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Old 06-30-2012, 12:27 PM   #11
DouglasCole
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Default Re: DF: Forgotten Realms Martial-Arts Styles

Seems like adding Telegraphic to the second attack (the actual remise) would cover some of this. You get +4 because everything's already lined up from the previous attack, but he gets +2 because, well, you're doing lather, rinse, repeat.
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Old 06-30-2012, 03:38 PM   #12
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Default Re: DF: Forgotten Realms Martial-Arts Styles

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Originally Posted by CousinX View Post
The technique it's trying model is where the fencer makes an attack, fails (i.e. misses or is parried), and then makes an immediate follow-up attack along the same line to exploit his momentum... so the combo has the opposite effect, making it harder to hit if you fail the first attack.
Perhaps you could make a technique similar to Counter Attack, except that instead of imposing a defense penalty after you parry an enemy attack, it imposes a defense penalty if your own attack succeeds but is parried (or possibly if dodged/blocked). It would also need to be at the same general hit location, though it might shift slightly (from Torso to Vitals, for example). It doesn't require Rapid Strike, since it would apply whether your follow-up attack was the same second or the next. I'd go with a Hard Technique, -5 default to give -2 to the enemy's defense (the same one he used the first time, maybe -1 to other defenses), so it's only worthwhile if improved above default. I wouldn't let the swordsman "chain" the technique though; attacking more than twice along the same line would become predictable, canceling out the defense penalty.

Quote:
Originally Posted by DouglasCole View Post
Seems like adding Telegraphic to the second attack (the actual remise) would cover some of this. You get +4 because everything's already lined up from the previous attack, but he gets +2 because, well, you're doing lather, rinse, repeat.
Hmm. I thought the point of it was that you'd attack swiftly while the enemy's defense is down. Basically, using your own parried attack as a Feint.

Last edited by vierasmarius; 06-30-2012 at 04:53 PM.
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Old 06-30-2012, 08:59 PM   #13
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Default Re: DF: Forgotten Realms Martial-Arts Styles

Quote:
Originally Posted by DouglasCole View Post
Seems like adding Telegraphic to the second attack (the actual remise) would cover some of this. You get +4 because everything's already lined up from the previous attack, but he gets +2 because, well, you're doing lather, rinse, repeat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vierasmarius View Post
Perhaps you could make a technique similar to Counter Attack, except that instead of imposing a defense penalty after you parry an enemy attack, it imposes a defense penalty if your own attack succeeds but is parried (or possibly if dodged/blocked). It would also need to be at the same general hit location, though it might shift slightly (from Torso to Vitals, for example). It doesn't require Rapid Strike, since it would apply whether your follow-up attack was the same second or the next. [...]
While those suggestions go in opposite directions, they both make sense in their own way. It does seem reasonable that, if it's expected, the second attack might be easier to defend against ... but I agree with vierasmarius that the intent of the follow-up strike is most likely to exploit an opening, or otherwise make an unexpected second strike. This being a cinematic technique for use as a Dungeon Fantasy power-up, I'm inclined to go with that intent.

I especially like the idea of the target getting a penalty if he tries to re-use the same defense against the second attack ... although, if it's built as a Rapid Strike, that's at least partly covered by the fact that he already gets a penalty for multiple parries, and can't block again if he already did (unless the game uses multiple blocks, but even then it's at -5).

In that case, the main benefit is to get him to use his best defense against your first attack, so you can slip another one in that he'll have a harder time stopping. Hmm... I'll have to give it some more thought.
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Old 07-01-2012, 02:47 AM   #14
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Default Re: DF: Forgotten Realms Martial-Arts Styles

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Originally Posted by CousinX View Post
While those suggestions go in opposite directions, they both make sense in their own way. It does seem reasonable that, if it's expected, the second attack might be easier to defend against ... but I agree with vierasmarius that the intent of the follow-up strike is most likely to exploit an opening, or otherwise make an unexpected second strike. This being a cinematic technique for use as a Dungeon Fantasy power-up, I'm inclined to go with that intent.
For a risky move that may be easier or harder to defend against, depending on the skill of the target, you could look to the Spinning Strike technique. The attack involves a quick contest of Spinning Strike (defaulting to skill-2) versus the target's best combat skill, and gives the defender a bonus/penalty equal to the margin of victory/defeat. The follow-up attack could use that mechanic, but replace the necessity of being a Committed / All-Out Attack (losing the skill/damage bonus thereof) with the requirement of following a successful attack roll that was successfully defended against.
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Old 07-01-2012, 11:20 AM   #15
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Default Re: DF: Forgotten Realms Martial-Arts Styles

