d20 Sinister Adventures Art of the Duel.pdf

Art of the Duel

Written by Craig Shackleton

Illustrated by Kevin Yan

Edited by Nicolas Logue

Alfonse paused and took a breath, willing himself to relax, even though his stomach

churned. None of the rabble must see his distress. A gentleman is never distressed.

Not that anyone here was important enough to affect his reputation, but here

among the commoners, he represented all gentlemen. He looked out across the river

pretending to enjoy the scenery, and after a few minutes his desire to vomit faded.

The warehouse where the duel would take place was near. Alfonse had never been

there, even though he owned it. The irony brought a brief smile to his face. He

would never dirty his hands with the banal day to day matters of the warehouse, but

now he would stain them in blood there.

As he approached the building the reality of what was about to happen returned.

He was about to die. He had fought duels before. He had been injured in one, a

brutal thrust through his shoulder that still stung in the winter. Once, years ago, he

had killed an up-jumped bravo with a murderous lunge through the man’s heart. But

today was different, and these memories seemed like a mummers farce in light of

what faced him within.

Alfonse was a close match for his opponent in skill, though it hardly mattered.

This was a deadly affair. Alfonse recalled the words of his irst maestro, Marko

Delterrari: “When blades cross only a man who is willing to kill his opponent

without hesitation proves victorious.” Alfonse wondered if he had it in him today.

He tried to remember exactly how things had gotten so out of control.

Suddenly Ernesto was there, removing his hat and bowing slightly - A sign

of respect to remove his hat irst when he was of higher standing than Alfonse,

although of course he never lowered his eyes. Alfonse returned the greeting.

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Ernesto spoke. “They are inside. All is prepared. Have you any inal arrangements

need made should the worst happen?”

Should the worst happen, Alfonse would be there to make the

arrangements himself, but it would not do to say so to an old and

trusted friend who was about to watch him die. “I am prepared,

as I am sure he is. Let us go in.”

Ernesto looked at him intently, quelled a desire to speak

further, shook his head slightly and opened the door. Alfonse

stepped inside and allowed his eyes a moment to adjust to the

dim interior. It was clear that everyone was ready. Alfonse

moved forward to the place that had been left for him. If he

delayed now, he might not be able to go on.

His opponent turned to face him. The other man looked pale

but determined, and Alfonse fought the urge to lee from the

room. Instead, he drew his rapier and saluted his eldest son, the

man who would kill him in a few moments.

certainly fatal wounds occurred. For most disagreements

between gentlemen, ighting until one man sustained an

injury was suficient. In fact, a famed English fencing master

named George Silver lamented speciically that duels became

more deadly with the advent of the rapier, and the further

development of the murderous smallsword (or foil) in the

Restoration period eventually resulted in stringent laws

against the practice. The lethality of these new weapons

turned a vital display of honor into a deadly affair far too

often.

The rapier was also a gentleman’s means to defend oneself

from rufians and the like, but this was generally seen as

undigniied, and a gentleman would certainly not engage a

commoner in a duel. Truth be told, it was uncommon for a

gentleman to be put in the position of having to deal with

low-class rufians at all, and if so, drawing a rapier might only

invite later derision upon a gentleman so accosted.

Of course in a fantasy rpg, the “realism” of dueling may

take a back seat in some campaigns leaning more towards the

swashbuckling soul in us all. The process of inding seconds,

negotiating terms, setting a time and place, and conducting a

formal duel may be interesting in some adventures, but just as

many players are more excited by the prospect of shouting a

challenge across a crowded room and ighting from tabletop

to tabletop.

As a civilian weapon, the rapier was not a useful weapon

for war. The techniques taught for its use, and the speciic

limitations of the weapon made it a bad choice for prolonged

combat facing multiple opponents and tactical situations.

Of course, many gentlemen engaged in war felt it important

to carry the symbol of their class, and used them on the

battleield regardless. Military experts across Europe

repeatedly wrote against this practice, their vitriol-illed

reports indicating how frequently it happened.

Most rapier instruction focused on the use of the single

rapier as the foundation for other combat skills. Many duelists,

especially early on, relied upon a secondary weapon in their

off hand. The dagger and buckler were popular choices,

depending upon the time and place, but occasionally other

weapons were used. Early rapiers were long and heavy, and

parrying effectively with these cumbersome blades proved

dificult. Secondary weapons were used for defense, and

the rapier for attacks. As technology improved, and rapiers

became lighter, the rapier could be relied upon for primary

defense, and more options became available for secondary

weapons. Bucklers fell out of style since their use was largely

defensive, and daggers became more popular, as with one

in hand, a duelist could defend or threaten a foe as needed.

