Once I put this in an old thread in the AEG forums.

Given that (in my recent thread on Scorpion archers) I mentioned it, it is maybe a good thing if I paste it again here.

Please, give me your comments!

The original inspiration came from the "signature weapon" advantage by Kinzen, in the AEG forum and her pdf on Togashi Dinasty.

However the original, very simple, rules have been heavily expanded in this new advantage.

The Fortunes, family tradition, dojo teaching and life experiences made your hands for a specific weapon.

Choose one type of weapon (e.g. yumi, naginata, bo) which gets one of the following abilities.

You must choose only ONE of these advantages. If you want more of them for the same weapon, you must buy it again.

· You may spend a Void Point to add +1k1 to its damage, as if it were a katana.

· You can add a Keyword (Samurai, Monk, etc..) to this weapon for you.

· You add +1k0 to damage

· You add +1k0 to attack rolls

· 1 free raise which can be used only on one specific maneuver to be chosen when you take this advantage. No more than one Free Raise per maneuver can be bought in this way

· If you have a technique allowing attacks with Simple Actions but which does not include this weapon you can now consider it to be included.

This advantage costs:

- 3 pts for weapons which keep 1 dice and bows of Strength 1-2

- 5 pts for weapons which keep 2 dice and bows of Strength 3-4

- 7 pts for weapons which keep 3 or more dices.

Furthermore some clans, families and schools can benefit from a 1pt discount on specific weapons.

Family and School discount can be summed up.

Remember that the following list apply both “per family” and “per school”.

Example: an Asahina trained with the Daidoji Iron Warrior school will have a 2pt discount for Yumi, and 1 pt discount for Yari and Dai Tsuchi.

NOTE: Not all families and not all schools (especially non-Bushi schools) have discounts.

GREAT CLANS

CRAB Families
Hida: Tetsubo
Hiruma: Masakari
Kaiu: Dai Tsuchi
Toritaka: Yari
Yasuki: Tanto
Koebi (Yasuki Vassals): Jitte

Ugawari (Kuni Vassals): Sasumata

CRAB Schools
Hida Bushi: Dai Tsuchi, Ono, Tetsubo.
Hiruma Bushi: Yumi, Katana, Tanto.
Hiruma Scout: Yumi, Katana, Tanto.
Kaiu Engineer: Dai Tsuchi, War Fans
Hida Pragmatist: Unarmed Attacks, Improvised Weapon, Dai Tsuchi
Kuni Witch-Hunter: Katana, Unarmed Attacks

Yasuki Bushi: whip


CRANE Families
Asahina: Yumi
Daidoji: Yari
Kakita: Katana
Chaneko (Asahina vassals): Yumi
Tsume (Doji vassals): Yari

CRANE Schools
Daidoji Iron Bushi: Yari, Yumi, Dai Tsuchi
Daidoji Scout School: Yumi, Katana, Tanto
Doji Magistrate: Jitte, Sasumata, Han-Kyu
Kakita Bushi: Katana, Naginata, Yumi


DRAGON Families
Mirumoto: Katana
Kitsuki: Katana
Tamori: Katana
Togashi Order: Unarmed Attacks
Kouken (Mirumoto vassals): Unarmed Attacks

DRAGON Schools
Mirumoto Bushi: Katana, Wakizashi, Yumi
Mirumoto Taoist Swordman: Katana, Wakizashi, No-Dachi
Togashi Tatooed Order: Unarmed attacks, Bo


LION Families
Akodo: War Fan
Matsu: Yari
Ikoma: Unarmed Attacks
Damasu (Akodo vassals): Yari
Goseki (Matsu vassals): Magare-Yari
Ikeda (Matsu vassals): Lance
Koritome (Matsu vassals): Yumi

Murame (Ikoma vassals): Yari

LION Schools
Akodo Bushi: Katana, Naginata, Yari
Matsu Bushi: Katana, No-Dachi, Nagamaki
Lion Elite Spearman: Magare-Yari, Yari, Nage-Yari
Ikoma Lion Shadow: Katana, Yari, Yumi
Matsu Beastmaster: Beastmaster’s Claws, Katana, Unarmed Attacks


MANTIS Families
Yoritomo: Kama
Tsuruchi: Yumi
Kagehisa (Tsuruchi vassals): Katana
Goraiku (Moshi vassals): Yumi

Kitsune: Yumi

MANTIS Schools
Yoritomo Bushi: Kama, Parangu, Kusarigama
Tsuruchi Archer: Yumi, Han-Kyu, Dai-Kyu
Tsuruchi Bounty Hunter: Yumi, Tanto, Katana
Mantis Brawler: Unarmed Attacks, Kama, Improvised Weapon

Kitsune family: Yumi, Han-Kyu, Nagamaki .

