Martial Arts

Humans have been studying the art of war for thousands of years and have made every effort to make their attacks more efficient, more powerful, and more fluid. These studies are the results of Martial Arts, techniques to improve a character's physical damage, make it easier for them to dodge incoming attacks, and decrease the damage they take from their opponents attacks. Any character can learn how to perform martial arts, and each character's technique is a little different from other practitioners.

When constructing Martial Arts, players should follow these steps:

* Pick a base maneuver
* Adjust Accuracy and Dodge modifiers for the ability
* Add new effects to the ability
* Adjust damage dice for the ability
* Add limitations to the ability
* Calculate the maneuver's Total Active Points and Actual Point Cost

Effects and costs for Martial Arts should be evaluated completely independently of other aspects of the character except for Dexterity. Strength factors heavily into the damage maneuvers can deal, as does movement speed, but neither of these affect how Martial Arts are constructed.

* The reason players should keep track of their character's Dexterity is because it sets the Total Active Point limit used for determining a maneuver's cost. Everything that makes a maneuver more effective adds to its Total Active Points, and that roughly measures the technical expertise needed to pull off the maneuver. The higher the character's Dexterity, the higher the Total Active Point limit and the more complicated the maneuver can be.

* The cap for a Martial Art maneuver’s Total Active Points is half the character's Dexterity.

## Base Maneuvers

All characters can use these base maneuvers without needing to spend character points on them. Accuracy rolls for base maneuvers is based on Strength, as are effect dice for damage and other conditions. Unless stated otherwise in the maneuver's effect description, each requires 1 action to use.

### Offensive Maneuvers

Characters can build offensive Martial Arts off of the following basic maneuvers:

* Charge: The character makes a full move and attacks a single target
* Disarm: The character attempts to remove an accessible object from their target's person
* Grab: The character reaches out and restrains their target's limbs
* Move By: The character attempts to move though the target's space or move by the target without provoking any Reactions or Triggered attacks.
* Move Through: The character crashes into the target, knocking them prone and moving through their space.
* Shove: The character pushes the target back without damaging them.
* Strike: The character hits the opponent with their fist to deal damage.
* Throw: The character picks up and tosses the target.
* Trip: The character kicks the target's legs out from under them.

Charge: You move up to your full movement speed and attack

* Accuracy: -2
* Dodge: -2
* Effect: You may move up to half your full movement speed up to the target and attack, dealing damage equal to your Strength dice, plus your character's full movement divided by 10.

Disarm: You attempt to take an item your target is holding away from them.

* Accuracy: -2
* Dodge: -0
* Effect: Make an Accuracy roll as if you were normally attacking the target. If you hit your intended target, roll your Strength dice versus your opponent's Agility or Strength dice; if your total roll exceeds your opponent's roll, you successful take the item away from them and hold it in your hand. You can then choose to drop the item

in your own square or in an adjacent space as a free option. Attempting to disarm an opponent incurs a -2 penalty to the character's Accuracy roll.

Grab: You attempt to grab your opponent to restrict their movement.

* Accuracy: -2
* Dodge: -2
* Effect: Make an Accuracy roll as if you were normally attacking the target. If you hit your intended target, roll your Strength dice versus your opponent's Agility or Strength dice; if your total roll exceeds your opponent's roll, you successfully hold on to two of your opponent's limbs.

Move By: You attempt to slip by an enemy to move through their space.

* Accuracy: -0
* Dodge: -2
* Effect: Make a Dodge roll versus the target's Accuracy for physical attacks, as if you were making a Back Step (see Reactions). If your roll exceeds your opponent's, you may move through their square unhindered and without provoking triggered effects.

Move Through: You charge through an enemy's space, running over them in the process.

* Accuracy: -2
* Dodge: -2
* Effect: Make an Accuracy roll versus the target's Accuracy for physical attacks. If your roll exceeds you opponent's, you deal damage equal to your Strength dice plus your velocity divided by 10 to the target, half of which is also dealt to you. If the total damage exceeds the target's Body before defenses are added, you can move through the target's space unhindered and withing provoking triggered effects.

Shove: You push an enemy back several meters.

* Accuracy: +0
* Dodge: +0
* Make an Accuracy roll as if you were attacking the target. If you hit, you move the target directly backwards 2 meters, plus an additional 2 meters for every 5 Strength over what you need to carry them with a heavy load.

Strike: You physically attack your enemy.

* Accuracy: +0
* Dodge: +0
* Effect: You make and attack against an enemy and deal damage equal to your Strength dice.

Throw: After grabbing an enemy, you can use your strength to toss your enemy.

