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View Full Version : [3.5]Breath of Fire-ToB discipline for those with breath attacks



Oslecamo
2010-02-28, 08:23 AM
Breath of Fire
http://eteamz.active.com/concordsoccerrefs/images/FireBreathingDragonOverLondon.jpg
Kragat, Master of the Breath of Fire discipline, purges an evil artificer's fortress together with his disciples.


History

When dragons first heard of Reshar and how he managed to find new ways of using the humanoids weak weapons, most dragons laughed and returned to their arcane studies and crushing their oponents with their mighty bodies.

Some dragons however saw the potential of the Sublime way, and started to practise it to improve their already formidable natural capacities.

And then, some dragons noticed however that there was a glaring hole in the Sublime way. It focused on simple mortal weapons like blades and axes, teeths and claws.

But the dragons had a much more powerfull weapon available to them. They could breath forth the elements themselves. If the Sublime way worked so well with the weapons of inferior creatures, what could be achieved by applying it's teachings to the greatest weapon wielded by any creature in existence?

Thus the Breath of Fire discipline was born. The name comes from the legend that an ambitious red dragon first developed it to get the edge over a neighbour gold dragon rival. Thanks to constant breathing exercises and continuous use of his flames, that red dragon slayed his gold oponent in a fantastic air duel that set the sky itself ablaze.

From then, that red dragon taught what he had learned to his hatchlings, wich ended up teaching it to other chromatic dragons, wich ended up spilling the secrets to a cleverly disguised bronze dragon, and from there the discipline spread to all dragonkind.

Despite it's name, the Fire Breath discipline works well with all breath weapons.

Any creature who has breath weapons and picks up a level of a ToB class may swap one of his availables disciplines for this one.

Key skill:spellcraft.The supernatural nature of the dragon's breath demands good understanding of magic.

1st level

Crimson fire: Strike–deal +1d6 damage with your breath weapon.
Twisting flame: Strike–make line breath attack change direction once.
Mountain inhale: Boost– one breath weapon recharges 3 turns faster.
Elemental mantra: Stance–change shape of breath attack.

2nd level
Fire Lotus: Strike–Ignore resistance equal to your IL level.
Incinerate: Boost–Stronger breath at point blank range.
Burning revenge: Counter–use breath attack on creature wich just struck you.
Destroyer flame: Strike–Disarm or sunder with breath attack.

3rd level
Crimson punishment: Strike–breath weapon deals +2d6 damage
Breathing of eternity: Stance–all your breath attack recharge 1 turn faster.
Burning soul: Strike-use breath weapon and heal damage.

4th level
Covering fire: Strike– breath, and creatures that fail the save cannot make attacks of oportunity and move at half speed for 1 turn.
Red alert: Boost–all your breath weapons recharge 3 turns faster.

5th level
Crimson purge: Strike–breath weapon deals +4d6 damage.
Elemental assault: Strike-use breath weapon, then teleport to any empty space on the area of effect.

6th level
Heaven and Hell wind: Strike–use breath weapon, heals equal amount..
Perfect fire lotus: Stance–Ignore enemy resistance equal to your IL.

7th level
Crimson erradication: Strike–breath weapon deals +8d6 damage.
Ruby dust: Strike–use breath weapon as a swift action.

8th level
Heaven and Hell judgement: stance–Take penalty in breath DC to increase range.
Scarlet eternity: Strike-Use breath weapon twice.

9th level
Crimson oblivion: Strike–breath weapon deals +16d6 damage, ignores resistance and immunity.

Maneuvers explanations:

Unless otherwise noted, every Breath of Fire maneuver is supernatural maneuver that applies to your breath attack. Using those maneuvers doesn't change the recharge time of your breath weapons unless otherwise noticed.

Unless otherwise noticed, every strike of this discipline starts with you using one of your breath weapons.

1st level

Crimson fire
Breath of Fire (Strike)
Level: Crusader 1, Swordsage 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

Your breath weapon deals +1d6 damage, of the same element as the breath weapon(including force damage). This applies only to pure damage breaths.

Twisting flame
Breath of Fire (Strike)
Level: Crusader 1, Swordsage 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

If your breath weapon is a line, you may make it change direction once in any point of it's course.

Mountain inhale
Breath of Fire (boost)
Level: Crusader 1, Swordsage 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range:-
Target: you
Duration: instantaneous
Save: none

One of your breath weapon's "cooldown" is reduced by 3.

