by Martial schools were developed by the greatest swordsmen. Many of them were developed for decades before they became separate, distinct schools of fight.
Original martial schools left the noblemen's courtyards and were further developed in the fortresses of witchers. Inhuman in their art, the witchers were able to experiment more with combat styles, leading to creation nine basic martial schools, which were further combined with semi-magical signs to create the witcher schools.
Not everybody knows some school of fight - only if they trained under a master from that school they might've learnt something. Most people, even swordsmen, knows only the standard skillset and a few useful tricks (see Combat Skills).
The list of the martial schools uses the creatures used to mark the witchers' schools.
For non-witcher characters it obviously doesn't mean BELONGING to some witcher school, but that the martial school and the style of fight of the witchers from this school are somewhat similar, likely comin from the same root, or being a modification or simplification of some guidelines.
MARTIAL SCHOOLS
1) Griffon
You're fighting using a parrying dagger (a special kind of a carved dagger made to stop and hold the enemy's blade)
You're getting for free the skill "Fighting with a parrying dagger". When you fight using you roll 2d20 and choose the beter result.
You can draw a sword, knife or another item without spending an action.
2) Bear
You can fight using the Rapier and Sword in Tight Combat and cause Deep Wounds.
You can draw a knife or a dagger without spending an action.
3) Viper
If your attack roll is the same as the ooponent's Defense, he gets hit (Trivial Wound).
If you spend 5CP you can declare (before rolling) that your attack aims for the heart (or an eye). Then you choose one of the d20 as your Attack die, and your opponent prepares the Defense. If your attack is succesful, the opponent gets a Fatal Wound.
4) Wolf
When attacing the torso you get +2 bonus to the attack die. If scoring 19 or 20 (and not as usual only 20) you cause damage of the next higher level.
5) Manticore
In first turn you can use your Bow or Crossbow like a standard combat weapon causing Light Wounds. You can shoot in any combat range with the negative modifier +2 (not as usual +4).
6) Centaur
During Charge (mounted combat) you get bonus +4 do every Attack die. During the attack the power of their sword raises +1 level.
7) Cat
You declare a Defensive action from a combat. If the action is succesful, you can declare tht you're not defending but taking the damage. You get a wound but as a one level lower (minimum Trivial). You get the Initiative and the dice that you didn't use for the Defense you can now add to your Attack.
When fighting multiple opponents if you scored a 20 on an Attck die you can use an additional d20.
8) Chimera
Anyone fighting against you gets 1CP less than it's a rule for a given action in Defense.
For Actions in Defense - Contra and Fast Contra - you get additional bonus +2 to the dice.
9) Bat
You can declare shielding yourself with your cloak. The Defense die gets negative -2 points, but if the defense is succesful, you can bind the Attacker's blade. You need to roll an open test of Dexterity, and if you succeedthe opponent looses one of d20. If you score 5 success points you can choose which one does he loose.
The attacker needs to spend 5CP to get to Close combat with you.
Original martial schools left the noblemen's courtyards and were further developed in the fortresses of witchers. Inhuman in their art, the witchers were able to experiment more with combat styles, leading to creation nine basic martial schools, which were further combined with semi-magical signs to create the witcher schools.
Not everybody knows some school of fight - only if they trained under a master from that school they might've learnt something. Most people, even swordsmen, knows only the standard skillset and a few useful tricks (see Combat Skills).
The list of the martial schools uses the creatures used to mark the witchers' schools.
For non-witcher characters it obviously doesn't mean BELONGING to some witcher school, but that the martial school and the style of fight of the witchers from this school are somewhat similar, likely comin from the same root, or being a modification or simplification of some guidelines.
MARTIAL SCHOOLS
1) Griffon
You're fighting using a parrying dagger (a special kind of a carved dagger made to stop and hold the enemy's blade)
You're getting for free the skill "Fighting with a parrying dagger". When you fight using you roll 2d20 and choose the beter result.
You can draw a sword, knife or another item without spending an action.
2) Bear
You can fight using the Rapier and Sword in Tight Combat and cause Deep Wounds.
You can draw a knife or a dagger without spending an action.
3) Viper
If your attack roll is the same as the ooponent's Defense, he gets hit (Trivial Wound).
If you spend 5CP you can declare (before rolling) that your attack aims for the heart (or an eye). Then you choose one of the d20 as your Attack die, and your opponent prepares the Defense. If your attack is succesful, the opponent gets a Fatal Wound.
4) Wolf
When attacing the torso you get +2 bonus to the attack die. If scoring 19 or 20 (and not as usual only 20) you cause damage of the next higher level.
5) Manticore
In first turn you can use your Bow or Crossbow like a standard combat weapon causing Light Wounds. You can shoot in any combat range with the negative modifier +2 (not as usual +4).
6) Centaur
During Charge (mounted combat) you get bonus +4 do every Attack die. During the attack the power of their sword raises +1 level.
7) Cat
You declare a Defensive action from a combat. If the action is succesful, you can declare tht you're not defending but taking the damage. You get a wound but as a one level lower (minimum Trivial). You get the Initiative and the dice that you didn't use for the Defense you can now add to your Attack.
When fighting multiple opponents if you scored a 20 on an Attck die you can use an additional d20.
8) Chimera
Anyone fighting against you gets 1CP less than it's a rule for a given action in Defense.
For Actions in Defense - Contra and Fast Contra - you get additional bonus +2 to the dice.
9) Bat
You can declare shielding yourself with your cloak. The Defense die gets negative -2 points, but if the defense is succesful, you can bind the Attacker's blade. You need to roll an open test of Dexterity, and if you succeedthe opponent looses one of d20. If you score 5 success points you can choose which one does he loose.
The attacker needs to spend 5CP to get to Close combat with you.
