Clan of Origin: Dragon
Dojo: Open Eye Dojo

Description: Created by one of the youngest families in the Empire, the Kitsuki Swordsman School cannot claim as long and glorious a history as most Schools in Rokugan. The small Kitsuki family prides itself on the fact that they have come a long way in such a short time, and this also holds true for their Swordsman School. Though mocked by many, the Kitsuki have developed sciences of observation and fact-gathering that other Clans would never have imagined possible. The family’s founder, the famous Agasha Kitsuki, ensured that his methods would not be lost with his death and established this School as his legacy.

The Kitsuki Swordsman School places tremendous emphasis on developing his students’ powers of observation, honing them to a razor point. A highly-trained Kitsuki Swordsman possesses a superb memory, excellet recall, and an almost inhuman attention to detail. Very little escapes the eye of a trained Kitsuki Swordsman, and this makes him very dangerous (and hard to fool) in combat.

Kitsuki Swordsmen are trained to notice every attempt to mislead them in combat…so much so, that they begin to expect tricks when none are present. An opponent who presents a straightforward offense and defense may catch a Kitsuki Swordsman by surprise…simply by not trying to surprise him.

Basic Curriculum: Courtier, Kenjutsu
Knacks: Exploit Weakness (Kitsuki), Feint (Kenjutsu), First Strike (Kenjutsu), Lunge (Kenjutsu), Wall of Steel (Kenjutsu)

Revised Swordsman Knack: Feint. When attacking an enemy, you can declare a Feint. You roll Wits + Feint, and must roll a number of Raises equal to your enemy’s Wits in order for your Feint to be successful. If you are successful, he cannot avoid the attack using any Active Defense. The Raises taken on this roll add Unkept Dice to your damage roll as usual.

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.

New Swordsman Knack: First Strike. When you have not yet drawn your weapon and wish to attack an enemy, you can declare a First Strike (using a single Action to draw and attack with your weapon). You roll Finesse + First Strike, and must take a number of Raises equal to your enemy’s Finesse in order for your First Strike to be successful. If you are successful, he cannot avoid the attack using any Active Defense. The Raises taken on this roll add Unkept Dice to your damage roll as usual. In Rokugan, this is the Knack typically used for Iaijutsu duels.

Apprentice: The Kitsuki School teaches that the actions of the dishonorable and unwary eventually lead to their own undoing. Students of the School study their opponents, and attack only when they must. Kitsuki students may add their Rank in Wits to their TN to be hit when using this School. If a Swordsman has the Keen Senses Advantage, he may increase his TN to be hit by his Rank in Wits plus one.

Students of the Kitsuki School are trained at the Open Eye Dojo, where they are taught to keep their minds focused and agile, even in the most stressful situations. They may add their Mastery Level in Kitsuki to all Perception Rolls (even out of combat), and twice their Mastery Level to their TN to be hit when defending against a Feint.

Journeyman: As a Kitsuki Swordsman advances in his training, he becomes better able to notice tiny details and exploit them to his advantage. After the Journeyman is attacked, he can step into the opponent’s vulnerable area and use a Current, Held, or Interrupt Action to make a counterattack against the opponent who just attacked him. The Journeyman receives one free Raise per Mastery Level on his attack roll (for this counterattack only). This Technique must be used immediately after the Journeyman is attacked or else the bonuses are lost as the window of opportunity closes.

Master: Kitsuki Masters know that they are not the strongest, nor the most skilled Swordsmen in the Empire. If they are going to be triumphant, they must be quicker and more patient than their opponents. At the beginning of every Round of combat, the Master may attempt an opposed Perception check against one opponent. If he wins this contest, the Master may immediately make an attack against that opponent without spending an Action. This technique cannot be used in an iaijutsu duel. However, during such a duel, the number of times a Kitsuki Master may choose to Focus is equal to his Rank in Panache plus his Rank in Wits, rather than just his Rank in Panache.