Martial Arts
Martial Arts Styles and Related Rules...


Special Treatment of Special Martial Arts Maneuvers
...for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons(tm) in MyWorld.
...for Multiverser.
AC for Special Maneuver Attacks
Modifiers for Special Maneuver Attacks
Certain martial arts special maneuvers require a to hit roll to be successful, but seem to have little or no connection to the opponent's armor class.  Additionally, certain maneuvers will hold or otherwise immobilize an opponent or a weapon unless the victim makes a successful hit; these necessary hits are defined here as well.  The maneuvers are here defined for the effects of armor. Certain martial arts special maneuvers require an attack success roll to be successful, but seem to have little or no connection to the opponent's target value or cover value.  Additionally, certain maneuvers will hold or otherwise immobilize an opponent or a weapon unless the victim makes a successful attack; these necessary attacks are defined here.  The maneuvers are here defined for the effects of armor.
No hit roll:  These maneuvers require no hit roll and thus are unaffected by this rule:  Prone Fighting, Immovability, Missile Deflection, Speed, Slow Resistance, Fall, Instant Stand, Steel Cloth, Meditation, All-Around Sight, Mental Resistance, Blind Fighting, Ironskin, Levitation.  Sticking Touch cannot be broken by an attack, but only by a movement of the victim which cannot be followed by the user; leap could be such a maneuver if the character with the sticking touch does not have a way to follow this, but if he is able to leap also, the sticking touch will be maintained. No attack modifiers:  These maneuvers require no attack modifiers to initiate:  Fallen Fighting, Immobility, Missile Escape, Haste, Resist Slowing, Fall Impact Absorption, Quick Stand, Improvised Cloth Weapon, Alert Rest, Panoramic Awareness, Control Resistance, Fighting Blind, Muscle Blocking, Levitate, Fake, Great Jump.  Following Finger cannot be broken by an attack, but only by a movement of the victim which cannot be followed by the user; certain jumps could be such a maneuver if the character with the Following Finger does not have a way to follow this, but if he is able to successfully fly or jump that distance also, the Following Finger will be maintained.  In all of these cases, success is determined by a standard success roll, without reference to normal combat modifiers such as strike value, target value, or cover value.
Standard melee hit roll:  These maneuvers require a standard melee hit, and will use the armor class of the opponent:  Circle Kick, Flying Kick, Backward Kick, Choke Hold, Iron Fist, Crushing Blow, Eagle Claw, Pain Touch, Stunning Touch, Paralyzing Touch, Distance Death.  Escape from the Choke Hold requires such a standard hit, modified by a -2 penalty; such an escape attack does no damage. Crushing Blow and Eagle Claw are treated differently if not used against a person, but if used against armor they are treated as an attack on the wearer. Standard martial attack roll:  These maneuvers require a standard martial attack success roll, and will use the target value and cover value of the opponent:  Foot Sweep, Foot Drop, Fan Kick, Spinning Kick, Leaping Kick, Rear Kick, Overleap Kick, Body Slam, Head Slam, Choking Grasp, Solid Punch, Focused Punch, Power Punch, Crushing Grasp, Pain Inflicter, Stunning Strike, Paralyzing Strike, Blinding Strike, Remote Strike.  Escape from the Choking Grasp requires such a standard attack success, modified by a -10 sit-mod; such an escape attack does no damage. Power Punch and Crushing Grasp are treated differently if not used against a person, but if used against armor they are treated as described in combat attacks on cover in the referee's rules.  Focused Punch is only used against objects, as a showpiece.
Hit roll bonused by discounting armor:  These maneuvers are effective without touching skin, since they involve touching, pushing, grabbing, or throwing an opponent.  The value of armor should be discounted, but magical plusses on the armor retained.  Shield armor bonus still applies, as the shield may be used to block the contact and when appropriate absorb the force of the blow.  For creatures, the referee shall judge what portion of armor class is dependent upon thick hides, shells, carapaces, and the like, and eliminate that for these maneuvers:  Incapacitator, Immobilizer, Concentrated Push, Sticking Touch, One Finger, Hurl, Great Throw. Attack success roll without cover value:  These maneuvers are effective without touching skin, since they involve touching, pushing, grabbing, or throwing an opponent.  The value of armor shall be ignored, but magical or psionic bonuses on the armor or technological cover which might prevent pressure to the target might be retained.  Shield cover value will still apply, as the shield may be used to block the contact and when appropriate absorb the force of the blow.  The referee may adjudge that a portion of target value is dependent upon density, and bonus some of these maneuvers in such a case:  Limb Twister, Immobilizer, Focused Push, Following Finger, Untouching Push, Power Throw, Momentum Casting.
Token hit roll:  These maneuvers are effected without contact of any sort, but require a hit roll to succeed; such hit rolls will be against armor class 10:  Feint, Leap.
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Hit roll against weapon:  These maneuvers may be used against weapons.  Since the oriental rules treated these unreasonably such that it was harder to take a weapon away from an opponent if he wore +5 full plate than if he fought in a kosode, MyWorld adopted a rule which would level the field.  When these maneuvers are used against a weapon, neither armor nor shield will be counted, nor any plusses thereon.  The base armor class of the opponent shall be that armor class which he would hit on a roll of a natural eleven, modified by all hit modifications which apply in the current combat round (including those effected by martial arts maneuvers, those for strength, weapon skill, combat conditions) against the opponent.  This armor class is then further modified for dexterity (or Monk or Kensai class AC adjustments), martial arts style, any other armor class adjustments applicable for style, and any magical plusses to armor class not attributed to shield, armor, cloak, or similar worn protections.  This becomes the armor class of the weapon for hit purposes for Locking Block, Crushing Blow, Eagle Claw, Weapon Catch, Weapon Breaker.  Objects subjected to Crushing Blow or Eagle Claw must save vs. Crushing Blow, as with Weapon Breaker, if breakage is an appropriate possible result.  Escape from the Weapon Catch, Locking Block, and Immobilizing will similarly use this hit roll, assuming that the character so held must make his escape attempt by an attack on the weapon or arms of the character holding him or his weapon; such escape attacks do no damage.  The immobilizing escape attack has a -6 penalty on the victim's chance to hit for this escape. Attack success roll against weapon:  These maneuvers may be used against weapons.  When so used, they will follow the B7@ martial arts rules for attacks on weapons, based on the skill of the one with the weapon and the density of the weapon itself.  This is the case for Attack Catch, Missile Catch, Simple Disarming, Power Punch, Crushing Grasp, Seize Weapon, Break Weapon.  Objects subjected to Power Punch, Crushing Grasp, or Break Weapon have special instructions as to whether they will break a weapon if breakage is an appropriate possible result.  Escape from the Seize Weapon, Attack Catch, and Immobilizer will similarly use this success roll, assuming that the character so held must make his escape attempt by an attack on the weapon or arms of the character holding him or his weapon; such escape attacks do no damage.  The Immobilizer escape attack has a -30 sit-mod on the victim's chance to hit for this escape.
None of this is to be taken to apply to the normal attacks of any style.  Such attacks are presumed to be against the standard melee armor class.  Methods such as push and throw which seem not to require skin contact shall be assumed to be more easily countered, so that some number of successful touches are ineffective in causing damage. None of this is to be taken to apply to the normal attacks of any style.  Such attacks are presumed to be against the standard target value modified by cover value and such other modifiers as are appropriate to the conditions.  Referees should decide to what degree cover value is or is not effective against basic styles which rely on push and throw and so seem not to require skin contact; becaus injury in these cases is based on fall impact, cover value may reduce damage.

