One-handed martial arts fighting

[Trebuchet]

It's a classic trope in kung fu flicks: A kung fu master, facing an inferior opponent, literally puts one hand behind his back and proceeds to defeat his opponent, usually as a way of demonstrating his superiority and with a certain air of contempt. There are of course other reasons to only use one hand, such as holding something which must be protected in the other - an infant or fragile antiquity for example. Or even just missing one arm.

 

Now the most obvious way to represent this in Hero is probably just to give said character a CV several points higher than his two-handed opponent or perhaps using more defensive Maneuvers from UMA such as Defensive Strike, but has anyone come up with something different?

[L. Marcus]

It's just the SFX of an asswhuppin'. It's something you seen when one character has an OCV/DCV four points or more than his/her opponent.

 

[Killer Shrike]

Seems like a "SFX" for a "master" just not using all combat skill levels available to them.

[death tribble]

I am currently doing a thread in the Champions forum on building a martial artist character and this is exactly what we need to see.

[Trebuchet]

Seems like a "SFX" for a "master" just not using all combat skill levels available to them.

 

Actually, it seems to me it's more of an example of the master using his superior levels defensively and not using his full attack capabilities.

 

[TheRealDeal]

Seems like a "SFX" for a "master" just not using all combat skill levels available to them.

 

Actually, it seems to me it's more of an example of the master using his superior levels defensively and not using his full attack capabilities.

While the master may decide to play it more defensive when doing this, I think Killer Shrike is right, this is done as a show of skill by the master. Why do you fight with one hand tied behind you? To show you can suffer this disadvantage and yet still kick the butt of the one you are challenging. So since you should be suffering some disadvantage doing this (otherwise the entire idea is lost, you only do this because you do suffer something from it, otherwise you choose some other disadvantage if this one does not really hinder you. You are, after all, trying to prove a point, that you are so good that even when hindered you can still beat your rivals).

 

If you somehow suffer nothing from having only 1 hand, I suppose you could be trying to be sneaky and pretent it hinders you, but I think this question is asking about the case where a real master wants to self hinder and prove his skill this way.

 

I would impose some penalty, say a -2 OCV at least and perhaps -1 DC as well. Or perhaps simply say the master must use 2 skill levels (thus losing them) to overcome this one handed penalty.

[Lucius]

 

 

I can lick you with one hand tied behind my back!: (Total: 10 Active Cost, 3 Real Cost) Extra Limb (1), Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible; +1) (10 Active Points); Requires A Roll (Combat Tricks Skill roll; -1/2), Restrainable ((won't work if BOTH hands tied behind your back); -1/2), Costs Endurance (-1/2), Limited Manipulation (-1/4), Limited Power Only to fight one handed (-1/4) (RealCost:3)

 

Lucius Alexander

 

And the palindromedary you rode in on

[Lucius]

On a more serious note: Since using the off hand is -3 OCV as I recall, I would think using your good hand only would be -1 or -2.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

I have to hand it to the palindromedary

[Trebuchet]

 

I can lick you with one hand tied behind my back!: (Total: 10 Active Cost, 3 Real Cost) Extra Limb (1), Invisible Power Effects (Fully Invisible; +1) (10 Active Points); Requires A Roll (Combat Tricks Skill roll; -1/2), Restrainable ((won't work if BOTH hands tied behind your back); -1/2), Costs Endurance (-1/2), Limited Manipulation (-1/4), Limited Power Only to fight one handed (-1/4) (RealCost:3)

 

Lucius Alexander

 

And the palindromedary you rode in on

 

I rather like that.

[ayinde]

I my mind choosing to hinder ones self in a challenge is a form of mockery so see what you are describing as a very powerful presence attack

[Trebuchet]

I my mind choosing to hinder ones self in a challenge is a form of mockery so see what you are describing as a very powerful presence attack

 

Certainly it is a type of mockery, but I can't see how it is a Presence attack since it has no effect on the opponent (besides possibly pissing him off).

[ayinde]

if it has no effect on the opponent.......... then why bother model it at that point isn't it just a description of his fight style so at most just add martial art style useable without use of arm(s) to his existing martial art cost 1cp. am I off base on this

[Hyper-Man]

if it has no effect on the opponent.......... then why bother model it at that point isn't it just a description of his fight style so at most just add martial art style useable without use of arm(s) to his existing martial art cost 1cp. am I off base on this

 

Lucius's build has no direct mechanical effect on combat other than to ensure the character takes no penalties for fighting from what appears to anyone else to be a disadvantageous position. The end result is just a variation on the idea of a "display of power/skill" as a positive modifier for a Presence Attack that can cause an opponent to hesitate or choose not to fight at all.

[Hyper-Man]

if it has no effect on the opponent.......... then why bother model it at that point isn't it just a description of his fight style so at most just add martial art style useable without use of arm(s) to his existing martial art cost 1cp. am I off base on this

 

Lucius's build has no direct mechanical effect on combat other than to ensure the character takes no penalties for fighting from what appears to anyone else to be a disadvantageous position. The end result is just a variation on the idea of a "display of power/skill" as a positive modifier for a Presence Attack that can cause an opponent to hesitate or choose not to fight at all.

[Lucius]

if it has no effect on the opponent.......... then why bother model it at that point isn't it just a description of his fight style so at most just add martial art style useable without use of arm(s) to his existing martial art cost 1cp. am I off base on this

 

The effect it has is not on the opponent, but on the penalties suffered by the fighter.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

What effect does it have on a palindromedary?

[ayinde]

Hyper/ I wasn't addressing the build by Lucius at all (for record neat build) in a post earlier I noted that a martial arts user who choose to fight "with one hand behind his back" or really any appearance of self induced hinder to make the odds more fair is doing that to mock his opponent and in my mind that is a strong presence attack in my mind and lie more. I added the idea of buying no hand fight style is more of a note of the masters training in his form arms boned in chain no issue he can just not use his arms. But then I am of the mind that a drunken master just buys ma: Kong fu ks: Kong fu then buy combat skills and name it drunken style. He is still just using Kong fu its just now his odd movement throws of his opponent.

[ayinde]

Hyper/ I wasn't addressing the build by Lucius at all (for record neat build) in a post earlier I noted that a martial arts user who choose to fight "with one hand behind his back" or really any appearance of self induced hinder to make the odds more fair is doing that to mock his opponent and in my mind that is a strong presence attack in my mind and lie more. I added the idea of buying no hand fight style is more of a note of the masters training in his form arms boned in chain no issue he can just not use his arms. But then I am of the mind that a drunken master just buys ma: Kong fu ks: Kong fu then buy combat skills and name it drunken style. He is still just using Kong fu its just now his odd movement throws of his opponent.

Wow using a cellular to reply sorry for the many typos

[JasonPacker]

I think I'm leaning in Lucius's less tongue-in-cheek direction. For most strikes, a simple -1 for only using the dominant hand, -2 only to maneuvers that would normally use two (throws, for example). Perhaps a higher penalty if the off-hand is literally tied behind his back, due to the reduced range of body motion, or maybe not more OCV penalty, but a -1 to DCV. If he ties his *good* hand behind his back, -3 OCV makes sense, maybe with that same -1 DCV for actually tied.