Pillars of Faith by William Adams

Martial Arts of Athas

Athasian Martial Arts
On the burning sands beneath the Dark Sun live the deadliest fighters of any world. These practitioners of the deadly arts have created many new and bewildering forms of destroying an opponent. Athasian Martial Arts are like their practitioners, extreme. There are no Hard/Soft styles in the Athasian philosophy. Those styles that combined Hard and Soft elements were divided long ago into styles reflecting the diverse elements of the form. These differing styles combined into the schools of Athasian Martial Arts.
Though these martial arts are certainly deadly in the hands of any warrior, it is the Sensei Psionicists who are the true masters of the deadly arts. It was the Sensei who formalized the different styles into schools. It was also the Sensei who associated each school with an element and they were the first to contact elemental lords without being elemental priests.
Martial arts Specialization: Only Sensei and Single class Warriors may specialize in Martial Arts. Sensei and Gladiators begin with basic level proficiency in Martial Arts. All other character classes must acquire basic proficiency in Martial Arts before they can learn Advanced Martial Arts. Martial Arts Specialization is distinct from Advanced Martial Arts and should not be confused. Martial Arts Specialization concentrates on improving the basic capabilities of attacking and killing an opponent. It concerns itself with the basic attack moves known to all Martial Artists and with improving their execution until it is automatic and flawless. Advanced Martial Arts focuses on the wider capabilities of the body.
Benefits of Specialization: Specialists gain a +1 to hit and damage for every slot after the first devoted to martial arts. This bonus applies to the Martial Arts table results just like the +4 bonus Gladiators receive to choose the result and is in addition to this bonus. The damage bonus is cumulative with strength and any other modifiers. Specialists also receive extra attacks per round. Single class Warriors use the table below provided that at least two slots have been spent on Martial Arts Specialization.:

Level	No/AT.	Level	No/AT.
1-6	2/1	13-18	3/1
7-12	5/2	19+	7/2

Extra attacks can be gained through increased Specialization by spending additional slots. Thes extra attacks can be aquired by any character who specializes in martial arts.

Slots Devoted	Add. No/AT.
2	0
3-4	1/2
5	1
6	3/2

Advanced Martial Arts: Martial Artist study advanced martial arts to aquire a greater appreciation of their own capabilities and to become masters at their art. Any gladiator can become a killing machine with specialization in basic forms but only a master can teach students and reach unity with the elemental lords. Each school of Athasian Martial Arts is aligned with an element and seeks to imitate the properties of that element. Each school is divided into Soft and Hard styles that emulate the hard and soft properties of the element seperately. Athasian Martial Artists prefer to learn one soft and one hard style, usually from the same school but variations are possible giving rise to the Para-elemental schools. The Martial Artist generally learns the soft style of his school first during his early carreer while he is more vulnerable to attack and the hard style later when he can dedicate himself to the more esoteric and subtle forms of his art. Masters of the martial arts on Athas will teach soft styles first and hard styles after the student has mastered from four to nine mauevers in the soft style.
Advanced Martial Arts provide one extra attack per round regardless of style or proficiency. This extra attack is added directly to the number of attacks per round conferred by specialization and level.
Advanced Martial Arts Special Manuevers: To aquire Special Manuevers a Martial Artists must have proficeincy in a Martial Arts style that teaches that manuever, a teacher willing to teach him and a proficiency slot available to devote to the manuever.
Special note: Under D&D 3rd edition all these Martial Arts Proficiencies become Feats and are adjucated accordingly. In most cases there are 3rd edition Feats that cover the same area or that produce a similar or superior effect to that shown here.
Aquiring extra slots (Optional): When studying advanced martial arts a student may earn earn extra proficiency slots whenever he advances in level by spending experience from his experience point total for each slot. The experience point cost is paid immediately upon rising in level and if this would lower the experience point total to below the minimum required to rise in level then the level is not gained and the manuevers are gained only after the character achieves the desired level. No more than 3 slots can be aquired at each level not counting weapon and non-weapon proficiency slots. A minimum of 1 week +1 week per level of the manuever must be spent under the tutelage of a Master who possesses the manuever in addition to the experience cost.

Level sought	Experience cost per Manuever
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11+	100 200 400 800 2,000 4,000 8,000 15,000 28,000 +30,000/add. level

To be considered a Master of a style a Martial Artist must know at least nine manuevers in his chosen style. To be considered a Master of a School a Martial Artist must know at least twelve manuevers in each of the styles of his chosen school and have taught Martial Arts to one student for each level of experience he has achieved. Each student must at least be a Master of one style before he is done.

