July 2020 – Tentacle Greg

Splitting River Style for Art of War

The goal of the style is to wear down patience and remove aggressive attacks of foes. #SavageWorlds

Splitting River

Element: Water

Opposing School: +1 vs Fire styles

A stream that flows with heavy rain can become a creek that smooths stones. In time a creek can grow into a river cutting through a deep canyon. Should a boulder block a river’s path, it flows around the obstacle wearing it down over time. Inspired by examples in these proverbs, Soji the Koi would develop the Splitting River to work in conjunction with another or as an individual. The goal of the style is to wear down patience and remove aggressive attacks of foes.

Benefit: Once per round, on a successful Jutsu (Unarmed) roll a martial artist can reduce her Str damage by a die type, but can choose to have the opponent become Distracted or Vulnerable.

Mastery: While in this stance and benefiting from Ganging Up, once per round, a failed attack against an ally triggers a counterattack from you as a Free Action.

Basabasa Style in Art of War

You will be chicken feed! HI-YA!

Basabasa Beak

Element: Fire

Opposing School: +1 vs Metal styles

Before domestication, humanoids would study cower at the sight and sounds of battling basabasa over territory and matting rites. This style mimics the fiery attitude that comes along with the shredding capacity of a giant fowl’s beak and razor-sharp claws. It teaches straight forward strikes in quick rapid succession that can pierce the strongest armor.

Benefit: All fist and headbutt attacks with Jutsu (Unarmed) have AP 4 and are treated as Heavy Weapons.

Mastery: Strength die on damage from fist and headbutt attacks is increased by a die type (max 1d12+3).

Soft Paw Monkey Style in Art of War

Fearing reprisal from an angry cat kami, clergy of prayed for a solution. The Monkey King answered.

Here for Forging Steel. Below for another unarmed style in Art of War.

Soft Paw Monkey

Element: Wood

Opposing School: +1 vs Rock styles

Fearing reprisal from an angry cat kami, clergy of Meridian Temple prayed for a solution. To the luck of Buxist and sohei of the temple, the Monkey King answered the call bringing with him a horde of primates to an early morning training session. Soft Paw Monkey style combined the playful rambunctiousness of the monkeys with irritated swipes and bites. With climbing and jumping from high places, the temple guardians held against the possessed cats without doing them harm.

Benefit: Once per turn, maintaining this style grants a reroll to Athletic and Acrobatics rolls for movement (springing off walls, climbing, jumping, etc) or a reroll Test to throw, disarm, or trip foes.

Mastery: Springing up from Prone takes 1” of movement. If a martial artist falls, jumps, or drops from a higher elevation to attack a foe, the first 2” of Falling damage is ignored and is instead applied to the damage roll of a successful attack.

Jutsu (Unarmed) in Art of War

A look at an Unarmed Fighting Style that combines steel and fist.

Jutsu (Agility)

Race Terracotta Jutsu represents a set of focused training in a category of melee instruments. Jutsu follows all the rules of Fighting skill but uses rules as if the Skill Specialization setting rule was in place. When a character uses a weapon not encompassed within a Jutsu skill known he suffers a -2 penalty. Unlike Skill Specialization, each time a hero wishes to learn a new category through an Advance, it is counted as learning a new skill. Meaning, each Jutsu group is considered a separate skill.
The following categories are examples, but do not encompass the wide range of melee options available. Players and Narrators should be open to discuss adding, removing, cross grouping, or even creating new categories as needed to fit the campaign.

Jutsu (Unarmed): Way of the Empty Fist comes in many different forms and is taught
in many different styles. This is the skill for the unarmed martial artist who likes to get in close and personal in hand to hand combat. Proficiency: fist, foot, headbutt, shoulders, legs, elbows, knees, toes.

Edge:

Martial Arts Student
REQUIREMENTS: Novice, Jutsu (Unarmed) d6+
You are student taught in the Ways of the Fist or Open Palm. Learning a formalized style of unarmed combat gains the social benefit of being a full member of a community of common practice. Others of the same style will recognize you as an equal, if not a rival.
You gain the Benefit (but not the Mastery) from the martial aspects of the unarmed style learned. This comes with additional bonus to Jutsu (Unarmed) for overcoming opposing elemental styles. These can be found in the “Fighting Styles” section. When this Edge is gained, choose a fighting style for the Hero.

Martial Arts Master
REQUIREMENTS: Seasoned, Martial Arts Student, Jutsu (Unarmed) d8+
You have studied your style of martial arts for long enough to unlock the secrets of accomplished masters. You benefit from the Mastery level of a selected style you know.

Fighting Style:

Forging Steel

Element: Metal

Opposing School: +1 vs Wood styles

Forging Steel is a style taught to those who wish to combine blade and fist. One of the few unarmed styles that relies on at least one hand holding a manufactured weapon. Through exercise and meditation a martial artist of this style flows between weapon to unarmed strikes in seamless fashion landing stunning blows and quick cuts.

Benefit: Select a weapon (this can be a Trademark Weapon). When using this style and welding the weapon, the martial artist uses Jutsu (Unarmed) skill when making attacks with this weapon and unarmed attacks. Should this weapon be lost or broken, a martial artist must train everyday for at least one week (GM discretion) to use this style with a new weapon.

Mastery: The martial artist is considered Ambidextrous with the selected weapon and unarmed strikes and ignores Off-Hand penalties.