Brawling: Martial Arts?

[Noven]

I keep seeing this specialization around here on character sheets, and I was wondering what benefits does taking it over brawling provide besides its faster/cheaper to train up?

[Gry Sarth]

Check out "Rules of Engagement - The Rebel SpecForce Guidebook", it details the mechanics of Martial Arts. basically you get to perform specific moves that help you in combat.
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"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[Noven]

[Gry Sarth]

Because you only use it when performing the specific "Martial Arts Techniques" you've learned, and you only aquire 1 new technique per 1D of increased skill. So, for example, you have the martial arts specialization and have learned the "Foot Sweep" technique. That means you will only roll Martial Arts when performing a foot sweep, when punching, kicking, parrying, headbutting, anything else, it's just Brawling.
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"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[Lostboy]

Their are other martial art forms like Nogri martial arts, Teres Kasi Martial arts and an un specified form dealing with pressure points listed int the Dark-Stryder box set.

[Rerun941]

I am trying out a house rule I've developed where Martial Arts is an Advanced skill with a prerequisite of Brawling 5D.

For each D of Martial Arts (A) you get to choose a move from the list in Rules of Engagement. Also, since you are learning advanced techniques of martial arts, it helps when you use a typical punch/kick (Brawling).

IMO, a specialization of Brawling would be a particular move: (e.g. punch/kick). Just like other specializations LIMIT your expertise.

Martial Arts is an Advanced Skill. It's something you cannot do without special training. (like Medicine or Engineering)
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Han - "How're we doin'?"
Luke - "Same as always."
Han - "That bad, huh?"

[Lostboy]

Makes sense.

[cheshire]

Take a look at the link in my signature. There is a pdf that someone made of martial arts forms that are based very closely on the official WEG martial arts without actually duplicating them.
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Before we take any of this too seriously, just remember that in the middle episode a little rubber puppet moves a spaceship with his mind.

[Delkarnu]

[garhkal]

For me, i like havin it be 2 options. Go with generic martial arts that do str+1d damage when you hit, or go with the rules of engagement style martial arts. The former is a specialty, while the latter is an advanced skill.
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[jmanski]

We use the SpecForce method but allow the Martial Arts specialization for all brawling attacks. The thinking is that martial arts makes one powerful in hand to hand combat.

To each his own- the way you handle Martial Arts should fit with the campaign.
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Blasted rules. Why can't they just be perfect?

[enderandrew]

[Delkarnu]

Looking at the basic R&E rules, Martial Arts is a specialization, which you can raise at half the cost, but unlike other specializations, this one doesn't really have a downside and can easily become way too overpowered.

If you use the Optional Rules in Rules of Engagement and only use the martial arts skill for the 1 action you learned per D, it seems that it gets too underpowered, a hero with 3D Str, 4D brawling, and 10D Martial arts, (10D being listed as one of the best in a sector) you would only know 6 moves. I really dont see the best martial artist in a sector only knowing 6 moves.

Martial Arts as an Advanced Skill. This is probably the best compromise proposed so far, but has some disadvantages to me. I agree that knowing martial arts will add to your basic fighting ability, makes sense but doesn't explain why somone with 4D+2 brawling cannot try a foot sweep, since that is a martial arts skill. We would also need to look at the difficulty numbers and redo them to make them achievable (A headbutt is an Easy, which is 2D to do most of the time, but doesn't seem like you need 5D brawling +2D martial arts to do a headbutt)

None of these seem like ideal solutions IMO.

What if we just get rid of brawling and brawling parry completely, and just use Martial Arts as the basic skill.

You are trained in basic martial arts techniques, and can attempt any of the techniques. Since most of them require an opposed roll anyway, it shouldn't get overpowered. If anything, since they intended those difficulties for the specialization, they become slightly more difficult to achieve because you have to raise the skill at full cost.

Specializations could be offense (inflicting regular damage), submission (grapples and holds to subdue a person without injury), throws, or specific styles that have a set of skills they focus on. A few of the techniques would need to be modified for balance (weapon block for one), but most of the others seem to be an ok balance.

thoughts?
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This new hand, it's a fightin' hand!

[obidancer]

I'd just throw a Gambit.


:::: turning around quickly::::
"Did you hear something? did someone say something?"
:::: drawing the blaster::::
"Something is weird here, I have a bad feeling about this..."


jk.
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Malicia "Rogue" Darkholmes - Character in Alcon's Thractin Campaign

[Delkarnu]