DracoDei
2009-07-19, 10:30 AM
Ran out of room to expand this initial post. Please see new thread at http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6800529 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6800529)
This is obviously for VERY silly campaigns, but I am also aiming for balance.
I am now almost done typing things up crunch-wise (4 or less to go), but don't wait for me to finish to make comments on the stuff I have already typed up. Particularly I am wondering if I am making this too good compared to Desert Wind.
Falling Anvil
It was said that the grand master of this discipline first came upon it when he missed a turn at Albuquerque.* Some suggest that rather than a discipline that the way of the Falling Anvil is actually a mental disorder. This is quite plausible, but if so it is a mental disorder that those whose minds are attuned to the sublime way are especially prone to. The concept that the sublime way has anything to do with this opening of the way directly is firmly rejected by proponents of this theory. Rather they claim that those who still have a small part of them self that wishes they weren't training so hard, or, indeed that they had never taken up the sublime way at all. This part of them feels that the power granted by such study really isn't worth the effort, and would rather simply listen to a good tale they have heard 50 times before than to actually do anything particularly productive. The opponents of this point of view claim that students of the Falling Anvil find power in simplicity and ridiculousness. That appreciating that the universe is, in some sense, one big joke, allows them to direct the tragedy of misfortune befalling others that is at the core of that cosmic comedy at others while avoiding harm themselves. Whatever the case, both sides agree that those who have set foot on this path are extremely vexing foes and that they literally have the universe working in their favor. and they KNOW it. Martial adepts who have not gone down this road may not be sure EXACTLY what those who have know, but even such outsiders will acknowledge that initiates of the Falling Anvil DO know it.**
.
* Credit for this line goes to Elliot20.
**Edited from suggestion by one Witty Dodo.
Reshar never studied this discipline, considering it utterly beneath not only himself, but anyone worthy of the least respect. He did, however, say that his mastery of the Diamond Mind discipline reached new heights when he accidentally offended a master of the Falling Anvil and managed to NOT attack him for the entirety of their 22 minute (30 minutes with interruptions) confrontation.
The associated skill for the Falling Anvil discipline is Bluff. Upon taking any maneuvers or stances from this discipline you lose the ability to take maneuvers or stances of the Devoted Defender, Diamond Mind, Tiger Claw, and White Raven disciplines (even via Martial Study, Martial Stance, or multiclassing), and any maneuvers and stances you already have in those disciplines are replaced by selections from this discipline of equivalent level and type (Maneuver vs Stance only, Boost vs Strike vs Counter is irrelevant).
The associated weapons for the Falling Anvil Discipline are as follows: All improvised weapons*, bundle of dynamite, club, cannon (American Civil War era), catapult, cosh (one-handed version of the sap), great club, Maul (AKA Giant Mallet), spherical bomb, stick of dynamite, trebuchet (maybe?), sap, , and unarmed Strike.
* particular favorites include: anvil, broom, cricket bat, 2x4, banana-creme pie, frying pan, lightning-rail (AKA locomotive), Rubber Chicken, safe, seltzer bottle, and tree-branch.
Maneuver and Stance List
1st Level
Brick Drop -- Strike -- Brick falls out of the sky, dealing 2d6 damage on a successful ranged touch attack.
Duck Season -- Counter -- Automatically redirect an opponent's attack to a mutual foe within range. That attack gains +5 to hit, +5 to any related DCs and, on a hit, if applicable, is an automatic critical threat.
Everyday Arsenal -- Boost -- Attacks with improvised weapon counts as chaotic aligned silver magic weapons for purposed of DR, Regeneration, etc.
Pie to the Face -- Strike -- Blind opponent for 1 round
Seltzer Spray -- Strike -- 10' range, dazes opponent on failed save.
Stance of the Loony -- Stance -- Gain initiator level as untyped bonus to Bluff checks. Make Bluff Check versus twice attacker's Will Save to negate attacks. All hit-point damage converted to Wisdom burn at a rate dependant on initiator level.
Zany Mind (AKA Moment of Imperfect Mind) -- Counter -- Replace failed will save with Bluff check, but if you succeed you become Confused for one round.
2nd Level
Eye Poke -- Strike -- Opponent Blinded for 1 round and takes 2 wisdom damage.
Extending Boxing Glove -- Strike -- Ranged attack that deals damage as if you were a monk of level equal to IL+4, but Chaotic instead of Lawful if it is high enough level.
Unlucky Raincloud -- Strike -- Small cloud appears over opponent, lightning-bolt does 3d6 electricity damage (Reflex half).
Zany Dodge (AKA Action without Thought) -- Counter -- Replace failed reflex save with Bluff check, but if you succeed you become Confused for one round.
3rd Level
Anvil Drop -- Strike -- Anvil falls out of sky, dealing 6d6 damage on a successful ranged touch attack. ((Equivalent to Fan the Flames maneuver.))
Dust Cloud Melee -- Stance -- any melee you are involved in is enveloped in a dust cloud and prevents flanking, but not sneak attacks (at half dice, rounded down).
Stretchy Dodge -- Stance -- All attacks on you count as touch attacks and can't take attack action, but increase your AC by your bluff modifier and every 3rd consecutive miss from an given foe provokes an attack of opportunity from you regardless of range and no limit on AoOs per turn.
Unwelcome Kiss --Strike-- Touch attack stuns opponent for one round.
Zany Anatomy -- Counter -- Replace failed fortitude save with Bluff check, but if you succeed you are Nauseated for one round.
4th Level
Giant Slingshot -- (other) -- Launch yourself and companions great distances, but take damage.
Give Bomb -- Strike -- Opposed Bluff checks with opponent, loser takes 10d6 fire damage.
Rubber Chicken Wack -- Strike -- reduce your opponent's sanity.
Safe Drop -- Strike -- Magical, Chaotic, Silvered, Adimintine Chest falls out of sky, dealing 6d6 Bludgeoning damage on successful ranged touch attack. (Deflected as per splash weapon on miss?)
Stormcloud of Misfortune -- Strike -- Small cloud appears over opponent, lightning-bolt does 6d6 electricity damage (Reflex half).
5th Level
Piano Drop -- Strike -- Piano Falls out of the sky, dealing 11d6 Bludgeoning damage in 10'x10' area. Creates difficult terrain.
Pull Yourself Together -- Counter -- Each Slashing attack that hits you deals no damage or secondary effects, but cuts off one limb or head, or cuts you in half at waist. May re-attach one part as a move action if physically possible, or as a full round action if not physically possible.
Be Wary Wary Quwiet -- Stance -- Replace Hide and Move Silently checks with Bluff checks opposed by Sense Motive checks. (May hide in plain sight, regardless of terrain?).
Wacky Attacky -- Stance -- You blows do sanity damage as well as physical.
6th Level
Bouncing Escape -- Counter -- Negate attack, gain effects of Jump spell and 50% bonus to all movement rates for 1d4 rounds, but must only take movement actions for those rounds, and must end each round further away from opponent that the previous round.
Fine China Drop -- Strike -- Opponent takes 15d6(half bludgeoning, half slashing) Chaotic and Magical on failed save, on successful save, becomes flat-footed for next round.
Misfire -- Counter -- Opponent attacks self with trap, crossbow, magic item held in hand, or ranged touch spell.
Paper Thin Disguise -- Stance -- Use bluff skill for disguise checks, no penalties for cross dressing, if cross dressed, gain +10 bonus on seduction checks against same sex.
7th Level
Accursed Thunderhead -- Strike -- Huge Cloud appears over opponent, lightning bolt strikes for 10d6 electricity damage(Reflex Half) and 2d6 sonic damage(No Save).
Give Bundle of Dynamite -- Strike -- Opposed Bluff checks with opponent, loser takes 20d6 fire damage.
Paint Tunnel -- Strike -- Full round action to paint tunnel on vertical surface. One round later train deals 20d6 damage in 10' wide path perpendicular as viewed from above to the vertical surface, length is 20' per initiator level. If surface is non-magical you may use tunnel as Phase Door before train exits.
Rubber Chicken Wack, Greater -- Strike -- Devastating blow to sanity.
8th Level
Not Looking Down -- Stance -- gain horizontal-only Air Walk effect as long as they remain flat-footed to attacks coming from the sides or below.
Viking Longboat Drop -- Strike -- Longboat falls out of sky, dealing 10d6 bludgeoning damage in a 10'x50' rectangle (but may be rotated at odd angles in horizontal plane). Area struck becomes difficult terrain. (Reflex half???)
Worthless Weapon! -- Counter -- On a miss, opponent must make Will save, or spend next round attempting to sunder that weapon/magic device. If there is an explosion/retributive strike, you take no damage.
