Martial Arts Combat Maneuvers

[Ultor]

I've put up a post at my blog about some ideas for unarmed Combat Maneuvers usable with a Martial Arts combat style. It's at

http://runeunderwater.blogspot.com/2011/04/martial-arts-combat-maneuvers-for.html

Grateful for any comments or critiques!

 

[danskmacabre]

So these Maneuver options are only meant for a new Combat style called "Martial Arts" , rather than to be used with the Unarmed skill?

Looking at it in more detail, it's probably too OTT for the unarmed skill and to me should probably only work with a "Martial Arts" Combat style, which is what I asume you intended.

 

[danskmacabre]

Regarding the Break Neck crit.
So if I say Crit and and the opponent fails the parry, giving me a 2 Combat meneuvers, then theoretically I could take the "Choose location" maneuver obviously choosing head, then take my other maneuver as "Break neck"?

That's pretty cool alright, given I'd have to crit and the opponent would have to at least fail a parry, I suppose and they stil get a Brawn vs Brawn check.

I suppose in game, training of "Martial Arts" from a Roleplaying perspective should be only from special Martial arts combat school Depending on the gameworld I guess.

In the Elric world an Eshmirian Warior Monk might know "Martial Arts".

 

[Mixster]

Wow, awesome!

Mind if I copy it for RQ Modern?

I'd consider spin kick and Jump Kick to be combined, as it is now, Jump Kick is just a worse version of Choose Location

 

[Khamulcalle]

Really cool, I will use these in my campaign

Thanks!

/K

 

[Jujitsudave]

That looks pretty neat. The break neck rules make sense but should only be used for a cinematic campaign since in reality, such a technique is more Hollywood than truth. Nevertheless, the rules for it are balanced and well represented.
I would suggest that the Choke rules should asphyxiate every CA of the attacker rather than every round. Chokeholds are lethal holds that don't simply cut off air, but restricts bloodflow to the brain quickly, resulting in unconsciousness even if the victim can somewhat breathe.
I would redo the jump kick. Jump kicks are not always aimed above the belt, and are used to generate power. I'd suggest that such a maneuver could be used to increase the attacker's damage mod by two steps and can be used at medium range. The drawback would be that if the kick is parried or missed, it is an automatic overextend.
Spin kick could be a weakened, less risky form of jump kick. It would increase damage by one step and you only overextend if missed, not parried like jump kick above. Spin kicks, although powerful, leave you exposed.

Overall, the rules work well that you have written. I assume that this would be a martial arts Advanced skill that could be broken down by style to unlock these various benefits. There are other specials that could be used as well such as joint lock, wrist manipulation and trapping hands as well as more cinematic moves like nerve strikes, chi strikes and claw hands.

 

[Ultor]

Wow, awesome!

Mind if I copy it for RQ Modern?

Of course not, go ahead. Consider it Open Game Content or something like that.

I'd consider spin kick and Jump Kick to be combined, as it is now, Jump Kick is just a worse version of Choose Location

I forgot to add the second part - it counts as a Leaping Attack [p.91] but with no SIZ restriction.

 

[PhilHibbs]

I'd consider spin kick and Jump Kick to be combined, as it is now, Jump Kick is just a worse version of Choose Location

I forgot to add the second part - it counts as a Leaping Attack [p.91] but with no SIZ restriction.

Leaping Attack does no damage, do you think a Jump Kick should both do damage and knock down on a contested Athletics v Evade?

P.s. I've whitelisted your blog and linked to it from the wiki:
http://mrqwiki.com/wiki/index.php/MRQ2Combat

 

[Ultor]

I'd consider spin kick and Jump Kick to be combined, as it is now, Jump Kick is just a worse version of Choose Location

I forgot to add the second part - it counts as a Leaping Attack [p.91] but with no SIZ restriction.

Leaping Attack does no damage, do you think a Jump Kick should both do damage and knock down on a contested Athletics v Evade?

We've always played leaping attacks as doing damage - I hadn't seen that no damage rule before. I'd say it does damage and the contest is the original attack role vs Evade.

P.s. I've whitelisted your blog and linked to it from the wiki:
http://mrqwiki.com/wiki/index.php/MRQ2Combat

Thanks!

 

[Mixster]

A combination of Trip and Choose location, I like it.

 

[Ultor]

That looks pretty neat. The break neck rules make sense but should only be used for a cinematic campaign since in reality, such a technique is more Hollywood than truth.

Yes, these were specifically devised - as the graphic might suggest - for Buffyverse style combat.

I would suggest that the Choke rules should asphyxiate every CA of the attacker rather than every round. Chokeholds are lethal holds that don't simply cut off air, but restricts bloodflow to the brain quickly, resulting in unconsciousness even if the victim can somewhat breathe.[/quote.]
That was my original intent, but I changed them to reflect the general asphyxiation rules. You're right, however - the deliberate restriction of air flow should be more problematic than smoke.

I would redo the jump kick. Jump kicks are not always aimed above the belt, and are used to generate power. I'd suggest that such a maneuver could be used to increase the attacker's damage mod by two steps and can be used at medium range. The drawback would be that if the kick is parried or missed, it is an automatic overextend.
Spin kick could be a weakened, less risky form of jump kick. It would increase damage by one step and you only overextend if missed, not parried like jump kick above. Spin kicks, although powerful, leave you exposed.

These could be interesting variants - I've altered the Jump Kick rules to reflected the original attempt, which was knock people down. Again, it's to reflect a Buffy-like jump kick rather than a realistic kick.

Overall, the rules work well that you have written. I assume that this would be a martial arts Advanced skill that could be broken down by style to unlock these various benefits.

Yes, my original intention was to give access to one of these CMs per 10% of Martial Arts style learned over base skill, and they can only be learned from a Trainer, but felt that went a little beyond the overall rules framework. It might work, though.

There are other specials that could be used as well such as joint lock, wrist manipulation and trapping hands as well as more cinematic moves like nerve strikes, chi strikes and claw hands.

I had originally meant to add a nerve strike - critical only, oppose the target's resilience to the original attack roll, result being to lose as many combat actions as damage inflicted - although I felt that the Stun combat maneuver reflected this already. We have a House Rule that unarmed attacks are bludgeoning attacks. Perhaps a more powerful version of stun for critical only would do the trick?

Thanks for all the feedback, guys. A particular thank you to you, Dave.

 

[Mixster]

How about a move were you force the opponent to a longer distance? Sort of a pushback move that changes engagement distance.

Not particularly useful if you are fighting someone with weapons, but if you just want to run away, it could give you the time you need to get away.

 

[Jujitsudave]

It could be called "push-kick" and could be used the same as outmaneuver, except that it also does 1d3 damage.

 

[Jujitsudave]

"Nerve Strike" could be used as Critical only, the target automatically fails any resiliance roll associated with the attack.

For example: The attacker gets 2 CMs with a critical strike; one bash, the second is nerve strike. The location roll is head, resulting the the defender's automatic unconsciousness.