So, I'm pleased to find that there are many more people who enjoy RP combat than I originally thought. I'm also pleased to find so many people have varying approaches to weapons and classes with their characters. I realize that this might give some people some brain food- fleshing out how and why your character might take to weapons and combat.
So here is yet another little skeleton for those of you who have combat-oriented characters (even if you don't actually participate in 'dueling' other people.) These are not intended, and should not be used, for meta-gaming purposes.
NOTE: I implore you to refrain from debating whether or not RP combat is viable. I know many people dislike it and I'm not asking you to do it at all, but it's one of those topics in RP that, if discussed, can get really offensive really quickly to the point of views of others.
Character:
Primary Weapon(s):
Class-equivalent:
Style:
Offense/Defense/Versatile:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Summary:
Extra:
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Character: Siobhain Surtsthalwyn
Primary Weapon(s): One-handed sword + Shield
Class-equivalent: Paladin/Gladiator
Style: Hoplomachus-esque (sword + shield + greave - spear)
Offense/Defense/Versatile: Primarily Defensive
Strengths: Stamina, Strength
Weaknesses: Agility, Range
Summary: Siobhain spent some years learning the sword and shield from a Sultansworn and still, these are her primary choice of weapons. Though proficiently ambidextrous in terms of switching sword and shield arms, she tends to take the blade in her right hand to face combatants she perceives will spend more time attacking her. Her style varies depending on whom she is facing and is easily broken into two forms.
Defensive- Her most comfortable style involves wielding her gladius in her right hand and her shield on her left. Facing her opponent with her left side, arm bent and shield in front, she lowers herself into a semi-crouched stance. Her right leg, farthest from her opponent, bears more of her weight, slightly bent at the knee, allowing her to keep her fore-foot light to avoid being unbalanced by leg-sweeps. This stance lessens her range with the sword, leaving her to strike only if her opponent moves in close, usually aiming for the chest, arm-pit, femoral artery, or even the collar bone. The crouched posture aides in lowering her center of gravity closer to the ground, increasing the difficulty of forcibly pushing her backwards or to either side. This lowered stance also allows her to quickly adjust her shield's position to guard her face, chest, or upper legs as needed; though using her left hand to wield the shield lessens the power of her shield strikes.
*Used most often against Pugilists, Swordsmen, and Marauders.
Offensive- Her offensive style is somewhat less comfortable and requires substantially more energy. Though her body still faces her opponent with her left side initially, that is where many of the resemblances to her defensive style end. Wielding her sword in the left hand and her shield in the right, Siobain bends her legs only slightly, keeping more weight on her front, left foot rather than her hind foot, in order to give more range to her sword attacks. Though the gladius is crafted, predominantly, for thrusts, she tends to open with arcing swings, employing far more footwork to push her close to a defensive opponent before dissolving into parries with the blade or oval guard of the sword. Her shield is used much more like a weapon itself, used to swipe away a blade and strike at the hip joints, knees, shoulders, or throats of her opponents, depending on their size. While she lacks some strength and dexterity with her blade in the left hand, her attacks with the shield are powered with the concussive force of her dominant arm.
 Her entire right side will often swing forward as she pivots on her left foot, bringing the shield into weapons or faces without prejudice. This style also allows her to lob her dome-shaped buckler at her enemy with impressive accuracy; a tactic often employed as a distraction in order to close the distance. If ever her shield is lost, Siobhain will take her sword in her right hand and proceed with her attacks, using her free hand to grasp at weapons or limbs as needed in order to drive the weapon home. This style is difficult, urging her to end a fight as quickly as possible, and often ends with her absorbing wounds to the body as sacrifice in order to close the distance between herself and another. All attacks in this style are aimed to be lethal or crippling as she does not have the ability to continue closing distances for long periods of time.
*Used often against Lancers, Archers, and sometimes Marauders.
Extra: Much of Siobhain's fighting tactics are inspired by a blend of Gladiator and Viking sword + shield techniques. Due to her height and the fact that she is female (putting her center of gravity a bit lower than Roegadyn males), crouching serves to aide her ability to maintain her balance. Over all, I realized that her fighting is somewhat reminiscent of Sophitia's from Soul Calibur, with less kicking and jumping-- in fact the characters are rather similar as well. This wasn't intentional as I've spent very little time playing Soul Calibur and honestly... Talim or Kilik all the way.
