PairO'Dice Lost
2009-01-03, 02:33 AM
The Ocean Tempest School
As its name implies, the Ocean Tempest school draws much of its inspiration from a storm at sea—its practitioners focus on emulating waves, tides, and natural disasters such as hurricanes and tsunami. However, just as all bodies of water will eventually lead to the ocean, the Ocean Tempest school doesn’t have one single unifying style; it also draws on the speed and fluidity of the river and the concealment of rain and fog. Many of its maneuvers emphasize the slow, patient erosion of defenses by running water, but it supernatural maneuvers are very fast and terrors to behold.
The weapons associated with the Ocean Tempest school are the khopesh, the trident, the whip, the spiked chain, and the flail, as they mimic the unpredictable nature of the storm (whip, chain, flail), somewhat resemble the shape of a wave (khopesh), or are traditionally associated with the sea (trident). The key skill for the Ocean Tempest school is Swim.
Ocean Tempest Maneuver List
1st-Level
• Strike Buffeting Wave Melee attack deals extra piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing damage.
• Boost Crashing Wave Your next melee attack knocks foes prone.
• Boost Cresting Wave Gain a bonus on Jump and Balance checks and ignore difficult terrain for 1 round.
• Stance Overwhelming Wave Pass through an opponent without Tumbling.
2nd Level
• Strike Water Conquers Stone Deal damage to target’s equipment.
• Counter Flash Flood Counter an enemy’s strike and take an attack of opportunity.
• Boost Wear Away the Earth Gain attack and damage bonuses based on the number of successful melee attacks made on enemies.
• Stance Erode the Banks Reduce enemies’ AC and damage reduction.
3rd Level
• Strike Tide Advancing Gain bonuses on attack and damage based on movement.
• Counter Falling Tide Avoid a melee attack with a Reflex save.
• Boost Rising Tide Double your movement for 1 round.
• Boost Tide Receding Gain bonuses on AC and saves based on movement.
4th Level
• Strike Stone in the River Make a full attack as touch attacks.
• Boost Flowing River Triple your movement, or double you movement and don’t provoke attacks of opportunity for movement.
• Counter Ride the River Trip and disarm your opponent.
5th Level
• Strike Drowning Blow Cause an opponent to suffocate with a melee touch attack.
• Counter Quench the Fire Counter energy damage.
• Counter Soak to the Bone Nauseate or sicken opponents and deal 2 Str and/or Dex damage.
• Stance Ocean Depths Gain darkvision plus immunity to nonlethal damage and drowning.
6th Level
• Strike Congeal the Air Nauseate or fatigue opponents.
• Counter Morning Fog Gain total concealment for 1 round and concealment for 1 round.
• Boost Waterfall Mist One enemy is denied Dex bonus to AC vs. your attacks for 1 round.
7th Level
• Strike Hurricane Incarnate Deal additional damage of various types, and inflict status effects on your target.
• Strike Geyser’s Fury Launch enemies into the air and deal falling damage; opponents' squares become difficult terrain.
• Strike Waterspout Lunge Charge over gaps and unstable surfaces.
8th Level
• Strike Tidal Wave Deal damage to opponents based on their distance from you and push enemies back or knock them prone.
• Stance Summer Monsoon Aura of rain surrounds you; rains impede vision and disrupt spellcasting.
9th Level
• Strike Maelstrom’s Wrath Move your speed and attack adjacent enemies while pulling enemies in towards you.
1st Level
Buffeting Wave
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Your weapon slams into your enemy like a wave into the shore, tossing him about and leaving many wounds.
When you initiate this strike, your melee attack deals an extra 1d6 of your choice of cold, electricity, sonic, slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning damage. If you choose cold, electricity, or sonic damage, this maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Crashing Wave
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: One creature
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
Drawing on the power of the sea, you rise up over your enemy like a wave crashing into the shore and hammer him into the ground.
Make a single melee attack; the target of your attack must make a Fortitude save (DC 11 + your Wis modifier) or be knocked prone.
Cresting Wave
Ocean Tempest (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn
The power of the sea lifts you up and carries you over obstacles.
For the remainder of your turn, you ignore difficult terrain when calculating movement cost, and you may use your ranks in Swim when making Jump and Balance checks instead of your Jump or Balance ranks, if any.
Overwhelming Wave
Ocean Tempest (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Drawing on the strength of the roaring surf, you overwhelm your enemy and knock him aside.
While you are in this stance, you may use your ranks in Swim when making Tumble checks instead of your ranks in Tumble; in addition, you gain a +5 bonus on the Tumble check to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity from an enemy through whose space you move.
2nd Level
Erode the Banks
Ocean Tempest (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Water always strains to escape that which confines it until its confines crumble into dust. You learn to draw upon this power to reduce your opponents’ defenses and crush their resistance to your attacks.
While you are in this stance, if you successfully hit an opponent in melee, your target takes a cumulative -1 penalty to AC and any damage reduction they might have is cumulatively reduced by 1 point, until the end of the encounter; an opponent's AC and damage reduction may not gain more than a -1 penalty in any given round. In every round in which a target of this stance is not struck by any melee attack, whether from you or another creature, he or she regains 2 points of AC and 2 points of damage reduction, if any.
Flash Flood
Ocean Tempest (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
As your opponent’s weapon flashes towards you, you dodge and riposte with the same speed and suddenness of a flood sweeping through a city, surprising your opponent with a rapid series of blows.
When a creature successfully strikes you in melee, you can initiate this maneuver to counterattack. You may make a Reflex save with a DC equal to 10 + the creature's base attack bonus, and if you succeed, you may immediately take an attack of opportunity against the creature that attacked you.
Water Conquers Stone
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: One creature and its possessions
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
When water seeps into the cracks in stone and freezes, it expands, destroying even the largest and strongest of boulders.
When you initiate this strike, your melee attack deals an extra 2d6 cold damage and ignores objects’ hardness. In addition, 1d4 of your opponent’s possessions must make a Fortitude save (DC 12 + your Wis modifier) or take the 2d6 cold damage, as if the target had rolled a 1 on his save against a spell. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Wear Away the Earth
Ocean Tempest (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 3 rounds
Water is ever patient, eroding any substance it touches for a long period of time. You draw upon this strength to wear away at your opponents—every time you strike them, your attacks are more accurate and more damaging, until your opponent’s strength erodes away completely.
For the duration of this boost, every time you successfully hit an opponent in melee, you gain a +1 cumulative bonus on attack and damage rolls for any melee attack you make during the duration of this maneuver.
3rd Level
Falling Tide
Ocean Tempest (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
As the tide lowers near the coast, the water slips away unnoticed until observers realize the water is many feet farther away than they earlier thought. In the same way, you distort your opponent’s perception of your position, making it easy to doge his strike when he does not extend his weapon far enough.
When a creature successfully strikes you in melee, you can initiate this maneuver to possibly avoid taking damage. Make a Reflex save with a DC equal to your opponent’s attack roll + 3; if the save succeeds, you take no damage from the attack.
Rising Tide
Ocean Tempest (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn
“A rising tide lifts all boats.”
When you initiate this boost, you gain a +30 foot bonus to your movement speed until the end of your turn and do not provoke attacks of opportunity for the duration of this boost; any move actions you might take, or maneuvers you initiate that would grant you movement, use this enhanced speed.
Tide Advancing
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Personal
Target: You
When the tide comes in, waves come closer and closer to the shore, hitting harder and harder as they move from deep into shallow water because they have more time to pick up speed. In the same way, you gain momentum as you move and transfer that momentum to your attacks.
When you initiate this strike, you must charge, moving up to double your speed and making a single melee attack against an opponent. Your attack at the end of the charge deals an extra 1d6 damage for every 5 feet you move before attacking, with maximum extra damage dice equal to 1/2 your initiator level, rounded up.
