Character themed Problem Options

[The Overlord]

So I just started GMing for a small group of newbies and one of them has reached a dilemma. He themed his character around martial arts, shark totem adept and unarmed combat. In a recent run he went up against guys who had decent armor, thus turning most of his hits into Stun. As he doesn't like the idea of Weapon Foci because of addiction rules, and he is wondering about having various weapons that use unarmed attack to both help him deal with Armor a little, and to flavor up his combat, like blades on his feet or something. Help please.

[Tanegar]

Is there some reason he absolutely has to kill his opponents? Stun damage is still damage, and most characters have a shorter Stun track than Physical.

[DeathStrobe]

Any reason he'd be against hardline gloves as a weapon focus?

[FuelDrop]

Gotta say, Stun is better than physical 7 times out of ten, with the other three being drones (Who don't really have that much armour to overcome), Vehicles (Who shouldn't be the martial arts adept's problem), and structures (Who again shouldn't be the adept's job), with occasional exceptions such as guys with pain editors breaking the mold. Even if you intend to kill your targets eventually, stun damage will generally down them faster and once they're down they can be disposed of in any manner you feel appropriate. Stun heals faster in the event of friendly fire, makes taking prisoners easier, ect.

In effect, if you're not sacrificing much to deal it then stun is the way to go.

[Curator]

i heard there's going to be a re-write for some martial arts specializations that are in 4th edition Arsenal page 156. most don't really translate well into 5th edition

[Epicedion]

A human adept can spend 5 PP on Improved Physical Attribute (Strength), Killing Hands, and Critical Strike, and be doing 12P base damage with Knucks, which is pretty good for a punch. It's not quite Troll with a Combat Axe, but then again, what is?

You can do this cheaper if you don't mind taking Drain.

[DMiller]

A human adept can spend 5 PP on Improved Physical Attribute (Strength), Killing Hands, and Critical Strike, and be doing 12P base damage with Knucks, which is pretty good for a punch. It's not quite Troll with a Combat Axe, but then again, what is?

You can do this cheaper if you don't mind taking Drain.

With killing hands you don't need the Knucks.

[Epicedion]

With killing hands you don't need the Knucks.

Need, no. But Knucks work from Unarmed and give Str+1 DV instead of just Str.

[DMiller]

Correct, so dump the killing hands for something else.

Edit: I would suggest Critical Strike (Unarmed Combat) for an additional +1DV.
Edit (2) Oops, only 1 time allowed for crit strike.

[Epicedion]

Correct, so dump the killing hands for something else.

Edit: I would suggest Critical Strike (Unarmed Combat) for an additional +1DV.
Edit (2) Oops, only 1 time allowed for crit strike.

Killing Hands is more of a backup -- can't always use the Knucks, and part of the point of the unarmed adept is not to have to rely on weapons. The knucks are just a nice bonus.

If you want to get into gear that helps do (lots of) additional damage but still lets you get by on Unarmed Combat alone, you're sort of trying to get a free lunch. Weapons like boot blades, or claw gloves, or the mythical Punch Gun are the very definition of Exotic Melee Weapon.

That said, considering the abstraction of the melee rules there's nothing really stopping you from saying that "A Shit-ton of Knifey-Bladey Objects All Over My Hands, Feet, and Mad-Max-Style Shoulder Pads" is an Exotic Melee Weapon that does (Str+2)P -1AP damage (also called "combat knife damage"). Of course, then your adept has to experience the horror of being good at two combat skills.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Killing Hands is more of a backup -- can't always use the Knucks, and part of the point of the unarmed adept is not to have to rely on weapons. The knucks are just a nice bonus.

If you want to get into gear that helps do (lots of) additional damage but still lets you get by on Unarmed Combat alone, you're sort of trying to get a free lunch. Weapons like boot blades, or claw gloves, or the mythical Punch Gun are the very definition of Exotic Melee Weapon.

That said, considering the abstraction of the melee rules there's nothing really stopping you from saying that "A Shit-ton of Knifey-Bladey Objects All Over My Hands, Feet, and Mad-Max-Style Shoulder Pads" is an Exotic Melee Weapon that does (Str+2)P -1AP damage (also called "combat knife damage"). Of course, then your adept has to experience the horror of being good at two combat skills.

