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(Inspired by the current "Top 10" post trend.)

What are your 10 favorite Martial Art styles in Palladium's games (official or not) and Why?

From N&SS and Mystic China, I would list:

1) Tae Kwon Do.
Good attacks per melee, good selection of Martial Arts Powers, good selection of moves and attacks.

2) Tang Su.
Much the same reasons as Tae Kwon Do, but a bit more combat oriented with the inclusion of Combination Attacks like Grab/Head bash, and Strike/Parry.

3) Jujutsu.
Love the grappling, the Atemi powers, and the versatile and flexible approach to combat this style offers.

4) Zanji Shinjenken Ryu.
What can I say, I love Japanese Swordsmanship.
Good level advancement bonuses.

5) Shaolin Kung Fu.
While I never actually refer to it in my campaign as that (I prefer to use the terms "Chuan Fa", or "Wh Shu"), I love this style. Very good attack moves, good level advancements, and a variety of of combat options for the character.
Could use the inclusion of the principle five 'kung fu' weapons though.

6)Aikido.
If defensive is your philosophy, this is your art.
Chi, automatic maneuvers, this is a great style overall.

7)Yu Sool.
I love to add this to a DMA who has selected TKD or Tang Su as their primary art.
The inclusion of Chi, plus the automatic moves help to round out a characters combat choices.

Sankukai Karate.
I love the versatility of the attack types, and it combines well with a second style for the DMA.

9)Tai Chi Chuan.
Great Chi abilities. Solid attack options without making the character a combat monster.

10) Chao Ta.
How can you not love a style based on movie fighting?

That said, I also endorse Drunken Style, Monkey Style, Wu Shu T'sung (if you can take it), and I've had great success with villains who used Mien Chuan, Snake Style, and Tien Tsueh touch mastery as well.

Now, for my list of the Ten Martial Arts I wish Palladium had written up:

1) Savate.
2) Pancration
3) Boxing
4) Escrima
5) Jeet June Do
6) Kali
7) Silat (Bersilat, Pentjac Silat)
Capoiera
and 9, and 10 are a call for representing Africa, Native American Indian, and Indonesian martial arts.

Sentinel wrote:Now, for my list of the Ten Martial Arts I wish Palladium had written up:

1) Savate.
2) Pancration
3) Boxing
4) Escrima
5) Jeet June Do
6) Kali
7) Silat (Bersilat, Pentjac Silat)
Capoiera
and 9, and 10 are a call for representing Africa, Native American Indian, and Indonesian martial arts.

I'm surprised you don't have a European sword style listed.

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:Now, for my list of the Ten Martial Arts I wish Palladium had written up:

1) Savate.
2) Pancration
3) Boxing
4) Escrima
5) Jeet June Do
6) Kali
7) Silat (Bersilat, Pentjac Silat)
Capoiera
and 9, and 10 are a call for representing Africa, Native American Indian, and Indonesian martial arts.

I'm surprised you don't have a European sword style listed.

I only picked ten.
Truthfully, I would rather N&SS had the diversity of GURPS Martial Arts (without being just like GURPS, obviously), and then we could have had two or three flavors of fencing and swordfighting from Europe.

Mitternacht wrote:1- Zanji
- there is something to be said about a sword wielding Samurai, dicing up his/her enemies
2- Aikido
- For pure self defense, it can't be beat
3- Chi Hsuan Men (White Jade Fan)
- who expects a person with a fan to be dangerous?
4- Isshin-Ryu Karate
- The Bo Staff is badass
5- Jujutsu
- if you want to kick your oppenent while he is down, look here
6- Lee Kwan Choo
- for those who like fear
7- Moo Gi Gong
- Don't fight one anywhere that there is anything that Jackie Chan would use
8- Te
- a personal favorite, though not a much of one as #1
9- Ba Gua
- Think "The One"
10- Hsien Hsia
- one word....Immortal

Good choices.

I'm seeing a lot of commonalities.

Of course, that could be because there weren't that many selections as it was, among the CANON selections at least (before Kuseru chimes in).


Nothing but respect Ninja-Man.

Sentinel wrote:I'm seeing a lot of commonalities.

Of course, that could be because there weren't that many selections as it was, among the CANON selections at least (before Kuseru chimes in).


