Some Really good things in there Kuma.
A few (constructive) critics. Keep in mind that I know nothing at martial arts; only a bit of class design.
- I printed the class to get a better overview. Converted in MS Words (arial 10) took 8 pages of text. I'm not sure how you can make this happens, but I'd suggest aiming for a maximum of 4.
- A way to get round the sheer weight of the class is to make shortish sub-classes, like the domains of a cleric or the schools of a wizard. This way, a DM will not have to read through the 8 pages of text before approving the class to a player. If the player is ready to read 15 pages worth of abilities in order to pick the best series, that's cool but it shouldn't rest on the DM's shoulders.
- Describing the type of blow is fun and flavourful, but ultimately rather counter-intuitive in the frame of the game. Let me explain. Jabs may be high-accuracy / low damage while an uppercut is the opposite, but the player doesn't have to know that. The character does, but the system should talk by itself. When I hit and deal minimum damage, I probably jabbed my opponent. When I score a critical hit, its probably an uppercut that made this. Playing with the probability of hit vs damage and effects of critical is the domains of Power Attack and critical feats. As a designer, I'd rather see generic features that take from these feats rather than a series of well-described techniques that makes me wonder why my fencing rapier-wielding fighter shouldn't be able to perform similar maneuvers. I think the class is flavorful enough to lose some of it for a net gain in playability.
On a more positive note, I really dig the Stat oriented themes
Strangely, some of my favorites have been other's ditches, particularly Gray hands and Catch the Rain.
more later...
'findel
nitpicks...
Blinding Speed and Mighty Blows sound like abilities; these name should not be used to describe a style. Wise Warrior, Undying Champion and Confident Hero actually sound like the descriptive they want to be. Kung-fu Genius does not have the glamor of the three precedent titles. Besides, I don't like the reference to the fighting style (kung-fu) when you actively avoid other kung-fu references in order to encompass a wider range of martial arts.
I don't have any proposition for the moment, other than Brilliant Combatant?
Other solution is to call them "ways of" something, such as the Way of Speed or Way of Inner Strength. The animal theme is dangerous for the fruitless discussion that could ensue (that is SO not tiger style, in real life bla bla bla...) but would be suitable.
Hey, thanks for all the good suggestions.
As far as naming conventions go, I'm not married to anything just yet. A few of the names just don't jive, but I haven't replaced them with anything better yet.
I was thinking about the flavor thing, I might need to do as you suggest and just cut it out for the most part. It's a shame though, because I'm not sure that all the moves are self-explanatory. I'll give it some thought.
So are you saying that you like the abilities but just don't feel the need for all the flavor text? I'm interested because if this is a common opinion it would save me a lot of work to skip the descriptions and whatnot.
*EDIT*
A note on the issue of the sheer volume of class features: I'm planning to include lists of available moves/techniques/stances for each style. Should make checking things a lot easier, along with alphabetizing the various sections.
Hey, thanks for all the good suggestions.
As far as naming conventions go, I'm not married to anything just yet. A few of the names just don't jive, but I haven't replaced them with anything better yet.
I was thinking about the flavor thing, I might need to do as you suggest and just cut it out for the most part. It's a shame though, because I'm not sure that all the moves are self-explanatory. I'll give it some thought.
So are you saying that you like the abilities but just don't feel the need for all the flavor text? I'm interested because if this is a common opinion it would save me a lot of work to skip the descriptions and whatnot.
*EDIT*
A note on the issue of the sheer volume of class features: I'm planning to include lists of available moves/techniques/stances for each style. Should make checking things a lot easier, along with alphabetizing the various sections.
I think that for the moment, you should keep fluff to a minimum. Fluff is good to guide the mechanics and share with your public the source of your inspiration, but (at least for the moment) we'll be judging the mechanics only.
'findel
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in terms of naming, firstly, with the above poster's mention of avoiding classic animal names, may I suggest using PF 'classic' animals? granted Monk has a bit of this, with cockatrice strike and all, but it may help keep flavor.
As for the style you pick, I suggest something simpler such as The Path of ______
Might
Fleetness
Vigor
Cunning
Insight
Presence
I enjoy the class itself but I feel that a MA's turn may take much longer than a normal fighter's turn. I think it has a real feel of the Tome of Battle classes, which isn't bad at all.
What I suggest is similar to the above post stating to have a sheet with basic combos on it, with the caveat that the MA has a certain set of combos to use, instead of endless variety. You can create your moveset with what you have available, and put them into a combination of your design. It may help speed up your round.
All in all, enjoyable class so far.
By curiosity, what's your stand on martial artist/monk multiclassed characters via monk abilities?
If you intend them to stack, I propose the following:
Create a sub-class list including the monk/martial artist flurry of blows progression, unarmed damage and AC bonus. Link all of these abilities under the umbrella of 1 single, level dependent ability call Martial Arts or whatever. (a bit like how Bardic Music is an umbrella ability for the rest of the bard's Inspire Something abilities).
Include an addendum at the end of the class explaining that the monk works the same way from now on
Give this Martial Arts feature to your Martial Artist at 1st level (as a bonus, this will clean-up your class a bit). State that levels of Martial Artist and monks stack for the purpose of determining Martial Arts level.
This is quickly explained because I only have a minute, but I hope the idea is clear enough. If you didn't men martial artist and monk to stack, never mind...
'findel
Had another look at the class.
Here are my biggest critiques, but keep in mind that I actually LIKE the class. But for the sake of constructivism, I'll be emphasizing on the aspect that I like less...
The class has too much text. The text is actually rather good and read easily, but makes the first approach to the class rather heavy and nearly discouraged me at first. In the end, I'd be willing to bet that this works against you more than it works in favor of the class.
The class has many options: 6 basic styles (or will it be paths? I like the former proposition from Zerombr), lots of stances, lots of combi attack and lots of techniques. In themselves, they're all good, but I feel it has too much choice. Yes, you heard me right: the class needs to focus a bit more.
Personally, I'd be inclined to drop the combination attacks for the following reasons:
1) makes the fighter jealous - he too would like to swing his sword in flashy ways...
2) All the mechanics becomes a bit confusing combined with stances AND techniques.
3) They are the weakest link in the whole concept IMO, and many could be reworked as stances or techniques.
I wouldn't mind seeing more things tied to the style/path/thing based on Stat. Without making the character a 1-stat champion, I'd like to see that choice having a more weight in the character concept.
'findel
Another thought...
Maybe your 6 favorite combi attacks could be matched to a fighting style/path? There wouldn't be anymore choice but this way they wouldn't completely disappear. The most interesting concept in all these combi attacks are the finishing move, IMO. So perhaps the ability could be renamed Finishing Move or Finishing Attack, of which each style/path would get a different one.
'findel
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some thoughts...
Firstly, it seems to me that stacking up several jabs into a wrench limb would be a common tactic if I understand it properly.
Secondly, perhaps they should be divided up into grappling and striking moves?
Thirdly, that it would be quite interesting to see a MA use grappling, using monk damage on very large foes. *laugh* "He wrestled a Balor to the ground, and snapped its neck! You had to have been there to believe it!"
As a practitioner of Capoeira, I was happy with VM's suggestion here:
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.
Sad to see it didn't quite make the cut though.
Also, I'd be up for making a pdf of the class. Make it look nice.
I've altered some of the names:
Mighty Blows - Brutal Combatant
Kung Fu Genius - Brilliant Tactician
Blinding Speed - Quick Scrapper
The only style that gets both jab and wrench limb is Wise Warrior, I suppose it could be your go-to move but you'd have more options.
With the right stance and enlarge person, you could theoretically grapple gargantuan critters, I believe.
