Path or Disciplines? The Decision is eminent! Attn ALL WY Members

[Raeyn]

 

It's the Path of OCD!  Don't forget to lick doorknobs *weg*

 

*scampers off to hide*

[Sieve]

 

It's the Path of OCD!  Don't forget to lick doorknobs *weg*

 

*scampers off to hide*

 

We will have to start the valiant Order of Doorknob Lickers!  :D

[Raeyn]

 

*rofl*  Brilliant, absolutely brilliant :D

 

I already know where I'll be keeping Mariasha (speed, speed, and moar speed), but if I ever write another Warder, I'll definitely want him or her to be a part of such an ancient and honored Order :D

[Liitha]

well would love to, but could we then posible if you want feedback get all the potential candidates presented in one slot, so its easier to compare them, not to say posible even as not all of them been posted publicly (sort of hard to give feedback without oversigth)

 

and as already discussed i think its sort of a moot point following the old set up if you want to expand the consept, its either just rewriting old discs, or creating the same type of consept. Not really expanding them to more full fledged ones who discuss how this actualy should and would effect the persons out of combat situation.

 

but thats just my opinion, at either rate its really imposible to give feedback only knowing like half of the discs, know 4 is mentioned submited, but how many are actualy submited? and only 3 are publicly posted as such and spread over several pages so hard to get oversigth

 

hence posible to set up a new treat then with all the info in it or something? maybe post the alternatives on the web and link to them so can pull them up in tabs and flip between for comparason?

[Jehaine]

Speaking of...

 

 

Path Name: Me'Arearth

 

Description:

 

Weapon skill. Looking at various legendary warriors of myth, it is the one thing that separated them from life as a soldier holding a line. Birgitte was known for her skill with a bow. Gaidal Cain reknown for his use of two blades. Arthur Hawkwing for his skill in tactics. Their skill allowed each of them to make a name for themselves and become the warrior they were fated to be.

 

Far more than strength and speed, whom, though considered useful, are seen as ways to complement skill rather than make up for a lack of it, the main focus of Me'Arearth is indeed the skill they value so highly. It doesn't matter whether you prefer a blade and shield or a two handed warhammer, whether you wear full plate or cloth robes. As long as you have more skill than your opponent, their blades will not reach you.

 

Believing that the path to victory is never to be taken by surprise, to know your opponent better than he knows himself, a good amount of focus is placed on knowledge. Key to skill is the ability to read your opponent, to know what they'll do even before they move and exploit weaknesses even before they form. Masters have been known to demoralise an enemy by fighting them blindfolded, fighting a mental battle as much as a physical one.

 

Strengths:

 

Me'Arearth followers are among the most skilled bladesmen (and -women) available. Though generally not the strongest, nor the fastest of the Warders, they more than compensate for this with a wide variety of attacks, and compensate for their disadvantage by reading their opponent's moves. Having as definite mental edge, it can be said that a Me'Arearth follower can never truly be taken by surprise, except when they want you to.

 

Weakness: 

 

Due to the rather heavy emphasis on knowledge and mental strength, this Path is among the most mentally taxing to learn, and quite a few fail to make the cut. Quick thinking and an above average share of intelligence is mandatory, as the mind is the most dangerous weapon Me'Arearth has at its disposal.

 

Skills:

 

- Weapon Lore: In order to predict a weapon, one has to first know it. Me'Arearth followers recieve basic training in a wide variety of weapons (regardless of being suited for it) to improve their ability to predict its movements in the hands of an opponent.

- Mental Training: Aside from knowledge gained by books (reading is always encouraged) the student is taught the basics of human psychology, philosophy and a variety of other subjects, strengthening the mind with knowledge. The student is also introduced to the game of Stones, learning how to outthink their opponents.

- Meditation: The student is taught that body and mind are one, using a variety of breathing exercises and yoga. As opposed to the Flame and Void, the Me'Arearth follower is taught not to ignore their own bodies, but be one with them. It should be mentioned however, that it is up to the student to discover whether the Spring or the Void is better suited for them in combat. This skill is generally seen as the first step towards Blindfighting.

[Jehaine]

OMGDOUBLEPOSTBURNTHEHERETIC!! D:

 

For Ata (note that there is one Path unaccounted for, as i didn't submit it and thus have no knowledge of it):

 

Legend:

 

STRENGTH: How much the Path focuses on physical strength.