Why would that be Horror, exactly? My Shark Shaman Melee Specialist is good with 3 Combat Skills (Two 6's and a 5). Don't know why that is a problem. *shrug*

[The Overlord]

Im not entirely sure why he wants to do more physical beyond it some how be in "keeping" with his shark Adepts theme, and perhaps because in the last run he wasnt able to do physical damage most of the time (he had to AttributeBoost to have a chance). I told him about weapon foci but he said that not only where they not worth it/nor fit his character, but also he didnt want to deal with addiction which is crazy since he is using a force 4 Ki foci to give him better reflexes. He just seems to be intent on being able to kill people with his fists , and has even preposed a fist weapon with blades on it to give him -3AP (though it is more expensive than any fist weapons.) He is also the most bland of the characters playing, as he seriosuly takes no interest in anything outside of combat, though that could be either his metagaming desire(which he tried to pull at durring creation) and that he has piginholed himself.

[Stahlseele]

what did he go up against before this, that this comes as such a shock to him?
if he does not want to be silent and all sneaky like, elemental strike sound negates armor completely.
other elemental effects halve armor usually. aside from specialized armor at least. sound for example gets canceled out completely by ear plugs.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

what did he go up against before this, that this comes as such a shock to him?
if he does not want to be silent and all sneaky like, elemental strike sound negates armor completely.
other elemental effects halve armor usually. aside from specialized armor at least. sound for example gets canceled out completely by ear plugs.

Elemental Attacks for Adepts exist in SR5? I thought we were waiting upon expanded powers until the Magic book comes out, as normal. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Stahlseele]

Ah, SR5?
OK, no clue.
Thought it was SR4.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Ah, SR5?
OK, no clue.
Thought it was SR4.

Indeed... No worries, though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Sponge]

If you want to get into gear that helps do (lots of) additional damage but still lets you get by on Unarmed Combat alone, you're sort of trying to get a free lunch. Weapons like boot blades, or claw gloves, or the mythical Punch Gun are the very definition of Exotic Melee Weapon.

On the other hand, cyber-implant weaponry, which is actually in the rules, uses Unarmed Combat. So I don't see why one couldn't have a spiked glove/gauntlet that did about the same DV as cyber-implant weaponry, and used the Unarmed Combat skill. Not exactly concealable, mind you, but on the other hand you could also turn it into a weapon focus for added punch.

[Warlordtheft]

Im not entirely sure why he wants to do more physical beyond it some how be in "keeping" with his shark Adepts theme, and perhaps because in the last run he wasnt able to do physical damage most of the time (he had to AttributeBoost to have a chance). I told him about weapon foci but he said that not only where they not worth it/nor fit his character, but also he didnt want to deal with addiction which is crazy since he is using a force 4 Ki foci to give him better reflexes. He just seems to be intent on being able to kill people with his fists , and has even preposed a fist weapon with blades on it to give him -3AP (though it is more expensive than any fist weapons.) He is also the most bland of the characters playing, as he seriosuly takes no interest in anything outside of combat, though that could be either his metagaming desire(which he tried to pull at durring creation) and that he has piginholed himself.

Um tell him he should branch out into blades (for combat axes) or an exotic weapon like a monofilimant whip. He could also go for hand razors or cyberspurs or snap blades (not sur if they are in 5th, the non-cyber equivalent of spurs). He could also get a punch dagger.

As to the second part, I'd be a bit aggravated with the player, but that comes from the fact that to me a run done right has a low or no body count..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Samoth]

If you're going to be doing less than 8P in unarmed melee you may as well just use Shock Gloves anyway.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

If you're going to be doing less than 8P in unarmed melee you may as well just use Shock Gloves anyway.

Horrible Premise... And Flawed...

[Stahlseele]

Horrible Premise... And Flawed...

'ow so?

[FuelDrop]

'ow so?

It lacks punch.

*gets booed off stage*

[Epicedion]

Why would that be Horror, exactly? My Shark Shaman Melee Specialist is good with 3 Combat Skills (Two 6's and a 5). Don't know why that is a problem. *shrug*

Sarcasm, sir.

[Glyph]

Yet another SR5 nerf, it seems, but one I reluctantly agree with. In SR4, you could get ludicrous unarmed damage levels by combining levels of critical strike with martial arts damage bonuses, bone density augmentation or bone lacing, and Strength boosts. I like the concept of an unarmed martial artist type, but it was a bit jarring having unarmed attacks outperforming claymores and battle axes.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Sarcasm, sir.

So hard to decipher in text. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)
My apologies. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)