The Perfect Seamstress Discipline [Discipline, 3.5e, PEACH]

[Amechra]

The Perfect Seamstress Discipline
Semi-Relevant Image (http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs10/i/2006/112/3/e/Mistress_of_Ribbons___Sketch_by_darkrisingphoenix. jpg)

Of all the disciplines overlooked by Reshar, one of the oddest is the so-called Perfect Seamstress Discipline, which is a tad... unique among the different martial forms.

For, unlike other martial arts that seek to duplicate the mighty beasts of the wild, or the beauty and grace of a glorious concept, the Perfect Seamstress seeks to emulate the quiet competence of the humble seamstress.

This has caused great laughter among great warriors who have heard of it, though some look at the art with some interest, as it is oddly effective...

And so the Perfect Seamstress continues to gather students.

Discipline Skill: Profession (Seamstress)

Associated Weapons: Unarmed Strikes, Ribbons, Whips, Lassoes, Nets, and Tentacles

Discipline Access: The Perfect Seamstress Discipline may be taken instead of any normal discipline that a Martial Adept may be able to learn. Or... <include other methods of access>.

Maneuvers
Level 1
- Innocent Stitch (Stance): Become dressed appropriately for any situation.
- A Thousand Dropped Hems (Strike): Wreck your enemy's armour.
- Web of Silken Beauty (Boost): Fight with twirling ribbons.

Level 2
- Constellation of Stitches (Strike): Your weapons strike swift and sure.
- Needles Left in Silk (Counter): Respond to your enemy's impolite assault.

Level 3
- Flawless Seamstress Method (Stance): Your knowledge of silk and thread comes in handy.
- Scarlet Ribbon Grip (Boost): Learn to stitch hearts as well as you do cloth.

Level 4
- Perfect Clothier's Art (Counter): Reflexively repair what could possibly be broken.
- Seventeen Stitch Atemi (Strike): Demonstrate sewing's offensive uses.

Level 5
- Utter Lace Defense (Stance): Become almost untouchable in your elegance.
- Seam-Splintering Understanding (Strike): Sometimes, you need to remove a stitch.

Level 6
- Impossibly Elegant Couturier (Boost): Do not allow petty indignities to mar your hard work.
- Inimitable Needlework Reversal (Counter): Sometimes, it is simply needed to find a use for another creature's aggression.

Level 7
- Wounds-as-Accoutrements Dismissal (Counter): Stitch cloth out of your open wounds, repairing them like so many tears.
- Weaver's Violent Snarl (Strike): Make a full attack, entangling those within reach.

Level 8
- Needle as Factory Enlightenment (Stance): Become a blur of activity.
- Ever-Present Wardrobe Envisionment (Boost): Instantly don and improve any article of clothing.

Level 9
- Exquisite Silken Unwoven Blossom (Strike): What can be made, can be unmade.

[Amechra]

1st Level

Innocent Stitch
Perfect Seamstress (Stance)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 1
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

It would be undue for a person of elegance, and a seamstress at that, to wear clothing unfit for the situation! And so, by adopting this beautifully mystic stance, one's wardrobe approaches perfection.

As long as the Martial Adept is wearing clothing, they receive an Armor bonus to AC equal to their Charisma modifier, which is treated as if it came from the clothing itself.

In addition, the clothing reflexively shifts to become appropriate to whatever situation that the martial adept may find themselves in, negating any circumstance penalties to checks due to their clothing; this allows the Martial Adept to change what kind of outfit that they are wearing as a free action, as well as allowing them to wear filthy, torn clothing in front of the court without detracting from the court's opinion of them.

Finally, the Martial Adept can don and remove armor as a Full-Round action if it would normally take longer, as they instinctively know the ways that cloth falls.

A Thousand Dropped Hems
Perfect Seamstress (Strike)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 1
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: Creature struck
Duration: Until their armor is repaired.

Clucking and fretting over an outfit, raising and lowering a hem while sweating about what the client wants... all these things lead a truly talented needleworker to realise how cloth fits together.

As long as this maneuver is readied, the Martial Adept may make a DC 20 Profession (Seamstress) check over the course of a minute to duplicate the effects of a Mending spell, using their Initiator Level as the Caster Level for the effect.

