The Wandering Fighter

A

rules and setting supplement

for the

GEnesys Roleplaying Game System

Keith Ryan Kappel Credits

Writing Layout and Design Keith RyanKappel Ryan Brooks

Playtesters interior art The Dice Pool Images used under fair use Kaitlin “GM Kaitlin” Davies Martin “GM Flanno” Flanagan Ian “GM Hooly” Houlihan Michael “GM Huzz” Hurrell

and

Phil “GM Phil” Maeiwski Chris “Zertz” Hunt Chase “Gigerstreak” LeMaster Ryan “Anstrona” Brooks

Like what you see here? Please support the author and get bonus content at the link below: www.patreon.com/krkappel

The Wandering Fighter. Published by Keith Kappel, December, 2017. All material contained within this publication not already under ownership of separate parties is intellectual property of Keith Kappel (henceforth referred to as the “author”). GeneSys™ is the property of Fantasy Flight Games®. All rights reserved. This produced publication is in no way affiliated with Fantasy Flight Games®. Names, characters, places, and incidents portrayed in this publication either are the product of the authors’ imaginations or are used ficticiously. Wandering Fighter Supplement “I’ll beat him so bad, he’ll need a shoehorn to put his hat on.”

–Muhammed Ali

The standard combat rules in the Genesys Core Chapter 1: Wandering Fighter Rulebook cover combat in general in great depth, but some campaigns, settings, or character concepts might Setting have an intense focus on barehanded combatants. Game The Wandering Fighter Setting combines a number Masters running such games might desire additional of unarmed combat settings from movies and video guidance, talents, and rules to provide more strategic games. It is built for telling stories about the lone hero options for fighting without weapons. The following (and of course a few friends!), wandering the earth, in text provides guidance on running unarmed combat search of something. They might be seeking justice, campaigns with the Genesys Core Rulebook. The enlightenment, or a true challenge to their skills. Some tropes and mechanics of this setting make it best suited fighters might fly across the world to participate in to small parties of three or fewer PCs. big-money fights with thousands of fans, while others Settings that might benefit from this supplement might appear to be little more than drifters, walking include those evoking side-scrolling “brawler” or from dojo to dojo with little more than the clothes on tournament “fighter” games made famous from 80’s their back and their martial skills. and 90’s arcade games. It can also handle combat The Wandering Fighter Setting can take place sports settings, such as a campaign built around in any number of historical periods, the modern day, , , or tournaments. or even a highly fictional cosmic future or inter- The colorful characters and over-the-top storylines dimensional nexus. The key element these specific of entertainment can also benefit from this sub-settings have in common is a focus on unarmed supplement. Likewise, these rules can also help with combat as the primary means of resolving problems settings that draw inspiration from martial arts films, and executing character arcs. The other factor is that birthed in the 70’s Hong Kong action movie scene. most of these fights, particularly climatic character- This supplement is divided into five chapters as arc resolving ones, happen one-on-one. The rest is follows: entirely variable. • Chapter One: The Wandering Fighter setting overview for Genesys Tropes • Chapter Two: New character options, including The Wandering Fighter setting covers a lot of ground careers, skills, and talents within video games, movies, sports, and entertainment • Chapter Three: New combat actions and maneuvers wrestling, each replete with their own themes and • Chapter Four: Setting-Specific gear tropes. The setting also covers a wide range of time. Campaigns using the Wandering Fighter Setting • Chapter Five: Optional New Rules might take place in real modern or historic settings, or entirely fictionalized or futuristic ones. What makes a campaign belong to the Wandering Fighter Setting is a near-exclusive focus on unarmed combat as a character concept for both PCs and NPCs. While some characters, particularly minions, might use weaponry from time to time, the superior skill of the unarmed hero is what ultimately proves strongest.

The Wandering Fighter — 3 Sample Training Scene Encounter The training scene encounter is designed to provide an opportunity to introduce and advance subplots in scenes via dramatic moments. These sorts of encounters are best for the beginning of a session, and might involve only one or two PCs and NPCs. Training scenes provide a very small amount of XP (2 to 5 XP based on performance), and typically involve only a few checks. Our hero is training with Joe, an older family friend that trained the hero’s mother (who is missing) during her days as a professional fighter. Joe wants to teach the hero to properly jab, and has tied the hero’s dominant arm behind their back. While watching the hero spar, Joe comments how much they remind him of their mother, technique wise. • Have the hero make a Hard ( ) Coordination check to follow Joe’s guidance and learn the proper technique. This is often done slow, so the hero’s muscles can learn the movement with good form before slowly speeding things up. After the check, Joe can comment on the form appropriately, comparing it to the mother’s, and then introduce a bit of important information related to the missing mother. • Convinced the hero is comfortable with the new movements, Joe puts pads over his hands and directs the hero to begin throwing the jab. Make a Hard ( ) Striking check to hit the pad several times with good form. Joe can comment on the performance appropriately, and then once again reveal more subplot critical information about the mother, perhaps background about a shady business partner during her fighting career days that our hero was unaware of. The hero might have questions at this time, resist answering them until the next check. Joe has begun to breathe hard and has grown more red-faced than usual. • The hero might grow frustrated with the awkward motion and new revelations about their mother. Have the hero make a Hard ( ) Discipline check to maintain their composure. They want answers about this mysterious business partner they’ve never heard of before. Joe seems prepared to answer, but suddenly a confused look crosses his face, and he drops to the ground. The PC is bound and unable to assist. If the check failed, the PC might have accidentally lost their temper, working Joe when he tried to sit down. Either way, Joe suffers a heart attack, and while he will likely survive, he is unable to answer any questions. This can set the hero on a path of trying to learn about this shady business partner, perhaps discovering a tournament they are holding on a remote island. The hero’s regular trainer, family friend, and last connection to their missing mother is now in the hospital, raising the stakes.

