In the Dojo (O.O.C. Chat - Session Zero)

[Purr]

It happens. You are only human, after all.

Yeah, tell me about it. I'm feeling pretty human right now. Heh. =)

 

[Sherwood]

Could be worse; you might be a turkey with Thanksgiving coming up.

 

[Sherwood]

At first glance, I am thinking of going with Penitent in his efforts to make up for his past anger issues, and maybe the Pedagogue one to represent his near-pacifist mentality. I was thinking of taking the Artesian skill package, but now I'm wondering if the Healer one wouldn't be better.

 

[Purr]

Concerning rolling for Education Level, I don't like the idea of a single die roll dictating the future of a character, but what if I rolled 3 for each of you and you were able to choose?

Keep this in mind, please. =)

Question (perhaps theoretical in nature, not sure if it applies somewhere: I get an additional action at lvl 3 and improve two things. Then I level up - do I then again get the action, or do I stick with the bonuses?

I haven't quite worked this out, but here are my intentions:

1. If your character is at the cap/maximum of Actions per Round, and if your character receives Actions per Round from their martial Art system after that, then gain a total of +2 to share between Strike, Parry, Dodge, Roll.
2. However, if your character is not at cap, then that Action per Round bonus goes towards it.

I'm considering a bird of some kind if that's available - didn't get the books yet. Small, quick, angry, struggling with being different. Might want to go with some firearm expertise. That's just a first idea, though.

Don't be so small that your character can't use the weapons you want! =) Remember, humans are mostly between Size levels 5-9. =)

Psychie Having a human character turned into a tiger? Hmm. I hadn't thought of that. That might not be possible (because your family member who buys you is a collector of animals; she or he doesn't buy humans - I don't know how to get your character into that fold). I'll keep working at it though.

Could be worse; you might be a turkey with Thanksgiving coming up.

Ha ha! Leave it to Sherwood to come up with a good laugh! Yes indeed, Bud! =)

 

[Psychie]

Psychie Having a human character turned into a tiger? Hmm. I hadn't thought of that. That might not be possible (because your family member who buys you is a collector of animals; she or he doesn't buy humans - I don't know how to get your character into that fold). I'll keep working at it though.

I was more picturing taking human DNA and adding to the tiger fetus to make it a humanoid form.

 

[Silanon]

There are plenty of birdies available. It just depends on what kind you want and how big you want to grow.

Probably a smaller bird of prey - I like the speedy approach rather than the majestic.

Is there a MA that excels at disengaging? Like a hit-and-run style of fighting promoting agility? Just asking for inspiration.

How common will firearms be? Would a pistol be advantageous, or just look silly compared to usual arms?

 

[Sherwood]

Probably a smaller bird of prey - I like the speedy approach rather than the majestic.

Is there a MA that excels at disengaging? Like a hit-and-run style of fighting promoting agility? Just asking for inspiration.

How common will firearms be? Would a pistol be advantageous, or just look silly compared to usual arms?

Remember we are in 198x San Francisco, so all the 'modern' weapons are going to be available.

 

[Silanon]

Remember we are in 198x San Francisco, so all the 'modern' weapons are going to be available.

Available - but will we play in a campaign where they will thoroughly be used? That's probably my actual question.

 

[Sherwood]

Ah. That I can't answer. For my own self, I am thinking using a staff or, for ranged attack, some javelins. But that doesn't stop someone else from using a pistol or sub-machinegun.

 

[Sherwood]

Another early morning tomorrow for me. Time for sleep.

 

[Psychie]

G'nite, Sherwood.

 

[Purr]

I was more picturing taking human DNA and adding to the tiger fetus to make it a humanoid form.

Psychie O.K.. Maybe it'll help if I restate the questions:

4. Species (Human, Mutant Animal, other)?
5. Ethnic heritage (whether you were born a human or tiger, what )?

4. Tiger
5. spliced with human DNA in utero, and born humanoid

4. Sounds like you want your species to be a Mutant Animal. Cool!
5. Ethnic heritage (Asian, African-American, Mexican, Mixed race, etc.)? From where do your ancestors come from? =)

Probably a smaller bird of prey - I like the speedy approach rather than the majestic.

Is there a MA that excels at disengaging? Like a hit-and-run style of fighting promoting agility? Just asking for inspiration.

How common will firearms be? Would a pistol be advantageous, or just look silly compared to usual arms?

Available - but will we play in a campaign where they will thoroughly be used? That's probably my actual question.

1. By MA I take it you mean Martial Art (and not M.A. = Mental Affinity - sorry, my brain's... well... you know). =) Pao Pat Mei Leopard Style comes to mind as it's fast. If you're looking for Hit-and-Run, be sure to increasing your Speed Attribute. The Initiative bonuses and movement would help a great deal.

More importantly, I recommend embracing what your martial art represents. You ARE going to be missing out and relying on your fellow PCs for things that apply to the martial arts. Treat it simply like a "bag of bonuses" and not only are you missing the spirit of the game, but if all of you go that route, I can personally guarantee you, you will not succeed in some of the missions that take place.

2. I haven't gotten into just how popular firearms are. Firearms will be advantageous, but there will be plenty of places where you will be simply better off using martial arts. Firearms are loud (suppressors aren't a thing for the public in 198X). I don't have any gun-running gangs in mind so don't worry about running into things like that. As Sherwood pointed out, you're looking at 198X technology too. No Glocks/polymer weapons.

I definitely don't recommend anything like a "gun specialist" (meaning a character solely dedicated to firearm warfare). You will miss out on so much because martial arts plays a big part!

Another early morning tomorrow for me. Time for sleep.

Sleep well!

 

[Silanon]

More importantly, I recommend embracing what your martial art represents. You ARE going to be missing out and relying on your fellow PCs for things that apply to the martial arts. Treat it simply like a "bag of bonuses" and not only are you missing the spirit of the game, but if all of you go that route, I can personally guarantee you, you will not succeed in some of the missions that take place.

You know, I'm very much unaware of most martial arts out there - so I need a starting point to then dig further and see how the philosophy behind it works out for my character. Now I know where to look further. Coincidence that Eron also had Pao Pat Mei? Maybe not...

I'm thinking of martial arms combined with a sidearm, and being a good shot with that. All the more when use of firearms has consequences like drawing attention.

As for archetypes: I'm thinking anarchist behind a conformist face, or perfectionist hidden behind nihilist. Strong contrasts? Probably. More thoughts will have to follow, but these drew my attention.

 

[Silanon]

To add to that: If you have a real-life suggestion that fits the bill, lemme know - even if it's not well-represented in the rules.

Edit: Martial arts, that is.

 

[Purr]

Coincidence that Eron also had Pao Pat Mei? Maybe not...

Hah! I'd forgotten about that! =)

I'm thinking of martial arms combined with a sidearm, and being a good shot with that. All the more when use of firearms has consequences like drawing attention.

There is a Martial Art that exclusively uses firearms (Triad Assassin from Mystic China) but I don't want it in the game because it's hardly a martial art at all. It's basically for John Wick/John Wu wanna-be gun bunnies - it doesn't even have a basic philosophy besides "be loyal or die" and "kill our enemies." I ask where is the philosophy in that?

You know, I'm very much unaware of most martial arts out there - so I need a starting point to then dig further and see how the philosophy behind it works out for my character. Now I know where to look further.

Well, I'm using Ninjas & Superspies and Mystic China mostly with some Rifter magazine issues. Our The Martial Way section in Broadsword is also a decent, if small, page using those resources.

Maybe your choice of martial arts is a little like choosing your O.C.C.? That's how other martial artists might see your character - some will recognize the path you have decided upon and treat you accordingly. Just like some used to do back in 198X and before.

It's like this. Martial arts are more than a simple fighting system - each is a way of life, right? If Psychie's character wants to select Fu Chiao Pai (Tiger Claw Kung Fu), I am hoping to see some aggressiveness out of her character at some point. This is no system for cream-puffs. Tiger Claw practitioners are serious! =)

Psychie For you, if you're interested?

Spoiler: The Warrior Within - Tiger Claw Kung Fu.

"When I met Mr. Han and started studying under him, he didn't just teach me a physical movement. He also taught me how to put my spirit into it." "You know, if there is an opponent too strong for me, then I will simply claw him to shreds. You know, I will punch him and take his pride away. Psychologically I would defeat him. I would defeat him in every way possible. Not only physically, psychologically, and spiritually - I mean he will really think he is facing a tiger." - Sifu Cambrelen.

"SifuCambrelen1.wmv" from The Warrior Within from which this game is inspired by.

Some people in the game will see your characters as representatives of your art. If Sherwood's character wants to be a soft-style artist (Aikido or Tai Chi, as he mentioned), then I am hoping to see a peaceful side to his character because that's what he was taught. Sherwood has expressed the reason behind that and it fits - his character is seeking self-control; he doesn't want to hurt anyone as he has before. I think that's really worthy reason to walk a martial path!

