A character may choose one technique per dot in the appropriate skill, and buy more with bonus or experience points. These techniques are not required to be used in a fight; even the most highly-skilled warrior spends most of his time using the basics.
It is possible for a character to attempt a technique even if he does not have it. The technique is at +1 diff to employ, and the effects of the technique are generally halved. The ST is the final arbiter of what this "half-effectiveness" means for some of the more esoteric techniques.
In all cases, a technique cannot be purchased or attempted unless the character does not the basic prerequisites.
Accuracy: the amount added or subtracted to the weapon or maneuver’s base difficulty (see weapons chart).
Damage: For those techniques that cause damage, this amount is added to the pre-soak damage dice. The base damage for a maneuver depends on the maneuver or weapon being used (see weapons chart).
Prerequisites: The character must have the listed Attributes, Abilities or other techniques to learn the technique.
Brawl
Bear Hug: The attacker
grabs the defender, usually around the ribs or the neck, and squeezes until something
gives. The attacker can do nothing but perform this technique during this action.
Attempts to dodge or parry end the attack, although the attacker may still keep
a grip to try again next round (normal Str + Might test, attacker is at +1 diff).
To perform the bear hug, the attacker must successfully grapple and hold on for
one round. He automatically hits, and can decide if he’s trying to do bashing
or lethal damage.
Accuracy: + 0 Damage: +4 bashing, + 2 lethal Prerequisites: Brawl 2, Might 2
Blinding Hit: The name of this technique is somewhat misleading. The attacker strikes between the eyes or claps the ears to damage the defender’s senses. Every point of damage after soak adds +1 diff to either see or hear. If this diff reaches 10, the defender loses use of this sense until he receives medical treatment. If blinded, he suffers blind-fighting penalties; if deaf, any attack not in front of him receives back attack bonuses.
Accuracy: + 1 diff Damage: +2 bashing Prerequisites: Brawl 3
Bone Break: The attacker focuses the force of his blow on a bone, at least cracking and at times completely breaking it. Every two points of damage (round up) after soak adds a +1 diff penalty to the defender’s physical actions. If the difficulty is over 10, the defender is effectively unable to take an action until he receives some form of medical treatment.
Accuracy: +2 diff Damage: +3 bashing Prerequisites: Brawl 3
Crushing Blow: The attacker briefly immobilizes the defender and puts all his might into striking him. If this attack hits, the combatants make a resisted Str + Might roll. If the attacker has more successes, he adds them to his damage dice. If the defender has more successes, he adds them to his bashing soak.
Accuracy: +1 diff Damage: +4 bashing + special Prerequisites: Brawl 4, Bone Break
Curb Stomp: The attacker puts the defender on the ground and then tries to add injury to insult. If the defender is already on the ground, the attacker gains +2 dice to his attack roll. In either case, he slams the defender’s head or limbs into the hard surface to maximize injury. This technique is slow; the attacker is at –1 initiative and +1 difficulty to defend himself this round.
Accuracy: + 2 diff Damage: +5 bashing Prerequisites: Brawl 4
Double Punch: The attacker strikes with both hands at once to cause greater damage. This attack is hard to do well, and if the attacker fails to hit he suffers a + 1 diff penalty to any defensive actions on the same round.
Accuracy: +2 diff Damage: +5 bashing Prerequisites: Brawl 2
Guard: The defender protects himself by keeping his arms or sometimes legs in the way of the attacks. He knows how to turn with the attacks and brace his limbs to minimize damage. He may roll Stamina + Brawl to defend against attacks. If he has even one success on the roll, he gains +2 bashing soak against that attack.
Accuracy: + 0 diff Damage: n/a Prerequisites: Brawl 2, Stamina 2
Head Butt: The attacker comes in close and slams the defender with his head, usually using the hard top of his forehead or the back of his skull. This is most effective for a surprise attack, or when grappling. When in a clinch, a head butt that hits will give the other combatant a +2 difficulty to either hold or escape the clinch.
