Dante & Vergil
2011-01-23, 08:31 AM
I found this idea for Epic Maneuvers here (http://dicefreaks.superforums.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2981&p=77045&hilit=epic+maneuver#p77045). I'll post it here as well.
I've been studying the Desert Wind discipline and I think I've got an idea as to how our epic martial maneuver system could work out. I was thinking of combining all of the maneuvers(Counters, Stikes, Stances & Boosts) in a given discipline and combining them into one "Form," For example, A master of the Desert Wind Form would be able to initiate any and every basic 1-9th level maneuver without taking time to ready or expend them. When a maneuver from their mastered form is initiated, it is not expended, instead it remains readied, but without counting against the Master's total readied maneuvers for that day. He must still expend readied maneuvers that are above 9th level as normal. We then use this "Form" as the bases for the epic "seed" for Martial Abilities of that discipline. I was thinking about making Mastery of any given discipline an epic feat or, perhaps chain of epic feats, or maybe even a divine ability. However, from a balance perspective, I wouldn't want Spectre's BA Giant or other non-sublimes classes' Martial Capacity to be limited at his level of power so I'm probably gonna go for a chain of epic feats. Here's some of the feats I had in mind for the chain. Here's what I've come up with so far.
Improved Meta-Martial Mastery
Pre-requisites: Initiator level 17+, At least one Ninth level Maneuver Known, Martial Lore 24 Ranks, Knowledge (Strategy & Tactics) 24 ranks
Benefit: When taking this feat you gain a +5 untyped bonus to your attack rolls made with meta-martial attack actions for a given round. This bonus expires if not applied to any given meta-martial attack during a round of combat. This feat also allows you access to martial maneuvers above 9th level.
N.B. I was thinking of having the pre-requisite for using a 9th level maneuver as a seed would simply be that maneuver being on your characters "maneuvers known" list in order for it to be used in the creation of an epic or 10+ level martial maneuver. Mastering a given discipline will be a separate feat. I came up with the +5 idea as a way to integrate one level of "meta-martial" attack actions as described on page 97 of Ascension.
Special:This feat can be taken multiple times. It's effects stack. Each time you take this feat, you gain 5 more points of free untyped attack bonus per round, and 1 level of higher level martial maneuvers known and 1 level readied. For example a 29th level Warblade who has taken this feat three times would gain a +15 untyped bonus to attack rolls and be able to initiate up to 12th level martial maneuvers. he would have and 16 maneuvers known and 10 maneuvers readied per encounter.
N.B. I did this because martial adepts do not gain bonus maneuvers per encounter for having high scores in anything, the way spellcasters gain bonus spells/spell points and psionic characters gain bonus powers/power points for having high scores. Also Knowledge (Strategy & Tactics) is a synergy for martial lore checks in my world.
Epic Martial Study
Similar to normal Martial Study, but more Epic.
Pre-Requisites: Initiator Level 17+, Knowledge (Strategy & Tactics) 24 Ranks, Martial Lore 24 ranks, Able to initiate at least one 9th level maneuver.
Benefit: When you take this feat you gain two new maneuvers known and two new maneuvers readied. You may choose a maneuver from any discipline for which you meet the pre-requisites.
Special: You can only take this feat a maximum of six times.
Desert Wind Mastery
Pre-requisites: At least 6 maneuvers known from the Desert Wind Discipline, at least one of which must be 9th level, Knowledge (Strategy & Tactics) 24 ranks, Martial Lore 24 ranks
Benefit: You gain the ability to ready and initiate any 1st-9th level maneuver of the Desert Wind discipline for free as part of any other normal action. Maneuvers initiated this way do not count against your total maneuvers readied for a given encounter. This ability only applies to 1-st-9th level maneuvers of the chosen discipline only. Epic level maneuvers must still be readied and expended as normal. You also gain access to the following Epic Maneuver "Seed" or in this case, call it a "Form" since you have mastered every maneuver in this form, you have mastered the entire discipline.
