Technique Mastery alters the caps on techniques. It is not allowed for Targeted Attack strikes though since it can't be bought up to full skill. Targeted attack GRAPPLES would be fine though, since they CAN, but:
- "skills core uses aren't eligible"
Grapple with Judo is explicitly forbidden. However Judo Throw is not, so someone could get technique mastery with a targeted judo throw.
Punch with Karate is explicitly forbidden, but Kicking is not.
Perks like clinch allow grapples for arts where grappling is not the core use, so that's one way to get around the barrier.
Techniques are normally for buying off penalties. This actually allows it to provide a bonus beyond its base in situations where one normally could not.
Since techniques can stack, this creates situations where by taking TM on multiple ones which intersect, it is possible to get a very high bonus to hit for far fewer points than it would cost by leveling up a base skill, even with Hard techniques.
For example:
Buying all of these up to +4 would give +12 to hit when trying to kick someone's weapon out of their hand while leaping down from above and kicking them.
Using it on Ground Fighting or Low Fighting could actually give bonuses at those postures!
It isn't allowed for things which default to active defenses though, so you can't master Grabbing Parry or Aggressive Parry or Low Line Defense, for example.