Accuracy: -1 diff Damage: +2 bashing Prerequisites: Brawl 2
Punch Through: When a defender is blocking well, the attacker can use this to try to go through his protection. As long as the attacker’s successes are greater than half of the defender’s successes, he can roll to cause some damage anyway. This can harm the attacker as well. If the defender is using limbs to protect himself, the attacker rolls one-fourth damage against himself. If the defender is using wooden objects, the attacker rolls one-half damage. And if the defender is using metal objects, the attacker rolls full damage. In all cases, round up the damage.
Accuracy: +1 diff Damage: limbs, -1 bashing; wood, -2 bashing; metal, -3 bashing Prerequisites: Brawl 4, Might 3
Tackle: The attacker throws himself into the body of the defender, taking both to the ground. As long as the attacker causes even one point of damage, the defender is brought down with him. The attacker may take damage from this attack; rolling one-fourth damage against himself.
Accuracy: + 0 diff Damage: +2 bashing Prerequisites: Brawl 1
Throw: The brawler uses momentum and main force to throw an opponent several feet away. He must have some kind of grip on the defender at the time. He rolls Str + Might, diff 7, every success is one foot the defender flies through the air. If the defender was moving, the attacker gains +1 die for this roll. The attacker rolls Strength dice in bashing damage plus one die for every foot the defender has gone. He may increase this damage by throwing the defender through solid objects. Into stone or concrete is +3 dice, into or through wood is +2 dice, another person is +1 die. Throwing the defender through glass causes one die of lethal damage per foot traveled; throwing him into harder sharp objects causes Strength + successes lethal damage. Not that if one person is thrown into another, both must take damage.
Accuracy: +1 diff Damage: See above Prerequisites: Brawl 1, Strength 2
Vitals Shot: The attacker aims for the most sensitive areas, usually the groin, kidneys, throat, or temple. This is vicious and mostly intended to cause serious harm, but can be hard to land. Note that some opponents, especially vampires, may not notice this attack.
Accuracy: +2 diff Damage: +4 bashing Prerequisites: Brawl 1
Martial Arts
Defensive Throw: The
defender uses the attacker’s momentum against him, throwing him several feet
away. The defender rolls Dex + Martial Arts. If he has more successes than the
attack, then he takes no damage and the attacker flies one foot per point of his
Strength, as well as one more foot for each of the defender’s successes.
The attacker rolls Strength plus one die for every two feet he flies (round up)
of bashing damage against himself.
Accuracy: + 2 diff Damage: See above Prerequisites: Martial Arts 2
Flying Kick: The attacker launches himself into the air in some way and uses momentum and gravity to deliver a punishing assault. The attacker spend an action in a run or have used a Dex + Athletics action to get airborne before this attack.
Accuracy: + 2 diff Damage: +6 bashing Prerequisites: Martial Arts 4, Spinning Kick
Hard Block: The defender knocks away an incoming attack with palm forearms, foot, or shin. The point of this block is to damage whatever is hitting him, although against most melee weapons it’s worse than useless. When hard blocking edged weapons, the defender will suffer 1 damage regardless of soak or damage dice rolled. So long as the defender gets two successes on the block, he causes Strength damage, +1 die if against an unarmed attacker. He may break some melee weapons with this technique.
Accuracy: +1 diff (unarmed) +2 (armed) Damage: +1 (unarmed) bashing +0 (armed) Prerequisites: Martial Arts 3, Soft Block
Joint Lock: The attacker grabs one of the defender’s limbs and bends or twists it until the defender is unable to move freely. If the attack hits, he rolls Dex + Martial Arts + successes to hit against the defender’s Sta + Resistance. Every net success adds +1 difficulty to the defender’s physical actions. If the difficulty is over 10, the defender can only attempt to escape the lock (at diff 10) and take no other actions. The defender may escape with either a Sta + Resistance or Dex + Martial Arts roll. Each escape attempt costs both attacker and defender one action to resolve.