Tide Receding
Ocean Tempest (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
When the tide goes out, anything in the water slowly drifts out and away beyond the reach of someone on the shore. In the same way, you frustrate your opponents’ attacks and gain time to regroup as you continuously move just out of your enemies’ reach.
Until the start of your next turn, you gain a cumulative +1 deflection bonus to AC for every 10 feet you move, as long as you are moving away from at least one enemy. You also gain DR X/— against ranged attacks for the duration of this boost, where X is equal to the deflection bonus you gain from this boost. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
4th Level
Flowing River
Ocean Tempest (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisites: 3 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn
A rushing river flows quickly and surely, out-maneuvering or overrunning anything that would try to stop or divert its course.
When you initiate this boost, you double your movement speed until the end of your turn and do not provoke attacks of opportunity for the duration of this boost. Any move actions you might take, or maneuvers you initiate that would grant you movement, use this enhanced speed.
Ride the River
Ocean Tempest (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisites: 2 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
Any who would paddle down a river would do well to beware the rapids, for their turbulence quickly separates paddler and paddle.
If you are successfully struck in melee, you may initiate this counter to grant you an immediate free trip attempt and free disarm attempt.
Stone in the River
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisites: 2 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Personal
Target: You
A river flows over any obstacle; any obstruction creates whorls and eddies that send water rushing through every crevice and crack in it. Nothing can escape the rushing torrent as it covers and surrounds anything in its path.
When you initiate this strike, make a full attack. All melee attacks you make during this full attack are resolved as melee touch attacks.
5th Level
Drowning Blow
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisites: 3 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: End of encounter
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
As you strike your opponent, you seem to do nothing more than swing casually with your weapon. However, the slightest touch with your weapon floods your target’s mouth, nose, and lungs with seawater, forcing your target to willfully breathe and clear his throat to avoid suffocation.
As a standard action, you may make a melee touch attack against any opponent you threaten. The target of your attack begins to drown; each round, he takes 2d6 subdual damage unless he succeeds at a Fortitude save (DC 15 + your Wisdom modifier), in which case he takes 1d6 subdual damage each round. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Ocean Depths
Ocean Tempest (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisites: 3 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
You are familiar with the crushing pressure and lightless depths of the deepest ocean, and they do not harm you.
While you are in this stance, you gain several benefits. First, you have immunity to water pressure damage and nonlethal damage, as well as immunity to drowning and suffocation (effectively, the ability to breathe water as well as air). Second, you gain darkvision with a range of 30 feet and low-light vision. Third, you may act freely underwater, as if under the effects of a freedom of movement spell (but only for the purposes of free action underwater). Finally, you gain a swim speed equal to your land speed and may walk on water as per the water walk spell, activating or deactivating the water walk effect as a standard action. The immunity to drowning and suffocation granted by this maneuver is a supernatural ability; the other benefits are not.
Quench the Fire
Ocean Tempest (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisites: 3 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/3 initiator levels
The strongest fire is extinguished by the touch of water, the coldest ice is crushed, and the strongest acid is diluted. While electricity and sonic energy are conducted well by water, you are a friend of the storm, and they do not wish to harm you.
If you are targeted by a spell or other effect dealing energy damage, you may initiate this counter to mitigate some of the damage. You gain resistance to fire, cold, acid, electricity, and sonic damage equal to your ranks in Swim for the duration of this maneuver. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Soak to the Bone
Ocean Tempest (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisites: 3 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
As your opponent’s weapon rains blows upon you, you take them without flinching, then tap him lightly with your weapon in return. He feels suddenly cold, as if he’d been swimming in freezing water, and as seasick as if he’d spent a week on the open ocean.
When an opponent successfully strikes you with a melee attack, you may initiate this counter and immediately make a melee touch attack in response. If you hit, your opponent must make a Fortitude save or be sickened and take a -2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity as he is wracked by hypothermia and seasickness. If he succeeds on his save, he is not sickened and takes a -2 penalty to either Strength or Dexterity, your choice, not to both. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
6th Level
Congeal the Air
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisites: 3 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 3 rounds
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
As you strike your opponent, you seem to do nothing more than swing casually with your weapon. However, the slightest touch with your weapon surrounds your target with the cloying, oppressive humidity of a sweltering summer day; he begins to sweat profusely and finds the humidity too heavy and restricting to move.
As a standard action, you may make a melee touch attack against any opponent you threaten. The target of your attack becomes nauseated for 3 rounds unless he succeeds on a Fortitude save (DC 16 + you Wis modifier). If he succeeds on his save, he instead becomes sickened or fatigued (your choice) for 3 rounds. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Morning Fog
Ocean Tempest (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisites: 4 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Area: 5-foot-radius circle, centered on you.
Duration: 2 rounds
Just as your opponent prepares to strike, a fog rolls in, seemingly out of nowhere, and surrounds both of you completely; he cannot see where to strike you, but the fog parts for you when you wish to strike back.
You may initiate this counter if an opponent successfully strikes you in melee. Your opponent must roll a miss chance as if you have total concealment, and if he misses the miss chance roll the attack which provoked the use of this counter misses. You retain total concealment for 1 round, and all squares adjacent to you provide total concealment. However, the fog dissipates quickly—on the second round, instead of total concealment, your square and all squares adjacent to you only provide concealment, and on the third round, they do not provide any concealment. Your attacks do not suffer a miss chance for concealment, but any other creatures who occupy a square adjacent to you or attack through a square adjacent to you suffer the miss chance, ally or enemy. If you move, the concealment moves with you. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Waterfall Mist
Ocean Tempest (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisites: 3 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Area: 10-foot-radius emanation, centered on you
Duration: 3 rounds
You are able to emulate the majesty and power of a roaring waterfall. Just as the spray of a waterfall throws up a mist that conceals what is behind it, the same mist hides the falling water from any creatures in the mist; so also do your attacks strike from a direction and angle your opponents cannot predict.
For the duration of this boost, creatures within 10 feet of you are denied their Dexterity bonus to AC for all melee attacks you make against them.
7th Level
Geyser’s Fury
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisites: 4 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: 30 feet
Target: One creature/3 initiator levels
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial or Reflex negates; see text
You strike the ground with your weapon, willing a geyser to form. The ground answers you—many gallons of water flow from underground pools, weakening the earth under your enemies before exploding out of the ground and launching them into the air.
When you initiate this strike, choose one opponent for every three initiator levels you possess. Each of those opponents is tossed 5 feet into the air per initiator level by a powerful geyser unless they succeed on a Reflex save (DC 17 + your Wisdom modifier). If they hit a solid barrier before reaching the full height, they take 1d6 damage per 3 initiator levels and are stunned for 1 round unless they succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 17 + your Wis modifier). Otherwise, they fall from their maximum height and take falling damage as normal. The sudden geyser weakens the earth, turning squares beneath affected creatures into difficult terrain. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Hurricane Incarnate
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisites: 5 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Personal
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial; see text
With a single strike, you channel the fury of hurricanes and the thunderstorms that accompany them. Your enemy is lashed by lightning, thunder, hail, flying debris, and gale-force winds, and is treated to the nauseating experience of weathering a storm at sea.
When you initiate this strike, make one melee attack against any opponent you threaten. This attack deals an extra 8d6 damage, which may be either electricty, cold, sonic, piercing, slashing, or bludgeoning damage, your choice. In addition, choose two effects from the following list: blinded, deafened, sickened, or entangled; your opponent must make a Fortitude save (DC 17 + your Wis modifier) or be affected by both effects for 1 round, or only one on a successful save. If the damage type chosen is electricity, cold, or sonic, this maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Waterspout Lunge
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisites: 5 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round or more; see text
Saving Throw: Reflex half; see text
You strike the ground with your weapon, willing a waterspout to form. The ground answers you, and water seeps out from under your feet, forming a small pool of water from which a waterspout springs to bear you aloft towards your enemies. The waterspout persists through quicksand, water, and other materials, and propels you over pits and chasms.
