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01-12-2021, 03:08 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Unified Combat Skills
In GURPS, every combat skill has three versions: Art, Combat, and Sport. Each version is the same difficulty as the other versions and defaults at -3 to other versions. This means that a character with Karate Combat (just known as Karate) at DX+4 would default to Karate Sport and Karate Art at DX+1.
I think it would be better to treat every version of a combat skill instead as a specialty of a unified combat skill that is one difficulty level higher than its components. For example, Karate Unified (VH) would be the overarching skill for the specialties of Karate Art, Karate Combat, and Karate Sport (all H). Since they would all be specialties of the same overarching specialty, they would default to it (and each other) at -2. This would mean that a character with Karate Unified at DX+3 would have Karate Sport, Karate Combat, and Karate Art at DX+3. What do you think? Would unified overarching combat skills be better? Would you use unified combat skills in your campaigns? |
01-12-2021, 03:25 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: earth....I think.
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Re: Unified Combat Skills
I wouldn't do that. What I do is have one skill with 3 specialties. You pick one when you purchase said skill. The other 2 specialties default to it at -3 and are average techniques.
So someone can have: karate(sport) at DX+0 [4] And will have: Karate(art) DX-3 [0] Karate(combat) DX-3 [0] The reason is because a sport version of a martial art is different from the combat version and "art" version. |
01-12-2021, 04:42 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Re: Unified Combat Skills
Honestly, part of me feels Melee Weapon should simply be a DX/H skill. Those skills that are already DX/H, like Flail, would instead have the "-1 to skill" note (or be at a further -1 to skill, if they already have a penalty). Using light weapons in a fencing style (Parry F) would probably be a Perk (or even a Feature if you only know how to use them in this manner). Someone who wants to specialize in a single class of weapons (Broadsword, Axe/Mace, etc) can do so, for an effective +1 to skill. Beyond that, Art/Combat/Sport should probably follow zoncxs' suggestion - choose one, then use Techniques for the rest.
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GURPS Overhaul |
01-12-2021, 05:55 PM | #4 |
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: earth....I think.
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Re: Unified Combat Skills
For my martial arts game I turned all fencing skills into an average technique for certain weapon skills.
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01-12-2021, 05:58 PM | #5 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Re: Unified Combat Skills
There are radical differences between the various melee weapons though. An individual who knows how to use a spear does not necessarily know how to use an axe, a shield, or a whip. Attempting to bunch everything under the sun together is the province of Wildcard Skills, not any realistic skill.
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01-12-2021, 07:07 PM | #6 | |
Join Date: Jun 2013
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Re: Unified Combat Skills
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I think the idea is that Unified Karate gives you all three skills at the level of Unified Karate. Basically, anytime a roll against Karate, Karate Art, or Karate Sport is needed, you simply roll Unified Karate. The -2 default is if you opt to take an Optional Specialization so that you just know Karate, or Karate Art, or Karate Sport.
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GURPS Overhaul |
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01-12-2021, 07:52 PM | #7 |
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: Unified Combat Skills
None of these would be better for GURPS as a whole, because GURPS needs to fill a lot of needs. Any of these is probably fine for some games, including yours.
Melee Weapons as a single skill is fine. Combat as a single skill is fine. But it makes for a different game. If you want to explore situations where people with street skills and dojo skills adapt to each other’s circumstances, unified is ill-advised. If you’re playing Action Flicks and one guy is a martial arts champion, sure let him take the unified.
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Per-based Stealth isn’t remotely as awkward as DX-based Observation. |
01-12-2021, 08:00 PM | #8 | |
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Meifumado
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Re: Unified Combat Skills
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Collaborative Settings: Cyberpunk: Duopoly Nation Space Opera: Behind the King's Eclipse And heaps of forum collabs, 30+ and counting! |
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01-12-2021, 11:12 PM | #9 |
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Re: Unified Combat Skills
No, the Unified Karate (VH) skill includes Karate Art, Karate Combat, and Karate Sport (each of them being a H specialty), so a character who took Unified Karate at DX+3 would have the specialties also at DX+3. Conversely, if a character took the specialty of Karate Sport at DX+4, they could default to Unified Karate (and, therefore, Karate Art and Karate Combat) at DX+2.
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01-12-2021, 07:50 PM | #10 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Saskatoon, SK
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Re: Unified Combat Skills
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Spoiler: GURPS isn't always realistic (DF, Action, etc.). Action could easily have one melee skill (or even combat skill) and satisfy most movies in the genre.
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MiB 7704 Playing: GURPS Nordlond Dragons of Hosgarth Running Savage Worlds Tour of Darkness (Vietnam + Mythos) |
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