Buying a technique is a lot like buying a skill – point cost depends on difficulty and desired relative skill level – but there are two differences.
You buy up a technique relative to its default, not relative to a controlling attribute
You determine its point cost using the Technique Cost Table instead of the Skill Cost Table.
To improve a technique, pay the difference in point cost between the desired level and your current level – exactly as for a skill. And just as skills increase for free when you raise attributes, techniques improve for free when you raise the skill on which they are based. For instance, if you have Karate-15 and Kicking-15, and raise Karate to 16, Kicking also goes to 16 at no extra charge!
You need not buy a technique to use it. If you have even one point in a skill, you may use all that skill’s techniques at default. To avoid a cluttered character sheet, though, only note techniques that you know at better than default level.
* Most techniques have maximum levels. For instance, a technique that “cannot exceed prerequisite skill level” and that defaults to skill-5 tops out at default+5.
A technique works just like a skill in play: make a success roll against your level in the technique. Unless noted otherwise, all general modifiers to a skill – for culture, language, equipment, tech level, and so forth – apply to its techniques, as do any special critical success or failure results.
Special moves in combat are by far the most common techniques, and can give warriors a “bag of tricks” similar to a wizard’s spells. If a combat technique has multiple defaults, you must specialize by prerequisite skill.
For instance, learning a technique for Axe/Mace skill gives no special ability with the Broadsword version of that technique!
Techniques marked with a * are not particularly realistic.
The GM may wish to restrict these “cinematic” techniques – even at default – to PCs with Trained By A Master or Weapon Master.
Average
Defaults: Judo or Wrestling.
Prerequisites: Judo or Wrestling; cannot exceed prerequisite skill+4.
This technique allows you to improve your effective Judo or Wrestling skill for the purpose of applying an arm lock. For rules governing arm locks, see Arm Lock.
Hard
Default: Karate-4.
Prerequisites: Karate; cannot exceed Karate skill.
This technique lets you attack someone behind you without changing facing. You must know that he is there! Roll against Back Kick to hit, but otherwise resolve this as a normal kick. After attempting a Back Kick, all your active defenses are at -2 until next turn.
Hard
Defaults: Judo-2 or Wrestling-3.
Prerequisites: Judo or Wrestling; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
This technique lets you “buy off” the basic -2 to Judo or -3 to Wrestling when using the rules given under Choke Hold.
Hard
Default: prerequisite skill.
Prerequisite: Any unarmed combat or Melee Weapon skill; cannot exceed prerequisite skill+5.
If you know this technique above default, you may use it instead of the underlying skill whenever you attack to disarm (see Striking at Weapons, p. 400). For instance, if you have Broadsword-14 and Disarming (Broadsword)-17, you disarm as if you had Broadsword-17.
Hard
Default: prerequisite skill-4.
Prerequisite: Any one-handed Melee Weapon skill; cannot exceed prerequisite skill*.
Normally, you are at -4 to attack with two weapons at once unless you make an All-Out Attack. This technique lets you “buy off” that penalty.
*Note that you must still learn Off-Hand Weapon Training, to reduce the -4 for using the “off” hand!
For detailed rules, see Dual-Weapon Attacks.
This optional rule might be cinematic . . . but it is balanced enough to use in a realistic campaign. The GM has the final say. If you have at least two hands, you can strike with two hands at once using an Attack maneuver instead of an All-Out Attack (Double) maneuver. Each hand can attack unarmed, with a one-handed melee weapon, or with a pistol. Of course, if your ST is high enough, you can wield a two-handed weapon in one hand!
Each attack is at -4 to hit, but you can learn the Dual-Weapon Attack technique to reduce this penalty.
You have an extra -4 (total -8) with your “off” hand, unless you have Ambidexterity or learn Off-Hand Weapon Training.
Roll to hit separately for each hand.
You can attack one target or two – but to strike two foes with melee attacks, they must be adjacent. If you aim both attacks at a single opponent, he defends at -1 against them, as his attention is divided!
If you already have multiple attacks – for instance, from an Extra Attack – you may “trade” only one of these for a Dual-Weapon Attack. All your remaining attacks must be simple, single-weapon attacks.
Average
Defaults: Brawling-2 or Karate-2.
Prerequisites: Brawling or Karate; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
This technique lets you “buy off” the -2 penalty to strike with the elbow. See Elbow Strike for more information.
Hard
Default: prerequisite skill.
Prerequisite: Any unarmed combat or Melee Weapon skill; cannot exceed prerequisite skill+4.
