Maneuvers for a (Samurai) Warblade

[TimeWizard]

Hey Playgrounders, I need some help. I want to make a Bada** Samurai, and having once played the class Samurai i was severely disappointed. So now I want to make a Samurai (Fluff) using a Warblade (crunch). Can you help steer me down the right path? I aim to be starting level 1 but if I could get some advice for down the line that would be awesome too.

Character is a Human. He either is, was, or will be a Yojimbo (bodyguard) and some point. Same can be said for Ronin (masterless samurai).

Thanks guys!

PS- I'm thinking of "armored, lethal warrior foot soldier" not "Unarmored wandering swordmaster" No Kenshin or Jin builds.

[The Glyphstone]

You definitely want Diamond Mind maneuvers, to imitate the Iajatsu Focus-style "one hit kill" attacks.

[Cog]

All of the available schools have some relevance, depending on what you want your focus to be. Diamond Mind has been pointed out already. Iron Heart is good for warrior's resolve and a few more tactical choices. Stone Dragon is mostly just a few basic utility options. Tiger Claw works if you want to do the katana/wakizashi thing (better as a shortsword and longsword instead of a bastard sword, of course), while White Raven is good as a leader if you want a samurai in his place as part of the feudal army.

Edit: I'm not saying you should choose from all of these. It's best to probably pick one or two disciplines that you favor.

[Keld Denar]

Kudos on your separation of fluff and crunch. Warblades make excellent samurai.

I'll back up the suggestion of Iron Heart + Diamond Mind, possibly with a VERY slight dip in White Raven to pick up WRT, and possibly WR Hammer WAY down the line.

What weapon(s) will you use?

EDIT: Friends don't let friends WRT themselves. Share the luvin!

[TimeWizard]

Kudos on your separation of fluff and crunch. Warblades make excellent samurai.

Thanks



What weapon(s) will you use?
Depends on what's good for the build. Probably Katana/short sword for Tiger Claw, Katana also works for Diamond Mind* (and Samurai Fluff). I'm not really sure how weapons affect Maneuvers, if damage and range are components. I was thinking of a two-handed weapon, like a long spear or a glaive, to use in addition to my smaller weapon(s) if it's useful.

* I'm trying to avoid too much Diamond Mind because I've had a really long stretch of super fast katana killers; now I'm thinking more of a ferocious tiger of the battlefield. So more like Katsumoto (The Last Samurai)

and less like, I don't know... Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzErUBYQZpI

[Keld Denar]

Most of the time, what actual weapon you use has little bearing. Some weapon favor certain styles, but some styles don't favor any weapon. Insightful Strike, for example, doesn't matter if you use a greatsword, an 11' pole, a halfling, or a headbutt, so long as you are proficient with it. Emerald Razor, on the other hand, favors PAing, so a 2hander, preferably with a large crit range (since PA damage multiplies on a crit) generally performs better than a non-2hander with a smaller crit range. Likewise, Mountain Hammer cares very little for what weapon you use, since its bonus damage is variable and thus doesn't multiply, but Strike of Perfect Clarity is static damage so it would multiply on a crit. Etc.

Also, strikes tend to be single hits, which favors a single weapon held in both hands. It doesn't have to be, but it is stronger. Since you don't get iteratives, PAing is generally encouraged with strikes, assuming you have a decent number of +hit boosts. Likewise, strikes are generally weaker with TWFing, since there are very few strikes that benefit. Boosts tend to be the name of the game for TWFers.

Just some pointers to keep in mind when picking maneuvers.

[Hiro Protagonest]

For samurai, you want to go iron heart and diamond mind, and mountain hammer is a good choice in general. You might also wanna pick up stone bones at the low levels, but trade it away at 4th level. If you're going TWF with katana (which I strongly believe should be longsword, not bastard sword) and wakizashi, you should go for tiger claw's wolf fang strike, dancing mongoose, raging mongoose, and pouncing charge.

[Draz74]

You kind of need to pick whether you're going to focus on katana/wakazaishi (bastard sword/short sword) or naginata (glaive). This focus will affect your maneuver choice a lot.

