The Demented One
2008-01-25, 08:38 PM
Whirlwind Heir
The arts of the Whirlwind Heir are a set of martial techniques that have been handed down from master to student since the days before the Temple of the Nine Swords. The first Whirlwind Heir is said to have been the son of a god of wind, who taught him the powerful techniques that would become the hallmark of the Heirs. The core of the Whirlwind Heir technique is a series of blade forms and techniques that imitate the wind, from the lightest breeze to the most ferocious storm. They rely on utter calm and concentration, along with great strength and speed, and are masters of the Diamond Mind and Iron Heart disciplines. The bastard sword or katana is the weapon of choice of most Heirs, and even those that do not use one must be capable of wielding one in order to understand the techniques of the Whirlwind Heir, that were originally created to be used with a katana. Though the arts of the Whirlwind Heir are traditionally handed down from master to student, they have been recorded in certain libraries of history and martial lore, allowing any warrior to become one. Most are either warblades or samurai who have learned a few martial techniques.
Hit Dice
d10
Requirements
To qualify to become a Whirlwind Heir, you must fulfill all the following criteria.
BAB: +6
Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword), Unnerving Calm
Maneuvers: Must know at least one Diamond Mind or Iron Heart maneuver of 2nd level.
Skills: Concentration 9 ranks
Special: Must have trained under a Whirlwind Heir or have studied their techniques in a library of martial lore.
Class Skills
The Whirlwind Heir’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (History) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Knowledge (Nobility), Martial Lore (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points per Level
4 + Int modifier.
{table=head]Level|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Maneuvers[br]Known|Maneuvers[br]Readied|Stances[br]Known
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Zephyr Draw +1d6|0|0|1
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0|Calm After The Storm|1|0|1
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|Serene Reflexes|1|1|1
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Eye of the Storm, Zephyr Draw +2d6|2|1|1
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Tempest Strike|2|1|2
6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+2|Insightful Riposte|3|1|2
7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+2|Wind’s Edge|3|2|2
8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+2|Zephyr Draw +3d6|4|2|2
9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+3|Stance of the Four Winds|4|2|2
10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+3|Whirlwind Reaper Strike|5|2|2[/table]
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Whirlwind Heir prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
You gain no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.
Maneuvers
At each even-numbered level, you gain one new maneuver known from the Diamond Mind or Iron Heart disciplines. You must meet a maneuver’s prerequisites to learn it. You add your full Whirlwind Heir level to your initiator level to determine your total initiator level and the highest level of maneuver you can learn. If you have levels in an initiator class that allows you to exchange out maneuvers at certain levels, your Whirlwind Heir levels stack with your levels in that class for determining when you may exchange maneuvers. At 3rd and 7th level, you gain an additional maneuver readied each day.
Stances
At 1st level, and again at 5th level, you gain a new martial stance known from the Diamond Mind or Iron Heart disciplines. You must meet a stance’s prerequisites to learn it.
Zephyr Draw (Ex)
At 1st level, whenever you initiate a maneuver that allows you to make a melee attack roll, you may draw a weapon as a free action before you make the attack. If you do, and the attack is made against an enemy that is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC, then you deal an additional 1d6 damage. The extra damage rises to 2d6 at 4th level and to 3d6 at 8th level.
In addition, after you damage an opponent with this ability, you gain a morale bonus on all melee attack rolls made to hit him. It lasts for a number of rounds equal to your class level. The bonus begins at +1, but increases by 1 at the end of every round in which you successfully hit that opponent. You lose the benefits of the bonus if you miss that opponent, attack another opponent, or are hit with a melee attack by that opponent.
Calm After The Storm (Ex)
At 2nd level, whenever you attack an opponent in melee and reduce it to 0 hp or less, you may make a Concentration check to unnerve all enemies that saw you drop the foe. All enemies within 30 ft. of you that have HD less than or equal to the result of the check -10 are shaken for 1d6 rounds, and take a -1 morale penalty on all attack and damage rolls they make against you for that many rounds. You may only use this ability once per encounter per 8 initiator levels.
Serene Reflexes (Ex)
At 3rd level, your serene focus allows you to counterattack with great speed and precision. You may make attacks of opportunity while flatfooted. In addition, each round, you may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity, based on your ranks in the concentration skill. If you have the Combat Reflexes feat, the additional attacks of opportunity from it do not stack with those from this ability; use whichever grants more attacks.
