Asian setting.

[EditorBFG]

I forgot Martial Arts Mayhem! That product gets my ringing endorsement too.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

You might also want to look int Avalanche Press' Jade & Steel.

 

[trancejeremy]

You might also want to look int Avalanche Press' Jade & Steel.

Eh, not really. Just like the clothing on their cover models, Avalanche Press products are way too short to be useful.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Eh, not really. Just like the clothing on their cover models, Avalanche Press products are way too short to be useful.

Ones mileage may vary. I have Twilight of Atlantis and Endless Sands and find both very useful.

 

[Arrgh! Mark!]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I'll borrow a friends Feng Shui; he mentions the martial/arts sorcery stuff may be what I'm looking for if I don't bother with the time travelling uber monks from the future bit.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions!

 

[WhatGravitas]

It is frustrating.

I am angry with myself for deleting the old Dragonfist files from my computer and I've been beating myself up ever since. Especially since I never thought WotC would have removed it from their servers as well. I brightened when I heard it was being updated and released, oh well.

What's Dragonfist? Care to enlighten me?

 

[Owen K.C. Stephens]

I may have some of the following details wrong, but in broad strokes:

Dragonfist was a product written by Chris Pramas (of Green Ronin fame) that did some very interesting things to 2nd edition D&D to turn it into an Asian martial-arts game of great popularity.

After the book was ready to go, the Powers That Be (TSR/WotC)decided not to print it. It was instead put up as a free web product. It was popular enough to win an Origins award, as I recall.

In theory, Chris is supposed to be doing a new release for Green Ronin, but there's been very little word of that recently. Given how long it can take WotC to decide on anything, this may just be the loooong wait for them to sign off on the idea.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

What's Dragonfist? Care to enlighten me?

I pulled this off the Internet Wayback Machine...

Welcome to Dragon Fist!

Dragon Fist is a game inspired by Hong Kong martial arts movies, especially those of the wuxia genre. This is a game of high-flying kung fu fighters, cackling eunuch sorcerers, weird hopping vampires, and awful demons who are dead only when they blow up. Realistic? Hell no! This is pure cinema. If you want a precise simulation of martial arts, look elsewhere. If you want to have a blast playing an action hero, Dragon Fist is for you.

What the Hell is Wuxia?

Wuxia [wu-jha] is the Hong Kong name for martial arts films that combine kung fu with magic and other fantastic elements. It translates literally as "flying people" for the way that characters routinely defy gravity with mind-boggling leaps and magical flights. The director and producer Tsui Hark [choy-hok] is the man most associated with the popularity of this genre, and he is responsible for many of its classics: A Chinese Ghost Story, Swordsman II, Zu: Warriors of the Magic Mountain, and New Dragon Inn. Other good wuxia films include: The Bride with White Hair, The East is Red, Deadful Melody, The New Legend of Shaolin, and the excellent Burning Paradise. These films create a fantastical reality populated by heroic swordfighters, seductive ghosts, foul demons, and gender-bending villains. Any of them offer one wild ride and are ripe with roleplaying possibilities.

If you've never seen a wuxia film, don't despair. You've probably played one of the current crop of arcade fighting games; if so, you've got the right idea. Check out some of the movies mentioned above, if you can find Hong Kong films in your local video store. Otherwise, try John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China. This was inspired by Tsui Hark's film Zu and does a credible and fun job of translating HK action to the American screen.

The Story

Dragon Fist takes place in Tianguo [tyan-gwo], a fictional land based on wuxia films and on Chinese folklore and legend. Jianmin [jeen-min], the emperor of Tianguo, became obsessed with immortality and went on a mad quest to ensure that he lived forever. Despite all his schemes, he failed to find the secret of immortality. Then he was approached by a peasant who offered him a wilted lotus flower and a promise. The emperor ate this flower and instantly became young. Overjoyed, he asked the peasant what he wanted in return. "Souls," said the peasant, "and you had best provide them if you want to retain your youth."

In the twenty years since, the empire has become an evil land, and its emperor, twisted by the tainted lotus, a brutal tyrant. Opposing him are nine secret societies, collectively known as the World of Martial Arts. These societies have recently banded together in a pact to overthrow Jianmin and put a new emperor on the throne. In Dragon Fist, you play a member of one of these outlawed societies, fighting for your land and the honor of the World of Martial Arts.

Your kung fu may be strong, but is it strong enough to change the world?

This is a time for heroes and a time for martyrs. Which will you be?

Dragon Fist, a new paper-based roleplaying game available only online, includes:
? Complete rules, including character creation, magic, combat, and campaigning.
? An innovative stunt system that brings cinematic action to AD&D.
? Details on the world of Tianguo, including history and religion.
? A full color map of the Heavenly Kingdom.
? Hong Kong movie monsters such as hopping vampires and seductive ghosts.
? Conversion notes for 2nd edition AD&D.

The World of Martial Arts awaits. Download It Now !!!

The files for Dragon Fist are now available for download free from this web page in portable document format (PDF). Be sure to visit the Dragon Fist game message board and check back often for additional articles and adventures.

Unfortunately the wayback machine only archived the 1st, 3rd, and 4th chapter files of the downloads, but none of the rest.

 

[Stormborn]

Dragon Fist's page at GR.

The forum for its discussion over at GR's boards has been closed until there is something further to discuss. I doubt we will see it in 2006.