* Accuracy: +0
* Dodge: +0
* Effect: If you have successfully grabbed an opponent, you may immediately throw them a number of meters according to the Strength table and deal damage equal to your Strength dice, plus your opponent's velocity during the throw divided by 10.

Trip: You attack an enemy and attempt to knock them over.

* Accuracy: -2
* Dodge: +0
* Effect: Make an attack versus your target. If you hit, roll your Strength Dice. If the total exceeds your opponent's Body before defenses are applied, your opponent falls prone and takes damage equal to half of the effect roll.

### Reactions

Reactions are triggered actions that must be declared before the
opponent makes an Accuracy roll to hit. Initiating a Reaction requires 1 action, and characters cannot initiate multiple Reactions in response to a single action.

Block: You stop an opponent from attacking you by deflecting their attack.

* Effect: You make an opposed Accuracy roll versus an opponent's melee attack. If your roll exceeds your opponent's, their attack misses. Blocking takes the place of your Dodge for the attack, so if your roll is under your enemy's, their attack is successful. Every attempt to block after the first suffers from the Accuracy penalty incurred from taking multiple actions in a single round.

Evade: You duck and weave around your opponent's attacks.

* Effect: You receive a +2 bonus to Dodge versus the attack.

Move: The character steps back from an attack

* Effect: Instead of blocking or ducking under an attack, a character can attempt to move out the reach of their enemy or their attack's area of effect before they get hit. To do this, the character takes their current Dodge, minus 11 from the number, and add the result to a 3d6 roll; if the number exceeds the attacker’s Accuracy roll, the character may move a number of meters up to their Full Movement speed away from the attack. If the roll is under the opponent's Accuracy roll, the character is hit and takes the full effect of the attack, and they cannot move until the start of their next turn.
	+ Any movement the character makes using this maneuver subtracts from their available movement on their next turn. If they cover a distance greater than their Half Move, they must spend an action to move on their turn.
		- The Back Stepping character must specify where they want to move before their Dodge Roll is resolved. If the character is hit, they don't lose the movement since they were interrupted.
		- If a character Back Steps up to their Full Movement, they cannot Back Step until the end of their next turn.
	+ If a character makes 2 Back Steps with two different movement modes, these subtract from their next turn proportionately to their other movement types, (see Gameplay, Movement)
		- Example: Tathafien is targeted by a Blast power that targets an Area of Effect, which means he'll be ht by the attack unless he Back Steps out of the way. The area is an 8 meter radius, so he makes his Dodge Roll, passes the enemy's Accuracy roll, and moves 8 meters away from the attack. Another enemy moves up to him with a Strike that attacks three times. He rolls his Dodge Rolls and misses on the first, taking damage for the first strike. He makes the second, letting him evade the attack and robbing the enemy of their third attack since he's out of range. When it's Tath's turn, he's already moved 10 out of his 20 meter full movement, meaning he can't move without spending an action.

### Stances

Stances are passive abilities that can be assumed for various bonuses. A character can enter a stance at the start of their turn without spending an action, and they can spend an action to change their stance as a Reaction to an attack. Characters drop out of stances when they are stunned, Entangled, Paralyzed, Unconscious, or Dead.

Brace: The character defends against attacks by guarding vital areas, sacrificing mobility to decrease damage from in-coming attacks.

* Dodge: Agility is halved for the purposes of calculating Dodge.
* Effect: The character's Toughness and Resistance are increased by 3.

Mobile Stance: The character assumes a fluid stance that makes it easier for them to dance around attacks, but more difficult to hit their opponents.

* Accuracy: -2
* Dodge: +2

Set: The character adjusts their posture to make ranged attacks
more accurate, though they must leave themselves open to do so.

* Accuracy: Ignore the Disadvantage for attacking at range for 1 Range Modifier with ranged weapons or Powers.
* Dodge: -2

Steady Stance: You take an offensive stance to increase your Accuracy, though you leave yourself open to incoming attacks.

* Accuracy: +2 to melee attacks
* Dodge: -2

## Additional Effects

Characters can combine multiple maneuvers and add new effects for an increased character point cost. Added effects include making multiple attacks, piercing defenses, and covering an area of effect.

