The following rules modify Chapter 3: Skills (pgs. 38-55) and Chapter 4: Feats (pgs 56-65) in the Mutants & Masterminds Second Edition book. They also use feats introduced in the Mastermind's Manual (pgs 36-47).
When you are pressed for time and trying to do several things at once, you may attempt to multi-task skill checks. In a single round, you may make skill checks for two different standard action skills, each at -5.
The Computers and Pilot skills are not appropriate for Mitheirn. Drive only applies to caravans, cart teams, and other primitive vehicles. A new skill, Occult, replaces Computers, and Sail replaces Pilot.
Appropriate Knowledge skills include Alchemy, Demonology, Legends, Magic (Type) and Religions.
As explained on the Language page, the Language skill (M&M2E, pg 50) allows you to speak other languages. In Mitheirn, you need a second rank in a language to be literate with it, requiring two ranks for the ability to speak, read and write a given language.
Your understanding of mystic energies goes beyond the instinct all living beings possess. You have a deeper understanding of magic than even those who can craft a few spells. You are one of those who learns the hidden names of the great powers and knows the colors of power.
With this skill, you can perform rituals, develop new spells, enchant items, and determine what forms of magic are being employed even without a spell.
Check: You may roll to perform a ritual. Checks may also be made to identify strange creatures (with high DCs for truly rare creatures) and to analyze and create enchantments.
The Ritualist feat adds +4 to your Occult checks when designing or casting rituals.
Try Again: A failed ritual check means the ritual ends with no result and must be performed again. A failed enchantment also has no result, and must be started over. Failed identification checks may not be repeated; your character simply hasn't learned anything about that sort of creature or didn't correctly piece together the clues about the magic.
Action: An Occult check to identify creatures or a type of magic is a standard action. An Occult check to cast rituals or to make enchantments may take hours or days, depending on the rank of effect being created.
You've learned how to guide boats and ships, as well as maintain them and attend to the many different tasks it takes to keep a vessel going. While this requires physical effort and fortitude, Sailing is primarily about understanding the wind, the waves, and what the right course of action is to keep the ship afloat at any given time.
Check: Routine tasks such as guiding a ship in relatively calm conditions do not require a skill check. Make the check only when the weather is rough or during battles at sea. While sailing, you can attempt simple maneuvers or stunts.
Try Again: A failed Sail check can make things worse for ship, but can be corrected by a patient helmsmen. If the vessel is still intact after a failed roll, you may try the check again.
Action: A Sail check to navigate is a move action. A Sail check to perform most other actions on the ship are full actions, or require extended skill checks.
Feats that provide combat or save bonuses at certain times, such as Accurate Attack, Dedication, Defensive Strike or Power Attack, may temporarily break power level limits. If a feat's bonus may be applied in most situations or without any sort of penalty, such as Attack Focus, Dodge Focus, Inherent Power, or Tough, then it may not break these limits. When in doubt, read the feat's description or ask your GM whether a feat may break PL restrictions.
The following feats may be taken in addition to those in M&M2E. Most of these feats have been modified to better fit the Mitheirn game, so it is a good idea to check the description before purchasing the feat.
You move more quickly than most in a combat. You take advantage of relative positions and brief flaws in your opponent's guard. This feat allows you to freely attack a foe in specific circumstances.
First, attacks of opportunity are provoked when an opponent who is within the reach of your weapon (usually 5') moves away with a move or greater action. The opponent who takes a short 5-foot step avoids this attack. Second, actions that divert the opponent's attention from defending himself against you in some way provoke attacks of opportunity. This could include unarmed attacks against an armed opponent (or one who has the Improved Strike feat), directly manipulating a piece of equipment other than a weapon or shield, performing a standard-action skill check, using a spell that requires a standard action, making an all-out move past your position, attempting to disarm you, or attempting a grapple.
You may make 1 attack of opportunity in a round per rank in this feat. However, you may only use a single attack of opportunity at a time, even if circumstances allow you to invoke multiple attacks of opportunity or related feats in a single action. This is a normal attack that does not gain the benefit of combat feats unless the feat's description specifically notes that it may be used with or as an attack of opportunity.
Without this proficiency, half of your armor's Protection bonus (round up) is a penalty to attack and dodge bonus, as well as the skills of Acrobatics, Climb, Escape Artist, Stealth and Swim. Each rank in this feat allows you to ignore -1 penalty. This feat does not allow you to reduce the penalty below 0.
