[MA] Styles for Myth campaign

[Dunadin777]

UPDATED 1/26/2011: Minor tweaks; explained the nature of the Heron Guard's special combination.

I just bought MA this past week, and as such I think I'd like to make a few specific Martial Arts styles for the campaign I'm running. Here are the bare bones of the first two styles--just a description with a vague idea of what I expect of them. If you have any suggestions for filling in the gaps, please share your thoughts. I don't personally care about cinematic skills or techniques for my campaign, but if you have good suggestions for those fields, I'll put them in to make the styles more complete for general use.

(Format stolen from Icelander's style posts)


Two Arms for the Emperor
'Twisclifrunga' (lit. 'double clawing talons')
(Dual-broadsword Military Style) 3 points
The Heron Guard are the immortal order of the Emperor's guard. For more than eleven hundred years, the Heron have safe-guarded the rightful bearer of the Ibis Crown. During this time, the Heron have secured long life-spans from their patron deity, along with the power to heal. In war, the Heron Guard employ their unique abilities in the form of wise fanaticism--attacking fiercely without abandoning the wisdom of their years.

The martial art of the Heron is based upon terrible, swift action. Wielding two of the Heron's finely crafted talon-swords, a practitioner of this martial art is trained to keep both of his swords in constant motion. This style favors parries over dodging attacks or giving ground to the enemy, and it encourages vicious counter-attacks to the foe's weapon and arms. This fighting form is exclusively taught and used amongst the Heron Guard, and they would react harshly if a member of the Order of Regan were to teach it to outsiders.
Skills: Broadsword;Theology(Regan).
Techniques: Counterattack(broadsword); Feint(broadsword); Combination attack(talon-sword/riposte + talon-sword/weapon); Combination attack* (talon-sword/thrust/vitals + talon-sword/thrust/vitals + talon-sword/swing/vitals); Dual-weapon Attack(broadsword)**.
Cinematic Skills: To be filled in.
Cinematic Techniques: Dual-weapon Attack(broadsword).
Perks: Off-hand weapon training(broadsword); Unusual Training (May Learn Broadsword DWA vs 1 Target Only); Weapon Bond (talon-swords; must be bought for each).
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: Extra Willpower.
Advantages: Ambidexterity; Power Investiture(Regan) with Longevity at first level and healing spells later; Reputation; Social Regard (Feared and Venerated).
Disadvantages: Code of Honor(more-or-less chivalrous); Vow(protect the people of the Cath Bruig); Fanaticism(for the Emperor).
Skills: Savoir Faire(military); Soldier; Tactics.
Techniques: To be filled in.

*Special Attack. Each of the first two thrusting attacks embed the sword into the target's body. The swords are considered unready for all purposes except for the third attack in the combination, and removing them otherwise requires a Ready maneuver and a ST roll
** Needs Unusual Training perk.

Legion Wolf-and-Hound
'Bordwacen' (lit. 'shield vigil')
(Broadsword-and-shield Military Style) 3 points
In the hundred and twenty years since the Avatara founded the Legion, it has seen more than its share of war. Equipped, trained, and finally led into battle by the most powerful mages known amongst the free world, the Legion began as an elite force tasked with stopping the hordes of undead overwhelming the tattered Cath Bruig Empire. While mustered from the humblest of origins, the common warrior of the Legion is far and away more reliable than the dissonant militias they replaced and yet still a far cry from the militant perfection of the Heron Guard.

Bordwacen was developed as an easy-to-train method of fighting undead hordes with a disciplined core of troops. Nicknamed Wolf-and-Hound by the old dogs of the Legion, this form is about waiting out your opponent, finding an opening, and then exploiting that opening to make a deliberate attack without over-extending yourself. Soldiers are trained to fight in close quarters, whether in enclosed spaces or shoulder-to-shoulder in a 'picket fence' of swords and shields. Used against living opponents, the simple rigor of this art makes it rather predictable and limited, but warriors still manage to best their average counterpart.
Skills: Broadsword; Shield.
Techniques: Close Combat(broadsword); Feint(shield); Targeted Attack (Broadsword/swing/Neck).
Cinematic Skills: To be filled in.
Cinematic Techniques: To be filled in.
Perks: Shield-wall Training; Sure-footed(uneven); Teamwork.
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: To be filled in.
Advantages: Fearlessness 1 or 2.
Disadvantages: Duty.
Skills: Hazardous Materials/TL3 (magical); Hiking; Soldier; Tactics.
Techniques: To be filled in.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Dunadin777

I just bought MA this past week

Congratulations!

