Barbarian Combat
By FlashFire

The barbarian chieftain said: "What then are the greatest things that a man may find in life?"

The man on his right thoughtfully drank his cocktail of mare's milk and snowcat blood, and spoke thus: "The crisp horizon of the steppe, the wind in your hair, a fresh horse under you."

The man on his left said: "The cry of the white eagle in the heights, the fall of snow in the forest, a true arrow in your bow."

The chieftain nodded, and said: "Surely it is the sight of your enemy slain, the humiliation of his tribe and the lamentation of his women."

There was a general murmur of whiskery approval at this outrageous display.

Then the chieftain turned respectfully to his guest, a small figure carefully warming his chilblains by the fire, and said: "But our guest, whose name is legend, must tell us truly: what are they that a man may call the greatest things in life?"

"What shay?" he said, toothlessly.

"I said: what are they that a man may call the greatest things in life?"

The guest thought long and hard and then said, with great deliberation: "Hot water, good dentishtry and shoft lavatory paper."

- Cohen the Barbarian, "The Light Fantastic"

Kickin' arse and drinkin' ale. What else is being a Barbarian about? You wear black masks and tabi boots? I bash you with my axe. You can pull off your Flying Spinning Kick of Death because you "know" you can? I bash you with my axe. You can use the mystical powers of the Feng Shui, focusing your personal energy into amazing feats? I skip the axe and have me and my friends waste you with our crossbows. But when it all comes down to it, its all about kickin' arse and drinkin' ale.

Fighting was as much a part of barbarian life as paperwork is today. Wars were waged against neighboring tribes and clans; battles were fought with the Vikings, Romans, Celts, and others; and personal duels were fought almost as often as in the fictional American Wild West and the historical tradition of France. This constant aura of fighting and death resulted in a form of brutal Darwinism. The ones who survived to teach fighting were the ones that could fight the absolute best, resulting in every generation of warriors being fiercer than the last. The reputation of these deadly combatants survives to this day in spite of the lack of surviving records. Berserkers, barbarians, Picts, Celts... all different names for people who fought the same way, screaming and hacking away with whatever weapons came to hand (including enemy soldiers).

The last remnants of this fierce combat style died out before the Renaissance, but it was that age that sealed its fate. Fighting became a matter of science and style, rather than charging and bashing. As the world became more sophisticated, the barbarians faded into history. The modern world has no place for barbarians and their kind. Pillaging is responded to with "economic sanctions" and "police actions". Drunken brawling results in spending at least the next few nights in the Tank. Driving your enemies before you and gathering their women and children to your bosom is called a War Crime and gets one sent to court. Soldiers can't even use their .50 caliber machine guns against enemy troops without lawyers and politicians waving papers at them. Bureaucrats and lawyers rule the world, leaving little room for those who wish to ride wild and free.

Still, even against the might of Red Tape and the Forces of Legalese, there still remains the precious few who stand in defiance of modern sensibilities, who still cheer when the quarterback gets sacked and when monster trucks leap over cars only to smash their bodies apart. Biker gangs still roam the open road and people still fight in bars. No matter how hard The Man may try, the passion for Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of a bigger Axe still lives in the spirit of the few who live outside the rules. And while the Barbarians still ride, their fighting style lives on.

RRRAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!

Entrance Requirements: P.S. and P.E. of 13, P.P. of 10, and M.E. of 12 or higher. No Alignment Restrictions.
Skill Cost: 9 Years (5 Years as a Secondary Form)
Costume: Traditionally, the Barbarian would wear either a linen tunic, trousers, and a wool cloak or go buck naked. Modern Barbarians tend towards Soft Leather Armor (i.e.: motorcycle leathers) and steel-toed boots, but will work in anything that allows them full freedom of movement, up to and including Class 4 Hard Armor.
Stance: Weapon held high, charging the enemy, and screaming bloody murder.

CHARACTER BONUSES

Add +3 to P.S.
Add +2 to P.E.
Add +1 to P.P.
Add +5 to Spd
Add +10 to S.D.C.

