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Zaydos
2015-03-18, 07:31 PM
Adamant Eagle

The Adamant Eagle was a discipline never taught in the Temple of Nine Swords, despite a long and prestigious history. In the time of the Temple the Adamant Eagle, then known as the Adamant Vanguard, was a collection of martial techniques developed by the Emperor's Guard of a powerful dwarven empire. These maneuvers were taught to none outside of the royal guard, and even Reshar himself could not gain knowledge of these secret techniques. Since the fall of the Temple the dwarven empire fell into ruins itself, and the honor guard was scattered to the four winds. Desperate to keep the line of succession of these techniques alive the dwarven honor guard loosened their requirements on students and slowly the techniques spread. When the core techniques of the Adamant Vanguard were coupled with fledgling human martial disciplines they morphed and changed, becoming the Adamant Eagle as it is today.

The Adamant Eagle is a discipline dedicated to the protection of others. Invented by a dwarven honor guard, it remains to this day a collection of techniques designed for use by bodyguards. It maneuvers allow for the practitioner to interpose themselves in the path of attacks, to halt enemies, and to parry blows coming towards their allies. The practitioners favor reach weapons which allow them to watch over large areas, and pin down foes with the strength of their steel.

Associated Skill: Spot.

Discipline Weapons: Dwarven War-Pike, Glaive, Guisarme, Longspear, Ranseur, Shields, Spiked Chain, and Trident. While in an Adamant Eagle stance you may use discipline weapons with the reach quality against adjacent foes.

Gaining the Adamant Eagle Discipline: An argent blade, crusader, morphic claw, swordsage, or warblade may trade access to any discipline they possess to gain the Adamant Eagle in its place, adding Spot to their class skill list if it was not already there. A wildwood knight may trade access to any discipline other than Star Dream to gain the Adamant Eagle in its place, adding Spot to their class skill list.

Maneuvers List

Covering Strike: 1st, Strike. Target can't make attacks of opportunity for 1 round.
Hold the Pass: 1st, Stance. Creatures can't move through your square, resist forced movement.
Intercepting Steel: 1st, Stance. Allies in your reach gain a bonus to AC.
Pressing Attack: 1st, Strike. Attack pushes target 5-ft.
Guardian's Last Surge: 2nd, Counter. Act for 1 round despite impediments.
Intercept Blow: 2nd, Counter. Swap places with ally, taking a blow intended for them.
Steeling Strike: 2nd, Strike. Attack target and gain temp hp equal to twice your IL for 1 round.
Adamant Retribution: 3rd, Stance. Gain +2 to hit and +2d6 damage against targets which have damaged allies.
Foe-Locking Strike: 3rd, Strike. +2d6 damage and you and target cannot move.
Interposing Shield: 3rd, Counter. Make attack roll to parry attack against a target in your melee reach.
Interposing Step: 3rd, Counter. Move half your speed to block way towards an ally.
Interrupting Jab: 4th, Counter. Make a feinting strike to stop a target's movement.
Plunging Talon: 4th, Strike. Deal +4d6 damage and the target is rendered flat-footed for 1 round.
Adamant Presence: 5th, Boost. Terrify foes into immobility.
Darting Guardian Talons: 5th, Stance. Make attack of opportunity on creatures that strike your allies.
Parrying Talon: 5th, Counter. Gain +8 dodge bonus against specific foe for 1 round.
Force Back: 6th, Strike. +5d6 damage, drive the target back.
Hindering Attack: 6th, Counter. Make an attack against an attacking creature, deal 1/2 damage and inflict a penalty on their attack roll equal to that amount.
Clear the Path: 7th, Strike. Charge forward striking each creature you pass by, pushing them 5-ft back.
Force Enmity: 7th, Strike. Attack deals +7d6 damage, and the target may not attack unless it is attacking you for 1 round.
Claim Attention: 8th, Strike. Attack all foes within range, forcing them to attack you if they fail their Will save.
Rearguard's Watch: 8th, Stance. Attacks reduce target's speed to 5-ft.
Spirit of Adamant: 9th, Boost. +30 to AC and saves for 1 round.



Adamant Eagle Feats:

Adamant Guard's Defense
To defend others one must not fall, even as your eagle eye turns towards their protection you act to shield and guard yourself.
Prerequisites: Spot 4 ranks, one Adamant Eagle stance.
Benefit: While in an Adamant Eagle stance you gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC.

Shielding Wings
A practitioner of the Adamant Eagle learns how to shield others as well as themselves with the dance of steel.
Prerequisites: Combat Expertise, Spot 4 ranks, one Adamant Eagle maneuver.
Benefit: You may use Combat Expertise when using a martial Strike. In addition if wielding an Adamant Eagle discipline weapon or wearing a shield when you use Combat Expertise allies within your melee reach gain half the bonus to AC.

