By Vince Garcia
Modifying the martial arts of Oriental Adventures
| Who may have martial arts? | - | - | - | Learning martial arts |
| Dragon | - | - | - | Dragon 139 |
T h e u n a r m e d f i g h t i n g
g u i d e l i n e s i n
A D & D ® Oriental
Adventures, while martial arts styles, leave a few gray areas
open to
subjective interpretation. For example, the
kensai has the option of specializing in an
unarmed fighting style, yet the table provided with the class description
is based entirely on the premise that the character decides
on perfecting the use of a melee weapon. It
isn?t clear if it is possible for a bushi to
choose an unarmed fighting style as a form
of weapon specialization, nor is it clear if a
character wanting to learn martial arts
shouldn?t have to meet one or more ability
score minimums (one has a difficult time
imagining a martial artist with a dexterity of
3 gracefully executing a circle kick maneuver!).
Unfortunately, the lack of integration in
the martial-arts rules causes problems if an
attempt is made to clarify and elaborate on
some of these gray areas. Suggesting, for
instance, that a prospective martial artist
possess at least a 10 or 12 dexterity,
while appearing to be a reasonable idea,
conflicts with the structure of at least one
class with a right to martial-arts abilities ?
the shukenja, which may be played with a
3 dexterity. The following article offers a
few guidelines and observations to clarify
the subject of martial arts in an Oriental
AD&D game campaign.
Who may learn martial arts?
The section in Oriental Adventures
entitled "Learning Martial Arts"
(page 105)
appears to suggest that any character with
an open proficiency slot may acquire
martial-arts ability if he can find a master
to study under. Of all character classes,
only two have an inalienable right to martial arts ? the monk and shukenja,
both of
whom begin at 1st level with martial-arts
abilities. The DM retains the final ruling
on whether game balance is best maintained by allowing other classes
to use
these skills, and one of the factors he
should consider when making this determination is how well martial-arts
skills fit
the character class in question.
Barbarians:
Oriental barbarians are
granted a large selection of skills and
allowable proficiency slots to cover their
many useful abilities acquired while growing up in a harsh and demanding
environment. Nowhere are martial arts mentioned
in the description of the class, and it is
reasonable to assume that the barbarian?s
exposure to the subject during childhood
was minimal at best. Because of this, it is
likely the barbarian would have little
motivation to invest time in such a
demanding regimen of training in a field
so foreign to his background. Certainly
nothing exists to prevent him from making
the attempt, but the DM must decide
whether commitment to learning and
practicing martial arts is done to the detriment of the barbarian?s
other talents.
Bushi:
The rules for weapon specialization do not specifically leave the bushi
with the option of choosing an unarmed
fighting style as a specialty. But since
unarmed fighting styles are listed as weapon proficiencies, it is possible
to allow the
bushi to specialize in one instead of in a
melee or missile weapon. To do this, however, requires some rule modifications,
for
the listed benefits of weapon specialization
function adequately when applied to missile or melee weapons but bear
no practical tie to unarmed fighting styles.
In developing guidelines to cover the
bushi, two facts listed in Oriental Adventures must
be considered. First, the bushi
must study under a master in order to
learn martial arts. Second, the character?s
specialty must be declared upon his initial
creation.
At the DM's discretion, the bushi may
have the privilege of entering the game
with an already chosen master, foregoing
the cumbersome process normally
entailed in finding such a tutor. To balance
this, the character should undergo a process of training prior to embarking
upon
t h e r o a d o f a d v e n t u
r e , w h i c h w o u l d
r e f l e c t a c h i l d h o o d
o r a d o l e s c e n c e d u r i n g
w h i c h t h e b u s h i a c q
u i r e d t h e b a s i c s o f
h i s
c h o s e n s t y l e f r o m a
r e l a t i v e o r a c q u a i n t a n c e
f u n c t i o n i n g a s t h e c h
a r a c t e r ? s m a s t e r .
