[Martial Arts] Reversed Grip and reach 2 weapons

[Arpade]

Hi,

I was reading some Martial Arts rules while doing some character planning and ran into a matter of text interpretation that while not terribly relevant for me, made me somewhat curious.

The reverse grip rules clearly state weapons with reach C, 1 and 2 can be reversed. Furthermore, when determining reach modifications it states "A reach 2 weapon functions as reach 1 for all purposes".

Now, later it specifies that reach C and 1 weapons can parry with brawling and karate skills.

What is bothering me is that i feel that it specifies C and 1 reach weapons can make brawling/karate parries in opposition to reach 2 weapons which cannot (otherwise i figure the text would be just "a reversed weapon can make brawling/karate parries").

On the other hand there is that itallic "all" when defining a reversed grip reach 2 weapon has reach 1, so maybe it now counts as reach 1? And i never really saw many melee weapons upclose, but for me it is not intuitive that a Backsword could make such a parry and a edged rapier could not.

So basically i wanted to ask if a reach 2 weapon in reverse grip can make brawling/karate parries.

Sorry for the long text for a short question, i tend to want to make sure i am properly expressing myself and exaggerate.

[T.K.]

the catch is the end of the sentence that states the parry...

"Brawling and Karate parries are possible when wielding a reach C or 1 weapon this way."

Bold emphasis mine.

It's not referring to effective reach C or 1, which would mean after the conversion done by using Reverse Grip. It's saying "this way" meaning actualy real reach C or 1 weapons disregarding Reverse Grip.

I'm not sure why you have a problem with the "Backsword" - which is an early period blade, much shorter than the "Edged Rapier" - which is a later period blade, much longer.

By the time "Edged Rapiers" and "Light Edged Rapiers" appeared, there were laws that prevented and regulated the length of rapiers, due to how ridiculous long they started to be.

[Arpade]

Makes sense, thanks!