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Old 08-11-2015, 12:59 PM   #1
Wavefunction
 
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Default [Martial Arts] Non-Cinematic Tough Guy

Hey guys,

I'm intrigued, how would you guys go about making a non-cinematic tough guy? Someone as hardy as humanly possible without slipping outside the realms of realism.

Ignoring the fact that Dodge is really the route to go if you want a character to survive. I'm more interested in someone who absorbs punishment, rather than avoiding it.

There are a few obvious things like HP, HT, and High Pain Threshold, but what about some of the less obvious options?
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Old 08-11-2015, 02:16 PM   #2
PTTG
 
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Default Re: [Martial Arts] Non-Cinematic Tough Guy

Luck.

No, seriously. People who have survived insane punishment IRL are "lucky" in that they happen to habitually inhabit the far side of the probability curve. There's nothing supernatural about getting shot in the head with a small-caliber bullet and it going under the scalp but around the skull. It's just unusual.

Any discussions on the nature of Luck vrs. luck vrs. "psiono-magic probability technomanipulation" should go in that thread and not here.
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Old 08-11-2015, 04:48 PM   #3
Adversary
 
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Default Re: [Martial Arts] Non-Cinematic Tough Guy

Hard to come up with things beyond the obvious: high strength (for hp, as a non-cinematic campaign presumably limits extra hp), health, hard to kill, hard to subdue, rapid healing.

But, given your thread title references martial arts and so I assume you want someone durable in hand to hand combat as opposed to withstanding bullets, here is an idea. You could focus on skills and techniques that allow you to do damage defensively. E.g. destructive parry, and judo (which allows throws after a parry). I'm not very familiar with the rules on destructive parry, but picture a guy who is adept at blocking punches and kicks hard with his elbows an forearms, or even taking them on his forehead. He's also conditioned his arms (DR with special exercises).

The effect is, you try to punch him, you get hurt, and he's still standing there. Or with judo, you try to punch him, you fall down.

A guy designed that way, plus the hp and other things mentioned, might in play give the impression of toughness. He's not going to launch a jump-kick from across the room, but he can walk into the middle of a group of thugs, damage his enemies, and not go down for a long time.

Oh, another idea along the same lines: I think there's a cinematic skill or technique that makes you very difficult to knock down. It's one of those that requires Trained by a Master. But with a rules exemption perk your gm might let you take one cinematic ability in a non-cinematic game, giving you someone who is hard to knock down, hard to hit without hurting yourself, and can stand up to a lot of damage even if you do get a blow through.
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Old 08-11-2015, 05:08 PM   #4
Dingle
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Ireland
Default Re: [Martial Arts] Non-Cinematic Tough Guy

Be armed in some way if at all possible.
Invest in a variety of skills.
Use equipment for everything.
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Old 08-11-2015, 05:54 PM   #5
Gedrin
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Default Re: [Martial Arts] Non-Cinematic Tough Guy

He'll need high Will also.
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Old 08-11-2015, 06:03 PM   #6
trooper6
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Medford, MA
Default Re: [Martial Arts] Non-Cinematic Tough Guy

What is the character concept/background/history beyond Tough Guy?
Are we talking about a down and out Boxer?
Are we talking about mafia soldier?
Are we talking about a Hollywood stuntwoman?
Are we talking about a wiry crazy meth addict?
Are we talking about Football lineman?

Before I went about making the tough guy, I'd need to know about the tough guy's background...because I'd make them all a bit differently.
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