Nothing but respect Ninja-Man.

According to an old Poll on the most used (canon) martial arts, the following are the top 10:
1 Zanji Shinjinken Ryu
2, 3, 4 Three way tie between Jujutsu, Ninjitsu, and Tai-Chi-Chu'an
5 Thai Kick Boxing
6, 7, 8, 9, 10 SIX way tie between Aikdio, Ch'in Na, Moo Gi Gong, Tae Kwon Do, Tien Hsueh, and Xing Chiao Kung Fu (Obviously, that's 11 styles, but those are the ones receiving the most votes.

The styles least commonly used are:
1 Lee Kwan Choo
2 Chao Ta Kung Fu, Chi Hsuan Men, Hsien Hsia, Kuo-Ch'uan Kung Fu, Sankukai Karate, Sumo, and Wu Shu T'sung
3 Bok Pai Kung Fu, Drunken Style, Fu Chiao Pai Kung Fu, Hwarang-do, Liang Hsiung Kung Fu, Li-Chia Kung Fu, Shan Tung Kung Fu, Taido, Wui Wing Chun, and Yu-Sool

Personally, I don't have an exact top ten, but there are ten styles I typically use more than others:
Aikido
Jujutsu
Moo Gi Gong
Ninjitsu
Shih Ba Ban Wu Yi
Snake Style Kung Fu
Tai-Chi-Ch'uan
Taido
Tien Hsueh
Zanji-Shinjinken Ryu

No high-kicking styles for you, eh?
(well, maybe taido).

Sentinel wrote:No high-kicking styles for you, eh?
(well, maybe taido).

No, I prefer more lethal styles.

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:No high-kicking styles for you, eh?
(well, maybe taido).

No, I prefer more lethal styles.

In a straight N&SS game, I found Tae Kwon Do to be pretty damaging.
With its' number of attacks, plus the more damaging of the kicks, as well as the ability to select Powers like Zanshin, Tamashiwara, Chagi, and other body hardenings, it does pretty good.

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:No high-kicking styles for you, eh?
(well, maybe taido).

No, I prefer more lethal styles.

In a straight N&SS game, I found Tae Kwon Do to be pretty damaging.
With its' number of attacks, plus the more damaging of the kicks, as well as the ability to select Powers like Zanshin, Tamashiwara, Chagi, and other body hardenings, it does pretty good.

I'll stick with negative chi and backstabbing (along with decapitations and defenestrations).

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:No high-kicking styles for you, eh?
(well, maybe taido).

No, I prefer more lethal styles.

In a straight N&SS game, I found Tae Kwon Do to be pretty damaging.
With its' number of attacks, plus the more damaging of the kicks, as well as the ability to select Powers like Zanshin, Tamashiwara, Chagi, and other body hardenings, it does pretty good.

I'll stick with negative chi and backstabbing (along with decapitations and defenestrations).

My best game moment with a WMA with Tang Su was against a Chi Master NPC (I think he was a DMA with Snake Style and Mien Chuan, but I never actually saw the sheet).
He hit me with a blast of Negative Chi (enough for a 10 point infection).
I hit him with a Forearm Strike using Tamashiwara: I rolled a Natural 20 on the hit.
That blew through his Hit Points and brought the fight to a close.

Another player later cleansed me of the Negative Chi infection that night.

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:No high-kicking styles for you, eh?
(well, maybe taido).

No, I prefer more lethal styles.

In a straight N&SS game, I found Tae Kwon Do to be pretty damaging.
With its' number of attacks, plus the more damaging of the kicks, as well as the ability to select Powers like Zanshin, Tamashiwara, Chagi, and other body hardenings, it does pretty good.

I'll stick with negative chi and backstabbing (along with decapitations and defenestrations).

My best game moment with a WMA with Tang Su was against a Chi Master NPC (I think he was a DMA with Snake Style and Mien Chuan, but I never actually saw the sheet).
He hit me with a blast of Negative Chi (enough for a 10 point infection).
I hit him with a Forearm Strike using Tamashiwara: I rolled a Natural 20 on the hit.
That blew through his Hit Points and brought the fight to a close.

Another player later cleansed me of the Negative Chi infection that night.

