"What makes a Swashbuckling combat system different?" Topic

Since the OFM's original question about rules for dueling, and having seen swashbuckling games recommended, and then puttering around with the idea on my own, my question is what makes combat "swashbuckling" as compared to just "regular" melee?

Using rapiers?
Lots of parrying?
No armor?
Acrobatics and wild stunts?
Cutting wit?
Drinking while fighting?
Eating while fighting?
Wooing while fighting?
Being able to take on multiple foes at once?
Fancy hats?

What mechanics are you looking for, or what would you expect the mechanics to highlight to give you the elements you expect for that swashbuckling feel?

Hmph. From a melee perspective, I'd expect swashbuckling to give you attack and defense choices, rather than just "Joe rolls to hit: Sam rolls to block" and specific damage rather than a loss of hit points. But any duelling system would do those things. Certainly you should be able to swing from a chandelier and fight while standing on a table. It's not as though you're fighting in a duelling gallery.

But I'd say the essence of swashbuckling has less to do with melee mechanics than with the importance of style, which covers pretty much your whole list from cutting wit to fancy hats. And see what you've done! I got three classical history books and a murder mystery in the mail today, and now I'm going to have to spend the evening researching Mistress Wilding and The Black Swan. Always remember:

"To a pirate, he might have been a swordsman, but to a swordsman, he was just a pirate."

Here's to you, Topgallant Charlie!

Ability to choose types of attacks and parries. The Osprey 'En Garde' rules are a good example

Sneering.
Slicing a candle without disturbing it.
Clinches while insulting each other.

The best swordsman teaches all the combatants, played for his national team in the Olympics, while in the army, and naturally loses, because in the script he is the Bad Guy.

So, I'm suggesting an RPG on top of a straight fencing game.

It's a swashbuckling system if swinging from chandeliers is beneficial.

After years of looking around I found what I believe to be the perfect Swashbuckling system in ….And One for All by Eureka Miniatures. Enough structure to keep it organized, enough built in chaos to make for a great skirmish game and not micro managed by the game designer to give the players freedom to be as creative as they wish to get into the spirit of the setting…swashbuckling as seen in the movies. Being FREE is a nice side benefit but I would happily pay for this set of great rules.

Thank you Fitzovich

Robert Piepenbrink got half of it and The Last Conformist touched on the other half.

Flavorful attacks. That means more choices than just rolling to hit. Take more risk for a better hit, etc. And more results than just hit-or-miss, crits and fumbles.

Interacting with terrain: throw a mug, yank a carpet, roll a barrel. Is the table just an obstacle or can you jump on it?

And of course, fast and surprising. Not slow and calculated.

Flavorful attacks and interacting with terrain, that's swashbuckling.

And a beautiful maiden watching.