Disarm skill

[theebie]

hi,

how about adding the follow to disarm:

> disarm elf
You knock the sword out of the elves hand and grab it out of the air.

result:
you disarm your opponent and instead of his weapon dropping down to
the ground (for him to pick it up again before the disarmer could do so
since he has after-delay from disarm) you snatch it out of the air and
have it.

(kung-fu guys do that all the time :)

one of the benefits would be that a skilled fighter who has no weapon
and gets attacked by some raiders, can grab one of their weapons and
protect 'self


---theebie---

[RunningMountain]

Heh, I forgot you had 4 arms like a mantis. If you ever fight a mantis, try disarming it. I don't like this idea. Disarm is powerful enough by knocking it fifty feet away into the other room.

[Cenghiz]

I suddenly felt to urge to make a warrior, have badass 'disarm' then wait till you toss someone's weapon disarmed to 'up', type an emote like 'emote grabs the weapon with a wide grin before it drops to the ground' and type 'get <weapon>' as the weapon falls down.
It would be one of the 'OOC humour IC's.

[theebie]

Heh, I forgot you had 4 arms like a mantis. If you ever fight a mantis, try disarming it. I don't like this idea. Disarm is powerful enough by knocking it fifty feet away into the other room.

*hehe* did that
...all of the above
...'sides the thing of having four arms


:)

[Cuusardo]

I'm willing to suspend belief for some things in a fantasy setting...

...but not this one.  A person's reflexes would have to be insane to be able to do this.

[Bebop]

I'm willing to suspend belief for some things in a fantasy setting...

...but not this one.  A person's reflexes would have to be insane to be able to do this.

Specially if they are already holding two blades.

[Sholdyn]

kung-fu guys do that all the time

I imagine there is much trickery afoot in those movie scenes. Plus, they usually don't have weapons in their hands at the time. Plus, the people they do it to are usually just anonymous henchmen and you can get those guys to do any stupid thing you like.

Plus, I don't think anyone on Zalanthas knows Kung-fu.

[jhunter]

All my characters do.  :wink:  You just try and fight one of my merchants sometime. :shock:

[Ritley]

No. I am quite sure I could do it for IRL and trust me, I'm not a master warrior. I can do Tae Kwondo, but I'm not sure if I'd say I was amazing. A master warrior -is- amazing, so they should be able to do it.  Half the time they develop their own martial arts. I know my characters did anyway, and a master warrior can do amazing things. Better than catching a disarmed weapon. They can deflect arrows for kraths sake.  I think we should implement it.

[EvilRoeSlade]

Disarm is already too powerful, with next to no lag and the ability to permanently cripple your opponent's fighting potential (if you're willing to twink, anyway).

[WarriorPoet]

disarm ; emote whacks at %duder wrist and does some other generic disarm emoting.

You deftly knock a bone sword from duder's hands.

emote Shrieking in triumph, @ leaps for %duder fallen weapon, nearly dropping his own club as he clutches at the blade; get sword

Duder attacks you as you bend to pick something up, doing horrendous damage to your ass.

change hands etwo ep; wield sword; say (swinging club and sword at ~duder as he shakes his head, seeming slightly dazed from the blow) You're in a bunch of shit now!

I vaguelly remember someone saying this was 'Bad', but meh. Seems like a viable substitute for this idea, to me. If you can disarm, wait out the command-lag, grab their sword AND survive the combat bonus they get when you stop to retrieve, I figure it would be fine. After all, you knocked their sword away, right? You dealt with the coded penalties, lag and retrieval, right? Seems it's fair game for anyone to snatch up.

I'm not much of a disarmer, though. I use bash, bitch.

-WP

[Larrath]

It's possible to kick something out of someone's hand and grab it from the air.  I've lucked out and done it once when someone had some wooden rubberband-gun contraption aimed at me.

However, I don't think this would sit very well with the game balance.

[Ritley]

But it would be well cool.

[EvilRoeSlade]

I vaguelly remember someone saying this was 'Bad', but meh. Seems like a viable substitute for this idea, to me. If you can disarm, wait out the command-lag, grab their sword AND survive the combat bonus they get when you stop to retrieve, I figure it would be fine. After all, you knocked their sword away, right? You dealt with the coded penalties, lag and retrieval, right? Seems it's fair game for anyone to snatch up.

Most people don't bother to free their hand when picking up a weapon, unlike in your example.

