A couple of different players have had their characters FoRK Anatomy into their melee skills (brawling for a student, and sword for a lord). I allowed it at the time as it seems reasonable to me.
Is this allowed in gold?
FoRKs are up to GM discression, so if it seemed reasonable to you, then yes.
Just make sure they describe the FoRK in interesting ways. Once they start saying the same thing over & over then no bonus.
I was wondering about that.
I have also considered having them roll their anatomy skill to see if it can be useful in the fight at hand against the current opponent (note that the skill says human body) with a penalty for nonhuman opponents. That way they can log tests and have to be s little more invested in the skill if it is going to help in a fight.
Be careful of turning FoRKs into linked tests. That can end up giving too many tests.
In general I’m opposed to anatomy as a combat FoRK. You already know where to stick the pointy end! Unless you’re particularly trying to sever tendons or some other fancy fighting tricks that almost certainly require increased obstacles you don’t get much out of knowing exactly which meaty bits you’re puncturing or which stringy bits you’ve cut.
Most FoRKs in combat are good for one maneuver per volley, or so goes my very rough rule of thumb. You’re not able to use the same benefit constantly most of the time.
Generally agree here. My default disposition with FoRKS: are you using that related knowledge to conduct this task in a way that someone who does not have it would not try or be able to attempt? If not, I’m probably gonna be inclined to disagree. Regarding anatomy, if someone was like “You said he’s got a scar on his elbow? I know what that’s from and I know why that’s gonna be sensitive” I’d be much more apt to say “Oh, ok, you’re clearly using your related knowledge to do something that someone who didn’t have that knowledge wouldn’t know/try.” (Not a perfect example, but you get the idea.)
Edit: This is actually easier to pull off than I’m making it sound. I say yes to FoRKs pretty routinely, I just make them work to describe it.
But, as Taelor said up there, it really just needs to make sense to you. Whether you have an initial disposition towards or against allowing FoRKS is up to you (i.e., you can either be apt to believe that FoRKS make sense until they obviously don’t or you can be apt to believe that they don’t unless the player is explicit and convincing. or some third thing.)
The players who have used anatomy this way, like myself, have a solid background in martial arts, as well as working knowledge of anatomy (one being a combat medic, m.p., and trained m.m.a. fighter, the other has studied karate for five years and helped his mom study for her nursing career, quizing her along the way.).
The average martial artist doesn’t think about vital organs and such. Most art forms teach how to get the most out of your body or weapon, and only the advanced student is taught how to apply that knowledge against an opponents anatomy to deadly effect .
I was not goIng for a linked test In the strIctest sense of the term, more lIke an assessment using anatomy to see if it could apply during the encounter rather than just allowing the FoRK.
(That could lead to “Always size up my opponents and assess their anatomies” instinct)
I’m still skeptical. I have some pretty solid training in anatomy and it has very little applicability to hurting anyone beyond “hit softs spots and vitals.” But it’s your game, and verisimilitude matters far more than realism.
Just out of curiosity, what would you use the anatomy skill for?
Patching wounds, definitely. Diagnosis and treatment of a lot of other diseases, but it depends on the disease. Anatomy is a medical skill. There’s a reason doctors learn it and soldiers don’t.
I could see it being used to assist in stopping bleeding and treating wounds definitely. I could also see it assist in penetrating a disguise in some cases (cross gender for example) or for aiding an inquisitor in determining a crime scene.
I can also see how anatomy could be used to knock someone out in a versus test, or choke them out in a fight! (the latter should require ambush, positioning, a successful push, or stand and drool)
In order to use it as a FoRK was the original question, and I am still on the fence on this on.
If nothing else comes up, I guess I’ll just leave it up for a vote.