Krimm_Blackleaf
2008-07-29, 07:48 PM
Quicksilver Aegis
http://wizards.com/dnd/images/foe_gallery/99877.jpg
The inevitable known as Docens XII was indistinguishable from the previous eleven Docens before it. It was constructed for bringing those who defied their sacred oaths to justice, and armed with sufficient weaponry and knowledge to carry out its duty with extreme prejudice. What made it different from its predecessors was a matter of situation, not of construction. While on a mission to find a rogue sorcerer who had reneged on his pledge to serve as an exarch in the great game of the dragons, Docens XII was struck down by a powerful spell cast by the sorcerer, crippling him. As he was not dead, his essence would not reform in the creation creches of Mechanus, but he was unable to fulfill his duty. But, as the justice of the world would have it, a swordsmen found the crippled inevitable. The warrior was a martial adept, fleeing from the ruin of the Temple of the Nine Swords. Docens XII asked the warrior to kill him and then serve as his proxy in bringing the mage to justice, harrying him long enough for a Docens XIII to be created on Mechanus and finish the task. To that end, Docens XII taught the warrior everything he knew of fighting, teaching him every secret of the inevitables in regards to swordplay. The warrior delivered a coup de grace to Docens XII, and used his new found knowledge to hold his own against the sorcerer, until the newly-formed Docens XIII came to dispatch him. Eventually, this swordsman codified everything he had been taught by Docens XII, formalizing the techniques and devising a few of his own. Thus was born the Quicksilver Aegis discipline, born of law and order. The Quicksilver Aegis discipline’s associated skill is Balance, as it relies on controlled and disciplined movements. The associated weapons of the Quicksilver Aegis discipline are the greatmace, greatsword, heavy mace, longsword, and maul.
Because the Quicksilver Aegis discipline was never taught widely at the Temple of the Nine Swords or any similar center of training, most martial adepts do not know any maneuvers from it, or even know it exists. Only Crusaders, Soul Disciples, and Swordsages of a lawful alignment can learn maneuvers from the Quicksilver Aegis discipline. There are two ways to master the discipline. The first is to have been trained in it. If you choose to make a martial adept that has already been trained in the Quicksilver Aegis discipline, you simply replace one discipline that adept could normally learn maneuvers from with the Quicksilver Aegis discipline. He loses the associated skill of the replaced discipline as a class skill, but gains Balance as a class skill.
The other way is to seek out a master of the Quicksilver Aegis–a martial adept capable of using at least 5th-level maneuvers from the discipline–and training under him. You must train for a month under the master, and spend 1,000 xp at the end of your training. You gain the ability to learn maneuvers from the Quicksilver Aegis discipline, and add Balance to your martial adept class’s list of class skills. In addition, you may exchange your maneuvers known for maneuvers of the Quicksilver Aegis discipline. You may exchange one maneuver of each level, and the new maneuvers you learn must be of the same level as the exchanged maneuvers, unlike normal.
Krimm_Blackleaf
2008-07-29, 07:50 PM
Level 1
Axiom Burst: Strike -- Channel a bit of pure law to deal extra damage to your enemy.
Quicksilver Parry: Counter -- Reduce your chances of hitting an enemy for a higher chance to avoid being hit.
Reliable Blade: Stance -- Take average base weapon damage instead of rolling for it.
Still Hand Strike: Strike -- Make a Balance check to deal extra damage to an enemy.
Level 2
Block Movement: Counter -- Stop creature from moving as part of an attack of opportunity.
Cold Law Strike: Strike -- Weapon deals additional 10 damage, causes chaotic creatures to become prone.
Rigid Stillness Strike: Strike -- Strike an opponent and render the both of you flat-footed for one round.
Zelekhut's Charge: Strike -- Overpower your foe with the strength of a Zelekhut inevitable.
Level 3
Dauntless Stability Strike: Strike -- Attack deals 10 extra damage, potentially knock foe back and prone.
Lawful Smite: Strike -- Attack deals 12 extra damage, gain bonus to saves and AC if you attack chaotic foes.
