Basically the idea goes like this:
*Martial arts manuals contain techniques which are learned through study like recipes, using your unarmed skill(or in the case of silat/fencing/eskrima/etc, melee) to determine if you can learn them or not.
*The brawling techniques are picked up from use, as current.
*Choosing a martial art at character creation assumes you’ve had formal study, granting you the knowledge of (But not the ability to yet use) techniques your unarmed skill may be too low to have learned normally.
*Some martial arts (I.E. the assassination arts of the Five Deadly Venoms) don’t have books. You MUST learn them from a teacher.
Now I know at this point some of you may be asking ‘Why bother?’ Simple. A fundamental change to how martial arts work. Currently no matter how many martial arts with which you become familiar it’s an either or scenario, having to choose to use one or another at any given time. Yes, you can switch from karate to kung-fu with but a few key presses–but there isn’t any synergy between the two.
That is why I propose that instead of a menu that has you switch from one martial art to another the player is instead presented with one which lets them edit their personal style from a pool of known techniques. Want an elbow strike with your fencing? Done. Axe kick with that cross counter? No problem. This new model would allow for it.
In a nutshell the player:
*Learns techniques
*Chooses which ones they want to use
*Fights with a customized martial art
As for the actual customization of a martial art, their are a few considerations:
*The more techniques you throw together the more complex your martial art becomes and the higher each techniques REQUIRED UNARMED SKILL WILL RISE!
*Melee techniques (like the ones learned from fencing) demand particular weapons be equipped
*Some techniques, like kicks, knees, on move buffs and krav maga moves should be fine for use with a firearm equipped
*Mutation only techniques could be learned through use and added just like any other to reflect becoming more accustomed to those extra parts. Tentacle-fu, for example.
*Encumbrance should make pulling off techniques more difficult.
*Some techniques could require the player wear specific clothing. Like wearing roller blades for a full speed gut check. (Hockey players start with it)
*Some melee techniques could be learned from using particular weapons instead of being innate to zweihanders or the like. Once learned they can be used with any appropriate melee weapon. No reason a swordsman couldn’t be more defensive if they so choose.
*Special firing techniques could be learned and equipped (requiring certain firearms, of course.) Like trick-shooting or speed loading for revolvers.
*Just off the top of my head, some weapons (like the spear) could have techniques that REQUIRE the weapon be stuck, and of course a technique that makes that happen more often.
So, thoughts?
Excellent ideas, i would only add learning through observation, maybe as a Trait, or tied to Perception.