Epic Martial Adept Progressions and Feats

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

-Epic Martial Class Progressions-The 9 Epic Martial Discipline Feats (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95435)

Epic Crusader
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/FR_ART/PrestigeClasses/Purpledragonknight.jpg
Virgil Dawn, an epic crusader

HD: d10

Skill Points at Each Level: 4+Int modifier

{table="head"]Level|Special
21st|Furious counterstrike
22nd|--
23rd|Bonus feat
24th|Steely resolve 35
25th|--
26th|Bonus feat
27th|--
28th|Steely resolve 40
29th|Bonus feat
30th|Smite 3/day
[/table]

Maneuvers: The crusader's initiator level is equal to his or her class level. The crusader's maneuvers readied and granted does not increase after 20th level. The crusader does not learn additional maneuvers unless he or she selects the Martial Knowledge feat.

Furious Counterstrike (Ex): Your furious counterstrike continues to advance as your crusader levels do. When your Steely Resolve pool increases to 35 your furious counterstrike bonus increases to +7, plus an additional +1 for every five your Steely Resolve pool increases by.

Steely Resolve (Ex): Your ability to soak damage improves more and more as you progress into epic levels. At every four levels(24th, 28th, 32nd etc.) above 20th, your steely resolve pool increases by 5.

Smite (Ex): Your smiting power increases into epic levels. At every 10th level beyond 20th, you are capable of using it your smite class feature one more time per day.

Bonus Feats: The epic crusader gains a bonus feat(selected from the list of epic crusader feats) every three levels higher than 20th.

Epic Crusader Bonus Feat List: Armor Skin, Devastating Critical, Devoted Knight of the God-King, Duel Stance Mastery, Empower Maneuver, Epic Blade Mediation, Epic Devotion, Epic Leadership, Epic Reputation, Epic Toughness, Fast Healing, Great Smiting, Ivory Raven Warmaster, Legendary Commander, Martial Knowledge, Maximize Maneuver, Overwhelming Critical, Penetrate Damage Reduction, Signature Move, Strike of the Duel Adept, Strike of the Triadic Master, Unbreakable Stone Maw


--

Epic Swordsage
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/FR_ART/People/Leevoth.jpg
Nevin Greymane, an epic swordsage

HD: d8

Skill Points at Each Level: 6+Int modifier

{table="head"]Level|Special
21st|--
22nd|--
23rd|Bonus feat
24th|--
25th|Quick to act +6
26th|Bonus feat
27th|--
28th|--
29th|Bonus feat
30th|Quick to act +7
[/table]

Maneuvers: The swordsage's initiator level is equal to his or her class level. The swordsage's maneuvers readied does not increase after 20th level. The swordsage learns an additional maneuver known at every odd level(21st, 23rd, 25th etc.).

Quick to Act (Ex): The epic swordsage continues to advance with your quick footwork. At every five levels beyond 20th(25th, 30th, 35th, etc.), your Quick to Act class feature increases by an additional +1.

Bonus Feats: The epic swordsage gains a bonus feat at every 3rd level after 20th (23rd, 26th, 29th, etc).

Epic Swordsage Bonus Feat List: Armor Skin, Damage Reduction, Deadly Shadow Assassin, Devastating Critical, Dire Charge, Duel Stance Mastery, Empower Maneuver, Energy Resistance, Epic Blade Mediation, Epic Combat Expertise, Epid Dodge, Epic Prowess, Epic Reflexes, Epic Weapon Focus, Epic Will, Exceptional Deflection, Fast Healing, Improved Stunning Fist, Incarnation of the Blazing Inferno, Infinite Deflection, Keen Strike, Martial Knowledge, Maximize Maneuver, Overwhelming Critical, Penetrate Damage Reduction, Perfect Two Weapon Fighting, Reflect Arrows, Self Concealment, Shattering Strike, Signature Move, Strike of the Duel Adept, Strike of the Triadic Master, Superior Initiative, Throw of the Gentle Sun, Unbreakable Stone Maw, Utter Diamond Clarity, Vicious Tiger King, Vorpal Strike


--

Epic Warblade
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y265/Nny2/SphelxorDrakkenspar.jpg
Sphelxor Drakkenspar, an epic warblade

HD: d12

Skill Points at Each Level: 4+Int modifier

{table="head"]Level|Special
21st|--
22nd|Bonus feat
23rd|--
24th|Bonus feat
25th|--
26th|Bonus feat
27th|--
28th|Bonus feat
29th|--
30th|Bonus feat
[/table]

Maneuvers: The warblade's initiator level is equal to his or her class level. The warblade's maneuvers readied does not increase after 20th level. The warblade does not learn additional maneuvers unless he or she selects the Martial Knowledge feat.