Feather Vanguard [Tactical]
The Adamant Vanguard stood alongside the Emperor at the front of the dwarven army, their skills allowing him to stand amidst the heaviest fighting without the least concern. They formed an iron wall, channeling foes away, and cutting through enemy formations to make a path through any force that sought to crush his life. While the style has evolved its practitioners still learn to channel the flow of battle, beating foes away from their companions and locking their foes into single combat with them and them alone.
Prerequisites: Shielding Wings, Base Attack Bonus +6, two Adamant Eagle maneuvers.
Benefit: The Talon Vanguard feat enables the use of three tactical options.
Guardian's Talon: To use this option you must make an Adamant Eagle strike against an opponent which attacked an ally of yours (other than yourself) and take a penalty to the attack with the Combat Expertise feat. If you hit you gain a bonus to damage equal to twice the penalty you took from Combat Expertise.
Battering Wings: To use this option you must have taken a -5 penalty to attack rolls from Combat Expertise within the last round and make an attack with an Adamant Eagle discipline weapon without using Combat Expertise. If you hit you may move the target of the attack 5-ft; you may only use this option once per round.
Shepherding Screech: To use this option you must attack a foe which attacked you within the last round and take a penalty to the attack with the Combat Expertise feat. If you hit, until the end of your next turn that target suffers a penalty to attack rolls against creatures other than you equal to the penalty you took from the Combat Expertise feat.

Zaydos
2015-03-18, 07:37 PM
Adamant Eagle Maneuvers

Sorted by level and alphabetically.

1st Level Maneuvers

Covering Strike
Adamant Eagle (Strike)
Level: 1st
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: Melee attack.
Target: 1 creature.
Duration: 1 round.
You strike your foe with a powerful blow to capture its attention, weapon darting and weaving to keep their focus.
This functions as the Douse the Flames White Raven maneuver (ToB; page 91)

Hold the Pass
Adamant Eagle (Stance)
Level: 1st
Initiation Action: Swift.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.
Planting your feet you hold firm, letting no one pass by you, holding your ground against foes no matter how large or small, shifting to body check enemies.
While in this stance enemies cannot move through your space regardless of their size. You gain immunity to Overrun attempts, and if you choose not to make a Reflex save against a Trample attack it immediately ends their movement in the square they attempted to enter yours from; you still receive damage and may make an attack of opportunity. As a final benefit you gain a +4 bonus on any checks or saves to prevent yourself from being moved or knocked prone.

Intercepting Steel
Adamant Eagle (Stance)
Level: 1st
Initiation Action: Swift.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.
Weapon at the ready you watch over your allies, deflecting blows directed at them.
While you are in this stance your move your weapon with lightning like fluidity deflecting attacks directed towards your allies. As long as you are aware of an attack and able to apply your Dexterity modifier to AC, allies within your melee reach gain a +1 bonus to AC, this bonus is further increased by any bonus you receive with your weapon from (Greater) Weapon Focus, and it is also increased by any enhancement bonus to attack rolls your weapon receives. This AC bonus does not apply to yourself.

Pressing Attack
Adamant Eagle (Strike)
Level: 1st
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: Melee attack.
Target: 1 creature.
You press your foe with your weapon forcing them back away from your allies.
When you initiate this maneuver make a single melee attack. If you hit make a special Bull Rush check. If you win the opposed check you may move your enemy 5-ft in any direction (including towards you); this does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

2nd Level Maneuvers

Guardian’s Last Surge
Adamant Eagle (Counter)
Level: 2nd
Prerequisites: 1 Adamant Eagle maneuver.
Initiation Action: Immediate action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: 1 round.
Through sheer force of will, you hold your body together forcing yourself to move and act despite impediment and death.
When you initiate this maneuver you may continue to act normally for the duration despite injuries, or effects which would daze you, stun you, paralyze you, knock you unconscious, or kill you. You still suffer the effects of such effects, but they are delayed from affecting you for 1 round. For example you may act normally despite failing a save versus carrion crawler poison for 1 round before becoming paralyzed, or being at -8 hit points. If you are dead you are still killed, and healing you of the damage dealt which killed you will not reverse it, you must still be revived normally.

Intercept Blow
Adamant Eagle (Counter)
Level: 2nd
Initiation Action: Immediate.
Range: 5-ft.
Targets: You and willing creature in range.
You switch positions with an ally taking any blows intended for them.
When you initiate this maneuver you and a willing creature within range switch places. You may initiate this maneuver in response to an attack or effect that you are aware of targeting the creature you switch position with. If you do so you become its target instead. If the effect was targeting both of you (such as a multi-target spell) you are both still targeted.

