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Art of Wuxia

Original
Wandering heroes, kung fu schools, and qi-powered combat in a wuxia fantasy inspired by classic martial arts cinema
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fantasyhistorical
Martial ArtsHeroicCinematicSkill-BasedCharacter-DrivenHackableRandom TablesGM-FriendlyFast-Paced
Languages: English
Diced100
System FamilyStandalone
Cost$
LicenseCC BY-NC-SA 3.0
PublisherDwD Studios
Year2020
Complexity Low
Accessibility Medium
Runnability Low

Core Mechanic

Roll d100 equal to or under a skill or ability score. Skills are calculated from a base ability score plus 10 per skill level, with bonuses for primary and secondary skill designations. Doubles (11, 22, 33, etc.) are critical — a critical success if under the target, a critical failure if over. Rolls of 00–05 always succeed and 96–99 always fail. Characters can take multiple actions per turn at a cumulative −20% penalty each, creating a press-your-luck dynamic. Qi points fuel kung fu techniques and mystic abilities.

Best For

Groups who want cinematic wuxia adventures with fast percentile-based mechanics, 25 distinct kung fu styles, and adjustable sliders for how fantastical the martial arts become.

Highlights

25 kung fu styles each with unique techniques, weapon proficiencies, and internal/external classifications. Cinematic Sliders let the GM adjust how fantastical combat and movement are — from grounded martial arts to high-flying xianxia. Moral code system ties character virtues to cultivation point rewards, reinforcing wuxia genre conventions. Built-in adventure and random dungeon generators with extensive creature bestiary.

Considerations

Setting is tightly focused on wuxia — groups wanting other martial arts subgenres (samurai, muay thai) would need adaptation. No free quickstart or SRD despite the CC license. d00Lite system's skill score calculation (half ability + 10 per level + primary/secondary bonus) requires cross-referencing several values during character creation.