WotG:Main Page
The goal with this project is to provide non BB working space for fan created supplementary materials for Weapons of the Gods. When completed this material will probably make its way to http://www.wulinrealm.com/content.php?content.6 which is Fu!. Also provided is an errata base to supplement the canon errata mostly as Brad isn't capable of being everywhere on the net at once. Hopefully the stuff here will keep the interest in WotG alive past its possibly short printed materials run. - Jonathan
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Links
Kungfu Ideas
Yeah yeah, I have non-mechanics stuff in the works. This is the last spillover from my first big Fu! push.
Style Definitions
Note: I am changing Primary to Principal due to the overlay with Pigeon's Dozen Style Manual terms :P Not sure yet if this is differentiated enough.
I'm recalling something imperfectly but I will attempt to do so. Pigeon I believe once worked on a classification of kung-fu that separated them into groups by their purpose. This is a rough and will eventually be expounded on the Fu! wiki, wherever that may be. Also people writing styles may find this useful.
The first major divide is whether the style is Principle or Support. I think this is the main divide. Principle styles are mostly simple no nonsense bonuses to your main combat abilities, Strike, Damage, Armor, etc. You can subdivide Principles into their specific uses either, Offensive, Defensive or Utility. The third category is generally a combination of offensive and defensive bonuses.
Support styles offer effects, things that don't mechanically enhance your capabilities but instead allow you to do things that you normally can't do, stuff like second attacks, disorienting, etc. These also come in Offensive, Defensive and Utility flavors exactly as Principle styles are deliniated.
And the ultimate hodgepodge style is the general Utility style, something that offers a grab bag of effects, some Principle, some Support. These I find lack focus and either could be useful or not so great depending on the effects packaged together.
• You'll note the term Utility is used a lot. Right now I seem to be terrible with words but I figure if you get a classification for a style that is purely Utility, that should mean that it is a grab bag, which may or may not be good depending. Its sort of how Neutral is used in D&D Alignment I guess.
Golden Temple Bells (Common, Utility Style):
Alright this is ever tanker's favorite style, you lift better and you are armoured better. Its effects are generally defensive in nature, at least the more popular ones. It does have some offensive techs, those of which are odd. The general dispersion (despite the defensive bent of the style) makes me think it is a showcase for the general Utility style. Some people will like certain bits, some will like others.
Three Kings (Uncommon, Support Utility Style):
Well we know for certain it is an Uncommon and that its an Artful style. What this definition allows us to say is that it is a Support style, which is part of the reason why it kicks ass, since it gives you access to some pretty awesome abilities, like a channeled roundlong disorient and 2nd attack, wicked stuff. Its probably also a Utility style as it provides for offensive and defensive support abilities.
Ba Gua Zhang
This is a style designed for bodyguards according to one account and also designed to fight multiple attackers. From the three main students of the first teacher there are 3 major variants which are:
1) Explosive/Percussion
2) Evasive/Smooth
3) Combo of the 2
I could take this into account with design which would be neat, or I could not. Nevertheless the placeholder description I think I'll use for Ba Gua is as an Support Utility style, much like 3 Kings but featuring the two notes I mentioned earlier.
Hsien-I Quan
Xing Yi Quan (Hsien-I Quan)
- By: Jonathan
- Uncommon Crimson Chi Style
- Brutal (Unarmed Only and/or Thrusting Weapons see below)
- Default Criticals: Maim, Stun
- Signature:
1. Three Bodies Power (1 Crimson): Disorient on a standard success, for 1 hit Standard Damage still applies.
2. Classics of Fighting (2 Crimson): + Crimson to Strike and Damage roundlong.
3. Axe Crushes the Mountain (3 Crimson): Stun, + Damage, + Strike.
4. Classics of Stepping (4 Crimson): auto-win init, deny River, Stun on a standard success. + Strike
5. Classics of Six Harmonies (5 Crimson):
- Destiny Costs:
- 3: Weapons form training. You get to learn how to use the Jian, the staff and the spear with this form.
