Lone Wolf Fists: Redesigning the Kung-Fu (Hokuto-Shin-Ken)

It's easy to love you, Fist of the North Star

You had me at WATAAAA

But it's scary to translate Kenshiro into an RPG. He's one of those protagonists that is like, painfully the protagonist. He's better and stronger and cooler than pretty much everything he encounters. I mean, even in the opening fights he just pokes a dude and this happens:
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(Oh, uh, gore warning)
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Although there is no warning on earth that can prepare you for this

Like, he doesn't even break a sweat; just blows up that poor bastard's head with his finger.

Kenny boy doesn't have much trouble in most fights. Even when he's no bigger than his opponent's face.

Weight class is not a thing in the post-apocalypse

Also, his style has a special circumstantial move for basically everything. Need to cut somebody's arm muscles but leave them just enough strength to work for a living? There's a move for that. Need to twist their arms into pretzels so they never kill again? Hokuto Shin Ken got you covered, Senpai.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

And the architects of the style saw absolutely no redundancy there.

Another issue that's hard to translate is that it's visual spectacle isn't in the initial attacks: it's in their outcome. Let me show you what I mean:

Behold! I throw... Punches!

Not terrible, but then you look at the result...

HOLY LORD!

The spectacle is clearly in the outcome of the attack. That makes it hard to translate into Technique descriptions, because you're not selling the attack, you're selling a not-guaranteed outcome. This makes it frustrating if the player doesn't immediately get that result, because then they just threw some lame punches or whatever, with no cool payoff.

Finally, there's not a clear tactical dimension to Ken's fighting; he's either way more powerful than his foe, or he's not. Like in his battle with Jagi in the movie, Jagi's lighting stuff on fire and trying to trap him and using hostages and just, using all these super-interesting, weasely strategies to bait and trick and cheat his way to victory.

Our hero Jagi, reciting the Dungeoncrawler's Oath

But Ken just no-sells all that and kicks his ass.

Goodnight, sweet prince

Which is cathartic and awesome for a viewer, because holy hell is Jagi a bastard. But as a player, it's a lot less interesting to just curb-stomp them with what amounts to having a bigger number when you attack.

In his fight with Raoh, he's basically evenly matched. So they play Rock 'em Sock 'em robots for their ultimate showdown in the movie.

Spoiler: Raoh's head pops up first

Again, this is tense and memorable from an audience perspective; the battle hinges on every bloody-knuckled punch, and it's not clear which of the evenly-matched combatants will prevail. But in a game, it translates to taking turns rolling attacks until one of you runs out of HP first. That's very much a situation a game like ours wants to avoid.

In the show, he punches Raoh's fingers off, which is briefer but way more visually interesting. Again, though, we're seeing the interesting element of the attack in the result (the strike is visually "just a punch"; nothing noteworthy about it).

So how the hell did I translate this style into the game?

Well, there were a few little handholds they gave me to scale this particular cliff. First, there are plenty of visually interesting attacks in the show. Check out my boy Rei:

Who's signature attack trails whisps of razor-wire behind his fingers:

YOU DONE GOOFED BEARHAT

Technically he's using Nanto Suichō Ken, but Hokuto-Shin-Ken has it's share of "Your fist is a weapon" style attacks:

"I said no to playing doctor, Shin"

Linking weapon bonuses to unarmed attacks was a fun way to sell this aspect of the style, while providing a versatile (and stackable!) base. It's also a good way to simulate some of the more creative and brutal attacks that Kenshiro and his fist-pals unleash; I'm a big proponent of giving players an excuse to get creatively violent.

Another important thing to realize is that Kenshiro constantly takes his foes by surprise. He's this tiny little dude in a jacket and he mows down armies, warlords, giants and tanks by himself, with no weapons. Make no mistake; it is cool to be that guy.

This is not the face of a man who saw it coming

Having a grab-bag of awesome, weird, and powerful techniques that aren't flashy is essentially the thesis of being Kenshiro: he keeps cool as a cucumber as he dismembers your sad ass. Hence the impact of his catchphrase:

Fool didn't know he was dead. God damn you savage, Ken.

That angle essentially gave me license to keep the attacks themselves mostly low-key. I just had to communicate to the player: "Look, these aren't visually apoplectic, but the payoff is going to be fucking sick"

Worth waiting for!

Another hidden benefit of the attacks remaining visually grounded is that they're also visually unified; Kenshiro smoothly transitions from defense to offense, from attacks to pressure-point strikes, and from flurries of motion to badass one-liners with this silky grace that infuses the fights with this fantastic verisimilitude.

Shonen shows often pause the action to let a character power up or launch their special move, which abruptly draws the viewer's attention to the attack's spectacle. This is fine and fun, but is easy to mishandle and makes fights feel more show-y and artificial. Fist of the North Star never did that for me; all the fights felt like ugly street brawls with real physical injury on the line.

This gave me the idea to use the Infuse and Versatile keywords throughout the Techniques; this captures that slick, casual flow of special maneuvers as move flows into move. It also turns masters of the style into these never-ending onslaughts of deadly secret moves, which felt very right.

