The Book of Katana (Outsiders)

[Arkham]

Alternatively, could also just drop it. I think it’s super niche enough it’s not really going to be a factor outside of the less than 1% of times it comes up and makes a difference.

[Karat]

Really minor, but saves a bit of space.

OUTSIDERS ADVANCE
When rolling for initiative, add 1 to your roll for each enemy figure within clear sight of Katana, to a maximum of +3. If you win initiative, you may immediately move up to 3 Interlopers you control up to 3 spaces each, ignoring leaving engagement attacks. After moving figures this way, you may choose onea figure engaged with both Katana and another Interloper you control and roll one unblockable attack die against the chosen figure.

For pasteability:

OUTSIDERS ADVANCE
When rolling for initiative, add 1 to your roll for each enemy figure within clear sight of Katana, to a maximum of +3. If you win initiative, you may immediately move up to 3 Interlopers you control up to 3 spaces each, ignoring leaving engagement attacks. After moving figures this way, you may choose a figure engaged with both Katana and another Interloper you control and roll one unblockable attack die against the chosen figure.

[IAmBatman]

Good edit, Karat. I'll add that now.

Originally Posted by Arkham

Alternatively, could also just drop it. I think it’s super niche enough it’s not really going to be a factor outside of the less than 1% of times it comes up and makes a difference.

With as specific as the power title is, I like it having that small bit of niche theme in it so we don't hold up fairly reusable mechanics on such a specific title.

[Ronin]

No wording notes.

[IAmBatman]

Awesome. Thanks. @Arkham we should be ready for carding.

[Arkham]

The sword aspect is probably more important than the martial arts, in this case, then. Maybe do something unprecedented and just include any powers that have “sword” in the name?

Alternatively, maybe just make it Fighters and Warriors?

[Ronin]

I'd be very against the keyword-y "sword" thing.

I get wanting to put a little theme twiddle in there because it's a unique name, but almost anything will have some thematic oddness. I'd either switch to a more reusable name or just roll with the MMA thing.

[Splash]

I mean it fits well with the catch the sword mid-swing with your hands like a badass martial arts trope as is. Not realistic, but this is comic book-land.

[IAmBatman]

I think the theme is strongest with the MMA inclusion. It communicates that only someone trained to the level of mastery in martial arts is prepared for a sudden strike from her sword. Someone with a sword wouldn’t necessarily be more equipped to block that someone with a shield or a staff or super speed, IMO.

Which is to say I think it works as is in the SP. But I’m not going to try to rush anything through and want to work to ensure everyone is happy with it, so please view that as a statement of my perspective rather than a dismissal of any others.

[tcglkn]

I like the MMA inclusion for a light theme. It’s not going to come up too often anyways.

[FreshFoods]

I dig it, I'm a fan of small flavor inclusions in general. It'll be irrelevant most of the time, but it'll be pretty sick when Karate Kid catches her sword between his hands or something.

[Arkham]

Ultimately don't really care since it's super niche and will hardly come up in 99% of scenarios. Just from a thematic standpoint, since we're eliminating Swordplay because:

The Swordplay callout in Iaijutsu Strike doesn't make sense to me. Swordplay is almost entirely on Errol Flynn Swashbuckler types, why would they have a bonus against her? Then if you're good enough to have Master Swordplay or psychic enough to have Telekinetic Swordplay that's somehow no longer an issue for her? Does she have a very specific code of honor that requires she gives exactly average swordsmen a fair shake at things?

Then it feels weird to have the same logic gap, if not more so, by still having MMA get a bonus to getting around it.

The bonus, thematically, was to indicate those very well trained to beat her to the punch or to avoid her counter/strike. An Iaijutsu Strike is generally used by Samurai, where they make a very quick strike as they pull the sword out from the scabbard. Can be used offensively to catch an opponent off guard, or defensively to beat them to the punch when they go to strike. Logic being, if one was really well trained in melee combat, they'd have a higher chance of avoiding her strike, and with swords specifically, they'd know better on how to deal with someone else using a sword tactic.

So if we're taking off Swordplay because it does not encompass Master Swordplay and Telekinetic Swordplay etc., the same applies to all the various powers related to martial arts/hand to hand prowess being excluded.

All of which is why I suggested Fighter and Warrior, which at least makes a more defined thematic line in the sand that trained Fighters and Warriors will stand a better chance against her technique.

That was my reasoning. Like I said, don't really care either way, just felt odd we're drawing a line on Swordplay but not MMA, and suggested an alternative that might be a better defined line. Clearly everyone else disagrees with that, so don't mind me.