When you will take a point of Backlash, you may spend a Hero Point to temporarily keep Backlash at bay. This has no effect on the Backlash points you've already accumulated, it simply stops you from adding to your total for the rest of the round. This feat does not affect Backlash gained from racial disadvantages.
You can choose a challenge, the rules for which are outlined on pages 12-15 in the Mastermind's Manual. If you wish to select a challenge based on a specific application of a skill, this feat only applies to that challenge and no other applications of the skill. For example, if you choose the Intimidation challenge of Forceful Intimidation, you do not gain the benefits of this feat with Mass Intimidation or Powerful Intimidation. If you choose one of the standard challenges of Fast Task, Calculated Risk, or Simultaneous Tasks, you must select the specific skills that apply to this feat when it is purchased.
You can reduce the penalty for the chosen specific challenge by -5. For most challenges, this reduces the penalty to 0, which is the minimum penalty. If the penalty is less than -5 before taking this feat, then the penalty becomes 0.
Each time you take this feat, you may either select a new challenge or add +1 to the roll for that challenge.
By undergoing a ritual that involves isolation, meditation, purification, and physical ordeals, you can lose Backlash points much more quickly than usual.
Normally, 1 point of Backlash is lost every week, to the character's base number of points. With this feat, 24 hours of ritual is sufficient to lose a single point of Backlash.
While the ritual is taking place, the usual effects of the lost Backlash points manifest and run their course very quickly, causing mental and physical harm. The Cleansing will inflict a fatigue condition and bruised damage condition when the ritual begins, which may be recovered normally once the ritual is completed.
If you are near some kind of cover or in sufficient darkness to hide, you can seemingly disappear in the blink of an eye. With a move action, you can make a Stealth Check against your opponent's Notice check. Success grants you partial concealment from sight until your action on the next round. If you make the check as a full-round action, you gain total concealment and remain out of sight until you choose to move or are discovered.
If you are attacked but the opponent misses, you can immediately respond out of initiative order with a melee attack against the same opponent. This is a move action at your full attack bonus. If you have the Attacks of Opportunity feat, you may use one of those attacks rather than a move action in order to Counterattack.
If you have pinned your opponent during a grappling combat, this feat allows you to inflict your normal unarmed damage while maintaining the pin. You cause this damage once per round on your initiative. Your opponent is held immobile but you are also unable to move. You suffer a -4 defense penalty in addition to losing your dodge bonus while maintaining the pin.
Most people have at least some allegiance to a cause or set of beliefs. Your dedication is powerful indeed, making it difficult to dissuade you or to turn you away from your code of ethics. You have a +4 bonus to Will saving throws and Sense Motive checks whenever the effect would turn you away from your allegiance, whether for good or for ill.
When an opponent makes a melee attack against you but misses, you are +4 to hit him on your next melee attack. This bonus does not apply to opponents who do not attack you or who attack and successfully hit. This bonus does not apply to Attacks of Opportunity.
If you are attacked but the opponent misses, you can react immediately with a trip attack. This is a move action at your full attack bonus. If you have Attacks of Opportunity, you may use one of those attacks rather than a move action for your Defensive Throw.
You may roll to block to deflect thrown weapons or arrows. You have a bonus to the block roll of +1 per rank in this feat.
When attacking a flat-footed opponent whose initiative is lower than yours, your attack's damage bonus is +2. Additional ranks increase the First Strike damage by +1, to a maximum of +5. First Strike's bonus may be added to Sneak Attack's bonus, but the total damage bonus is still limited by the campaign's power level. Opponents with Immunity (Critical Hits) suffer no additional damage.
In melee combat, if you score a critical hit, you may immediately follow it with another attack roll on the same opponent as a free action. You may have only 1 follow-up strike per round. The second attack is at your full attack bonus.
If you are unarmed when you successfully block a melee attack, you may immediately try to grapple your attacker. This is a free action, and does not need an initial attack roll to hit. Only a grapple check is required.
When you are concealed, attacks against you have +2 miss chance (that is, rather than normal concealment giving a miss chance of 17 or higher, the chance is 15 or higher). The lowest miss chance can never be less than 11, which means that total concealment is not helped by this feat.
You bounce back from exhaustion faster than most people. When you are fatigued, you may make a recovery check every half an hour rather than every hour. If you choose to wait the full hour before making the check, you have a +2 bonus.
