The King is Dead: Fencing/Martial Arts Schools

Fencing Lessons

 

Despite being an unathletic nerd, I’ve never been much into wizards. I vastly prefer swords to sorcery, and I’m a little disappointed that the majority of the players in my current The King is Dead test campaign chose to play magic-users.  I can’t blame them, though; taking an Arcane Background is basically getting several more Edges for free, and the only penalty is that you have to use a special Skill to utilize those Edges.

Which gives me an idea for fencing/martial arts schools…

What if each school used a special, separate-from-Fighting Skill and gave access to an increased number of Combat Edges?  Something like this:

Turner School of Fencing*

Skill: Turner Fencing
Starting Edges: 3
Available Edges: Block/Improved Block, Counterattack/Improved Counterattack, Elan, First Strike/Improved First Strike, Quick.
Allowed Weapons: Rapier, Saber (short sword)

In order to utilize the bonus Edges from the school, the hero would have to use the specialized skill (not Fighting). When she took additional Combat Edges, she could choose from the allowed Edges for the school and use those with the specialty skill, or take them as “generic Combat Edges” and utilize them with Fighting. Perhaps the starting Edges wouldn’t require meeting the usual requirements, too…

Hmm…

In any case, it’s a thought.  I’ll have to put a bit more thought into it before I utilize it as a rule for The King is Dead (or write a Savage Insider article), but I think it has potential.

 
*Hilariously, there actually was an 18th century fencing school led by a Will Turner -- in New York City!  Weird…