| Qi Techniques One of the characteristics of the WuXia genre is that WuXia often have near superhuman, or outright superhuman abilities that they have gained through special training. At the lower level these will take the form of special weapons maneuvers, superhuman leaping abilities, the ability to ignore damage, and a whole host of other minor powers mostly related to martial arts. At the higher level, they can gain control over the elements themselves, over life and death, and the power to destroy battlestations the size of a small moon....err....the power to defeat armies singlehandedly. Generally speaking, these abilities are powered by "Qi", the lifeforce energy that flows through all living things, and are actually the result of manipulation of this Qi energy. Even when WuXia are affecting inanimate objects, they are doing so by using their Qi to alter the state of matter of the object or to give it qualities like imparting kinetic energy upon it. Through the use of Qi, a wooden stick can for an instant become as strong as steel, a piece of silk can become as sharp as the sharpest razor, and a kicked rock can travel with the velocity of a bullet. These are all examples of Qi being used to manipulate the physical world, and in Chinese and Japanese fantasy fiction the examples of this are innumerable. When the hero pulls his cloak over himself and the heroine to defend them, the cloak protects them not because it's made of some special material, but because he's using his Qi to make it into something as hard as steel for just that instant. Of course, this isn't easy, which is one of the things that separates Chinese WuXia from Western Superheros (at least at the lower and mid levels), using Qi takes a lot of energy and skill, and the effects are normally very short term or limited. You will note in the above examples the wooden stick and cloak I mention are both like steel, but only for a moment...just long enough to be used to block an attack (and usually only a specific attack the owner is focussed on) before returning to normal. A swordsman or archer will channel Qi through their weapon to make it twice as deadly or powerful, but the effect will only last for that single strike or series of attacks. So, breaking it down, the general characteristics of Qi using "techniques" (as they are usually called) are: -They only provide short-term effects when used on the outside world. -They can provide longer-term effects on living things. -They require a lot of skill to use. -They often require concentration to use. -Their power level is moderated by the "Qi level" (sometimes called "Level of Spiritual Development") of the user. -Each type of effect is generally a separately learned technique that took a lot of training or study to master. -They require a lot of energy to use, and often take a lot out of the user. -They often require a real world physical focus (sword, scarf, hand, spoon, leaf, etc) to act as a medium. -Those techniques which don't require a focus will be much harder to use than those that do. -Soft Martial Artists generally learn them better/faster than Hard Martial Artists (see Article) -Once you learn how to use a particular "type" of Qi technique, learning variations on it isn't difficult. -The more you learn, the easier it becomes overall. -"Mental" techniques like "reading minds" or "controlling the will of others" are extremely rare. (and known only by Villians in most WuXia fiction) Now, what does this mean for HERO GM's who are starting a WuXia campaign? How do you use them, and what do you allow? Also, how are they different from "Magic"? Well, I'm sure most HERO GMs already have the wheels in their heads turning as they look at the above list, they are mentally converting that information into a series of advantages and disadvantages which they will use for their campaign. The reason I chose to list them like that above without connecting them to hero first is that like "magic" in most Fantasy Hero campaigns, "Qi" techniques are actually one of those things that I think most GMs will want to play with and style to their own tastes. What follows below, however, is my own thoughts and recommendations on the subject. Of course, when I talk about this I am talking about a "mid level" WuXia campaign, where Qi is more than just a better way to do a few tricks, but not enough to make one a God. -They only provide short-term effects when used on the outside world. Obviously this means most or all effects are "instant" in HERO terms, few powers should produce results that last more than a few actions on the SPD chart. Of course, the effects of Qi manipulation on the real world can sometimes produce real results which will last longer, but the "power" effect should generally only last one action at most. -They can provide longer-term effects on living things. Qi can be used to provide temporary boosts to abilities (Aids to STR or DEX, for example), let the user make huge leaps (see article), have iron-hard skin (rPD/rED requiring concentration, an