Star Wars: All Lightsaber Combat Forms Explained (& Who Used Which) (2024)

Star Wars' lightsaber is the traditional weapon of the Jedi and the Sith, and there are seven different lightsaber forms in canon. When Luke Skywalker first saw his father's lightsaber, he was fascinated by it. "This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight," Obi-Wan Kenobi explained to him. "Not as clumsy or as random as a blaster. An elegant weapon for a more civilized time." The lightsaber is a symbol of Jedi traditions as well as a reflection of one's mastery of the Force, and that extends into Star Wars' various lightsaber types.

During the prequel era, Padawans were encouraged to experiment with the seven main lightsaber forms in order to find the one that suited them the most. Some forms are better suited to combat, while others rely on defense. The best Jedi master multiple lightsaber forms and switch between them when the need arises, something that could be further explored in upcoming Star Wars movies. Meanwhile, in addition to the main seven, there are known to be "forbidden forms" used in ancient times by the Sith. Some of these have returned in The Acolyte, and could yet appear again.

1 Form I: Shii-Cho

A common lightsaber form seen throughout the Star Wars prequel trilogy

Shii-Cho is generally regarded as the oldest and most elementary lightsaber form; as a result, almost every Jedi begins by learning Shii-Cho, and will often fall back on this fighting style in the case that all other techniques have failed. Practically all the Jedi seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars resort to Shii-Cho on occasion. This can also be observed when Jedi were cornered during Order 66's execution.

Form I is basic but effective, and it can appear quite brutal and aggressive because it involves a fast flurry of strikes. While Sith learn Shii-Cho, they usually abandon it in favor of more aggressive forms. However, the basic appearance of Shii-Cho can be misleading because a Jedi only really becomes a master of Form I when they have attained inner peace, which enables Jedi to utilize the lightsaber blade as an extension of their being.

2 Form II: Makashi

Count Dooku's preferred lightsaber form

First developed when lightsabers started becoming more common among both the Jedi and the Sith, Makashi - or Form II - is a graceful lightsaber style suited to only the most skilled of duelists. Relying on careful and controlled strikes instead of power and strength, Form II is dedicated to getting the upper hand in one-on-one duels. Makashi has also been designed to accommodate more experimental lightsaber designs.

These designs include the crossguard lightsabers common during the Hundred Years of Darkness or even the use of a second shoto blade, as exemplified by Ahsoka Tano. Makashi fell out of fashion when the Sith were believed to be extinct, yet there were still some Jedi who practiced it, including Ki-Adi-Mundi. Count Dooku was another who was a master of Makashi, gaining a galaxy-wide reputation as a fearsome lightsaber duelist. His pride in this may well have been one of the things that led Dooku to the dark side.

3 Form III: Soresu

Obi-Wan Kenobi was considered the master of Soresu

Form III is named Soresu, and was generally believed to have been developed in response to the growing number of blasters in the galaxy. Form III being the style that accounts for how Jedi reflect blaster bolts using lightsabers. By the time of the prequel trilogy, all Jedi were trained in Soresu in part because this is actually a tremendously useful exercise.

Luke Skywalker notes in the in-universe guidebook Secrets of the Jedi: "At first, [Padawans'] primary focus was defense, learning to block laser blasts while wearing special helmets that obscured their sight. By doing so, they could learn to let the Force be their guide." Obi-Wan Kenobi was renowned for his use of Soresu and Kanan Jarrus was also skilled in the form. Luke Skywalker was also well-versed in Form III, considering Obi-Wan was his Master and his first lightsaber usage in the Skywalker Saga comes from deflecting blaster bolts aboard the Millennium Falcon in the first Star Wars movie.

4 Form IV: Ataru

Master Yoda's fearsome lightsaber form almost wore even Palpatine down

Ataru is one of the most aggressive forms of lightsaber combat, relying heavily on Force-assisted acrobatics. As such, Form IV has only been mastered by Jedi who are strongest in wielding the Force. Similar to Makashi, Ataru is at its best during one-on-one duels, when the master of Form IV attempts to conclude a duel as swiftly as possible.

The best Ataru masters ricochet around their environment, launching sweeping strikes that seem to come out of nowhere and thus forcing an opponent to be on the defensive. Ataru was used by Yoda in his duel with Count Dooku in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones as well as the Jedi Grand Master’s climactic conflict against Darth Sidious in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Many of its masters have proved susceptible to the seduction of the dark side, accounting for Form IV's popularity among the Sith.

