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I've been pretty vocal about hating the Monk for quite some time, and about the fact that a fighter can be a superior (if unsatisfying due to the light damage their strikes inflict) unarmed combatant because of their sheer number of feats. Having stopped by the boards last night I found a lot of discussion about the new Gish class (sorry guys, I'm not going to call it a Magus) and it reminded me that there have been all sorts of new classes put out. This is NOT a problem in my mind. Those who don't like adding new core classes are welcome to their opinions but for those of us who crave variety having more options sanctioned by the creators of the game is simply fantastic. My only issue is that it seems like magic always gets more love than martial classes. SO. Since I'm tired of waiting for someone else to "fix" the Monk. (And I hear tell that some people actually want the whole "mystic" flavor attached to it) I decided to make my own core class - one which is about kicking the snot out of people instead of falling really far.
The problem I've run into is one of imagination. I have a couple of unique class features that I really like: Stances, Styles, Techniques, and Combination Attacks. I need help with variety though, my imagination is a bit tapped out so suggestions for new things to add to those sections would be welcome. Also, I'm uncertain about power level because I've never homebrewed something to this extent, and certainly not for PF. So a lot of the numerical effects were drawn directly out of BS, although I tried to keep things tame.
Anyway, what follows is my (currently incomplete, give me a hand) Martial Artist class. This is, in my mind, a replacement for monk although the two are vastly different and could probably both exist in the same campaign with a minimum of fuss. (Essentially the Martial Artist is Bruce Lee, while the existing Monk would be... some asian guy who gets knocked around a lot by fighters, I guess.)
Feel free to offer suggestions. Please try to be constructive. I'll do my best to be thick-skinned if you'll do your best to be kind.
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Martial Artist
Flavor text goes here.
Alignment
Any.
Hit Die
d10.
Starting Wealth
Don’t care.
Class Skills
The Martial Artist's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks Per Level
4 + Int modifier.
Table: Martial Artist
Level BAB Special
1st +1 Unarmed Strike, Armor Restriction, Combination Attack, AC Bonus, Unarmed 1d6, Unarmed Combat, Style
2nd +2 Technique
3rd +3 Combination Attack
4th +4 Stance, Unarmed 1d8
5th +5 Combination Attack
6th +6/+1 Kata
7th +7/+2 Combination Attack
8th +8/+3 Stance, Technique, Unarmed 1d10
9th +9/+4 Combination Attack
10th +10/+5 Mastery
11th +11/+6/+1 Combination Attack
12th +12/+7/+2 Stance, Improved Kata, Unarmed 2d6
13th +13/+8/+3 Combination Attack
14th +14/+9/+4 Technique
15th +15/+10/+5 Combination Attack
16th +16/+11/+6/+1 Stance, Unarmed 2d8
17th +17/+12/+7/+2 Combination Attack
18th +18/+13/+8/+3 Superior Kata
19th +19/+14/+9/+4 Combination Attack
20th +20/+15/+10/+5 Stance, Technique, Grandmastery, Unarmed 2d10
Class Features
The following are class features of the Martial Artist.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Martial Artist is proficient with all simple weapons and gains no armor proficiencies.
Saves
All Martial Artists have two good saves, determined by their style.
AC Bonus (Ex)
A Martial Artist trains without armor, relying on his skill to protect him from harm. Martial Artists gain a bonus to AC equal to ¼ their class level (rounded down) plus the dominant ability modifier of their chosen style. This bonus cannot be less than 0, even if the Martial Artist has a low ability score. This AC Bonus is lost if the Martial Artist wears any armor or wields a weapon.
Unarmed Strike
At 1st level, a Martial Artist gains Unarmed Strike, as per the Monk class ability. Unlike the Monk class ability, this ability also allows the Martial Artist to replace their strength bonus to unarmed damage with that of their style's dominant ability score.
Stances (Ex)
At 1st level, 4th level and every four levels thereafter (1st, 4th , 8th , 12th , etc.), a Martial Artist gains a new stance picked from those available to him, with additional stances added to this list as the Martial Artist advances in level. Stances typically provide both a bonus and a penalty. Martial Artists may benefit from only one stance at a time. Entering or leaving a stances is a free action but a Martial Artist may only benefit from one stance per round.
Unarmed Combat
A Martial Artist may qualify for feats that are restricted by Fighter class levels (i.e., Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus) at the same level that Fighters would be eligible, but may only select these feats for his unarmed strikes. (Credit for this idea goes to Philetus and his Unarmed Specialist)
Armor Restriction
A Martial Artist loses the ability to use Martial Artist class abilities, including AC bonus, while wearing armor; even if he is proficient with the use of that armor.
Style (Ex)
Every Martial Artist has a core fighting style that helps to determine their available Techniques, Stances, and Combination Attacks. This style is chosen at first level and cannot be changed afterward.
Combination Attack (Ex)
At every odd-numbered level (1st, 3rd, etc.) a Martial Artist may choose to learn a new combination attack from those available to him. These combination attacks may be used in place of any standard attack with two limitations - A particular combination attack can only be used once per round unless otherwise noted in the attack’s description. Combination attacks can be mixed freely with normal armed or unarmed attacks, but only during a full attack: combination attacks cannot be used as a standard action. Some combination attacks are marked as “finishers” these especially powerful combination attacks may only be used as the last attack in a full attack action and only if they were preceded exclusively by other combination attacks. Martial Artists may choose to replace a known combination attack with another that they qualify for any time they gain a new combination attack, however they may only retrain one attack at any given level.
Techniques (Ex)
Techniques are powerful and unique abilities that Martial Artists perfect via rigorous training. A Martial Artist may activate a technique as a swift action and may use only one technique at a time, even if they are somehow able to use more than one swift action in a single round. Martial Artists gain techniques at 2nd level and every six levels thereafter. (8th, 14th, 20th).
Kata (Ex)
At 6th level, if a Martial Artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks he may make one additional attack at his highest base attack bonus. This attack must also be a combination attack.
Mastery (Ex)
At 10th level, a Martial Artist may choose one stance in which he has trained. All beneficial numerical effects of this stance are doubled while penalties remain the same.
Improved Kata (Ex)
At 12th level, if a Martial Artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks (as per the Kata ability) he may another additional strike when using his Kata ability. This extra attack is made with a -5 penalty and must be a combination attack.
Superior Kata (Ex)
At 18th level, if a Martial Artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks (as per the Kata ability) he may add a third additional strike when using his Kata ability. This extra attack is made at a -10 penalty and must be a combination attack.
Grandmastery (Ex)
At 20th level a Martial Artist may choose to benefit from the effects of any two stances at the same time, their bonuses stack. In addition, the Martial Artist no longer suffers the penalties associated with any stance he knows.
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Style List
Blinding Speed: A Martial Artist who utilizes Blinding Speed is an agile combatant who employs their amazing dexterity in order to avoid attacks and place precision counterstrikes. +1 competence bonus to AC and +10 feet of movement. Good saves: Ref & Will. (Dex)
Mighty Blows: Able to destroy castle walls with a single strike, Martial Artists of this style favor offense over defense and can choose some of the most vicious combination attacks. +1 competence bonus to hit with Unarmed strikes and may reroll 1s on Unarmed Strike damage. The Martial Artist may only reroll any given damage die once, even if the second roll results in a 1. Good saves: Fort & Will. (Str)
Wise Warrior: Specializing in spotting weak points in an enemy’s defense, the Wise Warrior achieves victory through keen senses and absolute timing. May ignore DR of equal or less than ¼ of their Martial Artist level (rounded down), minimum 1. Good saves: Ref & Will. (Wis)
Kung Fu Genius: Brilliant tacticians and natural combatants, the Kung Fu Genius can formulate a plan of attack in the time it takes most men to blink, earning them the respect of their peers. +1 initiative and +4 to all social interactions (Bluff, Diplomacy, etc.) with martial classes. (ie: d10 HD) Good saves: Fort & Ref. (Int)
Undying Champion: Having trained in esoteric methods of weathering pain and mitigating damage, the Undying Champion can resist the mightiest of blows. Gain DR equal to ¼ class level (rounded down), minimum 1. Good saves: Fort & Ref. (Con)
____: Some kind of Charisma based style? No good ideas...
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Stance List
Patient Scorpion Stance: access to precise combos, techniques
Hunting Hawk Stance: access to aerial/high ground combos/techs
Agile Lemur Stance: access to evasive combos/techs
Endless Assault Stance: access to rapid-fire combos/techs?
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Combination Attack List
Jab: bonus to hit, penalty to damage
Spinning Strike: power attackish, penalty to ac
Peircing Strike: bypass ac/dr?
Hurricane Attack: attack several adjacent enemies
Punishing Blow: attack bonus on weapon that hit you
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Technique List
Iron Shirt: dr or ac?
Godhand: huge damage
Adamantine Fist: ignore hardness/construct DR, extra damage to them
Keen Senses: Improved Uncanny Dodge?
Power Kiai: stun/nauseate short range
Light Body: Run up walls, across fluids, etc.
Faceless Opponent: become unidentifiable
Snatch Weapon: free disarms
Silent Fist: d6 sneak, multiple times, stacks
You would not BELIEVE how hard all that was to get by the post monster. Thank god I've learned the "always copy before you submit" lesson.
So as you can see up there, I don't have more than a handful of techniques and combo attacks, both of which should be fleshed out a lot more (especially the combo attacks, there should be at least a couple dozen to pick from) and I haven't started assigning which are available to which style, although that should be fairly evident. I also haven't put up any finishers yet, but finishers should be more powerful than standard combo attacks due to the greater restrictions (one per round, can only use combo attacks). Also, as you probably already inferred, I deliberately made "finishers" dovetail with the Kata ability. I can't decide if the Grandmastery ability is underwhelming or overwhelming. Depends on the power level of the finished stances, I suppose.
Oh, and the techniques/styles have some overlap. Like granting DR, etc. Typical rules apply. (DR doesn't stack, etc.)
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First let me say I feel the same way about monks as you but I have a few questions about this class...
So at 20th lvl with superior kata the "martial artist" will make 7 attacks each for 2d10 and 4 of those at full bab and they have additional conditions they can add on? Seems a bit much.
Also I don't understand the bluff, diplomacy and knowledge nature skills, they don't seem to fit in with a martial artist motif.
First let me say I feel the same way about monks as you but I have a few questions about this class...
So at 20th lvl with superior kata the "martial artist" will make 7 attacks each for 2d10 and 4 of those at full bab and they have additional conditions they can add on? Seems a bit much.
Also I don't understand the bluff, diplomacy and knowledge nature skills, they don't seem to fit in with a martial artist motif.
Yeah, I'll freely admit that I originally intended for there to only be one level of "Kata" but I needed filler for some dead levels. Don't know what to do to make it less overpowering. But then again, this is meant to be a front line fighter, there is virtually no versatility for non-combat actions. Do note that techniques are supposed to be a standard action, so you can't do a combo and a technique at the same time. Plus it's not actually that different from a monk's flurry at the same level, which is what I was basing it off of.
The bluff is primarily for use with feint actions, and for the Kung Fu Genius to deal with martial types. Same with Sense Motive. Knowledge (Nature) should probably be replaced by or complimented by Heal. The basic idea being that most Martial Artists learn to apply first aid as well as hurt people.
EDIT
D'oh! I just remembered that feint actions probably aren't resisted by Sense Motive but by CMD. Dang it.
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Forum ate my post but gist of it was how about kata allows one additional attack at each iteration of bab for +20/+20/+15/+15/+10/+10/+5/+5 giving one additional attack but not having 4 at full bab to bring it more inline with the monks flurry of blows of +18/+18/+13/+13/+8/+8/+3. +20/+20/+20/+20/+15/+10/+5 seems a bit much.
Forum ate my post but gist of it was how about kata allows one additional attack at each iteration of bab for +20/+20/+15/+15/+10/+10/+5/+5 giving one additional attack but not having 4 at full bab to bring it more inline with the monks flurry of blows of +18/+18/+13/+13/+8/+8/+3. +20/+20/+20/+20/+15/+10/+5 seems a bit much.
What an excellent idea, makes it a bit like TWF. Thanks!
EDIT:
Updated the OP to reflect this change.
I have made a number of changes, and added a wealth of new information, to my martial artist class that I hope will be behind this spoiler:
Flavor text goes here.
Alignment Any.
Hit Die d10.
Starting Wealth
1d6x10 gp
Class Skills
The unarmed specialist’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (local) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks Per Level
4 + Int modifier.
Table: Martial Artist
Level BAB Good Save Progression Poor Save Progression Special
1st +1 +2 +0 Unarmed Strike, Armor Restriction, Combination Attack, AC Bonus, Unarmed 1d6, Unarmed Combat, Style
2nd +2 +3 +0 Technique
3rd +3 +3 +1 Combination Attack
4th +4 +4 +1 Stance, Unarmed 1d8
5th +5 +4 +1 Combination Attack
6th +6/+1 +5 +2 Kata
7th +7/+2 +5 +2 Combination Attack
8th +8/+3 +6 +2 Stance, Technique, Unarmed 1d10
9th +9/+4 +6 +3 Combination Attack
10th +10/+5 +7 +3 Mastery
11th +11/+6/+1 +7 +3 Combination Attack
12th +12/+7/+2 +8 +4 Stance, Improved Kata, Unarmed 2d6
13th +13/+8/+3 +8 +4 Combination Attack
14th +14/+9/+4 +9 +4 Technique
15th +15/+10/+5 +9 +5 Combination Attack
16th +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +5 Stance, Unarmed 2d8
17th +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +5 Combination Attack
18th +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +6 Superior Kata
19th +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +6 Combination Attack
20th +20/+15/+10/+5 +12 +6 Stance, Technique, Grandmastery, Unarmed 2d10
Class Features
The following are class features of the unarmed specialist.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Martial Artist is proficient with all simple weapons and gains no armor proficiencies.
AC Bonus (Ex)
A Martial Artist trains without armor, relying on his skill to protect him from harm. Martial Artists gain a bonus to AC equal to ¼ their class level (rounded down) plus the dominant ability modifier of their chosen style. This bonus cannot be less than 0, even if the Martial Artist has a low modifier. This AC Bonus is lost if the Martial Artist wears any armor or wields a weapon.
Unarmed Strike
At 1st level, an unarmed specialist gains Unarmed Strike, as per the Monk class ability. Unlike the Monk class ability, this class ability also allows the Martial Artist to replace their strength bonus to unarmed damage with the dominant modifier of their chosen style.
Stances (Ex)
At 1st level, 4th level and every four levels thereafter (1st, 4th , 8th , 12th , etc.), a Martial Artist gains a new stance picked from those available to him, with additional stances added to this list as the Martial Artist advances in level. Stances typically provide both a bonus and a penalty. Martial Artists may benefit from only one stance at a time. Entering or leaving a stance is a free action but a Martial Artist may only activate one stance per round.
