Most of the things I've wondered about having added to Yomi Hustle have bits and pieces in another character (I'm looking at you, Ninja Sway!) But among them was one that sort of surprised me. Fencer.
Fencing is unique in many ways. It's all about that horizontal movement and low-impact high effect tactics. You don't need to rip somebody apart, you need to tag them with your weapon. They're high range high speed, but instead of slicing people in half, you're poking. Instead of upper-cutting somebody into the air, you punch a hole in the thing going into the air. Instead of blocking, they might parry instead, a unique block that lets you immediately counter at the cost of a bar of meter.
For the majority of moves you have to choose between committing to a hard attack that will flinch or manipulate like any other melee, but with wide whiffs or sprinkling in attacks that take up frames to deal damage, but won't ADD to your time between their next attack. This would give the illusion of a combo fighter doing flurry attacks, followed by finishers when timed right, or hard/punished whiffs when timed wrong.
Core Mechanics: (basics, feel free to build it up) (I'll use 12346789 for directions, look at the numpad to see which directions they go in)
Movement:
Advance Slide Toggle is the core movement method. When turned on, anything that's a non-movement move will move you forward and maintain that momentum. Similar to hover, but on the ground.
Jump: Normal jump mechanics.
Dash and Airdash: Can maintain speed with the slide toggle on on the ground.
Land Attacks:
Lunge (Movement Starter)- Similar to Stinger. 4 and 6 only
Thrust (Basic Medium)- Your typical punch move for a rapier. Covers 46789
Touch (NoKB Low Damage)- A much faster and weaker thrust that deals damage but won't flinch an opponent on contact. 2f for single 3f for double 4f for a triple with 2f wait for finisher. Mechanically it's as though coming out of a cancel, no defense or (most) movement options are available, but you can use attacks, riposte, or back step. Covers 134679
Slap - Slower but hits harder than a normal thrust. Useful for pushing targets back and can be used to anti-air. Covers 689
Swipe - Starts low and swings the blade high raising your opponent (and yourself) into the air for air combos. Does not push very high, and hopefully leads into a combo finisher in skewer. Covers 369
Skewer (Antiair)- A slow wind-up strong attack. Covers 789.
Air Attacks:
Air Lunge - Omnidirection air dash leading with the rapier. Requires both current air options.
Air Dash - Omnidirectional air dash that lets you approach, retreat, or get to the ground faster.
Slap - ^
Touch - ^
Swipe - Swings the rapier across an area similar to a slap, but covers a 120 degree area in front.
Specials:
Riposte - A block that will retaliate next frame. Uses 1 bar.
Fleche - Similar to ninja dash but horizontal. Making contact leads to a cowboy-impale-styled attack with high knockback (or pull in?) Uses 2 bars.
This is all I could could up with off the top of my head. Have fun with it.