Combo School for Non-Combatants

For those who want to learn how to properly fight in SF:STG and fully delve into the tactical side of the combat system, you can learn a lot at Musashi's Combo School, Musashi's Team Combat Strategies and at the pages of Warrior's Fist #2, #6, #12, #21, #22, #23, #29 and #38. But just assume that you are the non-combative vampire type who has dumped everything relating to combat and still has 5 technique points and 7 maneuver points burning a hole into their pocket. Whatcha gonna do? Easy, mon. There are plenty of good uses you can put those points towards.

Combo'ing off Abortables

Musashi's Combo School has a lot to say about the value of combo'ing off the two abortable maneuvers Block and Jump, which are valuable to the dedicated streetfighter, but at least equally important if you have dumped everything relating to Physical Attributes and Technique Abilities.

Block with its +4 Speed is able to beat even many dedicated fighters, especially if you are a dainty Toreador or Brujah who has invested a bit into Celerity and is willing to spend a blood point to activate it for a Speed increase. You are immobile when aborting to a Block, but you get +2 to Speed for the follow-up maneuver, and an extra +2 if it is part of a combo. Block to Move and Block to Jump are two very basic combos that can get you out of a lot of hairy situations as a non-combatant.

Athletics have plenty of utility

The basic Jump that anyone can buy for 1 maneuver point is a very versatile maneuver that allows you to move away from an opponent, move vertically to reach a different level, and it is abortable to boot in case you wanted to try something different first, and then decided that it is best to bolt.

Wall Spring is even more mobile as long as you are near a wall. Rolling Attack gets you even further away. Vertical Rolling Attack gets you even further up.

Common Maneuvers for Cheapskates

Even if you have only the minimum number of Techniques and haven't picked up the Martial Arts Background. there are some very decent "Any" maneuvers open to anyone.

"Jump" (1) has already been mentioned above. "Breakfall" (2) and "Kippup" (1) are also both very useful and cheap maneuvers, with their effects being passive. "Ear Pop" (3) gives you something useful to do if you are caught in a sustained hold. "Wall Spring" (2) greatly increases your mobility near any wall.

"Buffalo Punch" (2) and "Soccer Kick" (2) are both slow but high damage maneuvers that cannot be simply ignored - great if you are the Stamina+Fortitude type who can eat a weak counter-attack, and if not, in a team combat you can abort to Block after everyone's attention is on you. "Ducking Fierce" (2) and "Foot Sweep" (2) are very similar, immobile or less damaging, but as Crouching Maneuvers they allow you to simply ignore any Aerial attacks aimed at you.

"Elbow Smash" (2) is an immobile but very fast and damaging punch, especially great for the 2nd maneuver after a Block in a Combo for someone who is too much of a slowpoke to be a good combatant normally.

"Suplex" (2) is at Speed+0 a very fast Knockdown, and very affordable too.

Taunts are the harpy's Dragon Punch

If you are social butterfly who has invested heavily into Subterfuge and other social abilities, the Taunts from Warrior's Fist 23 p.6ff aught to be your thing. They are most useful in a group fight where you are accompanied by capable streetfighters who can make good use of the opening, but Menacing Visage, Menacing Threat, Goad Caution and One Trick Pony are all good by themselves if your goal is to restrict your opponent's options and get away from them.

Focus Hocus Pocus

The Focus technique takes the role of Occultism in Karakorum, so it is a natural pick for Della Passaglia, Nagaraja, Lasombra Abyss Mysticists, Tzimisce Koldunists and others who rely strongly on blood sorcery. But it is more than a necessary ability for those who want to tap certain Disciplines.

Telepathy has a lot of out-of-combat utility for those who want to inconspiciously share information with their allies. Blindfight allows one to find their way through nightly Karakorum even without access to Protean. Regeneration and Chi Kung Healing provide a way to recover health levels without spending blood points. Cobra Charm offers some light mind control without the limitations Dominate suffers from. Ghost Form and Yoga Teleport are both costly but very effective and potentially life-saving escape maneuvers.

Acid Breath, Fireball, Ice Blast and Sonic Boom all can make a Focus non-combatant into a decent zoner aiding more martially minded companions. Although if you want to get the most out of it, you should also have a fast anti-aerial like Dragon Punch or Air Throw, and a combo like Fireball to Dragon Punch to hit anyone approaching you on the wrong foot.