Another thing is just how goddamn tough Kenshiro is. Like that one time a building fell on him and he was like "Yeah, whatever."

Using the power of not giving one single fuck, Kenshiro cuts a building in half with his head

Then after seeing this, some dumbass still has the cajones to shoot him with a crossbow. So naturally, Ken just pulls it out without batting an eye.

You... You saw the building thing, right?

Again, there's nothing visually spectacular about this; it's just awesome to be this nonchalant about the crossbow thing. Simply making techniques that let you tank this kind of damage is cool; you've just got to sell that angle.

As I was monkeying with these elements, the style's strategy emerged. At it's core, Five Gateways became about two things; synergy and status effects. The moves combo'd and combined in unexpected and advantageous ways. Rather than having a few stand-out Techniques, it instead has a quiet efficiency that arises as you continue to master the style.

Status effects share this quietness; they're designed to creep up on you, starting as little 1-and-2 Rank Imbalances but quickly escalating into a total lockdown that feels like it comes out of nowhere.

The Ultimate Technique gave me migraines for a while; Kenshiro's ultimate move is similar to the Kaio-Ken in that it "unleashes your full potential" and kind've just makes you into a glowing, stronger version of yourself.

I'll let you be the judge

I decided to link the somewhat generic power-up more specifically to the cosmology of Tian Shang, so you ascend into a "higher" state of being. This is a little closer to becoming a Super-Saiyan by way of Asura's Wrath:

Pictured: you!

In addition to some weighty powerups, it also has a powerful synergy with the other Techniques, turning you into a one-man war machine, strong enough to punch through armies and dismantle cities.

So, not a precise translation. Nonetheless, I'm happy with it!

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Five Gateways

The following Imbalance is created by many of this style’s Techniques.

Bodily Paralysis

Physical Imbalance

Mechanical: Effort
Dramatic:  Your body is completely paralyzed, your muscles tensed into unresponsive lumps. Your limbs act as though you’re catatonic, remaining as they’re posed by others. You may still utilize your Effort, but not towards any physical activity more demanding than speech; uses of Power, Agility, and Endurance are strictly prohibited.

When directed against structures or machines, this Imbalance is called Negative Vibrations. It paralyzes moving parts on machines, manifesting in a machine-equivalent way. Although structures and terrain are not generally affected by paralysis, the dangerous energy infused in them may be triggered to become damage at the practitioner's touch.

Novice

All Weapons Fist

• Cost: 1
• Rank: -
• Facing: -
• Effect: You harden your fingers into knives; your kicks fall with the weight of melon-hammers. Choose a weapon: add its power to an unarmed strike. You must pay the weapon’s evocation cost in addition to the Prana cost for this Technique.
• This Technique cannot further empower an action already enhanced by a weapon.
• Keywords: Infuse
• Skill: Power

Three Gates-Closing Finger

• Cost: 3 (1)
• Rank: 1
• Facing: 6-9
• Effect:  The feather-light touches from this attack belie a horrifying power. Rather than damage, this strike builds Aggravation towards a Bodily Paralysis Imbalance.
• For the cost in brackets, you may Infuse any attack with harmful vibrations, converting it’s damage to Aggravation for Bodily Paralysis. This includes the Prana River Redirection ability outlined below.
• Prana River Redirection: You may “program” the Imbalance’s paralysis to selectively apply, targeting the foe’s limbs, sense organs, or body. Among other creative uses, masters often use this to punish a transgressive ruffians by paralyzing their weapon-carrying limbs.
• Keywords: Offensive, (Infuse)
• Skill: Agility

Skin-Hardening Defense

• Cost: 3
• Rank: 1
• Facing: 0-3
• Effect: You shrug off damage, weapons shattering over your iron-hard skin. If you fail to completely defend against an attack with this Technique, reduce any Physical Imbalance resulting from it by 1d10 Aggravation.
• Keywords: Defensive
• Skill: Endurance

Expert

Wilderness Wind Strike

• Cost: 7
• Rank: 1 (X3)
• Facing: Random
• Effect: You attack in a flurry of blows. Roll 3d10s; each forms the base of a single attack. These may combine with Effort, Focus, Weapons, or other modifiers like any attacks created by Techniques.
• If used as Rank 1 attacks (in other words, not combined with Effort or other powers), then these attacks deal a maximum of 5 damage. They are thrown too quickly to have a stronger impact.
• When used to boost Power, counts as Rank 2 and combines with any Facing.
• Keywords: Offensive
• Skill: Power

Prana Puppeteer Manipulation 

• Cost: 7 (3)
• Rank: 2
• Facing: 6-9
• Effect: Pressing the foe’s Prana meridians in a precise sequence, you twist their vital essence to your command. As Three Gates-Closing Finger,  this Technique builds Aggravation towards the Bodily Paralysis Imbalance.
• For the cost in brackets, you may Infuse any attack with harmful vibrations, converting it’s damage to Aggravation for Bodily Paralysis. This includes the Prana Puppet ability outlined below.
• Additionally, you program the foe’s Prana to obey your directives. This allows you to exercise the following power when they suffer the Dramatic Penalty:
• Prana Puppet: Rather than remaining paralyzed, you exercise complete control over the foe’s muscles and bodily movements. Their actions are taken at Effort 0, but are otherwise identical to those performed by a healthy and capable human.
• Keywords: Offensive
• Skill: Agility

