Martial Traditions

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Martial traditions are not simply collections of talents, but are designed to enable character concepts. The martial traditions listed below cover a great many concepts, but there are many more possibilities then are presented below. If a game master (or a player with game master permission) wishes to create a unique martial tradition, they should use the following guidelines.

1. Each martial tradition should include two Equipment talents, typically with at least one discipline, Armor Training, or Shield Training. These determine the weapons, armor, and other equipment a character has available to them (if any).
2. Each martial tradition should include either an appropriate base sphere, or the option to choose between 2 base spheres. The exact appropriateness of any given base sphere depends on the concept.
3. Each tradition should also include one additional thematic talent. This could be a bonus talent in the sphere you gained as part of step 2, an additional base sphere, or perhaps an Equipment talent that is not a discipline but works with the character concept in some way.

In addition, there are a few things that, unless the game master rules otherwise, should be avoided when creating a new martial tradition.

1. Over-specializing in a single sphere other than Equipment. A martial tradition determines a character’s starting tools and characteristics; not only does over-specializing produce a one-dimensional character that is often boring to play, but it can also produce characters with large weaknesses that are unable to contribute to the game outside of their single specialty.
2. Over-specializing in either offensive or defensive talents. This is similar to issue 1; over-specializing in any one direction produces unbalanced characters with glaring weaknesses that make them difficult to play and often leaves them unable to contribute.

As always, the above guidelines may be broken with GM permission, and even some of the traditions listed below break one or more of these rules. As always, martial traditions are a tool for enhancing the game, and are subservient to that goal.

Animal Trainer

Animal trainers fight alongside tamed beasts, wielding the tools used for capturing and training their pets in battle.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Bounty Hunter’s Tools

Beastmastery sphere (handle animal) package

Variable: Animal trainers may select two additional talents, each chosen from either the Beastmastery sphere or the Equipment sphere.

Armored Dreadnought

Armored Dreadnoughts specialize in wielding massive shields and titanic suits of armor that would crush lesser men under their enormous weight.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Armor Training, Shield Training

Variable: Armored dreadnoughts gains two talents of their choice from the Equipment sphere.

Barbarian

Barbarians are tribal warriors who cultivate their rage for use in combat. Skilled at both hunting and warfare, Barbarians are deadly, versatile fighters. Depending on the traditions of their tribe, a barbarian might fight alongside war animals or focus on their rage, breaking their weapons as often as their enemies.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Tribal training

Berserker sphere

Scout sphere

Variable: Barbarians gain either the Barroom sphere or the Beastmastery sphere.

Bolt Juggler

Bolt jugglers are a sight to behold, awe-inspiring on the training ground and dread-inspiring on the battleground. While some use their crossbows to compliment a melee weapon, others wield two crossbows at once in a dizzying display of coordination.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Mechanical Training

Dual Wielding sphere

Variable: Bolt jugglers gain either Expert Reloading or Mechanical Savant from the Equipment sphere.

Variable: Bolt jugglers gain either Impossible Reload or Mixed Assault from the Dual Wielding sphere.

Bushido Warrior

Training in the bushido way includes learning how to wear the ceremonial armor of your station, as well as wield weapons like the katana and longbow. Some bushido warriors also train in horsemanship, while others perfect the art of single combat.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Armor Training, Bushido Training

Duelist sphere

Variable: Followers of the bushido way gain either the Beastmastery base sphere (Ride package), or Draw Cut from the Duelist sphere.

Canny Hunter

Canny hunters are skilled marksmen and trackers, capable of spotting a creature’s weaknesses and felling them with a single well placed shot.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Huntsman Training

Scout sphere

Sniper sphere

Variable: Canny hunters gain one additional talent of their choice from either the Equipment sphere or Scout sphere.

Chemist

Chemists who go adventuring often find the bottle makes as good of a weapon as what might be inside it.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Fast Draw

Alchemy sphere (formulae package)

Barroom sphere

Variable: Chemists gain one additional talent of their choice from either the Barroom sphere or Alchemy sphere.

Combat Gunner

Guns aren’t the most friendly of weapons, making the efforts of combat gunners all the more impressive. Willing to duck and weave into melee combat as well as fire from a distance, these masters of close and long range combat lack any fear.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Firearm Proficiency, Gun Kata

Open Hand sphere

Variable: Combat gunners gain either Barrage sphere or Sniper sphere.

Courtesan

Courtesans are students of courtly manners and artistic pursuits, and are often experts at painting, dancing, music, and engaging conversation. In a world of magic and court intrigue, courtesans are often also trained as bodyguards and assassins.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Dancer Training, Unarmored Training

Fencing sphere

Variable: Courtesans gain either the Dual Wielding sphere or a talent from the Fencing sphere.

