Hōkiba Schools

Basic Schools

Naibuki Warrior

[Bushi]
Bonus Attribute: Perception
School Skills: Battle, Defense, Governance, Sincerity, Any two Courtly or Military skills. Either Weapon: Samurai or Kenjutsu and Kyujutsu.
Emphasis: War (Battle)
Honor: 6.5
Outfit: Daishō, Medium Armor, Traveling Clothes, Any One Weapon, Personal Effects, 5 Ryō.

Rank 1 - A Roar Shakes the Heart
Once per turn before you make an attack roll, you may choose to add your Honor Value to the result of the roll. When attacking with a [Samurai] weapon, gain +1k0 to your attack rolls.
A Naibuki never fights alone. Their blades are guided by their ancestors.

Rank 2 - Cast Aside All Doubts
When attacking, choose one:

  • Ignore your target's Armor Bonus for this attack
  • You gain a Free Raise on this attack.

When taking a life, the Naibuki Warrior is trained never to doubt their actions. By freeing themselves of even momentary hesitation, they are emboldened.

Rank 3 - The Sacred Forms
You may attack as a simple action when attacking with a [Samurai] weapon.
A true Warrior is trained in the kata of their ancestors, becoming a master of only the most noble of weapons.

Rank 4 - The River Surges
Once per skirmish, while in the Water Stance, you may choose one character as your Mark during the Readying Phase. If you do, until the next Readying Phase, when you attack your Mark, ignore their Armor, Stance, Technique, and Misc Bonuses to their Armor Target Number.
In a moment of serene clarity, the Warrior finds the flaw in their opponent's stance and exposes it.

Rank 5 - Glory Without Flourish
If you would fail a roll on which you called raises, if your roll would have succeeded without raises, it succeeds without raises. (All raises called have no effect and do not resolve. Free Raises used to reduce the Target Number still apply to the Target Number. Free Raises used toward maneuvers do not reduce the Target Number)
Regardless of their skill, a Warrior is always vigilant, never allowing hubris to take root.

Naibuki Spearman

[Bushi]
Bonus Attribute: Agility
School Skills: Athletics, Battle, Defense, Governance, Any two Courtly or Military skill. Either Weapon: Samurai or Kenjutsu and Daisōjutsu.
Emphasis: Juumonji Yari (Daisōjutsu or Weapon: Samurai)
Honor: 5.5
Outfit: Daishō, Medium Armor, 10 Te Yari, Te Yari Quiver, Traveling Clothes, Juumonji Yari, Personal Effects, 5 Ryō.

Rank 1 - The Three Fangs
When attacking or contesting a Weapon Grapple with a Spear or Polearm, gain +1k0. When in Air, Earth, or Void Stances you gain Reduction equal to half of your Daisōjutsu skill (rounded down). Spears and Polearms are [Samurai] weapons for you.
The Naibuki Spearman is trained to be versatile light infantry. There is no situation they do not have a correct weapon for.

Rank 2 - Strike True, Strike Deep
When attacking with a Spear or Polearm, you may ignore Reduction equal to half of your Honor Value (rounded down).
With the force of conviction behind every thrust, the Spearman's blows penetrate all defenses.

Rank 3 - Becoming Zephyr
You may attack as a simple action when attacking with a [Samurai] weapon.
As the wind that shakes the tall grass, a Naibuki's darting spear.

Rank 4 - Hidden Claws
As a Simple Action, you may draw and attack with a Te Yari. Attacks made with this Action ignore all penalties and restrictions from wielding multiple weapons and wielding too many weapons.
Every instant the Spearman can not strike their enemies is a failure to be corrected.

Rank 5 - Becoming Monsoon
You may use your Rank 4 Technique as a Free Action (Limit of once per round, as Free Actions typically are). When attacking with a Spear or Polearm you gain two Free Raises you may only use toward the Extra Attack Maneuver.
From a single stormcloud, a thousand rain drops. So too do the thrusts of an experienced Spearman flow like water.

Yagarō Berserker

[Bushi]
Bonus Attribute: Strength
School Skills: Athletics, Battle, Governance, Jujutsu, any two military skills. Either Weapon: Samurai or Kenjutsu, and Kyujutsu.
Emphasis: Katana (Kenjutsu or Weapon: Samurai)
Honor: 6.5
Outfit: Daishō, Heavy Armor, Medium Armor, Traveling Clothes, any Heavy Weapon or Polearm, Personal Effects, 5 Ryō.