Originally Posted by Dunadin777

Here are the bare bones of the first two styles--just a description with a vague idea of what I expect of them. If you have any suggestions for filling in the gaps, please share your thoughts.

Two Arms for the Emperor
'Twisclifrunga' (lit. 'double clawing talons')
(Dual-broadsword Military Style) 3 points
The Heron Guard are the immortal order of the Emperor's guard. For more than eleven hundred years, the Heron have safe-guarded the rightful bearer of the Ibis Crown. During this time, the Heron have secured long life-spans from their patron deity, along with the power to heal. In war, the Heron Guard employ their unique abilities in the form of wise fanaticism--attacking fiercely without abandoning the wisdom of their years.

The martial art of the Heron is based upon terrible, swift action. Wielding two of the Heron's finely crafted talon-swords, a practitioner of this martial art is trained to keep both of his swords in constant motion. This style favors parries over dodging attacks or giving ground to the enemy, and it encourages vicious counter-attacks to the foe's weapon and arms. This fighting form is exclusively taught and used amongst the Heron Guard, and they would react harshly if a member of the Order of Regan were to teach it to outsiders.
Skills: Broadsword; Theology (Patron Deity);
Techniques: Counterattack (Broadsword); Dual-Weapon Attack (Broadsword);
Cinematic Skills: To be filled in.
Cinematic Techniques: Dual-Weapon Attack (Broadsword);
Perks: Off-hand Weapon Training (Broadsword); Unusual Training (May Learn Broadsword DWA vs 1 Target Only); Weapon Bond (Swords; Must Be Bought Twice For Both)
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: Extra Willpower;
Advantages: Ambidexterity; "Healing" Powers; Longevity; Reputation; Social Regard (Feared or Venerated);
Disadvantages: Code Of Honor; Fanaticism;
Skills: Savoir-Faire (Military); Soldier; Tactics;
Techniques: To be filled in.

Here's what I'd do for this... Pretty much as-described, with the goodies that immediately spring to mind plus a soft focus on the "holy warrior" aspect that makes it stand out. Don't miss the Cross-Parry rule on MA p 121.

Originally Posted by Dunadin777

Legion Wolf-and-Hound
'Bordwacen' (lit. 'shield vigil')
(Broadsword-and-shield Military Style) 3 points
In the hundred and twenty years since the Avatara founded the Legion, it has seen more than its share of war. Equipped, trained, and finally led into battle by the most powerful mages known amongst the free world, the Legion began as an elite force tasked with stopping the hordes of undead overwhelming the tattered Cath Bruig Empire. While mustered from the humblest of origins, the common warrior of the Legion is far and away more reliable than the dissonant militias they replaced and yet still a far cry from the militant perfection of the Heron Guard.

Bordwacen was developed as an easy-to-train method of fighting undead hordes with a disciplined core of troops. Nicknamed Wolf-and-Hound by the old dogs of the Legion, this form is about waiting out your opponent, finding an opening, and then exploiting that opening to make a deliberate attack without over-extending yourself. Soldiers are trained to fight in close quarters, whether in enclosed spaces or shoulder-to-shoulder in a 'picket fence' of swords and shields. Used against living opponents, the simple rigor of this art makes it rather predictable and limited, but warriors still manage to best their average counterpart.
Skills: Broadsword; Shield;
Techniques: Close Combat (Broadsword); Feint (Shield);
Cinematic Skills: To be filled in.
Cinematic Techniques: To be filled in.
Perks: Shield Wall Training; Sure-Footed (Uneven); Teamwork;
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: To be filled in.
Advantages: Fearlessness; Magic Resistance;
Disadvantages: To be filled in.
Skills: Hazardous Materials/TL (Magical); Hiking; Soldier; Tactics;
Techniques: To be filled in.

Pretty much by the numbers; it's Sword-N-Shield optimized for close quarters and cooperation. You can waive the normal Perk limits for Shield Wall Training and allow it to anybody with Style Familiarity if you want, since it's key to the style. Feint is included for the ol' reliable "shield Beat to set up a strike by the guy next to me" method. Be sure to add an appropriate Targeted Attack if there is some reliable way of killing the undead horde of the setting without chopping them into hamburger, such as a thrust to the heart or decapitation.

