Path of the Brilliant Flame

There is some similarity between the effects of this path and sorcery's Fire Blast.

There are variants of this path that use cold, lightning, sound, or other elemental effects instead. The schticks are named Lightning Strike, Thunder Strike, Cold Strike et al. A few examples of how such alternate paths could work are given below. Naturally, immunity to the relevant element would render you immune to that particular variant of this path.

Path of the Blizzard's Fury: A cold-based variant, replace “Fire” with “Cold” in all the schtick names. The special effect is that targets soak using Constitution instead of Toughness. Cold-weather clothing and nonmetallic armor is effective against this, but metal armor offers no protection.

Path of the Corrosive Fumes: An acid-based path, vile and disgusting by most standards. Replace Fire with Acid in all schtick names. It will cause additional damage through acid instead of through fire. Immunity and resistance to water, poison or acid protects against this path, but Gathering the Acid protects only against acid and poison.

Path of the Heavenly Lightning: An electricity-based variant, replace “Fire” with “Lightning” in all the schtick names. The special effect is that named targets damaged by this lightning are shocked, and lose one from their current shot.

Path of the Raging Thunder: A sound-based variant, replace “Fire” with “Thunder” in all the schtick names. It makes a terrible racket when used. The special effect is that all thunder attacks except “Thunder Strike” ignores armor. The noise required for Gathering the Thunder must be sufficient to cause damage or impairments. Explosions, airplane takeoffs and your own favorite soundtrack at full-blast volume qualifies.

Fire Strike

Fu: 1, Shot: 3

Strike an opponent with Martial Arts; add 2 to the final Damage if the strike hits.

Fire Stance

Fu: 6, Shot: 1

Until end or Sequence, you surround yourself with a flaming aura. Anyone striking you in close combat is burned, with a damage value equal to your Martial Arts Action Value minus the outcome of his attack. Depending on your tradition, your own gear might be protected against this flame, but anything else near you risks catching fire. GM Note: This should be a nuisance rather than a problem.

Fire Fist

Fu: 1, Shot: 3

Strike an opponent barehanded with your fist wreathed in a flaming nimbus of chi energy. Damage rating of the attack is Fu +2. Even opponents somehow immune to Martial Arts attacks and/or Fu powers take full damage from the attack, unless they are also immune to the fire effect of Sorcery's Blast schtick.

Eyes of Fire

Fu: 3, Shot: 3

You can now damage opponents without touching them: a blast or flame emanates from your eyes, mouth or fist. Damage rating of the attack is Fu +2. Even opponents somehow immune to Martial Arts attacks and/or Fu powers take full damage from the attack, unless they are also immune to the fire effect of Sorcery's Blast schtick.

Gathering the Fire

Fu: 3, Shot X

You can stand in the middle of a raging blaze without suffering damage for any number or shots in a single Sequence. For each shot spent enveloped in flames, you gain a temporary Fu point. (The total number of shots you spend in this manner is where The X shot cost comes from.)

You may choose to spend these extra Fu points at any time to pay the Fu cost of any Fu power(s); once spent, they are gone forever. They do not change your Fu rating for checks; they only give you more points to spend on Fu powers. If spent on powers in the Path of the Brilliant Flame, these points count double.

The maximum number of extra Fu points that can be stored from Sequence to Sequence using this or any other Fu power is equal to your original Fu attribute.

Gathering the fire can be used as a 1-shot defensive action when attacked by fire. This has an effective Fu cost of 2 (you recover 1 Fu point during the shot). Any use of this schtick negates lingering fire effects (such as the special byproduct of the schticks on this path).