When you initiate this strike, you must charge, moving up to double your speed and making a single melee attack against an opponent. You do not provoke attacks of opportunity from this movement, and you ignore difficult terrain. In addition, you travel above the ground, so you can charge over unstable surfaces such as lava or water and do not take damage from dangerous surfaces such as lava or acid. Finally, you may even charge over gaps in the ground if you succeed on a Swim check (DC 20 + 2 per 5 feet crossed); if there are multiple gaps to cross, make one check taking into account the total distance covered. The waterspout supporting you can hold you only a maximum of 25 feet above the ground; if a gap or pit is deeper than this, you may not cross it—the waterspout will lose energy and lower you to the ground, so you only take half the falling damage. If you move adjacent to a creature during your charge, the creature takes 5d6 damage from the force of the waterspout holding you aloft unless it succeeds on a Reflex save (DC 17 + your Wis modifier) for half damage; the target of your strike takes the same damage without the benefit of a Reflex save.
Alternately, if you are not in combat, instead of charging you may make a double move instead of a charge, gaining all of the movement benefits of this maneuver (passing over difficult terrain, etc.) If you end your turn over a body of water or other liquid, you may continue moving and remain lifted over liquid and obstacles, sustaining this maneuver as long as desired; you may continue doing this until you end your turn over land, though each round you extend this charge you must make a Swim check (DC 10 + 1 per round) to continue doing so. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
8th Level
Summer Monsoon
Ocean Tempest (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisites: 4 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: 20 feet
Area: 20-foot-radius circle, centered on you
Duration: Stance
Saving Throw: Reflex partial
You are surrounded by the furious rains of a monsoon. While they do not impede you, the rains distract others and interfere with their actions as the rains beat down on them.
While you are in this stance, you are surrounded by an area of monsoon-force rains, which gives you several benefits. First, any creatures within the monsoon gain concealment against all attacks except yours. Secondly, all creatures within the monsoon have their speed halved; affected creatures may make a Reflex save (DC 18 + Wis modifier) each round to negate the speed penalty for that round. Finally, any creatures wishing to cast a spell or manifest a power must make a Concentration check (DC 18 + your Wis modifier) or lose it. If you move more than 5 feet in a given round, the rains temporarily thin out and have no effect until the end of the following round. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Tidal Wave
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisites: 5 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: 5 feet per 3 initiator levels
Area: Cone
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial or Reflex half; see text
With a shout, you launch a tidal wave of water from your weapon. Those who aren’t knocked prone by the crushing pressure of the wave are pushed back, receiving more and more severe injuries the farther they travel.
When you initiate this strike, choose an area for the cone to fill. Any creatures in the area take 6d6 damage unless they succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 18 + your Wis modifier). If they save successfully, they are then knocked prone; creatures failing their save are knocked 5 feet away from you. Creatures knocked backwards by the blast continue taking damage until and unless they succeed on their Fortitude save, taking 3d6 damage every 5 feet (for example, a creature knocked back 15 feet before making its save would take 6d6+3d6+3d6+3d6 damage). If a creature hits a barrier before successfully making its Fortitude save and stopping, it takes full damage for the rest of the distance it would travel, but it does not fall prone. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
9th Level
Maelstrom’s Wrath
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 9
Prerequisites: 6 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Personal
Target: You
A maelstrom is one of the most lethal hazards a vessel can encounter. You channel the fury of the maelstrom, attacking your enemies many times in the blink of an eye and pulling them inexorably towards you.
When you initiate this strike, move up your speed. Your reach increases by 5 feet, though you still threaten squares closer to you, and any time you move such that an enemy is within your reach, you may take an attack of opportunity against him. You may take as many attacks of opportunity while you execute this maneuver as you would normally be entitled to take, up to a maximum of your initiator level, and a given enemy may be attacked as many times as you wish as long as you move into a space that allows you to threaten him again. In addition, if an enemy you attack is not adjacent to you, you may make an opposed Strength check to pull him into a square adjacent to you; he provokes attacks of opportunity from this movement as normal.
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Ocean Tempest Feats
Perfect Fluidity
Your unmatched poise and excellent reflexes allow you to instantly react to combat and quickly overwhelm your enemies.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, initiator level 3rd, two Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Benefit: You may add your initiative modifier to attack and damage rolls you make during a surprise round.
Liquid Grace
You flow smoothly from one motion to another, a continuous stream of attack and movement.
Prerequisites: One Ocean Tempest stance
Benefit: While you are in an Ocean Tempest stance, you may make a number of attacks of opportunity per round equal to your base Reflex save modifier.
Special: You may use Liquid Grace in place of Combat Reflexes to qualify for a feat, prestige class, or other ability. A character may take both this feat and Combat Reflexes, but Combat Reflexes only applies when the character is not in an Ocean Tempest stance.
Inexorable Tsunami [Tactical]
You have learned the fighting techniques of the Ocean Tempest school that mimic the tsunami: a tsunami pulls back from shore like a deceptively calm tide, biding its time until it can unleash devastation in one terrible instant. So also do you wait and watch for the moment when a single decisive assault can turn the tide of battle.
Prerequisites: Perfect Fluidity, Combat Expertise, Power Attack, two Ocean Tempest maneuvers, base attack bonus +6
Benefits: The Inexorable Tsunami feat enables the use of three tactical options.
Calm Before the Storm: To use this option, you must use an Ocean Tempest strike and then spend at least one round in which you do not use a strike maneuver or make a full attack. For every round in which you do not use a strike maneuver or make a full attack, you add +1d6 damage to the next strike you initiate. For example, if a character uses a strike in one round, holds off using another for 3 rounds, then uses a strike in the 4th round, he adds 3d6 damage to the strike. You may add a maximum number of extra dice equal to 1/2 your initiator level to the strike, and the rounds spent “charging” this option must be consecutive; if you do not attack on or before a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your initiator level have passed, the extra damage is lost and you must start the sequence over.
Crest and Trough: To use this option, you must either use Combat Expertise or Power Attack for a -5 penalty to attack rolls in the first round. On the next round, you must use the other feat to take a -5 penalty, but the bonus you gain on AC or damage rolls improves by 1. For each round you alternate use of the feats, the bonus continues to increase, to a maximum of +10 with either feat. For example, a character could use Combat Expertise for -5 attack in exchange for +5 AC. On his next turn, he would Power Attack for -5 attack in exchange for +6 damage; the next round, he could trade -5 attack for +7 AC, and so on. Once you reach +10 with either Power Attack or Combat Expertise, or if you miss one round, the cycle ends and the trade-off returns to -5 for +5.
Undertow Retreating: To use this option, you must have moved at least your speed on your previous turn and made at least one melee attack after moving. If an opponent attacks you, as an immediate action you may move up to half your speed back along the same path you traveled on your previous turn. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.
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Ocean Tempest Legacy Weapon
Ocean’s Fury
Ocean’s Fury is a mithral khopesh with a greenish tint to the blade, which is etched to look like a cresting wave. Its hilt is carved and decorated to appear to be a coral formation, with the “coral” extending up to form the crossguard, and the pommel and crossguard are set with tiny sapphires and pearls.
Nonlegacy Game Statistics: +1 mithral khopesh; cost 2,820 gp; weight 8 lb
Omen: Whenever Ocean’s Fury is drawn, it gives off the scent of saltwater, and gives off a sound like rushing water whenever it is used.