Armor Restriction
A Martial Artist loses the ability to use Martial Artist class abilities while wearing armor, even if he is proficient with the use of that armor.
Style (Ex)
Every Martial Artist has a core fighting style that helps to determine their available Techniques, Stances, and Combination Attacks. This style is chosen at first level and cannot be changed afterward. This style also determines which saves follow the good save progression track and which ability score is primary for the Martial Artist. This primary ability score is used to determine the effects of many class abilities.
Combination Attack (Ex)
At every odd-numbered level (1st, 3rd, etc.) a Martial Artist may choose to learn a new combination attack from those available to him. These combination attacks may be used in place of any standard attack with two limitations - A particular combination attack can only be used once per round unless otherwise noted in the attack’s description. Combination attacks can be mixed freely with normal armed or unarmed attacks, but only during a full attack: combination attacks cannot be used as a standard action. Some combination attacks are marked as “finishers” - these especially powerful combination attacks may only be used as the last attack in a full attack action and only if they were preceded exclusively by other combination attacks. Martial Artists may choose to replace a known combination attack with another that they qualify for any time they gain a new combination attack; however they may only retrain one attack at any given level. Modifiers on a given combination attack do not affect other combination attacks made that turn unless specifically stated in the attack’s description.
Techniques (Ex)
Techniques are powerful and unique abilities that Martial Artists perfect via rigorous training. A Martial Artist may activate a technique as a swift action and may use only one technique at a time, even if they are somehow able to use more than one swift action in a single round. Martial Artists gain techniques at 2nd level and every six levels thereafter. (8th, 14th, 20th). A Martial Artist gains a pool of technique points (refreshed in the morning each day) which may be used to activate techniques at a cost of 1 point per technique. The number of points in a Martial Artist’s pool is equal to 3 + their primary ability score.
Kata (Ex)
At 6th level, if a Martial Artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks he may make one additional attack at his highest base attack bonus. This attack must also be a combination attack. All attacks made as part of a kata suffer a -2 penalty to hit.
Mastery (Ex)
At 10th level, a Martial Artist may choose one stance in which he has trained. All beneficial numerical effects of this stance are doubled while penalties remain the same.
Improved Kata (Ex)
At 12th level, if a Martial Artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks (as per the Kata ability) he may add two additional strikes instead of the one provided by Kata. These extra attacks are made at the Martial Artist’s highest base attack bonus and must be combination attacks. All attacks made as part of a kata suffer a -1 penalty to hit.
Superior Kata (Ex)
At 18th level, if a Martial Artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks (as per the Kata ability) he may add three additional strikes instead of the one provided by Kata. These extra attacks are made at the Martial Artist’s highest base attack bonus and must be combination attacks. Attacks made as part of a kata no longer suffer a penalty to hit.
Grandmastery (Ex)
At 20th level a Martial Artist may choose to benefit from the effects of any two stances at the same time, their bonuses stack. In addition, the Martial Artist no longer suffers the penalties associated with any stance he knows. Finally, a Grandmaster gains three extra technique points to use in activating their special techniques.
Style List
Blinding Speed: A Martial Artist who utilizes Blinding Speed is an agile combatant who employs their amazing dexterity in order to avoid attacks and place precision counterstrikes. +1 competence bonus to AC and +10 feet of movement. Good saves: Ref & Will. (Dex)
Mighty Blows: Able to destroy castle walls with a single strike, Martial Artists of this style favor offense over defense and can choose some of the most vicious combination attacks. +1 competence bonus to hit with Unarmed strikes and may reroll 1s on Unarmed Strike damage. The Martial Artist may only reroll any given damage die once, even if the second roll results in a 1. Good saves: Fort & Will. (Str)
Wise Warrior: Specializing in spotting weak points in an enemy’s defense, the Wise Warrior achieves victory through keen senses and absolute timing. May ignore DR of equal or less than ½ of their Martial Artist level (rounded down). Good saves: Ref & Will. (Wis)
Kung Fu Genius: Brilliant tacticians and natural combatants, the Kung Fu Genius can formulate a plan of attack in the time it takes most men to blink, earning them the careful respect of their peers. +1 initiative at 1st, 4th, and every four levels after that. (ie: 8th, 12th) and +4 to all social interactions (Bluff, Diplomacy, etc.) with martial classes. (ie: d10 HD) Good saves: Fort & Ref. (Int)
Undying Champion: Having trained in esoteric methods of weathering pain and mitigating damage, the Undying Champion can resist the mightiest of blows. Gain DR equal to ¼ class level (rounded down), minimum 0. Good saves: Fort & Ref. (Con)
Crafty Scrapper: Able to easily manipulate others, these Martial Artists make combat a battle of wills as much as physical contact. A Crafty Scrapper who causes an opponent to gain Shaken, Frightened, Panicked, or Cowering conditions grants them a -4 penalty instead of the usual -2 caused by those conditions. Good saves: Ref & Will. (Cha)
Stance List
Patient Spider Stance (Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius, Undying Champion): A martial artist in this stance sacrifices mobility in favor of precision, trusting opponents to come to him. This stance reduces their movement speed by ½ but grants a +1 attack bonus for every 10 feet of movement lost in this way for as long as the character maintains the stance. A master of patient spider gains +1 attack bonus per 5 feet of movement sacrificed.
Hunting Hawk Stance (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed, Wise Warrior): Attempting to attack from higher ground or with leaping attacks, this stance is vicious but lacks control. As long as it is maintained, this stance grants a +1 bonus to damage rolls for every five Martial Artist class levels. It reduces the Martial Artist’s CMD by an equivalent amount. A master of hunting hawk gains twice the damage bonus with no additional penalty to CMD.
Agile Lemur Stance (Blinding Speed, Crafty Scrapper, Kung Fu Genius): Able to move in a graceful but bizarre series of acrobatics or contortions, Lemur style fighters may act unhindered by poor combat terrain or reach attacks. They may move normally through difficult terrain and may move through one of an opponent’s threatened squares without provoking an attack of opportunity. This stance requires the fighter to remain in awkward positions much of the time and grants a -4 penalty to damage rolls. A master of agile lemur may move through two threatened squares without provoking.
Endless Assault Stance (Undying Champion, Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed): Practitioners of the endless assault are able to rain blows upon their enemies in staggering numbers. Gain an additional attack at your lowest attack bonus. All attacks suffer a -2 penalty. A master of endless assault gains two attacks at their lowest attack bonus with no additional penalty to attacks.
Wary Circle Stance (Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius, Crafty Scrapper): The wary circle is a stance that emphasizes defense at the cost of damage. This stance grants a +1 bonus to AC per five class levels. This stacks with the Martial Artist AC bonus. Wary circle prevents a martial artist from fully committing to his attacks and does not allow him to add his primary ability modifier to damage. A master of wary circle gains twice the AC bonus.
Faceless Opponent (Blinding Speed, Wise Warrior, Crafty Scrapper): Through subtle hypnotic techniques and mastery of nondescript stealth, faceless opponents render themselves frustratingly unidentifiable. Make an attack roll resisted by the sense motive of any opponent that can see you. This works similar to a disguise check, except that every opponent whose sense motive you beat remembers you as a faceless, shadowy figure of indeterminate race and gender provided that you enter this stance within one round of becoming visible to them and continue to use this technique every round until you have left their sight.
Rending Fist (Powerful Blows, Blinding Strikes, Undying Champion): By attacking with clawed fingers and taking brief holds on limbs or chunks of flesh, this style allows a martial artist to literally tear enemies apart, at the risk of exposing themselves to damage. While practitioners of this style do not attempt to defend themselves any less skillfully than others, their wide-armed stance provides plenty of weak points for the blows that make it through. For every two unarmed attacks that strike a single opponent as part of a full attack action, apply bonus damage to that opponent equal to the martial artist’s base unarmed strike damage. All opponents receive a +2 bonus to damage rolls on attacks that strike the martial artist while he maintains this stance. A master of rending fist applies an amount of bonus damage equal to twice his unarmed damage.
Combination Attack List
Jab (Blinding Speed, Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius): A lightning fast strike used to set up other combinations. If a jab hits, all subsequent attacks receive a +2 bonus to hit. A jab may be used multiple times in the same attack action, and the bonuses from multiple jabs stack. All of a martial artist’s damage dice are treated as d4s during a jab.
Hurl (Mighty Blow, Undying Champion) [Finisher]: Grab and toss an opponent in one motion. If you successfully grapple with your target you may throw them in a direction of your choosing. The opponent travels a distance equal to twice your Martial Artist class level in a straight line. If they strike an obstacle both the thrown opponent and the obstacle take 1d6 damage for every 10 feet of movement the thrown opponent had remaining. When the hurled opponent’s movement ceases, they are rendered prone.
Spinning Strike (Mighty Blows, Crafty Scrapper, Blinding Speed): Whirling their body around to build momentum, the Martial Artist exposes their back in order to deliver an especially powerful strike. This strike works identically to the Power Attack feat, but instead of a penalty to attack rolls, the Martial Artist takes an equivalent penalty to AC for 1 round.
Piercing Strike (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior, Mighty Blows): With intense focus, a Martial Artist is able to locate a weak point in an opponent’s defense. If this attack is successful it ignores DR and all subsequent combination attacks to the same target in this round will ignore ½ the opponent’s DR. However, the piercing strike is made at a -4 penalty to hit and subsequent combination attacks receive a -2 to hit.
Hurricane Attack (Blinding Speed, Crafty Scrapper, Wise Warrior) [Finisher]: You may make an attack roll against any number of adjacent creatures you threaten. An opponent that the Martial Artist fails to hit with this ability is considered provoked for the purpose of making an attack of opportunity.
Stomp (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed) [Finisher]: If your opponent is prone, you finish them off with a vicious leaping stomp to their head or other vulnerable parts. This attack automatically threatens a critical hit if it connects, and adds one extra damage die of the same type that a martial artist of that level normally deals. (ie: 1d6 = 2d6, 2d8 = 3d8).
Hammer Blow (Mighty Blows, Crafty Scrapper, Undying Champion): Stagger an opponent with a particularly hard shot to their face or sense organs. This attack is made at a -2 but if successful it reduces the opponent’s initiative count by -2 and they must make a Fort save with a DC equal to 10 + ½ the martial artist’s character level + the martial artist’s primary ability modifier or be staggered for 1 round.
Throw (Any): Any martial artist may train to throw an opponent by making a successful trip attack against them. The opponent falls prone as usual, but the martial artist may choose to move the victim to any unoccupied square adjacent to themselves.
Shove (Mighty Blows, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior, Crafty Scrapper): A martial artist may shove an opponent by making a successful attack roll against them. The shoved opponent can be no more than one size category larger than the attacking martial artist, and is moved 10 feet in a direction of the martial artist’s choosing. If the shoved opponent’s movement encounters an obstacle, it ceases and both the obstacle and shoved opponent suffer 1d6 damage. If the martial artist wishes to, they may move along with the shoved opponent, but cannot move more than their standard movement speed in this way in any given round. Shove can be used multiple times in the same combination attack.
Punishing Blow (Mighty Blows, Undying Champion, Crafty Scrapper) [Finisher]: If the opponent you target with punishing blow damaged you last turn, they must make a Fort save against a DC equal to 10 + your style‘s dominant ability modifier + ½ your Martial artist level or take an equal amount of damage in addition to your regular unarmed strike damage. Any combination in which this attack is used must include one less attack than the Martial Artist would normally make in a given round, the lost attack must come from the Martial Artist’s highest base attack bonus.
Jump Attack (Any): This attack allows the martial artist to close with opponents without sacrificing offense. As part of a jump attack you may travel up to 10 feet. This movement is part of the jump attack and does not provoke attacks of opportunity or prevent the martial artist from performing a full attack action. Jump attacks impose a -2 to hit and a +2 to damage.
Sliding Sweep (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Crafty Scrapper): A quick dash and slide, this attack allows a martial artist to slip by opponents while making a trip attack. As part of the sliding sweep you may move up to 10 feet. This movement may pass through an occupied square provided that you target the occupant as part of the sliding sweep attack and end your movement in an unoccupied square. This movement is part of the sliding sweep attack and does not provoke attacks of opportunity from those targeted by it (opponents not targeted by the slide are provoked as usual) or prevent the martial artist from performing a full attack action. A targeted opponent who is not tripped may make an attack of opportunity on the martial artist (whose movement continues regardless).
Heart Punch (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior) [Finisher]: Taking precise aim at a vital point in the anatomy or structure of their opponent, a martial artist uses this technique to deal significant, and often fatal, damage to their opponent with a relatively light blow. An opponent targeted by this finisher is treated as if they are flatfooted to this attack. This attack is made at a +2 bonus to hit and -2 penalty to damage.
Rake (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed, Crafty Scrapper): Strong fingers are used by martial artists to tear at exposed skin as effectively as a spiked gauntlet. This strike suffers a -2 to damage due to the difficulty of finding an exposed spot, however even the joints of armor can be damaged by this powerful strike and exposed flesh is painfully ripped and torn, granting an opponent hit by this attack a -1 to attacks, saves, skill checks and AC for 1 round due to the distraction of damaged equipment and painful, bleeding gashes.
Inevitable Blow (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior, Undying Champion) [Finisher]: With the patience and confidence found only in the most skilled warriors, the martial artist surrounds their actual attack with a flurry of staggering blows and feints allowing them to slide past defenses. This attack is a touch attack, and if this attack is successful the opponent must make a Fort save DC 10 + ½ character level + primary ability mod or be staggered for 1 round.
Technique List
Iron Shirt (Undying Warrior, Crafty Scrapper): A warrior who uses iron shirt technique has learned to completely ignore pain and has toughened their flesh to withstand incredible amounts of damage for a short period of time. When this ability is activated the Martial Artist gains an AC bonus and DR equal to his style’s dominant ability modifier for one round.
Godhand (Mighty Blows, Kung Fu Genius): When this technique is activated the martial artist’s unarmed damage dice are increased by one size. A martial artist who normally does 2d10 unarmed damage will instead deal 2d12 upon a successful hit.
Adamantine Fist (Mighty Blows, Kung Fu Genius, Undying Warrior): This ability allows the Martial Artist to ignore hardness equal to his class level + his style’s dominant ability modifier. He may also designate one opponent whose DR he may treat as if it were lowered by an amount equal to his class level.
Keen Senses (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior): The Martial Artist’s keen senses provide a perception roll against any opponents attempting a sneak attack against him this round. It is the whistle of an approaching arrow or motion of an assassin‘s blade that the martial artist senses, rather than his assailant themselves. The DC of this roll is equal to the total attack roll targeting the Martial Artist. If the perception check is successful, the attack is not a sneak attack.
