Swordplay is one of the oldest arts of defense in the world. The sword has long been the choice weapon of both gentleman and scoundrel. This set of options presents opportunities across a wide variety of D6 settings, from the vibroblades of Star Wars, to the duel in Renaissance Europe, to a fantastic fantasy setting with flashing broadswords. Based on an optional rules set for a martial arts specialization, this set allows for more cinematic sword battles.
This article originally written and posted by Cheshire.
The rules for the swordplay techniques are designed to handle a wide variety of swordsmanship styles, and should be applicable through various eras of play. The basis for this set comes from the Star Wars Roleplaying game’s supplement Rules of Engagement martial arts specialization. Where the rules call for the techniques to be learned under a specialization, many gamemasters require the techniques to be learned as part of an advanced skill. The concern is that quick advancement and low point cost for such a diverse skill may overpower a character too quickly. Gamemasters are encouraged to make whichever choice suits their games and players, though this set will present the set as part of a skill specialization, following suit with similar West End Games official rules.In order to create a more cinematic style of fighting, players are required to make use of a new specialization under the melee weapons skill. The new specialization is melee weapons: swordplay. For every 1D that a character increases her swordplay specialization, she may pick one of the sword techniques described below. The character may only pick one technique for every die of skill improvement; increasing a skill by one or two pips is not sufficient advancement to select a technique. Characters whose swordplay specialization is increased during character creation are eligible to select from the sword techniques. Example: Shandru is a fighter with a melee weapons skill of 3D+2. During character creation he improves his swordplay specialization to 4D+2. He may now pick a sword technique from the list below. After an adventure, he increases his specialization to 5D. He must wait to pick a technique until he reaches 5D+2. He may then pick a second technique. A character must also declare which swordplay technique he is using prior to making the required skill roll (unless otherwise indicated). Once the character has decided on which technique to use, he must then roll his swordplay specialization dice and meet a base difficulty level. For example, it is Very Difficult to disarm an opponent. If the roll succeeds, the character has successfully disarmed his foe. If he fails the base difficulty, then the desired affect does not take place. Some techniques may require the character to beat an opposed roll. The swordplay specialization replaces the melee weapons and melee parry rolls. Some of the techniques may be used exclusively on a defensive roll, others on an attack roll, and some may be used for either. If the maneuver is offensive, then it must not only meet the required difficulty, but must beat the opponent’s opposed roll (unless otherwise stated). (Examples will follow.)
Techniques: Advance – Easy – This technique attempts to set a flurry of attacks and drive the opponent back, or herd the opponent in one direction or another. Even if attack is successfully parried, the player may maneuver the combat up to one meter in the direction of his choice. Brawl – Easy – When engaged in combat; the character can find an opening in his opponent’s defenses to get in close to deliver a punch or kick. If the technique is successfully employed (on either a defensive or offensive roll) the character may make a free brawling roll with no multiple action penalties. This technique succeeds even if the initial attack is parried or if he fails to parry his opponent’s strike (assuming that he can still make actions after being hurt that round).Defensive Stance – Easy – The character may choose to make no offensive actions in a round in order to bolster his defenses. Once the player succeeds in making his roll, the may then add another 2D to the total for his defense number for the round.Double Attack – Moderate – After the player makes an attack, she may make a second attack at no penalty, though with reduced force. The second attack has has the normal damage reduced by -1D. This technique succeeds even if the initial attack is parried.Riposte – Moderate – After the player makes a successful parry, she may make a free counter-attack with no penalty, though with a reduced force. The counter-attack has the normal damage reduced by -1D. Push – Moderate - When the character successfully parries an attack, she makes a free strength roll (against the attacker’s strength) to use her sword to push the attacker backwards and onto the ground. Standing back up is an action. Limb Slash – Difficult – When the player makes an attack roll, he may choose to concentrate his attack on a specific limb, attempting to disable his opponent, rather than kill her. If the attack roll succeeds, calculate damage normally, but applying the effect only to the targeted limb. For example, if the character receives a wound to the limb, it is at a –1D penalty to all actions done with that limb. If the result would have resulted in death, then the limb is completely severed. The effect on the rest of the opponent’s body is two wound levels less than the affect to the limb. For example, if the limb is severed (on a result of “dead”) then the character is incapacitated. Precise Strike – Difficult – On the character’s attack roll, she may attempt to strike at the joints of her opponent’s armor, hitting where her opponent is weakest. If the technique is successfully employed, the opponent looses –1D from his armor bonus. If the player exceeds the difficulty by +10 or more, the opponent looses –2D from his armor bonus. Disarm – Very Difficult – While attacking or defending the player attempts to maneuver his sword and send the opponent’s blade out of his hand and out of reach. If this technique is employed while attacking, it requires the whole of the character’s attention and thus he cannot hit his opponent to do damage.
Example one: Shandru has a melee weapons: Sworldplay specialization of 4D. He is attacking an armed opponent and wishes to use one of the techniques learned from his master. The opponent has a melee parry of 5D. Shandru chooses a technique, and then strikes. He chooses to use double attack, and rolls his 4D for a result of 15. Shandru’s opponent rolls his 5D for a result of 17, enough to parry the first attack. Since Shandru met the difficulty for his technique, he may roll again with no penalty, this time getting an 18. The attack his higher than his opponent’s parry roll, and thus rolls damage, but at a -1D penalty.
Example two: Ambelled Daru is in a vibroblade combat with the vicious bounty hunter Mal’anar. Ambelled wishes to move the combat to a ground where he feels he will have an advantage, and so he selects the advance technique. He rolls 5D for his swordplay specialization, for a result of 18. Mal’anar rolls his 5D+2 swordplay in order to parry (though without employing any particular technique) for a result of 21. Ambelled’s attacks are parried, though he is able to move the combat one meter closer to a perilous ledge.
Example three: Mal’anar is not fond of being pushed off of cliffs, and thus he decides to attempt to bring the duel to an end while bringing his quarry in alive. He chooses to use the disarm technique, and then rolls his 5D+2 and rolls a 23. Ambelled attempts to parry using his swordplay specialization for a result of 18, not enough to counter Mal’anar’s attempt. Ambelled looses the grip on his blade as it goes flying!
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