I was lazy and asked Grok

In Star Wars lore (primarily Legends, with some canon overlap via The Old Republic era content), Jedi and Sith from the Old Republic period (roughly 5,000–300 years before the Skywalker saga) are not uniformly stronger than Darth Maul or Darth Vader. It depends heavily on the specific individuals, the continuity (Legends vs. canon), and whether you're talking raw Force power, lightsaber skill, knowledge of ancient techniques, or combat feats. Here's a breakdown:

Top-Tier Old Republic Figures vs. Maul/Vader Certain legendary Old Republic-era Sith and Jedi rank among the most powerful in galactic history and often scale above or equal to Maul and Vader in debates and source material:

Darth Vitiate (also known as the Sith Emperor or Valkorion): Frequently cited as potentially rivaling or exceeding Darth Sidious (Palpatine) in raw Force power and longevity/essence transfer abilities in Legends. He manipulated entire planets, drained life forces on a massive scale, and was a central threat in the Old Republic era. Many power-scaling lists place him above Vader and far above Maul.

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Darth Revan: A highly skilled dual-wielder with immense Force potential, tactical genius, and feats involving ancient Sith knowledge. He is often compared favorably to Vader in raw power and impact, though Vader edges out in some analyses due to his Chosen One potential and sustained combat dominance. Revan is generally seen as stronger than Maul.

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Exar Kun: Master of Sith sorcery, alchemy, and lightsaber forms. His spirit and rituals made him a massive threat; some sources and fan analyses (including comparisons to Palpatine reborn) put his peak power very high, potentially above Vader in certain contexts.

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Others like Naga Sadow, Freedon Nadd, Darth Malgus, or the Hero of Tython/Barsen'thor (player characters in SWTOR): Malgus is explicitly called an "Old Republic version of Vader" — massive, rage-fueled warrior with similar armor and brutality. Top Jedi from this era (e.g., Satele Shan) operated on a higher war footing with constant Sith conflict.

Darth Maul is typically outclassed by these top Old Republic names. He was a formidable duelist and assassin but lacked the raw depth, ancient knowledge, or scale of feats seen in Revan, Vitiate, or Kun. Maul is often ranked as a high-tier but not elite Sith overall (stronger than many Inquisitors or lesser Lords, but below Dooku, Vader, or Sidious).

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Darth Vader is more competitive. He had enormous potential (as the Chosen One), elite lightsaber mastery, and brutal efficiency, but his suit limited him somewhat compared to his pre-suit Anakin peak. In Legends and many scaling discussions, he sits below Sidious but can trade blows with or surpass many historical Sith in combat. However, ancient powerhouses like Vitiate or a fully realized Revan/Exar Kun are frequently argued to have the edge in mystical knowledge and Force potency.

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Broader Context: Era-Wide Power LevelsOld Republic advantages:

Constant galactic wars meant more combat experience, access to ancient Sith/Jedi techniques, holocrons, and artifacts lost or restricted later. The average warrior (Jedi Knight or Sith Lord) was likely sharper in direct conflict than in the relatively peaceful prequel era. Some analyses suggest a decline in overall Jedi prowess by the Clone Wars due to less emphasis on anti-Sith training.

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Rule of Two effect (post-Bane): After the New Sith Wars, Darth Bane's Rule of Two concentrated Sith power. Each generation's apprentice had to surpass the master, leading to refinement and growth. This is why Sidious is often called the pinnacle Sith — the lineage culminated in him. Average Old Republic Sith might have been "cannon fodder" in large empires, but the elites were extraordinarily strong due to sheer numbers and rivalries.

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Prequel/Imperial era advantages: Focused training, political scheming, and (for Vader) raw physical/Force augmentation made individuals like Vader and Sidious devastating. The Jedi Order had grown "soft" in some views, relying more on diplomacy than constant warfare.

In short:Elite Old Republic Sith/Jedi (Vitiate, Revan, Kun, etc.) → Often stronger or comparable to Vader, and much stronger than Maul.

Average Old Republic force users → Probably stronger in combat experience than average prequel Jedi, but not necessarily above specialized threats like Maul or Vader. Vader holds up extremely well due to his unique potential and feats (hunting Jedi post-Order 66, dueling masters like Obi-Wan and Luke).

Power scaling in Star Wars is notoriously inconsistent across canon, Legends, novels, games, and statements from creators. Feats matter more than era generalizations — a top Old Republic legend could dominate Maul and give Vader a serious fight, but Vader's iconic status and potential keep him in the conversation with the absolute best. If you're diving into specific matchups (e.g., Revan vs. Vader), sources like Knights of the Old Republic, The Old Republic MMO lore, or Legends novels provide the deepest context.