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Old 01-06-2019, 10:06 PM   #1
Harald387
 
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Location: Ottawa, ON, CA
Default Small But Fierce

Some of us view character generation as a minigame, and my last attempt was fairly well-received, so here is a Martial Artist who, uh, doesn't fit the normal mold but should be plenty entertaining and at least somewhat effective on a team.

Pale Blossom Opening To Greet The First Rays Of Dawn ("Just Call Me Dawn")
250-point Halfling Martial Artist

Dawn is a wandering monk, from some far-off land that seems to have collectively decided to kick her out because she isn't quite zen enough ("Confucius said it doesn't matter how quickly you go, as long as it's away from here.") and keeps disturbing the peace. Like most halflings, she can't resist a good meal ("This 'bacon' is much more delicious than most vegetables!") or a shiny object that isn't nailed down ("And you know, nails aren't all THAT permanent"); unlike most halflings, she's thin as a rail ("Meditation makes you lose weight, you should try! Not that you need to lose weight. Well, maybe a little. In your... everywhere.") and can kick you into next week ("Well. Into tomorrow, at least.').

In a fight, she uses a variety of Trademark Moves (usually accompanied by LOTS of shouting) to keep the enemy at a disadvantage - either 'over there' thanks to a well-placed Push, 'stunned' by her Kiai, or 'on the ground' from a Judo Throw or Takedown - so that her allies have an easier time finishing them off; against lightly armored foes she favors kicking them until they stop moving.

Out of combat she's stealthy (small, quiet, and hard to spot) and can get into places she probably oughtn't, aided by her trusty anti-anti-theft devices; while she's not a real substitute for a Thief, she can at least offer support in the role.

ST 8 [-20]; DX 17 [140]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 13 [30]
Damage 1d-3/1d-2; BL 13 lbs; HP 10 [4]; Will 11 [5]; Per 10 [0]; FP 13 [0]
Basic Speed 7.5 [0]; Basic Move 7 [0]; Move 7; SM -2
Dodge 10; Parry 12 (Judo/Karate); Block N/A

Advantages
Chi Talent 2 [30]
Dragon Skin [5]
Halfling Marksmanship 2 [10]
Honest Face [1]
Seven Secret Kicks [7]
Silence 2 [10]
Trademark Move: GET AWAY GET AWAY GET AWAY! (Rapid Strike, Kiai followed by Push (Torso), Skill-12 / Skill-16) [1]
Trademark Move: Why Don't You Come Down Here And Say That! (Rapid Strike: Judo Grapple/Left Leg followed by Takedown, Skill-14 / Skill-16) [1]
Trademark Move: This Will Make You Pretty, I Swear! (Rapid Strike: Judo Grapple followed by Kick to the Face, Skill-16 / Skill-11) [1]
Trained by a Master [30]
Unarmed Master [25]

Disadvantages and Quirks
Curious (12) [-5]
Disciplines of Faith (Chi Rituals) [-10]
Gluttony (12) [-5]
Kleptomania (12) [-15]
Sense of Duty (Adventuring Companions) [-5]
Skinny [-5]
Social Stigma (Minority Group) [-10]
Vow (Always Fight Unarmed) [-15]

"I'm normal height, it's all of you who are enormous." [-1]
Claims She's A Vegan, Is Clearly Lying [-1]
Has Weird Brand Names For All Her Equipment [-1]
Quotes Obscure Philosophers And Gets It Wrong Every Time [-1]
Relentlessly Cheerful [-1]

Skills
Acrobatics-16 [2]
Body Control-13 [2]
Climbing-16 [1]
Gesture-10 [1]
Hiking-12 [1]
Immovable Stance-18 [2]
Judo-18 [8]
Jumping-18 [2]
Karate-18 [8]
Kiai-14 [2]
Light Walk-18 [2]
Lockpicking-16 [1]
Meditation-10 [2]
Mental Strength-14 [2]
Parry Missile Weapons-18 [2]
Push-18 [2]
Stealth-16 [1]
Tactics-10 [4]