9th Level
Unnecessary Burial -- Strike -- Touch attack to entombed opponent alive(complete with tomb-stone and a single lily). Depth below surface equals your Bluff check in inches.
Maneuvers and Stances
Accursed Thunderhead
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: 3 Falling Anvil maneuvers, Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 90 feet
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Relfex Half/Partial
"Interesting weather we are having!"
A great mass of roiling cloud, black as pitch forms above your designated foe (or doesn't if their isn't enough room for its 50 foot diamter and 200 foot height). In either case a lightning bolt strikes down from above to deal 10d6 electrical damage. A Relfex save DC (17 + your wisdom modifier) is permitted for half the electricity damage. No save is permitted against the 2d6 sonic damage the thunder deals to the target. The cloud (if it exists in the first place) vanishes immediately afterwards.
Anvil Drop
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: 1 Falling Anvil maneuver, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 45 feet
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Klang!
You gaze coolly at a selected creature and an anvil(or other GM approved object) falls towards them (no matter how low the ceiling may be). It strikes as a ranged touch attack, and deals 6d6 bludgeoning damage if successful. The anvil(or other object) disappears at the end of combat.
Be Wary Wary Quwiet
Falling Anvil (Stance) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Were hunting Twolls... heh heh heh.
You find it much easier to use body language to convince people they don't see or hear you than to actually attempt to remain undetectable... in fact you are so good at it, it even works on undead and constructs. As long as you are in this stance you may substitute bluff checks for hide and move silently checks. If you do this with a hide check then you do not require cover or concealment to be allowed the check. If your initiator level is at least 18 then you can make such bluff checks even while being observed.
Bouncing Escape
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 Immediate Action
Range: Personal
Target: Self
Duration: 1d4 rounds
"Woohoo! Woohoo! Woohoo!"
Immediately after a successful attack roll against you, you may cause that attack to instead miss. You gain the effects of Jump spell with caster level equal to your initiator level and 50% bonus to all movement rates for 1d4 rounds, but must only take movement actions for those rounds, and must end each round further away from that opponent than you started.
Brick Drop
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 1
Prerequisite: Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 20 feet
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Crack!
You smile crookedly at a selected creature and a brick or a moderately sized flowerpot complete with moist soil and a blossoming daisy falls towards them (no matter how low the ceiling may be, or even if there is no ceiling). It strikes as a ranged touch attack, and deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage if successful. The brick disappears at the end of combat.
Duck Season (((Extremely powerful, but extremely narrow utility)))
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos, Mind-Effecting, Language Dependant]
Level: Swordsage 1
Prerequisite: Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: Free Action (Once per round, but not expended when used)
Target: 1 attacking opponent plus 1 non-attacking opponent
Duration: 1 round
Rabbit Season! Duck Season! Rabbit Season! Duck Season! Rabbit Season! Duck Season! Rabbit Season!(((However the transition is supposed to go))! Duck Season! Fire!!!
Whenever you are the target of a attack by an enemy that could have also targeted a MUTUAL foe, the attack is immediately redirected to that foe, provided it has fewer hitdice than your Bluff modifier. If it has more hitdice than your bluff modifier than it may attempt an opposed bluff check against you to negate the effect of this maneuver. If no check is required, or if you win the opposed check then the attack is redirected to that foe, and gains +5 to hit and +5 to the DC of any applicable saving throws, and it automatically threatens a critical hit if capable of such. All subsequent attacks that the original attacker or any of his allies make that would target you in are similarly redirected for one full round afterward (with the same bonuses).
Dust Cloud Melee
Falling Anvil (Stance) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: 1 Falling Anvil maneuver, Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Chain of Melee
Target: You and any group of meleeing creatures you are a part of.
Duration: Stance
(Ending conditions? Will taking full defense do it, or do you have to move out of reach?)
Everyday Arsenal
Falling Anvil (Boost) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 1
Prerequisite: Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 2 rounds (?)
"Clang! Clang! Clang!" goes the frying pan! "Ring! Ring! Ring!" goes your skull!
For the duration of this boost you take no penalties for wielding improvised weapons, and any improvised weapons you weild could as Silver, Magical and Chaotic for purposed of DR, Regeneration, etc. If your initiator level is 21 or higher they also count as Epic for such purposes.
Eye Poke
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisite: 1 Falling Anvil maneuver, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round/Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will Partial
N'yuk, N'yuk, N'yuk!
They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul... you use this connection to strike at both sight and sanity. As part of this maneuver make a touch attack at -4 to hit (because of the precision of the target). If you hit the target is blinded until the beginning of your next turn, and must make a will save DC 12 + your wisdom modifer, or take 2 points of wisdom damage. This attack deals no hit-point damage.
Extending Boxing Glove
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisite: 1 Falling Anvil maneuver, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: 60 feet
Target: 1 opponent or object
Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates Stun
You produce a boxing glove on the end of a one handed device build around a set of lazy tongs and send the glove forth to strike an opponent. This deals damage exactly as if it were an unarmed strike performed by you, employing the Stunning Fist feat. Use your strength modifier for the damage bonus, and your dexterity modifier for the to-hit modifier. The DC to resist the stunning effect is 10+1/2 your initiator level+your wisdom modifier, and this does not count against your limit of number of times per day you can use the Stunning Fist feat (assuming you have it, which is utterly irrelevant to the execution of this maneuver). You also gain bonus damage equal to 1/2 your initiator level. Depending on your initiator level the glove may gain various properties for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction, regeneration, etc. These are summarized on the following table.
IL|Types
3-6|Magic
7-11|Magic and Chaotic
12-20|Magic, Chaotic, and Adamintine
21+|Magic, Chaotic, Adamintine, and Epic
Fine China Drop
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: 3? Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 60 feet
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous/One Round
Saving Throw: Reflex Alters
Crash! Shatter! Break!
You gaze coolly at a selected creature and an several shelves worth of masterwork serving ceramic-ware falls on and around them them (no matter how low the ceiling may be). If strikes the ground it the target takes 15d6(half bludgeoning, half slashing), for purposes of overcoming damage reduction, regeneration, etc the china counts as Chaotic and Magically aligned. This damage may be negated with a reflex save to catch the falling china, however, if the save is successful, the target is flatfooted and may not take any actions until the end of its next turn while it safely disposes of the china. The save has a DC of 16 + your wisdom modifier and may be voluntarily failed as normal. The target is aware of the consequences of both succeeding and failing the save. The china disappears immediately after it deals damage or is safely disposed of.
Giant Slingshot
Falling Anvil [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: Two Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 3 full round actions
Range: 200 feet per initiator level
Target: You and up to 1 allied creature per 3 initiator levels (familiars do not count against this limit)
Duration: Instantaneous
"I recommend ACME brand giant slingslots!.... Waaahoohooey!!!!!"
A kit appears in front of you. You may select an aim point, then spend all your actions for the next 3 rounds constructing a giant slingshot on any surface solid enough to walk on. The requisite number of people may load themselves into the slingshot on the third round and you may fire yourselves to the aim point with miss rules as if you each were a catapult stone fired from a catapult. Note that the range is potentially much greater than the range of even a heavy catapult. You all take 1d6 damage per 500 feet or fraction there-of traveled and fall prone on landing. Half this damage (rounded down) is non-lethal, the rest is lethal. Natural and magical flight, Featherfall and all other abilities that could alter the passengers' path of travel or reduce the damage are inactive until after they land. A few notes:
This is NOT a teleportation effect, thus you MUST have a half-plausible ballistic path to the target area.
You yourself MUST be one of the passengers or the device will not function, and the catch is designed to be released from the cup of the slingshot.
The size of the passengers is completely irrelevant. It is entirely possible to load yourself, a druid, a paladin, the paladin's warhorse, and the druid's dire elephant animal companion into the slingshot and launch all of you successfully. (And, perhaps more importantly, it is rediculously funny to boot... for bonus points fill up any unused slots you have by having your party members summon the largest creatures they can.)
Give Bomb
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: Two Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Target's reach or yours, whichever is greater
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous
A present for you!
A spherical bomb with a lit fuse leading out from it appears in your hand. As part of this maneuver you may attempt to give it to an opponent whose reach you are within, and/or who is within your reach. At the very least they must free up an appendage to take it if they have such an appendage, dropping an object to the ground in their space if necessary. Make an opposed bluff check against the target. The loser takes 10d6 fire damage as the bomb explodes in their grasp (or on top of their head if they have no manipulative appendages).
Give Bundle of Dynamite
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: 3 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Target's reach or yours, whichever is greater
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Fire in the hole!
