[Plane]

You know what's weird? B223 mentions Sumo Wrestling "represents any training at grabbing, shoving, and tripping" but I don't think Tripping was introduced until MA81 so this must have referred to B232's "Sweeping Kick" which aside from Sumo, can also be done with Judo or Karate although neither of them mention tripping like Sumo does.

When MA81 revisited "Sweep" in addition to clarifying that "Sweeping Kick" can be done at reach C,1 like a kick (Basic Set didn't mention that) it also added the "stiff arm" option for J/K/S ("upper body" is neck or head, I guess it's attacker's choice) and a grappling option for J/S ("a pull in a clinch") and also a "Brawling" option but only for those who have Strikers.

I assume whether the striker hits the legs (like a sweeping kick) or neck/head (like a clothesline) would depend on where it originates, tails would probably work like legs while heavy ponytails would probably work like arms. You'd have to attach something level with where your striker originates.

Originally Posted by Ultraviolet

Trip specifically states it is a defence against a Slam, so it can work om somebody running directly towards you.

"cause a two-legged foe to stumble and miss with a slam" does not actually specify who it is you can target with it. That appears to come later:

you can use Trip to intercept someone running past you (not merely stepping) within a yard

The "not merely stepping" I think might prohibit using it against even someone who uses 2 steps due to Committed Attack, or who is able to perform a 2-step retreat via a technique.

Originally Posted by Ultraviolet

I assume it involved a minimum of sidestepping (within your hex) or twisting out of the way - otherwise you'll get hit.

Or: you need to dodge a Slam as normal, but then once you do so, it causes the Slam to run past you and you are able to then use a parry to Trip them.

It doesn't mention Sideslip, but I assume that would be ok.[/quote]
It does mention it:

You can’t retreat for a bonus, either – or use a Slip or Sideslip (see Retreat Options, pp. 123-124).

I'm not sure if "for a bonus" means you CAN retreat (but don't get the bonus of +1 to parry from Wrestling/Sumo or +3 to parry from Judo) or not. If it's an absolute prohibition against retreats: is that just against the slamming attacker, or no retreats at all that turn? If the 2nd, would that mean you can't do a Trip if you've already retreated?

What about stuff that disables retreats anyway (so you lose nothing) such as Move and Attack, Committed Attack, or if you've performed a Leg Parry or a Sacrificial Dodge?

Originally Posted by Ultraviolet

I'm not interesting in free attacks instead of a parry, that sounds abusive.

Naw, or they wouldn't have introduced "Aggressive Parry".

Originally Posted by Ultraviolet

If you wanted to do that, you should call a Wait action and then attack of Sweep someone running past you with a long weapon.

That would be less effective than a Trip, since Trips cause a roll to avoid falling down on a successful active defense (2 roll process) while a Sweep requires 4 rolls (that you hit, that they don't successfully actively defend, that you win a quick contest, AND they fail an Acrobatics-5 roll.

Originally Posted by Ultraviolet

But Trip as written allows you to intercept-trip someone running past you, in your hex or an adjacent one. I know you need to think logical about it, so you'd need to notice the runner before it was too late, so someone may run past your back.

If we were to apply perception checks to notice what people were doing in combat, I'd do that across the board rather than just this situation. I think somewhere in Pyramid that had been suggested as an intrinsic +10 to perception modified by speed/range table?

Originally Posted by Ultraviolet

I'll allow a Trip on a parry versus at attacker moving 2+ yards towards you, not just Slams

I'm not sure about ALL situations like that. You might Move and Attack and come to a complete stop and attack someone, for example.

It would already apply when doing a Shield Rush or when doing Slams with Long Weapons.

I wonder if perhaps Flying Tackle / Pounce should be an exception... if you are culminating in a LEAP (to get +1 to reach) then it seems like you should come to a stop on the ground if your target dodges you, rather than stumble a couple yards.

It would probably be good for an attacker to specify whether or not they are maintaining momentum at the end of a Move/M+A maneuver. If they are, they get the +20% (or more, with Enhanced Move) bonus on their next turn due to Sprinting, but would be trippable. If they're not, then they shouldn't be trippable. So there would be a benefit/drawback to either option.

Slams would automatically be acceleration-maintained if you moved 2+ yards and had remaining Movement Points when you hit the target, according to Basic Set rules.

It's too bad Technical Grappling didn't mention Trip :( I think it would fall under "balance upsetting moves" that some stuff (like Perfect Balance) gives bonuses against, pretty much anything where Sweep was mentioned.

Originally Posted by ericthered

If you wish to knock someone over when they're not moving, its a sweep. Sweep feels a lot more like the trip mechanics in other games, and its exceptionally versatile. The real limitation is that its a -3 technique. I've had a player who sprung for it though, and the results were awesome. I wouldn't call that situation unarmed though: It was generally used in close quarters combat aboard a spaceship in full armor.

We could do a custom technique (like how a shove converts to a punch-like "slap" at -1) where for Boxers/Brawlers/Karateka an Aggressive Parry (-1) becomes a "Clothesline Parry" at -2, and for Brawlers/Karateka a "Jam" at -1 becomes a "Sweeping Jam" at -2.

An additional -1 (ie a technique adaptation perk) to make it available to the grappling forms which don't get Jams/Aggressive Parries...

Or for the grappling-based version of sweep ("pull in a clinch") just have it default to a Grabbing Parry / Escaping Parry but instead of attacking to inflict/remove control points, it attacks as a low-power sweep.

Since an Aggressive Parry or Jam does -2 damage (equivalent to -4 to ST) compared to punch/elbow or kick/kneestrike, for the contest when it says "your Sweep or ST vs. your
victim’s ST or DX" a -4 in that contest for "free sweep upon a successful parry" would be fair and balanced with how those work.