Critique these martial arts...

[nanoboy]

I'm working on a very extensive fantasy setting, and I've made some martial arts styles for it. Now, I've also noted the styles available from Martial Arts, too, so hopefully, none of these will come close to mimicking any other arts from the book. Note that there are no cinematic abilities in the setting (except for magic.) Anyway, here they are:

Bermian Horsemanship [7]

Not all Bermians are expert warriors, but most of the males are expected to be. Their primary mode of combat is mounted, and they generally consider themselves to be losing if they’re on foot. Most tribes also emphasize shooting their bows while on the move, keeping a distance from any non-ranged threat. Also of note is that most of the true warriors still prefer the horse to the many other animals that the Bermians train, though many are capable of riding the other animals.

Skills: Bow, Fast-Draw (Arrow); Lance, Riding (Equine), Shield (Shield), Spear
Techniques: Cavalry Training (Spear); Combat Riding; Hands-Free Riding; Mounted Shooting; Quick Mount; Reverse Grip (Spear); Staying Seated
Perks: Grip Mastery (Long Spear, Short Spear, Spear); Reach Mastery (Long Spear, Spear); Strongbow

Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: Extra Levels of Animal Friend
Disadvantages: None
Skills: Animal Handling (Any); Armory (Melee Weapons, Missile Weapons, or Body Armor); Brawling; Knife; Kusari; Riding (Any); Sling; Soldier; Survival (Desert); Thrown Weapon (Dart or Spear); Wrestling

Jogari Soldiering [8]

Jogari soldiers in the Empress’s Guard are trained in a special form of disciplined soldiering. They prefer to fight in formation, and each specializes in a weapon: bakki, halberd, heavy spear, long spear, or spear, though all are familiar with the uses of all of these weapons. When pressed, they will engage in punching, kicking, and grappling, with wrestling being the primary unarmed skill.

Skills: Brawling; Savoir-Faire (Military); Polearm; Shield (Shield); Soldier; Spear; Wrestling
Techniques: Feint (Shield); Hook (Polearm); Neck Snap; Reverse Grip (Spear); Wrench Arm; Wrench Spine
Cinematic Skills: None
Cinematic Techniques: None
Perks: Grip Mastery (Polearm); Grip Mastery (Spear); Power Grappling; Reach Mastery (Bakki, Halberd, Heavy Spear, Long Spear, or Spear); Shield-Wall Training; Sure-Footed Sand; Teamwork
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: None
Disadvantages: None
Skills: Broadsword; Intimidation; Two-Handed Axe/Mace; Two-Handed Sword; Thrown Weapon (Spear)

Felinid Empty-Hand [5]

The felinids are not strong and don’t make great soldiers, but in a bar-room brawl, they can be quite lethal. Their natural weapons of claws and teeth can do disproportionate damage, and their quickness allows them to be very good at scoring hits and avoiding them, too. When using their well-developed martial arts style, they prefer to use defensive attacks, keeping well away from damage. They try to land painful claw attacks, and when an opponent is weakened, they go for the kill, using stronger clawing attacks and possibly a bite.

Skills: Acrobatics; Judo; Jumping; Karate
Techniques: Acrobatic Stand; Aggressive Parry (Karate; may use cutting damage, too); Counterattack (Karate); Feint (Karate); Judo Throw; Jump Kick; Kicking (Karate)
Cinematic Skills: None
Cinematic Techniques: None
Perks: Biting Mastery; Rapid Retraction; Special Exercises (Stricking ST +1); Technique Mastery (Judo Throw); Weapon Adaptation (Claws to Karate)
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: Combat Reflexes; Extra Basic Speed; Striking ST+1
Disadvantages: Bloodlust; Overconfidence; Reputation (Harms People Unnecessarily in Fights)
Skills: Escape; Karate Art; Knife; Stealth; Thrown Weapon (Knife)

Paladin Combat Art [9]

Paladins have their own specialized style that is the envy of the chivalric world. Paladins train constantly and are very effective warriors. They work on both mounted and foot combat, though in war, they are expected to fulfill their heavy cavalry role first. The paladin’s primary weapons are the lance and morningstar, though they often learn many other weapons over time, especially swords, maces, and polearms. Note that they also learn their own form of magic as well. This art form only covers their fighting arts.

