Martial arts

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Martial arts allow you to push your unarmed combat skill even further. Some Martial arts also permit melee weapons, and use melee combat. They are divided in several styles, each one with its own advantages and peculiarities. Martial arts can grant you some of the most powerful combat abilities.

If after reading this page you still can't decide which style to pick this guide might help you.

Starting styles

To be able to use martial arts pick one of the 4 traits available at character creation, or play as a Martial Artist or Blackbelt profession. You'll be asked to pick your martial arts style(s) after character creation, just before the game starts. (In case it matters, your profession arts are chosen after your trait arts.) Available arts, by trait/profession, include:

Martial Arts Training can teach:

  • Karate
  • Judo
  • Aikido
  • Tai Chi
  • Taekwondo

(Medieval stuff mod)

  • Pankration

Self-Defense Classes can teach:

  • Capoeira
  • Krav Maga
  • Muay Thai
  • Ninjutsu
  • Zui Quan

Shaolin Adept can teach:

  • Tiger
  • Crane
  • Leopard
  • Snake
  • Dragon

Venom Mob Protege can teach:

  • Centipede
  • Viper
  • Scorpion
  • Lizard
  • Toad

Melee Weapon Training can teach:

  • Eskrima
  • Fencing
  • Pentjak Silat
  • Niten Ichi-Ryu
  • Sojutsu

(Medival Stuff)

  • Medieval Swordsmanship


In addition to any styles obtained from specific traits, Martial Artists can start with:

  • Karate
  • Judo
  • Muay Thai
  • Tai Chi
  • Taekwondo

In addition to any styles obtained from specific traits, Blackbelts can start with:

  • Karate
  • Judo
  • Aikido
  • Tai Chi
  • Taekwondo
  • Muay Thai
  • Zui Quan

Having 2 unarmed combat skill will teach you Brawling for free.

Picking the Drunken Master trait won't allow you to learn the Zui Quan style at character creation, whatever its description may imply. You'll still benefit from the bonuses associated to that trait when drunk, but note that it applies to all MA styles, common unarmed combat and melee skill. It actually doesn't have anything to do with Zui Quan, apart from the name and a misleading description.

To learn other martial arts styles you'll have to look for NPCs willing to teach you, or you will have to find martial arts manuals that teach you different styles; try looking for a dojo.

Keys

To use martial arts in combat make sure to first activate one of the styles you know, by pressing _, then selecting the style you want to use. You can learn more about a style you've chosen (including a list of compatible weapons) by highlighting the target style and pressing ?.

If you're wielding something that isn't compatible with your selected style, pressing w and then the letter of your wielded item will unequip it, freeing you for empty-hand styles. In the martial-arts menu (default: _, you can opt to not wield items for carrying purposes by activating the "keep hands free" option, avoiding this problem.

List of styles

The available martial art styles in 0.B (Brin). All of them create 8 points of noise every time you attack (except Ninjutsu, which creates 2).

Name Dmg Techniques Special Description
Karate 2
  • (0) TEC_RAPID
  • (2) TEC_BLOCK
  • (4) Precise Strike
  • +1 dodge after successful attack
  • +2 blocks after successful attack

Karate is a popular martial art, originating from Japan. It focuses on rapid, precise attacks, blocks, and fluid movement. It focuses on rapid, precise attacks, blocks, and fluid movement. A successful hit allows you an extra dodge and two extra blocks on the following round.

Aikido 0
  • (2) Feint
  • (2) TEC_DEF_THROW
  • (3) TEC_DISARM
  • (4) TEC_DEF_DISARM
  • Deals 1/2 damage

Aikido is a Japanese martial art focused on self-defense, while minimizing injury to the attacker. It uses defense throws and disarms. Damage done while using this technique is halved, but pain inflicted is doubled.

Judo 0
  • (2) TEC_GRAB
  • (2) TEC_THROW
  • (4) TEC_DEF_THROW
  • Do not become downed from (offensive) throws or sweep attacks.

Judo is a martial art that focuses on grabs and throws, both defensive and offensive. It also focuses on recovering from throws; while using judo, you will not lose any turns to being thrown or knocked down.

Tai Chi 0
  • (1) TEC_BLOCK
  • (3) TEC_DEF_DISARM
  • (4) Precise Strike
  • Decreases damage taken in a block by 8% per PER above 6, (max reduction of 70%)

Though tai chi is often seen as a form of mental and physical exercise, it is a legitimate martial art, focused on self-defense. Its ability to absorb the force of an attack makes your Perception decrease damage further on a block.