SKILL: How much the Path focuses on combat techniques and skill.

SPEED: How much the Path focuses on agility and weapon speed.

 

0 = No focus (not listed, 1 is the minimum for a Path)

1 = Low focus

2 = Average focus

3 = High focus

4 = Very High focus

5 = Total focus

 

 

Path Name: Vadin M'taal (Stone Barrier (lit: Bar/Barrier Stone))

 

Description:

 

While some would claim that mobility is an infantryman's greatest asset, and that the best defense is a good offense, there are times where neither of these tactics is an option. Mobility doesn't help while holding a line, and offense doesn't help if one is forced on the defensive, protecting rather than attacking.

 

The Vadin M'taal are an extension of this approach. Often heavily armored, it is they that often form a last line of defense, a final unwavering wall for the enemy to break against. Utilizing a shield and heavy armor, they are a force to be reckoned with.

 

The Vadin M'taal follower uses their shield to block the blows they can, and relies on their armor to block the blows they cannot, usually from fast, lighter blades. Due to their reliance of it, the shield has evolved into a weapon in its own right. Followers are taught to charge at an enemy using it -- spiked shields are popular for this reason -- and to directly attack enemies with it by bashing. This adds a factor of unpredictability to the Vadin M'taal, as most opponents simply aren't trained against similar tactics.

 

While Vadin M'taal followers are generally speaking not the fastest of sword users due to encumbrance, their defensive abilities make them valuable additions to every army commander. Lacking the speed to effectively use a lighter blade, the Path focuses on the use of larger, heavier weapons, generating more momentum -- and therefore more damage -- per strike, especially if the opponent isn't as armored as they are. Masters of this Path have been known to survive battles without even moving from the spot they started the fight in.

 

Though the Path is quite a taxing one to master in terms of endurance and strength, a lot of emphasis is placed on skill as well to anticipate attacks with a shield. This Path is generally popular with larger, bulkier soldiers that make up in strength what they lack in speed. Also, Vadin M'taal are considered excellent bodyguards to generals during battles.

 

Strengths:

 

The defensive capabilities of a Vadin M'taal master are among the best in existance. Facing a single opponent, forming a line of defense (preferably with other Vadin M'taal), or fighting in narrow corridors and other indoor locations its followers are at their best.

 

Weakness: 

 

This Path is less suited to fight multiple opponents in open areas on one's own as they can easily surround and wear down the user by timing their attacks. Also, faster opponents have an edge against the user... up until they get hit, that is.

 

Skills:

 

- Armor Mastery: Given the reliance on heavier armor, a follower of this Path is required to wear their full armor from dawn to dusk.

- Shield Forms: Perhaps the most defining aspect of Vadin M'taal is several custom forms that use both weapon and shield (or just shield) offensively. The teachings of this Path consider a shield a weapon, perhaps moreso than actual weapons. Exercises include fighting a Master using nothing but two shields. ((NOTE: 'Shields' should be listed as Primary or Secondary weapon in an application))

- You Shall Not Pass: The follower is trained in various ways to keep opponents from getting past him/her, and keep from being surrounded by making optimal use of the space around them. Shield charging an opponent into a wall is not unheard of.

- Mental Conditioning: The follower recieves mental training that strengthens resolve and courage, enabling him to look an opponent in the eye in an intimidating glare. Masters are said to be able to stare down a Myrddraal, but that may just be an exaggerated rumor. It is true however that of all people, they are the least affected by it.

 

 

Path Name: Mandieb (sharp wind)

 

Description:

 

Among soldiers, there are those that believe preparation is better than skill. There are those that believe the warrior whose blade is drawn last is the first to die. During an ambush or surprise attack, those words have often proven to hold truth.

 

The more skilled of these soldiers have taken sword forms such as Unfolding the Fan, and eventually succeeded in turning it into a Path of its own right. Emphasis is based on having several attacking options directly after drawing the sword, giving a potential opponent too little time to react. It is said masters of this relatively new Path can unsheathe, attack and resheathe so fast all their opponents register is the wind of a passing blade before they are dead. This has given the Path its name.

