A number of Martial Artists Orders known collectively as Tattooed Warriors draw power from arcane tattoos to aid in their specific style of combat. Each Order has a unique tattoo that grants them power and shows their Rank, with higher Ranks having more elaborate and larger tattoos, the 4 Ranks for each Order are Initiate, Acolyte, Master, Grand Master.
If an entity has the Rank of Initiate, then they gain access to that Tattoo’s power and unique Combo Actions listed in their section below. As they grow in Rank more powers and Combo Actions become available to them.
Each Order has an associated Trait. An entity with Ranks of that Order may use this Trait instead of Agility for their Martial Arts Features, with the exception of the Unarmoured Defence, Peak Physique, and Mastered Body & Mind Features. For these Features, they may choose to use the Trait associated with their Order instead of their Intuition.
Should a Martial Artist with Ranks in any Order be defeated by another Martial Artist then the victorious Martial Artist must make a Stamina Skill Roll using the Trait associated with the defeated Martia Arist’s Tattoo. The TG is 15 for the Tattoo of an Initiate, 20 for an Acolyte, 25 for a Master, and 30 for a Grand Master.
On a successful Test, the victorious Martial Artist gains an Initiate Tattoo of that Order if they do not currently have a Tattoo of that Order or increase their Tattoo of that Order’s Rank by 1. While the defeated Martial Artist decreases their Rank in that Order by 1, if they are an Initiate, it means they lose their Tattoo entirely.
A Rank can only be increased this way if the Defeated Martial Artist was of a Rank higher in that Order than the victor, otherwise nothing happens.
If a Martial Artist has Tattoos from multiple Orders and loses the victor may choose which Order of Tattoo they wish to try and take.
The Craben is a bird made of pure shadow, Martial Artists of this Order focus their techniques into being masters of stealth and utilising the shadows to aid them.
Associated Trait: Intuition
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
You Learn the Minor Illusion Cantrip and gain Nightvision out to 12m, this can see in Magical Darkness.
Whilst in an area of Darkness, you are treated as being Invisible to any entity using Nightvision to see you in that Darkness.
Whenever you use a Combo Action with this Order as a Prerequisite, you gain a Flying speed equal to your Walking speed until the end of your Turn. If you already have that speed, increase it for the Duration by your Intuition.
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
You gain Resistance to Necrotic Damage.
Once per Turn, after hitting a Target with an attack made as part of a Combo Action, you can teleport to an unoccupied space you can see within 6m (Near) of you.
Whenever you Teleport into or out of a Dimly Lit area or an area of Darkness, you have Advantage on the next melee Attack Roll made so long as you have not moved since teleporting.
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
You gain a Flying Speed equal to your Walking Speed.
When you score at least 3 hits against a Target with the Flurry of Blows Combo Action, the Target must make an Endurance Test.
On a failed Test, the Target gains the Impaired (Sight) and Silenced conditions.
Whilst Invisible, you gain the Incorporeal condition, and the Invisible condition cannot be removed due to making attacks, dealing damage, or applying conditions with Combo Actions and Unarmed Strikes.
You gain the Craben Burst action.
One you have used this action, you cannot do so again until you have completed a Short or Long Rest.
The Chimera is a multiheaded entity whose exact abilities often depend on the creatures that make up its form, Martial Artists of this Order focus their techniques into being masters of adaptability and maintaining control of the battlefield against hordes of foes.
Associated Trait: Intuition
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
You have Advantage on Initiative Tests, and ignore the effects of the Flanked condition affecting Shield Bonuses and the Raise Shield action.
Whenever you use a Combo Action with this Order as a Prerequisite, you gain a Movement speed of your choice, equal to your Walking Speed until the end of your Turn. If you already have that speed, increase it for the Duration by your Intuition.
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
Whenever you complete a Short or Long Rest, choose between Acid, Cold, Fire, Force, Lightning, Necrotic, Poison, Psychic, Radiant, Thunder, or Vorpal damage. You gain Resistance to chosen Damage Type until you next complete a Short or Long Rest.