A bundle of 7 sticks of dynamite with a lit fuse leading out from it appears in your hand. As part of this maneuver you may attempt to give it to an opponent whose reach you are within, and/or who is within your reach. At the very least they must free up an appendage to take it if they have such an appendage, dropping an object to the ground in their space if necessary. Make an opposed bluff check against the target. The loser takes 20d6 fire damage as the bomb explodes in their grasp (or on top of their head if they have no manipulative appendages).
Misfire
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Target: 1 attacking creature
Duration:
Saving Throw: Will Negates
((Wand, Staff, etc Dispelled until end of combat, weapon has minor break (bowstring snaps usually), but requires Craft or Appraise check DC 15+IL to recognize not massively damaged.))
Not Looking Down
Falling Anvil (Stance) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisite: 3 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
By not looking down you can willfully ignore the effects of gravity. This grants the effects of Air Walk as long as you avoid looking down, however you can only climb 5' for every 20' of horizontal motion. Unfortunately this means that all creatures that do not have at least some part of their body at least 5' above you are effectively invisible to you.
Paint Tunnel
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: 3 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 full round action (until the beginning of next turn)
Range: 20 feet/initiator level
Target: 10 foot wide path 20 feet per initiator level long.
Duration: 2 rounds/Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
Chugga Chugga! Woo! Woo!!!
You whip out a bucket of black paint, and a paint-brush and paint 10 foot square area of a reasonably vertical surface (even a Wall of Force will do) within your reach in the shape of a solid arch. The bottom of the arch much touch a reasonably horizontal surface. You complete the painting just before your next turn. You can be interrupted (by being bull-rushed away from the area), but concentration checks for taking damage are NOT required. Once completed, a series of conductor stones appear heading perpendicularly out from the arch along the ground (or into mid-air if the surface stops, such as if you did this on a piece of disconnected masonry floating on the elemental plane of air). A vague foreboding warns all who notice the stones (DC 0 spot check) that being too close to them is extremely hazardous. If the painted surface is non-magical then until the turn after that you (and ONLY you), may use it as a Passwall effect with a caster level equal to your initiator level. At the end of this period a lightning rail pulling many cars runs the length of the pathway so quickly it counts as an instantaneous effect. The conductor stones and lightning rail immediately vanish when the end of the pathway is reached. The lighting rail train is 10 feet wide, and the pathway has a length equal to 20 feet per your initiator level, or until it runs into a vertical surface, in which case a second false tunnel appears when the train does, and remains just long enough for the train to disappear into it. All in the path of the train take 20d6 bludgeoning damage, but may make a reflex save equal to 17 + your wisdom modifier for half damage.
Paper Thin Disguise
Falling Anvil (Stance) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 full round action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Piano Drop
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 90 feet
Target: 10 foot square
Duration: Instantaneous/End of Combat
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
Crash! (In C sharp, B Flat, and F minor)
A master-workgrand piano (or an upright if solid walls connected by a ceiling block off part of the area) falls in the area, becoming smashed to peices in the process (althoughMake Whole or similar effects may restore it), making the area difficult terrain, and dealing 11d6 damage to each creature in the area. A reflex save is permitted for half damage and the DC is 15 + your wisdom modifier. The piano (usual in the form of wreckage, but even if repaired) disappears at the end of combat.
Pie to the Face
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 1(2?)
Prerequisite: Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee
Target: One Opponent
Duration: 1 round
One of the oldest and most simple strikes in the repitiore of the demented is the simple pie to the face.
Producing a banana creme pie from some eldritch dimension, attempt to deliver it to your opponents face. The pie does no damage, but if you succeed on the touch attack then the opponent is blinded for one round, or until they spend a move action to clear their eyes.
Pull Yourself Together
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: One free action (Swift?)
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
Look ma! Cold-cuts!
You may activate this maneuver any time you take slashing damage. That damage, and all other slashing damage you take for the next full round is negated. Secondary effects, such as poison are unaffected. However each attack that hits painlessly severs some part of your body, if the weapon has the vorpal quality and your head (or at least one of your heads if you have more than one) is currently attached with part is always a head. This does not affect your ability to control you body from a anatomical point of view, although the GM may impose penalties for unusual perspectives. If it would be physically possible for you to do so, you may re-attach a body-part by holding it to the stump as a move action or standard action. If it would not be possible (for instance if both your arms were cut off at the shoulder and you had fallen prone) then you may cause one severe to rejoin for no addiquittely(sp) explained reason as a full-round action. If any severe persists for a number of rounds greater than 1/2 your initiator level then it becomes as if that part had been cut off with a blade. Bleeding may commence at the GMs discretion and you are probably going to want a *Regeneration*, or if was the head, a *Raise Dead* or something. The following table is used for determining where each severe happens.
Roll|Cut line
1|Wrist
2|Elbow
3|Shoulder
4|Hip
5|Knee
6|Cut in half at waist
7|Decapitated
8|Tail, ear, or major portions of hair
Rubber Chicken Wack
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee
Target: One Creature
You produce a rubber chicken from thin air, and attack your foe with it, striking at his very sanity. As part of this maneuver, make a touch attack with the rubber chicken it produces. If it hits it deals no hit-point damage, but your opponent must make a Sanity check and take 1 / (Your Initiator level divided by 3) Sanity loss. This loss may not exceed your ranks in Knowledge(Forbidden Lore).
Rubber Chicken Wack, Greater
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: 3 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee
Target: One Creature
You produce a rubber chicken, modelled on either a celestial or fiendish chicken, whichever matches your alignment most closely, from thin air, and attack your foe with it, striking a mighty blow to his very sanity. As part of this maneuver, make a touch attack with the rubber chicken it produces. If it hits it deals no hit-point damage, but your opponent must make a Sanity check and take 2 / (Your Initiator level divided by 2) Sanity loss. This loss may not exceed your ranks in Knowledge(Forbidden Lore).
Safe Drop
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 75 feet
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous/End of Combat
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
A large adamintine chest, coated in Silver-Sheen, and enchanted as a magic, chaotic weapon, falls on a opponent. The chest deals 9d6 damage, and a reflex save versus a DC of 14 + your wisdom modifier is allowed for half damage. The chest is a cube 3 feet on a side and remains until the end of combat. The integral lock is DC 35, And the lid requires a DC 30 strength check to pop. If opened, there is a 70% chance the chest proves to contain three Tiny penguins (who might have been in danger of suffocation if penguins weren't very good at holding their breaths), otherwise it contains a fine portrait in a gilded frame featuring one of the initiator's most embarrassing and/or painful memories. The chest and all it contained vanish at the end of combat.
Seltzer Spray
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 1
Prerequisite: Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 10 feet
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates
You whip a seltzer bottle out of no-where and spray it at your target. They must make a fortitude save DC 11 + your wisdom modifier or be dazed for one round.
Storm-cloud of Mis-Fortune
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 30 feet
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
Flying in with incredible velocity a Small Raincloud pause above the target just long enough to produce a lightning bolt that strikes them for 6d6 damage. This damage may be halved if they succeed a DC (14 + your wisdom modifier) Reflex save.
Stretchy Dodge
Falling Anvil (Stance) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
While in this stance you may take no actions except ending this Stance (usually by switching to another one) and making the attacks it grants you. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, actions granted by White Raven Maneuvers performed by your allies and attacks of opportunity. You replace your armor class (including flat-footed, touch, etc) with your 10 + total modifier to Bluff Checks and gain the Mettle, Slippery Mind, and Improved Evasion abilities. For every third attack by a true foe or someone under the influence of a Dominate spell by a true foe that misses you, you may make one attack at an opponent who has missed you within the last round. This count carries over from round to round for as long as you maintain this stance, but once you earn an attack you must make it immediately or it is wasted. This attack may be an attack action, or any maneuver or offensive spell that may be performed as a Swift, Immediate, Free, or Standard Action. There is no limit to the number of actions you may make in this way per round.
Stance of the Loony
Falling Anvil (Stance) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 1
Prerequisite: Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
You can survive almost any attack... but at the cost of your sanity. You may convert incoming hitpoint damage to wisdom burn. This effect occurs after damage reduction, and you may convert some, all, or none of the damage as you take it. This does nothing to alter any other effects other than hitpoint damage, even if you reduce the damage taken to zero(you can't reduce it further than zero). The conversion rate varies based on your Initiator level as explained on the following table.
IL|hp per Wis burn|X|IL|hp per Wis burn
1 |0.5|X|16-18|5
2-4 | 1 |X|19-20|6
4-8 | 2 |X|21-22|7
9-12| 3 |X|23-24|8
13-15| 4 |X|etc..|(IL-7)/2 rounded down
Unlucky Raincloud
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisite: 1 Falling Anvil maneuver, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 30 feet
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
"Every little cloud, likes to sing <electrical sizzle> aloud!" Wareck the Pugilist werebear, while raiding a nest of giant bees for honey.
