Hadrian_Emrys
2008-05-08, 11:56 AM
Yeah... I've made a few small changes to the basic setup of the techniques. To understand the tweaks: at level 1, you gain access to the "General" style and an attribute based style. At levels 4, 8, 12, 16,and 20, you gain an additional attribute style. Each attribute style gained after the first comes with a built in mastery level penalty of (class level - 1). (So, at level 4, your mastery levels would look like: General 4, 1st attribute 4, and second attribute 1.) While I am stealing the martial maneuvers mechanic from the ToB for this, I LOATHE the fluff that goes with it (it's too "stupid anime" as opposed to "well done wuxia"). Thus, I'm making 7 new "schools" (in the form of styles) that are crunch based as opposed to fluff based. So... without further ado, here's the next rough draft for kicker abilities one may obtain by selecting certain styles. Any input I can get would be greatly appreciated:
Edit:
Styles:
General Self-Mastery, Unarmed Strike
Strength Living Weapon
Dexterity Flurry of Blows
Constitution
Intelligence Adaptive Strike
Wisdom
Charisma Force of Personality
Self Mastery (Ex): When he does not have magical weapons or armor equipped, a martial artist adds a number to his AC equal how many attribute styles he has access to. This bonus to AC applies even against touch attacks or when the martial artist is flat-footed. He loses this bonus when he is immobilized or helpless, when he is equipped with any magical (by means not granted by this class) weapons or armor, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.
Unarmed Strike (Ex): A martial artist gains proficiency, and deals extra damage, with unarmed attacks. The damage die type used for medium creatures with this ability is 1d6 at level 1. Each time a martial artist gains access to an additional attribute style, his unarmed damage increases. The progression is as follows: d8 with 2 styles, d10 with 3, 2d6 with 4, 2d8 with 5, and 2d10 once he has access to them all. (A martial artist deals unarmed strike damage in addition to the base damage of any non-magical weapon he has equipped so long as he is under the effects of the self-mastery ability.)
At 1st level, a martial artist gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A martial artist’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from a head butt, elbows, knees, or feet. This means that a martial artist may even make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a martial artist striking unarmed. A martial artist may thus apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes.
Usually a martial artist’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but he can choose to deal non-lethal damage instead, with no penalty on his attack roll. He has the same choice to deal lethal or non-lethal damage while grappling.
A martial artist’s unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.
Living Weapon (Ex): A martial artist’s unarmed strike is treated as a two-handed weapon whenever it is beneficial to do so.
Flurry of Blows (Ex): While under the effects of self-mastery, a martial artist may use the flurry of blows ability. When doing so, he may make one extra attack in a round at his highest base attack bonus, but this attack takes a -2 penalty, as does each other attack made that round. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it also affects attacks of opportunity the martial artist might make before his next action. When a martial artist reaches gains access to a second attribute style, the penalty lessens to -1, and when he gains access to a third it disappears. A martial artist can use either a standard or a full attack action to strike with a flurry of blows.
When using flurry of blows, a martial artist may attack only with unarmed strikes or with weapons he is proficient with. He may attack with unarmed strikes and weapons interchangeably as desired. When using weapons as part of a flurry of blows, a martial artist applies his Strength bonus (not Str bonus × 1½ or ×½) to his damage rolls for all successful attacks, whether he wields a weapon in one or both hands.
In the case of the double weapons, each end counts as a separate weapon for the purpose of using the flurry of blows ability. Even though the weapon requires two hands to use, a martial artist may still intersperse unarmed strikes with weapon strikes, assuming that he has enough attacks in his flurry of blows routine to do so.
When a martial artist gains access to four or more attribute schools, his flurry of blows ability improves. In addition to the standard single extra attack he gets from flurry of blows, he gets a second extra attack at his full base attack bonus.
Adaptive Strike (Ex): As a free action, a martial artist may declare at the beginning of their turn that they are using the Adaptive Strike ability. This ability alters unarmed strikes so that they can deal bludgeoning, slashing, and/or piercing damage in addition to possibly being treated as silver, cold iron, and/or adamantine. A martial artist gains one of these options for every attribute style they have access to. (For example: Jinzo, a 4th level martial artist, has access to the Strength and Intelligence styles, and he has already taken the adamantine option. His pick, this level, is slashing. Thus, when he declares his unarmed strike to be Adaptive, it deals damage as though it were a slashing adamantine weapon.) Once this ability’s use is declared, its effects last until the beginning of your next turn.
