Bladedance

Bladedance is in the whirl and flash of metallic song, the cut and jab of flourishing a rapier, and the staccato steps within flawless footwork. With their songblessed swords in hand do all Bards whether journeyman or master embrace unconventional fighting techniques that drive studious masters to despair. Acrobatic and athletic from Sunrise to Sunset, by following the tempo of battle like musical notes upon a sheet the storytellers of Achaea manifest a style as unorthodox as it is effective. The skill of Bladedance is available to members of the Bard class, along with Composition and Sagas (or Woe).

Abilities in Bladedance

Gripping	Strong hands will save your life.	Lessons: 9
Syntax:	GRIP
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:
Cooldown:	2.30 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	While utilising this ability, you will prevent items from being knocked out of your hands.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Jab	Control the distance.	Lessons: 23
Syntax:	BLADE JAB <target> <LEFT ARM/TORSO/RIGHT ARM>
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:	Adventurers and denizens
Cooldown:	2.30 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	The simplest of techniques with the rapier, this swift jab teaches the student to gauge distance accurately while also inflicting piercing wounds to an adversary. As with other bladedance techniques, the jab will have different results based on your position in relation to your partner and where the jab lands. These results are as follows: From the front: At the arms: the limb will be broken. At the torso: afflicts with nausea. From the side: At the arms: afflicts with clumsiness. At the torso: afflicts with asthma. From the back: At the arms: gives weariness. If the jab breaks the arm, deals bonus damage. At the torso: afflicts with anorexia. If the jab breaks the torso, tonal trauma takes place(*). See AB BLADEDANCE TONAL.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Tune	Just the right pitch.	Lessons: 29
Syntax:	BLADE TUNE
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:
Cooldown:	3.00 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	Weave song about your person, warding off all forms of damage to an extent.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Punctuate	Emphasis is key.	Lessons: 45
Syntax:	BLADE PUNCTUATE <target>
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:	Adventurers and denizens
Cooldown:	3.00 seconds of equilibrium
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	This swift flurry of jabs with the rapier is used to break the defences of your partner. It will destroy barriers to further bladedance techniques if they are present. Strips rebounding aura, then magical shields.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Hound	The dance isn't over.	Lessons: 289
Syntax:	BLADE HOUND <target>
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:	Adventurers
Cooldown:	3.00 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	Sometimes when you get behind a partner they're just going to try to make a run for it. With this technique you'll hound their steps, and, so long as you have their back still(*), you'll be able to charge back into the dance inflicting quite the damage while stunning them. If someone is in an adjacent room and you have back position, this ability will move you into their room and damage them as well as conveying a moderate stun.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Tonal	First the edge, next the sound.	Lessons: 356
Syntax:	passive
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:
Cooldown:
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	When you deal particularly powerful blows, the tonal resonance of your songblessed rapier shall cause terrible trauma to the impact site beyond even the norm: The head: afflicts with impatience. Torso: afflicts with asthma. Either arm: afflicts with slickness. Either leg: afflicts with prone. This will be noted in relevant ability files.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Flick	Sometimes steel, sometimes song.	Lessons: 467
Syntax:	BLADE FLICK <target>
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:	Adventurers
Cooldown:	2.30 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	This flick with the blade is rarely used as a killing stroke, instead permitting the bard to channel the nature of their song blessed weapon to greater affect. If successful your foe will be struck down with certain deadly conditions: From the front: crescendo, an enthralling condition which will only grow more dire the longer they dance to your tune(*). From the side: earworm, a condition that is sure to grow worse over time(**). From the back: both crescendo and earworm. Each time someone afflicted with crescendo eats an herb that is not ash (which cures crescendo), the crescendo will build. At a certain point, this makes other abilities available (see AB COMPOSITION FINALE). All bladedance attacks that deal damage deal additional damage against a target afflicted with earworm. This damage increases the longer the earworm remains uncured.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Flourish	You're mesmerising, you are.	Lessons: 669
Syntax:	BLADE FLOURISH <target>
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:	Adventurers
Cooldown:
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	This elegant flourish with your blade may not inflict any harm, but it'll certainly give you the opportunity to adjust your footwork while your partner is spellbound by your peerless grace. In practice, you will advance two positions through the bladedance immediately (so from front to back, side to front, back to side).
Note:	{{{note}}}