Capoeira 1
  • (1) Feint
  • (3) TEC_SWEEP
  • (4) Counterattack
  • (5) TEC_WIDE
  • Moving boosts attack & dodge
  • Attacking boosts dodge
  • Dodging boosts attack

A dance-like style with its roots in Brazilian slavery, capoeira is focused on fluid movement and sweeping kicks. Moving a tile will boost attack and dodge; attacking boosts dodge, and dodging boosts attack.

Krav Maga 4
  • (2) TEC_RAPID
  • (2) TEC_BLOCK
  • (3) Feint
  • (3) Precise Strike
  • (3) TEC_DISARM
  • (4) TEC_BLOCK_LEGS
  • (4) TEC_DEF_DISARM
  • (4) Grab Break
  • (5) TEC_GRAB
  • Increased unarmed damage (when unarmed)
  • Increased cutting damage (when armed)

Originating in Israel, Krav Maga is based on taking down an enemy quickly and effectively. It focuses on applicable attacks rather than showy or complex moves. Popular among police and armed forces everywhere.

Can be used with the following weapons: Tonfa, Wooden tonfa, Tactical tonfa (on or off).

Muay Thai 4
  • (2) TEC_RAPID
  • (3) TEC_BLOCK
  • (4) TEC_BLOCK_LEGS
  • (4) TEC_BRUTAL
  • (5) Counterattack
  • + (size) to (3 * size) damage vs. large or larger monsters
  • Similar bonus against NPC's

Muay Thai is a popular fighting technique from Thailand that uses powerful strikes. It does extra damage against large or strong opponents.

Ninjutsu 1
  • (3) Precise Strike
  • (3) TEC_BLOCK
  • Does not create the 8 noise of other attacks - this includes melee weapon attacks.
  • Grants an extra dodge and bonus to hit on movement.

Ninjutsu is a martial art and set of tactics used by ninja in feudal Japan. It focuses on rapid, precise, silent strikes. Ninjutsu is entirely silent. It also provides small combat bonuses the turn after moving a tile. Ninjutsu's version of precise strike is particularly deadly - unlike most other martial arts it works with melee weapons and deals 200% cutting damage and 140% bashing damage, in addition to the normal stun effect.

Taekwondo 2
  • (2) TEC_BLOCK
  • (3) TEC_BLOCK_LEGS
  • (4) Precise Strike
  • (4) TEC_BRUTAL
  • (5) TEC_SWEEP
  • Decreases damage taken in a block by 8% per STR above 6, (max reduction of 70%)

Taekwondo is the national sport of Korea, and was used by the South Korean army in the 20th century. Focused on kicks and punches, it also includes strength training; your blocks absorb extra damage the stronger you are. Taekwondo attacks only use feet and thus can be used even when equipped with a ranged weapon or reach weapon. Most techniques focus on stunning and knocking back enemies.

Bionic Combatives 2
  • (0) tec_biojutsu_rapid_unarmed
  • (0) tec_biojutsu_rapid_armed
  • (3) tec_biojutsu_impale
  • (3) tec_biojutsu_sweep
  • (4) tec_biojutsu_counter
  • (5) tec_biojutsu_wide

A modern combat style for the post-modern human. Bionic Combatives combines integrated weaponry, armor and augments into an consolidated fighting discipline.

Can be used with the following weapons: Bionic claws, Monomolecular blade, but it does not provide additional benefits when using Fingertip Razors

Tiger Style 4
  • (4) TEC_GRAB
  • 2/3 STR + 1/3 DEX determines hit chance
  • Damage bonus for sustained attacking

One of the five Shaolin animal styles. Tiger style focuses on relentless attacks above all else. Strength, not Dexterity, is used to determine hits; you also receive an accumulating bonus for several turns of sustained attack.

Crane Style 0
  • (2) Feint
  • (3) TEC_BLOCK
  • (3) Grab Break
  • (4) Precise Strike
  • 2/3 DEX + 1/3 STR determines damage
  • Dodge bonus after moving

One of the five Shaolin animal styles. Crane style uses intricate hand techniques and jumping dodges. Dexterity, not Strength, is used to determine damage; you also receive a dodge bonus the turn after moving a tile.

