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Administration => House Rules => Topic started by: GM Craig on April 26, 2016, 08:35:29 PM

Title: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on April 26, 2016, 08:35:29 PM
The typical specialization under Brawling is only the basics of martial arts. There is a whole world of advanced skills out there allowing special moves and defensive abilities. Advanced Martial Arts come in several different styles, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. These advanced martial arts skills are treated as separate skills, and are advanced independently.

When attempting a basic attack with brawling, you may add your brawling:martial arts dice with your highest martial arts style dice. The same holds true for your brawling parry rolls. For special moves within a style, use only your style dice.

Within the different styles, there are special moves known only to that style. A couple of (draft) examples are shown below. When you are using a particular style, you have access to the special moves of that style. Switching between styles counts as an action.

You must have a teacher to learn a martial arts style.

Hapan Martial Arts
TechniqueDescriptionDifficultyEffect
FeintThe character can feint to draw off an opponent's defence.EasyIf the character makes the required skill roll, he fakes a maneuver to draw his opponent off. If the opponent's Perception roll is lower than the character's martial arts skill roll, the character gains a +2D to his next attack skill roll.
RoundhouseThe character is trained to deliver a spinning kick to the head.ModerateA successful skill roll indicates that the character delivers a spinning kick to the head of an opponent. In addition to the +1D to damage, the opponent is considered "Stunned" for the remainder of the round.
Snap KickThe character is trained to deliver a powerful kick with relative speed.ModerateIf the character makes the required skill roll, he may deliver a powerful kick at Strength+1D damage with such speed that he may make one other hand-to-hand attack this round without incurring the multiple action penalty.
Flawless CounterThe character can counter a melee attack to perfection.DifficultIf the character makes the required skill roll, his next attack (which must be a hand-to-hand attack) is automatically successful.
Triple KickThe character is trained to deliver three attacks with his foot.DifficultThe character, after making the skill roll, may deliver a trio of powerful kicks at Strength+2 damage in a single round. Any further actions this round incur the multiple action penalty as normal.

Echani Martial Arts Style
TechniqueDescriptionDifficultyEffect
Hilt BlowThe character can use the hilt of a weapon to strike a stunning blow.EasyIf the character makes the required skill roll, he may attempt to strike an opponent with the hilt of his weapon, causing that character to be stunned for the remainder of the round.
Rolling ThrowThe character can roll backwards and throw an enemy with force.ModerateIf the character makes the required skill roll, he may roll onto his back and throw an opponent backwards. If the opponent is thrown into a wall or other solid object, they suffer 2D damage.
Throat JabThe character is trained to target breathing tubes in the throats of opponents.Moderate Characters using this manoeuvre may target breathing tubes or blood veins in opponents necks to strike at. If the character is successful in making his skill roll, his opponent may take no other actions this round due to shock and blood/air blockage.
Pivot KickThe character can pivot on a hand or weapon and deliver a powerful kick.DifficultIf the character makes the required skill roll, he may spin using the hilt of a weapon, or his hand, as a pivot to inflict STR+1D damage to the legs of an opponent. If the damage roll ends with a stun result, the opponent falls to the ground. This may be used as a reaction skill while falling down.
Whirlwind AttackThe character is trained to attack multiple enemies at close range.Very DifficultWhen surrounded at close range, Royal Guardsmen are trained to use this technique to eliminate nearby threats. If the character's skill roll is successful, he may attack up to 3 enemies within arm's reach using the martial arts skill roll as his attack roll for each opponent (no multiple action penalty).

Ter?s K?si Martial Arts

Special Rules: While using Ter?s K?si abilities, the character cannot do anything else that round, including dodge.
TechniqueDescriptionDifficultyEffect
Power BoostUsing their mental discipline, the Ter?s K?si fighter can redistribute up to half their (A) Martial Arts dice to their attributes.Very DifficultIf the character is successful, they may transfer some of their Martial Arts dice to their attributes (note - does not affect their skills), though the Ter?s K?si fighter may not exceed racial maximums by more than 1D.
Damage ReductionThe Ter?s K?si fighter can transfer half of their (A) Martial Arts defensive dice to harden their body as if they were wearing armour.DifficultThe Ter?s K?si student gains as many D physical armour as the dice transferred as physical armour, and one third of that as energy armour.
Leg SweepThe Ter?s K?si student drops low and swings their leg in a powerful circle, attempting to knock down all opponents adjacent to them.ModerateAnyone adjacent to the Ter?s K?si student must make a competing balance roll or be knocked to the ground.
Damage BoostThe Ter?s K?si student can transfer up to half of their (A) Martial Arts dice to their Strength dice when determining (A) MArtial Arts damage.EasyThe Ter?s K?si student may give up to half their D on their attack roll to increase their damage dice.
Defensive BoostInstead of resisting damage, the Ter?s K?si student can transfer half of their (A) Martial Arts dice to improve defensive rolls.ModerateThe Ter?s K?si student can designate half of their (A) Martial Arts dice be counter for defensive rolls. These then create a "pool" of dice the character can spend on defensive rolls for the next round as if they were CP.

