Martial Artist Career/Specialization?

By JBC22, in Star Wars: Edge of the Empire RPG

I really enjoy all the Martial Arts styles in some of the previous Star Wars systems and was kind of surprised not to see a Martial Artist specialization announced in the upcoming Hired Gun supplement. It seemed like it would be a good fit for the hired gun, however then I began to think that there could maybe be a Martial Artist career with specializations being the particular fighting styles in the Star Wars Universe.

Does anyone think this is something we are likely to see or that has enough room to be fleshed out to a full career? Part of me thinks this may be something we see in Force and Destiny, if at all. I do hope that these rich traditions make it into the game somehow and would love to hear people's thoughts on the matter.

What's wrong with the Marauder?

What's wrong with the Marauder?

Its not fully detailed like he mentioned or fleshed out. He wants detailed star wars martial art forms like Teräs Käsi‎

anb Wrruushi or Echani. Marauder would be a good career for it, and the martial arts can be specialized. Brawling though would cover a great deal behind the forms though in regards to how they are used.

Doctor has Pressure Points which our doctor uses with often hilarious results. (Gamorrians apparently nap when bopped on the nose )

Marauder combined with Doctor would probably be the best way to go.

While I think Star Wars certainly has room for various martial art styles and whatnot, I don't think it plays a pivotal enough role in the setting that I'm surprised it didn't make it into the initial core material. I would be more surprised if it had been included in the book, to be honest.

That said, I wouldn't be opposed to a book that gave this sort of option, either as a specialization or career. Personally, I think a specialization (maybe a universal specialization) would be more appropriate than a career, simply because the EotE ruleset tries to be 'general' enough that specializations for different styles feels superfluous.

Its not fully detailed like he mentioned or fleshed out. He wants detailed star wars martial art forms like Teräs Käsi‎

anb Wrruushi or Echani. Marauder would be a good career for it, and the martial arts can be specialized. Brawling though would cover a great deal behind the forms though in regards to how they are used.

On the one hand, I feel that how you narrate your actions and talents can easily accomplish what the OP is going for. The Marauder specialization handles the crunch, and vibrant descriptions of various martial arts moves/skills covers the flavour. It's all there, it's just how you interpret and present it.

On the other hand, I'm biased. While some EU content rubs me just the right way, martial arts in a sci-fi universe has always seemed a bit antiquated and (dare I say it) unrealistic. I mean, there's a reason that martial arts today, while often sold as preparing the learner for self-defense, is basically used for physical/mental fitness.

However, this is Star Wars, a romantic and cinematic setting where looking under the hood of all the fluff will most often bring you only regret. So, keeping my own biases in mind, I can definitely sympathize a little with wanting more 'official' structure in which to work. After all, it's not like there's only one specialization that covers all ranged combat, leaving you to imagine how your character is a sharpshooter, or an artillery specialist, etc.

I wouldn't buy a book devoted to martial arts, though. (That includes lightsabre styles. :wacko: )

However, this is Star Wars, a romantic and cinematic setting where looking under the hood of all the fluff will most often bring you only regret.

Well said. And true of pretty much all beloved fictional worlds, from Sherlock Holmes to Middle-Earth to any given superhero comics "universe."

Does anyone think this is something we are likely to see or that has enough room to be fleshed out to a full career? Part of me thinks this may be something we see in Force and Destiny, if at all. I do hope that these rich traditions make it into the game somehow and would love to hear people's thoughts on the matter.

I really doubt they put any martial arts specific trees in the game. It doesn't really fit the feel of the game too much. Marauder already covers a melee/brawl specialist and there isn't any real reason to provide more than that. I'd be pretty surprised (and disappointed) to see a specialization given over to martial arts.

Does anyone think this is something we are likely to see or that has enough room to be fleshed out to a full career? Part of me thinks this may be something we see in Force and Destiny, if at all. I do hope that these rich traditions make it into the game somehow and would love to hear people's thoughts on the matter.

I really doubt they put any martial arts specific trees in the game. It doesn't really fit the feel of the game too much. Marauder already covers a melee/brawl specialist and there isn't any real reason to provide more than that. I'd be pretty surprised (and disappointed) to see a specialization given over to martial arts.

I fully expect it eventually. Too many people are interested in one, and it doesn't seem to be that difficult to create. I am not sure which book they would tie it into, maybe a setting book?

Doctor has Pressure Points which our doctor uses with often hilarious results. (Gamorrians apparently nap when bopped on the nose )

Marauder combined with Doctor would probably be the best way to go.

This here is awesome.

I would have thought something like a hand-to-hand focused specialization would have been the purview of the upcoming Hired Gun splatbook, but it seems that's not the case. Maybe we'll see it if/when FFG does a Soldier (Age of Rebellion) splatbook?

I've been toying on and off with a 'martial arts expert' specialization, swapping out elements of Marauder (namely, the ability to just absorb damage via Enduring & Toughened) for damage avoidance (Dodge mostly with Grit added to cover some of that cost.) As Teras Kasi seems to be the big favorite, any Natural/Master type talents will probably use that style as part of the name. Core talents would be Feral Strength and Ferocious Attack, with something akin to Pressure Points (possibly a ranked talent that adds Pierce = ranks to unarmed strikes) added in. Bonus career skills would include Coordination, Brawl, maybe Resilience, and at least one other (last notes indicate a leaning towards Knowledge: Lore to further differentiate this spec from Marauder).