History
After the Temple of Nine Swords was attacked by the Shadow Tiger horde, its surviving students fled; besides simple survival, one of their aims was to recover the nine lost discipline swords and in so doing reconstruct the temple. A group of students specializing in the Desert Wind and Stone Dragon schools found their disciplines’ swords and rejoiced, but soon afterwards they found themselves fleeing the Shadow Tiger horde once again. They found a ship that would take them and began sailing from island to island, hoping to evade their pursuers. (DC 15)
As the weeks wore on and the pursuit seemed no farther away, the students decided to teach the crew some of the secrets of the Sublime Way, both to help defend the ship and to pass on the traditions. The sailors, having lived at sea all their life, didn’t take very well to the training; there seemed to be a tradition for air and fire, and one for stone, but why not water, which was all around them and with which they were well acquainted? The sailors worked with the Temple students to develop their own path, and, once they had become skilled in this new discipline, commissioned a sword from the ship’s smith to match Desert Wind and Unfettered. The ship’s smith, not wanting to duplicate any of the swords the Temple students had mentioned, decided to create a khopesh, a curved sword from his native land that reminded him of the waves and the sea; he finished the blade and carved designs into it but was still decorating the hilt when their enemies found them. When the ship’s pursuers finally reached the ship, they found, not a few swordsages leading a frightened crew, but a group of warriors using never-before-seen techniques that turned the surrounding sea against them. Though the students of the new discipline emerged victorious, the unfinished discipline sword was lost during the battle, falling overboard and coming to rest on the sea floor. (DC 18, Solitude of the Depths)
Many months after the battle, a group of merfolk found the abandoned sword, which had not rusted or tarnished and was as brilliant as the day it was forged. Sensing its power and captivated by its skillful design—for the merfolk had never seen a khopesh before—its finders brought the sword to their home, where their best crafters replaced the plain metal handle with one resembling the reef near their home. For years afterwards, the best warriors among the merfolk used the sword to fend off attacks against their homes, adding a tiny pearl to the sword for every foe killed, but finally one of its wielders was overcome by a sahuagin who used it in several surface raids. Nearby elven and human settlements grew to fear the fearsome sahuagin who “wielded the very fury of the ocean” against them; stories told by those settlers gave the weapon its name. The elves and humans lived in fear of the sahuagin with Ocean’s Fury until a brave warrior slew him in single combat and took the sword for the humans. (DC 25, Spoils of the Victor)
In following years, Ocean’s Fury was bought by a rich adventurer who wandered through that coastal town; after he grew tired of it, it passed through the hands of many nobles who admired the blade for its appearance, eventually being bequeathed to a young noble who dabbled in the arcane arts. Having no use for the sword, but unwilling to sell it lest he anger the noble who gave it to him, he kept it in his workroom to make it appear that he appreciated the gift. In his spare time, he enchanted it with the power of lightning, thunder, and ice so its abilities would fit its appearance. One day, the young mage was attempting to bind a marid to his service when his patron barged in and disturbed the magic circle binding it. The marid killed both of them, for it was a talented warrior in its own right, but before leaving, he noticed Ocean’s Fury. Entranced by the sense of power emanating from it, the marid asked a sorcerer of his acquaintance to call him to the Material Plane so he could bring the sword physically back to the Plane of Water. By sheer coincidence, the sorcerer in question had been on the ship with the Temple students when the sword was forged and recognized its description; after the marid took Ocean’s Fury, the sorcerer traveled to the Plane of Water to find it and returned it to the temple on the Material Plane where the new water-based discipline was being taught in secret. The water discipline was still slowly developing and still lacked a name, so the sorcerer, having learned the sword’s name and having passed through many storms on the Plane of Water, named the discipline Ocean Tempest; inspired by the return of their weapon, the students worked even harder to create their discipline’s more powerful storm-themed techniques. When the first disciple of the Ocean Tempest created and successfully carried out its final technique, it was initiated with Ocean’s Fury. With the sword’s influence seemingly no longer necessary, it was returned to the marid community on the Plane of Water, where it was used to teach the newly completed discipline to all who wished to learn; the marids and former Temple students promised to come to each other’s aid at the call of the sword to ensure that this tenth discipline would survive. (DC 31, Journey of the Marid)
Legacy Rituals
Three rituals are required to unlock the abilities of Ocean’s Fury.
Solitude of the Depths: You must journey alone to a settlement of any marine race, where you must spend at least 24 hours underwater with no nourishment or equipment other than Ocean’s Fury and any magic items that let you breather water, if any are necessary. Cost: 1,500 gp. Feat Granted: Least Legacy(Ocean’s Fury)
Spoils of the Victor: You must defeat a creature native to the Plane of Water or an aquatic creature in a one-on-one duel to the death using only Ocean’s Fury and its abilities, Ocean Tempest maneuvers, or melee attacks. The creature’s challenge rating must be greater than or equal to your character level – 1, and you must take at least one melee weapon from among the creature’s possessions after the duel. Cost: 13,000 gp. Feat Granted: Lesser Legacy(Ocean’s Fury)
Journey of the Marid: You must travel alone to the temple on the Plane of Water where students of the Ocean Tempest school are taught, where you must meditate for at least 8 hours. After that, you must seek out and survive, alone, a destructive phenomenon of the Plane of Water (a red tide or the like) and weather that for at least 8 hours, then seek out and survive, alone, a destructive phenomenon of the Material Plane (a hurricane or the like) for 8 hours. (The temple may or may not still be occupied, at the DM’s option.) Cost: 39,000 gp. Feat Granted: Greater Legacy(Ocean’s Fury)
Wielder Requirements
Base attack bonus +3
Weapon Proficiency (khopesh)
Swim 4 ranks
Legacy Weapon Abilities
All of the following are legacy abilities of Ocean’s Fury.
One with the Water (Su): At 5th level, you gain a swim speed equal to your land speed.
Storm at Sea (Sp): At 6th level, you gain the Inexorable Tsunami tactical feat, described above.
Endure the Tempest (Ex): At 7th level, you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution. This bonus increases to +4 at 14th level and +6 at 18th level.
Bottom of the Sea (Su): At 10th level, you add the Ocean Depths stance to your list of stances known, or gain the Martial Stance (Ocean Depths) feat if you cannot initiate maneuvers. If you already know this stance, you may learn any other Ocean Tempest maneuver or stance of 5th level or lower of your choice.
Raging Tempest (Sp): At 16th level, you gain the ability to cast stormrage once per day. Caster level 15th.
Thunderstorm Fury (Sp): At 17th level, once per day as a full-round action you may cast a sonic admixed lightning admixed ice storm. Caster level 17th.
Channel the Tempest (Su): At 20th level, you gain an ability similar to a gate spell for one of two uses. Once per day, you may call any one creature with the (aquatic) or (Water) subtype whose CR is less than or equal to 20 from any plane, even the plane from which the ability is used. Regardless of the creature choice, you may replace any or all of its feats with Martial Study (Ocean Tempest) or Martial Stance (Ocean Tempest) to give it maneuvers of your choice. The creature remains for 20 minutes before returning to whence it came. Alternately, twice per day you may travel either to or from the Plane of Water with up to 20 other creatures and their equipment.
{table]Level|Attack Penalty|Save Penalty|HP Penalty|Legacy Abilities
5th||||One with the Water, +1 mithral khopesh
6th|
-1|||Storm at Sea
7th||
-1|
2|Endure the Tempest +2
8th|||
2|+1 mithral shock khopesh
9th||
-2||
10th|||
2|Bottom of the Sea
11th||||
12th||||+1 mithral shock frost khopesh
13th|
-2|||
14th|||
2|Endure the Tempest +4
15th||
-3||+1 mithral shock frost thundering khopesh
16th|||
2|Raging Tempest
17th||||Thunderstorm Fury
18th||||Endure the Tempest +6
19th||||
20th||
-4|
2|Channel the Tempest[/table]
As its name implies, the Ocean Tempest school draws much of its inspiration from a storm at sea—its practitioners focus on emulating waves, tides, and natural disasters such as hurricanes and tsunami. However, just as all bodies of water will eventually lead to the ocean, the Ocean Tempest school doesn’t have one single unifying style; it also draws on the speed and fluidity of the river and the concealment of rain and fog. Many of its maneuvers emphasize the slow, patient erosion of defenses by running water, but it supernatural maneuvers are very fast and terrors to behold.
