D20 Mechanic: Techniques

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Techniques are used by the Karateka class.

Techniques

Terminology

Attack action
This term is used for a technique that is used as an attack. Normally, an attack requires a standard action, or is made as one attack amongst more in a full-round action (which requires a high enough base attack bonus to warrant multiple attacks).
A technique that requires this type of action can be used when performing an attack of opportunity.
Technique check
Karateka are more adept at close-quarter fighting involving stunts such as tripping, bull rushing, and grappling. As such, whenever you would be required to make an opposed Strength check, you instead make a Technique check, which is equal to your Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution bonus (a choice made at first level as a karateka) plus one-half your karateka level.

Technique Descriptions

BLADE GRASP
Prerequisites: Block, Combination: Block and Grapple, Expert Disarm, Grappling Expertise
Action: Attack of Opportunity
Range: Personal
Target: One attack
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You grasp an opponent's weapon.
To use this technique, you must not have lost your Dexterity bonus to AC due to a status condition; you must be wielding two martial arts weapons or a martial arts weapon designed to perform this technique; you must be aware of the attack and able to clearly perceive it with a primary targeting sense; and your opponent must not be invisible, concealed, or otherwise force attacks against him to suffer a miss chance.
This technique is a three-step process.
Step 1 - Block: You perform a block, as per that technique. The DC increases by +5. If the block succeeds, proceed to Step 2.
Step 2 - Grab: Make an opposed attack roll against your target. If the defender is wielding a two-handed weapon, he gets a +4 bonus, and if he is wielding a light weapon, he gets a -4 penalty. If the combatants are of different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per difference in size category.
If you win the opposed roll, you have grabbed the weapon. Proceed to step 3.
Step 3 - Hold: Make an opposed grapple check against your target. If the defender is wielding a two-handed weapon, he gets a +4 bonus, and if he is wielding a light weapon, he gets a -4 penalty; if you are unarmed, the defender gets an additional +4 bonus. If the combatants are of different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per difference in size category.
If you lose the grapple check, you are automatically damaged by your opponent's weapon, without your opponent's Strength or any other bonuses inherent to your opponent taken into account (so if the weapon is +1, that counts, but if your opponent is using Power Attack, that does not).
If you win the grapple check, you have caught the weapon and immobilized it. This has a series of effects: neither you nor your opponent can move; neither you nor your opponent threaten an area; both you and your opponent lose your Dexterity bonus to AC against creatures not in the blade grasp; you cannot use the weapons and/or limbs that caught the weapon for anything other than holding the weapon; and your opponent cannot attack with the caught weapon.
Ending the Grasp: As a free action, either you or your opponent can release the caught weapon. The person who releases the weapon provokes an attack of opportunity from the other.
If you are unarmed and your opponent releases his weapon, you now have control over the weapon. Otherwise, the weapon falls to the ground at your feet.
The defender may attempt to wrench the weapon from your grasp. This requires an opposed grapple check with the same modifiers as used in step 3, above. If the defender wins, the weapon is pulled from your grasp. Regardless of the result, the defender provokes an attack of opportunity from you when making this attempt.

 

BLOCK
Action: Attack of Opportunity
Range: Personal
Target: One attack
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You use a part of your body to intercept an incoming melee attack.
To use this technique, you must not have lost your Dexterity bonus to AC due to a status condition; you must be wielding a martial arts weapon; and you must be aware of the attack and able to clearly perceive it with a primary targeting sense.
Make an attack roll against the attacker's attack roll. If you roll higher and exceed a DC 15, the attack is blocked and you suffer no damage. If the attack was a critical hit, you must roll higher and exceed a DC 25 to successfully stop the attack.
You cannot use this technique to avoid touch attacks.
You cannot use this technique when flanked.

