paizo.com - Martial Arts Mayhem (d20 Modern)

Fists of Fury, Dice of Death

Martial Arts Mayhem is a 64-page modern martial arts supplement for the d20 System, written by Rich Redman—martial artist and co-designer of the original d20 Modern Roleplaying Game from Wizards of the Coast, Inc. In addition to new feats and new martial weapons, the book expands on the d20 System's martial arts feats with two new concepts: martial arts schools and secret techniques. All together, these new rules let players and Gamemasters create martial arts master of any style, from traditional kung fu and ninjutsu to Zen archery and French savate. With these rules, you can even create boxers and flamboyant pro wrestlers! No Modern game would be complete without Martial Arts Mayhem!

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I have enjoyed Green Ronin's D20 Modern products in the past, and this one is no exception. I enjoyed the interpretations of Martial Art styles within the book, and thought it was everything popular fiction depicts Martial Arts to be. A martial arts style is similar to a feat; you must meet the prerequisites to take a martial arts style, and it gives you some sort of combat ability. In addition to styles that exist in the real world, they also have a Gun-Kata style (like in the movie Equilibrium) and a Psionic based style.
I have to say, it's a balanced system if all your players use it (as well as your NPCs) but it isn't well balanced if, for example, a PC has a martial arts style and your NPCs don't; they will easily beat said NPCs.

I can not speak of this rule book's dedication to the original source material if the source material is non-fictional, but I think it is great for interpreting every martial arts movie and TV show I've ever seen.

Well I am a martial artist and a gamer and for the longest time every time I saw someones attempt at creating a Martial Arts Sourcebook I walked away feeling livid at the lack of respect that was paid to the source material. It got to the point that I actually considered writing my own since no one seemed to be able to write anything with any knowledge whatsoever of the subject.

The I saw that one of my favorite publishers "Green Ronin" was working on one and I thought to myself..."Wow; the creators of some of the best source material were actually working on one. This should be good since they did great work on the Drow and the Modern Player Companion and the Future Players Companion..."

Oh man was I wrong. Where to begin. Let see: How about the fact that as a player it is a cacophony of unreadable material It is so convoluted that one needs a PHD to suffer through it. I have played and ran RPG's for twenty plus years and never have I seen a book come out that disrespects not only the Martial Arts Community but also the RPG community.

Now I hope that this is a bump in the assuredly positive road that is Green Ronin and their history of fine work and not a trend that will be repeated.

Buy this book?? NOPE!!!!! Do not waste your money.