Yoyodo - Way of the Dragon's Tongue

Yoyodo is an ancient and venerable martial art style (well, depending on who you ask) that focuses on a flexible and fast style of combat utilizing the combat yo-yo, or as it is called in yoyodo, the Dragon's Tongue.

Yoyodo is supposedly so powerful that its practicioners (the handful of them that there are) are urged to not publicize their victories, a tactic that has kept the style shrouded in the mists of history. The secret family history of [insert character's family name here] records one of the first masters of yoyodo as actually having fought Musashi to a standstill. The yoyodo master did not want to draw the attention of those who would seek to duel one who was the equal of Musashi, and Musashi did not want the stain of a draw upon his record, so the duel was kept secret (or so they say).

The only known practioners are [character's grandfather] and [character], who train at the small ancestral dojo and shrine (which supposedly houses the first and most powerful combat yo-yo used in yoyodo, the Heavenly Fire Dragon's Tongue) in [city]. There is a legend that there was another Dragon's Tongue made along with Heavenly Fire, the Earthen Wrath Dragon's Tongue, but not much more than that it had existed is known.

The construction of a Dragon's Tongue is a highly guarded (no one really cares to ask) secret kept within the family. It involves a mastery of carving, the creation and aligning of sacred ofuda to be placed within, the forging of the axle, and the making of the string. A process of meditation and craftsmanship.

Yoyodo utilizes a variety of lashing and sweeping strikes with a Dragon's Tongue, with a focus on being able to control the Dragon's Tongue as it wraps around an opponent's defenses to strike, disarm, trip or entangle them (the fine art of smacking someone with a yo-yo and having the yo-yo still come back and possibly not injure the wielder in the process). Masters of the style are capable of wielding two Dragon Tongues at the same time, able to strike multiple targets. Through secret techniques, a master can also change the alignment of the ofuda within the Dragon's Tongue to change the properties it possesses.

Yoyodo - Powerflux (Minor) Level 1 (Activation -4) 1 point

This powerflux can be applied to combat techniques and attacks and defenses related to the use of a Dragon's Tongue.

Dragon's Tongue - Powerflux Creation (Minor) Level 1 (Activation -4 Durable +1 Duration -1) 1 point

This powerflux is used for the Item attribute to create the practioner's Dragon's Tongue(s) and to allow the changing of their abilities. This powerflux has an interval of 10 minutes.

An example setup would be:

Yoyodo

Combat Technique (Concealment,TWF) Level 2 (unique restriction: only for Dragon's Tongue - 1) 3 flux points

Cat's Cradle Block - Melee Defense(using Dragon's Tongue) Level 1 (unpredictable -2 (skill sports: yoyodo)) 1 flux point

Dragon's Tongue

Item (Weapon Level 2, flexible, non-penetrating) 2 flux points

Item (Weapon Level 1, flexible, stun, non-penetrating; Combat Technique: Precise Aim (unique restriction: only with this item)) 2 flux points

Starwars: The Phantom System

[insert fluff here later]

Force Power template -3

• Unique Restriction: Natural Body -1
  Cybernetics systems integrated into the body interfere with the Force.
  If only a tiny (eye,ear,single hand or foot) portion of the body is cybernetic the attribute costs 2 addtional points.
  If a small (one arm, leg, head, chest) portion of the body is cybernetic the attribute costs 3 additional points.
  If a large portion (two limbs, torso) is cybernetic the attribute costs 4 additional points.


• Detectable: Force -1
  Attributes that can detect the Force can detect the use of this ability.


• Unique Restriction: Balance of the Force -1
  [insert reasons for possibly getting a dark side point]. Use of this ability may give the character a dark side point depending on intent of use.

Unique Restriction: Light Side Power -1

If the character has no Dark Side points, the cost of the attribute is not increased.
If the character has a tiny amount of Dark Side points the attribute costs 2 additional points.
If the character has a small amount of Dark Side points the attribute costs 3 additional points.
If the character has a large amount of Dark Side points the attribute costs 4 additional points.

