In the Retroverse, "martial arts" refers to combat styles loosely modeled on mythical and pop cultural representations of East Asian martial arts. Each martial arts style is provided by a skill. This skill is used as the weapon skill for that particular style to increase damage, has a majority impact on the final WC of the style and determines the chances of additional attacks. Only style skills, ambidexterity, whirling and monk path skills affect the number of attacks when using martial arts. Brawling and other weapon skills have no impact on the damage when using martial arts. Martial arts do not benefit from the stun skill, only from the pressure points skill, which works a bit differently. Martial arts, although generally unarmed, do not benefit from the pugilist path skills. The marts-form command is used to pick which form you are currently using. Between boots, the chosen style will revert to martial arts soft. Styles each have either a damage type or use weapons. They list the number of attacks for that style, assuming ambidexterity is in use. They may include a WC bonus which is added in after other relevant figures are included. Read the relevant skill help files for specific values. Styles are separated into two broad categories: hard and soft. Many monk skills are only usable in one category or the other but not both. Training in various monk skills and spells determines the WC within either hard or soft styles, except for Aikido, which is based on Abjurer skills and spells but is otherwise handled as a soft style. See help martial arts skills for a full list. Hard styles crit more often but stun less frequently and can only stun for a single round with regular melee, although stun palm and related skills can compensate. Soft styles can stun for multiple rounds and will stun more often but don't crit as often. Crit chance is further modified by the use of edged weapons in the armed styles. Unarmed versus armed: Generally, unarmed styles will hit more often but do less damage per attack. Unarmed WC is capped at 90 after all bonuses. In addition to style and training effects, racial natural weapons add a bonus. Unarmed attacks have zero mass but are still affected by player size (see also: help weapons). Weapon based styles cap at 70 from training and are then averaged with the WC of the weapons used. Size and mass affect damage as per help weapons, and attacks will take into account any bonus to hit and damage on the wielded weapons. Special hits operate as normal. Without an actual weapon, the WC of the weapon is treated as 0, halving the effectiveness of the style. Martial arts damage is severely reduced against non-humanoid targets. See also: marts-form, wc, level limits, weapons, size, martial arts skills |