it smart, don't rush them too much. Only get close to break the guard when you can time it so it will happen when they can't hit you somehow.

 

 

 

However the best thing about the 1.03 patch was that saber combat does take a tiny bit more skill now in the ways saber fighting should. Don't get me wrong in 1.02 it took skill also, but in that version it was too much like jousting. Now you can fight like you would imagine you would. you can be right in someones face blocking and timing your counter swings to take advantage. Before the best defense was just to not be in the way of the saber. now you can be in the way and still be on top.