{table=head]Ranks|Extra Attacks
1-9|One
10-13|Two
14-17|Three
18+|Four[/table]
Eye of the Storm (Ex)
At 4th level, your power of will allows you to fight off death. When you are reduced to below 0 hp, you may attempt a Concentration check, DC 25, rather than a percentile roll, to stabilize. In addition, for every two ranks in the Concentration skill you have, the maximum amount of damage you can take before dying increases by one, to a maximum of -20. For example, if you had 10 ranks in Concentrate, you would die at -15, rather than -10, hp.
Tempest Strike (Ex)
At 5th level, whenever you successfully hit an enemy that has damage reduction with a melee attack made as part of a maneuver, you may make a Concentration check. You subtract the result of that check, divided by 5, from that enemy's damage reduction.
Insightful Riposte (Ex)
At 6th level, you can make incredibly rapid, precise blocks to parry your foes’ attacks. Whenever you are attacked you may, as an immediate action, make a Concentration check with a DC equal to the result of the attack roll. If you are successful, that attack fails. You may use this ability once per encounter per 12 initiator levels.
Wind’s Edge (Ex)
At 7th level, the wind bears your blows. Whenever you initiate a maneuver that allows you to make a single melee attack, you may use this ability to make a ranged attack instead, at any opponent within 30 ft. of you. You must make a Concentration check, with DC equal to the AC of the opponent you are attacking. If you succeed, the attack succeeds. It works just like that martial maneuver normally would, except it is performed at a range. If you fail the check, the attack fails, and the maneuver is expended. You may use this ability once per encounter per 12 initiator levels.
Stance of the Four Winds (Ex)
At 9th level, you gain the ability to assume the powerful stance of the four winds. While you are in a martial stance of the Diamond Mind discipline, you may, as a swift action, forgo its normal benefit to gain the effects of the stance of the four winds. You can also end the stance of the four winds and resume the normal benefit of the stance you were in as a swift action. While in the stance of the four winds, the first melee attack you make each round is considered a touch attack.
Whirlwind Reaper Strike (Ex)
At 10th level, you master the whirlwind reaper strike, a technique that allows you to strike many foes with a single martial maneuver. As a full-round action, you may initiate a maneuver that normally allows you to make a single melee attack. If you do, you may instead make a single melee attack at every enemy within your reach, applying the benefits of the maneuver to each attack. If the maneuver requires you to make a skill check, you make only one, and use that result for each attack. You can only use this ability once per encounter. You may not use maneuvers of the highest level you can initiate with this ability.
The arts of the Whirlwind Heir are a set of martial techniques that have been handed down from master to student since the days before the Temple of the Nine Swords. The first Whirlwind Heir is said to have been the son of a god of wind, who taught him the powerful techniques that would become the hallmark of the Heirs. The core of the Whirlwind Heir technique is a series of blade forms and techniques that imitate the wind, from the lightest breeze to the most ferocious storm. They rely on utter calm and concentration, along with great strength and speed, and are masters of the Diamond Mind and Iron Heart disciplines. The bastard sword or katana is the weapon of choice of most Heirs, and even those that do not use one must be capable of wielding one in order to understand the techniques of the Whirlwind Heir, that were originally created to be used with a katana. Though the arts of the Whirlwind Heir are traditionally handed down from master to student, they have been recorded in certain libraries of history and martial lore, allowing any warrior to become one. Most are either warblades or samurai who have learned a few martial techniques.
Hit Dice
d10
Requirements
To qualify to become a Whirlwind Heir, you must fulfill all the following criteria.
BAB: +6
Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword), Unnerving Calm
Maneuvers: Must know at least one Diamond Mind or Iron Heart maneuver of 2nd level.
Skills: Concentration 9 ranks
Special: Must have trained under a Whirlwind Heir or have studied their techniques in a library of martial lore.
Class Skills
The Whirlwind Heir’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (History) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Knowledge (Nobility), Martial Lore (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points per Level
4 + Int modifier.
{table=head]Level|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Maneuvers[br]Known|Maneuvers[br]Readied|Stances[br]Known
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Zephyr Draw +1d6|0|0|1
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0|Calm After The Storm|1|0|1
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|Serene Reflexes|1|1|1
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Eye of the Storm, Zephyr Draw +2d6|2|1|1
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Tempest Strike|2|1|2
6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+2|Insightful Riposte|3|1|2
7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+2|Wind’s Edge|3|2|2
8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+2|Zephyr Draw +3d6|4|2|2
9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+3|Stance of the Four Winds|4|2|2
10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+3|Whirlwind Reaper Strike|5|2|2[/table]
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Whirlwind Heir prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
You gain no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.
