stacking

[chris1982]

Originally Posted by Johnny Angel

What are some other instances in GURPS when bonuses don't stack?

Sorry but how about using a bit of common sense?

Does it make sense to have brawling, boxing and karate at DX+2 to get a +5 bonus to damage? No

Does it make sense that people react even more positive to someone who is attractive and has a great voice? Yes

You don't even need any rules to figure that out...

[Johnny Angel]

Originally Posted by chris1982

Sorry but how about using a bit of common sense?

Does it make sense to have brawling, boxing and karate at DX+2 to get a +5 bonus to damage? No

Does it make sense that people react even more positive to someone who is attractive and has a great voice? Yes

You don't even need any rules to figure that out...

First and foremost, by this point I know the answer is no.

To what I bolded, personally, I'd say yes and no to whether or not it makes sense. From a game balance perspective it may not necessarily make sense, but from a RL perspective I'd say it could make sense. Learning striking techniques from several different styles and then combining them into a superior striking technique is something which both is possible and has been done before.

Mayhaps it does not directly convert into more damage due to striking power, but often there is some overlap between the fighting styles of a fighter who knows multiple styles. Specifically, on the subject of grappling -since I mentioned that as well- I definately do think it makes sense that learning multiple philosophies of grappling (wrestling and judo have a very different mindset behind why certain moves are used) would make someone a more proficient grappler. The body is a weapon just like anything else. If learning multiple shooting techniques can make you a better marksman, and learning multiple sword techniques can make you a better swordsman, I don't feel that it lacks common sense to feel that learning multiple unarmed combat techniques would lead to being a better unarmed combatant.

So how would knowing multiple skills lead to more damage? Although I imagine most of the benefits of being proficient in multiple skills would not directly convert to damage, as I previously briefly mentioned, it's not all that unreasonable (to me at least) to think that a brawler who learned boxing punch mechanics would be able to apply and adapt those punch mechanics to non-boxing style punches. If for some reason that seems totally crazy, well, then, sorry I rocked your world with such a ridiculous thought. GURPS doesn't have bonus types like other games I play do, so excuse me for being new to the system; everyone hasn't started with GURPS. Also, not all things in games are always based on common sense.


note: There are some areas of this post in which I use the terms "techniques" and "styles" in a different manner from which the GURPS rulebooks use those terms.

[Captain-Captain]

Hmmm... normallly not a chance in hell. But just to keep this thread going a bit further. Suppose the guy has a physical version of compartmentalized mind and can wrestle and judo simultaneously? ;)

[Ulzgoroth]

I'm pretty sure this comes down to not understanding what the skills really mean. Which isn't particularly strange, since their names are rather deceptive and their partitioning less than ideal.

Judo is a body of techniques (locks, throws, and parries, mostly). The same goes for any other combat skill. Boxing and Brawling are somewhat odd WRT how things are split up, but the principle remains. Brawling includes 'you know how to hit', boxing has 'you know how to punch well', and karate has 'you know how to hit well'. I don't think there's anything that you learn about hitting people from either of the lesser skills that isn't included in Karate.

As for the mechanical common sense, the damage/ST bonuses are understood to only apply to the use of the skill they come from. But off the top of my head I don't know how obvious the text makes this.

Originally Posted by Captain-Captain

Hmmm... normallly not a chance in hell. But just to keep this thread going a bit further. Suppose the guy has a physical version of compartmentalized mind and can wrestle and judo simultaneously? ;)

What does that even mean? If anything?

[Ragitsu]

They indeed can stack.

[Anaraxes]

the guy has a physical version of compartmentalized mind and can wrestle and judo simultaneously?

If he's also got Extra Attacks, then you can attack with two different skills and thus get both bonuses in one round, one bonus to each attack.


GURPS 4e FAQ:

3.4.5.6 I have multiple skills that gives a damage bonus to unarmed attacks. Do the bonus stack?
No. Use only the damage bonus of the specified skill you're using.


3.3.2 I have two skills that give a bonus to a single attribute check (for example, wrestling and sumo wrestling skills both give a bonus to my ST). Do they stack?
No. Bonuses from skills almost never accumulate. You use the best one only.

[Maz]

Originally Posted by Ragitsu

They indeed can stack.

Now, your just being contrary! ;)

[Captain-Captain]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

I'm pretty sure this comes down to not understanding what the skills really mean. Which isn't particularly strange, since their names are rather deceptive and their partitioning less than ideal.

Judo is a body of techniques (locks, throws, and parries, mostly). The same goes for any other combat skill. Boxing and Brawling are somewhat odd WRT how things are split up, but the principle remains. Brawling includes 'you know how to hit', boxing has 'you know how to punch well', and karate has 'you know how to hit well'. I don't think there's anything that you learn about hitting people from either of the lesser skills that isn't included in Karate.

As for the mechanical common sense, the damage/ST bonuses are understood to only apply to the use of the skill they come from. But off the top of my head I don't know how obvious the text makes this.

What does that even mean? If anything?

It's speaks for itself. Particularly this mark: " ;)"

[chris1982]

Originally Posted by Johnny Angel

Learning striking techniques from several different styles and then combining them into a superior striking technique is something which both is possible and has been done before.

Not really...

[carllarson]

Originally Posted by chris1982

Not really...

Tell that to Fairbarn and Lee.

Not that I think GURPS should allow such, its probably outside the granularity.