Unarmed combat (no ontology)

From Mazeworld

Unarmed combat, referred to, by default, as the standard fists, is considered a weapon due to the existence of extra handgear to improve damage done with fists. When fighting unarmed, a contestant is capable of performing combos, which consists in hitting multiple times on a single dice roll. There are a few combos, ranging from simple punches and kicks to more complex combinations of those.

A martial artist is an expert in martial arts who can teach the contestant the techniques available. At first, the Contestant may only perform the basic punches and kicks, but by purchasing the martial artist's services, he/she can learn new techniques.

Unarmed combat has both advantages and disadvantages. The most obvious advantage is that, as the name implies, it does not require a weapon to perform, and may be an effective 'weapon' by itself when well-used. However, the more interesting combos are harder to perform and are subject to FT increases.

Basic attacks

When fighting unarmed, there are two distinct kinds of blows a contestant can do: punches and kicks.

  • Punches: The term 'Fists' refers to the unarmed, unprotected hands of the contestant, and considered a 'weapon' in the Handgear Class of weapons. Proper handgear, such as fingerless gloves, may increase the power of those punches. Punches deal Blunt-type damage, unless the deployed Ripperclaws, in which case they may deal Sharp-type damage.
    • NOTE: Although some creatures may have real, actual claws and the ability to use martial arts, claw attacks are considered distinct from punch attacks and thus are not interchangeable within the context of unarmed combat techniques. The Ripperclaws allow a Contestant, through the special design of that aug, to simply add sharpness to their punches - they effectively are Sharp-type punches and not actual clawings and can thus allow the use of the Ripperclaws when deployed while performing martial arts techniques.
  • Kicks: A contestant is also able to perform kicks. Unlike with fists, kicks tend to do the same amount of damage regardless of what the contestant wears (as feet don't have their own 'weapon class'). However they may be useful as a standard kick deals more damage than a standard, unprotected fist.
Technique Type LDV C1 C2 C3 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5
Punch Blunt -3 12% 12% 11% 9% 6% 3% 2% 0%
Kick Blunt -1 25% 24% 23% 18% 12% 6% 1% 0%

How to read this?

Skill level and basic attacks

The amount of basic attacks that can be performed each turn (either punches or kicks, but not a mix of the two) depends on the user's Martial Arts skill, ranging between 2 (at Unskilled level) and 6 (at Master level), increasing by 1 with each higher skill level.

Martial arts techniques

Martial arts techniques are special moves performed by a fighter in a single turn. These special moves distinguish themselves from regular attacks with the special effects they can impart on both the fighter and the enemy.

Each martial arts technique must be learned (by going to a Dojo and purchasing the lessons for the relevant technique). Some of them have prerequisites, such as needing a certain level in Martial arts skill.

List of techniques

Stun kick

A single powerful kicking strike, intended to cause a lot of damage and stun the opponent.

  • Code: B1
  • Cost: 500 P$
  • Skill level required: Basic or higher
  • Effects: Max 1 attack per turn, attack is based on a Kick; if successful, deals 2.0x Pain and Limb damage + stuns the target for 1 turn.
    • Performing this technique will cost the user 1.0% Fatigue.

Power fist

A single powerful punching strike, intended to cause a lot of damage and break bones.

  • Code: B2
  • Cost: 500 P$
  • Skill level required: Basic or higher
  • Effects: Max 1 attack per turn, attack is based on a Punch; if successful, deals 2.0x Pain and Limb damage + causes a fracture on the targeted body part, if applicable.
    • Performing this technique will cost the user 1.0% Fatigue.

One-two burst punch

Mastering the basic one-two punching technique allows the user to deliver twice more attacks, but each individual hit has reduced power.

  • Code: S1
  • Cost: 750 P$
  • Skill level required: Skilled or higher
  • Effects: The maximum amount of hits per turn is doubled for 1 turn only, and only for Punches, but each hit will deal 0.6x Pain and Limb damage.
    • At Expert skill level, each punch will deal 0.7x Pain/Limb damage instead of 0.6x.
    • At Master skill level, each punch will deal 0.8x Pain/Limb damage instead of 0.6x.

Wind strike

A technique which allows the user to make efficient use of their strength for the purpose of pushing an opponent far and away from the user.

  • Code: S2
  • Cost: 1000 P$
  • Skill level required: Skilled or higher
  • Effects: Max 1 attack per turn, attack is based on a Punch; if successful, deals 1.5x Pain and Limb damage + the user is prompted to select a Battlespace side other than the user's (and enemy's) current location; the enemy is forcibly blown away into the selected Side.
    • Note: Enemies sent flying into another Side this way will trigger primed Pressure Mines, and any primed Directional Mines aimed at the Side from which the enemy (and by definition, the technique user) came from.

Avalanche technique

A technique which requires the user to focus and send as many hits as possible into the target; the idea being that the more the user is skilled, the easier it is to maintain that focus.