Also, whether you want the character to be a sort of battlefield leader.

And ... well, basically there are too many good options in Tome of Battle, and you might be better off just coming up with your own maneuver progression idea and posting it, and we'll tell you if you're making any big mistakes. ("Avoid too much Diamond Mind" is a really vague directive!) Look through the Warblade Handbook too.

[Angry Bob]

If you have access to Oriental Adventures, see if you can get your DM to let you have Iajutsu Focus as a class skill.

If I were running an orientally-themed campaign, I would consider replacing Diamond Mind's associated skill with IF and making its abilities trigger off IF. It's similar or better flavor, though it does increase your dependency on CHA, normally the only stat you don't need. Up to you and your DM.

[Hiro Protagonest]

I believe the katana should be a longsword. Historically, katanas were 26-29 inches for the blade, then another 10 inches or so for the handle.

[Taelas]

It has the length of a D&D longsword, more or less, but it is closer in function to a bastard sword, as they were generally wielded using two hands.

[Hiro Protagonest]

It has the length of a D&D longsword, more or less, but it is closer in function to a bastard sword, as they were generally wielded using two hands.

Even so, they should be masterwork longswords. And what's better, wielding a longsword? Or spending a precious feat for a +1 to damage?

[Reynard]

Even so, they should be masterwork longswords. And what's better, wielding a longsword? Or spending a precious feat for a +1 to damage?

You can wield Bastard Swords just fine without the EWP. Just not with only one hand.

[Cog]

You can wield Bastard Swords just fine without the EWP. Just not with only one hand.
Makes TWF with a short sword in the other hand a lot trickier.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Makes TWF with a short sword in the other hand a lot trickier.

Yeah, it does.

[Reynard]

Ah well. If he's going for TWF, then yeah, he'll want the EWP. At least on a Warblade that one feat counts for all possible EWPs that might come up ever.

OP, if you're using Power Attack though, don't bother with the EWP, you'll lose your 1-for-2 ratio.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Ah well. If he's going for TWF, then yeah, he'll want the EWP. At least on a Warblade that one feat counts for all possible EWPs that might come up ever.

OP, if you're using Power Attack though, don't bother with the EWP, you'll lose your 1-for-2 ratio.

If you are going TWF, you're feat-starved as it is! You don't wanna blow a feat for the +1 to damage!

[Taelas]

A katana is not automatically a masterwork sword. It is just a sword with a curved blade. There were plenty of poorly-forged katana. This idea that katana had some mystical quality merely because they were katana is annoying enough without adding to it.

There's nothing wrong with reclassifying the katana as a longsword, but personally I prefer it as a bastard sword. It is the closest approximation.

[Keld Denar]

But...a katana can cut through a tank. I saw it on the internet somewhere...

[Hiro Protagonest]

But...a katana can cut through a tank. I saw it on the internet somewhere...

Yes, because of how well made it is. Those poorly made blades are not true katanas, they're just swords that look like katanas.

I believe the closest there is to a katana in D&D is an adamantine longsword.

[Taelas]

That only happens in manga.

[Choco]

You could also take a 2 lvl dip in the OA Samurai class (I personally think it's worth it) to get Iaijutsu Focus as a class skill as well as the bonus feat and will save bonus. Or ask the DM if he can give you Iaijutsu focus as a class skill, either way you should get it, because then you combine that with things like Sapphire Nightmare Blade to make enemies flat-footed, and your uber Iaijutsu attacks would not be limited to only on the first round of combat.

[Hiro Protagonest]

That only happens in manga.

That may be true, but the katana far outclasses the longsword (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDkoj932YFo&feature=youtube_gdata_player).

[Taelas]

That video only proves that one specific katana beats one specific longsword. We know nothing about the details of either weapon.

Regardless, I never equated the katana to the longsword. You did. I simply said it wasn't automatically masterwork.

[Keld Denar]

Anyone with better google-fu than I have a link to the old katana rant from the WotC boards? I can't seem to find it. Something about going to Japan to commission a real katana from a swordsmith and then practicing with it every day.