And here, just between Psychie's character and Sherwood's character... we have a Yin-Yang in the party already - a balance of sorts (as Psychie implied). It makes me smile to see it!

That said, they and you don't have to follow any of this. All of this is just what's in my mind.

Even if I'm the only one following it (which is fine), I'm going to make martial arts the special something that it is! That sounds like big fun to me! =)

Honor and fun,
Purr =)

 

[Purr]

Sherwood Tai Chi. For you, if you're interested? (This can also be used in Aikido or other soft-style systems. It's about Chi after all.)

Spoiler: The Warrior Within - Tai Chi.

"That force that we use is called kimi or in Chinese they call it chi. Everyone has a one-foot energy around them. Um, you can feel that if you come in a room if you're with your children or you're with your wife or your husband and they're happy - you feel it. You feel it if a person is sad or they're down, depressed, you feel it; it's projected but that's focused out. You know. What we do is we take it - uh, size of the head of a pin and focus it at a person." - Grand Master Ron Taganashi (RIP).

"Warrior Within Tai chi"

 

[Purr]

To add to that: If you have a real-life suggestion that fits the bill, lemme know - even if it's not well-represented in the rules.

Edit: Martial arts, that is.

Silanon I think it all depends on what you're looking to do. Basically, martial art techniques boil down to striking and grappling. There are weapon-based systems and unarmed systems. There are systems that incorporate bits of all of these and there are "specialist" systems too. Like Moo Gi Gong. That Korean system provides every single Ancient Weapon Proficiency in the book and impromptu weapons, but if they are disarmed, they're in trouble - that's a good example of a "specialist" system. =)

 

[Sherwood]

So how are we going to be determining our Background when it comes to skills? With my character wanting to be an academic and maybe a healer, I just don't see too many Backgrounds that would support that desire. The elite military one might make sense; with his great strength he was trained to fight but has turned away from that kind of conflict and is trying to make up for the mistakes of his youth, but ones like Feral just don't feel right.

 

[Silanon]

At the moment, I'm thinking of a character that hides some anger and frustration behind a calm surface - be it the anarchist challenging the status quo or the perfectionist struggling with their own imperfection. What I'd like is a martial art that can both reflect the calm, controlled style that let's them choose their fights and keep their distance, but that can also flip the switch to sudden busts of aggressions. Think of a bird of prey that first circles around, but then relentlessly goes for the kill. I'd also like it to be a style that does not exclude modern weapons like pistols on principle, but that doesn't necessarily need them. I want a character that can fire away at a shooting range with a bird's vision, but also one who can dive in for the kill without a gun. Like, I'd like to have the sidearm as a trump card, but not as the go-to option.
Think I prefer strikes over grapples (strike and retreat over prolonged combat), with a few kicks and wing action for good measure. Or actually...kicks and wings might be a good combination? Not sure.

 

[Purr]

So how are we going to be determining our Background when it comes to skills?

Sherwood Covered that earlier. =)

Concerning rolling for Education Level, I don't like the idea of a single die roll dictating the future of a character, but what if I rolled 3 for each of you and you were able to choose?

If I let everyone pick and choose, then why wouldn't everyone be skill-beasts and Einsteins? This method seems fair than only rolling once as After the Bomb and TMNT & Other Strangeness require.

 

[Purr]

be it the anarchist challenging the status quo

Silanon This well-describes the red-masked TMNT brawler, Raphael. Talk about anger issues and the battle to do the right thing! =)

I'd also like it to be a style that does not exclude modern weapons like pistols on principle, but that doesn't necessarily need them.

Nearly all martial art systems, many of them being ancient systems and a handful that predate firearms entirely, do not offer modern weapon proficiency training as part of their system. Instead, firearm training is far more often picked up on the side. Usually with one's Secondary Skills.

Think I prefer strikes over grapples (strike and retreat over prolonged combat), with a few kicks and wing action for good measure. Or actually...kicks and wings might be a good combination? Not sure.

There are a few martial art systems that are strongly kick-oriented. The "wing-action" is something the flying mutant animal adapts into the fight (I can imagine a "wing-beating" doing at least punch-damage). There is a bird character in TMNT (IDW Publishing) comics that's big, quite ferocious, and unfortunately very evil - but a bird-character nonetheless. I don't know if we could make something quite like this in After the Bomb, but we could try. Is this the general look you were going for?

