Difference between revisions of "Martial-Arts Maneuvers"

Revision as of 18:38, 6 August 2023

General

Throw

Having grappled an opponent (or used a counter throw), the martial artist slams them into a convenient surface. In game terms, the attacker needs a Dexterity + Martial-Arts dice pool equal to, or higher than, their opponent’s Dexterity. With a successful roll, the martial artist can throw an opponent up to one yard for each success they scores on their attack roll.

So long as the martial artist has a straight shot at the location, they can choose where their opponent lands. When they land, they takes damage based on the martial artist's strength. If they'd been charging at the time they were thrown, the impact also inflicts an additional +1 die for every 10 feet they’d been traveling at the time (+10 dice maximum).

If the impact inflicts more than three health levels in damage (after soaking), the opponent must make a Stamina roll (difficulty 8) or else be stunned for one turn.

Should the martial artist throw one opponent into another one, the flying enemy inflicts one die bashing damage for each point of Stamina he has, plus one additional die for the momentum and impact if one or both of the opponents were moving at the time. (A Stamina 3 bad guy, for example, who’d just run 20 feet before being thrown would inflict five dice of bashing damage on his buddy.) Throwing one opponent into another one adds +2 to the roll’s difficulty for that throw, but it does indeed smash two birds with one throw.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts (any style) 2
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: hard 7/ soft 6
Damage: Strength + movement/B Actions: 1

Counter Throw

Directing an attacker’s momentum against him, the martial artist sends him flying into the nearest wall… or the ground… or worse. A basic soft-style maneuver, this remains an effective technique. When the martial artist is attacked, make a resisted roll of Dexterity + Martial Arts against the attacker’s Dexterity + Brawl, Melee, or Martial Arts (depending on the Ability that the opponent is using to attack). If you score more successes than your attacker does, then you deflect the attack and may – immediately and without having to divide up your dice pool – try to throw him (as below). If you fail the throw, you still sidestep his attack.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 1, Athletics 1 (soft style)
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 6
Damage: As Throw Actions: 1

Death Strike

Aiming a rigid hand at an organ, joint, or other incapacitating location, the attacker directs devastating force at that target. This strike inflicts lethal damage.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 3 (hard style)
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 5
Damage: Strength +2/L Actions: 1

Deflecting Block

Evading an attacker’s blow, the martial artist redirects the attacker’s force against her. In game terms, the defender rolls Dexterity + Martial Arts in Phase Two: Defense. Each success subtracts one success from the attacker’s roll. If the defender scores more successes than his attacker, then the attacker must roll Dexterity (difficulty 8) or else fall to the ground (or smash into a nearby surface), taking her own Strength in bashing damage.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 2 (soft style), Athletics or Acrobatics 2
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 6
Damage: Attacker’s Strength/B Actions: 1

Dragon Tail Sweep

A spinning leg sweep that knocks an opponent sprawling. In game terms, the effects work like a throw, but the martial artist doesn’t need to grab her opponent first.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 1 (hard style), Athletics or Acrobatics 1
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 8
Damage: Opponent’s Strength/B Actions: 1

Elbow/ Knee Strike

A quick, brutal blow with an elbow or kneecap, usually directed at a vulnerable spot at close range.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 1 (any style)
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 5
Damage: Strength +1/B Actions: 1

Flying Kick

Leaping through the air, the martial artist combines her body weight and momentum into a powerful blow.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 1 (hard style), Athletics or Acrobatics 1
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 7
Damage: Strength +2/B Actions: 1

Hard Strike/ Soft Strike

Here’s a basic combat blow, focused with more skill than a wild punch. The hard variant involves a clenched fist or rigid fingers (the Tiger Claw technique), whereas a soft blow typically involves tripping the opponent or otherwise using his own force to hurt him.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 1 (any style)
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: hard 5/ soft 6
Damage: Strength +1/B Actions: 1

