Shorinji Martial Arts

Summary
A popular martial arts, Shorinji is a hard, linear art that concentrates on direct strikes and kicks. Shorinji schools can be found on most major planets. Students of Shorinji often study a related art, Nang Bo, an armed fighting technique that teaches the use blades, blunt weapons and flexible weapons.

RPG D6 Stats
For every +1 pip that a character increases her martial arts skill, she may pick one of the techniques from the list of the martial style in which their character specializes. Learning a technique from outside a style costs 10 character points and takes three weeks of training. Characters whose martial arts skill is increased during character creation are eligible to select from the techniques. Characters must also declare which technique they are using prior to making the required skill roll (unless otherwise indicated).

Basic Maneuvers
(Free Maneuvers available to everyone)

Maneuver: Punch/Strike

Description: A basic attack with a fist, elbow or other striking appendage.

Difficulty: Very Easy

Effect: Does Strength damage.

Maneuver: Kick/Strike

Description: A basic attack with a foot, knee or other lower striking appendage.

Difficulty: Easy

Effect: Does Strength+2 damage.

Maneuver: Hold/Grapple

Description: A simple grab and squeeze attack.

Difficulty: Moderate or an opposed Strength roll.

Effect: The character attempting to grapple with a target must make a Moderate brawling roll to hold her opponent. For every round the target is held, the character must make an opposed Strength roll, with a +1 penalty for each point by which the character succeeded in her grapple attempt. If the target beats her Strength roll he breaks free of the hold.

Brawling Maneuvers
Technique: Crescent Kick

Description: The character can execute a kick that sweeps in at the opponent's neck.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: If the character makes the required skill roll, he may sweep a kick down at his opponent's neck from above. The kick deals Strength+1D damage, but is unhindered by armor (since most armor does not have one solid torso and head piece).

Technique: Disarm

Description: The character is trained to force an opponent to drop a weapon or object.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: If the character's attack is successful (and is not parried or dodged) and if the skill roll meets the required difficulty number, the target has been disarmed of one weapon or item they are holding. The item lands 1D meters away.

Technique: Flying Kick

Description: The character is trained to leap to deliver a crushing kick.

Difficulty: Difficult

Effect: The character can add +2D to her damage roll if her skill roll exceeds the difficulty number. Failure to beat the difficulty number indicates the character is off-balance and her opponent may make an additional attack this round with no multiple action penalty.

Technique: Foot Sweep

Description: The character uses a sweeping motion of her leg to trip an opponent.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: A successful attempt indicates the target is tripped, falling to the ground. The character must remain prone for the remainder of the round.

Technique: Instant Knockdown

Description: The character knows how to maximize impact, knocking the target to the floor.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: If the character's attack is successful (and is not parried or dodged) and if the skill roll meets the required difficulty number, the target is knocked to the ground. The fallen character must either wait one round to stand or suffer multiple action penalties.

Technique: Instant Stand

Description: The character is trained to negate the effects of a fall and return to a standing combat-ready position.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: If a character is tripped or knocked down, she may use this technique to return to a standing position. Successful use of this technique indicates that the character can stand without suffering a multiple-action penalty.

Technique: Instant Wound

Description: The character knows how to strike to maximum effect, inflicting severe damage on the target.

Difficulty: Difficult

Effect: If the character's attack is successful (and is not parried or dodged) and if the skill roll meets the required difficulty number, the target character suffers a wound. (Effects of the wound are cumulative.)

Technique: Martial Arts Leap

Description: The character is able to use martial arts training to perform more precise leaps.

Difficulty: Easy

Effect: With a successful skill roll, the character may add a +2D bonus to a climbing/jumping roll involving jumping. He does not suffer the multiple action penalty on that roll.

Technique: Multiple Kicks

Description: The character is trained to make multiple attacks using his feet.

Difficulty: Difficult

Effect: If the character makes the required skill roll, he may make two kicking attacks in one round without suffering the multiple action penalty.

Technique: Palm Punch

Description: The character is trained to use the heel of his palm to inflict damage.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: By making the required skill roll, the character strikes at his opponent with an open palm for Strength+1D damage.

Technique: Roundhouse Kick

Description: The character is trained to deliver a spinning kick to the head.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: A successful skill roll indicates that the character delivers a spinning kick to the head of an opponent. In addition to the +1D+2 to damage, the opponent is considered "Stunned" for the remainder of the round.

