TEXT: 1
  
  2
  The default presumption of Stars Without Number is that while 
  a skilled unarmed combatant can be a dangerous foe, there’s no 
  substitute for a gun. Unarmed combatants never need to worry 
  about being disarmed and are perilous enemies even when stripped 
  of their equipment, but most PCs will sensibly prefer to pick up a 
  combat shotgun or shear rifle when they have the opportunity. Such 
  rules model most flavors of science fiction and correspond to most 
  players’ intuitive expectations about how combat ought to play out. 
  Guns are the weapons of choice, with primitive weaponry as backup 
  and unarmed combat as a choice of last resort.
  Not every group prefers to go with this hierarchy. Some GMs and 
  players prefer game worlds in which choosing to fight unarmed is 
  a mechanically viable choice, and the expert unarmed combatant is 
  no worse off than the expert rifleman. The following optional rules 
  give a boost to unarmed combat so that the level 6 warrior with 
  Combat/Unarmed-3 is every bit as lethal as his comrade who has 
  specialized in projectile weaponry.
  Learning Martial Arts
  Martial art styles are purchased as new specializations of the Combat 
  skill, each style as its own skill. Warriors can buy them as class skills, 
  while other classes can purchase them at non-class skill point rates. 
  Characters with levels in Combat/Primitive may optionally convert 
  them into a style that uses weaponry and levels of Combat/Un-
  armed may be converted into styles that involve unarmed strikes.
  Most martial arts require a teacher. Some of them may not have 
  any known practitioners on a world, especially those reliant on 
  psychic abilities. Characters who seek to learn a particular style 
  might have to conduct extensive research and exploration simply 
  to find a master capable of instructing them. Many styles can be 
  learned in their basic form through instructional materials alone, 
  including psychic styles, but attaining true mastery often requires 
  a living teacher.
  Each style of martial art confers special benefits at skill levels 0, 1, 
  and 2. Practitioners with level 0 in the style are considered novices, 
  while level 1 is intermediate skill and level 2 indicates mastery. 
  Masters can continue to increase their skill in the style, but further 
  levels simply add the usual benefits of high skill.
  A character can only use one style in any given combat round, de-
  claring it at the start of the round. Benefits from other styles cannot 
  normally be used, though a few styles specifically grant perks that 
  are always in effect. If a character’s styles apply more than one bonus 
  to a given roll, only the better bonus applies- they do not stack.
  Martial art styles have associated weapon types. The benefits of the 
  style can only be used when wielding those weapons, including 
  powered or high-tech equivalents. It’s for the GM to decide whether 
  a given weapon qualifies for a style. The “unarmed” weapon type in-
  cludes punches, kicks, and any other variety of bare-handed strike. 
  Unless specifically noted otherwise, strike-augmenting “unarmed” 
  weapons like kinesis wraps and body arsenal arrays cannot be used 
  in conjunction with a martial art style.
  Martial arts style skills are treated as Combat/Unarmed for all other 
  purposes, and can be used whenever Combat/Unarmed might 
  normally be checked. Skill levels add directly to both hit rolls and 
  damage, and a character with at least level 2 in a martial art can in-
  flict bare-handed or weapon damage with that style even on targets 
  that would otherwise be immune to low-tech attacks.
  Martial arts can still be used if a GM isn’t using skills in his or her 
  campaign, or is using a game system that doesn’t have skills. Every 
  PC with a background or class appropriate to a mastery of martial 
  arts can begin play with the Novice benefits of one style. At each 
  level thereafter, a Warrior can either improve an existing style up 
  to Master-level proficiency or pick a new style to learn at Novice 
  level. Non-Warriors or those lacking a martial class can improve 
  their martial arts every even-numbered level.