Martial Arts styles each have 5 moves, or specials. Players can make other styles based on the following components:

Here are the techniques as listed in the Special Forces book

TechniqueDescriptionDifficultyEffect
BlindfightingThe character is trained to use senses other than sight to locate a targetVery DifficultIf the character makes the required skill roll and is within striking distance of the target, they may ignore the effects of blindness.  They cannot see, but can hear or smell a target well enough to strike.  This may be used as a reaction skill
Damage BoostThe Ter?s K?si student can transfer some of their Advanced Martial arts dice to gain a bonus on melee damage.EasyThe Ter?s K?si student may give up to half their Advanced Martial Arts dice to gain a bonus on all melee or unarmed attacks of 1 per D transferred. This ability may be kept up. This ability cannot be used while wearing armour with a DEX penalty.
Damage ReductionA Ter?s K?si discipline where the character can transfer half of their Advanced Martial Arts dice to harden their body as if they were wearing armour.DifficultThe Ter?s K?si student gains as many D physical armour as the dice transferred as physical armour, and one third of that as energy armour. This ability may be kept up. This ability cannot be used while wearing armour with a DEX penalty.
Defensive BoostThe Ter?s K?si student can transfer half of their Advanced Martial Arts dice to improve defensive rolls.ModerateThe Ter?s K?si student can designate half of their Advanced Martial Arts dice be counted for defensive rolls. These then create a "pool" of dice the character can spend on defensive rolls as if they were CP. The dice pool persist for 1 round per D of the defensive pool. When that pool of dice is gone, this power must be reactivated. This ability cannot be used while wearing armour with a DEX penalty.
DisarmThe character is trained to force an opponent to drop a weapon or objectModerateIf the character's attack is successful and not parried or dodged, and if the skill roll meets the required difficulty number, the target must succeed in a competing Strength or Dex check (Attacker's choice) to maintain control of their weapon.
Elbow SmashThe character is trained to deliver a powerful blow with their elbowVery EasyThe character can add +1D to their damage roll if the skill roll is successful
FlipThe character can throw a target who has grappled them from behindModerateA successful skill check indicates that the target is hurled to the ground provided the attack is not parried or dodged.  The target suffers STR damage.  This may be used as a reaction skill.
Flying KickThe character is trained to leap to deliver a crushing attackDifficultThe character can add +3D to their damage roll if their skill roll exceeds the difficulty number.  Failure to beat the difficulty number indicates the character is off balance and their opponent may make an additional attack this round with out incurring any additional multiple action penalty. The attacker must be able to move a minimum 5 meters in a straight line before making this attack.
Foot SweepThe character can trip an opponentModerateA successful attempt indicates the target is tripped, falling to the ground.
HeadbuttThe character can user their head to strike a target, even if they are held, pinned or bound.EasyIf the character's skill roll meets the difficulty number they may use their head to strike the target inflicting STR damage; can be used if the character is bound or held; can be used as a reaction skill.
Hold/GrappleThe character is trained to grapple and hold a target immobileModerate plus an opposed Strength rollThe character attempting to grapple with a target must make a Moderate martial arts roll to hold their opponent.  For every round the target is held the character must make an opposed Strength roll.  If the target beats their Strength roll they break free of the hold
Instant StandThe character is trained to negate the effects of a fall and return to a standing, combat-ready position.Easy[/color]If a character is tripped or knocked down, they may return to a standing position without suffering a multiple-action penalty.
Instant StunThe character is trained to strike at critical pressure points that effect breathing or the nervous system, stunning the targetModerateIf the character's attack is successful and not parried or dodged, and if the skill roll meets the required difficulty, the target is stunned for one round
Leg SweepThe Ter?s K?si student drops low and swings their leg in a powerful circle, attempting to knock down all opponents adjacent to them.DifficultAnyone adjacent to the Ter?s K?si student must make a competing balance roll or be knocked to the ground. This ability cannot be used while wearing armour with a DEX penalty.
Multiple StrikesThe character can deliver multiple blows.ModerateThe character can make a second attack without incurring additional multiple-action penalties.  The second attack inflicts STR damage.
Nerve PunchThe character knows the location of nerve clusters, striking in such a way as to render the target's limb numb.Very DifficultIf successful, the character's attack renders an opponents limb (arm or leg, specified prior to making the attempt) unusable for 3D rounds.  Any items held in the effect hand are dropped.  If the character beats the difficulty number by 15 or more, the target is rendered unconscious
Power BlockThe character is trained to parry attacks in a manner which inflicts damage.ModerateA successful parry inflicts STR damage on the target.  This can be used as a reaction skill.
Power BoostA Ter?s K?si discipline, the character can redistribute up to half their Advanced Martial Arts dice to their attributes.Very DifficultIf the character is successful, they may transfer some of their Martial Arts dice to their attributes (note - does not affect their skills), though the Ter?s K?si fighter may not exceed racial maximums by more than 1D. This ability cannot be used while wearing armour with a DEX penalty.
ReversalThe character is trained to turn the tables on an opponent who is attempting to grapple.Opposed Strength or Brawling: Martial Arts roll (which ever is higher) +5.The character can employ this only when they are held.  If they break the opponent's grip, they may in turn hold the target immobile or employ another technique.  This may be used as a reaction skill.
Snap KickThe character is trained to deliver a powerful kick with relative speed.ModerateIf the character makes the required skill roll, he may deliver a powerful kick at Strength+1D damage with such speed that he may make one other hand-to-hand attack this round without incurring additional multiple action penalties. This ability cannot be used while wearing armour with a DEX penalty.
Silent StrikeProvided the character can successfully sneak up on a target, they can get a bonus to damage.DifficultThe character must be within arms reach of the target.  The character must declare if this is a killing or stunning attack prior to making the attempt. A successful skill roll allows the player to gain a +3D damage bonus on the target as lethal or non-lethal damage (attacker's choice)
Spinning KickThe character is trained to perform a powerful kick.ModerateThe character can add +2D to their damage roll if the skill roll exceeds the difficulty number.  Failure to beat the difficulty number indicates the character is off balance and their opponent may make an additional attack with no multiple action penalties.
Shoulder ThrowThe character can throw a targetEasyA successful skill check indicates that the target is hurled to the ground, provided the attack is not parried or dodged, suffering STR damage.
Weapon-BlockThe character is trained to parry melee attacks, even when they do not possess a melee weapon.Opposed Martial Arts versus Melee Combat roll +10If the character makes the required difficulty roll, they successfully block a melee attack
Defence BonusThe character is trained in defending against attack.n/a Gain a +1D bonus to all defensive rolls. This bonus always applies as long as the character is actively using this style. Cannot be part of a style with more than 2 offensive moves. (This move can be taken up to twice in a given style).
Army of OneThe character is trained to fight multiple opponents.n/aWhen faced with multiple opponents, the character gains a bonus to defensive rolls. They gain +1 to defensive rolls for each opponent beyond the first.