Rank 1 - Recklessness and Courage
You add your Honor Value to all damage rolls. The Fire Stance's extra movement is 10 feet for you (instead of 5). When you learn this technique, choose any one non-Jujutsu melee weapon. That weapon is a [Samurai] weapon for you.
To the Berserker, hesitation is a greater sin than failure. Their first lesson is to commit both flesh and spirit fully to the attack.

Rank 2 - Overwheming Assault
While you are in the Fire Stance, after you deal damage with a melee attack you may activate this technique. If you do, the target of your attack tests Willpower against Target Number X, where X is the wounds they suffered. If they fail, they become your mark until the start of your next turn. Your mark may not move. Characters stop being your mark if you move.
The predatory aura of a Berserker's fury is potent enough to banish all thoughts of flight.

Rank 3 - The Wisdom of Steel
You may attack as a simple action when attacking with a [Samurai] weapon.
The wisdom of steel is to cut without thought or effort. The wisdom of the Berserker is not to interfere.

Rank 4 - Untamed Frenzy
Reduce all penalties to rolls you suffer from Wound Ranks by X, where X is your Honor Value. While in the Fire Stance, reduce all penalties to rolls you suffer from Wound Ranks by X, where X is your Honor Value. (These effects stack)
In the grip of battle, every moment of righteous fury is an eternity. Pain is but fleeting in comparison.

Rank 5 - Steel Turns Aside Flesh
Once per encounter, after you roll damage, you may spend a Void Point. If you do, the dice you keep for this roll explode (To explode a die, mark the die's current value and reroll it, adding its new result to the total of your roll).
In rage the Berserker may find a kind of clarity that permits the spirit to direct a telling blow without reference to the mind.

Jōkashu Honorguard

[Bushi]
Bonus Attribute: Awareness
School Skills: Calligraphy, Courtier, Etiquette, Investigation, Sincerity, any one courtly or illicit skill. Either Weapon: Samurai or Jujutsu and Kenjutsu.
Emphasis: Notice (Investigation)
Honor: 3.5
Outfit: Calligraphy Set, Daishō, Fine Clothes, any one weapon, Personal Effects, 5 Ryō.

Rank 1 - Everyone is a Threat
You do not lose honor for using illicit skills in direct service of your clan. A number of times a day equal to your School Rank, as a free action you may make any number of targets you can see your mark. You gain +1k0 on all attack and contested rolls against your marks. When you learn this technique, choose one melee weapon. The chosen weapon and Knives are a [Samurai] weapons for you.
An Honorguard's broad awareness is sufficient to keep countless potential dangers in sight, prepared at any moment to act in the interests of the clan.

Rank 2 - Unwavering Duty
When you learn this technique, choose seven skills. When testing or contesting a chosen skill, gain +1k0.
No two Honorguard's duties are the same. Flexibility, therefor, is every Honorguard's most important skill.

Rank 3 - Strike Faster than Thought
You may attack as a simple action when attacking with a [Samurai] weapon.
In an Honorguard's mind, the enemies of the Hōkiba have already fallen a thousand possible ways. It only remains to let the body act.

Rank 4 - The Eighth Breath
Once per round, at the start of your turn you may choose to lose 0.3 honor. If you do, gain +2k1 to all attack, damage, and contested social rolls until the start of your next turn.
Though Naibuki invented Bushidō, it is the Jōkashu who truly understand it.

Rank 5 - Stirrings of Doubt
As a Free Action you may choose an enemy you can presently communicate with and spend a Void Point. If you do, make a Courtier/Awareness roll contested by their Etiquette/Awareness. If you win the contest, for a number of hours equal to your school rank, the target suffers a penalty of -X to their attack and contested social skill rolls against you, where X equals your Awareness plus the target's Honor Value.
To an honorable opponent, the Honorguard's words are as deadly as their blade.

Jōkashu Bard

[Miyabito]
Bonus Attribute: Intelligence
School Skills: Courtier, Etiquette, Governance, Jujutsu, Perform: Storytelling, Sincerity, any one courtly or military skill.
Emphasis: Honesty (Sincerity)
Honor: 6.5
Outfit: Aiguchi, Calligraphy Set, Daishō, Fine Clothes, Personal Effects, 5 Ryō.