Highsun	A high point of the day.	Lessons: 704
Syntax:	BLADE HIGHSUN <target> <HEAD/LEFT ARM/RIGHT ARM>
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:	Adventurers and denizens
Cooldown:	2.30 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	A downward strike with the edge of the blade aimed at the head or arms of a partner, the highsun strike delivers the first affliction that your foe does not have from: When aimed at the head: From the front: clumsiness, weariness, or recklessness. From the side: addiction, generosity, or confusion. From the back: paralysis, generosity, or diminished(*). When aimed at the arms: From the front: clumsiness, weariness, or haemophilia. From the side: weariness, clumsiness, or healthleech. From the back: paralysis, healthleech, or sensitivity. Diminished prevents the use of any active cures while afflicted with it.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Heelsnap	Two legs are for amateurs.	Lessons: 773
Syntax:	BLADE HEELSNAP <target> <LEFT/RIGHT>
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:	Adventurers and denizens
Cooldown:	2.30 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	This low lateral slash with the rapier is aimed at one of the legs of your partner. As with other techniques with the rapier, it has various affects based upon your position in relation to your partner: From the front: breaks the leg in question. From the side: if aimed at the left leg, afflicts with healthleech. If aimed at the right leg, afflicts with sensitivity. From the back: afflicts with hamstrung and dismounts your partner if they are mounted.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Sunrise	Down goes your partner.	Lessons: 980
Syntax:	BLADE SUNRISE <target> <LEFT/RIGHT>
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:	Adventurers
Cooldown:	2.30 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	As the sun ascends to greet the dawn, so too shall your rapier rise to meet your adversary. Delivered not as a traditional lateral or vertical slash but as a diagonal blow to the hip and up into the torso, this strike can be utterly devastating. If the torso and leg adjacent to the hip you are aiming at are sufficiently damaged(*), both will be brokenas a result of this strike, and tonal trauma takes place upon both limbs. Both limbs must be damaged enough that the next bladedance attack would break them. Se AB BLADEDANCE TONAL.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Sunset	Light on falling steel.	Lessons: 1290
Syntax:	BLADE SUNSET <target> <LEFT/RIGHT>
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:	Adventurers
Cooldown:	2.30 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	As the sun descends at the close of day, so too shall your rapier fall upon your adversary. Delivered not as a traditional lateral or vertical slash but as a diagonal blow down upon either the left or right shoulder, this strike can be utterly devastating. If the head and arm adjacent to the shoulder you are aiming at are sufficiently damaged(*), both will be broken as a result of this strike, and tonal trauma takes place upon both limbs(**). Both limbs must be damaged enough that the next bladedance attack would break them. Se AB BLADEDANCE TONAL.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Deathfrombelow	From earth to sky with blade and voice.	Lessons: 1738
Syntax:	DEATHFROMBELOW <target>
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:	Adventurers
Cooldown:	3.00 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	Sometimes those of lesser footwork will think to take to the skies or trees, foolishly believing that surely you cannot be as sublime in such environs as your peerless grace upon the ground. You will soon disabuse them of this folly, for with a single bound and a cry(*) you will bring them straight back down to your level with a strike of your blade(**). This uses your warcry if you have one set. This deals damage and knocks them prone to the ground.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Dance Moves

Footwork	Poetry in motion.	Lessons: 5
Syntax:	passive
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:
Cooldown:
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	Your footwork is the envy and ambition of lesser dancers: poetry in motion to make even the most cold-hearted soul stop and regard. As you enter the deadly dance with a partner, you will take the front position. As you strike, you will move around them, taking the side position, and eventually entering their blindspot in the back position. The novice bladedancer will move into side position after five strikes in the front position and into back position after two further strikes. They will return to the front position after a single attack in the back position. Most bladedance techniques function differently against your partner depending on your position, and your partner will be unable to parry attacks entirely performed from their blindspot. Note that if your partner escapes you, reengaging swiftly will let you preserve your positional sense, but if they evade you for too long you will need to return to the front position.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Backflip	You make it look so easy.	Lessons: 67
Syntax:	BACKFLIP <direction>
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:
Cooldown:
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	With the casual grace that only you possess you can flip over obstructions such as adventurers blocking you or icewalls.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Acrobatics	Stay light, stay mobile.	Lessons: 134
Syntax:	ACROBATICS <ON/OFF>
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:
Cooldown:	3.0 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	With this ability, you will exercise your dexterity, becoming far more difficult to hit. Be warned that it comes with a serious endurance drain.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Dodging	For the toughest of crowds.	Lessons: 178
Syntax:	DODGING <ON/OFF> RELAX DODGING
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:
Cooldown:
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	This ability will allow you to dodge attacks from the air.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Tempo	Timing is everything.	Lessons: 245
Syntax:	TEMPO <ADAGIO/MODERATO/ALLEGRO>
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:
Cooldown:	2.0 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	The tempo of your footwork is of prime importance for any dancer of the blade. The three styles will dictate how rapidly you may transition between positions, and all have their place: Adagio: 4, 4, 3. Moderato: 3, 2, 2. Allegro: 2, 1, 1. No tempo: 5, 2, 1. Numbers relate to number of bladedance attacks performed in front, side, and back respectively.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Hawkstep	Move and strike, move and strike.	Lessons: 876
Syntax:	DANCE HAWKSTEP
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:
Cooldown:	3.0 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	This dance is one of swift motion and exacting precision. When dancing the hawkstep attempts to hinder your escape from a room (by such things as rites of piety and the like) shall be less likely to succeed. Note that you can only dance one thing at a time, so the hawkstep is exclusive with the dance of the harrying, for example.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Somersault	Keep it moving.	Lessons: 911
Syntax:	SOMERSAULT <direction>
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:
Cooldown:	4.0 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	An advanced form of tumbling, you may quickly somersault passed barriers or similar, even when bound(*). This functionally acts as a survival tumble which completes faster.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Balancing	Poise weeps at your perfection.	Lessons: 1394
Syntax:	BALACING <ON
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:
Cooldown:
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	With this ability, you will have superior balance, making it much more difficult to knock you off your feet with abilities such as sweepkick, or the earthquake vibration. There is a mana drain associated with it, however.
Note:	{{{note}}}

Harrying	The show is not over.	Lessons: 1600
Syntax:	DANCE HARRYING
Required:
Channels:	{{{channels}}}
Shapes:	{{{shapes}}}
Transitions:	{{{transitions}}}
Attacks:	{{{attacks}}}
Works against:
Cooldown:	3.0 seconds of balance
Attune Effect:	{{{attune}}}
Symbol:	{{{symbol}}}
Details:	The dance of the harrying is one focussed on swift blows of the rapier to keep your enemy pinned within your deadly encirclement. Though these blows typically do no real harm, the threat of your blades point will make it difficult for even the fleetest foe to escape your lethal performance.
Note:	{{{note}}}