If you know this technique above default, you may use it instead of the underlying skill whenever you feint. For instance, if you have Broadsword-14 and Feint (Broadsword)-16, you feint as if you had Broadsword-16.
Hard
Default: Arm Lock-3
Prerequisite: Arm Lock; cannot exceed Arm Lock.
This technique lets you grab fingers and twist them painfully. Use the rules for Arm Lock, except that all damage is to the hand – which is easier to cripple than the arm.
Hard
Default: prerequisite skill-4.
Prerequisite: Any unarmed combat or Melee Weapon skill; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
This technique lets you “buy off” the -4 for attacking from your back.
Roll against this technique instead of the prerequisite skill whenever you use that skill to attack from the ground. For instance, if you had Wrestling-14 and Ground Fighting (Wrestling)-13, you could grapple from the ground at skill 13. In addition, make a roll against Ground Fighting whenever you must defend yourself from your back. On a success, you defend at -1 instead of at -3.
Hard
Default: Bow-4.
Prerequisites: Bow and Riding; cannot exceed Bow skill.
This technique lets you use a bow effectively from horseback. The modifiers for firing from horseback can never reduce your Bow skill below your Horse Archery level. (Other penalties apply normally.) For instance, if you had Bow-13 and Horse Archery-11, the penalties for archery from horseback would never reduce your skill below 11, before other modifiers.
Using Ranged Weapons
While Mounted Attack:
Firing from atop a moving animal tests both marksmanship and riding. Roll against the lower of Riding or ranged weapon skill to hit. If you are firing a noisy weapon (e.g., an unsilenced gun), you must make a Riding roll after each attack. On a failure, the mount is spooked; on a critical failure, you lose control.
Aim:
You may Aim a ranged weapon while mounted, but if the mount moves more than a step, you suffer the same penalties that you would if firing from a moving vehicle: you can’t benefit from extra turns of Aim, or from telescopic scopes and other targeting systems.
Tricks:
To turn in the saddle and fire at the foe behind you: -4 to weapon skill, and -1 to any Riding roll made that turn. To hang on the far side of the mount and shoot over it or underneath it: -6 to weapon skill, -3 to any Riding roll. This latter move means your foe’s only targets are your foot, face, eyes, skull, and one hand. But if he attacks and misses by 4 or less, he hits your mount!
Hard
Default: Karate-4.
Prerequisite: Karate; cannot exceed Karate skill.
This technique lets you leap into the air and kick at full extension, increasing range and damage. It is a showy but dangerous move! Roll against Jump Kick to hit. Add one yard to reach and +2 to damage. Your target parries at -2. However, if you miss – or if your target successfully defends – you fall down unless you can make a DX -4 or Acrobatics -2 roll.
Hit or miss, a Jump Kick leaves you at -2 on all your active defenses until your next turn.
Hard
Defaults: Brawling-2 or Karate-2.
Prerequisite: Brawling or Karate; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
This technique lets you improve your kicking ability. Roll against Kicking to hit. A kick does thrust/crushing damage based on ST. Use Brawling or Karate skill – not your Kicking level – to determine your damage bonus, and use only the highest bonus.
If you miss with a kick, roll vs. Kicking skill or DX to avoid falling.
Average
Defaults: Brawling-1 or Karate-1.
Prerequisite: Brawling or Karate; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
This technique lets you “buy off” the -1 penalty to strike with the knee – see Knee Strike.
Hard
Default: ST-4; cannot exceed ST+3.
This brute-force attack consists of grabbing and suddenly twisting the victim’s head, with the intent of snapping the neck – see Neck Snap or Wrench Limb (p. 404). Unlike most techniques, Neck Snap defaults to ST, not a skill. Wrestling gives its usual skill-based ST bonus.
Hard
Default: prerequisite skill-4.
Prerequisite: Any Melee Weapon skill; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
This technique lets you “buy off” the -4 for using your “off” hand with one specific Melee Weapon skill. Use your level with this technique instead of the prerequisite skill whenever you use that skill to attack or parry with your off hand. For instance, if you had Rapier-14 and Off-Hand Weapon Training (Rapier)-14, you could attack and parry at full skill with your off hand. With the GM’s permission, you can learn this technique for any DX-based skill that requires only one hand.
Hard
Default: prerequisite skill.
Prerequisite: Any Melee Weapon skill; cannot exceed prerequisite skill+5.
If you know this technique above default, you may use it instead of the underlying skill whenever someone attempts to disarm you (see Striking at Weapons, p. 400). For instance, if you have Staff-13 and Retain Weapon (Staff)-16, you resist disarm attempts as if you had Staff-16. You can also learn this technique for missile weapons, such as guns and bows. In that case, it defaults to DX and cannot exceed DX+5.
