GURPS Martial Arts - Home

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Warrior 100 points You’re a full-time man-at-arms. You might be a knight, mercenary, or volunteer – or perhaps you’re a conscript, draftee, or levy who never got sent home. Whatever your situation, you’re in it for the long haul and you’ve gravitated to the martial arts as a set of tools that can help you survive on (and off) the battlefield. Unlike most martial artists, you have a good excuse to be skilled with heavy, military weapons. Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10]. Secondary Characteristics: Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 6.00 [5]; Basic Move 6 [0]. Advantages: 20 points chosen from among ST +1 or +2 [10 or 20], DX or IQ +1 [20], HT +1 or +2 [10 or 20], HP +1 to +3 [2/HP], Per +1 to +4 [5/level], FP +1 to +3 [3/FP], Combat Reflexes [15], Danger Sense [15], Enhanced Block 1 [5], Enhanced Dodge 1 [15], Enhanced Parry 1 [5 or 10], Fearlessness 1-5 [2/level] or Unfazeable [15], Fit [5] or Very Fit [15], Hard to Kill 1-5 [2/level], High Pain Threshold [10], Military Rank 1-4 [5/level]†, Penetrating Voice [1], Rapid Healing [5] or Very Rapid Healing [15], Style Familiarity (any) [1/style], Style Perks [1/perk], or Weapon Bond [1]. Perks: Style Familiarity (own style) [1]. Disadvantages: -25 points chosen from among Code of Honor (“Stay bought”) [-5], (Soldier’s) [-10], or (Bushido or Chivalry) [-15], Duty (Unit or force; 12 or less) [-10] or (15 or less) [-15]†, Fanaticism (Unit, force, nation, etc.) [-15], Greed [-15*], Intolerance (Enemy nation) [-5] or (All nations but own) [-10], or Sense of Duty (Unit) [-5] or (Own nation) [-10]. • A further -15 points chosen from among the above traits or Berserk [-10*], Bloodlust [-10*], Callous [-5], Chummy [-5] or Gregarious [-10], Overconfidence [-5*], Stubbornness [-5], or Workaholic [-5]. Primary Skills: Soldier (A) IQ+2 [8]-12, plus 20 points in the skills and techniques of a combat style (see Chapter 5). • Spend a further 10 points on your style or on military weapon skills typical for your TL: TL0-3: Crossbow, Shield, or Thrown Weapon (Spear), all DX/E; Axe/Mace, Bow, Broadsword, Polearm, Shortsword, or Spear, all DX/A; or Sling, DX/H. TL4-5: Gunner (Cannon) or Guns (Musket, Pistol, or Rifle), both DX/E; or Broadsword, Polearm, Rapier, Shortsword, Spear, or Throwing, all DX/A. TL6-8: Gunner (MG), Guns (GL, LAW, LMG, Rifle, or SMG), or Liquid Projector (Flamethrower), all DX/E; or Spear or Throwing, both DX/A. TL9+: Beam Weapons (Projector or Rifle), Gunner (Cannon or Beams), or Guns (GL, Gyroc, LAW, or Rifle), all DX/E; or Force Sword or Throwing, both DX/A. Secondary Skills: Hiking (A) HT+1 [4]-12 or Riding (any) (A) DX+1 [4]-13. • Also choose two of Stealth (A) DX+1 [4]-13; Camouflage or First Aid, both (E) IQ+2 [4]-12; Armoury (any), Forward Observer, Leadership, or Navigation (Land), all (A) IQ+1 [4]-11; or Observation or Survival (any), both (A) Per+1 [4]-11. Background Skills: 4 points chosen from among Gesture or Savoir-Faire (Military), both IQ/E; Connoisseur (Weapons), Gambling, or Heraldry, all IQ/A; Expert Skill (Hoplology or Military Science), Strategy, or Tactics, all IQ/H; Carousing, HT/E; or Intimidation, Will/A. * Multiplied for self-control number; see p. B120. † Duty must accompany Military Rank. Lenses (Realistic) Hand-to-Hand Combat Instructor (+25 points): Add Fit [5]; Teaching (A) IQ+2 [8]-12; and an extra 12 points of style skills and techniques. Add the NCO template to get a drill sergeant. Knight or Samurai (+25 points): Add Status 2 [5] and Wealth (Wealthy) [20]; Status includes +1 from Wealth. • Replace Soldier with Leadership (A) IQ+2 [8]-12. • Add Lance and Two-Handed Sword, both DX/A, to primary weapon skill lists. • Riding is mandatory. • Add Savoir-Faire (High Society), IQ/E, to background options. NCO (+35 points): Add IQ +1 [20]; Military Rank 1 [5]; Leadership (A) IQ+1 [4]-12; Tactics (H) IQ-1 [2]-10; and an extra 4 points in primary, secondary, or background skills. Maximum Military Rank is 4. Officer (+50 points): Add IQ +1 [20]; Military Rank 3 [15]; Leadership (A) IQ+1 [4]-12; Savoir-Faire (Military) (E) IQ+1 [2]-12; Tactics (H) IQ [4]-11; and 5 more points in primary, secondary, or background skills. This is a veteran, not a green lieutenant! Lenses (Cinematic) Cinematic (+100 points): Add 80 points chosen from among Blunt Claws [3], Damage Resistance 1-2 (Partial, Hands, -40%; Tough Skin, -40%) [1-2], Enhanced Block 1-3 [5/level], Enhanced Dodge 1-3 [15/level], Enhanced Parry 1-3 [5 or 10/level], Enhanced Time Sense [45], Extra Attack 1 or 2 (Multi-Strike, +20%) [30 or 60], Forceful Chi 1-4 [15/level], Heroic Archer [20], Innate Attack [Varies], Resistant to Chi Abilities (+3) [10], Striker (Crushing) [5], Trained by a Master [30], or Weapon Master [20-45]. You must take either Trained by a Master or Weapon Master! • Add 20 points in your style’s cinematic skills (and prerequisites). Tough Guy (+100 points): You’re the soldier from the movies, shrugging off arrows or bullets as you wade into the enemy with a massive two-handed weapon . . . or a hefty machine gun. See Contender (p. 32) for statistics. Customization Notes Styles: An historical warrior could have any style known in his time and place. Armed styles meant for battlefield use – Armatura (p. 150), Hoplomachia (pp. 161-162), Kenjutsu (pp. 173-175), Kyujutsu (p. 179-180), Naginatajutsu (p. 186), Sojutsu (pp. 197-198), Spear Fighting (pp. 196-197), Swordand-Shield Fighting (pp. 199-200), etc. – make the most sense. For a mounted warrior, add Bajutsu (p. 151), Furusiyya (pp. 159-161), and Knightly Mounted Combat (p. 175-177) to this list. A smart soldier will supplement his training with an unarmed style – perhaps Aikijutsu (p. 149) or Combat Wrestling (pp. 204-205). Modern troops learn Military Handto-Hand (pp. 182-185). Style Lenses: A genuine battlefield style requires no lens. Other styles should have “Military” if taught formally, “Street” if picked up in pubs and ports. CHARACTERS 41
ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES, AND SKILLS The martial arts are ultimately about personal capability. Dedicated fighters train hard, and the most successful tend to be fit, talented people to begin with. These realities make the PCs’ advantages, disadvantages, and skills remarkably important in a Martial Arts campaign – worthy of the same attention as exotic powers in a superhero game or magic in a fantasy setting. Even if the martial arts are “background color” in another type of campaign – fantasy, historical, military, etc. – the GM should realize that martial artists are popular as PCs. To those who like to play them, their aptitudes and training are as vital as their weapons and background. If the GM wants such heroes to be viable and fun, he should lend some thought to how he plans to handle their capabilities. It’s crucial to let the players know in advance which traits are allowed, which are off limits, and which work differently. ADVANTAGES The advantages discussed below either work differently in a Martial Arts game or require additional interpretation for martial artists. Consult with the GM before taking any trait described as “cinematic.” Such abilities may have additional prerequisites (typically Trained by a Master or Weapon Master) and are likely off-limits in a realistic campaign. Altered Time Rate see p. B38 This advantage has no place in a realistic game. Realworld martial artists who can land multiple techniques in the space of a second are using All-Out Attack (Double) (p. B365), Rapid Strike (p. B370), Combinations (p. 80), and so forth. They aren’t warping time! Altered Time Rate is also unsuitable for “traditional” cinematic settings. To stay true to martial-arts myth, those whose blinding speed results from schooling in secret fighting arts should use Trained by a Master or Weapon Master to halve the Rapid Strike penalty, while those with exceptional coordination should look at Extra Attack (p. B53). Fighters with both can make many attacks but are still limited to one maneuver per turn. However, some comic books and movies depict impossibly fast martial artists who can engage several widely spaced opponents before any of them can retaliate. This requires multiple maneuvers per turn, implying Altered Time Rate. In campaigns inspired by such fiction, the GM may allow one or more levels of this advantage to those with Gunslinger, Heroic Archer, Trained by a Master, or Weapon Master. For more on speedy heroes, see Multiple Attacks (pp. 126-128). Claws 42 CHARACTERS see p. B42 Many martial artists toughen their hands by punching a heavy bag, wooden post, etc. The usual goal is to condition the hands so that hitting hard surfaces is less risky (treat this as DR; see Damage Resistance, p. 43), but some unorthodox exercises are intended to harden the hands into deadly weapons. These include striking iron or steel, driving extended fingers into hot sand, and applying rank-smelling unguents. The results often have a colorful name, such as “iron hand” or “eagle claw.” Represent this using Blunt Claws [3] – and perhaps other traits. Realistically, any toughening extensive enough to improve punching damage would irreversibly damage the hand. The GM should only let realistic fighters Chakram buy Blunt Claws if they also take Bad Grip 1 [-5]. The package is a net disadvan- tage (-2 points). Since Bad Grip 1 gives -2 to grapple or use melee weapons, this severely curtails the martial artist’s other combat options. In a cinematic campaign, the GM may relax this restriction and allow esoteric, non-destructive exercises or amazing ointments. If so, individuals with Trained by a Master should have access to such methods and be able to buy Blunt Claws without Bad Grip. If those without Trained by a Master want this advantage, they can either get it the hard way (with Bad Grip) or pay 10 points for Unusual Background (Access to secret hand-toughening exercises). It’s possible to modify just one hand. This doesn’t reduce the point cost of Claws or Unusual Background, but Bad Grip must have the -80% limitation “One hand only.” This reduces its value to -1 point and means that its -2 penalty applies to one-handed tasks with the modified hand. For two-handed tasks, the penalty is only -1. Those who wish to do this in play should see Learnable Advantages (p. B294). Base the time required on the cost of Blunt Claws (3 points). Where applicable, any Unusual Background must be bought before training begins, while Bad Grip appears at the end of this time. For another option, see the Limb limitation under Striker (p. 47).
Page 1 and 2: B Y P ETER D ELL’ORTO AND S EAN P
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . . . . . . .
Page 5 and 6: INTRODUCTION Say “martial arts”
Page 7 and 8: The martial arts are as old as hist
Page 9 and 10: 1835 - New Jersey outlaws prizefigh
Page 11 and 12: Eventually, the links between secre
Page 13 and 14: INDONESIAN ARCHIPELAGO The Indonesi
Page 15 and 16: Okinawa Okinawa has always had stro
Page 17 and 18: Boxing in ancient Greece and Rome c
Page 19 and 20: RENAISSANCE EUROPE By the time of t
Page 21 and 22: THE NEW WORLD Asian and European ma
Page 23 and 24: Musashi was a precocious martial ar
Page 25 and 26: In China, Fairbairn came into conta
Page 27 and 28: Bad Reenactments A problem hardly u
Page 29 and 30: Jon Gilbey shouted, “No, Adrian.
