Sword Mastery A magical blade

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This Artifact grants you a mastery of melee weapons.
Used by Michael Crowley, Created by Kamulis.
On Legendary Artifact Blade of the Dragon.

This is a broadsword with a golden hilt in the shape of a curled dragon. Down the spine of the blade are runes in ancient Romanian that say "Victory or death". This blade has been passed down through the Dracul family line since the 900's when it was forged by Tanik Dracul.


You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact and you are engaged in combat with melee weapons.

Your attacks with melee weapons deal +3 Bonus Damage. Armor is fully effective against this damage.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Fancy Footwork: You may move your full Dash distance and attack with your Melee weapon in the same Round without penalty. You may also split your movement before and after your attack.
  • Shredder: If you successfully hit your target, the value of any armor they are wearing is reduced by 2. This penalty lasts until the armor is repaired.

  • Reminder: Bonus Damage stacks with Weapon Damage, but does not stack with any other Bonus Damage. Instead, the highest Bonus Damage is used.

Community Melee Mastery Gifts

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with melee weapons.

+2 dice to all rolls with melee weapons. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using melee weapons.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Quick Draw: You may draw and equip yourself with any melee weapon on your person or within arm’s reach as a Free Action, as long as it is not being wielded by someone else.
  • Two Swords are better than One: If you are wielding more than one melee weapon, you may Attack with all using the highest Weapon Damage, plus 1 for each additional weapon. If you reserve a weapon, any Clash or Defend roll you make is -1 Difficulty, and mob penalties are ingored.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with hammers.

+2 dice to all rolls with hammers. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using hammers.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Point Control: Called Shots that you attempt only require a Contested Outcome of 2 for small targets and 4 for tiny targets.
  • Grip Discipline: You cannot be disarmed against your will by Minor, Major, or Severe Battle Scars, physical Actions, environmental conditions, botches, or Effects. Your weapon may still be destroyed.

Hardly supernatural in any observer's eyes but the beholder's, it's easy enough to mistake simply hitting something so much harder than in reality. That's not to say one isn't; but to send integral parts of buildings flying out with a hand tool over machines takes more than a bit of muscle mass. It is no surprise this same power can be applied to less-than-material targets.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with Sledgehammer. You must actively and obviously be using Sledgehammer to gain the benefits of this Effect.

+2 dice to all rolls with Sledgehammer. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using Sledgehammer.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Dismember: If one of your attacks causes a Battle Scar, you may choose for it to be some form of dismemberment, depending on the Severity of the Injury you caused.
  • Fancy Footwork: You may move your full Dash distance and attack in the same Round without penalty. You may also split your movement before and after your attack.
  • Heavy Strikes: If you are attacking with a blunt weapon, if your attack causes an Injury you may choose to knock the target down and back 15 feet. Standing up is typically a Quick Action.

  • Reminder: Bonus Damage stacks with Weapon Damage, but does not stack with any other Bonus Damage. Instead, the highest Bonus Damage is used.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in unarmed combat.

Your unarmed attacks deal +2 Bonus Damage (instead of -2). The target's Armor is fully effective against this damage.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Armored Fist: You cannot take damage from attacking a dangerous material (such as steel armor, a spiked carapace, or an acidic blob). You may Clash with or Defend against any melee weapons or arrows.
  • Brutal Strikes: Any Injury you inflict causes a Battle Scar if you wish, regardless of Severity.

  • Reminder: Bonus Damage stacks with Weapon Damage, but does not stack with any other Bonus Damage. Instead, the highest Bonus Damage is used.
  • Unlike the Ability Brawl, this Effect does not affect small weapons such as knives.

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with a Blade.

+2 dice to all rolls with a Blade. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using a Blade.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Dismember: If one of your attacks causes a Battle Scar, you may choose for it to be some form of dismemberment, depending on the Severity of the Injury you caused.
  • Grip Discipline: You cannot be disarmed against your will by Minor, Major, or Severe Battle Scars, physical Actions, environmental conditions, botches, or Effects. Your weapon may still be destroyed.

Stock Melee Mastery Gifts

You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with melee ninja weapons.

+2 dice to all rolls with melee ninja weapons. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using melee ninja weapons.

You also gain the following effects:

  • Assassin: If your attack Injures your target, they cannot make a sound, even incidentally, for a single Round. Even the sound of their body and equipment dropping to the ground is silenced.
  • Falling Crane Strike: If you move and then make a successful attack against a target closer than the full distance you could have moved, you may choose to travel the excess movement in a straight line beyond the target.