Shadowrun Martial Arts Systems Options

[Xenefungus]

For me it doesn't make sense that the styles themselves are just fluff. There could be just a list benefits to chose from (5BP / 10 Karma each) and it would have been the same. Also, the fact that there are more bonuses to some things than to others seems arbitrary to me. Why can I get +2DV to blades but only +1DV to clubs? Why +3DV to unarmed (here again, it's of no use at all that there are more than 3 references to it!) but only +1DV to damage inflicted while grappling?

Makes no sense for me at all. As i said in some other thread already, just a list with benefits and how often you can take them, would be far better and streamlined.

[HunterHerne]

For me it doesn't make sense that the styles themselves are just fluff. There could be just a list benefits to chose from (5BP / 10 Karma each) and it would have been the same. Also, the fact that there are more bonuses to some things than to others seems arbitrary to me. Why can I get +2DV to blades but only +1DV to clubs? Why +3DV to unarmed (here again, it's of no use at all that there are more than 3 references to it!) but only +1DV to damage inflicted while grappling?

Makes no sense for me at all. As i said in some other thread already, just a list with benefits and how often you can take them, would be far better and streamlined.

That said, there is one "similar" style that I completely disagree with. Rince an bhata Uisce Bheatha is roughly translated as Wiskey Stick Dance, because the only thing the Irish could carry as a potential weapon during English rule was a stick, and the name was to keep English overseers from figuring out it was a fighting style. Why would a style that uses a Shillelagh (an Irish club) work as a similar to Boxing, and get benefits to unarmed?

[MK Ultra]

The problem that Maneuvers disallow moves that some ppl consider should be universaly available to all characters that didn't purchase the respective Maneuver could be fixed by allowing untrained (as in didn't pay for the Maneuver or martial arts Qualities, only relying on Skills) to use Maneuvers for the cost of 1 Edge per use (or per combat round of use for Maneuvers that are not a single action). I think it makes perfect sense from a fluff perspective, as well - unless you are a specialist, you need some luck and put all your effort into advanced Maneuvers, but if you can do them in your sleep, you can use them with little extra effort, whenever an appropriate situation arrises. Do you think that would be balanced? Do you think ppl would use it or considder 1 Edge too much? Would ppl still buy Maneuvers for Melee Specialists or just rely on Edge?

The MA Qualities on the other hand fit well as Qualities mostly IMO, as they just give a flat bonus to standard moves. I wouldn´t allow them to be improvised by spending Edge (there might be some exceptions which might be better represented as Maneuvers anyway).

[ggodo]

That said, there is one "similar" style that I completely disagree with. Rince an bhata Uisce Bheatha is roughly translated as Wiskey Stick Dance, because the only thing the Irish could carry as a potential weapon during English rule was a stick, and the name was to keep English overseers from figuring out it was a fighting style. Why would a style that uses a Shillelagh (an Irish club) work as a similar to Boxing, and get benefits to unarmed?

Like I said before, the only thing Hapkido and Tae Kwon Do have in common is Korea. Somehow that makes them identical. I really don't get how they picked the synonyms.

[Yerameyahu]

But again, it's just worthless fluff. If it happens to be wrong, just change it.

[Psikerlord]

Given melee is generally less powerful than firearms and ranged attacks, Im all for buffing melee chars if they want to pay for it. More options too generally = good.

[Paul]

I can't honestly recall if anyone's ever purchased a martial arts maneuver in my game. Ever. I guess it all comes down to the different strokes for different folks. I am glad I don't have any militant nerds at my table who feel the need to educate the rest of us on whatever pet hobby, martial art or gun they happen to be infatuated with. We're here to game not wank.