How do you simulate Martial Arts like those in "The Condor Heroes"?

[victorysaber]

Have any of you read martial arts novels like those by Jin Yong? For example, "The Condor Heroes", "The Return of the Condor Heroes", "Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre", etc...

How do you simulate martial arts like those in the novels? I think Bo9S is pretty good at it, but it lacks a certain feel in terms of the higher level characters from those stories.

The Martial Arts Styles don't really fit the martial arts described in the novels as well.

Any suggestions?

 

[hong]

For most practical purposes, Bo9S + magic items is close enough. For closely-detailed simulation, I recommend HERO.

 

[victorysaber]

But how would you simulate high-level opponents that know the ultimate moves of many martial arts styles?

 

[hong]

But how would you simulate high-level opponents that know the ultimate moves of many martial arts styles?

Lots of 8th and 9th level maneuvers.

Is this a trick question?

 

[Sound of Azure]

But how would you simulate high-level opponents that know the ultimate moves of many martial arts styles?

A tricked out Master of Nine would seem to do the trick, especially if the character took the class later rather than earlier in their career. With the maneuver swap-out you get, and a few extra maneuvers and stances from the Martial Study/Stance feats, you could have a lot of high-level goodies to have fun with.

 

[hong]

Depending on how high level you think top-end martial artists should be, it's doable without taking Master of Nine. An 18th level sword sage can know up to 3 9th level maneuvers. At 19th level, they get another, and at 20th level, another 2. So without dipping into PrCs you can have 6 9th level maneuvers, which should be impressive enough for most people.

 

[Sound of Azure]

True enough. Victorysaber seemed to be interested in martial artists highly aware of many techniques, and that's the first thing that came to mind. I've never seen the novels mentioned however, so I'm really unsure of how much of a match it really is.

You're right, though. Swordsages are very versatile on their own, without any kind of augmentation.

 

[Sir Elton]

Have any of you read martial arts novels like those by Jin Yong? For example, "The Condor Heroes", "The Return of the Condor Heroes", "Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre", etc...

How do you simulate martial arts like those in the novels? I think Bo9S is pretty good at it, but it lacks a certain feel in terms of the higher level characters from those stories.

The Martial Arts Styles don't really fit the martial arts described in the novels as well.

Any suggestions?

Uhm in D20: Make all Weapon Proficiency Feats and Unarmed Strike a skill. Tell all of your players that a particular martial art is a skill. There, problem solved.

 

[victorysaber]

Well if it helps, this site:

http://wuxiapedia.com/novels/jin_yong

has the translations of many of his novels into English.

What I'm referring to are characters like Yang Guo, for instance. He learns almost every skill in the book, and then comes up with his own super skill. Short of being epic level... or should he just be epic level?

 

[Sir Elton]

That's the concept of Obi-Wan Kenobi before GL split him in two (Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan).

Elton.