WRESTLERS -- AN OVERVIEW

Before you create a wrestler, you should take a look at how BODYSLAM! defines wrestlers. Wrestlers in BODYSLAM! are described in the following ways:

• Build Classes: Wrestlers recieve varying bonuses and penalties according to their Height and Weights.
• Attributes: ratings of a wrestler's talent in 7 basic areas.
• Traits: values derived from Attributes and/or Build.
• Merits: Special advantages a wrestler has over others.
• Flaws: Special weaknesses or limitations a wrestler possesses.
• Arsenals: The wrestler's personal package of holds, locks, and other moves.

Build Classifications

The first, and simplest, definition of a wrestler is his height and weight. These are important considerations, because wrestlers use their bodies as weapons in the arena, and a wrestler's size will greatly affect his wrestling style. Bigger and heavier wrestlers will tend to possess less raw talent than smaller, lighter wrestlers -- but will also need it less.

Attributes

Attributes are numbered measurements of a wrestler's ability in a certain field. There are 7 Attributes used in BODYSLAM!; each attribute is assigned a value between 30 and 80 (all attribute values are divisible by 5). In general, these values can be considered to represent the following levels:

• 30: Deficient, noticeably below average.
• 40: Average Joe -- what you or your best friend probably can do.
• 50: Noticeably above average, some training evident.
• 60: Well-developed talent; very competent
• 70: Fame-generating skill, enough to compete with the best.
• 80: Awe-inspiring or legendary aptitude -- the best of a league.

Strength (STR)

This attribute measures the wrestler's brute force, lifting ability, and muscle power. STR determines the Power Bonus (PB) Trait.

Technical Skill (TEC)

This Attribute is a measure of the wrestler's skill at 'classic' wrestling techniques -- holds, locks, takedowns, and pins. It also represents the wrestler's skill at escaping holds and pinfalls.

Dexterity (DEX)

This Attribute rates the wrestler's skill at performing acrobatics and aerial maneuvers, those involving flips, jumps, or leaps from the turnbuckle. It is also a measure of the wrestler's speed and manueverability in the ring, and determines the wrestler's Movement(MOV) trait.

Brawling (BRA)

This Attribute represents the wrestler's talent for punching, kicking, and similiar roughhousing. Brawling also includes techniques using vicious maneuvers like hair-pulling, choking, and eye-gouging, as well as more refined manuevers like the martial arts.

Toughness (TOU)

This attribute measures the character's damage taking capacity, and how much hurting he can take before falling into unconsciousness. Toughness measures the wrestler's starting Stun Points.

Stamina (STA)

This Attribute rates the wrestler's resistance to pain and fatigue; STA determines how quickly the wrestler will lose Stun Levels, as well as determining the wrestler's Recovery Trait.

Savvy (SAV)

This Attribute is a measure of the wrestler's cleverness, perception, business sense, and wits. Wrestlers with lots of Savvy tend to know more moves, plan better tactically, and are less likely to be taken off guard by novel actions.

The Wear-Down System

In BODYSLAM!, as a wrestler takes damage, his Attributes degenerate to represent the effects of fatigue and pain. Each attribute has 4 Stun Levels:

• Level I is the basic score.
• Level II is 90% of Level I;
• Level III is 80% of Level I;
• Level IV is 70% of Level I.

             I       II      III     IV
     STR     60      54      48      42

Traits

Traits also rate a wrestler's talent in certain areas, but differ from Attributes in the following ways:

• Trait values are not chosen, but rather derived from the wrestler's existing Attribute and Build values;
• Traits are not values between 25 and 90; rather, each Trait has its own range, dependent on the method of derivation.

Power Bonus (PB)

PB is the amount of extra damage done by most maneuvers due to the wrestler's Strength. This is equal to 1 point at 50 STR, and increases by one point for each 5 points of STR past 50. PB drops by 1 point per wear-down level. PB is never lower than 0.

Movement (MOV)

MOV is the wrestler's general speed. The MOV score for each wear-down Level is equal to the first digit of the wrestler's DEX for that Level.

Recovery (REC)

REC represents the wrestler's ability to shake off a daze. Similar to MOV, the REC score for each Level is the first digit of the wrestler's STA for that Level.

Stun

This is perhaps the most significant statistic in the game, because it is Stun that determines which Level the wrestler is currently at. Damage taken by a wrestler during a match is subtracted from his Stun; when his Stun reaches the number indicated under the next Level, all of his other attributes are reduced to that Level as well. Stun is determined by a wrestler's TOU and STA.

Lift

Lift represents the effects a wrestler's weight has on those attempting to pick him up or knock him down. It is used as a penalty to anyone attempting such a maneuver on the wrestler. Lift decreases by 10% per wear-down Level, just like normal attributes. Note that lighter wrestlers have negative Lift, which works as a bonus to lift them or knock them down.

Height Damage Bonus (HDB)

Some maneuvers gain extra damage when performed by taller wrestlers; the HDB indicates the number of extra dice these maneuvers use. HDB doesn't decrease by Level.

Weight Damage Bonus (WDB)

Some maneuvers gain extra damage dice when performed by heavier wrestlers; the Weight Damage Bonus is added directly to the rolled damage for these maneuvers. Note that this can work for the character (such as when he is splashing an opponent) or against him (when he is bodyslammed). WDB does not change due to wear-down Level.

Merits

Merits are special bonuses a wrestler can have apart from his attributes, maneuvers, and build. Examples of Merits include Hakushi's martial arts training, or the Undertaker's near-invulnerability.