I'm not likely to remove the combos, I feel they are the actual core of the class. I might come up with a variant later.
I've altered some of the names. Pray I do not alter them further.
fix'd. Sorry I couldn't help myself. :D
Mighty Blows - Brutal Combatant
Kung Fu Genius - Brilliant Tactician
Blinding Speed - Quick ScrapperThe only style that gets both jab and wrench limb is Wise Warrior, I suppose it could be your go-to move but you'd have more options.
With the right stance and enlarge person, you could theoretically grapple gargantuan critters, I believe.
I'm not likely to remove the combos, I feel they are the actual core of the class. I might come up with a variant later.
I like the combo system. I feel that it isn't much more complicated than spells.
I like the combo system. I feel that it isn't much more complicated than spells.
I like it too, but I still feel that something should go. As for the comparison to spells, all powers are easy enough independently. Its when you add it all up that it becomes mind-bogging, like...
a raging barbarian/martial artist multiclass using his kata under the Heaven and Fist Stance[/i] (3rd round) and using the Warrior's Pride technique doing two Jabs and finishing with a Jump Attack while using the Power Attack feat (lets say level 8th character) under an enlarge and protection from evil spell...
That's a LOT of modifiers... Nothing that a 3rd grader cannot do, but enough to bug down a combat significantly, and on a roundly basis too! Spells usually give you a modifier that last a while, so you are usually good for a few rounds before you have to adjust your maths again.
In all honesty, I get where you're coming from about it being complicated; and that's a drawback that can't be understated. As I mentioned before the level of complication turned me off from the ToB and I find it ironic that my martial artist seems to have a lot of the "feel" of that book. It's just that I can't think of a simple way to allow for that level of customization and the customization itself is more important to me than simplicity. If you'll forgive a clumsy metaphor, I'm trying to build a sorcerer and you're suggesting I build a wizard. I'm not upset about it, I'm just saying that I'm not too likely to take out the combos.
Flavor text is on the way out though. ;)
I'm not upset about it, I'm just saying that I'm not too likely to take out the combos.
Hey, it your class, nor mine! I'm giving out suggestions, not orders :)
There's some cool stuff in there, so make sure to give us a shout when you get a finished version!
'findel
I wanna be honest, ive been working on something similar because I hate the flavor of the monk. A martial artist is the same flavor. This class just seems like a reason to throw in some new rules and make it a tad broken. I guess i dont get it.
I know, I've been thinking about something like that for a while and then right on cue, Kuma's class showed-up!
As for me, it's not that I didn't like the flavor of the monk, its that the flavor of the monk is your only choice if you what a martial artist that bugged me...
Kuma, I finally looked at your class, I like what I see, but it does seem too complicated and too much like ToB, not that that's a bad thing, but there's a passionate love/hate for ToB.
I'm starting to look at my Kaidan: samurai and monk as borrowing some stances and maenuvers from ToB, redressed as Ki powers, you use by spending from a Ki pool. I like some Bo9S concepts, but as a system its too much.
I also like many of 'findel's ideas - even dividing styles into domains and subdomains like a cleric's domain.
Good thread!
GP
Well I looked over your "Brawler" and to be honest it just looks like a monk variant. Which isn't to criticize the work you put in, I'm just saying that it looks a lot like the monk to me: a lot of more-or-less similarly themed abilities. The main difference is that you appear to have lifted a lot of the dross out and replaced it with useful abilities. Could be a simple fix if someone was unsatisfied with monk but wanted to keep the basic structure of the class, nice. You should playtest a bit.
I am currently playtesting the martial artist (although I suppose it's still an alpha build...) as much as possible via NPCs and a PC. So far it actually seems as if damage is a little on the low side (and my PC martial artist is built for damage) but I expect that to change with iterative attacks.
I honestly don't know how you could compare it to Monk in any way. That seems crazy on the face of it to me. The mechanics are entirely divorced except for a bit of similarity in the unarmed damage and AC bonus. The class itself is flavored to cover any kind of unarmed martial artist you can imagine, just build it from the available abilities. Or make your own, hell, I don't care. I think the whole point of this class is, for me, to provide a set of tools that can be used to build around your character concept. Ideally, the class itself should have 0 flavor and interesting mechanics.
Also the word "broken" puts my teeth on edge. Grrr. I'll admit, I might have missed something in the class that's out of balance but I need specifics to find and correct errors. If you find something to be broken let me know what it is, it could be we just disagree but it could be I overlooked it.
Here are the lists that will make it in the final version of the class. They will maybe be prettied up, but basically it's just a means to quickly sort out which abilities are available to which styles.
BRILLIANT TACTICIAN:
Stances - Patient Spider, Agile Lemur, Rampaging Bull, Gray Sand Fist, 57 Chambers, Catch the Rain, Ghost Boxer
Wary Circle, Dragonbreaker, Living Fulcrum, Slashing Hands
Techniques - Acrobatic Fall, Rush, Flowing River, Master's Hand, Master's Fist, Godhand, Adamantine Fist,
Keen Sense, Power Kiai, Control Body, Dirty Trick, Equilibrium, Snap Punch, Bell-Ringing Fist
Combo Moves - Jab, Piercing Strike, Microfracture, Talon Touch, Acrobatic Strike, Throw, Jump Attack,
Sliding Sweep, Heart Punch (F), Inevitable Blow (F), Uppercut, Headbutt, Follow Up, Eye Pluck (F), Throat Punch, Humiliate,
Disfiguring Strike, Whip the Dog (F)
BRUTAL COMBATANT:
Stances - Slashing Hands, Living Fulcrum, Dragonbreaker, Rending Fist, Rampaging Bull, Heaven and Hell Fist,
Endless Assault, Hunting Hawk, Crab
Combo Moves - Snake Eats the Eggs, Disfiguring Strike (F), End It (F), Wrench Limb, Humiliate, Throat Punch,
Brain Smasher, Mangle, Follow Up, Headbutt, Uppercut, Rake, Jump Attack, Punishing Blow, Shove, Throw,
Hammer Blow, Knee Strike, Stomp (F), Piercing Strike, Spinning Strike, Hurl (F)
Techniques - Ground and Pound, Hammer Fist, Brutal Ending, Breath Exercise, Smash Weapon, Adamantine Fist,
Godhand, Warrior's Pride, Rush, Roots of the Mountain, Iron Shirt
CONFIDENT HERO:
Stances - Agile Lemur, Vicious Hare, 57 Chambers, Ghost Boxer, Wary Circle, Faceless Opponent, Living Fulcrum,
Drunken Master
Combo Moves - Spinning Strike, Microfracture, Talon Touch, Hurricane Attack (F), Acrobatic Strike, Knee Strike,
Set Up, Hammer Blow, Throw, Shove, Punishing Blow, Jump Attack, Sliding Sweep, Rake, Uppercut, Headbutt,
Follow Up, Mangle, Wing Clip, Eye Pluck (F), Throat Punch, Humiliate, Wrench Limb, Body Shield (F),
Whip the Dog (F), Snake Eats the Eggs
Techniques - Barbed Tongue, Acrobatic Fall, Power Kiai, Light Body, Silent Fist, Brutal Ending, Hammer Fist,
Dirty Trick, Snap Punch
QUICK SCRAPPER:
Stances - Drunken Master, Slashing Hands, Living Fulcrum, Rending Fist, Faceless Opponent, Catch the Rain,
57 Chambers, Gray Sand Fist, Endless Assault, Agile Lemur, Hunting Hawk,
Combo Moves - Snake Eats the Eggs, Disfiguring Strike (F), Hamper Opponents, Humiliate, Throat Punch, Eye Pluck (F),
Rake, Heart Punch (F), Sliding Sweep, Jump Attack, Throw, Set Up, Knee Strike, Acrobatic Strike, Stomp (F),
Hurricane Attack (F), Spinning Strike, Jab