In game terms, this could be done by
a l l o w i n g a p e r i o d o
f z e r o - l e v e l a d v e n t u r i n g
n o t u n l i k e t h a t o f
t h e Unearthed Arcana's
c a v a l i e r . D u
r i n g t h i s t i m e , t h e
b u s h i e a r n s
h i s ? f r e e ? m a s t e r b
y w o r k i n g t h r o u g h
e x p e r i e n c e - a n d h i t - p o i n
t p e n a l t i e s a s
s h o w n i n T a b l e 1 .
A t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f
t h i s
p e r i o d o f z e r o - l e v e l
a d v e n t u r i n g , t h e b u s h i
r e c e i v e s t h r e e p r o f i c i e n
c y s l o t s , t w o o f
w h i c h m u s t b e e x p e n
d e d t o a c q u i r e t h e
b a s i c s o f h i s s t y l e
. U p o n a t t a i n i n g 1 s t
l e v e l ,
t h e b u s h i r e c e i v e s
h i s f o u r t h p r o f i c i e n c y
s l o t w h i c h c a n b e
u s e d f o r t h e a c q u i s i t
i o n
o f a s p e c i a l m a n e u v
e r o r m a r t i a l - a r t s
w e a p o n t a u g h t u n d e r
t h e s t y l e . I n a d d i t i o
n , i f t h e b u s h i
e i t h e r t h e n o r a t
a l a t e r
t i m e g a i n s p r o f i c i e n c y
w i t h a m a r t i a l - a r t s
w e a p o n , h e w i l l b e
e n t i t l e d t o a b o n u s
o f
+ 1 t o h i t a n d
d a m a g e w h e n e m p l o y i n g
i t .
( T h i s b o n u s d o e s n o
t a p p l y t o a n y a
d d i t i o n a l w e a p o n s i n
w h i c h t h e b u s h i l a t e r
g a i n s p r o f i c i e n c y , n o r
t o w e a p o n s n o t u s e d
i n m a r t i a l a r t s . )
T a b l e 2 o u t l i n e s o t
h e r b o n u s e s t h a t c o u l
d
b e g r a n t e d t o t h e
b u s h i . T h e y i n c l u d e t
h e
a u t o m a t i c a c q u i s i t i o n o f
a s p e c i a l m a n e u v e r e v
e r y s i x l e v e l s ( w h i c h
d o e s n ? t a f f e c t
h i s o p t i o n o f o b t a i
n i n g m o r e t h r o u g h
e x p e n d i n g p r o f i c i e n c y s l
o t s ) a n d a m e n t a l
a n d p h y s i c a l t r a i n i n g
m a n e u v e r o f t h e
D M ? s c h o i c e e v e r y s
e v e n l e v e l s .
A s a f i n a l n o t e ,
t h e D M m u s t c o n s i d e r
c a r e f u l l y w h e t h e r t o
a l l o w a b u s h i s p e c i a l
i z e d w i t h a w e a p o n
t o g a i n m a r t i a l - a r t s
a b i l i t i e s a t s o m e l
a t e r p o i n t . W e a p o n s p
e c i a l i z a t i o n e n t a i l s f a r
m o r e t h a n m e r e l y
e x p e n d i n g e x t r a p r o f i c i e
n c y s l o t s t o g a i n
a
b o n u s ; t h e c h a r a c t e r
i s p r e s u m e d t o s p e n d
q u i t e a b i t o f
t i m e p r a c t i c i n g w i t h
h i s
c h o s e n w e a p o n , s p a r r i n g
a n d d e v e l o p i n g a
c o n f i d e n c e w i t h i t
a s h e l e a r n s i t s
v a r i o u s
n u a n c e s a n d t h e m o s
t e f f e c t i v e m e a n s o f
e m p l o y i n g i t . N o l e
s s a d e d i c a t i o n i s
r e q u i r e d t o p e r f e c t
a n y o f t h e m a r t i a l
a r t s ,
a n d i t i s r e a s o n a b l
e t o c o n s i d e r w h e t h e r
t h e c h a r a c t e r m a y h
a v e t h e t i m e t o
p u r s u e
b o t h w e a p o n and martial-arts
practice ?
especially in the case of a bushi who
spends much of his time adventuring.
