Brawling Techniques
Brawling techniques are divided between Strikes (S) and Techniques (T). Unless otherwise stated, all brawling techniques are extraordinary abilities. Strikes are offensive abilities that can usually be used whenever he would make a normal unarmed strike for any reason (Or using weapons that “count” as being unarmed, such as while using gauntlets or knuckle claws. Some brawling techniques require "true" unarmed strikes, as they are performed in a way that cannot be easily replaced by a weapon strike. However, items such as handwraps still provide their normal benefits when using these techniques.), though some strikes (Such as sovereign fist) state what type of action they require. Techniques, on the other hand, are defensive or utility abilities which always state how they’re used.
If a brawling technique requires a saving throw, it is calculated at 10 + half the black belt’s level + his Strength modifier, unless otherwise stated.
Unless otherwise stated, only one Strike ability can be used in place of an unarmed strike. For example, you couldn’t use the Twinstrike brawling technique and have both unarmed strikes be Leg Sweeps.
Some brawling techniques multiply your “unarmed strike damage”, this means that you roll your unarmed damage dice for the attack that many times and add the results together before adding bonuses from Strength, prizefighter's spirit, weapon abilities (such as flaming), precision-based damage, and other damage bonuses. These extra damage dice are not multiplied on a critical hit or when using the vital strike feat, but are added to the total.
All brawling techniques are assigned a level, meaning you need to have that many black belt levels in order to assign them as one of your techniques. Some brawling techniques also cost Adrenaline to use, this will be noted in the name next to its designation.
As an example:
Ability 1 (S, LV3, A:2):
Ability 2 (T, LV5):
This means ability 1 is a Strike that can be used from 3rd level that costs 2 Adrenaline to use, while ability 2 is a technique that requires you to have 5 black belt levels, can be used for free, or is a passive effect. Not all strikes cost adrenaline, while not all techniques are free.
Technique List
NOTE: Brawling Techniques are listed in order of level.
Headbutt (S, LV1): The black belt can use his hardened skull to strike against an opponent, potentially throwing them off-balance for a moment. If a headbutt strike is successful, the black belt deals their normal unarmed strike damage and the target must make a Fortitude save or become staggered for one round. A black belt must be adjacent to a target to make a headbutt attack, regardless of his reach. A black belt can use this strike even while pinned. A headbutt is a true unarmed strike made with the head.
Iron Palm (T, LV1): An unarmed black belt does not take the normal -4 penalty on Disarm checks, instead he gains a +2 bonus as if his unarmed strikes had the disarm weapon quality (This stacks with the bonus on Disarm checks granted by Deft Maneuvers). This technique is not a true unarmed technique, but it does not stack with a weapon that already has these benefits.
Leg Sweep (S, LV1): The black belt can make a low leg sweep to try and knock a foe prone without risk to himself. The black belt takes a -2 penalty on the combat maneuver check, but if the trip fails, he is not knocked prone, regardless of how much he fails the attempt by. The black belt must currently have his legs free to use this strike.
Martial Flexibility (T, LV1): A black belt can take a move action to gain the benefit of a combat feat he doesn’t possess. This effect lasts for 1 minute. The black belt must meet all the feat’s prerequisites. He may use this technique a number of times per day equal to 3 + 1/2 his black belt level (minimum 1). The black belt can use this technique again before the duration expires in order to replace the previous combat feat with another choice. If a combat feat has a daily use limitation (such as Stunning Fist), any uses of that combat feat while using this technique count toward that feat’s daily limit.
Shield Arm (T, LV1): The black belt learns to keep a semi-expendable arm between the enemy and his vital organs. This allows the black belt to use one of his arms as though it were a heavy shield, providing a +2 shield bonus to AC. At 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter, this bonus increases by an additional +1. The black belt can use his arm to shield bash, but this uses the normal damage values and rules for making a one-handed shield bash with a heavy shield, not an unarmed strike.
The black belt loses this shield bonus to AC if he is suffering from any of the following conditions: Asleep, Berserk, Blinded, Cowering, Dazed, Disabled, Fascinated, Flat-Footed, Grappled, Helpless, Impaired, Impped, Nauseated, Panicked, Paralyzed, Pigged, Pinned, Stopped, Stunned, Toaded or Unconscious. This bonus also does not apply to attacks made by an invisible creature, though feats such as blind fight or abilities such as the sightless combat technique which negate an invisible creature’s advantages also apply here, allowing him to apply this shield bonus to AC against creatures he cannot see.