Power Kiai (Crafty Scrapper, Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius): Some Martial Artists train themselves to deliver powerful shouts that can frighten and disorient opponents. All opponents within 20 feet suffer a -2 to their initiative total and the martial artist may designate one opponent within this range as a primary target. This opponent is subject to an intimidate check as a free action and the martial artist receives a +4 bonus to this check.
Light Body (Blinding Speed, Crafty Scrapper): Quick and agile, light body fighters gain a +10 bonus to all climb and acrobatics rolls. They may also move across liquids and similarly unsupported surfaces, but this movement costs triple. (Dashing across 10 feet of water would require 30 feet of movement) Moving across a surface involves making contact with it, and any environmental hazards like lava or acid still deal damage to a martial artist using light body.
Smash Weapon (Mighty Blows, Undying Champion): Once per opponent per round you may make a sunder attack against any weapon that is used to attack you. This sunder attack gains a bonus equal to the opponent’s strength modifier and if the weapon is broken the martial artist may make a free intimidate check against the same opponent.
Silent Fist (Blinding Speed, Crafty Scrapper): A martial artist who uses this technique gains 1d6 sneak attack per four Martial Artist class levels.
You are not a martial artist, are you?
This class looks better balanced than the other one that was floating around.
"Crafty Scraper" calls to mind Int more than Cha. I would suggest giving them bonuses on Feint and Demoralize.
here is my conversion of the Martial Arts tree of the Diablo II assassin, if you want to use it for Inspiration (or not, it's probably not what you want for this class). (Go down to the bottom.)
P.S. I personally like the "mystic" feel of the monk, but that's just me.
*Edited*
You are not a martial artist, are you?
I am, actually. I'm not sure what your question is meant to imply.
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll take a look. I recall the assassin having a similar set of abilities to those I used here.
"Crafty Scrapper" is bugging me, along with some general editing issues, but I haven't been able to think of anything better. "Distracting Assailant"? I dunno.
The "kicking the snot out" comment is very anti-martial artist. Martial arts at it's most basic is about self defense, and about self perfection and enlightenment at it's highest. Then again I could have been assuming(and we all know what that does) and you were writing that to draw in others.
Martial arts at it's most basic is about self defense, and about self perfection and enlightenment at it's highest.
There are a great many very unpleasant and skilled fighters who would disagree. I personally view martial arts as "other protection". Meaning I would get in a fight to help someone else but my best means of self defense is generally just to leave (at speed, if necessary). Which is why I'd like to branch into Parkour; but I don't have a teacher. =/
This is really tangential to the class, which isn't supposed to echo any real-world values so much as provide an alternative to the wuxia-styled monk.
I got ya.
I would make the Int and Cha styles better than Dex or Con, and put Str and Wis in the middle for balance issues.
P.S. I prefer 5 animals style myself, especially Tiger and Monkey.
I seriously considered using real-world styles but decided that it would lead to infertile discussions about how to best represent the styles rather than giving a list of different bonuses and effects to draw from; which is my real goal.
I did put a tribute to my favorite karate master in there by way of the "Godhand" technique.
Tiger is currently my focus. My hands aren't strong enough yet.
I started making a new game based (loosely) off of 3.5, had a lot of cool ideas using real world styles, couldn't really get them to fallow through though.
I started making a new game based (loosely) off of 3.5, had a lot of cool ideas using real world styles, couldn't really get them to fallow through though.
GURPS has some pretty good martial arts source books, and a simple skill system for building martial arts a la carte.
I'm trying to emulate some of that easy versatility with this class, actually.
For the charisma style I suggest:
Confident Hero: Be an arrogant master who insults and intimidates his opponents or a friendly trickster that jokes and bluffs, this martial artists are able to easily manipulate others, making combats a battle of wills as much as physical contact.
Question: would be willing to have more "mystical" stances, strikes and techniques? So the class could be used to build a wuxia-like character and one could completely scrape the monk.
About real life styles do what you already did with tiger, make a stance or a strike based on it but with other names, so you avoid the poitless discussion but someone who knows the style can grab rending fist and rake and KNOW he is using tiger style.
A couple ideas for combos (will try to come up with the rules later)
Straight punch (boxe)
Hook punch (boxe)
Uppercut (boxe)(finisher)
Elbow strike (muay thay)
Knee strike (muay thay)
Front kick (muay thay, savate)
Finger strike (snake, mantis)
Leopard and dragon could have their own strikes.
Can you remove the other silly influences and assumptions from the class as well?
I.E.
Kata... why stick with a JAPANESE, much less, oriental or asian specific concept/name.
2 Good saves? Why? Where does that come from? Monks get it from the mystical training, but a pure physical melee martial artist has no reason to have such? Not that he can't, I am just wondering how it is justified.
Armor Restriction? Another trope that has no reason to exist beyond perpetrating stereotypes. Several martial art styles were developed just to be able to defend and kill while wearing armor.
Also, what about some control/grapple techniques?
2 Good saves? Why? Where does that come from? Monks get it from the mystical training, but a pure physical melee martial artist has no reason to have such? Not that he can't, I am just wondering how it is justified.
As someone who runs PF with all classes having two good saves, I like the idea.
Armor Restriction? Another trope that has no reason to exist beyond perpetrating stereotypes. Several martial art styles were developed just to be able to defend and kill while wearing armor.
Also, what about some control/grapple techniques?
Ditto to both of the above.
Mark L. Chance | Spes Magna Games
Kata... why stick with a JAPANESE, much less, oriental or asian specific concept/name.
Because:
a) About 90% of all unarmed martial arts are oriental, I mean I can think of about 10 to 12 ocidental martial arts. I can also think of at least four japanese styles, and some 12 animal-based kung fu styles.b) Kata is a word and a concept that has seeped into the popular consciosnes, you can ask anyone and while they might not know what it is, they at least will have an idea of what it is.
c) Is there an english word for the concept? (barring flurry of blows?) If you don't like that word what do you suggest?
2 Good saves? Why? Where does that come from? Monks get it from the mystical training, but a pure physical melee martial artist has no reason to have such? Not that he can't, I am just wondering how it is justified.
I'm not a martial artist myself but I know a couple black belts and I have to say that they probably have all three good saves. Keeping it to two is more for balance I presume.
Armor Restriction? Another trope that has no reason to exist beyond perpetrating stereotypes. Several martial art styles were developed just to be able to defend and kill while wearing armor.
That's the other way around. Most martial arts were developed so one could defend himself without armor or weapons.
Also, what about some control/grapple techniques?
He's propably working on it. I'm working on some stuff to suggest to him. Wanna help?
About real life styles do what you already did with tiger, make a stance or a strike based on it but with other names, so you avoid the poitless discussion but someone who knows the style can grab rending fist and rake and KNOW he is using tiger style.and lots of good ideas...
I love that you spotted that, I just really wanted some ability to emulate tiger when I (hopefully) get to play the class. :D
I like the sound of a lot of your ideas, and I'm seriously considering the Confident Hero thing in place of my current one "Beguiling Assailant". Yours is less syllables, which I like...
questions
The choice of "kata" as a name for the ability was pretty much one of convenience, as VM suggests. I had already used a variation of "combo" so I wanted to use another word. And I wanted it to be succinct. I only speak two languages and English doesn't have anything as brief as "kata" to describe a practiced series of moves which you perform in quick succession.
The good saves are in keeping with the "naturally gifted" feel of the class, and frankly most martial artists are pursuing a mixture of speed, toughness, and willpower; so I felt that only 2 good saves was conservative, both for balance and flavor purposes. I'll admit that the good saves of each style were chosen in order to get a good spread of possible abilities; but I tried to stick to the feel of the individual styles.
I must disagree on the armor restriction as inappropriate for a couple of reasons. The first is that while technically any melee, including fully armored, is a martial art; I am not trying to encompass the full breadth of possible clothing choices in which it is possible to punch someone. This is specifically an unarmed and unarmored class. The vast majority of unarmed fighting styles are also unarmored and while I'll admit that it's certainly possible to have a character who wears plate and uses hand to hand attacks, I'd prefer to do this by creating a style for the purpose than getting rid of the "protect yourself with skill rather than equipment" feel of the entire class.
I have a great many grapple/control techniques worked out, in addition to many other changes in the third update, which I will post shortly.
Behind this spoiler is a truly huge update, I hope you folks like it!
Martial Artist
Relying on neither weapons nor supernatural abilities, martial artists are champions of combat using only their skill to protect themselves and defeat their enemies. Martial artists may come from any alignment or race. All that is required to learn a martial art style is willpower, and a great deal of time and effort.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d10.
Starting Wealth
1d6x10 gp
Class Skills
The martial artist’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (local) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks Per Level
4 + Int modifier.
Table: martial artist
Level BAB Good Saves Poor Saves Special
1st +1 +2 +0 Unarmed Strike, Armor Restriction, Combination Attack, AC Bonus, Unarmed 1d6, Unarmed Combat, Style
2nd +2 +3 +0 Technique
3rd +3 +3 +1 Combination Attack
4th +4 +4 +1 Stance, Unarmed 1d8
5th +5 +4 +1 Combination Attack
6th +6/+1 +5 +2 Kata
7th +7/+2 +5 +2 Combination Attack
8th +8/+3 +6 +2 Stance, Technique, Unarmed 1d10
9th +9/+4 +6 +3 Combination Attack
10th +10/+5 +7 +3 Mastery
11th +11/+6/+1 +7 +3 Combination Attack
12th +12/+7/+2 +8 +4 Stance, Improved Kata, Unarmed 2d6
13th +13/+8/+3 +8 +4 Combination Attack
14th +14/+9/+4 +9 +4 Technique
15th +15/+10/+5 +9 +5 Combination Attack
16th +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +5 Stance, Unarmed 2d8
17th +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +5 Combination Attack
18th +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +6 Superior Kata
19th +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +6 Combination Attack
20th +20/+15/+10/+5 +12 +6 Stance, Technique, Grandmastery, Unarmed 2d10
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A martial artist is proficient with all simple weapons and gains no armor proficiencies.
AC Bonus (Ex)
A martial artist trains without armor, relying on his skill to protect him from harm. martial artists gain a bonus to AC equal to ¼ their class level (rounded down) plus the dominant ability modifier of their chosen style. This bonus cannot be less than 0, even if the martial artist has a low modifier. This AC Bonus is lost if the martial artist wears any armor.
Unarmed Strike
At 1st level, an unarmed specialist gains Unarmed Strike, as per the Monk class ability. Unlike the Monk class ability, this class ability also allows the martial artist to replace their strength bonus to unarmed damage with the dominant modifier of their chosen style.
Stances (Ex)
At 1st level, 4th level and every four levels thereafter (1st, 4th, 8th, 12th, etc.), a martial artist gains a new stance picked from those available to him, with additional stances added to this list as the martial artist advances in level. Stances typically provide both a bonus and a penalty. martial artists may benefit from only one stance at a time. Entering or leaving a stance is a swift action but a martial artist may only activate one stance per round, additionally a martial artist may not leave a stance in the same round that he entered it in order to avoid its drawbacks.
Armor Restriction
A martial artist loses the ability to use martial artist class abilities while wearing armor, even if he is proficient with the use of that armor.
Style (Ex)
Every martial artist has a core fighting style that helps to determine their available Techniques, Stances, and Combination Attacks. This style is chosen at first level and cannot be changed afterward. This style also determines which saves follow the good save progression track and which ability score is primary for the martial artist. This primary ability score is used to determine the effects of many class abilities.
Combination Attack (Ex)
At every odd-numbered level (1st, 3rd, etc.) a martial artist may choose to learn a new combination attack from those available to him. These combination attacks may be used in place of any standard attack with two limitations - A particular combination attack can only be used once per round unless otherwise noted in the attack’s description. Combination attacks can be mixed freely with normal armed or unarmed attacks, but only during a full attack: combination attacks cannot be used as a standard action. Some combination attacks are marked as “finishers” - these especially powerful combination attacks may only be used as the last attack in a full attack action and only if they were preceded exclusively by other combination attacks. martial artists may choose to replace a known combination attack with another that they qualify for any time they gain a new combination attack; however they may only retrain one attack at any given level. Modifiers on a given combination attack do not affect other combination attacks made that turn unless it is specifically stated in the attack’s description.
Techniques (Ex)
Techniques are powerful and unique abilities that martial artists perfect via rigorous training. A martial artist may activate a technique as a free action but may not activate more than one technique per round. martial artists gain techniques at 2nd level and every six levels thereafter. (8th, 14th, 20th). A martial artist gains a pool of technique points (refreshed in the morning each day) which may be used to activate techniques at a cost of 1 point per technique. The number of points in a martial artist’s pool is equal to 3 + their primary ability score.
Kata (Ex)
At 6th level, if a martial artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks he may make one additional attack at his highest base attack bonus. This attack must also be a combination attack. All attacks made as part of a Kata suffer a -2 penalty to hit.
Mastery (Ex)
At 10th level, a martial artist may choose one stance in which he has trained. All beneficial numerical effects of this stance are doubled while penalties remain the same.
Improved Kata (Ex)
At 12th level, if a martial artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks (as per the Kata ability) he may add two additional strikes instead of the one provided by Kata. The second extra attack is made at the martial artist’s highest base attack bonus -5 and they must both be combination attacks. All attacks made as part of a Kata suffer a -1 penalty to hit.
Superior Kata (Ex)
At 18th level, if a martial artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks (as per the Kata ability) he may add three additional strikes instead of the one provided by Kata. The third extra attack is made at the martial artist’s highest base attack bonus -10 and they must all be combination attacks. Attacks made as part of a Kata no longer suffer a penalty to hit.
Grandmastery (Ex)
At 20th level a martial artist may choose to benefit from the effects of any two stances at the same time, their bonuses stack. In addition, the martial artist no longer suffers the penalties associated with any stance he knows. Finally, a Grandmaster gains three extra technique points to use in activating their special techniques.