Steeling Strike
Adamant Eagle (Strike)
Level: 2nd
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: Personal.
Targets: You.
Duration: 1 round.
You strike at a foe, even as you focus yourself to withstand the onslaught of your foes, drawing upon the blow’s force to strengthen your own body.
As part of this maneuver make a melee attack against one creature. If you hit you gain temporary hit points equal to twice your Initiator Level. These temporary hit points last 1 round.

3rd Level Maneuvers

Adamant Retribution
Adamant Eagle (Stance)
Level: 3rd
Prerequisites: 1 Adamant Eagle maneuver.
Initiation Action: Swift.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.
A trained protector, you strike hardest against those who have struck those under your care.
While in this stance you gain a +2 bonus to hit and +2d6 damage against any creature which has attacked an ally of yours (other than yourself) within the last round.

For purposes of this stance, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe (of the creature making the attack) or whose area or effect includes a foe. (Exactly who is a foe depends on the character’s perceptions.) Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Spells such as bless that specifically affect allies but not foes are not attacks for this purpose, even when they include foes in their area.

Foe-Locking Strike
Adamant Eagle (Strike)
Level: 3rd
Initiation Action: Standard action.
Range: Melee attack.
Target: 1 creature.
Duration: 1 round
You strike at your foe, pinning them with your body and weapon, pinning yourself against them.
As part of this maneuver make a melee attack. This attack deals +2d6 damage and if you hit you neither you nor your target may move and you both suffer a -4 penalty to attack rolls against creatures other than each other for 1 round.

Interposing Shield
Adamant Eagle (Counter)
Level: 3rd
Prerequisites: 1 Adamant Eagle maneuver.
Initiation Action: Immediate action.
Range: Melee reach.
Target: 1 creature.
You interpose your blade between your foe and their target, turning aside their attack with skill and finesse.
You may initiate this maneuver in response to a melee or ranged attack that you are aware of targeted at a creature within your melee reach (including yourself). Make an attack roll and compare it to the attack roll of the triggering attack. If your attack roll is higher the attack misses.

Interposing Step
Adamant Eagle (Counter)
Level: 3rd
Prerequisites: 2 Adamant Eagle maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Immediate action.
Range: Personal.
Targets: You.
As a foe moves you move as well, pushing in to block their path to your ally.
You may initiate this maneuver when an enemy moves towards one of your allies. You may move up to one-half your speed; this movement must put you in the path the enemy is taking to your ally; your enemy may then re-choose its path from the last square it entered on the way outside of your (new) threatened area.

4th Level Maneuvers

Interrupting Jab
Adamant Eagle (Counter)
Level: 4th
Prerequisites: 1 Adamant Eagle maneuver.
Initiation Action: Immediate Action.
Range: Melee.
Target: 1 creature.
Like a diving hawk you lash out at the slightest sign of movement, your weapon plunging towards a foe, not aiming to strike them but to strike in front of them momentarily halting their movement.
You may initiate this maneuver when a creature attempts to move out of a square you threaten, this maneuver taking place before any attacks of opportunity related to that movement, and potentially preventing them. Make an attack roll opposed by the target’s Reflex save. If you win the target’s movement is immediately stopped before they can leave the square or it can provoke attacks of opportunity; if they have remaining actions they may move as normal and if this is the first square they would have moved they may still take a 5-ft step (unless it was a 5-ft step in which case their 5-ft step is expended).

Plunging Talon
Adamant Eagle (Strike)
Level: 4th
Prerequisites: 1 Adamant Eagle maneuver.
Initiation Action: Standard Action.
Range: Melee attack.
Target: 1 creature.
The Adamant Eagle watches carefully, looking for the proper moment to strike out distracting a foe so that they focus is lost and an opening is created for your allies.
This maneuver functions as White Raven Strike (ToB pg 94).

5th Level Maneuvers

Adamant Presence
Adamant Eagle (Boost) [Mind-Affecting, Fear]
Level: 5th
Prerequisites: 2 Adamant Eagle maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Swift action.
Range: Melee.
Target: All enemies within range.
Saving Throw: Will negates.
Duration: 1 round
Planting yourself, your gaze passes across the battlefield. Surrounding yourself in a silent aura of predatory menace and terror, you cause foes to freeze with terror.
While this maneuver is active enemies you threaten which attempt to move must make a Will save (DC 15 + your Strength modifier) or be unable to move, the attempted action wasted. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Darting Guardian Talons
Adamant Eagle (Stance)
Level: 5th
Prerequisites: 2 Adamant Eagle maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Swift.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.
Like the hawk you dart and strike with a lightning like speed, striking at the smallest opening created when a foe turns their focus to strike at another creature.
While in this stance creatures provoke attacks of opportunity from you whenever they make an attack that does not include you in its area or among its targets.
For purposes of this stance, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe (of the creature making the attack) or whose area or effect includes a foe. (Exactly who is a foe depends on the character’s perceptions.) Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Spells such as bless that specifically affect allies but not foes are not attacks for this purpose, even when they include foes in their area.