Techniques - Snap Punch, Ground and Pound, Dirty Trick, Brutal Ending, Breath Exercise, Silent Fist, Light Body,
Keen Senses, Flowing River, Rush, Acrobatic Fall
UNDYING CHAMPION:
Stances - Drunken Master, Living Fulcrum, Dragonbreaker, Rending Fist, Vicious Hare, Rampaging Bull,
Heaven and Hell Fist, Endless Assault, Crab, Patient Spider
Combo Moves - Whip the Dog (F), Body Shield (F), Hamper Opponents, Humiliate, Throat Punch, Brain Smasher,
Follow Up, Headbutt, Uppercut, Inevitable Blow (F), Punishing Blow (F), Jump Attack, Shove, Throw, Hammer Blow,
Set Up, Knee Strike, Hurl (F)
Techniques - Equilibrium, Ground and Pound, Breath Exercise, Control Body, Smash Weapon, Godhand, Warrior's Pride,
Roots of the Mountain, Iron Shirt, Barbed Tongue, Jump Attack, Punishing Blow, Shove
WISE WARRIOR:
Stances - Living Fulcrum, Faceless Opponent, Wary Circle, Ghost Boxer, Catch the Rain, Gray Sand Fist,
Vicious Hare, Heaven and Hell Fist, Hunting Hawk, Crab, Patient Spider
Combo Moves - Whip the Dog (F), Body Shield (F), End It (F), Hamper Opponents, Wrench Limb, Humiliate,
Throat Punch, Wing Clip, Mangle, Follow Up, Headbutt, Uppercut, Inevitable Blow (F), Heart Punch (F), Jump attack,
Shove, Throw, Knee Strike, Hurricane Attack (F), Talon Touch, Microfracture, Piercing Strike, Jab
Techniques - Bell-Ringing Fist, Equilibrium, Hammer Fist, Control Body, Power Kiai, Keen Sense, Adamantine Fist,
Warrior's Pride, Master's Fist, Master's Hand, Flowing River, Roots of the Mountain, Acrobatic Fall, Iron Shirt,
Barbed Tongue
Keep the flavor, it's what sells the class. 8 pages of Word seems a lot but some classes on the APG go for 10 with 2 columns and small(-ish?) print, so it's OK.
I've run some playtesting of my own and I think that overall the martial artist outperforms the monk, but doesn't deal as much damage as a fighter with his main weapon or a raging barbarian (which is good, cause he should not be outdamaging the guy with the big sword)
I still think it could use a stance similar to crab that allows you to use "monk weapons" with kata. What do you think Kuma?
Stances and Techniques do have a little To9S flavor but in a good way, as in "this how martial arts should be like in a game" not in "too much anime-like" or "too complicated". In fact I'm itching to try to use those mechanics to make variant ninja and samurai classes, with your permission Kuma.
Keep the flavor, it's what sells the class. 8 pages of Word seems a lot but some classes on the APG go for 10 with 2 columns and small(-ish?) print, so it's OK.
I've run some playtesting of my own and I think that overall the martial artist outperforms the monk, but doesn't deal as much damage as a fighter with his main weapon or a raging barbarian (which is good, cause he should not be outdamaging the guy with the big sword)
I still think it could use a stance similar to crab that allows you to use "monk weapons" with kata. What do you think Kuma?
Stances and Techniques do have a little To9S flavor but in a good way, as in "this how martial arts should be like in a game" not in "too much anime-like" or "too complicated". In fact I'm itching to try to use those mechanics to make variant ninja and samurai classes, with your permission Kuma.
Hum, well now that's a vote for and against fluff, maybe I'll just leave it as is without adding anything for the time being and see how I feel in a week.
I agree with your assessment of damage. I don't mind a special weapons stance or something but why is that a draw? Is it so you can get special qualities like reach? Because there are knuckles now that can be enchanted for unarmed attacks and you no longer need an amulet of mighty fists.
Hey, go nuts. Having several classes use the same mechanics lends them all an air of legitimacy, I think.
*EDIT*
Oh, and I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier. I could just make a condensed "summary" version of the class that's like 1/4 as big pretty easily. Maybe I'll post the two versions next time so those who want to skim can do so more easily.
A weapons stance would be mostly for flavor really, using a bo staff or a pair of nunchucks is part of the martial arts feeling.
Can I post the classes here or making another thread would be better?
A weapons stance would be mostly for flavor really, using a bo staff or a pair of nunchucks is part of the martial arts feeling.
Can I post the classes here or making another thread would be better?
Sure, just put them behind spoilers plz.
Regarding Drunken Master, I'm thinking of adding this:
Alcoholic drinks have a number of "charges" equal to their original gp value divided by 50. So a 150gp bottle would give +3 and have three charges before running dry.
Just kicking around possible solutions to the problem of carrying 50 flasks of liquor to make your class ability work.
Nice work here Kuma; I noticed in the opening post the absence of a Charisma based martial artist (just hinted at in the comments).
If you want, consider looking to my fighter variant training specifically the "presence training" (like Daunting Presence) which I think is a flavorful and potent way to use Charisma for combat purposes. The idea is the use of a powerful presence or fighting spirit (not for nancy diplomacy or pithy smiting shenanigans). I hope you like what I got :)
On the subject of stacking with monk...
I honestly hadn't considered it. I can't really understand why someone would want to mix the two. Just about everything you can get from monk you can get in one way or another from martial artist. Including Improved Evasion, Fast Movement, and Slow Fall; really.
My instinct is to say that their levels would stack for AC bonus and unarmed damage and that's about it. I wouldn't have a problem with ki points being used interchangeably with technique points. (Might still need a better name for that, hate to use ki)
I should probably add that I have my own monk variant up as well. It too tries to address the problems that you are trying to solve with the martial artist class, but differently so. I've experimented with, and posted, a couple of variants that had the advantage of creating some very flexible martial arts concepts - but the drawback that they are cumbersome and unwieldy.
So I decided to try to simplify and recreate a rich set of possibilities without going too far along the road of exotics.
The resulting monk variant is, I think, pretty good. It allows the monk to chose
- 1 of 4 defensive forms
- 1 of 4 offensive forms
- 1 of 4 strikes
It is possible to recreate the normal monk with these choices - but you can come up with any number of other combinations and concepts. Your search for the martial artist class might well benefit from some of the ideas too :)
Nice work here Kuma; I noticed in the opening post the absence of a Charisma based martial artist (just hinted at in the comments).
If you want, consider looking to my fighter variant training specifically the "presence training" (like Daunting Presence) which I think is a flavorful and potent way to use Charisma for combat purposes. The idea is the use of a powerful presence or fighting spirit (not for nancy diplomacy or pithy smiting shenanigans). I hope you like what I got :)
Oooooooooooo!
I like it a lot! This is some seriously good stuff for fighter, I'm bookmarking it. :D
Do you mind if I mine it for fiddly bits to glue onto martial artist? I think there's some stuff that would transfer well.
Nice work here Kuma; I noticed in the opening post the absence of a Charisma based martial artist (just hinted at in the comments).
If you want, consider looking to my fighter variant training specifically the "presence training" (like Daunting Presence) which I think is a flavorful and potent way to use Charisma for combat purposes. The idea is the use of a powerful presence or fighting spirit (not for nancy diplomacy or pithy smiting shenanigans). I hope you like what I got :)
Oooooooooooo!
