A house rule under consideration

[JuliusCreed]

Just thought of this and am about to play test it as soon as I call in my group, but seeking other opinions on the idea as well. I call it the Mixed Martial Artist Rule (MMAR for short)....

The MMAR allows players to select an additional Martial Art form for their character at the cost of skill programs.

The basic logic is based on one of today's most popular hand to hand combat concepts... that people who are trained in a variety of fighting styles stand a relatively better chance of winning a fight than those that are not. I say 'relatively' because the chance of a rookie MMA fighter fresh from the UFC is not likely to stand much of a chance against someone like say an 8th Dan black belt Aikido Master. However, against a rookie Golden Gloves boxer, the MMA fighter stands a better than average chance of winning due to the diversity of styles and techniques.

The basic idea is the player exchanges 3 of his OCC's skill programs in order to select a second Martial Art form. If the OCC in question has a restricted list of forms to choose from, such as the Free Agent Thief or Commando Mercenary, the 2nd selection MUST be from this list. The Worldly Martial Artist exchanges only 2 skill programs, but also loses the extra physical skills and bonus Martial Art Powers he would normally get. The Dedicated Martial Artist may also take advantage of this house rule, however, it costs them a bit more dearly, considering they have to sacrifice Martial Art Powers in order to get skill programs. On the plus side, a new form only costs them 2 skill programs. The DMA is also the ONLY OCC that may exchange skill programs gained from the exchange of Martial Art Powers. A Martial Art form obtained in this manner cannot be an Exclusive form even if the OCC is normally allowed to select them. And finally, only ONE additional form may be gained in this manner.

That's what I got so far folks... what say you?

[Regularguy]

The basic logic is based on one of today's most popular hand to hand combat concepts... that people who are trained in a variety of fighting styles stand a relatively better chance of winning a fight than those that are not. I say 'relatively' because the chance of a rookie MMA fighter fresh from the UFC is not likely to stand much of a chance against someone like say an 8th Dan black belt Aikido Master. However, against a rookie Golden Gloves boxer, the MMA fighter stands a better than average chance of winning due to the diversity of styles and techniques.

Thing is, if you picked a fighting style that completely lacks a boxer's knack for lining up knockout punches while parrying and dodging and rolling with blows, you can already remedy that by training in Boxing -- and if your martial art of choice also happens to lack any takedowns, or grappling techniques for painfully wrapping the guy up once you've got him on the ground, you can already train in Wrestling likewise. And if you're really committed to this, I'd figure you take Athletics to boot (with, y'know, "MMA" being the competitive sport in question) for smoothly integrating the whole thing into a knack for moving around a little faster while parrying and dodging a little better easy as factoring in the finer points of tackling and being tackled.

N&SS was, apparently, anticipating this stuff long before UFC 1.

[drewkitty ~..~]

I would base the number of skills programs it takes on the number of years it takes to train for said MAF.
--------
The basic home rule I follow is that a char can trade in one skill prog for one non-mystic MAF w/o the 'cultural' skills.

[slade the sniper]

It looks pretty good, although I sort of like drewkitty's better.

If it was me, however, I would allow the players to take an additional MAF at the cost of a skill program, then let them take the following skills:
MMA strike
MMA parry
MMA dodge
MMA Critical
MMA Take down
MMA Roll

Each of those skills would allow the player to combine the bonuses for the different MAFs (you could have Tae Kwon Do and Sambo, and MAF Parry, MAF strike so you could combine the bonuses to strike and parry from both TKD and Sambo), if I was running a high power combat game. Overpowered, yes, but I figure if a PC wants to blow a skill program and 10+ years AND a few other skill slots to be a unarmed killing machine, why not?

-STS

[Alrik Vas]

I like your idea Slade, though i think i'd say they have to trade something to get the MMA abilities. It's just game balance as far as i'm concerned.

[Alrik Vas]

Nothing wrong with that, either, Meph.

[The Dark Elf]

He can already specialise by selecting a martial artist occ which gives more martial arts and less skills.