Style List
Blinding Speed: A martial artist who utilizes Blinding Speed is an agile combatant who employs their amazing dexterity in order to avoid attacks and place precision counterstrikes. +1 (+2 at 11th level) bonus to AC and +10 feet of movement. Good saves: Ref & Will. (Dex)
Mighty Blows: Able to destroy castle walls with a single strike, martial artists of this style favor offense over defense and can choose some of the most vicious combination attacks. +1 (+2 at 11th level) bonus to hit with Unarmed strikes and may reroll 1s on Unarmed Strike damage. The martial artist may only reroll any given damage die once, even if the second roll results in a 1. Good saves: Fort & Will. (Str)
Wise Warrior: Specializing in spotting weak points in an enemy’s defense, the Wise Warrior achieves victory through keen senses and absolute timing. May ignore DR of equal or less than ½ of their martial artist level (rounded down). Good saves: Ref & Will. (Wis)
Kung Fu Genius: Brilliant tacticians and natural combatants, the Kung Fu Genius can formulate a plan of attack in the time it takes most men to blink, earning them the careful respect of their peers. +1 initiative at 1st, 4th, and every four levels after that. (i.e: 8th, 12th) and +4 to all social interactions (Bluff, Diplomacy, etc.) with martial classes. (i.e: Full base attack classes) Good saves: Fort & Ref. (Int)
Undying Champion: Having trained in esoteric methods of weathering pain and mitigating damage, the Undying Champion can resist the mightiest of blows. Gain DR equal to ¼ class level (rounded down). Good saves: Fort & Ref. (Con)
Beguiling Assailant: Able to easily manipulate others, these martial artists make combat a battle of wills as much as physical contact. A beguiling assailant who causes an opponent to gain the Shaken, Frightened, Panicked, or Cowering conditions grants a -4 penalty instead of the usual -2 caused by those conditions. In addition, a beguiling assailant gains a +2 (+4 at 11th leve) bonus to CMD and CMB. Good saves: Ref & Will. (Cha)
Stance List
Patient Spider Stance (Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius, Undying Champion): A martial artist in this stance sacrifices mobility in favor of precision, trusting opponents to come to him. This stance reduces their movement speed by ½ but grants a +1 attack bonus for every 10 feet of movement lost in this way for as long as the character maintains the stance. A master of patient spider gains +1 attack bonus per 5 feet of movement sacrificed.
Hunting Hawk Stance (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed, Wise Warrior): Attempting to attack from higher ground or with leaping attacks, this stance is vicious but lacks control. As long as it is maintained, this stance grants a +1 bonus to damage rolls for every five martial artist class levels. It reduces the martial artist’s CMD by an equivalent amount. A master of hunting hawk gains twice the damage bonus with no additional penalty to CMD.
Agile Lemur Stance (Blinding Speed, Beguiling Assailant, Kung Fu Genius): Able to move in a graceful but bizarre series of acrobatics or contortions, Lemur style fighters may act unhindered by poor combat terrain or reach attacks. They may move normally through difficult terrain and may move through one of an opponent’s threatened squares without provoking an attack of opportunity. This stance requires the fighter to remain in awkward positions much of the time and grants a -4 penalty to damage rolls. A master of agile lemur may move through two threatened squares without provoking.
Endless Assault Stance (Undying Champion, Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed): Practitioners of the endless assault are able to rain blows upon their enemies in staggering numbers. Gain an additional attack at your highest iterative attack bonus. All attacks suffer a -2 penalty. A master of endless assault gains two attacks at their highest attack bonus with no additional penalty to attacks.
Heaven and Hell Fist (Mighty Blows, Wise Warrior, Undying Champion): Trained to combat the denizens of the outer planes, practitioners of this style make all outsiders shudder in fear. But it is dangerous to tax a mortal body in combat with the legions of the planes. As long as you maintain this stance you gain the benefits of smite evil, good, chaos or law. You choose one alignment axis you smite when you first learn this stance. This smite ability only works against outsiders. You take a cumulative -1 penalty to your style’s primary ability score for every two rounds that you maintain this stance. This penalty lasts until you leave this stance. A master of this stance may choose two alignment axes to smite when activating this ability.
Rampaging Bull (Mighty Blows, Undying Champion, Kung Fu Genius): Devastating follow-through and ridiculously powerful throws send opponents reeling when a martial artist uses rampaging bull stance to knock a crowd of opponents out of the way. Any time you successfully make a combat maneuver check against an opponent this round you may move them 10 feet away from you in a straight line. If this movement encounters an obstacle their movement stops and they take 1d6 damage. As long as you maintain this stance attacks of opportunity that target you gain a +2 bonus to hit. A master of rampaging bull moves opponents 15 feet and if their movement encounters an obstacle they take 2d6 points of damage.
Gray Sand Fist (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior): Through dangerous training in ankheg or bullete hunting grounds, you have learned to become a predator of subterranean creatures. While maintaining this stance you gain the ability to make stealth checks versus tremorsense with a +10 bonus. In addition, your critical hit range is doubled against any creature with a burrow speed that you catch flat-footed. While maintaining this stance you take a -5 penalty to stealth checks to avoid being seen with normal vision. A master of this stance gains a +20 to their stealth check versus tremorsense and gains a single multiple added to their critical hit damage versus creatures with a burrow speed. (ie: x2 crit becomes x3 crit, etc.)
57 Chambers (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Beguiling Assailant): You have become an initiate of the 57 chambers, or secrets, of an ancient martial arts tradition. You gain the ability to shorten a Kata by a single attack (usually your lowest iterative attack bonus) in order to gain a +4 bonus to damage with all other attacks this round. A master of the 57 chambers may shorten his Kata by a single attack and gain a +8 damage bonus to all other attacks that round.
Catch the Rain (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior): As long as you maintain this stance you are able to perceive and attack masses of tiny creatures individually. You may cause half damage to creatures with the swarm subtype with your unarmed attacks. Due to the difficulty in attacking quickly and precisely enough to deal damage, swarms gain a +4 AC bonus against your attacks. A master of Catch the rain deals full damage against swarms with his unarmed attacks.
Ghost Boxer (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior, Beguiling Assailant): By maintaining a trance-like state, this stance gives you the ability to both perceive and effect the astral and etheral planes. Any creatures with the incorporeal subtype do not gain the benefits of that subtype against your attacks. You may also see and target creatures that exist entirely on the ethereal plane, however they may see and target you as well. Due to the focus required to maintain this stance, the ghost boxer takes a -5 penalty to perception rolls against creatures that exist on the prime material. A master of this stance may see and target creatures that exist entirely on the astral plane, but they may see and target him as well.
Wary Circle Stance (Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius, Beguiling Assailant): The wary circle is a stance that emphasizes defense at the cost of damage. This stance grants a +1 bonus to AC per five class levels. This stacks with the martial artist class AC bonus. Wary circle prevents a martial artist from fully committing to his attacks and does not allow him to add his primary ability modifier to damage. A master of wary circle gains twice the AC bonus.
Faceless Opponent (Blinding Speed, Wise Warrior, Beguiling Assailant): Through subtle hypnotic techniques and mastery of nondescript stealth, faceless opponents render themselves frustratingly unidentifiable. Make an attack roll resisted by the sense motive of any opponent that can see you. This works similar to a disguise check, except that every opponent whose sense motive you beat remembers you as a faceless, shadowy figure of indeterminate race and gender provided that you enter this stance within one round of becoming visible to them and continue to use this technique every round until you have left their sight. A master of faceless opponent may gain the benefits of this stance as long as they enter it within two rounds of becoming visible to another creature.
Rending Fist (Powerful Blows, Blinding Strikes, Undying Champion): By attacking with clawed fingers and taking brief holds on limbs or chunks of flesh, this style allows a martial artist to literally tear enemies apart, at the risk of exposing themselves to damage. While practitioners of this style do not attempt to defend themselves any less skillfully than others, their wide-armed stance provides plenty of weak points for the blows that make it through. For every two unarmed attacks that strike a single opponent as part of a full attack action, apply bonus damage to that opponent equal to 1/2 the martial artist’s normal unarmed strike damage. All opponents receive a +2 bonus to damage rolls on attacks that strike the martial artist while he maintains this stance. A master of rending fist applies an amount of bonus damage equal to his normal unarmed damage.
Combination Attack List
Jab (Blinding Speed, Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius): A lightning fast strike used to set up other combinations. If a jab hits, all subsequent attacks receive a +2 bonus to hit. A jab may be used multiple times in the same attack action, and the bonuses from multiple jabs stack. All of a martial artist’s damage dice are treated as d4s during a jab.
Hurl (Mighty Blow, Undying Champion) [Finisher]: Grab and toss an opponent in one motion. If you successfully grapple with your target you may throw them in a direction of your choosing. The opponent travels a distance equal to twice your martial artist class level in a straight line. If they strike an obstacle both the thrown opponent and the obstacle take 1d6 damage for every 10 feet of movement the thrown opponent had remaining and the hurled opponent’s movement ends. When the hurled opponent’s movement ends, they are rendered prone.
Spinning Strike (Mighty Blows, Beguiling Assailant, Blinding Speed): Whirling their body around to build momentum, the martial artist exposes their back in order to deliver an especially powerful strike. This strike works identically to the Power Attack feat, but instead of a penalty to attack rolls, the martial artist takes an equivalent penalty to AC for 1 round.
Piercing Strike (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior, Mighty Blows): With intense focus, a martial artist is able to locate a weak point in an opponent’s defense. If this attack is successful it ignores DR and all subsequent combination attacks to the same target in this round will ignore ½ the opponent’s DR. However, the piercing strike is made at a -4 penalty to hit and subsequent combination attacks receive a -2 to hit.
Hurricane Attack (Blinding Speed, Beguiling Assailant, Wise Warrior) [Finisher]: You may make an attack roll against any number of adjacent creatures you threaten using your current iterative attack penalty. An opponent that the martial artist fails to hit with this ability is considered provoked for the purpose of making an attack of opportunity.
Stomp (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed) [Finisher]: If your opponent is prone, you finish them off with a vicious leaping stomp to their head or other vulnerable parts. This attack automatically threatens a critical hit if it connects, and adds one extra damage die of the same type that a martial artist of that level normally deals. (i.e: 1d6 = 2d6, 2d8 = 3d8).
Hammer Blow (Mighty Blows, Beguiling Assailant, Undying Champion): Stagger an opponent with a particularly hard shot to their face or sense organs. This attack is made at a -2 but if successful it reduces the opponent’s initiative count by -2 and they must make a Fort save with a DC equal to 10 + ½ the martial artist’s character level + the martial artist’s primary ability modifier or be staggered for 1 round.
Throw (Any): Any martial artist may train to throw an opponent by making a successful trip attack against them. The opponent falls prone as usual, but the martial artist may choose to move the victim to any unoccupied square adjacent to themselves.
Shove (Mighty Blows, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior, Beguiling Assailant): A martial artist may shove an opponent by making a successful attack roll against them. The shoved opponent can be no more than one size category larger than the attacking martial artist, and is moved 10 feet in a direction of the martial artist’s choosing. If the shoved opponent’s movement encounters an obstacle, it ceases and both the obstacle and shoved opponent suffer 1d6 damage. If the martial artist wishes to, they may move along with the shoved opponent, but cannot move more than their standard movement speed in this way in any given round. Shove can be used multiple times in the same combination attack.
Punishing Blow (Mighty Blows, Undying Champion, Beguiling Assailant) [Finisher]: If the opponent you target with punishing blow damaged you last turn, they must make a Fort save against a DC equal to 10 + your style‘s dominant ability modifier + ½ your Martial artist level or take an equal amount of damage in addition to your regular unarmed strike damage. Any combination in which this attack is used must include one less attack than the martial artist would normally make in a given round, the lost attack must come from the martial artist’s highest base attack bonus.
Jump Attack (Any): This attack allows the martial artist to close with opponents without sacrificing offense. As part of a jump attack you may travel up to 10 feet. This movement is part of the jump attack and does not provoke attacks of opportunity or prevent the martial artist from performing a full attack action. Jump attacks impose a -2 to hit and a +2 to damage.
Sliding Sweep (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Beguiling Assailant): A quick dash and slide, this attack allows a martial artist to slip by opponents while making a trip attack. As part of the sliding sweep you may move up to 10 feet. This movement may pass through an occupied square provided that you target the occupant as part of the sliding sweep attack and end your movement in an unoccupied square. This movement is part of the sliding sweep attack and does not provoke attacks of opportunity from those targeted by it (opponents not targeted by the slide are provoked as usual) or prevent the martial artist from performing a full attack action. A targeted opponent who is not tripped may make an attack of opportunity on the martial artist (whose movement continues regardless).
Heart Punch (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior) [Finisher]: Taking precise aim at a vital point in the anatomy or structure of their opponent, a martial artist uses this technique to deal significant, and often fatal, damage to their opponent with a relatively light blow. An opponent targeted by this finisher is treated as if they are flatfooted to this attack. This attack is made at a +2 bonus to hit and -2 penalty to damage.
Rake (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed, Beguiling Assailant): Strong fingers are used by martial artists to tear at exposed skin as effectively as a spiked gauntlet. This strike suffers a -2 to damage due to the difficulty of finding an exposed spot, however even the joints of armor can be damaged by this powerful strike and exposed flesh is painfully ripped and torn, granting an opponent hit by this attack a -1 to attacks, saves, skill checks and AC for 1 round due to the distraction of damaged equipment and painful, bleeding gashes.
Inevitable Blow (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior, Undying Champion) [Finisher]: With the patience and confidence found only in the most skilled warriors, the martial artist surrounds their actual attack with a flurry of staggering blows and feints allowing them to slide past defenses. This attack is a touch attack, and if this attack is successful the opponent must make a Fort save DC 10 + ½ character level + primary ability mod or be staggered for 1 round.
Uppercut (Any): This attack is made with a -5 to hit. If it hits, this strike automatically threatens a critical, regardless of the martial artist’s actual critical threat range.
Headbutt (Any): This attack receives a +5 to hit due to the surprise inherent to deliberately slamming your face into something as an attack. However, this strike deals damage to the martial artist who uses it equal to ½ the damage it deals to the opponent.
Wing Clip (Beguiling Assailant, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior): If this strike hits an opponent with a fly speed granted by actual wings it reduces their fly speed by ½ for 1d4 rounds.
Eye Pluck (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Beguiling Assailant) [Finisher]: If this attack hits, the opponent struck must make a Fort save with a DC equal to 10 + ½ the martial artist’s character level + the martial artist’s primary ability score. Failure indicates that the target is blinded for 1d6 rounds. A natural 1 on this save indicates that the blindness is permanent until the afflicted opponent is the target of restorative magic (ie: restoration or better) or a regeneration effect.
Throat Punch (Any): If this attack hits, the opponent struck must make a Fort save with a DC equal to 10 + ½ the martial artist’s character level + the martial artist’s primary ability score. Failure indicates that the target is silenced for 1d4 rounds.
Wrench Limb (Mighty Blows, Wise Warrior, Beguiling Assailant): Taking hold of a limb and using strength or leverage to brutally tear tendons and disconnect joints, this attack provides an opponent struck by it with a penalty to attacks for 1 round equal to the iterative attack penalty used to connect divided by 5. (ie: If you use wrench limb at your highest base, nothing happens, use it at a -5 iterative attack penalty and it gives a -1, -10 gives -2, -15 gives -3.)
