Dharma

Kuei can increase their power not only by normal classes, but by seeking spiritual enlightenment. By following a dharma, or path to enlightenment, kuei can grow in power and control of their chi. In principle, it should be possible for others to learn dharma, but there is little evidence anyone ever did.

Dharma

Dharma is a power class for kuei. It provides powers that would otherwise drive the ECL of the kuei template too high, while increasing flexibility and encouraging kuei to diversify.

Group: Roughly depending on the kuei's innate power, age, and spiritual enlightenment, they're divided into groups. These are:

Chi-mei: Kuei whos hun soul did not survive their initial return to this world. Always has dharma 0.

Hin: Vampires who have managed to conquer their shadow nature, but who have not fully proved their worthiness to exist as kuei. Has dharma 0-1.

Disciple: Has survived the second breath and chosen his Dharma, based upon his spiritual powers and strengths. Members of the vampire community, though low on the totem-pole. Typically has Dharma 1-3.

Jina: Has reached a state of spiritual advancement that opens his mind and body to a greater level of inner powers and magics. At least a few years old. Typically has dharma 4-6.

Mandarin: Has distinguished themselves as spiritual guides. Most are at least a century old. Typically has dharma 6-8.

Ancestor: The leader of a kuei court. All are at least a couple of centuries old. Has dharma 7-9.

Bodhisattva: At least a thousand years as a kuei, but often much, much more than that. Very powerful and enlightened. Has dharma 9-10.

Arhat: Older than a bodhisattva, and supremely powerful and enlightened. Seldom does much of anything. Has dharma 10.

Requirements

Must be a kuei.

Class Information

The following pertains to the dharma power class.

Hit Die

Nominally 1d4, but a kuei gets 1d12, since she is undead.

Action Points

You gain a number of action points equal to 6 + one-half your character level, rounded down, each time you attain a new level in this class.

Class Skills

The class skills are Balance (Dex), Climb (Dex), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spot (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Magic Rating

You get no magic rating for dharma levels.

Class Features

The following are class features for dharma.

Table: Dharma Power Class

Level	Attack	Fort	Ref	Will	Abilities	Def	Rep
1	+½	+0	+0	+2	Talent, Enlightenment, Turn Resistance	+0	+0
2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Talent, Choose Path	+1	+0
3	+1½	+1	+1	+3	Talent	+1	+1
4	+2	+1	+1	+4	Talent, Refined (no flesh)	+1	+1
5	+2½	+1	+1	+4	Talent, Drain Breath	+2	+1
6	+3	+2	+2	+5	Talent	+2	+2
7	+3½	+2	+2	+5	Talent, Osmosis	+2	+2
8	+4	+2	+2	+6	Talent, Refined (no blood)	+3	+2
9	+4½	+3	+3	+6	Talent, Unrestricted	+3	+3
10	+5	+3	+3	+7	Talent	+3	+3

Talent

You get to pick a discipline talent that you have the prerequisites for. Disciplines are described below.

Enlightenment

Dharma is a road of spiritual enlightenment. As you walk it, it sustains you on your way. If the optional Sanity rules are used, you have Sanity Resistance equal to your dharma level, when checking for things related to your own condition as undead, including things you do while in frenzy.

Turn Resistance

You get turn resistance +4.

Choose Path

At 2nd level, you must choose your path to enlightenment. You immediately get the paths ability bonus when doing so.

Refined

This is a disadvantage. At 4th level, you only gain half normal bonuses from eating flesh——such coarse behaviour is beneath you.

At 8th level, this also extends to drinking blood.

Drain Breath

You can regain chi by draining it directly, from the victim's breath. It functions exactly as blood drain, except that there is no need to puncture or bleed the victim. You cannot drain breath while in frenzy.

