arateka are practitioners of the ancient open-handed fighting styles. They embody the concept of the pure martial artist, focusing exclusively on physical ability. A karateka's combat ability is based on fighting styles, each having unique advantages. Having adhered to the structure and discipline of the pure martial path, they are more proficient at the offensive fighting styles. Like monks, karateka are required to take a vow of poverty as part of their training, and therefore have fewer possessions than other classes. This is true even of those karateka that are multi-classed.

Before he learns a specific fighting style, a young karateka is best using barehanded-type weapons, such as the claw. Seen as an extension of the hand, these weapon types will still allow him to capitalize on his exceptional unarmed combat ability.

Karateka are not usually concerned about their alignment, being anything from evil to neutral to good.

arateka may learn the following skills: Bandage, Bash, Berserk, Blind Fighting, Block, Catch, Cobra Strike, Cooking, Crit Hit, Dagger Throwing, Daggers, Disarm, Dodge, Dragon Claw, Eagle Claw, Endure Hunger, Endure Thirst, Feign Death, Feint, Guard, Hide, Hitall, Instant Stand, Iron Fist, Kiai, Kick, Lightning Strike, Listen, Lose, Meditate Cleanse, Meditate Heal, One Finger, Pole Arms, Quivering Palm, Read Magic, Rescue, Rushing Bull, Safe Fall, Scan, Seven Drunken Fairies, Sneak, Inside, Sneak, Outside, Spear Throwing, Spears, Spot, Star Throwing, Staves, Stun, Swimming, Switch Opponents, Swords, Three Finger, Tiger Claw, Toss, Track, Unarmed Combat, Weapon Kata, and Willow Dance.

arateka may learn the following specialties: Accuracy, Adrenaline Surge, Alertness, Athletics, Back to Back, Bōjutsu, Brawling, Charisma, Chirurgery, Circle Kick, Clarity, Close Quarters, Crowd Fighting, Dagger Mastery, Door Bash, Dual Kata, Flexible Kata, Flying Kick, Frenzy, Gladiator, Great Kata, Hands of the Master, Head Butt, Heir, Jack of Trades, Kenjutsu, Leadership, Lightfoot, Magebane, Mêlée Maneuvers, Might Makes Right, Naginatajutsu, Nimbleness, Nine Lives, Outflank, Packrat, Pain Immunity, Parting Blow, Perception, Pole Arm Mastery, Porter, Prone Attack, Prone Defense, Quicksilver, Reason, Recuperation, Resilience, Retreat, Saijutsu, Skirmishing, Sōjutsu, Spear Mastery, Staff Mastery, Stroke of Luck, Surprise Attack, Tactical Awareness, Taijutsu, Throwing Expertise, Tolerate Healing, Toughness, Trample, Tumbling, Unarmed Mastery, Vigilant Rest, Vigor, Whirlwind, and Worldly Goods.

arateka gain the following abilities at avatar levels:

	Initiate Avatar:	Resistance to Pierce
	Lord of Earth:	Waves in the Grass fighting style
	Lord of Water:	Stunned Maneuvers skill
	Lord of Fire:	All meditation combines Cleanse, Heal, and Ki
	Lord of Air:	One-time gain of 20 points divided among randomly-chosen primary attributes
	Elemental Lord:	Resistance to Slash
	Spiritfinder:	Petals in the Wind skill
	Spiritmaster:	Resistance to Acid, Cold, Electricity, Energy, and Fire; Immunity to Poison
	Lord of Spirit:	Gift of Pain skill
	Avatar:	Mind Over Matter skill
	Grand Avatar:	Resistance to Blunt