Which martial arts are great for speedsters?

[Johnny Angel]

Depending on the campaign and how Pro-Wrestling is viewed as a style in the campaign, I could see a speedster using some Lucha Libre moves such as plaunchas, flying head scissors, and etc.

Boxing might be a good style for a speedster as well; if by speedster you're referring to a fast acting speedster, boxing would be excellent. Having super-human hand speed combined with boxing combinations would be brutal.

Pak Hok seems somewhat appropriate for a speedster as well.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by jeff_wilson

That's three of your turns where you are stationary and have one or both hands occupied.

First, not necessarily both. Arm Locks are doable with one arm (I'm not sure if they're doable with teeth as per MA - been a while).

Also, while you stand in place, you essentially trade your three attacks to make an enemy go out of combat with good reliability (a downed foe with a broken arm against a speedster? come on). With Active Defenses, you can usually skip the first attack. You certainly want Unusual Setup [sp?] (Dodge -> Arm Lock).

The important bit is that Judo allows a weak speedster to leverage extra attacks into a way to bypass the high ST/DR of tanks (though arm lock gets less effective against them). The stunning throw also works based on HT, so it can be of some utility against enemies who have so much HP that you can't meaningfully threaten them with Karate (i.e. several tens of HP or more).

[zorg]

I'd consider Boxing (possibly from playing too much Tekken 5). Boxers - at least light and middle weight - can make lots of quick jabs, weave and duck, and generally look agile. Prince Naseem comes to mind. Now, Prince Naseem with super-powered speed would be a fun character (or villain), imo.

[B9anders]

Originally Posted by Celjabba

few or little impaling weapon, that may get stuck.

I disagree. Consider the option in MA for move and attack that allows for using slam damage instead of thrusting damage with such weapons. Combine it with a technique that won't hold to the skill cap of 9 and you have a deadly speedster. For weapons getting stuck, there are ways around that. I am already imagining a shoulder quiver full of javelins, a perk for allowing fast-draw with them and he will simply be leaving the things in his opponents as he races by.

[Humabout]

Originally Posted by jeff_wilson

That's three of your turns where you are stationary and have one or both hands occupied.

Extra Attack 2? Combinations? ATR 2? AOA (Double) + Rapid Attack?

Four options right there that don't require standing still for three turns. For that matter, two of them don't require a speedster build at all. AOA still allows up to half move, Extra Attack 2 still lets you defend normally, a combination lets you do it all just fine as an attack, and ATR 2 is just ATR 2.

[B9anders]

Originally Posted by Humabout

Mind you, none of this even takes into account the free grapple from a judo parry

You don't get a free grapple from a judo parry, AFAIK.

[Humabout]

Sorry about the brainfart. It just gives you the option to make a judo throw on yoru next turn. Don't know where my head was.

[davidtmoore]

Probably back in 3e, where the grapple was (IIRC) immediate.

Yeah, I'm assuming a fast-mover, with lots of BS, then lots of additional BM, then several levels of EM on top of that. ATR and ETS as well, but to get a proper supersonic speedster you're committed to high levels of EM or an unmanageably expensive character. I know the Flash travels at light speed and can stop in an instant, but he is pretty much an unmanageably expensive character; thus, EM.

So if you've got a real head of speed on, you're probably going at more than your BM and can't slow to a stop in one turn. You're therefore committed to Move and Attack or All-Out Attack with Slam most turns. So grapples not much use; strikes, sweeps and slams most effective.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by davidtmoore

Probably back in 3e, where the grapple was (IIRC) immediate.

Yeah, I'm assuming a fast-mover, with lots of BS, then lots of additional BM, then several levels of EM on top of that. ATR and ETS as well, but to get a proper supersonic speedster you're committed to high levels of EM or an unmanageably expensive character. I know the Flash travels at light speed and can stop in an instant, but he is pretty much an unmanageably expensive character; thus, EM.

So if you've got a real head of speed on, you're probably going at more than your BM and can't slow to a stop in one turn. You're therefore committed to Move and Attack or All-Out Attack with Slam most turns. So grapples not much use; strikes, sweeps and slams most effective.

Yep. the Flash is one of the top tier Supers in a 4 color universe and while he is and should be buildable in GURPS he is very very high end.

by the way remember you can take the enhancements Instant Acceleration and Unlimited maneuverability on some levels of EM not just all of it.

[Ragitsu]

The Flash is perfectly handled with GURPS in most respects. Just because you'll be running a game with high point totals doesn't mean he is "unmanageably expensive" any more than Superman or Green Lantern.

Also, it depends on the version of The Flash you're using: the TV series version could probably be statted for under seven-hundred points.