Spycraft: Your Kung Fu is strong...

Kannik

Legend
Greetings all,

Well, I'm fortunate enough to be starting in a new Spycraft game come this friday. Alas, I am not fortunate enough to be able to track down a copy of the Pan-Asian Collective at any of the LGSs in this area, and thus shall not have it before friday. Why do I want the PAC you ask? Why, I was thinking of playing an agent with a strong martial arts bent, of course. };)

You can all guess what my next questions will be. }:)

What is included (mostly feats wise, I'm guessing) in PAC that really enhances the martial artist (and/or how hampered would I be in not looking through/having the GM use the book)?

What are the features of the base martial artist class in PAC?


Even if I wasn't reluctant to purchase the book online w/o seeing it first, there's pretty small chance I'd receive it before the friday game... so any info anyone wishes to divulge (this is, after all, a spy environment) would help me a tonne. }:)

Thanks,

Kannik
 

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Kannik said:
Greetings all,
What are the features of the base martial artist class in PAC?
Assuming that AEG can get the SFA site up in time, you can get the preview info from that site. Otherwise, bug the Spycraft forums.
 

I think I can help :).

Martial Artist
This is a base class.
While there are many who practice one of the many martial arts that permeate the traditions of the orient, there are those special few who devote themselves to “the Art”, rising above the casual student to demonstrate a remarkable fusion of body, mind, and spirit. The Conspiracy has long realized that such individuals can contribute greatly to the pact’s goals, and seek to recruit them whenever and wherever possible. In addition to their formidable fighting abilities, martial artists bring a sense of discipline and composure to the team, displaying the utmost ability of the unaugmented human form.
Abilities: As physical combatants, Strength is the essential ability for the martial artist. Agents will also benefit from Constitution (for staying power) and Intelligence (for skills).
Vitality: 1d10 plus Constitution modifier per level

Class Skills
The martial artist's class skills and key abilities are listed below (see Spycraft, page 40, for skill descriptions):

Class Skill (Key Ability)
Balance (Dex)
Climb (Str)
Concentration (Wis)
Craft (Int)
Driver (Dex)
First Aid (Wis)
Handle Animal (Cha)
Hide (Dex)
Intimidate (Str or Cha)
Jump (Str)
Knowledge (Int)
Perform (Wis)
Profession (Wis)
Sense Motive (Wis)
Sport (Str or Dex)
Spot (Wis)
Survival (Wis)
Swim (Str)
Tumble (Dex)
Use Rope (Dex)

Skill Points at 1st level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the martial artist.

Starting Feats: The martial artist begins play with the following feats.
Armor Group Proficiency (Light)
Weapon Group Proficiency (Melee)
Weapon Group Proficiency (Hurled)
Weapon Group Proficiency (Exotic/archaic)
Weapon Group Proficiency (Exotic/martial arts)
Martial Arts

Unyielding: The martial artist is able to both deal and withstand remarkable amounts of punishment due to his extensive conditioning. Whenever the agent spends an action die to recover vitality, he rolls two dice instead of one. Further, the refresh action is a half action for the martial artist. This is the martial artist’s core ability.
Martial Arts: At 1st level the martial artist gains an additional feat from either the melee combat or unarmed combat feat trees. He must still meet all prerequisites for the feat before selecting it, including minimum ability scores and base attack bonus requirements. Martial Arts feat. If the agent already has the Martial Arts feat, he gains
Life of Discipline: The martial artist is devoted to a deeper, more spiritual understanding of combat. At 2nd level the martial artist receives the Discipline of the Body feat.
All prerequisites for this feat – including agent level and other feats – are waived for this agent.
Bonus Feat: At 3rd level, the martial artist gains an additional feat from either the melee combat or unarmed combat feat trees. He must still meet all prerequisites for the feat before selecting it, including minimum ability scores and base attack bonus requirements. He gains an addition melee or unarmed combat feat at 5th level.
Ploy: At 4th level, the martial artist receives one of the following abilities of his choice.
Great Sweep: The martial artist gains a +4 competence bonus to attack rolls and Strength checks when performing a trip action. This is a ‘named’ unarmed combat ability (see the Spycraft Espionage Handbook, page 78 for restrictions on this ability).
Improved Disarm: The martial artist gains the Improved Disarm feat.
Provoke: The martial artist gains a +4 competence bonus to Bluff checks when using the taunt action.
Quake Strike: As a full action the agent may make a single trip attempt against all adjacent opponents, which may only be opposed by the opponents’ Balance skill check. If any of these attempts fail, the martial artist does not face a trip attempt in return. This is a ‘named’ unarmed combat ability (see the Spycraft Espionage Handbook, page 78 for restrictions on this ability).
Side Step: The martial artist gains the Side Step feat.
Still Standing: The martial artist gains a +6 circumstance bonus to Fortitude saves to remain standing after being hit by an attack with the takedown quality.
Strut: After scoring a threat or critical with a successful melee or unarmed attack, the martial artist may spend his next half action posturing. He gains one action die of the standard type for his level (without the accompanying XP reward). If this bonus action die is not spent before the end of the current combat, it is lost.

