Special Katas
Martial Artists practice Katas like dancers practice dance steps, memorizing and perfecting a series of moves until they become instinctively fast and accurate. These special routines are practiced over and over again until major bonuses are achieved.
The drawback of any Kata is that it lacks flexibility, it's only set up to do one thing well. Attack-oriented Katas often ignore the practitioner's defenses, and defense-oriented Katas usually allow no attacks. Each Kata is learned for a specific martial art form and can only be used with the form for which it is learned. If multiple forms allow for the same Kata, it must still be learned in each form independently to use it.
Katas are initiated a free action at the beginning of a practitioner's turn. Katas must always be performed for an entire round. Practitioners cannot slip in or out of a Kata. A practitioner can switch from one Kata to another or end a Kata at the beginning of their subsequent turns.
You cannot make any attacks, but may use any purely defensive maneuver without penalty for lack of vision (including invisible enemies). All defensive maneuvers are made with a +2 bonus while performing this Kata. Attacks from creatures with no Chi bypass the effects of this Kata, and therefore you cannot use defensive maneuvers against said creatures (most creatures have at least some Chi, whether positive or negative), and all other normal penalties for blindness still apply. Combos that include strikes or holds cannot be used while performing this Kata.
When you activate this Kata, you must spend all your attacks for the round focusing your energy. You can only use parries for defensive maneuvers, cannot use any combo moves, and cannot make any movements or attacks of opportunity while doing so. At the beginning of your next round, you can make one strike (kick) or strike (punch) attack. If it hits, this attack is an automatic critical threat, and the multiplier is increased by one for every two attacks spent focusing the previous round.
While in this Kata, you have a +3 bonus to hit for all Martial Arts Strikes, along with a -5 penalty to all defensive maneuvers.
Spend 1 round making a display of martial prowess. After the display, make an intimidation check against all who witness it (use the same roll for all enemies). Success against a non-hostile character leaves them sufficiently impressed by your display. Success against a hostile character or potential foe leaves them Shaken for 1 minute. Success by 10 or more leaves them Frightened for 1 minute. This ability only affects targets outside of combat.
If you begin combat within melee range of an opponent and beat their Initiative, you gain a surprise round against them. The only action you can take on this surprise round is an Iaido Strike.
You cannot make any attacks, or use any blocks, but the successive penalties for parries and dodges are reduced by 2, and all parries and dodges gain a +4 bonus. Combos that include a dodge or parry are allowed while using this Kata, but the +4 bonus only applies to the parry or dodge portion of the combo.
While using this Kata, you double the amount of attacks you can make in a round, but each attack deals half damage (rounded down). You cannot use holds or make Grapple checks while using this Kata. Your first attack with each strike does not count towards successive penalties while using this Kata.
Offense: You cannot use any defensive maneuvers, but deal double damage on up to one Martial Arts strike each round. A strike may be chosen to be doubled after the attack roll, but before rolling damage. A critical threat must be selected before confirming the critical, and the multiplication stacks additively with critical damage (doubling a 2x critical deals 3x total damage).
Defense: You cannot make any attacks, but can double the roll of up to one defensive maneuver each round. A maneuver may be chosen to double after its success is determined, but before it is fully resolved (you may know if a defensive maneuver succeeded or failed before choosing to double it, but you must do so before the results of said success or failure is resolved). The roll is doubled by making a second roll and adding it to the first and doubling the bonuses to the maneuver. If used with a Power Block, any damage dealt back to the opponent is halved.
You cannot make any attacks, but each round on your turn you can take a full round action to force an opponent in melee with you to make a Will Save with a DC of 10 plus your Intimidate rank. If they succeed by less than 10, they become Shaken. A failure by less than 10 causes them to become Frightened, and a failure by 10 or more causes them to become Panicked. The duration is 2d4 rounds regardless of the level of Fear, and you must have at least 1 Chi in your reserve to initiate or maintain this Kata.
