To help out with the Martial Arts scores in DC Heroes, here is a benchmark list done by those residing in the DC Heroes mailing list.
One thing I've noticed after years of converting DC Heroes stats, nearly every single character ever written up is given the Martial Arts skill. This list should help judge not only if they deserve any of the Marvel Martial Arts talents but also to determine the Fighting rank.
Martial arts benchmark v1.1
By Sebastien Andrivet
Helpers: John Colagioia, Phil Dixon
Liminary note 1 : As with any nearly every aspect of a writeup, it is
important to reiterate that the evaluation of skill levels for a
character must be based on observed, actual efficiency in the primary
source - comics for a comic book characters, movie for a movie
character, etc. Hand-to-hand ability, especially, is often subject to
hyperbole, many characters being described as "one of the very best
hand-to-hand fighter on Earth" or as having "centuries of fighting
experience", yet do not perform about a Martial artist: 08 or so.
Liminary note 2 : "Martial artist" does not necessarily correspond
with formal training in Oriental martial arts, but rather is a
capacity to engage in hand-to-hand combat and perform beyond what
could be expected from your DEX, STR and BODY. The best way to
describe a character with a good Martial artist Skill is not to say
he's a black belt with so many dan, but that he does real well in
unharmed combat. "Pugilistics" might have been a more appropriate
name.
Hence, persons such as boxers or tireurs (savate experts) may have
Martial artist. Efficient, often experienced brawlers such as many
hardboiled two-fisted detective of fiction may have martial artist.
This Skill can also be used for peoples who have excellent close
combat fighting ability for no discernible reason, which is not as
rare as you might expect.
Liminary note 3: On the other hand, DEX (and to a lesser extend STR
and BODY) can often be sufficient. If the character"s efficiency in
hand-to-hand combat is just what you'd expect from his physical
stats, Martial artist is not needed - even if the character is
described as practicing martial arts.
Benchmarks :
Martial artist: 03
This is the level of an average going to a martial arts class
or self-defense course at least twice a week. This is also the level
of somebody regularly caught in bar brawls or street brawls and has
learned to defend himself.
Martial artist: 04
The person has presumably received rough, intensive training
in close combat or has significant experience. A martial arts
enthusiast with some brawling experience, a riot cop, or soldiers
with good close combat training are likely to have this level of
skill.
Assuming suitable Attributes, a Character with this level of
skill has reasonable, but not overwhelming chances of defeating an
average thug.
Martial artist: 05
Professional level. The person is a black belt in a
combat-worthy martial art, with combat experience. Alternatively, he
may be somebody with extensive brawl experience and a fearsome
reputation in such endeavours. Many heroes in action movies who are
not specialists in hand to hand combat have this level of skill.
Soldiers and cops who are close combat instructors often have this
level of skill.
Assuming suitable Attributes, a Character with this level of
skill will defeat an average thug and has some chance of winning
against two thugs.
Martial artist: 07
Master hand to hand combattant. The person is recognized as a
martial arts master - or he's a two-fisted action hero with great
skills in brawling. Cinematic action heroes that have are hand to
hand combat specialists often have this level of skill - for instance
Jackie Chan characters often have this level of skill.
This is also the usual level of such formidable brawlers as the first
Vigilante in his prime, Starman VII (Jack Knight), Manhunter I and
II, etc.
Assuming suitable Attributes, a Character with this level of
skill has reasonable chances of taking on as many as eight thugs
(e.g., a roomfull) in a brawl.
Martial artist skill above 07 is considered rare, and efforts
should be done in the character concept department to justify them.
Martial arts: 08
Peoples who are better than the peoples with a 07. :-) This
is a level of barely believable pugilistic skill. No amount of
unharmed thugs and martial arts specialists is going to take down the
Character, who is clearly superior to even the masters and formidable
brawlers trailing one AP behind them. The emblematic Characters with
this level of skill are, of course, Wildcat I and Bruce Lee.
Assuming suitable Attributes, a Character with this level of
skill cannot reasonably be expected to lose against normal opposition.
Martial artist: 09
The character is a world-class master of hand-to-hand combat,
able to perform feats that would be unbelievable in the real world.
He can be one of the greatest masters ever of his martial art, or a
superhuman or near superhuman brawler, and is widely regarded as
being invincible in hand to hand combat. Wire-fu protagonists often
have this level of skill.
Assuming suitable Attributes, a Character with this level of
skill has reasonable chances of taking on entire squads of thugs in a
brawl.
Martial arts: 10
The character has an efficiency that places him among the top
twelve martial artists in the world - wether or not he's a martial
artist himself. This level of skill often comes with a strong
mystique ; it is the level of Batman or Deathstroke the Terminator at
their peak, or the Bronze Tiger. A human character with this level of
skill can engage and
defeat superhumanly strong opponents in hand to hand combat, assuming
suitable Attributes and HPs.
Martial arts: 11
This is the realm of about the top three martial artists in
the world, or peoples with comparable hand-to-hand skill. In the
Marvel Universe that means Captain America, Shang Chi and the Cat ;
in the DCU Lady Shiva, Richard Dragon and the Sensei. In Hong Kong
cinema, Chen Zhen (Jet Li in "Fist of legend") at the end of the
movie is the best candidate.
Martial arts: 12-15
Godlike, thoroughly paranormal fighting skill. Two main types
of characters occupy this slot :
- Gods. Wonder Woman, Hercules, Gilgamesh...
- "Super-Karate" or "Mythic Kung Fu" ; examples include Karate Kid I
(who could destroy tanks bare-handed and engage Daxamites in close
combat) or Master Wong who could defeat dozens of martial arts
champions in seconds or scatter armies (Jet Li in "Once upon a time
in China")
MSH Classic RPG System
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