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Originally Posted by vierasmarius View Post
For a risky move that may be easier or harder to defend against, depending on the skill of the target, you could look to the Spinning Strike technique. The attack involves a quick contest of Spinning Strike (defaulting to skill-2) versus the target's best combat skill, and gives the defender a bonus/penalty equal to the margin of victory/defeat. The follow-up attack could use that mechanic, but replace the necessity of being a Committed / All-Out Attack (losing the skill/damage bonus thereof) with the requirement of following a successful attack roll that was successfully defended against.
I do like the mechanics for Spinning Attacks ... with a few tweaks, it's just about perfect for another style, which I shall post forthwith.

For Remise, I'm still leaning toward the fairly straightforward Rapid Strike-cribbed-from-Cleaving Strike mechanics ... I'll have to see how it plays, but it seems both balanced and effective.
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Old 07-01-2012, 11:29 AM   #16
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Default Whirling Dervish

Whirling Dervish
As closely tied with their fervent faith as anything, the wild and deadly style of the Dervishes has stricken fear into the hearts of Infidels across the land. Using long, curved scimitars in one or both hands, the dervish spins and arcs the blades in whirling patterns, swooping unpredictably around and over defenses. A primarily offensive style (for they believe that those who die in holy battle will be reborn unto Paradise), it focuses on fast and furious attacks from all angles; defenses take the form of wild, dance-like movements.

Skills: Broadsword, Dancing, Theology.
Techniques: Feint (Dancing).
Cinematic Techniques: Double Whirlwind, Dual-Weapon Fighting, Timed Defense (Dodge), Whirling Strike, Whirlwind Attack.
Perks: Ecstatic Dance, Flourish (Broadsword), Moral Strength, Off-Hand Weapon Training (Broadsword), Skill Adaptation (Dancing Feints), Sure-Footed (Uneven), Technique Mastery (Dancing Feints), Unique Technique (Double Whirlwind; Whirling Strike), Whirling Dance.

Double Whirlwind (H) Whirlwind Attack-4; cannot exceed Whirlwind Attack.
Prerequisites: Weapon Master (Broadsword); Off-Hand Weapon Training (Broadsword); Dual-Weapon Attack (Broadsword); Whirlwind Attack (Broadsword).
You can make a Whirlwind attack with a sword in each hand, making two attacks at each eligible target. All attacks are made with a penalty to skill for both the Double Whirlwind (including the base penalty for Whirlwind Attack), and Dual-Weapon Fighting ... for instance, a character with Double Whirlwind at Whirlwind-2, Dual-Weapon Fighting at Broadsword-2, and Whirlwind Attack at Broadsword-2 makes all attacks with a -6 penalty.

Spinning Strike (see p. MA79)
Prerequisites: Weapon Master (Broadsword).
Similar to a normal Spinning Attack (p. MA79), but instead of using Spinning Attack (Broadsword) for the initial Quick Contest, use Feint (Dancing). The subsequent attack uses Broadsword-2; the penalty can be bought off normally as a Hard technique.

Perk - Ecstatic Dance: By performing a spinning, whirling dance, you can enter the trance-like states achievable with the Autohypnosis skill. You must first dance (requiring an open space, free of obstacles or enemies) for at least a minute, and make a normal Dancing roll. If this succeeds, you can then make a Will-based Dancing roll to achieve any one of the effects listed for Autohypnosis (p. B179); this roll is at the same penalty as it would be for normal Autohypnosis (i.e. -2 for Increased Will, -4 to Negate Pain/Fatigue).

