SAVATE
By Kuseru
Entrance Requirements: Any alignments admitted but Honorably aligned characters will tend to avoid Savate. There are no attribute requirements.
Skill Cost: 15 Years (13 Years as a Secondary Martial Art Style)
The French martial art Savate (pronounced 'savaht') is also known as Boxe Fraçaise (French boxing), French kickboxing, or La Savate. It takes it's name from the French word for 'old boot' due to the heavy footwear which is worn during fights. Practitioners of this style are called savateurs if male and savateuses if female.
Savate traces it's history to 19th century French street fighting techniques. French sailors adopted a style of kicking known as Chausson (pronounced 'showh-sohn') named for the espadrilles ('slippers') worn. This evolved into a street game in Aubagne, Marseille, and Toulon referred to as Jeu Marseillais (Marseille game). In Paris this style underwent further development in the poor quarters and underworld. Later, young noblemen became interested in this style as a method to handle affairs of honor, as it was considered more dignified and expedient than wrestling.
Employed in this style are a variety of grappling, hand strikes, and kicking techniques. Hand strikes make use of boxing, elbow, and paume (palm) techniques. Kicking is generally done with the foot and targeted to low spots of the opponent's body.
Weapons use is also covered in Savate, employed in three categories: concealed weapons such as the knife or truncheon, single-handed weapons such as single or paired canes, and two-handed weapons consisting of the chair and staff. The truncheon is derived from the use of the belaying pin by French sailors. The knife made its appearance when the style became popular in Marseille. Canes were introduced by Parisian gentlemen and became widely utilized due to their functionality. Canes are typically three feet/one meter (31.5-39.4 inches/80-100cm) long, and are made of wood or metal, however, they are favored because they can be equipped with a variety of devices which improve their effectiveness, including ferruled crooks, handles, knobs or tips, concealed blades, coshes, or ballistic weapons, and they can be decorated to reflect the owner's tastes. Chairs were incorporated into the style because they are commonly available just about anywhere and provide excellent defense. The Baton or Grand Baton is derived from a medium length walking stick.
Costume: The Savate traditional dress consists of the Integrale, a sleeveless one-piece body suit (unitard or catsuit), and Chaussure, hard-toed shoes. Sometimes protective gear, such as the Casque (headguard), Coquille (box protector), Jambiere (shinpad), and Protege-dents (mouthguard) are worn. Additionally, Savate ranks are determined by glove colors, with no color for novices, and higher ranks from blue, green, red, white, to yellow.
Stance: Feet about shoulder's width apart, knees slightly bent, weight shifting from back to front foot then back. The hands are held at either hip/waist level, or up about chest level, similar to a boxer's.
CHARACTER BONUSES
Add +4 to P.P.
Add +2D6 to S.D.C.
COMBAT SKILLS
Attacks per Melee: 4
Escape Moves: Maintain Balance, Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact
Attack Moves: None.
Basic Defense Moves: Automatic Parry, Dodge, Entangle, Parry
Advanced Defense Moves: Automatic Dodge, Power Block/Parry
Hand Attacks: Cross (NEW!), Hook (NEW!), Jab (NEW!), Paume (Palm Strike), Punch (Human Fist)
Basic Foot Attacks: Chasse (Piston-action Kick, NEW!), Coup de Pied Bas (Sweep Kick), Crescent Kick, Fouette (Whip Kick, NEW!), Revers (Sole Kick, NEW!), Reverse Turning Kick.
Jumping Foot Attacks: Jump Kick.
Special Attacks: Elbow
Holds/Locks: None.
Weapon Kata(Pick Three): W.P. Knife or W.P. Truncheon (Blunt), W.P. Cane (Blunt) or W.P. Paired-Cane, W.P. Chair (Blunt) or W.P. Baton/Grand Baton (Staff).
Modifiers to Attacks: Critical Strike, Knockout/Stun, Pull Punch
SKILLS INCLUDED IN TRAINING
Martial Art Powers: None.
Languages: French
Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Knife, W.P. Truncheon (Blunt), W.P. Cane (Blunt), W.P. Paired-Cane, W.P. Chair (Blunt), W.P. Baton/Grand Baton (Staff).
Philosophical Training: None.
If this is your Primary Martial Art then the following other styles can be learned in a shorter time: Canne de Combat (5 Years), Jogo de Pau (7 Years), Zipota (5 Years).
LEVEL ADVANCEMENT BONUSES
1st: +2 to Roll with Punch Fall/Impact, +1 to Maintain Balance
2nd: +2 to Damage with Kicks, +1 to Pull Punch
3rd: +1 Attack per Melee
4th: +2 to Strike, +1 to Parry/Dodge
5th: +1 to Roll with Punch Fall/Impact, +2 to Maintain Balance
6th: +1 to Damage with Kicks, +2 to Pull Punch
7th: Critical Strike on a Natural 19 or 20
8th: +1 Attack per Melee
9th: Knockout/Stun on a Natural 20
10th: +1 to Strike, +2 to Parry, +1 to Dodge
11th: +1 to Roll with Punch Fall/Impact, +1 to Maintain Balance
12th: Critical Strike on a Natural 18, 19, or 20
13th: +2 to Damage with Kicks, +1 to Pull Punch
14th: +1 to Strike, +1 to Parry, +2 to Dodge
15th: +1 Attack per Melee
Why Study Savate?
It is relatively easy to learn and is an effective fighting form. A well-rounded system, with powerful offensive and defensive techniques, as well as basic weapons training, that excels at short-range combat. It's more effective than most against non-martial artists but lacks the defenses of most other arts. On the other hand, there are few/no special powers or abilities, so it's pretty limiting in any other circumstances.