Technique: Spinning Back Fist

Description: The character spins around, adding force to his blow from the momentum of the spin. As the spin is completed, he brings the back of his fist into contact with his opponent.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: The character can add +1D to her damage roll if the skill roll is successful. Failure to make the required skill roll results in the character becoming off balance, and her opponent may make one additional attack this round without a multiple action penalty.

Technique: Spinning Kick

Description: The character is trained to perform a powerful kick.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: The character can add +1D to her damage roll if her skill roll exceeds the difficulty number. Failure to beat the difficulty number indicates the character is off-balance and her opponent may make an additional attack this round with no multiple action penalty.

Technique: Sword Hand

Description: This technique actually takes two forms. The first is to use the edge of the flattened hand to strike the target, usually with the intent of breaking bones or inflicting other serious injury. The second, more difficult form is to flatten the hand and strike with the fingertips, driving the character's hand into his opponent's body.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: This punch ignores any bonuses the target gains from wearing armor, having especially tough skin or similar ability. The character can add +1D to her damage roll if the skill roll is successful.

Technique: Weapon Block

Description: The character is trained to parry melee attacks, even when she does not possess a melee weapon.

Difficulty: Opposed martial arts versus melee combat roll

Effect: If the character makes the required difficulty roll, she successfully blocks a melee attack. This may be used as a reaction skill.

Melee Maneuvers
Technique: Bash

Description: The character is trained to deliver a quick, smashing attack, usually performed "sidearm" with a club or staff.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: The character can add +1D to her damage roll if the skill roll is successful.

Technique: Dazing Blow

Description: The character is trained to use a weapon to do only Stun damage. With a blunt weapon, he hits less forcefully; with an edged weapon, he uses the "flat" of the blade.

Difficulty: Difficult

Effect: If the character makes the required skill roll, he may use his melee weapon to cause Strength+1D stun damage.

Technique: Disarm

Description: The character skillfully strikes her opponent's weapon, hand or arm, not to cause damage, but to knock the weapon out of her opponent's grasp. Alternately, she may use an entangling weapon such as a chain to wrap around her foe's weapon and pull it away.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: If the character's attack is successful (and is not parried or dodged) and if the skill roll meets the required difficulty number, the target character is disarmed.

Technique: Fleche

Description: The character is trained to move forward quickly, using the momentum of his attack to increase the damage.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: If the character makes the required skill roll, he moves toward his opponent inflicting +1D+1 to normal damage. Note that this technique only works if the character is less than a half Move away from his opponent, otherwise he cannot use this technique.

Technique: Great Blow

Description: The character puts everything he has into the blow, exposing himself to injury in the hopes of doing worse injury to his opponent.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: If the character makes the required skill roll, he may deliver an attack at a +2D to damage. Failure to beat the difficulty number indicates the character is off-balance and his opponent may make an additional attack this round with no multiple action penalties.

Technique: Jab

Description: The character is trained to make a quick, light strike with a weapon, used more to test an opponent's skill and defenses than to injure him.

Difficulty: Difficult

Effect: If the character makes the required skill roll, he may deliver an attack at a -1D to damage with such speed that he may make one other melee attack this round without incurring the multiple action penalty.

Technique: Riposte

Description: This technique, most commonly performed with blades, is a rapid strike following a block.

Difficulty: Difficult

Effect: A character may only use a Riposte in the action after he has made a successful parry. If the character makes the required skill roll, he may add the number of points his parry beat the last attack to his melee combat roll.

Technique: Slash

Description: The character can make a powerful blow with an axe, sword or similar weapon.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: If the character makes the required skill roll, he may deliver an attack at a +1D to damage.

Technique: Smash

Description: The character can make a strong, powerful attack, usually performed by swinging downward with the weapon.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: If the character makes the required skill roll, he may deliver an attack at a +1D+2 to damage.

Technique: Sweep

Description: The character is trained to use a staff or flexible weapon to knock or yank the legs out from under his opponent.

Difficulty: Moderate

Effect: In addition to any damage taken, the opponent suffers a knockdown and must remain prone for the remainder of the round.

Technique: Thrust

Description: This technique is a cross between a Jab and a Slash; it combines the former's speed with the latter's power.

Difficulty: Difficult

Effect: If the character makes the required skill roll, he may deliver an attack with such speed that he may make one other melee attack this round without incurring the multiple action penalty.