Osmosis

You can regain Chi by draining it from the natural world around you. One hour spent in a node gives the same benefits as one round of draining blood or breath, and counts as feeding when checking for hunger. This does not hurt the node as long you do it no more than once a month. It is possible to get more Chi by defiling the node, but that destroys it and tends to bring spiritual retribution. Or a few packs of angry werewolves.

Unrestricted

Your enlightenment has reached such a level that you may ignore Path restrictions on what disciplines you can choose.

Disciplines

These disciplines are the core of kuei abilities. All discipline abilities are supernatural.

Black Wind

Fearsome speed and savagery granted by the inner demon.

Black Wind: You can enter a kind of frenzy with full control once per day. The frenzy lasts 3 rounds + ½ round per Dharma level. While in frenzy you have +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, and a +1 morale bonus to Will saves. Furthermore, you may make an additional move action either before or after your normal action.

You may use demon shintai while in frenzy, but no other disciplines. Ranged weapons are also forbidden — your inner demon prefers to shred his enemies at close range. In fact, you must either attack or move towards an enemy each round, you cannot hold. If there are no known enemies left, you must either end your frenzy or start attacking friends.

Special: You can take the Extra Rage feat to get two extra daily uses of Black Wind. You cannot use it more than once each encounter, but you can use both Black Wind and Dragon Dance.

You can take the Extend Rage feat to extend each use of Black Wind or Dragon Dance by 3 rounds.

Greater Black Wind: Your bonuses to Strength and Dexterity while in frenzy each increase to +4, and your morale bonus on Will saves increases to +2. You may make an extra attack instead of your extra move action.

Requirements: Black Wind. Your path cannot be the Way of the Resplendent Crane.

Greatest Black Wind: Your bonuses to Strength and Dexterity while in frenzy each increase to +6, and your morale bonus on Will saves increases to +3. You have two extra move actions each round, and you may exchange either or both for an extra attack.

Requirements: Black Wind, Great Black Wind. Your path must be the Howl of the Devil Tiger.

Cultivation

The P'o must be understood and assimilated.

Cleave the Demon: You can separate the warring halves of your soul, so that one (usually the Hun) takes complete control of the body, while the other becomes a free-roaming spirit (Yin or Yang, chosen when activating this power). Both halves of your soul can act in each round, and they share a telepathic link. However, you cannot feed while your soul is split like this.

The power requires a full-round action to separate, and lasts until the souls reunite. If your spirit-soul is defeated while fighting other spirits, you immediately enter torpor.

Lash the Demon: You can prod and goad the inner demons of others. As standard action that requires eye contact, your targets hun and p'o will separate unless he can make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Wisdom modifier).

If your target is capable of rage or frenzy (due to race or class) he immediately enters it, unable to tell friend from foe. The rage or frenzy lasts for his normal duration. If he has a limited number of rage or frenzy attempt per day, this counts as one of them.

Other targets instead become passive and malleable for 1 minute per level. He will take no aggressive actions, and flee if confronted. He will obey any suggestions given to him, as long as they are not aggressive or self-destructive, and can be completed before the duration runs out.

You can only use this ability once per target per night.

Requirements: Cleave the Demon. Your path cannot be the Howl of the Devil Tiger.

Yoke the Demon: You can reach into your dual soul and subordinate your P'o to your Hun. While doing so, you cannot use Black Wind or demon shintai. The P'o can be used as a watchdog that can detect other "demons" (anything that can rage or frenzy, human lunatics, and other "wild souls") within 150 feet. Against such foes, you get to reroll failed Listen and Spot checks, where the extra check ignores all "normal" penalties for camouflage etc.

Magically hidden or invisible creatures are visible to the P'o, but it cannot pinpoint their exact location for you.

Requirements: Cleave the Demon, Lash the Demon.

Two Become One: Instead of a Hun and a P'o soul, you can join them to get two souls that are both combinations of Hun and P'o. This requires a standard action, and lasts for 1 round per level. While the effect lasts, both your souls can act independently——you get an additional non-physical action each round. Furthermore, you get to reroll failed Will saves once.

