Endless Play, new ToB discipline, plz PEACH

[Dead_Jester]

The Endless Play

"Life is but and endless play, and most are nothing but actors, heedlessly obeying the will of a distant director. We strive to become the director."

Throughout the ages, many have tried to master the craft of death. Some tried to achieve mastery by brute force, others by rigorous training, and even others by deception. However, in the eyes of a masters of the Endless Play, they are nothing but children, wildly experimenting and hoping for the best. For them, fighting is all about manipulation, of both allies and enemies, because it is only when one is in complete control that victory is assured.

First developed by the members of the Fairy Court to distract themselves, it was a combination of the oratory arts and sword fighting. However, some the natural cruelty of some Fey somewhat influenced this discipline, and so some techniques reflect this particularly gruesome ways. The Endless Play was later brought to the material plane by artist who had returned from their stay with the Fey, and continued evolving until it became a true fighting style.

Because of it's focus on distractions and insults and it's use of gruesome tactics, this discipline was never taught at the Temple of the Nine Swords, Reshar deeming it too vulgar and ineffective. However, many practitioners believe that Reshar refused to teach this discipline because he lacked the creativity to fully master it, and, after having mastered countless fighting styles, couldn't accept this.

To this day, the Endless Play discipline is favored by sharp-witted and sly tongued warriors, and his a staple of the Sublime Matador (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157657). It's favored weapons are the bastard sword, dagger, greatsword, longsword, rapier and whip. It's key skill is Bluff.

The masters of the Endless Play are few and far between, but are usually willing to teach any prospective students. Talent in this discipline also sometimes naturally develops in artists, especially actors and comedians, who easily combine martial prowess with their improvisation talents. However, for other prospective students, this often requires a lot of training, forcing them to sacrifice training in another school to devote master the Endless Play.


Maneuvers :
1st level:
-Insulting Stab: Strike - Deal an extra 1d6 damage, and anger the enemy.
-Endless Orator: Stance - Give an adjacent ally +2 or an enemy -2 on attack and damage rolls.
-Renewed Inspiration: Boost - Immediately refresh the maneuver of your choice, and your next melee attack gains a +2 bonus to the attack roll.
-Daring Advance: Strike - Deal an extra 1d6 damage, more if you sacrifice AC.

2nd level:
-Hero's Dash: Strike - Charge an enemy, you and allies do an additional amount of damage depending on the result of a Bluff check.
-Survivor's Bluff: Counter - Use a Bluff check instead of AC, if the enemy misses you, you treat him as flatfooted.
-Rousing Speech: Strike - Deal an extra 2d6 damage, reduce fear effects and grant a +2 bonus against mind-affecting spells.

3rd level:
-Jester's Comment: Boost - Make an enemy laugh uncontrollably.
-Blinding Scorn: Strike - Deal an extra 2d6 damage and enemy is Blinded.
-Dashing Eloquence: Stance - Adjacent enemies who make a save against your strikes take a -2 penalty to further saves, enemies who don't are flatfooted.

4th level:
-Director's Command: Strike - Deal an extra 4d6 damage, and the enemy is Confused.
-Fool's Confidence: Boost - Provoke attacks of opportunity from adjacent enemies with a bonus to AC equal to your Cha modifier. Afterward, you can re-roll any failed save and gain a +5 bonus to attack and damage rolls for one round.
-Inspiring Monologue: Strike - Make 2 attacks against the enemy, if both hit, allies gain + 2 bonus to attack and damage rolls, and enemy is flatfooted.

5th level:
-Sudden Distraction: Counter - Make an enemy's attack miss the intended target, possibly hitting an ally.
-Fountain of Insults: Stance - Enemies take a -2 penalty to hit for every missed attack, and greater effects on additional misses.
-Macabre Dissection: Strike - Deal an extra 6d6 damage, and the enemy is Sickened.


6th level:
-Sharp-tongued Riposte: Counter - Follow and enemy's attack with your own, dealing an additional 4d6 damage and possible Stunning the enemy.
-Tragic Ending: Strike - Deal an additional 8d6 damage, and nearby enemy are Shaken, possible Frightened.