I like it a lot! This is some seriously good stuff for fighter, I'm bookmarking it. :D
Do you mind if I mine it for fiddly bits to glue onto martial artist? I think there's some stuff that would transfer well.
You are most welcome :) - this is why we put it up on the web after all ;)
My ultimate issue with the martil artist was the flavor didnt seem difrent then a monk
Well you're more than welcome to change the names of class abilities, I recall that was fairly common with ToB. Without at least one example, I can't really call this constructive criticism.
I have never been happy with the Monk myself. I have had lots of idea on how to tweak it but a complete redo is best if you want to take out the mystical. I have to say Kuma you gave me a great direction on how to do just that. Laurefindel Has some very good advice about trimming thing down. This is a lesson I almost always forget. Trimming thing down to the core and then working up. Staying with the effects you want and then adding names and fluff will prevent yourself from duplicating your work, trust me I wast a lot of time reiventing the wheel. Having Ability based styles is a great idea and if you can then use that ability as base for good save, AC bonus, Attack bonus and what special effects are avalible to that style it may stream line the class. Personally I'm looking at three branches each based on a save, Using your physical body and your mastery of it to overcome, using the speed of mind and muscle to react before you are acted on, and preceiving the action of other before the act. From that point I will give availability to combat feats based on the branch. Basically letting you have a combat class that is not dependent on the same build as the standard combat classes. Mostly you get bonus feats and a few special powers to offset no armor and only a few d4, d6 weapons. You can use your combat feats that are full action with other full action effects in the same turn giving the feel of a combo. I.E grab, trip, throw. and some movement trick plus your extra attack at your BAB if you hit the first time. I will have to dive into the book and flesh this out. Thanks for the idea and getting me working on this. I hope I was some help too you.
Martial Artist
Relying on neither weapons nor spells, 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
Brilliant Tactician: Natural combatants, the Brilliant Tactician 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)
Brutal Combatant: 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)
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)
Quick Scrapper: A martial artist who utilizes Quick Scrapper 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)
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)
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)
Abilities By Class:
BRILLIANT TACTICIAN:
Stances - 57 Chambers, Agile Lemur, Catch the Rain, Dragonbreaker, Gray Sand Fist, Ghost Boxer, Living Fulcrum, Patient Spider, Peacock’s Dance, Rampaging Bull, Slashing Hands, Wary Circle, Weapons Training
Techniques - Acrobatic Fall, Adamantine Fist, Bell-Ringing Fist, Control Body, Dirty Trick, Equilibrium, Flowing River, Godhand, Keen Sense, Master's Fist, Master's Hand, Power Kiai, Rush, Snap Punch
Combo Moves - Acrobatic Strike, Disfiguring Strike, Eye Pluck (F), Follow Up, Headbutt, Heart Punch (F), Humiliate, Inevitable Blow (F), Jab, Jump Attack, Microfracture, Piercing Strike, Sliding Sweep, Talon Touch, Throat Punch, Throw, Uppercut, Whip the Dog (F)
BRUTAL COMBATANT:
Stances - Crab, Dragonbreaker, Endless Assault, Heaven and Hell Fist, Hunting Hawk, Living Fulcrum, Rending Fist, Rampaging Bull, Slashing Hands, Weapons Training
Combo Moves - Brain Smasher, Disfiguring Strike (F), End It (F), Follow Up, Hammer Blow, Headbutt, Humiliate, Hurl (F), Jump Attack, Knee Strike, Mangle, Piercing Strike, Punishing Blow, Rake, Shove, Snake Eats the Eggs, Spinning Strike, Stomp (F), Throat Punch, Throw, Uppercut, Wrench Limb
Techniques - Adamantine Fist, Breath Exercise, Brutal Ending, Godhand, Ground and Pound, Hammer Fist, Iron Shirt, Roots of the Mountain, Rush, Smash Weapon, Warrior's Pride
CONFIDENT HERO:
Stances - 57 Chambers, Agile Lemur, Drunken Master, Faceless Opponent, Ghost Boxer, Living Fulcrum, Peacock’s Dance, Vicious Hare, Wary Circle, Weapons Training
Combo Moves - Acrobatic Strike, Body Shield (F), Eye Pluck (F), Follow Up, Hammer Blow, Headbutt, Humiliate, Hurricane Attack (F), Jump Attack, Knee Strike, Mangle, Microfracture, Punishing Blow, Rake, Set Up, Shove, Sliding Sweep, Snake Eats the Eggs, Spinning Strike, Talon Touch, Throat Punch, Throw, Uppercut, Whip the Dog (F), Wing Clip, Wrench Limb
Techniques - Acrobatic Fall, Barbed Tongue, Brutal Ending, Dirty Trick, Hammer Fist, Light Body, Power Kiai, Silent Fist, Snap Punch
QUICK SCRAPPER:
Stances - 57 Chambers, Agile Lemur, Catch the Rain, Drunken Master, Endless Assault, Faceless Opponent, Gray Sand Fist, Hunting Hawk, Living Fulcrum, Peacock’s Dance, Rending Fist, Slashing Hands, Weapons Training
Combo Moves - Acrobatic Strike, Disfiguring Strike (F), Eye Pluck (F), Hamper Opponents, Heart Punch (F), Humiliate, Hurricane Attack (F), Jab, Jump Attack, Knee Strike, Rake, Set Up, Sliding Sweep, Snake Eats the Eggs, Spinning Strike, Stomp (F), Throat Punch, Throw
Techniques - Acrobatic Fall, Breath Exercise, Brutal Ending, Dirty Trick, Flowing River, Ground and Pound, Keen Senses, Light Body, Rush, Silent Fist, Snap Punch
UNDYING CHAMPION:
Stances - Crab, Dragonbreaker, Drunken Master, Endless Assault, Heaven and Hell Fist, Living Fulcrum, Patient Spider, Rampaging Bull, Rending Fist, Vicious Hare, Weapons Training
Combo Moves - Body Shield (F), Brain Smasher, Follow Up, Hammer Blow, Hamper Opponents, Headbutt, Humiliate, Hurl (F), Inevitable Blow (F), Jump Attack, Knee Strike, Punishing Blow (F), Set Up, Shove, Throat Punch, Throw, Uppercut, Whip the Dog (F)
Techniques - Barbed Tongue, Breath Exercise, Control Body, Equilibrium, Godhand, Ground and Pound, Iron Shirt, Jump Attack, Punishing Blow, Roots of the Mountain, Shove, Smash Weapon, Warrior's Pride
WISE WARRIOR:
Stances - Catch the Rain, Crab, Faceless Opponent, Ghost Boxer, Gray Sand Fist, Heaven and Hell Fist, Hunting Hawk, Living Fulcrum, Patient Spider, Vicious Hare, Wary Circle, Weapons Training
Combo Moves - Body Shield (F), End It (F), Follow Up, Hamper Opponents, Headbutt, Heart Punch (F), Humiliate, Hurricane Attack (F), Inevitable Blow (F), Jab, Jump attack, Knee Strike, Mangle, Microfracture, Piercing Strike, Shove, Talon Touch, Throat Punch, Throw, Uppercut, Whip the Dog (F), Wing Clip, Wrench Limb
Techniques - Acrobatic Fall, Adamantine Fist, Barbed Tongue, Bell-Ringing Fist, Control Body, Equilibrium, Flowing River, Hammer Fist, Iron Shirt, Keen Sense, Master's Fist, Master's Hand, Power Kiai, Roots of the Mountain, Warrior's Pride
Stance List
57 Chambers (Brilliant Tactician, Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper): 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.
Agile Lemur (Brilliant Tactician, Confident Hero,Quick Scrapper): Able to move in a graceful but bizarre series of acrobatics or contortions, Lemur 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.