I think his proposed stats were something like 1d20+10 base damage one handed and 4d6+20 wielded two handed...

Man, that was either some epic fanboyism or one of the more brilliant trolling posts I've ever seen. Its up there with the Lightning Warrior (who is both powerful and flavorful!).

[The Glyphstone]

The Katanas Are Underpowered copypasta. It's on 1d4Chan, but I won't be linking to it directly. One sec.



That's it. I'm sick of all this "Masterwork Bastard Sword" [NAUGHTY] that's going on in the d20 system right now. Katanas deserve much better than that. Much, much better than that.

I should know what I'm talking about. I myself commissioned a genuine katana in Japan for 2,400,000 Yen (that's about $20,000) and have been practicing with it for almost 2 years now. I can even cut slabs of solid steel with my katana.

Japanese smiths spend years working on a single katana and fold it up to a million times to produce the finest blades known to mankind.

Katanas are thrice as sharp as European swords and thrice as hard for that matter too. Anything a longsword can cut through, a katana can cut through better. I'm pretty sure a katana could easily bisect a knight wearing full plate with a simple vertical slash.

Ever wonder why medieval Europe never bothered conquering Japan? That's right, they were too scared to fight the disciplined Samurai and their katanas of destruction. Even in World War II, American soldiers targeted the men with the katanas first because their killing power was feared and respected.

So what am I saying? Katanas are simply the best sword that the world has ever seen, and thus, require better stats in the d20 system. Here is the stat block I propose for Katanas:

(One-Handed Exotic Weapon)
1d12 Damage
19-20 x4 Crit
+2 to hit and damage
Counts as Masterwork

(Two-Handed Exotic Weapon)
2d10 Damage
17-20 x4 Crit
+5 to hit and damage
Counts as Masterwork

Now that seems a lot more representative of the cutting power of Katanas in real life, don't you think?

tl;dr = Katanas need to do more damage in d20, see my new stat block.

[Hiro Protagonest]

The Katanas Are Underpowered copypasta. It's on 1d4Chan, but I won't be linking to it directly. One sec.


That's it. I'm sick of all this "Masterwork Bastard Sword" [NAUGHTY] that's going on in the d20 system right now. Katanas deserve much better than that. Much, much better than that.

I should know what I'm talking about. I myself commissioned a genuine katana in Japan for 2,400,000 Yen (that's about $20,000) and have been practicing with it for almost 2 years now. I can even cut slabs of solid steel with my katana.

Japanese smiths spend years working on a single katana and fold it up to a million times to produce the finest blades known to mankind.

Katanas are thrice as sharp as European swords and thrice as hard for that matter too. Anything a longsword can cut through, a katana can cut through better. I'm pretty sure a katana could easily bisect a knight wearing full plate with a simple vertical slash.

Ever wonder why medieval Europe never bothered conquering Japan? That's right, they were too scared to fight the disciplined Samurai and their katanas of destruction. Even in World War II, American soldiers targeted the men with the katanas first because their killing power was feared and respected.

So what am I saying? Katanas are simply the best sword that the world has ever seen, and thus, require better stats in the d20 system. Here is the stat block I propose for Katanas:

(One-Handed Exotic Weapon)
1d12 Damage
19-20 x4 Crit
+2 to hit and damage
Counts as Masterwork

(Two-Handed Exotic Weapon)
2d10 Damage
17-20 x4 Crit
+5 to hit and damage
Counts as Masterwork

Now that seems a lot more representative of the cutting power of Katanas in real life, don't you think?

tl;dr = Katanas need to do more damage in d20, see my new stat block.



This, but no bonus to attack and damage beyond the masterwork. The price of a katana would be 150+masterwork.

[Taelas]

"Bisect a knight wearing full plate with a simple vertical slash"? :smallconfused:

Oyyy. :smallsigh:

[Hiro Protagonest]

That video only proves that one specific katana beats one specific longsword. We know nothing about the details of either weapon.

It told us the details of both weapons! :smallfurious:

And do you need more videos? Because I can find more videos.

