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

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

That's equally true of any combattant big or small.

Yeah, but it's significantly easier if you have a major advantage over your opponent at something, such as Big Guy has over Small Guy in grappling.

[rcarter]

High Move/speed.

Enhanced Dodge

Enhanced Move.


Dodge + Run Away

[rosignol]

Originally Posted by rcarter

High Move/speed.

Enhanced Dodge

Enhanced Move.


Dodge + Run Away

Yup. I'm currently playing a mage in a fantasy game. He carries a staff, but has yet to swing it at anyone (the game has been going on for ~2 years now). It's all about being able to parry the first swing... after which he outruns the armor-plated mook swinging the pointy thing

IMO, if you're going to buy down ST, spend the first 10 on +2 move.

[giganerds]

While I agree with some arguments here, I'm skinny and problably ST bellow 10, I never be strong and never win strength contest. But I already train Jiu Jitsu and I often put down most of the newbies "big" oponnents without too much effort. I only get in throuble with the experienced and the very faster.

I run some fights a year ago, and some high DX guys don't where touched by the big ones because of high skills and high basic move. Although neither has any attribute bellow 10.

[Þorkell]

If you can, use a shotgun.

[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...

[giganerds]

Originally Posted by 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, ...

With this stats your parry wil be (11/2)+3 = 8, a low parry score! This needs a lot of retreat and Feverish Defence to be effective, mainly if the attacker uses deceptive attacks. And if you start grappling you will have to handle the thing with an Judo 11 and ST 8. Another thing, there is a break free between the lock and the damage events, and the character has ST 8!

Can I suggest this modifications?

[25] points
---------------------------
Attribute Modifiers [0]: ST-2 [-20]; DX+1 [20].

Advantages [5]: Flexibility [5].
Perks [1]: Power Grapple [1].

Disadvatages [-10]: Callous [-5]; Skinny [-5].

Skills [26]: Brawling (E) DX+1 [2]-12; Judo (H) DX+5 [24]-16;
Techniques [3]: Arm Lock (A) Judo+3 [3]-19

With Judo 16, the parry score goes to (16/2)+3 = 11. It's more reasonable to parry retreating or with double parry option (14 and 13, or 16 if use all together). Then use a arm lock with deceptive attack option (We all must remember, this is an attack so your hand can be parried by a weapon) down the skill to 11 (-4 to parry) or 13 (-3 to parry, but better odds to roll).

In the next turn he ca break free, so Power Grapple helps you doing a ST+5 (13) againts *whatever*-4 from the attacker.

At the end, on the your next turn, broke the arm with a Arm Lock-18 vs best of the attacker ST or HT.

Brawling is most for some backup or to hit the groin after a succesfull crippling arm lock, use this with a knee strike you you grapple the oponnet from the front, this exchange the -3 from hit location to a mere -1 from the technique, rolling a 11 (good enougth). Remember, your opponent is grappled, so he defend with -4. You can enhance the chances to hit with Telegraphics attacks too.

you have a skill 16, to avoid been grappled, and if its not suffice, you can break free with ST+5(Judo)+3(Flexibility) or 16!

If you insist in avoid fight some times, drop Judo to 15 and maximize evade (Evade (A) Judo+4 [4]-19) and exchange Flexibility to +1 Move. You will have -1 in all rolls above, and break free with 13, but can avoid almost any fighter.

[giganerds]

Another possibility is base the character in a weapon like smallsword with a stick and make arm locks with it. It's not strength dependent and receive a +2 bonus in the contests.