The jungles of Helluso and Milonda are home to several species of big cats, which are viewed, depending on the person doing the viewing, as symbols of fortune both good and bad. Regardless of personal views, however, these creatures are universally respected as consummate stalkers and hunters.

So, it isn't entirely surprising that martial sages have, over time, developed a series of fighting techniques designed to emulate the movements and actions of these fearsome beasts. Those who are unfamiliar with the style find it rather awkward, seeing as fighters using it will eagerly throw themselves onto the ground to "invite the cat inside of themselves." Those who have it used against them learn to be more respectful rather quickly, as they discover that the style allows a trained fighter to bring his opponents down to his level...and keep them there.

The Path of the Stalking Cat is used with Coordination + Unarmed Strike.

Invite The Cat Inside (1 Point): The foundational principle of the Stalking Cat path is that, to fight as the cat fights, one must first learn to move as the cat moves. The student learns how to effectively move and maneuver while lying prone or crouched on all fours. The character no longer suffers any dice penalties for fighting in the Downed position. In addition, the character can move while Downed at half his movement rate, though it may be more difficult for her to cross certain kinds of terrain than someone on foot. Voluntarily moving into the Downed position works the same as the Stand maneuver, only in reverse.

Pouncing Tackle (2 Points): Many martial schools train their students how to make their falls softer. Students of the Stalking Cat path learn the opposite, training their falls to become harder and more forceful. This is less useful when landing on solid ground, but more useful when landing on an opponent. The character Tackles an opponent using Coordination + Unarmed Strike. If successful, her opponent suffers additional shock damage to the torso equal to the character's Body. If the attack generates no sets, or is successfully dodged or parried, the character takes a point of shock damage to both arms and is Downed.

Springing Tiger Attack (3 Points): Like a tiger leaping up from the grass to catch its prey, the fighter learns to spring unexpectedly from the ground and strike her opponents incredible force. From the Downed position, the character makes an attack against a standing opponent. If successful, the attack gains the benefits of a Charge maneuver and is considered 1 width higher for timing purposes. Following this attack, the character may choose to remain Downed or land standing on her feet. This technique may only be used once each combat round, but can be combined with other actions.
An ancillary benefit of this level of training is that the character may now freely combine Standing with other actions without suffering the dice penalty.

Devastating Assault (4 Points): Against fiercer prey, tigers bring the full force of their might to bear, lashing out again and again to lay their quarry low and savaging them mercilessly. The character makes a single attack roll using Coordination + Unarmed Strike. If she does so from the Downed position, she receives a +1d bonus. Every set rolled may either be applied as a Slam maneuver or an attack against any combination of opponents within the character's range. Devastating Assault cannot be used in a multiple action.

For example, Leesha uses Devastating Assault against a group of thugs who have her surrounded. She rolls her dice pool of 8D, plus an additional die for being Downed, and ends up with 1,2,2,2,4,6,6,8,8, which gives her a 3x2, 2x6, and 2x8. She decides to apply the 3x2 as a Slam against one opponent, and the other two sets as attacks against two other opponents.

Later, Leesha is fighting the thugs' leader, and she decides to go all-out. Rolling, she gets 2,2,2,2,4,5,7,10,10, and she applies both rolls against the leader, using the 4x2 set as a Slam and the 2x10 set as an attack.

Tiger Consumes His Prey (5 Points): Any time that the character causes an opponent to become Downed, she may choose to automatically apply a Submission Hold to a limb of their choice at a width equal to her Body (applying this hold overrides any further actions the character may have been preparing to take). If the opponent can't (or doesn't try to) break free of the hold, instead of the normal damage they suffer the effects of an Area attack doing shock damage equal to the character's Coordination + Unarmed Strike pool at the beginning of each round until they escape. Wrenching free causes damage to the limb as normal.