[Dienekes]

That may be true, but the katana far outclasses the longsword (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDkoj932YFo&feature=youtube_gdata_player).

If you really want to, go looking through the Real World Weapons and Armor thread (I want to say 2 threads ago) for a German swordsman doing a similar test with a bastard sword and a katana. The bastard sword won that round.

These tests are pretty much crap.

Also, I love the katanas are underpowered meme. They had some great ones going for awhile.

As for maneuvers. Yeah that seems covered, Iron Heart, Diamond Mind, yeah. Make him like you would any swordsman Warblade really.


It told us the details of both weapons! :smallfurious:

And do you need more videos? Because I can find more videos.

So can I if I wanted to, plus an article analyzing the structure of both weapons. And if I really feel like wasting my time a guy who test cut using every type of sword he had from various styles. Katana cut through slightly better on non-metal armors and pierced a lot worse. It still didn't cut as deep as his sabre though. Fun little read, and even he admitted that all it proved was which companies he bought the swords from made better weapons.

[Zaydos]

For maneuvers:

First which style do you want to use? Iajutsu was simply one of many.

Regardless of style Mountain Hammer is a must, as is Iron Heart Surge.

I'd also suggest Wall of Iron (or Blades?) and the Concentration for saves aspect of Diamond Mind.

If you intend to go with Nitenryu (two-heavens style) then Tiger's Claw is a must.

If you want to go with banzai charge attacks then White Raven will serve you in good stead.

[Greensleeves]

This, but no bonus to attack and damage beyond the masterwork. The price of a katana would be 150+masterwork.

Actually, I'd argue that it should be adamantine as well, just to mechanically represent the sheer superiority of the Japanese swordsmiths metal-working techniques.

Edit: Figured I should actually contribute as well.

Diamond Mind is pretty much a given really, even if you don't want to rely on it too much. Get at least Ruby Nightmare Blade and Diamond Nightmare Blade when you can, more than that isn't really necessary.

Primary school would be Iron Heart, I'd say. Really, most of the other posters have given very solid advice.

[Taelas]

It told us the details of both weapons! :smallfurious:

And do you need more videos? Because I can find more videos.

I never said either was better than the other. What are you trying to prove?

And no, it did not tell us of the details. It did not tell us of the quality of either weapon, merely the length (which means little in this scenario). It did not tell us the age of either weapon, or their sharpness, or their tensile strengths, or any other number of factors which would affect the outcome of the test they did. It is sloppy, plain and simple.

Finding more videos isn't going to help your case unless they are exceptional videos. In order to truly test this, you would have to test a statistically significant number of weapons (meaning in the thousands), with similar-quality forge-work going into each weapon.

There can be any number of factors going into why a particular weapon is better than a different particular weapon, not the least of which are those I mentioned already. Skill and strength of the wielder is also a factor.

Show me a video taking into account all of this before telling me that one is better than the other.

[Greenish]

It told us the details of both weapons! :smallfurious:Wait, you were serious linking that? :smalltongue:

[Dr.Epic]

step 1: get Samurai Champloo

step 2: watch Samurai Champloo several times

step 3: ???

step 4: profit

[Diamondeye]

My recommendations:

Don't go TWF, unless your DM is willing to seriously ease up on the feat requirements. That's fairly easily dealt with through houserules, though.

If not:

Diamond Mind maneuvers:
Moment of Perfect Mind
All of the maneuvers with gems in the name
Insightful Strike/Greater IS
Time Stands Still

Iron heart
Iron Heart Surge/Focus/Endurance
Lightning Recovery
Strike of Perfect Clarity

Stone Dragon
Mountain Hammer series
Mountain Strike series (to be changed out; hold onto them just to meet prereqs for Ancient Mountain Hammer)
Mountain Tombstone Strike

I'd try to get a level or two in OA samurai in a type that seems appropriate. If you take no more than 2 levels in it, you can still get level 9 maneuvers in all 3 of the above disciplines; changeouts at 18 and 20, new maneuver at 19.