For characters who already purchased skills, pips and special moves under the previous system, you can refund your CP expenditures and re-apply them under this new system.

Comments, concerns are welcome.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Nightshade on April 26, 2016, 10:05:44 PM
Okay, so if I am reading this right, then there won't be any need for separate offense and defense skills under this new system?  Also brawling parries would fall under the martial arts skill, so I wouldn't need that separate skill either?
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on April 26, 2016, 10:12:24 PM
Correct.

Hmm. Brawling parry still applies. But for defence, you add your advanced skill with the brawling parry roll.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Nightshade on April 26, 2016, 10:16:51 PM
Okay...would you let me add my offense and defense skills into a new Way of the Shadow style (which I will submit for your approval if you say yes)? Or maybe tell me what the CP refund would be?
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on April 26, 2016, 10:20:14 PM
Sure, you could do that, subject to approval.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Nightshade on April 26, 2016, 10:32:00 PM
Way of the Shadow (Shinobi Martial Arts)

Disarm
Multiple Strikes
Power Block
Silent Strike
Weapon Block
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on April 26, 2016, 11:18:33 PM
Looks good to me.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Trax on May 02, 2016, 10:40:33 AM
Do you have to wait until you actually have a chance at succeeding with a special move to take it?  Can a player take something with a difficulty of Moderate even when they have only 1D in the skill which means even with a force point there's no chance of success.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on May 02, 2016, 11:59:40 AM
If you have dice in the style, you have access to the special moves of that style.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Trax on May 02, 2016, 12:24:29 PM
All of the moves?  I thought you had to pick 5, or was that the old system?
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on May 02, 2016, 12:56:00 PM
Old system.

