Star wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (Nintendo Gamecube) Lightsaber Combat Guide Created by Bartimaeus616 Copyright 2008 Dean Greer Version History: 1.00 Original Submission Contents: - Legal - Introduction - Overview - Lightsaber Defense - Evasion - Throwing your Lightsaber - Basic Attacks - Medium Style - Fast Style - Strong Style - General Tips - Contact Details - Credits Legal: This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. This document must be kept whole and must not be edited or distributed without this section. I authorise only Gamefaqs.com and Supercheats.com to display this file. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders. Introduction: Lightsaber Combat is the shining star of Jedi Outcast. You can control your lightsaber in almost every way, and everyone has their own unique style. In this FAQ, I will try to explain some of the basic and advanced concepts of lightsaber combat in Jedi Outcast. Overview: Before you can participate in lightsaber combat, you must first obtain a lightsaber. Obviously. In single player, you must collect your lightsaber in the 'Yavin Test' level. You cannot choose its colour. In multiplayer, you must activate the 'Lightsaber Offense' force power, and you can choose the colour of your lighsaber out of blue, green, red, orange, and yellow. As you progress through the single player game, your own 'Lightsaber Offense' force power will be upgraded, and in multiplayer, you must upgrade it yourself with points. Lightsaber Defense: There is also the lightsaber's defensive potential to consider. However, in Jedi Outcast, you will automatically block incoming fire if you are in the ready stance (i.e. not doing anything except moving or jumping). This can be slightly more difficult if you are battling a lightsaber weilding opponent. If you are battling another lightsaber wielding opponent (LWO), you will not have time to stop and return to the ready stance before every attack that is incoming. Instead, the game kind of alters your attack angle so that your blades collide, effectively meaning both of you have blocked each other. Learning when it is appropriate to attack is very important. Evasion: This can be considered as an advanced extension of Lightsaber defense and can be very difficult to master. Evasion in lightsaber combat involves jumping, crouching, and side-stepping to negate an enemy's attack. If done correctly, it can be very effective. Examples include ducking under a horizontal slash, side-stepping a vertical slash, and back flipping away from your enemy. Computer LWOs are usually very good at ducking your attacks, and it can very quickly get very annoying. Successfully using this against another opponent leaves a large opportunity for you to attack them whilst they are recovering from their last attack. Throwing your Lightsaber: The lightsaber throw is one of the most overused tactics in Jedi Outcast. Often, especially someone new to the game, when someone encounters a LWO, they immedeatly throw their lightsaber at them, the LWO knocks it to the ground, and the player finds themselves defenseless for a few precious seconds, until they press the attack button to call their lightsaber back. If I am playing against someone who continuously throws their lightsaber, I just let my character block it, knocking it to the ground, and then I proceed to slice the enemy to pieces. There is a lesson here. Learn when it is appropriate. If you manage to knock someone to the ground, by all means throw away, but otherwise, think twice. The lightsaber throw is governed by the force power with the same name (see my Force Power FAQ). At the first level it flies straight forward, rotating once, and returning. This level is the best against LWOs as it is very difficult to block. This is also the hardest level to aim with. Level 2 lets you hold the button to keep your lightsaber in the air. You can aim by facing a different direction, and the lightsaber spins faster than level 1. I hate this level because it has none of the good points of levels 1 or 3. At Level 3 your lightsaber becomes a sort of 'homing disc of death' spinning very fast and seeking out enemies nearby. This level is very useful but is also the easiest level to block. If your lightsaber is ever knocked out of the air, press the attack button to call it back. Basic Attacks: These attacks are common to all styles, although they will take on the characteristics of the style you are in. Forwards/Backwards + Attack = Top-down Vertical Hack Useful if someone jumps over your head, quite difficult to aim but worth it if it hits. Side-step + Attack = Horizontal Slash A very common attack, easy to aim, but also block. Don't use this on someone who is either in the air, or crouching. Forwards + Side-step + Attack = Diagonal Slash Down One of my favourite attacks. Not as good range as a horizontal attack but slightly faster. You can use this on people crouching, but not