Gyokko Ryu Ninjutsu
By Kuseru
Entrance Requirements: No Alignment or Attribute restrictions.
Skill Cost: 14 Years (12 Years as a Secondary Martial Art Style).

Gyokko Ryu is a Japanese ninjutsu martial art created by Tozawa Hakunsai (1077-1259). Hakunsai's initially training began under a Chinese expatriate called Genzo (though this is thought to be an alias of the name Yo Gyokko). After studying with Genzo for ten years, Hakunsai moved to Iga, where he continued to study. In 1156, Hakunsai moved to the Kanto region where he formed his own Ryu Also called Gyokkyo Ryu.

Training in Gyokko Ryu focuses on Kosshijutsu (nerve strikes and manipulations), even to the point of developing Kosshijutsu methods for use with weapons. Circular, fast, and strong movements, at long combat ranges combined with lots of grabbing, movement, and throwing characterize this school. Weapons taught include Bo, Hashi, Jitte, Katana, Kodachi, Sai, Shuriken, Tanto, and Yari.

Costume: Shinobi Shozoku: The ninja outfit consists of jacket, hakama (loose pants), hand gauntlets, sandals, tabi socks, double belt, leg ties, separate leg and arm pieces, and quilted groin and body protector. Numerous pockets are designed for concealing shuriken and other Ninja items. Also comes with a two-part hood. All of the clothing is relatively loose, with ties around the waist, wrists and ankles. (For just the clothing, A.R.: 8 and S.D.C: 15) For fighting operations on the battlefield there were chain mail jackets and leggings. Chain mail guards for the wrists, hands and neck along with a metal chin guard completed the armor. Armor triples the price of the outfit. (For chain mail armor additions, A.R. 13 and S.D.C. 59) The clothing is traditionally died one of several colors, depending on the environment in which the shinobi is working: the default color is off-black for night and utter blackness, brown for fields and forests, gray for stone and urban settings, and white for snow. True black is not available, the closest being a nearly black, dark red or dark indigo, dark brown or rust colored, due to the available dyes. For more theatrically inclined ninja, the following colors are available; blue for ninja which clumsy, incapable, or poor, red and/or orange for villainous ninja (especially ninja assassins), grey for neutral ninja, white for good ninja and evil ninja attempting to mend their ways, and no color or shinobi shozoku at all for powerful ninja. Reversible forms of shinobi shozoku may be made (or bought), with a second color or even a complete set of faux garb that can be used as a disguise (such as common bonge garb, priests's garb, etc.) when the garb is turned inside out. A second color on the reverse of the garb adds +50% to the listed cost; having a set of faux garb on the reverse doubles the cost of the shinobi shozoku.
Stance: Ichi Monji no Kamae: The left leg is forward, right leg back (knees bent, taking 65% of body weight) with foot at 90 degrees to body. The body should now be sideways to the opponent. The left hand comes up and points at the opponent. The right hand stays at the rear clenched in a fist at belt height just forward of the hip.
CHARACTER BONUSES
Add +1 to P.S.
Add +2 to P.P.
Add +4 to Spd.
Add +5 to S.D.C.
COMBAT SKILLS
Attacks per Melee: 2
Escape Moves: Maintain Balance, Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact.
Attack Moves: None.
Basic Defense Moves: Automatic Parry, Dodge, Parry.
Advanced Defense Moves: Disarm, Multiple Dodge.
Hand Attacks: Claw Hand, Thumb Drive Fist (New!), Two-Finger Strike (New!).
Basic Foot Attacks: Kick Attack.
Jumping Foot Attacks: None.
Special Attacks: Choke, Death Blow (REVISED!), Death Strike (NEW!), Hip Throw (New!), Shoulder Throw (New!).
Holds/Locks: None.
Weapon Kata (Choose Two): W.P. Bo (Staff), W.P. Jitte (Forked), W.P. Katana (Large Sword), W.P. Kodachi (Short Sword), W.P. Sai (Forked), W.P. Shuriken (Thrown), W.P. Tanto (Knife), W.P. Yari (Spear).
Modifiers to Attacks: Critical Strike, Critical Strike from Behind.
SKILLS INCLUDED IN TRAINING
Martial Art Powers: Select a total of ONE (1) Martial Art Power from among Arts of Invisibility and Atemi. Automatically receives the Martial Art Technique of Kosshijutsu. Except for Kosshijutsu, any number of Martial Art Powers can be traded, on a one-for-one basis, for Basic Skill Programs (excluding Physical).
