TranzFuzion

Martial Arts. Kung Fu kicks, Karate chops-or, at the most esoteric and powerful levels, Ki strikes that slam an opponent with the force of the master's sheer will. As a Martial Artist, you have had training in a specialized Martial Art, allowing you to use Martial Arts techniques, as well as perhaps building your own Martial Arts style of combat with new techniques if your GM (and campaign) permits.

How Common Are Martial Arts in Your Campaign?
Don't just assume everyone in your game is a Streetfighting, Mortal-Buttkickin' Ninja Teenager. Remember, up until the 1960's, almost no one in Western culture knew anything about Martial Arts; there were few schools and what few there were didn't often admit non- Asians. By the mid 80's, Martial Arts schools (thanks to guys like Bruce Lee) were pretty much everywhere. Yet over in the far East, there were literally thousands of martial arts schools, sub-schools and styles.

The Martial Arts Multiplier (above) reflects this by allowing you to set the cost of buying Martial Arts in your campaign; you can make them cheap or expensive, depending on the setting and availability. Here are a few guidelines:

Very Rare: Settings like the Old West, Victorian England, Pre- Industrial Europe.

Uncommon: Settings like Post WW II America, Victorian Far Eastern Colonial settings (Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Macao, Shanghai, Manila), or in any place where Martial Arts are restricted by ethnicity, culture, military or religious reasons.

Common: Today's Western cultures; all Asian cultures throughout time, most science fiction settings, or in any setting where Martial Arts training is commercially available to everyone.

Chinese Action: Everyone not only has martial arts, but everyone is a would-be kung-fu master. Examples would be any Chinese action flick styled campaign, any samurai film-styled setting and most animé campaigns.

To determine the OP cost to buy Martial Arts training, simply multiply the overall cost of the training (next page) by the multiplier for your campaign setting. Example: buying Karate has a base cost of 9 in a Martial-Arts common culture (like 1990s California). However, in a Martial Arts Uncommon setting (like 1870s Tokyo, where few schools will teach non-Japanese), the price would double to 18.

Pick a School
Once you establish your campaign's Martial Arts level, the next thing is to pick what kind of schools of Martial Arts will be available. The list below are of the most common types of martial arts studied today:

Aikido: This is a Japanese art founded in 1942 by Morihei Uehiba and derived from the earlier Aikijutsu. It stresses discipline and a nonviolent attitude. The art, as practiced in combat, concentrates on balance, rhythm and use of an opponent's force against himself. It largely involves redirecting an opponent's energies, especially in throws and takedown maneuvers.

Kung Fu: Kung Fu, in Chinese, simply means "hard work" or "skill." Kung Fu is a very fragmented art, with innumerable different styles and techniques. The Kung Fu style listed here is a "generic" style, concentrating on strikes (both hand and feet) and specialized weapons.

Karate: Karate was developed from the same ancient traditions that led to the development of Kung Fu. By the fifth century AD, on the Okinawa Islands, a weaponless combat style called te ("hand") had developed. Later, when the teachings of the Shaolin Temple in China were carried to Okinawa, some of the Shaolin techniques were infused with the te art. Karate is much like Kung Fu, but has fewer techniques.

Judo: This Japanese art grew out of the integration of the weapons techniques of katori shinto ryu and grappling techniques during the 15th century. The usual Judo technique involves bearing an opponent to the ground and then pinning him there or rendering him unconscious. The art utilizes hip throws, shoulder and neck locks, and a sacrifice body drop.

Wrestling: Wrestling, as a martial art, dates back into prehistory. In history, famous examples of wrestling arts include the wrestling practiced in Greece, China, and India from their earliest recorded histories. Wrestling continues today as a popular collegiate and professional sport.The version here can be defined as either realistic wrestling or the showier style of TV's "pro" wrestling.

StreetFighting: This a generic martial art practiced by many superheroes and Hollywood Tough Guys. It can be used to simulate someone who learned to fight on the streets.

Can't Find Something You Like?
Get creative! You can either rename an existing school to make it sound more interesting, or even build your own using the various techniques listed on the next page (each technique costs 1.5 points).