Hamper Opponents (Undying Champion, Wise Warrior, Blinding Speed): By moving to place attackers in each other’s way, the martial artist can drastically improve his survivability. An opponent hit by this strike grants the martial artist a bonus to AC for 1 round, this bonus is equal to the number of attacks that opponent targeted the martial artist with in the previous round. This strike may be used more than once a round, but each use of this strike must target a different opponent.
Body Shield (Undying Champion, Beguiling Assailant, Wise Warrior) [Finisher]: This attack is treated as a grapple if it hits, except that if the opponent loses they gain the pinned condition immediately and the martial artist gains partial cover from all attacks as long as the pin is maintained. Any attacks that do strike the martial artist deal half their damage to the pinned opponent.
In The Face! (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius) [Finisher]: If this attack hits it deals 1d6 charisma damage in addition to the martial artist’s unarmed damage.
Technique List
Iron Shirt (Wise Warrior, Beguiling Assailant, Undying Champion): A warrior who uses iron shirt technique has learned to completely ignore pain and has toughened their flesh to withstand incredible amounts of damage for a short period of time. When this ability is activated the martial artist gains an AC bonus and DR equal to his style’s dominant ability modifier for one round.
Godhand (Mighty Blows, Kung Fu Genius, Undying Champion): When this technique is activated the martial artist’s unarmed damage dice are increased by one size. A martial artist who normally does 2d10 unarmed damage will instead deal 2d12 upon a successful hit.
Adamantine Fist (Mighty Blows, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior): This ability allows the martial artist to ignore hardness equal to his class level + his style’s dominant ability modifier. He may also designate one opponent whose DR he may treat as if it were lowered by an amount equal to his class level.
Keen Senses (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior, Blinding Speed): The martial artist’s keen senses provide a perception roll against any opponents attempting a sneak attack against him this round. It is the whistle of an approaching arrow or motion of an assassin‘s blade that the martial artist senses, rather than his assailant themselves. The DC of this roll is equal to the total attack roll targeting the martial artist. If the perception check is successful, the attack is not a sneak attack.
Power Kiai (Beguiling Assailant, Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius): Some martial artists train themselves to deliver powerful shouts that can frighten and disorient opponents. All opponents within 20 feet suffer a -2 to their initiative total and the martial artist may designate one opponent within this range as a primary target. This opponent is subject to an intimidate check as a free action and the martial artist receives a +4 bonus to this check.
Light Body (Blinding Speed, Beguiling Assailant): Quick and agile, light body fighters gain a +10 bonus to all climb and acrobatics rolls. They may also move across liquids and similarly unsupported surfaces, but this movement costs triple. (Dashing across 10 feet of water would require 30 feet of movement) Moving across a surface involves making contact with it, and any environmental hazards like lava or acid still deal damage to a martial artist using light body.
Smash Weapon (Mighty Blows, Undying Champion): Once per opponent per round you may make a sunder attack against any weapon that is used to attack you (regardless of whether or not the attack was successful). This sunder attack gains a bonus equal to the opponent’s strength modifier and if the weapon is broken the martial artist may make a free intimidate check against the same opponent.
Silent Fist (Blinding Speed, Beguiling Assailant): A martial artist who uses this technique gains 1d6 sneak attack per four martial artist class levels.
Control Body (Undying Champion, Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius): Gain fire and cold resistance 10, delay poison/disease, DR 1/- for 1d3 rounds.
Breath Exercise (Undying Champion, Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed): Gain a number of temporary hit points equal to twice your character level. These temporary hit points are lost first if you take damage, and last for one hour. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack.
Brutal Ending (Mighty Blows, Beguiling Assailant, Blinding Speed): Use this ability immediately after reducing an opponent to 0 hit points to gain a free intimidate check on all opponents within 30 feet who can see you.
Hammer Fist (Mighty Blows, Beguiling Assailant, Wise Warrior): This technique is used in conjunction with a sunder attack. The sundered object takes 1.5 times the normal damage, and the opponent takes damage equal to half this amount.
Dirty Trick (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Beguiling Assailant): You may make a combat maneuver check against any two adjacent opponents. If you defeat an opponent’s CMD, they are flat-footed to all attacks for one round.
Ground and Pound (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed, Wise Warrior): If you use this ability when you trip an opponent, you automatically grapple them as well. If you use it when you grapple an opponent, you automatically trip them as well. If you pin an opponent who is prone, you may deal twice your normal damage with a grapple check.
Equilibrium (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior, Undying Champion): Whenever you fail a save against a mind-affecting spell or supernatural ability this technique allows your to make a another save at a +4 bonus. You may continue to use this ability each round until you successfully save or run out of technique points.
Bell-Ringing Fist (Mighty Blows, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior): You gain 5 feet of reach for all your melee attacks this turn, however, you do not threaten any squares.
Snap Punch (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Beguiling Assailant): If an opponent you threaten attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability this technique allows you to make a single attack against them before they make their concentration check to cast on the defensive. Any damage they take from this attack is applied as a penalty to their concentration check. This attack counts as one of your attacks of opportunity for the round.
VM, I'm officially adopting your Confident Hero idea, appreciate it. It will go in on the next (final?) update.
If anyone has stance, combo, technique ideas please feel free to share.
If you feel something is too weak/strong, let me know. I have already gone over a lot of it to the point where I have strong feelings about it, but some is untested and it's definitely possible I'll bow to a strong argument.
Style: Crab (Mighty Blows, Wise Warrior, Undying Champion): Crab style abandons the martial artist’s class AC bonus in favor of the ability to wear medium armor without losing access to their martial artist class abilities. As long as this stance is maintained, the martial artist gains proficiency with all medium armors. A master of Crab may continue to use martial artist class abilities while wearing heavy armor and gains proficiency in all heavy armors for as long as this stance is maintained.
Hum. That should have been "stance", rather than "style". Boo.
VM, I'm officially adopting your Confident Hero idea, appreciate it. It will go in on the next (final?) update.
You mean it? Awesome!
Nitpick:
Stances:
57 chambers = Shaolin? = Awesome
Gray hand and Catch the rain work against very specific and uncommon tipes of enemies. Could be taken off.
Ghost boxer and Heaven and Hell fist, on the other hand are keepers, because punching ghosts and smiting are just cool.
Combos:
Wing clip doesn't seem much usefull, unless you play a campaign with lots of bird enemies...
Wrench limb gets stronger if it's the second or third strike on a full assault is that what it means? I get kind of confused in what is a iterative attack penalty.
Techniques:
Adamantine fist, Godhand, Smash weapon, Silent fist and Hammer fist: you spend the point the get the benefits on one attack or on all attacks during the round? I think it's on the next attack but needs clarification.
Keen senses, Iron Shirt and Light body: how long do they last after you activate?
Maybe Keen Senses could give asmall bonus against feints or bluff, or maybe against invisibility, some to make the technique useful even if you aren't fighting rogues.
DR gained with techniques (Iron shirt, Control body) stack with the one gained by the Undying Champion style?
Control body would work better with a 5 rounds duration. It's a rounder number (pardon the pun). Iron shirt could have the same duration.
I have a couple suggestions but I'm still grappling with the maneuver rules (I'm in a punny mood, sorry). Should be able to post it all monday.
Gray Hand I've already considered ditching, except that it's really hard to find a way around tremorsense and I could easily imagine a campaign that had a lot of tremorsense using enemies. (Something in the underdark-equivalent of Golarion, umber hulks, burrowing swarms and such) I dunno...
Catch the Rain I'm kinda proud of, you think it's too specific? I've had a lot of fighter moments when I really wish I could do something, anything to stop a swarm. Rot grubs...
I'm glad you like GB & HHF, I'm proud of those too. They were fun to come up with.
A lot of spells give you actual wings to fly with, and so do a lot of class abilities/races. I think wing clip is a keeper, probably doubly so if the martial artist is a strix or something with a natural fly speed of their own. Nothing like owning the air.
You read Wrench Limb correctly. It's supposed to get better as it gets more difficult, thus entailing some risk if you want to deal a significant penalty to the target. Any time I say iterative attack I'm talking about the -0/-5/-10/-15 that you take on your base attack bonus when you make multiple attacks as part of a full attack action.
So far all techniques are supposed to last a full round and only 1 round. The exception to this is Control Body, which I intended as an emergency "oh @#$*" ability when you are suddenly in the middle of an elemental effect or get poisoned by an enemy attack. Its effects aren't that impressive individually but it gives you time to be cured without ever being subject to the paralysis effect of a poison. I suppose it's mostly a role-play fluff kind of a ability compared to the rest though.
All those techniques are meant to last 1 round and only 1 round. So Godhand increases the die size of all your attacks for 1 round, Iron Shirt makes you a tank for 1 round. I feel that the single round duration makes up for the fact that the abilities are so powerful, and you have no limit on the number of rounds in a row in which you can activate abilities, as long as you have points. Most combats are about 4 rounds, so you could easily be keeping Iron shirt up for half the combat rounds you're in. Note that Smash Weapon says you get to make 1 free sunder per weapon per opponent, so it's not something you can do against every attack.
I'll definitely think about augmenting Keen Senses, but negating a class ability with a to-hit roll is already pretty powerful.
Aaaaand, the boards seem to be down, I'll reply more later.
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Okay first of all, Thank you for doing this. I have always ALWAYS hated the way the monk was done in 3X dnd. I always kicked myself that in a western themed rpg, there was a class of warrior that was a specifically niche shaolin monk themed class. (There is a reason rogue is a core class not ninja!).
Also, showing that I have no dislike for Asian Inspired rpgs, Have you ever played/ looked at exalted? There are "charms" (abilities) which, (although they are on a different power level), could be used as a great source of inspiration for these styles and abilities. Martial artists with interesting and non-standard abilities is one of exalted's hallmarks and I can already see the similarities between them and what you want to do.
Okay first of all, Thank you for doing this. I have always ALWAYS hated the way the monk was done in 3X dnd. I always kicked myself that in a western themed rpg, there was a class of warrior that was a specifically niche shaolin monk themed class. (There is a reason rogue is a core class not ninja!).
Wow, that's a much bigger compliment than I ever expected to get. I honestly got the impression that there wasn't that much interest in this little project. I'm glad you like it so much!
In answer to VM's question about DR, DR never stacks that I know of (except for a couple 3.5 feats that added to DR). My intention was for that to be the case here. If you are an Undying Champion who uses Iron Shirt, you would temporarily gain the better DR that Iron Shirt potentially gives. (You'd use whichever one is higher, but there's no reason it wouldn't be Iron Shirt most of the time.)
I loved Exalted several years ago when some friends and I spent a good deal of time playing it. I had a fantastic Black Knight-themed Abyssal, and a really cool Lunar Pirate. Good times, good times.
I accept the explanations for Gray hand, Catch the rain and Wing clip, you should keep them. The part about techniques only lasting one round except when stated otherwise should be on the description.
Now to the suggestions:
Combination attack:
Roundhouse kick (any)(finisher): This powerful kick to the face can scramble the senses of the strongest enemy. If the strike does damage, the opponent has to do a will save with a DC of 10+the damage. If the enemy has less DV then the martial artist and fails the save he is stunned for the next round, if he is successful he is still dazed. If the enemy has as many or more DV then the martial artist he is dazed if he fails, and staggered if he succeeds the save.
I've noticed a problem,there are 5 attacks that are any, the Mighty blows and Blinding speed have 6 attacks and 4 finishers (thats good), Confident hero has 8 attacks and 3 finishers (also good), Wise warrior has 7 attacks and 3 finishers (ok), but Kung fu genius has 4 attacks and 4 finishers and Undying champion has 4 finishers and only 3 attacks. Either you need more attcs for these two or (I think it would be best) take away the style restrictions from the combination attacks.
Stances:
Disguised Steps: This stance is made to appear as if the character was dancing, showing off or drunk, with elaborate dodges and attacks that come from unexpected directions. As long as the martial artist is in this stance he receives a +2 competence bonus to all bluff and intimidates rolls, he also receives a +1 bonus to AC and Reflex. Because of the wild and unpredictable movement all attacks suffer a -1 to hit and -2 to damage. A master at Disguised Steps doubles the bonus.
Other ideas that I had but couldn't make into complete stances:
Intercepting fist: This solid stance seeks to balance offense and defense and remain adaptable against any enemy. If you have the stunning fist feat the duration of the stun is doubled. Checks to confirm a critical hit gain a +2. Master the bonus goes to +4 and stun goes to 3 rounds(I can't come up with the drawbacks)
Zen Fighting: This stance focus the character senses and mind solely on the fight. +2 Will... (I got nothing else but it shoul be a "mage hunting" stance)
Seven Hunting Beasts: With this stance a martial artist can use one of the monk weapons. While in this stance the martial artist can use one of these weapons but replacing its damage with his own unarmed damage. (Like the crab stance but with weapons)
Judo stance (needs better name): Gains a bonus to CMD, can break limbs (do ability damage to a grappled and pined opponent) (1d3 str or dex decided by the player), can disarm as opportunity attack. Can't use Kata while in this stance. (I don't know what master would get)
Techniques: Can we call it Ki points? Technique points sounds weird...
The first two allow to simply throw the monk class away, the last two are just to keep an elemental theme going.
Wind Walk: The martial artist can use his Ki to give himself a degree of control over the air. The martial artist with this technique can choose one of these effects when activating it: Slow Fall, the martial artist takes damage as if the fall was 10 feet shorter, for every 3 levels above the second he can slow fall another 10 feet (i.e. 20 feet at 5th, 30 feet at 8th, etc.), at 20th level the martial artist can use this technique to ignore any damage from a fall. Wind run, the martial artist adds 10 feet to his base speed, this bonus increases by 10 feet for every 3 levels above the second. If a martial artist has both these technique and Light Body he can use a swift action to spend 3 technique points and activate both techniques at the same time.
Flowing River: The martial artist can adapt to new situations like water can adapt to different containers. The martial artist gains the Evasion ability for one round. At 12th level this becomes Improved Evasion.
Roots of the Mountain: The martial artist grounds his Ki to the ground becoming as immobile as the mountains. The martial artist adds half his level to his CMD against enemy maneuvers and a quarter of his level to his AC. The martial artist can't move during a round in which he uses this technique. If the martial artist has both these technique and Iron Shirt he can use a swift action to spend 3 technique points and activate both techniques at the same time, their AC bonus stacks.
Will of Fire: The martial artist can tap into the destructive power of fire and cover his fists with Ki. The martial artist unarmed attack does an extra 1d4 of damage and is treated as magical for the purpose of overcoming DR. At 10th level this bonus dice improves to 1d6 and the attack is also treated as lawful or chaotic depending on the martial artist own alignment (neutral monks can use either).
To Keen Senses you could add: The miss chance because concealment is 10% less during one round.
To Bell Ringing Fist: At 10th level the range increases to 10 feet.
