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Propagandalf
2013-08-20, 04:08 PM
Here's my try for a new Swordsage Martial Disciple of Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords.

Critique is more than welcome: what is op, what is underwhelming, spelling mistakes etc.

The one thing that I can say now is that I've basically cherry picked some of the best maneuvers from other disciples to CP. There's the nerf I put in Prerequisites to balance this. Tell me what you think. :smallsmile:

http://www.deviantart.com/download/394700820/the_crimson_path_by_moreeni-d6izt3o.png?token=decb851eac6cc9d1fa0dfb46629b375a f70f9081&ts=1377030488



The Road of Blood and Shadow
The Crimson Path is a Martial Discipline for vampires.

Description
Crimson Path is meant for those who prey upon the living. This martial discipline focuses on how to weaken living subjects and bypass their defenses. The secondary object of the discipline is to function as a guard against rogue vampires, and as such it also encompasses maneuvers suited for bringing down frenzied undead.

Crimson Path maneuvers and stances count as Shadow Hand when fulfilling the prerequisites for maneuvers and stances.

Prerequisites
To qualify for this discipline the character must be a vampire, or some other form of undead that feeds on the living.

Crimson Path gives access to different abilities normally associated to multiple martial disciplines. As a payment for the gained variety, you must forfeit the Insightful Strike gained at level 4 as a sacrifice to the undead forces that power your maneuvers. You gain it at level 12 when you would normally gain the second discipline to add to the Insightful Strike.

To take a 3rd or 4th level Crimson Path maneuver, you need to have at least one earlier maneuver from the discipline. For 5th and 6th level you need at least 2 CP maneuvers. 7th and 8th level maneuvers require 3 CP maneuvers, and 9th level CP maneuvers 4 earlier CP maneuvers.

Maneuvers & Stances

Level 1
Shifting Shadows, Blood Wind, Blade of Blood, Phantom Threat, Thirst Eternal

Level 2
Crimson Tide

Level 3
Twilight Razor, Shadow Bolt, Blood Sires Fortitude

Level 4
-

Level 5
Wide Wounds, Let the Blood Flow, Greater Crimson Tide, Shadow Inferno, Black tempest, Walk the Crimson Path

Level 6
Greater Twilight Razor

Level 7
-

Level 8
-

Level 9
-

Maneuver & Stance Descriptions

Shifting Shadows
Shifting Shadows

Crimson Path (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: No

You leap in to a new position like a shifting shadow.

You can make a jump check as a swift action and move the distance determined by your check result. You provoke attacks of opportunity with this movement, and you must move in a straight line. You can use Tumble/Acrobatics to avoid the attacks of opportunity. You can't move through enemies unless you succeed the appropriate Tumble/Acrobatics check.

This maneuver is identical to Tiger Claws Sudden Leap maneuver.

Blood Wind
Blood Wind

Crimson Path (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: Full attack
Range: 20 ft.
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: No

Your melee attacks launch blood red glowing crescent shaped slashes which hit your target at range.

You can make a full attack action to use all of your natural weapon and melee weapon attacks as if they were thrown weapons with a 20ft. range. You gesture as if making a melee attack, but the result of the attack affects a target within range. This spell does not actually grant reach. The subject uses its normal melee attack bonuses and deals damage normally if it hits, though the target of the attack can benefit from cover or concealment.

This maneuver is identical to the spell Blood Wind (sorc1) from the Spell Compendium p.33 except as noted here: Target is self only. Initiation action is a full attack action instead of swift action. Range is 20ft. instead of the 20 foot range increment as in the spell.

Wide Wounds
Wide Wounds

Crimson Path (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 5
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One living creature
Duration: 1 round / initiator level
Saving Throw: Partial. Fortitude negates
Spell resistance: Yes

A red, skull shaped cloud of energy envelops your melee weapon and disrupts the flow of positive energy in the opponents you hit.

