🥊 Martial Arts

Martial Arts is the most cyberpunk way to wreck someone up close. It’s a ×2 DEX Skill that offers specialized fighting forms — each with unique Special Moves that can break bones, disarm opponents, or dodge bullets with a blade.

Key Facts

• Skill Cost: ×2 (2 IP per level when improving, 2 points per level during creation)
• Linked STAT: DEX
• ROF: 2 — you get two attacks per Action
• Damage: Based on your BODY stat (see table below)
• Armor Penetration: Ignores half of the defender’s armor (round up)
• Requirement: You need at least 1 point in a Form to use it

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Core Mechanics

Attack Resolution

Martial Arts Attacks are always ROF 2 — you get two strikes per Action, regardless of skill level. Even at Martial Arts 1, you swing twice.

Attacker's DEX + Martial Arts (Form) + 1d10
vs.
Defender's DEX + Evasion + 1d10

Each of the 2 attacks resolves separately — the defender rolls Evasion against each one:

How a Turn Plays Out

Attack 1: You roll DEX + MA + 1d10 vs. defender’s DEX + Evasion + 1d10 → If you hit: roll damage (BODY table) → apply to armor (halved, round up) → remainder to HP → armor ablates 1 SP

Attack 2: Both sides roll fresh → same resolution

Each hit ablates armor separately. Two hits = 2 SP lost from the defender’s armor.

Damage by BODY

Your fists hit harder the bigger you are:

BODY	Damage
4 or less	1d6
5–6	2d6
7–10	3d6
11+	4d6

Why Martial Arts?

Compared to Brawling (same BODY-based damage, same ROF 2), Martial Arts ignores half armor and gives you access to Special Moves. The trade-off is ×2 cost. Compared to Melee Weapons, you can’t be disarmed of your fists and you get unique form abilities — but weapons deal fixed (often higher) damage.

Action Economy: Attacks vs. Special Moves

On your Turn, you get one Action (plus Move). You choose how to spend it:

Your Action → pick ONE:
├── 🥊 Martial Arts Attack (ROF 2 = two strikes)
│   └── Some Special Moves TRIGGER for free after conditions are met
├── 💥 "Instead of 2 Attacks..." Special Move (one powerful strike)
└── ⚡ "As an Action..." Special Move (special effect, no attack)

Special Moves fall into three categories based on action cost:

Special Move Type	Action Cost	Replaces Attacks?	Example
”Instead of making 2 Attacks…”	Uses your Action	✅ Yes — one powerful strike replaces both	Karate’s Bone Breaking Strike, Boxing’s Knockout Punch, PanzerFaust’s Borg Fist
”Once per Turn, when you fulfill this requirement…”	Free (triggered)	❌ No — triggers on top of your attacks	Aikido’s Disarming Combination, Judo’s Armor Breaking Combination
”As an Action…”	Uses your Action	✅ Yes — special effect instead of attacking	Aikido’s Iron Grip, Kendo’s Ki Ken Tai No Ichi

The Key Tradeoff

The “instead of” moves sacrifice volume (2 hits) for a devastating single blow that typically inflicts a Critical Injury. The free triggered moves let you have your cake and eat it too — but they require conditions like “you hit the same target twice” to be met first.

Special Move Resolution

Most Special Moves use:

Attacker's DEX + That Form's Skill + 1d10
vs.
DV listed in the Special Move (usually DV 15)
— or —
Defender's DEX + Evasion + 1d10

Special Move Rules

• You need at least 1 level in a Form to use its Special Moves
• Special Moves cannot make Aimed Shots unless stated otherwise
• “Once per Turn” means once per your Turn
• All Forms can use the Shared Special Move: Recovery

Shared Special Move

Recovery (No Requirement) When you use the Get Up Action, attempt to beat DV 13 with Special Move Resolution. If you succeed, standing up didn’t cost an Action.

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Choosing a Form

Each point invested in Martial Arts must go into a specific Form. You can learn multiple forms, but each is trained separately. Each Form has two unique Special Moves.

