Shikashi

History
Shikashi was a combination of Makashi, Sith Shien and Jar'Kai created by the Sith of the Mecrosa Order before the Great Sith War.

Description
Shikashi was a personalized light saber combat form which used two light foils, one in a main hand saber grip and the other in an off hand reverse saber grip, in order to compensate for the weaknesses of the forms it was based on. The incorporation of Jar'Kai compensated for Makashi's weakness vs multiple opponents by adding a second weapon to block light sabers or deflect blaster fire, Sith Shien (with reverse grip) compensated for Jar'Kai's weakness with an off hand weapon by improving leverage and securing grip and Makashi compensated for Shien's weakness vs a single opponent by integrating lightsaber dueling techniquies and force abilities into combat.

Shikashi differed from Jar'Kai by using two light foils of equal length as opposed to a light saber and light saber shoto of varrying lengths, and by holding the off hand light saber in a reverse saber grip as opposed to a traditional saber grip.

Techniques
The main hand utilized Makashi's thrusts and parries, while the off hand utilized Shien's slashes and blocks to form a hybrid light saber combat style. A Shikashi practioner stood with his right side facing his opponent, dominant hand holding the main weapon in front of the torso pointing towards the opponent and the off hand holding the secondary weapon behind the torso pointing laterally to the body. Shikashi practitioners were rewnowned for circling opponents to delay physical confrontation in favour of exploiting Dun Moch, and only once they had gained a psychological advantage over their opponent would they attack and retreat along the linear path of traditional Makashi. Shikashi also merged elements of Ataru, but only those which allowed the practioner to evade strikes, achieve Shokan or escape combat in favour of settling the duel with force abilities or saber throws from afar. Shikashi valued finesse and mobility, active defense and quick counter attack and force abilities over wreckless aggression, exhausting acrobatics and force augmentation.

Force Powers
The off hand light foil held in a reverse saber grip provided several unique advantages in combat compared to the tradtional Jar'Kai shoto held in a forward grip. First the reverse saber grip unencumbered the hand and made it easier to use force abilities in light saber combat while armed with two blades. Second because of the additional weapon, length of the blade, the reverse grip and the winding stance, it was common for Shikashi practioners to saber throw at remote opponents with the off hand weapon while retaining the main hand weapon for blaster deflection or light saber combat.

Lightsaber Design
Shikashi practitioners either used light foils or curved hilt light sabers.

Weaknesses
Similar to Makashi, Shikashi is vulnerable to light saber combat forms that involve kinetic energy such as Ataru, D'jem So or Juyo, however because Shikashi practitioners have a more active defense than Makashi practioners, thanks to the second weapon in reverse grip, they are better able to block and counter attack with slashes in order to keep their opponents off balance. Unlike Jar'kai practitioners, Sakashi practitioners are masters of Makashi and capable of engaging in light saber combat with a single weapon at no disadvantage.

Behind the Scenes
Shikashi is based on main hand Lajolo Italian knife fencing, off hand Marines close quarters combat and South East Asian dual wielding martial arts. The hybrid light saber form was created as a theoretical response to the weaknesses of Jar'Kai, Makashi and Shien as individual light saber forms, mainly ambidexterity, arm strength, disarmament, force usage, blaster deflection and focusing on only indivisdual or multiple opponents.