[Dunadin777]

Thanks for the great suggestions, Gold & Appel! I used most of your write-up, with just a few tweaks along the lines you suggested.

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

Here's what I'd do for this... Pretty much as-described, with the goodies that immediately spring to mind plus a soft focus on the "holy warrior" aspect that makes it stand out. Don't miss the Cross-Parry rule on MA p 121.

Very good call on playing up the "holy warrior" aspect. I specified the Theology skill to Regan, their patron god, and I rolled the Longevity and Healing powers into abilities granted by Power Investiture(Regan), I specified the nature of their code of honor, their fanaticism, and I added a Vow. IDHMBWM, but I seem to recall that Dual-Weapon Attack is a cinematic option, so I left it in the cinematic techniques field.

I added riposte, since that attack seems both characterful and effective to the style. For a signature move against deadly foes, I envision a Heron impaling an enemy through the gut with both talon-swords and then scissoring them outward to truncate the enemy. Does the combination move fit that vision, in your opinion? As a non-lethal signature move, I have the other combo, which involves a feint followed by an attack to disarm the opponent.

Pretty much by the numbers; it's Sword-N-Shield optimized for close quarters and cooperation. You can waive the normal Perk limits for Shield Wall Training and allow it to anybody with Style Familiarity if you want, since it's key to the style. Feint is included for the ol' reliable "shield Beat to set up a strike by the guy next to me" method. Be sure to add an appropriate Targeted Attack if there is some reliable way of killing the undead horde of the setting without chopping them into hamburger, such as a thrust to the heart or decapitation.

Yeah, I'd say that the shield-wall perk is almost a prerequisite for this style, so if a PC was just learning the style, they could train in it immediately. And the warriors of the Legion would definitely use shield-beats with frinedly support. For the Targeted Attack, the undead are susceptible to decapitation, so that is a perfect candidate for the signature move.

I passed on Magic Resistance, since the members of the Legion are more inured to fighting the effects of magic(undead) than they are personally equipped to fight necromancers and sorcerors. If anything, that would be closer to the Heron Guard's role. Your suggestion of Hazardous Materials (magical) is really on the nose, though, as many companies of the Legion have learned how to dispose of the fallen undead, how to handle dangerous artifacts, and they now make a habit of fortifying their graveyards.

Those first two look fairly complete, so I'll probably be posting another two styles' outlines soon.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Dunadin777

IDHMBWM, but I seem to recall that Dual-Weapon Attack is a cinematic option, so I left it in the cinematic techniques field.

Yeah, it's a cinematic technique for everything except pistols - I listed it in both rows because the Unusual Training perk makes it available in a non-cinematic game, but in a cinematic game it'd be available without the perk.

Originally Posted by Dunadin777

For a signature move against deadly foes, I envision a Heron impaling an enemy through the gut with both talon-swords and then scissoring them outward to truncate the enemy. Does the combination move fit that vision, in your opinion?

Looks fine to me, except that you can't target a cutting swing at the vitals, so it'll either have to hit the general torso or get called a thrust mechanically even though it doesn't look like one aesthetically.

[Dunadin777]

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

Yeah, it's a cinematic technique for everything except pistols - I listed it in both rows because the Unusual Training perk makes it available in a non-cinematic game, but in a cinematic game it'd be available without the perk.

Ah, I suppose that's more reasonable, then. I tend to be sharply biased against anything labeled cinematic, but I really do want to see dual-weapon attacks get more coverage.

Looks fine to me, except that you can't target a cutting swing at the vitals, so it'll either have to hit the general torso or get called a thrust mechanically even though it doesn't look like one aesthetically.

That's true, but I think that a swinging attack to the vitals better approximates the damage of the final part of the attack. As a house-ruled special combo, I figure that each of the first two thrusts results in the swords becoming stuck--at that point, they have to finish the attack or make a Ready maneuver and ST roll to free the swords. This might be a dramatic gamble for fighting homogenous creatures--if they aren't truncated immediately, they'll have both your swords, and won't be terribly affected by the first two steps of the attack. I could see a Stygian Knight(armor-golem) strangling a Heron Guard even as two swords are buried up to the hilt in his midriff. The only problem to my way of thinking is that I don't think the third attack should have much chance of failing or being defended against. Suggestions of how to represent this(Telegraphic?) and keep it balanced to a traditional Combination attack would be welcome.

