Thread:Saris Khan/@comment-24384232-20141211031559/@comment-24384232-20141211232520

Except swordsman in rpgs have always been considered something of lackluster. DnD being the prime example. You dont see 20th level fighters raising dead gods, or leading hordes of undead or the like. It's always the wizard, or cleric. Magic in every game or system it is implemented in is invariably a game-changer. Swordsman rarely if ever have the tools necessary to deal with a powerful magic user. Your mighty sword can cut a mountain, but I can create one, erase it from existence or summon from another dimension. And if Im feeling really mean, I might just throw you into said dimension.

Yes, you can portray swordsman in a semi-realistic fashion but that argument is precisely the reason why it fails in most roleplaying. Unless you have a grasp of how swordsmanship works in reality or have knowledge of an actual martial art, most people aren't going to know how to use one with the level of sophistication that is required in the styles you created. They sound great in theory but they don't actually confer any understanding of how to actually use them in roleplaying. Thats the crux of the matter and one I wish to rectify.

'' "Zanjutsu really shines for as long as the practitioners fight with sealed swords. Once we get to releases the bladework often loses its importance." ''

I disagree with this assertion. It is precisely for this reason that swordsmanship and hakuda are frowned upon in high-end play because many people believe they simply do not have a place there. You establish that its good to be well-rounded but by your own admission, you disqualify two fields of combat entirely. To quote one of Bleach's most memorable characters, "Those are the words of a defeated man!! A victor must speak not of the current state of the world, but of how it should rightfully be!"

I do not wish to see zanjutsu and hakuda looked upon as useless in the face of a released sword. I do not want for them to be regarded as weak in the face of the might of kido or other strange powers. I want them to stand as equals. There is a reason zanjutsu and hakuda are two of the four pillars of Shinigami Combat, and I intend to make their worth a reality.