[MA] Finger Lock - what's the point?

[vicky_molokh]

Greetings, all!

I'm looking at the Finger Lock technique, and I'm trying to figure why anyone living in our world (without ogres etc.) would want to learn it: it is a Hard technique that defaults to Arm Lock -3, and cripples the hand at >(HP/3) instead of >(HP/2). It requires an enemy with HP18+, to require 6 instead of 9 damage for a crippling, i.e. an economy of 3 damage done . . . but at this point you still deal 3 less damage due to the -3 default. And it's a Hard technique, meaning that you need to throw [2] at it to get a +1 to it, [4] for +3. And if you don't improve it to the maximum, you also have to account for the fact that you still have a lower chance to succeed at the initial grapple-lock than if using Arm Lock. Since Arm Lock is Average, you only ever want to improve Finger Lock after you maxed out Arm Lock, and if you have access to Technique Mastery (Arm Lock), you take that instead of a Hard secondary-default technique, because it provides greater versatility at the same cost. Oh, and the technique penalty means worse armour penetration, where relevant, too. Oh, and FL takes fewer total HP, even when it is as good for crippling purposes, which also translates to less Shock too. Worse for Causing Pain With Locks too. And harder to use Pressure Points, which fully disable the whole arm anyway. Oh, and a crippled hand still means the enemy can use elbow strikes and other handless tricks.

So: why would anyone want to learn Finger Lock? And why would anyone use it at default either?
Thanks in advance!