  Mandate archive: Martial arts
  UnarMed coMbat and PriMitive WeaPon styles
  
  3
  Martial Art Styles
  The following styles are simply a sample of the countless different 
  styles to be found spread throughout human space. Many of them 
  have principles and traits familiar to present-day martial artists, but 
  almost all of them have experienced substantial drift, alteration, 
  and blending over the centuries. Even within the styles below, the 
  special benefits and focus might vary substantially among different 
  teachers, worlds and sectors. Most modern martial arts are all but 
  unrecognizable in the year 3200 CE.
  Some styles specify abilities that work against humanoid targets. 
  Generally, this means only humans and human-like aliens. Martial 
  artists with at least level 0 proficiency in an alien’s Culture skill can 
  use their techniques against those aliens.
  Some styles trigger effects when maximum damage is rolled on a 
  hit. The martial artist cannot choose to use a smaller-than-normal 
  damage die with these attacks, such as using the 1d2 default un-
  armed damage for humans.
  Damage done with a martial art style is normally lethal in nature. In 
  the rush of mortal combat, it’s not easy to ensure that a strike doesn’t 
  actually kill or mortally injure a victim. If an unarmed combatant 
  does not wish to use lethal force against a target, they can roll to hit 
  at a -4 penalty. A victim reduced to 0 hit points by such attacks is 
  either unconscious for 1d4 minutes or helplessly restrained by the 
  martial artist, at the artist’s discretion.
  dirty Fighting
  This “style” is acquired in dive bars, dirty colonial streets, and 
  military training courses. The details vary from world to world, 
  but every manifestation tends to focus on low blows, cheap shots, 
  and the ugly little tricks that give a combatant victory before his 
  enemy realizes that he’s in danger.
  Weapon Groups
  Unarmed, knives, improvised weapons
  Level 0
  Novice
  The brawler knows how to throw a punch: 
  base unarmed damage is 1d8.
  Level 1
  Intermediate
  The brawler is an old hand at using furniture, 
  drinks, trash, and other detritus to impede an 
  enemy. Enemies suffer a -2 to hit the brawler 
  when in melee range, provided there’s some-
  thing the brawler can grab to throw at them, 
  tip over, or get in their way.
  Level 2
  Master
  The brawler’s got a kick like a mule: base 
  unarmed damage is now 2d6. If maximum 
  damage is rolled, a humanoid target must 
  make a Physical Effect saving throw at a pen-
  alty equal to the brawler’s Combat/Brawling 
  skill or be dazed and lose their next round’s 
  action.
  eMPty holster style
  This style was favored by rebels and conspirators in the latter days 
  of the Terran Mandate, and is designed to counter the advantages 
  of an enemy gunman. Most Mandate firearms during the Second 
  Wave were Net-locked to their possessor, so disarming security 
  officers was rarely as useful as forcing them to turn their weapons 
  on each other.
  Weapon Groups
  Unarmed, clubs, staves
  Level 0
  Novice
  The novice’s unarmed combat damage is 
  1d6+1.
  Level 1
  Intermediate
  Intricate blocks and sidesteps make it difficult 
  for a gunman to bring his weapon to bear 
  on the martial artist at close range. Gunmen 
  suffer a -2 penalty to hit the martial artist 
  when within melee range.
  Level 2
  Master
  The novice’s unarmed combat damage is 
  1d10. The martial artist may give up his 
  attack to fall into a defensive stance, forcing 
  any gunmen within melee range to suffer a 
  -2 on hit rolls against the artist. If a gunman 
  shoots at and misses the martial artist in this 
  stance, he must roll another to-hit roll against 
  another target of the martial artist’s choice at 
  a -4 penalty to hit. The gunman cannot be 
  forced to shoot at himself.
  gentle Way
  One of a number of aikido-descended martial arts, the Gentle 
  Way has survived on many worlds thanks to its popularity as a 
  security officer style before the Scream.
  Weapon Groups
  Unarmed, Chain
  Level 0
  Novice
  The novice’s unarmed strikes do 1d6 damage. 
  This damage done by this style is non-lethal 
  and a victim reduced to 0 hit points is either 
  unconscious for 1d4 minutes or helplessly 
  restrained by the martial artist, at the artist’s 
  discretion.
