Duelists exist for every weapon and every nation, but the Egerton School of Colstean serves as the epitome of grace and flexibility. The Egerton School is more than just a style of fighting, it is a boarding school for the rich and entitled of the global elite. Egerton students are taught civility, manners, noblesse oblige, and the fundamentals needed to govern any region. This duelist style started as a gentlemen’s sport for little more than bragging rights but has since evolved into a practiced and distinct style. Honor in combat is of the highest priority, so it is expected that students never attack from surprise, they allow a disarmed opponent to recover their weapon, and always accept a surrender. The style itself relies on provoking attacks from opponents and then taking advantage of those attacks. At the highest levels, masters of these techniques are able to mimic the abilities of their opponents, often avoiding a fatal blow only to turn around and deliver the exact same attack in response.
Egerton Duelists fight with a single long sword focusing on swift defenses while using verbal and physical provocation to create openings for attack.
Prerequisites: Dexterity and Ingenuity Combat Traits at Tier 1. No more than Light Armor. May only use Combat Traits unless wielding a single long sword.
Gain one Apprentice Courtier ability with initial purchase. Others may be purchases with additional experience points.
Conditional
On Guard
Cost: 5 XP
Egerton Courtiers are masters of footwork and movement allowing them to deftly avoid minor damage that would otherwise cause injury. Once per combat, while fighting in style, Courtiers may spend one minute stretching then assume proper posture and and gives a formal salute to the opponents. Doing so grants them limited protection that is called as “Egerton Shell 1”. This becomes 2 points at Intermediate and a 3 point shell at Master level.
Tactical
Firm Grip
Cost: 5 XP
Fighting with only the one blade all Egerton students learn early on to never let go of their sword. Most opponents do not have the common courtesy to allow a disarmed opponent to recover their weapon after all. Once per combat a Courtier may keep a grip on their sword and ignore a single disarm effect of any source by calling “Egerton Resist”.
Bad Form!
Cost: 5 XP
Courtiers have little respect for those who are not willing to engage them directly. Relying on magic is a cowards attack. Once per combat Courtiers may use their natural grace to almost wholly ignore a single spell effect. Doing so they must call “Bad Form! Spell Flux – Egerton”. Saying “Bad Form” is expressly in-play and a requirement. As such this cannot be used while silenced.
Quick Counter-Strike
Cost: 5 XP
Early in training all Courtiers learn to be patient waiting for the perfect chance to strike a decisive blow. Once per combat, after successfully using a Parry combat maneuver they may use a “Egerton Crit 2”. This attack must be made within 10 seconds of the Parry tagline. This does not stack with other damage modifiers. This becomes “Egerton Maiming Strike” at Master.
Prerequisites: Must have at least 2 Apprentice Courtier abilities. Dexterity or Ingenuity at Tier 2.
Gain one Intermediate Debonair ability with initial purchase. Others may be purchases with additional experience points.
Conditional
Elegant Aggression
Cost: 10 XP
At the start of every combat, with one minute of active focus and stretching, the Debonair Lady/Gentleman of the Egerton style are able to perform seemingly endless attacks without effort. Their blades strike with lightning speed rapidly forcing opponents into a defensive posture. Until a Debonair takes damage or uses any other combat ability they may call “Egerton Crit 2” as the base damage of all attacks. This cannot stack with damage modifiers of any other source.
Tactical
Defensive Expertise
Cost: 10 XP
The Debonair are experts at using their swords to block what would otherwise be a lethal attack by taking the brunt of the strike on their sword. Once per combat a Debonair may quickly interpose their blade between them and an incoming melee attack reducing the damage to 1 point no matter how much damage was called. Ranged attacks and spells are not affected by this ability. The Debonair must call “Egerton Reduce.”
Good Form
Cost: 10 XP
All Debonair have trained in the proper etiquette of a duel and how to exploit those rules for their own benefit. With minimal effort they can utterly humiliate an opponent by knocking an attacking weapon out of the opponent’s hand. It is only fair that they be mocked while they have time to recover it.
Once per combat a Debonair may use “Egerton Disarm” as an attack. This expressly violates the per combat limitations on the number of disarms allowed and can be used even if the Disarm skill has otherwise not been bought.
Once per combat, after the successful use of a Disarm ability, if they allow the opponent to reclaim their weapon without interference but do provide mocking commentary during the process they may then additionally reset a single defensive combat maneuver calling “Egerton reset [ability name].”
Graceful Stride
Cost: 10 XP
The Debonair of the Egerton style know that in combat their mobility is their life. Once snared by any means their effectiveness plummets so they study and learn to avoid such attacks at all costs. A Debonair may expend any available combat maneuver in order to call “Egerton Resist”. This can be used to resist the effect of Foot, Arm, or Body Snare effects of any source.
Prerequisites: Must have at least 2 Intermediate Debonair abilities.
Gain one Master Urbane ability with initial purchase. Others may be purchases with additional experience points.
Conditional
Deadly Precision
Cost: 15 XP
The truly Urbane Lady/Gentleman of the Egerton style are not only fierce fighters but are also, by definition well-studied. Their training and experience gives them insight into the inherent weaknesses of an opponent’s defenses. They may call Armor Pierce or Shield Pierce with every thrusting attack. This cannot be used with any other damage modifiers. This is always called as “Egerton Armor/Shield Pierce”.
Tactical
Flurry of Steel
Cost: 15 XP
Urbane of the Egerton school are a true terror on the field of combat. Once engaged with an opponent they can move their blade with such precision that every attack is potentially lethal. It is only fair to inform their opponent that they are about to lose. Once per day an Urbane may preemptively declare themselves the winner of the fight, typically with some form of condescending apology to the soon to be defeated. Urbane may then call “Egerton Blade Flurry.” While facing that one single opponent all strikes are called as “Egerton Crit 4”. This cannot be stacked with any other source of damage modification. The Urbane may end this effect voluntarily in order to call a “Egerton Mortal Strike”. This effect ends if they lose control of their weapon for any reason or change the target of their attacks to any other person.
Lightning Feint
Cost: 15 XP
The Urbane have mastered the art never wasting their energy. They read the body language of their opponent so they can force a defensive ability without putting real force behind their attack. Twice per combat when an attack was avoided by a Parry or Dodge tagline the Urbane may call “Egerton Reset [ability]”. The avoided ability is not considered to have been expended and may be used later in that combat.
Riposte
Cost: 15 XP
The longer an Urbane duelist can drag out a fight the more deadly they become. Giving the Urbane a chance to study the style of an opponent becomes a fatal mistake. Once per combat, after successfully using a Parry combat maneuver, an Urbane may mimic the exact tagline and attack that was used against them returning that attack as the next attack by calling “Egerton Mimic [attack tagline]”.
Inspiration Images
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