Master Swordsman O.C.C.

Created by Brett Hegr
[ Return to Main Page ]

Ever seen an anime called "Ninja Scroll?" I patterned this O.C.C. after the lead character, Jubei. A couple things in my new weapons and new equipment files may be of use to you Rifts® fans who are creating a swordsman.


O.C.C. Abilities and Bonuses:

  1. Special Sword Skill: Choose one at level one, and one more at level six (the skill gained at level six begins at level one proficiency). The bonuses listed are in addition to the character's W.P. Sword skill.
    Paired Swords (daisho or two long swords): The character excels in the use of two blades, and can do dual parries, dual strikes, or a strike and parry. See the below data for the damage a specific sword type does. +1 to strike and parry.

    Long Sword (claymore, katana): Three to four feet is the normal length of such blades. Normal damage is about 1d8, but can range up to 2d6. Superior quality long swords do 3d6 damage. +1 to strike and parry.

    Short Sword (wakizashi, rapier, sabre, machete, scimitar): These blades have a length of two to two and a half feet, with a standard damage of 1d6 or 1d8. Well forged blades of this type can do 2d6 damage. +2 to strike.

    Broadsword (flamberge & no-dachi): Standard damage for this type of sword is 3d6, while a superior quality blade does 4d6 damage. A flamberge-size weapon is about four feet long, but the no-dachi is a massive five to six feet long. +2 to strike.

    Half-Sword (naginata & yari): These types of weapons are a cross between a polearm and a sword, as is the technique of their use. Standard damage is 1d8, but a superior quality weapon can do 2d6. The length of these weapons can range from four to six feet, or even more. +2 to parry.

    Special Sword: There are many possible varieties of bladed weapon. The character might be an expert in the use of a Klingon Bathleth (spellchecker can't handle that one), a bladestaff (a short staff with a foot long blade at each end), or perhaps a tevix-bahn (basically two short swords with a chain between them - it is a fictional weapon from a kick-ass BBS game called Overkill). In general, expertise with a unique bladed weapon will grant either a +1 to strike and parry, a +2 to strike, or a +2 to parry depending on the weapon. Players and GMs should work together if a new type of bladed weapon is possible. The damage should be about 2d6 for a normal weapon, or 3d6 for a superior quality one.
  2. Special Sword Skills: These are special techniques that the swordsman knows, after years of training and visualization. Pick one at level one, plus select a new one at levels three, six, and nine. They can be applied to any sword the character uses, but there are exceptions to what can be done with a particular kind of sword.
    Special Technique A: Multiple parries - normally, a fighter is limited to parrying just a few attacks at a time. The master swordsman can parry any number of hand or melee weapon attacks! Not possible with a broadsword (much too slow).

    Special Technique B: Thrusting strike - this require two melee actions to perform. The strike does normal damage but is +4 to strike, +1 more at levels four and eight. The strike bonus helps to overcome a high A.R., but against mega-damagetm armor you should instead increase the damage done by +10% or one point, whichever is more (change to +15% or two points at level five).

    Special Technique C: Can disarm with a +1 to disarm bonus, +1 more at levels four and eight. Short swords are +1 to disarm in the swordsman's hands.

    Special Technique D: Sword throw - the swordsman is +2 to strike with a thrown sword, +1 more at levels three, seven, and ten. Add an extra +1 to strike if the sword is a short sword.

    Special Technique E: A combination parry/strike with full normal bonuses performed up to once per melee at level one, twice per melee at level four, and up to three times per melee at level seven. Not possible with a short sword (not long enough).

    Special Technique F: A power parry, where if the swordsman's roll to parry is six or more points greater than his attacker's roll to strike with a weapon the attacker is disarmed automatically! If using a broadsword against a smaller sword, the disarm happens if the parry roll is at least four points greater than the attack roll. This is not possible with a short sword (not heavy enough).

    Special Technique G: A power strike that takes two attacks and has half the normal strike bonuses, but does double damage at level one and then improves to triple damage at level four!

    Special Technique H: Iai-Jutsu, the 'sword-drawing art.' The character gets a +1 initiative bonus at levels 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 when using a sword.

    Special Technique I: Targeting strikes! The character has a critical strike on a natural roll of 16-20, plus has a death blow with a sword on a natural 19-20. The death blow requires two melee actions to perform and must be called each time, and functions just like the hand to hand combat death blow. This cannot be selected until level six.