Continued advances in sword technology and techniques,

and the advent of the smallsword, eventually led to the

abandonment of secondary weapons entirely.

The Rapier and the Duel

No blade is more loaded with history and culture than the

rapier. It is a reined killing tool, a murder’s brush applied to

the canvas of death. Any oaf could heft a broadsword and

hack at a man, but to consistently plunge your rapier’s point

into an inch wide target with the grace of a pouncing leopard

takes years of dedication to the art of the sword.

The rapier was historically a civilian weapon, speciically

associated with gentle social class, especially in halcyon

days of the Renaissance. In the sixteenth and seventeenth

centuries, a gentleman was expected to wear a rapier in

public, and know how to use it. The rapier was an essential

symbol of class; if a man wore a rapier, he was clearly a

gentleman, and if a man was a gentleman he never set foot

out of doors without his rapier hanging at his side.

The rapier’s purpose was primarily to defend one’s life

and/or honor in a duel with another gentleman. These were

typically formal affairs rather than wild melee sparked in a

tavern or alley. The law tolerated dueling to a greater or lesser

degree in different times and places, but among gentlemen,

dueling was vital in maintaining one’s social standing.

Occasionally, duels were used as a means to murder

someone without real consequences. A highly skilled bravo

could intentionally instigate a duel against an opponent, citing

honor as their cause when more dubious ulterior motives to

get rid of the enemy might lurk beneath. More than a few

noble families throughout history snatched land and power

by burying their sword point in a rival’s heart. Likewise, some

duelists provoked ights with famous gentlemen in order to

cut their name into history.

Contrary to popular belief however, most duels were

probably not intended to be deadly. Usually the intent of the

duel was to demonstrate that you’d be willing to risk your

life to stand by your word or deed, or to stand against the

word of your opponent. Since there are no accurate records

of the statistics of duels, we cannot know for certain how

many men lived or died engaging in these tests of honor, but

New Equipment

The standard rapier ( PHB 120) assumes a simple hilt design,

of which there were many variations. The rapiers described

below are suggestive of special hilts designed to give speciic

advantages in combat. They are treated like normal rapiers in

all other regards.

Cup-Hilt Rapier: The cup-hilt rapier has quillons as well

as a large bell-shaped guard over the hand. This guard can

be used defensively in combat. When using a cup-hilt rapier

and ighting defensively, using total defense, or using Combat

Expertise and taking penalty of at least -2 to your attack, you

gain an additional +1 to AC. This bonus stacks with the bonus

for using a cup-hilt dagger. When using a cup-hilt rapier and

using the Attack with Opposition or Stop-Thrust feats (see

new feats), you gain a +2 bonus to AC against your opponent

during that action. Price: 75 gp

Swept-Hilt Rapier: The swept-hilt rapier has a complex

guard made up of heavy wire forming a swirl-patterned

basket. These wires are neither simply decorative nor just

protection for the hand. They are speciically designed to

entrap an opponent’s blade. When using a swept-hilt rapier,

you get a +2 bonus on attempts to bind or disarm an enemy

wielding a one-handed sword, rapier, scimitar or a similar

bladed weapon. Price: 50 gp

Case of Rapiers: These twin rapiers are designed to it in

elegantly in one sheath and be drawn and wielded in concert.

They are lighter than standard rapiers and less sturdy,

suffering -2 in all bind, disarm and sunder opposed rolls, but

they may be wielded as if both were light weapons by anyone

with the Weapon Finesse feat, thus allowing them to be used

in both hands with reduced penalty. Price: 250 gp

These specialized daggers below are usually made to match

a rapier and used in the left hand. They are treated as normal

daggers in all other ways.

Cup-Hilt Dagger: Some times called a main-gauche, this

dagger actually has a large triangular hand-guard and quillons.

When using a cup hilt dagger and ighting defensively, using

total defense, or using Combat Expertise and taking penalty

of at least -2 to your attack, you gain an additional +1 to AC.

This bonus stacks with the bonus for using a cup-hilt rapier.

Price: 50 gp.

the case of a tie, the combatant with the higher attack bonus

wins. If this is still a tie, roll again to break the tie.

While bound, you and your opponent may not use the

bound weapons and do not threaten any squares with these

weapons. On their turn the opponent may attempt to free

their weapon with a second opposed attack roll, or they

can drop it as a free action. If they do not free or drop their

weapon they may not move out of your threat range.

While binding your opponent you suffer the same

limitations, except that you may end the bind as a free action.

If you attempt to disarm your opponent or sunder the bound

weapon, you do not provoke an attack of opportunity, and

you get a +4 bonus to the opposed roll, and to the damage of

the sunder attempt.