Parrying Talon
Adamant Eagle (Counter)
Level: 5th
Initiation Action: Immediate action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Until your next turn
While the Adamant Eagle focuses on defending others, it understands that once it holds a foes attention it must survive it. Eyes watching your foe closely you sweep your weapon with highly trained speed batting aside attacks against you.
Select a creature you gain a +8 dodge bonus against that creature until the start of your next turn.

6th Level Maneuvers

Force Back
Adamant Eagle (Strike)
Level: 6th
Initiation Action: Standard.
Range: Melee.
Target: 1 creature.
You strike your foe driving them back away from your charge as you rush forward, to pin them.
When you use this maneuver make a melee attack. This attack deals an additional +5d6 damage and you may make an opposed Strength check against the target, using all bonuses and penalties as a bull rush. If you win you may push the target back up, forcing them to move up to 1/2 your speed +5-ft, you must move along with them to push them more than 5-ft (like with a bull rush).

Hindering Attack
Adamant Eagle (Counter)
Level: 6th
Prerequisites: 2 Adamant Eagle maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Immediate.
Range: Melee.
Target: 1 attacking creature.
Seeing a foe prepare to strike out you react with a swift blow of your own which serves to disrupt their attack, leaving it awkward and easily avoided.
You may initiate this maneuver when a creature you threaten makes an attack. Make an attack against that target dealing ½ damage and they suffer a penalty to their attack roll equal to the damage they receive from this attack.

7th Level Maneuvers

Clear the Path
Adamant Eagle (Strike)
Level: 7th
Prerequisites: 3 Adamant Eagle maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Standard Action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
You rush forward across the battlefield striking left and right, pushing foes from your path to clear the way for your companions to retreat.
When you initiate this maneuver move up to twice your speed in a straight line. You may make a single melee attack against each enemy you threaten during any part of this movement. On a hit you deal your normal damage and make an opposed Strength check against that target, any bonuses or penalties which apply on Bull Rush checks apply to this check, if you win you may move the target 5-ft in any direction.

Force Enmity
Adamant Eagle (Strike)
Level: 7th
Prerequisites: 3 Adamant Eagle maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Standard action.
Range: Melee attack.
Target: 1 creature.
Duration: 1 round.
With a single intensely focused blow, you strike a target, your harsh gaze locking theirs, the intensity dominating their focus.
As part of this maneuver make a single melee attack. If that attack hits it deals +7d6 damage and the target may not make attacks that do not include you among their targets.

For purposes of this effect, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe (of the creature making the attack) or whose area or effect includes a foe. (Exactly who is a foe depends on the character’s perceptions.) Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Spells such as bless that specifically affect allies but not foes are not attacks for this purpose, even when they include foes in their area.

8th Level Maneuvers

Claim Attention
Adamant Eagle (Strike)
Level: 8th
Prerequisites: 3 Adamant Eagle maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Standard action.
Range: Melee attack.
Target: Each enemy in range.
Saving Throw: Will partial.
Duration: 1 round.
Raising your weapon high you swing it about, striking side from side at all those who would assail your charge, drawing their attention and ire onto yourself.
As part of this maneuver make a melee attack against any number of enemies within reach. Any enemy you hit as part of this maneuver must make a Will save (DC 18 + Str modifier). On a failure they may not make any attacks which do not include you as one of their targets, on a successful save they suffer a -2 penalty to any d20 roll made as part of an attack which does not include you as one of its target and any such attacks have their saving throw DCs (if any) reduced by 2.

For purposes of this effect, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe (of the creature making the attack) or whose area or effect includes a foe. (Exactly who is a foe depends on the character’s perceptions.) Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Spells such as bless that specifically affect allies but not foes are not attacks for this purpose, even when they include foes in their area.

Rearguard’s Watch
Adamant Eagle (Stance)
Level: 8th
Prerequisites: 3 Adamant Eagle maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Swift.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Stance.
You focus your blows to stagger foes and disrupt their ability to move, slowing them to keep them away from your companions.
While in this stance whenever you hit a creature with a melee attack the target must make a Fortitude save (DC 18 + Strength modifier) or have all their speeds reduced to 5-ft for 1 round.

9th Level Maneuvers

Spirit of Adamant
Adamant Eagle (Boost)
Level: 9th
Prerequisites: 5 Adamant Eagle maneuvers.
Initiation Action: Swift action.
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: 1 round.
A master of the Adamant Eagle is adept at drawing all arms against them, but a bodyguard who dies before the fight is through is a useless defender. A true master of the way learns to focus their mind, looking for every attack defending themselves completely. Such a surge of focus cannot be maintained long, but while they hold this focus they are nigh invulnerable.
When you use this maneuver you gain a +30 dodge bonus to AC, and a +30 insight bonus to saving throws as well as Evasion and Mettle for the duration.