No-Shadow
"There was this other instructor and he did a lot of kicks... you know a lot of high kicks and all that. Kicking was *his* thing, you know. So he starts thinking, "What do I need this Leishman guy for? I got this stuff down." So he starts bothering Master Leishman right... wants to spar with him... see where he's at right... So finally, Brian decides that this is not going to stop until they do this. The guy sets up, all ready to do his kicking thing. Next thing we know, Master Leishman's got his foot millimeters off the guy's chest and just lightly taps him.... When we took a look at the guy's back... footprint shaped bruise. Hydro-static shockwave..."- My recollection of something said by my instructor Gary Braniff. "How do I know you can't see it? Because I can't see it either... and I'm doing it."- Gary Braniff on No-Shadow
No-Shadow - To strike as fast as humanly possible. Through awareness of muscle tension and the limiting of thought, the character can strike out a speed that even she/he can barely follow. Note: Because of the advanced nature of No-Shadow (and the bonuses), characters need to be at least level 3 to choose it. No-Shadow Kicking requires the Body Hardening ability of Kick Practice
Bonuses:+2 strike +2 parry +2 damage +2 dodge +2 attacks +1D4 to PP +2D4 Spd
Shintai no Chushin wo Tadasu
Long hours of practice maintaining one's body in a balanced, correct posture. Bonuses: +1 to P.P., +2 to Maintain Balance.
Mei Hua Kung Kung / Mui Fa Gung Gung (Plum Flower Post Training)
The Plum Flower Posts are a series of long posts, about twenty feet tall, that are buried in the ground until only the very tops show. The amount left sticking out of the ground varies between three and five feet. The posts are also spaced about two to five feet apart. The posts are arranged in a pattern that resembles a flower from a plum tree. The training is conducted by practicing forms (Crane/hsing/kuen) on top of the posts. Bonuses: +1 to P.P., +5 to S.D.C., +2 to Maintain Balance, +1 to Dodge.
Makko Ho (Meridian pair stretches)
The Makko Ho exercises are used as a self healing technique by allowing the practitioner both sedate and tone the meridians through specific stretches that were developed to improve the flow of Qi. There is a stretch for each pair of meridians and, as they are based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine, they should be done in the sequence shown (i.e. Metal, Earth, Primary Fire, Water, Secondary Fire, and Wood). Begin the exercises by grounding yourself through relaxed, regulated breathing, while you focus on centering the Qi within the Tan Tien. Keep centered throughout the exercise. It is important that you settle into the stretches on exhalation and the nothing is forced. Hold each stretch as you inhales, being aware of tension (whether through excess or deficiency) that you feel along the meridian path. Do not force yourself into positions that you find uncomfortable - pain is not the goal, letting go of tension is. As with Qigong exercises, the emphasis is not so much on the physical stretch but on opening up and moving the Qi. It is therefore vital that you focus on the breathing and that you are aware of the changes going on within you during each stretch - this includes physical, emotional, and consciousness (Body, Mind, Spirit). Bonuses: +2 to P.P. +5 to Chi
Junan na Shintai
This is training to keep the body flexible, so one doesn't use excess, or unnecessary strength. Bonuses: +1D4 to P.P., +1 to P.E.
Iron Hand or Kanshu:
This is the development of the ‘Penetration Hand,” a toughened hand that will not take dam age from hitting hard objects. This training focuses on making the hands stronger and able to withstand lots of impact, so that the character may deliver more powerful attacks with the bare hands. Training is long and continuous as the ability to strike things without sustaining damage gets harder and harder. The hands are plunged into barrels of rice, then sand, then pebbles. This constant training toughens the hands enormously. The end result being that the character can hit nearly anything and not take any damage him/herself. They can also do things like pick up hot coals with their bare hands Bonuses: +2 to P.S., +15 to Damage on all hand strikes regardless of form, and +5 to SDC +2d2 +2 to power punch, and also lower the treat the characters hand attacks as if it were a P.V. of 2..
Note:' Combined with Tamashiwara (see Martial Art Techniques), a martial artist can break things with hand strikes and take no damage, even when failing a roll and never fails to break an object, when using hand attacks!. '
Wrist Hardening: The wrists, often the weakest part of the body, are built up using special exercises. Characters with this augmentation have a + 5% to escape from Arm Holds and can escape Wrist Joint Locks without harm. Bonuses:+ 3 P.S., +5 to S.D.C.
Kick Training Practice or Chagi:
Focusing on precision, accuracy, speed and the power of Leg Attacks is what this training is all about. Repeated kicks at all heights. The character develops the flexibility to do the “splits,” to kick straight up over the head, and to jump up, kick something directly overhead, and return to a standing position. Training is considered complete when the character can do the splits and control their kicks to the point of being able to stop their foot a centimeter short of impact and hold it. Bonuses: +2 to strike and +15 to damage on all kick attacks regardless of form and + 3D6 to Speed +10 feet to leap distance and the character can hit fist size targets without any penalties +2d6x2 to power kick.
