Custom Martial Arts

[Dracojounin7]

Sidereal are known for their Martial Arts ability.


If one were to make a custom martial art, what limits should be placed on it?

 

[Brickwall]

It should be about as powerful as other MA of its tier.


Seriously, that's about it. I'd avoid unconditional Perfects of any kind, and each Charm should be combat-oriented (though ones with applications outside combat are totally fine), but otherwise...MA are pretty flexible.

 

[Dracojounin7]

Thanks much. I'll see what I can do. Is there any thread on the forums where I can submit the finished martial art should I want to share it?

 

[Ledaal Kajiri]

Generally such are posted here in Autobot's section historically, though now it's a hard call if here or Sidereal Tampering is best, since it's non-cannon. I've posted two in the past, Gunzosha Warrior Style, a Terrestrial Martial Art designed primarily for Enlightened Mortal usage, and Righteous Warrior Style, a Celestial Martial Art designed by one of my characters to emulate the virtues of the Righteous Warrior espoused in Lookshy. Quite a few others have done so in the past. As you'll see from my threads, and others, people can be quite helpful with discussion of mechanics.

 

[HowlingCoyote]

Given the upgrade that Martial Arts are supposed to be receiving in terms of power (see Ink Monkeys: Cobra style), I'd suggest basing the power of a TMA on Five Dragon Style, and a CMA on ... well, something not broken like Cobra. I think Black Claw style, or the styles presented in Glories of the Most High, would be good benchmarks for a CMA.

 

[wordman]

Take a look at this thread.

 

[Caelun_Niveus]

Because Dracojounin is planning to play in a game that I'm going to be the ST of, and I want to see what your opinion of what he came up with, here is his "Boulder Style Sidreal Martial Arts" (he is planning on being a Chosen of Endings)

Spoiler

Pinnacle Techniques


Cost: None


Minimum: 1 Martial Arts, 1 Essence


Type: Simple


Keywords: None


Duration: Permanent


Prerequisites: None


Description: The character is immune to external environmental factors that cause penalties to any movement.


Meteor Impact


Cost: 1m


Minimum: 2 Martial Arts, 1 Essence


Type: Reflexive


Keywords: Combo-OK


Duration: Instant


Prerequisites: Pinnacle Techniques


Description: The character may make a strike in attempt to shatter any non-magical object or material that he can reach.


Mountain Defense


Cost: 3m


Minimum: 2 Martial Arts, 1 Essence


Type: Reflexive


Keywords: Combo-OK


Duration: One scene


Prerequisites: Pinnacle Techniques


Description: The character gains soak equal to their skill in martial arts, at a minimum of 2L/2B.


Sandstorm Rush


Cost: 2m per action


Minimum: 2 Martial Arts, 1 Essence


Type: Reflexive


Keywords: Combo-OK


Duration: 1 action per 2 motes


Prerequisites: Pinnacle Techniques


Description: The character's speed doubles in all actions, but they cannot use Stealth-related actions.


Boulder Style Form


Cost: 5m


Minimum: 2 Martial Arts, 2 Essence


Type: Simple


Keywords: Form-type


Duration: One scene


Prerequisites: Sandstorm Rush, Mountain Defense, Meteor Impact


Description: All attacks made during the use of this form have a 1 /5 chance of reducing target's soak by 3.

 

[Teln]

That's not a Sidereal martial art, that's barely a Terrestrial style.

 

[Brickwall]

Nah, some of the Charms are easily Celestial-level Charms.


But a Sidereal Style should be Essence 4 up, at Essence 5 with the Form Charm, and then going into Elder Essence afterwards (6+, generally peaking at 8). This is not a Sidereal style.

 

[Caelun_Niveus]

Bumping a dead thread, I know I have commuted an offense worthy of a Celestial Audit, but I have been speaking with Draco, and apparently his MA is more powerful than I thought. His wording leaves some serious exploits (at least in his eyes).


Pinnacle Techniques


No penalizes to anything, from anything. You move perfectly in quicksand (and don't sink in quicksand) or underwater.


Meteor Impact


Can destroy anything in one hit, provided it is non-magical (and non-living). This includes entire mountains.


Sandstorm Rush


The increase in speed apparently applies to the speed of your ticks as well. His interpretation meant that a speed 3 weapon (artifact bladed jade tonfas, the form weapon) would be "increased" to speed 1. Barehanded fighting at speed 5 is still reduced to speed 1.66 (repeating) before rounding.


Others work as expected. So how does this new information influence your opinion of the charms?

 

[Dracogryff]

To put things quick and dirty, here's my opinion on it. Essence requirements are way, WAY too low. Most of these charms should probably be Essence 4, MA 4 min, I mean. The base charm should be post form, the mountain-killer should be near pinnacle, the speed reducer should be limited to Speed 3 (like all other Charms that do the same thing). Pinnacle Techniques should not be Permanent, it's way too powerful that way. Costs are too low for the mountain killer and penalty Charm. Mountain killer should be at least 10 motes, and maybe a willpower, for example.


There are too few charms in this, particularly if the intent is a Sidereal Style. It should have at least 10, in general, from my experience, and generally more than that. There is no theme at all to this style, particularly not a Sidereal one (not that I'm particularly experienced there). Even with the better explanation of the power of the charms, it's not a Sidereal Style, and I'd not allow someone to come near a game I ran with it without an almost total rewrite, personally. *shrugs*


Hope that helps some.


Edit: Also, the form isn't a Sidereal Form Charm. And really is kinda worthless.

 

[Coyotekin]

Heh, HowlingCoyote is using one my old avatars. Nice choice.


Here's a Terrestrial style a friend of mine and I put together. It's focused on Thaumaturgy for a school of Thaumaturges that seek greater enlightenment.


Awakened Essence Style