[MH] Warrior w/ Fist! How to optimize and explore its full potential?

[Carlos]

"Do be aware that fighting monsters barehanded does put the champion at a bit of a disadvantage."

A player could mix the Big Guy or Fast Guy adjusted template (200 pts) from Action 3: Furious Fist with one of the +200 lenses from Monster Hunter 4: Sidekicks, specializing in one unarmed skill (most likely Karate, which has a good synergy with the Bladed Hand fist weapon) and add some powers (Bioenhancement, Psionic, Mysticism or even Magic) as a complement.

However, since Monster Hunter: Power-ups 1 brought us a new version of the Fist! wildcard and the Fist and Foot Warrior, I was wondering how to make the best bang for your buck using this kind of character, exploring the arsenal of options from all the unarmed combat skill (Brawling, Boxing, Karate, Judo, Wrestling and Sumo Wrestling) to it's full potential: punches, elbow/knee strikes, fancy kicks while wearing heavy armor, Judo Throw, Arm Lock, Wrestling "brute" technique, bites and slams are some examples that came to my mind.

Gigantism seems to be a good disadvantage to add, not only because you can save -10% while buying ST, Striking ST and HP, but because a greater SM gives bonus to bites (MA115), pins/chokes (B370-371), gives +1 to reach for your punches (B402) and possible other things that I may be overlooking (please, feel free to mention it).

In any case, all these unarmed maneuvers and techniques are not very effective against most monsters, unless you have ST 25, Striking ST 5, Lifting ST 5 and higher levels of Fist!. And even in that case, a Swing cutting strike is just better because it does more damage, so the Bladed Hand is handy here. And a SM+1 character could use a pair of SM+2 Bladed Hands (Min ST 6 x 2.5 (SM+1) = 15) with specially fitted grips (LT2, p.21) for a SM+1 character.

All things said, here comes a few questions:

1. Would it still be possible to use the unarmed maneuvers/techniques mentioned above while wielding a pair of oversized Bladed Hands?
2. Is there any way to increase the Bladed Hand's min ST even further without increasing its size even further?
3. Any hints, advices or insights on how to use Fist! to its maximum potential, besides what I mentioned above?

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Carlos

Would it still be possible to use the unarmed maneuvers/techniques mentioned above while wielding a pair of oversized Bladed Hands?

I forget if it was Martial Arts, Low Tech, or even Technical Grappling, but somewhere in GURPS canon is an Armed Grappling Technique, which lets you use a weapon for grappling, I believe at -2 or so to skill. IIRC, Wildcard skills typically give you all the Techniques for free, so I'd say Fist lets you grapple using the Bladed Hand without issue. Elbow strikes, kicks, and bites obviously won't benefit from such a weapon (although it may be possible to strap a weapon based on the Bladed Hand to your foot), and things like exotic/lethal hand strike don't make much sense, but I'd say most Techniques would be doable.

Originally Posted by Carlos

Is there any way to increase the Bladed Hand's min ST even further without increasing its size even further?

LTC2 has rules for scaling weapons up to the match the ST of their user. This does include an increase to Reach, but I've always treated that as optional - you can increase a weapon's weight by making it wider and thicker (and/or incorporating other materials into it, like weighing down the bladed hand's grip with lead) without needing to make it longer.

Originally Posted by Carlos

Any hints, advices or insights on how to use Fist! to its maximum potential, besides what I mentioned above?

Use Aggressive Parry to cause damage to someone who strikes you unarmed (or to damage their weapon if they strike you while armed), use Judo (included in Fist!) to do an Arm Lock (which doesn't require an existing grapple if you're following up from a Parry), then throw them using Throws From Locks, doing Swing damage to their arm based on having the ST granted to you from Wrestling (again, included in Fist!). With Trained by a Master and/or Weapon Master, you should be able to lock and throw as a Rapid Strike at only -3 to hit. Because you have done the Arm Lock using a cutting weapon, you should be able to justify the throw dealing cutting damage to the target's limb. So anyone who attacks you gets thrown to the ground and their arm likely sliced/ripped off... and if their arm survives, they still can't use it, because you've got it locked up, and can do another Throw From Lock next round.

Do an Armed Slam Flying Tackle. Armed Slam means you deal the bladed hand's thrust damage type (imp IIRC) but using your slam damage rather than thr, you arguably should benefit both from the bonus damage of Karate and the bonus to a Slam from using Sumo Wrestling, and the fact it's a tackle sets you up to do all manner of grappling mischief with Judo and Wrestling. I believe Armed Slams also have the benefit of not harming you, unlike a typical Slam. You'll want a high movement rate for maximum effect, but that's useful for someone who relies on unarmed skills anyway.

There are undoubtedly other nasty combinations available.

[Refplace]

Judo Throws after a Parry are good, avoid giving them a chance to break out before you go as with a grab than Parry. And getting a foe on the ground is nice all around.
Martial Arts has I believe a bit on Locks from Throws. which can be handy for increasing damage (Swing) to limbs or the neck.
Vampires are typically Unliving but still have most hit locations, making a throw from the neck effective.
Brass Knuckles are cheaper to give special treatment like silver than most other weapons.
The Tonfa can take damage bonuses from Fist! as it does from Brawling.