Martial Artist

[Doug Taylor]

In our game we've limited the number of actions (to prevent abuse), but this really minimizes (or nullifies) the Edge "Martial Artist", though.

Originally I came up with this:

MARTIAL ARTIST
Your advanced physical training allows you to attack more quickly than normal.
Prerequisite: Agility 6+
Effects: You add 1d6 to your initiative when attacking with Armed Combat or Unarmed Combat (you may not attack with Ranged Combat during this round).

But I'm leaning toward changing it to the following:

MARTIAL ARTIST
Your advanced physical training allows you to attack or defend more quickly than normal.
Prerequisite: Agility 6+
Effects: Once per round you may add 1d6 to either your initiative, an attack, or a dodge when fighting using Armed Combat or Unarmed Combat.

Thoughts?

[Doug Taylor]

Upon further reflection, I don't really want to make characters able to abuse the ability to "dodge", so I'm going to take out the defensive part (out of both the description and the effects).

So now it would read:

MARTIAL ARTIST
Your advanced physical training allows you to attack more quickly than normal.
Prerequisite: Agility 6+
Effects: Once per round you may add 1d6 to your initiative or an attack when fighting with only Armed Combat or Unarmed Combat.

[Doug Taylor]

I'm also going to add to the Prerequisite that you have to have at least one Armed or Unarmed Combat skill at 6+.

[Fugazi Grrl]

Actually, I think the number of actions needs to be increased to realistically represent Martial Arts style combat. And especially if you enjoy playing in a more cinematic.

I remember when I first bought the CODA books, I timed how many times I could strike a punching bag in the span of a game-round. And I was very surprised at the results. I am, by no means, as fast or as fit as a Starfleet officer.

It took Tamanny, our Narrator, drafting a house rule giving all major characters (PCs, and "Supporting Cast" characters - but not rabble, mooks, and redshirts) 3 extra actions during combat for me to enjoy the game.

Of course we play a strictly cinematic game - what the people at GURPS call "four color" cinematic. Tam wont even allow a starting PC with fewer than 7 advancements. Unless they're a cadet or a trainee of some kind.

Then again, if we ever had a player who abused one of Tam's rules, or a canon-rule that plays into our cinematic style, they'd be shown the door pretty quick. We'd rather lose a player than give up a rule that makes the game more fun.

My rule-of-thumb; if a rule makes things go smoother for the PC keep it, if a rule makes things too tough on a PC, toss it.

Which is why I'm so fond of CODA, I think. Because it is easy to house-rule it how you like. If a group likes harder games, the system can work for that. But if a group, like ours, likes more of a cinematic game with fewer random elements the system can be used that way too.

Having said all of that - I can't really opine on the Martial Arts Edge. We don't use it too much. But, from my POV, and for what I enjoy in playing CODA, any change to the system that makes combat harder on the PCs is something I personally wouldn't enjoy.

That's not to say others wouldn't, or shouldn't enjoy gritty combat.

But, given the way we play, toning back the number of actions a character has during combat (I think the rules, as written, gives them too few) would make the game less enjoyable. And dodging needs to be made easier too.

[Doug Taylor]

I've decided to allow this Edge to also be used when parrying.