The Mook Society
It is said that there is a mythical kingdom of mercenaries, bodyguards and martial artists. This kingdom is one that is ruled by strength and wisdom, and overpowering skills.
At the heart of their society lays a (mostly) benevolent Overpowered, one who has removed himself from reality in order to not overly influence his people, the ones who carry on his teachings.
For what purpose, though, has yet to be proven.
THE "DIRTY SOUTH"
Far "to the South" lays a land unknown to most cartographers. If you go far enough, you will eventually reach an unofficial, unnamed kingdom of martial artists, bodyguards, kneecappers, bullies, toughs, interrogators, torturers, assassins, and mercenaries.
Victory rules absolutely, and the Laws of Steel reign supreme.
The Mook Society exists for one thing and one thing only: to push the boundaries of the fighting arts. Violence is a daily occurrence, and there are strict regiments to follow in regards to those fights.
The ideals of weakness and strength are eschewed in favor for "To The Victorious, Truth," an ideal that is spread throughout their society. Bound by agreed upon suggestions than full blown laws, their society has existed for thousands of years, hidden in the shadows of a great mountain range.
Race means nothing to them. Age means nothing to them. Gender, politics, religion, good and evil.
Only success and one's individual merit and growth matter to such a people.
MULTIPLE STYLES
Though each family (and individual, even) has a particular fighting style that has been passed down from one to another, the Mooks regard one's fighting style as a very personal subject. Fighting style are always passed down from Master to Student absolutely, and either Master or Student will travel the entire world to find each other.
If a Mook finds a Master or Student from outside their society, they will do their best to encourage that person to come to the Society kingdom itself.
As such, the Mook Fighting System can be broken down to several key factors: Hard Style, Soft Style, Cross Style, and Free Style.
Hard Style is best used for brash and bold techniques, Soft Style is best used for counters and feints, Cross Style attempts to fuse the two styles at their best, and Free Style is a combination of everything and anything, a truly universal and generalist style of fighting.
There are three more factors to consider - Unarmed, Armed, and Quiet styles.
For all intents and purposes, fighting with full plate armor of any sort is considered "Armed" due to the strange philosophy behind those types.
BASIC DAILIES
Hobbies and jobs are encouraged rather than enforced, though slackers and freeloaders are either truly exiled or killed. Laziness isn't a thing amongst the Mooks, and most of the adults and journeymen level warriors are out on jobs anyway.
A Mook can face off against another Mook should they be employed by clashing forces, and rivalry is encouraged in their kingdom as their children grow.
Being a somewhat affluent kingdom (their neighbors are kind of afraid of them and will vigorously employ them as guardsmen), the Mook Society freely trades with just about anyone, and they have their own foodstuffs and mineral excavation. You do NOT want to face off against a miner - their Body Rock style of fighting makes them incredibly hard to take down, even without armor.
Hygiene is a major thing amongst the Mooks, and they will ostracize or kill even guests who forgo daily cleanliness on purpose.
THE FIVE HANDS
They used to be called "The Council of Five" until they unanimously decided that it didn't sound very cool.
The five greatest, most violent of their society, these Mooks are engaged in only the highest of graded missions and can sometimes be out for years at a time. There's usually one around, and whenever leadership is needed they're the ones the rest of the Society turns to.
>Mandate - "Free Will" Mandate, an aged (rumored to be immortal, or at least well preserved) Ratling who is the most capricious of the Five, his greatest strength lays in his abnormal physicality and expressive demeanor. No one knows his true age, but it's suggested that Alistor knew him before either became a Hand.
It's suggested that he knows the whereabouts of the not-so-secret Sixth Hand.
A generalist practitioner of martial arts, it's said that he knows every style in the Society and then some, and will go out of his way to steal new and interesting techniques he's never experienced.
He is the only Free Style practitioner amongst the Hands, but openly practices a variation of drunken fist martial arts.
A lecher and drunk with a heart of gold.
His greatest secret?
