El Cuchillo
By Kuseru
Entrance Requirements: Limited to Anarchist, Miscreant, Aberrant and Diabolic alignments. No Attribute Requirements.
Skill Cost: 5 Years (3 Years as a Secondary Martial Art Style)
A rare martial art from Mexico which has branches in most Central American areas. El Cuchillo translates as "The Knife." Often popular with gangs in the southern United States.
Overall, the style bears a similarity to Arnis, but only covers the use of knives. Most maneuvers are designed for knife attacks, however unbalancing, disarms, blocks, and other defenses are used. The main focus of knife use is a killing blow designed to eliminate the opponent.
Costume: Street Clothes.
Stance: No Stance.
CHARACTER BONUSES
Add +1 to P.S.
Add +1 to P.P.
Add +5 to S.D.C.
COMBAT SKILLS
Attacks per Melee: 5
Escape Moves: None.
Attack Moves: None.
Basic Defense Moves: Automatic Parry, Dodge, and Parry.
Advanced Defense Moves: Combination Parry/Attack, Disarm.
Hand Attacks: Punch/Human Fist.
Basic Foot Attacks: Kick Attack, Snap Kick, Tripping/Leg Hook.
Jumping Foot Attacks: None.
Special Attacks: Death Blow, Foot-Knife (This represents a straight-razor used in the toes; full bonuses apply to using the weapon in the feet, but may not be used to parry), Backward Thrust, Leap Attack, Pommel Strike.
Holds/Locks: Choke
Weapon Kata: W.P. Knife at 2 levels higher than the character's current level (1st level martial artist would start at level 3), W.P. Thrown (Knives and Daggers only), W.P. Paired Knives, W.P. Quickdraw: Melee (Knife only), W.P. Paired Knives: Thrown.
Modifiers to Attacks: Critical Strike, Critical Strike from Behind, Knockdown, Weapon Tap.
SKILLS INCLUDED IN TRAINING
Martial Art Powers: None. El Cuchillo training offers no Martial Art Abilities or Powers.
Languages: Spanish
Cultural: Pick Three from the following: Brewing, Cook, Dancing, Play Musical Instrument, Singing, and Sports.
Survival: Streetwise.
Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Knife at 2 levels higher than the character's current level (1st level martial artist would start at level 3), W.P. Thrown (Knives and Daggers only), W.P. Paired Knives, W.P. Quickdraw: Melee (Knife only), W.P. Paired Knives: Thrown.
Philosophical Training: None.
If this is your Primary Martial Art then the following other styles can be learned in a shorter time: Arte della Daga (5 Years), Assassin (6 Years), Baratero (9 Years), Dolchfechten (10 Years), Jailhouse Rock (7 Years), Raks Al-Khanjar (2 Years), Liang Hsiung (1 Year), Moo Gi Gong (4 Years), Shi Ba Babn Wu Yi (3 Years), and Triad Assassin (1 year).
LEVEL ADVANCEMENT BONUSES
1st: +1 to Strike, +2 to Damage with Knife.
2nd: +1 to Dodge, +2 to Strike with Knife.
3rd: Add +1 Attack per Melee.
4th: Critical Strike from Behind.
5^th: +2 to Damage with Knife
6th: Add +1 Attack per Melee.
7th: +1 to Initiative, +2 to Strike.
8th: Add +1 Attack per Melee. +1 to Damage with Knife.
9th: +1 to Strike with Knife.
10^th: Death Blow on a Natural 20.
11th: Add +1 Attack per Melee.
12th: +2 to Strike with Knife, +2 to Damage with Knife.
13th: Add +1 Attack per Melee.
14th: +1 to Dodge, +1 to Damage with Knife.
15^th: +1 to Initiative.
Why Study El Cuchillo?
Channeling the body's strength into doing the maximum physical damage to the opponent is what it's all about. On the other hand, there are few/no special powers or abilities, so it's pretty limiting in any other circumstances. This style is an extremely deadly art with a weapon. The purpose of this style is to kill, plain and simple.