There are five major combat movesets, dubbed Stances, in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, three of which are new to the series. You can switch at any given time between two pre-selected Stances, and that selection can be set at any Meditation Point. Determining which combination of two Stances works best is contextual and entirely subjective, and you will likely be switching that up often over the course of the game. This guide will outline the Stances, recommended Combos, and ideal Stance-related Skills to improve upon.
What Are The Stances In Star Wars Jedi: Survivor?
Single Blade Stance
The most well-balanced of the Stances, this classic moveset allows Cal to have an arm free, and still do plenty of damage fairly fast. This Stance is somewhat at a disadvantage against mobs of five or more enemies, but not as significantly as Crossguard, and compensates for it by having speed. With several skills that close the distance quickly, it can be made highly mobile to contend with ranged foes.
Double-Bladed Stance
A polearm combat approach to lightsabers, this one is geared toward defensive mobility in group combat while still allowing you to reach out and touch multiple enemies at once. You will move quickly and be more resistant to damage, but not hit as fast, as far, or as hard as you could with some of the other Stances. While range is significantly reduced, Double-Bladed compensates by allowing you to get up close and personal with a foe while still protecting yourself adequately. The ability to deflect incoming projectiles is particularly enhanced.
Dual Wield Stance
The fully offensive counterpart to Double-Bladed Stance, this one dishes out so much damage, so quickly, that you would think it is the best Stance at first glance. But while Dual Wield allows for the most damage dealt the quickest in crowd control situations, it leaves you wide open to retaliatory strikes if you miss the mark.
The berserker levels of speed and mobility are very draining on stamina as well, lowering your defenses further. Perhaps the single greatest advantage of Dual Wield is that it allows attacks to be aborted after being initiated, unlike any of the other Stances, which gives you just a bit of breathing room if you need to evade or block an incoming attack at the last second. Quick reflexes and timing your parries correctly become the most important skills to develop, if you hope to stay alive as you whirl wildly around the battlefield.
Blaster Stance
The best of both worlds, melee and ranged. Geared toward the maximum-ranged damage of any Stance, while still leaving you with plenty of options to lean on in melee. The Blaster can be upgraded as well, with the charged-up state attack being especially damaging.
Great for standoffish play where you want to keep your distance while still doing some damage, and simultaneously deflecting incoming fire, as and when required. May not be advisable in close combat with groups of five or more, at least not until some of the advanced Blaster Stance Skills are unlocked, that allow you to fire rounds faster, fire more of them, and fire them at more targets.
Crossguard Stance
This Stance is essentially the equivalent of heavy attacks using heavy-class weapons in any other game, and really truly shines in single combat. Relatively slow and ponderous, these strikes have the most power and range (aside from the only actual ranged weapon that is the Blaster) behind them, and are best reserved for equally slow-witted, ponderous opponents that would usually tank a lot of damage.
Avoid using this against highly agile foes that will simply sidestep your swings or run you through as you wind up your swing to begin with. And definitely avoid situations with more than three antagonists approaching from multiple angles. Timing becomes key again with this Stance, making all the difference between parrying and getting skewered, or landing a blow and having it deflected.
What Are The Best Stance Combos?
The ideal combination of Stances selected at a Meditation Point before entering any given area really depends on anticipated combat context and player skill. Are you expecting to be rushed by mobs? Then you’d pick Dual Wield. Are those mobs fairly agile? Double-Bladed Stance instead.
Are there also solo opponents with heavy hitting power? Combine with Crossguard Stance. Are there ranged enemies expected? You may want to draw the Blaster. Are your physical reflexive skills not honed enough to parry attacks effectively? Then steer clear of Crossguard and Dual Wield.
If anything, there are certain combos that are NOT recommended, because the synergies overlap too much. Single Blade and Blaster basically cover the same use case scenarios in close combat. As do Double-Bladed and Dual Wield with crowd control.