Invincible Body Balance

• Cost: 7
• Rank: 2
• Facing: 0-3
• Effect: You draw your inner power to the surface, repelling and nullifying injury. If you fail to completely defend against an attack with this Technique, reduce any Imbalance resulting from it by 1d10 Aggravation.
• Additionally, you completely nullify any additional detrimental effects from the attack. You neutralize poison, resist curses, and otherwise reduce the attack to it’s raw physical component. 
• Against purely Aggravation-building attacks, this Technique is Rank 3 and reduces the Aggravation dealt by an additional 1d10 (for a total of 2d10 reduction).
• Keywords: Defensive
• Skill: Endurance

Master

Fourteen Thousand Ways

• Cost: 13
• Rank: 3
• Facing: 4-7
• Effect: The ultimately versatile fighting arts of the Five Star Spirits are embodied in this elaborate, dance-like set of perfect motions. Beyond it’s incredible utility, it needs no further power.
• Keywords: Versatile, Counterattack
• Skill: Spirit, Power

Open the Killing Gate

• Cost: 13 (7)
• Rank: 3
• Facing: 6-9
• Effect: Apex of the killing arts, this pressure point strike throws open the body’s Chakra, swelling the fragile physical form until it explodes in a fountain of viscera. As Three Gates-Closing Finger and Prana Puppeteer Manipulation, this Technique builds Aggravation towards the Bodily Paralysis Imbalance.
• Because of the intensity of the harmful vibrations filling the foe’s body, the Imbalance inflicted or worsened by this Technique is Deadly.
• For the cost in brackets, you may Infuse any attack with harmful vibrations, converting it’s damage to Aggravation for Bodily Paralysis. This includes the Prana Catastrophe ability outlined below.
• Prana Catastrophe: Instead of paralysis, the foe’s body violently ruptures and explodes. When manifesting the Dramatic Penalty, the foe suffers 1d10 Damage per Rank of the Imbalance unless they use an Endurance or Spirit action (equal in Rank to their Imbalance) to either endure the hideous bodily malfunction or counter the harmful vibrations by diverting the injured flow of their Prana.
• This damage triggers at a time of your choosing in any round they suffer the Dramatic Penalty. When combat ends or they leave the range of your senses, it triggers relentlessly until they heal the Imbalance or explode.
• Keywords: Offensive, (Infuse)
• Skill: Agility

Mirage God’s Footsteps

• Cost: 13
• Rank: 3
• Facing: 0-3
• Effect: The opponent attacks where they think you’re standing: an heartbeat later, you’ve vanished, moving faster than the eye can follow. You choose the target for the balance of the foe’s strike that you successfully defend against with this Technique.
• For example, if they struck with a 48 and your total was 36, you would redirect those 36 damage as a new attack at another target, taking the remaining 12 Damage.
• A keen-eyed foe can counter this redirection ability: they must use a Senses action of Rank equal to your total defense to track your blinding movement.
• Any additional harmful effects aside from damage are redirected at the new target.
• As the origin point of the strike, the opponent who launched the initial attack can never be the new target for the redirected strike.
• Keywords: Defensive
• Skill: Endurance

Ultimate

Samsara Ascendence

• Cost: 56
• Rank: (6)
• Facing: -
• Effects: Your perfectly align your Chakra with the Cosmos, transforming into a godlike being. The has the following benefits:
• Hour of Greatest Need: This Technique may be activated without Prana Cost if the survival of a great destiny is threatened. Such destinies typically apply to entire civilizations, but may be possessed by a single, all-important individual. If, in the estimation of the GM, the continuance of such a critical Dharma faces extinction, this Technique activates and maintains for one Action Scene without cost.
• Many Limbs of God: Your godly form requires many hands for it’s divine work: you sprout 4 additional limbs, granting you the ability to take up to three 1-die actions during your turn.
• Higher-Order Being: Increase the Rank of all of your actions by +1. This includes all attacks and defenses. While transformed, the Rank of your actions is unrestricted; you can achieve up to Rank 8 without further magic.
• Heavenly Sanction: You are Holy; all of your actions, attacks and defenses carry this keyword.
• Divine Skill: Your once-per-round diceless action is performed at a Rank of 6.
• Shrivatsa Halo: At the end of every round, regenerate +1d10 of your Aura. Ignore any amount in excess of its maximum. Additionally, your very skin grants Armor 5.
• Prana Libation: This form lasts for 1 round: however, if fed enough magic, it may be Sustained. This requires 12 Prana at the end of every turn it is sustained.
• Keywords: Transformation, Holy
• Skill: Power, Agility, Endurance, or Spirit

An identical but opposite Technique, the Punarmrityu Descent, is instead learned by those with wicked souls. It grants the Unholy keyword, rather than Holy. Additionally, replace the Hour of Greatest Need Effect with the following:

Tempt the Appetite of Hell:  This Technique may be activated and/or maintained for one Action Scene by devouring the still-beating heart of a foe of at least Degree 1.