The weapons associated with the Ocean Tempest school are the khopesh, the trident, the whip, the spiked chain, and the flail, as they mimic the unpredictable nature of the storm (whip, chain, flail), somewhat resemble the shape of a wave (khopesh), or are traditionally associated with the sea (trident). The key skill for the Ocean Tempest school is Swim.
Ocean Tempest Maneuver List
1st-Level
• Strike Buffeting Wave Melee attack deals extra piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing damage.
• Boost Crashing Wave Your next melee attack knocks foes prone.
• Boost Cresting Wave Gain a bonus on Jump and Balance checks and ignore difficult terrain for 1 round.
• Stance Overwhelming Wave Pass through an opponent without Tumbling.
2nd Level
• Strike Water Conquers Stone Deal damage to target’s equipment.
• Counter Flash Flood Counter an enemy’s strike and take an attack of opportunity.
• Boost Wear Away the Earth Gain attack and damage bonuses based on the number of successful melee attacks made on enemies.
• Stance Erode the Banks Reduce enemies’ AC and damage reduction.
3rd Level
• Strike Tide Advancing Gain bonuses on attack and damage based on movement.
• Counter Falling Tide Avoid a melee attack with a Reflex save.
• Boost Rising Tide Double your movement for 1 round.
• Boost Tide Receding Gain bonuses on AC and saves based on movement.
4th Level
• Strike Stone in the River Make a full attack as touch attacks.
• Boost Flowing River Triple your movement, or double you movement and don’t provoke attacks of opportunity for movement.
• Counter Ride the River Trip and disarm your opponent.
5th Level
• Strike Drowning Blow Cause an opponent to suffocate with a melee touch attack.
• Counter Quench the Fire Counter energy damage.
• Counter Soak to the Bone Nauseate or sicken opponents and deal 2 Str and/or Dex damage.
• Stance Ocean Depths Gain darkvision plus immunity to nonlethal damage and drowning.
6th Level
• Strike Congeal the Air Nauseate or fatigue opponents.
• Counter Morning Fog Gain total concealment for 1 round and concealment for 1 round.
• Boost Waterfall Mist One enemy is denied Dex bonus to AC vs. your attacks for 1 round.
7th Level
• Strike Hurricane Incarnate Deal additional damage of various types, and inflict status effects on your target.
• Strike Geyser’s Fury Launch enemies into the air and deal falling damage; opponents' squares become difficult terrain.
• Strike Waterspout Lunge Charge over gaps and unstable surfaces.
8th Level
• Strike Tidal Wave Deal damage to opponents based on their distance from you and push enemies back or knock them prone.
• Stance Summer Monsoon Aura of rain surrounds you; rains impede vision and disrupt spellcasting.
9th Level
• Strike Maelstrom’s Wrath Move your speed and attack adjacent enemies while pulling enemies in towards you.
1st Level
Buffeting Wave
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Your weapon slams into your enemy like a wave into the shore, tossing him about and leaving many wounds.
When you initiate this strike, your melee attack deals an extra 1d6 of your choice of cold, electricity, sonic, slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning damage. If you choose cold, electricity, or sonic damage, this maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Crashing Wave
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: One creature
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
Drawing on the power of the sea, you rise up over your enemy like a wave crashing into the shore and hammer him into the ground.
Make a single melee attack; the target of your attack must make a Fortitude save (DC 11 + your Wis modifier) or be knocked prone.
Cresting Wave
Ocean Tempest (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn
The power of the sea lifts you up and carries you over obstacles.
For the remainder of your turn, you ignore difficult terrain when calculating movement cost, and you may use your ranks in Swim when making Jump and Balance checks instead of your Jump or Balance ranks, if any.
Overwhelming Wave
Ocean Tempest (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Drawing on the strength of the roaring surf, you overwhelm your enemy and knock him aside.
While you are in this stance, you may use your ranks in Swim when making Tumble checks instead of your ranks in Tumble; in addition, you gain a +5 bonus on the Tumble check to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity from an enemy through whose space you move.
2nd Level
Erode the Banks
Ocean Tempest (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Water always strains to escape that which confines it until its confines crumble into dust. You learn to draw upon this power to reduce your opponents’ defenses and crush their resistance to your attacks.
While you are in this stance, if you successfully hit an opponent in melee, your target takes a cumulative -1 penalty to AC and any damage reduction they might have is cumulatively reduced by 1 point, until the end of the encounter; an opponent's AC and damage reduction may not gain more than a -1 penalty in any given round. In every round in which a target of this stance is not struck by any melee attack, whether from you or another creature, he or she regains 2 points of AC and 2 points of damage reduction, if any.
Flash Flood
Ocean Tempest (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
As your opponent’s weapon flashes towards you, you dodge and riposte with the same speed and suddenness of a flood sweeping through a city, surprising your opponent with a rapid series of blows.
When a creature successfully strikes you in melee, you can initiate this maneuver to counterattack. You may make a Reflex save with a DC equal to 10 + the creature's base attack bonus, and if you succeed, you may immediately take an attack of opportunity against the creature that attacked you.
Water Conquers Stone
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: One creature and its possessions
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
When water seeps into the cracks in stone and freezes, it expands, destroying even the largest and strongest of boulders.
When you initiate this strike, your melee attack deals an extra 2d6 cold damage and ignores objects’ hardness. In addition, 1d4 of your opponent’s possessions must make a Fortitude save (DC 12 + your Wis modifier) or take the 2d6 cold damage, as if the target had rolled a 1 on his save against a spell. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Wear Away the Earth
Ocean Tempest (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 3 rounds
Water is ever patient, eroding any substance it touches for a long period of time. You draw upon this strength to wear away at your opponents—every time you strike them, your attacks are more accurate and more damaging, until your opponent’s strength erodes away completely.
For the duration of this boost, every time you successfully hit an opponent in melee, you gain a +1 cumulative bonus on attack and damage rolls for any melee attack you make during the duration of this maneuver.
3rd Level
Falling Tide
Ocean Tempest (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
As the tide lowers near the coast, the water slips away unnoticed until observers realize the water is many feet farther away than they earlier thought. In the same way, you distort your opponent’s perception of your position, making it easy to doge his strike when he does not extend his weapon far enough.
When a creature successfully strikes you in melee, you can initiate this maneuver to possibly avoid taking damage. Make a Reflex save with a DC equal to your opponent’s attack roll + 3; if the save succeeds, you take no damage from the attack.
Rising Tide
Ocean Tempest (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn
“A rising tide lifts all boats.”
When you initiate this boost, you gain a +30 foot bonus to your movement speed until the end of your turn and do not provoke attacks of opportunity for the duration of this boost; any move actions you might take, or maneuvers you initiate that would grant you movement, use this enhanced speed.
Tide Advancing
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Personal
Target: You
When the tide comes in, waves come closer and closer to the shore, hitting harder and harder as they move from deep into shallow water because they have more time to pick up speed. In the same way, you gain momentum as you move and transfer that momentum to your attacks.
When you initiate this strike, you must charge, moving up to double your speed and making a single melee attack against an opponent. Your attack at the end of the charge deals an extra 1d6 damage for every 5 feet you move before attacking, with maximum extra damage dice equal to 1/2 your initiator level, rounded up.