activation roll, or maybe costing END.) heal yourself or others (although WuXia healing tends to "speed up" healing rather than cure it outright like Western magic, so Aids to REC, or perhaps Regeneration/Healing with a Delayed Effect of a few days or hours would be useful), paralyze people by disrupting their nervous system (Transform to Paralysis, or STR/DEX Drain with a slow return), or even rob someone of their ability to use Qi altogether! (Generally a Transform or Suppress, but GMs are advised not to allow it normally, this sort of thing is a major villain maneuver.) -They require a lot of skill to use. Qi use should generally require a roll of some kind to reflect the skill involved in doing it, these abilities are rarely a sure thing. Skill rolls, activation rolls, it's up to the GM, and depends on what ability is being simulated. -They often require concentration to use. Many Qi techniques require concentration (and extra time) to perform, and ones which last for long periods of time often require a little bit of concentration to maintain. Suggestions include "1/2 DCV concentration throughout" (-1/2), or "Power turns off if user takes STUN" (-1/2) to reflect the delicate nature of Qi techniques. After all, these are humans tapping into the abilities of primal forces, and it requires a lot of effort and focus to do it unless you are extremely good. It's very common in WuXia stories for characters to "break another's focus" as a way to make them lose control of a Qi technique, often with a rock or other small object thrown by a villian. -Their power level is moderated by the "Qi level" (sometimes called "Level of Spiritual Development") of the user. In HERO this will usually be reflected by Active Point caps, and if the campaign allows the PCs to use multipowers (which I suggest), it will be the rank of the multipower itself that will represent the character's ability to wield Qi. Some techniques may only be learnable at a minimum level, and the PCs will simply have to reach that level to wield them instead of having a "lesser version" of that ability. Also, GMs may consider not allowing PCs to go above the initial AP caps, or raise the multipower's reserve cost unless they actually say they engage in active development of that ability. Characters in WuXia stories tend to make jumps in power rather than go up slowly, so the GM could set a minimum number of XPs which must be earned before the character can "go up to the next level", say "5,10 or even 20pts" (5 is recommended). This should prevent characters from just dumping all their points into their multipowers or Qi abilities at the end of each session and reflect slower rates of development. Another way to control "level" is to make Qi abilities run off an END reserve, and control the size of the reserve as a way of limiting their ability to use Qi powers. Also, as a general note, a Master will almost never teach a Qi Technique to a student who is not spiritually "ready" to handle it in their estimation. Simply put, this means that even though a character desperately wants a technique, they simply can't find anyone to teach it to them, and must wait if the GM wants them to, or doesn't want to let them have it right now. -Each type of effect is generally a separately learned technique that took a lot of training or study to master. Just because they have the XP to buy a technique, doesn't mean they could figure out how to do it without guidance and teaching by someone more advanced than them. It can and will take time to learn new abilities, and the GM should not feel bad about making the PCs quest to find someone who can teach them those skills. Yes, an "Inventing" roll could be made to develop it on their own, maybe at 8<, once a week, and with other modifiers involved, such as -1 per 5 active points in the power they are trying to "invent", but with bonuses for time increments (+1 per extra increment taken) and other factors such as research and the amount of time they are devoting to it each day. Another approach is for a GM to require all "new" Qi Techniques have a minimum level of disadvantages (If the campaign required a minimum of -1 worth normally during character creation, then say -3 minimum when new abilities are first bought once play has begun.) they have to bought with to start, perhaps from a limited list. (ie Charges, RSR, Increase END, Side Effects, etc) These disadvantages would be bought off over the course of play as the PC gains experience and can afford to get rid of them. This is a good alternative to letting the players use Multipowers to make buying new Techniques easier, since with a -3 disadvantage level, the Techniques will be pretty cheap to start with! Then they can become more effective and easy to use as the character "gains experience", and buys off the extra disadvantages. -They require a lot of energy to use, and often take a lot out of the user. Generally WuXia don't tend to use Qi Techniques except when they need to or have to, this is a reflection that power almost never comes