Eldritch Rain (3.5, Supernatural Martial Discipline, Ray based)

[Zaydos]

Eldritch Rain

The eldritch rain was first seen on the fields of battle in Hades, invented by a diabolic servant for use against the tanar'ri in the eternal war. It spread from there to other warlocks who practiced the sublime way. The discipline has changed since its conception, its reliance on fiendish power drawn through pacts being reduced by generations, until Crusaders and Swordsages discovered how to use their divine connection and focused Ki in its place, focusing their spiritual power into a deadly beam to fire at foes from afar. Even so warlock-initiators remain among the most common followers of the discipline, using it to rain destruction on their foes from afar.

New Maneuver Type: Blast

Blast marks a new type of martial maneuver found in the Eldritch Rain discipline. These eldritch maneuvers are, as a general rule, strikes which function as ranged touch attacks made within a fixed range. Maneuvers with this Blast tag have special rules, however, if the user is capable of using an eldritch blast or elemental blast (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?312765-Jinnblood-%28Base-Class-Contest-XIX-winner-PEACH%29). If the user has such abilities they may add the damage from their eldritch blast (or elemental blast) to the damage of the Blast maneuver and may also apply an Eldritch Essence (or Elemental Essence) they possess to it. If they do so it becomes a spell-like ability with a spell level of the maneuver's level or that of any Eldritch Essence applied (whichever is higher), but you may not apply Empower/Maximize/Quicken Spell-like Ability (Eldritch Blast) to them, but due to the sublime essences within it the spell-like ability does not allow Spell Resistance. In gestalt games add 1/2 the damage from an eldritch blast instead.

Associated Skill: Concentration.

Discipline Weapons: Rays, eldritch blast (any form), any weapon when using Hideous Blow through it.

Learning Eldritch Rain: A crusader, swordsage or argent blade (www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?253721-The-Argent-Blade-(3-5-Base-Class-ToB)) may exchange access to any martial discipline to gain access to Eldritch Rain; unless they have traded away Concentration through trading disciplines this does not change their class skills if they have they lose the lost discipline's associated skill and gain Concentration instead. A Wildwood Knight (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401772-Wildwood-Knight-%28Fey-themed-martial-initiator-Base-Class-PEACH%29) may trade access to Diamond Mind or White Raven to gain access to Eldritch Rain.

Maneuver List

Enervating Ray: 1st, Strike, Blast. Ray inflicts strength penalty.
Ghostly Shove: 1st, Strike, Blast. Ray knocks target back.
Light Blast: 1st, Strike, Blast. Ray deals 1d6+IL damage.
Supporting Fire: 1st, Stance. Gain precise shot, flank with ranged attacks.
Take Aim: 1st, Boost. Gain +5 insight bonus to next ranged attack.
Deflecting Aura: 2nd, Counter. Add Charisma to AC, ray automatically misses you.
Marking Bolt: 2nd, Strike, Blast. Ray deals 1d6+IL damage, marks target for later attacks.
Spread Shot: 2nd, Strike, Blast. Shoot 3 rays dealing 1d6+IL damage towards a cluster of foes.
Heavy Blast: 3rd, Strike, Blast. Ray deals 4d6 + 1d6/2 IL above 5th damage.
Long Ray Stance: 3rd, Stance. Double range of rays.
Seeking Beam: 3rd, Strike, Blast. Long ranged beam seeks target.
Blinding Bolt: 4th, Strike, Blast. Bolt of light deals fire damage and blinds target.
Ricochet Bolt: 4th, Strike, Blast. Ray bounces from target to target until it misses or runs out of targets.
Concentrated Blast: 5th, Strike, Blast. Ray deals 1d6 damage/IL.
Energy Duplicate: 5th, Boost. Create an energy clone of yourself.
Warding Aura: 5th, Stance. Shine like a candle and inflict miss chance to ranged attacks.
Solid Blast: 6th, Strike, Blast. Continuous stream of energy within a 120-ft line deals damage and knocks back.
Sudden Blast: 6th, Strike, Blast. Heavy Blast as a swift action.
Necrotizing Blast: 7th, Strike, Blast. Ray deals negative energy damage, if it kills a target they temporarily rise as a zombie under your command. Penetrating Ray: 7th, Strike, Blast. Ray hits targets in 90-ft line, passes through walls.
Reflect Pain: 7th, Counter, Blast. Reduce damage from attack and retaliate in kind.
Blasting Stance: 8th, Stance. Taking damage refreshes a Blast if you have none.
Surging Blast: 8th, Strike, Blast. Ray deals 2d6 damage/IL.
Prism Blast: 9th, Strike, Blast. Ray deals 2d6 damage/IL and dazes, then splits into 6 smaller rays which each deal 1d6 damage/2 IL and various effects.