Hard
Default: prerequisite skill-3.
Prerequisites: Polearm, Spear, or Staff; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
This technique lets you sweep your adversary’s legs out from under him using a pole weapon. Roll against Sweep to hit. The target may defend normally. If he fails, roll a Quick Contest: your Sweep or ST vs. your victim’s ST or DX. Use the higher value in both cases. If the victim loses, he falls down unless he can make an Acrobatics-5 roll to somersault in the air and land safely.
Unarmed fighters call this technique a “Sweeping Kick.” It works exactly the same way, but uses a leg instead of a pole, and defaults to Judo -3, Karate -3, or Sumo Wrestling -3.
Hard
Default: prerequisite skill-5.
Prerequisites: Broadsword, Staff, or Two-Handed Sword; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
Whirlwind Attack is a special All-Out Attack that lets you attack every foe adjacent to you with lightning speed! If you use this technique, it is all you can do that turn, no matter how fast or skilled you are. Furthermore, since this is an All-Out Attack, you will have no active defenses afterward – see All-Out Attack. When you launch a Whirlwind Attack, you spin in place, attacking all adjacent foes within one yard. You must attack them in clockwise or counterclockwise order – your choice. All your attacks must be swung attacks, and you cannot combine a Whirlwind Attack with other techniques (such as Disarming) or with cinematic skills (such as Power Blow). Determine a random hit location for each target, and then roll against Whirlwind Attack to hit, with the usual hit location penalties. Your opponent may defend normally.
Resolve each attack completely before moving on to the next one. If any of the attacks is a critical miss (or if any of your opponents critically succeeds on his defense), that attack and all remaining attacks are critical misses – roll on the Critical Miss Table once per attack!
You may end a Whirlwind Attack facing in any direction you wish.
Nearly any task that calls for a skill roll at a penalty could become a technique. The main purpose of such techniques is to buy off skill penalties, but the GM might wish to provide additional details.
Average
Default: Mimicry (Speech)-3.
Prerequisite: Mimicry (Speech); cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
Through practice, you can improve your ability to mimic one specific person, gradually buying off the -3 to impersonate him. Each person mimicked is a separate technique.
Hard
Default: Swimming-5.
Prerequisite: Swimming; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
You can study lifesaving separately from swimming in order to eliminate the basic -5 for that task. See Lifesaving (p. 355) for detailed rules.
Average
Default: Photography-3.
Prerequisite: Photography; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
This technique, common among professional cameramen, allows you to buy off the -3 to use a motion-picture camera with Photography skill.
Hard
Default: Piloting-4.
Prerequisite: Piloting; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
This technique lets you pick up cargo from the ground without landing. You can only fetch cargos outfitted with special no-landing extraction apparatus.
Someone on the ground must make a successful Freight Handling roll to prepare the cargo (takes 2d hours).
A failed Freight Handling or No-Landing Extraction roll means a missed pick-up or damaged cargo.
Critical failure indicates the cargo is lost (critically injured, if a living passenger).
Average
Default: Climbing-2.
Prerequisite: Climbing; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
A climber normally has -2 to climb a dangling rope. With practice, you can buy off this penalty. The “opposite” technique, Rope Down, defaults to Climbing-1 and can be improved to Climbing+3. Sliding down a rope is significantly easier than any kind of climbing!
Hard
Default: Climbing-3.
Prerequisite: Climbing; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
This technique lets you eliminate some or all of the -3 to skill for climbing a relatively smooth, vertical surface such as a building or rock face (see Climbing, p. 349).
Hard
Default: Explosives (Demolition)-2.
Prerequisite: Explosives (Demolition); cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
With study, you can gain familiarity with “trap” triggers, allowing you to set traps without the usual -2 to skill. Assassins, commandos, spies, etc. often improve this technique.
Hard
Default: Escape-5.
Prerequisite: Escape; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
This technique represents study of a specific set of tricks for slipping out of handcuffs. With the GM’s permission, you can learn similar techniques for other restraints commonly used in your game world.
Hard
Default: Lockpicking-5.
Prerequisite: Lockpicking; cannot exceed prerequisite skill.
Lockpicking is normally at -5 if you must work by touch, but if you routinely practice this way, it will eventually become second nature.
*The GM might permit you to learn a Work by Touch technique for other “thief” skills – e.g., Explosives and Traps – allowing you to operate in total darkness, which is a common way to use such skills.