In the Blackwood, swords and fists carry the day when law and order fails. Since before the Elder King rose to power, men and women have drawn blades against each other for matters of honor, vengeance, and war. Over time, these skills were codified into five distinct schools: powerful Boar, watchful Falcon, mischievous Red Bear, regal Stag, and patient Tortoise. These five eventually developed the secret schools of Dragon, Firecat, and the unorthodox Way of the Gourd. A ninth school, J’Osudeau from the Widelands, rounds out the list of schools available to errants.
Beginning Your Tutelage
Errants pick one of the nine schools to train in, then take the appropriate Edges to unlock up to three tiers of abilities in that school. All nine schools boil down to three core philosophies–the formlessness of the river, the resilience of wood, and the mystical celestial sphere–some of which have advantages over others.
Combatants from an advantageous school gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls when engaged in combat with the some rival schools. Celestial schools overcome the physical prowess of Wood schools with their mystical skills. Wood schools, sturdy and strong, excel against the more agile River schools. River schools are skilled at outmaneuvering the patient cultivation of power necessary for Celestial schools. Characters may study in more than one fighting school, but no more than three total. Switching between schools is a free action, but you can only use one school per round.
Every student needs a master, so players should work with the Gamemaster to develop a suitable teacher for characters with a Fighting School. Each school of techniques is old enough to have spread far and wide across the Blackwood. Solitary teachers abound, but each school has at least one formal institution as well. As a result, there are many specialized branches within each school. Players can represent this by trapping their other Combat Edges as techniques learned as part of their training. If your character is a member of the school’s formal institution, the Connections (Errantry) Edge is the best way to represent that fellowship.
Aspiring Student
Requirements: Must be taken as Novice, See Schools for details
You have chosen to walk along the Way’s Margin as a warrior. Either with a cadre or students or alone with your master, you have begun to learn the secrets of a fighting school. You unlock the Aspiring Technique from your chosen School.
Worthy Student
Requirements: Seasoned, Aspiring Student in chosen School.
No longer a mere disciple, you have proved yourself to your school and are worthy of deeper secrets. Unlock the Worthy Technique from your chosen School.
Master of the School
Requirements: Heroic, Worthy Student in chosen School.
The Way’s Margin stretches out ahead, but you have walked a long time and accomplished many deeds. You have learned all the school has to teach, and now must learn more by understanding the wisdom behind the strategy. You unlock the Master Technique from your chosen School and you may now begin taking students of your own. You may ignore the rank requirements for the Sidekick Edge.
Hybrid Schools
Requirements: Veteran, At least one: Fighting/Shooting/Throwing d10
Not only have you learned the fundamentals of several different schools, but your martial brilliance has found a way to blend them together. You may have two active schools at once, and may use the abilities of each.
Rival Schools
J’Osudeau
Requirements: Agility d8+, Knowledge (Music) d8+, Acrobat
Core Philosophy: River (+1 Attack vs. Celestial Schools)
The people of the Widelands beyond the forest love music and dance, and those of the Unified faith glorify their god with these acts. A sect of the Unified who dedicate themselves to Osudo, the protector Supplicant who lives in the moon, have modified the flow of dance into a deadly combat art. J’Osudeau, or “Dance on the Moon” in the common tongue, performs best when working with a team of fellow combatants.
Aspiring Students are possessed of a Rocking Rhythm, and grant their adjacent allies a +1 Gang Up bonus. Worthy Students have mastered their Melee Sway. They gain a +4 bonus when escaping from Grapple, Constrict, Entangle, or similar abilities, and Gang Up bonuses against them are reduced by 1.
Masters of the Dance have learned the secret cadence at the heart of the fighting arts. Their Reach increases by 1” as they become a Whirling Dervish across the battlefield.
Red Bear School
Requirements: Agility d8+, Climbing d8+
Core Philosophy: River (+1 Attack vs. Celestial Schools)
They say red bears are the offspring of cats and elves, for their nimble movements and their meddlesome spirits. Pagan Covens were the first to observe red bears and refine their secrets into a system of fighting with their notorious antler knives. Many outlaws and hunters have adapted these techniques to use with the more traditional weapons available to the errantry.
The Way of the Twisted Branch is studied by all Aspiring Students of the Red Bear School. They gain +1 to Agility Tricks, their Pace is increased by 1, and their Running die increases by 1 step.