[Cuusardo]

I've seen very few, if any PCs who fought with one weapon and an empty hand.  Most people go two weapon style, or weapon and shield style.  How are you supposed to catch a third object with no free hands?

[EvilRoeSlade]

I've seen very few, if any PCs who fought with one weapon and an empty hand.  Most people go two weapon style, or weapon and shield style.  How are you supposed to catch a third object with no free hands?

That's exactly what I'm saying.  If you're wielding one weapon in two hands and you change to one hand, -then- pick up the dropped weapon, and then wield it in your secondary hand and proceed to dual wield then perhaps it kind of makes sense.  Otherwise you're just abusing the code.

[Tamarin]

I'm so vehemently against this proposition, I don't know what else to say except "no".  Warriors just...are fine the way they are.

[Ghost]

Well, disarm is one very abusable and cheesy skill already.  Why are we trying to make it more cheesy?

[Maybe42or54]

Ritley. If you can wield two weapons and catch a third after knocking it skillfully away, and not fumble and get yourself killed, I will pay you a thousand dollars.

[Tamarin]

Ritley. If you can wield two weapons and catch a third after knocking it skillfully away, and not fumble and get yourself killed, I will pay you a thousand dollars.

Aaaaand I've found the newest addition to my sig.  It shall replace my horrendous pic.

[Anael]

How are you supposed to catch a third object with no free hands?

Teeth.

[Cenghiz]

Err.. a bit addition? Let's say your opponent is wielding a sword and a longknife. You're wielding two swords.
Your opponent disarms your weapon to 'up', drops his knife, then emotes grabbing the weapon he disarmed in the air and holds it.
I won't care if someone emotes this to me.
....
But an addition to disarm? No need.. As seen above, it can be emoted out when the conditions are right.

[Gaare]

Well, disarm is one very abusable and cheesy skill already. Why are we trying to make it more cheesy?

Mostly explains what I think on that matter.

Seeing of spamming of "disarm;get all" stiill frustruates me. I do not think we need any other command that helps to those who think ARM is something about winning, beating monsters, PKing many, insulting others, playing most powerful character ever, etc.. I do not see why such an addition gives any more roleplaying opportunities then it is now.

Edit: Smoothing.

[jhunter]

Contrary to other people, I don't think the disarm skill is cheesy or overpowered. I don't think anything needs to be added to it either. I think it's just fine like it is.

[Cuusardo]

I don't understand following up a disarm by grabbing the weapon off the ground either.  If you knocked the weapon out of your opponent's hand, it didn't just fall right at your feet.  It flew in who knows what direction.  Not to mention, YOU ARE STILL BUSY FIGHTING.   :shock:

[Rindan]

I don't understand following up a disarm by grabbing the weapon off the ground either.  If you knocked the weapon out of your opponent's hand, it didn't just fall right at your feet.  It flew in who knows what direction.  Not to mention, YOU ARE STILL BUSY FIGHTING.   :shock:

There is nothing unrealistic about knocking away a guys weapon then diving for it.  Sheathe one of your weapons and typing 'get weapon' is pretty much fair game.  Sure, you are busy fighting, but the code takes this into account penalizes you when you go for their weapon.  Don't like the idea of having your weapon taken in the middle of a battle?  Carry more weapons.  I don't know about you, but nothing would bring a bigger smile to my face then getting my weapon knocked out of my hand, having the other dumb bastard for it giving me a few free whacks, then drawing the other knife I had stashed away.  That leaves me still armed and the other guy bleeding good and proper for reaching for a weapon on the ground in the middle of a fight.

[Maybe42or54]

Well, disarm is one very abusable and cheesy skill already. Why are we trying to make it more cheesy?

Mostly explains what I think on that matter.

Seeing of spamming of "disarm;get all" stiill frustruates me.

That's why you carry a lot of feathers into battle. Drop them as you go.

Then when they disarm: get all

Code Select Expand

Someone attacks the twink as he stops to pick something up.
Twink gets a feather.
Someone attacks the twink as he stops to pick something up.
Twink gets a feather.
Someone attacks the twink as he stops to pick something up.
Twink gets a feather.
Someone attacks the twink as he stops to pick something up.
Twink gets a feather.
Someone attacks the twink as he stops to pick something up.
Twink gets a feather.
Someone attacks the twink as he stops to pick something up.
Twink gets a feather.

[Kalden]

Sheathe one of your weapons and typing 'get weapon' is pretty much fair game.

