This character class has been culled from a back issue of Dragon(tm) Magazine and details a character classes for use in a 1st Edition AD&D game.

Escrima

On the outskirts of the known world of the Japanese samurai and Chinese monks of history lived the less-sophisticated peoples of the Orient (yet more civilized than the steppe barbarians). These civilizations had their own versions of Oriental culture and the martial arts. In the islands now known as the Philippines, a cluster of related tribes did so well at developing independent systems of self-defense that, to this day, many practitioners of kung-fu and karate incorporate elements of Filipino combat into their styles. Filipino martial arts have many sub-styles and many names. For simplicity's sake, all references made herein are to one of the better-known styles: the art of escrima.

In the rush to start new campaigns based on the Oriental Adventures AD&DŽ game supplement, many DMs may have all of the civilized character classes present in all of the civilized nations of Kara-Thr. Here, then, is a character class that helps restore a sense of regional differences.

This class should exist only in a limited area; to parallel the real-world Philippines, this should be a tropical archipelago adjoining the continent of Kara-Tur. There are four subdivisions of the class; first, however, a description of the characteristics common to all members of the class is in order.

The escrimador

Escrimadores function best in their native environment - in jungles and on islands. The first proficiencies possessed by any escrimador always include survival and tracking, which are equivalent to a barbarian's proficiencies. Like the barbarian, the escrimador's environment serves as an ally in adventures.

When in a jungle or forest setting, escrimadores can hide in shadows, hear noises, and move silently as ninjas of equivalent levels (the last two skills apply in all other settings as well). When fighting in the jungle against any opponent except another escrimador, they gain a + 2 bonus to armor class due to their expert timing in ducking behind trees and branches. When traveling in jungles, they can maintain normal movement speed when others are slowed by the foliage.

In water, escrimadores can swim 10% faster than other human characters of equal strength. When fighting on foot in water between ankle-depth and shoulder-depth, they gain automatic initiative for the first round against those who are not escrimadores (unless the escrimador was totally surprised). If the escrimador is already on his guard at the start of melee, in water at least waist-deep and with a weapon in his hand, he gains a +3 bonus to hit with his first attack by concealing the weapon's initial position just under the surface of the water. (All these aquatic advantages, however, are negated if the water is extremely cold - a condition to which escrimadores are unaccustomed.) Because metal is harder to find in the jungle than in other environments, escrimadores often use weapons made partly or entirely of wood. The vulnerability of these weapons to breaking is offset by the escrima method of parrying, which is to contact the enemy's hand and arm rather than the enemy's blade. This gives the escrimador a chance against such weapons as katana swords and even grants a special advantage: If a nonescrimador who is not wearing hand or arm protection misses three consecutive attacks against a weapon-wielding escrimador, the nonescrimador must save vs. paralysis or lose the use of his weapon arm for a number of rounds equal to the escrimador's strength (the escrimador has successfully struck the opponent's arm).

The "signature" weapon of all escrimadores is the escrima stick, a simple wooden rod 2-3' long, similar to the jo stick that a monk might use. All escrimadores are proficient with this weapon (in varying applications for the three different styles) from the beginnings of their careers. Other weapons typically used are spears, staves, nunchaku, daggers, hand axes, parangs, and rope-weapons similar to the ninja kawanaga. Escrimadores can never be proficient with long swords, nor with any missile weapons except pellet bows, blowguns, and hand-thrown weapons.

The ki powers of the escrimador are as follows:

1. For every experience level possessed, the escrimador has a cumulative 5% chance of knowing if he is being watched by a hidden observer (assuming the escrimador is conscious and not completely preoccupied with combat or other demanding activity). This is separate from his monklike surprise chances, giving the escrimador double opportunities to thwart surprise. If the escrimador's intelligence is 12 or better, he can even be aware of being magically or psionically observed (as through a crystal ball or similar device), but the probability of this sense's success is but 2% per level, plus 1% per point of intelligence.
2. At 3rd level, the escrimador can perform the sinawali prior to the start of a melee, once per day. The sinawali is only performed against humanoid foes and is a rapid sequence of whirling, weaving movements with the escrima stick, having an intimidating, quasi-hypnotic effect. This is ineffective against fellow escrimadores unless they are more than one experience level lower than the user, and ineffective against those who are not escrimadores if they outrank the user by more than one level or if they have ever previously won a fight against an escrimador who used sinawali. Other opponents, however, must save vs. spells or retreat in alarm for one round (or, if retreat is impossible, the opponent suffers -1 penalties on "to hit" and armor-class scores for the first melee round). Even if the save is made, the opponent's momentary confusion (lasting one segment) gives the escrimador +3 on his initiative roll, allowing him to make the first attack or run away. A 10th- or higher-level escrimador can use sinawali twice a day.
3. At 4th level, the escrimador saves vs. all fear attacks at + 1 (+ 2 after reaching 10th level).
4. At 5th level, the escrimador can fight on after being mortally wounded, just as a sohei can (Oriental Adventures, page 24).
5. At 7th level, the escrimador can heal physical damage to himself as monks do (Oriental Adventures, page 18), with the same increase in self-healing ability (+ 1 hp per level after the 7th).
6. At 8th level, the escrimador can stay awake for two days without ill effect (or three days if his constitution is 18). Normal sleep is required afterwards.
7. At 10th level (the rank at which escrimadores first become qualified to teach others), the character can discern whether any character he meets is also an escrimador - and if not, whether or not that character (if zero-level) is capable of becoming one later. The 10th-level escrimador is also immune to all enchantment, charm spell effects such as charm person, finger of death, suggestion, geas, and the like.
8. At 12th level, an escrimador who is not directly engaged in combat and has the opportunity to observe any nonescrimador in at least one round of melee action gains an intuitive feel for that persons reactions in combat. Consequently, the escrimador gains a + 2 bonus to his armor class if he fights the individual thus studied. (This advantage does not apply to a future encounter with the same foe, since the foe may have gained new skills in the interval.) At the referee's discretion, the escrimador may employ this benefit against nonhumanoid beings.