Bonus Feats: The epic warblade gains a bonus feat(selected from the list of epic warblade bonus feats) every even-numbered level after 20th.

Epic Warblade Bonus Feat List: Adamantine General, Armor Skin, Combat Insight, Damage Reduction, Devastating Critical, Dire Charge, Duel Stance Mastery, Empower Maneuver, Epic Blade Mediation, Epic Endurance, Epic Leadership, Epic Prowess, Epic Toughness, Epic Weapon Focus, Epic Weapon Specialization, Improved Combat Reflexes, Improved Whirlwind Attack, Ivory Raven Warmaster, Legendary Commander, Martial Knowledge, Maximize Maneuver, Overwhelming Critical, Penetrate Damage Reduction, Perfect Two Weapon Fighting, Signature Move, Strike of the Duel Adept, Strike of the Triadic Master, Superior Initiative, Unbreakable Stone Maw, Utter Diamond Clarity, Vicious Tiger King


----

-Epic Martial Adept Feats-
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y265/Nny2/EldritchKnightBattle.jpg

Dual Stance Mastery [Epic]
You are capable of holding yourself in a way to gain multiple benefits.
Prerequisites: Martial Lore 12 ranks, ability to use at least one 9th level maneuver, and an 8th level stance.
Benefit: You are capable of using two martial stances simultaneously, or if you have a class feature that gives you this benefit(such as the warblade or master of nine) you are instead capable of using three. You are also capable of taking two swift actions a round, so long as one of them is used to go into a martial stance.

Empower Maneuver [Epic]
You strike with great power and force with each maneuver, dealing out blows like no other.
Prerequisites: Blade Mediation, 24 ranks in the chosen discipline associated skill, ability to use one 9th level maneuver of the chosen discipline, and at least one other strike.
Benefit: When you take this feat, choose one martial discipline for which you know one 9th level maneuver and have the Blade Mediation feat. All numeric effects that increase the damage of attacks, variable or invariable, of your maneuvers of this discipline are increased by one-half. Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected. For example, a maneuver that would normally deal 10d6 extra damage now deals 15d6 damage, a maneuver that would deal flat 20 damage now deals 30 damage. A maneuver that grants a +4 bonus to attack rolls does NOT give a +6 to attack, and a maneuver that would grant two bonus attacks does NOT instead grant you three bonus attacks.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times, each time selecting a new martial discipline.

Epic Blade Mediation [Epic]
You've learned an even deeper insightful mediation of your discipline to become closer to being a grand master of your chosen school.
Prerequisites: Concentration 10 ranks, Blade Mediation, base attack bonus +21, five maneuvers from any one discipline, which must match the discipline you chose for the Blade Mediation feat.
Benefit: Select the martial discipline for which you already have the Blade Mediation feat when selecting this feat. You gain a +10 bonus on all damage rolls dealt with the discipline associated weapons of the chosen discipline. You gain a +10 to all checks of the class associated skill, and all saving throw DC's of the chosen discipline increase by +3.
The benefits of this feat do not stack with those granted by the Blade Mediation feat.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times, each time selecting a new martial discipline.

Martial Knowledge [Epic]
You take on greater knowledge of combat maneuvers.
Prerequisites: Ability to use at least one 9th level maneuver.
Benefit: You learn two maneuvers and a single stance of any level for which you meet the prerequisites to learn.

Maximize Maneuver [Epic]
You strike with full power with every strike you can muster.
Prerequisites: Empower Maneuver, ability to use one 9th level strike and at least three other strikes.
Benefit: All variable, numeric effects of a maneuver of the discipline you chose for your Empower Maneuver feat you use are maximized. Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are maneuvers without random variables. This stacks with the Empowered Maneuver feat.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times, each time selecting a new martial discipline.

Signature Move [Epic]
You have eternal mastery over a single martial strike, to the point where it's as easy for you to use as any normal attack.
Prerequisites: Martial Lore 12 ranks, 24 ranks in the discipline associated skill of the chosen maneuver, Adaptive Style, ability to use at least one 9th level strike.
Benefit: Select a single martial boost, counter or strike you know. Whenever you use that martial maneuver, it is not considered expended but you must still have it readied.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times, each time selecting a new martial maneuver.

Strike of the Dual Adept [Epic]
You have the ability to strike your foes with double the power you are normally capable of using.
Prerequisites: Martial Lore 30 ranks, ability to use one 9th level maneuver, and at least two martial strikes.
Benefit: You are capable of using two strikes, two counters or two boosts simultaneously, so long as each includes a single strike that takes a single standard or full-round action. An exception to this is if the strike or boost involves multiple attacks, which can either be combined if both strikes or boosts is associated with multiple attacks per round, they can be used in conjunction.