7th level:
-Comedian's Offense: Strike - Deal an extra 6d6 damage and make all surrounding enemies laugh uncontrollably.
-Laughing God's Blessing: Boost - Gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls, and +2d6 damage for 1 turn. If you kill an enemy, extend the effect for 1 more round.

8th level:
-Puppeteer's Grasp: Strike - Deal an additional 8d6 damage, and the enemy is Dominated.
-Harlequin's Dance: Stance - Nearby enemies take a -5 penalty to attack and damage rolls, and allies gain a bonus on saves.

9th level:
-Gruesome Finale: Strike - Deal an additional 10d6 damage and enemy is Stunned, possibly nauseating nearby enemies.

Feel free to comment, criticize or suggest anything, any input is welcome.

[Dead_Jester]

Maneuvers List
Level 1:Daring Advance
Endless Play (Strike)
Level: Crusader 1/Swordsage 1/Warblade 1
Initiating Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous

You score a mighty hit on the wolf, uncaring of your own safety.

As part of this maneuver, you deal an extra 1d6 damage. If you wish, you can sacrifice up to 1 point of AC per point of Charsima modifier, un to your level + 1. This increases the bonus damage by 1d6 for every 2 points of AC sacrificed (rounded down). The AC penalty lasts until the start of your next turn.

Endless Orator
Endless Play (Stance)
Level: Crusader 1/Swordsage 1/Warblade 1
Initiating Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

As you stride into battle, you can't help but comment on everything that happens around you.

At every opportunity, you either cheer on your allies or ridicule your opponents. At the start of your turn, you may as a Free Action, give an adjacent ally a +2 bonus or an adjacent enemy a -2 penalty on all attack and damage rolls until the start of your next turn.

Insulting Stab
Endless Play (Strike)
Level: Crusader 1/Swordsage 1/Warblade 1
Initiating Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous

As you strike the orc, you take the opportunity to insult him, daring him to stand and fight.

You brutally stab an enemy, and deal an additional 1d6 damage, and deliver a bitter insult. If the enemy moves away from you (voluntarily or not), even if only making a 5 ft step, you and all allies gain a +2 bonus on all damage rolls against the enemy until the end of his next turn.

Renewed Inspiration
Endless Play (Boost)
Level: Crusader 1/Swordsage 1/Warblade 1
Initiating Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round

Taking a moment to get yourself ready, you take a deep breath, improvise a few lines and refresh your memory.

At the start of your turn, you can use this maneuver to refresh any expanded maneuver you know, but it must have been expended for at least 2 rounds before it can be recovered this way. You may then use this maneuver as normal. You also gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls on your next strike.

Level 2:Hero's Dash
Endless Play (Strike)
Level: Crusader 2/Swordsage 2/Warblade 2
Prerequisite: One Endless Play maneuver
Initiating Action: Full-round action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round

You charge through the battlefield, encouraging your allies to fight with renewed vigor.

During your charge, you scream inspiring comments, hoping to encourage your allies. As part of this maneuver, make a charge. At any point during the charge, you can grant yourself and all allies in a 30 ft radius around you a bonus to damage rolls until the beginning of your next turn depending on the result of a Bluff check :

{table=head]
Result|
Bonus

Less than 10|
+0

10-20|
+2

20-30|
+4

More than 30|
+6[/table]

Rousing Speech
Endless Play (Strike)
Level: Crusader 2/Swordsage 2/Warblade 2
Prerequisite: One Endless Play maneuver
Initiating Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round

As you hew down the endless hordes of undead, you deliver a powerful speech, lifting the fear from your allies hearts and steeling their minds against further assaults.

During combat, you take the opportunity to improvise an inspiring monologue.
This strike deals and additional 2d6 damage, and all allies within 30 ft of you reduce any fear effects they are experiencing by one level (Shaken to nothing, Frightened to Shaken, etc), and gain a +2 bonus on saves against mind-affecting effects until the end of their next turns.

