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