Candidates for Tier 8 combatants?

With Anakin, Mace, Sidious and Yoda being confirmed for tier 9 status, and the likes of Luke Skywalker certainly being there as well, I'm curious to see who you'd rank as a tier 8 combatant. Again, we're counting all relevant facets of dueling (skill, experience, Force augmentation, Force reserves, etc.)

By Nick Gillard's measurements, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Tyranus & Darth Maul all fit into this tier. This is likely to be a rather expansive list (since the tier is quite big and not everybody in it is equal).

Since TPM Kenobi is confirmed to be tier 7, and Qui-Gon is just a tad above him, I'd rank Qui-Gon near the top of tier 7 but not quite in tier 8, yet.

So my candidates for tier 8 would be: Darth Vader, Rebels Ahsoka, RotJ Luke, Ven Zallow, Aryn Leneer, Darth Malgus, Sora Bulq, Darth Tenebrous, Jaina Solo, Kyle Katarn, Mara Jade Skywalker, Ulic Qel-Droma, the Hero of Tython, the Emperor's Wrath, Meetra Surik, Darth Malak, Darth Bane, Darth Zannah, Savage Opress and Asajj Ventress.

All of the notable Ancient Sith fit in here as well.

Not too sure about Jaden Korr, Darth Nox or the Barsen'thor, but they're all possibilities.

Ahsoka.

Also, I'd personally have Vader in tier 9.

Edit: And TPM Kenobi is tier 7? Interesting.

Darth Malgus, Aryn Leneer, Rebels Ahsoka, and Sora Bulq

Wyyrlok and Zallow should be up there if Meetra is

Originally posted by |King Joker|
Ahsoka.

Forgot about her. Rebels Ahsoka, yeah. Not TCW.

Also, I'd personally have Vader in tier 9.

Why? Lucas thinks he's more comparable to Dooku and Maul than Sidious, and wrote him that way. I know other authors are generally more favorable to him, but I don't think he's done anything that merits being tier 9.

Unless you think RotJ Luke also qualifies as tier 9?

Edit: And TPM Kenobi is tier 7? Interesting.

Yeah, Gillard states that Obi-Wan's gone up one level from TPM to RotS, whilst Anakin's gone up four levels from AotC to RotS, which is just insane, tbh.

Originally posted by carthage
Darth Malgus, Aryn Leneer, Rebels Ahsoka, and Sora Bulq

Wyyrlok and Zallow should be up there if Meetra is

Bulq, Ahsoka, Leneer, Zallow and Malgus are, yeah. Wyyrlok's pretty much an unknown, but that reminds me - Cade Skywalker's tier 8 too.

Tier 8 should be broken down to Mid-High-Low tier

Originally posted by carthage
Tier 8 should be broken down to Mid-High-Low tier

A good idea. Could you compile such a list now?

Yeah Rebels Ashoka is just under Kenobi and Maul for me. Maul and Malgus are top of Tier 8 (excluding Dooku)
Cade Skywalker, Sora Bulq, Maybe Asajj Ventress on her best day

Originally posted by SunRazer
Why? Lucas thinks he's more comparable to Dooku and Maul than Sidious, and wrote him that way. I know other authors are generally more favorable to him, but I don't think he's done anything that merits being tier 9.

Originally posted by SunRazer
Unless you think RotJ Luke also qualifies as tier 9?

Originally posted by SunRazer
Yeah, Gillard states that Obi-Wan's gone up one level from TPM to RotS, whilst Anakin's gone up four levels from AotC to RotS, which is just insane, tbh.

If a Vader vs Maul fight happens in rebels it'll have Vader winning clearly and Maul on the defense and you know why... Because it's too hard to animate. Vader's style makes no sense with animation involved. Just look at his fight against Ashoka, he looks slow and sloppy; missing Ashoka all the time with heavy cleaves and cuts. If you take Maul as of his fight against Sheev, the animators had Maul going damn quick. Just imagine Vader moving that fast to block all those strikes! It wouldn't be keeping with his style and makes no sense.
This is the dilemma

Originally posted by |King Joker|
Really? Because recently I think it's been made extremely clear Vader is the top dog, compared to Maul and Dooku. Rebels has certainly implied as such. Vader's Force feats and new combat feats in Rebels make me think he's a definite tier 9.

What combat feats put Vader in tier 9? Beating Karbin? Force feats don't count, as I said.

