Duelling & Tactics

Battle Map

The Battle Map is a large sandbox, populated and sculpted to resemble the forces and the terrain within the nearby area. This can be interacted with by any bushi or character with the Battle Tactics skill to give orders to the military units of their clan.

All characters can support the conflict in other ways, such as by providing reports about the opponent’s force. Knowing information on the number of troops, the opposing general’s skill, and hidden terrain features can all help swing the outcome of a battle in their favour. If characters wish to contribute to the Battle Map, they can inform a referee or leave a Short Term Request Form in the Imperial Clan box.

Duelling

As noted in the Duelling skill, any character may participate in a formal duel against another character. A duel is not the same as a fight; it represents the honour and skill of one opponent being publicly tested against that of their opponent, and there can be significant consequences for both participation and outcome.

The cost of winning or losing a duel is determined by what was staked when initiating it. If the duel is a friendly spar, then no Glory would be lost or gained from the outcome. On the other hand, if the challenge is made to defend one’s honour, then Glory has been staked on the outcome, and the participants may lose or gain it depending on the result.

Each duellist will carry their own deck of cards. Duel results are determined by each player drawing a single card from a standard 54 card deck (including both jokers). Both players will draw from a different deck. The different levels of the Duelling skill allow participants to modify their own deck to their advantage, alongside specific clan abilities which can influence the outcome.

Please see the Duelling Styles in the Skills section to see the clan-specific abilities that duellists can use inside of duels, which can be taught as a skill by an Instructor and appropriate IC roleplay. Anyone with the Duelling skill may start knowing their own clan’s duelling style. There may be consequences if characters teach or learn duelling styles without the correct permission.

The drawn cards are compared to establish the outcome. The winning card is determined by the highest value card and if both cards have the same value then the highest suit wins. Cards have a value equal to the number shown or an ace being worth 14, Kings being worth 13, Queens being worth 12 and Jacks being worth 11.

The highest ranked suit is Hearts ♥ , then Diamonds ♦ , then Clubs ♣ , and the lowest ranked suit is Spades ♠ .

The exceptions to this are Jokers. A red Joker will always win and a black Joker will always lose. If one player draws the black Joker and the other the red Joker, the former will lose the duel, forgo their grace period, and die as a result.

If both players draw the same card, the duel is a draw.

Some abilities will allow a duellist to redraw their card, however a character may only have a maximum number of redraws equal to 8 minus their duelling level.

Please see the Clans section to see the clan-specific abilities that duellists can use outside of duels, which cannot be taught.

Duelling Styles

There are a number of styles which can be learned by any duellist if they attain permission from the appropriate clan and Instruction. Duellists will always start with their own clan style and can use it in a duel without purchasing it.

There are other duelling styles that are not included in this list that other characters or NPCs have created. Characters are free to learn these provided they can attain an Instructor who can teach them.

Way of the Phoenix - Hinotori Clan style

“The universe guides us in all things, including where to strike… or when not to.”

Unknown Hinotori Sword master

When in a duel: You may redraw a number of additional times equal to half (rounding up) your Kū RV, the amount of Kū advantages you have.

Way of the Crab - Kani Clan style

“It is through our will alone that we stand against the dark… and how we strike against it.”

First Crab

When in a duel: You ignore the suit on your own card, taking the suit of your opponent. Abilities that affect the card’s value take place after it has assumed the new suit.

Way of the Dragon - Ryu Clan style

“We are all the same; we strive to be better than we are, but so very few for the right reasons.”

Unknown Monk

When in a duel: You may select a number of card types (not Joker) to be removed from both decks, such as Kings, up to your Kū pool, the maximum number of Kū points you can have.

Way of the Scorpion - Sasori Clan style

“Any fool can win a duel; the trick is making your opponent think they won.”

First Scorpion

When in a duel: After having drawn, you may pick another card from the deck to play instead, provided it results in you losing the duel.

Way of the Lion - Shishi Clan style

“The katana is an extension of the soul, and thus a physical manifestation of one’s honour.”

First Lion

When in a duel: You may spend fleeting Honour to improve the value of your card, increasing the suit, then number, up to a maximum of A ♥ . For example, 4 ♣ with +2 becomes 4 ♥ , or with +3 becomes 5 ♠ .

Way of the Crane - Tsuru Clan style

“We are the masters of the sword, and our first strike is quick and true.”

First Crane

When in a duel: You may remove the two lowest card types from your deck during a duel. For example, all the 2s and 3s, or 2 ♥ and 4 ♥ at the fifth level.

Weapon Masteries

By training during Time In with a weapons master, characters will be able to hone their skills and enhance the damage of their weapons. To represent this specialist training, a character might be able to add a particular call to their strikes in combat.

Bushi characters can level these like other skills, up to a fifth level. Other schools may only purchase the first level with Instruction. You may customise the abilities of skills beyond the first level in conversation with the game team. You may also start to create your own masteries by working with the game team.

When learning a mastery, you should pick a specific weapon type to train with. You can only use the mastery with your chosen weapon, certain masteries are only available when using certain weapon types (specified after the name). For example, you may learn Flowing Strike [Medium] using your katana. If you swap to your large spear, you cannot use your mastery as you have not trained with that weapon. You can then purchase Flowing Strike [Large], to use the mastery again.

You may take these masteries multiple times if there are other weapon types you can select to specialise in.

Crushing Strike [X] - Melee only

This fighting style focuses on simple but powerful blows, able to crack through solid surfaces.

Level 1

3 uses per respite, you may add the call “REND” to a melee strike. If successful, this will destroy the target’s armour, reducing them to 0 AP.

Flowing Strike [X] - Melee only

This fighting style focuses on large flowing movement and redirecting the opponent’s attacks.

Level 1

3 uses per respite, you may add the call “DISARM” to a melee strike. If successful, this will cause the target to drop any weapon held in their primary hand.

Piercing Shot [Ranged] - Ranged only

This fighting style focuses on hitting the unarmoured locations of a target at a distance.

Level 1

3 uses per respite, you may add the call “THROUGH” to a ranged shot. If successful, this will ignore the target’s armour, dealing 3 HP damage.

Piercing Strike [X] - Melee only

This fighting style focuses on an efficiency of movement to quickly bring down an opponent.

Level 1

3 uses per respite, you may add the call “THROUGH” to a melee strike. If successful, this will ignore the target’s armour, dealing 3 HP damage.

Stunning Strike [X] - Small or H2H only

This fighting style focuses on using pressure points to stun and immobilise an opponent.

Level 1

3 uses per respite, you may add the call “PARALYSIS” to a melee strike with a small or H2H weapon. If successful, this will render the target fully immobile for 10 seconds.

Sweeping Strike [Large] - Large only

This fighting style focuses on knocking an opponent off balance, using their own weight against them.

Level 1

3 uses per respite, you may add the call “KNOCKDOWN” to a melee strike from a large weapon. If successful, this will knock the target off their feet.

Ki Strike [X] - Any

This fighting style focuses on a swift and clean perfect strike to instantly bring down an opponent.

You must have two other weapon masteries to purchase this skill. Weapon masteries over level 1 do not count towards this.

Level 1

3 uses per respite, you may add the call “SUNDER” to a melee strike or ranged shot. If successful, this will immediately put the target on 0 HP and in their grace period.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse