FIST OF THE KUSANAGI MARTIAL ARTS FORM

By Chad

The fighting style was innovated by the Kusanagi clan, an aristocratic Japanese family whose bloodline has the ability to control the element of fire. In the world of Rifts, it can be used by those with highly developed pyrokinetic skills, such as the psychic Bursters. The nature of the fighting style incorporates the psionic's pyrokinetic abilities into his attacks, maximising his psychic abilities by infusing them into his physical abilities. Note that even if a Shiki attack fails to hit, the Hi No Shinobi must still pay the appropriate I.S.P. cost when applicable.

Historical note: The Kusanagi dynasty appears in Japanese lore as epic figures who were immune to fire. In one account, enemies of the clan lured their warriors into a field of tall grass, setting the landscape ablaze to destroy them. Supposedly, the Kusanagi fighters withstood the attack and slayed their treacherous opponents. In reality, the warriors probably cut the vegetation around them to stop the approaching fire (hence the name Kusanagi, which literally means "grass cutter,") waiting for their enemies to let their guard down before launching a decisive counter-attack. The blade used to mow the wild lawn, known as Kusanagi No Tsurugi, is to Japanese mythology what Excalibur is to English lore.

EDITOR'S NOTE: While the Kusanagi No Tsurugi myth does exist (the sword is counted among the three Imperial Regalia of Japan, though the original is believed lost), there is no such thing as the Kusanagi dynasty.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS: None

SKILL COST: Around 2 additional years to normal Burster training

COSTUME: No standard garb

STANCE: There is no standard stance as such. However, the Burster Ninja is likely to be in continuous movement like the flickering of an open flame.

COMBAT SKILLS: The techniques known at first level are Disarm, Maintain Balance, Pull Punch, Roll with Impact, Kick Attack 2D4 S.D.C., Knee/Elbow Strikes 1D6 S.D.C., Paired Weapons, and one Kusanagi technique below.

ATTRIBUTE BONUSES: + 2 M.A., + 2 P.S., + 1 P.E., + 1 P.P., + 4 Spd. + 2 sv. Horror Factor

BONUSES PER LEVEL:
1. 3 attacks per melee, + 2 to parry, initiative, damage and roll with impact
2. + 3 to dodge, + 1 to disarm and maintain balance
3. + 1 initiative, to strike and parry, and critical strike from behind
4. + 1 attack and learn a Kusanagi technique
5. Critical strike on a natural 18 - 20, + 1 to maintain balance
6. + 1 to roll with impact, dodge, and maintain balance
7. Learn a Kusanagi technique
8. + 1 attack, + 1 to dodge
9. Knockout (deathblow if armed) on a natural 20
10. + 1 initiative, + 1 sv. Horror Factor and a Kusanagi technique
11. + 1 attack, + 1 to strike and parry
12. + 2 to damage, + 1 sv. Horror Factor and maintain balance
13. + 1 attack and a special technique
14. Double existing P.P.E., + 1 to disarm
15. + 1 attack and a Kusanagi technique

Why study Fist of the Kusanagi?
With their untamed power, pyrokinetics can be a threat to others...and even to themselves. The Kusanagi fighting style, with its emphasis on self-discipline, self-knowledge, and self-sacrifice, is able to temper the Bursters' fiery spirits. The fighting form is taught to members of the Kusanagi family, Burster Ninjas, and other pyrokinetics.

The following are special moves developed by the Kusanagi family with their long history in the art of fighting. Although each member of the family has the opportunity to develop his own style, the following techniques are the most utilized abilities that have stood the test of time. At the GM's discretion, new powers may be added to the arsenal.

100 SHIKI - ONI YAKIKIRU (Technique 100 - The Burning Demon):
The Burster enhances his normal attacks with his flaming aura, causing additional heat damage. When fighting against supernatural opponents, the Burster may concentrate his entire aura around his fists, feet, or weapon to inflict fiery mega-damage. When using this ability, the warrior is made immediately obvious by his burning aura; thus, the technique is not suited for sneak attacks.
Requirements: The Flame Burst ability must be in effect and the attack must connect.
Range: Punch, kick, or weapon attack distance
Duration: Instant flame damage
Bonus to strike: an additional + 2 to strike to any other bonuses
Damage: An additional 6D6 S.D.C. or 2D6 M.D. to the normal attack. Note that the suddenness of the attack means that the opponent does not catch on fire although an article of clothing may be set ablaze temporarily.
I.S.P. cost: 4 I.S.P. for the Flame Burst if it is not already in affect. An additional + 6 I.S.P. is necessary for a M.D. attack.
Attacks cost: 1 attack including the punch, kick, or weapon slash