Survivor's Bluff
Endless Play (Counter)
Level: Crusader 2/Swordsage 2/Warblade 2
Prerequisite: One Endless Play maneuver
Initiating Action: Immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round

"You don't really want to hit now, do you?"

In a calculated matter, you try to make an enemy reconsider hitting you. Immediately before an enemy strikes you, replace your AC with the result of a Bluff check. If the enemy misses you, he is considered Flatfooted for you until the end of his next turn.


Level 3:Blinding Scorn
Endless Play (Strike)
Level: Crusader 3/Swordsage 3/Warblade 3
Prerequisite: One Endless Play maneuver
Initiating Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Saving throw: Reflex partial (see text)
Duration: 1 round

After slashing the kobold, you add insult to injury by spitting in the poor creatures eyes.

After successfully hitting an enemy with a melee attack, you deal an additional 2d6 damage and you spit in his eyes, blinding him in the process. The enemy must make a Reflex save (DC 12 + Dex modifier) or be Blinded. The enemy can clear his eyes as a standard action granting an attack of opportunity.

Dashing Eloquence:
Endless Play (Stance)
Level: Crusader 3/Swordsage 3/Warblade 3
Prerequisite: One Endless Play maneuver
Initiating Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

Every time an enemy best you, you try harder. And when they fail, you take every advantage you can get.

In this stance, every time you initiate a maneuver that gives a save and the opponent makes it, that opponent takes a -2 penalty to that save for until the end of your next round. If the enemy fails the save, he is flatfooted until the start of his next turn.

Jester's Comment
Endless Play (Boost)
Level: Crusader 3/Swordsage 3/Warblade 3
Prerequisite: One Endless Play maneuver
Initiating Action: Swift Action
Range: 10 ft
Target: One creature
Saving throw: see text
Duration: 1 round

Moments before striking the bugbear, you make a hilarious comment on how bad his friend over there smells

Immediately before striking an enemy (before making the attack roll), you speak a funny one liner to the enemy in front of you, making him erupt in laughter. You make a Bluff check opposed by a d20 + the enemy's CR + his wisdom modifier, if any. If you are successful, the enemy is affected as if the spell Tasha's Hideous Laughter had been cast on him, but the duration is only until the beginning of his next turn.

Level 4:Director's Cut
Endless Play (Strike)
Level: Crusader 4/Swordsage 4/Warblade 4
Prerequisite: Two Endless Play maneuvers
Initiating Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One creature
Saving throw: Will Partial
Duration: 1 round

Right after slashing the ogre, you begin screaming orders at him, and his inadequate mind just can't follow.

Noticing that your enemy isn't the brightest individual in the world, you try to confuse him with contradictory orders, and just to be sure that he is really confused, you begin by stabbing him. This attack deals an additional 4d6 damage, and the enemy must make a Will save (DC 14+ Cha modifier) or be Confused for 1d4+1 rounds.

Fool's Confidence
Endless Play (Boost)
Level: Crusader 4/Swordsage 4/Warblade 4
Prerequisite: Two Endless Play maneuvers
Initiating Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round

Uncaringly, you foolishly take hit after hit, but your ego won't tolerate that. Furthermore, your confidence in your own abilities increases, making you a deadlier fighter.

At the beginning of your turn, you can use this maneuver. You immediately provoke Attacks of Opportunity from all adjacent enemies. For these attacks, you gain a bonus to AC equal to your Cha modifier. Afterward, you gain a +5 bonus and attack rolls and you can re roll a single save until the end of your next turn.

Inspiring Monologue
Endless Play (Strike)
Level: Crusader 4/Swordsage 4/Warblade 4
Prerequisite: Two Endless Play maneuvers
Initiating Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One creature
Saving throw: Will Partial
Duration: 1 round

As you repetitively strike the beast, you recite a stiring monologue, inspiring your allies to fight harder and disheartening your victim.

As part of this maneuver, you make two attacks at your full Bab. If they both hit, all allies within 30 ft (including you) get a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls until the end of their next turn. The enemy must also make a Will save (DC 14 + Cha modifier) or be flatfooted until the beginning of his next turn.

