DEADLY WASP STYLE
By Tinker Dragoon
Entrance Requirements: P.P. 10 or higher. Limited to Dishonorable and Non-Honorable Alignments only.
Skill Cost: 10 Years (7 Years as a Secondary Martial Art Style).
A style created by and for assassins, Deadly Wasp teaches one to throw all manner of small weapons with deadly accuracy. A master of the style can even turn ordinary household objects into an assassin's tool. Practitioners of this style are also experts in the use of poison, traps, and gimmicked weapons.
Much of the style's focus is on throwing weapons, but some rudimentary unarmed techniques are taught as well. Practitioners generally prefer to stay at a distance from their opponents in combat, using escape and evasion techniques if forced into close range. Teachers of this style are seldom sought out; Instead, itinerant masters seek out and train students at their own discretion. Such training is most commonly found in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, but some masters are rumored to teach in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Costume: No specific costume is worn, but loose, long-sleeved clothing is preferred.
Stance: Upright, legs shoulder width apart, hands held loosely depending on the location and availability of throwing objects.
CHARACTER BONUSES
Add 3 to P.P.
Add 2 to Spd.
COMBAT SKILLS
Attacks per Melee: 2
Escape Moves: Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact, Leap.
Attack Moves: None
Basic Defense Moves: Dodge, Parry, Automatic Parry.
Advanced Defensive Moves: Multiple Dodge, Automatic Dodge.
Hand Attacks: Strike (Punch).
Basic Foot Attacks: Kick Attack.
Jumping Foot Attacks: None
Special Attacks: Combination Strike/Throw (SPECIAL! This is a dual attack where the character can strike one target using one of the hand attacks while simultaneously throwing a held weapon at another target. The character has no bonuses or penalties for this dual strike), Dual Throw (SPECIAL! The Deadly Wasp master can draw and throw two weapons -- or shoot two darts -- simultaneously at the same target, inflicting full damage from both weapons, but counting as one melee attack! Alternatively, the two-weapon attack can be divided between two [i]different[/i] targets visible to the martial artist and within his range of peripheral vision. The divided attack counts as one simultaneous melee action aginst two different foes. The martial artist must make strike rolls against each target, and the bonus to strike for each divided attack is reduced by half.), Paralysis Attack (Vital Points).
Holds/Locks: None
Weapon Kata: W.P. Knife, W.P. Paired Knives, W.P. Small Thrown Weapons, W.P. Paired Small Thrown Weapons, W.P. Mouth Weapons, W.P. Dart Gun, W.P. Paired Dart Guns.
Modifiers to Attacks: Critical Strike, Critical Strike From Rear.
SKILLS INCLUDED IN TRAINING
Martial Art Powers: Automatically receives the Hidden Blade Technique*. Also select One (1) Art of Invisibility. These Powers cannot be traded for skill programs.
Languages: Chinese
Physical Skills: Acrobatics, Prowl, W.P. Knife, W.P. Paired Knives, W.P. Small Thrown Weapons, W.P. Paired Small Thrown Weapons, W.P. Mouth Weapons, W.P. Dart Gun, W.P. Paired Dart Guns.
Other Skills: Use & Recognize Poison�, Trap Construction�
Philosophical Training: Taoism
If this is your Primary Martial Art then the following other styles can be learned in a shorter time: Moo Gi Gong (4 Years), Shih Ba Ban Wu Yi (3 Years).
LEVEL ADVANCEMENT BONUSES
1st: +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact, +2 to Strike with any thrown weapon, Critical Strike From Rear.
2nd: +1 Attack per Melee, +1 to Strike, +1 to Parry/Dodge
3rd: Any small found objects not usually considered a weapon (anything from pencils, to bottles, to credit cards) becomes a 1D6 damage weapon when used in hand-to-hand. Throwing one of these found objects does 1D4 damage.
4th: Select One (1) Additional Martial Art Power from Martial Art Techniques or Arts of Invisibility.
5th: +1 Attack per Melee, +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact.
6th: +1 to Strike with any thrown weapon, +1 to Parry/Dodge
7th: +1 to Leap (+4 feet to Leap distance), Critical Strike on Natural 19 or 20.
8th: Select One (1) Additional Martial Art Power from Martial Art Techniques or Arts of Invisibility.
9th: +1 Attack per Melee, +3 to Damage.
10th: +1 to Strike, +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact.
11th: +1 Attack per Melee, +1 to Parry/Dodge
12th: Select One (1) Additional Martial Art Power from Martial Art Techniques or Arts of Invisibility.
13th: +1 to Strike with any thrown weapon
14th: +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact, +1 to Leap (+4 feet to Leap distance).
15th: +1 Attack per Melee
Why Study Deadly Wasp Style?
To kill your enemies from afar, quickly and quietly. Surprise attacks and long distance strikes are the hallmarks of this style. Weak in melee combat, and very limited without a weapon, but then again a weapon is never very far away for a master of this style.
* Okugi Yaiba (Hidden Blade) By Kuseru. This is an iaijutsu variant where the character can draw and strike in one action with a hidden or concealed weapon. At first level, this skill provides a +3 to initiative, and an additional +1 is added at third, fifth, eighth, eleventh, and fourteenth levels.
� See Palladium Fantasy RPG main book, second edition, page 57 for details.
� See Rifts Game Master Guide, pages 63-64, or Chaos Earth, pages 123-124 for details.