Joint Lock

Having already grappled his opponent, the martial artist applies pressure to joints and pressure points. If he chooses to exert force against that spot, he can dislocate or break limbs, joints, or possibly even the neck. The player rolls Dexterity + Martial Arts to grapple his opponent (see Grapple, above), then may immediately (without dividing his dice pool between attacks) roll Dexterity + Martial Arts to inflict damage. Each success rolled inflicts one health level’s worth of lethal injury.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 2 (any style), Athletics or Acrobatics 2
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 5
Damage: Successes/L Actions: 1

Nerve/ Pressure Point Strike

Targeting a vital location, the martial artist directs precision force against it. If the attacker scores at least three successes to hit his opponent, then the opponent must make a Stamina roll (difficulty 8) or else be stunned on the next turn. A botch on that roll stuns her for three turns instead.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 3 (any style)
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 7
Damage: Strength +3/B Actions: 1

Snake Step

Shifting away from the blow, our martial artist deftly sidesteps a close or ranged attack. Naturally, he must be able to see it coming first. This maneuver acts as a dodge, with a thee-dice bonus and Dexterity + Martial Arts as the dice pool involved.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 1 (any style), Athletics or Acrobatics 1
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: hard 6/soft 5
Damage: N/A Actions: 1

Snap Kick

Focusing her energy on a simple yet effective kick, the martial artist directs her lower body strength into the blow.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 1 (hard style)
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 5
Damage: Strength +1/B Actions: 1

Spinning Kick

Our martial artist spins around and plants a solid kick into the object of his attention.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 2 (hard style), Athletics or Acrobatics 2
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 6
Damage: Strength +3/B Actions: 1

Thunder Kick

A devastating flying kick. Hurling himself through the air, the martial artist focuses his chi and mass into a strike potent enough to end most fights immediately. In game terms, each success adds one additional die to the kick’s damage. A character cannot use the Thunder Kick more than once every five turns, however, as it demands intense focus and commitment to the blow.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts (hard style) 3 Athletics or Acrobatics 2
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 7
Damage: Strength +3 + successes/B Actions: 1

Vital Strike

A sharp-handed blow to an organ or joint inflicts lethal injury.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts (hard style) 2
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 7
Damage: Strength/L Actions: 1

Withering Grasp

Grabbing his foe in a painful hold, the martial artist inflicts damage and may disarm her as well. To get the weapon from an enemy’s hand, the martial artist must score at least three successes; with five successes, he can take it away from her and use it himself in a following turn.

Minimum Ability: Martial Arts (soft style) 3
Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 7
Damage: Strength/B Actions: 1