A Tiny Raincloud zooms in from parts unknown and parks itself directly over the target's head just long enough to deliver a miniature lightning bolt to them for 3d6 damage. A reflex save with a DC of 12 + your wisdom modifier is permitted for half damage.
Unnecessary Burial(AKA Strike of Perfect Ridiculousness)
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 9
Prerequisite: 5 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee
Target: One Creature
You kill your target automatically if you injure them even slightly... well... for certain values of "kill".
As part of this strike make a melee attack, if it deals damage, then a hole instantly digs itself directly behind the target struck, and they fall prone into it, then the fill material (fist sized rocks if the surface was originally solid stone) fills in the hole above them. A tombstone listing there name, their date of birth, and the current date rises out of the head of the tomb, and a single white lily grows in the center of the fill material (it will be short lived unless the location can support it normally, or if it is transplanted). The depth they are below the surface of the ground is equal to your bluff check in inches.
Unwelcome Kiss
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: 1 Falling Anvil maneuver, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1d3+1 rounds
Saving Throw: Will Negates
Ignoring all laws of social propriety, battle-field conduct, and disease prevention, you kiss your opponent full on the lips.
As part of this maneuver make a melee touch attack against your foe. If the attack hits they are stunned for 1d3+1 rounds with disgust (or in very rare cases, they will instead be love-struck instead of disgusted, but the mechanical effects are identical). A will save against DC 13 + your wisdom modifier negates the stunning. If they have a bite attack and you miss the touch attack or they make the will save, then they are allowed an attack of opportunity on you but it MUST be with that bite attack (in cases of monsters with multiple heads with differences between their bite attacks you choose which head makes the attack of opportunity). Note that this maneuver does NOT qualify as a mind-influencing effect, and thus (among other things) means that it works perfectly well on constructs and undead.
Viking Longboat Drop
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisite: 3 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 200 feet
Target: 10 foot by 50(or occasionally shorter) foot area (rotated in any direction (not just 4 or 8) that is on a standard compass)
Duration: Instantaneous/Until end of combat
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
THUD!!! SPLINTER!!! SNAP!!! WHAM!!!
A ship, built in the style of a longship, but slightly smaller, complete with crew, falls out of the sky onto your foes regardless of how low the ceiling might be. It deals 10d6 damage to all in the area, and counts as rough terrain if it lands on a non-liquid. A reflex save is allowed for half damage against a DC equal to 18 + your wisdom modifier. The ship is always 10' wide, and at least 20' long. If it can not assume these minimum dimensions, then it does not appear, the maneuver fails and is wasted. Unless obstacles would prevent it from existing in the orientation you place it in (such as being placed perpendicular to a narrow corridor, it is 50' long. Otherwise it extends until blocked in both directions to assume the maximum length it can (within the 50' limit). If there are merely height variations (such as a trench, rather than a corridor), then treat each square of it as a separate object to determine where it falls to. Regardless of where it lands, it breaks apart. It contains 1 10th level Human Barbarian at one end of it (selected by you), and 4 5th level human barbarians plus 10 1st level human barbarians randomly scattered throughout other unoccupied squares of the ship. The barbarians are completely uninjured by the impact. Each barbarians are equipped as per the DMG listings for their class and level, plus are wearing cold-weather gear made of the pelts of yaks (or possibly some other large animal, it is hard to tell under the ryme of sea salt and ice that encrusts them) and their helmets are fitted with horns. The barbarians are considered flat-footed from total bewilderment and take no actions other than to move away from natural hazards at half speed until and unless attacked or you succeed a DC 15 diplomacy check with the leader (who speaks only Common) at which point they will be willing to gather around a keg of mead that was also undamaged in the landing and drink with you until the end of combat, or you or one of your allies attacks them. If attacked (even with an Area of Effect) they will all "wake up" and attack the apparent source of the attack that was directed against them on the next turn (roll their initiative at that time). All products of this maneuver vanish at the end of combat, including the barbarians and all their gear (ESPECIALLY the mead).
Wacky Attacky
Falling Anvil (Stance) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: Self
Duration: Stance
You blows are so wacky they increase the looniness of those they hit.
While in this stance, any attack that you hit with (anything that requires an attack roll, including but not limited to non-damaging and damaging strikes, ray attacks, and weapon attacks) also deals 1 point of Sanity damage, regardless of whether any of its other effects are successful. At 18th level this increases to 2 points of sanity damage.
Worthless Weapon!
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos, Mind-Effecting]
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisite: 3 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Target: One creature
Duration: One round
Saving Throw: Will Negates
You call upon the primal forces of frustration and aggravation to direct your opponent's wrath at the tool in their hands.
You magnify your foes dissatisfaction with failing to strike you a thousand fold. You may activate this maneuver any time an opponent tries to attack you or an illusion he believes to be you (in the second case you must have line of sight and effect to both the illusion any the foe in question) and fails to affect you. An attempted attack that is thwarted by Sanctuary or a similar effect does not qualify since the attack is never carried out, however miss chances, DR, and simple failures of the attack roll count. Just before their next turn the opponent must make a will save with a DC equal to 18 + your wisdom modifier. If they succeed they merely take a -2 penalty to all attack rolls made with that weapon or device until the end of their turn. If they fail they must spend that turn entirely on attempting to bring their every resource to bear in the most effective way to sunder or otherwise destroy the weapon or device they made the attack with. If they succeed in destroying it and still have any actions remaining that turn, they expend those actions attempting to further mutilate (or at least jump up and down on) the pieces. If the object was totally destroyed or the remains are out of their reach (for instance they threw it into lava), they use those actions to complain loudly against the weapon or device for failing them.
Several special cases apply here:
In the case of a bow or crossbow, those are the weapon for this purpose, not the arrows or bolts.
If the attacker carries multiple similar throwing weapons and the attack you countered used one of them and the specific weapon is destroyed (as is the case for Shuriken) or beyond their easy reach, their wrath is directed against the remaining ones on their person.
In the case of a staff of the magi or other item with a Retributive Strike, you are immune to all the effects of said strike.
If the attack was made with an ongoing, personally wielded effect(or an ongoing effect that originates from the person, such as the 2nd edition option for Melf's Minuit Meteors), such as a psi-blade, Mordenkain's Sword, the attacker must dismiss that effect, spend the rest of the time berating themselves for ever learning to create that effect, and may not recreate that effect or invoke a similar one for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier (minimum one).
Zany Anatomy (Also known as "Mania over Matter")
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 3
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
You are so disorganized even your organs are misplaced, and your immune system makes the combined tax codes for every year, for every civilization that ever existed, put together, look like Zen simplicity by comparison.
You can use this maneuver any time immediately after you fail a fortitude save, before any of the effects of that failed save are resolved. You may make a Bluff check and retroactively use the results of that check in place of the failed fortitude save. A result of a natural 1 on your Bluff check is not an automatic failure, but if you succeed you are Nauseated for the next round. Immunity to nauseation functions normally against this and does NOT prevent any of the positive effects of this maneuver.
Zany Dodge (Also known as "Action without Thought")
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 2
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
You have raised doing the exact right thing a the exact right time, for completely the wrong reasons to a high art.
You can use this maneuver any time immediately after you fail a reflex save, before any of the effects of that failed save are resolved. You may make a Bluff check and retroactively use the results of that check in place of the failed reflex save. A result of a natural 1 on your Bluff check is not an automatic failure, but if you succeed you are Confused for the next round, with the caster of the effect that you replaced the reflex save against counting as the caster of the Confusion effect. ((Make it so immunity to confusion disallows ability to use this maneuver?))
Zany Mind (Also known as "Moment of Imperfect Mind")
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 1
Prerequisite: Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Your totally mental nature has rendered you as unassailable as the rubbery wall of a padded cell is to its occupant. When someone targets you with a spell that seeks to erode you willpower you preempt them by already having eroded it.
Between your dedication to comedy, short attention span, and supreme inanity, you have discovered, completely by accident, how to resist attempts to subvert your willpower. When you feel such an effect successfully cloud your mind, the seething silliness inside your soul sometimes surges.
You can use this maneuver any time immediately after you fail a will save, before any of the effects of that failed save are resolved. You may make a Bluff check and retroactively use the results of that check in place of the failed will save. A result of a natural 1 on your Bluff check is not an automatic failure, but if you succeed you are Confused for the next round, with the caster of the effect that you replaced the will save against counting as the caster of the Confusion effect. ((Make it so immunity to confusion disallows ability to use this maneuver?))
This is obviously for VERY silly campaigns, but I am also aiming for balance.