Leopard Style 3
  • (2) TEC_RAPID
  • (4) Counterattack
  • (5) Precise Strike
  • 1/4 INT + 1/4 PER +1/2 DEX determines chance to hit
  • Moving boosts chance to hit

One of the five Shaolin animal styles. Leopard style focuses on rapid, strategic strikes. Your Perception and Intelligence boost your accuracy, and moving a single tile provides an increased boost for one turn.

Snake Style 1
  • (2) TEC_RAPID
  • (3) Feint
  • (4) Precise Strike
  • (4) Grab Break
  • 1/2 PER + 1/2 DEX determines chance to hit
  • 1/2 PER + 1/2 STR determines damage

One of the five Shaolin animal styles. Snake style uses sinuous movement and precision strikes. Perception increases your chance to hit as well as the damage you deal.

Dragon Style 2
  • (2) TEC_BLOCK
  • (4) TEC_GRAB
  • (4) Counterattack
  • (5) TEC_SWEEP
  • (6) TEC_BRUTAL
  • 1/2 INT + 1/2 STR determines damage
  • Moving boosts damage

One of the five Shaolin animal styles. Dragon style uses fluid movements and hard strikes. Intelligence increases your chance to hit as well as the damage you deal. Moving a tile will boost damage further for one turn.

Centipede Style 0
  • (2) TEC_RAPID
  • (3) TEC_BLOCK
  • Attacking decreases attack time by 4, cumulative, reset when hit.

One of the Five Deadly Venoms. Centipede style uses an onslaught of rapid strikes. Every strike you make reduces the movement cost of attacking by 4; this is cumulative, but is reset entirely if you are hit even once.

Viper Style 2
  • (3) TEC_RAPID
  • (3) Feint
  • (4) Grab Break
  • Centered on signature 3 hit combo triggered by a successful dodge.

One of the Five Deadly Venoms. Viper Style has a unique three-hit combo that begins after a successful dodge. Each step of the combo builds an increasing buff to bash damage. Buffs expire after 2 turns and can be checked via the character screen. The passive skills of the Viper Tree are (Viper Patience) a passive +2 dodge increase when unarmed, (Viper Fist) -50% faster attacks at the cost of 33% less damage.

Scorpion Style 3
  • (3) TEC_BLOCK
  • (4) Precise Strike
  • All critical hits knock back two tiles, stunning monsters for 3 turns, NPCs for 2 turns.

One of the Five Deadly Venoms. Scorpion Style is a mysterious art that focuses on utilizing pincer-like fists and a stinger-like kick. Critical hits will do massive damage, knocking your target far back.

Lizard Style 1
  • (2) TEC_BLOCK
  • (4) Counterattack
  • Moving alongside a wall boosts to-hit
  • Standing by wall boosts dodge

One of the Five Deadly Venoms. Lizard Style focuses on using walls to one's advantage. Moving alongside a wall will make you run up along it, giving you a large to-hit bonus. Standing by a wall allows you to use it to boost dodge.

Toad Style 0
  • (3) TEC_BLOCK
  • (4) TEC_GRAB
  • Pause to gain armour (based on INT and PER)

One of the Five Deadly Venoms. Immensely powerful, and immune to nearly any weapon. You may meditate by pausing for a turn; this will give you temporary armor, proportional to your Intelligence and Perception.

Zui Quan 1
  • (3) Feint
  • (4) Counterattack
  • Unlimited dodges after successfully attacking

Also known as "drunken boxing", Zui Quan imitates the movement of a drunk to confuse the enemy. The turn after you attack, you may dodge any number of attacks with no penalty.

Brawling 0
  • (-1) TEC_BLOCK
  • (3) Feint
  • (4) TEC_BRUTAL
  • (5) TEC_SWEEP
  • (5) Counterattack
  • (7) TEC_BLOCK_LEGS
  • None

You're used to hand-to-creature fighting. Not stylish or sporting, but it gets the job done. Automatically obtained at unarmed skill level 2.

Melee Weapon Styles

List of melee weapon styles accessible in 0.C (Cooper) using the Melee Weapon Training perk, or skill books. These styles are usable with weapons held instead of your bare hands. However, only certain weapons can benefit from the style. There does not appear to be a skill level requirement.

The list of weapons is not complete for each style, but in 0.D (Danny) weapons tell you for which style they work, and any attack styles they give as a bonus on usage.