Quicksilver Defense: Stance -- Lower your rate of a successful attack to increase your armor class.
Stalwart Avoidance: Counter -- Use a Balance check to avoid attacks of opportunity and potentially strike back at them.
Level 4
Grinding Law: Strike -- Deal an additional 15 damage, potentially stun foes.
One of Mechanus: Strike -- Use the ultimate lawful power of mechanus to bend the will of your enemy.
Strike at the Heart: Strike -- Melee attack deals 10 extra damage and is an automatic critical.
Level 5
Kolyarut's Negative Strike: Stike -- Fire a ranged touch attack that deals 15 negative energy damage, as a kolyarut.
Rigid Sword Stance: Stance -- Strike enemies with the same precision and force each round.
Surging Law: Boost -- Increase the attack power of your weapon with pure lawful energy.
Level 6
Lawful Retribution: Strike -- Attack a chaotic foe for 20 extra damage and potentially render them cursed.
Strike of the Axiom: Strike -- Strike an opponent, deal an additional 30 damage and create a small area that suppresses chaotic magic.
Sword Burying Parry: Counter -- Counter an opponents attack and fuse it to the ground, rendering the weapon immovable.
Level 7
Exponential Forceful Strike: Strike -- Attack an enemy three times, dealing more and more damage with each successful attack.
Marut's Fists of Thunder and Lightning: Boost -- Strike enemies with the thunder and lightning of a Marut, dealing extra damage and potentially blinding or deafening them.
Quicksilver Bulwark: Counter -- Forgo your attacks for one round to negate the attacks of a single foe.
Level 8
Adamant Wall of Mechanus: Counter -- Create a wall of adamantine gears to block an enemy's strike.
Stance of Deft Hands: Stance -- Decrease the random chance of hitting for a more reliable number and reduce the penalties to iterative attacks.
Level 9
Furious Strike of Unquenchable Order: Strike -- Deal 100 extra damage and potentially paralyze chaotic enemies.
Krimm_Blackleaf
2008-07-29, 08:01 PM
1st Level
Axiom Burst
Quicksilver Aegis(Strike) [Cold, Law]
Level: Crusader 1, Sould Disciple 1, Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
You swing your blade with raw power, channeling pure, cold law though it. It strikes your foe and freezes their wounds.
When initiating this strike, a successful hit against an opponent deals an additional 5 cold damage and is treated as lawful-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. If used against a lawful opponent, it instead deals 2 cold damage. Axiom Burst is a supernatural ability.
Quicksilver Parry
Quicksilver Aegis(Counter)
Level: Crusader 1, Sould Disciple 1, Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: Immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
Your opponent swings at you, but you have a still enough hand to block his attack, although leaving yourself less capable of attacking.
This is the fundamental counter of the Quicksilver Aegis discipline, using a steady hand to block enemies, even at the cost of one's own offensive ability. By initiating this maneuver, you hold your weapon out in front of you, putting it in a bad position for attack and granting greater defense. You may take a penalty to your attack rolls for 1 round equal to your initiator level(maximum 10) but granting yourself the same bonus to Armor Class. You cannot use this maneuver if you are flat-footed.
Reliable Blade
Quicksilver Aegis(Stance)
Level: Crusader 1, Sould Disciple 1, Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
You know how to strike with reliable force with each swing you take against an enemy.
This technique is used by martial adepts who don't want to rely on random chance when dealing damage to enemies. While in this stance, you deal the average amount of damage (as seen on the chart below) for your weapon instead of rolling for it.
{table="head"]Base Weapon Damage|Average Damage
1d2|1
1d3|2
1d4|2
1d6|3
1d8|4
1d10|5
1d12|6
2d6|7
2d8|9
3d6|10
[/table]
Still Hand Strike
Quicksilver Aegis (Strike)
Level: Crusader 1, Soul Disciple 1, Swordsage 1
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creatue
Your blade is held with stillness and calm, allowing you to strike defly and efficiently.
As part of this maneuver, you must make a Balance check, as a sign of the stillness of your weapon. If this balance check overcomes your opponents AC, you deal an additional amount of damage equal to the number of ranks you have in Balance.
