Bartitsu

4 points

Bartitsu was developed by E.W. Barton-Wright in
the late 1890s. Barton-Wright based his style heavily
on Jujutsu (pp. 166-168) but added moves from
Boxing (pp. 152-153), no-holds-barred Wrestling
(pp. 204-206), Victorian Singlestick (p. 157), and
even fencing for good measure. The art became
famous when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle revealed
Sherlock Holmes to be a practitioner (and
misnamed it “Baritsu”).
Barton-Wright turned to public exhibitions to
attract students, disgusting and driving off his
Japanese partner in the dubious venture. His demon-
strations were as much about showmanship and feats
of strength as actual fighting methods. He made
grandiose claims of Bartitsu’s effectiveness against all
opponents in all circumstances.
Some of Bartitsu’s techniques were questionable
and likely more dangerous to the user than to his
opponent if done vigorously; the GM could add these
as useless techniques (p. 95). Risky Committed and
All-Out Attacks were common. Still, the core form
was a combative Jujutsu style, and some of the added
techniques were valuable to a pragmatic fighter. A styl-
ist who can’t distinguish the dangerous moves from
the functional ones would qualify for a Delusion!
The components below assume a functional art. A
harshly realistic take would replace all combat skills
with Combat Sport skills. In our world, Bartitsu
attracted few students, but in a cinematic Victorian
setting it might be a thriving style with functional
combat abilities and cinematic skills.
Skills: Brawling; Hobby Skill (Feats of Strength);
Judo.
Techniques: Arm Lock; Head Butt; Head Lock;
Knee Strike.
Cinematic Skills: Immovable Stance; Power Blow;
Push.
Perks: Power Grappling.
Optional Traits
Advantages: Fearlessness.
Disadvantages: Delusions; Overconfidence.
Skills: Boxing; Broadsword; Cloak; Lifting;
Performance; Running; Smallsword; Stage Combat;
Wrestling.
Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is a relatively new art without a mysti-
cal background. Nevertheless, some cinematic skills fit the
more hyperbolic descriptions of its effectiveness!
Skills: Judo; Wrestling.
Techniques: Arm Lock; Breakfall; Choke Hold; Ground
Fighting (Judo or Wrestling); Leg Grapple; Leg Lock; Leg
Throw; Low Fighting (Judo or Wrestling); Lower-Body Arm
Lock; Lower-Body Head Lock; Lower-Body Leg Lock;
Scissors Hold; Triangle Choke; Trip.
Cinematic Skills: Blind Fighting; Pressure Points.
Cinematic Techniques: Roll with Blow.
Perks: Ground Guard; Power Grappling; Technique
Adaptation (Ground Fighting); Technique Adaptation (Low
Fighting).
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: Improved FP.
Advantages: Enhanced Dodge; Enhanced Parry (Bare
Hands); Fit or Very Fit; Hard to Subdue; Language
(Portuguese).
Disadvantages:
Bully; Overconfidence; Reputation
(Always goes for the takedown after a grapple).
Skills: Brawling; Karate; Savoir-Faire (Dojo).