Martial Arts & weapons

[Rebar]

I've never really understood Martial Arts & weapons.

So, my character uses a quarter staff. Is there a fixed package for this?
I buy a bunch of maneuvers, and buy the wepaon element for 1 point. Does the quarterstaff help me? Do I buy +2DC HTH with a focus?
If I don't want him to be helpless when he loses it, do I have to buy another set of MAs, or can I use some maneuvers with and without?

Dave

[Jhamin]

Martial arts add damage & OCV/DCV to attacks from one source specified when the manuvers are purchased.
In 95% of all cases that source is unarmed attacks. It is possible to specify "Fencing Swords", "Spears", "Kung-Fu" weapons" or whatever as the group they add to. When you do the martial maneuvers only add to attacks from that sources and do not work with regular unarmed attacks. This is how styles like Kendo work.

The 1 point weapon elements allow you to use an art with an additional set of attacks. If you know Kung Fu, it probably is adding damage to your base unarmed attacks, if you buy the extra weapon element: Martial Arts weapons it now adds to unarmed attacks and Kung Fu weapons. You can now fight equally well with your fists and feet or Sai and Nunckaku. The weapons probably do more damage than your fists, but both options are now avalible.

You can technically add a weapon element to any martial arts package but most formal Martial Arts writups list weapon elements commonly associated with that style. (American Boxing isn't known for it's use of Katana for example, so you probably don't want someone buying that weapon element for that style)

[Jhamin]

To answer your question specifically,

There are a couple of Staff Fighting martial arts written up in the Ultimate Martial Artist. There are also alot of other styles that commonly teach the staff in addition to the standard moves (ie they list the Staff as a common weapon element to purchase).

If you are sticking with just the basic martial arts rules from FREd, just buy one of the generic asian martial arts packages, add the weapon element and call it whatever you want.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Originally posted by Rebar
I've never really understood Martial Arts & weapons.

So, my character uses a quarter staff. Is there a fixed package for this?

No, there is not a fixed package for this. You can apply the Martial maneuvers for a specific martial art, with which you have bought a "Staff" weapons element with (example: You can buy a Staff Weapons Element with Karate, you may then use the Staff with appropriate karate maneuvers) or you can purchase a Martial Art that applies specifically with the Staff (Example: Bo-jutsu from The Ultimate Martial Artist) or you can create one of your own from the list of available maneuvers (or if you are feeling progressive, create your own maneuvers!) In any case, for a staff-specific art, the "Use Art With Staff" Weapon Element is free, because it is inherently a part of the Martial Art. If you want to use the maneuvers from that Martial Art with other weapons (Club weapon Element perhaps, for use with Jo sticks or Escrima) then you have to pay +1pt for each weapon type other than the Staff.

I buy a bunch of maneuvers, and buy the wepaon element for 1 point. Does the quarterstaff help me? Do I buy +2DC HTH with a focus?

As I stated above, if the Martial Art is specifically for the Quarterstaff (or Bo staff, if its a Japanese art) then you don't need the +1pt Staff Weapon Element, its free because its an inherent part of the Martial Art.

Yes, the Quarterstaff "helps" you. The basic damage you do (and all the appropriate combat modifiers such as OCV, DCV, etc) are derived from your weapon you are using, Martial Maneuvers are modifiers to this attack. Example:

Yoshi is using a Bo Staff with the following stats: +1 OCV, 5D6N damage, 12Str min.

He has the Bojutsu Martial Art with the maneuvers Leg Sweep, Offensive Strike and Martial Block.

If Yoshi uses his Bo Staff with Leg Sweep he has the following bonuses: +2 OCV (+1 from Staff, +1 from Maneuver) +0 DCV. 6D6N damage (5D6 from staff, +1D6 from the maneuver) and if the opponent is hit, he is automatically knocked down (an element of the martial art maneuver)

If Yoshi uses his staff with Offensive Strike he has the following bonuses: -1 OCV (+1 from Staff, -2 from the Maneuer) +1DCV (+1 from the Maneuver) and 7D6N damage (5D6 from the Staff, +4D6 from the maneuver, which translates to +2D6 when added to weapons..see below)

If Yoshi uses his staff with Martial Block he has the following bonuses: +3 OCV (+1 from Staff, +2 from the Maneuver) +2 DCV (+2 from the Maneuver) and can abort to this maneuver (an element of the Block maneuver).

As you can see, the use of Martial Art Maneuvers makes weapon use a lot more efficient in some cases (Martial Block, vs Normal Block) and more deadly in other cases (Offensive Strike vs Normal Strike) and oftentimes adds a unique advantage to the attack (Leg Sweeps ability to knock opponents down), so Martial Arts are superior to the Standard Maneuvers. They are generaly worth the points spent on them.

Now, as far as adding damage to a weapon with a Martial Art, it uses a special rule. Martial Arts manuevers add +1DC to the weapons damage per +2D6 bonus in the maneuver. Thus, +2D6 bonus manuevers add +1DC (+1D6N) to a weapon and +4D6 bonus manuevers add +2DC (+2D6N) to a weapon. If you want to know why they do it this way, you have to ask Steve L. about that. (I'm a bit curious myself)

No, you don't have to purchase additional damage on a focus for the weapon, because that is covered in the maneuver. You purchase the maneuver (for 3-5 pts) and whatever bonuses are inherent within the maneuver add to whatever weapons you can use it with. Nifty, eh?

If I don't want him to be helpless when he loses it, do I have to buy another set of MAs, or can I use some maneuvers with and without?

Dave

This is what Weapon Elements are supposed to simulate. If you have a Martial art that is specifically with the Quarterstaff, you can purchase a +1pt "Use Art Barehanded" weapon element for it, in which case, if your character is disarmed or relieved of his weapon, he won't be helpless without it.

Alternately, you can purchase a Knowledge Skill with a different Martial art (a mere 3pts) one that is useable barehanded and this will allow you to use the existing maneuvers you've purchased with that specific martial art as well as with the Quarterstaff-Art, as long as the two arts have the specific maneuver in common

Example: Your character has the Quarterstaff art with Leg Sweep, Offensive Strike and Martial Block. Later he wants to learn Karate. Karate has all three of thos maneuvers in common with the Staff-Art, so after purchasing KS: Karate (3pts) the character can then use Leg Sweep, Offensive Strike and Martial Block with his Staff-art, or barehanded as Karate Maneuvers.

Sounds a bit complicated, but its not. If you do not have The Ultimate Martial Artists I suggest you aquire it. Not only does it explain all this in much greater detail, but it includes a lot of options and stuff that you and your GM might want to look at and incorporate into your games...

Happy gaming