Quick Comparison Table

Use this table to find the form that fits your character concept:

Core Rulebook Forms

Form	Style	Best For	Key Moves
Aikido	Soft/Defensive	Disarming & grappling	Disarm objects, lock down grapplers
Judo	Soft/Throws	Armor destruction & counter-throws	Break armor, throw without grappling
Karate	Hard/Strikes	Breaking bones & escaping grapples	Inflict Broken Ribs/Cracked Skull, break free
Taekwondo	Hard/Kicks	Pressure points & mobility	Inflict Spinal/Brain Injury, knock prone from range

Expanded Forms (Interface RED Vol. 4)

Form	Style	Best For	Key Feature
Arasaka-Te	Beginner-friendly	Aimed shots & escaping grapples	Reduces Aimed Shot penalty; easy escape
Arnis	Weapon-focused	Paired with light/medium melee	Inflict Torn Muscle; disarm weapon-wielders
Boxing	Punching	Raw damage & mobility	Knockout Punch (aimed head); free extra punch
Capoeira	Dance-like	Combos & recovery	Attack on miss; chain hits with Luck/crits
Choy Li Fut	Sweeping	Fighting groups	Hit a second target after landing two hits
Drunken Fist	Chaotic/Luck	Improvisation & survival	Use environment as weapon; dodge unseen attacks
Gun Fu	Handgun + melee	Gunslingers who fight close	Fire handgun in melee; extend melee range to 25m
Jujutsu	Redirection	Using enemy’s strength	Use target’s BODY for damage; throw without grapple
Kendo	Sword art	Melee Weapon synergy	Cut bullets; reduce Aimed Shot penalty with sword
Krav Maga	Military	Adaptive counter-fighting	Extra attack after crit; punish dodged attacks
Kung Fu	All-rounder	Versatile, deep mastery	Five Forms (5 animal effects); jump to top of initiative
Kyudo	Archery art	Bow specialists	Massive bow damage bonus; regain Luck on aimed shots
Militech Commando	Knife combat	Military knife fighters	Boost knife damage to 4d6; steal enemy weapons
Muay Thai	Striking	Brawling + MA synergy	Boost Brawling damage; boost MA damage
Multiarm Melee	Exotic	Characters with extra arms	Reroll attacks; better aimed shots; multi-grapple damage
PanzerFaust	FBC/Borg	Full Body Conversions	5d6 (or 6d6) single hit; auto-repair cyberware
Silat	Southeast Asian	Weapon + grapple hybrid	Extra Brawling attack; extra Melee Weapon attack on grapple
Sov-System	Military	Random crit infliction	Random Body crit on hit; revenge attack after receiving crit
Sumo	Wrestling/Force	Preventing grapples & intimidation	Counter grapple/throw attempts; Facedown bonus
Tai Chi	Counter/redirect	Defensive specialists	Disable attacker’s hand; counter enemy Special Moves
Thamoc	Police tactical	Grapple + aimed shots	Better aimed shots in grapple; prevent disarms
Thrash Sambo	Endurance	Taking damage	Negate crit bonus damage; reduce melee damage taken
Wrestling	Classic grapple	Hold & choke specialists	Free Choke Action; reverse grapple attacker/defender

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Detailed Forms — Core Rulebook

🥋 Aikido

Soft form — sweeping techniques to lock and disarm, turning their power against them.

Disarming Combination

• Requirement: You hit the same target with a Brawling Attack AND a Martial Arts Attack this Turn
• Beat DV 15 → any one object held by that target is now in your hands or on the floor

Iron Grip

• Requirement: You have a target successfully Grabbed (not already affected by Iron Grip)
• As an Action, beat DV 15 → target makes future escape attempts at −2, and cannot make Ranged Attacks while grappled

🥋 Judo

Soft form — grabs, throws, and escapes.

Armor Breaking Combination

• Requirement: You hit the same target with a Melee Weapon AND a Martial Arts Attack this Turn
• Beat DV 15 → target’s worn armor ablated by 2 additional SP

Counter Throw

• Requirement: You dodged ALL Melee Attacks targeted at you since your last Turn
• As an Action, beat DV 15 → Throw one target in melee range whose attack you dodged. Cannot be avoided. No grapple needed.

🥋 Karate

Hard form — strikes designed to break bones and armor.