Worthy Students begin to study the One Hundred Claws strike, and reduce the multi-action penalty by 2 when performing an attack and an Agility Trick in the same round. Masters of the school learn the full potential of One Hundred Claws. As a single action, they can perform two Fighting attacks at a -1 penalty, or three Fighting attacks at a -3 penalty.
Stag’s Crown Treatise
Requirements: Spirit d8+, Healing d8+, Two-Fisted
Core Philosophy: Celestial (+1 Attack vs. Wood Schools)
Alone of all the other styles, the teachings of the Stag’s Crown Treatise have never been adapted beyond their original weapons. Practitioners attack with their bare hands, fingers arrayed like a stag’s crown to strike at the body’s natural pressure points. Knowledge of the body and close harmony with one’s spirit are necessary in every student of the Stag’s Crown Treatise.
The basis of the school is the Crown Palm Nerve Strike, learned by all Aspiring Students. They may make a two-handed attack for no damage. On a successful hit, the target must pass a Vigor check at a -2 penalty or be Shaken. This check is opposed by the student’s Spirit check.
Worthy Students have cultivated a measure of Spiritual Fortune. First, while in combat they gain a +1 bonus to the final result any time they spend a Benny to reroll a trait check. Second, they gain a +1 Armor bonus that doesn’t stack with other worn armor.
The Rebuke of Royal Splendor is known only to Masters of the Stag’s Crown Treatise. Their studied speed and foresight grant them a free Fighting attack at -2 against anyone who becomes Shaken within their range.
Tortoise School
Requirements: Vigor d8+, Knowledge (Battle) d6+, Brawny
Core Philosophy: Wood (+1 Attack vs. River Schools)
Wise and patient is the way of the tortoise. The Sentinels first developed this school for falchion and buckler, though many errant Masters have adapted its techniques over the centuries. Regardless of the weapon used, the Tortoise School has never lost sight of its original use as a shield for those who have none.
Aspiring Students learn Patient Steward’s Progress. The +2 Parry bonus from their Defend action extends to 1 adjacent ally. The Worthy Student is known as a Stalwart Sentry. She gains +1 to Soak rolls and ignores 1 point of Wound penalties.
Accomplished Masters of the Tortoise School are True Knights of Valor. They draw one additional action card for initiative and keep the highest.
Way of the Gourd
Requirements: Agility d8+, Vigor d8+, Liquid Courage, Worthy Student in at least 1 other School.
Core Philosophy: River (+1 Attack vs. Celestial Schools)
Not every school is looked upon with favor by the formal warriors of the Blackwood. The Way of the Gourd is one such school. Inspired by the lurching moves of the drunkard, practitioners of the Way of the Gourd favor improvised weapons and unpredictable tactics.
The Sloshing Belly stance is the first lesson learned by Worthy Students. Once per round, they may prevent one attack from being made against them with a successful Agility roll at a -2 penalty. This check must be made before the incoming attack is rolled.
Masters of the Way of the Gourd have learned to capitalize on the confusion they sow among their opponents. They have discovered the Regretful Morning Strike, and gain a free Fighting attack at a -2 penalty against someone who attacks them and misses.
A Thicket of Foes
This is just a preview of the Fighting Schools available in the Blackwood. The full Blackwood Errantry Codex will have 9 Schools in total: 2 standard schools and 1 “secret school” for each of the 3 core philosophies. They are each intended to represent real-world approaches to martial arts, while at the same time utilizing combat mechanics that may not get a lot of use in your average Savage Worlds game. For example, J’Osudeau is inspired by the dancelike movements of Capoeira, and comes from an in-game culture that values teamwork. J’Osdueau mechanics encourage the practitioner to dance around the battlefield, granting bonuses to allies merely by fighting nearby. By contrast, the Boar School (not described here) is modeled off of hard styles like Hung Gar Kung Fu, Russian Sambo, or Western Boxing, and highlights the Push action in combat.
Martial Arts mechanics are notoriously difficult in RPG settings, so what do you think? Is this a Fast! Furious! Fun! solution suitable for Savage Worlds? Let us know what you think in the comments, and as always: please share this with your gaming friends if you found it informative, entertaining, or useful!
I’ll leave you with a quick video, because I love its tactical depiction of Western martial arts. Plus: who knew two-handed swords could be so fast?!