Perk - Moral Strength: You can make a Will-based Theology+2 roll to resist magic spells, psi power, and anything else that Mental Strength (p. B209) would normally help against. (Credit: Gef)

Perk - Whirling Dance: You can attempt an Acrobatic Dodge (p. B375) using your Dancing skill in place of Acrobatics; you can attempt Evading (p. 368) using Dancing in place of DX; and you can make kicking attacks using Dancing-2.


Holy Warrior Lens: Whirling Dervish (50 points)
Attributes: +1 DX (20).
Secondary Characteristics: plus 0.75 Basic Speed (15).
Advantages: Combat Reflexes (15); High Pain Threshold (10); Style Familiarity (Whirling Dervish) (1); Weapon Master (Broadsword) (20). • Spend only 20 points (instead of 25) on optional holy warrior advantages; add Basic Speed plus 1.00 (20), Enhanced Dodge 1 (15), Luck (Defensive, -20%) (12); and the Style Perks and Power-Ups of the Whirling Dervish style to the choices.
Disadvantages: Fanaticism (The One True Faith) (-15); Social Stigma (Minority) (-10).
Skills: Instead of the listed melee skill packages, melee skills are Broadsword (A) DX+4 (16)-18 and Dancing (A) DX+2 (8)-16. • Drop Physiology and Psychology; improve Theology to (H) IQ (4)-12.
Power-ups: For the purpose of power-ups, Whirling Dervishes are holy warriors with the swashbuckler lens. They can always buy Enhanced Dodge up to 3 (15/level), Luck or Ridiculous Luck (Defensive, -20%) (12 or 24), and the Style Perks and Power-Ups of the Whirling Dervish style.
Dervishes are always “generic” holy warriors (i.e. using the standard Holy Might abilities from DF1, as opposed to other, deity-specific lenses and realms), and cannot buy the New Realm power-up – they serve Ao, whom they hold to be the “One True God,” and consider all other divinities to be infidels, pretenders, and usurpers. They can buy the cleric lens (DF3, p. 26) to upgrade Holiness to Power Investiture (Holy) and learn (generic) clerical spells, but can’t take any lens or power-up that gives them another form of divine talent or Power Investiture (Druidic, Shamanic, Unholy, etc). Likewise, they can’t buy any lens or power-up that gives them any form of chi or magical abilities, including Chi Talent, Eldritch Talent, Magery, Trained by a Master, or any casting/power talent (Bardic, Elemental, etc). The knight lens (DF3, p. 27) costs them 15 points less than the listed price, since they already have Combat Reflexes; other appropriate lenses include the barbarian (there’s no zeal like the converted!) and the scout (to add some stealth and ranged damage to their already considerable combat abilities).

Fanaticism (The One True Faith)
All Dervishes are fanatically loyal to the One True Faith, and will willingly give up their lives, limbs, property, and/or prosperity in its defense. Those who depart Calimshan in search of adventure tend to leave the holy war behind them; in most places throughout Faerun, where the Faithful are a tiny minority among many diverse religions, they’re content to protect those few who share their faith from persecution, and to spread the word through good deeds (e.g. slaying unambiguous evils, helping the helpless, etc) rather than through coercion or proselytizing.


Notes: Not a historically accurate dervish, but an authentic Fantasy Gaming dervish... this style is intended only for use with the above lens; it has a few new techniques, and at least one (Double Whirlwind) which might be overpowered.

Also, funny story, this style is actually called something else, but the overzealous profanity filter blanks out a certain string of letters in the middle of the name, thusly: Cali****e. This breaks the link to the campaign page for the style, so I linked to the basic Martial Arts page instead.

Last edited by CousinX; 07-04-2012 at 02:24 PM.
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Old 07-01-2012, 03:07 PM   #17
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Default Re: DF: Forgotten Realms Martial-Arts Styles

Quote:
Originally Posted by CousinX View Post
The technique it's trying model is where the fencer makes an attack, fails (i.e. misses or is parried), and then makes an immediate follow-up attack along the same line to exploit his momentum...
GURPS has this mechanic, under another name. You're just changing the special effect. Give the style a perk, Special Exercises, for Aspected Luck.