Table 1
Alternate Bushi Experience and Hit Dice
| Experience points | Experience level | 10-sided dice for accumulated hit points |
| -750 - 0 | 0 | 1d6* |
| 1 - 1,500 | 1 | 1d4 |
| 1,501 - 3,000 | 2 | 1 |
| 3,001 - 6,000 | 3 | 2 |
| 6,001 - 14,000 | 4 | 3 |
| 14,001 - 30,000 | 5 | 4 |
| 30,001 - 60,000 | 6 | 5 |
| 60,001 - 120,000 | 7 | 6 |
| 120,001 - 240,000 | 8 | 7 |
| 240,001 - 480,000 | 9 | 8 |
| 480,001 - 710,000 | 10 | 8+2 |
| 710,001 - 1,000,000 | 11 | 8+4 |
| 1,000,001 - 1,250,000 | 12 | 8+6 |
250,000 points per level beyond 12
* Constitution adjustments are made at zero level. None are made at
1st level.
Table 2
Martial-Arts Specialist Bonuses for Bushi
| Experience level | Additional martial attacks | Additional martial damage | Special bonus |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | A |
| 2 | 1/3 | 0 | - |
| 3 | 1/3 | 0 | - |
| 4 | 1/3 | +1 | - |
| 5 | 1/3 | +1 | - |
| 6 | 1/2 | +1 | B |
| 7 | 1/2 | +1 | C |
| 8 | 1/2 | +2 | - |
| 9 | 1/2 | +2 | - |
| 10 | 1/1 | +2 | - |
| 11 | 1/1 | +2 | - |
| 12 | 1/1 | +3 | B |
| 13 | 1/1 | +3 | - |
| 14 | 2/1 | +3 | C |
Special bonus key
A. +1 to hit and damage with a single martial-arts weapon.
B. Gain special maneuver within style.
C. Gain mental and physical training maneuver of DM?s choice.
Kensai:
The kensai who chooses an
unarmed fighting style as his forte brings
up the same question as the bushi regarding whether he should enter
the game
with a previously chosen master. Unlike
the bushi, however, the kensai?s character
description does not require him to be,
under the tutelage of an instructor to
begin play with martial-arts proficiency.
Thus, the kensai character need not
undergo a period of zero-level adventuring
for a bonus that isn?t necessary. However,
the player and DM may favor zero-level
adventuring anyway, for certainly the
kensai requires supervised training to gain
any special maneuvers taught within his
particular style. Table 3 outlines an
experience-level modifier similar to the
b u s h i ? s i n t h e e v e n
t t h i s m e t h o d o f
a c q u i r i n g a m a s t e r i s
u s e d .
Table 3
Alternate Kensai Experience and Hit Dice
| Experience points | Experience level | 10-sided dice for accumulated hit points |
| -1,500 to 0 | 0 | 1d6* |
| 1 - 3,000 | 1 | 1d4 |
| 3,001 - 5,500 | 2 | 1 |
| 5,501 - 10,000 | 3 | 2 |
| 10,001 - 22,000 | 4 | 3 |
| 22,001 - 44,000 | 5 | 4 |
| 44,001 - 88,000 | 6 | 5 |
| 88,001 - 150,000 | 7 | 6 |
| 150,001 - 250,000 | 8 | 7 |
| 250,001 - 500,000 | 9 | 8 |
| 500,001 - 750,000 | 10 | 8+2 |
| 750,001 - 1,000,000 | 11 | 8+4 |
| 1,000,001 | 12 | 8+6 |
250,000 points per level beyond 12.
* Constitution adjustments are made at zero level. None are made at
1st level.
W h e t h e r o r n o t t h e
k e n s a i b e g i n s p l a y a t
z e r o o r 1 s t l e v e l ,
h e r e c e i v e s t h e b a s i c
s o f
h i s s t y l e w i t h o u t c
o s t a l o n g w i t h t h r e e
p r o f i c i e n c y s l o t s , o n e
o f w h i c h m a y b e
e x p e n d e d f o r m a r t i a l - a r t
s p u r p o s e s i f t h e
k e n s a i i s d e t e r m i n e d
t o h a v e a m a s t e r .
