Boxing by any other name...

[dragon_blaze_99]

try the second gods page

http://www.geocities.com/kuseru/PMAN/Styles/kendo3.htm

[acreRake]

I rename boxing all the time. Heck i rename a lot of things all the time. Maybe the guy's just a prodigious fighter, but he's never been near a boxing ring. Maybe it's lame of me, but if the character class or education level or whatever allows it, but it doesn't exactly fit the character i just tweak it a little.

YMMV

[Guest]

I was looking at Boxing recently while toying with a Pu2 Ancient Weapons Master with Zanji.

The Fencing Skill is absent from Hu2 and N&SS (my edition anyways), and its more vague than what I was thinking.

Call Boxing Kendo, keep the Auto KO at 20 (clunk someone on the head just right with a bokken, see what happens) the attack, str, etc, but make it apply only while using a Bokken/Suburito, and it works pretty well.

Just didn't make as much sense for the guy to have Boxing, but calling/using it as the Kendo version hit me as just right (he uses an enchanted Suburito) what do ya'll think of the swap?

I honestly have to say it looks like a munchkin trying to get people to support him. Looking at the overall post, several things strike me as reflecting this.

"The Fencing Skill is absent from Hu2 and N&SS (my edition anyways),"

This comes across as "I need an excuse to justify this, so I'll go with not having the skill in some books, even though there's other books with the skill."

"...and its more vague than what I was thinking."

This just further reinforces the appearance of excuse-making in the sentence, saying, "I know there's a skill for this, but it's not powerful enough for what I want."

"Call Boxing Kendo, keep the Auto KO at 20 (clunk someone on the head just right with a bokken, see what happens) the attack, str, etc, but make it apply only while using a Bokken/Suburito, and it works pretty well."

This statement comes across as, "Well, if I give my skill the same abilities as Boxing, but say it only applies while using a blunt sword, then I can claim I've got my skill balanced." The MOST telling thing though is that boxing gives an extra attack and fencing does not.

Then there's the statement, "I was looking at Boxing recently while toying with a Pu2 Ancient Weapons Master with Zanji."

So the question becomes, "If you've got Zanji Shinjinken-Ryu, why do you need a Kendo skill that gives you an extra attack, a knockout attack, and bonuses to attributes?"

Don't get me wrong, if you think there should be a version of kendo where you get better abilities, that's one thing, but this skill doesn't come across as that idea. So, while I would have no problem if someone wanted to use the abilities from Boxing in something like "Hand to Hand: Kendo" or a Kendo Martial Art Style, I gotta say a resounding NO to this idea.

[Colt47]

Well, I'm not completely sure exactly what is going on here, but there is a skill called boxing and there is a skill called Fencing. They are both physical skills. Character has Zanji Shinjinken Ryu. If Said character is a Devoted Martial artist, he can't take Boxing or Fencing, because those are physical skills not included in the secondary skill list. If said character is a worldly martial artist, the character can take said skills as part of a physical skills package.

If player playing said character is not satisfied with Zanji Shinjinken Ryu (I'm never satisfied with it, but then again I'm more into the pure sword arts), take a different martial arts style.

I'm not sure if this helps any, but meh.

Edit: Just use the fencing skill from RU:E. It is a reasonable skill that is meant to cover all forms of sword play.

Also, I've always had a bit of a peve with the boxing skill as presented in the books. Because it gives a +1 action per melee round every person I know who plays Rifts treats it like a vital skill for survival. If boxing is supposed to increase someones reflexes it should increase initiative not number of attacks.

[Colt47]

That is what the Weapon proficiency skills are for. When you take a weapon proficiency it means you have been trained in that type of weapon. Combined with the general fencing skill, you have basic Kendo. It's not going to have all the flare of the full blown martial art style because it is meant to represent a few dedicated classes to the art. There is also a Kendo Hand to hand skill in Rifts Japan near the end that pretty much represents kendo training.

[Colt47]

The skills represent a few classes or maybe some supplementary training. Boxing makes sense to get a knock out on a natural 20 because that is what it aims for in the ring. It's aggressive and designed to do that through a solid, hard hitting punch. Kendo as a few classes would just be some training with blunt weapons (Bokken) and maybe live swords, with some more advanced training teaching how to properly strike the opponent. This would give bonuses to damage and strike, not a knock out attack.

[Colt47]

Aren't there house rules for knocking someone out with a headshot?

[verdilak]

If you want to do that, and you GM ok's it, then what the hell, use it. DOnt need us to validate your usage and interpretation of what is a House Rule.

If you truly are unhappy with Fencing and feel that some things are being left out, then write up a Rifter Article. If it gets printed it may even get to be in an official book. Personally, I would love to see this done.

I am one who likes realism within the game and what you suggesting would do so.

(although some realism is a bit too much, i.e. Vagabonds beings the only OCC that gets candy or soap...)