White Raven and Martial Study?

[Westhart]

So, I am using a reworked marshal and I get a 6th level bonus feat which must be a fighter bonus feat or others of a small list. Naturally I decided that White Raven totally fit the marshal, and was wondering, if you get one at 6th level what would you take.

Oh, this may be of some importance:
Maneuvers and Stances: a martial adept with marshal levels, or a marshal with knowledge of at least one White Raven stance or maneuver, treats his levels in the marshal class as initiator levels for purposes of qualifying for White Raven maneuvers, or White Raven maneuvers that depend on initiator level (such as Leading the Charge). For purposes of qualifying for other classes, the marshal’s initiator level is equal to his levels in a martial adept class, plus half his levels in other classes, as usual.

Thanks!

[DeTess]

So do you already have a White Raven maneuver? Otherwise you only get 1st and 2nd level maneuvers for the first martial study. Party make-up is also very important for this question. There's a couple of maneuvers that are really good if you have several other melee fighters in your party, but which otherwise aren't that good.

[Westhart]

So do you already have a White Raven maneuver? Otherwise you only get 1st and 2nd level maneuvers for the first martial study. Party make-up is also very important for this question. There's a couple of maneuvers that are really good if you have several other melee fighters in your party, but which otherwise aren't that good.

No, I don't, so it looks like I'm stuck with a 1st/2nd level maneuver. Most of the party seem to be gish/caster support types, although we do have a dedicate melee.

[DeTess]

Okay, let's see what your options are. Unlike actual initiators, you can't switch out any of the maneuvers you pick so ideally you want one that scales well. The 1st and second level maneuvers are: Douse the Flames, Leading the Attack, battle leader's charge and tactical strike. However, battle leader's charge and tactical strike both require that you already know a white raven maneuver, so you're really only left with leading the Attack and Douse the Flames.

Douse the flames will deny the target you hit the use of opportunity attacks for a round, while leading the attack will give your allies a +4 to hit against the same target for the rest of the round. If you expect to go to high levels than leading the attack will become less useful. However, I can imagine many situations even at higher levels where removing someone's opportunity attacks is a potential life-saver, so personally I'd pick Douse the Flames. If you don't expect to got to a high level then Leading the attack is quite useful as well. It applies to all attack rolls, which would include ranged touch attacks and the like from casters, so it would be useful for your entire party.

[Westhart]

Okay, let's see what your options are. Unlike actual initiators, you can't switch out any of the maneuvers you pick so ideally you want one that scales well. The 1st and second level maneuvers are: Douse the Flames, Leading the Attack, battle leader's charge and tactical strike. However, battle leader's charge and tactical strike both require that you already know a white raven maneuver, so you're really only left with leading the Attack and Douse the Flames.

Douse the flames will deny the target you hit the use of opportunity attacks, while leading the attack will give your allies a +4 to hit against the same target for the rest of the round. If you expect to go to high levels than leading the attack will become less useful. However, I can imagine many situations even at higher levels where removing someone's opportunity attacks is a potential life-saver, so personally I'd pick Douse the Flames. If you don't expect to got to a high level than Leading the attack is quite useful as well. It applies to all attack roles, which would include ranged touch attacks and the like from casters, so it would be useful for your entire party.

Douse the flames it is, as the party's attack rolls will be pretty high already.

Thanks!

[Mr Adventurer]

Can't remember if douse the flames is all AoO or just from movement - if it's that all AoO are prevented, the gish and other casters will probably find a time for that to be useful!

[Westhart]

If your attack hits, you deal normal melee damage, and the target creature can’t make attacks of opportunity for 1 round. The opponent still threatens its normal area; it simply cannot make attacks of opportunity.

Think that's all :smallsmile: