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The BattleZone! Round 1 Match 02: Darth Malak vs. Darth Nyriss


Aurbere

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Welcome to the second match in the first round of The BattleZone! Our previous match-up saw the powerful Master Thon triumph over the skill of Vodo-Siosk Baas aboard Exis Station.

 

This time, however, we are pitting two powerful Sith Lords against each other. The co-founder of Drath Revan's Sith Empire, Darth Malak, battles the destroyer of Melldia, Darth Nyriss.

 

Battlefield: Ancient Ruins of Dantooine

 

Lightsaber Skill:

 

Darth Malak:

 

Darth Malak was trained in the physical aspects of The Force and honed his skills in lightsaber combat. He employed an aggressive one-handed attack style, and was known as one of the most skilled duelists of his time. He used his lightsaber skills to defeat Bastila Shan and engage in a fierce duel with the redeemed Jedi Knight Revan.

 

Darth Nyriss:

 

The Dark Council member was considerably talented in the art of lightsaber combat. Through a combination of Force Speed and her considerable skill with the lightsaber, she was able to subdue Lord Scourge and Meetra Surik.

 

Edge: While Nyriss' skills are rather ambiguous, she has proven herself a capable duelist. However, I think the edge goes to Darth Malak in this area.

 

Force Power:

 

Darth Malak:

 

As Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Malak wielded many different abilities. He was capable of using Force Lightning, Force Choke, and Dark Healing, as well as several other abilities. He proved himself capable of tapping into his darker emotions to increase his speed and strength.

 

Darth Nyriss:

 

Strong in the Dark Side of the Force, Darth Nyriss was able to use many dark abilities. She was able to use Sith Sorcery, Force Lightning and several other abilities that would prove helpful in her victory over Lord Scourge and Meetra Surik.

 

Edge: Again, Darth Nyriss' powers are not as well known as Malak's, but she has proven herself to be very powerful in the use of the Dark Side, giving her the edge.

 

(Note that when I give the edge to someone, it is just my opinion)

 

Who will win? Who is truly superior?

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Not sure on this one... but I think I'd give this to Nyriss, she being a Dark Council member of the 'True Sith' and also possessing supposedly exceptional skill in Sith magic - which will give her a considerable edge. Malak on the other hand is just your standard Sith Lord, and this time he doesn't have the Star Forge.
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Malak's "one handed style" is almost certainly Makashi, which would fit with his reputation as a peerless duelist. I would equate him to someone cut from the same cloth as Dooku. He's really only faced defeat at the hands of the most powerful Force user in his era, much as Dooku only had to fear Yoda/Sidious, and while his Force repertoire is not exactly varied, it's effective.

 

Malak is quite strong in the Force, he just chooses to use it as a weapon more than anything else. Force lightning, Choke, and powerful leaps/speed to aid in his melee combat.

 

Nyriss can probably keep up with Malak in lightsaber combat, but would eventually lose in that respect unless able to gain the edge through the Force, decisively.

 

So it comes down to, can Nyriss find a way to use Sith Sorcery or something similar to tip the tide in her favor before Malak overwhelms her with his ferocious, Force-fueled offensive?

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So it comes down to, can Nyriss find a way to use Sith Sorcery or something similar to tip the tide in her favor before Malak overwhelms her with his ferocious, Force-fueled offensive?

 

Judging from my vague memory of the Revan novel, she did use the Force quite a bit in her final battle. So I think they are equal in that respect.

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Wow, the ambiguous response from Beni has really made me think about this...

 

I would have said Nyriss, besting surik is no small feat.... However, she built up her power beforehand, in the same way Darth Xedrix did whilst facing scourge, and whilst this was not explicitly said in the book, scourge hinted she was using the same style as Xedrix, and when she had no power left to resurrect a barrier, it was pretty obvious the lightning strikes took all of her power... That and the fact Surik was being oppressed by the Dark Side Nexus on Dromund Kaas, same as she had been on Malachor V, otherwise undoubtedly she would have out up a better fight.