Skills: Boxing; Flail; Lance; Riding (Equine); Savoir-Faire (Dojo); Shield (Shield); Tactics (Land); Wrestling
Techniques: Armed Grapple (Flail); Cavalry Training (Flail); Combat Riding; Disarming (Flail); Quick Mount (Riding)
Cinematic Skills: None
Cinematic Techniques: None
Perks: Ground Guard; Power Grappling
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: See other paladin abilities.
Disadvantages: See other paladin information
Skills: Armoury ( Body Armor or Melee Weapons); Axe/Mace; Broadsword; Hidden Lore (Martial Arts Styles of the Gulf of Gardon); Knife; Leadership; Polearm; Savoir-Faire (Military); Soldier; Spear; Strategy (Land); Two-Handed Axe/Mace; Two-Handed Flail; Two-Handed Sword

Southern Axe Fighting [6]

Many of the Nallian and Backonian warriors have learned the grand tradition of Southern Axe Fighting. Most nobles are taught it, starting from a young age, especially in Backonia, where the only way to get ahead is to be able to win fights. The style has evolved to fill the roles of dueling combat and battlefield combat.

Stylists will typically charge into battle, throwing an axe or two before switching to their primary weapon. Individual preference for one- or two-handed weapons dictates what that primary weapon might be. Many warriors bring both kinds, starting with an axe and shield, then switching to a two-handed axe once their shield has been destroyed. Generally, the favorite weapons are axe, throwing axe, pick, great axe, warhammer, and medium and large shields.

The style is fundamentally aggressive. Fighters always wear armor, so they often take risks to their defenses to deal a devastating blow to their enemy. In duels, the fighter will focus on destroying some part of the enemy’s defense. This means slamming into the opponent to knock him down, sweeping his legs, hooking his shield, attacking his weapons, or occasionally feinting. Then, the warrior will make Committed Attacks and All-Out Attacks until his opponent is defeated. On the battlefield, stylists prefer to break into the enemy’s line and start hacking away. Committed Attacks and All-Out Attacks are commonly used in these situations. However, in the tradition of Southern warfare, shield walls are often formed.

Skills: Axe/Mace, Shield (Shield), Sumo Wrestling, Thrown Weapon (Axe/Mace), Two-Handed Axe/Mace
Techniques: Back Strike (Axe/Mace); Back Strike (Two-Handed Axe/Mace); Close Combat (Axe/Mace); Close Combat (Two-Handed Axe/Mace); Hook (Axe/Mace); Hook (Two-Handed Axe/Mace); Spinning Attack (Axe/Mace); Spinning Attack (Two-Handed Axe/Mace); Sweep (Axe/Mace); Sweep (Two-Handed Axe/Mace); Trip (Sumo Wrestling)
Cinematic Skills: None
Cinematic Techniques: None
Perks: Dirty Fighting; Form Mastery (Any Axe/Mace Weapon or Any Two-Handed Axe/Mace Weapon); Power Grappling; Reach Mastery (Any Two-Handed Axe/Mace Weapon); Shield-Wall Training; Shoves and Tackles (Axe/Mace, Sumo Wrestling, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace); Style Adaptation (Southern Pugilism); Sure-Footed (Uneven)
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: Improved ST and HT
Advantages: Combat Reflexes, Fearlessness, Fit or Very Fit, High Pain Threshold
Disadvantages: Berserk, Callous, Overconfidence
Skills: Boxing, Brawling, Broadsword, Pole-Arm, Spear, Tactics, Wrestling

Dolaffian Pirate Fighting [9]

Dolaffian pirates are renowned for their boarding abilities. Guildsmen who have seen action in other regions swear that no one in the world is better at taking ships than the Dolaffians. Most Dolaffian seafarers learn their regional fighting style when they first set sail. Most first set sail when they learn to walk.

The main weapon of the Dolaffian pirate is the humble axe. Being cheap and useful outside of a fight, the axe has proven itself as a good close-quarters weapon. However, Dolaffians are also proficient with knives, bucklers, and fists. The typical arsenal of a Dolaffian boarding crew includes axes, hatchets, throwing axes, small and large knives, daggers, long knives, and light and small bucklers.

