Unarmed

UNARMED COMBAT ...... 1 friendly type and would never attack Unarmed Combat someone. So Hercules hits Bob in the face for HOW NON -LETHAL DAMAGE WORKS ...... 1 By Lennart Steinke minutes, while Bob is just standing there, IMPROVING THE CHANCE ...... 2 REDUCING THE CHANCE OF GETTING KNOCKED OUT 2 This issue covers unarmed combat. We will doing nothing. After some time Hercules gets OTHER FEATS INTERESTING FOR MARTIAL ARTISTS .3 discuss how it works, what feats are useful bored and walks away. What happened? Fighting with ...... 3 and how to simulate specifics of certain Since unarmed attacks normally deal 1d3 Throwing Opponents...... 4 with the d20 Modern rules. In Fighting Multiple Opponents ...... 4 points of non-lethal damage and Hercules gets Stealthy Martial Artists ...... 4 closing we’ll provide a way to handle a +5 bonus to his damage from Strength, his Fighting Opponents with ranged weapons...... 4 competitions of certain combat sports. maximum unarmed damage is 3+5 = 8. This THE MARTIAL ARTIST ADVANCED CLASS ...... 5 isn’t enough to require a Fortitude check, so The Martial Artist and Weapons ...... 5 How non-lethal damage works nothing happens. Hercules only chance is to COMBAT SPORTS TOURNAMENTS ...... 5 Martial Arts Armor ...... 5 Two unarmed combatants can fight almost hope for a critical, but we all know how mean Tournaments...... 6 indefinitely without actually harming each dice can be. Lightcontact Tournaments ...... 6 other. You need to deal an amount of damage While the above example sounds broken, it’s Full contact Tournaments ...... 6 equal to or higher than your opponents not really a big deal normally. It even reflects Free Fighting ...... 6 Massive Damage Threshold (MDT), which is Illegal Tournaments ...... 6 combat quite well. And if you have ever seen normally equal to the constitution score of a THE MARTIAL ARTS CENTRED CAMPAIGN ...... 7 a heavy weight match lasting 12 character. If you deal enough damage the OPEN GAME LICENSE VERSION 1.0 A ...... 8 rounds you’ll agree. Unless one of the two needs to make a fortitude save (DC 15). If he fighters lands a lucky (a critical) both succeeds the save he is dazed for one round, if will stand at the end of the fight. he fails the save he is knocked unconscious Requires the use of the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game, for 1d4 rounds. On the other hand, the “save or be knocked- out” mechanic allows you to create a published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. d20 Modern This can lead to pretty embarrassing and Wizards of the Coast are trademarks of Wizards of character that can sneak up to a , and moments. Let’s say a pretty strong hero, let’s the Coast, Inc. in the United States and other countries knock it in a single blow – esp. if he has the call him Hercules, is fighting Bob the and are used with permission. ‘d20 System’ and the Knockout Punch feat. ‘d20 System’ logo are trademarks of Wizards of the librarian. Hercules has a STR 20, giving him Coast, Inc. and are used according to the terms of the +5 to his damage rolls. Bob isn’t in good The solution for the Hercules vs. librarian d20 System License version 6.0. A copy of this License shape. He has STR 8 and CON 10. Besides problem is to give Hercules some feats that can be found at www.wizards. com/d20. not being in good health, he is also a very increase his knockout chance.

