The Assistant-Blademaster’s Guide to Shii-Cho, by Eddi Arkiti

[Rhysand Sekker]

The Assistant-Blademaster’s Guide to Shii-Cho

Introduction

Shii-Cho is also known as the Determination Form, and the Way of the Sarlacc. It gains its name from two words in Basic. The former, Shii-, from Shiim, the light, superficial cuts that, while providing minor wounds to the opponent, can be enough to see them cower in fear or pain. This is widely used in Shii-Cho for the fact that the wide, sweeping motions lend themselves to such. However, while not the most deadly of strikes, a small number of Shiims can leave the opponent crippled in pain - easy pickings for death or torture. The latter, then, -Cho is from the family of dismemberment techniques, the Cho Mok, Cho Sun, and Cho Mai marks of contact. These strikes are often used in Shii-Cho to further compel an enemy backwards, but are debilitating when utilised correctly, and allows for further domination of one’s opponent: thus, presenting opportunities for slaughter or capture as appropriate.

The very core of what Shii-Cho is, will forever remain simple; it precedes the complex, advanced, and more modern saber forms. It is rare to see a Sith who utilises Shii-Cho as their primary form, but it is even less common to meet one who does not know how to use it in at least the most basic form. It is taught to our Acolytes at the very beginning of their training, for it encapsulates the very basics of what it is to wield a blade. One, in most cases, will not begin on the path of mastery of later forms without at least a beginner’s understanding of the Determination Form. While it may seem oxymoronic to say, many see Shii-Cho’s simplicity as its downfall, but this neglects the true complexity of the Form’s simplicity. When used to a high level, Shii-Cho has a beauty and elegance that is all-too-often under-appreciated. Shii-Cho is, for all intents and purposes, the beginning, making it more than ideal as a starting point for novice bladesmen. Shii-Cho has existed for thousands upon thousands of years, and is indeed rudimentary, but it is for this very reason that Form I will remain in a thousand more. The complexity of other forms may fail, but simple swordplay will always remain. As the very foundation of lightsaber combat as a whole, Shii-Cho is the first created, and will be the last that remains, should all else fall into obscurity.

Shii-Cho’s very beginnings were within the transition between heavy, metal swords and the very first iterations of the lightsaber. Only when this early saber had been created, could Shii-Cho become a true form of lightsaber combat. These early weapons were heavy, cumbersome to wield, which fed rather heavily into the moveset we see in Shii-Cho even to this day, with our much lighter weapons. Shii-Cho became the very basis for swordwork with a lightsaber. This remains to this day, and is still seen within the more modern forms of saber combat: basic blocks, parries, and strikes, along with the target zones and marks of contact. Shii-Cho bridges the gap between the more cumbersome weapons of old and the new, light-weight weapons we see today, using its simplistic approach and stable foundation which would later be built on by swordsmen to come. These steps into lightsaber combat allowed the form to build, and found use even as time pressed onwards. As the lightsaber evolved as a weapon, more forms of saber combat were able to come to light, but even as the more compact, lightweight version of the saber became common, the fundamentals of Shii-Cho remained largely unchanged. What began as a transition between two forms of weaponry, became the very foundation on which saber combat is built.

There are two primary uses for Shii-Cho: training for new Acolytes within our Order, and true combat for the more practiced Sith. The training form of Shii-Cho - also called ‘Ideal Form’ by some, is a core aspect of the curriculum for those who wish to become Sith within our Order, for it is fundamental for Sith to wield a blade with skill and prowess. The latter, the more advanced form - also known as ‘Live Combat Form’ by some - is that which comes forth should one wish to study the first Form further into true mastery, and is that which becomes capable of use within live combat, as the name suggests. It is not uncommon for Shii-Cho to be discounted once a Sith breaks the chains of Acolytehood and finds themselves capable of learning, and wielding, a more modern lightsaber form. The choice of which form to utilise as one’s primary is personal, but it is for this very reason that many do not carry their learning through to the stage of Live Combat form.