When this strike is initiated, the Martial Adept makes a single melee attack; if it hits, it deals normal damage and the creature struck takes a penalty to their Armor bonus to AC equal to half the Martial Adept's ranks in Profession (Seamstress). For every point of the penalty beyond the creature's armor bonus to AC, the Martial Adept deals an additional 1d6 damage with their attack.

If the penalty is equal to or greater than the armor bonus derived from the armor, the armor falls broken at it's wearer's feet, and cannot be used until it is repaired with either a Craft (Armormaking) check or a spell that repairs objects supplemented by a caster level check, both at a DC equal to the Save DC of this maneuver.

Web of Silken Beauty
Perfect Seamstress (Boost)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 1
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 5 rounds, or until all the ribbons are sundered.

What a beautiful thing ribbons are! How the float and dance on the wind... it's almost as if they were alive!

When this boost is initiated, a pair of ribbons lazily unravel themselves from the Martial Adept's clothing, before snaking out and striking their enemies; treat these ribbons as if they were Tentacles sized for a creature of the Martial Adept's size, each dealing 1d4 damage for a Medium creature. The Ribbons may be sundered as if they were manufactured weapons, using the material properties of the Martial Adept's armor to determine how difficult it is to sunder them.

At Initiator level 5, and every 4 Initiator levels therafter, increase the number of "tentacles" produced by this maneuver by 2, and increase the damage die of the "tentacles" by one step.

If a creature is struck by at least 3 Ribbons in a given round, they must make a Will save or become Dazed for 1 round, as they are utterly distracted by the odd patterns that the ribbons make.

2nd Level

Constellation of Stitches
Perfect Seamstress (Strike)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 2
Initiation Action: Full-Round Action
Range: Melee
Target: Creatures struck
Duration: Instantaneous

As a seamstress, it would be unseemly to be slow in sewing up a garment; through long years of practice, the needle borne in a needleworker's expert fingers flies swift and sure.

As part of this maneuver, make a full attack; instead of the normal complement of attacks that the Martial Adept would receive, they instead make a number of attacks equal to a third of of their ranks in Profession (Seamstress), each at their full base attack bonus. However, each attack made that round take a cumulative -2 penalty to their attack roll for each attack made so far in the round, which is halved against any creature that has been successfully struck by the Martial Adept this round.

This maneuver does not stack with any effect that adds additional attacks, or which multiplies the number of attacks made in a full attack.

Needles Left in Silk
Perfect Seamstress (Counter)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 2
Initiation Action: Immediate Action
Range: Range of Original Attack
Target: Creature Who Attacked the Martial Adept
Duration: Instantaneous

It is unseemly to attack someone, and, gods forbid, muss their perfect outfit. Such audacity is to be punished in the most expedient manner possible.

If a creature attacks the Martial Adept, the Martial Adept may make a single attack, either with their unarmed strike or with a Ribbon, against the attacking creature, regardless of the range of that creature's attack, as the Martial Adept's very essence rebels against such an insult to their perfectly arranged wardrobe.

At Initiator level 7, the definition of "attack" for the purposes of this maneuver expands to include any insults made to the Martial Adept's appearance or dress sense made within the Martial Adept's earshot, allowing them to strike down their most ignorant critics.

At Initiator level 11, if the Martial Adept has a Perfect Seamstress Strike readied, they may use that strike in place of a normal attack, with any attacks made as part of that strike only being directed towards the attacking creature; if this option is taken, the Martial Adept is Dazed during the next round.

3rd Level

Flawless Seamstress Method
Perfect Seamstress (Stance)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 3
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

As she nears perfection, a Seamstress find many applications for her art; soon, she shall eclipse even the masters of her craft.

Upon learning this stance, the Martial Adept completely loses access to the Innocent Stitch stance, and, if they formerly knew that stance, may select another stance that they qualify for.

Upon entering this stance, the Martial Adept receives all the benefits of the Innocent Stitch stance, and may additionally use Profession (Seamstress) checks in place of any Grapple checks, Use Rope checks, Escape Artist, or Disguise checks that they make.

Finally, a Martial Adept that has this stance as a stance known may use their Charisma modifier in place of their Wisdom modifier for the purpose of Profession (Seamstress) checks.

Scarlet Ribbon's Grip
Perfect Seamstress (Boost) (Mind-Affecting)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 3
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: 60'
Target: 2 Creatures
Duration: 1 minute

A seamstress has sewn countless garments, meant to catch the eyes and hearts of men and women. Is it such a leap, then, to start sewing hearts together directly?