He's never even touched a drop of alcohol. It's all water or spiced drinks.
>Brunhilda/Bunbun - "Armored Faith" Brunhilda, the youngest of the Five and a child prodigy, this little girl is exceptionally gifted in fighting in full plate armor. Very few people know that Bunbun is Brunhilda, and the ones who do have no idea how a little, tiny girl is able to wield full plate armor fitted for a half-giant.
Is exceptional in Armed and Cross styles. Outside the armor, she is a very quiet but warm girl.
In the armor she can get very VERY hot-blooded.
>Alistor - "Eldritch Hero" Alistor. Rumored to be the last member of an extinct race of dragons (Panzerdrachen), Alistor is one of the few founding members of the Society itself and looked up to and even deferred to by the other Hands.
Excelling in an ancient style of Unarmed and Hard styles, it's rumored that Alistor can punch a mountain into submission with a single blow.
Though he normally can be found in his semi-cute human-ish form (a young, almost feminine man with glasses - he can't change his ears and tail for some reason), he usually retires to his nest within the nearby range to assume his full form when it's time to rest.
Unlike other races, he lives on a strange 48-hour sleep schedule (awake for 48 hours, sleeps for 12). This is a secret that's jealously guarded by the entire Society on pain of death, though he doesn't know that.
>Bangor - "Fucking" Bangor. One of the most hotheaded of the Hands, Bangor's style revolves around using explosives and blowing things up. Using magic, psionics, and even alchemy, Bangor excels at blowing things up. What makes it even weirder is that he's dwarven.
Once, someone tried to point out to him that using grenades and dynamite wasn't martial arts.
He blew them up.
While he is a practitioner of Soft Style as well as unarmed and armed, Bangor always relies on his favorite technique: fire, lightning, and explosion. Namely items that do these things.
Once blew his own head off just to prove that he could regrow it.
Is quite possibly absolutely insane.
>Dilllmun - "Balanced Power" Dilllmun. A roguish tiefling who excels in a secret Quiet style taught only to his students. Poisons, daggers, assassination techniques, disguise, forgery and silence - Dilllmun is one of the most sought-after masters amongst the Hand, but he only takes the students that he feels are best aligned with him. Despite that, he will freely share knowledge with others when it comes to his alchemy, herbalism, poisons and gardening.
A known florist and part-time farmer, Dilllmun is also a very well-read scholar. When it comes time for combat, though, he's as hot-blooded as any other Hand and will eagerly, almost greedily, kill any challenger who crosses his path.
His abilities are strange even amongst the Hand, and it's suggested that he's both a magus as well as ki-energy user. His Obtenebration Style has only ever been taught to one other person, and he had to utterly destroy that student when they went astray.
Unlike the other Hands, Dilllmun has a small fleet of students who man the Administration Board of the Society, accepting jobs and posting them as well as taking care of the paperwork and general administrative duties. That they all look alike is something most in the Society overlook.
Because of Dilllmun's shadowy nature, rumors abound but most people trust him. He has never let Alistor (his old mentor) down, and he's never proven himself false to the society.
Despite that, whenever internal strife occurs he's the first to disappear - only once has anyone ever pointed a finger at him for leading a coup, and he's ensured no one will ever do that again by simply disappearing the fuck outta there the moment something bad (internally) happens.
Yes his name has three L's in it. He thinks it's cool. Once killed someone who told him it wasn't.
Is known as "Bill" by those closest to him.
PERSONAL LIFE
Mooks will freely marry or date outside the Society, and many will come and go from the kingdom as they please. Most find their beloved within the kingdom itself, though, and usually raise their family amongst the Society.
All Mooks have a "true name" that only their closest friends and family know. Otherwise, they are known simply as "Mook" or "The Mook," in honor of the first bouncer/mercenary/tough who helped found the Society.
All Mooks either do or do not follow a religion. For the most part, the concepts of good and evil are pretty foreign to them, though they can sometimes be led to understand the laws of other nations. Despite that, the Law of Steel is considered a universal concept, and to an individual they haven't a clue why others don't know about it.
