[MA] Finishing Moves

[LoneWolf23k]

Finally got GURPS Martial Arts, and already I was curious.. Does it show you how to construct Finishing Move type maneuvers?

[Verjigorm]

What kind of finishing move?

For the styles I'm most interested in, the finishing moves are inherent: Targeted Attack(Longsword Thrust Chinks/Vitals), or best handled as maneuvers and options: I've smashed my opponents kneecap with my mace. I kneel down, raise my mace above my head and smash it into his temple(Committed Attack(determined) or AoA(Determined) and Telegraphic Attack, target: skull).

[tbrock1031]

Originally Posted by Verjigorm

What kind of finishing move?

For the styles I'm most interested in, the finishing moves are inherent: Targeted Attack(Longsword Thrust Chinks/Vitals), or best handled as maneuvers and options: I've smashed my opponents kneecap with my mace. I kneel down, raise my mace above my head and smash it into his temple(Committed Attack(determined) or AoA(Determined) and Telegraphic Attack, target: skull).

Not to mention certain techniques are essentially finishing moves on their own: Piledriver, Backbreaker, etc.

[Verjigorm]

Or Richtor's favorite: The one handed strangle. Sure, it may not kill someone in one turn, but when Richtor Strongarm got ahold of your neck, it generally meant you were done for. He was *only* ST 17 when using one hand to choke you to death. It usually took a number of rounds, but it got the job done.

[Rev. Pee Kitty]

A "finishing move" is typically a technique based on All-Out Attack, sometimes one which even requires an extra turn of setup, to be used when your opponent is totally vulnerable.

And yes, GURPS Martial Arts comes preloaded with several, including the Piledriver and Backbreakers already mentioned. It also comes with a wonderful toolkit to design your own technique if you can't find a finisher you like.

Example:

Final Blow (Hard)
Default: prerequisite skill-6
Prerequisite: Any appropriate Melee Weapon skill; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.

This is a powerful attack designed to maximize the chances of knocking out (or killing) an opponent; it is designed to end a fight by any means necessary. Final Blow is a special All-Out Attack option -- use these rules instead of the usual ones for that maneuver. It involves swinging your weapon from far behind your body, towards the ground, and then up into the jaw of your opponent.

To execute a Final Blow, you must be holding a weapon capable of inflicting swing/crushing damage. The back-and-forth swing requires a full second to execute -- you may not make any additional attacks on a turn in which you use Final Blow, nor may you even Step or Move. On a success, if your opponent fails to defend, you inflict swing/crushing damage to his jaw (p. 137) at +4 damage or +2 damage per die, whichever is better! (Due to the odd angle of attack, a miss by 1 does not hit the torso..) Even one point of damage requires a HT-1 roll to avoid knockdown, and a major wound requires a HT-6 roll, modified normally by High/Low Pain Threshold.

As Final Blow is normally used against a stunned opponent, it is commonly delivered as a Telegraphic Attack. Its lack of subtlety makes it impossible to be used as a Deceptive Attack -- in fact, if you use it on an opponent more than once in a given battle, he defends against it at +1! Regardless, you have no defenses on the turn after executing or attempting a Final Blow.

(The build: +0 for AOA(Strong), -6 for the Jaw, -4 for +2 damage, +1 for not hitting the torso on a near-miss, +1 for cannot step or move, +1 for cannot take multiple attacks, +1 for the lack of subtlety = -6. Only half the hit location penalty may be bought off, but the +4 in drawbacks can more than cover the remainder of it, allowing it to go all the way to full prereq level.)