5 Form V: Shien & Djem So

Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano's preferred lightsaber forms

Shien and Djem So were developed by practitioners of Form III who saw the need for a more offensive edge. Shien is designed for distance, allowing practitioners to swat back blaster bolts, while Djem So is designed for blade-on-blade combat. It uses an unconventional reverse grip, which is why Ahsoka Tano favored Djem So. Shien and Djem So incorporate many of Form III's strengths, including the use of solid blocks, parries, stronger counterattacks, and ripostes.

Form V's adaptiveness led to it becoming Anakin Skywalker’s favorite form. Interestingly, many Jedi felt that Shien and Djem So were not faithful to the Jedi way as it came perilously close to using the Force for offense rather than defense. This fits with another user of Form V within Star Wars canon: Ahsoka's Baylan Skoll. Baylan's unusual Great Lightsaber required a modified version of Form V to account for its weight.

6 Form VI: Niman

A surprising lightsaber form used by Darth Maul

Form VI, Niman, is often viewed as a synthesis of previous forms. It was the last form to gain widespread acceptance among the Jedi and emphasizes balance in the Force. According to the Knights of Fate sourcebook, the Jedi who developed Niman wanted to triumph without dominating their opponent.

They wanted to defend themselves and even deliver justice without the temptation of power. It is surprising, therefore, that Darth Sidious' apprentice, Darth Maul, depended on Niman in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, suggesting that his teacher deliberately subverted the Jedi's favored combat style. Indeed, a Niman practitioner frequently blends lightsaber combat with the use of the Force itself and, as such, this form became popular with many Jedi who were disinterested in the art of combat alone.

7 Form VII: Juyo (or Vaapad)

Mace Windu is one of the few Form VII practitioners

The seventh main lightsaber form, Juyo, is the most controversial. According to various sourcebooks, it probably originated millennia before the Skywalker Saga as an outgrowth of Form I. Unlike other forms, Juyo encouraged Jedi to embrace their emotions and use them to fuel a relentless assault.

Consequently, Form VII was outright banned by the Jedi for a long time. That likely explains The Acolyte episoe 5, where a Juyo practitioner - the Stranger - cut a brutal swathe through an entire squad of Jedi. This is the textbook example of Juyo in action, an aggressive and efficient form that can look utterly random but that is surprisingly efficient. The Stranger compensated for its lack of defense by wearing a cortosis gauntlet and helmet, disrupting enemy lightsabers.

By the time of the prequel era, Jedi Master Mace Windu took it upon himself to refine Juyo into an offshoot known as Vaapad: the perfection of Form VII. Windu developed Vaapad to control his inner darkness, bridging the gap between light and dark. Nevertheless, he was wary of teaching others Vaapad, lest they fail to master it as he had done and thus succumb to their emotions rather than control them as the Jedi Master could. It remains to be seen whether Star Wars will show Vaapad again.

8 Jar'Kai

Some Jedi use two lightsabers in combat, in what is known as the Jar'Kai method. There's actually intense debate over whether this should be classed as a form in its own right (as in some older sources), or whether it is in fact simply a technique. Practitioners of Jar'Kai have a notable advantage in combat, because they can use one blade for defense and another for offense. Most dual-wielders have been noted for Djem So, meaning it may be an outgrowth of that specific form.

9 Trakata

In addition to the main lightsaber forms, there are also several "forbidden forms." It's likely that, during the High Republic Era, Juyo was one of these; certainly Trakata was, and this technique has only been seen in The Acolyte so far. A practitioner of Trakata switches their lightsaber off during combat, wrong-footing their opponent, taking the opportunity to angle their own blade for a lethal strike. It's seen as thoroughly dishonorable by the Jedi, and in Legends even the Sith disliked it due to the momentary weakness.

The Stranger in The Acolyte blended Juyo, Trakata, and even Jar'Kai, demonstrating a great degree of training and skill. His cortosis armor appears to have been carefully chosen to compensate for the defensive weaknesses of both these forms, and it is unclear whether a Jedi or Sith using Trakata would survive long without such tools. Star Wars will surely build on this more going forward.