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Thread: Fighting Style

  1. #1
    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
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    I try to select about four fighting styles for each of the main cultures.
    Such has three purposes. First, I can construct a standard NPC pattern
    (like the single one which the DMG provides for every class), regardless of
    class. Second, players can get a sense of typical or probable fighting
    styles of NPC`s they spot. Third, I can more easily select, customize, or
    create prestige classes with some idea of how they fight.

    The Rjurik fight with four primary weapons - sword, bow, axe, and spear.
    Anyone might fight with any weapon, although swords are by far the least
    common specialty weapon. Swords are expensive and don`t have the same kinds
    of economic uses that bows or axes have. Swords are, therefore, the weapons
    of a specialized warrior class. Spears are very common because they are
    inexpensive, and used for hunting.

    Swords are normally associated with the dryhten, or noble class. Nobles
    might use any weapon, but few other than nobles use swords. The typical
    sword style focuses on strength, intelligence, and strategy. Favored feats
    include the Power Attack sequence, Weapon Focus, and Iron Will.

    Axes are the favored weapon of traditional Rjurik. It can be thrown,
    wielded in melee, and used as a tool. The typical axe style focuses on
    strength and speed. Favored feats include Point Blank Shot and Far Shot for
    throwing axes (often performed immediatly before closing) Weapon Focus, and
    the Power Attack sequence for battle or great axes. Great Fortitude is also
    common.

    Bows are the favored weapon of a good number of Rjurik. Composite Long Bows
    are an exotic weapon in Cerilia, but only a martial weapon in Rjurik. Long
    Bows can be found in Anuire as well, but Short Bows are the universal bow.
    Khinasi favor Composite Short Bows. Archers favor the Point Blank Short
    sequence, Dodge, Quick Draw, Alertness, Improved Initiative, as well as
    Dodge, Spring Attack, and Lighting Reflexes.

    Spears are the most common weapon in Rjurik. The typical spear style
    focuses on defense, agility, and patience. Weapon Focus, Dodge, Spring
    Attack, Combat Reflexes, Hold the Line, Set Spear, and Close Order Fighting.
    Every cnyht (squire) employs the long spear, because its reach allows the
    cnyht to keep foes away, while having the ability to use the Aid Another
    action to assist their dryht. Depending on their training, spear users
    might be found in either pike or irregular units.

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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    How about the other fighting styles?
    The Sword and Shield of the Anuirean?
    The Black Strike Fancing of Brecht?
    It´s my job to keep the punk rock!

  3. #3
    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
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    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Onwen Agelmore" <brnetboard@TUARHIEVEL.ORG>
    Sent: Monday, December 16, 2002 5:01 PM

    > How about the other fighting styles?
    > The Sword and Shield of the Anuirean?
    > The Black Strike Fancing of Brecht?

    I`m not ready to get quite this precise, I`m still going over more general
    trends. Black Strike is one specific style. I`m still trying to work out
    the list of weapons and how they are used, and who uses them. I know the
    Brecht are going to use rapiers with a dexterity style, and crossbows. I`ll
    add sabers on horseback, a noble style not much practiced beyond the
    aristocratic warriors. And, say a halberd, for fending off cavalry and
    pulling them down off their horses. That`s around the block though.

    Anuireans.
    Their pole arm is a pike (like a glaive, but it can be set against a
    charge.) Its wielded primarily by townsfolk who train together once a
    month. They invariably take the military feats, Hold the Line, Set Spear,
    Close Order Fighting, Combat Reflexes, and frequently Expertise and Improved
    Trip.

    Swords are expensive, so are typically a noble weapon. Anuireans get
    bastard sword as a martial weapon. Such fighters often use a large shield.
    They favor Power Attack, Improved Shield Bash, Shield Charge, Power Lunge,
    Shield Expert, Power Charge, and Two-Handed Power Strike. Advanced
    practitioners, adventurers, and those who are near to goblin realms work the
    cleave sequence in there too.

    Bows. Anuireans are not the archers that the Rjurik are, and so only wield
    the longbow, not the composite longbow. Typically, to reflect this lower
    degree of devotion, archers are more of a mixed type. In Archer units, the
    mixure is with a commoner or expert class. In the adventurer, the archer
    sequence of feats is combined with feats that do double duty with melee,
    like Dodge, Alertness, Quick Draw, and Expertise. Most archers are also
    pretty good with a mace, adventurers and nobles often prefer a shortsword.

