In another thread some one put forward the idea that the Tal Kanath would also make a great fighting style. I thought that was a great idea. Not just on the basics that the Tal Kananth Path was a little underwhelming (especially compared to the 3.X version) ... but also because there are 4 elements and 4 tiers to each fighting style and that symmetry appeals to me.

So this is what I came up with. People are welcome to use, adapt or discuss as they wish. If enough people like it then perhaps we can try to persuade Pedro and PCI to print it somewhere ...

Tal Kanath Fighting Style
Drawn from the Path of the same name, this fighting style is a further refinement of your skill. By a deeper focusing in the movement and interplay of the elements, you turn the martial discipline of the broad sword into an art form of motion. An increasingly deadly art form to your adversaries.
Requirements: Elorii (ra), Initiate of the Tal Kanath (ta), Weapon Mastery (Broad Sword) (ta), 4 ranks in Melee (Balanced) and Perform (Dance)
Chosen Weapons: Tal Kanath utilizes the broad sword.
Benefits:
• Tier I (Dance of air): In your hands a broad sword gains the thrown quality. You may choose to attack using your perform (dance) skill when throwing your sword or when utilizing Blade Upon the Wind. Also perform (dance) is now part of your Archetype’s core skill group (Arcane: Lore, Divine: Social, or Martial: Combat), allowing you to add ranks to it as part of your Archetype’s skill advancement options.
• Tier II (Dance of Fire): Fire spreads, eats and is always eager to consume. As such any time you are in this stance and fighting someone not trained in the Tal Kanath path, you gain Tactical Edge any time you perform blade upon the wind, hamstring, slicing disarm or sweeping strike.
• Tier III (Dance of Earth): While in this stance, if you are subjected to forced movement you may make a perform (dance) skill check as a Push 3 action. Reduce the amount of distance you move by your perform check (round down to the nearest multiple of 5 feet).
• Tier IV (Dance of Water): You have mastered the combination of the elements with the addition of dance of water. Water flows around all obstacles to reach its goal. As such your broadsword gains the slicing disarm weapon trick. Further when performing the Dash move action you do not provoke free strike during the first 15 feet you move.

(perhaps I should add that at Tier I (air) I wanted to make Blade on the Wind more useful since most builds won't ever build up ranks in ranged (thrown). Tier II should grant Tactical Edge to 4 useful attacks. Tier III should have some kind of defensive power (stone endures). And Tier IV should have a useful capstone(s) that represents waters ability to flow around things).

Go on...

So I had an idea.
Here's my entry, Val'Holryn.

The Dance of Beroe (Alternately "Grace, Glory, Geyser!")

"Water surges, smashes, rushes, shoves, sweeps and even at rest is less then a thought away from becoming a raging torrent. Be like water, child of Belisarda." -Armsmistress Shavaizess.

Once per scene when you strike a target with your broadsword you may elect to also attack the target's Fortitude defense (if this attack would normally target Fortitude then this effect is unchanged). If you also match or exceed their Fortitude you may elect to slide them a number of squares equal to your passive Prowess value after any other effects are resolved. At the end of this movement they fall prone.
If this movement would cause them immediate injury (hazardous terrain, ongoing spell effects, etc) their target defense increases by four against this technique. Vertical movement triggers this increase, but only once and only for the original target.
This movement can provoke Free Strikes. Free strikes do not trigger the defense increasing effect.
If this movement would force them into an occupied square compare the being in the occupied square's Fortitude to the attack roll -4. If the attack would still succeed that secondary target is subject to the same effect minus one square of movement. The original target then stops it's forced movement, and is knocked prone/falls.

In addition the hero may also follow the target's movements, as well as that of any secondary target's movement, at the cost of 1 Recovery for the first square and 1 additional Recovery for each square thereafter. This movement must begin at the first square the target vacates, and must result in an unbroken chain of squares. The hero cannot move illegally in any way as part of this effect with one exception: they may move through occupied enemy squares. None of the hero's movements trigger Free Strikes.
Targets affected can be launched off the ground, but the hero cannot follow unless they're subject to an active Flight effect. Targets so launched fall the appropriate distance once their movement is completed, do or do not suffer damage as they would normally, and end up prone if they can.

Repeat until this effect is resisted or until no more legal movement options exist, with any successive target moving cumulatively one less square. Targets successfully affected also are moved one less square for every site category above Medium they are. If this would reduce the forced movement to zero they do not move, but they are still knocked prone.

This ability is normally without additional cost to the triggering attack, but can be added to an advanced maneuver at the cost in increasing it's recovery by one, and with any secondary movement from this ability adding it's Recovery cost as specified above. Regardless of the maneuver it is added to it is still restricted to one use per scene and it only targets a single enemy regardless of how many others are affected by the original advanced maneuver.

Sengoku Musou!

Two things before anyone's head explodes:
1) When given a choice between reducing an effect or increasing it, I chose to increase it.
Yes, it is overpowered and overcomplicated.
Feel free to slice it down to size if you like the basic idea of blasting enemies around in phantom geysers of spirit power. And possibly surfing on them as you do.

2) It's 0117, and this looks like a good idea. I guess I'll know later this morning.