  Level 1
  Intermediate
  On a successful hit, the martial artist may 
  choose not to do damage, but instead throw 
  or trip a humanoid victim to leave them 
  prone. Prone combatants must spend their 
  round’s movement allowance to stand up. 
  Prone combatants suffer a -2 AC penalty 
  against melee-range assailants, take -2 to hit 
  other targets in melee, and can crawl at only 
  one-quarter usual movement speed.
  Level 2
  Master
  The master’s strikes do 1d10 unarmed 
  damage. The master may perform a disarming 
  strike as an attack, taking a -4 hit penalty on 
  the roll. If it succeeds, the victim must roll 
  an Evasion saving throw at a penalty equal 
  to the attacker’s Combat/Gentle Way skill or 
  the attacker ends up holding their weapon. 
  Weapons gripped with two hands grant a +2 
  bonus on the saving throw.
  
  4
  ghost Walker style
  Derived from certain styles of Reconstructed Ninjitsu in the late 
  twenty-fifth century, the elaborate defensive footwork and flam-
  boyant combat maneuvers of this style made it popular among 
  enthusiasts throughout Second Wave human space. Beneath 
  the popularized flash peddled by many teachers there remains a 
  highly effective style focused on the evasion of pursuers.
  Weapon Groups
  Unarmed
  Level 0
  Novice
  The novice’s strikes do 1d6+1 unarmed 
  damage.
  Level 1
  Intermediate
  The martial artist never needs to make fight-
  ing withdrawals when using this style and can 
  move through a pitched melee battle without 
  drawing extra enemy attacks. They can use 
  Combat/Ghost Walker Style in place of 
  Athletics for skill checks related to acrobatics, 
  climbing, or jumping.
  Level 2
  Master
  The novice’s strikes now do 1d10 unarmed 
  damage. They can add Combat/Ghost Hand 
  Style as a bonus to all Evasion saving throws 
  at all times, even when not in this style.
  kenjUtsU
  “Kenjutsu” became something of a generic term during the late 
  Second Wave, often applied to sword styles that had absolutely 
  nothing to do with ancient Japan. Individual masters proliferated, 
  but the most florid of their additions were pared away during the 
  Silence. On many worlds, the quick and effective use of a bladed 
  weapon ceased to be an affectation of social nobility or Terran 
  traditionalism and became a matter of life and death.
  Styles similar to Kenjutsu exist for weapons other than swords 
  on many worlds, particularly those that derived from cultures 
  that esteemed different weapons as signs of nobility. Spear-based 
  variants of the style are common on many lostworlder planets 
  that lack the metallurgic resources for forging long metal blades.
  Weapon Groups
  Swords
  Level 0
  Novice
  If the martial artist has a sword worn as a 
  readied item and uses this style for the round, 
  they gain a +2 bonus on the initiative roll.
  Level 1
  Intermediate
  The martial artist’s form is perfect. If a 1 or 2 
  is rolled on a hit roll with this style, the attack 
  may be rerolled. The second roll stands even 
  if it, too, is a 1 or 2.
  Level 2
  Master
  Every cut is a killing blow. The martial artist 
  may add double their Combat/Kenjutsu skill 
  to all damage rolls with swords.
  MindWall style
  Psionic-based martial arts were always a niche within a niche in 
  the history of human space. Most psychics spent too much time 
  focused on refining their mental abilities to put much effort into 
  their physical capacities, and even then, training in the use of 
  firearms was often a quicker, easier way to improve self-defense.
  Still, a few psychic styles were perfected by researchers who refined 
  the small, subtle side effects of standard psionic disciplines into 
  tricks that were useful in the heat of combat. Psychic styles are 
  not disciplines or newly-learned abilities, but instead just ways to 
  use the normally-trivial side effects of a discipline in useful ways.
