What good is a point in Judo?
Kromm laid down the format, so I tried to do the same thing for Judo. This is bascially a find/replace of Judo for Karate, since they mostly have the same rules. Still – check my work?
Remember to use the higher of DX or skill. Going by the Basic Set alone, doing all the math to express things relative to DX (drop fractions at the very end!), and putting the benefits of Judo in boldface, the real progression is this:
- 0 points (DX only): Grapple (including takedowns and other DX defaults) at DX; grapple with the legs at DX-2; break free at DX, armed enemies who parry your unarmed grapples attack your limb at full skill; parry unarmed attacks at DX/2 + 3, or DX/2 + 4 if retreating; you maynot use hands-free parries to parry grapples; parry weapons at DX/2, or DX/2 + 1 if retreating; cannot attempt Judo Throw, Arm Lock, Choke Hold, or Finger Lock.
- 1 point (Judo at DX-2): Grapple (including takedowns and other DX defaults) at DX; grapple with the legs at DX-2; break free at DX, armed enemies who parry your unarmed grapples attack your limb at skill-4; parry unarmed attacks at DX/2 + 3 (DX/2 + 2 if using Judo to set up a throw), or DX/2 + 5 if retreating; you may use hands-free parries to parry grapples at DX/2 + 2; parry weapons at DX/2 + 2, or DX/2 + 5 if retreating; following a Judo parry, can attempt Judo Throw (DX-2) , Arm Lock (DX-2), Choke Hold (DX-4), or Finger Lock (DX-5).
- 2 points (Judo at DX-1): Grapple (including takedowns and other DX defaults) at DX; grapple with the legs at DX-2; break free at DX; armed enemies who parry your unarmed grapples attack your limb at skill-4; parry unarmed attacks at DX/2 + 3 (DX/2 + 2.5 if using Judo to set up a throw), or DX/2 + 5.5 if retreating; you may use hands-free parries to parry grapples at DX/2 +2.5; parry weapons at DX/2+2.5, or DX/2 + 5.5 if retreating; following a Judo parry, can attempt Judo Throw (DX-1) , Arm Lock (DX-1), Choke Hold (DX-3), or Finger Lock (DX-4).
- 4 points (Judo at DX): Grapple (including takedowns and other DX defaults) at DX; grapple with the legs at DX-2; break free at DX; armed enemies who parry your unarmed grapples attack your limb at skill-4; parried unarmed attacks automatically set up throws at DX/2 + 3, or DX/2 + 6 if retreating; you may use hands-free parries to parry grapples at DX/2 + 3; parry weapons at DX/2+3, or DX/2 + 6 if retreating; following a Judo parry, can attempt Judo Throw (DX) , Arm Lock (DX), Choke Hold (DX-2), or Finger Lock (DX-3).
- 8 points (Judo at DX+1): Grapple (including takedowns and other DX defaults) at DX+1; grapple with the legs at DX-1; break free at DX+1, armed enemies who parry your unarmed grapples attack your limb at skill-4; parry unarmed attacks automatically set up throws at DX/2 + 3.5, or DX/2 + 6.5 if retreating; you may use hands-free parries to parry grapples at DX/2 + 3.5; parry weapons atDX/2+3.5, or DX/2 + 6.5 if retreating; following a Judo parry, can attempt Judo Throw (DX+1) , Arm Lock (DX+1), Choke Hold (DX-1), or Finger Lock (DX-2).
Adding in the Martial Arts rules gives you a bunch more techniques (some of which default to untrained DX). If using Technical Grappling, Judo doesn’t start to “pay off” in the form of extra Trained ST until you reach DX+4 (+0.5 extra Control Points per roll).
Parting Shot
A point in Judo goes one important thing right off the bat – it enables Judo Throw following a parry using Judo. Now, in order to make it work, you’ll need to invest. I had a character with Axe/Mace-18 and the Perk Judo Throw defaults to Axe/Mace and could not get Judo Throws to work reliably in combat, so it’s not a slam dunk. But Judo Parry sets up both throws and locks that you must invest in a grappling skill in order to take advantage of.
Once you get 4 points in, anything you can do with DX you can do with Judo instead.
That’s the key breakpoint. At 8 points, anything you do with DX you do better with Judo if there’s an option.
Where is the rule about parrying grapples hands-free with Judo? I saw recently on the board where someone, Kromm I think, mentioned it, but for the life of me I can't find it in a book or the boards. Thanks!
Martial Arts p. 122 – "What is . . . a Parry."
"Not all parries involve limbs, either. If you parry a
grappling technique (e.g., Judo Throw or Piledriver)
using Boxing, Brawling, Judo, Karate, Sumo
Wrestling, or Wrestling, you can opt to “counter” –
twist or sprawl so that your adversary’s technique
fails – rather than slap away your enemy’s hands.
This doesn’t require a free hand. It resembles a
dodge, but it’s a parry in game terms."
And amplified in GURPS Technical Grappling, p. 22-23.
"Hands-Free Parries
Not all parries use the hands; see What Is . . . a Parry?
(Martial Arts, p. 122). If an opponent attacks you with a grappling move (not a strike) against which you would be permitted a parry, you may parry using any unarmed combat skill and
specify that this defense is a “technical parry” or a “counter”:
an attempt to thwart the attack by shifting position rather than
interposing hands.
This is considered a two-handed parry where number of
hands matters – notably, when counting multiple parries –
regardless of skill used or number of hands free. Your rival
automatically achieves body contact, should that matter (e.g.,
for attacks with the Aura enhancement). And even if it succeeds, it never counts as a “setup” for Arm Lock, Judo Throw,
or other grappling moves.
On the other hand, this requires no free hands. And while
you must be aware of your foe (as with any active defense), you
need not see him – if either of you has any CP against the other,
you may defend! Finally, since you are acutely aware of your
opponent, your defense is immune to the -2 that would normally apply if he’s beside or behind you (see pp. B390-391),
including the -2 on a “chin tuck” vs. a Choke Hold."
One more quick question for clarity. Martial Arts says "grappling technique" while Technical Grappling says "grappling move." Does this include the grapple attempt itself or only when a technique is used?
The TG blurb is meant to encompass or expand it to any grappling attack or post-grapple technique.
Thank you very much for taking the time to answer me. Cheers!
“Mr. Cole” (spoken like doc in 12 monkeys TV) will you be doing an updated version of the WGIAPI series to reflect technical grappling?
Access to Grappling Parry and Escaping Parry are big draws.
I would like to see versions of this for Wrestling and Sumo too.
Even Boxing and Brawling. I noticed Kromm’s summary left out Aggressive Parry and Jam.
“The ability to feint” too since you can’t feint with DX, you need a combat skill.
Also Breakfall: you get it at DX-2/-1 instead of DX-6 for default Acrobatics. Or am I thinking of Roll With Blow?
WGIAPI? I feel like I should know what that is, but I don’t.
Ah! What Good is a point in…
Took me a bit!