Fighters will throw some of their weapons in an opening salvo before or after boarding. Then, they use an axe and buckler or axe and knife to assault the vessel. Dolaffian tactics rely on surprise and speed, so the fighters like to make aggressive pushes into the ship; they don’t hang around to simply trade blows. Committed Attacks and All-Out Attacks are common, but keep in mind that since they are usually lightly armored or unarmored, Dolaffians avoid excessive risk.

Skills: Axe/Mace; Brawling; Fast-Draw (Knife); Knife; Shield (Buckler); Seamanship; Thrown Weapon (Axe/Mace); Thrown Weapon (Knife)
Techniques: Attack From Above (Axe/Mace); Attack From Above (Knife); Close Combat (Axe/Mace); Elbow Strike (Brawling); Hook (Axe/Mace); Reverse Grip (Knife)
Perks: Dirty Fighting; Improvised Weapons (Axe/Mace); Naval Training; Off-Hand Weapon Training (Knife); Style Adaption (Southern Axe Fighting)
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: Extra Move and Speed
Advantages: Ambidexterity, Combat Reflexes, Danger Sense
Skills: Bow, Boxing, Broadsword, Crossbow, Shortsword, Spear, Two-Handed Axe/Mace, Wrestling

[nanoboy]

And a few more...

Foyne Spearmanship [4]

The trained spearmen of Foyne take up this particular style. Since Greymen typically need to be coaxed into danger, they are promised good training and good support. Only the bravest—or more accurately, the least cowardly—will take up this form. The weapons for it consist of any crossbow, a large shield, and either a spear or a long spear. Practitioners wear very heavy armor.

While raining missiles upon their enemies is the primary duty of all of Foyne’s enemies, the Greymen cannot expect to rely on this method all of the time. Thus, when the enemy makes it to the line, the Foyne spearman will switch from his crossbow to a spear. He and his fellow soldiers will fight in close and orderly formation, trying to use their reach, large shields, and armor to keep out of harm. Foyne spearmen make Defensive Attacks and Feints to find an opening and then hit. They just have to hold the enemy off until someone takes him down with a missile. At least in theory, that’s how it works.

Skills: Crossbow; Shield (Shield); Spear
Techniques: Feint (Shield); Feint (Spear); Retain Weapon (Spear); Sweep (Spear)
Perks: Shield-Wall Training; Sure-Footed (Uneven); Teamwork
Optional Traits
Advantages: Fit
Skills: Judo; Soldier; Tactics; Thrown Weapon (Dart); Thrown Weapon (Spear)

Southern Pugilism [4]

Southern Pugilism is the formal name for the unique boxing style of prize-fighters from the Southern Culture. These fighters typically come from lower class individuals trying to prove their worth in the world. Given the warrior culture of the South, they are often honored as quality individuals when they win a few fights. Often, prize-fighters from other regions are either surprised when they fight Southern Pugilists or are reluctant to fight them without special rules in place.

The unique tendencies of these fighters lie in their use of take-downs and practice of keeping up the fight when they are down. Southern Pugilists will use the common boxing techniques of feinting and keeping cautious until an opening is found. However, when that opening arises, they tend to knock the opponent down before landing several punches. Many such fighters also like to lure their opponent into a situation in which they can use their Trip technique. Other dirty tactics, as well as their horrific Wrench Spine technique, have earned them a reputation as dishonorable opponents.

Skills: Boxing; Games (Prize-Fighting); Sumo Wrestling
Techniques: Aggressive Parry (Boxing); Counterattack (Boxing); Counterattack (Sumo Wrestling); Disarming (Boxing); Ear Clap (Boxing); Feint (Boxing); Ground Fighting (Boxing); Low Fighting (Boxing); Low Fighting (Sumo Wrestling); Trip (Sumo Wrestling); Uppercut (Boxing); Wrench Spine (ST and Sumo Wrestling, if the appropriate Perk is selected)
Perks: Dirty Fighting; Power Grappling; Skill Adaptation (Wrench Spine defaults to Sumo Wrestling-4)

Guildsman Fusion Art [4]

Since Guildsmen travel all over the world, they have picked up exotic fighting techniques. Some Guildsmen have combined the aspects of these exotic fighting arts into what is called the Guildsman Fusion Art, or often Guildfist. It is widespread enough now, that many Guildsmen who do not have the permit to leave the Gulf of Gardon have even learned the style.

