tbone's COSH system, update suggestion

[seasong]

Here's tbone's page for COSH (now on v2.2)
http://www.io.com/~tbone/gurps/cosh.htm

The essence of it is good, but it is very definitely a 3e system. Many of the bonuses listed no longer exist, and there are numerous additional modifiers which can be included.

Below is a 4e update to the system. I have not yet had a chance to go through every combat skill in 4e, but the random sampling I tried worked pretty well (although it assumes that a Karate style should have no more than 25 techniques).

Note: The original system starts with an Average skill and a number of elements that come with it as a default. You can then decrease the difficulty by removing those elements, or increase it by adding further elements. I assumed a base skill with no elements whatsoever, and you add only what you want (but everything has a cost). The end result is the same.

Skill Difficulty Values
Easy: 41-50
Average: 51-60
Hard: 61-70
Very Hard: 71-80

Grappling Elements
(10) Offensive Grappling (use skill for all offensive grappling that allows a skill)
(4) Takedown Art (use skill for grabs and takedowns only)
(10) Defensive Grappling (use skill for all defensive grappling that allows a skill)
(5) Specific ST Bonus (at DX+1, add +1 ST for specific use; at DX+2, add +2 ST)
- examples would include pins, chokes & strangles, shoves & slams
(10) Judo Throw Ability (described in Judo skill entry)

Melee Strike Elements
(10) Attack (use skill to strike with a class of weapons)
- choose Thrust or Swing each time you take this element
- choose 1-handed or 2-handed each time you take this element
(5) Single-Weapon Attack (use skill to strike with a single type of weapon)
- choose Thrust or Swing each time you take this element
- choose 1-handed or 2-handed each time you take this element
(10) Strong Damage Bonus (at DX+0, add +1/die; at DX+1, add +2/die)
(5) Weak Damage Bonus (at DX+1, add +1/die; at DX+2, add +2/die)
(10) Flexible Weapon (such as the flail)
(10) Special Attack (such as the blowpipe powder attack)
(-30) Unarmed (skill must have no armed elements)
(-10) All weapons usable with the skill are Close range

Parry Elements
(20) Weapon Parry (one parry per turn, at Skill/2 +3)
(10) Per additional parry per turn
(10) Improved Retreat (gain an increased bonus to parries on a retreat)
(-5) All weapons usable with the skill are Light
(-5) Parrying takes a penalty against most attacks
- Example: Boxing suffers -2 vs kicks, -3 vs non-thrusting attacks
- Example: Sumo suffers -2 vs kicks, -3 vs armed attacks

Ranged Attack Elements
(50) Ranged Attack (use skill to strike with a class of ranged weapons)
(60) Muscle-powered Ranged Attack (as above, but for muscle-powered ranged weapons)

Miscellaneous Elements
(2) Per specific technique in the style
(5) Off-Hand Offense (no penalty for attacking with the off-hand)
(5) Off-Hand Defense (no penalty for parrying with the off-hand)
(-10) Encumbrance (all rolls take a penalty equal to encumbrance level)

[seasong]

Beam Weapons (Easy)
Ranged attack

Blowpipe (Hard)
Muscle-powered ranged attack
Special Attack (melee, blow powder, no damage, +2 to hit)

Bolas (Average)
Muscle-powered ranged attack

Bow (Average)
Muscle-powered ranged attack

Boxing (Average)
Unarmed
Single-weapon thrust attack (punch)
Weak damage bonus
Weapon parry
Additional parry
Parry penalty against most attacks
Improved retreat
Off-hand offense and defense
Specific Techniques: needs 15 (3 in basic set, which has no punch techniques)

Brawling (Easy)
Unarmed
Weapon thrust attack, plus all natural weapons, blackjack and sap (15)
Very weak damage bonus (2)
Weapon parry
Additional parry
Parry penalty against most attacks
Off-hand offense and defense
Specific Techniques: needs 10 (6 in basic set)

Crossbow (Easy)
Ranged attack

Guns (Easy)
Ranged attack

Innate Attack (Easy)
Ranged attack

Judo (Hard)
Unarmed
Offensive grappling
Defensive grappling
Judo throw ability
Weapon parry
Additional parry
Off-hand offense and defense
Encumbrance
Techniques: 16-20 (6 in basic set)

Karate (Hard)
Unarmed
Weapon thrust attack
Strong damage bonus
Weapon parry
Additional parry
Off-hand offense and defense
Encumbrance
Techniques: 21-25 (8 in basic set)

Melee Weapon
to do later

Sling (Hard)
Muscle-powered ranged attack
Sling (10)

Sumo Wrestling (Average)
Unarmed
Somewhat limited offensive and defensive grappling (12)
Specific ST bonus
Limited weak damage bonus (3)
Weapon parry
Additional parry
Parry penalty against most attacks
Techniques: 20 needed

Throwing (Average)
Muscle-powered ranged attack

Thrown Weapon (Easy)
Muscle-powered ranged attack
Specific Weapon (-10)

Wrestling (Average)
Same as judo, plus...
Parry penalty against most attacks
Specific ST bonus x2
A few less techniques

Skills that defied me :-)
Cloak
Garotte
Lance
Lasso