When you use this strike, make a single melee attack. If you hit your opponent you deal damage as with your normal melee attack but your opponent must also succeed a fortitude saving throw (14 + your wisdom modifier). If the saving throw fails, the subject cannot regain hit points or ability score points by any means, nor can the creature remove negative levels, for the duration of the effect. Regeneration or fast healing effects the subject has from any source are suppressed for the duration of the maneuver. Spells that heal damage or ability damage do not work on that individual as long as the maneuver lasts, unless the caster succeeds in a Caster Level check (DC of 11 + your Initiator level).

When the duration of the spell ends, automatic healing abilities such as regeneration and effects from items like ring of regeneration, begin to function again.

This maneuver has no effect on undead creatures.

This maneuver is identical to the spell Graymantle (sorc 5) from the Spell Compendium p.107 except as noted here: the range is melee attack instead of Medium.

Let the Blood Flow
Let the Blood Flow

Crimson Path (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 5
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 round / initiator level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell resistance: Yes

You invoke the power of the Blood Father and a crimson mist swirls around your opponent, weakening its mystic protections.

When you use this strike, make a single melee touch attack. If you hit your opponent it must succeed a will saving throw (15 + your wisdom modifier). If the saving throw fails, the subjects damage reduction is lowered by 5 (to a minimum of 0). When your Initiator level reaches 13 and 17, the subject's damage reduction lowers by additional 5 (a reduction of 10 at Initiator level 13, and a reduction of 15 at Initiator level 17).

This maneuver is identical to the spell Vulnerability (sorc5) from the Spell Compendium p.232 except as noted here: The spell lowers the DR by 5 to a minimum of 5, which would mean the spell has no effect on a DR of 5. The spell has a misprint that says "for every four caster levels beyond 9th, the subject's DR lowers by additional 5" after which it says that the first lowering happens at CL 15, instead of CL13 as it should.

Blade of Blood
Blade of Blood
Crimson Path (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: Personal (Weapon touched)
Target: You
Duration: 1 round / level, or until discharged

Blood erupts from your weapon and drips in thick viscous drops upon the ground.

When you use this Boost, your weapon is infused with baleful energy. The next time your weapon strikes a living creature, it deals an extra 1d6 points of damage against the target of the attack. You can voluntarily take 5 hit points of damage to empower the weapon to deal an extra 2d6 points of damage (for a total of 3d6 points of extra damage). The weapon loses this property if you drop it or lose contact with it.

This maneuver is identical to the spell Blade of Blood (sorc1) from Player's Handbook II p. 103.

Twilight Razor
Twilight Razor
Crimson Path (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 3
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature

Your weapon and eyes are enveloped in shadow, and for a split second you can see your opponents weaknesses.

your mind rather than you physical body allows you to deal grievous injuries to your foes. As part of this maneuver, make a melee attack. If this attack hits, you do not deal normal damage. Instead you make a Concentration check and deal damage according to the result. The damage result cannot be modified by anything.

This maneuver is identical to the Insightful Strike maneuver.


Twilight Razor, Greater

Twilight Razor, Greater
Crimson Path (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 6
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature

Your weapon and eyes are enveloped in shadow, and for a split second you can see your opponents weaknesses.

This maneuver function like the Twilight Razor maneuver except that you deal damage equal to 2 x your Concentration check result.

This maneuver is identical to the Greater Insightful Strike maneuver.


Crimson Tide
Crimson Tide
Crimson Path (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 2
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature or unattended object

Like a falling wave, you strike with the weight and fury of the changing tide.

As part of this maneuver you make a single melee attack. This attack deals extra 2d6 points of damage and automatically overcomes damage reduction and hardness.

This maneuver is identical to the Mountain Hammer maneuver.


Crimson Tide, Greater
Crimson Tide, Greater
Crimson Path (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 5
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature or unattended object

Like a falling wave, you strike with the weight and fury of the changing tide.

This maneuver is identical to the Crimson Tide maneuver, except you deal an extra 6d6 of damage instead of 2d6.

