11-05-2019, 09:35 AM | #11 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Udine, Italy
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Re: [Martial Arts] Style building - book fighting
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. |
11-05-2019, 01:05 PM | #12 | |
Join Date: Sep 2018
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Re: [Martial Arts] Style building - book fighting
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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. |
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11-05-2019, 04:39 PM | #13 |
Icelandic - Approach With Caution
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Reykjavík, Iceland
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Re: [Martial Arts] Style building - book fighting
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11-05-2019, 05:29 PM | #14 |
Join Date: Mar 2008
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Re: [Martial Arts] Style building - book fighting
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. Last edited by dcarson; 11-05-2019 at 11:45 PM. |
11-05-2019, 07:46 PM | #15 |
Join Date: Dec 2013
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Re: [Martial Arts] Style building - book fighting
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.
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11-05-2019, 10:19 PM | #16 |
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: 100 hurricane swamp
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Re: [Martial Arts] Style building - book fighting
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11-06-2019, 01:38 AM | #17 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Udine, Italy
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Re: [Martial Arts] Style building - book fighting
Quote:
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.). |
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11-06-2019, 01:57 AM | #18 |
Join Date: Nov 2015
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Re: [Martial Arts] Style building - book fighting
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? |
11-06-2019, 03:55 AM | #19 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Udine, Italy
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Re: [Martial Arts] Style building - book fighting
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.
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11-07-2019, 12:06 PM | #20 | |
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Poland
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Re: [Martial Arts] Style building - book fighting
Quote:
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).
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book as weapon, weapon training |
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