Which martial arts are great for speedsters?

[Ragitsu]

If you were choosing a martial arts style from Martial Arts for a speedster, which one(s) would it/they be and why?

[Celjabba]

capoeira, an 'always in motion' style, is my first idea.

otherwise...
few or little impaling weapon, that may get stuck.
No grappling/wrestling.
a good ranged skill
are, in my opinion, primary.

perhaps a mounted skill favoring cutting curved weapon and bow ?
(replacing the riding skill with extra move).

Furusiyya, possibly.
naginatajutsu could be deadly, with some shurikenjutsu on the side

Force-swordmanship, obviously.

Hope this help

Celjabba

[panton41]

Originally Posted by Celjabba

No grappling/wrestling.
a good ranged skill
are, in my opinion, primary.

The main character of the video game Mirror's Edge uses Judo extensively, mostly in the form of tosses and grapples and holds leading to using her or the attacker's momentum to do damage. In addition if she does get a weapon (normally guns, I don't know if the game engine even allows blades) she has one magazine then tosses it.

She also has Karate and Acrobatics, which allow for some pretty nifty running and jumping attacks when combined.

I'll admit it's one of the few games that I think is probably more difficult to control with a keyboard because while the mouselook is great, your fingers and thumb get quite a work out trying to do what it takes to press three or four keys in the right order with the right timing.

[Ragitsu]

Faith is agile, but not a speedster.

[Jasonft]

Grappling would seen to lose many of the tactical advantages of being a speedster, but throws and strikes (armed or unarmed) would benefit.

Aikido would seem to work quite well but I might be biased on account of a Youtube clip I saw recently where the founder of the discipline did a demonstration against four opponents. It was absurd how easily he was throwing them around the mat.

[Celjabba]

When i said no grappling, i was thinking to avoid Close Combat, as being grappled negate your advantage.

But i was thinking of a fast running-speedster.
For a fast acting speedster (ATR), it is something else.

Celjabba

[B9anders]

Originally Posted by Celjabba

few or little impaling weapon, that may get stuck.

I disagree. Consider the option in MA for move and attack that allows for using slam damage instead of thrusting damage with such weapons. Combine it with a technique that won't hold to the skill cap of 9 and you have a deadly speedster. For weapons getting stuck, there are ways around that. I am already imagining a shoulder quiver full of javelins, a perk for allowing fast-draw with them and he will simply be leaving the things in his opponents as he races by.

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

If you were choosing a martial arts style from Martial Arts for a speedster, which one(s) would it/they be and why?

It would depend heavily on how the speeding was built in order to avoid duplication of abilities. Quarterstaff or spear dueling may be the best defensive option as it makes it harder for the speedster to be grappled and nullify their huge movement advantage.

If you're shopping for cinematic powers, arts with lightwalk will effectively muffle the tell-tale footpatter below the speed of sound giving you the element of surprise, and Zen forms may enhance your awareness the better to detect wire traps and other special hazards of high speed running.

[vitruvian]

A speedster-specific art with a Running Attack technique (Flying Attack minus the jump) so you can do full Move in combat without the skill cap.

[Ragitsu]

Originally Posted by jeff_wilson

If you're shopping for cinematic powers, arts with lightwalk will effectively muffle the tell-tale footpatter below the speed of sound giving you the element of surprise, and Zen forms may enhance your awareness the better to detect wire traps and other special hazards of high speed running.

By the way, HOW does a speedster with Stealth mask their approach when they are going to break the sound barrier?