  The Mindwall style was one of the first developed by military 
  psionics researchers who needed to supply their combat psychics 
  with techniques that could keep them alive in a firefight. Rec-
  ognition of a psychic meant that they became the instant target 
  of choice for enemies. Mindwall defensive manipulations keep a 
  psychic too busy to use their psionic powers, but they can keep 
  them alive until allies can clear the hostiles. Masters of the style 
  are even capable of limited offensive action while the stance is 
  active.
  This style requires both as many levels of the Precognition and 
  of Telekinesis discipline as the character has Combat/Mindwall 
  Style levels, with a minimum of 1 level in each. Psychics can learn 
  this style as if it were a class skill. All attacks with Mindwall Style 
  use either Wisdom or Constitution as the ruling modifier for hit 
  and damage, rather than Strength or Dexterity.
  Weapon Groups
  Swords, Staves
  Level 0
  Novice
  The novice obtains an instinctive sense of 
  incoming projectile or energy fire, interposing 
  their weapon between them and the attack 
  and reinforcing the block with telekinetic 
  force. As their action for the round, the mar-
  tial artist can drop into a defensive stance, 
  causing energy weapon or projectile attacks 
  suffer a penalty to hit them equal to 2 plus 
  the martial artist’s Combat/Mindwall Style 
  skill. Maintaining this stance costs 1 psionic 
  power point per turn.
  Level 1
  Intermediate
  While in a Mindwall defensive stance, the 
  character can reflect one missed ranged attack 
  per round back at the attacker. The psychic 
  makes a standard roll to hit, using Combat/
  Mindwall Style and the better of Wisdom or 
  Constitution as the hit modifier and doing 
  the attack’s base, unmodified damage to the 
  target if it hits.
  Level 2
  Master
  While in a Mindwall defensive stance, the 
  psychic can make one normal attack against 
  an enemy within melee range as part of their 
  round’s actions. This is the only action they 
  may make while still maintaining the stance, 
  aside from normal movement.
  
  5
  red daWn style
  This psychic style was originally developed almost instinctively 
  in 2530 by Matthias Ashigawa, a pit fighter on the renegade 
  pirate world of Egalite. Matthias was a feral precognitive, and 
  his eventual burnout resulted in a madness that was minimally 
  compatible with human interaction. His spectacular bloodthirsti-
  ness and aptitude for physical violence drew him to the eventual 
  rule of Egalite and a sector-spanning empire of iron and blood. 
  The empire was still functioning at the time of the Scream, and 
  while it is profoundly unlikely that Matthias’ pretech anagathic 
  treatments have managed to preserve him this long, no firm proof 
  of his death or the collapse of his empire has ever come to light.
  The style itself was taught to psychic missionaries dispatched 
  to spread the word of Matthias’ predestined glory. While their 
  message struck few chords in hearers, some psychics managed 
  to come away with knowledge of the style before the zealots or 
  their enemies terminated the relationship in a permanent fashion. 
  These psychics spread the details of the style through numerous 
  psionic associations before the Scream ended the availability of 
  living instructors. Basic instructional tapes and manuals still 
  persist in some sectors of former human space.
  This style requires at least as many levels of the Precognition disci-
  pline as the character has Combat/Red Dawn Style levels, with a 
  minimum of 1 level of Precognition. Psychics can learn this style 
  as if it were a class skill. All unarmed attacks with Red Dawn Style 
  use either Wisdom or Constitution as the ruling modifier for hit 
  and damage, rather than Strength or Dexterity.
  Weapon Groups
  Unarmed, Psitech weaponry
  Level 0
  Novice
  The psychic’s unarmed strikes now do 1d6 
  damage. The response to danger comes almost 
  before the event; the psychic gains a +2 bonus 
  to Initiative checks.
  Level 1
  Intermediate
  The psychic can feel the impending evasive 
  maneuvers of an enemy and focus on coun-
  tering them. The martial artist may accept a 
  penalty to their AC in exchange for an equal 
  bonus to their next hit roll with this style, 
  up to a maximum penalty/bonus equal to 
  their Combat/Red Dawn Style skill. The AC 
  penalty applies until the start of the martial 
  artist’s next turn.