You can join your souls like this three times per day, but not more than once in a single encounter.

Requirements: Cleave the Demon, Lash the Demon, Yoke the Demon. Your path must be the Way of the Resplendent Crane.

Demon Shintai

Allowing the Shadow Soul to possess one's body and turn it into a demon.

Demon Form I: As a full-round action, you can transform into your demon self. You can do this once per day, and the transformation lasts one round per level. While transformed, you get +2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 natural armor, and one demon feature. You choose your demon features the first time you transform, and they remain the same ever after.

The following demon features are available:

Claws: You have claws that do 1d6 + your Strength modifier damage.

Demon Armor: May look like scales, ornate armor, or anything else. Can be picked more than once, and provides +2 natural armor each time.

Demon weapon: An obviously demonic +1 melee weapon of any type appears in your hand. Despite being a part of you, you can lose this weapon due to successful disarm or sunder attempts. It will be recreated in your hand next time you transform.

Extra Arms: You gain two extra arms each time you pick this feature.

Foulness: You are exceedingly foul. Living creatures within 5 feet must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Charisma modifier) or be sickened for 1d6+4 minutes. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again that night. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes the effect from a sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to poison are unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws.

You can pick this feature again, extending your aura to 10 feet.

Horror: You inspire horror beyond the normal even for a demon. You can radiate a 5-foot-radius fear aura as a free action. Living creatures must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Charisma modifier) or be affected as though by a fear spell. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again that night.

You can pick this feature again, extending your aura to 10 feet.

Host: Fanged demonic faces sprout from your body and limbs. They automatically bite grappled opponents for 1d6 damage (total for all faces).

Large: Your demonic form grows Large, and you get all normal bonuses and penalties for it. You must have two other demonic feature before you can pick this one.

Maw: Your mouth distends and sprouts terrible teeth. You have a bite attack for 1d8 damage + your Strength modifier.

Spikes: Your body is spined all over. This has the same effects as spiked armor.

Tail: You grow a prehensile tail. It can wield weapons or slam for 1d4 damage. Attacks from the tail only gets ½ your Strength modifier.

You can pick tail a second time to grow a poisonous scorpion-like stinger at the tip. The poison affects the spirit, and affects humans and monsters alike (but not mindless beings such as zombies and most constructs). Anyone hit by the sting must make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Charisma modifier) or take 2d12 damage.

Third Eye: You sprout a third eye in your forehead. It is ever vigilant, can see invisible, and gives you +2 on Spot checks.

Wings: You sprout a pair of wings. You can fly at your normal speed with Poor maneuverability.

Demon Form II: You can transform into a demon twice per day. Your demon form has +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 natural armor, and two demon features.

Requirements: Demon Form I, path cannot be the Way of the Resplendent Crane.

Demon Form III: You can transform into a demon thrice per day. Your demon form has +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 natural armor, and three demon features.

Requirements: Demon Form I, Demon Form II.

Demon Form IV: You can transform into a demon four times per day. Your demon form has +6 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 natural armor, and four demon features.

Requirements: Demon Form I, Demon Form II, Demon Form III, path must be Howl of the Devil Tiger.

Demon Form V: You can transform into a demon five times per day. Your demon form has +6 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +4 natural armor, and five demon features.

Requirements: Demon Form I, Demon Form II, Demon Form III, Demon Form IV.

Equilibrium

Maintaining harmonius balance between Yin and Yang, Hun and P'o.

Shift the Balance: As a full-round action, you can change your Chi attunement permanently.

As a full-round action you can change the Chi balance of someone that you touch. Unless they make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Wisdom modifier), their Chi attunement changes according to your wishes.

Changing the Chi of a mortal to balance will cure most natural diseases as remove disease. Likewise, upsetting the balance can cause disease.

You can restore negative levels with a touch, though it costs you 5 hit points to do so.

