CockroachTeaParty
2008-03-06, 10:29 PM
Now for the final match in the initial tier: Round IV in the tournament to see who will emerge as the true master of the Sublime Way.
Round III (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74292)
Nine level 20 characters, built using the Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords. Each with the Elite Array for starting abilities, and 760,000 gp worth of equipment, including the Legacy Weapon associated with the martial discipline they have been built to represent. Once again, these characters are far from being optimized, and these fights aren't really meant to prove anything. They're mostly just for fun, for those that enjoy their fluff and crunch mixed together with... a +5 whisk or something.
Tournament Round IV: Setting Sun vs. Devoted Spirit
An intimidating sight by anyone's standards, the champion of the Devoted Spirit discipline, wielding the deadly falchion Faithful Avenger, clad in pitch-black adamantine full plate mail, is Scott the Punisher, Crusader of Hextor, the Lord of Tyranny. His opponent, master of the Setting Sun school, is the diminutive Beltia Woodpillow, a halfling swordsage wielding Eventide's Edge, the subtle, humble, yet undeniably deadly short sword. Can Beltia turn weakness into strength against a one-man army such as Scott? The crowd watches with bated breath as the warriors enter the arena.
Scott the Punisher
Scott the Punisher: male human crusader of hextor 20; medium humanoid (human); HD 20d10+128; hp 242/242; init.+1; Spd. 20 ft.; AC 33, touch 16, flat footed 32; Base Atk+20/+15/+10/+5; Grp.+27; Atk +30 melee (2d4+17/18-20, falchion); Full Atk +30/+25/+20/+15 (falchion); SA furious counterstrike, steely resolve 30, smite, faithful srike; SQ indomitable soul, zealous surge, mettle, blessing of faith, boundless determination, resiliency, DR 3/-; AL LE; SV Fort.+19, Ref.+11, Will+14; Str 28, Dex 12, Con 24, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 20.
Skills and Feats: Concentration+9, Diplomacy+8, Jump+24, Intimidate+31, Listen+6, Sense Motive+11, Spot+6, Tumble+10; Devoted Bulwark, Power Attack, Die Hard, Extra Granted Maneuver, Blade Meditation (Devoted Spirit), Faith Unswerving, Combat Reflexes, Robilar's Gambit, Martial Stance (Immortal Fortitude).
Languages: Common.
Faithful Avenger's Gifts: +6 ATK and DMG vs. CG opponents, +3 vs. G or C opponents. 1/1 day: ignore damage from a single source. 20 temp HP per round while in Immortal Fortitude stance.
Spell-like Abilities: At will: Detect Good (CL 10th). 3/3 day: Lesser Restoration (CL 10th). 1/1 day: Quickened Restoration (CL 15th).
Smite: 2/2 day: +5 ATK, +20 damage.
Zealous Surge: 1/1 day: reroll a saving throw.
Faithful Avenger's Toll: -2 ATK, -4 Fort. saves, 12 hp lost.
Crusader Maneuvers Known: (IL 20th) 1: Douse the Flames. 3: Defensive Rebuke. 4: Divine Surge, Entangling Blade. 5: Doom Charge, Law Bearer, Daunting Strike. 6: Crushing Vise. 7: Castigating Strike, Colossus Strike. 8: Greater Divine Surge, Adamantine Bones. 9: Strike of Righteous Vitality, Mountain Tombstone Strike.
Maneuvers Readied: 7 (5)
Stances Known: 1: Martial Spirit, Iron Guard's Glare. 3: Thicket of Blades. 6: Aura of Perfect Order. 8: Immortal Fortitude.
Possessions: Faithful Avenger (+3 unholy cold iron falchion), +5 heavy fortification energy resistance 10 adamantine full plate, amulet of natural armor+3, ring of protection+5, belt of giant strength+4, cloak of resistance+3, dust of disappearance, winged boots, helm of charisma+6, goggles of night, handy haversack, ring of freedom of movement, luckstone, scabbard of keen edges.