Languages: Japanese.
Cultural: Dance: Chinese Court Dance.
Weapon Proficiencies: W.P. Bo (Staff), W.P. Jitte (Forked), W.P. Katana (Large Sword), W.P. Kodachi (Short Sword), W.P. Sai (Forked), W.P. Shuriken (Thrown), W.P. Tanto (Knife), and W.P. Yari (Spear).
Philosophical Training: Ninpo: This is an eclectic combination between a code of honor and a spiritual path of seeking enlightenment.
The ninja code of honor stresses four areas, motivation towards the mission, loyalty to the clan and ryu, improvisation through awareness, and disguising one's true nature. Motivation to the mission is stressed by accepting missions only from the ninja's chunin, considering the enemies of the employer as one's own enemies, never refusing or questioning a mission, failure not being an option in the mission, putting the mission before oneself, killing in a mission when necessary and avoiding killing when not necessary, escaping when captured, killing one's self when escape is impossible, resisting when suicide is impossible, and taking the life of a comrade rather than allowing them to be captured. Loyalty to the clan and ryu is achieved by never betraying the clan, putting the clan before oneself, not striking another member of the ryu, aiding a genin of the ryu, and not ever leaving the ryu, even to the point of killing ninja who do leave the ryu. Improvision through awareness is achieved by always observing other people and knowing one's surroundings with the thought that one is always being observed and being mentally and physically alert enough to make use of anything at hand. Disguising one's true nature is accomplished through maintaining disguises, never revealing one's true self, speaking in circumlocutions and obfuscation while in public, using code words and metaphors which jeopardize neither one's self or the mission. Due to the unique requirements of the ninja code of honor, the character does not have to have an alignment with a discipline of honor.
A ninja's path toward spiritual enlightenment stems from the mixing of Ekkyo (I Ching divination), Gogyo Sestsu (five elements of Taoism), In-yo (yin-yang) duality of Taoism (in-yo do, where the yin philosophy of yin-yang is stressed, but balanced with inner yang), Kyojutsu Tenkan Ho (the ability to 'interchange falsehood and actuality'), Mikkyo Buddhism, moral strength, naturism (studying and understanding the workings of nature), Onmyodo (divination and astrology), perseverance when facing overwhelming numbers, Seishin (purity of heart, taught to embody a sense of completeness), Shugendo (the mixing of Mikkyo Buddhism with Taosim and Shintoism), and sincerity. The ultimate goal of this spiritual path is to strive for peace, harmony and enlightenment in all things.
If this is your Primary Martial Art then the following other styles can be learned in a shorter time: Gyokushin Ryu (7 Years), Koto Ryu (5 Years), Kukishinden Ryu (8 Years), Kumogakure Ryu (6 Years), Shinden Fudo Ryu (7 Years), Takagi Yoshin Ryu (5 Years), Togakure Ryu (7 Years).
LEVEL ADVANCEMENT BONUSES
1st: +2 to Strike, +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact, +1 to Parry/Dodge, Critical Strike from Behind.
2nd: +1 to Damage, +2 to Throw.
3rd: +1 Attack per Melee.
4th: Select One (1) Additional Martial Art Power from from Arts of Invisibility or Atemi.
5th: +2 to Strike, Death Strike on a Natural 20.
6th: +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact.
7th: +2 to Damage, +1 to Throw.
8th: Select One (1) Additional Martial Art Power from Arts of Invisibility or Atemi.
9th: +1 Attack per Melee, +1 to Parry/Dodge.
10th: +2 to Strike, Death Strike on a Natural 19 or 20.
11th: +1 to Roll with Punch/Fall/Impact, +1 to Leap (add four feet of distance).
12th: +2 to Damage, Select One (1) Additional Martial Art Power from Arts of Invisibility or Atemi.
13th: +1 to Parry/Dodge, Death Blow (Can be used whenever desired (i.e. No Natural Number required), however, character must announce intentions to use the Attack per Melee, costs two melee attacks).
14th: +2 to Throw.
15th: +2 to Strike.
Why Study Gyokkyo Ryu Ninjutsu?
Combining deadly nerve attacks with weapons. This style is also favored by kunoichi (female ninja).