2nd Level
Block Movement
Quicksilver Aegis (Counter)
Level: Crusader 2, Soul Disciple 2, Swordsage 2
Initiation Action: Immediate action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
They your enemy attempts to pass by you, you throw yourself in front of them and keep them back.
As part of this maneuver, you must use your attack of opportunity for the round against someone who is attempting to move out of your threatened square. You make an attack as normal, and then make opposed Strength checks with the opponent, you receiving a +4 to this check. If you win this check, the opponent cannot continue moving and still uses his move action for the round.
Cold Law Strike
Quicksilver Aegis (Strike) [Law]
Level: Crusader 2, Soul Disciple 2, Swordsage 2
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
You swing your weapon into your opponent for increased damage and surging axiomatic energy, knocking your enemy on his back.
When initiating this strike, if your weapon hits it deals an additional 10 damage and your weapon is treated as being lawful aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. If you hit a chaotic-aligned creature, that creature must make a Fortitude save, DC 12 plus your Wisdom modifier, or be knocked prone. Cold Law Strike is a supernatural ability.
Rigid Stillness Strike
Quicksilver Aegis (Strike)
Level: Crusader 2, Soul Disciple 2, Swordsage 2
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
You strike your enemy with incredible force, causing the both of you to stay rigidly still.
By attacking your enemy with this stance, you use perfect stillness and rigid order to keep the two of you in place. You make a normal attack against your enemy as a standard action, dealing normal melee damage, and the enemy must make a Fort save (DC 12+Wis modifier) or be rendered flat-footed and cannot make move actions until the end of your next action. If they pass or fail the save you remain flat-footed for the duration.
Zelekhut's Charge
Quicksilver Aegis (Strike)
Level: Crusader 2, Soul Disciple 2, Swordsage 2
Initiation Action: Full-round action
Range: 30 feet, see text
Target: One creature
You throw yourself at an enemy with the sure footing and strength of a Zelekhut, forcing them on their back.
As part of this maneuver, a character must make an overrun attempt on a single foe within 30 feet of them. If using this maneuver, the overrun does not provoke an attack of opportunity from anyone and receives a +4 bonus on the check to knock them down.
3rd Level
Dauntless Stability Strike
Quicksilver Aegis (Strike)
Prerequisites: 1 Quicksilver Aegis maneuver
Level: Crusader 3, Soul Disciple 3, Swordsage 3
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Your strong footing and rigid power strikes your foe back and tumbling off it's feet.
As part of this maneuver, you must make a single melee attack against a single foe, with a +2 bonus to the attack roll. If the attack is successful you deal an additional 10 points of damage and you and the stricken foe must make opposed Strength checks, if you are successful you knock your foe back five feet and they must make a Reflex save (DC 13+Str modifier) or be knocked prone. For every 5 you overcome their Strength check you knock them back another five feet.
Lawful Smite
Quicksilver Aegis (Strike) [Law]
Prerequisites: 1 Quicksilver Aegis maneuver
Level: Crusader 3, Soul Disciple 3, Swordsage 3
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round
The energy surrounding your blade seems unnaturally aligned and orderly. As you strike with your axiomatic weapon pure law envelops you and your foe.
If this strike hits, it deals and additional 12 points of damage and is considered lawful-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Additionally, if you strike a chaotic foe with this strike you are enveloped in axiomatic energy. This grants a +3 Axiom bonus to saving throws and AC until the end of your next round. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Quicksilver Defense
Quicksilver Aegis (Stance)
Prerequisites: 1 Quicksilver Aegis maneuver
Level: Crusader 3, Soul Disciple 3, Swordsage 3
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
You hold you weapon in a rigid, defensive position that only allows for inflexible, but weak attacks. As the enemy swings, you deflect his attack easily with your weapon.
The Quicksilver Defense stance is an improvement on the Quicksilver Aegis' fundamental capabilities. While in this stance, the character is rendered incapable of forceful attacks, instead of rolling 1d20 for their attack they can take only 5's on attack rolls. In exchange, they receive a +5 martial bonus to Armor Class for as long as they stay in the Stance. At initiator level 10th this bonus increases to +8 and increases again to +12 at initiator level 15th. You cannot use this maneuver if you are flat-footed.
