Bajjutsu Master

With this badge, you are a Bajjutsu Master. Compete against other bajjutsu masters in a contest of arcane powers! Ally yourself with a Bajjutsu clan or seek glory on your own! This game is perfect for when you and your friends are at conventions, concerts or other large gatherings.

» Download the print-and-play PDF. Once trimmed and folded, it fits into a standard clear convention badge holder. Bring it to your next game convention!
» Co-created with Josh Mannon
» Japanese translation by Andy Kitkowski
» Development Stage: Open Beta
» Development History
» Opening call and response by Ryan Macklin



SETUP
When badge-wearing Bajjutsu Masters wish to battle, they begin with the time-honored call: “Only one Bajjutsu Master shall stand!” Those who accept respond “And it shall be me!”

If you have more than two players, you'll play either a melee or a clan battle. In melee, all players act alone. In clan battle, players split into two opposing teams. On your badge, attach a clip to the 6 space of the HEALTH METER. Attach another clip to the 0 space of the CHARGE METER.


PLAY
Every turn, Bajjutsu Masters strike a pose at the same time. Everyone counts "Bah... Ju... Tsu!" and strikes their pose on the last syllable.

Attack
Arms up causes any opponent without crossed arms to loses 1 health, plus an amount of health equal to your charge. Afterwards, your charge returns to 0.

Block
Arms crossed prevents you from losing health this turn.

Charge
Arms down gains you 1 charge this turn.

You may not take the same pose three times in a row.


HEALTH AND WINNING
When a player loses all health, they're out of the game immediately. (Double KOs are possible!) In a melee, the last player with any health remaining wins! In a clan battle, the last team with any remaining players wins!


TECHNIQUES
You have a special technique available to you! It is noted on a small card you can place on the back of your badge. You may only have one technique during a single game, but you may use it as many times as the rules allow. You do not have to reveal the nature of your technique to your opponents until the first time you actually use it. A technique’s effects take place after normal effects are resolved. So, if you lose all health, whatever technique you planned to execute this turn does not happen.

Healing Wind Technique
Arms Up while you have any charge: Instead of doing damage, increase health of all allies by your charge plus 1, up to their full health. Your charge returns to 0. In a clan battle, you cannot heal yourself unless you're the only one left in your clan. In melee, you heal yourself instead.

Stubborn Tortoise Technique
Arms up or Arms down while you have any charge: When you are hit, you lose charge instead of health, until you run out of charge. Then, you lose health as normal.

Fire Form Technique
Arms Crossed while you have any charge: When you block any attacking opponent, the opponent loses an amount of health equal to your charge. Your charge returns to 0.

Void Spirit Technique
Arms Up while you have any charge: Instead of doing damage, all opponents lose 1 charge. If they spent this turn charging, they simply do not gain a charge. Your charge returns to 0.

Winding Viper Technique
Arms up while you have 3 Charge: Your attack only affects blocking opponents. All blocking opponents lose 1 health. Your charge returns to 0.


CLAN STYLES
Different Bajjutsu clans have their preferred opening stance. Each claims that theirs is the best at not telegraphing their intended action to an opponent. The Clan of Man suggests beginning with hands crossed behind your back. The Clan of Dan suggests you stand proudly with arms akimbo. Decide your preferred stance and choose your allies wisely.


HAND VARIANT
Instead of posing, you can use hand gestures. Cross your fingers to charge. Hold out a flat palm instead to block. Close your fist to attack.

You can even use your off-hand to keep track of health and charge. When your health meter is at 6, hold your hand so only your thumb and pinky are extended. That is "6." You can count your health down from there using your fingers.

Keep track of your charge by using your whole arm. When your charge is at "0," let your arm hang naturally. At "1," place your hand on your hip. At "2," place your hand on your stomach. At "3," place your hand on your heart.

By combining arm positions and hand gestures in this way, you can play Bajjutsu Master anywhere, any time.


ANDY K'S TRANSLATION NOTES
The word for "badge" (in this sense, not so much for military service badges and the like) is the English loanword Badge, written as bajji (バッジ). Ji is also the first "letter" of Jitsu/Jutsu (ジツ／ジュツ, or simply the kanji 術) so their combination was an inevitability. And the call to make it Bajjutsu over Bajji-Jujutsu has an epic historic precedent in everyday Japanese word-shortening: Pocket Monsters (the official title!) is "Pokemon", Harris Teeter (grocery store on the East Coast) is known by Japanese locals as "Hari-Chi", etc. The double language hat-tip/pun was too juicy to pass up on.


DISCUSSIONS
RPG.net: Bajjutsu Master as a parlor LARP mechanic
Story-Games: Become a Bajjutsu Master!


LICENSE
Bajjutsu Master by Josh Mannon and Daniel Solis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.