Eldritch Rain Feats

Enfeebling Rain:
Your blasts whittle away at a creature's strength leaving it weaker and weaker.
Prerequisites: One Eldritch Rain maneuver.
Benefit: You maneuvers deal 1 Strength damage in addition to their normal effects.

[b]Drops of Dark Rain:
The Eldritch Rain discipline draws upon the dark powers of warlocks and their seemingly inexhaustible supply of power. By mastering the dark rain you are able to draw upon the release of power when a creature falls in combat, turn your pain into power, and conserve some of the power of your blasts to fire it out against them once more.
Prerequisites: Enfeebling Rain, BAB +6, and 2 Eldritch Rain Maneuvers.
Benefit: The Drops of Dark Rain feat grants you three tactical options.
Downpour of Dark Rain: To use this option you must have hit a target with a [Blast] maneuver. On the next round you may, as a standard action, release a ray against the target with the same range as the [Blast] maneuver you used against them in the last round. This ray functions as a ranged touch attack dealing 1d6 damage per 2 Initiator Levels you possess and is considered to be a [Blast] maneuver for interaction with Eldritch Blast and the Enfeebling Rain feat (but not for the purposes of this feat).
Retribution of Dark Lightning: To use this option you must receive damage from a melee attack. On your next turn any [Blast] maneuvers you initiate do not provoke attacks of opportunity from that target either for making a ranged attack or if you are using it as a spell-like ability. In addition if you hit that target with a [Blast] maneuver you deal +1 damage per 3 Initiator Levels and may make a special Charisma check opposed by their Strength check. You add 1/2 your Initiator Level to this check and they add all modifiers they would normally add to resist a Bull Rush. If you succeed you push them 5-ft away from you +5-ft per 3 points by which you won the check.
Eldritch Deluge: To use this option you must down an enemy with a [Blast] maneuver. You may immediately use that same [Blast] maneuver (even if it is already expended) as a Swift action.

[Zaydos]

Eldritch Rain Maneuvers

Sorted by level and alphabetically.

1st Level Maneuvers

Enervating Ray
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
Level: 1st
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 60-ft.
Target: 1 living creature.
Duration: 1 minute.
You release a beam of pure shadow at your target, sapping their strength and power.
When you initiate this maneuver make a ranged touch attack against a target within range. This attack does not deal damage, instead the target suffers a 1d4+1 penalty to their Strength score for the duration. A creature immune to ability damage or to negative energy is immune to this effect.

This is a supernatural effect.

Ghostly Shove
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
[b]Level: 1st
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 60-ft.
Target: 1 living creature.
You raise your hand, palm towards your foe, releasing a pulse of pure force at them to knock them away.
When you initiate this maneuver make a ranged touch attack against a target within range. This attack does not deal damage. Instead if you hit you may attempt to push the target back. You make an initiator level check adding your Charisma modifier to it against a roll by your opponent as if they were resisting a Bull Rush. If you win the check you push them back 5-ft + 5-ft for every 5 points you won the check by (you may not choose to push them back less).

This is a supernatural effect.

Light Blast
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
[b]Level: 1st
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 60-ft.
Target: 1 creature or object.
You release a bolt of eldritch energy from your hand, firing it in a concentrated ray towards a target.
When you use this maneuver you may make a single ranged touch attack with a range of 60-ft, which deals 1d6 plus your initiator level damage on a hit. This damage is untyped magical damage.

This is a supernatural effect.

Supporting Fire
Eldritch Rain (Stance)
Level: 1st
Initiation Action: Swift.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.
You analyze the combat, firing past friends to strike foes, capitalizing on the distraction allies may provide against your foes.
While in this stance you gain the benefit of the Precise Shot feat and if when making a ranged attack you would flank your enemy if using a melee weapon with reach = your attack’s range you are considered to be flanking that target; you do not, however, grant flanking benefits to allies.

Take Aim
Eldritch Rain (Boost)
Level: 1st
Initiation Action: Swift.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: 1 round or until discharged.
You focus your mind noting openings and preparing yourself to strike out at a foe.
When you initiate this maneuver you gain a +4 insight bonus to your next ranged attack roll made before the start of your next turn.