Beltia Woodpillow
Beltia Woodpillow: female halfling swordsage 20; small humanoid (halfling); HD 20d8+68; hp 161/161; init.+14; Spd. 20 ft.; AC 43, touch 35, flat footed 34; Base Atk+15/+10/+5; Grp.+18; Atk+28 melee (1d4+7/19-20, short sword) or +24 melee (1d6+4, unarmed strike); Full Atk +28/+23/+18 (short sword) or +24/+19/+14 (unarmed strike); SA weapon focus (Setting Sun), insightful strike (Setting Sun), insightful strike (Diamond Mind), sting like a bee; SQ quick to act+5, AC bonus, sense magic, defensive stance (Setting Sun), defensive stance (diamond mind), improved evasion, dual boost 3/3 day, crux of balance, baffling defense, evasive defense; AL N; SV Fort.+9, Ref.+23, Will+21; Str 14, Dex 28, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 24, Cha 8.
Skills and Feats: Climb+5, Concentration+28, Diplomacy+2, Hide+18, Jump+4, Intimidate+23, Listen+33, Move Silently+16, Sense Motive+33, Spot+17, Tumble+35; Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Finesse, Blade Meditation (Setting Sun), Snap Kick, Stunning Fist, Falling Sun Attack, Distant Horizon.
Languages: Common, Halfling.
Eventide's Edge's Gifts: +4 on bull rush, overrun, and trip attacks. +2d6 damage vs. larger creatures. +1 AC. Knows Comet Throw. Automatically succeed on Sense Motive checks with Baffling Defense.
Stunning Fist: 6/6 day: DC 28.
Spell-like Abilities: 2/2 day: Greater Invisibility (CL 10).
Halfling Traits: +2 saves vs. fear, +1 thrown weapons and slings.
Eventide's Edge's Toll: -2 Attacks, -4 Fort. saves, 12 hp lost.
Swordsage Maneuvers Known: 1: Counter Charge, Wolf Fang Strike, Distracting Ember, Wind Stride. 2: Baffling Defense, Clever Positioning, Cloak of Deception. 3: Feigned Opening, Mind Over Body. 4: Comet Throw, Strike of the Broken Shield, Hand of Death. 5: Soaring Throw, Mirrored Pursuit, Stalking Shadow. 6: Scorpion Parry, Ballista Throw, Greater Insightful Strike. 7: Hydra Slaying Strike, Shadow Blink, Quicksilver Motion. 8: Fool's Strike, One With Shadow, Diamond Defense, Diamond Nightmare Blade. 9: Tornado Throw, Time Stands Still, Mountain Tombstone Strike.
Stances Known: 1: Step of the Wind, Stance of Clarity. 3: Giant Killing Style. 5: Shifting Defense, Hearing the Air. 8: Ghostly Defense.
Possessions: Eventide's Edge (+4 defending mithral short sword), bracers of armor+8, gauntlets of ogre power, cloak of resistance+5, monk's belt, periapt of wisdom+6, ring of protection+5, winged boots, vest of dexterity+6, handy haversack, ring of freedom of movement, goggles of night, robe of scintillating colors, luckstone, pink ioun stone, dusty rose ioun stone, 2 restorative ointments, 3 potions of Cure Serious Wounds, potion of Barkskin+5, 5 potions of resist energy 20 (1 of each major type), potion of Remove Fear, adventuring gear.
Conditions
For the first time in the tournament, the randomly determined time of day is night. The warriors have their Goggles of Night on to help them see through the gloom. They fight in a 100 ft. square arena, starting 30 feet away from each other in the center.
Round 1
Before they take action, Scott attempts to engage Beltia in a duel of wills. Beltia submits to the attempt, fooling the human into believing he has dominated her will.
Surprisingly, the human takes the initiative. He scoffs at his pathetic-looking opponent, unarmored and only wielding a halfling-sized short sword. He draws Faithful Avenger from his Scabbard of Keen Edges, assuming the Aura of Perfect Order stance. Confident that he can absorb any damage the halfling can dish out, he also assumes the open stance of Robilar's Gambit, ready to punish any attempt to even touch him.
Beltia calmly assumes the Shifting Defense stance, speaking the command word on her Robe of Scintillating Colors. Then, with a sly smile, she draws Eventide's Edge, moving 20 feet away from her foe.
Round 2
Seeing the halfling scamper off, Scott activates his Winged Boots, and flies closer to his target.
The swordsage takes a step back, and removes a potion of Haste from her pack, downing the magical concoction in a single gulp.