Example: Chas wants to build a futuristic fighting form called MoK-To, based on the planet Aldebaran. He builds it using Martial Block, Martial Dodge, Nerve Strike, and Ki Strike; his total cost is 6 Option Points. His GM further rules that since MoK-To is restricted to only the Shadow Monks of Aldebaran, Chas must either adventure there to convince the monks to teach him, or spend the multiplier for Uncommon (x2) raising the overall cost to 12 points.

Fist of the- What?
In animé, video games and some martial arts films, martial arts also include incredible feats of levitation, energy blasts and mind control. These are better simulated by using the Powers and Mental Powers plug-in's of Fuzion to create powers which are then grouped and purchased (on a point basis) like regular Martial Arts training.

What Do I Get for the Points?
In addition to the techniques of their schools (you can take more than one), all characters with Martial Artists abilities may increase the power of their attacks by taking the option of Extra Damage. This allows the character to do more damage with martial arts maneuvers than his Strength might otherwise indicate. Each level of Extra Damage purchased adds +1D6 damage or +1 STR to the effect of the maneuver, as appropriate. Extra Damage Costs 2 Option Points per level.

Basic Strike: The character has been trained in how to deliver an attack with greater force than a normal punch. They add 1D6 to their normal STR-based damage, +2 to DEX.

Breakfall: The character has been trained how to fall without hurting himself, and can roll to his feet from most falls.

Defensive Strike: This attack is more of a probe than a full-out attack. It can represent a jab, a quick strike, or any other attack where the attacker is more concerned about defending himself than really damaging his opponent. Adds +1 to REF, +3 to DEX.

Ki Strike: With the proper training, and proper strength of will, some characters can make hand-to-hand attacks at range. As it is difficult to project your ki over a great distance, the damage of this attack decreases with distance.

Killing Strike: This attacks allows the character to do killing damage attacks without using a weapon. A Killing Strike can be striking a limb to break it, a throat or kidney punch, the classic "karate chop," or any other appropriate type of blow.

Kung Fu Weapons: The character is trained in the use of martial arts weapons, and can use these weapons with his martial arts Actions.

Martial Block: This is a trained block. A character with this maneuver is very good at blocking melee attacks. Adds +2 to DEX, REF

Martial Disarm: The character has been trained to knock weapons (and other objects) out of his foes' hands. A disarm will only affect items that are held with one hand; two-handed objects must be grabbed away. +2 to STR during the maneuver.

Martial Dodge: You've practiced getting out of the way of attacks. This dodge will work against ranged as well as melee attacks. Adds +5 to DEX for dodging purposes that phase

Martial Escape: You've been taught how to get out of even the strongest grab or hold, adding +3 to your STR for escape purposes

Martial Grab: The character has been trained on how to grab and hold his foes.

Martial Throw: Instead of striking, a character with the Martial Artist Talent may declare he is throwing his opponent. The attacker makes a normal attack. If it is successful, he throws the target to the ground and does his normal Strength Damage. After being thrown, the defender is prone, and must act after the attacker next round regardless of their Initiative rolls. A thrown target may not use his Athletics skill to automatically roll to his feet; he must spend one action instead.

Nerve Strike: This is a strike targeted at the vulnerable nerve clusters of the human body. As such, the target does not get his SD versus this attack. Since a good deal of accuracy is needed to land these blows, the attacker must spend at least one round aiming at his target before using this attack. Does 2D6 damage, at -2REF

Offensive Strike: This is an all-out attempt to mangle your target. An Offensive Strike covers a flying kick, a full-out haymaker punch, or any other full out style attack. Adds +2D6 to basic strike, at -2 REF, +1 DEX.

Sacrifice Throw: This maneuver represents any move where the attacker falls to take down his opponent. It can be a judo throw, a sliding takedown, a football tackle, or any other move where both the attacker and his target end up on the ground. Martial Throw, with +2 to REF, Target and Attacker both knocked prone. If this attack missed, the attacker is on the ground at the feet of his opponent anyway. Not a good place to be.