Once per Turn, when you would gain CP from rolling your Martial Arts Die, double the amount of CP generated.
You gain a Shield Bonus equal to the number of hostile entities within 1m (Melee) of you.
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
You may replace the Damage Types of your Unarmed Strikes, or attacks with Weapons with the Martial Arts Weapon Property, with the Damage Type you chose to gain Resistance to with this Tattoo.
When using the Flurry of Blows Combo Action against a Target with the Minion Entity Tag, you may choose for each attack to strike a different Target that also has the Minion Tag, each Target hit takes the full effect for the total of attacks that Hit.
You can perform the Deflect Attacks reaction once per Turn for 0RP.
You Tattoo’s current effects are modified in the following ways:
You gain Immunity to the Flanked condition.
The Resistance granted by this Tattoo’s effects becomes Immunity to the chosen Damage Type for the Duration.
The Shield Bonus becomes equal to the number of hostile entities within your AoC.
Once per Turn, you can ignore the Minion Tag restriction of this Tattoo’s effect on the Flurry of Blows Combo Action.
The Owlbear is a powerful entity both ferocious as it is resilient against the attacks of their enemies, known for standing strong against any that would threaten their home or clutch, Martial Artists of this Order focus their techniques into being masters of overwhelming blows and standing strong against foes far stronger than themselves.
Associated Trait: Determination
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
You gain Darkvision out to 12m, and gain the Skill Foci Empathy:Sight, Perception:Sight, and Survival:Sight.
Whenever you use a Combo Action with this Order as a Prerequisite, you gain Reduction X against Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage until the start of your next Turn, where X equals your Determination.
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
You gain Resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing Damage.
Targets Marked by you within your AoC, have Disadvantage on Attack Rolls against Targets other than you.
Your Deflect Attacks reaction gains the Trigger "An allied entity you can see within your AoC receives damage from a Weapon Attack or Unarmed Strike" with this Trigger also being modified by the Deflection Mastery Feature. If you use the reaction with this Trigger, you can cause the attack to hit you instead (carrying over Overwhelming Blows and Critical Hits) and then use the reaction as normal.
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
So long as your are not Incapacitated, you and allied entities within your AoC have Advantage on Determination Tests, bar Attack Rolls.
Should they score an Inspired Event whilst having Advantage from this effect, they also gain BP equal to double your Determination.
Whenever you spend CP on a Combo Action, you can increase the CP spent by 1, to increase any Shield Bonus you have by 1 (up to your Combo Point Storage maximum).
Once per Turn, when you use the Flurry of Blows Combo Action, the number of Unarmed Strike Damage Die rolled increases by the number of Hits – 1 (minimum of 0).
The first time on your Turn you would use the Flurry of Blows Combo Action against an entity within your AoC, who since the end of your last Turn dealt damage to an allied entity other than you, it costs 0CP to use.
Your Critical Hit Scope increases by 1 and you have a +3 Shield Bonus.
You have Advantage on Trait Tests to resist or avoid being moved against your will or being knocked Prone, and you count as one Size Category Larger than normal for Grappling and Shoving effects and Combo Actions.
You have Advantage on Unarmed Strikes against Targets within your AoC, who since the end of your last Turn dealt damage to an allied entity other than you.
The Serpent are creatures feared by sailors the word over for their incredible size often hides the speed they can strike at their foes, overwhelming them with a barrage of attacks, Martial Artists of this Order focus their techniques into being masters of lighting fast strikes, whilst also training for combat in and around water, that they are never caught off guard in such environments.
Associated Trait: Knowledge
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
You can breathe underwater and your Reach increases by 1m.
Whenever you use a Combo Action with this Order as a Prerequisite, you gain a Swimming speed equal to your Walking speed, until the end of your Turn. If you already have that speed, increase it for the Duration by your Knowledge.
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
You gain Resistance to Cold Damage.
When you make an Unarmed Strike, you can choose to deal damage as normal as well as either Grappling or Shoving the Target.