    The lance as a specialty is unique to Anuire. Anuire and Khinasi are both
    mounted experts, but the Anuireans focus on heavy, shock combat. Whether
    the heavily armored knight, or the lightly armored, cavalry, the emphisis is
    on shock. The Mounted Combat sequence is common (except mounted Archery) as
    well as Weapon Focus (Lance). Once this sequence is completed, or well
    under way, feats from the sword style are added for sustained melee.
    Cavalry tend to favor the morningstar, knights the sword. Many Anuirean
    knightly orders provide special trianing in unique prestige classes for
    mounted combatants.

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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  4. #4
    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
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    Thinking about the Black Strike fighting style, I think the best way to
    handle it is to follow AEG`s swashbuckling CS. Half or more of their PrC`s
    are actually fighting styles. The shorter ones, 3 level and 5 level PrC`s
    are mostly fighting styles, and the 10 level ones are the more familiar
    organization based PrC`s. IMO, much in the Swashbuckling CS can be used for
    Br.

    Black Strike Swordsman

    Requirements:
    BAB +4
    Feats Weapon Focus (rapier), Weapon Focus (main gauche)
    Skills Bluff 6 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks

    HD 10

    Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Disguise, Escape Artist, Heal, Jump,
    Listen, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Tumble, Use Rope.
    Skill Points at Each Level: 6+Int modifier

    Lvl BAB Fort Ref Will Special
    1 +1 +0 +2 +0 Finesse, Off-Handed Fighting
    2 +2 +0 +3 +0 Bonus Feat
    3 +3 +1 +3 +1 Lunge and Feint
    4 +4 +1 +4 +1 Bonus Feat
    5 +5 +1 +4 +1 Light Footed

    Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A student of this school is proficient with
    the rapier and main gauche (dagger used in the off-hand). This school does
    not encourage the use of armor or shields by its practitioners.
    Finesse: At 1st level, when wearing light or no armor and armed with a
    rapier or a rapier and main gauche may use their Dexterity modifier instead
    of their Strength modifier on attack rolls.
    Off-Handed Fighting: When wearing light or no armor and armed with a small
    blade in their off-hand, a student of this school can fight with two weapons
    as if he had the feats Ambidexterity and Two-Weapon Fighting.
    Bonus Feats: At 2nd level, a student of this school gets a bonus feat as a
    fighter would. He gains an additional bonus feat at 4th level.
    Lunge and Feint: At 3rd level, the black strike swordsman has learned how to
    lunge for extra damage and feint for additional defense. When wielding a
    rapier and main gauche or a rapier alone, the practitioner may fight as if
    he had the feat Power Attack. When wielding a rapier and a main gauche, the
    practitioner may fight as if he had the feat Expertise.
    Light Footed: At 5th level, the practitioners of this school may add their
    Int or Wis modifier (whichever is higher) to his AC and Ref save while
    wearing light or no armor. This is a dodge bonus that is lost whenever the
    black strike swordsman is denied his Dex modifier to AC.

    There are a variety of cool PrC`s based on specific fighting styles. I am
    particularly fold of the greatsword technique (Drexel Swordsman), the
    mounted spearman technique (Pösen Boar Spear Fighter), and the axe
    specialist (Bogatyr Hatchet Fighter). This has as much to do with my
    campaign being in the Taelshore as it does with the PrC`s themselves. There
    are other good ones I just won`t be able to use much.

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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    Site Moderator Ariadne's Avatar
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    May be a fighting style of a warrior is influenced by religion too (O.K. in Rjurik there might be no difference), but I think some fighters prefer a weapon favored by the god they follow and so may be a fighting style not normal for the region...
    May Khirdai always bless your sword and his lightning struck your enemies!

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    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Ariadne" <brnetboard@TUARHIEVEL.ORG>
    Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2003 6:07 PM

    > May be a fighting style of a warrior is influenced by religion too
    > (O.K. in Rjurik there might be no difference), but I think some
    > fighters prefer a weapon favored by the god they follow and so
    > may be a fighting style not normal for the region...

