[MA] Hobby Skill: Feats of Strength

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

That's Breaking Blow with the Unusual Training perk, canonically I think.

Agreed, the top-of-the-line boardbreakers should have this instead.

On the other hand I've seen people with no 'special skill' training (i.e. those just practising normal karate skills) break their first boards on the first attempt, and assumed the boards were no tougher than a normal reasonably trained punch. I think the overall Feats of Strength skill might be useful here because it includes being Will-based not to flinch as you perform a feat (after all, punching a board half-strength and failing to break it is reportedly more painful than breaking it).

[Phil Masters]

The skill would also cover knowing about all these tricks. Even if anyone can manage them once they've been shown once, having a repertoire of party tricks that you know in advance will work is something in itself.

[vicky_molokh]

One of the prospective co-players offered the idea of staying for long in ice-cold water as one of the possible feats. That actually looks scary for an average person, perhaps even for an average adventurer. But I look at the planned attribute levels and the effects of thermal shock. Well, let's just say that staying in such a barrel for 8 hours is within the realm of possibility for the character, without significant risks; I have no idea what is the 'trick' to it that would allow doing it for someone with a less robust body, though - it seems borderline impossible with lower stats.

Still looking for even more such tricks that qualify for this skill and not for sleight of hand (not very successfully).

[Flyndaran]

Regular exposure to extreme temperatures can train the body to better withstand to them.
One women swam the Bering straight after all.

[Anders]

Dipping your hands in molten lead (Will)
Getting hit by a 104 lbs. cannonball (HT)

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Regular exposure to extreme temperatures can train the body to better withstand to them.
One women swam the Bering straight after all.

It does make sense that the Human body adapts to what's asked of it, altering blood flow, perhaps even on a long-term basis (by increasing or decreasing the amount of skin capilaries), to suit the cooling needs or lack thereoff. I think much of climatic adaption, ignoring items such as nose shape and (of course) skin pigmentation, is acquired rather than genetic.

[Adversary]

Along with ripping a phone book in half, there are other feats of grip strength that would fit: bending a coin or a nail, folding a cast-iron pan. Similar things done with bite strength, like gripping a horseshoe in your teeth while you bend it with your hands. Blowing up a soft plastic waterbottle like a balloon until it pops. Breaking a baseball bat over your knee.

[Dalillama]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

On the other hand I've seen people with no 'special skill' training (i.e. those just practising normal karate skills) break their first boards on the first attempt, and assumed the boards were no tougher than a normal reasonably trained punch. I think the overall Feats of Strength skill might be useful here because it includes being Will-based not to flinch as you perform a feat (after all, punching a board half-strength and failing to break it is reportedly more painful than breaking it).

Yup. A relatively thin pine or softwood board that's well braced is actually pretty easy to break, as long as you don't flinch or anything. The Feats of Strength skill would be a good excuse for knowing that sort of thing, and not to try that stunt with, say, a 2 cm thick piece of oak, because that's a good way to break your knuckles. People with the actual Unusual Training perk and Breaking Blow skill might be able to do that, but I wouldn't want to try it myself.

Originally Posted by Anders

Dipping your hands in molten lead (Will)

Similarly, taking a swig of molten lead, swishing in your mouth, then spitting it out.

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

. Well, let's just say that staying in such a barrel for 8 hours is within the realm of possibility for the character, without significant risks; I have no idea what is the 'trick' to it that would allow doing it for someone with a less robust body, though - it seems borderline impossible with lower stats.

Before the introduction of rubber, I think the usual approach to being able to work longer in cold water was smear yourself with a thick layer of grease.

The total thickness of *good* insulation you need to survive even incredibly cold temperatures is not that great, and you might well be able to amaze people with your "endurance" using something that looks so ordinary they don't notice it is actually a sophisticated cold survival tool.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

; I have no idea what is the 'trick' to it that would allow doing it for someone with a less robust body, though - it seems borderline impossible with lower stats.

It doesn't actually matter what the trick is if you assume there is one. It probably doesn't cost much, whatever it is (and animal grease is a good bet), maybe $10, and game-mechanically you can substitute HT-Based Hobby (Feats of Strength) for all HT rolls to avoid hypothermia.