Martial Philosophy
In any culture that relies on force of arms, whether it be for hunting, defense, conquering or purely sport, there exists techniques and fighting styles developed over time. Some are simplistic, devoted to fast, straightforward attacks, while others prefer range or finesse. Most fighting styles are a product of the practitioner's environment, and as such many famous forms of martial combat are known to others by the region they come from.
Some lands are known for producing strong, hearty warriors who rely on brute strength and savagery, often hailing from untamed wilds, plains, mountains and tundras. In areas with less open space and more structured civilization, fighting styles changed to graceful, indirect and precise attack motions to accommodate for the lack of open space and at times a need for "discretion".
Whatever the case, the Martial Philosophy is a broad term that covers many smaller philosophies devoted to a specific type of physical combat. The Martial Philosophy is practiced by combatants of all types regardless of style. Basic swordplay, unarmed fighting, ranged combat and practiced movement are all a part of the Martial Philosophy, and most seasoned warriors understand something about each method, although most choose to specialize at some point.
Powers within the Martial Philosophy are called Techniques.
Martial Disciplines
The Martial Philosophy is broken up into disciplines that represent different fighting styles, with each Martial Class gaining access to those disciplines that are appropriate to their training.
Brute
Training, patience, skill. Picking apart your opponent's defenses and anticipating their movements are important in a fight, but as any warrior will tell you: sometimes a giant, reckless, powerful swing into the frail body of your enemy works just as well. A fighter who trains in the Brute Discipline takes this to heart, preferring strong and dominating techniques, taking advantage of his aptitude for using power over precision. Powers in the Brute Discipline can come with some advantages. They typically favor larger weapons, and focus on dealing large amounts of damage in short amounts of time. A Practitioner of this fighting style has a habit of dealing critical damage more frequently than other disciplines, and combine effects such as Knockdown and Push Back with some attacks, allowing the Fighter to shape the battlefield to suit his needs.
Duelist
The Duelist is a type of Fighter who values precision, skill and active defense over brute force. Many duelists prefer lighter armor and wielding two weapons at once, overwhelming their opponents with dazzling displays of speed and swordsmanship. A Fighter skilled in this Discipline can parry an enemy's attack, disarm them, and follow up with a series of blinding strikes while they are no longer able to defend themselves. This aspect of martial prowess typically favors lighter armor for greater mobility, although it is not required, as many of their abilities involve dodging and striking while moving gracefully through the battlefield. After all, why burden yourself with all that heavy lifting when you can simply bleed your foe from a thousand wounds with half the effort?
Guardian
The Guardian Discipline is, as its name would suggest, focuses on defense. However, it is not just aimed at defending against personal attacks, it also deals with protecting others, positioning enemies and setting them up for allies to deal the finishing blow required to win the day. The Guardian typically favors heavier armor and the use of a shield, learning how to shrug off blows with movement and timed deflection. While some attacks would cripple a normal person, to a skilled Fighter trained in the Guardian Discipline, they are a mere inconvenience, and at times an opportunity to be exploited. Guardian style Fighters are also exceptionally good at goading foes into making mistakes in combat, and jolting their concentration as soon as they drop their guard. As a master of martial defense, it is not surprising such a combatant would understand exactly how to exploit a weak guard.
Hunter
A Ranger's Animal Companion is often his best friend throughout the animal's lifespan. In Combat, a practitioner of the Hunter Discipline and his Animal Companion are an inseparable weapon, acting as a single unit focused on the destruction of their enemies. Through years of training and an almost supernatural sense of mutual empathy, these two combatants have learned that teamwork is not only essential, but effective. While the Hunter strikes, the beast learns how to react to his movements and calls, following up on his attacks with a viscous assault of it's own, or perhaps cornering the opponent to better allow it's ally to strike him down. As the two grow together, the Hunter learns more tricks to inspire his friend to greater heights of primal ferocity, granting his companion abilities in combat that border on the supernatural. A Master Hunter and his loyal beast can be akin to a force of nature on the battlefield, and an attempt to separate the two is to invite an assault that could easily dismember almost any foe.
