[Genesys] Martial Arts as Talents

by TCArknight

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FRONT COVER

Credits

Styles

Many of the decriptions of the various Martial Arts styles was taken from their respective Wikipedia entries.

Akido
Boxing
Bare-Knuckle Boxing
Choy Li Fut
Jeet Kune Do
Karate
Kickboxing
Kung Fu
Wushu
Tai Chi

Books

Modern Martial Arts, Revised by 12 To Midnight and Reality Blurs, Copyright 2008
Martial Arts - Gurps (4e) by Steve Jackson Games, copyright 2007

Martial Arts in Genesys

Why this document?

While Martial Arts in Genesys can be represented by simple narrative use of the Brawl skill, in some instances/genres a more detailed approach may be required. In these cases, I hope to present a simple, yet detailed method for incorporating martial arts styles and abilities in a manner such as would be seen in many movies or tv shows.

Why these Styles?

I have tried to include a sampling of styles with different origins and philosophies to serve as a basis of further development.

Talents

TABLE X-X: TALENTS SPECIFIC TO MARTIAL ARTS
TALENTTIERACTIVATIONRANKEDSOURCE
Basic Talents
Finesse 1 Active (Incidental) No Martial Arts p. XX
Grappler 1 Active (Incidental) No Martial Arts p. XX
Martial Grace 2 Active (Incidental) No Martial Arts p. XX
Parry 1 Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) Yes Genesys Core Rulebook p. 74
Parry (Improved) 1 Active (Incidental, Out of Turn) No Genesys Core Rulebook p. 79
Parry (Unarmed) 2 Passive No Martial Arts p. XX
Power Blow 2 Active Yes Martial Arts p. XX
Precise Blow 2 Active Yes Martial Arts p. XX
Precision 1 Active (Incidental) No Martial Arts p. XX
Pressure Points 2 Active Yes Martial Arts p. XX
Quick Strike 1 Passive Yes Genesys Core Rulebook p. 74
Style Talents
Dagger Strike 2 Passive Yes Martial Arts p. XX
Thousand Cuts 3 Active No Martial Arts p. XX
Thousand Cuts (Improved) 4 Active No Martial Arts p. 74

Basic Talents

These talents may be found in one or several styles. They cover the basics of all martial arts from attacking, defending and maneuvering oneself or an opponent.

Tier 1

Find Weakness

Tier: 1
Activation: Active
Ranked: No

When this character inflicts a Critical Injury with a Brawl or Melee weapon, may suffer 1 strain to change the result to any Easy (d) Critical Injury/

Finesse

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No

When making a Brawl or Melee (Light) check, your character may use Agility instead of Brawn.

Grappler

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No

Add Prepare 2, Ensnare X (where X is Brawl ranks) to Unarmed Strike.

Precision

Tier: 1
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No

When making a Brawl or Ranged check, your character may use Cunning instead of Brawn and Agility.

Tier 2

Martial Grace

Tier: 2
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No

Once per round, suffer 2 strain to add damage equal to ranks in Coordination to next Brawl check made this turn.

Parry (Unarmed)

Tier: 2
Activation: No
Ranked: No

You may use the Parry talent without a melee weapon. The Strain cost to Parry while unarmed is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 1).

Power Blow

Tier: 2
Activation: Active
Ranked: Yes

Add d when making a Brawl check. Add Discipline to base damage of your next attack. You may use this talent a number of times per encounter equal to the rank of this talent.

Precise Blow

Tier: 2
Activation: Active
Ranked: Yes

You must have the Precision talent to take this talent.

Add d when making a Brawl check. Add Cunning to base damage of your next attack. You may use this talent a number of times per encounter equal to the rank of this talent.

Pressure Points

Tier: 2
Activation: Active
Ranked: Yes

Add d when making a Brawl check. Add Intellect to base damage of your next attack. You may use this talent a number of times per encounter equal to the rank of this talent.

Tier 3

Find Weakness (Improved)

Tier: 3
Activation: Active
Ranked: No

When this character inflicts a Critical Injury with a Brawl or Melee weapon, may suffer 2 strain to change the result to any Average (dd) Critical Injury.

Grapple

Tier: 3
Activation: Active
Ranked: No
Once per round, may perform the Grapple maneuver. Until the beginning of character's next turn, foes must spend 2 maneuvers to move from engaged to short instead of 1.

Swift

Tier: 3
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No
Character does not suffer the usual penalties for moving through difficult terrain.

Tier 4

Dodge (Improved)

Tier: 4
Activation: Active
Ranked: No

After using Dodge, can make a move maneuver as an out-of-turn incidental.

