Thread:Saris Khan/@comment-24384232-20141211031559/@comment-136273-20141211202509

There is significantly more "filler" in Zanjutsu than something like Kido. The amount of effort required to perform a simple slash is substantially lower than, say, what it takes to launch a proper Sokatsui. Even though every attack should be potentially dangerous, the fact a sword strike is easier to block than a large glowing fireball is no big deal because you can simply strike again, and again, and again, until one attack finally gets through. Most of the flailing is devoted to create a set-up for a major move. If it doesn't work anyway, you just keep going and try something else.

I don't agree with the superfluous part. A Shakkaho can burn you and that's it. With a sword you can cut a tendon, a blood vessel, gouge out an eye, cut off an arm, impale someone, cause severe bleeding. Each of those effects might be minor in comparison, but they differ widely as far as their influence on the target is concerned. You can't see well with blood in your eyes or run that fast with a tendon in your leg sliced.

You can concentrate your efforts to protect one part of the body. Okay, I'll target another one. And a different one. And the next one... psych! I'll twist the blade in transition and strike somewhere else. A Shinigami may recognise the combat form of another Shinigami, but an Arrancar or a Quincy, not so much. Furthermore, "a move" is a template rather than something specific to the point of nanoseconds and milimetres. And then we must take into account such factors as strength, speed, stamina, cunning... Good luck anticipating every single move.

Regarding the more out-of-universe approach, naturally not every move has to have a very specific target. Or rather, the "filler" can be described in a general way. However, specific techniques as the ones included in my article should be more explicit to let the RPer react accordingly. From this point onward it's regular RP stuff: be fair and reasonable. No godmodding, no outside knowledge.