[NWoD] Most effective unarmed style?

[Retrokinesis]

So I've been trying to create a character (Daeva Ordo Dracul vampire specifically) that is about as deadly in unarmed combat as you can possibly be. So far it looks like a combination of fighting styles (especially Dirty Fighting) but I'm having some trouble.

What are some of the best Brawl abilities? I've heard Aikido is good but I don't really see how it can be when you only need a single success to escape from grapples. The first 3 levels of MAC and the first 2 of Krav Maga also look pretty good, as well as the Nightmare/Vigor devotions from the Nosferatu clanbook.

Anything I'm missing? Thanks!

[Drglenn]

Get a Gangrel to teach you Protean up to level 3 so you can get the aggravated damage claws

[Eisenfavl]

Get a Gangrel to teach you Protean up to level 3 so you can get the aggravated damage claws
It's a trap!

Everyone talks about how amazing aggravated damage is, but if you take people into torpor/full lethal in one turn, which you should, it doesn't matter.

Cult of Things Which Should Not Be (5) is massively OP, but needs 2 WP to spend to trigger and is pretty, you know, antagonist focused. Also, you need DM permission to get more than 2 in it.
If you can manage it, permanent (stamina * 2) armor + some bonus mutations + free +3 bite alongside the +4 and 9-again to all unarmed and +5 aggro maw which can attack alongside the bite in the same turn gets pretty insane.

Of course, it's rather obvious why this is usually an antagonists thing.

[Pyrophilios]

I don't know if it's the most effective style, but I had some success against armed and armored opponents as a Hunter with the following combination:

Kung Fu 4
+ Berserk style 2 (not really suitable for a vampire, except with coils of the beast 3)
MAC 4
Grappling 1

Brawling dodge
Heavy Fists Merit

Wearing Sap Gloves, Armored Clothing

MAC lets you ignore up to 4 points of armor and prevents ganging up on your character. Grappling 1 lets you use your high Dex +1 to defend against Grappling. Berserker style gives you an additional point of armor.

What you do is: Fight defensively with Kung fu 3 until your opponent is frustrated and attacks all out. When he is denied his defense, you hit him with a flurry of blows and end the fight.

Done right you are always the one who was only defending himself (might not be important to your character)

Since this style focuses on Dex over Str you are also a decent shot and don't have to brawl at all :smallwink:


Edit:
In your case you could start with 3 dots in Vigor on STR 2 DEX 5 STA 2, Brawl 4 (Spec. Kung Fu), Sap Gloves and Kung Fu 4 which already gives you a pool of 11+10+9+8=38 dice on one attack. Bloodboost and WP add another 5 for 43 dice.
On average you'll have 14 successes, easily enough to torpor/kill a standard 2 dot Stamina opponent (Of cource this applys only to unarmored and undefending opponents)

[comicshorse]

[QUOTE=Pyrophilios;14292953

Edit:
In your case you could start with 3 dots in Vigor on STR 2 DEX 5 STA 2, Brawl 4 (Spec. Kung Fu), Sap Gloves and Kung Fu 4 which already gives you a pool of 11+10+9+8=38 dice on one attack. Bloodboost and WP add another 5 for 43 dice.
On average you'll have 14 successes, easily enough to torpor/kill a standard 2 dot Stamina opponent (Of cource this applys only to unarmored and undefending opponents)[/QUOTE]

Could you be a little more exact on how those dice pools come to be ?

[Pyrophilios]

Sure,
Kung Fu allows you to attack DEX-1 times with a cumulative -1 penalty for each itterative attack.
With STR 2 and Vigor 3 you STR base is 5
+ Brawl 4 with speciality Kung Fu is 5, adds to 10
+ 1 point equipment bonus from sap gloves you have 11 dice

As a Daeva you can add +1 DEX on top of your starting dots, gaining DEX 5, which allows you 4 attacks: 11+11-1+11-2+11-3=38

The sap gloves can be found in armoury, but you can exchange them for dragon knuckles (brass knuckles with lethal damage) or those funny ninja climbing claws, if you want to deal with your enemies in a more permanent fashion...

[comicshorse]

Ah I see
Thanks

[Eurus]

Dirty Fighting (http://www.gametrademagazine.com/Home/1/1/58/591?articleID=87912) is hilariously OP. For one dot, you can make attacks that cause your opponent to lose all actions on their next turn if you get more than their composure in successes. If you have five dots? They just don't get back up after that.

[Eisenfavl]

Dirty Fighting (http://www.gametrademagazine.com/Home/1/1/58/591?articleID=87912) is hilariously OP. For one dot, you can make attacks that cause your opponent to lose all actions on their next turn if you get more than their composure in successes. If you have five dots? They just don't get back up after that.

Lets not even mention the 4 dot power, which makes you nigh-immune to the first few attacks from a group, and potentially becomes crazy broken in group conflicts.