Equipment
$1000, 10.95 lbs (No Encumbrance)*
Gets The Grease (tm) Wheeled Carrying Device (wheelbarrow), $60, 18 lbs
---Dragon Belly (tm) Martial Arts Master's Rucksack (Frame Backpack), $100, 10 lbs
---88x Happy Halfling (tm) 100% Vegan Chi-Compatible Snack Cakes (Chi Rations), $352, 44 lbs
---Nine Hours (tm) Burrito Cosplay Outfit (Blanket), $20, 4 lbs
Sticky Fingers (tm) Classic (r) Belt And Pocket Delving Gear Arranger (Delver's Webbing), $160, 3 lbs
---Eight Legs Best (tm) Far Eastern Silken Climbing Cord (Giant Spider Silk Rope, 20 yards), $200, 1 lb
---Who Needs Keys? (tm) Anti-Anti-Theft Equipment (Lockpicks), $50, 0.1 lbs
---Copper Coin, $1, 0.05 lbs
Kumite! (tm) Padded Hand Coverings (Light Cloth Gloves, DR 1), $5, 0.6 lbs
One With The Shadows (tm) Full-Body Ninja Suit (Ordinary Clothes, DR 0), $0, 2 lbs
Right In The Fork! (tm) Hardened Foot Covers (Heavy Leather Boots, DR 2), $52, 4.2 lbs

*Gear carried on the wheelbarrow is not calculated for encumbrance. When pushing/hauling the wheelbarrow, it adds another 15.2 lbs of effective weight, effectively Light Encumbrance.

Some gameplay notes: Quirk points were spent to buy Lockpicking [1] and an extra level of Karate; adding Seven Secret Kicks, Unarmed Master, and heavy leather boots, she deals 1d+2 damage with a kick, which may not compete with the Knight or Barbarian but does let her deal with lightly armored foes. Against anything tougher - or just to make sure she can kick a vulnerable location - use Push (3d knockback!), Judo grapples and takedowns (Effective Takedown skill is 21 if she grapples a leg), or Kiai against tougher foes, and let the heavy hitters do the work of finishing them. Remember that SM 0 enemies have -2 to hit her, and that with Unarmed Master, the limitations under Hurting Yourself (Exploits. p.40) don't apply!

In terms of advancement, more ST and combat skills are probably a good investment, but it's worth considering a deeper investment in chi skills instead - either one can work, but it's better to pick one and run with it than to try and do everything at once.
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Last edited by Harald387; 01-06-2019 at 10:10 PM.
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Old 01-06-2019, 11:24 PM   #2
evileeyore
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Default Re: Small But Fierce

"Interesting" build. If I were to play her, I'd aim more towards Chi abilities and picking up more Thief skills and Advantages*, and turn her into a Martial Artist/Thief. Really corner that Thief niche, but with her surprising combat skills instead of the Thief's Backstab.

She'd even do well with some sort of thrown weapon and Power Blow as a "strike from hiding" opening attack with pretty minimal investment.



* Flexible would aid her and is cheap!
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Old 01-07-2019, 03:15 AM   #3
johndallman
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Default Re: Small But Fierce

Indexed, under her full name.
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Old 01-07-2019, 11:44 AM   #4
Black Leviathan
 
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Default Re: Small But Fierce

I'm kind of shocked at how much utility Halfling fighters have at 250pts. I'm playing a Halfling Barbarian and the -3 to ST doesn't slow me down at all. In fact the extra hit points and dead-eye accuracy with boomerangs more than makes up for it.
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Old 01-07-2019, 01:17 PM   #5
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Default Re: Small But Fierce

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Originally Posted by Black Leviathan View Post
... dead-eye accuracy with boomerangs more than makes up for it.
You don't mind paying 10 points instead of 8 for that +2 to Boomerang?
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Old 01-08-2019, 11:45 AM   #6
Black Leviathan
 