I am now almost done typing things up crunch-wise (4 or less to go), but don't wait for me to finish to make comments on the stuff I have already typed up. Particularly I am wondering if I am making this too good compared to Desert Wind.
Falling Anvil
It was said that the grand master of this discipline first came upon it when he missed a turn at Albuquerque.* Some suggest that rather than a discipline that the way of the Falling Anvil is actually a mental disorder. This is quite plausible, but if so it is a mental disorder that those whose minds are attuned to the sublime way are especially prone to. The concept that the sublime way has anything to do with this opening of the way directly is firmly rejected by proponents of this theory. Rather they claim that those who still have a small part of them self that wishes they weren't training so hard, or, indeed that they had never taken up the sublime way at all. This part of them feels that the power granted by such study really isn't worth the effort, and would rather simply listen to a good tale they have heard 50 times before than to actually do anything particularly productive. The opponents of this point of view claim that students of the Falling Anvil find power in simplicity and ridiculousness. That appreciating that the universe is, in some sense, one big joke, allows them to direct the tragedy of misfortune befalling others that is at the core of that cosmic comedy at others while avoiding harm themselves. Whatever the case, both sides agree that those who have set foot on this path are extremely vexing foes and that they literally have the universe working in their favor. and they KNOW it. Martial adepts who have not gone down this road may not be sure EXACTLY what those who have know, but even such outsiders will acknowledge that initiates of the Falling Anvil DO know it.**
.
* Credit for this line goes to Elliot20.
**Edited from suggestion by one Witty Dodo.
Reshar never studied this discipline, considering it utterly beneath not only himself, but anyone worthy of the least respect. He did, however, say that his mastery of the Diamond Mind discipline reached new heights when he accidentally offended a master of the Falling Anvil and managed to NOT attack him for the entirety of their 22 minute (30 minutes with interruptions) confrontation.
The associated skill for the Falling Anvil discipline is Bluff. Upon taking any maneuvers or stances from this discipline you lose the ability to take maneuvers or stances of the Devoted Defender, Diamond Mind, Tiger Claw, and White Raven disciplines (even via Martial Study, Martial Stance, or multiclassing), and any maneuvers and stances you already have in those disciplines are replaced by selections from this discipline of equivalent level and type (Maneuver vs Stance only, Boost vs Strike vs Counter is irrelevant).
The associated weapons for the Falling Anvil Discipline are as follows: All improvised weapons*, bundle of dynamite, club, cannon (American Civil War era), catapult, cosh (one-handed version of the sap), great club, Maul (AKA Giant Mallet), spherical bomb, stick of dynamite, trebuchet (maybe?), sap, , and unarmed Strike.
* particular favorites include: anvil, broom, cricket bat, 2x4, banana-creme pie, frying pan, lightning-rail (AKA locomotive), Rubber Chicken, safe, seltzer bottle, and tree-branch.
Maneuver and Stance List
1st Level
Brick Drop -- Strike -- Brick falls out of the sky, dealing 2d6 damage on a successful ranged touch attack.
Duck Season -- Counter -- Automatically redirect an opponent's attack to a mutual foe within range. That attack gains +5 to hit, +5 to any related DCs and, on a hit, if applicable, is an automatic critical threat.
Everyday Arsenal -- Boost -- Attacks with improvised weapon counts as chaotic aligned silver magic weapons for purposed of DR, Regeneration, etc.
Pie to the Face -- Strike -- Blind opponent for 1 round
Seltzer Spray -- Strike -- 10' range, dazes opponent on failed save.
Stance of the Loony -- Stance -- Gain initiator level as untyped bonus to Bluff checks. Make Bluff Check versus twice attacker's Will Save to negate attacks. All hit-point damage converted to Wisdom burn at a rate dependant on initiator level.
Zany Mind (AKA Moment of Imperfect Mind) -- Counter -- Replace failed will save with Bluff check, but if you succeed you become Confused for one round.
2nd Level
Eye Poke -- Strike -- Opponent Blinded for 1 round and takes 2 wisdom damage.
Extending Boxing Glove -- Strike -- Ranged attack that deals damage as if you were a monk of level equal to IL+4, but Chaotic instead of Lawful if it is high enough level.
Unlucky Raincloud -- Strike -- Small cloud appears over opponent, lightning-bolt does 3d6 electricity damage (Reflex half).
Zany Dodge (AKA Action without Thought) -- Counter -- Replace failed reflex save with Bluff check, but if you succeed you become Confused for one round.
3rd Level
Anvil Drop -- Strike -- Anvil falls out of sky, dealing 6d6 damage on a successful ranged touch attack. ((Equivalent to Fan the Flames maneuver.))
Dust Cloud Melee -- Stance -- any melee you are involved in is enveloped in a dust cloud and prevents flanking, but not sneak attacks (at half dice, rounded down).
Stretchy Dodge -- Stance -- All attacks on you count as touch attacks and can't take attack action, but increase your AC by your bluff modifier and every 3rd consecutive miss from an given foe provokes an attack of opportunity from you regardless of range and no limit on AoOs per turn.
Unwelcome Kiss --Strike-- Touch attack stuns opponent for one round.
Zany Anatomy -- Counter -- Replace failed fortitude save with Bluff check, but if you succeed you are Nauseated for one round.
4th Level
Giant Slingshot -- (other) -- Launch yourself and companions great distances, but take damage.
Give Bomb -- Strike -- Opposed Bluff checks with opponent, loser takes 10d6 fire damage.
Rubber Chicken Wack -- Strike -- reduce your opponent's sanity.
Safe Drop -- Strike -- Magical, Chaotic, Silvered, Adimintine Chest falls out of sky, dealing 6d6 Bludgeoning damage on successful ranged touch attack. (Deflected as per splash weapon on miss?)
Stormcloud of Misfortune -- Strike -- Small cloud appears over opponent, lightning-bolt does 6d6 electricity damage (Reflex half).
5th Level
Piano Drop -- Strike -- Piano Falls out of the sky, dealing 11d6 Bludgeoning damage in 10'x10' area. Creates difficult terrain.
Pull Yourself Together -- Counter -- Each Slashing attack that hits you deals no damage or secondary effects, but cuts off one limb or head, or cuts you in half at waist. May re-attach one part as a move action if physically possible, or as a full round action if not physically possible.
Be Wary Wary Quwiet -- Stance -- Replace Hide and Move Silently checks with Bluff checks opposed by Sense Motive checks. (May hide in plain sight, regardless of terrain?).
Wacky Attacky -- Stance -- You blows do sanity damage as well as physical.
6th Level
Bouncing Escape -- Counter -- Negate attack, gain effects of Jump spell and 50% bonus to all movement rates for 1d4 rounds, but must only take movement actions for those rounds, and must end each round further away from opponent that the previous round.
Fine China Drop -- Strike -- Opponent takes 15d6(half bludgeoning, half slashing) Chaotic and Magical on failed save, on successful save, becomes flat-footed for next round.
Misfire -- Counter -- Opponent attacks self with trap, crossbow, magic item held in hand, or ranged touch spell.
Paper Thin Disguise -- Stance -- Use bluff skill for disguise checks, no penalties for cross dressing, if cross dressed, gain +10 bonus on seduction checks against same sex.
7th Level
Accursed Thunderhead -- Strike -- Huge Cloud appears over opponent, lightning bolt strikes for 10d6 electricity damage(Reflex Half) and 2d6 sonic damage(No Save).
Give Bundle of Dynamite -- Strike -- Opposed Bluff checks with opponent, loser takes 20d6 fire damage.
Paint Tunnel -- Strike -- Full round action to paint tunnel on vertical surface. One round later train deals 20d6 damage in 10' wide path perpendicular as viewed from above to the vertical surface, length is 20' per initiator level. If surface is non-magical you may use tunnel as Phase Door before train exits.
Rubber Chicken Wack, Greater -- Strike -- Devastating blow to sanity.
8th Level
Not Looking Down -- Stance -- gain horizontal-only Air Walk effect as long as they remain flat-footed to attacks coming from the sides or below.
Viking Longboat Drop -- Strike -- Longboat falls out of sky, dealing 10d6 bludgeoning damage in a 10'x50' rectangle (but may be rotated at odd angles in horizontal plane). Area struck becomes difficult terrain. (Reflex half???)
Worthless Weapon! -- Counter -- On a miss, opponent must make Will save, or spend next round attempting to sunder that weapon/magic device. If there is an explosion/retributive strike, you take no damage.
9th Level
Unnecessary Burial -- Strike -- Touch attack to entombed opponent alive(complete with tomb-stone and a single lily). Depth below surface equals your Bluff check in inches.
Maneuvers and Stances
Accursed Thunderhead
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: 3 Falling Anvil maneuvers, Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 90 feet
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Relfex Half/Partial
"Interesting weather we are having!"
