Combat
Martial Arts
Fighting with your bare hands and feet: harder blows as it grows, now and then a stunning one, and a tree of striking, grappling and flowing. Each people has its own style to learn from its folk. (It was Wrestling: a character from before keeps their points.)
- Group
- Combat
- Title it gives
- Martial Artist
- Grows your stats
- Dexterity (60%), Strength (40%)
- Head start
- Chinese (most of all The Way of Yang)
How it grows
Like every skill it runs from 0 to 100 and rises a tenth of a point at a time as you use it: quickly while it is low, hardly at all on work far beneath you. Every swing, shot or bandage you use trains it, and the harder the foe, the more it teaches.
All your skills together hold 700 points. Set Martial Arts to rise, fall or hold in the Skills window (K). A people that is good at it starts 10 points higher, 15 on its own path, and raises it a fifth more often for life.
Using it can also raise your stats a point at a time, leaning towards: Dexterity (60%), Strength (40%).
Titles
When Martial Arts is your best skill, it names you:
- 30 Neophyte Martial Artist
- 40 Novice Martial Artist
- 50 Apprentice Martial Artist
- 60 Journeyman Martial Artist
- 70 Expert Martial Artist
- 80 Adept Martial Artist
- 90 Master Martial Artist
- 100 Grandmaster Martial Artist
Fighting arts
Learned by raising Martial Arts; nothing is bought. Specials cost fury; an ultimate needs a minute to return.
| Art | Kind | Learned at | Fury | Cooldown | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground Slam | Special | 50 | 35 | 1 s | Strike the earth: everyone near is thrown back. |
The Martial Arts tree
Every 10 points of Martial Arts gives a point to spend here. Some places need another first; some ask you to choose one or the other. Unlearn the whole tree for gold with F4.
Striking
Fists and feet: harder, quicker blows.
Iron Fists3 ranks
+10% damage per rank with bare hands.
Quick Hands2 ranks
Bare-handed blows come 10% sooner per rank.
Needs Iron Fists
Thunder Palm1 rank
A heavy blow with bare hands stuns for 2 seconds.
Needs Quick Hands
Grappling
Holds and throws: foes stunned and sent flying.
Firm Grip3 ranks
+5% chance per rank that a bare-handed blow stuns.
Throw1 rank
A foe you stun with bare hands is thrown back.
Needs Firm Grip
Flow
Move like water: cheaper dodges, and a counter after one.
Light Feet2 ranks
Dodges cost 15% less stamina per rank.
Counter1 rank
Your first bare-handed blow within 2 seconds of a dodge hits 50% harder.
Needs Light Feet
More in the guide: Fighting · All skills