Judo is a striking skill

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by MrFix

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Conclusion: Judo can make strikes with hands, legs, fist loads and strikers as they're used by DX.

Bonuses:
- Combined skill level/point spending.
- In some situations, easier to acquire perks if Judo is the only style skill.

Downsides:
- No striking techniques or perks out of the box.
- No damage bonus
- Attacks at Reach 1 cannot be used with Judo, so kick is reduced to C range only.

Am I going nuts?

I think you're reading too much into it. DX as a substitute for Brawling, Karate and/or Boxing is default use of a punch, kick or bite as well as indicating default use of the two weapons you've named. Knowing Judo does not prevent you from making those default attacks, but neither does the ability to make those default non-Judo attacks make Judo into a striking skill.

What Judo does allow is that in Close Combat, if your Judo skill is greater than your DX, then, in that limited circumstance, you benefit by being more likely to connect with a punch, kick or bite or with a sap or stun gun. It may err on the side of generosity, it could have read you may substitute Judo -1 or Judo-2 for DX.

It reflects an argument that having to operate in close vicinity to your opponent in order to throw him, which is a principal use of Judo, you should be able to spot and make more effective use of any opportunities to kick, punch or bite at close quarters than your DX would otherwise suggest. Which still doesn't make Judo a striking skill, it just gives you a better default use of strikes under those limited circumstances.