When you've got a good thing, you put the practice in to make it great and when you have an artifact in hand you do what you can to learn to use it to your utmost. Leon has poured his energy into the ability to defend himself, and tethering some of himself to this sacred artifact has allowed him to attain supernatural celerity when channeling his soul through the artifact.
An upgrade into an artifact Leon traded another one he found on a job to obtain one from a harbinger. Base stats are +2 damage, half armor.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wielding the kitsune flame blade trophy and you are wielding it while upgraded, you are wearing this Artifact, and you are engaged in combat with Swords.
Your attacks with Swords deal +3 Bonus Damage. Armor is fully effective against this damage.
You also gain the following effects:
Your grip is unnaturally tight around your weapons, death-gripping them until you're finished or it breaks.
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:
Combining the rough life of his misspent youth with the work that has come to define him, Mike knows his way around a tractor wrench or a breaker bar. He knows how to wrap an opponent around one, too.
Added Finesse. It became an issue.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with repair tools.
+2 dice to all rolls with repair tools. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using repair tools.
You also gain the following effects:
Zayir shoulders his weapon and glares at you.
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:
Hyaku is a quick learner. While it takes most years to master the way of the air bender’s blades, she could get a grasp on the basics with a couple simple combat encounters. Now she can slash and push as the wind does, with multiple heavy blades to back it up.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with greatswords.
+2 dice to all rolls with greatswords. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using greatswords.
You also gain the following effects:
Zephyren collects blades almost obsessively, perhaps because they are some of the least detectable weapons. Or, he does it instinctively because a bird is never complete without its talons. In result, he's also the most proficient with blades.
On weapon usage:
People have guns (even in Canada, they're just quieter about it), but Zephyren legally cannot own one, and traveling with those can be such a pain for those with licenses anyway. He very much prefers a quieter option too. Also, blades are far more versatile (he wants to toss a bunch of vegetables in the air one day and try to slice them all). Never bring a knife to a gun fight? Think again.
On blade proficiency:
Fighting isn't the only thing Zephyren uses blades for. If anything he's rarely had to fight outside contracts; he mostly uses knives in the kitchen, and since he has been cooking from a very young age, there's no surprise that this is what he's the most comfortable with. In any video games, he predominantly uses a knife or sword. Don't ask how he's gotten through Resident Evil; let's just say he had to face a lot of corpses up close.
On bird talons:
Thankfully Zephyren has never been attacked by a bird, but from what he's read, talons can be really sharp. They have to grip onto things after all, even if it means they'd puncture their target.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are engaged in combat with knives and daggers.
+2 dice to all rolls with knives and daggers. You may Defend against firearm attacks from any range using knives and daggers.
You also gain the following effects:
The ninja is a master of a wide variety of martial weapons. They kill quickly and quietly.
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: