True 20 Martial Arts style feat (now with NPCs)

[ValhallaGH]

Wow, a five point build. Did you mean to do that?

 

[Vigilance]

Wow, a five point build. Did you mean to do that?

If you mean his stats, they're 6 points.

 

[ValhallaGH]

If you mean his stats, they're 6 points.

But, he gets stat increases every six levels and he's level seven....

 

[Vigilance]

Yeah, I noticed that after I posted, duh.

Thanks for pointing that out

Chuck

 

[RigaMortus2]

I had/have a similiar idea for Martial Arts styles myself, but I'm going about it a different way. I haven't quite found the best approach yet however.

My first thought was, I'd like a martial arts system which increases with character level. I don't like the idea of a player's class determining their combat effectiveness (ie BAB). In D&D terms, if a Wizard wanted to spend time being a karate expert, why shouldn't he? So my first thought was to strip out BAB for classes, and have BAB based on the fighting style. So fighting style tables would look similiar to character class tables. They increase from level 1 through 20, and at each level they may get a BAB increase, as well as special abilities related to combat.

 

[ValhallaGH]

My first thought was, I'd like a martial arts system which increases with character level. I don't like the idea of a player's class determining their combat effectiveness (ie BAB). In D&D terms, if a Wizard wanted to spend time being a karate expert, why shouldn't he?

Oddly, Steve Kenson seems to have agreed with your premise. The Improved Strike feat from True20 is a general feat, available to all characters regardless of role. It gives unarmed attacks a base damage equal to character level / 4 (rounded up) and the option of dealing either lethal or non-lethal damage.

As for separating out attack bonuses, maybe you should look into some of the more skill-based systems? That seems to be the direction you want, each combat style as a skill based upon a character's experience and specialization. Just trying to be helpful; you can create such a system in d20 but it will take a lot of work, and some of the inspirations from skill-based systems could be the key to successfully creating your own such system.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Oddly, Steve Kenson seems to have agreed with your premise. The Improved Strike feat from True20 is a general feat, available to all characters regardless of role. It gives unarmed attacks a base damage equal to character level / 4 (rounded up) and the option of dealing either lethal or non-lethal damage.

As for separating out attack bonuses, maybe you should look into some of the more skill-based systems? That seems to be the direction you want, each combat style as a skill based upon a character's experience and specialization. Just trying to be helpful; you can create such a system in d20 but it will take a lot of work, and some of the inspirations from skill-based systems could be the key to successfully creating your own such system.

I'm already ahead of ya on the skill-based fighting idea. My only hang up now is, how do I calculate an opponents defense? Should that be skill based as well (Dodge skill, parry skill, armor skill). Since I been reading up on the new Star Wars saga edition, I've started to borrow ideas from them.

Here is an example of what I have so far:
Combat
Proficiency and Non-Proficiency carry the same connotation as being Trained or Untrained in skills, except Proficiency and Non-Proficiency pertain specifically to Combat. They mean something slightly different, and their mechanics are slightly different, but the are essentially used for the same purpose as it related to Combat checks.

Proficiency = (character level + ability modifier)
Non-Proficiency = (1/2 character level + ability modifier)

Armed Melee

• Axes (Battle Axe, Pick Axe)
• Blunt (Club, Mace, Morningstar, Quarterstaff)
• Flex (Chains, Nunchuku, Spiked Chain, Whip)
• Hand (Claws, Gauntlets, Brass Knuckles)
• Heavy Blades (Greatsword, Bastard sword, Two-bladed sword)
• Light Blades (Longsword, Rapier, Shortsword)

Unarmed Melee

• Basic
• Fighting Style (varies)

Ranged

• Fire Arms (Pistol, Rifle)
• Heavy Fire Arms (Bazooka, Cannon, RPG)
• Bows (Bows & Crossbows)
• Thrown (Bola, Grenade, Javelin, Net, Sling, Spear)

BASIC
The Basic Fighting Style isn’t really a Fighting Style per se. It is the common method of how an average untrained person might protect themselves. Whether this is punching, kicking, or what have you. As such, you do not gain anything special from Basic. You deal 1d3 damage (in Medium sized). Your Attack Check is equal to 1/2 character level + Str modifier. This is because you are not really proficient in unarmed combat in general. There is no such thing as a proficient basic fighter. A person would spend their proficiency on a specialized Fighting Style such as Brawling, Kung-Fu, Karate, etc.

Let's say Bob is a Wizard that wants some training in Boxing. Since his base class is Wizard, he doesn't have as many Proficiency uses to spend on Combat skills like a Fighter would. Let's assume he has 3. Well, one of those Proficiency slots is going to Boxing. The other two he assigns to Light Blades and Bows. So as he gains levels, those combat skills will increase at a higher rate than the other combat skills.

Anyway, that's pretty much what I got so far, just thought I would share

 

[Vigilance]

I think having combat be modified by stats other than physical ones (Intelligence or Wisdom) helps too. It's not as big a step as making combat skill based, but it helps classes with mental abilities compete at martial arts.