Who really sheathes one of their weapons first?  :wink:

[joyofdiscord]

Just because it helps in these sort of recurring (and recurring (and recurring)) discussions to remember that there -has- been at least one IMM who's weighed in with their opinion, before rampant accusations of twinkery get thrown around:
From this thread.

Last word I heard on this "disarm;get sword" is a huge nono. That is, if you don't have a free hand to pick up the other weapon if I remember right.

I have no problem with "disarm; get sword", personally. You take an appropriate amount of risk when you dive for a weapon on the ground for me to consider this perfectly acceptable play. And I don't consider it either an unrealistic tactic (ie. it makes sense wanting to have your opponent's weapon), nor do I consider it an unrealistic physical possibility (ie., I can conceive of situations where I could take my opponent's weapon from them during the battle)

-- X

[Ritley]

lol. You would only be able to do it if you have a second hand free. This would encourage players to use one weapon instead of two or a shield style.

[Anael]

You mean with a weapon etwo'ed? That occupies both hands in most cases, unless emoted otherwise (and there's no hardcoded way to find out if you do emote it as a one handed style or not).

Disarm is fine as it is.

[Aldiel]

I like the idea, but it should only be possible if your character is unarmed or wielding a single weapon or shield.  It would give reason to wield one arm as apposed to two, something that is far more common in RL then IG.

[theebie]

I've seen very few, if any PCs who fought with one weapon and an empty hand.  Most people go two weapon style, or weapon and shield style.  How are you supposed to catch a third object with no free hands?

That's exactly what I'm saying.  If you're wielding one weapon in two hands and you change to one hand, -then- pick up the dropped weapon, and then wield it in your secondary hand and proceed to dual wield then perhaps it kind of makes sense.  Otherwise you're just abusing the code.

make it possible only if you have one hand free ? how about that ?:)

edit: hehe, just read the thread to the end and saw that someoneelse already suggested.

[Moofassa]

Seems a little farfetched to me.. even for a fantasy game. I myself am a gold-sash, ninth degree in Wing Chun Kung-fu. I could probably snatch someones weapon from their hand, but doubtful that I could slam it from their hands, causing it to fly towards the ground at fairly high speeds, and then grab it....



How about a "snatch" command. Instead of a disarm-->grab, it's simply snatch.

Code Select Expand

>snatch
You attempt to snatch the smelly old mans cane from his hands, missing horribly, leaving your wrist open.

Something like snatch seems a little more realistic to me.

[Ritley]

Seems a little farfetched to me.. even for a fantasy game. I myself am a gold-sash, ninth degree in Wing Chun Kung-fu. I could probably snatch someones weapon from their hand, but doubtful that I could slam it from their hands, causing it to fly towards the ground at fairly high speeds, and then grab it....



How about a "snatch" command. Instead of a disarm-->grab, it's simply snatch.

Code Select Expand

>snatch
You attempt to snatch the smelly old mans cane from his hands, missing horribly, leaving your wrist open.


Something like snatch seems a little more realistic to me.

Fine. Perhaps a snatch command then. However if we had this who would use disarm?

[Morrolan]

People who hadn't branched snatch yet.

[Maybe42or54]

How about a "snatch" command. Instead of a disarm-->grab, it's simply snatch.

Code Select Expand

>snatch
You attempt to snatch the smelly old mans cane from his hands, missing horribly, leaving your wrist open.

Something like snatch seems a little more realistic to me.

I'd rather not, just so I don't see this...

Code Select Expand

>snatch
You attempt to snatch the smelly old mans jagged-edged obsidian warsword from his hands, grabbing the blade by the.. blade, you now control the sword.

[theebie]

I'd rather not, just so I don't see this...

>snatch
You attempt to snatch the smelly old mans jagged-edged obsidian warsword from his hands, grabbing the blade by the.. blade, you now control the sword.

You attempt to snatch the smelly old mans jagged-edged obsidian warsword from his hands, using your blade to push his to the side and ripping it off his hands at the hilt, you now control the sword.

go watch a jet-li movie, man :)

[Cuusardo]

Hollywood has its own magicks.  Bruce Lee couldn't even do the stuff some people are suggesting here.

[Seeker]

Don't short-sell Bruce Lee, babe.  Never.


Seeker

[Cuusardo]

I'm not short selling him, believe me.  I just don't think that he could snatch a weapon out of someone else's hand when his own were full.  