 

In any normal circumstance I would have given that fight to surik, thus I would give this fight to Malak, Nyriss would realise using all her energy at once would be too risky, it did not work for Xedrix... She would have to face Malak in a true duel, and I think his superior skill with a lightsaber (probably Makashi though I don't know) would eventually overwhelm her.... Even without the star forge.

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This is a good one. Malak is no pushover with a lightsaber, but Nyriss was old and withered physically, leading me to believe she would rely on the Force. Her incredibly powerful build-up of lightning was just that: a build-up. She could not have done it more than once in the same fight. My belief is that unless she pushed Malak back long enough to build up the lightning, he'd tear her apart before she got the chance. Remember he's a Sith Lord too, so if it was just any old burst of lightning she unleashed he could easily reflect it, even back at her.
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so if it was just any old burst of lightning she unleashed he could easily reflect it, even back at her.

 

Hell no, lets not overestimate him. He's not Revan, he wouldnt stand a chance of reflecting it back, he would have to make sure she didnt get it off in the first place.

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Hell no, lets not overestimate him. He's not Revan, he wouldnt stand a chance of reflecting it back, he would have to make sure she didnt get it off in the first place.

 

Malak is quite the tactical duelist, I'm sure he could guard himself effectively with his lightsaber and ward off shorter bursts of lightning, keeping enough momentum to prevent Nyriss from charging up a really powerful blast.

 

I would expect Malak to be strong enough in the Force to keep from getting dominated by Nyriss, while overwhelming her with his melee offensive and dueling skills.

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Not sure on this one... but I think I'd give this to Nyriss, she being a Dark Council member of the 'True Sith' and also possessing supposedly exceptional skill in Sith magic - which will give her a considerable edge. Malak on the other hand is just your standard Sith Lord, and this time he doesn't have the Star Forge.

 

I don't think Malak is a standard Sith Lord. Sure he doesn't have the Star Forge, but he is powerful in his own right. Though I do agree that Nyriss' abilities in Sorcery give her an edge.

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I'm not convinced on who would win yet. Malak's probable (likely) superior skill in lightsaber combat gives him an edge, but how great of an impact will it have against Nyriss. She is very powerful in the Dark Side, and this time Malak doesn't have the Star Forge to back him.
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I'm not convinced on who would win yet. Malak's probable (likely) superior skill in lightsaber combat gives him an edge, but how great of an impact will it have against Nyriss. She is very powerful in the Dark Side, and this time Malak doesn't have the Star Forge to back him.

 

Well...to be fair, Malak couldn't kill his master now I know the Rule of Two comes later but...I mean if your training under the guy that teaches you, spar with him and the like. Then you should be able to defeat him, unless other factors come into play....

 

I mean lets face it, Obi-Wan would have eventually lost if it weren't for that hill advantage he had and even then that was a gambling move.

 

Not saying that it makes Malak weak...but he has it going against him.

Edited by Wolfninjajedi
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Hell no, lets not overestimate him. He's not Revan, he wouldnt stand a chance of reflecting it back, he would have to make sure she didnt get it off in the first place.

 

I said an average burst. A quick zap, like the Inquisitor's first lightning power; the simple, quick shock. That would be easy enough to deflect for anyone with Knight or Lord training, not to mention a Darth. Malak would be up to it, as long as it wasn't either a continued stream or a heavy attack like she used on Revan.

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Well...to be fair, Malak couldn't kill his master now I know the Rule of Two comes later but...I mean if your training under the guy that teaches you, spar with him and the like. Then you should be able to defeat him, unless other factors come into play....

 

I mean lets face it, Obi-Wan would have eventually lost if it weren't for that hill advantage he had and even then that was a gambling move.

 

Not saying that it makes Malak weak...but he has it going against him.

 

Good points there. He never did defeat Revan in battle, though I am of the opinion that he surpassed Revan after taking the mantle of Dark Lord. But I don't think that matters as the scope of Darth Revan's power has not been shown.