without a cost. It is actually recommended that Qi Techniques be bought with one of a) Uses Long Term Endurance (-1/2), b) Increased END, c)Charges/day, or d) an END reserve with REC that recovers over a day or more. -They often require a real world physical focus (sword, scarf, hand, spoon, leaf, etc) to act as a medium. Most Qi Techniques which are based on using objects (excluding one's own body parts, obviously) should be bought as the power with the Obvious Inaccessible Focus limitation (-1/2). For example, a Sword technique would be bought OIF(Swords), which represents that the user can do this with ANY sword (of the type they are trained in), not just a single particular sword. An Obvious Accessible Focus is one which can be easily taken away and not easily replaced, but a swordsman, in this case, could do his technique with any sword he gets off the battlefield. So, if he loses one, he could just grab another. If the power was bought with OAF(Swords), then the power would only be usable with a single sword or a very rare type of sword which is not easily replaceable. (Hattori Hanzo swords, for example.) Without that type of sword, the power is nigh useless, or only usable in a more limited way. (Up to the GM.) This is one of the areas where the GM is going to have to use a lot of discretion, because part of the meaning of "focus" is that it can be taken away or the power is useless without it. If the player wants to have a Killing Attack and make it OIF(Any weapon) then the GM is going to have to make a call on whether that definition is too broad. In general it's a good idea to have the player explain exactly what the technique is and does, and work out the advantages and limitations from there. If the player wants to be able to use it with a very broad category of objects, the GM may even want to lower the value of the limitation to -1/4 or even -0 depending on how limited it really is. If the player can do it with any piece of cloth, then how is it limiting to have that limitation? In that case, I would probably only let it be a -1/4 because clothes are just too common, and characters are very rarely unable to get access to them. -Those techniques which don't require a focus will be much harder to use than those that do. If characters want to utilize energy in it's purest form, say elemental forms like fireballs or lightning bolts, then they are going to have to put forth a lot more effort to do them. These abilities are rare, difficult, and usually reserved for masters only. If players are allowed to do them, it is highly recommended that they are difficult in some way to do, or have very high energy costs to perform. Charges, Costs Long Term END, and Increased END are all suggested limitations, usually above and beyond the normal energy costs or limitations for abilities in the campaign. -Soft Martial Artists generally learn them better/faster than Hard Martial Artists See article HERE. -Once you learn how to use a particular "type" of Qi technique, learning variations on it isn't difficult. For some abilities the GM may consider "variable limitation" or "variable advantage", and allow a skill roll to determine whether the character can manipulate the Qi Technique on the fly. Or, the GM may just require a more difficult skill roll to temporarily produce a variation of an ability they already possess. -The more you learn, the easier it becomes overall. This is linked with the last one, and is the reason I actually recommend using Multipowers as a way to allow characters to have an economical way to slowly build up a repetoire of Qi techniques and other special techniques they can use in combat. Qi is usually presented as being like a "muscle" that is developed, and learned to use in new ways. Another aspect of this point is that as they gain more experience and learn how to understand and use Qi more effectively they will learn new powers quicker and faster when they are taught to them, and have an easier time "inventing" new uses of their abilities. This could be expressed by the GM cutting down learning times from years>months>weeks> to even hours, or by allowing the character's "inventing" roll to slowly go up from the base 8< suggested above. (In fact a character's "inventing" roll could instead be based on something like the total AP of points in Qi Techniques/10 for example to reflect that as they become more powerful they will be able to develop their own abilities quicker and more creatively. Or gain a bonus to the 8< roll based on the AP of points in Techniques.) -"Mental" techniques like "reading minds" or "controlling the will of others" are extremely rare. (and known only by Villians in most WuXia fiction) GM should either forbid to strictly control most EGO powers, and perhaps limit them to NPCs. Generally the only mental power common to WuXia fiction is the ability to sense other Martial Artists, often telling where others are, how powerful they are, and often who they are. This of course is a "detect" ability, and not an EGO power to begin with. |