NatheQuest: Martial Artist
I love Karate and shit. This is the way I'll run Martial Artists in my ongoing Devil's World Hero game.
Martial Artists may wear no armor and fight only with staves, nunchucks, and shuriken; however, their bare hands strike as hard as weapons.
HD/Attack Bonus/ Save: As Fighter
XP: 2250 base
Critical Blow: Begins at 19. Range increases by 1 at 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level.
Damage Bonus: Add 1 damage to hits at 3rd level, 2 damage at 7th level, and 3 damage at 10th level.
AC: Begins at 9 and reduces by 1 each level to a minimum of 0.
Titles:
- 1st level: Blackbelt
- 2nd level: Streetfighter
- 3rd level: Boxer
- 4th level: Bull Fighter
- 5th level: Sensei
- 6th level: Sifu
- 7th level: Redbelt
- 8th level: Immortal
- 9th level: Bodhisattva
When using barehands Martial Artists may strike Critical Blows: if the displayed number is rolled and the attack hits then deal an additional dice of damage; they also gain rapid fire punches: at 4th and 7th level they gain additional attacks per round. Their hands harden into stone over time and increase in damage at 4th and 7th level.
True mastery also requires soft-style Karate. These techniques are more subtle:
- Daily Tai Chi practice doubles the Martial Artist’s natural healing rate and allows them to speak with small birds.
- Fall damage is cut in half.
- At 4th level they may run on falling leaves, water, up walls, or the surface of snow for up to 20’.
- Once per round a missile attack can be Karate chopped out of the air with a successful Save.
- On a Critical Blow, the Karate fighter may trade bonus damage for a special stunt. For example, a Shuto attack stuns a humanoid foe for one round if they fail a Save, while a Nukite attack to the eyes successfully blinds the foe if they fail a Save. Other stunts abound: a Seoi Nage to toss a foe about, a Ashi Waza to knock them down, Tai Sabaki to gracefully reposition, etc.
At 4th level, their fists become imbued with justice and can hit foes immune to non-magical attacks; at 8th level they may make a “Heartbreak Punch” on a Critical Blow and kill foes of the same HD or lower instantly if they fail a Save.
Begin play with nothing but an indigo dyed fighting gi, faded and patched from years of use.