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Unarmed Combat

by Jason J. Carter

Introduction

Unarmed combat in Shadowrun can often feel less rewarding than armed combat, despite the significant skill and attribute investment required. This article provides expanded rules and options for unarmed combat to make it a more viable and interesting choice for characters.

Basic Unarmed Combat Review

The basic rules for unarmed combat are straightforward:

  • Base damage: (STR)M Stun
  • Attacks use the Unarmed Combat skill
  • Combat Pool can be used normally
  • No reach advantage (Reach 0)

These rules work but don’t reflect the variety and effectiveness of real martial arts. The following optional rules address this.

Martial Arts Styles

Characters with the Martial Arts skill can choose specific styles that provide different benefits and maneuvers. Each style has a rating from 1-6, representing the character’s mastery.

To learn a martial art, a character must first have Unarmed Combat skill at rating 3 or higher. The martial art is then purchased as a separate skill using normal skill costs. Multiple martial arts can be learned, but each requires separate skill investment.

Common Martial Arts Styles

Aikido
Emphasis: Throws, joint locks, defensive techniques
Benefits: +1 reach when defending, may use attacker’s successes against them on counter-attacks

Boxing
Emphasis: Punches, footwork, defensive bobbing and weaving
Benefits: +1 die to Damage Resistance tests against unarmed attacks, +1 to initiative when fighting unarmed

Capoeira
Emphasis: Kicks, acrobatics, unpredictability
Benefits: May substitute Athletics skill for Unarmed Combat on attacks, +1 reach with kicks

Jeet Kune Do
Emphasis: Adaptability, interception, economy of motion
Benefits: May split Combat Pool between attack and defense without penalty, -1 to opponent’s Combat Pool when they defend

Judo
Emphasis: Throws, grappling, leverage
Benefits: Opposed tests for throws use Judo rating instead of Strength, +2 dice to grappling attempts

Karate
Emphasis: Strikes, blocks, kata
Benefits: Unarmed attacks do +1 damage level (M to S, S to D), +1 die when blocking melee attacks

Krav Maga
Emphasis: Brutal efficiency, weapon disarms, multiple opponents
Benefits: Called shots to disable limbs at only +2 TN instead of +4, -1 penalty per additional opponent (normally -2)

Kung Fu
Emphasis: Varied techniques, animal styles, pressure points
Benefits: Choose one maneuver from any other style, may target pressure points (special called shot)

Muay Thai
Emphasis: Knees, elbows, clinch fighting
Benefits: Unarmed attacks do +1 power level (M to S, S to D), may attack while grappling without penalty

Savate
Emphasis: Kicks, footwork, French flair
Benefits: +2 reach with kicks, may make kick attacks without balance penalty when in poor footing

Tae Kwon Do
Emphasis: High kicks, speed, flashy techniques
Benefits: +2 reach with kicks, +1 to initiative when using kicks

Wrestling
Emphasis: Takedowns, pins, ground control
Benefits: +3 dice to grappling and subduing attempts, penalties for fighting on the ground reduced by half

Advanced Maneuvers

Characters with martial arts training can attempt special maneuvers. These require a martial arts skill rating of at least 3 unless otherwise noted. Each maneuver has specific requirements and effects.

Strike Maneuvers

Stunning Strike
Requirements: Martial Arts 3+
Action: Complex Action
Effect: Make a normal unarmed attack. If successful and damage exceeds target’s Body, target must make a Body (6) test or be stunned for (attacker’s net successes) Combat Turns.

Killing Hand
Requirements: Martial Arts 5+, Strength 5+
Action: Complex Action
Effect: Character may deal Deadly damage with unarmed strikes instead of Stun. This requires intense focus and deliberate intent - it cannot be done accidentally.

Nerve Strike
Requirements: Martial Arts 4+, Knowledge of pressure points
Action: Complex Action (Called Shot +4)
Effect: If attack hits, target must make a Body test against (attacker’s martial art rating) or suffer immediate paralysis of the struck limb for (net successes) minutes.

Defensive Maneuvers

Redirecting Defense
Requirements: Aikido or Jeet Kune Do 3+
Action: Free Action (declared when defending)
Effect: If defender gets more successes than attacker, may immediately make a free counter-attack using the difference as bonus dice.

Flow Like Water
Requirements: Any martial art 4+
Action: Free Action
Effect: Once per Combat Turn, character may completely avoid one attack by spending Combat Pool dice equal to half the attacker’s successes (round up). This represents perfect defensive movement rather than blocking.

Iron Palm Block
Requirements: Karate or Kung Fu 4+
Action: Free Action (when defending against melee weapon)
Effect: Character may block a melee weapon attack with their bare hands. This is treated as a normal defense, but the character’s unarmed attack power is used to contest the weapon’s damage if the weapon hits despite the defense.

Grappling Maneuvers

Submission Hold
Requirements: Judo, Wrestling, or Jujitsu 3+
Action: Complex Action (must already be grappling)
Effect: Make opposed test (martial art skill vs. target’s Strength or Escape Artist). If successful, target suffers (net successes) boxes of Moderate Stun damage each Combat Turn until they break free.

Throw
Requirements: Any martial art 2+
Action: Complex Action
Effect: Make opposed test (martial art vs. target’s Strength or Unarmed Combat). If successful, throw target (net successes) meters. Target takes falling damage if thrown into a hard surface or object.

Takedown
Requirements: Any grappling-focused martial art 2+
Action: Complex Action
Effect: Make opposed test. If successful, target is knocked prone. Defender may immediately follow up with a grapple attempt as a Free Action.