So here is yet another little skeleton for those of you who have combat-oriented characters (even if you don't actually participate in 'dueling' other people.) These are not intended, and should not be used, for meta-gaming purposes.
NOTE: I implore you to refrain from debating whether or not RP combat is viable. I know many people dislike it and I'm not asking you to do it at all, but it's one of those topics in RP that, if discussed, can get really offensive really quickly to the point of views of others.
Character:
Primary Weapon(s):
Class-equivalent:
Style:
Offense/Defense/Versatile:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Summary:
Extra:
---
Character: Siobhain Surtsthalwyn
Primary Weapon(s): One-handed sword + Shield
Class-equivalent: Paladin/Gladiator
Style: Hoplomachus-esque (sword + shield + greave - spear)
Offense/Defense/Versatile: Primarily Defensive
Strengths: Stamina, Strength
Weaknesses: Agility, Range
Summary: Siobhain spent some years learning the sword and shield from a Sultansworn and still, these are her primary choice of weapons. Though proficiently ambidextrous in terms of switching sword and shield arms, she tends to take the blade in her right hand to face combatants she perceives will spend more time attacking her. Her style varies depending on whom she is facing and is easily broken into two forms.
Defensive- Her most comfortable style involves wielding her gladius in her right hand and her shield on her left. Facing her opponent with her left side, arm bent and shield in front, she lowers herself into a semi-crouched stance. Her right leg, farthest from her opponent, bears more of her weight, slightly bent at the knee, allowing her to keep her fore-foot light to avoid being unbalanced by leg-sweeps. This stance lessens her range with the sword, leaving her to strike only if her opponent moves in close, usually aiming for the chest, arm-pit, femoral artery, or even the collar bone. The crouched posture aides in lowering her center of gravity closer to the ground, increasing the difficulty of forcibly pushing her backwards or to either side. This lowered stance also allows her to quickly adjust her shield's position to guard her face, chest, or upper legs as needed; though using her left hand to wield the shield lessens the power of her shield strikes.
*Used most often against Pugilists, Swordsmen, and Marauders.
Offensive- Her offensive style is somewhat less comfortable and requires substantially more energy. Though her body still faces her opponent with her left side initially, that is where many of the resemblances to her defensive style end. Wielding her sword in the left hand and her shield in the right, Siobain bends her legs only slightly, keeping more weight on her front, left foot rather than her hind foot, in order to give more range to her sword attacks. Though the gladius is crafted, predominantly, for thrusts, she tends to open with arcing swings, employing far more footwork to push her close to a defensive opponent before dissolving into parries with the blade or oval guard of the sword. Her shield is used much more like a weapon itself, used to swipe away a blade and strike at the hip joints, knees, shoulders, or throats of her opponents, depending on their size. While she lacks some strength and dexterity with her blade in the left hand, her attacks with the shield are powered with the concussive force of her dominant arm.
 Her entire right side will often swing forward as she pivots on her left foot, bringing the shield into weapons or faces without prejudice. This style also allows her to lob her dome-shaped buckler at her enemy with impressive accuracy; a tactic often employed as a distraction in order to close the distance. If ever her shield is lost, Siobhain will take her sword in her right hand and proceed with her attacks, using her free hand to grasp at weapons or limbs as needed in order to drive the weapon home. This style is difficult, urging her to end a fight as quickly as possible, and often ends with her absorbing wounds to the body as sacrifice in order to close the distance between herself and another. All attacks in this style are aimed to be lethal or crippling as she does not have the ability to continue closing distances for long periods of time.
*Used often against Lancers, Archers, and sometimes Marauders.
Extra: Much of Siobhain's fighting tactics are inspired by a blend of Gladiator and Viking sword + shield techniques. Due to her height and the fact that she is female (putting her center of gravity a bit lower than Roegadyn males), crouching serves to aide her ability to maintain her balance. Over all, I realized that her fighting is somewhat reminiscent of Sophitia's from Soul Calibur, with less kicking and jumping-- in fact the characters are rather similar as well. This wasn't intentional as I've spent very little time playing Soul Calibur and honestly... Talim or Kilik all the way.