Name Techniques Buffs Valid Weapons
Eskrima
  • (0) Snap strike
  • (2) Combination Strike
  • (2) Fan Strike
  • (3) Knee Strike
  • (3) Puno Strike
  • (4) Round Strike
  • (0) Increases bashing damage
  • (2) Increases damage by 10% after striking for 3 turns

Valid Weapons: Two by four, Expandable baton (extended), bee sting, Monomolecular blade weapon, bowling pin, walking cane, copper tubing, cudgel, dive knife, fungal fighter sting, No. 9 (on or off), glass shiv, hammer, combat knife, survival knife, RM42 fighting knife, kukri, machete, makeshift knife, makeshift machete, pipe, pocket knife, pool cue, stone hammer, stone knife, punch dagger, scissors, screwdriver, sharpened toothbrush, shishkebab (on or off), heavy stick, switchblade, tanto, umbrella, wasp sting, wrench

Fencing
  • (0) Feint
  • (1) Fencing thrust
  • (2) Fencing lunge
  • (3) Fencing stop thrust
  • On movement, gain +2 stab +1 accuracy, up to 2 stacks

Valid Weapons: Cudgel, Umbrella, Walking cane, rapier, Firebrand (on or off), broadsword, fencing epee, fencing foil, fencing sabre

Pentjak Silat
  • (1) Dirty Hit
  • (2) Hamstring
  • (3) Silat Brutality
  • (4) Vicious Precision
  • +1 dodge
  • On dodge, 0.4 flat hit bonus

Valid Weapons: PR-24 baton (extended), Expandable baton (extended), Monomolecular blade weapon, bowling pin, cudgel, dive knife, fungal fighter sting, No. 9 (on or off), golf club, hockey stick, ironshod quarterstaff, wooden javelin, iron javelin, combat knife, survival knife, RM42 fighting knife, kris, kukri, machete, makeshift glaive, makeshift knife, makeshift machete, pipe, pointy stick, pool cue, stone knife, quarterstaff, rebar, scythe, war scythe, shishkebab (on or off), powered quarterstaff, tactical tonfa (on or off), sickle, knife spear, sharpened rebar, steel spear, wooden spear, heavy stick, tanto, tonfa, wooden tonfa

Niten-Ichi Ryu
  • (2) Feint
  • (4) Flowing Water Cut
  • (5) Red Leaf's Cut
  • (5) In-One Timing (Requires Set Up)
  • (6) Fire and Stone's Cut
  • (2) 0.5 perception bonus to dodge, cut and bash damage
  • (2) On move, -10 dodge, +2 blocks
  • (2) On hit, -10 dodge, +2 blocks
  • (4) On dodge, gain Set Up

Valid Weapons: bokken, Rising Sun, katana, nodachi, wakizashi

Sōjutsu
  • (1) Push
  • (2) Trip
  • (4) Skewer
  • +1 block
  • On move, +10% cutting damage, -1 block for 2 turns

Valid Weapons:glaive, halberd, halberd (fake), naginata, makeshift_halberd, pike, pike_inferior, pike_fake, pitchfork, qiang, spear_copper, spear_homemade_halfpike, spear_pipe, spear_rebar,spear_steel, spear_survivor, spear_wood

Techniques

Actions and attacks that can be performed when using a given martial arts style.

You don't have direct control over when and how to use them. They'll be automatically activated whenever their required conditions and prerequisites are met.

This page is not complete enough; please help if you can.


Techniques may be used by tools, armors, weapons and anything else that can be wielded.

Offensive Techniques

All of the available crit-only techniques are checked first, if you have any that are available, the other techniques are skipped. After all (or just the crit-only) techniques are checked, a blank entry is added, and one of them is randomly chosen. For example, if you crit and can do Precise and Brutal attacks, you have a 1/3 chance of Precise, 1/3 chance of Brutal, and 1/3 chance of none.

Crit-only Offensive Techniques

These techniques can only be activated if that attacker scores a critical hit. If the attacker has a chance of doing any of them, they will not do a normal offensive technique.

Sweep Attack
  • Can only be attempted against opponents that do not fly and are not curently downed.
  • Makes the opponent "downed" for 1-2 turns, and adds falling damage to monsters, or 3 bash damage to characters. It has no effect against characters using Judo.
Precise Strike
  • Can be attempted against any opponent.
  • It stuns monsters for 1-4 turns, or stuns players for 1-2 turns and adds 5-8 pain.
Brutal Strike
  • Can be attempted against opponents that are not downed, and if the attacker passes a check measuring their melee skill + STR against 4 + monster's size, or against 5.5 + 1/4 character's STR.
  • Knocks the enemy back (one tile?), and stuns for one turn.