### Offensive Maneuver Additions

Characters can add the following additions their Base Maneuver's effects:

* Area of Effect: The maneuver effects multiple spaces and targets.
* Charge: The character makes a full move before completing the maneuver
* Disable: The character makes part of their opponent's body non-functional
* Disarm: The character takes away an accessible object while they perform the maneuver.
* Move By: The character performs the maneuver while dancing around their opponent.
* Move Through: The character gets to move through the opponent's space if their attack is successful.
* Multiple Attack: The character uses the maneuver multiple times in a row.
* Penetrating: The maneuver always does a minimum amount of Stamina damage
* Piercing: The maneuver cuts through the opponent's defenses.
* Shove: The manevuer knocks the open back if it connects.
* Strike: The maneuver deals damage after the initial effect.
* Throw: The maneuver toss the target back several meters if successful.
* Trigger: The maneuver automatically goes off if specific conditions are fulfilled.
* Trip: The maneuver knocks the opponent down if it successfully deals damage.
* Weapon Element: The maneuver can be used with weapon for increased damage.

When combining multiple base maneuvers, the player adds their penalties to Accuracy and Dodge together and apply that total to the new maneuver’s base Accuracy and Dodge.

Area of Effect: Your attack can affect multiple targets within a
short area of effect. The cost is dependent on the area of effect and the additional dice of effect.

* Without the Adept Trait, characters can only create one Area of Effect Martial Art.
	+ Arc: The character swings their fist or weapon in a wide arc, potentially hitting more than one opponent. When making the attack, the character declares whether they're swinging left or right and makes a single Accuracy roll versus every target's Dodge; if one opponent is hit, the next target in the effect gets a +2 bonus to their Dodge versus the Accuracy check. This continues until the attack has covered up to a 180 degree arc,
		- Cost: 1 Base Point, +1 per additional die of effect
* With the Adept Trait, characters can create attacks with the following Areas of Effect:
	+ 2m Radius: The Martial Art affects every target within 2 meters of the character
	+ 8m Line: The Martial Art affects every target touched by an 8 meter line in front of the character.
	+ 4m Cone: The Martial Art affects every target within a 4 meter long, 4 meter wide cone.
		- Cost: 1 Base Point, +1 per additional die of effect.

Charge: The character may perform their maneuver after making a full move and deal additional damage equal to their total movement speed/10.

* Cost: 1 Base Point, plus 1 per additional effect die. The damage increases to velocity/6 for 3 BP.

Disable: The character can attempt to disable a part of their opponent's body as part of the attack. They choose a body part, which incurs a penalty to Accuracy depending on how difficult the limb they are striking is to hit, and if the initial attack is successful, the target suffers additional effects.

* Head: -5 Accuracy; Deals double Stamina damage and Stuns the target for one round.
* Arms: -2 Accuracy; Deals half Stamina damage and prevents the target from using that arm for one round.
* Legs: -2 Accuracy; Deals half damage and halves the target's Run speed for one round.
* Torso: Deals normal damage and Staggers the opponent for one round.
	+ Cost: 1 Base Point, plus 1 per additional effect die.

Disarm: The character may attempt a disarm with their Strength dice after a successful attack.

* Cost: 1 Base Point, plus 1 per additional effect die

Grab: Characters may attempt a grab using their Strength dice after successfully attacking the target, and they can use the maneuver while grabbing or being grappled by another creature.

* Cost: 1 Base Point, plus 1 per additional effect die

* This addition will also let the character attempt to escape a grab if the attack is successful

* If the character is grappled, they cannot use Charge, Move By, or Move through maneuvers even if they have this addition added to the maneuver.

Move By: If the character's initial attack is successful, they may move by an enemy unhindered and without provoking triggered actions.

* Cost: 1 Base Point, plus 1 per additional effect die

Move Through: If the attack is successful, the character may also perform a move through and deal additional damage equal to their velocity/10.

* Cost: 1 Base Point, plus 1 per additional effect die

Multiple Attack: The character can attack with the maneuver multiple times on their turn, suffering a -2 to accuracy for each additional attempt after the first.

* Each attack consumes 1 of the character's actions for the round.
* Cost: 2 Base Point per additional attack, plus 1 BP per attack per additional effect

Penetrating: The attack always deals a little damage, dealing at least 1 Stamina damage per damage die regardless of the enemy's Toughness or Armor. This effect is negated by Impenetrable defense powers and Impenetrable armor.

* Cost: 2 Base Point, +2 per additional effect die

Piercing: The attack bypasses you target's defenses, halving their Toughness and Armor when dealing damage. This effect is negated by Impervious defense Powers and Hardened armor.

* Cost: 2 Base Points, plus an additional 2 BP per effect die and additional effects

Shove: The attack pushes the target back according to the character's Strength after the initial effect

* Cost: 1 Base Point, plus 1 per additional effect die

Strike: The attack deals damage equal to the character's Strength dice in addition to the base effect.