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Default Re: Small But Fierce

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Originally Posted by evileeyore View Post
You don't mind paying 10 points instead of 8 for that +2 to Boomerang?
It's more expensive in cost but Halfling's disadvantages gives you more mileage with the Character Points. I chose a Halfling race because I wanted to play a terrifying Pygmy warrior. I knew there would be a trade-off of St for DX and HT but extra HP and skill improvement for thrown weapon was unexpected.
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Old 01-08-2019, 12:08 PM   #7
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Default Re: Small But Fierce

Amusing character, though not all that effective. I'd be tempted to house rule that halfling marskmanship applies to throwing art as well as throwing.
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Old 01-10-2019, 03:57 PM   #8
Black Leviathan
 
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Default Re: Small But Fierce

Yeah, that was the plan. I wanted to make a character that didn't outshine some of the less experienced players. However Dungeon Fantasy doesn't suffer weak characters well.

Barbarians are pretty stat-rich and Halfling only improves that. They do have a -1 MV but their racial template tips the Barbarian into 14DX 14 HT so not only as I still faster than most of the players but my Basic Speed is pretty glorious.

I took boomerangs because they seemed like a cool pygmy-like weapon but they're really understated. The Barbarian strength gives them a really good range and hits for 2d crushing. With my Halfling marksmanship I can often target limbs and break them.

Spear seemed like a logical choice for my primitive character with the Halfling's DX bump and the thematic choice to take Weapon Bond my Melee Spear skill was ridiculously high (Again cool aesthetic, but not as useful as other choices of points). Then It occurred to me how likely I can put someone's eye out with an extra attack each turn. And he's left a pretty wide trail of one-eyed corpses. Also that high weapon skill paired with the reach make me really useful at attacking into close combat when someone grapples my allies.

I loved the Barbarian toughness and wanted to bolster it with a little bit of armor so I bargained with the GM to have Heavy Leather function as a treated alligator hide and. That 5 DR and my -2 SM has not made life easy for Goblin archers. But the real pay-off has been how much every grins when I mime opening the gator mouth like a helmet visor to talk.

The trait I was worried would make him too powerful was Berserk, which turns out to not be so great. With his bloated HP pool it takes a lot of work to stop him when he's berserk but not being able to take advantage of terrain or reach or really do anything but run in stabbing takes a lot of my ability away and having the Barbarians abysmal IQ just makes it harder to resist or break out of my tiny red rage.

My tiny Barbarian even has a nice advancement trajectory. I had taken animal handling-Monkey and a quirk about wanting "Battle Monkeys" because hilarity ensues with Halfling barbarian and monkeys but Monkeys are actually pretty savage in the books and could definitely aid me in battle.
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Old 01-10-2019, 06:00 PM   #9
evileeyore
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Default Re: Small But Fierce

Quote:
Originally Posted by Black Leviathan View Post
... not being able to take advantage of terrain or reach or really do anything but run in stabbing ...
I'm not saying you're doing Berserk wrong, but there is no reason you can't take advantage of terrain and reach, while running in and stabbing. You can stop at your Reach. You can also choose your targets, two or more at the same distance? Take your pick. Facing more than one? Finish off the weak one.

You can also Move and Attack every turn, run in, attack and then finish by continuing to move away. This gives you your Dodge and keeps you from being pinned down in melee. This is really kinda against the RIA... but it's totally Raw and fun to boot (but works better if you can slam your foes with impunity).

Last edited by evileeyore; 01-10-2019 at 06:05 PM.
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Old 01-11-2019, 12:57 PM   #10
Black Leviathan
 
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Default Re: Small But Fierce

My GM isn't so generous. Generally I can move towards a target, All-Out-Attack a target or move-and-attack. Generally any movement that doesn't bring me into range of a target or give me an attack that isn't obstructed isn't allowed in a berserk state. No retreat no defense, no targeting, no maneuvering for advantage.
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