Elemental mantra
Breath of Fire (Stance)
Level: Crusader 1, Swordsage 1, Warblade 1
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: -
Target: you.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: none

If your breath weapon is a line, you may have it affect a cone with half range. If it's a cone, then you may have it affect a line with double range.

2nd level
Fire Lotus

Breath of Fire (Strike)
Level: Crusader 3, Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

This breath weapon ignores an amount of elemental resistance from your targets equal to your IL. If they have immunity to your breath attack element, they take damage equal to your IL (still reflex save for half) or half your breath damage, wichever is lower. This applies only to pure damage breaths.

Incinerate:
Breath of Fire (Boost)
Level: Crusader 3, Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: -
Target: you.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: none

Your breath weapons deals +50% damage to enemies adjacent to you for 1 round. This applies only to pure damage breaths.


Burning revenge
Breath of Fire (Strike)
Level: Crusader 3, Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Initiation Action: Inmediate action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

If a creature attackss you, either at melee or range, you may use breath attack you possess and isn't recharging as an immediate action. The creature that provoked the attack must be inside the breath area.

Destroyer flame
Level: Crusader 3, Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

If your breath attack is a line, you can focus it to strike a single item. You must roll a ranged touch attack first against your target. If it hits, your oponents rolls a reflex save. If it fails, then you can choose to either disarm him (any bonus against disarm apply to this save) or deal half your breath attack damage to the item you're targeting.

3rd level
Crimson punishment
Breath of Fire (Strike)
Level: Crusader 5, Swordsage 5, Warblade 5
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

Your breath weapon deals +2d6 damage, of the same element as the breath weapon(including force damage). This applies only to pure damage breaths.

Breathing of eternity
Breath of Fire (Stance)
Level: Crusader 5, Swordsage 5, Warblade 5
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: -
Target: you.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: none

While in this stance, all your breath attack recharge 1 turn faster than normal.

Burning soul
Breath of Fire (Strike)
Level: Crusader 5, Swordsage 5, Warblade 5
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

You heal half the damage that you rolled for your breath attack. You don't heal more damage for hiting multiple oponents or heal less damage for the enemies having resistances/immunities.

4th level
Covering fire
Breath of Fire (Strike)
Level: Crusader 7, Swordsage 7, Warblade 7
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

Creatures hit by your breath attack that fail their saves cannot make attacks of oportunity and move at half speed for 1 turn.

Red alert
Breath of Fire (Boost)
Level: Crusader 3, Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: -
Target: you.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: none

All your breath weapons in "cooldown" have their recharge time reduced by 3 turns.

5th level
Crimson purge
Breath of Fire (Strike)
Level: Crusader 9, Swordsage 9, Warblade 9
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

Your breath weapon deals +4d6 damage, of the same element as the breath weapon(including force damage). This applies only to pure damage breaths.

Elemental assault
Breath of Fire (Strike)
Level: Crusader 9, Swordsage 9, Warblade 9
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

After your breath weapon inflicting damage, you may teleport to any empty space in the breath attack area big enough to fit you.

6th level
Heaven and Hell wind
Breath of Fire (Strike)
Level: Crusader 11, Swordsage 11, Warblade 11
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

You heal the full damage that you rolled for your breath attack. You don't heal more damage for hiting multiple oponents or heal less damage for the enemies having resistances/immunities.

Perfect fire lotus
Breath of Fire (Stance)
Level: Crusader 11, Swordsage 11, Warblade 11
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: -
Target: you.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: none

While in this stance, your breath weapon ignores an amount of elemental resistance from your targets equal to your IL. If they have immunity to your breath attack element, they take damage equal to your IL (still reflex save for half) or half your breath weapon damage, wichever is lower. This applies only to pure damage breaths.


7th level
Crimson erradication
Breath of Fire (Strike)
Level: Crusader 13, Swordsage 13, Warblade 13
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

Your breath weapon deals +8d6 damage, of the same element as the breath weapon(including force damage). This applies only to pure damage breaths.

Ruby dust
Breath of Fire (Strike)
Level: Crusader 13, Swordsage 13, Warblade 13
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

You use a breath weapon as a swift action.

8th level
Heaven and Hell judgement
Breath of Fire (Stance)
Level: Crusader 15, Swordsage 15, Warblade 15
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: -
Target: you.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: none

While in this stance, you may double the range of your breath weapon by applying a -2 penalty on the save DC. Maximum of 10 increases.