 

BREAK WEAPON
Action: Attack action
Range: Touch
Target: One weapon
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You focus your strength into a single strike, allowing you to sunder steel.
You must be wielding a martial arts weapon to use this technique.
This technique is a two-step process.
Step 1 - Hit: You make an attack roll opposed by the defender's attack roll. If the defender is wielding a two-handed weapon, he gets a +4 bonus, and if he is wielding a light weapon, he gets a -4 penalty. If the combatants are of different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per difference in size category.
Step 2 - Damage: If you win the opposed roll, you deal damage to the weapon, as though you were sundering it.

 

CATCH
Action: Attack of Opportunity
Range: Reach
Target: One thrown item
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You snatch a thrown item out of the air.
To use this technique, you must not have lost your Dexterity bonus to AC due to a status condition; you must have at least one hand free; and you must be aware of the attack and able to clearly perceive it with a primary targeting sense.
If you are catching a thrown item, you may catch it automatically.
If you are catching a thrown weapon, make an attack roll against the attacker's attack roll. If you roll higher and exceed a DC 15, you successfully catch the weapon. If the attack was a critical hit, you must roll higher and exceed a DC 25 to successfully catch it.
You can use this technique to catch weapons or items thrown at other characters, if the item's path would pass through your threatened squares.

 

CHOKE
Prerequisites: Grappling Expertise
Action: Attack action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You lock a grappled creature into a choke hold.
To use this technique, you must have a creature grappled.
Make an opposed grapple check with the creature you are grappling, at a -4 penalty. If you win, you have initiated a choke, and inflict your unarmed damage on the creature.
At the beginning of your next turn, if you have maintained the choke, the creature must make a Fortitude save against DC 10 or fall unconscious. Each round you maintain the choke, the DC increases by 2.
On the round after the creature falls unconscious, if you continue to maintain the choke, the creature falls to -1 hit points and is dying. If you hold the choke another round, the creature dies.

 

COMBINATION
You can combine two techniques into one whole.
Each of the following techniques is learned separately, but all follow the same rules outlined below.
To perform a combination, you must wield a martial arts weapon. You must also obey all the restrictions of both techniques in a given combination.
 
COMBINATION: BLOCK AND GRAPPLE
Prerequisites: Block, Grappling Expertise
If you successfully use block, you may - as an attack of opportunity - immediately initiate a grapple against the creature whose attack you blocked.
 
COMBINATION: BLOCK AND STRIKE
Prerequisites: Block
If you successfully use block, you may - as an attack of opportunity - perform a standard melee attack against the opponent whose attack you blocked.
 
COMBINATION: BLOCK AND SWEEP
Prerequisites: Block, Sweep
If you successfully use block, you may - as an attack of opportunity - perform a sweep against the opponent whose attack you blocked.
 
COMBINATION: CATCH AND BREAK WEAPON
Prerequisites: Blade Grasp, Block, Break Weapon, Expert Disarm, Grappling Expertise
If you successfully use blade grasp, you may - as an attack of opportunity - use break weapon against the weapon.
 
COMBINATION: CATCH WEAPON AND THROW OPPONENT
Prerequisites: Blade Grasp, Block, Expert Disarm, Grappling Expertise, Throw
If you successfully use blade grasp, you may - as an attack of opportunity - throw the creature whose weapon you caught.
 
COMBINATION: DISARM AND GRAPPLE
Prerequisites: Expert Disarm, Grappling Expertise
If you successfully disarm a creature, you may - as an attack of opportunity - immediately initiate a grapple against the opponent you disarmed.
 
COMBINATION: DISARM AND STRIKE
Prerequisites: Expert Disarm
If you successfully disarm a creature, you may - as an attack of opportunity - perform a standard melee attack against the opponent you disarmed.
 
COMBINATION: KICK AND SWEEP
Prerequisites: Kick, Sweep
If you successfully use kick, you may - as an attack of opportunity - perform a sweep against the opponent you kicked.
 
COMBINATION: TRIP AND STRIKE
If you successfully trip or sweep a creature, you may - as an attack of opportunity - perform a standard melee attack against the opponent you tripped or swept.
 