When flanking an opponent, you gain +4 to the attack roll rather than the usual +2 bonus.
You are well-trained in protecting yourself or others in combat. When you purchase a rank in this feat, you may choose to add a +1 bonus when taking defensive actions (such as Block, Defensive Throw, Deflect Arrows or Total Defense); reduce one of these defensive maneuvers from a Standard Action to a Move Action; or be able to take a Dodge Action. The Dodge Action requires a Standard Action (although this may reduced with another rank in Improved Protection) and allows you to add your Dodge Bonus to your Reflex Save for the rest of the round. This feat has a maximum of 5 ranks.
When you try to disarm an opponent at range, you do not suffer a penalty to the attack roll.
You have trained in hand-to-hand combat to the point where your hands and feet are deadly weapons. Your unarmed attacks can cause lethal damage and count as armed attacks for all purposes. You may still choose to cause non-lethal damage with your bare hands if you wish. If you were causing lethal or non-lethal damage and choose to switch in the middle of combat, your first attack roll with the new damage type is at -2.
When using Bluff to trick an opponent in combat, you only need to take a move action rather than standard action. This does not have the usual -5 penalty.
You are able to make use of any ordinary object as an improvised weapon. Those without this feat may only improvise weapons with a -4 penalty to hit. In most cases, normal objects do not fare well in combat; Toughness rolls may be called for, or the GM may simply declare the object destroyed after 1 round of combat per point of the object's Toughness.
You may choose to give up a standard action, rather than a full action, to refocus and increase your initiative on the following round. Move and free actions that take place in the same round as activating this feat occur on your original initiative. If you spend a Hero Point, you may refocus with a move action rather than standard action.
You have been deeply and permanently changed by magic in some way. This could be the result of exposure to strange magics, an unusual heritage, a curse, or the blessing of a divine being.
You may take an Inherent Power. In general, this power should generally only enhance you and have minimal impact on the world around you. The GM is welcome to add more strictures and must approve or disapprove a suggested power. An inherent power that is not common to your racial template or provided by a god may give you 1 permanent point of Backlash.
Every rank will give you a new class of inherent power; for example, 2 ranks of this feat are required to have powers from being both an eulae and follower of merciful Omun. Every rank in this feat will add +2 Mana to your total.
You're still somewhat aware of the world when you sleep. Your modifier to Notice checks while sleeping is only +2 DC, rather than the usual +10 DC. You're able to react immediately after waking, rather than spending a round dazed. However, it is harder for you to sleep restfully, and so your fatigue recovery checks while sleeping are at +2 DC. Alternately, you have to sleep for another 2 hours (for a total of 10 hours) to automatically recover from fatigue.
Required before you may purchase Elementalism Spells. Every rank in this feat will add +2 Mana to your total. Every 2 ranks adds +1 to rolls to recover from fatigue (round down, maximum of +5 to recovery checks from all feats.
Required before you may purchase Faithwork Spells. Every rank in this feat will add +2 Mana to your total. Every 2 ranks adds +1 to rolls to recover from fatigue (round down, maximum of +5 to recovery checks from all feats.
Required before you may purchase Sorcery Spells. Every rank in this feat will add +2 Mana to your total. Every 2 ranks adds +1 to rolls to recover from fatigue (round down, maximum of +5 to recovery checks from all feats.
Required before you may purchase Mindcraft Spells. Every rank in this feat will add +2 Mana to your total. Every 2 ranks adds +1 to rolls to recover from fatigue (round down, maximum of +5 to recovery checks from all feats.
You have inherited or otherwise gained possession of a magic item, which use the rules for the Device power as described on 81-82, M&M2E. You may spend power points to build the magic item, which has a maximum power level equal to the campaign's power level +1 for every rank in this feat beyond the first. There are consequences for using a magic item of a power level higher than you are. This feat is the only way to purchase a Device at character creation. This feat should not be used to purchase a mystic focus or mystic materials unless they are permanently enchanted. Such items are better purchased with the Equipment feat.
This feat allows you to gain all the benefits of a specific Martial Arts Style.
This feat has the prerequisites of Martial Arts Style and Improved Strike. When unarmed or using the weapon for your chosen style, your attacks have a +1 damage bonus per rank. Your maximum damage bonus is limited by the campaign's Power Level, although you may spend a Hero Point to ignore this limit for a single attack.