Training related talents, training can also be used to advance The Wandering Fighter gets their skill through Spirituality. training. This might entail sanding an old man’s patio, A brief scene that entails a few checks at the demolishing a car with kicks, punching sides of beef start of a session is a great way to represent training, until ribs crack, or entering a contraption that forcibly as either a brief scene or a time-lapse montage. stretches a character into the splits. Of course, more Scenes are great for pulling in NPCs and introducing often, training could also entail working with a coach or continuing subplots in the campaign. Montages are in a gym. The training montage is common before a better for showing a fighter’s skills improving over big fight, or after a lost fight, but before a rematch. time, and good at conveying the advancement of a GMs should work with players on their longer-term subplot. character concepts, and see which talents or skill GMs should get creative with the design of ranks the players wish their PCs to purchase next. training encounters, connecting the skill checks to any This enables GMs to design training encounters new skill ranks or talents purchased with XP since the around the next major planned XP purchase. Stories previous session. Training encounters are also a great in the Wandering Fighter Setting often involve time to involve a supporting cast of NPCs. These learning a crucial new ability prior to participating characters can add a subplot to a campaign, or used to in a climactic battle. Beyond combat skill ranks and enhance the drama of the next fight. 4 — The Wandering Fighter Sample Training Montage Encounter The training montage shows a longer passage of time than the near-real time scenes, from a few weeks to a few months. The primary purpose is to show the PC’s improved skills. Training montages typically provide more XP than scenes (10-20 XP based on performance), but are less common, often only once per adventure (which might be several sessions) as opposed to scenes, which might occur up to twice per session. A single montage might involve multiple PCs on different, but colliding or complimentary paths as they prepare for the fights ahead. Should this be the case, GMs should do a single check and moment of scene for each in turn, so all the early, middle and late montage moments feel like they are happening in chronological order. Training montages can also help develop a subplot. Continuing the example above, our hero’s trainer, Joe, has just suffered a heart attack. Our hero spend the last session after the training encounter investigating a shady business partner of their missing mother’s, and got invited to a tournament they are hosting. The hero’s training is now in service to this tournament. Forced to train alone, but very motivated, our hero has a training montage. • The hero makes a Hard ( ) Coordination check to work the speed bag with their left jab only. The task is awkward and difficult. Once the GM has provided that image based on dice results, the scene can briefly cut to the hospital, where Joe is in a hospital bed, unconscious. Our hero is by Joe’s side, the PC describing how their character fills the time. • Perhaps days later, the hero is back in the gym, this time using a variety of strength training equipment to strengthen that left jab. Have the hero make a Hard ( ) Athletics check to strength train. Afterward, show Joe, his eyes flickering to consciousness, making a funny comment to the hero about training. • At the end of the montage, the hero is sparring with the right arm again tied back, using only the left jab and footwork to work with a sparring partner. Make a Hard ( ) Striking check with to spar. Following the sparring, the scene quickly cuts back to Joe, who the hero is pushing on a wheel chair toward the hospital exit, he’s been discharged, but told to take it easy. The hero now has enough XP to purchase the Jab talent, representing the hard work done in the gym.

Tournaments fight each other. It is also possible to create separate If there’s one thing a good Wandering Fighter Setting divisions so that PCs never have to fight each loves, it’s a tournament. This might be for a sanctioned other. Then design 4-8 NPC Rivals and Nemesis combat sport like boxing, , or mixed martial Adversaries using the Genesys Core Rulebook and arts, or it could be a less-than-legal underground cage this supplement to act as opponents. GMs should fighting circuit. Odds are, there is a super-secret multi- invest time creating subplots for the fighters, goals terrain island owned by a mysterious and possibly they want to complete during the course of the shady man who puts on a secret tournament of the best tournament outside the ring, to ensure there is a fighters in the world every so often. character plot that can resolved in the event a PC is Some of these fights might be professional knocked out of the tournament. Losing PCs can still bouts or friendly sparring matches. Others might be assist their allies, or fight outside of the tournament fights to the death. It is common for some tournament behind the scenes when they corner their true enemy. opponents to have a connection to the background of the heroes; perhaps an old friend or archenemy. Fighting Styles This trope plays out in video games and in action and There is a proud history of tribalism amongst styles of sports movies repeatedly. unarmed combat. Wrestlers think their style is more Setting up a tournament is easy, as each PC effective than any striking style, and fighters can be an entrant. Put each PC in an opposite corner believe their style superior to Roman-Greco wrestlers. of the bracket, to minimize how often they might Tae-kwon-do fighters think they have better kicks than

The Wandering Fighter — 5 Jeet-Kun-Do fighters, it goes on. There are also the One way to tackle this is to have villains affect infamous rivalries between the many “animal schools” supporting characters in some awful way, perhaps of Kung-Fu that constantly compete classic Hong Kong from a training encounter. cinema’s tales of ancient China. While specifically named careers or talents aren’t Friendly Rival contained to represent various styles, the fighting Another common moment in Wandering Fighter stories school or style is a critical element of a character’s is of two combatants facing each other who are friendly background in the Wandering Fighter Setting. rivals, or even just friends. These fighters might be Characters should work with GMs to select an existing merely testing their skills, or competing respectfully. style or create their own, along with some notes about Despite the tension between the two, they trust each what kind of combat that style favors to aid in skill and other to come together against a common foe. These talent selection. There should also be some discussion sorts of moments can highlight just how dishonorable about who taught the PC how to fight? Was it at a an evil NPC behaves in a fight. They can also present local dojo, or was it deep in the woods where the final a unique opportunity in a campaign. Sometimes, the member of an ancient line of masters passed down his friendly rival has gone missing, perhaps they were school’s teachings to the PC? Perhaps the character’s invited to the tournament ahead of a PC, who is now parents taught them. A detailed style background helps accepting an invitation in hopes of learning what a GM to create story around that PC, and helps to happened to their former rival. develop some supporting characters. To represent a friendly rivalry in a Wandering Another thing to consider is what the style’s goal Fighter campaign, GMs might have two PCs fight is. Does the style seek to knock an enemy unconscious, each other. This might occur because of tournament break their bones, or only provide self-defense when bracket placement, or because both characters seek attacked? Maybe the style seeks to immobilize an an honor from the same master. These fights are often opponent, or convince them to surrender. Styles of evenly matched, and stopped before anyone is hurt self-defense are even crafted around escaping to too badly. They go just long enough for there to be a safe distance and fleeing. Once a PC understands the clear victor. primary goal of their fighting style, it becomes easier to select which skills and talents best represent it. Group Fight While much of the Wandering Fighter Setting is focused Revenge Duel on one-on-one combat, there is a proud tradition of It is common for heroes to focus on one potential moments where heroes battle several or even dozens opponent in particular. This enemy might have betrayed or hundreds of adversaries, wading through them as a the hero’s master, murdered or kidnapped someone warm up to a larger fight against a more worthy foe. they hold dear, or otherwise wronged the hero in some These sorts of battles can show just how skilled the unforgivable way. The focus on the hero’s revenge heroes are, and soften them up for their leader. This sort might be a fellow entrant or organizer of a tournament, of trope is particularly common in Hong Kong cinema or simply a local crime lord, surrounded by hordes of and side-scrolling arcade “brawler” video games of the minions. A number of early arcade “beat-em-ups” used 80’s and 90’s. revenge or rescue as a motivator, with heroes in search To represent such a fight, minion groups of revenge or a kidnapped loved one with nothing but can often do the trick. If showcasing the giant gap their fists and perhaps some improvised weapons. Such between low-rent muscle and the heroes is a major heroes wade through scores of henchmen before taking theme of the campaign, GMs might even consider on a worthy opponent. adopting “No Mere Mortal” rules from Genesys Crafting an epic adversary to help carry the Core Rulebook page 251 to ensure PC survivability weight of a campaign in the Wandering Fighter against even massive groups of minions. These rules Setting is paramount. Such characters should often be also enable a GM to use fewer, but larger minion Nemesis adversaries, though Rivals can work in some groups without over-challenging PCs, which speeds situations. Take time to connect the archenemy to the up the pace of combat. backgrounds of one or more of the PCs, to ensure the characters feel emotionally motivated to seek revenge. 6 — The Wandering Fighter Spirituality Chapter 2: New Character The final major trope of the Wandering Fighter Setting is martial arts mysticism, generically referred to here Options as Spirituality. While Qi or Chi is probably the most The Wandering Fighter Setting includes a host of common, several other traditions exist. Thematically new character options. Four new careers provide new the Spirituality represents a hero’s inner strength, or a flavors of unarmed fighters, each capable in their own greater power they can channel and call on to perform right, but with different styles and motivations. There superhuman acts. Some campaigns might keep this is also a list of skills available in the setting, with theme at a realistic level, providing only a sense of guidance on how different sub-settings might alter serenity around that person. Others might take mysticism the list. There are even two new skills, Grappling and to extremes, with weaponized spiritual powers that can Striking, which replace the Brawl skill. Finally, there split continents. are several new talents to add variety to attacks and The Wandering Fighter Setting provides a new strategies to unarmed combat. Spirituality mechanic to handle such elements, These character options are compatible with acting as a separate pseudo XP pool to add abilities talents in the Genesys Core Rulebook suggested attributed to ancient mysticism, inner Qi, and more. for use in all settings. As always, the GM is the final These powers ultimately use mechanical elements of arbiter on which options presented here are available the Magic system in the Genesys Core Rulebook, at their table, though GMs and players should discuss detailed in Chapter 5 of this supplement. what is and isn’t included beforehand, so players can design character concepts accordingly.