  Level 2
  Master
  The psychic’s unarmed strikes now do 1d10 
  damage. If maximum damage is rolled on 
  a hit, the target must save versus Mental 
  Effect at a penalty equal to the martial artist’s 
  Combat/Red Dawn Style level or be subject 
  to an immediate second attack from the mar-
  tial artist as a different possible impact crashes 
  over them at the same time. This effect can 
  keep going as long as the psychic keeps roll-
  ing maximum damage and the victim keeps 
  failing saves.
  silver Petal style
  Before the Scream, some worlds forbade the possession of fire-
  arms, and even now some of the safer or more tyrannical planets 
  likewise limit the weaponry of their citizens. The Silver Petal 
  style was developed to maximize the utility of common knives as 
  throwing weapons, and is equally effective with any other small, 
  sharp object that can be thrown or wielded in one hand.
  Weapon Groups
  Knives, Shuriken
  Level 0
  Novice
  Knives used by the character do a minimum 
  of 1d6 damage, if not already a more power-
  ful monoblade knife. Knives can be thrown 
  up to a maximum distance of 15 meters with 
  no range penalty. Four knives count as only 
  one readied item to the character.
  Level 1
  Intermediate
  As an attack, the character can hurl a sweep of 
  readied knives, attacking once plus once more 
  for each level of Combat/Silver Petal Style. 
  The character cannot move in the same round 
  they perform this attack. A single victim can 
  be targeted by only one knife.
  Level 2
  Master
  The martial artist may add twice their style 
  skill level to the damage they do with knives 
  or shuriken in this style.
  teMPter’s hand
  A style with enigmatic antecedents, supposedly taught originally 
  by the little-understood Sons of Samael. In the violence after the 
  Scream it has become a favorite of assassins. It focuses on quick 
  footwork and feints that lure targets into dropping their guard.
  Weapon Groups
  Unarmed
  Level 0
  Novice
  If the novice hits a surprised humanoid target, 
  the victim must make a Physical Effect saving 
  throw at a penalty equal to the attacker’s 
  Combat/Tempter’s Hand skill or be dazed for 
  1d4 rounds and unable to do anything but 
  defend. Targets dazed by this blow cannot cry 
  out or speak.
  Level 1
  Intermediate
  The martial artist’s unarmed attack damage 
  is now equal to 1d6. The martial artist can 
  launch a feint attack against a humanoid 
  target, rolling to hit normally. If the attack 
  hits, no damage is done, but the next round 
  the attacker can strike as if the target was 
  surprised, dazing them if the blow lands.
  Level 2
  Master
  The martial artist’s unarmed attack damage 
  is now equal to 1d10. The martial artist may 
  give up his attack for the round to fall into 
  a defensive stance, forcing a -2 hit penalty 
  for their attackers within melee range. If an 
  attacker strikes at them in this stance and 
  misses, the martial artist may make a free 
  counterattack. The artist can make as many 
  of these counterattacks in one round as they 
  have levels in Combat/Tempter’s Hand.
  
  6
  tyrian locks
  Some worlds are so hostile that the vast majority of its citizenry 
  are forced to wear environment suits whenever outside the pro-
  tective domes or tunnels they inhabit. For the hell-world of Tyr, 
  this miserable state was often found inside the habitat tunnels, 
  and most inhabitants never removed their armor outside of 
  specially-prepared safe rooms. As a consequence, combat tech-
  niques developed to deal with this feature.
  Tyrian locks involve joint locks, twists, servo hits, and integument 
  cracking to let in the hostile atmosphere. Any suit flexible enough 
  to allow a human good freedom of motion is flexible enough to 
  allow an attacker to injure them with the correct forced move-
  ment, and Tyrian joint locks are designed to do just that. Against 
  a master, an opponent’s heavy armor or rigid FEP field plates 
  become weapons used against their wearer.
