IMTU Chimera: Blade Shticks 1

See the new page on the IMTU: Chimera game setting for background.

One thing players wanted was swordplay - Nick in particular likes the sword/fantasy combat element of RPGs and asked for that in play. As Classic Traveller had many PCs start play with Blade skills and Blades we built on that. Since Traveller guns are still slugthrowers and spaceships have lot of breakable bits and thin walls the culture severely restricts their use on ships. This means swords and knives are key for ship security, and since everyone carries one they are prevalent in ports. Sword carrying is a big part of the culture, whereas gun carrying is ostracized (more on this later).

I decided that rather than the Fu shtick trees of classic Feng Shui we'd have fencing schools that included non-bladed close combat to some extent. They'd be less Wixua but still potent. I am on the fence as to whether to have a Meta pool that powers these (as they would be in Feng Shui) or just have them be high skill (so they match Guns shticks) or both. Player commentary is appreciated.

My thought is that each path has an Animal theme with 3 nested levels. I want to have at least 15 blade shticks, so 5 paths. I'm building these around game mechanics and backing into the animals rather than vice versa.

Monkey Style: erratic leaping, grabbing, throwing and disarming, most useful against guns
Monkey Stance: 1 shot to adopt a crouched, loose stance, weaving stance that gives +2 on Martial Arts for Defense vs. Ranged Attacks and any rolls for movement and acrobatics. Lasts till end of sequence or you adopt another stance.
Monkey's Paw: Make a 4 shot attack with a short blade where you toss your knife from hand to hand to confound opponent defense of their hands and arms. If any damage is done target either loses pistol or has impairment on any Guns attack.
Monkey's Leap: 1 shot and 1 Fortune to have anyone aiming at you with ranged attacks they must make a Mind check vs. 8 difficulty. If they fail they must spend 6 shots firing at you with no hope of success.

Crab Style: fast parries and binds that open opponent for draw cuts and throws. 
Crab Stance: 1 shot to adopt a defensive pose that only the most perceptive can penetrate. +2 on Martial Arts vs. any attacker whose Mind is less than your Reflexes. Lasts until the end of the sequence or until you adopt another stance.
Smaller Crab's Claw: Make a 2 shot active dodge that, if your opponent misses, lets you bind your blades. He has to make a Body check against your Martial Arts to free his blade, which takes 3 shots, or abandon the weapon. You can release the bind with a Martial Arts attack (unarmed) at +3 as a Martial Arts attack at +1 (armed)
Greater Crab's Claw: Make a 3 shot, 1 Fortune attack that, if it hits, places your opponent in an immobilizing sword bind. This is as Crane's Wing except he cannot abandon the weapon and every attempt to escape does 5 damage.

More to come tomorrow.