* Cost: 1 Base Point, plus 1 per additional effect die

Throw: As part of their maneuver, the character throws the target a number of meters according to the Strength table and deal additional damage equal to the thrown creature's velocity/10.

* Cost: 1 Base Point, plus 1 per additional effect die

Triggered: The character may perform their maneuver immediately after a set condition as a free action. Conditions are up to the player to determine, but must be approved by the GM.

* A player can only activate a single Triggered maneuver once during another character's turn.
* Triggered maneuvers consume one the character's allowed actions per round
* Cost: 2 Base Points, +2 per additional effects

Trip: The character can attempt to trip an enemy along with their attack's initial effect. Added trips don't suffer reduced damage.

* Cost: 1 Base Point, plus 1 per additional effect die

Weapon Element: The character can use this maneuver with one Weapon Category of their choice.

* Cost: 1 Base Point per Weapon Category
* Characters can take this addition to make their Martial Art work with a ranged weapon. If they do so, they lock their maneuver to only working with that specific weapon category, the cost increases to 2 BP per Weapon Category, and the cost for increasing the attack's damage doubles if the weapon they want to use has either the Armor Piercing, Penetrating, or Automatic Fire special effects (read: if the weapon is a gun).
	+ This option is only available Strike maneuvers, though the character can add on additional effects as normal to the attack. When added to a Strike, the character doesn't get to add their Strength to the damage unless the attack is with a ranged weapon, though they can increase the weapon damage as described above.
	+ For additions such as Grab and Trip that require the user to make a Strength or Dexterity check, use the weapon's damage dice instead to determine whether the maneuver is successful.
	+ Ranged Weapon Strikes cannot be combined with the Area of Effect or Throw additions.
	+ Combining a Ranged Weapon Strike with the Charge addition does not increase the attack's damage based on the character's movement.
	+ If the character wants to combine their ranged weapon Martial Art with a Grab, the target must be against a surface, other than the ground, that they can be pinned to. This cannot be done at all with guns, since their bullets are too small to effectively grapple an opponent.

### Reaction Additions

A character cannot Block, Evade, and Back Step at the same time, but there are other ways to modify their defensive abilities.

Counterattack: If the character successfully Blocks, Evades. or Back Steps away from a physical attack, they can spend an additional action to strike back at their attacker. This attack cannot be a Martial Arts attack, though they do get to use any weapons they're wielding or Strike Powers they are Maintaining with the attack.

* If the character spends 8 CP, they can select one Martial Art technique to act as their Counterattack. This attack suffers from Accuracy penalties as if the character were making an attack with a Multiple Attack Martial Art (-2 Accuracy per additional attack).
* Cost: 4 CP, 8 CP to use a pre-selected Martial Art.

Deflect: The character can now block ranged attacks just like they can can for physical attacks. If an enemy makes an attack with a ranged weapon or Blast power that doesn't cover an Area of Effect, the player can attempt to block it.

* For 8 CP, the player can redirect the enemy's own attack back at them or another target of their choice. If the character successfully blocks they attack, they can immediately make an Accuracy check for a ranged attack against the original attacker or their intended target; if successful, the target takes the damage of the original effects. This attack is subject to range modifies, as is usual for ranged attacks.
* Cost: 4 CP for a basic Deflect, 8 CP to Reflect the enemy's attack.

### Stance Additions

Characters cannot combine any of the base stances together, but they can mix them with Additional Effects to mimic a variety of martial art stances and emotional states. Players can modify their stance's static Accuracy and Dodge bonus' (see Adjusting Accuracy and Dodge), or they can expand upon the stance's existing abilities.

Brace: For 2 Base Points, you can raise a Bracing stance's bonuses to Toughness and Resistance by 1. If raising the bonus by 3, 4, and 5, the cost increases to 3 BP per bonus.

* Cost: 2 BP for +1 Toughness and Resistance up to +3, 3 BP per +1 up to +5.
	+ The characters can make their Brace stance provide a static bonus to Accuracy checks, but only for melee attacks.
	+ A Brace can never have its Dodge penalty bought up by adjusting a stance's Dodge bonuses. The character can add an increased Dodge penalty to their Brace, however.

Mobile Stance: Aside from increasing the stance's bonus to Dodge, a mobile stance can also allow characters to move away from their attacker without spending an action if the attack misses. This movement does subtract from their allowed movement per round, just as with Back Stepping.

* Cost: 6 Base Points
	+ Characters can negate a Mobile Stance's penalty to Accuracy checks, but only for melee attacks.