This feat has the prerequisites of Attack Focus and a minimum attack bonus of +5. When using the style of attack described by the Attack Focus feat, you may make an additional attack in the same round at -2 to hit. Each rank in the feat allows you to make +1 more attack in the same round, at another -2 to hit. This means that if your attack bonus is +5 and you have 2 ranks of Multiple Attacks, you can attack 3 times in a round at +5, +3, and +1 to your rolls. Each attack takes place 2 initiative "steps" after the initial attack, allowing opponents to try to interrupt the series.
This is a full-round action, so you may only take a 5-foot step while launching these attacks. If your opponents leave your weapon range, then the attacks are wasted. You may only make attacks, not use other actions such as spell-casting, using a different skill, or purely defensive maneuvers.
Combat feats apply their benefits and penalties to every attack in the series, where applicable. For example, Accurate Attack may be used to increase the chances to hit with all attacks, but Defensive Strike may only apply against an opponent who missed you with a melee attack earlier in the round.
If you have sworn allegiance to a group, a cause, or a set of beliefs, your oath gives you additional strength to provide to your allies. When you are aiding the actions of someone to whom you are oathbound, you add +4 rather than +2 to their action. You also gain a +2 attack or damage bonus (chosen when purchasing the feat) when battling individuals of an opposed allegiance.
If an ally successfully attacks an opponent within your melee weapon range, you may immediately attack the same opponent at your full attack bonus. This counts as a move action. If you have the Attacks of Opportunity feat, you may use one of those attacks rather than a move action.
You may aim an attack much faster than most. Rather than using full-round action, you may take a standard action to aim and receive the normal bonus. You may choose to aim with a move action, gaining +2 to hit at melee range or +1 to hit at greater distances.
When you feel that a fight is in the immediate future, you may declare that you are "readying for combat." If combat begins, you will not be flat-footed before your initiative, although you may still be attacked from surprise and have your dodge bonus removed from other types of attacks. Readying for combat involves drawing weapons and assuming a battle stance, and so cannot be performed without notice.
No one, no matter how paranoid, can be ready for combat at all times, and in general this feat's benefit only lasts 1 round per point of Wisdom bonus. If there has been no combat in that time, you will unconsciously relax your guard and may then be flat-footed at the start of battle. If you wish to continually make ready at the end of this time, the GM may ask you to make Concentration checks at steadily-increasing DCs to maintain your ready state.
Already they tell stories about you. You must choose the nature of your reputation, be it as a hero, villain, honest merchant, wily thief, or whatever else fits your character. When making skill checks dealing with people who should know your reputation and are favorable to it, add +2 to the check for each rank in this feat. If those you are dealing with do not know or care about your reputation, you receive no bonus. If they know of it and angered by it, ranks in this feat count as a penalty.
In general, your reputation is most well-known where you have spent the most time and reduced by -2 for every major settlement beyond that. However, the GM may cause your reputation to spread a greater or lesser distance depending on the story. If you wish to guarantee that you are known in a certain area, spend a Hero Point to gain the feat's full bonus.
For you, battle is more a test of wits than physical prowess. You may add your Intelligence modifier rather than your Dexterity bonus to your initiative rolls. Any other initiative bonuses are added normally.
With a successful unarmed attack, you may choose to split your damage bonus between injuring your opponent and attempting an immediate trip attack. For example, if you have a +4 damage bonus, you may cause +1 damage and make a trip attack with +3 attack bonus. The damage and trip attack each must have at least +1 bonus assigned to it.
You are tougher than an ordinary person. You add your ranks in this feat to your Toughness saving throws. This bonus has a maximum of +3. Your maximum Toughness save is limited by the campaign power level. The save bonus from this feat is not magical and cannot be nullified. This feat's Toughness bonus cannot be made Impervious.
Usually, using two weapons gives no additional attacks in a round. With this feat, you may add 1 attack with the off-hand weapon. It is difficult to fight well with two weapons, and so the primary attack is at -4 and the secondary attack is at -6. With two ranks in this feat, you may reduce those penalties to -2 and -4. Three ranks in this feat (the maximum) makes the attacks at -0 and -1. If you also have the Ambidexterity feat, the penalties at rank 1 are -2, -3, at rank 2 are -1, -2, and at rank 3 are -0, -0.
If you wish to employ an off-hand weapon while using the Multiple Attacks or Takedown Attack feats, you must have this feat.