Back to Combat Rules

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 ===Throw===
-After the target is successfully grappled, an expert Brawler can attempt to throw the target to the ground with a successful Dexterity + Brawl roll. Damage dice pool is equal to the target's Strength.  Three or more damage will stun the target.  The target then suffers a two-die penalty for the number of turns equal to the level of damage inflicted.
+Having grappled an opponent (or used a counter throw), the martial artist slams them into a convenient surface. In game terms, the attacker needs a Dexterity + Martial-Arts dice pool equal to, or higher than, their opponent’s Dexterity. With a successful roll, the martial artist can throw an opponent up to one yard for each success they scores on their attack roll.
+So long as the martial artist has a straight shot at the location, they can choose where their opponent lands. When they land, they takes damage based on the martial artist's strength. If they'd been charging at the time they were thrown, the impact also inflicts an additional +1 die for every 10 feet they’d been traveling at the time (+10 dice maximum).
-==Hard Style==
+If the impact inflicts more than three health levels in damage (after soaking), the opponent must make a Stamina roll (difficulty 8) or else be stunned for one turn.
-===Blow to Pressure Point===
+Should the martial artist throw one opponent into another one, the flying enemy inflicts one die bashing damage for each point of Stamina he has, plus one additional die for the momentum and impact if one or both of the opponents were moving at the time. (A Stamina 3 bad guy, for example, who’d just run 20 feet before being thrown would inflict five dice of bashing damage on his buddy.) Throwing one opponent into another one adds +2 to the roll’s difficulty for that throw, but it does indeed smash two birds with one throw.
-The expert Brawler strikes at pressure points.  Difficulty 8.  Damage: Strength + 3.
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts (any style) 2<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: hard 7/ soft 6<br>
+Damage: Strength + movement/B Actions: 1
-===Damaging Block===
+===Counter Throw===
-When utilizing a block, if the expert Brawler scores at least three successes, they inflict their Strength in damage to the attacker.  Roll for this damage as normal.
+Directing an attacker’s momentum against him, the martial artist sends him flying into the nearest wall… or the ground… or worse. A basic soft-style maneuver, this remains an effective technique. When the martial artist is attacked, make a resisted roll of Dexterity + Martial Arts against the attacker’s Dexterity + Brawl, Melee, or Martial Arts (depending on the Ability that the opponent is using to attack). If you score more successes than your attacker does, then you deflect the attack and may – immediately and without having to divide up your dice pool – try to throw him (as below). If you fail the throw, you still sidestep his attack.
-===Breaking Blow===
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 1, Athletics 1 (soft style)<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 6 <br>
+Damage: As Throw Actions: 1
-One turn for concentration required. An expert Brawler aims his blow. If the blow hits the target, each 2 successes on the attack adds 1 to the damage roll for bashing damage. Drawback: The expert Brawler takes bashing damage equal to half of the attack's damage before soak rolls, rounded down (if Brawler attacks for 7 damage, they accrue a possible 3 damage before soak). It is possible this damage is soaked by both parties. A botch results in the expert Brawler suffering a level of lethal damage and a crippling injury (ie: broken limb).
+===Death Strike===
-===Dragon Tail Sweep===
+Aiming a rigid hand at an organ, joint, or other incapacitating location, the attacker directs devastating force at that target. This strike inflicts lethal damage.
-Treat this action like a Throw, minus the need to grapple. It is a spinning legsweep which can knock the opponent to the ground. Difficulty 8. Damage: Opponent's Strength.
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 3 (hard style)<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 5 <br>
+Damage: Strength +2/L Actions: 1
-===Elbow Strike===
+===Deflecting Block===
-An abrupt forceful strike at close range, usually to the head. Difficulty: 5. Damage: Str+1.
+Evading an attacker’s blow, the martial artist redirects the attacker’s force against her. In game terms, the defender rolls Dexterity + Martial Arts in Phase Two: Defense. Each success subtracts one success from the attacker’s roll. If the defender scores more successes than his attacker, then the attacker must roll Dexterity (difficulty 8) or else fall to the ground (or smash into a nearby surface), taking her own Strength in bashing damage.
-===Ground Fighting===
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 2 (soft style), Athletics or Acrobatics 2<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 6 <br>
+Damage: Attacker’s Strength/B Actions: 1
-Ability to fight normally while crouched or prone with no penalties if the opponents are still in reach.
+===Dragon Tail Sweep===
-===Jump Kick===
+A spinning leg sweep that knocks an opponent sprawling. In game terms, the effects work like a throw, but the martial artist doesn’t need to grab her opponent first.
-Inflicts Bashing damage +2 (Strength + 3) and the difficulty to dodge or otherwise counter is reduced by 1.
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 1 (hard style), Athletics or Acrobatics 1<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 8 <br>
+Damage: Opponent’s Strength/B Actions: 1
-===Killing Blows===
+===Elbow/ Knee Strike===
-No special roll required.  The expert Brawler declares Killing Blows and all damage becomes lethal. This may not be effective for some supernaturals if vital points are difficult or impossible to reach.
+A quick, brutal blow with an elbow or kneecap, usually directed at a vulnerable spot at close range.
-===Ripping Strike===
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 1 (any style)<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 5 <br>
+Damage: Strength +1/B Actions: 1
-Attacks are painful and successful attacks cause opponent's to lose 1 extra die for the remainder of the turn and the next turn. Damage is normal damage, but may cause significant damage with at 5 or greater damage, such as loss of ears, eyes or sections of skin. Storytellers discretion.
+===Flying Kick===
-===Spinning Kick===
+Leaping through the air, the martial artist combines her body weight and momentum into a powerful blow.
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 1 (hard style), Athletics or Acrobatics 1<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 7 <br>
+Damage: Strength +2/B Actions: 1
+===Hard Strike/ Soft Strike===
-Fast, spinning kick. Difficulty 7. Damage: Str+2.
+Here’s a basic combat blow, focused with more skill than a wild punch. The hard variant involves a clenched fist or rigid fingers (the Tiger Claw technique), whereas a soft blow typically involves tripping the opponent or otherwise using his own force to hurt him.
-===Thunder Kick===
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 1 (any style)<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: hard 5/ soft 6 <br>
+Damage: Strength +1/B Actions: 1
-A flying drop kick. Difficulty: 8. Damage: Str+3.
+===Joint Lock===
+Having already grappled his opponent, the martial artist applies pressure to joints and pressure points. If he chooses to exert force against that spot, he can dislocate or break limbs, joints, or possibly even the neck. The player rolls Dexterity + Martial Arts to grapple his opponent (see Grapple, above), then may immediately (without dividing his dice pool between attacks) roll Dexterity + Martial Arts to inflict damage. Each success rolled inflicts one health level’s worth of lethal injury.
-==Soft Style==
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 2 (any style), Athletics or Acrobatics 2<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 5<br>
+Damage: Successes/L Actions: 1
-===Acrobatic Dodge===
+===Nerve/ Pressure Point Strike===
-An expert Brawler may dodge a number of attacks equal to his Acrobatics rating.  This maneuver may not be split with another action nor used in conjunction with power such as Celerity. Roll: Dexterity + Dodge.
+Targeting a vital location, the martial artist directs precision force against it. If the attacker scores at least three successes to hit his opponent, then the
+opponent must make a Stamina roll (difficulty 8) or else be stunned on the next turn. A botch on that roll stuns her for three turns instead.
-===Cataleptic Grapple===
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 3 (any style)<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 7 <br>
+Damage: Strength +3/B Actions: 1
-An expert Brawler must successfully grapple his opponent then rolls Perception + Martial Arts (diff 7) in an extended roll. Each success inflicts one level of unsoakable bashing. This can eventually lead to incapacitation and death. This does not effect Kindred.
+===Snake Step===
-===Counter Throw===
+Shifting away from the blow, our martial artist deftly sidesteps a close or ranged attack. Naturally, he must be able to see it coming first. This maneuver acts as a
+dodge, with a thee-dice bonus and Dexterity + Martial Arts as the dice pool involved.
-The expert Brawler must be attacked. Grappling to throw is not necessary. The expert Brawler makes an opposed roll of Dexterity + Brawl against the opponent's Dexterity + Brawl or Melee (whichever is currently appropriate). If the expert Brawler scores more successes, the attack is deflected and the opponent may immediately be thrown.
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 1 (any style), Athletics or Acrobatics 1<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: hard 6/soft 5 <br>
+Damage: N/A Actions: 1
-===Deflecting Block===
+===Snap Kick===