That said, not every realworld motion needs a granular representation in GURPS. A real-world attack, parry, remise, and second parry attempt could be resolved as a SINGLE attack (since the remise takes place in under a second) and SINGLE defense. Being able to land the remise is a characteristic of high skill, which might well be modelled as a Deceptive Attack.

GEF

PS: This from my houserules may be useful to you:


Skill Limitations
These quirks are the disadvantageous analogs of Style Perks. You have studied a combat skill extensively but in the limited context of a martial arts style. Each Skill Limitation quirk matches a level of skill which costs 4 points; that is, for a net cost of 3 points, you acquire a level of skill which applies only in certain broad cases (but counts normally for calculating Parry or Block defense, and defaults, for the sake of simplicity). You may not have more than one Skill Limitation quirk on a single level of skill or more than two modified levels of the same skill (and for book-keeping sanity, they should both have the same quirk). These quirks may appear in a style's recommended traits, but replacing the recommended quirk with a different one is a simple way to define a substyle. For example, the style above might have a substyle that particularly favors the longsword over the bastard sword, swapping Defensive for Favored Weapon. Its proponents would aggressively argue for the superiority of their weapon, and would fight more aggressively, too.

Aggressive (Flurry): Your limited skill level applies only with a Rapid Strike, including All-Out Attack (Double), All-Out Attack (Feint), Dual-Weapon Attack, and any Combination.

Aggressive (Great Lunge): Your limited skill level applies only with Extra Effort (Great Lunge), All-Out Attack (Long), or Committed Attack with an extra step.

Aggressive (Heroic Charge): Your limited skill level applies only with Extra Effort (Heroic Charge) or with a Move and Attack (subject to the restrictions on a Wild Swing as usual).

Aggressive (Mighty Blow): Your limited skill level applies only with a Beat, All-Out Attack (Strong), Committed Attack (Strong), or Extra Effort (Mighty Blow).

Deceptive: Your limited skill level applies only with a Deceptive Attack, Feint (not including Beat), Return Strike, Riposte, or Spinning technique.

Defensive: Your limited skill level applies with a Counterattack, Defensive Attack, Wait (including a Stop Hit), or to any attack which accrues a bonus from a prior Evaluate maneuver.

Favored Mode (Aimed): Your limited level of a ranged weapon skill applies only when you Aim.

Favored Mode (Kicking): Your limited level of unarmed combat skill applies only when you attack with your legs, as in the case of a Jump Kick or Triangle Choke.

Favored Mode (One-Handed): Your limited level of Crossbow or Spear skill applies only when you use the weapon in one hand, not both.

Favored Mode (Thrust): Your limited level of a sword skill applies only when you thrust instead of swing.

Favored Weapon: Your limited level of skill applies only with a specific weapon type; for example, you might specify the glaive as your favored weapon under Staff skill (in conjunction with the perk Weapon Adaptation). For ultra-tech weapons, specify the technology, such as lasers for a Beam Weapons skill; specialization with a mass-produced model such as a Colt 1911A pistol is a Weapon Bond perk instead (assuming manufacturing to close tolerances).

Precision: Your limited skill level applies only for called shots to penalized locations (including pressure points and chinks in armor).

Technique Focus: Your limited skill level applies only with the non-cinematic techniques of a specific style you know, which must have at least 3 and no more than 6, for more wouldn't be “focused” and fewer wouldn't be cost-effective. Furthermore, any additional technique acquired with the perk Style Adaptation is covered by the limited skill level. No style need list Technique Focus as a recommended trait, because it is appropriate to any style with the appropriate number of techniques.


Shield Fighter
Mental Quirk. You learned a specific weapon skill in the context of a weapon-and-shield style and incur a ‑1 penalty to any parry with that weapon which does not benefit from a Defense Bonus.


Dual Attack Variant
You may specify a particular combination of weapons, in which case a single dual attack technique applies to both relevant skills, but only for that particular combination. For instance, you may learn the technique for skill with a hafted weapon, in which case both attacks have Reach 1, and the second attack is with the haft based on Staff skill against a target adjacent to the first. Or you might learn a dual attack with sword and shield, in which case it would not apply with paired swords.


