Gun Kata - Crimson Sickle

[GuardianTempest]

There are those who work exclusively for their own personal benefit at the expense of others, and there are those who share in their spoils with their compatriots. Crimson Sickle was created by the latter for use against the former, and as such the original users of Crimson Sickle techniques are thought to have been a group of Tau revolutionary laborers fighting for the Greater Good.

The key skill for Crimson Sickle is Politics; it’s all about knowing who are your worker allies, knowing who are the bourgeois oppressors, and then taking the initiative to lay on the sweet, sweet, vengeance.

This Gun Kata is available to the Guardsman class track.

Level 1: Peasant

- Second Strike Capability: You may make a ranged Opportunity Attack against anyone who attacks another ally within 10m. Your attack takes place after theirs resolves.

- Action (Spend a Hero Point): Use the act of spending a Hero Point with trick shots. Any attack-related advantages you apply to the trick shot are applied to the ranged attack made after spending the Hero Point. That attack cannot be a trick shot of its own.

Level 2: Activist

(-1/-2) Miniplenty: For one point, only a weapon of Common or Poor quality may be used with this attack. For two points, only a weapon of Poor quality may be used with this attack.

(2) Camaraderie: If your attack is successful, you may spend a Hero Point to give an ally within 10m a temporary Hero Point. This temporary Hero Point may not be burned, and lasts until the end of the encounter.

Level 3: Revolutionary

(-1) Skill (Politics): As part of this attack, make a Politics check against the static defense of the target. If it fails, the attack fails.

(2) Arranging the Blocks: If your attack is successful, you may spend a Hero Point to give a +1k0 bonus to the next attack roll made by each ally within 10m, in the current encounter. If they have Hatred applicable to the target, they may choose to gain +0k1 instead.

Level 4: Commissar

- Hero of the People: Gain a Hero Point that may not be burnt, and you may spend one more Hero Point per turn.

(2) Two Minutes Hate: If your attack is successful, you may spend a Hero Point to give a +1k0 bonus to the next damage roll made by each ally within 10m, in the current encounter. If they have Hatred applicable to the target, they may choose to gain +0k1 instead.

Level 5: Chairman

(-5) Patriotic War: You must spend a Hero Point to use this attack.

[Traskus]

Hero of the People seems too powerful. I suggest that the hero point not be burnable.

[username]

You don't feel feel that way due to having balanced one of your Exaltations around the idea that you don't get more than 3 Hero Points, do you? Hero of the people is certainly super powerful, but the burning aspect of the Hero Point isn't really their best and most common usage.

[GuardianTempest]

It's kinda a waste of a Hero Point you spend 300 XP for.

As for my writeup about this Gun Kata, not much to say at the moment, original owner was Kwak and he wanted to try something different in the wild days of homebrewing. Mechanically, this is similar to Last Line and Brass Tactics in that you're supporting your friends, but in a simpler "mass rebellion" sort of manner. Although trick shots using listed advantages are to be used decisively since Hero Points are few and would rather be used in rerolling failed tests.

[Traskus]

Oct 27, 2018 8:48:00 GMT -6 username said:

You don't feel feel that way due to having balanced one of your Exaltations around the idea that you don't get more than 3 Hero Points, do you? Hero of the people is certainly super powerful, but the burning aspect of the Hero Point isn't really their best and most common usage.

No, if you'll believe it. I just think "get out of death" clauses should be reserved for exalt powers and the human racial power. Death ward irks me in a similar fashion, but is an LN original so I don't get the opportunity to denounce it often. There are other ways to kill a volver.

[Amanojyaku]

Not like it's completely unheard of. Currently the only way a player can do it on their own initiative, though.

Book 1, p.239 said:

Gaining Additional Hero Points
Characters are awarded additional
fate (or are allowed to replenish burnt fate
points) at the SM's discretion. Such awards
should be given out only for reaching milestones,
accomplishing major goals, etc.

[GuardianTempest]

Death Ward can be circumvented by killing the target more than once in a short span of time. From outnumbering the person or just Multiple Attacks with high damage, or just dipping him in molten lava. Plus, you're still at zero HP afterwards. Burning Hero Points is a core mechanic, one whose usage means you have less chances to get out of Stunning/reroll failed test/get extra raises. Besides, unless you're a Volver, you can still be killed the same way. By core, burning a hero point still puts you out of the fight (without house rules).

And General Fai burned all his Hero Points throughout his career, two in the great raid and one in the final boss (dang Holy Meteors). Kirisviel burned hers in the first session alone.

Oh, and don't worry, I'll give Agnor his Hero Point back if you figure out the gimmick for the next fight.

[GuardianTempest]

KWAAAAAAAK!

I understand what he was going for but apparently the core rulebook allows the user to count as their own ally, which gets rather finicky. I've edited Second Strike Capability to take that into account. It's a weird sort of irony when the communist Gun Kata meant to support other people can be used selfishly like a capitalist.

[Lestat]

"another ally" does the same thing assuming you are the primary subject, and an other is anyone not yourself.

[GuardianTempest]

On one hand I agree that makes sense, on the other hand I worried people might still get it wrong if I'm not explicit enough.

[GuardianTempest]

There is no per-round limit for Hero Points, only per-turn. Hero of the People reworded. A part of me considered buying back hero points at 300 XP but decided against implementing it. Instead I have implemented Traskus' suggestion for the possibility that a player with heavy investment in this school not being able to use any of his trick shots.