May I Interest You in a Wuxia Character and Some House Rules?

Hero (2002)

Budding Legend
Legendary Human Wild Card (80 XP)

Attributes:  Agility d10, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d8,* Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Riding d6, Streetwise d6,** Subterfuge d6,*** Survival d6,** Tao d8 (see below), Taunt d6
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 7(1)
Hindrances: Curious, Heroic, Quirk (attracted to scoundrels), Vengeful [Minor]****
Edges: AB: Taoist Internal Alchemy, Martial Artist, Power Points (x 4), Taoist Adept, Youxia (Gift of Water - Mind and Body)
Gear: jian (long sword; Str+d8; $300), many-layered silk robes (Armor +1; $200).
Special Abilities

• Power Points: 30
• Powers: boost/lower trait (Adept), healing, qinggong (Adept)

*Setting Rule: Substitute for Climbing and Swimming rolls
** Setting Rule: Substitute for Tracking rolls in appropriate terrain
*** Setting Rule: Replaces Lockpicking and Stealth
**** Setting Rule: Storm of Passions – Wuxia characters live tempestuous, passionate lives. They may take an additional Major Hindrance at character creation. [As Super Karma from Super Powers Companion.]

New Edges

Arcane Background (Taoist Internal Alchemy)
Arcane Skill: Tao (Spirit)
Starting Power Points: 10
Starting Powers: 3

Taoist Internal Alchemy is the mystical art of balancing one’s chi. It is a difficult and demanding study that requires supreme self-knowledge and respect for the natural world. By attuning their minds and bodies, Taoists may attain incredible abilities and even immortality.

 Imbalance: When an internal alchemist rolls a 1 on her Tao die (regardless of her Wild Die), she is automatically Shaken. This can cause a wound.

Taoist Adept
Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background (Taoist Internal Alchemy), Fighting d8+, Tao d8+

As Adept, but substituting Taoist Internal Alchemy for Miracles. In a Chinese wuxia setting, the standard Adept Edge may be considered to reflect the Buddhist martial arts tradition of Shaolin while Taoist Adept emulates the Wudang Sect (also known as the Wu-Tang Sect or Wu-Tang Clan).

Game Masters may either substitute the new power qinggong for speed in the list of powers Adepts and Taoist Adepts may activate as free actions, or simply add it addition to the powers listed in Savage Worlds Deluxe.

Youxia
Requirements: Novice, Spirit d6+, Fighting d8+, Code of Honor, Martial Artist

Youxia are the wandering heroes of wuxia fiction and legend. Youxia have forsaken the communal ties of Confucian Chinese society to instead seek personal enlightenment and perfection. They travel the land training in their martial arts and Arcane Backgrounds, seeking to become Masters.

Forsaking society, the youxia instead adopts the Code of Xia, a set of principles shared by all of the martial artists that brave the outlaw life. This outlaw world of martial artists is known as the jianghu or wulin; it is both a source of friendship and rivalry for all who dare to live by its code. The Code of Xia is both harsh and empowering; it demands a hero live by the following principles:
• Benevolence: Youxia should defend the weak; heroic youxia believe this requires serving the humble, while villainous youxia believe it means controlling them.
• Courage: Youxia are brave in the face of danger; this doesn’t mean they have to be foolhardy, but many are.
• Glory: A youxia may not necessarily seek worldly fame, but she does seek the respect of her peers; like an Old West gunfighter, the youxia cannot back down from a challenge.
• Individualism: The youxia must follow her own code first and foremost; lord and family come second. This emphasis on the self places the Code of Xia at odds with societal norms.
• Justice: Heroes pursue justice against those who prey on the weak, while villains see this principle as an excuse to avenge crimes against themselves. Youxia of all stripes are compelled to address slights to their honor.
• Loyalty: While loyalty to the emperor, lord, and family is unimportant to many youxia, loyalty to one’s friends, master, and students is a core of their beliefs.
• Poverty: A youxia needn’t turn her back on material wealth, but it must never be her overriding motivation. Many youxia lead lives as landless wanderers, owning nothing more than their clothes and weapons.
• Truthfulness: Heroes equate truthfulness with honesty and fairness in their dealings with others, but villains only see the value of truthfulness as being true to themselves.

Because of their reputation as protectors of the weak (and as fearsome martial artists), youxia gain a +2 to Charisma. They may also choose one of the following benefits:
• Gift of Metal - Heirloom Weapon: The youxia possesses a named weapon of astonishing strength (similar to the Green Destiny from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). She gains a weapon that is +1 to damage and to hit.
• Gift of Water - Mind and Body: The youxia has trained her mind or body to exceptional levels. She gains +1 die in a single Attribute.
• Gift of Wood - Well-Trained: The youxia has studied with a master of incredible skill. She gains a single Combat Edge of Seasoned Rank (for which she must qualify normally).
• Gift of Fire - Reputation: The youxia is well-known in the world of martial arts. She gains the Connections (jianghu) Edge.
• Gift of Earth - Well-Equipped: The youxia has accumulated more gear in her travels than most of her fellows. She starts with three times the normal starting funds

New Power

Qinggong
Rank: Novice
Power Points: 2
Range: Touch
Duration: 3 (1/round)
Trappings: Chi mastery, wire-fu, the Matrix

Qinggong allows a character to run up sheer surfaces and make impossible leaps. Heroes can run across the tops of bamboo forests, the sides of buildings, and even water.

With a success, the recipient may move up to her normal Pace either vertically or horizontally, as long as she ends the round on a horizontal surface that she would normally be able to stand on. A character may run while practicing qinggong to increase this distance, suffering the usual -2 running penalty to other actions. On a raise, running is a free action and incurs no penalty.

A character may also use qinggong to pounce on an opponent. By sacrificing 2” of movement, the character leaps higher to gain momentum. This adds +4 to the character’s attack roll and damage, but the character’s Parry is reduced by -2 until her next action.