EXILE
The children of the Mook Society are encouraged by the parents to seek out a Master. If they're lucky, they'll be compatible with someone within their family. Even if the Master is found from outside their family, it is the duty of the Master to recognize, then teach and train the Student. The code (part of the Laws of Steel) are very rigid in how a Master treats their student, and in fulfilling their duty to the Society's goals by teaching the student everything they have to teach.
While it is the Master's place to feed, house, teach and train the Student it is the Family's place to see to the provisioning and payment to the Master. As such, there is a strong relationship between Master and Student, and few Masters have the time to devote to more than a few students at a time, being engaged in their own search for perfection.
Greed isn't a thing known to the Mooks - one of the maxims of the Laws of Steel is "Do the job. Get paid. Repeat."
After awhile, the student has learned everything the Master has to teach. Once the student has reached of age and has graduated from the Master's teachings, they are officially "exiled" from the Society, the techniques locked away with a combination of hypnosis and brainwashing.
During this time of exile, the Student is something of a "journeyman" and must travel the world, experiencing life. Upon earning enough experience, they can reclaim their techniques and abilities until they've finally achieved the point to their Exile.
When they've experienced enough of the world, they will know when it's time to return to the Society as a full-fledged Master of their own, ready to take on higher-grade jobs and students of their own.
THE SIXTH HAND/THE FIRST MOOK
Very few documents speak of the First Mook, the man who defeated Alistor as well as Mandate, raised the Band of the Red Hand, established the Laws of Steel as well as the Society itself.
He then retired from the world at large - not for any aesthetic reason but because his power had become too dangerous. Bearer of the "Juggernaut Syndrome," the Mook suffered from nigh-invulnerability that defied both gods and reality. Recognizing his own disruptive nature, the Mook disappeared from the world entirely, his whereabouts known only to his greatest student and friend - the First Hand, "Free Will" Mandate.
Since then the Five Hands have always had an empty seat, paying homage and respect to the original Mook and the unofficial "Sixth Hand."
NOTABLE NEIGHBORS
The Hermit Witch - children speak of a dangerous witch that lives in between the society and a few towns that dot the border. One of the First Trials given to exceptionally small children, she works for the Five Hands and is powerful enough of a Master to stand on her own, utilizing a combination of Quiet style, armed style, Cross Style and magic. A powerful enchantress and sorceress, the title of "Hermit Witch" has been passed down from generation to generation, every 50 years or so.
The race changes, the gender changes, but they all share a few common tropes: they're almost always nude, have an affinity for Nature-based magics, and are the ipso-facto first line of defense and security for the Society, usually alerting them to any invading hostiles...
Not that there's a lot. Very few nations have walked away unscathed after attempting to tackle the Mooks.
THE LAWS OF STEEL
>Be excellent to one another
>The Master will provide, house, and train the Student.
>The Student will defend, learn from, and follow their Master. This relationship is holy and hallowed.
-Subclause: I'm not saying that they shouldn't sleep with one another, but at least wait 'til they hit Exile dude.
>The Family of the Student pays and provides to the Master. Don't be a jackass and take advantage of this or you'll get merked.
>Do the job. Get paid. Repeat.
>Tithes suck. Taxes suck. Mooks shouldn't have government programs beyond the Administration anyway.
>Administration Families pay towards Administration.
>Bill is the only exception to the whole student thing. Someone's gotta administer the Administration anyway.
>If you take the contract, you finish the contract.
>When the Student has learned everything, they are to be exiled from the Society. Their powers and abilities will be suppressed and will only be released as they experience everything the world has to throw at them. They will return only after they've experienced life. They will know when it's time.
>Show no mercy. Unless you want to, then show mercy.
>Don't half-ass anything.
>Above all, in the name of violence shall you improve.
>No one can stop your growth but yourself.
