Combat Styles for Modified GURPS

Combat Styles for Modified Gurps

*sigh* more mechanics *sigh*

Combat Styles allow warrior-type characters to have some additional combat options. Each style is made up of a set of elements. A character may apply elements to their actions to enhance them. Buying a combat style allows you to one of those elements to any individual action. Buying the Combat Mastery advantage allows you to stack more elements onto a single maneuver. A character can change up what their adding to what action from round to round or action to action. There's no additional skill roll required, no spending of fatigue or focus. Primarily these elements are intended to add color and provide a broader range of choices without detailing all the possible martial arts or having individual rules for maneuvers. If a person knows a style they may apply it to any weapons they use (rather than buying for X or Y).

Some elements apply strictly to attack, some to defense, and some to more particular forms (grappling, unarmed, ranged attacks, and so on). As well, some elements are more supernatural/freaky-- styles containing these elements will be require an unusual background or special training. Essentially these are the more fantastic combat effects.

I'll make the style groupings fairly generic-- more as a descriptor of their intent (Heavy Defensive or Mixed Attack) rather than a specific cultural thing (Ranging Thunders Style)-- maybe. This system is intended to simulate effects rather than specifics. That's a nice clarifying concept from BESM 3e which Gene suggested. People will recognize this is yet another version of the MA system I've been tinkering with.

Ideally, I want the points costs that I come up with to have parity with other investments of points. As important, I'd like there to be some parity between the costs for these things and the costs for being a magic-user. I think the latter will be slightly more expensive, but I'd like there to be some equality.

Defensive Combat Elements
Attack Awareness: Negate Gang-Up penalties to defense
Enhanced Block: +2 to Block attempt.
Enhanced Dodge: +1 to Dodge attempt.
Enhanced Parry: +2 to Parry attempt.
Escape: Gain +2 to contest for escaping grapples
Evasion: If targeted in melee, reduce chances of being hit from randomization
Extra Block: Used with a second block in a round.
Extra Parry: Used with a second parry in a round.
Iron Arm: May parry armed attacks while unarmed. (I suspect this will actually be an advantage rather than making barehanded MA's have to put this in their maneuvers all the time).
Missile Parry: May parry ranged attacks
Riposte: If defense is successful, lower attacker's Defense roll by -2 for your next attack.
Roll with Blow: If defense fails, add +1 to DR
Root: Gain +2 to resist being knocked down, tackled or moved
Turn Blow: May parry normally unparryable attacks-- i.e. a battle axe with a dagger.

Offensive Combat Elements
Accuracy: +1 to attack skill
All-Around: May attack any target in surrounding area without penalty
Armor Destroying: Successful attack reduces the target's DR by 1 for the duration of the combat (min 1). Some armor may resist.
Armor Piercing: Halve target's DR versus this attack
Beast-Slayer: +1 damage and attack versus animals and monster creatures
Breaking: Double ST for determining breakage of inanimate objects attacked.
Called Shot: Reduce penalty for striking a location by up to 2.
Choke: May attempt to KO a held target
Clinch: May grapple with one hand, keeping other hand free.
Coordination: When attacking with an ally, target has a -2 penalty to defense rolls
Critical: Increase range for Criticals by 1.
Crush: +2 damage when inflicting a crush in a grapple
Damage: +1 damage
Disarm: +2 to disarm contests
Feint: Gain +2 to feint contests
Grappling: +2 to hold target in a grapple
Ground Fighting: No penalty to attack or defense while prone.
Knockback: Target makes ST check or be knocked back up to 3 yards (1 per 2 points of damage through).
Lock: Grappled target takes damage with unsuccessful breakout attempts.
Mook Killer: If attack hits a Mook, Mook is KO'd.
Precision: Always hit chosen target when firing into melee.
Running Strike: May make an additional Move action and attack without an All-Out Attack
Sharpshot: Halve all range penalties
Silent: Attack makes no noise.
Stun: Target must make HT check or suffer +2 to wound penalties on following round.
Subdue: Gain bonus when attacking to subdue/KO without injury
Surprise: Gain +2 to damage and attack roll when making a surprise attack
Sweep: May target up to three adjacent targets with an attack-- cumulative -2 penalty.
Throw: +1 damage when throwing a target. Greater control and distance for throwing.
Trip: Target makes DX check or be knocked down.
Unbalance: Target must make HT check or lose Move or Standard action on the following round.
Weapon Lock: Resolve as Feint-- success means target's weapon is locked until he can win a contest against attacker.

Freaky Combat Elements
Area: Attack affects a mega-hex
Blind: Target makes HT check or be blinded (or deafened) on following round.
Cone: Attack has a short, cone area
Create Weapon: May create a magical or makeshift weapon instantly
Disrupting: Target makes HT check or suffer a Stat penalty for the combat
Elemental FX: May add classic “elemental” effect to the strike
Explosion: Attack explodes out from character with diminishing damage
Flying/Leaping: Move action with Attack/Defense may be vertical without test or penalty.
Range: HTH may be made at range
Tracking/Trick: Ranged attack ignores cover
Unhealing: Damage takes double time to recover or must be healed with magic

Stuff I Left Out Because I Think it is Covered, Weak or Too Weird
Series of Blows, Two-Weapon Fighting, Catch, Paralyze, Nerve, Returning, Limb Binding