The Slave Who Makes Free: An Anakin Skywalker Quest

Whatever form we pick, we are probably going to be spending more time on our lightsaber skills. We simply are not going to have the luxury of prioritising tinkering and resting over training forever. This isn't Anakin Gentle Slice of Life Quest, notwithstanding SV Quest voters' inherent inclinations towards passivity and pursuing anything remotely resembling a crafting system.

The Clone Wars are starting soon. This is the calm before the storm.

Trying to build friendships and connections with other young Jedi our own age is a still a good idea. A less isolated Anakin will be in a better place as we come up towards the events of ROTS. But ultimately we're going to be a warrior, whoever else we are or whatever else we try to do; there's simply not a lot of getting around that.

[X] Form I - Shii-Cho
[X] Form VI - Niman

Both of these would be better for Anakin as a person than form V. I also like Juyo, but alas it is not an option.

[X] Form I - Shii-Cho

[X] Form V - Djem So

Edit: approval voting Dejm So to keep the vote close enough so Niman does not win.

Kirook said:

Note also that as Obi-Wan's example shows, studying a form as a Padawan doesn't mean you're locked into using that style and only that style forever.

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... good point. In fact, I think it pretty likely he'll be shifting at least once in terms of the form he primarily pulls from.

Ataru more definitively wins as the best choice, in that case. The ties to the 3D nature of piloting a starfighter grow stronger here - he might even more explicitly connect the two together in concept. The spatial awareness and maneuverability here would be a good addition to any later forms, and the physical practice will be plenty good exercise for him. He's also currently rather smaller versus most opponents he might face in the next few years (him being rather precocious, I expect him to be fighting against full adults of human or larger species in fairly short order), and, like for Yoda, that reach and height difference will need to be made up somehow.

It could fairly easily be replaced as his primary practice by Djem-So as he grows physically or by Niman as he learned more ways to use his connection to the Force.

Shii-Cho's polished fundamentals are less meaningful to apply to Djem-So's force and dominance, although it could fairly naturally lead into Niman given how Niman is in a sense an attempt to combine the different forms that grew out of Shii-Cho. It could also apply well to a later Soresu focus, where that polish can apply to efficiency and grace, although no so much to Ataru.

Djem-So doesn't work well from the perspective of "what to start with"; I could see it leading to sloppy habits, substituting in force and talent for precision and skill. His early practice at a reach and strength disadvantage might also lead to bad habits in using the form - better to pick it up once he's fully grown.

Niman could apply similarly to Shii-Cho, but encouraging him to learn more varied uses of the Force but less polish of fundamentals.

[X] Form I - Shii-Cho
[X] Form IV - Ataru
[X] Form VI - Niman

Skippy said:

Whatever form we pick, we are probably going to be spending more time on our lightsaber skills. We simply are not going to have the luxury of prioritising tinkering and resting over training forever. This isn't Anakin Gentle Slice of Life Quest, notwithstanding SV Quest voters' inherent inclinations towards passivity and pursuing anything remotely resembling a crafting system.

The Clone Wars are starting soon. This is the calm before the storm.

Trying to build friendships and connections with other young Jedi our own age is a still a good idea. A less isolated Anakin will be in a better place as we come up towards the events of ROTS. But ultimately we're going to be a warrior, whoever else we are or whatever else we try to do; there's simply not a lot of getting around that.

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Hell, we might have to put our new style to the test soon, depending on if the Jedi can actually live up to the promise made to Grievous. Or on any missions Anakin may go on before the war, from war torn outer rim planets, to fighting pirates, maybe a choice encounter with slavers depending on how spicy things get, ect.

Yeah. As much fun as I do have with watching Anakin bumble around his friends I agree, we'll have to put in some effort into working on combat training with him. He may be powerful, but if he doesn't know how to use that power then he may be worse than useless in a fight---he may be a liability.

@Kirook Would you please consider putting in a link to the lightsaber informational post at the bottom of the update? That, or maybe including a copy of it in the update itself, perhaps in a spoiler? That way no one has to hunt for the info.