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increases you chances to hit if you attack with amount must not exceed your base attack Improving the Knockout chance TWF. bonus. If your character wants a better chance to Improved Feint : Allows you to bluff in knock-out his opponent, you can select some Improved Two Fighting: You gain combat as a melee action and gives you a +2 feats and talents. Having a good Strength an additional attack with your off-hand. bonus to feints. This allows you to use the score doesn’t hurt either. Advanced Two Weapon Fighting: You gain Knockout Punch feat every round (unless you a third attack with your off-hand. The Strong Hero’s Melee Smash Tree adds 1 have to move more than 5ft). As a bonus you point of damage per chosen talent to all melee Combat Martial Arts : if you use Combat can also make attacks of opportunity while attacks. Martial Arts, your unarmed damage die being flat footed. increases from 1d4 to1d4 and you are Brawl : If you attack using Brawl, you Brawl and Power Attack are the only feats considered armed. That means that you increase your unarmed damage to 1d6 (non- from that list you can take at first level threaten surrounding fields and that your lethal) and gain +1 competence attack bonus. regardless of class. You can choose Combat unarmed attack do not provoke attacks of You get either the benefits from Brawl or Martial Arts if the class you start with grants opportunity. You get either the benefits from from Combat Martial Arts, but never both for you a base attack bonus of +1. Streetfighting Brawl or from Combat Martial Arts, but never the same action or reaction. requires Brawl and a base attack bonus (BAB) both for the same action or reaction. If you get of +2. Improved Feint requires INT 13, Brawl Improved Brawl : Improved Brawl increases an attack of opportunity because of your and Streetfighting . Improved Brawl and the competence bonus to unarmed attack to +2 Combat Martial Arts feat, you have to use it Knockout Punch require Brawl and a BAB of and you deal 1d8 (non-lethal) damage. to deal that attack. That means you’ll deal +3. Improved Knockout Punch requires lethal damage unless you take the normal -4 Knockout Punch : Your first attack against a Knockout Punch and a BAB of +6. flat-footed opponent is an automatic critical attack penalty to deal non-lethal damage instead. hit dealing non-lethal damage. Reducing the chance of getting Improved Knockout Punch : as Knockout Streetfighting : Streetfighting allows you to knocked out Punch, but dealing 3 times the normal non- deal 1d4 additional damage for one unarmed attack per round. You have two ways to decrease the knockout lethal damage. chance: Power Attack : You may subtract a number Two Weapon Fighting : Reduces the two a) Don’t get hit. A better Defense helps weapon fighting penalties by 2 which from your attack roll and add the same number to your damage. The subtracted you avoid being damaged. And if your

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opponent can’t hit you, you are Defensive Martial Arts : Grants you a +1 play a Bruce Lee – like character, you’ll need perfectly save. dodge bonus against melee attacks. Dodge two . If you want to play a martial boni always stack. artists using Philippine martial arts like Kali, b) Increase your Massive Damage or Escrima will need two weapon Threshold. Combat Expertise : The defensive version of Power Attack. You can subtract up to 5 points fighting as well. A Koboduka often uses two Fighting Defensively will give a +2 Dodge from your attack bonus and add the same weapons (like two sais, tonfas or nunchakus) Bonus while imposing a -4 penalty to all number to your defense. The number of or a double weapons like the long staff or the attacks for that round. Note that Dodge boni subtracted points must not exceed your base three section staff. always stack. attack bonus. Weapon Focus : Gives you an attack bonus of A high Dexterity will increase your Defense. Unbalance Opponent : You select one +1 for one weapon of your choice. A high Constitution will increase your opponent that can’t use his Strength bonus to Agile Riposte : Allows you to counterattack Massive Damage Threshold. Besides that you melee attacks. He still retains his Strength with an attack of opportunity whenever your can also use these feats and talents: bonus to damage, but he won’t be able to hit opponent doesn’t hit you with a melee attack. The Tough Hero’s Damage Reduction Tree: you as often with his attacks and will less It doesn’t grat any more attacks as you’d get Each talent from the tree increases your effective at grappling. normally with an AoO. damage reduction by +1. You can choose Improved Damage Two Weapon Fighting : Reduces the two Improved Damage Threshold : You gain a Threshold , Defensive Martial Arts , Dodge weapon fighting penalties by 2. +3 bonus to the Massive Damage Threshold. (requires DEX 13), M obility (requires Dodge) Improved Two Weapon Fighting: You gain You can select this feat multiple times, the and Combat Expertise (requires INT 13) at an additional attack with your off-hand. effects stack. first level. Unbalance Opponent requires Advanced Two Weapon Fighting: You gain Dodge : You gain a +1 dodge bonus to your Defensive Martial Arts and a BAB of +6. a third attack with your off-hand. defense against attacks from a designated opponent. Dodge boni always stack. Other Feats interesting for Most martial arts that teach weapon handling Martial Artists will also teach how to disarm an armed Mobility : You gain a +4 dodge bonus against opponent, so Improved Disarm is a good attacks of opportunity. Dodge boni always Fighting with Weapons choice as well. stack. The ability to fight with two weapons can be Improved Disarm : Allows you to disarm quite stylish for a martial artist. If you want to without provoking an attack of opportunity.

