Author Topic: Magically enhanced martial arts  (Read 2569 times)

Offline exploding_brain

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Magically enhanced martial arts
« on: April 17, 2010, 03:17:56 PM »
I have this idea for a character based on eastern martial artists with supernatural abilities.  Somewhere between Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Streetfighter/Mortal-Kombat.  Also the finale of of The Last Dragon, if anyone is old enough to remember that movie.

I'm looking for ideas about how to represent the supernatural enhancements to that sort of character's physical abilities.

I feel like this character should probably have peak skill something along the lines of

Superb: Discipline
Great: Athletics, Conviction, Fists
Good: Lore, Endurance

Any thoughts?

Offline Ard3

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Re: Magically enhanced martial arts
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2010, 09:04:12 PM »
Maybe use magic to place suitable aspects on yourself and then tagging/invoking them.

Also check the Rite of Ascencion thread http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,17265.0.html. There is talk about transforming yourself.

Offline Deadmanwalking

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Re: Magically enhanced martial arts
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2010, 09:34:56 PM »
Check out this thread:

http://www.jimbutcheronline.com/bb/index.php/topic,15852.250.html

Pages 26 through 29 involve several of us discussing a character like that and the several possible mechanical ways to do it.

Offline Moriden

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Re: Magically enhanced martial arts
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2010, 11:48:39 PM »
is -seems- like its somewhere around one shift per "boost" but getting specifics is kinda like pulling teeth. i don't think the writers really wanted to deal with things like buff spells or combat transformation.
Brian Blacknight

Offline exploding_brain

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Re: Magically enhanced martial arts
« Reply #4 on: April 19, 2010, 12:23:24 AM »
Had an idea for a Supernatural Power that might work nicely for this character.  Seems balanced to me, but the munchkin part of my brain may be shorting out the rational part of my brain. 

Focused Mind - Focused Body [-varies]
For each point of refresh you spend on this power, chose two physical skills from the list below.  You may use Discipline to complement those skills under most circumstances.
Alertness, Athletics, Endurance, Fists, Might, Stealth, Weapons.

Maybe there should be some sort of compel mechanic having to do with what happens when you become "unfocused", tied to the high concept that allows the stunt in the first place.  Maybe something like The Catch for the Toughness stunts.

Offline Moriden

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Re: Magically enhanced martial arts
« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2010, 12:31:42 AM »
So youd add your discipline to the skills? that sounds potentially very broke. for one refresh youd potentially have a +10 to two combat skills. thats one shotting elder gruff ranges.

Brian Blacknight

Offline luminos

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Re: Magically enhanced martial arts
« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2010, 12:39:44 AM »
A complimenting skill only adds +1 to the roll at most.  I'd say the stunt is slightly unbalanced though, because being able to add +1 to multiple combat skills in most circumstances for just 1 refresh is a much bigger bonus than most stunts.  I'd probably let the stunt either only affect one skill for each time you buy it, or only let discipline compliment two non-combat skills.  I think having some kind of rule about making the character "unfocused" would be good, to counteract the breadth of bonuses possible with the stunt.
Lawful Chaotic

Offline exploding_brain

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Re: Magically enhanced martial arts
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2010, 02:16:37 AM »
Right, just +1, and only if your Discipline is better than the other skill to begin with.

It's actually a supernatural power, not a stunt, so it should be a bit better than a mortal stunt.  The guideline is 2 shifts of effect per point of refresh.  Of course, that guideline also says that a STUNT shouldn't give a flat +2 to an attack skill.

There's also the guideline that says a [-1] power should be a little more potent for that 1 point, because a pure mortal taking a single [-1] power loses that +2 refresh bonus.

Maybe you have to invest minimum [-2] refresh, and get 3 skills for those first 2 points of refresh, then one for one after that.

Then again, you have to keep your skills set up just so to benefit from this, so maybe that satisfies the "under limited circumstances" clause of the stunt guideline.

Another possibility, one version of the power gives you Discipline complements Fists OR Weapons for [-1], another version lets Discipline complement two skills from the full list for [-1] but restricts Fist and Weapons to non-attack uses.