Overview on MagnaGuard's skills in combat

A sort of new project I've been thinking about doing lately; think of it as a type of Respect Thread or compilation of feats and examples of why MagnaGuard's are impressive. Now it's no surprise for anyone that MagnaGuards are a skilled type of droid, as they serve as Grievous's and Dooku's bodyguards and have been created, programmed and designed to fight with Jedi. In this blog, I'll take a look at some of the more worthy accomplishments of the MagnaGuards.

Equipment/Armorment

One of the reasons MagnaGuards are dangerous is their weapons - the electrostaff.

For one thing, the staff is made out of phrik alloy and can form energy shields around them that are impervious by lightsabers:

Resistant to the energy outpourings of a lightsaber, the phrik alloy staffs were potent weapons

Source: Labyrinth of Evil

Three MagnaGuards, each with a double-ended weapon that generated an energy field impervious to lightsabers

Source: Revenge of the Sith novel

Additionally, the two ends of the staff had electromagnetic pulse generators:

Fearsome bipedal battle droids built to exact specifications, they stood as tall as the general and were armed with combat staffs tipped with electromagnetic pulse generators.

Source: Labyrinth of Evil

These electromagnetic pulse generators had the capacity to stagger, injure, subdue and even kill.

A shock from the staff brought Eeth Koth to his knees:

The shocks have similarly staggered and subdued Anakin Skywalker:

Here is the basic design of the MagnaGuards armor:

Training/Programming

The MagnaGuards were trained by General Grievous in order combat Jedi:

I think they are Grievous's personal bodyguard droids. Prototypes built to his specifications. To fight Jedi.

Source: Revenge of the Sith novel

Their training under Grievous made them a match for most:

Benefiting from Grievous’s own programming, as well as from the instruction Grievous had received from Count Dooku, the elite were trained in the Jedi arts, and more than a match for most.

Source: Labyrinth of Evil

Through their training, they became lethal opponents who knew the seven classical forms of lightsaber combat:

Dooku had taught Grievous well, and Grievous had taught his elite well. Coupled with Dooku’s coaching, their programming in the seven classic forms of lightsaber dueling-in the Jedi arts-made them lethal opponents.

Source: Labyrinth of Evil

The MagnaGuards were programmed to have near light-speed reflexes:

Three MagnaGuards, each with a double-ended weapon that generated an energy field impervious to lightsabers, each with reflexes that operated near lightspeed,

Source: Revenge of the Sith novel

The MagnaGuards had sophisticated heuristic combat algorithms which allowed them to learn, experience and adapt to any tactic instantly:

each with hypersophisticated heuristic combat algorithms that enabled it to learn from experience and adapt its tactics instantly to any situation

Source: Revenge of the Sith novel

The programming of a MagnaGuard allows it to continue fighting even after decapitation, with the only real way to defeat them being a stab through the chest.

This was demonstrated when a MagnaGuard, even after being decapitated, continued to fight Obi-Wan:

MagnaGuards could keep fighting even after losing limbs or heads, and many bore the scars of previous battles.

Source: Star Wars Databank

The MagnaGuards are programmed for the usage of close quarter brawling, dueling Jedi, and using various other types of weapons:

The MagnaGuards incorporate the programming of many other droids, such as the IG lancer:

Combat accolades

The MagnaGuards had a similar reputation as General Grievous:

General Grievous, conqueror of a hundred worlds, became a figure of legendary menace during the Clone Wars. His robotic bodyguards were equal to that reputation.

Source: The New Essential Guide to Droids(credit to Selenial for the quote)

Anakin notes that the MagnaGuards are worse than the destroyer droids(Droidekas), making them a greater threat than that model of droid:

Remember what you were saying about 'worse than destroyers?' I think we're looking at them.

Source: Revenge of the Sith novel

The MagnaGuards were lethal opponents who were a match for most:

Dooku had taught Grievous well, and Grievous had taught his elite well. Coupled with Dooku’s coaching, their programming in the seven classic forms of lightsaber dueling-in the Jedi arts-made them lethal opponents.

...

Benefiting from Grievous’s own programming, as well as from the instruction Grievous had received from Count Dooku, the elite were trained in the Jedi arts, and more than a match for most.

Source: Labyrinth of Evil

The MagnaGuards proved to be tough opponents for the Jedi:

These implacable droids guarded key Separatist leaders and proved tough opponents for the Jedi Knights, striking with their deadly electostaffs.

Source: Star Wars Databank

The MagnaGuards are noted for exhausting many Jedi who fought them, and many Jedi who attacked Grievous never made it passed his MagnaGuards:

Combat feats

Here, I'll list some of the MagnaGuards most noteworthy accomplishments in their duels.

One MagnaGuard could stalemate skilled Jedi Knights like Foul Moudama and Roron Corobb(credit to DarthAnt for the gifs):

Foul Moudama himself was stated a graceful, gifted, and skilled combatant that stood out among the Jedi's ranks:

Foul Moudama was a gifted and graceful Jedi, though his origins are known to few. He possessed a fluid lightsaber technique and agility that stood out even among the extremely skilled combatants of the Jedi ranks.