Ideal Shii-Cho

There are two main parts of the early Shii-Cho training that should be considered: Instruction on how to wield a sword in the most basic manner, and learning how to draw on the Dark Side of the Force and utilise this in bladework. These skills are often viewed as innate, and thus it can be tricky to teach adequately, but those who join the Powerbase as Acolytes tend to have the very basics within their skill set regardless. Beginners to Shii-Cho work in a slow, jerky manner, but the mastery of these basics is what leads to future mastery of the form as a whole. Until the right is earned to wield a lightsaber, vibroswords and training blades are often used, and due to Shii-Cho’s nature in being a transition between more cumbersome swords and our lightsabers, it is well suited for use with these weapons, even though they do not replicate the same basic properties gained by the use of a lightsaber.

Learning to wield Shii-Cho in a meaningful way begins with the basic stances used in the form, the six body target zones, and the marks of contact which are used throughout even the more modern saber forms. Some of these aspects need only be learnt once - the Marks of Contact and the Target Zones are universal - but the stances and associated moves are often different from one Form to the next. These fundamentals, while taught through Shii-Cho, loosely underpin all lightsaber combat.

After the very basics have been mastered, one must look at sequences and combinations. This allows the user to transition almost seamlessly from one attack, block, or parry, to the next. Methodically, the user learns to move from their opening stance to  defence, and then offence. In training, this is often focused on defending specific target zones, but eventually is built into the subconscious set of motions that can be extended into true combat, with enough experience and practice. However, one must be careful that the memorisation of sequences does not result in the mindset of certainty in combat: One cannot believe every move to be perfectly executed, successful, or efficiently blocked or parried; the nature of saber combat is that it remains unpredictable. Thus, focusing too hard on sequences and neglecting the freedom which comes from allowing the erratic mindset of Shii-Cho to shine through will result in clunky, clumsy fighting which ultimately gets the practitioner slain.

The most ideal way to train this form is with the sword and a sparring partner, for the truest way to learn to allow the Dark Side to guide you, to imbue your bladework with this, is to allow yourself to get into the heated, erratic mindset of Shii-Cho, and either hurt your opponent or get hurt in the process. The user must learn to adapt in the moment. Fail to do so, they die in true combat. As the sparring continues, they will slowly build a knowledge of the intricacies of bladework, where their strengths lie or their failures prevail. Eventually, the learner will be able to respond to the more complex, unpredictable movements of a skilled opponent, adapting their form in the moment to defend where necessary. It is also vital to note that Ideal Shii-Cho moves exclusively in horizontal, vertical, or 45 degree diagonals; thus, it is not well adapted to the more erratic and unpredictable Live Combat form.  As time passes, the learner may adapt to create their own sequences, allowing them to react to the more unpredictable possibilities, but this often comes once these basics are mastered.

This covers the very fundamentals of bladework as a whole, but there is much more that comes as one becomes more experienced with both the sword and the Force. We have yet made no mention of the intrinsic ties to the Dark Side that come with the highly erratic, emotional mindset of Shii-Cho.

Live Combat Shii-Cho

It is worth reiterating here that Shii-Cho’s fundamental principle is its simplicity, even as one begins to adapt it into a fighting style worthy of live combat. While changes have occurred as time presses forwards, Shii-Cho has remained largely true to its ancient roots, with a focus on simple, elegant bladework in the style of the cumbersome weapons of old.

The very creation of Form II: Makashi demonstrates where Shii-Cho fails; single, duelling combat. But, the inefficiency of Shii-Cho in single combat did not see the form fall to the wayside, fully replaced. Instead, its true value became apparent: its sheer efficiency and power in dominating the field when faced with multiple opponents. While modern-day lightsabers are significantly less cumbersome than the iterations that came before it, Shii-Cho has maintained its wide, arching motions which were, in a time long past, essential in besting an opponent. An advanced user will realise the control held by their opponents, move in to restrict the space, and force their opponent to give up ground. While Shii-Cho is simple in all ways of approaching the form, it is deadly, brutal and efficient in the hands of a practiced bladesman. The wide, sweeping motions, moves, and maneuvers of Shii-Cho provide a simple and efficient way to cut down many while expending just as much energy as if you were against only one. A practiced user of the Form is on a constant assault of gaining ground where their enemies are forced to yield their own. Users of Shii-Cho should move like water; fluid, elegant, and precise. This beauty can only be appreciated in witnessing a true expert of the form in action, and while one may be able to predict the basic motions utilised, it takes true skill to halt the river in its flow.

