Martial Arts Skill Question

[MattyHelms]

Hey, all-

Is the rating for a character's martial arts skill added to another combat skill and then each attack/maneuver is one skill roll based off that combined rating?

That's how I've been doing it, but I just want to make sure that adding the two separate skills together is the intention of the martial arts skill.

Thanks!
Matt

[Trifletraxor]

The RQ3 way was that you had to roll below both your natural weapons skill and your martial arts skill to make a martial arts attack. I'm not that clear on the BRP way though.

SGL.

[FunGuyFromYuggoth]

If I understand your question correctly, no. If the rolled result is lower/higher than the skill, then the skill works/doesn't work. You roll once. "Always use the Martial Arts skill in combination with another skill: Brawl, Melee Weapons or Grapple, as appropriate."

[Shaira]

I think this is basically the RQ3 way of doing it. You make a single roll; if you are under your unarmed skill but over your martial arts skill, you succeed in a standard attack; if you roll under your unarmed skill AND your martial arts skill, you succeed in a martial arts attack and get the extra damage.

Cheers,

Sarah

[Charles Green]

Shaira's description is the "official" way of doing it. This always struck me as strange, since this is the only skill that's handled this way.

In my games, I make the Martial Art skill one that is used on its own. That way, it gets a chance to raise through experience.

[Jason Durall]

Shaira has described it correctly.

The corrections/clarifications for the core rulebook should (I think) spell it out explicitly.

[MattyHelms]

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

Shaira has described it correctly.

The corrections/clarifications for the core rulebook should (I think) spell it out explicitly.

Cool, thanks all!

No wonder the Shaolin monks in one of my con games were so durned powerful...

[The Last Conformist]

Originally Posted by Charles Green

In my games, I make the Martial Art skill one that is used on its own. That way, it gets a chance to raise through experience.

You appear to be assuming that if Martial Arts is used in combination with another skill a successful use of it does not entitle the character to tick it for possible increase. Why?

[Sorloc]

Originally Posted by Charles Green

Shaira's description is the "official" way of doing it. This always struck me as strange, since this is the only skill that's handled this way.

In my games, I make the Martial Art skill one that is used on its own. That way, it gets a chance to raise through experience.

Originally Posted by The Last Conformist

You appear to be assuming that if Martial Arts is used in combination with another skill a successful use of it does not entitle the character to tick it for possible increase. Why?

My copies of RQ3 say that Martial Arts is not a skill that can be increased through experience; only by research and/or training, and that's the way I have always done it. You'd get a check on whatever attack you succeeded with, but you don't get better at Shaolin through hitting things, you get better at Shaolin by meditation and clean living

[Jason Durall]

Originally Posted by The Last Conformist

You appear to be assuming that if Martial Arts is used in combination with another skill a successful use of it does not entitle the character to tick it for possible increase. Why?

Originally Posted by Sorloc

My copies of RQ3 say that Martial Arts is not a skill that can be increased through experience; only by research and/or training, and that's the way I have always done it. You'd get a check on whatever attack you succeeded with, but you don't get better at Shaolin through hitting things, you get better at Shaolin by meditation and clean living

From the BRP manuscript:

"Due to its relative power, the gamemaster may rule that the initial skill rating in this skill be limited, that increases to this skill may be limited to training rather than normal experience, that training may be incredibly difficult to obtain, or all three of these conditions."