GURPS Martial Arts - Home

Some of these abilities resemble weapons or unarmed
attacks, and allow attack rolls against normal combat skills
instead of the Innate Attack skill. This is a “special effect”
aimed at preserving the martial-arts flavor. It doesn’t affect
point cost.
Normally, the only legal defense against a ranged Innate
Attack is a dodge. However, a few of these attacks have the
Blockable limitation or Melee Attack limitation, which lets
the target attempt a block or parry. Others are Maledictions,
which can be resisted but not avoided.
Innate Attacks are unrealistic and strictly for over-the-top
cinematic games – and even then, they have Trained by a
Master or Weapon Master as a prerequisite.
Regeneration
see p. B80
Regeneration offers an alternative to Flesh Wounds
(p. B417) for the GM who wants cinematic PCs back in the
game soon after being knocked out or left for dead, but who
prefers up-front point costs. The GM chooses the permitted
levels. Accessibility limitations are prudent on speedier versions.
“Not in combat” (-20%) limits healing to between
fights. “Only when unconscious” (-30%) means the hero
heals after he passes out, until he awakens at 1 HP. Limited,
Crushing (-40%) or Unarmed (-40%) allow quick comebacks
from beatings – but be aware that they also create the need to
record what caused each wound.
Resistant
see p. B80
Martial artists in cinematic games can be Resistant to
Hypnotic Hands (p. 61), Invisibility Art (p. B202), Kiai
(p. B203), Pressure Points (p. B215), or “Hand of Death”
attacks (see Innate Attack, pp. 45-47). Neck-toughening exercises
(an “iron neck”) allow Resistant to Neck Injury, which
gives a bonus in Quick Contests to avoid injury from chokes
(p. B370) and Neck Snap (p. B404). Arm exercises might give
a similar bonus to resist injury from Arm Lock (p. B403) and
Wrench Limb (p. B404). Individually, the above items are
“Rare.” Resistant (+3) to any one of them costs 1 point and
makes an excellent Style Perk.
The blanket category “Chi Abilities” is comparable in
importance to “Psionics” and therefore “Very Common.”
Anyone might enjoy Resistant to Chi Abilities (+3) [10]; this
represents unusually strong chi. Individuals with Trained by
a Master can go as high as Resistant to Chi Abilities (+8) [15].
Immunity to Chi Abilities [30] only suits unnatural beings.
These traits protect against all noxious effects caused by cinematic
skills or chi powers (see Chi Powers for Martial Artists,
p. 46).
Striker
see p. B88
In a cinematic game, the GM may permit fighters to buy
any body part that isn’t a limb or an extremity as a Striker.
Real-world martial artists have claimed to have “iron”
foreheads and buttocks, among other things. Such Strikers
must be crushing, can’t have the Long enhancement, and
frequently suffer from Cannot Parry, Clumsy, and/or
Limited Arc.
Video game-inspired Strikers – such as a heavy spiked
ball at the end of a long braid – have no such restrictions.
They can have almost any reach and damage type. It’s up to
the GM whether things like that spiked ball are Strikers or
just equipment. As a rule, if it gets damage bonuses from
unarmed combat skills and you’re gaming in an unrealistic
genre where searches for weapons always conveniently overlook
it, it’s a Striker.
All Strikers inflict thrust damage at +1 per die – more
than most punches and kicks.
New Special Limitation
Limb: Your crushing Striker isn’t a new body part but a
limb. The limb has its normal reach and can strike with
Brawling or Karate. Find punching or kicking damage as
usual, including skill bonuses, and add +1 per die for the
Striker. This isn’t cumulative with the effects of Claws. Limb,
Arm is cinematic, and also lets you parry with the arm as if
it were a weapon; Unusual Background and training time are
as per Claws (p. 42). Limb, Shin is a realistic part of some
styles’ training, and enhances shin kicks (p. 112). -20%.
Talent
see p. B89
For general rules governing Talents, see the Basic Set.
Two new Talents are germane to Martial Arts:
Forceful Chi: Breaking Blow, Erotic Art, Flying Leap,
Hypnotic Hands, Hypnotism, Invisibility Art, Kiai, Power
Blow, Precognitive Parry, Pressure Points, Pressure Secrets,
Push, Throwing Art, and Zen Archery. Reaction bonus: honorable
opponents, those who practice “hard” or “external”
styles (including potential students and masters), and lovers
(past or present). 15 points/level.
Inner Balance: Autohypnosis, Blind Fighting, Body
Control, Body Language, Body Sense, Breath Control,
Dreaming, Immovable Stance, Light Walk, Lizard Climb,
Meditation, Mental Strength, Mind Block, and Sensitivity.
Reaction bonus: pacifists, ascetics, and those who practice
“soft” or “internal” martial-arts styles. 15 points/level.
Someone with Forceful Chi is gifted at projecting his chi
– both subtly and violently – to affect objects and people. He
can even influence missiles in flight, helping him aim his
own ranged weapons and evade his enemies’. His tangible
aura of fitness impresses those who face him on the battlefield,
at the dojo, or in the bedroom.
A hero with Inner Balance has superior control over his
body and mind. This inner peace strengthens his will, sharpens
his senses, and enables him to perform impossible feats
of endurance and balance. He’s visibly at peace, and those
who appreciate order and focus find him pleasant to be
around.
Forceful Chi and Inner Balance are in many ways opposites.
The GM could even make them mutually exclusive.
However, the greatest masters of the Chinese martial arts –
whose yang and yin are in perfect balance – might have high
levels of both talents.
CHARACTERS 47