Tide Receding
Ocean Tempest (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisites: 1 Ocean Tempest maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
When the tide goes out, anything in the water slowly drifts out and away beyond the reach of someone on the shore. In the same way, you frustrate your opponents’ attacks and gain time to regroup as you continuously move just out of your enemies’ reach.
Until the start of your next turn, you gain a cumulative +1 deflection bonus to AC for every 10 feet you move, as long as you are moving away from at least one enemy. You also gain DR X/— against ranged attacks for the duration of this boost, where X is equal to the deflection bonus you gain from this boost. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
4th Level
Flowing River
Ocean Tempest (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisites: 3 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of turn
A rushing river flows quickly and surely, out-maneuvering or overrunning anything that would try to stop or divert its course.
When you initiate this boost, you double your movement speed until the end of your turn and do not provoke attacks of opportunity for the duration of this boost. Any move actions you might take, or maneuvers you initiate that would grant you movement, use this enhanced speed.
Ride the River
Ocean Tempest (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisites: 2 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
Any who would paddle down a river would do well to beware the rapids, for their turbulence quickly separates paddler and paddle.
If you are successfully struck in melee, you may initiate this counter to grant you an immediate free trip attempt and free disarm attempt.
Stone in the River
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisites: 2 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Personal
Target: You
A river flows over any obstacle; any obstruction creates whorls and eddies that send water rushing through every crevice and crack in it. Nothing can escape the rushing torrent as it covers and surrounds anything in its path.
When you initiate this strike, make a full attack. All melee attacks you make during this full attack are resolved as melee touch attacks.
5th Level
Drowning Blow
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisites: 3 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: End of encounter
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
As you strike your opponent, you seem to do nothing more than swing casually with your weapon. However, the slightest touch with your weapon floods your target’s mouth, nose, and lungs with seawater, forcing your target to willfully breathe and clear his throat to avoid suffocation.
As a standard action, you may make a melee touch attack against any opponent you threaten. The target of your attack begins to drown; each round, he takes 2d6 subdual damage unless he succeeds at a Fortitude save (DC 15 + your Wisdom modifier), in which case he takes 1d6 subdual damage each round. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Ocean Depths
Ocean Tempest (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisites: 3 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
You are familiar with the crushing pressure and lightless depths of the deepest ocean, and they do not harm you.
While you are in this stance, you gain several benefits. First, you have immunity to water pressure damage and nonlethal damage, as well as immunity to drowning and suffocation (effectively, the ability to breathe water as well as air). Second, you gain darkvision with a range of 30 feet and low-light vision. Third, you may act freely underwater, as if under the effects of a freedom of movement spell (but only for the purposes of free action underwater). Finally, you gain a swim speed equal to your land speed and may walk on water as per the water walk spell, activating or deactivating the water walk effect as a standard action. The immunity to drowning and suffocation granted by this maneuver is a supernatural ability; the other benefits are not.
Quench the Fire
Ocean Tempest (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisites: 3 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/3 initiator levels
The strongest fire is extinguished by the touch of water, the coldest ice is crushed, and the strongest acid is diluted. While electricity and sonic energy are conducted well by water, you are a friend of the storm, and they do not wish to harm you.
If you are targeted by a spell or other effect dealing energy damage, you may initiate this counter to mitigate some of the damage. You gain resistance to fire, cold, acid, electricity, and sonic damage equal to your ranks in Swim for the duration of this maneuver. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Soak to the Bone
Ocean Tempest (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisites: 3 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
As your opponent’s weapon rains blows upon you, you take them without flinching, then tap him lightly with your weapon in return. He feels suddenly cold, as if he’d been swimming in freezing water, and as seasick as if he’d spent a week on the open ocean.
When an opponent successfully strikes you with a melee attack, you may initiate this counter and immediately make a melee touch attack in response. If you hit, your opponent must make a Fortitude save or be sickened and take a -2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity as he is wracked by hypothermia and seasickness. If he succeeds on his save, he is not sickened and takes a -2 penalty to either Strength or Dexterity, your choice, not to both. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
6th Level
Congeal the Air
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisites: 3 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 3 rounds
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
As you strike your opponent, you seem to do nothing more than swing casually with your weapon. However, the slightest touch with your weapon surrounds your target with the cloying, oppressive humidity of a sweltering summer day; he begins to sweat profusely and finds the humidity too heavy and restricting to move.
As a standard action, you may make a melee touch attack against any opponent you threaten. The target of your attack becomes nauseated for 3 rounds unless he succeeds on a Fortitude save (DC 16 + you Wis modifier). If he succeeds on his save, he instead becomes sickened or fatigued (your choice) for 3 rounds. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Morning Fog
Ocean Tempest (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisites: 4 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Area: 5-foot-radius circle, centered on you.
Duration: 2 rounds
Just as your opponent prepares to strike, a fog rolls in, seemingly out of nowhere, and surrounds both of you completely; he cannot see where to strike you, but the fog parts for you when you wish to strike back.
You may initiate this counter if an opponent successfully strikes you in melee. Your opponent must roll a miss chance as if you have total concealment, and if he misses the miss chance roll the attack which provoked the use of this counter misses. You retain total concealment for 1 round, and all squares adjacent to you provide total concealment. However, the fog dissipates quickly—on the second round, instead of total concealment, your square and all squares adjacent to you only provide concealment, and on the third round, they do not provide any concealment. Your attacks do not suffer a miss chance for concealment, but any other creatures who occupy a square adjacent to you or attack through a square adjacent to you suffer the miss chance, ally or enemy. If you move, the concealment moves with you. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Waterfall Mist
Ocean Tempest (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisites: 3 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Area: 10-foot-radius emanation, centered on you
Duration: 3 rounds
You are able to emulate the majesty and power of a roaring waterfall. Just as the spray of a waterfall throws up a mist that conceals what is behind it, the same mist hides the falling water from any creatures in the mist; so also do your attacks strike from a direction and angle your opponents cannot predict.
For the duration of this boost, creatures within 10 feet of you are denied their Dexterity bonus to AC for all melee attacks you make against them.
7th Level
Geyser’s Fury
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisites: 4 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: 30 feet
Target: One creature/3 initiator levels
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial or Reflex negates; see text
You strike the ground with your weapon, willing a geyser to form. The ground answers you—many gallons of water flow from underground pools, weakening the earth under your enemies before exploding out of the ground and launching them into the air.
When you initiate this strike, choose one opponent for every three initiator levels you possess. Each of those opponents is tossed 5 feet into the air per initiator level by a powerful geyser unless they succeed on a Reflex save (DC 17 + your Wisdom modifier). If they hit a solid barrier before reaching the full height, they take 1d6 damage per 3 initiator levels and are stunned for 1 round unless they succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 17 + your Wis modifier). Otherwise, they fall from their maximum height and take falling damage as normal. The sudden geyser weakens the earth, turning squares beneath affected creatures into difficult terrain. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Hurricane Incarnate
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisites: 5 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Personal
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial; see text
With a single strike, you channel the fury of hurricanes and the thunderstorms that accompany them. Your enemy is lashed by lightning, thunder, hail, flying debris, and gale-force winds, and is treated to the nauseating experience of weathering a storm at sea.
When you initiate this strike, make one melee attack against any opponent you threaten. This attack deals an extra 8d6 damage, which may be either electricty, cold, sonic, piercing, slashing, or bludgeoning damage, your choice. In addition, choose two effects from the following list: blinded, deafened, sickened, or entangled; your opponent must make a Fortitude save (DC 17 + your Wis modifier) or be affected by both effects for 1 round, or only one on a successful save. If the damage type chosen is electricity, cold, or sonic, this maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Waterspout Lunge
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisites: 5 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round or more; see text
Saving Throw: Reflex half; see text
You strike the ground with your weapon, willing a waterspout to form. The ground answers you, and water seeps out from under your feet, forming a small pool of water from which a waterspout springs to bear you aloft towards your enemies. The waterspout persists through quicksand, water, and other materials, and propels you over pits and chasms.