Accuracy: + 1 diff Damage: n/a Prerequisites: Martial Arts 2
Kill Strike: The attacker aims at one of the defender’s vulnerable points, such as the larynx, temple, sinuses, or back of the neck. This attack causes lethal damage.
Accuracy: + 3 diff Damage: +4 lethal Prerequisites: Martial Arts 5
Legsweep: The attacker goes low, attacking the defender’s legs to bring him to the ground. The defender may use an action to defend normally or make a reflexive Dex + Athletics roll (diff 7) to stay on his feet. If the attacker has more successes, the defender is now prone.
Accuracy: + 0 diff Damage: n/a Prerequisites: Martial Arts 1
Nerve Strike: The attacker aims his assault at one of the defender’s nerve bundles. If the attack hits, a part of the defender’s body is numb and paralyzed. For every point of damage after soak, the defender loses one die to all actions with that limb. This paralysis lasts ten minutes –1 minute per the defender’s Sta + Resistance dice pool.
Accuracy: + 2 diff. Damage: + 3 bashing Prerequisites: Martial Arts 4
One-Inch Punch: The attacker concentrates his power into a small part of his fist, and can strike the defender with almost no movement at all. This attack is very hard to see coming, imposing a + 2 diff penalty to any attempt to defend against it.
Accuracy: +1 diff Damage: +2 bashing Prerequisites: Martial Arts 5
Rapid Strikes: The attacker’s firsts are like a jackhammer, striking a dozen times in a few seconds. None of these strikes are as strong individually as a slower one would be, but it’s very hard to defend against. The defender suffers a +1 diff penalty to avoid being struck by this attack. Every success to hit means one punch got through, causing half Strength damage.
Accuracy: + 2 diff Damage: See above Prerequisites: Martial Arts 3
Soft Block: The defender intercepts and moves with the attack, sometimes not even makin physical contact. This is different from a dodge in that the defender uses Dex + Martial Arts and remains in close combat range with his opponent.
Accuracy: + 0 diff Damage: n/a Prerequisites: Martial Arts 1
Spinning Kick: The attacker uses the momentum of a quick spin to increase the power of his attack. Because he removes his eyes from the target, it is harder to land this kick. The spin starts on the attacker’s initiative and lands on the next initiative click (which means other people may interfere before it lands).
Accuracy: +2 diff Damage: +4 bashing Prerequisites: Martial Arts 3
Stun Strike: The attacker strikes one of the defender’s nerve bundles or other vital area in such a way as to render him unconscious. If the attacker gets more successes to hit, after defense, than the defender’s Stamina, then the defender falls unconscious for 10 minutes – 1 minute per the defender’s Stamina + Resistance dice pool.
Accuracy: +2 diff Damage: Normal and see above Prerequisites: Martial Arts 3
Melee
Bind: The attacker uses
his weapon to stop the defender from using his own. He attacks normally, and the
defender my resist with Dex + Melee. If he succeeds, the defender loses his next
attack. He can either let go of the weapon, disengage by pulling back several
feet, or attempt to overcome the bind with a resisted Dex + Melee. Maintaining
or escaping the bind takes an action. This is best used to keep an opponent from
parrying a second attack.
Accuracy: +2 diff Damage: none (see above) Prerequisites: Melee 3
Bleeding Cut: This attack slices open blood vessels, making the defender lose copious amounts of blood every round. If the attack causes any damage at all, the defender will lose one bashing health level every round thereafter until the wound is bound or healed.
