Feng Shui House Rules

By Colin Chapman

Odds and ends to spice up your Feng Shui games. None of this stuff is official, of course, but it's here for you to use as you please.

Thanks go out to Colin Chapman, who wrote almost all of this stuff (except for the Kensai archetype, which was written by Shatter), and generously donated it for your enjoyment.

To all you other creators out there, if you have something for Feng Shui you'd like to share, send it to me, and I'll put it up here.

Underwater Combat

The following rules are useful for running underwater actions and conflicts in Feng Shui:

Characters may hold their breath for Con × 5 sequences.

All initiative, AV and damage rolls (for exceptions see below) are subject to a blanket −3 penalty while underwater. Transformed aquatic animals and amphibious supernatural creatures have some affinity for water and so therefore only suffer a blanket −1 penalty.

Spear guns, daggers, knives, spears and tridents only suffer a −1 AV and damage penalty underwater.

Any movement in the water is halved.

Supernatural Creatures

Naga

Naga are found in slight variations in the myths of China, India, Tibet and Japan, but the legends involving Naga are similar enough in each culture that a generic Naga can be presented here. Naga were powerful supernatural creatures noted for beauty, charisma, kindly behaviour and mild manner, but were terrible when angered. They lived beneath the waters of river, lake and sea in great luxury and wealth (especially gemstones), but were quite capable of living comfortably on land.

Popular in Buddhist myth, they could assume human form, and control the winds and weather. In appearance they have the upper torso and head of an attractive human being, but the lower body of a snake. They also possessed horns and a pair of feathered wings.

Naga do not hail from the Underworld but are still subject to the effects of the Summoning schtick with the exception that the Purification makes an area amenable to them and Corruption makes it difficult for them to enter. Naga do not reduce their Charisma attribute while trying to make a positive impression, but still gain the Intimidate skill at +2 when angered. According to myth they weren't horrific (quite the opposite in fact).

Unnamed Naga

Attributes
Bod 6, Chi 0 (Mag 8), Mnd 8, Ref 8.
Skills
Creature Powers 10, Info/Buddhism 9, Martial Arts 10, Sorcery 10.
Creature Powers Schticks
Amphibian, Flight, Transformation (human form)
Sorcery Schticks
Weather.
Weapons
Punch (7), Tail Lash (8), Sword (10).
Wealth Level
Rich.

Creating a named Naga (for PC use or as a GMC)

The following notes are suggestions and tweaks of the Supernatural Creature archetype if anyone wants to play a Naga.

Skills

I recommend the following:

Add 3 Skill Bonuses. The most appropriate extra skills are Info/Buddhism, and Medicine.

Advancement Notes

For those playing Naga, the following areas and schticks are those most likely to be developed by a Naga with experience:

Transformed Animals

Feng Hwang — Chinese Phoenix

The Feng Hwang is the Chinese phoenix: a symbol of virtue, uprightness, humanity, sincerity, and integrity. A supernatural creature like the Lung (Chinese dragon) and Ch'i-lin (Chinese unicorn), the Feng Hwang were the nobility among birds, and striking in appearance. Rare and elusive, they were harbingers of great fortune, and about the size of a large eagle, with a plum-colored body, scarlet back and wings, golden head, and sweeping tail of rose and azure, and bore some resemblance to a pheasant or peacock.

Phoenixes start with only 3 schticks, and suffer the same problems with reversion as Dragons.

Attribute Modifiers
Fortune +8, Charisma +5, Intelligence +2, Perception +2, Agility +1
Flight
As the Rooster schtick of the same name (FS pp. 136).
Fortunate Bounty
Chi Cost: 2
Shot Cost: 3
You may grant another individual luck. By spending 2 Chi and focusing on them for a single action, they immediately gain a single temporary Fortune point, which vanishes at the end of the sequence unless used. In addition, the recipient may use this Fortune point to negate the effects of a single fumble, if so desired.
Peck
As the Rooster schtick of the same name (FS pp. 136).
Stunning Beauty
Chi Cost: 4
Shot Cost: 1
Weaving chi energy into your body, you radiate a beauty so intense it can stun an opponent. If your Charisma is higher than your opponent's, they must make a Will roll (difficulty of your Charisma) in order to attack you, unless you attack them first. This effect lasts until the end of the sequence. Each extra schtick spent on this ability allows you to target an additional opponent.

Rabbit

Attribute Modifiers
Body −1, Move +3, Per+2, Cha +3, Agility +2.
Leap
As the Spider schtick of the same name.
Flurry
Chi Cost: X
Shot Cost: 3
Moving in close to your opponent you unleash a rapid flurry of punches. Make a successful Martial Arts attack (punch only) adding 1 damage to the total for every Chi you spend.
Slamming Kick
Acts as the Bear schtick “Slap” but involves a kick instead.
Bolt
Chi Cost: 1
Shot Cost: 1
You avoid your opponent's attack with a swift bound. Add +5 to your Dodge rating against that attack. Counts as a defensive action.

Armor for Unnamed Characters

While the official rules state that armor grants no benefit to unnamed mooks, I think it should, albeit a minor one.

Armor Type Outcome Modifier
Armor Modifier
Light or Heavy Vest +1
Police or Military Shell +2

Add the Outcome Modifier to the Outcome needed to take down the unnamed mook.

Concealment Ratings for Unnamed Characters

It makes no sense to worry about concealing firearms but not melee weapons, especially in Feng Shui where it's inevitable that someone will try to conceal a few knives or hide a sword under their trenchcoat. As such, melee weapons should also be given Concealment Ratings.

Weapon Concealment Rating
Weapon Concealment
Shuriken 1 for every 4 carried
Knife, Knuckle-Duster 1
Dagger 2
Chain, Nunchaku, Sai, Whip 3
Kama, Tonfa, Shortsword 4
Axe, Sword 5
Spear, Staff, Pole-Arm N/A