Stalwart Avoidance
Quicksilver Aegis (Counter)
Prerequisites: 1 Quicksilver Aegis maneuver
Level: Crusader 3, Soul Disciple 3, Swordsage 3
Initiation Action: Immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
With perfect footing and sure movement, you dodge a sword's blow without a thought.
To initiate this maneuver, you must provoke an attack of opportunity from an enemy when attempting to move out of their threatened space. You roll a Balance check opposed to their attack roll. If your Balance check succeeds, you completely avoid the attack and can move freely. If your Balance check overcomes their attack roll by 5 or more, you are granted a free attack against them as a free action.
4th Level
Grinding Law
Quicksilver Aegis(Strike) [Law]
Prerequisites: 1 Quicksilver Aegis maneuver.
Level: Crusader 4, Soul Disciple 4, Swordsage 4
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round
With a swift and still thrust of your weapon, a spark of ultimate law flashes from it and into your enemy's body. It cuts through them and wracks their body, stiffening it.
Pure law is the weapon of the Quicksilver Aegis master, and through this maneuver you channel a bit of it into an enemy's body. In addition to the normal damage of a successful attack you deal an additional 15 damage and your weapon counts as lawful aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Additionally, the victim must make a Fort save (DC 14+Wis modifier) or be stunned for 1 round. Chaotic foes receive a -4 to this save. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
One of Mechanus
Quicksilver Aegis (Strike) [Law]
Prerequisites: 1 Quicksilver Aegis maneuver
Level: Crusader 4, Soul Disciple 4, Swordsage 4
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One creature
Saving Throw: Will partial
You strike your enemy, with raw dictum filtering into their soul. They begin to follow your telepathic commands.
As part of this strike, you must make a melee attack against a single foe, which is considered lawful for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. If this strike hits they must make a Will save (DC 14+Wis modifier) or be affected as though by the suggestion spell and are considered to have a lawful alignment for all intents and purposes. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Strike at the Heart
Quicksilver Aegis (Strike)
Prerequisites: 1 Quicksilver Aegis maneuver.
Level: Crusader 4, Soul Disciple 4, Swordsage 4
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
You hold your blade perfectly, aiming for a critical weak-point in the creature's flesh. You strike and let the blood gush from the wound.
As part of this maneuver, you make a normal melee attack against an enemy as a standard action. If the attack is successful, you deal an additional 10 points of damage and the attack is treated as an automatic critical hit.
5th Level
Kolyarut's Negative Strike
Quicksilver Aegis(Strike) [Law]
Prerequisites: 2 Quicksilver Aegis maneuvers
Level: Crusader 5, Soul Disciple 5, Swordsage 5
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: 60 feet.
Target: One creature
You hold your hand forth as a sickly purple-black beam fires from it and strikes your enemy, darkening and decaying his flesh.
As part of this maneuver, you must make a ranged touch attack against a single opponent. If the strike hits it deals 15 points of negative energy damage, mimicking the ability of a Kolyarut Inevitable. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Rigid Sword Stance
Quicksilver Aegis(Stance)
Prerequisites: 2 Quicksilver Aegis maneuvers
Level: Crusader 5, Soul Disciple 5, Swordsage 5
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
You hold your weapon in an inflexible position, and with each swing you strike with the same precision and force.
This stance is a technique of the Quicksilver Aegis masters used for reliable and still forceful attacks. While in this stance, you do not roll 1d20 for your attack rolls, but instead take a number on your attack roll equal to your initiator level minus 5 then adding any modifiers to your attack rolls. The effective roll cannot exceed 15 while in this stance.
Surging Law
Quicksilver Aegis(Boost) [Law]
Prerequisites: 2 Quicksilver Aegis maneuvers
Level: Crusader 5, Soul Disciple 5, Swordsage 5
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
Your weapon feels a surge of ultimate axiomatic energy behind it, thrusting your weapon with greater power.
