JA Tip's Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Weapon lightsaber image

The sabering system of Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy allows players to utilize mouse movement while their saber is active to adjust the direction and velocity of the swing. A saber is considered active and can deal damage during the whole swing animation. This degree of freedom opens up an additional technical dimension to saber combat.

Due to the way damage is calculated by the game's engine, mouse-movement techniques can greatly increase the damage inflicted by a saber. Analogous to strafe jumping in Quake Live or bunny hopping in Counter-Strike, mouse movement techniques in JKA have become part of the mainstream way of playing.

Poke[]

The most widely used mouse movement technique. During a poke, the player quickly moves their mouse back and forth during the swing animation.

Wiggle playerPerspective

Poke as seen from the perspective of the player doing the poke.

Advantages:

  • Better chances of bypassing opponent's defence
  • Possibility of hitting target multiple times in a row with the same swing
  • Larger area of effect compared to a standard swing

To maximize the efficiency of wiggling, most players boost their mouse sensitivity. This can be done by setting m_yaw or cl_mouseaccel values (see: Commands Guide)

If done right, a single poke red swing can do over 200 points of damage and instantly kill the opponent, even with a full health and shield bar.

Aim[]

Poke playerPerspective

A less effective and therefore also less common technique. An aimed swing is done by moving the mouse in such a way that the saber stays pointed in the opponent's direction.

Advantages:

  • Better chances of hitting the opponent
  • Extended duration of saber contact with target
  • Defensive capabilities of shielding yourself with a saber

This technique is most commonly performed with red stance swings due to their slowness. Faster sabering stances make it more difficult to effectively aim the saber at the opponent during a swing, although with practice it can be effectively done with any stance.

Spin[]

Spin spectatorPerspective

Rapid saber movement that aims at spinning the character during a swing by at least 360 degrees. Whereas Aim can be considered the tempered, refined and precise version of Poke, the Spinning replaces the precision with a pure damage output. 

Advantages:

  • Massive damage
  • Nearly impossible to block

The major downside to the Spin is that the spinning player remains stationary during the entire swing animation, making Spin an easy target for counters. Spin can potentially even disorient the player. Spinning is therefore most useful when the opponent is already in the range of your swing with little or no opportunity to escape and perform counter-attack.

Advertisement