The Wandering Fighter — 7 Archetypes search of a worthy challenge to their skills. All standard archetypes found in the Genesys Core The Competitor counts the following skills Rulebook are valid for the Martial Artist Setting and as career skills: Athletics, Coercion, Discipline, Tone. Additional archetypes and even species may be Grappling, Resilience, Striking, Survival, and included if they fit the setting at the GM’s discretion. Vigilance. Before spending experience during These additions might include cyborgs, monsters, character creation, a Competitor may choose four of mutants, and even supernatural or other-dimensional their career skills and gain one rank in each of them. beings in some cases! Competitors can make great coaching and support characters, especially if they have a condition that prevents them from fighting themselves. A Careers coach type of competitor might trade Vigilance Each of the following careers might favor any style of for Perception, to better size up their students or fighting, no matter if the style focuses on grappling, their opponents and help them improve. Depending striking, or some combination of both. Some of careers on their coaching style, they might also swap out might even suit supporting characters not directly Coercion for Charm or Leadership. Coaching types involved in the fight, though all are viable as fighters. The might also swap out Resilience for Medicine, Primal, Professional can make a good cut man, the Competitor or Divine depending on the setting to treat the injuries and Mystic can function as coaches or mentors, and the of fighters under their tutelage. Promoter as an agent or manager. The Promoter The Professional The Promoter is interested in putting on a show and The Professional is willing to fight anyone, anywhere, entertaining the crowd almost more than winning the under any circumstances, so long as the risk equals fight. Many won’t fight unless there is a large crowd reward. Professionals often see fighting as a trade, and they can play off of, and most Promoters spend just expect financial guarantees for their efforts. Some are as much time at the spa, tailor, and barber as they do willing to go far outside the law in their work, and some training at the gym. Many are infamous trash talkers, might even moonlight as contract killers. Regardless which they use during fights to goad opponents into of the fight they agree to, they act professionally and being overly aggressive, and between fights to build expect professionalism from others involved. interest for their next fight. The Professional counts the following skills as The Promoter counts the following skills as career skills: Athletics, Cool, Grappling, Medicine, career skills: Charm, Coercion, Cool, Coordination, Negotiation, Perception, Stealth, and Striking. Deception, Grappling, Striking, and Vigilance. Before spending experience during character creation, Before spending experience during character creation, a Professional may choose four of their career skills a Promoter may choose four of their career skills and and gain one rank in each of them. gain one rank in each of them. Assassin type professionals might swap out the Promoters can also act as fighter agents, Medicine skill for Alchemy to create poisons, while managers, and allies. Their taunts and business savvy others in more modern day settings might utilize a can benefit any fighter they support or train with. Ranged skill. Professional cut-men might trade the Promoters also have no problem turning heel and Grappling skill for an appropriate Knowledge skill. cheating, they enjoy the “boo’s” just as much as the cheers. Heel Promoters might swap out Coordination The Competitor for Skulduggery or Stealth, which they might use to The Competitor doesn’t care about the money or the fight dirty. fame, they just want to be the best. Competitors care little for the letter of the law, but they have their own brand The Mystic of honor. Victory would feel hollow if they ambushed The Mystic doesn’t fight for fame, fortune, or to an opponent, or cheated, for example. Competitors can prove anything to themselves, they fight to achieve sometimes get aggressive, or goad reluctant opponents enlightenment. The mystic sees fighting as spiritual into a fight. Many live a modest life, traveling light in experience, and seeks an opponent who will deliver then