When you initiate this strike, you must charge, moving up to double your speed and making a single melee attack against an opponent. You do not provoke attacks of opportunity from this movement, and you ignore difficult terrain. In addition, you travel above the ground, so you can charge over unstable surfaces such as lava or water and do not take damage from dangerous surfaces such as lava or acid. Finally, you may even charge over gaps in the ground if you succeed on a Swim check (DC 20 + 2 per 5 feet crossed); if there are multiple gaps to cross, make one check taking into account the total distance covered. The waterspout supporting you can hold you only a maximum of 25 feet above the ground; if a gap or pit is deeper than this, you may not cross it—the waterspout will lose energy and lower you to the ground, so you only take half the falling damage. If you move adjacent to a creature during your charge, the creature takes 5d6 damage from the force of the waterspout holding you aloft unless it succeeds on a Reflex save (DC 17 + your Wis modifier) for half damage; the target of your strike takes the same damage without the benefit of a Reflex save.
Alternately, if you are not in combat, instead of charging you may make a double move instead of a charge, gaining all of the movement benefits of this maneuver (passing over difficult terrain, etc.) If you end your turn over a body of water or other liquid, you may continue moving and remain lifted over liquid and obstacles, sustaining this maneuver as long as desired; you may continue doing this until you end your turn over land, though each round you extend this charge you must make a Swim check (DC 10 + 1 per round) to continue doing so. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
8th Level
Summer Monsoon
Ocean Tempest (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisites: 4 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: 20 feet
Area: 20-foot-radius circle, centered on you
Duration: Stance
Saving Throw: Reflex partial
You are surrounded by the furious rains of a monsoon. While they do not impede you, the rains distract others and interfere with their actions as the rains beat down on them.
While you are in this stance, you are surrounded by an area of monsoon-force rains, which gives you several benefits. First, any creatures within the monsoon gain concealment against all attacks except yours. Secondly, all creatures within the monsoon have their speed halved; affected creatures may make a Reflex save (DC 18 + Wis modifier) each round to negate the speed penalty for that round. Finally, any creatures wishing to cast a spell or manifest a power must make a Concentration check (DC 18 + your Wis modifier) or lose it. If you move more than 5 feet in a given round, the rains temporarily thin out and have no effect until the end of the following round. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Tidal Wave
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisites: 5 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: 5 feet per 3 initiator levels
Area: Cone
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial or Reflex half; see text
With a shout, you launch a tidal wave of water from your weapon. Those who aren’t knocked prone by the crushing pressure of the wave are pushed back, receiving more and more severe injuries the farther they travel.
When you initiate this strike, choose an area for the cone to fill. Any creatures in the area take 6d6 damage unless they succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 18 + your Wis modifier). If they save successfully, they are then knocked prone; creatures failing their save are knocked 5 feet away from you. Creatures knocked backwards by the blast continue taking damage until and unless they succeed on their Fortitude save, taking 3d6 damage every 5 feet (for example, a creature knocked back 15 feet before making its save would take 6d6+3d6+3d6+3d6 damage). If a creature hits a barrier before successfully making its Fortitude save and stopping, it takes full damage for the rest of the distance it would travel, but it does not fall prone. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
9th Level
Maelstrom’s Wrath
Ocean Tempest (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 9
Prerequisites: 6 Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Personal
Target: You
A maelstrom is one of the most lethal hazards a vessel can encounter. You channel the fury of the maelstrom, attacking your enemies many times in the blink of an eye and pulling them inexorably towards you.
When you initiate this strike, move up your speed. Your reach increases by 5 feet, though you still threaten squares closer to you, and any time you move such that an enemy is within your reach, you may take an attack of opportunity against him. You may take as many attacks of opportunity while you execute this maneuver as you would normally be entitled to take, up to a maximum of your initiator level, and a given enemy may be attacked as many times as you wish as long as you move into a space that allows you to threaten him again. In addition, if an enemy you attack is not adjacent to you, you may make an opposed Strength check to pull him into a square adjacent to you; he provokes attacks of opportunity from this movement as normal.
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Ocean Tempest Feats
Perfect Fluidity
Your unmatched poise and excellent reflexes allow you to instantly react to combat and quickly overwhelm your enemies.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, initiator level 3rd, two Ocean Tempest maneuvers
Benefit: You may add your initiative modifier to attack and damage rolls you make during a surprise round.
Liquid Grace
You flow smoothly from one motion to another, a continuous stream of attack and movement.
Prerequisites: One Ocean Tempest stance
Benefit: While you are in an Ocean Tempest stance, you may make a number of attacks of opportunity per round equal to your base Reflex save modifier.
Special: You may use Liquid Grace in place of Combat Reflexes to qualify for a feat, prestige class, or other ability. A character may take both this feat and Combat Reflexes, but Combat Reflexes only applies when the character is not in an Ocean Tempest stance.
Inexorable Tsunami [Tactical]
You have learned the fighting techniques of the Ocean Tempest school that mimic the tsunami: a tsunami pulls back from shore like a deceptively calm tide, biding its time until it can unleash devastation in one terrible instant. So also do you wait and watch for the moment when a single decisive assault can turn the tide of battle.
Prerequisites: Perfect Fluidity, Combat Expertise, Power Attack, two Ocean Tempest maneuvers, base attack bonus +6
Benefits: The Inexorable Tsunami feat enables the use of three tactical options.
Calm Before the Storm: To use this option, you must use an Ocean Tempest strike and then spend at least one round in which you do not use a strike maneuver or make a full attack. For every round in which you do not use a strike maneuver or make a full attack, you add +1d6 damage to the next strike you initiate. For example, if a character uses a strike in one round, holds off using another for 3 rounds, then uses a strike in the 4th round, he adds 3d6 damage to the strike. You may add a maximum number of extra dice equal to 1/2 your initiator level to the strike, and the rounds spent “charging” this option must be consecutive; if you do not attack on or before a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your initiator level have passed, the extra damage is lost and you must start the sequence over.
Crest and Trough: To use this option, you must either use Combat Expertise or Power Attack for a -5 penalty to attack rolls in the first round. On the next round, you must use the other feat to take a -5 penalty, but the bonus you gain on AC or damage rolls improves by 1. For each round you alternate use of the feats, the bonus continues to increase, to a maximum of +10 with either feat. For example, a character could use Combat Expertise for -5 attack in exchange for +5 AC. On his next turn, he would Power Attack for -5 attack in exchange for +6 damage; the next round, he could trade -5 attack for +7 AC, and so on. Once you reach +10 with either Power Attack or Combat Expertise, or if you miss one round, the cycle ends and the trade-off returns to -5 for +5.
Undertow Retreating: To use this option, you must have moved at least your speed on your previous turn and made at least one melee attack after moving. If an opponent attacks you, as an immediate action you may move up to half your speed back along the same path you traveled on your previous turn. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.
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Ocean Tempest Legacy Weapon
Ocean’s Fury
Ocean’s Fury is a mithral khopesh with a greenish tint to the blade, which is etched to look like a cresting wave. Its hilt is carved and decorated to appear to be a coral formation, with the “coral” extending up to form the crossguard, and the pommel and crossguard are set with tiny sapphires and pearls.
Nonlegacy Game Statistics: +1 mithral khopesh; cost 2,820 gp; weight 8 lb
Omen: Whenever Ocean’s Fury is drawn, it gives off the scent of saltwater, and gives off a sound like rushing water whenever it is used.