The black belt treats his arm as an object with a hardness equal to one quarter his black belt level (Minimum 0), with a hit point total equal to one third his full hit point total. As part of rolling initiative, the black belt can choose to use this combat art or not, but the black belt can choose which arm is currently being used as a shield, or stop using either arm as a shield, as a free action that can be taken at any time, even if it is not his turn, but must be reactivated as a swift action on his turn. The black belt "has" a number of shield arms equal to the number of arms he has. For example, he could spellscribe both his arms as heavy shields separately.
Whenever an attack misses the black belt but would've hit if not for this shield bonus (including any other bonuses to this shield bonus, such as the Shield Focus feat), his blocking arm still takes lethal damage equal to the weapon's base damage (Reduced by hardness and any DR the black belt has. His delayed damage pool cannot be used to delay this damage nor can it be turned into nonlethal damage. His arms can be sundered as though they were objects), which still potentially exposes him to contact or injury poisons, though the saving throw DCs are reduced by an amount equal to the AC bonus provided by his arm. Damage dealt to the black belt's arm(s) is not counted against his actual hit point total.
When reduced to half health, his arm gains the broken condition, reducing both its offensive and defensive ability (Halving its AC and suffering from a -2 penalty to attack and damage when making unarmed strikes with that arm or when attempting to use that arm to wield a weapon two-handed). When reduced to 0 HP that arm can no longer be used as a shield, inflicts a -4 penalty to Strength and is effectively rendered useless until returned to at least 1 hit point.
Whenever the black belt recovers his normal hit points, such as by resting or taking magical healing, both his arms recover an equal amount of hit points.
Elbow Hook (S, LV3 A:1): The black belt can make an unarmed strike with his inner arm to try and turn the attack into an immediate grapple. The black belt takes a -2 penalty on the attack roll, but can attempt to grapple the opponent as a free action. The black belt gains a +2 bonus on the combat maneuver check to start this grapple (You don’t take the attack roll penalty on the grapple check as they are two different attack rolls). If the black belt also has the “Grab” special ability, he cannot use elbow hook and grab on the same attack. The black belt must currently have his arms and hands free to use this strike, but it is not a true unarmed strike technique and thus can be used with "unarmed" weapons normally.
Brawling In The Dust (T, LV3): The black belt can fight on his back as well as he can on his feet. A black belt does not take the normal -4 penalty on attack rolls while making prone unarmed strikes against targets who are also prone or on combat maneuver checks when performing prone grapple and trip combat maneuvers against prone or standing opponents.
Hadoken (S, LV5): The black belt can strike the air hard enough to compress it into a shockwave allowing him to make an unarmed strike as though it had the reach special quality. Although this attack is made of compressed air, it deals the normal damage of his unarmed strike not wind or physWind damage. The black belt does not threaten squares as though his unarmed strike had reach, however.
This strike cannot be used in a vacuum, but otherwise any sort of gaseous or liquid medium (Or similar pourable solids, like sand) that the black belt is surrounded by or can attack into can be used to produce shockwaves. This cannot be used to send attacks “into” solid objects, however.
Improved Martial Flexibility (T, LV6): The black belt can use his martial flexibility technique to gain the benefit of two combat feats at the same time. He may select one feat as a swift action or two feats as a move action. He may use one of these feats to meet a prerequisite of the second feat; doing so means that he cannot replace a feat currently fulfilling another’s prerequisite without also replacing those feats that require it. Each individual feat selected counts toward his daily uses of martial flexibility.
This brawling technique does nothing if the Martial Flexibility technique is not also assigned to the black belt's active deck.
Quickstep (T, LV6 A:1): The black belt has learned to sidestep reflexively. As an immediate action, the black belt can move 5ft without provoking an attack of opportunity (This can be performed after you know the result of the attack roll), which is subtracted from the black belt’s total movement allotted to him on his next turn. If this movement was performed in response to a ranged or melee attack (Including ranged or melee touch attacks), the black belt gains a dodge bonus to AC equal to half his class level against the attack. This movement doesn’t negate the attack, which is still resolved as if the black belt had not moved from the original square. This movement can allow him to avoid being struck by single-target attacks or combat maneuvers, but is useless against area based effects or single-target effects that require a saving throw.