Upon initiating this maneuver, all targeted creatures must make a will save or be Charmed for the duration of this maneuver; the Martial Adept may choose which creature "initiated" each Charm effect, so they could have the two targeted creatures "charm" each-other, or they could have each creature be "charmed" by a different creature entirely.

The first attack in any given round made by the Martial Adept against a creature Charmed by this maneuver is made as a Touch attack.

At Initiator level 9, and every 4 Initiator levels thereafter, the number of creatures charmed by this maneuver is increased by 1.

In addition, at Initiator level 9, the duration of this effect increases to 1 hour; this increases to 1 day at Initiator level 13, and to 1 week at initiator level 17th.

This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

4th Level

Perfect Clothier's Art
Perfect Seamstress (Counter)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 4
Initiation Action: Immediate Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round

Every so often, a mistake will be made, and that is rather... unfortunate. Fortunately, as they say, a stitch in time saves nine!

This counter maybe initiated in response to an effect that forces the Martial Adept to make a save, or which would deal damage to the Martial Adept.

If this maneuver was initiated in response to an effect that would force a save, the Martial Adept may use their ranks in Profession (Seamstress) in place of their base save progression for that particular saving throw; if it was made in response to an effect that would deal damage to the Martial Adept, they instead gain a number of Temporary Hit-Points equal to twice their ranks in Profession (Seamstress).

Seventeen-Stitches Atemi
Perfect Seamstress (Strike)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 4
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: Creature struck
Duration: Instantaneous

It is far from true that sewing is not a warrior's art; without it, many of the small luxuries a warrior has would unravel at the seems. Even so, this particular piece of esoteric knowledge brings sewing into a more... direct form of usefulness.

As part of this maneuver, make a melee attack; if it is successful, make a Profession (Seamstress) check. The creature struck takes damage equal to the check result, and must make a Reflex Save or become Flat-Footed until the beginning of your next round.

5th Level

Utter Lace Defense
Perfect Seamstress (Stance)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 5
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

In her elegance, a seamstress floats in a world of lace, and ribbon, constantly avoiding the prick of a needle against her much-punctured skin. So, too, must a warrior fight if they are to win the day.

When a Martial Adept enters this stance, they may make a number of Attacks of Opportunity each round equal to their Charisma modifier; in addition, once per round, they may grant themselves Total Cover from a single attack or effect targeting them.

Seam-Splintering Understanding
Perfect Seamstress (Strike)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 5
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: Creature Struck
Duration: Instantaneous

In many ways, magic is much like a piece of clothing, elegant in its own way. A good seamstress should always know how to "repair" a tacky outfit, when it comes down to it.

As part of this maneuver, the Martial Adept makes a melee attack and a Profession (Seamstress) check; if it is successful, they deal normal damage, and their target is affected as if by a Dispel Magic spell, using the check result of the Profession (Seamstress) check in place of the dispel check.

6th level

Impossibly Elegant Couterier
Perfect Seamstress (Boost)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 6
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round

An excellent seamstress must be entirely focused on her work, ignoring petty distractions that would prevent her from performing to the best of her ability.

While under the effects of this boost, a Martial Adept ignores all penalties and restrictions to their actions that are not inherent in that action itself. For example, a Fatigued Martial Adept could initiate this maneuver and then charge, but would still take the normal -2 penalty to AC for charging, and would only be able to make a single attack at the end of the charge unless they had the ability to Pounce.

Inimitable Needlework Reversal
Perfect Seamstress (Stance)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 6
Initiation Action: Immediate Action
Range: Range of Original Attack
Target: Creature Who Attacked the Martial Adept
Duration: Instantaneous.

An old garment may have its stitches pulled and the cloth used for other purposes; the warrior, understanding this, redirects an attack so that it can properly rebuke the rude individual that wished them harm.

This maneuver must be initiated when an attack has been declared; the attacker must make a will save or have the attack's target changed to be themselves. They may not choose to intentionally fail the attack roll, and they may not alter any choices they made when they originally made the attack.


7th Level

Wounds-As-Accoutrements Dismissal
Perfect Seamstress (Counter)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 7
Initiation Action: Immediate Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous

It is almost as easy to stitch up wounds as it is to stitch together cloth; there is a trick to both, of which a good needleworker is well aware.

