My character uses a kenjutsu martial art skill , he has a No-dachi and a Claymore, Kenjutsu says I can use a No-dachi with it but it doesn't say anything about any other swords and blades like it. Other martial art skills like Naginato say specifially you can only use this weapon with this martial art skill but a lot of martial art skills don't, they say you can use certain weapon with them but they don't say those are the only weapons you can use. So I wanted to know, can you use other weapons with a martial art skill besides what they state if they don't specify those are the only weapons you can use?

My character also uses Tai-jutsu, Tai-jutsu states that I can use weapons with it ever those it is not a weapon martial art skill but, how does that work, do the actions change from punch kick, and dodge to slash, thrust, and parry or what?

Kenjutsu is literally 'Sword Fighting' - if your instructor was willing to teach you Claymore fighting, then it's in. In most of the martial arts movies, Kenjutsu is further broken down into schools and styles - one might insist on Katanas only, one might teach two Wakisashis, and a different school might teach the giant Nodachi. Ultimately, it's the instructor's choice, although most focus on honing their skill with a single weapon for maximum effect. If your GM insisted, he could make you take a Scottish version of Kenjutsu (Same stats and effects under a different name) to explain the training.

Really, you should be able to fight with both swords using similar techniques, although they're pretty different weapons. Ideally, he would houserule in something to emphasize the differences - perhaps ruling that the claymore was +1DV and the Nodachi was +1 to hit at each level of training, to give them some personality.

That is a *lot* of hardware to be hauling around, though. Really, one five-foot sword should be enough for most jobs around the house.

Funny, I have a PC trained in Jianshu. He was gifted with a vibro-sword constructed into a jian sword. Unfortunately he broke it trying to hack apart the metal hardware in a reinforced door.

I make the players go through lots of hoops to find anything with a forbidden availability. Knowing that he told me he wanted to purchase a nodachi.

Told him that a wushu fencer trained to use a jian would unlikely go looking for a huge japanese battlefield horse-killing weapon.

He asked me how about the claymore.

I told him he was crazy.

What did he say next, that he would attempt to clothline his opponent off the ropes?

Can you think of any situation that could not be improved by adding more five foot swords in the correct manner?

Kenjitsu would most definitely NOT apply to a western, straight sword (like the claymore). Because of its construction, the claymore lends itself to a different style of use than the katana.

As an active swordsman (various styles of fencing, kendo and some kung fu weapons training) it's always been my opinion that differance in weapons is an issue only in relation to physical ability. I've used kendo techniques with a claymore and yes, it took alot more strength and a slightly differant balance, but once I knew the type of adjustments needed the only limitations to doing so where my strength and and knowledge of my own body. I'ld say to reflect this you should have to buy added weapons for the approved list based on the cost for martial arts maneuvers, but not counting towards the maximum number of maneuvers per quality level.

I agree with this: I come from a similar backround. I've fenced with a katana (technically it was a bokken, and I scared a lot of people in the process) and when I go to raves I use chain-fighting techniques since I can't actually rave.

I can't bring myself to agree with this in the least. You can use any weapon with any style, as long as you make allowances for the new weapon type you're using. If you don't believe me, go watch Jackie Chan use staff-fighting techniques with ladders, chain fighting techniques with clogs and rope, and other martial arts techniques with other people's bodies.

It may certainly have been designed for a different style, but that does not mean you can't use it for one that it is not intended for.

How about foil fencing. Could you use foil fencing technique with a claymore?

I would buy your Naginata as a specialization, like Kenjutsu(Naginata). You can use a claymore, just not quite as well.

Yes, and the fundamentals of handgun marksmanship apply to rifles and shotguns, but the particulars of using a handgun are very different from using a rifle. While you can apply the basic techniques of a katana to a claymore, the optimal way to wield a claymore is very different than the way you wield a longsword.

A "specialisation" in a martial art should represent that. I'm sure that if you took someone who was skilled in kendo and gave them a longsword, I would have no problem besting them, because that is the weapon that I have been trained with (through ARMA and SSG); however, if you gave me a katana, and put me up against someone who was trained in kendo, it would be a different story.

Why would that not be represented by a specialization?

Keep the Faith

To come back to the original question, does Kenjuitsu involve training with multiple weapons or just one? I couldn't find the rules for it. If you get the bonuses for just one fighting style/weapon when you take it, then the Nodachi and Claymore should count as two seperate weapons. If you get bonuses for several bladed weapons in a group, then you're learning general techniques that should apply to both.

However, as a GM I would take you aside and try and talk you out of it. They do the same job, and it's going to take a lot of fast-talking to explain why you need two giant swords. If you really want two giant swords, carry two different claymores or two different Nodachi. I'm a backstory kind of GM, and I'd love to hear a rational explanation for needing a Claymore and Nodachi beyond "I picked them from the list 'cause they're huge and awesome and I want to fight with one in each hand like [physics-defying hero]."

I'm not picking fights, either - I really would love a good story that explains why, and I would totally allow it if it were funny or awesome.

... and applied an actual edge to the claymore instead of using it as a tapered club

The real question is: is there any other reason a player should choose a weapon besides by it's stats. Is ghostapathy choosing to use a claymore and a no-dachi for any other reason than they have the best stats of any sword (that doesn't have a forbidden availability)?

Or does it even matter?

They should just cut out the middle man and grab a monowhip anyway. Then they could go use the points in strength on a real attribute. Besides, nothing says "Welcome to the 2070s!" like killing someone with something that couldn't possibly work the way it's supposed to.

Seriously! I have such a hard time putting my mind around a monofilament-whip.

Every time I allow one in my game it becomes an impossibly sharp, impossibly strong, impossibly concealable tool/weapon.