Blind Fighter Training:
This skill is extremely useful to have. Characters are able to abandon their sense of sight, to fight using only their other senses. Characters with this ability cannot be the victim of a sneak attack (except by long range sneak attacks) and enjoys several bonuses when they are able to see: +6 on initiative, +2 to parry and +4 to dodge. If the character is blinded then this ability allows the character to fight without the previous stated bonuses, however, they retain any other bonuses they normally have! Maximum range when fighting blinded (i.e. using the other senses to combat others) is just past Long Range (about 10 feet).
Reflex Training:
Characters train themselves to try to react as fast as possible in combat. In the end, they are able to track attacks, react to them and move on to another attack, all before doing anything. Add +6 on initiative at level one and add +1 more at levels 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15.
Speed Training
This exercise is designed to improve action and reaction speed. Practitioners throw kicks, punches, boards, bricks, knives, and, finally, shoot arrows at each other. Bonuses: +2D6 to Speed and +3 to Initiative (or +1 Attack per Melee)
Punch Training
Repeated punches from every position and at every angle possible. This develops the strength of the hands and the flexibility of the arms. Bonuses: +2 to Strike and +1 to Damage on all hand attacks and a +2 to Parry.
Body Training:
A very hard and harsh method to train that involves taking various attacks with full damage without defending. The character will stand still and attempt to keep bearing while being punched, kicked or hit with weapons so their body becomes resistant to the effects of physical attacks. The characters’ body becomes as tough as a rock able to take lots of damage. Add 1D4×10+40 S.D.C., 6D6 Hit Points and +4 to save vs. pain.
Endurance Training:
Those who train in this method attempt to master the effects of fatigue and physical strain that the human body can withstand. This kind of training involves pushing and pushing oneself above and beyond normal limits of the human body. Characters will train and train until they can no longer lift their arms and pass out from exhaustion and when they wake up they will train some more. This characters capacity for endurance is almost supernaturally high—they fatigue at only 1/10 the usual, and their strength is considered “Extraordinary.” Add +2 to P.S. and +1 to P.E.
Tie Zhou Kung (Iron Broom Training):
Add 2 to P.S., Add 3 to Maintain Balance, Trip/Leg hook and Backward sweep now do 1D6 damage each.
Tie Tou (Iron Head):
This is the development of the "Stone Head", a toughened skull that will not take damage from breaking boards, bone, or brick. To toughen the head it is struck against sand, then wood, then bricks, then stone. An unfortunate side-effect of this training is that the martial artist goes bald.
Bonuses: +1 to PS +3 to Damage with head strikes +2 to Escape Neck Holds +6 to S.D.C.
Tie Gwong Kung (Iron Forearm Training)
Add 3 to P.S., Add 5 to S.D.C., Add 2 to Forearm Strike Damage.
T'ieh Chi Kung (Iron Foot Training)
Like the other types of "Iron Body" training, this one involves striking things repeatedly. The character kicks objects until the feet are conditioned to withstand heavy impact. Bonuses: +1 to P.S., +5 to S.D.C., +2 to Damage with foot strikes.
Steel Feet
This is a variation on the Iron Hand ability. The martial artist goes around kicking trees, walls, cars, whatever, with his bare feet in order to toughen them up. He also walks on hot coals, broken glass, desert sands, etc...Bonuses:+1 P.S. Feet are immune to heat and fire up to lava temperatures suffer ½ damage from magical fire/plasma +2D6 S.D.C.
Shiko:
The stamping of feet on the ground to strengthen the legs. +1 to all kick attacks, +2 to P.S., +5 to S.D.C.
Teppo: The striking of a wooden pole to strengthen the arms and shoulders. +2 to P.S., +2 to damage on all hand strikes, +10 to S.D.C.
Arm Strengthening:
Repeated wounds to the arms increases durability, providing +2 to save vs. Pain, +5 S.D.C. and +1D4 H.P.)
Bonuses from iron body training:
+6 strike +4 parry +2 damage +3 dodge +4 attacks, Add +9 on initiatives at level one and add +1 more at levels 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15.
+2D4+4 to P.P., +2 to P.E., +19 to P.S., +6D6+1D4 to H.P., +2D6+1D4×10+91 to S.D.C., +7d6 to Speed, +5 to Chi
+17 to Damage on all hand and foot strikes regardless of form, and +2d6+2 to power punch, and power kick, and also lower the treat the characters hand attacks as if it were a P.V. of 2, +10 feet to leap distance, and the character can hit fist size targets without any penalties
Feet and Hands are immune to heat and fire up to lava temperatures suffer ½ damage from magical fire/plasma, Gain Trip/Leg hook and Backward sweep now do +1D6 damage each.
+3 to Damage with head strikes, +2 to Forearm Strike Damage, +2 to Escape Neck Holds
+10 to save vs. Pain, +7 to Maintain Balance