Hey ya'll!
How kung fu is your campaign?
here is an addition for jackie chan, anime, crouching tiger style martial arts. While it may seem powerful at first glance, remember that using this skill requires a successful attack roll, and makes the user forgo damage.
The basis for this system are the skills Martial Arts and Ki Action. Martial Arts is available to Monks, Rogues, Fighters, Rangers, Shamans, Soheis, and Samurais as a class skill. Ki Action is available to Monks, Shamanns, and Soheis (and maybe Samurais).
Martial Arts (Dex, Trained Only, Armor Check Penalty)
Use this skill to do supercool kung-fu stuff, like send opponents flying, or disarm them and break their wrist and throw them onto their back all in one fluid motion.
Check: The base DC for martial arts checks is 15. If your opponent is trained in the skill, they may make a check to set the DC, but if they roll lower than 15, the base DC is still 15.
You may make a check every time you would hit with an unarmed attack, although if you do, the attack deals no damage.
With most actions, the DC will increase by the modifier for one of your opponent's ability scores, as stated in the action description.
Snap Bone
DC Increase: Target's Constitution Modifier
With this action, you snap the target's wrist, ankle, arm, or leg. Subtract the DC from your check result, they suffer a penalty equal to the result on all checks made with that limb. If you targetted their leg or ankle, they also suffer that number divided by two, times five in movement penalties. If you targetted their hand or arm, they have a 50% chance to drop whatever they are holding in that hand. (with a Dex check DC 15, you may now hold htat item, provided that you have enough free hands).
If you beat the DC by more than twice the target's Constitution modifier, that limb is broken, and they lose all use of it.
Snatch
DC Increase: Target's Dexterity Modifier
With this action, pick one item that your opponent is holding. If it is two handed, you must have two hands free. If they are holding it in two hands, you recieve a -3 penalty on the check. If it is merely on their person, not in their hand, you recieve a +3 bonus on the check. If you succeed, your target drops that item. If you succeed at a Dex check DC 10, you are now holding that item.
Trip
DC Increase: Target's Dexterity or Strenght Modifier (whichever is greater)
With this action, you knock your target prone with a successful check. You gain a +4 bonus to this roll for every size category smaller than you your target is, or -4 for every size category greater. You also recieve a -2 penalty for each additional leg past the second that your opponent is standing on. For every point by which you exceed the DC, you knock back your target up to 1 foot.
Special: Monks are considered trained in Martial Arts, even if they don't have ranks. If you do not have the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, you recieve a -4 penalty on your check, and taking a Martial Arts action provokes an attack of opportunity. Martial Arts can not be used in Medium or Heavy armor.
These are all I have so far. I want this to be something for major cinematic action scenes, not just a way to deal a few extra points of damage, or gain a bonus on your attack roll. The second skill is Ki Action:
Ki Action (Wis, Trained Only, Armor Check Penalty)
You can run off the walls, make spectacular jumps, etcetera
Check: Each action has it's own DC, and when you can make the check may varry. Typically, a Ki Action check is a free action.
Sprint
DC: 15 + 1 per additional point by which you multiply your Running distance
When you are running, you can increase the number by which your speed is multiplied, by a max of (your wisdom modifier).
Run On The Walls
DC: 20, or 30 for running on a cieling.
With a successful check, you can move on a vertical surface, as long as you are barefoot. Make a check for every 5 feet traveled, if you succeed, travel as if it were a normal surface. If you fail, you can still travel the distance, but you lose 5 feet of altitude (possibly coming back to the ground). If you fail by 5 or more, you fall prone, and your turn ends. You may move up to (5xyour wisdom modifier) on the walls in a round. You must end the round in a normal position.
Ki Jump
DC: 15 (+2), 20 (+4), 25 (+6)
You may make a Ki Jump any time you would make a normal jump or tumble check. If you succeed, you gain the listed bonus to the check, and your jumping distance is not limited by height for the purposes of that check.
Ki Charge
DC: Target's AC
When you make a charge ending in an Unarmed strike, you may make a Ki Action check to gain one free martial Arts check that does not require the use of an attack.
Tread on Air
DC: 25
When you make a jump check, you may make a Tread on Air check to turn up to 90° in the middle of your jump. This action can be performed only once per jump.