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Well...to be fair, Malak couldn't kill his master now I know the Rule of Two comes later but...I mean if your training under the guy that teaches you, spar with him and the like. Then you should be able to defeat him, unless other factors come into play....

 

I mean lets face it, Obi-Wan would have eventually lost if it weren't for that hill advantage he had and even then that was a gambling move.

 

Not saying that it makes Malak weak...but he has it going against him.

 

It hardly means much that Malak coudln't kill his Master. Revan killed both characters in this match, actually.

 

I don't see how bringing Obi-Wan into this has much to do with the Rule of Two, or ... well anything to do with this at all.

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Good points there. He never did defeat Revan in battle, though I am of the opinion that he surpassed Revan after taking the mantle of Dark Lord. But I don't think that matters as the scope of Darth Revan's power has not been shown.
I would disagree, let's not forget how Malak got that prosthetic jaw... Revan was always the more powerful Sith Lord, else Bane would never have regarded him as the greatest Sith Lord in history and the Emperor would never have chosen him to lead the Sith Empire.

 

But back to the debate - time for some in-depth analysis:

 

Lightsaber/Combat Abilities

 

Malak: Malak was regarded as a skilled swordsman of his age, and he augmented this skill with heavy study of the physical aspects of the Force - using it to protect and heal himself, boost his speed and likely bolster his attacks.

 

Nyriss: Little is known about Nyriss' combat abilities, accept that she surpassed the combined skill of Meetra Surik and Lord Scourge, which is an impressive feat to say the least. So we can assume she was of exceptional skill, and despite the detrimental effect the dark side had had on her she still maintained impressive speed. It did not seem to hamper her in the slightest.

 

I believe that despite Malak's skill with a blade, Nyriss is superior. Malak was not regarded as the most skilled swordsman of his age, simply a skilled one. He was no Exar Kun or Revan. Nyriss on the other hand has engaged and defeated highly powerful force users Meetra and Scourge. The Revan novel makes it clear that she surpassed them in every way and I think most would agree that Meetra and Scourge were both highly skilled duelists and possibly better duelists than Malak. Nyriss gets the edge.

 

Force abilities

 

Malak: As already mentioned Malak was skilled in using the Force to bolster his abilties, but he also displayed great proficiency with Force lightning which he could summon with ease. Malak was also skilled in telekinesis and Force grip and was able to both freeze his enemies in place, and protect himself from most Force based attacks. Malak possessed skill in Force healing, and supposedly Sith sorcery - although he had never displayed it.

 

Nyriss: Nyriss may very well have been the Dark Councillor for Ancient Knowledge, given her expansive libraries of information and most importantly her high proficiency in Sith sorcery. She had exceptional skill in Force lightning and like Malak used it with ease and to such an extent that her enemies were reduced to charred husks.

 

I think Nyriss has the clear edge here, not only is she exceptionally skilled in Sith sorcery, but she also clearly has deep wells of dark side energy to draw on. Given the effortless manner in which she dispatched Meetra and Scourge and then proceeded to unleash a powerful burst of energy at Revan. Malak is resistant to Force based attacks but Force lightning is notoriously difficult to absorb, and she wont be dishing it out in short bursts. Nyriss gets the edge.

 

Verdict

 

Altogether I think Nyriss still wins, she is clearly very powerful and skilled both with the lightsaber and the with the Force, whereas Malak simply less so. I don't feel he has an advantage in any fields and will be defeated as handedly as Meetra and Scourge were.

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Wow, the ambiguous response from Beni has really made me think about this...

 

I would have said Nyriss, besting surik is no small feat.... However, she built up her power beforehand, in the same way Darth Xedrix did whilst facing scourge, and whilst this was not explicitly said in the book, scourge hinted she was using the same style as Xedrix, and when she had no power left to resurrect a barrier, it was pretty obvious the lightning strikes took all of her power... That and the fact Surik was being oppressed by the Dark Side Nexus on Dromund Kaas, same as she had been on Malachor V, otherwise undoubtedly she would have out up a better fight.