Concepts
One of the three major internal styles in China, Xing Yi Quan differs from current concepts of "self-defence" martial arts in that it was formerly used on the battlefield, eliciting a more "warrior" mentality which looks at the feasibility of combat techniques on the battlefield. Consequently the style focuses on the quick subdual and takedowns of the opponent as prolonged exchanges on a battlefield is somewhat dangerous. Mythologically it originates from Yue Fei (1103 - 1141) of the Song Dynasty who was a great patriot and hero of the time. More likely the origin is from near the end of the Ming Dynasty with Ji Long Feng of Shan Xi Province who was a master spear fighter.
Xing Yi is a linear style with major focus on the upper body. One of the main ideas is to generate power with the whole body and focus it into a single burst, probably something like Karate.
Hsien-I (Mind Boxing) (Uncommon Crimson Unarmed Only):
So to assist me in my Hsien-I wanderings I have denoted the style as a Crimson Uncommon which happens to be Primary in nature, focused mostly on Offensive techs with maybe some other effects.
One of the three major internal martial arts in China is Hsien-I. Reading its history its focused on quick takedowns and otherwise efficiently removing the opponent's ability to fight. So we could do this a couple of ways. Firstly the speed component suggests that it should be Crimson. Power level wise we can slot it as a common or uncommon, its stature within the martial arts society may merit an uncommon. Now we can figure how you want to do the effects.
Ok, so its a very offensively minded style, not a self defence style so we can peg this as a something Offensive. Simplicity's sake suggests that we go with a Principle, but I may find some neat mechanics to dump in, so we'll slot it as a Offensive/Utility for now. So to assist me in my Hsien-I wanderings I have denoted the style as a Crimson Uncommon which happens to be Primary in nature, focused mostly on Offensive techs with maybe some other effects.
Style Type: Principle Offensive (Uncommon Crimson, Unarmed only)
Fast / quick - + init, Auto-win init, no second attacks, no duration techs, high strike and damage
Maim and Stun as criticals, powerful techs to account for lack of duration techs
Ideas
Style is divided into 2 main systems, the 10 animals and the 5 elements.
10 Animals: Dragon, Tiger, Monkey, Horse, Chicken, Hawk, Snake, Bear, Eagle, Swallow. Five Element forms: Splitting, Drilling, Crushing, Pounding and Crossing. (Use as tech names?)
"The powerful 'shocking' strikes of Xing Yi Quan will damage and disorient the opponent no matter where they connect. These blows are generally not aimed at specific 'vital points,' but rather through the enemy's center of mass; this insures maximum shock and transfer of energy into the opponent. Xing Yi Quan grappling techniques involve rapid, bone jarring takedowns."
"The overall flow of the typical Xing Yi Quan technique generally follows the pattern of first making a physical connection with the opponent, then immediately (or simultaneously) setting up a shocking strike and ending the fight with finishing strikes and/or a fast and hard takedown. "
Sources:
http://www.shenwu.com/hsingi.htm
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa041301a.htm (Yue Fei)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hsing_Yi
Shaolin School
So, I never really kept a lot of stock in Buddist theology, which meant I have somewhat of a blind eye towards it. I have 1 article I am working out of which suggests this pathway.
1) Dragon Style - much like what was portrayed in the Comic version of Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre. First style that is learned, and is all about grappling. It seems to be the fundamental dealie for Shaolin, hmm.
2) Tiger - using some Dragon principles and the Dragon claw, now the Tiger claw, you rip at people.
3) Leopard - instead of ripping at people with pure strength, you learn how to fight with skill.
After mastering these 3 styles, the really well trusted students go to some other place in the monastary to learn the secret forms namely:
4) Snake - like waves like water. Snake around and hit people in their vital points. The Basis for some of the internal martial arts
5) Crane - Like Karate kid oddly enough. Stand there and hit people a lot. No unnecessary movements.
