Starting to put together my list, any opinions welcome and suggestions too!

MELEE DAMAGE

Add your STR and SIZ together and then consult the table below:

21 3d6 + 2
22 3d6 + 2
23 4d6
24 4d6
25 4d6 + 1
26 4d6 + 1
27 4d6 + 2
28 4d6 + 2
29 5d6
30 5d6
31 5d6 + 1
32 5d6 + 1
33 5d6 + 2
34 5d6 + 2
35 6d6
36 6d6
37 6d6 + 1
38 6d6 + 1
39 6d6 + 2
40 6d6 + 2

PASSIONS, MELANCHOLY AND MADNESS

If a knight fails a passion role, he is disheartened and suffers the normal -5 modifier to all further rolls made during the situation that brought on his state.
The knight does not automatically lose 1 point from the passion that brought on his disheartened state. Once the situation passes, he then becomes melancholic.
Follow the normal rules for melancholy and snapping out of it, except that the 'victim' of the melancholy can snap out of it at any time by reducing the passion that
brought on his melancholy by one point.

Remember that any knights who fail to achieve their inspired goals suffer shock, causing the knight to suffer a premature aging roll!

DOUBLE FEINT

This maneuver was inspired by knights such as Sir Lamorak, who was able to effortlessly cut down even the most heavily armoured foes.
A knight who attempts a double feint seeks to cut the weaker parts of his opponents armour, by forcing them to overextend their reach or reveal a fatal vulnerability.
Treat Double feint as a skill, which must be taught and then trained from a score of -5.

A knight can only double feint against a single opponent at a time, should have to split his skill against multiple opponents,
the knight forfeits his opportunity to damage all opponents other than the one he is double feinting.
Double feint cannot be combined with fighting defensively or an uncontrolled attack! In order to use double feint,
roll the double feint skill before resolving normal the opposed weapon skill test.

On a critical success, the knight ignores all of his target opponents armour.
On a normal success the knight ignores half of his opponents armour.
On a failure, the knight can deal no damage at all this round.
A fumble indicates that the knight has been disarmed, with his weapon falling outside of his immediate reach!

FIGHTING WITH TWO WEAPONS

(Because undoubtedly, one of my players will ask after it...)

Fairly obviously, a knight who wields two weapons simultaneously forfeits his ability to benefit from the armour provided by a shield.

If a knight wishes to learn how to wield and fight effectively with a weapon in his offhand, he must search for someone to teach him this peculiar fighting style.
Once a knight has found someone capable and willing teach him, the knight must train the offhand weapon skill from -5.
Remember that offhand weapon skills are, like main hand weapon skills, specialized by weapon type, i.e. offhand axe, offhand dagger, offhand mace or offhand sword.

Lastly, a knight will find that fighting with an offhand weapon is awkward and difficult, at odds to the rhythms that he has drilled into his body.
A knight fighting with two weapons suffers a -5 penalty to all of his main hand weapon skills until his offhand weapon skill equals his best main hand weapon skill.
Those knights who learn to fight with a smaller offhand weapon such as a dagger, dirk or gladius ignore the -5 penalty as their balance and rhythms are less disturbed.

MELEE RESOLUTION PHASE

Instead of a critical success by both fighters being a tie, the fighter with the higher result scores a hit, dealing normal damage!

APPEARANCE AND GLORY

An appearance score of 16 or higher grants Glory annually, like passions and personality traits.

EXPERIENCE CHECKS

Multiple experience checks allowed. These accumulate as they would normally, and each check allows for a roll to see whether it raises the trait in question.
Individual skills, passions and traits that are already 15 or higher can only be raised once per year during the Winter Phase from experience checks.
Essentially, each additional check basically just allows for a greater chance of raising that trait.

THE PUGNACIOUS KNIGHT

(I found this one on the internet and thought it was fantastic, it fitted the grim-dark of my turn of the 5th century setting fantastically.)

