New Combat Skill

Combat Skill: Duellist
If the warrior is armed with a single one-handed Sword and no pistols and no other close combat weapons, he gains +1 Attack on profile and +1 to parry rolls in all rounds of combat where he is fighting only one enemy.
- This ability also works with Ithilmar and Gromril Swords, as well as Weeping Blades
- Enemies that are Knocked Down or Stunned do not count towards the number of enemies that the Duellist is fighting.

Interesting idea.

Another skill to encourage the use of swords. I assume that this skill can be used by a warrior with a sword and a shield.

Combined with Expert Swordsman it might allow some warriors to specialise in the use of swords.

No shields. He is supposed to be a badass duellist.

The +1 A Seems too strong to me- combined with Expert Swordsmen and the sword crit table, there's no reason to take anything BUT.

Heaven knows my group wants a skill/rule that grants a dual-sword wielder a parry reroll or a second parry. It might be that simple, really.

Don't forget this SHOULD be allowed to be combined with Bucklers. What about he can parry all attacks coming at him and gets +1 to WS? Still good, especially with a buckler or main-gauche. Rapier should be allowed as well.

Would I be right in thinking that it is acceptable to *carry* other weapons so long as you are not *using* them for this skill to kick in?

Surely it would be OK to carry other weapons but not use them.

@Styro... I don't think that +1 A is too strong. Other warriors can get this same benefit from equiping two maces which costs 4 gc less and doesn't take up a skill. Also, warriors with two maces can get the +1 A against one or more warriors while this skill only gives the benefit against a single warrior. Of course I am not familiar with the optional critical hit table for swords.

Anyway, playtesting in one (or two) campaign(s) is the only way to know for sure if this skill is of any worth.

RationalLemming wrote:

Other warriors can get this same benefit from equiping two maces which costs 4 gc less and doesn't take up a skill.

Ah, I was under the impression that it provided an additional attack on top of that- meaning an A1 model with 2 swords gets 3 attacks against 1 model. I could be wrong, but this obviously requires clarification.

I mean, I could be wrong- Combat Master grants +1 attack against 2+ models AND immunity to all alone. This gives +1 attack with 1-only attacker, but +1 to parries. However, this skill CAN stack with expert swordsman, and a 1-only skill is probably more common and prone to breaking than a a 2+ skill.

For example, a base Champion with expert swordsman plus this skill gets 3 Attacks, rerolls any failures to hit, and parries on +1. Very strong.

Not sure of it as a GENERAL skill. Could see it as a special racial skill... maybe an Estalian warband or HS?

So, with this skill and a sword only (no shield, no second sword, no other melee weapon) he gains +1 attack and +1 on his parry roll.

With a second weapon he would gain the +1 attack anyway. So, basically, the feat is granting +1 on parry rolls... but only if he is fighting a single enemy. Certainly doesn't seem that strong to me. Indeed, I don't think I would be tempted to take it (unless for role-playing/story purposes). Even with a sword specialist - someone with expert swordsmand - I'd rather carry the second sword for the offensive bonus than have the +1 parry. Well, actually, except for dwarves, since they never get to charge anyone anyway. But you'd have to try talking my dwarves into giving up their shields...

What about Rapiers?

Quote :

With a second weapon he would gain the +1 attack anyway. So, basically, the feat is granting +1 on parry rolls...

again, I could be misinterpreting it, but I think you get +2 attacks. That makes it quite a bit better.

I think you might be misinterpreting - the proposed skill only works if you are carrying only one close-combat weapon, and that close-combat weapon has to be a sword.

OOOOOOOOOOOh. My apologies.

Yes. I agree with mweaver. It is quite a weak skill really.