A great mass of roiling cloud, black as pitch forms above your designated foe (or doesn't if their isn't enough room for its 50 foot diamter and 200 foot height). In either case a lightning bolt strikes down from above to deal 10d6 electrical damage. A Relfex save DC (17 + your wisdom modifier) is permitted for half the electricity damage. No save is permitted against the 2d6 sonic damage the thunder deals to the target. The cloud (if it exists in the first place) vanishes immediately afterwards.
Anvil Drop
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: 1 Falling Anvil maneuver, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 45 feet
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Klang!
You gaze coolly at a selected creature and an anvil(or other GM approved object) falls towards them (no matter how low the ceiling may be). It strikes as a ranged touch attack, and deals 6d6 bludgeoning damage if successful. The anvil(or other object) disappears at the end of combat.
Be Wary Wary Quwiet
Falling Anvil (Stance) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Were hunting Twolls... heh heh heh.
You find it much easier to use body language to convince people they don't see or hear you than to actually attempt to remain undetectable... in fact you are so good at it, it even works on undead and constructs. As long as you are in this stance you may substitute bluff checks for hide and move silently checks. If you do this with a hide check then you do not require cover or concealment to be allowed the check. If your initiator level is at least 18 then you can make such bluff checks even while being observed.
Bouncing Escape
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 Immediate Action
Range: Personal
Target: Self
Duration: 1d4 rounds
"Woohoo! Woohoo! Woohoo!"
Immediately after a successful attack roll against you, you may cause that attack to instead miss. You gain the effects of Jump spell with caster level equal to your initiator level and 50% bonus to all movement rates for 1d4 rounds, but must only take movement actions for those rounds, and must end each round further away from that opponent than you started.
Brick Drop
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 1
Prerequisite: Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 20 feet
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Crack!
You smile crookedly at a selected creature and a brick or a moderately sized flowerpot complete with moist soil and a blossoming daisy falls towards them (no matter how low the ceiling may be, or even if there is no ceiling). It strikes as a ranged touch attack, and deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage if successful. The brick disappears at the end of combat.
Duck Season (((Extremely powerful, but extremely narrow utility)))
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos, Mind-Effecting, Language Dependant]
Level: Swordsage 1
Prerequisite: Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: Free Action (Once per round, but not expended when used)
Target: 1 attacking opponent plus 1 non-attacking opponent
Duration: 1 round
Rabbit Season! Duck Season! Rabbit Season! Duck Season! Rabbit Season! Duck Season! Rabbit Season!(((However the transition is supposed to go))! Duck Season! Fire!!!
Whenever you are the target of a attack by an enemy that could have also targeted a MUTUAL foe, the attack is immediately redirected to that foe, provided it has fewer hitdice than your Bluff modifier. If it has more hitdice than your bluff modifier than it may attempt an opposed bluff check against you to negate the effect of this maneuver. If no check is required, or if you win the opposed check then the attack is redirected to that foe, and gains +5 to hit and +5 to the DC of any applicable saving throws, and it automatically threatens a critical hit if capable of such. All subsequent attacks that the original attacker or any of his allies make that would target you in are similarly redirected for one full round afterward (with the same bonuses).
Dust Cloud Melee
Falling Anvil (Stance) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: 1 Falling Anvil maneuver, Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Chain of Melee
Target: You and any group of meleeing creatures you are a part of.
Duration: Stance
(Ending conditions? Will taking full defense do it, or do you have to move out of reach?)
Everyday Arsenal
Falling Anvil (Boost) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 1
Prerequisite: Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 2 rounds (?)
"Clang! Clang! Clang!" goes the frying pan! "Ring! Ring! Ring!" goes your skull!
For the duration of this boost you take no penalties for wielding improvised weapons, and any improvised weapons you weild could as Silver, Magical and Chaotic for purposed of DR, Regeneration, etc. If your initiator level is 21 or higher they also count as Epic for such purposes.
Eye Poke
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisite: 1 Falling Anvil maneuver, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round/Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will Partial
N'yuk, N'yuk, N'yuk!
They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul... you use this connection to strike at both sight and sanity. As part of this maneuver make a touch attack at -4 to hit (because of the precision of the target). If you hit the target is blinded until the beginning of your next turn, and must make a will save DC 12 + your wisdom modifer, or take 2 points of wisdom damage. This attack deals no hit-point damage.
Extending Boxing Glove
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisite: 1 Falling Anvil maneuver, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: 60 feet
Target: 1 opponent or object
Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates Stun
You produce a boxing glove on the end of a one handed device build around a set of lazy tongs and send the glove forth to strike an opponent. This deals damage exactly as if it were an unarmed strike performed by you, employing the Stunning Fist feat. Use your strength modifier for the damage bonus, and your dexterity modifier for the to-hit modifier. The DC to resist the stunning effect is 10+1/2 your initiator level+your wisdom modifier, and this does not count against your limit of number of times per day you can use the Stunning Fist feat (assuming you have it, which is utterly irrelevant to the execution of this maneuver). You also gain bonus damage equal to 1/2 your initiator level. Depending on your initiator level the glove may gain various properties for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction, regeneration, etc. These are summarized on the following table.
IL|Types
3-6|Magic
7-11|Magic and Chaotic
12-20|Magic, Chaotic, and Adamintine
21+|Magic, Chaotic, Adamintine, and Epic
Fine China Drop
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: 3? Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 60 feet
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous/One Round
Saving Throw: Reflex Alters
Crash! Shatter! Break!
You gaze coolly at a selected creature and an several shelves worth of masterwork serving ceramic-ware falls on and around them them (no matter how low the ceiling may be). If strikes the ground it the target takes 15d6(half bludgeoning, half slashing), for purposes of overcoming damage reduction, regeneration, etc the china counts as Chaotic and Magically aligned. This damage may be negated with a reflex save to catch the falling china, however, if the save is successful, the target is flatfooted and may not take any actions until the end of its next turn while it safely disposes of the china. The save has a DC of 16 + your wisdom modifier and may be voluntarily failed as normal. The target is aware of the consequences of both succeeding and failing the save. The china disappears immediately after it deals damage or is safely disposed of.
Giant Slingshot
Falling Anvil [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: Two Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 3 full round actions
Range: 200 feet per initiator level
Target: You and up to 1 allied creature per 3 initiator levels (familiars do not count against this limit)
Duration: Instantaneous
"I recommend ACME brand giant slingslots!.... Waaahoohooey!!!!!"
A kit appears in front of you. You may select an aim point, then spend all your actions for the next 3 rounds constructing a giant slingshot on any surface solid enough to walk on. The requisite number of people may load themselves into the slingshot on the third round and you may fire yourselves to the aim point with miss rules as if you each were a catapult stone fired from a catapult. Note that the range is potentially much greater than the range of even a heavy catapult. You all take 1d6 damage per 500 feet or fraction there-of traveled and fall prone on landing. Half this damage (rounded down) is non-lethal, the rest is lethal. Natural and magical flight, Featherfall and all other abilities that could alter the passengers' path of travel or reduce the damage are inactive until after they land. A few notes:
This is NOT a teleportation effect, thus you MUST have a half-plausible ballistic path to the target area.
You yourself MUST be one of the passengers or the device will not function, and the catch is designed to be released from the cup of the slingshot.
The size of the passengers is completely irrelevant. It is entirely possible to load yourself, a druid, a paladin, the paladin's warhorse, and the druid's dire elephant animal companion into the slingshot and launch all of you successfully. (And, perhaps more importantly, it is rediculously funny to boot... for bonus points fill up any unused slots you have by having your party members summon the largest creatures they can.)
Give Bomb
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: Two Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Target's reach or yours, whichever is greater
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous
A present for you!
A spherical bomb with a lit fuse leading out from it appears in your hand. As part of this maneuver you may attempt to give it to an opponent whose reach you are within, and/or who is within your reach. At the very least they must free up an appendage to take it if they have such an appendage, dropping an object to the ground in their space if necessary. Make an opposed bluff check against the target. The loser takes 10d6 fire damage as the bomb explodes in their grasp (or on top of their head if they have no manipulative appendages).
Give Bundle of Dynamite
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: 3 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Target's reach or yours, whichever is greater
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Fire in the hole!
A bundle of 7 sticks of dynamite with a lit fuse leading out from it appears in your hand. As part of this maneuver you may attempt to give it to an opponent whose reach you are within, and/or who is within your reach. At the very least they must free up an appendage to take it if they have such an appendage, dropping an object to the ground in their space if necessary. Make an opposed bluff check against the target. The loser takes 20d6 fire damage as the bomb explodes in their grasp (or on top of their head if they have no manipulative appendages).