Chi Interrupt: As a touch attack, you can interrupt the flow of Chi through another being. He takes 3d6 damage, and unless he makes a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Wisdom modifier), he is also paralyzed for 1 round per level. You can only do this once per target per night.

Requirements: Shift the Balance.

Chi Drain: With but a touch, you can give your target a negative level. For each such negative level bestowed, you gain 5 temporary hit points. The DC on the Fortitude save to remove the negative level is 10 + ½ your level + your Wisdom modifier.

Chi Mastery: You can give your target two negative levels with each touch. Kuei, vampires and other undead that are immune to level drain must instead make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Wisdom modifier) or get hungrier, as if one extra night has passed without feeding.

Requirements: Shift the Balance, Chi Interrupt, Chi Drain. You must follow the Path of a Thousand Whispers.

Taint: You bestow 1 point of corruption to those who fail to remove one of your negative levels.

Internalize

Focusing the will for mighty feats and cunning insights.

Iron Soul: You have learned to channel your inner strength to perform prodigious acts. If you spend a full-round action in preparation, any action points that you spend in the next round have their effects doubled.

No Mind: You may reroll any failed Will save once.

Prerequisites: Iron Soul.

Harmony with the All: Once per day, as a standard action, you can attune yourself with the cosmic all for 1 round per level. While using this power, you ignore all penalties of all kinds, you can use all skills and weapons as if trained, and you cannot be surprised or flat-footed. Bonuses still affect you as normal.

Prerequisites: Iron Soul, No Mind.

Obligation

The strongest soul prevails and triumphs.

Soul Bridge: You get a +8 species bonus to Gather Information and Sense Motive checks, as you can make bridges between your soul and other's.

Authority: You get a +8 species bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy checks, as you draw upon the Mandate of Heaven.

Soul Shackles: As an attack action, you can crush an opponent's will just by gazing into his or her eyes. You can attempt to shackle only one target at a time, and the target must be within 30 feet and able to see you. A target that fails a Will save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Charisma modifier) becomes your thrall for 1 day per level. The thrall temporarily loses all previous allegiances and adopts a singular, unswerving allegiance to you. If you command your thrall to do something blatantly self-destructive, the target can make a Will save to break your control. If the save succeeds, the target becomes free-willed and regains its previous allegiances. The target will remember what it has done and seen while shackled.

Requirements: Authority, Soul Bridge. Your path cannot be the Howl of the Devil Tiger.

Shintai

The shintai disciplines manipulate the spirit-body in line with the 5 elements.

Earth Shintai

Polarizing the body to act as "soul stuff" for the focusing of Chi. All things, even vampires, are but temporary receptacles for the Chi that naturally flows from the Yin and Yang worlds to the Middle Kingdom.

Stand Upon the Dragon's Back: By channeling Chi from the earth's natural flows, you root yourself. While standing on the ground, you are immune to knockback, knockdown, and martial arts throws.

Tread the Thrashing Dragon's Tail: By polarizing your Chi in line with that of your surroundings, you become preternaturally deft and light. You can walk on any surface, even water or ceilings, and you leave no footprints. If you fall you take half damage, and your Jump distances are doubled.

Requirements: Stand Upon the Dragon's Back.

Placate the Earth Dragon: As a full-round action, you can sink into the earth or move through a barrier (wall, door, or floor) no more than a foot thick. You can remain merged with the earth for as long as you like.

Requirements: Stand Upon the Dragon's Back, Tread the Thrashing Dragon's Tail.

Harnessing the Dragon's Breath: You can fly with 30 feet move and moderate maneuverability.

Requirements: Stand Upon the Dragon's Back, Tread the Thrashing Dragon's Tail.

Special: If you have used Detach to detach your head and intestines, your fly speed increases to 50 feet.