>Don't forget to have a hobby or do something else that ain't fighting. No one likes a boring person.
>Kick ass.
THE MARTIAL ARTS OF THE MOOK SOCIETY
Unlike normal martial arts practitioners, Mooks of fighting age are considered masters of their chosen style and can utilize the entire table even at level 1.
THUNDERSTONE STYLE/MOOK STYLE
Taught by Mandate, it is rumored that the Thunderstone Style is the foundation of all martial arts and fighting styles practiced within the Mook Society. From this Style, users can go on to master any style within the Society itself, though the user gets no extra bonuses from any cross-style techniques (unlike, say, the Hound Fighting style).
Mandate has only taken on one known student, a little-known Mook who just entered into his Exile phase.
Special Arts - 5 EP per use
Right Overhead Straight - allows the user to launch a swift, hard-hitting punch. Unarmed attack (To Hit)+5, deals unarmed damage x2, hits over any shield or defense except for tower shields.
Headbutt - allows the user to stun opponent for 1 round. Deals 1d6 damage to user THEN 2d8 to the opponent. Critical affects opponent's damage only.
The Regulator - allows the user to throw 1d10 x (unarmed damage) punches in a single attack.
Side Kick - allows the user to slam a winding kick to the abdomen, dealing unarmed damage and granting Shaken status for 1d4 rounds.
Low Kick - allows the user to slam a low kick to the legs, dealing unarmed damage and Tripping the opponent with no save.
Left Hook - allows the user to step into an opponent's guard, hitting them with a quick, compact hook. Unarmed Strike+5, deals unarmed damage, negates dexterity bonuses to AC and causes the target to be flat-footed for this hit.
Southpaw Style - allows the user to fight from a left-handed stance. Opponent's attack roll -3 unless they have fought a Southpaw before. Opponent can "get used to it" upon the next rounding by passing a Will check (DC 10+user's combined level) at the cost of a standard action.
Super CQC - creates a special zone where both target and user can occupy the same space. Only close quarters weapons (light and natural) and attacks can be used, and creates a special battle round where each of the user's attacks must be answered by the target. Target gives up an attack with each response for this round (outside the special battle round). When the special battle round concludes, the one who has taken the most damage is ejected from the space, and is open to AoO even if they normally are not (does NOT ignore Elan!).
Uppercut - deals Unarmed Attack (To Hit)+5, adds "+Dex modx2" to damage output.
Ghost Rider - allows the user's attacks to affect the ethereal. Must have Weapon Focus (Favored Weapon) as a feat.
Super Arts - 20 HP and 20 EP per use
The Headbutt - allows the user to stun opponent for 1d4 rounds, dealing Unarmed Damage x5. Deals 1d10 damage to user.
Sex Machineguns - upgrades the Regulator to 2d20 normal punches as a free action.
Dempsey Roll - takes up a full round action, puts user in Full Defense Mode for one round and marks a target, gaining double Reflex Save against that target. AC is doubled during this round. At the end of the round, user delivers 10d20 attacks (doing unarmed damage each) to the marked target. Should the target launch an attack during Dempsey Roll, the user can immediately counter with 1d10 attacks upon successful reflex save.
Crossfire - Must know both Right Overhead Straight and Left Hook. Allows the user to deliver the Left Hook and Right Overhead Straight as a single attack, dealing an extra xStr Score damage.
Shiver Hit - gives up the attack round to deal 1d10 hooks to a single target, dealing unarmed damage with each hit as well as stun, shaken, and nausea. The target must pass a DC 15+User’s Str Mod check for each status effect blonus dealt by each hook (up to a maximum of 30 times).
Quad Angle Training - allows the user to throw their attacks no matter how they're grabbed, pinned, or situated. Allows the user to throw attacks from "strange" or strained positions. So long as they have a single arm free, they can attack as if completely freed at full power.