You obviously can't have all of the above at once; that's the list I'd look at to pick from primarily.

I'm not sure if this is RAW or not, but regardless I'd also try to get your DM to allow stances to count as maneuvers for prereqs.

[Keld Denar]

RAW, stances are considered maneuvers. Period. Thus they count for fulfilling prereqs.

[TimeWizard]

Can we please save Katana vs Broadsword for somewhere else?

So far we have:
Ruby Nightmare Blade
Diamond Nightmare Blade
Mountain Hammer
IHS (CROMMMMM)
Stone Bones
Wolf Fang Strike
Dancing Mongoose
Raging Mongoose
Pouncing Charge
Skill: Iaijutsu Focus

General: Since Warblade's don't get as many feats I'd fluff up a long sword and a short sword. I don't really care that much about how accurate that is*. Do I have enough Maneuvers/is it a good idea to keep a dual wield set AND a glaive set? Should I focus on one but keep a few reserve? Is it better to straight specialize? I have little table experience. Does twf Tiger Claw play very different from polearm Stone Dragon/Diamond Mind? Is one more effective than the other? Should I just cherrypick Maneuvers or does it pay to have a theme? I have a lot of questions I'd like to know more about before I get down to business.

The (fluffy) way I envision the character is using a polearm defensively/effectively and switching to K/W to get furious in chaotic situations. Is this a feasible option?

Sorry Draz. I don't have my copy of ToB and it's finals week, so I'm trying to take my mind off of a mountain of work. I'd have posted a build for critique if I could. I'll do that when I am finally free,but for now I'm trying to get some good ideas.

Epic: Already link some Champloo goodness, but I think Kenshin with his shouty attack names is more ToB-ish. Good reference though.

Keld: Thanks for the great info.

*Actually, I was (foreign) Kendo Team Captain for one semester in Japan. I'd love to have this talk in a dedicated Katana thread.

EDIT: Ninja'd by DiamondEye's big list. Thanks DE!

[JaronK]

Warblades don't get that many maneuvers, and that can be annoying with prerequisites. Also, I feel like Samurai should have some martial arts. As such, I suggest you dip Unarmed Swordsage. Human Paragon would give you Iaijutsu Focus as a class skill permanently... but the Swordsage dip should be at level 5 so as to get second level maneuvers (which you'll mostly use to get save boosters and prerequisites). So I'd do something like Warblade 3/Human Paragon 1/Unarmed Swordsage 1/Warblade +15.

As for maneuvers, Sapphire Nightmare Blade becomes amazing with some Iaijutsu Focus action, so you'd use that whenever you win initiative (or when they're flat footed via some other mechanic, such as grease). This way you can do the Katana/Wakasashi thing a bit better... draw your Katana to do the strike, then if they get flat footed again later you can draw the Wakasashi for that hit, but mostly focus on the Katana (you don't need TWF that way). Consider a Blurstriking weapon if you want to do this a lot.

Use Swordsage for the save replacing Diamond Mind maneuvers, as well as Mountain Hammer (it's a great utility ability to smash through doors and such, but you don't need to reload it mid fight). Also maybe Sudden Leap.

As for the rest of the Warblade Maneuvers, Iron Heart Surge and White Raven Tactics are amazing, and otherwise you can focus on Diamond Mind (which has the best Samurai feel to it, I think, though Iron Heart isn't bad either).

Anyway, that's how I'd do it.

JaronK

[Keld Denar]

As I said, strikes tend to favor one weapon. The offhand weapon doesn't do anything when you stab someone with a Ruby Nightmare Strike. It just sits there looking kinda forlorn waiting for someone to dip it into soft flesh so it can drink tasty tasty blood from the wound. This isn't the most optimum use of that hand, which could be gripping your mainhand weapon giving you 1.5x +str bonus and 2:1 Power Attack.

Swapping back and forth in styles isn't something you can really do efficiently. You probably won't have enough maneuvers known to get a full set of TWFing and a full set of 2HF manevuers. Also, unless you dip another feat on Adaptive Style, you'll need at least 5 minutes to swap from one style to the other. Plus, you can't really PA while TWFing (since your offhand should be light and thus doesn't benefit), which means you have 2 sets of feats that have almost no synergy.

