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Art of Wuxia Core Rules

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AoW

Behold the ten venom, sword swinging,
fist flying, fireball flinging Art of Wuxia!

Play out the action seen in wuxia movies and TV shows with the exciting press-your-luck game mechanic found in previous d00Lite games!

In Art of Wuxia, players take on the role of heroes of Longzhi (a new mystic fantasy setting inspired by ancient China). Characters utilize their qi while raising fists, spells, and blades against tyrants, demons, and spirits who would spread evil on the land.

Embrace the three tenets of the virtuous hero. Run on water, climb on air. Wander the land and become the balance to the darkness and dread which ever seeks to invade the prosperity of the land and its people.

Not only a stand-alone game, this book also contains skills, races, creatures, and spells which would feel right at home added to other d00lite systems, making this an excellent resource for GMs looking to add some wuxia to their games.

This product comes with an assortment of helpful sheets and additional items:

  • A Cultivation Log, a form-fillable PDF to track Cultivation Points at the end of a session. Or print it out and use it at the table!
  • A Character Sheet, form-fillable PDF in two forms (one with lines, and one with broad areas to type in). Use your computer or tablet to keep track, or print these out and use them old-school!
  • A Session Log, for GMs to keep track of all the friends made, foes slain, deeds done, etc. Like the rest, this is form-fillable or can be printed and used at the table.
  • Poster Map, for the setting of Longzhi. Print it at home or bring it up on a tablet at the game table, zoomed to wherever you're adventuring!
  • Reference Sheets for the players and the GM, including summaries of spells, qi abilities, kung-fu techniques, and all the tables and references to help make a session flow smoothly.
  • Oh yeah... and the Core Rulebook PDF itself!!

  Please consider other Art of Wuxia products... with more to come! Click the thumbnails for more information:  AoW AoW:WBC AoW:MoL Art of Wuxia: Destiny Deck Art of Wuxia: Initiative Deck Art of Wuxia: Condition Deck

  

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Reviews (9)
Discussions (22)
Customer avatar
Nathan C May 29, 2023 3:31 am UTC
I know they are normally different genres, but I was wondering if you think AoW would work well for a Isekai type game.
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Jim M June 12, 2023 8:10 pm UTC
PURCHASER
If by Isekai you mean role-playing a person from our world transported to a world of ancient mythic China then yes.
Customer avatar
Shannon L October 23, 2022 3:17 am UTC
PURCHASER
Is this an A5 sized book ( hope so) or is this regular book size?
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Jim M October 25, 2022 6:51 pm UTC
PURCHASER
It's a standard Lightning Source 8.5x11 book. Too many big tables to make this one smaller. Plus it left more room for great art.
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Shannon L November 01, 2022 8:46 am UTC
PURCHASER
ohh all good just need to know how it would fit!
Customer avatar
Ni C July 04, 2022 7:45 pm UTC
Hello Jim & Team, question on how complex and sophisticated combat rules are in the game: Combat is only a page long from the preview and I cannot see much feedback on this specific aspect of the game.
How did you manage to translate epic wuxia martial combat in your rules ? Can you please elaborate a bit on this ?
Asking since I am looking for a clever, tactical combat system to manage different combat moves (parry/dodge/quick attack/focus attack...)
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Customer avatar
Jim M July 17, 2022 1:19 pm UTC
PURCHASER
How was epic wuxia combat translated to these rules? Buy watching a lifetime of wuxia movies and TV shows and then while the game was in development, constantly asking if we could emulate this or that kind of fighting. At its heart the combat system is a press-your-luck system where defenses are active and must be planned for. Go to much on offense and you'll have nothing left to defend yourself. Don't go offensive enough, and your enemy will send you through a wall. There is alot of movement in combat, lightness skills, huge leaps, take-downs, knock backs, etc. Everything can be used as a weapon. I've seen tables, chairs, chopsticks, bowls, tea cups, railings, platters, table cloths, bead curtains, aprons, coins and even flagstones used as weapons. And those are only from fights in tea houses.

Hopefully this helps. My email is in the credits page in the preview. Feel free to send me further questions. Also see the forum at the DwD Studios website for more info.
Customer avatar
Tony R June 02, 2022 11:52 pm UTC
PURCHASER
HI .
I a big fan of Chinese fantasy films and also Yaolings (Shapeshifters,)
Can one play a shapeshifter like a Nine Tailed Fox or Phoenix.
And if not If not, is there a chance that pretty and sweet girl at the Local Teahouse is really a Butterfly who the character casually pulled out of a spider web and set free.
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Jim M June 17, 2022 7:22 pm UTC
PURCHASER
There is a section on adding fantasy species to your Art of Wuxia game on pages 138-139. This includes Fox Spirits as part of the game and references how you can use Changelings from Flesh and Blood, another d00Lite product.

I hope this is helpful.
Customer avatar
Marco E April 14, 2022 1:32 pm UTC
PURCHASER
I can’t review as a publisher, but I wanna share my feelings about DWD Stuff: there is no single game we haven’t had fun with! Easy layout, easy to use, very deep in actual play with clever ideas and concepts, versatile as hell and a TRUE alternative to many other classic games.