Jade Servant: As a full-round action, you can channel energies of the classic elements through your form. You must touch a sizeable amount of the element. Some elements might not be possible, due to how you are attuned to Chi. You get one of the following abilities for 1 minute per level:

• Water: Can only be used by those attuned to Yin. Each time you touch or strike someone with your bare hands, he must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Wisdom modifier) or lose 1d6 Dexterity.

• Metal: Cannot be used by those attuned to Yang. Anyone who touches or strikes you with bare hands or a handheld object takes 1d6 + your level electricity damage. All your own barehanded strikes do +1d6 electricity damage.

• Earth: You get Damage Reduction 10/blunt, and anyone who strikes you bare-handed takes half the damage dealt himself. If he uses a weapon, it takes the same damage as he deals to you, possibly breaking it.

• Wood: Cannot be used by those attuned to Yin. You get Damage Reduction 10/slashing, and anyone who strikes you bare-handed takes half the damage dealt himself. All your barehanded attacks do normal (not subdual) damage, as from a +1 piercing wooden weapon.

• Fire: Can only be used by those attuned to Yang. Anyone who touches or strikes you with bare hands or a handheld object takes 1d6 + your level fire damage. All your own barehanded strikes do +1d6 fire damage.

You can use this power three times per night, but each element can only be used once.

Requirements: Stand Upon the Dragon's Back, Tread the Thrashing Dragon's Tail, Placate the Earth Dragon, Harnessing the Dragon's Breath.

Fire Shintai

Conjuring the shade-time flame of the spirit world. There are two types of ghost flame: the bright scorching Yang flame and the icy lunar Yin flame.

Goblin Face: You can make your eyes blaze with eerie Chi energy. You gain 120 feet darkvision.

Goblin Hands: You can make your hands and mouth blaze with Chi flames. Your bite and hands do +1d6 fire damage, with +1d10 on a critical.

Requirements: Goblin Face.

Goblin Scorch: You can breathe flames like a dragon. You do 1d6 fire damage per 2 shintai levels (max 5d6), in a 30 feet cone. Targets that make a Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Charisma modifier) take half damage. You can do this every d6 rounds.

Requirements: Goblin Face, Goblin Hands.

Goblin Lantern: As a full-round action, you can transform your entire body into a tiny ball of Chi fire. You have no hands (or legs for that matter) and cannot hold anything, but you can still bite, and you can fly at your normal speed with good maneuverability. Anyone that attacks you in melee takes 1d6 + your level fire damage.

Since you are only semisolid, anyone attacking you have a 50% miss chance unless they have ghost touch or are incorporeal themselves. You have ghost touch on your own attacks.

This power lasts for 1 minute per level. At any time before the duration runs out, you can end it by flaring your aura into a point-blank 20 feet radius burst that does 1d6 fire damage per shintai level and blinds like pyrotechnics. You can use this power three times per day.

Requirements: Goblin Face, Goblin Hands, Goblin Scorch.

Metal Shintai

Focusing the body as a receptacle for death energies. Metal, or Bone, shintai is a frightening and forbidding art, closely tied to Yin.

Corpse Skin: As a standard action, you may channel unwholesome Yin energies through your flesh, which becomes pallid and corpselike. You gain +2 natural armor and fangs that can bite a pinned victim for 1d4 damage + ½ your Strength modifier.

White Tiger Corpse: By forcing Yin Chi into your skin and bone marrow, you become transparent and nearly invisible. When you do this, you get a +8 bonus on Hide checks, you can Hide in plain sight, and you always take 10 on Hide checks. It requires opposed Spot checks to see you.

Your gear is not invisible, so you have to be naked for the full effect. If that is unacceptable, you can spend a full round smearing 1d8 hit points worth of your blood on your gear, making it too invisible for 1 minute per level.

Requirements: Corpse Skin.

