It's just a scratch!

Traditional samurais did not fight Nito-style (two swords) until Musashi introduced the concept to a fairly small amount of the samurai population. The wakasashi had always been a ceremonial blade used for various rituals including sepuku (ritual suicide) and to actually use it in combat was regarded as going against bushido (code of honour). Even after Musashi introduced Nito, it was only very rarely used and only in a few regions in Japan.

And those of you who claim a Katana is a one handed weapon have never held a real folded katana. Those things are scarily heavy, and in the hands of a skilled samurai, they would cut through Armor, Samurai AND horse on a good swing. However, in a full-scaled battle, a samurai wielding any type of sword would be the exception, as this was usually one of their last resorts in case they lost their other weapons. (Those of you who practice Kendo and have had the opportunity to spar a Naginata-wielder will know what I am talking about).

Ninjas did not use traditional Katanas at all, but instead used a lighter and smaller version that later became known as the Ninja-to. This was because a shorter and lighter blade tended to get in the way less during their escapes. (Better known as "Run for your lives! They're after me!!")

To change the current topic, and i'm probably the only one here, the new updates have annoyed me.

Being aslaran who likes forging I've found that now im loosing out since I want to keep up the speed but have lost the capacity to wound even with decent rapiers i only do about 5 wounding and its now lowered by the changes to nerf speedknights and also I dont get any racial boosts and like aslaran so dont want to change.

I've been waiting weeks for these changes and they have pissed me off that I'm one of the least affected people with them. I feel like I'm watching the Aquamancers get Telekinetics, just more cures to learn.

An example of sepuku, with my new blade:

With a heavy overhand stroke, you slam an elegant katana down upon Nayl, but
your swing hits her powerful aura and rebounds back into you. Thorgal hacks
through your neck like it's butter, and your view of the world suddenly spins
wildly as your head flies through the air.
As your severed head hits the ground, you thankfully succumb to death.
You have been slain by Thorgal.

Whaaat? Is that an activated skill, or a passive one with wounds?

It's just the same as the blademaster one.

Oh. I've never seen that in action.

Sepuku is ritual suicide dear Thorgal

Well...he did kill himself? With rebounding? That IS suicide, isn't it?

Oh, yes, well, true enough

Somehow, I think samurai would have a hard time with seppuku by decapitation.

Um, isn't the main difference between Katanas and pretty much all other two-handed weapons that Katanas are cutting blades, whereas most others are (for lack of a more fitting vocabulary) striking ones? Either way, fighting with Claymores and Katanas results in two WAY different styles of combat, no? Hmm. Either way. Woot for new specialisations (and things to forge )

Actually ninja only used shorter blades because they lacked the funds and high quality metals to make the longer blades used by Samurai. Notice also that Samurai had expensive armour, etc. The difference in weapons wasn't originally due to a variation in method or style, it was simply due to what they could and couldn't make and get. A traditional "Samurai sword" is quite large, with a razor like edge - The final stage of polishing is done with the fingertips. The shorter, cruder blades used by Ninjas lacked this razor edge, and relied on the use of a "sawing" motion in combat to do damage.

Even today, the most basic of blades is £700+, for one thats just a display blade, with prices topping £2800 for a combat viable blade.

Personally, I just wish I'd gone blademaster way back. I'm a bonecrusher Igasho, so the specialist races seems off to me.

A look of complete concentration and menace glitters in Shiro's eyes.
3063h, 2665m, 3310e, 10p elrxk-
Shiro wildly jabs a steel claymore sword at you. You are poked in the chin for
a small puncture.
The final blow is too much for you, and you fall to the floor a broken, bloody
mess.
You have been slain by Shiro.
The corpse of a baby rat falls out of your inventory.
A swirling force begins to tug at your soul and the world spins around you.
0h, 2665m, 3310e, 10p elrx-

Maybe one that was developed in a culture that has some analogue in Lusternia, rather than one inextricably tied to a culture that has no connection I can see to Lusternia, no influence on it, no allusions to it?

Pwned, SuXx0r!!11!!1

Yeah, puissance needs some looking at.

If you break that down, the normal hit woulda been 1500, and thus the equivalent two-hander 750 a swing.

Oh, puissance gets some worthyness to it now and it's time to downgrade it! Ya know, I've NEVER used puissance and I've been trans athletics since about two weeks into open beta.

That's because for two-handers, puissance doubles 100% of the total damage, for one-handers, puissance only doubles 50% of the total damage.

To balance, puissance should only increase damage dealt by a two-hander by 50%.