A black belt can use this ability at no adrenaline cost provided he is solely using it to move and not to dodge an attack.
Twinstrike (S, LV6 A:1): Whenever the black belt uses the attack action to make a single attack (But not at the end of a charge), he can use this strike to make an attack with two unarmed strikes against one opponent. Both attacks must target the same creature, and he takes a -2 penalty on each attack roll and applies his full Strength modifier to his damage rolls for both attacks, whether the attack is an off-hand attack or not. A weapon wielded in two hands, or the usage of the Iron Fist talent, allows him to apply 1.5x his Strength modifier as normal.
If his first attack drops his foe to -1 hit points or fewer, he cannot make a second attack. The penalties applied by this strike replace the normal penalties for fighting with two weapons. Using twinstrike counts as making a single attack as a standard action, but the second attack does not receive benefits from abilities that affect a single attack, such as the Vital Strike feat, or a strike maneuver from the Flying Fist Discipline, but feats that merely require you to make a single unarmed strike, such as the Boxing One-Two Punch feat, function normally.
As this ability is, itself, a Strike the black belt cannot have other Strike abilities replace these unarmed strikes, but (unlike similar strikes) he can substitute disarm, sunder, and trip combat maneuvers for these unarmed attacks.
Prince of Stranglers (T, LV7): The black belt learns just where to apply pressure to his targets while grappling them, which grants the black belt the constrict ability. Whenever the black belt makes a successful grapple check, he deals bludgeoning damage to the target equal to the unarmed strike damage of the black belt five levels lower. This damage is in addition to any other effects caused by a successful grapple check, such as becoming the controller or dealing additional damage.
Triangle Hold (T, LV7): The black belt can use his legs, in addition to his arms, to grapple with. In any round the black belt successfully maintains a grapple, the black belt may make an additional attack action (This is not considered a standard action). This attack action can be an unarmed strike or a normal dirty trick, disarm, steal, sunder or trip combat maneuver, either against the grappled target or a target within reach. As a free action once per round, the black belt may swap between grappling with his arms or his legs.
Alternatively, this extra attack action can also be used as a second grapple, either against the same or a different target. This extra grapple can be made on the same turn the black belt attempts to initiate a grapple, potentially allowing him to grapple two targets at once or gain two attempts to grapple the same creature. Attempting to use this second grapple against a creature he is successfully grappling is resolved as an aid another attempt. If the black belt has a special ability based on grappling, such as the constrict special ability granted by prince of stranglers or the chokehold feat, only one of the two grappled targets is affected each round, but the black belt may choose which is affected at the start of his turn.
However, while grappling a creature his size category or smaller with his legs, the black belt is considered prone, but he can use triangle hold against creatures larger than him without penalty. Targets with the powerful build special quality that are otherwise the same size as the black belt are considered to be larger than the black belt for the purposes of determining if the black belt is considered prone, despite the fact counting as the same size would be advantageous.
Tiger Drop (S, LV8, A:2): When making a single or full attack on his turn, the black belt can choose to forgo his unarmed strike at his highest base attack bonus to prepare to strike against an attacking opponent. This is similar to readying an unarmed strike with a trigger condition of “An opponent within reach attacks me”, except that it does not change the black belt’s initiative count nor can the black belt make a 5ft step. If this attack hits, the black belt deals double unarmed strike damage against the target and may choose to use his attack roll in place of his AC against the triggering attack.
Sightless Combat (T, LV8): The black belt does not need to succeed at Perception checks to pinpoint the location of creatures he cannot see that are within reach of his unarmed strikes and can make unarmed strikes against those creatures as if he could see them. Invisible attackers within reach of the black belt’s unarmed strikes do not gain any benefits related to hitting him. That is, he doesn't lose his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (meaning he cannot be sneak attacked by an invisible creature), and the attacker doesn't get the usual +2 bonus for being invisible.
