Kensai

Kensai (•)

 * Regalia
 * Action: Permanent

A melee weapon becomes part of the Noble's Regalia, manifesting her courage and faith. Attacks with the weapon use the normal dice pool for melee combat. For anyone but the Noble, the weapon's Initiative penalty is -1 and its minimum Strength is 1. For the Noble herself, both are 0 - as an extension of her will, the weapon obeys her desires as well as her own hands.

By default the weapon's Damage is 1, but the Noble may apply an Invocation to her attack to increase its Damage by her dots in that Invocation for one turn (she may apply the normal Regalia bonus to an attack instead of increasing its Damage). In addition, each time she attacks with it, she may choose to inflict either bashing or lethal damage. Infusing her weapon with magic takes a few moments; applying an Invocation to an attack imposes an extra -1 penalty to Initiative.

Forceful

 * Stackable 3 times

The Noble's weapon strikes with great force. Each time the Noble takes this upgrade, she may add 1 to her weapon's base Damage. Doing so increases its minimum Strength by 1 and Initiative penalty by -1 for all wielders except the Noble. She may add or remove levels of Damage with a transformation action.

Guarding
The Noble's weapon pushes attackers away or deflects their blows. Using it adds +1 to Defense.

Inexorable
The Noble's weapon may move slowly, but it can't be stopped or avoided. The Noble may transform her weapon, taking a -2 Initiative penalty. In return, those she attacks with it use only their Attributes as Defense from it; they don't add any Skill. She may switch between this form and the basic form with a transformation action.

Precise

 * Requires Acqua ••

The Noble places her strokes with marvelous accuracy. If she applies Acqua, she may ignore up to her Acqua in penalties from aiming at a specified target [CofD 92] on top of the Invocation bonus.

Sharp

 * Requires Aria ••

Like the wind, the Noble's weapon slips through gaps in her target's protections. If she applies Aria to an attack, the weapon gains Armor Piercing at a rating equal to her Aria. Because it isn't a firearm, the weapon's Armor Piercing quality ignores ballistic armor.

Burning

 * Requires Fuoco ••

The Princess' weapon grows hot in battle, scalding those it hits. If she applies Fuoco to an attack, it gains the 9-again quality, and acts as fire against beings vulnerable to it.

Clinging

 * Requires Legno ••

The Noble's weapon becomes a vine, whip or chain, and wraps around her opponent's flesh, as tree roots burrow into the earth. She can use the weapon in a grapple, and may apply Legno to her grappling maneuvers as long as she controls the weapon. The weapon's Damage is added as bonus dice to her grappling rolls [CofD 89].

Stunning

 * Requires Terra ••

Strikes with the Noble's weapon have the force of avalanches. If the Noble applies Terra to an attack, and the target takes damage from it, he also takes the Knocked Down [CofD 285] Tilt.

Draining

 * Requires Lacrima ••

The Noble's weapon draws shadows to itself, unsettling anyone with the bad luck to touch it. If she applies Lacrima to an attack, and the target takes damage from the attack, he must roll Resolve + Composure, and loses 1 point of Willpower if he fails. The Noble triggers her Sensitivity the first time this happens during a scene.

Berserk

 * Requires Tempesta ••

The Noble's weapon's blows come so furiously that they catch their targets by surprise. If she makes an all-out attack with the weapon and applies Tempesta to the attack, she doesn't get the normal +2 bonus; instead the target loses his Defense against the attack.

Cinematic

 * Requires Specchio ••

The Noble's fighting style lets her beat a foe without a scratch or bruise marring her features. If she applies Specchio to an attack, she also adds her dots to her Defense against any attack her target makes on her that turn. Her Defense against other attackers is not affected.

Paralyzing

 * Requires Fulmine ••

The Noble's blows overcharge the foe's extremities, making them unable to function correctly. When making a targeted attack on someone's arms, legs, even eyes or ears, if the Noble's Fulmine is equal to or greater than the Target's Stamina, the target immediately suffers Arm Wrack, Leg Wrack, Blinded or Deafened Tilts (GMC 206, 207, 211). The conditions caused by this upgrade is considered to last for Fulmine turns.

Fortifying

 * Requires Metallo ••

The Noble's weapon is hard as metal and just as deadly in the Noble's hands. The Noble can apply Metallo to both the weapon's Damage rating and to its Accuracy.

Ranged

 * Requires Vuoto ••

The Noble's sword cuts through space, finding her opponent's flesh even from far away. When applying this upgrade, the Noble can attack using her Kensai as a ranged attack. Her weapon with this upgrade has a range of (5/10/20) * Vuoto dots, but otherwise follows the same rules as Melee weapons save perhaps applying bonuses or penalties that can apply to ranged attacks except those pertaining to clips.