Aegis013
2019-11-18, 11:01 PM
I was inspired recently by a question from the user Elves about if tables allowed individuals to use the Tome of Battle maneuver White Raven Tactics on self. My table typically allows this outside of infinite loops, so I decided to design a build around the idea of using White Raven Tactics on self as much as possible without being infinite - thus Idiot Crusader with WRT would not be allowed. I'm here to ask for feedback and improvement suggestions. This build is based on my normal IRL play group's rules which I will clarify as needed.
Here's the build stub:
Human Crusader 5 / Psychic Warrior 4 / Unarmed variant Swordsage 2 / Crusader +1 / The Master of Nine 5 / Crusader +3 (optional is Phrenic with LA buy-off)
This gets us 16 BAB (17 in Fractional), IL 17 at level 20 for a 9th level maneuver, 7 pp plus bonus from Wis, and Wis to AC.
The idea behind this is to use Crusader's passive recovery mechanic to maximize the chances of getting multiple White Raven Tactics on self in a row, or at least get to WRT self as frequently as possible. The reason for the dip into Psychic Warrior is for power points, which will be used to fuel the backup recovery method, and the two bonus feats, the powers granted by PsyWar are really an afterthought. This build is extremely feat starved with Master of Nine eating a lot of that for those prerequisite feats.
Here's my initial go at feat selection:
1. Hidden Talent (Minor Psionic Creation or other power of choice) - this is for the power points, and so we can start knocking down our list of desired psionic feats early.
1(racial bonus). Psicrystal Affinity
1(Flaw 1). Improved Initiative - prerequisite feat.
1(Flaw 2). Extra Granted Maneuver.
3. Psychic Renewal
6. Adaptive Style - prerequisite feat.
6(PsyWar bonus). Psionic Meditation - for those times you really need your focus back quickly.
7(PsyWar bonus). Blind-Fight - prerequisite feat.
8(Unarmed Swordsage variant). Improved Unarmed Strike - prerequisite feat
9. Psicrystal Containment
12. Dodge - prerequisite feat.
15. ???
18. Martial Stance: Swarm Tactics
The hope is to have ready access to Psionic Focus via Psicrystal Containment and Psionic Meditation to burn on Psychic Renewal to recover an expended WRT, and enough decent standard action attacks to be able to position ourselves and dish out some reasonable damage.
This build comes online at level 5 when we can access White Raven Tactics, but is dramatically enhanced at 6 with the addition of 1 power point from class levels and bonus PP from Wis.
How it work: for example, you have 5 maneuvers readied and you are granted 3, of which WRT is included. You use WRT on self, on your next action you have 1 remaining maneuver to draw from your pile and use your swift action, psionic focus, and 3 pp to recover WRT. On the next round, you have all of your maneuvers granted, you WRT self and hope on your turn granted by WRT self, you shuffle into WRT again, resulting in three consecutive turns.
If you don't get WRT in your first set of maneuvers, you simply act without using WRT until the turn prior to getting a new set of maneuvers and use WRT on self then, hoping you get WRT in the new set of maneuvers, resulting again in three consecutive turns.
From here on in, our goal is just to increase what strikes and other options we have available while trying to maintain at least that standard frequency of WRT on self. Since it's rare that we'll have our swift action free, boosts and counters become a little bit less desirable.
Our tertiary goal is to not hog too much table time from our fellow martial warriors, so an emphasis on White Raven maneuvers like Order Forged from Chaos, Flanking Maneuver, Swarming Assault and others that let allies act during your turn are highly desirable as an avenue to share some of these action economy shenanigans with your allies. If the casters don't get the same benefit, I'm not worried about it, at my table, their turns take up enough time already and they don't really need any help.
As an aside, if level buy-off and templates are allowed (a 50-50 chance depending on the game at my IRL table), Phrenic is highly desirable for the extra PP, bonus to Wis, and the suite of powers - Fission of particular note, since it will double the action economy shenanigans with your clone also WRTing itself and using maneuvers to give you and allies more actions.
For Mo9, I'm taking the harshest interpretation that has been used at my IRL table which is once you pick a base initiator for a ToB PrC, all of the maneuver benefits go onto that base class. Dropping Mo9 to free feats is an option, but the hugely expanded capabilities at mid level are desirable and my table often ends campaigns around level 16 or 17, so delaying to 20 to try to get more 9ths is unlikely to actually provide returns.