Flaws

Flaws are the opposite of Merits: special weaknesses or defects a wrestler possesses that make his career more challenging. Examples include Bret Hart's hotemperedness, Shawn Michaels' cockiness, and Yokozuna's foreign background.

Flaws serve two useful purposes in BODYSLAM!. First, they add character, color, and interest to a wrestler, giving him something dramatic to overcome in his quest for fame, wealth, titles, or whatever. Secondly, they balance out the wrestler's abilities; wrestlers with lots of high Attributes and/or many Merits will be required to accept a similiarly great many Flaws as well.

Fan Support

Fan Support (FS) refers to a wrestler's popularity with the people who plunk their dollars down for tickets or PPVs. Fan Support is rated by a number between 0 and 100,000 (or more!), and can be either positive (face) or negative (heel). References to Fan Support and changes to it can be described as 'positive', 'negative', or 'absolute' (ie, relative to 0).

All wrestlers are assumed to begin with +/-5,000 FS -- this is enough to make their images, gimmicks, and names known to all the fans of the league, at least by hearsay, but is not going to get them much else. Wrestlers can engage in FS-raising (or lowering, for heels) activities before their first match (teaser flashes, mystery-man run-ins, etc.).

Actions that earn Fan Support include:

• Signing autographs;
• Wrestling cleanly;
• Defeating heels;
• Winning titles;
• Appearing at charity events;
• Giving good interviews;
• Appearing in movies or TV commercials (at the promoter's whim)
• Making a save.

• Insulting your opponent or the fans;
• Jumping/sneak-attacking a wrestler;
• Seriously injuring an opponent;
• Gloating, bragging, threatening, etc. in interviews;
• Cowardice or treachery;
• Cheating in the ring.

Fan Support Rankings

There are 9 "ranks" for Fan Support, dependent on your exact current FS level; these ranks determine how many Cheap Shots, Comebacks, and/or Power-Ups a wrestler recieves, as well as how many multiple attacks he can make without penalty.

Megastar (100,000+ FS)

Megastars are the federation's top dogs, the wrestlers who can seemingly do anything -- Hulk Hogan c. 1985, or Sting during the early 90's. A Megastar can either Power Up once and use five comebacks during a match.

Superstar (50,000 to 99,999 FS)

The classic top-level face -- Bret Hart, Sabu (in ECW), Randy Savage; Superstars are considered the cream of the crop in the league. A Superstar gets either one Power-Up and three comebacks per match, or five comebacks during the match.

Hero (20,000 to 49,999 FS)

Heroes are the minor faces, the ones like Eddie Guerrero or the Godwinns -- good enough to rate serious attention, but not recieving a major push. Heroes can use three Comebacks per match.

Favorite (5,000 to 19,999 FS)

The new, rising stars (like Billy Kidman or Alex "The Pug" Porteau) who haven't had a chance to make a serious name for themselves, or veterans without any league push (the Bushwhackers). Favorites recieve two Comebacks to use during the match.

Preliminary (-4,999 to 4,999 FS)

Also called jobbers or scrubs, these are the people like Brooklyn Brawler and Pat Tanaka -- the classic wrestler who jumps on the turnbuckle before the match, and is ignored by the crowds anyways.

Rogue (-5000 to -19,999)

The opposite of Favorites, the minor rulebreakers that the fans only dislike, not truly hate; here are your Goons and Disco Infernos. Rogues only receive two Cheap Shots to use during a match.

Villain (-20,000 to -49,999 FS)

A fairly established heel, but one who can't quite generate the heat the bigger names do; examples include Owen Hart and Lord Steven Regal. Villains can use three Cheap Shots during a match.

Heel (-50,000 to -99,999 FS)

The big-name baddies, the ones regularly on PWI's Top Ten Most Hated list -- Kevin Nash, Vader, or Raven. Heels can use five Cheap Shots per match.

Monster Heel (-100,000 or more FS)

The most hated of all wrestlers, the ones who make children cry and their parents afraid. It takes a truly evil persona to achieve such infamy and maintain it -- here are your Psycho Sids and Ric Flairs at the top of their careers. Monster Heels get seven Cheap Shots per match, and can attack 2 characters without penalty.

Maneuvers and Arsenals

Combat in BODYSLAM! takes place through the exchange of Maneuvers, from a simple Punch to a devastating Piledriver, to the intricate Figure-Four Leglock. While any wrestler can attempt any maneuver, most wrestlers rely on a relatively small group of well-practiced moves -- their Arsenals.

Every wrestler recieves four Arsenals corresponding to the Attributes STR, TEC, AGI, and BRA. Each of these Arsenals can be filled with maneuvers appropriate to that attribute (i.e., STR slots are filled with STR maneuvers, etc.). You get a number of manuevers per Arsenal equal to 1/10 of the Arsenal's rating (i.e. a STR of 60 nets you 6 STR moves).

Wrestlers also recieve a SAV arsenal; however, SAV slots have three different uses:

• They can be filled by Maneuvers of any class;
• They can be filled by Tricks, such as 'Distract Ref';
• They can be used to train Maneuvers; using 1 slot adds 5% to the wrestler's skill with 1 maneuver. Under no circumstances can a wrestler train his Level I skill with a maneuver above 90%. Thus, a STR 80 wrestler could spend a maximum of 3 slots on any STR maneuver -- one to initially gain it, one to raise it to 85 skill, and one more to raise it to 90. Also, regular manuevers can have up to +20% Maximum added through SAV slots and money. Signature manuevers have a +25% Maximum. Finishers and Tandem Manuevers have a +30% Maximum.

To see which Maneuvers fall under which Attributes, check Appendix A -- BODYSLAM! Maneuver Chart.

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