Cunning Leader

The battlefield is an ever shifting place, causing chaos and anarchy to reign supreme. Only a cunning leader is able to properly navigate the terrain, commanding their troops while controlling the flow of combat in a way unique to them.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: One (discipline) talent of their choice

Fencing sphere, Expert Feint

Warleader sphere

Crushing Juggernaut

Crushing juggernauts specialize in using their bulk and the mass of their heavy armor to grind their opponents into dust.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Armor Training

Brute sphere

Variable: Crushing juggernauts gain a bonus talent of their choice from both the Brute sphere and the Equipment sphere.

Daring Scholar

While many adventurers train with weapons and armor to protect them from the dangers of their chosen lifestyle, others trust in their wits and ingenuity to keep them safe. Daring scholars use a combination of explosive chemical compounds and careful observation to overcome any challenge, considering a spyglass and an alchemist’s lab to be a preferable burden to a knight’s heavy plate.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Staff Mastery

Alchemy sphere

Scout sphere

Variable: Daring scholars gain a talent from either the Alchemy or Scout sphere.

Decisive Fist

Disciples of the decisive fist prefer to end fights with one powerful punch. These inspired combatants coil up like a spring, choosing the perfect moment to disrupt their foes with a brutal blow.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Critical Genius

Boxing sphere

Open Hand sphere

Variable: Decisive fists gain either Finesse Fighting, Unarmed Training, or Unarmored Training from the Equipment sphere, or Bestial Training from the Open Hand sphere.

Dedicated Duelist

Dedicated duelists are individuals devoted to the art of the duel. Whether they simply revel in the art of single combat, or if they believe that they can prevent larger battles by risking their life alone, these deadly men and women are focused and skilled in the tools of their chosen trade.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Duelist Training, Finesse Fighting

Variable: Dedicated duelists gain either the Duelist sphere or Fencing sphere Variable: Dedicated duelists gain either Gauntlet Shield or Unarmored Training from the Equipment sphere.

Drunken Brawler

Only a “tradition” in the vaguest sense of the word, drunken brawlers tend to learn their arts at the hands of other drunken brawlers, usually through an alcohol induced fog while their “teacher” attempts to put them through a bar. Or a wall. Or a ceiling. Occasionally a door.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Unarmed Training

Barroom sphere

Wrestling sphere

Variable: Drunken brawlers gain a talent of their choice from either the Barroom or Wrestling sphere.

Fearless Thrower

From small blades to large spears, fearless throwers are adept at launching any such items into the air. Able to push the limits of thrown weapons far beyond what others can, they fill the air with a hail of knives, hammers, and spears.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Huntsman Training, Throwing Mastery

Variable: Fearless throwers either gain Crushing Thrower or Thrower’s Reflexes from the Equipment sphere. Variable: Fearless throwers gain either the Barrage sphere or the Berserker sphere.

Free Runner

Free runners treat the world as their gymnasium, practicing wild acrobatics, running on and leaping from surfaces most wouldn’t consider even climbing.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Equipment: none

Athletics sphere (run) package, Expanded Training (leap) and one other package, Wall Stunt

Variable: Free runners gain a talent of their choice from the Athletics sphere.

Giant

Creatures who are larger than their peers often learn to fight in fashions leveraging their enormous size, shoving their enemies around the battlefield and hurling objects far too large for their enemies to handle.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Rock Toss

Brute sphere

Variable: Giants gain a talent of their choice from both the Brute sphere and the Equipment sphere.

Gladiator

Trained in the tradition of pure physical prowess, gladiators are known for their ability to overpower lesser combatants, imposing their will upon lesser warriors. There are many different varieties of gladiator, but all of them specialize in putting on shows worthy of an emperor.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Gladiator Training

Gladiator sphere

Variable: Gladiators gain either Armor Training, Shield Training, or Gladiator Training a second time from the Equipment sphere.

Variable: Gladiators gain a talent of their choice from the Gladiator sphere.

Guild Training

While many combatants learn their arts in courtyards, dojos, or monasteries, those who learn through criminal guilds tend to have many masters, none more cruel and informative than experience. Whether their skills are assembled through observing more experienced thieves and thugs, or beaten into them by uncaring assassins who care more for their guild’s reputation than the well-being of its members, the guild trained who survive their training are invariably deadly, fast, and cunning.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Finesse Fighting, Rogue Weapon Training

Alchemy sphere (poison) package

Variable: Individuals trained in the Guild Training tradition gain either the Fencing sphere or the Duelist sphere.

Heavy Armsman

A heavy armsman specializes in using hammers, axes, and other large weapons to bring down even larger foes.

Bonus Talents:

Equipment: Dwarven Heritage, Armor Training

Berserker sphere

Variable: Individuals trained in the Heavy Armsman tradition gain one Equipment or Berserker talent of their choice.