Round 3
Placing his feet on the ground right next to his diminutive opponent, Scott invokes the power of Hextor and the very earth itself, executing the deadly Mountain Tombstone Strike. However, the halfling gracefully dodges out of the way. Irritated, the crusader assumes the Thicket of Blades stance, assuring that any further moving around will be severely punished.
Almost carelessly, the hafling moves close to Scott, well within range of his falchion. He takes the opportunity to swing at her. However, right at the moment when the blade should connect, the halfling deflects the blow with her own blade, using the Setting Sun counter known as the Fool's Strike. The momentum of the crusader's swing carries the blade towards its wielders leg, and Scott slashes his own thigh. The first blood Faithful Avenger draws belongs to the one wielding it! Unharmed, the hafling dances around her target, finally grabbing the human's belt strap. Then, incredibly, Beltia sends hundreds of pounds of human and adamantine flying 15 feet through the air in a maneuver known as the Tornado Throw. Scott takes minimal damage, but his pride is considerably wounded.
Round 4
Scott the Punisher stands up, his armor covered in dust. With a roar of anger, he flies up twenty feet into the air, preparing to make a swooping attack.
Beltia smiles, looking up at her foe, knowing full well what is coming. She removes a potion of Greater Magic Fang from her pack, and swallows the entirety of the infusion. She can feel arcane energy pulse through her veins, her small limbs now more deadly in many ways than the ancient blade she wields.
Round 5
With a scream of zealous fury, Scott dives down, executing the dreadful Doom Charge. However, the hafling is not good, and his charge gives him no extra advantages. Not that it matters anyway, as the swordsage quickly steps out of the way of the attack.
Taking advantage of the drop in the crusader's defenses, Beltia kicks upward into Scott's exposed torso, delivering a deadly Mountain Tombstone Strike. What would have been a devastating blow is completely ignored however, as Scott activates the magic of his unholy falchion, providing total protection from the blow. In retaliation he takes a swing at her, thanks to Robilar's Gambit, but the blade is deflected by the magical shielding of her bracers and ring. Rather surprised, the halfling Shadow Blinks away, appearing in the distance in her glowing, shining robe.
Round 6
Scott once again flies up to his slippery foe, undaunted by the illusory patterns on her robe. Asking for Hextor's might to aid him, he executes a deadly smite attack, but again the blow is easily sidestepped. It's as if the halfling can read him like an open book.
Beltia decides to take the kiddy gloves off, and show the human exactly what she's made of. She taps into her Diamond Mind training, and unleashes a double-flurry attack with the Time Stands Still maneuver. Thanks to her own skill and Scott's open stance, every attack but one finds its mark. Her fists and feet bruise flesh and crack bone, while Eventide's Edge finally tastes blood, its magical properties dealing even more damage to the larger human than normal. The crusader can barely keep up with her movements, and the few parries and counters he attempts are easily deflected, dodged, or flat out miss. The little halfing deals an impressive 111 damage in a single round.
Round 7
His health dropping dangerously low, Scott assumes the potent Immortal Fortitude stance, his already impressive constitution and will to persevere bolstered by his magic sword's supernatural defenses. Still, if he can not land a single blow on his opponent, he cannot last forever. In desperation, he tries to hit with a Strike of Righteous Vitality, but again, the halfling dodges the attack effortlessly.
In the subsequent rounds, Beltia, confident in her ability to avoid any counter attack, takes the time to ready her most powerful maneuvers. She executes another Tornado Throw, tossing Scott around like a rag doll, throwing him three times and dealing 32 damage. She also connects with two more Mountain Tombstone Strikes, one of which is effectively negated by a Lesser Restoration from Scott's sword. However, on the 15th round, the second Mountain Tombstone Strike deals a horrific 7 constitution damage, plummeting the crusader to -50 hp. Despite his best efforts, his body simply cannot survive such punishment, and he falls dead on the floor of the arena, his body a twisted mockery of what it once was.
The victor stands, just over three feet tall, and completely unscathed. She wipes a little bit of sweat off her brow, and calmly sheathes Eventide's Edge. If only he wasn't a crusader, perhaps he would have surrendered like a gentleman. Typical, for one of the tall folk to refuse to admit defeat.
Aftermath
Victor: Beltia Woodpillow, master of Setting Sun.
Time Elapsed: 1 minute, 30 seconds.