Catch the Rain (Brilliant Tactician, Quick Scrapper, 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.
Crab (Brutal Combatant, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior): 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.
Dragonbreaker (Brilliant Tactician, Brutal Combatant, 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 class 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 class level on attacks against creatures with the dragon type.
Drunken Master (Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper, Undying Champion): 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. (For the purposes of this stance, alcoholic beverages are considered to have a number of charges equal to their gold piece value divided by 50 and rounded down. So a 160 gp bottle of wine would give a +3 bonus, have three charges, and require a DC 18 Fort save to resist becoming staggered.)
Endless Assault (Brutal Combatant, Quick Scrapper, Undying Champion): 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.
Faceless Opponent ( Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper, Wise Warrior): 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.
Ghost Boxer (Brilliant Tactician, Confident Hero, Wise Warrior): 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.
Gray Sand Fist (Brilliant Tactician, Quick Scrapper, 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.)
Heaven and Hell Fist (Brutal Combatant, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior): 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.
Hunting Hawk (Brutal Combatant, Quick Scrapper, 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.
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.
Patient Spider (Brilliant Tactician, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior): 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.
Peacock’s Dance (Brilliant Tactician, Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper): This stance is an extravagant display of acrobatics and rhythm that may not appear to be a fighting stance at all. A martial artist in this stance gains a +2 to Bluff, Intimidate, and Perform checks as well as a +1 to AC and Reflex saves. However, this stance is prone to leverage problems and takes a -1 penalty to attack rolls and a -2 to both damage rolls and CMD. A master of this stance gains a +4 skill bonus and a +2 to AC and Reflex saves.
Rampaging Bull (Brilliant Tactician, Brutal Combatant, Undying Champion): 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.
Rending Fist (Brutal Combatant, Quick Scrapper, 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.
Slashing Hands (Brilliant Tactician, Brutal Combatant, Quick Scrapper): 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.
Vicious Hare (Confident Hero, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior): 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.
Wary Circle (Brilliant Tactician, Confident Hero, Wise Warrior): 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.
Weapons Training (Any): This style allows the martial artist to use any simple melee weapon as if it were an unarmed attack for the purposes all martial artist class abilities. This weapon deals damage equal to the martial artist’s unarmed damage. A martial artist using this stance is unable to use techniques this round. A master of this stance gains the ability to use this stance in conjunction with exotic weapons and proficiency with one exotic weapon.
Combination Attack List
Acrobatic Strike (Brilliant Tactician, Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper): 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.
Body Shield (Confident Hero, Undying Champion, 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.
Brain Smasher (Brutal Combatant, Undying Champion): This power blow connects with the opponent’s head or other thinking parts with great force. The target must make a Fort save DC 10 + 1/2 martial artist’s class level + primary ability mod, a failure on this save grants the target the confused condition for 1 round. This works as normal except that the target does not automatically attack the last creature to make a successful attack against it. This strike can only affect creatures who have both a discernable anatomy and an Intelligence score.
Disfiguring Strike (Brilliant Tactician, Brutal Combatant, Quick Scrapper) [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.
End It (Brutal Combatant, 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.
Eye Pluck (Brilliant Tactician, Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper) [Finisher]: If this attack hits, the opponent struck must make a Fort save with a DC equal to 10 + ½ the martial artist’s class 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.
Follow Up (Any): This attack is meant to follow several others, granting the martial artist increasing momentum. For every successful attack this round that the martial artist has previously made against the target of this attack, gain a +1 bonus to hit with this attack. (If you have already made three attacks this round and hit with two, this attack would gain a +2)
Hammer Blow (Brutal Combatant, 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 class level + the martial artist’s primary ability modifier or be staggered for 1 round.
Hamper Opponents (Quick Scrapper, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior): 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.
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.
Heart Punch (Brilliant Tactician, Quick Scrapper, 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.
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.
Hurl (Brutal Combatant, 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.
Hurricane Attack (Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper, 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.
Inevitable Blow (Brilliant Tactician, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior) [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 class level + primary ability mod or be staggered for 1 round.
Jab (Brilliant Tactician, Quick Scrapper, Wise Warrior): 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.
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.
Knee Strike (Brutal Combatant, Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper): 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.
Mangle (Brutal Combatant, Confident Hero, Wise Warrior): With a deceptively small motion a joint is bent the wrong way or a muscle is torn. This strike is a touch attack that deals half the martial artist’s unarmed damage. This attack debilitates the target in one of four random fashions. The target of this attack must make a Fort save DC 10 + 1/2 martial artist’s class level + primary ability mod, a success on this save prevents the special effects but the target still takes damage.
1-1 point of damage to a random physical stat.
2-Reduce movement speed by 1/2 for one round.
3-Grant the target the staggered condition for one round.
4-Target is flat-footed to all attacks for one round.
Microfracture (Brilliant Tactician, 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 class 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.
Piercing Strike (Brilliant Tactician, Brutal Combatant, Wise Warrior): 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.
Punishing Blow (Brutal Combatant, Confident Hero, Undying Champion) [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.
Rake (Brutal Combatant, Confident Hero, Quick 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. At 11th level a Rake gives a -2 penalty.
Set Up (Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper, Undying Champion): 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.
Shove (Brutal Combatant, Confident Hero, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior): 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.
Sliding Sweep (Brilliant Tactician, Confident Hero, Quick 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).
Snake Eats the Eggs (Brutal Combatant, Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper): 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.
Spinning Strike (Brutal Combatant, Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper): 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.
Stomp (Brutal Combatant, Quick Scrapper) [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).
Talon Touch (Brilliant Tactician, Confident Hero, Wise Warrior): 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.
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 class level + the martial artist’s primary ability score. Failure indicates that the target is silenced for 1d4 rounds.
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.
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.
Whip the Dog (Confident Hero, Brilliant Tactician, Undying Champion, 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 class 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.
Wing Clip (Confident Hero, Brilliant Tactician, 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.
Wrench Limb (Brutal Combatant, Confident Hero, Wise Warrior): 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.)
Technique List
Acrobatic Fall (Brilliant Tactician, Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper, Wise Warrior): This technique may be activated as an immediate action. This technique allows the martial artist to fall a distance equal to 10x1/2 his class level without taking damage. A sixth level character using acrobatic fall would only take 1d6 damage when falling 40 ft.
Adamantine Fist (Brilliant Tactician, Brutal Combatant, 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.
Barbed Tongue (Confident Hero, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior): This attack is not physical but mental. The martial artist makes a Bluff or appropriate Perform check in order to provoke his target. The DC of this check is equal to the opponent’s CR + 15. If this check is successful, the target gains all the benefits and penalties as if they had they had activated the Barbarian’s Rage ability and must spend the next round pursuing the martial artist in a berzerk fury. The target may only move towards the martial artist or make physical melee or ranged attacks, they are unable to cast during this round.
Bell-Ringing Fist (Brilliant Tactician, Brutal Combatant, Wise Warrior): You gain 5 feet of reach for all your melee attacks this turn, however, you do not threaten any squares.
Breath Exercise (Brutal Combatant, Quick Scrapper, Undying Champion): Gain a number of temporary hit points equal to twice your class 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 (Brutal Combatant, Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper): 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.
Control Body (Brilliant Tactician, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior): Gain fire and cold resistance 10, delay poison/disease, DR 1/- for 5 rounds.
Dirty Trick (Brilliant Tactician, Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper): 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.
Equilibrium (Brilliant Tactician, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior): 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.
Flowing River (Brilliant Tactician, Quick Scrapper, 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.
Godhand (Brilliant Tactician, Brutal Combatant, 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.