Honestly, it sounds like you are streching yourself pretty thin doing that. I'd pick one style or the other and be REALLY good at it. If you go with the Naginata (Glaive), make sure you get spikes on your vambraces and grieves (Armor Spikes) for savage close combat. Instead of stepping back and giving ground, simply knee them in the plexus with an Insightful Strike. Weapon damage doesn't matter, its just a straight Concentration check roll.

[JaronK]

Swapping back and forth in styles isn't something you can really do efficiently.

The way to make it work is taking advantage of IF's need to draw a weapon... you do that when you draw the Wakasashi, but since you don't even attack with the Katana (just hold it in your offhand while you do this) you don't need TWF and it still works fine with strikes.

But yeah, actual TWF in addition to two handed fighting is generally a poor plan. Real Samurai didn't do that anyway... the Wakasashi was a backup weapon for use when you were in close quarters or inside and couldn't really use the Katana.

JaronK

[Keld Denar]

the Wakasashi was a backup weapon for use when you were in close quarters or inside and couldn't really use the Katana.

A combat style which isn't really well modeled mechanically in D&D. The only "too close for missiles, switching to guns" moment comes when you are grappled, and since you have to win a grapple check just to draw the wakasashi while grappled, its generally easier to do something like teleport out of the grapple with your Anklets of Translocation and keep full attacking with your primary weapon or simply grapple back to deal damage or similar such tactics.

[Hiro Protagonest]

If you're going TWF, the only diamond mind maneuvers you want are boosts and counters, as pretty much none of the diamond mind strikes work with TWF, except for time stands still. Replace the diamond mind strikes you would've taken with tiger claw maneuvers, like wolf fang strike, dancing mongoose, raging mongoose, pouncing charge, and girallon windmill flesh rip.

[Keld Denar]

Oh Girallon Windmill Fleshrip...I think the only thing more fun that initiating it is shouting it allowed while you initiate it. Cause you know, its ToB, which means you have to.

[AslanCross]

My recommendations:

Don't go TWF, unless your DM is willing to seriously ease up on the feat requirements. That's fairly easily dealt with through houserules, though.

Wolf Fang Strike actually bypasses the requirements of TWF. It imposes its own penalties on striking with both your weapons in one round. He only really needs the TWF tree if he wants to do Pouncing Charge, but Dancing Mongoose is strictly better, IMO.



I'm not sure if this is RAW or not, but regardless I'd also try to get your DM to allow stances to count as maneuvers for prereqs.

They do count as maneuvers for prereqs by RAW.

[TimeWizard]

Oh Girallon Windmill Fleshrip...I think the only thing more fun that initiating it is shouting it allowed while you initiate it.

I just discovered that ability. Holy Hell. Gave some study to Diamond Mind: much better than I thought (inverse is true of Stone Dragon). From Elfin's guide at Warblades it looks like Warblade 20 is a pretty hard thing to mess up. Now i just have to work out...

TWF versus THF:
"Red Tiger" Tiger Claw x "Crystal Cutter " Diamond Mind
THRILLAH OF THE KILLAHS

...yep, definitely finals week.

Edit: Fanciness

[AslanCross]

About attack names---since ToB's often criticized for being "too anime," I took it upon myself to try to come up with even more anime-ish names for the attacks. Some translate easily, but many are much harder to translate. Mithral, for example, looked lame if it was just "Mithral" in kana, (especially since Adamantine does have a kanji equivalent) so I gave it a more poetic-sounding kanji name (Gintetsu or 'Silversteel').

The project is still unfinished, but if you have any particular requests I can post them by tomorrow.

[Keld Denar]

AslanCross...it was a joke.

Girallon Windmill Fleshrip and Five Shadows Creeping Ice Enervation Strike are the two that are SOOOO over the top though, that you almost HAVE to giggle a little when you shout them out as you initiate them. Its cathartic to the soul sometimes to embrace your inner squee.

