Blade Dancer

Styles- by B. Kellestine - 2021 v2.0

Blade Dancer Styles Style Advancement Table
Novice: 2 EP
Adept: 4 EP
Journeyman: 8EP
Master: 16 EP
Grandmaster: 32 EP

Rajsho
The Rajsho is a two sword or two long knife fighting form that involves dizzying the enemy with a multitude of feints, dodges and fast maneuvers to keep them off balance. This is the favored Blade Dance amongst the Wood Elves of Tallis-Kah and considered one of the oldest styles. Rajsho is very hard to counter for slow moving opponents, as it does not rely on the weight of the strike, but the swarm of the whole. Those who dance the Rajsho form are also usually very nimble and hard to strike with a solid blow.

Novice: The novice dancer gains an evasion score at 65%, or a +5 bonus to an existing racial ability.
Adept: The adept Rajsho Dancer gains 1 attack per round as they grow more capable of managing these paired blades quickly.
Journeyman: The journeyman Rajsho practitioner adapts their dance to better seek the exploits within their opponents defenses, gaining a +10% to melee hit and a -5% penalty to enemy Block attempts.
Master: The Master of Rajsho gains an additional +5% bonus to evasion, reflecting substantial improvement to their mobility and reflexes.
Grandmaster: The Grandmaster gains a second bonus attack per round, a further +10% to-hit with melee weapons, and the ability to use a feint attack. To do this, the attacker may sacrifice an attack per round, used to fake out the opponent and redirect their defenses to increase the success of all of their other attacks by +25%.

Noj-Vrah

The Blade Dance known as the Noj-Vrah relies on using a light, hand and a half sword called the Talii, a weapon of straight double-edged blade, save for the weightier, spaded tip to allow for devastating thrusts. While not as fast as Rajsho, a master of Noj-Vrah is quite capable of defending his or herself against the faster form, by using the length of the weapon to counter both blades. There is quite a bit of spinning involved in Noj-Vrah, to build momentum for many of the spaded point-related maneuvers. Noj-Vrah is known for its many ‘one shot, one kill' types of strikes. While one of the simpler forms to learn, it requires a great deal of skill to master.

Novice: The novice Noj-Vrah Dancer gains 1 Block at 65%
Adept: The Blade Dancer further refines the Noj-Vrah style, resulting in a +10% to melee hit
Journeyman: As the Dancer better masters the wide defensive swings of the dance, enemies are penalized by -15% on to-hit rolls against the Blade Dancer.
Master: The Noj-Vrah dancer grows faster at their art. +1 attack per round.
Grandmaster: The Grandmaster at Noj-Vrah becomes increasingly deadly, having perfected the one-strike kills that are the trademark of this dance. The Dancer gains a +20% total to melee hit, and may also use a Death Blow by focusing on spinning maneuvers into a single strike. 1/day with a 30% chance of success, the Grandmaster can make a single normal attack. If this attempt fails, but the attack lands, the target is still struck with a flesh wound serious enough to result in a -10% penalty to-hit for the remainder of the combat scenario. (This talent does not work against alien/unknowable beings and greater powers)

Vesah

The Vesah Blade Dance isn't so much about what weapon is used, but how the weapon is used. Vesah is considered one of the most adaptable, hence most deadly of the Blade Dances, as it relies on using the attacker's own momentum, strength and footwork against them. This is a very defensive Dance, which can be a pro and a con, depending on the situation. Often, this is chosen as a second dance learned. Very little maneuvering or footwork is involved, but foot placement is crucial for this form. Any manner of weapon can be used in this form, giving it an adaptability that makes it difficult to defend against.

Novice: The novice dancer gains an evasion score at 65%, or a +5 bonus to an existing racial ability.
Adept:The adept Blade Dancer using the Vesah style gains 1 Block at 65%
Journeyman: The Journeyman Dancer grows faster and more deadly, gaining +1 attack per round.
Master: The Master Vesah practitioner becomes much harder to strike, refining their dance to gain a +5% to dodge and evade, as well as the Counterattack weapon Proficiency at no cost..
Grandmaster: The Grandmaster Vesah Dancer learns how to effectively turn their defense around into an effective offense, by utilizing their opponents momentum to redirect and strike. Once per day,3 the Grandmaster of Vesah can forgo all attacks for one round, instead focusing on all-out defense. They may make half their attacks a round in additional blocks at their current block rate. For each successful block made, the Blade Dancer may add +10% to their overall attack roll the following round.

