Black Strike Ability

[Darzetboy]

How would you convert this Brecht fighting style in 3rd Ed?

I have some rough ideas, but I was after other people's thoughts on this. If others have attempted it so far, please let me know! Unfortunately I don't have my boxed sets in my possession, so if someone could send me or post the 2nd Ed description of the fighting style I'll be grateful.

Dan

[kgauck]

Black Strike, or Black Fencing is the foriegn term for strike-and-block
methods of fencing, or klauenstrichen in Brecht.

2E description:
To learn the black strike style, a character must have a dexterity score of
no less than 12, and must find an insructor willing to teach him. One
weapon proficiency slot must be spent on rapier, one weapon proficiency must
be spent on the secondary weapon, dagger or main gauche. Talented fencers
sometimes use multiple secondary weapons. The secondary weapon must be no
heavier than the rapier and must be useful for parrying, even small shields
and bucklers can be used. A third weapon proficiency slot must be spent to
learn the black strike combination moves. This style incorporates an
aggressive thrusting technique as well as complex footwork and dodges. It
does not allow a character additional attacks for wielding two weapons.

In melee, the character uses the second weapon in a defensive role,
increasing Armor Class by one point for every three levels in addition to
any other modifiers provided by the secondary item. Additionally, the
character subtracts his reaction adjustement (if any) from his AC, as long
as the reaction adj is not higher than his level bonus. This modifier only
applies to one opponant per round, and it has no effect on missile attacks.
The character attacks with his primary weapon normally.

3E conversion.
A Black Strike feat would seem to me to be a pretty powerful and so advanced
feat. If Dodge is made a prerequisite, the Dex requirement goes up to 13,
but that`s not too great a problem. It really seems to be connected to
Expertice too, but that adds an Int requirement of 13. So here is how I
handle that.

Black Strike [General]
You are skilled at parrying attacks and avoiding blows.
Prerequisites: Brecht, Martial Weapons (rapier or saber), Dodge, Base attack
bonus +1 or higher
Benefit: When using a rapier and a secondary weapon as a defensive aid, you
gain a +1 technique AC benefit beyond whatever the aid (shield, dagger, &c)
provides. The off-hand aid must be a light (a weapon one size catagory
smaller than you, or a buckler). This bonus relies on evasion and movement
and hence is allowable only when the normal Dex bonus is. Possession of
this feat allows you to take Expertise without meeting the Int requirement.
Use of the Expertise feat without sufficient Int limits the use of that feat
to the fighting requirements described here.

I have re-worked my Brecht fighting style feats based on additional play
testing, and also provide them here.

Brecht Fighting Style [General]
You are a practiced in the fencing technique common in Brechtür.
Prerequisites: Brecht, Martial Weapons (rapier or saber), Base attack bonus
+1 or higher
Benefit: When using a rapier or saber, you gain a +1 technique AC benefit.
This bonus relies on evasion and movement and hence is allowable only when
the normal Dex bonus is. The character must be in light armor or unarmored.

Berghagen Fighting Style [General]
You are skilled at mirroring your opponent`s posture and guard, making it
impossible to attack without first shifting position or attacking the
defender`s blade.
Prerequisites: Brecht, Base attack bonus +3, Martial Weapons (rapier), and
Expertise
Benefit: In any round, you select one opponant who cannot attack you with a
small or medium weapon if you have the benefit of your Dexterity bonus and
are using a rapier. Your opponent can attack your weapon or attempt to
disarm you normally. Your Dexterity bonus only applies to the opponant you
have selected

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[geeman]

At 05:05 PM 6/23/2002 +0200, Darzetboy wrote:

>How would you convert this Brecht fighting style in 3rd Ed?
>
>I have some rough ideas, but I was after other people`s thoughts on
>this. If others have attempted it so far, please let me
>know! Unfortunately I don`t have my boxed sets in my possession, so if
>someone could send me or post the 2nd Ed description of the fighting style
>I`ll be grateful.

Most aspects of the Black Strike style are really covered now by feats;
ambidexterity, two weapon fighting, off-hand parry. You could make a few
of those feats background feats for Brecht characters, but in translating
the "style" to 3e I don`t think a whole new system is warranted. You could
also add an "Improved off-hand parry" feat that gave a greater AC bonus or
say that one can take that feat more than once with the effects stacking,
but I don`t think more is really necessary.

Gary

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