[Dusk Eclipse]

As I said, strikes tend to favor one weapon. The offhand weapon doesn't do anything when you stab someone with a Ruby Nightmare Strike. It just sits there looking kinda forlorn waiting for someone to dip it into soft flesh so it can drink tasty tasty blood from the wound. This isn't the most optimum use of that hand, which could be gripping your mainhand weapon giving you 1.5x +str bonus and 2:1 Power Attack.

Swapping back and forth in styles isn't something you can really do efficiently. You probably won't have enough maneuvers known to get a full set of TWFing and a full set of 2HF manevuers. Also, unless you dip another feat on Adaptive Style, you'll need at least 5 minutes to swap from one style to the other. Plus, you can't really PA while TWFing (since your offhand should be light and thus doesn't benefit), which means you have 2 sets of feats that have almost no synergy.

Honestly, it sounds like you are streching yourself pretty thin doing that. I'd pick one style or the other and be REALLY good at it. If you go with the Naginata (Glaive), make sure you get spikes on your vambraces and grieves (Armor Spikes) for savage close combat. Instead of stepping back and giving ground, simply knee them in the plexus with an Insightful Strike. Weapon damage doesn't matter, its just a straight Concentration check roll.

There is an actual Naginata in OA Large Weapon (so that would be two-handed weapon in 3.5 rules right?) 1d10 x3 with reach... which upon comparing with the actual Glaive it is actually the same (I confused it with the Guisarme, thinking it could trip).. though the Naginata is 15 lbs while the Glaive is 10 lb. So there is that pro.


About attack names---since ToB's often criticized for being "too anime," I took it upon myself to try to come up with even more anime-ish names for the attacks. Some translate easily, but many are much harder to translate. Mithral, for example, looked lame if it was just "Mithral" in kana, (especially since Adamantine does have a kanji equivalent) so I gave it a more poetic-sounding kanji name (Gintetsu or 'Silversteel').

The project is still unfinished, but if you have any particular requests I can post them by tomorrow.

I would love to see those translations, I do really enjoy shouting the silly names :smallbiggrin:

[AslanCross]

AslanCross...it was a joke.

Girallon Windmill Fleshrip and Five Shadows Creeping Ice Enervation Strike are the two that are SOOOO over the top though, that you almost HAVE to giggle a little when you shout them out as you initiate them. Its cathartic to the soul sometimes to embrace your inner squee.

I wasn't referring to any post in particular, actually; I did this because some of the names actually sound cooler when translated into Japanese somewhat. This was a project of mine from a few months back.

[Knaight]

There is an actual Naginata in OA Large Weapon (so that would be two-handed weapon in 3.5 rules right?) 1d10 x3 with reach... which upon comparing with the actual Glaive it is actually the same (I confused it with the Guisarme, thinking it could trip).. though the Naginata is 15 lbs while the Glaive is 10 lb. So there is that pro.

Dear god that is heavy. Really heavy.

[NineThePuma]

I wasn't referring to any post in particular, actually; I did this because some of the names actually sound cooler when translated into Japanese somewhat. This was a project of mine from a few months back.

I request these names, plz. All of them. But prefer Diamond Mind.

[JaronK]

You could always babblefish the heck out of things... Girallon Windmill Flesh Rip translated into Hebrew, then to Japanese, then back to English becomes "Girallon Lip Mill Meat" for example...

JaronK

[TimeWizard]

Girallon is not, as I can see, a real word so it would not translate. Honestly though with a name like Windmill Flesh Rip you're likely going to get back "Daimyo Cervantes" if you dance the Google Translate Tango

[Diamondeye]

It's a lot of fun to yel' "Girallon Windmill Flesh RIP!!", increasing how loudly you say each successive word.

If you wanted to do a TWF/2H hybrid maneuver selection, just take the Mongoose series from Tiger Claw, since they also work with a single weapon.

Wolf Fang Strike does allow using two weapons.. but only for one round at a time. Most DMs can be easily shown how TWF costs far too many feats compared to its value and will ease up on you.