I've strictly not been trying to emulate what WotC did with the martial arts styles in their game lines, particularly Saga Edition (which had the odd effect of turning what was seen as a generally sub-par character build into a pretty awesome one with the advent of Galaxy at War). Having separate specialization trees for each given 'style' runs counter to what FFG is doing in terms of keeping the specializations a bit more "generalized" in terms of what they can do.

My doctor went force emergent enhance tree to go super sayain. Ill be taking move for a kama maya wave lol

I don't see a martial arts Career, Specializations or Talents being added either (well maybe a Talent with a martial artsy description). Mostly because of the narrative style of combat, I mean if you want your PC to be a StarFu master then you just describe their Brawl attacks and Advantages as martial arts maneuvers. There's really no need for any special stuff just re-skin whats already there.

Edited by FuriousGreg

I really enjoy all the Martial Arts styles in some of the previous Star Wars systems and was kind of surprised not to see a Martial Artist specialization announced in the upcoming Hired Gun supplement. It seemed like it would be a good fit for the hired gun, however then I began to think that there could maybe be a Martial Artist career with specializations being the particular fighting styles in the Star Wars Universe.

Does anyone think this is something we are likely to see or that has enough room to be fleshed out to a full career? Part of me thinks this may be something we see in Force and Destiny, if at all. I do hope that these rich traditions make it into the game somehow and would love to hear people's thoughts on the matter.

I don't see anything like this specific happening. Im not sure where in the career system it would fit in. Maybe hired gun ie pit fighter specialization. Or in the Fringer Career Wondering Monk specialization. It could happen in that respect but I think it would be player made.

Wouldn't this specialisation be a bit easy to exploit? A guy with both Marauder and Martial Artist would end up with many, many levels of Feral Strength and Frenzied Attack (obviously more than the designers planned for).

Wouldn't this specialisation be a bit easy to exploit? A guy with both Marauder and Martial Artist would end up with many, many levels of Feral Strength and Frenzied Attack (obviously more than the designers planned for).

I agree this would be a likely result. Also what's to say that Brawl doesn't already encompass a Martial art of some kind? Two or more levels could easily, and pretty much does, represent training in some sort of hand to hand (or other limb) combat. Whatever you'd end up calling your SpaceFu would just be another the of many styles found in the 1000's of worlds out there.

It's all going to boil down to the same dice and describe mechanic anyways so call your attacks whatever you want, no need for new rules.

Wouldn't this specialisation be a bit easy to exploit? A guy with both Marauder and Martial Artist would end up with many, many levels of Feral Strength and Frenzied Attack (obviously more than the designers planned for).

Well, the "excess" levels of Feral Strength can already occur, since the Commando specialization from AoR Beta offers two ranks of Feral Strength. Combine that with Marauder and you've got a nigh-unstoppable combat beast.

Frenzied Attack carries the trade-off that you have to suffer Strain in order to use it, and most Marauder-types aren't going to have a very high Strain Threshold, to the point they'll need to be cautious in overdoing it in case the bad guys opt to use stun blasts.

I think Plan b's Doctor Velociraptor chinese physician build would be best way to go.

Wouldn't this specialisation be a bit easy to exploit? A guy with both Marauder and Martial Artist would end up with many, many levels of Feral Strength and Frenzied Attack (obviously more than the designers planned for).

To be honest, this is probably a concern for all new specializations that use existing ranked talents.

[...] what's to say that Brawl doesn't already encompass a Martial art of some kind? Two or more levels could easily, and pretty much does, represent training in some sort of hand to hand (or other limb) combat. Whatever you'd end up calling your SpaceFu would just be another the of many styles found in the 1000's of worlds out there

I see your point, but in that same realm we wouldn't need a lot of the talent trees since the dice pool results would build the narration for you.

I see your point, but in that same realm we wouldn't need a lot of the talent trees since the dice pool results would build the narration for you.

[...] what's to say that Brawl doesn't already encompass a Martial art of some kind? Two or more levels could easily, and pretty much does, represent training in some sort of hand to hand (or other limb) combat. Whatever you'd end up calling your SpaceFu would just be another the of many styles found in the 1000's of worlds out there

Oh, I figured current Talents would be described as if they were some kind of Martial art as well. The point being is that with a little imagination what's already available is sufficient to have a SpaceFu character.

I think Plan b's Doctor Velociraptor chinese physician build would be best way to go.

Thanks. Its only an 80 exp dip in doctor (including the buy in) and has some pretty good stuff on the way. Resolve to memory.

Edited by Plan b

Ha so I guess I'm in the minority here. The Marauder does work, however the theme and many of the talents lean towards a big melee bruiser. I was thinking a martial artist specialization could consist of talents that focus on dodging, granting additional abilities when unarmed (i.e. Pierce), and perhaps a talent that grants automatic advantages when attacking unarmed.

Dunno if this will help, but I'm working on a Final Fantasy conversion for this system, and I've already designed the Monk tree. A friend in my Star Wars campaign is playing a Talortai force asthetic, and the tree is working quite well with him.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/egqt7mi3qb8uyw8/Priest.docx

You can find it here. If you download it, it will actually work. It should be a little down there.

This is the problem with multiclass systems. On the plus side, you can make pretty much any character you want.

On the minus side, you get silly multiclass combinations and 'class dips' that are not supported by the narrative, only by power-gaming. And things like the nerve pinch, which are innocuous in the hands of a Doctor, but overkill in the hands of a Marauder.

I think it's very important for EoE GMs to stress the non-combat elements of the game too, to discourage players building combat monsters with no other talents.