Bone Obedience: Through selective manipulation of Chi, you can cause your bone structure to grow according to your will. At any time, you may use any one of these effects:

• You can extend and enlarge your fangs, gaining a full bite attack for 1d6 damage + your Strength modifier.
• You can extend spikes from your body as if you are wearing spiked armor.
• You can extend blades from your hands and arms, giving you 2 claw attacks for 1d8 damage + your Strength modifier.
• You can fuse your ribs into bony plates, giving you +3 natural armor that stacks with Corpse Skin.
• You can create small tools of bone, suitable for picking locks etc.
• You can alter your face, height, and body build. This gives a +4 bonus to Disguise checks.

Requirements: Corpse Skin, White Tiger Corpse.

Five Poison Cloud: You get a breath weapon where you exhale a 30 feet cone of freezing black vapor that seethes with the destructive powers of raw Yin. Metal corrodes, flesh rots, and plants wither and die. The cloud does 1d6 acid damage per 2 shintai levels, or half that if the victims make a Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Intelligence modifier). You can do this every 1d6 rounds.

Requirements: Corpse Skin, White Tiger Corpse, Bone Obedience.

Taint: Anyone who fails his save must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or gain 1d4 points of corruption.

Ch'ing Shih: As a move action, you can transform yourself into a ch'ing shih by permeating your flesh and bones with Yin Chi. The transformation lasts for 1 minute per level, and you can do this once per day. Your flesh turns sickly gray, your skin wrinkles and compresses around your jet-black bones. Your fangs grow long and drip with venom, and black spikes jut from all over your body.

You have all combat abilities from Bone Obedience at once, and your bite is poisonous (1d6 Con initial and secondary damage, save DC 10 + ½ your level + your Intelligence modifier). You can affect Yin-spirits as if you have ghost touch, but they can affect you without materializing first.

Victims that die from your poison return 1d6 minutes later as zombies under your control. A zombie rots and is destroyed if hit by even a single ray of sunlight, and you cannot have more than 1 zombie per shintai level at any time.

Requirements: Corpse Skin, White Tiger Corpse, Bone Obedience, Five Poison Cloud.

Taint: Anyone who fails his save against your poison (and survives) must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or gain 1d4 points of corruption.

Water Shintai

As the alchemist practices nei tan, so the practitioner of the blood shintai learns to focus Chi through the humors of the undead frame.

Stir the Cauldron: You can manipulate gross quantities of blood in your body, thereby expanding or contracting body parts. You get a +8 species bonus to Escape Artist checks, and +4 to Disguise when trying to hide your identity.

As a standard action, you may move the blood in another being's body by touching it. The victim must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Wisdom modifier) or become nauseated for 1d6 rounds.

Flow Like Blood: You can become fluid as blood, thereby making yourself hard to it. Whenever you are fighting or casting defensively, anyone that attacks you has a 20% miss chance. You also have a 25% chance of negating any critical hit or sneak attack against you. This stacks with other abilities that negate critical hits.

Requirements: Stir the Cauldron.

Bloodlash: As a standard action, you can use Chi to coagulate a tendril of your blood into a razor-sharp liquid whip. This requires an open wound, though you can bite yourself if you are unharmed. Each round you keep the whip you take 1 point of damage as you bleed, and it does 2d6 + your Wisdom modifier slashing or acid damage, whichever is better.

You are considered proficient with this whip, and you can use it as a whip or as a spiked chain, though the damage is the same. You can use either your Dexterity or your Wisdom modifier to hit with it. If you manage to entangle a target, you can choose to constrict it, doing damage each round.

Requirements: Stir the Cauldron, Flow Like Blood.

Blood Awakening: As a standard action that costs one hit point, you can sprinkle a little of your blood over a single Small masterwork object, thereby animating it as if by an animate objects spell. You can animate 1 small object per shintai level each day.

You may spend more blood, thereby empowering the object. Provided you have the level neccessary to get that many daily uses, you can spend 2 daily uses to turn it into a Medium animated object, 4 to make it Large, or 8 to make it Huge.

Requirements: Stir the Cauldron, Flow Like Blood, Bloodlash.

