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Fixer
2007-10-24, 02:25 PM
I am building a Warblade. (http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dch332f9_2fxt2gj) My question is surrounding the maneuver Iron Heart Surge. It allows its user to remove one spell, effect, etc. from themselves.

If my warblade was charmed, would he be able to use this effect to remove the charm? What about domination? His Will save is going to suck so I am trying to make sure he doesn't become a massive danger.

Also, can this maneuver be used against things like energy drain & poison? (I know the primary effects of the poison would likely remain but to prevent the secondary effects.)

Mr. Friendly
2007-10-24, 02:31 PM
I am building a Warblade. (http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dch332f9_2fxt2gj) My question is surrounding the maneuver Iron Heart Surge. It allows its user to remove one spell, effect, etc. from themselves.

If my warblade was charmed, would he be able to use this effect to remove the charm? What about domination? His Will save is going to suck so I am trying to make sure he doesn't become a massive danger.

Also, can this maneuver be used against things like energy drain & poison? (I know the primary effects of the poison would likely remain but to prevent the secondary effects.)

I wondered about this myself. I had a character get feared and I was like "well I just Iron Heart Surge!" he said no, I wasn't allowed to since I had to run away as per the fear description. So, it was a wasted ability in that case and I never got use it once, before being killed. I guess it depends on your DMs fiat-ness.

Kyeudo
2007-10-24, 02:34 PM
Charm) yes, if he could somehow figure out that he is now charmed. Remember, characters have no clue if they fail a save against a spell with no visible or tangible effect.

Domination) yes, but only if the one dominating you decides to have you use it to remove the domination, as you can't decide your own actions while dominated.

Energy Drain) Should be able to.

Poison) Secondary effects only. Things that have already occured arn't removed by Iron Heart Surge.

As for your Will Save sucking, there is a Diamond Mind counter that lets you use a Concentration check instead of your Will Save. Its one of the best 1st level manuvers out there for Warblades. Grab that to cover yourself with.

EDIT: Some levels of fear don't let you take any action but running. You could use Iron Heart Surge to end fear effects, but only if you can take actions beside running. Read the rules for the fear categories to know which is which.

Fixer
2007-10-24, 02:35 PM
As for your Will Save sucking, there is a Diamond Mind counter that lets you use a Concentration check instead of your Will Save. Its one of the best 1st level manuvers out there for Warblades. Grab that to cover yourself with.
That is what I was planning to replace this ability with. Kind of why I wanted to know if it was worth it.

Ok, time to see if it can replace something else, maybe.

Kyeudo
2007-10-24, 02:38 PM
Iron Heart Surge is still fairly awesome, it just doesn't help against a variety of effects, as you need to be both aware of the effect and capable of moving and taking actions of your own free will.

Fixer
2007-10-24, 02:50 PM
I looked over the list of all possible conditions and the following appear to be able to be removed via. Iron Heart Surge:

Blinded, Charmed (if aware), Checked, Confused (if 11-20 is rolled allowing the ability to act normally), Cursed, Dazzled, Deafened, Diseased, Energy Drained, Entangled, Ethereal, Exhausted, Fatigued, Frightened (if unable to move and able to take action), Gaseous Form-ed, Grappled, Incorporeal, Invisible, Knocked Down, Poisoned, Polymorphed (if able to take a standard action), Prone, Shaken, Sickened, Staggered, Turned.

Frosty
2007-10-24, 03:08 PM
What about anti-magic field?

Fixer
2007-10-24, 03:11 PM
What about anti-magic field?
Not unless it targetted the character. It won't affect an AoE spell, just one that targets and is currently affecting the user. In the case of an Anti-Magic field, it affects the user but is not targetting them.

Douglas
2007-10-24, 04:59 PM
Read it again, Iron Heart Surge does not require that the selected spell or effect actually targets you, only that it affects you.

Fixer
2007-10-25, 06:17 AM
Read it again, Iron Heart Surge does not require that the selected spell or effect actually targets you, only that it affects you.
Holy crud! You are right!

Ok, I am going to have to write down a list of what this can affect. This might take a bit.

Roderick_BR
2007-10-25, 06:36 AM
Charm) yes, if he could somehow figure out that he is now charmed. Remember, characters have no clue if they fail a save against a spell with no visible or tangible effect.
(...)
Funny. It reminded me of an old medieval fantasy webcomic I used to read.
One member of the group is a female warrior, the typical one. The other is a wizard/sorcerer type guy.
They get along fine, have a few sexual tension jokes, but no much going on between then.
In one fancomic someone made for them, they had an interesting story. The wizard guy accidentally casts a charm on the warrior, making her fall in love with him. He explains what happened, and proceeds to dispel the effect, but she stops him.
The reason? She's aware that her current feelings for him are just a spell's effect. But she's well aware that once she's back to normal, she's gonna beat the heck out of him. However, since she loves him (right now, because of the spell), she don't want to get him hurt, so she's keeping from dispelling the effect, knowing that if he do it, he'll get badly hurt.
An interesting situation. The comic ended with a rather open ending, but it's likely that sooner or later the effect would end, she'd beat him, and would move on as normal.

Now, I wonder if a character would want to have his mind freed, if the same effect compelled him not to?

Fixer
2007-10-25, 07:07 AM
For myself, if I had a 'new friend' and all my friends were telling me I was under some sort of spell then I would want to know if it was true or not. If it was true, I'd want the spell removed because I do not believe such things are a good idea in a relationship, be it romantic or casual.

Now, that is just my belief and that sort of filters down to my characters.