Strike of the Triadic Master [Epic]
You have sheer mastery over your maneuvers, capable of using up to three in a single strike.
Prerequisites: Martial Lore 33 ranks, Strike of the Dual Adept, ability to use one 9th level maneuver, and at least five martial strikes.
Benefit: This feat functions just like the Strike of the Dual Adept feat, except you are capable of using three martial maneuvers in a single attack instead of two.

[Fizban]

I believe you meant Dual, as a duel is single combat between two opponents, rather than using two things at once.

Also, is maximize intended to stack with the empowerment, or replace it?

Nitpicking aside, I tend to just assume you've got it right, the amount of ToB homebrew you've done, and I don't see anything glaringly wrong here. Bookmarked for further use in case I ever play a martial adept, as always.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

I believe you meant Dual, as a duel is single combat between two opponents, rather than using two things at once.

Also, is maximize intended to stack with the empowerment, or replace it?

Nitpicking aside, I tend to just assume you've got it right, the amount of ToB homebrew you've done, and I don't see anything glaringly wrong here. Bookmarked for further use in case I ever play a martial adept, as always.

I've fixed/clarified the issues.

And thanks for being a fan of my work.:smallbiggrin:

[KKL]

I love you. These feats are incredible.

As a question, for Signature Move, it allows you to repeatedly use a maneuver, so long as it remains on your list of maneuvers readied?

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

I love you. These feats are incredible.

As a question, for Signature Move, it allows you to repeatedly use a maneuver, so long as it remains on your list of maneuvers readied?

Yes, that's what it says. Well, maybe implies.

[KKL]

Yes, that's what it says. Well, maybe implies.

Well, it wouldn't hurt to make it a bit more clearer.

[Duke of URL]

Very nice!

One typo I saw for Crusader (same error in Warblade):


The crusader's initiator level is equal to his or her class level. The crusader's maneuvers readied and granted does not increase after 20th level. The crusader does not learn additional spells unless he or she selects the Martial Knowledge feat.

One other suggestion -- since you allow the Warblade's capstone (dual stance) to be an epic feat, how about a similar feat for dual boosts? (Edit: how'd I miss Strike of the Dual Adept???)

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Very nice!

One typo I saw for Crusader (same error in Warblade):

Fixed.


One other suggestion -- since you allow the Warblade's capstone (dual stance) to be an epic feat, how about a similar feat for dual boosts? (Edit: how'd I miss Strike of the Dual Adept???)

We all roll low sometimes. :smalltongue:

[zugschef]

great job! =)

some minor mistakes:

[...]maneuvers readied and granted does not increase[...]shouldn't it be "do not increase"?

you are capable of using it your smite class feature one more time per day.;-)

some input: i was thinking of a feat analog to arcane strike. since swordsages tend to have a pretty bad bab for a melee class -- especially if you take all 5 levels of master of nine preepic --, extra attack boni are essential. of course, unlike spellcasters you can recover your maneuvers, thus the feat is more powerful and that's why i suggest making it an epic feat. so expanding a readied maneuver gives you +x to your attack roll and xd4 to your melee damage roll, whereas x is the level of your maneuver expanded. you could call it martial strike, for instance.

you could also make it a normal feat by ruling that you may not ready the maneuver expanded again this day, or that you now can ready one maneuver less this day. in this case an epic version of the feat would be possible which works as described above.

btw: i posted my ideas for epic blade magic in stycotl's thread. check it out if you like: epic blade magic (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5284463&postcount=41). would be nice to get some feedback. =)

[Stycotl]

cool stuff. i think you mean 'blade meditation', not mediation.

but typos aside, initiators are worthy of such doting love and attention as they receive on the boards, and you do a darn good job with them.

[Risek]

Very nice.
I almost thought that Signature Move would be too powerful, but then I realized that at that level, most spellcasters could still take the martial adept with it regardless. Now I won't have to alternate between Time Stands Still and recovering....
I think maybe you should take a look at: http://marland.wikispaces.com/EpicMartialAdepts?f=print

[Stycotl]

a note about signature move: it specifies boost, counter, or strike, meaning that the miscellaneous maneuvers such as shadow jaunt and the others aren't viable. also, it specifies as a prereq that you need to know one 9th level martial strike. any reason in particular that it can't be a 9th level boost or counter?

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

a note about signature move: it specifies boost, counter, or strike, meaning that the miscellaneous maneuvers such as shadow jaunt and the others aren't viable. also, it specifies as a prereq that you need to know one 9th level martial strike. any reason in particular that it can't be a 9th level boost or counter?

