- A variation of traditional Kodokan Judo focusing on groundwork.
Originally a Japanese martial art, Jujutsu was developed by Samurai in the event they were unarmed while in battle with an armored foe. The Kodokan school of Judo made its way to Brazil in 1904. Adopted by the Gracie family after seeing a demonstration, over the decades the style was refined, shifting the focus from defending against armored foes to disabling and negating larger opponents.
Gracie Barra practitioners learn to bring targets down, and keep them on the ground to mitigate the foe’s size and strength. From here the martial artist will use a number of techniques to manipulate the opponent and achieve a dominant position in the grapple and forcing the opponent to submit.
Associated Weapons: Designed to be an unarmed defensive style, there are no formal weapons. However, weapons defense often includes knives, clubs, and handguns.
When not in a clinch or on the ground, Gracie Barra practitioners tend towards a modest crouch, one arm in for a close guard, one arm partly extended to gauge ranges and feel out the foe. Opponents may be fooled into thinking that the martial artist is telegraphing their actions with this extended arm. However, the Gracie style fighter can use this to their advantage to set foes up by using quick rotations to shoot in.
Author’s Note: All builds presented in this series should not be taken as the only way to interpret a given style. Players and GMs are encouraged to treat these as a framework to build their own character’s style.
Fighting Style: Gracie Barra Braziallian Jiu Jitsu
- Parent Attribute: Constitution or Mental
- Primary Role: Defense
- First Secondary Role: Initiative
Common Specialties:
- Active Defense (or Counter Grapple Combos)
- Fighting Prone
- Grappling Defense
- Trip
Common Combos:
- Go To Ground: Grapple – Trip
- Incapacitate (From a Grapple): Trip – Stagger
- Reversal Takedown: Active Defense – Grapple – Trip
- Size Up: Bypass Armor – Set Up
Key Talents:
- Acrobatics
- Concentration
- Escape Artist
- Reversals
- Fitness
- Negotiation
- Perseverance
- Study: Martial Art History
Additional Boons
- Advantaged
- Extra Stamina
- Languages: German, Portuguese, Spanish
- Escape Artist Supports Counter Combos
- Concentration Supports Strikes while Grappling
Super Style Gracie Barra Braziallian Jiu Jitsu
For our Super Style we’re going to build off the concepts that have already been laid out by the style. Locking up with a foe, the martial artist becomes virtually impervious to damage and can inflict wounds that continue to harm the opponent.
Example (Classic Power Level)
Gracie Barra Braziallian Jiu Jitsu 12
- Constitution/Defense
Lingering TY
Armor (Boost Armor, Imporevious) MA3
Defends Against: All MA
Secondary Role: Offense MA
Secondary Role: Support: Intuition MA
Locked Power: Armor, Defends Against, and Lingering only apply when in a grapple.
(S) Combo: Reversal Takedown 4
(S) Combo: Size Up 4
(S) Fighting Prone 7
(S) Grapple 10
Shoot in, get a hold of the foe, and bring them down. Once that’s done, nothing can stop Gracie Barra Jiu Jitsu. Their focus is such that they become resilient to any attacks, from physical blows to mind control. Every wound they inflict will resonate until their foes are forced to submit.
Cost 1 Power + 12 Selections + 11 AP
Boons
Advantaged TY
Combo: Reversal TakedownTY
Combo: Size Up TY
Extra Stamina TY
Languages: German, Portuguese, Spanish TY
Escape Artist Supports Counter Combos MA
Concentration Supports Strikes while Grappling MA
Cost 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 = 9 AP
Use In Conflict
It’s not about dealing a lot of Damage up front. Size up foes, and let them come to you. The Reversal Takedown allows you to quickly turn an attack back on an opponent. With the Specialty in Fighting Prone anything you do from here has an edge. This is also the safest position for you. Once in the Grapple you are better Armored and can Defend Against any type of attack.