  A victim reduced below 10 hit points by a hit from this style must 
  make the normal checks for vacc suit tears when the environment 
  makes it relevant.
  Weapon Groups
  Unarmed
  Level 0
  Novice
  The novice’s strikes do 1d6 unarmed damage 
  and can affect even targets wearing powered 
  armor, a FEP, or other defenses that would 
  normally ignore unarmed attacks.
  Level 1
  Intermediate
  The martial artist knows how to maneuver 
  so as to hamper heavily-suited attackers. 
  Humanoid assailants wearing vacc suits, 
  powered armor, FEPs, plate armor, or woven 
  armor suffer a -2 to hit the martial artist when 
  within close combat range.
  Level 2
  Master
  The novice’s unarmed strikes do 1d10 
  damage. Heavy armor becomes a liability 
  against the martial artist as he knows how to 
  use it against its own wearer; he gains +4 to 
  hit with this style against humanoid targets 
  wearing powered armor, plate armor, or a 
  FEP.
  Designing Your Own Styles
  GMs should feel free to create their own new armed and unarmed 
  styles to match the particular interests of their players and cam-
  paign, but a few important guidelines should be kept in mind.
  The goal of a style is not to make unarmed or primitive combat 
  skill better than projectile or energy weapons, but only an equally 
  reasonable option. For damage comparisons, look at mag rifles and 
  shear rifles to see what sort of weaponry they’ll be compared against. 
  If the style does more damage than those weapons in the hands of 
  equivalent masters, then the style is doing too much damage.
  Styles should not normally mix. It’s too easy to lose track of the 
  interactions if PCs can mix and match the best pieces out of each. 
  PCs should be obliged to use only one style per round.
  Unarmed styles should give skill level 0 novices 1d6 base unarmed 
  damage along with their novice-level perk. If all they do is improve 
  the martial artist’s damage, it should be 1d8 or 1d6+1 damage. 
  Master-level proficiency should grant 1d10 base unarmed damage, 
  or 2d6 if the style isn’t terribly useful for anything but direct damage.
  Weapon styles should ensure that the weapons do damage roughly 
  equivalent to the unarmed style. Martial arts skill levels do add to 
  weapon damage from their group, so keep that in mind when as-
  signing bonus damage to a style.
  Armor class bonuses or enemy hit penalties granted by the style 
  should always be conditional to a specific type of assailant, usually 
  enemies within melee range. If the style gives a bonus that’s effective 
  against almost every assailant, firearms specialists will take it just for 
  the universal benefit. As it stands, most firearms devotees will want 
  to stand well away from their targets, so they have less reason to all 
  seek martial arts training.
  Finally, don’t hesitate to make new styles “provisional” in a game. 
  If all the players suddenly want to learn it or if it’s disrupting the 
  balance of the table, kill it and refund the martial artist their skill 
  points. When adding experimental rules additions, everyone in the 
  group should be ready to acknowledge it when things don’t work 
  out as planned.
  coMMon Martial arts WeaPonry
  Weapon
  Damage
  Range in Meters
  Cost
  Attribute
  Tech
  Improvised Weapon
  1d4
  3/6
  -
  Str/Dex
  0
  Walking Staff
  1d6
  -
  -
  Str
  0
  Metal-Shod Fighting Staff
  1d8
  -
  5
  Str
  1
  Chain
  1d6
  3*
  8
  Dex
  1
  Shuriken**
  1d2
  6/9
  2
  Dex
  1
  Ranges are expressed in normal and maximum ranges. Firing at a target beyond normal range applies a -2 hit penalty.
  * Chains are melee weapons, but can strike enemies up to 3 meters away. ** Shuriken are so small that 10 count as one readied item.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Stars Without Number/Stars Without Number (osr)/Mandate Archive/SWN - Mandate Archive - Martial Arts.pdf