5E martial arts questions

[Trebuchet]

1) Wu Shu Master, the scourge of the Chinatown tongs, is the only living practitioner of the ancient Fou Lang style of Scottish kung fu. In his Secret Identity as Armstrong Chen, humble self defense instructor at the local YMCA, he has entered a charity martial arts tournament. As he prepares himself for his first match, he realizes his opponent is a leading lieutenant for one of the tong leaders whom he has fought several times. Wu Shu Master is faster and stronger than Armstrong but not different in physical size or build, and Fou Lang is a Distinctive Style. His opponent – one Armstrong knows has Analyze: Style - is quite likely to recognize it and hence discover Wu Shu Master’s secret ID.

 

He can’t just drop out; this match is for charity, and the orphanage needs his help. What 5E Skills, Powers, and/or other abilities could our hero use to disguise his style and thus protect his secret identity?

 

2) One of Fou Lang’s most devastating attacks is a precise strike to a nerve cluster which temporarily paralyses the individual limb struck, rendering it useless for several seconds but otherwise doing no actual harm.

 

How could this ability be built in 5E?

[Escafarc]

Re: 5E martial arts questions

 

Entangle that targets just a limb that fades with time?

[prestidigitator]

Re: 5E martial arts questions

 

1.) I'd say Acting, but it may be that he won't want to go all-out with his martial arts, too (e.g. sticking to Martial Maneuvers that aren't very distinctive to his style, throwing in a good few standard maneuvers to confuse things, etc.). If it's a charity event it shouldn't matter who wins so sticking with it, putting on a good show, and using the opportunity to study his opponent may be a better strategy than whipping his nemesis a good one publicly. There's always the locker room after the event is over or something.

 

2.) I'd probably base that one on the NND and Disable elements (UMA p. 92 and 95) but it would require some special ruling by the GM unless you're going to instead go the route of custom-building a power like Escafarc suggests. I'd suggest either counting the Normal Damage Body of the attack anyway (even through the NND won't DO Body damage) for purposes of Disabling/Impairing, or just using Stun/3. In return for the NND bypass of defenses, limit the duration the limb can be effected.

[mikesama]

Re: 5E martial arts questions

 

1: Provided he doesn't know any other martial art styles, prestidigitator is right it would be acting as a skill. He could also help the roll by making acrobatics rolls to make his moves flashier or sleight of hand to hide his true motions.

 

2: There are rules somewhere in the UMA about nerve strikes and doing disabling damage with them, I don't have my book at the moment but I'll try to find it and post the actual wording later.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: 5E martial arts questions

 

1: Provided he doesn't know any other martial art styles, prestidigitator is right it would be acting as a skill. He could also help the roll by making acrobatics rolls to make his moves flashier or sleight of hand to hide his true motions.

 

2: There are rules somewhere in the UMA about nerve strikes and doing disabling damage with them, I don't have my book at the moment but I'll try to find it and post the actual wording later.

 

Numbing rules, IIRC

[Markdoc]

Re: 5E martial arts questions

 

For the arm numbing we have simply gone with either a STR drain or a Running drain (it'll fade by itself) with the special effect that either an arm or a leg has been numbed. In most cases, that will simply be special effects - if an arm is numbed, the martial artist can still attack/defend with one arm for a few phases, or limp along at reduced speed. In a few cases (for example where two handed weapons are used or a technique requires two hands) then that weapon/technique can't be used - that's why you get the "requires two hands" limitation, after all.

 

As for the disguising his own martial arts, I can see several options - not using characteristic moves - this would penalize but not prevent a KS: martial arts roll, since the same style will also be obvious in basic maneuvers or, as suggested, acting (though I'd give it a -2 penalty in a skill vs skill roll, since it's not usually what acting is used for - and allow him to take a penalty on his DCV and/or OCV - to reflect fighting differently to the way he has trained - as a bonus to his acting roll.

 

If he chooses to do the latter, he might reap some payback later, if they fight again: "Actually, I have some bad news for you. I'm not actually left-handed." That should be worth at least a one time +3 for surprise maneuver!

 

cheers, Mark