Consider that which exists to exist and that which does not exist to not exist, and recognize things just as they are. With such a frame of mind, one will have divine protection even though he does not pray.- Hojo Nagauji (1432-1519)

   The base that all characters are built on in the campaign is 75 points. An additional 75 points are allowed for disadvantages. Up to 25 points may be taken in a single category of disadvantage.
   In order to prevent the campaign from getting out of hand as the characters grow, we will be instituting the limits appropriate for heroic martial arts campaigns, to wit:

 

Ability	Range	Limit
Damage (DC)  Defense (PD)  Skill Rolls  OCV  DEX  SPD	6-8  6-8  13-14  9-12  15-20  3-4	10  10  16-  13  23  5

    These limits describe the range in which the characters' abilities must normally lie. A character may buy a single ability at the limit. All remaining abilities must fall in the recommended range. Only characters that are considered non-combatant should consider abilities less than the lower end of the range.
    The limits apply to normal, continuous statistics. Things such as pushing or receiving a strength boost from the party's shugenja should not be counted in these limits. For example, a character who likes using a tetsubo could potentially, under the rules, combine a STR+4d6 strike and +2 DC levels with an art to give 12d6 damage with a tetsubo. This is not allowable. However, a character with a 10d6 attack that could be increased by pushing his strength or an aid would be permissible.

Without knowledge of Learning, one will ultimately have no military victories. - Imagawa Sadayo (1325-1420)

    All PCs (and most NPCs) that hail from Mythic Nippon can be assumed to have free familiarity (8-, unless otherwise stated) with the following skills:
 
Climbing
Concealment
Conversation
Deduction
Shadowing
Stealth
4 points of language with Nipponese
Area Knowledge: Nippon, 8-
Area Knowledge: Home Province 11-
1 point literacy with katakana
1 point skill appropriate to social class (see the skills by social class section.)
    If the character does not hail from Mythic Nippon, consult with the GM to see if there are any appropriate alterations.

The man whose profession is arms should calm his mind and look into the depths of others. Doing so is likely the best of the martial arts. - Shiba Yoshimasa (1350-1410)

    As one might guess, a variety of martial arts techniques are fully appropriate for any remotely martial character in the Mythic Nippon setting. However, this is not a strict historical accuracy. Some of the arts that are allowed were not yet used in the era of historical Japan that Mythic Nippon is based on. However, some attempt has been made to make the available martial arts primarily Japanese in flavor.
    The following arts are allowed in the Mythic Nippon setting from Ninja Hero and The Ultimate Martial Artist.
 
Aiki-Jutsu (Aikido with the defensive strike maneuver and staff and sword weapon elements.)
Bojutsu / Jojutsu
Jujutsu
Karate / Kobo-Jutsu
Kenjutsu
Kung Fu (primarily for Budoka and Monks)
Kyujutsu (primarily for samurai and sohei)
Naginatajutsu / Sojutsu (primarily Buke women and Ashigaru)
Ninjutsu (aka Taijutsu, primarily for ninja characters.)
Saijutsu (primarily for Budoka and Yakuza)
Shurikenjutsu (primarily for ninja)
Sumo (primarily for Yakuza or wrestler type characters.)
    Those who wish to use other arts must either justify why they would have that art (if it is a foreign art), or make up their own style that mimics the art in question but is more justifiable. For example, a budoka might have traveled to far off lands and learned Tai Kick Boxing or Escrima. The GM might require that the character take the traveler skill modifier or take a contact with a sensei who traveled to far off lands as part of this justification.
    Some of the fictional arts in UMA that are appropriate for the campaign are:
 
Dancing Spider
Glorious Lotus
Red Banner (sorry, NPCs only)
Resplendent Dragon (again, primarily for Budoka and Monks)
Shining Jade
Splendid Fist (especially for Buke)
Taijutsu variants (for ninja)
Takijutsu
Way of the Silver Shield

     Many maneuvers that appear in different arts that are mechanically the same. For example, the side or spin kick in karate and the slashing stroke in kenjutsu are both examples of the offensive strike maneuver. Though visually different, the UMA provides the practitioner to use the maneuver in the manner of either art without buying the maneuver twice if the practitioner has the KS skill for both arts at 11-.
    However, this may allow an experienced practitioner in one art to learn another art incredibly rapidly. Accordingly, I am instituting the following house rule to make the acquisition of a second art a bit more reasonable.
    A character is limited in the acquisition of the KS for a style to 1 character point per adventure. Further, a character cannot exceed the number of cp in style KS over the number of maneuvers he has purchased in an art until he becomes a proficient practitioner (i.e., 10 points worth of maneuvers).
    For more information on combining maneuvers from 2 styles, see pages 14-15 in the Ultimate Martial Artist.

