- An ancient and brutal form of combat blending grappling and striking techniques.
Legends say that Pankration was created by Heracles and Theseus and used to defeat the Minotaur and Nemean lion. Over three thousand years old, Pankration was practiced both for combat and sport with deadly efficiency. It is the foundation for modern Greco-Roman wrestling. However, unlike the modern sport Pankration leveraged multiple types of strikes as well as grappling techniques to subdue or defeat an opponent.
Designed to break their opponents, Pankration is not a subtle style using quick strikes or powerful kicks to create an opening. From there the fighter is able to close ranks, grappling their foes and forcing them to submit, either through additional strikes, or joint locks. Modern Pankration is known for its knees to the face, while the ancient form relied on techniques like eye gouges to render targets incapable of fighting.
Associated Weapons: None, Pankration is used once unarmed
The martial artist assumes a slightly offset stance, arms at a medium guard. Weight is on the back leg allowing the martial artist to quickly pivot or shift depending on their opponents movements. Punches are used to feel out the other fighter or lure them into dropping their guard. Standing kicks often use the heel allowing the fighter to channel their entire body’s force into a strike. These kicks can look deceptively off balance. Once the martial artist finds their opening they will bring their foe down using trips or throws ending in a grapple. From here the martial artist can apply the most force to either encourage submission, or break the target.
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: Pankration
- Parent Attribute: Constitution or Mental
- Primary Role: Offense
- First Secondary Role: Defense
Common Specialties:
- Crippling Strike
- Grapple
- Interrupting Actions
- Trip
Common Combos:
- Floor Them: Stagger – Trip (Typically a single powerful kick)
- Go To Ground: Grapple – Trip (Often used as an Interrupting Action)
- Guard Break: Attack – Trip – Set Up (Often used as an Interrupting Action)
- No Quarter: Grapple – Crippling Strike
Key Talents:
- Brawn
- Climbing
- Concentration
- Discipline
- Near Death (0 Stamina or Less)
- Fitness
- Manual Labor
- Study: Ancient Greece
Additional Boons
- Advantaged
- Extra Stamina
- Languages: Indo-European Hellenic Greek Family
- Brawn Supports Interrupting Actions
- Concentration Supports Grapples
Super Style Pankration
While it’s been refined, re: toned down, over the centuries, Pankration was not designed for sport, or honor, but victory. It’s a grappling style that focuses on power and endurance. Our super style reinforces these concepts, creating a fighter who can shrug off harm.
Example (Classic Power Level)
Pankration 12
- Constitution/Offense
Devastating MA
Secondary Role: Defense (Full Role) MA2
Armor MA
Passive Defense TY
- Activation Required
Secondary Role: Support: Outlast MA
Healing (Self) MA
Limited: Healing Self only after suffering an Injury.
(S) Grapple 7
(S) Go To Ground 4
(S) Guard Break 7
(S) Trip 7
Our super styled Pankration takes a more modern approach, forgoing the more crippling attacks for a more submission focused style. The Pankration fighter can take a beating and keep coming, in fact, when others would be knocked out, or worse, the martial artist can not only keep going, but gets a second wind.
Cost 1 Power + 12 Selections + 11 AP
Boons
Advantaged TY
Combo: Go To Ground TY
Combo: Guard Break TY
Extra Stamina TY
Languages: Indo-European Hellenic Greek Family MA
Brawn Supports Interrupting Actions MA
Concentration Supports Grapples TY
Cost 1 + 1+ 1+ 1 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 9 AP
Use In Conflict
Find your target, don’t be afraid to take a few hits. Guard Break can be used against tougher opponents while most foes you can just Go to Ground with. Once you get them in a Grapple, you can apply extra Damage with the Specialty offsetting most of the penalty associated with a Heavy Blow. Your extra Stamina, and ability to recover while Injured allows you to take on more deadly foes until your teammates can join you, even if it means getting knocked around.