Desert Wind
Martial Lore DC: 30
Initiation Time: 1 action
Range (see text): personal
Duration: 1 round
Boosts: Boosts made with the Desert Wind Form can grant a +1 morale bonus to whichever one of the following the initiator chooses:
Any one Ability Score
Any one Saving Throw
AC
Natural Armor/ Damage Reduction
For each additional +1 to this bonus increase the Martial Lore DC by +4
The Desert Wind Form can also be used to grant energy resistance to fire & dessication damage or two temporary hit points. For each point of energy resistances, or each two points of temporary HP increase the martial lore DC by +4
The Desert Wind Form has a base Martial Lore DC of 33 if it grants a +1 bonus for any type other than morale. For each additional +1 of the bonus increase the Martial Lore DC by +6. Normal rules for inherit bonuses still apply.
Strikes/Counters: Strikes and counters made with the Desert Wind discipline can deal either Fire or Dessication damage. Initiators can use Fire and the Arid air of the Desert Winds to affect other areas as well, sometime creating walls or barriers of flame around themselves for protection. Damage dealt with this form starts at 10d6 points of the chosen energy damage and will almost always require the initiator to hit the target with some form of attack, or allow some form of saving throw to avoid or mitigate the damage, usually reflex saves for saving throws.For each additional d6 beyond 10d6 increase the Martial Lore DC by +2. To imbue another creature with the ability to use this energy at it's option or when a particular condition is met increase the Martial Lore DC by +25.
To make a maneuver a "counter" maneuver all you're really doing is just making it a strike that is contingent upon being attacked, to make a strike into a counter maneuver increase the Martial lore DC by +26.
Stances: Stances made using the Desert Wind Form can add any of the following at the initiator's choosing:
Fire or Dessication damage to the initiators' melee attacks (Base 1d6 +1 per initiator level)
Resistance to fire or dessication damage 1 point
Surround themselves in a protective veil of flame (base 5 damage per initiator level)
Grant Temporary movement over a certain kind of terrain with no penalty, usually across air or fire
I'm working on a table of factors and mitigating factors that could be applied to any form or maneuver for the purpose of designing epic maneuvers. If anyone has any suggestions for some universal factors/mitigating factors let me know.
Does anyone else feel that I'm going in a good direction with this? I think this could potentially be quite an awesome idea.
I've been studying the Desert Wind discipline and I think I've got an idea as to how our epic martial maneuver system could work out. I was thinking of combining all of the maneuvers(Counters, Stikes, Stances & Boosts) in a given discipline and combining them into one "Form," For example, A master of the Desert Wind Form would be able to initiate any and every basic 1-9th level maneuver without taking time to ready or expend them. When a maneuver from their mastered form is initiated, it is not expended, instead it remains readied, but without counting against the Master's total readied maneuvers for that day. He must still expend readied maneuvers that are above 9th level as normal. We then use this "Form" as the bases for the epic "seed" for Martial Abilities of that discipline. I was thinking about making Mastery of any given discipline an epic feat or, perhaps chain of epic feats, or maybe even a divine ability. However, from a balance perspective, I wouldn't want Spectre's BA Giant or other non-sublimes classes' Martial Capacity to be limited at his level of power so I'm probably gonna go for a chain of epic feats. Here's some of the feats I had in mind for the chain. Here's what I've come up with so far.
Improved Meta-Martial Mastery
Pre-requisites: Initiator level 17+, At least one Ninth level Maneuver Known, Martial Lore 24 Ranks, Knowledge (Strategy & Tactics) 24 ranks
Benefit: When taking this feat you gain a +5 untyped bonus to your attack rolls made with meta-martial attack actions for a given round. This bonus expires if not applied to any given meta-martial attack during a round of combat. This feat also allows you access to martial maneuvers above 9th level.
N.B. I was thinking of having the pre-requisite for using a 9th level maneuver as a seed would simply be that maneuver being on your characters "maneuvers known" list in order for it to be used in the creation of an epic or 10+ level martial maneuver. Mastering a given discipline will be a separate feat. I came up with the +5 idea as a way to integrate one level of "meta-martial" attack actions as described on page 97 of Ascension.