Force of Personality (Ex): A martial artist gains Spell Resistance with a DC of 10 + class level + Cha.
Edit:
Styles:
General Self-Mastery, Unarmed Strike
Strength Living Weapon
Dexterity Flurry of Blows
Constitution
Intelligence Adaptive Strike
Wisdom
Charisma Force of Personality
Self Mastery (Ex): When he does not have magical weapons or armor equipped, a martial artist adds a number to his AC equal how many attribute styles he has access to. This bonus to AC applies even against touch attacks or when the martial artist is flat-footed. He loses this bonus when he is immobilized or helpless, when he is equipped with any magical (by means not granted by this class) weapons or armor, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.
Unarmed Strike (Ex): A martial artist gains proficiency, and deals extra damage, with unarmed attacks. The damage die type used for medium creatures with this ability is 1d6 at level 1. Each time a martial artist gains access to an additional attribute style, his unarmed damage increases. The progression is as follows: d8 with 2 styles, d10 with 3, 2d6 with 4, 2d8 with 5, and 2d10 once he has access to them all. (A martial artist deals unarmed strike damage in addition to the base damage of any non-magical weapon he has equipped so long as he is under the effects of the self-mastery ability.)
At 1st level, a martial artist gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A martial artist’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from a head butt, elbows, knees, or feet. This means that a martial artist may even make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a martial artist striking unarmed. A martial artist may thus apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes.
Usually a martial artist’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but he can choose to deal non-lethal damage instead, with no penalty on his attack roll. He has the same choice to deal lethal or non-lethal damage while grappling.
A martial artist’s unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.
Living Weapon (Ex): A martial artist’s unarmed strike is treated as a two-handed weapon whenever it is beneficial to do so.
Flurry of Blows (Ex): While under the effects of self-mastery, a martial artist may use the flurry of blows ability. When doing so, he may make one extra attack in a round at his highest base attack bonus, but this attack takes a -2 penalty, as does each other attack made that round. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it also affects attacks of opportunity the martial artist might make before his next action. When a martial artist reaches gains access to a second attribute style, the penalty lessens to -1, and when he gains access to a third it disappears. A martial artist can use either a standard or a full attack action to strike with a flurry of blows.
When using flurry of blows, a martial artist may attack only with unarmed strikes or with weapons he is proficient with. He may attack with unarmed strikes and weapons interchangeably as desired. When using weapons as part of a flurry of blows, a martial artist applies his Strength bonus (not Str bonus × 1½ or ×½) to his damage rolls for all successful attacks, whether he wields a weapon in one or both hands.
In the case of the double weapons, each end counts as a separate weapon for the purpose of using the flurry of blows ability. Even though the weapon requires two hands to use, a martial artist may still intersperse unarmed strikes with weapon strikes, assuming that he has enough attacks in his flurry of blows routine to do so.
When a martial artist gains access to four or more attribute schools, his flurry of blows ability improves. In addition to the standard single extra attack he gets from flurry of blows, he gets a second extra attack at his full base attack bonus.
Adaptive Strike (Ex): As a free action, a martial artist may declare at the beginning of their turn that they are using the Adaptive Strike ability. This ability alters unarmed strikes so that they can deal bludgeoning, slashing, and/or piercing damage in addition to possibly being treated as silver, cold iron, and/or adamantine. A martial artist gains one of these options for every attribute style they have access to. (For example: Jinzo, a 4th level martial artist, has access to the Strength and Intelligence styles, and he has already taken the adamantine option. His pick, this level, is slashing. Thus, when he declares his unarmed strike to be Adaptive, it deals damage as though it were a slashing adamantine weapon.) Once this ability’s use is declared, its effects last until the beginning of your next turn.
Force of Personality (Ex): A martial artist gains Spell Resistance with a DC of 10 + class level + Cha.