Grappling

For the purposes of clarity and understanding of these rules, the person CONTROLLING THE GRAPPLE, is considered "Attacker" and the person BEING HELD is the "Defender" - this naming theme is specific to the roles and not which end of an attack you find yourself at. You can shield attacks in a grapple unless it specifically says otherwise. To use grappling mechanics, ensure you understand how it works.

**1. Initiating a Grapple**

Power Name: Grab

Level: Basic

Cost: 1 End

UPR: 2/Round

Description: You reach out and try to grab ahold of someone, be it by the arm, leg, or whatever. This attack deals no damage to your opponent and has a -4 penalty to its Strike roll. This attack is used to begin a grapple. The defender can only choose to dodge the Grab, though they can let themselves be hit. Grabs can't be parried.

You can only attempt to grab twice per round. If you try to grab someone who is charging a blast, they have the option of immediately firing the blast at you - hitting you automatically as you go to grab them. You can't block the attack and being hit by the blast cancels your attempt to grab them.

Grabs can not be used as an attack for any Counter and can not be used as a part of a Combo. Even if you're Ambidexterous, you can not Grab and use a basic attack on the same action. Attempting to grab someone with an advanced grab power consumes the 1/round use of the grab ability and 1 of your regular grab attempts.

**2. Attacker Options**

The Attacker in a grapple can do several things to the Defender, while he has them at his mercy. When reffering to a grapple between two people, refer to this section. Attacking into an existing grapple are completely seperate rules and should be treated as such. On their action, they may do any of the following;

\* Kick

\* Elbow

\* Punch

\* Knee

\* Any power from the Powering Up tree

\* Eyebeams

\* Mouthblast

\* A Dagger's Basic Attack

\* Use a Grappling Attack or Advanced Grapple Power

\* Release the Defender

Notes:

\* All of these moves require no strike roll to hit, but a d20 is still rolled to check for a critical.

\* Critical hits may not escalate beyond the first level. If you roll an escalation, reroll the 1d100.

\* You can not use any Block powers while in a grapple.

\* As the Attacker, you can choose to release the Defender in response to an attack from the Defender; the Attacker can try to Dodge the attack, but can't parry or block it.

**3. Defender Options**

The person being grabbed is even more restricted in what they can do, and may only use the following powers. When reffering to a grapple between two people, refer to this section. Attacking into an existing grapple are completely seperate rules and should be treated as such. The Defender, or person being held in a grapple, is even more restricted in what they can do and may only use the following as their action:

\* Elbow

\* Knee

\* Eyebeams

\* Mouthblast

\* A Dagger's Basic Attack

\* Flare (only to break the Grapple)

\* Break Grapple

\* Shift Grapple

Notes:

\* All of these moves require no strike roll to hit, but a d20 is still rolled to check for a critical.

\* Critical hits may not escalate beyond the first level. If you roll an escalation, reroll the 1d100.

\* You can not use any Block powers while in a grapple.

\* Flare can not be used to damage an opponent in a Grapple.

**4. Manipulating a Grapple**

Sometimes you simply do not want to be part of this dance. When this is the case, the Defender may attempt to escape the controlled position he is in, by one of the following:

Breaking a Grapple

There are two methods of attempting to break out of a grapple: using one's own strength, or trying to use your energy to force your opponent away from you, flaring them off. Flaring requires you have learnt the Flare power. The grapple is successfully broken if the result is below 60.

Using just your strength, the formula is:

Template: {1d100-(Defender's STR/2)+(Attacker's STR/2)}

Using the power Flare, the formula is:

Template: {1d100-(Ki Charged/4)+(Attacker's STR/2)}

Shift Grapple

The Defender can try to shift the Grapple in their favour and switch roles to become the person in control, instead of escaping. The formula is the same, as if he were trying to break the Grapple using his strength and succeeds on a roll of 60 or lower, only the end result is different. You can not use the power Flare to shift a grapple.

Template: {1d100-(Defender's STR/2)+(Attacker's STR/2}

**5. Attacking into a Grapple**

Sometimes, the easiest target might be your ally or you're given permission to fire on friendlies. Attempting to attack people who are involved in a grapple can usually result in your unintended target being thrown into your strike or other nasty side effects. Both people involved in the grapple are restricting one another, so defending themselves is near-impossible. Attacking into a grapple may not have critical effects, but can become AP/SP.

