#Chapter 8 — Arms and Equipment

Contents

The weapon decides the way of fighting. Even the same "katana" fights a completely different battle depending on its form. What your character grips is, in effect, the choice of "which zone, which tactic will I shine in." This chapter narrows things down only as far as that choice needs — eight standard weapons, four sets of armor to guard the body, belongings for the road, and the existence of blades that bear a name. Do not try to cover every situation with a single weapon. It is enough for each character to have one or two shining zones.

#Weapon Grades — Number of Techniques

Weapons split into three grades. The higher the grade, the more techniques it can use, one at a time.

Your first character usually holds Issue Gear. A technique marked [Licensed] can be used only when that weapon is Fine Work or higher.

Source: co-07-01 §Weapon Grades

#The 8 Standard Weapons

Below are the standard weapons representing eight families. Each weapon has three techniques by default — Attack A, Attack B, Defense — and its [Licensed] technique opens only at Fine Work or higher. The check formula is always the single form 2d10 + modifier >= Defense, and defense-bypass tags ([Pierce], [Direct], [Incorporeal]) are spelled out in the effect column. "Energy" is the Energy cost of using that technique, and "Wounds" is the reduction in Wounds dealt to the enemy on a hit.

A reserved defense technique's "+1 Defense while reserved" is a non-armor bonus from a weapon-technique stance, so it is negated by [Direct] (armor/shield bonuses remain).

#1. Uchigatana (打刀) — standard blade

The most common katana. Versatile, but never outstanding. The wielder's skill decides the blade's worth. Its strength is that the Parry reservation Energy is 1, the cheapest of all.

No zone bonus (identical everywhere). Price: 5 gold.

#2. Zanbato (斬馬刀) — horse-cutter, large blade

A large blade for cutting down mounted warriors, horse and all. Too heavy to strike in a flurry, but it deals maximum damage on a Critical Hit.

Zone bonus: Front Zone +1. Energy +1 in the Core Zone (treated as a long weapon). Price: 7 gold.

#3. Su-yari (素槍) — straight spear

A plain straight-line spear. The ashigaru's basic weapon. It establishes Domination in the Front Zone and checks the enemy with reach.

Zone bonus: Straight Thrust +1 in the Front Zone. Energy +1 in the Core Zone. Price: 2 gold.

#4. Naginata (薙刀) — long blade spear

A blade mounted on a long haft. It cuts like a katana yet has the reach of a yari. Strong at wide-area cuts against many enemies.

Zone bonus: Front Zone +1. Energy +1 in the Core Zone (long weapon). Price: 5 gold.

#5. Daikyu (大弓) — longbow

A bow for long-range sniping. It fires safely from the Rear Zone. A bow reloads automatically at no cost with every shot, so reloading does not occupy the defense slot or movement — this is the core axis of contrast with the teppo.

Price: 5 gold. Long-range sniping and Rear Zone specialist.

#6. Tanegashima (種子島) — standard matchlock

A matchlock brought over from the Nanban. The only standard weapon that breaks heavy armor. That reloading occupies the defense slot is the price of its powerful armor bypass.

Price: 8 gold.

Teppo Check Protocol. A teppo's individual single-target shot rolls 2d10 + Archery >= Defense — the attribute is not added. Because [Pierce all] nullifies armor and shields, it pierces even heavy armor (Defense 16 → effective 10), but non-armor Defense such as evasion, stances, barriers, and cover is reflected in the to-hit as is (that domain is [Direct], so a teppo cannot pierce it). Critical Hit = 2 Wounds + 1 Wound to the enemy behind.

#7. Tanto (短刀) — standard dagger

A versatile support dagger. It does not tire in a Core Zone melee. Being a short weapon, its Combo Fatigue penalty in the Core Zone is eased to -1 instead of -2.

Price: 1 gold. Combo Fatigue -1 applies in the Core Zone.

#8. Fists (素手) — unarmed combat

Bare-handed grappling. The last resort that remains even when you lose your weapon, even when weapons are forbidden. Especially strong in the Core Zone.

Price: none (bare-handed). Core Zone +2 bonus.