This benefit represents the ideals of the dark age knighthood, during the days before Chivalry became recognized as the model for knights to aspire to.
The pugnacious knight is brave (Valorous), even foolhardy (Reckless). He knows there is nothing more important than his good name (Proud), avenging slights against it (Vengeful).
Pugnacious knights upholds the practice of largesse (Generosity) and expects others to keep their word (Trusting), while knowing that above all else, might makes right (Arbitrary).

A knight requires 80 points from Vengeful, Generous, Proud, Reckless, Trusting and Valorous.
Since a pugnacious knight is capable of dictating his own rules, he can use his Arbitrary score in place the lowest of these traits.

Benefit: +1d6 points of damage.
Glory: 100 glory per year.

Pugnacious knights cannot also be Chivalrous. When Chivalry becomes renowned, holding to this ideal identifies you as an honourable-but-villainous knight.
Others see such knights as traditionalists who rejects the King Arthur's new laws.

MELEE DAMAGE

Add your STR and SIZ together and then consult the table below:

19 3d6 + 2
20 3d6 + 2
21 4d6
22 4d6
23 4d6 + 1
24 4d6 + 1
25 4d6 + 2
26 4d6 + 2
27 5d6
28 5d6
29 5d6 + 1
30 5d6 + 1
31 5d6 + 2
32 5d6 + 2
33 6d6
34 6d6
35 6d6 + 1
36 6d6 + 1

I don't like this system at all. Reasons:
1. One would need to remember all this in play and it's more to remember than SIZ+STR/6 (fractions rounded off);
2. It makes it harder to catch cheaters and one will likely have one or two in a game [One needs to have an idea of expected damage and notice when a player is consistently doing too much damage]
3. It also makes it harder for PC/PK to judge opponents;
4. Keep in mind one has to adjust all the damage for NPC and Monsters that are treated as having average set stats and abilities - more work for very little gain.


PASSIONS, MELANCHOLY AND MADNESS

If a knight fails a passion role, he is disheartened and suffers the normal -5 modifier to all further rolls made during the situation that brought on his state.
The knight does not automatically lose 1 point from the passion that brought on his disheartened state. Once the situation passes, he then becomes melancholic.
Follow the normal rules for melancholy and snapping out of it, except that the 'victim' of the melancholy can snap out of it at any time by reducing the passion that
brought on his melancholy by one point.

Remember that any knights who fail to achieve their inspired goals suffer shock, causing the knight to suffer a premature aging roll!

Cool house rule!


DOUBLE FEINT

This maneuver was inspired by knights such as Sir Lamorak, who was able to effortlessly cut down even the most heavily armoured foes.
A knight who attempts a double feint seeks to cut the weaker parts of his opponents armour, by forcing them to overextend their reach or reveal a fatal vulnerability.
Treat Double feint as a skill, which must be taught and then trained from a score of -5.

A knight can only double feint against a single opponent at a time, should have to split his skill against multiple opponents,
the knight forfeits his opportunity to damage all opponents other than the one he is double feinting.
Double feint cannot be combined with fighting defensively or an uncontrolled attack! In order to use double feint,
roll the double feint skill before resolving normal the opposed weapon skill test.

On a critical success, the knight ignores all of his target opponents armour.
On a normal success the knight ignores half of his opponents armour.
On a failure, the knight can deal no damage at all this round.
A fumble indicates that the knight has been disarmed, with his weapon falling outside of his immediate reach!

Unnecessary rule Assuming a character is wearing mail (-10 damage), a big and strong character is normally going to knockout any foe when he hits and they miss.

SCORE=damage dice=average damage (average critical damage )
39-41=7d6=24.5 (49)
33-38=6d6=21.0 (42)
27-32=5d6=17.5 (35)
21-26=4d6=14.0 (28)
18-20=3d6=10.5 (21)
10-17=2d6=07.5 (15)

Hit points=unconscious
38-41=10
34-37=9
30-33=8
24-29=7
20-23=6
16-19=5
12-15=4
10-11=3

If knocked unconscious they're dead unless a comrade or their squire can save them if they're facing someone like me or Gawain, we're like Achilles not Hector http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80SsC_ZNbyI - they can keep their silver and gold even if a prince or king. Vengeance is sweeter than honey ;)


FIGHTING WITH TWO WEAPONS

(Because undoubtedly, one of my players will ask after it...)