Most Damage Dealt in a Single Round: Beltia, with her 111 damage Time Stands Still full attack.
... As this battle progressed, I started to wonder if I was doing something wrong. The humble little halfing never took damage once. And it's all thanks to the Shifting Defense Stance. With nine AoO's a round thanks to Combat Reflexes, the swordsage could 5 foot step away from any attack the human dared to throw her way. The only way Scott even was able to attack her was through Robilar's Gambit, and even then it ultimately did him more harm than good, since the +4 to damage with every hit on him really added up.
Even assuming Beltia didn't use the Shifting Defense stance, her AC was so high thanks to Haste and Eventide's Edge that the human needed to roll a 17+ just to hit her (her AC was around 47-48 the entire fight). On top of that she had 50% concealment almost the entire fight, and if she wanted to she could have used her sword to activate Greater Invisibility and made even more of an absolute mockery of him.
I'm actually rather stunned. Against foes without reach weapons, Shifting Defense is practically the perfect defense. She also had several potent counters left that she never even got a chance to use, including Baffling Defense (which she auto-succeeded on thanks to her sword) or One With Shadow. This halfling is a wraith, a deadly untouchable killing machine. She relied on Mountain Tombstone Strike to finish off the crusader, which is testament to his toughness. If she had relied on traditional damage, his Immortal Fortitude stance would have kept him going for much longer, but to what end? He simply couldn't touch her.
Perhaps this fight would have been different if Beltia was Good or Chaotic, since Faithful Avenger would have been so much more useful. (I randomly determined everyone's alignment). And against any other competitor in this tournament, Scott the Punisher would have put up a nasty fight. But now I worry whether it is simply unfair to fight Beltia. Perhaps the White Raven master, with his summoned allies, can plan a decent strategy against her. The Iron Heart master hits more accurately than Scott, and his Robilar's Gambit might prove useful. The Diamond Mind master's defenses are top notch as well, and the Stone Dragon master has the potential to gain reach, but still...
I have newfound respect for the Setting Sun discipline. Dare I say my next character just might be a halfling swordsage.
So concludes the first tier of the tournament. Next up, the White Raven master cannot be the odd man out, so we will get to see his skills in battle. However, as we enter the second tier, I would start putting some gold on the Setting Sun swordsage...
Round III (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74292)
Nine level 20 characters, built using the Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords. Each with the Elite Array for starting abilities, and 760,000 gp worth of equipment, including the Legacy Weapon associated with the martial discipline they have been built to represent. Once again, these characters are far from being optimized, and these fights aren't really meant to prove anything. They're mostly just for fun, for those that enjoy their fluff and crunch mixed together with... a +5 whisk or something.
Tournament Round IV: Setting Sun vs. Devoted Spirit
An intimidating sight by anyone's standards, the champion of the Devoted Spirit discipline, wielding the deadly falchion Faithful Avenger, clad in pitch-black adamantine full plate mail, is Scott the Punisher, Crusader of Hextor, the Lord of Tyranny. His opponent, master of the Setting Sun school, is the diminutive Beltia Woodpillow, a halfling swordsage wielding Eventide's Edge, the subtle, humble, yet undeniably deadly short sword. Can Beltia turn weakness into strength against a one-man army such as Scott? The crowd watches with bated breath as the warriors enter the arena.
Scott the Punisher
Scott the Punisher: male human crusader of hextor 20; medium humanoid (human); HD 20d10+128; hp 242/242; init.+1; Spd. 20 ft.; AC 33, touch 16, flat footed 32; Base Atk+20/+15/+10/+5; Grp.+27; Atk +30 melee (2d4+17/18-20, falchion); Full Atk +30/+25/+20/+15 (falchion); SA furious counterstrike, steely resolve 30, smite, faithful srike; SQ indomitable soul, zealous surge, mettle, blessing of faith, boundless determination, resiliency, DR 3/-; AL LE; SV Fort.+19, Ref.+11, Will+14; Str 28, Dex 12, Con 24, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 20.
Skills and Feats: Concentration+9, Diplomacy+8, Jump+24, Intimidate+31, Listen+6, Sense Motive+11, Spot+6, Tumble+10; Devoted Bulwark, Power Attack, Die Hard, Extra Granted Maneuver, Blade Meditation (Devoted Spirit), Faith Unswerving, Combat Reflexes, Robilar's Gambit, Martial Stance (Immortal Fortitude).