Misfire
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Target: 1 attacking creature
Duration:
Saving Throw: Will Negates
((Wand, Staff, etc Dispelled until end of combat, weapon has minor break (bowstring snaps usually), but requires Craft or Appraise check DC 15+IL to recognize not massively damaged.))
Not Looking Down
Falling Anvil (Stance) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisite: 3 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
By not looking down you can willfully ignore the effects of gravity. This grants the effects of Air Walk as long as you avoid looking down, however you can only climb 5' for every 20' of horizontal motion. Unfortunately this means that all creatures that do not have at least some part of their body at least 5' above you are effectively invisible to you.
Paint Tunnel
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: 3 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 full round action (until the beginning of next turn)
Range: 20 feet/initiator level
Target: 10 foot wide path 20 feet per initiator level long.
Duration: 2 rounds/Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
Chugga Chugga! Woo! Woo!!!
You whip out a bucket of black paint, and a paint-brush and paint 10 foot square area of a reasonably vertical surface (even a Wall of Force will do) within your reach in the shape of a solid arch. The bottom of the arch much touch a reasonably horizontal surface. You complete the painting just before your next turn. You can be interrupted (by being bull-rushed away from the area), but concentration checks for taking damage are NOT required. Once completed, a series of conductor stones appear heading perpendicularly out from the arch along the ground (or into mid-air if the surface stops, such as if you did this on a piece of disconnected masonry floating on the elemental plane of air). A vague foreboding warns all who notice the stones (DC 0 spot check) that being too close to them is extremely hazardous. If the painted surface is non-magical then until the turn after that you (and ONLY you), may use it as a Passwall effect with a caster level equal to your initiator level. At the end of this period a lightning rail pulling many cars runs the length of the pathway so quickly it counts as an instantaneous effect. The conductor stones and lightning rail immediately vanish when the end of the pathway is reached. The lighting rail train is 10 feet wide, and the pathway has a length equal to 20 feet per your initiator level, or until it runs into a vertical surface, in which case a second false tunnel appears when the train does, and remains just long enough for the train to disappear into it. All in the path of the train take 20d6 bludgeoning damage, but may make a reflex save equal to 17 + your wisdom modifier for half damage.
Paper Thin Disguise
Falling Anvil (Stance) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 6
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 full round action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Piano Drop
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 90 feet
Target: 10 foot square
Duration: Instantaneous/End of Combat
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
Crash! (In C sharp, B Flat, and F minor)
A master-workgrand piano (or an upright if solid walls connected by a ceiling block off part of the area) falls in the area, becoming smashed to peices in the process (althoughMake Whole or similar effects may restore it), making the area difficult terrain, and dealing 11d6 damage to each creature in the area. A reflex save is permitted for half damage and the DC is 15 + your wisdom modifier. The piano (usual in the form of wreckage, but even if repaired) disappears at the end of combat.
Pie to the Face
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 1(2?)
Prerequisite: Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee
Target: One Opponent
Duration: 1 round
One of the oldest and most simple strikes in the repitiore of the demented is the simple pie to the face.
Producing a banana creme pie from some eldritch dimension, attempt to deliver it to your opponents face. The pie does no damage, but if you succeed on the touch attack then the opponent is blinded for one round, or until they spend a move action to clear their eyes.
Pull Yourself Together
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: One free action (Swift?)
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
Look ma! Cold-cuts!
You may activate this maneuver any time you take slashing damage. That damage, and all other slashing damage you take for the next full round is negated. Secondary effects, such as poison are unaffected. However each attack that hits painlessly severs some part of your body, if the weapon has the vorpal quality and your head (or at least one of your heads if you have more than one) is currently attached with part is always a head. This does not affect your ability to control you body from a anatomical point of view, although the GM may impose penalties for unusual perspectives. If it would be physically possible for you to do so, you may re-attach a body-part by holding it to the stump as a move action or standard action. If it would not be possible (for instance if both your arms were cut off at the shoulder and you had fallen prone) then you may cause one severe to rejoin for no addiquittely(sp) explained reason as a full-round action. If any severe persists for a number of rounds greater than 1/2 your initiator level then it becomes as if that part had been cut off with a blade. Bleeding may commence at the GMs discretion and you are probably going to want a *Regeneration*, or if was the head, a *Raise Dead* or something. The following table is used for determining where each severe happens.
Roll|Cut line
1|Wrist
2|Elbow
3|Shoulder
4|Hip
5|Knee
6|Cut in half at waist
7|Decapitated
8|Tail, ear, or major portions of hair
Rubber Chicken Wack
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee
Target: One Creature
You produce a rubber chicken from thin air, and attack your foe with it, striking at his very sanity. As part of this maneuver, make a touch attack with the rubber chicken it produces. If it hits it deals no hit-point damage, but your opponent must make a Sanity check and take 1 / (Your Initiator level divided by 3) Sanity loss. This loss may not exceed your ranks in Knowledge(Forbidden Lore).
Rubber Chicken Wack, Greater
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 7
Prerequisite: 3 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee
Target: One Creature
You produce a rubber chicken, modelled on either a celestial or fiendish chicken, whichever matches your alignment most closely, from thin air, and attack your foe with it, striking a mighty blow to his very sanity. As part of this maneuver, make a touch attack with the rubber chicken it produces. If it hits it deals no hit-point damage, but your opponent must make a Sanity check and take 2 / (Your Initiator level divided by 2) Sanity loss. This loss may not exceed your ranks in Knowledge(Forbidden Lore).
Safe Drop
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 75 feet
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous/End of Combat
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
A large adamintine chest, coated in Silver-Sheen, and enchanted as a magic, chaotic weapon, falls on a opponent. The chest deals 9d6 damage, and a reflex save versus a DC of 14 + your wisdom modifier is allowed for half damage. The chest is a cube 3 feet on a side and remains until the end of combat. The integral lock is DC 35, And the lid requires a DC 30 strength check to pop. If opened, there is a 70% chance the chest proves to contain three Tiny penguins (who might have been in danger of suffocation if penguins weren't very good at holding their breaths), otherwise it contains a fine portrait in a gilded frame featuring one of the initiator's most embarrassing and/or painful memories. The chest and all it contained vanish at the end of combat.
Seltzer Spray
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 1
Prerequisite: Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 10 feet
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates
You whip a seltzer bottle out of no-where and spray it at your target. They must make a fortitude save DC 11 + your wisdom modifier or be dazed for one round.
Storm-cloud of Mis-Fortune
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 4
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 30 feet
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
Flying in with incredible velocity a Small Raincloud pause above the target just long enough to produce a lightning bolt that strikes them for 6d6 damage. This damage may be halved if they succeed a DC (14 + your wisdom modifier) Reflex save.
Stretchy Dodge
Falling Anvil (Stance) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
While in this stance you may take no actions except ending this Stance (usually by switching to another one) and making the attacks it grants you. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, actions granted by White Raven Maneuvers performed by your allies and attacks of opportunity. You replace your armor class (including flat-footed, touch, etc) with your 10 + total modifier to Bluff Checks and gain the Mettle, Slippery Mind, and Improved Evasion abilities. For every third attack by a true foe or someone under the influence of a Dominate spell by a true foe that misses you, you may make one attack at an opponent who has missed you within the last round. This count carries over from round to round for as long as you maintain this stance, but once you earn an attack you must make it immediately or it is wasted. This attack may be an attack action, or any maneuver or offensive spell that may be performed as a Swift, Immediate, Free, or Standard Action. There is no limit to the number of actions you may make in this way per round.
Stance of the Loony
Falling Anvil (Stance) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 1
Prerequisite: Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
You can survive almost any attack... but at the cost of your sanity. You may convert incoming hitpoint damage to wisdom burn. This effect occurs after damage reduction, and you may convert some, all, or none of the damage as you take it. This does nothing to alter any other effects other than hitpoint damage, even if you reduce the damage taken to zero(you can't reduce it further than zero). The conversion rate varies based on your Initiator level as explained on the following table.
IL|hp per Wis burn|X|IL|hp per Wis burn
1 |0.5|X|16-18|5
2-4 | 1 |X|19-20|6
4-8 | 2 |X|21-22|7
9-12| 3 |X|23-24|8
13-15| 4 |X|etc..|(IL-7)/2 rounded down
Unlucky Raincloud
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 2
Prerequisite: 1 Falling Anvil maneuver, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 30 feet
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
"Every little cloud, likes to sing <electrical sizzle> aloud!" Wareck the Pugilist werebear, while raiding a nest of giant bees for honey.
A Tiny Raincloud zooms in from parts unknown and parks itself directly over the target's head just long enough to deliver a miniature lightning bolt to them for 3d6 damage. A reflex save with a DC of 12 + your wisdom modifier is permitted for half damage.