Art of Wuxia is the one we are using as a campaign game right now (with built in BBF spin offs!) and it’s a wonderfully crafted game, possibly even better than many L5R editions for oriental gaming.
It’s streamlined, but not dumbed down, giving the GM a LOT of insights and helpful tips, not counting the plethora of options the players have without pages and pages of talent taxes and useless fluff.

The DWD Magic system is one of my favorite of all times and character development is brilliant, with a unique moral system and modern-type “questions” to see if you made progress and evolved.

Can’t recommend this enough and hope DWD will support their titles more in the future, since...See more
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Jim M May 18, 2022 7:01 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Thank you for the kind words Marco E. I'm so glad you are enjoying Art of Wuxia. A LOT of work went into it to grind and polish it to serve Player and GM needs and to become a gateway to wuxia stories. I made this so you can easily incorporate your favorite things from BBF. So glad you are giving that a shot. If you have questions/comments you can leave them at the DWD Studios Forums, Art of Wuxia has its own section there. Feel free to share how your campaign is going too!

As for support. The game is meant to be complete but I hear you. I'm the only AoW author and I do have adventure ideas and have started on a supplemental book but I am dreadfully slow and am very picky at what I send to Bill. I'm very much in love with AoW and want to see it grow. Note that AoW like all DwD studios games is published under a creative commons license and is even willing to work with authors to publish their works. So if you have a great idea and completed manuscript or know someone who does... :)
Customer avatar
Steve B June 29, 2021 2:21 pm UTC
Hi, has all the errors been removed from the pdf to this date? Thanks
Customer avatar
Chris B April 10, 2021 11:16 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Is there a section on how to create more gong fu styles?
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Jim M April 15, 2021 2:52 am UTC
PURCHASER
Yes! There are complete instructions on page 127. It is fun and easy.
Customer avatar
Jonathan B January 02, 2021 5:11 pm UTC
If only this game could do Feudal Japan with Samurai, Shinobi, Ashigaru, etc. I'd be totally in.
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Clayton D January 28, 2021 5:14 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Personally, I feel like there are plenty of Japanese-flavored RPGs out there and I'm happy that this product focuses on Wuxia and does it well. I'll take a tightly-focused vision over a do-everything game any day.
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Zachariah K March 03, 2021 4:24 pm UTC
PURCHASER
It easily could with some tweaking.
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Customer avatar
Tal O May 26, 2022 6:45 am UTC
PURCHASER
"If only this game about this one thing was a totally different game about a totally different thing".

Uhmmm... Well, Jonathan, I think the game you're looking for is called Legend of the Five Rings.
Customer avatar
Josh H November 16, 2020 12:50 am UTC
PURCHASER
Hi. Just bought the book. As much as I like how skills are arranged, it feels like it's missing a few skillsets that the system could really benefit from. Like crafting or even persuasion/seduction/performance. Do you think you could release something that addresses it? Like maybe an entertainer or crafting skillset?
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Customer avatar
Jim M November 16, 2020 3:16 am UTC
PURCHASER
There is crafting of a sort with alchemy and creating magic items but more than that was really beyond the scope of this rules-lite game. Persuasion and performance arts are handled by the Scholar skill. We really reached our limit of skills, keeping them both broad and multi-purpose. If you have ideas you'd like to share, we have forums at DwDstudios.com/artofwuxia. Also, Art of Wuxia is published under the Creative Commons license so you can publish things such as more skills if you like. I would be interested in what you think crafting would look like in the d00Lite game system but I have no plans for publishing further skills at this time.