The style is adapted from exotic styles to form what Guildsmen consider an ultimate way to deal with both unarmed shipboard fighting, as well as bar fights. (Guildsmen are often involved in bar fights when in port.) In fact, many non-sailors in the Guild have learned how to use this art. However, little interest in it has been expressed among non-Guild people.

The style is a balanced one, being neither aggressive nor cautious. Fighters will gauge a situation before deciding on tactics. They will be wary of weapons but know how to deal with them, and they will disarm them when they can. On ships, the style is useful in that many of the techniques are tactical in nature. Fighters will advance with Jump Kicks and Trip passing opponents.

Skills: Acrobatics; Judo; Karate
Techniques: Acrobatic Stand; Arm or Wrist Lock (Judo); Back Kick (Karate); Breakfall (Acrobatics or Judo); Disarming (Judo or Karate); Elbow Strike (Karate); Evade (Acrobatics or Judo); Feint (Karate); Head Butt (Karate); Jump Kick (Karate); Leg Grapple (Judo); Push Kick (Karate); Sweep (Judo or Karate); Trip (Judo)
Perks: Armor Familiarity (Judo); Armor Familiarity (Karate); Improvised Weapons (Karate); Naval Training

Quorian Charioteering [12]

In Birabba, the chariot is still pertinent to the battlefield. Despite other countries around the world having discarded the military technology centuries ago, the Birabbans have continued to improve upon it. They have adapted the chariot to all manner of ranged weapon to it, making the machine a moving missile platform. Using the stronger horses that have been bred recently, the chariot, the driver, the personnel, and the steeds themselves have been armored. The mechanics have been improved to the point that rougher terrain can be utilized.

Through long tradition, Quorian Charioteers have been cross-trained in all of the skills necessary to fight with the anachronistic war machines. The fighters are recruited from among the best talent of the middle class of Birabba and turned into the elite of the Birabban military. Charioteers are celebrated as battlefield aces and hotshots by the military and the public alike. They are revered as the essence of Birabban nationalistic military pride.

In battle, Quorian Charioteers generally remain on their chariots. Their first role is to ride between the forces as they advance on each other in the beginning of the battle. There, they use all of the missile weapons they have to soften up the enemy—the bow, the crossbow, the scorpion, the dart, the javelin, and Tissi’s fire from the battle-priests are all brought to bear. Then, they continue moving around the field, weakening enemy flanks, shooting down cavalry, and chasing routers. Commanders prefer to ride on the chariots, too, given that they can concentrate solely on the tactics of the battle and not worry about their mounts. When they lose their chariots, Quorian Charioteers are still capable fighters, generally having the best equipment. They are well-known for their unusual spear-and-sword style in a pitched fight.

Skills: Bow; Brawling; Broadsword; Crossbow; Fast-Draw (Arrow); Gunner (Catapult); Savoir-Faire (Military); Spear; Teamster (Horse); Thrown Weapon (Dart); Thrown Weapon (Spear)
Techniques: Mounted Shooting (Bow); Mounted Shooting (Thrown Weapon (Dart)); Mounted Shooting (Thrown Weapon (Spear)); Reverse Grip (Spear) Sharp Turn
Perks: Grip Mastery (Spear); Off-Hand Weapon Training (Broadsword); Strongbow; Teamwork

[Agramer]

Id like to point out that people using Bows/Crossbows carried sheathed weapons.

Its kinda awkward to carry Bow and Spear...or to fight with both.


Sweep (Spear) = for that you need 2 hand grip(with 1 hand you dont have leverage unless youre tripping:>only in case of Slam attempt or close combat)

I liked all except Quorian Charioteering [12] ...its overboard .... or they have Scorpion OR Bow OR Crossbow OR throwing spears

OR give them crossbow and Lance.
Crossbow for opening at range and Lance for pure shock...you said that theyre heavily armoured(including horse barding)...put proturding blades on wheels and with Lance you have great shock troops(Heavy Cavalry role...though such semitanks pulled by 2+ horses would pack heavier punch).

OR have light chariots ( much faster) and composite bows