Ground and Pound (Brutal Combatant, Quick Scrapper, 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.
Hammer Fist (Brutal Combatant, 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.
Iron Shirt (Brutal Combatant, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior): 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.
Keen Senses (Brilliant Tactician, Quick Scrapper, 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. 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.
Light Body (Confident Hero, Quick 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.
Master’s Fist (Brilliant Tactician, 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.
Master’s Hand (Brilliant Tactician, 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 class level OR heal an adjacent ally for 1d4 per two martial artist levels + the martial artist’s primary ability modifier.
Power Kiai (Brilliant Tactician, Confident Hero, Wise Warrior): 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.
Roots of the Mountain (Brutal Combatant, Undying Champion, 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 (Brilliant Tactician, Brutal Combatant, Quick Scrapper): 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.
Silent Fist (Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper): A martial artist who uses this technique gains 1d6 sneak attack dice per four martial artist class levels.
Smash Weapon (Brutal Combatant, 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.
Snap Punch (Brilliant Tactician, Confident Hero, Quick Scrapper): 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.
Warrior’s Pride (Brutal Combatant, Undying Champion, Wise Warrior): 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.
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, Martial Artist 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 rounded to the nearest multiple of 10. (150 gp = DC 15, 167 gp = DC 17) 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.
Should I take the lack of further response to indicate that the class is perfect in every possible way? :D
If the general consensus is that no more changes/options are necessary, I will post a link to the google docs version of the class that is a bit neater/fancier.
Oh, and if anyone wants to make a PDF as was mentioned earlier, you're more than welcome. Just beware of last minute changes to the class!
Thread ressurrection!
Finished version of the class is pretty great, I only have issue with some of the names, but that's pretty minor.
Basic versions of the ninja and samurai: (the full versions with description of the abilities and explanations will be posted on the weekend)
01 Sneak Attack +1d6, Ninja Dodge+1
02 Stance, Shuriken Mastery
03 Poison Use
04 Technique, Evasion
05 Sneak Attack +2d6, Ninja Dodge+2
06 Stance
07 Uncanny Dodge
08 Technique
09 Sneak Attack +3d6
10 Stance, Ninja Dodge+3
11 Speed of Darkness
12 Technique
13 Sneak Attack +4d6
14 Stance, Mastery
15 Ninja Dodge+4
16 Technique
17 Sneak Attack +5d6
18 Stance
19 Shadow Strike
20 Technique, Ninja Dodge+5, Living Shadow
01 Ancestral gift, Bushido
02 Determination
03 Bonus feat
04 Stance, Refuse Death
05 Technique
06 Bonus feat
07 Ancestal Style
08 Stance
09 Bonus feat
10 Kiai Shout
11 Tecnhique
12 Stance, Bonus feat
13 Honor and Renown
14 Ancestal Style
15 Bonus feat
16 Stance
17 Tecnhique
18 Bonus feat
19 Greater Kiai Shout
20 Stance, Sword Saint
So far Kuma, I like the class. Flavorwise, I think it is neutral enough to where you can make anything considered non-Asian themed (such as a boxer, wrestler, etc). I know you have more than enough techniques and combos, but I guess I would like to see more wrestling-like slamming attacks (piledriver, powerbomb, etc). Other than that, I really like this class.
VM, those are very interesting previews; I'm looking forward to the longer versions.
Hey, thanks Odraude. It's only like 99% done, which is why I haven't posted the final link to the google docs version. I've been meaning to do one last pass for ideas and balancing (plus the playtesting I've been doing was put on hiatus for a bachelor party ((Not mine!)) :D )
There's a couple of wrestling-type things in there (Living Fulcrum, Rampaging Bull, Body Shield, Vicious Hare, Hurl, Shove, Throw, Dirty Trick, Ground and Pound, and Roots of the Mountain) and I don't know if there's much more ground to cover there but I'm happy to try. Let me know if you have any ideas that are unique from everything in that list.
Heart Punch (Brilliant Tactician, Quick Scrapper, 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.
Does this do any additional damage? Does it just do unarmed damage -2?
Sorry for the delay. One week without connection does that to people...
A couple changes on ninja (ninja dodge was based on a mechanic that doesn't work anymore).
Unless thre's another problem with my computer I'll post it tomorrow noon-ish
Samurai
Hit Die: D10
BAB: +1
Skill ranks per level: 4 + Int modifier
Good Save: Reflex
Poor Saves: Fortitude and Will
Level
01 Ancestral gift, Bushido
02 Determination
03 Bonus feat
04 Stance, Refuse Death
05 Technique
06 Bonus feat
07 Ancestal Style
08 Stance
09 Bonus feat
10 Kiai Shout
11 Tecnhique
12 Stance, Bonus feat
13 Honor and Renown
14 Ancestal Style
15 Bonus feat
16 Stance
17 Tecnhique
18 Bonus feat
19 Greater Kiai Shout
20 Stance, Sword Saint
Ancestral Gift: (Su) The samurai start with a master work weapon at 1st level, either as a relic from his family, or a new one from his lord, this weapon is usually a katana (bastard sword) or a daisho with both a katana and a wakizashi (short sword), but it can also be a naginata (long spear) or dai-kyu (longbow). As the samurai creates a strong bond with his weapons, it allows him to awaken the spirits of those weapons. At second level and every 2 levels after his chosen weapon gains a +1 enchantment, to a total of +10 at 20 level, Note that a weapon cannot have bonus bigger than +5, This parameter serves to calculate the price of special habilities of the sword. For exemple, a samurai with a +4 katana that reaches level 10 can turn it into a +3 Flaming Burst katana, a +4 defending katana, or a +5 katana. If the samurai chooses a daisho set this bonus can be divided between the swords in any way the samurai wants, but at 6th level both swords must have at least a +1 enhancement and once a point of bonus is allocated into one of the swords it cannot be transferred later. An ancestral weapon can be enhanced normally but it costs 20% more gold to do so and an item cannot have an overall enhacement of more than +10.
Bushido: The samurai follows a strict moral code based in honor. A samurai must be loyal to his master and his family, never show fear, be honest and never willinglly break a promise and be benevolent to those of lower station. A samurai that breaks this code cannot advance in the class until he fulfills an atonement given by his lord (as the spell). If he can't atone he must either become a ronin or commit seppuku.
Determination: (Ex). The Samurai is confident in himself. At 2nd level, he adds +1 to all opposed rolls.
Bonus Feat: At 3rd level and every 3 levels after the samurai gains a bonus feat. This feat must be chosen from the Fighter list of bonus feats.
Stance: (Ex) At 4th level, 8th level and every four levels thereafter (12th, 16th, etc.), a samurai gains a new stance picked from those available to him. Stances typically provide both a bonus and a penalty. Samurai may benefit from only one stance at a time. Entering or leaving a stance is a swift action but a samurai may only activate one stance per round, additionally a samurai may not leave a stance in the same round that he entered it in order to avoid its drawbacks.
Refuse Death: (Ex) The code of bushido teaches that the samurai must not fear death. The samurai automatically stabilizes if his hit points drop to 0 or below. He also gets a +2 bonus against fear.
Techniques: (Ex) Techniques are powerful and unique abilities that samurai perfect via rigorous training. A samurai 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. Samurai gain techniques at 5th level and every six levels thereafter. (11th, 17th). A samurai 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 samurai’s pool is equal to 1 + their Wis modifier. When using a technique it is not uncommon for a samurai to give off an aura of vivid, visible light. This is an outward manifestation of the samurai’s focus and control; not exactly magic so much as a sign that the samurai is capable of moving energies normally considered divine or psionic. This is not necessarily the case for every samurai, 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 samurai 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.
