Back Kick or Back Strike

Hard

Defaults: prerequisite skill-2, or -4 for a kick.
Prerequisite: Karate or any Melee Weapon skill; cannot
exceed prerequisite skill.
This technique lets you kick or use a melee weapon
against a foe to your rear without making a Wild Swing or
changing facing – although your legs must be free in order
to change stance. Back Kick defaults to Karate-4. Back
Strike defaults to Melee Weapon-2 and you must specialize;
e.g., Back Strike (Staff). To throw a “back punch,” use
Elbow Strike (p. 71).
To use this technique, you must know that your adver-
sary is behind you! Roll against Back Kick or Back Strike to
hit, at an extra -1 if you target a specific hit location.
A Back Kick has standard reach and damage for a kick.
A Back Strike can only reach an enemy within one yard,
regardless of weapon length. Thrusting attacks do their
usual damage; swinging attacks have -2 damage or -1 dam-
age per die, whichever is worse. A Back Strike from a
Reversed Grip (pp. 111-112) uses the reach and damage
effects of that grip instead of those given here.
In all cases, you’re at -2 to all active defenses until your
next turn. This is cumulative with the -2 to parry with a
weapon in a Reversed Grip!