Ultimate Arts - 1/2 HP Total and 1/2 Current EP per use
Primal Fear - the ultimate technique within the Mook Style, causes a warp in reality that creates a specialized battlefield where all forms of energy (magic, psionics, ki, faith, and supernatural abilities) are completely negated. The stats of a single captured target and the Mook are completely equalized. Lasts until either the Mook or the target is knocked out.
Desperation Arts
Is Just What A Bitch - once the user falls to 30% HP, they can substitute the grapple score with "Unarmed Attack (Damage).” This lasts until end of combat.
HARD STYLE
Special Arts - 5 ep per use
The Chop - overhead strike that deals Unarmed damage to a single opponent. If dealt vertically, can strike over shields (except for tower shields). If used horizontally, gains +5 Unarmed Attack (To Hit).
Hard Drive - while charging, user deals Unarmed Damage x2 (on top of other bonuses).
Mega Thrust - gives up Dexterity bonus to AC and adds it to To Hit and Damage. Deals Unarmed Damage x3 (with the additional damage boost), but leaves user flat-footed.
Thrust Kick - strikes a single target with a hard kick to the abdomen, dealing Unarmed Damage x2 and sends them back five feet, provoking AoO from user’s party.
The Authority - special stance that gives up Dexterity bonus to AC and adds it to To Hit and Damage. Adds Con Score to AC.
Post Rush - after knocking out or killing a target, user gains the at-will ability to add Strength Modifier to all damage dealt for the next round. User gains half of their current ECL as DmR until the end of next round, but will take double damage at the beginning of the round after that.
Kiei - a 360 degree sonic attack that leaves all targets in a twenty foot range shaken on unsuccessful will save. Can be done once per combat round, takes up a standard action.
Stompdown - deals Unarmed Damage x4 to prone opponents who cannot guard or defend.
Wary Stance - special stance that allows the user to physically adjust themselves no matter where the environment is. So long as they have one toe touching anything remotely solid, they can attack as if standing completely on solid ground.
Super Arts - 10 hp per use
The Parry - allows the user to parry an otherwise un-deflectable attack (at GM’s discretion). Pits their unarmed attack (to hit) + User’s ECL + 1d20 vs the special attack’s damage. If The Parry is successful, the attack is completely deflected to a new target at the user’s choice. If The Parry is unsuccessful, the attack deals damage minus the score from The Parry. NOTE: this works only on effects from Ki, Magic, Psionics or Special Attacks.
The Flow - if the user has taken an entire round of attacks using only unarmed attacks and has successfully damaged the target with each attack, they may make one more attack at the cost of 10 hp and 10 ep per attack, doubling with each extra attack made.
Iron Skin Technique - upon taking a concentration check (DC20), user’s natural armor is now doubled until the end of the round.
Ultra Kiei - deals Unarmed Damage to all targets within a fifty range as a special attack. All who take damage are immediately thrown to the ground, prone without reflex save. All those who attempt to defend are immediately shaken.
Dragon Wherewithal - a special mode that allows the user to see things that normally can’t be seen. Takes up a standard action and a concentration check (DC15). Each failure increases the DC by +10. While in Dragon Wherewithal, all the User’s attacks affect ethereal and have a 50% (coin flip) chance of negating counter attempts. All unarmed damage dealt while in Dragon Wherewithal has a chance of negating spell effects if the user attacks the spell directly, pitting their unarmed damage vs the spellcraft of the caster. Dragon Wherewithal lasts for 1d4 rounds.
Ultimate Arts - 100 HP, 1/2 EP total
The Power Of The Earth - once activated, lasts until the end of combat. Special stance that can only be activated if the user is flat-footed. So long as they are in this stance, the user gains +ECL DmR, +ECL to Parry attempts of any sort, and can deal +Revenge damage (deals additional damage depending on how much damage they, themselves, have taken in a single round) that resets at the beginning of each round.
If they ever get out of stance, they may re-enter this stance upon a concentration check (DC30). This can be done as a free action.