Customer avatar
RICCARDO B November 04, 2020 5:52 pm UTC
PURCHASER
This is my first time with a d00 lite system so I have some question about rules:
1) Raising a skill or attribute above 100 has the only purpose of making a character less penalized when getting multi actions penalties (but can still fail their check if they roll 95-99), is this correct?
2) "Regardless of the chance of success, any reasonable action succeeds on a roll of 00-05". Does it mean that, unless my chance is 0 or lower due to all modifiers, I always have a 5% chance of success? (eg. if I have warrior skill at 62% and is my 4th action (-60%), I pass the check with 00-05 instead of 00-02, but I can't try the check if my warrior skill is at 59%).
3) Can I make more than 6 actions in a turn? If so, Do I keep the -100% modifier or do I raise it by 20% for every action thereafter?
4) DEX resistence check are made for "dodging, parrying, or blocking attacks", does it mean that every attack made with normal weapons or fists must be resisted with DEX? Also, do I get...See more
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Customer avatar
William L November 04, 2020 6:10 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Hi Riccardo B!
1) Yes, but also to situational penalties assessed by the GM. Are you balancing on a reed and trying to kick an enemy? He may asses a -20 or more to your roll. Also, don't forget some secondary stats increase too; ranged attack damage, melee attack damage, body points, etc. are all tied to ability scores.
2) "Reasonable" refers to GM fiat, based on his assessment of the situation. He might deem an action unreasonable and not permit it.
3) You can make as many actions in a turn as you wish. It's -20 for every action after the first, cumulative. 6th -100, 7th -120, etc. Of course, only truly epic characters can do so much in one round. Don't forget this also applies to your resistance checks!
4) Yep. You got that right. And it advances your multi-action penalty. This is surprisingly tactical. Try it!
5) Yep. Page 13: "Alchemy - select one alchemical expertise for each level in the alchemist skill."
6) Yep. The most versatile fighters spend time...See more
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RICCARDO B November 04, 2020 7:12 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Thank you for the quick reply, I totally missed that part in the alchemy skill page. It's all more clear now.
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Customer avatar
Jim M November 05, 2020 4:36 pm UTC
PURCHASER
A little more clarification.
3) if you reach a point where your multi-action penalties bring you to 0% chance of success, you may not roll dice hoping to get a 00-05. 0% is 0%
6) Techniques you learn are added to one of your existing styles. This is important if your enemy knows the secret weakness of your style. See the last sentence of "Knowing More Than One Kung Fu Style" on page 32.
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RICCARDO B November 10, 2020 9:32 am UTC
PURCHASER
Just one more thing: on page 17, why is it easier to disguise yourself as a person of the opposite sex (and is harder for people to see through your disguise)? Shouldn't it be more difficult (especially for people like the sample character "Mighty Bahu" on page 48)?
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Customer avatar
William L November 10, 2020 1:38 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
It's just all about tropes. It is a common trope in wuxia stories. Indeed, women who disguise themselves as men are never questioned, until they let their hair down and then suddenly everyone is shocked. A man who appears (sometimes comically) as a woman has a nearly foolproof disguise, and is sometimes even the target of a bad guy's affection.
Customer avatar
Asen G October 10, 2020 7:46 am UTC
PURCHASER
Maybe I'm misunderstandng something, but what's the price of adding a new technique? The Techniques Collector on p.31 lists it as 10 CP. But on the list of things to improve on p.46 you get new Techniques listed at a cost of 5 CP.
Or do these relate to different ways of adding the new Technique?
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Customer avatar
Jim M October 10, 2020 12:42 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Page 31 Technique Collector
Our edit fu was unable to overcome the treachery of the dastardly listing of 10 cultivation points being needed for adding a new technique to one's style. Fortunately the Emperor has decreed this to be 5CP and is correctly listed on page 46 where all the options of earning and spending cultivation are located.

Remember also that you get a technique automatically with each warrior level in your style. I hope this helps.
Customer avatar
Reyner G October 09, 2020 9:59 pm UTC
This seems amazing. Had a few Xianxia and Wuxia systems in my HD (like Ogre Gate and Qin)
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Customer avatar
Jim M October 10, 2020 12:43 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Give it a try. It is incredibly fun in play.
Customer avatar
Jordan E August 18, 2020 3:19 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but do you have to play a human in this game?
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Customer avatar
William L August 18, 2020 3:46 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Hiya Jordan! There is a section in the book covering this very question. Although it is, by default, human-centric, it doesn't have to be. Page 138 has two playable character races, the Anning are humanoid philosophical pandas with strong qi and powerful frames... and Fox Spirits are deceptive animal spirits which can appear in human form. Additionally, page 139 describes how races from the BareBones Fantasy's Flesh & Blood accessory can fit in Longzhi, especially the Yeren (bugbear), Changelings, Wolfin (gnolls), Lizard Kin, Lilithii, Eternal Guardians (living construct), Mantis Men, and Tigerfolk!
Customer avatar
David K August 12, 2020 8:27 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Great addition to my D00 lite collection. If you like "kung fu theater" and shaw brothers and D00 lite... this is for you. The material is easy to mix in with other games as well (I will be using some of it in an urban fantasy game i am running). I have been following this since the blog post years ago. Well done.
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Customer avatar
Jim M August 13, 2020 6:39 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Glad you are liking it! Let us know how it works out!
Customer avatar
Johnny W July 30, 2020 7:32 pm UTC
PURCHASER
What are the dimensions of the hardcover book?
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Customer avatar
Bill L July 30, 2020 8:30 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
It's a standard lightningsource 8.5x11 hardcover book - but you lookin' for exact measurements since the cover is a bit larger than the pages? If that's what you need I'll measure one when I get home :-)
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Customer avatar
Johnny W July 30, 2020 9:50 pm UTC
PURCHASER
No that's good enough for me! Just was curious about the rough size. Thanks!!
Customer avatar
Martin R July 30, 2020 5:39 am UTC
PURCHASER
So, I ask this of every new system, but are there plans to set up a character sheet for Roll20 and other VTT platforms?
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Customer avatar
Bill L July 30, 2020 3:45 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Hi Martin - We don't have any experience with that. We've mostly only played games in person with people. So it's not likely to happen soon unless someone steps up with the experience to help us out!
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This title was added to our catalog on July 17, 2020.