 

EXPERT DISARM
You are well-trained in the ways of disarming opponents.
You no longer provoke attacks of opportunity when attempting to disarm an opponent.
You only gain the benefits of this technique while wielding a martial arts weapon and wearing armor without an armor check penalty.

 

FLURRY
You can sacrifice accuracy for an additional strike.
When you take a full attack action, you may make one additional attack at your highest attack bonus. All attacks for that action suffer a -2 penalty.
You cannot use any of the attacks in a flurry to perform a technique or use a special attack option; they must all be standard attacks.

 

FOCUS ENERGY
Action: 1 round
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: None
You breathe deeply and focus your energy, allowing you to strike with exceptional force.
To use this technique, you must spend one round concentrating. If your concentration is broken, you lose the benefit of this technique.
So long as the next attack you make is before your next turn, the next attack you make deals maximum damage, and deals additional damage equal to your karateka level. If you miss, this technique's effect is wasted.

 

GRAPPLING EXPERTISE
You are well-trained in the ways of grappling.
You no longer provoke attacks of opportunity when attempting to initiate a grapple or use the throw technique.
You only gain the benefits of this technique while wielding a martial arts weapon and wearing armor without an armor check penalty.

 

GROUND AND POUND
Prerequisites: Grappling Expertise
You can continue to bring the hurt on while grappling a foe.
While you are grappling or pinning a creature, you can attack normally with a light martial arts weapon.

 

HAMEDO
Prerequisites: Block, Combination: Block and Strike
Action: Attack of Opportunity
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You sense an incoming attack, and strike before your opponent can.
To use this technique, you must not have lost your Dexterity bonus to AC due to a status condition; you must be wielding a martial arts weapon; and you must be aware of the attack and able to clearly perceive it with a primary targeting sense.
If a creature makes an attack against you, you may make an Initiative check against their attack roll. If you succeed, you may make an attack of opportunity against the creature prior to the attack's resolution (that is, if you manage to drop the creature, their attack does not occur).
Note: You can combine this technique with counter, provided you have sufficient attacks of opportunity. In effect, the opponent's attack becomes "sandwiched" between your two attacks of opportunity.

 

IMPROVED ITERATIVE ATTACKS
Prerequisites: BAB +4
Your attacks become more fluid, allowing you to make more when you set your mind to all-out offense.
Your progression for iterative attacks improves, as per the table below, when wielding a martial arts weapon. This technique changes your base attack bonus; any effects that are derived from your base attack bonus are now derived from the table below.
 
Bonus Attacks
Old BAB New BAB Old BAB New BAB
+4 +4/+1 +13/+8/+3 +13/+10/+7/+4/+1
+5 +5/+2 +14/+9/+4 +14/+11/+8/+5/+2
+6/+1 +6/+3 +15/+10/+5 +15/+12/+9/+6/+3
+7/+2 +7/+4/+1 +16/+11/+6/+1 +16/+13/+10/+7/+4
+8/+3 +8/+5/+2 +17/+12/+7/+2 +17/+14/+11/+8/+5
+9/+4 +9/+6/+3 +18/+13/+8/+3 +18/+15/+12/+9/+6
+10/+5 +10/+7/+4/+1 +19/+14/+9/+4 +19/+16/+13/+10/+7
+11/+6/+1 +11/+8/+5/+2 +20/+15/+10/+5 +20/+17/+14/+11/+8
+12/+7/+2 +12/+9/+6/+3    
 

 

INSTANT STAND
Action: See text
You can recover almost instantly from a prone position.
You can stand up as an non-action by expending an attack of opportunity.

 

KICK
Action: Attack action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You kick an opponent.
To use this technique, you must not have lost your Dexterity bonus to AC due to a status condition.
You make an unarmed attack that benefits from one and a half times your Strength bonus.
If a creature uses a grapple, trip, or sweep against you in response to this attack, you are treated as one size category smaller for any opposed checks.

