Martial Arts in Kokubura

For the Honor of the Illustrious Inhabitant of the Emerald Throne,

I pledge my life.

At the Emperor's request, his sages have compiled a brief treatise on the martial arts in Kokubura. In the coming three days of our discourse we will purvey the origins, development, teaching, and notable practitioners of the budouka in Kokubura…

Matsumei Jouseku
Opening of The Kokuburan Fist: Budouka

Martial Arts Mastery Styles

Shou Ken
The practice of Shou Ken philosophy allows you to act in sudden bursts of martial prowess, a skill tempered by the will of the mind.
Prerequisites:
· Improved Unarmed Strike (or monk's ability)
· Improved Initiative
· Mental Leap (Str 13+, 6 ranks of Jump, reserve power points 3+)
· Speed of Thought (Wis 13+, reserve power points 1+)
· Shou Ken "Flight" (regional feat)
· Reserve power points 4+ (bonus power points do not count toward this requirement)

Benefit: You gain a +10 competence bonus to Jump skill checks, and your maximum Jump distance is no longer limited by your height. Any time you jump more than five feet toward an opponent, you can initiate a charge attack.

Mutara Kei-do
Taught only to the ninja of  Temple Mutara of the Shou Ken sect, this martial art relies on mental discipline and lightening speed.
Prerequisites:
· Improved Unarmed Strike (or monk's ability)
· Combat Reflexes (Dex 13+)
· Improved Initiative
· Inner Strength
· Psionic Fist (Str 13+)
· Stunning Fist (or monk's ability)
· Reserve power points 8+
Benefit: When you use the Psionic Fist feat in conjunction with an unarmed stunning attack, you can take the extra damage inflicted by the psionic power in your fists and add also it to the Fortitude save DC to avoid the stun. For example, a character psionically "charges" her fists (costing 1 power point as per the Psionic Fist feat) and then attempts a stunning attack. If she hits, her damage increases by +1d4, and she can also add the result of the 1d4 to the DC to avoid the stun.

Body of Fire
Taught by the monks of Temple Makura on the island Makura, this school tempers the body by exposure to the extreme volcanic heat created by smoldering Kura-zan.
Prerequisites:
· Improved Unarmed Strike (or monk's ability)
· Iron Will
· Fists of Iron (BAB +2, Improved Unarmed Strike)
· Dodge (Dex 13+)
· Mobility (Dodge, Dex 13+)
· Makuran Fire Walking* (regional feat)
Benefit: Once per day as a standard action, you can summon the heat of Kura-zan into your fists, setting them aflame so that they deal an extra +1d6 of fire damage. The effect last three minutes and does not harm you.

Crawling Tiger
A well-known art form, Crawling Tiger is nonetheless rare as instructors are hard to come by. Most have immigrated from the mainland. Crawling Tiger emphasizes mobility even when hampered.
Prerequisites:
· Improved Unarmed Strike (or monk's ability)
· Lightening Reflexes
· Prone Attack (Lightening Reflexes, BAB +2, Dex 15+)
· Expertise (Int 13+)
· Dodge (Dex 13+)
· Mobility (Dodge, Dex 13+)
· Tumble (6 ranks)
Benefit: You do not suffer any attack or AC penalty when prone.

Shei Mai (Cobra)
Developed in Kokubura by lightly-armed frontiersmen combating korobokuru when the nation was still young, this is a style that emphasizes proficiency with the halfspear or shortspear
Prerequisites:
· Simple Weapon Proficiency with halfspear or shortspear
· Improved Unarmed Strike
· Deflect Arrows (Dex 13+, Improved Unarmed Strike)
· Weapon Focus (BAB +1) with halfspear or shortspear
· Expertise (Int 13+)
· Dodge (Dex 13+)
Benefit: When wielding a halfspear or shortspear (whichever one you have Weapon Focus in) and wearing no armor, you can take advantage of the canny defense ability, granting you a dodge bonus to your AC equal to your Intelligence bonus (if any).  This bonus is similar to a Dexterity bonus in that it doesn't count when you are flat-footed or otherwise denied your dexterity bonus.

Wu Lin
Wu Lin style was brought to Kokubura by traders from the east -- a place from which the Emperor's ships have never returned. It emphasizes rapidity of strikes with the hands.
Prerequisites:
· Improved Unarmed Strike (or monk's ability)
· Dodge (Dex 13+)
· Mobility (Dodge, Dex 13+)
· Lightening Reflexes
· Combat Reflexes
· Ambidexterity
Benefit: Whenever attacking with a flurry of blows, all strikes suffer only a -1 penalty to attack (rather than -2). In addition, you gain the Lightning Fists feat (Sword and Fist), allowing you to make two extra attacks per round at your highest attack bonus if you take the full attack option. All attacks in that round suffer a -4 attack penalty (normally -5), even attacks of opportunity.

The Wu Jen