[B]2nd Level Maneuvers

Deflecting Aura
Eldritch Rain (Counter)
Level: 2nd
Prerequisites: 1 Eldritch Rain maneuver.
Initiation Action: Immediate.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Releasing a pulse of eldritch energy from your entire body you deflect attacks coming towards you.
You may activate this maneuver is response to an attack you are aware of before knowing the outcome of the roll. You add your Charisma modifier as a Deflection bonus to AC against that attack, and if it is a ray or other magical ranged touch effect it automatically misses.

This is a supernatural effect.

Marking Bolt
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
Level: 2nd
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 60-ft.
Target: You and 1 creature, or object.
Duration: Until you use this maneuver again.
You release a bolt of energy towards a target. This beam strikes them and leaves them charged with an energy visible only to you, which seems to draw your blows to it.
When you use this maneuver you may make a single ranged touch attack with a range of 60-ft, which deals 1d6 plus your initiator level damage on a hit; this damage is untyped magical damage. If you hit the target is marked with your eldritch signature. They radiate light as a torch to your eyes only, and you gain a +4 bonus to attack rolls with eldritch (or elemental) blasts and Blast maneuvers against them. This bonus lasts until you use this maneuver again against a different target.

This is a supernatural effect.

Spread Shot
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
[b]Level: 2nd
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 50-ft.
Target: 3 creatures or objects within 10-ft of each other.
You shape your destructive energy into a powerful bolt of pure magical force. When it strikes a target it bounces away to strike another, then another.
When you use this maneuver you may make a single ranged touch attack with a range of 50-ft against each of 3 creatures which must each be within 10-ft of at least one other target (the ground is a valid target). These attacks deal 1d6 plus your initiator level damage on a hit. This damage is untyped magical damage.

This is a supernatural effect.

[B]3rd Level Maneuvers

Heavy Blast
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
Level: 3rd
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 60-ft.
Target: 1 creature or object.
You concentrate your spiritual energy into a heavy blast extending from the tip of your finger.
When you use this maneuver you may make a single ranged touch attack with a range of 60-ft, which deals 4d6 damage +1d6 damage per 2 initiator levels beyond 5th on a hit. This damage is untyped magical damage.

This is a supernatural effect.

Long Ray Stance
Eldritch Rain (Stance)
Level: 3rd
Prerequisites: 1 Eldritch Rain maneuver.
Initiation Action: Swift.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.
Concentrating your ki you are able to interlace it through rays preventing them from diffraction and dissipation, effectively increasing their range.
While in this stance the range of all rays, and other magical ranged touch effects, you use is doubled.

This is a supernatural effect.

Seeking Beam
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
[b]Level: 3rd
Prerequisites: 1 Eldritch Rain Maneuver
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 300-ft.
Target: 1 creature or object.
You release a pristine silver beam which curves and twists to seek out your foe.
When you use this maneuver you may make a single ranged touch attack at +4 against a target within 300-ft. This attack ignores cover and concealment less than total and deals 3d6 damage + 1d6 damage per 2 initiator levels beyond 5th on a hit.

This is a supernatural effect.

[B]4th Level Maneuvers

Blinding Bolt
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
Level: 4th
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 60-ft.
Target: 1 creature.
Saving Throw: Reflex partial.
Duration: 1 round.
You release a bolt of pure light, burning hot and bright with energy. It strikes your foe with a flash, blinding them.
When you use this maneuver you may make a single ranged touch attack with a range of 60-ft, which deals 6d6 fire damage +1d6 fire damage per 2 initiator levels beyond 7th on a hit. If you hit the target must make a Reflex save or be blinded for 1 round. If used on a creature with light sensitivity they suffer a -2 penalty on their saving throw, if used on a creature with light blindness they are not allowed a saving throw. Against creatures harmed by sunlight such as wraiths and vampires, this maneuver deals +1 damage per die.

This is a supernatural effect.

Ricochet Bolt
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
[b]Level: 4th
Prerequisites: 2 Eldritch Rain Maneuvers
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 60-ft.
Target: 1 or more creatures or objects within range.
You concentrate your spiritual energy into a heavy blast extending from the tip of your finger.
When you use this maneuver you may make a single ranged touch attack with a range of 60-ft against target within range. If it hits the target it ricochets away, allowing you to target another creature that has not already been targeted with this within 15-ft of the first target, but with a -2 to hit. This beam continues to ricochet until there are no new targets within range (note the blast may target walls or the ground, treating each square as a separate target) or it misses, but it suffers a cumulative -2 to hit per ricochet. These attacks deal 5d6 damage +1d6 damage per 2 initiator levels beyond 7th on a hit. This damage is untyped magical damage.

This is a supernatural effect.

