Staff Fighting

With nothing more than a simple piece of wood, some fighters can become devastating opponents. This is due to their practice of Staff Fighting, the use of a long wooden pole to flip, trip and punch their opponent into submission. It is commonly practiced by those who prefer a less bloody solution to battle.

For anyone who has a technique rating in Staff, the following maneuvers are available to learn in addition to the basic maneuvers listed in the Contenders book.

Staff Fighting may be learned as a style also, with the practitioner only focusing on the following maneuvers (and of course, other maneuvers with a listing for "any" in their Power Point ratings).

Initial Chi: 3

Initial Willpower: 4

Preferred Weapons: Any weapon using the "rapier" technique.

Air Hurricane Strike

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: Jump {athletics 1} and Hurricane Strike {proper weapon technique 4, Athletics 3} must first be learned, but not necessarily in that order, then Air Hurricane Strike {proper weapon technique 4, athletics 3, jump, hurricane strike}

Power Points: Paired swords, sword, chain/whip, spear, flail, rapier, staff, ax, nunckaku 2

Description: The fighter leaps up, then breaks into a hurricane strike

Air Throw, Weapon

Weapon Maneuver

To learn: First, the fighter must learn Weapon Throw {grab 1} and Jump {athletics 1}, in any order. Then the fighter may learn Weapon Air Throw {proper weapon technique 2, athletics 1}

Power Points: Whip/chain 3, staff 4

Description: The fighter leaps into the air and catches an aerial opponent with his weapon,smashing him downward

Back Roll Throw, Weapon

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: First the fighter must learn Throw {grab 1}, then he may learn Weapon Back Roll Throw {proper weapon technique 2, kick 1, athletics 1, throw}

Power Points: Staff 1, spear 2

Description: The fighter grabs the victim, using leverage from his weapon, and rolls over, throwing the victim behind him

Backflip Strike

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: {Proper weapon technique 2, athletics 2}

Power Points: Any (except archery, thrown weapons, and garrote) 3

Description: The fighter attacks and then leaps away

Dashing Strike

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: {Proper weapon technique 4, athletics 1}. Then the fighter may move on to learn Dashing Upper Strike {proper weapon technique 4, athletics 1, dashing strike}

Power Points: Staff 2

Description: The fighter runs up to an opponent and strikes him quickly and powerfully

Dashing Upper Strike

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: First, the fighter learns Dashing Strike {proper weapon technique 4, athletics 1}. Then the fighter may move on to learn Dashing Upper Strike {proper weapon technique 4, athletics 1, dashing strike}

Power Points: Paired swords, sword, knife, club, spear, flail, rapier, staff, ax 2

Description: The fighter dashes across to his opponent and delivers a powerful upper-motion strike with his weapon

Deflecting Strike

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: Weapon Defense {block 2 or proper weapon technique 2}, then Deflecting Strike {block 3, proper weapon technique 1}

Power Points: Paired swords, sword, knife (requires a weapon technique of 5), club, spear, rapier, staff, ax 2

Description: The fighter deflects an attacker's weapon attack with his own weapon attack

Double Dread Strike

Weapon Maneuver

To learn: Double Hit Strike {proper weapon technique 2}, then Double Dread Strike {proper weapon technique 3}

Power Points: Paired swords 1, sword, knife, club, thrown weapons, chain/whip, spear, flail, rapier, staff, ax, nunkaku 4

Description: A quick attack followed by a spinning, powerful attack

Double Hit Strike

Weapon Maneuver

To learn: {Proper weapon technique 2}. Some fighters continue on to learn Double Dread Strike {proper weapon technique 3}, or Lightning Strike {proper weapon technique 4}

Power Points: Paired swords 1, sword, knife, club, thrown weapons, chain/whip, spear, flail, rapier, staff, ax, nunkaku 2

Description: The fighter attacks twice, once high and once low

Electric Weapon

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: {Proper weapon technique 1, focus 3}

Power Points: Any weapon 3

Description: The fighter's weapon blazes with electricity for a brief moment, adding damage to an attack

Energy Reflection, Weapon

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: Missile Reflection, Weapon {proper weapon technique 4}, then Energy Reflection, Weapon {proper weapon technique 4, focus 4}

Description:The fighter uses mystical power to catch and return energy attacks

Power Points: Paired swords, sword, club, staff 3, nunckaku 4

Feint Weapon Attack (New Maneuver) The fighter tricks his opponent into thinking he was going to make another move