Ancestral Style: (Ex) At 7th level the samurai starts to master his chosen weapon style. At 14th level he uncovers another secret of his style and at 20 level when he becomes a Sword Saint he acquires total mastery of his style. This Style is either based on his ancestral weapon, or on his hability as a horserider. The styles are:
Kenjutsu (Katana) - At 7th level a Kenjutsu expert can add his wisdom modifier to the attack roll when confirming a critical threat and to the damage if he scores a critical hit, as long as he is using a katana. At 14th level, whenever the samurai scores a critical hit he also deals 1 point of attribute damage, the attribute that is damaged is decided when the critical is confirmed. This damage increases to 1d4 at 20 level. This ability stacks with any feat that adds an effect to critical hits.
Iaijutsu (Katana) - At 7th level a Iaijutsu samurai gains the Quick Draw feat, if he already has this feat he gains Improved Initiative instead. At 14 level he gains the Uncanny Dodge hability and a +2 bonus to his reflex save.
Nitoujutsu (Daisho) - At 7th level a Nitou user gains the Two Weapon Fighting feat, if he already has this feat the penalties for two weapon fighting are reduced to zero. At 14 level he gains a +2 shield bonus while wielding his ancestral daisho, unlike normal shield bonus this bonus is cumulative with the one from the Two Weapon Defense feat. This shield bonus increases to +4 at 20th level.
Kyujutsu (Daikyu) - At 7th level a samurai that practices the bow increases the range increment of his bow by ten feet, and he also adds his Wis modifier to the damage when using his ancestral bow. At 14th level he gains the Sniper hability: for every round that he does nothing but aim with his bow he gain a +1 to attack and damage for his next shot, to a maximum of +5.
Sokujutsu (Naginata) - At 7th level a spear master can spend a swift action to change his grip, if he does so he can change the reach of his weapon to attack adjacent enemies, he also adds the Trip and Disarm features to his ancestral weapon. At 14th level may choose any square adjacent to him and treat that square as his location for determining who he is flanking, even if that square is occupied by a creature, object, or solid barrier.
Horserider - At 7th level a samurai that specializes in cavalry gains a bonded mount this mount is usually a heavy horse or a pony. This Mount functions as a Druids Animal Companion, using the Samurai levels as his effective druid level. The base speed of this mount increases by 10 feet at 10 level and another 10 at 16. At 14th level the samurai gains a +2 to competence bonus to Ride and can use Stances while mounted, both the samurai and the horse receive the bonuses and penalties of the stance.
Kiai Shout: (Ex) The samurai learns to focus his inner strength for a devastating strike. Three times a day the samurai can emit a powerful scream as a move action. If he does so his next attack is automatically considered a critical hit. If the attack does not hit the attempt is still used. The bonus from the Kenjutsu Ancestral Style can be applied to this attack roll.
Honor and Renown: (Ex) The samurai starts to become famous for his honor and adherence to the bushido code. His strong sense of honor also gives him a +2 competence bonus to Will against all enchantment spells or effects. If the samurai has the Leadership feat he gains a +2 bonus to his Leadership score.
Greater Kiai Shout: (Ex) The samurai further harnesses his inner strength in an incredible display of might. Whenever he uses Kiai Shout the damage multiplier of the critical hit is increased by 1.
Sword Saint: (Ex) At the 20th level the samurai achieves full mastery of his style. As a Sword Saint the samurai learns the final technique from his ancestral style, as below. He also can spend two Ki points to use two different techniques at the same time, he can do this a number of times per day equal to his Wis modifier (minimum 1).
Kenjutsu (Katana) – A Kenjutsu Sword Saint can defend himself from the most deadly strikes. Whenever he suffers a critical hit he can spend an immediate action to make an attack roll. If this roll is higher than the attack roll that caused the critical hit the damage is not multiplied. Any other effects the critical hit would have (from a feat or weapon property) still apply.
Iaijutsu (Katana) – When a Iaijutsu Saint first attack in a fight his opponent is considered flat-footed and the attack is an automatic critical. The opponent is considered flat-footed even if he has the Uncanny Dodge ability.
Nitoujutsu (Daisho) – A Nitoujutsu Saint an extra attack with his off-hand weapon at his full attack bonus. While wielding his daisho the samurai also gains the benefits of the Improved Feint feat, if he already has this feat he gains a +4 bonus to the bluff roll to feint.
Kyujutsu (Daikyu) – A Kyujutsu Saint, also called a Bow Saint, can ignore any concealment, he also ignores partial cover and treats cover as if it was partial cover. Total cover is not affected.
Sokujutsu (Naginata) – A Sokujutsu Saint, also called a Spear Saint, adds his Wis modifier to his AC and to his attack bonus. He also can, as a standard action, make a single attack with a -2 penalty. If the attack hits it deals damage normally and he may make a bull-rush, disarm or trip combat maneuver as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Horserider – A Cavalry Saint becomes a master rider. As long as he is mounted he and his mount gain a bonus to saves equal to the samurai Wis bonus. When making a mounted charge attack the samurai the samurai deals double the normal amount of damage (triple if using a lance). In addition the charge is not blocked by friendly creatures or difficult terrain.
Ex-Samurai (Ronin): A samurai can take levels in another class and continue taking levels as samurai as long as he obeys the code of bushido. If the samurai breaks the bushido code and does not atone he becomes a ronin and cannot take anymore levels of this class. A Ronin loses all the enhancements form his ancestral gift, and the bonus from Honor and Renown, all other class abilities remain unchanged.
Stances: Besides samurai specific stances the samurai can also learn Endless Assault, Ghost boxer and Wary Circle.
Techniques: The samurai can learn the following techniques: Breath Exercise, Brutal Ending, Flowing River, Roots of the mountain, Rush, Smash Weapon, Warriors Pride.
Samurai specific stances and maybe a couple techniques will be in the next update.
Gotta go. Post the ninja when I get home.
Ninja
Hit Die D8
Medium BAB
Good Saves: Ref and Will
Bad Save: Fort
01 Sneak Attack +1d6
02 Stance, Shuriken Mastery
03 Poison Use
04 Technique, Evasion
05 Sneak Attack +2d6
06 Stance
07 Uncanny Dodge
08 Technique
09 Sneak Attack +3d6
10 Stance
11 Speed of Darkness, Improved Evasion
12 Technique
13 Sneak Attack +4d6
14 Stance, Mastery
15 Improved Uncanny Dodge
16 Technique
17 Sneak Attack +5d6
18 Stance
19 Living Shadow
20 Technique, Shadow Strike
Sneak Attack: This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 at 5th, and every 4 levels after (9th, 13th and 17th). If a ninja gets a sneak attack bonus from another source, the bonuses on damage stack.
Stance: At 2nd level, 6th level and every four levels thereafter (10th, 14th, etc.), a ninja gains a new stance picked from those available to him. Stances typically provide both a bonus and a penalty. Ninja may benefit from only one stance at a time. Entering or leaving a stance is a swift action but a ninja may only activate one stance per round, additionally a ninja may not leave a stance in the same round that he entered it in order to avoid its drawbacks
Shuriken Mastery: Ninjas are trained o the use of shurikens as deadly weapons. The ninja adds half his level (minimum 1) to the damage roll when attacking with a shuriken.
Poison Use: Ninjas are trained in the use of poison and cannot accidentally poison themselves when applying poison to a blade.
Technique: Techniques are powerful and unique abilities that ninja perfect via rigorous training. A ninja 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. Ninja gain techniques at 4th level and every four levels thereafter. (8th, 12th, etc.). A ninja 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 ninjas pool is equal to 4 + their Int modifier.