Bone Breaking Strike (Requires WILL 8+)

• Instead of 2 attacks, make one strike vs. a target in melee range
• If you hit → target suffers Broken Ribs Critical Injury + damage (no effect if they already have it)
• Take −8 to target head instead → inflicts Cracked Skull (no effect if they already have it)

Armor Breaking Blow

• Requirement: You hit a target grappling you with 2 Melee Attacks this Turn
• Beat DV 15 → escape the grapple AND inflict Broken Arm Critical Injury

🥋 Taekwondo

Hard form — high kicks and pressure point strikes.

Pressure Point Strike (Requires WILL 8+)

• Instead of 2 attacks, make one strike vs. a target in melee range
• If you hit → target suffers Spinal Injury Critical Injury + damage (no effect if they already have it)
• Take −8 to target head instead → inflicts Brain Injury (no effect if they already have it)

Flying Kick (Requires MOVE 8+, must have moved 4m+ this Turn)

• Instead of 2 attacks, launch yourself up to 4m toward target
• If you hit → deal MA damage + target is Prone + knocked off any vehicle without a fully enclosed cabin

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Detailed Forms — Expanded (Interface RED Vol. 4)

🥋 Arasaka-Te

Easy-to-learn corporate dojo martial art.

Counter Strike — After taking melee damage since last Turn, beat DV 15 → reduce Aimed Shot penalty from −8 to −5 for the rest of your Turn against that attacker.

Escape Hold — While defending in a grapple, beat DV 15 → escape the grapple.

⚔️ Arnis

Filipino martial art focused on weapons — one of the deadliest on the planet.

Coordinated Combination — Hit same target with 2 Arnis or 2 Light/Medium Melee Weapon attacks → beat DV 15 → target suffers Torn Muscle Critical Injury (no bonus damage).

Disarming Technique — Dodged all melee weapon attacks since last Turn while wielding a melee weapon → beat DV 15 → take one melee weapon from a target who attacked you.

🥊 Boxing

Straightforward punching. Versatile in simplicity.

Knockout Punch (Requires BODY 8+) — Instead of 2 attacks, make one at −5 → targets head, inflicts Broken Jaw Critical Injury + damage.

Punch Combination — Hit same target with 2 Brawling Attacks → beat DV 15 → make a free Brawling Attack against them.

Boxing Bonus Move Shaolin Step (Requires MOVE 6+) — Dodged all attacks since last Turn → beat DV 15 → take the Run Action for free (once per Turn).

💃 Capoeira

Brazilian martial art. Flowing dance-like movements.

Rhythmic Recovery — Missed a target with a Capoeira attack this Turn → beat DV 15 → make a free Brawling Attack.

Slash Dance — Inflicted a crit with a light/medium melee weapon OR spent 3+ Luck on an attack → beat DV 15 → make a free Capoeira Attack.

🌊 Choy Li Fut

Chinese martial art with sweeping attacks, great against groups.

Sweeping Fist (Requires MOVE 6+) — Hit same target with 2 Choy Li Fut Attacks → beat DV 15 → make a free Brawling Attack against a different target in melee range.

🍶 Drunken Fist

Chinese martial art imitating a drunk person. Unpredictable and chaotic.

Environmental Improvisation (Requires LUCK 4+) — Beat DV 13 → choose an improvised weapon/surface in melee range. If GM agrees it’s painful, your Brawling Attacks this Turn ignore half armor (damage may increase up to 4d6).

Lucky Stumble (Requires LUCK 4+) — When attacked unawares, beat DV 15 → dodge the attack as if you could dodge bullets. First success per session: regain 2 Luck points.

🔫 Gun Fu

Handgun + hand-to-hand fusion. The handgun is an extension of your body.

Gun Fu Restriction

Your Gun Fu Skill is capped at your Handgun Skill level. Attacks consume ammo.

Combat Reload — Hit a target with Gun Fu → beat DV 15 → Reload for free (no Action cost).

Woo Technique (Requires Handgun 4+ or Combat Awareness 1) — Beat DV 15 → your Gun Fu attacks extend to 25m range and deal the weapon’s damage if higher. Still considered melee attacks and ignore half armor.

🔄 Jujutsu

Japanese art of yielding — redirect the opponent’s power against them.

Aiki — When you hit with a non-Gun Fu MA attack and are about to deal damage → beat DV 15 → use target’s BODY instead of yours for damage this Turn for all Brawling/MA attacks against them.