You can pick one of the styles I outlined, or make a new style (subject to GM approval) and pick 5 moves or abilities that are part of that style.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Trax on May 13, 2016, 08:38:32 AM
Cost for this advanced skill is the same as a normal skill, it just starts at 1D?
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on May 13, 2016, 08:40:20 AM
Correct.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Trax on May 13, 2016, 09:15:33 AM
Okay, I think this is the last question/request for clarification.

Trax's current Brawling Parry: Martial Arts is 5D+1 and his Brawling: Martial arts is 6D+1.  If I drop the Parry to 5D (get 3 cp back) and the Brawling to 5D (get 12 cp back), I can get use those 15 cps to an advanced skill of 2D+2 and that dice would get added to any Parry or Brawling rolls for normal attacks/blocks (roll would be at 7D+2) but if I wanted to successfully use an advanced move, I'd roll only the 2D+2.

Sound right?
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on May 13, 2016, 09:31:30 AM
Correct.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on May 13, 2016, 09:33:01 AM
Does all that make sense? Or should the style skill start at the attribute?
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Nightshade on May 13, 2016, 10:31:42 AM
I am really torn on this one and I think it depends on just how much you want to make this a custom house rule. 

Part of me says that it should start at the base value for the attribute, especially in the case of Nightshade who has trained his whole life to perfect his skills...so he should be able to consistently make his skill checks for the abilities in his style.  Part of me says that it should be like other advanced skills that start out at 1D, because when you are first learning a style you won't be a master of it, no matter how strong or dexterous you are, you just haven't had the time to learn all the abilities.  Maybe it sounds dumb or is unrealistic to try to pair game rules with real life scenarios, but to make an example, if you take a gymnast (who is very flexible and dexterous) and put them in a Tae Kwon Do tournament against a black belt who may not be as dexterous but has years of training in the techniques, then the black belt will win every time.

So I would personally like to see a ruling done on a case by case basis, based on story background, but I understand if that is too much hassle for a rule that is supposed to cover a wide variety of applications.  If we have to pick one of my options above, as much as I would like the first, I think the second (treating it like any other advanced skill) will be more generally applicable and therefore more fair.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on May 13, 2016, 10:42:13 AM
Let's start at the base attribute for now, and see how it goes.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Nightshade on May 13, 2016, 10:47:53 AM
Just to make sure I understand what you are saying...that would make Nightshade's skill in Way of the Shadow 6D+1...is that correct?
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on May 13, 2016, 10:56:40 AM
Well, no. You would need to rejigger the CP expenditures. Instead of starting at 1D, you start at whatever your STR attribute was, and buy pips up from there. If you bought 2D+2, that's 7 CP, right? You get those CP's back, and start the increases from 3D. So, Way of the Shadow 3D+1 costs 3 CP, and up from there.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on May 13, 2016, 10:57:17 AM
Sorry this has been confusing. :) Breaking new ground sometimes requires retracing steps.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Nightshade on May 13, 2016, 11:10:51 AM
Ah, that's clear now.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Trax on May 13, 2016, 11:12:20 AM
My only concern with starting at the base stat would be if this advanced skill applies to both offense and defense, you're getting a big bonus to not 1, but 2 skills for the price of increasing one.

In Trax's case, spending 3cp would give him 3D+1 in the advanced skill and then that 3D+1 would get added to his brawling and parry skills.  Assuming I drop both specializations down to 5D (recovering 15cps) to qualify for advanced stuff, and add even 3 cps to said advanced stuff he'll instantly go from rolling 5D (base skill) to 8D+1 (base skill plus advanced skill) for both attacks and parries.  Yes no?
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on May 13, 2016, 11:21:21 AM
Hmmm.

How about this - if the advanced skill is based off Strength, then you add it to basic attacks, but not defence. If the base skill is based on Dex, then you add it to parry rolls, but not attacks.

How does that sound? It gives a clearer demark between offensive and defensive styles.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Nightshade on May 13, 2016, 11:28:23 AM
Sorry, I have discovered another wrinkle...for simplicity's sake you let me combine my previous skills under the old system into the skill under the new system (thank you), but if we are going to switch over to this and refund/buy new skills then I would have spent a total of 27 cps on the skill...which I calculate as follows, please let me know if you concur with this math.

