Path of War! Favourite maneuver combos

[Val666]

Hey everybody, I was wondering which are your favourite combos that involve maneuvers/stances from Path of War. Maneuvers open a lot of options for martials and I know some tricks can be pulled of with them but I would like to see your own combos and ideas. This is just for fun and I'll post combos I like later (currently at work).

Thanks everyone in advance!

[Necroticplague]

Twisting Wind Shot lets you essentially guarantee a critical hit. The Called Shot system tends to have only very minor affects on successful hits, but fairly nasty affects on critical hits. If you have Greater Called Shot, you can combine the two to some devastating affect.

Privateer Warlord and Gunsmoke Mystic can save a lot of hastle when making a gun-using character.

[Elricaltovilla]

There aren't a lot of "combos" in Path of War. Or rather, because any strike can be paired with pretty much any boost or stance, you can mix and match any set of maneuvers you like.

Eternal Guardian and Cursed Razor have a lot of synergy because both rely on [curse] effects. Mithral Current's stances all let you sheathe your weapon for free 1/round to enable you to make use of the draw effects of your maneuvers.

A specific one that's fun is combining Endless Current with any full attack maneuver plus Dance of the Silver Hurricane to generate insane movement across the battlefield with every attack you make (and you can make a lot of them). Endless Current gives you 10 ft. of non-provoking movement after each attack you make for a round, while Dance of the Silver Hurricane gives you 10 ft. of movement after each attack that misses you. Add Mithral Current Flow (feat) to the mix for an extra 10 ft. of movement after an attack misses you. If you're in Shifting Waters Stance, you can increase the movement from Endless Current and Dance of the Silver Hurricane to 15 ft. per "step." I wonder if you could break the sound barrier doing that?

Slightly less complicated is combining your basic rapid fire archery feats with Solar Hailstorm Stance and Minute Hand for up to 10 arrows (maybe 11? I might have miscounted) per round with a full attack. If used with Vicious Tempest Volley, you can hit 10 different targets with combat maneuvers, or one target 10 times.

Another favorite is using archery with Silver Crane's Spiral:



Filling himself with the wrath of the heavens, the Silver Crane disciple takes on a nimbus of glowing wings and lashes out at all of his nearby enemies with smiting strikes. The character makes a single attack at his full attack bonus with a +2 insight bonus at each adjacent enemy or enemy that is within the area he threatens. Ranged attacks used with this maneuver may only be used against opponents within the weapon’s first range increment.


The range increment on a composite longbow is 110 ft. That's right, you can make one attack against every enemy within 110 ft. with a +2 bonus on the attack roll. Not big enough for you? Use a +1 distance bow to double that range increment to 220 ft. This can, of course, be further increased by the judicious application of spells. But seriously, one free shot against every enemy within 220 ft.? That's an outright army killer right there.

[upho]

Here are a few very effective mostly melee oriented DSP combos off the top of my head, but I wouldn't call them favorites except maybe in very high op games - they tend to be OP/broken if run as written:

Demonoralize, a.k.a. "how to make Cthulhu pee his proverbial pants"
Soulless Gaze (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/damnation-feats/soulless-gaze-damnation/) + one additional damnation feat (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/damnation-feats/) + Black Seraph’s Glare (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/black-seraph-maneuvers/black-seraph-s-glare-1)/Cornugon Smash (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/cornugon-smash-combat/)/Enforcer (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/enforcer-combat/)/Shattered Dream Strike (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/feats/shattered-dream-strike-psionic/). Damage a foe at least three times in a round and they're panicked for at least 1 round. With max ranks in Intimidate, Intimidating Prowess and later Black Seraph Annihilation (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/feats/black-seraph-annihilation-combat/), your demoralize attempts will succeed against everyone and everything you'll ever face. Tons of additional options can expand the combo for extra silliness. A human warlord with for example TWF and Minute Hand (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/riven-hourglass-maneuvers/#TOC-Minute-Hand) could pull off the basic combo against non-immune foes as early as 1st level. Actually possible also in a game allowing only Paizo content, preferably on an antipally in order to ignore fear immunity.

Thunderlooportunity, a.k.a. "how to AoO Cthulhu into oblivion"
Stance of the Thunderbrand (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/piercing-thunder-maneuvers/#TOC-Stance-of-the-Thunderbrand) + multiple AoO's per round (Combat Reflexes preferably using your initiation modifier instead of Dex, and/or Intruder’s End (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/eternal-guardian-maneuvers/#TOC-Intruder-s-End)) + anything allowing you to move enemy as a free action when attacking, such as Pushing Assault (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/pushing-assault-combat/) or Tempest Shield (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-armor/specific-magic-shields/tempest-shield/) (Shield Slam is a trap as it uses your attack bonus instead of your typically much higher bull rush CMB)
The main benefit of Stance of the Thunderbrand is that enemies always provoke whenever they're about to leave a square you threaten, regardless of how they're about to change position (land speed, flight, teleportation, falling, whatever) and regardless of who or what caused the movement (the enemy itself, an ability used by you or an ally, gravity, whatever). So with any form of free/no action forced movement rider on your melee attacks, you can make up to all AoOs you're allowed per turn against a single foe, triggered in a chain starting with any melee attack (AoO, combat maneuver, strike, attack action, charge, etc). While this in and of itself of course can allow for great damage and potentially very long distances of forced movement, it can be tweaked and put to even greater use; below are three examples.