Fairly obviously, a knight who wields two weapons simultaneously forfeits his ability to benefit from the armour provided by a shield.

If a knight wishes to learn how to wield and fight effectively with a weapon in his offhand, he must search for someone to teach him this peculiar fighting style.
Once a knight has found someone capable and willing teach him, the knight must train the offhand weapon skill from -5.
Remember that offhand weapon skills are, like main hand weapon skills, specialized by weapon type, i.e. offhand axe, offhand dagger, offhand mace or offhand sword.

Lastly, a knight will find that fighting with an offhand weapon is awkward and difficult, at odds to the rhythms that he has drilled into his body.
A knight fighting with two weapons suffers a -5 penalty to all of his main hand weapon skills until his offhand weapon skill equals his best main hand weapon skill.
Those knights who learn to fight with a smaller offhand weapon such as a dagger, dirk or gladius ignore the -5 penalty as their balance and rhythms are less disturbed.

This is essentially what dungeons and dragons did with the result that every player fought with two weapons, as the shield was almost of no value. This is an extremely bad idea! PC who want to use two weapons will want to do it claiming "now I get two attacks" which is extremely unrealistic. Mounted one has to hold the reins to control ones horse (no control of ones mount means the opponent should get an unopposed attack against one before one does ones opposed attack). Shields were very actively used in attacking when on foot especially to beat away a foes weapon or trap it, meaning that extra attack is negated and one foe still gains their bonus armor from their shield. Also, fighting with two weapons greatly exposes the heart to attack = they do more critical and mortal hits against one. Historically knights did not fight with two weapons, they either used two handed weapons or used a single handed weapon with two hands - I think they knew more about medieval fencing than we do ;). even in China where double swords were used, the main advantage over a single weapon is the ability to attack while recovering from an attack - does not really apply against armored foes, in civilian combat one might give them a small attack bonus like +3 to hit ( with no extra criticals or covering of fumbles).

I don't like this system at all. Reasons:
1. One would need to remember all this in play and it's more to remember than SIZ+STR/6 (fractions rounded off);
2. It makes it harder to catch cheaters and one will likely have one or two in a game [One needs to have an idea of expected damage and notice when a player is consistently doing too much damage]
3. It also makes it harder for PC/PK to judge opponents;
4. Keep in mind one has to adjust all the damage for NPC and Monsters that are treated as having average set stats and abilities - more work for very little gain.

I'm running this game over skype and will be using an electronic table top for dice rolls. I doubt that any of my friends would intentionally cheat and if they would, I'd rather not know.
I hadn't really considered the implications for NPC knights and monsters, but the fix I'll go with is simply not doing it for them. They can live with dealing 1 or 2 points less damage.
It isn't like the player's don't have it stacked against them enough already. ;D




Unnecessary rule Assuming a character is wearing mail (-10 damage), a big and strong character is normally going to knockout any foe when he hits and they miss.

{Table}Some Numbers{/Table}

If knocked unconscious they're dead unless a comrade or their squire can save them if they're facing someone like me or Gawain, we're like Achilles not Hector. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80SsC_ZNbyI - they can keep their silver and gold even if a prince or king. Vengeance is sweeter than honey ;)

Double feinting is an option I'm putting out there for my players. It makes it more likely that a player will be able to hurt an evenly matched opponent outside of critical hits.
(Also a few of my player's knights aren't the big burly type. They are possibly going to want to look for some kind of equalizer that isn't chomping down whole pig for breakfast.)
[Edit] Also, I have no problem with the player knights becoming power houses in their own right.
They might not get fantastical super-strength, but if they survive long enough and get lucky, they have a chance of becoming legendary bad-asses.
(Most likely, they'll end up dead first, but you never know.)


