Wuxia VENUS Packages

Shaolin & Wu Tang (1981)
left to right: Shaolin adept, Wudang adept

Let’s simply assume that the dividing line between wuxia as a genre and martial arts stories in general is the presence of “wire-fu”-style quasi-magical abilities and move on from there. As one is sure to notice, these are very generic V.E.N.U.S. (Venturers, Experimenters, Navigators, and the Unusually Skilled) packages. Wuxia characters are all defined by their mastery of the martial arts; it's in their backgrounds, personalities, and fighting styles (defined by the Combat Edges and powers they choose) that their individuality is found.  

Enlightened (Deadlands-style) Adept

• Bonus Skills: +3 dice in Fighting & initial super power skill
• Bonus Hindrances: either Code of Honor [Major; follow the Code of Xia] or Vow [Major; serve your master or temple] AND either Enemy [Minor; see below] or Vengeful [Minor] 
• Bonus Edges: Arcane Background (Chi Mastery; see Deadlands: Reloaded), Martial Artist, Superior Kung Fu (see Deadlands: Reloaded)
• Bonus Gear: one martial arts weapon of the player’s choice

Shaolin (external style) Adept 

• Bonus Skills: +3 dice Faith & Fighting 
• Bonus Hindrances: either Code of Honor [Major; follow the Code of Xia] or Vow [Major; serve your master or temple] AND either Enemy [Minor; see below] or Vengeful [Minor] 
• Bonus Edges: Adept, Arcane Background (Miracles), Martial Artist 
• Bonus Gear: one martial arts weapon of the player’s choice

Wudang (internal style) Adept

• Bonus Skills: +3 dice Fighting & Spellcasting
• Bonus Hindrances: either Code of Honor [Major; follow the Code of Xia] or Vow [Major; serve your master or temple] AND either Enemy [Minor; see below] or Vengeful [Minor]
• Bonus Edges: Arcane Background (Miracles), Magical Adept (as Adept, except substituting Magic for Miracles), Martial Artist
• Bonus Gear: one martial arts weapon of the player’s choice  

 

Random Enemy Table

Long-held, unresolved grudges are an essential aspect of wuxia stories. If a player or Game Master needs inspiration for the Enemy Hiundrance, draw a card from the Action Deck and consult the following list:

• Clubs – The family member of a friend or fellow student accidentally slain by your hand.
• Diamonds – A villain seeking the secrets of your master or order
• Hearts – A lover you left behind to pursue the path of wuxia
• Spades – A fellow student you routinely bested
• Joker – Draw twice (discarding Jokers) and combine the two results