Rank 1 - No Hero Unsung
When in public you may choose to spend up to several hours (GM's discretion) speaking. If you do, choose another character who has recently performed a heroic, honorable, or otherwise great deed (GM's discretion) and test Perform: Storytelling / Awareness against Target Number 20. If you are successful the character gains glory equal to your School Rank. You may use this ability on as many characters as you wish, but only X times per character each month, where X is your School Rank. Finally, you gain the Precise Memory advantage (If you already have the Precise Memory advantage, you gain its cost in XP instead).
Not only the honored dead are deserving of epics in their names. With their words, the Bards raise their comrades to glory also.

Rank 2 - Honorable Humanity
When you are the target of a Coercion check, you gain X to the result of your Contested Roll (Or X to the Target Number), where X is five times your School Rank. You are not subject to any penalties for displaying raw emotion, so long as it is done on behalf of Bushido, the Empire, the Houkiba, or someone to which you owe at least some loyalty (such as a fellow magistrate or a temporary superior).
Most consider their human desires shameful, and perpetually at odds with the seven virtues. The Bards have mastered their emotional side and wield it in the defense of virtue.

Rank 3 - Inflame Resolve
When speaking to at least one other character you may choose to spend a few minutes speaking. If you do choose any number of other characters you are speaking with and test Perform: Storytelling / Awareness against Target Number 15 + X, where X is the total number of other characters times five. If you are successful, each character chosen gains "Once per skirmish, after seeing the result of a roll but before resolving it, you may add your Honor Value to the result of that roll." until the end of the next encounter. This technique may only be used immediately before an impending battle, and only once per battle. The Bard must create some clamor as part of their speech. (Speaking loudly is the minimum for "some clamor". This technique can be used before an ambush, only as long as the victims of the ambush do not hear the Bard's speech.)
Force of personality coupled with the noble example of the past is often enough to spur a Bard's comrades to the height of their abilities.

Rank 4 - Believe in Me who Believes in You
As a simple action you may choose another character within earshot. Test Perform: Storytelling / Awareness against Target Number 25. If you are successful, the chosen character gains "When you would fail a test, but before it resolves, you may activate this technique to gain +Xk0 and reroll the test. When you activate this technique, lose it." where X is your Honor Value. If the chosen character fails the roll after activating the technique, you lose 2 honor. You may activate this technique X times a day, where X is your School Rank.
When a Bard stakes their honor on belief in their allies, it is easy to rise to their expectations.

Rank 5 - The Path of Our Ancestors
When rolling in a Social Contest you may activate this technique to gain +Xk0 to the test, where X is your ranks in Perform: Storytelling. This technique can only be used Y times a session, where Y is your School Rank. This technique can only be used if you have established historical precedent for your side of the argument (See: Governance).
If the weight of a Bard's words are not enough, the great weight of the past will more than suffice.

Shikoe Seer

[Onmyōji]
Bonus Attribute: Perception
School Skills: Battle, Calligraphy, Etiquette, Governance, Lore: Theology, Spellcraft, any one courtly or military skill.
Emphasis: Cipher (Calligraphy)
Honor: 6.5
Outfit: Daishō, Robes, Scroll Satchel, Personal Effects, 5 Ryō.
Elemental Affinity: Fire or Water

The Wisdom of 100,000 Choices
When you learn this technique, choose a Fire or Water spell. You learn the chosen spell. If the chosen spell is [Fire] it gains the following mode:

  • Visions of The Perfect Spark
    • [Agility] [Intelligence]
    • Target Number: 15
    • Casting Time: 1 Complex Action, up to 2 Complex Actions.
    • Target: 1 Character
    • Range: 15 ft.
    • The target of this spell becomes enraptured by surreal visions - blurry scenes painted by their honored ancestors all shouting their life experience in unison. Up to X times in the next hour, the target of this spell may reroll any test or contest made with the Agility or Intelligence traits, where X is the number of total Complex Actions taken to cast this spell.
      • Further Sparks - 2 Raises. For each time this maneuver is called, treat this spell as if 1 additional Complex Action had been taken to cast it.
      • Kindling - 2 Raises. When this maneuver is called, whenever the target would use this mode's effect to reroll a test or contest, they gain an additional +X to the result, where X is your Fire Ring.