An escrimador's alignment is usually lawful or good (or both), since loyalty to family and tribe is built into his training. Unlike monks, escrimadores do not practice any sort of monastic withdrawal from their society. Martial instruction is part of their family life and is aimed at the protection of the community from enemies. (It is up to the DM to decide if greater enmity is felt toward peoples altogether outside their homeland or toward rival tribes within the region.) The close bonds of family loyalty give escrimadores one ki power that extends beyond death. If an escrimador is turned into any kind of undead monster that is not utterly mindless, and if he encounters someone who was especially beloved from his former life (a parent, spouse, child, etc.), there is a base 50% chance, plus 2% for every point of the transformed escrimador's original wisdom score, that he is able to restrain all monstrous instincts and avoid harming the loved one. (This also applies if the escrimador is turned into a lycanthrope.) Any Escrima Master who teaches his tribe's style to an outsider who is not a formally recognized friend of the tribe forfeits five honor points - and may forfeit his life if this unsanctioned teaching causes harmful results to the tribe. If the son or daughter of any escrimador becomes a different fighting class (monk, samurai, etc.), he or she loses three honor points and the parent loses one. No such disgrace occurs if the child enters a spell-casting character class, provided such powers are used for the tribe's benefit; also, the dishonor is avoided if the child becomes a kensai, and uses a weapon that escrimadores can use.

Escrima styles

The Lapulapu style of unarmed combat parallels the tae kwon do style for monks. The first weapon choice for a Lapulapu stylist is an escrima stick in one hand and a dagger in the other. Both weapons can be used simultaneously with no penalty on hit probability, with both weapons attacking, both parrying, or one performing each function. If, at the start of an encounter with humanoid foes not practicing this style, the Lapulapu escrimador can keep foes unaware of his dagger (e.g., by hiding it behind his forearm), he adds a +3 bonus to his attack roll with the dagger on its first use in combat. Once engaged in combat taking place on sandy ground or in water less than knee-deep, a Lapulapu stylist of any level can kick sand or water into an enemy's face without using up one of his attacks. The impairment of vision (assuming that the enemy operates by sight) causes the enemy to suffer a one-time -2 penalty on either his "to hit" probability or armor class, depending on who makes the next attack.

One ki power peculiar to this style is gained at 10th level: a 10% magic resistance against spells that thwart movement (e.g., cause paralysis, repulsion or slow). This resistance increases 2% with each subsequent level gained. This ki power is called "The Wild Boar Charge". The Humabon style parallels kung-fu in open-handed combat. Its primary weapon choice is also a pair of weapons with no penalty on simultaneous use - two escrima sticks, in this case. Whether using two sticks or one, the Humabon stylist has this special technique: On one of every three stick-attacks made, if the Humabon stylist misses by only one point on the 'to hit' roll, he can make an extra attack in the same round with the butt end of the stick with which he attacked. The Humabon stylist can do this on one of every two stick-attacks from the 10th level onward, as well as when using any similar weapon (e.g., the handle of an axe).

The distinctive Humabon ki power, also gained at 10th level, is 'Liquid Body:' This power allows the Humabon Master to "flow away" from melee attacks. Liquid Body is usable once a day for a duration of three rounds, with an added round for each subsequent level gained, but never exceeding 12 rounds. The user of this power adds +3 to his armor class against close-range attacks and +1 against missiles; he also takes only half damage from blunt-weapon or open-handed attacks, and subtracts one-third of all damage done by sharp weapons. If the Liquid Body user is immobilized or grasped by an attacker, sharp weapons do normal damage against him. (This ki power also reduces by half the damage received in a fall.)