Set: Character's can learn to stabilize their aim to combat higher Range Modifiers

* Cost: 2 Base Points to negate 1 additional Range Modifier while attacking with either a ranged weapon or Power.
	+ Characters can adjust their Set Stance to provide Accuracy bonuses, but such static bonuses only apply to ranged attacks and Powers, not melee attacks or Powers with a range of touch.

Steady Stance: Aside from increasing their likelihood of hitting opponents, Steady Stances can add to a character's damage by adjusting the character's posture, enabling them to strike with greater force.

* Cost: 4 Base Points per +1d6 damage dice on melee attacks. This bonus only applies to Strikes and maneuvers with the Strike addition.
	+ Characters can gain greater Accuracy through a Steady Stance by adjusting the Accuracy bonus, but it only applies to melee attacks.

### Adjusting Accuracy and Dodge

Characters can add to a maneuver or stance's Accuracy or Dodge adjustments at the following rates:

* Cost: 1 Base Point per +1 Accuracy/Dodge, up to a maximum of +2 above the maneuver's starting value.
	+ From +3 to +5 above the maneuver's starting Accuracy or Dodge, the cost increases to 2 Base Points per +1 Accuracy/Dodge.

## Adding Damage Dice

You can increase the effectiveness of your attack by adding dice to the maneuver. This isn't just damage; for trips and grabs, these dice add onto the character's Strength check to for the maneuver.

* Cost per die: 2 Base Points, plus modifiers from Additional Effects

## Limitations

Players can decrease the effectiveness of an attack to lower its Actual Point Cost.

* Accuracy/Dodge Penalty: You can decrease either Accuracy or Dodge according at the same rate as increasing them. A maneuver cannot have a penalty to either Accuracy or Dodge less than -5.
* Fall: For -2 Total Active Points, your character falls prone at the end of the maneuver.
* Follow: For -2 Total Active Points, the maneuver must follow one condition or other maneuver specified at the time of making it. A character cannot take the Follow limitation for Triggered Maneuvers.
* One Limb: If the maneuver is a grab, the maneuver can take a Disadvantage to the character's Strength check for securing only a single limb, reducing the cost by 4 TAP. Additionally, the maneuver only temporarily disables one limb.
* Prone: For -2 Total Active Points, your character can only use the maneuver if the target is prone.
* Take Damage: For -2 Total Active Points, your character takes half the damage inflicted to the target. For -4, they take all of the damage inflicted upon the target.

## Calculating the Actual Point Cost

To find the Actual Point Cost, the player need to do the following:

* Add together all the Base Points from Accuracy or Dodge increases, maneuver Additions, and added dice of effect. This forms the maneuver's Total Active Points.
* Once again, a maneuver's Total Active Points cannot exceed half the character's Dexterity.
* Subtract from the Total Active Points any Limitations or Accuracy or Dodge penalties.

The player now has the Actual Point Cost of the Martial Art, and they pay that amount in Character Points so their character can learn the use the ability.

## The Process in Action

Alex wants their character Willow to have a powerful melee attack, so they decide to build her a Martial Arts technique to boost their damage.

* Willow has a Dexterity of 12, setting the Total Active Points cap at 6.
* They start by selecting a Strike for their base maneuver, since there are no penalties attached to the maneuver.
* Alex doesn't mind leaving Willow open so long as the attack can deal enough damage to Stun the target, so they give the maneuver -1 penalty to Accuracy and Dodge. This will lower the Actual Point Cost by 2.
* Alex adds Weapon Elements for Clubs and Spears onto the maneuver, insuring their character can increase the maneuver's damage as they find better equipment. This costs 2 Base Points.
* Alex increases the Strike's damage by 2d6, the most they're capable of adding while still being able to use the maneuver with Weapons. This amounts to 4 Base Points.
* Alex doesn't apply any additional penalties to the maneuver, figuring the minus to Accuracy and Dodge are enough to reduce the cost to the maneuver to what they want.
* Alex calculates the final cost of the power: 4 points for the 2d6 additional damage, 2 points for the Weapon Element, and -2 points for the Accuracy and Dodge penalties, meaning the technique will cost Willow 4 Character Points to develop.

## Example Maneuver

Power Attack: The character swings wildly, leaving them open to hopefully deal massive damage.

* Base Maneuver: Strike
* Accuracy: -1. CP Cost: -1
* Dodge: -1. CP Cost: -1
* Additional Effects: Weapon Element (Clubs and Spears). CP Cost: 2
* Effect: +2d6 Damage. CP Cost: 4
* Limitations: None. CP Reduction: 0
* Total Active Points/Actual Point Cost: 6/4