Now that's sad. The NPC had a range of 40 feet but didn't do anything until he was close enough for you to physically hit him. He deserved to die.

We actually were only 20 feet apart when the fight became a fight: My character had a SPD attribute of 32, which is pretty quick.

Sumo
Tien Hsieh
Aikido
Chin'Na
Tai Chi Chu'an
Mantis Style Kung Fu
Snake Style Kung Fu
umm....
Sumo
Sumo
Sumo

I like Sumo, although I felt it should not have been Exclusive, and the Height/Weight generator really does not reflect the reality of Sumotori in size.

Sentinel wrote:We actually were only 20 feet apart when the fight became a fight: My character had a SPD attribute of 32, which is pretty quick.

*Blink* Since Tamashiwara allows for only one attack per melee round, how'd you manage to close the distance and hit him with Tamashiwara before he killed you?

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:We actually were only 20 feet apart when the fight became a fight: My character had a SPD attribute of 32, which is pretty quick.

*Blink* Since Tamashiwara allows for only one attack per melee round, how'd you manage to close the distance and hit him with Tamashiwara before he killed you?

The GMs ruling was that Tamashiwara could only be used once per round, but he allowed the use of the rest of ones' actions (his opinion was that as one gains more actions, one should not have to sacrifice more than a lower level character with the same ability. I shared his opinion, and made the same house rule), thus also enabling a character to parry or dodge as needed.

It never seemed to make sense to me that as one advances in level, the same attack that used to take four actions now took five, or six, etc. As you get more skilled and faster, your attacks require more actions as a cost? Despite the fact that the damage done is the same as when you were Level One?


In any event, we've never considered moving a distance equal to or less than ones' normal range to be an attack, thus allowing a character to rush forward to strike without necessitating a leaping attack (which I could have done in the alternative, since I had Flying Jump Kick as a maneuver, which would have done far more damage in the end).

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:We actually were only 20 feet apart when the fight became a fight: My character had a SPD attribute of 32, which is pretty quick.

*Blink* Since Tamashiwara allows for only one attack per melee round, how'd you manage to close the distance and hit him with Tamashiwara before he killed you?

The GMs ruling was that Tamashiwara could only be used once per round, but he allowed the use of the rest of ones' actions (his opinion was that as one gains more actions, one should not have to sacrifice more than a lower level character with the same ability. I shared his opinion, and made the same house rule), thus also enabling a character to parry or dodge as needed.

It never seemed to make sense to me that as one advances in level, the same attack that used to take four actions now took five, or six, etc. As you get more skilled and faster, your attacks require more actions as a cost? Despite the fact that the damage done is the same as when you were Level One?


In any event, we've never considered moving a distance equal to or less than ones' normal range to be an attack, thus allowing a character to rush forward to strike without necessitating a leaping attack (which I could have done in the alternative, since I had Flying Jump Kick as a maneuver, which would have done far more damage in the end).

So basically, you cheated. That makes the story much less impressive, and fairly pointless in illustrating your point.

On the issue of higher level characters using more attacks to perform the same action as a lower level character, you do have a partial point. However, it's only a partial point because there are still going to be things that take the same amount of time regardless of how many attacks the character can do.

The GM found something he perceived as a flaw, and instituted a fix for it.
Technically, as is illustrated in the section on characters with no Hand-To-Hand that Attacks and Actions are two separate things.
Thus taking a normal movement and then attacking doesn't seen too far out of whack.
As I said, I could made it a Leap attack, and gotten better results, so my "cheat" really didn't give me anything I couldn't have already done.

For myself, I don't see how getting more attacks is supposed to be an advantage if your attack options are mostly time-based and not action based.
This is also a problem in Heroes Unlimited, especially considering how the Super-Speedsters are hampered by this.

Sentinel wrote:The GM found something he perceived as a flaw, and instituted a fix for it.

Uh huh, sure.

Technically, as is illustrated in the section on characters with no Hand-To-Hand that Attacks and Actions are two separate things.

Yeah, an action is anything that's not a combat move. BTW, this was clearly illustrated in N&S LONG before the "No Hand-to-Hand Combat" stuff came out.

Thus taking a normal movement and then attacking doesn't seen too far out of whack.

Yeah it does.