That reminds me - a well-written Grievous is tier 8, too.

Regardless, it's a possibility that Vader's tier 9, but I mean, Dooku's clearly above Maul/Obi-Wan, yet he's not tier 9. Vader can be above them without being tier 9, IMO. I don't think we can say with certainty that he's there yet. That only applies to Canon, though - Legends Vader is unquestionably tier 8.

Not really sure how seriously I take Luke beating Vader, honestly.

Luke beating Vader is through rage, but he stalemates him before that.

...TPM Kenobi > AotC Anakin confirmed? 😖

Yeah, I always found that strange, considering that Anakin's challenged Dooku in older sources and in one of the JQ novels, Kenobi muses that Anakin's displayed combative Force mastery rivaling the likes of Qui-Gon Jinn. There's no way that TPM Kenobi is a full two tiers ahead of Anakin.

So rebels has ****ed Quanchi and Kurk already

High tier 8s: Dooku, Malgus, Maul, Kenobi, Ahsoka, Cade, Ulic Qel-Droma, Jaina Solo, HoT, Emperor's Wrath, Arcann, Darth Zannah

Mid tier 8s: Ven Zallow, Aryn Leneer, Mara Jade Skywalker, Kyle Katarn, Sora Bulq, Ventress, Shaak Ti, Plo Koon, Kit Fisto, Darth Nihl, Kas'im, Satele Shan, Savage Opress, Darth Marr

Low tier 8s: Darth Talon, Kao Cen Darach, etc

Originally posted by |King Joker|
High tier 8s: Dooku, Malgus, Maul, Kenobi, Ahsoka, Cade, Ulic Qel-Droma, Jaina Solo, HoT, Emperor's Wrath, Arcann, Darth Zannah

Mid tier 8s: Ven Zallow, Aryn Leneer, Mara Jade Skywalker, Kyle Katarn, Sora Bulq, Ventress, Shaak Ti, Plo Koon, Kit Fisto, Darth Nihl, Kas'im, Satele Shan, Savage Opress, Darth Marr

Low tier 8s: Darth Talon, Kao Cen Darach, etc

Surik's there if Zallow is, lol. Forgot Arcann, though. You rank Satele quite high. I think that's passable in terms of holistic intent, though.

Where's Bane, by the way? You have Zannah up high but Bane's nowhere to be seen. Also, Kolar deserves to be mid or even high-tier 8. Saesee's probably low-mid 8.

Originally posted by |King Joker|
Kas'im,

lmao

Kas'im's tier 7, yeah. His superiority over someone who can blitz Sirak doesn't justify being on the same level as Ven Zallow, who blitzes some of the best warriors in the Empire. He doesn't have anything to his credit above Qui-Gon, who's tier 7.

Also, if Satele's mid-8 and Wrath high-8, then Baras is at least low/mid-8.

Honestly anyone in tier 8 should butcher Kas'im handily

He hasn't done anything placing him above Jinn or Mundi in lightsaber skill. Baras and Satele would have no issues fighting off POD Bane/stomping Sirak

I know I'll catch some flak for this, but Traya and Rand are tier 8. Sion's tier 7. Atris is either tier 7 or low tier 8.

Originally posted by carthage
Honestly anyone in tier 8 should butcher Kas'im handily

He hasn't done anything placing him above Jinn or Mundi in lightsaber skill.

Actually, you're right. I'm putting Kas'im in tier 7, lol.

Originally posted by SunRazer
What combat feats put Vader in tier 9? Beating Karbin? Force feats don't count, as I said.

Originally posted by SunRazer
Luke beating Vader is through rage, but he stalemates him before that.

Originally posted by SunRazer
Yeah, I always found that strange, considering that Anakin's challenged Dooku in older sources and in one of the JQ novels, Kenobi muses that Anakin's displayed combative Force mastery rivaling the likes of Qui-Gon Jinn. There's no way that TPM Kenobi is a full two tiers ahead of Anakin.

Originally posted by |King Joker|
Controlling the fight against Ahsoka, who's stalemated Maul. And yeah, I missed that.

DS nexus?

Maybe Gillard's tiers are horseshit. mmm

I'm not saying they're canonical. I'm just seeing how the KMC community would build on his established rankings.

Although they wouldn't factor in Legends/future material, Gillard's rankings align with Legends/future material quite well with a couple of discrepancies.