8 — The Wandering Fighter an epiphany or push them to transcend the boundaries of Table 2-1: Wandering Fighter Skill List mere mortals. Mystics are often serene and feel a deep Skill Attribute Page (Book) connection to the natural world, sometimes giving them a quirky, but strong presence. Alchemy Intellect 57 (G-CRB) The Mystic counts the following skills as career Athletics Brawn 58 (G-CRB) skills: Coordination, Discipline, Divine, Grappling, Resilience, Survival, Striking, and Vigilance. Before Arcana Intellect 70 (G-CRB) spending experience during character creation, a Charm Presence 54 (G-CRB) Mystic may choose four of their career skills and gain Coercion Willpower 55 (G-CRB) one rank in each of them. Mystics might also be powerful sorcerers; Cool Presence 59 (G-CRB) drawing on less than pure energies. Such Mystics Coordination Agility 59 (G-CRB) might swap their Divine skill for Primal or Arcana. False Mystics might mislead potential followers for Deception Presence 56 (G-CRB) profit, and swap their Divine skill for Deception. Discipline Willpower 60 (G-CRB) Skills Divine Willpower 70 (G-CRB) The following skills are part of the Wandering Fighter Grappling Brawn See Below Setting, however, a number of sub-settings might have Knowledge (Any) Intellect 66 (G-CRB) different requirements, and GMs are encouraged to add skills as they see fit. Medieval settings might benefit Medicine Intellect 61 (G-CRB) from the Riding, Ranged, and both Melee skills, while Melee Brawn 67 (G-CRB) more modern and futuristic settings that explore a wider Negotiation Presence 56 (G-CRB) world might add the Computers, Driving, Mechanics, and both Ranged skills. Settings without any supernatural or Perception Cunning 62 (G-CRB) mystical elements might remove all three magic skills. Primal Cunning 70 (G-CRB) GMs should discuss which tropes and themes they want the campaign to explore with their players, and make Ranged Agility 68 (G-CRB) the decision that works best for the table. Resilience Brawn 63 (G-CRB) A Note on Brawl Skulduggery Agility 64 (G-CRB) While the Wandering Fighter Setting divides Stealth Agility 64 (G-CRB) the Brawl skill into the Grappling (Brawn) and Striking (Agility) skills, some GMs might prefer Streetwise Cunning 65 (G-CRB) to keep the two skills combined into the Brawl Striking Agility See Below skill, or to keep Brawl as it is, but move Grappling elements to the Athletics skill. Survival Cunning 65 (G-CRB) While this is fine, particularly if this supplement Vigilance Willpower 65 (G-CRB) is used to build an unarmed focused character for a more broadly focused campaign, recognize that the skill was split for balance purposes. In a New Skills campaign with multiple PCs focused on unarmed In unarmed combat-heavy settings, there is a risk of combat, it is natural for PCs to focus on the players investing too heavily in the Brawn attribute Brawn attribute and Brawl skill at the expense of and Brawl skill, with the relative absence of ranged everything else. This can overpower PCs early combat in the setting. To address this, the Brawl skill relative to their total earned XP. That said, it is is replaced with the Grappling and Striking skills. easy enough to make all references to Striking and Other skills gain new purpose through new talents Grappling checks refer to the Brawl skill instead. and combat actions later in this supplement, further alleviating the problem.

The Wandering Fighter — 9 Grappling (Brawn) Striking (Agility) Grappling encompasses most unarmed combat outside Striking encompasses all unarmed combat involving of strikes. This includes a character using their arms and hitting an opponent. This includes punches, elbows, legs to tie up, trip, restrain, submit, and choke opponents, knees, kicks, and head-butts. The speed and accurate as well as techniques to resist, defend, and reverse such placement of strikes has a far greater effect on damage actions. Grappling requires great strength to both sink in than overall pushing and pulling strength, though submissions and chokes and resist them. Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, there are various spinning and leaping techniques and Wrestling are among the most popular schools of that can increase power dramatically. Boxing, karate, grappling, though many others exist. kickboxing, and tae-kwon-do are among the most popular forms of striking, though there are many Your Character Should Use This Skill If… schools within each, and many other forms. • Your character wants to trip, , or tackle a standing enemy to the ground. Your Character Should Use This Skill If… • Your character wants to restrain another character. • Your character wants to elbow, kick, , or punch another character. • Your character wants to escape the grip of another character. • Your character wants to elbow, kick, knee, or punch a character they have restrained. Your Character Should Not Use This Skill If… • Your character wants to kick down a door, or • Your character wants to hit an opponent while break a board or other inanimate object. on top of them, they should be using the Striking skill. Your Character Should Not Use This Skill If… • Your character wants to toss a willing character, • Your character wants to hit another character they should be using the Athletics skill. with a chair, they should be using the Melee skill. • Your character wants to trip, throw, , or tackle another character, they should be using the Grappling skill.

10 — The Wandering Fighter Setting-Specific Talents Combination The following talents are for characters in the Wandering Certain combinations of strikes are designed to create Fighter Setting. Existing talents in the Genesys Core openings. Rulebook should be limited to those approved for all Tier: 4 settings, and those added at the GM’s discretion. Activation: Active (Action) Ranked: Yes This character may spend one Story Point to give their Table 2-2: Unarmed Combat Talents next Striking attack the Linked 1 Special Quality. Name Activation Tier Retaking the talent increases the Linked rating gained when activating this talent by 1. Combination Active (Action) 4 Counterstrike Active (Action) 3 Unarmed Conversion Fancy Footwork Active (Maneuver) 3 Talents The following talents are designed for Melee Giant Killer Passive 1 weapon or Ranged combat, but can be easily Ground and Pound Passive 2 tweaked to apply to unarmed combat. Deadeye: This Tier 4 talent can function as Iron Chin Passive 1 normal, substituting references to the Ranged Jab Active (Action) 2 skill or weapon with the Striking or Grappling skill or weapon. Leaping Attack Active (Action) 4 Hamstring Shot: This Tier 1 talent can Power Attack Active (Action) 4 function as normal, substituting ranged weapon Smart Fighter Passive 3 with the kick and knee unarmed weapons. Parry and Parry (Improved): These Tier Spinning Attack Active (Action) 4 1 and Tier 3 talents can function as normal, Submission Specialist Passive 2 substituting references to the Melee skill and Melee attack with the Striking or Grappling skills Will To Fight Action (Incidental) 3 and attacks. Note that an unarmed parry can only parry incoming unarmed attacks unless a Other Useful Talents character has combat pads or some other type of armor that allows it at the GM’s discretion. The Genesys Core Rulebook has several talents that are useful for unarmed combat. When a talent Counterstrike references the Brawl skill, GM’s should use their Good timing can catch an opponent off-. own discretion to decide if the talent applies to Tier: 3 Grappling, Striking, or both. Not listed are several Activation: Active (Action) social talents that support allies can use to buff Ranked: No fighting allies or debuff enemies. This character may take an action to ready a counter. Tier 1: Desperate Recovery, Duelist, Durable, Upgrade the difficulty of all incoming Melee and Grit, Jump Up, Knack For It, One With Nature, Striking attacks, or attempts to initiate a Grappling Quick , Rapid Reaction, Second Wind, check targeting this character twice until the character’s Toughened next turn. If the enemy check generates or Tier 2: Berserk, Defensive Stance, Dual Wielder, , this character may deal double their Cunning in Lucky Strike damage, ignoring Soak. Tier 3: Dodge, Heroic Will, Natural Tier 4: Defensive, Enduring Fancy Footwork Tier 5: Dedication, Indomitable, Master Good footwork can create unexpected angles for attacks. Tier: 3 Activation: Active (Maneuver)

