I'm working on a game that uses different types of swords with different types of styles (Think Highlander). Any ideas for how to develop "sword styles"?

Any recommendations welcome?

Probably something akin to the lightsaber styles in Star Wars. A talent (3rd tier maybe) that swaps the base Characteristic used from Brawn.

23 minutes ago, rogue_09 said:

Probably something akin to the lightsaber styles in Star Wars. A talent (3rd tier maybe) that swaps the base Characteristic used from Brawn.

Yep, this would be the best way and is already proven to work in this system.

In SWRPG, they're called "Technique" talents and use the names of lightsaber forms (with names like Ataru, Soresu, etc) and each one allows the user to swap out Brawn as the characteristic linked to the Lightsaber skill.

Depending on how in-depth you want to get into sword styles - and with the presence of both Heavy and Light Melee skills in Genesys - you could create a whole host of 'technique' talents which link the different Melee skills to different characteristics.

So a ninja assassin style might get to use Cunning as the base characteristic for Melee Light, whereas an over-the-top flashy Zorro-style might call upon Presence.

4 hours ago, Kualan said:

Depending on how in-depth you want to get into sword styles - and with the presence of both Heavy and Light Melee skills in Genesys - you could create a whole host of 'technique' talents which link the different Melee skills to different characteristics.

So a ninja assassin style might get to use Cunning as the base characteristic for Melee Light, whereas an over-the-top flashy Zorro-style might call upon Presence.

This is the best way to develop this concept - once you have the Talent which unlocks the new style, then allow a series of Talents that you can only take if you the fighting style, then you can make special attacks and moves that are related to that style. You can even look at the Talents used in Star Wars - like Hawk Bat Swoop.

You can also look at what I did in Ready...Fight! on Genesys Foundry for unarmed combat, and maybe apply that to sword fighting.

KRKappel

That was one of my initial inspirations!

Get the Palladium RPG Arms and Equipment book. It has an insane assortment of ancient weapons in it, and some really funky blades. I'm sure you can find it on pdf easily enough.

Check out first Edition Seventh Seas they have a boat load of fighting styles.

make sure it is f 1rst ed 2nd does away with the fighting styles

If you can read French you must checkout the best book ever published to integrate Fencing in RPGs : L'Art de l'Escrime for Pavillon Noir 2.

If you prefer English, there is a game called "The Riddle of Steel." It was written in conjunction with the society of the Medieval Martial Arts, It gets pretty detailed.