Spoiler: Koya.

(Image credit: Sophie Campbell and IDW Publishing)

 

[Psychie]

Sherwood Covered that earlier. =)

If I let everyone pick and choose, then why wouldn't everyone be skill-beasts and Einsteins? This method seems fair than only rolling once as After the Bomb and TMNT & Other Strangeness require.

So if we’re going to roll, let’s roll some dice! If you would be so kind, could you use your own dice for this? I have this strange feeling that this might work out better for me than trusting the dice bot here.

 

[Sherwood]

Is there a difference in the education paths between After the Bomb and TMNT?

 

[Silanon]

There are a few martial art systems that are strongly kick-oriented. The "wing-action" is something the flying mutant animal adapts into the fight (I can imagine a "wing-beating" doing at least punch-damage). There is a bird character in TMNT (IDW Publishing) comics that's big, quite ferocious, and unfortunately very evil - but a bird-character nonetheless. I don't know if we could make something quite like this in After the Bomb, but we could try. Is this the general look you were going for?

Roughly - different proportions and build, but the same body formula, so to speak - especially with the hands at the end of the wings so that other tasks are actually doable.

The more I think about it, punching is probably a better idea than kicking - feels more in line with the general idea of fast strikes followed by a potential escape. I'm not sure if specific rules for wings are necessary - the best way to use these seem to be regular punches and mobility. If anything, there should be a negative modifier for elbow strikes...

 

[Purr]

(My head is finally starting to clear! Hooooraaay! Thank Science for medication! =) )

There is stuff in here for all of you - Kaerri, Psychie, Sherwood, and Silanon. =)

So if we’re going to roll, let’s roll some dice! If you would be so kind, could you use your own dice for this? I have this strange feeling that this might work out better for me than trusting the dice bot here.

Are you kidding? You know how much I trust the RP Nation dice roller during important rolls (about as far as I can throw the server - not very far!). I swear that program is just fine most of the time, until it's a scene where the PCs could really use the help - then RpN's dice roller often says, hasta la vista, baby! (See you later in Spanish).

While I thank you greatly for your energy (really!), I'd like to hear more from Kaerri here (I'm not certain who or what she wants to play yet) and a little more from Silanon (to further cement the same). I only have a strong idea of what two of you want to play. =)

Sil. If it's aggressiveness your character is looking for in a martial art system, then you have plenty of systems to look into. Tiger Claw (like Psychie's character), Phoenix Eye Kung Fu, Kyokushinkai Karate of Japan, Muay Thai of Thailand, Choy-Li-Fut (often taught in America in the 198X). The list goes on. Let me know what you're thinking?

Remember everybody, I'm checking out your characters on a case-by-case basis. I've never run this game before. Expect me to tweak characters for the betterment of the game. If you don't agree with a particular idea, I ask you to try and see the bigger picture of the game as a whole. While I've tabletopped many a game like this, TMNT is very different and far more "low-powered" than any other I've shared with any of you here on RpN.

Is there a difference in the education paths between After the Bomb and TMNT?

Yes and big time! We're sticking with After the Bomb; I think you'll be glad we did, Bud. We could go with TMNT, but... I'm just plain happier with After the Bomb. =)

Sherwood

So... who wants to use RpN's die roller and who wants to use my polyhedrons? So far, Psychie sez, "P is for polyhedrons!"

Silanon and Kaerri?
1. Archetype: Nature & Demeanor?
2. Personality (is your PC shy? Dedicated? Loyal? Compassionate? Fearful? Brave? Etc.)?
3. Alignment (as always, no Evil aligned characters)?
4. Species (Human, Mutant Animal, other)?
5. Ethnic heritage (Asian, African-American, Mexican, Mixed race, etc.)?
6. Desired Education Level (I think I would like the dice to play a part here)?
7. Martial Art System (or lack thereof)?

Psychie Hey, lady! I still want to know your character's ethnic heritage, please. If you posted it, I missed it? Tigers come from all over Asia. China, Vietnam, Cambodia, everywhere basically except for the islands (Japan, Philippines - they were once there, but they went extinct). Where do you want your tiger ancestry to come from? You're going to Chinatown, how about China?

Sherwood, your list looks really good. Do you know which martial system you'd like to go with? I think I'll have to downgrade that 10 BIO-E Tusk option for 5d6 damage tusks; a 10d6 + Elephant Strength hit every Action is just a little too much. I can compromise, though. 7 BIO-E for 4d6 Tusks. =)