( T h i s d o e s n o t i n c l
u d e m a r t i a l - a r t s w e a p o n s
t a u g h t w i t h i n t h e s t y
l e , f o r t h e k e n s a i
s h o u l d r e a l i s t i c a l l y b e
a b l e t o s e l f - t r a i n i n
t h e s e w e a p o n s i f h e
d e s i r e s . F u r t h e r , f r o m
2 n d l e v e l o n , t h e
k e n s a i m a y e x p e n d u p
t o
t w o s l o t s p e r l e v e l
i n m a r t i a l a r t s . ) O t h
e r
s l o t s m a y b e e x p e n d
e d f o r p e a c e f u l p r o f i
c i e n c i e s , b u t i t i s
s u g g e s t e d t h a t u n t i l
t h e
k e n s a i h a s m a s t e r e d
a l l s p e c i a l m a n e u v e r s
a n d m a r t i a l - a r t s w e a p o n s
t a u g h t w i t h i n
t h e s t y l e , h e m a y
n o t g a i n p r o f i c i e n c y
i n
o t h e r w e a p o n s o r m a
r t i a l - a r t s s t y l e s .
W h e t h e r o r n o t t h e
k e n s a i b e g i n s p l a y a t
z e r o o r 1 s t l e v e l ,
h e r e c e i v e s t h e b a s i c
s o f
h i s s t y l e w i t h o u t c
o s t a l o n g w i t h t h r e e
p r o f i c i e n c y s l o t s , o n e
o f w h i c h m a y b e
e x p e n d e d f o r m a r t i a l - a r t
s p u r p o s e s i f t h e
k e n s a i i s d e t e r m i n e d
t o h a v e a m a s t e r .
( T h i s d o e s n o t i n c l
u d e m a r t i a l - a r t s w e a p o n s
t a u g h t w i t h i n t h e s t y
l e , f o r t h e k e n s a i
s h o u l d r e a l i s t i c a l l y b e
a b l e t o s e l f - t r a i n i n
t h e s e w e a p o n s i f h e
d e s i r e s . F u r t h e r , f r o m
2 n d l e v e l o n , t h e
k e n s a i m a y e x p e n d u p
t o
t w o s l o t s p e r l e v e l
i n m a r t i a l a r t s . ) O t h
e r
s l o t s m a y b e e x p e n d
e d f o r p e a c e f u l p r o f i
c i e n c i e s , b u t i t i s
s u g g e s t e d t h a t u n t i l
t h e
k e n s a i h a s m a s t e r e d
a l l s p e c i a l m a n e u v e r s
a n d m a r t i a l - a r t s w e a p o n s
t a u g h t w i t h i n
t h e s t y l e , h e m a y
n o t g a i n p r o f i c i e n c y
i n
o t h e r w e a p o n s o r m a
r t i a l - a r t s s t y l e s.
T a b l e 4 o u t l i n e s m a
r t i a l - a r t s b o n u s e s f o r
a k e n s a i p e r f e c t i n g
a n u n a r m e d f i g h t i n g
s t y l e . S o m e m o d i f i c a t i o n
s h a v e b e e n m a d e
b e t w e e n t h i s t a b l e
a n d t h e c h a r a c t e r
d e s c r i p t i o n a s w r i t t e n ,
p a r t i c u l a r l y r e g a r d i n g t h e
l e v e l s a t w h i c h c e r t a
i n k e n s a i
a b i l i t i e s a r e n o r m a l l y
g a i n e d . O t h e r
b o n u s e s g r a n t e d t h e
k e n s a i i n c l u d e a
p e r i o d i c b o n u s o f +
1 t o h i t a n d d a m
a g e
w i t h a m a r t i a l - a r t s
w e a p o n o f h i s c h o i c e
t a u g h t w i t h i n h i s s
t y l e ; a t t h e o p t i o n
o f t h e
k e n s a i , t h i s b o n u s
i s c u m u l a t i v e a n d m a y
b e t a k e n m o r e t h a n
o n c e w i t h a s i n g l e
w e a p o n . F u r t h e r , t h e
k e n s a i p e r i o d i c a l l y
g a i n s s p e c i a l m a n e u v e r s ,
m e n t a l a n d p h y s i c a l m
a n e u v e r s , a n d a f r e e
w e a p o n p r o f i c i e n c y . ( I f
t h e k e n s a i h a s a l r e a d
y g a i n e d
p r o f i c i e n c y i n a l l
m a r t i a l - a r t s w e a p o n s
t a u g h t w i t h i n t h e s
t y l e , t h i s b o n u s i s
l o s t . )
W h e n t h e c h a r a c t e r
a t l a s t g a i n s t h e
a b i l i ty of whirlwind attack, he may make
either a hand-to-hand or melee weapon
attack on each enemy within 10' of him.
