Martial Artist

The purest form of combat recognizes that the body is one’s greatest weapon. To some this is more than mere fact; it is a life philosophy, one that you can spend a lifetime learning and perfecting. Though few have the discipline and acute mental focus required to walk this path, those that do are no mere fighters, but rather artists. While the Martial Artist favors unarmed combat, they are at their deadliest when they combine the skills they have refined from years of practice with the sharp edge of a blade or a sturdy hardwood staff. Fighting styles among Martial Artists vary greatly according to the cultures and philosophies from which they originate, but they all have one thing in common: the ability to rapidly strike with a vast repertoire of attacks in deadly combinations. This sets them apart from other students of unarmed combat and makes them peerless melee combatants.

The high degree of training and self discipline required to master the martial arts, is most most often acquired by belonging to a school devoted to the teaching a particular fighting style. The most prominent colleges or dojos often draw eager students from across the land to study under a teacher or Sensei of great renown. However, the end goal of each individual Martial Artist is subject to their own whims. Some wish to master these skills as a means towards self improvement or to defend themselves against those who would do them harm, others see it as a invaluable survival skill while adventuring in a world full of unpredictable dangers or a means of generating wealth and fame as a competitive fighter, but the most ambitious of Martial Artists seek to found a school of their own and rise to the illustrious status of an Osensei.

Class Overview

Typical Roles: Melee Damage, Support/Utility
Damage Types: Physical
Class Mechanic: Focus

Default Stats: During Character Creation you may choose to use the default stat line shown below, before racial modifiers. This can be instead of rolling for stats, or if after rolling ten sets of stats you don’t like the results.

During Character Creation you may choose to use the Default Stat Line, before racial modifiers, instead of rolling for stats, or if after rolling ten sets of stats you don’t like the results

Proficiencies

Natural Armor Proficiency: Cloth
Trainable Armor Proficiency: None
Natural Weapon Proficiency: None
Trainable Weapon Proficiency: Knives, Swords, Hand Weapons, Polearms, Staves, Bows

See Equipment section for details. When using a weapon that your class is not proficient with, see Combat Penalties. There is no level or title prerequisite to train in a new proficiency, however you must receive the appropriate Training.

Class Skills

Class Passive Skill: Combo Strike
Class Secondary Skill: Unarmed Combat, Acrobat, or Brawler

Primary Skills

Focus

Unlike other classes that use martial arts to supplement their skill set, the Martial Artist class embodies and perfects the art of unarmed combat. Most Martial Artists will choose to study and train under a master or Sensei at a Dojo. Within the confines of the Dojo they will be taught new skills using time honored methods and unlock the secrets to chaining together a series of attacks to strike with deadly force. Martial Artists follow the standard methods for Learning New Focus Skills.

The maximum number of skill points that can be allotted to each focus discipline are as follows:

• Fist: 35 skill points
• Kick: 35 skill points
• Armed: 15 skill points
• Ranged: 5 skill points
• Defense: 10 skill points

New focus skills require training unless they are upgrades (i.e. Rank1 Heart Punch -> Rank2 Heart Punch), see Learning New Focus Skills for details

Level Ups

Martial Artists use the following chart for levelling up:

HP Dice (Regular): Small Race (1d8), Medium Race (1d10), Large Race (1d12)