Wushu Character Elements Miscellany

Wushu Campaign Prep Miscellany

STANCES
Fighters may learn stances which give additional abilities without requiring an action. A fighter may only be in one stance per turn. It does not take an action to activate a stance, but the fighter must declare what stance they are using at the beginning of a turn. It costs one chi to enter into a stance. The complimentary or boost effect of the stance affects all actions. If a character is stunned, loses a grapple or knocked out, their stance will stop. Characters with knowledge of styles (i.e. a particular skill for identification depending on the system) may make a test to identify a fighter’s active stance.

Learning Stances
Stances are learned with a particular martial arts style but fighters may use any stance with any style. There are two kinds of stances: basic and advanced. Some stances may be learned at an additional cost outside of a style. Warrior Archetypes can learn advanced stances by blending the effects of two stances they know. This costs points.

Stances have “Two word” descriptor terms: [ADJECTIVE] + [NOUN]. If a Warrior knows two different stances, they may be able to combine their effects if they purchase that ability. For example the sneaky “Shadow Serpent” and the potent “Raging Dragon” stances might be combined to create “Shadow Dragon” or “Raging Serpent” stances which would give both the damage and the stealth bonus when active. In these cases, the effects of both stances occur.

Sample Stances
Springing Grasshopper; Hopping Demon: The fighter gains +2 dice to any attempts to escape holds, grabs or bindings.
Soaring Eagle; Fluttering Sparrow: The fighter gains a +1 to his dodge rolls.
Racing Cheetah; Swift Warrior: The fighter may increase his ground movement rate by 50%.
Masterful Armor; Steeled Flesh: The fighter gains a +1 DR. This is considered natural armor.
Burning Forge; Imperial Censure: The character may use anything as a weapon-- or even if he wishes, create an effective weapon from the force of chi itself.
Soulless Rival; Screaming Haunter: While in this stance, the fighter will draw the aggression of opponents. Unless already engaged, most hostile Mooks will automatically rush to attack the fighter. Senior or named enemies may make a test of avoid this effect.
Seeking Talon; Final Weapon: The fighter gains +1 die to his attack rolls.
Raging Dragon; Penetrating Heart: The fighter gains a +1 die to his damage rolls.
Drunken Monk; Falling Swordsman: The fighter gains a +1 to his dodge rolls.
Innocent Cloak; Perfect Calm: The fighter masks his strengths, styles, and even his virtues while in this stance. The stance itself is recognizable, but the actions the character takes may not be read.
Circling Snake; Gripping Whirlpool: The fighter gains +2 dice to all contests for maintaining a hold.
Furious Storm; Formless Speed: The fighter gains a constant +4 bonus to his initiative.
Jade Wall; Hungry Beggar: The character may continue to carry out non-combat general actions (such as penning a poem or eating dinner) while taking combat or movement actions.
Shadow Serpent; Gliding Assassin: The fighter becomes silent and trackless, giving him a +2 bonus to stealth attempts.
Forged Heart; Whirling Tempest: The fighter gains a bonus to resist the effects of the elements: extreme cold, fire based attacks, etc. This is considered +2 dice Soak or +1 die to any Stamina or Survival checks involved.
Relentless Stride; Immortal Roots: The fighter gains a +3 die bonus to any tests to resist Knockback or Knockdown.
Perfect Tao; Ultimate Brightness: The fighter may make reflexive free combat perception checks without any penalty and assess the current situation.
Guarded Thought; Towering Will: The fighter gains a +2 Will bonus to any tests to resist being tricked or influenced, through means mundane or magical.
Blossoming Radiance; Majestic Thread: While in this stance, the fighter may spend 1 Chi to heal two wounds, once per round.
Unfaulted Essence; Pure Substance: While in this stance, the fighter may make a Stamina test to flush any toxins or poisons from his system.
Harmonious Will; Infinite Soul: While in this stance, the fighter gains +1 die to resist any inflicted continuous effects from combat strikes (Blinding, Venom, Paralyze, etc).
Zen Watcher; Enlightened Sage: While in this stance, the character receives no penalty for reduced vision: i.e. in darkness, blindfolded.

Notes-- going to make another pass through here on these. Where some duplicate elements, they're basic ones I want to be stackable. I have a couple of option names for use with the different styles. Just want to make sure I haven't gone too conventional with these.

Wushu Skills
Here's a list of 25 skills. Ideally I'd like to have 27 or 30 skills. I haven't figured out about the magic skills yet.
Acrobatics: Swashbuckling, Breakfall, Balance, Swinging
Awareness: Spot Hidden, Search, Sense Spirits, Surveillance
Athletics: Riding, Sprinting, Keeping Your Feet, Climbing
Bluff: Fast Talk, Feint, Lie, Impersonate,
Brawn: Lifting, Bracing, Crushing, Bending
Craft: Smithing, Armory, Leatherworking, Pottery
Diplomacy: Defuse Situation, Charm, Savior-Faire, Politics, Administration, Bureaucracy
Drive/Pilot: Sail, Drive Cart, Seamanship
Expression: Sing, Play Instrument, Write Poetry, Dance
Human Perception: Sense Motive, Psychology, Read Emotions, Sense Ambush
Investigation: Research, Forensics, Intelligence Analysis, Tracking
Larceny: Lockpick, Pickpocket, Fence, Poisons
Leadership: Command, Inspire Loyalty, Coordinate Forces, Logistics
Lore: Languages, Theology, History, Cultures
Medicine: First Aid, Disease, Surgery, Midwifery, Autopsy, Funerary Rites
Melee Combat
Merchant: Evaluate Item, Haggle, Assess Market, Locate Sellers
Occult: Ghost Lore, Legends, Rituals, Know Strange Styles
Presence: Seduce, Intimidate, Make Your Mark, Spectacular Entrance
Ranged: Thrown Knives, Darts, Magic Spells, Archery, Spears, Tossing People
Resistance: Poisons, Combat Effects, Death Checks
Stealth: Sneak, Hide, Shadow, Concealment
Streetwise: Scrounging, Word on the Street, Hunt Target, Find Refuge
Survival: Urban, Desert, At Sea, Jungle
Unarmed Combat

To Do List for Mechanics Prep for the Wushu Game
Weapon Chart-- basic list and then weapons done with reasonable balance to one another, even if not realistic.

Armor Chart-- very basic as most Wushu characters do not use armor

Skill List-- refine from above basic list

Magic System-- basics outlined-- need to assign abilities and talents to the five tracks

Courtier Abilities-- Sherri's working on these sets

Styles-- Figure out which stances go with which styles; define special abilities; change a few of the repeated Super abilities among the styles (I came up with four or five more); define which styles are archetype specific; define the visual sig for each style; figure out about unique abilities-- Epics?

Costs-- Look at old ST cost and try to balance out.

List of Virtues-- Classic Chinese world-view has five. Should probably have about twelve, breaking these five into more discrete categories, ala Scion

Design Lightfoot-- ability set everyone has at least one dot in. What are upper levels of this.

Character Sheet-- save to end

Chi-- define use of this resource-- should have a couple of general options beyond activating some style elements.

Willpower-- decide if Willpower will simply be for activating virtues. If so, necessary?

Decide if we're using qualities/flaws-- that's always interesting, but is time invested in developing those worth the payoff?

Rules for # of wounds-- based on Stamina only-- can this be bought up? If so what limits?

Healing of wounds, Chi, Willpower-- rates for recovery

Question of a Legend Stat-- would be ranked 1-5. Maximum number of elements which could be applied? Might also be used for the testing number when trying to inflict combat effects on others.