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For the below questions use a character named "Bob". Bob is a 1st level character with Assassin HTH Commando (N&SS p93) which provides 2 attacks per melee (APM) and Boxing (N&SS p43) that adds 1 attack per melee and automatic knock outs on natural 20 plus more.

1. Will Bob have 3 attacks per melee for any skilled HTH attack, like 3 kick attacks or knife hands or just using his fists (boxing)?
2. Will Bob automatically KO during any HTH attack on a natural 20 roll or just with fists? Example, will Bob KO with a kick attack on natural 20?
3. Will Bob have 3 APM with ancient or modern weapons? For example, will Bob get 3 APM with long bow or .357 magnum pistol?

In a particular melee, Bob was struck with a successful knock out/stun (KO) attack. Then Bob fails to parry this KO attack. Bob then attempts to "roll" (N&SS p130) with the KO. If Bob's "roll" with KO is successful (Bob's dice roll + bonuses >= KO strike die roll + bonuses ) do you simply reduce the number of melee rounds that Bob is temporarily incapacitated (1d6 / 2) or does the KO do no damage/no effect? I ask because if you call a "knock out/stun" and fail to KO/stun then "knock out/stun" does no damage (N&SS p129).

Thanks for the information. References or links to answers would be appreciated. It's been almost 20 years since I dabbled in Palladium system so I wanted to clarify.

1: Three APM total. Any combination. It is presumed that boxing sharpened the reflexes overall.

2: Any bare handed attack. (which means when attacking without any tools/weapons)

3: assuming a liberal GM, See answer #1, 1st sentence. Assuming a AR RAW GM, the char has to have a weapons kata to use a weapon with their Martial arts Form.

Does it say with a punch? I want automatic knockouts on a natural 20 when I poke someonewith a screwdriver.

Boxing, pugilism, is a bare-handed fighting style.

Bob gets three actions per melee round. The game didn't start complicating things with dedicated actions until somebody got the bright idea that creatures with prehensile tails should be able to do an extra thing per round, but only with that appendage. Then the sharpshooters from New West got dedicated actions for shooting pistols. At this point, you could probably get creative and have a character with three or four additional actions per round, but only in specific circumstances.

Boxing is a barehanded skill, but it does not stipulate that only punch attacks or even unarmed attacks benefit from auto knockout. You can, and probably should, play it that way. On the other hand, will your game be more fun if characters are being stunned on natural 20s? If so, apply it to everything.

Boxing is barehanded but if the bonus to PS also benefits kicking damage and the extra attack can be done with kicks then why not the knockout as well? If it represents a generic increase in power, a generic increase in speed, then it could also represent a generic increase in knockout power or timing or aiming.

majorverse wrote:2. Will Bob automatically KO during any HTH attack on a natural 20 roll or just with fists? Example, will Bob KO with a kick attack on natural 20?

Most GMs I played with allowed this to work with melee weapons as well, but not missile weapons.

Petty tyrants thrive when they have authority backed by vague regulations.

The Beast wrote:

majorverse wrote:2. Will Bob automatically KO during any HTH attack on a natural 20 roll or just with fists? Example, will Bob KO with a kick attack on natural 20?

Most GMs I played with allowed this to work with melee weapons as well, but not missile weapons.

That's surprising.

--flatline

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:1: Three APM total. Any combination. It is presumed that boxing sharpened the reflexes overall.

2: Any bare handed attack. (which means when attacking without any tools/weapons)

3: assuming a liberal GM, See answer #1, 1st sentence. Assuming a AR RAW GM, the char has to have a weapons kata to use a weapon with their Martial arts Form.

I would note that the answer for #1 is for the N&S setting. Other settings will have their different totals from having a H2H.
examples being that in Rifts having just the H2H the char will have 3 APM @ L!. but in the PF2 setting the h2h assassin only gives 1 APM @ L1. Both of these before adding in any Boxing bonus APM.