If the chosen spell is [Water] it gains the following mode:

  • Visions of the Perfect Crash
    • [Perception] [Strength]
    • Target Number: 15
    • Casting Time: 1 Complex Action, up to 2 Complex Actions.
    • Target: 1 Character.
    • Range: 15 ft.
    • The target of this spell feels a hundred hands tugging at their senses - their every blink becomes a haze of their ancestors collective eyes, noticing that which may have been hidden. Up to X times in the next hour, the target of this spell may reroll any test or contest made with the Perception or Strength traits, or a damage roll, where X is the number of total Complex Actions taken to cast this spell.
      • Another Wave - 2 Raises. For each time this maneuver is called, treat this spell as if 1 additional Complex Action had been taken to cast it.
      • Seafoam - 2 Raises. When this maneuver is called, whenever the target would use this mode's effect to reroll a test or contest, they gain an additional +X to the result, where X is your Water Ring.

The Shikoe speak to the ancestors of the Hōkiba with exceptional clarity, imparting the aid of the dead on their living descendants.


Dojo

Naibuki Warrior

Two Eyes Dojo

Requirements: Battle 3, Games: Go 3, Perception 3, Intelligence 3

Rank 2 - Secure Ground
When choosing to preform the Tactical Survey Initiative Action, add one Free Raise to your Tactics Pool if you are successful.

The Tactical Strike Maneuver costs one fewer raises for you.
Any warrior may enter battle and emerge victorious. A master of strategy finds victory even before battle is joined.

Rank 4 - Blink
Your party's Tactics Pool Limit is increased by 1.

When you are the target of an attack, you may spend any number of Free Raises from your party's Tactics Pool and activate this technique. When you activate this technique, the attacker must call a number of Empty Raises equal to the Free Raises spent or automatically fail.
To defend against a strike directly is an unnecessary risk. Better to put the foe where his strike must inevitably fail.

Shining Soul Dojo

Requirements: Kenjutsu 5, Katana Emphasis, Noble Bloodline

Rank 2 - Swordsmanship Without Peer
When you attack with a Katana, you may spend up to two Free Raises from your Party's Tactics Pool.

While attacking with a Katana, you gain access to the following maneuver:

Combat Assessment - 1 Free Raise. When this maneuver is called, even if this attack fails, add one Free Raise to your Tactics Pool. (The cost of the maneuver must be paid with a Free Raise)
It is easy to judge an opponent's style from afar. To judge it while exchanging blows takes keen observation.

Rank 4 - Victory Through Restraint
After making an attack, if the number of standard Raises spent on maneuvers for that attack is lower than your Raise Limit by at least 4, add one Free Raise to your Party's Tactics Pool.
Once an enemy's style is understood, it is not necessary to make excessive displays of force to foil it. A true master relies upon the foundations of swordplay, and on good tactics.

Naibuki Spearman

Iron Field Dojo

Requirements: Daisōjutsu 4, Strength 3

Rank 2 - The Grandfather of Weapons
While making a melee attack with a [Reach] Spear or Polearm, if this attack benefits from Strong Position, gain +X, where X is your Daisōjutsu rank.
From the spear, all other armaments flow.

Rank 4 - Stave Off
When making a melee attack with a [Reach] Spear or Polearm, gain two Free Raises you may only use towards the Push Maneuver. When you successfully Push a character, until the start of your next turn, they must call X Empty Raises on their attacks against you or automatically fail, where X is half of your Strength Attribute rounded down.
If a foe does not know their place, a Spearman will happily teach it to them.

Yagarō Berserker

Crooked River Dojo

Requirements: Earth 3, Water 3, either Strength 4 or Perception 4

Rank 2 - Meandering Stream Step
While in the Water Stance, you may move 5 feet as a Free Action.

While in the Water Stance, gain +X to your Armor Target Number, where X is half your Honor Value.
Though famed for their wild style, some Yagarō pursue a more restrained method that focuses on the footwork their School so often neglects.

Rank 3 - Unstained Stream
Effects and techniques that use your typical Honor Value use 2 * Your Honor Value instead. Effects and techniques that use half of your Honor Value use your Honor Value instead. (Such as Fear, and your Rank 1 and 2 techniques) (These two effects don't stack or otherwise interact with each other, and any given technique or effect is modified by one or the other)

Once per turn, you may attack as a simple action when attacking with a [Samurai] weapon.
Though filled with the same warrior spirit as other Yagarō, students of the Crooked River apply it more precisely, perhaps to greater effect.

Rank 4 - Tamed Frenzy
While in the Water Stance, reduce all penalties to rolls you suffer from Wound Ranks by X, where X is your Strength Attribute + your Perception Attribute.
To ignore the ravages of pain without abandoning oneself to fury, one must find and maintain a center of calm amidst the raging battle.

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