If you’ve already read my respect thread on Savage and have arrived here for more, very good, if not, I’d advise you check it out, and learn some respect!

Note that this best read in blog format. So do that.

Anyway the purpose of this blog is to explore and elaborate on the applications of Savage’s powers in a combat situation, rather than to merely catalogue his feats and abilities.

Physical Attributes

Species: Dathomirian Zabrak

Height: 2.18 meters

Mass: 144.9 kilograms

Imbued with Nightsister magicks, Savage possesses immense strength and durability as well as a great deal of speed and agility, making him able to overpower the skills of even master saber duellists through raw power, while retaining the ability outmanoeuvre, evade and even blitz slower opponents.

As a Zabrak, Savage possesses a second heart and a natural resistance to pain, the former providing him with a superior cardiovascular system and therefore improved muscle support and overall physical ability. He also possessed elongated cranial horns which he could use to headbutt and impale opponents.

Finally he wore a special armour that was highly resistant to blaster bolts and could even endure glancing blows from a lightsaber. This is an obvious boon in any duel, acting as an additional layer of defence.

Melee Abilities

Though likely already possessing melee expertise as a result of his warrior culture among the Nightbrother clan, Savage formal received training in lightsaber combat first and foremost from the legendary lightsaber duellist, Count Dooku, and as a result became quickly proficient in lightsaber combat.

A brutal training regime takes place. Unlike Jedi training, Sith training is fuelled by fear and hate. Force lightning is blasted from Dooku’s fingertips into Savage Opress’ body until he finally gains a crude mastery of the Force and proficiency with a lightsaber.

Star Wars Insider 122

This education was later built upon through a combination of experience and training from his brother, Darth Maul, also a highly accomplished and acclaimed lightsaber duellist. Savage's learning curve is self-evident, at one moment completely outclassed by Count Dooku, and in the next going toe-to-toe with the legendary Plo Koon, and quickly and easily overwhelming and dispatching Jedi Council member Adi Gallia, on that basis I’d say Savage’s proficiency with a lightsaber advanced to a much more expert level.

The exact nature of the form he wielded his unknown, but he likely did not specialise, instead presumably receiving more broad and basic training in moves and manoeuvres of lightsaber combat from forms such as Shii-Cho or Niman, and of course those specifically associated with the saberstaff. I believe the art of the latter however he had evidently mastered, and below is an example of him demonstrating as much, displaying a variety of complex moves and maneuverers as well as excellent footwork and balance:

More examples can be found in the Lightsaber & Martial Arts section of my corresponding respect thread.

Savage was an obvious advocate of the strong style, a broad term for various strength orientated duelling styles that focused primarily on powerful strikes designed to batter down an opponent’s defence. This puts him in considerable stead against single opponents who he can devote all his energy to defeating, and combined with his remarkable physical strength he is devastatingly effective in its application.

Melee Weapon/Lightsaber

Savage wielded a double-bladed lightsaber or saberstaff, his natural ability in which was possibly influenced by previous skill with the Zhaboka – a double-bladed sword native to the Zabrak people. The weapon in its unorthodoxy and effectiveness at killing, could prove lethal to even high level combatants:

…in the hands of a dark side marauder it is difficult to defend against even for experienced masters.

Anakin Skywalker's annotations in The Jedi Path

In skilled hands, however, double-bladed lightsabers can strike with lightning speed to overwhelm and destroy even the most dangerous of enemies.

SWTOR Encyclopaedia

For Savage the weapon gives him considerable reach, tying in well into the broad swings and strokes of his strong style, and making his power attacks, that for most is would be better to dodge, difficult to evade.

This is something aptly demonstrated in his duel with Adi Gallia:

Who is forced to rapidly backpedal and literally bend over backwards to evade his assault.

The surface area also gives him a more than adept defence against lightsaber attacks, especially against multiple opponents, and blaster bolts, the latter of which he was highly skilled at deflecting.

The saberstaff is ideal for defeating multiple opponents as well as for defending against blaster fire. The broad energy barrier created by a whirling saberstaff is impenetrable when deployed by a skilled Sith Lord…

The Rule of Two in Book of Sith

Savage was also highly skilled in hand-to-hand going toe-to-toe Ventress prior to his transformation:

Post-ritual with enhanced physique his potency in this field likely increased considerably thanks to his inhuman strength, speed, agility and endurance. That said he did not often use physical attacks in a lightsaber duel, though can certainly be expected to do so if his opponent does, and to greater effect:

Force Abilities

Savage’s Force abilities were rudimentary and he received little training in this field, however by way of his immense power his applications were incredibly potent.

Telekinesis

Opress possessed a fairly refined ability in this field, capable of Force choking, throwing, pushing and pulling. He was also capable of powerful Force wave and repulses that even powerful Force users were incapable of resisting. Such abilities complement his style by allowing him to stun and stagger opponents.

