Form VI: Niman

"For superior balance, use the Niman form. This form has no specific strengths, but no weaknesses either."

―Kavar^[src]

Form VI: Niman was the sixth form of the seven forms of lightsaber combat

[edit] Description

The Way of the Rancor or The Moderation Form, Form VI was the standard style at and around the time period of the Clone Wars and the Great Jedi Purge. This combat discipline was often called the "Diplomat's Form." Unfortunately, all of the Form VI practitioners at the Battle of Geonosis were killed. As a result, full masters of other lightsaber forms sometimes considered Form VI to be insufficiently demanding.

Form VI attempted to balance all elements of lightsaber combat, combining the techniques from Forms that came before into a less intensely demanding combat style. In practice, Form VI was a combination of younger forms (Forms I, III, IV, and V), and all of them in moderation. In the blending, much of the individuality was lost, but the strengths were spread evenly, and there was little weakness in it. Due to its "jack-of-all-trades" nature, the success of this form was largely dependent on the practitioner's intuition, improvisation, and creativity in combat rather than the rote responses derived from other forms. This broad generalization made Form VI well suited for diplomats, as they could spend their time training in the areas of politics and negotiation instead of combat training.

Niman was, however, not a weak form. While many other lightsaber forms bolstered its wielder's abilities in one area, while leaving him vulnerable in others, Niman was strong in all situations but had no dramatic strengths. It provided no edge in battle, but achieved its worth in not leaving its wielder as exposed as some of the more aggressive forms. Its strength was its balance. It also provided a decent defense versus enemy Force powers and blaster fire.

Sometimes, sparring with another could achieve a state of meditation, and the Niman form was one of the best such techniques. Its great strength was the way it allowed the Force to flow through its practitioner, revitalizing him even in the middle of combat. The philosophy of Form VI was "the leaf swept in the winds of the Force." Users of this lightsaber form achieved a mindset of one who was not troubled by their surroundings, but simply rode the current of the surrounding turmoil, being well-balanced within.

[edit] History

The form was named after Niman, the twin trinities of Kashi gods. Its forerunners were both two bladed styles, one developed by the Royale Machetero of Kashi Mer, and the other the original Jar'Kai, develped by the Yovshin Swordsmen. It was adapted by the Legions of Lettow after the Great Schism into current Jar'Kai form of combat. Form VI was adapted from Jar'Kai.

Aspects of Form VI may have been adapted for the Medium style of the New Jedi Order.

[edit] Practitioners

Since the style was adapted from Niman/Jar'Kai, some of the most prolific masters of the style in ancient times were Zez-Kai Ell, Vrook Lamar, and the Jedi Battlemaster of the day, Kavar^[1]. Another practitioner was the Sith Blademaster Kas'im, who mastered it along with the other six forms^[2]

Count Dooku appeared to have enough knowledge in the style to train the Kalee cyborg Grievous in it, as well as Grievous' IG-100 MagnaGuard bodyguards^[3].

Jedi Master Cin Drallig was considered the most prolific instructor of Form VI, as he was of the five forms below it, teaching Niman to thousands of students during his Jedi career^[4]. However, despite his mastery of the style, he was easily slaughtered by Darth Vader's use of Form V during the Great Jedi Purge.