Level 5:Fountain of Insults
Endless Play (Stance)
Level: Crusader 5/Swordsage 5/Warblade 5
Prerequisite: Two Endless Play maneuvers
Initiating Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

Every time the daemon misses you, you comment on how bad he is, and how much his mother must be ashamed of him.

Taking the art of improvising insults to the next level, you become adept at finding them even in the most difficult situations. Every time an enemy misses you with an attack or a spell, they take a cumulative -2 penalty to attacks. If an enemy misses more than 3 attacks in a row, he is considered Shaken. If he misses 4, he is considered Frightened, and if he misses 5, he is Panicked. The penalties are tracked independently, and for every attack that hits, an enemy can remove 2 points of penalty and one level of fear (if any).

Macabre Dissection
Endless Play (Strike)
Level: Crusader 5/Swordsage 5/Warblade 5
Prerequisite: Twp Endless Play maneuvers
Initiating Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Saving throw: Will partial (see text)
Duration: 1 round

You stabbed the traitor. You made him bleed. You butchered his innards, all the while describing it all in detail. And you were only beginning.

By utilising your amazing desciptive talent, you disgust your victim as you cut him appart. This strike deals an additional 6d6 damage, and the enemy must make a Will save (DC 15 + Cha modifier) or be Nauseated.

Sudden Distraction
Endless Play (Counter)
Level: Crusader 5/Swordsage 5/Warblade 5
Prerequisite: Two Endless Play maneuvers
Initiating Action: Immediate Action
Range: 50 ft
Target: One enemy within 50 ft
Duration: Instantaneous

Right when the Drow wizard was completing his spell, you point out to him how nice the cave mushrooms are this year. Distracted, he fries his cousin instead of you.

Knowing the best defense is a awesome distraction, you attempt to distract an enemy from the action, making them either miss or, even better, hit their friend. When an enemy within within 50 ft attacks or casts a spell, you can use the maneuver. Make a Bluff check opposed by a caster level check (for a spell) or an attack roll (for an attack). If you win, the attack misses, ending harmlessly. If you win by at least 5 points, the attack is directed at a random enemy within range, and if you win by at least 10 points, you decide at whom the attack is redirected. If their are no available targets, threat it as a miss.
Level 6:Sharp-tongued Riposte
Endless Play (Counter)
Level: Crusader 6/Swordsage 6/Warblade 6
Prerequisite: Two Endless Play maneuvers
Initiating Action: Immediate Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Save: Will partial
Duration: Instantaneous

"How dare you hit me. For this, I'll make you regret the day you were born".

When an enemy hits you in melee, you can use this maneuver to grant yourself a free melee attack. This attack deals an additional 4d6 damage, and the enemy must make a Will save (DC 16 + Cha modifier) or be Stunned until the beginning of its next turn. If this is used in the middle of a series of attack, he loses the ones that come after.

Tragic Ending
Endless Play (Strike)
Level: Crusader 6/Swordsage 6/Warblade 6
Prerequisite: Two Endless Play maneuvers
Initiating Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Saving throw: Will partial (see text)
Duration: 1 round

In extremely brutal way, you end the puny creature's life.

The best way to terrorize people has always been to make them fear what could happen to them. As part of this maneuver, you deal 8d6 more damage. If the target is killed, all enemies within 10 ft of him must make a Will save (DC 16 + Cha modifier) of be Frightened. If they make the save, they are still Shaken.
Level 7:Comedian's Offense
Endless Play (Strike)
Level: Crusader 7/Swordsage 7/Warblade 7
Prerequisite: Three Endless Play maneuvers
Initiating Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: All enemies in a 30 ft radius
Saving throw: Will partial (see text)
Duration: 1 round

After cruelly stabbing the hobgoblin in the chest, you comment on how much he looks like a shish-kabob, and hilarity ensues.

