Weapons are a force multiplier. The effort put into striking unarmed may be the same as with a club or sword, but the impact and damage output is far greater with the weapon. To begin this series, we start with one of the most iconic and varied weapons, the sword. Most people have an idea in their head of what a sword looks like, a long metal blade, larger than a dagger and often with at least one sharpened edge. It’s a weapon for cutting and sometimes thrusting. However, that shape can vary wildly, from the fencer’s foil to the Ngombe Ngulu of the Bantu people, with the cutlass, katana, and zweihänder in between.
Mechanics
With hundreds of different types of swords from around the world, it’s impossible to try and classify every one of them. Instead let’s break them two into two key classifications that already exist in Metahumans Rising: Might and Quickness. Swords focused on might are hard hitting choppers that can power through armor and bone and may be closer to an axe like the Egyptian Khopesh. Quick blades slice using fine edges and with momentum can leave long, deep lacerations. To represent the difference mighty swords will use Strength as a default Parent Attribute adding the Total Devastation Advancement, while quick blades possess the Defended By: Quickness Boon to represent the only way to avoid being cut is to not be hit.
Yes, realistically hard armor like full plate is going to stop a foil cold, but we are not realistic, we are superheroes and every exposed joint or point of the body is an opening for an attack, which we would expect to reflect in the narrative.
Gear By Power Level
The following section provides examples of weapons appropriate for a given Power Level. As the Power Level increases the example Gear typically becomes more specialized as we move further away from real world counterparts.
No Power
The Wall Hanger 6
- Parent Attribute: Strength or Dexterity (Based on weapon style)
- Primary Role: Offense
Devastating (Boost Devastation) MA2
Secondary Role: Defense MA
Limited: Secondary Role Only for Close Ranged Attacks
Limited Uses: Limited Charge (Broken Sword)
Cost: 8 + 12 + 6 – 3 – 3 = 20 / Gear (8) = MA2TY
This is the blade of the mall ninja, the fan, and the faker. It might be effective for one or two swings but inevitably some mechanical failure will lead to the sword breaking.
Exceptional
These swords represent a historical baseline. These are functional swords that the wielders can rely on. In the hands of a component sword’s person, they are deadly weapons. At the Exceptional Power Level it may be best to see these as working swords where the name was less important to the wielder, in fact many names we attribute to specific types of swords simply translate to sword or blade.
Players may want to add additional properties to their sword. However, the cost of these blades is intended to be approachable at the Exceptional Power Level.
Mighty Blade 6
- Parent Attribute: Strength
- Primary Role: Offense
Devastating (Boost Devastation, Total Devastation) MA3
Secondary Role: Defense MA
Cost: 8 + 18 + 6 = 32 / Gear (8) = MA4
Mighty Blade Examples: Arming Sword, Kopis, Machete
Quick Blade 6
- Parent Attribute: Dexterity
- Primary Role: Offense
Defended By: Quickness MA
Devastating (Boost Devastation) MA3
Secondary Role: Defense MA
Cost: 8 + 6 + 12 + 6 = 32 / Gear (8) = MA4
Quick Blade Examples: Dao, Rapier, Saber
Low Power
Highland Claymore 8
- Parent Attribute: Strength
- Primary Role: Offense
Devastating (Boost Devastation, Total Devastation 2) MA4
Secondary Role: Defense MA
Extra Stamina MA
(S) First Strike 3
Limitation (Requires two hands, – 20 on all rolls if used one handed)
Cost: 10 + 24 + 6 + 6 + 5 – 3 = 48 / Gear (8) = MA6
One of the iconic Scottish blades, the claymore hacks though foes with overwhelming might. The claymore is especially devastating at the start of the battle, as the wielder lands their first blow against a foe. This can lead to a kind of berserk fighting style in which the swords person attacks a target once, leaving them to move on to their next foe assuming at the initial strike is all that was needed. Due to its size and weight, it requires one to keep a grip using both hands.
Note: Characters with super strength may want to buy off the Two Handed Limitation. This is included to represent a more baseline representation.
Tokugawa Era Katana 8
- Parent Attribute: Dexterity (or Wisdom)
- Primary Role: Offense
Defended By: Quickness MA
Devastating (Boost Devastation, Penetrating) MA3
Secondary Role: Defense MA
Extra Stamina TY
(S) Power Strike 3
Cost: 10 + 6 + 18 + 6 + 3 + 5 = 48 / Gear (8) = MA6
From the Warring States period of Japan, the Tokugawa Era Katana is prophase the most recognizable incantation of this already iconic blade. Capable of delivering precise and lethal strikes the wielder can deliver fatal blows when others might never see the opportunity. Given this focus on targeted blows, a duel is often less about flying steel, but rather a thoughtful evaluation of when to strike.