Extra Options
Rather than making these cinematic options globally available, I use them as perks to distinguish different cinematic styles.They collectively cover most of the “super-cinematic” options from GURPS Martial Arts, p. 129 (plus proxy fighting as described on p. 132).

Acrobatic Defense: You may use Acrobatics to enhance a Parry or Block, exactly as you would for an Acrobatic Dodge.

Combat Leaping: You need not halve jumping distance in combat.

Combination: Combinations are real, practiced in the form of kata, but a typical style teaches many of them, and mastery of the lot corresponds to a rise in overall skill level (sufficient to soak the penalty for rapid strike), perhaps with the skill limitation quirk Aggressive (Flurry). However, as an Extra Option, you can focus on a specific combination to raise it above default. A two-action combo can include a Dual Attack, if you have that technique, effectively making it a three-action combo, the maximum without kinemagic.

Enhanced Defense: You may exceed by one level the usual limit for a particular variant of the advantage Enhanced Defenses.

Multiple Retreats: You may retreat more than once per turn, and more than a single hex at a time, up to half your Move, at ‑1 per hex of movement after the first. For instance, you retreat as normal, then when attacked again, leap back two yards; these are the second and third hexes of retreat this turn, so you take a ‑2 penalty (from the usual +3), and unless you have Move 8 or higher, you're done retreating.

Multiple Steps: You may convert Extra Attacks (from the advantage) to extra Steps and take them before or after your remaining attacks in the same turn.

Proxy Fighting: You may use an intervening object to transmit force and extend the range of your blows, for instance shoving a table into a foe, or manipulate another person in combat as if he were a life-size puppet!

Retreat Bonus: You get the retreat bonus of Fencing, Judo, or Karate skill with a specified alternate weapon skill, but only when unencumbered. Not applicable in conjunction with a parry bonus (i.e., staff).

Special Feats: You may use cinematic skills for feats that depend on lightening the body: Flying Leap to cover full distance without full force or effort, Light Walk across the flimsiest surfaces, Lizard Climb in combat.

Last edited by Gef; 07-01-2012 at 03:25 PM.
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Old 07-01-2012, 10:27 PM   #18
CousinX
 
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Default Re: DF: Forgotten Realms Martial-Arts Styles

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gef View Post
GURPS has this mechanic, under another name. You're just changing the special effect. Give the style a perk, Special Exercises, for Aspected Luck.

That said, not every realworld motion needs a granular representation in GURPS. A real-world attack, parry, remise, and second parry attempt could be resolved as a SINGLE attack (since the remise takes place in under a second) and SINGLE defense. Being able to land the remise is a characteristic of high skill, which might well be modelled as a Deceptive Attack.
It's certainly possible to abstract away the details, but the goal of this particular exercise is to create fun and distinctive Power-Ups. Aspected Luck is an interesting idea (in fact, it appears in the Whirling Dervish style, as Defensive Luck), but just doesn't do what I'm looking for in the case of Remise.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Gef View Post
Skill Limitations
[...]
Whew ... that does add a lot of depth and distinction to different styles, but I think it maybe goes too far in the detail/bookkeeping department for my purposes. I'll look over the styles with an eye to "limited/specialized skill levels," and see what comes to me.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Gef View Post
Extra Options
Rather than making these cinematic options globally available, I use them as perks to distinguish different cinematic styles.They collectively cover most of the “super-cinematic” options from GURPS Martial Arts, p. 129 (plus proxy fighting as described on p. 132).
[...]
I like this idea a lot. It adds fun and interesting capabilities, while keeping them in check, and making them distinctive between styles. Yeah, I'm totally going to use these ... thanks for posting them!

And in general, thanks to everyone who's offered feedback ... even if I don't agree with every suggestion, it's been extremely helpful so far to see what others think.
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Old 07-01-2012, 11:24 PM   #19
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Default Re: DF: Forgotten Realms Martial-Arts Styles

Here's an example from the martial arts styles in my fantasy campaign, based on the real-world diestro fencing style (but in my mostly-TL3 game world, actual fencing is an elvish art). It includes skill limitation quirks, an extra option, and another house rule I forgot to mention, the Signature Perk. This is a style perk that does NOT require 10 points in the style to buy, but rather is so integral that it's a required part of the base style cost. A style for marines would have Naval Fighting as a signature, for instance. Each style may have only one (or zero).