The combined skill before spending Horuz CPs for upgrades was 2D+2
So each skill was 1D+1 under the old system.
So spent 10 CP x2 to get each skill at 1D
Then spent 1 CP x2 to get an extra pip under each skill
Then spent 5 CP under the new system to get to the current 3D+1 skill level.

Total of 27 CP
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Nightshade on May 13, 2016, 11:31:52 AM
Hmmm.

How about this - if the advanced skill is based off Strength, then you add it to basic attacks, but not defence. If the base skill is based on Dex, then you add it to parry rolls, but not attacks.

How does that sound? It gives a clearer demark between offensive and defensive styles.

That could work, but what of the situation when I am just blocking but not using any advanced moves to do so?  Are you saying we need to declare each style as offensive or defensive?  Because I understood it to mean you look at each individual move within a style to determine if that move would be STR or DEX based and then apply or don't apply as needed.

Okay, I may have just confused myself, so let me try to clarify...are you saying that I would declare Way of the Shadow to be an offensive style, so I add the advanced bonus to my attack rolls but not defense rolls?
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on May 13, 2016, 11:37:56 AM
The combined skill before spending Horuz CPs for upgrades was 2D+2
So each skill was 1D+1 under the old system.
So spent 10 CP x2 to get each skill at 1D
Then spent 1 CP x2 to get an extra pip under each skill
Then spent 5 CP under the new system to get to the current 3D+1 skill level.

Total of 27 CP

The math looks correct.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on May 13, 2016, 11:39:27 AM
That could work, but what of the situation when I am just blocking but not using any advanced moves to do so?  Are you saying we need to declare each style as offensive or defensive?  Because I understood it to mean you look at each individual move within a style to determine if that move would be STR or DEX based and then apply or don't apply as needed.

Okay, I may have just confused myself, so let me try to clarify...are you saying that I would declare Way of the Shadow to be an offensive style, so I add the advanced bonus to my attack rolls but not defense rolls?

It was always my intention to allow different styles that were based on DEX or STR. Though, looking back, maybe that wasn't clear...
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Nightshade on May 13, 2016, 01:31:56 PM
I understand what you are saying and I think that it makes sense for the most part, and maybe I am again throwing too much actual world influence in here, but I see say the Shinobi martial art being about dexterity and fluidity of motion, but still being more of an offensive, first strike type style, whereas say a Judo style would be also based on dexterity but much more defensive in nature.

On the flip side, I can see Echani being a strength based offensive style while Teras Kasi might be a strength based defensive style.

All of this to say it may be easier to delineate a style as offensive or defensive as opposed to saying it is Dex or Str based, and just leave the skill itself where the base rules put it under STR.  Then you can decide if the advanced skill applies to attack or defense based on the ideology of the style.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on May 13, 2016, 01:46:11 PM
The details of the style are in your choice of moves. But I think delineating STR-based offence and DEX-based defence skill combining, while admittedly crude, makes some intuitive sense. The alternative is a conditional association where a style is associated with either defence or offence.

I suppose that could fly, but it's a little much for me to wrap my head around at the moment. For the sake of simplicity, if the skill of based on STR, you add your style dice to standard attacks. If it's associated with DEX, you add your dice to standard brawling parry.

We can look at again it later.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Trax on May 20, 2016, 08:10:29 AM
I was thinking about this the other day, and there is at least some precedent for having one skill apply to offense and defense, Lightsaber Combat.  So that is one skill where 1 pip at standard cp costs does go up for both offense and defense.  Maybe having 1 advanced skill applying to both attacks and parries does make sense.  Whether it starts at 1D or the attribute D I'm 50/50 on.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: GM Craig on May 21, 2016, 06:41:44 AM
I get what you're saying. And in some circles, that's the biggest beef about the D6 rules for Jedi.

I'm not sure creating a second uber-class is the way to go.
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Collan on January 12, 2017, 04:42:01 PM
Style Request: Water And Ice

Description: a style focused on grappling and freedom from grapples. Defensive in nature.

Attribute: Dexterity

Special Moves:
-Flip
-Footsweep
-Hold/Grapple
-Instant Stand
-Shoulder Throw
Title: Re: Advanced Martial Arts
Post by: Collan on January 12, 2017, 04:43:47 PM
Style Request: Water And Ice

Description: a style focused on grappling and freedom from grapples. Defensive in nature.

Attribute: Dexterity

Special Moves:
-Flip
-Headbutt
-Hold/Grapple
-Instant Stand
-Shoulder Throw