so much on people jumping. Backwards + Side-step + Attack = Diagonal Slash Up Very similar to the diagonal down, with the same adavntages, except its better at hitting jumping enemies than crouching. Backwards + Attack = Attack behind you (depends on style) NOTE: You must have an enemy behind you to be able to execute these. In medium and strong styles, you will spin around slashing everyone behind you. Surprising accurate and strong, although it often happens when you don't want it to (I find anyway). In fast style, you will perform a quick stab behind you. Not as strong and nowhere near as accurate as it's medium and strong counterparts, can still be useful though. Medium Stlye: The first style you get is a good all-rounder style. Medium Style has good range, speed and power, but excels in none. Many people cease to use this when they can use fast and strong but I find that this style can be extremely versatile. It's unique attack is also immensely useful and looks quite cool :) With medium style, you can string up to 5 attacks into a combo. Unique Attack: Flip and Head Slash When in medium style, press Forward + Attack + Jump when an enemy is right in front of you. You will flip over their head, slashing at them as you go. This attack can be devastating if you can get it right. Otherwise it can be somewhat suicidal against LWOs. If the enemy does a Top-down Hack, you can't block it. Bad. Fast Style: This is your second style and, in my opinion, the most useless. Attacks while in fast style can be chained indefinately but I can't see why you'd want to. Fast style has excellent speed but thats about it. It does minimal damage and you have to be practically in the enemy's trousers to hit them. Some people find that using this against LWOs is a good tactic because they can't block all of the attacks quickly enough. However, if someone comes at me with fast style, I mearly backflip, use forse push, and slash them to pieces. Try this style though, you may like it. It's unique attack can be useful if your enemy is right in front of you but otherwise its a little unreliable. Unique Attack: Forward Lunge When crouching, press Forwards + Attack to lunge forward, swinging your lightsaber up in a viscious arc. If it hits, despite what the book says, this will do immense damage as its very difficult to block or avoid (if your right in front of them). However, your enemy is hardly ever directly in front of you and willing to stay there whilst you execute this tricky move. I don't recommend it in the heat of battle. Strong Style: The last style you gain is probable the most overused style. Strong style has great range and power, but is desperately lacking in speed. Typically, strong style attacks are easy to evade, but if they hit, you will most likely take heavy damage. Some people like to use force speed to gain an advantage, but in my opinion, force speed makes controlling your character iffy at best. Not my favourite style. Strong style's unique attack is good if you can get it to hit. Unique Attack: Jump and Hack When standing still, press Forwards + Jump + Attack to execute this move. Its tricky to perform, especially in battle, incredibly slow (almost Matrix style), and incredibly inaccurate, but if it hits, you will kill your enemy. It can't be blocked, and is capable of killing an opponent that has full health and shields. However, I still don't recommend it, you're likely to get killed by trying to get into the ready position. General Tips: - Always keep moving. People who stand still in the middle of combat are the first to fall. - Choose one style and learn it well. Be able to execute all of its moves quickly and smoothly before you try to use another style. - Use your surroundings. A quick jump onto a ledge out of sight can really confuse your opponent and give you a chance to heal or recover some force. Make sure you know where your exits are. - Don't be afraid to run. 'Honour is of no use to the dead' (Darth Bane). - Know the map. Know where it is safe to fight, and where you are likely to fall off an edge. - If you can, blend styles. I have one many battle by entering with fast style and quickly changing to medium, flipping over their heads, and then hitting them with a strong style hack. Learn how to blend the styles into different situations. - HAVE FUN. And be sportsman (or woman) like. If someone executes a masterful flurry of attacks and kills you, congratulate them. Noone likes a stroppy n00b that has a paddy because they got killed by a stormtrooper. Its a game. Treat it as such. Contact Details: If you have any suggestions or comments about this FAQ then please get in touch No spam. No porn. No junk. No 1337. bartimaeus_at_blueyonder_dot_co_dot_uk And put 'Lightsaber Combat FAQ' in the RE: box Credits: I would like to thank: Lucas: For Star Wars Everyone who made this game: Good Job Me: For spending my time doing this My parents: For having this computer Copyright 2008 Dean Greer