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Do I need the 6th Martial Arts book?


palaskar

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I was wondering if I should get the 6th ed. Martial Arts book. I already have the FrED, as well as Ninja Herp, and both copies of UMA (the one on CD, and the earlier one on paper.)

 

I'm mainly looking for more martial arts styles -- something not covered in the books above.

 

Should I get the 6th ed Martial Arts book?

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Re: Do I need the 6th Martial Arts book?

 

On the one hand, Steve has said that much of Hero System Martial Arts will be drawing from 5E UMA and NH, updated to 6E, so I would expect a lot of repetition of previous material. OTOH he also has years more experience in designing such books to draw on. Steve has also mentioned that HMA will include more MA styles than in previous efforts, based on his subsequent research; although not how many or from where.

 

Since the book is not yet in my hands (or anyone else's), I can't offer anything more concrete.

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Re: Do I need the 6th Martial Arts book?

 

Yes buy it. Buy all the hero books. You can't miss out.

 

Ok, where's my payment guys? Or is this not good enough?

What do you mean they can see this? YIkes!:winkgrin:

 

Ok , seriously, if possible look at it in a store first. If you are a Martial artist geek, I'd recommend getting it anyway.

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Re: Do I need the 6th Martial Arts book?

 

There will be more martial arts styles in HSMA that what was in the 5E UMA (I talked to Steve about some of them). HSMA will also have 225-250 sample martial arts powers (written by me), arraigned in order from Real World, Cinematic, Wuxia, Video Game, Anime, and Ninja. Each section will present powers in the fashion common to Hero books these days -- Offensive, Defense, Movement, Sensory, Miscellaneous. There's everything in there from Acrobatics to the Thousand Sword Cloud.

 

So... yes.

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Re: Do I need the 6th Martial Arts book?

 

No. I don't think it's a trick question. I'm really wondering if the 6th ed. book will be more a rehash of what was in the Ninja Hero and UMA 5th ed books, which it doesn't seem to be. So I should really get it.

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Re: Do I need the 6th Martial Arts book?

 

No. I don't think it's a trick question. I'm really wondering if the 6th ed. book will be more a rehash of what was in the Ninja Hero and UMA 5th ed books' date=' which it doesn't seem to be. So I should really get it.[/quote']

 

Well, technically, yes, it's a rehash in that it will have material for NH and UMA in it, since this book is a replacement for those two books. However, Streve will be taking a new look at all of it, so it should be a fresh approach in some ways.

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Re: Do I need the 6th Martial Arts book?

 

OK, let me see if I can help out with a little info. ;)

 

It is true that much of what appears in HSMA is taken, often verbatim, from UMA and NH. We've already got the two of the best books on the subject for gaming, so when we're trying to make the single best book on martial arts for gaming, naturally it behooves us to draw on what we've already got. ;)

 

But that's not the end of the story! There's plenty of stuff in HSMA that doesn't appear in either UMA or NH. Some of the new stuff includes:

 

--a bunch of new real-world martial arts styles, including Baritsu, Bokator, Angampora, Khridoli, and Marine Corps Martial Arts Program

--significant reworkings of a few existing styles, or inclusion of styles from other books, such as Stickfighting and Swordfighting

--some new Elements for building Martial Maneuvers (but nothing radical, and there aren't any new Maneuvers in the master list)

--an extensive chapter of about 250 martial artist abilities and powers, organized by subgenre (this right here, IMO, justifies buying the new book; it rocks!)

--a "genre by genre" chapter that itself includes about a dozen fictional martial arts styles (most of them all-new in this book) and all-new example characters

--rules for "ranking" or "rating" Martial Maneuvers to govern how characters learn/buy them

--rules for creating "Martial Maneuvers" using standard Skills and Powers

--a coupon for one (1) piece of Yengtao Pie

 

And of course, it's all updated to 6E, revised and rewritten for clarity and ease of use, etc., etc.

 

One of my goals in writing HSMA was to make sure there was enough new material in it to justify it as a purchase for those of you who have UMA and NH already, and I definitely think I succeeded. Pick up a copy, you won't regret it! :hex:

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Re: Do I need the 6th Martial Arts book?

 

I'm planning to get it......If it shows up on Amazon or some such. I'm done with the supporting the Local Hobby Stores (which are all a 50 mile plus drive for me anyway) and the book stores, since they don't seem to want to keep books there on the shelf for me to look at. "We can Order that for you Sir!" doesn't work for me. I can order it myself, and then not drive, maybe save 6 bucks or so and since I can send it to work, use my UPS code to save even more money.

 

SO....HSMA is on the list for me. One giant book of Liu Kang WAAAACHAAAAAA!!!

 

~Rex

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Re: Do I need the 6th Martial Arts book?

 

I'm planning to get it......If it shows up on Amazon or some such. I'm done with the supporting the Local Hobby Stores (which are all a 50 mile plus drive for me anyway) and the book stores, since they don't seem to want to keep books there on the shelf for me to look at. "We can Order that for you Sir!" doesn't work for me. I can order it myself, and then not drive, maybe save 6 bucks or so and since I can send it to work, use my UPS code to save even more money.

 

SO....HSMA is on the list for me. One giant book of Liu Kang WAAAACHAAAAAA!!!

 

~Rex

You can order it directly from Hero on the Hero Games Store. I've done that for the last 7 years, with no problems.

 

TB

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Re: Do I need the 6th Martial Arts book?

 

--an extensive chapter of about 250 martial artist abilities and powers, organized by subgenre (this right here, IMO, justifies buying the new book; it rocks!)

 

Yeah, baby!

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Re: Do I need the 6th Martial Arts book?

 

Heck, I'd get for just the styles. I've tried to stat out marine martian arts, and other than Baritsu, I've never heard of the other styles. Save me a lot of pain. Are there any rules for making "formless" martial arts, e.g. one's that make up moves "only the fly?" Like Systema or high-level qigong? I've been tweaking the latest version of Doc Vision with it using a multipower with variable cost slots of Exert, TK only to upset balance, Flash, etc.

 

Are there rules for "possessed" or "one with the Force?" Like, you enter combat, something takes control of you (animal spirits, God, etc.) and before you know it, you've kicked everybody's ass. It's another hard-tp-stat thing. I was thinking about it beig NCC (-2) but that seems too much of an advantage since the power kicks on at exactly right time (i.e., combat).

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Re: Do I need the 6th Martial Arts book?

 

I would like to ask the OP if this is a trick question. I can get by without ANY of the other books in a pinch' date=' but Hero System Martial Arts is a must have. I ordered three from my LGS.[/quote']

 

OK, I've gotta ask what you're going to do with the two extra copies.

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Re: Do I need the 6th Martial Arts book?

 

Is my Kajukenbo in there? We've been woefully under represented in the past.

 

~Rex

 

 

I must be getting old. I had to read your post three times before discovering that you did not, in fact, practice Kaijukenpo (Godzilla's goin' DOWN!)

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