Bugei Skills

War fans, or tessen, are tools that serve a number of purposes, not the least of which is a weapon. They were originally created for the purposes of sending signals to different units on the battlefield, and were specifically made from metal because paper fans were so ill suited to the unpredictability of battlefield conditions.

Seldom seen among the ranks of most respectable bushi families, the practice of using staves (also known as bojutsu) is more common among monks and even some peasants, given that a walking stick cannot reasonably be assumed to be a weapon. Staves are excellent for delivering brute force to stun or incapacitate an opponent difficult and messy work without proper training. Also staves have tremendous trouble overcoming armor, which diffuses their impact very effectively. Armor bonuses to the Armor TN are doubled against attacks made with a staff.

Yarijutsu, the art of the spear, is a longstanding tradition in many bushi families, most notably the Daidoji family of the Crane Clan. Unlike polearms, which are primarily slashing weapons, spears are typically designed for puncturing or thrusting, and can be an extremely effective weapon against cavalry.

Long-reaching weapons with considerable power and versatility, polearms are essentially a stopgap between heavy weapons and the traditional katana. They consist of bladed weapons mounted atop sturdy poles of wood or metal, granting a warrior skilled in their use the ability to keep his opponents at bay while taking a terrible toll on them at the same time. The practice of using polearms is sometimes referred to as umayarijutsu.

A disgraceful practice, ninjutsu is the art of using specialized weapons created specifically for use by the deadly assassins and shadow warriors known as ninja. No honorable warrior would ever humiliate himself and his ancestors by demonstrating knowledge of such a shameful nature, and indeed many samurai, when confronted with the bizarre implements of the ninja, have difficulty fathoming their use altogether, other than as crude and relatively ineffective weapons.

The art of the bow is an accepted part of all bushi's training, save perhaps for a handful of esoteric warriors who have placed misguided principle above practicality. To all others, the value of the bow in striking at an enemy who is not within range is obvious. Indeed, the wya of the samurai has sometimes been called the Way of the Horse and Bow. The Rokugani form of archery does not rely upon aiming, however, rather, the practitioners are taught to assess their target, then draw and fire as a smooth, fluid motion, the bow held near the waist at all times.

The art of wielding a knife, or tantojutsu, is not typically considered a priority at most bushi dojo. The katana is the principle weapon of the samurai, of course, and even if one chooses to take up another weapon instead, there are many more effective, more lethal weapons than a simple knife. Yet despite this, virtually every bushi in the Empire is trained in the use of the knife, and carries on at all times. Bushi are imminently practical warriors, after all.

Kenjutsu is the path of the sword, teh essential training in use of the katana and other blades that all bushi receive as part of their training. Almost without exception, the principle weapon training that all bushi recieve centers around the katana, the signature weapon of the samurai caste and the representation of a warrior's soul. All dojo offer weapon training in other areas for those interested in learning, but only the katana is considered mandatory, save perhaps for the bow in some areas.

Training in the use of heavy weapons, a skill known as tsubojutsu, is the hallmark of bushi in service to the Crab Clan. While the dojo of virutally all Great Clans address the use of heavy weapons during training, they are seldom seen in use in the ranks of any army other than the Crab. For the sons of Hida, however, the sheer power of these weapons is an essential component in their defense of the Great Wall, where the use of weapons such as the tetsubo and ono allow them to defeat formidable enemies that a katana would not be able to harm.

Chain weapons are considered unconventional by most traditional bushi, but they have become accepted as legitimate weapons because of the complexity and effectiveness of their use. Generally, chain weapons see a higher degree of use among the Mantis Clan, who favor exotic and unconventional weapons, but see only periodic use among other Great Clans, and typically then only by small groups of specialized warriors.