Scarlet eternity
Breath of Fire (Strike)
Level: Crusader 15, Swordsage 15, Warblade 15
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

As a single standard action, you may fire your breath twice (it then recharges as normal). If you have multiple breaths, then you may fire any combination of two as a standard action.

9th level
Crimson oblivion
Breath of Fire (Strike)
Level: Crusader 17, Swordsage 17, Warblade 17
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: breath attack
Target: creatures in the breath attack area.
Duration: instantaneous
Save: as the breath weapon

Your breath weapon deals +16d6 damage, of the same element as the breath weapon(including force damage). This applies only to pure damage breaths. In adition, you fully ignore resistances and immunities from your targets.



A friend of mine commented that there was no ToB discipline for breath attacks, so I decided to correct this. Now breath using characters can play with the sublime way as well! Enjoy!

Note: this school is aimed at players/monsters who are multiclassing a lot since you need a good breath weapon for it to be worth it, so I choose for none of the maneuvers to have pre-reqs besides IL, just like Stone Dragon.

CTLC
2010-02-28, 09:07 AM
i will be using a dragon that has levels in an initiator class simply to have him use these, and to scare, surprise, and beat on my pcs. Very nice!

DracoDei
2010-02-28, 03:08 PM
Kudos on finding a very large hole in AoW! I like this.

Mountain Inhale is probably overpowered in combination with meta-breath feats. Two Heightened Maximized breathweapons in a row anyone? Probably should just have it take 3 of the time each time (which with a normal (for a true dragon) 1d4 situation would always mean the next round.

Also, as the following chart I made a while back shows, many Stone Dragon maneuvers DO have pre-requisites of maneuvers known.

{Table=head]Maneuver Level|Desert Wind|Stone Dragon| Tiger Claw | Setting Sun|Shadow Hand|Diamond Mind|Iron Heart|White Raven|Devoted Spirit|Man Lev
1| 0 | 0 |0-1(MOST 1!)| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |1
2| 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |2
3| 1 | 0-1 | 1-2 | 1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |3
4| 1-2 | 0-2 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 0-2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |4
5| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |5
6| 2 | 0-2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |6
7| 3 | 2-3 | 2-3 | 3 | 0!? | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |7
8| 3 | 2-3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0-3 | 2-3 | 1-3 | 2-3 |8
9| 5 | !!??0??!! | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |9[/Table] It is simply that many of them (most notably the 9th level one) DON'T have such pre-requisites. This might or might not make a difference to this discipline. Also, are you sure that racial HD don't count as non-initiating class levels for purposes of calculating Initiator level? It makes a big difference in this case if none of them have pre-requisites.

On a more personal note, I am going to sift this carefully for anything my Wing Dragons can use, but I suspect that their breath weapon is too odd-ball to quite work with anything here without my adding some language to them explaining how meta-breath feats and other breathweapon modifiers work for them.

EDIT: Fire Lotus should probably allow "Half damage (before saves etc) or your initiator level whichever is less" to creatures with immunity, and Perfect Fire Lotus should do the same but with IL replaced with 2xIL.

EDIT^2: I would also throw in a sprinkling of maneuvers that increase the duration of effect, DC, and/or damage from breathweapons that deal ability damage/drain, calm, paralyze, etc.

Godskook
2010-02-28, 03:49 PM
Heaven and Hell Judgement is underpowered. Would be half-decent if it didn't cut DCs, but only allowed one range increase.

In-general, the maneuvers seem to be poor substitutes for Meta-breath feats, outside Mountain Inhale, that is painfully overpowered. I mean, my god. The horror. *INSERT DR. COX RANT HERE ABOUT MOUNTAIN INHALE*

Oslecamo
2010-02-28, 04:16 PM
Mountain Inhale is probably overpowered in combination with meta-breath feats. Two Heightened Maximized breathweapons in a row anyone? Probably should just have it take 3 of the time each time (which with a normal (for a true dragon) 1d4 situation would always mean the next round.

Excellent idea. It had been bugging me, and I don't know how I didn't think of such a simple solution.



Also, as the following chart I made a while back shows, many Stone Dragon maneuvers DO have pre-requisites of maneuvers known.

