Overview
Blade-savants use their willpower to mystically amplify any cutting edge, allowing them to Cut nearly anything - not only physical objects (mundane or magical), but also abstract things such as time, space, lies, or justice. Nothing stands in the way of a master blade-savant.
Skills
Blade Magic
Double-cost skill. Determines a blade-savant’s dedication to the action of Cutting. Due to the singular focus demanded by blade magic, you may not have any other skills with a higher Aspect Bonus than Blade Magic.
Effects
Impossible Sharpness
Bladed weapons you wield are supernaturally sharp. They have an additional Weapon rating equal to your Blade Magic Aspect Bonus. Ignore up to (Blade Magic Aspect Bonus / 2) points of Armor (round up) when you hit with a bladed weapon.
Single-Minded
Gain a bonus equal to your Blade Magic Aspect Bonus to Resolve and Intimidation. Gain a malus equal to your Blade Magic Aspect Bonus to all other social skills (Empathy, Deceit, Rapport, Presence).
Mental Annihilation
Starting at Blade Magic 30, you are immune to all forms of mental magic. This includes both hostile and friendly effects. Additionally, Blade Magic rolls ignore penalties from Mental Consequences.
Stunts
Cut Through Lies
- Prerequisite: Blade Magic 20
- Cost: 50 XP
You may use Blade Magic rather than any other skill to defend against Empathy, Deceit, or Rapport in social combat.
Blade of Want
- Prerequisite: Blade Magic 20
- Cost: 50 XP
Your will is sharp enough to count as a weapon in its own right. When not wielding another weapon, you count as wielding a sword with a base Weapon: 2 rating and you may use Blade Magic rather than any other skill for melee attack and defense rolls.
Insubstantial Blade
- Prerequisite: Blade Magic 30
- Cost: 75 XP
Your cutting will extends the cutting edge of any bladed melee weapon you wield. You may use such weapons to make ranged attacks. When you attack this way, use Blade Magic rather than any other skill for the attack roll. The range equals half your Blade Magic Aspect Bonus (round up).
Cleave Reality
- Prerequisite: Blade Magic 40, Blade of Want or Insubstantial Blade
- Cost: 150 XP
You cuts can affect the fabric of reality itself, allowing you to create rifts in space-time that act as short-lived portals. Roll Blade Magic against a target number chosen by the GM. On a success, the rift leads to your desired destination. On a failure, the rift still opens but is off-target; the number of failure shifts determines how far. The number of shifts (success or fail) determines how long the portal lasts, according to the table below.
Table: Cleave Reality Outcomes
| Number of shifts | Distance to target | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 10+ fail | another continent, or even another plane of existence | a fraction of a second |
| 7-9 fail | several hundred km | a second |
| 5-6 fail | a hundred meters | several seconds |
| 3-4 fail | several meters | half a minute |
| 1-2 fail | a meter | a minute |
| 1 success | a few centimeters | several minutes |
| 2-3 success | a few millimeters | 10 minutes |
| 4+ success | not measurable | half an hour, another step on the time ladder for every 2 additional shifts |
Spell Cutter
- Prerequisite: Blade Magic 30, Blade of Want or Insubstantial Blade
- Cost: 75 XP
You are able to cut at the flows of magic which hold spells together. Gain the following benefits:
As long as you are wielding a bladed melee weapon, you may use your Blade Magic skill to defend against hostile magics.
When you notice another magic user work magic on their turn, you may attempt to cut off their spell. Make an attack using your Blade Magic skill. You must be wielding a bladed melee weapon and be in range to attack, as normal. The target may defend using the relevant magic skill even if they normally could not. On a success, the target’s magical working is countered and has no effect. If the number of success shifts is greater than the target’s Aspect Bonus in that magical skill, they are cut off from that magic until their next turn.