Harmless Fall
DC 15 per 10' of fall ignored
Like tumble and jump, you can also use this skill to ignore falling damage, provided that you are within 10' of a wall.
Special: Ki Action checks can not be made while wearing Medium or Heavy armor. Monks are considered trained, even if they do not have ranks in this skill.
And then come the Fighting Styles. Fighting Styles (or is it Stiles? I can never remember...) are not feats, but characters have the option of choosing one when they first gain ranks in Martial Arts. Monks may choose one at any level, even if they dont have ranks yet.
Power
Prerequisite: Str 15+
Instead of using Dexterity as a key ability, for you, Martial Arts has Strength as it's key ability. You gain a +1 bonus to all offensive Martial Arts rolls, but a -1 penalty to all defensive Martial Arts rolls.
Mind
Prerequisite: Wis 15+
Instead of using Dexterity as a key ability, for you, Martial Arts has Wisdom as it's key ability.
Defensive
Prerequisite: Dex 15+
If you have 5 or more ranks in Tumble, you gain a +2 bonus on all defensive Martial Arts checks.
I'd love suggestions for more (and maybe more complex) fighting styles.
Yes, Yes, I know, the Monk kinda already does get these abilities without a skill (Improved Trip, Leap of the Clouds, Fast Movement, Slow Fall), but now anyone can do it (even though the monk is still better!).
Basically, I based this entire system off of one scene in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, with an amazing amount of really cool martial arts. (you know, when the ninja-chick steals the sword, and then the older chick that likes the guy who owns the sword goes after her, and........never mind.)
Anyone have ideas of more skills to go with this system?
More fighting styles?
Maybe some cool feats?
Maybe you think this idea is trash, and would like to say it?
Or you think that this is the most superb idea in the universe, and want to give me money?
Please, no one say "but Jeph, this is exactly like the Trip, Bullrush, and disarm actions, along with a bunch of Monk abilities, combined!" because, as you can see, I know. I do have good reasons, If you ask for them, I'll probably have them thought up by the time of your request.
-Jeph
How kung fu is your campaign?
here is an addition for jackie chan, anime, crouching tiger style martial arts. While it may seem powerful at first glance, remember that using this skill requires a successful attack roll, and makes the user forgo damage.
The basis for this system are the skills Martial Arts and Ki Action. Martial Arts is available to Monks, Rogues, Fighters, Rangers, Shamans, Soheis, and Samurais as a class skill. Ki Action is available to Monks, Shamanns, and Soheis (and maybe Samurais).
Martial Arts (Dex, Trained Only, Armor Check Penalty)
Use this skill to do supercool kung-fu stuff, like send opponents flying, or disarm them and break their wrist and throw them onto their back all in one fluid motion.
Check: The base DC for martial arts checks is 15. If your opponent is trained in the skill, they may make a check to set the DC, but if they roll lower than 15, the base DC is still 15.
You may make a check every time you would hit with an unarmed attack, although if you do, the attack deals no damage.
With most actions, the DC will increase by the modifier for one of your opponent's ability scores, as stated in the action description.
Snap Bone
DC Increase: Target's Constitution Modifier
With this action, you snap the target's wrist, ankle, arm, or leg. Subtract the DC from your check result, they suffer a penalty equal to the result on all checks made with that limb. If you targetted their leg or ankle, they also suffer that number divided by two, times five in movement penalties. If you targetted their hand or arm, they have a 50% chance to drop whatever they are holding in that hand. (with a Dex check DC 15, you may now hold htat item, provided that you have enough free hands).
If you beat the DC by more than twice the target's Constitution modifier, that limb is broken, and they lose all use of it.
Snatch
DC Increase: Target's Dexterity Modifier
With this action, pick one item that your opponent is holding. If it is two handed, you must have two hands free. If they are holding it in two hands, you recieve a -3 penalty on the check. If it is merely on their person, not in their hand, you recieve a +3 bonus on the check. If you succeed, your target drops that item. If you succeed at a Dex check DC 10, you are now holding that item.