Once per Turn, if you performed a Combo Action with an AP cost of 1AP or more, you can spend 1CP to use the Movement action for 0AP, no matter how many times the action has been used this Turn, when you do so this movement does not Trigger Opportunity Attacks.
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
You gain a Swimming Speed equal to your Walking Speed.
Once per Turn, when you use the Flurry of Blows Combo Action, the number of Unarmed Strikes made equals your SB.
At the start of your Turn, whilst in contact with water you gain BP equal to your Knowledge, if you are submerged in water this benefit is doubled.
You have Advantage on Trait Tests made to escape the Grappled condition, and cannot be Grappled by an entity or your Size Category or smaller.
While Grappling an entity, they are also Restrained, and if they are no more than one Size Category larger than you, they can be moved without imposing any Degrees of the Slowed condition.
At the start of your Turn whilst Grappling a Target, they immediately receive Cold damage equal to your Unarmed Strike Damage Die + Your Martial Arts Die + your SB + your Knowledge.
![Martial Artist Action Card (Combo Action) Strong Tides AP Cost: 2AP CP Cost: 2CP Prerequisite: Order of the Serpent: Initiate AoE: [Knowledge]m Radius Sphere, Centred on You Effect: You pull enemies in towards you. Each hostile entity within the AoE must make an Agility Test. Failed Test: The Target takes Cold damage equal to a roll of your Martial Arts Die, this does not generate CP. The Target also pulled a number of metres towards you equal to your Knowledge, halting when they reach the nearest unoccupied space to you, then they are knocked Prone. If this action is used whilst fully submerged in water, the Target also becomes Restrained until the start of your next Turn. Failed by 5+: They take double the Cold damage and are Frozen until the start of your next Turn. Successful Test: They take half as much damage.](../../images/Action Cards/Class Actions/ma/strong_tides.png)
The Wurm is a dangerous behemoth knows for surprise attack in arid and desert regions, with incredibly dangerous poisons capable of toppling a dragon in minutes, Martial Artists of this Order focus their techniques into being masters of ambushes and deception, whilst also training in the arts of poison making.
Associated Trait: Endurance
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
You gain Tremorsense a number of metres equal to your SB, and can breathe in rock, earth, or sand where air is unavailable.
You gain Poison Reduction 5.
Whenever you use a Combo Action with this Order as a Prerequisite, you gain a Burrowing speed equal to your Walking speed, until the end of your Turn. If you already have that speed, increase it for the Duration by your Endurance.
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
You gain Resistance to Acid and Poison Damage.
You can perform the Use Skill (Stealth) action for 1AP.
You can use the Consume Item action, to consume a Poison, Venom, or Toxin. If you succeed on the Trait Test against its effects, your Unarmed Strikes and Combo Actions, if they deal damage, apply that Poison, Venom, or Toxin to the Target. This effect lasts until you complete a Long Rest, or use this ability to consume a different Poison, Venom, or Toxin.
Upon gaining this Rank you gain the following benefits:
You gain a Burrowing Speed equal to your Walking Speed.
You can choose to replace Poison damage from your Unarmed Strikes and Combo Actions with Acid damage and vice versa.
When you score at least 3 hits against a Target with the Flurry of Blows Combo Action, the Target must make an Endurance Test.
On a failed Test, the Target gains a number of Degrees of the Poisoned condition equal to the number of hits, until the start of your next Turn.
On a successful Test, they gain half as many Degrees of the condition (rounded down).
You gain Immunity to Acid and Poison damage and the Poisoned condition. Should you consume a Poison, Venom, or Toxin, for this Tattoo’s effects, you are treated as automatically succeeding the Trait Test to resist it and recover HP equal to a roll of your Martial Arts Die.
You ignore Damage Reductions and Resistances to Acid and Poison damage, and if they are Immune to the Poisoned condition or succeed on a Trait Test to avoid gaining any Degrees of the Poisoned condition, you always inflict one Degree of the condition that ignores Immunities. This Degree of the condition does not apply any additional effects though.
If an entity fails a Trait Test from you against gaining the Poisoned condition by 5 or more, they become Unconscious and Paralysed for the Duration of the condition.