Some comments (Comparing it to other Fighting Styles)

Requirements:
- I would add the Quick (ta) as a requirement to really push home the need to be light on one's feet for mobility. Most of the Fighting Styles have 3-4 Talent Requirement.
- I would add Weapon Training (Broadsword) as well just incase someone has somehow skipped it to get Mastery in some way
- I would increase to 6 Ranks in Melee (Balanced ) - This brings it line with many of the other fighting styles using a single or select group of weapons
- I would reduce to 3 Ranks in Perform (Dance) as until now it's not likely an advancement option for a character

Tier I
Most Fighting Styles (if not all) offer the user of a Martial Technique or Talent while in the stance. Here's some suggestions
- Remove the "Use Perform to attack with thrown" from Tier I. Changing up a combat skill like that is problematic with things that increase the 'replacement skill'. SOmeone using this Path or Style *should* invest in Thrown. There are other fighting styles and such that use "Thrown" and if the character doesn't invest in it, it's not useful. That's part of the system and the choices have consequences.
- Keep the "Perform (Dance) is added to your advancement
- I would remove the Thrown Quality part (As the Broadsword already has the Throw the Blade trick. I would add "While in this stance you gain the "Mighty Throw" technique with your broadsword" to be consistent with other fighting styles.

Tier II
Okay so I'm trying to think of this user being a lightly armed, dangerous fighter moving through the crowd of people and slicing them down like a fire, which moves quickly with fuel.
My recommendation would be to change the Tactical Edge to the following:
Blade Upon the Wind, Hamstring, Passing Strike (or Flowing Sand) - main reason is the broadsword can't do Slicing Disarm without a lot of other help. If you keep the Bound Weapon, should be 3 techniques here, otherwise 4
- Add You gain the Bound Weapon talent with your broadsword - This seems flavorful and very useful

Tier III
This is universally another Martial Technique for Fighting Styles. The "dance of the earth" is cool but there aren't many things forcing movement and the check is likely to automatically bypass it.
- I'd recommend a defensive either Riposte or Deflect Attack with the broadsword

Tier IV
This is your 'capstone' ability and should reflect the pinnacle of the style. I'd recommend one of the following or something similar
- I would Bring the Tier III to here and just make it "Once per scene as a Push 3 action you can negate any forced movement"
- When taking movement that normally provokes free strikes, the first 5' of your movement no longer provokes free strikes while in this stance.

Any thoughts?

Ok, here are my thoughts on the various suggestions.

Requirements: I would agree with the additions John made.

Tier 1 ability - I like the Eric's write up and don't find the same issues with it. There are a number of abilities where for flavor reasons a skill is replaced - Stealth in Waylay for example. It reinforces the flavor rather than dilluting it.

Tier 2 ability - I'd also swap out slicing disarm if the weapon can't normally use it and replace it probably with Passing Strike. I'd be ok adding bound weapon, though calling a weapon to hand feels more like an Air ability than a Fire one. As an alternative I'd be good with saying the character gains the Quickdraw Talent while in the stance and 3 or 4 moves for TE.

Tier 3 ability - You may just want to replace the mechanics with gaining the Relentless Talent. I believe it does pretty much what you're looking for, though I don't have my book in front of me.

Tier 4 ability - Given Eric's description of what he's looking at for the capstone, I'd be more inclined to say that the character does not trigger free strikes when moving including actions such as standing up from being prone. Further, the character may move through an opponent's square by making a Perform (Dance) check with their best Passive Melee skill as the target.

In terms of ZCaslar's ability, it's too complicated for me. I've read it at least twice and I'm still not sure I fully get how it's supposed to operate. Further I think you can get a similar effect combining Flowing Sand and another technique.

With a sweep of his hat,

Paul

That was exactly what I was going to suggest. Make the T3 ability grant Relentless (ta), but using your passive Quickness instead of Might.

While replacing one ability with another works, I worry about balance when substituting a "free" ability (Dance, since they get several free ranks) with a combat ability the character is going to use a lot. Combat skills are hard to raise for some and making it easier walks a fine line on balance. In addition, the rationale of "few will focus on thrown" isn't good enough as many weapons and styles have that disadvantage built in with no easy way around it.

John

John,

I can appreciate wanting to be careful where game balance is involved. I think that's a solid approach given the law of unintended consequences.

In terms of dance replacing thrown this really only impacts Divine and Arcane archetypes. To take advantage of it they need to utilize a 4th skill option per Tier for that extra +1 as it's assigned with the Lore or Social Skills. That's not a no-brainer and certainly comes with an opportunity cost. Martial can already take Thrown as part of selecting Physical / Combat skills so in their case it's a wash. The Path itself only provides 1 rank in Dance, which for a 2 Tier Path is consistent with a primary combat skill.

The replacement is for a single weapon. Building that skill up in its place does not allow them to throw any other weapon with ease. That's less attractive than building up Ranged (Thrown). A weapon with a 10' range isn't a great plan for ranged attacks in general given maximum ranges and -2 to hit per range increment.

If there's something I'm missing let me know. I'm also fine if I'm in the minority about it not being much of a game balance issue. That's the advantage of a dialogue.

With a sweep of his hat,

Paul

It's not just about ranks but bonuses. An example is the kickstarter item that can't boost a combat skill. However someone with this style could put it into perform and bypass that. Substituting non-combat for combat skills is dangerous.

John