Dieser Martial Path hat seinen Ursprung in Kanderland, dessen Bewohnern ein Fetisch für übertrieben grosse Schwerter nachgesagt wird. Sie verlässt sich auf die rohe Wucht eines Zweihänders und vor allem auf spezielle Schwungtechniken, die selbst mit einem fast stumpfen Schwert durchführbar sind. Sie erfreut sich deshalb grosser Beliebtheit im imperialen Heer. Nicht nur erlaubt es der Weg des Breitschnitters, die Rüstung und Waffen eines Feindes zu zerstören, so dass die Kameraden des Breitschnitters den Gegner töten können, sondern diese Kampfschule ist auch dann noch anwendbar, wenn das Schwert während eines zweiwöchigen Gewaltmarsches nicht gepflegt wurde und nach drei Tagen erbitterten Abwehrkampfes mehr Scharten als Schneide hat – eine Situation, in der sich Legionäre erstaunlich häufig wiederfinden. Auch unter Prätorianern finden sich viele Breitschnitter, weil eine Ehrengarde in voller Rüstung mit gewaltigen Schwertern immer den passenden Eindruck vermittelt.

Dieser Martial Path verwendet ein Zweihandschwert und daher Coordination+Weapon Training: Sword. Die Techniken können nur alleine verwendet werden und nicht als Teil einer multiplen Aktion, ausser es wird in der Beschreibung etwas Anderes angegeben. Um diesen Martial Path zu erlernen, ist ein Body von mindestens 3 nötig.

Batter the Blade (1 point): Broadcutters are known for attacking the enemy’s weapon, rather than defending himself from it. This technique can be part of a multiple action. If the attack hits, the target takes no damage but all his remaining attack or parry sets lose a die. Batter the Blade can only be used against one opponent per round. The Height of the blow does not matter.

Iron Breaking Blow (2 points): This is a curious twisting strike intended to auger into flesh while prying off armor. The target of an Iron Breaking Blow takes only Width Shock at the location, but that location loses a point of Armor permanently. This technique can be used with any type of sword and works against any type of permanent armor attached to a location.

Shield Riving (3 points): Broadcutters understand that striking to cut through metal or wood is different than striking flesh, and that one who knows the difference can crack shields and breastplates more efficiently. Shield Riving is the fruit of his studies. When used, the target takes no damage, but that location permanently loses Armor equal to the Width of the set.

The Doom of Swords (4 points): This is an improved version of Batter the Blade and works the same way, except that that the attacker must make a called shot to a location that’s gripping the weapon, and the weapon’s damage bonus is permanently reduced by the Width of the hit. (For the purposes of this, “Width” in the weapon’s damage rating is considered to be two. Width is removed from a weapon last.) This attack doesn’t take the usual –1d called shot penalty. If the damage bonus hits zero, the weapon breaks. (Any weapon of not made of Steel breaks automatically if hit with the Doom of Swords.)

Example: Mark and Tud are fighting. Mark has a greatsword and knows the Doom of Swords. Tud is using a massive big club, which does Width+4 Shock damage. Mark uses the Doom of Swords on it, setting one of his dice to 4 and rolling. He doesn’t get a match for the four, but he does get a 2×9, which he can use as a normal attack to Tud’s stomach. The next round, he tries again, setting the dice for location 6 this time. He doesn’t roll a second six, but he does get a 3×4 match. (Luck is funny stuff.) Since that’s a location that holds the club, he does no damage to Tud, but the club is now manifestly less dangerous. Mark’s 3x hit reduces its damage bonus from Width+4 to Width+1. The next round he does it again, gets a match for his 6 and with a 2×6, damages the club further. Since reducing the damage by two doesn’t really work when it’s Width+1, the club is reduced to doing only a single point of Shock damage when it hits. Tud’s better off using his fists.

Buried in the Canyon (5 points): Just as Shield Riving teaches how best to cleave the inanimate, Buried in the Canyon demonstrates the lessons on bone and sinew. The target permanently loses a wound box at the hit location. That location permanently loses two points of Armor. All adjoining locations take a point of Killing damage and permanently lose a point of Armor. Typically, the person who got hit then cries. Exceptionally strong willed individuals have been known to remain composed, however.