- Version 1.01: May 29 2000
- Added notes on Paths with schticks for melee-weapon-wielding fighters.
Ever been confused by the bewildering array of schticks available to Martial Artists? Ever wondered why there seem to be few schticks
available to weapon-wielding fighters? Ever wondered what the difference between the Path of the Healthy Tiger and the Path of the Storm
Turtle is? Ever sat back at the gaming table with a completed character and glared across at the player with the Martial Artist who's
holding everyone else up and saying "Wait a few more minutes; I just wanna check these other paths to be sure I'm not missing out
on something cool - I mean, more appropriate for my character concept!"
Just looking at the bewildering array of paths and schticks in the Fu section of the Feng Shui rulebook can make a player
feel very spoiled for choice. The only way to get an idea of what a Path provides is to look at each power the Path contains;
none of the Paths has a summary indicating the overall focus of the path.
Well, be confused no longer: I've written a handy-dandy summary of the Feng Shui Fu Paths that'll help beginning Feng Shui
players choose a style that'll suit their character without having to pour over the complete list of schticks! I've also included the
total number of schticks each Path contains, so you can figure out roughly how long it'll take your character to master an entire Path.
Read on...
Note: I will make repeated use of the term "the Artist" in the text below. This does not refer to that singer whose name
used to be Prince but is now that silly-looking squiggly symbol, but instead refers to the Martial Artist, the primary template geared
for the use of Fu powers. If you're using another template, like a ninja or ex-special forces character, simply substitute that template
name for "the Artist".
At first glance, it appears that Feng Shui provides little support for the player who wants to make a
weapon-wielding martial artist. However, when you read the Physical description of the Martial Arts skill, it states: "You can
strike opponents in hand-to-hand combat, wither unarmed or with close-up weapons such as swords, clubs, bicycle chains,
nunchakus, telephones, lawn mowers, and so on." Although some of the fu schticks in certain paths specify the character must strike
barehanded in order to use them, most don't.
In the Path descriptions below, I've noted the suitability of each path for use with melee weapons or whether the path
concentrates on barehanded strikes.
These are listed in the order they appear in the Fu Powers section of the Feng Shui rulebook.
Path of the Shadow's Companion
Total Schticks: 6
This powerful path borders on the mystical. It is a very stealthy art, with individual Fu schticks masking noise, allowing the Artist
to function unimpaired in total darkness and actually manipulating shadow itself to cloak the Artist or blind an attacker. One schtick
allows the Artist to create a knife from darkness itself! Ninja will want this one.
Path of the Sharpened Scales
Total Schticks: 3
This path is simple and brutal. It concentrates on pouring the Artist's Chi into the power of attack, increasing its damage; using a
sword or other martial arts weapon makes this Path supremely brutal. It's been noted that this path is good for creating a PC based on
the Dragon himself: Bruce Lee.
Path of the Passive Wings
Total Schticks: 4
A slightly shorter path, Passive Wings concentrates on avoiding attacks and non-damaging attacks, such as holds. Perfect for a
pacifist Martial Artist; people wanting to put Judo, Aikido
or a similar art into their game will find this art handy.
Path of the Hands of Light
Total Schticks: 3
Similar to Sharpened Scales, this Path focuses on precision rather than force. Schticks focus attacks on weak points, such as breaks
in a named character's armour. A starting Artist could have a quite powerful offence with this short path and a few other schticks from
elsewhere. The second and third schticks on this Path can only be used with barehanded strikes.
Path of the Clever Eye
Total Schticks: 6
The schticks of Path of the Clever Eye are primarily defensive, and focus on reversed attacks and "lucky" moves (stealing
someone's weapon mid-combat, conversion of Chi to Fortune points, etc.).
Path of the Tightening Coils
Total Schticks: 5
Tightening Coils allows an experienced Artist to make rapid strikes (like a snake) and also gain extra moves outside the Artist's
normal shot order. Although there aren't many offensive moves in this path, weapon-wielders can use distracting schticks such as Eyes
of the Snake to reflect impressive sword-spinning displays of dexterity.
Path of the Brilliant Flame
Total Schticks: 5
Another mystical Path; its schticks focus on flame and heat. Individual schticks wreathe the Artist's fists in flame or make the
Artist's body so hot it actually hurts to strike. If you want to impress or scare gun-toting mooks, Brilliant Flame is a good place to
start. It's not too good for weapon-wielders, however.
Path of the Selective Master
There is only one schtick in Path of the Selective Master: Signature Weapon. Its effects are explained on page 141 of the rule
book.
Path of the Immutable Clay
Total Schticks: 5
This Path pours Chi into an Arcanowave-equipped target. Its schticks disrupt the function of an Arcanowave device or aid (or hinder)
an Arcanowave user making mutation checks. It can be handy, but its overall usefulness is limited by its specialised nature; most of its
schticks also require a direct laying-on of hands.
Path of the Empty Bottle
Total Schticks: 5
All you Drunken Master wannabes are going to want this one; in fact, a starting Artist could get the entire Path if he
wished. This is the only dependent Path in the book; in order to utilise its schticks, you need to have drunk large quantities of
alcohol recently. Its schticks are based on confusion; making the Artist harder to hit and making the Artist's attacks more
unpredictable.
Path of the Healthy Tiger
Total Schticks: 10
Path of the Healthy Tiger splits its schticks into two separate paths which both end in the same schtick. One path provides fierce
barehanded attacks and counter-attacks (i.e. the schticks can only be used once the Artist has been successfully attacked), whilst the
other focuses more on redirecting the Artist's flow of Chi to heal or assist other characters. Each path ends in the powerful,
damage-boosting Storm of the Tiger (its prerequisites are all the fu schticks in both sub-paths).
Path of the Storm Turtle
Total Schticks: 16
An extremely complex Path with roughly four interlocking sub-paths. The Path of the Storm Turtle concentrates on the neutralisation
or deflection of incoming attacks. If you want to be the ultimate beef character and your GM has a long campaign planned, Storm Turtle
could make a fun choice.
Path of the Leaping Storm
Total Schticks: 12
Another complex Path with two branching, interlocking sub-paths, Leaping Storm's focus is on rapid, multiple-attack assaults,
weapon-wielding (especially sword-wielding) strikes and leaping/airborne attacks; good if you want to perform some of those wild
wuxia moves or mimic Agent Smith's machinegun hammer blows in The Matrix.
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