    I think you could upgrade that "maybe" to a "certainly". However, it makes
    a lot of sense to talk about these influences seperatly. The combinations
    of culture, class, social status, and religion create so many combinatioins
    of influences that it would quickly become overwhemling. One should
    understand that seperating these things out reflects tendencies, and that
    cominations of tendencies allow players more flexibility, because they are
    less rigid and more easily comprehensible.

    When examining a specific character concept you can try to intersect these
    four constraints (culture, class, social status, religion, along with any
    others that are appropriate for the character) and figure out what is
    appropriate. Generalizing for all the possible combinations would be a vast
    undertaking.

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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  7. #7
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    Try the "Quintessential Fighter" from Mongoose Publishing. Here are several Fighting Styles listed.
    my purpose is now to lead you into the Pallace where you shall have a clear and delightful view of all those various objects, and scattered excellencies, that lye up and down upon the face of creation, which are only seen by those that go down into the Seas, and by no other....

  8. #8
    Site Moderator kgauck's Avatar
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    I wonder if anyone has seen the show "Conquest" on the History Channel on
    American cable. The BBC are involved in some of their shows, so presumably
    distribute some of this stuff themselves.

    Anyway, they just did a show about the axe as a weapon. Very interesting
    for developing fighting styles. They mentioned that shows have already
    covered swords, maces, and bows. Here are some points from the show:

    The axe is a terrible defensive weapon. Its weight is all at one end, and
    its unwieldy. Once you get it moving, its hard to change direction in
    responce to a threat. In offence its nearly unbeatable. You can get more
    swings in (they show a women getting in four attacks in two seconds) than
    most other weapons, and here the weight being all at the business end is an
    advantage. The spear and swordsmen got in far fewer attacks, and the
    spearmen had his weapon sundered without any special effort. This makes the
    berserker style of combat possible. Those bear chested warriors swinging
    axes were 100% offense and 0% defence. Because the axe is heavy, and
    lopsided, it requires a bit more skill and strength than, say, the spear.
    It lacks the grace and balance of the sword, and the trial team often
    declared a preference for a sword (then the host of the show did the sword
    on axe demonstration in which the axe got in a dozen hits and the sword got
    none as well as driving the swordsmen back).

    Since the way to represent special skill, training, and practice with a
    weapon is through feats, most of my mechanics based on the show are feats.
    There is one rule which I will apply generally, however: you cannot fight
    defensively (and therefore cannot use feats that improve fighting
    defensively) with an axe.

    The disadvantage is right up there in front. Here are the feats:

    Flurry of Blows
    You attack with a flurry of blows swinging your axe wildly.
    Prerequisites: Str 13+, Power Attack
    Benefit: When engaged in melee combat with an axe, you may make one
    additional attack in a round at your highest base attack, but this attack
    and every other attack you make this round suffers a -2 penalty. This
    benefit requires the full attack action.

    Brutal Axe
    Your flurry of axe blows are more effective
    Prerequisites: Str 13+, Power Attack, Flurry of Blows
    Benefit: Attack an object and bull rush actions do not provoke attacks of
    opportunity when fighting with an axe in melee combat. Also, your strength
    bonus is doubled during opposed attack or strength checks for these actions.

    Zone of the Axe
    The area you threaten is especially dangerous to opponants
    Prerequisites: Flurry of Blows, Brutal Axe, BAB +6 or higher
    Benefit: You get a bonus attack of opportunity against any opponant who is
    not fighting defensivly. You may only have one opponant who has targeted
    you this round. This benefit requires a bit more control than is possible
    with a flurry of blows, so does not stack with that ability.

    Axe wielders like to combine a flurry of blows, or a zone of the axe with a
    charge.

    Kenneth Gauck
    kgauck@mchsi.com

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    You might also want to look into the fighting feats in the newest Dragon
    mag, which arrived in my mailbox today. "Wild swings" or something close to
    that, was one of them.

    Lee.

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  10. #10
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    Very Well! :)
    The Vikings ware the best on offense, butt they didnt care for defense.
    Your text about axe is very good.
    But your feats?
    Arent they a bit strong?
    Make a second attack on the firts lvl is very strong!
    You may say that you can make it whith point blank and rapid.
    It is trong too...
    You are making 100% more attacks than other peoples.
    Imagine Fighter 1
    Power Attack
    Flurry of Blows (axe)
    Cleave

    This fighter has a chance to make 3 attacks in one round on the first lvl...
    It´s my job to keep the punk rock!

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