The Wandering Fighter — 11 Ranked: No Leaping Attack Suffer 2 Strain and spend a maneuver to add to any A fighter can leap into an attack, changing the angle incoming Melee, Brawl, or Grappling check to initiate and increasing the power of the strike. This might a or grapple until the start of this character’s include superman punches, flying knees, jump kicks, next turn. and even submissions. Tier: 4 Giant Slayer Activation: Active (Action) A good overhand right or uppercut can usually solve Ranked: No reach and height disadvantages. Once per encounter, target an opponent within short Tier: 1 range and spend a Story Point to add Prepare +1 to any Activation: Passive Grappling check to use a submission or Striking check. Ranked: Yes (up to three times) If successful, double the character’s Brawn value for Remove per rank of Giant Slayer to combat checks purposes of calculating damage dealt for that attack. against an engaged opponent due to size. (See New Rules: Size Comparison page “New Rules: Size Power Attack Difference” on page 19). A fighter can plant their feet and load up on a single strike, expending a lot of energy for potentially Ground and Pound devastating results, or squeeze with all their might When controlling an opponent’s posture, or on top of an when sinking in a submission. opponent, strikes land a lot harder. Tier: 4 Tier: 2 Activation: Active (Action) Activation: Passive Ranked: No Ranked: No Suffer 3 Strain to add Prepare +1 to a Grappling check When in an Advantageous Position against an engaged to land a submission or Striking check. If successful, opponent, add +1 point of damage to a successful add Pierce equal to the character’s Brawn value to the striking attacks against that opponent. This bonus is attack. changed to +2 damage if in a Superior Position. Smart Fighter Iron Chin Some fighters rely on studying their opponents and Some fighters are naturally tough to put on the canvas. finding small weaknesses to take advantage of rather Tier: 1 than raw power. Activation: Passive Tier: 3 Ranked: No Activation: Passive When hit by an unarmed weapon, triggering the Ranked: Yes Knockdown Quality costs an extra to activate. Striking or Grappling checks use Cunning attribute, though damage is calculated with the Brawn attribute Jab as normal. This skill can be selected twice, each time This strike is disruptive to an opponent’s timing, and applying to a different skill. potentially sets up more damaging attacks. Tier: 2 Spinning Attack Activation: Active (Action) A fighter can spin before performing an attack, altering Ranked: No the timing and increasing the power of an attack. Make a Striking check against an engaged enemy. On Spinning kicks, backfists, and elbows are all explosive success, instead of normal damage, deal half as Stun attacks that, if they land, often end fights. Spinning Damage (round up), and add to the target’ next attacks are notoriously difficult to land. action. May spend to have target suffer wounds equal Tier: 4 to Brawn rating. Activation: Active (Action) Ranked: No Upgrade the difficulty of any Striking attack or Grappling check to land a submission twice. If

12 — The Wandering Fighter Chapter 3: New Skill Actions Chapter 6 of the Genesys Core Rulebook provides ample support for combat encounters, but in the interest of adding combat utility to skills that might otherwise get overlooked by players in an unarmed combat encounter, some additional uses for new and existing skills have been detailed here.

Using Deception: Feints In a fight, a combatant can make an Opposed Deception versus Discipline check to fake or feint an opponent as a maneuver. On a success, the target is fooled, opening themselves up to attack, and disrupting their own timing for an attack. Feints work just as well in grappling as they do striking. Use the following list to spend dice results from an attempted feint. • : Add to this character’s next attack against this target, and add to this target’s next action successful, add Vicious equal to the character’s Brawn • : Remove 1 point of Melee Defense from this to the attack, and reduce the attacks crit rating by 1 (to target until their next turn a minimum of 1). • : The target loses 1 point of Soak until the end of their next turn Submission Specialist Some fighters focus on submission fighting, learning • : The target slips and falls prone advanced set-ups and traps to sink submissions quickly. • : The target deals damage to this character Tier: 2 equal to their Brawn Activation: Passive Ranked: No May upgrade the difficulty of any attack with a submission once to remove Prepare 1 from the check.

Will To Fight Some fighters have an iron determination and never give up. Tier: 3 Activation: Action (Incidental) Ranked: No When making a Resilience check, may spend a Story Point to add half of Willpower (rounding down) to Brawn for purposes of assembling the dice pool.

The Wandering Fighter — 13 Using Grappling: Escape checks from an opponent this character has an The Grappling skill can also be used to escape a bad advantageous position over, and upgrade the position, or be used instead of Athletics to resist the ability of all Grappling or Striking checks this effects of Ensnare. Make an Opposed Grappling character makes against that target. Check to escape a submission, restraining hold, or an • : Active Guard: The target can downgrade enemy’s advantageous position. the difficulty of their next Escape, Gain the • : Neutral Position: The target no longer holds Advantage, or Grappling check to land a the Advantageous Position over this character, submission. though remain engaged and grappling. • : Big Opening: After the attempt resolves, the • : Tight Guard: Add 1 Melee Defense to resist target can escape to a neutral position, or the enemy Striking and Grappling checks. acting character suffers wounds equal to target’s • : Regain Feet: This character and the target Brawn rating. move back to their feet, but remain engaged and grappling. Using Grappling: Takedown • : Total Escape: The character ends the The takedown or throw is a way to get an opponent to the grapple, but is still at engaged range with the ground. Make an Opposed Grappling check against target. an engaged opponent. Particularly good takedowns • : Reverse: This character now has the can land a grappler in an advantageous position, so advantageous position. they can start moving right into a submission attempt. • : Big Opening: The target deals Brawn in Takedowns and throws typically involve clasping the damage, ignoring soak, or downgrades the legs of a target or lifting them slightly and toppling difficulty of their next Grappling check against them. Tripping attacks that entangle the legs are also this character. popular.

Using Grappling: Gain the Advantage Once engaged with an opponent in combat, a character can make an Opposed Grapple check to get in an advantageous position. While standing, this might include grabbing the back of an opponent’s head, or grabbing their arms or legs to limit their offense. It might also set up strikes, a throw, or a takedown. While on the ground, this generally means staying in the top position (but not necessarily), and setting up strikes, a choke, or submissions. If a character already has an Advantageous Position, they might make a Gain the Advantage action again to attempt to improve their position. • : Advantageous Position: The character has an advantageous position over the target until their next turn. Add to all Grappling and Striking checks against that target until the target escapes (see the Escape action below) to a neutral position. • : Isolated Limb: Remove 1 point of Melee Defense from the target until their next turn • : Pinned: The target is Ensnared for 2 rounds. • or : Superior Position: Upgrade the difficulty of all incoming Grappling or Striking 14 — The Wandering Fighter • : Successful Takedown: Both the attacker Using Perception: Size Up and target are prone, and deals half of Brawn in Unarmed combatants can size up their opponents by damage +1 damage per net . making an Opposed Perception versus Deception, • : Throw: The character initiating the Grappling, Resilience, or Striking check to identify takedown can remain on their feet. weaknesses. This might reveal bad technique or form • : Disoriented: The target is Disoriented until in Striking or Grappling, or an injury or vulnerability the end of their next turn, suffering to all that the character can exploit if against Resilience. checks. However, an opponent might try to fool an opponent by using Deception to lure the character in. • : Advantageous Position: The character • : Character becomes aware of a critical hit initiating the takedown lands in an Advantageous suffered by the target, or their ranks in either Position (see Gain the Advantage in Grappling Striking or Grappling. above) • : Add Vicious +1 to the next critical hit against • or : Rough Landing: The takedown this target. deals a critical hit with Vicious 2. • : Once this encounter, when spending a • : Superior Position: The character initiating the Story Point to upgrade an attack, instead upgrade takedown lands in a Superior Position (see Gain the attack twice. the Advantage in Grappling above) • : Remove 1 point of Melee Defense for the rest • : Dangerous Landing: The opponent can make of the encounter. an immediate Submission attack against this character as a free action. • : The target tricks the character, faking a weakness. If this character generates or • : Reversed Takedown: On a failed check, attacking the target this encounter, the target the opponent can reverse the takedown, so the can make a free one-time Striking or Grappling character initiating the check instead suffers half check to attack this character as an incidental. the target’s Brawn in damage +1 damage per net . The target may spend as for the purposes of additional effects on this chart for that takedown.

