QUOTE (phlapjack77 @ Jul 20 2013, 05:25 AM)
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Yeah, the martial arts spec is too broad, especially when there are other specs like "Blocking" and "Subduing". Everyone should take the martial arts spec, then get your spec bonus when you either block or subdue. This should be replaced with something like "Striking", so that a player can take a spec in "Blocking" or "Subduing" or "Striking".
But you CAN take Blocking, Subduing, or Striking as a Specialty. AS WELL AS Kicks, Punches, Tai Chi, Muy Thai, Tae Kwon Do, etc. It is all part of the Flavor of the Character. If you happen to Choose a Martial Art that does not use Subduing or grappling, then you cannot use your bonus when performing those actions. That may mean a bit more work for the Player, but I prefer that, rather than hard-coding what specializations you can or cannot take. Obviously some choices will be disallowed (Shooting for Pistols, for example) while others are a bit more flavorful (Called Shots for Pistols, for example). And since Specialties do not stack, you could effectively generate a character, over some time, that gets a +2 to any action with a given skill, because a few specialties can cover the vast majority of situations. Your example Specialties for unarmed combat: Block, Subduing, Strikes, Grappling would cover 99% of any action that you take with Unarmed Combat, so should I disallow you to take them, even though the rules allow it?.
AS always, don't be a prick player on this, and things will work out.