Because as far as I know, the only 9th level maneuvers are strikes.

[Stycotl]

could be; i'm too lazy to look it up. but i could swear that there were a couple o' boosts or counters...

[insecure]

could be; i'm too lazy to look it up. but i could swear that there were a couple o' boosts or counters...

Looked it up, end there where none...

[Risek]

Drat, now I want to level faster so I can take some of these feats...
Hmmm...I think perhaps Strike of the Dual Adept and Strike of the Triadic Master should have limited uses (Maybe twice per encounter, +1 or +2 everytime you take one of them again), since I could see how that could not only be horribly overused, but it could get tedious rolling a hundred or more attack rolls per round (Time Stands Still x3, anyone?), I mean, with a simple TWF-focused warblade using Time Stands Still, you get 16 attacks per round, now imagine a thri-keen dervish with speed weapons.....You see what I mean? Granted, you still need to get close enough to use them, but still..
Otherwise, it looks great, and I'm definitely adding Epic Blade Meditation (Diamond Mind) to my wishlist

[JoshuaZ]

How will Signature Move interact with the crusader's recovery mechanism?

[Stycotl]

maybe i should make some 9th level boosts and counters. that would be cool...

[Draken]

Small nitpicks. Because other than these small problems, this is all very, ery, cool.

You mention maneuvers granted on the swordsage's maneuver entry. Swordsages don't have granted maneuvers as far as I recall. That's a crusader thing.

Signature move. On the prerequisites. you wrote 24 ranks in the associated SKULL, instead of skill. It is actually pretty funny.

[UOmegaweapon]

Bonus Feats: The epic swordsage gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic swordsage feats) at 23rd and 28th levels.

Now this I don't understand. Why give the epic swordsage such a large feat pool, and then completely gimp thme past level 30? swordsages aren't so overpowered that they don't deserve the normal allotment of bonus feats that other classes allow (look at the wizard, sorcerer and cleric, they get bonus feats every 3 levels after 20, druids getting every 4 levels, which could theoretically extend on indefinitely). Why shouldn't the swordsage, who is clearly not as powerful as an epic spellcaster, get only 2 bonus feats, while not getting nearly any other class benifits, and then be forced to suck from level 30 on. I suggest giving them the same bonus feat progression as the wizard or cleric, on grounds that the swordsage isn't nearly as powerful as them, and make it extend on indefinitely.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Now this I don't understand. Why give the epic swordsage such a large feat pool, and then completely gimp thme past level 30? swordsages aren't so overpowered that they don't deserve the normal allotment of bonus feats that other classes allow (look at the wizard, sorcerer and cleric, they get bonus feats every 3 levels after 20, druids getting every 4 levels, which could theoretically extend on indefinitely). Why shouldn't the swordsage, who is clearly not as powerful as an epic spellcaster, get only 2 bonus feats, while not getting nearly any other class benifits, and then be forced to suck from level 30 on. I suggest giving them the same bonus feat progression as the wizard or cleric, on grounds that the swordsage isn't nearly as powerful as them, and make it extend on indefinitely.

That was a simple mistake on my part. Most of the things I made are PrC's, and I finish the text with with I see in the graph.

[dyslexicfaser]

I've never played in an epic game (I think I was scared off by hearing horror stories of wizards ruling the multiverse with armies of solars and such silliness), so I have no idea if these are balanced or not, but I like the concept of epic martial characters.

Plus, the feats you came up with are totally awesome.

So for Signature Move (can I lobby to get the title changed to 'Ougi'? I just like how it sounds), you could pick, I dunno... Mountain Tombstone Strike and swing away all day long with it? Vicious.

[Zagaroth]

I know, resurrecting an old thread, but i have an Epic feat to suggest that matches the ones above.

Martial Preparedness[Epic]
You take on greater ability to prepare combat maneuvers.
Prerequisites: Ability to use at least one 9th level maneuver, Martial Lore 24+ ranks
Benefit: You can ready 2 more Martial Maneuvers than you could before. This does not increase the number of granted maneuvers a crusader gets.

[Frosty]

Wait...did I see one of the pre-reqs as BAB +21? BAB only goes up to 20. Once in epic, you only get Epic bonuses to your attack rolls instead of higher BAB right?

[hamishspence]

Several epic PRCs follow the same format- the rule is BAB + epic bonus to BAB = BAB for the purpose of epic prestige classes. For example:

Divine Emissary- BAB +23 needed
Legendary Dreadnought- BAB- +23 needed
Union Sentinel- BAB +21 needed

So, it works.