 

As mentioned, Mandieb focuses on speed and precision. As such, light blades are used almost exclusively, though a variation of this Path allows the use of throwing daggers. Because of this, the Path is mostly favored by the stealthier combatants such as spies and assassins.

 

Strengths:

 

The superior speed granted from the training gives the Mandieb user a definite edge against slower, heavily armed (and armored) opponents. Due to the speed involved, fighting several opponents at once is an option as well, provided movement isn't hindered.

 

Weakness: 

 

Due to its heavy focus on (slashing) swords, this Path is practically useless in combination with any other weapon types save for throwing daggers. Heavy armor and shields are seen as hindrances as well, and the Discipline generally isn't made for long, drawn-out battles.

 

Skills:

 

- Enhanced speed and precision: The Mandieb user can perform sword forms at a faster pace. Heavy emphasis is put on combining speed and accuracy, as some of the trainings include deflecting stones, wooden throwing daggers and (in later stages) blunt arrows with nothing but a blade.

- Preparation: Due to the lack of armor, the Mandieb user is more prone to taking wounds. Thus, followers of this Path are trained to fight at a disadvantage, such as having their dominant arm tied behind their back during a spar, or fighting multiple opponents. Or both.

- Readyness: The followers of this Path are specifically trained to respond to surprise attacks. During training, any student may attack another without warning or provocation as part of training, though of course weaponry is restricted to training lathes. Students with more losses than wins in a week are often assigned on punitive chores.

 

 

Path Name: Passhar (No blood)

 

Description:

 

While battles are about fighting, and fighting about weapons, it is sometimes unnecessary to kill an opponent. At times, simply disabling them is more beneficial, whether it be taking someone prisoner or rescue someone without killing guards and potentially causing trouble with a local Lord.

 

Thus, the Passhar was created. As the name implies, the style itself focuses on crippling and disabling an opponent until he either gives up, or simply is unable to continue the fight. Rather than train to have massive amounts of stamina, the Passhar follower seeks to use minimal amounts of stamina in a fight to achieve the same result.

 

Given its low requirements in terms of stamina and equipment, as well as the main focus lying on the use of fists and relatively cheap crushing weapons like the cudgel and quarterstaff, it recieved the nickname of the 'Commoner's Path'. Masters of this Path have been known to survive a battle without a wound on them, simply from outlasting their opponents one after the other.

 

Though emphasis is on speed, the main focus lies on personal agility rather than the weapon speed of a Mandieb user. This, in combination with the low lethality rate of attacks made this Path popular with medics, as well as those seeking a form of self-defense.

 

Strengths:

 

Passhar focuses on counterattacking, using an attacker's own energy against him by striking at the openings he creates. Followers of this Path are trained in the use of hand to hand as well as in crushing weapons, giving them a firm base to fall back on in case their weapon fails. Their superior agility grants them an edge against bigger, stronger (and often slower) opponents who simply find themselves unable to land a hit.

 

Weakness: 

 

Due to the almost pacifistic mindset in which battle is joined, bladed weapons are frowned upon, though a knife for field surgery is tolerated. Also, much like the Mandieb user heavy armor and shields negate the advantage the Path gives a user. While a Passhar follower has no problem outlasting an opponent, some skill is required in order to defend against multiple attackers at once.

 

Skills:

 

- Mentality: Getting in a correct mindset of non-lethality can prove to be quite a challenge. Students are therefore required to spend two weeks living among the Tuatha'an, and learn from their lifestyle.

- Anatomy: Pain is seen as a great catalyst to 'convince' an opponent that his fight is a useless one. The Passhar follower is well trained in the way the human body works, allowing him to achieve maximal effect with minimal effort. As a side effect, Masters of Passhar are very capable field surgeons without exception.

- Body Conditioning: One of the main focus points of this Path is personal agility and dexterity, both directly affecting the Passhar follower's effectiveness. Even moreso than actual combat training, the vast majority of exercises consists of training to improve balance, speed and suppleness of the body.

- Martial Arts: The Passhar follower is taught a wide variation of unarmed combat attacks, including wristlocks to disarm opponents and deflecting weapons and arrows bare handed. Staves and cudgels are often used as well, though mostly by those with less physical strength than most.

 

And of course...