Source: Star Wars Databanks: Foul Moudama

A duo of MagnaGuards brings Luke Skywalker, circa ANH-ESB, to his knees:

One MagnaGuard was enough to pose a brief threat to the likes of Shaak Ti, Anakin Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi:

https://youtu.be/mOs1vxDfuy0?t=14

A trio of MagnaGuards proved too much for Kenobi to defeat:

Three MagnaGuards, each with a double-ended weapon that generated an energy field impervious to lightsabers, each with reflexes that operated near lightspeed, each with hypersophisticated heuristic combat algorithms that enabled it to learn from experience and adapt its tactics instantly to any situation, were certainly beyond Obi-Wan's ability to defeat,

Source: Revenge of the Sith novel

A tri of MagnaGuards present a pre-prime Anakin a challenge:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJbVDQi-8oc

Four MagnaGuards hold their own against Anakin Skywalker, even landing a hit on him:

https://youtu.be/aqeEjv1_eOc?t=54

Neat.

@wolfrazer: Thanks.

@wollfmyth209: This is super cool. I recommend you change the title to Magnaguard Respect Thread tho, to make it easier to find from google.

Thanks.

Well, technically, this is not a Respect Thread. A respect thread talks about an individual(or small group) and their feats and achievements. Whereas this isn't a small group or an individual, but rather a model of droid. And this thread was more an overview of their skills rather than an actual respect thread.

@wollfmyth209: I get what you're saying, I'm just saying that your handywork would reach more views under the title of respect thread. I didn't mean to attack you or anything yo.

There's quite a few other sourcebooks and fights to draw from, and the near-lightspeed thing is hyperbole, but otherwise good job.

I am aware. I'm currently hunting for other sources, this is a basis for now.

Really? Didn't seem like it to me. Care to explain?

Thanks.

@wollfmyth209:

I am aware. I'm currently hunting for other sources, this is a basis for now.

Everything you could need for Legends is in these lists:

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/IG-100_MagnaGuard#Appearances

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/IG-100_MagnaGuard#Sources

The Canon article has the same lists:

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/IG-100_MagnaGuard/Canon

You can usually find PDFs of some books just by googling "____ PDF", but I'll PM you another source in the case that that doesn't work out. And I can get stuff from Ultimate Star Wars so you don't need to hunt for that one.

Really? Didn't seem like it to me. Care to explain?

Because someone like Anakin, Kit Fisto or Darth Maul aren't even close to lightspeed and they've mopped the floor with MagnaGuards.

@i_like_swords: The term is "outlier" not "hyperbole" given how you're discrediting the statement.

That said, other feats of that nature do exist in the franchise, its just up to your or this board's personal preferences how seriously you take them *shrugs*

@ct123: I find Stover to be hyperbolic in particular, though. He just uses exaggerative language throughout RotS.

As a last resort it's also an outlier, so yeah.

Nice one,but it seems a bit short for a respect thread,it usually takes me around 30 minutes to read a respect thread,and this time it took me around 10.It needs some updating i guess,this can't be the only specific things you have to say about magna guards.

I will be updating this. For now, it's just a basis for an overview blog(not a respect thread), and thanks.

@wollfmyth209:

Very good thread.

@palpy: Thanks.

@wollfmyth209: Hi mate. Amazing work. I have a question. Legends Grievous should be around mid level. Are those Magnaguards high street levelers or low mid levelers?

@xerolot: Thanks and that really depends on the MagnaGuards in question.

Each MagnaGuard has to go through personalized training and programming, which means there is certain levels/tiers in which the droids are placed. The MagnaGuards that managed to briefly challenge Anakin and Obi-Wan are high street levellers, certainly. Those who got stomped by Fisto are low street levellers, etc.

@wollfmyth209: What about those from 2003 cartoon who stalemated Foul Moudama and Roron Corob + fought against Shaak Ti?

@xerolot: In-between mid and high street level; closer to high.

Thanks for the follow, btw.

@wollfmyth209: Thanks for the answers mate. :)

@xerolot: You're welcome. :3

@wollfmyth209: Hey Wolf I have one question. I can't find answer in the internet. Are Magnaguards and Grievous emp resistant? What do you think about it?

@xerolot: To a degree, I believe.

@wollfmyth209:So, for example, if Batman would activate emp near them what would happen? We know that gungans incapacitated canon General Grievous by throwing at him electrical bombs (they have fought outside while was raining so I guess this helps a lot)(there), so it's logical to think that Canon General and canon Magnaguards are vulnerable to such attacks. But Composite (Legends) General is immune to Magnaguard electrical staff. If we are talking about Composite Grievous he should be immune to the emp. And about Magnaguards themselves... this is the question. You are saying that they are to a degree resistant so emp will turn them off for, let's say, five minutes and them they will activate again?

Btw those links aren't working:

A tri of MagnaGuards present a pre-prime Anakin a challenge:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJbVDQi-8oc

Four MagnaGuards hold their own against Anakin Skywalker, even landing a hit on him:

https://youtu.be/aqeEjv1_eOc?t=54

@xerolot: It's hard to really say. MGs were never really placed in a situation where that would be shown. But Composite MGs weren't short-circuted by their own electrostaffs, rather just pierced by them, so I guess that's an indication of something.

I'll fix those links when I update this blog.

@wollfmyth209: Okey, thanks for answer.

@wollfmyth209: Well if LoE and Force Pikes are any indication, Magnagaurds(Legends ofc) were withstanding and continuing to fight Senate Red Guards while getting sliced and stabbed by Force Pikes.

This is a cool respect thread.

I've always liked droids.