The Wandering Fighter — 15 Chapter 4: Setting-Specific Gear Elbow Elbows are predominantly a close-in weapon most While by its very nature, a setting focused on unarmed useful while grappling or tying up an opponent, combat should not feel equipment-heavy, a few targeting the head. The odd angle of the elbow strike selections are presented, including a suite of new enables it to slice through an opponent’s guard more unarmed “weapons”. GMs might allow other weapons, easily than hand strikes. While elbows that land flush equipment, armor, and vehicles at their discretion based can deal a lot of damage, grazing elbows are known to on the specific time-frame used for the Wandering create cuts on the head that bleed profusely. Fighter setting at their discretion. Brawl weapons in particular are well-suited to the Wandering Fighter Head-butt Setting. A dangerous strike, the head-butt often causes as much damage to a fighter as it does their target. Head-butts Unarmed Weapons are often used to escape when an enemy restrains While most games run faster with streamlined play a fighter’s arms and legs. If a head-butt attempt by lumping all unarmed attacks into a single damage generates or , the character making the attack rating, campaigns focused on unarmed combat might is staggered for two rounds, regardless of if the attack necessitate more diversity in unarmed strikes to achieve triggered the Concussive quality or not. more strategy and depth in unarmed combat. Consider using this alternate unarmed weapons table. Kick Note that all of the following unarmed weapons By far the most powerful weapon in the striker’s can pair with the Counterstrike, Power Strike, Leaping arsenal, kicks are difficult to land cleanly, but have Attack, and Spinning Attack talents earlier in this potential to deal a lot of damage, a fact amplified by supplement at the GM’s discretion. However, all other spinning or leaping kick attacks. Still, it takes a great talents refer solely to the standard unarmed attack deal of skill to throw kicks without telegraphing them unless otherwise stated. to opponents, and great flexibility and dexterity to throw kicks with power and accuracy. It often takes years of training to throw effective kicks without damaging oneself. Table 4-1: Striking Weapons Name Skill Dam Crit Range Ecum HP Price Rarity Special

Elbow Striking -1 3 Engaged N/A N/A N/A N/A Pierce 1, Knockdown, Vicious 2 Head-butt Striking -1 5 Engaged N/A N/A N/A N/A Concussive 1, Knockdown

Kick Striking +2 3 Engaged N/A N/A N/A N/A Inaccurate 2, Knockdown, Pierce 3 Knee Striking +1 4 Engaged N/A N/A N/A N/A Disorient 2, Knockdown, Pierce 2 Punch Striking +0 5 Engaged N/A N/A N/A N/A Accurate 2, Knockdown Table 4-2: Grappling Weapons Name Skill Dam Crit Range Ecum HP Price Rarity Special Submission Grappling +3 1 Engaged N/A N/A N/A N/A Ensnare 2, Inaccurate 3, Pierce 3, Prepare 2, Stun Damage, Vicious 3

16 — The Wandering Fighter Knee Taped Up Knees are a great weapon to throw against opponents Fighters usually tape their hands, or even wear while grappling, though flying knees can knock fingerless MMA gloves over the taped hands when opponents out with a single strike. They are effective to fighting. The tape prevents hand injuries, and the the body, head, and legs, especially when in a standing technique can reinforce other troubled joints, often grapple where the fighter throwing knees can control including taped ankles, knees, and elbows. Soft braces their opponent’s head. provide additional support. While such measures provide almost zero Punch combat protection, it does reduce the likelihood of Punches are versatile strikes with the fist that can come injury. Taping an area up doubles the negative dice from a variety of angles, and can generate sufficient result required to trigger the result of a critical injury power to knock an opponent unconscious, particularly on table 5-1. when thrown in a series of strikes. While boxing is generally limited to jabs, crosses, , and uppercuts, Boxing Gloves other forms of martial arts add hammer-fists, palm These gloves range from eight to sixteen ounces, and strikes, back-fists, and others. resembly large, inflated mittens. Their size makes it easier to fight defensively, providing a fighter two Submission small protective shields. However, the mitten-like Submissions, when successful, are fight finishers, but structure of a boxing glove makes it difficult to land they are very difficult to achieve, often requiring a a clean strike, adding to all Striking checks with superior first. Submissions include fists. It also makes gripping an opponent very difficult, holds that twist limbs in directions the joints are not adding to all Grappling checks. supposed to move, slowly exerting pressure until a limb Still, wearing boxing gloves makes the hands snaps or forces an opponent to surrender. They also immune to the Critical hit suffered on a or on include chokes, designed to cut off blood flow to the table 5-1. brain to knock out an opponent in seconds once locked in. Once a submission is successful, it downgrades the Mouthguard difficulty twice to make a submission attack against A mouthpiece can reduce impact trauma, preventing the same target the next turn unless they successfully broken teeth, broken jaws, and soft tissue damage. escape. While wearing a mouthguard, reduce the result of critical injury rolls by 10, but add to any social Unarmed Armor checks that require the character to speak. While wearing certain protective pads is discouraged in high-level competition, it is not unheard of in the streets, and quite common in the gym while training. Gloves are often worn more to protect a fighter’s hands

Table 4-3: Unarmed Armor Type Defense Soak Encumbrance Price Rarity

Taped Up 0 +0 1 75 3

Boxing Gloves 2 +1 3 150 3

Mouthguard 0 +0 0 25 2

Protective Pads 1 +3 11 200 3

Combat Pads 2 +1 8 250 4

The Wandering Fighter — 17 Protective Pads engaged with to recover. The fighter regains 1 strain These pads protect vital areas, and are made of thick per net or . padded material. The most common pieces include headgear, a torso piece, and a codpiece or protective cup. Training Dummy The pads are bulky and restrictive, but enable training A variety of heavy bags, training dummies, and partners to spar at full speed and strength without traditional wooden dummies exist for training causing undue injury. Seeing someone in protective purposes. These items are often destroyed for dramatic pads outside a gym or dojo is rare and odd. effect.