COMBAT SKILLS
Attacks Per Melee: Three
Escape Moves: Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact, Maintain Balance
Attack Moves: Head Butt(1D8)
Basic Defensive Moves: Parry, Automatic Parry, Dodge
Advanced Defenses: Circular Parry, Multiple Dodge, Disarm, Breakfall
Hand Attacks: Strike (Punch), Backhand, Roundhouse (1D10),Uppercut (1D8), Palm Strike, Power Punch, Claw Strike
Basic Foot Attacks: Kick, Snap Kick, Tripping/Leg Hook
Jumping Foot Attacks: Jump Kick
Special Attacks: Body Block/Tackle, Crush/Squeeze, Pin/Incapacitate, Knee, Elbow, Forearm, Choke, Death Blow, Combination Parry/Attack, Power Block/Parry, Combination Grab/Kick, Drop Kick, Combination Grab/Head Bash (2D6 damage, see T'ang-Su Karate), Scottish Defense (Special!): The Scottish Defense, named so because of its popularity among the Picts, simply means leaping onto one's opponent's weapon in such a way that one will take a non-lethal hit. This results in the Barbarian/Scotsman being able to use their own weapon with impunity. Like a Simultaneous Attack, neither side can dodge or parry the blows. The Barbarian, though, takes only half damage from the other side's attack.
Holds/Locks: Body Hold, Neck Hold/Choke
Weapon Katas: WP: Battle Axe, WP: Hand-and-a-Half Sword, WP: Two-handed Greatsword, WP: Dagger, WP: Shield, WP: Hand-and-a-Half Sword and Shield (Paired), WP: Mattock, WP: War Hammer. Battle Axe starts at Fourth Level.
Modifiers to Attacks: Critical Strike, Critical Strike from Behind, Knock-Out from Behind, Death Blow from Behind

SKILLS INCLUDED IN TRAINING
Martial Art Powers: Dam Sum Sing (AKA "Quit cryin', ya baby" Exercise), Kangeiko/Shochu Geiko (AKA "You're chopping the damn wood, no matter how much snow is out there" Exercise), and Warrior Spirit Kata (AKA The "RRRRAAAAAGGGHHHHH!!!" Kata). Can be traded for any Body Hardening Exercise or any Basic Skill Program, including (yes, that's *in*cluding) Physical.
 Languages: Ability to say "Rrrraaaggghhhh!" at 98%
 Physical Skills: General Athletics, Running
 Other Skills: Wilderness Survival
 Special Abilities: If you *really* want to, the character may take the drinking abilities given to the Barmaid and Preacher O.C.C.s in Rifts: New West.
If this is your Primary Martial Art Form, then the following other forms can be learned in a shorter time: Jujutsu (4 years), T'ang-Su Karate(3 years), Choy-Li-Fut Kung Fu (3 Years), and Drunken Style Kung Fu (6years)

LEVEL ADVANCEMENT BONUSES
Level 1: +3 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact, +3 to Parry/Dodge, Critical Strike, Critical Strike from Behind
Level 2: +2 to Strike, +2 to Maintain Balance, +1 to Breakfall
Level 3: Select two Weapon Katas, +1 to Hold, +2 to Damage
Level 4: +1 Attack per Melee, +1 to Body Block
Level 5: Critical Strike on a Natural 18-20
Level 6: Knock-out/Stun on a Natural 18-20, Knock-out from Behind
Level 7: Select one Martial Art Power from Body Hardening Exercises or Special Katas
Level 8: +1 Attack per Melee, +2 to Parry/Dodge, +2 to Damage
Level 9: Death Blow on Natural 19-20
Level 10: +2 to Strike, +2 to Breakfall
Level 11: +2 to Maintain Balance, +2 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact.
Level 12: +1 Attack per Melee, +1 to Hold, +1 to Body Block
Level 13: Death Blow on Natural 18-20, +1 to Damage
Level 14: Select one Martial Art Power from Body Hardening Exercises, Special Katas, or Martial Art Techniques, +1 Attack per Melee
Level 15: Death Blow from Behind

Palladium Fantasy Notes: This MA form would probably be better applied to Pal Fantasy than to N&SS, but since it uses N&SS rules... If you are inclined to use this in Pal Fantasy, there shouldn't be much trouble converting it to PFRPG's HTH system. Ignore questions of Range and any other HTH move or term you're not sure on. Characters gain an additional +2 to Strike, Parry, and Disarm if they are from or learn in PFRPG.
 Barbarian Combat exists wherever people get drunk and bash people with axes. It is particularly popular among humans, dwarves, and orcs. It is most often known as Dwarven Fighting.

Playing Notes: This form is a bit on the OPIE side. So to prevent Munchkins from going hog wild, remember how a proper barbarian fights. No strategy. You are not Arthur, you are not Julius Caesar, you are not Sun Tzu. You and your friends rush at the enemy and bash them with your axes. Strategy is for people who don't have an axe to bash things with.
 History buffs will notice that there aren't many barbarians around any more for a reason.

Why Study Barbarian Combat?:   
Rrrrraaaaarrrrrggggghhhh!!! 'Nuff said.
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