While this Kata is active, you can wield any allowed weapon while in a Martial Arts form that allows for this Kata. Attacks with a weapon follow normal rules for Base Attack Bonus progression and penalties, and extra attacks granted by Martial Arts forms cannot be used to make armed attacks. You cannot use any holds while wielding a weapon, and you cannot use punches while wielding a two-handed weapon. You can use your weapon to make parries in this Kata, using your highest Base Attack Bonus for each roll (successive penalties for parries still apply). If the form allows for dual wielding or double weapons, normal rules apply for using two weapons.
You cannot make any attacks and can only use defensive maneuvers to make parries, but the successive penalties for parries are reduced by 2, and all parries gain a +4 bonus. Additionally, you can use parries against any Ranged Attack while using this Kata. Ranged attacks that deal energy damage, such as a flaming arrow, still do the energy component of the damage on a successful parry. Combos that include a parry are allowed while using this Kata, but the +4 bonus only applies to the parry portion of the combo.
Blind Man's Kata(Su)
Developed by a Shan Lun Martial Arts master after he and all his students were Blinded by a local lord after refusing to aid him in battle with a neighboring fiefdom, This Kata can only be used if the practitioner is Blinded (whether permanently or temporarily), in Darkness or thick fog, or otherwise deprived of sight. The practitioner engages in a series of sweeping circles and body movements by letting the subtle currents of Chi in the environment guide them. Without actually knowing the position of any opponents or "seeing" the combat, the practitioner can sense the location and action of any attacker and automatically be in a position to parry, block or dodge any assault.You cannot make any attacks, but may use any purely defensive maneuver without penalty for lack of vision (including invisible enemies). All defensive maneuvers are made with a +2 bonus while performing this Kata. Attacks from creatures with no Chi bypass the effects of this Kata, and therefore you cannot use defensive maneuvers against said creatures (most creatures have at least some Chi, whether positive or negative), and all other normal penalties for blindness still apply. Combos that include strikes or holds cannot be used while performing this Kata.
Dragon Kata(Su)
By taking time to build up all their energy and power, a practitioner of the Dragon Kata can hold back all their strength until the very last moment to unleash a singular, devastating attack.When you activate this Kata, you must spend all your attacks for the round focusing your energy. You can only use parries for defensive maneuvers, cannot use any combo moves, and cannot make any movements or attacks of opportunity while doing so. At the beginning of your next round, you can make one strike (kick) or strike (punch) attack. If it hits, this attack is an automatic critical threat, and the multiplier is increased by one for every two attacks spent focusing the previous round.
Bassai, Fortress Penetration(Ex)
The Basai Kata is a single minded assault on an opponent, designed to penetrate defenses and deal out damage with little regard for one's own defenses.While in this Kata, you have a +3 bonus to hit for all Martial Arts Strikes, along with a -5 penalty to all defensive maneuvers.
Greased Lightning Kata(Ex)
A bastardization of the Lightning Kata, the Greased Lightning Kata is made for one purpose only: looking cool. Practitioners make a series of rapid displays of punches, kicks, and flips, all performed at breakneck speeds, and often simultaneously whirling weapons around (if using a form that allows them), all in an attempt to impress or Intimidate those witnessing the display.Spend 1 round making a display of martial prowess. After the display, make an intimidation check against all who witness it (use the same roll for all enemies). Success against a non-hostile character leaves them sufficiently impressed by your display. Success against a hostile character or potential foe leaves them Shaken for 1 minute. Success by 10 or more leaves them Frightened for 1 minute. This ability only affects targets outside of combat.
Hayauchi, First Strike(Ex)
Practiced by masters of IaiJutsu, Hayauchi brings the principles of an Iaido Duel into actual combat, using the almost supernatural speed that mastery of IaiJutsu brings to strike a foe before they are even aware a fight has started.If you begin combat within melee range of an opponent and beat their Initiative, you gain a surprise round against them. The only action you can take on this surprise round is an Iaido Strike.
Itsutsu-No-Kata, Kata of Five Principles(Ex)
Originally developed by masters of the Dancing Willow form, This Kata makes use of wide, circular movements to defend oneself from many attacks made from all directions. Though purely defensive, it is ideally suited for situations where a practitioner is outnumbered and surrounded.You cannot make any attacks, or use any blocks, but the successive penalties for parries and dodges are reduced by 2, and all parries and dodges gain a +4 bonus. Combos that include a dodge or parry are allowed while using this Kata, but the +4 bonus only applies to the parry or dodge portion of the combo.