 

 

Path Name: Me'Arearth

 

Description:

 

Weapon skill. Looking at various legendary warriors of myth, it is the one thing that separated them from life as a soldier holding a line. Birgitte was known for her skill with a bow. Gaidal Cain reknown for his use of two blades. Arthur Hawkwing for his skill in tactics. Their skill allowed each of them to make a name for themselves and become the warrior they were fated to be.

 

Far more than strength and speed, whom, though considered useful, are seen as ways to complement skill rather than make up for a lack of it, the main focus of Me'Arearth is indeed the skill they value so highly. It doesn't matter whether you prefer a blade and shield or a two handed warhammer, whether you wear full plate or cloth robes. As long as you have more skill than your opponent, their blades will not reach you.

 

Believing that the path to victory is never to be taken by surprise, to know your opponent better than he knows himself, a good amount of focus is placed on knowledge. Key to skill is the ability to read your opponent, to know what they'll do even before they move and exploit weaknesses even before they form. Masters have been known to demoralise an enemy by fighting them blindfolded, fighting a mental battle as much as a physical one.

 

Strengths:

 

Me'Arearth followers are among the most skilled bladesmen (and -women) available. Though generally not the strongest, nor the fastest of the Warders, they more than compensate for this with a wide variety of attacks, and compensate for their disadvantage by reading their opponent's moves. Having as definite mental edge, it can be said that a Me'Arearth follower can never truly be taken by surprise, except when they want you to.

 

Weakness: 

 

Due to the rather heavy emphasis on knowledge and mental strength, this Path is among the most mentally taxing to learn, and quite a few fail to make the cut. Quick thinking and an above average share of intelligence is mandatory, as the mind is the most dangerous weapon Me'Arearth has at its disposal.

 

Skills:

 

- Weapon Lore: In order to predict a weapon, one has to first know it. Me'Arearth followers recieve basic training in a wide variety of weapons (regardless of being suited for it) to improve their ability to predict its movements in the hands of an opponent.

- Mental Training: Aside from knowledge gained by books (reading is always encouraged) the student is taught the basics of human psychology, philosophy and a variety of other subjects, strengthening the mind with knowledge. The student is also introduced to the game of Stones, learning how to outthink their opponents.

- Meditation: The student is taught that body and mind are one, using a variety of breathing exercises and yoga. As opposed to the Flame and Void, the Me'Arearth follower is taught not to ignore their own bodies, but be one with them. It should be mentioned however, that it is up to the student to discover whether the Spring or the Void is better suited for them in combat. This skill is generally seen as the first step towards Blindfighting.

[Talavin]

Hmm, the only problem I have with Me'Areath is it's lack of weaknesses. You say that the weakness is that it's mentally taxing, but in RP, people ignore things like "it takes more training". After all, it's not real life, all they have to do is say "Oh, Such-and-such character trains a lot so he masters this impossible path with no problem" and poof- godder. Personally, I'd rather see Paths with real weaknesses that you can't get around with one sentence in a post. No offense, but just my opinion on the matter.

[Jehaine]

Actually, that's not much of a problem. ICly, the weakness is that it's difficult to learn due to the mental stress involved. OOCly however, the real disadvantage is hidden in the Strengths section:

 

Though generally not the strongest, nor the fastest of the Warders, they more than compensate for this with a wide variety of attacks, and compensate for their disadvantage by reading their opponent's moves.

 

Every Path on there has mentioned weaknesses and hidden weaknesses, i just don't want them to be generally known, because otherwise we'd be getting people simply skimming the Paths list to see which attack to use, which i want to avoid.

 

Basically, the observant reader is rewarded.

[Talavin]

Hm, I agree, which is leads to one of the ideas I had. Instead of having five paths, have two based off of strength, speed, and skill, and have them cancel each other out. Like- speed= a lot of hits but they're weaker; strength= slow and very few hits, but much stronger

 

Strength and speed cancel eachother out, so that neither is stronger than the other, and the winner of a fight goes back to WS and not fighting style

 

Then under each you can have sub-paths, like passhar would go under speed, as well as the path that I submitted that focuses on agression. That way you have two (or more) paths that focus on speed but have completely different objectives.

 

Likewise for strength you have Vadin'Mtaal which is primarily defensive, and then another that is primarily offensive.

