[Martial Arts] Would this be a valid skill adaption perk?

phayman53 · 06-10-2016, 06:27 PM

One of the standard longsword techniques taught for use against an armored opponent in the historical manuals is the "murder stroke", where the swordsman holds the longsword by the blade and uses the cross or pommel as a mace/pick. It is actually a rather effective technique because longswords are grip-heavy and end-up weighted much like a mace or pick when used this way (and it is much easier to not cut your hand while doing this than one might think). MA addresses this under the hook technique, allowing for a swordsman to hold the sword by the blade and use the cross as a hook (also historically attested), but requires use of the Two-Handed Axe/Mace skill instead of Two-Handed Sword because the weapon characteristics change so much (there are no rules for using the sword like a mace or pick, but it seems simple enough to just change damage to cr and add +1 to swing damage).

My question is, instead of making a swordsman take skill points in Two-Handed Axe/Mace just for using this technique, would it be valid to use this perk: Skill Adaption (Two-Handed Axe/Mace Defaults to Two-Handed Sword for using a Two-Handed Sword held by the blade)? Or is this too powerful for a Skill Adaption Perk? It would, presumably, allow the swordsman to use his sword like a two-handed mace for attacking, parrying, hooking, etc., which does seem rather good for 1 point, but it also would not help him with an actual mace, pick, axe, or polearm default. Alternately, would you require multiple perks: one for attack and one for defense? Or maybe one for attack, one for defense, and one for every additional technique you might want to use (like hook)?

Thoughts? Thanks!

06-10-2016, 06:27 PM	#1
phayman53 Join Date: Dec 2012	[Martial Arts] Would this be a valid skill adaption perk? One of the standard longsword techniques taught for use against an armored opponent in the historical manuals is the "murder stroke", where the swordsman holds the longsword by the blade and uses the cross or pommel as a mace/pick. It is actually a rather effective technique because longswords are grip-heavy and end-up weighted much like a mace or pick when used this way (and it is much easier to not cut your hand while doing this than one might think). MA addresses this under the hook technique, allowing for a swordsman to hold the sword by the blade and use the cross as a hook (also historically attested), but requires use of the Two-Handed Axe/Mace skill instead of Two-Handed Sword because the weapon characteristics change so much (there are no rules for using the sword like a mace or pick, but it seems simple enough to just change damage to cr and add +1 to swing damage). My question is, instead of making a swordsman take skill points in Two-Handed Axe/Mace just for using this technique, would it be valid to use this perk: Skill Adaption (Two-Handed Axe/Mace Defaults to Two-Handed Sword for using a Two-Handed Sword held by the blade)? Or is this too powerful for a Skill Adaption Perk? It would, presumably, allow the swordsman to use his sword like a two-handed mace for attacking, parrying, hooking, etc., which does seem rather good for 1 point, but it also would not help him with an actual mace, pick, axe, or polearm default. Alternately, would you require multiple perks: one for attack and one for defense? Or maybe one for attack, one for defense, and one for every additional technique you might want to use (like hook)? Thoughts? Thanks!