Thunderstrike, a.k.a. "how to AoO Cthulhu into oblivion several times per round"
Thunderlooportunity as above + Seize the Opportunity (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/feats/seize-the-opportunity-combat/) + Vital Strike feat chain + aasimar/skinwalker/tiefling of gamla descent (Large starting size) + Mighty Frame (Powerful Build (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/races/half-giant/)) + metamorphosis (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/psionic-powers/m/metamorphosis/)/augmented expansion (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/psionic-powers/e/expansion/) for two size increases + butchering axe (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment/weapons/weapon-descriptions/axe-butchering/) with Versatile Design weapon mod (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment/weapons/weapon-modifications/versatile-design/) (monk group) + Modified Weapon Proficiency (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/modified-weapon-proficiency-combat/) (butchering axe) + Ascetic Style + strong jaw (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/strong-jaw/) (via ally caster or wand and UMD ranks)
As Thunderlooportunity, except by 16th or 17th level, the weapon damage die of your AoOs is no less than 96d6. Add Strength boosts, Power Attack and other damage boosts, and the average damage of dealt by one of your AoOs can be above 400, more than enough to kill a balor. And you can likely make more than six of these per round... :smalleek:

Thundertrick, a.k.a. "how to daze Cthulhu several times per round"
Thunderlooportunity as above + Seize the Opportunity (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/feats/seize-the-opportunity-combat/) + Improved and Greater Dirty Trick (best gained for "free" via 1 level in warlord privateer (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/classes/martial-class-templates/privateer-template/) for the Salt in the Wound ploy) + Dirty Trick Master (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/dirty-trick-master-combat/)
Make two dirty tricks (as standard actions, strikes and/or AoOs) against one enemy to make it nauseated or dazed for an average of at the very least 2.5 rounds, as the enemy cannot take the standard action needed to remove the condition.

Thundergrab, a.k.a. "how to tie up Cthulhu several times per round"
Seize the Opportunity (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/feats/seize-the-opportunity-combat/) + Stance of the Thunderbrand (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/piercing-thunder-maneuvers/#TOC-Stance-of-the-Thunderbrand) +
EITHER
Tetori Monk (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/monk/archetypes/paizo-monk-archetypes/tetori) 8 and enlarge person/(minor)metamorphosis (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/psionic-powers/m/metamorphosis/)/expansion (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/psionic-powers/e/expansion/)/long arm/whatever granting a reach of at least 10'
OR
Tetori Monk 4 plus Fiendbound Marauder Warder (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/classes/warder/warder-archetypes/fiendbound-marauder/) 1/anything else granting grab (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/universal-monster-rules/#Grab_Ex) with a reach of at least 10'
Initiate grapple as free action on any melee attack hit (AoO, melee strike, combat maneuver, etc) without taking grapple condition penalties (grab, 4th level Tetori), move grappled non-adjacent foe to adjacent as part of initiating grapple (as per grapple RAW), make AoO triggered by said movement (Stance of the Thunderbrand) despite grappling (4th level Tetori), and use said AoO to maintain the grapple (Seize the Opportunity) and immediately tie up the grappled foe. Complement with size increases, Improved Grapple, grapple CMB boost items and for example Equipment Trick (rope) (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/equipment-trick-combat/) for the hogtie trick, an Anaconda's Coils (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/a-b/belt-anaconda-s-coils/) belt for constrict damage and/or the Raging Grappler (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/barbarian/rage-powers/paizo-rage-powers/raging-grappler-ex/) rage power in order to deal additional damage, to knock the foe prone, and to get an additional AoO trigger with Vicious Stomp (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/vicious-stomp-combat/).

A few more or less silly example builds I've made, showcasing one or more of the above combos in greater detail:
Eddie Pincerhand (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21860394&postcount=240) (detailed build for Elricaltovilla's warder guide)
Awakened Trip-Killer Sentinel (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21883842&postcount=250) (build outline also for Elricaltovilla's warder guide)
True Terror Troll (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21867900&postcount=244) (build outline for Elricaltovilla's stalker guide)
Nelly Nephilim (very detailed build for Castilonium's zealot guide) - build details here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21556361&postcount=89), basic combos and simplified opening combat round explained here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21556450&postcount=91)

There are of course tons of additional nifty combos, most of them thankfully not quite as OP as those above.

[thecrimsondawn]

Combos eh?
Riven Hourglass Eternity allows you to as a free action, expand a move to extend the duration of one spell, power, or boost effecting you by 1 round. This means so long as you have a good recovery method, one boost of your choosing with a duration will last for the whole combat. As to various combos related to this, I made a thread about it already

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?540679-Riven-Hourglass-Eternity-Looking-for-nice-combos


Outside of that, some of my favorite combos include making a foe vulnerable to silver with Mithril Current moves, or style feat, and then layering it up with a vital strike, sneak attack, deadly strike, or zenith strike for major damage (since all get multiplied due to the vulnerability)
Another combo is the Broken Blade lv3 stance that gives you 2 extra unarmed strikes. If you are going this route, going medusas wrath with greater trip and vicious stomp can net you up to 15 attacks per round. The flat footed condition can be gained rather easy from Steel Serpent style feats, Radiant Dawn, or I think Scarlet Throne as well.

