What powers do Jedi and Sith actually have?

[Staffan]

Actually, anything not invalidated by Lucas' works are canon. Lucas Licensing deals with all of that kind of thing.

Technically, I think they split things into "canon" (movies and novelizations of the movies), "official" (approved EU stuff), and "unofficial" (some of the older comics, ewok movies, holiday special). The "official" label basically means other people making official stuff has to take it into account, but Lucas doesn't.

As for what they can do... the things we see in the movies are basically telekinesis, personal augmentation, sensing things, mind-control, and force lightning. Of these, force lightning seems to be Sith-only, as are some uses of the other powers (e.g. TK choke).

 

[wingsandsword]

In the original d6 RPG they divided force techniques and powers into three broad categories of techniques: Control (Control of your own body and existence), Sense (Sensing things outside yourself), and Alter (altering the Force around you). This was continued in the d20 RPG, and used throughout some of the novels and EU sources as well.

The exact powers vary from source to source, but generally, the link above is fairly accurate. I don't know where a few came from (I have most every book made for the d6 SW RPG and don't recognize some of those powers), but generally that's accurate.

There is no big official definiative list of powers. Throughout Star Wars lore powerful Jedi and Sith have discovered or developed new techniques (although the d6 RPG tried to come up with a power to explain everything every character in all the movies and novels that existed at the time ever did, leading to a huge list). Generally all experienced force users are capiable of the following:

Enhancing physical attributes (speed, strength ect.)
Limited telepathy & empathy
Limited clairvoyance and precognition.
Basic healing
Basic telekinesis
Enhanced combat prowess
Deflecting/absorbing energy attacks (blasters & force lightning)

Dark siders get various attack powers (telekinetic chokes, force lightning ect.)
Light siders get much better healing powers and can learn to be a force ghost/"Blue Glowie"

 

[Banshee16]

You could check the SW RPG, but there's lots of crazy stuff in there (like Force Flight) which isn't in the movies, and as GL has always stated, only the movies are canon.

Basically, any time the Force is used to directly harm someone, it's a Dark Side power. And while Jedi can use these powers, doing so leads down the path to the Dark Side.

But in several instances in the movies, don't Jedi use their powers to harm people? In Ep I, Obi-Wan the Quai-Gon both use the Force to throw droids against walls etc.

In Ep II Anakin uses the force to throw people around.

In Ep III, Yoda uses the force to throw two Imperial Guards against a wall.....there are other instances as well..

Doesn't that count as using the Force to hurt someone?

Banshee

 

[Tonguez]

But in several instances in the movies, don't Jedi use their powers to harm people? In Ep I, Obi-Wan the Quai-Gon both use the Force to throw droids against walls etc.

In Ep II Anakin uses the force to throw people around.

In Ep III, Yoda uses the force to throw two Imperial Guards against a wall.....there are other instances as well..

Doesn't that count as using the Force to hurt someone?

Banshee

No thats using the force to 'throw' people - its the wall that causes them harm

 

[Kesh]

Essentially, powers whose only purpose is to cause harm are Dark Side powers. Other powers can be used to cause harm but, in those cases, it becomes more a matter of what the user's intentions are than the power itself.

Thus, Force Lightning is a Dark Side power. Force Push is not, but the Jedi could move towards the Dark Side if they use the powerin a cruel or vengeful manner (say, flinging an enemy against a hot stovetop and holding them there with it).

 

[Ranger REG]

But in several instances in the movies, don't Jedi use their powers to harm people? In Ep I, Obi-Wan the Quai-Gon both use the Force to throw droids against walls etc.

With all due respect to droids, they are merely objects.

In Ep II Anakin uses the force to throw people around.

For some situations, he was defending himself.

Doesn't that count as using the Force to hurt someone?

To use law enforcement term, only if it is a clear display of excessive force and/or brutality.

Using the force to push the guards into a wall is not excessive force. Force pushing the guards so they went off a cliff might, unless you're defending yourself.

 

[Steverooo]

Memory fails me, but Ben or Yoda gives a good description of the two sides of The Force in one of the movies... The Light Side can be used to Sense and Defend. The Dark Side can be used to Attack. Both sides can use some forms of Telekinesis. Oddly enough, we only see Jedi using the "Jedi Mind Trick".

Also, Yoda tells us that the Sith use the Dark Side of The Force to mask and hide their existance... Thus, the Jedi Council was unaware of them for so long. The black Jedi Master (Windham?) suggests telling the Senate about the Jedis' now-limited use of The Force, but Yoda says no, their enemies would only multiply, if this weakness were made known.

So, the Light Side of The Force can see used to Sense, Defend, and do Telekinesis/Physical Boosting, while the Dark Side can be used for the latter, plus Masking and Attacking.

Hence, Dukou uses Force Lightning (Attack) at Master Yoda, who respond with Force Lightning Absorption & Redirection (Defense), instead of attacking back.

Jedi would tend to be the equal of Sith in combat (depending upon degree of skill or training), the Jedi would tend to be better at perception, but the Sith better at remaining hidden (and hiding their plans). In pure attack, the Sith would excel (and, indded, DID, wiping out almost all of the Jedi between episodes RotS & ANH!)

 

[Plane Sailing]

And you need to be dark side to select from column "c" (lightning, telekenetic choaks, etc).

(Only quoting BG because he was first, others may have missed this too)

Don't forget that Luke uses the force grip to choke gamorran guards when he enters Jabbas palace in ep VI, return of the jedi. Clearly force grip is something that is open to Jedi too.

Cheers

 

[ddvmor]

(Only quoting BG because he was first, others may have missed this too)

Don't forget that Luke uses the force grip to choke gamorran guards when he enters Jabbas palace in ep VI, return of the jedi. Clearly force grip is something that is open to Jedi too.

Cheers

As has been said, I think all the powers are available to all the Force users. It's more the intent that makes it dark or light. Force choke is just Force telekenesis being applied to someone's throat instead of, say a submerged x-wing. Luke had no intent to kill, just to give the guards something to worry about while he walked past.

Presumably, lightning is a more advanced talent and given that it's only application is to harm people, it's teaching is frowned upon. On the other hand, I guess you could use it to hot-wire a car or run your lighting...

I'm probably wrong.

 

[dalfen]

force powers

Having seeing all the movies, and read the old SW and the d20 version IMHO i think that ironically the best place that appear better (or at least the most combat important powers) is in the Knight of the of Republic (specially in the kotor 2) .Of course the list is no exhaustive, there is no force pilot powers for example, but more or less it defines very well the diference between light and dark powers.
Here you have a link for the list and a brief description. http://www.gamespp.com/starwarskotor/characterBuildUpGuide.html