Lightsabers are ancient weapons; elegant relics of ages past, which have changed little in the thousands of years of their use by the Jedi Knights and their nemeses the Sith Lords. To make effective employ of one of these weapons requires great dexterity, skill, and confidence, as well as a fine attunement to the Force, making these weapons highly impractical for use by anyone not gifted with such powers. Those who believe the ancient order of the Jedi was founded on the world of Ossus point to the abundance of Adegan crystals in the system as proof. These crystals are ideal for the creation of basic lightsabers, as they focus the energy released from a saber's power cell into their characteristic blade-like beam. Early lightsabers did not have self-contained power cells, and were instead connected by a conducting cable to a belt-worn power pack, as is the case with Sovereign Kain of Daktia.

When deactivated, a lightsaber appears as a polished metallic handle, about thirty centimeters long, lined with control studs. At the press of a button, the energy contained within channels through a positively charged continuous energy lens at the center of the handle. The parallel beam arcs circumferentially back to a negatively charged high energy flux aperture, humming and scintillating with a distinct sound. The blade produced by this energy loop is capable of cutting through almost anything, save for the blade of another lightsaber. So efficient is the weapon, that it does not radiate heat or expend significant power unless it is being used to cut something, meaning the power cells can be practically used for years between recharging.

While the length of a lightsaber blade is fixed in the case of a single jewel lightsaber, lightsabers equipped with multiple crystals can have their length varied by rotating a knob. The blade's color depends on the nature of the jewel it springs from; although Adegan crystals are often used, which produce green lightsaber blades, Corusca gems are much more efficient, producing blue blades. Sith lords prize blades for cutting ability rather than efficiency, and prefer gems with less efficient structures that can handle higher power levels, such as Kellian crystals, which result in blades of red hue. Electrium lightsabers make use of artificially produced crystals, resulting in a rare purple colored blade.

In the hands of a talented Force-user, a lightsaber is almost unstoppable. It can be used to cut through blast doors or enemies alike. Using the Force, one can predict and deflect incoming blaster bolts, and reflect them back at the firer. Seven distinct schools of fighting styles for lightsaber use are also employed, each one concentrating on a different aspect of dueling. These varying doctrines on saber combat can be combined and customized, maximizing a lightsabers usefulness and flexibility in a dueling situation.

The Seven Forms
Since the dawn of Jedi History, seven fighting disciplines have arisen, known as the Seven Forms. The Forms represent differing styles and philosophies of combat. Each Form has its respective merits and flaws.

Form I
Form I is based on ancient sword-fighting traditions, since the principles of blade combat has remained much the same. The basics of attack, parry, body target zones, and the practice drills called cadences are all here. Nearly all Jedi padawans are trained in Form I; it is the foundation upon which all other paths are based.

Form II
The ultimate refinement of weapon to weapon combat became Form II, advancing the precision of blade manipulation to its finest possible degree and producing the greatest dueling masters the Galaxy has ever seen. Count Dooku was considered one of the greatest masters of Form II in the history of the Jedi Order.

Form III
The third great discipline focuses on deflection and defense as arts alone. It is a highly refined expression of non-aggressive Jedi philosophy. Form III maximizes defensive protection in a style characterized by tight, efficient movements that expose minimal target area compared to the relatively open style of some of the other forms. While offensively this form can be lacking, Form III Masters are considered invulnerable to attack. Obi-Wan Kenobi in his prime was a highly advanced student of this discipline.

Form IV
Form IV is the most acrobatic Form, heavily emphasizing Jedi abilities to run, jump, and spin in phenomenal ways by using the Force. Masters of Form IV incorporate all the ways in which the Force can help them go beyond what is normally possible for a person to do. Their combat is astonishing to watch, filled with elaborate moves in the center of which a Jedi may be all but a blur. Jedi Master Yoda found this style particularly to his liking.

Form V
Form V arose to address a need for greater power among the Jedi. Jedi who feel that Form III could be too passive train in Form V. A Form III master might be undefeatable, but neither could he necessarily overcome his enemy. Form V focuses on strength and attack moves. A dedication to the power and strength necessary to defeat an enemy characterizes the philosophy of Form V, which some Jedi describe by the maxim "peace through superior firepower." To some Jedi Knights, Form V represents a worthy discipline prepared for any threat; to others Form V seems to foster an inappropriate focus on dominating others. Anakin Skywalker remained fond of this form throughout his life, and made great use of it as Darth Vader.

