Martial Arts (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

The monk class portraits one style of martial artist - the mystic warrior seeking enlightenment and gaining weird powers trough asceticism and study. But there are other ways to study martial arts, and not all martial artists are as mystical as the monk.

Martial Arts Defense

As any master of combat will teach you, defense is the basis of everything, for without defense there can be no time to learn offense. There are six schools of martial arts defense, each based around different principles and methods. They are described here, in order of how esoteric they are, from most to least.

Way of the Void

The way of the void is a mystic form of defense, where the practitioner merges his consciousness with the world and moves in just the right way to deflect or avoid an attack, seemingly without effort. This is based on wisdom insight into the world. Monks practice this style. It requires the utmost balance and ease of movement, and is thus incompatible with wearing armor or shields of any kind.

When unarmored and unencumbered, the disciple of the void adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) to his AC and his CMD. These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the disciple of the void is flat-footed. He loses these bonuses when he is immobilized or helpless, when he wears any armor, when he carries a shield, or when he carries a medium or heavy load. Classes and archetypes that adhere to the Way of the Void generally grant greater armor class bonuses as you advance in levels.

Practitioners of the Way of the Void generally get bracers of armor as they advance in levels. The escalating armor class bonus they get is there to make up for their lack of shields.

Way of Life

This energetic part is based on constant movement; the disciple channels the energy of life to fight like an animal does, with constant acrobatic moves and antics. Not quite as demanding as the Way of the Void, the Way of Life can be used with a minimum of armor at the lower levels, but advanced practitioners tend to scorn armor as too cumbersome. Mystic dancers practice this style.

The disciple of life adds her Charisma bonus to her dexterity modifier when calculating armor class. She loses this bonus when she when she uses a shield, when she carries a medium or heavy load, or when she is denied her Dexterity bonus to armor class. Classes and archetypes using this style generally grant some kind of uncanny dodge as they advance in level, as well as an increase in armor class.

Like void, those who use the Way of Life generally get bracers of armor as they advance in levels. The escalating armor class bonus they get is there to make up for their lack of shields.

Way of the Mind

Also known as canny defense or fencing, this style uses trained reflexes and cunning guile for defense, concealing the practitioner in a web of feints and tricks. Like the Way of Life, this style also allows some armor at the lower levels, and functions well with bucklers and small shields, but not with large or tower shields.

When wearing light or no armor and not using a large or tower shield, a fencer adds 1 point of Intelligence bonus (if any) per fencer class level to her Dexterity bonus to modify Armor Class while wielding a melee weapon. If a fencer is caught unarmed or is flat-footed or otherwise denied her Dexterity bonus, she also loses this bonus.

Some fencers have developed a one or two weapon style that grants additional defensive abilities when not using shields.

Way of the Mind gives less armor class than those of void or life, but allows the use of shields and at low level armor. Fencers tend to go from light armor to bracers of armor as they advance in levels, but their continuing option to use shields means they do not generally get additional armor bonuses at higher levels.

Way of Force

This is the magician's way of defending himself, with protective force fields or other spell effects. Mage armor is the most common spell of this path. Not constantly up and possible to dispel, such armor still offers very good protection to those who can use it. Many practitioners of other paths combine their style with bracers of armor that are based on the way of force. As mystical means of fighting develop, we are sure to see more fighter using this means of mystic defense.

Classes and archetypes using the Way of Force tend to have the ability to erect force armor, either as a spell, spell-like, or supernatural ability. Specialists at this path are able to combine such defenses with that provided by bracers of armor, and often gain additional mystic shields or defenses as they advance in level.

The reason to combine class defenses with bracers of armor is to allow these classes to spend resources on improving their armor class, just like most other classes do. If this defense increased naturally over levels, it would give those using them more resources to spend in other areas while not letting them focus on defensive gear if they want to do so. Level-dependent bonuses are, as usual, there to compensate for the lack of a shield and often depends on having a free hand.

Way of the Body

This is the most earthly of the martial arts defense styles. Gladiators, boxers, and sumotori follow this path. It is based on long and punishing training where the student builds ligaments, muscle, and fat into an armored screen that protects from blows. This makes them big and heavy, with large calloused hands and lots of scars. Practitioners of this style deflect some blows, and can take immense punishment even from the blows they fail to deflect.

A disciple of the body gains an inherent armor bonus and bonus to CMD equal to her Constitution bonus. As this is an armor bonus, it will not work with worn armor. (This is why the way of the body grants an armor bonus, not a natural armor bonus). He can use shields normally. At higher levels, classes and archetypes using this method often grant damage reduction, additional armor bonus, or allows the practitioner to apply the defense against incorporeal attacks.

Way of the Body has a very attractive defensive attribute - Constitution - and gets a bonus to CMD to reflect their mass and stability, making this a very solid choice. Unlike more advanced paths, they do not improve their touch armor class.

Way of Armor

Encasing the body in armor of leather or steel is still a kind of martial art, and certainly not one to be scoffed at. In many places, wearing armor marks you as either a noble, soldier, or outlaw, making its use impractical if you are or pretend to be a honest man.