 If in the course of examining this material, you want to know more about AD&D, there are at least hundreds of sites on the web which may help; I'll just recommend my own two:
M. J. Young's Dungeons & Dragons Materials as source material for many campaigns and situations;
and all you need to create a character, Character Creation for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons First Edition.
And if in the course of examining this material you want to know more about Multiverser, check it out at:
The Multiverser Information Center.

Index:  The introductory page to the material.


Introduction:  Gives an overview of the contents of the web site.

Creating a Martial Arts Style:  Describes the way styles are designed.

Attacks per Round/Attack Multipliers:  How frequently the martial artist may attack.

Learning Martial Arts:  Rules and training techniques.

Martial Arts Titles:  A MyWorld variant and Multiverser concept substituting for "belts".

Use of Multiple Styles:  How to change between styles within the game.

AC for Special Maneuvers/Modifiers for Special Maneuver Attacks:  Clarification of how to use special attacks.

Special Maneuvers Summary:  The available maneuvers are listed with all information.

Stun and Incapacitate:  AD&D rules incorporate this into standard attacks; for Multiverser, this would be a separate skill.

Translating a Player Style:  Multiverser allows a player to bring his actual martial arts skills into the game through these rules.

The Style Collection:  Our imaginary styles are offered for your use.


Other Links of Interest:  A collection of sites related to this material in one way or another.