My game world includes a secret society called the Geometers. By contemplating the ideal shape, they unlock mental powers, starting with Digital Mind. This makes them immune to Mind Control spells, and their main purpose is to police the abuse of mind control. To do this, they use tools created with one of their more advanced mental powers, Gadgeteering.

Scientific Swordsmanship (8)

The methods of science and mathematics have been a great benefit to the many realms of Kivese endeavor, from building the best ships in the world to stabilizing architecture and magic against the volcanic temblors common to the peninsula, so why might they not hold insights to personal combat? Disciples of this controversial style believe that they do. Combat is as much a mental endeavor as a physical one, and the scientific swordsman masters both his mind against fear (using Autohypnosis) and his body (using the most efficient, mathematical movements). An elementary consideration of physiology will identify targets where the minimum force causes maximum damage, and stylists favor an estoc for its superior ability to reach these targets, often held in a defensive grip for superior control. Advanced students also use the Keevan scimitar, a local design inspired by the curved blades of the south that can bypass a shield much like a flail. This weapon is equivalent to a shotel, and detractors point out that it is just as unwieldy as a flail. Criticism of the style itself is widespread, claiming with some justification that learning to fight is better done with sword in hand than with a chalk and slate for all but a few scholarly warriors to whom math comes easily, and even they will need a large investment of study and practice for the payoff.

Minimal motion suffices for defense as well as the acrobatic maneuvers of other styles, and scientific swordsmen often fight in a defensive stance to present a narrow profile which forfeits the benefit of a shield or off-hand parry but enables them to parry multiple blows as adroitly as with a greatsword, but only if all of those attacks come from directly in front. By analyzing the geometry of an opponent’s guard for weakness, they find the best line (or curve) from which to strike, represented as a Feint based on Mathematics although it represents no actual deceptive move, and masters learn to do this reflexively (Extra Attack with Accessibility for Feint Only and Single Skill: Mathematics). Likewise they can predict the best place to avoid getting hit, but this involves more complex geometry, so a defensive “feint” with Mathematics requires Lightning Calculator, and against a ranged weapon it also requires the perk Eye for Distance. This unique style lacks kinemagic skills, but many of its most enthusiastic practitioners are Geometers, who may seem just as uncanny with their Logic power, benefiting from abilities like Unfazeable, Enhanced Time Sense, and Compartmentalized Mind.

Recommended Traits: Eye for Distance, Favored Mode (Broadsword Thrust, Crossbow Aimed), Language (Kivese), Lightning Calculator

Skills: Autohypnosis, Broadsword, Broadsword Art, Mathematics (Survey), Savoir-Faire (Dojo) [Actually, the Kivese call it an arms academy instead of a dojo.]

Optional Skills: Body Language, Body Sense, Boxing, Breath Control, Cloak, Crossbow, Expert (Natural Philosophy), Fast-Draw (Sword), Hypnotism, Mind Block (applies to the Contest of Wills), Parry Missile (Broadsword), Penetrating Strikeł, Precognitive Parry*, Stupefying Blow (Atavism)˛, Supreme Controlą, Wrestling

Techniques: Broadsword*– Counterattack, Reverse Grip, Sidestep, Target Eye Slit, Target Femoral, Target Vitals Chink, Timed Defense*; Crossbow*– Target Femoral, Target Vitals; Dodge*– Sidestep, Timed Defense*; Mathematics*– Evade, Feint

Signature Perk: Skill Adaptation (Mathematics => Evade and Feint)

Perks: Crossbow Finesse, Exotic Weapon (Shotel), Extra Option (Multiple Steps), Grip Mastery (Estoc, Shotel, Thrusting Broadsword), Quick-Sheathe Broadsword, Skill Adaptation (Broadsword*=> Two-Handed Parry), Special Exercises (Vibration Sense with Hypersensory), Technique Mastery (Feint, Sidestep), Unique Technique (Sidestep, buys off penalty to “retreat” sideways), Unusual Training (Timed Defense requires Absolute Timing), Weapon Adaptation (Cloak*=> any Buckler)