Desperation Arts
Wild Fervor - upon hitting 25% HP or taking 1/2 HP Total damage from a single attack, the user gains double AC while defending. Can counter while defending. This lasts until the end of the combat round and can only be done once per combat.
SOFT STYLE
Special Arts - 5 ep per use
Redirection - allows the user to immediately redirect a single melee/unarmed attack to a nearby target. The new target must be within threat range of either user or original target. The attack must be physical in nature.
Misdirection - allows the user to attempt a feint as a counter to an attack. If the feint is successful, the user may evade the attack and land their own attack on the target. You cannot crit using this.
Advanced Counter - allows the user to counter any martial arts attack that is physical in nature. If the user’s counter attempt is unsuccessful, allows the user to spend EP to add to the dice roll until the score now makes the counter a success. Damage from such counters are considered immediate crit.
Repel and Repulse - should the user successfully make a feint, counter, or negate against any kind of attack, the user immediately gains +ECL to their current HP and EP.
Naga Stance - while in this stance, user may add their Wisdom score to their feint, parry, and counter attempts. Cannot attack while in Naga Stance. Takes up a standard action to get into stance.
The Health - special stance that grants the user +ECL to Regen and Refresh. Takes up a standard action to get into stance, and you cannot defend or attack while in this stance.
Negation - allows the user to attempt to negate a single spell/special attack/ki-based technique. The caster must be in threat range. User’s ECL+Wisdom Modifier+1d20 vs caster’s Spellcraft+Wisdom Modifier+1d20. Can only be done on the caster’s turn, and if successful deals user’s Unarmed Damage x2.
Advanced Judgement - by taking up an entire combat round and watching a single target, user may now deal double damage and double (To Hit) score.
Proper Striking - requires Weapon Focus (declared weapon). While attacking with the focused weapon, the user gains +ECL To Hit. Attacks launched in such a manner deal half damage.
Wheelbarrel - on successful grapple, user may deal an immediate (Str Score) amount of crushing damage. Should the target break from the grapple, the user may make an immediate grapple re-attempt once as a free action.
Super Arts - 20 hp per use
Polite Politics - Requires Weapon Focus (Declared Weapon). Special stance that grants the user +X To Hit and +X Damage, where X is the number of opponents in a given combat area. Upon successfully damaging a target, allows the user to move up to five feet without provoking AoO at will.
Stormbreaker - While facing an opponent utilizing a different style modification (if Unarmed, then against Armed, if Armed, then against Unarmed), user gains an immediate +10 (To Hit) insight bonus against the target. Should the user attempt any special attack against the target, damage is doubled before crit and crit threat range is doubled.
Soften the Bones - Special stance that grants +10 AC outside of user’s turn. User is considered flat-footed while in this stance. Takes up a standard action, and must be activated during user’s turn.
Becoming - whenever user utilizes skills and abilities that require HP cost, halve the overall cost to use the skill or ability.
Invite Shade - whenever the user utilizes a special attack or movement outside of combat, they may strike a target as if the target is flat-footed, dealing automatic crit. Upon making a successful feint attempt, the target completely loses sight of the user. Deals x4 damage before crit against a target the user has successfully feinted.
Ultimate Arts - drops HP to 1, EP to 1, can only be done once per day
Stormbringer - allows the user to mark their entire party. Party members marked in such a manner gain an immediate ki-based clone that doubles their actions. Marked party members can doublespell off of their own clone.
Desperation Arts
Mercy - upon hitting 10% HP, the user’s Reflex Save is doubled until the end of the combat round. With each successful evasion, the user regains HP and EP for the amount of damage they just dodged. The effect of Mercy lasts until the end of the next combat round.
CROSS STYLE
Special Arts
Eight Ways of Boxing - so long as the user is facing off against a target who uses a different martial art style, user gains +5 to AC.
Elbow Striking - while using unarmed attacks, user gains +5 To Hit.
Secret Style - when using martial arts from a different martial arts table, user doesn’t have to pay cost.
Massive Move - while moving outside of combat, user doesn’t provoke AoO.
