Analysis #4: Diving Attacks in Street Fighter: The Storytelling Game

 

This is a simple comparative analysis of diving attacks, such as the Flying Body Spear, Diving Hawk, etc., in Street Fighter: The Storytelling Game.  This comparison limits itself only to the special maneuver listed in the core book, in their original forms.

 

Here they are in summary format:

 

 

The main rules are really inconsistent here about Straight line maneuvers—some of these are, others aren’t, and the only possible game balance issue that might be related is the difference between maneuvers that must be done in the opponent’s hex.  Even this is suspect, though, as most of these maneuvers have high enough movement that it shouldn’t matter.  It is conceptually odd that T. Hawk can weave all over with Diving Hawk, not worrying about moving in straight lines at all while poor Dhalsim has to move in a straight line and hope you don’t step out of the way.

 

Again, Native American Wrestling is proven to be the style to have, as Diving Hawk is superior to Flying Body Spear.  Hm, what’s up with the power of T. Hawk’s style?  Flying Heel Stomp is a nice maneuver that makes it possible to hit your opponent but stay out of his reach.  Beast Roll is weird, but could be useful in a group battle because it moves away at -2, hits anything there, then moves forward at +2, hitting anything there. 

  

 

Added to this is the single new diving attack from Secrets of the Shadoloo.

 

 

Overall, these special Athletics maneuvers rival Focus maneuvers for “weird effects.”  They aren’t all easily summarized with a few “effects” descriptors, and they often include very specific instructions about how they move.  Flying Punch continues this tradition.