Kahrah

Kahrah is the only Blade Dance that specifically works in a shield or buckler into its form. Often a blade-ringed small shield, called a Koisu in Elvish, or scythe-shield to more human tongues, is employed to allow for extra attacks, in more advanced versions of this dance. The shield is often used as a distraction, or a means to either dazzle (with reflective surfaces on the outside of the shield) or stun with bash-type moves. Kahrah is considered one of the most adaptable Blade Dances, given both a blend of offensive and defensive capabilities.

Novice: The novice dancer gains 1 block at 65%
Adept: An adept practitioner of Kahrah has adapted to incorporate shield attacks into their dance. They gain one additional attack per round.
Journeyman: The Journeyman Kahrah practitioner can, in lieu of making attacks, instead use the reflective surface of their scythe-shield to reflect light into the eyes of a single enemy. There is a 65% chance of success for this, and if it succeeds, then the target is temporarily blinded for 1d3 rounds, reducing all attacks, blocks, evades, and most class skills chance of effectiveness by half. A successful Blind-Fighting proficiency check reduces this to only a one-quarter penalty.
Master: The Master Dancer better incorporates their shield into their offensive and defensive maneuvering, gaining +5% to block, +10% to melee hit.
Grandmaster: The Grandmaster Kahrah practitioner can use their shield to not only attack using the edges, but also to shield-bash an opponent and potentially stun them. Any round in which the Blade Dancer strikes with their shield, there is a 25% chance to stun their target for 1d3 rounds. This is checked once per round, however likely will not be fully effective against heroic foes. Further, the Blade Dancer is granted a +15% bonus to melee hit.

Misurah

This is known also as the Dance of Death and the most difficult to learn of all the Blade Dances. Misurah places the Blade Dancer into a whirling frenzy that does not employ any measure of defensive parry or riposte, but rather seeks to devastate its opponent with an onslaught of unpredictable attacks. Vesah is considered the best counter for this dance, though one had best be a master of Vesah to hope to keep pace. The Misurah form is a favorite amongst Fallen Blade Dancers who have given themselves to the lust for death and Khazaar's will.

Novice: The Dance of Death is a much faster form than most other offensive Blade Dances. The novice gains +1 attack per round.
Adept: +10% to melee hit
Journeyman: At Journeyman rank, a Misurah practitioner can put all of their might into a single attack, in an attempt to break their opponent’s weapon. This Sunder attack has a 75% chance of success, is not affected by evasion or block rates, and is adjusted by both their own weapon’s chance to break a weapon, and penalized by the weapon’s resist breakage. This same attack can also apply to a single piece of armor.
Ex : A misurah practitioner with a Kaalcite greatsword attempts to sunder the blade of
A Reaver’s Infernium arming sword. Base 75% chance + 25% (Kaalcite durability) -
50% (Infernium durability) = 50% chance of breaking the weapon.
Artifacts and indestructible weapons are unaffected by Sunder attempts. This ability can be used once per day.
Master: As the Master Blade Dancer grows faster and more lethal with their style, the gain+ 1 Attack, and a +20% to melee hit.
Grandmaster: Once per day, a Grandmaster Misurah practitioner can attempt to outright decapitate a foe. They may make their normal amount of attack rolls at standard value, and provided one attack lands, there is a flat, unmodifiable 40% chance to decapitate their opponent and outright kill them. If the check fails, then there is no effect to the target besides the normal effects of any successful attacks.

Amirysir

The Amirysir form is a more recent Blade Dance form, developed by the Asyn-Shei Blade Dancer Ami Kir-Lynris. Formerly a Nahara, Ami lost her standing when she took the life of a client using metallic fans she performed many of her exotic dances with. The idea of using fans as weapons appealed to her insomuch that she privately commissioned a new sort of weapon to be crafted for this unique Blade Dance. These weapons, called Najiro, resemble normal fans but have been drastically weaponized to suit the individual dancer. This is a fast and dazzling Blade Dance filled with both quick offensive strikes and powerful defensive blocks.