114 SHIKI - ARAI KAMIKIRU (Technique 114 - Wild Bite):
The Burster uses his flames to distract his opponent, flaring his fiery aura so that his opponent has a hard time seeing the ninja past his flames. For all intents and purposes, consider this a parry move where the Burster uses his fiery image as a decoy while he brushes off his enemy's attack.
Requirements: The Flame Burst ability must be in effect to create a fiery facade.
Range: Punch, kick, or weapon attack distance
Duration: For the length of his opponent's attack
Bonus to parry: an additional + 4 to parry to any other bonuses
Damage: Not applicable
I.S.P. cost: 4 I.S.P. for the Flame Burst if it is not already in effect
Attacks cost: 1 attack like a normal parry

128 SHIKI - KONO KIZU (Technique 128 - Nine Wounds):
This ability is a follow-up to Technique 114 - Wild Bite. The Burster does not only parries the blow, but is able to make a counter-attack as his opponent is off-balance from his miss. The counter-strike is so swift and graceful that it seems automatic; no extra attacks are needed assuming the was successful in his parry.
Requirements: The Flame Burst ability must be used and the parry must have connected from the Technique 114 - Wild Bite. Thus, Technique 114 - Wild Bite must be known in order to use this ability.
Range: Punch, kick, or weapon attack distance
Duration: Instant flame damage
Bonus to strike: Automatically hits
Damage: An additional 6D6 S.D.C. or 2D6 M.D. to the normal attack. Note that the suddenness of the attack means that the opponent does not catch on fire although an article of clothing may be set ablaze temporarily.
I.S.P. cost: 4 I.S.P. for the Flame Burst if it is not already in affect. An additional + 6 I.S.P. is necessary for a M.D. attack.
Attacks cost: No additional attack cost

212 SHIKI - KOTOYOU (Technique 212 - The Luminaries of the Harp):
The Burster causes a Fire Eruption right behind his opponent as he forces him backwards into the inferno, usually by stunning him with an elbow in the gut and a subsequent push into the explosion. Aside from the damage, this attack disorients the victim; he has a 30% + 5% per the Burster's experience level of being knocked down, causing him to lose initiative and one attack that round. Note that the Burster does not need to make a skill check to see if the Fire Eruption is on target; it is assumed that his mastery of this attack allows him to compensate even if the explosion is off-target.
Requirements: The Burster has to cast a Fire Eruption and the initial elbow attack has to connect.
Range: Elbow range
Duration: The damage from the elbow plus instant flame damage. Due to the amount of concentration needed the flame remains for the duration of the attack only.
Damage: Depends on the size of the Fire Eruption, up to 4D6 M.D. at the very most in additional to the damage caused by the elbow 1D6 S.D.C.
I.S.P. cost: Just the 10 I.S.P. for the Fire Eruption
Attacks cost: 3 attacks must be used, 1 for the elbow, 1 for the pushback, and 1 for the Fire Eruption. Roll once to strike for the elbow attack only; if the elbow does not connect, the entire attack fails but still costs all 3 attacks.

MIKANSEI 212 SHIKI - AIKAYOU (Unperfected Technique 212 - Lament of the Stars):
This technique was designed by the Burster Ninjas to aid them in escaping. A variation of the above 212 Shiki - The Luminaries of the Harp, this ability is less damaging but is more likely to knock an opponent off balance. The ninja casts a Fire Eruption over an area, often behind himself, so that his opponent is looking into the flames. The enemy would use his hands to shield his eyes from the fire instinctively; the Burster Ninja would capitalize on this distraction, grabbing his opponent's raised arm to throw him over the shoulder into the blaze. As the Kusanagi fighting style is not designed around throws, this attack is slightly awkward for the Hi No Shinobi, dubbing the technique as Mikansei or "unperfected." The Burster Ninja has a 70% + 2% per experience level chance of knocking his opponent down, causing him to lose initiative and one attack that round.
Requirements: The Burster has to cast a Fire Eruption and the throw attack must connect.
Range: Throw range
Duration: The damage from the throw plus instant flame damage. Due to the amount of concentration needed the flame remains for the duration of the attack only.
Damage: Depends on the size of the Fire Eruption, up to 2D6 M.D. at the very most (as it takes more concentration to cast an eruption behind oneself out of one's view) in additional to the damage caused by the throw 1D6 S.D.C.
I.S.P. cost: Just the 10 I.S.P. for the Fire Eruption
Attacks cost: 2 attacks must be used, 1 for the Fire Eruption and 1 for the throw. If the throw does not connect, the entire attack fails but still costs 2 attacks.