Crossguard and Dual Wield leave you with low defensibility and you will have to be especially adept at timing your attacks and parries. Having said that, the Skills you have chosen for each Stance’s Skill Tree can allow for some leeway even with those combos, if that is your preference. And practice makes perfect when it comes to timing. So either lean in and commit entirely, or balance out the disadvantages with the right synergy.
What Are The Best Skills For Each Stance?
Every Stance has between 7 and 9 specific Skills associated with it, in addition to the unique moveset. These can drastically change your approach to combat, opening up techniques that you will rely on in all your combat encounters, once you get to put them into practice. Your best bet here is NOT to attempt to compensate for and shore up the weaknesses of any given Stance, but to further enhance their strengths instead.
Throw your lightsaber harder, fire your Blaster at more enemies concurrently, and so on. Commit to your selected Stance and learn its ins and outs thoroughly–optimal range, chain attacks, and timings. Ideally you would avoid spreading yourself too thin in the same playthrough, with regards to Stance selection, considering the limited pool of Skill Points. But if you absolutely have to have a full arsenal of Stances, and the Skills to complement them, then these are the most recommended ones to prioritize for maximum benefit in combat.
Single Blade Stance Recommended Skills
Dash Strike
While Single Blade has respectable range, it remains a close-combat oriented stance. Dash Strike provides you with mobility and helps to close the distance on mid-range attackers, more so than Lunging Strike.
Twofold Reflection
Defensive maneuver against incoming ranged attacks, this will aid you against long-range opponents, deflecting more incoming fire, as you approach within striking distance.
Charged Throw
With lightsaber throwing being your only mid-range option for offense, you might as well buff it up further.
Double-Bladed Stance Recommended Skills
Vortex Dive
Allows you to close the distance and quickly, with this normally low-range Stance, while also keeping you adequately protected.
Rising Storm
When dealing with crowd control, use this to draw stragglers and outliers in closer and then follow up quickly with a collective punishment area of effect attack.
Multifold Reflections
Defensive skill that allows you to redirect incoming ranged fire back at targets, especially useful when contending with a barrage of projectiles and a mob of enemies as well.
Dual Wield Stance Recommended Skills
Split Reflection
By splitting an incoming round you can deflect it towards two targets, buying you some time in crowd control situations.
Twin Vipers
Affords you an additional ranged strike on a target, by throwing the other lightsaber as well. Two mid-ranged attacks is great for dealing with multiple shooters.
Dancing Blades
A chained range strike that is especially effective versus crowds, having thrown lightsabers bounce around can leave you vulnerable but also help make some distance between you and the majority of your attackers.
Blaster Stance Recommended Skills
Improved Clip
Simply and effectively increases Blaster ammunition by three, without requiring you to do anything that is melee lightsaber related to replenish your ammo, unlike similar Blaster-recharging skills like Blaster Cooldown and Energizing Flurry.
Efficient Heat Transfer
Speeds up the recharge rate of the Charged shot. Very useful with enemies that have higher health pools that need to be whittled down more efficiently, in large chunks.
Quick Draw
Your go-to move to lean on when contending with multiple attackers, allowing you to target them all for a quick and effective repelling. By Focusing and targeting the nearest of your attackers, you can put some distance between you and them. Alternatively, put down the outliers at the back line that might be taking potshots at you, and mop up the rest with your lightsaber.
Crossguard Stance Recommended Skills
Impact with Greater Impact
This Skill along with its upgrade gives you some breathing room if you find yourself cornered by a mob of enemies. The shockwave should buy you enough time to find your footing while also dealing enough damage for the cost in Force.
Charged Reflection
Deflecting a single shot and enhancing its power such that it pinballs multiple targets is another great way to deal with several attackers at once.
Rolling Thunder
Although it can be somewhat contextual with targets needing to be lined up to some degree, this lightsaber throw is effective at reducing the collective health of a line of enemies, allowing you to mop them up easier with your slower, heavier attacks.
And those are all the Stances in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor that you can devote Skill Points towards improving, as well as the recommended combos and Skills to get for each.
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