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you don’t have much choice, and some Throwing Opponents Fighting Opponents with ranged martial arts have training drills that will give If you want to play a martial artist coming you a fighting chance. weapons from a sport like , or If you’re going to play in a campaign that is you’ll want to take one or more of these feats: Combat Reflexes : This feat allows you to not designed around Martial Arts, your melee make a number of attacks of opportunities fighter will encounter some problems mainly Combat : You gain a +2 bonus on equal to your dexterity modifier. You may opposed strength or dexterity checks made to that are dangerous weapons and that he still you just one attack of opportunity against doesn’t have enough hit points. The feats grapple or trip or avoid being grappled or each opponent. tripped. below help you to increase your chances in a Acrobatic : Grants you a +2 bonus to jump battle: Improved Combat Throw : Allows you to and tumble checks. Esp. the bonus to tumble attempt a trip whenever your opponent misses Improved Initiative : If you can (or get is useful if you are surrounded or need to cover) first, your chances are way better. you with a melee attack. This allows you also change position without provoking attacks of to counter grabs (which start grapple) and opportunities. Elusive Target : This feat gives every ranged trips if the required melee touch attack misses. attack against you an additional -4 penalty Improved Trip : Your trip attempt doesn’t Stealthy Martial Artists while you are in melee. So an attacker without provoke an attack of opportunity and you If you want to be one of those characters that the Precise Shot feat will get a -8 penalty, an follow up a successful trip with a melee sneak around a corner and eliminate guards attacker with the Precise Shot feat will still attack. So you could leg your opponent before they even know that you’re here, you’ll get a -4 penalty. and then follow up with a or punch, or have to use a character that uses Brawl and Personal Weapons Proficiency : If your you could start a grapple after the throw. Knockout Punch . If you attack the guard with campaign involves a lot of , your Unbalance Opponent : You select one lethal damage and he makes the massive character should be able to use a gun as well. opponent that can’t use his Strength bonus to damage save, the guard lost some hit points If you need to take cover behind a table melee attacks. That means he won’t be able but can act normally. If he makes the save because a couple of goons with guns empty good at grappling as well. after he got attacked with an attack dealing their magazines in the room, your chances to non-lethal damage he is dazed for a round – survive a melee attack are rather slim. so he can’t take any actions including Fighting Multiple Opponents Lightning Reflexes : gives you +2 on your alarming his allies giving you another chance Reflex saves. Those two points might make a Engaging in a fight with multiple opponents is to take him out. normally not a very good idea, but sometimes

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difference if your opponents have automatic with attackers using ( Elusive add bonus damage that applies to unarmed weapons. Target) . attacks only or use his flurry of blows with a weapon, even if this weapon would be a If it fits your character concept, you should Your Base Attack Bonus will rise every time “Monk Weapon” in Dungeons and Dragons. also consider to take a level of Fast Hero to you take a level in this class and the Living gain the evasion talent – again it will really Weapon special ability will raise your Since your unarmed damage will rise to 1d10 help if you face automatic weapons. unarmed damage to 1d6 at 1 st level, 1d8 at 4 th the Katana is the only that can level and finally 1d10 at 8 th level. deal more damage (2d6) with a single attack. nd So, if you want to use a melee weapon in The Martial Artist Advanced The 2 special ability you’ll get is Flying addition to your fists and feet, the Katana is Class Kick, which allows the Martial Artist to add the best choice damage wise. The d20 Modern Core Rulebook contains a his class level as bonus damage to any class which is meant for Martial Artists. The unarmed attack. Combat Sports Tournaments requirements for this class are pretty low. All th At 5 level you get Iron Fist. This special you need is a Base Attack Bonus of at least I’ll give you some guidelines on how to ability allows you to use an Action Point to +3, 3 ranks in Jump and the Combat – and simulate tournaments here. For each type of increase your unarmed damage. When you get Defensive Martial Arts Feats. th tournament you’ll find basic rules (number of this ability at 5 level it only applies to one th combat rounds, allowed actions, winning The class provides some nice special abilities attack. At 10 level the extra damage is added conditions). and you can choose one feat at 3 rd , 6 th and 9 th to all attacks made that round. level from the following list: Acrobatic , th In order to avoid confusion a round of The Martial Artist gets Flurry of Blows at 7 Advanced Combat Martial Arts , Archaic tournament combat will be called a bout. I’d level. This allows him to make one additional Weapons Proficiency , Combat Reflexes , suggest that you treat each bout as having 5 unarmed attack at his highest attack bonus, Combat Throw , Elusive Target , Exotic Melee rounds. but all attacks get a -2 penalty. Weapon Proficiency , Improved Combat Martial Arts Armor Throw and Unbalance Opponent . The Martial Artist and Weapons In some tournaments the fighters wear This class is designed to give a melee The Martial Artist has both Archaic Weapons protective armor, like a body vest or a helmet. character a better chance in a normal d20 Proficiency and Exotic Melee Weapons These light armors grant damage reduction Modern game. It assumes that you want to Proficiency on his list of bonus feats. But he 2/lethal, weigh 2lbs, have a maximum deal lethal damage normally ( Combat Martial doesn’t have the ability to treat the classic Dexterity bonus of +8 and armor penalty of 0. Arts requirement) and that you’ll have to deal martial arts weapons as unarmed. So he can’t

