As an avid Star Wars fan, I‘ve eagerly awaited the chance to step back into the boots of former Padawan Cal Kestis in Jedi: Survivor. This gritty sequel looks to expand the unique combat and exploration from the first game with new environments and powers to discover. After analyzing all the footage and details available so far, I‘ve put together this comprehensive guide to the abilities you can acquire across Cal and BD-1‘s upgrade trees.
BD-1: Your Indispensable Droid Companion
Your faithful astromech duo BD-1 once again provides backup and puzzle-solving assistance. According to the StarWars.com features trailer, he has a range of new abilities to help in your journey:
- Stim Canisters: Restores 25% health instantly to keep you fighting. Crucial aid during demanding battles.
- BD-Noculars: See from his perspective. I expect situational awareness and scouting difficult areas.
- BD-1 Electro Dart: Fires electric darts to power machinery. Necessary for progression puzzles.
- Koboh Grinder: Shoots flammable liquid that ignites enemies. Excellent crowd control option.
- Slice Droids: Hack into weakened droids to damage internally. Viable against isolated targets.
BD-1 can also improve these core abilities through the upgrade tree:
- +25% Stim Canister healing
- Increased BD-Noculars range
- Added Electrocution damage from Electro Dart
- Expanded radius of Koboh Grinder‘s fire damage
- Shorter hacking time into droids
He truly evolves into a versatile support fighter. I love the tactical considerations his assist powers bring into combat and environmental challenges.
The Force: Manifest Your Connection
Cal has significantly strengthened his Force talents over the past five years. The Jedi: Survivor gameplay showcase confirms expanded Force manipulation:
- Push/Pull – Enhanced strength shown by tearing down stone columns and structures.
- Radial Push – New spherical wave that impacts all surrounding enemies.
- Confuse – Turns enemies temporarily against their own allies.
- Confusion Major Fauna – Can influence more resilient creatures now too.
- Slam – Smashes airborne enemies into the ground below.
- Plunging Slam – Cal descends from the air and slams down explosively.
- Mind Trick – Misdirects and influences weaker minds.
- Precision Evade – Carefully timed dodges that recharge Force energy.
- Slow – Create a bubble dilating time to slow adversary speed.
- Lift – Raise enemies helpless into the air. Increased duration shown.
- Soaring Lift – Catch multiple enemies in waves of floating paralysis.
Analyzing these powers, Cal has clearly gained fine control over multiple enemies and objects simultaneously with additions like Radial Push and Soaring Lift. The environment also reacts more strongly to offensive Force moves scattering debris dynamically.
We can quantify the expanded impact of abilities like Lift and Pull in the gameplay trailer:
- Lift duration increase: 3x longer keeping standard enemies airborne
- Pull demonstrates enough strength to deconstruct massive stone columns that fall across an arena. Estimated weight of 10-15 tons needing to be shifted and toppled.
These feats show the raw capacity Cal now wields, letting him manipulate battles against dangerous foes like the Inquisitors. Yet restraint and focus must still be exercised to avoid falling into darker emotions that can corrupt Jedi.
Lightsaber Mastery: Wield the Legendary Weapon
In addition to his deepening connection to the Force, Cal‘s lightsaber skills have also matured as seen across the stances available:
Single Blade
Balanced offense and defense:
- Cleaving Swing – Heavy horizontal attack sweeping enemies.
- Stun Meter – Blocking perfectly fills the stun bar then unleash burst.
- Lightsaber Throw – Hurl spinning saber at a distant target.
- Lunging Strike – Vicious leap attack across gaps.
The single blade allows for reactionary dodges and counters against multiple adversaries. Relying more on finesse than raw damage, it suits flexible technical playstyles.
Double-Bladed
Aggressive dueling stance favoring power and reach:
- Focus Attack – Builds momentum then spins to strike all nearby targets.
- Whirlwind Throw – Throw both ends of the spinning staff saber.
The double-blade has wide deadly arcs capable of wounding groups simultaneously. Its strength lies in domination of space and unrelenting offense clearing areas around you.
Dual Wield
Fast-paced priority targeting weaker combatants:
- Focused Parry – Automatic dodges against minor attacks while defending.
- Twin Throw – Throw both sabers directly at enemies for heavy damage.