School and Style Table
School	(Style)	#AT.	Dmg.	AC Mod.	Principal Attack	Special Maneuvers	Weapons Allowed
Air	Breeze	+1	1 pt.	-3	Legs (Move)	Block: 1, 2 Dodge: 1, 2, 3 Kick: 1, 2 Movement: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 Push: 2, 3 Throw: 1, 2 Weapon: 1 Mental: 1, 2, 3 Physical: 3	All Slashing Type and Bow weapons
	Storm	+1	1d3	-1	Body (Throw)	Block: 3, 6 Dodge: 4 Kick: 4, 5 Lock: 1, 4 Push: 4 Strike: 4 Throw: 3, 4, 5 Weapon: 7 Mental: 4, 5, 8, 9 Physical: 4, 6	All Slashing Type and Bow weapons
Fire	Blaze	+1	1d2	-3	Hands (Strike)	Block: 1, 3, 4 Dodge: 2, 3, 4 Kick: 1, 3 Movement: 1, 3, 4, 5 Push: 1 Strike: 1, 2, 3, 4 Throw: 1, 2 Weapon: 1, 3 Physical: 2	All Piercing Type and Thrown weapons
	Inferno	+1	1d4	-1	Hands/ Feet (Vital)	Block: 6 Kick: 5 Lock: 1, 3 Movement: 6, 7, 8, 9 Vital: 1, 2, 3, 4 Weapon: 5, 6 Mental: 2, 5, 8 Physical: 3, 4, 5, 6	All Piercing Type and Thrown weapons
Earth	Sand	+1	1d2	-3	Body (Throw)	Block: 1, 2 Kick: 1, 3 Lock: 1, 3 Movement: 3, 4 Push: 1, 2 Throw: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Mental: 1, 2, 3 Physical: 1, 2, 4	All Blunt Type and Sling weapons
	Stone	+1	1d4	-1	Hands (Block)	Block: 3, 4, 5, 6 Dodge: 4 Movement: 5, 8, 9 Push: 4 Strike: 1, 2, 3 Vital: 1, 2 Weapon: 3, 4 Mental: 6, 8 Physical: 5, 7	All Blunt Type and Sling weapons
Water	Oasis	+1	1 pt.	-3	Legs (Dodge)	Block: 1, 2 Dodge: 1, 2, 3, 4 Kick: 1, 3 Lock: 1 Movement: 1, 2, 3, 4 Push: 1, 2, 3 Throw: 1, 2, 3 Weapon: 2 Mental: 1, 2, 3	All Entangling Type and Chain weapons
	River	+1	1d3	-1	Body (Lock)	Block: 3, 4, 5 Kick: 4 Lock: 2, 3, 4 Movement: 7, 8, 9 Push: 4 Strike: 2, 4 Throw: 4, 5 Vital: 4 Weapon: 3, 4 Mental: 6, 8 Physical: 1, 2, 4, 7	All Entangling Type and Chain weapons