Changing some of the things I suggested:
Wind Run: The martial artist can use his Ki to give himself a degree of control over the air. The martial artist adds 10 feet to his base speed, this bonus increases by 10 feet for every 3 levels above the second.
Roots of the Mountain: The martial artist grounds his Ki to the ground becoming as immobile as the mountains. The martial artist adds half his level to his CMD against enemy maneuvers and a quarter of his level to his AC. The martial artist can't move during a round in which he uses this technique.
Judo Stance (still needs a better name): A master of this stance is treated as one size category larger for calculating CMB and CMD.
Awesome, awesome, awesome! Thanks for the many ideas, I look forward to working them in.
I wanted the different styles to be roughly dissimilar. So Mighty Blows has way more attacks available than finishers, Kung Fu Genius has about the same number of both. I put the "any" attacks in to save time and let me worry about making fewer combo moves but perhaps I can throw the last couple styles a bone in the form of some new moves to pick from.
The whole "point" thing kind of jars me. I had originally intended to let techniques be unlimited use because you can only have one a round but I got talked out of it and that's when I added the points. The only reason they're not called "ki points" is that I didn't want people claiming that this class was just as supernatural as monk. I consider their abilities extraordinary, some are maybe impossible, but not "magic". So that's the only reason I shied away from using an internal/external energy like ki.
Oh, I wish Paizo would implement a Martial Artist class which isn't laden down with all the baggage of having to be a lawful monk and getting supernatural abilities out of the wazoo. :(
Kuma, you don't mind if I shamelessly steal this for my own campaign, do you? :)
I had invented a "brawler" class that had a number of fighting techniques and even a few finishing moves, but your creation (with VM's valuable input) really beats up my ideas. Conceptually, we're on the same wavelength, you just dialed in a lot better!
However, I will still retain the monk (in all its monastic, supernaturalness)...but this martial artist will be the legendary fisticuffing pit fighter, knuckle-throwing, barroom brawler...as seen here:
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Kuma,
This looks interesting. I haven't looked through the stats in detail, but I like the idea of having a non-mystical martial arts class. I have no problem with the Monk as written, but its nice to have another option, if that's not what you're going for.
My one question: Are you planning to release this as OGC? I think it would be a good idea, so that people could use it in products they release. (You know, just in case it catches that much attention. 8^)
Wow. It's kinda weird having people on the internet say NICE things to you. O.o
I have no idea how to make this OGC certified, but give me instructions and I'll happily do so.
I have a lot of issues with alignment requirements. Partly because it seems to me that the alignment system is a little simplistic. I don't consider the ability to stick to something difficult to be a lawful act, merely a determined one. If chaotic characters couldn't apply themselves to a task I hardly think they could become Wizards, for example. Also, fistfights are not typically considered a lawful habit, no matter how much you practice ahead of time. (and many great fighters are well-known to have chaotic tendencies; I can think of like six off the top of my head that killed people accidentally out of anger and regretted it later)
I'd make it Alignment: Any Lawful like the Monk...I even think you wrote it somewhere, but martial arts is about dedication, discipline, road to enlightenment and self-perfection, adhering to old traditions, etc., and I just don't see someone non-lawful (or at least chaotic) as having what it takes.
So I guess non-lawful fighters are out in your campaigns, too? ^^ All neutral and chaotic characters need to be Warriors?
We got plenty of non-lawful people in martial arts movies. Just watch most Jackie Chan movies. Not the terrible Hollywood ones, the real Hong Kong made ones.
Sense we are walking down this dark road go see street F
ighter the storytelling game for ideas. :P
I guess, you sort of have a point somewhere concealed behind the sarcasm...I'd make it Alignment: Any Lawful like the Monk...I even think you wrote it somewhere, but martial arts is about dedication, discipline, road to enlightenment and self-perfection, adhering to old traditions, etc., and I just don't see someone non-lawful (or at least chaotic) as having what it takes.So I guess non-lawful fighters are out in your campaigns, too? ^^ All neutral and chaotic characters need to be Warriors?
We got plenty of non-lawful people in martial arts movies. Just watch most Jackie Chan movies. Not the terrible Hollywood ones, the real Hong Kong made ones.
I thought the point was pretty upfront. A lot of classes need mental discipline. The most obvious class is actually the Wizard, who gets his powers by learning really, really hard. Still, there are lots of neutral and chaotic Wizards. The same applies to a martial artists.
The street fighter roleplaying game was a white wolf product that used a system typical to their releases. (In other words, the system was terrible)
Please try to keep discussion on topic folks.
I am now playtesting a Mighty Blows martial artist (beginning at level 3). I have found most parts of the class to be pretty balanced. Some apprehension when picking combo moves tells me that I could probably use another finisher for Mighty Blows but the standard moves seem about right.
My 3rd level character has an AC of 20 but stats are above average lending me a sixteen Dex and the bonus of my primary stat, a 20 strength, and the +1 for being lvl 3; so nothing seems too out of whack there. Damage is a d6+5, I took Throat Punch and Rake as my combo moves. My one Technique is Godhand.
Feats are Power Attack and Dodge. I'm eyeballing some of the mid-level feats from the APG.
I'm also a Suli, so I can have 1d6 elemental damage on my hands for a few rounds a day.
So my best possible damage in a round round is 1d8+1d6(fire/cold/etc.)+7, potentially giving a target of Throat Punch a DC 16 Fort save to not be silenced for a d4 rounds.
Impressive, but about the same as a flaming longsword in a two-handed PA. And I could only make that damage happen three rounds a day.
I almost think that it wouldn't be working too well if I didn't have above average stats/race; another thing making me think that Mighty Blows should have access to a few more attacks. Need more techniques in general, I think. Still haven't put in VM's stances/techniques, will do it soon.
I have added/changed a ton of stuff again. Including some great ideas from some of you. I don't think the next update will be the final, but it's getting close.
Update to come within a couple days, following some crunching of numbers.
Martial Artist
Relying on neither weapons nor supernatural abilities, martial artists are champions of combat using only their skill to protect themselves and defeat their enemies. Martial artists may come from any alignment or race. All that is required to learn a martial art style is willpower, and a great deal of time and effort.
Alignment Any.
Hit Die d10.
Starting Wealth
1d6x10 gp
Class Skills
The martial artist’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (local) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks Per Level
4 + Int modifier.
Table: martial artist
Level BAB Good Saves Poor Saves Special
1st +1 +2 +0 Unarmed Strike, Armor Restriction, Combination Attack, AC Bonus, Unarmed 1d6, Unarmed Combat, Style, Stance
2nd +2 +3 +0 Technique
3rd +3 +3 +1 Combination Attack
4th +4 +4 +1 Stance, Unarmed 1d8
5th +5 +4 +1 Combination Attack
6th +6/+1 +5 +2 Kata
7th +7/+2 +5 +2 Combination Attack
8th +8/+3 +6 +2 Stance, Technique, Unarmed 1d10
9th +9/+4 +6 +3 Combination Attack
10th +10/+5 +7 +3 Mastery
11th +11/+6/+1 +7 +3 Combination Attack
12th +12/+7/+2 +8 +4 Stance, Improved Kata, Unarmed 2d6
13th +13/+8/+3 +8 +4 Combination Attack
14th +14/+9/+4 +9 +4 Technique
15th +15/+10/+5 +9 +5 Combination Attack
16th +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +5 Stance, Unarmed 2d8
17th +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +5 Combination Attack
18th +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +6 Superior Kata
19th +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +6 Combination Attack
20th +20/+15/+10/+5 +12 +6 Stance, Technique, Grandmastery, Unarmed 2d10
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A martial artist is proficient with all simple weapons and gains no armor proficiencies.
AC Bonus (Ex)
A martial artist trains without armor, relying on his skill to protect him from harm. martial artists gain a bonus to AC equal to ¼ their class level (rounded down) plus the dominant ability modifier of their chosen style. This bonus cannot be less than 0, even if the martial artist has a low modifier. This AC Bonus is lost if the martial artist wears any armor.
Unarmed Strike
At 1st level, an unarmed specialist gains Unarmed Strike, as per the Monk class ability. Unlike the Monk class ability, this class ability also allows the martial artist to replace their strength bonus to unarmed damage with the dominant modifier of their chosen style.
Stances (Ex)
At 1st level, 4th level and every four levels thereafter (8th, 12th, etc.), a martial artist gains a new stance picked from those available to him. Stances typically provide both a bonus and a penalty. Martial artists may benefit from only one stance at a time. Entering or leaving a stance is a swift action but a martial artist may only activate one stance per round, additionally a martial artist may not leave a stance in the same round that he entered it in order to avoid its drawbacks.
Armor Restriction
A martial artist loses the ability to use martial artist class abilities while wearing armor, even if he is proficient with the use of that armor.
Style (Ex)
Every martial artist has a core fighting style that helps to determine their available Techniques, Stances, and Combination Attacks. This style is chosen at first level and cannot be changed afterward. This style also determines which saves follow the good save progression track and which ability score is primary for the martial artist. This primary ability score is used to determine the effects of many class abilities.
Combination Attack (Ex)
At every odd-numbered level (1st, 3rd, etc.) a martial artist may choose to learn a new combination attack from those available to him. These combination attacks may be used in place of any standard attack with two limitations - A particular combination attack can only be used once per round unless otherwise noted in the attack’s description. Combination attacks can be mixed freely with normal armed or unarmed attacks, but only during a full attack: combination attacks cannot be used as a standard action. Some combination attacks are marked as “finishers” - these especially powerful combination attacks may only be used as the last attack in a full attack action and only if they were preceded exclusively by other combination attacks. martial artists may choose to replace a known combination attack with another that they qualify for any time they gain a new combination attack; however they may only retrain one attack at any given level. Modifiers on a given combination attack do not affect other combination attacks made that turn unless it is specifically stated in the attack’s description.
Techniques (Ex)
Techniques are powerful and unique abilities that martial artists perfect via rigorous training. A martial artist may activate a technique as a free action but may not activate more than one technique per round. The advantages granted by a technique last for one round, unless otherwise specified within the technique description. Martial artists gain techniques at 2nd level and every six levels thereafter. (8th, 14th, 20th). A martial artist gains a pool of technique points (refreshed in the morning each day) which may be used to activate techniques at a cost of 1 point per technique. The number of points in a martial artist’s pool is equal to 3 + their primary ability score. When using a technique it is not uncommon for a martial artist to give off an aura of vivid, visible light. This is an outward manifestation of the martial artist’s focus and control; not exactly magic so much as a sign that the martial artist is capable of moving energies normally considered divine or psionic. This is not necessarily the case for every martial artist, and it is up to the player whether their character demonstrates this distinctive aura when using a technique. Some techniques automatically grant an aura (such as Master’s Hand). Any time a martial artist is surrounded by such an aura, it lasts only as long as the technique (typically 1 round) and gives off dim light in a 5 ft. radius.
Kata (Ex)
At 6th level, if a martial artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks he may make one additional attack at his highest base attack bonus. This attack must also be a combination attack. All attacks made as part of a Kata suffer a -2 penalty to hit.
Style Mastery (Ex)
At 10th level, a martial artist may choose one stance in which he has trained. All beneficial numerical effects of this stance are doubled while penalties remain the same. In addition, a martial artist may benefit from two stances as long as one of them is the stance which he has mastered. The martial artist suffers full penalties for both stances. A character may choose to change which stance he has mastered any time he gains a new level.
Improved Kata (Ex)
At 12th level, if a martial artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks (as per the Kata ability) he may add two additional strikes instead of the one provided by Kata. The second extra attack is made at the martial artist’s highest base attack bonus -5 and they must both be combination attacks. All attacks made as part of a Kata suffer a -1 penalty to hit.
Superior Kata (Ex)
At 18th level, if a martial artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks (as per the Kata ability) he may add three additional strikes instead of the one provided by Kata. The third extra attack is made at the martial artist’s highest base attack bonus -10 and they must all be combination attacks. Attacks made as part of a Kata no longer suffer a penalty to hit.
Grandmastery (Ex)
At 20th level a martial artist may choose to benefit from the effects of any two stances at the same time, their bonuses stack. In addition, the martial artist no longer suffers the penalties associated with any stance he knows. Finally, a Grandmaster gains three extra technique points to use in activating their special techniques.
Style List
Blinding Speed: A martial artist who utilizes Blinding Speed is an agile combatant who employs their amazing dexterity in order to avoid attacks and place precision counterstrikes. +1 (+2 at 11th level) bonus to AC and +10 feet of movement. Good saves: Ref & Will. (Dex)
Mighty Blows: Able to destroy castle walls with a single strike, martial artists of this style favor offense over defense and can choose some of the most vicious combination attacks. +1 (+2 at 11th level) bonus to hit with Unarmed strikes and may reroll 1s on Unarmed Strike damage. The martial artist may only reroll any given damage die once, even if the second roll results in a 1. Good saves: Fort & Will. (Str)
Wise Warrior: Specializing in spotting weak points in an enemy’s defense, the Wise Warrior achieves victory through keen senses and absolute timing. May ignore DR of equal or less than ½ of their martial artist level (rounded down). Good saves: Ref & Will. (Wis)
Kung Fu Genius: Brilliant tacticians and natural combatants, the Kung Fu Genius can formulate a plan of attack in the time it takes most men to blink, earning them the careful respect of their peers. +1 initiative at 1st, 4th, and every four levels after that. (i.e: 8th, 12th) and +4 to all social interactions (Bluff, Diplomacy, etc.) with martial classes. (i.e: Full base attack classes) Good saves: Fort & Ref. (Int)
Undying Champion: Having trained in esoteric methods of weathering pain and mitigating damage, the Undying Champion can resist the mightiest of blows. Gain DR equal to ¼ class level (rounded down). Good saves: Fort & Ref. (Con)
Confident Hero: Able to easily manipulate others through guile or sheer force of personality, these marrtial artists make combat a battle of wills as much as physical contact. A confident hero who causes an opponent to gain the Shaken, Frightened, Panicked, or Cowering conditions grants a -4 penalty instead of the usual -2 caused by those conditions. In addition, a confident hero gains a +2 (+4 at 11th leve) bonus to CMD and CMB. Good saves: Ref & Will. (Cha)
Stance List
Patient Spider Stance (Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius, Undying Champion): A martial artist in this stance sacrifices mobility in favor of precision, trusting opponents to come to him. This stance reduces their movement speed by ½ but grants a +1 attack bonus for every 10 feet of movement lost in this way for as long as the character maintains the stance. A master of patient spider gains +1 attack bonus per 5 feet of movement sacrificed.
Crab (Mighty Blows, Wise Warrior, Undying Champion): Crab stance abandons the martial artist’s class AC bonus in favor of the ability to wear medium armor without losing access to their martial artist class abilities. As long as this stance is maintained, the martial artist gains proficiency with all medium armors. A master of Crab may continue to use martial artist class abilities while wearing heavy armor and gains proficiency in all heavy armors for as long as this stance is maintained.