Unique Restriction: Dark Side Power -1

Use of the attribute gives the character a dark side point.

Move Object 5 points / level + 3 points

Power Flux - Minor, No interval between fluxes. Used with the Telekinesis attribute. Apply the Force Power Template to the Telekinesis gained with the flux points. Use concentration and depletion to simulate extra effort needed for large objects/

Heal Self 10 points / level -7 (Force -3,Depletion -2, Duration -2)

Regeneration with intervals increased to a minute. Heals the character for 5 HP / level every minute. Uses 1 EP / 5 minutes.

Heal Other 5 points / level -5 (Force -3, Concentration -2)

Tranfser (Heal Self). Allows the character to transfer up to Heal Other's level levels of Heal Self to another character.

Danger Sense 1 point (Force -3, Range +2)

Sixth Sense: Danger covering 100m.

Sense Surroundings 2 points / level - 6 (Force -3, Depletion -3)

Super Sense Indirect uses 1 EP / minute.

Sense Force 1 point (Force -3 Range +2)

Sixth Sense: Force 1 covering 100m

Still onward towards 3rd.

So now, we have knife to the soul again. This time it is rather easy. Use the Power Flux - Minor (Mindblade) and drop out Psychic Strike (6 weapon levels and 1 custom variable, 13 points) for:

0 weapon levels (there is no longer a no damage option) 0 points
Drain Soul rank 3 3 points
Psychic rank 1 6 points
Linked (Mindblade) rank 1 1 point

Thus Knife to the Soul (Weapon Level 0, Linked (Mindblade), Psychic, Drain Soul 3,10 points). Leaving 3 points up for grabs in the Powerflux.

And now, to 3rd.

Let's start with the basics, the Mindblade itself. BESM 3rd edition has this nifty new attribute called power flux. With this attribute's ability to redistribute points, it would seem a natural fit for generating the adaptable mindblade. I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm going to say the mindblade is a fairly narrow power, so we'll use Power Flux - Minor for it. First, we need to be able to do the 15 base damage of the original. Without anything whacky, this will take three weapon levels (base 5 multiplier x 3 weapon levels). Weapon levels cost 2 points each, so there's 6 points. Each level of Power Flux gives us 4 points to work with, so we need to start with atleast 2 levels of Power Flux. This will also leave 2 points free to purchase ranks of weapon custom variables. That part negates the need for the Unique Weapon Ability: Variable Power as in the 2nd ed. version.

But wait, melee is now the base range! So we'll need a thrown version as well. Once again, 3 weapon levels for 6 points. Standard Variable Range rank 2 will give us a 100m range on it, so we're up to 8 points. So we'd need atleast 14 points to make both mindblade types! 4 levels of Power Flux - Minor. But wait, we only pay full price for the most expensive ability (8 points) and half for the rest (6 points) so if we want to cut it close we could get by with Power Flux - Minor level 3 (8+3=11) giving one point to play with. We still have pyschic strike to cover, which now can easily handle the Knife to the Soul ability.

Linked attacks cost one rank, but now the no frills 30 damage version is going to cost us. So we need 6 weapon levels for 12 points, and 1 point for linked. 13 points will need 4 levels of Power Flux - Minor. On the upside, throw mindblade will cost 4 points, and melee mindblade stil 3, so with no custom variables besides one linked, we'd need 13+4+3 = 20 points, so 5 levels of Power Flux - Minor for 25 character points.

So what we'd have right now is:
Power Flux - Minor (Mindblade) level 5 (25 points)
- Weapon Attack Level 6 (13 points), Psychic Strike, linked (Mindblade)
- Alternate Weapon Attack Level 3 (3 points), Mindblade
- Alternate Weapon Attack Level 3 (4 points), Throw Mindblade, Range 2 (100 m)

Bump that up to Power Flux - Minor level 6 for 30 points and there'd be 4 points to assign to custom variables. And remember, right now, there are no restrictions on these abilities, also, 25-30 does seem to be alot to spend on this, but now we should have about 120 points to play with after stats for a standard character, so it may not be so bad. Now it is time to go, so here ends this lesson.