Form I finds its most use in combat when users fully entrench themselves in the Dark Side of the Force. Rather than merely using their senses - be they Force enhanced or otherwise - they use their power to manipulate the Dark Side of the Force to turn the tide of battle in their favour. This allows the Sith to function not on their physical senses, but on instinct, whim, and become chaos incarnate. The simple, but deliberate and calculated, manner in which it is used allows for constant advancement for the betterment of saber combat within our sacred Order. The simplicity of its sequences allow for random selection from them to flow from the user like water, fuelled by the Dark Side to be a deadly force in the face of our ancient enemy. It will forever remain a deadly weapon for destruction, even after the eccentricities of more modern forms fail.

Opening Stances, Moves and Manoeuvres

The marks of contact from which Shii-Cho gains its name do cover the majority of our body target zones, but while they are very commonly used, they are not the only ones utilised in Shii-Cho.

• The Cho maneuvers are those which involve dismemberment of one’s opponent. The first, Cho Mok, refers to the removal of either leg or the non-weapon arm of the opponent. The second, Cho Sun, refers to the removal of the dominant, or blade-wielding, arm. Finally, Cho Mai refers to the removal of the dominant, or blade-wielding, hand.
  
• The Sun Djem is used as a Disarming slash, targeting the weapon of the opponent; aiming to either destroy the weapon, or remove it from the opponent’s hands - even if this involves the removal of their fingers with it. The Disarming Slash, when used properly, leaves the opponent almost always entirely unarmed, possibly with debilitating injuries on top of this, often leaving them, once more, begging for mercy. Such can be utilised to see them removed entirely.
  
• A Sai Tok is the act of cutting an opponent in half, which can be done horizontally - usually at the opponent’s waist - or vertically. Either way, bisecting one’s opponent often leaves them dead.
  

A Shii-Cho practitioner should be capable of practicing these simple techniques with near perfect precision. As Sith, we desire to see our enemies cut down and slaughtered, if not captured to be tortured for information, or broken and turned to the Dark Side. Thus, utilising these marks of contact in the right way for our means is essential for our success in the field, and in the war ongoing with our ancient enemy.

There are few distinct opening stances for Shii-Cho, but they are well known. The opening stance begins with one foot in front of the other, a shoulder’s width apart, with one’s blade held at a 45 degree angle from the centre of the body. This can naturally be adapted into a ‘typical’ defensive or offensive stance. The defensive stance takes the dominant foot in front of the other. This is defensive by nature, for the practitioner can use this dominant foot to launch themselves back and away from an incoming attack, and allows a closer control of one's movements when anticipating an attack. Alternatively, the more offensive version of this stance is where one’s dominant foot is back, which has the opposite effect to the defensive stance - allowing the practitioner to launch themselves forward to continue their assault, using the force behind their dominant leg.

When using Shii-Cho, the user’s hands are placed in a two-handed grip, with both hands spaced evenly apart on the hilt, all movements with the blade are wide, arcing from one side of the body to the other. A large portion of one’s success with Shii-Cho comes from the ability to manipulate the blade properly, using the slightest movements of the user’s hands to increase or decrease the depth with which the blade is intended to cut the opponent. Utilising the leverage that can be created with these minute movements is fundamental in true mastery of any lightsaber form.

The typical Shii-Cho strike will move from one side of the body to the other, in a wide, sweeping arc that ‘peaks’ at the center, in line with one’s solar plexus. However, in order to use more refined Marks of Contact, one must use the more erratic nature of the advanced, Live Combat form, wherein there is no dedicated direction for the strikes to move, but sequences and combinations flow from the user like water, fuelled by the highly emotional mindset from drinking in the Dark Side.

Finally, Shii-Cho falls short even more when in combat with one who employs Form II: Makashi. The slightly more modern form builds specifically on Shii-Cho’s weaknesses, and is built to counter its predecessor. Thus, one should employ a degree of thought when in such combat, and unless they are sure of their skills, consider using a Form better adapted for this use.