As I said, I could made it a Leap attack, and gotten better results, so my "cheat" really didn't give me anything I couldn't have already done.

Let's see, closing the distance, and using a martial art power vs doing an attack (one that doesn't do damage direct to hit points), and your "cheat" didn't give you anything.

For myself, I don't see how getting more attacks is supposed to be an advantage if your attack options are mostly time-based and not action based.

Most attack options ARE action based and not time-based. That doesn't mean there aren't going to be options that aren't time based (casting a spell is a prime example of this, but not the only one). So there's no loss of advantage.

This is also a problem in Heroes Unlimited, especially considering how the Super-Speedsters are hampered by this.

Running or flying (or swimming, climbing, etc) faster doesn't equate to being able to attack more. Sure you can cover more distance, but that doesn't mean you can throw punches or kicks any faster. Something Palladium took into account (though I find their low speeds for such to be unrealistic).

Let's see, closing the distance, and using a martial art power vs doing an attack (one that doesn't do damage direct to hit points), and your "cheat" didn't give you anything.

Where does it say that I couldn't use a Leap Attack with Tamashiwara?
Or a Flying Jump Kick with Tamashiwara?
Either of those would do more dice of damage as a base, and cover the same distance, plus they would be Critical Attacks: combined with the Tamashiwara damage modifer, compounded by my Natural 20.

So, I could have done the same thing either way.

And super-speed characters do get extra attacks (I like the additional attacks per melee built in as LABs instead of just a straight +1 Attack or +2 Attacks at level one, like the old Revised edition).

Imperius wrote:My favorite combos are:

Ma Po Tofu
General Tso's Chicken
Pork with Black bean sauce
Honey Chicken


Oh wait, Mystic China the game, not the Take-away.

Who needs Eighteen Weapons?
This one does just fine.

My Favorite martial arts in No particular Order.

1. Pheonix Eye
2. Bear Boxing
3. Chi'ina
4. Moo Gai Gong
5. 18 Weapon
6. Gui Long
7. Demon Wrestling
8. Mui Thai
9. Ba'Gua
10. Talindo ( er how ever you spell it, the one based on spinning)

Ranger wrote:Kuseru, Sentinel stop fighting or I will take your books away.

We're not fighting, Sentinel was laying the smack down on someone else's joke.

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Ranger wrote:Kuseru, Sentinel stop fighting or I will take your books away.

We're not fighting, Sentinel was laying the smack down on someone else's joke.

Besides, Ninjas don't fight: they stealthily accomplish their objectives.

10. Talindo ( er how ever you spell it, the one based on spinning)

Taido.

Misfit KotLD wrote:

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Ranger wrote:Kuseru, Sentinel stop fighting or I will take your books away.

We're not fighting, Sentinel was laying the smack down on someone else's joke.

Besides, Ninjas don't fight: they stealthily accomplish their objectives.

So you were flailing away in a smokescreen while Koosy did his damage somewhere else?

*Whistles innocently*

"I didn't do it, nobody saw me do it, you can't prove anything" - Bart Simpson, Ninja Operative?

Besides, my target was palinly visible while I was thrashing them within an inch of their life.

Actually, I was feeling merciful, so I gave them two inches.

Sentinel wrote:Besides, my target was palinly visible while I was thrashing them within an inch of their life.

Actually, I was feeling merciful, so I gave them two inches.

It could have been worse, he could have made a Ninja Burger reference.

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:Besides, my target was palinly visible while I was thrashing them within an inch of their life.

Actually, I was feeling merciful, so I gave them two inches.

It could have been worse, he could have made a Ninja Burger reference.

I could go for one of those right now.
Don't they come with bacon cut to look like shuriken?

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:Besides, my target was palinly visible while I was thrashing them within an inch of their life.

Actually, I was feeling merciful, so I gave them two inches.

It could have been worse, he could have made a Ninja Burger reference.

I could go for one of those right now.
Don't they come with bacon cut to look like shuriken?

If I told you, I'd have to kill you.

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:Besides, my target was palinly visible while I was thrashing them within an inch of their life.

Actually, I was feeling merciful, so I gave them two inches.

It could have been worse, he could have made a Ninja Burger reference.

