Like the brawler, many martial artists make a living as hired muscle or professional prizefighters. A few are highly trained close-combat specialists reserved for special tactics units in standard military or police forces. The typical martial artist doesn't really care about his profession: the pursuit of perfection in his chosen art is all that concerns him true aesthetics might live in poverty and squalor or roam the Verge as homeless vagabonds—despite the fact that their skills ought command thousands of credits in the right place.

In the Verge: A new order of martial artists has formed in the wastes of the Hammer's Star system. Touting brutal physical combat and survival skills, the Order of the Black Tiger has attracted a small following loyal to Jessrin ‘the Grand Master’ Mirison. This old human claims to have seen a vision of the system's invaders and supposedly teaches ways to stun the alien klicks with an unarmed attack.

The Martial Artist is a student of one or more martial arts disciplines. To the Martial Artist, these disciplines represent more than self-defense and combat expertise. The training includes a profound philosophy that teaches restraint and humility. The Martial Artist works to master her mind as well as her body, attuning both to work in harmony through the techniques she has learned. A Martial Artist might develop her combat skills and philosophy to aid her career as an agent or a law enforcer, or she might become an independent operative whose entire person is a weapon. No matter what career she chooses to pursue, she possesses confidence, commitment, and the means to get the job done.

Select this advanced class if you want your character to become a master of unarmed combat or melee fighting with exotic weapons.

The fastest path into this advanced class is from the Strong hero basic class, though other paths are possible.

To qualify to become a Martial Artist, a character must fulfill the following criteria.

Base Attack Bonus: +3.

Skill: Jump 3 ranks.

Feats: Combat Martial Arts, Defensive Martial Arts.

Hit Die: 1d8

Action Points: 6 + one-half character level, rounded down, every time the martial artist attains a new level in this class.

The Martial Artist’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:

Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Move Silently (Dex), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

The following features pertain to the Martial Artist advanced class.

The Martial Artist attacks with either fist interchangeably, or even with elbows, knees, and feet. This means that the Martial Artist may even make unarmed strikes when his or her hands are full, and there is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a Martial Artist striking unarmed.

The Martial Artist also deals more damage with unarmed strikes. At 1st level, the martial artist deals 1d6 points of damage with an unarmed strike. At 4th level, damage increases to 1d8. At 8th level, it increases to 1d10.

This is an increase to Combat Martial Arts damage; this has no effect on Brawl.

Starting at 2nd level, a Martial Artist can use a charge to deliver a devastating flying kick to an opponent. At the end of this charge, the martial artist adds his or her class level as a bonus to the damage he or she deals with an unarmed strike.

At 3rd, 6th, and 9th level, the Martial Artist gets a bonus feat. The bonus feat must be selected from the following list, and the Martial Artist must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.

Acrobatic, Advanced Combat Martial Arts, Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Combat Reflexes, Combat Throw, Elusive Target, Exotic Melee Weapon Proficiency, Improved Combat Throw, Improved Combat Martial Arts, Unbalance Opponent

At 5th level, a Martial Artist gains the ability to spend 1 action point to increase the damage he or she deals to a single opponent with a single unarmed strike. The martial artist declares the use of the action point after making a successful unarmed strike. The result of the action point roll is added to the damage roll for that attack.

At 10th level, this ability improves. The Martial Artist now adds the result of the action point roll to all successful attacks he or she makes in a round.

At 7th level, a Martial Artist gains the ability to strike with a flurry of blows at the expense of accuracy. The Martial Artist must be unarmored to use this talent, and he or she must make unarmed strikes to gain the benefit. With a flurry of blows, the Martial Artist may make one extra attack in a round at his or her highest base attack bonus. This attack and each other attack made in the round take a –2 penalty. This ability can only be used when taking the full attack action. The penalty applies to all attacks for one full round, including attacks of opportunity.