Knowing that your enemies can't help but laugh when one of their own is in embarrassing position, you force the enemy into one with a blow. This attack deals and additional 6d6 damage, and all enemies within 30 ft (including the one you have just attacked) must make a Will save (DC 17 + Cha modifier) or be affected as if a Tasha's Hideous Laughter had been cast on them, except the duration is 1d4 rounds, and a new save may be attempted on every turn after the first one.

Laughing God's Blessing
Endless Play (Boost)
Level: Crusader 7/Swordsage 7/Warblade
Prerequisite: Three Endless Play maneuvers
Initiating Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round

As you strike down the enemy, you feel a surge of power. The Great Harlequin is pleased, for now.

The Laughing God is a fickle patron, but his generosity is undeniable. When you initiate this boost, all attacks you make this turn get a +2 bonus to attack rolls, and deal an additional 2d6 damage. If you kill an enemy during your turn, the bonuses are extended until the end of your next turn.
Level 8:Harlequin's Dance
Endless Play (Stance)
Level: Crusader 8/Swordsage 8/Warblade 8
Prerequisite: Three Endless Play maneuvers
Initiating Action: Swift action
Range: Personal
Target: All enemies within 10 ft
Duration: Stance

Becoming one with the Masked One, the vampire can't help but be awed by your grace, and enraged by your continuous stream of jokes and insults.

Adopting the guise of the Great Harlequin, you confidently stride into battle, a comment for every move and an insult for every failure at the tip of your tongue. When in this stance, all enemies within 30 ft of you take a -5 penalty to attack and damage rolls unless they make a Will save (DC 18 + Cha modifier). Allies (including yourself) gain a +2 bonus to all saves.

Puppeteer's Grasp
Endless Play (Strike)
Level: Crusader 8/Swordsage 8/Warblade 8
Prerequisite: three Endless Play maneuvers
Initiating Action: Full-round action (see text)
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Saving throw: Will partial (see text)
Duration: concentration + 1 rounds

Under your masterful influence, even a mighty dragon is no more than a puppet in the hands of a master puppeteer.

Having achieved complete mastery of an enemy's emotions and motivations, he becomes nothing more than puppet, and you're the one who's holding the strings. As part of this maneuver, make an melee attack. If it hits, you deal an additional 7d6 damage, the enemy must make a Will save (DC 18 + Cha modifier). If he fails, he is Dominated by you, but you must use a full-round action to maintain control over him. You can maintain concentration on this for up to 3 rounds, and as soon as you relinquish control, you can still command him for 1 round as a swift action. If he makes the save at any time, then you immediately and completely lose control over him.
Level 9:Gruesome Finale
Endless Play (Strike)
Level: Crusader 9/Swordsage 9/Warblade 9
Prerequisite: Four Endless Play maneuvers
Initiating Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: All enemies within a 30 ft radius
Saving throw: Fortitude partial (see text)
Duration: 1 round

Looking like a psychopathic killer, you describe to all the nearby halflings in extreme details how your blade is tearing through their comrades innards, to the point of making them sick.

All adepts of the Endless Play understand that it is always better to end an act with an impressive performance. As such, it is a tradition to end with a truly memorable display of oratory and martial arts. A famous example is eviscerating an enemy and then throwing his innards at nearby bystanders, laughing maniacally the whole time.

As part of this maneuver, make a melee attack against an enemy. This attack deals an additional 10d6 damage, and if it hits, the targeted enemy must make a Fortitude save (DC 19 + Cha modifier) or be Stunned for 1d4+1 rounds. If the strike kills the enemy, all other enemies within 30 ft must make a Fortitude save (same DC) or be Nauseated or 1d4 rounds. Even if they make the save, they are still Sickened for 1d4 rounds.

[Dead_Jester]

Reserved post

[Siosilvar]

Gruesome Finale.

[Morph Bark]

Gruesome Finale.

Unless, of course, it is a pun. :smallbiggrin:

[Jota]

A few concepts you might build on, assuming you don't already have much in mind:


Rotten Tomatoes
All the World's a Stage
Stage Directions
Cues
The Show Must Go On
Burlesque
Slapstick
Black Comedy/Dark Humor
Gallows Humor
Caustic Humor
Fart Joke

[Dead_Jester]

Gruesome Finale.