Combat Pads Waidan Elixir Unlike protective pads, combat pads are sleek and A product of ancient eastern alchemy, there are many defend striking and parrying surfaces of the body, like imitators, but only a true elixir can boost a character’s forearms and shins. They often have a hard plastic or Qi. Taking a sip of the smoky liquid as a maneuver metal exterior, which can be spiked. Combat Pads can adds +10 Qi, while drinking an entire bottle adds +20 also act as a brawl weapon, doubling the price and rarity Qi. A single character can only benefit from Elixir once to add either +1 damage, +1 Vicious, or +1 Pierce to per encounter. A bottle contains 10 sips. appropriate Striking checks at the GM’s discretion.

New Gear Chapter 5: Optional New Rules In the unarmed combat is There is a host of training and recovery equipment Genesys Core Rulebook handled entirely with Brawl checks and the existing available to fighters and those supporting them. combat rules. While this is sufficient in settings where a variety of weaponry is available, it might be lacking Table 4-4: Unarmed Gear when every combat encounter entails barehanded Item Encumbrance Price Rarity fighting. The following optional rules provide new Cut Man’s Kit 2 150 4 ways to handle unarmed fighting in a campaign. In addition to supplemental dice results tables, this Corner Kit 2 100 2 section has new rules for getting knocked down and Training Dummy 10 300 5 knocked out, adding narrative rounds to combat sports campaigns, and accounting for difference in fighter Waidan Elixir 0 10,000 9 size. This section most notably introduces the Cutman’s Kit Spirituality mechanic, which is a way of accessing The cutman’s kit includes an enswell, gauze, cotton powerful abilities far beyond what most humans can swabs, and petroleum jelly. The enswell is a metal block do. Most Spiritualties focus on manipulating ancient with a handle kept cold on ice, rubbed on damaged or inner energies. areas to reduce swelling. When it comes to cuts, gauze dries up blood, while cotton swabs apply medications New Rules: Spending Dice Results designed to control bleeding before being sealed with The following charts supplement existing suggestions petroleum jelly. A cutman’s kit contains all of these for spending dice results in the Genesys Core elements, and enables Medicine checks to attempt to Rulebook and, of course, those narrative results heal Critical Injuries with a severity under 95. created at the table. The results below are highly Corner Kit specific to unarmed combat, which is to say, Brawling The corner kit includes a stool, a bucket, towels, and a and Striking checks, but GMs may use them with any water bottle. The corner man’s job is to help a fighter check that seems appropriate. recover between rounds, cooling them down, hydrating them, and helping them catch their breath. Corner men with a Corner Kit can make an Average ( ) Social check as an action to help a seated fighter they are

18 — The Wandering Fighter Table 5-1: Spending and in Unarmed Combat Cost Result Option

or Feed Off The Crowd: Upgrade the ability of this character’s next attack.

or Walked Right Into It: The target of this character’s attack walked right into it, add +2 damage to a successful attack. Seizing Initiative: In a one-on-one fight, if this character was acting second, they act first in the next combat round. Sense Finish: The character can sense the end is near, can upgrade the proficiency and add Vicious +2 to the next attack.