[B]5th Level Maneuvers

Concentrated Blast
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
Level: 5th
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 90-ft.
Target: 1 creature or object.
You concentrate a your spiritual energy into one finger, concentrating it into a fine point before firing it towards an opponent.
When you use this maneuver you may make a single ranged touch attack with a range of 90-ft, which deals 1d6 damage per initiator level. This damage is untyped magical damage.

This is a supernatural effect.

Energy Duplicate
Eldritch Rain (Boost)
Level: 5th
Prerequisites: 2 Eldritch Rain maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Swift.
Range: 5-ft.
Effect: A duplicate of yourself.
Duration: 3 rounds.
You allow your energy to swell up within yourself, creating a duplicate of your own form. Splitting from it you act through it, using it to delude foes.
When you initiate this maneuver you create a duplicate of yourself in any square adjacent to you, or in your own square moving into an adjacent square when you do so. If you are large you automatically move 5-ft as part of this maneuver and your duplicate appears opposite your movement; if you are huge you move 5 or 10-ft and the same happens; if you are gargantuan you move 10-ft and the same happens; if you are colossal 15-ft. This duplicate has 20% of your maximum hit points. Whenever you take a move action your duplicate may move as well, and your duplicate may take a 5-ft step whenever you do so. Other actions you may choose to have yourself or your duplicate perform. Your duplicate retains all active spell effects, and items you possess, but limited use magic items (including ammunition) lose all magical properties. Whenever you take an action you may choose to instead have your duplicate take that action (otherwise it does not get actions of its own), and you may activate abilities through your duplicate casting spells through it, initiating maneuvers, etc. Your energy duplicate can even make attacks of opportunity for you, these count against your number of attacks of opportunity each round, and only one of you may make an attack of opportunity against a single action which provokes. You have a total sensory link with your duplicate and experience anything it experiences even across interplanar distances. As you share one mind and mind-affecting effect which affects it affects you as well. Your duplicate is completely indistinguishable from you except that it has 20% of your maximum hit points and ceases to exist after 3 rounds. You may have multiple Energy Duplicates extant at a time, but your Energy Duplicate cannot make an Energy Duplicate itself.

This is a supernatural effect.

Warding Aura
Eldritch Rain (Stance)
Level: 5th
Prerequisites: 2 Eldritch Rain maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Swift.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.
You surround yourself with a corona of eldritch energy which deflects rays and even arrows.
While in this stance you produce bright light out to 5-ft and shadowy illumination another 5-ft as eldritch energy arcs and coruscates across your body. Ray attacks and similar magical range touch attacks against you have a 50% miss chance, and suffer a -4 penalty to hit. Other ranged attacks against you suffer a 20% miss chance, and suffer a -2 penalty to hit.

This is a supernatural effect.

[B]6th Level Maneuvers

Solid Blast
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
Level: 6th
Prerequisites: 2 Eldritch Rain maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 120-ft.
Area: Line
Saving Throw: Reflex half.
Raising one hand you release a surging burst of energy from it, a solid stream of eldritch power which forces back everything in its path.
When you use this maneuver you release a burst of energy within a 120-ft long line which deals 1d6 (untyped magic) damage per initiator level. Any creature and unattended magic item within the area is allowed a Reflex save (DC 16 + your Charisma modifier) for half damage and if they fail they are pushed back 5-ft directly away from you.

This is a supernatural effect.

Sudden Blast
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
[b]Level: 6th
Prerequisites: 2 Eldritch Rain maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Swift.
Range: 30-ft.
Target: 1 creature or object.
You release a light surge of quickly gathered energy from your hand, firing a short ranged blast towards a foe.
When you use this maneuver you may make a single ranged touch attack with a range of 30-ft, which deals 7d6 damage +1d6 damage per 2 initiator levels beyond 11th. This damage is untyped magical damage.

This is a supernatural effect.

[B]7th Level Maneuvers

Necrotizing Blast
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
Level: 7th
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 50-ft.
Target: 1 living creature.
You release a ray of concentrated negative energy into your target, striking into their heart to extinguish their life. As their life is extinguished, you stir something else in its place, causing them to rise again.
When you use this maneuver you may make a single ranged touch attack with a range of 50-ft, which deals 1d6 damage per initiator level, this damage is caused by negative energy and does no damage to creatures which are immune to or healed by negative energy nor does it heal them. If a creature is killed by this maneuver they rise as a zombie under your control at the beginning of your next turn; unlike a normal zombie they do not gain double hit dice. After 10 minutes the corpse collapses the dread forces no longer animating it.