Other Offensive Techniques

These techniques may be activated if no crit-only techniques are available.

  • Can be attempted against enemies that do not have MF_PLASTIC (such as blobs?), and not from a grab attack.
  • Gives a free unarmed melee attack, with the opponent having a reduced dodge roll; down to 1/2 for characters and 1/3 for monsters. If targeting a character with Grab Break, checks the attacker's (DEX + melee skill) 10 sided dice vs. the defender's (DEX + melee skill) 12 sided dice for success.
Wide Strike
  • The attack will hit all enemies in adjacent tiles
Rapid Strike
  • Can be attempted against any opponent.
  • Reduces the attack time to 1/2 of normal.
  • Reduces cut and bash damage to 2/3 of normal.
THROW
  • Can be attempted against opponents that are not downed, and if the attacker passes a check measuring their melee skill + STR against monster's 4 * monster's size + (0 to 8), or against character's STR + (10 to 18).
  • Knocks the opponent back from a tile adjacent to the attacker (one tile?). If the opponent is not using Judo, it also makes them "downed" for 1-2 turns.
DISARM
  • Can be attempted against characters that are wielding a weapon that is not an unarmed weapon, and if the attacker passes a check of their (unarmed skill + DEX) 8 sided dice vs the defender's roll of (melee skill + DEX) 10 sided dice.
  • It drops the weapon on the ground under the target(?).

Defensive Techniques

These are checked when you are attacked in melee. The main change from the offensive techniques is that they are checked in order, and only the first available technique is used. Normally, only one can be used per turn, as they all count as a "block".

Shield
  • Available if the defender passes a check of (DEX + melee skill) 12 sided dice vs the attacker's (melee skill) 10 sided dice
  • Reduces damage to 0
Parry
  • Available if the defender passes a check of (DEX + melee skill) 6 sided dice vs the attacker's (melee skill) 10 sided dice
  • Reduces damage to 0
Block
  • Available if the defender passes a check of (DEX + melee skill) 3 sided dice vs the attacker's (melee skill) 10 sided dice
  • Reduces damage to 0
disarm
  • Available against characters that are wielding a weapon that is not an unarmed weapon, and if the defender passes a check of their (DEX + unarmed skill) 8 sided dice against the attacker's (DEX + melee skill) 10 sided dice.
  • Drops the attacker's weapon under their feet, and replaces their attack with an unarmed attack.
DEF_THROW
  • Available with a check of the defender's (STR + melee skill) against the monster's (size * 4 + (0 to 8)) or the character's ((5 to 13) if STR <= 5, or (8 to 16) if STR = 6 to 11, or (11 to 19) if STR >= 12), and a second check of the defender's hit roll against the attacker's dodge, with a bonus of (1 to 5), and a third check, of a 2/3 random chance.
  • Reduces damage to 0, knocks the opponent back from a tile adjacent to the attacker (one tile?), and also makes them "downed" for 1-2 turns. Is not countered by the attacker using Judo.
Counterattack
  • Available with a check of the defender's hit roll against the attacker's dodge roll, with a bonus of (1 to 10), and a second check of a 2/3 random chance.
  • Free attack by the defender against the attacker. The attacker still hits normally though.
leg_block
  • Available if the defender has an unbroken leg, and passes a check of their (DEX + melee skill + unarmed skill) 13 sided dice against the attacker's (8 + melee skill) 10 sided dice
  • Makes the attack hit your healthier leg, and reduces bash damage by 50%. Taekwondo can reduce the damage by an additional 70% (for a final damage of 15%).
arm_block
  • Available if the defender has an unbroken arm, and passes a check of their (DEX + melee skill + unarmed skill) 16 sided dice against the attacker's (6 + melee skill) 10 sided dice
  • Makes the attack hit your healthier arm, and reduces bash damage by 50%. Taekwondo and Tai Chi can reduce the damage by an additional 70% (for a final damage of 15%).


Other

These are different, and do not conflict with either offensive or defensive techniques.

Grab Break

breaks from grabs.

Feint
  • Reduces the attack time of misses to between 33% and 100% of normal.