Evasion: At 4th level and higher, a ninja can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Ref lex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the ninja is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless ninja does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Uncanny Dodge: At 7th level, a ninja gains the ability to react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She cannot be caught f lat-footed, even if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A ninja with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action against her.
If a ninja already has uncanny dodge from a different class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.
Speed of Darkness: The ninja adds his Int bonus to his Iniative.
Improved Evasion: This works like evasion, except that while the ninja still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, she henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless ninja does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
Mastery: At 14th level, a ninja 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 ninja may benefit from two stances as long as one of them is the stance which he has mastered. The ninja 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 Uncanny Dodge: At 15th level and higher, a ninja can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the ninja by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has ninja levels.
If a character already has uncanny dodge from another class, the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.
Living Shadow: The ninja masters his techniques becoming one with the night. He gains blindsense and gains the ability to shroud herself in darkness even in daylight, giving herself concealment (20% miss chance). This cloak of darkness can be used for 10 rounds per day.
Shadow Strike (Su): When using a sneak attack the ninja can attack the ki pathways of the enemy. Each time the ninja does sneak attack damage she can choose one of three effects: reduce either the SR or DR of an opponent by 2 points for 2d6 rounds, reduce his base speed by 10 feet for one hour or add a +5 to the DC of all skill checks done by the opponent for a day. Regardless of the effect chosen, the target receives a Will save to negate the additional effect. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the ninja level + the ninja Int modifier. Once a creature has been the target of a shadow strike, regardless of whether or not the save is made, that creature is immune to that ninja shadow strike for 24 hours. Creatures that are immune to sneak attack damage are also immune to this ability.
Stances: Besides ninja specific stances the ninja can also learn Faceless Opponent, Living Fulcrum, Peacock Dance.
Techniques: The ninja can learn the following techniques: Acrobatic Fall, Breath Exercise, Iron Shirt, Rush, Silent Fist, Snap Punch.
Ninja specific stances and techniques will be in the next update.
Ninja Stuff
Alright well lets see...
I guess first and foremost, I am assuming that this isn't going to be Ki based (though his capstone ability makes mention of Ki pathways). A bit of a shame, but this still looks pretty cool. Now for my personal issues with it. I see Intelligence and Dexterity being key to this class, while some Strength helps a tad. That's good.
First, I've never really been a fan of copying another class's ability for their own. I don't think sneak attack should be with the ninja since it's the rogue's signature ability. Plus, the sneak attack seems much more underpowered than a rogue's version. My suggestion would be a different mechanic for adding damage. Here is something that may be interesting.
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Mark of the Shinobi: At 1st level, the ninja can strike at a designated opponent with incredible speed and power. As a swift action, the ninja can mark a foe as his target. Any attacks made against the marked foe now deal 2x the dice amount of the weapon (or unarmed attack). The mark lasts for a number of rounds equal to the ninja's Int modifier. A ninja may mark a target a number of times per day equal to 2 + the ninja's level.
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This was something that took alot of work to come up but I think it is good. While it won't have the number of dice that the sneak attack does, I think that it is just as useful since you will not have to only use it on a flatfooted opponent. If this seems a bit underpowered, I'd suggest removing the "number of times per day" part or perhaps adding:
"At 5th level, the multiplier for the dice amount becomes 3x. At 15th level, the multiplier for the dice amount becomes 4x."
Second, I like the shuriken training, but I think it's a bit odd to only have it focused on one weapon instead of some of the other monk weapons. I'm making some assumptions with weapon proficiencies here so I do apologize. A suggestion I have is:
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Ninjutsu Weapon Training: At 1st level, 4th level and every four levels thereafter, a ninja can choose one of the following weapon groups. The ninja replaces Str or Dex (whichever stat is relevant) with his Int modifier to attack rolls with that weapon group. A ninja must select a different weapon group when he could take Ninjutsu Weapon Training. In addition, the ninja gets the following bonus for choosing that weapon group:
Bojutsu (Quarterstaff) -
Kenjutsu (Sai, Short sword) -
Kusarigamajutsu (Kama, Temple sword) - The ninja may add half his level (minimum 1) to his CMB when making a trip attempt.
Kyudo: (Longbow, Shortbow,) -
Shurikenjutsu (Dagger, Shuriken) - The ninja may add half his level (minimum 1) to the damage roll when attacking with a shuriken or throwing a dagger.
Sojutsu (Longspear, Spear) -
Taijutsu (Nunchaku, Unarmed) -
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Now, I haven't filled in all of the blanks because I figured I'd let you brainstorm for those (plus I can't think of anymore lol), though I did keep the shuriken mastery.
Some other things here and there. Like, why does the ninja have to wait until level 4 to get evasion when the monk and the rogue get it at level 2? Same thing with uncanny dodge and the advanced versions of evasion and UD.
Now we come to the Stances and Techniques. The stances (if they are from Kuma's) are great and work with him. The only thing I have to mention about techniques are flavor ideas and ability ideas. For abilities, I can see some overlap between the monk and the ninja (ie, Fast Movement, Slow Fall, and High Jump). But don't forget than you are a master of disguise, so there should be that somewhere in here.
As for flavor, an idea for techniques could be instead calling it Kuji-kiri. I'm sure you can use The Nine Cuts in there as great inspiration for the ninja techniques (without them being magical if you don't wish them to be).
Anyways, that's my 2cp. The class is good so far, but does need some love in some places.
If you wish to know where I got my information and names from, I used wikipedia and a book I have about ninjas.
Heart Punch (Brilliant Tactician, Quick Scrapper, 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.
Does this do any additional damage? Does it just do unarmed damage -2?
Just unarmed -2 damage but the opponent is treated as flatfooted. It allows the attack to be a sneak attack, potentially for much greater damage.
Samurai and Ninja
I absolutely love them! Especially samurai, looks like a lot of work went into your jutsu! So have you crunched all the numbers to see how things come out balance-wise?
Chokeslam (Brutal Combatant): If the martial artist makes a successful CMB check to trip the target, his opponent takes damage as if hit by the martial artist’s unarmed strike. In addition, the target must make a Fort save with a DC equal to damage dealt. Failure grants the staggered condition for 1 round.
What do we think?
Chokeslam (Brutal Combatant): If the martial artist makes a successful CMB check to trip the target, his opponent takes damage as if hit by the martial artist’s unarmed strike. In addition, the target must make a Fort save with a DC equal to damage dealt. Failure grants the staggered condition for 1 round.
What do we think?
Sounds pretty good, though I always imagined a chokeslam making someone prone.
Thread ressurrection!
Finished version of the class is pretty great, I only have issue with some of the names, but that's pretty minor.
Basic versions of the ninja and samurai: (the full versions with description of the abilities and explanations will be posted on the weekend)** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
Sorry, for the continued threadjack... I've been developing a Samurai, on an off for the past year for a publication that is being readied for publication as we speak.
While my recent purchase of the Tome of Battle has some interesting concepts, I'm trying to find a way to use them, but not look like Bo9S, since for one thing it not Open Content, for a second Paizo is not interested in the Bo9S at all, nor do they think its D&D.
Whenever I see a homebrew class with the word 'stance', I run away as far as can. I like some Bo9S ideas, but there's got to be a better or more standard way of incorportaing them. Perhaps as progressive extraordinary powers. Though since I'm using Ki powers as well, a combination of the two seems best.
While my basic samurai I'm happy with, I'd like to tweak with these new thoughts.
Its too bad that others, like yourself, who are influenced by the ToB ideas can't seem to getaway from their terminology or mechanics.
Though your build does look interesting.
GP
If the martial artist makes a successful CMB check to trip the target,
What does tripping someone do in YOUR game? ;)