Trip
DC Increase: Target's Dexterity or Strenght Modifier (whichever is greater)
With this action, you knock your target prone with a successful check. You gain a +4 bonus to this roll for every size category smaller than you your target is, or -4 for every size category greater. You also recieve a -2 penalty for each additional leg past the second that your opponent is standing on. For every point by which you exceed the DC, you knock back your target up to 1 foot.
Special: Monks are considered trained in Martial Arts, even if they don't have ranks. If you do not have the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, you recieve a -4 penalty on your check, and taking a Martial Arts action provokes an attack of opportunity. Martial Arts can not be used in Medium or Heavy armor.
These are all I have so far. I want this to be something for major cinematic action scenes, not just a way to deal a few extra points of damage, or gain a bonus on your attack roll. The second skill is Ki Action:
Ki Action (Wis, Trained Only, Armor Check Penalty)
You can run off the walls, make spectacular jumps, etcetera
Check: Each action has it's own DC, and when you can make the check may varry. Typically, a Ki Action check is a free action.
Sprint
DC: 15 + 1 per additional point by which you multiply your Running distance
When you are running, you can increase the number by which your speed is multiplied, by a max of (your wisdom modifier).
Run On The Walls
DC: 20, or 30 for running on a cieling.
With a successful check, you can move on a vertical surface, as long as you are barefoot. Make a check for every 5 feet traveled, if you succeed, travel as if it were a normal surface. If you fail, you can still travel the distance, but you lose 5 feet of altitude (possibly coming back to the ground). If you fail by 5 or more, you fall prone, and your turn ends. You may move up to (5xyour wisdom modifier) on the walls in a round. You must end the round in a normal position.
Ki Jump
DC: 15 (+2), 20 (+4), 25 (+6)
You may make a Ki Jump any time you would make a normal jump or tumble check. If you succeed, you gain the listed bonus to the check, and your jumping distance is not limited by height for the purposes of that check.
Ki Charge
DC: Target's AC
When you make a charge ending in an Unarmed strike, you may make a Ki Action check to gain one free martial Arts check that does not require the use of an attack.
Tread on Air
DC: 25
When you make a jump check, you may make a Tread on Air check to turn up to 90° in the middle of your jump. This action can be performed only once per jump.
Harmless Fall
DC 15 per 10' of fall ignored
Like tumble and jump, you can also use this skill to ignore falling damage, provided that you are within 10' of a wall.
Special: Ki Action checks can not be made while wearing Medium or Heavy armor. Monks are considered trained, even if they do not have ranks in this skill.
And then come the Fighting Styles. Fighting Styles (or is it Stiles? I can never remember...) are not feats, but characters have the option of choosing one when they first gain ranks in Martial Arts. Monks may choose one at any level, even if they dont have ranks yet.
Power
Prerequisite: Str 15+
Instead of using Dexterity as a key ability, for you, Martial Arts has Strength as it's key ability. You gain a +1 bonus to all offensive Martial Arts rolls, but a -1 penalty to all defensive Martial Arts rolls.
Mind
Prerequisite: Wis 15+
Instead of using Dexterity as a key ability, for you, Martial Arts has Wisdom as it's key ability.
Defensive
Prerequisite: Dex 15+
If you have 5 or more ranks in Tumble, you gain a +2 bonus on all defensive Martial Arts checks.
I'd love suggestions for more (and maybe more complex) fighting styles.
Yes, Yes, I know, the Monk kinda already does get these abilities without a skill (Improved Trip, Leap of the Clouds, Fast Movement, Slow Fall), but now anyone can do it (even though the monk is still better!).
Basically, I based this entire system off of one scene in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, with an amazing amount of really cool martial arts. (you know, when the ninja-chick steals the sword, and then the older chick that likes the guy who owns the sword goes after her, and........never mind.)
Anyone have ideas of more skills to go with this system?
More fighting styles?
Maybe some cool feats?
Maybe you think this idea is trash, and would like to say it?
Or you think that this is the most superb idea in the universe, and want to give me money?
Please, no one say "but Jeph, this is exactly like the Trip, Bullrush, and disarm actions, along with a bunch of Monk abilities, combined!" because, as you can see, I know. I do have good reasons, If you ask for them, I'll probably have them thought up by the time of your request.
-Jeph
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