Weapons Kata skill allows martial artists to retain their martial arts PROT and DEF when using weapon with which they are skilled. Their effective rank with martial arts, when armed with a weapon, is the lower of their martial arts or weapons kata for the purpose of determining PROT and DEF.
For example, a martial artist with rank 7 in the their profession normally has a PROT of 4 and a bonus of 14 to the DEF. If they are rank 5 in Weapons Kata, they would have a PROT/DEF of 3/10 when wielding a weapon (lower of martial arts or weapons kata).
GM NOTE: To keep things simple, the GM can simply use the Martial Artist's normal PROT and DEF even if Weapons Kata is lagging by one rank with the assumption that the martial artist will raise it in the near future.
Weapons Kata skill also allows the character to take the higher of the number of attacks but the character cannot make more attacks with a specific form than allowed for by rank. For example, if the martial artist is rank 4 with martial arts (2 attacks per round) and rank 4 with longsword (1 attack per round) then then can make 2 attacks per round but only one of the attacks can be with longsword.
In general, the martial artist should make at least one martial attack per round. For example, if the martial artist is rank 10 with Martial Arts, Weapons Kata and a weapon skill, they get three attacks per round. At least 1 of the 3 attacks should be martial arts. If there is a very good reason for not using martial arts, exceptions can be made. For example, if the foe is a wraith, where touching it drains life force, the martial artist can use a weapon for all 3 of their attacks.
GM NOTE: The system is designed such that their Strike Chance with Martial Arts will generally be higher than their SC with any weapon.
The character with this skill can choose up to two weapons to learn at a multiple of .75 but rank with these weapons cannot exceed rank with Weapons Kata.
Note that Weapon Kata can be used with melee, missile or thrown weapons. |