More Soulknife Conversion

So I forgot about a couple of abilities. One of them being Knife to the Soul.

Since a weapon attack with the Unique Weapon Disability: Soul Charged can only be used once per Soul Charge, I think I can get away with making Knife to the Soul a seperate linked weapon attack and not have to screw around with psychic strike. Now this will take away the ability to shift between damage and stat damage but with the way the drain attacks work in besm, that would be counterproductive at best. So here it goes:

Alternate Weapon Attack: Knife to the Soul (level 1 45 non-damage / 3 soul points 2pts)
Drain Soul (1 level)
Linked Attack: Mindblade (2 levels)
Unique Weapon Disability: Soul Charged (-2 levels)
Unique Weapon Disability: Psychic (-1 level)
No Damage (-2 levels)

Random IM Quotes

Sometimes it is fun to really wargame and try and crank out every possible advantage in a fight using rule upon rule, but its usually a lot more fun to just shoulder fire a cannon.

And by request, "ah GURPS, so much fun when you aren't playing it".

Soulknife BESM Conversion

Soulknife, one of the weakest base classes in all of the D&D 3.5 classes available in a system reference document and also a class I have chosen to play in a high powered Eberron campaign. Why yes, O reader, I am a glutton for punishment. What follows is the attempt to bring this special flavor of suffering to another setting in which I play, BESM 2nd edition.

The main feature, and just about only feature, of the soulknife is the mindblade. Now D&D to BESM damage conversions are more art than science, but this conversion has about the same capabilities as a 6th or 7th level mindblade for 8 points. Psychic Strike doesn't work exactly the same in this version as in D&D, as it is a linked attack to the mindblade weapon attack, which must deal some damage to the target to trigger the linked attack. I feel this version does retain the feel of the original though, in that it provides a tactical burst of damage.

This "package" provides a fair amount of damage and utility to a starting character and upgrades well for later use.

Weapon Attack: Mindblade Level 1 (15 damage) (4pts)
Melee Only (-2 levels)
Unique Weapon Ability: Variable Power Level 1 (2 levels)

Alternate Weapon Attack: Throw Mindblade Level 1 (15 Damage) (2pts)
Short Range (-1 level)
Unique Weapon Disability: Dissapates Mindblade (-1 level)
Unique Weapon Ability: Variable Power Level 1 (2 levels)

Alternate Weapon Attack: Psychic Strike Level 1 (30 Damage) (2pts)
Linked Attack (Mindblade) (2 levels)
Unique Weapon Disability: Soul Charged (-2 Levels)
Unique Weapon Disability: Psychic (-1 level)

Unique Weapon Disability: Soul Charged
When a weapon attack with this disability is used, the weapon attack can not be used again until a Soul Charge (non-combat action) is performed. Soul Charged counts as two disabilities.

Unique Weapon Disability: Psychic
A weapon attack with the Psychic disability can not affect mindless targets. Psychic counts as one disability.

Unique Weapon Ability: Variable Power
A weapon attack with the Variable Power ability can select a number of abilities up to the level of Variable Power. The abilities granted by Variable Power can be changed with eight hours of meditation. Variable Power counts as two abilities for the first level, and then one additional ability for each additional level.

I must admit I have failed translating one feature of the Soulknife to BESM; the conversion isn't nearly weak enough to bring the true flavor the class out, though as much as it pains me, I shall have to accept this fault in my work.

The long dreaded day has come.

Finally I have given in to the call of the Blog and have set down my quill and parchment of raw html and ftp. Fear not world, for there shall be little content here and what content does exist probably will be of no interest to anyone, save for myself. If on your accidental meandering here you should find something of interest please seek professional help at your earliest convenience.