Page 31 and 32: Beginning Students as PCs The guide
Page 33 and 34: Customization Notes Styles: Ninja s
Page 35 and 36: Lens Cinematic (+100 points): Add 8
Page 37 and 38: Monk 100 points You’ve isolated y
Page 39 and 40: Customization Notes Styles: Unarmed
Page 41: Background Skills: 6 points chosen
Page 45 and 46: Most martial artists can only take
Page 47 and 48: Chi Powers for Martial Artists Mart
Page 49 and 50: Inigo: You’re using Bonetti’s d
Page 51 and 52: Chi Resistance*† You can rally yo
Page 53 and 54: Suit Familiarity† You’ve learne
Page 55 and 56: Minor Delusions affect combat again
Page 57 and 58: Even so, stunt fighters are still f
Page 59 and 60: Kiai* see p. B203 This skill has a
Page 61 and 62: Tactics see p. B224 Tactics is a ma
Page 63 and 64: Modifiers: A penalty equal to encum
Page 65 and 66: Description: Some techniques raise
Page 67 and 68: Martial artists practice dozens of
Page 69 and 70: Your foe’s only legal defenses ar
Page 71 and 72: Counterattack Hard Default: prerequ
Page 73 and 74: Blinding your foe is an effective t
Page 75 and 76: Head Butt Hard Defaults: Brawling-1
Page 77 and 78: Combine Kicking with Committed Atta
Page 79 and 80: Push Kick Hard Defaults: Brawling-3
Page 81 and 82: Optional Rule: Combinations Martial
Page 83 and 84: Wrench (Limb) Hard Default: ST-4; c
Page 85 and 86: This technique is dangerous! If you
Page 87 and 88: To execute a Piledriver, you must f
Page 89 and 90: Humorous movies often feature silly
Page 91 and 92: Prerequisites Unless the technique
Page 93 and 94:
A use of a defensive technique is a
Page 95 and 96:
• Own Defenses: A bonus to one’
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The Italian used his dagger to ward
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All-Out Attack (Long) is incompatib
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• Determined: Make a single attac
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Thus, a weapon that’s ready stays
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Arrow: +1 if stuck in the ground at
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Dealing with Charging Foes The sure
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WAIT Wait requires you to name a pa
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These rules address minute differen
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When striking to the front or sides
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CLOSE-COMBAT OPTIONS These expanded
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Lame see p. B141 If you’re standi
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Grapples can set up vicious strikes
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The archer can precede this feat wi
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The grappler has no penalties. Howe
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Sideslip: If you’re standing, you
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Faster Combat You can run extremely
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Example 1: An attacker with two att
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An important part of martial-arts m
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MORE CINEMATIC COMBAT RULES The unr
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TOURNAMENT COMBAT Not all combat is
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INJURY AND RECOVERY Injury is an im
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Severe Bleeding Realistic campaigns
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Del Duque’s cape swirled dramatic
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Wax on, right hand. Wax off, left h
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CHOOSING A STYLE Every would-be stu
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Some styles were born “stripped d
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A PC who starts with several styles
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ARMATURA 6 points Armatura was the
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Perks: Iron Legs; Power Grappling;
Page 155 and 156:
Capoeira fighters claim that slaves
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Escrimadors prefer the Defensive At
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La Verdadera Destreza 4 points La V
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Sport fencing largely eliminates mo
Page 163 and 164:
Practitioners of Hoplomachia often
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Hwa Rang Do stylists prefer to open
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JUDO 4 points Judo is a Japanese co
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Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is a relatively
Page 171 and 172:
Te stresses deflecting an incoming
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Belts and Grading In the popular im
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Iaijutsu 5 points Iaijutsu is the J
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Many cultures have styles that cons
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KOBUJUTSU 8 points “Kobujutsu”
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Kusarigamajutsu 3 points Warriors s
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Skills: Brawling; Judo; Knife; Two-
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The Purpose of Military Hand-to-Han
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In matches, competitors wear modern
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Skills: Judo; Karate; Meditation; P
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Kumango Silat 4 points The heartlan
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Staff Fighting Staff fighting is as
Page 195 and 196:
Skills: Karate; Wrestling. Techniqu
Page 197 and 198:
Sojutsu (pp. 197-198) is but one of
Page 199 and 200:
Sojutsu deals primarily with using
Page 201 and 202:
Tae Kwon Do Ranks Tae Kwon Do (see
Page 203 and 204:
Ninja and Ninjutsu The Japanese cha
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Cinematic Techniques: Dual-Weapon A
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Like other sport wrestling, Indian
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Against multiple opponents, stylist
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FREEFIGHTING 5 points Freefighting
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Weapons don’t evolve in a vacuum.
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Cane - Universal. The walking stick
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The weapons in Martial Arts come in
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Martial-arts tales (especially ninj
Page 221 and 222:
Unorthodox Attacks Often in fiction
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POLLAXE (p. B272) - Europe. The Bas
Page 225 and 226:
A real weapon is preferable to an i
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Yari - Japan. A Spear (pp. B273, B2
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TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost W
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TL Weapon Damage Reach Parry Cost W
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Notes: [1] A crossbow bolt costs $2
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Armor Martial artists, especially p
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CINEMATIC VS. REALISTIC CAMPAIGNS W
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Special-Case NPCs Non-player charac
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Amazing Abilities One option is to
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An especially appropriate theme for
Page 245 and 246:
POST-CLASSICAL EUROPE The uninforme
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MODERN DAY Modern-day games are amo
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The Quest for the Master In a cinem
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There are many variations on this t
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BIBLIOGRAPHY Described below are wo
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With rare exceptions, weapons are n
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Power level guidelines, 29. Prana,
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