*Hand to Hand and Sword attacks*

You declare a target as normal, when making a Hand to Hand or Sword attack roll. If the Attacker is the intended target, he may choose to let go of the Defender in order to Dodge the outside interferance - he cannot block or parry. If the Attacker does this, the Defender can make a Shift Grapple roll to prevent him from escaping the grapple and insted is hit by the attack and the roles of the original Attacker and Defender, are switched, with the old Defender now in control of the grapple as the Attacker. Alternatively, the Attacker may choose to try and use the Defender as a shield, when targetted. The Attacker rolls a shift grapple check and on success, the Defender is automatically hit insted. Using this option takes the Attacker's next available action in the round.

If the Defender is the initial target of the attack, he can try to force the Attacker of the grapple to take the hit insted, by making a shift grapple check. On success, the Attacker is automatically hit insted. The Defender and Attacker does not shift roles.

*Ki attacks*

When firing a Ki attack into a Grapple, all participants in the Grapple take full damage (Splitforms are only one person) from the blast. When a Ki Attack targets the grapple, the Defender may roll a shift grapple check before damage is dealt. If the result is below -40, the Defender has broken free from the grapple and may dodge (he may not block or parry), while the Attacker is automatically hit. If the result is higher than 40, the Attacker if they so wish, can let go and attempt a dodge (they may not block or parry) while the Defender is automatically hit. If the result is between -40 and +40, both are hit as normal.

**6. Multiple Grapple Rules**

Only two people may grab a specific person at any given time, this includes Split Forms. Treat additional entries to the grapple as a seperate grapple, producing a grapple 'chain', if you will. So for example, we have an Attacker and Defender. If someone were to grab the Attacker, he is both Attacker and Defender in two grapples. Alternatively, if the Defender was the target, he is now Defender in two grapples and must make a seperate Break/Shift for each of them. You may only be the Attacker in one of your grapples, at any one time unless you have the Goon unique. Grabbing onto an existing Grapple simply takes an action and is automatically successful.

You may not shift to, or initiate Muy-Thai Clinch or Back Grapple while a player is already grabbed. If you already have someone grabbed in one of these holds, you maintain your position but you are unable to use any of the Muy-Thai Clinch or Back Grapple abilities, even if the ability does not release the person. If you have the Defender in a rear naked choke when someone else joins the grapple, you must release it on your next action.

When multiple people have a hold on one person, neither of them can use the powers Throw, Body Slam or Ramming Body Slam until one of them releases their hold. They can still use attacks which do not end the grapple.

**7. Grapple Attacks**

Power Name: Ramming Body Slam

Level: Grapple

Cost: 1 End

UPR: 1/Round

Description: This move requires you to be the Attacker in the grapple to perform. You fly up into the air, and then slam your opponent into the ground, using your speed to provide additional pain. The grapple ends after this attack is used. You can not bulk into this move, but normal Hand to Hand bonuses are added to it, it deals (Str+Dex+Spd)/2 damage, and is Unpreventable.

Template: {((Str+Dex+Spd)/2 + Str mod) + Misc mods} UP

Power Name: Throw

Level: Grapple

Cost: 1 End

UPR: Unlimited

Description: This move requires you to be the Attacker in the grapple to perform. You throw your opponent away from you, disorienting them and dealing minor damage at the same time. This deals your Str/2 Unpreventable damage, and automatically stuns the Defender for one action. The grapple ends after this attack is used. You can not bulk into this move, but normal Hand to Hand bonuses are added to it. The action lost from this power is not preventable by any powers or racial abilities, even if you reduce the damage to 0, you are still Stunned.

Template: {(Str/2 + Str mod) + Misc mods} UP, Stun

Power Name: Bearhug

Level: Grapple

Cost: 1 End

UPR: Unlimited

Description: This move requires you to be the Attacker in the grapple to perform. You squeeze your opponent within your grasp, slowly crushing their body. This attack deals your Str/2 as Unpreventable damage which Ignores Armor. Unlike other attacks, the only damage you do is Str/2, normal damage bonuses are not included. The benefit of this attack is that the grapple does not end when you do it. Goon is the only thing that can affect the damage of this power. You can not bulk into this move.

Template: [Str/2] UP, IA

Power Name: Choke

Level: Grapple

Cost: 1 End

UPR: Unlimited

Description: This move requires you to be the Attackre in the grapple to perform. You wrap your hand(s) around your opponent's throat, and squeeze. You deal your Str/4 as Unpreventable damage, and deal your level/2 as End damage. Unlike other attacks, the only damage you do is Str/4, normal damage bonuses are not included. The benefit of this attack is that the grapple does not end when you do it. Goon is the only thing that can affect the damage of this power. You can not bulk into this move. Choke has a minimum of 1 endurance loss.

Template: [Str/4] UP | [Level/2] End lost