Using this boost is another step in the use of pure law in increasing melee power. Initiating this maneuver allows your attacks for 1 round to deal an additional 10 points of damage per attack. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
6th Level
Lawful Retribution
Quicksilver Aegis (Strike) [Law]
Prerequisites: 2 Quicksilver Aegis maneuvers
Level: Crusader 6, Soul Disciple 6, Swordsage 6
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: Will partial
You swing your weapon with dark axiomatic fury, leaving behind the essence of judgment in their chaotic wounds.
As part of this maneuver, you must strike a chaotic-aligned creature. If the attack succeeds you deal an additional 20 points of damage and is treated as lawful aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Additionally, they must make a Will save (DC 16+Wis modifier) or be affected as though by the Bestow Greater Curse spell. If they succeed they negate the curse but still take the damage. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Strike of the Axiom
Quicksilver Aegis(Strike) [Law]
Prerequisites: 2 Quicksilver Aegis maneuvers
Level: Crusader 6, Soul Disciple 6, Swordsage 6
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 round
Saving Throw: Will partial
You channel pure law through your weapon and into the enemy's body, opening the wound wider than it would have normally. The air around them shimmers and suddenly everything within is unnaturally rigid and orderly at an almost subliminal level.
As a part of this strike, you channel axiomatic energy through your weapon, dealing them an additional 30 points of damage and treating the attack as lawful for overcoming damage reduction. Additionally, the opponent must make a Will save (DC 16+Wis modifier) or be treated as if in a strongly Lawful-dominant where any chaos descriptor spells being cast by or on the enemy are impeded(Caster must make a Spellcraft check DC 20+Spell level or lose the spell). This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Sword Burying Parry
Quicksilver Aegis(Counter) [Law]
Prerequisites: 2 Quicksilver Aegis maneuvers
Level: Crusader 6, Soul Disciple 6, Swordsage 6
Initiation Action: Immediate action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: End of encounter
Saving Throw: Reflex partial
You catch your opponent's weapon with your own and swing it downward as surging lawful energy fuses it perfectly to the ground.
When initiating this maneuver, you must make an opposed attack roll against someone attacking you. If your attack roll exceeds theirs you can try to force their weapon to the ground harmlessly, where it will be stuck for the duration of the encounter. If they succeed on a Reflex save (DC 16+Wis modifier) they can avoid having their weapon fused to the ground but the attack is still negated. This maneuver is a supernatural ability, and cannot be used if a character is flat-footed.
7th Level
Exponential Forceful Strike
Quicksilver Aegis(Strike)
Prerequisites: 3 Quicksilver Aegis maneuvers
Level: Crusader 7, Soul Disciple 7, Swordsage 7
Initiation Action: Full-round action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
You strike your enemy five times, and with the final strike you rip through your enemy like a hot knife through butter.
As a full-round action, you make three attacks against your opponent. With each successful attack you deal an additional amount of damage with the final successful attack against them, as indicated on the chart below. Each attack takes a -2 to the attack roll.
{table="head"]Successful attacks|Extra damage
1|5
2|15
3|30
[/table]
Marut's Fists of Thunder and Lightning
Quicksilver Aegis(Boost) [Electricity, Law, Sonic]
Prerequisites: 3 Quicksilver Aegis maneuvers
Level: Crusader 7, Soul Disciple 7, Swordsage 7
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 full attack action
Saving Throw: See text
Your fists begin to crackle with electric energy and scream with sonic vibration, both of which channel themselves into your sword with piercing sound and blinding flashes.
As you make an attack, your weapon is empowered with supernatural power similar to that of one of the ultimate warriors of law; the Marut. Your fists either crackle with electricity or emit powerful sonic vibrations, and the energies can be interchanged between your arms with natural ease and directly into your weapon.
Attack per attack for one round, you may choose to let your damage either have the thunder quality or the lightning quality. If you chose thunder, your weapon deals an additional 20 points of sonic damage on a successful hit, and the victim must make a Fort save(DC 17+Wis modifier) or be deafened for 7 rounds. If you choose the lightning quality, the victim takes an additional 30 points of electricity damage on a successful hit, and they must make a Fort save(DC 17+Wis modifier) or be blinded for 7 rounds.
