Sagacious Frailty - A thought on the Jedi Consular

[RowanThursday]

I tend from time to time to pontificate on the unique problem of the Jedi Consular class; namely that they're the most notable class in game where their Advanced Class division manages to actively work against their iconic status.

 

This is always partly superficial; for instance, only one Force User in the movies canon at the time of Swtor's classes being created had ever used a double bladed saber. Assassin is very good at looking like Darth Maul, but Maul is functionally far more of a Marauder, and, but for their single blade sabers, both Yoda and Palpatine actually bear far more relation to Shadow/Assassins in tank spec (defensive technique; Yoda protecting Anakin and Obi-Wan; Palpatine AOE zapping the trash mobs and then just matching the boss, Windu, till the DPS, Anakin, cripples him ; mix of sabers and telekinetics/lightning to fight) than to Sage and Sorcerer.

 

However, of course, undeniably those two are the iconic sage and sorcerer Force Users; from their most iconic original trilogy appearances, at great age and apparent physical infirmity.

 

This set me thinking about the Consular, and the oft repeated complaint about her Saber being typically reduced to a pointless stat stick for the most part. It occurred to me that this can in fact be seen as a consequence, as much as a mechanic. Note, this only really holds up for a light side consular.

 

Consider, on Tython, either Consular can more or less use the Force or their weapon with viable skill, at leaat, early on. The Consular is a brilliant prodigy, with more power and more gifted in the Force than has been seen in decades - at this point, unless the Jedi Council are inept at standard attainment testing for their students as they are for, well, most things, the Consular-to-be clearly towers over the Knight-to-be in potential.

 

However, we now hit one of the other off-raised quibbles with the Consular story; that we're repeatedly warned that our shielding ability is draining our strength and life, but, other than being a bit tired after using it, it has no actual ill effects at all.

 

What if it does?

 

What if the Barsenthor's self sacrifice does actually rob them of considerable potential?

 

The Sage is weakened, becomes physically somewhat frail, such that their power with a lightsaber, when a Jedi Master, is still little more than that of a mere Padawan, unless facing a weaker opponent. They still retain their connection to the Force, though, and use this to more than compensate for their disability; they may no longer be agile and strong enough to usefully fight with their lightsaber, but"the Force is my ally, and a powerful ally it is".

 

The Shadow is also weakened, her direct connection to the Force sapped by the Shielding ritual such that she cannot reach out so far, or so readily twist the living Force itself to help or harm in combat as much as the Sage could, but,they are stil luniquely Force sensitive, still able to channel those gifts into attacks of telekinesis, superhuman reflexes and speed in combat, mind tricks to make them seem to banish from sight, and so on.

 

The Shielding technique, though, is perhaps the in-story reason why no Consular can pursue both.

[JuventusAndFCK]

I'd almost buy that speculation, if it wasn't for the KOTFE and KOTET which (I'm pretty sure) shows the consular using the same lightsaber moves as the knight, warrior and inquisitor.

 

Consular also shows no less ability than the Inquisitor in gameplay, so I see no reason in that or the story, to beleive the consular's power is hindered in any way.

The power lost to the force shield was said to return once the source was removed, so after chapter 1 I'm pretty sure the consular is back to their old self, assuming we actually beleive the shield weakened them at all, like the story tells us.

 

Although, I am curious to see if we're going to be getting an answer in the future, given recent events in the story where the consular actually references this part of their past.

[RowanThursday]

Nods, I was taking the assumption that, if it hadn't been for chapter one's events, the Consular would have been far, far more powerful than Knight or Inquisitor; what they're brought down to is the same level. As for the return of the power, true, but I'd speculate that being so crippled, especially at the point when you're learning how to use your capabilities, would leave a lasting mark, forcing you to unnaturally overspecialise in much the same way that the Inquisitor, for instance, has to face the terrible decision of "Do I like my enemies best all crackly with pretty purple lightning, or would I rather enjoy that lovely sound when you tickle their lungs with a double bladed lightsaber?"