Throwing Technique (Requires WILL 6+) — Hit same target with 2 Jujutsu Attacks → beat DV 15 → Throw them even without grappling. May use their BODY for throw damage.

⚔️ Kendo

The Way of the Sword. Samurai tradition meets cyberpunk.

Cut The Bullet (Requires WILL 8+, Melee Weapons 6+) — While wielding a melee weapon and being shot (single shot) → use Special Move Resolution vs. attacker’s roll → if you succeed, the attack is negated. Can draw/stow weapon as part of this.

Ki Ken Tai No Ichi — As an Action, beat DV 15 → your first Melee Weapon Aimed Shot next Turn has only a −2 penalty instead of −8.

💪 Krav Maga

Israeli military art — adapting techniques to real-world combat.

Contact Combat — Inflicted a crit with an Aikido/Boxing/Judo/Karate/Krav Maga/Wrestling MA attack this Turn → beat DV 15 → free Brawling Attack against the target you crit.

Punishing Blow — Dodged all attacks since last Turn → beat DV 15 → free Brawling Attack against someone who attacked you in melee.

🐉 Kung Fu

The original Chinese martial art. Deeply versatile at high skill.

Five Forms (Requires Kung Fu 4+) — Instead of 2 attacks, make one strike. Choose 2 animals from Crane/Dragon/Leopard/Snake/Tiger:

• 🦢 Crane: Target suffers Damaged Eye Critical Injury
• 🐉 Dragon: +1 to next attack vs. this target
• 🐆 Leopard: +2 MOVE until end of Turn
• 🐍 Snake: Regain 1 Luck point
• 🐯 Tiger: Target’s armor ablated by 1 additional SP

First animal applies immediately; second applies on your next melee hit.

Superior Stance — Hit a target with a MA Attack this Turn → beat DV 17 → move to top of Initiative.

🏹 Kyudo

Japanese archery art — meditation meets lethal precision.

Hassetsu — As an Action, beat DV 15 → establish Kyudo Stance: first archery attack each Turn deals +2d6 damage. Stance breaks if you move 6m+, take melee damage, get grappled, or go prone.

Zaiteki — Hit with an Aimed Shot using a bow → beat DV 15 → regain up to 2 Luck points.

🔪 Militech Commando Training

Military knife combat system.

Combat Knife Training — First melee attack this Turn with a light/medium weapon → beat DV 15 → weapon damage increases to 4d6 but ROF drops to 1.

Commando Disarm (Requires 2+ free hands) — As an Action, Special Move Resolution vs. target’s Brawling → steal their weapon into your hands and immediately attack with it.

🦵 Muay Thai

Thai striking art with extreme body conditioning.

Conditioned Ferocity — Damaged a target with a MA Attack since last Turn → beat DV 15 → Brawling Attacks this Turn deal +1d6 damage (max 4d6) and gain +1 to hit.

Conditioned Power — Damaged a target with a Brawling Attack since last Turn → beat DV 15 → next MA Attack this Turn deals +1d6 damage.

🦾 Multiarm Melee

Developed in Alaska for fighting augmented bears. Requires extra arms.

Armed & Dangerous (Requires more arms than target) — Before a Brawling Attack, beat DV 15 (DV 17 if used again this Turn) → choose: reroll d10 and take best, or reduce Aimed Shot penalty to −5, or reassign Combat Awareness (Solos only).

Smack Together (Requires BODY 6+, grappling 2+ targets) — As an Action, beat DV 15 → deal your BODY directly to HP of everyone you’re grappling.

🤖 PanzerFaust

For Full Body Conversions. Unleash the power of metal on flesh.

Borg Fist (Requires BODY 10+) — Instead of 2 attacks, make one at a target with lower BODY → deals 5d6 damage (6d6 if you have <0 Humanity).

Inner Chrome (Requires FBC or <0 Humanity; damaged cyberware) — Beat DV 11 (+2 per damaged piece) → repair all damaged/disabled cyberware until end of combat. If <0 Humanity and DV was 15+, also gain immunity to future cyberware damage.

🗡️ Silat

Southeast Asian martial arts fusion. Hundreds of styles.