Movement Maneuvers

Flying Kick
Requirements: Capoeira, Tae Kwon Do, or similar 3+
Action: Complex Action
Effect: Character moves up to (Athletics rating) meters and makes a kick attack with +2 reach and +1 power. If attack misses, character must make Athletics (4) test or fall prone.

Spinning Techniques
Requirements: Any striking art 3+
Action: Complex Action
Effect: Character makes a sweeping attack that can hit all adjacent opponents. Make one attack roll; all adjacent opponents defend separately. -2 to attack due to the wild nature of the technique.

Leg Sweep
Requirements: Any martial art 2+
Action: Complex Action (Called Shot +2)
Effect: If successful, target must make an Athletics (4) test or fall prone. Damage is halved, but prone opponents suffer penalties.

Fighting Multiple Opponents

Unarmed fighters facing multiple opponents can use specific techniques to manage the threats:

Crowd Control: A character with Martial Arts 4+ can reduce the penalty for fighting multiple opponents by 1 per 2 full ranks in their martial art (minimum penalty of 0).

Use Opponents As Shields: When grappling an opponent, the character can use them as cover against other attackers. This provides +2 to all defense tests against ranged attacks and forces melee attackers to risk hitting their ally.

Create Space: A character can use a Complex Action to make an Athletics test to reposition themselves so they’re only facing one or two opponents at a time (GM discretion based on environment).

Unarmed vs. Armed Opponents

Fighting armed opponents while unarmed is dangerous but not impossible with proper training:

Weapon Disarm:
Requirements: Martial Arts 3+
Action: Complex Action (Called Shot +4)
Effect: Make opposed test (martial art vs. opponent’s weapon skill). If successful and net successes exceed 2, character disarms opponent and may take their weapon as a Free Action.

Weapon Defense:
Requirements: Martial Arts 3+
Effect: Character does not suffer the normal penalties for defending unarmed against melee weapons, but still cannot benefit from reach.

Closing the Distance:
Requirements: Martial Arts 2+
Effect: When an armed opponent has reach advantage, character may attempt to “close” by making opposed Athletics test. If successful, character moves inside weapon’s reach and negates reach advantage for remainder of combat (or until they move apart).

Cyberware and Unarmed Combat

Cyberware can significantly enhance unarmed combat effectiveness:

Hand Razors / Spurs / Blades: Change damage type to Lethal and increase damage by weapon rating. Still use Unarmed Combat skill.

Bone Lacing: Increases damage power by 1-2 levels depending on type. Turns damage to Lethal if using high-grade materials.

Muscle Replacement / Augmentation: Increases Strength, which improves damage and opposed tests.

Cyber-Limbs: Can be equipped with hidden weapons and have enhanced Strength ratings.

Adrenal Pump: Provides boost to Physical attributes when activated, improving both offense and defense.

When using cyber-enhancements, martial arts techniques still apply. A character with hand razors and Karate skill is devastating.

Adept Powers for Unarmed Combat

Physical Adepts can use powers to enhance unarmed combat:

Killing Hands: Allows character to deal Deadly damage with unarmed strikes.

Penetrating Strike: Reduces target’s Impact armor by (power level).

Smashing Blow: Increases damage power by (power level).

Iron Will (variant): Increases resistance to damage while in unarmed combat.

Distance Strike: Allows unarmed attacks at range by projecting ki.

These powers stack with martial arts training, making adepts among the most dangerous unarmed combatants.

Optional Rule: Combat Mastery

Characters with Martial Arts rating 6+ and 5+ years of training (GM discretion) may achieve Combat Mastery. This represents the pinnacle of martial achievement.

Benefits of Combat Mastery:

  • May learn advanced techniques from multiple styles
  • No longer suffers initiative penalties when outnumbered
  • May take Free Action counter-attacks once per Combat Turn
  • +1 to all Damage Resistance tests in unarmed combat
  • May substitute martial art rating for Willpower when resisting fear or intimidation in combat

Combat Mastery is rare and should be reserved for exceptional characters or NPCs.

Sample Character: Dragon

Dragon is a martial arts master who has trained in multiple styles:

  • Unarmed Combat: 6
  • Kung Fu: 6
  • Jeet Kune Do: 4
  • Strength: 5
  • Body: 6
  • Quickness: 6
  • Combat Pool: 12
  • Adept Powers: Killing Hands 2, Increased Reflexes 2

Dragon can deal (Strength + 1)D damage with his bare hands (base Strength 5M, +1 from Karate-style Kung Fu, +1 power level to Serious, +2 power from Killing Hands = 7D). With his high combat pool and multiple martial arts, he can handle most opponents with ease.

Against an armed opponent, Dragon uses his Kung Fu training to pressure points and his Jeet Kune Do to split his Combat Pool effectively. His Killing Hands power means he can punch through armor, and his high Quickness gives him superior initiative.

Dragon represents the peak of what an unarmed combatant can achieve in Shadowrun.

Summary

Unarmed combat can be just as effective as armed combat with proper training and investment. Martial arts provide variety and tactical options, while cyberware and adept powers provide raw power. A well-built unarmed fighter can hold their own against any opponent.

* I’ve seen a guy with bone lacing and titanium spurs take down a troll in full combat armor. Never underestimate an unarmed fighter with chrome and training.
* Street Doc

* Martial arts are great and all, but they require years of training. Most runners don’t have that kind of time. Slap some chrome in your fists and learn to punch - that’s the fast track.
* Impatient

* The real masters combine training and chrome. I know an adept who has cyber hands with bone lacing and 15 years of Kung Fu training. She can literally punch through walls and her technique is flawless. That’s the ideal.
* Perfectionist

* Don’t forget the psychological advantage. Most people see someone unarmed and think they’re not a threat. Then you close distance and break their arm before they can react. Surprise is your best weapon.
* Silent Death

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