Assuming all 3.5 material, most 3.0 material, are available and dragon magazine is on a case-by-case basis, is there opportunity for further refining this concept?
Here's the build stub:
Human Crusader 5 / Psychic Warrior 4 / Unarmed variant Swordsage 2 / Crusader +1 / The Master of Nine 5 / Crusader +3 (optional is Phrenic with LA buy-off)
This gets us 16 BAB (17 in Fractional), IL 17 at level 20 for a 9th level maneuver, 7 pp plus bonus from Wis, and Wis to AC.
The idea behind this is to use Crusader's passive recovery mechanic to maximize the chances of getting multiple White Raven Tactics on self in a row, or at least get to WRT self as frequently as possible. The reason for the dip into Psychic Warrior is for power points, which will be used to fuel the backup recovery method, and the two bonus feats, the powers granted by PsyWar are really an afterthought. This build is extremely feat starved with Master of Nine eating a lot of that for those prerequisite feats.
Here's my initial go at feat selection:
1. Hidden Talent (Minor Psionic Creation or other power of choice) - this is for the power points, and so we can start knocking down our list of desired psionic feats early.
1(racial bonus). Psicrystal Affinity
1(Flaw 1). Improved Initiative - prerequisite feat.
1(Flaw 2). Extra Granted Maneuver.
3. Psychic Renewal
6. Adaptive Style - prerequisite feat.
6(PsyWar bonus). Psionic Meditation - for those times you really need your focus back quickly.
7(PsyWar bonus). Blind-Fight - prerequisite feat.
8(Unarmed Swordsage variant). Improved Unarmed Strike - prerequisite feat
9. Psicrystal Containment
12. Dodge - prerequisite feat.
15. ???
18. Martial Stance: Swarm Tactics
The hope is to have ready access to Psionic Focus via Psicrystal Containment and Psionic Meditation to burn on Psychic Renewal to recover an expended WRT, and enough decent standard action attacks to be able to position ourselves and dish out some reasonable damage.
This build comes online at level 5 when we can access White Raven Tactics, but is dramatically enhanced at 6 with the addition of 1 power point from class levels and bonus PP from Wis.
How it work: for example, you have 5 maneuvers readied and you are granted 3, of which WRT is included. You use WRT on self, on your next action you have 1 remaining maneuver to draw from your pile and use your swift action, psionic focus, and 3 pp to recover WRT. On the next round, you have all of your maneuvers granted, you WRT self and hope on your turn granted by WRT self, you shuffle into WRT again, resulting in three consecutive turns.
If you don't get WRT in your first set of maneuvers, you simply act without using WRT until the turn prior to getting a new set of maneuvers and use WRT on self then, hoping you get WRT in the new set of maneuvers, resulting again in three consecutive turns.
From here on in, our goal is just to increase what strikes and other options we have available while trying to maintain at least that standard frequency of WRT on self. Since it's rare that we'll have our swift action free, boosts and counters become a little bit less desirable.
Our tertiary goal is to not hog too much table time from our fellow martial warriors, so an emphasis on White Raven maneuvers like Order Forged from Chaos, Flanking Maneuver, Swarming Assault and others that let allies act during your turn are highly desirable as an avenue to share some of these action economy shenanigans with your allies. If the casters don't get the same benefit, I'm not worried about it, at my table, their turns take up enough time already and they don't really need any help.
As an aside, if level buy-off and templates are allowed (a 50-50 chance depending on the game at my IRL table), Phrenic is highly desirable for the extra PP, bonus to Wis, and the suite of powers - Fission of particular note, since it will double the action economy shenanigans with your clone also WRTing itself and using maneuvers to give you and allies more actions.
For Mo9, I'm taking the harshest interpretation that has been used at my IRL table which is once you pick a base initiator for a ToB PrC, all of the maneuver benefits go onto that base class. Dropping Mo9 to free feats is an option, but the hugely expanded capabilities at mid level are desirable and my table often ends campaigns around level 16 or 17, so delaying to 20 to try to get more 9ths is unlikely to actually provide returns.
Assuming all 3.5 material, most 3.0 material, are available and dragon magazine is on a case-by-case basis, is there opportunity for further refining this concept?