Marksman
The Marksman Discipline focuses on ranged attacks. While many prefer to master the bow, it is not unheard of to use a crossbow or thrown weapon to take advantage of the skills this fighting style offers. A skilled Marksman learns how to increase the range of their long distance attacks as well as their power. More than just an increase in strength, however, they learn to perform ballistic feats that can pin, disable and disorient targets. A skilled Marksman can even utilize trick shots in combat firing multiple shots at once to devastate the battlefield, or deflect attacks in some cases. With enough practice, he can even learn to spot weaknesses in an opponent's defense that could ordinarily only be capitalized in a split second, firing a blinding shot in half an instant. A Master Marksman on the battlefield often appears as a blur to an unfortunate opponent, picking off his enemies with terrifying speed and precision.
Savage
Life in the savage wilds is harsh, chaotic and unforgiving. It is no small wonder, then, that this discipline belongs to the people who willingly brave these environs, sometimes referred to as Barbarians. A combatant with the Savage Discipline is less a trained fighter, and more of a primal warrior who has learned the best methods for dismembering and devastating his enemies through instinct, strength and anger. The abilities one learns battling scarcity, ruthless predators, violent weather and lethal natural traps cannot be taught. They can only be learned through experience and an almost inhuman desire for supremacy. While enraged, a Barbarian gains extraordinary resilience and power, their memories of the brutal lessons they have learned spurring them on to acts of destruction that terrify and amaze more civilized spectators. A Barbarian focused in the Savage Discipline learns how to channel his Fury built up from raging into powerful strikes that can brutalize enemies, simultaneously critically injuring them and laying them low, making recovery and defense highly unlikely before the Barbarian's next assault. An exceptionally violent Barbarian can even use his Barbaric Rage to intimidate and demoralize opponent's simply by them bearing witness to his actions, understanding all too late that soon, they will be the next to die.
Scoundrel
The Scoundrel fights to win, pure and simple. While fighting dirty in most circles is seen as a dishonorable act, and perhaps even a sign of poor skill or little strength, the Scoundrel has learned that at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is who is walking away in one piece. Not usually the fastest or the strongest, this combatant might often consider herself to be the smartest fighter around. Some dirt in the eye here, a jab to the kidney there, and before the enemy knows it, he's on his knees ready to be finished off, all because he waited for the Scoundrel to attack directly. No, the Scoundrel knows what a real fight looks like, that's why she focuses on striking an enemy where it is weak, and if there is no weakness, the Scoundrel will create one. She also excels at exploiting a good opening. Much like dropping a lucrative scam, an opportunity missed is a loss for an experienced Scoundrel, so as she gets smarter she also gets more creative with her tactics, squeezing a win out of almost impossible situations. At a certain point, she gets so good at burning a mark, that she can take them out of the fight with a single strike, or even trick an enemy into striking his ally, just because they weren't paying enough attention. Don't mess with the Scoundrel, one way or another, she'll make you regret it.
Stalker
Assassins, murderers and serial killers all make the best Stalkers. The Stalker is patient, preferring stealth and guile to a direct confrontation. Unlike most warriors, they don't see combat as glorious, or something to be prideful of. No, to them it is just a means to an end, a way to get what they want or satisfy their own needs. Stalkers learn to take advantage of the shadows and a good hiding spot, striking their target when they are at their weakest. In fact, a Stalker usually works best when alone. The more people you add to a killing, the more chances you create to botch the final act. Stalkers deal unforgiving, precise strikes, usually to an unwary opponent, sometimes utilizing poison to ensure that they fall when they're supposed to. Even better, once they drop, the killer leaves quietly, and no one knows they were ever there. No big messes, no fighting your way out, no witnesses. If he can catch a victim unaware, a skilled Stalker can do what he wants to the body. He can knock them out, kill them, silence them, whatever needs to happen. As long as he can create the setup, the Stalker knows he can always get the job done.