The Martial Artist
Code:
	Base	Fort	Ref	Will	Def	Init	BP	GP
Lvl	Att 	Save	Save	Save	Bonus	Bonus			Special
1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	+1	1	0	Starting Feats, Martial Arts, [i]Unyielding[/i]
2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+2	+1	2	1	Life of discipline (body)
3	+3	+2	+2	+2	+3	+2	3	1	Bonus feat
4	+4	+2	+2	+2	+3	+2	4	2	Centering +3, Ploy
5	+5	+3	+3	+3	+4	+3	5	2	Bonus feat

New Unarmed Combat Feats
Rolling Basics
You have trained in several styles that focus on mobility.
Benefit: Tumble is always considered a class skill for this agent. This feat also grants the agent the following abilities:
Roll: The agent may take an additional 5-ft. bonus step before making an unarmed attack.
Sway: After a successful unarmed attack, the agent gains a +2 bonus to his defense against attacks by that opponent until the agent’s next action.

Rolling Mastery
You are able to combine the motions of several different martial arts styles.
Prerequisites: Martial Arts, Rolling Basics, base attack bonus +3 or higher.
Benefit: This feat grants the agent the following abilities.
Cartwheel: The agent may make a charge attack ending in an unarmed attack as a half action. However, the defense penalty lasts until the agent’s first action the following round.
Bound: After a successful unarmed attack, the agent may immediately move to any other unoccupied square adjacent to the target.

Vital Point Basics
You have trained in the fundamentals of striking human vital points.
Benefit: First Aid is always considered a class skill for this agent. This feat also grants the agent the following abilities:
Atemi: The agent may strike his opponent’s vital points and energy centers. This attack does subdual damage, but if a threat is rolled, the attack also inflicts the attacker’s choice of one point of temporary Strength, Dexterity or Wisdom damage.
Spike: The agent’s threat range with this attack is increased by 1.

Vital Point Mastery
You have mastered a variety of styles that employ vital points and may combine this knowledge to virtually control the bodies of others.
Prerequisites: Martial Arts, Vital Point Basics, base attack bonus +3 or higher.
Benefit: This feat grants the agent the following abilities:
Nerve jam: This attack does subdual damage, but if a threat is rolled, the attack also paralyzes the target for one full round.
Vitalize: The agent may use his knowledge of vital points to heal. As a full round action, the agent may restore 1 wound and 1d6 vitality to himself or an adjacent agent. This ability may only target an agent once per session.

There's another 30+ unarmed combat feats and nearly 40 new melee combat feats, and a few other goodies for martial arts-type besides.
 

If you want martial arts madness, you DEFINITELY want PAC. It turns the kung-fu master from an interesting alternative into a serious bad-@$$. The down-side is that most of the real scary stuff is very feat-intensive, so don't expect to be scaring people below 6th level.

My personal recommendation is to take your first two levels as soldier. IMHO, the soldier's core ability is better, and the DR is hard to beat (though Discipline of the Body is VERY nice).

Of the departments in the basic book, Wetworks is the obvious choice. But, don't rule out Military Ops or Black Ops. They both have some significant advantages. As I don't know what other books you have, I won't go into the crazy number of choices available (esp. in Sol/Whl and Fix/Ptm).
 

Eeeeexcellent, thank you all }:> It certainly sounds as though PAC is not an option of I want to get into the kung fu goodness -- though how quicky I need to get it will I guess depend on what level our agents will begin the campaign. }:)

Corinth -- Hopefully the SFA site does return, if they have a preview there. I found the board, and will post there too. }:)

Morgenstern -- That rocks, thanks a tonne! }:) The class looks pretty good those first few levels... as do the rolling feats, though I would've called it something different (mobility basics or the like). I really want to try to play a MA dude now...

Lugh -- I have the Sold/Whe guide (in another Spycraft campaign that is on hold I'm playing a Wheelman (helecopter pilot, really)), so, fire away with suggestions from there. }:)

Maybe I'll luck out and the LGS will have picked up copies by friday...

Kannik
 

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