Table 5-2: Spending and in Unarmed Combat Cost Result Option

Endless Horde: A minion joins an existing minion group as reinforcements

or Smiling Opponent: The target smiles despite the character’s best efforts, upgrade the difficulty of this character’s next attack against this target. or Saved by the Ref: A third party impedes the action long enough for the target to recover three strain or wounds at the GM’s discretion. Injured Limb: A fighter stepped or landed a strike at an odd angle and injured a hand, elbow, knee, or ankle. Treat as a Critical Hit roll that narratively affects one limb. Illegal Blow: During a refereed match, the character makes an illegal attack, be it an eye gouge, groin kick, or something else. The ref calls a time-out, giving the target time to make an immediate Simple (<->) Resilience check to recover wounds and strain. They can heal a critical hit if they generate . New Rules: Rounds New Rules: Size Difference In settings where combat sports are prevalent, GMs may In unarmed combat, even a small size advantage can be wish to separate combat by narrative “rounds,” separate significant, which is why most combat sports separate from the mechanical rounds of the game’s turn order. fighters into weight classes. Generally, most characters Three mechanical rounds are often enough to represent are size Silhouette 1, which is to say, there are generally the significant action in a 3-5 minute round of combat, zero size modifiers during unarmed combat. While this as fighters spend a lot of time circling and testing each isn’t crucial in most campaigns, in campaigns where other’s defenses. After each combatant has taken three the focus is exclusive to hand-to-hand combat, GMs turns, each should get a chance to rest for a turn and might desire a way to reflect size advantages. possibly benefit from a corner team. For the purposes Being larger in a fight comes with a number of of most abilities and talents, GMs might consider benefits. Reach is a superior advantage in striking, each round its own encounter, perhaps even re-rolling and even the minor change in vertical angle between initiative. mismatched striking opponents can have a huge The GM might track the “winner” of each round impact on punching power. In grappling, having more based on which combatant dealt the most damage, mass overall provides more leverage. Two techniques taking into account knockdowns and other significant are provided to incorporate size advantages into moments. This way, should the total number of planned Wandering Fighter Campaigns, GM’s should select rounds expire, the GM can have judges use a scorecard whichever works best for the encounter at hand. to select a winner by decision. Between rounds, characters might use Resilience Brawn Comparison Method to recover wounds and strain. In this situation, make The easiest, but perhaps most abstract way to represent a Simple (<->) Resilience check, recover 1 wound this is to have Brawn represent a general difference for every net , and 1 Strain for every net . If a in size between beings of the same species. A larger is generated, the fighter may roll again for additional Brawn trait represents a larger example of the species. recovery. Also, various support characters, such as Granted, Brawn traits can increase over time, but that cut-men, corner-men, and coaches deserve one turn to can be attributed to adding muscle mass rather than ply their trade, which might heal additional damage, hitting a growth spurt (though that is possible, too, critical hits, or provide buffs to the coming round. depending on the age of the characters). The Wandering Fighter — 19 To account for size differences using Brawn, New Rules: Spirituality compare the Brawn scores of the attacker and target. Spirituality is an extra mechanic for the Wandering If the attacker has a larger Brawn score, add equal Fighter Setting that empowers GMs to track the to the difference. If the attacker has a smaller Brawn spiritual awareness, balance, and enlightenment of score, add equal to the difference. This technique characters, possibly providing them with superhuman is quick and simple, and easy to apply to encounters abilities. A player can select a Spirituality that best where a PC is fighting a variety of opponents. fits their character concept, or roll to determine one at random. A spirituality defines a system of beliefs Height/Weight Comparison Method that explain the character’s extra-normal abilities, and Some gaming groups often select specific heights and often include a behavioral code that governs how to weights for their PCs during character creation. If the increase their Spirituality score. GM wishes, these numbers can determine a size bonus A character can only have a single Spirituality, or penalty for unarmed combat. For unarmed striking, but can forsake one to train in another. Should they compare height, and for unarmed grappling, compare do so, characters have the option to retain a single weight. The higher number has the advantage for that power from their old Spirituality at the maximum kind of check. rank achieved at the expense of removing an existing Close differences, within 1-3 inches or 10 lbs power from the new Spirituality’s suite at the GM’s add a single or to appropriate unarmed combat discretion. checks. Significant differences within 4-6 inches or 25 lbs add or to appropriate unarmed combat checks. Major differences of over 6 inches in height or Triggering and Measuring Spirituality 25 lbs in weight add or to appropriate At the start of a session, every PC should roll a 100 unarmed combat checks. This technique is best for sided die (or 2D10). If the result is equal to or less combat sports campaigns, or for major encounters than the PC’s Spirituality score, their Spirituality is where a PC is only fighting a single opponent. “triggered”. A character with a triggered spirituality gains an extra Story Point, and a specific effect 20 — The Wandering Fighter determined by the selected Spirituality. A character Qigong—Gaining Qi with a triggered Spirituality might feel a strong Qigong is the practice of gathering and balancing connection to the universe, balance between their one’s internal energies. While there are many other mind, body, and spirit, or feel like they are “in the schools of thought concerning the accumulation and zone”. It is different for each Spirituality. use of Qi, the primary source according to tradition is When two characters with Spirituality face off through either mindful movement or stillness. Mindful one-on-one in an encounter (be it a combat or social movement might include Tai Chi or kata. Mindful encounter), they first compare current Spirituality stillness is either meditation, or a traditional stance scores. The character with the higher score gains that entails extreme physical exertion, such as a deep to all checks against the other for the duration of that squat or wall sit, sometimes for hours. The character encounter. performing these actions focuses inward, cultivating their Qi. Gaining Spirituality Once per session, characters with the Qi Individual players earn Spirituality points by making Spirituality can make an Average ( ) Divine checks or choices that advance their relevant spiritual check using either Agility (kata), Brawn (grueling awareness or connection. The GM is the final arbiter position), or Willpower (meditation). They gain 2 Qi of when actions earn Spirituality points and how many, Spirituality points for every net , 5 points for every similar to how the GM awards XP. What increases net , and 10 points for every . a Spirituality score varies between the different Qi can also be gained by overcoming internal Spiritualties thematically, and is listed within in each barriers to the flow of Qi. These barriers are often individual entry. narrative in nature, and concern moral failings, stress, obsessions, or other things that might make a Spending Spirituality character unable to empty their mind. Such barriers Players can spend Spirituality points to have their might add or even upgrade the difficulty Divine character learn and activate powers. This might range checks related to Qi, but overcoming the blockage from more mundane effects like accelerated healing, through revelation or discussion (often during a fight all the way to shooting a beam of pure inner energy at or a lull between fighting), can provide a large boost an opponent. Individual Spiritualties possess different Qi. This should be a momentous and rare occasion. suites of powers. How much to award is at the GM’s discretion, often from 20-50 points, depending on the importance of Leveling Spirituality the achievement to that character’s story arc. Should a player get their Spirituality over 100, they can spend it all to level up their spirituality one rank. Qi Powers Reduce their Spirituality by 100 points, but select Fighters can harness and manipulate Qi, or Chi, a new Spirituality power or increase the rank of an for a variety of effects. PCs can purchase a new Qi already purchased power once. Power or a new rank in an existing Qi Power every time they level their overall Spirituality (See Leveling Spirituality, above). Sample Spirituality: Qi Qi is a fundamental life force, or energy, possessed by all things. Qi is a flowing energy, and those who study their Qi can tap into this mythical force to manipulate it and perform great feats of strength. Qi is a tradition of inner peace and balance achieved through meditation, grueling physical tasks, and graceful katas. In addition to the story point all spiritualities gain, when spending a Story Point to upgrade a check with triggered Qi, upgrade the check twice instead of once.

The Wandering Fighter — 21 Qi Blast Rank 2: Spend 3 Spirituality when making a The Qi Blast is an attack of pure energy, often in the Resilience check to add equal to half of Willpower form of a blue-white fireball or beam. (round down) and equal to ranks in Divine to the Rank 1: Spend 5 Spirituality as an action to attack result. one target at Short Range with an Average ( ) Divine Rank 3: May spend to extend the duration Check. Success deals Willpower + 1 per net . of an invulnerability check +1 turn. Rank 2: May spend to activate the Rank 4: May spend or to instead Knockdown quality. gain +1 Soak, +1 per net . Rank 3: May spend to activate Blast equal to ranks in Divine. Cleanse Spirit Rank 4: May spend to deal double Willpower A character can focus on the flow of their Qi, +1 per net damage on a successful attack. cleansing their mind, body, and spirit to promote healing. Qi Invulnerability Rank 1: Spend 3 Spirituality to make an By focusing their Qi, a fighter can strengthen their Average ( ) Divine check. Success heals 1 wound body against physical harm. It has been alleged per net , and 1 strain per net from this character. masters can make their skin immune to any blow or Rank 2: May spend or to remove a blade. status effect. Rank 1: Spend 3 Spirituality to make an Average Rank 3: Add + to a check on a successful ( ) Divine check. Success grants the character +1 Cleanse Spirit check to remove a critical injury of Soak, +1 soak per net until the end of their next Average ( ) or lesser difficulty. turn. Rank 4: Add + to a check or spend on a successful Cleanse Spirit check to remove a critical injury of Hard ( ) difficulty.

22 — The Wandering Fighter Kiai! Qi relies on mindful breathing, and many practitioners learn to control their breathing to increase the power of their attacks. More advanced Kiai! might include an energy field or flame around a striking limb. Rank 1: May spend 2 Spirituality to upgrade the proficiency of a single striking or grappling check to attack, adding Prepare 1 to that attack. Rank 2: May spend or on a successful attack using Kiai! to add Pierce equal to half of Willpower (round up) to the attack. Rank 3: May upgrade the difficulty of an attack using Kiai! to reduce the critical rating of the attack by 1 and add Vicious equal to Willpower to the attack. Rank 4: May spend or on a successful attack using Kiai! to add Breach 1 to the attack.

The Wandering Fighter — 23