If you've successfully hit your opponent, you may throw him off balance instead of causing damage. The opponent makes a Reflex saving throw at DC (10 + your attack bonus). Failure means he loses his dodge bonus to defense for the next round.
If you have a Martial Arts Style, you may choose one of the listed weapon elements that can be used while gaining all the benefits of that style. The Weapon Element Feat allows you to select another of the listed weapons to also use with the style, and may be taken once for every weapon in each style.
When you use a weapon without proficiency, you have a -4 penalty to attack with it. This feat removes the non-proficiency penalty. It can be taken several times for different kinds of weapons, such as Axes (which includes sickles and scythes), Bows (which includes crossbows), Clubs (which includes maces, shields and staves), Flails (which includes morningstars and most kinds of chains and whips), Hammers (which includes picks), Knives (any bladed weapon up to a foot in length), Polearms (a weapon with a long shaft and damaging head placed at the end or ends, includes spears), Swords (from short to great), and Thrown (any kind of weapon that can be thrown in combat). If you take a proficiency in a melee weapon that can also be thrown, but not in Thrown weapons, then you are -4 to to hit when throwing the weapon, and vice-versa.
Every trained warrior learns a set of skills and maneuvers which can become distinctive. Groups trained under the same masters, or taught within a specific tradition, are known by their Martial Arts Styles.
As Sikarra's contact with its neighboring continents increases, more warriors spread their skills in combat. While Sikarra's soldiers had developed several styles, several others can be found among immigrants and among adventurers who returned from distant lands, especially Haomei Tral.
It is not required for your character to know a specific style to be a skilled combatant. These rules are meant as a guideline to help flesh out your battle training. While there is a benefit to each individual style, the feats and skills given for each style may be taken individually as you develop your signature moves.
A style's description has several elements. First is a brief overview of the style. The Style Bonus is the specific benefit gained by taken the Martial Arts Style feat. The Skills are emphasized by those who study the style. The Feats comprise the style itself. It is not required to have all of the listed skills, feats, or weapons for you to be a student of the style, but it is certainly necessary to be take most of these if you wish to be considered a master.
While most people think of the martial arts as specifically meaning combat without weapons, a true warrior knows that weapons are often central to a style. This is represented by the Weapon Element. You may select one of the listed weapons. When using this weapon, the style benefit still applies and any of its feats may be used, unless the feat's text specifically says otherwise. The Weapon Element Feat allows you to gain the style's benefits with more weapons.
Description: Aikido is considered a "soft" art, relying on moving with and around attacks. A key tenet of the style is to use the attacker's momentum against him, and focuses on throws and holds over strikes. This was often practiced by noble swordsmen from Haomei Tral.
Style Bonus: +1 to dodge bonus when performing Total Defense action. May substitute Dexterity bonus instead of Strength bonus on grapple attacks.
Skills: Concentration, Notice.
Feats: Defend, Defensive Attack, Defensive Throw, Dodge Focus, Evasion, Grappling Finesse, Improved Grapple, Improved Pin, Improved Throw, Improved Trip, Uncanny Dodge.
Weapon Element: Knife, Long Sword, Staff.
Description: No one can simply pick up a bow and expect to be accurate with it right away. It takes practice and some skill to be able to reliably hit targets with any power at all. However, you've taken this one step further, and learned to fire while riding, in close combat or surrounded by other distractions. You often seem to aim and fire in one smooth motion, sometimes without even looking. While your arrows are not preternaturally accurate, you are a deadly shot in circumstances that would keep lesser bowmen from even nocking their arrows.
Style Bonus: +1 to Concentration checks while aiming or covering. Your penalty to fire into melee combat is only -3. May purchase Autofire as an Extra to add to normal Bow attacks. Cannot use Style without weapon.
Skills: Climb, Ride, Notice.
Feats: Accurate Attack, Attack Focus (ranged), Attack Specialization, Critical Strike, Improved Aim, Improved Ranged Disarm, Multiple Attack, Precise Shot, Quick Aim, Quick Draw, Ranged Pin, Weapon Proficiency (bow).
Weapon Element: Bow, Crossbow.
Description: On the surface, boxing is nothing more than the trading of punches and knowing how to take a hit. While most boxers are not concerned with grace and fancy moves, they study footwork, slipping blows, and being fast and powerful at the same time. They have to be in good shape and quick on their feet. Boxing is popular among the soldiers of Tarmath.