PHOENIX Families
Asako: Bo
Shiba: Naginata
Agasha: Katana

PHOENIX Schools
Shiba Bushi: Naginata, Nagamaki, Yari
Asako Henshin: Unarmed Attack, Bo


SCORPION Families
Bayushi: Tanto
Shosuro: Tanto

SCORPION Schools
Bayushi Bushi: Katana, Yari, Yumi
Shosuro Infiltrator: Ninjato, Shuriken, Kusarigama
Shosuro Actor: Shuriken, Tanto, Tsubute
Soshi Magistrate: Katana, unarmed attacks, Jitte


UNICORN Families
Moto: Scimitar
Shinjo: Dai-kyu
Utaku: Naginata
Ide: Dai-Kyu
Iuchi: Dai-Kyu

UNICORN Schools
Moto Bushi: Scimitar, Lance, Dai Tsuchi
Shinjo Bushi: Katana, Dai-kyu, Lance
Utaku Battle Maiden: Naginata, Lance, Dai-Kyu
Moto VIndicator: Scimitar, Lance, Dai-Kyu
Utaku Mounted Infantry: Katana, Naginata, Yari

SPIDER Families
Daigotsu: No-dachi
Goju:Shuriken
Spider Monks: Bisento

SPIDER Schools
Daigotsu Bushi: Katana, Dai Tsuchi, Ono
Spider Monks: Bisento, Unarmed Attacks
Goju Ninja: Ninjato, Tanto, Tsubute
Dark Moto Cavalry: Lance, Scimitar, Dai-Kyu


MINOR CLANS

BADGER
Ichiro Family: Ono
Ichiro Bushi School: Katana, Dai Tsuchi, Naginata

BOAR
Heichi Family: Mai Chong
Heichi Bushi School: Mai Chong, Yari, Nage-Yari

FALCON
Toritaka Family: Yari
Toritaka Bushi School: Yari, Yumi, Naginata

FOX
Kitsune family: Yumi

HARE
Usagi Family: Katana
Ujina Family: Tanto
Usagi Bushi School: Katana, Unarmed Attacks, Tanto

MONKEY
Toku family: Katana
Toku Bushi School: Yari, No-Dachi, Yumi

OX
Morito Family: Lance
Morito Bushi School: Naginata, Dai Tsuchi, Lance

SPARROW
Suzume Family: Katana
Suzume Bushi School: Katana, Yari, Yumi

TIGER (From IH)
Yotsu Family: Tanto
Yotsu Bushi School: Katana, Naginata, Yumi

OTHERS

IMPERIALS
Seppun Family: Naginata
Miya Family: Wakizashi
Seppun Guardsman School: Katana, Naginata, Yumi


MONKS (only cases for non-family discount).
Order of Osano-Wo: Tetsubo, Nagamaki.
Order of Wind Grace (from BoA): Any Bow

RONIN:
Tessen: War Fans

I see you've put a lot of workon this, but I disagree with the approach. Basically, you created an advantage every bushi wants/needs, and that's a sign of bad design. The cost is minimal for a really potent benefit.

When you look at something and cannot see why a character wouln't want it, then you should give the ability for free to everyone instead. In addition, when you look at the current rules, it's unnecessary for a character that wants to specialize on a given weapon. Skill masteries and emphases can define a bushi's expertise without having to add such a powerful tool.

If I were to try to balance it, I would remove some of it's benefits (no +1k0 to hit for example...this is covered by emphases) and add some drawback to wield other weapons for the overspecialization.

I think that skill masteries in their current incarnation do not solve the problem.

The problem with the rules as they are is that we get 2 over-powered weapons, tetsubo &nodachi, 1 weapon which everybody has (katana) and some very, very undervalued items like the Yari. With its low dr and lack of reach rules ...why would one want to specialize in it? And what about the Tanto? With a lack of rules For small weapons in grapple it is a useless weapon. And what about the dai tsuchi? As a k2 weapon nobody cares about it.

My aim was to: 1) allow specialization, 2) male k1 and k2 weapons shine.

This us why i put an increasing cost 3\5\7.

If it is cheap one can go 5/7/9 but still, buying it For a yari is still cheaper than for a nodachi.

And, regarding balance, remember that this advantage give single benefits, not all of them, and a +1k0 is not a Great boon.

In my opinion, improving the Skill Masteries would be better and more fitting. I mean, a character being totally specialized on a weapon yet having only 2 Ranks of Weapon Skill for it is somewhat unrealistic.

In my opinion, improving the Skill Masteries would be better and more fitting. I mean, a character being totally specialized on a weapon yet having only 2 Ranks of Weapon Skill for it is somewhat unrealistic.

Good point!

I have my own reserves with over-expanding weapon masteries and I prefer the use of advantages.

But maybe it's just me and my love for customization.

By the way, thank you for your comment, so maybe I should say that if you want to buy this advantage you must have the relevant skill at Rank 3.

If you want to buy it twice for the same weapon the Skill 5 or if you want to buy it thrice you need the weapon skills rank to be 7.

I came to the solution that it's the cost itself of the advantage which limits it.

Most benefits are not greater than +1k0 to an attack roll.

And if the advantage costs, for example, 5 pts buying that +1k0 will not be convenient until you have a weapon skill rank of 5 and you need 6pts to raise it to 6.

I feel that the system is auto-balanced because of this. However to make things work properly I'm thinking about raising the cost to 4\6\8.