Fighter with two swords

[bluesguy]

Ok I want to build a fighter who fights with two swords and basically has no penalties in a battle. I want him to be able to use both weapons in the same phase. I am running a Sword & Sorcery style campaign so no magic enhancements.

 

So I know he needs Ambidexterity (no Off Hand Penalty), Two Weapon Fighting, & Fighting Tricks. I also included Combat Luck, Defense Maneuver I-II, Fast Draw and lots of combat skill with swords.

 

So what is he missing to be able to make multiple attacks in the same phase? Is that Autofire of some kind?

[Beast]

Re: Fighter with two swords

 

use the sweep maneuver

make and buy a super skill Whirling dervish,tasmainian devil dance,etc

area radius HKA (2") OAF needs 2 swords

[bluesguy]

Re: Fighter with two swords

 

use the sweep maneuver

make and buy a super skill Whirling dervish,tasmainian devil dance,etc

area radius HKA (2") OAF needs 2 swords

Do you mean use Sweep and add Area Radius HKA...?

 

Or do you mean either use

a) Sweep or

HKA Area Radius 2" w/ OAF Swords?

 

I think the 2nd way matches closer to what I was thinking. Plus the disadvantage that he has to hit individual targets in each hex not just the center hex.

 

Your thoughts?

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: Fighter with two swords

 

Ok I want to build a fighter who fights with two swords and basically has no penalties in a battle. I want him to be able to use both weapons in the same phase. I am running a Sword & Sorcery style campaign so no magic enhancements.

 

So I know he needs Ambidexterity (no Off Hand Penalty), Two Weapon Fighting, & Fighting Tricks. I also included Combat Luck, Defense Maneuver I-II, Fast Draw and lots of combat skill with swords.

 

So what is he missing to be able to make multiple attacks in the same phase? Is that Autofire of some kind?

 

He does not need Ambidexterity. Ambidexterity is a part of Two-Weapon Combat. When using a weapon in each hand, a character with TWC does not suffer from the normal Off-hand penalty of -3. It is "waived" for the purpose of attacking with two weapons. With just TWC, your goal of having the character be able to do multiple attacks at no penalty is successful. With TWC, you character will be able to do 2 strikes at no penalty. Additional strikes will accrue additional -2 (cumulative) penalty per strike beyond 2, thus your character will be able to do 3 strikes at -2, 4 strikes at -4, 5 strikes at -6 and so on (note that this penalty is to ALL the strikes in the flurry). If you want to make your character capable of making more strikes at no penalty, purchase +1 OCV with Two Weapon Combat (if the GM allows it) every +2 OCV will allow your character to do another "strike" at no penalty.

 

The other skills you mentioned aren't at all necessary to do multiple strikes, but they are necessary to produce a specific kind of badassery. Combat Luck makes your character harder to kill. Defense Maneuver makes it so your character is harder to take by surprise and can fight multiple enemies without disadvantage (essential for a character of the type you are making, in my opinion). Fast Draw making your character instantly ready for battle. A lot of GM's out there will allow characters to perform Surprise Moves at the beginning of combat using their Fast Draw skill. Combat Skill Levels are essential for a master swordsman type (which it seems you are creating) and will help make the character incredibly versatile. The only thing you haven't mentioned that I will suggest for your character is Martial Arts. A sword-based Martial Arts style is perfect for this type of character, unless of course your GM's campaign doesn't support Martial Arts of that type/flavor.

 

Developing Talents for this type of character can be incredibly fun and can help you get the most out of the Powers Creation system in Hero to help represent your characters capabilities well. Naked Advantages are a good one here. Such a character is a shoo-in for a Naked Autofire advantage that can apply to his sword strikes creating a character that becomes a blur in combat leaving death and destruction in his wake. This could get abusive, but imagine such a character with Two Weapon Combat and a Flurry Talent consisting of the Autofire advantage that he can add to his sword strikes. Then purchase for that character Rapid Autofire skill which would allow him to use Auto-fire Talent and Two Weapon Combat in concert creating a character who can perform multiple strikes with each attack roll!

You could also apply an Area-of-Effect advantage to your weapon so your character can effortlessly attack all opponents in his attack range (a few meters at best). Other Talents could include an Armor Piercing attack, a high stun attack (increased Stun Multiplier), an undogeable attack (area of effect 1-hex), an unblockable attack (Indirect). And none of these "abilities" are magical in nature, merely indicative of an extremely high level of practice and combat skill.