 

In any normal circumstance I would have given that fight to surik, thus I would give this fight to Malak, Nyriss would realise using all her energy at once would be too risky, it did not work for Xedrix... She would have to face Malak in a true duel, and I think his superior skill with a lightsaber (probably Makashi though I don't know) would eventually overwhelm her.... Even without the star forge.

Let's remember that it was a surprise attack - and Nyriss was not aware of the presence of Meetra or Scourge (and certainly not his betrayal) when she entered the prison - she came for Revan. So really she had no time to prepare, lets also remember that her abilities were not exhausted in her fight with Meetra and Scourge, given the scale of her attack on Revan.

 

I also highly doubt the dark side nexus on Dromund Kaas was have a considerable impact on her abilities to wield the Force. On Malachor V for example she managed to defeat an entire academy of Force users and two very powerful Sith Lords who were bolstered by the Force. It really has no bearing, I'm afraid Meetra was beaten fair and square.

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It hardly means much that Malak coudln't kill his Master. Revan killed both characters in this match, actually.

 

I don't see how bringing Obi-Wan into this has much to do with the Rule of Two, or ... well anything to do with this at all.

 

I was bringing up Obi-Wan to give an example of the other factors bit of my post there.

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Let's remember that it was a surprise attack - and Nyriss was not aware of the presence of Meetra or Scourge (and certainly not his betrayal) when she entered the prison - she came for Revan. So really she had no time to prepare, lets also remember that her abilities were not exhausted in her fight with Meetra and Scourge, given the scale of her attack on Revan.

 

I also highly doubt the dark side nexus on Dromund Kaas was have a considerable impact on her abilities to wield the Force. On Malachor V for example she managed to defeat an entire academy of Force users and two very powerful Sith Lords who were bolstered by the Force. It really has no bearing, I'm afraid Meetra was beaten fair and square.

 

Um....

Firstly, Meetra states when she lands she can feel the Dark Side pushing down on her, though it was a welcome break from the horrors of Natheema.

And let's be honest, either way Meetra was certainly not at full strength, she also states that it was nigh impossible to centre herself. Her most powerful ability was Force Enlightenment, which required she centre herself..,.

And yes there is proof she exhausted all of her power in her attack on Surik and Scourge (redirected into revan) when the novel states She tried to erect another Invisible barrier as she had before, though she couldn't,she was too weak after her attack.

Also, lets be frank here, even if she was expecting to fight Revan, and not scourge/meetra she would have built up her power, even Nyriss admits in the novel that revan is an incredibly powerful force user, not to be underestimated. She wouldn't have taken the chance to let him escape.

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I would disagree, let's not forget how Malak got that prosthetic jaw... Revan was always the more powerful Sith Lord, else Bane would never have regarded him as the greatest Sith Lord in history and the Emperor would never have chosen him to lead the Sith Empire.

 

I'm just saying not a whole lot is known about the power Darth Revan had. We have some statements made about him and a very brief duel to showcase his power.

 

That's why I would like a novel about Revan's time as a Sith Lord. Not just because he is one of my favorite characters, but because I think the EU needs it.

 

Anyway, your analysis definitely gives me some things to think about.

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I was bringing up Obi-Wan to give an example of the other factors bit of my post there.

 

Ok, I see what you're getting at, but Vader killing Obi-Wan is not like the Sith apprentice-master cycle because both were fully trained as Jedi and it was just when he gave into the Dark Side that Skywalker got the slight edge in aggression and Force to start overwhelming Kenobi.

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I'm getting ready to announce the winner. Any final remarks that could sway my decision?

 

I'm kind of ambivalent here, but recall that Malak was not just a good duelist, but considered to be the best aside from Revan. His assault will be fierce and formidable against Nyriss.

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I'm getting ready to announce the winner. Any final remarks that could sway my decision?

 

This.

The fight against revan doesn't prove anything about Nyriss being stronger. Revan defeated her just as easily as he defeated malak, and malak grew in strength massively between that duel and his death.

The fuel argument is moot.

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