I also don't think he could fly through the air from tree to tree, chasing after someone else who was doing the same thing.  Bruce Lee was THE man (and Jackie Chan comes a close second) but they're still human.

[Moofassa]

I'm not short selling him, believe me.  I just don't think that he could snatch a weapon out of someone else's hand when his own were full.

D'uh, you'd have to have a free hand, most likely your primary one too.

*smacks cuusardo*

And as for the not believe Bruce Lee.
I can snatch things from peoples hands when im sparring, but I need to hit them hard enough to stun them first, or severly thwack their wrists..... more complicated than you think.

[Intrepid]

Fencing really changes your view toward armed combat.  Hollywood has
really poisoned our minds when it comes to views on melee fighting,
leading many to believe that an incoming hand to grab a weapon is
faster and has superior reach over the whip of a blade, which is an even
simpler manuver than a parry and places the would-be victim in a
position where he/she could riposte, which is a followup strike--usually a
thrust.

In other words...you shouldn't have a hand if you attempt this.  Even
against the wielder of a longknife, your reach isn't far enough to justify
trying this move unless you're absolutely desperate and have no other
choice, such as having lost your weapon.  But even if you somehow
reached the weapon hand, your hand is vulnerable to being sliced up to
the extent that you won't get another opportunity to try.

For the curious, I would suggest watching footage of fencing matches
sometime.  The speed at which many of these individuals move, even at
a mediocre level, is a good indicator of what someone trying to grab a
weapon with their hands would be up against.

[Cuusardo]

Fencing is HARD!  I tried the half-baked version that they have at Ren Fest, and I lost badly.  Swinging a rapier isn't as easy as it looks, especially when you have to keep one hand behind your back at all times.  

I won't even get into how hard it was for me to just pick up the bigger swords and such that they have on display there in other booths.  Bone weapons are lighter than metal, but I'm sure obsidian ones would be pretty close to that kind of weight.  The best I could manage comfortably was a shortsword, and I didn't even get the chance to try one in each hand, or holding a shield with it.

Staves, on the other hand, I used to be pretty good with.  I used to have a bamboo staff, and that was pretty challenging at first.  Very light, hurts like hell when it hits, but it at least 90% of the time it occupies both hands.  Unfortunately the staff I have now is solid oak, and it's a lot heavier and unwieldy.

I think if you've never picked up a melee weapon before, it's definitely worth giving a try.  It can give you great insight on how to emote combat stuff.

[Intrepid]

Fencing is HARD! I tried the half-baked version that they have at Ren Fest, and I lost badly. Swinging a rapier isn't as easy as it looks, especially when you have to keep one hand behind your back at all times.

Makes me want to take it up for real, though.

It's a really humbling experience, believe me.  I had so many welts in
college that people thought my SO was abusing me.  Nevertheless, it's
a great way to exercise your reflexes and awareness.

[Ghost]

My aikido teacher snatched a sword off my hands once.  Probably I could have kept the weapon if I really wanted, but... Well, I was swinging the sword in a half-assed way and ..oh... did I mention it was a wooden sword?

To be honest, I don't think we should have anything like it.  Zalanthan way of fight is not some kind of martial art that is both effective and aesthetic.  It is just the brutal way of fight.

[Intrepid]

That's just it though--you said you were swinging it in a half-assed way.
It takes only a change in angle to skewer in incoming hand when they're
reaching for you, and the reach of a weapon gives a significant advantage
unless you opponent has extremely long arms.

[Moofassa]

Kung-Fu Explanation as to how rediculously difficult a snatch would be for an alert attacker who is moderatly skilled.

This is brief.. and hard to explain unless I showed someone BUT!

1. I dodge to the right side of a thrust attack, ie, a dagger or sword. So the weapon is now to my left side, preferably low chest to abdomen height.
2. My left elbow goes down towards their weapon-arm elbow in a heavy chopping motion.
3. My other elbow slams into their chest in what is called a Lan-sao.

This all leaves their weapon arm either broken from number 2, or severly disabled, while #3 knocks them back and attempts to wind them, allowing me sufficient time to finish the disarm.

NOW! If i were to execute that properly, I would probably only succeed in disarming them, and continuing to pummel them.

The only way I would be able to "Snatch" would be to, forget #3 and try to disable the arm with one motion, snatching with the other, which would require REDICULOUSLY fast movements, which would probably result in the attacker flicking their wrist and slicing my hand off.


