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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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Martial Student

Every warrior must begin somewhere.

Recall Knowledge - Humanoid (Society): DC 18
Unspecific Lore: DC 16
Specific Lore: DC 13

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Martial StudentCreature 3

Medium Human Humanoid 
Source NPC Core pg. 72
Perception +9
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +9, Athletics +10
Str +4, Dex +3, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +1, Cha +0
Items handwraps
AC 18; Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +6
HP 40
Speed 35 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +11 [+7/+3] (agile, nonlethal, unarmed), Damage 1d6+4 bludgeoningFancy Footwork [one-action] The martial student Steps and Strides in any order.Flurry of Blows [one-action] Frequency once per round; Effect The martial student makes two fist Strikes. If both hit the same creature, combine their damage for the purpose of resistances and weaknesses.Powerful Fists The martial student's fist Strikes don't take penalties when making lethal attacks.

All Monsters in "Martial Artist"

NameLevel
Black Belt12
Grandmaster17
Martial Student3
Tournament Combatant5

Martial Artist

Source NPC Core pg. 72
Martial artists strive to master the art of hand-to-hand fighting.

Alternate Moves

Martial artists rarely have the same repertoire. For variety, use the following table to tweak an NPC's stats:
NPC Ability Replace With
Martial Student Fancy Footwork Hi-yah!
Tournament Combatant Work the Crowd Competitive Taunt
Mixed Martial Artist Any Stance Shift option Constant Feint Stance
Black Belt Blocking Counterattack Defensive Side Kick
Grandmaster One-Millimeter PunchBlazing Gate
Blazing Gate [two-actions] (electricity) Requirements The grandmaster has a target grappled or restrained; Effect The grandmaster tosses their target upwards and electrocutes them with a qi-infused double palm strike as they land. The target becomes prone, loses the grappled or restrained condition, and takes 5d6 bludgeoning damage and 2d8 persistent electricity damage (DC 38 basic Fortitude save).
Competitive Taunt [one-action] (emotion, fear, mental) The tournament combatant attempts to Demoralize a target. On a success, the demoralized creature is off-guard until the end of their next turn. The tournament combatant gets a +2 circumstance bonus to their damage against a creature made off-guard in this way.
Constant Feint Stance This stance option replaces a different Stance Shift option (usually Secure Grapple Stance). +2 to attempts to Feint. If the mixed martial artist rolls a critical failure to Feint, they get a failure instead. If they successfully Feint, they can use Stance Shift as a free action. Unlike other stances, in this stance the mixed martial artist can't make Strikes.
Defensive Side Kick [reaction] Trigger A creature within the black belt's reach uses a move action; Effect The black belt makes a fist Strike designed to intercept and create distance. This Strike does not count towards the black belt's multiple attack penalty, and the black belt's multiple attack penalty doesn't apply to this Strike. On a successful hit, the target is pushed 5 feet away. Kiai! [free-action] Frequency once per turn; Requirements The martial student attempts a Strike; Effect The martial student shouts to startle their adversary. If the Strike is successful, the target becomes frightened 1.

Dirty Fighting

Sometimes it doesn't pay to fight fair. You can give one of these dirty fighting tactics to any martial artist NPC. While tournament combatants are especially likely to look for an edge that will let them win, most black belts and grandmasters are unlikely to stoop to such chicanery.
Concealed Spikes [reaction] Trigger The martial artist critically succeeds on an unarmed Strike; Effect Tiny spikes in the martial artist's gloves or footwear deal an additional 1d6 persistent bleed damage.
Contraband Substance [one-action] The martial artist pulls out a concealed alchemical vial of mutagen and drinks it to improve their combat prowess. The item is usually a juggernaut mutagen, or quicksilver mutagen. This ability can't be used again until the martial artist has time to acquire and hide a new mutagen. Some martial artists use concealed small vials, but others hide a syringe or soak the alchemical liquid into a garment they can put in their mouth.
Illegal Bite [one-action] The martial artist makes an Athletics check against a target's Fortitude DC to bite them in a vulnerable area. On a success, the martial artist deals 2d6 piercing damage (or double on a critical success).
Sand In Your Eye [one-action] (visual) The martial artist Feints. On a success, the martial artist tosses sand into the face of one target, blinding them for 1 round or until the target Interacts to remove the blinded condition.

Grandmaster Forbidden Knowledge

Grandmasters study techniques outlawed for their tendency to maim both the user and the victim. If the Forbidden Palm doesn't suit your grandmaster's style, swap it for one of the following moves—if you dare.

Life Burn Aura [three-actions] (aura, force) The grandmaster transmutes their lifespan into an expulsion of qi. For the next minute, the grandmaster is surrounded by a 30-foot emanation that deals 3d6 force damage to all creatures who start their turn within the emanation, including the grandmaster themself. While Life Burn Aura is active, the grandmaster's fist Strikes deal 2 additional die of weapon damage. When the aura disappears, the grandmaster is permanently doomed 1. This condition is cumulative.
Solar Surge [three-actions] (visual) The grandmaster unleashes a qi wave as bright as the sun. All creatures within a 50-foot radius of the grandmaster who can see must attempt a DC 38 Reflex save, including the grandmaster themself.
Critical Success The creature is dazzled for 1 round.
Success The creature is blinded for 1 round.
Failure The creature is blinded for 1 day.
Critical Failure The creature is permanently blinded.

Super Qi Blast [one-action] (force, spellshape, polymorph); The grandmaster's body expands as it prepares to exude an unfathomable amount of qi. If the grandmaster's next action is to cast the two-action version of qi blast, the size of the cone increases to 120 feet and the damage increases to 16d6. The grandmaster also becomes one size category larger for the next minute, dealing an additional +9 damage with their melee Strikes. Additionally, the grandmaster is permanently drained 1. This drained condition is cumulative.

Sidebar - Related Creatures Crossover Ancestry NPCs

Several of the NPCs elsewhere in NPC Core can fit well in this group: Orc veteran master (level 10)

Sidebar - Additional Lore Fists Of The Ruby Phoenix

Of all the fighting contests across Golarion, the most notable is the Ruby Phoenix Tournament, held once every decade off the coast of Goka. The tournament is orchestrated by the legendary mage Hao Jin and attracts innumerable athletes, with the winners awarded powerful relics beyond imagination. The story of the most recent tournament can be found in the Fists of the Ruby Phoenix Adventure Path.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Life's Energy

Qi is far more than a means of supplementing attacks—it is an energy possessed by all living entities, and martial artists are merely experienced at manifesting qi in offensive ways. Aside from combat, qi is widely used in Tian Xia medicine, particularly among healers who worship the deity Qi Zhong.

Sidebar - Advice and Rules Versus A Gauntlet

For a fight against an entire dojo or monastic order, reserve martial artist stat blocks of similar levels to the PCs for the strongest antagonists. Pepper the scene with weaker combatants with low AC and saving throws, very few Hit Points, and a Speed of 25 feet. Each of these foes uses their actions to flank the PCs and attempt fist Strikes with a low hit modifier that deal low damage. When their numbers begin to dwindle, they flee.