Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 16:20:55 +0000 From: Mark Kilfoil Subject: Re: [7th Sea RPG GM] Drachentanze Swordsman School "Schultz, Nancy" wrote: > > Drachentanze > > Country of Origin: Eisen > Description: > Drachentanze has a common base with Aldana, in that both are > techniques that are based on the Dance. The similarity ends > there. While the Aldana dances to a tune in his head, the > Drachentanze dances to the tune of the battle itself. Often > Drachentanze swords are grooved and drilled to produce > "singing" swords keyed to harmonize with both the ring of > the sword when it strikes and it's owner's own voice. [Vargus, upon hearing an Eisen Drachentanzer across a field]: "What the..!? What in Legion's name is that awful noise!?" [An Eisen friend, who shudders]: "You've never known fear, my friend -- until you've seen an Eisen opera!" > The Flaw of Drachentanze is that much of it is show. If the > opponent can determine which is bluff and which is threat, > the Drachentanzen true strength, or lack there of, is > exposed. Given the nature of the Eisen and their warlike ways, I'm only half-convinced that they would have a school like this... I mean, the Eisen would see value in having a very good feint, but they would be pretty sure to follow it up with a solid attack.. And if someone knows of the Drachentanze technique, and publically declares that it is mostly show, doesn't it just kick the wind out of the (now silly-looking) tanzer? (Of course, if a tanzer were to carefully have his or her henchman in the crowd... and then when people ask, "What is this fool doing, dancing and singing?", this servant could cross themselves and speak in reverant and fearful quiet tones, "That is the dreaded Drachentanzen martial art! I have heard of such a monstrous art as this, which takes as its drum the fearful beating of the opponent's heart, and as it's lyre the singing of the blade!")... > Basic Curriculum: Heavy Weapons, Performer > > Swordsman Knacks: Disarm (Heavy Weapons), Feint (Heavy > Weapons), Tagging > (Heavy Weapons), Exploit Weakness (Drachentanze) > > Apprentice: The Drachentanzen is first taught to bring the > Dance into his defense. > The Drachentanzen gains One Free Raise to Parry (Heavy > Weapons), and may use Dancing as Footwork (Alternately if > footwork is added as a basic Knack of Heavy weapons in your > game, add Dancing to all Passive Defense ratings (Parry 3 and > Dancing 3 gives a Parry Passive defense of 23)) Hmmm.. Wouldn't (3+3)*5 be 30? Or am I forgetting something? > > Journeyman: At this level, the Drachentanzen learns how to > direct the battlesong to dishearten his opponents. The > battlesong of the Drachentanzen is properly sung throughout > the fight. Combining the ring of battle with the > Drachentanzen's own Song can often defeat an opponent's will, > if not his body. > > Roll Singing + Wits each round. TN= Opponent's Finessex5 +5. > Every X number of successful rolls/rounds in a row (where X= > opponent's resolve) the opponent looses a Drama Die. If the > Singing roll is failed or silenced during the round, the > opponent regains any drama dice lost in this fashion and the > song must begin again. Hmm.. Why not make a Singing + Wits roll against TN 15, and for each success and raise the tanzer gets an actual Fear level? They could actually inspire true fear, rather than just intimidation... If you're looking for straight intimidation, why not make it like the Witty Repartee table? Instead of a straight Contested Wits roll, however, you could make it a Singing+Wits vs. opponent's Wits, or give the tanzer a number of free raises somehow relating to their Singing skill (1:1 is too much, so how about 1:2?). > > Master: As the Drachentanzen master brings his blade fully > into the dance, he can find unusual opportunities for attack, > and utilize them. The Drachentanzen rolls Dancing Dice. Each > die that matches an Action die grants 1 additional Action in > that phase, which may only be used to attack. Too many actions slow down the combat... How about something like an improved Feint or Riposte? Or even something more powerful, like, the Drachentanzer rolls initiative as normal, but may spend one action to allow his or her other actions to happen whenever the tanzer likes. Or perhaps an "unstoppable attack", which, while not unstoppable, cannot be stopped with a Passive Defence? (In other words, it must be defended with an Active Defence, because the tanzer has already counted the defender's Passive Defence into their song.) -- the encaffeinated ONE --- saving the world one COFFEE at a time --- Visit CAFFEEN! at -- Contents Copyright (C) 1997,98,99 by ALDERAC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC.