https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cSADgodwH4WJKWTweZtNR6t18K7pSk87/view?usp=sharing
Hey guys! First homebrew I've made so if you have any balance concerns please let me know so I can see how to possibly improve! Obviously feel free to download and use or test in your games if you want!
These are five new styles based on historical fighting styles and adds in signature styles for heroes and duelists of Inismore, the Highland Marches, the Crescent Empire, Ifri, and Théan Gypsies/Nomads.
Alright.
From the top, I like that people make their own styles. Always makes me pleased.
Okay, a disarming style. the Mechanics are cool and all, but is it not something that a bit of pressure couldn't do just as well?
Wow. Okay, that's good. Perhaps a bit too good. It's Sabat Gambit on Riposte with extra fluff.
O_O
Oh, boyo! That is one crazy ass style bonus. And you're not giving up anything to have free parries? Waaaaaaaaay too good. Perhaps replace it with either Bash, Slash or Feint. Not sure about the Balance, because Ambrogia is going to beat it's ass with a Hero Point.
(More Raises than you? Pressure to Disarm. Then start Slashing at you like a maniac.)
I need to talk about the context, but as a mechanic, it's fine. Just fine. A better Lunge. I'll adress my other issues below.
Okay.... that's a new one. Not sure about how I feel about it, but it's novel, I'll give you that.
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Okay. Real talk.
Gypsy is a slur. A word meant to dehumanize the Rroma and make them lesser people. They're called gypsies in english, gitan in french, gitano in spanish. But it's not okay. There's a reason why JWP have named them the Tamatama nomads in Theah.
So, please reconsider how you talk about the nomads of Theah, and those of the real world. We'll be a lot better for it.
This has been my real talk.
Sry to have disturbed the talk about heroes with real world stuff.
/Soren A. Hjorth
It's alwasys fun to see new schools and these are pretty unique flavor wise, so nice job!
Strider: I too like the idea of the staff/shillelagh wielder. I would tighten the weapon requirements to any heavy club-like weapon (club, staff, shillelagh, broom, etc). I would eliminate the use of swords from it as it just doesn't fit the 'theme' as described in my opinion.
Mechanic: I would either add damage equal to "Weaponry" or make the expenditure of Raises on the following round equal the Weaponry Ranks. Otherwise, it's very underwhelming compared to every other style. You can describe this as disarming the weapon and also keeping it away from your opponent with quick kicks and shuffling feet.
Martel: I like the flavor of this, but I don't see how the style is described and why reach is so important. I think it needs an added touch of "practitioners of the style often riposte in a way that sends their opponent flying backwards, knocks them off balance, or keeps them at arm's reach.
Mechanic: At first I thought "Wow that's OP!" then I read "Iron Reply" again. I think since you're not reducing as many Wounds as "Iron Reply" you can basically have the rider. I would simplify to say "The next maneuver performed costs 1 extra Raise unless it is also made with a Pole-arm." I would also add the "You can't use this more than once per Round" rider to it.
McDowell: I have a big problem with this statement: "Despite this, it is not considered cowardly amongst Duelists to refuse to duel a McDowell Duelist as they have such a keen advantage against most opponents." I think it tries to be too overwhelming in its description when in fact it really isn't that much worse than any other defensive style.
Mechanic: I really don't like the ability to do anything without spending a Raise. One way you could keep the flavor of the continous shield defense is to reword it like this. "When employing a shield in one hand and a heavy weapon in the other, you gain a special Maneuver called McDowell's Wall. McDowell's Wall prevents Wounds dealt to you equal to your Ranks in Resolve + your Ranks in Weaponry." This would in essence allow you to Parry, Wall, Parry, if you wanted to. You're spending all your raises on defense so it's balanced out.
Carraca: First I'd be careful about the gypsy tie in and the negative connotations. JWP removed the term (Fhideli) from the game for purposes of not fostering stereotypes, etc. Therefore, this one may be senstive and I would use a more correct terminology that JWP has introduced. Otherwise, I would describe the style as more trying to either end a fight early or have the gypsy do early Wounds to discourage fighting further. There's nothing in the mechanic that supports the hidden aspect
Mechanic: Right now this is Sabbat's Gambit as written. I would try to build in the flavor of the school. For instance, tying in with the easily concealable and surprise aspects. "When you're holding nothing in either hand, but have a dagger, knife or small blade hidden on your person, your Lunge is replaced by Carraca's Rush. Carraca's Rush allows you to draw the weapon and deal a number of Wounds equal to your Ranks in Weaponry + your Ranks in Wits + the Raises you spent. These Wounds cannot be prevented or avoided."
Keita: Again for your home campaign I would avoid superlatives such as "Djose Keita, the first Ifri-born Duelist in Théah’s history," Perhaps he is one of the best known or one of the first, but to declare soemone the first in history limits other people's use of things without potentially need to change it.
Mechanics: I don't have a lot of changes to this I would recommend. You may want to broaden it's use so it's good against non-duelists as well. "You are only able to perform it immediately after your opponent prevents Wounds by spending Raises." This allows it to cover all manner of things duelists or non-duelists would do.