Lightning Kata(Ex)
The Lightning Kata allows the practitioner to attack with blinding speed, throwing an impossible amount of kicks and punches at their foes. This speed, however, comes at the expense of Strength, leaving each hit less impactful than it otherwise would be.While using this Kata, you double the amount of attacks you can make in a round, but each attack deals half damage (rounded down). You cannot use holds or make Grapple checks while using this Kata. Your first attack with each strike does not count towards successive penalties while using this Kata.
Kime, One Mind(Ex)
A gathering of all the body's physical and psychic forces to be channeled into a single purpose, the Kime Kata sacrifices versatility in combat to perform one incredibly powerful move. When using, a practitioner chooses whether to focus this energy on offense or defense.Offense: You cannot use any defensive maneuvers, but deal double damage on up to one Martial Arts strike each round. A strike may be chosen to be doubled after the attack roll, but before rolling damage. A critical threat must be selected before confirming the critical, and the multiplication stacks additively with critical damage (doubling a 2x critical deals 3x total damage).
Defense: You cannot make any attacks, but can double the roll of up to one defensive maneuver each round. A maneuver may be chosen to double after its success is determined, but before it is fully resolved (you may know if a defensive maneuver succeeded or failed before choosing to double it, but you must do so before the results of said success or failure is resolved). The roll is doubled by making a second roll and adding it to the first and doubling the bonuses to the maneuver. If used with a Power Block, any damage dealt back to the opponent is halved.
Debana-O-Kujiki, Warrior Spirit(Su)
Meaning "Unnerve at the outset", the Debana-O-Kujiki Kata is intended to win a fight without fighting, but rather by psyching out your opponent. By either standing one's ground or resolutely advancing forward, a master of this Kata is seen definitively as a relentless and indomitable opponent, fearsome in every respect. Against such a force, combat seems a hopeless venture, and can cause enemies to despair.You cannot make any attacks, but each round on your turn you can take a full round action to force an opponent in melee with you to make a Will Save with a DC of 10 plus your Intimidate rank. If they succeed by less than 10, they become Shaken. A failure by less than 10 causes them to become Frightened, and a failure by 10 or more causes them to become Panicked. The duration is 2d4 rounds regardless of the level of Fear, and you must have at least 1 Chi in your reserve to initiate or maintain this Kata.
Kobu-Justu, Weapon Kata(Ex)
Kobu-Jutsu is the practice of incorporating a weapon into a Martial Arts form. Only forms that explicitly allow a Weapon Kata can use this, and only with the weapons allowed by that form. Even in such cases, the weapon can only be used while in that form by using the Kobu-Jutsu Kata each round.While this Kata is active, you can wield any allowed weapon while in a Martial Arts form that allows for this Kata. Attacks with a weapon follow normal rules for Base Attack Bonus progression and penalties, and extra attacks granted by Martial Arts forms cannot be used to make armed attacks. You cannot use any holds while wielding a weapon, and you cannot use punches while wielding a two-handed weapon. You can use your weapon to make parries in this Kata, using your highest Base Attack Bonus for each roll (successive penalties for parries still apply). If the form allows for dual wielding or double weapons, normal rules apply for using two weapons.
Example: Sato is a 7th level Martial Artist wielding a single scimitar with the Sandswept Serpent form. He can make two attacks per round with his scimitar, using a Base Attack Bonus of +7 and +2 respectively. His remaining 2 attacks granted by the form must be used to make unarmed strikes.
Yadomejutsu, Windmill Kata(Ex)
This Kata allows you to parry many blows, including those from ranged weapons.You cannot make any attacks and can only use defensive maneuvers to make parries, but the successive penalties for parries are reduced by 2, and all parries gain a +4 bonus. Additionally, you can use parries against any Ranged Attack while using this Kata. Ranged attacks that deal energy damage, such as a flaming arrow, still do the energy component of the damage on a successful parry. Combos that include a parry are allowed while using this Kata, but the +4 bonus only applies to the parry portion of the combo.
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