How balanced is it to allow Martial Arts options in a Dungeon Fantasy campaign?

[Set]

Hello, everyone.

I plan on GMing a Dungeon Fantasy game soon(TM), and this question came to mind.

I'm talking specifically about the Realistic technique options, more importantly Counter-Attack, Targeted Attacks and Combinations.

Also, cinematic options for those with either Weapon Master or Trained By a Master, and Extra Effort exclusively to those with Trained By a Master.

Would that be balanced?

[kirbwarrior]

From what I've seen, it's actually a little underwhelming. It's good, and building a character around any of those options can make for a good character, but I don't think could be optimized better with those options being allowed. Only TA might be too strong, but really that only applies at point totals below ~260. Past that and it balances out fine.

[the_matrix_walker]

Many of these rules already live in Dungeon Fantasy in the form of Power-Ups.

Usually, the more exotic options have flourishes, like a fatigue cost, to limit their use or add-ons to inflate their character point cost a bit.

In that spirit, take a look at the power-ups and make some for the techniques you want to integrate in a similar way. Be sure to charge a point for "Unique Technique" and include something in the mix to make sure it desn't turn the PC into a one trick pony...

Just my 0.02$ YMMV

[Set]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Many of these rules already live in Dungeon Fantasy in the form of Power-Ups.

Usually, the more exotic options have flourishes, like a fatigue cost, to limit their use or add-ons to inflate their character point cost a bit.

In that spirit, take a look at the power-ups and make some for the techniques you want to integrate in a similar way. Be sure to charge a point for "Unique Technique" and include something in the mix to make sure it desn't turn the PC into a one trick pony...

Just my 0.02$ YMMV

Ah, you can always say "Not today!" to one trick ponies haha.

Anyways it is a good suggestion, I'll surely take a shot at creating those things. Probably the throat-slitting thing I've created in another thread will be a power-up for thieves, ninjas and assassins. I'll adapt it, and maybe include some cinematic options.

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

From what I've seen, it's actually a little underwhelming. It's good, and building a character around any of those options can make for a good character, but I don't think could be optimized better with those options being allowed. Only TA might be too strong, but really that only applies at point totals below ~260. Past that and it balances out fine.

I see!

So I will not allow TAs for the 125-points adventure, while allowing it for the 300-points one.


Thanks for the suggestions, guys.

[Kalzazz]

I see no reason to disallow them, but, a lot of martial arts like say Targeted Attacks are way more effective against Humans than say Stone Golems

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

I see no reason to disallow them, but, a lot of martial arts like say Targeted Attacks are way more effective against Humans than say Stone Golems

Cutting swung weapon to the Leg is the most universal one - Cutting's pretty good against everything except Diffuse things, and things that have a very specific resistance against cutting. Many many things have legs, and are hampered in a useful way by having them cut off. Even then Eyes of Death kind of sneer at you.

I've found the biggest way to tone down One Trick Ponies is to explore a broad range of enemies; Dungeon Fantasy is particularly forgiving here. Fighter-type humanoids play out very differently to oozes, who are different again from mind-controlling Elder Things, who are different again from rot grubs.

It's hard for me to get worked up about someone being able to do 5d+12 cutting when they have a Will of 9.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Bruno

It's hard for me to get worked up about someone being able to do 5d+12 cutting when they have a Will of 9.

Why you gotta pick on Ogre Barbari... Oh, you said 9 not 7. Carry on.

[Phil Masters]

Targeted Attacks got into DF9 as Slayer Training, by the way. If some critters have specific vulnerabilities based on hit locations - and what are vampires and hydra without that? - then you do need a way to exploit those vulnerabilities.

And as was pointed out when I wrote the book, allowing demonologists to train in such things, but not full-time professional fighters, looks a little wacky. So making them power-ups seems quite fair.

[sir_pudding]

The slayers training power-ups are generally available in DF11.

[khorboth]

In another particular example, as we closed in on the 400 point mark, the archer maxing out targeted attack eyeball really just let her keep up with the rest of the party. By the time we reached 500 points, she could reliably hit somebody in both eyes from 150 yards in a single round. Yah, it was ridiculous, but... not any worse than what the other characters were able to do at 500 points.