Skullduggery - when dealing damage during headshots, damage is doubled.
Headhunter - when performing precise shots to the head, gain +5 To Hit and crit multiplier+1
Body Rocker - when performing precise shots to the body, gain +X to Damage where X is every hit successfully landed against the target in a single round.
Bone Thug Rhapsody - while under a negative status effect or blonus, the user may apply their ECL to To Hit and Damage dealt. This requires Weapon Specialization (declared weapon).
Big Slash - when using a special attack, allows the user to make the same attack against all targets in threat range.
Memorandum - after successfully witnessing a special attack or magic spell, user may sacrifice their next standard action. Upon doing so, they gain +5 vs that specific special attack or magic spell.
Super Arts
Body Check - requires Headhunter and Body Rocker. While performing precise shots against any body part, the user gains +5 to hit, crit multiplier+1, and +X to Damage dealt where X is every hit successfully landed against the target for the entire combat.
Double Slash - when making a normal attack, user may make an immediate extra attack.
Return Slash - Upon successfully countering an attack, user may add the target’s damage to their own damage dealt before crit. Increase crit modifier and threat range by the target’s crit modifier and threat range. Can only be done once per combat.
Revenge Thrust - Special stance that doubles user AC, but are considered flat-footed. User cannot attack while in this stance. User can remain in stance for as long as they want, and upon breaking stance can launch a single attack against a single target in threat range. Damage dealt by this strike is the cumulative amount of damage the user took while in Revenge Thrust multiplied by their ECL. This can only be done once per day.
Theft - can only be used during Revenge Thrust. Upon using the strike, the user gains the chance (50%) to acquire a single technique used on them while taking damage from Revenge Thrust.
Ultimate Arts
Big Fucking Magnum - can only be done once per week. Allows the user to change the dice quality of a single special attack to d100.
Desperation Arts
Tower of Justice - upon taking more than 50% from a single attack, allows the user to cast any magic spell as if they meet the qualifications for it (using the Dynamic Sorcery system). This can only be done for one spell, and once per combat.
Free Style
As the user acquires new levels, they may choose from any other table, so long as they’re actively able to study the technique. They may acquire skills and abilities from the Mook Society martial arts tables as if they meet the requirements for them.
This can only be done with the permission of a master willing to train them.
Unarmed modifies:
Hard Style techniques - replaces all melee skills with unarmed combat skills. All attacks that were originally unarmed to begin with now gain crit threat range +2 and crit multiplier+1.
Soft Style techniques - replaces all melee skills with unarmed combat skills. All attacks that were originally unarmed to begin with now gain crit threat range +2 and crit multiplier+1.
Armed modifies:
Hard Style techniques - replaces all unarmed combat skills with melee combat skills. All attacks launched while hidden gain a 50% chance of hiding the user once more.
Soft Style techniques - replaces all unarmed combat skills with melee combat skills. All attacks launched while hidden gain a 50% chance of hiding the user once more.
Quiet modifies:
Hard Style techniques
Kiei/Ultra Kiei - Kiei can be used without actually yelling. So long as the user can breathe, they can utilize Kiei.
Wary Stance - special stance that allows the user to attempt to hide at any point in time, even during combat. Upon successful feint, the user is considered hidden and in stealth mode.
The Power of the Earth - User is no longer flat-footed. Upon successful activation, user may attempt to hide even while in plain sight. Upon successful feint while The Power of the Earth is activated, user is considered hidden and in stealth mode.
Soft Style techniques
The Health (now The Hidden) - special stance that allows the user to make an immediate attempt to hide. So long as no one is actively watching, user is immediately considered hidden and in stealth mode.
Naga Stance - while in this stance, user may add their preferred ability modifier score to any and all feint attempts. If they’re not being watched at all, the user may immediately be considered hidden and in stealth mode while in Naga Stance.
Mercy - upon making a successful evasion while Mercy is active, user can immediately hide in plain sight without the need for a roll or save.