Style Bonus: You gain +1 to Feint checks. Once per combat, if you are Staggered or Bruised, you may make a immediate Recovery check while continuing to fight. This recovery attempt takes a standard action.
Skills: Bluff, Intimidate.
Feats: All-out Attack, Counterattack, Defensive Attack, Defensive Strike, Elusive Target, Follow-Up Strike, Improved Block, Martial Strike, Multiple Attacks, Power Attack, Rage, Stunning Attack, Takedown Attack, Unbalancing Strike.
Weapon Element: Brass Knuckles, Cestus, Dagger.
Description: A fighting style that originated among slaves and prisoners of Ahl'Sholu and Akar. Capoiera looks like an energetic dance featuring handstands, kicks, and ground acrobatics. A master of the style can appear to strike from any direction.
Style Bonus: Gain +1 to Distract and Trick checks. You may fight normally even if your hands are bound.
Skills: Acrobatics, Performance (dance).
Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, Defensive Strike, Distract, Dodge Focus, Improved Defense, Improved Grab, Improved Throw, Improved Trick, Instant Up, Power Attack, Prone Fighting, Sweeping Strike.
Weapon Element: Club, Dagger.
Description: A stick-fighting style that was developed by fishermen and sailors. While it is based around short clubs, it can also be used with knives, machetes, and when unarmed. The style focuses on knocking away attacks and getting close to an opponent to deliver rapid, precise strikes to the opponent.
Style Bonus: +1 to any Disarm checks, whether attacking or defending. Your weapons are effectively +2 Toughness while you are fighting.
Skills: Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand.
Feats: Accurate Attack, Ambidexterity, Attack Focus, Defensive Attack, Deflect Arrows, Improved Block, Improved Critical, Improved Disarm, Improved Pin, Improvised Weapons Proficiency, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Stunning Attack, Two-weapon fighting, Weapon Bind, Weapon Proficiency (club or staff).
Weapon Element: Clubs, Dagger, Short Sword, Short Staff.
Description: The art of fighting with light swords. Fencing is most often practiced in cities and other areas where heavy armor is out of place. Most practitioners use rapiers, but the heavier long sword can also be employed. Fencers are quick, trying to hit their foes before they can take harm themselves. They learn an array of defenses and feints to get around an opponent's guard.
Style Bonus: +1 to any Block or Feint attempts. Your penalty to additional Block attempts is only a cumulative -1. Cannot gain Style bonus without weapon.
Skills: Bluff, Sleight of Hand.
Feats: Accurate Attack, Attack Focus (melee), Attacks of Opportunity, Counter Attack, Defensive Attack, Improved Block, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Taunt, Weapon Bind, Weapon Proficiency (sword).
Weapon Element: Long Sword, Short Sword.
Description: An Akarian art which combines maneuvers from many different styles brought over from Haomei Tral. Jujitsu emphasizes holds, throws, and ground-fighting. There are some strikes and defenses, but jujitsu's main focus is on getting in close and dominating your opponent.
Style Bonus: You gain +1 to all Grapple and Trip attempts, even when resisting them.
Skills: Acrobatics, Medicine.
Feats: Accurate Attack, Crushing Pin, Defensive Attack, Elusive Target, Grappling Block, Grappling Finesse, Improved Disarm, Improved Grab, Improved Grapple, Improved Pin, Improved Trip, Prone Fighting, Stunning Attack.
Weapon Element: Chain, Dagger, Small Club.
Description: Developed in Haomei Tral by peasants who were forbidden to carry weapons, and brought over with the Tralan refugees. Karate is a style of powerful kicks and punches and defenses that can blend into attacks. The art was developed by farmers who found ways to use their farming implements as weapons, so it teaches a great deal about sickles, flails, clubs, and similar weapons.
Style Bonus: You have +2 to Block attempts. You may purchase Autofire as an Extra to add to unarmed attacks.
Skills: Concentration, Intimidate.
Feats: All-Out Attack, Attack Focus (melee), Attacks of Opportunity, Counterattack, Follow-Up Strike, Improved Block, Improved Critical, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Instant Up, Multiple Attacks, Power Attack, Stunning Attack
Weapon Element: Chain, Flail, Long Sword, Small Club, Staff
Description: The unarmed combat style developed by the Swordclan of Jehros. Krav maga is efficient and brutal, avoiding graceful maneuvers in favor of causing damage quickly. The ideal of krav maga is to leave one's opponent broken on the ground before he has had a chance to throw a punch.
