DRAGON-MAN KUNG FU

10 points

Dragon-Man Kung Fu is the martial art of a secret order
of heroes founded thousands of years ago to fight the Oni.
These warriors bested the Oni in a terrible battle, but this
merely forced the Oni to turn to stealth and disguise. The
Oni use their magical powers to hide among men while they
work their evil, their goal being to make the world more like
their own by seeding disorder and chaos. To stop them, the
acolytes of the Dragon Temple teach heroes their art . . .
including the secret of breathing fire! Only flame can
destroy an Oni permanently.
In unarmed combat, Dragon-Man Kung Fu disdains
ground fighting and wrestling in favor of stylish kicks, hard
punches, and stunning throws. Stylists prefer to fight
armed, however. The most common weapon of the Green
Dragon acolyte (novice) is the sword – usually the jian but
occasionally the broadsword, katana, longsword, or paired
butterfly swords. The staff and spear are popular, too.
Attacks are often acrobatic and make good use of feints and
Deceptive Attack. Against stunned or surprised opponents,
practitioners like to shout a loud kiai or the name of their
technique and launch an All-Out or Committed Attack, typ-
ically as a Telegraphic Attack (p. 113). No matter what the
situation, Dragon-Man fighters make extensive use of
Acrobatic Movement (pp. 105-107).
Dragon-Men are noted for twirling their weapon full-
circle in a bloody overhead flourish after defeating a foe.
Not all acolytes do this – especially if there’s immediate dan-
ger from another enemy – but it’s a signature move of the
order. This can be extremely intimidating, especially when
accompanied by a loud kiai!
To join the Dragon Temple, a would-be initiate must first
find its secret location in the mountains. Next comes a
lengthy apprenticeship spent both exercising and studying
the order’s philosophy and history. Candidates must demon-
strate the highest standards of heroism and goodness –
although there are rumors of a fallen acolyte who cooper-
ates with (some say leads) the Oni.
Dragon-Men advance in rank as they hone their skills
and demonstrate their heroism. The Temple has 10 ranks:
Third through First Order Green Dragon, Third through
First Order Red Dragon, Third through First Order Golden
Dragon, and finally Grandmaster of Dragons, reserved for
the eldest and wisest of the templars. Acolytes receive ritual
tattoos indicating their standing. These start out small and
simple, but get progressively more complex at higher ranks.
Stylists can emulate their totem beast in one important
respect – they can channel their chi to breathe fire. This is a
melee attack using the Innate Attack (Breath) skill. See
“Breath of Dragon” under Innate Attack (p. 45) for details.
Damage and point cost depend on rank:
Green Dragon: Burning Attack 1d (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP,
-5%; Melee Attack, Reach 1-4, Cannot Parry, -20%) [4]. 4
points.
Red Dragon: As above, but with Burning Attack 2d. 8
points.
Golden Dragon: As above, but with Burning Attack 4d. 15
points.
The GM might also want to let high-ranking acolytes
purchase other chi abilities that are uniquely tailored to
them.
Dragon-Man Kung Fu is ideal for an anime-inspired fan-
tasy campaign. It might suit a secret order in some modern
“hidden magic” games, but it works best if the heroes have
big eyes, small mouths, and gigantically oversized weapons.
Trained by a Master and Code of Honor (Xia) are required to
learn Dragon-Man Kung Fu. There is no realistic version!
Skills: Acrobatics; Breath Control; Innate Attack
(Breath); Judo; Karate; Meditation; Philosophy (Dragon
Temple); Rapier; and at least one of Smallsword, Spear,
Staff, or Two-Handed Sword.
Techniques: Acrobatic Stand; Arm Lock; Axe Kick; Back
Kick; Jump Kick; Kicking; Spinning Kick; Spinning Punch;
Spinning Strike (Any).
Cinematic Skills: Breaking Blow; Flying Leap; Hypnotic
Hands; Kiai; Lizard Climb; Mental Strength; Power Blow;
Pressure Points; Pressure Secrets.
Cinematic Techniques: Dual-Weapon Attack (Any); Dual-
Weapon Defense (Any); Flying Jump Kick; Flying Lunge
(Any); Roll with Blow; Timed Defense.
Perks: Acrobatic Feints; Chi Resistance (Any); Form
Mastery (Spear); Grip Mastery (Any); Shtick (“Dragon-Man
Flourish”: +4 to Intimidation on the turn after knocking
down or killing a foe); Weapon Adaptation (Broadsword to
Rapier); Weapon Adaptation (Shortsword to Smallsword).
Optional Traits
Secondary Characteristics: Improved Basic Speed and FP.
Advantages: Detect (Oni); Enhanced Parry (All); Extra
Attack (with Multi-Strike); Fit; Forceful Chi; Higher Purpose
(Slay Oni); Reputation (Do-gooder); Weapon Master.
Disadvantages: Distinctive Features (Dragon-Man tat-
too); Fanaticism; No Sense of Humor.
Skills: Esoteric Medicine; History (Dragon Temple);
Jumping; Stealth; any weapon skills not mentioned above.