Accuracy: +2 diff Damage: See above Prerequisites: Melee 3, Hand Strike
Disarm: This can be used as either an offensive or defensive action. If a defense, any successes rolled must first be applied against parrying the attack. Remaining successes are resolved in the following manner. The character tries to knock his opponent’s weapon from his hand. If the disarm is an attack, the opponent may choose to parry or default to a reflexive Wits + Melee roll at diff 7. If the disarm is a defense, the opponent may only attempt a reflexive Wits + Melee roll at diff 8. If the disarm attempt has more successes, the opponent loses his weapon.
Accuracy: +1 diff Damage: n/a Prerequisites: Melee 3
Dismember: The attacker tries to remove a limb or head. This technique is not as easy as it sounds, and all other actions the attacker attempts in the same round suffer the same diff penalty as the dismember attack. The attack must cause half the defender’s Stamina score (round up) in damage after soak to remove a limb, or the full Stamina score to remove a head. The effects of losing one of these body parts should be obvious.
Accuracy: +3 diff Damage: +3 lethal Prerequisites: Melee 5, Bleeding Cutv
Feint: The attacker gives the appearance of striking at one area, drawing the defender to protect that spot. Then he quickly strikes another target. The attacker rolls Manipulation + Melee, and is resisted by Wits + Melee. If he has more successes, the attacker has +1 die per success for his next attack. If he fails, then he is at +1 diff for his next parry.
Accuracy: + 0 diff Damage: None (see above) Prerequisites: Melee 1
Hand Strike: The attacker targets the defender’s hand or limb, in an effort to reduce his effectiveness in battle. For every point of damage caused after soak, the defender loses –1 die to use this limb.
Accuracy: + 1 diff Damage: As normal Prerequisites: Melee 2
Intimidate: The character performs a display of prowess with his weapon. This can be used to frighten, impress, or inspire others. The character rolls Dex + Melee, each success adding a die to a Cha + Presence roll immediately afterword.
Accuracy: +1 diff Damage: n/a Prerequisites: Melee 2
Riposte: When the defender is struck, he may immediately try a return attack if he has any remaining actions. This riposte has +1 die to hit due to surprise, and if the defender had made a successful parry he gains another +1 die to hit. Multiple actions penalties remain.
Accuracy: + 0 diff Damage: As normal Prerequisites: Melee 2
Shatter Weapon: The attacker targets his opponent’s weapon, trying to destroy it. Assume that wooden weapons have a lethal soak of 3, metal weapons have a lethal soak of 5, composites have a lethal soak of 6. Every point of damage caused after soak subtracts from either the target weapon’s Accuracy, Damage or Defense ratings, in that order, on a one for one-basis. No rating can be reduced below 0. If all ratings are at 0, the weapon falls apart. In the case of some weapons such as a blur sword or a plasma weapon, there could be other tragic results of this attack.
Accuracy: +1 diff Damage: +1 lethal Prerequisites: Melee 3
Spin Strike: The attacker uses the momentum of a quick spin to increase the power of his attack. Because he removes his eyes from the target, it is harder to land this attack. The spin starts on the attacker’s initiative and lands on the next initiative click (which means other people may interfere before it lands).
Accuracy: +2 diff Damage: +4 lethal Prerequisites: Melee 1
Spinning Shield: The defenders spins his weapon around him in a dazzling display of expertise. All incoming physical attacks are deflected by the weapon as it moves. The defender can take no other actions but slight movement in the round, is automatically assumed to be taking a Full Parry action even against unseen attacks, and has +3 dice to all parry actions that round.
Accuracy: + 1 diff Damage: n/a Prerequisites: Melee 4
Stun Blow: The attacker uses his weapon to cause bashing damage, and also to direct this attack at vulnerable spots to render the defender unconscious. If the attacker gets more successes to hit, after defense, than the defender’s Stamina, then the defender falls unconscious for 10 minutes – 1 minute per the defender’s Stamina + Resistance dice pool. This technique is most effective for bashing weapons.
Accuracy: +1 diff (bashing) +2 diff (lethal) Damage: +4 (bashing), +2 (lethal) Prerequisites: Melee 1