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[Resource][Tradition] Swordmage

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Mirikon

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« on: <12-19-11/0239:17> »
Reposting here, since this subforum wasn't up when I initially posted this. Figured some people might like to make use of it, either for PCs or NPCs.

Swordmage
1. Concept - Swordmages are students of both the art of magic and the art of the blade. They view magic in the same way they view the sword, an extension of their arm, and their killing intent made manifest. Spirits are the souls of warriors who have gone before them, which they summon forth to guide their blade in times of crisis.

2. Spirits - Swordmages call upon the power of the spirits of warriors who have gone before them. The spirits a swordmage summons tend to be focused on a certain aspect of what it means to be a true warrior. The Swordmage tradition is a possession tradition. Swordmage spirits appear on the astral as metahuman warriors, dressed in armor, wielding a blade of some sort. Mechanically, Swordmage spirits are identical to spirits of other traditions, except they have the Possession power instead of the Materialization power, and the Blades skill instead of the Unarmed Combat skill.
Combat: Spirit of Air
Detection: Guidance Spirit
Health: Guardian Spirit
Illusion: Spirit of Water
Manipulation: Spirit of Man

3. Drain - Willpower + Charisma
The way of the swordmage is the way of melding a person's body, blade, and magic all together, into one cohesive unit, and to retain the strength of personality to master the spirits who they bind within themselves.

4. Rounding Out - Swordmages tend to favor the Combat Mage archetype by their very nature. To the Swordmage, there is no difference between the discipline of the sword, and the discipline of magic. Any fool can wave a sword around, or throw fireballs at his enemies. But to the practiced user, the sword is an extension of the fighter's arm, killing intent made manifest. Likewise, to the practiced swordmage, a spell is simply his own will, his own personality made manifest in the world.

Swordmages do not deal in the showy trappings of other traditions. Their symbols, if they carry any, are simple, and without great artistry. The exception is in the blades a Swordmage carries. These will often be etched with elaborate designs and arcane runes. A swordmage's blades are more precious to him than a street samurai's gun, or the rigger's car. From the day they first begin training, a swordmage is rarely found without a blade within arm's reach. The blade is his greatest weapon, and his most certain defense.

Swordmages view the spirits of the world as powerful allies, and always treat them with respect, even those spirits from other traditions. In part, this is due to the fact that the way of the Swordmage is a possession tradition.

All Swordmages must take the Geas negative quality, to reflect the fact that they cannot cast spells at their full potential unless they have a bladed weapon in hand. To watch a swordmage in action is like watching a ballet. Every movement has its purpose, nothing is done unnecessarily. Every act either strikes at the foe, or prepares the swordmage for the next strike.
Greataxe - Apply directly to source of problem, repeat as needed.

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