Martial Artist Class

Skill: Acrobatics 3 ranks

Feat: Combat Martial Arts, Defensive Martial Arts

### **Class Features:**

Hit Die: The Martial Artist gains 1d10 hit points per level. The character's Con bonus applies.

Class Skills: The Martial Artist's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (current events, theology, philosophy, popular culture) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (dance), Profession (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str)

Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Int modifier

Action Points: The Martial Artist has an Action Pool equal to 5 + half his character level.

### **Special Abilities:**

Combat Training: Martial Artist levels count as Fighter and Monk levels for the purpose of determining feat eligibility.

Living Weapon: At 1st level can attack with either fist interchangeably, or even with elbows, knees, and feet.  This means the Martial Artist may may unarmed attacks even when his hands are full, and there is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a Martial Artist striking unarmed.  Additionally, the Martial Artist also inflicts more damage with unarmed strikes.  At 1st level he deals 1d6 damage, this increases to 1d8 at 4th level and again to 1d10 at 8th level.

Flurry of Blows: At 2nd level the Martial Artist can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action. When making a flurry of blows, the Martial Artist can make one additional attack at his highest base attack bonus. This additional attack stacks with the bonus attacks from haste and other similar effects. When using this ability, the Martial Artist can make these attacks with any combination of his unarmed strikes and weapons that have the monk special weapon quality. He takes no penalty for using multiple weapons when making a flurry of blows, but he does not gain any additional attacks beyond what’s already granted by the flurry for doing so. (He can still gain additional attacks from a high base attack bonus, from this ability, and from haste and similar effects).

Bonus Feat: At 3rd, 6th, and 9th level a Martial Artist gains a bonus feat from the following list: Advanced Combat Martial Arts, Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Combat Reflexes, Combat Throw, Elusive Target, Improved Combat Throw, Unbalance Opponent

Dragon Kick: At 4th level the Martial Artist can use a charge to deliver a devastating flying kick to an opponent. He may add his class level as a bonus to damage dealt with an unarmed strike at the end of a charge action.

Style Strike: At 5th level, a Martial Artist can learn one type of style strike. Whenever he makes a flurry of blows, he can designate one of his unarmed strikes as a style strike. This attack is resolved as normal, but it has an additional effect depending on the type of strike chosen. He must choose which style strike to apply before the attack roll is made. At 10th level a Martial Artist learns an additional style strike, he can designate up to two of his unarmed strikes each round as a style strike, and each one can be a different type. The Martial Artist can choose from any of the following strikes.

*Defensive Spin*: The Martial Artist spins about, confounding his foe. If the attack hits, the Martial Artist gains a +4 dodge bonus to AC against any attacks made by the target of the style strike until the start of his next turn. This bonus does not stack with itself. The Martial Artist must attack with a fist to use this style strike.

*Elbow Smash*: The Martial Artist follows up a punch with a strike from his elbow. If the attack hits, the Martial Artist can make an additional attack using the same attack bonus as the punch at a –5 penalty. If this second attack hits, it deals damage as normal, but all of the damage is nonlethal. The Martial Artist must attack with a fist to use this style strike.

*Flying Kick*: The Martial Artist leaps through the air to strike a foe with a kick. Before the attack, the Martial Artist can move a distance equal to his fast movement bonus. This movement is made as part of the Martial Artist’s flurry of blows attack and does not require an additional action. At the end of this movement, the Martial Artist must make an attack against an adjacent foe. This movement may be between attacks. This movement can provoke an attack of opportunity as normal. The attack made after the movement must be a kick.

*Foot Stomp*: The Martial Artist stomps on a foe’s foot, preventing the opponent from escaping. If the attack hits and the Martial Artist ends his turn adjacent to that foe, the foe’s movement is restricted. Until the start of the Martial Artist’s next turn, the target of this attack can move only in such a way that the space it occupies is adjacent to the Martial Artist. Alternatively, it can attempt a combat maneuver check (against the Martial Artist’s CMD) as a standard action to break free. This strike does not work against foes that cannot be tripped. The Martial Artist must attack with a kick to use this style strike.

*Hammerblow*: The Martial Artist links his hands together, swinging both arms like a club and dealing tremendous damage. If the attack hits, the Martial Artist rolls his unarmed strike damage twice, adding both rolls together before applying Strength and other modifiers to the damage. This bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit. The Martial Artist must attack with a fist to use this style strike, but must have both hands free.

*Head-Butt*: The Martial Artist slams his head into his enemy’s head, leaving his foe reeling. If the attack hits and the foe is of the same size or one size smaller than the Martial Artist, the Martial Artist can make a free combat maneuver check against the target of this strike (using the base attack bonus of the attack used to hit the foe). If the foe is not of the same creature type as the Martial Artist, the Martial Artist takes a –8 penalty on this check. If the check is successful, the target is staggered for 1 round. Creatures without a discernible head are not affected by this style strike (subject to GM discretion). The Martial Artist must attack with a head-butt to use this style strike.

*Knockback Kick*: The Martial Artist attempts to knock his foe back with a powerful kick. If the attack hits, the Martial Artist can attempt a free combat maneuver check against the foe (using the base attack bonus of the attack used to hit the foe). If the check is successful, the foe is knocked 10 feet directly away from the Martial Artist. This distance increases by 10 feet for every 5 by which the check exceeds the foe’s CMD, to a maximum distance equal to the Martial Artist’s fast movement bonus. This movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The foe stops moving if it strikes another creature, barrier, or otherwise solid object. The creature is not knocked prone by this movement. The Martial Artist must attack with a kick to use this style strike.

*Leg Sweep*: The Martial Artist attempts to sweep his foe’s leg, knocking the opponent down. If the attack hits, the Martial Artist can make a free trip attempt against the target of this strike (using the base attack bonus of the attack used to hit the foe). This trip attempt does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The Martial Artist must attack with a kick to use this style strike.

*Shattering Punch*: The Martial Artist delivers a brutal punch that can penetrate defenses. If the attack hits, it bypasses any damage reduction or hardness possessed by the target of that attack. The Martial Artist must attack with a fist to use this style strike.

*Spin Kick*: The Martial Artist spins about, delivering a kick his foe did not expect. The Martial Artist makes his attack against the foe’s flat-footed AC. Creatures with the uncanny dodge class feature or a similar effect cannot be caught flat-footed by this style strike. The Martial Artist must attack with a kick to use this style strike.

Evasion (Ex): At 6th level, a Martial Artist can avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If a Martial Artist succeeds at a Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a Martial Artist is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Martial Artist does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Iron Fist: At 7th level the Martial Artist may focus his inner energy to do increased damage to an opponent with an unarmed strike. He may spend an Action Point to increase the damage he does with every unarmed attack that round by +1d6.