I actually went and tried this with my sifu for you guys. That's the best I can explain as to why it wouldn't really work.

[Maybe42or54]

1. I dodge to the right side of a thrust attack, ie, a dagger or sword. So the weapon is now to my left side, preferably low chest to abdomen height.
2. My left elbow goes down towards their weapon-arm elbow in a heavy chopping motion.
3. My other elbow slams into their chest in what is called a Lan-sao.

The main problem. Most pcs aren't trained in Kung-fu. They are taught by failure.

[Moofassa]

Agreed. Which is an obvious addition to the negative side of a snatch command. Unless they implemented a martial arts guild. NEVER! NEVER!

[Anonymous]

i would also be hesitant to call myself an "amazing" martial artist, but three separate people on 3 separate occasions have called me that very word, amazing.  So these words are emerging from the horse's mouth.

I have a silver-9th sash (green sequin) in jiu jitsu, and my martial artist instructor and I have practised skills like this on a regular basis.  It takes a lot of practise, and when you start to use real blades -- we use rusty ones at first to prevent the cuts -- iti can become extremely dangerous.  The point is that it's hard to do, and here's why

my sensei used to scream at me when he was doing it as well, making it difficult to concentrate.  Imagine you are on zalanthas ... dust is flying into your hair, your cloak is coming up over your face, and you're sliding down a 10 ft dune, and your kank is out of stamina.  These are a lot of distractions for your everyday warrior.

if you put your arm out it will get slapped.  and on zalanthas, that slap is going to come from a claw or an axe.  you don't want to disarm it.

-Chris

[Ritley]

Kung-Fu Explanation as to how rediculously difficult a snatch would be for an alert attacker who is moderatly skilled.

This is brief.. and hard to explain unless I showed someone BUT!

1. I dodge to the right side of a thrust attack, ie, a dagger or sword. So the weapon is now to my left side, preferably low chest to abdomen height.
2. My left elbow goes down towards their weapon-arm elbow in a heavy chopping motion.
3. My other elbow slams into their chest in what is called a Lan-sao.

This all leaves their weapon arm either broken from number 2, or severly disabled, while #3 knocks them back and attempts to wind them, allowing me sufficient time to finish the disarm.

NOW! If i were to execute that properly, I would probably only succeed in disarming them, and continuing to pummel them.

The only way I would be able to "Snatch" would be to, forget #3 and try to disable the arm with one motion, snatching with the other, which would require REDICULOUSLY fast movements, which would probably result in the attacker flicking their wrist and slicing my hand off.


I actually went and tried this with my sifu for you guys. That's the best I can explain as to why it wouldn't really work.

Their is different ways you know. We don't use weapons in Tae Kwondo, but we are taught to deal with them. We use a inward or outward crescent kick, and if done at the right angle sends a weapon not only away, but up in the air enabling you to catch it.You'd have to be very fast, and skilled though.

[Cenghiz]

Forgive me Ritley, the attack you mentioned didn't seem possible to me... I've been trained in nunhacku for long.. I had some spar matches with people who perform different martial arts. Never anyone unarmed dared disarming me.. a nunhacku is much less wieldy than a bo staff or a sword, but any unarmed opponent with brainz would remain defensive, because they're normally told to do so... You do not leap forward and kick at the sword, you wait till the victim gets unbalanced, then attempt a punch at the shoulder (weak point), biceps (numbs the arm) or if you're lucky, armpits (dislocates the shoulder).
Only in Holywood films people try a kick at a weapon and only in Holywood films someone is stupid enough not to dodge backwards or... Y'know, with a nunhacku it's usual practice to swing at the arms and legs as soon as the opponent moves, I believe someone trained in Kendo could swing directly forward more swiftly then I can with a nunhacku.
Kicks may be three times stronger than fists, but still legs are not faster than arms. I've read the description of defence Moofassa mentioned and found it really possible.. But kicking at a weapon? Your leg would possibly hurt so badly for a few days.

[Ghost]

But kicking at a weapon? Your leg would possibly hurt so badly for a few days.

Or probably you would not have to carry a leg anymore.

[Tarx]

If I understand the code correctly, the more you do anything, the better you get at it, after failed attempts and stuff.  Not all Zalanthans are warriors or well-trained by any art of fighting, and not all should have a maxed-out disarm skill...nor will all employers train their guards/soldiers/etc. towards disarming/snatching weapons out of the air as a way to end combat more quickly.