Maneuvers
At each even-numbered level, you gain one new maneuver known from the Diamond Mind or Iron Heart disciplines. You must meet a maneuver’s prerequisites to learn it. You add your full Whirlwind Heir level to your initiator level to determine your total initiator level and the highest level of maneuver you can learn. If you have levels in an initiator class that allows you to exchange out maneuvers at certain levels, your Whirlwind Heir levels stack with your levels in that class for determining when you may exchange maneuvers. At 3rd and 7th level, you gain an additional maneuver readied each day.
Stances
At 1st level, and again at 5th level, you gain a new martial stance known from the Diamond Mind or Iron Heart disciplines. You must meet a stance’s prerequisites to learn it.
Zephyr Draw (Ex)
At 1st level, whenever you initiate a maneuver that allows you to make a melee attack roll, you may draw a weapon as a free action before you make the attack. If you do, and the attack is made against an enemy that is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC, then you deal an additional 1d6 damage. The extra damage rises to 2d6 at 4th level and to 3d6 at 8th level.
In addition, after you damage an opponent with this ability, you gain a morale bonus on all melee attack rolls made to hit him. It lasts for a number of rounds equal to your class level. The bonus begins at +1, but increases by 1 at the end of every round in which you successfully hit that opponent. You lose the benefits of the bonus if you miss that opponent, attack another opponent, or are hit with a melee attack by that opponent.
Calm After The Storm (Ex)
At 2nd level, whenever you attack an opponent in melee and reduce it to 0 hp or less, you may make a Concentration check to unnerve all enemies that saw you drop the foe. All enemies within 30 ft. of you that have HD less than or equal to the result of the check -10 are shaken for 1d6 rounds, and take a -1 morale penalty on all attack and damage rolls they make against you for that many rounds. You may only use this ability once per encounter per 8 initiator levels.
Serene Reflexes (Ex)
At 3rd level, your serene focus allows you to counterattack with great speed and precision. You may make attacks of opportunity while flatfooted. In addition, each round, you may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity, based on your ranks in the concentration skill. If you have the Combat Reflexes feat, the additional attacks of opportunity from it do not stack with those from this ability; use whichever grants more attacks.
{table=head]Ranks|Extra Attacks
1-9|One
10-13|Two
14-17|Three
18+|Four[/table]
Eye of the Storm (Ex)
At 4th level, your power of will allows you to fight off death. When you are reduced to below 0 hp, you may attempt a Concentration check, DC 25, rather than a percentile roll, to stabilize. In addition, for every two ranks in the Concentration skill you have, the maximum amount of damage you can take before dying increases by one, to a maximum of -20. For example, if you had 10 ranks in Concentrate, you would die at -15, rather than -10, hp.
Tempest Strike (Ex)
At 5th level, whenever you successfully hit an enemy that has damage reduction with a melee attack made as part of a maneuver, you may make a Concentration check. You subtract the result of that check, divided by 5, from that enemy's damage reduction.
Insightful Riposte (Ex)
At 6th level, you can make incredibly rapid, precise blocks to parry your foes’ attacks. Whenever you are attacked you may, as an immediate action, make a Concentration check with a DC equal to the result of the attack roll. If you are successful, that attack fails. You may use this ability once per encounter per 12 initiator levels.
Wind’s Edge (Ex)
At 7th level, the wind bears your blows. Whenever you initiate a maneuver that allows you to make a single melee attack, you may use this ability to make a ranged attack instead, at any opponent within 30 ft. of you. You must make a Concentration check, with DC equal to the AC of the opponent you are attacking. If you succeed, the attack succeeds. It works just like that martial maneuver normally would, except it is performed at a range. If you fail the check, the attack fails, and the maneuver is expended. You may use this ability once per encounter per 12 initiator levels.
Stance of the Four Winds (Ex)
At 9th level, you gain the ability to assume the powerful stance of the four winds. While you are in a martial stance of the Diamond Mind discipline, you may, as a swift action, forgo its normal benefit to gain the effects of the stance of the four winds. You can also end the stance of the four winds and resume the normal benefit of the stance you were in as a swift action. While in the stance of the four winds, the first melee attack you make each round is considered a touch attack.
Whirlwind Reaper Strike (Ex)
At 10th level, you master the whirlwind reaper strike, a technique that allows you to strike many foes with a single martial maneuver. As a full-round action, you may initiate a maneuver that normally allows you to make a single melee attack. If you do, you may instead make a single melee attack at every enemy within your reach, applying the benefits of the maneuver to each attack. If the maneuver requires you to make a skill check, you make only one, and use that result for each attack. You can only use this ability once per encounter. You may not use maneuvers of the highest level you can initiate with this ability.