This does not mean a full hand-to-hand
attack sequence, but only a single hand-tohand attack per foe. In addition,
should
the kensai use his ki power to cause maximum damage during an attack,
the bonus
will apply only to one attack, not to an
attack sequence ? although the character
may expend multiple ki uses to cover his
full allotment of attacks during the round.
The kensai?s armor class is equal to the
base of his style plus the indicated bonus
from the table. The formula offered for
other kensai does not apply.
Kensai not dedicated to perfecting a
martial-arts style may also, at the discretion of the DM, be prohibited
from learning martial arts as a bushi weapon
specialist. The kensai has even less time to
spend on other pursuits than a bushi; and
thus may not have time to learn an unarmed fighting style.
Table 4
Alternate Bonuses for Kensai
| Experience level | Initiative bonus | Armor class bonus | Additional martial-arts attacks | Additional martial-arts damage1 <?> | Special bonus |
| 0-1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | A |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 1/3 | 0 | - |
| 32 | 1 | 1 | 1/3 | 1/2 die | - |
| 4 | 1 | 2 | 1/3 | 1/2 die | B |
| 53 | 1 | 2 | 1/3 | 1/2 die | C |
| 6 | 1 | 2 | 1/2 | 1/2 die | A, D, E |
| 7 | 1 | 3 | 1/2 | 1/2 die | F |
| 84 | 2 | 3 | 1/2 | 1 die | G |
| 9 | 2 | 3 | 1/2 | 1 die | D |
| 105 | 2 | 4 | 1/1 | 1 die | C, H |
| 116 | 2 | 4 | 1/1 | 1 die | A, D |
| 12 | 2 | 4 | 1/1 | 1 die | I |
Special bonus key
A. +1 hit and damage
A. +1 to hit and damage with a single martial-arts weapon.
B. May meditate like a shukenja. 2
C. Gain special maneuver within style.
D. Gain mental and physical maneuver of DM?s choice.
E. Only surprised on a 1.
F. Cause fear; use two weapons.
G. Gain proficiency in martial-arts weapon.
H. Attract 1-6 pupils.
I. Whirlwind attack.
1 Using the type of damage die appropriate to the martial-arts style.
2 May strike creatures requiring +1 weapon to hit.
3 May strike creatures requiring +2 weapon to hit.
4 May strike creatures requiring +3 weapon to hit.
5 May strike creatures requiring +4 weapon to hit.
6 May strike creatures requiring +5 weapon to hit.
Monk: Fortunately, the monk is adequately dealt with in the Oriental Adventures rules. No major problems existwithin the class regarding martial arts.
Ninja: Unfortunately, the
ninja is not as
well defined in the area of martial arts as
the monk. The first problem presented by
the class is that two passages in Oriental
Adventures contradict each other: "Ninja
with a dexterity score of 16 or higher gain
a bonus of 10% on earned experience"
(page 8), and "The ninja has no prime
requisite and so never gains the 10 percent bonus to earned experience?
(page
19). This writer has the impression the
ninja is not entitled to the experience
bonus, although the class requires so
much experience to advance in level that I
allow ninja characters in my own game
the bonus. [The passage from page 8 is
incorrect, according to David "Zeb" Cook.]