I think that adding a "snatch" skill is not going to be very realistic or even especially useful.  In my opinion, I do not think most would have the luxury of wasting time (in single combat or at uneven odds) on trying to steal the weapon from their opponent--they would be more worried about either disarming them or simply beating back attacks, or landing critical blows on their opponent.  

I can try and explain why.  If a person gets into a combat situation and they have no combat experience or very little, they will NOT be focusing on trying to snatch a weapon from their opponent.  They'll try to do anything to win or get away alive.  If a person had some combat experience and training, they may attempt to disarm an opponent that is obviously lesser skilled or weaker or slower...but faced against a quicker, stronger, or more skilled opponent?  They should know better than trying something fancier.  A very skilled and talented warrior/combat trained character would perhaps consider something fancy like snatching the opponent's weapon, but only if the opponent had no chance of winning.

Fancy crap gets you killed...even disarm will get you killed if you pick the wrong opponent.

[Moofassa]

I don't think I would ever want to kick at a weapon, my legs are much slower than the fattest mans arms. If i even wanted to raise my leg that high against an armed oppononent, I wouldnt be kicking for his weapon. It would tak -atleast- ... lets say a quarter to a half of a second to move my foot up to his weapon, at which time, even if he was off balance, my foot would be gone with a flick of his wrist and the combination of my kicking power.

[Intrepid]

Their is different ways you know. We don't use weapons in Tae Kwondo, but we are taught to deal with them. We use a inward or outward crescent kick, and if done at the right angle sends a weapon not only away, but up in the air enabling you to catch it.You'd have to be very fast, and skilled though.

I asked my Korean friend this morning about this, since he's a Red belt
practicing for Black in traditional Tae Kwon Do.  The crescent kick has a
number of uses, but apparently disarming a skilled melee assailant is
still considered a bad idea unless they're a lot slower than you.

[Larrath]

Can someone please explain to me why we're discussing martial arts here?

I thought it was agreed, a long time ago, that while it's physically possible (though hard) to disarm an opponent empty-handed, it will make trouble in the game in terms of balance.  Just imagine a mantis NPC, without lag, dual-wielding scimitars and stealing both of your weapons to do quadrapule attacks on you while you're still lagged from your last failed kick.
Or, in opposite, kicking a weapon out of a mantis' hand when the mantis has an extra arm to deflect your kick.

It is possible to grab someone's weapon, especially if they come at you with it.  There are probably dozens of defenses against knife-stabs, for example, that end with the assailant having their arm broken.

It's simply not the point.  It should also be possible to kick sand into people's faces and blind them temporarily, and possibly make them choke by inhaling the sand.  It would also alter the game balance.  It should be able to take an argosy and run over an entire army of half-giants, but do you actually want this to happen in the game?
Because next time there's war between Allanak and Tuluk, you could bet your life on it ending with an argosy running over everyone in sight.

[Moofassa]

We were using martial arts to prove why it would be a BAD thing to implement onto Armageddon.

[Larrath]

We were using martial arts to prove why it would be a BAD thing to implement onto Armageddon.

Well, that's just beside the point.  So no use bragging about your fifth degree (to the power of Kpow!) black belts.  Heh.

Game balance trumps reality.  This is why elementalists don't really have combat skills even if they discover their abilities very late at life.  This is why you can't codedly push people onto the spiked railing in the Allanaki Arena to deliver very serious damage.  This is why it's possible for a group of ten humans wielding obsidian weapons to kill something like a silt horror.

This whole discussion is meh.
Meh!

Playability.  Balance.

[Moofassa]

Jealous And it's Gold-sash in kung-fu. Black belt is karate, and nowadays karate is poo.



I'm with you though, I agree with the whole balance thing.



Hiiiii-yah!

[Larrath]

There are two marks of a new or unskilled participant, and this is true for almost everything.

At first, you have the "My X is better than your X" phase.  Karate is better than Kong-Foot.  Karate is better than Judo.  MUDs are an exception since, like, the whole "we are the best mud" is like the core of each MUD's society.  Or something.

And then you have the recruitment phase.  If someone invites you to join them at almost any activity that you haven't been active in before (that is, a mudder inviting a non-mudder to their MUD), you can tell they're among the weakest folk there.

And Karate isn't poo, you twink.  Get over here so one of my characters can bitch-slap your character again!
Anyway, with this bit of interesting wisdom (or whatever), I leave this here thread.

