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Strife of the Chess-Boxer: it is said that battles are often won before any every step foot on the battlefield. Planning and foresight often carry a warrior farther than mere strength of arms. So it is with those martial artists that have mastered the Strife of the Chess-Boxer. Said to have first been developed by a martial artist known only as “The Genius,” a warrior who was part of a legendary group of heroes known as the 36 Chambers. Together with his brother, The Razor, the Genius was the first to use this martial art to great effect. Foresight, planning, strategy, all are incorporated into the style, such that masters of this strife seem to predict what an opponent will do and act accordingly. Practitioners of the Strife of the Chess-Boxer are a loosely affiliated organization with no real organized dojos or training halls. Rather, a master will take perhaps a handful of students at most, though usually one, and personally oversee their instruction. While the techniques seem relatively simple to learn, they can take lifetimes to master and apply, as the amount of math involved is staggering. Practitioners of the Strife of the Chess-Boxer learn to use statistical and probability models to predict what a given foe or group of foes will do and act in the most efficient manner. A true master of the Strife will wage a thousand battles in their mind before raising a fist. Stylistically, the Strife of the Chess-Boxer has no overarching focus, leaving less focus on what “type” of strike and focusing on the “where.” Application of force at the proper point is paramount within Chess-Boxing, while calculating “when” is just as important. A hybrid martial art, the Strife of the Chess-Boxer draws a real-life parallel with pressure point control tactics, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, ba gua, aikido, and krav maga.

Strife of the Chess-Boxer: Greater Strife- this style disallows weapons with it Advance Pawns- an adept of the Strife of the Chess-Boxer is trained when and where to place their blows at the point they will do the most damage. Millions of calculations go through an adept’s mind, and any foe foolish enough to engage them will find their greatest weaknesses exposed to the myriad calculations of the adept. The adept’s unarmed attacks use intelligence as their modifier and are treated as magical weapons that do 1d10 damage. In addition, if an adept chooses to wait until the end of the turn to attack, and an enemy has attacked them, their attack deals maximum damage to that enemy En Passant- to an adept, position is just as important as timing. Practitioners of this martial art use strange mathematics and space altering techniques to warp the space between themselves and an enemy. The adept commits effort for the scene as an action and chooses an enemy within 30 feet. If that enemy can see the adept, they must immediately make a spirit save or switch places with them. The adept is automatically freed from any bindings or shackles, though those of from a gift or magical origin require effort to be committed for the day Sacrifice the Exchange- take a hit to make a hit. In the great game of chess, sacrifices are sometimes necessary to create the greatest of advantages. Once per scene as an action, the adept may commit effort for the scene and target a creature that has inflicted hit point damage on them in the previous round. If that creature is in melee range, they suffer the same amount of damage inflicted upon the adept in the previous round. Worthy foes can make an evasion save to halve the damage, rounded up Castle- sacrifice movement for defense. When the need for defense arises, the adept will withdraw himself, becoming rooted in the earth to apply a constant to the world around them, allowing them to calculate for any and all possible avenues of attack. As an Instant action, the Adept can choose to forgo their next turn to negate one physical attack. This defense does not apply to environmental hazards, spells, or non-physical forms of harm, and may only be applied once per scene. Break the Formation- dispel an enemy gift. The tactical is so honed that any defense brought before them may as well be paper. As an on turn (smite) action, the adept may commit effort for the scene to offensively dispel another gift for a round Checkmate- Dictate foe’s next action. Masters of the Strife of the Chess Boxer are so skilled in their powers of observation and planning that they offer a foe only one avenue of action. Deviation from this view of reality causes terrible damage as a result of karmic feedback. As a (smite) action, the adept commits effort for the scene and chooses a foe in sight. The adept then dictates the foes next action in one sentence. For foes with multiple actions, this technique only applies to the first action. If the foe deviates from this course of action, the adept’s next attack against them is read straight. Worthy foes receive a spirit save to resist

Lesser Strife of the Chess-Boxer Initiate: the unarmed attacks of the initiate are treated as weapons that deal 1d6 damage, and the initiate is treated as having a helpful fact when it comes to strategy Disciple: if an attack hits them and deals damage, the disciple can make an attack against that enemy as an instant action once per scene. As an instant action, a Disciple can forgo their next 2 turns to ignore the next instance of physical damage Master: the masters unarmed attacks now deal 1d8 damage, and can dispel any low magic by committing effort for the day as an action as an action



Sample Master: Senator Gaius Marius, commander of the 7th Legion of Patria. Gaius Marius is perhaps one of the most brilliant men in Patria. A career military man, Gaius Marius rose through the ranks, starting as a rank and file legionnaire to a general through his cunning, ruthlessness, and skill at arms. A master tactician and a veteran of over a hundred engagements, Gaius Marius was said to wield his troops as well as a blademaster might wield a sword.

Yet for all his accomplishments, Gaius has set his sights higher, for his ambitions know no bounds. Recently elected a senator, Gaius Marius has transitioned into another type of battlefield, though one no lesser treacherous and possessed of its own great dangers, but Gaius has ambitions. He will be Emperor, and he will stop at nothing to realize this dream.

Gaius has mastered the Strife of the Chess-Boxer, and this mastery carried him through much of his military career. More than one foe on the battlefield has fallen to his skills, and if the rumors are true, perhaps even a few political rivals. His vast intelligence and experience have given him almost supernatural ability, granting him the Words of Knowledge and Command, and he can commit effort to automatically save as a Godbound would.

Gaius Marius- AC: 3 regalia armor Hit Dice: 20 Attack: +10×3 Damage: 1d10 strike straight Move 30’ run Save: 5+ Morale: 10 Effort: 6. Can act 2 times per round