Martial Warrior

torming out of yet another meditation exercise, Kassan decided he had had enough. He had come to the monastery to learn the ways of the fist, not to waste his time away learning how to breathe. But the master intercepted him before the student reached the main hall, moving between him and the door. Now, the younger stood before the elder. “There is still much to be learned, young pupil. There is so much that you do not yet know that you do not know. You have come here to learn the way of conflict, but we can only teach you the way of harmony.” “Then it is time for me to go,” Kassan countered, defiantly. He would not waste any more time here. “You are not yet ready,” the master replied softly. From his pocket, he removed a smooth pebble. Kassan recognized it from the rock gardens near the meditation pools. “You believe that the body is more important than the mind. But without one, the other is nothing. Mind and body must flow as one. This, you do not yet understand.” Calmly, with infinite patience, the master held his palm open. He had seen a thousand young students like Kassan — they only needed to see the error of their ways. With the pebble resting in the center of his hand, he reached out to the student. “You must remove this pebble from my hand, young pupil. Only when you can accomplish this will you be ready to leave this monastery.” Kassan stared at the master, dumbfounded. Of all the ridiculous... “Fine, then.” The student’s body went rigid. He began to focus, to visualize his motion. The master watched him calmly, almost distantly. Kassan’s body tensed, every muscle poised and ready. My mind and my body will act as one... The master hit the ground with a thud, desperately clutching his genitals. Kassan smugly reached down, scooping the pebble off of the stone floor of the monastery. Without a word, the young student made his way out of the front doors and into the world.

While the typical monastic disciple was busy pursuing studies of meditation and self-introspection, the martial warrior was concentrating on perfecting his fighting style. He did not waste his time focusing on making his body a temple of placid peace, but instead honed it into a potent instrument of war. While oftentimes martial warriors are people who shunned the mystic aspects of monastic training, this is not always the case. Many a monk, dissatisfied with life cooped up in the walls of a monastery, find that they must learn more effective combat techniques once they leave its confines. Often, years later, they return to the monastery to continue the techniques they previously left behind.

The majority of martial warriors begin their studies as monks, however their ranks are by no means exclusive to former monastic students. Some rogues are known to study the art, utilizing the martial warrior’s many esoteric techniques in conjunction with the abilities of their class. They find the unarmed aspects particularly useful in situations where appearing weaker is more advantageous.

Hit Dice: d10.

Requirements

To qualify to become a martial warrior, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Concentration: 5 ranks.
Tumble: 5 ranks.
Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist (or the monk’s Stunning Attack).
Special: Must have the evasion special ability.

Class Skills

The martial warrior’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex). See Chapter 4: Skills in the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions.

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The martial warrior is proficient with all simple and marital weapons, but no type of armor. The only shield they are proficient with is the buckler.

Improved Stun (Su): The martial warrior receives a bonus to the DC of his stunning attacks equal to his class levels in martial warrior. This is in addition to the normal stunning attack DC that he already possesses, and stacks with the bonuses from any other class.

Monk Abilities: A martial warrior has the unarmed damage, AC bonus, speed, and stunning attacks of a monk with as many levels as his martial warrior levels plus his monk levels.

Controlled Attack (Su): Upon reaching 2nd level, a martial warrior can choose to make a controlled attack. This functions identically to his stunning attack, however if the strike misses its target, the martial warrior does not expend one of his stunning attacks for the day. If the strike hits, but the victim makes their Fortitude save, the stunning attack is still expended normally. Making a controlled attack is a full-round action. It can be used in conjunction with break the body, break the soul, and break the spirit (all of which rely on a successful stunning attack).

Improved Evasion (Ex): The evasion ability improves. A 3rd level martial warrior still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks such as a dragon’s breath weapon or a fireball, but henceforth he takes only half damage on a failed save.

Uncanny Step (Su): At 3rd level, a martial warrior can take part of one of his move actions on a wall or other vertical surface so long as he begins and ends his movement on a horizontal surface. If he does not end his movement on a horizontal surface, a martial warrior falls, taking damage appropriate to his height above the ground. Treat the vertical surface as normal floor for the purposes of measuring movement. Passing the boundary from vertical to horizontal is equivalent to 5 feet of movement on a normal floor. Opponents on the floor still get attacks of opportunity if the martial warrior moves through areas they threaten. The martial warrior can take other move actions in conjunction with the uncanny step. For example, the martial warrior could use the Spring Attack feat and the Tumble and Jump skills, but he cannot charge a foe.

Break the Body (Su): Upon reaching 4th level, victims of a successful stunning attack are subjected to intense physical pain, that results in being nauseated for one round following the round of being stunned. Creatures that are immune to a stunning attack (including constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits) are not vulnerable to this ability, and any item or ability that protects a creature from critical hits (such as armor with fortification) also protects a creature from break the body.

Summon the Inner Force (Su): At 5th level, the martial warrior gains the ability to empower his unarmed attacks with Ki. The unarmed strike damage from such an attack can deal damage to a creature with damage reduction, such as a gargoyle, as if the blow were made by an energy attack with the [Force] descriptor. Making a single strike with this ability counts as a full-round action.

Leap Attack (Su): A 6th level martial warrior can make a sudden leaping attack toward his opponent, surprising the foe and gaining a tactical advantage. This maneuver is effectively a charge attack, except the martial warrior is able to make a full-round action once he reaches his opponent. The martial warrior gets a +20 bonus on his Jump check for this attack, ignoring the usual maximums for jumping distance. Once he has closed in on his opponent, he then gains a +2 to attack and damage rolls and may make his full round of actions normally. If the distance is greater than that between the martial warrior and the opponent, the martial warrior can limit the distance to that of the opponent as a free action. This ability can be used three times per day plus the martial warrior’s Wisdom modifier (always at least once).

Break the Soul (Su): When the martial warrior reaches 7th level, he can attempt to break the soul. Striking with this attack is the same as using one of his stunning attacks, however, victims of a successful stunning attack are now stunned for 1D4+1 rounds, rather than a single round. Using this ability expends two of the martial warrior’s stunning attacks for the day. Creatures that are immune to a stunning attack (including constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits) are not vulnerable to this ability, and any item or ability that protects a creature from critical hits (such as armor with fortification) also protects a creature from break the soul.

Fearful Gaze (Sp): Upon reaching 8th level, the martial warrior gains the ability to strike fear into the hearts of his opponents. This functions identically to the fear spell, as if cast by sorcerer of the martial warrior’s level. This ability can be used once per day plus the martial warrior’s Wisdom modifier (always at least once).

Summon the Inner Health (Ex): A 9th level martial warrior’s wounds heal extraordinarily quickly. He recovers 1 hit point per level per hour, without needing rest for the healing to take place.

Break the Spirit (Su): At 10th level, the martial warrior can attempt to break the spirit. When making this attack, victims of a martial warrior’s stunning attack suffer 1D4 temporary Constitution damage in addition to being stunned for one round. Using this ability expends two of the martial warrior’s stunning attacks for the day. A victim can only take Constitution damage from break the spirit once per day. Subsequent attempts will stun the victim normally. Creatures that are immune to a stunning attack (including constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits) are not vulnerable to this ability, and any item or ability that protects a creature from critical hits (such as armor with fortification) also protects a creature from break the spirit.

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 This page was last updated on January 23, 2006 .