    Characters in Mythic Nippon receive literature as an everyman skill. There is a catch, though. If you do not spend at least one point of familiarity in KS: calligraphy, the character is only familiar with Katakana, the basic script used by Heimin in letters, contracts, and signposts.
    If a character has a 1 point familiarity in Calligraphy, they are familiar with Hiragana, a more refined scripts used for classical works, Shinto religious documents, etc.
    Characters who have a full KS is Calligraphy are assumed to be familiar with Kanji. Unlike the lower scripts, Kanji uses an immense array of Chinese pictrograms. This alphabet is used for official documents, Buddhist religious texts, and certain literary works.

    The deep social divisions that exist in Mythic Nippon mean that certain skills are most appropriate to certain social classes. Players who want to take skills outside of the social caste that their character belongs to should offer a good explanation or refrain from doing so.
    Ninjas often have skills appropriate to other classes in order to pull off their secondary identities, but must take the "secret identity" disadvantage in order to have this option open to them. Ninja characters with the secret identity disadvantage should pick another social classes skills and take a number of appropriate skills.

Buke Skills:
    These skills are primarily appropriate for members of the Buke class, though some of the more martial skills such as mon (heraldry) may be appropriate to Ashigaru, at the GM's option. Many of these skills are very much NOT martial in nature, but fine arts. Martial skills were important in historical Japan, but a man shows refinement of his "Hara" (spirit) if the honing of fine arts and classical knowledge.
 

Acting  Breakfall  Conversation  Fast Draw (talent)  High Society  KS: Acting  KS: Calligraphy  KS: Classical Japanese Literature  KS: Divination  KS: Formal Dance  KS: Gardening  KS: Go  KS: Hawking

KS: Mon (heraldry)  KS: Music  KS: Painting  KS: Poetry (haiku)  KS: Siege Warfare  KS: Tea Ceremony  KS: Woodcut Art  Paramedic  PS: Sensei (teacher)  Tactics  Weaponsmith  WF: Common Melee weapons

 
Gakusho (Priest) Skills
 
 

Acrobatics  Breakfall  Climbing  Contortionist  Conversation  KS: Calligraphy  KS: Classical Literature (Chinese for Buddhist,       Japanese for Shinto)  KS: Dance (Sacred)  KS: Doctor / Chinese Healing

KS: Gardening  KS: Music  KS: Poetry  KS: Theology (Buddhism or Shinto)  Oratory  Paramedic  Stealth  Survival  WF: Staff

 
Heimin (commoner) Skills
 
 

Climbing  Concealment  KS: Assess value  KS: Popular Dance  KS: Gardening  Paramedic  PS: Craftsman (specify)  PS: Farmer

PS: Fisherman  PS: Hunter  PS: Woodsman  Survival  Tracking  Trading  WF: Karate Weapons (at GM's option)

 
Yakuza Skills
    Technically, most Yakuza saw their origin in the Hieman class, though the occasional unlucky Ronin saw their way into the Yakuza. However, those of upper class view those who produce nothing by their own handiwork as below other Heimin. Shopkeepers were regarded as being lower on the social ladder than craftsmen and farmers, and Yakuza, gangsters and racketeers, were regarded as being even lower. However, Yakuza make their own status in the cities were they operate, out of fear and loathing.
    Many Yakuza come from Hiemin backgrounds and may take skills accordingly. However, those involved in the Yakuza have a slightly different core selection of skills:
 
 

Climbing  Concealment  Forgery  Gambling  Lockpicking  KS: Massage  Language: Yakuza Dialect

Sleight of Hand  Stealth  Streetwise  Trading  WF: Swords/Blades  WF: Karate Weapons  WF: Thrown Knife

 
Ninja Skills:
    Ninja are among the most feared and despised entities in Mythic Nippon. However, what they lack in invitations to the latest party, they make up for in their array of unconventional and useful skills. As discussed earlier, Ninja also typically have the skills of another social class appropriate to their alternate identity.
 
 

Acrobatics  Breakfall  Climbing  Concealment  Contortionist  Conversation  Disguise  Fast Draw (talent)  High Society  Inventor (ninja gimmickry)  KS: Cartography  KS: Chinese Healing  KS: Toxicology  KS: Chemistry (yogen)  Language: Ninja Clan codes and symbols  Lockpicking

Paramedic  Riding  Security Systems  Seduction  Sleight of Hand  Stealth  Survival  Tracking  Weaponsmith  WF: Common Martial Arts Melee Weapons  WF: Common Melee Weapons  WF: Common Missile Weapons  WF: Blowgun  WF: Fukami-Bari  WF: Garotte

 
 

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Students of the Ichi school Way of strategy should train from the start with the sword and long sword in either hand. This is a truth: when you sacrifice your life, you must make fullest use of your weaponry. It is false not to do so, and to die with a weapon yet undrawn. - Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645)


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    As described in Ninja Hero and UMA, taking WF: Off-hand allows the character a +1 DCV vs. melee attacks when fighting with a weapon in an off hand.
    There is an additional advantage if the character has both the WF: Off-hand and Ambidexterity. If the character makes a sweep attack, instead of taking a +1 DCV, the character may take a +1 OCV with a sweep attack. If the second weapon is smaller, every other attack that hits uses the smaller weapon's damage.