[Beast]

Re: Fighter with two swords

 

sorry I meant each by it self would work

also area effect trail to simulate somebody running/swinging/flying by slashing all those that he comes near

 

 

Do you mean use Sweep and add Area Radius HKA...?

 

Or do you mean either use

a) Sweep or

HKA Area Radius 2" w/ OAF Swords?

 

I think the 2nd way matches closer to what I was thinking. Plus the disadvantage that he has to hit individual targets in each hex not just the center hex.

 

Your thoughts?

[bluesguy]

Re: Fighter with two swords

 

This actually a NPC that the players are going to encounter while working as caravan guards. He is a Lt. in the prince's guard. I figure they will have a recurring encounters with him. He is very much a follow the rules kind of guy. So I can see them ending up on his bad side and his good side (back and forth). One of the PC's is a fencer so I can see that character picking up some skills from the NPC if she plays her cards right.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: Fighter with two swords

 

Cool NPC. You could have a mock battle between this character and the fencer. Show your players what the HERO combat system is capable of.

[bluesguy]

Re: Fighter with two swords

 

Actually they are going to be going on an adventure together. The NPC is on a mission to deliver payroll & pick up taxes to/from a village with two elite guards and they 'attached' themselves to the caravan the PCs were hired to protect. On the way back the party will be attacked by 20+ bandits. Most of them will be low level and I will have the elite guards 'guard' the tax box, while this NPC wades in. The PCs are none to shabby either. So they will have to pull their weight. My intention is that he will be holding down the low level bandits while the PCs have to deal with the leaders - mostly one on one.

 

Afterwards the idea being that the fencer is going to think - hmm he might make a good instructor. The other characters might see some other opportunities to work with the NPC. But this is really for the fencer. She needs an instructor.

[DusterBoy]

Re: Fighter with two swords

 

You also need "Rapid Attack (HtH)", bluesguy, so your man can perform the "Sweep" manoeuvre as a 1/2 phase action.

[bluesguy]

Re: Fighter with two swords

 

So this NPC got his first work out the last two sessions. I built him with:

 

Fast Draw

Fighting Tricks

Defense Maneuver I-II

Two-Weapon Fighting

+5 w/ Swords

SPD 3

OCV/DCV 5

Martial Arts - Sword fighting Prefab (which he can't use while doing the following)

 

Whirling Blades of Death - H2H KA 1.5 d6, 2m Radius, OAF swords, Must make separate attack on each defender in target area, requires Fighting Tricks roll, increased End and +3 DCV

 

Between having to make a Fighting Tricks roll & having to attack each target in the area of effect he was dangerous but not crazy dangerous. My daughter rolled some of his attacks and on one attack he basically killed two minions in one phase. She then used a presence attack and scared the crap out of the other bandits who were closing on him. Which was good because he was almost out of END by that point in time.

 

He worked exactly as I would have expected. Now the 'fencer' in the party is 'interested' in learning some of his skills. Exactly the way I intended to use this NPC on a regular basis - training master for the 'fencer'.

 

Thanks for the help.

[Kraven Kor]

Re: Fighter with two swords

 

So this NPC got his first work out the last two sessions. I built him with:

 

Fast Draw

Fighting Tricks

Defense Maneuver I-II

Two-Weapon Fighting

+5 w/ Swords

SPD 3

OCV/DCV 5

Martial Arts - Sword fighting Prefab (which he can't use while doing the following)

 

Whirling Blades of Death - H2H KA 1.5 d6, 2m Radius, OAF swords, Must make separate attack on each defender in target area, requires Fighting Tricks roll, increased End and +3 DCV

 

Between having to make a Fighting Tricks roll & having to attack each target in the area of effect he was dangerous but not crazy dangerous. My daughter rolled some of his attacks and on one attack he basically killed two minions in one phase. She then used a presence attack and scared the crap out of the other bandits who were closing on him. Which was good because he was almost out of END by that point in time.

 

He worked exactly as I would have expected. Now the 'fencer' in the party is 'interested' in learning some of his skills. Exactly the way I intended to use this NPC on a regular basis - training master for the 'fencer'.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Just a nitpick: The "Must make attack roll against each target" would be better suited by making the AoE "Selective." If I am reading your write-up correctly.

[bluesguy]

Re: Fighter with two swords

 

Just a nitpick: The "Must make attack roll against each target" would be better suited by making the AoE "Selective." If I am reading your write-up correctly.

Thank you... That is excellent information. It has been a while since I built Hero characters and could use any suggestions like this that people have.