Fett’s Grappling Revision

Song of Swords does sword fighting right. Let’s help it do grappling right.

Major Changes:
-Grappling is a bit more dangerous.
-Grappling has, hopefully, a more logical flow (clinches don’t “auto-break”)
-The 1.9.4 instant-death throw is revised
-Some of the actions are revised to be more sensible (examples include changes from trap
and pin).
-Move flow chart will likely be included in a later version.
-Balances to Talents to come.

All changes to existing, and otherwise unbroken rules will be highlighted in red.

If the move is new or sufficiently changed to only barely resemble the original version
the move name will be highlighted in red.

Using weapons in Clinch/Guard situations

1. The Grappling at the Sword talent requires revision. Instead, this talent
should reduce the range penalty of any weapon medium-ranged or longer
used within a clinch by [2].
2. Unarmed attacks: Both the clinch and grapple are actually advantageous to
someone avoiding being struck. Therefore activation costs of all unarmored
maneuvers (except striking with the Knee, Elbow or Kick strikes to the leg)
have their TN is increased by +1. As mentioned in the previous sentence,
Knee strikes and Kicks aimed at legs are not hindered by the clinch. Also,
those who are in Guard
3. Short Range Weapons: As long as the arm is not Trapped or Pinned any
weapons with Short length or shorter are uninhibited. They still pay range
penalties (for Half-Arm length) until the clinch/guard is resolved. They
continue to remain the most lethal option within a clinch/guard.
4. Medium Length (and longer) Weapons: The nature of a clinch/guard
necessarily precludes a strike or thrust from a larger weapon. The user isn’t
entirely at a disadvantage, however, as the weapon provides incredible
leverage to certain maneuvers. A medium length or longer weapon cannot
use striking or thrusting maneuvers except for Pommel Strike or Butt Strike
with the TN of these maneuvers increased by +1. However the following
maneuvers: Choke and Limb-Break have their TN reduced by 1. Note, there
are some advantages that being in Mount provides which eliminates some of
these restrictions.

The Clinch
A clinch refers to a maneuver in which the fighter rapidly closes the distance
between his opponent and attempts to grapple either using holds on the torso (like a
bear hug), under arms, or manipulating the back of the opponent’s neck (a collar-
tie). When the clinch is initiated by the clinch maneuver the two combatants will
either be in:

Clinch (Advantage)
Clinch (Disadvantage)

Like blade-fighting, the clinch can vacillate between advantage and disadvantage.
However, even the fighter with a disadvantage has the potential to attack if he
pleases. This will be repeated later in the document, but any non-defensive
maneuver that someone in Clinch (Disadvantage) attempts has its activation cost
increased by 1 (this includes moves with no activation cost).

Clinch Maneuvers-
Offensive (Those at Clinch Disadvantage may use these maneuvers at +1 Activation
Cost):
-Trap
-Limb-Break or Choke (if appropriate body part was previously trapped)
-Punch, kick, elbow, or knee strike (+1 TN to punches or kicks above the
legs)
-Strike or thrust with weapon with reach short length or shorter. (Weapons
medium length or longer cannot strike or thrust unless a maneuver would shorten
their range is used (such as halfswording)
-Pommel Strike/Butt Strike
-Throw (the attacker will be able to decide if he wants to throw to ground,
sending the fight into either Guard or Mount depending on the level of success, or
simply throw the enemy down)

Defensive:
-Clinch Defense (May be used as a Quick Defense option)
 -Clinch Reversal (This will be a more difficult defensive option that grants
you the advantage on
-Clinch Break (You can automatically break a clinch if you have Clinch
Advantage)
-Parry: With any weapon ranged Short of less.
-Block: You may only block if your shield is a buckler.
-Arm Parry

Here is the general flow of a clinch.

1. Attacker initiates a clinch.
2. Defender can choose to void/block/parry as usual.
3. If the attacker is successful the Clinch begins. The attacker counts as having
Clinch (Advantage) and may follow up with an immediate move with bonus
successes per the move description.

[Clinch Maneuver Descriptions will go here.]

Remaining ideas to type out:

So here's how fighting on the ground works.

-It's initiated by a Takedown maneuver. It'll need some rewording, but it'll work similarly to the
Clinch. It's a high-risk high reward maneuver.

If you fuck up on a takedown, you end up prone. Your opponent does not. This is in addition to a
successful parry/block dealing you damage.

-If the attacker succeeds the Takedown proceeds to Guard. Both the attacker and defender are in
Guard.

-From guard the attacker has a few options:

1. Get up. No penalty. He can stand (probably at a brief CP cost to do it instantly) as his action. A
takedown-stand would essentially be a tackle.
2. Attempt to advance from Guard to Mount.
3. Attack with the following attacks:
-Punch (simple punch) resolved at +1 TN (your leverage is shit from guard)
-Trap/Pin/Limb Break (at normal TN)
-Thrust with a weapon of Short length or shorter, or strike at +1TN.
-Pay 2 CP to posture up and follow through with a strike from a weapon that is medium length-
short length. Strike is resolved at the normal striking TN.
-From guard the defender can:
1. Block/arm block (but NOT parry)
2. Slip out- pretty much as written, but it will be more difficult to do. Probably resolving at TN 7.
3. Reverse- A difficult defense at TN 8 with the reward of being able to immediately gain
advantage as you now roll on top.
4. If the opponent attempts to advance to Mount, you can Defend Guard (prevent him from
climbing further up past your hips, basically).
5. Strike in exactly the same way as the person on top (you can't posture up, however) with +1
TN (so you could always try to punch from the defensive position, or even stab, but you have less
leverage).

Mount
This is very bad for the defender. Once in Mount, the person with the advantage (attacker) can do
the following things:
1. Submission- Traps/Pins (I'll probably just consolidate this into one move), Chokes, and Limb
Breaks resolve at -1 TN.
2. The attacker may Coup de Grace. This is fucking LETHAL.
3. He may strike or thrust as though he is automatically postured up (so with weapons Medium
Length or smaller) with +2 bonus dice to any attack from the leverage.

The defender is at a massive disadvantage and really may only:

-Block/arm block a strike/thrust
-Force against a lock/choke/limb break
-Scream as they get coup de grace'd

Lastly the defender might attempt to Slip out. The TN for Slip out is 8 when they are in Mount. It
sucks to be in mount if you're on the bottom.
Whatever you do, defend guard.