The Way of the Shepherd: An OD&D Martial Art
Inspired by Press the Beast's martial arts posting!
The pastoralists of the hills and mountains learn stick fighting with their crooks to ward off animals and men. It's said that one such herder brought their crook to a temple and showed the monks their art, enshrining it as one of the landβs many classical fighting styles.
This martial art requires the use of a club or a quarterstaff.
Layer I
Blows from your crook are heavy as stone and make your enemies punch-drunk. You inflict lethal and subdual damage simultaneously. Damage to subdue is doubled when checking if a creature is subdued.
Layer II
In the first round of combat, you move like lightning to stop a threat. you may strike with your crook during the movement phase. If you hit, the target doesn't do anything this turn.
Layer III
The technique of warding off packs of wolves by your lonesomeβbe they beast or man. You can forgo your movement to strike all foes adjacent to you. Each foe you hit must check morale at a penalty of -1 with an additional -1 for each HD more you have than them.