Path of War: 3/4 initiators and prestige classes

[Cranky Mcduff]

I'm sure this has been asked somewhere, if so I apologize. Like the title says, could somebody please explain to me how they interact? I've seen two separate explanations. One insist that Prestige classes allow 3/4 initiators to break the six level cap. The other explanation is that they are treated like a 3/4 caster and Prestige classes. The later seems more likely, but I'm not sure. I have a player with a warpriest warpath follower(6), battle templar(2) and I want to make sure I'm not shafting him. Any clarifications would be appreciated, thanks!

[digiman619]

By "3/4 initiators", I assume you mean the archetype that make non-PoW classes initiators (War Soul, Monk of the Silver Fist, etc.). The maneuver progression is only showing the maximum level maneuver the archetype gives. You can circumvent this cap by either entering a prestige class or taking the Advanced Study feat.

The reason this works is that even though you have a limit from the class on highest level maneuver known, they are still full initiator level. So once your IL is 13 or higher, you are qualified to take 7th level maneuvers, but the class won't give it. However, that limitation only applies to the maneuvers you get through the class, therefore Advanced Study and prestiging bypass this limitation.

Hope that helps explain it!

[Tuvarkz]

I'm sure this has been asked somewhere, if so I apologize. Like the title says, could somebody please explain to me how they interact? I've seen two separate explanations. One insist that Prestige classes allow 3/4 initiators to break the six level cap. The other explanation is that they are treated like a 3/4 caster and Prestige classes. The later seems more likely, but I'm not sure. I have a player with a warpriest warpath follower(6), battle templar(2) and I want to make sure I'm not shafting him. Any clarifications would be appreciated, thanks!

Should be 2/3rd and not 3/4ths, but that's nitpicking. Anyways, the point is: The archetype's maximum maneuver level known limit applies only to maneuers gained through that archetype. Gaining more maneuvers through Advanced Study or through Prestige Classes doesn't submit to that limitation, particularly because initiators don't have a limit on what level of maneuver they can ready, nor pre-assigned slots. However, do remember that the warpath's maneuver trades do still happen since they are based on initiator level and not class level, but being as such they are still limited by the 6/9 archetype limit.
Basically, a Warpath Follower Warpriest 6/Battle Templar 2, assuming he hasn't taken Advanced Study but has done the trades to have highest possible level maneuvers, has
Non-stance maneuvers: 1 1st-level maneuver, 3 2nd-level maneuvers, 1 3rd-level maneuver, 2 4th-level maneuvers
Stance maneuvers: 2 1st-level stances (Come next level he gains access to a stance of up to 9th level)

[Cranky Mcduff]

Wow, that seems...overly complicated. So, when he's 6/10 war path/battle templar and he picks up his 17th level back in war path, he goes back to being limited to 6th level maneuvers again? Also, thanks for the responses, my "need to know" won't let me let this go until I've beaten the dead horse to mush.

Edit: The light bulb finally sputtered on. I just simply had to ask myself what would happen if an archetype initiator multiclassed with, say, a Warlord. Makes a little more sense when looked at from that angle. Again, thank you!