Style Bonus: You deal +2 damage when Grappling, and have +1 Initiative when unarmed.
Skills: Intimidate, Survival.
Feats: All-Out Attack, Attack of Opportunity, Chokehold, Dodge Focus, First Strike, Follow-Up Strike, Improved Block, Improved Disarm, Improved Grapple, Improved Strike, Improved Trip, Martial Strike, Power Attack, Ready.
Weapon Element: Dagger, Small Club, Short Sword.Description: The most well-known of the martial styles developed in Haomei Tral and spread through the Akarian Empire into the rest of Sikarra. Kung Fu has many sub-styles, some based on animal movements, others taught in familial schools, developed in isolated monasteries, or adapted and standardized for large armies. Most styles encourage flowing, graceful movements. Attacks range from direct and powerful to precise blows against pressure points, and most schools teach a wide variety of weapons.
Style Bonus: You have +1 to Block and Feint actions, and +2 to attempts to Demoralize your opponent.
Skills: Acrobatics, Concentration.
Feats: Attack of Opportunity, Counter Attack, Defend, Defensive Attack, Grappling Block, Improved Block, Improved Critical, Improved Strike, Improved Sunder, Improved Trip, Improvised Weapons Proficiency, Martial Strike, Instant Up, Power Attack, Ready, Startle, Sweeping Strike.
Weapon Element: Chain, Dagger, Club, Long Sword, Mace, Short Sword, Sickle, Staff.
Description: The staff is one of the most common weapons in Sikarra and possibly all of Mitheirn. While most people with staves only use them for walking or support, everyone knows the basics of blocking an attack or hitting someone else with a big stick. Some fighters have mastered the staff, learning to move it rapidly, accurately, and effectively. A good staff-fighter can often take on several opponents at once.
Style Bonus: You have +1 to Block actions, and flank attack bonuses against you are at -2. Cannot gain Style bonus without weapon.
Skills: Intimidate, Survival.
Feats: Attack Focus (melee), Attack Specialization (staff), Defensive Attack, Defensive Strike, Improved Block, Improved Trip, Multiple Attacks, Sweeping Strike, Takedown Attack, Unbalancing Strike, Weapon Bind, Weapon Proficiency (staves).
Weapon Element: Clubs, Staves.
Description: The most common armaments of Sikarra's many armies is the sword and shield. The average soldier learns the basics of how to use the shield properly and how to swing the sword effectively. A few of the best warriors have mastered the intricacies of defense and offense, teaching their skills to young recruits.
Style Bonus: You gain +2 when using your shield to Block attacks, and +1 to Slam with the shield. Cannot gain Style bonus without weapon.
Skills: Craft, Survival.
Feats: All-Out Attack, Armor Proficiency, Attack of Opportunity, Attack Focus (melee), Counterattack, Defend, Deflect Arrows, Improved Block, Improved Defense, Interpose, Power Attack, Ready, Stunning Attack, Unbalancing Strike, Weapon Bind, Weapon Proficiency (Swords).
Weapon Element: Swords, Shield.
Description: It is said that the first ruler of the eulae, Suelein Ailroa, was so fierce in battle that he refused to carry a shield into the fray. He would instead hold a sword in each hand in order to have more opportunities to inflict harm on his foes. The royal troops of Grenolva emulate the legend of the first king. While they learn to handle swords of equal length, such as two long swords, it is more common to see them wielding long sword and short sword.
Style Bonus: All flank attacks are at -1 against you, and you may purchase Autofire as an Extra to add to sword attacks. Cannot gain Style bonus without weapon.
Skills: Intimidate, Notice.
Feats: All-Out Attack, Ambidexterity, Attack Focus (melee), Attack Specialization (swords), Counterattack, Defend, Follow-Up Attack, Improved Critical, Improved Disarm, Multiple Attacks, Opportunist, Power Attack, Ready, Takedown Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Bind, Weapon Proficiency (swords).
Weapon Element: Swords.
Description: One of the oldest, if not the oldest, forms of unarmed fighting. Wrestling is centered around grappling and submission holds, but can include some limited strikes and defenses. Wrestling is often practiced as a sport, but serious students of the art can be quite dangerous in combat.
