[valavaern]

I've been playing around making a hypothetical character, and have been thinking of ways that I could apply a weapon focus to unarmed attacks.

I COULD just turn hardliner gloves in a focus... but that precludes using a large amount of the martial arts maneuver (like kick attack, for example)
So I was thinking something along the lines of a set of matching bracelets and anklets... or even using something similar to quickening materials to place the enchantment on some boneblack, and then use that to make intricate tattoos over the character's arms & legs.

[lurkeroutthere]

I guess my question would be, why? I mean sure you'd get some extra dice, but presuming your an adept (a presumption I realize) why not just grab killing hands and call it a day.

[valavaern]

I guess my question would be, why? I mean sure you'd get some extra dice, but presuming your an adept (a presumption I realize) why not just grab killing hands and call it a day.

Killing Hands just makes it (P) damage, Critical Strike increases the DV, Penetrating Strike increases the AP... weapon foci add to the dice pool for using the weapon (attack rolls, parry rolls...)~

[lurkeroutthere]

Yes i'm aware, but your missing the point. Unless you have money and karma to burn weapons foci are actually rather terrible sources of bonus dice. The biggest plus to them is they make non magic weapons able to hurt spirits/astral stuff. The bonus dice are really kind of meh compared to some other cheaper sources and the foci can theoretically be taken away from you.

[_Pax_]

Hardliner Gloves would work.

I believe Brass Knuckles would, too.

[CanRay]

Rings, baby.  Not just for magicians any longer!

Pimp Slap with a Weapon Focus!

[Mirikon]

A focus has to be a physical item. About the only way I can think of to have your kicks be helped by a weapon focus is to enchant your shoes or cyberleg.

[TheFinish]

Why not ask your GM to allow Hardliner Gloves to be taken as footwear, like some sort of armored or hobnailed boots?

If not the only other thing I can think of is Goblin Stompers, but those things suck.

[Black]

But wont he need four weapon foci?  Presumably at the same level and all bound?

For both hands and feet?  Seems expensive (or just one hand and one foot, but you will need to favour one side and that should be a pretty big weakness against another expert).

[TheFinish]

Well, I always thought those things came in pairs, but I couldn't find anything RAW to confirm that, so I'm guessing you're right.

I think killing hands is looking like the better deal now...

[JustADude]

I guess my question would be, why? I mean sure you'd get some extra dice, but presuming your an adept (a presumption I realize) why not just grab killing hands and call it a day.

Killing Hands just makes it (P) damage, Critical Strike increases the DV, Penetrating Strike increases the AP... weapon foci add to the dice pool for using the weapon (attack rolls, parry rolls...)~

Emphasis mine, of course.

I must say that Elemental Strike seems like a much better option; better AP (-3 vs -1/2 w/Element Effect) for less cost (.75 vs .5), at the cost of lacking in subtlety. Of course, "subtle" isn't really on the menu to begin with when you're hitting people hard enough to punch their heart out through their rib-cage.

But, to stay on topic, I think that perhaps a set of Full Body Formfit would work. It specifically includes coverage of the whole body, including hands, feet, and head, so you're covered for everything from kicks to headbutts.

[valavaern]

I must say that Elemental Strike seems like a much better option; better AP (-3 vs -1/2 w/Element Effect) for less cost (.75 vs .5), at the cost of lacking in subtlety. Of course, "subtle" isn't really on the menu to begin with when you're hitting people hard enough to punch their heart out through their rib-cage.

Oh yeah, with it's current mechanics, penetrating strike is utterly worthless; I was just going down the list~

On the slight tangent of elemental strike... the 'Blast' element adds it's Force to the damage for determining knockdown... but what would the 'Force' of an elemental strike be... the unarmed damage?

But, to stay on topic, I think that perhaps a set of Full Body Formfit would work. It specifically includes coverage of the whole body, including hands, feet, and head, so you're covered for everything from kicks to headbutts.

*makes the wavy-hand motion* Eh, ~could~ work, I suppose...

[JustADude]

I must say that Elemental Strike seems like a much better option; better AP (-3 vs -1/2 w/Element Effect) for less cost (.75 vs .5), at the cost of lacking in subtlety. Of course, "subtle" isn't really on the menu to begin with when you're hitting people hard enough to punch their heart out through their rib-cage.

Oh yeah, with it's current mechanics, penetrating strike is utterly worthless; I was just going down the list~

On the slight tangent of elemental strike... the 'Blast' element adds it's Force to the damage for determining knockdown... but what would the 'Force' of an elemental strike be... the unarmed damage?

Yeah, I would assume that the "raw" DV of the attack (i.e. before Net Hits, Called Shots, other modifiers) of the attack would be the Force, since Force = "raw" DV for combat spells.

But, to stay on topic, I think that perhaps a set of Full Body Formfit would work. It specifically includes coverage of the whole body, including hands, feet, and head, so you're covered for everything from kicks to headbutts.

*makes the wavy-hand motion* Eh, ~could~ work, I suppose...

Yeah, it's cheesy as heck, but it's technically legal.

I, personally, would fluff it out as special, ritually crafted "Magical Ninja Armor," which just happens to mimic the price and functionality of Full-FFBA, to make it sit better with myself.

[valavaern]

Yeah, it's cheesy as heck, but it's technically legal.

I, personally, would fluff it out as special, ritually crafted "Magical Ninja Armor," which just happens to mimic the price and functionality of Full-FFBA, to make it sit better with myself.

If I went that way, I probably would to... Hmm, there really should be a 'custom look' option for armor & clothing like there is for weapons...

[TheNarrator]

But, to stay on topic, I think that perhaps a set of Full Body Formfit would work. It specifically includes coverage of the whole body, including hands, feet, and head, so you're covered for everything from kicks to headbutts.

Huh. Hadn't thought of that before. I guess that would work, assuming that the whole suit could be considered a single item. And since there are melee weapons that can be disassembled, and no rule against turning them into a weapon focus, I guess it could be. And if you can enchant some high-tech nanomaterial weapon like a Memory Blade into a focus, then a suit of ballistic fibers isn't such a stretch.

Good idea. I'll have to remember that one.


Honestly, between Killing Hands (to overcome ITNW), Critical Strike (one extra damage is work three extra dice on attack, on average) and Improved Ability (which grants extra dice), and the Martial Arts stuff, Unarmed Combat adepts can do pretty well without weapon foci.