Wu Jen
Description: The Wu Jen is a wizard from cultures based on medieval oriental
civilizations. He is a sorcerer of mysterious power and uncertain fealty. Unlike the
oriental samurai, the Wu Jen seldom answers to a lord or master. His primary
allegiance is to himself and to his craft.
The Wu Jen seldom lives among the masses, preferring instead to dwell in the
wilderness where he can contemplate the secrets of nature without interruption.
Living the life of a hermit, the Wu Jen concentrates on purifying his body and
mind, thus making him more receptive to the supernatural forces of the world.
To be a Wu Jen, a wizard must have an Intelligence of at least 13. He cannot
be of lawful alignment, but may still be good, evil, or neutral. The Wu Jen kit
cannot be abandoned.
Preferred Schools: Wu Jen prefer the schools of conjuration/summoning, alteration, and
invocation/evocation.
Barred Schools: There are no barred schools for the Wu Jen.
Role: Unless the campaign has an eastern setting, the DM, in conjunction with the
player, should invent a plausible explanation for the Wu Jen's appearance so far
from home. Perhaps the Wu Jen is on a religious pilgrimage. Perhaps a magical
device or spell transported the Wu Jen to the western world, either
intentionally or unintentionally. Or perhaps the Wu Jen is on a decade-long quest for
knowledge or self-awareness, and his travels have brought him to the other player
characters.
Whatever the reason, the Wu Jen should add a touch of oriental intrigue and
exotic culture to a western-based party. His fellow player characters should find
the Wu Jen's habits strange and fascinating. For instance, a Wu Jen prefers to
record his spells on scrolls instead of in spell books. Perhaps he prays to
the sun for an hour each day at dawn, or maybe he eats only roots and berries. A
Wu Jen keeps his emotions hidden, and his motives are equally difficult to
discern. It is unlikely that the Wu Jen shares the party's goals and moral code; if
he agrees to join the party, it is probably due to his intellectual curiosity.
The DM is within his rights to forbid Wu Jen from the campaign. Before a
player selects this kit, he must check with the DM to make sure that Wu Jen are
allowed.
Secondary Skills: Required: Scribe.
Weapon Proficiency: Required (choose one of the following): Blowgun, short bow, dagger, dart,
sling. Alternately, the Wu Jen can choose from the selection of oriental weapons
listed in Table 9. The Wu Jen has an automatic and permanent +1 bonus to hit
whenever using the weapon he has chosen for his Weapon Proficiency.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus Proficiencies: Etiquette, Artistic Ability (Painting, Calligraphy, or
Origami). Recommended: (General) Riding (Land-based), Cooking, Dancing, Singing;
(Wizard) Astrology, Herbalism, Spellcraft; (Priest, double slot) Musical
Instrument; (Rogue, double slot) Blind-fighting, Gaming, Juggling, Tumbling.
Equipment: The Wu Jen must buy all weapons from the choices listed in the Weapon
Proficiency entry above. He may have no more than 10 gp remaining when he has finished
purchasing his equipment.
Special Benefits: When a Wu Jen reaches 4th level, he gains the power to summon massive magical
energies that allow him to cast any one spell that is three or more levels
lower than his level at maximum effect. The spell automatically has maximum range,
(if desired), duration, and effect. Thus, a 4th-level Wu Jen can cast a
1st-level spell at maximum effect. A Wu Jen can use this ability once per day.
Special Hindrances: The Wu Jen operates under special taboos that do not affect other characters.
Though the taboos may seem trivial or even ridiculous to other characters, the
Wu Jen takes them quite seriously-- violating a taboo causes the Wu Jen to
lose levels of ability, lose spells, become ill, or even die (the DM decides the
exact penalty). A 1st-level Wu Jen has one taboo and gains an additional taboo
every five levels thereafter (at 6th level, 11th level, and so on). The DM
selects the taboos. Some suggestions follow; the Wu Jen:
ˇ Can't eat meat or animal products (including milk, eggs, and cheese).
ˇ Can't sleep within 20 yards of a member of the opposite sex.
ˇ Can't wear a certain color.
ˇ Can't carry gold (or other precious metal) on his person.
ˇ Can't bathe or must bathe frequently.
ˇ Can't cut his hair or fingernails.
ˇ Can't intentionally take the life of an insect.
ˇ Can't drink alcoholic beverages.
ˇ Can't sit facing the north (or other direction).
ˇ Can't speak after sunset (except to cast spells).
Wealth Options: The Wu Jen starts with the normal (1d4+1) x 10 gp.
Races: Normally, a Wu Jen must be human. The DM may make exceptions in his campaign,
elves and half-elves being the most likely choices.
Note: For more detailed information about the Wu Jen, along with additional spells,
weapons, and proficiencies, see Oriental Adventures. The DM may need to make some adjustments to adapt the descriptions and
statistics to AD&DŽ 2nd Edition rules
Table 9: Selected Oriental Weapons for the Wu Jen
Name
| Cost
| in lbs.
| Size
| Type*
| Factor
| S-M
| L
|
Bo Stick
| 2cp
| 4
| L
| B
| 3
| 1-6
| 1-4
|
Boku-toh
| 6cp
| 3
| M
| B
| 4
| 1-4
| 1-2
|
Jitte
| 10cp
| 2
| S
| B
| 2
| 1-4
| 1-2
|
Shuriken
| 10cp
| 1**
| S
| P
| -
| 1-6
| 1-4
|
* B = Bludgeoning weapon, P = Piercing weapon.
** Ten large shurikens weigh a total of 1 pound.
Description of Weapons
Bo stick: A staff of hard wood that is very difficult to break and is normally
6-7 feet in length.
Boku-toh: A wooden replica of a short sword, usually used for practice since
it cannot cut or slash. Used aggressively, it can cause bludgeoning damage.
Jitte: A tapered iron bar with a short hook near the handle. Although the hook
is not sharp enough to cut or pierce, the jitte can be used to strike blows.
Shuriken: A small throwing weapon in the shape of a star with needle-like
projections. They are thrown by hand and easily concealed in folds of clothing. A
large-star shuriken has a fire rate of 3, a short range of 5 yards, a medium
range of 10 yards, and a long range of 20 yards.
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