 

LOCK
Prerequisites: BAB +6 (or BAB +4 if you have Improved Iterative Attacks)
Action: Attack action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You wrap and contort yourself around a pinned foe, rendering them utterly immobile.
To use this technique, you must be engaged in a grapple and have pinned your foe during this attack action.
Make an opposed grapple check with your target. If you win, the creature is considered helpless and you are considered pinned. You can break the lock as an immediate action, reducing the lock to a pin (in which case the creature is immobile until your next turn).
A creature can attempt to escape from a lock as though it were a pin, at a -4 penalty to the grapple or Escape Artist check to do so.

 

NERVE STRIKE
Action: Attack action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
You strike a nerve, potentially causing a variety of status effects.
Each of the following techniques is learned separately, but all follow the same rules outlined below.
To perform a nerve strike, you must be wielding a martial arts weapon; the target must not be immune to critical hits; the target must not be concealed, invisible, blurred, or otherwise enjoy a miss chance due to concealment; and you must be aware of the target and able to clearly perceive it with a primary targeting sense.
To make a nerve strike, you must make a melee attack at a -4 penalty. If you hit, the target suffers your normal unarmed damage, and must also make a saving throw or else suffer a status effect, dependent upon the specific nerve strike.
You cannot use more than one nerve strike technique in a round, regardless of how many you know or how many attacks in a round you can make.
 
NERVE STRIKE: PAIN
Duration: 1d4 rounds
On a failed save, the creature suffers a -4 penalty to Dexterity for the duration. In addition, in order to perform any action that requires concentration, the creature must make a Concentration check against DC 15 + your karateka level.
 
NERVE STRIKE: PARALYSIS
Prerequisites: Nerve Strike: Pain, Nerve Strike: Stun
Duration: 1d6 rounds
On a failed save, the creature is paralyzed for the duration.
 
NERVE STRIKE: STUN
Duration: 1 round
On a failed save, the creature is stunned for the duration.
 

 

PALM STRIKE
Action: Move action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You make a rapid jab with your palm.
Make a single melee attack against the target. If you hit, you deal half damage.

 

POUNCE
Prerequisites: BAB +6 (or BAB +4 if you have Improved Iterative Attacks)
You excel at bringing your whole body into an assault.
When you charge, you can make a full attack action.

 

PUSH
Action: Attack action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You violently push a creature away.
This technique requires a three-step process.
Step 1 - Touch: You must make a melee touch attack against your opponent.
Step 2 - Strength: If the melee touch attack succeeds, make a technique check opposed by your opponent's Strength check. A combatant gets a +4 bonus for every size category he is larger than Medium or a -4 penalty for every size category he is smaller than Medium. The defender gets a +4 bonus on his check if he has more than two legs or is otherwise more stable than a normal humanoid.
Step 3 - Push: If you win the opposed check, you push your opponent back 5 feet in a straight line. If you beat your opponent's check by at least 5, you may opt for your opponent to fall prone in their new square. For every 10 points by which you beat your opponent's check in step 2, you may push your opponent an additional 5 feet.

 

REVERSE HOLD
Prerequisites: Lock
Action: Attack of Opportunity
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You escape from a hold and immediately lock your opponent in the same hold.
When you successfully escape from a grapple, pin, or lock, and are wielding a martial arts weapon, you may - as an attack of opportunity - attempt a grapple, pin, or lock against the creature you just escaped from.

 

ROLL
Action: Attack of Opportunity
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You roll with a blow, reducing its effectiveness.
To use this technique, you must not have lost your Dexterity bonus to AC due to a status condition and you must not be immobilized.
If you are attacked, you may make a Reflex save against the attack roll. If you beat it and exceed a DC 15, you roll with the blow, reducing the damage you take from the attack by the amount by which you overcame the roll. If the attack is a critical, you must exceed a DC 25 to use this technique.
If you successfully used this technique, you make take a 5-foot step immediately after the triggering attack's resolution, as a non-action.

 

STABLE FOOTING
You are sure-footed.
You gain a bonus equal to 5 + one-half your karateka level on any check made to avoid being moved or forced prone.
If you are suffering from any condition that causes you to lose your Dexterity bonus to AC, you do not gain this bonus.