Internal Power (Requires WILL 6+) — Hit same target twice with Silat or Light/Medium Melee → beat DV 15 → free Brawling Attack.

Violent Leverage — Started a new grapple with a target you haven’t grappled before → beat DV 15 → free Melee Weapon Attack.

🔨 Sov-System

Successor to Red Army’s Command Sambo. Commercialized for the masses.

Dirty Blow (Requires BODY 4+) — Instead of 2 attacks, make one → target suffers a randomly rolled Body Critical Injury + damage. (Foreign Object → reroll.)

Revenge Strike (Requires BODY 4+) — Received a crit from melee since last Turn → beat DV 15 → free Sov-System Attack against that target. If it causes a crit, regain 2 Luck.

🏯 Sumo

Japanese wrestling focused on moving opponents with full force.

Deashi (Requires BODY 7+) — About to be grappled or thrown → beat DV 15 → not grappled/thrown and move yourself + attacker up to 6m in your chosen direction.

Niramiai (Requires COOL 4+) — In a Facedown → beat DV 15 → your Facedown gets +2 bonus.

☯️ Tai Chi

Chinese art of balance and redirection.

Joint Manipulation — Someone in melee range missed you with a Melee Attack → beat DV 15 → disable one of their hands until end of their next Turn (they don’t drop items).

Lu (Requires WILL 8+) — Someone in melee range just succeeded a Special Move Resolution → your Special Move vs. their roll result → if you succeed, their Special Move fails (unless they counter with Lu).

🚔 Thamoc

Police weapon retention and grapple art.

Advantaged Position — You’re the attacker in a grapple → beat DV 15 → Aimed Shot penalty against grappled target reduced to −5 for the rest of your Turn.

Weapon Retention — About to be disarmed → beat DV 15 → keep your weapon.

🩹 Thrash Sambo

Eastern European fusion: Command Sambo meets nightclub dance-fighting.

Grit — About to suffer a Critical Injury → beat DV 15 → take no Bonus Damage from the crit (effect still applies).

Thick Skin — Taking melee damage → beat DV 15 → reduce damage by 2 (or 4 if it was a MA Attack). Applied after armor.

🤼 Wrestling

One of the oldest martial arts. Grapple and hold down.

Chokehold — You’re the attacker in a grapple, haven’t choked this Turn → beat DV 15 → free Choke Action (no Action cost).

Reversal — You’re the defender in a 1v1 grapple → beat DV 15 → grapple ends, new grapple begins with you as attacker.

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Building a Martial Artist

During Character Creation

Martial Arts is a ×2 cost skill, meaning each level costs 2 skill points during creation. At creation max (Level 6), that’s 12 points — a significant investment.

Is it worth it?

Even at Level 1, Martial Arts gives you ROF 2 attacks that ignore half armor. Higher levels make you more likely to hit (bigger bonus to your attack roll) and unlock more reliable Special Moves (higher skill = better roll). At Level 6:

• Your attack roll is DEX + 6 + 1d10 — very accurate
• Special Move DVs of 15 are achievable consistently
• Works with fists, cyberfists, or cyberweapons

The main trade-off is opportunity cost — those 12 points could buy Handgun 6 + Shoulder Arms 6 instead.

Recommended STAT Priorities

Priority	STAT	Why
1st	DEX	Your attack roll (DEX + MA), your dodge (DEX + Evasion)
2nd	BODY	Directly determines your damage dice
3rd	REF	REF 8+ lets you dodge bullets with Evasion
4th	WILL	Required for Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Jujutsu

Synergies

• Cyberfists/Cyberarms: Boost damage and add options
• Brawling: Many forms combo with Brawling attacks
• Melee Weapon: Judo, Arnis, Kendo, Capoeira, Silat all synergize with weapons
• Handgun: Gun Fu specifically requires this
• Evasion: Essential for any melee fighter to survive
• Battlegloves: Provide melee weapon capability and come with features that combo with several forms

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🔗 Related

• Skills — Full skill list and descriptions
• Melee Combat — Melee combat rules
• 05 Skills & Allocation — Skill point spending guide
• Damage and Wounds — How damage is calculated
• Armor and Cover — How armor ablation works

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Sources: Cyberpunk RED Core Rulebook p.178–179, Interface RED Volume 4: Cyberfists of Fury p.73–84