Martial Arts - Melee
Whatever other arts they practice, a bushi’s foremost art is always the art of battle, and even samurai who rarely take the field often train extensively in the martial arts as an exercise in self-mastery. Nearly all of them receive some training in use of a melee weapon, even if they prefer a weapon such as a bow. While many samurai believe sword fighting to be the most refined of martial arts, there are numerous schools that are more renowned for their use of other melee weapons. Samurai in Kiga use the great clubs known as tetsubō, spears, naginata and other polearms, and even staves, depending on the teachings of their school and their own personal preferences.
Martial Arts [Melee] covers combat with close-quarters weapons in both practice and theory.
Martial Arts [Melee] Approaches
The Martial Arts [Melee] skill can be used as follows with the appropriate ring:- Withstand Approach (Earth Ring): Fighting defensively, blocking carefully, exhausting your opponent, practising techniques that rely on stamina.
- Shift Approach (Water Ring): Fighting reactively, redirecting force, drawing out your opponent, practising techniques that rely on fluidity of motion and flexibility.
- Overwhelm Approach (Fire Ring): Fighting aggressively, attacking directly, unnerving your opponent, practising techniques that rely on bursts of speed and power.
- Feint Approach (Air Ring): Fighting subtly, attacking indirectly, outmanoeuvring your opponent, evading attacks, practising techniques that rely on grace and poise, reading your opponent’s moves.
- Sacrifice Approach (Void Ring): Fighting instinctively or without regard for your life, attacking without regard for anything else, putting mind over matter.