The Kuntaw style parallels jujutsu in unarmed combat. A Kuntaw stylist's feet are never used for kicking, but are used instead for other maneuvers, particularly sweeping the opponent's legs from under him, which can be performed even if the Kuntaw stylist is lying on the ground. In fights with non-Kuntaw opponents, leg-sweeping may occur without using up any of the Kuntaw stylist's regular attacks; leg-sweeping is usually used if a solitary opponent misses on his first attack, or if the Kuntaw stylist falls to the ground (intentionally or not) and the opponent tries to make a follow-up attack. In those cases, a leg-sweep occurs, knocking down the opponent if the opponent fails to make a saving throw vs. paralysis. (Monks, ninja, and other escrimadores get +1 on this saving throw, or + 2 if their dexterity is greater than the Kuntaw stylist's.) Another Kuntaw foot technique, usable only once in any particular combat, is to step on and trap one of the opponent's feet; this is treated as a part of the Kuntaw stylist's attack in that round, and a successful foot-trap (rolled as an attack vs. AC 10, with the opponent's magical-defensive and dexterity bonuses added) gives the accompanying main attack a + 2 chance to hit and +2 hp on damage.

There are no unpenalized double weapon proficiencies in the Kuntaw style. The Kuntaw stylist's favored weapon is a simple escrima stick; however, the Kuntaw stylist can keep this one stick shifting between one hand and the other, moving so unpredictably that a shield carried by a foe is rendered useless against the stick. At 6th level, a Kuntaw stylist enjoys the same advantage with a nunchaku. A Kuntaw stylist of 4th level or higher can jam the stick against an enemy's neck and armpit, levering the foe into a helpless, prone position. This, again, is rolled for as if the enemy was unarmored, but it can only be used if the Kuntaw stylist has only one foe before him. Also, this technique fails if the intended victim excels the Kuntaw stylist in strength, dexterity, and experience level. All Kuntaw stylists learn the "Instant Stand" technique before reaching 5th level (Oriental Adventures, page 104). A 10th-level Kuntaw stylist gains a ki power called "Sinking the Roots." This power is usable once daily for a duration of five rounds, with an added round for each further experience level, but never exceeding 15 rounds. When using this power, the Kuntaw Master effectively becomes four times as heavy as his normal weight with regard to being pushed or pulled by any outside force. Armor class is unchanged, but overbearing attacks and leg sweeps are rendered ineffective. The user of this power can still move, though not at a top-speed run. If someone is trying to move a Kuntaw Master who is using this ki power to resist, the Kuntaw Master can stop resisting at will by dispelling the power or merely by moving, thus causing the enemy to topple as if from a released rope in tug-of-war. Sinking the Roots can also be helpful in other situations, such as in walking against a powerful wind. The Alipang style uses unarmed combat techniques resembling karate in Oriental Adventures. Practitioners use a single stick for sinawali, exactly as in the Kuntaw style; however, when an Alipang stylist attains the rank of Escrima Master, he is also able to perform sinawali with a parang or similar short sword.

Every Alipang escrimador is able to detect outdoor traps and snares as a thief of equal level can, and each will, at some time before Master level, acquire a proficiency in constructing such traps. Another skill usual for Alipang stylists is the construction of temporary camouflaged shelters like hunters' blinds. Concealment inside these structures gives benefits equivalent to magical invisibility

Distinctive ki powers are as follows: Once a day, if an Alipang stylist succeeds in killing, putting to flight, or rendering helpless an opponent of equal or higher level, without assistance and without suffering any damage, he enjoys a boost in confidence. Thus, for a period equal to the character's charisma score in melee rounds, he gains + 1 on his "to hit" probability in any combat (which becomes + 2 at the rank of Escrima Master). This advantage, once activated, cannot be saved for later use, but if an Alipang stylist has no reason to expect further combat soon after one particular victory, it can be ruled that the ki power was not activated.

If an Alipang stylist of 5th level or higher wounds an opponent with an edged weapon, the opponent must save vs. spells (at + 1 if the victim is an escrimador or + 3 if he is a fellow Alipang stylist) or suffer a delusion that he has sustained double the actual damage. (After one successful save, no additional saving throw is needed for that combat.) If such imaginary damage causes the victim to fall to zero hit points or below, though the actually hit-point loss leaves the victim with 1 hp or more, he falls unconscious for 1-3 melee rounds.

If PC monks make contact with escrimadores, a DM could allow them to learn some escrima techniques, just as the famed movie martial artist Bruce Lee learned Filipino fighting in addition to Chinese kung-fu. The real value of escrimadores, however, is as NPCs. After all, the spirit of fantasy involves not only being different sorts of people, but meeting different sorts of people. The escrimador class is sufficiently monklike to fit into the Oriental campaign, but different enough to give a unique flavor to part of the world of Kara-Tur.

top of page

This page and its contents are presented solely for the purpose of the RPG game events conducted by a private group. Any references to people or places is explicitly within the context of these RPG games and has no connection to any other similarly named source.