Hunting Hawk Stance (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed, Wise Warrior): Attempting to attack from higher ground or with leaping attacks, this stance is vicious but lacks control. As long as it is maintained, this stance grants a +1 bonus to damage rolls for every five martial artist class levels. It reduces the martial artist’s CMD by an equivalent amount. A master of hunting hawk gains twice the damage bonus with no additional penalty to CMD.
Agile Lemur Stance (Blinding Speed, Confident Hero, Kung Fu Genius): Able to move in a graceful but bizarre series of acrobatics or contortions, Lemur style fighters may act unhindered by poor combat terrain or reach attacks. They may move normally through difficult terrain and may move through one of an opponent’s threatened squares without provoking an attack of opportunity. This stance requires the fighter to remain in awkward positions much of the time and grants a -4 penalty to damage rolls. A master of agile lemur may move through two threatened squares without provoking.
Endless Assault Stance (Undying Champion, Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed): Practitioners of the endless assault are able to rain blows upon their enemies in staggering numbers. Gain an additional attack at your highest iterative attack bonus. All attacks suffer a -2 penalty. A master of endless assault gains two attacks at their highest attack bonus with no additional penalty to attacks.
Heaven and Hell Fist (Mighty Blows, Wise Warrior, Undying Champion): Trained to combat the denizens of the outer planes, practitioners of this style make all outsiders shudder in fear. But it is dangerous to tax a mortal body in combat with the legions of the planes. As long as you maintain this stance you gain the benefits of smite evil, good, chaos or law. You choose one alignment axis you smite when you first learn this stance. This smite ability only works against outsiders. You take a cumulative -1 penalty to your style’s primary ability score for every two rounds that you maintain this stance. This penalty is reduced by 1 for every two consecutive rounds that you do not use this style. A master of this stance may choose two alignment axes to smite when activating this ability.
Rampaging Bull (Mighty Blows, Undying Champion, Kung Fu Genius): Devastating follow-through and ridiculously powerful throws send opponents reeling when a martial artist uses rampaging bull stance to knock a crowd of opponents out of the way. Any time you successfully make a combat maneuver check against an opponent this round you may move them 10 feet away from you in a straight line. If this movement encounters an obstacle their movement stops and they take 1d6 damage. As long as you maintain this stance attacks of opportunity that target you gain a +2 bonus to hit. A master of rampaging bull moves opponents 15 feet and if their movement encounters an obstacle they take 2d6 points of damage.
Vicious Hare (Wise Warrior, Undying Champion, Confident Hero): Reacting with rare aggression, you punish attempts to cling to or entangle you. As long as this stance is maintained, any opponent who attempts to grapple you is subject to an attack of opportunity from you, even if they would normally avoid such an attack of opportunity. The martial artist deals damage normally with this attack and half the damage is used as a penalty to the grapple attempt targeting you. A martial artist using this stance takes a -4 to his CMD versus all other CMB checks. A master of vicious hare gains the full damage from his attack of opportunity as a penalty to the opponent’s grapple check.
Gray Sand Fist (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior): Through dangerous training in ankheg or bullete hunting grounds, you have learned to become a predator of subterranean creatures. While maintaining this stance you gain the ability to make stealth checks versus tremorsense with a +10 bonus. In addition, your critical hit range is doubled against any creature with a burrow speed that you catch flat-footed. While maintaining this stance you take a -5 penalty to stealth checks to avoid being seen with normal vision. A master of this stance gains a +20 to their stealth check versus tremorsense and gains a single multiple added to their critical hit damage versus creatures with a burrow speed. (ie: x2 crit becomes x3 crit, etc.)
57 Chambers (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Confident Hero): You have become an initiate of the 57 chambers, or secrets, of an ancient martial arts tradition. You gain the ability to shorten a Kata by a single attack (usually your lowest iterative attack bonus) in order to gain a +4 bonus to damage with all other attacks this round. A master of the 57 chambers may shorten his Kata by a single attack and gain a +8 damage bonus to all other attacks that round.
Catch the Rain (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior): As long as you maintain this stance you are able to perceive and attack masses of tiny creatures individually. You may cause half damage to creatures with the swarm subtype with your unarmed attacks. Due to the difficulty in attacking quickly and precisely enough to deal damage, swarms gain a +4 AC bonus against your attacks. A master of Catch the rain deals full damage against swarms with his unarmed attacks.
Ghost Boxer (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior, Confident Hero): By maintaining a trance-like state, this stance gives you the ability to both perceive and effect the astral and ethereal planes. Any creatures with the incorporeal subtype do not gain the benefits of that subtype against your attacks. You may also see and target creatures that exist entirely on the ethereal plane, however they may see and target you as well. Due to the focus required to maintain this stance, the ghost boxer takes a -5 penalty to perception rolls against creatures that exist on the prime material. A master of this stance may see and target creatures that exist entirely on the astral plane, but they may see and target him as well.
Wary Circle Stance (Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius, Confident Hero): The wary circle is a stance that emphasizes defense at the cost of damage. This stance grants a +1 bonus to AC per five class levels. This stacks with the martial artist class AC bonus. Wary circle prevents a martial artist from fully committing to his attacks and does not allow him to add his primary ability modifier to damage. A master of wary circle gains twice the AC bonus.
Faceless Opponent (Blinding Speed, Wise Warrior, Confident Hero): Through subtle hypnotic techniques and mastery of nondescript stealth, faceless opponents render themselves frustratingly unidentifiable. Make an attack roll resisted by the sense motive of any opponent that can see you. This works similar to a disguise check, except that every opponent whose sense motive you beat remembers you as a faceless, shadowy figure of indeterminate race and gender provided that you enter this stance within one round of becoming visible to them and continue to use this technique every round until you have left their sight. A master of faceless opponent may gain the benefits of this stance as long as they enter it within two rounds of becoming visible to another creature.
Rending Fist (Powerful Blows, Blinding Strikes, Undying Champion): By attacking with clawed fingers and taking brief holds on limbs or chunks of flesh, this style allows a martial artist to literally tear enemies apart, at the risk of exposing themselves to damage. While practitioners of this style do not attempt to defend themselves any less skillfully than others, their wide-armed stance provides plenty of weak points for the blows that make it through. For every two unarmed attacks that strike a single opponent as part of a full attack action, apply bonus damage to that opponent equal to 1/2 the martial artist’s normal unarmed strike damage. All opponents receive a +2 bonus to damage rolls on attacks that strike the martial artist while he maintains this stance. A master of rending fist applies an amount of bonus damage equal to his normal unarmed damage.
Dragonbreaker (Mighty Blows, Kung Fu Genius, Undying Champion): Trained to destroy marauding dragons or hunt them for the thrill of combat, dragonbreakers specialize in bringing swift death to dragonkin. As long as you maintain this stance your unarmed attacks deal extra damage equal to 1/2 your character level to any creature with the dragon type. However, dragons have an instinctual hatred of the cloying, unalterable miasma of dragon’s death that surrounds you, and gain +1 point of damage per die on all melee attacks that target you. A master of dragonbreaker deals bonus damage equal to his character level on attacks against creatures with the dragon type.
Living Fulcrum (Any): A martial artist of the living fulcrum stance has trained to defeat far larger and stronger opponents by using their own size against them. As long as this stance is maintained, the martial artist’s CMB and CMD are treated as if he were one size category larger and any damage dealt to an opponent with a grapple action is increased by half. However, this stance prevents the martial artist from taking a full attack action. A master of this style is treated as if he is two size categories larger and deals double damage with grapple actions.
Slashing Hands (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius): This stance uses special finger positions and sweeping attacks to increase the chances of crippling an opponent. Unarmed attacks made while this style is in use deal slashing damage and increase the crit multiplier of unarmed attacks to x3. While this stance is maintained the overly-committed, sweeping movements of the style make it easy to suffer a severe amount of damage in return. Any critical hit confirmed against the martial artist increases its crit multiplier by one. A master of slashing hands increases his unarmed strike crit multiplier to x4.
Drunken Master (Blinding Speed, Undying Champion, Confident Hero): This stance requires that the martial artist has at least one alcoholic beverage on his person in order to activate or maintain. This style grants a bonus on attack rolls due to the deceptively random-seeming motion of the martial artist. A martial artist in this stance may, as a free action, drink an alcoholic beverage. This beverage grants him +2 to attack rolls for every full 50gp that the beverage is worth. The drunken master must also make a Fort save equal to 15 + 1 per full 50gp that the beverage is worth. Failure on this roll indicates that the martial artist is staggered for 1 round.
Combination Attack List
Jab (Blinding Speed, Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius): A lightning fast strike used to set up other combinations. If a jab hits, all subsequent attacks receive a +2 bonus to hit. A jab may be used multiple times in the same attack action, and the bonuses from multiple jabs stack. All of a martial artist’s damage dice are treated as d4s during a jab.
Hurl (Mighty Blow, Undying Champion) [Finisher]: Grab and toss an opponent in one motion. If you successfully grapple with your target you may throw them in a direction of your choosing. The opponent travels a distance equal to twice your martial artist class level in a straight line. If they strike an obstacle both the thrown opponent and the obstacle take 1d6 damage for every 10 feet of movement the thrown opponent had remaining and the hurled opponent’s movement ends. When the hurled opponent’s movement ends, they are rendered prone.
Spinning Strike (Mighty Blows, Confident Hero, Blinding Speed): Whirling their body around to build momentum, the martial artist exposes their back in order to deliver an especially powerful strike. This strike works identically to the Power Attack feat, but instead of a penalty to attack rolls, the martial artist takes an equivalent penalty to AC for 1 round.
Piercing Strike (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior, Mighty Blows): With intense focus, a martial artist is able to locate a weak point in an opponent’s defense. If this attack is successful it ignores DR and all subsequent combination attacks to the same target in this round will ignore ½ the opponent’s DR. However, the piercing strike is made at a -4 penalty to hit and subsequent combination attacks receive a -2 to hit.
Microfracture (Kung Fu Genius, Confident Hero, Wise Warrior): Using a powerful knuckle strike, the martial artist targets small bones in the opponent’s limbs, face and chest. By crushing these relatively small and weak bones, he can cause crippling pain. This attack is made at a -2 penalty and deals minimum damage but if successful the target must make a Fort save on their next action with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 your character level + your primary ability score. This check is made at a -2 penalty due to the pain of tiny shattered bones. If the target fails its save it is shaken for two rounds. If the target fails by more than 5, it is also nauseated for one round. You may use this combination attack more than once in a single combination. The penalty to the target’s Fort save is a cumulative -2 for every time they were hit by a microfracture this round.
Talon Touch (Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius, Confident Hero): Using just one or two hardened fingers, a martial artist may cause severe pain or even pierce skin with a jab. This strike ignores one point of natural armor per two levels of the martial artist.
Hurricane Attack (Blinding Speed, Confident Hero, Wise Warrior) [Finisher]: You may make an attack roll against any number of adjacent creatures you threaten using your current iterative attack penalty. An opponent that the martial artist fails to hit with this ability is considered provoked for the purpose of making an attack of opportunity.
Stomp (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed) [Finisher]: If your opponent is prone, you finish them off with a vicious leaping stomp to their head or other vulnerable parts. This attack automatically threatens a critical hit if it connects, and adds one extra damage die of the same type that a martial artist of that level normally deals. (i.e: 1d6 = 2d6, 2d8 = 3d8).
Acrobatic Strike (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Confident Hero): Make an acrobatics check with a DC equal to your target’s CMD. If you are successful, you gain a +2 to hit and damage with this attack. If you fail you take a -2 penalty to hit and damage.
Knee Strike (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed, Confident Hero): Make a jump check with a DC equal to your target’s CMD +5. If you are successful on this check and your attack roll, you deal your normal unarmed damage plus 1 Intelligence damage. This strike is made at a -5 to hit.
Set Up (Blinding Speed, Undying Champion, Confident Hero): Make a Bluff check with a DC equal to your target’s CMD. If you are successful on this check and your attack roll you do minimum damage with this attack, however your next attack gains a +5 bonus to hit. You may use this combination attack more than once in a single combo. Every time you use this combination attack in succession with itself, you increase the bonus to the next attack by a cumulative +3, but you also take a cumulative -5 penalty to your bluff check. (ie: Use it twice in a row and you make a bluff at -5 in order to get a +8 on the next attack. Use it three times in a row and the third time takes a -10 to the bluff to get +11, etc.) If you fail a bluff check your next attack gains no bonus, but you still do minimum damage with this strike.
Hammer Blow (Mighty Blows, Confident Hero, Undying Champion): Stagger an opponent with a particularly hard shot to their face or sense organs. This attack is made at a -2 but if successful it reduces the opponent’s initiative count by -2 and they must make a Fort save with a DC equal to 10 + ½ the martial artist’s character level + the martial artist’s primary ability modifier or be staggered for 1 round.
Throw (Any): Any martial artist may train to throw an opponent by making a successful trip attack against them. The opponent falls prone as usual, but the martial artist may choose to move the victim to any unoccupied square adjacent to themselves.
Shove (Mighty Blows, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior, Confident Hero): A martial artist may shove an opponent by making a successful attack roll against them. The shoved opponent can be no more than one size category larger than the attacking martial artist, and is moved 10 feet in a direction of the martial artist’s choosing. If the shoved opponent’s movement encounters an obstacle, it ceases and both the obstacle and shoved opponent suffer 1d6 damage. If the martial artist wishes to, they may move along with the shoved opponent, but cannot move more than their standard movement speed in this way in any given round. Shove can be used multiple times in the same combination attack.
Punishing Blow (Mighty Blows, Undying Champion, Confident Hero) [Finisher]: If the opponent you target with punishing blow damaged you with a melee attack last turn, they must make a Fort save against a DC equal to 10 + your style‘s dominant ability modifier + ½ your Martial artist level or take an equal amount of damage in addition to your regular unarmed strike damage. Any combination in which this attack is used must include one less attack than the martial artist would normally make in a given round, the lost attack must come from the martial artist’s highest base attack bonus.
Jump Attack (Any): This attack allows the martial artist to close with opponents without sacrificing offense. As part of a jump attack you may travel up to 10 feet. This movement is part of the jump attack and does not provoke attacks of opportunity or prevent the martial artist from performing a full attack action. Jump attacks impose a -2 to hit and a +2 to damage.