Unnecessary Burial(AKA Strike of Perfect Ridiculousness)
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 9
Prerequisite: 5 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee
Target: One Creature
You kill your target automatically if you injure them even slightly... well... for certain values of "kill".
As part of this strike make a melee attack, if it deals damage, then a hole instantly digs itself directly behind the target struck, and they fall prone into it, then the fill material (fist sized rocks if the surface was originally solid stone) fills in the hole above them. A tombstone listing there name, their date of birth, and the current date rises out of the head of the tomb, and a single white lily grows in the center of the fill material (it will be short lived unless the location can support it normally, or if it is transplanted). The depth they are below the surface of the ground is equal to your bluff check in inches.
Unwelcome Kiss
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 3
Prerequisite: 1 Falling Anvil maneuver, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee
Target: One Creature
Duration: 1d3+1 rounds
Saving Throw: Will Negates
Ignoring all laws of social propriety, battle-field conduct, and disease prevention, you kiss your opponent full on the lips.
As part of this maneuver make a melee touch attack against your foe. If the attack hits they are stunned for 1d3+1 rounds with disgust (or in very rare cases, they will instead be love-struck instead of disgusted, but the mechanical effects are identical). A will save against DC 13 + your wisdom modifier negates the stunning. If they have a bite attack and you miss the touch attack or they make the will save, then they are allowed an attack of opportunity on you but it MUST be with that bite attack (in cases of monsters with multiple heads with differences between their bite attacks you choose which head makes the attack of opportunity). Note that this maneuver does NOT qualify as a mind-influencing effect, and thus (among other things) means that it works perfectly well on constructs and undead.
Viking Longboat Drop
Falling Anvil (Strike) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisite: 3 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: 200 feet
Target: 10 foot by 50(or occasionally shorter) foot area (rotated in any direction (not just 4 or 8) that is on a standard compass)
Duration: Instantaneous/Until end of combat
Saving Throw: Reflex Half
THUD!!! SPLINTER!!! SNAP!!! WHAM!!!
A ship, built in the style of a longship, but slightly smaller, complete with crew, falls out of the sky onto your foes regardless of how low the ceiling might be. It deals 10d6 damage to all in the area, and counts as rough terrain if it lands on a non-liquid. A reflex save is allowed for half damage against a DC equal to 18 + your wisdom modifier. The ship is always 10' wide, and at least 20' long. If it can not assume these minimum dimensions, then it does not appear, the maneuver fails and is wasted. Unless obstacles would prevent it from existing in the orientation you place it in (such as being placed perpendicular to a narrow corridor, it is 50' long. Otherwise it extends until blocked in both directions to assume the maximum length it can (within the 50' limit). If there are merely height variations (such as a trench, rather than a corridor), then treat each square of it as a separate object to determine where it falls to. Regardless of where it lands, it breaks apart. It contains 1 10th level Human Barbarian at one end of it (selected by you), and 4 5th level human barbarians plus 10 1st level human barbarians randomly scattered throughout other unoccupied squares of the ship. The barbarians are completely uninjured by the impact. Each barbarians are equipped as per the DMG listings for their class and level, plus are wearing cold-weather gear made of the pelts of yaks (or possibly some other large animal, it is hard to tell under the ryme of sea salt and ice that encrusts them) and their helmets are fitted with horns. The barbarians are considered flat-footed from total bewilderment and take no actions other than to move away from natural hazards at half speed until and unless attacked or you succeed a DC 15 diplomacy check with the leader (who speaks only Common) at which point they will be willing to gather around a keg of mead that was also undamaged in the landing and drink with you until the end of combat, or you or one of your allies attacks them. If attacked (even with an Area of Effect) they will all "wake up" and attack the apparent source of the attack that was directed against them on the next turn (roll their initiative at that time). All products of this maneuver vanish at the end of combat, including the barbarians and all their gear (ESPECIALLY the mead).
Wacky Attacky
Falling Anvil (Stance) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 5
Prerequisite: 2 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: Self
Duration: Stance
You blows are so wacky they increase the looniness of those they hit.
While in this stance, any attack that you hit with (anything that requires an attack roll, including but not limited to non-damaging and damaging strikes, ray attacks, and weapon attacks) also deals 1 point of Sanity damage, regardless of whether any of its other effects are successful. At 18th level this increases to 2 points of sanity damage.
Worthless Weapon!
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos, Mind-Effecting]
Level: Swordsage 8
Prerequisite: 3 Falling Anvil maneuvers, non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Target: One creature
Duration: One round
Saving Throw: Will Negates
You call upon the primal forces of frustration and aggravation to direct your opponent's wrath at the tool in their hands.
You magnify your foes dissatisfaction with failing to strike you a thousand fold. You may activate this maneuver any time an opponent tries to attack you or an illusion he believes to be you (in the second case you must have line of sight and effect to both the illusion any the foe in question) and fails to affect you. An attempted attack that is thwarted by Sanctuary or a similar effect does not qualify since the attack is never carried out, however miss chances, DR, and simple failures of the attack roll count. Just before their next turn the opponent must make a will save with a DC equal to 18 + your wisdom modifier. If they succeed they merely take a -2 penalty to all attack rolls made with that weapon or device until the end of their turn. If they fail they must spend that turn entirely on attempting to bring their every resource to bear in the most effective way to sunder or otherwise destroy the weapon or device they made the attack with. If they succeed in destroying it and still have any actions remaining that turn, they expend those actions attempting to further mutilate (or at least jump up and down on) the pieces. If the object was totally destroyed or the remains are out of their reach (for instance they threw it into lava), they use those actions to complain loudly against the weapon or device for failing them.
Several special cases apply here:
In the case of a bow or crossbow, those are the weapon for this purpose, not the arrows or bolts.
If the attacker carries multiple similar throwing weapons and the attack you countered used one of them and the specific weapon is destroyed (as is the case for Shuriken) or beyond their easy reach, their wrath is directed against the remaining ones on their person.
In the case of a staff of the magi or other item with a Retributive Strike, you are immune to all the effects of said strike.
If the attack was made with an ongoing, personally wielded effect(or an ongoing effect that originates from the person, such as the 2nd edition option for Melf's Minuit Meteors), such as a psi-blade, Mordenkain's Sword, the attacker must dismiss that effect, spend the rest of the time berating themselves for ever learning to create that effect, and may not recreate that effect or invoke a similar one for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier (minimum one).
Zany Anatomy (Also known as "Mania over Matter")
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 3
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
You are so disorganized even your organs are misplaced, and your immune system makes the combined tax codes for every year, for every civilization that ever existed, put together, look like Zen simplicity by comparison.
You can use this maneuver any time immediately after you fail a fortitude save, before any of the effects of that failed save are resolved. You may make a Bluff check and retroactively use the results of that check in place of the failed fortitude save. A result of a natural 1 on your Bluff check is not an automatic failure, but if you succeed you are Nauseated for the next round. Immunity to nauseation functions normally against this and does NOT prevent any of the positive effects of this maneuver.
Zany Dodge (Also known as "Action without Thought")
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 2
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
You have raised doing the exact right thing a the exact right time, for completely the wrong reasons to a high art.
You can use this maneuver any time immediately after you fail a reflex save, before any of the effects of that failed save are resolved. You may make a Bluff check and retroactively use the results of that check in place of the failed reflex save. A result of a natural 1 on your Bluff check is not an automatic failure, but if you succeed you are Confused for the next round, with the caster of the effect that you replaced the reflex save against counting as the caster of the Confusion effect. ((Make it so immunity to confusion disallows ability to use this maneuver?))
Zany Mind (Also known as "Moment of Imperfect Mind")
Falling Anvil (Counter) [Chaos]
Level: Swordsage 1
Prerequisite: Non-lawful alignment
Initiation Action: 1 immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Your totally mental nature has rendered you as unassailable as the rubbery wall of a padded cell is to its occupant. When someone targets you with a spell that seeks to erode you willpower you preempt them by already having eroded it.
Between your dedication to comedy, short attention span, and supreme inanity, you have discovered, completely by accident, how to resist attempts to subvert your willpower. When you feel such an effect successfully cloud your mind, the seething silliness inside your soul sometimes surges.
You can use this maneuver any time immediately after you fail a will save, before any of the effects of that failed save are resolved. You may make a Bluff check and retroactively use the results of that check in place of the failed will save. A result of a natural 1 on your Bluff check is not an automatic failure, but if you succeed you are Confused for the next round, with the caster of the effect that you replaced the will save against counting as the caster of the Confusion effect. ((Make it so immunity to confusion disallows ability to use this maneuver?))