Classic
Amenhotep’s Horn 12
- Parent Attribute: Strength (or Mental)
- Primary Role: Offense
Devastating (Boost Devastation, Total Devastation) MA3
Secondary Role: Defense MA
Extra Stamina MA
Combo:: Bullrush: Move – Heavy Blow – Trip TY
(S) Bullrush 4
(S) Heavy Blow 5
(S) Trip 5
Limited: Pharaoh’s Bond: When wielding Amenhotep’s Horn, the user’s Stamina is reduced by their Catalyst’s Value, as per the Frail Drawback. The Pharaoh take’s their due for lending one his might.
Cost: 14 + 18 + 6 + 6 + 3 + 6 + 7 + 7 = 64 / Gear (8) = MA8
The Second Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt Amenhotep I was known as “the Bull who conquers the lands” and “He who inspires great terror.” After his death he was deified as a patron god of Deir el-Medina. Buried with Amenhotep was his legendary khopesh, the Horn, used as he charged into battles a single swing could bring even the toughest of foes low. The Horn is believed to be imbued with a fragment of Amenhotep I’s essence giving it a divine ability to smite those that stand before the wielder.
Note: After some time, GMs may allow players to add an additional TY Gear Boon to Amenhotep’s Horn to represent paying off their debt to the Pharaoh and reaching a more symbiotic state. When doing so, the additional Gear point should bring (S) Bullrush from 4 to 5.
Mono-Blade Épée 12
- Parent Attribute: Dexterity (or Sense)
- Primary Role: Offense
Defended By: Psyche MA
Devastating (Boost Devastation, Penetrating 2, Interrupted Stopper) MA5
(S) Interrupting Actions 12
Cost: 14 + 6 + 30 + 14 = 64 / Gear (8) = MA8
A barely visible milky thread seeps from a futuristic handguard. Built using smart metals harvested from Zo ships abandoned on earth following the Lensing Conflict, the Épée is constantly rebuilding itself to a singular razor tipped edge. The blade is capable of piercing any armor currently known, but offers no defensive buffer to the wielder. More so, attacks to the blade itself can be particularly damaging as it lacks the structure to absorb blows directly. With that in mind, wielders of the Épée can be especially lethal against slower foes breaking enemy’s attacks with surprising precision.
High Powered
Communing Ngombe Ngulu 15
- Parent Attribute: Strength (or Wisdom)
- Primary Role: Offense
Devastating (Boost Devastation, Total Devastation 2) MA4
Secondary Role: Defense MA
Absorption: Physical MA
Secondary Role: Support: Outlast
New Communication: Spirit Speech TY
Extra Stamina MA2
(S) Ancestor’s Guidance 10
Limited: Forces a Limited Uses check on any Attack Roll used to conquer, or harm innocents.
Locked Out: Absorption only when Ancestor’s Guidance is active.
Cost: 17 + 24 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 3 +12 + 12 – 3 – 3 = 80 / Gear (8) = MA10
This bronze blade appears to be oxidized with a green hew from centuries of neglect. However, the edge remains true as are the engravings along the body of the sword. The sword is ancient and picking up the blade the wielder can feel the weight of that history as if being judged. Those willing to listen though may learn. Inscribed along the blade is a summons to the ancestors who would watch over their people and protect them. A warrior willing to listen to their guidance and protect others may have their blessing. (This requires 1 Turn, where the character is treated as if Staggered.) Once the wielder receives the ancestral blessing the blade shines as if new, appearing like gold when struck by light. Once the danger has passed, the blade returns to it’s worn aged appearance.
Flicker Blade 15
- Parent Attribute: Dexterity (or Intelligence)
- Primary Role: Offense
Alternate Source: Dimensional Force MA
Radius MA
Selective MA
Defended By: Quickness MA
Devastating (Boost Devastation, Metal Stopper, Phased Stopper) MA4
Secondary Role: Defense MA
Extra Stamina MA
(S) Active Defense 1
Cost: 17 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 24 + 6 + 6 + 3 = 80 / Gear (8) = MA10
Designed by the Ar’Dysis for boarding actions, Flicker Blades proved too resource intensive to ever produce in large enough quantities to be meaningful for military action. The alien swords have a scimitar-like quality. Built from exotic materials the blade is so black that it appears as if cut out of the world around it, until it’s activated. Once powered, the microgenerator in the hilt creates a field of Stasiverse energy around it, displacing materials that it passes through. This force has proven exceptionally potent against all metals making ship hulls and most armors ineffective against the Flicker Blade. Additionally, the blade is able to affect things out of sync with the world and can create a shield like effect when swung quickly. Finally, because of the blade’s transitive nature, it loses virtually no momentum when swung allowing wielders to cut down multiple enemies at once while passing through friendly targets harmlessly. While the Flicker Blade project is officially dead, some Ar’Dysis weapons designers continue to look for a key to unlock this blade.