Swept-Hilt Dagger: The swept-hilt dagger has a complex

guard made up of heavy wire forming a swirl-patterned

basket, designed to entrap an opponent’s blade. When

using a swept hilt dagger to bind or disarm an opponent, it

is considered to be a one-handed weapon rather than a light

weapon. Price: 40 gp.

New Special Attacks

Bind

As a melee attack, you may attempt to gain control of your

opponent’s weapon. Make an opposed attack roll against your

opponent, including all appropriate modiiers. If your attack

roll is higher than your opponent’s you bind their weapon. If

your opponent’s roll is higher, you fail to bind their weapon. In

Attack with Opposition

You are skilled at controlling your opponent’s weapons to

avoid attacks of opportunity and counter-attacks.

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Weapon Finesse, Responsive

Duelist

Beneit: When ighting with rapier, longsword or short

sword, if an opponent makes any attack of opportunity

against you, or a counter-attack, you gain a +4 dodge bonus

to AC against the attack.

Special: A ighter may select Attack with Opposition as a

ighter bonus feat.

Historical Note: This action has had many names

historically, including jam and prix de fer (“taking the iron”)

DESIgN NOTE: WHy uSE BIND?

Binding is a sword-ighting technique near and dear to my

heart, and one that has provoked many discussions of historical

techniques and sword design in my sword-ighting classes. It is

also a technique we see in movies all the time. Binding is a core

element of the oldest known manual of swordplay, written around

1300 (although in that case it often simply means actively blocking

your opponent’s weapon) and the technique was developed and

perfected throughout history. But what use is it in game? At irst

glance it seems that it is easier to simply attempt to sunder or

disarm your opponent. Binding offers three advantages, however.

First, it bypasses the attack of opportunity both these techniques

provoke, giving an alternative safe lead-in to the “improved”

feats. Second, binding does not suffer some of the same penalties

for the size of weapons or combatants, since all you are trying to

do is hold the weapon. Third, a bind may hamper your opponent

longer if they try to free their weapon and fail.

Challenge to a Duel

You compel others to obey the code of a duel.

Prerequisites: Cha 13, Any Lawful alignment

Beneit: As a full round action you may challenge an

opponent to face you in single combat. Your target must be

able to hear and understand your challenge to be affected.

They may take no action other than melee attacks against

you (they may make special attacks). You are likewise limited

to making melee attacks against them. Each round, they may

make a Will save (DC 10 plus your Charisma modiier plus

one for each dueling feat you have) to ignore the challenge.

Anyone else who hears and understands the challenge

must make a Will save (same DC) to attack or aid either

participant. If anyone breaks the terms of the challenge, or

either combatant falls below zero hit points, the effect ends.

Surrender: either participant in a duel may surrender instead

of attacking. A character who surrenders may take no actions

and is considered dazed for the remainder of the encounter

unless they are attacked.

No quarter: The challenge may be speciied as a ight to the

death. In this case, neither participant may surrender as

described above, however, the target of the challenge receives

a +4 circumstance bonus to their Will save to resist the

challenge.

New Feats

general

Feats

Prerequisites

Beneit

Challenge

to a Duel

Cha 13, Any Lawful

alignment

Compel others to

engage in single

combat

Cloaked

Duelist

Dex 15, Dodge,

Defensive Parry,

Responsive Duelist

Use your cloak to

defend yourself

Dagger

Defense

Dex 13, Dodge

Fight defensively with

off hand only

Deep Lunge

Base attack bonus +1

Attack as though

using a reach weapon

Responsive

Duelist

Dex 13, Dodge,

Weapon Finesse

Chosen opponent’s

attacks provoke

counter-attacks

Attack with

Opposition

Dex 13, dodge,

Weapon Finesse,

Responsive Duelist

+4 bonus on AC vs.

attacks of opportunity

and counter-attacks

Defensive

Swordplay

Dex 13, dodge,

Weapon Finesse,

Responsive Duelist

+4 bonus on bind,

disarm and sunder as

counter-attacks

Cloaked Duelist

You use the very cloak on your back against an enemy,

befuddling their attacks.

Prerequisites: Dex 15, Dodge, Defensive Parry, Responsive

Duelist.

Beneit: When ighting with a cloak on and at least one hand

empty, you may as a free action sweep your cloak into your

hand to aid you in a ight. You may make bind attacks with

your cloak, and you may parry with your cloak as well. If you

ight defensively the cloak grants you a 20% miss chance. If

you opt for total defense, your cloak grants you a 50% miss

chance.

Special: A ighter may select Cloaked Duelist as a ighter

bonus feat.