Upon initiating this maneuver, the Martial Adept may perform any one function of the Heal skill on themselves as part of the maneuver's initiation action, using a Profession (Seamstress) check in place of the Heal check. If they choose to apply Long Term Care to themselves, they may treat the round in which this maneuver is initiated as if it were an entire day for the purpose of how many hit points they heal, and may ignore the normal restriction that a character cannot apply Long Term Care to themselves.

This maneuver may only be used to duplicate the Long Term Care function of the Heal Skill once per day; otherwise, there are no limits on its use.

Weaver's Violent Snarl
Perfect Seamstress (Strike)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 7
Initiation Action: Full-Round Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: Creatures struck.
Duration: 5 rounds

It is a horrible thing for any clothier to have their threads and cloth snarled together in a clump, useless until they are separated. It is a useful thing for a warrior to be able to inflict that horror on others.

As part of this maneuver, make a full-attack; each attack in the full-attack forces the creature struck to make a Reflex save or become Entangled for 5 rounds.

If the Martial Adept is under the effects of the Web of Silken Beauty boost, the Ribbons foam with lace; for the remainder of the Web of Silken Beauty boost, each Ribbon is treated as if it were a Net instead of a Tentacle, though it still deals damage as stated in that maneuver, is still treated as if it were a natural attack, automatically "refolds" itself after each attack, and the Martial Adept may use a Profession (Seamstress) check instead of a Strength check to control the "trailing rope", which is as long as the original Ribbon's reach.

8th Level

Needle as Factory Enlightenment
Perfect Seamstress (Stance)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 8
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

A thousand orders, and only one night to finish them in! To one of your skill, this is routine.

While under the effects of this stance, the martial adept gains the benefits of the Innocent Stitch stance.

In addition, you gain a second Immediate action that may only be used to initiate a Perfect Seamstress counter.

Finally, as a full-round action, you may use two Standard-action Perfect Seamstress strikes.

Ever-Present Wardrobe Envisionment
Perfect Seamstress (Boost)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 8
Initiation Action: Swift Action
Range: Within melee reach
Target: A single article of clothing.
Duration: Instantaneous and 1 hour (see text.)

Sometimes, one must simply change what they are wearing as quickly as possible; it rather helps if you can improve the clothing as well.

You may remove your current clothing or armor and don clothing or armor within your reach as part of the action to initiate this maneuver.

In addition, the cloth or armor donned through this maneuver is affected as if by a Magic Vestment spell, cast at a caster level equal to their Initiator level for one hour and applies its armor bonus to touch armor class.

9th Level

Exquisite Silken Unwoven Blossom
Perfect Seamstress (Strike)
Level: Perfect Seamstress 9
Initiation Action: Standard Action
Range: Melee attack
Target: Creature struck
Duration: Instantaneous

As a project is finished, a seamstress places one final, definite stitch, completing their hard work. So too does a warrior go for the killing blow.

As part of this maneuver, double the Martial Adept's reach, and make a single melee touch attack.

Any cover in the way of the attack is targeted as ignored and, within 5' of the point where the Martial Adept is attacking through, collapses as each fastening is removed. The creature struck has all of its non-magical armor automatically destroyed, with its magical armor being affected as if by the A Thousand Dropped Hems strike.

Any spells or effects that would give the creature a bonus to armor class, or which would make the attack miss, are ignored by this attack, and any ability that would give the creature a bonus to armor class, damage reduction, Fast Healing, or Regeneration is suppressed for 1 round unless the creature succeeds on a Will save.

[Amechra]

Alright, at this point I need a detailed PEACH for the maneuvers, and some ideas for Inimitable Needlework Reversal and Ever-Present Wardrobe Envisionment.

[sirpercival]

Oh, I love this. Brilliant! I haven't given the maneuvers a thorough read, but you asked for ideas, and I shall respond.

Inimitable Needlework Reversal:
~You hurt them by undoing healing they've received, or preventing healing they are receiving?
~You negate an attack by causing their skin to loosen, tangling them up (what happens if they don't have skin? bleh.)

Ever-Present Wardrobe Envisionment seems pretty straightforward. You get to change around your armor properties for 1 round (or grant yourself new ones).



EDIT: As soon as you have something down for the last two maneuvers, I'll add it to the compendium.

[JoshuaZ]

Overall, most of these look balanced.