Wood Shintai

The restless Yang gifts of the penangallan.

Extend: You can extend your neck. You get a bite attack for 1d4 + your Strength modifier damage, and +5 feet reach per shintai level when biting.

Sanity: If the optional Sanity are used, sanity checks for 1d6 Sanity loss apply to just about any onlooker except kuei.

Detach: You can detach parts of your body. This is most often used to separate the head and intestines from the body, but you can also detach limbs.

Detaching the head and entrails is a full-round action that leaves the rest of your body an empty shell. The head-mass is Small and can slither at your normal speed. Most penangallans learn Harnessing the Dragon's Breath to enable them to fly, however. The intestines can be used to grapple (without causing an opportunity attack) and constrict for 1d4 + your Strength modifier damage.

When detached you can, as a free action, create an aura of fear in a 30-foot radius. Creatures within this distance of you must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Charisma modifier) or become shaken. Shaken creatures suffer a –2 morale penalty on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws.

Detaching hands is also popular, as they can be sent to hard-to-reach places. You might want to send an eye along, if you want the hand to go out of sight. Your hands are Tiny, and scuttle 20 feet per round.

Requirements: Extend.

Sanity: If the optional Sanity are used, sanity checks for 1d10 Sanity loss apply to just about any onlooker except kuei.

Lotus Cloud: You get a breath weapon where you exhale a 30 feet opalescent cone of euphoric Yang energy. Living creatures that fail a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Charisma modifier) are treated as if nauseated for 1d4 rounds. You can use this ability every 1d6 rounds.

Requirements: Extend, Detach.

Taint: Anyone who fails his save must make a Will save (DC 15) or gain 1d4 points of depravity.

Pelesit: You can construct small creatures from your body, and detach them and send them on errands. You can create one creature per shintai level each night, or fewer larger creatures. To create a creature, you sacrifice from 1d12 to 5d12 of your hit points. For each d12 hit points sacrificed, the pelesit gets 2HD.

You cannot heal this sacrificial damage until the creature is destroyed, which happens at dawn if not earlier. However, you can reabsorb the pelesit with but a touch, and that will restore the damage.

The pelesit obeys you to the best of its ability, being a part of you, but it is also a separate being. Thus, it has to rely on its own skills and abilities, and you cannot control its action in detail.

Requirements: Extend, Detach, Lotus Cloud.

Ten Thousand Forms: You have near-complete control over your shape. You can alter self at will.

Requirements: Extend, Detach, Lotus Cloud, Pelesit.

Tapestry

Manipulating ambient Chi in the environment.

Spirit Call: As a full-round action, you can call a nearby spirit to you. You cannot call a specific spirit unless you know its name. You have no special ability to control it once it arrives.

Good Joss: You can manipulate luck. You have a +1 luck bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saves, and skill checks. Three times per day, you can extend this bonus to all within 40 feet (allies get a +1 luck bonus and enemies a -1 luck penalty) for 1 round per level.

Requirements: Spirit Call.

Ride the Dragon: If you are standing on a ley line, you can teleport along the line as a full-round action. You cannot control your arrival spot exactly, so this power is mostly useful for long-range transportation and escape.

Requirements: Spirit Call, Good Joss.

Chi Rift: As a full-round action that costs an action point, you can open a portal to either the underworld (Yin) or to the shadow world (Yang).

Requirements: Spirit Call, Good Joss, Ride the Dragon.

Yang Prana

Attuning the body to its inner Yang.

Principle of Motion: Once per round, you can spend an action point for an additional attack. This stacks with the Heroic Surge feat.

Yang Mantle: By cloaking yourself in the power of life, you can make yourself attractive to mortals and Yang-spirits. Unless they are already Hostile to you, their initial attitude improves one step (but not above Friendly).

In addition, any weapon of wood that you wield count as magic for the purpose of overcoming Damage Resistance.