Putting aside other arguments with the
class, such as whether it was a good idea
to make it a split-class rather than its own
separate class, one might wonder whether
the ninja should be able to use his ninja
proficiency slots on martial arts rather
than relying on the other half of his class
for this. The martial art of ninjutsu in our
own world certainly embodies various
unarmed fighting movements; while this
fact does not require translation to a ninja
character class placed in a particular DM?s
fantasy world, the potential probably
should at least exist. Thus, the DM can
create a martial-arts style particular to the
ninja, such as the following (as per Oriental Adventures,
page 101, Table 68):
Putting aside other arguments with the
class, such as whether it was a good idea
to make it a split-class rather than its own
separate class, one might wonder whether
the ninja should be able to use his ninja
proficiency slots on martial arts rather
than relying on the other half of his class
for this. The martial art of ninjutsu in our
own world certainly embodies various
unarmed fighting movements; while this
fact does not require translation to a ninja
character class placed in a particular DM?s
fantasy world, the potential probably
should at least exist. Thus, the DM can
create a martial-arts style particular to the
ninja, such as the following (as per Oriental Adventures,
page 101, Table 68):
Name: Ninjutsu
# of At.: 2/1
Damage: 1-6
AC: 8
Principal Attack: Hand
Special Maneuvers:
Lock 1, 3
Movement 1, 5
Throw 2
Vital area 3
Weapons: Nunchaku, Kusari-gama
(the DM might allow ninja weapons to be
taught within the style for ninja)
Once the DM has created a style of
ninjutsu for a given clan (as different clans
would likely make use of different special
maneuvers), the character must locate a
ninja master to study under, receiving the
basics of the style after expending a proficiency slot. From that point,
he advances
like anyone learning martial arts, but may
only allot proficiency slots from the ninja
class to improve his skill at ninjutsu.
Samurai:
It seems odd that the samurai
class may be played with as little as a 3
dexterity. Other fighter classes like the
barbarian, bushi, and kensai must each
meet a minimum dexterity requirement,
but the samurai does not have this restriction. This brings up an earlier
question as
to whether a prospective martial artist
should meet a dexterity minimum. I personally feel that he should,
and so would
not allow a samurai with less than a 12
dexterity to learn martial arts. But it is for
each individual DM to determine his own
guidelines in the matter. An argument ?
albeit not a strong one ? could be made
that the martial artist may actually rely
less on his dexterity and more on his ki for
fluid performance of movement, and in
this case could be the basis for allowing a
3 dexterity samurai to perform tae kwon
do, as his dexterity plays little part in the
scheme of things.
However the DM chooses to handle the
matter, the samurai ? because of his
weapon-specialization requirements ?
should not be allowed the option of beginning play with a martial-arts
proficiency.
Instead, he should at some point after
entering the campaign search out and
locate a master to study under.
In contrast to the bushi weapon specialist and the kensai, the samurai
has an
intense training in his weapons from his
youth, and so he requires a less-constant
regimen of practice to maintain his
bonuses. Certainly, the samurai will spend
a significant portion of his time in practice
with katana and daikyu, but probably not
to the extent that training in the martial
arts is automatically prohibited. Of course,
the properly played samurai should be
more interested in improving his calligraphy skill than his karate
skill, but that is
the character?s choice.
Finally, the samurai?s damage bonus
should not apply to martial-arts attacks,
except at the DM?s discretion.
Shukenja:
Like the monk, the shukenja is
adequately handled. Given the shukenja?s
monastic ties, it is reasonable to presume
the character has access to martial-arts
training at all times without the need to
actively hunt out a tutor. This should also
hold true for the monk and the sohei.
Sohei:
Unlike the shukenja, the sohei
does not automatically begin play with
martial-arts abilities. Yet because he is
similarly tied to a monastery, it is not
gratuitous for a DM to allow him to
expend a proficiency slot upon creation to
gain the basics of a style taught by his
superiors.
Wu jen:
Each class in the AD&D game is
given various strengths and weaknesses to
keep it in balance with other classes.
Magic-users in particular have traditionally been singled out as having
to rely
upon their arsenals of spells to survive ?
which is one of the reasons they may not
use swords or wear armor. In the case of
the wu jen, though, not only is he granted
a potent and respectable selection of
spells, but he is given a hit-point bonus as
well as allowed the use of certain weapons
(such as a short sword and bow) which his
Western counterpart has always been
denied in the name of ?game balance."
