Grandmaster of Nine [Epic, Librim Eternia, Tome of Battle]

[Chambers]

Here is a Librim Eternia compatible epic version of the Master of Nine prestige class.

Grandmaster of Nine

Hit Die: d8
Prerequisites: To qualify to become a grandmaster of nine, a character must meet all of the following criteria
Skills: Martial Lore 23 ranks
Special: The character must have the Mastery of Nine class feature or know at least one maneuver from nine different disciplines.

Class Skills: Balance, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), Martial Lore, Sense Motive, Swim, Tumble. Also, add each associated skill of each discipline the grandmaster of nine knows as a class skill if it is not already a class skill.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier

Level	Epic Attack Bonus	Special
1st	+1	Epic Spellcasting, Epic Martial Adept, The First Step
2nd	+2	The Second Step
3rd	+3	The Third Step
4th	+4	The Fourth Step
5th	+5	The Fifth Step
6th	+6	The Sixth Step
7th	+7	The Seventh Step
8th	+8	The Eighth Step
9th	+9	The Ninth Step
10th	+10	The Ten-Fold Path

Maneuvers Known and Readied: At each odd-numbered level, the grandmaster of nine gains two new maneuvers known from any discipline. At each even-numbered level, she gains one maneuver known from any discipline. She must meet a maneuver’s prerequisite to learn it. She adds her full grandmaster of nine levels to her initiator level to determine her total initiator level and her highest-level maneuvers known.

At each level, the grandmaster gains an additional maneuver readied per day.

Stances Known: At each even-numbered level, the grandmaster learns a new martial stance from any discipline.

Epic Spellcasting. Even without the Epic Spellcasting feat, a Grandmaster of Nine may develop and cast epic spells using any nine seeds of her choice. For the purpose of developing epic spells with these seeds (and only these seeds), costs in gold pieces and experience points are halved. A grandmaster of nine may use her ranks in Martial Lore in place of ranks in knowledge skills to gain epic spell slots and in place of ranks in spellcraft when making a spellcraft check to cast such a spell. She may initiate one strike maneuver and cast an epic spell as a full-round action. If the attack is successful, the epic spell slot isn’t expended. If the grandmaster does not cast spells, she uses her highest ability score modifier to determine epic spell save DC’s.

Epic Martial Adept. A grandmaster of nine adds her epic attack bonus to the Difficulty Class of any saving throw required by a maneuver she initiates. Also, using the Adaptive Style feat only requires a move action instead of a full-round action. Class levels in grandmaster of nine count as levels in master of nine for the purpose of the Dual Stance class feature.

The First Step. When a grandmaster of nine initiates a strike maneuver, she may declare any single d20 roll made as part of the maneuver to be a natural 20. She may use this ability once per encounter. At 6th level and every 5 levels afterwards, this ability can be used an additional time per encounter.

The Second Step. When a grandmaster of nine initiates a counter maneuver, she may declare any single d20 roll made as part of the maneuver to be a natural 20. She may use this ability once per encounter. At 7th level and every 5 levels afterwards, this ability can be used an additional time per encounter.

The Third Step. A grandmaster of nine gains a bonus epic feat, chosen from the list of grandmaster of nine bonus epic feats.

The Fourth Step. When a grandmaster of nine initiates a maneuver that requires a saving throw, she may choose any of her ability score modifiers to use when determining the difficulty class of the saving throw.

The Fifth Step. A grandmaster of nine may use an immediate action to counter a maneuver that has been initiated by another creature. The target of the maneuver must be within her reach or the creature initiating the maneuver must be within her reach for the grandmaster to use this ability. The grandmaster must make a Martial Lore check to identify the maneuver being initiated. If successful, she may expend a maneuver of the same level and make an opposed Martial Lore check. If she succeeds, the maneuver is countered and has no effect. If the grandmaster instead expends the same exact maneuver as the one being initiated, it is automatically countered with no opposed skill check.

At 10th level and every 5 levels afterwards, this ability can be used an additional time per encounter.

The Sixth Step. When a grandmaster of nine initiates a strike maneuver, she may attack targets as if her reach were increased by a number of feet equal to her class level x 5.

The Seventh Step. When a grandmaster of nine initiates a counter maneuver that would normally only affect herself, she may instead have the maneuver affect a willing ally within 30ft. Her ability from The Second Step also applies to the ally.

The Eighth Step. A grandmaster of nine gains a bonus epic feat, chosen from the list of grandmaster of nine bonus epic feats. At 13th level and every 5 levels afterwards, she gains another bonus epic feat from the same list.

The Ninth Step. Once per encounter when a grandmaster of nine initiates a strike maneuver, she may declare that all the attack rolls made as part of that maneuver are critical hits. This counts as a Piercing effect. At 14th level and every 5 levels afterward, she may use this ability one additional time per encounter.

The Ten-Fold Path. All of a grandmaster of nine maneuvers and stances are considered extraordinary abilities. Whenever she expends a maneuver she may choose to instantly recover it. In the case of Crusaders, the maneuver is immediately granted as well.

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Grandmaster of Nine Bonus Epic Feat List
Armor Skin, Combat Archery, Damage Reduction, Devastating Critical, Dire Charge, Distant Shot, Epic Endurance, Epic Leadership, Epic Prowess, Energy Resistance, Epic Toughness, Epic Weapon Focus, Exceptional Deflection, Improved Combat Reflexes, Improved Manyshot, Improved Stunning Fist, Improved Whirlwind Attack, Infinite Deflection, Instant Reload, Legendary Commander, Legendary Rider, Legendary Wrestler, Overwhelming Critical, Penetrate Damage Reduction, Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting, Reflect Arrows, Spellcasting Harrier, Storm of Throws, Superior Initiative, Swarm of Arrows, Two-Weapon Rend, Uncanny Accuracy.

If the DM allows Krimm Blackleaf’s Epic Martial Adept Feats, add these to the grandmaster’s list of bonus feats: Dual Stance Mastery, Empower Maneuver, Epic Blade Meditation, Martial Knowledge, Maximize Maneuver, Signature Move, Strike of the Dual Adept, Strike of the Triadic Master.

[BelGareth]

This is great! love it!

[JoshuaZ]

This is really well done. The only thing I'd consider is maybe some maximum but very large number of uses of the Tenth Step ability to recover a maneuver instantly, maybe one can do so with any given maneuver half your initiator level times daily?