Clan of Origin: Boar
Dojo: None

Description: Shadowy dangers have always threatened the Boar lands, and the Heichi Fighting Style was formed to face them. The Boar recognized an insistent need to defend themselves, and developed Techniques that would match that fervor. They have trained themselves to absorb the worst attacks their enemies might hold in store and simply…keep going.

A Heichi fighter maintains a strong defense, but his furious assaults are chilling to see. The Heichi Bushi School emphasizes a weapon that is rarely seen in the rest of the Empire: the mai chong. This uniquely-shaped spear has a curved head with a longer spike jutting out from the center of the curve. A Heichi fighter can use the spear to devastate his enemies at range, but is also capable of incredibly delicate maneuvers. One famous story of a Heidi Master related how he was capable of using his spear to cut the laces and bindings of his enemy’s armor as they fought, immobilizing his opponent without harming him.

As is so often the case, the long reach of the mai chong is excellent for an early assault, but much more difficult to wield against opponents who have survived the initial attack and managed to close with the Heichi FIghter. The mai chong is long and unwieldy at close range; a Heichi fighter will struggle to bring the weapon up to parry, and will need to backpedal to make an effective attack, giving an opponent an obvious cue that the attack is imminent.

Basic Curriculum: Athlete, Yarijutsu
Knacks: Charge, Exploit Weakness (Heichi), Lunge (Yarijutsu), Tagging (Yarijutsu), Wall of Steel (Yarijutsu).

Revised Swordsman Knack: Wall of Steel. Your weapon is an ever-present blocking device, and you use it like a tortoise uses its shell. If you have not attacked yet this Round, then each Rank of this Knack increases your TN to be hit by two. You cannot use your Parry Knack with the relevant weapon for Active Defenses in any Phase where you benefit from this Knack.

Apprentice: A Heichi fighter learns to strike with the relentless speed of his Clan’s namesake animal. He may use his Charge Knack at the beginning of every Round of combat, not just the first.

The Heichi Style has no set dojo; its secrets are passed on from Master to Apprentice within the Boar Clan (or to members of other Clans which have persuaded the Boar to accept them for training). As a result, an Apprentice of Heichi receives a free Rank in the Swordsman Knack of his choice rather than any static bonus.

Journeyman: A Heichi Journeyman attacks not just with speed, but with the ferocity of a boar. By spending two Action Dice (only one of which need be legal), the Haichi fighter may ready his mai chong for an attack, then follow through with a devastating Lunge. For that attack only, the damage bonus for the Lunge is increased to two Kept Dice (+2k2).

Master: As a Master, the Heichi fighter has learned to control his warrior’s fury and unleash it at the most unexpected times, even when he appears to be completely on defense. Once per Round, while the Master is benefitting from his Wall of Steel Knack, he may make a Lunge attack without disrupting the Wall of Steel. The Master is subject to the usual penalties for making a Lunge, but his TN to be hit is still adjusted by his Wall of Steel Knack.