This is a supernatural effect.

Penetrating Ray
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
[b]Level: 7th
Prerequisites: 2 Eldritch Rain maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 90-ft.
Area: Line
Raising one finger you release a powerful ray of energy. This ray passes through targets, even those it does not destroy, eradicating everything in its path.
When you use this maneuver you release a stream of energy within a 90-ft long line. Make a single attack roll and compare it to the AC of all creatures (and unattended objects) in the line, the stream deals 1d6 (untyped magic) damage per initiator level to any creature or object it strikes. This attack ignores cover, including total cover except that provided by 3" of Adamantine or 1" of lead, although you must still roll for concealment and other miss chances and many forms of total cover provide total concealment.

This is a supernatural effect.

Reflect Pain
Eldritch Rain (Counter)
[b]Level: 7th
Prerequisites: 3 Eldritch Rain maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Immediate.
Range: 30-ft.
Target: 1 creature or object.
You prepare your body
You may activate this maneuver if you would take damage from a source you are aware of. You reduce the damage by up to twice your initiator level and may make a ranged touch attack roll against a target within 30-ft, without provoking attacks of opportunity. If you hit you deal damage to that target equal to the amount of damage prevented by this maneuver. Despite being a counter this maneuver is a Blast and you may apply Eldritch Essence and Eldritch Blast damage to it normally.

This is a supernatural effect.

[B]8th Level Maneuvers

Blasting Stance
Eldritch Rain (Stance)
Level: 8th
Prerequisites: 3 Eldritch Rain maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Swift.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.
A disciple of the Eldritch Rain is constantly flowing with eldritch energies. Redirecting pain into power to fuel their offense.
While in this stance if you have no Blast maneuver unexpended and you take lethal damage you may instantly refresh one expended Blast maneuver that you have not used within the last round.

This is a supernatural effect.

Surging Blast
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
Level: 8th
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 120-ft.
Target: 1 creature or object.
You concentrate your spiritual energy into the tip of your finger, overloading it with power, firing a surging beam of energy.
When you use this maneuver you may make a single ranged touch attack with a range of 120-ft, which deals 1d6+2 damage per initiator level. This damage is untyped magical damage.

This is a supernatural effect.

[B]9th Level Maneuvers

Prism Blast
Eldritch Rain (Strike)
[b]Level: 9th
Prerequisites: 5 Eldritch Rain maneuvers
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: 90-ft.
Target: 1 or more creatures.
Saving Throw: See text.
Duration: 1 round.
You focus your energies into a ray of pure white light which shoots out to strike a foe before erupting into six smaller colored rays which strike at your foes.
When you use this maneuver you may make a single ranged touch attack with a range of 90-ft, which deals 1d6+1 (untyped magic) damage per initiator level and the target must make a Will save (DC 17 + your Charisma modifier) or be Dazed for 1 round. If you hit six colored rays of light then shoot out from your target. Each ray streaks towards a different creature of your choice within 15-ft of the original target, you do not have to target all six possible creatures but no creature may be targeted by more than 1 ray. The red ray deals 1d6 fire damage per initiator level you possess and the target must make a Reflex save or catch on fire taking half that much damage in the next round. The blue ray deals 1d6 cold damage per initiator level you possess and the target must make a Fortitude save or be covered in a layer of rime entangling them for 1 round. The green ray deals 1d6 acid damage per initiator level you possess and the target must make a Fortitude save if they took damage or have their combined Armor and Natural Armor bonus to Armor Class reduced by 10 for 1 round. The yellow ray deals 1d6 electricity damage per initiator level you possess and the target must make a Fortitude save if they took damage or be rendered flat-footed for 1 round. The orange ray deals 1d6 untyped damage per initiator level. The violet ray deals 4 points of damage to each of the targets ability scores, a successful Fortitude save reduces this to 2 points of damage to each ability score.

This is a supernatural effect.

[Zaydos]

As a note, feel free to post comments, suggestions, etc. Not done working yet, but you can see what direction I'm going as well as I can at this point.

Edit: Think the 3rd level stance should be higher level? Or maybe it'd be cooler as a feat?

Made it 8th level.

[Jurai]

Don't forget a tactical feat, Zaydos. But, what I've read seems neat enough.

[Zaydos]

Don't forget a tactical feat, Zaydos. But, what I've read seems neat enough.

Added a tactical feat, not sure if it's balanced (not sure if most of this discipline is balanced) but it's there.

[Hanuman]

Some stay dry and others feel the pain.

Cannot unsee.