This boost is a supernatural ability.
Quicksilver Bulwark
Quicksilver Aegis(Counter)
Prerequisites: 3 Quicksilver Aegis maneuvers
Level: Crusader 7, Soul Disciple 7, Swordsage 7
Initiation Action: Immediate action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round
You hold your weapon high to deflect your opponent's blows with uncanny accuracy and rigid calm.
This is the ultimate in the Quicksilver Aegis defensive parries. By using this maneuver, select one opponent attacking you, when you activate this maneuver you choose to forgo making any sort of offensive actions for the next full round. Your enemy also is rendered completely incapable of attacking you for the same duration as you block and parry with supreme skill. You cannot use this maneuver if you are flat-footed.
8th Level
Stance of Deft Hands
Quicksilver Aegis(Stance)
Prerequisites: 3 Quicksilver Aegis maneuvers
Level: Crusader 8, Soul Disciple 8, Swordsage 8
Initiation Action: Swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
Your hands hold your weapon with a perfect, rigid grip, reflected in your reliability of attacks.
This stance was designed for Quicksilver Aegis masters who wanted a constant, perfect order to their attacks, with incredible accuracy as well. While in this stance, instead of taking 1d20 on attack rolls, you instead take 1d6+10 plus an additional modifiers you would add to your normal attacks. Additionally, instead of a -5 to iterative attacks you take a -4 penalty instead.
Adamant Wall of Mechanus
Quicksilver Aegis(Counter) [Law]
Prerequisites: 3 Quicksilver Aegis maneuvers
Level: Crusader 8, Soul Disciple 8, Swordsage 8
Initiation Action: Immediate action
Range: See text
Target: See text
Duration: 3 rounds
You hold up your sword to block the blow of your enemy and with a metallic hum a wall of thick metal gears appears to block his attack.
As a part of this action, you make an opposed attack roll against someone making an attack against you. If your attack roll equals or exceeds theirs, you block their attack as a thick wall of adamantine cogs appears between the two of you. This wall is 15 feet in length and 10 feet in height and has 460 hp and a hardness of 20. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
9th Level
Furious Strike of Unquenchable Order
Quicksilver Aegis(Strike) [Law]
Prerequisites: 4 Quicksilver Aegis maneuvers
Level: Crusader 9, Soul Disciple 9, Swordsage 9
Initiation Action: Standard action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One creature
Duration: See text
Saving Throw: Will partial; see text
Your weapon bursts with blue-silver energy of ultimate axiomatic energy. You swing your weapon down and unleash the perfect order upon your enemy, ripping them apart.
The Furious Strike of Unquenchable Order is the ultimate technique of Quicksilver Aegis masters. As part of this maneuver, you make a melee attack against one foe, if it hits, it deals an additional 100 points of damage. Your weapon also counts as lawful-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Additionally, if you strike a chaotic opponent with this maneuver they must make a Will save (DC 19+Wis modifier) or be rendered permanently paralyzed because of the raw order pumping their their anarchic body. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.
Djinn_in_Tonic
2008-07-30, 06:10 PM
Nice concept, and well executed, but I don't have the time to balance-check everything. Looks decently balanced though...with a few exceptions.
Rigid Sword Stance: This is a powerful ability at anything after 12th level (even taking 10 on an attack roll is a good ability...in fact, a 6th level stance allows you to take 11). It's even worse when you take Improved Critical or have a Keen weapon...EVERY ATTACK WILL BE A CRITICAL THREAT.
Honestly, it's far to powerful for even an 8th level stance, let alone a 5th...Stance of Deft Hands is literally pushing the power level, and this is better at most levels.
Another one that stood out was Exponential Forceful Strike. Five attacks? Already I'm getting more than my full attack routine...but there's more. It appears that they're all at my full base attack bonus. Awesome! And wait...I get massive damage boosts the more hit! Good thing I have a decent attack bonus...or Rigid Sword Stance...to help out!