Sliding Sweep (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Confident Hero): A quick dash and slide, this attack allows a martial artist to slip by opponents while making a trip attack. As part of the sliding sweep you may move up to 10 feet. This movement may pass through an occupied square provided that you target the occupant as part of the sliding sweep attack and end your movement in an unoccupied square. This movement is part of the sliding sweep attack and does not provoke attacks of opportunity from those targeted by it (opponents not targeted by the slide are provoked as usual) or prevent the martial artist from performing a full attack action. A targeted opponent who is not tripped may make an attack of opportunity on the martial artist (whose movement continues regardless).
Heart Punch (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior) [Finisher]: Taking precise aim at a vital point in the anatomy or structure of their opponent, a martial artist uses this technique to deal significant, and often fatal, damage to their opponent with a relatively light blow. An opponent targeted by this finisher is treated as if they are flatfooted to this attack. This attack is made at a +2 bonus to hit and -2 penalty to damage.
Rake (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed, Confident Hero): Strong fingers are used by martial artists to tear at exposed skin as effectively as a spiked gauntlet. This strike suffers a -2 to damage due to the difficulty of finding an exposed spot, however even the joints of armor can be damaged by this powerful strike and exposed flesh is painfully ripped and torn, granting an opponent hit by this attack a -1 to attacks, saves, skill checks and AC for 1 round due to the distraction of damaged equipment and painful, bleeding gashes. At 11th level a Rake gives a -2 penalty.
Inevitable Blow (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior, Undying Champion) [Finisher]: With the patience and confidence found only in the most skilled warriors, the martial artist surrounds their actual attack with a flurry of staggering blows and feints allowing them to slide past defenses. This attack is a touch attack, and if this attack is successful the opponent must make a Fort save DC 10 + ½ character level + primary ability mod or be staggered for 1 round.
Uppercut (Any): This attack is made with a -5 to hit. If it hits, this strike automatically threatens a critical, regardless of the martial artist’s actual critical threat range.
Headbutt (Any): This attack receives a +5 to hit due to the surprise inherent to deliberately slamming your face into something as an attack. However, this strike deals damage to the martial artist who uses it equal to ½ the damage it deals to the opponent.
Wing Clip (Confident Hero, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior): If this strike hits an opponent with a fly speed granted by actual wings it reduces their fly speed by ½ for 1d4 rounds.
Eye Pluck (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Confident Hero) [Finisher]: If this attack hits, the opponent struck must make a Fort save with a DC equal to 10 + ½ the martial artist’s character level + the martial artist’s primary ability score. Failure indicates that the target is blinded for 1d6 rounds. A natural 1 on this save indicates that the blindness is permanent until the afflicted opponent is the target of restorative magic (ie: restoration or better) or a regeneration effect.
Throat Punch (Any): If this attack hits, the opponent struck must make a Fort save with a DC equal to 10 + ½ the martial artist’s character level + the martial artist’s primary ability score. Failure indicates that the target is silenced for 1d4 rounds.
Humiliate (Any): This attack deals no damage. Instead, you may goad an adjacent opponent into engaging you in a test of wills and martial ability. Both you and your target may make a melee attack roll but if your opponent chooses to do so he loses one move action on his next round. If your roll is higher than your opponent, he gains a -4 penalty to all saves for one round - consumed by burning shame as you easily swat him about with contemptuous slaps. Your opponent may choose not to participate in this challenge, retaining his move action, but automatically takes a -2 penalty to all saves while you jeer at his cowardice. If your opponent wins the opposed melee attack rolls, he may deal damage to you as if he had hit you with a melee attack.
Wrench Limb (Mighty Blows, Wise Warrior, Confident Hero): Taking hold of a limb and using strength or leverage to brutally tear tendons and disconnect joints, this attack provides an opponent struck by it with a penalty to attacks for 1 round equal to 1/5 of the iterative attack penalty used for this attack. (ie: If you use wrench limb at your highest base, nothing happens, use it at a -5 iterative attack penalty and it gives a -1, -10 gives -2, -15 gives -3.)
Hamper Opponents (Undying Champion, Wise Warrior, Blinding Speed): By moving to place attackers in each other’s way, the martial artist can drastically improve his survivability. An opponent hit by this strike grants the martial artist a bonus to AC for 1 round, this bonus is equal to the number of attacks that opponent targeted the martial artist with in the previous round. This strike may be used more than once a round, but each use of this strike must target a different opponent.
End It (Mighty Blows, Wise Warrior) [Finisher]: This attack is an all-out assault on the opponent, an attempt to finish the fight in this instant. The martial artist lashes out with all their strength, dealing insurmountable damage to a foe. This attack is made at a -15 to hit. If successful, the target must make a Reflex save equal to 10 + the martial artist’s primary attribute mod + 1/2 the martial artist’s level. If this save fails the target must make a Fort save with a DC equal to the total attack roll of the martial artist’s successful hit. If this Fort save is successful the target takes double damage from this attack. If the Fort save is unsuccessful, the target takes triple damage.
Body Shield (Undying Champion, Confident Hero, Wise Warrior) [Finisher]: This attack is treated as a grapple if it hits, except that if the opponent loses they gain the pinned condition immediately and the martial artist gains partial cover from all attacks as long as the pin is maintained. Any attacks that do strike the martial artist deal half their damage to the pinned opponent.
In The Face! (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius) [Finisher]: If this attack hits it deals 1d2 charisma damage in addition to the martial artist’s unarmed damage. At 8th level this attack deals 1d3 Cha damage, at 15th level this attack deals 1d4 Cha damage.
Whip the Dog (Undying Champion, Confident Hero, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior) [Finisher]: If this attack is successful the target must make two saves, Fort and Will, both with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 of the martial artist’s character level + the martial artist’s primary attribute modifier. If the Fort save fails the target is stunned for 1 round, if the Fort save succeeds the target is still dazed for 1 round. If the Will save fails the target is frightened.
Snake Eats the Eggs (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed, Confident Hero): If this attack is successful the target must make a Fort save with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the damage dealt. Success on this save indicates that the target’s speed is reduced by 5 feet for 1 round. Failure reduces the target’s speed by 15 feet and grants the target the nauseated condition for 1 round.
Technique List
Iron Shirt (Wise Warrior, Confident Hero, Undying Champion): A warrior who uses iron shirt technique has learned to completely ignore pain and has toughened their flesh to withstand incredible amounts of damage for a short period of time. When this ability is activated the martial artist gains an AC bonus and DR equal to his style’s dominant ability modifier for one round.
Acrobatic Fall (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior, Confident Hero): This technique may be activated as an immediate action. This technique allows the martial artist to fall a distance equal to 10x1/2 his character level without taking damage. A sixth level character using acrobatic fall would only take 1d6 damage when falling 40 ft.
Roots of the Mountain (Undying Champion, Mighty Blows, Wise Warrior): When this technique is used, the martial artist becomes rooted to the ground and resistant to all attempts to move or manipulate him by magical or mundane means. A martial artist may not move and use this technique in the same round. This technique grants a +10 bonus to CMD and a +4 bonus to Will saves.
Rush (Blinding Speed, Mighty Blows, Kung Fu Genius): When you activate this technique you gain an increase to your base movement equal to 10 ft + 10 ft per four martial artist levels (rounded down). In addition, a martial artist using Rush may make jump checks with a bonus equal to 1/2 of the movement added by this ability.
Flowing River (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior): When this technique is used the martial artist gains Evasion for 1 round. At level 11 the martial artist instead gains improved Evasion.
Master’s Hand (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior): When a martial artist activates this technique his hands are covered in a visible glow (typically a bright color). This is an outward manifestation of the martial artist’s own spiritual strength. This technique is actually two techniques in one, but a martial artist may only choose to benefit from one of these abilities per turn. This technique allows the martial artist to give an adjacent ally a bonus on to-hit rolls equal to half the martial artist’s character level OR heal an adjacent ally for 1d4 per two martial artist levels + the martial artist’s primary ability modifier.
Master’s Fist (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior): A martial artist who uses this ability gains the same glowing aura around his hands as that granted by Master’s Hand. However, rather than aiding allies this is a manifestation of the martial artist’s intent to do harm to his enemies. Any enemy struck by the martial artist this round takes an extra 1d6 energy damage. The type of energy damage dealt is picked when this technique is gained and may be fire, cold, or electricity. In addition, when this technique is used the martial artist gains energy resist 5 of the same type as his energy damage.
Warrior’s Pride (Mighty Blows, Wise Warrior, Undying Champion): This technique may be activated as an immediate action. The martial artist who uses this technique becomes immune to all fear, compulsion, and mind-affecting effects for one round. In addition, any enemy who targets you with a fear, compulsion, or mind-affecting effect grants you a +2 bonus to attack rolls that target them this round.
Godhand (Mighty Blows, Kung Fu Genius, Undying Champion): When this technique is activated the martial artist’s unarmed damage dice are increased by one size. A martial artist who normally does 2d10 unarmed damage will instead deal 2d12 upon a successful hit.
Adamantine Fist (Mighty Blows, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior): This ability allows the martial artist to ignore hardness equal to his class level + his style’s dominant ability modifier. He may also designate one opponent whose DR he may treat as if it were lowered by an amount equal to his class level.
Keen Senses (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior, Blinding Speed): The martial artist’s keen senses provide a perception roll against any opponents attempting a sneak attack against him this round. It is the whistle of an approaching arrow or motion of an assassin‘s blade that the martial artist senses, rather than his assailant themselves. The DC of this roll is equal to the total attack roll targeting the martial artist. If the perception check is successful, the attack is not a sneak attack. This technique may be used as an immediate action any time the martial artist is subject to an attack to which he is flat-footed. The martial artist is not given any knowledge of whether the attack is a sneak attack, only that they are subject to an attack while flat-footed.
Power Kiai (Confident Hero, Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius): Some martial artists train themselves to deliver powerful shouts that can frighten and disorient opponents. All opponents within 20 feet suffer a -2 to their initiative total and the martial artist may designate one opponent within this range as a primary target. This opponent is subject to an intimidate check as a free action and the martial artist receives a +4 bonus to this check.
Light Body (Blinding Speed, Confident Hero): Quick and agile, light body fighters gain a +10 bonus to all climb and acrobatics rolls. They may also move across liquids and similarly unsupported surfaces, but this movement costs triple. (Dashing across 10 feet of water would require 30 feet of movement) Moving across a surface involves making contact with it, and any environmental hazards like lava or acid still deal damage to a martial artist using light body.
Smash Weapon (Mighty Blows, Undying Champion): Once per opponent per round you may make a sunder attack against any weapon that is used to attack you (regardless of whether or not the attack was successful). This sunder attack gains a bonus equal to the opponent’s strength modifier and if the weapon is broken the martial artist may make a free intimidate check against the same opponent.
Silent Fist (Blinding Speed, Confident Hero): A martial artist who uses this technique gains 1d6 sneak attack dice per four martial artist class levels.
Control Body (Undying Champion, Wise Warrior, Kung Fu Genius): Gain fire and cold resistance 10, delay poison/disease, DR 1/- for 5 rounds.
Breath Exercise (Undying Champion, Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed): Gain a number of temporary hit points equal to twice your character level. These temporary hit points are lost first if you take damage, and last for one hour. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack.
Brutal Ending (Mighty Blows, Confident Hero, Blinding Speed): Use this ability immediately after reducing an opponent to 0 hit points to gain a free intimidate check on all opponents within 30 feet who can see you.
Hammer Fist (Mighty Blows, Confident Hero, Wise Warrior): This technique is used in conjunction with a sunder attack. The sundered object takes 1.5 times the normal damage, and the opponent takes damage equal to half this amount.
Dirty Trick (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Confident Hero): You may make a combat maneuver check against any two adjacent opponents. If you defeat an opponent’s CMD, they are flat-footed to all attacks for one round.
Ground and Pound (Mighty Blows, Blinding Speed, Wise Warrior): If you use this ability when you trip an opponent, you automatically grapple them as well. If you use it when you grapple an opponent, you automatically trip them as well. If you pin an opponent who is prone, you may deal twice your normal damage with a grapple check.
Equilibrium (Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior, Undying Champion): Whenever you fail a save against a mind-affecting spell or supernatural ability this technique allows your to make a another save at a +4 bonus. You may continue to use this ability each round until you successfully save or run out of technique points.
Bell-Ringing Fist (Mighty Blows, Kung Fu Genius, Wise Warrior): You gain 5 feet of reach for all your melee attacks this turn, however, you do not threaten any squares.
Snap Punch (Blinding Speed, Kung Fu Genius, Confident Hero): If an opponent you threaten attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability this technique allows you to make a single attack against them before they make their concentration check to cast on the defensive. Any damage they take from this attack is applied as a penalty to their concentration check. This attack counts as one of your attacks of opportunity for the round.
Feats
Technique Training (prereq - Technique class ability):
Gain three extra technique points for use in activating your martial artist techniques. This feat may be taken multiple times.
Extra Technique (prereq - Technique class ability):
Gain the use of 1 extra technique that you qualify for. This feat may be taken multiple times.
Eclectic Mastery (prereq - Mastery class ability, Level 15+):
You may choose a second stance to master, doubling the bonus you gain from it.
Harrowing Fists (prereq - Critical Focus feat):
If you confirm a critical when using a combo attack or technique as part of a melee attack, you add +2 to the DCs of any saves required by the targets of those attacks.
Drink Like a Demon:
Any time you drink an alcoholic beverage you may make a Fort save with a DC equal to one tenth the value of the beverage. (150 gp = DC 15) If this save is successful, you gain one temporary hit point for every full 50 gp of the beverage’s value. These temporary hit points do not stack, but the larger value replaces the smaller. (If you had 2 temporary hit points and drank wine worth 250gp, you could instead have 5 temporary hit points after a successful save)
Fuel the Inner Fire (prereq - Drink Like a Demon feat):
When you use your Drink Like a Demon feat you gain 2 temporary hit points for every 50 gp of value and also regain 1 technique point for every full 100gp of the beverage’s value.
Sorry that there's still no rhyme or reason to where the different abilities are placed. I'll alphabetize them eventually.
A note on combo attacks. It seems to me that the wisest thing to do is come up with several series of attacks that you know the details for. Trying to make one up on the spot when you have five attacks that round could be a little slow. So I'm officially suggesting that anyone playing a martial artist makes a crib sheet with stuff like this:
Eye-snatching Flurry
+7 Jab(+2), +9 Set Up(+3), +7 Eye Pluck(DC 21)
This gives you a quick reference for what your combo does and how to calculate your rolls quickly, along with a name to shout out for extra role-play xp or something.
Looking through ten different combo attacks/finishers and trying to calculate them on the spot (including the bonuses/penalties from techniques and stances) seems like a bad idea. I'm not usually for "cerebral" fighter types, but I'm afraid you're going to have to do some planning if you want to use my little class here without slowing your game to a crawl. Kind of funny, I never really wanted to play anything from the Bo9S because I felt like they made fighting too complicated...
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