Further allowing the wu jen to acquire the
art of karate, for instance, essentially
grants a magic-user a three-attack round
at 1-6 hp damage per hit! If one adds the
special abilities of those nonhuman races
allowed to become wu jen, all these talents
in concert with one another may result in
a character so versatile that game balance
starts to suffer.
Almost certainly, any wu jen character
will, if possible, learn martial arts for a
back-up in the event he is forced into
melee. The wu jen begins at 1st level with
six proficiency slots, which is more than
most classes receive. He gains another
every other round. Why so many? The
answer is found on page 55: ?[The calligraphy
proficiency] is needed to inscribe
magical scrolls. . . ." As the wu jen has no
write spell, he relies on his calligraphy
skill to perform essentially the same function, as well as assisting
in the creation of
magical scrolls. Clearly, a wu jen must
expend two of his six proficiency slots to
acquire calligraphy. If one wishes to give
the wu jen the benefit of assuming calligraphy is automatically known,
the character must still make a proficiency check (at
base 18 or higher) to inscribe a scroll ?
and probably to transfer a spell from a
scroll to his equivalent of a spell book.
Thus, the wu jen has a good use for all his
proficiency slots apart from learning martial arts or the use of extra
weapons.
Given this, the wu jen character may not
be quite so anxious to put proficiency slots
into martial arts.
Lastly, the overall power of the adventuring group?s typical opponents
can provide an indicator of whether the wu jen
should be allowed to learn martial arts.
Some of the Oriental monsters are so
powerful that it behooves the wu jen to
take advantage of every possible benefit; if
these monsters regularly appear in the
campaign, game balance isn?t necessarily
compromised by permitting the wu jen the
option of unarmed fighting. In the same
way, if every group of bandits the party
encounters are evil monks or masters of
kung fu, then the wu jen may as well be
allowed to pick up karate if he wants.
Yakuza: Nothing in the yakuza?s character
description reveals martial arts to be
natural to the class. Thus, he should not
be allowed to begin play with an already
chosen master or with martial-arts abilities, but may acquire them
through the
normal process.
Learning martial arts
?Master is an honorary title, not a character class. Students refer
to their teacher
as master. Unarmed fighters who have
gained a reputation are respectfully called
master. A wanderer may enter a town,
proclaiming himself to be a master. The
title is not a measure of skill or level!?
No statement in Oriental Adventures
opens the door to more potential abuse
than that just quoted, from page 105.
If a
master may theoretically know and impart
nothing more than the basic movements of
a style, what is the difference between
studying under an NPC master of little
ability and a kensai PC who volunteers to
instruct a wu jen PC in the art of jujutsu?
Immediately, this important aspect of the
game is removed from the control of the
DM and handed over to the players. The
long, involved process for the PC to locate
a master to study under is not only unnecessary but ludicrous.
To retain control over the issue, the DM
must insist that a PC may receive instruction in martial arts only
from an NPC ?
never from another PC. Some rationalization exists for
this statement. The monastic classes of monk, shukenja, and sohei
would jealously guard the secrets of their
unarmed fighting styles from outsiders. A
bushi PC approaching a shukenja PC with
a request to learn tae kwon do should
receive a polite but firm refusal. Even in
the case of two adventurers from the
same monastery, the ultimate determination of a student?s right to
learn a martialarts style or special maneuver should
come from a temple superior with authority over both characters; the
choice would
not be the PCs? to make.
In the same way, a ninja would never
instruct an outsider in the art of ninjutsu,
nor would a yakuza reveal clan fighting
techniques to those not under the authority of his oyabun.
The fanatical training
regimen of the kensai would be more than
a nonkensai could endure, and a samurai
might think it beneath his dignity to be
instructed by a PC who is a mere bushi.
While the above suggestion is not
engraved in stone, in game terms it may
be the most practical way of handling the
matter. Other classes might well resort to
finding a master entirely apart from their
acquaintances or present superiors.
Once the master has been established,
the DM can then use the formula
in Oriental Adventures for detailing what martial arts
abilities the particular master is
familiar with. In the case of the monastic
classes (monks, shukenja, and sohei) and
the ninja and yakuza, even if the character?s present master is limited
in martial arts ability, it should not be difficult for
the character to locate a more experienced
master later ? through the process
listed.