Special Maneuvers for Athasian Martial Arts

Maneuver	Effects
Principal Method: Block
1. Basic Parry	Blocks 1 melee attack.
2. Parry All	Costs 2 attacks; Blocks all melee attacks.
3. Weapon’s Length	Maintains opponent out of melee range.
4. Riposte	Costs 2 attacks; Blocks 1st attack and allows immediate counterattack.
5. Grappling Block	Blocks 1 melee attack; Pins weapon.
6. Arrow Parry	Costs 2 attacks; Blocks all missile attacks.
Principal Method: Dodge
1. Basic Dodge	Dodges 1 melee or thrown weapon attack.
2. Dodge All	Costs 2 attacks; Dodges all melee or thrown weapon attacks.
3. Circular Dodge	Dodges 1st melee attack; Puts defender behind opponent.
4. Inside Dodge Dodges	1st melee attack; Negates unarmed vs. armed penalties.
Principal Method: Kick
1. Circle Kick	Adds 1d2 hp to basic damage.
2. Flying Kick	Leap: Adds 1d4 hp to basic damage.
3. Backward Kick	Kick rear opponent; Basic damage.
4. Flip Kick	Adds 1d4 hp to basic damage.
5. Scissor Kick	Attacks two opponents with one kick; -2 to hit.
Principal Method: Lock
1. Choke Hold	Takes +1 rounds; Victim passes out.
2. Locking Block	Pins weapon/limb; +4 to hit with all other attacks.
3. Incapacitator	Add 1d4 hp to basic damage; limb useless.
4. Immobilizing	Victim immobilized.
Principal Method: Movement
1. Feint	Costs extra attack; +3 to hit.
2. Parting Blow	Opponent cannot counterstrike; Full movement allowed.
3. Drive	Forces opponent back 1ft./level; Add length of weapon if any.
4. Prone Fighting	Suffers no kneeling/sitting/prone penalties.
5. Immovability	Save vs. Paralyzation not to budge.
6. Leap	Leap 4 ft. up 3ft. forward +1 ft./level from standing start; Leap 8 ft. up 10ft. forward +1 ft./level from running start.
7. Speed	Check vs. Dexterity -result on 1d20; Result �4 = extra #of attacks.
8. Slow Resistance	Immune to Slow spells.
9. Light Foot	Run over liquid or semiliquid surfaces; 1 round per level.
Principal Method: Push
1. Slam	Adds 1d3 hp to basic damage; Save vs. Paralyzation or Knockdown.
2. Concentrated Push	Push foe 1 ft./level; Knockdown if pushed over 3 ft.
3. Sticking Touch	While touching, +2 to hit, -2 to AC.
4. One Finger Push	Concentrated Push at range.
Principal Method: Strike
1. Iron Fist	1d6 hp damage plus Strength bonuses with blows.
2. Crushing Blow	Breaks inanimate objects; 1 attack /round; Adds half level to basic damage.
3. Eagle Claw	1d8 hp damage plus Strength bonuses; 1 attack /round.
4. Razor Slash	1d4 hp damage; Bleeds for 1 hp/round for 1 round/level additional damage.
Principal Method: Throw
1. Fall	Takes half damage from falls.
2. Instant Stand	Negates 1 round penalty for Knockdown.
3. Trip	Knockdown; Save vs. Paralyzation to avoid.
4. Hurl	Throws target 1d4 ft.; Adds 1d4 hp to basic damage.
5. Great Throw	Throws target 1 ft./level; 2x basic damage.
Principal Method: Vital Area
1. Pain Touch	Victim is at -2 to hit and +2 to AC for 1d3 rounds.
2. Stunning Touch	Save vs. Paralyzation or be stunned for 1d4 rounds.
3. Paralyzing Touch	Save at -2 or be Paralyzed for 2d4 rounds.
4. Distance Death	Pain, stunning, paralyzation or 2x basic damage at a range of 1 ft./level.
Principal Method: Weapon
1. Fast Draw	+2 to surprise foe; Negates surprise for ambush.
2. Entangle	Pins foe; Roll strength vs. strength to escape.
3. Stun	Save vs. Paralyzation or be stunned for damage - Constitution rounds (minimum 1 round).
4. Weapon Breaker	Automatically breaks normal weapons.
5. Hit Location	Negates initiative penalty; Called shot at -3 to hit.
6. Secondary Weapon	Use second weapon of same size at -2 to hit (no penalty if ambidextrous).
7. Steel Cloth	Use 6 to 10 ft. cloth as a normal spear.
Mental Training
1. Meditation	1 hour meditation = 2 hours of sleep.
2. All Around Sight	Aware of rear and flank attacks; Negates rear and flank bonuses.
3. Blind Fighting	Penalty is -1 to hit when fighting without sight.
4. Mental Resistance	+2 to saves vs. Mind affecting spells and Telepathic powers.
5. Study	Adds +1 to Intelligence, up to racial maximum.
6. Judgement	Adds +1 to Wisdom, up to racial maximum.
7. Courtesy	Adds +1 to Charisma, up to racial maximum.
8. Chi’ Attacks	Can hit as a magical weapon.
9. Levitation	Floats 5 ft./round/experience level.
Physical Training
1. Ironskin	-2 to AC when not wearing armor.
2. Resist Unconcsiousness	Remains active after knockout, sleep, paralysis or negative hp (up to -9).
3. Perception	+2 bonus to Surprise; +2 bonus to perception based proficiencies or +10% where applicable.
4. Health Training	+1d8 hp to hp total; Add +1 hp per level thereafter.
5. Exercise	Adds +1 to Strength, up to racial maximum.
6. Balance	Adds +1 to Dexterity, up to racial maximum.
7. Endurance	Adds +1 to Constitution, up to racial maximum.