[Martial Arts] Style building - book fighting

[Michele]

On the issue of books being a reasonable choice or not, I'd suggest we can all remember that some martial arts were developed for unarmed fighting, or for fighting with agricultural implements, because of the very good reason that real weapons were illegal. At least for the people practicing those martial arts.

I think it is conceivable a setting in which not even knives are allowed, but books are as common as the agricultural tools in the situation described above. If there is a need to fight, then the inhabitants will resort to what they always carry.

Note ancient, well-made hardback books, meant to last for centuries, might have metal corners and a reinforced spine. Some would come inside a full box, instead of having three sides exposing the pages.

[Black Leviathan]

Originally Posted by zoncxs

So instead of insulting and shutting them down bring something useful to the table, or not post.

Then allow me to be the one to shut people down and not bring "Something useful" to the table.

This is a highly unorthodox concept for a martial arts style. And I'm not talking about fighting Yo-yos or flying-Guillotines. Sociologically we are protective of the book and what it represents and generally people who are connected with books are removed from violence as we recognize the power of protecting knowledge and what it represents to a society. Even in gonzo kung-fu movies you very rarely see a book or a scroll or any representation of knowledge used in a fight.

Regardless of size books make unweildly weapons with little telegraphic ability. They have a hinge which could be employed in a technique but it is necessarily a weak hinge. It is challenging to grip, it cannot have a good balance no matter how you hold it. A book could be weaponized but any practical book weapon would take considerably investigation to understand that it was a book.

As AlexanderHowl pointed out, this is a weapon and fighting style applicable to a comedic setting. And as such it's "not helpful" to suggest serious techniques for it's use.

[Þorkell]

Originally Posted by tbone

Throwing (Book), if used for law enforcement.

Book them, Danno!

[dcarson]

Back when I was in middle and high school instead of the packpacks being used by everyone many of us used bookstraps. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/01...okstrap_09.jpg
A book in one of those makes a better weapon then the book alone I think.

[Eukie]

Martial Arts suggests that the purse as an improvised weapon is basically a two-handed punch. It seems to be the closest thing in the list of improvised weapons most similar to a book. So I'd suggest a two-point Style with the Style Perk and one of Karate and Boxing depending on how the Style works: Karate for a style the combines the two-handed book punch with kicking, jamming, and/or advanced footwork for the defensive bonuses, and Boxing for a style focused on the upper body book strikes.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by dcarson

A boom in one of those makes a better weapon then the book alone I think.

If I could wrap a belt around a boom I'd be nigh unstoppable!

Is that why that generation is called 'boomer'? ;P

[Michele]

Originally Posted by Black Leviathan

Regardless of size books make unweildly weapons with little telegraphic ability. They have a hinge which could be employed in a technique but it is necessarily a weak hinge. It is challenging to grip, it cannot have a good balance no matter how you hold it. A book could be weaponized but any practical book weapon would take considerably investigation to understand that it was a book.

Ah, but we do have GURPS rules for using as weapons some objects that aren't designed as such, and therefore are unwieldy, difficult to grip, and unpractical. They are the Improvised Weapons.

I have a hefty book in my hand now. It weighs about 2 pounds, with pretty sturdy thick carton backing, and about 10" x 5" x 1.5". If I used it to hit someone, instead of doing so with my naked hand, it would at the very least count as an unwieldy (-1 to skill) "fist load", or Blackjack (damage: thr. cr., instead of thr.-1).

If it was a bit heavier, a bit longer, with a metal-covered spine and corners, I think it would be fair, and still using the GURPS RAW, to call it a poor equivalent of a Small Mace, if used with a swing. Say -2 to skill (very unwieldy) and -1 to damage (which still is a respectable sw+1 cr.).

[Aldric]

The OP said he wants to use them two handed, so no small mace skill, however the penalty to attack is quite reasonable, so they style could include a perk or a technique to buy it off.

Those books may even be large enough to count as shields.

In any case, a book used in combat should have a metal or wooden case, otherwise it wouldn't last long. At least if it's still meant to be used as a book after a fight or two.

Probably not a good fit for realistic games, but fantasy has plenty of weapons that wouldn't really work, so why not books?

[Michele]

Originally Posted by Aldric

The OP said he wants to use them two handed, so no small mace skill, however the penalty to attack is quite reasonable, so they style could include a perk or a technique to buy it off.

Sure, I was talking about a relatively handy book. I have atlas folio-sized books that are some 26" tall. Not just for their size but also for their weight, they should be used two-handed, as a two-handed mace.

[Gnomasz]

Originally Posted by tbone

Throwing (Book), if used for law enforcement.

Is this intended for some sort of "fightin' scholars" martial art? If so, it's a pretty amusing idea!

It is, indeed! My first thought was "my mages just became cooler!".

Originally Posted by Donny Brook

Thanks for the great help so far, and the laughs.
I'm writing up my build and will post it for comment, but wondering -- are there any general rules about what happens when you use two-hands vs one hand with a weapon?

For weapons, two-handed use is usually +1 to damage (looking at the Bastard Sword and the Long Spear write-ups). The Two-Handed Punch in MA is better (at relative +2 to damage), though it comes with an extra downside (limited parrying and risk of doubled injury).