Frost, I understand the point you are trying to make concerning the plate-wearing warrior and his place in history, and apparantly in this game. But please understand, that I am talking about the real world. At no point did I say that the feats of marial arts masters were legendary or fictional beyond reasoning. At no point did I say that anyone can shatter boulders, or slay a hundred men single-handedly. But... I have witnessed masters crush rock, wood and warp iron with their barehands. I've even seen an Aikido master break a Japanese long sword (Nihon-to, or katana) with his forearm. As for martial arts being formed as terrorism in many countries, we can make the same arguement for the chinese shaolin monks - who, as we know, were not terrorists. Or the Japanese social class, the samurai, who were expected to fight as well bare-handed as they do with their myriad of weapons. It's not about who "counts" and who doesn't. Each warrior is comparable. Each warrior excels and degresses, has his/her strengths and weaknesses and has his/her place in our fantasy game. In Norrath, there are no wars. There are not thousands of adversaries standing on opposing hillsides ready to do battle. At best each encounter would be considered a skirmish. Six to Twenty-four individuals fighting one and/or no more than 10 opponents at once is not considered war. Now, if an actual war broke out between Freeport and Qeynos, well then... Your plated warrior had best polish his armor and sound his horn, for this is where he would shine. However, until then, these small battles can be led and "tanked" by the warrior, crusader or the martial artist. There are many roles the battlefield. Again, assuming one is greater than the other is very short-sighted.
As for the terrorism remark that was based on the fact that China and Japan Impossed law limit who could carry blades. Farmers and Monk turned normal every day items in to weapons and practice making them into weapons. There was alot of fear of peasant uprisings and the high organize way in which monks lived. These peasants and monks would fight back again the government and the line between revolutionary and terrorist is a narrow one. As for the use of martial arts on blocks yes they can but I doubt its effectiveness in unplanned true battle. In a dark alley maybe but on the open battle field no in my opinion. The katana can cut that arm leigth wise in a blink also. In an even fight I say the swordsman wins.