Novice: The novice Amirysir Blade Dancer gains a single block at 65%.
Adept:The Adept Amirysir practitioner can, in lieu of making attacks, instead use the polished surface of their Najiro to reflect light into the eyes of a single enemy. There is a 65% chance of success for this, and if it succeeds, then the target is temporarily blinded for 1d3 rounds, reducing all attacks, blocks, evades, and most class skills chance of effectiveness by half. A successful Blind-Fighting proficiency check reduces this to one quarter.
Journeyman: The Journeyman dancer grows remarkably faster as they progress, gaining a +1 attack per round.
Master: The Master Amirysir practitioner grows more capable at using the Najir both defensively and offensively, gaining a further +5% Block chance and +15% to melee hit
Grandmaster: The Grandmaster Amirysir practitioner can, once per day, do a more potent version of their Dazzle ability. Instead of targeting a single opponent, their fans are angled to reflect a cone that is 15’ long and 10’ wide at the furthest point. Otherwise, all other effects are identical to the Adept version of the Ability. Further, they gain another additional attack per round.

Matarys

This Blade Dance involves the use of two metal rods with long, thin blades meeting in an inverted V at the ends, connected by a long chain, called a Tura. The Matarys Blade Dance is very versatile, but also very difficult to learn in that the weapon can be as lethal to the attacker as it is to the opponent. Mastering this form gives the attacker the ability to spear their opponent with one end of the Tura, then dragging them in for a finishing shot with the other. This form involves a great deal of spinning with the Tura and can be quite beautiful to watch, but not recommended for an inexperienced Blade Dancer to even attempt.

Novice: The Novice practitioner of Matarys can use their Tura to hook and disarm an enemy, gaining the Disarm Proficiency for free.
Adept: The Adept Matarys Blade Dancer becomes more capable of working the Tura about their body without risking harm, gaining a +1 attack per round as a result.
Journeyman: At journeyman rank, the Matarys practitioner can use their Tura to create an offensive barrier around themself. This can last as long or short as the Dancer needs, however they cannot attack, evade, or move while doing so. All individuals within a 5’ radius of the Blade Dancer must make an evasion roll, failure indicates they are struck by the spinning Tura blades.
Master: At Master rank, the Dancer is capable of spinning their Tura at dizzying speeds, resulting in another +1 attack per round, and a +10% to melee hit.
Grandmaster: The Grandmaster has mastered the technique of impaling their foes and uses it to manipulate their body to make them more effective at attacking. 3/d, the blade Dancer may make a single attack to any individual in a 10’ radius. Success indicates that the target is impaled or otherwise hooked by the Tura blade. Each round after the impalement, the defender suffers a -25% penalty to all rolls and a +25% penalty to their Armor Rating, save for a feat of strength check made to free themselves each round until free. The opponent must make an opposed Feat of Strength against the Blade Dancer, with the Dancer gaining a +15% bonus on the roll. Success indicates that the defender escapes, though not likely without a great deal of pain and blood loss.

Xifa

The Xifa Blade Dance is performed with an S-shaped weapon, called a Kiju, that consists of a shaped wooden center, with two sweeping sickle blades on either end, facing opposite directions. While the weapon initially seems cumbersome, in the hands of a skilled Blade Dancer, the size and weight of the weapon become an asset rather than a burden. Made to mimic a whirlwind, the Xifa dance involves a great deal of spinning, weaving and turning with the large weapon, making it very hard to mount an offense against. Because the attacker is often put at a distance a bit longer than most swords can reach, the dancer of Xifa can often strike a fierce blow and never be touched. The hallmark move of the Xifa dance is most often decapitation.

Novice: Due to the reach and flow of the Xifa blade dance, the Novice Dancer gains a -20% AR vs all Melee attacks.
Adept: The Adept practitioner at Xifa gains 1 block at 65%.
Journeyman: At Journeyman rank, the Blade Dancer may forgo other attacks, and attempt to trip an opponent with the inner edge of their Kiju. A successful melee attack means that the target is knocked prone, and the Dancer receives a +15% bonus the following round on melee attacks against them.
Master: The Master of the Xifa blade dance has grown comfortable enough using the wieldy Kiju to gain +1 attack per round and a +10% to melee hit
Grandmaster: The Grandmaster of Xifa gains a +20% melee hit. Further, the Blade Dancer may spin their Kiju about their body, creating a personal shield against all incoming attacks. They may make no attacks at this time, and may only move when making evasion rolls. This defensive shield can be used to block attacks against others, but only those immediately behind them assuming that the enemy cannot flank or sneak up behind the other individual. This full-round block can be done once per day, and uses their base block chance.

There are whispers in the Blade Dancer circles of Legendary techniques that exist for the different styles of Dance, however if there is any truth to this, none who walk Imarel in modern days know of them, or at very least are not willing to discuss them. Legends of Dancers who could accomplish feats of physical prowess that are beyond superhuman are viewed with skepticism among the Grandmasters of the arts.