 

Then Skill focuses not on strength or speed but other aspects like flexibility and knowledge- paths like Me'Areath and Water would fall under this one.

 

Anyway, that would be a completely different way of organizing the paths, and we might just want to stick to what they're trying to do now. ;)

[Jehaine]

Well, that would have worked if we only had two things to choose from, not three. You can either be a Jaxck of all Trades (and Master of none), you can be good at one thing and average at the other two or good at two things and bad at a third. The triangles just show what type of person is best suited for that particular Path, nothing's stopping, say, a fast person to join Vadin M'Taal, or a strong person Passhar. Neither would one need to be all about Strength and Speed to be a berserker, but it does help.

[Talavin]

hm, yes, but that gets back to what Ata was saying about loosing low notes if you work to much on high notes. This is mainly only an issue for the Warders Div. Most other Divs can only get to WS 10-12 and umong those that can get higher, only the Warders, Children, and CotS use actual forms (the Band doesn't use sword forms, and some of them don't even use bladed weapons). Anyway, going on to my actual topic- there gets to be a point where a quick person can't follow Vadin M'Taal, because after a certain point, their focus on strength completely eliminates their speed. There gets to be a point where their focus on strength and heavy armor weighs them down too much and in battle speed can't be concidered. Likewise, a path focusing on speed can't afford to train strength and have the muscle mass weigh them down.

 

So basically, there would be the paths that focus on strength and speed, and then the skill paths would be the paths that focus on other ways to become strong- like dual sword weilding and mental based paths like Me'Areath.

 

Anyway a fast person could use a strength focused path, but there would become a point where they would just stop being fast and start being strong.

[Jehaine]

Not entirely, it's all about adaptation. Vadin M'Taal is about using a shield in combat, and even though a fast person is less suited for it, there's no reason why he shouldn't be allowed to join that Path.

 

Not all Warders become Blademasters after all, so is it really that necessary that you fit your Path like a glove? Sure, they'd hit a certain plateau at some point, but if they feel good about being WS 17, or WS 13, or whatever WS they choose, what's stopping them?

 

You mentioned yourself characters don't need to be perfect. I've seen a mute channeler around, people with blocks a mile wide, my Bander's absolutely terrified of horses. There's no need for them to be good at what they do. If they would, people would just go and recreate characters with low OP scores all the time.

[Talavin]

Hm, yes, it's true that characters should have weaknesses and it would be interesting to have a character that stubornly doesn't fit to his path, but the whole point of choosing a path is choosing a lifestyle and fighting style that best fits you. If you are a fast person that wants to follow a path that focuses on strength, it would be like a master sword weilder deciding to use a hammer instead. Sure, there are reasons why you could, and if it's worth sacrificing overall proficiency then go ahead. But the purpose of a Warder/Tower Guard is to be as strong as they can be to serve the Tower. Now, if for some reason they decide to change their form (say they have a life changing experience and can't continue the way they were) then that's good, because all about character development.

 

Someone with a speed oriented path focusing on Strength leads to the Jack of all Trades but master of none you were talking about. To truely be a master of your path you have to devote yourself to it completely. But you're right, there's no need to be good at what you do, and if you aren't it tends to make a good plotline. But the way I try to see it is that the paths are tools to use to get stronger. For example- Arath will never be the physically strongest man, and so he tries to be as fast as he can to make up for it. When I say that characters don't have to be perfect I mean that they have their weaknesses but use their strengths and experience to make up for it.

[Jaydena]

Hmmm ok now I am really confused, so I need to submit a disc or something? I know I was Moi'Ka'La before.

[Matalina]

You can remain MKL.  We are just offering new insight into the newbs, the old ones are fine for old characters to use. 

 

But none are required at all.

 

Mat

[Talavin]

Why is this thread still up anyway? This is done with :P

[Matalina]

it's not stickied anymore :P someone just posted to it is all... there is no point hiding a discussion.

 

Mat

[Quisalas Selene]

*bumps this just to annoy Talavin and then runs off giggling*

[Talavin]

*rolls eyes* nice to know we have such mature members in this div

 

:P

[Quisalas Selene]

*thinks about bumping this thread just to annoy Talavin, and then decides to be nice and not do it.*

[Quisalas Selene]

Oops.