NWoD Valdera:merits FS
Fighting Style: Myranthian Swordsmanship
Prerequisites: Strength 2, Composure 3, Weaponry 3
Effect: Your character has devoted years to learning the Myranthian style of sword fighting. Perhaps he grew up in Myranthia and was raised in on of its military schools or he grew up in a Noble house and was privileged enough to have a Myranthian tutor.
Dots purchased in this Merit allow access to special combat maneuvers. Each maneuver is a prerequisite for the nex. So, your character can't have "Final Blow" until he has "Flury of Steel." The maneuvers and their effects are described below. All of the following maneuvers work only with one or two handed swords.
Analyze Opponent (•) - Your character has learned to watch an opponent and quickly discover their strengths and weaknesses. For each round of combat past the first you ignore 1 point of your enemies defense. This is cumulative. So the second round you ignore 1 point of their defense, the third 2 points, etc. This starts once initiative has been rolled and continues even if there is a pause in the combat. When facing several opponents you can only Analyze one at a time.
Killer Instinct (••) - Long hours of practice with the sword has made dodging and parrying second nature, you may use the higher of your Wits or Dexterity to determine your defense.
Decisive Strike (•••) - Your inner calm is so great that even in the heat of battle you can keep a cool head. When performing an all out attack you gain a number of dice equal to your composure score instead of +2.
Flurry of Steel (••••) - Capitalizing on your momentum in combat you can deliver a flurry of blows. You can make a number of attacks equal to your composure score. Each attack beyond the first suffers a cumulative -1. So the 2nd attack is at -1, the 3rd at -2, etc.
Drawback: You can not use your defense on the turn you use Flurry of Steel.
Final Blow (•••••) - Understanding their opponents defense, your character makes a single attack with the intent of ending the combat with a decisive blow. If you score even a single success on your attack roll then you gain your Composure in automatic successes on the attack. You must spend a point of Willpower to use Final Blow.
Drawback: You can not use your defense on the round you attempt Final Blow.
