Technique
| Image |  |
| Description | A melee attack based on reflexes. |
| Chain | 4 |
| Type | Melee |
| Attribute | Reflexes |
| Base Damage | 4 |
| Special | +3 damage following another melee attack |
Attack Summary
| Condition | Base Damage |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Normally | 4 | |
| You reach out and cut deeply into <opponent> for <X> damage. | ||
| With a sword weapon equipped | 6 | |
| You reach out with your blade and cut deeply into <opponent> for <X> damage. | ||
| With a mislit rusted sword equipped | 4 | |
| You slash with your rusty blade for <X> damage. | ||
| Following Melee | 7 | |
| You move seamlessly into another strike, slashing across <opponent> for <X> damage. | ||
| Following Melee, with a sword weapon equipped | 9 | |
| Your sword arcs into a perfect followup, slashing across <opponent> for <X> damage. | ||
| Following Melee, with a mislit rusted sword equipped | 8 | |
| You follow up with a slash from your rusty blade for <X> damage. | ||
| Following Parry | 10 | |
| You set up a perfect riposte, stabbing <opponent> for <X> damage. | ||
| Following Parry, with a sword weapon equipped | 12 | |
| You set up a perfect riposte, piercing <opponent> with your blade for <X> damage. | ||
| Following Parry, with a mislit rusted sword equipped | 13 | |
| You riposte beautifully with your rusty blade for <X> damage. | ||
| Following Parry, vs. opponent with chain weapon | 15 | |
| You pull the <opponent> closer, meeting him with a brutal blow for <X> damage. | ||
| Following Parry, vs. opponent with chain weapon, with a sword weapon equipped | 19 | |
| You pull the <opponent> onto the tip of your blade for <X> damage. | ||
| With a mislit rusted sword equipped, vs. Melee | - | Gives 1 instance of clashing blow if you win |
| Your rusty blade deflects off <opponent>'s attack. It just doesn't have the weight to power through, but maybe…. | ||
| With a sword hilt equipped | - | Gives 1 instance of Implied Blade if you win and are etheric |
| You reach out and cut at <opponent> with a sword… or a sword's hilt at least, like it's affixed to some sort of invisible blade. | ||
Sources
Winning a battle under the effect of Channeling Matsuo with some undetermined trigger
Asking the zombie sailor on the Massive Oil Slick "Can you teach me?" or "Show me some moves"
Using sea journal
Rereading a rotting journal
Sometimes from resting in a gang hideout with a Gym
Notes
Winning a fight in which you used Swordplay vs. melee can give the following if you have a mislit rusted sword equipped:
You learned a new Technique: Clashing Blow
Winning a fight in which you used Swordplay can give the following if you have a sword hilt equipped and Etheric:
You learned a new Technique: Implied Blade
Winning a fight in which you used Swordplay can give the following if you have a dancing blade equipped:
You learned a new Technique: Dancing Blade
Winning a fight in which you used Swordplay can give the following if you have a spear bug equipped:
You learned a new Technique: Living Spear
Winning a fight in which you used Swordplay can give the following if you have a cane weapon equipped:
You learned a new Technique: Cane
Winning a fight with replica sword equipped, Channeling Matsuo and Etheric active, and at least one copy of each of Parry, Swordplay, Leaping Dodge, and Power Strike:
You learned a new Technique: Demonslaying Blade
With Swordplay in your deck, it can be traded for Princely Form in the Dusty Throne Room if you have a princely sword equipped.
Used By (Opponents)
Horrific Spider
Insane Slasher
Pain Gremlin
Pain Shadow
Skeletal Rider
Spectral Sailor
The Navigator
The Squatter King
Waterlogged Corpse (unsewn)
Scaffolding Spider