Rules: New Martial Art Styles

Weapon and Shield

The character has trained extensively to use a weapon and shield at the same time.  This style is based on techniques collected from Samurai, European knights, Vikings, Romans, and Greek warriors.  A warrior who fights with this style is almost impossible to strike, for his shield leaves no openings, but he is still able to attack with deadly accuracy.

Advantages: no -1 penalty to actions while using a shield (this advantage is redundant if the character also has an Exotic Melee Weapon (Shield) skill); + 2 dice to parry attempts; + 4 dice to full defense

Maneuvers: bash;  thrust/slice;  ram

All shield attacks require the Exotic Melee Weapon (Shield) skill and incur an offhand penalty unless the character is ambidextrous or has taken the off-hand training for the shield.  All three may be used instead of a weapon attack, in conjunction with a weapon attack (splitting the dice pool, per standard two-weapon rules,) or used as an Interrupt action (full dice pool, sacrifice your action next phase.)  All attacks have a reach of zero, regardless of the shield used.

• Shield bash: A fast backhand smash that may daze an enemy without lowering your defense.  (STR/2)S,   (note that this is very effective with a taser shield, since the defender only gets half impact armor, and the attacker gets the "touch only" +2 dice bonus to the attack, but the strike does damage as a taser, not as a bash.)
• Shield thrust/slice: a more powerful attack which requires you to raise your shield and strike your opponent with the edge.  A thrust is accomplished with a direct punching motion.  A slice is an arcing, slashing strike and requires a shield with a sharpened edge.  These strikes do  more damage, but you may not count your shield’s armor rating for the remainder of the combat phase. Thrust: (STR/2+2)S  Slice: (STR/2+2)P
• Shield ram: you put your weight behind your shield and ram into an enemy, in an attempt to knock them down.  If successful, the enemy suffers (STR/2)S damage, but for purposes of knockdown, consider the damage (STR/2 + Body)S.  If the attacker glitches, or if the opponent dodges, the attacker must roll an Agility(2) test to avoid falling prone.

Two-handed Weapon

Inspired by the claymore, no-dachi, spear, glaive, and many other fearsome weapons, a practitioner of the two-handed weapon style has learned to predict, anticipate, compensate, and direct the weight and balance shifts that are unavoidable while wielding such large and heavy weapons, until one strike flows directly into the next.

Advantages: penalties for using weapons one-handed reduced by 1; +1DV; +1 parry; +1 disarm; -1 penalty reduction for attacking multiple opponents.

Kenjutsu:

The Japanese sword fighting style, practiced by masters for centuries.  The style stresses control, accuracy, and speed.  Practitioners strive to make the sword an extension of their body and soul until man and steel are one.

Advantages: reading sword is a free action; +1DV; +1 parry; +1 to called shots; take aim is a free action