Style Bonus: You have +1 to all Grappling checks, either to attack or defend, and +1 to hit with either a Charge or Slam.
Skills: Escape Artist, Survival.
Feats: Chokehold, Crushing Pin, Grappling Block, Improved Disarm, Improved Grab, Improved Pin, Improved Trip, Power Attack, Sweeping Strike, Tough, Weapon Bind.
Weapon Element: Cestus, Daggers.
Attacks of Opportunity reflect the sort of battle prowess that is often seen in heroic fantasy stories, where a lone warrior is able to fight several opponents at once. However, they do add a level of complication to combat scenes which may slow down play. The GM should consider whether he will allow you to take this feat, or if he would rather not deal with the problems this can cause.
The GM should also be wary of characters who mix Attacks of Opportunity with Multiple Attacks or Two-Weapon Fighting. Taken together, these feats could give your character an amazing number of attacks per round. He may wish to either rule that any character may have only 1 feat that increases attacks in a round, or that the number of attacks is limited by the campaign's Power Level (maximum of 1 additional attack for every 2 or 3 levels is recommended, in this case).
A skill challenge allows you to accept a penalty to your skill check in order to apply your skills in unusual ways. The skill penalty is usually +5 to the DC, -5 to the roll, or occasionally a modifier (maximum of +5 DC of -5 to the roll) you choose.
Challenges can include performing the check more quickly than usual, such as a full-round action requiring only a standard action, being able to fight while Climbing, being able to Ride while performing a standard action with no penalty, or using Stealth to slip out of sight the moment someone takes his eyes off you.
Inherent powers don't just appear. There has to be a good in-game reason why your character may have some kind of innate magical ability. It's possible that your devotion to a god is enough for him to give you a miracle that you can call on at any time, or you may be given a powerful curse, or even that you've consumed a magic item. Whatever the cause, the GM must agree that your rationale should give you magic powers.
Why doesn't everyone have at least the first rank of all four magic feats? After all, they're cheap to buy and then you can take all kinds of cool spells, not to mention the boost to your Mana score.
As with the Inherent Power feat, it's not enough to just spend the points. Your character needs to have some justification for studying the magic, and should be able to devote the time to his studies. Learning magic in the game isn't as simple as spending points; each spell represents long days of study, a high risk of Backlash, and the possibility of blowing yourself up. It may not be much fun to roleplay weeks of training, but you should assume it's happening off-screen between story arcs — or even during a game, when the GM wants to run a moment where you learn a new powerful spell or have an interaction with your teacher.
If the GM wishes to use game mechanics to help represent this learning process, he can require a successful Occult roll after a week of training, DC 10 (+ ranks of spell being learned), before you can spend points in the new spell. Alternately, he may institute a learning time of 1 day for every rank of the spell being learned.
Some continents in Mitheirn, and some variations on the default setting, are marked by a more antagonistic relationship between the forms of magic. In these places, Faithwork and Mindcraft clash, as do Elementalism and Sorcery. If you're in such a setting, you should choose a form of magic as your primary. Learning unopposed magics requires you make a Magic save, DC 10 (+ ranks in spell being learned), with the usual consequences for failure. Opposed magics are DC 15 (+ ranks in spell being learned), and always give +1 Backlash point, even if you succeed the save.
Multiple Attacks are one way of representing that your character is quick as lightning in a battle. However, forcing an opponent to make several Toughness saves in a row is putting him at a severe disadvantage, so much so that the standard rules for M&M do not permit multiple actions. Also, just as with Attacks of Opportunity and Two-Weapon Fighting, extra actions can slow down play.
Your GM will also need to be wary of players who mix all three feats, or some combination of them, to have an incredible number of attacks in a round. As mentioned before, he may limit actions to an additional 1 for every 2 or 3 Power Levels. He may also just decide that you can only take 1 of these feats, or that the feats simply aren't allowed in his game.
Two-Weapon Fighting can allow you to play a character seen in many heroic fantasy stories, especially swashbucklers, barbarian warlords, or warriors who spend their lives perfecting their martial arts. But as with the Multiple Attacks and Attacks of Opportunity feats, this option can slow down play or give you a serious advantage over other characters.
Check with your GM as to whether he is limiting you to 1 multiple-action feat, multiple attacks are limited to an additional 1 for every 2 or 3 Power Levels, or if he simply doesn't wish anyone to take these feats.