Cultivation is more than training — it is the journey of self-transcendence. In Murim, one does not simply swing a sword harder or lift weights to grow stronger. To cultivate is to refine the mind, body, and spirit into harmony with Qi, transforming the mortal frame into a vessel capable of channeling the infinite.
Every step forward on the path is a battle against nature, one’s inner demons, and the limitations of flesh. Some cultivators walk this path to protect, others to dominate, and some to pursue immortality itself. But all must walk through the three pillars of cultivation, for without balance, Qi collapses into chaos.
Breathing is the foundation of life. In cultivation, breathing becomes an art — precise, measured, and aligned with the cosmic rhythm of heaven and earth. By controlling breath, a cultivator controls the flow of Qi, drawing it inward and refining it in the dantian, the core reservoir below the navel.
Purpose: Refine Internal Qi, strengthen the body, and harmonize with External Qi.
Philosophy: Breath unites heaven, earth, and man. To breathe consciously is to live with intention.
Practice: Hours, days, even months of meditation. Some breathe in time with ocean waves, others in tune with sword swings. Breathing manuals (often jealously guarded by sects) pass down exact rhythms that shape unique martial legacies.
Danger: Misaligned breathing disrupts meridians, causing pain, paralysis, or Qi deviation.
Breathing Cycles:
Short Rest (Meditation): Restore Qi Pool = WIS modifier + proficiency bonus.
Long Rest: Full Qi Pool restored.
Advanced Techniques: Manuals grant improved recovery:
Wudang’s Cloud Flow Breathing restores Qi faster when near mountains or rivers.
Shaolin’s Iron Breath boosts AC temporarily by circulating Qi to skin.
Failure & Risk:
Players attempting breakthroughs (leveling) must perform a “Breathing Roll” — WIS or CON save (DC 10 + current cultivation stage). Failure = Qi backlash (1d6 damage per level) or disadvantage on the next martial roll.
If breathing is how cultivators refine Qi, martial techniques are how they express it. These are not spells in the Western sense — they are martial expressions of Qi, woven into strikes, kicks, throws, or weapon arcs.
Purpose: To manifest inner cultivation into physical dominance.
Philosophy: The sword, staff, or palm becomes a vessel of Qi, extending the body’s essence outward. A true martial master’s strike is not merely physical — it carries intent that pierces body and spirit alike.
Practice: Each sect develops forms. Shaolin fists carry the weight of mountains, Wudang blades flow like rivers, Tangmen throwing needles strike with unseen shadows.
Danger: Qi overuse burns meridians, crippling the user. Reckless cultivators often explode their own cores attempting techniques beyond their stage.
Martial Techniques = Qi Abilities:
Each costs Qi points (1–10 depending on power).
Example:
Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms (Beggar Sect): 3 Qi, deals 2d10 force, pushes target back 10 ft.
Poison Fang Needle (Tangmen): 2 Qi, 1d8 piercing + 1d8 poison on failed CON save.
Taiji Redirection (Wudang): 2 Qi, reaction to redirect melee attack to another target.
Scaling: Martial techniques evolve as cultivation deepens. A technique that once cracked stone at level 5 can split mountains at level 15.
Environmental Qi: Martial techniques interact with the world — a fire strike in a volcano becomes more potent, while the same strike in an ice cave costs extra Qi.
The most overlooked — yet most critical — pillar is the heart. Martial geniuses without discipline burn out, falling to madness or corruption. To cultivate is not only to refine Qi but to refine the self.
Purpose: To forge a stable mind that can withstand the storms of cultivation.
Philosophy: The Dao Heart is one’s guiding truth. Without it, breakthroughs fail, and inner demons devour the cultivator.
Practice: Meditation, moral tests, trials of endurance. Wudang emphasizes balance, Emei teaches serenity, Tangmen embraces poison until they learn to master rather than be mastered by it.
Danger: The heart is the greatest bottleneck. Rage, desire, fear, or regret can create cracks in the Dao Heart, manifesting as hallucinations, uncontrolled Qi outbursts, or corruption into demonic cultivators.
Inner Demon Checks:
On every breakthrough (level up), roll a WIS save (DC = 10 + current stage). Failure spawns a temporary flaw: paranoia, obsession, arrogance.
Critical failure = full Qi deviation → lose 1 cultivation stage until recovered via quest or trial.
Dao Alignment: Players choose a Dao (Sword, Fist, Harmony, Shadow, etc.) at mid-levels. Each Dao grants subclass-like bonuses but also narrative challenges.
Meditation Rituals: Players may spend downtime to roll Insight (WIS) checks. On success, gain temporary Qi boost or inspiration.
The three pillars are not separate “skill trees” — they interlock like spokes in a wheel. A cultivator who perfects breathing but ignores martial forms will refine Qi endlessly without ever wielding it effectively. A warrior who masters techniques but neglects discipline may burn out at higher stages.
Shaolin Example: Strong in Breathing + Martial, weaker in Spiritual (tests of desire are their downfall).
Wudang Example: Strong in Breathing + Spiritual, focus on redirection instead of direct martial dominance.
Tangmen Example: Strong in Martial + Cunning, but their Dao Heart is always tested by poison and shadows.
Mechanically:
Balanced Growth: Players should invest in all three pillars (WIS for breathing, STR/DEX for martial, CHA/WIS for spirit).
Roleplay Hooks: A failed Dao Heart check might create quests: “Face the specter of your past failure before you may ascend.”
Unlike standard leveling systems, cultivation is personal.
Each breakthrough is a story: Shaolin monks meditate under waterfalls for years, Wudang swordsmen duel their shadows, Tangmen assassins temper themselves with poisons.
The DM should describe cultivation sessions vividly: storms gathering, blood boiling, visions of dragons and demons, inner voices whispering temptations.
Failure is not “game over” — it’s narrative fuel. A Qi deviation may scar the body but inspire the heart, forcing characters to seek new Dao truths.
Lore Depth: They make cultivation more than just a grind. Players feel they are walking the same philosophical paths as legendary heroes of Wuxia tales.
Mechanics: They provide structure. Qi Pool = breathing, Techniques = martial, Dao Heart = mental.
Balance: No single pillar is enough; mastery requires all three.
Roleplay: They create rich opportunities for conflict: inner demons, rival sect philosophies, environmental challenges.