  • Code: S3
  • Cost: 1500 P$
  • Skill level required: Skilled or higher
  • Effects: Player is asked to play the Avalanche minigame (detailed in the section below) to determine how many hits and how much damage is dealt to the target.
    • Performing this technique costs 1.0% Fatigue multiplied by the amount of Strike points gained (see below).

Power surge

A technique which allows the user to channel their inner energy and, for a brief moment, strike with enormous power. The Contestant may then strike with either basic punches or kicks, as many times as skill level allows.

  • Code: E1
  • Cost: 1500 P$
  • Skill level required: Expert or higher
  • Effects: For a single turn, all successful hits are treated as critical hits.
    • Performing this technique costs 2.0% Fatigue multiplied by the amount of attacks attempted.

Spinning kick

A technique which allows the user to channel their inner energy and, for a brief moment, concentrate all strength into a kick so strong, the opponent will be sent flying and spinning into another Side of the Battlespace.

  • Code: E2
  • Cost: 2000 P$
  • Skill level required: Expert or higher
  • Effects: Max 1 attack per turn, attack is based on a Kick; if successful, deals 2.5x Pain and Limb damage + the user is prompted to select a Battlespace side other than the user's (and enemy's) current location; the enemy is forcibly blown away into the selected Side.
    • Note: Enemies sent flying into another Side this way will trigger primed Pressure Mines, and any primed Directional Mines aimed at the Side from which the enemy (and by definition, the technique user) came from.
    • Performing this technique will cost the user 4.0% Fatigue.

Touch of Death

Known as the Kyuusho-jutsu (急所術, lit. "Pressure points technique") in Youkai language, this is the ultimate martial arts technique, which allows the user to channel all of their inner energy into a series of precise, powerful strikes, designed to kill an opponent in a gruesome manner, or at the very least severely disable them. It is, however, difficult to execute properly, and failure may result in self damage instead; namely, limb damage and fractures to the hands.

  • Code: M1
  • Cost: 4000 P$
  • Skill level required: Master
  • Effects: Player is asked to play the Death Touch minigame (detailed in the section below) to determine how many hits and how much damage is dealt to the target.
    • Performing this technique costs 1.0% Fatigue multiplied by the amount of Strike points gained (see below).

Minigames

Avalanche minigame

The objective of the minigame is to score as many Strike points as possible before losing all Focus points.

  • The player is asked to toss combat dice (2d6) in groups of three.
  • Any dice score that is 7 or higher results in gaining 1 Strike point. Any dice score that is 6 or lower results in losing 1 Focus points.
    • Any 2 (critical failure) results in losing 2 Focus points, whereas any 12 (critical success) results in gaining 2 Strike points.
  • The starting amount of Focus depends on Martial Arts skill level.
    • Skilled or lower: 1 Focus
    • Expert: 2 Focus
    • Master: 3 Focus

The minigame ends when Focus reaches 0.

When the minigame ends, the Contestant's chosen target will sustain as many punches as Strike points were earned; each hit is based on a Punch (affected by handgear) and will deal 0.5x Pain and Limb damage

Death Touch minigame

The objective of the minigame is to win as many rounds of rock-paper-scissors as possible, and lose as little as possible. After the user has determined a target, the Contestant will be asked whether he/she wants to attempt 3, 5, or 7 hits. As many rounds of RPS as there are attempted hits will then be played.

If the Contestant...

  • Wins a round: +1 Touch point
  • Draws: Nothing happens.
  • Loses a round: +1 Break point

At the end of the RPS rounds, the total amount of Break points is checked first.

  • If Break points < Half of the total rounds played: Nothing happens, proceed with the next part
  • If Break points > Half of the total rounds played: The Contestant sustains 1dX limb damage to each hand (X is equal to the amount of Break points accumulated). If the amount of damage sustained is 3 or more, the hands are also fractured. In either case, no damage is dealt to the enemy and the minigame ends.

If the Contestant passed the Break check without damage...

  • The Contestant successfully delivers 3, 5 or 7 punches to the enemy (depending on rounds played).

Additional damage depends on the amount of Touch points accumulated:

  • 0 Touch points: No additional effects.
  • 1-2 Touch points: Enemy is stunned for 2 turns.
  • 3-4 Touch points: Total damage dealt (Pain & Limb damage) is doubled, and the enemy is stunned for 2 turns.
  • 5-6 Touch points: Enemy sustains 2.0x Pain & Limb damage, then must pass a crushing hit check if it hasn't been killed.
    • Crushing hit check: Roll 1d100 - If the result is equal or superior to the enemy's current amount of Pain, Enemy is stunned for 4 turns. If the result is inferior, Enemy's Pain level is immediately set to their Pain Blackout Threshold + 8%, effectively blacking them out for 4 turns.
  • 7 Touch points: Enemy sustains 44x Pain & Limb damage, which represents brutal, instant death for the vast majority of targets.

See also