Overbalance

Tier: 4
Activation: Active
Ranked: No

When a combat check made by an engaged foe generates d or ttt, may stagger attacker until the end of his next turn.

Mind Over Matter

Tier: 4
Activation: Active
Ranked: No

The character may spend one Story Point to recover strain equal to Willpower rating.

Shatter Strike

Tier: 4
Activation: Active
Ranked: No

Once per round, may add ranks in Coordination to Brawl check. The attack gains the Sunder quality and the cost to activate the Sunder quality is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 1).

Tier 5

Coordination Dodge

Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No

When targeted by a combat check, may spend 1 Story Point to add f equal to ranks in Coordination to check.

Find Weakness (Supreme)

Tier: 5
Activation: Active
Ranked: No

When this character inflicts a Critical Injury with a Brawl or Melee weapon, may suffer 3 strain to change the result to any Hard (ddd) Critical Injury/

Natural Brawler

Tier: 5
Activation: Active (Incidental)
Ranked: No

Once per session, may reroll any 1 Brawl or Melee check.

Shatter Strike (Improved)

Tier: 5
Activation: Passive
Ranked: No

You may use your Shatter Strike with a Melee attack as well as a Brawl attack.

Style Talents

The following talents are grouped by the style they are found in. Some talents may be found in multiple styles, and these will be listed separately here, but can be seen in the condensed list.

Tier 1

Iron Body

Tier: 1
Activation: Passive
Ranked: Yes

Remove setback/rank from Coordination and Resilience Checks. Reduce the crit rating of unarmed strikes by 1 per rank (minimum 1)

Tier 2

Dagger Strike

Tier: 2
Activation: Active
Ranked: Yes

Brawl Attacks gain Pierce X where X is ranks in Dagger Strike.

Tier 3

Thousand Cuts

Styles:

Tier: 2
Activation: Active
Ranked: No

When making a Brawl check, use Agility as base damage of your unarmed attacks.

Tier 4

Thousand Cuts (Improved)

Styles:

Tier: 4
Activation: Active
Ranked: No

When making a Melee check, add Agility to base damage of your melee attacks in place of Brawn.

One Inch Punch

Styles: Jeet Kune Do

Tier: 3
Activation: Active
Ranked: Yes

Add d when making a Brawl check. Add Discipline to base damage of your next unarmed strike. Also add the Knockdown and Stun X (where X is your Discipline) qualities to your unarmed strike.

You may use this talent a number of times per encounter equal to the rank of this talent.

Akido

Aikido is a modern Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury. Aikido is often translated as "the way of unifying (with) life energy" or as "the way of harmonious spirit".

Aikido's techniques include: irimi (entering), and tenkan (turning) movements (that redirect the opponent's attack momentum), various types of throws and joint locks.

Choi Li Fut

Choy Li Fut (Cantonese), also spelled Choy Lay Fut and Choy Lee Fut or Cai Li Fo (Mandarin), is a Chinese martial art and wushu style, founded in 1836 by Chan Heung. Choy Li Fut was named to honor the Buddhist monk Choy Fook who taught him Choy Gar, and Li Yau-San who taught him Li Gar, plus his uncle Chan Yuen-Wu, who taught him Fut Gar, and developed to honor the Buddha and the Shaolin roots of the system.

The system combines the martial arts techniques from various Northern and Southern Chinese kung-fu systems; the powerful arm and hand techniques from the Shaolin animal forms[4] from the South, combined with the extended, circular movements, twisting body, and agile footwork that characterizes Northern China's martial arts. It is considered an external style, combining soft and hard techniques, as well as incorporating a wide range of weapons as part of its curriculum.[5] Choy Li Fut is an effective self-defense system,[6] particularly noted for defense against multiple attackers.[7] It contains a wide variety of techniques, including long and short range punches, kicks, sweeps and take downs, pressure point attacks, joint locks, and grappling

Karate

Karate is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts under the influence of Chinese Kung Fu, particularly Fujian White Crane. Karate is now predominantly a striking art using punching, kicking, knee strikes, elbow strikes and open-hand techniques such as knife-hands, spear-hands and palm-heel strikes. Historically, and in some modern styles, grappling, throws, joint locks, restraints and vital-point strikes are also taught. A karate practitioner is called a karateka.

Kung Fu / Wushu

Chinese martial arts, often named under the umbrella terms kung fu and wushu, are the several hundred fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families", "sects" or "schools" of martial arts. Examples of such traits include Shaolinquan physical exercises involving Five Animals mimicry, or training methods inspired by Old Chinese philosophies, religions and legends. Styles that focus on qi manipulation are called internal, while others that concentrate on improving muscle and cardiovascular fitness are called "external". Geographical association, as in northern and "southern", is another popular classification method.

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