User blog:ElizaCreststeel/Fisticuffs - A Skill Concept

Fisticuffs Skill
A pirate's life be pretty rough and tumble. Being able to protect yourself with or without a weapon can mean the difference between life and death. You need skill to hold your own in a pub brawl or the streets of Tortuga, let alone in the wilds or during a ship boarding. This skill teaches the pirate how to engage in hand-to-hand combat.

Quest
There is more than one way to be adept with your fists and feet. Indeed, among the many styles of martial arts, each can be quite effective when someone is well-trained. To hone your skill, you will learn techniques from some of the best brawlers in the Caribbean.

Your basic attack is a punch and kick combo, but as your skill improves, you can learn special attack abilities. To learn these moves and be guided to expanding your experise means working with a master:

Sao Feng (Kung Fu): Teaches Combo Moves - Tiger Punch (1), Palm Strike (2), Back Fist (8), Spin Kick (12), Jump Kick (20)

Just like learning sword and dagger combinations, these abilities can be mixed and matched to create a furious assault on one's enemy. ===Fisticuffs Skills === Beyond Kung Fu, Sao Feng will tell you to seek out other masters of Fisticuffs including:

(1) Patrick O'Toole (Boxing) - Former Irish Champion who teaches the Hook/Uppercut (Level 1)

(2) Michiko Tanaka (Jiu-jitsu) - A Japanese housemaid who teaches a Grab / Throw technique (Level 4)

(3) Haji Rama (Pencak Silat) - A wise Indian mahaguru who teaches a Block/Counter Strike Ability (Level 10)

(4) Mestra Julissa (Capoeira) : A lovely mandingueira (or skilled woman fighter) who teaches a Parafuso (Spin Kick) - (Level 17)

===Passive Skills === During the training journey, the pirate can also hone additional skills which can enhance their ability.

(1) Reflexes: +4% Melee Dodge Each Level (Level 4)

(2) Second Wind: -5% Faster Skill reset per level (Level 6)

(3) Ki Focus - +4% Melee Damage per Level (Level 14)

Use
To prevent unintended attacks, the player would have to press F5 to activate the skill, otherwise the attack buttons will not function. Pressing F5 again would disable.

The pirate character would then shift to a fighting stance and always face away from the player, just like when using a weapon. The Fistcuffs skill and combo options would then display at the bottom.

Fisticuffs Items
Just like with special weapons, remarkable items could be found in loot to enhance your martial art skills (fighting gloves, brass knuckles, etc.)

The concept was meant to allow players to flesh out their pirate's abilities and add more depth to combat and/or character personality. Also, hand-to-hand battles could enhance PvP duels.