[Dunadin777]

UPDATED 1/27/2011: Numerous little tweaks and changes based on Gold & Appel's feedback.

Here are the next two styles, with a bit more starting direction on their representation. Both are for the Northmen--a race of men that have a lot in common with the demonized historical perception of Vikings and medieval Celts.

Northern Bone-breaking
'Bruskalle Storarm' (lit. 'Broken skull and strong-arm')
(Brutal Wrestling Style) 4 points
The Northmen of Norheim are a hardy, renowned breed. Accustomed to living in the frosty highlands and coastal villages of their rugged nation, Northmen find violence in sports and daily living as well as their brutal approach to combat. Their favorite sports have a large tendency towards killing, maiming, or at least injuring each other, and Bruskalle Storarm--their favored wrestling style--is no exception.

This wrestling style is about cruel grapples and hard hits. Northmen view fighting half-heartedly as a sign of weakness or timid character, and they don't embrace either characteristic, so even when this style is employed between drunken clan-mates, things can get serious. Broken bones and deep contusions are the common result of this being used in 'sport', and death is almost invariably its result when applied in a sober state of mind.
Skills: Brawling; Wrestling; Carousing.
Techniques: Head-butt; Arm Lock; Wrench Limb; Uppercut; Stomp; Tarteted Attack (Head Butt/face); Combination (Wrestling Grapple/Torso + Head Butt/face); Combination (Wrestling Grapple/Torso + Knee Strike/Groin + Uppercut/Face).
Cinematic Skills: To be filled in.
Cinematic Techniques: To be filled in.
Perks: Ground-fighting, Power Grappling, Special Exercises(tough skin DR 1), Neck Control, Improvised Weapons(brawling), Drunken Fighting(cinematic only).
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: To be filled in.
Advantages: To be filled in.
Disadvantages: To be filled in.
Skills: To be filled in.
Techniques: To be filled in.


Sword and Shoulder
'Boskablad' (lit. 'Bull-sword')
(Two-handed Greatsword Combat Style) 4 points
The Berserkers of Norheim have been an essential part of the Legion's success over the past two centuries. Accustomed to living in the frosty highlands and coastal villages of their rugged nation, Northmen find violence in sports and daily living as well as their brutal approach to combat. Going into battle with little more than their boots and a sword--even in the winter of the lower Provinces--they are reliable scouts, fast runners, and devastating shock troops.

The Berserkers' fighting style revolves around aggressive, exclusive use of the claymore and the ferocious character of the North. Covered in scars and battle-paint, Berkerkers swing their swords in devastating, large arcs that would be considered clumsy if not for the speed and power between each hit. Without armor to rely upon, Berserkers use lunges and charges to get into combat, while quickly dodging incoming attacks. If a clever foe closes the gap, trying to get within their sword-swings, a practicioner of Boskablad will often improvise with a head-butt or quick kick to stagger their enemy back into the claymore's path.
Skills: Two-handed Greatsword; Brawling; Running.
Techniques: Spinning Attack; Head Butt; Push Kick; Combination (Push Kick/Torso + Greatsword/thrust/Torso).
Cinematic Skills: To be filled in.
Cinematic Techniques: To be filled in.
Perks: Extra Option: Arrow-proof Nudity(cinematic only).
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: increased HT.
Advantages: Increased Temperature Tolerance, Enhanced Parry.
Disadvantages: Vow(no armor).
Skills: To be filled in.
Techniques: To be filled in.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Dunadin777

UPDATED 1/25/2011:

Techniques: Riposte

Looks good to me, except that Riposte is a new standard combat option, not a Technique that can be bought up.

Originally Posted by Dunadin777

Targeted Attack (Broadsword/Neck)

Gotta be specific with this one - I'm assuming you want TA (Broadsword Swing / Neck) here?

[Dunadin777]

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

Looks good to me, except that Riposte is a new standard combat option, not a Technique that can be bought up.



Gotta be specific with this one - I'm assuming you want TA (Broadsword Swing / Neck) here?

Yep and yep. Changed, and thanks for the quick response!