This maneuver is identical to the Elder Mountain Hammer maneuver.

Phantom Threat
Phantom Threat

Crimson Path (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: 30 ft.
Effect: One summoned fire elemental
Duration: 1 round

Your shadow sweeps next to your foe and leaps up from the ground, distracting her.

This boost allows you to conjure a small fire elemental (MM 99) to threaten your enemy, providing you or an ally with the benefit of a flanking position. You can use this ability to place the elemental in any space within the range. The elemental remains for 1 round. It threatens all creatures within its reach. It takes no actions or attacks of opportunity.

This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

This maneuver is identical to the Distracting Ember maneuver, except as noted here: The duration of the effect is 1 round so that you can actually use this maneuver to give the flanking benefit to your allies.

Shadow Inferno
Shadow Inferno

Crimson Path (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 5
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: 30 ft.
Area: Cone
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will half

You reach inwards to your negative energy infused essence and unleash it with a combination of your meditative focus and seething fury.

With this maneuver, you blast forward a cone of burning darkness that deals 6d6 points of negative energy damage to everything in the area. Creatures in the area can attempt a Will save (DC 15 + your Wisdom modifier) for half damage. The negative energy does not heal undead, as it's focused solely on harming the living.

This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

This maneuver is identical to the Dragons Flame maneuver except as noted here: The energy damage this maneuver deals is negative energy instead of fire. The save for half damage is a Will save instead of a Reflex save.

Thirst Eternal
Thirst Eternal

Crimson Path (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance

Everything snaps into a sharp focus as your bestial nature rears its head.

As long as you are in this stance, you gain the Scent special ability (MM 314). If you already have the Scent ability from some other source, your scent ability's range is increased by 10 ft. and you gain a +5 competence bonus on your survival checks to follow tracks.
This maneuver is identical to the Hunter's Sense Stance, except as noted here: Hunter's Sense stance only gives the benefit of the Scent ability.

Black Tempest
Black Tempest

Crimson Path (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 5
Initiation Action: 1 full-round action
Range: Personal
Target: You

Like a wild beast, you throw yourself into the fray. Your weapons are little more than a blur as you hack at your foe with feral speed.

As a part of initiating this maneuver, you make a charge attack. At the end of your charge you can make a full attack instead of a single attack. The bonus to your attack roll from making a charge applies to all your attack rolls.

This maneuver is identical to the Pouncing Charge maneuver.

Walk the Crimson Path
Walk the Crimson Path

Crimson Path (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 5
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: Personal.
Target: You
Duration: Stance

Flowing darkness lined with crimson lifts you off the ground. You walk across the roughest ground, even water, with ease.

While you are in this stance, you can walk up to 5 feet above the ground. Your speed becomes 20 feet while you are in this stance and you cannot run. You ignore any terrain feature that fails to project more than 5 feet above the ground, such as difficult terrain, burning lava, water and so forth. In addition, you ignore the standard penalties for Hide an Move Silently (PF Stealth) checks for moving quickly.

This stance is identical to the Step of the Dancing Moth stance.

Shadow Bolt
Shadow Bolt

Crimson Path (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 3
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: 30 ft.
Target: One creature

You reach inwards to your negative energy infused essence and unleash it in a bolt boiling shadow.

With this maneuver, you launch forward a fist sized ball of burning darkness, with a ranged touch attack, that deals 6d6 points of negative energy damage. The negative energy does not heal undead, as it's focused solely on harming the living.

This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

This maneuver is identical to the Fan the Flames maneuver except as noted here: The energy damage this maneuver deals is negative energy instead of fire.

Blood Sire's Fortitude
Blood Sire's Fortitude

Crimson Path (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 3
Initiation Action: Immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You

Your inhuman mental toughness allows you to overcome physical threats.

You can use this maneuver anytime you would be required to make a Fortitude save. Replace the Fortitude save with a Concentration check. A result of a natural 1 on your concentration check is not an automatic failure.

This maneuver is identical to the Mind Over Body maneuver.