Extra Attack

25 points/attack

You can attack more than once per turn. The "default" assumption in GURPS is that you can make one attack per turn, no matter how many limbs you have. Each Extra Attack allows one additional attack per turn. You may not have more attacks than you have limbs (arms, legs, etc.), natural weapons (Strikers, Teeth, etc.), and attack powers (Afflictions, Bindings, and Innate Attacks) with which to attack. The GM's word on what constitutes an "attack" is final.

A normal human can purchase one Extra Attack. This lets him attack with both hands at once, and represents unusually good coordination. Supers and nonhumans have no such limitation. A super-powered cop could buy two Extra Attacks, enabling him to shoot rays from his eyes, fire his pistol, and swing his nightstick all at once. A dragon might take four Extra Attacks and attack five times with any combination of his four clawed limbs, teeth, horns, tail, and fiery breath!

Extra Attack is exactly that: an extra Attack maneuver on your turn in combat. It does not eliminate the -4 penalty for an "off" hand (see Ambidexterity, p. 39) or let you take multiple Aim maneuvers (see Enhanced Tracking). You may use some of your attacks for Feint maneuvers, but you many not take multiple actions of other kinds – that requires Altered Time Rate.

Extra Attacks and All-Out Attack

When an individual with Extra Attacks makes an All-Out Attack, he must select one type of bonus for all his attacks that turn. He could not, for instance, take All-Out Attack (Determined) with one attack and All-Out Attack (Strong) with another. If he chooses All-Out Attack (Double) to increase his number of attacks, he gets one additional attack.

Extra Attacks and Rapid Strike

You may use one of your melee attacks to make a Rapid Strike on your turn, at the usual penalty. Your remaining attacks are in addition to this Rapid Strike, and receive no penalty. You may not use Rapid Strike with two or more attacks in one turn.

Martial Arts

A realistic martial artist may take one level of Extra Attack to represent excellent coordination. This lets him attack with any combination of two different weapons, hands, or feet, with no restrictions on the skills involved. To attack multiple times with the same weapon or body part requires the Multi-Strike enhancement. If both attacks must use the same combat skill, take the Single Skill limitation. Both modifiers appear below.

The GM decides how many levels of Extra Attack are possible in a cinematic game. Multi-Strike should be mandatory for humans with more than one level, as with three or more attacks and only two hands, one hand will be striking twice. The GM may relax this requirement if the martial artist takes Single Skill for skill that covers kicking. A warrior with Extra Attack 3 (Single Skill, Karate) could make two punches and two kicks at once – at least in a chambara or wuxia game where fighters rarely seem to touch the ground!

The GM decides whether Extra Attack is learnable. If so, consider using Single Skill to represent practice with a particular combat skill. Fighters who use paired weapons are more likely to buy Off-Hand Weapon Training and Dual-Weapon Attack, however.

See Multiple Attacks for other important details.

New Special Enhancement

Multi-Strike: You can strike more than once with the same weapon or body part. This lets you launch more attacks than you have limbs, natural weapons, and attack abilities. You can use your best attack multiple times. Template:+20%.

New Special Limitation

Single Skill: Your Extra Attacks apply only to a particular combat skill. For instance, Extra Attack 2 (Single Skill, Karate) lets you attack three times – but at least two of the attacks must be with the Karate skill. To attack more than once using a weapon skill, you need either one weapon per attack or the Multi-Strike enhancement. -20%.