However, this ability does not allow the black belt to detect the presence of invisible creatures, it merely allows him to fight invisible creatures he is otherwise aware of, such as by making the normal DC 20 perception check to detect the presence of an invisible creature, being attacked by an invisible attacker, being informed by an ally or mid-combat conditions resulting in him no longer being able to see his opponent (For example, a visible opponent suddenly turning invisible, or the black belt suddenly being rendered blind). As a result, creatures the black belt cannot see can attempt to make stealth checks to try and hide again, but they do not get the normal bonus on stealth checks they would gain for being invisible.
This ability provides no benefit against creatures that are ethereal, since they are not physically present on the same plane as the black belt.
Greater Martial Flexibility (T, LV10): The black belt can use his martial flexibility technique to gain the benefit of three combat feats at the same time. He may select one feat as a free action, two feats as a swift action, or three feats as a move action. He may use one of the feats to meet a prerequisite of the second and third feats, and use the second feat to meet a prerequisite of the third feat. Each individual feat selected counts toward his daily uses of martial flexibility.
This brawling technique does nothing if the Martial Flexibility and Improved Martial Flexibility techniques are not also assigned to the black belt's active deck.
Sovereign Fist (S, LV10): Whenever the black belt makes a full attack, he may give up his regular attacks to instead make a single unarmed strike against an opponent. If the attack hits it deals double damage to the target and all opponents within 30ft of the target. A Reflex save by the secondary targets halves this damage. When the black belt uses this ability, he also forfeits any bonus or extra attacks granted by other feats, spells, or abilities.
Sudden Flexibility (T, LV12): The black belt can use his martial flexibility technique to gain the benefit of one combat feat as an immediate action or three combat feats as a swift action. Each individual feat selected counts toward his daily uses of martial flexibility.
This brawling technique does nothing if the Martial Flexibility, Improved Martial Flexibility and Greater Martial Flexibility techniques are not also assigned to the black belt's active deck.
Glancing Blow (T, LV13): Whenever the black belt misses an opponent with an unarmed strike but the attack roll would otherwise hit their touch AC, the target still takes nonlethal damage equal to the black belt’s base unarmed strike damage.
Kazama Style Five Hit Combo (S, LV13, A:3): As a full attack action, the black belt makes six unarmed attack rolls against the same target at a -2 penalty and ignores the lowest. Order the remaining attack rolls from highest to lowest, this is the order the attacks are made. All attacks that hit deal normal unarmed damage +2, with each subsequent successful attack adding an additional +2 per hit (The first attack adds +2 to the damage damage, the second adds +4, the third adds +6 and so on. Attacks that miss due to miss chance do not add to the damage). As this ability is, itself, a Strike the black belt cannot have other Strike abilities replace these unarmed strikes. Disarm, sunder, and trip combat maneuvers cannot be substituted for these unarmed attacks.
Shakunetsu Hadoken (S, LV14): The black belt’s hadoken improves dramatically. His hadoken can be made against any creature within 30ft. This is still considered a melee attack, not a ranged one, however. The black belt can optionally ignite his hadoken, causing it to deal physFire damage, rather than simply physical.
This brawling technique does nothing if the Hadoken technique is not also assigned to the black belt's active deck.
Corkscrew Cross (S, LV15, A:2): The black belt learns one of the ultimate techniques of pugilism. After making this strike, the black belt makes a combat maneuver check against the opponent, adding half the damage dealt to the check. If the check succeeds, the opponent is knocked flying 10 feet in a direction of the black belt’s choice plus an additional 5ft for every 5 by which the black belt exceeds the target’s CMD and falls prone. The black belt can only push the opponent in a straight line, and the opponent can’t move closer to the black belt than the square it started in. If an obstacle prevents the completion of the opponent’s move, the opponent and the obstacle each take 1d6 points of damage, and the opponent is knocked prone in the space adjacent to the obstacle (Corkscrew Cross counts as the Awesome Blow class feature). Corkscrew cross can be performed against a creature of any size.
Swift Flurry (S, LV15 A:3): The black belt can perform a full attack as a standard action, or make a full attack at the end of a charge, provided all attacks are unarmed strikes. As this ability is, itself, a Strike the black belt cannot have other Strike abilities replace these unarmed strikes, but (unlike similar strikes) he can substitute disarm, sunder, and trip combat maneuvers for these unarmed attacks. This ability allows the black belt to ready a full attack. However the Strength bonus to damage is reduced by one-half: 1.5x becomes 1x, 1x becomes 0.5x and 0.5x becomes no Strength bonus to the damage.