-The expert Brawler must be attacked. This is a redirection of the attacker's momentum. Roll:  Dexterity + Brawl (diff 6) against the opponent's attack roll. Each of the expert Brawler's success subtracts 1 success from the opponent's roll. If the expert Brawler successes are higher than the opponent's, the opponent must roll Dexterity (diff 8) or fall to the ground and take his own Strength rating as damage.
+Focusing her energy on a simple yet effective kick, the martial artist directs her lower body strength into the blow.
-===Joint Lock===
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 1 (hard style)<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 5 <br>
+Damage: Strength +1/B Actions: 1
-Opponent must be grappled. An expert Brawler uses pressure to joint and pressure points to damage and control the opponent. Broken limbs are possible. Roll to grapple: Dexterity + Brawl. Roll immediately upon successful grapple: Dexterity + Brawl. For each success scored on the second roll, the opponent has 1 Health Level of bashing damage.
+===Spinning Kick===
-===Mantis Strike===
+Our martial artist spins around and plants a solid kick into the object of his attention.
-Open palm hit to important organs, Vitae Centers or other vital areas. Difficulty 7. Damage for Supernatural: Str plus the loss of one vital point: Blood Point.  Damage for Mortal: Str+1 base damage.
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts 2 (hard style), Athletics or Acrobatics 2<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 6 <br>
+Damage: Strength +3/B Actions: 1
-===Push Hands===
+===Thunder Kick===
-The expert brawler, who must be attacked, may defend with this technique. Roll: Dexterity + Brawl (diff 7). If successful, by which is meant that he or she rolls enough successes to negate the attack made against him or her, the attacking opponent is knocked to the ground and accrues a number of bashing damage dice equal to the opponent's strength (automatic STR successes from Potence do count). The expert Brawler sidesteps the attack and gives the opponent a little nudge.
+A devastating flying kick. Hurling himself through the air, the martial artist focuses his chi and mass into a strike potent enough to end most fights immediately. In game terms, each success adds one additional die to the kick’s damage. A character cannot use the Thunder Kick more than once every five turns, however, as it demands intense focus and commitment to the blow.
-===Reactive Strikes===
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts (hard style) 3 Athletics or Acrobatics 2<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 7 <br>
+Damage: Strength +3 + successes/B Actions: 1
-This can only be used during a split dice pool for more than one action. The expert Brawler must first successfully block the opponent. Failure means auto-failure for the Reactive Strike. Success blocking means an immediate Reactive Strike that cannot be blocked or dodged.
+===Vital Strike===
-===Spinning Throw===
+A sharp-handed blow to an organ or joint inflicts lethal injury.
-This is a reactive throw and the expert Brawler must be attacked or grappled to use it. Any damage is delayed until the Spinning Throw is completed. Multiple targets are possible with a +1 difficulty for each attacker beyond the first and with a maximum diff of 10, although each additional point will remove a success from the final roll. There is no penalty for multiple opponents. If the expert Brawler scores more successes than the Opponents, the Opponents are thrown.  If the Opponent scores more successes, the expert Brawler is effected by the opponent's attack. In a tie, neither expert Brawler nor Opponent are victorious.
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts (hard style) 2<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 7 <br>
+Damage: Strength/L Actions: 1
 ===Withering Grasp===
-The expert brawler may disarm and inflict damage on the opponent. The attacker rolls dexterity + brawl vs. difficulty 8. One to two successes causes bashing damage.  Three to four successes disarms the opponent and causes bashing damage and five successes disarms the opponent and gives the weapon to the attacker and causes bashing damage.
+Grabbing his foe in a painful hold, the martial artist inflicts damage and may disarm her as well. To get the weapon from an enemy’s hand, the martial artist must score at least three successes; with five successes, he can take it away from her and use it himself in a following turn.
-===Snake Step===
+Minimum Ability: Martial Arts (soft style) 3<br>
+Roll: Dexterity + Martial Arts Difficulty: 7 <br>
+Damage: Strength/B Actions: 1
-Shifting away from the blow, our martial artist deftly sidesteps a close or ranged attack. Naturally, he must be able to see it coming first. This maneuver acts as a
-dodge, with a three-dice bonus and Dexterity + Martial Arts as the dice pool involved. This can be used by practitioners of either style. Difficulty for Soft is 5, for Hard is 6.
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