Languages: Common.
Faithful Avenger's Gifts: +6 ATK and DMG vs. CG opponents, +3 vs. G or C opponents. 1/1 day: ignore damage from a single source. 20 temp HP per round while in Immortal Fortitude stance.
Spell-like Abilities: At will: Detect Good (CL 10th). 3/3 day: Lesser Restoration (CL 10th). 1/1 day: Quickened Restoration (CL 15th).
Smite: 2/2 day: +5 ATK, +20 damage.
Zealous Surge: 1/1 day: reroll a saving throw.
Faithful Avenger's Toll: -2 ATK, -4 Fort. saves, 12 hp lost.
Crusader Maneuvers Known: (IL 20th) 1: Douse the Flames. 3: Defensive Rebuke. 4: Divine Surge, Entangling Blade. 5: Doom Charge, Law Bearer, Daunting Strike. 6: Crushing Vise. 7: Castigating Strike, Colossus Strike. 8: Greater Divine Surge, Adamantine Bones. 9: Strike of Righteous Vitality, Mountain Tombstone Strike.
Maneuvers Readied: 7 (5)
Stances Known: 1: Martial Spirit, Iron Guard's Glare. 3: Thicket of Blades. 6: Aura of Perfect Order. 8: Immortal Fortitude.
Possessions: Faithful Avenger (+3 unholy cold iron falchion), +5 heavy fortification energy resistance 10 adamantine full plate, amulet of natural armor+3, ring of protection+5, belt of giant strength+4, cloak of resistance+3, dust of disappearance, winged boots, helm of charisma+6, goggles of night, handy haversack, ring of freedom of movement, luckstone, scabbard of keen edges.
Beltia Woodpillow
Beltia Woodpillow: female halfling swordsage 20; small humanoid (halfling); HD 20d8+68; hp 161/161; init.+14; Spd. 20 ft.; AC 43, touch 35, flat footed 34; Base Atk+15/+10/+5; Grp.+18; Atk+28 melee (1d4+7/19-20, short sword) or +24 melee (1d6+4, unarmed strike); Full Atk +28/+23/+18 (short sword) or +24/+19/+14 (unarmed strike); SA weapon focus (Setting Sun), insightful strike (Setting Sun), insightful strike (Diamond Mind), sting like a bee; SQ quick to act+5, AC bonus, sense magic, defensive stance (Setting Sun), defensive stance (diamond mind), improved evasion, dual boost 3/3 day, crux of balance, baffling defense, evasive defense; AL N; SV Fort.+9, Ref.+23, Will+21; Str 14, Dex 28, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 24, Cha 8.
Skills and Feats: Climb+5, Concentration+28, Diplomacy+2, Hide+18, Jump+4, Intimidate+23, Listen+33, Move Silently+16, Sense Motive+33, Spot+17, Tumble+35; Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Finesse, Blade Meditation (Setting Sun), Snap Kick, Stunning Fist, Falling Sun Attack, Distant Horizon.
Languages: Common, Halfling.
Eventide's Edge's Gifts: +4 on bull rush, overrun, and trip attacks. +2d6 damage vs. larger creatures. +1 AC. Knows Comet Throw. Automatically succeed on Sense Motive checks with Baffling Defense.
Stunning Fist: 6/6 day: DC 28.
Spell-like Abilities: 2/2 day: Greater Invisibility (CL 10).
Halfling Traits: +2 saves vs. fear, +1 thrown weapons and slings.
Eventide's Edge's Toll: -2 Attacks, -4 Fort. saves, 12 hp lost.
Swordsage Maneuvers Known: 1: Counter Charge, Wolf Fang Strike, Distracting Ember, Wind Stride. 2: Baffling Defense, Clever Positioning, Cloak of Deception. 3: Feigned Opening, Mind Over Body. 4: Comet Throw, Strike of the Broken Shield, Hand of Death. 5: Soaring Throw, Mirrored Pursuit, Stalking Shadow. 6: Scorpion Parry, Ballista Throw, Greater Insightful Strike. 7: Hydra Slaying Strike, Shadow Blink, Quicksilver Motion. 8: Fool's Strike, One With Shadow, Diamond Defense, Diamond Nightmare Blade. 9: Tornado Throw, Time Stands Still, Mountain Tombstone Strike.