Thanks for that, updating now.

Also, added new maneuvers.

[Siosilvar]

10. Caustic Humor

Bonus points for acid damage.

[Dead_Jester]

Bonus points for acid damage.

Ill think about that.

Btw, added capstone maneuver. Any thoughts?

[DracoDei]

My mailbox is getting very full, so I am going to say this here.
Yes, you can use Falling Anvil for your PrC. Hopefully I will make an example character who uses your class, and incorporates both disciplines heavily... provided you don't beat me to it.

[Dead_Jester]

My mailbox is getting very full, so I am going to say this here.
Yes, you can use Falling Anvil for your PrC. Hopefully I will make an example character who uses your class, and incorporates both disciplines heavily... provided you don't beat me to it.

Thanks, and i'll leave you the honors as I have to finish this discipline and write down that other base class that has been floating around in there for a while ...

[Morph Bark]

Hero's Dash seems a little strong for a 2nd-level maneuver. That +6 bonus to damage can be rather easily gotten by a 3rd-level initiator, and being able to give it to all allies with 30 feet boosts that quite a bit.

Perhaps make it easier to get the +2 bonus, harder to get the +6 bonus, and give it to a number of allies within 30 feet depending on initiator level? Like, for instance, 1+1/4 initiator levels.

[Dead_Jester]

Hero's Dash seems a little strong for a 2nd-level maneuver. That +6 bonus to damage can be rather easily gotten by a 3rd-level initiator, and being able to give it to all allies with 30 feet boosts that quite a bit.

Perhaps make it easier to get the +2 bonus, harder to get the +6 bonus, and give it to a number of allies within 30 feet depending on initiator level? Like, for instance, 1+1/4 initiator levels.

good idea, I'll update it.

[Dead_Jester]

Bump for great bumpy glory!!!

Actualy it's because all the maneuvers are up. Now I only need a feat...

[Morph Bark]

Fool's Confidence sounds... dangerous, especially at the higher levels. Perhaps lower the level some? Another idea could be to make the benefit dependent on how many enemies threaten you, or how many you threaten (or both), though if you do that, the bonus would need to be lower for each of course.

[Dead_Jester]

Fool's Confidence sounds... dangerous, especially at the higher levels. Perhaps lower the level some? Another idea could be to make the benefit dependent on how many enemies threaten you, or how many you threaten (or both), though if you do that, the bonus would need to be lower for each of course.

The thing is, you can use the boost before you get into melee, and It'll apply for the rest of your turn. Using it in melee is extremely foolish, but sometimes you just don't have a choice. Still, I'll make some changes, but I want to keep the level.

[Morph Bark]

The thing is, you can use the boost before you get into melee, and It'll apply for the rest of your turn. Using it in melee is extremely foolish, but sometimes you just don't have a choice. Still, I'll make some changes, but I want to keep the level.

Ah, yes, I hadn't quite looked at it that way. I guess everything had many possible applications.

[Sereg]

Judging from Survivor's Bluff, I'm assuming that Bluff is the associated skill, though I think that it might be nice to use Perform (Act) instead.

[DracoDei]

Fool's Confidence should say "provoke attacks of opportunity from..." rather than "grant attacks of opportunity to..." as it stands it sounds like it doesn't count against their maximum number of AoOs in a round.

[--Lime--]

I'll probably end up using this - the basic premise being that it's a group sitting around a fire deep in a wintry castle, telling tales of old. Except that the tales they tell are of the PCs' actions - so they're RPing a fairytale and writing it as they go along. It allows for several story threads to be picked up and put down as each NPC in the castle tells their favourite tale, with the challenge for the DM to sew them all together into a series of legends that tell the tale of how these heroes' lives progressed. Basically, I'd let the player tell a paragraph or so of a "legend" before taking over the story and having the players act as players.