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the opponent the first time that happens. The Grappling Tournaments Free Fighting 2nd time the penalty is 2 points. If he deals This includes Wrestling and Judo tournaments excessive force for the 3 rd time, he gets This covers all tournaments that allow you to as well as Sambo and similar sports. disqualified. If the knockout save is failed, the punch, kick, throw and grapple. Tournament bouts: 3 attacker is disqualified and the person who got Tournament Bouts: none knocked out is the declared winner. For safety Allowed: Grappling and tripping reasons a person who got knocked out is not Allowed: All non-lethal attacks including Scoring: If you pin the opponent for two allowed to fight anymore. Streetfighting successive rounds you win. If you don’t pin If a fighter uses Streetfighting he is Scoring: You win by knocking out the the opponent, each won grappling check disqualified immediately for using unfair opponent, by pinning him for 3 successive counts one point, each successful trip attempt tactics. rounds or by forcing him to give up. While scores 2 points. lethal attacks are forbidden there is a good Full contact Tournaments chance that nobody will really care. If a Lightcontact Tournaments referee is in the ring with the fighters, there’s This covers Boxing, Tea-kwon-do, Thai a 50% chance that a lethal attack will result in This includes all tournaments which rules Boxing, and K-1 tournaments. prohibit to knock-out the opponent. This a penalty. If the referee is in outside the ring, includes some and variants. Tournament bouts: 12 (boxing) or 3 (most that chance sinks to 25%. These tournaments forbid excessive contact, other) Illegal Tournaments in game rules every non-lethal attack that Allowed: All non-lethal attacks, no triggers a knockout check is considered Streetfighting, no grappling,( no tripping ). This covers all tournaments that don’t really excessive. If a fighter deals excessive damage, have rules. he’ll get a penalty (see below). Scoring: If you knock out the opponent you win. If you don’t manage to knock the Tournament Bouts: none Tournament Bouts: 3 opponent out, the number of successful Allowed: Everything Allowed: All kinds of non-excessive, non- attacks are compared. Lethal attacks give one rd Scoring: The one who is standing at the end is lethal damage, tripping, Streetfighting point to the opponent, after the 3 lethal the winner. prohibited, attack a fighter gets disqualified. Trips might be allowed, but don’t score points. Scoring: Each legal hit scores one point. A hit Streetfighting disqualifies a fighter triggering a knockout save scores a point for immediately.

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has less time to do other things, it allows him The Martial Arts Centred to excel as a Martial Artist. Campaign Benefit : Every even level you can spend 4 If you plan to start a campaign where Martial skill points to get a single feat from this list. Arts is an important aspect, you’ll realize You must meet all prerequisites for the feat soon that your characters can’t choose all the you choose: Brawl, Knockout Punch, feats required to be as good as the Martial Streetfighting, Improved Feint, Defensive Artists in the movies. Martial Arts, Unbalance Opponent, Agile You might also think that a character who Riposte, Combat Throw, Improved Trip, spends all (or at least most of) his feats) to Combat Reflexes. become a better unarmed fighter should compare better to the weapon oriented characters. The following feat will allow you to change skill points into a martial arts feat. Depending on the campaign, it might be better to allow the skill to feat swap only at 3 rd , 6 th , 12 th , 15 th and 18 th level, effectively granting your character an additional feat whenever he would get a feat normally. That is, as always, up to the GM. Without further delay, here is the feat: Dedicated Martial Artist Prerequisites : Combat Martial Arts The character is really into Martial Arts, and spends more time in the Dojo / Gym / Kwoon than most other people. While this means he

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