Familiarity: Crossbow, estoc, light club, longsword, shotel, thrusting broadsword, also ori (jiann, so-called because it was historically made from the red steel, orichalcum), and just possibly elfsword (edged rapier in this case, evolved from the ori; Keevans don't fence but they are sufficiently well-travelled to have obtained samples)

Note: For Vibration Sense, the modifier Hypersensory is a ‑50% limitation as it is for Psychometry, with the same mechanics as the Hypersensory enhancement for Darkvision, except that it does not provide any ability to detect invisible foes not already inherent to the advantage. The scientific swordsman does not have an independent sense of vibrations; instead he integrates the input from his other senses, which he cannot do if those senses are impaired. Masters can aim crossbows this way (add the enhancement Targeting.)

Sorry, I'm not sufficiently familiar with the FR setting to know if this particular style would fit any region of it.


PS: I don't use the fancy stuff for every style; here's a simpler one that may fit FR somewhere:

Dinner Scrap (4)
Amidst the terraced dales of Dinland, man and halfling alike raise orchards and abundant cereals, and where they can't fit a field, they graze sheep and goats. A shepherd in the hills must protect his flock from beasts with four legs or two, alone except for his trusty dogs to help him bring home the mutton. At harvest time and again after spring shearing, festivals punctuate his reclusion, and he competes in tests of professional skill. Shepherds use wrestling to control their stock as well as to defend themselves, which is why they eschew arm locks in favor of head and leg locks. Their staff has a crook for grabbing sheep, and the manner in which they use it resembles wrestling. Most halflings use a smaller staff (equal to a jo) with a sling attached, but the brawny ones can wield weapons made for men. The herdsman stereotype is a self-reliant maverick and hot-headed scrapper, and Dindese farmers and tradesmen are apt to learn their martial skills, should they have any, from a shepherd. Likewise folk of other provinces who have to deal with border raids or rustlers have adopted Dinner Scrap, for its weapons are cheap, innocuous, and effective (swing damage).

Recommended Traits: Animal Friend (Dog), Culture (Imperial), Language (Talrese)

Skills: Sling, Staff, Wrestling or Wrestling Sport

Optional Skills: Animal Handling (Dog, Sheep), Brawling, Fast-Draw (Flexible, Knife, Stone), Games (Festival Competition), Knife, Naturalist, Navigation (Land), Parry Missile (Staff), Power Blow*, Thrown Knife, Weather Sense, Zen Archery*

Techniques: Staff*– Armed Grapple, Feint, Hook, Leg Lock, Sweep, Target Neck; Wrestling*– Groundfighting, Leg Lock, Low Fighting, Lower-Body Head Lock, Target Leg, Trip

Perks: Form Mastery (Staff-sling), Huge Weapons, Skill Adaptation (Wrestling*=> Binding), Style Adaptation (Talric Wrestling), Teamwork with sheep dog

Familiarity: Bo, dagger, jo, large knife, long knife, quarterstaff, sap, sling, small knife, staff sling

Last edited by Gef; 07-03-2012 at 10:56 AM.
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Old 07-01-2012, 11:50 PM   #20
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Default Re: DF: Forgotten Realms Martial-Arts Styles

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Originally Posted by CousinX View Post
Whew ... that does add a lot of depth and distinction to different styles, but I think it maybe goes too far in the detail/bookkeeping department for my purposes.
They're easier to use than to explain, actually. I hear styles described as "aggressive" or "defensive" and wanted a simple way to model that...and it is simple, if you allow only one such quirk per skill, and then only for skills known at the 8-point level or higher. No PC will have many.

It's also a great way to distinguish substyles: Master Bloof teaches an aggressive version of Imperial Swordsmanship with all of the complicated techniques stripped out.

I especially like Technique Focus, because under ordinary circumstances, it's only cost-effective to raise a couple of techniques. That does a good job differentiating between two students of one style but a poor job distinguishing students of different styles that use the same base skills. With Technique Focus, you get a couple of techniques that are your best choices, but a few more that you favor. Most of the styles I designed for my fantasy campaign have half a dozen techniques per skill, to be eligible for use with the quirk.

GEF
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