For debuffing, pairing up Steel Serpent with the discipline found in Lords of the Wild (currently at the end of its playtest) and its feats, as well as Steel Serpent Style chain, can allow you to utterly crush anyone you hit even once - most of all if you are an unchained rogue.


These are just a few of my faves. I often dont use the Primal Fury lv3 stance to boost effective size since I use an Akashic veil to greater effect, but if Akashic Mysteries is not allowed, boosting your effective size by 2 with an actual size increase can push your damage into the insane range. Remember tho - effective size increases do not stack, only the highest applies.

[Val666]

Sorry for not replying before. Thanks everyone for such amazing suggestions. I've been looking through some stuff and I was wondering if my interpretation of this combo (super evident actually...) is the interaction of Phantom Sunstorm and any other variable maneuver.

For example, if I use Phantom Sunstorm to boost Solar Wind Nova, it will automatically deal 120 damage? I know this might be a bit obvious but still wanted to ask <_<

[upho]

For example, if I use Phantom Sunstorm to boost Solar Wind Nova, it will automatically deal 120 damage? I know this might be a bit obvious but still wanted to ask <_<Strictly according to RAW, you cannot combine Phantom Sunstorm with Solar Wind Nova (or any other AoE attack), because
Target: One creature and
Target: All targets within area of effectThe same is true for all other AoE strikes AFAIK (such as Solar Wind Tsunami (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/solar-wind-maneuvers/#TOC-Solar-Wind-Tsunami), Lance of Power (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/elemental-flux-maneuvers/#TOC-Lance-of-Power), Elemental Destruction Ring (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/elemental-flux-maneuvers/#TOC-Elemental-Destruction-Ring) etc).

And even if you could, I think the combo would be of rather limited value, since in most combats you're probably better off making multiple attacks dealing more total damage to one or two creatures in order to take them out of the fight (rather than just reduce their HP). So I'd probably allow it as a DM.

BTW, if you're aiming to deal sufficiently high damage at range to multiple creatures in a round in higher levels, I think the most viable combo is the Bladecaster (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/prestige-classes/bladecaster/) PrC's Arcane Assault feature with a weapon-using multi-attack or AoE strike and a high damage spell. Like, say, Vicious Tempest Volley (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/tempest-gale-maneuvers/#TOC-Vicious-Tempest-Volley) using disintegrate as the weapon. Add for example Solar Hailstorm Stance (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/solar-wind-maneuvers/#TOC-Solar-Hailstorm-Stance), your choice of damage boost maneuver and the usual ranged full attack feats for extra silly overkill.

[Val666]

advice

Thanks for the advice! I'm currently planning on playing a Gunsmoke Mystic. I'm not that fond of using full attacks with this character and I have this idea and wanted to know if it is doable. It would be my high level damage tactic, still don't know if it is enough for that level or if I can augment it in some way.

The base form of the combo would come online at level 15 and it would improve at level 17 when I get access to Strike of Elemental Devastation.

Level 15: Using God of the Hourglass Stance, Riven Hourglass Style and Riven Hourglass eternity combined with Elemental Breach, any damaging maneuver that involves an element and taking the feat Improved Blade Meditation.

Turn starts, I use Elemental Breach to boost my damage by 50% and negate any energy ressistance, energy immunity or damage reduction for my attack. Use the most damaging elemental maneuver (either from Solar Wind or Elemental Flux), spending my extra standard action from God of the Hourglass Stance to A) Initiate a second strike to deal extra damage or B) Use Blade Meditation to reset my maneuvers in order to have the most powerful maneuver and Elemental Breach available again next turn or I could just spend a Maneuver using Riven Hourglass Eternity to extend the duration of Elemental Breach for 1 round and use Blade Meditation as I see fit.

Is this combo doable? it's effective in any way? any suggestions to improve it?

Thanks everyone so far for your help and recommendations!

[Kaouse]

Swift Action: Bronze Knuckle / Iron Knuckle / Adamantine Knuckle
Move Action: Move
Standard Action: Steel Flurry Strike

There's a reason why people call for Broken Blade to be nerfed, and this incredibly easy combo, available at level 5 of all things, is likely a large part of that reason. Steel Flurry Strike alone gives you 3 attacks with an extra 3d6 damage on each attack. As if that wasn't crazy enough, the Knuckle boosts will add 2d6/4d6/6d6 to all unarmed strikes you make in the round and more often than not will also allow you to bypass DR and hardness. This combo will almost certainly kill any creature you face in one round if you can get it off, at least until higher levels.

[Castilonium]

the Knuckle boosts will add 2d6/4d6/6d6 to all unarmed strikes you make

Not just unarmed, but discipline weapons too. So grab a sansetsukon or a tri-point double-edged sword for more overkill!