Requirements: Principle of Motion. Your path cannot be the Song of the Shadow.

Dragon Dance: Once per day, you can enter a battle trance. This has all the effects of Black Wind, except that you don't have to attack each round, you can use mental abilities and disciplines, and you can tell friend from foe.

Requirements: Principle of Motion, Yang Mantle.

Special: You can take the Extra Rage feat to get two extra daily uses of Dragon Dance. You cannot use it more than once each encounter, but you could use both Dragon Dance and Black Wind.

You can take the Extend Rage feat to extend each use of Black Wind or Dragon Dance by 3 rounds.

Semblance of the Scarlet Queen: You transform your entire body into an incorporeal Yang-spirit, capable of travelling in the shadow world. This power lasts until you choose to end it. You do not need to feed while you are in spirit-form.

Requirements: Principle of Motion, Yang Mantle, Dragon Dance. Your path must be Dance of the Thrashing Dragon.

Yin Prana

Attuning the body to its inner Yin.

Shrouded Moon: You get a +8 species bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks. You can Move Silently at your normal walking speed without penalty.

Yin Mantle: By cloaking yourself in the power of death, you can make yourself attractive to undead and Yin-spirits. Unless they are already Hostile to you, their initial attitude improves one step (but not above Friendly).

In addition, any weapon of pure metal that you wield count as magic for the purpose of overcoming Damage Resistance.

Requirements: Shrouded Moon. Your path cannot be Dance of the Thrashing Dragon.

Bone Dance: Through a series of slow, langurous mudras and postures, you can focus your Yin energy into waves of lethargy that stretch 40 feet in all directions from you. The effect depends on how long each victim has been in the area.

• The first round, victims grow lethargic. Unless they make a Will save (DC 10 + ½ your level + your Intelligence modifier) they will not notice that something is happening.
• Second round they become drowsy and suggestible. You cannot order them to take aggressive or self-destructive actions, but any passive action like "do nothing", "ignore me", "let us pass" is fine. Afterwards, they get another Will save (same DC) to remember anything of what happened.
• The third round they fall asleep, should you wish them to.

You can do this once each day, and you can continue dancing for as long as you wish, taking a partial action each round.

Requirements: Shrouded Moon, Yin Mantle.

Semblance of the Ebon Dragon: You transform your entire body into an incorporeal Yin-spirit, capable of travelling in the underworld. This power lasts until you choose to end it. You do not need to feed while you are in spirit-form.

Requirements: Shrouded Moon, Yin Mantle, Bone Dance. Your path must be the Song of the Shadow.

Paths

To advance in Dharma, one must choose a spiritual path. When you do, you get the path's ability modifier and other bonuses.

Howl of the Devil Tiger

The Way of the South, of Fire and of Ghost-flame.

Some souls scream when they reach Yomi. Others enjoy the trip and bring the torment back with them when they return. Pain is a cleansing thing to these vampires.

Ability: +2 Charisma.

Way of the Resplendent Crane

The Way of the North, of Water and of Blood.

When imperfect souls are returned to earth, Heaven must have some task for them. They died wreathed in sin; Yomi was not enough penance – they must make bent things straight.

Ability: +2 Wisdom.

Song of the Shadow

The Way of the West, of Metal and of Bone.

There is life, there is death, and there is the bridge between the two. Like autumn leaves, these kuei glide between the Jade kingdom and the living world.

Ability: +2 Intelligence.

Path of a Thousand Whispers

The Way of the Center, of Earth and of Jade.

Moderation is the key; while the other paths describe themselves as storms or fires, the Reed speaks of emptiness given form.

Ability: +2 Strength.

Dance of the Thrashing Dragon

The Way of the East, of Wood and of Flesh.

These vampires are as alive as the undead can be. Bursting with life-energy, the followers of the Green Way resemble a force of nature – too powerful to be silenced, too vivid to be real.

Ability: +2 Dexterity.

Modern Horror
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