Martial Artist

Through intense training by a master of the art, you’ve made your body a deadly weapon and you have speed and precision to use it effectively. What called you to leave such training in favor of adventuring?

This type of skill doesn’t come lightly. How did you receive such training? Who was your teacher? What kind of combat did you study? How do you use it? Have you chosen to dedicate yourself to this path, or do you use this experience to further your studies elsewhere?

Ability Score Increases:+1 to Strength or Dexterity and +1 to Wisdom.

Skill Proficiencies: Athletics and Acrobatics.

Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools and one type of musical instrument.

Suggested Equipment (Cost 14 gold): Common clothes, calligrapher’s supplies, quarterstaff, 5 day’s rations, and a flute.

Feature: Inner Strength. Your training has allowed you to gain a heightened level of strength and calm, both inside and out. Choose one of the following options.

Healing Meditation. Your years of training allow you to call on additional vitality. You can When you take a short rest , you can spend time in meditation to gain an additional Hit Die to expend. You can do this after you have rolled your current Hit Dice, though this feature does not allow you to exceed your maximum hit points. You can only use this feature once per long rest .

Versatile Strikes. You’ve learned to leverage both your brawn and your speed. You can choose to use either Strength or Dexterity for both attack and damage rolls when you use an unarmed strike.

Adventures and Advancement. Your prowess in martial arts may eventually draw individuals that wish to learn from you. If you choose to take the time to instruct them during your downtime, your students show their gratitude by sharing what they have, providing you a lifestyle equal to their own. Eventually, if enough people seek your tutelage, you become recognized as the leader of your own sect. When this happens, choose one of the following:

• You establish a physical school and its dues earn you a modest lifestyle. You do not always have to be present in the area to earn this income, though you will likely be expected to make appearances and represent the school at certain functions.
• You gain the services of 8 disciples (use stats for a guard ).

Connection and Memento. Roll 1d10, choose, or make up your own.

Martial Artist Connections

1. The revered martial arts master who taught you everything.
2. The street thug who tormented you, driving you to seek out an instructor.
3. The begger who everyone else ignored, but turned out to be a master martial artist who taught you how to fight.
4. The top student of the rival school who always thought they were better than you.
5. The owner of a food stall who you saved from thugs trying to rob him and who lets you eat for free.
6. The leader of a local gang who wanted to recruit you, who you joined or turned down.
7. The angry brawler who challenges you to a fight whenever you are in town, but has never beaten you.
8. The drifter who came into town, put you on the path of martial arts, and then disappeared just as quickly.
9. The fellow student who always needed to do better than you.
10. The young beginner at your school who looked up to you.

Martial Artist Mementos

1. An emblem representing the school you trained at, given to all top ranking students.
2. A scroll illustrating martial arts forms and techniques.
3. A common object such as a frying pan or pitchfork that you used as an impromptu weapon. For you it’s a one-handed simple melee weapon that deals 1d6 bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.
4. A scar you received while fighting off a ambush from a rival school.
5. An oft-used practice weapon, the first you received when you started training.
6. A well-worn uniform from when you first entered your martial arts school.
7. An acceptance letter to the martial arts school where you trained.
8. An old flyer for a martial arts tournament you dreamed of entering.
9. A letter from your parents, who you left to start your training.
10. A carved wooden figure gifted to you by your childhood best friend or sweetheart.