Perhaps another frame for it is that the PCs are actors on the stage, reacting to lethal damage. It would allow for lots of fluff and RP while keeping combat intensive. So, for instance, if the monologue needs to be spoken, but in real combat it couldn't be, then because it's a play the player can go nuts. We all know Hamlet, right? The "lethal" damage is actually pretend damage, but treated as lethal so characters know when it's their cue to "die".

A bit existential, perhaps, but that's what I'm into. Ah, well, I have time to think about it and refine the idea.

[Dead_Jester]

Fool's Confidence should say "provoke attacks of opportunity from..." rather than "grant attacks of opportunity to..." as it stands it sounds like it doesn't count against their maximum number of AoOs in a round.

Thanks for the input, I'll correct it.

And Lime, feel free to use this and do whatever you want with it.

[DracoDei]

Survivor's Bluff appears to be strictly superior to the second level Setting Sun maneuver Baffling Defense.

[Milskidasith]

Gruesome Finale may be the weakest ninth level manuever I've ever seen... 10d6 is incredibly small (One of them deals 20d6 on a failure, and kills on a success, IIRC), and allowing a save makes it fairly weak when compared to, say, having all your allies get a free charge attack that stuns your enemies with no save and has more bonus damage.

[DracoDei]

Yes, but that maneuver is hardly all about the damage, and the effects on people OTHER than who you actually hit are probably half the point. You don't use it on the Boss, you use it on the low to mid-strength mook next to the boss, thus disabling a lot of the other mooks, and maybe the boss too if you get really lucky. Nauseated is basically a "lose" condition (as in "save or lose"). So while it may or may not be weak, the reasons you give seem a bit beside the point.

Given the fluff, I wouldn't even consider it cheesy to drag a captured and bound foe from the last fight with you expressly to use that maneuver on in the first round. Probably not an option for Good characters, but pretty good for Neutrals(as long as the foe didn't per se surrender) and Evil (regardless of circumstances). Using a rat on the other hand would be cheesy and I would not allow such in my games.

[Milskidasith]

Yes, but that maneuver is hardly all about the damage, and the effects on people OTHER than who you actually hit are probably half the point. You don't use it on the Boss, you use it on the low to mid-strength mook next to the boss, thus disabling a lot of the other mooks, and maybe the boss too if you get really lucky. Nauseated is basically a "lose" condition (as in "save or lose"). So while it may or may not be weak, the reasons you give seem a bit beside the point.

Given the fluff, I wouldn't even consider it cheesy to drag a captured and bound foe from the last fight with you expressly to use that maneuver on in the first round. Probably not an option for Good characters, but pretty good for Neutrals(as long as the foe didn't per se surrender) and Evil (regardless of circumstances). Using a rat on the other hand would be cheesy and I would not allow such in my games.

War Master's Charge is still a lot easier to activate and more powerful in most circumstances, and a single attack with a 10d6 bonus is not even guaranteed to kill most common mooks, let alone a boss. It also doesn't have a huge range for the nauseation anyway, even if it is a "lose" condition. Using a captured foe or random guy to kill could work, I suppose, but that's cheese along the lines of using White Raven Tactics on yourself to get a super belt of battle effect every round.

[Danzig]

Fountain of Insults
Endless Play (Stance)
Level: Crusader 5/Swordsage 5/Warblade 5
Prerequisite: Two Endless Play maneuver
Initiating Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

Every time the daemon misses you, you comment on how bad he is, and how much his mother must be ashamed of him.

Taking the art of improvising insults to the next level, you become adept at finding them even in the most difficult situations. Every time an enemy misses you with an attack or a spell, they take a cumulative -2 penalty to attacks. If an enemy misses more than 3 attacks in a row, he is considered Shaken. If he misses 4, he is considered Frightened, and if he misses 5, he is Panicked. The penalties are tracked independently, and for every attack that hits, an enemy can remove 2 points of penalty and one level of fear (if any).


Good Lord, it's finally happened... I never thought I'd find a discipline where one of the stances involves constantly beaking off at your opponent the whole time he's trying his best to hit you. I laughed so hard reading this out loud that my lungs actually hurt right now....