Woven Heart-Strings and Scarlet Ribbon's Grip should probably be supernatural.
I'm a little worried about Woven Heart Strings. The ability is interesting, but it isn't completely clear how much and what information the adept gets about each item. And the bit about "A Martial Adept may chose to invert any "emotional garment" before they wear it; if they do so, the creature that the attachment is towards feels that emotional attachment towards the Martial Adept if they wear that garment." might lead to serious abuse, especially because unlike say a Dominate spell, it isn't clear how one gets rid of this sort of thing.

[Amechra]

Do you have any suggestions on how to fix that up? I originally added that because a really, really situational benefit is kinda weak (without that, it just boosts A Thousand Dropped Hems and Exquisite Silken Unwoven Blossom).

Perhaps I could have it so that they treat anyone that they are wearing a "garment" from as if they were that Familiar with that person (you know, as with the bonus to Spot checks when used against the Disguise Skill? So if you stole someone's love for their wife, you could wear it and get X benefit (perhaps a bonus on your Profession (Seamstress) checks equal to that amount?))

I'd probably drop the ability to enchant the armor, if I did that.

And I'll add the Supernatural tag when I get around to it. Thanks for catching that.

[Amechra]

Whelp, it's finished now.

I swapped out Woven Heart Strings for Needle as Factory Enlightenment; hey, you're a quick worker!

Everything is finished, though.

[Prime32]

Some feedback:

Ever-Present Wardrobe Envisionment is listed as a Boost in the overview and a Stance in the text. The 1-hour duration is very odd for a maneuver; generally these things last indefinitely until turned off (in this case it would be until you change clothes again), and it doesn't stop people from keeping it up indefinitely either (since they can just initiate it 1/minute).

What about feats? You could insert disguise abilities there, or create clothing tailored to a person (or maybe task?) that grants morale bonuses.

This could also do with a legacy item. Maybe a spool of infinite thread? Or a rapier with a hole in the blade that works as a giant needle. :smalltongue:

[Amechra]

It should be a Boost. I kinda copypasted that one.

[Hanuman]

This is perfect flavor for a character I'm making, I'll keep it in mind.
Likely this will go on a cohort.

Remember to add it to the list http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=255468

@Innocent Stitch
I like this one, though a few things confuse me:
-What are negative circumstance penalties due to clothing, and how does this counter them?
-How exactly would torn and soiled clothing be worn in court with no penalty?

@Dropped Hems
You should note how this works in pathfinder.
I would say you should deal equal damage to the armor as if you had successfully used a sunder attack, and have the armor fall at their feet.

@Web of Silken
This is fine, I like the Wu Jen flavor a lot.

@Constellation of Stitches
This is nice, especially for dipping.

@Needles left in Silk
What is a Ribbon in terms of counter-attacking?

@Flawless Seamstress Method
Needs spellcheck.
Great stance, really sums up what the kit was lacking until then.

@Scarlet Ribbon
Great boost, lots of flavor and interesting implications.

@Perfect Clothier
Mechanically solid, I don't see any actual context though.

@Seventeen Stitches
Solid as well, the context is vague.

@Utter Lace Defense
This is amazingly powerful, did you mean total concealment?
There's a lot you can flavor with this, like adapting nearby cover, or other materials into the mix.

@Seam Splintering Understanding
Great strike, mechanically solid and good placement.

@Impossibly Elegant
I like this, it's basically Swift Freedom of Movement.

@Needlework Reversal
If this is meant to be a stance I'd also give this the Universal Key's Unbind ability https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cw/20061106a

@Wounds Dismissal
Very lack-luster, you gain a few hitpoints back per day and you can cure poisons and diseases better, but you can't really use it for what the context implies, which is to be a combat medic.

@Weaver's Snarl
Great flavor! Very good debuff. Ribbons "foaming" with lace makes my brain bubble :3

@Needle as Factory
This is fine considering the lack of high powered strikes, though I'd be worried about using this to double up Unweave Blossom

@Wardrobe Envisionment
This is ok, it's not amazingly powerful though.

@Unwoven Blossom
This is decent, it's an amazing debuff and could slay gods, it flavors the user as a team player.


I don't see needles being used as weapons such as a throwing spike or introducing a large needle that is mechanically a kama, using unarmed strikes if you want.

This class makes me think that it should focus on reach weapons, such as with metal wires and chains and weaponized fabrics, to trip, entangle and grapple your foes. The Web of Silken and Snarl maneuvers are really the only traces I see of this.

Feel free to PEACH me back http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15228375