 

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
You have a keen sense of your surroundings.
You can make an additional attack of opportunity each round.

 

SUDDEN STRIKE
Action: Attack of Opportunity
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You are trained in watching a creature's movements, able to find the opportune time to strike when they least expect it.
Each of the following techniques is learned separately, but all follow the same rules outlined below.
Each of the following techniques grants you the ability to perform an attack of opportunity against a creature in situations that do not normally provoke.
 
SUDDEN STRIKE: APPROACH
You can make an attack of opportunity against a creature that enters a square you threaten.
If a creature moves from one square you threaten to another without doing so as a 5-foot step, you can make two attacks of opportunity against that creature (one for leaving a square you threaten, and another for entering a square you threaten).
 
SUDDEN STRIKE: DRAW WEAPON
You can make an attack of opportunity against a creature that draws a weapon.
 
SUDDEN STRIKE: FALL PRONE
You can make an attack of opportunity against a creature that uses an action to fall prone.
 
SUDDEN STRIKE: OPEN DOOR
You can make an attack of opportunity against a creature that opens or closes a door.
If you use this technique against a creature opening a door who is on the other side of the door, the door remains open even if you drop the creature; otherwise, the door remains in its original position.
 
SUDDEN STRIKE: OPPORTUNITY
When a creature that threatens you that you threaten makes an attack that does not include you as a target, that creature provokes an attack of opportunity from you.
 

 

SWEEP
Action: Attack action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You sweep a creature's leg, causing them to fall prone.
Make a melee touch attack against your target.
If you hit, make a technique check opposed by the defender’s Dexterity or Strength check (whichever ability score has the higher modifier). A combatant gets a +4 bonus for every size category he is larger than Medium or a -4 penalty for every size category he is smaller than Medium. The defender gets a +4 bonus on his check if he has more than two legs or is otherwise more stable than a normal humanoid.
If you win the opposed check, the defender falls prone.

 

SWEEP, GREATER
Prerequisites: Sweep
Action: Attack action
Range: Touch
Target: Three creatures (see text)
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You sweep wide with your leg, causing multiple creatures to fall.
As per sweep, but you may target up to two additional creatures, who must be adjacent to the first target and within your reach. Your attack roll and technique check are compared to each target's ACs and Strength or Dexterity checks, respectively, to determine if you succeed in using this maneuver.
After this technique is resolved, you fall prone.

 

THROW
Action: Attack action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantanous
Saving Throw: None
You grab a creature and throw it.
This technique requires a three-step process.
Step 1 - Close: You must close with the target and enter its square. This provokes an attack of opportunity from the target. If the attack of opportunity deals damage to you, this technique automatically fails.
Step 2 - Grab: You perform a melee touch attack to grab your target and start the throw. If you miss, you cannot throw your target.
Step 3 - Throw: If the melee touch attack succeeds, you and your target make an opposed Grapple check. If you win, you throw the target 5 feet in whatever direction you choose, inflicting your unarmed damage to your target and knocking him prone.
You can only throw creatures up to one size category larger than you.

 

Design Notes

Heavy inspiration was drawn from Ken Hood's d20 Martial Arts work; if it were not for Ken Hood, chances are good that this subsystem would be a lot uglier and far less elegant and interesting than it is.

Some amount of inspiration was taken from various Final Fantasy games.

Because the class is heavily based on AoOs, it is very possible for a higher-level karateka to perform a wide variety of actions all based upon a single AoO. I think that this is an accurate representation of martial arts within the d20 System, and think it fits the desired feel of a martial artist well enough.

In particular, certain combinations are written in such a way as to specifically encourage this sort of thing to happen.

AoOs as Resource

The concept of using the attack of opportunity as a resource to fuel these abilities is, to my knowledge, a new idea of my own devising. It seems like an incredibly good idea, however, and would seem to help reinforce the feel of the karateka class in general - AoOs represent a high awareness of a combat situation, and someone wading into a fight with their fists and the shirt on their back seems like someone who should have very good situational awareness.

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