Form VI
This Form balances the emphases of other forms with overall moderation, in keeping with the Jedi quest to achieve true harmony and justice without resorting to the rule of power. It is considered the "diplomat's form" because it is less intensive in its demands than other disciplines, allowing Jedi to spend more time developing their skills in perception, political strategy, and negotiation. In practice, Form VI is a combination of Forms I, III, IV, and V. Young Jedi spend their first few years studying Form I and then a year or two with each additional Form before completing their training. By comparison, a master of any other Form will spend at least ten years studying only that form after completing the basic Form I training. Form VI well suits the modern day Jedi' role in society, in which a knight overly trained in martial combat might be at a loss to resolve a complex political conflict between others, however full masters of other Forms sometimes consider Form VI to be insufficiently demanding. Qui-Gon Jinn studied this discipline, and was very fond of its balanced theme.

Form VII
Only high-level masters of multiple Forms can achieve and control the ultimate discipline known as Form VII. This is the most difficult and demanding of all the Forms, but it can eventually lead to fantastic power and skill. Form VII employs bold, direct movements, more open and kinetic then Form V but not so elaborate in appearance as Form IV. In addition to very advanced Force-assisted jumps and movements, Form VII tactics overwhelm opponents with seemingly unconnected staccato sequences, making the Form highly unpredictable in battle. This trait makes for a much more difficult execution than the graceful, linked move sequences of Form IV. Form VII requires the intensity of Form V, but much greater energy since that focus is wielded more broadly. Form VII draws upon a deeper well of emotion then even Form V, yet masters it more fully. Jedi Master Mace Windu is the Jedi Order's senior instructor, and as such is the only one qualified other than Master Yoda himself to teach this discipline. Many in the Order believe that this form's open aggressiveness and efficiency in killing brings it dangerously close to the Dark Side; prospective students of this Form are screened rigorously.


The Marks of Contact

Virtually all Jedi Forms involve the same "marks of contact," target objectives organized as categories of damage fighters can inflict upon their opponents. In the names of these marks, the language of the earliest Jedi sages has come down unaltered to us today. The ancient traditional marks of contact help focus a Jedi's attacks and defenses on a few clear categories rather then diffusing awareness across an infinite number of possibilities.

Sun Djem ("sun jem")
Damage or Destroy Weapon
Sun Djem (disarming) was a goal of early Form I masters, since destroying an opponent's weapon could win victory without causing injury --- always a Jedi aspiration. However, the advances of Form II soon made Sun Djem nearly impossible, since combatants trained studiously against having their weapons taken or damaged. Successfully performing such a maneuver against one proficient with a blade is the mark of a consummate swordsman.

Shiim ("she-eem")
Wound
Any kind of wound with just the edge of the blade is shiim. An inconclusive mark of contact, shiim is considered inferior to other marks that decisively end a battle. Its appearance thus expresses struggle with a powerful opponent.

Shiak ("she-ack")
Killing Thrust
Jedi Tradition considers Shiak (stabbing) an honorable method of inflicting serious injury since it causes the least visible injury to the opponent's body. Shiak can thus express Jedi respect for an opponent and the living Force even as it delivers a fatal blow.

Cho Mai ("cho my")
Cut off Weapon Hand
Cho mai instantly ends an opponent's ability to use a weapon but does not kill, making cho mai a preferred Jedi move. The precision cutting of only a hand is considered a mark of superior skills.

Cho Sun ("cho sun")
Cut off Weapon Arm
Cho sun (dismembering), cutting off an opponent's entire weapon arm, is a move lacking the precision and elegance of cho mai, but cho sun is the move most often necessary under surprise combat conditions or where no chances can be taken.

Cho Mok ("cho mock")
Otherwise Maim
Cho Mok (maim) describes cutting off an opponent's leg or other limbs or appendage such as tails. Since a maimed opponent can still use a weapon, this is rarely seen in a dueling situation; often this will be used against wild beasts or monsters whose primary weapons are often their appendages.

Sai Cha ("sigh cha")
Behead
Sai Cha, from the ancient words for "separate" and "head," describes the chilling Jedi ability to behead an opponent in a flash of blade. Always reluctant to end life, Jedi commit sai cha only when battle is at its most deadly serious and threatening, or when an opponent is considered extremely dangerous even to a fully trained Jedi.

Sai Tok ("sai tock")
Jedi consider the bisection of a living opponent's body a form of butchery, a desecration to be avoided if possible. The savage extreme of sai tok is thus normally used only against non living things. Sai tok represents a potentially dark desire to destroy one's enemy, whereas the Jedi goal even in combat is inner focus on defeating the danger of opponents rather than hating them and wishing utter destruction upon them.

Each lightsaber is custom-built by its owner as a test of his skill and often feature wide customizations from bent handles to double-blades, multiple focusing crystals and pressure-sensitive activation levers. Despite these cosmetic alterations, lightsabers are all, essentially, the same as they have been for centuries past and will likely remain so for centuries to come.