Duels

by Michael Baumann



Duels

Draggable: Yes
Recursions: Old Mars, Custom Liberty and Death
Recommended Laws: Standard Physics
Connection: If this is your starting focus, choose one of the following connections.
1: Pick one other PC. You fought a duel against a common enemy.
2: Pick one other PC. You killed a distant relative or acquaintance. The player should decide how his character feels about this.
3: Pick one other PC. The PC insulted you in the past. It was a misunderstanding and an apology was immediately offered, but it still rankles you.
4: Pick one other PC. You helped prepare the PC for a duel. The outcome of the duel (whether it was won, lost or even called off) is up to that player.
Equipment: Elegant clothing, a well-made rapier or smallsword and 400 shillings.
Minor Effect Suggestion: Your skill with the blade dazzles your target for one round, during which time the difficulty of all tasks it performs are modified by one step to its detriment.
Major Effect Suggestion: With a subtle twist, you disarm your opponent, sending his weapon flying 1D6 + 2 yards in any direction you choose.

You hold strongly to your principles and most people respect you for this. You are more than capable of defending yourself. You spend long hours honing your skill in the salle d’armes and look forward to testing yourself on the field of honor. Some may whisper that you are hot-tempered and itching for a fight, but they are wrong. Honor is paramount, without it we would be little more than beasts.

This focus is designed for dueling cultures of the sixteenth through eighteenth century. It would also be appropriate for Old Mars or similar Planetary Romance recursions. It can be re-skinned to a Samurai focus by replacing references to dueling swords with katana and wakizashi. It can also be used as a martial artist focus by replacing references to dueling swords with punches and kicks.

Tier 1: Duelist. You gain +2 damage with your rapier or smallsword. Enabler.

     Lightning Reflexes. You are trained in Initiative. Enabler.

Tier 2: Web of Steel. You are nearly impossible to hit. You are trained in Speed defense rolls when wielding a dueling sword. Enabler.

Tier 3: Riposte (3 Speed points). If you succeed in defending against a melee attack, you may immediately launch a counter attack against your foe. You may not put effort into this attack, but any special abilities (such as duelist) will function normally. Enabler.

Tier 4: Seasoned Fencer. You are trained in using dueling weapons. If already trained in Light Piercing melee weapons, you become specialized instead.

Tier 5: Bladesman. You gain +2 damage with your rapier or smallsword. This bonus adds to the one from Duelist, giving you a total of +4 damage. Enabler.

Tier 6: Unstoppable Attack (4 Speed points). When using a dueling sword, you may reroll any attack roll you wish and take the better of the two. Enabler.