Maneuver Level|Desert Wind|Stone Dragon| Tiger Claw | Setting Sun|Shadow Hand|Diamond Mind|Iron Heart|White Raven|Devoted Spirit|Man Lev
1| 0 | 0 |0-1(MOST 1!)| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |1
2| 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |2
3| 1 | 0-1 | 1-2 | 1 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |3
4| 1-2 | 0-2 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 0-2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |4
5| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |5
6| 2 | 0-2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |6
7| 3 | 2-3 | 2-3 | 3 | 0!? | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |7
8| 3 | 2-3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0-3 | 2-3 | 1-3 | 2-3 |8
9| 5 | !!??0??!! | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |9 It is simply that many of them (most notably the 9th level one) DON'T have such pre-requisites. This might or might not make a difference to this discipline. Also, are you sure that racial HD don't count as non-initiating class levels for purposes of calculating Initiator level? It makes a big difference in this case if none of them have pre-requisites.

On the contrary, I normaly assume RHD count for IL. This school is aimed at allowing a big bad dragon to pick up a level of swordsage and go to town whitout need of bothering with picking up the low level ones.



On a more personal note, I am going to sift this carefully for anything my Wing Dragons can use, but I suspect that their breath weapon is too odd-ball to quite work with anything here without my adding some language to them explaining how meta-breath feats and other breathweapon modifiers work for them.

I sugest the teleportation one for extra mobility.



EDIT: Fire Lotus should probably allow "Half damage (before saves etc) or your initiator level whichever is less" to creatures with immunity, and Perfect Fire Lotus should do the same but with IL replaced with 2xIL.

Hmm, another good idea. Except for the IL. Perfect fire lotus is just suposed to be a permanent Fire lotus.



EDIT^2: I would also throw in a sprinkling of maneuvers that increase the duration of effect, DC, and/or damage from breathweapons that deal ability damage/drain, calm, paralyze, etc.

No. I tought of it, and quickly reached the conclusion that most breaths that don't deal damage don't really need any help. ToB schools are about damage and some nifty effects, not about spammable save-or-dies with insane DCs, wich is what most nondamage breaths amount to. A shaddow dragon inflicting 7 negative levels in area and a mist dragon daze in area are already very dangerous as it is.

Godskook:meta breath feats cost, well, feats, wich are scarce. You can get 6 maneuvers and one stance from a single swordsage dip.

Also, as pointed above, just nerfed mountain inhale.

Plus, how can you call a dragon sniping you from 1400 feets away "underpowered"? Even with -20 penalty, you're taking damage. :smallconfused:

DracoDei
2010-02-28, 04:36 PM
In general: Glad to be of assistance.


On the contrary, I normaly assume RHD count for IL. This school is aimed at allowing a big bad dragon to pick up a level of swordsage and go to town whitout need of bothering with picking up the low level ones.
I was more thinking of Martial Study and no dip, but whichever.


I sugest the teleportation one for extra mobility.

I would have to check the exact wording... that could be very powerful if they can sprinkle fog (some invisible) at various places and bounce between them to play a shell game, or pretty much useless if it has to be fog they expelled that round.

JoshuaZ
2010-02-28, 05:12 PM
Kragat, Master of the Breath of Fire discipline, purges an evil artificer's fortress togheter with his disciples.


Typo- should be "together".

Overall, I like this a lot. It might do something interesting especially with the cold iron dragon.

DracoDei
2010-02-28, 05:27 PM
I suggest the teleportation one for extra mobility. I would have to check the exact wording... that could be very powerful if they can sprinkle fog (some invisible) at various places and bounce between them to play a shell game, or pretty much useless if it has to be fog they expelled that round.

Wow... INCREDIBLY useless... since wing dragon fog is not only something that doesn't deal damage, but the only breathweapon that OSHA would approve as "harmless", that definitely doesn't work.

JoshuaZ
2010-03-01, 10:15 PM
Is there a reason that none of the maneuvers have any prerequisites? It would make sense for them to have a few for balance reasons beyond anything else. Do you want a high hit die dragons to take a single level in swordsage and pick up lots of high level maneuvers? That seems potentially unbalancing. Heck, it seems unbalancing to do so purely with Martial Study.

playswithfire
2010-03-01, 10:23 PM
Looks good.