SHIN SHIKI - KUSANAGI NO TSURUGI (New Technique - The Big-ass Blade of the Kusanagi):
A Burster resourceful enough to acquire a Flaming Sword (from the Rifts Main Book) is able to use this ability in conjunction with the techno-wizard item. However, as techno-wizardry is a recent innovation in Rifts Japan, very few Bursters know of this ability. The Burster uses his Fuel Flame ability to maximize the size the weapon allows, which is essentially double its normal length due to the amount of concentration it takes to use the power while swinging a sword, inflicting twice the normal damage.
Requirements: The Burster Ninja must be wielding a TW Flaming Sword and has to cast Fuel Flame.
Range: Usually about 6 ft. (as a typical sword is 3 ft. long)
Duration: Instant flame damage
Bonus to strike: an additional + 2 to strike to any other bonuses
Damage: As the damage is equivalent to the size of the blade, doubling the length of the Flaming Sword should double the damage at around 4D6 x 2 M.D.
I.S.P. cost: 8 I.S.P. per attack
Attacks cost: No additional attacks needed

HI-OUGI URA - OROCHI NAGI (Hidden Technique - Serpent Slayer):
Of all the Kusanagi techniques, this is the least common; the attack is so difficult, devastating, and damning that only the most experienced of warriors have been taught this technique or were able to develop it on their own. The Burster enters a trance like state to focus his flames into a large wave of fire, relaxing his higher mental functions to create a single fatal attack.
Requirements: The Burster must concentrate entirely on the attack and will not respond to anything else going on around him. Furthermore, the size of the blast will set nearby combustible materials on fire unintentionally. The difficulty of this technique means that only characters of 7th level or above can learn it.
Range: 10 feet
Duration: Instant flame damage
Damage: 2D4 x 10 M.D.
I.S.P. cost: 80 I.S.P.
Attacks cost: 4 attacks

KIN-OUGI URA - SHOUNETSU JIGOKU (Forbidden Technique - The Lake of Fire):
This ability depends on the pyrokinetic relaxing his mental defenses and forsaking his martial discipline to create an uncontrolled version of the Flame Burst, essentially making him an human bomb. As the explosion burns out the oxygen around the pyrokinetic as he is consumed by his own flames, he appears as a fallen angel drowning in his own lake of fire, giving the forbidden technique its name.
Despite its incredible power, the personal sacrifice needed to use this ability far outweighs its usefulness, leading masters of the Kusanagi-style to ban it. The exhaustion and self-mutilation caused by this attack tests the endurance and pain thresholds of its user who may never fully recover from this trial by fire. As such, this technique will only be used in the most desperate of situations. The Burster Ninja has a 30% chance of knocking his opponent down, causing him to lose initiative and one attack that round.
Requirements: The Burster must concentrate entirely on the attack and will not respond to anything else going on around him. Furthermore, the size of the blast will set nearby combustible materials on fire unintentionally. The difficulty of this technique means that characters of 10th level or above can learn it.
Range: 40 square feet. The intense heat uses the nearby oxygen so quickly that the blast is localized. Note that unlike the other attacks, this forbidden technique damages anything within its perimeter and will even hurt nearby allies.
Duration: Instant flame damage
Damage: 2D4 x 10 M.D. For roleplaying purposes, additional damage and effects may be assigned due to the explosion using up the surrounding oxygen. Keep in mind damage is also assigned to the Burster Ninja.
I.S.P. cost: 100 I.S.P.
Attacks cost: 4 attacks
Additional costs: As the Hi No Shinobi abandons his guard to use this attack, he is vulnerable to it, too. It inflicts the normal 1/10th fire damage. Furthermore, the trauma of this attack forces the Burster Ninja to make a saving throw vs. coma/death. Even if he successfully saves, the pyrokinetic has his attacks and bonuses halved for the next rest of the round.