And indeed he readily uses Force based attacks in lightsaber combat:

~ Source: Darth Maul: Death Sentence

Force Augmentation

Savage has acquired a natural ability to augment his speed to tremendous levels and strength to even greater heights than his already hulking frame allowed. As a result he often proved overwhelming to his opponents, blitzing Padawans and Masters alike through superior speed and devastating strength.

His early performance against Halsey and his Padawan is an excellent example:

Savage’s speed and agility in particular provides him with an element of acrobatic ability, which he can and has used to flank his opponents, moving around the battlefield to more advantageous positions:

In this respect Savage’s speed should not be underestimated or discounted.

Force Rage

Opress was gifted at channelling his rage into physical ability, building on his already tremendous strength, speed and endurance and altogether making him all the more dominant in combat and difficult to kill. In fact far from weakening as a battle progresses, he merely grows stronger, injury fuelling his anger.

An excellent example of this being Savage entering a frenzied rage against Dooku & Ventress that overpowers them both, after being blasted by Dooku’s powerful lightning several times over:

With a combined attack from Dooku & Ventress doing nothing but to further build his rage that he then turns upon Anakin & Kenobi, who are too overwhelmed by his assault.

This ability to “connect with his hatred” mid-fight could prove lethal to any one opponent.

Combative Strengths

As one might imagine Savage’s greatest strength is, his strength. Not only does he possess considerably potent physical ability but he is also a very powerful Force user imbued with Nightsister magicks that no doubt increased his capacity for rage. He is a living weapon, purpose built to destroy, and Savage channels all of that power into his physical strength, making him all the more dominating. On top of that he can absorb just as much damage as he can dish out, damage that only makes him stronger as he channels pain into rage and power. The result being the perfect power duellist and “tank” if you will. He is also fairly flexible in his attacks, often chaining both Force pushes and physical strikes into his sequence to further stun and stagger his opponents, attempting to overwhelm and destroy through any means.

Savage’s saberstaff serves to bolsters this offense ability as when opponents attempt to evade as opposed to tackle his strength head on they are forced to rapidly backpedal in order to avoid his wide, club-like swings, in turn keeping his opponent away from him, unable to act if he overextends himself.

And unlike with many power duellists, his strength does not come at a considerable detriment to his speed, which itself again shouldn’t be underestimated. Speed is something Savage puts to good use when taking on inferior Force users, using it to evade offense and rapidly bypass defence to apply his strength directly, as well as to flank opponents to seize more advantageous positioning. Savage’s preferable tactic however remains an all-out onslaught of power attacks in an attempt to batter his opponent into submission. Heedlessly enduring any damage he might sustain and channelling it into his offense until they succumb.

Combative Weaknesses

Savage’s weaknesses however are as equally potent, his style is unrefined and rudimentary, and therefore his attacks in their simplicity would be easy to counter. A superior duellist would be able to outmanoeuvre him with little difficulty, or exploit one of many openings, if given the chance.

Furthermore Savage suffers from tunnel vision and often succumbs to baser instinct in the midst of heated combat, charging his opponent with little strategy or awareness and instead relying on immense physical and Force-based strength to win. This only makes it easier for him to be outmanoeuvred and outsmarted.

Finally Savage can often act recklessly and without thinking, making him easily led into traps by his opponent, and altogether adding to the detriments of his tunnel vision.

Counter-Strengths

In many respects these weaknesses end up of no consequence, while on one hand his attacks are easily countered, Savage isn't trying to bypass his opponent’s defences, but batter them. In such a sense it is more preferable for his opponents to intercept and block his attacks each and every time, as it increases the likelihood of them being overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of impact.

The same is true of his lack of refinement, his form, while basic, serves its purpose as means of exerting his strength. And indeed while complex moves and manoeuvres evade him – moves unnecessary to apply his strength – what he does demonstrate is an considerable balance and economy of movement, there is a certain element of – dare I say it – elegance in the simplicity in which Savage wields a lightsaber. He has definitely mastered the basics, and while simple, they are undeniable effective.

In regards to tunnel vision, this can act as a boon as much as a detriment – as it allows him to focus is rage and his power, and often in states of intense anger he can grow even more powerful and dominating. And finally in regards to his recklessness, this too can be chalked up as a strength.

As the Star Wars Insider notes:

An unpredictable warrior, he makes for a formidable opponent thanks to his reckless, impulsive nature and sheer brute force.

Star Wars Insider 122

Savage acts without thinking, and in his mindlessness cannot be predicted. Instead of strategy and sequence, he acts on impulse and instinct and it would therefore be difficult for an opponent to identify any kind of pattern or direction behind his offense, leaving them unable to predict what he might do or try next.

Concluding Thoughts

In comparison with other powerful Force wielders, Savage matches up remarkably well and at the fullest extent of his ability he would likely have become very powerful. Altogether he is not to be underestimated and is among the most dominating power duellists currently in existence in mythos.