Stances Known: 1: Step of the Wind, Stance of Clarity. 3: Giant Killing Style. 5: Shifting Defense, Hearing the Air. 8: Ghostly Defense.
Possessions: Eventide's Edge (+4 defending mithral short sword), bracers of armor+8, gauntlets of ogre power, cloak of resistance+5, monk's belt, periapt of wisdom+6, ring of protection+5, winged boots, vest of dexterity+6, handy haversack, ring of freedom of movement, goggles of night, robe of scintillating colors, luckstone, pink ioun stone, dusty rose ioun stone, 2 restorative ointments, 3 potions of Cure Serious Wounds, potion of Barkskin+5, 5 potions of resist energy 20 (1 of each major type), potion of Remove Fear, adventuring gear.
Conditions
For the first time in the tournament, the randomly determined time of day is night. The warriors have their Goggles of Night on to help them see through the gloom. They fight in a 100 ft. square arena, starting 30 feet away from each other in the center.
Round 1
Before they take action, Scott attempts to engage Beltia in a duel of wills. Beltia submits to the attempt, fooling the human into believing he has dominated her will.
Surprisingly, the human takes the initiative. He scoffs at his pathetic-looking opponent, unarmored and only wielding a halfling-sized short sword. He draws Faithful Avenger from his Scabbard of Keen Edges, assuming the Aura of Perfect Order stance. Confident that he can absorb any damage the halfling can dish out, he also assumes the open stance of Robilar's Gambit, ready to punish any attempt to even touch him.
Beltia calmly assumes the Shifting Defense stance, speaking the command word on her Robe of Scintillating Colors. Then, with a sly smile, she draws Eventide's Edge, moving 20 feet away from her foe.
Round 2
Seeing the halfling scamper off, Scott activates his Winged Boots, and flies closer to his target.
The swordsage takes a step back, and removes a potion of Haste from her pack, downing the magical concoction in a single gulp.
Round 3
Placing his feet on the ground right next to his diminutive opponent, Scott invokes the power of Hextor and the very earth itself, executing the deadly Mountain Tombstone Strike. However, the halfling gracefully dodges out of the way. Irritated, the crusader assumes the Thicket of Blades stance, assuring that any further moving around will be severely punished.
Almost carelessly, the hafling moves close to Scott, well within range of his falchion. He takes the opportunity to swing at her. However, right at the moment when the blade should connect, the halfling deflects the blow with her own blade, using the Setting Sun counter known as the Fool's Strike. The momentum of the crusader's swing carries the blade towards its wielders leg, and Scott slashes his own thigh. The first blood Faithful Avenger draws belongs to the one wielding it! Unharmed, the hafling dances around her target, finally grabbing the human's belt strap. Then, incredibly, Beltia sends hundreds of pounds of human and adamantine flying 15 feet through the air in a maneuver known as the Tornado Throw. Scott takes minimal damage, but his pride is considerably wounded.
Round 4
Scott the Punisher stands up, his armor covered in dust. With a roar of anger, he flies up twenty feet into the air, preparing to make a swooping attack.
Beltia smiles, looking up at her foe, knowing full well what is coming. She removes a potion of Greater Magic Fang from her pack, and swallows the entirety of the infusion. She can feel arcane energy pulse through her veins, her small limbs now more deadly in many ways than the ancient blade she wields.
Round 5
With a scream of zealous fury, Scott dives down, executing the dreadful Doom Charge. However, the hafling is not good, and his charge gives him no extra advantages. Not that it matters anyway, as the swordsage quickly steps out of the way of the attack.
Taking advantage of the drop in the crusader's defenses, Beltia kicks upward into Scott's exposed torso, delivering a deadly Mountain Tombstone Strike. What would have been a devastating blow is completely ignored however, as Scott activates the magic of his unholy falchion, providing total protection from the blow. In retaliation he takes a swing at her, thanks to Robilar's Gambit, but the blade is deflected by the magical shielding of her bracers and ring. Rather surprised, the halfling Shadow Blinks away, appearing in the distance in her glowing, shining robe.
Round 6
Scott once again flies up to his slippery foe, undaunted by the illusory patterns on her robe. Asking for Hextor's might to aid him, he executes a deadly smite attack, but again the blow is easily sidestepped. It's as if the halfling can read him like an open book.
