Martial Artist

**Description**: Martial Artists, as their name indicates, turn the simple act of fighting into an art form, with all of the spiritual enlightenment, personal knowledge, and aesthetics that "art" implies. According to a Martial Artist, there is something beautiful about a deadly blow. Thousands of hours of training (mental, physical, and spiritual) go into perfecting their fighting techniques, not merely for the sake of accuracy and efficiency, but for the sake of the sheer pleasure of the movement and the mental states it both requires and creates. Though the martial arts themselves are most commonly associated with Asian styles, like *Kung Fu*, *Karate*, and *Tae Kwon Do*, there are equally complex and deadly techniques in other parts of the world, like French *Savate*, or Brazilian *Capoeira.* Even the humble boxer is the master of a martial art.

**Hit Die:** d10

**Power Die:** d8

**Skill Point per Level:** 6 + Int modifier

**Class Skills:** Autohypnosis (Wis), Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), and Swim (Str).

**Proficiencies**: Martial artists are proficient with simple weapons, as well as light armor and bucklers. In addition, if this is this character’s first level in any class, they may select a martial tradition of their choice.

**Class Features**

**Combat Training**: A martial artist may combine combat spheres and talents to create powerful martial techniques. Martial artists use the Expert talent progression. A martial artist's practitioner modifier is Wisdom.

**Brawl** (Ex): At level 1, you get the Brawl feat for free because all superheroes need to throw the occasional punch.

**Unarmed Strike** (Ex): At 1st level, the Martial Artist gains the Boxing, Brute, Open Hand, or Wrestling sphere as a bonus talent. A Martial Artist’s unarmed strikes can be with fists, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that they can make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack when they strike unarmed. A Martial Artist can apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes. Their unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, although they can choose to deal nonlethal damage with no penalty on his attack roll. They can make this choice while grappling as well.

A Martial Artist’s unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of powers, spells, and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.

The damage dealt by a Martial Artist’s unarmed strike is determined by the Table: Unarmed Strike Damage.

**Evasion** (Ex): At level 2, Martial Artists can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If they make a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage, then they instead take no damage. They can use Evasion only if they are wearing light armour or no armour. If they are *helpless,* then they do not gain the benefit of Evasion.

**Defensive Awareness** (Ex)**:** At level 3, Martial Artists gain an insight bonus to AC that equals their Wisdom modifier. This bonus applies only if they wear no armour.

**Uncanny Dodge** (Ex): At level 4, Martial Artists retain their Dexterity bonus to  AC (if any) even if they are caught flat footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, they still lose their Dexterity bonus to  AC if they are immobilized. If they already have Uncanny Dodge, then they get Improved Uncanny Dodge instead. At level 8, Martial Artists get **Improved Uncanny Dodge** and can no longer be flanked. This class feature denies anyone else the ability to Sneak Attack them by flanking them, unless they have at least 4 more character levels or hit dice than the Martial Artist in the class that grants the Sneak Attack feature.

**Float Like a Butterfly** (PL): At level 6, Martial Artists receive *Amazing Leap* and two ranks in Powered Leap (enhancement) and one rank in *Catfall*. These ranks stack with any previous ranks the Martial Artist has taken in those two powers.

**Protective Instincts** (Ex): At levels 7 and 13, Martial Artists receive one of the three basic Save Enhancer feats (Lightning Reflexes, Great Fortitude, or Iron Will), player's choice. If they already have all three, they can choose to take one of the Awesome save enhancers. If they have all three of them, they can take one of the Supreme save enhancers.

**Improved Evasion** (Ex): At level 11, Martial Artists' Evasion ability improves. They still take no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but also take only half damage on a failed save. A helpless Martial Artist does not gain the benefit of Improved Evasion.

**Sting Like a Bee** (Ex): At level 14, the critical multiplier of Martial Artists' unarmed strikes increases by x2 (thus x2 becomes x3, and so on), and the critical threat range doubles from (thus 20 becomes 19-20, 19-20 becomes 17-20, etc.).

**Favoured Save** (Ex): At level 16, Martial Artists can Take 10 with one of their Saves (Fortitude, Reflex, or Will; player's choice).

**Unity of Being** (Su): At level 17, Martial Artists can, as a swift action, trade PPs for HPs or HPs for PPs, at a ratio of 2:1. This means that they could trade 12 HPs for 6PPs or vice-versa. They cannot trade enough points to put their HPs to zero or lower, and there is no such thing as negative PPs. Martial Artists must be conscious to use this class feature.

**Ageless** (PL): At level 19, Martial Artists no longer take any penalties for aging. Although they do still physically age and will eventually die of old age, their ability scores never change as a result of the aging process.