[MA] Best dirty-fighting style for a callous weakling?

[vicky_molokh]

Greetings, all!

This is something I've been wondering for quite a while. I often play ST 8 skinny characters, yet want to keep them relevant for (unarmed) combat. Dizzy from the New Guy movie comes close to the idea. So, what would be the best style - either official or custom - that would capitalize on ruthlessness (Nutcracker comes to mind) and the other three attributes instead of ST? Preferably a Brawling-based one, to get results before the 25-point mark (and even that seems excessive for character point totals comparable to high school students, like in the movie). I assume that some level of Cinematic-ness is required for full effect, but I'm wondering what can be done without - and definitely without TbaM!

Thanks in advance to all who answer.

[giganerds]

Combat Wrestling, focusing more in Brawling (with the target attacks techniques and eye-attacks of the style) and Judo (with diarming and/or arm lock). Wrestling is secondary, more usefull to get bonus in ST to break free (althought you can buy power grapple out of the style).

[Maz]

Are you going to fight people with weapons?
Are you going to fight people with more skill or just more ST?

Are you looking for a specific style or just "a good build" ?

Are you able to use common "dirty fighting weapons, such as roll of quaters, steeltipped boots, sock o' brick, handfull of sand? And other improvised weapons? Or does it "have" to be unarmed.

How many points do you have to play around with? "less than 25 pts" ?


[edit] a pointy thing in the eye of the opponent can quickly end a fight (and the sight of the other). A callous person wouldn't care.

[aesir23]

Chi Na might be really cool, it's more about pain than injury IRL, but it can be very effective. Finger Locks don't rely on a lot of strength, but can be incapacitating and vicious. Add the street lens if you really thing you need brawling, but I don't think brawling's very effective for low ST characters, myself.
If the GM's feeling generous, you could even buy a perk to have access to pressure points in a realistic game, which would definitely give you an edge.

Alternately: Krav Maga, some brutally effective techniques like Eye Rake and stamp kick, plus the improvised weapons perk to get some extra damage out of your striking techniques.

[aesir23]

I designed this style for a fantasy campaign, it might work for you with a little tweaking.

Gutter Fight 5
This style began was invented by the legendary King of Rags, lord of the beggars. He spent a lifetime learning to survive on the streets, eventually he began to pass on the myriad of skills and dirty tricks he picked up along the way. The motto of gutter fight is, “stay alive by any means necessary”. This often means doing as much damage as you can before running away.
Skills: Brawling, Knife, Running, Wrestling
Techniques: Ear Clap, Elbow Strike, Evade, Eye Gauging, Eye Rake, Head Butt, Knee Strike, Reverse Grip (Knife), Targeted Attack (Knee Strike/Groin), Trip, Uppercut
Cinematic Skills: Blind Fighting
Cinematic Techniques: none
Perks: Drunken Fighting, Improvised Weapon (Brawling), Improvised Weapon (knife), Skill Adaptation (Evade defaults to wrestling)

Optional Traits: Acrobatics, Climbing, Disguise, Hold Out, Pick-Pocket, Urban Survival

[Maz]

Originally Posted by aesir23

Optional Traits: Acrobatics, Climbing, Disguise, Hold Out, Pick-Pocket, Urban Survival

Panhandling?

[PK]

Originally Posted by aesir23

I designed this style for a fantasy campaign, it might work for you with a little tweaking.

Gutter Fight 5
This style began was invented by the legendary King of Rags, lord of the beggars. He spent a lifetime learning to survive on the streets, eventually he began to pass on the myriad of skills and dirty tricks he picked up along the way. The motto of gutter fight is, “stay alive by any means necessary”. This often means doing as much damage as you can before running away.
Skills: Brawling, Knife, Running, Wrestling
Techniques: Ear Clap, Elbow Strike, Evade, Eye Gauging, Eye Rake, Head Butt, Knee Strike, Reverse Grip (Knife), Targeted Attack (Knee Strike/Groin), Trip, Uppercut
Cinematic Skills: Blind Fighting
Cinematic Techniques: none
Perks: Drunken Fighting, Improvised Weapon (Brawling), Improvised Weapon (knife), Skill Adaptation (Evade defaults to wrestling)

Optional Traits: Acrobatics, Climbing, Disguise, Hold Out, Pick-Pocket, Urban Survival

I'd definitely agree that this style fits what Molokh is looking for. Wrestling is a better fit than Judo IMO because of the ST bonus at high skill levels -- and the SA perk for Evade fits with Kromm's advice (buy Evade up!) I'd add TA (Knife Thrust/Eye) to the techniques as well, and Enhanced Dodge and Increased Basic Move to the optional traits. (For Molokh's needs, not for the style in general -- I think the style is nice as it is.)

And as everyone keeps saying, don't pass over Running. If you have a high DX, you might just need a point in it, but since it breaks ties if you and your pursuer are the same Move, it's not optional for a character who can't take a lot of abuse.

[Xan]

How about this one:

[25] points
---------------------------
Attribute Modifiers: ST-2 [-20]; DX+1 [20].
Secondary Characteristics Modifiers: Basic Move+2 [10].

Advantages: Flexibility [5].
Perks: Technique Mastery (Arm Lock) [1].

Disadvatages: Callous [-5]; Skinny [-5].

Skills: Arm Lock (A) Judo+6 [6]; Brawling (E) DX+2 [4]; Judo (H) DX [4], Evade (A) Judo+5 [5].

Your main "damaging attack" is to parry and then use Arm Lock. With a base-DX 11 it is at 17, thus you can inflict some serious damage with it and with a broken opponent's arm - the fight is usually over after your first successful attempt. Arm Lock is my favorite technique because even with low ST you're not relying on brute strength and/or melee weaponry. You have Brawling for striking (and with damage bonus, because every +1 at 1d-3 counts). Flexibility to help you to get out of enemy grapples and to fit in narrow escape routes where those bulkies won't follow. Pretty nice defense/runaway when anything goes wrong with high Evade and Move. If you would like to spend more than [25] point-budget on this, I recommend to learn Wrestling for another +2 ST bonus which will be very helpful in your case. You will be at 13 "grappling ST" and that would quite surprise me if I would be fighting a small-skinny-weakling-pile.

[chris1982]

I'd use a fistload or sap to improve damage a bit and focus on hit locations that are unarmored (face, groin). With a fistload at least the ST 8 guy will do the same dama as a ST 10 guy with brawling...

[chris1982]

Originally Posted by Xan

Your main "damaging attack" is to parry and then use Arm Lock.

Good idea, but finger lock might be even nicer since it cripples the hand quite fast...