This is essentially what dungeons and dragons did with the result that every player fought with two weapons, as the shield was almost of no value. This is an extremely bad idea! PC who want to use two weapons will want to do it claiming "now I get two attacks" which is extremely unrealistic. Mounted one has to hold the reins to control ones horse (no control of ones mount means the opponent should get an unopposed attack against one before one does ones opposed attack). Shields were very actively used in attacking when on foot especially to beat away a foes weapon or trap it, meaning that extra attack is negated and one foe still gains their bonus armor from their shield. Also, fighting with two weapons greatly exposes the heart to attack = they do more critical and mortal hits against one. Historically knights did not fight with two weapons, they either used two handed weapons or used a single handed weapon with two hands - I think they knew more about medieval fencing than we do ;). even in China where double swords were used, the main advantage over a single weapon is the ability to attack while recovering from an attack - does not really apply against armored foes, in civilian combat one might give them a small attack bonus like +3 to hit ( with no extra criticals or covering of fumbles).


First, where I agree:

I hadn't thought about whether or not it'd be possible to fight with two weapons from horse back, I'll definitely put that in as an addendum.
(My game is starting before the adoption of stirrups in the western world, according to Saxons! and I'm sticking with it, so it wasn't a factor in my thinking at the start!)

Now where I disagree:

I know it is a somewhat silly and over the top fighting style, which I'm not just going to allow all of my players to take.
It's limited by the need to find someone skilled and willing to teach them that over the top and silly fighting style, which will remain firmly in my control as the GM.
Also, most of my players will be desperate for that shield bonus as they know they're in for some tough fights where they will be frequently outnumbered by their enemies.
(Especially as they're almost all starting in 6 to 8 point armour, the poor bastards...)

Gretik, quick question about the damage table... While I in principle like the fact that it does away with 'breakpoints', you do realize that you are in effect inflating the damage by a points or two? You are giving full 5d6 for 4.5, and 6d6 for 5.5, and then adding +1 if they get to 5.0 or 6.0, or +2 if they go a point above that.

I am still trying to decide whether I like that effect or not. The other way to do it would be to balance it so that 5.0 = 5d6. So:
27 4d6+2
28 4d6+2
29 5d6
30 5d6
31 5d6+1
32 5d6+1

Alright, it is just one point effect, but it feels 'cleaner' for me. :)

I've updated that into my table. As for NPC's, they'll just use the normal amount because I've only got so much energy.
Rewriting history is enough, the antagonist tables can stay largely the same.

It is only a point difference anyway, so hardly important for the NPCs, but it avoids the problem of the breakpoint. I may have to suggest this to my players, but given that they usually hover at SIZ+STR = 33 to get 6d6, I expect they will not want to change. :P But who knows?

Keep in mind Gretik if one is using two swords, this is what happens to swords when they hit each other's edges
http://www.thearma.org/essays/edges/2004_0207testcut0027.jpg

In KAP they're unbreakable, but in real life they're anything but unbreakable. Froissart (14th century) has two knights (they might have been squires) break six swords in three attacks. If you look at that nick on the photo I linked to, if one hits anything really hard with that sword it will break in two ( my personal experience).

That would matter whether the players were using one sword or two, it would come up every time they fought anyone else wielding a sword.

I'm happy that the normal winter phase costs of living cover the basic maintenance of weapons, grinding out small notches and the like.
It'd be a bit unfair to the players who use swords, one or two, to have them start breaking as it is the only bonus people gain for using swords.

Now, if someone fumbles their sword roll when a big meaty Saxon is about to put a critical roll for 12d6 through their face, I might dramatically describe their sword getting shorn in half.
But only because they're probably about to die and it won't matter very much to them whether or not their sword is intact. (I'd work out if it was a death blow first.)

The Kap rule is fine, except for sword vs sword. The shield is the thing that was parried with not the sword.

Well, it's not a house rule I'll implement if for no other reason than balance. Also, those notches look to have been made parrying edge on, which seems like a terrible idea to start with.

The Kap rule is fine, except for sword vs sword. The shield is the thing that was parried with not the sword.


Not Quite, i.33 at least disagrees with you.

http://www.thearma.org/Manuals/i33/i33.htm

While the Shield is the preferred parrying tool, if the sword is the better option, you use it. For Preference you use the Strong of the Blade, (ie the bit close to the hilt) not the weak, but rather an easy sword parry than a difficult shield block.