Defensive

Parry

Dex 13, dodge,

Weapon Finesse,

Responsive Duelist

Negate attack with

counter-attack

Come to

Grips

Dex 13, Dodge,

Defensive Parry,

Responsive Duelist,

Weapon Finesse

Grapple or trip your

opponent after a parry

Riposte

Dex 13,Dodge,

Defensive Parry,

Responsive Duelist,

Weapon Finesse

Immediately attack

after a successful

parry

Stop-thrust

Dex 13, Dodge,

Responsive Duelist,

Weapon Finesse

+4 dodge bonus to

AC against opponent

you hit with counter-

attack

Come to grips

You are trained at tripping and grappling while ighting with a

sword or rapier.

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Weapon Finesse, Responsive

Duelist, Defensive Parry

Beneit: After a successful parry or bind, you may

immediately make a trip attempt or initiate a grapple as a free

action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Special: A ighter may select Come to Grips as a ighter

bonus feat.

Historical Note: Wrestling was often used as a foundation

for weapon training, and many sword instructors integrated

swordplay with wrestling, especially in Germany and Italy.

Special: A ighter may select Defensive Parry as a ighter

bonus feat.

Defensive Swordplay

You are adept at striking your opponent’s weapons as they

attack

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Responsive Duelist.

Beneit: When you use a counter-attack to disarm or sunder,

you do not provoke an attack of opportunity and you gain a

+4 bonus on your attack roll.

Special: A ighter may select Defensive Swordplay as a

ighter bonus feat.

Dagger Defense

You may use your dagger to assist your rapier attacks

Prerequisites: Dex 15, Two-weapon ighting, Two-weapon

defense.

Beneit: When ighting with rapier, longsword or short sword

in one hand and a dagger in the other, you may choose to ight

defensively with your dagger, while ighting normally with

your primary weapon. The penalty for ighting defensively

applies to all attacks with your dagger only, and you still gain

the bonus to AC. You may not use Combat Expertise or total

defense in this manner, although you may still apply Combat

Expertise to all of your attacks, in which case the bonuses and

penalties stack.

Special: A ighter may select Dagger Defense as a ighter

bonus feat.

Responsive Duelist

You can respond to your chosen opponent’s attacks,

answering them steel for steel.

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Weapon Finesse.

Beneit: When ighting with rapier, longsword or short

sword, any attack made by the enemy you have designated

as the target of your dodge feat provokes an attack of

opportunity from you. This special attack of opportunity is

called a counter-attack. You may not counter-attack your

opponent’s counter-attack. Any counter-attack uses one of

your attacks of opportunity for the round.

Special: A ighter may select Responsive Duelist as a ighter

bonus feat.

Deep Lunge

You can use your expert footwork to attack at great range

Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1

Beneit: When wearing light armor or no armor, you may

treat any one-handed piercing weapon as a reach weapon.

Reach attacks made using this feat provoke attacks of

opportunity from anyone who threatens you. After the

attack, you may choose to make a free ive-foot step towards

the enemy you attacked.

Special: A ighter may select Deep Lunge as a ighter bonus

feat.

Historical Note: The exact origins of the lunge are

debatable, but most 16 th century fencing manuals include

a similar type of attack. Notably, Camillo Paladini advises

against the long lunge (because your opponent has the

opportunity to counter). By the 17 th century, the lunge was

widespread, although in 1610 Ridolfo Capo Ferro calls it “the

incredible increase of the long thrust.”

Riposte

You may attack after a successful parry.

Prerequisites: Dex 13, dodge, Weapon Finesse, Responsive

Duelist, Defensive Parry

Beneit: After a successful parry, you may immediately

attack the enemy whose attack you just parried. This uses

one of your attacks of opportunity for the round, but is not

considered a counter-attack.

Special: A ighter may select Riposte as a ighter bonus feat.

Stop-thrust

You are able to avoid your opponent’s attack while responding

with a counter attack of your own.

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Weapon Finesse, Responsive

Duelist.

Beneit: If you hit with a counter-attack, you gain a +4 dodge

bonus to AC against the attack that provoked your counter-

attack.

Special: A ighter may select Stop-Thrust as a ighter bonus

feat.

Historical Note: This action covers a variety of historical

fencing actions including the thrust from the left, passata

sotto, arrest, inquartata, and reassmblement. The names

refer either to the counter-attack itself, or how the fencer

moves their body out of the way of the initial attack.

Defensive Parry

You may use your weapon to defend yourself against an

opponent.

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Responsive Duelist.

Beneit: You may use a counter-attack to parry. Make an

attack roll using all applicable modiiers. This roll receives a

cumulative -4 penalty per size category larger the attacker’s

weapon is than yours. If your attack roll is greater than your

opponent’s attack roll, the attack is negated. Essentially, your

attack roll becomes your Armor Class if it is higher than your

regular AC.

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