History
After the Temple of Nine Swords was attacked by the Shadow Tiger horde, its surviving students fled; besides simple survival, one of their aims was to recover the nine lost discipline swords and in so doing reconstruct the temple. A group of students specializing in the Desert Wind and Stone Dragon schools found their disciplines’ swords and rejoiced, but soon afterwards they found themselves fleeing the Shadow Tiger horde once again. They found a ship that would take them and began sailing from island to island, hoping to evade their pursuers. (DC 15)
As the weeks wore on and the pursuit seemed no farther away, the students decided to teach the crew some of the secrets of the Sublime Way, both to help defend the ship and to pass on the traditions. The sailors, having lived at sea all their life, didn’t take very well to the training; there seemed to be a tradition for air and fire, and one for stone, but why not water, which was all around them and with which they were well acquainted? The sailors worked with the Temple students to develop their own path, and, once they had become skilled in this new discipline, commissioned a sword from the ship’s smith to match Desert Wind and Unfettered. The ship’s smith, not wanting to duplicate any of the swords the Temple students had mentioned, decided to create a khopesh, a curved sword from his native land that reminded him of the waves and the sea; he finished the blade and carved designs into it but was still decorating the hilt when their enemies found them. When the ship’s pursuers finally reached the ship, they found, not a few swordsages leading a frightened crew, but a group of warriors using never-before-seen techniques that turned the surrounding sea against them. Though the students of the new discipline emerged victorious, the unfinished discipline sword was lost during the battle, falling overboard and coming to rest on the sea floor. (DC 18, Solitude of the Depths)
Many months after the battle, a group of merfolk found the abandoned sword, which had not rusted or tarnished and was as brilliant as the day it was forged. Sensing its power and captivated by its skillful design—for the merfolk had never seen a khopesh before—its finders brought the sword to their home, where their best crafters replaced the plain metal handle with one resembling the reef near their home. For years afterwards, the best warriors among the merfolk used the sword to fend off attacks against their homes, adding a tiny pearl to the sword for every foe killed, but finally one of its wielders was overcome by a sahuagin who used it in several surface raids. Nearby elven and human settlements grew to fear the fearsome sahuagin who “wielded the very fury of the ocean” against them; stories told by those settlers gave the weapon its name. The elves and humans lived in fear of the sahuagin with Ocean’s Fury until a brave warrior slew him in single combat and took the sword for the humans. (DC 25, Spoils of the Victor)
In following years, Ocean’s Fury was bought by a rich adventurer who wandered through that coastal town; after he grew tired of it, it passed through the hands of many nobles who admired the blade for its appearance, eventually being bequeathed to a young noble who dabbled in the arcane arts. Having no use for the sword, but unwilling to sell it lest he anger the noble who gave it to him, he kept it in his workroom to make it appear that he appreciated the gift. In his spare time, he enchanted it with the power of lightning, thunder, and ice so its abilities would fit its appearance. One day, the young mage was attempting to bind a marid to his service when his patron barged in and disturbed the magic circle binding it. The marid killed both of them, for it was a talented warrior in its own right, but before leaving, he noticed Ocean’s Fury. Entranced by the sense of power emanating from it, the marid asked a sorcerer of his acquaintance to call him to the Material Plane so he could bring the sword physically back to the Plane of Water. By sheer coincidence, the sorcerer in question had been on the ship with the Temple students when the sword was forged and recognized its description; after the marid took Ocean’s Fury, the sorcerer traveled to the Plane of Water to find it and returned it to the temple on the Material Plane where the new water-based discipline was being taught in secret. The water discipline was still slowly developing and still lacked a name, so the sorcerer, having learned the sword’s name and having passed through many storms on the Plane of Water, named the discipline Ocean Tempest; inspired by the return of their weapon, the students worked even harder to create their discipline’s more powerful storm-themed techniques. When the first disciple of the Ocean Tempest created and successfully carried out its final technique, it was initiated with Ocean’s Fury. With the sword’s influence seemingly no longer necessary, it was returned to the marid community on the Plane of Water, where it was used to teach the newly completed discipline to all who wished to learn; the marids and former Temple students promised to come to each other’s aid at the call of the sword to ensure that this tenth discipline would survive. (DC 31, Journey of the Marid)
Legacy Rituals
Three rituals are required to unlock the abilities of Ocean’s Fury.
Solitude of the Depths: You must journey alone to a settlement of any marine race, where you must spend at least 24 hours underwater with no nourishment or equipment other than Ocean’s Fury and any magic items that let you breather water, if any are necessary. Cost: 1,500 gp. Feat Granted: Least Legacy(Ocean’s Fury)
Spoils of the Victor: You must defeat a creature native to the Plane of Water or an aquatic creature in a one-on-one duel to the death using only Ocean’s Fury and its abilities, Ocean Tempest maneuvers, or melee attacks. The creature’s challenge rating must be greater than or equal to your character level – 1, and you must take at least one melee weapon from among the creature’s possessions after the duel. Cost: 13,000 gp. Feat Granted: Lesser Legacy(Ocean’s Fury)
Journey of the Marid: You must travel alone to the temple on the Plane of Water where students of the Ocean Tempest school are taught, where you must meditate for at least 8 hours. After that, you must seek out and survive, alone, a destructive phenomenon of the Plane of Water (a red tide or the like) and weather that for at least 8 hours, then seek out and survive, alone, a destructive phenomenon of the Material Plane (a hurricane or the like) for 8 hours. (The temple may or may not still be occupied, at the DM’s option.) Cost: 39,000 gp. Feat Granted: Greater Legacy(Ocean’s Fury)
Wielder Requirements
Base attack bonus +3
Weapon Proficiency (khopesh)
Swim 4 ranks
Legacy Weapon Abilities
All of the following are legacy abilities of Ocean’s Fury.
One with the Water (Su): At 5th level, you gain a swim speed equal to your land speed.
Storm at Sea (Sp): At 6th level, you gain the Inexorable Tsunami tactical feat, described above.
Endure the Tempest (Ex): At 7th level, you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution. This bonus increases to +4 at 14th level and +6 at 18th level.
Bottom of the Sea (Su): At 10th level, you add the Ocean Depths stance to your list of stances known, or gain the Martial Stance (Ocean Depths) feat if you cannot initiate maneuvers. If you already know this stance, you may learn any other Ocean Tempest maneuver or stance of 5th level or lower of your choice.
Raging Tempest (Sp): At 16th level, you gain the ability to cast stormrage once per day. Caster level 15th.
Thunderstorm Fury (Sp): At 17th level, once per day as a full-round action you may cast a sonic admixed lightning admixed ice storm. Caster level 17th.
Channel the Tempest (Su): At 20th level, you gain an ability similar to a gate spell for one of two uses. Once per day, you may call any one creature with the (aquatic) or (Water) subtype whose CR is less than or equal to 20 from any plane, even the plane from which the ability is used. Regardless of the creature choice, you may replace any or all of its feats with Martial Study (Ocean Tempest) or Martial Stance (Ocean Tempest) to give it maneuvers of your choice. The creature remains for 20 minutes before returning to whence it came. Alternately, twice per day you may travel either to or from the Plane of Water with up to 20 other creatures and their equipment.
{table]Level|Attack Penalty|Save Penalty|HP Penalty|Legacy Abilities
5th||||One with the Water, +1 mithral khopesh
6th|
-1|||Storm at Sea
7th||
-1|
2|Endure the Tempest +2
8th|||
2|+1 mithral shock khopesh
9th||
-2||
10th|||
2|Bottom of the Sea
11th||||
12th||||+1 mithral shock frost khopesh
13th|
-2|||
14th|||
2|Endure the Tempest +4
15th||
-3||+1 mithral shock frost thundering khopesh
16th|||
2|Raging Tempest
17th||||Thunderstorm Fury
18th||||Endure the Tempest +6
19th||||
20th||
-4|
2|Channel the Tempest[/table]