    The basic HERO System  and Fantasy Hero rules provide a penalty to a character's DCV for wearing heavy armor (see page 150 of the HERO System Rulebook). The character may offset this by buying combat levels in armor. It is normally only permissible to buy 2 point combat levels for +1 OCV with a single action. In this campaign, characters are allowed to buy 2 point levels that add to DCV only to offset DCV penalties incurred by armor.
    In addition to the DCV penalties incurred by armor, page 190 of the Ultimate Martial Artist provides for a -1 to -3 OCV penalty when using armor with martial arts maneuvers. A general guideline to what penalties are appropriate to what maneuvers and what armor types is as follows:
 
Basic OCV Penalties by Maneuver Types:

DCV Mod	Maneuver Type:
-1 -2  -3	Grabs, Throws, and Weapon Maneuvers Most other maneuvers Kicks and FMove or Half-move maneuvers

Modifiers by Armor Type:

DCV Mod	Maneuver Type:
+1 -1	Leather or Partial Chain Armor Full Ashigaru / Samurai Armor*

* - This armor is lamellar or plate armor providing a rPD of 5 or more to a location.
The final total must fall between 0 and -3.

    The UMA provides the "use style in armor" element to offset these penalties. Under this campaign, having this element halves (round down) the OCV penalty associated with armor. Kenjutsu and naginatajutsu / sojutsu automatically have this element for free. Other arts may take this as a 1-point element.

Fringe Benefit: Social Status


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No matter whether a person belongs to the upper or lower ranks, if he has not put his life on the line at least once he has cause for shame. - Nabeshima Naoshige (1538-1618)


---

    Social status is a very important distinction in Mythic Nippon. If you do not take a perk regarding your social status, your character is considered to be a member of the lower classes: Heimin (commoners), Yakuza, Ninja, or Eta.
    For priests (including Yamabushi and Sohei / Warrior-Monks), the 2-point Perk: Priest is appropriate. This identifies the character as a member of the sanctioned clergy. The priest is entitled to food and lodging in a community that sanctions the religion, and can perform ceremonies such as marriage.
    For Buke (Samurai, Ronin, and lower nobility), the character must take the 3 point perk "Buke." This allows the characters to carry traditional weapons openly, as well as kiritsugomen, the right of member of the Buke to slay a member of the lower classes without fear of reprisals. Also, only Buke are allowed to legally declare blood feuds or duels.
    Members of the Buke may also buy the 2 point perk "member of the lower nobility." The 5 point perk "member of the upper nobility" makes a character a member of the Kuge, an imperial courtier.
    Ashigaru - Bushi of Hiemin origin - were occasionally allowed to carry weapons, but did so only at their lord's pleasure. In times of peace, lords will frequently disarm (and possibly discharge) any Ashigaru in their retainer to quell any chance of rebellion. Ashigaru typically strive to perform deeds to elevate themselves to Buke status. Players who wish their characters to be warriors who may wield weapons but not members of the Buke may take the 1 point perk: Ashigaru. This perk in no way entitled them to kill other members of the lower classes, and the weapon privileges they held could be revoked at a moment's notice. They were not typically allowed to wield the Katana and Wakazashi, but usually wielded yari (spears) and pole-arms.
    One major note here: In historical Japan, should a Heimin slay a Buke, even in self-defense, that Hiemin was accountable for murder. This is not strictly the case in Mythic Nippon; any person who is attacked can defend themselves. Anyone who is capable can earn their right to life and freedom by way of combat.

    A new talent, Lightning Reflexes, appears in a recent HERO supplement, and is presented here for use in the Rising Sun campaign.

