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Martial Arts · Sect classification

Sects & Factions

Sect classification splits martial arts by 'who built and who passes them down.' Where type classification asks 'how does the technique work' and rank classification asks 'how high does it sit,' sect classification asks 'whose lineage is this.'

MoonWiki splits martial sects into four groups: Orthodox (the Nine Schools and One Sect), Unorthodox, Demonic Cult, and Neutral powers. The fifth strand — wandering martial artists — moves freely between all of them.

On this page we walk all four groups together — their character, where they overlap, and where they sit in conflict.

Core characteristics

The defining properties that set this category apart from others.

  • Lineage-centric
    Splits arts by who built them and passes them down.
  • Doctrine-driven
    Each sect's worldview shapes the techniques it produces.
  • Built-in conflict
    Orthodox–Unorthodox–Demonic conflict provides natural story tension.
  • Conduct-bound
    A sect's behavior code shapes how its arts get used.

How it differs from neighboring categories

Even within the same family, each category has a distinct character. Comparing side by side is the fastest way to grasp the differences.

Sect Classification

Splits arts by lineage and doctrine.

Type Classification

Splits arts by how they operate.

Rank Classification

Splits arts by mastery level.

Martial Arts Overview

The big picture across all three axes.

When sect classification helps

Best when you care about story dynamics and lineage.

  • Reading conflict
    Mapping the Orthodox–Unorthodox–Demonic sides of a story.
  • Lineage tracking
    Following an art back to its origin.
  • Worldview reading
    Understanding the doctrine behind a character's choices.
  • Sect-vs-sect
    Comparing one sect's arts against another's.

The four groups

MoonWiki splits sects into four groups, plus one free strand.

Orthodox

The Nine Schools and One Sect — the canonical 'good guys.'

Unorthodox

Pragmatic, sometimes ruthless — the 'gray' middle.

Demonic Cult

Doctrine of liberation; the canonical 'opposition.'

Neutral powers

Merchants, escort agencies, scholars — independents.

Limits of sect classification

Lineage doesn't answer every question.

  • Type-blind
    How an art actually operates lives on the type page.
  • Rank-blind
    Mastery questions live on the rank page.
  • Varies by work
    The lines between sects shift considerably between works.

Subcategories

How sect classification is used

Read each sect alongside its neighbors.

First, identify which group the artist belongs to — Orthodox, Unorthodox, Demonic, or Neutral.

Then place them inside their sect to see the specific lineage.

Finally, layer in their type and rank to round out the picture.

Digging deeper into sects

Open each group's page directly.

Start with Orthodox Sects for the Nine Schools and One Sect.

Move to Unorthodox and Demonic Cult for the gray and dark sides.

Read Neutral Powers for the merchants and academies.