List of Styles

The many styles of martial arts in Longguo.

Shanhuo Gungfu (8 XP)
Anyone who has seen the Red Army at their drills will be unsurprised to learn the name of their national style is "Wildfire." The Shanhuoke is all intensity and dynamism, striking, falling back, turning the retreat into a whirlwind assault on a new foe, breaking off the attack to strike two peripheral enemies at once; the student becomes as a madly flickering flame, unpredictable and everywhere at once. The xiake may activate a kata as a free action after taking a simple action. In addition, they may spend a Void Point at any time to change stances. In both cases, these abilities may not be used if the xiake has moved as a simple or complex action this turn. After being used, the xiake may not move as a simple or complex action this turn. Red dragonborn may take this style for free upon creation.

Lixiaji Gungfu (8 XP)
Developed in the crowded cities of the Kingdom of the Crimson Scale, "Beautiful Summertime" style makes the most of tight spaces and economy of motion, eschewing the broad and elegant motions of other styles in favor of blindingly fast, noncommitted strikes. When making Unarmed Attacks, the Lixiajike may take the Extra Attack maneuver for 3 raises instead of 5, at a penalty of -2k0 to Damage Rolls. If an Extra Attack is attempted, the xiake cannot have moved, and may not move, as a simple or complex action this turn. Red dragonborn may take this style for free upon creation.

Wohe Tunshi Gungfu (6 XP)
Among other things, the Shenan have become feared for their skills and savagery at grappling. "The Swallowing Vortex" style was inspired by the death roll of the crocodile, and the xiake, like the crocodile, learns to clutch relentlessly to his prey and drag them down. Contested grapple rolls against the xiake suffer a penalty equal to twice the xiake's Water Ring. In addition, xiake may perform the Throw option as a simple action, and doing so does not necessarily free their target from the grapple. Finally, whenever the xiake suceeds in a contested roll, they may perform a biting attack as a free action for (Strength)k1 damage. Black dragonborn may take this style for free upon creation.

Shijiaotong Gungfu (6 XP)
"Ten Sharp Pains" style students are trained to hone an analytical eye, and make their strikes cruel and precise. Even seemingly glancing strikes, through the attacks of the Shijiaotong xiake, are actually deft stabs at the nervous system or tears at the muscles, designed to cause more pain than damage, until the enemy can resist no longer. If the student of Shijiaotong has hit an enemy at least once during a fight, that enemy treats their Wound penalty as though it were one rank greater. This effect persists a number of hours equal to the student's Insight Rank. The inherent cruelty of the style, and the reputed sadism of its founder, have given this school of gungfu a somewhat shadowy reputation. A xiake who studies Shijiaotong Gungfu suffers a penalty to their Honor of -0.5 points. Green dragonborn may take this style for free upon creation.

Dao de Hundun (10 XP)
"The Primordial Way" is not, technically, a style of gungfu, but of medicine. While it is not taught as a curriculum in any school, many masters have dabbled in the arts of healing (regardless of whether their intention was to use that knowledge to heal), and a few have arrived at the potent secrets of the Dao de Hundun, understanding how to allow and impede the flow of qi through the body. If a student of this style makes an unarmed Called Shot manuever, they may opt to call an additional raise and spend a Void Point. If they succeed, they may keep only one damage die and take a -5 penalty to damage, but their attack paralyzes the nerves. If the attack was against an arm, that arm may no longer be used. If the attack was against a leg, the victim loses any benefit to their Armor TN gained from Reflexes and may not move as a Free Action or more than 5 feet in a round, unassisted. If the attack was against the head, the victim cannot spend Void Points. This effect lasts a number of minutes equal to the attacker's Insight Rank.
 * Requirements: Shijiaotong Gungfu, Agility 5, Intelligence 4, Medicine 7

Bingshenti Gungfu (8 XP)
The tundra that the white dragonborn roam is in many ways less forgiving even than the great desert separating them from the southlands. The "Ice Cold Body" style was created to endure the harshness of their world. It is widely acknowledged as one of the least pleasant styles to learn, and it is said to be impossible to teach outside of the frozen north as more than warmth, but hope of warmth, must be extinguished before mastery can be attained. When struck by an attack, the Bingshentike may spend their next simple action in advance to roll an attack in response. If their result is 10 less than their attackers' or greater, they may roll damage and subtract that amount from the damage they take. This cannot be done more than twice per round. White dragonborn may take this style for free upon creation.

Sokkou-Ryu (7 XP)
Literally "The School of Swift Attack," Sokkou-Ryu students are taught a brilliant economy of motion and hone their deadly reflexes. When missed by an enemy's attack, the student may spend a Void Point to use one of their simple actions in response. This action may be an attack even if they are in Defense Stance, if they are able to make attacks as simple actions. A student of this style studies with one type of weapon to achieve this perfection of balance and instinctive response, but to the detriment of their versatility. When using a weapon of any other type, the student suffers a penalty of -1k0 to all Attack and Damage rolls. Gold dragonborn may take this style for free upon creation.
 * Requirements: Reflexes 4

Issuinoyume-Ryu (10 XP)
The "Empty Dream" sword school is a cold and enigmatic style in which the student is taught to channel the great void, hearing the echoes of their adversary and anticipating their every motion. While duelling, if a student of the Issuinoyume-Ryu fails their Assessment roll by 10 or less, or exceeds their opponent's roll by any amount, they may lower a trait of their opponent by 1 for every Void Point they choose to spend in this manner. No Trait may be reduced below 2. If this ability is used, the student may not spent Void Points for any other purpose in this duel. Gold dragonborn may take this style for free upon creation.