Crumbling Blow (T, LV15 A:2): Whenever the black belt outright slays an opponent with an unarmed strike (Such as by causing a creature’s negative hit point total to exceed their Constitution score or via the Hokuto Shinken strike), he can activate this brawling technique as a free action to destroy the opponent’s body so completely, the creature requires an Arise or Full-Life spell to be resurrected. The exact method of destruction matters not and often varies black belt to black belt. The most common way, and thus the reason behind the name, is to cause vibrations within the target's body, literally causing it to crumble to dust; some strike so hard the corpse is liquified into a puddle; yet others still strike at hidden power points in the body, causing it to explode after a few moments. Regardless of the method, only the creature’s body is affected, its equipment remains untouched. If you deal damage to an object with an unarmed strike, reducing the object to 0 hp disintegrates the object (or a 10 ft. cube, if the object is particularly large).
Hokuto Shinken (S, LV17, A:1): The black belt can attempt to outright slay his enemy with a single blow. As a standard action, the black belt makes a single unarmed strike against an opponent. If the attack hits, it deals five times his unarmed strike damage and the target must also make a Fortitude save or die instantly. The black belt can alternatively choose to be merciful, instead setting the target’s nonlethal damage to be equal to their hit point maximum -1.
Targets immune to critical hits are immune to this effect, but Hokuto Shinken is not otherwise considered a Death effect. If the target makes the saving throw it is immune to the same black belt’s hokuto shinken for 24 hours or until the target’s HP total is reduced to 50% or lower, whichever comes first (If the target is healed back over half health within the 24 hours they become immune again).
Dim Mak (S, LV17): The black belt can make an unarmed strike as a touch attack. As this combat art is a strike, it cannot be combined with other strikes (some combat arts granted by booster packs can also be used with Dim Mak but this will be explicitly stated).
Instant Transmission (T, LV17, A:3): The black belt can move so fast at a moment’s notice, it almost looks like he’s teleporting. As an immediate action, the black belt can move up to his speed without provoking attacks of opportunity (This can be performed after you know the result of the attack roll or Reflex save), which is subtracted from the black belt’s total movement allotted to him on his next turn. If this movement was performed in response to a ranged or melee attack (Including ranged or melee touch attacks), area of effect attack or single-target attack that requires a Reflex save, the black belt gains a dodge bonus to AC equal to his class level and to Reflex saves equal half his class level against the attack (If the attack has both an attack roll and Reflex save, both apply). If the Reflex save is successful, the black belt takes no damage from the effect, rather than only half. This movement doesn’t negate the attack, which is still resolved as if the black belt had not moved from the original square.
A black belt can use this ability at a cost of only 1 adrenaline, provided he is solely using it to move and not to dodge an attack.
Mishima Style Ten Hit Combo (S, LV19, A:5): As a full attack action, the black belt makes twelve unarmed attack rolls against the same target at a -5 penalty and ignores the lowest two. Order the remaining attack rolls from highest to lowest, this is the order the attacks are made. All attacks that hit deal normal unarmed damage +2, with each subsequent attack adding an additional +2 per hit (The first attack adds +2 to the damage, the second +4, the third +6 and so on. Attacks that miss due to miss chance do not add to the damage). As this ability is, itself, a Strike the black belt cannot have other Strike abilities replace these unarmed strikes. Disarm, sunder, and trip combat maneuvers cannot be substituted for these unarmed attacks.
Imperial Fist (S, LV19): When using Sovereign Fist, instead of making one attack the black belt may have all four attacks granted to him by virtue of his base attack bonus be Sovereign Fist attacks.
Flexible Mastery (T, LV20): The black belt can use his martial flexibility technique to gain the benefit of any number of combat feats as a swift action. Each feat selected counts toward his daily uses of martial flexibility.
This brawling technique does nothing if the Martial Flexibility, Improved Martial Flexibility, Greater Martial Flexibility and Sudden Flexibility techniques are not also assigned to the black belt's active deck.