Lightning Reflexes
    Fast Draw is as useful in street-level campaigns as it is in any other relatively low-powered, low-point campaign. However, its usefulness is often limited, because it doesn't apply to situations where two characters already have their weapons drawn, but don't have the same DEX. In those cases, the character with the highest DEX always goes first. As an optional rule, GMs can allow PCs to purchase Lightning Reflexes allows a character to act before other characters with higher DEXs.
    A character with Lightning Reflexes has an increased effective Dexterity only for the purposes of acting earlier in a phase. Each +2 Lightning Reflexes for all actions costs 3 points. Each +1 Lightning Reflexes for a single action or attack costs 1 point.
    A character with a base Dexterity of 18 and +4 Lightning Reflexes (Total effective Dexterity 18 + 4 = 22), would act before a character with a base dexterity of 20.
    Lightning Reflexes does not affect combat value, figured characteristics, skill rolls, or characteristic rolls. It does not change the rate at which a character recovers from Dexterity Drains and Transfers.
    If the cost of a character's Dexterity would be affected by Normal Characteristic Maxima, then the cost of Lightning Reflexes would be effected as well. Double the cost for each point of Lightning Reflexes that brings a character's effective Dexterity over his Characteristic Maxima. A character with Normal Characteristic Maxima and a base Dexterity of 18, would pay 3 + (2 x 3) = 9 points for +4 Lighting Reflexes.
    Characters can have Lightning Reflexes that only effect a single action or maneuver. This action can include a specific weapon attack, maneuver, form of movement, power, or other capability. When such a character uses Lightning Reflexes to increase his effective Dexterity, he may only execute that specific action or maneuver and none other in that phase. So, if a character has +4 Lightning Reflexes that only work with his Defensive Strike, then he may only execute the Defensive Strike (no movement, acrobatics, etc.) in a phase where he uses the +4 effective Dexterity.
    Lightning Reflexes Cost: 3 points for +2 Lightning Reflexes for all actions. 1 Point for +1 Lightning Reflexes for a single action or maneuver.

Non-magic Powers

    Most of the powers in Mythic Nippon will be magical abilities. However, some abilities described in Ninja Hero are allowed in the Mythic Nippon campaign using the power system. These abilities, and a brief summary, are as follows:

Acrobatic defense: you can buy combat skill levels linked to your acrobatics skills. By making an acrobatics roll, you can pump up your defense value.

Acrobatic leaping: a character with the acrobatics may buy extra inches of leaping based on their acrobatics skill.

Analyze Style Aid: this aid is linked to the analyze style skill. It allows a character to study an opponent for weaknesses in their martial technique in order to improve their abilities against a studied opponent.

Breath control: this is a form of damage resistance (see below). By means of great physical disciple, the character can shrug of the effects of physical injury.

Chi Aid: This ability allows a characters to "focus their Chi" to enhance their physical characteristics. This is an Aid as described in Ninja Hero.

Coordinating skill levels: no, this has nothing to do with fashion. These are cheap combat skill levels that come from training with your team-mates, and can only be used by coordinating attacks with your team-mates.

Counterstrike: this is a special attack that you can automatically perform whenever you are hit.

Damage Reduction: this is the REAL reason AD&D characters have so many hit points. Damage reduction is for those hardy fighters, and allows you to shrug off a portion of all damage you take. Warning: it doesn't come cheap!

Damage Resistance: this lets you use your normal PD and ED against killing attacks. However, this can only be purchased for use against unarmed killing attacks.

Duress Skill levels: you can normally use skill levels at any time. Under this option, you may take some skill levels that cost you endurance that are cheaper to allow you fight above your normal capability.

Enhanced senses: very canny or aware characters may have certain enhanced senses. This is especially appropriate for special character concepts.

Kiai: This is the traditional samurai (or budoka) war-shout. It acts as an Aid that pumps up your PRE to help you intimidate opponents.

Lack of weakness: In case you missed it, there's an ability called "Find Weakness" that lets you cut through an opponent's defenses. This ability is the antithesis of that ability.

Mental defense: this is the ability to shrug off mental attacks.

Missile Deflection: Miss your first edition OA monk's ability to swat arrows aside like so many flies. He's baaack!

Special Attacks: this is the kind of neat-o thing you see in martial arts video games and cheesy martial arts flicks. This is things like whirlwind attacks, autofire attacks (think Taki's triple stab), armor piercing attacks and so-forth. You will have to have many points in combat levels and martial arts before I let you in on this one.

Targeting skill levels: If you like called shots this is the talent for you. These are cheap combat levels that can only be used for offsetting penalties to strike specific locations.

Throwing mastery: Anything harder or sharper than a nerf ball or a pastry is a deadly weapon as far as you are concerned.

    Under the Fantasy Hero system, a great variety of magic methodologies are possible. See the section on magical traditions for details on Shukenja, Priestly, and Ninja magic.

Psychological Limitations

    Mythic Nippon is rife with codes of honor, conduct, loyalty, and vengeance. Most characters will have all of the allowable 25 points of disadvantages. But that's okay. Most appropriate psychological disadvantages will serve to enhance the character's honor, which in turn can have positive effects. A player who wishes to play an extremely honorable character should not hesitate to take whatever psychological limitations are appropriate to the PC, even if they won't get a full amount of points.

    Some appropriate psychological disadvantages were presented in Ninja Hero and the Ultimate Martial Artist. In summary, they are:

Code of the Bushi (Common, total, 20 pts)

Code of the Buddhist Monk (Common, Strong, 15 pts)

Code of the Chinese Knight (Very Common, Total, 25 pts)

Code of Vengeance (Varies, Total, 15 - 25 pts)