How often do you get critical strikes on this system? On newbies samurais and on rank 5 samurais?
Because a funny thing is that "Striking as fire increase your severity!!!" except that it only last one turn, meaning that it only works if you increase severity on the first attack and then get a critical on the second. i dont think that a player has this kind of knowledge (Im gonna roll a critical on the next strike, so i will use this turn to buff it!). And i mean, if you strike as fire and get 2 opportunities, why would you increase your severity by 2 and risk losing it in the next turn instead of hurting your opponent? Seems better to just hit a critical strike and make your opponent roll for it, put pressure on him.
I should point out, that while striking as fire is not consistent. The others striking as are pretty much it. You can plan when to use it and how to use it.