Martial Art Power: Zanshin or Martial Art Awareness
 

((This is a martial art power used in some of the Palladium RPGs))

In Japanese, this is often called Tsuki no Kokoro, which means "Mind like the Moon." That's because it is said that the martial artist's mind floats above the body, calmly sensing all activity around it.

A threat, no matter how slight, will disturb that calm. As a Zanshin-shi might put it, "As someone thinks to attack me, that person's Ki comes toward me. I have only to follow the Ki, and I will know the source of the attack."

This ability is one of readiness and awareness. Training involves being constantly on the alert, even while sleeping or in the bathroom!

The martial artist will INSTANTLY sense anybody who enters his/her Zanshin circle, including animals and even those with intangibility and/or invisibility (although he/she still can not see the invisible).

BONUSES: +6 to initiative, +2 to parry, +4 to dodge, and can not be suprised from attacks from behind. When fighting an invisible foe (or a character with superhuman speed) these Zanshin bonuses do not apply, but his/her other combat skills remained unimpaired due to his mystic awareness (this character does NOT suffer the usual penalties from fighting an invisible or superhumanly fast foe).

Characters with this ability also have a reduced form of Ki Awareness that allows them to evaluate the Ki of anyone they can see who is inside their Zanshin circle.

At first level, Zanshin extends for an area of 6 feet around the character. This is increased by 2 feet for every level of advancement.
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Note: Regarding my RPing, with Zanshin, Michelangelo (including his Weapon Proficiency bonuses with the nunchaku) will have a Strike bonus of +11, a Parry bonus of +14, a Dodge bonus of +13..... and his Zanshin circle (at level 5) will extend a distance of 14 feet in all directions.

If anyone wants to incorporate this skill with their character (optional), I can 'do the math' for you....

Would Raphael have this? Maybe not as good as Mike's since Raph is notorious for his temper and all...

hmmmm....
 

Yes, he would. Raphael received the same training as Michelangelo. The 'evidence' of their ability to use this skill can be seen in a recent issue of the TMNT series (volume 4) when the turtles demonstrate they can fight quite skillfully even when blinded. There is also the beginning and end of the "Hall of Lost Legends" issue when the the turtles all demonstrate they can 'sense' movements even when blindfolded and that they can 'see' through illusions. And we are all familiar with the scripts for the Mirage-based first movie in which the turtles learn to train blindfolded (and quite skillfully).

So, yes I think this is something all the TMNT would have.

Then you might want to add that in :-D

Randi most definately does not have that ability.


HOWEVER


Being a psychic she does have something similar... but... don't bother with it.

hee
 

Yes, this is specifically MARTIAL ARTS power and not a PSIONIC power. The two are quite a bit different. I would also like to change my statement on the TMNT being Psionics. They are not Psionics, but possess 'Psionic-like' powers due to their training. Thus, I think all the TMNT should roll to save vs. psionice as non-psionics (a 15 or higher).

In any event, with Raphael (at level 6), Zanshin would give him.... a Strike bonus of +9, a Parry bonus of +13, a Dodge bonus of +11, and he cannot be 'suprise attacked'. His Zanshin circle would extend 16 feet around him in all directions.

Another thing is that I'm thinking of re-evaluating the experience levels of the TMNT. Mike was level 5 and Raph was level 6 when they were 15. They are around 20 in most of the RPG's goin' on right now (excluding Sins of the Dead). Then again, the TMNT are already insanely powerful as they are (and rightly so), so I'm a little cautious of giving them any more combat bonuses.