[Intrepid]

Actually, you'll find that none of the individuals discussing the thread
currently brought up martial arts; we furthered the example because
someone else brought up martial arts as a reason they could disarm an
armed assailant.

[Ritley]

Forgive me Ritley, the attack you mentioned didn't seem possible to me... I've been trained in nunhacku for long.. I had some spar matches with people who perform different martial arts. Never anyone unarmed dared disarming me.. a nunhacku is much less wieldy than a bo staff or a sword, but any unarmed opponent with brainz would remain defensive, because they're normally told to do so... You do not leap forward and kick at the sword, you wait till the victim gets unbalanced, then attempt a punch at the shoulder (weak point), biceps (numbs the arm) or if you're lucky, armpits (dislocates the shoulder).
Only in Holywood films people try a kick at a weapon and only in Holywood films someone is stupid enough not to dodge backwards or... Y'know, with a nunhacku it's usual practice to swing at the arms and legs as soon as the opponent moves, I believe someone trained in Kendo could swing directly forward more swiftly then I can with a nunhacku.
Kicks may be three times stronger than fists, but still legs are not faster than arms. I've read the description of defence Moofassa mentioned and found it really possible.. But kicking at a weapon? Your leg would possibly hurt so badly for a few days.

You kick at the wrist not the weapon. May not be as fast punches, but they don't have to be.  Your making this sound impossible, but it's not. It's really anoyying.

[HardCarbon]

My teacher told me (after teaching us a few disarms.)

"A disarm is accidental if incidental."

Ie  you take it and know the move but don't push for it.

Forgive me Ritley, the attack you mentioned didn't seem possible to me... I've been trained in nunhacku for long.. I had some spar matches with people who perform different martial arts. Never anyone unarmed dared disarming me.. a nunhacku is much less wieldy than a bo staff or a sword, but any unarmed opponent with brainz would remain defensive, because they're normally told to do so... You do not leap forward and kick at the sword, you wait till the victim gets unbalanced, then attempt a punch at the shoulder (weak point), biceps (numbs the arm) or if you're lucky, armpits (dislocates the shoulder).
Only in Holywood films people try a kick at a weapon and only in Holywood films someone is stupid enough not to dodge backwards or... Y'know, with a nunhacku it's usual practice to swing at the arms and legs as soon as the opponent moves, I believe someone trained in Kendo could swing directly forward more swiftly then I can with a nunhacku.
Kicks may be three times stronger than fists, but still legs are not faster than arms. I've read the description of defence Moofassa mentioned and found it really possible.. But kicking at a weapon? Your leg would possibly hurt so badly for a few days.

You kick at the wrist not the weapon. May not be as fast punches, but they don't have to be.  Your making this sound impossible, but it's not. It's really anoyying.

[Tarx]

You kick at the wrist not the weapon. May not be as fast punches, but they don't have to be. Your making this sound impossible, but it's not. It's really anoyying.

I'll bite on that one--I think it is possible to do it in real life, Ritley.  I just don't think it's very plausible or useful in real life--or in the game.  You'd have to depend so much on so many variables that you would be guaranteed success only a small percentage of the time.  (You'd want it to work a lot more than that in either situation.)  Coding such a thing in a realistic way would be awful, as Larrath and others have said--it's a playability issue.

If we're going to debate what works and does not work in real life with martial arts stuff, then I hope this thread will be well on its way to locked.

[Cuusardo]

I only brought up Bruce Lee to back up my opinion, which I've stated already.

[Recharge]

I dont think any form of martial arts fits in with the game very well. Just my two 'sid.

[Anael]

Some groups...blahblah....as well as training in grappling and unarmed combat. Suspected practitioners of these styles are also known to be very acrobatic, capable of performing maneuvers that, if anticipated, might be considered flashy and inefficient, but when used on those unfamiliar with them, have the useful effect of possibly surprising them into inaction for a crucial split-second.

[Agent_137]

"possible" or not, I don't think this is really necessary. we have disarm. if you have the skills, you can disarm some one's greatsword with a shiv, and knock it into the next room. Why do you want more? I think it's pretty zalanthanian that if you don't have a weapon you run the fuck away. I think that's pretty accurate and pretty awesome. Leave it at that, eh?

[Intrepid]

The key term there is still "flashy but inefficient", much like Hollywood
fighting.