MA Costs and Weapon Elements

[sbarron]

Here is the question. Do you make a character pay for martial maneuvers twice if they have 2 styles that have different weapon elements?

 

As a quick example, suppose I made a character who is a fencer and a boxer. Would you make him pay for 2 martial strikes, one for using a sword and one for unarmed?

 

The reason I ask is I have been tinkering with a Victorian Age heroic game off and on for a couple years now. Mostly just making characters, coming up with plot threads, deciding how supernatural to go, etc. One problem I encountered was that while characters that choose a eastern MA style frequently get to pay one point for an additional weapon element, that isn't possible with the more traditionally western MAs like fencing or boxing. Making a character with 150 pts that has to buy 2 martial arts styles, and pay for duplicate maneavers twice because the styles aren't really compatible, is difficult and not particularly balanced vs. eastern styles.

 

Ultimately, I just decided to let characters just buy one MA, and call it the combination of Fencing and Boxing, Combat Training, Martial Skills, or whatever they want, and throw on any weapon element that fits their style. I'm not planning to use style disadvantages, so no one would get that regardless of the style they select.

 

Has anyone else dealt with this? How did you handle it?

[Bengal]

Sometimes combining styles makes sense, and sometimes it doesn't- like you said, depends on the style. I let people add as many weapon elements as they like and that make thematic sense for the additional 1 point cost whether they make sense or not in order to maintain game balance point-wise.

[misterdeath]

Re: MA Costs and Weapon Elements

 

Originally posted by sbarron

Here is the question. Do you make a character pay for martial maneuvers twice if they have 2 styles that have different weapon elements?

 

As a quick example, suppose I made a character who is a fencer and a boxer. Would you make him pay for 2 martial strikes, one for using a sword and one for unarmed?

 

I usually let him buy weapons element, and define the maneuvers as "Jab/Cut, Hook/Lunge" and the like.

 

Since several different maneuvers can be subsumed into buying 1 Martial Maneuver, it seemed more fair to me.

 

Plus, it seems to go with the rules in UMA on learning new styles, where you buy the Maneuver, buy the KS, and you can use the Maneuvers in common as the style.

 

Plus, as you note, it's a good game balance thing.

 

D

[Bengal]

Pfft! I forgot- that's another important issue. Buy the KS for the new style, too. And don't forget a KS: Martial Arts Styles/Western Fighting Styles/Military Styles/Swordfighting Styles... it helps a lot to know what your opponent might have in his bag of tricks too.

[sbarron]

Re: Re: MA Costs and Weapon Elements

 

Originally posted by misterdeath

I usually let him buy weapons element, and define the maneuvers as "Jab/Cut, Hook/Lunge" and the like.

This is exactly how I do it.

[Black Rose]

Re: MA Costs and Weapon Elements

 

Originally posted by sbarron

Here is the question. Do you make a character pay for martial maneuvers twice if they have 2 styles that have different weapon elements?

 

As a quick example, suppose I made a character who is a fencer and a boxer. Would you make him pay for 2 martial strikes, one for using a sword and one for unarmed?

 

The reason I ask is I have been tinkering with a Victorian Age heroic game off and on for a couple years now. Mostly just making characters, coming up with plot threads, deciding how supernatural to go, etc. One problem I encountered was that while characters that choose a eastern MA style frequently get to pay one point for an additional weapon element, that isn't possible with the more traditionally western MAs like fencing or boxing. Making a character with 150 pts that has to buy 2 martial arts styles, and pay for duplicate maneavers twice because the styles aren't really compatible, is difficult and not particularly balanced vs. eastern styles.

 

Ultimately, I just decided to let characters just buy one MA, and call it the combination of Fencing and Boxing, Combat Training, Martial Skills, or whatever they want, and throw on any weapon element that fits their style. I'm not planning to use style disadvantages, so no one would get that regardless of the style they select.

 

Has anyone else dealt with this? How did you handle it?

 

No, you don't have to pay for the maneuver twice. What you do have to do is buy the KS: whatever-the-heck-style-is so you "Know" how to slam the guy in the kidneys instead of just running him through.

 

If it really worries you, I'd say go with a "Manly Art of Fisticuffs" or some such, then whatever maneuvers you want that aren't covered by MAF but are in, say, fencing, you buy too. Since you have to buy 10 pts worth of MA, plus a KS in it and whatever skills are considered essential in order to be a "Black belt" (read master), you're gonna be picking up a couple moves anyway.

[Guest Kolava]

I would probably let a character with mixed styles get away with labeling it "fighting technique" and sharing the manuvers between the different elements. Assuming they remember to get the KS, this isn't too abusive; its not like they can fence and box offensive strike at the same time anyway to get some sort of double damage cheese.