Kromm speaks: Technical Grappling blurb
I really can’t do much better than what +Sean Punch wrote in summing up my book, so I’ll just quote it:
Some of the greatest warriors of myth and legend were famed for their aptitude at grappling. Almost every historical culture had a patron god of wrestling (from Hermes to Hanuman) and accounts of heroes adept at the art (Herakles managed to strangle a dragon). Prior to the age of gunpowder, no professional soldier went into battle without some training in what to do when the hostilities moved to very close quarters indeed. Even today, policemen and soldiers learn to grapple, if only because that’s the most instinctive form of combat for human beings.
Despite all this, RPG protagonists tend to avoid holds, throws, and locks in favor of flashy strikes. In GURPS Martial Arts: Technical Grappling, Douglas Cole redresses this imbalance by expanding GURPS Martial Arts in ways that make grappling as exciting – and often as deadly – as gunslinging, swordplay, and fisticuffs. Inside you’ll find the new concept of Control Points (CP), which quantify your ability to twist and mangle your foe . . . and once you rack up enough CP, you can cut loose with all kinds of new combat options, perks, and techniques, whether your goal is to restrain your rival, incapacitate him, or brutally snap his neck.
This supplement contains all the rules and abilities you need to handle every kind of grappling, from ritualistic sumo to scrappy street fighting. It also covers the use of hardware, whether that means exploiting a police baton for extra oomph in an arm lock, entangling your opponent in a net or a kusari, or restraining a captive with rope or handcuffs. It offers optional “harsh realism” rules for everything from body weight to the effects of clothing and sweaty bodies on getting a firm grip. It even has something for fighters who aren’t ordinary humans, addressing Size Modifiers and superhuman abilities, and presenting grappling styles suited to bears, canines, constrictor snakes, and felines.
Why not grab a copy today?
Thus far, it would seem that at least 84 people have grabbed a copy. For that I am grateful!
Officially, 84 copies sold between release and midnight. Most popular e23 releases sell 40-60 copies out of the gate, so yes, 80+ is good.
I'll be making it at least 85 sometime this evening!
I really want to use it, but I'm not sure if I can. It's probably too fiddly for at least half of my group.
Wait for the Designer's Notes. I explicitly put in some things that would appeal to the less fiddly minded.
I'm looking forward to those notes as well. I think I could get used to the rules, but wonder if the bookkeeping would get overwhelming with five players and multiple NPCs. Maybe this is a good excuse to bring out some d20s while playing GURPS!
From a fiddly point of view, Ive been looking it over and I believe it should be very possible to do the usual "here are your combat moves" list that any GURPS character needs. You grab with two hands, you inflict this much CP, etc. Even brand new to the book, stuff goes at least as quickly as any skilled fight in GURPS does.
And best of all, in my mind: This book is a lifesaver to GMs who encourage their players to just describe what they do… because it gives them great guidelines on how to translate it to evocative, but balanced, in game actions. The "Jump Attack to two-legged neck grapple" Douglas explained for what Black Widow does is a perfect example.