Weapon Maneuver

To learn: {Proper weapon technique 1}

Power Points: Any except archery, garrote 2

Flying Strike

Weapon Maneuver

To learn: First the fighter learns Jump {athletics 1}. Then he moves on to learn Flying Punch {athletics 4, proper weapon technique 3, focus 3, jump}

Power Points: Paired swords, sword, knife, club, thrown weapons, spear, flail, rapier, staff, ax, nunckaku 3

Description: The fighter leaps (flies?) up and behind, delivering a strike to the victim's back

Foot Sweep, Weapon

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: {Proper weapon technique 2}. Most continue on to learn spinning foot sweep {proper weapon technique 2, athletics 1}

Power Points: Staff 1, spear 2

Description: An attack intended to bring an opponent crashing to the ground

Heart Punch, Weapon

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: {Proper weapon technique 3, focus 1}

Power Points: Staff 3, club 4

Description: This dishonorable shot delivers a fast punch to the chest in order to stun the victim

Hurricane Strike

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: {Proper weapon technique 4, athletics 3}. Most fighters continue on to learn Jump {athletics 1}, then Air Hurricane Kick {proper weapon technique 4, athletics 3, jump, hurricane strike}, if part of their style.

Power Points: Paired swords, sword, chain/whip, spear, flail, rapier, staff, ax, nunckaku 3

Description: The fighter becomes airborne, and kicks in repeating circles

Lightning Strike

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: Double-Hit Strike {proper weapon technique 2}, then Lightning Strike {proper weapon technique 4}

Description: The fighter attacks with dozens of kicks in a flash of only a second or two

Power Points: Paired swords 1, sword, knife, club, thrown weapons, chain/whip, spear, flail, rapier, staff, ax, nunkaku 5

Missile Reflection, Weapon

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: {Proper weapon technique 4}. Rare fighters continue on to Energy Reflection {proper weapon technique 4, focus 4}

Power Points: Paired swords, sword, club, staff 2, nunckaku 3

Description: The fighter can catch knives and arrows, and similar weapons, used against him

Nerve Cluster Attack

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: First, the fighter learns Upper End Thrust {proper weapon technique 2}, then he moves on to Nerve Cluster Attack {proper weapon technique 3, upper end thrust}

Power Points: Club, staff, nunckaku 2, flail 3

Description: The fighter uses his weapon to attack nerve clusters

Overhead Strike

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: First the fighter learns Jump {athletics 1}, then Overhead Strike {proper weapon technique 2, jump}

Power Points: Sword, club, staff, ax 2, paired swords 3

Description: The fighter jumps into the air, bringing his weapon over his head and then down onto his target

Power Upper Strike

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: {Proper weapon technique 1}

Power Points: Sword, club, spear, staff, ax 1

Description: A powerful punch using the momentum of the entire body forced upward

Shin Smasher

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: {Proper weapon technique 3}

Description: The fighter strikes the victims' feoral nerve in the shin, making it difficult to use the leg

Power Points: Staff 2, nunckaku, club 3

Spinning Back Strike

Weapon Maneuver

To learn: {Proper weapon technique 2}

Power Points: Rapier, nunckaku, staff 1, paired swords, sword, spear, ax 2

Description: The fighter whirls around in a 180 degree spin and attacks

Spinning Foot Sweep, Weapon

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: Foot Sweep, Weapon {proper weapon technique 2}, then Spinning Foot Sweep, Weapon {proper weapon technique 2, athletics 1}

Power Points: Staff 1, spear 2

Description: The fighter spins a full 360 degrees,kicking the feet out from under nearby victims

Upper End Thrust

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: {Proper weapon technique 2}

Power Points: Club, staff, nunckaku, flail 3

Description: The fighter strikes with the upper end of his weapon in a thrusting motion

Weapon Combo Kick

Weapon Maneuver

To learn: {Proper weapon technique 2, kick 1}

Power Points: Paired swords, rapier, staff 1, sword, club, spear, flail, ax 2

Description: The fighter pulls back, then lashes out with two strikes of his weapon and a kick

Weapon Defense

Weapon Maneuver

To Learn: {Proper weapon technique 2 or Block 2 - does not require both}. If the fighter knows his proper weapon technique the fighter might continue on to Deflecting Strike {block 3, proper weapon technique 1}

Power Points: Any 1

Description: The fighter takes his chances, concentrating on parrying only weapon attacks

Weapon Throw* (sf 122) The fighter picks up the opponent or uses his momentum against him to throw him through the air

Grab Maneuver

To learn: {Grab 1, proper weapon technique 1}

Power Points: Staff 1, whip/chain 2