Martial Arts Option (4E)

4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons

Before the arrival of the monk, any class can be made into a martial arts class by applying the following modifiers. This is based on the Chinese martial arts tradition, and can use quite a lot of different weapons.

• You lose all armor proficiencies except cloth armor and all shield proficiencies
• If your class had proficiency in leather armor and as long as you are wearing only cloth armor, you gain a +2 bonus to armor class.
  • If your class has proficiency in heavy armor, you can use a figure based on your class' heavy armor proficiencies instead of your Intelligence or Dexterity modifier to armor class. This is +4 for Chain, +5 for Scale, and +6 for plate. This bonus improves by +1 at level 11 and +2 at level 21.
  • If your class had proficiency in light shields, gain the Two Weapon Defense feat.
  • If your class had proficiency in heavy shields, gain the Fencing feat.
• Pick one type of weapon your class is proficient with. Lose proficiency in all other weapons from your class. Gain proficiency with the club and staff.
• You gain proficiency with Martial strike.

Martial Arts Traditions

This option is only available to all characters in a martial arts campaign. In other games, it depeds on you class and background.

Gryhawk Martial Arts Traditions

Martial arts forms an undercurrent in the World of Greyhawk, with martial artists of different traditions waging secret wars with one another.

Suel Tradition

Today represented mainly by the Scarlet Brotherhood, the Suel tradition exists throughout the south. Few non-suel are a part of it, but there are enough rebel masters that anyone can have learned it. Especially annoying to the Scarlet Brotherhood is that it is spreading among their slave population. Suel martial arts is characterized by flashy displays of arcane power.

This tradition is based on arcane principles. The most highly regarded practitioners are Swordmages, but fighters, bards, warlocks, rangers, and rogues are also common.

Baklunish Tradition

Zuoken and Xan Yae are the great legendary teachers of this art, and Baklunish martial arts is divinely inspired. All Baklunish churches today have a mystic branch. Few non-Baklunish are attracted to this form of asceticm, but the mystic orders are tolerant and accept those who do. Baklunish martial arts is characterized by discipline, trance, and twirling dervish dances.

The main class is paladin or cleric, with a strong presence of fighters and rangers.

Fey Tradition

The fey do not practice martial arts as much as they are martial art - with a big emphasis on art. Often called wardancers, these graceful fey blend acrobatics and dance into a deadly weave. Characterized by bewildering glamor and acrobatic tumbles and feints.

War dance is based on arcane principles and might have inspired the Suel tradition in the remote past. Practiced mainly by swordmages and bards, but fighters, warlords, rangers, and rogues are also common.

Common Tradition

Created by pragmatic rebels from other styles, the common tradition does away with much of the esoteric teachings of its forebears and concentrates on winning quickly and surely, the common tradition was developed by assassins, thieves, and adventurers. It is economic in style, with few ostentatious displays.

Built on martial principles, the common style is practiced mainly by rogues, but rangers, fighters, warlords, and warlocks are not uncommon.

This style is quite rare. Much more common is a hybrid fencing style, employing martial arts style defenses along with weapon attacks. This is represented by the Fencing and Practiced Defense feats.