I realize you're mainly intending this for monsters, but would you consider making a multiclass feat, in the style of Song of the White Raven, for players who want to use it. Something like:

Sublime Dragon's Breath
The Breath of fire discipline gives you a mastery over your breath weapon beyond what your fellow studiers of the draconic can even imagine.
Prerequisites: Breath weapon 2d6 or greater, one breath of fire maneuver
Benefit: While you are in a Breath of Fire stance, you can use your breath weapon as a move action (Strikes still take their standard initiation action). Your crusader, swordsage or warblade levels, whichever is highest, stack with your Dragonfire Adept or Dragon Disciple levels to determine the damage your breath weapon does.

Sereg
2010-03-01, 10:27 PM
This is definately an original and interesting discipline. I like that.


Overall, I like this a lot. It might do something interesting especially with the cold iron dragon.

Wow. My work was referenced. Hmmm...Cold iron dragons don't have damaging breath weapons, yet some of these would be useful to them. Of course, as they are supernatural manuevers, they'd have to deactivate their antimagic presence to use them, making it more of a trade off. Still, it would make an interesting opponent as you said.

Apropos
2010-03-01, 10:43 PM
Looks good.

I realize you're mainly intending this for monsters, but would you consider making a multiclass feat, in the style of Song of the White Raven, for players who want to use it. Something like:

Sublime Dragon's Breath
The Breath of fire discipline gives you a mastery over your breath weapon beyond what your fellow studiers of the draconic can even imagine.
Prerequisites: Breath weapon 2d6 or greater, one breath of fire maneuver
Benefit: While you are in a Breath of Fire stance, you can use your breath weapon as a move action (Strikes still take their standard initiation action). Your crusader, swordsage or warblade levels, whichever is highest, stack with your Dragonfire Adept or Dragon Disciple levels to determine the damage your breath weapon does.

Making breath weapons a move action still allows you to make two in a round. Or breath and then initiate a strike. I'm not exactly sure how powerful that would be, but at 3rd level it might be a bit unbalancing (if breath attacks are at all effective).

DracoDei
2010-03-01, 10:45 PM
JoshuaZ:
The single level sword-sage dip/martial study stuff is part of his stated intent... I am not sure if it is a wise idea, but he is aware of those possibilities.

Plays with Fire:
I heartily approve of the feat... with one important change. I would keep the breath weapon a Standard Action... that is what Chromatics and Metallics have it as (excepting some sort of Meta-breath feat to the contrary), and I don't see any reason to go messing with the action economy for the price of a single, rather cheap, feat.

playswithfire
2010-03-01, 11:22 PM
JoshuaZ:
Plays with Fire:
I heartily approve of the feat... with one important change. I would keep the breath weapon a Standard Action... that is what Chromatics and Metallics have it as (excepting some sort of Meta-breath feat to the contrary), and I don't see any reason to go messing with the action economy for the price of a single, rather cheap, feat.

Yeah, I wasn't sure about that part, but I felt it should have something like he swift action inspire courage in Song of the White Raven and that was the first thing that occurred to me. Probably a different benefit for being in the stance is called for, though, I agree.

ZeroNumerous
2010-03-01, 11:35 PM
I heartily approve of the feat... with one important change. I would keep the breath weapon a Standard Action... that is what Chromatics and Metallics have it as (excepting some sort of Meta-breath feat to the contrary), and I don't see any reason to go messing with the action economy for the price of a single, rather cheap, feat.

I still feel it should benefit the character somehow. What about allowing a single breath attack that deals elemental damage equal to 1d4 per normal breath weapon damage(ex. a young adult green dragon deals 10d4 instead of d6s), unmodified with magic, items, metabreath or maneuvers. Usable once every 1d4 rounds as a swift action?

DracoDei
2010-03-01, 11:40 PM
Eh... how about a 1/day re-roll of the recharge time on a BW (Al la luck re-rolls, but applying to a die other than a d20)... that makes it weaker than "Quicken Breath" in that regard, which is exactly right, since it also provides other benefits.

NakedCelt
2010-07-13, 11:53 PM
Breath of Fire
http://eteamz.active.com/concordsoccerrefs/images/FireBreathingDragonOverLondon.jpg
Kragat, Master of the Breath of Fire discipline, purges an evil artificer's fortress together with his disciples.


The Queen of England is an evil artificer now?

mrcarter11
2010-07-13, 11:58 PM
my binder/swordsage finds this entertaining.. I wish it was here sooner when I could of used it with amon.