    Other Techniques: The player could also select a Special Kata or Martial Art Technique from Ninjas & Superspiestm as long as it is applicable to swords. The only limits are that the abilities and/or bonuses apply only when a sword is in use.
  3. Common Sword Skills: The character's skill and swiftness is so great that he can parry small thrown objects (stones, shuriken, darts, knives, etc.) and projectiles (arrows, bullets, and energy blasts) with his sword. The standard -6 penalty applies. Unless the sword is well made, magical, or has some sort of protective field around it the parried attack will probably destroy the sword. Bursts of projectiles cannot be parried, only a single projectile. The character also has a critical strike on a natural roll of 18-20 when using any type of sword, for any purpose (normal strikes, throws, etc.)

  4. Special Physical Bonuses: Add +1d6 to the P.S., P.P., and P.E. attributes. If any of these attributes are below 20 after all bonuses are added, increase them to 20. Also add +10 to the speed attribute, with a minimum Spd. of 24. Lastly, add +40 S.D.C.tm and +2d6 hit points.

  5. Special Weapon: The character begins with one special sword (or two kinda special swords, if an expert in paired swords). This is largely up to the GM's discretion. For PFRPG, the sword (or swords) should have a total value of up to 1d4x10,000+20,000 gold. In a contemporary setting the sword would have three powers of either Weapons of Order or Weapons of Chaos (paired swords would have one common power between them and each would have one unique power). A Rifts® setting would mean the sword is either a very strong vibro-sword (around 6d6 M.D.tm with a +1 to strike and parry bonus) or a magical sword. Techno-wizardtm swords are possible, but useful only if the swordsman has some sort of ability to fuel it (i.e. magic or psionic powers). You might even allow the Master Swordsman to create a Psi-Sword just like a Cyber-Knight, or let them have the minor super ability of Personal Weapon. If you feel this is too much for the character class, then by all means do not include it in the character you create. It is probably too strong to put into the PFRPG, but appropriate for other Palladium genres.

  6. Chi Abilities: If you are using chi in your campaign, the Master Swordsman has the skills of Chi Awareness and Chi Relaxation (no positive or negative chi skills, unless gained through an advanced martial art).

  7. Other Bonuses: Add a +1 on perception, and add +1 vs Horror Factor at every odd numbered level.

Attribute Requirements: An M.E. of 14 and a P.P. of 14.
Alignment: Any
Experience Point Table: Use the same one as the PFRPG Monk, Rifts® Cyber-Knight, or the Physical Training table in HU.
O.C.C. Skills:
Speak native language at 98%
Speak two languages of choice (+10%)
Climbing (+10%)
Swimming (+10%)
Prowl (+5%)
Math: Basic (+10%)
Land Navigation (+10%)
Wilderness Survival (+10%)
Paramedic or Holistic Medicine (+10%)
Pick one: Boxing, Wrestling, Acrobatics, or Gymnastics
W.P. Sword
W.P. two of choice
Hand to Hand: Basic

Hand to Hand: Expert can be selected at the cost of one other skill, Martial Arts or Assassin for two other skills, or a more advanced martial art form (like from Ninjas and Superspiestm for five other skills).

O.C.C. Related Skills: Select any seven, but two must be from Physical skills. Select one additional skill at levels three, six, nine, twelve, and fifteen. Those skills begin at level one proficiency.
Communications: Radio: Basic only.
Domestic: Any
Electrical: Basic Electronics only.
Espionage: Any (+5%)
Mechanical: Basic Mechanics and Auto Mechanics only.
Medical: None
Military: Any (+5%)
Physical: Any
Pilot: Any except Tanks & APCs, Helicopters, Jet Fighter, and Power Armor & Robots.
Pilot Related: Any
Rogue: Any
Science: Mathematics, Astronomy, and Botany only
Technical: Art, Languages, Literacy, and Lores only.
W.P.: Any
Wilderness: Any (+10%)

For Special PFRPG Categories:
Communications: Any
Horsemanship: Any
Scholar, Noble, & Techical: Any
Secondary Skills: Select five secondary skills but do not apply any bonus other than an I.Q. bonus.
Standard Equipment: Canteen, knapsack, backpack, candles and incense, sleeping bag and tent, a pair of sturdy boots, a pocket mirror, stakes and a mallet, a hooded cloak, and personal items.
Weapons and Armor: A suit of light armor (swordsmen prefer speed rather than protection), a knife, a shield (if wanted), and their favored sword (described above).
Money: These characters tend to be paupers, since they are more interested in personal goals than personal wealth. They begin with only 1d4x100 gold, 2d4x100 dollars, or 3d4x1000 credits.
Cybernetics and Bionics: None at first, but some may opt for them if they are available since it is so easy to get a limb hacked off in an intense swordfight.