Beltia decides to take the kiddy gloves off, and show the human exactly what she's made of. She taps into her Diamond Mind training, and unleashes a double-flurry attack with the Time Stands Still maneuver. Thanks to her own skill and Scott's open stance, every attack but one finds its mark. Her fists and feet bruise flesh and crack bone, while Eventide's Edge finally tastes blood, its magical properties dealing even more damage to the larger human than normal. The crusader can barely keep up with her movements, and the few parries and counters he attempts are easily deflected, dodged, or flat out miss. The little halfing deals an impressive 111 damage in a single round.
Round 7
His health dropping dangerously low, Scott assumes the potent Immortal Fortitude stance, his already impressive constitution and will to persevere bolstered by his magic sword's supernatural defenses. Still, if he can not land a single blow on his opponent, he cannot last forever. In desperation, he tries to hit with a Strike of Righteous Vitality, but again, the halfling dodges the attack effortlessly.
In the subsequent rounds, Beltia, confident in her ability to avoid any counter attack, takes the time to ready her most powerful maneuvers. She executes another Tornado Throw, tossing Scott around like a rag doll, throwing him three times and dealing 32 damage. She also connects with two more Mountain Tombstone Strikes, one of which is effectively negated by a Lesser Restoration from Scott's sword. However, on the 15th round, the second Mountain Tombstone Strike deals a horrific 7 constitution damage, plummeting the crusader to -50 hp. Despite his best efforts, his body simply cannot survive such punishment, and he falls dead on the floor of the arena, his body a twisted mockery of what it once was.
The victor stands, just over three feet tall, and completely unscathed. She wipes a little bit of sweat off her brow, and calmly sheathes Eventide's Edge. If only he wasn't a crusader, perhaps he would have surrendered like a gentleman. Typical, for one of the tall folk to refuse to admit defeat.
Aftermath
Victor: Beltia Woodpillow, master of Setting Sun.
Time Elapsed: 1 minute, 30 seconds.
Most Damage Dealt in a Single Round: Beltia, with her 111 damage Time Stands Still full attack.
... As this battle progressed, I started to wonder if I was doing something wrong. The humble little halfing never took damage once. And it's all thanks to the Shifting Defense Stance. With nine AoO's a round thanks to Combat Reflexes, the swordsage could 5 foot step away from any attack the human dared to throw her way. The only way Scott even was able to attack her was through Robilar's Gambit, and even then it ultimately did him more harm than good, since the +4 to damage with every hit on him really added up.
Even assuming Beltia didn't use the Shifting Defense stance, her AC was so high thanks to Haste and Eventide's Edge that the human needed to roll a 17+ just to hit her (her AC was around 47-48 the entire fight). On top of that she had 50% concealment almost the entire fight, and if she wanted to she could have used her sword to activate Greater Invisibility and made even more of an absolute mockery of him.
I'm actually rather stunned. Against foes without reach weapons, Shifting Defense is practically the perfect defense. She also had several potent counters left that she never even got a chance to use, including Baffling Defense (which she auto-succeeded on thanks to her sword) or One With Shadow. This halfling is a wraith, a deadly untouchable killing machine. She relied on Mountain Tombstone Strike to finish off the crusader, which is testament to his toughness. If she had relied on traditional damage, his Immortal Fortitude stance would have kept him going for much longer, but to what end? He simply couldn't touch her.
Perhaps this fight would have been different if Beltia was Good or Chaotic, since Faithful Avenger would have been so much more useful. (I randomly determined everyone's alignment). And against any other competitor in this tournament, Scott the Punisher would have put up a nasty fight. But now I worry whether it is simply unfair to fight Beltia. Perhaps the White Raven master, with his summoned allies, can plan a decent strategy against her. The Iron Heart master hits more accurately than Scott, and his Robilar's Gambit might prove useful. The Diamond Mind master's defenses are top notch as well, and the Stone Dragon master has the potential to gain reach, but still...
I have newfound respect for the Setting Sun discipline. Dare I say my next character just might be a halfling swordsage.
So concludes the first tier of the tournament. Next up, the White Raven master cannot be the odd man out, so we will get to see his skills in battle. However, as we enter the second tier, I would start putting some gold on the Setting Sun swordsage...