[X] Form VII - Juyo
[X] Form V - Djem So

I literally don't give a shit which form we use. Anakin is one of the naturally most suited fighters in the Jedi Order once he hits his stride, he'll do well with any form he puts the time into.

I want something that healthily vents stress, and any benefits we get from the forms as described by QM are benefits we can either get with later practice or get elsewhere.

I'd prefer Shii-Cho, frankly, because it's one of the most battlefield-suitable forms in both canons, but that doesn't give us a stress relief marker.

[X] Form V - Djem So

[x] Form I - Shii-Cho
[x] Form II - Makashi

Both of these would produce intriguing results: Nothing is scarier than someone who's perfected the basics.

You know, I wonder if the crossing out of Juyo is a trick, since the style is described about open revolt. Obviously, that means we should pick it, because being in open revolt means we are in tune with the style.

But more seriously, I like mastering the basics more.

[X] Form I - Shii-Cho

Derpmind said:

@Kirook Would you please consider putting in a link to the lightsaber informational post at the bottom of the update? That, or maybe including a copy of it in the update itself, perhaps in a spoiler? That way no one has to hunt for the info.

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It's threadmarked under Informational, so it's just a couple clicks away for anyone who wants to see it.

[X] Form II - Makashi

[X] Form I - Shii-Cho

This is for a few reasons. One, I really like the idea of characters who are really skilled in the fundamentals. It's a great trope.

But two, I just really want to see what Anakin can potentially do with a more universal style like this. Like, we all saw what he could do with Djem So in canon! We have that raw untapped potential, why not see what kind of chaos we can get up to?

[X] Form IV - Ataru
[X] Form II - Makashi

down for hopping around like I do in action RPGs, also down for maybe opening a way to burn off some stress points

also down to further distinguish our Anakin from canon Anakin, Djem So is cool but he's already done that

Well, stressing Anakin out is pretty worth it if we can teach him patience, and/or combat awareness and precise timing
[X] Form IV - Ataru
[X] Form II - Makashi

But since they are unlikely to win at this point I am going with Djem So, because it is the form that best encapsulates the two greatest priorities of a real swordfight...

1. Avoid getting killed or hurt by the enemy
2. Deal with your enemy ASAP

[x] Form V - Djem So

And about the other two leading options

• Niman is the low-skill floor high-skill ceiling form that got so many Jedi killed in the Clone Wars... The form itself is awesome if mastered properly as proven by the godamned Exar Kun, but it requires a commitment that I doubt that SV will have that commitment.
• Shii-Cho is simply too basic, ironing the basics is good but more advanced lightsaber forms will be quite useful if we get into a fight...

Are we able to choose two forms or just one if it's just one I'll go for form 5

[X] Form I - Shii-Cho

Kirook said:

It's threadmarked under Informational, so it's just a couple clicks away for anyone who wants to see it.

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Most people reading the update won't know you even made a post about it. And as the discussion gets longer, fewer people will read through it and find the post that way. I don't see anything but upside to making the info needed for a vote more accessible to everyone.

Right after the update, I went wiki searching, which was less than helpful. As someone whose main exposure to secondary Star Wars canon is fanfic and quests, I found myself completely clueless until finding your informational post.

Derpmind said:

Most people reading the update won't know you even made a post about it. And as the discussion gets longer, fewer people will read through it and find the post that way. I don't see anything but upside to making the info needed for a vote more accessible to everyone.

Right after the update, I went wiki searching, which was less than helpful. As someone whose main exposure to secondary Star Wars canon is fanfic and quests, I found myself completely clueless until finding your informational post.

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Okay, done. It's in an inline spoiler at the bottom of the update.

[X] Form I - Shii-Cho
[X] Form III - Soresu

[X] Form V - Djem So

What sticks to me about Form V is it's marked as something that could help relieve stress, and Anakin is a very physical person. If lightsaber practice can be something that opens him up to a more positive mindset, instead of feeding into his aggression, this could be a great addition to his coping mechanisms

[X] Form I - Shii-Cho

I like to think our Anakin has a smidge of self-awareness, enough to know that he's not been cultivating his swordsmanship and that he needs to work on it. And one, naturally, begins at the beginning.