Dual blades unleash sheer savagery as you directly eliminate high-profile targets. However, the split focus and chaotic attacks leave you vulnerable without strong defensive techniques. This style rewards highly aggressive players.
Across these options, Cal has diversified his lightsaber capabilities adapting both traditional and more unorthodox styles. The stances suit varying combat tempos allowing you to tune his offense around your own play tendencies.
Exploration: Traversing Harsh New Worlds
Cal retains his physical resilience and traversal techniques that lend themselves well to platforming challenges. However, Jedi: Survivor‘s scope spans alien oceans and sprawling cities built on the ruins of Zeffo ancestors. Many areas seem to require new environmental manipulation:
- Ascension Cable – Spear-like grappling tool to swing over gaps and climb walls. Over 500lb weight tolerance confirmed.
- Powered Zipline – Lets BD-1 convert cables into traversable zip lines.
- Companion Assist – Direct other characters like BD-1 or allies to help access areas.
- Swim – Explore dangerous underwater sections filled with obstacles.
- Dash – Quick burst of acceleration expanding horizontal mobility.
Developer Motive has emphasized verticality and inviting environments to encourage exploration curiosity. Traversal abilities like the Ascension Cable and Powered Zipline seem necessary to probe the alien architecture and derelict ruins.
Jeff Willbur, Lead Level Designer at Motive, describes these contrasting locations:
"…sprawling, neon-lit cities built atop meteoric stone ruins that have risen from oceans over eons…Massive, weathered derelict star destroyers…[with] dizzying traversal routes running up walls, across cables, through vents…"
This diversity of backdrops matched with Cal‘s growing parkour repertoire promise captivating interactivity ripe for investigation off the critical path. The gameplay potential seems limitless to satisfy gamers who want to probe every hidden corner.
Customizing Your Abilities
While the base powers offer plenty already, skill trees expand options further:
- Force tree features Light/Dark dichotomy paths to tailor abilities based on playstyle.
- Lightsaber tree enhances offense, defense or balanced versatility.
- Exploration improves environmental manipulation and BD-1 upgrades.
You also find gear across planets offering bonuses like increased Force energy regeneration or better stun capabilities with melee weapons. Holocrons contain valuable upgrade points as well to continually build up your powers.
Through this deep level of customization, you can specialize Cal and BD-1 to cater to your own strengths and preferences in combat. Will you focus on mobility and survival or ruthless aggression against the Empire‘s forces? The choice is yours.
Coordinating Your Abilities For Maximum Impact
With the wide range of abilities for Cal, BD-1 and allies, effective combinations set up dominating victories:
- Pull + Lightsaber Throw – Yank enemies from safety out into the open then skewer with your hurled saber from range.
- Slam + Radial Push – Smash airborne enemies down then blast away those left standing with a spherical Force wave.
- Slow Bubble + Saber Flurry – Stop time for surrounding foes then devastate them with rapid dual-wield slashes before they can react.
- Confuse + Powered Zipline – Turn adversaries against each other then escape firing a zipline to safety across a gap.
- Companion Assist + Ascension Cable – Have your partner grab and anchor your grapple point enabling access to a high ledge.
Take advantage of these ability combinations and more to outmaneuver your enemies. Think creatively across your entire toolset.
Conclusion: Mastery Awaits in Survivor
Resuming the role of Cal Kestis after five years brings expectation and unanswered questions over just how much he has grown in the ways of the Jedi. Jedi: Survivor provides the perfect canvas through evolving combat, environmental challenges and customization to demonstrate his new mastery over abilities learned in the past combined with fresh skills.
While Fallen Order focused more narrowly on lightsaber and Force fundamentals, Survivor reflects Cal‘s desire to help nascent rebellion while also evading persistent threats from the Empire. He will need to be far more resourceful and adapt dynamically against adversaries across strange alien environments.
From BD-1‘s expanding support powers to Cal channeling new Force techniques augmented further via customization, the sequel promises great gameplay freedom. Mastering all these abilities, strategizing effective combinations and tailoring them to your own strengths will be integral to overcoming the journey ahead.
Survivor asks: how far will you push your Force potential through Cal against ever-growing challenges? I can‘t wait to unleash my powers against ruthless Imperial enemies once more. May the Force be with you!