Tongdaozhe Gungfu (6 XP)
It would be inaccurate to describe Tongdaozhe as a proper style, in that it makes a purpose of specializing in nothing. Tongaozheke pursue a curriculum of intense fundamentals, learning to adopt and hold the various stances found in other schools, and are equipped with the arsenal of simple strikes and kicks they will need to remain flexible under future tutelage. Then they are exiled from the school of their upbringing and charged to travel, experience, and understand the dragonborn as a complete people. Tongdaozhe means "Fellow Traveler."

A student of Tongdaozhe may select any other style. As long as they meet its requirements, they may purchase it immediately for 3 XP less than it would otherwise cost them. In addition, the student may double their Void Ring when calculating how long they must study a new style in order to learn it. However, the student may not learn any styles requiring another style as a prerequisite. Silver dragonborn may take this style for free upon creation.

Sanrokan Karate (4 XP)
Sanrokan Karate (by its Golden Dragonborn name) is a system that was developed to allow a disarmed, subjugated people to combat and dispatch with armed attackers. It is efficient and ruthless, its movements are direct and linear. The style is characterized as a "hard" style, largely ignoring complicated feints, deceptions, and intricate parry-plays in favor of simple side-stepping and slight deflection, to maximize the access to the "centerline," the most direct line of attack to the target. Grabs and trips are included in its curriculum only as they are used to pull the target into a strike, to increase the force of impact. Copper dragonborn may take this style for free upon creation. Gold dragonborn may take it for a cost of 2 XP.

A character whose martial education has been under the Sanrokan Karate system has learned explosive speed and power, and can treat their Unarmed attacks as Heavy Weapons, using their Heavy Weapon skill for attack rolls and benefiting from Heavy Weapon mastery abilities (but not Unarmed mastery abilities--they must declare one or the other). There is a saying in the Wuxia world about Sanrokan: "They do not block, they just attack your attack." The aggressive style ill prepares its practitioners for defensive fighting, and someone whose grounding is in Sanroken Karate cannot take a Defense or Full Defense stance.

Wutie Sanrokan Karate (6 XP)
The disciples of the school founded by Wu Tie focus on perfecting the simple but devastating reverse punch, believing that a single strike should suffice to decide an encounter, armed or unarmed. What begins as the humblest and most basic weapon in the arsenal of the xiake becomes, through rigorous devotion and repetition, as sudden and inexorable as a cannonball. The student of Wutie Sanrokan may choose a target and spend a simple action at the start of a round of combat to roll an additional Initiative roll and add it to their current score, but must assume the Full Attack stance this turn, and must use this turn to attack their target. This bonus is lost after their turn. Their commitment to the strike is unalterable, however, and the practitioner takes a -10 penalty to their Armor TN until the start of their next turn (this does mean that the penalty can stack to a maximum of -20 if used two consecutive turns).
 * Requirements: Strength 4, Agility 4, Sanrokan Karate Style

Qingtianpili Jianshu (7 XP)
Literally "Lightning From Blue Skies Sword Style," this school of the sword delivers strikes with deadly speed and accuracy straight from the sheath, obviating the risk of telegraphing the attack. Because this attack favors a deft and stealthy strike that requires the weapon begin in a position from which it offers no defense, a heavy emphasis is placed upon footwork and evasion. When the xiake readies their weapon, if their next immediate action is to make an attack, they gain one free raise towards a Feint manuever,  but they may not make another attack this turn with the same weapon. In addition, while their weapon is sheathed, they may add their Fire Ring or their Water Ring, whichever is higher, to their Armor TN and to Unarmed Attack Rolls, but subtract it from their damage reduction (this allows for a negative damage reduction). Brass dragonborn may take this style for free upon creation.

Qizhenjing Gungfu (6 XP)
"Seven Sutras Style" has monastic origins; it is unique among martial arts styles in its association with pacifism. Few students of this style adhere to its quixotic ideals of unqualified peace, but many see the merits of its potent defensive techniques and pursue it as a complement to the rest of their training. Qizhenjing specializes in lightness gungfu to maximize mobility and to absorb and return aggressive force. While unarmed, the Seven Sutras student may increase their move distance by 50% (rounded down). The student may move vertically at a rate of 5' for every 10' they move horizontally, though they still take fall damage as normal if they cannot slow their descent against a vertical surface. Once per round, if an attacker moves within 5' of the student, they may spend their next simple action in advance on an immediate Unarmed Attack with a raise. If they succeed, the target is pushed back 5' and may not continue to move this turn. Finally, once per round, the student may spend a Void Point to enter Center, Defense, or Full Defense stance and take an immediate turn (this effect changes their place in the Initiative list). Brass dragonborn may take this style for free upon creation.

Feishen Maoshu (5 XP)
In the sprawling footlands of the Northern Kingdom and the wide plains of the Southern Kingdom, the bronze dragonborn make the most of their ample space. Their styles are flowery, beautiful, and flowing. The "School of the Flying Spear" benefits from space and speed. The xiake may take a free raise towards the Increase Damage maneuver for every 10' they move before making an attack, up to their Void Ring. These raises do not count against the total number of raises they may take this turn. If they take this option, they may not add raises for Increased Damage maneuvers to the same attack outside of those granted by this style, and they may not make the Extra Attack maneuver this turn.