I could go for one of those right now.
Don't they come with bacon cut to look like shuriken?

If I told you, I'd have to kill you.

With bacon?

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:Besides, my target was palinly visible while I was thrashing them within an inch of their life.

Actually, I was feeling merciful, so I gave them two inches.

It could have been worse, he could have made a Ninja Burger reference.

I could go for one of those right now.
Don't they come with bacon cut to look like shuriken?

If I told you, I'd have to kill you.

With bacon?

Actually, I'd probably use Ninja Bread Cookies.

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:Besides, my target was palinly visible while I was thrashing them within an inch of their life.

Actually, I was feeling merciful, so I gave them two inches.

It could have been worse, he could have made a Ninja Burger reference.

I could go for one of those right now.
Don't they come with bacon cut to look like shuriken?

If I told you, I'd have to kill you.

With bacon?

Actually, I'd probably use Ninja Bread Cookies.

Pffft.
Your Bread Cookies don't frighten me: I eat those for Breakfast.
Occasionally for Brunch.

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:

Kuseru Satsujin wrote:

Sentinel wrote:Besides, my target was palinly visible while I was thrashing them within an inch of their life.

Actually, I was feeling merciful, so I gave them two inches.

It could have been worse, he could have made a Ninja Burger reference.

I could go for one of those right now.
Don't they come with bacon cut to look like shuriken?

If I told you, I'd have to kill you.

With bacon?

Actually, I'd probably use Ninja Bread Cookies.

Pffft.
Your Bread Cookies don't frighten me: I eat those for Breakfast.
Occasionally for Brunch.

Eating them isn't the problem, geting decapitated by one would be. Of course, I could always just stick with a simple defenestration, but decapitation is often more fun.

Ranger wrote:Kuseru, Sentinel stop fighting or I will take your books away.

You'd throw your back out on my book collection.
I believe Kuserus' book collection is larger than mine.

Man making a list is hard. I usually use the arts that are most common to the area the characters from. (there is a rifter thats great for that)
1. Good old Boxing from the rifter it makes you tough as nails and you hit like a truck
2.Combat Sambo
3.moo gi gong ( loved using this grabing any and everything to fight.)
4.black tiger kung fu
5. Bok Pai Kung Fu
6.Tai-Chi-Chu'an (only because i had player that did such a wonderful job at it.)
7.mui Thai kick boxing
8.demon wrestling
9.Tea kwan do
10.Jujutsu
Now i only got to use it with one characters but the combo of moo gi gong and Hwarang-do. It was brutal loved it.

9.Tea kwan do

Orange Pekoe, or Black Currant?

Sentinel wrote:

9.Tea kwan do

Orange Pekoe, or Black Currant?

Oolong, all the way.

Wow a typo omg

Zylo wrote:

Sentinel wrote:The GMs ruling was that Tamashiwara could only be used once per round, but he allowed the use of the rest of ones' actions (his opinion was that as one gains more actions, one should not have to sacrifice more than a lower level character with the same ability. I shared his opinion, and made the same house rule), thus also enabling a character to parry or dodge as needed.

I can see your point. It is lame the more skilled (higher level) person is basically punished by never getting better at that ability.

Our group ruled that the one attack for Tamashiwara happened at the end of the melee. So you needed 15 seconds of build-up before the explosive attack. That made it really, really hard to use in combat, but it was fine for locked doors and other inanimate obstructions.

I had a character using Tang Su with Tamashiwara, and I think I used it once in a fight, but it was more a suprise/instigation attack, which works great.

I'm thinking many people have different rulings for many abilities in N&S, so it's no big deal.

That's because there is so much discrepancy in editting, one has to make some interpretive subjection.

Automatic dodge was one such for me: I ruled early on that it would work like Automatic Parry (or elese, it was simply nonsensical).
Some of the Combination moves also needed subtle tweaking, although not as extensively.
Holds clearly needed some work.
Basically, I could tell the book (which was supposed to be a Martial Art oriented sourcebook as well as game setting) was written by someone who talked about martial arts but was not a martial artist or expert himself. Having a deeper knowledge, I made the changes I felt were workable for me and my campaign(s).

I personally would not suggest doing N&SS like GURPS, but I would suggest using GURPS as a sourcework.