Source: co-07-01 §Blades, Spears, Bows, Guns, Short Weapons (standard-weapon excerpt)

#When You Lose Your Weapon — Makeshift Weapons

When you have lost your blade or it is your only option, everything within reach of your hand becomes a weapon. Makeshift weapons like a bamboo spear, a sickle, a stone, a kitchen knife, or a rusted blade cannot become a masterwork/Fine Work/Divine Artifact, have no Licensed technique, and have only one main attack and one defense technique. Because they are unforged and unfamiliar to the hand, -1 to hit on every individual attack check always applies. For example, a bamboo spear is 2d10 + Courage >= Defense (with the constant -1 to hit on top) for a single thrust dealing 1 Wound, and a haft block — that is all. Price is 0 to 1 gold; it can be picked up anywhere.

Source: co-07-15 §Common Specifications (-1 to hit, 2 techniques, no Licensed)

#Armor (甲冑)

Armor raises Defense, but heavy armor makes breathing hard and movement dull. The armor's Energy penalty is offset by as much as the Physique (體) modifier.

The table value is the target number for Defense directly. An attack to-hit check is 2d10 + attack modifier >= target Defense.

How to offset with Physique (體). Wearing heavy armor (-1 Energy) with Physique +1 makes the penalty 0. Wearing heavy battle armor (-2 Energy) with Physique +1 leaves an effective -1 Energy. That is why heavy battle armor is recommended at Physique +2 or higher. A shield gives Defense +1 but can only be used together with a one-handed weapon.

Armor Damage and Repair. When hit by an attack with the [Break] tag, that attack's armor reduction remains until repaired. During battle you can temporarily restore only +1 of the armor's extra portion with an upkeep slot (1 time per same set of armor); after battle, a 1-hour camp repair gives +2 (1 gold), and a 1-day blacksmith repair gives full restoration (30% of the armor's price).

Source: co-03-05 §Defense, §[Break] Repair and Recovery

#Quick Table of General Belongings

Beyond weapons and armor, these are the things on the road. The GM handles the fine-grained economy, so what follows is a reference narrowed only as far as outfitting a character needs.

Precise prices, commerce, and domain economy are outside the scope of this handbook. If they are needed to run a campaign, consult the GM materials.

Source: co-07-01 (prices) · co-03-05 §Repair and Recovery (repair costs) · co-07-15 (makeshift-weapon prices)

#Masterworks and Divine Artifacts — Blades That Bear a Name

Above the standard weapons are weapons that bear a name. A masterwork (名品) is a weapon carrying its own narrative, and in addition to the four standard techniques it also holds one masterwork technique unique to that weapon — a craft dwelling only in that one blade, of the sort where a single Muramasa blade cleaves a fiend's cuirass in two. Above it, a Divine Artifact (神器) is arms with a divine essence in them, standing at the very top of armor's grade hierarchy and able to split even masterwork armor with [Break]. Such weapons cannot be bought at market — they are a scenario reward, an heirloom passed down a bloodline, or a relic sleeping deep in a yoma's nest. This handbook conveys only the fact that they exist. The data for individual masterworks and Divine Artifacts is handled by the GM in the core rulebook — on the day your campaign touches such a weapon, the GM will hand you a sheet.

Source: co-07-01 §Weapon Grades (masterwork = 5 techniques) · co-03-05 §[Break] Grade Hierarchy (Divine Artifact armor)

#Summary

• Weapon grades: Issue Gear 3 techniques · Fine Work 4 techniques (+Licensed) · masterwork 5 techniques (+masterwork technique).
• The check is always 2d10 + modifier >= Defense. Defense bypass is marked with the [Pierce] (ignore armor), [Direct] (ignore evasion and sorcery), and [Incorporeal] (soul) tags.
• Teppo: individual shot 2d10+Archery >= Defense (attribute not added) + [Pierce all]. It pierces even heavy armor, but reloading eats the defense slot.
• Armor: Unarmored 10 · Light armor 12 · Heavy armor 14 (-1 Energy) · Heavy battle armor 16 (-2 Energy) · Shield +1. The Energy penalty is offset by Physique.
• Makeshift weapons: 2 techniques, no Licensed, a constant -1 to hit.
• Masterworks and Divine Artifacts are introduced only as existing — the data comes from the GM (the core rulebook).