Special:This feat can be taken multiple times. It's effects stack. Each time you take this feat, you gain 5 more points of free untyped attack bonus per round, and 1 level of higher level martial maneuvers known and 1 level readied. For example a 29th level Warblade who has taken this feat three times would gain a +15 untyped bonus to attack rolls and be able to initiate up to 12th level martial maneuvers. he would have and 16 maneuvers known and 10 maneuvers readied per encounter.
N.B. I did this because martial adepts do not gain bonus maneuvers per encounter for having high scores in anything, the way spellcasters gain bonus spells/spell points and psionic characters gain bonus powers/power points for having high scores. Also Knowledge (Strategy & Tactics) is a synergy for martial lore checks in my world.
Epic Martial Study
Similar to normal Martial Study, but more Epic.
Pre-Requisites: Initiator Level 17+, Knowledge (Strategy & Tactics) 24 Ranks, Martial Lore 24 ranks, Able to initiate at least one 9th level maneuver.
Benefit: When you take this feat you gain two new maneuvers known and two new maneuvers readied. You may choose a maneuver from any discipline for which you meet the pre-requisites.
Special: You can only take this feat a maximum of six times.
Desert Wind Mastery
Pre-requisites: At least 6 maneuvers known from the Desert Wind Discipline, at least one of which must be 9th level, Knowledge (Strategy & Tactics) 24 ranks, Martial Lore 24 ranks
Benefit: You gain the ability to ready and initiate any 1st-9th level maneuver of the Desert Wind discipline for free as part of any other normal action. Maneuvers initiated this way do not count against your total maneuvers readied for a given encounter. This ability only applies to 1-st-9th level maneuvers of the chosen discipline only. Epic level maneuvers must still be readied and expended as normal. You also gain access to the following Epic Maneuver "Seed" or in this case, call it a "Form" since you have mastered every maneuver in this form, you have mastered the entire discipline.
Desert Wind
Martial Lore DC: 30
Initiation Time: 1 action
Range (see text): personal
Duration: 1 round
Boosts: Boosts made with the Desert Wind Form can grant a +1 morale bonus to whichever one of the following the initiator chooses:
Any one Ability Score
Any one Saving Throw
AC
Natural Armor/ Damage Reduction
For each additional +1 to this bonus increase the Martial Lore DC by +4
The Desert Wind Form can also be used to grant energy resistance to fire & dessication damage or two temporary hit points. For each point of energy resistances, or each two points of temporary HP increase the martial lore DC by +4
The Desert Wind Form has a base Martial Lore DC of 33 if it grants a +1 bonus for any type other than morale. For each additional +1 of the bonus increase the Martial Lore DC by +6. Normal rules for inherit bonuses still apply.
Strikes/Counters: Strikes and counters made with the Desert Wind discipline can deal either Fire or Dessication damage. Initiators can use Fire and the Arid air of the Desert Winds to affect other areas as well, sometime creating walls or barriers of flame around themselves for protection. Damage dealt with this form starts at 10d6 points of the chosen energy damage and will almost always require the initiator to hit the target with some form of attack, or allow some form of saving throw to avoid or mitigate the damage, usually reflex saves for saving throws.For each additional d6 beyond 10d6 increase the Martial Lore DC by +2. To imbue another creature with the ability to use this energy at it's option or when a particular condition is met increase the Martial Lore DC by +25.
To make a maneuver a "counter" maneuver all you're really doing is just making it a strike that is contingent upon being attacked, to make a strike into a counter maneuver increase the Martial lore DC by +26.
Stances: Stances made using the Desert Wind Form can add any of the following at the initiator's choosing:
Fire or Dessication damage to the initiators' melee attacks (Base 1d6 +1 per initiator level)
Resistance to fire or dessication damage 1 point
Surround themselves in a protective veil of flame (base 5 damage per initiator level)
Grant Temporary movement over a certain kind of terrain with no penalty, usually across air or fire
I'm working on a table of factors and mitigating factors that could be applied to any form or maneuver for the purpose of designing epic maneuvers. If anyone has any suggestions for some universal factors/mitigating factors let me know.
Does anyone else feel that I'm going in a good direction with this? I think this could potentially be quite an awesome idea.