Maybe with three attacks this would be alright (fewer attacks for more damage), but this has the potential to outdamage any martial maneuver in the game...except the third one that I feel needs a fix.
Furious Strike of Unquenchable Order. Ouch. Strike of Preternatural Clarity adds a flat 100 damage...this thing, in the hands of a powerful fighter, will often deal far more. 1d10 matches SoPC, 1d12 or 2d6 top it, a Fullblade or large sized creature can get from 160 to 180 easily...and it just gets worse. Everything else in this discipline is flat damage, which fits it quite well...I'd sort of like this to follow suite. At any rate, it needs to be powered down, as it can currently be a better SoPC with a paralysis effect to boot.
Nice job though. :smallbiggrin:
Djinn_in_Tonic
2008-07-30, 06:18 PM
One thing I noticed, on the stance of deft hands, your odds of a natural one have doubled, so perhaps require a "confirmation roll" of another natural 1 to auto-miss.
Untrue, actually, since it specifically says that the 1d10+10 is used in place of a d20. As the natural 1 rule only applies to the d20, it is impossible to get a natural one in Stance of Deft Hands...the minimum roll is 11.
Pechvarry
2010-02-18, 03:13 AM
In the name of The Age of Warriors, I hereby declare this thread alive again!
Let's make this awesomer.
level 3: Dauntless Stability Strike has too many checks. An attack with some bonus attack and damage, if successful => strength check, if successful => reflex save. Yikes, that's all 3 forms of combat interaction in one attack. I'd try to rework it to lose either the strength check or the reflex save. Probably the route of "make a strength check, you gain a +4 on this attempt. Size modifiers apply, and the opponent gets a +4 bonus if they have 4 legs." And success has them bull rushed and knocked prone.
Level 4: Strike at the Heart isn't well-balanced. I would specify "this attack deals double damage" and leave it at that. Else, I'll have way too much fun with scythe weapon masters with a warblade dip and nothing to use their swift actions on but refreshing this maneuver. Alternatively, you could go for something like "Make an attack at a -4 penalty, if successful, it is a critical threat. Roll again to confirm (still with a -4). Any effect that allows a character to auto-confirm (blessed) does not function for this attack." Maybe I'm off base on this. It just seems out of line with other ToB stuff.
Level 5: Kolyarut's Negative Strike seems too weak. Granted, ToB isn't supposed to be heavy in the ranged attack department, but it seems like there's something that could be done to make this more attractive. It seems to be Enervation Ray light, since negative levels are very potent. That's understandable, but maybe Enervation with a stipulation that "these negative levels disappear after 1 minute" wouldn't be so bad. Alternatively, you could combine this with a Kolyarut's Vampiric Touch ability. Have this effect give the user 15 temp HP.
Level 5: Rigid Sword Stance is still incredibly powerful. I think all it needs to bring it in line is a single, damning line: "While in this stance, you do not threaten critical hits." Plus, it fits with the idea of a perfectly consistent attacker.
Level 6: Strike of the Axiom is neat. That is all! I just wanted to mention how interesting I found it. Actually, this time reading through it, I might consider a buff. Replace the "Caster must make DC 20+ spell level" with something like "unlike the normal planar trait, the Spellcraft DC equals 10 + Initiator level + spell level".
Level 7: Exponential Forceful Strike: I'm just not entirely clear on this. I'm assuming it says you're adding this bonus damage once? So basically, at the end of the round, you tally up how many attacks succeeded and award bonus damage accordingly?
Level 7: Marut's Fists...: just a typo. "Attack per attack"
Level 7: Quicksilver Bulwark: Would it be too much to just say "your opponent cannot perform an offensive action this term" or something?
Finally, if you happen to have some fresh inspiration for this school, it could probably stand to get another high level stance, I think. Personally, level 8 seems right. But none of that is important. What you have is fantastic. The reason I felt this was really worth the holy water and diamonds to (true) revive, is because I really like this concept. I envision a more rigid and tight variation of Iron Heart, breaking frequently into the supernatural.
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